Chapter - 1

It was the last third of July. The rainy season had ended, and now was the season of soaring white cloud columns. The school period of rushing through selection battles was over, and Hagun Academy had entered the summer break. Some students went on vacation, and many went back home, so there were few people left at school.

Were the only ones left those who wanted a carefree summer holiday in Tokyo? Were they those who wanted to train themselves with the academy's ample facilities? Or maybe, they just couldn't go home because of troubles waiting there.

…However, Ikki Kurogane was surprisingly not among them. Similarly, his friends and his sister were also not there. Why was that?

It was because the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival was drawing close. The Sword-Art Festival opened in the middle of August. And for any sports tournament, attending a training camp was the usual thing to do. Hagun held a training camp each year, of course. That would be ten days of focused training at a training lodge in Okutama. Professional mage-knight lecturers who've participated in the King of Knights league had been called to this, so not attending would lead to a huge difference in growth, come the day of the Festival. Ikki and the others not being at school was because they were participating in the training camp as the representative team, or as assistants.

―However, the place was not Okutama. That was due to the Okutama Giant uproar, mentioned previously. That matter remained unresolved in the end. Afterwards, there were no reports of the stone giant that had attack Ikki's group appearing again, but of course none could say they were satisfied with the security.

Therefore, Board Chairman Shinguuji made an earnest request to Kyomon Academy for permission to hold a combined training camp with Kyomon's representatives at their own lodge in the mountains.

The Crimson Princess, Stella Vermillion.

A girl who came from a faraway land to the country of samurai for the sake of strengthening herself, she was now in the middle of a fight she requested, here in the mountains after arriving from Tokyo.

In the mock battle arena at the Kyomon training camp, crimson flame and golden lightning were clashing furiously, creating great sparks.

The one clad in a crimson blaze and wielding a gigantic sword was Stella. Power and speed―hers was high-performance motion with what could be called the greatest strength, and overwhelming magical power.

The knight named Stella Vermillion could not generally be said to have any weaknesses. She had remarkably high offensive ability, but her true essence was the height of her overall power. In offense, defense, and speed, she was equipped with a balance of exceedingly high qualities in every possible ability and talent. That was why she was an A-rank knight―

However, there was someone in front of her eyes right now, an enemy exchanging sword blows with her, enduring her fierce attacks head on. At this moment, that enemy could do so with a skill that was worthy of being her opponent.

A regular person would surely have his body destroyed opposing Stella's great physical strength directly. Instead, this opponent had flexible defense that dispersed the power of her descending sword, and a defense that certainly did not only guard, but held alacrity gave back immediate counterattacks.

This was the kind of opponent Stella was facing, but it was not unexpected. Why? Because the one serving as Stella's opponent, participating as a volunteer coach along with the rest of the student council, was none other than Hagun's student knight―Touka Toudou, the "Raikiri".

"Shh―!"

In the middle of that sword fight, Touka displayed her technique. In the instant that the two sent sparks from their steel, she used the impact of her parry to angle for Stella's wrist. In a movement reminiscent of Aikido, Stella's body leaned over greatly. The shock was evaded, and the sword blade glided past.

"Kuh!"

Naturally, Stella was also a top-grade knight. Though her blade was pulled in, her balance did not break. Her well-trained lower body held Stella firmly to the earth.

However, the move certainly created a gap between them. That gap―Raikiri didn't overlook it.

Immediately, Touka returned her Device, Narukami, to her black scabbard, and she took a wide stance, pouring lightning energy into her scabbard.

In that moment, a shudder ran through Stella's spine. What attack would shoot from that posture? She knew.

The Noble Art―Raikiri.

Touka's trump card that destroyed the enemy with the unsheathing. Although it had suffered one loss, Raikiri could boast of overwhelming power in close range.

Although she was called the Crimson Princess, Stella had no technique that could be used against Raikiri. If might and range counted, she could win grandly with Katharterio Salamandra, but with speed as the main determinant, she would lose.

So when Touka took the stance for Raikiri, Stella could only fall. But….

This is what I was waiting for!

Not succumbing to the shudder that raced through her spine, Stella kicked against the ground to dash out of close range.

Indeed, having fought up to now in a close-ranged sword clash, it could only have led to Raikiri being used. Raikiri was a sword draw that emitted intense electrical energy through imbuing electromagnetic force into the sword blade. The explosive propulsion brought forth by intense electrical energy was something Touka herself could not stop. It was a technique that could not cancel the unsheathing once started. For that reason, Stella had purposely put herself into Touka's range, and then retreated back out of that range once Touka took the stance for her trump card, inviting Touka to strike at nothing.

…But….

The trump card did not come out. Touka stood still in her sword-drawing position, and stared silently at Stella who had escaped. At the discernment which saw through her smallest motions, Stella leaked a sigh of admiration from the bottom of her heart.

After all, such a simple plan wouldn't go through like I want, right?

Tricking the user to spend her trump card uselessly? Anyone could've thought up a tactic on this level. It was a typical countermeasure against Raikiri. Of course Touka had faced countless opponents who used that tactic. There was no way she'd fall for such a simple lure.

―In that case.

I should use a plan that only I can use, right!?

Boom! Stella kicked the ground a second time, taking another huge step backwards. She took a distance of more than ten meters away from Touka. It was beyond the range a sword or a spear could reach. Long distance―it was the range for only bows or guns, or magic.

Yes. Stella was not a knight whose forte was only in close combat. At this long distance, Stella was still in her element. Because she was, among these currently recognized knights, the one who boasted of the greatest magic capacity.

At long range magic combat, those who held high magic capacity held an overwhelming advantage. Though Touka also had a technique for fighting at long distance, Stella's ability in magic combat exceeded hers noticeably.

Because of that, Touka dashed forward hurriedly to close the distance. However, that decision was slightly slow.

"Haaaa!"

Stepping outside Touka's range, Stella poured more power into the Dragon Breath surrounding her Device, Lævateinn. Devouring that magic, her sword's fiery aura grew in light and heat. As the flames covered the point of her sword, Stella faced Touka who was charging from the front.

"Take this! Dragon Fang!"

It became an attack.

Lævateinn―the flame that surged from the point of her sword in a flash took the shape of a living creature.

It was―a dragon. A dragon with a long, serpentine body. That fiery dragon opened a jaw full of teeth and struck down upon Touka.

Touka managed to just barely sidestep that burning dragon's jaw. Instantly, the dragon twisted around to bare its teeth against Touka again.

Lævateinn was no ordinary fiery weapon. With fangs that burned through everything, for the sake of taking a bite of the enemy, it was an attack that would follow its target to the ends of the earth. Shaking it off was impossible. Touka didn't have a single means to counter it.

An average Blazer had no chance against Lævateinn. The magic that came from Stella's overwhelming capacity all carried enough power to deliver certain death. If a challenger started a fight with an inadequate offensive, he'd find himself beaten at his own game. So Touka―

"―Raikiri."

At the approaching fire dragon, she responded with the strongest and fastest attack she had.

―She had nothing else to offer. And that was what Stella was aiming for.

I have you!

The slash of plasma collided with the Dragon's head. In that instant, Stella dashed forward with all her strength, and drew near Touka with a burst of speed.

Touka had fallen into Stella's trap, and used Raikiri. Right now, she was unable to interrupt her technique―which mean she was completely defenseless. This was the moment when the fight would be decided.

For a breathless instant, Stella crossed the distance with explosive force, and gave a knockout blow. It was a vertical downward slash. Right now, Touka who had just used up her killer technique wasn't able to do anything―

"Eh…?"

Shouldn't be able to do anything. Stella's attack should definitely have hit.

But in that moment, Touka showed a movement that Stella didn't anticipate.

She had certainly recovered from Raikiri―but… her recovered stance had not stopped the technique.

She used Raikiri's momentum to turn her body, and attack twice...!?

A devastating propulsion born of a sword draw based on extreme electromagnetic force. It was a second attack using high speed rotation.

Yes, Touka had completely seen through the tactic Stella was going to use. So Touka had―purposely used Raikiri, in order to induce Stella to jump in by making herself look defenseless.

And that scheme had worked flawlessly. Stella's abdomen, where Touka had aimed at for the second blow, had been mowed down by Raikiri―

"Ah…guh…."

Illusionary form―against a sword that cut through endurance directly without injuring the flesh, Stella fell to her knees.

And in the next instant, Narumaki fell precisely on the back of Stella's neck. It was the moment that decided the battle.

"…I didn't hear about you having that kind of counter-move."

"It's because this is the first time I've used it in combat. Attacking the enemy's weaknesses is fundamentally correct, but now that you're at the same level as the best in the nation, your opponents will take advantage of your own weaknesses without remorse too. To win against opponents of this class, it's critical not to let yourself be read like that."

To the junior who was looking up at her, Touka explained the reason for this defeat.

"You're not quite there yet, Stella-san."

And she gave a very composed smile.

Facing that, Stella couldn't help but feel frustrated.

"Uuu…."

She uttered a moan that sounded quite regretful.