Chapter 59: Knowing the Enemy, Knowing Oneself

Now, in the ‘Inter-School Match Bifrost’, there’s no doubt that strategy and training are important, but there is one more important thing.

That is ‘Equipment’.

Just as those at the top class of the grade ranking are the representative members, the ones chosen for the maintenance/development team as support for the ‘Inter-School Match’ are the five first-year maintenance students who achieved excellent grades in magitech.

Naturally, or perhaps somehow expectedly, our friend Lara was included among them. Apparently, she had the top grades in magitech. That’s surprisingly amazing…

All five members of the maintenance team apparently aim to become ‘Magitech Meisters’ in the future. From such a knowledge perspective, they teach us about equipment that can be used in this ‘Inter-School Match’.

“One of the roles of a ‘Scout’ is to grasp the enemy’s positions. For this, a Mana Sensor, which grasps the opponent’s position from interference waves in magic power utilizing the magic elements filling the atmosphere, is common, but besides this, there is also a method of emitting Magipulses (magic element ripples) oneself and grasping positions from their reflections. For Lucifer, which moves at high speeds, detection by Magipulses is considered unsuitable, but with Nero-san’s enormous magic capacity, if you use a diffusion-type generator, you can cover that and furthermore—”

“Sorry, please explain it simply.”

Huh, some kind of déjà vu. It went in the right ear and out the left.

Lara’s explanation is too specialized, and my understanding can’t keep up. What about magic crows?

“Umm, with Nero-san’s magic capacity, you can attach an amazing sensor.”

“Mhm, easy to understand.”

I don’t care about the principles. If I know the characteristics, precautions, and how to use it, I’ll manage the rest myself.

“Of course, the other side will also search for us in the same way. To evade those, there are several methods. In the case of searching by the Mana Sensor mentioned earlier, there’s Mana Jamming, which nullifies it, and for the Mana Pulse type, there are decoys, etc.”

Decoys are those things, right? Scattering items imbued with magic power on purpose to make it confusing which one is real?

“But wouldn’t they find out if we’re moving?”

“That’s right. Therefore, I believe it’s not very suitable for Nero-san. I think normally applying stealth coating would be more effective.”

“No, stealth coating is expensive, right…?”

Sherry said she blew a considerable amount just applying it to one Asterisk.

To begin with, since it even has an effect like recognition inhibition, there’s no way it’s cheap. How much part-time work would I have to do… Rumor has it that someone finally bought it in their third year. So it comes down to money in this world, after all.

“It’s different from stealth coating, but there is equipment that produces a similar effect. It’s from that Non-standard Series, called ‘Phantom’…”

“Phantom?”

“Stealth coating is a passive type, but this is an active type and consumes magic power. While magic power is flowing, just like stealth coating, it’s unaffected by enemy searches. However, it can’t be used unless you have aptitude for Light Magic.”

Hmm. So it’s equipment that chooses its user. Fortunately, I have aptitude for the Light attribute. There’s no problem.

“While this Phantom is active, no matter how much you move, aside from being spotted visually, you will almost never get caught in the opponent’s detection. However, because it deploys a magic power field of Light Magic on the surface of the machine, it inevitably glows.”

“It… just glows? Is there any problem with that?”

“No, no, glowing definitely stands out. To the point that stealth becomes meaningless depending on the match stage and time of day.”

Ah… I see. If the stage is a dimly lit place like a forest, wetland, or cave, it would stand out just by that.

What’s even worse is the time of day.

In the ‘Inter-School Match’, the time of day is also decided randomly, but if it becomes ‘Night’ or something, they would know where I am at a glance visually. Because I’m glowing. But if I don’t use Phantom, I’ll be detected normally.

“Leaving it to luck, huh…”

“Well, it is random, but in past matches, most were ‘Day’, followed by ‘Morning’, ‘Night’, and then ‘Magic Hour’, so the probability of it being night is considered low.”

Among these, the time called ‘Magic Hour’ refers to the changing time zones like ‘from night to morning’ or ‘from day to night’. Either way, night is involved.

“In fact, for the past five years, the first-year matches have constantly been ‘Day’ stages, and before that it was ‘Morning’. So I think it’s probably fine.”

Is that really fine…? I can’t help but think ‘Isn’t it about time for ‘Night’ to come?’.

“Should we load Mana Jamming just in case ‘Phantom’ cannot be used?”

“…How much would that cost?”

“It would naturally cost about double.”

Gunuu…! As expected, money rules the world!

Well, it’s natural since I’m loading two things where one would suffice…

“…Just ‘Phantom’ is fine.”

“Are you sure? If it’s night, Nero-san’s position will be completely grasped.”

“In that case, the ones I bump into will be the opponent’s scouts, right? If I defeat them, there’s no problem!”

“Ehh…? What if there are multiple scouts?”

“If I defeat all of them, there’s no problem!”

No good. As expected, even Lara is exasperated. No, I am aware I’m asking for the impossible, you know…?

Well, one of a scout’s roles is disrupting the enemy camp, too.

“…I’ll somehow find a secondhand Hide Cloak.”

“Hide Cloak?”

“It’s something like a cloak that wraps the machine. It has an effect somewhat similar to stealth coating, and I think it might hide the glowing a little.”

Then wouldn’t just that cloak be enough? I thought, but apparently, it’s easy to sense if you’re moving.

Things really don’t go as you wish.

◇　◇　◇

From after school, along with training, we also research the opponent’s side. The other side is probably investigating us thoroughly too, though.

But having the opponent school’s SNS as an information source, huh. Is it really okay to leak that? Though as expected, they probably don’t know up to what kind of strategies we’re formulating or what kind of training we’re doing.

No, if regular members were broadcasting it, it would be exposed. …………We don’t have such idiots here, right…?

“This is the machine of the number one in the first-year ranking at the ‘School’. Machine name ‘Kusanagi’. The pilot is Kokonoe Kojuro.”

There he is, Kokonoe Kojuro.

Along with Sophie-sensei’s words, a Frame Gear was displayed on the front monitor. It’s a light-purple samurai-type machine equipped with a katana. A Ritter Frame, huh.

A machine similar to Koto’s ‘Tsukuyomi’. Pilots from Eashen really like that type of machine.

“Anyway, this player excels in sword techniques. It is said he climbed to ranking number one with overwhelming sword skills and outstanding piloting techniques. It’s the same fighting style as the ‘Sword Empress Princess’, who is rank number one at our ‘Academy’.”

The same type as Zelda Onee-sama? In the end, I wonder if a machine that allows you to fight in your own original way is the strongest.

However, being the same as Onee-sama means I can’t rule out the possibility of him using [Floating Swords] ‘Fragarach’ either. Needs caution.

“The Kokonoe Shinmei Style he uses is quite a famous school in Eashen, so those of you who use swords might have heard of it once.”

Is that so? I’ve never heard of it. I’ve never fought a guy from Eashen either. Huh? But Kokonoe Shinmei Style, if I recall…

I glanced at Koto sitting in the seat next to me across the aisle.

“Nakazawa Koto-san there is also from that school, right? Weren’t you from the same dojo as him?”

“Yes. Kojuro and I are childhood friends.”

Wow. A huge information source to know the enemy is right here. Ah, no, if the other side knows about Koto too, then it’s mutual.

“His ability is higher, but that is in a one-on-one situation. Because he has a serious personality, I think he is weak to sudden accidents, irregular attacks, assaults, and the like.”

I see. An orthodox sword technique user, huh. He’s similar to Zelda Onee-sama around there too.

The righteous path, the royal road. I guess the only way to win is to take the unorthodox path.

Then, after Sophie-sensei continued explaining several people, a machine shining in gold was unexpectedly displayed.

“What’s that?!”

“My word… What a flashy machine…”

Hatoba and Rizlet leaked voices that sounded surprised or exasperated.

It certainly is flashy… All that bling-bling is too conspicuous…

Is it that? I wonder if it’s a respect to ‘Ortlinde’, the exclusive Frame Gear piloted by Duchess Sue, one of the Nine Duchesses.

Duchess Sue’s Ortlinde is also a golden machine, a machine that combines with support machines to become a giant Frame Gear, like a precursor to what we now call Custom Frames and Titan Frames.

In Duchess Sue’s case, it was completely a hobby, and it’s said to be the result of her begging the First Sovereign King, though…

“This is the machine of Phil Letra, ranking fifth among the ‘School’ first-years, ‘El Dorado’.”

It’s the flashy guy’s?! That makes so much sense!

I thought it might be a respect to Duchess Sue or that the gold had some meaning, but it probably has none. He just likes flashy things. He looked like that from his outfit.

The flashy guy’s machine, El Dorado, was a Lightning Frame like mine.

It had a flashy red crest-like head, and large thrusters attached to the left and right on its back. The weapons were twin swords like mine, but the lengths were different on the left and right.

The left sword is short, and the guard part is large.

“It’s a Main-Gauche. A dagger specialized for defense, also called a ‘Shield Sword’.”

As I was finding it strange, Carrol next to me told me. Shield sword, huh. I see. Defend and keep them in check with that, and finish them off with the right hand’s sword.

However, twin swords on a Lightning Frame… That overlaps with me. Don’t tell me their ‘Scout’ is this guy…?

After that, we saw the machines of everyone on their side, but the pale gourd was a reserve member.

His machine is a Titan Frame, and it’s just huge. Doesn’t that guy have quite a complex about being small? I can’t really talk about others, but…

However, a greatsword unleashed from that power is a bit of a threat. Unless we’re also in a Titan Frame, we’ll be crushed in one blow.

I don’t think even Pearl’s Aegis with its solid defense could withstand it.

A typical power-type machine. It seems he pushed his way into the reserves by brute force.

If it’s just a machine with only power, it’s not that scary.

According to Master, “It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t hit.”