While he has been enrolled since his birth in Darkeas, the school of supervillains, Uchiri Nanaya ends up by mistake in Aitori ... the school of the Magical Girls.
Everyone had a great weekend at the Uchiri mansion, although Nanaya spent some time in the basement with his father. They mainly visited the rooms they did not know. The twins and Enko were particularly excited about the presence of a media library, featuring several gaming computers and consoles, as well as a small cinema. Monaka was more interested in the libraries and Kenji in the swimming pools.
"It's like a wellness complex," declared Mineko, stretching as they entered the school.
"Don't exaggerate," joked Nanaya.
"I'm not exaggerating, you even have a sauna!"
"Because of the ice powers, Nana-chan can't stand the heat," muttered Hyokko, sorry... because of me you will never be able to use it... "
"It's not your fault," assured Nanaya, "and I didn't like the heat to begin with."
He affectionately stroked Hyokko's head. The guardian, as well as those of Rena and Yūto, had spent some time battling Udo every time the girls changed or went to the sauna.
"Were you talking about the sauna?" Ichirō stood in front of them with a smile.
"It's not fair," he declared, "I should be the only one to see my love with so few clothes."
"In your dreams psycho!!" Growled Kōtarō.
They were all wary of their American classmate. Nanaya, more innocent, didn't really understand, but he felt that something was wrong with him. They quickly changed the subject to avoid his inappropriate remarks.
The conversations around the sauna and the usual jokes gradually faded as the week progressed. Classes, training, and daily routines resumed their right, enveloping the group in the familiar comfort of the school. The days passed, punctuated by laughter and complicit exchanges, until Friday arrived, bringing with it the excitement and worry of the upcoming tournament.
During the very first fight, pitting Callie Ruiz against Austin Browning, Nanaya had found Kenji and Mineko in one of the small locker rooms. Ichirō had also imposed himself. Nanaya was particularly worried about fighting his friend with aquatic powers.
"Don't worry," assured Kenji, his voice imbued with a quiet confidence, "if we have to fight each other, I will forfeit."
Nanaya shook his head, his eyes reflecting a fierce determination.
"This is out of the questions," he replied, his voice vibrating with unwavering resolve, "I will try to fight anyway."
Kenji laughed softly, the low and warm sound echoing in the confined locker room. He patted his head affectionately, amused by his adorable pout.
"You're really amazing, you know?" he said, a tender smile stretching his lips, "No matter the outcome of the fight, you are already an exceptional magical boy in my eyes."
Kenji's words warmed Nanaya's heart, giving him the strength to believe in his own abilities. Perhaps, no matter the challenge ahead, he could really face his phobia, as long as he had the support of his friends.
Ichirō approached Nanaya in turn, a mocking smile on his lips.
"You know, love, I'm also here for you," he began.
Nanaya, already tense at the thought of the upcoming fight, stiffened slightly.
"Thank you, Ichirō," he replied politely.
"I mean, it's important to have someone to rely on, especially when... well, when you're not sure of your own abilities," continued Ichirō, placing a hand on Nanaya's shoulder in a way that was meant to be comforting, but weighed heavily.
Kenji, observing the scene, frowned, his instinct telling him that something was wrong.
"Umeji-kun, I think we should all go back to our own locker rooms," he intervened firmly. "The first duel is almost over."
Ichirō removed his hand, his smile widening.
"Of course, I'm just reminding my fiancé that if he needs... advice, I'm here. After all, someone has to show him how to do things properly."
"I'm not your fiancé..." muttered Nanaya.
As Ichirō left the room, Kenji clenched his teeth. He really wanted to hit him. He turned his eyes to Nanaya. Mineko was hugging him and whispering not to listen to that idiot, and Hyokko was snuggling against him. Nanaya didn't seem particularly affected by Ichirō's words and his friends were reassured. Mineko and Kenji left this locker room, as it was Nanaya's, to return to theirs and watch the end of the first duel on their screens. Callie Ruiz came out victorious. Nanaya let out a long sigh and transformed into Frosty Kitty before joining the arena. As the magicals had weaker powers when they were not transformed, they were allowed to use their magical form. While the heroes and villains in training, whose power was in no way affected, simply wore their sports outfit.
In front of him, Scott Matis from Ravenwood stood ready, his feet firmly anchored on the arena floor. He didn't need his school uniform to command respect; his presence alone was enough. When Amaretto announced the start of the duel, Scott closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating, then abruptly opened them, his hands vibrating with invisible energy.
Nanaya watched, intrigued. He had never faced an opponent with such power. Scott began to snap his fingers, and each snap echoed in the arena like a thunderclap. The sound waves materialized into vibrating barriers, forming an almost impenetrable defense. Nanaya grimaced and his cat ears flattened against his head, his tail swinging nervously. Hyokko struggled to stay close to his human, each wave of sound threatening to throw him away.
The fight began, and Scott used his power to attack, sending blasts of sound waves that propagated through the air, distorting the space around Nanaya. But the magical boy, however, was ready. He knew that sound waves moved faster if the temperature increased, and with a calculated gesture, he lowered it all around Scott, creating an area of intense cold where the air became so dense that the sound waves were considerably slowed down.
Scott's sonic attacks lost their power as they crossed the icy cold, giving Nanaya the advantage he needed. He retaliated by sending waves of cold, his hands drawing complex patterns in the air, turning the humidity into ice weapons.
Scott increased the intensity of his attacks, the sound waves becoming sharper and more piercing. But Nanaya, with impressive agility, dodged and counterattacked, each movement accompanied by a blast of cold that turned the vibrations into ice crystals. In a final crescendo, Scott attempted a devastating attack, a sound so powerful it could have shattered the walls. Amaretto covered his ears, the microphones saturated and Hyokko was finally swept away a few meters. But Nanaya, with perfect concentration, released a snowstorm and ice, absorbing the sound waves and smothering them under an avalanche of icy silence.
When the silence fell, Scott was there, motionless, his sound power neutralized by Nanaya's relentless cold, his body covered in snow and ice, immobilizing him on the ground. Amaretto whistled the end of the fight.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
