Magic Calculation Area

Spoiler Alert: This page contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.

The Magic Calculation Area (魔法演算領域, Mahō Enzan Ryōiki), also known as Magic Processor, is the mental area of Magicians, but it isn't an organ in the cerebrum.

Working

Magic Calculation Area.

While a Magic Sequence is processed in the subconscious, it still operates with intent, because unintentionally creating a Magic Sequence and subsequently activating it is impossible.

After expansion, the expanded Activation Sequence is read by the magic processing area in the subconscious and variables such as coordinates, output, and duration are inputted, the result is inserted alongside the activation sequence and gives rise to the completed magic ritual.

This complete magic ritual is taken from the operations area of the subconscious and transferred to the lowest level of the conscious, the 'root', from the area between the conscious and the subconscious, the 'gate', whereupon it can be projected upon the outside world, as the magic ritual projects and targets 'information events' — in the study of modern magic, these are named Eidos from Greek philosophy, and refers to the event where the information of the target is temporarily overwritten.

In terms of function, the Magic Calculation Area's transforms the imagined reality into data and produces a Magic Sequence for the desired spell. Generally speaking, target coordinates, strength and ending requirements are all set as variables to be executed by the Magic Calculation Area; all other essentials are incorporated into the Activation Sequence, which is then sent to the Magic Calculation Area and translated into a Magic Sequence. In short, the target and power of the spell are determined by the Magician's mind whereas the nature of the spell is determined by the Activation Sequence.

Not much is understood about the Magic Calculation Area and despite many studies for no specific anatomic location dedicated purely for producing magic has been found. Furthermore, an individual has no way to determining the limits or the state of the Magic Calculation Area; in other words, a magician will not be able to tell if he or she is over-stressing the Magic Calculation Area by overusing magic.

Still, there is enough information to know that each person's Magic Calculation Area is different, and this magic processor determines both the level of magic power and the magic specialty of the Magician.

Childhood Training Restrictions

In Japan, its an established theory that it is better not to put too much burden on the Magic Calculation Area for children which is refer to as "period when you shouldn't use magic." For boys its from 9 to 13 years old on average while for girls its from 8 to 14 years old where magic training during this period requires especially attentive care which includes families from the Ten Magician Research and Development Institutes. Otherwise, intense magic battles during this period puts a heavy burden on the Magic Calculation Area and body even under normal circumstances which may lead to unknown negative effects in the future. While this restriction is a common practice in Japan, the USNA has not adopted this standard as the basis is weak.

Overheating

A phenomenon in which the function of the Magic Calculation Area is impaired due to excessive use of magic, thus resulting in it overheating. The overheating of the magic calculation area due to magic overuse will damage the spirit. It’s a "disease" specific to magicians but a cure hasn’t been established yet.

The Magic Calculation Area still remains a "black box", the area of which has not been clarified, and outside the families of Yotsuba and Juumonji, the "overheating of the magic calculation zone" is still at the stage when there is still discussion whether it exists at all.

In a normal Magic Calculation Area there is a safety valve that prevents a magician from exceeding it's limits. However, sometimes the Magic Calculation Area can instantly exceed the limit depending on the situation. Depending on the damage to the safety valve, it can recover if the limit isn't exceeded for a long time.

“	Overheating in the magic calculation area jolts and destroys the information body attached to the body. Corruption of the information body is then transmitted back to the entity. Normally, the activity within the magic calculation area is kept within a range that does not destroy itself, but this safety trigger does not work well for those with a modified body.	”
—Reference - Shiba Tatsuya, Volume 25, Chapter 6

Yotsuba and Juumonji are doing a lot of research in this area.

This phenomena especially affects magicians that have been genetically adjusted. Sakurai Minami is in a condition where she is awake for short periods of time. The overheating of the Magic Calculation Area consumes more mental power than physical, so it's difficult for her to stay awake. There were doctors on the base but no current medical technology can treat Minami's condition. If Minami continues to use magic it will eventually lead to death.

Born-Specialized Magicians

• Born-Specialized Magicians (BS 魔法師, BS Mahō-shi)

There is a subgroup of magicians whose Magic Calculation Areas are dominated by one type of magic. They are known as Born-Specialized Magicians, or "BS Magicians". Unlike normal Magicians who can freely use all types of magic, BS Magicians can only use few types (sometimes as low as only one type) of magic. In exchange, they are capable of easily performing high level spells considered almost impossible for normal Magicians within those subsets of magic. Tatsuya is an example of a BS Magician who wields two types of magic: Decomposition and Regrowth.

Artificial Magic Calculation Area

Artifical Magician Experiment

• Artificial Magic Calculation Area (仮想魔法演算領域, Kasō Mahō Enzan Ryōiki)

The Yotsuba Family were involved in a series of experiences called the Artificial Magician Experiment. Yotsuba Miya, with the help of her Mental Design Interference, inserted an Artificial Magic Calculation Area into the brains of several test subjects, including her own son Tatsuya. The artificial processor in Tatsuya was highly inferior to the natural magic processor in all Magicians. The artificial magic processor was much slower and had much less interference strength than natural processors. Furthermore, as a side effect, Tatsuya ended up losing most of his strongest emotions and desires as a result of the procedure. It is also implied that Miya herself lost some of her emotions as well.

Flash Cast

• Flash Cast (フラッシュ・キャスト, Furasshu Kyasuto)

Still, the procedure allowed Tatsuya, who was completely unable to use any other forms of magic aside from Decomposition and Regrowth, to use other forms of magic. Also, an unexpected positive benefit is that due to Tatsuya's Virtual Magic Calculation Area being located in his conscious mind, Tatsuya is able to see, understand, and memorize any Activation Sequence or Magic Sequence he sees. This has allowed him to take Flash Cast, a Yotsuba secret technique that allows Magicians to recall Activation Sequences from memory (allowing for casting speeds even faster than with a CAD) for basic spells (5 or fewer processes), to a new level. Tatsuya can not only use cast basic spells at a fast speed without a CAD like other members of his family, he can bypass recalling Activation Sequences and even constructing Magic Sequences entirely by storing images of Magic Sequences in his memory. Therefore, Tatsuya's Flash Cast is instantaneous. Considering that most combat spells fall within 5 or fewer processes, Tatsuya excels in combat.