Steeplechase III is the seventh episode of the third season of the Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei anime.
Summary[]
The experiment that the Kudou family is conducting in secret was the development of Parasite Dolls, which allowed a female combat robot to be possessed by a Paranormal Parasite. Security at the Steeplechase Cross Country venue, where the Parasite Dolls will be tested, is extremely tight and even Tatsuya is unable to break into it. Thus, Tatsuya orders Pixie to monitor the parasite activities while performing his duties as a Magic Engineer, where he adjusts the CAD and oversees the participant's performance as their Tactical Advisor. However, due to continuous hard work and stress, Tatsuya feels more tired than ever before.[2]
Plot[]
Night of August 4, 2096. At the Steeplechase Course in the Nine Schools Competition grounds, Tatsuya uses his Elemental Sight to find an area to sneak in but it is heavily guarded. Tatsuya then spots Kuroba Ayako and Kuroba Fumiya who are also trying to infiltrate the area like him and approaches then calls out their names, surprising the twins. After discussing their course of actions, Kokonoe Yakumo suddenly shows up and agrees to Tatsuya's suggestion to withdraw for tonight. After Tatsuya introduces his master to the twins, Yakumo informs them of his findings that the Parasite Dolls are not yet in the area that surprises Ayako on how the Ninjutsu manage to get pass the security and even trying to guess where the dolls will be placed makes no difference for now.
August 5, 2096 - Day 1 of the Competition. After confirming his schedule has no conflict, Tatsuya heads to the Rower and Gunner Course and begins tuning Akechi Eimi's CAD. The event begins where Akechi is in charge of shooting and successfully hits all targets while her partner, Kunisaki Kumiko is in charge with steering the boat and completes the course upon reaching the finish line.
That night, Tatsuya continues tuning CADs with his assistant Kent Smith until 11:30 pm where the latter retires for the night. After Kent leaves, Tatsuya asks Pixie if he can sense any parasite activities but is also unable to detect any of them.
At the hotel, Tatsuya is already asleep but Miyuki wakes up to check on Tatsuya who is cold upon feeling his forehead. After deciding on what to do, Miyuki sleeps beside Tatsuya who later wakes up and bids his sister good night and leaves.
August 6, 2096 - Day 2 of the Competition. Ichijou Masaki approaches Tatsuya and reports his findings where the anti-Great Asian Union hardliners in the National Defense Force are involved and their leader is Colonel Sakai that surprises Tatsuya of even knowing that name. Ichijou further elaborates that Sakai is an old acquaintance of his father during the Invasion of Sado four years ago. As Ichijou explains the details, Tatsuya is relieved that the Ichijou Clan is not involved but is considering using his Material Burst should the situation further escalates but is still figuring out who will become the scapegoat.
August 7, 2096 - Day 3 of the Competition. Tatsuya continues his duties to support the First High School participants while Miyuki looks on visibly worried.
At the Shield Down Pairs competition, Tomitsuka Hagane uses Self-Acceleration and Blast to knock off his Third High School opponent off the ring and Kirihara Takeaki follows up with a charge using the magic he uses for his Sonic Blade on his shield on the remaining opponent the latter's shield to shatter winning the event.
At the Ice Pillar Break Pairs, Chiyoda Kanon and Kitayama Shizuku uses Oscillation Magic and Phonon Maser respectively to destroy the remaining Ice Pillars and winning the match.
That night, Tatsuya's team who won their events are celebrating outside with Shizuku's recent win extends Tatsuya's winning streak to this year for "Invincible Team" due to their landslide victories until Pixie telepathically notifies Tatsuya that 16 of the Parasite Doll activities has been detected. Tatsuya then leaves, reasoning that the machines needs work.
Inside the bus, Pixie points the location of the Parasite Dolls and believes they are now in hibernation and decides to take action but Miyuki is waiting for him outside while the rest has already retired for the night. Miyuki tries to stop Tatsuya from leaving while preparing to activate a Magic Sequence. Tatsuya tries to reason with Miyuki but she is not having it and tells him that all he needs to do is to protect her and the dolls can be destroyed on the day of the experiment as what she has done previously. Miyuki further insists that should Tatsuya takes on the dolls anyway, she will forcefully restrain Tatsuya through Pledge. Tatsuya realizes Miyuki's intent of trying to seal his Elemental Sight and tries convince Miyuki to stop since this will also cause Miyuki to be unable to use her Magic but Miyuki refuses in tears after seeing how Tatsuya has been pushing himself in the Nine School Competition and also trying to stop the dolls for the past days that is wearing him out. Seeing Miyuki in tears, Tatsuya finally admits he is wrong and agrees that protecting Miyuki is all that matters.
August 8, 2096 - Day 4 of the Competition. Sawaki Midori complements the change on Tatsuya and how he is more focused on his duties.
August 9, 2096 - Day 5 of the Competition. Saegusa Kasumi and her partner takes first place in the Row and Gunner Newcomer's Division.
August 10, 2096 - Day 6 of the Competition. Saegusa Izumi and her partner wins the Newcomer's Division Ice Pillar Break Pairs and dedicating her victory to Miyuki.
August 11, 2096 - Day 7 of the Competition. At the Newcomer's Division Mirage Bat, Ayako of Fourth High School wins by an overwhelming margin using a Downgraded Sequence of Mock Teleportation and winks at Tatsuya in her victory.
August 12, 2096 - Day 8 of the Competition. At the Newcomer's Division Monolith Code, Shippou Takuma is struggling but uses Stone Shower aimed at Fumiya who easily dodges them all and positions above Takuma to fire what looks like Phantom Blow but is actually his specialty magic Direct Pain that causes Takuma to collapse and giving Fourth High School the win.
August 13, 2096 - Day 9 of the Competition. At the Official Division Mirage Bat, Mitsui Honoka wins the competition, preserving Tatsuya's "Invincible Team" winning streak.
That night near Mount Fuji, Tatsuya and Pixie are still searching for the dolls but Yakumo accompanied by Fujibayashi Kyouko comes to see them causing Tatsuya to deduce that the anonymous emails are from Kyouko.
At a van provided by Kyouko, she confirms Kudou Retsu involvement in the matter of Colonel Sakai and the changes in the Nine Schools and the involvement of Zhou Gongjin that Tatsuya refers to as X and his objectives of letting the dolls go berserk and cause injuries to the Steeplechase particpants and threaten their future as magicians. This also confirms why Kyouko is here and asks Tatsuya to stop the dolls from going berserk then provides Tatsuya another variant of Covert MOVAL Suit not affiliated with the military. Tatsuya accepts the requests despite making it look like he is an illegal saboteur of the military.
After Tatsuya and Pixie leaves, Yakumo and Kyouko are walking together where Yakumo details his visit to the temple in Nara after parting ways with Tatsuya's group last month. After detailing the information he acquired about the Loyalty Programming, Yakumo further questions Kyouko with an unnamed Manipulation Spell where Kyouko confirms his findings and how it will trigger should the dolls go berserk.
Yakumo then questions his former student Kazama Harunobu who is behind them if he knows anything about the dolls and the need to put Tatsuya in danger. Kazama confirms that he does not know as well and asks why Yakumo didn't tell Tatsuya to which Yakumo explains that there will be trouble since the parasites tend to possess a host that has strong and pure thoughts that makes the participants of the Steeplechase Event to be their ideal target. With the final day of the competition meeting the condition for the parasites, Yakumo concurs that giving Tatsuya the Moval Suit is the right call and this could also make the National Defense Force to give up the idea of using the dolls for the military so Yakumo will remain silent on the matter but asks one more question. Kazama gives the name of Zhou Gongjin who smuggled the Magicians from Great Asian Union to the Kudou to Yakumo and takes his leave. As Kazama and Kyouko also leaves, Tatsuya has been listening to them nearby and also departs.
Locations[]
- Tokyo
- Nine Schools Competition Grounds
Differences from the Light Novel[]
- The event where Kichijouji Shinkurou takes part in the Rower and Gunner has been cut
- The event where Saijou Leonhard arrives late and Chiba Erika is missing on the first day of the gathering of Tatsuya's friends has been cut
- The event detailing the development of Tomitsuka Hagane's Blast by Hirakawa Chiaki has been cut
- The event where Eimi is depressed due to Chiaki has been cut
- The event where Satomi Subaru declares she will end Tatsuya's winning streak has been cut
Trailer[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The scenes of Akechi and Kunisaki during the Rower and Gunner, Ayako's wink during Mirage Bat and Fumiya using Direct Pain on Takuma at the Monolith Code also appeared in the Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei 10th Anniversary Video
References[]
- ↑ Information from the ending credits of the episode.
- ↑ https://mahouka.jp/3rd/story/?id=07