The day of the Steeplechase Cross-Country arrived. Women's in the morning, Men's in the afternoon. The situation remained tense—not about First High's overall victory, but the Parasite Doll issue.
(Can't exactly say it aloud… What's that?)
Moving discreetly to the tent's back (telling others he'd nap for the afternoon), Yugen used Osiris Sight to scan the training forest course. He noticed something neither a trap nor a Parasite Doll mixed in off-course.
Analyzing it, it resembled a Parasite Doll but enhanced. His communicator rang, and Tatsuya's voice came through.
"Yugen, you free?"
"Yeah. Something up?"
Tatsuya, exhausted from CAD adjustments, had stepped away, so his absence before the Women's event raised no suspicion. The detected object hadn't moved, but caution was needed.
"She sensed something, but I can't spare the effort," Tatsuya said.
"I'll ask Yakumo to check," Yugen replied.
"Thanks."
To avoid eavesdropping, they kept it brief. Yugen emailed Yakumo to subtly investigate the off-course weapon as the Women's Steeplechase started, signaling Tatsuya, in his Strike Suit, entering the forest.
Yugen monitored the screen while tracking the weapon with Osiris Sight.
(No movement even with Tatsuya inside… and he's clearing Parasite Dolls at an insane pace.)
Pixie's support, pre-provided weapons, storage, and Tenba Spirit Armor ensured Tatsuya's low failure risk. Even if the enemy noticed Pixie and sent private soldiers, Gozo guarded her work vehicle—a detail Yugen had shared with Tatsuya.
◇ ◇ ◇
The runners navigated the minimally altered forest course, not quite a straight path. Miyuki, Yume, Erika, and Himeri surged ahead from First High, while Shizuku supported Kanon and Honoka to prevent recklessness.
"Watch out, that swamp might have rope traps!" Erika warned.
"Thanks, Erika-cchi. Got experience?" Yume asked.
"Trained for traps at my dojo and with Yugen's Shinkage-ryu swordsmanship. No knockout traps here, so it's manageable."
"That's intense…" Himeri said.
The four sensed psion wavelengths ahead. Miyuki knew Tatsuya was handling it. Though her guardian, she wished he'd rest more, given his fatigue. Erika noticed her mood.
"Miyuki, Tatsuya'll be fine. I can't picture him losing," Erika said.
"Hehe, true," Miyuki replied, refocusing on the goal.
They passed a disabled gynoid, dismissing it as training debris.
Tatsuya neutralized 16 Parasite Dolls in exactly five minutes. His skill had grown, and the absence of Prime Four cooperative Parasite Dolls helped. The Women's Steeplechase ended with Miyuki in first, Himeri second, Yume third, and Erika fourth, as planned.
◇ ◇ ◇
After lunch, the Men's Steeplechase began. First High, without Monolith Code players, seemed relaxed, but this prioritized magic skill preservation and safety, not worth nitpicking.
Yakumo reported the enhanced Parasite Dolls were moved to the course's latter half during lunch. Yugen informed Toya, Shuji, and Leo, the lead runners.
"Luckily, the course's limited visibility helps. Lowering Niflheim Flare's power can slow them," Yugen said.
"Re-sealing's the issue. Can you handle it?" Shuji asked.
"No oversights. We stick to leading the pack."
Only Yugen, Toya, Shuji, and Leo sensed the Parasite Dolls nearby. Leo raised a concern.
"Yugen, is tailing you three really enough?"
"Comparing skills, you're the weakest, no offense. Please bear with it."
"Got it. No objections," Leo said.
The Men's event started. The leading four destroyed traps, branches, and nets. Yugen occasionally cut trees, tossing them toward Third High's course. Toya sweated.
"Won't that break rules?" Toya asked.
"No direct attacks, and no rule bans cutting and throwing trees. Plus, thinning helps forests grow," Yugen replied.
"Nobody'd think to make natural traps," Shuji muttered.
Yugen had checked with organizers; actions not directly attacking players were fine. Flying players was a foul, but other objects weren't restricted. Destroying pre-set traps wasn't his responsibility.
Past the halfway mark, Toya sensed Parasite Dolls approaching.
"Yugen, they're closing in," Toya said.
"Let's end this quick," Yugen replied.
"Got it," Shuji said.
Toya fired Niflheim Flare at the sensed presence, slowing the Parasite Dolls. Shuji used magic and physical techniques to disable the enhanced, combat-oriented gynoids, leaving Leo, who'd done little, sweating.
"Nothing for me to do," Leo said.
"This isn't a normal competition. You're a stand-in for interfering mages," Yugen replied.
Yugen aimed his gun-shaped CAD, using Osiris Sight to rewrite the Parasite Dolls' formulas with Goho Shikijin, a Tenda Sect-based spell he'd upgraded beyond Honzan's. He'd shared it with Yakumo to prevent leaks to the Traditionalists, who noted it diminished their standing.
Tatsuya's Elemental Sight was recognized as perception magic, but Yugen's Osiris Sight, linked with Kaleidoscope, nullified detection, rendering superpowers less omnipotent. This matched Parasite Incident predictions, a fortunate outcome.
"Twenty-four down… more?" Yugen asked.
"No sign of fewer," Shuji said.
"What's going on?" Leo muttered.
Expanding his search beyond the course, Yugen was stunned—36 remained, doubling expectations. No activation signals yet, so he acted. Aiming his CAD, he said:
"Sleep forever."
Using Tensho Kenran to erase the Parasite Dolls' seals, Yugen re-sealed them with Goho Shikijin. Via Yata no Kagami, he targeted the Kudou family's command tower with strategic magic Ozone Circle, inducing temporary comas without traces. Residual ozone was neutralized with Decomposition.
"Exhausting. We're not lab rats… Oh, the goal already?" Yugen said.
"Rushed through too fast. Forgot. Traps were on Shuji and Leo," Toya said.
"Good work, Leo," Yugen added.
"Uh, didn't do much," Leo replied.
Shuji burned traps, Leo deflected paint bullets with hardening magic, and Toya snapped ropes. Appearances deceived.
Men's Steeplechase results: Yugen first, Toya second, Shuji third, Leo fourth, per agreement. Leo requested tying with Erika to avoid complaints about ranking higher.
◇ ◇ ◇
First High celebrated their overall victory at the after-party. Tatsuya, a standout engineer, joined the festivities.
Yugen, disliking noise, rested in the garden. The dance was hectic, but a First High-exclusive celebration followed. A rare visitor approached.
"Erika, Ceria… looking for someone?" Yugen asked.
"Yeah. Seen Leo? He slipped out," Erika said. "Ceria mentioned it."
"Saw him leave the entrance. Told him to return for the celebration," Ceria said.
Unlike the original, Leo, a First High representative, couldn't skip the event. Erika moved after Ceria's tip, but her urgency had another reason.
"Ernst Rosen contacted Leo. I couldn't see clearly, but he passed something to him. Know where he is?" Erika asked.
"A call would work, but it's jammed," Yugen said.
Trying Leo's communicator, Yugen got a "no signal" message. Using Osiris Sight, he scanned the Steeplechase forest.
"Found him. Center of the Steeplechase course," Yugen said.
"What're the Defense Forces doing? And Leo, wandering at night! What, Ceria?" Erika snapped.
"Just thinking, you're head over heels for Leo," Ceria teased.
"Huh!? Why that… Forget it, let's go!" Erika blushed, running off.
Ceria's jab made Erika flush and run to hide it. Yugen and Ceria followed. With minimal guards and disabled sensors, Yugen sighed, blaming Ernst Rosen's influence and the Defense Forces' negligence.
"Big brother, Erika's probably done for—ow!" Ceria yelped as Yugen flicked her.
"Don't meddle in love. We'll catch up before Leo's taken."
"Got it!"
Recognizing Erika's self-acceleration spell, Yugen and Ceria followed suit.
Honestly, Yugen wished foreign forces, like Parasite Dolls, would learn their place.
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