Interlude: Death Words A powerful blow and heat exploded in his chest. His vision was clouded with a crimson veil. Blood. A huge amount of blood gushed in all directions. Together with the blood, something very similar to the insides fell to the ground. Only then did he realize that all this was from his torn chest. A weakness quickly ran through his body to his head and consciousness began to fade. The grip loosened and the device, the materialization of his soul, slipped out of his fingers.
The knees trembled and the upper body, left without support, as in slow motion, collapsed in a sea of blood. The crimson veil quickly changed its color to black. But before you say goodbye to life and fall into oblivion, Before he loses it all - I love you, Stella. With a smile, he still manages to say goodbye to his beloved girlfriend. During all the time he spent with her, he never regretted meeting her. At the same moment . . The mediocre Knight Ikki Kurogane loses the last crumbs of consciousness. Plunging into darkness, he will never wake up again. Chapter 22: Sword God “We were constantly told: don't do anything bad, be kind to others, love each other. But . . you won't be forcibly happy, right? What should we do who cannot feel happy without bad things? The world denied us, tried to suppress us, forced us to live an insipid life. This is terrible, right? This world is very selfish. But now is the time when we no longer need to control and restrain ourselves. We will no longer obey anyone. We will destroy all the rules and leave only one thing - the weak, must obey the strong . . But we should not worry. We were born strong beings. Let's kill whoever we want. Let's rob whoever we want. Let's enjoy our new life! We will have a lot of fun! " The Puppet King Or Goul. It was this man who led a group of terrorists who responded to his selfish statements and attacked the army of the Rebellion . After destroying the base of the Rebellion , he turned into a puppet of Prince Kledland Johan to start a war against the Vermilion Empire. He chose a historical issue as justification for the attack.
Many believed that he attacked Vermilion in revenge on Stella Vermilion, who destroyed his puppet Reisen Hiraga at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival . With these words, Iris, his older sister, who knew him better than anyone else in the world, did not agree. "He saw in you an interesting toy that helped him pass the time." Iris's words were correct. Or-Goul did not seek reasons for his anger. He was simply a creature who took pleasure in the suffering of people. That is why he deliberately set Kledland and Vermilion against each other, knowing that the past of these countries was difficult, and that they were currently trying to establish contact with each other. As a result, according to his plans, the Kledland army staged a massive invasion. Vermilion, at the ready, immediately gave a worthy rebuff. But perhaps unfortunately for Or Ghaul, his plan of all-out carnage was thwarted by the resourceful and courageous First Princess of Vermilion, Lunaise Vermilion. She, having learned about the battle between the two countries, went to Lucerne and offered Or-Goul a deal, which he simply could not refuse. Her "devilish currency" thrown on the negotiating table was the sentence "I will kill my family if Vermilion loses the war ." With this deal, she wanted to force Or Ghaul into a War of Representatives that would obey League rules . . . However, with her trick, she immediately abandoned the huge military support from the League . Indeed, in the War of Representatives, controlled by the rules of the League , a third party had no right to intervene in hostilities. Thus, five knights-magicians were responsible for the further fate of Vermilion: Crimson Princess Stella Vermilion, Princess Yaksha Nene Saikyo, Black Knight Iris Ascarid, Hulking Assassin of Yui Tatara and Mediocre Knight Ikki Kurogane. It was these five knights who fought the decisive battle.
And when that decisive day came, the advantage was entirely with the crimson team. Four battles and three victories. Absolute domination by Vermilion. The Kledland team was left with only one survivor of the war, namely the Puppet King Or Gol. It was decided that a knight of the 4th rank of the Higher League of Kings of Knights , the Black Knight Iris Ascarid, who was a real blood sister for OrGoul, would face him in battle . She was the guarantee of an easy victory. Her motivation for this war was unmatched. After all, her enemy, Or-Goul, committed mass murder in her home village. It was from that day that Iris blamed herself for not being able to stop her brother in time. She lived with the sole purpose in life - to stop her brother and break the chain of tragedies. Her incredible determination was close to " damnation ." It was this that deeply stuck in her head and gave her the strength to overcome her own limits. Or-Ghaul had zero chances to somehow hold out against her. After all, Or-Goul was originally part of the forces of the Rebellion . Working behind the scenes, he possessed unique powers and controlled puppets around the world. His ability is not bad .. but they were completely unsuitable for open combat. As proof, without Habub's support, he would have died in battle with the One-armed Swordsman Sir Wallenstein. What can we say about the victory over Iris. Besides, Iris was not alone. Stella quickly dealt with Johan and came to help. Somehow Or-Goul managed to repel their onslaught, but everything comes to an end. His opponents are too strong and it's a matter of time before they catch and kill him. The fact that he would lose in a fight with them was not even discussed. But…
That did not happen. In the immediate moment before his death, Or-Goul burst into tears and begged for mercy. His words succeeded. Iris remembered her true desire and attacked Stella to protect Or-Goul. Of course Stella was angry. Burning with righteous anger, she tried to find out from the betrayed Iris why she was doing this. But her words were not heard and Iris did not back down. She understood that she would not be able to forgive herself for this and that people would not forgive her for her betrayal either. But Iris did not retreat from her previous goal and continued to protect her brother. Only thanks to her did Or-Goul manage to escape from the battlefield. But, at the same moment, the Mediocre Knight Ikki Kurogane came out to them. He informed Stella that he would fight the Black Knight Iris Ascaris himself. And he ordered her to continue pursuing Or-Goul. Mediocre Knight vs. Black Knight, Crimson Princess vs. Puppet King. The war entered its final decisive phase. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ - This happened! The war between Cledland and Vermilion is entering its final phase! Half of the Cledland capital Lucerne has been destroyed by the efforts of reckless idiots, the other half is turned into the desert! But now, in the center of chaos, spraying sparks in all directions, a black and lilac flame collided! The helicopter with the commentator sank lower to the ground. Mediocre Knight Ikki Kurogane vs. Black Knight Iris Ascarid. A clash of two knights with incredible skill.
- The traitorous Black Knight Iris-Gole put all the strength of her body into swinging her battle halberd. The blade, surrounded by tremendous magical power, is ready to crush, crush and destroy everything in its reach .. ! Asphalt, concrete, steel . . any obstacle! Everything Iris touched with her halberd was blown out of her way like a raging hurricane. However, in the middle of the destruction, the lonely silhouette continued to calmly stand before her. The mediocre Knight Ikki Kurogane, every wave of her storm he met with a lightning swing of his katana. - The mediocre Knight manages to restrain her onslaught! The Black Knight's battle halberd makes circular motions, while the Mediocre Knight parries with direct attacks! Before the Black Knight's halberd reaches full strength, the Mediocre Knight meets her weapon along the shortest path! Incredible! The attack power of the Black Knight is at least three times higher, but it is the Mediocre Knight that knocks back his opponent! Everything is as the commentator said. It was Ikki's attacks that pressed the enemy. Iris's body kept back and forth. But that shouldn't be. No matter how Ikki attacked, Iris was not supposed to retreat. Her entire body is protected by the Orichalcus spiritual device . However, Ikki succeeded. He used his sixth secret blade, the Dokuga no Tachi . This technique is capable of destroying the enemy's body, ignoring any armor. With every thrust of his katana, he constantly used this technique. His every blow went through the thick armor and dealt damage to Iris. But, - Do not forget that the Black Knight does not have simple armor! Her armor can be aptly described as the apogee of "resilience"! Unbeatable armor with unparalleled protection and healing power was unmatched in the League! None of the Mediocre Knight's Doguk no Tachi can inflict serious damage on the Black
Knight while she is wearing the Orichalcus! Again and again all her wounds are healed in an instant .. A quick U-turn and Iris swings high. With enough strength, she abruptly lowered the halberd down. The blade went deep into the ground, destroying the asphalt pavement. Like a machine-gun burst, the pebbles flew towards Ikki. Iris' attack is useless against knights who can protect their bodies with magical power, which, like a barrier, protects them from physical attacks. However, the Mediocre Knight is fighting against her, so this is a completely different conversation. - Hell! The Black Knight is using dirty technique! Mediocre Knight is an Frank knight , his magic power is on the level of ordinary people! The Black Knight's attack is like a machine gun shot! If he somehow does not shy away, he will only be left with minced meat! Ikki was now in position after using the Dokuga no Tachi technique . While aiming for something, he looked completely defenseless. There was little time for evasion, he could not manage to avoid the enemy attack. But, - The mediocre Knight has once again proved that the impossible is possible! Like an impregnable fortress, his body still stands still! - What!? Iris wondered. Her face under the helmet took a dumbfounded look. Pebbles, as if shot from a machine-gun burst, slipped around his body. With a minimum of strength, Ikki was able to use a technique that protected him from a deadly attack. - "Tenyi-muho" [1] ! Exactly! This guy had a similar technique all this time! [1]《天衣無縫》 - (perfect natural beauty). Ikki copied this technique from Kuraudo Kurashiki.
" Tenyi-muho ". Ikki may not have mastered this technique as well as Kuraudo, but he still managed to defend himself. The large pebbles couldn't get through his katana lunges. - The mediocre Knight cut all the flying pebbles! The Black Knight's attack is completely repulsed by him! In fact, one could argue that their fight has returned to the very beginning! Three minutes have passed since the start of their fight, but none of them have been able to damage their opponent! Absolutely equal fight !! A-rank knight and F-rank knight. Offense, defense, the amount of magical powers - in all this Iris must lead, but she was never able to hit her opponent. If you follow common sense, such a course of battle between them is simply impossible. Ikki's incredible sword skill made the commentator's voice tremble. However, the commentator did not yet know that an equal fight before his eyes was just a snag. He was just about to meet Ikki Kurogane's terrible insight. - Gha ... Immediately after the painful cry, the course of the battle changed dramatically. Iris's battle halberd was thrown back when it met Ikki's Intetsu . However, such a fate befell not only weapons. Following her halberd, Iris's body was torn off the ground by Ikka's powerful blow. - Incredible! Where does this power come from? Was the Mediocre Knight hiding his strength all this time !? Wait! Is he .. ! The veteran commentator, who has watched the latest Seven Stars Sword Art Festival finals numerous times , immediately noticed. Three minutes have passed since the beginning of the battle. One hundred and eighty seconds. This time was enough for the talented swordsman Ikki Kurogane to fully study and analyze Iris's movements.
“The third secret blade is Madoka ! A technique that steals the power of an opponent's attacks and releases it immediately during a counterattack! With her help, the Mediocre Knight managed to corner the Crimson Princess at the festival! " Madoka " - one of the most sophisticated techniques of all the hidden blades Ikki. She did not protect him from the enemy attack force in any way. Stealing enemy power, he circulated it in his body and released it in his counterattack. Speed, strength, angle of attack - if Ikki misses any of this, the stolen enemy power will explode in his body. And the result of the mistake is only one - death. However, all fears are in vain, because such a technique is used by Ikki Kurogane. His insight, like a " magic mirror ", is able to copy the skills and personality of his opponent. A knight who instills fear in his rival. Three minutes had passed since the start of the battle, but unlike Iris, Ikki never stopped gathering information about his opponent. Combinations, movements, breathing, even thoughts .. every detail that shaped a knight named Iris. Having collected all the information, it is not surprising that from that moment on, the fight turned into ... a solo performance by Ikki Kurogane! - Ghaaaaaa !!!! - Mediocre Knight, takes over the initiative! Taking a big step forward towards the Black Knight, he disrupts her position for circular attacks! The Black Knight, as we can see, does not like this approach! She wants to attack with her giant battle halberd! But the Mediocre Knight is ready for this! Swiftly closing the distance, he crosses his katana with her halberd! AND, - Oh, he took another big step! The distance between their bodies is minimal! Everything is bad for the Black Knight! Take a look at her battle halberd! The Black Knight cannot swing at such close range! Step back! She's trying to retreat! But everything is useless, because her every
movement is controlled by the Mediocre Knight! He will not allow you to break the distance! And his weapon is capable of attacking with ease at such close range! AND, - OOOO! - He used! The second secret blade is "Retsuko"! It was with this technique that the Mediocre Knight crushed the Failure in the semi-finals of the Seven Stars Sword Art festival! The Black Knight, spilling blood from all the cracks in his armor, steps back. Does he put "Dokuga no Tachi" into every blow of "Retsuko" ?! Is this even possible !? His opponent is not capable of any defense! Neither distance nor armor matters to a mediocre man! Mediocre Knight! The most unusual F-rank knight . - Haa! Of course, Iris didn't give up. Ikki's " Retsuko " threw her back, and now she tried to put all her strength into her limbs to restore balance. Swinging her battle halberd, she wanted to counterattack. But Ikki didn’t allow it. His series of attacks was too fast, Iris's eyes were too slow to track his attacks. - The seventh secret blade - "Raiko"! An incessant series of blows by the Mediocre Knight! The Black Knight cannot react in any way .. Moreover, the speed of Ikki's blows is growing! The series of attacks does not stop! The Mediocre Knight is still attacking! And its speed is only increasing! And even now it is increasing .. ! The speed is still growing .. ! God, this will end someday .. !? The commentator cried out in surprise. Finally, the speed of his attacks increased so much that no one else could track the movement of his katana. The rate was much higher than ordinary " Raiko " . Ikki created a new technique through the evolution of the Kekujitsu Isshin-Ryu - Retsu no Kiwami Amatsukaze style .
This secret sword art was passed down only in the Kurogane family. Ikki learned about him when he fought against his brother Ouma Kurogane. During that practice fight, Ikki safely copied this technique. " Kekujitsu Isshin-Ryu - Retsu no Kivami Amatsukaze " used all possible speed of a person. After copying such a powerful technique, Ikki spent a lot of effort to bring it to an excellent state. In fact, Ikki created a new technique that combined " Raiko " and " Kekujitsu Isshin-Ryu - Retsu no Kivami Amatsukaze "
The name of this technique was .. - "Heavenly Lightning" !! From about 90 to 108, the blows merged into one lightning-fast. Thunder peals tore through the night sky of Lucerne. Iris could not defend herself from such a powerful blow. Her body was thrown backward and she fell on her back. “What a terrible ability! Even the Black Knight Iris Gole could not resist him! She, an A-rank knight, has nothing to do with the worst F-rank! Just look, a pool of blood is spreading under it! And it gets bigger and bigger! The Black Knight is losing too much blood! A very terrible wound for a person! Is that where their fight ended !? - Til-chan, have you seen? Even a rank 4 knight can't do anything to this guy! - Yeah .. We could never beat him even if he got into a handstand. - Groom-san is amazing! "Ikki-san is so awesome .. !" The residents of Vermilion erupted into loud applause as Ikki managed to crush the Black Knight on screen. - Dad! Didn't Ikki just win !? Astrea asked Sirius excitedly. - ... - Dad ...? Sirius's expression refused to brighten. Astrea, living with him for a long time, understood that something was bothering him. All this time Sirius fiercely resisted Ikki's marriage to his Stella.
But, … Despite all the screams and swearing, it looks like he was really worried about Ikki right now. “…… This guy is really good at fighting. I'm very impressed, really. If it were the A-rank League , no doubt he would have won. But now they are fighting to find out whose path of the knight and ego is stronger .. The knight, nicknamed "The Enduring " will not give up so easily. As if hearing Sirius and Astrea's words, Iris staggered to her feet. The heavy bleeding stopped pouring from her Orichalcus armor . Not even Heavenly Lightning was able to do any effective damage to Iris. - Can not be… “His technique is shocking, it's true, but… the battle between these knights is inherently dishonest. Black Knight A-rank, and Mediocre Knight F-rank. The difference in strength between them is colossal, ”Sirius said, confirming the harsh reality. He spoke the truth. No need to harbor false feelings, accept it as an inevitable reality. Right. Ikki Kurogane did just that. He understood this better than anyone. “… Damn fool…! Why did you refuse Stella's help . .? - said Sirius, shaking his fist at the monitor. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ After the whole combination, Iris calmly got to her feet. Watching her every move, Ikki took a deep breath. "Well ... it's not torture."
"Raiko", "Madoka", "Dokuga no Tachi", "Heavenly Lightning" . . and other powerful techniques. By combining them together, Ikki tried to crush Iris. But there was only one result. "Everything is useless" Iris fully recovered and got to her feet. Even her breathing was not lost and was still even. On the other hand, Ikki was already quite exhausted after the last offensive. From the very beginning of the battle, he did not stop attacking and defending himself. "I lost" My sword art is superior to her. My attacks are more virtuoso and stronger. But what good is it if I can’t damage her. Her defense is at a completely different level unattainable for me. I would even call it dishonest. No matter how it sounds, her armor is strong, because it is strong. Her techniques are not as versatile as Stella's, and not as versatile as Tatara's. But even without these advantages, Ikki recognized Iris's absolute strength. Such strength on the part of his opponent was quite natural, because she put so much determination into the current battle. Iris was ready to do anything to protect her younger brother, who has committed many atrocities in this world. Iris-Gole decided to share her brother's grave sin. And no matter how sad her former comrades were, she decided to follow her true desire to the last. Her determination is strong. And the stronger the determination, the stronger the magical powers. The device of the knights is the materialization of the soul .. therefore, her armor
" Orihalcus " has the same " resilience " and indomitable will. Until her resolve fades, Iris, wearing the Orichalcus armor , will rise again and again after any damage taken. Ikki, after the previous attack, was once again convinced of this. First, he needs to crush the Orichalcus armor , and for this he needs to crush Iris's feelings and determination. There was only one way to do it, ".. There is no other choice." You need to use the technique with which he defeated Stella in the final of the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival . Put all your feelings, thoughts, history, will ... put all of yourself in that incredible blow. The last secret blade is " Oikage ". But there was a problem. Unfortunately, Iris watched his final against Stella. Before hitting " Oikage ", clear preparatory actions are needed to build up the force in the blade. When he gets into the iai position and starts holding the Intetsu with his hand, Iris will no doubt be vigilant. In addition, she is well aware of the severe depletion of his body after he uses " Itto Rasetsu ". Realizing such an unpleasant fact, Ikki's eyebrows went up. "But now .. there is something worse." After all, not only Ikki was thinking "how best to use Oikage to crush IrisGoul in this battle" - Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !!!! Letting out a loud scream that broke the lingering silence of the night, Iris darted off and attacked Ikki. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
- Began! This time the Black Knight decides to take the initiative! How fast! Crushing the ground beneath her feet, she flew like a rocket towards Ikki. As the distance between them narrowed, Iris made a wide circular horizontal sweep of the halberd towards Ikki. - Side Impact! How powerful! Without even trying to trick her opponent, she just swung her halberd with all her might. Naturally, such a blow could not hit Ikki. Ducking to the ground, he easily dodged her attack. But, As soon as the battle halberd flew over Ikki's head with the speed of a cannonball shot, the private house located behind him was blown off the face of the earth. - What !? How is this possible! A gust of wind from a halberd swing blew away a house in this residential area! However, Iris hasn't finished yet. Another sweep and she cut through the atmosphere again. The blade of her halberd rushed down to the ground to crush the crouching Ikki. Just like the last time, her attack was amazing. To dodge, Ikki had to jump sharply to the side. - ... The battle halberd, with all its strength, pierced the ground, smashed the asphalt road into small pieces and caused a web of huge cracks that rushed to the foundations of private houses to destroy them. Her strength was exactly the same as that of the Battle of Caldia, when she saved Ikki from being crushed by the leg of a 300-meter BB.
Precisely, that was the real power of the Orichalcus . As mentioned earlier, the healing power of Orichalcus could be used for more than just defense. Any blazer could increase the speed and power of their attacks, unleashing colorless magical power. But there is a limit to everything. There are limitations when subsequent amplification can cause serious damage to the physical body. And it was Iris's healing power that erased those limitations. With this power, Iris was able to ignore any injuries and continue to build her strength. That's right, with the help of this feature she managed to push off BB's foot. And now this incredible power of Iris, who once saved Ikki's life, was directed against him. Realizing this fact, Ikki's face darkened. It is dangerous to fight an opponent who, without fear of injury, is capable of attacking with such tremendous physical strength. "We need to deal with her before the rhythm of her attacks increases .. !" - " Heavenly Lightning " ...! Ikki managed to get ahead of Iris, who was already swinging for the third time. It was this incredibly fast series of punches that temporarily incapacitated Iris. Now his goal was to hit all key joints of Iris's limbs so that she could not move. Unfortunately for Ikki, the same attack will not work on Iris twice. Not caring for tendon ruptures and broken bones, she put even more magical power into her movements, as if trying to replicate the speed of Ikki's Heavenly Lightning . - Hey Hey! Is she trying to challenge the Mediocre Knight and reach his speed !? What a stupid move on the part of the Black Knight !!
Everything is correct. As the commentator pointed out, it doesn't matter how much magical power you put into your movements. You won't be able to compete with Ikki's superior speed. Iris's movements were not keeping pace. " Heavenly Lightning " began to strengthen Ikki position in this battle. Loud rumbles of thunder did not stop ringing with every movement of Ikki. You can't overtake Ikki's speed, all the spectators who watched their battle thought so. But, . . Already a couple of minutes later, something happened that no one expected. - AND!? Iris's battle halberd began to keep pace with Ikki's Celestial Lightning attacks . One out of five, one out of three ... one out of two. Iris's movements accelerated so much that fresh blood never stopped oozing from the slits of her armor, due to the excessive amplification. And after a couple of moments, - God! You're kidding! I refuse to believe it! "Heavenly Lightning" of the Mediocre Knight is completely repulsed! The Black Knight has reached the speed of the Mediocre Knight .. ! But how!? This is simply impossible! Her movements weren't that fast at the start of their battle !! "Already this speed ... !!" Ikki, like Boomer, was also convinced of Iris's incredible acceleration. This increase can only be explained by one thing. Iris used her famous ability, which is why she was nicknamed " resistant ".
While fighting in the A-Rank League , her damaged body was rebuilt into a stronger one to withstand the high stress; broken bones healed and became stronger, and physical strength grew steadily. This ability, which was rightfully considered Iris's trump card, helped her take 4th place . . " Enhanced Recovery ". - I understood! No doubt the Black Knight used Boosted Recovery to achieve such a boost! Another circular horizontal swing of the halberd! God, what speed! Not giving a damn about the momentum, the Black Knight instantly returned the halberd to its original position! Flesh and tendons are torn Bones, all twisted, are crushed into pieces But thanks to her monstrous restorative power, which continued to maintain her human form, Iris did not stop swinging her halberd. Each time it healed her, Enhanced Recovery made Iris's body stronger and stronger. That is why with each new swing, Iris's speed only increased. - "Heavenly Lightning" has been surpassed! The Mediocre Knight no longer has the speed advantage! In such a situation, he needs to immediately stop useless attempts to counterattack! Run, fool, while you have the opportunity! Good advice. After all, " Enhanced Recovery " increased not only speed. Iris's attack power grew steadily as well. If Ikki can't dodge, he won't do a simple bone fracture, Iris's halberd will chop his body to pieces. Powerful attacks sweep before his eyes at a speed greater than Celestial Lightning . In such a situation, there really is only one thing to do. - Hey! You don't want to be crumbled! Run away, faster !! - Ikki-kun, please run .. ! Sirius and the other inhabitants of Vermilion shouted loudly as they watched the broadcast of the battle. And although their voices could not reach the
battle in Kledland, Ikki, continuing to fight, and without their advice, knew what to do. Now he needs to retreat and somehow break out of the zone of defeat of Iris's halberd. But, "She haunts me .. !" -… !? Iris quickly chased after Ikki. Quickly closing the distance, she again entered Ikki's critical zone. - The mediocre Knight cannot escape from the Black Knight! A little more and she will again impose her fight! The obvious fact commentator shouted. In fact, the words about Ikki's incredible speed are too exaggerated. From the outside, he may have looked fast, but Stella's flight or Iris's running as they unleashed their magical power far exceeded his speed. In support of this, Iris chased him very quickly. Ikki was already beginning to feel the gusts of wind from swinging Iris's halberd scraping his skin and cutting his hair. But even in such a desperate situation, Ikki continued to maintain a minimum distance when the halberd could not touch him. Ikki, you are amazing, words of admiration burst from Iris's heart. Lose life from one enemy hit. Despite its fragility, continue to fight against numerous strong opponents and win with only one thin katana in hand. Without a doubt, this boy in the future could become a swordsman stronger than Edelweiss. But,
"I cannot lose" Right. Ikki can hit me ten thousand times, but I won't get hurt. The only thing I need to watch out for is that demonic blow that decided the outcome of the final of the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival . "I have nothing to fear" After all, before attacking with that terrible technique, he needs a lot of time to prepare. Watching that battle of yours, I have gathered enough information about you. Ikki, you can never defeat me. It's a matter of time before you fail. The outcome of the battle has already been decided. But, "Ikki, do you realize this yourself?" Are you under pressure? After all, it is simply impossible to attack the enemy. If Ikki tries to go on the offensive, the battle will immediately end on that attack. With each hit, Iris's strength is increased by Enhanced Recovery . The whirlwind of endless wide swings of the halberd grew faster and more powerful. With every passing second, Ikki's situation only got worse. And there is no way to fix it. Unlike his rival, Ikki's powers can only be depleted. He is already struggling to maintain the pace so as not to be absorbed by the fierce pressure of the Black Knight. Blow after blow, lunge after lunge .. all led to the fact that Ikki was critically mistaken. -…! And finally it happened.
The blade of the halberd plunged with all its might into the ground. Ikki's legs immediately lost support and his defensive stance was broken. This is exactly what Iris wanted, "Now…!" Here is a long-awaited chance! Iris would never miss such an opportunity to attack. Quickly pulling the halberd out of the ground, without even swinging, she attacked again. Compact Strike [1] - " Ishizuki " [2] [1] The author himself decided to characterize such a blow [2] Strike with a spear in the belly or chest of the opponent. There is no need for a strong blow to kill a knight who does not have decent magical protection. Even on the verge of death, Ikki will despair over our difference in strength. Iris achieved her goal and the halberd blade touched Ikki's chest. -! Her blow should have killed him, but it didn't. The moment the blade sank shallowly into his chest, Ikki's body jerked into motion. Circling around the hilt of her halberd, Ikki's Intetsu struck Iris in the side of her hull. - Ghah! - Oh, it's Madoka! Even despite his predicament, the Mediocre Knight manages to keep his cool! Ikki's instant counterattack proved to everyone that he hadn't given up yet. Immediately after his blow, Iris's body was thrown backwards.
Naturally, she received no damage. Since it was originally a compact attack, Ikki used Madoku to give her back the same little power. Even if Iris took a little damage, her armor would heal such a wound in a second. However, her mind was greatly shocked. "He planned it from the beginning .. " Watching Iris from a distance, there was no sadness or despair in Ikki's eyes. His gaze remained as calm as at the start of the battle. At the same time, Iris made sure that Ikki deliberately allowed her to break his stance in order to catch her on a counterattack and break the distance. "What amazing insight .. " Even though he was forced to fight in an unequal battle, his concentration did not deteriorate in any way. However, not only Iris, the commentator was also struck by the incredible maneuver from Ikki. - Ha ha ha! This guy is the craziest and coolest in my commenting career! It looks like he really has cast iron eggs! “Ahah,” Ikki chuckled bitterly, over the words of the commentator, who either humiliated him or praised him. This grin hit Iris even more. Why is he still able to smile in such a difficult situation? . . Does he really believe in a ghostly chance of winning? "Take it easy" I am a knight in whose power many people are convinced. Shake yourself, don't let your will flinch.
It doesn't matter how Ikki continues to maintain his fighting spirit, because in the end the alignment of the battle has not changed. All of his attacks cannot hit me, but mine are still deadly to him. No need to worry. As strong as Ikki's resolve is, I will definitely catch him with Enhanced Recovery . This is my victory, the outcome of the battle is predetermined by fate. Therefore, "Forward…!" Leaping forward, Iris swung the halberd at Ikki three times. She needs to finish the fight as quickly as possible in order to come to the aid of her little brother. Every second is worth its weight in gold .. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ While Ikki struggled to fight Iris, Stella desperately tried to capture Or Ghaul, who was trying to escape from her as he moved through the Lucerne Administrative District. "I wonder if I can break away from the chase," thought Or-Goul, smelling the burning heat of the pursuer on the back of his head. All this time, he moved with the help of threads across the sky, which were everywhere stretched between the high-rise buildings of the administrative district. But no matter how quickly he jumped from one strand to another, Stella's flight speed far exceeded his capabilities. Before you can safely leave the fighting in Cledland, you need to shake off the pursuer. And for this he needs to somehow slow down Stella. Stretching out his arms, Or-Goul spread his fingers wide and began to quickly manipulate the threads in which his magic flowed. Its threads are versatile, they are used not only as invisible paths for movement.
- " God from the Machine " ...! Following the movements of his fingers, skyscrapers, torn from their foundations, trains and cars began to gather in one place, forming a huge humanoid figure, whose height reached more than three hundred meters. A giant stone golem, connected and manipulated by threads, stood in front of Stella and lowered its fists down, trying to crush the small insect that was pursuing its master. However, for Stella, " God from the Machine " was not a serious threat. Such a golem was easily dealt with when she fought against Or-Goul's puppet at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival . Such a stone giant could only just wave his fists, which was not scary for Stella. Without any hesitation, Stella swung the Levatein . A flash and a crimson glow ran down the giant's hand from fist to shoulder. Immediately after the blaze, a powerful gust of wind created by Stella's slashing attack ripped off the golem's arm and smashed it to pieces. But Stella hasn't finished yet. Without slowing down the speed of flight, she immediately in the wake of the previous attack inflicted a new one in the chest of the giant. Her " Levatein ", like a knife through butter, easily penetrated the stone golem and cut a huge hole twenty meters in diameter. "God from the Machine" is a pile of debris connected by threads. If you make a huge hole, then the tension between the threads will weaken, and the technique will not be able to maintain its shape. Like a slightly previously spaced hand, the body of the stone doll began to fall down to the ground. Surprisingly, such a strong technique could not stand against Stella even for a few seconds. - Such an outcome is quite expected. It would be naive to believe that this doll can handle Stella-chan, ”Or-Goul muttered. However, this may sound strange, but he was not in the least upset by the rapid destruction of the stone doll. After all, his goal was originally for Stella
to destroy the golem. - ... In the next instant, Stella's continuous flight stopped. A huge number of threads entangled every part of her body. That's right, that was Or Ghaul's plan. He deliberately tied the "God from the Machine" to the ground with threads so that when Stella blew him to pieces, the threads would entangle her entire body. Now that Stella is tied to the ground with threads, it will be difficult for her to continue chasing. - Be a good girl and stay on the ground! - said Or-Goul, making sure that his plan really stopped Stella. But, - " Flame of Purgatory "! As soon as Or-Goul turned away from Stella, searing heat painfully hit him on the back. How is this possible? After all, there is still a distance of one hundred meters between them. Looking back in surprise, Or-Goul noticed that the Levatane , raised high into the sky by Stella, was ablaze with heat. A huge pillar of fire, soaring into the heavens, coiled like a dragon. Circling, breaking apart and becoming one again .. the pillar of flame turned into a shining fiery sword. "Heck! My threads .. ! " Unable to somehow resist, his threads, flaring up, completely burned out. As soon as the shackles disappeared, Stella immediately stood up and swung her sword, shining with blinding light.
- Burn to the ground! "Fire Salamander" !!!! The slash divided the sky like the horizon. - Aaaaaaa! - shouted Or-Goul, in a hurry to escape the impending tsunami of light. Continuing to jump from one thread to another, he quickly descended to the ground. Having barely managed to descend, the tsunami of light turned into ash everything that was located above eighty meters in height. Not only were the skyscrapers burned down, but the entire Or-Goul web. “The games are over, Or-Goul,” Stella said coldly as she descended to the ground. Maneuvering before Or-Goul's eyes, she tried to land directly on him, but the boy managed to avoid such a violent attack at the very last moment. - Although the act of the idiot Ascaris added unnecessary trouble, I will not allow you to escape, - as if voicing a death sentence, Stella plunged the tip of the golden sword into the ground. Now there is no one near Or Goul to protect him. The loop on the neck has finally waited for its moment. “Pha-ha-ha.” Despite the severity of the moment, Or-Goul laughed loudly. When Stella reminded him of Iris's deed, Or-Goul couldn't help laughing. He himself had not expected Iris to do something like that. “A-ha-ha, I was also very surprised by nee-san's actions. I could not even think that at that moment she would decide to lend me a helping hand. What was she thinking about? What a stupid thing to do, ”said Or-Goul, continuing to laugh. But,
- Wait a minute! - Or-Goul's last remark made Stella's face pale. “… How dare you say something like that in such a situation… Right now she is fighting for you, and you call her stupid…! Can't you feel anything at all !? - Should I feel something? Such a situation seems amusing to me, no more, ”Or-Goul asked, bowing his head inquiringly. His wide smile, as if carved into his face, did not go away during a conversation with Stella. - Blood relations? Or maybe a feeling of love? When I use my " puppet puppets " and make them kill, these feelings are transmitted to me along the threads, very pleasant. Previously, I had to manipulate her through the threads .. but now my sweet nee-san works even without them. It seems that even after that event, she loved me all this time. It all looks like an interesting experiment. - Oh, you piece of shit ...! Stella pressed her lips together so hard in anger that she no doubt hurt herself. “Yeah, that's what I think of myself, too,” Or-Goul laughed happily. His wide eyes agreed with Stella's words. - I myself do not understand what is wrong with me. It is not normal to enjoy the suffering and pain of others. I understood that my views were alien to other people, so I always pretended to be normal. But I hated all this, I did not consider myself an ordinary person. Everyone in the village loved me, I received many awards, at school I was the very first in academic performance. I have always received many love letters. My father and mother always told me that they are very proud of me. Even my birthday was always celebrated by the whole village. I was forced to smile, but all these things were disgusting to me. I should have felt happy, but it was just a pretense .. I hope, Stella-chan, do you understand how bad I felt before? - …You… “Oh, I told you so much about my past.
Raising himself abruptly from the ground, Or-Goul raised his fingers to the corners of his mouth and looked closely at Stella standing in front of him. “Come to think of it, only Stella-chan is following me. Your duet with neesan fell apart, and I no longer need to run away, ”said Or-Goul.
He stretched his arms out to the sides, like wings, and stuck out his fingers wide. The Puppet King was more ready for battle than ever. In response to his movements, Stella tightened her grip on the Levatein handle . “You seem to underestimate me. - Stella-chan, on the contrary. You are looking down on you. - How else. All this time, you cowardly tried to escape from me, - Stella grinned, looking at Or-Goul's dirty cloak from a long chase. However, in an exchange of barbs, Stella blundered. Or Ghaul hastened to correct the misunderstanding. “Oh, I didn't mean myself… you're looking down on my nee-san. - AND? What are you talking about? “I didn’t expect you to haunt me alone. Leaving Ikki alone with nee-san, you think it's a healthy thing to do? Are you not afraid that he might die? Or-Goul's words made Stella's face harden sharply. “… Ikki is strong. - He's strong, I don't even doubt it. Even I probably won't be able to defeat him. There is nothing I can do about his incredible sword art. I think even if his opponent is God, Ikki will easily deal with him. As long as the enemy can be " shredded ", he has no equal .. But, - My nee-san is completely different. It cannot be "shredded ". As brilliant as his sword skills were, he could never defeat Nee-san. Her armor is on a completely different incomprehensible level.
- ... “Enough time has passed since the start of their battle. Probably, the commentator will soon announce the result that Ikki-kun has died. How much longer is he left to live? Five? Ten seconds? Stella-chan, maybe you want to go back .. ? Don't even hope I won't let you escape !! Moment and Or-Goul went into action. From each finger of his right hand, threads flew out like whips. Five strands flew into the sky. Sharp and thin at the same time, they silently attacked Stella. The flesh will rip and blood will rush in all directions. Of course, Or Goul will not be limited to one attack. Swirling in a dance, Or-Goul prepared to shoot the threads from his left hand. - You said everything? -…? A perfectly planned attack was unsuccessful. Not even a sword; Stella grasped the threads tightly with her bare right hand and began to drag OrGoul toward her. - Yes you are right. For Ikki, Ascaris is not a very good opponent. But Ikki will win anyway. He made me a promise .. that he would not die! - Stella answered to Or-Goul's provocation. She perfectly understood how Iris and Ikki were different in strength of the knights. Even so, Stella knew .. Ikki is not the kind of person who makes promises in vain. Without a doubt, he has a plan to win. Or-Goul does not know this, Iris does not know this .. perhaps, except for me, no one in this world believes in his victory.
- I ... believed in him! I just can't help but believe in him. Indeed, on the eve of the decisive battle, he sealed the promise with a kiss. Even in that battle against Taote, he believed in me when I, Stella Vermilion, had already surrendered. No matter how strong or weak the enemy is .. we promised each other to always win and not die. ". . I hate the thought that someone other than me can hug Stella." He promised me that he would not disappear from my life, and would always hug me tightly. Right. For Ikki, it's as easy as shelling pears. He always achieved everything in life only thanks to his incredible strength! - I'll say it again. I have no regrets at all. After all, your sister is fighting the most famous mediocre knight in this world. I don't need to worry and worry about him. After all, now I, the Crimson Princess and the knight-magician of the League , must fulfill my mission .. Puppet King Or Gol, right now I will kill you !! During her heated words, Stella struggled to pull on the thread that was wrapped around her left arm. Ohr-Goul, whose right arm was still tied to these threads, jerked forward and lost his balance. And that's exactly what Stella wanted. Swinging, her sword flew down to decapitate Or-Goul. The enemy failed to shatter her strong bond with Ikki, so Levatane was falling harder and faster than before. … Unshakable trust in your partner played an important role in this decisive battle. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
- The battle between the Black Knight, who went over to the side of Kledland, and the Mediocre Knight continues! At first, their fight was equal, but after the Black Knight decided to use the "Enhanced Recovery" ability, which helped her take the 4th place in the world rankings, the advantage completely switched to her side! With every blow, the Black Knight grows stronger and stronger! The mediocre Knight can only run and dodge ...! The commentator accurately described the course of their battle. Even the inhabitants of Vermilion understood that Ikki could not be defeated. He was no longer able to fight on equal terms with Iris. Her battle halberd flew through the air, disregarding the force of inertia. With each swing, Empowered Recovery made her attacks grow stronger and faster, and the gust of wind never stopped cutting through Ikka's flesh. Ikki used " full control " to help him dodge Iris's terrifying attacks. But he was powerless against the gust of wind created by the swift sweeps of Iris's halberd. His clothes were torn in many places, blood did not stop pouring from numerous wounds, and his breathing was very far from even. It was clear to all viewers that the guy was close to exhaustion. “… It's a matter of time before he falls off his feet. - Enough Ikki! You need to surrender! - You have already shown yourself enough! - She will kill you! You gave us your word that you will win, but we, the inhabitants of Vermilion, do not want your death! Stop! Loud applause turned into screams of despair. Everyone who watched the broadcast understood that Ikki could only be saved from Iris by declaring defeat or fleeing the battlefield.
All this time, the audience was desperately rooting for Ikki, but now everyone realized that the fight had long gone into one goal. And if nothing changes, Iris will soon overtake Ikki. Nobody wanted him to die, so everyone screamed desperately for him to run away. But, - Ghah !! - Ah, Mediocre Knight, taking advantage of the impulse from crossing the weapon with the Black Knight, retreated! Once again, on the verge of death, he managed to retreat and survive! Now the speed of the Black Knight, thanks to the "Enhanced Recovery", is much higher than the "Celestial Lightning" of the Mediocre Knight! Even so, in spite of the approaching exhaustion, he still retains the utmost concentration! Using "full control" he decides to balance further on the border between life and death! But why!? What the hell is the point in continuing to resist !? Things were pretty bad for Ikki, but despite everything, he continued to fight. Why is he fighting? Why doesn't he just give up? No one understood the reason for his action. And the inhabitants of Vermilion even more so. But, As he continued to fight against Ikki, Iris began to understand the real reason for his stubborn struggle. "Really ...!" The guess scared Iris so much that her face under the helmet turned very pale.
Why is this boy continuing to fight against her? After all, if he continues this senseless struggle, she will overtake Ikki, catch and kill. The commentator described the current situation absolutely accurately. According to the most favorable forecasts, Ikki will be able to hold out against Iris for another ten minutes. In ten minutes, " Enhanced Recovery " will expand her limits so much that even the talented Ikki will not be able to handle her. Iris will definitely win. It's not even discussed. But, There is no guarantee that Or-Goul will be able to hold out for these ten minutes against the Crimson Princess. -…! Everything is bad. Iris isn't fighting to defeat Ikki. She renounced everything to help her younger brother. There is no point in defeating Ikki if Or-Goul is dead by then. Such a victory is akin to defeat. The thought of it chilled through her body. When she betrayed her team, she was disqualified as a representative of the war. After defeating Habub, who posed a serious threat, Vermilion had only to defeat Or-Goul in order to win the war. In other words, Iris has nothing to do with the events of this war anymore. Defeating her is not necessary. All this time, Ikki pulled the fight with her to buy more time for Stella. To defeat me, he needs to use the technique he used at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival . This is the only Ikki technique that poses a serious threat to the Desperate and can crush the Orichalcus armor with ease .
But due to the fact that I know everything about her, Ikki is unable to use this technique. Therefore, Ikki decided to continue the protracted battle and catch the right moment when he could use his trump card. This was the real goal of the Mediocre Knight Ikki Kurogane. In terms of strength alone, Mediocre Knight will lose one hundred out of a hundred matches against the Black Knight. There is too much difference between them. In a direct fight, he has zero chances of winning. However, victory in battle is not determined by strength alone. The " circumstances " for which one is fighting is also an important factor. Iris does not believe in Or-Goul's victory and rushes to help him. And Ikki completely trusts Stella and tries to buy her as much time as possible. The impatience that grows with time only increases the likelihood that Iris will give up " winning " in a drawn-out fight and decide to dash forward to " win " a quick fight. Ikki Kurogane had foreseen this from the beginning and waited. In a battle with her, Ikki could only count on victory. - Ah! Though the Mediocre Knight used the momentum of the enemy attack to escape, the Black Knight quickly closed the distance again! He's trapped! The advantage in incredible speed has long been lost! The Black Knight has cornered him! Is this the end of the Mediocre Knight !? Iris, hearing all these screams from the commentator, could not contain a crooked grin. Did I corner him? What an idiocy. All this time, he was the only one driving me into a corner. All this time, he did not attack me during the " Enhanced Recovery ". Only I, tirelessly waved the halberd.
One-sided fight .. it was he who drove me into a trap. He was like a fighter who tolerates all enemy attacks, just for the sake of a lucky chance to counterattack. It all sounds like a bad dream. "I have never met a knight who chooses such methods of victory .. !" No matter how bad the situation was, no matter how he conceded to the enemy, Ikki continued to do everything to win. What a formidable opponent. Although, this was to be expected. The mediocre Knight was considered the weakest from birth, but he did not give up his values. Rubbish. Good for nothing. Useless. Ikki ignored all these words and continued to fight in battles that seemed impossible to win. He fought and won. And now this incredible guy Iris has to fight against. You can't even talk about an easy victory. "What should I do?" Trust the little brother to last ten minutes before Enhanced Recovery takes over Ikki? Or immediately throw yourself into the trap of the enemy in order to come to the aid of your younger brother as soon as possible? Just thinking about it, Iris's forehead broke out in cold sweat. - ... However, she did not hesitate long over the answer.
- What's happening!? The Black Knight, fighting a one-sided fight thanks to Enhanced Recovery, suddenly takes a step back! What for? She decided to take a break !? The day my brother was born When he squeezed mine with his little hand, I realized .. To protect this warmth, prepare to sacrifice something dear. I missed those quiet days when my brother was not yet imbued with the idea of violence .. Perhaps he was trying to cope with his incomprehensible feelings that distorted his heart, but .. I was a bad older sister, for this reason he did not tell me anything and did not ask advice. He fought everything alone. And the result of his struggle was that terrible tragedy. I won't leave him alone anymore. I will stay with my brother and will always hold his hand. I will spend all my time with him; I will eat the same food as he; constantly telling him that he is not alone. And let the world consider my act shameful - do not care. I am ready to fight against the whole world. It doesn't matter who despises or hates me, for the sake of my family I am ready for anything. And maybe one day .. the very warmth that I felt in that little hand will light up in it again ... "Yes, everything will be so" I have nothing to worry about. I do not care what intrigues the enemy builds against me.
Our thoughts are the source of our magic, they can easily decide destinies. My feelings, kindled in my heart, will not lose to anyone. “Get ready. Right now I will show you the real power of the Orichalcus ! " - The Black Knight has ended the one-sided battle and gained distance! Raising her battle halberd high above her head, she unleashed a tremendous amount of magic! Magic, completely covered her entire body! Does she really want to end the protracted battle right now !? "Begins .. " Everything is as Ikki expected. Iris abandoned the protracted battle, and decided to end the battle with one short fight. To save her brother, she deliberately gave up on the winning strategy and decided to play to Ikki's tune. … I don't think her choice is wrong. She herself is free to build her own destiny, perhaps with this decision Iris tried to break the chain of suffering. ".. The strength of this person is incredible . ." - a thought flew through Ikki's head. Iris probably realized that the constant healing and strengthening of physical strength with the help of " Enhanced Recovery " carried danger .. fatal danger to her body. But for the person she wanted to protect, Iris was willing to sacrifice everything, even herself. Feelings so strong .. can I crush them? "I must win .. !" Ikki quickly dealt with the momentary weakness in his heart.
He also has people he wants to protect. Moreover, he promised his beloved girlfriend. Inspiring his ego, Ikki prepared to confront Iris. Gripping the grip of the Intetsu firmly , Ikki strained his back and stood up. Directly across from him, Iris was ready to fight. Don't think about failure. Forget defeat. Be strong and keep striving for a happy future. In opposition to Iris's unrealistically powerful magical power, Ikki activated his trump card - " Itto Rasetsu ". Blue magical light exploded in his body. But now, having learned magic control at the top of Edelberg, Ikki did not allow magic to just escape from his body. Two knights with opposing feelings are ready to face one last time. Their feelings are equally strong and they do not want to give in to each other. Only one of them had the future. - HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!! - HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!! Here and now. The decisive moment in the battle between the Mediocre Knight and the Black Knight has arrived. ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ Ikki and Iris. The long battle where Iris was chasing the retreating Ikki came to an end. Now everything will be decided in a quick fight, in which it will be revealed whose feelings are stronger. Of course, Ikki decides to be the first to take the initiative.
Before just hitting Iris's battle halberd, Ikki deliberately took a step forward and began holding the katana with his hand. It was the very art of the iai sword that helped him to defeat Stella at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival . But it's not that simple. There are a number of conditions that must be met if he wants to use that technique. The first is the mandatory activation of Itto Rasetsu . To use all his body strength in one moment, he simply needs to remove the limitations of the body. The second is to get ready and use the art of the sword iai. To empower the katana with incredible speed and power, he needs to firmly hold the blade with his left hand. And the last - the need for a situation when the enemy will run directly at him. If they both rush at each other, Ikki, in close proximity to the enemy, will be able to activate his technique, thereby accumulating more strength and increasing the power of the slashing attack. Having fulfilled all these three conditions, Ikki's technique can become the " last " in the life of his opponent. But the problem was that Iris was aware of all the preliminary preparations. She attended the finals of the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival and saw him fight Stella. This is why Ikki was unable to use this technique from the very beginning of the battle. But Ikki did not refuse to use this technique. By using his mental powers to the maximum, he deliberately created a situation in the battle where Iris would allow him to enter " Itto Rasetsu " mode . Now all the conditions are met and the Mediocre Knight is ready to attack with the fastest and strongest blow.
In opposition to his long preparations, Black Knight Iris-Gole raised her halberd high above her head and left her torso unprotected, as if inviting Ikki to strike her there. Her control over magic was as high as that of the Crimson Princess. Releasing a tremendous amount of magical power, she condensed it and formed an additional magical barrier around her body. Despite the immediate danger, she wanted to let Ikki hit her. Probably not even Orichalcus will be able to withstand Ikki's attack. Still, Iris believed in herself. After all, it was not for nothing that she was a knight in the League , whose protection was unmatched. It's not so easy to cut it. When Ikki hits her, his katana must slow down. And that will be enough. If Ikki's blade slows even for a split second, Iris will smash his head with her powerful halberd blow. In order to prevail in this decisive battle and withstand the flames of Ikki's feelings, Iris must put all her determination and will into Orichalcus . A sharp blade " Intetsu " cut the armor " Orihalkus" ? Or fax reliability " Orihalkus " stop the blade " Intetsu "? The sharpest blade will collide with the toughest armor .. their fight has moved towards that end from the start. - ... At the most decisive moment, when both rivals rushed to each other, one of them made a fatal mistake. The mistake was made by the Black Knight Iris-Gole Ascaris. All this time, she was focused on the speed of Ikki's katana, which was moving so fast that the shadow did not have time to move behind the blade of the blade. This was precisely her mistake. She did not fully understand the nature of the Ikki technique.
After all, Ikki's katana was not only fast, but also very strong. Ikki put into his incredible blade all his skill trained in torment, all his soul and all the physical strength of his body. He put into the katana everything that shaped Ikki Kurogane's personality . . and not only. In addition to all of the above, he put in the culmination of his development - the essence of " Desperate ". Iris had to guess. Ikki always defeated enemies that could not be defeated. He was inferior in strength to his opponents. He lacked skill. But he won anyway. And now this desire to win was put into that single blow. He just couldn't lose. The moment he prepared to strike at Iris, his blade, which carried the entire history of his victories, merged with the gravitational pull of the fate of the Desperate , which had a great influence on the causality of this world. Ikki's nascent desire intervened in the history of the world and reduced to ashes the page where Ikki was to lose. The die is cast, the Rubicon is crossed. In the battle between the Desperate, the victory is won by the one who first intervenes in the causal relationships of the world. His desire destroyed possible defeat and formed at the tip of his blade as a causal force to cut everything in its path This was the real essence of the last secret blade - " Oikage ". ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ - …and The true nature of the " Oikage " technique , which cut its fate.
It was only at the last moment that Iris noticed how the blade of the Intetsu , as if through a haze, passed through her Orichalcus armor and pierced deeply into her body. The Orichalcus armor , cut by Ikki's causal desire, cracked and shattered into black dust. Ghah. Iris coughed violently and spilled blood from her mouth. Together with the blood, her knees, weakened, could no longer maintain an upright position of her body, and she began to fall to the ground. However, a complete fall was avoided. Ikki stepped forward and grabbed her body tenderly. “I won,” Ikki Iris said with dignity, limping limply on his chest. Their battle is over. “… Yes…” Iris agreed, nodding weakly at his words. The wound Ikki inflicted on her is so deep that it has reached her spine. Her intestines have been cut into pieces and are unlikely to function now. But that's not the point Of great danger was the side effect of Enhanced Recovery , which she used continuously during their battle. Everything in the world has a limit. Iris's body was so strong that it had long gone beyond all limits and without the Orichalcus armor it could not function. The moment her Orichalcus was destroyed and the restorative power ceased, her body began to self-destruct. Her organs began to explode from their own contractions, muscles tore from excessive tension, and high blood pressure killed her brain cells. Only thanks to the flesh, Iris still retained her human form.