Leo visited the training forest alone, partly due to his grandfather's inherited instincts, but also honed by training with Hajime, Gozo, and Yugen in the light exercise club, sharpening his ability to sense presences and detect gazes.
To avoid involving others, he chose the Steeplechase course, far from the hotel and isolated. Two kilometers in all directions reduced the risk of magic affecting bystanders.
"This spot good enough? Come out, I know you're following me," Leo called.
Two figures in combat suits emerged, likely women based on their build. Leo, no feminist, saw no reason to hold back against clearly hostile opponents.
"Leonhardt Saijo, come with us," one said.
"No clue what you're after. A friend guessed your goal, but I only inherited a quarter of my grandfather's genes. Doesn't seem like I'd fulfill your purpose," Leo replied.
They sought Georg Ostburg's genes, preserved through the First-Type Eerste Alto. Leo, his grandson, gained magic power through atavism but carried only a fraction of Georg's legacy. It wasn't "too heavy" a role, but Leo's words carried that nuance.
One of the duo snapped back.
"True, but our research shows you weren't a notable mage until a year ago. To uncover that source, we promise exceptional treatment," she said.
"You want me to betray my friends?" Leo growled.
Yugen's influence was key to Leo's growth. Betraying a friend who called modern magic "flawed" and backed it with extraordinary skill ignited fury in Leo.
"Your friend, huh? I'm curious who," Emma Vaalburg, one of the sisters, said, snapping her fingers. Fourteen more combat-suited figures appeared, surrounding Leo. It reminded him of the Minami-Shield Island incident, assisting the Watasumi Series.
"Emma, you're getting carried away. Even a quarter, he was made in Rosen Magicraft's facility, so we hold the rights," Linda Vaalburg said.
"Talking like I'm a racehorse. What do you want? Not some soft deal like Ernst Rosen hinted at, right?" Leo shot back.
In his meeting with Ernst, hints of a mentor-like role were overshadowed by the "desires" Leo sensed through Parasite voices during the Parasite Incident. Though unnecessary to hear more after refusing, Leo's instincts urged stalling. The Vaalburg sisters, unaware, didn't catch on. Linda smirked and answered clearly.
"Hehe, nothing harsh. Physically demanding, perhaps, but good for you," she said.
"No way…" Leo muttered.
"Exactly. You'll mate naturally with egg donors to provide genes for new tuned bodies," Linda confirmed.
"In short—" Leo began.
"Enough. I get it," Leo cut Emma off.
Hearing more risked learning too much. Leo's clear battle stance might seem aggressive, but to the Vaalburg sisters, it was a golden opportunity.
Leo, an "improved" First-Type Eerste Alto, was a chance for the Third-Type Dritte Alto sisters to prove their superiority.
"Not satisfied? Then start with her. Chiba Erika would surely suit your tastes—" Emma started.
"Shut up! Dragoon Breath!" Leo roared.
Fury over Erika's name triggered Leo's Dragoon Breath. Linda and Emma reflexively used hardening magic, but Leo's spell, faster than their Fully Thought-Controlled CADs, blew them back. They quickly recovered, facing Leo.
"Why is your CAD faster than ours?" Linda demanded.
"Not telling. Promised my friend who gave it to me," Leo replied.
"Linda, let's use the others to subdue him," Emma suggested.
"Agreed—" Linda began.
Leo's black wristband CAD outpaced their advanced tech, a prize for Rosen Magicraft. As Linda nodded to Emma's plan, signaling the 14 others, new intruders appeared.
"What's with acting like you own someone else's country? Are your brains stuffed with minced meat or mashed potatoes?" Yugen said.
"Yugen, I get the sentiment, but… Leo, you okay?" Erika asked.
"Obvious, isn't it? Sorry," Leo replied.
"Leo apologizing? That's new, Erika," Ceria teased.
"That's my line," Erika retorted.
Yugen, Ceria, and Erika appeared, guarding Leo's back. Yugen and Ceria bantered while Erika called out to Leo, met with the sisters' glares. Unfazed, Yugen drew Odin.
"Chiba Erika, Exeria Shields, and Kagurazaka Yugen… Why?" Linda asked.
"Dumb question. You think you can justify kidnapping Leo? You're the ones who should know shame," Yugen said.
Using Georg Ostburg as a pretext would trigger government action. Public Security monitored Ernst Rosen, so Japan was aware. Avoiding publicity stemmed from strained German relations. A leading magic tech company causing an international kidnapping incident, smuggling combat suits under presentation pretenses, was already problematic. Issues with non-allies like New Soviet or Great Asian Alliance were bad enough, but allies like the USNA and UK were worse. Adding Germany—without generalizing races—hinted at lingering supremacist attitudes.
"Leo, Erika, handle those two. Ceria and I will take the 14," Yugen said.
"Are you sane? Do you know who we are?" Linda asked.
"Terrorists trying to abduct my friend, a mage of our nation," Yugen replied.
Technically spies, but exploiting Defense Forces' chaos made them criminals. Labeling them terrorists intent on weakening the nation seemed fair.
Yugen's bluntness made Erika and Ceria stifle laughs, while Leo looked exasperated. The sisters, pride wounded, shouted orders.
"Go! Show these fools our superiority!" Linda yelled.
Yugen inwardly sighed—without that outburst, things might've been smoother.
Leo and Erika engaged Linda and Emma, while the 14 other Vaalburg sisters—names ignored as enemies—attacked. Yugen and Ceria exchanged brief words.
"Gotta finish quick, or the queen will be mad," Ceria said.
"I'll make Grandpa pay later," Yugen replied.
Grabbing a hardened punch, Yugen kicked a sister's abdomen, sending her crashing through trees, collapsing unconscious at the tenth. As others hesitated, Ceria pulled out metal balls.
"For self-defense… Dancing Star!" Ceria said.
Instead of her dagger-type CAD, Ceria used marble-sized alloy balls, magically downing three soldiers. Yugen followed instantly.
"Get lost—Air Ride Burst!"
The Mitsuya secret Air Ride Burst knocked out six at once. With four left, Yugen aimed Odin.
"Time for a unique sky trip. Destination set—Invincible Cannon!"
Invincible Cannon launched the remaining four and the prior ten into the night sky, not to orbit, but to the German presidential residence's garden. Their problems were Germany's now.
It took exactly one minute. Linda and Emma, facing Leo and Erika, looked stunned, creating openings. Trained in martial arts, Leo and Erika capitalized.
"Oops," Linda gasped.
"Ouch…" Emma groaned.
Leo's full-force Dragoon Breath and Erika's Taizan Sho blew Emma dozens of meters and buried Linda in the ground. Yugen and Ceria shared pitying looks.
"Hey, Leo," Erika said.
"What?" Leo replied.
"Tonight, I'm staying in your room. Shuji and Yume know. No sleeping, got it?"
"Give me a break," Leo sighed.
Erika hadn't heard the sisters' exchange with Leo but learned the context from Yugen while tracking him. Suspecting a repeat, she boldly declared her intent. Leo, unable to retort, pleaded for leniency.
"Yugen, Ceria… gone already?" Leo said.
"Get up, Leo. Celebration's next," Erika urged.
"Still mad about the dance?" Leo asked.
Leo had declined Erika's dance invite to avoid attention, which she accepted due to Ernst Rosen's issue. Still, she wanted him to be more assertive as her lover, though not a playboy like some childhood friends.
"Not really. Not mad at all… Just hold my hand," Erika said.
"Alright, Erika… What's up?" Leo asked.
"Calling my name like that's unfair," Erika blushed.
"What do I do then?" Leo sighed.
Raised around men and treated like a cute sister, Erika fell for Leo, who saw her beyond the Chiba name. His calling her name made her blush genuinely, while Leo looked exhausted. Their rocky start led to tightly clasped hands.
◇ ◇ ◇
Yugen, leaving earlier, tasked Ceria with contacting Tatsuya and others, then visited Ernst Rosen's room alone. Using rare full stealth, he entered, sat on the sofa, and dropped the spell. Ernst was shocked, his bodyguards moved to eject him, but Ernst stopped them.
"When did you get in? Your magic, Kagurazaka Yugen?" Ernst asked.
"Interpret it as you like. I'm here because I know you tried to kidnap Leo. By the way, I 'sent' your accomplices to Germany and confiscated their magic gear," Yugen said.
"You're picking a fight with Rosen Magicraft?" Ernst glared.
Yugen flooded the room with high-density psions, instantly knocking out the guards. He eased up on Ernst, leaving him gasping.
"You started this fight. My grandfather worked to favor Rosen Magicraft, and this betrayal goes too far," Yugen said.
"What did you say?" Ernst asked.
"Let me be clear, Ernst Rosen. My maternal grandfather is Gozo Ueyama, who facilitated Georg Ostburg and Lucas Rosen's defection. I'm his grandson. Leo and Erika, their respective grandchildren, are my friends."
Ernst was stunned. Even knowing Mitsuya and Ueyama ties, seeing beyond a sponsor-client relationship via electronic data was tough. Yugen himself was shocked learning about Gozo.
Blaming Yugen would draw Gozo's ire, who, inconveniently, was at the hotel, having watched from VIP seats without greeting at the pre-party.
"Two demands: never approach Leo or Erika again, and fulfill Bastian Rosen's inheritance rights promptly," Yugen said.
"The first is fine, but the second?" Ernst asked.
"My grandfather received a third of Bastian Rosen's estate, which I inherited. Bastian was present, and the estate manager was informed. Deliver it to my grandfather."
Fulfilling Lucas Rosen's honor restoration was non-negotiable for Gozo, relayed via him and Chikihime to Germany's government, forcing Rosen Magicraft to comply. Lucas's request ensured employee and family rights were secured.
Having said his piece, Yugen stood to leave when Ernst asked:
"Who are you, really?"
"Next head and acting head of the Kagurazaka family, protectors of this nation. I'll let this slide, but there won't be a next time," Yugen said.
He spoke grandly, but it was a means to save Leo and Erika—his friends. Relieved to resolve this, Yugen sighed inwardly.
Note: A bit rushed, but the Steeplechase arc continues slightly. Added some combat for flavor, but with cheat-level skills, it's just time-saving. Feels obvious saying it now.
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