[cubicjack]

Originally Posted by tsunade666

I heard mostly to read it is at least level 2 plus a dictionary. To read a light novel.

Nah, I'd say Level 3 + dictionary is enough for most light novels. I mean, I have Level 3 and I can already understand most of the stuff without dictionaries. But then again, I'm Chinese, so Kanjis don't pose much of a problem. It's the slangs and connotations that are tricky.


And here are summaries of the Stiyl SS part 1 and part 2:

Spoiler for part 1:

Touma side:

A bunch of people were about how the preparations are finished, and now they're just waiting for instructions from the boss. Touma overheard their talk on the way home from grocery shopping. They discovered Touma and chased after him. While escaping, Touma saw a little girl (guess who that little girl is). Naturally, being the pimp that Touma is, he carried the girl in his arms and ran away with her. The guys chasing Touma thought that he took the boss as hostage.

Stiyl side:

Stiyl was in Siberia. He just completed a job and killed 19 people from a magic cabal. Then, he recived instructions to go to Academy City for the next job. After entering Academy City and settling down, he decided to go for a smoke while waiting for further instructions. He went to a smoking space in an underground shopping arcade. There, he met Komoe. Komoe grabbed him and told him not to smoke, especially when he's only 14. While they were talking, Komoe got a phone call. She answered the phone and told the person on the phone that she's with the priest. Stiyl came here for a secret mission, so he was afraid that Komoe would leak his information. Then Komoe turned on the speaker so that Stiyl could hear the phone call as well. The voice belonged to a certain teenager. He knew Stiyl was coming and asked him if he's ok with spicy food. It turns out that Komoe sent the teenager a message when she saw Stiyl, and they expected Stiyl to stay for dinner. Stiyl refused and left. Then he received instructions to go kill a betrayer.

Spoiler for part 2:

Touma side:

Bardway told Touma that she's the boss of the Dawn-Colored Sunlight, then she pulled out a rope out of nowhere and tied Touma up. Bardway's subordinates caught up, then she shot Touma with an antique gun.

Stiyl side:

Stiyl went to a bank in the 7th District. It's supposed to be closed, but there's still a door unlocked. Inside, he met one of his colleagues - Theodosia Electra. Theodosia is a 40-year-old woman who uses Norse magic as a base. She gave Stiyl a box of matches, and every time a match is lit, some information would be shown. When they eventually lit enough matches to see the whole story, Stiyl learned a few things:
1) Theodosia was chasing the betrayer and the betrayer escaped into AC.
2) She called Stiyl because he had no other jobs.
3) She doesn't know how the betrayer betrayed them.
4) The betrayer is a threat to their country.

Theodosia also told him that the betrayer has accomplices. At first Stiyl thought the betrayer hired magic cabals as bodyguards, but then Theodosia told him that she is actually the betrayer's accomplice. Then they start fighting immediately after.

Theodosia uses matches as her weapon. Her matches have 2 symbolizations embedded - Skirnir's Staff (which has the role of stealing) and fire in Iceland (which has the role of protecting). By throwing the matches, she can trigger explosions. However, as a fire user, Stiyl already has the Ehwaz rune on his shoes, and it represents a horse, which allows him to "jump" over fire. Theodosia was defeated, but she used a magic to escape.

Then Stiyl went to the room which was supposed to be sealed by Theodosia. He went in, saw a 12-year-old girl kneeling on the floor and also Theodosia lying down. Stiyl was prepared to fight, but the girl's reaction was unexpected. It was clearly the reaction of someone who has no knowledge of magic. The girl even thought Stiyl was Theodosia's ally, ans asked him to help Theodosia by calling the Anti-Skill.

Stiyl then received a call from the Necessarius. This time, it's the real order. He was told that the betrayer is a girl named Patricia Bardway, and from the descriptions, it was clear that the girl in front of him was Patricia. The woman on the phone told Stiyl that Patricia has absolutely no knowledge of magic, but her sister is the leader of the Dawn-Colored Sunlight. Even though she doesn't know it, magicians from the Dawn-Colored Sunlight have been positioned around her to watch and protect her. Even though she is not directly involved with the cabal, it's highly possible that she is valuable in areas related to the cabal. The Necessarius wants to capture her and find a way to weaken and perhaps destroy the Dawn-Colored Sunlight. She did not cooperate, and was therefore considered a betrayer. Stiyl was unsatisfied with this reasoning, but it was useless. The woman on the phone told Stiyl that another team is heading towards AC to help capture Patricia.