魔法先生 ネギま！Volume 23 Chapter 207

Summary: Eva attacks with a “Sword of Conviction,” a blade of energy that comes from her hand, which Negi counters with his own. The scene for their fight changes to the Mahora bridge where Negi fought his decisive battle against Eva in volume 3. He realizes that he’s not really fighting the real Eva but rather one from his memories — his shadow. Eva tells him that if he doesn’t understand the darkness as she’s defined it, he’ll die. With that, she gets the better of him and stabs him.

On his bed, Negi coughs up a lot of blood, which Jack confirms as a sign that Negi is heading to the darkness. Negi takes damage in multiple locations and begins spraying blood everywhere. Jack gives Chisame some leaves to take care of the physical injuries but there’s nothing they can do for any mental damage Negi takes. Chisame is not happy about all this, especially the notion of a choice always being between life and death for a man. However, Jack gives her a similar choice. He produces a special dagger which if stabbed into Eva’s scroll, it will save Negi’s life, but deny him the dark magic he seeks.

Elsewhere, Chachamaru (still in kid form) has detected an Ala Alba badge and provides enough information for Setsuna to activate her pactio card. Two of her camera golems appear, one called “Sayo Exclusive” which is modified so that Sayo, in doll form, can ride and control it. She’s off, where she encounters Ku Fei, who is training and destroyed an entire massive boulder in the water. Ku Fei has a little fun with Sayo, but is very happy to see her all the same.

Back in town, Kotaro receives word via another of Asakura’s cameras that they have found Ku Fei. Natsumi reports they have letters from Nodoka (“Honya-chan”) as well as an update from Asuna and Setsuna on their meet-up with Konoka and Kaede. However, that still leaves Makie, Yuuna, Yue, Para, Anya, and Chamo unaccounted for. That changes when Akira serves a dolphin customer, who has a message and a picture from Makie and Yuuna.

Thoughts: The ‘Sayo Exclusive’ camera golem as part of Asakura’s artifact is a win and a half. Now the Sayo doll has a vehicle to ride and well…*lol* She and Chachazero are scene stealers to be sure.

As for Asakura using the pactio card, I heard thousands of loli-loving otaku in Japan (and in the West) have a collective gasp and iku seeing her skimpy, sex-pot outfit on her loli form. Man, I could have done without that. It is bad enough that underaged girls get fanserviced pretty heavily, but this image actually seemed worse to me. I think it is because Akamatsu-sensei normally has girls get naked for bathing purposes (which his girls do quite often in the stories), so you can say, “Well, they have a reason to be naked.” Asakura had no reason to look like a lolicon’s wet dream in the scene.

Interesting how Negi uses a Sword of Conviction. Well, its not surprising that Negi would learn it from Eva, either directly or indirectly (via observing her use it).

Yay for finding Ku Fei, who like the rest, has been leveling up in power.

So, we still have yet to see from Para, Anya, and Chamo.