After the blizzard, the atmosphere at the Tōun Academy suddenly grew tense.
On the Ryūga Field, Nightmiya Sō's figure had already been obscured by Saya's retreating silhouette. But for the first time, something inside him had been completely shattered.
"Magic Club - Training Room
Silence hung over the training room like a thick fog.
Nightmiya Sō stood with his back to everyone, staring silently at the tactical map. On the edge of the table, the unused [Scarlet Oath] card lay motionless, like a wound that no one dared touch.
In the corner, Hakuran furrowed his brow.
"You hesitated on the battlefield," he finally spoke, his tone devoid of blame, just cold observation.
Nightmiya Sō made no reply.
"It wasn't your magic that failed," Mitō Karuma added, his usual tone now even more serious. "It was that 'frozen' heart of yours - pierced by her."
"Enough."
Nightmiya Sō's voice was low, like a blade scraping against stone.
"This is my business. I don't need you..."
"Wrong," Mitō Karuma cut him off directly.
"You're the ace of the Magic Club. More than that - you're our strategic core. Your instability affects the whole team. If you stay like this, forget about the Five-Club Union War - we won't even be able to trust each other."
The air grew cold.
Hakuran watched Nightmiya Sō unblinkingly, as if waiting for his final collapse.
"Tell me," he said coldly, "do you still want to win?"
This question hit Nightmiya Sō like a thunderbolt, breaking through his defences.
"I do."
He finally whispered, "But I don't know... which 'me' I have to fight to win."
Mitō Karuma sighed. "Then redefine yourself, Nightmiya Sō."
"Not by suppressing your emotions - but by making them part of your magic."
For a moment, the air in the training room seemed to stop.
And that [Scarlet Oath] card, untouched until now, was finally returned to the core slot of his deck.
Not discarded.
But accepted.
[Archery Club - Vice Commander's Conference Room]
"Hōdō Saya, what the hell are you trying to do?"
Vice Commander Kazama Shigeto slammed his palm down on the table. The elite members of the Archery Club were gathered around, their expressions ranging from anger to concern.
"Retreating without permission, disregarding the entire chain of command and declaring 'the battle is over' in front of everyone - are you trying to destroy the reputation of the Archery Club?"
Saya didn't argue. She just stood by the window, her fingers brushing the bowstring, her eyes as distant as the mist.
"It's already broken," she murmured.
"Nightmiya Sō - the one we assessed as the greatest obstacle - his heart has already cracked."
"This isn't the end." She turned, her gaze unwavering. "It's the beginning."
"You don't understand, because all you see is victory and defeat. But what I see... is a far greater opening."
"It's not his magic that's broken.
"It's - his heart."
Silence fell over the room.
Kazama frowned. "You're using emotions to manipulate him?"
"No." Saya shook her head slightly. "I'm taking the opportunity - to really understand him."
"If this Union war is only about gathering strong individuals, we'll only end up tearing each other apart. Only those who can turn weakness into opportunity will break the barriers of the Five Clubs."
No one answered.
Saya walked out of the room, her retreating figure no longer that of a mere silent archer.
She was awakening - as a true leader.
"Swordsmanship Club - Night Training Field
"Nightmiya Sō's illusions are faltering."
Vice Commander Shirakawa stood at the edge of the field, watching the afterimages of his sword strikes.
"An emotional break is the most fatal weakness. If he doesn't mend it, our duel... will be meaningless."
The commander of the sword club, Tendō Kyōichi, slowly opened his eyes. Spiritual sword energy coiled at his fingertips like a living force.
"Then you will strike him down while he is vulnerable?"
Shirakawa chuckled slightly. "No. I will only cut it down when it is at its sharpest."
"I only cut down the strongest swords."
"Martial Arts Club - Training Grounds
"Hah! The heart of the Magic Club is shaking!"
Kōzanjii Retsu laughed loudly as he slammed his fist into the training post, shattering it. "This is going to be interesting! Our chance has come!"
He turned to the girl sitting in the shadows next to him - one of the least seen warriors of the club, "Silent Fist" Vice-Commander Usui Nanao. She watched with cold detachment.
"Nanao, if this turns into a free-for-all elimination match, will Nightmiya Sō be the first to go?"
Nanao replied flatly, "No."
"He will fall. But not first."
"The first to fall... will be the one he once protected."
"Javelin Club - Celestial Arena
The heavy mechanised spear "Gokuretsu" stood at the centre of the formation.
Oni-maru Setsura, bare-chested, faced the wind, lightning coursing beneath his skin like a slumbering beast.
"Nightmiya Sō has cracked," his aide reported quietly.
Oni-maru closed his eyes, his voice as cold and unyielding as steel:
"A broken illusionist is the most dangerous opponent."
"Because they stop deceiving you -"
"and begin to deceive themselves."
"The next battle.
"I will deliver the final blow.
Magic Club - War Council
The Magic Club called an emergency strategy meeting.
The Five Club Union War was entering its next phase - "Mixed Group Battles" - where all clubs would have to form temporary cross-club teams to complete multiple escort and stronghold capture missions.
Teams reshuffled.
The battlefield reformed.
The real Tōun Civil War was about to begin.
And Nightmiya Sō, as the heart of the Magic Club, had to choose - between collapse and awakening.
"...Is there any hope for Nightmiya Sō?"
Usui Nanao's eyelashes fluttered. She replied coldly, "He's not losing to his enemies. He's losing to himself."
But identity -" she stood up, revealing the jet black gauntlets on her arms.
"-is something we martial artists specialise in shattering."
Kōzanjii Retsu grinned. "Then let's wait until he's barely standing -" "-and smash him completely!"
"Then it won't be a duel."
"It will be an execution."
"Javelin Club - Mountain Training Grounds
The icy wind howled. The Gokuretsu spear stood tall in the snow. Oni-maru Setsura sat motionless, his presence as immovable as frozen steel.
His deputy, Kitōin Mukuro, knelt beside him. "Nightmiya Sō has retired. The magic club has stopped training. The archery club is in an uproar. Shall we initiate the 'Second Suppression Strike'?"
"No hurry."
Oni-maru opened his eyes - lightning flashed in his pupils.
"Illusionists can get lost."
"But true wizards - they never stay asleep for long."
"I am waiting for the Nightmiya Sō to crawl out of this crack."
"Otherwise..." "He is unworthy of my second blow."
"Let the wind howl."
He rose, the gokuretsu lance vibrating with a low growl.
"The stronger the wind -"
"the brighter the flames will burn."
裂痕·集结的回音
风雪之后,东云学园的气氛,骤然紧绷.
龙牙场上,夜见苍的身影已被纱夜背影掩去,可他的内心,却第一次,彻底裂开了.
[魔术部·集训室]
沉默,像雾一般弥漫在魔术部集训室中.
夜见苍背对众人,一言不发地盯着战术布图.那张未使用的[绯光之誓]卡静静躺在桌角,仿佛是一道无人敢触的伤痕.
白蓝站在角落,眉头紧锁.
"你在战场上...退缩了."他终于开口,语气里没有责备,只有冷静的陈述.
夜见苍没有回应.
"不是你的魔术败了."御堂狩真跟着补充,语气亦比平日更沉,"是你那颗'自认为已冻结'的心,被她击穿了."
"...够了."
夜见苍的声音低得像刀刃划过.
"这是我的事,不需要你们来——"
"错了."御堂狩真直接打断他.
"你是魔术部的王牌,更是我们的阵心.你的情绪会改变我们全局的部署.如果你继续这样不稳定,别说五社联合战,连我们都没法信任彼此."
空气骤冷.
白蓝不动声色地盯着夜见苍,仿佛在等待一个更彻底的崩溃.
"说吧,"他冷冷地问,"你到底...还想不想赢?"
那句话仿佛一道雷劈开夜见苍的心防.
"…想赢."
他终于低语,"但我不知道...用哪种'我',才能赢."
御堂狩真叹了口气,"那你该重新定义你自己了,夜见苍."
"不是以'压抑情感'为代价,而是让它...成为你魔术的一部分."
魔术部内,气流仿佛短暂停滞.
而那张未投出的[绯光之誓],终于被夜见苍收回了卡组核心区.
不是抛弃.
而是——准备接纳
[弓箭部·副指挥会议室]
"凰堂纱夜,你到底想做什么!?"
弓箭部副部长·风间重人猛地一拍桌子,弓箭部众干将齐聚,神色或怒或惧.
"擅自撤退,无视全军调度,还当着全场观众说'战斗结束了',你是想把我们弓箭部的威信全丢掉吗!?"
纱夜没有辩解,她只是站在窗边,手指轻抚着弓弦,眼神空远如雾.
"他已经裂开了."她低声说.
"夜见苍,那个被我们评估为'最大障碍'的人,他心里已经出现了缝隙."
"这不是结束."她转过身来,眼神坚定,"而是开始."
"你们看不懂,因为你们只看胜负.我看到的...是更大的破绽."
"破的不是魔术."
"而是——人心."
一时间,会议室陷入静默.
风间皱眉,"你在拿感情牵制他?"
"不,"纱夜轻轻摇头,"我在为他...也为我自己,夺取真正的'理解'."
"如果我们这场联合会战,只是堆砌强者,那我们只会互相撕裂.只有把'破绽'变成契机的人,才能真正打破五社壁垒."
没有人接话.
凰堂纱夜走出会议室的背影,却已不再是从前那个安静的箭术少女.
她正在——觉醒为真正的"引导者".
[剑术部·夜练场]
"夜见苍的幻术,开始动摇了."
副部长白川站在场边,凝视着镜中的斩击残影.
"情感裂缝,是最可怕的破绽.他若无法修复,我们的对决...将不再有意义."
剑术部部长·天道京一慢慢睁开眼,精神剑气在他指尖回旋.
"那你会趁机解决他吗?"
白川淡然一笑,"不.我只会在他最锋利时,把他彻底斩断."
"我只斩最强的剑."
[格斗部·训练区]
"魔术部的'心脏'动摇了啊,哈哈哈!"豪战寺烈满脸兴奋地挥拳猛砸靶柱,"这样才有意思嘛!咱们的机会来了!"
他看向身边坐在阴影中的少女——那是格斗部极少现身的"暗拳"副将·羽水七音,冷眼旁观一切.
"七音,你说...如果这次联合战变成一场'淘汰式乱战',夜见苍会第一个被我们打下去吗?"
羽水淡淡回应:"不会."
"他会倒.但不会第一个倒."
"第一个...会是他'曾经保护'的人."
[标枪部·天光战台]
重型机关长枪「獄裂」,静静立在阵列中心.
鬼丸刹罗赤裸上身站于风中,肌肤之下雷流奔涌,像蛰伏的兽.
"夜见苍裂了."身边副官低声通报.
鬼丸却闭上眼,语气森然如铁:"裂开的幻术最危险.因为它不再欺骗你——它开始欺骗他自己."
"下一战."
"我来补上最后一击."
而与此同时——
魔术部紧急召开战术会谈.
五社联合战,即将迎来"混合小组战"阶段——所有社团需组成跨社团临时编队,执行多场"目标护送"与"据点争夺"任务.
彼此混战,战力重组.
真正的"东云内战",即将开始.
而夜见苍,作为魔术部阵心,必须——在崩溃与觉醒之间,做出选择.
"…夜见苍那小子,还有得救吗?"
羽水七音睫毛轻颤,冷淡答道:
"他不是在输给敌人,而是在输给自己."
"但自我这种东西——"
她站起身,露出藏在手臂上的漆黑拳套,"恰好是我们格斗者,最擅长打碎的东西."
豪战寺烈咧嘴一笑:"那就等他再撑不住,我们'砸'个彻底!"
"到时候,不是决斗."
"是,处决."
[标枪部·山岳修炼场]
寒流席卷山巅,獄裂长枪横空而立,鬼丸刹罗盘坐于风雪之中,静若寒铁.
旁边,副将·鬼童院骸跪坐报告:"夜见苍败退,魔术部短暂停训,弓箭部内部不稳.下一阶段,是否执行'压制二击'?"
"...不急."
鬼丸睁眼,雷光从瞳中闪出.
"幻术者会迷失."
"但真正的术师,不会沉睡太久."
"我等的,是那个从缝隙中爬出的夜见苍."
"否则——他配不上让我第二次出枪."
"让风继续吹吧."
他缓缓起身,獄裂沉声轰鸣,"风够烈,火才会燃."
[魔术部·夜见苍·独白]
"我曾以为,魔术,是控制,是策略,是让我与这个世界保持安全距离的手段."
"但那天——我投出[绯光之誓]的瞬间,我发现,我其实一直在'逃'."
"逃避真实情感,逃避自己心中的黑暗,逃避...那个只属于'我'的答案."
"可我也终于明白,魔术,不是逃避现实的幻术."
"它是...在现实中强行创造'可能性'的暴力."
他抬起头,望向镜中的自己,那双眼重新燃起了光.
"从今天开始,我会用这双手,撕裂幻象."
"——包括我自己制造的那个虚假的'夜见苍'."