The VTOL carrying Yugen and the others touched down on Iōjima, where a lone figure stood at the edge of the heliport. It was unmistakably Tatsuya, suggesting his business with the National Defense Army had concluded smoothly.
As Miyuki disembarked, she rushed toward him.
"Brother!" she called out, her voice brimming with relief.
"Welcome back, Miyuki. You're earlier than expected… Where's the girl?" Tatsuya's gaze shifted past her.
At the end of his line of sight, Kua, supported by Honoka, was slowly descending from the aircraft. The group gathered in the villa's living room, Kua among them. She gulped down a glass of juice and picked up a cookie, sniffing it curiously. Her actions betrayed a life devoid of ordinary human experiences.
Tatsuya observed her closely, though to someone unfamiliar with his nature, his intense scrutiny might seem like a glare. Kua, apparently perceiving it as such, clung nervously to Erika beside her.
"Tatsuya, you're scaring her," Erika chided.
"I didn't mean to," Tatsuya replied, a touch defensive. "And Miyuki, please don't laugh."
"Fufu… Well, it is you, Brother," Miyuki teased, her smile softening the moment.
With that playful deflection, Yugen and the others began questioning Kua.
She revealed she was fourteen, though her growth appeared stunted, reminiscent of Itsuwa Mio's condition—a phenomenon likely caused by prolonged large-scale magical computations in a body not fully attuned. Kua explained that she and eight others had been integrated into a massive CAD, their magical computation domains used as conduits for strategic-class magic experiments.
A researcher named Morinaga had urged her to "escape," warning, "Before you cease to be yourself." Those words had driven Kua to flee the institute. Hearing this, Erika turned to Yugen.
"Losing one's sense of self… Yugen, is that even possible?"
"It is," Yugen replied grimly. "There are methods to achieve it, though they were supposedly sealed by the Jōsen and Kagurazaka families. My grandfather once mentioned experiments involving forced mental links for large-scale magical computations."
He recalled stories from his travels with Gōzō, tales of the Cluster Wars and clandestine magical experiments, some of which Gōzō himself had participated in. One such experiment, he noted, had ended in "ashes."
"So, magicians are just treated as disposable parts?" Mikihiko spat, his voice thick with disgust.
Tatsuya's expression darkened. The phenomenon of ego erasure in magicians was real—while individuals with similar psion wavelengths could synchronize their computations, aligning the results required a merging process. Linking minds via CAD to produce a singular outcome was feasible, but it inevitably sacrificed someone's sense of self.
Such inhumane experiments, treating magicians as mere tools, had been strictly sealed. The fact that this research had been revived was an outrage beyond ignoring.
"I examined her on the flight," Yugen added. "Kua was one computation away from complete ego loss. One more, and she'd have become a 'doll.'"
"That's… not something to joke about," Erika said, her voice tight.
"Obviously," Tatsuya replied curtly.
Kua's face fell, her sad eyes locking onto Erika as she clutched her sleeve. The plea in her gaze was unmistakable.
"Please… help me," she whispered.
"Don't worry. We won't abandon you," Erika assured her.
"No… please, save us," Kua pleaded, her voice trembling.
Her request extended beyond herself—to rescue the other eight of the "Watatsumi Series" from the institute and ensure their protection. Ceria, who had been quiet until now, softened her expression and addressed Kua gently.
"We're not unwilling to grant your wish, Kua-chan, but… did Morinaga-san tell you to seek anyone specific for help?"
"She said… to ask Saegusa Mayumi for help."
The mention of Mayumi raised eyebrows—why her? Still, it made sense. She was supposedly on a graduation trip in the Ogasawara Islands. Tatsuya had even mentioned the possibility of crossing paths with her, and now, thanks to Kua, it seemed inevitable.
"Speaking of which," Tatsuya noted, "I saw a tiltrotor of the same model at the airport when we returned."
"Wow, you actually noticed?" Erika teased.
"Don't act so surprised," Tatsuya shot back.
As Leo and Erika bantered, Yugen pulled out his terminal and sent an encrypted message to Mayumi, safe from interception by the National Defense Navy. In the original story, Tatsuya's group would have acted alone, but with the Navy and possibly "Stars" involved, the situation was far more complex. The wildcard was whether an additional "Plus One" factor would complicate matters further.
"Rescuing adjusted individuals from the institute means clashing with the Navy," Tatsuya mused.
"No, it's about 'humanitarian protection,'" Yugen countered. "We just need a justifiable cause to act against them."
"That's logical," Tatsuya admitted, "but are you mobilizing the Divine Assembly?"
"I could summon the four, but I'd rather not tip off the Navy. Besides, hesitation isn't an option now."
Yugen connected his foldable terminal to the villa's large monitor, displaying two figures: Chikahime of the Kagurazaka family and Gōzō and Mototsume of the Jōsen family. Yugen reported Kua's rescue and the revival of the forbidden magical experiments Gōzō had once described, tied to the Third World War. Though Gōzō had passed the Jōsen leadership to Mototsume, he agreed to join due to the issue's gravity.
"That's the situation and our assumptions," Yugen concluded.
"Kanemaru, that fool," Gōzō growled through the screen. "Not only does he fail to grasp the essence of strategic-class magic, but he's willing to burn through magicians to achieve it."
"Who is this person, Gōzō-dono?" Tatsuya asked.
"The director of the Southern Islands Arsenal. I used to frequent the institute myself. My disciples informed me he's still conducting magical experiments…"
At his age, Kanemaru was still a "brat" in Gōzō's eyes, a testament to the old man's authority. Mototsume exhaled and turned to Yugen.
"Are you not mobilizing the Divine Assembly this time?"
"This isn't like the Parasite incident," Yugen replied. "And luckily, our allies can handle regular soldiers with ease."
"True. If they slip up, I'll make them walk the 'Blade's Edge' at the main temple," Mototsume said.
"You're starting to sound like Grandfather," Yugen quipped.
The "Blade's Edge" was a brutal training ritual—walking barefoot over a sharpened katana using magic to maintain balance. Any lapse in control meant a sliced foot. Only advanced practitioners at the main temple faced real blades; others used meticulously sharpened wooden swords, still dangerous enough to cut.
"Understood," Mototsume said. "As head of the Kagurazaka family, I entrust this to you, Yugen. Rescue the eight remaining Watatsumi Series and Morinaga Akiko, then dismantle the Southern Islands Arsenal. As for the researchers, military police, and Navy soldiers… their fate is in your hands."
"Got it. And if a third party intervenes?"
"That's your call. Ceria-chan, support Yugen fully."
"Of course. Support is my specialty," Ceria replied confidently.
With three strategic-class magicians present (four, counting Miyuki, who had bested Lina), Ceria would take a backup role. Yugen and Tatsuya would lead the vanguard, with Leo, Erika, and Ceria guarding Kua, supported by Shizuka and Mikihiko, and Sana and Miyuki rounding out the team. Honoka and Mizuki, less suited for combat, were excluded from the operation.
"The Magic Association will be informed through us," Mototsume added. "Tatsuya-kun, I've arranged equipment support through my former family and Captain Sanada. Rely on him."
"Much appreciated," Tatsuya replied.
After the call, Yugen turned to Erika and Leo. "I need to borrow your CADs for a bit. It won't take an hour."
"Fine by me," Leo said. "What's the plan?"
"Some fine-tuning and unlocking restricted functions at a friend's request."
"Full thought-operated CADs are already world-class," Erika remarked. "There's more?"
She had a point, but time was short. Yugen planned to integrate magical crystals into Leo's wristband CAD, "Siegfried," and Erika's "Hayatemaru," acquired recently. These crystals required a user with a compatible psion wavelength to a guardian spirit, a condition met by Leo and Erika, with Tatsuya, Miyuki, Shizuka, and Mikihiko also potential candidates. Upon connection, the crystal's embedded personality would manifest, communicating telepathically, imperceptible to others.
Additionally, Yugen would unlock the "pseudo-magic computation domain circuit" in both CADs, allowing the devices to assist with magical computations while ensuring security through user-specific psion input. The process involved swapping resonance stones for crystals, unlocking the circuit, and verifying program stability. As promised, Yugen completed the adjustments in under an hour.
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