The Wizard (Japanese: 魔法使い Mahoutsukai) is the thirty-first chapter of the Medalist manga.
Characters[]
(mentioned)
Story[]
The announcer introduces the Group 2 skaters. Outside, Rioh finds Inori to ask where Tsukasa is. He explains that he's here to watch Hikaru's performance but, just like Tsukasa, advises Inori against doing the same because Hikaru is "not normal."
As usual, Jun is not attending the event with Hikaru. Instead, she is accompanied by a foreigner. At rinkside, he finds Tsukasa reading the skaters' program details and snatches his handbook to look for his own name. Tsukasa instantly recognizes him as the master choreographer, Leonid Sorokin. Leonid is delighted to finally meet someone who knows him. They communicate using a translation app, and Leonid eagerly introduces Tsukasa to a friend via a video call — Jun Yodaka.
Jun is shirtless, appearing to have just taken a bath, still using the towel he took from Inori back at the first Meikoh Cup. Jun stays silent, and Tsukasa apologizes to Leonid, admitting that there's nothing he can say — they'll talk on the ice instead. Leonid also takes this as a challenge, asking if he can produce a higher-scoring skater than Hikaru. He claims to have given Hikaru his magic and promises to surprise the arena, but Tsukasa declares that they will surprise him too.
As Hikaru's turn approaches, Inori realizes that if she avoids watching Hikaru skate in every competition, she may never see her perform again. She approaches Tsukasa, expressing a strong desire to watch. Despite his explanation that it's better to focus on preparing herself and not worry about other skaters, Inori insists that Hikaru is a special rival to her and will always be on her path — she wants to fully take her in and face up to the challenge.
Ran Ogumo, Kiyoka Kosuzume, Ito Nedefuji, and Yuna Yagi score 102.03, 102.44, 101.10, and 105.43 respectively, leading up to Hikaru's turn. Her music is from a film named La Cage Aux Oiseaux, which tells the story of an imprisoned ballet dancer who escapes to the outside world after meeting a pianist. However, despite her newfound freedom, the child finds it painful to live among others. Hikaru starts on the "pianist" pose, and integrates elegant ballet motions into her choreography, and to everyone's shock, her first jump is a Quadruple Toe Loop.