Thanks to AQS for the scans.

Chapter 161

Several of the teachers who’d been “expelled” by Mana’s “forced time-leap bullets” discuss the situation and the fact that while they were generally sent 3-hours into the future, the exact time was different for different people. Students begin to appear, much to their great surprise. One of the teachers is concerned about Chao’s plan being enacted, but is told that Negi has solved everything. More members of Negi’s class arrive and greet each other. There is some concern that they slept and missed the end of the festival, but Makie assures them it isn’t quite over yet. Walking a short distance, they discover large numbers of people partying, including more members of their class.

A (high school?) guy who officially came in 7th place, Kaoru, decides he has to meet up with Yuuna (from Negi’s class) who came in 4th place. She calls her self “Yuuna-kid” but says he can just call her “Kid.” Kaoru tries to get her to change from basketball to martial arts, but she’s committed to basketball. Her prize for 4th place was 300 meal coupons, meaning her food costs are covered until she graduates middle school. Some of Kaoru’s male friends show up and tease him about Yuuna being in middle school and chatting her up (as it were).

Some of Yuuna’s classmates decided that “Kid-kun” needs to treat the entire class to an all-you-can-eat barbecue for their hard work at the festival, at a cost of 10 meal coupons a person. She runs away and is pursued while vowing to fight to keep her meal coupons. A large group of guys figure to get in on the fighting fun, but get interupted by a shower of large blades that pierce the ground. Two time bubbles appear and Mana and Kaede appear still locked in final combat. Kaede decides it was a draw, but Mana states that Kaede won since Mana failed her mission. Kaede decides they should have another match at some point to settle things.

Asuna, Setsuna, and Konoka arrive at the scene of the party with Takahata-sensei moving in to bring some calm to the situation. Asuna is concerned that she wasn’t able to help much since Chao knocked her out in one shot. Setsuna reminds her that she was also sent out in one shot and Konoka observes that it felt like they all worked to resolve this situation together.

Elsewhere, Nodoka emerges from a time-bubble in front of Yue. Yue assures her everything ended well, and when asked where Negi-sensei is, Yue points to a spot in the distance where Negi is on top of a structure. Over there, Chao states that everything is over and when asked, she confirms her plan to leave. Negi asks about the spell patterns that were on her body, and is able to confirm that Chao didn’t do them by herself. He wants to know why she would do something that would consume her body and soul. Since she’s from the future, she won’t discuss it, further stating that you can’t know someone just by knowing their past. She pulls out another Cassiopeia and Negi uses an instant move to prevent her from activating it and returning to the future. Chao’s friends arrive along with Chachamaru and Negi asks her to become a Magister Magi with him.

Thoughts

We are still in the aftermath of the School Festival Arc, so there isn’t a lot to say here. I did love how Mana and Kaede emerged on the scene and agreed to have another friendly contest of strength at some point. With all the magic and the time-bubbles, Akamatsu-sensei tries to buy some disbelief by having the folks and characters question but then play off the things they’ve seen. He’s been doing this all along and its one of those, “yeah, whatever” things, but it doesn’t hit my offensive button so I let it slide. As for Chao, well will she or won’t she be the newest member of Negi’s harem or will she leave? And if she does leave, I suppose Hakase and Satsuki will hook up with Negi somehow.