Tokyo Station buzzed with a crowd large enough to pass for a group trip. The instigator, Yugen, alongside Tatsuya, Miyuki, and Minami, was joined by the allies he'd invited.
"I didn't force anyone," Yugen said.
"What're you talking about? You and I go way back," Erika retorted.
"Yeah, something like that," Leo added.
Leo had been dragged along by Erika, who brought her Hayatemaru and Mizuchimaru—downsized versions of Orochimaru—while Leo carried Siegfried and a single-spell knuckle-duster Yugen had crafted for fun. The knuckle-duster, designed for instant Phase Shift Armor deployment as a self-defense tool, was redundant for Yugen, who could pull spells from memory faster, so he'd given it to Leo.
Both anticipated combat, given Yugen's involvement, making him feel like a jinx, though he kept quiet.
"Didn't expect Mizuki and Sana, let alone Mikihiko," Yugen noted.
"True," Tatsuya agreed. "But since he'll eventually leave the Yoshida family for the Tōdō, gaining strength won't hurt. Plus, exposure to another form of spirit magic is rare."
Mikihiko, set to join the Tōdō family, saw no downside in growing stronger, especially with a chance to study spirit magic akin yet distinct from his own. While he could learn from Yugen, he didn't want to rely solely on his friend.
"But after the Parasite incident settled, with no demonic presence…" Yugen turned to Ceria. "What do you think?"
"Hmm… feels tied to the power you wield, big brother," Ceria said. "When was the last time you visited the Yotsukuin?"
"Three years ago, I think," Yugen replied. "Got busy with Ten Master Clans stuff and overseas trips."
Back then, Yugen hadn't fully mastered Heavenly Blade Regalia or Tenjin Magic, and no harmful spiritual entities like Parasites were detected. Still, twelve people—three Shibas plus Yugen, four second-course students, and five first-course students—was unexpected.
"Ten Master Clans stuff?" Minami asked.
"Let's see… the Itsuwa tried to marry me to a state-certified strategic magician, the Saegusa ignored the Jūmonji's attempt to kidnap me, and the Kudō pushed a Fujibayashi woman as my fiancée," Yugen listed.
The Jūmonji weren't involved in the kidnapping; they acted under Saegusa pressure. The Kudō incident fizzled out after Gōzō confronted their head, known only to those close to the matter. Kyoko Fujibayashi remained unaware, which was understandable.
"Oh, and Akane Ichijo confessed to me," Yugen added. "When I gently declined, her brother called me a 'loli-loving coward Crimson Prince,' and 'reckless Cardinal George' piled on."
"Did you just use some wild kanji?" Minami muttered, sensing the dramatic flair.
The incident occurred at a party celebrating Shinkurō's discovery of the Cardinal Code and honoring Masaki, delayed by reconstruction duties. Yugen, attending as Gōzō's aide, missed a Saegusa event. He rarely met the direct descendants of clan heads, which explained his unfamiliarity with Tōya.
The conversation continued on the long-distance linear train, with Yugen seated alongside Tatsuya, Miyuki, and Minami.
"So, Yugen, why call on Leo, Erika, and the others?" Tatsuya asked.
"The Yotsukuin are a capable Hundred Family, with measures against spiritual entities," Yugen explained. "If they're seeking Kagurazaka help, this isn't a minor issue."
Yugen had met the current Yotsukuin head, Minako, whose prowess Gōzō had praised. Her youth as head marked her as a top-tier ancient magic user. Her request for aid, post-Parasite incident, likely sought those experienced in spiritual matters.
"We'll learn details at their estate, but with an opponent of unknown scale and strength, anything could happen," Yugen said. "It's not a Parasite, which is reassuring… or maybe not."
"So, we don't know if it's neutral or friendly," Tatsuya noted.
"Exactly. That's why I chose those with Parasite combat experience," Yugen said. "Their skills are invaluable."
Even Chikahime couldn't pinpoint the entity due to distance, sensing it from Hokuriku without malevolent intent. The Yotsukuin tried to share details, but the Kagurazakas halted them, suspecting a spiritual matter the Ten Master Clans—especially the Kudō—shouldn't know.
"This is an ancient magic request, kept from the Ten Master Clans," Yugen said. "But we must inform the Ichijo for procedural reasons."
"Why?" Miyuki asked.
"To avoid unjust restraint by the magic surveillance system," Yugen explained. "Without mobilizing the Shinkai, we need formal permission."
Magicians faced strict legal constraints on magic use outside emergencies. Yugen, as Kagurazaka head proxy, held authority, but the others were mere students, requiring Ichijo approval for magic use in their region.
"I've notified the Ichijo head about the application," Yugen said. "I'll visit their estate alone. Miyuki, head to the Yotsukuin with Tatsuya and the others."
"…Understood," Miyuki replied.
Yugen's solo visit considered Masaki's feelings for Miyuki. Knowing his affection, Yugen avoided bringing her, especially during spring break when Masaki was likely at the estate or Third High. It was selfish, but Yugen had no intention of facilitating their meeting.
"That's fine, but who'll explain to the Yotsukuin?" Tatsuya asked.
"Himeri," Yugen said. "Her Ise family has ties with them, so she's perfect."
Himeri's inclusion was for her Ise-Yotsukuin connection, while Shizuka was for Honoka's support.
"By the way, is Minami okay?" Yugen asked.
"E-Eh? Y-Yes! I've heard the details, but…" Minami stammered.
"Can't blame you," Yugen said. "Even I found it surreal."
"Saying that while looking at me?" Tatsuya quipped.
For Ten Master Clans focused on modern magic, ancient magic was an enigma, explaining Minami's unease.
The linear train arrived in Kanazawa on schedule, faster than the Shinkansen. Tatsuya's group headed to the Yotsukuin estate at Shirayama Hime Shrine, the Kaga Ichinomiya. Yugen, parting ways, went to the Ichijo estate, guardians of Japan's Sea of Japan coast. His last visit, as Nagano Yuto, wasn't fondly remembered.
At the Ichijo's grand gate, Yugen pressed the intercom. Masaki himself answered, visibly shocked.
"Who's this…? Mitsuya—no, Kagurazaka? Why are you here?" Masaki asked.
"I had an appointment with your head," Yugen replied. "Didn't you know?"
"I was told to greet a guest properly, but… wait a moment," Masaki said.
Likely, Gōki, the head, gave Masaki minimal details to foster independent thinking—a spartan approach. Masaki's skill was undeniable, but Yugen, shaped by Gōzō's forceful socialization, had learned elite etiquette, albeit with the annoyance of attracting admirers.
Minutes after Masaki cut the monitor, the gate opened. Gōki, not Masaki, greeted Yugen.
"Ichijo-dono," Yugen said. "It's been since the Nine Schools Competition. Where's Masaki?"
"I told him to stay in his room," Gōki replied. "Seeing him flustered by your visit was enough. Come inside."
Gōki was training Masaki as the next head, the greeting part of it. Yugen smirked but stayed out of Ichijo affairs. Instead of a study, Gōki led him to a tatami room. Midori, Gōki's wife, served tea and snacks, leaving with a warm smile. As Yugen took a bite, Gōki spoke.
"About your magic use permit in our region," Gōki said. "Frankly, I'm surprised. The New Soviet Union?"
"No," Yugen replied. "Since Halloween, Bezobrazov's Tuman Bomba can't operate in the Far East."
Vladivostok's supercomputer aiding Tuman Bomba had "melted," and its military port was destroyed, crippling winter operations. Mobile CADs were an option, but Japan and the USNA had data on Tuman Bomba's activation, enabling swift detection and potential denouncement of the New Soviet Union as hostile.
Yugen's strategic magic was safetied by Gōzō and Chikahime, bypassing Ichijo approval in emergencies. As a non-Ichijo, he owed them no deference.
"This is a confidential Kagurazaka request," Yugen said. "The application avoids misunderstandings."
"You don't need Ichijo aid?" Gōki asked.
"It'd be a hindrance," Yugen stated firmly. "When you contacted me, it was clear this exceeds modern magic's scope."
Yugen dismissed Ichijo assistance. Masaki had bested continental magicians in the Yokohama Incident, but ancient magic and inhuman entities were another realm. Even Stars, the world's strongest, failed against Parasites, and the Ichijo's modern magic focus made them a liability.
Gōki, aware of Yugen's rare blend of modern and ancient magic at the Nine Schools Competition, found his words convincing and didn't press. Finishing the snacks, Yugen stood.
"The snacks were delicious; please tell your wife," he said.
"It's rude to say to a Kagurazaka, but… good luck," Gōki replied.
Declining an escort, Yugen left after thanking Midori for the snacks. Gōki, watching him go, sighed.
"That's… a boy Masaki's age?" he muttered.
At a recent emergency clan meeting, Gōki heard of Yugen's role in the South Shield Island and Parasite incidents, reported by the Jūmonji, Saegusa, and Mitsuya. His feats sparked Ichijo hope, not fear. The new strategic magic that obliterated a New Soviet fleet during Scorching and Auroral Halloween prevented a Sado invasion repeat. Though details of the Great Asian Alliance's strike remained undisclosed, Gōki suspected Yugen's involvement.
The Mitsuya wouldn't reveal Yugen's details, but his sealing of the Ichijo's Blast was fact. When Akane proposed to Yugen, Masaki's careless remark led to Yugen knocking him out with a joint lock—unrelated but telling. During last year's Monolith Code, Masaki's emotional overattack contrasted with Yugen's calm control. Gōki concluded that provoking Yugen carried incalculable costs.
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