Entering the large, military base tent of the First High School, Yuuji looked around for a moment and quickly found the person he was looking for. She was fiddling with her laptop that was currently connected with a bracelet type CAD.
"Ah, Hirakawa-senpai?"
"Hm? Ah, T-T-Tsubakihara-kun? W-What's wrong?"
Yuuji smiled softly at the flustered, light brown haired, third-year girl. It was the first time he had ever met her. Well, at least in person.
He had seen her briefly in the anime. She was the engineer in charge of Kobayakawa Keiko in the Mirage Bat event, which would start in just a few hours. The girl who was traumatized by the "accident" that befell Keiko.
Although it might change some things, Yuuji, Aika, and Tatsuya had decided to not let the accident that befell Kobayakawa Keiko to happen and save both the athlete and the engineer from their trauma. If saving them changes things, then they will deal with the change.
"I was told to assist you with the final checks of Kobayakawa Keiko-senpai's CAD for her Mirage Bat Event. If it is not a bother to you, may I be of any help?"
Seeing her blushing expression, Yuuji felt a pang of guilt in his heart lying and taking advantage of his senpai's gullibility with his looks. But this was for her sake… If she found out about his lie and demanded an apology, then he would bow his head.
"Eh?! A-Are you sure? Y-You just finished your Monolith Code match, didn't you? Ah! C-Congratulations on winning!!! I was watching you! You were amazing!!! I can't believe you used the flying magic that had just been released a few months ago to such a degree!!!"
"Thank you very much for your compliment, senpai. I tried my best to bring the best result for our school. And knowing I would be against the Crimson Prince and Cardinal George, I just know I can't hold back anything."
"Uhn uhn!!! You were amazing!!! Ah, you said you wanted to help me, right? But unfortunately, I've already checked it with the tournament committee. I'm just here to recheck everything to make sure it's fine, so there isn't really anything you can help me with…"
Dammit… So I was already too late…
Yuuji cursed in his mind. If he could, he wanted to join her when she was going to the committee to check Kobayakawa Keiko's CAD because he knew that would be when they would tamper with it, and caught the staff in the act. But now, he was too late…
Wait, no… it's not too late. Maybe I can destroy it…
"It's fine. Then may I take over for the final checking? At the very least, I would like to see the CAD that one of the greatest engineers in our school had calibrated from scratch and learn from it, senpai."
"G-Greate- I-I'm not that great!!!"
She waved her hands back and forth, her face blushing extremely redly as she averted her face away from him.
She had 0 defense against him!!!
For a girl who had been focusing all her time and attention on studies, this was her first time experiencing spring, and with such a handsome guy at that!!!
B-But… he's still a first year student. H-How could a plain girl who's two years older than him catch his eyes?!
B-But maybe…
She stole a glance at Yuuji, who was still looking at her with his unfair smile and trying his best to conceal his sense of guilt.
It's okay to dream, right…? A-And I'll just be showing him the CAD I calibrated! T-There's nothing wrong with a senpai helping her kouhai!!!
Overwhelmed by her desire to get closer to him, Koharu made her decision. If she let go of this, who knows when she could get the chance to be this close with the most popular boy in school again!!!
"T-Then, please take a seat. H-Here you go, you can do the final checkings. You can even restart it if you want!"
"Eh? Would it be fine? Will we make it in time if we restart it?"
"U-Uhn! It'll be fine! It'll just take an extra few minutes!"
"Then, I'll take you up on your offer."
Yuuji nodded gratefully and sat down on the bench beside Koharu as she scooted over. Looking at the bracelet-shaped CAD, Yuuji used his Elemental Sight to examine it.
Ah… As expected. It's already there.
Although he doesn't know the exact structure of the Golden Electron Silkworms' magic sequence, he could easily identify a foreign presence in the system. And now, in the fraction of a second he took to examine the CAD, he grasped its magic sequence, structure, and purpose.
What a nasty virus…
The "Golden Electron Silkworms" was a magic spell that disables precision weaponry and was capable of passing across connections to invade electronic devices. It doesn't rewrite the process itself, but instead, it interferes with the output signal and may even alter the signal, delaying the spell activation by hampering the electronic mechanism without triggering the OS or anti-virus programs.
This was what caused Kobayakawa Keiko's CAD to malfunction while she was in mid air during her Mirage Bat match and made her fall. Although she was saved just in the nick of time before plunging into the water by a security member, the trauma and distrust she had towards magic and her CAD left a deep scar in her and destroyed her career as a magician.
Hiding his disgust by putting up a neutral and focused expression, Yuuji waved his hand above Keiko's CAD and cast Gram Demolition to reduce the magic sequence of the Golden Electron Silkworms into a group of Psion particles without any meaningful structure.
Then, he quickly began checking the system from beginning to end with the laptop to see if there were any remnants of the virus or not and to make sure he didn't mess anything Koharu had made.
All the while, Koharu was staring at him in a daze.
His focused gaze. His brilliance. His prodigious skill with the CAD. He's… amazing in all regards.
She had heard plenty of rumors about him from word of mouth, and now that she witnessed his brilliance in person, even the rumors failed to do him justice.
He was far more handsome, far more brilliant, far more skilled, and far more powerful than she expected.
He was beyond perfect in her eyes…
Ah… If only I was cuter… Maybe I could've caught his attention…
A gloomy thought entered her mind as she recalled seeing a particular girl who was often near Yuuji.
Kiryuu Aika. No one in the entire First High School would not know the name of the most beautiful first year girl in the school. Her appearance and figure alone had enchanted many males and females alike. And she was also a prodigious magician who could rival, no, surpass the famous freshman representative Shiba Miyuki in magic.
Her performance in the Pillars Break match had caught the eyes of many and her popularity just rocketed even further.
Compared to her, a plain girl who was only slightly more skilled than average in engineering, the difference was like heaven and earth.
After seeing her being so close to the boy she was interested in, there's no way she wouldn't lose her confidence…
"Alright. I'm done, senpai. Thank you very much for letting me have this opportunity. I have learned a lot from just seeing your work."
"Eh?! A-Ah, you're done?! U-Uhn, you're welcome!"
"Yes. Then, I wish you and Kobayakawa-senpai good luck in the match. I will be watching along with my friends and support you two."
"U-Uhn… Thank you."
"Please excuse me."
Yuuji raised from his seat, bowed, and walked away as Koharu kept her lingering gaze on his back.
Ah… He left…
Before she noticed, her hand reached out for him. But it froze just before she held onto the hem of his blazer uniform.
A sense of loss, regret, and fear filled her heart. Lost from watching his back recede into the distance. Regret for not having the courage to stop him. And fear at the thought of never being able to be that near to him ever again.
No… Wait. It's not the end… I can still be near him.
Her eyes began to regain its light.
The Thesis Competition… That's right, I can have him become my bodyguard!
--------------------------------X--------------------------------
Without the virus in her CAD, Kobayakawa Keiko managed to win her first main event Mirage Bat match.
It was challenging, but her skill and Koharu's engineering managed to let her triumph over the others.
"Congratulations, Hirakawa-senpai."
"Uhn! Congratulations!!!"
"As expected of Hirakawa-senpai. The performance of the CAD you calibrated is amazing."
"Yes. Congratulations."
"T-Thank you very much, everyone. B-But I really didn't do much. It was Keiko's efforts and skills that made her win."
"Don't be like that, senpai~! You are chosen to represent our school as our engineer~ That means you're amazingly skilled at what you do~!!!"
"Mm. Please take pride in your skill more, senpai."
"U-Uhn… T-Thank you, you two."
Koharu fidgeted in embarrassment as she stood beside the two greatest beauties of the school. Kiryuu Aika and Shiba Miyuki. Although she had only seen them from afar, she had heard numerous rumors about their beauty, talent, and character. They were individuals beyond anyone's reach except for those like Yuuji. Flowers on a high peak.
But now that she talked to them in person, they seemed very close. They were… kind and friendly. Although she was still a bit overwhelmed by their brilliance, they didn't feel so far anymore.
Perhaps, being friends wouldn't be so out of reach like everyone made it seem to be, Koharu thought.
Meanwhile, after congratulating Koharu, Yuuji and Tatsuya redirect their gaze towards Kobayakawa Keiko, who was still receiving a resounding applause as she waved her hands to the spectators on the Mirage Bat columns.
"Good work. You've erased the virus completely."
"Thank you. It was the first time I've ever tried using Gram Demolition like that. I'm glad it worked out."
Yuuji shook his head and let out a sigh of relief.
He knew that it would work, in theory. And he had learned extensively about Gram Demolition and Gram Dispersion from Tatsuya, and even started developing a third type of magic dismantling spell that would work more like an armor.
But dispelling a magic spell that had already latched itself into a CAD was a first for him.
"You did very well on your first try."
Tatsuya placed a hand on his shoulder. His lips curled into a small, yet still present, proud smile for his "student".
"Thanks, Tatsuya. I couldn't have done it without you."
"I believe you could've figured it out with your proficiencies. Well, enough about that. You should go and prepare for Aika's match."
"Alright. I'll see you later."
Yuuji nodded to Tatsuya before making his way to the girls.
"Aika, I'll be taking your CAD for checking now. Wait for me in the tent."
"Okay~!!! I'll reserve a private room in the tent~!"
Aika winked, earning her a helpless smile from Yuuji. She looked so excited and could barely wait for it.
He then turned towards Miyuki and Koharu.
"I'll see you later as well, Miyuki. And Kobayakawa-senpai, congratulations once again."
"Yes. See you later, Yuuji."
"T-Thank you very much! I-I'll see you later as well, Tsubakihara-kun."
"Yes."
--------------------------------X--------------------------------
Yuuji queued up along with the other participants who were here to have their CAD checked for the tournament and received plenty of attention as usual.
In his hand was Aika's bracelet-type CAD, but it wasn't the one she'll use for her Mirage Bat match. Since Yuuji knew that they'll tamper with her CAD, he brought along the backup CAD so they won't harm her personal one.
After a few minutes of waiting, Yuuji finally arrived at the front of the line.
Before him was a large, pure white table with a device to scan CAD and monitor display to the right. And sitting behind it was the same staff who tampered with Miyuki's CAD in the anime.
Yuuji placed the bracelet on the scanning area, keeping his eyes fixed on the staff and the bracelet.
He began typing on his computer and a screen popped up on the monitor, displaying Aika's school picture and her information.
Then, the scanning process began as a line of light began scanning through the bracelet type CAD.
With his elemental sight activated, Yuuji kept his eyes on Aika's bracelet. And as he expected, the staff injected the Golden Electron Silkworms into the CAD he calibrated.
The audacity… I'll compliment his poker face, at the very least.
Yuuji grabbed his collar, lifted him up into the air with one hand, and slammed him down to the ground.
"W-Whoa- Kuhaahhkk!!! Gghhkkh!!"
And unlike Tatsuya, who held him down with his knee, Yuuji placed his legs on his upper chest and leaned forward, making it difficult for him to breathe. He grabbed onto Yuuji's leg and tried to move it, but it wouldn't budge.
Yuuji's action caused some commotion and a few members of security came to see what happened as Yuuji continued to look down on the scum.
"How sneaky. But not sneaky enough. Did you really think I wouldn't notice if you tamper with the CAD I calibrated from scratch?"
Yuuji pressed down on his chest even more as he struggled under his feet.
"Gggghhkkkh!!!"
"What did you inject into this CAD with that examination device? I'm sure it's not just a virus."
Witnessing the commotion, the security staff were about to separate Yuuji from the examination staff. But upon hearing his words, they froze and began looking at each other in shock and uncertainty.
"Aah… I see. It seems like it was as I expected. All of the accidents that occurred during this tournament, to me, must've been your crafty work, huh?"
Despite the pain he was suffering from, the staff's eyes widened in shock at his words and averted his eyes away.
"I see… So you're not going to talk? Well then… perhaps you'll learn how crushing winds could be with your body."
"H-Hiiiih!!!"
"What is going on here?"
Just then, the charismatic voice of an old man resounded and snapped Yuuji out of his focus on the scummy staff.
He glanced towards the entrance of the tent and saw the Patriarch himself, Kudou Retsu, approaching him with two of the tournament's board committee members in tow.
With a gesture of his chin, one of them approached the scummy staff that Yuuji had let go, and held him down along with a member of security.
"I apologize for showing such an unseemly display."
Yuuji bowed and apologized as Kudou Retsu began to walk closer with his hands behind his back. .
"You are Tsubakihara Yuuji of First High, am I right? You managed to astound me in your match yesterday. Well done."
"Thank you very much for your praise."
"Umu. So, what happened here?"
"The CADs used by my school have been tampered with before my eyes. Upon noticing it, I apprehended the culprit and was about to interrogate him for information regarding his patron and the mastermind."
"I see."
A staff then brought over Aika's bracelet CAD and handed it to the Patriarch, who began looking at it for a moment.
"It is true. A foreign element has been injected into this. Back when I'm still active, the magicians of the Guangdong Army used this during the battle of the East China Seas; the Golden Electron Silkworms."
The examination staff's eyes widened in horror and shock as Kudou Retsu began explaining the very virus he was injecting into the First High school's CADs. Everything was out of the bag now.
"Until we were able to identify this, our forces suffered severely… Did you know about this?"
"No… I was unaware of its name until now. However, I recognize at once when something similar to a virus has been injected into the system I designed myself."
"I see… So tell me, where on Earth did you acquire this magic sequence?"
The examination staff flinched at the pressure exerted by the Patriarch himself, and soon, any courage to fight or escape left him as he dropped his shoulders.
The rest of the security staff apprehended him and began taking him elsewhere, most likely for questioning before locking him up somewhere.
"I am impressed that you caught it, Tsubakihara Yuuji."
"Thank you very much. But in truth… members of my school's team and I have been suspecting foul play done by… some of the staff within the committee ever since the first incident that befell our athlete. We have requested the committee to do an internal investigation on the credibility and trustworthiness of their staff. However… it seemed like some still managed to slip through their keen eyes."
"!!!"
The staff members, including the board committee, all flinched at the glare and pressure Yuuji emanated through his presence and eyes alone.
"Mm. It seems so. To think that someone among the tournament staff was involved in tampering… It's a scandal without precedent. You can explain yourself to me later."
They flinched once again, this time from Kudou Retsu, before he turned towards Yuuji with a kind smile.
"You should be getting back to the stadium. I would use a backup CAD if I were you."
"The CAD that I submitted for examinations is actually the back up CAD I have prepared in case the examination staff tried to tamper with it. The original CAD I have prepared is still in my athlete's possession. Shall I… bring it here for examination again?"
Yuuji glanced at the board committee members as they began panicking, looking back and forth at each other and the Patriarch who was standing before them.
"No. Under these circumstances, there is no need to have it checked pre-match."
Kudour Retsu shook his head and turned towards the board committee members.
"Do you have any complaints?"
"...No."
"Good."
He turned towards Yuuji once again.
"Tsubakihara Yuuji?"
"Yes, sir?"
"I would like to hear from you as well, sometime. "
"Yes. Should the opportunity arise, it would be my honor."
"Mm. I suppose I shall be looking forward to that opportunity, then."
--------------------------------X--------------------------------
Upon returning to the First High School's tent, Yuuji could immediately feel the heavy and tense atmosphere that had filled the room.
The people in the tent immediately turned their heads and looked at him with shock in their eyes.
And Mayumi, who was already waiting for him since she heard about the incident, immediately approached him.
"Yuuji-kun! What happened? I was informed by the tournament committee that one of our students had gone on a rampage… Was it you?"
She was surprised, unable to believe that Yuuji would go on a rampage against a member of the tournament committee. She knew he wasn't the type of man who would use force against someone undeserving.
But from what she heard, the student was definitely Yuuji from the way they described it. No, there was no doubt in that. With how famous Yuuji had become after his matches, it was obvious who they would refer to even if they didn't explicitly say his name.
She needed to know why. Why would Yuuji do such a thing? She knew there must be a reasonable explanation behind it.
"Please calm down, president. I can explain."
Mayumi snapped out of her daze when Yuuji held her shoulders firmly, and he began explaining what had happened in the CAD examination tent.
And as he explained the situation, Mayumi and everyone else in the room slowly came to an understanding of the whole situation.
"Ah… I see. So you caught them in the act."
"Yes. And since I might not have another chance, I apprehended him right then and there."
A helpless smile appeared across Mayumi's face.
"Aren't you a bit rash?"
"If they were to do their job properly and investigate their own ranks more credibly, then I wouldn't have resorted to such means."
Yuuji shrugged. After all, he had given them plenty of chances to conduct their own internal investigations. But, the tournament committee either didn't do it or were just that incompetent, so there was no other choice but do what Tatsuya did.
It was a more straightforward means of outing the rat. Especially since he knew that the patriarch would come. His presence and words alone made it extremely easy for him to get the scummy staff out of the picture.
"I see… Well, it can't be helped this time. But please be more careful next time."
"Yes, president. Then, will you please excuse me? I've promised to meet with Aika privately for a final rundown of our strategy for her Mirage Bat match."
"Alright. Aika-san had reserved a room in the back. She's already waiting for you."
"Thank you very much. Then, please excuse me."
Yuuji bowed and made his way to the very back of the tent, a separate place from where everyone normally gathered in, and knocked on the door of the room he sensed Aika in.
"Aika, it's me."
"Come in~"
Her sultry voice resounded from within, causing his lips to curl into a helpless smile.
He opened the door, and within, he saw Aika standing before him in her mirage bat outfit. A pure white, shoulderless, short dress, lace gloves that stretched up to her elbow, and a pair of tight, white, thigh highs that squeezed her milky thighs perfectly with just the right amount of absolute territory between it and her skirt.
This… was the R-18 version of her mirage bat outfit she had prepared for this moment.
"Hi, darling~ Are you ready~?"