[Welcome back everyone to the Seven Star Tournament!]
There were the classical cheers of excitement and anticipation. Today, there was more than usual. Why? Because Ayato Kyouya was participating in two of the three events.
[Yesterday was a special fight that ended almost instantly! In the events today, we're going to have the now-famous Ayato Kyouya!]
Miru shouted, also excited herself.
[Now, for those who believe that someone of his calibre shouldn't be allowed to participate, rejoice! Ayato Kyouya has a few handicaps. Not a few! He's only allowed to attack using the weapon he possesses. He cannot use mana or physical attacks.]
It was a debuff. A major one. It would give Ayato fewer options when attacking.
The incident yesterday was a miracle. Ayato defeating Jun Yomichi in 0.395 seconds was by chance. It was the use of aether.
Ayato was so caught up in his feelings that he used aether while propelling himself. It reminded him of how mysterious aether actually was. He definitely couldn't replicate the same movements again.
[The first matches will be of Capture the Flag!]
The holographic screen switched to the field. It was a forest. It focused on the Auralia team.
[On the Auralia team, we have Ayato Kyouya, Isamu Goto and Mami Yumi! Mami Yumi is injured but she insisted on participating, so she's allowed.]
Her face looked better than it did yesterday, but it still had bandages over it.
[Well, lucky them, the first match is against Hortensia A! They have Ayaka Satsuki, Yoru Kyouya and Sakura Chibana! Only one of their four powerhouses! Now, even if Ayato Kyouya is restrained, I'd think to be on my toes!]
"Tch!"
The pink-haired girl, Sakura, clicked her tongue, thinking of Shiroki.
"It's only because that bastard was scared after yesterday's display. That was nothing more than a miracle."
"I think putting it off as a miracle is a bit ignorant, Chibana-senpai..."
Ayaka told her, hesitantly.
'A miracle? That? I think it was something more. He's never displayed this sort of power before...'
Yoru said, thinking back to the Midnight Banquet.
"We'll win. All we have to do is believe."
[Okay, now that we've introduced them! Let's start the countdown to disaster! 3, 2, 1! Are you ready? Start!]
From the Auralia side, everyone dashed ahead, meanwhile, on the Hortensia side, only Ayaka stayed behind.
"So, we'll go with the plan?"
Isamu asked.
Mami nodded.
"It's the best way. Especially since we have to keep them on edge. I hate to admit it, but you're the key to the plan, Ayato."
She told him.
"Yeah, I'll do my best."
Ayato was at a disadvantage. He was using the artificial Divine Tool, Asteria, but he couldn't use any ranged attacks.
Using ranged attacks required mana. Meaning that he couldn't use attacks like Moon Sickles. The plan was for Ayato to stay out of sight. Mami was a rather capable fighter, safe for yesterday's incident. Isamu was also good but lacked confidence.
In the end, it would all boil down to who could get the flag first since a turnover was highly unlikely.
The flag was placed in the centre of the forest. It was a place with a 20-metre diameter with no grass or trees.
The first person to reach the flag zone was Yoru Kyouya. He dove in, attempting to take the flag. From a tree, a shadow leapt off and kicked him, pushing him away.
It was Mami. She stood in front of the flag, defending it like a guardian.
They were the only ones who had shown themselves.
[First contact is Yoru Kyouya and Mami Yumi! But, oh? Where're the others? Are they in hiding? What plans do both teams have cooked up?!]
Mami couldn't take the flag.
A turnover. It happened when the flag carrier was attacked, meaning that they were vulnerable. Flag carriers were not allowed to attack. It is called a turnover but it was more like the flag would be forcibly dropped.
Once a team drops a flag, they can't pick it up for 5 seconds. That 5 seconds is the perfect chance for the opposing team to pick it up.
Even though getting the flag the fastest was the goal, whoever grabbed the flag first was at a disadvantage without knowing where everyone else was.
Mami and Yoru glared at each other.
They fought.
[Oh! We have our first fight! Soaring fists and cutting kicks! It's an equal match!]
It wasn't.
Yoru was winning the bout. Not because Mami was injured, but because he had the upper hand.
"What the fuck...!"
She cursed as he stuck her chest.
[A clean blow!]
"I can see your future."
Yoru's Magic Seal was Foresight. It wasn't anything crazy like being able to see someone's distant future. He could only see between 1-3 seconds of the future. It wouldn't work unless used on a living being.
The skill he had to possess to be able to use it while fighting and being able to decipher, comprehend and react to a future was immeasurable. If Ayato had that Magic Seal, he wouldn't be able to use it like Yoru.
It all depended on the magician's processing and calculating section of their brains.
"That's cool, what about his?"
Yoru was bumped to the side as if he had been rammed by a car.
Isamu had saved Mami. He didn't use a Magic Seal. He had dropkicked Yoru with his legs shielded in mana.
"Oi, bitch! I know you're there! You can't let your junior here get fucked up by us!"
Mami provoked Sakura, convinced that she was hiding in the forest as well. She had no idea where the other girl was, however.
Just like how Ayato's absence would make Hortensia antsy, Ayaka's presence would do the same to Auralia.
'I'm not sure who that girl is but she's a Satsuki. They're rather mysterious with no real achievements among branch families.'
She thought.
"No! Don't come out, Sakura-senpai!"
Yoru shouted, desperately. The way he shouted made it seem like he was covering for someone.
"Is she not here...?"
She muttered to herself.
"I'll mince you up like last time! What?! Are you scared to come out, you half-baked tomato!"
"What are you, a delinquent?!"
Isamu shouted in surprise. He felt that the people around him acted the same. He wondered if it was his lingering after-effect or something else.
"Now you've done it..."
Sakura walked out, clearly agitated.
"You just remember this! Our hair is the fucking same colour!"
"Heh, no it's not. Mine is darker. Looks sexier in my opinion. You look like a lipstick so I don't know what you're on about."
She shrugged.
The ground beneath Sakura cracked as she clenched her fist. She had burst a vessel.
"Is that so...? I'll render you cripple!"
"I'd like to see you try!"
They shouted at each other. Yoru and Isamu sighed and thought the same thing.
'Why are girls so scary?'