Chivalry of a Failed Knight Volume 9

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CHAPTER 14: HEIGHTENED FIGHTING SPIRIT

After the end of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival’s second semifinal
round, Ikki fainted in the waiting room. By the time his cardiac arrest was
discovered, the shock and anxiety had spread beyond his inner circle, to the
tournament staff and spectators. Many of them seemed to expect the worst
outcome. In reality, the tournament staff had to at least consider that
possibility, so they revised the schedule for the next day.

Fortunately though, due to the power of Japan’s greatest doctor, there was
no need to worry. Ikki was saved from death.

However, Ikki had still not awoken by the time the final round was
scheduled to begin. But was that really a big deal? As long as Ikki was alive,
what was waiting a day?

Everyone’s hearts were united in this.
Kurogane Ikki and Stella Vermillion.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that this 62nd Seven Stars Sword-
Art Festival had been the highest level ever.
The two knights who had fought their way to the summit, the finals.
The tournament should not end without seeing the conclusion for oneself.
An attack after the end of the match. Not to mention taking a stray hit after
protecting the umpire. With such an unfair end, there was no good excuse to
end the festival there.
Therefore, they waited for Ikki to come to the stage of battle.
To this end, everyone offered a hand. The staff ran about apologizing and
moving forward an exhibition that had been planned for the last day, the
media coordinated special coverage, and the spectators accepted these
changes without complaint. All for one young man’s sake, countless people
gave their all.
And then… He came.
The sun had already gone down completely. His clothes were disheveled

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and he still had a bed head.
Even so, he was there in the ring, ready to face his fight, showing his

strong will.
The hopes of the fighters, the desires of the staff, and the feelings of the

audience were all the same.
There were no longer any obstacles.
Thus, with many people’s support and good will and the great spirit of the

fighters, the final match was ready.
Dawn broke at last, coming from the eastern sky with a first light that

seemed to burn white-
And the morning of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival’s final day, which

so many had been longing for.

◆◇◆◇◆

“Wow, What a huge crowd. Everyone is so fired up even though it’s still
morning, huh.”

It was 9 am. Tomaru Renren, from the Hagun Academy Student Council,
had taken the bullet train to the station nearest Wangan Dome, where the
Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival was taking place. The moment she got off,
she found herself both amazed and astonished by the massive congestion, and
murmured this complaint.

Everything, from the platform to the ticket gate to the road to the dome,
was filled with an uncountable number of people.

Naturally, they all had one goal. The Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival
finals.

“But with this many people, can they even get inside?”
“There’s no way they can all fit inside. They’ve even installed monitors
outside.”
The one who answered Renren’s question was the one who had come with

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her to Osaka, another member of the student council.
It was a large man with a physique like a rugged boulder, Saijou Ikazuchi.
Just like he had pointed out, most of the people were there to watch the

fight from outside the venue.
Even though normally a lot of people gathered, the semifinals simply

couldn’t compare to the finals.
Considering that it was a confrontation between the A-Rank Knight

Crimson Princess, boasting magic power that could be said to be the greatest
of mankind, against the Blazer with the worst evaluation of F-Rank, Worst
One, who had advanced by continuously defeating one strong opponent after
another starting with Seven Stars Sword King, it’s even more so.

Moreover, with such an unprecedented turnout, many merchants had
gathered to do business as well.

Some sat with their backs to the hedge, guitar in hand, singing songs.
Other performers juggled or did magic tricks.
And then there were the local stalls.
Even though it was but morning, the area around Wangan dome was
already festive.
There was another person currently with Renren, the Student Council Vice
President, Utakata Misogi, whose face was blue and trying to hold something
back from his mouth.
“Somehow this large crowd is making me feel rather sick…”
“Are you okay? Vice Pres-?”
“I’m not okay. I’m hot. Frazzled. Tired. I can’t take it.”
“Then it would have been better to leave you at school.”
“That’s no joking matter. Wouldn’t I look like an idiot if only I had stayed
behind to work while everyone was playing? Let’s just hurry and get to the
hotel. If we stay in this kind of place, I think my brains will melt out through
my ears.”
Utakata whined while pulling at the hems of Saijou’s shirt.

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Well, even if one’s brain didn’t melt, staying much longer would probably
lead to heat stroke.

It would be no laughing matter to have spent the two and a half hours to
come from Tokyo only to watch the game from a hospital bed.

“Even if you say that, with a crowd like this, finding Kanata-senpai will be
such a pain-”

“Nah, that’s not true.”
As he said that, Saijou pointed at a spot in the crowd.
“Everyone, over here~”
Amongst the crowd, dressed in mainly short sleeved shirts and shorts, with
at most a thin cardigan, was the figure of Kanata Toutokubara, completely
clad in a white dress that did not reveal even her fingertips, which could
already be said to be a partially suspicious getup.
“That was a needless worry, huh.”
“Kanata-senpai, aren’t you hot?”
“I’ll be fine if I just endure it~”
“Endure… Why endure through that…”
Perhaps there was some spiritual reason? It perplexed Renren.
Utakata tilted his head questioningly at his junior, then asked Kanata a
question.
“Eh? Kanata, whatever happened to Touka?”
Though they had without a doubt been traveling with her, the figure of
Hagun Academy Student Council President, Touka Toudou, was nowhere to
be found.
“Since it’s Touka-chan, she probably slipped out for some urgent business
that just came up this morning.”
“Urgent business?”
“Fufu. Yes. Urgent business.”
Though Kanata would not explain the matter further, her bemused
expression told them that it was not a serious matter.

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Since it seemed that forceful questioning wouldn’t be necessary, Utakata
closed the matter with a “hmm.”

“Well, she did say that she would come back before the fight, and that we
should all watch the finals together.”

“I see.”
“But, finals, huh… Once, we were wondering what would happen, but it
would be good to have a meeting about it. Being surprise attacked after a
match, moreover losing by default due to an injury taken while protecting
someone else, Kurogane-kun is too pitiable.”
“That issue is something for the management committee to consider for
us. Such a special measure is an unprecedented exception. …According to
the information Toutokubara collected, to make this extension happen, Prime
Minister Tsukikage pulled a lot of strings.”
“The Prime Minister who put us through all that?”
“…Again, that’s a separate matter.”
“Nonetheless, there’s no way they would have delayed the schedule just
for one student. It just so happens that the rampage Stella went on that
shortened the festival by a day may have been a blessing in disguise… It
looks super unfortunate, but kouhai-kun is pretty lucky.”
Renren nodded in agreement at this as well.
Then she looked up at Saijou behind her and asked a question in her
friendliest classmate voice.
“Hey hey, who do you think will win? Saijou-”
At this, Saijou put his hand on his chin and contemplated for a moment.
“…Both are from our school and are developing their abilities quickly.
However, just looking at how they fought during the semifinals, Vermillion
has the edge in ability. I can’t imagine how to handle that dragon’s power
with just sword techniques. My assessment is that Vermillion will triumph.”
With that answer Renren came to an understanding.
Stella’s true power was what she pulled out in the semifinals, Noble Art

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Dragon Spirit.
It was natural for Saijou to come to such a conclusion.
However- Renren’s thoughts differed.
“It’s true that Stella-chan’s true power, the embodiment of a dragon, was

amazing. I do think it’s already beyond what one person has the power to
handle; it’s just that abnormal a power… But, it’s by repeatedly overturning
such unreasonable odds that Kurogane-kun came to be standing in the finals
ring tonight.”

“…You think Kurogane will win?”
Renren nodded.
“I understand because I’ve fought him directly. Though Stella-chan’s
power surpasses human understanding, Kurogane-kun’s skill can also be said
to be superhuman, something in the realm of the abnormal. Do you
remember? What Kurogane-kun did when he defeated me at the Hagun
selection battles?”

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“If I’m not mistaken, he sidestepped your supersonic charge 「Black Bird」,
then caught you by the nape of your neck and smashed you into the ring.”

“That’s right. Normally, doing that would get your arm torn off. Despite
that, Kurogane-kun countered that power completely and instead diverted it
into the ground. That skill is definitely a match for Stella-chan’s violent
power.”

“…It’s not that I can’t understand your point of view, but your
understanding of Vermillion is a little naive. She effortlessly stopped my
Crescendo Axe’s heaviest strike. Because of Dragon Spirit, that brute
strength probably rose even more. That offensive power is beyond the
domain of things that can be stopped with techniques. I was crushed by it,
after all.”

“Kurogane-kun has the speed to completely dodge that. I saw it myself,
Kurogane’s speed throwing Stella’s figure off her feet!”

“That’s an illusion. Fights are won by by those who are strong.”
“What a thoughtless thing to say! Speed is the key to modern wars!”
“In the end, it seems you just want the opponent you lost to to win.”
“You’re the one who wants that!”
“Hnnnng!”
“Mmmmm-!”
“Ah okay okay, let’s stop it there you two.”
Within the heat that only gave rise to a haze, those two held an argument
so heated, it gave off sparks.
Unable to just watch, Utakata got between them and tore them apart.
“Have your sweltering conversation in a place with air conditioning. If we
stand around here any longer, we’ll end up with heat stroke.”
“That’s right. Then, everyone, let’s go to the hotel. There’s even food
prepared, so let’s continue there.”
It seemed Kanata agreed with Utakata.
She immediately took the lead to guide them to the Toutokubara group’s

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hotel and began walking.
“Eh? Food? Awesome~ There’s food, Food~”
“…Apologies. I, of all people, got unusually fired up.”
“Nah, the lightning god image was quite scorching, so it didn’t seem out

of place.”[1]
“!?!?”
With a shocked expression, Saijou hardened like a statue and got left

behind.

◆◇◆◇◆

“Fuhaha~ Look, the people are like trash!”
“What the hell are you doing?”
A long line of people stretched from the station to Wangan Dome.
Watching from the hotel terrace, Nene Saikyou let out a strange, feigned
voice, at which Kurono Shinguuji shot her an incredulous gaze.
“Now look here, when you look at a crowd of people from somewhere
high, don’t you just want to say that? Instinctively.”
“I do not.”
“Seriously? Kuu-chan, are you sure you’re Japanese?
“Is this really something you’d involve nationality in?”
While grumbling in a sighing voice, Kurono pulled out cigarettes from her
suit.
She put one to her lips and lit it before tossing words at Saikyou.
“It seems you didn’t agree to do commentary for the last day, even though
it should be a profitable job.”
“Well, yeah. It’s the finals of my favorite pupil. Wouldn’t I want to watch
from the front row?”
“It was only for a week, I want to say, but… She did improve
considerably.”

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“I was surprised too. I thought I’d just try more or less shoving her around.
Who would have thought that such a beast would be sleeping.

“When I think about it, that huge appetite of hers that doesn’t match her
constitution must be the influence of the dragon’s power as well.”

As she said that, Kurono glanced at the top of the table fleetingly.
There, stacked on the table, was a mountain comprised of the ruins of
what had once been a room service meal.
Farther in, on the bed, the red haired girl who had created the mess…
Crimson Princess Stella Vermillion was sleeping with her body curled up like
a baby.
“…Nene. About today’s finals, what do you think?”
“I think it’ll be a great fight. Since they’re both knights who obtained great
power in their own ways, neither should get done in easily. Though it could
also become an appropriately high level mudslinging contest.”
“A mudslinging contest eh.”
“You know, since they’re lovers and all. It’s kind of messy.”
“If such a pleasant quarrel were to occur, the viewers might just feel
relieved.”
After responding to Saikyou’s banter with a dry laugh, Kurono puffed out
a breath of smoke.
“I don’t think that’s likely to happen. Especially between these two.”
She muttered, though her tone betrayed a tinge of nervousness.
At this, Saikyou also returned a small nod.
“True. If something goes wrong, someone might die. Just like in the match
between you and me.”
Though Saikyou was joking, Kurono could see that her eyes carried the
same nervousness.
What she was recalling was the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival of their
own generation.
What she clashed with back then were her own feelings.

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─Back then, she believed she didn’t mind dying.
To beat that person, she would even throw away her life.
It was to that extent… The girl named Kurono Takizawa had pined.
Saikyou was sure that Kurono thought something similar might happen.
That, with the same feelings as they had held back then, these two might-
“Still… It seems the one in danger here in the end is still Kuro-bou.”
“Does Yaksha Princess see Crimson Princess as better?”
“Yes, after all, I can’t picture it. The image of this princess losing, that is.”
Saikyou momentarily looked over the sleeping Stella.
As she was deep asleep, all Stella did was make sleeping sounds.
She was saving her strength.
Not even using the energy to open her eyes, she accumulated strength
from head to toe.
All so that tonight, she could erupt at the finals.
“…”
While laying her on the bed, the two had visions of the dragon’s giant
body several times.
At that overwhelming pressure, Kurono couldn’t help but gulp.
And so she thought.
Tonight, the one to face this monster will be a single knight.
(Kurogane. What are you thinking now? How are you spending your
time?)
Was he, like this girl, accumulating strength?
Perhaps he was waiting eagerly for the finals, unable to sleep from the
exhilaration?
Or possibly…
“…Either way, in this match, even if we interrupt it, things could get
deadly. We can’t leave this to some half-hearted knight. If it comes down to
it, you and I will stop it… Just like Nangou-sensei and Kurogane-sensei did
back then.”

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“I know, I know.”
Saikyou agreed with Kurono’s sentiment without showing distaste on her
face.
From the start, in order to focus on the fight and not miss such an
important timing, she had turned down the commentary.
She didn’t have to be told such a thing.
Saikyou regarded Kurono with a serious expression. Right now, even
more important was-
“Hey, Kuu-chan.”
“Hm? What?”
“This place is a non-smoking room, you know.”
“…Next time, please warn me before I light up.”
“I’ll use my best discretion.”
With a mean grin on her face, Nene smirked at the blushing Kurono.

◆◇◆◇◆

Stella had stored as much strength as she could in her body.
Her opponent, Kurogane Ikki, was in a training facility owned by the
National League near the Wangan Dome.
For the duration of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, this training
facility was free for use by contenders.
Ikki was carrying out a mock battle in one of that facility’s rings.
Acting as his opponent was a tall, thin, and handsome person.
It was his friend, Black Sonia Nagi Arisuin.
“-Huu.”
With a fast attack that whistled through the air, Ikki charged at Arisuin.
In response, Arisuin shifted his weight backwards and took a retreating
stance.
“Shadow Beast-!”

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Arisuin threw three copies of his dagger shaped device, Darkness Hermit,
at the ground, and left them standing there.

In an instant, they melted into puddle-like shadows on the ring.
From those shadows, a black spray splattered and two giant tigers and a
bear flew out of them attacking Ikki.
However, Ikki was not even perturbed by these wild beasts, simply
kicking off the floor and charging at the enemies that now stood in his way.
With one stroke he dealt with the shadow tiger snapping at his head,
lightly sidestepped the bear trying to claw his head, and cut it at the torso as
they passed. Then, with his fastest secret technique, Raikou, he used the
weakness in the second tiger’s offensive stance to overtake its movements
and bisect it.
The shadow beasts dispersed into a seemingly harmless black mist.
However, it had never been Arisuin’s intention to use Shadow Beast to
stop Ikki’s movement.
It was just a distraction.
The black mist that had dispersed from the crumbled shadow beasts
blocked Ikki’s field of vision for a moment-so he could to use his shadow
jumping technique, 「Shadow Walk」, to jump to Ikki’s shadow!
After his machinations went through smoothly, Arisuin moved from his
own shadow to Ikki’s.
From Ikki’s shadow, stretching out behind him thanks to the lights in the
ring, he sprung out, thinking (I’ve got you…!).
From this position, facing Ikki’s back, he flourished Darkness Hermit to
strike at Ikki’s neck.
However, in that instant-
“!!!”
Even sooner than Arisuin could strike at Ikki’s neck, the jet black tip of
Ikki’s device, Intetsu, appeared from under Ikki’s arm, stopping just at
Arisuin’s brow.

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Without facing Arisuin, Ikki had completely read the plan to flank him,
and counterattacked instead.

“!!!”
Arisuin promptly used the knife he’d been striking down with to guard.
By doing so he narrowly avoided being skewered, in that one beat, his
action was stopped.
What Ikki Kurogane just took advantage of had been a fatal weakness.
“-Gah, ha!”
The thud of a heavy strike reverberated throughout the ring.
It was the sound of Ikki’s kick striking the pit of Arisuin’s stomach.
The impact of the kick to the stomach sent Arisuin flying three meters,
where he rolled out of the ring and started coughing painfully.
“Cough! Cough! H-harsh! To kick a maiden in the stomach is incredibly
unchivalrous.”
“Er, Sorry?”
“Why do you seem so unsure?”
“Because I am unsure”
Arisuin couldn’t help but smile at Ikki’s answer, even as he continued to
cough.
“Haha, well, jokes aside… Despite sleeping for an entire day, your body
doesn’t seem sleepy at all. Ikki. You’ve given me some peace of mind.”
“It’s all because you came with me for some warming up, Alice.”
While expressing thanks, Ikki lowered Intetsu.
After all, Arisuin was lying on his side on the floor and not in any
condition to fight.
In the end, this mock battle had just been to warm up Ikki after he’d slept
for a day.
There was no need to deal a finishing blow.
Thus, a petite girl rushed over with small steps to the two who had stopped
fighting.

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With neat, short, silver hair, the girl was Ikki Kurogane’s younger sister,
Shizuku Kurogane.

As soon as she arrived at Ikki’s side, she gave her honest opinion while
looking slightly astonished.

“Isn’t that enough? Tonight is the final and you’re still here holding a
mock battle. You’re being too unreasonable.”

“Haha, sorry. But I’ve been sleeping the whole time, so I’m checking the
condition of my body.”

“Well, I know how you feel, but if you don’t restrain yourself, your
condition will only worsen. Look at how much sweat you’ve worked up…
Eh?”

Shizuku unexpectedly used a towel to wipe the sweat that had collected on
Ikki’s face, but her expression hardened.

That was because the sweat that he’d shed was as cold as a winter stream.
“Onii-sama, this is…”
“…I’ve been exposed, huh.”
With a bitter smile, Ikki received the towel from Shizuku.
“This sweat isn’t borne of exhaustion. It’s from fear… Of fighting with
Stella, that is.”
Ikki grumbled while continuing to mop up cold sweat.
Right, this wasn’t sweat from exercise.
Nervousness, anxiety, weakness… it was something that came from an
emotions, that could only be described as chills.
It was because he was scared.
Scared of Crimson Princess Stella Vermillion.
But that was a matter of course.
The ease she had shown in her first irregular match against Icy Scorn
Mikoto Tsuruya and others had demonstrated a power up within Ikki’s
expectations, but the power she showed in the semifinals far exceeded his
imagination.

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“She is already different from the girl I fought before. Up until now, she
had only been fighting with the dragon’s breath. But now, she has realized
what she really is. Moreover, she now possesses the ability to freely control
the power of the dragon that burned her as a child. She is not just a flame user
anymore. Skill, power, tactics… She is the incarnation of the prideful, all-
powerful monster with the strength to force any enemy to yield.”

And tonight, he would have to face that monster himself.
What’s more, this time, Stella now had even more information on the man
named Ikki Kurogane.
When he had beat her in the past, he had used her lack of knowledge to
launch a surprise attack. She would not let that happen again.
A veteran of losing battles. Stella knew about Ikki Kurogane’s struggles
better than anyone else.
In this final, there was definitely no room for slack in Stella’s heart.
With such a Stella as an opponent, in the ring where there was nowhere to
run or hide, the only option was to conquer her head on.
“Because of that, I cannot waste even a minute, no, a second.”
Sharper by the minute and stronger by the second.
He would sharpen himself up until the last moment before entering the
ring.
“That is my best condition.”
“Onii-sama…”
Shizuku responded to her brother’s unusually stiff expression with an
uneasy voice. At that moment-
“Oi~ I did it!”
A call in a familiar kansai dialect hit everyone present.
Upon looking at the entrance to the room they were talking in-
“Ara, it’s you guys.”
“Moroboshi-san! And Toudou-san too! You came for us!”
In front of the open fire door stood the one Ikki had defeated in the first

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round of the tournament, Seven Stars Sword King Yuudai Moroboshi, and
the one he had eliminated in Hagun’s selection tournament finals, Raikiri
Touka Toudou.

Shizuku let her bewilderment at these unexpected visitors seep onto her
face.

“Why are you guys here…?”
Touka answered while happily grinning towards somewhere else.
“This morning we got mail from Ikki saying he wanted our help with
training.”
“From Onii-sama?”
“Exactly. Well, I was free anyway. Incidentally… At the hotel, I called
over some of the other losers to come.”
As he said so, Moroboshi pointed at the fire door behind him with his
thumb.
“Who’s a loser? You’ve said a little too much, Boshi!”
“Well, in reality, that’s exactly what we are.”
“Gahaha. True, True. Even if you try to say it nicely now, there’s nothing
you can do”
“We didn’t even participate in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, so we
didn’t lose!”
“…Even though you guys got beat up by two people at the training
camp?”
Behind the two, faces that anyone would recognize streamed in.
Moroboshi’s fellow representatives from Bukyoku academy, Eye of
Heaven Byakuya Jougasaki and Demon Flame Momiji Asagi.
Making the entrance seem small just by stepping his huge build through
was Rokuzon Academy’s Panzer Grizzly Renji Kaga.
And finally, two original representatives from Hagun who had withdrawn
from the festival, Kikyou Hagure and Botan Hagure.
Ikki’s eyes opened wide in surprise at their entrance.

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“Did, did all of you came for my sake? Hagure-senpai and everyone else
too?”

“Hehe. Well we arrived early and had nothing to do.”
“…During the training camp, you taught us, so we’d like to return the
favor.”
“Though we’re not sure how useful the ones who were KO’d the quickest
will be.”
“Actually, we were also called upon by Sensei. It was because that
procedure looked to have taken a lot of your strength, and it seems to be as
bad as she thought. …But the people here are of the same calibre as those
who entered the tournament. I think we’ll be just right as practice
opponents.”
Ikki shook his head at Moroboshi’s words.
“Don’t even mention things like being just right! Everyone, thank you so
much!”
“Good, good. All of us wanted to try going up against the rumored Worst
One once as well.”
“So, what do we do? Before we came here, we also had some mock
battles. Should we take a break?”
“No.”
Ikki refused Touka’s consideration with a single word and once again took
up Intetsu.
Then, he faced everyone with eyes burning with fighting spirit.
“Immediately though… Please!”
His passion instantly spread to everyone.
““Yessir!!!””
As if responding to Ikki’s spirit, everyone else’s devices manifested.

◆◇◆◇◆

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“Guhaa! Th- This is…! Poison? Assassination? My Twilight Crusaders…!
Such an underhanded method…!”

“Ojou-sama is saying ‘This is so bitter!’”
“If bitter is not acceptable, it would’ve been better not to request coffee.”
They were in a cafe slightly out of the way of the long line to the venue.
At the terrace seats, Sara Bloodlily shot an astonished look at Rinna
Kazamatsuri, who had coffee dripping from the corners of her mouth.
The one who wiped Rinna’s mouth with a handkerchief was her attendant,
Charlotte Cordé.
Together with the three girls at their table was one other person.
He was an elderly man, dressed stylishly in a suit.
It was Japan’s Prime Minister, Chairman of the school the girls attended,
Akatsuki Academy’s Bakuga Tsukikage.
“Even so, Sara-kun’s Color of Magic is truly convenient. Even with so
many people around, nobody can see us. I’ve always wanted such a
convenient power.
“Even without a special power, something similar can be done.”
“Is that so?”
“Ikki did it.”
“…That only makes it feel more impossible.”
Tsukikage’s wrinkled face twisted into a bitter grin.
“Sorry, Prime Minister. Could you pass the sugar pot?”
“Yeah, here.”
Responding to Charlotte’s request, he slid the sugar pot near his hand
toward Rinna.
Rinna blushed shyly at this.
“Ah, thank you, Oji-sama…”
While expressing her thanks with a sincere tone, she drew the sugar pot
towards using her small hands.
However, Rinna’s movement stopped there.

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Without even putting sugar in her coffee, leaving her gaze on the sugar pot
in her hands-

“…Sorry.”
In a single word, she remorsefully apologized to Tsukikage.
“What are you apologizing for?”
“Every one of us ended up losing…”
“Ah, that.”
Tsukikage understood Rinna’s reason for apologizing.
To begin with, Akatsuki Academy was a group of mercenaries gathered
via the connections of Tsukikage through one of Rebellion’s Numbers, his
old friend Kouzou Kazamatsuri, in order to sever the connection between
Japan and those who utilize the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, the League
of Knights.
However, they had been completely eliminated by Hagun Academy’s
Worst One and Crimson Princess.
Remorseful over being unable to carry out the duty they had been
entrusted with, Rinna had said that.
However, Tsukikage hadn’t placed any blame upon Rinna.
He put his hand on her apologetically drooping head.
“Don’t worry about it. You all did well. I understand that perfectly.”
“But…”
“Giving up easily does not befit a politician. If Akatsuki fails, then I will
think of a different direction to go in… At that time, if I need you, will you
lend me your power again?”
While stroking Rinna’s head gently, he asked her that.
Rinna finally raised her head at this, and with a smile like blooming
flowers nodded “Yes!”
-It was precisely ‘that time.’
“…She’s here.”
Sara mumbled curtly while focused on the line of people.

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Everyone gathered at the table responded to her voice by following her
gaze.

There, in the dense crowd without a single gap in it, without pushing her
way through, calmly weaving through the crowd with steps as if walking
across an empty field, was a girl.

While her long, pure white hair swayed, she stepped directly to the four
people who should have been hidden by Color of Magic.

Nonetheless the four of them raised no suspicion toward that.
For her, it was only natural.
That she could see them even when they should’ve been invisible.
Someone who could pass through a crowd without any difficulty.
Additionally, while doing so, she didn’t alert a single person she crossed
paths with.
Today, the person they had come to wait for-
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it. Sara. Rinna. Char. And also… Tsukikage-
sensei too.”
The strongest swordsman in the world, Twin-Wings Edelweiss.

◆◇◆◇◆

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“Thank you for waiting. Here is your blend coffee.”
“It’s for her.”
“Thank you.”
While expressing her gratitude with a friendly smile, Edelweiss pulled the

sugar pot to herself.
Then she looked at Tsukikage.
“Thank you for today. For listening to my sudden selfish request.”
She lowered her head slightly.
The selfish reason she mentioned was the reason she was here today.
Last night, Edelweiss had contacted Tsukikage.
…Wanting to watch the final of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.
“Unexpected, that you would be interested in the battle of someone who is

just a student, Ede.”
“Perhaps there’s some relationship we don’t know about.”
“Fufu, if I remember correctly, when we carried out Operation Beowulf on

Hagun Academy, the one who faced Another One was Brynhildr.
“Be, Beo?”
Sara offered an advice to Edelweiss, who tilted her head and was making a

bewildered face.
“Don’t think about it too much. It’s just Rinna’s usual sickness.”
“Ojou-sama is saying ‘When we made the attack on Hagun Academy, she

fought Another One.’”
“A, Ah. So that’s what it was. Yes, it’s exactly as she’s saying.”
Edelweiss confirmed as she scooped up a spoonful of sugar from the sugar

pot.
“I saw the semifinals on TV. It surprised me to see Ouma lose in such a

one-sided fashion, but… even more than that, seeing Amane in such a
helpless state was beyond my expectations.

Amane’s childhood and the attachment he had to Ikki because of it.
Edelweiss had known about that.

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Because of that, Amane’s existence was an obstacle blocking Ikki’s
destiny.

That’s what she’d thought. -However,
“He took no notice of him.”
He’d faced the defeat Amane had thrust at him head on and crushed it for
all to see.
“…He’s an amazing young man. Truly.”
“That’s why you want to watch the finals in person?”
Edelweiss nodded at Tsukikage’s question while adding yet another
spoonful of sugar to her coffee.
“For Crimson Princess it is natural, but Another One as well… He is
climbing onto our stage. I decided that when I saw he had the willpower to
undergo extraordinary training and obtain the physical prowess needed to
defy fate that he showed at the semifinals. Thus… even I cannot ignore that.
Another exciting moment will happen soon. I might cross swords with him
again.
“…”
“More importantly… Another party with the same thoughts as mine came
here today in order to overcome the menace of the future, we are willing to be
audacious.”
“Eh?”
When he heard those disquieting words, Tsukikage lifted his gaze from
her hands, which were busy scooping a third spoonful of sugar.
Edelweiss was looking at the crowd instead of Tsukikage.
-Her eyes glinted sharply.
Following that dangerous gaze, Tsukikage also noticed.
In the crowd, there was a man looking at them astutely through a visor.
“That’s… America’s…!”
“It’s not just him. At this place… Agents from various factions have
already gathered.”

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Edelweiss’ words made Tsukikage recall a certain scene in his mind.
A red and black memory that he’d seen.
Tokyo, engulfed in flames.
The permeating stench of protein being scorched and human fat that stuck
to the skin…
With fists shaking from fear and anger, Tsukikage informed Edelweiss.
“Front row box seats have been prepared.”
“Thank you very much.”
Edelweiss returned a slight bow and put her coffee, which she had just
added a fourth spoon of sugar to, to her mouth.
“Yum.”
“If you can’t handle bitter, then it would be better to not order stuff like
coffee.”

◆◇◆◇◆

(Too, too strong…!)
Bukyoku Academy’s third year and finalist at last year’s Seven Stars
Sword-Art Festival, Momiji Asagi, was struck with admiration at the physical
prowess of the man she was crossing blades with.
As the disciple of God of War Torajirou Nangou, she had confidence in
her blade.
However, that was exactly why she couldn’t help but understand the
magnitude of the difference between herself and the warrior in front of her,
Another One Ikki Kurogane.
“Hah!”
“…!”
Countless clashes later, a particularly loud strike rang out and Momiji was
sent flying backwards.
Her vision went blurry. There, at the edge of the ring, Momiji fell down

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and exhaled roughly before looking at the trio.
The Hagure sisters and Jougasaki, who had already carried out mock

battles with Ikki.
Ikki had kicked the three around in front of Momiji.
He hadn’t even been scratched.
If this went on, she too would-
“Asagi! Show your determination!”
“Enmaku…!”
Responding to Moroboshi’s encouragement, Momiji deployed a wall of

fire in front of her.
Frustrating though it might be, she couldn’t compete with swordsmanship.
She would just have to show her determination by fighting with magic.
Thus she switched over. However-
“Seya!!!”
Her determination was short lived as Ikki cut through her wall with a

single shout and a slash.
From an overhead stance, Ikki had swung Intetsu down, and by sheer

force, blasted away the approaching Enmaku.
And at the same time, -Momiji’s spirit as well.
(…)
Having cleared Enmaku away, Ikki’s eyes shone like a wet blade.
Momiji’s blood ran cold seeing this.
Head and chest, mind and body, would be cut apart.
Ikki wasn’t foolish enough to waste that moment.
He closed to space between them now that there was no obstacle-
Fast.
Though she’d frozen for only an instant, Momiji lost her chance to

respond.
Clash was now inevitable. No, rather, if there was an ability that could still

allow her to evade, it would be the Trackless Step Master Nangou had taught

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her.
(Even if I were to try to enter his blind spot… he doesn’t even have one!)
Standing against Ikki, Momiji came to a realization.
Ikki’s discernment was just like her friend Moroboshi’s Happou Nirami[2],

in that it could perceive the entirety of the arena, not overlooking a single
movement from the enemy. Her own Trackless Step would not be precise
enough to outmaneuver the owner of those eyes.

In that case… there was nothing to do but intercept him with her sword.
Despite the knot in her stomach, Momiji clad her device, Hibachi, in
flame.
One hit would be enough.
If she just grazed him, Hibachi’s flames would capture Ikki’s whole body
like a snake.
(Just one stroke…!?)
However, she was only eager for an instant.
She had lost sight of Ikki Kurogane.
“Crap.”
Momiji realized in an instant that it was due to Trackless Step.
“Aku-”
But by that point, it was already over.
Ikki had passed by Momiji’s side and cut her torso with his device in
illusionary form.
That attack had, without a doubt, been a fatal wound, cutting through her
stomach all the way to her spine, causing an appropriate amount of strength
to drain out of Momiji as a magical red light- Blood Light, which dispersed
into the air.
One moment later, Momiji’s body collapsed onto the ground.
“Ha, ah, …!”
Sudden fatigue hit her as she was gouged of strength appropriately for an
illusionary fatal wound.

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Despite also feeling a burning pain in her abdomen, Momiji somehow
managed to raise her head. Then-

“Thank you!”
Ikki bowed his head deeply and thanked Momiji.
Just as he had done earlier with the other three.
“Aha, you’re welcome… I don’t feel like I was very useful though.”
“That’s not-”
“Armor Piercing Bullet-!!!”
“Hu-???”
A deep voice like a cannon’s roar suddenly interrupted their conversation.
While Ikki was facing Momiji, an attack came from directly behind him,
aiming for the back of his head- It was Panzer Grizzly Renji Kaga’s iron
palm strike.
It was a most unexpected, barbaric surprise attack for a mock battle.
Momiji was petrified at this. However-
Ikki’s expression didn’t even waver.
Momiji saw it during that moment.
“-True at all.”
After completing his statement towards Momiji, without even an ounce of
confusion, Ikki moved half his body, almost casually, and stopped Kaga’s
palm strike with his own palms.
His body was nearly twice Ikki’s size.
The palm strike from the man who boasted weight four times that of
Ikki’s, didn’t even move him a bit.
-Impossible.
There was a trick to this impossible feat.
That trick was in Ikki’s feet.
As he received the blow, the ground below Ikki’s feet sank noticeably,
cracking and being crushed.
Witnessing that, Kaga understood in an instant.

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-He had redistributed the force.
By moving his whole body and perfectly shifting his center of gravity,
Ikki had received the blow and released it into the ground through his legs
without having it reverberate in his body at all.
Just like a lightning rod.
After receiving the surprise attack, Ikki matched the movement of Kaga’s
attempt at retreating and pushed him back using the arm he’d received the hit
with.
(…!)
In that instant where he shifted his weight back, more force had been
added from the front.
With his own weight being so heavy, Kaga was bent backwards greatly-
In that instant, Intetsu cut open his robe.
“Gu, Nuu!”
Kaga’s great body collapsed at the knees and he hit the floor.
Towards that Kaga-
“Ah, you! What were you thinking, attacking so suddenly?!”
Shizuku shouted angrily.
After all, it was an unthinkable thing.
He had launched a surprise attack on a fighter who was set to fight that
same day, even if it was in Illusionary form.
Ikki himself was far calmer.
“It’s fine, Shizuku.”
“O, Onii-sama!?”
Then, of all things-
“Kaga-san. Thank you very much.”
He thanked Kaga as he had Momiji and the others.
For a moment, Kaga stared in puzzlement at this expression, then broke
into a broad smile.
“Gah, hahahaha! On top of not having any weak points, you don’t even

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have a single complaint about a surprise attack, eh. Even though you have a
girly mug if you look at it right… Being combat ready at all times. It looks
like you know that well.”

Knights were not sportsmen.
Therefore, they had to maintain high concentration outside of matches as
well.
Even when they are walking, sleeping, or eating, they must always keep
their senses sharp.
They can’t afford to be careless.
If one became used to slacking off, they would surely fail when it matters.
Sometimes, the flow of battle goes to the one who can transition quickly.
Going about it in small steps is out of the question.
This was all the more true against an opponent who’d easily overwhelmed
Ouma, whom he had been so powerless against.
That was why Kaga decided to attack in the moment when Ikki was
preoccupied with Momiji.
However-
(I’ve been preaching to the choir, at most)
To this man, it was a pointless warning.
At the same time Kaga realized that, he came to believe it.
“You’ll win! You will!”
Kaga thumped Ikki’s chest with his fist as he insisted on this.
Stella was certainly a formidable enemy. Her attack power was nothing
normal.
However, Ikki knew how to use and stop force.
His special skills shouldn’t be outdone by her attack power.
Kaga believed this based on what he’d witnessed.
Ikki smiled at the encouragement.
“Then, I shall be your next opponent.”
“…!”

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Ikki’s expression stiffened as a wave of numbness ran through his neck.
When he turned his head, he saw a girl climbing slowly into the ring with
a katana in a black sheath in her hands, Raikiri Touka Toudou.
The opponent Ikki had defeated at the finals of Hagun’s selection
tournament.
Though their battle had consisted of a single stroke, her strength was vivid
in Ikki’s memory.
She had been in the top 4 last year, falling behind Byakuya and Momiji,
but the impression on Ikki’s skin was betraying that fact.
No doubt she was the best of the members that Moroboshi had assembled.
She was a difficult opponent to face with no abilities.
“What will you do? Including Arisuin-kun, you’ve fought 5 consecutive
battles. Will you take a quick break?”
“No, don’t worry about that.”
His fighting spirit was overflowing.
Ikki wiped away the sweat from his hands and renewed his grip on Intetsu.
“Please don’t hold back!”
He raised his sword to point at Touka.

◆◇◆◇◆

In the instant Ikki raised his sword, Raikiri began to move. From ten
meters away, she unsheathed Narukami and fired a crescent slash formed of
lightning towards Ikki.

The golden lightning charged at Ikki like a bird with wings spread open.
It was the same long ranged attack she had used against Lorelei, the Noble
Art Raiou.
However, while it was a quick opening strike, it was made from a
considerable distance.
Far from distressing Ikki at all, he immediately took an evasive maneuver.

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Namely, he took a big sidestep to the right.
It was a style of moving that he’d learned from Twin-Wings using his
Blade Steal. That was how he managed to evade so easily at high speed as
soon as he raised his heel.
Truthfully, it didn’t pose a threat to him.
However, the moment Ikki dodged the first attack, Touka launched a
follow-up Raiou right at him.
The technique he had just dodged so easily was launched again.
Of course, that one didn’t reach Ikki either.
With a leap in the opposite direction, Ikki evaded that as well.
As expected, it didn’t even graze him.
Even so, Touka fired a third Raiou.
Was she just being stubborn?
Of course not.
Touka had a reason for her actions
(This is…!)
“As expected of Toudou. After watching his match with me, she has
recognized his weak point.”
Murmuring this with a spirit of admiration was Moroboshi, who was
watching their battle from the sidelines.
“Onii-sama’s weak point?”
“Well, more accurately, it’s a flaw in that technique. It’s a technique he’s
been using since his match with me, a technique he took from Twin-Wings
using Blade Steal where he uses all of the muscles in his body simultaneously
to accelerate rapidly to top speed. Most people cannot follow such
acceleration with their eyes. That being said, constantly moving at full speed
is…”
“Ah…”
Once said, Shizuku realized as well.
Since earlier, Touka had been unleashing Raiou left and right in order to

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force Ikki to dodge in different directions constantly.
“I get it. When moving at full speed constantly, it’s difficult to make

sudden stops and turns. All that switching makes puts excessive strain on his
lower body. Dodging will slowly become more difficult, and eventually he’ll
get caught.

Moroboshi’s prediction was coming true up in the ring.
While Ikki had avoided the first two by a good margin, that margin started
shrinking, and the amount of near misses began to rise.
“Ikki should also understand Touka’s intention, though. If he stays on the
defensive, he’ll just remain pinned down from long range.”
Ikki started to change his movements, just as Moroboshi predicted.
He stopped his sideways evasion, faced the scattered Raiou strikes aimed
at him, and started running.
Just as he was about to take a direct hit, he dropped to the ground like a
crawling animal to get past the Raiou.
“Wow…!”
“He’s doing the unthinkable as usual. Passing through a gap like that!”
“It’s possible because it’s Onii-sama!”
Once he slipped through that, he was in range to cross swords.
It was close range.
Having closed the range so much, Ikki could now launch attacks as well.
Both of them moved so quickly that only the trails left by their swords
were visible.
Touka fought back well, but no longer had any opportunity to resheathe
her blade.
And when Touka is unable to sheathe her blade, she cannot bring out the
strongest close range noble art she boasts, Raikiri.
(This is good…!)
Ikki thought this while carrying out an orthodox Raikiri countermeasure.
Ikki understood the power of Raikiri from personal experience.

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Only by using Ittou Rasetsu to put his all into one daring strike was he
able to overcome Raikiri before.

Since he was preparing for a match with Stella, he would be unable to use
such abilities. In order to beat Touka, he had to first ensure that she could not
use Raikiri.

If it was used on him, he would lose right then and there.
Thus in that manner, he would pressure her with swordplay and suppress
Raikiri.
(I’ve got this! My swing speed is faster…!)
Though Touka’s attacks were sharp as well, they were a far cry from
Ikki’s, which mirrored those of Twin-Wings.
As long as it didn’t come to a sword lock, he shouldn’t have to worry
about being shocked either.
(At this rate, I can overwhelm her!)
Ikki made up his mind. He shifted forward again and put his power into
the sword.
Then, suddenly, he struck out like a flying swallow and forced Touka’s
Narukami to the side.
(Alright, she’s off balance!)
After exchanging blows with Touka, he had finished measuring the speed
of her swings.
With her sword pushed to such a position, she would not be able to block
his strike.
Next, Ikki would-
(I’ve got her here! It’s decided!)
Believing so, Ikki struck forward again-
Rather, he tried to.
(!?!?)
Immediately after, a sharp numbness ran up his neck.
It was sixth sense he’d honed by toeing the line between life and death so

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many times warning him.
At this warning, Ikki’s body ignored his previous assumption and moved-

Touka’s sword had moved faster than Ikki’s expectation and, just barely, had
managed to return to defend.

(That’s crazy…!)
Based on Touka’s swing speed, the speed of that counter was impossible.
Ikki gulped in astonishment.
What on earth was that?
Ikki thought about the unexpected counterattack.
However, Touka wasn’t about to wait around for Ikki to think.
Narukami and Intetsu clashed once again.
From the contact point, Touka channeled an electrical attack into Ikki.
“…Ah!”
Zap! Sparks crackled between Narukami and Intetsu as electricity ran
through Ikki.
Though his skin wasn’t burned thanks to Illusionary form, receiving a
shock made his muscles spasm intensely and cry out in pain.
In the end, his movements were stopped instantly.
Touka took aim at this opportunity-!
She raised Narukami overhead nimbly, and struck down at Ikki.
However, Ikki had baited that attack out.
(She’s flustered!)
Just as Touka began her strike, Ikki steeled his writhing body.
Using the full body control he had cultivated, he took control of his heart
and forcibly restored function to his peripheral nervous system.
Recovering from the shock in that instant, Ikki avoided the strike towards
his head with the smallest possible sidestep.
Thinking that the shock had immobilized him, his opponent had gone for a
finishing blow.
It was a move made after seeing through Touka’s thoughts, outplaying her

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thoroughly.
That was Ikki’s chance-or it should have been.
“Ku!?!?”
Once again, Ikki’s predictions were overturned by Touka’s blade.
This time, having sidestepped Narukami, Ikki did not need to lock swords

with Touka, which prevented her from using the same move again. Their
close range battle continued in this manner.

Ikki would have to rethink his close range tactics from square one.
Despite being able to clearly surpass her swing speed, he could not land a
decisive blow on Touka.
Moreover, Ikki was slowly starting to fall behind.
The cause must be…
(This switching around!)
Ikki saw it in her movements while being pressured.
Touka’s blade would strike out with the sharpness of the legendary sword
technique Swallow Counter, then return with unnatural speed, leaving a trail
like a flash of lightning.
Squeezed into the moments between blows, these strikes threw off Ikki’s
rhythm.
This was the technique Touka Toudou had polished in order to win at this
year’s tournament. By creating a special magnetic field around her, she could
use electromagnetic attraction and repulsion to move her sword at speeds
exceeding the limits of her body. It was her Noble Art, Inazuma, devised as a
counter to Yuudai Moroboshi’s superhuman technique, Houkiboshi.
The burden on the wrist made it impossible to use it haphazardly, but by
occasionally mixing it in while trading blows, she could interrupt her
opponent’s rhythm. Once their rhythm was interrupted, forcing them back
was simple!
“Aha!”
“Ku!”

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Touka lunged at Ikki’s chest.
In order to avoid the blow, Ikki threw himself backwards, ending up
outside of engagement range.
He escaped with his tail between his legs.
“Onii-sama…!”
Ikki had been forced out of his comfortable range.
Shizuku realized this and let her worry show, while on the side
Moroboshi’s expression hardened.
It was only natural. Ikki knew well the close range superiority of Twin-
Wings’ sword, which he had learned. That being said, someone had pushed it
back.
(This girl is… powerful. She can’t be compared to herself from last year.)
Not intending to let Ikki get away, Touka stayed hot on his heels, keeping
up the pursuit.

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(Kurogane-kun. Your sword sword skills are certainly amazing. When I saw
your match with Moroboshi-san on TV, I got goosebumps. Your techniques
don’t even seem human. However!)

That much was expected of Blazers.
It was incredible that Ikki had gotten this far on physical skill alone.
However, that was a product of Ikki’s circumstances, having not been
blessed in terms of Blazer power.
Touka and other Blazers hadn’t needed such single minded focus on
martial artistry in order to reach this point.
If they simply used their magic power along with their abilities, then
surpassing an ordinary person was no big deal.
His skill alone would not be enough.
With sword techniques that merely surpassed average people…
(Forget Stella-san, he can’t even handle me…!)
“Gah…!?”
In response to Touka’s fierce attack, Ikki stayed on the defensive.
Beyond avoiding clashing, Ikki was forced to constantly retreat.
In the end, that turned out badly for him.
“Ah!?!”
Suddenly, while jumping away, Ikki’s balance wavered.
What had happened?
The answer was under his feet.
Shizuku and the other spectators looked on with dismay.
(That’s what was left behind when he took Kaga-san’s attack!)
(No way! His foot got caught in the cracked part of the ring! An attack is
coming, Ikki!)
(…No, this is-)
“Haaaaaaaaaaah!!!”
As Arisuin expected, Touka took the opportunity and attacked with all her
spirit and might.

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Having caught his foot in the broken ring, Ikki’s balance was off and he
was not able to defend. However, with a dull ‘Gagi!’ the two returned to
having their swords locked.

Of course, Touka followed that with a lightning blast.
“Bzzt!”
With a soft bursting sound accompanied by sparks, Ikki’s right arm and
upper body snapped back from the shock. Touka saw a decisive opening.
(This is it!)
Touka decided to unleash her trump card.
Touka had already seen Ikki’s resilience towards electrocution earlier.
A mere slash would simply be dodged. However, even if he were to dodge
Raikiri, her supersonic blade would hit Ikki with a blast through the air.
At close range, the damage from receiving that would be able to take
down any single human.
There was no reason to hesitate.
Believing this, Touka returned Narukami to its scabbard.
“Eh!?!?”
To be more accurate, she tried to.
However, she was unable to.
Why? Well, the reason was in Narukami’s scabbard.
Right at the opening of the scabbard and the tip of the sword, preventing
the sword from returning to the scabbard, was a small chip from the broken
ring!
(!!!)
In that moment, Touka realized that she had been trapped.
Ikki’s foot had not gotten caught on the broken part of the ring.
In order to kick up a shard from the ring, he had stuck his foot in a crack.
Then, while he was bending back due to the electric shock, he launched the
shard into the gap between Narukami and its scabbard.
This prevented the resheathing of the sword, leaving Touka defenseless.

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“Ka, Ha-”
In that instant, Ikki finished recovering from the shock and cut Touka at
the throat.

◆◇◆◇◆

After receiving such a fatal wound, Touka felt that she was about to lose
her consciousness and collapse.

However, with sheer force of will, she managed to stay on one knee and
addressed the victorious Ikki.

“To think that Raikiri would be defeated in such a manner…”
“It’s a surprise attack that will only ever work once, though.”
Touka smiled bitterly.
Using a shard from the ring to block her scabbard was definitely a
surprise. She wouldn’t let it happen again.
However, reading her intent to use Raikiri and then using the damage to
the ring was nothing short of creative.
Even during their fierce sword fight, he’d had the ability to nonchalantly
lead her to a predetermined location.
Most impressively, he had completely deceived her ability to directly read
intentions from biological signals in order to get his plan past her, taking
decisive action without letting her realize anything.
Without a doubt, that was the power of Ikki’s experience.
Ikki’s strength definitely consisted of more than just swordplay.
He had widened her view. He was constantly thinking about the best way
to win.
(I’ve been thinking only about sword techniques this whole time.)
“Amazing. Even though I came to help you train, I ended up learning from
you instead.”
“Learning from me? I’m only fighting this way because I can’t afford to

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reveal my hand… Toudou-san. Thank you for having this match with me.”
“Oh, don’t men-”
“Alright, alright. It’s very Japanese of you to be throwing thanks around,

but face me, Ikki.”
Something hard prodded Ikki in the back with an audible thunk.
It was Moroboshi’s device, Tora-ou.
“That was an interesting path to victory you took, though I’m not

surprised. After all, you turned the tables on me in similar fashion, didn’t
you?”

Ikki turned his attention from Touka to Moroboshi and nodded slightly.
“That I did. You and I have a similarly sneaky way of thinking.”
“Haha. Of course. I’m a merchant from Naniwa.”
Even while he laughed deeply at Ikki’s jesting, Moroboshi flipped Tora-ou
around, pointing its tip at Ikki.
“I will be the last. Since you have a match today, I will not use Tiger Bite,
hehe. I’ll tire you out in a good way. I’ll take this opportunity to pay you
back for the first round. Are you ready?”
Moroboshi wore a boorish grin on his face.
However, even as he played with his expression and words, the fire in his
eyes was honest.
Even while feeling thankful for the warm feelings Ikki saw flickering in
Moroboshi’s eyes, he raised his sword.
“Let’s do this.”

◆◇◆◇◆

It was time for a mock battle with Moroboshi. The beginning proved much
calmer than his battle with Touka.

It was natural, as Ikki and Moroboshi were knights with similar styles at
heart.

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