Tatsuya Shiba

**Tatsuya Shiba** is now 18 year old. He enrolled at the National Magic University Affliated First High School with his twin sister, Miyuki. He was accepted as one of the students to be placed in the Course 2 curriculum, marking the start of the series events. In his second year, he transferred into the newly-created Magic Engineering Course. In his third year, he graduated and enter to Jetix University as a honours student at Course 1 Class.

## Abilities

### Silver Horn Custom "Trident" (トライデント)

A Specialized CAD based on the long-barreled Silver Series Silver Horn. It is equipped with cartridges for most of Tatsuya's high-level Decomposition magics. Tatsuya has used this CAD to cast high precision magic, decomposing needle-sized holes which target his opponents' nerves and blood vessels to incapacitate and cause severe pain. It is customized specifically to activate three consecutive magics into one Magic Sequence. In the Battalion, "Trident" is the name given to this merciless triple Decomposition magic as well as the CAD that performs this. It is Tatsuya's favored instrument. This CAD has interchangeable cartridges that can be pre-loaded with different types of magic.

### Physical Abilities

Physically, having trained with Yotsuba combat magicians since he was six years old[3] and with Yakumo and the 101 Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion in his preteens & teens, it is said that Tatsuya is second to none and is evaluated to be a master class fighter.[4] Despite being best at long-ranged combat, he is almost unmatched in close combat, due to his physical abilities. His physical abilities are so great that even without the use of magic he can even match magicians using magic to enhance their physical abilities.

### Ninjutsu

Tatsuya is a student of Kokonoe Yakumo, a famous ninjutsu user and someone who passes on traditional shinobi [Notes 1] magic know-how.[5] Due to this, he can handle multiple opponents at once and emerge unscathed. Tatsuya's physical abilities surpass normal magicians, who usually just rely on magic to accelerate or fortify their bodies to prevent injuries. It is also thanks to his training that Tatsuya can sense dangerous and hidden presences without relying on his unique magic, Elemental Sight. Yakumo himself has said, "It’s possible that I’m unable to beat Tatsuya-kun in pure martial arts already..."[5] thus proving his physical prowess. Before his present age Tatsuya had learned enough techniques to be considered a master or something close. Through his ninjutsu training, he is a master of chi utilization.

### Magic Abilities

From a conventional magic standpoint, while Tatsuya's casting speed for complex systematic spells is slow, among introduced characters, due to his slow, artificial Magic Calculation Area (MCA), Tatsuya has the highest known Psion count, giving him access to the rare Gram Demolition counter magic and high magical endurance. Tatsuya's intellect and understanding of magic on a theoretical level also allow him to use magic in ways that no one else does. However, Tatsuya is not limited to using his artificial MCA.

Prejudices aside, the abilities that he has had since birth allows him to excel in combat and assassinations and makes him a balanced fighter. Tatsuya's magical abilities and talents give him the greatest advantage in long-range magic. It has been stated that Tatsuya excels in extreme long-distance precision attacks and over the horizon (OTH) sniping, and can easily snipe human targets from a range roughly distanced at 1200 meters. It is indirectly implied throughout the series, that his OTH magical sniping gives him the greatest attack range in the magical community.[2]

### Supernatural Power User

Tatsuya is a Supernatural Power User. As a Supernatural Power User, Tatsuya can apply his Psions to directly cause phenomena through will alone. Because this is done without an Activation Sequence, he gains overwhelming speed while sacrificing the versatility of systematic magic. Despite the fact that Supernatural Powers and Magic are one and the same, differing only in the usage of developed Sequences, it is not to be "magic" by Magician society. It is because of this strange prejudice that he hides his abilities.

Despite being a Superpower user, Tatsuya prefers to use a specialized CAD because it is easier and less "tiresome", being a more efficient conduit for Psions, particularly when utilizing Loop Casting. This is hinted at from very first chapter of the first light novel when it mentions that even Supernatural Power Users prefer CADs for their speed and stability.

Tatsuya's status as a Supernatural Power User is hinted at in later books, particularly when it is revealed in Reminiscence that he used Mist Dispersion on torpedoes without a CAD faster than Sakurai Honami could cast any magic with her CAD. It is also mentioned during the banquet night of the Nine Schools Competition that when Tatsuya is using his innate magic without a CAD, he is equal to any Magician using a CAD.

### Born-Specialized Magician

Tatsuya can perhaps be considered a type of Born-Specialized Magician (BS Magician). However, instead of only having one specialized type of magic, he has at least three types of highly-specialized types of magic: Decomposition, Elemental Sight, and Regrowth. The first is considered difficult and high-class while the second and third are unknown to the world at large. Owing to this circumstance, his natural Magic Calculation Area is dominated by these types of magic, particularly Decomposition and Regrowth, rendering him unable to wield other types of Systematic Magic without his artificial MCA.

While Tatsuya's innate abilities are undoubtedly powerful, strictly speaking, at least according to the Yotsuba Family and international standards, they are not "magic", which involves the altering of Eidos instead of simply breaking down and restoring Eidos. His abilities are thus noted by others that know as being more akin to superpowers. This is the main reason why the Yotsuba family treats him as an outcast or a fake Magician and why enemies tend to consider him to be a "monster".

### Types of Innate Magic Used By Tatsuya

**Elemental Sight**
Elemental Sight, also known as Eyes of the Spirit among the Traditional Magicians in the 101 Independent Magic-Equipped Battalion, is a sensory ability that allows Tatsuya to connect to the Information Dimension and identify the landscape down to every detail.[6] Every person and object imprints their Eidos within the Information Dimension, and every system and type of magic projects Sequences onto the Eidos through it. Because of this, nothing can escape from Tatsuya's Elemental Sight. Moreover, he can identify and examine each and every Eidos and Sequence and target them separately, irrespective of distance. It can be used to analyze any physical device or material at least down to the atomic level and his artificial MCA can dissect even the most secretive magic.
As a result, compared to normal Sensory Magic, Elemental Sight is a Supernatural Power that might attract more attention from Magicians than Material Burst. Only phenomena that obscure a target's information can offer some level of protection, but even then, such protection can be destroyed by some form of Decomposition, either singly or as part of a Loop Cast series. Completely hiding one's information does not prevent detection as Tatsuya will notice the lack of information. Only by disguising information can detection by Tatsuya be possibly avoided.
Coupled with Tatsuya's other Innate abilities, Elemental Sight enhances his ability to use Decomposition and Regrowth with greater precision.
**Decomposition**
Decomposition is also known as Dissolution, Disintegration and "Demon Right".[7] By itself, Decomposition can destroy areas, objects, or obliterate Sequences. With Elemental Sight, Tatsuya can identify the design of any Eidos or Sequence, then by using Decomposition, he can break down that design or structure entirely or selectively choose bits and pieces. For information bodies, such as magic spells, he can disassemble the design[8] (see Gram Dispersion) or neutralize it by deleting just a portion. For physical objects, he can break them down into their constituent molecules[9] (see Mist Dispersion), or even further into pure energy[10] (see Material Burst). If used on a person, the parts that form the human body, including skin, flesh, nerves, body fluids, bones, and cellular structures could be decomposed at a molecular level, leaving what appears to be dust and gas. This is one of the most difficult magic imaginable, able to directly interfere with the design information.
The activation speed of Decomposition is implied to be under 0.05 seconds, as he was able to decompose Lina's bullets that would reach him in under 0.05 seconds.[8] Furthermore, with no retaliation, Tatsuya is capable of decomposing 36 individual targets simultaneously, but under constant fire his upper limit for individual targeting is 24.[11] Additionally, according to the Reminiscence Chapter, Tatsuya is currently capable of setting up Decomposition as an Area of Effect magic and no longer requires someone to protect him while utilizing Material Burst, unlike that time in Okinawa when Sakurai Honami had to exhaust her Psions to shield him.[12] Alternately, Tatsuya can use Decomposition as a contact-only magic to create the illusion that magic or weapons fail to affect him.[13]
Interestingly, Decomposition was likened to Perfect Diffusion and Tatsuya was said to be teaching a variant of PD based on it to Kuroba Ayako.[1] Another interesting fact is that, besides being possible to be taught to others, it probably also has proper Activation Sequence which should be programmed into his famous Silver Horn Custom Trident.
**Regrowth**

Regrowth, also known as Restoration, is the opposite of Tatsuya's Decomposition powers. Instead of breaking down an Eidos or Sequence, it can restore it.[14] Coupled with Elemental Sight, Tatsuya can "read" the structural information of any object up to 24 hours in the past and with Regrowth, he can restore anything--organic or inorganic--to any point in that time frame. This means that he can restore maimed or fatally injured people, including himself, to a state before they were injured. Unlike Decomposition, Regrowth is entirely unique to Tatsuya.[15]
Regrowth emits no detectable psions and activates/finishes so quickly that "it is beyond the speed of human cognition" and cannot be detected by the vast majority of Magicians.[6] This skill is both passive (done automatically) and active (under conscious control). A requirement of the skill is that Tatsuya must "read" all the information about the target he is trying to restore. Unfortunately, when trying to heal people, this means that Tatsuya must "read" and then experience the recipient's pain in order to use Regrowth.
The amount of pain that Tatsuya has to experience is a condensed form of how long and how much pain was experienced by the injured person, within the amount of time that he needs to read the Eidos Change-log. For example, Tatsuya healing Kei Isori during the Yokohama Disturbance VIII (anime), Isori had experienced the pain of the injury for 30 seconds before Tatsuya had cast Regrowth. Tatsuya took 0.2 seconds reading the Eidos Change-log, hence in 0.2 seconds Tatsuya experienced 150 times the amount of pain and suffering that Isori experienced in an condensed form. It is the cost that he needs to pay in order to instantaneously 'remove' all injuries of any type or form incurred on a human or machine by reading and rewinding the Eidos Change-log and then making a full copy to restore the human or machine to its previous state before the injury occurred.[15]
Regrowth is also used by Tatsuya to duplicate spells. It was used by Tatsuya to copy the magic used to seal and bind the Parasites in the F-Type Mechanical Soldiers (aka "Parasite Dolls"). It is probably used by him to research other magic that he has encountered, as well as devices, and relics.

**Baryon Lance**
The "new magic" that Tatsuya developed, is in order to counter magic, such as Juumonji's Phalanx, and Tomitsuka's Contact Type Gram Demolition. This magic is based on the Free After Execution (FAE) theory used to make Brionac, a weapon developed by the USNA. At the start of Volume 14, we learn that Tatsuya cannot properly use the magic and is still in the stage of development. However, by the end of Ancient City Insurrection Chapter (II), it is suggested that it is ready for practical use and demonstration before the Clan.
During the New Year Ceremony with the Yotsuba Clan, Tatsuya displays this magic to the other clansmen present. [16]
During Volume 23, He used it against Juumonji Katsuto, to secure his victory.
### Systematic Magic

See Also: Operation
In order to allow Tatsuya to use Systematic Magic, instead of just his Supernatural Powers, his mother and her twin sister operated on Tatsuya when he was 6 years old, installing another Magic Calculation Area or Magic Processor (resulting in him having two) in his mind. This allowed him to use "real" magic. However, the artificial processor is inferior to the natural processor in multiple ways.[17] Tatsuya's invocation speed, the scale of the Magic Sequence, and phenomena rewriting ability--the metrics used to rate magicians internationally and at First High School[18]--are considered inferior to most magicians at First High and barely passing as practical magic ability. For example, Tatsuya's invocation speed is at least four times slower than Miyuki's, meaning that most forms of complex magic take unacceptable amounts of time for Tatsuya to accomplish. To that extent, the Yotsuba considered Tatsuya to be both a fake and incompetent Magician.

**Artificial Magic Processor**
The artificial processor does have some advantages though. Since his artificial processor is located in his conscious mind, Tatsuya is able to visualize and fully comprehend any spell after seeing it only once unlike other magicians who can only experience the physical manifestation of magic spells. Consequently, multi-variable quantitative processing speed and calculation scale are all beyond normal magician limits, allowing Tatsuya to use magic, especially Non-Systematic Magic, in unique and creative ways. As shown in Volume 12, he is even able to "hijack" his opponents' interrupted and incomplete Activation Sequences and use them as his own.
**Flash Cast**
Flash Cast is the Yotsuba Family's secret Single Systematic Magic Casting Technique.[9] It is made possible by mentally "carving" the images of the Activation Sequence into memory, allowing the user to recall the Activation Sequence directly from memory instead of a CAD to construct the Magic Sequence of the spell in the Magic Calculation Area of the brain. Brainwashing the user's mind in this manner allows for faster casting of single systematic spells that are not overly long or complex even without the use of a CAD. In Tatsuya's case, he takes Flash Casting to a whole new level.[6] Because of Tatsuya's unique ability to actually see even the Magic Sequence (which is different from Activation Sequence) of a spell, it is heavily implied that as long he can remember the full structure of the Magic Sequence itself, not only can he bypass using the Activation Sequence of a spell from a CAD-like the rest of the Yotsuba Family, but he can also bypass recalling the Activation Sequence and even bypass the process of constructing the Magic Sequence in the Magic Calculation Area. This allows for true instantaneous casting of any single systematic magic spell that he sees and remembers as long as the spell is short (five processes or fewer).[19]
As his natural abilities are Regrowth and Decomposition, Tatsuya does not specialize in any Systematic-Type Magic when he is not using his natural abilities, usually relying more on Non-Systematic Magic, especially counter magic, along with his physical abilities to bring the enemy down, as shown in his tendency to use Resonance and Compound Waves (both Non-Systematic Magic) to knock his enemies out.[18] Nevertheless, he does seem to slightly favor Oscillation-Type Magic in combat. He is mentioned to be sharing the same systematic talent with Yanagi Muraji.[6]
**Fixed Deceleration**(定率減速)
It allows one to slow down the movement of an object at a constant rate. The interference strength required allows for a large scale deceleration to a fraction of the velocity. [20]
**Water Spider**(水蜘蛛)
It is a surface tension amplification magic. [21]
**Douden Himaku**(導電皮膜)
Is a release systematic-type magic, and is a defensive magic that reduces the electrical resistance to approximately zero on the surface of clothes and shoes. It is a defensive magic that makes an electric current of the lightning strike ground itself on the earth.[22]
###  **Non-Systematic Magic & Counter Magic**

Non-Systematic Magic aims to manipulate the Psions themselves rather than altering Eidos using the Psions.[23] Therefore, the limitations of Tatsuya's artificial magic processor (mainly the lack of processing speed in altering Eidos) do not apply. This is probably the reason why Tatsuya so often relies on Non-Systematic Magic. Unfortunately, while Non-Systematic Magic is called magic, it is usually only sufficient for combat as distractions, interferences, or traps and not for creating a phenomenon.

**Compound Waves**

Tatsuya fires several waves of Psions to resonate with a person's biological waves, creating a hallucinogenic effect in his opponent, disrupting their equilibrium and knocking them out. These waves vary in frequency, making the technique highly difficult to accomplish.[18]
**Psion Transfer**
One of the Yotsuba secret techniques is the ability to transform information into Psion signals and transfer that information through the nervous system and into another person's subconscious Magic Calculation Area.[24] Tatsuya performs this technique multiple times with Miyuki to send her images and locations of targets. He also uses a variation of this technique to forcibly suppress Miyuki's uncontrolled power by forcing Miyuki's raging Psions back into her.[25]
**Resonate**
It is a magic that incapacitates the target. Tatsuya used it his first Monolith Code match.[6] It works by utilizing the fact that Magicians are able to feel/see psions, and creates 2 psion waves, set to be in phase with each other. This creates constructive interference and, when centered on a magician, creates the effect of resonance (which, in this case, creates the feeling of sea sickness to the point of unconsciousness).
Most forms of counter magic are categorized under Non-Systematic Magic, as they are techniques that directly manipulate Eidos itself and not the phenomenon-altering mechanism of Eidos. Tatsuya excels in counter magic and has even developed techniques himself.

**➨ Gram Demolition**
Gram Demolition is one of the two strongest counter magics within Non-Systematic Magic.[6] It uses compressed Psion particles to blow away the Activation Sequence. It is simply a cannonball of Psions that has neither structure nor a Magic Ritual to modify an event, so it is not affected by Zone Interference. There are only two known "flaws" in the technique. First is that the Psions travel in the physical realm (as opposed to the Information Dimension) and thus has limited range. Second, Gram Demolition is a highly inefficient technique that requires an incredibly high Psion count, making it an incredibly rare technique.[6]
Like his other Decomposition magic, Tatsuya is also able to apply Gram Demolition on his own body for usage in close combat as Contact-Type Gram Demolition.[26][27]
**Far Strike**
Far Strike is a form of Gram Demolition developed by Tatsuya. It works in the Information Dimension (Eidos) rather than the physical realm. Far Strike affects the astral form rather than the physical form. [28]
**Gram Dispersion**
Gram Dispersion is the other strongest counter magic within Non-Systematic Magic.[6] Gram Dispersion is literally that: Gram (or Magic) Dispersion/Dissolution. This magic takes a Magic Sequence and decomposes it into a group of Psion particles without a meaningful structure. Gram Dispersion is considered impossible to use in the age of modern magic. To dissolve a magic sequence as required by Gram Dispersion, it is necessary to analyze the magic before the magic is activated. Since with the advent of CADs, spell invocation take less than a fraction of the second, a full understanding of the magic being used before the magic has been cast was considered impossible. However, Tatsuya is able to use this because of his other ability, Elemental Sight.[29]
**Specific Cast Jamming**
Specific Magic Jamming or Pseudo Cast Jamming is a counter magic developed by Tatsuya. It involves utilizing the Psion waves that interfere with one another when using two CADs simultaneously. One CAD invokes the jamming spell while the other CAD does a spell reversal. From two opposing spells, the simultaneous activations will release Psion incident interference waves. It is difficult to use as this jamming must be done precisely at the moment the opponent is casting (or recasting) their spells and because all three spells (the user's jamming spell, the user's reversal spell, and the opponent's spell that the caster is trying to jam) involved must be of the same type, hence "specific" magic jamming. Tatsuya is able to use this because his artificial magic processor allows him to read and interpret any spell he sees.[30]
**Gatekeeper**
Magic sequence constructed in the subconsciousness is transmitted from the highest level of subconsciousness to the lowest level and then projected on the object while going through the “Gate” located between the subconsciousness and consciousness. The “Gate” is exposed in the information dimension and “Gatekeeper” scrambles all magic sequence coming out of the gate. So long as “Gatekeeper” is not removed, a magician is rendered powerless, just like normal human beings.[31]
**Psion Marker**
Through the events that occurred during his search for Gu Jie, Tatsuya had gained experiences and further developed Far Strike and acquired this new ability, Psion Marker.[32] Due to this technique, Tatsuya was able to pinpoint the target and read some of their data through their Eidos. However, Tatsuya was only able to read target's personal data, he had still not perfected his use of the psion marker to widen his elemental sight range.[33]
Ironically, while Tatsuya can be considered a counter magic specialist, he is even better at countering counter magic. Most means of counter magic either involve Cast Jamming via Antinite or relying on Zone Interference to prevent the other magician from casting. Cast Jamming relies on steady but meaningless waves of Psions to create "background noise," greatly disrupting the spell invocation speed to the point that the spell cannot be cast. However, this Psion wave can either be blown away with Gram Demolition or disassembled with Gram Dispersion or Decomposition as even Psion waves have structure. He can decompose Zone Interference, as stated when he uses Trident. Moreover, Zone Interference does absolutely nothing to prevent Non-Systematic Magic.

## Voice Actor

Japanese dub: Yuichi Nakamura

English dub: Will Friedle