Direct Pain

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Direct Pain
Systems
Outer-Systematic
Outer-Systematic
Mental Interference
Mental Interference
Target
Single Target, Multiple Targets
Known Users
Kuroba Fumiya
Related Spells
Poisoned Bees Phantom Blow

Direct Pain (ダイレクト・ペイン) is a Mental Interference Magic of the Outer-Systematic Magic unique to Kuroba Fumiya. With this ability, Fumiya can directly "imprint" pain into another person's mind.

Background

The Yotsuba Clan are descendants of Magicians from the 4th Research Institute who possess a strengthened Mind Manipulation Magic or a Magic Calculation Area that is warped by a strong power and giving them a unique magic and in some cases rare magic which also makes them an indispensable member of the Ten Master Clans despite they are fewer numbers compared to the other Master Clan members. As such, a Yotsuba magician could either possess magic for Mental Interference or a unique magic where Direct Pain is among these magic that is unique to Fumiya.

Details

"Yami" using Direct Pain during her mission

Direct Pain is a magic that targets the mind and soul. Rather than recognizing pain as signals sent from the body to the mind, the pain inflicted on the mind is translated into bodily sensations, harming bodily functions. The "Spirit" doesn't exist in this world, and even if one were to search for it, they wouldn’t know where to look. For this magic to function, a link between the spirit world and this world is necessary. Visual contact is essential for maintaining that link. While the magic can be cast without visual contact, doing so weakens its effect.

Physical defenses, such as blocking pain receptors or cutting off nociceptors, are ineffective against Direct Pain, making this magic especially effective against parasites. When Fumiya's magic struck Minoru, he shifted control from his brain and nervous system to his mind, effectively removing his sensitivity to pain. Yet, he still felt intense pain in his abdomen.

Secrecy

Fumiya using Direct Pain concealed in Phantom Blow

Direct Pain is Fumiya's unique magic, and knowledge of this ability is extremely limited, held only within the Yotsuba Clan. Aside from the clan, Kokonoe Yakumo appears to be the only person outside of the Yotsuba with any awareness of this specialized magic.

During the 2096 Nine Schools Competition, Fumiya cleverly disguises Direct Pain by pairing it with Phantom Blow.By using both spells in tandem, he lowers the intensity of Direct Pain, making its effects appear as though they stem from a powerful Phantom Blow. This overlap creates the illusion that the intense pain felt by the target results from a strong psionic impact rather than mental interference. Even experienced Magic Researchers observing the event are misled, perceiving only the outward force of Phantom Blow, leaving Fumiya’s true technique concealed.

Variants

Fumiya is limited to inducing only the types of pain he is familiar with, but he has complete mastery over a powerful range of them.

• Crushing: Fumiya uses this sensation against Minoru, creating the sensation as if his eye were being crushed. The crushing pain overwhelmed him, leading him to believe his eye was in immediate danger, despite no visible injury.
• Fracture: Fumiya creates an illusion of intense pain in Jack’s legs during the assassination attempt of Shiba Tatsuya, simulating the sensation of them breaking, causing Jack to lose the strength to stand.
• Jab: Fumiya employs a boxing-like approach to cast Direct Pain, visualizing the sensation of delivering a jab to the assassins after Shiba Tatsuya.
• Electric shock: Fumiya bestows the pain of an electric shock at a level that causes loss of consciousness and launches it at the escaping Yuki during the assassination attempt on Shiba Tatsuya.
• Piercing: Fumiya induces extremely sharp pain that pierces Takuma's stomach, creating the sensation of piercing pain directly in that area.
• Cut: Fumiya induces the sensation of Takuma's right arm being severed, causing him to feel as though it had been brutally cut. Despite his determination to remain composed, the overwhelming pain forced him to release his grip on the CAD bracelet worn on his left hand.
• Drill: Fumiya induces the sensation of a drill piercing Takuma's right thigh, overwhelming him with excruciating, sharp pain.
• Sharp: Fumiya projects a sharp, intense pain sensation directly into Kajiwara's mind. The overwhelming impact forces Kajiwara's consciousness to shut down, as if a switch had been flipped.
• Stabbing: Fumiya induces the sensation of stabbing pain in Kajiwara's legs, causing him to stumble and fall backward.
  

Counter

Direct Pain doesn’t affect parasite dolls, as they lack the biological components necessary for pain perception. Without these components, the magic has no framework upon which to act, leaving machines entirely unaffected by it.

Additionally, Direct Pain can be countered using a technique known as Engraved Curse. This technique automatically reflects any magic directed at the user, transferring the effect back to the attacker. The key to its activation lies in the combination of Psion waves and Pushion waves, triggered by emotions like danger and self-defense. Since the reflection process is automatic, it doesn’t require the user's conscious control, making it a highly effective defense against mental interference magic like Direct Pain.