-3rd POV-
"You're using your signature spell?!" Epel exclaimed.
"It's quite a weak one, actually. I can't hurt anyone or control anything with it. Nevertheless, it is an essential spell for a huntsman such as myself." Rook said.
(Y/n) tilted her head, "What does it do?" She questioned.
"It enables me to locate anyone upon whom I cast it. Even if they go over the Seven Jeweled Hills, or beyond the Seventh Fall...even to the very edge of the world."
"Daaang...That's a mighty scary piece o' magic." The lilac haired male said.
"When those Charon goons took Vil, I swiftly cast my spell on one of them."
"Golly, I didn't even notice!"
"Heh. I suppose it's time for the grand unveiling. Come, see if you can flee from me. Arrow Afar!" The blond said, using his spell, "Hm...As I feared."
"What's wrong?" Shoto said.
"For all my boasting, my spell is by no means omnipotent. If there's some magic-blocking vehicle or structure between myself and the target, my guideline is sharply cut off. It appeared they transported our friends in a technomantic stealth aircraft that can block magic."
"What? Does that mean even your signature spell can't track them?" Epel said.
"Not quite. Not even a technomantic plane can completely block out magic. They must drop stealth for the briefest of moments when using magic or radar. And in those precious seconds, I can envision the mark I've put on my prey. Every halting step is laid out before me, like the lovely footprints left by a dainty princess wandering the woods. For I am a huntsman. Once I set my sights on a quarry, I never let it escape." He then used his spell once more.
"I see it! They left the Land of Dawning where Sage's Island lies, and ventured northward over the Coral Sea. My tracking shows they crossed the Sunshine Lands and Kingdom of Heroes, then it stops well out over the water."
"So that's where the Island of Woe is?" The girl said.
"However, it's quite a ways from here to the Island of Woe. We won't be able to reach it on brooms alone."
"Then how were you planning to get there?" The lilac haired male tilted his head.
"One of my ancestors was an avid traveler. They had villas all over the world. And those villas contain teleporters that link to each other. We'll be using those. Luckily, there's a villa in the Land of Dawning, the Sunshine Lands, and the Kingdom of Heroes. We should be able to cover a substantial distance in one night using the teleporters." The hunter said.
"Wait, what?! Your family has villas all over the world?! With magic teleporters that go between countries?! Don't you need some kind of special government permission for that? Just what does your family do, Rook-san?"
"...Wouldn't you like to know?" He smirked, before chuckling, "I am especially grateful to my ancestors right now for their love of travel. There's a chance the teachers have noticed our absence and filed a report, so I'd prefer to avoid public transit. Oh, I can just imagine the disapproval on my forebears' faces if they knew what I was up to. "Don't use our legacy to upset your professors!" They'd say."
"But this is all in service of beaute and l'amour. I can only beg my ancestors' forgiveness...Anyway! Now that we have a plan of action, let us away before anyone notices we've absconded!"
Epel let out a small laugh, confusing the male.
"Hm! Is something amusing, Monsieur Pommette?"
"Oh, it's just...You're such an eccentric guy, and I can tell your family's super rich. But here you are, sneaking around like the rest of us when we do something bad, trying to hide it from the teachers."
Rook smiled, "Is there any student on campus who doesn't fear the faculty raining lightning upon them? I am but one of my troublemakers attending Night Raven College." He then remembered something, "Oh yes—I recommend you three put on something warm before we set out. Your dorm uniform would serve you well on a long broom flight. Apropos of that, here's a fun little tidbit. They've woven with magical threads that retain heat and provide insulation from the cold."
The blond took out his pen, "In fact, allow me to lend you both a uniform from our dorm as well, (Y/n), Shoto." He pointed his pen at them, and suddenly the three were wearing Pomefiore's dorm uniform, "Here we go!"
"Woah!" The lilac haired male said.
(Y/n) blinked, "My posture is better wearing this..." She said.
Shoto nodded, "But you're right, it's warm."
"We're visiting our queen Vil, after all. We must be dressed for the occasion. Epel, (Y/n), I will no slow to match your pace. Will you both be able to keep up whilst in the air?" Rook smirked.
Epel grinned, "Don't you imply my flyin's slow. I'm the best freshman flier in the whole Spelldrive Club. Leona-san said so himself! I ain't gonna fall behind!"
The girl nodded, "I'm the fastest one in class." She said.
"Marveilleux! Just what I like to hear from a Pomefiore student and a great Hero." The hunter said, smiling, "Now, to the Island of Woe! Allons-y!"
-----
Footsteps came towards the conference room.
"Excuse me, Idia. What was that? I'm a world-class model, you know. I'm very particular about what comes into contact with my skin. You expect me to accept a spray down from a glorified garden hose?! And you didn't even provide moisturizer! Moisturizing after cleansing your face is the most crucial step in maintaining a beautiful complexion." Vil said, an angered look on his face.
More footsteps walked in.
Jamil sighed, "Now I know what it's like to be a car going through a car wash." He said.
"And what it's like to be a set of sheets in a dryer." Riddle said, crossing his arms with a slight deadpan.
Then another two sets of footsteps walked in.
"It was bad enough that thing went in my mouth, but it even washed inside my ears. I'm still squicked out from that." Leona grumbled.
"I normally prize efficiency above all else...But I've officially decided that no matter how busy I get, I will never start using an automated bathing machine." Azul said.
Ortho's eyes widen, "Really? All the staff love it. They say it makes showers take no time at all!"
"Tch. That's not even the worst of it. It's this stinkin' collar." The lion male said, tugging at the collar around his neck.
"These chokers appear to have the same effect as my signature spell, Off With Your Head. I've been trying to muster up some magic for a little while now, but I've come up empty." The red haired male said.
"Sorry about that. We have to make people wear those to ensure accurate data collection." The boy said.
"Wait, Riddle, you've been trying to use magic? Can't take my eyes off you for a second..." Idia said, before clearing his throat, "Anyway, now that we've decontaminated you of any microorganisms you might've brought in...I'd like to show you a little welcome video for Styx."
"A welcome video?" Vil questioned.
"Please take a seat and turn your attention to the screen."
They all sat around the table as the lights in the room dimmed, and they all turned to the sceen.
"Audio and video recording of footage shown within this facility is prohibited by law. If you begin to feel ill during the video, please notify staff at once."
Then soon the video began.
"Magic—a supernatural energy once thought to be the stuff of miracles. Imagination. Never-ending possibility. But sometimes, great power brings great disaster."
"Magic enriches our lives. And in order to safeguard what we have...The Styx Institute of Magic Science works tirelessly to collect and parse magical data from all over the world."
"Safe use of technomantic technology, Magical power analysis, Preservation of ruins and magestones, Blot emission reduction, Post-overblot treatment, Magical disaster prediction systems, Maintaining a Phantom database."
"We do all this and more to support the people of the world from behind the scenes, as a non-profit organization. Ensuring your magical lives are safe to explore—We are the Styx Institute of Magic Science."
The screen went black and the lights came back on.
"And that's the movie. Thanks for watching." Idia said.
The Pomefiore male deadpanned, "That was a rather...cheaply-made promo video." He said.
"Well, if you want the tl;dr version...Magic is a fancy miracle power with lots of unknowns, and Styx makes sure people use it safely. They've been researching blot since the olden days, like when people wrote on clay tablets and stuff."
"If you wish to learn more about Styx...We gave a two-and-a-half-hour documentary!" Ortho smiled, "Would you like me to play it?"
"I'm good, thanks." Jamil shook his head, "So, Styx has been researching blot since ancient times. And we're all overblotters."
"Yeah, I'm startin' to get the picture here. So. What horrific experiments does the acting director have in store for us?" Leona said, glaring at the flame haired male.
Idia let out a laugh, "I'm glad you asked! To start with...I'm gonna strap you all to chairs so you can't move, then experiment you with a bunch of probes." He grinned, "That way I can score some sweet data on the correlation between stress and blot accumulation!"
"Wha...Do you really think you can get away with such outrageous behavior?!" Riddle exclaimed.
His expression turned neutral, "Uh, no? I was doing a bit. Sheesh. It's like you've never heard of a joke before."
His eyes widen and dilated in anger, "Rgh...Yeargh...!"
"In all fairness, it wasn't remotely funny." Azul said.
Vil nodded, "Agreed. You've take our clothes and magic away. We're completely at your mercy."
Ortho looked at his older brother, brows furrowed, "Nii-san, come on! They're already upset we hauled them out here against their wills. Scaring them will only make it worse!"
He smiled slightly, "Well, now. I see you possess the compassion your brother sorely lacks."
"Besides, subjecting them to excessive levels of stress won't yield accurate data."
"Never mind, I take it back. You're exactly like your brother." He sighed.
"Anyway, we brought you all here because we'd like you to help us collect data. You're all highly-valuable specimens since you overblotted but weren't consumed by Phantoms."
"What are Phantoms?"
"When you overblot, all the blot you can't hold spills out and takes on a giant form. You guys saw the faceless monsters that appeared behind you, right?" Idia said.
The rest stayed quiet as they tried to recollected the memory.
"We call them Phantoms. You weren't exactly yourselves, so I don't know how much you registered...But when you overblotted, you were able to use magic way beyond your normal reserves. Do you know why?" He let a grin take over his features, "It was because of those monsters. Phantoms feed on blot that's filled with the practitioner's darkest emotions. It's their energy source."
His words shocked the rest.
"Blot is toxic matter that's generated when you use magic. Normally it's nothing about a debuff. But when you're in overblot mode, that debuff turns into a buff. That's why overblotted mages instinctively blow through their reserves and keep generating blot. The Phantoms suck it all up and get a bigger and bigger pow bonus. And once the mage exhausts the last of their reserves...their job as an incubator is finished."
"An...incubator?" The red haired male said.
He nodded, "Yup. It's like you're an energy drink. Once they've drunk the last drop, the empty can gets chucked in the trash. The caster is gone, leaving only a monster that's driven by hunger and negative emotions. They wander the land, refusing to let go and spewing hexes all over the place. Hence the name Phantom."
"At that point, either the Arcane Response Unit steps in and slays them...Or they're captured and brought here for research. Though I've heard of ultra-rare cases where they manage to blend in with direbeasts and other wildlife and hide in the mountains."
"I mean, I knew that is someone overblotted and spent all their magical reserves they would die..." The Scarabia male trailed off.
"But the monster living on after that? It's a bit hard to believe." The silver haired male said.
"Well, there aren't too many cases that escalate to the point of creating Phantoms. The thing about overblotting is...You have to be a capable mage with pretty big magic pool for it to happen at all. So it's about as rare as rolling four SSRs on a single 10-pull in a gacha game with stingy draw rates. I mean, most competent mages tend to be careful and show a bit of self-control." Idia said.
"Yet there was a whole slew of overblots in the past few months, and all at the same school." He grinned, "It's like, why does our school keep churning out so many SSR Epic Troublemaker cards, amirite?" He chuckled.
"...You have a gift for rubbing people the wrong way." Leona said, glaring.
"Okay, so we were brought in for research. Were you the one who issued that order, Idia-san?" Azul said.
The said male averted his eyes, "Uhh..."
"Styx personnel are prohibited from disclosing such information to outside parties. Let's just say that in addition to the agents Styx deploys worldwide...we have a global network of informants." Ortho said, saving his brother, as the lion male sat quiet, "As we've just established...The Styx Institute of Magic Science has conducted much research on blot over the years. One of our primary focuses in studying ways to safely and effectively utilize blot."
"Did you say you're trying to use blot?!" Vil said, shocked.
"It's not that surprising. Sustainability's a hot topic right now. Social, environment, economic...Magic's no different. People call blot a "waste product," but...We consider it a valuable energy resource. And we gotta recycle where we can, right?" Idia said.
"An energy resource, huh." Jamil said.
"And to carry out this valuable research, Styx thinks they're justified in kidnapping potentially useful specimens. Real noble operation you guys got here." The lion male said.
"I'm sorry they seized you without explaining anything. But I assume none of you want to overblot again, right? And I'm positive none of you want a Phantom using you like a seed potato. So it's extremely important you learn more about the properties of your own magic and blot. Styx HQ has the most advanced research labs in the world. No one else's reading are as accurate and detailed as ours. And undergoing thorough examinations will greatly benefit you in the long run." Ortho said.
"My, what an enticing sales pitch." The Pomefiore male said, before frowning, "Let me guess: if we don't participate in your data collection, you won't let us go back to school?"
"I'm glad you catch on quickly, Vil Schoenheit-san."
"Yeah, so, let's get the paperwork outta the way. Take a look at the tablets at your seats." Idia cut in, as everyone did as so.
"What's all this?" The Octavinelle male said.
"It's an NDA—a non-disclosure agreement. Just sign it once you read everything, 'kay? We'll email you a link you can download a copy if you fill out your email address."
"Excuse me? You drag us here against our wills and now you expect us to sign an NDA?" Vil pointed at the guard, "There's an armed guard in here. We're clearly signing under duress."
"Ugh, I bet you're the type that never reads the manual then yells at tech support about how it's not working. Could you save the aggro for after you've ready it?" He said, frowning a bit, "This contract's meant to protect you too, you know. Like I said before—you don't hurt us, we don't hurt you. If you agree to cooperate, you'll receive all the latest blot treatments."
"The examinations take about 24 hours. That's it. All you have to do is give us 24 hours of your time. Then we wrap everything up nice and neat, and everyone goes home happy. I didn't ask for this job, you know. I could be grinding out an event with my favorite character right now. You wanna get outta here fast? Read it. Sign it. Bam, done."
Everyone was quiet, glaring.
"Rrrgh...Radish sprout's actin' all high and mighty now that he thinks we're defenseless. If it wasn't for this stupid, I'd turn all his hair to sand." Leona said.
"Why, Leona. For once we agree on something." Vil said, smiling at the male.
-----
One hour later...
"Dude..." Idia tapped the table with his pointer finger as the other was holding up his head, "Who actually reads every word from top to bottom and asks nitpicky questions about each point?"
"Well, you have to make sure you understand and agree with the terms before signing something. That's common sense." Vil said.
Azul nodded, "Agreed. If I got caught in some contract because of the fine print, I'd never live it down."
"Vil-senpai and Azul are absolutely right. What if the terms contained something illegal?" Riddle said.
"You guys are seriously stubborn...Guess that's why you're the SSR Epic Troublemakers." The flame haired male averted his eyes.
Though, soon they all signed.
"Whew...Okay, now that you've all signed, let's get these examination going." He sighed in relief.
"The battle simulator and observation console are all set up." Ortho smiled.
"Kk. Split the subject into two teams." He looked at the rest, "We'll do the first test with Subjects A, C, and E. Then the next with Subjects B and D." He looked at his little brother, "Ortho, show A, C, and E to the sim room."
"Roger! Riddle Rosehearts-san. Azul Ashengrotto-san. Vil Schoenheit. Come on and follow me!" The small boy said, as the rest followed.
"The rest of you can chill in this room. I'm gonna step out. Use the intercom by the door to call the staff if you need anything." Idia said, pointing at the intercom, as he headed towards the door.
"Hey, Acting Director. Shouldn't you at least leave us with a snack menu we can order from? We might get hungry." Leona said.
"Ugh, there goes Leona Kingscholar, just doin' his thing! Sorry, that's not an option." He smiled, "Sheesh...Doesn't he know you can't just eat whatever during an exam? Some people..." He mumbled to himself as he walked out while muttering.
The male sat quietly.
"Yare yare...Well, this is a fine mess we're in." Jamil said.
"Yeah, no kidding."
-----
"Acting Director, what will Subject F's examination be? The medical team reports he is still asleep." A Charon said.
"Subject F..." Idia recalled who it was, "Right, Grim. I'm afraid the kitty's got too many variables...His command of magic is pretty mediocre. Nothing compared to the other guys. I doubt there's much point running him through the sims. You can just let him sleep for now. Just lemme know if he wakes up."
"Roger."
-----
"Ortho has brought Subjects A, C, and E to the simulation room." A technician said.
"Instruments calibrated. Ready to collect data. Commencing recording at 2100." Another technician said.
"Testing, one, two...This is control room." Idia said, speaking into the mic, "Do you read me?"
A hologram of Ortho appeared in front of him.
"This is the simulation room. We read you loud and clear." The boy said, "All subjects have been equipped with testing gear."
"Excuse me, could the rest of us get a word in?" Vil's voice could be hear, "First you bring us to this absurdly large room...Then you stick giant headsets on us. I can't see a thing in this."
"What are you going to do with us?" Riddle said, his tone slightly off.
"Surely you're not going to make us fight each other." Azul said.
"Not at all! You're wearing technomantic VR headsets. You'll be fighting enemies in virtual space." Ortho said.
"Virtual space?" The red haired questioned.
"It's a lot faster to just do it than trying to explain it. Start it up, Ortho." The flame haired male said.
"Wait just a minute, Idia-san. Weren't you the one who said people should read manuals in their entirety?" The silver haired male said.
"Roger! Virtual enemy mode, standby. Commencing dive!" Ortho said.