魔法先生 ネギま！Volume 25 Chapter 228 (manga)
Mahou Sensei Negima! Manga Chapter 228

Summary/Synopsis: After Nodoka asks Fate his name, Kotaro teleports her out and Fate follows. Nodoka and Kotaro emerge from a alleyway wall, Kotaro figuring that the 17 teleports he did should keep Fate from following. Nodoka’s ring reveals Fate’s real name as “Tertium” (Latin for “Third”). At that moment, Fate arrives to petrify Nodoka but Kotaro steps in and his right side gets petrified (Kakon Omma Petroseos). The book begins to reveal Fate’s mind, including his desire to still be called “Fate” as he doesn’t like the name “Tertium.” Fate is about to cast an eternal petrification spell (Aionion Petrosis). Negi blasts in to save Nodoka which impresses Fate since Negi was able to track them without teleportation magic.

Fate is asking if they should continue their fight when Asuna arrives, yelling Negi’s name and attacking. Asuna tells Negi that the people in the plaza are safe as Rakan arrives with Konoka and Chamo in a rain of giant blades. With Rakan, Negi, Asuna, and Konoka (the princesses of the old and new worlds) there, Fate decides it is time to retreat as things are not favorable to him.

Elsewhere, Setsuna is amazed at how powerful Tsukuyomi truly is. Tsukuyomi uses a charm (jufu) to summon “Super Kapa-kun,” a kappa and S-rank sprite. The kappa immediately strips Setsuna down to her undergarments and that allows Tsukuyomi to pin Setsuna down, defeating her (something very few others could do). Tsukuyomi decides it is time to have fun with Setsuna and cuts the wrappings on Setsuna’s breasts. Before Tsukuyomi can do anything else, one of Setsuna’s artifact blades nearly gets Tsukuyomi, stabbing her scarf instead. With Tsukuyomi off Setsuna, the later gets up but before the fight can continue, Fate telepathically tells Tsukuyomi that they are retreating which disappoints her but she has enough fantasy materials to get by for now. Tsukuyomi tells Setsuna that Setsuna can’t defeat her as she is now. Should Setsuna not improve, Tsukuyomi promises to take every last bit of Setsuna.

Back with Negi, Fate teleports away before Rakan can spear him with a giant blade. Konoka heals Kotaro from his petrification and Negi thanks Nodoka for saving his life. Their moment is interrupted by a healed Kotaro. Nodoka notes her petrified artifact still has the information on the open page still there. Rakan remarks that he recognizes Fate from the past and that he’s more dangerous that Rakan first thought. If Fate gets serious, they may not have much time so they need to finish “that.” Negi wants more information but Jack’s price is too high. Besides, Rakan doesn’t want to dwell on the past.

Since the crowds are recognizing the fugitives, it is time to scatter and leave. As Negi flees, he passes Yue, who’s coming in to investigate the disturbance.

Thoughts/Review: I recall how Eva has commented on Negi being too much of a thinker in fights. Fate has his own weakness — he wants to plan everything and run plans (including all fights that may ensue) accordingly. Every time Fate encounters things he doesn’t expect, he retreats. He did it this time but he also did it when Eva showed that she wouldn’t be killed by Fate’s normal methods (the “Stone Spike” spell) and likely wouldn’t die from any other easy method, meaning he might lose. Fate likes to be in complete control and since Rakan broke his trap, Negi re-energized, and the powerful Asuna and Konoka (Konoka’s powers may be healing-based, but Akamatsu-sensei has said for a long time that she has a staggering amount of power, which could be a threat to Fate in ways we haven’t seen yet) being there, Fate bails. I find this style of action on Fate’s part to be very logical and computer-like. ^_~

Speaking of that, Fate’s name is Tertium which as I said means “third.” This continues to support my theory that Fate is a computer construct along the lines of A.I. Love You. As I’ve said, the Zero program there (called “Spider-Zero” after the program was modified to be a villian) looks exactly like Fate. For Fate’s real name to be the number three, that suggests that Fate could be the 3rd-generation of the original Zero program. That too would fall into the program-naming scheme in A.I. Love You where each program generation was given a new number (the three programs living with Hitori’s true names were “Twenty,” “Thirty,” and “Forty” as each new program was better than the previous one).

Since Rakan knew Fate in the past, I think that Fate may well have been the one who killed Gateau, caused Al to go into exile (apparently to recover since he’s trapped under the library), and Nagi to disappear. If my theory on Negi actually being Nagi turns out to be correct, this will give Negi’s rivalry with Fate have more meaning.

Remember when Setsuna was introduced in volume 4? When she thought Negi was an intruder, she attacked him and didn’t worry about being naked. Now, her being stripped caused her to be defeated. With Tsukuyomi quite possibly wanting to rape Setsuna (being a shounen manga, Akamatsu-sensei won’t expressly state that but I think this was the intent), Setsuna is going to have to do something. I couldn’t help but think back to Setsuna’s fight with Eva in the Mahora Festival arc where Eva planned on making Setsuna choose between her sword and happiness. Setsuna wanted both and until now, has been successful but she now has an Achilles’ heel revealed; it will be interesting to see how she handles this.

Nodoka’s petrified artifact is no big deal. Somehow they’ll need to keep the information displayed there but I figure that since Negi has the main card, Chamo can easily create another copy card for Nodoka, restoring her artifact. Also, it is possible that Nodoka can simply return her artifact to card form and then her artifact will be fine when re-summoned. After all, Setsuna has had artifact blades destroyed and that hasn’t been a problem.

Asuna. I gather the Japanese are a twitter with theories about whether she’s a clone or other type of fake. She might even have been programmed. My own thoughts are that this is the real Asuna with an explanation on her escape from Homua and Shiori coming later. Hata suggests that maybe the trap Homua and Shiori set undid the medicine that Rakan gave Asuna when her memories were flooding back. I actually find that to be a good theory and the most likely one but anything could happen.

OK, Negima! chapter 229 comes out next week. So no spoiler images until then and of course for us English speaking people, no chapter or translation for about two weeks.