Chapter - 2

"..." "..."

Both of them attacked, and defended to the point where the ground was partially destroyed, but still none of the two have scored a point.

They were evenly matched.

The fight of two rank-B knights had returned to the starting point, both glaring at each other.

Part 3[]

『A...… amazing!!!!!!!!!!! What a high level match of offence and defense! I, despite being a commentator, was not able to let out a single word!』

The commentator who was captivated by their fight, shouted like she finally remembered her position.

And with that the audience, finally freed from the pressure that rendered them breathless, raised surprised voices.

「Wh, what heck are they...!? Are they really humans like us...!?」

「Amazing, President is really amazing after all!」

「No, no, I already knew President was amazing! After all, she is among the best four! But, what's up with that first year who is equally holding up!?」

「In that moment, she defended, counterattacked, pulled off a bluff, and used her trump card… how many cards did she play in that short amount of time!?」

「However, President countered them all!」

「Both of them are monsters. So, this is the power of a B-rank...!」

『Their fight has stirred a commotion in the stadium! However, it's no surprise! Power, technique, tactics; everything shown in this match is not at the level of an interscholastic competition! It wouldn't be weird if either of them becomes the Seven Stars Sword King, since they have such power! On top of that, both of them are without scratches even after such a violent battle! As they say "Diamonds cut diamonds!" Just who will fate choose as the winner today!?』

"Shizuku, she is doing good...!"

"…I knew she was strong, but to this extent… even I am surprised!"

Like the commentators and others, Stella and Arisuin, seeing Shizuku holding her own game expressed their admiration.

Since her opponent was the strongest knight in Hagun.

And, she was the girl who was in the best four in last year's Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.

Against such an opponent, Shizuku was fighting equally.

In other words, it meant that Shizuku's power was equal to the monsters living at the summit of Seven Stars.

"At this rate, she might really win...!" said Stella, with expectations.

Despite quarreling with her all the time, Stella did not hate Shizuku.

There were things they understood, precisely because they loved the same man.

That's why Stella was happy with this development from the bottom of her heart.

Shizuku was fighting well enough against a high rank lightning user.

Thus, the outcome of this match was unclear. There was a large possibility of something unexpected happening.

But, standing beside the two filled with hope, there was one―

Kurogane Ikki was the only one looking towards the ring, grimly.

(...…Equal, huh.)

Part 4[]

"Well, Kanata, those two are certainly evenly matched."

"Yes, Vice President, it does seem the case."

Two people of the student council lead by Touka Toudou, Utakata Misogi and Kanata Toutokubara, were watching the match from above the red gate located opposite the blue gate where Ikki's group was at.

"Really, this year's first-years are amazing. Everyone's so strong, I'd have to give up. If they acted up, the ones who'd have to come stop them would be us, huh?"

"Hahaha. Aren't you crying out in joy? The point is we can graduate with relief."

Complaining with a refined voice like a songbird's twitter, Kanata gazed again at the opponent who was fighting equally with Touka from beneath the rim of her hat.

"However, I was truly surprised that she can compete with our princess this far."

"It's true. She really isn't the tiniest bit inferior. That there's anyone like this among the first-years besides Kurogane-kun and Stella-chan, it's truly amazing."

Utakata also acknowledged that. And more than acknowledging it, he cheerfully smiled with cool composure.

"―But that is still, in the end, the wrong range."

Right. It was the reason Ikki had a grim expression. It was the one visible reality of the current match. Touka had taken absolute control over close range. For one thing, it could be said that cutting through this was impossible. In other words, Shizuku Kurogane's way to win was completely in commanding long range. In that case… it was wrong to call them evenly matched. The scene of offense and defense just now was, as far as Shizuku was concerned, about seven to three that she had to come out on top. In spite of that, she couldn't do any kind of effective damage to Touka. That is, if the current match was restricted to offense and defense, it was even, but if one expanded his outlook and carefully studied the whole fight… since some time ago, a clear superiority had emerged between Lorelei and Raikiri.

Furthermore―

"Furthermore, Touka isn't serious yet."

Shizuku was a B-Rank knight, a water user who could boast of almost A-Rank Magic Control. For this kind of outstanding talent, there was something at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival which couldn't be found elsewhere by chance. That was hard-won experience. For that reason, Touka didn't purposely attack unreasonably, and accepted the long range combat that Shizuku wanted. In order to study the top water user's offense.

"Fighting before the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, Touka is probably delighted, huh?"

"Yes. But still, it's about time for the studying to wrap up. The time span of today's match is extremely strict. Because as president of the student council, she prefers to not fall behind schedule."

Part 5[]

Exactly as Kanata had said, something unusual was happening in the ring. Under Touka's feet, the icy surface created by Frozen Field began to steam. With the Joules of energy created by a lightning user's manipulation of vast electric power, Touka was overriding Frozen Field. And raising Narukami, she aimed its point at Shizuku.

Shizuku certainly felt a heart-piercing blood thirst from the clearly shining sword-point, and her expression stiffened. However, the reason for Shizuku's expression stiffening wasn't only that pressure.

I don't understand.

While Shizuku was surrounding Touka with a spell, she had been captured by doubt. It was the previous response to the offense and defense from not long ago that was giving her an irremovable doubt.

How was she able to respond to my surprise attack?

Lorelei's magic control far eclipsed that of Raikiri. Compared to Stella the A-rank knight, Raikiri's magic control would be even more inferior to Shizuku's. For that reason, Shizuku had absolute confidence in her concealment tactic. It was impossible for her opponent to discern what kind of technique she was bringing out. Furthermore, humans have an absolute blind spot above their heads. Even the people who could react to indications from behind them could not sense things above their heads. That was the mechanism of the creatures called humans. But in spite of that, Touka noticed it as if it was nothing out of the ordinary, and sliced in two that tombstone of ice.

I'm seeing something… something I've never seen before.

The instant she thought over what that was….

A sudden wind roared, and Shizuku saw Touka's figure brandishing Narukami before her eyes.

Shizuku goggled at that sight, and almost screamed. It was understandable, because in a blink, the enemy who had to be tens of meters away had gotten close enough to extend a hand and touch her with their sword.

"Guh―!"

But even if she was surprised, she didn't freeze up. Shizuku threw her body backward without breaking her fall or any thought, and evaded the sword flash that was swung in a horizontal line. And then like that she turned her body, and placed her left hand on the ground. From the palm of that left hand, high pressure water exploded outward, pushing her body far from Touka.

It was simply a composed judgment that didn't stop at evasion. However, that was Shizuku generally using her reason and somehow decisively acting with composure. Right now, her head was half-panicking.

The reason, I don't understand it!

She couldn't understand what was occurring. Her gaze could not have slipped for even a moment. Despite that, Touka had shortened a distance some tens of meters without a sound or sign, and abruptly appeared before her eyes.

「Oh, contender Kurogane! She just made a dangerous evasion just now! Even though she was able to cope with contender Toudou's movement, what the heck happened just now!? It looks like she's somehow lost concentration, but…!」

I've lost concentration?

To the voice of the live broadcaster, Shizuku knit her brows in puzzlement. It was impossible for her to lose concentration in the middle of the match. However, the words of the live broadcaster made what looked like that apparent to everyone else. That she had overlooked Raikiri, who just now made an attack.

Even though that kind of thing couldn't have happened.

In any case, it had been unfavorable just now. She had to concentrate so that it'll never happened again. Shizuku told herself so strongly, and gathered her awareness into her eyes.

The next instant, her eyes that swung downward saw the blade of Narukami approaching.

"…Uu!?"

It cut deeply into Shizuku's clothing, and she had no time to dodge or think.

「Aaaaahhh! Contender Kurogane Shizuku took a hit from Contender Toudou's sword just now! And it was quite deep! Could this be a fatal wound!?」

However, the instant that everyone thought the match was decided, Shizuku's body suddenly turned pale, turned to ordinary water, and spilled onto the ring. And the real Shizuku was already behind Touka, standing quite a large distance away in the arena.

「I-It was some kind of water clone! Contender Kurogane has avoided Raikiri's sword splendidly… no!」

The live broadcaster's voice suddenly cut short. Why? Because the scarlet color flowing across Shizuku's left hand was visible.

「Blood is dripping from her left hand! She wasn't able to dodge perfectly! In the end, Contender Kurogane was struck! The first one to get in a damaging hit in this match is 'Raikiri', Contender Touka Toudou!」

"Kuh…!"

I didn't see it at all.

Shizuku moaned as she held the light wound on her left arm. She didn't know what kind of mechanism had been used. What kind of method was used to move invisibly, Shizuku completely could not comprehend it. However, the scarlet flowing down her left hand told her only a single certain truth.

I can't catch the movements of this enemy…!

Right. In this instant, it was obvious to anyone's eyes that the even struggle between these two people was broken.