(L) UQ Holder (Ken Akamatsu's new series)

[Dargor]

when he learns how to absorb magic consciously, that would make him the perfect counter to mages.

Given the fact that it takes insane speed of Raiten Taisou 2 to make setting up a absorption rune practical, its a moot point. Half the reason why Magia Erebea was abandoned by Eva and deemed impractical for her was the fact that the buffs it gave were both no longer needed, but actually absorbing the attacks of your enemies was a extremely tedious and difficult venture, and it took Negi setting up an entire battle strategy before even making use of it against Rakan.

[eiyuuou]

Eva's Queen of Ice is from magic erebea, so she has and will never abandon it.
Energy Absorption Circle was abandoned by Eva because of usage deficiencies.

[Superbia]

Originally Posted by Dargor

Given the fact that it takes insane speed of Raiten Taisou 2 to make setting up a absorption rune practical, its a moot point. Half the reason why Magia Erebea was abandoned by Eva and deemed impractical for her was the fact that the buffs it gave were both no longer needed, but actually absorbing the attacks of your enemies was a extremely tedious and difficult venture, and it took Negi setting up an entire battle strategy before even making use of it against Rakan.

That's true for when it was used during Negima, but Negi and Eva had decades to improve it and remove certain flaws. If Negi could create the absorption circle within a month or two using Eva's notes, it's not strange to think Negi made a simpler version after a few years that Touta could learn later.

[AstroNerdBoy]

Originally Posted by Tenzen12

Ps. I agree with Xellos, Touta looks more like mage hunter, than magician itself

A mage hunter. Interesting. If true, then there can be only one purpose for Touta's creation -- to hunt and destroy the Mage of the Beginning.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by AstroNerdBoy

A mage hunter. Interesting. If true, then there can be only one purpose for Touta's creation -- to hunt and destroy the Mage of the Beginning.

[Requiem-x]

Originally Posted by AstroNerdBoy

A mage hunter. Interesting. If true, then there can be only one purpose for Touta's creation -- to hunt and destroy the Mage of the Beginning.

In related news, the Springfield family can't get a break.

But really, good theory.

[Hiss13]

Originally Posted by AstroNerdBoy

A mage hunter. Interesting. If true, then there can be only one purpose for Touta's creation -- to hunt and destroy the Mage of the Beginning.

This actually makes
A lot of sense. I like it.

*Applause*

[felix]

Who's this mage of the buginin' ?

[Robotech Master]

Originally Posted by felix

Who's this mage of the buginin' ?

The big bad behind the big bad from Negima. Pretty ancient, extremely powerful, enigmatic, and seems to body hop. He seemed scheduled to be the villain of the last arc in Negima before Negima ended abruptly, and we were given a timeskip "and then this happened" resolution to him.

But there are two timelines at the end of Negima, and given the lack of Asuna in the flashbacks I think UQ Holder is set in the future of the timeline that we didn't get any information about, and it appears that the Mage of the Beginning wasn't defeated earlier in this timeline.

[Superbia]

So Santa's abilities are phasing, telekinesis, hacking, flight, and immortality. So that's how he manages to sneak into peoples houses, carry large amounts of presents, know who's been naughty and nice, and travel through the sky on Christmas Eve over the centuries.

And of course the best line of the chapter goes to Touta.
"What do we do with these guys, Touta-kun?"
"Kick'em!"

[LoweGear]

Spoiler for Santa...:

...Sasaki?

There a relation here we should know about?

[chaosprophet]

@LoweGear Because Santa said his age was same as Ikkuu (born in 2001), it seems unlikely Santa is a Makie or her young brother descendent.

Maybe another sibling or someone who was raised by the family laser and got the name.

[ReddyRedWolf]

Santa?!

Ken is reusing names again like with Shinobu.

Let me guess he had a lonely childhood, unlucky, and hates Christmas Eve.

Originally Posted by Superbia

So Santa's abilities are phasing, telekinesis, hacking, flight, and immortality. So that's how he manages to sneak into peoples houses, carry large amounts of presents, know who's been naughty and nice, and travel through the sky on Christmas Eve over the centuries.

And in the Akamatsuverse Santas do exist. My theory is that Santas are one of those hidden mage communities on Earth like Negi's village only they do not abide by the Masquerade as their magic is dependent on belief and the spirit of Christmas.

[kagato3]

Originally Posted by Superbia

So Santa's abilities are phasing, telekinesis, hacking, flight, and immortality. So that's how he manages to sneak into peoples houses, carry large amounts of presents, know who's been naughty and nice, and travel through the sky on Christmas Eve over the centuries.

And of course the best line of the chapter goes to Touta.
"What do we do with these guys, Touta-kun?"
"Kick'em!"

I'm not sure that Santa is the Psion attacker. Their outfits have major differences (Santa's has completely white hoody and pants, atacker has black pants and black and white hoody) but look close enough for a fake out. They are likely related though.

[Superbia]

Originally Posted by kagato3

I'm not sure that Santa is the Psion attacker. Their outfits have major differences (Santa's has completely white hoody and pants, atacker has black pants and black and white hoody) but look close enough for a fake out. They are likely related though.

Maybe. It wouldn't be that suprising, but dark hoody Santa's cursing while running at the beginning seemed to be from Touta and Kuromaru's dorm ambush so it is most likely him/her. I think the change in outfits is because one is what s/he wears when trying to blend in during the daytime and the other is his/her night killing outfit.

The title page asking male or female seems to confirm that the mangaka is going to try to make Santa's gender unclear. I'm starting to miss the random fanservice from Negima just because it made it easier to confirm who had which gender.

[Tenzen12]

Lol Touta getting own harem... of traps.

[spikexp]

Maybe she/he is a kind of astral projection of sort.

[Requiem-x]

Originally Posted by LoweGear

Spoiler for Santa...:

...Sasaki?

There a relation here we should know about?

AW SNAP!! I hadn't noticed that. Stupid Santa distracting me.

And yeah, Santa The hell...? And what's up with those powers? I mean, flying and telekinesis are ok, but going through things? How does that connect with psychic powers?

So, Santa might be the killer, but the victims might be d-bags of the worst kind? Does that even things up? Touta might think so I hope this isn't the case, though, if only because it would be a really bad twist.

And another scary thought: if these are just kids with magic apps, how are the real high level mages going to be? We might be talking Kiddy Grade's nobles level of evil.

[chaosprophet]

I can see why Santa would be pissed of and kill those people now, but the age of magic known to the public is very recent. And the murders have been happening for 80 years. Considering his powers it seems likely Santa is the murderer now, but why since back then? Were they people in the past sent to hunt him?

Originally Posted by Requiem-x

And another scary thought: if these are just kids with magic apps, how are the real high level mages going to be? We might be talking Kiddy Grade's nobles level of evil.

The really high level ones are people like Eva and Fate. There shouldn't be much people on their level though.

[Requiem-x]

Originally Posted by chaosprophet

The really high level ones are people like Eva and Fate. There shouldn't be much people on their level though.

Eva and Fate are kind of in a league of their own. Think more along the lines of Godel. My point is mundus magicus probably has an whole strata of arrogant elitist magicians simply because they're true magicians and have some level of skill.