Takasugi Harunari (高杉 春成) and his twin brother were vocal political activists. They despised the Magika Stigma and advocated they should he denied civil rights and freedoms. They participated in the Election Tournament as part of a scheme by their father to seize control of the National Knight Academy. The family fled when this plot failed. The twins appeared again in Volume 6 after making artificial contracts with Divas of the Japanese Mythology.
Appearance[]
The twins are identical. They are described as well-built young men with angular faces and crew cuts.
Personality[]
Raised by their father, who was loyal to Chine, they were fierce advocates for radical policies that would prove destructive for Japan's future. They were very vocal, claiming that Magika Stigma were inherently "untrustworthy". They insisted that they should he deprived of all human rights and freedoms. They also suggested when they weren't deployed they should be imprisoned and brainwash to prevent them from threatening the public. These views were extreme and constantly advocating for them didn't make them very popular. After they lost the election by a huge margin they couldn’t accept that their radical views had been rejected. They became irrationally angry and wound up participating in a dangerous ritual to seek power, which got them possessed by Wild Gods.
History[]
Background[]
When Illegal Magicians destroyed Tokyo the government was naturally thrown into chaos. This created gaps in their security and destroyed public records. China took advantage of that by smuggling a number of their agents into Japan to pretend to be survivors. Some of them such as Takasugi Takayoshi brought their families to make them seem less suspicious. These people over time worked their way into positions of power while maintaining their loyalty to China. The twin boys enrolled in the National Knight Academy Swordsmanship Division and are currently in their second year. Their vocal political views were a constant irritation for Hikita Kōhaku, who was fairly militant herself but could never go along with their beliefs.
Plot[]
Volume 4[]
It was arranged by the new Board Chairman of the National Knight Academy Takasugi Takayoshi that the election for Chief Student Council President would be preceded by a tournament. Each candidate would form a team made up of two people from the Magic Division and two people from the Swordsmanship Division. This contest was meant to display the fighting and leadership skills of all the candidates. All students would then get to vote based on their impressions of them. There were several with fine reputations at the Academy and they got together at the Witch's House to discuss it. But in the end only three decided to enter the race.
The new Headmaster Mr. Amasaki had nominated Hayashizaki Kazuki. His teammates were the Headmaster’s step-daughter Rank-A Amasaki Miō as well as Sword Division President Hikita Kōhaku and her best friend Tsukahara Kazuha, an incompetent swordsman who was also an Illegal Magician. The strongest candidate Magic Division President Otonashi Kaguya partnered with Rank-A Hiakari Koyuki. Also joining her was former Sword Division President Hayashizaki Kanae and her fellow former council member Torazō Yamada. The third candidate was Magic Division Vice-President Hoshikaze Hikaru, who teamed up with foreigner Rank-A Charlotte Lieben Frau and former Sword Division Vice-President Kamiizumi Iori. This left a space on her team vacant for another swordsman. Kimura Tomomi was delighted to accept her invitation.
They gathered for the meeting to officially join the tournament. The next group to appear was a pair of twin girls Ryūtaki Miyabi and Ryūtaki Shinobu. They were quite powerful but anti-social and only worked with each other. The twins were identical except Miyabi was an Elf. She thanked Kazuki for disposing of the former Headmaster, who apparently had been trying to capture her as a test subject. She made her romantic interest in Kazuki obvious. They had been recruited by twin boys from the Sword Division Takasugi Shūsui and Takasugi Harunari. They were radicals who advocated that Magika Stigma should be deprived of civil rights and locked away and brainwashed to prevent them from endangering the public. Another team was led by the delinquent Mibu Akira paired with her best friend Asamiya Anna. These girls were forced to attend the Academy against their will because they received an Enigma. The swordsmen in their group were Katsura Karin and her foster sister Hayashi Shizuka.
16 teams signed up when teacher Liz Liza Westwood called the meeting to order. She laid out the ground rules for the tournament. Magic users couldn’t bring in weapons. Swordsmen could only use standard magic and Sacred Treasures were banned. This was particularly restrictive for Kazuki’s team which otherwise would be a much more imposing group. A lottery was used to set the bracket for the tournament. The Headmaster became worried after seeing the list of candidates. All but 3 of the 16 people were unknown and potentially irresponsible people. He worried they were all on the payroll of the Board Chairman. If he could install a puppet he could seize full control of the school. By doing so he could not only use that to derail the key reforms they were pushing for but he could influence generations of Knights in the wrong direction, just as the former Headmaster had done. Such theories were impossible to prove, as was their suspicion that he was among a number of Chinese agents who had infiltrated the Academy.
Kazuki’s team fought in the first match. His tactics concentrated on covering for each other and relying on teamwork. This went exactly as planned and they won without much trouble. In the second match Kaguya’s team dominates the other side, employing the exact strategy Kazuki predicted. In the third match against Iwatami Reiko the twin brothers covered the twin sisters until Lunatic Labyrinth drew them all into a mental world where the other side lost quickly. In the fifth match Hikaru’s team used excellent teamwork and skill to defeat the opponents easily. In the sixth match, Mibu’s team stunned everyone when their swordsmen didn’t even participate. The spell casters were trained enough in Chinese Kenpo to counter the enemy swordsmen and were able to dodge incoming magic. It became a decisive victory for them.
The second round began with Kazuki’s match against Kaguya. In a direct confrontation they could never win, but he had seen through the weaknesses of their opponents. Again using teamwork and the tactics Kazuki devised they are able whittle down the other side and they finally gang up on Kaguya and win. The twin sisters won the second match exactly as they had before. Hikaru faced Mibu’s team next. The swordsmen on that team had hidden their true power before. While Hikaru and Lotte weren’t disadvantaged in magic, their opponents kept mysteriously getting back up every time they were beaten. It was clear they were cheating somehow but the Board Chairman refused to declare the match forfeit without proof. Hikaru received a savage beating from Hayashi who was able to pierce Defensive Magic and injure her gravely while laughing about it. Kazuki called for the match to end, while everyone else was slow to react. Realizing Hayashi intended to murder Hikaru, Mibu just barely managed to end the fight with her magic first.
The day of the semi-finals arrived. Confronting the twin brothers with dangerous ideals in the first match, Miyabi acknowledged Kazuki’s power, but said this would be a test of his heart instead. They were unable to prevent the casting of Lunatic Labyrinth and they were all drawn into a mental world. Kazuki’s group started off separated so they could be picked off. Miyabi chanted high-level magic and suddenly Kazuki’s companions turned on him. Kazuki dodged incoming magic and deflected the attacks of the brothers. He realized the magic used might amplify negative feelings. Kazuki expresses his true feeling to each of his companions in turn, snapping them out of it. Kazuki’s group then ran as the sisters flew above them on Marchosias dropping powerful magic down on them. The sisters didn’t care at all when the brothers were knocked out of the match by this attack. Miyabi cast a spell that suddenly conjured a mirror in front of him that made him pass out.
Lunatic Labyrinth ended and the sisters were dropping Burning Icicle on their opponents from the sky. Miō was trying to defend them but her magic wasn’t very effective. Kazuki woke up and cast Storm Fort to remove the threat. Miyabi was impressed by how quickly he had woken up. She told him the sword that appeared in his hand was his reward for conquering his trauma. The sisters cast their Union Magic but Kazuki cleaved the incoming attack in two with this sword. The audience cheered and Miyabi was stunned and impressed. She landed and immediately surrendered over her sister’s objections; they had no way to win any longer.
Her sister and the twin brothers question why she surrendered like that but she didn’t give any clear answers. But Kazuki had seen through her true motives. She admitted she was testing him and his worthiness as a leader. Miyabi suddenly kissed Kazuki on the cheek, shocking everybody, most of all her sister. Miyabi clearly confessed her love over her sister’s objections. It was revealed that her sister refused to recognize her as an Elf. Her mind wouldn’t accept reality and she wouldn’t spend time with anyone but Miyabi. But this fact also saved Miyabi from the loneliness other Elves experienced. She suggested that Kazuki should conquer them both. This had been another test of his worthiness he had passed. But the real battle was against the team he would face in the finals. As expected the most dangerous team won the second match.
Volume 5[]
Before the finals a series of exhibition matches were held. This allowed the eliminated teams to display their talents again. It wound up being Kaguya and Hikaru in a battle for third place. The only other people who had been impressive were the twin sisters. But ever since being freed from mind control Kaguya had gained the ability to resist mental attacks and was easily able to turn the tables. In the end only the leaders were left. Those two had fought many times and as always it ended with Hikaru’s loss.
Before the final match Kazuki spoke to his friends about the plot behind the scenes. How the new Board Chairman had arranged this tournament. He also seemed to be in cahoots with that delinquent team to seize control of the Academy by installing a puppet. He also told them of the assassination attempts on him and that the swordsmen on the opposing team were contracted with Divas from China. Over the past few weeks Hayashi had brainwashed a number of students. Some of the candidates only signed up due to this brainwashing. He also told them how China was pulling the strings behind this whole plot to weaken Japan. Kazuki also confirmed that it was Divine Protection by Hayashi’s Diva that allowed Mibu and company to continually regenerate magic. Apparently those with her blessing could regenerate 70 times. They couldn’t win unless they could beat Hayashi first or cut off that blessing. It was possible that Hayashi had brainwashed her entire team and if so Kazuha should be able to free them.
Liz Liza-sensei acted as referee. As was the plan Kazuki took grave risks to take on Hayashi and Karin alone. His team displayed excellent teamwork holding the magic users back. He was able to utilize numerous types of magic at once, shocking the audience and frightening Hayashi. She forced Karin to act as her meat shield, who suffered terrible pain as a result. Kazuki managed to attack Hayashi directly and forced them to use their Summoning Magic. Despite the danger the Board Chairman still refused to stop the match, having a logical argument prepared. Kazuha generated a weapon she was able to use to cut off the Divine Protection from the magic users. Though Kōhaku was forced to withdraw due to the damage she took while protecting her. But due to an attack by Mibu, who had never been brainwashed, her weapon was lost before Kazuki could use it to free Karin. Hayashi forced her sister to use a dangerous wide-area attack despite the risk to innocent people. Miō managed to rescue the enemy magicians and Kazuki did the same for Kazuha. In that desperate situation he had only one choice. He apologized to Kazuha before kissing her. Doing a full summoning of her Diva allowed him to disperse all the dangerous magic, free Karin from control and force Hayashi to escape while vowing revenge.
Kazuki had spent the week in isolation with the captured spy Karin. In the end his kindness won her over and she became his ally. He returned to class just in time for the formal vote. Those radical twin brothers had put on an elaborate election campaign in his absence. Kazuki had left his own campaign to his teammates Miō and Kōhaku. The students were called to a meeting where the results would be announced. The sixteen candidates were up on stage with the Headmaster and Board Chairman waiting for the official tally. Kazuki worried about funny business with the vote count. But in the end Kazuki was elected by a wide margin and gave a speech focusing on unity between the two divisions. A few days later the Board Chairman and his entire family had vanished without a trace. That night news reports stated there had been a massive coordinated strike on all Knight Order posts in western Japan by a mysterious force including mysterious Illegal Magicians. All of western Japan had now been conquered by this unknown army and was now under a complete communications blackout.
The former Board Chairman appeared on TV announcing that western Japan was declaring independence and calling itself Yamato. All the politicians with secret ties to China appeared to be involved in this plot and had made an alliance with Loki. They were claiming legitimacy under the banner of the Japanese Mythology rather than the 72 Pillars, which people weren’t necessarily opposed to. By doing so they could maintain the facade that Yamato wasn’t just a puppet state of China. It was learned that all the shrines in western Japan had been destroyed by people claiming they were working for the government, to show their devotion to the 72 Pillars. But the 72 Pillars didn’t demand such things and it was easy to guess the deception. The Yamato guys had fooled them with that simple trick, to drive them into a Wild God state. They used that to turn them against Japan and the 72 Pillars and get them to support a new state based on Japanese Mythology. If they could calm them out of their Wild God state and explain the truth Yamato would fall apart.
Volume 6[]
A number of young people were gathered who had talent for magic and were envious of those who were contracted with Divas. A ritual was performed based on the research of the former Headmaster in an attempt to contract them with Divas of Japanese Mythology. But those Divas were currently in an irrational Wild God state and were unable to form proper contracts. Those people wound up being possessed instead and many went insane as a result. Those that lost their minds were assigned to guard the Ise Grand Shrine, home of the Chief God of the Mythology. The twin brothers retained at least some rational thought and were able to reach Level 2 in Summoning Magic They acted as personal guards for Ikōsai Aisu, who was in charge of the shrine that had been transformed into a Haunted Ground by those cursed people who had become little better than Demonic Beasts.
The shine was infiltrated by two intruders they were familiar with Kazuki and Kazuha. Aisu trapped them in the Haunted Ground and sent her whole company of servants after them. But with a little hard work they were able to free the others from possession, though they were left in a state of Magic Intoxication. When they confronted the intruders their former classmates were stunned to see them. The brothers still weren’t a match for them and Kazuha took them both on alone while Kazuki faced Aisu. The brothers were rather irrational and still furious over having lost the election so badly. They couldn’t see their own faults or why so few people embraced their destructive political agenda. They attacked recklessly and Kazuha had to make an effort to protect the collapsed people nearby. But she was able to stop their attacks and even intervened in Kazuki’s battle without breaking a sweat. Aisu was later persuaded it was in her best interest to let them carry out their mission and postpone her battle with Kazuki. The three of them withdrew for the time being.
After meeting Kamimura Itsuki, Kazuki’s group had to escape the realm of the dead. They were ambushed by Aisu and the Takasugi brothers before they could escape. Aisu wanted to prove herself the strongest swordsman as well as become King. Itsuki volunteers to hold back the spirits chasing them while the other two fight. The brothers had degenerated into something less than human in their desire for power. They became a monster which blocked their path. As Kazuha prepared to take it on, even Aisu agreed with them that it was idiotic to go that far to get stronger.
Futsunushi no Kami said even if they removed the curse now the shock of the transition might kill them. But there was a chance they might be freed safely. Her Summoning Magic wasn’t really suited for this battle. Take Mikadzuchi, who had possessed one of the brothers, had returned to his senses. He was impressed that Kazuha wanted to save those two boys despite them being horrible people. He forged a contract with Kazuha as well and she gained enough power to dominate the fight. The twins were returned to normal and Kazuki’s group dragged them back to the real world before they were consumed by the darkness, saving their lives.
Powers and Abilities[]
Swordsmanship: According to Hayashizaki Kanae, the brothers weren't gifted at swordsmanship. It was said that if they hadn't recruited the aid of the Ryūtaki sisters they would never have been a factor in the tournament.
By Volume 6 the twins had been possessed by Japanese Divas in a Wild God state, one of whom was Take Mikadzuchi, who stated the twins were so much alike that even he wasn't sure which brother he had actually made the contract with. The twins were easily defeated and their possession ended.
10 Inherent Powers:[]
Level ?: Earth Lightning Blade: The caster's blade becomes charged with electricity.
The other brother was possessed by Take Minakata.
10 Inherent Powers:[]
Level ?: Thousand Pull Immobile Arm: The caster's arm transforms into that of a giant, allowing them to drop in onto the enemy with tremendous force.
Etymology[]
- Takasugi means "tall, high" (高) (taka) and "cedar" (杉) (sugi).
- Harunari means "spring" (春) (haru) and "become" (成) (nari).