Chapter 84 - 084: Fireworks

"Hey... Tatsuya, can't you ride the same bus with us?"

Today is August 1st the departure date for the Nine Schools Competition, and currently, Arthur is sitting in the bus stairs with both of his hand supporting his face and there is Tatsuya standing in front of him with a checklist on his hand.

"As a member of technicians team, of course, I will ride the different bus with the athletes" Tatsuya replied with his usual voice after what happened at Arthur home there is nothing wrong happened between them. But Tatsuya reports it to Maya about Arthur who know about him and Miyuki identity, but Maya didn't treat it seriously and just say to maintain good relationships with Arthur.

"speaking of which this is a waste of magic so you better stop it now, if you feel this is too hot at the outside you can go inside"

This is summer after all and the sun is shining brightly, or that's how it must be. In the parking area of the First High School, there is a large cloud hovering in the sky blocking the sun and a gentle breeze of cold air make it didn't like summer at all.

This phenomenon happens because of the young man with a bored look in front of him.

"I'm doing it so Miyuki will not upset seeing you standing alone out into the hot sun to stand watch here" Arthur replied with a bored expression all over his face "And I'm here to convince you to ride the same bus with us"

"Why you actively convince me?"

"If you didn't in the same bus with Miyuki than it was impossible for Emilia to sit with me"

"So that's your real objective..."

"If it was like this I need to take a seat with Mari or Mayumi you know"

"My condolences" from Tatsuya understanding Arthur will be sandwiched between Mari and Mayumi with Suzune at the other side, of course, there is still a vacant place at the backseat but there is no way that two people will leave him alone.

And his teammates for monoliths code decide to leave him alone, even if they're in the same class because of the incident that happened between them and Arthur at the school entrance in the past they didn't have good relationships, and Arthur himself didn't bother to mending their relationship.

"Oh, I didn't expect both of you develop a habit of gossiping about other people" Mari's voice is heard from Arthur back

Seeing the incoming danger Tatsuya turn his back and pretend didn't acquaintances with Arthur

"What are you talking about Mari-senpai, I just enjoying this nice weather here"

"That's not what I heard thought"

"You must be heard it wrong, oh she arrives"

Arthur swiftly changed the topic of conversation when he spots a familiar figure approaching the bus.

"Sorry~!"

This exclamation was accompanied by the music of sandals lightly tapping on the pavement. Looking towards the sound's source, Mari let out a sigh and smiled while Tatsuya wordlessly checked off the last member of the roster on his terminal device.

"Mayumi, you're so slow."

"Sorry, sorry."

Both the reprimand and the apology were just as concise. Mari proceeded to embark onto the bus as if nothing had occurred.

"Hmmm, the weather here is more comfortable than inside the car, Arthur can you do it until we arrive at the competition site?"

"It's not impossible, but we will have a lot of police tailing behind, let's go inside so Tatsuya can rest"

"Tatsuya-kun, I apologize that you had to wait so long for me."

"Please don't concern yourself with that. I'm well aware of your situation."

Mayumi wasn't tardy because of some preposterous reason like oversleeping or getting the time wrong. Three hours ago, she suddenly sent word that she would be late due to the family business.

In her message, Mayumi asked for everyone to depart without her and that she would meet them at the destination later. Still, the 3rd Year students unanimously agreed to wait for her, so they asked Mayumi to get here as soon as she could.

Seeing Mayumi want to have a conversation with Tatsuya Arthur decide to embark the bus ahead of Mayumi. Arthur and Mayumi will sit together while Mari with Suzune, Arthur let out a sigh before taking a seat and close his eyes.

"Arthur, thank you for taking care of Onii-sama at the outside" Miyuki comes to Arthur side and expressing her gratitude but Arthur just waving his hand

"No need to thank me, I doing it for my own objective. Oh but please take care of Emilia for me"

"You can leave her to me" Miyuki replied and smile at Arthur before going back to her seat

When Miyuki is gone now there is Mayumi who is taking a seat beside Arthur and sit naturally without asking his permission.

"So, that's a family matter or Ten Master clans matter?"

"Just my family, thanks for worrying me" Mayumi didn't ask the specific meaning behind Arthur question and Arthur didn't ask for further details

"From what I heard this year Nine Schools Competition will not run peacefully"

"There is such information? Do you have an evidence?"

"Your dad didn't tell you?"

"That old fox, it seems he knows something but decide to hide it from me. Then I will depend on you for the safety of our schoolmates"

"Don't worry too much, Echidna will also come with the rest of the students"

"It's very reassuring if Echidna-sensei is coming too"

"Don't tell me you're one of her fans?"

"From my perspective, there is nothing wrong for a woman to admire her, she is young, beautiful, and have amazing talent in magic too. My father even said if she is on par or even slightly better than the head of Numbers Family and hope he can recruit her"

"Mayumi is right I even heard a rumor circulating in the teacher room the National Magic University and National Defense Academy want to recruit her but postpone it for the time being because this year of recruitment already full" Mari make a comment from the side and share her newfound information

"How you can get that information, I and Echidna never heard it before"

"I have my own mean, and for Echidna-sensei it was understandable because she nearly never leaves the Library"

"Well, she is earnestly seeking for knowledge..."

Arthur just let out a sigh at Echidna's personality, maybe because of her personality that's why she becomes a Witch of Greed in the first place. This time she is coming to Nine Schools Competition because Arthur says there will be much interesting magic shown in there.

When the tri of them chatting with Suzune sometime make a comment, there is a loud blast from the outside and Kanon voice is heard. There are several vehicles coming from the opposite direction with very high speed, then the accident starts.

The vehicle in the very forefront have it tire burst, the driver steps the brake abruptly and because of that the vehicle is spinning and the two vehicles behind it crash one after another. Because of their initial speed is very fast the large vehicle suddenly spun as it collided with the central divider and, for some reason, flipped into the air towards them.

The bus stops quite far from the place where the opposite vehicle is crashed but he fact of three large vehicles flipped towards them can't be ignored, the two fallen vehicle was still sliding towards the bus while aflame and there is one vehicle in the air that will likely smash to the bus.

"Let me shove it back!"

"Disappear!"

"Halt!"

"You idiots, stop now!"

Mari quickly realized this.

Fortunately, everyone was still in the activation process and had not finished yet. So everyone was forced to recall their half-formed magic, leaving a few precious seconds for some sort of meaningful defense. They needed a powerful magic to instantly rewrite the current phenomenon.

"Juumonji!"

Mari calls to Juumonji to deploy his family's magic Phalanx but even if he is readying his magic Mari almost despaired at seeing his pale and agitated visage.

Mari understood as well. This pocket of space where Magic Sequences were running amok was just like what would happen during "Calculation Interference".

When everyone runs out of solution Arthur stood up and aim his custom made CAD he received from Tatsuya yesterday. The CAD has a similar appearance with Tatsuya's trident and just different in color where the main color is the white and golden color as decorations.

The CAD itself didn't boost his activation magic or anything, but it can make Arthur feel comfortable when activating magic through the CAD.

Mari and Mayumi remember he has a zone interference magic so maybe he is the one who has the ability to solve their current predicament, but before Arthur pull the trigger the rampaging Magic Sequences all disappeared in an instant.

Arthur smiles and pulls the trigger, there is a large area under the effect of Arthur's deceleration magic, even if he can't achieve the same results as Echidna who can stop the bullet from the close range there is still enough space to stop the vehicle.

But before everyone have a sigh of relief Arthur draw another CAD and this time he make a large and thick layer ice shield in front of the bus, at the same time the three vehicles is exploding at the same time.

The force behind this explosion is not a small matter because even if it was made without much preparation Arthur control over ice magic just second to Echidna, but the ice shield is shattered turn to ice particles and scatter to the sky, the ground shook and there is screaming from the bus.

It seems there are some students who didn't fast enough to hold something when the vehicles explode. Arthur ignoring the shock people around him and dash out of the bus and checking the surrounding but alas there is no one he can spot.

The fastest person approaches him is Tatsuya with CAD in his hand.

"Can you see anyone here?"

"There is none, it seems they use something like remote control bombs"

"I was careless, I never thought they will use bomb inside the care. Somethings left for evidence?"

"All of the remaining of the explosion is turn to dust there is no way to find anything from it, luckily you're fast enough to respond it. If not half of our bus will be gone"

"Even if I screw up somehow in that situation there is still you behind me so I can feel at ease"

Tatsuya didn't reply to Arthur and just put his CAD to the holster behind his jacket because there are Mari and Juumonji who come out of the bus while Mayumi calming the panic students and checking if there is someone who get injured and needs for treatment.

Juumonji makes a frown when he is seeing the condition of the vehicle and make a phone call, not long after that there is several police car with ambulances following behind it.

Arthur leave the explanations to Juumonji, with his status they can leave this place early without anyone need to be the witness, the police evacuating the vehicle so the bus can continue the travel and the medic team checking the students and some checking the burned vehicle, well with how the situation of the vehicle currently has there is no way someone can survive.

And after completing some formality the bus can continue leaving behind the scene even if there is a slightly gloomy atmosphere lingering inside the bus. It was understandable because just a moment ago their fate is unknown.

"It's all is your fault, Arthur"

"What's the meaning of that, Mari-senpai?"

"You say this year will not be a peaceful competition and look at what we experience now, this is your fault because you jinx it"

"Mari is right, if you didn't jinx it we will not in this situation now" Mayumi follow Mari attack and blame Arthur even if she has a smile on her face

"I work hard to save all of you here, and you blaming me? It's unreasonable no matter how I see it right?"

"You're doing a good job Arthur, thanks for your hard work" Emilia leave her seat and walk to Arthur side stopping Mayumi and Mari from bullying Arthur any further (from Emilia perspective)

"See! My Emilia is the good person here, you two must follow her example" Arthur held Emilia's hand and protest to Mari and Mayumi

"Who is yours anyway..." Emilia reject Arthur claim and avert her red face

And just like that their true peaceful journey to the Nine Schools Competition site starts now.