Indeed...... That's practically brainwashing the brain into carving the
images of the Activation Sequences into memory, then directly
recalling the Activation Sequence from memory without the aid of a
CAD. This ability completely bypasses the need for the CAD to
spread and read the Activation Sequences......
In his situation, the calculation area in his consciousness has taken this
to the next level. By being able to construct Magic Sequences from
memory, he also avoids the time needed to construct Magic Sequences
in real time...... This way, he has absolutely replaced the deficit in
processing speed."
"More like made up for and then some. Do we even have someone in
the troop that can beat the speed he just displayed? Even Yanagi, who
shares the same systematic talent, is only barely able to match him."
"......True, I can't think of anyone else."
The two of them were no longer watching the match.
They were solely focused on Tatsuya, who was still kneeling on the
ground.
Kichijouji was utterly panic stricken.
He could not believe the scene that lay before his eyes.
Masaki was stretched out on the ground.
Even though his opponent, Tatsuya, was also kneeling on the floor,
light still dwelt within his eyes.
In other words......
(Masaki, lost......?)
This was an altogether unbelievable sight.
An implausibility that simply couldn't occur.
Originally, even if there was a minuscule chance the team could lose,
the possibility that Masaki would fall was practically zero.
"Kichijouji, watch out!"
Kichijouji snapped out of it upon hearing his teammate calling out to
him from their original position and activated "Lightning Rod" magic
on reflex.
The grass became the focal point of the lightning attack and grounded
out the electrical force.
Kichijouji finally realized that his opponent, who should have been
crushed into the ground by Weight-Type Magic, was panting as the
long robe whipped about him and glaring at him.
When the roar reached his ears, Mikihiko had no idea what had just
happened.
He didn't have the leisure to personally witness his surroundings.
Still, when the pressure forcing him into the ground suddenly
vanished, he quickly rolled to a safe distance and got to his feet and
spontaneously adopted evasive maneuvers.
Then, he finally took a good look around him.
Leo had been knocked unconscious.
Tatsuya was on both knees. Even though he hadn't fallen, he didn't
look like he could continue.
And next to him, Ichijou Masaki stretched out his full length on the
ground.
(You did it, Tatsuya!)
Mikihiko once thought that Tatsuya could find a way through
anything; yet on the other hand, he also felt: "Even Tatsuya is......"
Fired up by the achievement before his eyes, Mikihiko leaped up with
renewed vigor.
Not that Mikihiko's condition was any better.
Maybe, he was the worst off of the three.
A sharp, stabbing pain accompanied each laborious breath.
Even if the ribs weren't broken, he probably couldn't avoid minor
fractures.
Due to the exorbitant amount of time under stress, he was a little lightheaded
right now.
His back was still in pain from being violently thrown to the ground.
Mikihiko cursed the hardness of the earth despite the grass in the
privacy of his mind.
However — he was not about to surrender.
In the worst case scenario, he still had to go one on two.
No, fear had no place in his heart, this was the savage truth of reality.
Even so — defeat was not an option.
Tatsuya conquered the "Crimson Prince".
At the very least, he was going to show him that he could take down
"Cardinal George" — it was this "obstinacy" that drove Mikihiko to
stand on shaky legs.
He manipulated his CAD to release a lightning attack. At the same
time, he channeled magic into the gray robe he wore — psions that
had been digitized.
His image was consumed by the spirits of "shadow" hidden in his
robe.
Shadows are not synonymous with darkness.
The outline of an object could be traced by its shadow.
As independent information bodies of "shadow", the spirits of shadow
could disrupt the light and darkness that made up the silhouette, in
order to hamper an opponent's ability to identify and aim at the target.
The spell originally belonged to the Yoshida Family and him by
extension, but Tatsuya was the one who provided the robe as
supplement, rewrote the software of the CAD to its current peak
condition, and suggested that he use this spell to distort his image.
It was all thanks to Tatsuya that he could come close to matching his
previous self — though Erika believed that he had surpassed his past
— in terms of magic.
For someone with his family background and history to be forced into
such degrading tasks was the ultimate humiliation, and Tatsuya was
the one who gave him the opportunity to prove his mettle on the
battlefield.
Along the way to the finals, Tatsuya was also the integral cog that
made their advancement possible.
At this rate, at the end of all things, all the laurels would fall on
Tatsuya.
Upon realizing this, Mikihiko bit his lip and funneled new life into his
wavering legs.
—I will not rely on Tatsuya for everything!
—My pride forbids me from doing so!
—No matter what it takes, I will have my vengeance!
—Kichijouji Shinkurou, how you have dragged me into the mud!
—Come, allow me to return the favor!
These were the proud, grandiose, and arrogant words that Mikihiko
spoke to himself.
Tatsuya said it already.
He already told me.
It is not you, Mikihiko, who is lacking. It is the spell itself.
Then—
(Tatsuya, allow me to prove the truth of your words!)
He ignored the magic that shot around his body.
Shadow magic had displaced an illusion of himself several steps away
for the enemy to shoot at.
Putting faith in his own abilities, Mikihiko typed a long string of
commands into the large smart phone-shaped CAD hidden in the
inside of his robe.
Next, he took his right hand off the CAD and slapped the earth next to
his feet.