Outside the Dragon Fang Arena, the Magic Club's training session had come to an end. The members left one by one, leaving only Yoru Mikazuki standing alone in the centre of the field, letting the night breeze blow across his face.
His left shoulder was still bandaged, the wound slightly aching, but his eyes showed no hesitation.
He was thinking.
Thinking about this man - Onimaru Setsura.
"A mechanised spear imbued with Anti-Illusion Lightning Stream... capable of shattering even 'mental constructs' themselves..."
Yoru Mikazuki tossed a card lightly and watched it flip in the air before slowly descending.
With a subtle movement of his fingers, the card suddenly split into three illusory copies - only to be immediately shattered by a swift afterimage.
The illusion was shattered.
"He is not an ordinary power-type fighter. His martial art is a discipline specifically designed to shatter illusions, dismantle traps and tear through mental systems." He muttered to himself.
Onimaru Setsura had suppressed both Hakuran and Midō Karuma within three short minutes, demonstrating overwhelming control of the battlefield.
Yoru Mikazuki knew that standard illusion techniques would be useless against such an opponent.
He had to change. He had to... reconstruct his strategy.
The table was covered with battle data and tactical notes. Midō Karuma sat with a grave expression on his face, while Hakuran remained silent, still reflecting on the bitter taste of defeat.
"'Gokuretsu' follows a three-step lightning thrust pattern, with an 'Explosive Thunder Leap Strike' after the fifth move, triggering an area-wide psychic disruption," Midō summarised.
"That means illusions and sensory obfuscation will be completely nullified at that moment," Hakuran frowned. "This guy... can even dismantle mental structures."
"That's why we have to find a new approach."
Yoru Mikazuki stood up slowly and pulled out a black magic card. The card bore the image of a blank face, but its lips were curled into a smile.
This battle will no longer be illusion against anti-illusion... but 'induction' against 'instinct'. " His gaze sharpened, as if he could already see the moment when Onimaru Setsura would step into a false reality of his own making.
Late at night, on the clock tower of the academy.
Hōdō Saya stood in the wind, her silver hair flowing softly.
She had already sensed someone approaching, but did not turn.
"You came anyway."
Yoru Mikazuki stepped beside her and looked up at the starry sky.
"I need to hear your thoughts."
"About whom? Onimaru? Or yourself?"
There was a hint of weariness in Saya's voice, as if something buried deep inside her was subtly struggling to come to the surface.
"You've seen him fight, haven't you?" Yoru Mikazuki asked.
"He... doesn't feel like a student. He feels like a 'weapon of war'," Hōdō Saya bit her lip. "If you must fight him, then you must be prepared... to do whatever it takes."
She paused for a moment before adding quietly:
"I don't want you to die."
Yoru Mikazuki was taken aback and turned to look at her, only to see Saya lowering her gaze and no longer speaking.
The wind howled, as if carrying all unspoken emotions away into the night.
Alone in the training chamber, Yoru Mikazuki ignited a ring of magical cards. Dozens of cards slowly floated in the dim light.
Closing his eyes, he whispered:
"Come, Onimaru Setsura. Show me if your 'Spear That Breaks Illusions' can truly shatter... the throne in my mind."
破局之枪 VS 幻术之王〈心理预演篇〉
龙牙场外,魔术部的集训已然结束,成员们陆续离去,只留下夜见苍一人,站在场地中央,任夜风拂面.
他的左肩还缠着绷带,伤口隐隐作痛,但他的双眼却没有一丝动摇.
他在思考.
思考那个男人——鬼丸刹罗.
「破幻雷流机关长枪...甚至能击碎'精神结构'本身...」
夜见苍轻轻抛出一张牌,在空中翻转着飘落.
他的手指微微一动,牌面忽然化作三张虚影,转眼便被一道残影重重击碎.
幻象破灭.
「不是普通的力量系战士,那是一门专为破解幻术,摧毁迷阵,撕碎精神系统而生的武道.」他低声呢喃.
鬼丸刹罗,在短短三分钟内压制住了白蓝与御堂狩真两人,展示了压倒性的战场控制力.
夜见苍知道,若要迎战这种对手,正面幻术将毫无意义.
他需要改变.他需要...重塑破局战术.
桌上铺满战斗数据与战术手稿,御堂狩真神色凝重地坐在一旁,而白蓝则沉默不语,仍在回味失败的苦涩.
「...'獄裂'的攻击模式是连续三段雷击刺突,第五式之后会有一次'崩雷跃杀',伴随AOE式精神波动破坏.」御堂狩真总结着.
「也就是说,幻术与障眼系在那一刻会完全失效,」白蓝皱眉道,「那家伙...连精神构成都能瓦解.」
「所以我们要制定新的战术.」
夜见苍缓缓站起,指尖弹出一枚黑色魔术牌,牌面图案是一张空白的脸,嘴角却带着笑.
「这场对局,将不再是幻术对抗破幻...而是'诱导'对抗'本能'.」
他目光如炬,宛如早已看到未来战场上,鬼丸刹罗踏入虚假现实的一瞬.
深夜,校园高塔的天台.
凰堂纱夜站在风中,银发微扬.
她早已察觉有人靠近,却并未转身.
「...你还是来了.」
夜见苍走到她身旁,望着夜空的星光.
「我需要知道你的看法.」
「关于谁?鬼丸?还是你自己?」
纱夜的语气带着一丝疲惫,又像是隐藏的某种情绪在轻轻挣扎.
「你看过他战斗,对吧?」夜见苍问.
「他...不像学生,更像是某种'战争兵器'.」凰堂纱夜咬唇道,「如果你非要和他一战,那就必须做到...不惜一切.」
她顿了顿,又低声道:
「我不希望你死.」
夜见苍一怔,目光望向她,却见凰堂纱夜已垂下眼帘,不再言语.
风声呼啸,仿佛在将一切情绪藏入夜色之中.
夜见苍独自走入训练室,点燃一圈魔术卡阵,在昏黄的光晕中,数十张牌缓缓浮起.
他闭上眼,低声道:
「来吧,鬼丸刹罗.让我看看你那柄'破局之枪',是否能击碎...我心中的王座.」