Chapter - 24

The moment of the signal that raised the curtain. Everyone there saw something they could not believe. At the same time the buzzer sounded the beginning of the match, Ikki pulled forth blue light from his body, and ran at Touka.

「Wh-Wh-Wh-What is going on!? Contender Kurogane suddenly used his trump card, Ittou Shura!」

The inside of the venue stirred at that fact. Ikki had employed Ittou Shura at the beginning of the match, which he had never done before.

It was natural. This technique had a strict limit of one minute. It could be nullified just by running away. For that reason, Ikki never used it without first exhaustively understanding the scope of his opponents' powers.

But now, Ikki had thrown away that attitude. He had no stamina left to draw out his opponent's ability bit by bit. Was he too much in a hurry to decide the match because of that fatigue?

In any case―

That decision is reckless, Kurogane…!

Kurono ground her teeth at the sight before her eyes. This was too foolish a choice. While his body had stamina, the match was still in question. The amount of risk could be prepared for. If things became favorable, such tactics might be good, but….

Do you understand? Your opponent is Raikiri!

A member of the country's best four. It was impossible to beat her with a suicidal attack out of desperation. Would he be cut down by Raikiri, or would she escape with her lightning speed? Whichever it was, she couldn't see Ikki winning with this choice. At that fact, both Kurono and Saikyou who was watching at the match at the same time had grim expressions. And influential students like Shizuku and Arisuin were the same. It was too thoughtless. Their expressions twisted in grief. But among them… the Crimson Princess, Stella Vermillion―

"Jeez. Even with your life as a knight on the line, you're such an impossible person, aren't you Ikki?"

And she smiled just a little.

She understood.

Why did Ikki choose to do this? Raikiri was going to slash with her sword draw. In that case, he should attack during the draw itself. It was only then that Raikiri could kill.

Even I know that, so Ikki must have realized it.

But Ikki did not choose that. Why? Because he judged that his stamina would not permit that tactic?

No. It was―not anything as clever as that.

Stella understood that, and she was right. Ikki had―

I had decided all along…!

Ever since he encountered Touka. For the time he would defeat her, he had been putting together his strategy. Of course, that included the electromagnetic sword draw, Raikiri, that was Touka's signature technique as a knight. And when challenging her, how could he win without being beaten by it?

In truth, his body was at its limit. Though he had enough magic power left that performing body strengthening with Ittou Shura was not a problem, he could not draw out his stamina anymore. Swinging a sword properly, it was probably limited to one time.

But that was fine. It was enough. If he struck with all his might, one slash was enough. He would not feint. He would not spend his stamina uselessly. Running forward in a straight line over the shortest distance, he would put all he had right now into his blade and send it forth! And he would defeat it. The Raikiri that Touka Toudou was proud of!

And to Touka, who rose above this place whirling with this intrigue, the greatest sincerity that he could show―

This is my personal challenge―!!!"

Whatever the unfavorable conditions, it would be a match that didn't leave any regrets. He would not show himself leaving his opponent regrets. With that spirit in his heart, scattering the glow of his life, Ikki ran forward with the wind coiling around him.

Seeing that― Touka Toudou perceived his feelings.

「With my great weakness, I will break your invincibility!」

The words he had said before the match, it was in genuine seriousness.

She didn't need Reverse Sight to read his body signals. The soul that was approaching informed her eloquently. Ikki Kurogane would make one slash in this match, to decide the last stroke. His aim was to intercept the Raikiri she would unleash.

In that case, the match is simple.

She would feint with Raikiri, retreat a long way back, and have him miss with all his strength. And if she teased the exhausted Ikki from outside his range, he would not be able to do a thing. The match would be her win―that kind of thing….

Don't joke around!

Touka didn't even glance at that plan. Raikiri, which had not been broken in close range even once yet, dominated this territory. If an enemy invaded, what feudal lord would shamelessly flee his domain? Close range was Touka's strongest distance. If she ran away, where would she fight from? More than anything else―against someone pushing his heavily wounded body yet still using all his might, if she discarded her invincibility in the face of such a proud knight's challenge, how could she boast of that kind of victory!?

Ahh, that's right.

I don't want to just be Hagun Academy's strongest! I'm going to defeat this proud knight, and go on to become a Seven Stars Sword King!

In that case―

I'll take you on! With my invincible Raikiri―!!!

She spread her stance, and sent a flash of lightning into the scabbard that held Narukami. She prepared her trump card. To throw out the blow that brought down every opponent without exception. That posture of readiness to draw a sword, Touka intercepted Ikki who was approaching with coiling wind around him. She was the same as her opponent, risking everything on one slash!

Mutually and reciprocally, carrying themselves proudly, fighting fair and square. This was the righteous path of knights!

And―right now, two knights were confronting each other on that path.

Ikki had thrown out the fastest of his seven personal techniques. The seventh secret sword, Raikou. With a speed that showed no swordsmanship, it was an invisible sword. That speed, it was like lightning that drilled into earth within the blink of an eye.

But even so, the name of the technique meeting that Raikou was coincidentally Raikiri. An artful sword draw that splits even descending lightning.

The speeds of both parties were that of peerless superhumans. In that case, the decision of which one was superior was left to the weight of hope that each sword carried. The prayers of other people who prayed for their victory wholeheartedly. And the hopes of themselves, wanting to win against the enemy in front of their eyes. All of that was entrusted to the sword of their souls.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

"YAHHHHHHH!!!"

The two knights put their entire bodies into it, and followed through with their slashes! The flash of lightning from the attack released by steel. The mutual strike that crossed the shortest distance―Raikiri was just slightly faster!

―Not good!

Ikki knew this.

―This wasn't enough!

Before his eyes that already could not perceive color, a blade of shining plasma was approaching. Before that speed and power―

―He couldn't reach it!

He would be defeated. The Raikiri that followed through would show neither hesitation nor mercy. A complete swing that would kill without remorse. Such a beautiful, beautiful swordsmanship.

Touka Toudou, Raikiri… this girl was truly strong!

―But so what!?

He already knew that. That she was strong, and that he was inferior to most, all of it. However, did Ikki turn his eyes away from that reality?

No!

He continued to fight. He did not retreat one step from that unbearable reality. That was why he knew. Because Ikki was like that, he knew what he should be doing right now.

If he was inferior, he should gather his strength. If he was imperfect, he should strain his power.

One minute was too long. Right now, he just needed one second!

―So be it, he'll sharpen his soul.

Vision, taste, hearing, touch, smell―right now he didn't need any of them. In this instant, he didn't even need to breathe. Abandoning all of those things, he concentrated the strength left over.

All of his flesh. All of his brain. All of his blood. All of his cells, everything from them.

His personal vitality, stamina, magic power, potential, he mustered all that he had―

―And for an instant, he broke past his limits!!!

The flash of lighting from colliding steel. That air that was blasted away. The collision gave birth to lightning and thunder that could be witnessed hundreds of miles away, carrying away all color and sound―

*crack*

In the long silence afterward, the shrill sound of steel breaking echoed in the venue.

And then… the sound of someone falling.

The spectators who had shut their eyes at the dazzling radiance timidly opened their eyes again, and looked toward the ring.

The thing that had been broken was―Narukami.

The one who had fallen midway on the righteous path of knights was Touka Toudou, the Raikiri.

Part 14[]

「I-It's broken!!! H-How can it be!? With just one intersection of blades, merely one entanglement! In that instant, Touka Toudou's Narukami! Her Raikiri! They were broken!!! Contender Toudou has fallen in the ring and isn't even twitching! Now, the referee is rushing up! Can she continue!? If not―」

The huge audience held their breath as they watched the referee approach Touka. The referee who leaned over her examined her for a brief period, and before long, stood back up with both hands making a cross.

「The referee's judgment is that she can't continue! The match is over! What an end to the fight! What a conclusion! The crossing slashes were only off by millimeters! And with those millimeters, Hagun Academy's strongest knight has fallen! The one still standing in the ring is first year contender, the Worst One, Ikki Kurogane!!!」

The moment the winner's name was called, cheers broke out and shook the hall. The huge audience raised their voices in astonishment.

「It, it can't be….」

「H-He really won! He really did it! Against Raikiri!」

「I can't believe it! The student president lost in close range….!」

「It's the first time I've ever seen a Device get broken…. Is the president still alive?」

「Eeeeek! Ikki-kun, you're the best―!」

The hall turned into a mixing pot of excitement. Amidst the incessant cheers, Ikki dragged his body from the ring. Seeing that, Stella broke into a run immediately. The place she was going to was the blue gate. She was probably going to meet Ikki.

"Shizuku-chan, you're not going?"

Kagami who was watching it with the silver-haired girl asked that suddenly. But Shizuku shook her head a little at the question.

"Could it be, you're restraining yourself for Stella-chan? I think it's fine for you to go with her today, though."

"That's not… it…."

"Shizuku-chan?"

Coughing, Shizuku sat down right there firmly. Seeing that, Kagami also realized it. It wasn't not that Shizuku wouldn't go. She was unable to move because of shock.

Her beloved brother had dragged his body that was on the verge of death to appear in this fight. The enemy had struck at her brother with full force, showing no hesitation or mercy. Although the result was the Ikki had won, it had truly been dangerous. If a single thing had gone wrong, Ikki's head would've flown in that instant. That tension, and the relief that was loosened, they had probably stolen all energy from Shizuku.

Right now―

"…It's great… that he's safe…. It's great!"

At that relief, Shizuku had fallen onto her seat, and was now shedding tears. Well, that was understandable. Because Shizuku had been strained since last night.

However, speaking of the risky match―the truth was different.

"Did you see that, Nene?"

"Of course I saw that. Sheesh, what an outrageous man Kuro-bou is."

The two mage-knights looking down on the ring from the top floor of the spectator seats had noticed it. They had seen it with their own eyes.

Raikou and Raikiri. The thunder of two steel swords colliding, and the moment that happened.

―Ikki had accelerated even more.

"Ittou Shura, which spent everything of oneself in one minute, didn't win against Raikiri. Kurogane himself understood that. So that guy, he spent everything himself in one sword swing instead of one minute! With astounding concentration, he concentrated his 'strongest single minute', and magnified his physical strength in a many-fold leap, and added swing speed and power…!"

Compared to burning his stamina using the usual Ittou Shura to run forward, Ikki had spent the stamina of running a hundred meters at the first step instead just then. That was entirely beyond the domain of humans. It was not the realm of a man who fell into the realm of the shura. Exceeding limits beyond limits. A… demon that exceeded humanity. If it needed a name―

Ittou Rasetsu.