Third Chapter ─ Once Upon the Fallout Sequence

"It's understandable enough that you're displeased but trying to kill her, I expected better from you."

Situation: Ayase Kyoukaisenjou lifted Nayami Ayanami by the neck singlehandedly, the victim suspended almost one foot away from the floor.

Stakes, innocence taken away from incurring someone else's permanent disappearance. One could only concern themselves upon the matter. Such was my immediate reaction, swinging our classroom's door open.

Isolated─only the two remained.

Desks and chairs were destroyed and scattered everywhere.

Magical energy surged and leaked, the miasma bared itself for the naked eyes.

Disastrous.

Dreading over an inherent vampirism has its equivalent issue, but the events have suddenly shifted for the worst. While I do want to analyze what happened in the dream, albeit the recollection being vague─any consideration has been moved to a much later time.

I had the leeway to think about it, mind you, only that I'd have sacrificed what was effectively more precious than a hypothesis.

Infirmary, before the chaos unraveled, I was roused awake.

Since no one was there, I first took my phone to look at the time.

Unlike yesterday, I wasn't rendered until the afternoon.

Noon the same day, I wasn't cutting it close to the start of the first period.

No disturbance or any other ridiculous whatnot, sluggish and slow it took for the events to pass by. No spirits and butterflies, no upscaled rumors nor desperate mana running out of control. No problems at all, not a single scratch to the atmosphere nor the ley lines disemboweled.

I went to the classroom: Amaterasu apparently sedated the transfer student. She was awake when I arrived, not needing any explanation in between. Everyone in the classroom had their qualms, but not a single soul approved of Ayase Kyoukaisenjou's sentiment.

If all of them have their support for Miss Ayanami's welfare─then it's the cause of assurance.

Let objectives be met: I have no inkling of what is the blur between a mage and psychic. I didn't expect anything to happen and I'd be well off doing personal research. Sounds gloomy but I only ought to initiate my personal investigation so I went to the school library.

No invisible god followed, as I wasn't the person they needed to secure.

It's all trivial from the stage─I searched for a book, and read it as soon as I pulled it out the shelf. I stood there for minutes, flipping and reading through. As the time neared the fifth period, I checked the book out. I continued reading as I walked towards the classroom.

"The Anatomy of a Superhuman" by an interestingly psychedelic author, Allele Mendoza. I happened to catch a glimpse of it before but never picked due to its poor design. Now, I feel like I've fallen victim to Chehkov's trap but there's no harm in taking what has been offered.

Supposedly published in 1988─the old book explains basically the late 80s interpretation of the regular superhuman anatomy.

As a disclaimer though, it's not anywhere near being a spectacular reference.

Herein, a "superhuman" would instantly refer to the mages and the book pertains to people with supernatural powers.

Mages and Superhumans are disparate accordingly, respectively resonant to the soul and the mind. While a mage connects with the Spirits to create a phenomenon, the other conjures solely from the power of thought. Superhumans expend stamina, body fat, or something usable for energy as long as it ultimately comes from the body.

Take it from two fire starters, each belonging to one of the two sides.

A Black Mage─such as myself─conjures fire from connecting with the spirits: putting it off, controlling its output power, or manipulating its potential─comes from the judgment of the mage with the fire spirit in between.

A superhuman might work in a similar fashion but fire would likely be produced by using body fat as fuel or in other records, secreted body fluids which are flammable. In this case, the fire-starting superhuman creates fire directly from the body─no steps like communicating with fire spirits needed.

Also, from the name, the Anatomy of a Superhuman.

It says that a superhuman's anatomical structure is different from a regular human.

The book strongly suggests that some people in this world have titanium for bones. Some can have gasoline for sweat, or even rubber for the whole muscle structure letting the body capabilities for expansion… no, I'm not sure if I understood it correctly.

Even with a book, I can only speak for what I know─as a mage.

Oh boy, am I really researching anything at all?

I picked up the book not for my fun in the least─but it seemed like a waste of time diving any deeper. I closed it, and dubbed it unfruitful albeit spending about forty minutes reading through. More or less, I should have picked a book on vampirism or oneironautics.

I could study later on, I thought.

Nothing more is going to happen today, I thought.

"You're buying time, waiting for something to unfold," he said, pricking like a needle in the spinning wheel. "I have to admit, we were cunning masterminds no matter the epoch."

Hmm, I doubt I'm not a good person.

If anything, Aya would only watch from the sidelines as long as our class has the newcomer under their surveillance.

I sighed and flipped the book open once more.

I arrived on some shaded path, thus slowing my speed down.

I'm not underneath the sun anymore: the stinging feeling to resurface from the vampire dream, and for some reason, was alleviated.

Laziness should take over any minute now, I thought and I'd play hooky once no smoke arises from the watchtower─which is a metaphor.

Slowing down however coincidentally made someone's feet rush to my direction. Out of breath in his form, huffing desperately for sustenance. Panicked nonetheless, his smile posed he reached his objective. Now, I wonder if being trusted is good for someone who lost his place in the rankings only yesterday?

"Definitely because you're not among the hierarchical plebeians?"

Point taken, but I swear you've been talking too much since last night.

He stopped, huffed and calmed his mind: he looked straight into my eyes and said, "Yukihime, you've gotta hurry to the classroom!"

Who called over─the panting bespectacled twin brother of my most trusted accomplice, Tsukuyomi Origami.

"Did something happen?" I asked in accordance.

Definitely─I would answer it myself.

Omen evident from his huffs, tiredness translated from a problem relating to the one we're supposed to protect. First and foremost, Amaterasu could have barged into my mind and prompted news of the situation. Yet, I haven't heard from her. I haven't burned the butterfly she has installed since─and now, it's resting comfortably to the point of paranoia.

He has the same ability albeit weaker so it goes they're being downplayed.

Eerie for the first strike of the possible route the event could take, the moon's son hammered for the coup de grace.

"Everyone has been force teleported out of the classroom!"

Serene must he make it sound for me to make a calm disposition─but the gravity weighed more than I imagined.

He worded them senselessly.

I mean, what strong Space Mage can create a ripple in space and hurl over twenty adolescents out the classroom? Surely, I'd be pacing through the trouble faster than required… So I'd be, I can only begin where I began the process. It wasn't a problem one should absorb in a short amount of time and yet, he didn't stop his statement in one impossible notion.

I don't know what tension is nor was I inclined to believe him.

"The whole campus, right now, is enclosed in a barrier that restricts magic."

If there's a situation that logically threatens anything then most likely, I should emulate tension and act accordingly.

"Okay, there's no use fretting over it." I readied to stride, a sense of haste rising before my senses. "I'm going there, as you asked."

"Wait!" As I was about to leave him behind, he grabbed my arm. I was tugged unnecessarily from his sense of guilt─I didn't know what to make of it. Only he asked, "I'm sorry it might have come selfishly, but can you use your magic?"

"No," I answered, although not reassuring enough. Of course, it's not even reassuring in the first place, prompting me to change my words, "No, I can't, but I'm not charging there recklessly."

I could have made it sound like one from a cool shounen manga scenario.

Only I had options thought up, and while at it, I have seven watchful enemies willing to help me in time of crisis.

Tsukuyomi nodded at that point, albeit rather confused.

I ran as intended, not looking back if he followed or not.

Several minutes later, I arrived at the scene.

Nichiyoubi North High School─one of the most powerful military schools was caught in another turmoil. Once more, it's a fairly common occurrence. We'd be in conflict in all shapes and sizes throughout a semester, either driven by politics and mundane conflicts.

I fail to recognize what the current issue is supposed to be.

Only I could spot the technical information: first, I arrived to see the whole building quiet.

Like nothing has happened at all.

I walked inside: thmp, thmp, thmp must have been the more resplendent nature of my walk.

For the concerned banishment, rather than the whole class, it might be more proper to assume that everyone was cast out. It'd be painstakingly strong Space Magic if ever, rawly stronger than my known data. Else, the hypothesis was soon dropped when I found everyone expecting their most painstaking dilemma in the corridors.

Or they must have waited for someone else, I'm not too sure.

I can only sense their rancorousness: they're scared and buffed at the same time.

Their consciousness posited their fear, but remnants of White spells cast upon them boosted their morale.

First years all lined accordingly, pressured in our silence. I exchanged regards with a few of them, some others flinched while the others were divisively confident they could take on someone figuratively ten times larger than their size. Pool mages in physical warfare, who knows what would happen?

The first time around.

I pranced through the hallway destined to the classroom.

Somehow, a troublesome invasion walk transpired.

No one had magic to use, alright, their fault from erecting the barrier.

Guesses are either pointed out to the Student Council or the teased Mind Club, but it's not a lost cause to pinpoint someone else entirely.

Nonetheless, what can only be expected would be a rambunctious fistfight between mages robbed of their might.