Chapter - 23

"Stella!"

"Thank goodness… I got here in time…!"

Crying out and rushing toward in before his eyes, the fiery-haired girl coughed something as she wheezed. At that entry, Shizuku raised her voice in surprise from her position behind Ikki.

"Wha―S-Stella-san! You should be in the middle of your match right now...!"

Yes, that was the reason for Shizuku's surprise. Stella was also a candidate for representative at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival who had been undefeated up to her final match. She was just like Arisuin who hadn't come to this place, someone who must be conducting a match at this time. But despite that, what was she doing here?

Stella didn't respond with an answer.

Instead, she demonstrated it with action.



She took something out and thrust it in front of Ikki's eyes, and said this.

"Ikki, like I promised, I'm now a Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representative!"

The thing that Stella had brought out. It was a medal that proved she was a Hagun Academy representative.

That's right, she had already finished her match. With the selection battles' fastest record, a KO at three seconds from match start, against her equally undefeated opponent. All of it was… for the sake of being in time for this moment.

She was always thinking about this. What she should do. For the sake of Ikki who was fighting alone, what she could do. And the answer she had produced was to protect the vow they made. Protect it, come out to greet him. That would surely become courage for him. So―

"So Ikki, you win too! And let's go together! As high as knights can go!"

At those words, Ikki felt the corners of his eyes heating up. Sheesh, his sweetheart was… such a wonderful girl. Encouraging him who had used up all of his energy, not just heading him all the way here, but also bringing him such great valor at this moment. Doing such a forceful thing.

I'm in love with her. That's something I'm proud of.

In that case, he needed to prove he was deserving. To not be unfavorably compared to this strong girl, to become proud of himself.

―To do what he could only do.

That faint-hearted spirit, she had scattered it from inside him with just a few words. Therefore he changed the words he had left with the people around him.

It wasn't going to be "off I go".

"I'm going to win!"

"Okay, I see. I understand. Thank you for informing me."

Giving his thanks, Utakata lowered the student datapad from his ear. And he reported to Touka who was stting on a chair in the waiting room with her eyes closed and her concentration heightened.

"A message from Renren. …Kouhai-kun came."

"…I see."

Touka returned a short reply, and hung her head. Because her hanging forelocks hid her eyes, Utakata could not guess her feelings. Ikki had come to this place. In front of this, even if Touka had been avoiding it, what was she―

"…Ha ha."

For an instant, Utakata felt the hairs on his entire body stand on end. Because Touka's lips had twisted in joy. With sounds of crackling, Touka's excitement had electrified the atmosphere, giving birth to lightning. At that sight, Utakata gulped.

…Her switch has been completely flipped.

He hadn't seen Touka like this since the fight with Moroboshi at last year's Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.

Yes, urging him not to fight was Touka's gentleness in worrying about her underclassman's body. But… in this world of battle, one could not reach the heights of the best four in the entire country with gentleness alone. The brutality and ferocity that submerges the enemy in a sea of blood. That was also one of this girl's sides.

But then, that was a side she usually rarely shows―

But alas, Ikki had brought out Touka's seriousness. The pride of the boy named Ikki Kurogane, he had made Touka recognize him as a formidable enemy. Touka as she was now would likely never go easy on him. She would undoubtedly rush at the half-dead Worst One. Ikki already didn't have a one-in-ten-thousand chance of winning.

「Contender Touka Toudou. The match will begin shortly, so please go to the entrance.」

"…Well, I'm going, Uta-kun."

Slowly rising from the chair, Touka passed through the door that connected to the entrance gate. Utakata, who saw her back filled to the brim with willpower, felt sympathy for the opponent on the verge of death who had no choice but to fight her at her most excited.

It's pitiable, but try to think of it as sorrow brought by bad luck―Worst One.

「Okay~ everyone in attendance. We've kept you waiting for a while. And now―the last match of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival will begin! From the red gate, it's Raikiri, who went undefeated nineteen out of nineteen matches! Our student council president has shown us an overwhelming strength that won through everything without a scratch. In the records of Hagun Academy, how much have we cheered on her continuously brilliant form? She is the pride of Hagun! Our shining star! In order for this beautiful star to continue on the road of glory toward her last Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, she has come to this battlefield! It's third year contender Touka Toudou, the Raikiri! Right now, with everyone's anticipations on her shoulders, she's standing in the ring of battle!」

Touka who was standing in the ring. With her head held straight and proud, her standing figure staring at the blue gate was surely majestic.

"Amazing concentration, isn't it? Just from that, I can feel shocks on my skin."

Even to Stella who was watching from afar, that strength of will was fully transmitted.

However, Shizuku who had been in the presence of Raikiri's strength before didn't feel just that. The moment that Touka appeared in the ring, a shiver of terror rushed through her whole body. She felt a fear that made her want to avert her eyes.

However―Shizuku didn't avert her eyes. Hugging her shivering shoulders, she endured the urge to flee and stared down on the field.

"Shizuku, are you okay?"

"…Honestly, I'm not, but since Onii-sama is fighting on, there's no way I'll leave this place. I will see this match to the end. No matter what the outcome."

「And from the blue gate, one who was similarly undefeated in nineteen battles. But it's unexpected for him to walk the same road as Raikiri! Without taking anyone as partner, without recognition from anyone―he is the one lone wolf who was left behind at the bottom of the earth. However… he has crawled up! Against the Crimson Princess! Against the Hunter! Against Runner's High! Blowing past Hagun's famous knights one by one! Now, there's no one in Hagun who doesn't know his name! The strongest F-rank that is Hagun's pride! First year contender Ikki Kurogane, the Worst One! Baring his fangs at the heavens, now he's on this stage of battle to devour a star!」

And after that, Ikki was visible in the blue gate. Facing the battlefield with sturdy steps without the appearance of being half-dead, Ikki's back was straight and dignified as he faced Touka.

However―

"Wha, what's that? …Isn't the mood different from usual?"

"Y-Yeah… even though his face is the same as always."

"Looking at it, I get a scary feeling…."

Toward Ikki's form that should be the same as always, the venue made a stir. Even if words didn't come out, everyone felt something in his standing posture. And among them, there were people who definitely recognized it.

"Oh ho? That's Touka's opponent? I see… he's strong, right?"

"Nangou-sensei, you can tell?"

"Certainly so. He's making an absolutely strained expression. That youngster, he's resolved even to die here, yes? Even the audience is overwhelmed by his resolve. I didn't know that a man like this existed among the Kurogane, but… this is becoming a rather interesting match, it seems."

"Is that so~? It might not be on his face, but the color of fatigue is deep. Kuu-chan, with his condition like that, is there any chance for him to challenge Touka and win?"

"He he he. Whether there is or there isn't, he has no choice but to challenge her, you know? Whatever the reason, this is a duel."

Disregarding Akaza's disruption from the side, Kurono covered her face and replied.

"…Honestly, the situation is quite bad. He can probably swing the sword properly once or twice. …But that is why Kurogane will move cautiously. Because he probably already knows Raikiri's killing direction."

"Hmm? Even things like Raikiri's killing direction?"

She was thinking of ignoring him again for a second, but having that oily man heap questions on her also gave an ill feeling. Because she thought so, Kurono explained it to Akaza who was standing across the way.

"…Raikiri is a fast sword draw. Namely, it's a technique that can't attack if the sword isn't returned to the scabbard. By moving in-and-out with fine repetitive motions, he had render Toudou's Raikiri or other Noble Arts useless, and if he draws her sword out, then at least in that instant Raikiri can't be launched. Kurogane's chance to win would be in that moment. …However, in order to create that chance, he needs to control a battle of attrition with that battered body of his."

It was a disadvantageous battle. But on the other hand, if he went for victory impatiently the chance of success was completely nil. His opponent was still Raikiri, who boasted of invincibility in close range. If he plunged in straightforwardly, he would fall prey to her trump card without a doubt. Because Ikki's Ittou Shura, though it encompassed many years of body strengthening, was still not enough to break through Raikiri. For that reason, there was only a battle of attrition. That was the same opinion that Saikyou held.

But―there was one knight with a different view.

"Ho ho, I see. Kurono-kun, you see this match riding on a battle of attrition?"

It was Nangou. The falcon-sharp eyes inside his wrinkled eyelids shined with a sharp gaze, and he spoke.

"I see that this battle―will be decided with one stroke."

In the outer stands, people became rowdy at the two figures on the stage. Within that upheaval, inside the ring, Touka gave some words as she faced Ikki.

"Kurogane-kun. I have to apologize to you."

"…Apologize?"

"I was thinking all this time that you shouldn't come to this place today. Thinking that, I begged your sister to urge you to not show up. But… even as I did such a hypocritical thing, the girl that I am… seeing you before my eyes right now, I can't help but look forward to this fight…!"

Ikki was silent.

"Kurogane-kun, I know that you're covered in wounds right now. I can see how tired you are. But still, I can't help but be excited. Because from the moment I came came across you, I've always, always thought that―I want to fight you!"

With that bit of gossip, a smile grew on her face, and she took a stance. A flash of lightning crossed the air, and that lightning coverged on Touka's hand, taking the shape of Narukami. She had a face that said she couldn't wait for the match to start anymore.

Facing that, Ikki Kurogane also―

"―About that, I'm the same."

Announcing that, he summoned his beloved black Japanese sword in right hand. Indeed. He was also thinking that the entire time. Raikiri and himself. Which of them was stronger? That he would probably fight with this person. Worrying about it sometimes, he was even sometimes caught in an intangible mist. But right now, he saw that she was very straightforward.

Standing as knights in this place, neither you, nor I, nor the people pushing us forward want to see a single sword being swung in shame. So I promise you this."

Saying so, Ikki raised the sword he held in one hand, and thrusted the point at Touka.

"With my great weakness, I will break your invincibility…!"

He swore that he would absolutely win. Of course, because that was why he had come here.

「The two great rivals have exchanged some words, and taken their Devices in their hands. The girl who is striding toward the summit, and the boy who's crawling up from below. Who is truly the strongest? With the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representative position at stake, the last fight begins! Everyone, please cheer for them! LET'S GET STARTED!!!」