The Untouchable of Magic High School – A New God Enters the Game

As planned, Mayumi won women's Speed Shooting, and First High claimed the men's title. Azusa congratulated Mayumi, who nodded with a smile.

"Congrats, President!" Azusa said.

"Thanks. Mari made semifinals too," Mayumi replied.

"Beyond expectations," Yugen added.

Night had fallen, post-dinner and baths. In Mayumi's room, female student council members, plus the disciplinary committee chair, gathered. One more lingered—Yugen, engrossed in his terminal, ignoring chatter, prompting Mayumi to puff her cheeks.

"Yuu-kun, take a break already," she huffed.

"You piled on the work," Yugen said. "Congrats, though."

"Thanks. Worth asking you," she teased, glancing up.

Yugen sighed inwardly. After meeting Mio, he feared Mayumi's broken engagement might turn her sights on him. She was charming, but the baggage was daunting.

"That quarterfinal CAD was yours, Mitsuya-kun?" Azusa asked.

"Just rehashed parts and commercial processors," Yugen said. "Explain it to your dad, okay?"

"I know. He'll pry, though," Mayumi groaned.

Post-practice spar with Kana, who mentioned her CAD (hiding Taurus Silver), Mayumi begged Yugen for a competition model. She'd handle explaining to her father, Saegusa Koichi. Built to high school magic engineering standards, it couldn't trace back to Taurus Silver.

"Mari, Kobayakawa, and Ami in semifinals—that's huge," Mayumi said.

"Ami's growth shocked me," Mari said. "Dating Touya-kun helped, though they're engaged now."

"So romantic," Mayumi cooed, eyeing Yugen. "Right, Yuu-kun?"

"Sleep-talk later," he shot back.

Mari, Kobayakawa, and Ami reached Battle Board semifinals. Mari praised Ami's leap, but Mayumi's hopeful glance at Yugen was met with a blunt rebuff, making her pout theatrically.

"As I said on the bus," Rin noted.

"Rin-chan!" Mayumi gasped. "Hanzou-kun's tweaking CADs instead of joining."

Hattori reached semifinals, bolstered by Shizuru's yoga for mental stability. He planned meticulous strategy with engineer Kinoshita for tomorrow.

"Hattori said he's prepping with Kinoshita-senpai," Azusa said.

"Kinoshita's a sub for women's Crowd Ball, so it's fine," Mari added.

"Leaving Izumi alone is risky," Yugen cautioned.

Self-tuning CADs eased engineer loads, but it wasn't simple with limited staff. As they debated, Azusa asked Yugen about his terminal.

"What're you doing, Mitsuya-kun? Folding terminal for competition stuff?"

"Related, but I can't say," Yugen replied. "One's for her," pointing at Mayumi.

"No backup from me," Mayumi teased.

Two activation sequences displayed: one for Mayumi's next match, another shelved, unusable by others due to its reliance on Yugen's unique magic traits, capped at 1% output for anyone else. Rin sighed theatrically, addressing Mayumi.

"Just tweaking 'Double Bound' for speed," Mayumi said.

"Still hung up on losing to Mika?" Mari jabbed.

"Fugu!?" Mayumi squeaked, shrinking.

Yugen had agreed to refine Double Bound after Kana's input, balancing it with Touya's upgraded "Magic Bullet," unknown to the Saegusa. If exposed, he'd claim it was a modified shooting platform from the "Magic Index." Double Bound's tweaks included a surprise, to be revealed in use.

Ignoring Mayumi's unladylike squeak, Mari's sharp remark made her flinch. Yugen stepped in.

"Don't bully her, Watanabe-senpai. Her sequence is nearly done, no issues."

"Yuu-kun!" Mayumi cried, hugging him.

"Why hug Yugen-san?" Rin asked.

"Miyuki, stop!" Yugen urged, suppressing her leaking magic with his interference strength, honed since April. He shifted topics.

"Who's engineering? I want to watch Pillars Break."

"Can't overburden you," Mari said. "Ask Shiba-kun; he's free tomorrow."

"You won't watch?" Mayumi pouted.

"No sulking. Juumonji-senpai's match shouldn't clash, and I'll watch when I can," Yugen said.

Tomorrow's schedule—Crowd Ball qualifiers to finals and Ice Pillars Break qualifiers—was rigged to avoid Mayumi-Juumonji overlaps for ratings. Hana's first round might be missed, though. Mayumi asked Miyuki to contact Tatsuya, still clinging to Yugen. Miyuki's beaming smile, met with Mayumi's obliviousness, drew collective sighs.

"Visiting this late? Tough on Yugen," Tatsuya said.

"Onii-sama, I'm not a child," Miyuki huffed.

The military hotel's security was tight, but Tatsuya appreciated Yugen's late escort. Miyuki pouted as Yugen, citing work, left for his room.

"Thanks for the heads-up," Tatsuya said. "Miyuki, how long will you hide your feelings? Or lie to yourself?"

Miyuki looked down. Tatsuya wanted to support her love, deducing Yugen was her first crush from her actions. Shizuku's similar behavior suggested her own feelings for Yugen.

Tatsuya's sharpness aside, Miyuki murmured, "I know Shizuku's feelings for Yugen-san. But I'm scared of ruining this happiness…"

"Sorry," Tatsuya said. "Bad timing with rookie matches."

"It's my fault for not being clear," Miyuki replied, blushing, recalling barging into Yugen's room post-mixer.

"I'd root for Yugen," Tatsuya said. "Mother likes him. It'll work out."

Yugen's power—beating Katsuto, rivaling "Crimson Prince," wielding Decomposition, Reconstruction, and divine spirit magic, plus top-tier engineering—didn't make him arrogant. He mingled with Class 2 students and earned Tatsuya's "friend" label after facing Hattori.

"Yotsuba… Aunt involved?" Miyuki asked.

"Her request for Yugen to stay with us," Tatsuya said. "Tough for you, but focus on rookie matches. Yugen'll go big to distract. Do your best. I'll walk you back."

Yugen wasn't a Mitsuya heir, just a spare. Yotsuba's involvement was clear, likely via Miya to Maya. If Yugen became Yotsuba's son-in-law, Tatsuya smirked inwardly, assuming they'd unite. He stood, offering to escort Miyuki.

"No need, you're working," she said.

"Just play," Tatsuya said, gesturing to his terminal with CAD designs and sequences.

"You and Yugen-san calling that play?" Miyuki giggled.

Tatsuya wanted to deny it but, sensing a retort, gave a wry smile, grabbing his room key to escort Miyuki.

Earlier, post-women's Speed Shooting final, in a hotel VIP room, two figures met.

"Retsu-dono, thank you for this sudden meeting," Saegusa Koichi said.

"No need to dwell on my last visit's imposition," Kudou Retsu replied.

Koichi, current Saegusa head, and Retsu, former Kudou head who built the Master Clan system, had met at the mixer. Retsu, uninvited, had quizzed Mayumi about Yugen, Tatsuya, and Miyuki.

"Congratulations on your daughter's victory," Retsu said. "World-class precision. You must be proud."

"Thank you, Sensei," Koichi said.

"No need to bow. What's the matter?"

Koichi's topic, as Retsu predicted, was Mayumi. "Our kind expects early marriage."

"I know. Wasn't her fiancé Itsuwa's eldest?"

"They're not meshing. He seems smitten with Mitsuya's second daughter."

Koichi suspected Itsuwa's heir loved Kana, same age and university. Intelligence confirmed it. Mitsuya made no moves toward Itsuwa, as their eldest was set to inherit and the second son joined Joushima, easing marriage pressures.

"I heard from Mitsuya," Retsu said. "They allow free love. I can't force their talent."

"I understand. I seek your aid for Mayumi's engagement to Mitsuya's third son."

A prior Itsuwa daughter-Yugen engagement failed, as did one with Izumi due to Toyama and Valentine's issues angering Joushima. Koichi aimed to secure Yugen via Retsu. Yugen knew Mayumi, Kasumi, and Izumi well, but favoring Mayumi risked Izumi's ire. Koichi bet she'd want her sister's happiness.

"What of Itsuwa's engagement?" Retsu asked.

"If they're incompatible, it's over," Koichi said. "If he loves Mitsuya's daughter, we'll tie to Itsuwa via Mitsuya, checking Yotsuba."

Koichi's plan used Mitsuya, linked to Third Lab, to counter Yotsuba with Saegusa. Gen would likely agree.

Retsu, reading the intent, said, "Sorry, Koichi. I can't help now."

"Why?" Koichi asked.

"Gousan told me Yugen's marriage is handled by Joushima and Kagurazaka," Retsu said.

Koichi gaped. Kagurazaka, Onmyo masters alongside Joushima, held immense sway, answerable only to the Emperor. Their role in Yugen's marriage stunned him.

"They knew of your plan," Retsu said. "Toyama's incident upset them, per Gousan."

"So Gousan and Kagurazaka arranged Yugen and my daughter's engagement?" Koichi asked.

"No confirmation, but likely," Retsu said. "Rushing to weaken Yotsuba was a misstep."

Gousan opposed Yotsuba's weakening, fearing Master Clan collapse. If Kagurazaka aligned with Joushima, Retsu saw urgency to act. Gousan's power intimidated him, and Yugen's handling of Retsu's magic at the mixer raised questions.

"You said 'now'—meaning?" Koichi asked.

"A letter from Kagurazaka arrived before I left," Retsu said. "They'll name their next head soon. I suspect Yugen's a candidate."

Retsu felt outmaneuvered. The letter's timing suggested the heir was among the competitors. Koichi asked if Retsu knew Kagurazaka's head.

"I do," Retsu said. "A cunning 'vixen,' like Gousan. Not easy to handle."

Joushima and Kagurazaka intermarried for magic strength, making Mitsuya distant kin. A Kagurazaka heir from Mitsuya wasn't unthinkable. Unlike typical mage families with specialized traits, Mitsuya, like Yotsuba, varied widely, a mystery even to Retsu. Kagurazaka's head was keenly interested in Yugen.

Retsu promised Koichi consideration for Kagurazaka ties but left the rest to him, hinting at a post-competition summons to probe their stance on the Master Clan system.