The next day and Day 1 of the Nine School Competition.
The game that will feature today is the Speed Shooting contest. The rules of this game are simple, 2 players will compete with each other on who can shoot and destroy clay targets of red/white that will fly out to the designated place. The goal is to get 100 targets destroyed as fast as possible. In the past, this game or sport is called Skeet shooting. However, the students won't compete with other students yet as there will be qualifying rounds to trim down those who want to enter the game.
In a certain studio.
"Gooooood Morning Japan!!" one of the anchors shouted "I'm Takamori, I'm here live in the studio to cover the 9SC and we also have Naoko and Takeru with us here today too." Both of them are in the camera.
"So Gentlemen, what do you expect to happen on this day of the competition?" asked Takamori.
"The Official Speed Shooting is the feature game for this day, right? Then the First High Elven Sniper will dominate this contest." Naoka said he was a fanboy of First High because he had a bet on them.
"Oh...right if any of the listeners don't know what speed Shooting is or miss the information we shared before the program let me explain," Takamori said. After explaining to the listeners
"The Competition is divided into two divisions, the Official Division where Seniors, Sophomore and Freshmen can join while the Newcomer Division is played by the Freshmen," Takamori said he diverted his attention to Takeru and asked the same question after he went to a segway.
"The First High will clearly take the lead during the first day but the next day will be the Third High's dominating day," Takeru said as he made a bet on Third High to win it all.
"However from what I heard circulating around yesterday is that the Second High has an exceptional freshman this year and those freshmen will on the official division instead of the newcomer division," Takamori said.
"Well, seeing is believing." Naoka answer
"Agreed we won't know anything about their ability other than you hearing rumors about it," Takeru said.
"Now let go of the venue and watch things unfold," Takomori said.
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The Speed Shooting event venue is a modern, well-maintained outdoor stadium with a grandstand featuring tiered blue seating for a clear view of the shooting ranges below. Sleek, curved canopies provide protection while allowing natural light. Large screens display event information, and tall floodlights are positioned around the venue, ensuring visibility. The venue includes four shooting ranges, each clearly marked and separated by walls for safety.
Currently only one of the shooting ranges has an almost full attendance while the others are clearly deserted compared to the crowded one. The reason for this is that the crowd came to see the Elven Sniper of 9SC, Saegusa Mayumi.
"As expected of Mayumin, she really is popular! even the other students from different school really wanted to get the glimpse of her beauty and skill as the Elven Princess of the Olden Myth." Azusa said energetically while looking around the stand seating getting crowded already. The other members of the Student Council plus Mari ignored her using the nickname that Mayumi received from the rowdy yet charming Second High student. Why charming? Well after interacting with him last night they were naturally drawn to him but not closed they will do anything for him but it's more of a follow-the-leader type.
"It's also added effect that she is part of the Ten Master Clan, so many people want to see if the candidate Heir to Saegusa Clan is worthy, Ten Master Heir can also be considered as a celebrity at this point as they attract much attention from common folk," Suzune added another reason though she does not care about any of the Ten Master Clan shenanigans as she would rather focus all her attention to her research paper.
"That just the average common folk but those who despise Magician would love for the Heir to be gone or die, or fail just so they can laugh at the vulnerable magicians," Miyuki added another reason to the list but this is a bit on the bad of being an heir or being a magician in general. She does not care what they think or feel about them as the only thing important is the safety of her Family especially her Onii-sama and Mother which extend to her Aunt as she's the one protecting her Onii-sama from the outside.
"Oho... It seems like speaking from the perspective of an Heir, are you a hidden Ten Master Clan heir or something?" Mari asked with a serious tone and narrow eyes but the others in her group could tell that she was just joking and doing some tomfoolery as Oreki said. They shook they're asked themselves why this guy got on their heads all of a sudden except Miyuki and Mari.
Hearing this question from Mari, the younger Shiba panicked a bit but it did show on her face as she had a serious face "Please don't say something like that as It might offend the Ten Master Clan heir if they heard about that or even the current head that you're comparing them to a lowly magician like me." She explained with a serious tone hoping that they wouldn't mention this again.
"Maa, Maa, Maa, don't be serious Miyuki, there are only ten heirs and those ten won't be in the same room as us that much to hear me, and besides Maymi won't get angry at me for the simple-minded question," Mari said with a smile but unbeknown to Mari and the co. there is another Ten Master Heir at their back staring creepily at Miyuki.
"However you still have to be mindful of what you saying" Miyuki reminded Mari more which just made the latter shrug.
The students who were sitting and waiting for the Elven Sniper started cheering when Mayumi who they had been waiting for got on the shooting range and waved at the crowd of Students with some adults mixed in.
"It's starting," Suzune said to them. They focused on Mayumi on the platform who is currently wearing a sleek, light green bodysuit with darker green accents. The suit is form-fitting and covers her from neck to wrists. She also has a pair of green goggles on her face, and her long dark hair flows freely down her back.
After waving to the crowd, Mayumi faces the shooting arena before pulling a gun that looks like a sleek white rifle. The huge TV screen started counting from 3 with sounds accompanying it and the tailgates lighting up one by one. When the count ended, Clay Target started going out on the field while Mayumi started shooting it down and destroying it.
The crowds started cheering and clapping as they witnessed the graceful and cool appearance of the next head of the Saegusa Clan. This all happened for 5 minutes of no cheering from the crowd while some adults did like this so what they did they started booing but their voices got drowned by the cheering.
"Even seeing it again, I can not be amazed at Mayuchii's magic." Azusa sighs with admiration as she that.
"I only watched her from a TV broadcast last year but I can see that her Der Freischutz is even faster this year," Miyuki said while staring seriously at Mayumi.
"You have to thank Suzune for that" Mari quipped with a smile.
"Her improving had nothing to do with me, that's all Mayumi's effort" Suzune replied.
The cheering and clapping continued until they noticed that the sky started getting darker as dark clouds covered the shining sun.
The student council also noticed this as they looked up at the sky with frowns written on their faces.
"Did the weather forecast say that it's going to be dark and cloudy today?" Maki asked.
"No, is it said that it will be the usual sunny weather without a chance of rain today?" Asuza was the one to answer.
"For the first time since the inception of modern magic, the prediction failed" Suzune added casually.
"Should we get going? we don't have an umbrella with us" Miyuki interrupted them. The others look and each other before agreeing to Miyuki. However, they got interrupted when the sky started rumbling before a flash of lightning struck somewhere at the back. They covered their ears as the sound was loud.
The lightning did not stop coming down and it even frantically raining lightning instead of rain.
The other students panicked when they saw and heard this but some of the students who were calm started shouting that the lightning struck to one shooting range.
The students nodded at each other run to the shooting range. When the group comes near the shooting range the sound of lightning strikes is getting louder and louder but they are covering their ears though it's not enough to shield them from the sound. However, when they arrive at the scene the lightning sounds mellow down which makes them confused.
Luckily someone answered them. "It's a mental interference thing." They looked at the source of the voice and saw the smiling Oreki.
"You're lessening what others want to hear?" Suzune asked with curiosity as she couldn't believe simple magic like that could do a variety of things. Then she remembered at Family who specialized in that magic
"Something like that" Oreki casually as he started walking to one of the empty seats before the crowd filled in because the lightning would surely attract more students here.
The student council followed behind him while they also looked down the shooting platform to see who was doing this and it was one of the Second High students with Oreki last night. Miyuki also noticed her Onii-sama with Mikihiko and likewise Tatsuya noticed her group. They nodded with each other as they looked at the figure down the platform.
"That's Akeno, my future wife" Oreki introduced proudly.
Akeno is wearing a sporty outfit, which includes a white, sleeveless top that accentuates her figure, and a short green pleated skirt with a black wristband on both of her wrists.
"I thought Rias was your future wife?" The Cute Azusa asked as last night Rias introduced herself the future wife of Oreki too.
"I thought having more than one wife is the norm here?" Oreki tilted his head in confusion. Then he remembered Akeno's fetish of being called a mistress instead of a wife. He wanted to say that but stopped himself to further explain things to them
"Well... you are right about that but still Rias seems to be too prideful and proud to let you get a second wife," Maki said because if she were in Rias' shoes she would not allow another woman to be his wife,
"Heh.. she's not like that" Oreki replied he wanted to explain to them that Rias is an otaku but this person is not knowledgeable so it would be a pain to explain things further.
"Kamis..." Suzune was about to say something but Oreki interrupted her with a look which she understood what he meant.
"Oreki, is okay to ask a frank question?" Suzune asked.
"You already did" Oreki quip with a smirk.
Maki and Azusa chuckle and also Miyuki.
However, Suzune ignores this "Are you a member of the Yotsuba Clan?" She asked while looking at Oreki seriously.
Maki and Azusa's eyes widen as they only just realized that Oreki had been using mental interference magic which the Yotsuba Clan specialized in. Miyuki tensed up hearing this as she awaited the answer. Tatsuya from afar read the lips of Suzune which made him also tense up but not as high as Miyuki.
"Nope," Oreki answered with a smile while looking at Miyuki which made the latter confirm even more that Oreki was a member of Yotsuba Clan.
"I see" Suzune did not ask further as she watched the lightning strike the clay targets nonstop.
Akeno is just standing there watching the continuous lightning in fascination as she hold cheek with her hand. The seating is almost full as students take their seats after coming here but some of them are late because as soon as the last student takes a seat. The lightning strike stops as the five-minute time limit stops.
The students clap and cheer as they witness the display of a beautiful spectacle that they would not see every day.
Akeno started waving at the audience before giving a flying kiss and wink to Oreki.
Oreki smiled and stood up from his seat "Ladies, I'll be going" However when he was about to leave he stopped as he saw Mayumi looking at Akeno. "Mayumin, good to see you here" He greeted with a smile.
Mayumi turns her head to Oreki "Mou, Oreki-chan stop calling me Mayumin." She pouted though she did like the name secretly but no one knew that other Oreki.
"If you are always acting cute like that, I will not stop calling you that" Oreki boop Mayumi's nose as he said that casually. Azusa agreed to Oreki.
"Mou...don't treat me like a kid, I'm older the you." Mayumi pouted while blushing a bit. The student council seeing this still can't believe Mayumi would blush easily around Oreki. They wonder if Mayumi's heart would be easily captured by Oreki.
"Anyway, I hope you didn't get cold feet after seeing that," Oreki said teasingly.
"Who do you think I am?" Mayumi stood proud as her modest chest jiggled which did not escape the eyes of Oreki.
"You're Mayumin The cutest girl, I met," Oreki said casually "Enough about that, we'll see you in the finals, Bye" He waved at them before leaving the premises.
The student council group except Mayumu looked at the Oreki's back disappearing with the crowd before looking at Mayumi who was standing still looking at nothingness. The student council group smiles knowingly.
"Oi...Earth to Mayumi, are you there?" Maki asked playfully while snapping her finger.
"Whaet happened?" Mayumi asked as she snapped out of her dazed.
"Eh, you don't remember?" Maki asked playfully again.
Mayumi was confused by Maki's question.
The student council looked at each other before they asked if Maymi was serious about which she nodded in response.
"Then let me remind you! Oreki said you are the cutest girl he met" Maki said.
Mayumi hearing this came back to reality as she exploded comedic way because of her face being all hot and bothered.
"Now that is the reaction we want to see" The group collectively said.e