Liar Liar Volume 4 Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Demon God Shrine Maiden and the Absolute Monarch

♯

“—Welcome back, Master.”

May Inter-District Tournament《Astral》, Day 4, lunch break.

I was reuniting with Eimei’s members in a rented meeting room on the second floor of the Shikishima Grand Hotel.

Bowing deeply before me, then smiling softly, was none other than Himeji. She directed her clear azure eyes toward me, speaking in a tone slightly more excited than usual.

“Of course, I always believed Master would return. Conquering《MTCG》must have been a simple task. But to actually clear it at record speed… truly, it’s astonishing. Master always exceeds my expectations.”

“Well… I had《Libra》’s help this time, and besides, I’m a 7-star. If I couldn’t back up my words with action, the title of ‘strongest’ would lose its meaning, wouldn’t it?”

“No, consistently following through on your words is no easy feat, no matter the task.”

Himeji smiled gently. Then, she briefly updated me on what had happened while I was away from《Astral》.

“This morning, there were no major incidents. There was only one skirmish, and we successfully repelled two attacking players. They likely belonged to the《Allied Forces》… but unfortunately, they escaped before we could finish them off.”

“I see… No, the fact that you fought them off without any losses is more than enough. Especially since our action points were reduced without【Commander (me)】present. You did well.”

“No, as Master’s teammate and maid, I merely did what was expected. Besides… guarding Master’s absence wasn’t something I accomplished alone.”

Saying this, Himeji glanced to the side. Standing there was Akizuki Noa—her fluffy twin-tails drooping slightly, her teary eyes fixed on me.

“I-I was waiting, you know… Hiroto-kun, you idiot, you’re late! Making someone as cute as Noa-chan wait for hours—if it was anyone else, I’d never forgive them!”

“…Wait, why are you crying, Akizuki? I wasn’t late; this was technically the fastest possible return.”

“I don’t care about that! Noa was lonely, so it doesn’t matter!”

Akizuki looked down slightly, as if to hide her trembling voice and teary eyes.

Surprisingly, it was Enomoto Shinji who stepped in to support her.

“Just so you know… while you were away from《Astral》, Akizuki performed flawlessly as Eimei’s ace. I can vouch for that.”

“Indeed. Her ability to read and exploit the behavioral psychology of male students, trapping them with minimal spell consumption, was nothing short of spectacular. I suspect many players in this event will carry trauma from Eimei’s little devil, Akizuki-sama.”

Ugh, I kinda wanted to see that… but maybe I’m glad I didn’t…

I grimaced slightly. The details weren’t clear, but it seemed Akizuki’s stellar performance helped hold back the《Chameleon》army’s advance.

As I was roped into giving Akizuki a “reward” by patting her head, Asamiya, standing a bit away, let out a loud “ahem.” Playing with her vibrant blonde hair, she shot a sulky glance at Enomoto.

“Hey, Shinji, isn’t that a bit unfair? I get that Noa was amazing, but I worked super hard too. Praising only Noa… are you, like, into her or something? Trying to show off?”

“…How does that even follow?”

“Oh, is that it? Ehehe, thanks♪ Noa doesn’t hate you, President, but… I can’t really see you as a guy. After all, Noa-chan’s super loyal♡”

“…Why am I getting rejected!?”

Asamiya’s sulky accusations and Akizuki’s teasing devilish smile left Enomoto visibly frustrated, his grumpy face twisting further. Muttering “honestly…” under his breath, he eventually lifted his head as if reconsidering.

“…Well, fine. Looking back, I suppose Nanase wasn’t entirely useless either. Compared to me, her contributions were trivial, but if we’re talking 0 or 1, she was a 1.”

“! T-Thanks… wait, no! That’s not flattering at all! If I’m a 1, you’re like negative 50 billion, Shinji! A debt-ridden loser!”

“I said 0 or 1, you idiot. Has your memory capacity dropped to 0 too?”

“D-Don’t call me an idiot!”

Asamiya leaned forward, snapping back at Enomoto’s taunt—but this was just their usual banter. Akizuki watched with an amused smile, and worrying about it would be pointless. So,

“Alright—let’s go over the current situation.”

To refocus my slightly relaxed thoughts on《Astral》, I spoke in a calm tone. I’d shared basic strategies and instructions with other teams via mass communication earlier, but due to time constraints, I only covered the bare minimum. Eimei’s members deserved a more detailed briefing.

“Right before the morning session ended—just a moment ago—I contacted all players from teams not under《Chameleon》’s control. Officially, it’s due to my【Specter】role, but obviously, it was only possible with《Libra》’s help. Specifically, the teams not under《Chameleon》are six districts: Second District Suisei, Third District Ouka, Fourth District Eimei, Tenth District Oumi, Thirteenth District Murakumo, and Nineteenth District Souken.”

“Yes. Adding up the survivors from each team, that’s a total of 20 players.”

“Twenty, huh… Hey, Shirayuki-chan, how many players are in《Chameleon》’s《Allied Forces》?”

“Fourteen, including《Chameleon》themselves. In terms of teams—though the concept of ‘team’ may no longer apply—they consist of Seijo plus four districts: Seventh District Shinra, Eighth District Otowa, Fourteenth District St. Rosalia, and Sixteenth District Tsuyuri. Originally, they were larger, but three teams have already been eliminated, so their numbers are somewhat reduced.”

“Yeah… but their strength is anything but reduced.”

Asamiya muttered softly. I understood her point. With powerhouses like Kugasaki and Kururugi, counting them as single players felt almost unfair.

And one more thing.

“I’ll be clear with you all:《Chameleon》—Shiina Tsumugi—isn’t some enemy character prepared by《Libra》. She’s a so-called cheating player. She infiltrated《Astral》through illicit means and built a massive force the same way. But revealing that isn’t in our best interest since we’re working with《Libra》.”

“Yes. If《Chameleon》is exposed as a cheater, the event could collapse, and《Libra》would face intense backlash. That’s not an ideal outcome.”

“Exactly. But either way, it doesn’t change how ridiculously strong she is—fastest action points, fastest spell supply, combining the benefits of all roles, with the entire map unlocked from the start. And to top it off, her LP cap is 999.”

“LP 999…!? E-Even Noa-chan might struggle to take that down.”

“Struggle? You can’t beat that—it’s practically invincible, isn’t it?”

Akizuki and Asamiya grimaced in unison at my explanation. In contrast, one person stood with arms crossed, maintaining his usual stoic expression.

“You’re wrong, Nanase. Invincible and LP 999 are entirely different concepts.”

“Huh? Why? 999 is basically impossible to deplete, right?”

“For us, yes. But this《Duel》has a demon—《The Shrine Maiden of the Demon God》. If LP were infinite, that would mean unbeatable, but a finite value changes things. Kururugi Senri’s《One-Shot Kill》has a solid chance of taking her down.”

“Ah…”

“…Exactly.”

Mentally praising Enomoto’s sharpness, I smirked.

“Kururugi Senri’s ability,《One-Shot Kill》. If we can use it, we might be able to defeat《Chameleon》. Right now, it’s our only shot. So, our top priority is capturing Kururugi—taking her from the《Allied Forces》.”

Whether through persuasion or coercion, Kururugi, who likely resented us, wouldn’t easily comply. But we needed her cooperation. The《Allied Forces》allowed withdrawal with a penalty fixing final rankings, and《Astral》permitted attacking allies. System-wise, there were no issues.

As a backup plan, we could forcibly trigger Himeji’s《Swap》… but that would require all Eimei members to be eliminated to meet《One-Shot Kill》’s conditions. I’ll prepare for it, but it’s a last resort.

I mulled over this quietly. In front of me, Asamiya nodded repeatedly.

“Hmm… Yeah, that might work. But the《Allied Forces》have, like, over a dozen people, right? Getting just one to betray them sounds pretty tough…”

“Yeah—that’s why we’re going for all-out war.”

I responded to Asamiya’s anxious question with a calm tone.

“Realistically, pulling Kururugi out to attack Shiina is a chaotic plan. Her allies will obviously get in the way. But we’ve got more players on our side right now, don’t we? Plus, they control the map’s center, meaning we, pushed to the top and bottom, can pincushion them.”

As I spoke, I projected《Astral》’s map. A black Seijo area slashed across the hexagonal field’s center, with six colored areas scattered above and below, as if six teams were sandwiching it.

“According to《Libra》, the《Allied Forces》are split into three teams. For simplicity, let’s name them: Team A, led by Shiina Tsumugi—《Chameleon》—on the map’s right. Team B, led by《Demon God Shrine Maiden》Kururugi Senri, on the left. And Team C, with Kirigaya, Kugasaki, and others, in the center.”

“Yes… What a dizzying lineup, as always.”

“Yeah. With numbers dwindling, only high-rankers remain.”

I nodded without hesitation at Himeji’s murmur. Without those three beside Himeji, I’d be laughing dryly. A ruthless cheater, a cheat-level one-shot killer, an annoying phoenix, and a 6-star absolute monarch—it was a monster showcase.

But even so, “retreat” was no longer an option.

“We’ll hit these three teams simultaneously at three points. Ideally, I’d fine-tune matchups, but area advantages make the current setup our only option.”

“Current setup… So, Third District and Thirteenth District tackle Team A—《Chameleon》’s group—on the right. Second District and Nineteenth District handle the Absolute Monarch’s Team C in the center. And the left—Team B, led by the《Demon God Shrine Maiden》—is for Tenth District and Noa-chan’s group, right?”

“Yeah. But like I said, we can’t touch《Chameleon》without Kururugi. So Ouka and Murakumo—the《Empress》’s group—just need to hold Shiina’s advance and prevent any ‘fakes’ from appearing elsewhere. Meanwhile, we grab Kururugi. The center’s job is to stall Kirigaya’s group.”

I avoided saying “defeat.” Their strength was overwhelming, and Suisei Academy was known for not fielding main forces in such events. This time, no third-years participated. Souken Academy ranked low, so expecting them to beat Team C was unrealistic.

Anyway.

“Once we successfully recruit Kururugi, we just need her to hit Shiina with《One-Shot Kill》. That’ll complete our upset, and《Astral》should return to normal.”

“But… is that really okay? I don’t doubt you, Hiroto-kun, but it feels like betrayal or infighting could happen…”

“Nah, that’s probably fine. Sure, we’ve got a《truce agreement》, and normally we’d need to watch for betrayal… but logically, betraying now makes no sense.”

“…? But what about, like, wanting to climb the rankings a bit?”

“Nope. Because of the《Allied Forces》’ rules, if《Chameleon》wins, all their allied teams are automatically second place. If that happens now, no one else can break into the top five. In other words, unless we take down《Chameleon》, they’ll steal all the stars. So everyone has to follow my lead—there’s no other way to beat《Chameleon》, so they have no choice but to team up.”

“Wow, you’re right…! Ehehe, Hiroto-kun, you’re so cool♡”

Akizuki wriggled with a sweet voice. Enomoto and Asamiya, watching nearby, seemed to have no objections to my plan. Glancing at Himeji, she gave a small nod with a slight smile.

And so.

“《Astral》Day 4, second half—our all-out showdown with《Chameleon》’s《Allied Forces》. We’ll hit their three teams simultaneously, whittle down their forces, and use Kururugi’s《One-Shot Kill》to take down《Chameleon》… or rather, Shiina.”

“Yup, yup!”

“Eimei’s tasked with taking down Team B, led by Kururugi herself. We’ll work with Tenth District Oumi Academy to secure her as fast as possible. If we’re slow, the central front might collapse, letting Kirigaya’s group join up, or《Chameleon》might crush the《Empress》. Frankly, this is the most critical part. Failure here could end the《Duel》.”

I met each teammate’s eyes, speaking in a serious tone. And at the same time…

This is it—the moment of truth. Shiina alone is bad enough, but with Kurahashi lurking behind her, dragging this out is a terrible move. If it turns into a battle of off-board tactics, we’re done. I’d love for《Chameleon》to make a swift exit, preferably today.

Ideally, we’d take Shiina down before Kurahashi could interfere.

So, with a slight smirk, I declared boldly:

“Let’s go, everyone. No holding back from the start this time.”

♭♭

May Inter-District Tournament《Astral》, Day 4, second half.

As it began, battles erupted simultaneously across the vast field.

“S-Something incredible is happening, nyaa!!”

The announcer,《Libra》’s Kazami Suzuran, sounded thoroughly flustered—and who could blame her? This uprising involved 20 players from six districts—every remaining participant in《Astral》, excluding those under《Chameleon》’s《Allied Forces》.

A literal all-out war. A massive gamble to topple《Chameleon》’s stronghold.

“W-Who orchestrated this, nyaa!? A coalition formed on the fly to stop《Chameleon》’s rampage! Who could pull off such a reckless move in the middle of a battle royale, nyaa!?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s not like that, nyaa.”

“There’s only one person who could do this, no question, nyaa!”

With each word, Kazami’s commentary grew more heated, infecting viewers through their screens with rising excitement.

Then, touching the mic on her headset, she let out a heartfelt cheer:

“The invincible transfer student who returned from the brink of death—Shinohara Hiroto!! The fastest 7-star in history, who gave the《Empress》her first loss, is now rising to crush this colossal calamity, nyaa…!!”

A passionate hook to grab every viewer’s attention.

Simultaneously, Shinohara Hiroto’s stats appeared on island tube’s screen. Area, spells, approval rating—all at or near the bottom—but there was no doubt he was orchestrating this motley crew of players. He’d left《Astral》once, cleared《MTCG》’s hardest route at record speed, and manipulated both《Duel》from behind the scenes. His genius was beyond question.

Fueled by Kazami’s commentary, island tube’s comment section exploded.

“Shinohara!?” “No way, he’s behind this? And with a【Specter】role… does clearing《MTCG》grant special skills!?” “This is too hype! The Academy Island’s strongest is truly the strongest…!” “Wooooh!! A comeback from rock bottom!? Is it happening!?”

Not all comments were praise, but many viewers, frustrated by《Chameleon》’s dominance, were thrilled. Even before the battles began, approval ratings started to shift.

Please, nyaa…

Watching the ever-changing numbers, Kazami Suzuran prayed silently.

This is all I can do now, nyaa. So… Shinohara-kun, I’m counting on you!

♯

The AR world of《Astral》, still resembling a cybernetic space, on the left side of the map.

Above lay Tenth District Oumi Academy’s mid-sized area; below, Eimei’s small one. Sandwiched between them was Seijo Academy’s sprawling territory.

The team guarding this area—Team B, our opponents—consisted of four members. According to《Libra》’s database, their roles were【Soldier】,【Soldier】,【Mage】, and【Guardian】. One【Soldier】was none other than Kururugi Senri; the other three were from Seventh District Shinra High School.

“I don’t know why Kirigaya (their leader) is acting separately, but this Shinra group has a tricky setup.”

I muttered quietly as we advanced toward Team B’s stronghold.

Seventh District Shinra High School, third in last year’s rankings, was known for its aggressive culture. This team was no exception, with a heavily combat-focused ability setup.

“A long-range【Mage】with《Range Boost》and《Eagle Eye》for guaranteed hits, and a【Soldier】with《Spread》for wide-area damage. Those two are the attackers. The【Guardian】is support, with abilities geared toward defense and detection.”

“Hmm… That sounds tough to approach.”

Akizuki, listening to the rundown, pouted cutely. She wasn’t wrong. The【Mage】’s range made long-distance fights unfavorable, but getting close risked the【Soldier】’s area attacks. The【Guardian】’s support made them harder to break.

And—though I didn’t know how they’d coordinate—if we got past those three, we’d face Kururugi Senri from Sixteenth District Tsuyuri Girls’ Institute. A powerhouse on par with the《Empress》in team battles. The standard advice was to run on sight: the《Demon God Shrine Maiden》.

But… she’s also the only player who might be able to defeat《Chameleon》.

Swallowing hard, I reached that conclusion.

By then, we’d arrived near Team B’s stronghold. The “battle start” declaration had reached them, and they were on high alert. A petite girl, two boys with terminals, and, surrounded by them, the ponytail-wearing Kururugi Senri.

“I see…”

Observing them, Himeji murmured softly beside me.

“A textbook defensive formation. They have no intention of moving, focusing solely on counterattacking while watching all directions.”

“Yeah, it’s totally that vibe… Hmm. Hey, Shino, what’s their action point total? Are we totally outmatched?”

“No, it’s not that bad. Even factoring in area and approval bonuses, we’re about even. But Kururugi’s a problem—her abilities make her hard to keep up with.”

“Ugh…”

Asamiya muttered, sounding troubled, placing a hand on her hip. Her base action points were higher, but enemy territory gave a significant disadvantage.

But…

“That’s manageable. The issue is that this is Seijo’s area, right? So, we just overwrite this whole zone with Eimei’s area.”

“Huh? Sure, but… wait, if we could do that, we wouldn’t be struggling, right? Shino, don’t tell me you’re spouting nonsense because you think I’m dumb—”

“As if. Listen, Asamiya. We’re in Seijo’s area now, but if we cut straight through, we’ll hit the other side—our allies’ area, Oumi’s. If we can borrow even one of their bases, we can overwrite Seijo’s area with ours.”

“Oh… You’re right.”

Asamiya blinked, then nodded repeatedly. In《Astral》, an area was defined as the polygon connecting a team’s bases. Since Eimei and Oumi’s areas flanked Seijo’s, transferring one Oumi base to Eimei would turn this entire zone into ours.

“…However, Master.”

Himeji, standing beside me, spoke up, her expression tinged with slight doubt as she asked in a cool tone:

“That would require someone to cross Seijo’s area to the other side. It’s enemy territory, so getting caught would be costly. Plus, their【Guardian】is a support type with detection abilities. Won’t we be spotted easily?”

“Yeah, true. But detection is mainly for sensing hidden enemies, right? So, what if there’s an obvious enemy right in front of them?”

“An enemy…? Oh, I see. A decoy, then?”

Himeji caught my meaning after a brief pause, brushing her silver hair as she confirmed.

Exactly—as Himeji said, this was a decoy strategy. A few of us would show ourselves to draw their attention and keep them pinned. Meanwhile, the others would use《Stealth》to sneak to the other side.

“Still, we’d need to cross Seijo’s area, so we absolutely need a【Spy】to detect《Traps》along the way. That means Enomoto and Akizuki are the ones for the job.”

“Got it♪ Ehehe, Noa’s gonna work super hard for Hiroto-kun♡”

Akizuki chirped in a coy tone, sidling up to me with an upward glance.

A moment later, Enomoto muttered, “…Hold on.”

“Then what’s my role? With Third District Ouka and Thirteenth District Murakumo holding《Chameleon》, Akizuki going alone wouldn’t raise suspicions of a fake.”

“What are you talking about? You’re the crucial negotiator. We need to temporarily take an Oumi base, right? Even with a《truce agreement》, if talks go south, they might attack, penalties be damned. That’d be bad.”

“? Then why not you—oh, no, that won’t work. This plan only works because ‘there’s a dangerous enemy in front of them.’ You need to be Academy Island’s strongest to even function as a decoy.”

“Well, yeah, that’s part of it. But even without that, I genuinely think you’re better at negotiating, Enomoto.”

“! …Hmph, if you’re gonna flatter me, at least use respectful language, Shinohara.”

With his usual scowl, Enomoto vanished using a《Stealth》spell without waiting for my reply. Akizuki yelped, “Hey! President, leaving Noa-chan behind is mean!” before turning invisible herself.

Seeing them off, I gave a small nod.

“Alright… Let’s move. We’ll start as decoys, drawing them out. Once the area’s overwritten, we go on the offensive. Shinra’s group aside, Kururugi’s a wildcard even with area bonuses. Asamiya, you’ll likely handle her.”

“Leave it to me! It’s my revenge match from yesterday.”

“Please do your best, Asamiya-sama. I’ll support you fully.”

“Yukirin, you’re such an angel… If only Shinji had even a hundredth of your kindness.”

Asamiya pouted slightly but nodded cheerfully.

With that, we began our approach, striding confidently toward Team B’s stronghold and stopping just outside the【Mage】’s range.

“…Hm?”

Instantly, their vigilant group noticed us. The black-haired【Mage】, brown-haired【Soldier】, and【Guardian】girl from Shinra all turned toward us. Naturally, Kururugi did too.

Huh…?

But something felt off about Kururugi. Surrounded by Shinra’s trio, she was looking at us, but her gaze lacked the sharpness from yesterday. It was cold, detached. Despite her supposed grudge, she showed no hostility.

She’s not planning to use attack spells… or can’t? Maybe she was hit with a sealing ability in another skirmish… No, there’s been no such fight.

I shook my head, dismissing the thought. Then…

Wait, their positioning is weird. Shinra’s group is surrounding Kururugi, blocking her line of fire. Are they intentionally keeping her from fighting? Did they seal her spells somehow…?

That possibility crossed my mind. Normally, there’d be no reason to suppress Kururugi Senri’s overwhelming combat ability, but the《Allied Forces》weren’t a monolith. Team B’s composition—three Shinra members to Kururugi’s one, with their leader Kirigaya absent—felt deliberate.

Anyway, the first to speak was the black-haired【Mage】standing in front of Kururugi.

“Yo, the infamous Eimei, huh? What’s up? Don’t tell me you’re here to join us now?”

“Join you? Huh, would you let us if we asked?”

“Sure thing—yeah, as if. The《Allied Forces》are already a dozen strong. Letting the rest of you in would mean no ‘losers’ left. This ain’t some cozy sports day, so just get crushed quietly.”

The black-haired guy sneered mockingly. Kururugi’s eyebrow twitched, but she stayed silent, placing her right hand on her left arm as if suppressing emotion. Something was definitely restricting her.

Catching her reaction out of the corner of my eye, I grinned.

“Whatever. As for why we’re here? Obvious—it’s a battle royale, so we’re here to take you down.”

“Yeah, fair enough. But too bad, Academy Island’s strongest. We’re Shinra—Seventh District Shinra High School, Team ‘Mist’ elites. Built to maximize Kirigaya-senpai’s strength in defensive battles. He’s not here, but we’re confident no one beats us at defense and counterattacks.”

“Oh? Pretty cocky for losers clinging to some shady《Chameleon》because you can’t win on your own.”

“! …Man, I really don’t like you. Does it feel good to punch with logic? You’re too soft, idiot. The ‘why’ doesn’t matter—only the last one standing is the ‘winner.’ If you don’t get that, keep barking forever!”

My provocation riled him up, but as expected of a high-ranker, he didn’t take the bait and maintained his defensive stance. Still, I’d succeeded in locking their attention on us. With Asamiya’s occasional feints, we kept their focus glued to us.

The tense standoff continued until the black-haired guy clicked his tongue for the umpteenth time—that’s when it happened.

“…Huh?” “!” “What…!?”

Shinra’s trio gasped in unison. No surprise there—the entire area, including their position, had suddenly shifted from pitch-black to vibrant green.

That was fast…! Enomoto’s seriously insane!

I stared at the scene with a calm face, mentally cheering Enomoto. As expected of our battle-hardened student council president, he was five minutes faster than I’d predicted.

“Damn it, what the hell!?”

Ahead, the black-haired guy cursed loudly, shaken by the area shift. At the same time, I spotted a boy running toward us from behind him—likely an Oumi【Mage】who’d joined early while Enomoto secured the base. He aimed to ambush the black-haired guy from behind.

But then…

“—Behind you!”

“Tch… Over here!?”

The timid-looking【Guardian】girl, with her detection abilities, shouted, and the black-haired guy reacted instantly, spinning to face the Oumi player and firing《Magic Cannon》without hesitation. Both were【Mages】, but Shinra’s《Range Boost》gave him superior reach, allowing a one-sided strike. One, two, three shots—his high action points unleashed a triple barrage, leaving only the player’s elimination effect. A flawless counter, not a single missed shot.

And, of course, their threat didn’t end there.

“Gh…!”

As the black-haired guy took down Oumi’s【Mage】, the brown-haired【Soldier】seized the chaos to charge us, swinging his terminal wide. He used the short-range《Sword Flash》, but《Spread》expanded its damage radius. Asamiya dodged with a quick leap, but normal reflexes wouldn’t have escaped.

Wait, no—

“—Too slow!!”

At that moment, blocking me from the deadly area attack was Himeji Shirayuki, her silver hair billowing like a storm. Extending her white-gloved left hand, she deployed《Barrier》, completely nullifying the【Soldier】’s strike.

“That was close. Are you unharmed, Master?”

“Yeah… I’m fine. Thanks, Himeji.”

“No, protecting Master is a maid’s duty.”

Smiling softly, Himeji turned her gaze back to the enemy. The initial clash settled, returning us to a tense standoff.

Now…

With the area overwritten, I wanted to push into close combat, but there was one issue. Shinra’s setup was clearly defense-oriented, meaning they’d likely littered the area with《Traps》to keep us at bay. Without Akizuki, our【Spy】, we couldn’t confirm, but it was obvious.

But…

Traps or no traps, it doesn’t matter.《Astral》’s《Traps》are one-use only. Force them to trigger, and it’s as good as disarming them.

Recalling that strategy, I pulled out my terminal and sent a quick instruction to Enomoto, who should be arriving soon. Switching screens, I contacted《Libra》and asked an unfamiliar girl (not Kazami, who was busy commentating) for a small operation.

Shortly after, Enomoto, Akizuki, and an Oumi【Spy】appeared from the opposite side. The black-haired guy raised his terminal with an annoyed click of his tongue but didn’t attack immediately, gauging their moves.

“…Hmph. I’d hoped to settle this cleanly, but don’t hold it against me.”

Unlike the hesitant black-haired guy, Enomoto advanced without pause, stopping just shy of his《Magic Cannon》’s range. He pushed Akizuki and the Oumi player back slightly, raised his terminal with one hand, and fired a spell without warning.

But, being out of range, the attack hit no one. The beam-like effect wavered, falling toward the ground—right into the zone likely packed with Shinra’s《Traps》. Naturally, it dealt no damage.

However…

“…Huh?”

The moment Enomoto’s《Magic Cannon》hit the ground, a system message flashed in everyone’s vision, announcing a《Trap》activation. Before Shinra could process it, Enomoto fired more《Magic Cannons》, each triggering carefully placed《Traps》that vanished uselessly.

Staring in disbelief, the black-haired guy finally shouted:

“What… What the hell’s going on!? Our《Traps》are activating on their own…!”

“Nothing complicated. You know《Astral》’s《Traps》only trigger when a player steps on them, judged by the《Duel》’s system. So, if you use an ability to trick the system into a ‘misjudgment,’ you can force unstepped《Traps》to activate. For example, making it think a player stepped there instead of a《Magic Cannon》hitting.”

“! A system misjudgment… Some kind of《Perception Block》ability!? Damn, now that you mention it, it’s not impossible…!”

Gritting his teeth in frustration, the black-haired guy glared at Enomoto, who calmly brushed off the hostility. Of course, it was an act. Enomoto hadn’t predicted this from the《Duel》’s start, nor did he have《Perception Block》. The truth was,《Libra》had temporarily altered the《Trap》activation conditions.

But that didn’t matter. If the opponent believed Enomoto, the “Clairvoyant,” had foreseen this and chosen《Perception Block》, that became the truth in this moment.

“Haa…”

Then, taking a slight breath, Asamiya Nanase sprang into action. Her vibrant blonde hair fluttered as she dashed through the former minefield toward Team B.

“Tch… Don’t get cocky, you brat!”

The black-haired guy’s《Eagle Eye》fired a guaranteed hit, followed by the brown-haired guy’s area attack. But Asamiya, as if anticipating it, nullified the《Eagle Eye》with《Barrier》and charged through the【Soldier】’s attack, taking minor damage to reach them at top speed.

And then:

“Hey—my name’s Asamiya Nanase, not ‘brat.’ Remember it.”

“Gh…!”

With role compatibility on her side, Asamiya blew away Shinra’s【Mage】with a single《Sword Flash》. The attack’s cooldown was brief, and with a fluid half-spin, she slashed through the【Soldier】’s LP in an instant. It was practically art.

“Heh…”

Whether she wanted to smirk or just exhale, Asamiya relaxed momentarily. Placing a hand on her hip, she turned to the remaining two—Shinra’s【Guardian】and Kururugi Senri.

“That pretty much seals our win. So… wanna surrender?”

“……”

Facing Asamiya’s declaration, the two responded with silence. Kururugi stared quietly, almost eerily calm. The【Guardian】girl, however, looked conflicted, biting her lip before lifting her face as if shaking off doubt.

“—I-I’m releasing《Binding Threads》!!”

The moment she spoke, though no visible change occurred, Kururugi’s demeanor shifted dramatically. Her eyes sharpened. Her aura transformed. The《Demon God Shrine Maiden》stepped forward.

And with one word:

“Hmph… Kirigaya’s attention-seeking is troublesome. To think a so-called《Allied Forces》teammate would bind me.”

“…Bind you?”

“Yes. By Kirigaya Touya’s orders, who effectively runs the《Allied Forces》—not《Chameleon》—I was barred from using attack spells. An ability called《Binding Threads》that captures enemy team members. Whether it was fear of rebellion or a desire to stand out, I’d wager the latter. Regardless, I was unable to act freely until just now.”

Kururugi drew her terminal, shaking her ponytail.

With a light flick of her right hand, an Oumi【Spy】who’d strayed into her range was instantly killed by a single《Magic Cannon》. The lethal《One-Shot Kill》ability. This eliminated Tenth District, boosting Seijo’s area and spell count.

But… that didn’t matter right now.

“Phew…”

Kururugi snapped her terminal to her waist like a sheathed blade, locking sharp eyes on us. She was a different person now—the true Kururugi Senri, who nearly annihilated Eimei single-handedly.

“I owe Kirigaya Touya no favors… but since I’m free, I’ll make the most of it. You lot owe me a debt. I’ll repay it with plenty of interest.”

“D-Debt? Interest? I don’t get what you’re saying, but… bring it on!!”

Though shaken by Kururugi’s transformation, Asamiya readied her terminal. Simultaneously, Shinra’s【Guardian】blocked me and Himeji, preventing easy support for Asamiya.

“Tch…”

Asamiya Nanase, with her stellar reflexes and vision, versus Kururugi Senri, who could fell any foe in one hit. Enomoto Shinji stood nearby, giving Asamiya a slight edge in raw power… but that offered no comfort.

Enomoto and Asamiya… both were eliminated by Kururugi’s schemes yesterday. They’re a terrible matchup, and she knows it.

“…Heh.”

Kururugi smirked, perhaps not reading my thoughts but sensing my unease.

“Enomoto Shinji and Asamiya Nanase, huh? To think the duo that spectacularly self-destructed in that past event believes they can defeat me. Quite the well-crafted joke.”

“Hah? It’s not a joke at all. That was last year!”

“Have you forgotten fleeing from me yesterday? You two are no match—so I’ll deal with you quickly and challenge Shinohara Hiroto. Ending him with my own hands is my ultimate goal.”

“…Tch.”

Kururugi’s calm words visibly irritated Asamiya. She slowly raised her terminal, narrowing her eyes.

Then, in a single breath:

“Shinji… I’m moving on my own. So, match me however you want.”

“You’re as reckless as ever, Nanase. That’s not a strategy—it’s barely an order. But fine, do what you want.”

“Got it!”

With that, Asamiya kicked the ground hard, firing《Magic Cannon》repeatedly as she charged straight at Kururugi. With bonuses, Asamiya’s action points were 2, Kururugi’s 4. Her natural athleticism let Asamiya momentarily overwhelm Kururugi.

But, of course, the《Demon God Shrine Maiden》wasn’t so easily toppled.

“Stepping into my range is reckless indeed—!”

The moment Asamiya’s barrage paused, Kururugi drew her terminal like an iaido strike, unleashing《Sword Flash》with《One-Shot Kill》. A guaranteed kill. Taking it head-on wasn’t an option, forcing Asamiya to focus on evasion.

Yet…

“Dodging’s not my style…!”

“What!?”

Knowing this, Asamiya pressed her attack without stopping. Such a bold, reckless choice stunned even Kururugi. The lethal《Sword Flash》should’ve easily depleted Asamiya’s LP… but it didn’t.

“!?”

Suddenly, the《Sword Flash》’s effect veered off course, missing Asamiya entirely. Someone had forcibly altered its trajectory—an act only one person here could perform.

Eimei Academy’s student council president, the 6-star “Clairvoyant”—Enomoto Shinji.

“Hmph… Support ability《Lightning Rod》. It forcibly redirects an executed attack to ‘me.’ If I’m outside the attacker’s range, the attack naturally misses.”

“What… Why would you have such an ability—?”

“Why? Simple. My partner’s an idiot who charges in regardless of the enemy’s hidden tricks. A support ability to cover her recklessness is essential.”

“Tch…”

“…Oh? So that’s what you think, Shinji. I’m your partner, huh… Hehe…”

“! What’s with that creepy grin, Nanase?”

“I’m smiling, so call it cute, idiot! Stupid Shinji!”

Asamiya, unable to hide her tickled smile, bantered back. Thanks to Enomoto’s support, her attack finally landed, shaving 3 LP off Kururugi.

“Tch… Not yet!”

But Kururugi deftly spun, pulling away from Asamiya’s follow-up《Sword Flash》and shifting her target to Enomoto.

“If there’s a《Lightning Rod》supporter, the standard move is to take them out first. From that damage, Asamiya Nanase’s role is【Soldier】. She can’t adopt abilities to protect others—so you can’t save Enomoto Shinji.”

“!?”

“Heh… Too bad. Your teamwork is only so-so.”

Declaring victory, Kururugi had already circled to Enomoto’s front. Her ponytail flared as she swung her terminal sideways with a faint breath.

But—

“Let me tell you—your mistake was not knowing how much we’ve grown.”

Kururugi’s attack never landed. Instead, her body was spectacularly pierced by a《Magic Cannon》effect. Checking site mode, her LP crystal was down to one fragment.

Kururugi, confused by the situation, slowly turned to Asamiya.

“You… What did you do? How did you attack from that distance?”

“What? An ability, obviously.《Desperate Rat》—it boosts my stats when a designated player’s in danger. Since you have《One-Shot Kill》, Shinji was deemed ‘in mortal peril,’ so my range extended.”

“…? So, you designated Enomoto Shinji as your target? Chose him to protect when he’s in danger…?”

“Uh… Y-Yeah, so what? It’s not like that! It’s not about Shinji—it’s just that losing a supporter would suck. That’s all!”

“To be so close… That was beyond my calculations…”

“W-We’re not close!!”

Blushing slightly, Asamiya shook her head vigorously. Then, she approached Kururugi and, surprisingly gently, bound her hands.

“…What’s this about?”

“Still don’t get it? I hit you with《Magic Cannon》. If I’d used《Gunfire》, role compatibility would’ve taken you out, but I didn’t.”

“…I see. Another of Shinohara Hiroto’s schemes, then.”

Sighing, Kururugi shot a sharp glance my way. By the way, Shinra’s【Guardian】had lost her will to fight and was already taken out by a lurking Akizuki.

Anyway—with Kururugi’s combat ability physically restrained, I approached her with Himeji. Asamiya had her hands tied behind her back, almost like a prisoner, but it was the only way to contain the《Demon God Shrine Maiden》.

Smiling lightly, I spoke:

“Yo, Kururugi. Been a day. How’s it feel to lose to the two you mocked?”

“Awful. If I’d at least beaten you, it might’ve been different.”

“Probably. But I doubt this team could’ve pulled it off anyway.”

Kururugi averted her gaze slightly at my words. As she’d hinted earlier, Team B wasn’t built to maximize her strengths—it was more about containing her. She couldn’t have performed at her best.

“Hey, Kururugi… You’re insanely strong.《One-Shot Kill》is nuts, and even without it, you’re a top-tier 5-star. But this time, you lost to us.”

“…You won by numbers and still talk big, 7-star.”

“Yeah. Because if I recall, you said you’re ‘stronger alone.’ I thought I played fair.”

“Gh…”

Kururugi fell silent. That was her line from yesterday’s skirmish—that《One-Shot Kill》required her teammates to be eliminated, so she was stronger solo.

“But—that’s probably just your assumption. Compare today’s fight to yesterday’s. You were clearly stronger with Tsuyuri’s team.”

“Nonsense… That can’t be. Tsuyuri’s always been my one-woman show. The others are just filler, and they should want it that way. They don’t want to be dragged into this… That’s why, even alone, I have to keep fighting—for Tsuyuri Girls’ victory.”

“Don’t want to be dragged in, huh? I wonder about that.”

I smirked at Kururugi’s self-assured muttering.

“When I was at《MTCG》after leaving《Astral》, I ran into a Tsuyuri member at the venue. Your name came up… and she was kinda pissed.”

“…Pissed?”

“Yeah. Not about the《Duel》’s outcome, but that you submitted to《Chameleon》—or rather, that their weakness forced you into that role. She said they want to get stronger as a team so you don’t have to carry that burden again. ‘I have to fight alone’? Come on, you’re just not seeing what’s around you.”

“!?”

Kururugi’s eyes widened at my words.

It must’ve felt like a punch from an unexpected angle. Known as a multi-player battle expert, Kururugi’s teammates rarely got attention—she was just that dominant.

But that didn’t mean a ragtag team was fine. If raw strength was enough, she wouldn’t be called a “multi-player” expert. When she won events, Tsuyuri’s teammates were always by her side.

“I see…”

Lowering her head, Kururugi shook her ponytail weakly, biting her lip in frustration.

“Was I wrong? Was it because of everyone that I became the《Demon God Shrine Maiden》…?”

Her murmured words confirmed her fighting spirit was gone. She no longer had a reason to follow the《Allied Forces》.

After a moment, she spoke in a calmer tone:

“Then… can I ask one thing, 7-star? Defeat me—end this. Next time, I’ll challenge you with all of Tsuyuri.”

“…Hah. That sounds like trouble.”

I grinned back. And then:

“But sorry, I can’t do that. I need your help with something.”

“…?”

Kururugi tilted her head, frowning slightly, as I began explaining the plan—

♭♭

—At the same time, on the far right of《Astral》’s map.

The all-out war orchestrated by Shinohara Hiroto was underway. The coalition of Third District Ouka Academy and Thirteenth District Murakumo Academy, tasked with one front, was on the verge of collapse.

“Tch…”

Pressing her back against a pillar, Ouka’s leader, Saionji Sarasa, grimaced slightly.

It wasn’t that they’d been careless.

Their opponent was the mighty《Allied Forces》, led by《Chameleon》herself—the one Sarasa’s group had to face. Knowing they couldn’t win, they hadn’t planned to fight seriously. Stalling until Shinohara’s “secret plan” succeeded was enough.

Yet…

That swapping ability is just too unfair…

《Chameleon》was in top form today. Right after the battles began, her signature mimicry wiped out Murakumo instantly. Their lunch-break strategies were rendered useless, and they were dragged into a chaotic melee. Now, Ouka had only two survivors, including Sarasa.

Last year, Ouka Academy topped the school rankings. This《Duel》was supposed to be a perfect setup. They’d led the pack until《Chameleon》’s rampage began.

But an opponent you can’t defeat no matter how much you attack is impossible. LP, action points, everything’s abnormal. Like Shinohara said, if we don’t treat her as an admin-designed enemy, it just looks like cheating. Knowing Kurahashi, she probably calculated that《Libra》would have to protect《Chameleon》.

Sarasa clenched her teeth, thinking bitterly.

“W-What do we do now, Sarasa-san!?”

“…Right.”

Asuka Momo, her only surviving teammate, looked at her desperately. Sarasa crossed her arms, knowing the answer without needing to think.

“It’s obvious. We keep our distance from the one behind us—not too close, but not losing them entirely—to buy time.”

“!? A-Are you serious!? That’s impossible—we should escape! We’ll both get taken out! She’s way too strong!”

“Maybe. But that’s exactly why.《Chameleon》is too strong. That’s why we all need to gang up and take her down together—that’s what we’re doing now. If this plan fails, we may never get another shot at《Chameleon》.”

“Ugh… T-That’s true, but…”

“Hehe, don’t worry, Momo. It’ll be soon.”

Using her scouting ability to track《Chameleon》’s distance, Sarasa buried her fears and doubts, flashing a charming smile.

“Soon, that guy will bring reinforcements—so let’s hold out until then.”

♭♭

“Phew… Man, that was totally underwhelming.”

—Meanwhile, slightly earlier, in the central area.

The final front of the all-out war—a pincer attack by Second District Suisei and Nineteenth District Souken—had been effortlessly repelled. The victors now basked in their triumph on the empty field.

Team C, named by Shinohara Hiroto, was a group of elite players.

First, yawning with hands behind his head, was Kirigaya Touya. A third-year at Seventh District Shinra High School, known as the《Absolute Monarch》. A 6-star with a single-color star, he was Shinra’s undisputed top player.

He continued in a bored tone:

“Nineteenth District was trash, but Second District’s fourth in the rankings, right? Why was it so easy?”

“…Who knows.”

Responding was Kugasaki Seiran, Team C’s other member. Leader of Eighth District Otowa Academy, the 5-star “Phoenix.” His black cape fluttered as he quietly shared his theory.

“I hear Suisei always holds back their main force. Also, places like Seventeenth District Amanezaka only sent freshmen. They’re not always fielding their strongest.”

“Tch, figures. I hate that the most. It’s not even an excuse—it’s straight-up sandbagging. Don’t you think, Phoenix?”

“Heh, I don’t care as long as I win. Unless it’s someone I’m fixated on.”

Kugasaki adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses, smirking slightly.

“Besides… you say it was easy, but we took losses too. We started with six, and now it’s just us three.”

“…Haa.”

Prompted by Kugasaki, the third member—a nondescript girl—sighed softly. Minami Shizuku, a 4-star from Fourteenth District St. Rosalia Girls’ Academy. Unlike Kirigaya or Kugasaki, she had no nickname but had survived this far.

Looking thoroughly depressed, she spoke:

“Awful… I can’t believe I’m the only one left. They said I could just watch from the sidelines, so I joined, but now I’m basically center stage… Ugh.”

“…Are you serious, Rosalia? You’re a color-star holder, right?”

“Being called ‘you’ by a guy I just met, ugh, the worst… I wanna go home…”

“Oi.”

Ignoring Kugasaki’s question with a low-energy sigh, Minami looked away. She’d miscalculated. She’d kept her rank at 4-star, hidden her unique star, and stayed low-key, yet she’d survived this far. Stuck with Shinra’s leader, the《Absolute Monarch》Kirigaya Touya, and Otowa’s leader, the《Phoenix》Kugasaki Seiran—she didn’t belong in such a flashy group.

Unfazed by her regret, Kirigaya eyed her with bold curiosity.

“Yeah, you were solid. No flashy moves, but your ability use and spell handling were a cut above. Depending on how things go, I might just fall for you.”

“…Really? Sorry, I, uh… only like girls.”

“Haha! I like you even more now!”

Kirigaya’s fierce grin widened. Minami muttered “ugh…” and sighed, turning away.

After the exchange, Kirigaya faced Kugasaki again.

“Back to what you said. Sure, we lost three, but we took out seven from Second and Nineteenth Districts. Seven kills, three deaths—that’s solid. Plus, our lineup’s near perfect, with tons of resources left. I don’t see us losing.”

“…Oh? If that’s not a bluff, that’s some confidence. We’re up against the《Empress》and a 7-star.”

“I know, I know. That’s my big chance to skyrocket my rep, right?”

Grinning, Kirigaya tossed his terminal into the air, catching it without looking. It held all the《Allied Forces》’ data. With《Chameleon》rarely giving orders, Kirigaya was effectively the commander, managing team setups, battle conditions, and spell distribution.

“That’s why I used Shinra’s guys to nerf Kururugi Senri. She’s a walking disaster—if she went all out, she’d steal my spotlight. If Shinohara Hiroto gets taken out too, our rep’s toast. I’m the only one who needs to stand out.”

“Heh—still full of bravado, Shinra. Let’s start by hunting Eimei.”

“Haha! Hell yeah, that’s the spirit!”

Kirigaya’s mood soared, his energy spiking.

Matching his smirk, Kugasaki Seiran thought quietly:

What’s this about ‘raising your rep’? Your name’s already infamous without any tricks.

The《Absolute Monarch》of Seventh District, Kirigaya Touya, who crushes《Duel》opponents into oblivion—

Truly, a man I’d rather not face as an enemy.

♯

—The encounter with “them” was abrupt.

Shortly after defeating Kururugi Senri’s Team B, as I finished briefing her and started moving while checking other districts’ statuses via《Libra》, they boldly blocked our path.

“Yo, 7-star.”

One stepped forward—a handsome guy with slicked-back black hair. Shinra’s leader, the 6-star《Absolute Monarch》. According to Enomoto, “plenty of players leave the island after facing him,” a battle junkie who pursued victory ruthlessly.

“Name’s Kirigaya Touya. Looks like my Shinra guys gave you some trouble earlier, huh?”

“Dunno. I don’t bother checking enemy affiliations.”

“Nice, I like that cold attitude. Honestly, I don’t care about teammates either, so I’m not here for revenge or anything… Just, you know, for my honor and glory, you’re gonna die here.”

“…Oh? I heard you were aggressive, but you’re really coming at me.”

“Haha! Damn right. After all, my job this time is to make sure I take out you and the《Empress》.”

…!?

My eyes widened at Kirigaya’s casual addition. A job? He said taking out me and Saionji was a “job”?

If that’s true, then no doubt—he’s one of Kurahashi Mikado’s allies.

Clenching my fist subtly to hide my realization, I processed it. With the《Allied Forces》ability allowing recruitment from other districts, planting allies in separate teams wasn’t impossible. Kirigaya had joined《Astral》intending to side with《Chameleon》from the start.

That explains why he’s in a position to lead the《Allied Forces》. Like Kururugi said. Damn, this just got way more complicated.

The real commander of the《Allied Forces》. Second only to《Chameleon》. Kurahashi Mikado’s collaborator. With this intel, the danger and stakes of this fight skyrocketed.

“…Kururugi!”

Instinctively, I turned and shouted her name in a strained voice.

“Please, go ahead. The plan’s mostly what I told you. Also, for final rankings, don’t leave the《Allied Forces》until the last moment, okay?”

“W-Wait, shouldn’t we deal with this first?”

“Yes, but that’s not for someone with 1 LP to worry about. If you fall here, it’s all over—so please, go!”

“Tch… Fine, leave it to me!”

Meeting my eyes, Kururugi nodded and used《Stealth》. I had no guarantee she wouldn’t betray us, but I had to trust my earlier persuasion worked. With Team C here, Second District Suisei and Nineteenth District Souken were already wiped out. We had to stop their advance, or the plan would collapse.

“—Haha!”

Ignoring Kururugi’s departure entirely, Kirigaya drew his terminal with a ferocious grin, declaring gleefully:

“No need for talk. Let’s get started.”

Instantly, the battle began like an avalanche.

Charging first were Kirigaya Touya and a quiet, cool-looking girl—Minami Shizuku, a 4-star from Fourteenth District St. Rosalia, according to Kagaya-san’s intel. Kirigaya was a【Spy】, Minami a【Mage】—likely Team C’s main attackers.

Behind them, smirking confidently, was Kugasaki Seiran, still in his silver glasses and black cape. Surprisingly, given his aggressive leader vibe, he was a【Guardian】, positioned to support the other two.

“Ugh… I knew the《Allied Forces》had the Phoenix, but this lineup? It’s overkill, no hint of arrogance…”

Kagaya-san’s voice sighed in my earpiece. I got her sentiment. A team of top players leveraging the《Allied Forces》’ strengths was naturally a nightmare.

And that concern quickly manifested in the battle.

“Ugh, what is this? So annoying!”

Asamiya, using her【Soldier】role to close in and unleash《Sword Flash》on Minami, found every attack blocked by《Barrier》spells—despite Minami’s inability to act during attack cooldowns.

“Aw… Being called annoying by a cute girl I just met. Guess I’ll just die…”

“No, not like that! Thanks for the cute part! …Also,《Barrier》!”

“You’re quick… Kind of a pain.”

Though her tone was listless, Minami’s movements were refined. She matched Asamiya’s superior action points, and any dangerous moments were covered by sudden《Barriers》not cast by her.

That left only one possible caster.

“Heh… How’s that, Shinohara? You know I’m called the《Phoenix》. It’s a bit off from why, but this role suits me better. I don’t die—and I don’t let others die.”

Kugasaki declared, adjusting his glasses. The gesture was irritating, but his words were genuine. Likely using a coordinate-shifting ability to remotely cast《Barrier》, he was making it impossible for even Asamiya to land hits on Minami.

And their main threat wasn’t even Minami Shizuku.

“Haha! —《Mix: Enhanced》activated!”

Kirigaya’s voice, laced with glee and mockery, rang out. Pointing his terminal at us, he continued as if unveiling a grand gift:

“Special ability《Mix: Enhanced》—this one’s fun. Originally a generic ability, I《modified》it with my black star’s effect. Now, it’s beyond generic—rivaling unique star abilities.”

“Tch… That’s insane. You’re saying you can mass-produce abilities on par with《†Jet-Black Wings†》?”

“Exactly. In terms of flexibility, it’s top-tier among unique stars.”

Kirigaya’s grin widened at my reaction.

“So—《Mix: Enhanced》lets me stack attack spells, normally limited to one, as many times as I want. I can combine same-type spells to boost power or range, or mix different spells to create new ones. I’ll demonstrate now.《Magic Cannon》plus《Sword Flash》—the《Magic Blade》! Haha, try to survive, 7-star!”

A fused spell!? That’s so cool—wait, no, that’s bad!!

I screamed internally at Kirigaya’s hyped-up boast.《Mix: Enhanced》synthesized attack spells into new ones, with added spells increasing power, range, and bypassing role weaknesses. Enhanced by a unique star, it was predictably overpowered.

—And then…

“Watch out, Master…!”

As I processed this, one of Kirigaya’s《Magic Blades》tore past me, missing by centimeters. Without Himeji pulling me aside, it would’ve hit.

“Tch… Thanks, Himeji. You saved me.”

“No, I’m just glad you’re safe, Master. But that ability is troublesome…”

Himeji whispered, her face close to mine. She was right—that《Magic Blade》was tame compared to what could come. If he mixed in《Trap》’s stealth, it could be lethal.

Damn, too many surprises…

Cursing inwardly, the timing couldn’t have been worse. I knew Kirigaya Touya was a formidable foe, but dealing with Kururugi took so much time I hadn’t prepared any countermeasures for him. And since I wasn’t truly a 7-star or Academy Island’s strongest, I was stuck reacting without a plan.

If I just had a bit more time…

That thought hit me when—

“Hmph…”

Enomoto, supporting Asamiya from a distance, suddenly turned and strode toward Kirigaya. The abrupt move made Kirigaya frown slightly.

“Huh? You’re Eimei’s president, right? What’s a【Mage】doing on the front line?”

“If you’re saying that, you’re just a【Spy】yourself. I don’t need your commentary.”

“Ugh, classic. You don’t get it—【Spy】is obviously the most stable. It has the widest ability pool, and in《Astral》,《Traps》are way stronger than the three basic attack spells. Don’t underestimate a【Spy】who can use them well.”

“No, it depends on the user’s skill. There’s no clear hierarchy between spells. And don’t you know? In a【Mage】versus【Spy】faceoff,【Mage】has a huge advantage. Basic rock-paper-scissors, no?”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll show you a gap in skill that role compatibility can’t overcome.”

They locked eyes within striking range, trading verbal jabs while readying their terminals for combat.

Then, Enomoto—addressing me, not Kirigaya, over his shoulder—said:

“Shinohara… You need time, right? Time to devise a way out of this.”

“! Y-Yeah… That’s right.”

“Got it. I’ll buy you that time. Do your job in the meantime.”

Without showing his face, Enomoto murmured calmly. Stunned by his razor-sharp insight, I was speechless for a moment but soon grinned and replied in my usual tone:

“Alright—handle it, senpai. Don’t lose too quick; it’d leave a bad taste.”

“You mean ‘please.’ I told you to use respectful language with your elders,【Commander】.”

With a curt reply, Enomoto fluidly fired《Magic Cannon》. Kirigaya had Kugasaki block it with《Barrier》, then deployed stealthy fused spells from《Mix: Enhanced》around himself. Normally, that’d be a tough spot, but Enomoto’s uncanny deduction and memory made stealth irrelevant. He dodged everything and counterattacked.

Watching this clash between top-tier district reps, I dove deep into thought.

What do I do… How do we beat them?

That was the only question. We were clearly outmatched—spells, action points, approval ratings, everything favored them.

But…

Just one moment. Team C has two attackers. We need to take out Minami for sure, but for Kirigaya, even a brief pause is enough. If I can create a critical opening, we can win.

Yes, that had to be it. With a trump card I’d prepared before starting《Astral》, defeating Kirigaya wasn’t impossible. The key to flipping this board was “defeating Minami Shizuku” and “briefly stopping Kirigaya Touya.”

But stopping Kirigaya, even for a moment, was a tall order. Attacks were blocked by Kugasaki’s《Barrier》, and he’d likely dodge anyway.

If only Kirigaya would burn through《Mix: Enhanced》—wait, hold on…

Recalling something, I pulled out my terminal and sent a “signal” to《Libra》—a stamp-only message, a prearranged order for a specific plan. Originally meant for another scenario, I could repurpose it.

Confirming the reply’s vibration, I whispered to Himeji:

“Hey, Himeji, can I ask something? …”

“…Huh? But that person… Oh, I see.”

Nodding with understanding, Himeji agreed.

Swiftly tapping her terminal, she activated—not a spell, but the《Swap》ability, which exchanged one ability between teammates. Against Kagura Tsuki, it had empowered Akizuki by giving her my《Action Prediction》.

This time, though, the use was different.

“The swap targets are Master and… Kirigaya Touya-sama.”

Himeji’s cool voice whispered as her silver hair flowed— instantly, one ability vanished from my terminal, replaced by Kirigaya’s《Mix: Enhanced》. Swap successful. Kirigaya could no longer use it.

“What the… What’d you do!?”

Kirigaya’s voice cracked with shock. Understandably— no legal ability could steal an opponent’s ability, even temporarily. It’d ruin strategy entirely.

But this was a “swap” by mutual consent. With《Libra》’s help, we’d temporarily removed the “enemy-ally” distinction in《Astral》, treating it as a teammate exchange. No theft involved.

Originally, I planned this to steal《One-Shot Kill》if Kururugi’s persuasion failed…

Though used differently than intended, it didn’t matter. Returning a smug smile to Kirigaya’s frustrated glare, I stepped forward calmly.

“Hah… What? Just an ability swap via《Swap》, as you saw. Normally, it’s restricted to teammates, though.”

“Huh!? Then why’d it work!? I didn’t make you a teammate!”

“Blame your boss. The《Allied Forces》ability is always active—meaning any《Astral》player can be a ‘teammate.’ That’s muddied the team boundaries.”

“Tch… Spouting nonsense, you bastard!”

Kirigaya snapped, clearly rattled by the loophole.

Kirigaya mutters irritably. The logic seems both plausible and dubious, but since the swap actually happened, there’s no choice but to accept it. By the way, the ability I gave up doesn’t even meet its usage conditions right now, so there’s no risk of it being misused.

Anyway—having taken《Mix: Enhanced》from Kirigaya, I tap the earpiece in my right ear and immediately use the ability to support Asamiya. I try launching《Sword Flash》like a rocket, setting《Traps》that fire《Magic Cannon》from behind when triggered, and every other method I can think of to attack Minami.

“Haa… It’s pointless, you know.”

But Minami, effortlessly handling both Asamiya’s flurry of attacks and my support, only mutters in annoyance.

“That, I know. I’ve seen it before… so you can’t beat me with that.”

“Tch… But you’ve never fought me, have you!?”

“Mm, true, you’re fast and troublesome… and that glimpse of your navel is cute. 120 points.”

“Stop it, that’s embarrassing! My navel’s not free! …Kuh, ah!”

The exchange looks almost evenly matched, but Asamiya is slightly on the back foot. Probably because her partner, Enomoto, is busy keeping Kirigaya pinned, it feels like she might get overwhelmed if this continues.

Tch… Not yet? Still—

“—Sorry for the wait, Hiro-kyun! Modifications complete!!”

Just then, as I start to grow anxious, Kagaya-san’s energetic voice bursts through my right earpiece, drowning out my inner thoughts. It seems the task I requested earlier is already done. Her efficiency makes me smirk.

So, as Asamiya and Minami’s clash hits a brief pause, I step forward… and say one thing.

“Hey, Minami.”

“Eh… How do you know my name? Creepy…”

“That’s ’cause I’m a 7-star. …But that’s not important. You said earlier that you’re fine with《Mix: Enhanced》because you’ve ‘seen it before,’ right?”

“Yeah. ’Cause I know it. I can dodge what I know.”

“Heh, that’s pretty bold. …But you’re forgetting one crucial thing.”

At my words, Minami furrows her brow suspiciously with a “…?” Even Kirigaya, facing off with Enomoto, pauses his attacks momentarily to focus on me.

Catching this from the corner of my eye, I speak confidently.

“Like I said, my rank is 7-star. And separate from that, abilities have their own ‘levels’—when used on a low-rank terminal, their effects are scaled down, but on a high-rank terminal, their full potential is unleashed. In short, the same ability produces completely different results in my hands compared to Kirigaya’s.”

“? Yeah, that’s true. Everyone knows that.”

“Good. Then I’ll show you the difference right now. —《Invisible Magic Blade》.”

The moment I murmur quietly—boom—without any warning, her body is effortlessly blown backward. Neither Kugasaki’s《Barrier》nor Minami’s own evasion can keep up with the relentless strike. With a bewildered expression, not understanding what happened, she loses all her LP and vanishes from《Astral》’s stage.

“—Well, the logic’s simple enough.”

Watching her disappear completely, I continue in a taunting tone.

“Unlike you, stuck at 6-star, I can draw out an ability’s maximum effect as a 7-star. And the《Mix: Enhanced》you knew could, in truth, forcibly combine not just attack spells but any spell. So, I tried mixing two《Magic Cannons》, three《Sword Flashes》, and even《Stealth》… and voilà, an invisible, ultimate magic blade was born.”

“You bastard, you really did it…!!”

Kirigaya roars in a ferocious voice. Having his prized ability stolen and used better than he ever could must be infuriating. …Of course, there’s a bit of a lie in my explanation. It’s true I thought a 7-star terminal might allow《Mix: Enhanced》to combine support abilities too, but since my actual rank is 3-star, I have no way to confirm that. The real trick was《The Company》’s modification effect.

“—Damn it!!”

Enraged by Minami’s elimination—or perhaps my provocation—Kirigaya begins overwhelming Enomoto with an even fiercer barrage. Until now, he must have had some “leisure” in his heart. But with the situation changed, that leisure gone, he’s decided to “hunt” us, rapidly chipping away at Enomoto’s LP crystal.

“Shinji!!”

Asamiya’s face pales at the ferocious onslaught. With her《Desperate Rat》ability boosting her range and power, she instinctively spins and slides in front of Enomoto.

But… it seems even Asamiya’s action was part of Kirigaya’s plan.

“To think you’d force me to use this—《Dual Wield》!”

In that instant, two《Sword Flashes》are unleashed simultaneously—one toward Enomoto, one toward Asamiya. Their speed is no different from a normal attack, but with both on the brink of 0 LP, the options of “dodging” or “protecting” arise at once, creating a split-second lag in thought and action.

And—in the end, that lag decided the outcome.

“Kyaa—!” “Guh… So this is it.”

Two voices overlap. …Immediately after, a large blue effect signaling a player’s elimination rises from nearly the same spot. Watching Eimei’s team status update in site mode, I lower my face for a moment.

“Tch… Finally down to two, huh? That was high-effort, damn it.”

On the other side of the effect, Kirigaya spits out the words with a tongue-click, shaking his head irritably. Then, he turns back to face me.

“Yo, 7-star… Not bad for someone shamelessly claiming to be the strongest. I thought hunting you lot would be a breeze, but this is an unexpected struggle.”

“…You seem pretty relaxed for someone struggling. That《Dual Wield》ability—you weren’t planning to use it until the end, were you? Just to break my spirit.”

“Yeah, pretty much. I love winning, but just crushing you isn’t fun. Letting you swim until you think you’ve won, then twisting your face—that’s the best.”

“Heh, that’s quite a refined hobby. So, Minami’s elimination was part of your plan too?”

“Nah, not like that. Getting《Mix: Enhanced》stolen was a genuine miscalculation. It’s been a while since I felt this. That’s why I can’t quit《Duel》. …But that doesn’t mean Minami Shizuku was some disposable pawn. She did her job perfectly. Usage limit—you can’t use《Mix: Enhanced》anymore.”

“……”

“Hyaha! That’s what happens when you get cocky and spam it. That invisible blade might’ve given you a shot, but in a normal fight, you can’t beat me. Unlike you jack-of-all-trades types, I’ve specialized every ability for combat. I’ve got way more resources, and frankly, there’s no way for me to lose.”

Kirigaya declares with a belligerent grin. …As he points out,《Mix: Enhanced》hit its usage limit with that last strike. Of course, I wasn’t unaware of that, but either way, I failed to take him down.

“……”

“Nice… A guy staying all cool and composed at this stage is pretty fresh and fun. But you’re still gonna get crushed by me now, becoming a stepping stone for my rise—feel honored, yeah? Getting to be a footnote in my life.”

Speaking with the confidence of assured victory, Kirigaya steps closer. Himeji stands in front of me, terminal at the ready, but he doesn’t care. After all, with《Dual Wield》, he can bypass a【Guardian】to hunt me.

But—at that moment,

“…Hn?”

Suddenly, a figure slips between us and Kirigaya. Fluffy twin-tails and a petite frame. The 6-star little devil who’d been supporting both the Minami and Kirigaya fights with《Traps》while hidden by《Stealth》—Akizuki Noa.

“W-What are you doing, Akizuki-sama!”

Surprisingly, the one most shaken by her action is Himeji.

“That’s dangerous! Why did you undo《Stealth》—?”

“Ehehe, no way, Shirayuki-chan♡ You can’t hog the cool role of protecting Hiroto-kun all to yourself. That’s for Noa-chan, the main wife, to do!”

“I don’t know who’s the main wife or the mistress, but please, get back quickly!”

“Nope♪ …Hey, Hiroto-kun. If I could stop that guy’s movements even a little, would that help you?”

“Huh?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, I freeze for a moment. But the answer comes quickly.

“Well… It’d be more than helpful—it’d be the most useful thing.”

“Really!? Yay, Noa’s become Hiroto-kun’s number one…♡”

“No, I don’t think that’s right… What exactly are you planning?”

“Just watch, Shirayuki-chan♪”

Saying that, Akizuki turns back to me with a coy smile before facing Kirigaya again. She speaks slowly.

“Kirigaya Touya-kun. Ace of Seventh District Shinra High School, a 6-star ranker with a black star. …But I bet what you’re really good at isn’t these action-based《Duel》, but something that uses your head more, right? Psychological or intellectual stuff.”

“Huh? Dunno, never thought about it… What’s with you, suddenly hyping me up? Tryna flirt with me or something?”

“Bzzzt. I get that Noa’s cuteness makes you wanna think that, but nope, not at all. Just one thing I wanna say. …Last summer, I think? I didn’t have many friends, but there was one girl in my class who was kind to me. Super pure, super nice… but she dueled you and left the island right after. I never saw her again… That’s all.”

Akizuki mutters in a flat tone. …She says “that’s all,” but it must’ve been a shocking event for her, back when she had few allies. The 6-star Absolute Monarch, Kirigaya Touya. There might be more students with indirect grudges against him than I thought.

But Kirigaya, faced with this, remains utterly unfazed.

“Oh, that so? Sorry, I don’t remember every little thing. No obligation to indulge your sentimentality either.”

“That’s fine♪ Noa’s just mad on her own and seeking revenge on her own♡”

“That so? Then die.”

In that instant—Kirigaya draws his terminal with a fluid motion, firing two《Magic Cannons》at Akizuki using《Dual Wield》. Canceling their cooldown with《Release》, he closes the distance and follows up with a《Sword Flash》.

“Ah, Akizuki-sama…!?”

Akizuki doesn’t block any of these attacks. The damage goes through, shattering her LP crystal completely. Collapsing, she gives me a faint smile before turning into glowing blue particles the next moment.

Leaving me stunned, Kirigaya sighs in exasperation.

“Oi, oi, what’s this about stopping my movements even a little? She didn’t even resist, let alone attack. I had some expectations, but trash is trash—huh?”

But the next moment, I notice a slight shadow cross his mocking smile. Thanks to that, I finally catch the anomaly—Kirigaya hasn’t moved an inch since striking Akizuki.

Almost simultaneously, an excited voice bursts through my right earpiece.

“‘Incapacitated’…! It’s the same one that got Shirayuki-chan!”

“Huh…?”

“It’s Noa-chan, no doubt! A retaliation ability—probably one with a powerful effect triggered by her elimination!”

My eyes widen at Kagaya-san’s info. …So that’s what she meant by helping me. This could indeed create a fatal “opening.” It’s enough to take down Kirigaya Touya.

—Or so I thought.

“Oi, oi… Don’t tell me you think this means you’ve won?”

“Tch…”

Kirigaya’s voice remains unshaken. The next moment, his body is enveloped in a translucent, membrane-like barrier. Though partially embedded in the ground, it’s a perfect sphere. Despite being immobilized by Akizuki’s ability, he’s created this wall.

As I reel internally, he flashes another taunting grin.

“I swore to win, so of course I’ve got countermeasures for ambushes.《Null Barrier: Modified》—an invincible wall that automatically blocks attacks I can’t defend against.”

Kirigaya declares nonchalantly. Another powerful ability modified by his black star, like《Mix: Enhanced》… He hid it until now, as he said, to break my spirit. Indeed, having such a “trump card” revealed at the end of a desperate fight could make anyone want to give up. …Normally.

But—I take a small step forward, a faint smirk on my lips.

“That’s the third one, Kirigaya.《Mix: Enhanced》,《Dual Wield》, and now《Null Barrier: Modified》… That’s all your abilities. No more trump cards left.”

“Hah? Yeah, sure, but are you mocking my《Null Barrier: Modified》? As long as this wall’s up, even Kururugi Senri’s《One-Shot Kill》can’t scratch me. Meanwhile, I can attack freely from inside, so I don’t need any more trump cards.”

“Attack freely from inside, huh. …Heh, good to know.”

“…Huh?”

The moment Kirigaya slightly furrows his brow at my words—

“Kuku…”

“—Gah, ah!?”

A faint chuckle brushes my ears, and before he can even scream properly, Kirigaya’s body is violently blown back. Despite his《Null Barrier: Modified》, the relentless strike ignores it entirely. Of course, such a feat is normally impossible, but with the right ability setup, it’s not out of the question. If you can freely move a《Barrier》, activating an attack spell inside《Null Barrier: Modified》follows the same principle.

Leader of Eighth District Otowa Academy and head of Academy Island’s largest unofficial group,《Galyu Holy Knights》.

The most infamous 5-star in Academy Island history, the mad phoenix—Kugasaki Seiran.

“Kukukuku… Ahahahahahahahaha!!”

He lets out a gleeful cackle, looking down at the fallen Kirigaya. Adjusting his gleaming silver-rimmed glasses and sweeping his jet-black collared cape, he turns his gaze to me, his lips curling as if to say, “How’s that?”

Yes, that’s right—for this《Duel》alone, Kugasaki and I were in cahoots.

“…Damn it…”

Reduced to 1 LP by the surprise attack, Kirigaya lets out a low, guttural voice.

“You’re betraying the《Allied Forces》, huh… I won’t forgive you.”

“Betray? Me? …Good grief, what are you talking about?”

But Kugasaki, hearing this, shrugs slightly with a mocking smile. Spreading his arms theatrically, he speaks in a dramatic tone.

“Let’s consider the premise—your《Allied Forces》is a group centered around that《Chameleon》. A fraud claiming to be the true《Empress》, scheming to seize her throne through the May Inter-District Tournament.”

“Hah? What’s that now? So what?”

“Kuku, laughable!! Have you forgotten the origin of my nickname? I admire the current《Empress》—Saionji Sarasa—from the bottom of my heart. I respect her. That’s why I challenge her time and again as the phoenix. For someone like me to tolerate an impostor like a fake《Empress》is utterly unthinkable!!”

“What…!? You mean, from the start…!?”

Kirigaya grits his teeth at Kugasaki’s passionate outburst.

“…You sure about this!? If you side with Shinohara here, the deal about joining me is gone forever! If you’d served under me, I could’ve made your Galyu whatever an official Academy Island group—”

“—Kuku. No need to even discuss that.”

Kirigaya’s words clearly hint at the “underground” dealings, but Kugasaki shakes his head without hesitation. Stylishly touching his glasses, he smirks and declares.

“Come back the day before yesterday. …My group has always been, and will always be, mine alone.”

“Tch…”

Seeing his unshakable resolve, Kirigaya stops trying to stand, slumping to the ground. Kugasaki approaches leisurely to deliver the finishing blow, selecting《Sword Flash》and raising his terminal calmly.

“No choice… This time, it’s my loss. I’ll accept it quietly—”

But in that instant.

“—Like hell I will, you’re coming down with me, you bastard!!”

Kirigaya lifts his face one last time, baring a vicious grin. Using every remaining《Magic Cannon》and《Release》with《Dual Wield》, he unleashes a furious barrage at me. I see Kugasaki finish him off right after, but that doesn’t stop the attacks already launched. The menacing effects aim to pierce my body.

“—Master!!”

But then—Himeji leaps into the line of fire with a scream-like cry. Caught completely off guard, she doesn’t even use a《Barrier》spell. Without raising her terminal, she simply spreads her arms wide to shield me. Before I can say anything, Kirigaya’s《Magic Cannon》slams into her delicate frame.

“Kyaa…!?”

“Himeji!?”

Finally, as if a spell is broken, I regain control of my body. …But by then, it’s too late. With a light thud, Himeji collapses into my arms, her LP already depleted.

As her body begins to fade, she looks at me with an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry, Master… Please forgive me for not staying by your side until the end.”

“What are you talking about… Why’d you do something so reckless?”

“Why, you ask? It’s hard to say. Perhaps because Akizuki-sama was so cool earlier, I didn’t want Master’s heart to be stolen… Maybe?”

“…And the real reason?”

“Mmh, that wasn’t entirely a lie… But anyway, it’s only natural. This strategy—this all-out war—only holds together because of you, Master. If you fell here,《Astral》would end in an instant.”

“……”

“Besides… Even if I lose this《Duel》, I still have things I can do.”

Leaving those words behind, Himeji turns into blue particles and vanishes from《Astral》’s digital world. The fourth elimination from Eimei… Now, I’m the only Eimei player left on this field.

Then—

“—Sorry to interrupt your sentimentality, but can I talk to you, Shinohara?”

Hearing a voice from behind, I slowly turn my body. Forcing my distorted expression back to normal, I face Kugasaki Seiran—the 5-star phoenix.

“Alright, let’s try that again. …Thanks, Kugasaki. We took him down because of you.”

“Hmph, as expected. But, 7-star, your performance wasn’t half bad either. Worthy of my rival. You’re a cut above the rabble.”

“Hah…”

“Kuku…”

“You two… Those wicked grins really suit you both, huh?”

Kagaya-san’s exasperated voice comes through as she overhears my exchange with Kugasaki.

But for this moment, matching Kugasaki’s vibe won’t hurt. After all, Kugasaki and I teamed up before《Astral》even began. Knowing our target was someone impersonating the《Empress》, our interests aligned perfectly against《Chameleon》.

That’s why I was a bit surprised to learn Kugasaki had joined the《Allied Forces》… but in the end, it was a calculated move to infiltrate and take down a dangerous foe—a betrayal from the start. Kirigaya Touya, the de facto commander of the《Allied Forces》. Given his influence and threat level, using a trump card like Kugasaki Seiran to defeat him was well worth it.

Tap. Kugasaki stands before me, his jet-black cape fluttering as he continues quietly.

“In the end, you’re the only one left on your side, huh?”

“…Yeah. The team handling the map’s left side—Eimei and Oumi’s coalition—only I survived. The central area’s Second District Suisei and Nineteenth District Souken are wiped out. As for the right side, it depends on Saionji’s group… but since Thirteenth District Murakumo fell early, it’s iffy whether they’ll hold out until Kururugi arrives.”

“I see. Your trump card is the《Demon God Shrine Maiden》, huh… All we can do is pray for success.”

Kugasaki shakes his head quietly, checking the situation on his terminal.

“In reality, the《Allied Forces》have taken massive losses too. The only survivors are me, Kururugi, and《Chameleon》herself… If we assume Seijo is eliminated as an ‘irregular participant,’ the remaining districts are Eimei, Ouka, Tsuyuri, and Otowa—four in total. Kirigaya seems to have left the《Allied Forces》at the last moment, so Shinra sneaks into the top five. …As for me, I’ve survived, but after this betrayal, I can’t expect spell supplies from Seijo Academy. I’ll follow Kirigaya’s lead, leave the《Allied Forces》, lock in my rank, and self-destruct.”

“Yeah, sounds good. After that, enjoy the show with《Libra》’s commentary.”

“Kuku, it’s infuriating to be ushered out by you, but this time I’ll accept the role. Farewell, my rival. The only ones who can protect the《Empress》’s honor are you or me.”

With a blatant smirk, Kugasaki pulls out his terminal. Without hesitation, he fires a《Magic Cannon》at himself and vanishes from《Astral》’s stage a moment later.

“……”

Watching Kugasaki’s dramatic exit, I sink into quiet thought. …It’s about time for Kururugi to join up with Saionji. Facing《Chameleon》by now, perhaps.

The sacrifices were heavy, but the《Allied Forces》’ lackeys are all gone… The stage is perfectly set. Now, all that’s left is for Kururugi, our ace, to take down《Chameleon》.

Thinking this, or perhaps praying for it, I pull out my terminal and open《Libra》’s broadcast—

♭♭

“…What…?”

A short murmur tinged with shock and despair brushes my ears.

And those were her final words—before the echo fades, Kururugi Senri’s body turns into blue particles and vanishes. Nothing remains. …Defeat. The《Demon God Shrine Maiden》, one of《Astral》’s top contenders, has just been eliminated from the《Duel》.

This… This can’t be…

Staring at the scene, Ouka Academy’s leader, Saionji Sarasa, is at a loss for words.

Things were going well, weren’t they? She and her teammate Momo worked together to evade pursuers. Using abilities for surprise attacks to take out the lackeys was a solid achievement. And just moments ago, the long-awaited reinforcement—Kururugi Senri—arrived.

So, she thought they’d “made it in time”… until just a second ago.

“—Fufu. Betrayal, such a sneaky tactic. Well, I predicted it, though.”

“Tch…”

Saionji clenches her fist at《Chameleon》’s smiling remark. …It’s not that Kururugi Senri made a mistake. She definitely hit《Chameleon》with《Magic Cannon》. With Saionji and Momo’s support, she undeniably used《One-Shot Kill》.

But it still wasn’t enough—Kururugi Senri’s《One-Shot Kill》didn’t deal a single point of damage to《Chameleon》. The hope they all clung to didn’t reach her. If even《One-Shot Kill》can’t defeat her, the coalition has no way to stop《Chameleon》. Kururugi Senri and Momo were quickly stripped of all their LP by《Chameleon》’s counterattack.

Was I wrong…? But if that ability couldn’t do it, then how—

Her thoughts grow heavy with despair, the word “defeat” flashing through her mind.

As《Chameleon》, wearing her own face, draws close—right then, the 5 p.m. alarm rings out, and the AR world begins to dissolve. …The second half of day four is over. This time, she managed to escape. Escape was all she could do.

But that’s no different from doing nothing…!

Frustrating. Utterly unbearable.

As Saionji bites her lip, head bowed,《Chameleon》chuckles softly and says:

“Oh, too bad. Well then—I’ll let you keep the《Empress》title until tomorrow.”

♯

—May Inter-District Tournament《Astral》, Day 4, evening.

Having asked《Libra》’s crew to step out, I stand alone in the basement control room, quietly looking up at the massive monitor in the center.

Needless to say, it displays the current《Duel》’s situation with brutal clarity—most notably, Kururugi Senri’s defeat. Even the《Demon God Shrine Maiden》couldn’t bring down《Chameleon》.

And… beyond that, today’s all-out war has drastically reshaped《Astral》’s landscape. Specifically, both the《Allied Forces》and our coalition have lost nearly all their members. The《Allied Forces》are no longer a coalition, with only《Chameleon》remaining. On our side, only Eimei and Ouka survive; the rest have been wiped out.

So, normally, we’d already be in the “survival” bracket for rankings…

But that’s conditional on《Chameleon》not winning. If either I or Saionji wins—whether Seijo makes the final rankings is unclear—Eimei and Ouka would take the top two spots, followed by Tsuyuri, Otowa, and Shinra. But if《Chameleon》wins, it’s different. Due to the《Allied Forces》’ rules, already-eliminated teams like St. Rosalia would tie for second, pushing Eimei and Ouka below sixth.

So, what about the current power balance?

“…Well, figures it’d come to this.”

I mutter with a sigh, looking up at the monitor. …In this battle,《Chameleon》has expanded her dominance further. Her area covers about half the map, nearly 90% of colored areas, with a 77.3% approval rating. She’s completely overwhelming Eimei and Ouka.

No… Of course, it’s not like I didn’t foresee this outcome. After all, they’re the《Allied Forces》—unless we defeat their leader,《Chameleon》, we can never take their spells or areas. Meanwhile, we’re just a “coalition,” so every time a team falls, Seijo’s area grows. I knew this, which is why I wanted to settle it here. But that wish won’t come true anymore.

Then—at that moment,

“It’s… quite a dire situation, isn’t it?”

A familiar voice suddenly calls from behind, and I turn around. As expected, there stands Saionji Sarasa in her uniform. Her luxurious red hair flows gently, her ruby eyes glinting in the dim light—an invincible young lady.

She crosses her arms lightly at her chest, as usual, and continues quietly, shaking her head.

“First, let me apologize. …I’m sorry for not defeating《Chameleon》.”

“Huh? …No, that’s not your fault, Saionji. What’s with you all of a sudden?”

“Maybe, but…”

Saying that, Saionji glances at me with a rare, almost shy upward look. Maybe it’s the unusual gesture for her, or the quiet atmosphere of this room, but it makes my heart skip a beat.

Unaware of my inner reaction, Saionji continues with a “…Hmph?”

“I’m a bit surprised. After such a massive strategy failed, I thought you’d be at least a little down.”

“So you matched my mood, huh? Geez… You’re the one who’s down, aren’t you?”

“Ugh… Yes, so what? It’s not my fault. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt so utterly powerless. I almost want you to pat my head gently or something.”

“…Should I?”

“! …N-No, never mind. If you did that…”

Saionji turns away, her face flushing bright red. …I thought she might be a bit disheartened, but it seems not. In fact, coming to this control room means she’s likely searching for some kind of “countermeasure” herself.

So, I look straight into her ruby eyes, still a bit dazed with heat.

“…Hey, Saionji. Actually, there’s something important I need to talk to you about.”

“Eh… Something important? You, to me? W-Wait, wait, I’m not ready yet—”

“So—sorry, could you hide over there for a bit?”

“…Huh?”

At my plea, Saionji’s mouth drops open slightly in a dumbfounded expression.

—Eimei’s team members enter the control room a little later.

“Um… Hiroto-kun, are you here? A《Libra》girl guided us…”

“Yeah, over here.”

I call out from in front of the monitor, soon facing the four who approach. Akizuki Noa, Enomoto Shinji, Asamiya Nanase, and Himeji Shirayuki—all players from Eimei Academy, but none of their names are on the monitor. They’ve already left《Astral》’s stage through the Kirigaya battle.

Fully aware of this, I speak quietly.

“As you know, the all-out war we launched this afternoon—the last strategy to conquer《Astral》fairly—failed.《Chameleon》couldn’t be defeated even with《One-Shot Kill》… which probably means beating her head-on is impossible.”

“Yeah, thought so…”

Asamiya responds in a subdued tone, agreeing with my assertion.

“So, we just give up this time?”

“Give up? No, why would you think that?”

“Eh… Wait, what? Didn’t you just say《Chameleon》is unbeatable—”

“I didn’t. …I said ‘beating her head-on’ is impossible. Today, we kept things within the《Duel》’s rules, but if she’s not playing fair… If she won’t fall to《One-Shot Kill》, we don’t need to play nice anymore. We’ll use every tactic—off-board or otherwise—to take her down.”

“Ooh… That’s kinda hype!”

Asamiya’s voice rises slightly, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. …The “her” here obviously refers to《Chameleon》, but for me, it’s also Kurahashi Mikado. I wanted to focus on my battle with him by defeating《Chameleon》today, but in this situation, I can’t afford to be picky.

“That said, what’s the specific plan?”

Enomoto speaks up next, looking at the monitor with a grim tone.

“You say off-board tactics, but… I don’t think this power gap can be flipped so easily.”

“Yeah, fair point. So—I’m going to challenge her to a《Duel》.”

“…A《Duel》?”

“Yeah. A《Duel》within《Astral》—a《Duel》-within-a-《Duel》. …Listen, Enomoto. The power gap is one thing, but the real issue is that《Astral》has no achievable win condition. We can’t reduce《Chameleon》’s LP or take her areas. In short, we’re checkmated—so we change the rules to let us win.”

“……”

Enomoto falls silent, mulling it over before turning back to me.

“I have three questions. First, isn’t《Chameleon》already in a《Duel》with Third District’s《Empress》? Event battles like《Astral》are one thing, but you can’t take on multiple《Duel》at once.”

“Yeah, that’s probably fine. After all, she’s《Unknown》—not a legitimate participant in the star-grabbing game. She’s cheating the system to join, so those rules don’t apply. Her rank is ‘unknown,’ so a 7-star like me challenging her should be fine.”

“Hmm, that makes sense… Then, second question. Challenging her is fine, but how do you prepare this《Duel》? Starting to build rules now won’t be ready in time.”

Enomoto’s sharp point hits home. …Mobilizing《The Company》might make it possible, but normally, it’s impossible.《Duel》rule adjustments are typically done gradually, not whipped up overnight.

But even so.

“It’s fine—I’ve got a perfect source lined up.”

I say this with a wry smile, glancing at my terminal. …Before Saionji came to this room, I contacted that “perfect source”—none other than Ichinose Natsume, Eimei Academy’s Fourth District president. Closely tied to Kurahashi Mikado, she gave me roughly this response when I explained the situation.

“—Hm? What’s up, Shinohara? You’re in the middle of an important《Duel》, aren’t you? And right now, I’m in the middle of a bath more important than your life. Can I hang up?”

“A consultation? Fine, I’ll hear you out.”

“Oh, I see—I see, I see! A《Duel》-within-a-《Duel》to crush Kurahashi completely! You always come up with interesting ideas, don’t you?”

“In that case, I won’t hold back my help. After all, I’ve done enough research on how to defeat Kurahashi Mikado to write a book. I’ve got years on you.”

“Alright. I’ll entrust you with a《Duel》I created back in my student days, Shinohara—”

“It’ll need some tweaks to fit《Astral》, but it’s a pretty interesting《Duel》, don’t you think?”

—And so.

“Well, I’ll keep the details under wraps… but basically, I got a《Duel》rule set from a pretty reliable source. We just need to tweak it, so no worries about prep.”

“Ehehe, as expected of Hiroto-kun♪ Perfect♡”

“Indeed. There’s a faint whiff of a vixen, but… well, alright.”

Akizuki flashes a coy smile at my words, while Himeji, perhaps catching my evasion, sighs slightly. She seems a bit dissatisfied, but the《Duel》itself is no issue.

“Then, Shinohara, my final question—how do you get《Chameleon》to join this《Duel》?”

“…Yeah, that’s the real problem, isn’t it?”

I shake my head slightly at Enomoto’s probing, and Himeji, beside me, nods in agreement, her hair swaying lightly.

“Indeed… Right now,《Astral》is clearly《Chameleon》’s to win. Why would she join another《Duel》when she can just wait for victory?”

“Yeah, normally she wouldn’t. We’d need a solid ‘reason’ for her to bite.”

At that point, I briefly glance toward Saionji, hiding nearby. …And then,

“But—I think we’re good on that front. So, I’d appreciate it if you all just trust me and move accordingly.”

“U-Uh, sure, of course… But what do you mean by ‘move’?”

Akizuki tilts her head curiously, her expression suggesting she’s wondering what the four of them, already eliminated, could possibly do.

In response, I meet each of their eyes in turn, flashing a blatant grin—《Astral》’s final day. No matter how I move, Kurahashi Mikado will definitely interfere. To overturn his last defeat, he’ll use any means to secure victory. So, accounting for all his cheating and sabotage, we have to defeat both Shiina and Kurahashi. In this unorthodox《Duel》, we’ll go all out with off-board tactics.

“Obviously, it’s about the ‘behind-the-scenes’ work for tomorrow’s《Duel》—listen up. While I’m handling the《Duel》, I need you all to take care of a few things.”

♭♭♭

—After finishing the strategy meeting with Eimei’s members, which Saionji overheard while hiding (and was, for some reason, a bit mad about), I shared it with her again. Now, heading back to my room alone.

A way to lure Shiina into a《Duel》…

I’m secretly racking my brain.

To turn this situation around, we absolutely need to drag Shiina into a《Duel》somehow. Like I said earlier, I’ve got some bait in mind, but to be certain, I feel like I need one more push.

What to do… Wait, huh?

As I reach the first-floor restaurant hall, a figure suddenly catches my eye. A girl—Shiina Tsumugi—weaving through tables, looking around as if searching for something. The much-discussed《Chameleon》. I instinctively stop in my tracks.

“Hoe? …Oh, Onii-chan! Thank goodness, I finally found you~!”

But, oblivious to my shock or wariness, Shiina patters over to me. Her expression looks the same as always… but she’s fresh off having her identity exposed by me in《MTCG》. She might be planning “something.”

As I swallow hard, bracing myself—Shiina Tsumugi says,

“Hey, hey, let’s have a《Duel》right now!”

“…Huh?”

As if she’d peeked into my thoughts from earlier, she utters those words.

【May Inter-District Tournament《Astral》—Day 4 End】

【Team with Most Area Control: Twelfth District Seijo (4828 tiles)】

【Team with Highest Approval Rating: Twelfth District Seijo Academy (77.3%)】

【Remaining Survivors—Three】