魔法先生 ネギま！Volume 20 Chapter 181

SPOILER Summary: At Eva’s resort, Negi is combat training with Setsuna in her winged form as some of the others in Negima-dan and Anya observe. Negi loses, but Setsuna is impressed that he’s mastered the “Empty Air Instant Movement” so quickly. Anya is floored to know that Negi is performing such magical combat, especially since she’s never seen such things in advanced textbooks. The two use the magic transporter to go to another of Eva’s places where Kaede and Ku Fei are training. Kaede is distracted by their arrival leading Ku to win their match. However, their power also amazes Anya.

Asuna arrives by flying in, suddenly having wings and a halo as she calls for Setsuna to observe her. The wings were done by Paru and her artifact, which also stuns Anya. As Asuna inquires to how she could steer herself with these wings and how much time they have left, the wings disappear and Asuna starts falling. As she rushes to the ground, she activates her artifact sword, which pierces the wall of the castle and gives her a platform to stay on as Negi arrives on his staff.

Anya demands of Nodoka and Yue to know why everyone is so powerful here. Yue explains that everyone has a clear objective and study under a great teacher. That teacher is also the owner of the castle — Evangeline. This news is most distressing to Anya, who knows all about the legendary evil vampire-mage and tells Yue they are going to sneak out now because there’s no telling what Eva will do to them. Eva arrives in adult form and asks Anya just exactly what she thinks Eva will do which has Anya run away in panic to Eva’s amusement.

Yue and Nodoka catch Anya to calm her down. Nodoka explains how Eva used to be scary, but she really is nice. Anya is skeptical but the two eventually convince her. Now Negi’s great abilities start to make sense to Anya as does the resort(s) that Eva has constructed via magic. She’s frustrated though since she’d been looking for a master to train her in combat and has studied on her own a great deal. Anya is still unsure why Negi would choose Eva to be his teacher and decides it must be her breasts. Nodoka states that Eva’s true form is that of a flat-chested kid which makes Anya feel a little better and reaffirm her wanting to be friends with Yue and Nodoka.

With this, Nodoka and Yue decide to go ahead and let Anya know that they have pactios with Negi. Anya is angry that Negi has pactios with seven girls and rushes off to leave but the gate won’t open to allow her to leave the resort. Yue and Nodoka inform Negi of what happened and he goes to the gate area to see Anya. She is angry and tries to punch him repeatedly, saying he’s nothing like the Negi she remembered. With him surrounded by such pretty “oneechans,” she thinks he’s forgotten about their village. She tries to deliver a knock out punch, but Negi blocks it.

Negi assures her that he hasn’t forgotten what happened to the village. Further, he’s training so
hard so he can reach his father, whom he knows isn’t dead. The reason he’s progressed so far is because he remembers what happened when the youkai destroyed their village and he’s determined to know why. With that, Anya forgives him.

Thoughts: There was a lot of fun in this chapter with my favorite moment coming from Asuna’s fall and quick thinking to save herself. Up until now, Anya had seemed only like a spoiled, jealous girl who was in love with Negi but he just couldn’t see it. While that certain is true, the events of when the Graf and fellow youkai destroyed their village when they were children is still heavy on her mind. That made Anya shift from just annoying jealous girl to a girl who hides her pain with her actions in trying to get Negi back. Negi also hides his pain but in other ways. Hopefully Anya can join in on the training and become a more powerful mage herself.