Steeplechase Chapter is the 13th volume in the Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei Light Novel series.
Summary
In July 2096, the summer event of the year for the national magic high school competition, known as the "Nine Schools Competition" will be held. However the rules for this "Nine Schools Competition" are different from previous years.
One month before the "Nine Schools Competition", significant changes in the rules and events were made which forced each of the national magic high schools to be busy up until the day of the competition.
While Tatsuya is planning for the next "Nine Schools Competition", an anonymous message is delivered. The message contains information that a new plot will occur during the "Nine Schools Competition".
While the competition is happening, Tatsuya runs through the dark forests of Fuji, in order to oppose the conspiracy of betrayal.
The 2nd Year of the "Nine Schools Competition" has begun.
Magician Research and Development Institutes
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| Each laboratory consisting of the Ten institutes is listed. From their year of establishment to the location, each one lists the magic that was developed, and also revealing what families were involved in the research. |
Chapter 0
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| It starts with a description of the purposes of the Numbered Institutes and describes what occurred at the Ninth Institute, causing all Ancient Magic Users to strongly dislike all Magicians bearing the number 'nine' in their name.
Kudou Retsu and Kudou Makoto visit the Ninth Institute to view the progress of the 16 Para-Dolls they are currently creating in the hopes of using in the upcoming Steeplechase Event in the 9 Schools' Competition. Later, Retsu visits his grandson, Minoru, who has a weak constitution due to him being an Augmented Magician who might not survive to adulthood and being the son of Makoto and his sister. He was created for the purpose of being a living weapon but can't due to his physical condition, and despairs over being unable to display his might like other kids his age. It is revealed that Minoru is Kyouko's half brother and is Retsu's motivation for wanting to stop the use of Magicians as living weapons. |
Chapter 1
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| Tatsuya leaves the Student Council early because he is too efficient at working and so everyone else become redundant when he is there. He heads towards the Mountaineering Club where he meets Leo and Minami and participates in their club training with permission from Chief Agata.
Minami had joined both the Cooking and the Mountaineering Clubs to pass time so that she could leave with her mistress and Tatsuya, but tells everyone that she wants to improve her physical skills. The next day when they enter the Student Council, they are met with the sight of a depressed Azusa and Isori who is attempting to comfort her. They had heard about the changes to the Nine Schools Competition, which is in a month. 3 new events had been added: Shield Down, Rower and Gunner and Steeplechase Cross Country, with pair and solo categories. Tatsuya has heard of these and worries that they could cause a lot of dropouts due to accidents. As Isori comforts Azusa, Kanon enters and has a jealous fit over how close they are. Izumi is worried but seeing her beloved Onee-sama Miyuki allows her to meditate and start thinking on what to do. Later, the usual group meet at Einbrise, along with Minami, and ask Tatsuya about the changes to the 9 Schools Competition. They discuss the dangers of the new events and the new militaristic nature of them. Tatsuya thinks that the Yokohama Incident had an effect on this. Meanwhile at Masaki's house, he and Kichijouji are depressed over the changes. They think that the odds are on Third High's side, but aren't too enthusiastic on that front as they know that First High has "that guy" (Tatsuya). Akane enters and give drinks out after being berated for not knocking. She ignores this and shows off her outfit to Kichijouji, who compliments her. Masaki still thinks that he is a lolicon after his little sister. Akane then tells him that it is unproductive for Masaki and George to be dating, and so he shouldn't have asked George to be his partner. The two quickly protest. |
Chapter 2
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| To Be Added |
Chapter 3
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| First High has finally gotten over the shock of the 9SC changes and is restarting the preparations and selections for the new representatives.
Erika and Chikura Tomoko are practicing for the Shield Down while Tatsuya watches. In the men's ring, Sawaki and Leo are up against Kirihara and Tomitsuka. Erika beats Tomoko and Sawaki and Leo beat Kirihara and Tomitsuka, the chosen representatives. Next to him, Hattori, who seems to have undergone a 180 degree turn on his personality where last year he had looked down upon the Course 2 students, is wondering why Tatsuya wouldn't allow Leo and Erika to be part of the team. As Tatsuya is serving as both tactical adviser and engineer for this 9SC, he was the most vehement in his refusal to allow the two to join the team. Minami, who is a member of the Freshman's Shield Down Pairs Competition, is brought over by Tatsuya and asked to duel Erika, who is extremely enthusiastic. Tatsuya whispers some tactical advice into Minami's ear before they begin. Minami thoroughly trounces Erika. Hattori is so stunned at Minami's performance that he asks if she had just used the Juumonji's Phalanx. Tatsuya points out the weakness of Erika's technique, to her sulk, and suggests to Tomoko to use Minami's tactic to beat her opponent. He leaves for the Icicle Destruction area. Miyuki has set up the 24 icicles in record time in order to save time and ensure that her beloved Onii-sama returns to her side as quickly as possible. Miyuki versus Kanon and Shizuku together and ends up trouncing them five times over. Tatsuya explains that the two lost because they weren't working as a team. Miyuki interjects, looking for praise like a puppy wanting to be petted and Tatsuya tells her that she doesn't need advice, but if she holds back deliberately, he'll scold her. Nakura walks in and talk about Zhou Gongjin, who is supposedly a refugee from the Great Asian Alliance. He has received a commission from the Kudou Clan. Apparently Zhou wants to interfere with the Parasite Doll test at the 9SC by using Outer Systematic Magic to cause them to run amok and cause them to injure the students. Kouichi is not interested in getting involved since his daughters aren't the targets, to which Nakura is disgusted by. He isn't concerned about the Kudou, since even if Makoto is trapped, Retsu will escape. Tatsuya visits FLT to test the new thought controlled CAD. This test finishes before scheduled, allowing him to return home quickly. He is greeted by a sulky Miyuki who he offers to take shopping. Minami decides to remain at home to avoid the sickeningly sweet atmosphere between the two. The two enter a clothes shop and are hurried next door by the clerk as the shop is full. Next door, Tatsuya walks into Kasumi and Izumi and sees Mayumi wearing swimwear. She screams in panic. Later they have tea together and Kasumi accuses the two siblings of dating. She scolds them, saying that it is unproductive for two siblings to date as it is the responsibility of excellent Magicians to produce heirs. Tatsuya points out that it is even more unproductive for her to date her sisters. |
Chapter 4
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| To Be Added |
Chapter 5
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| At the venue for the 9 Schools Competition, Kasumi is glaring at the technicians' bus containing Pixie. She is wondering why "that guy" (Tatsuya) felt the need to have a pretty little girl robot serving him when he could have easily chosen a 3H with the face of an older woman. Izumi is telling her off (since if Miyuki overhears, she will be upset) and wonders why Kasumi hates him so much. Shizuku interrupts them.
In the ballroom, Tatsuya is surrounded by Eimi, Shizuku, Miyuki, Subaru and Honoka (all of the second year female players) plus Minami. He wonders why Miyuki looks so happy, to which he is told that she is happy once again that he gets to wear his own uniform to the event, to which the others concur. As he starts to feel uncomfortable being the only guy surrounded by a group of attractive girls (that from the outside might look like a harem), he sees Ichijou Masaki who is also surrounded by girls, and moves to talk with him. Kichijouji, Masaki, Tatsuya and Miyuki greet each other and discuss the changes to the 9SC this year. Tatsuya is impressed by their investigative skills and asks if the information is from the Ichijou Clan. He ends up goading Masaki into using his family's skills to investigate the reasons for the changes to the 9SC this year. Shizuku sees her cousin, Naruse Harumi, who asks to introduce her kouhai to Tatsuya. Miyuki excuses her brother from his conversation and he greets Ayako and Fumiya as if they are complete strangers. The twins use the cover of wanting his guidance later on in technical skills, which they are lacking in, so as to set up the excuse for further encounters. Afterwards, Mikihiko passes Tatsuya a glass of water and asks about the first years he'd just met. Tatsuya scolds him for eavesdropping, to Mikihiko's embarrassment. He tells Tatsuya that he heard a rumor that the Kuroba are a particularly strong side branch of the Yotsuba Clan, and tells him to be careful. Tatsuya asks if he should stay away from them, but Mikihiko points out that since he attracts trouble like a magnet, that would be rather redundant. As Tatsuya is about to return with a sarcastic retort, the VIP addresses begin. Kudou Retsu does not appear, to the questioning of several students and guests, but Shizuku hears that he is apparently ill. |
Chapter 6
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| The nine schools competition begins. For Rower Gun, the girls got 1st place while the boys got 3rd place. Seventh High was unexpectedly good. At night, Tatsuya and friends had an impromptu tea party. Erika could not come, while Leo came late because he was stopped by Ernst Rozen. After the tea party, Tatsuya asks Pixie to sense her brethren, but she is unable to. There are only two options, one, they made is so that Pixie could not trace them or they have not been sent to the venue. |
Chapter 7
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| To Be Added |
Chapter 8
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| To Be Added |
Gallery
