Chapter - 13

As a result, Airisuin's stratagem had been activated splendidly. Everyone one on Akatsuki Academy's side had his or her shadow trapped in the moment that both sides collided, and were completely defenseless―

"Yaaaaahhh!"

Before the flourished blades of Hagun Academy, all of them fell. In their defenseless condition, they had taken fatal hits. Unable to guard, they could not dodge either. It was victory with no room for doubt.

Thank goodness… now then.

The hopes of Shizuku, of his precious little sister, had been protected. Their Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival had not been tarnished. Arisuin rejoiced about that. And everyone else was the same―

「Wh-Whew…. I didn't know what to do if you really attacked us from behind.」

Everyone leaked a similar breath of relief, and let the tension out from their shoulders. It was probably because each and every one of them had felt the response against his or her own blade.

Except for one person.

Except for Ikki, who was looking with a stiff expression down on his older brother, Ouma Kurogane, who he had cut down himself.

Impossible.

Ikki, at the reality stretched out before his eyes, remembered a chill that made him nauseous.

What is this?

No matter how he looked, this was really his older brother Ouma. In behavior, in aura, in spirit, voice, and face, surely this was the real thing. The response of Intetsu also told him that he had defeated the opponent without a doubt.

But because of that, no matter how real it was―it was absolutely impossible.

That his older brother, the Sword Emperor of Wind Ouma Kurogane, was stretched out at his feet so unsightly!

―At that moment, what caused him to realize it was the recollection coming back to his mind. Many days ago, the memory of that shopping district in the mountains―that fragment―

「Wah! Wait, wait! You can't do that!」

On that day, that young boy had, faster than Ikki's trained body, grabbed onto the man who had started attacking people in the street. And the boy had said it was a Blazer ability. Under that state of affairs, taking the boy's physical fitness into account, he must have started to act before the attacker moved. If not―Ikki should've been faster.

That ability could've been one of two types.

One was penetrating sight. If he saw that the man was carrying a blade, it was possible to start moving before the man began his action.

But one factor precluded this possibility. Kagami had said the boy's reason for being selected as a Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representative was because he was a Blazer of the causation-intereference system with a rare skill. Penetrating sight was neither a rare skill nor part of the causation-interference system.

In that case, there was only one possibility remaining.

Future prediction―

Realizing that possibility, Ikki felt the revelation. In that instant, a shudder spread through his throat and gut.

"Watch out, Alice! This is a trap!"

He turned in Arisuin's direction, the shudder erupting with his voice.

But―it was slightly too late.

"Eh―?"

Faster than Arisuin could act on Ikki's words, countless swords flew into Arisuin's body from behind.

"Ha…?"

"Ali…ce?"

With a thud, Alice fell to the ground with ten silver swords piercing him. Everyone's breath was taken away by the abrupt situation.

"Not quite, huh? You might've made it if you were just a little bit quicker."

That boundlessly cheerful voice was heard.

"But figuring out my ability just from seeing it once! That's Ikki-kun for you!"

The voice came from behind Arisuin. Standing there smilingly innocently with countless silver blades in both hands, it was Amane Shinomiya.

Part 8[]

Alice's powerless body fell to the ground. His body had been pierced by weapons in illusionary form, and he had blacked out.

At this situation, Shizuku was the first to act.

"Alice!"

Shouting, she tried to rush over to where he was. But that act―

"Shizuku, don't be careless! Watch out in front of you!"

Ikki's warning was just in time, unlike previously. In front of Shizuku's eyes, in what should be empty air, there were twists in space.

This is―!

Shizuku who recognized it immediately covered her head with both arms. In that instant, something hit Shizuku's petite body, and sent her bouncing back like a ball. As if something invisible had sent her flying.

And that was entirely the case.

"Eh…!"

Was the surprised from someone on Hagun's side? Or was it from everyone? But that was understandable. It was that astonishing a sight. The students of Akatsuki Academy who should've been defeated were walking out from the entirely transparent smoke, completely unharmed.

"H-Huh!? What is the meaning of this!?"

"Copies of the same people…!? Impossible! Then who are the ones we defeated―!?"

Renren and Saijou once again confirmed the forms of the Akatsuki students at their feet.

And they opened their eyes wide. The things lying there were painted wooden puppets.

"Wh-What is this!?"

"Trick Art. My art that is even more real than the real thing."

At Renren's cry, one of the people from Akatsuki Academy coughed lazily. It was a topless young lady whose large breasts were hidden under only a painting apron. Like Arisuin, she was hired by Rebellion, the Bloody Da Vinci, Sara Bloodlily.

"In other words, what you've all thought were us were in fact wooden dolls animated by my Black Widow, with appearances given by her own Noble Art. And the real us were hiding over here with Ouma-kun's wind bending the light around us, waiting for all of you to finish spinning your wheels."

"You saw through Alice's plan since the beginning!?"

"Yes, well. We have an excellent prophet over here, you know? …Though we didn't believe there would be a traitor among us."

While the clown laughed loudly as if he had laid open a joke―

"But in the end, Amane-san's prediction came true, huh? I'm sure Wallenstein-sensei who mercifully gave him a chance all the way to the end will be sad.

He lifted Arisuin's fallen body.

"Well, I'll leave you to finish the rest of this, everyone. Our sponsor's order was to destroy them so profoundly that there's no room for arguing our superiority. To crush them thoroughly, leaving no one left. As for me, I have to bring this traitor to Sensei, so…."

And he leaped backward with a panther's agility, most likely to withdraw from the battlefield. Taking Arisuin, of course.

But naturally, Ikki did not allow that to happen easily.

"Hold it!"

He dashed forward hot on the clown's heels. His speed was great enough. He could catch up immediately―or he should be able to.

Ikki's course was blocked by the Sword Emperor of Wind, Ouma Kurogane.

"Brother…!"

"Fall."

Ouma, without hesitation, swung his more than meter-long nodachi-shaped Device Ryuuzume. Cutting the air, he drove a silver arc toward Ikki's torso in a flash.

Ikki was convinced about that merciless strike. If he didn't stop his feet, focus his gaze, and turn to defend his body with all his might, then he would be bisected along with Intetsu.

"Kuh!"

But as Ikki was about to abandon the chase―

"Haaaaa!"

Following the same line as Ouma's Device, a flame-covered golden sword thwarted its path.

"Stella!"

He shouted the name of his red-haired sweetheart who had interposed herself to protect him. And while Stella locked swords with Ouma, she told Ikki.

"Ikki! Shizuku went after Alice!"

Being told that, Ikki looked toward where Ouma had sent Shizuku flying. There was already no one there. Searching his field of vision, he found Shizuku's back racing after the escaping Hiraga at full speed.

"These guys let Shizuku pass! They probably set traps before coming out! It's bad to let her go alone! Hurry up and chase after her!"

At Stella's blurted words, Ikki hesitated a little. Should he leave this situation to Stella and the others?

But luckily, the student council executives were here, starting Touka, and the representatives besides himself, the Hagure sisters, were also here. In that case―he had to join the one who was alone.

"I understand! I'll leave this to you!"

"Yeah. If these guys don't have Alice's power backing them up, we'll take down all of them!"

Stella's high-spirited words settled inside him, and Ikki withdrew from the field to race after Shizuku. Seeing Ikki's back as he left―Stella once again gazed at the boy who was both the one she loved the most and the one worthy of being her rival.

And she knew. Her enemy was in front of her eyes, standing straight like the wooden puppet and gazing at her.

"I've been feeling your gaze all this time. You want to fight me, right!?"

If that puppet had be more real than the real thing, then that gaze was copying the real Ouma's emotions. If that was true―

"I accept your challenge, Sword Emperor of Wind!"

The Crimson Princess had no reason to decline. Because her opponent was an A-rank knight like herself, this was her role to uphold. Deciding that, Stella pushed Ouma's body away with all her strength.

And against Ouma who had ben blown off thirty meters, she began to prepare her sure-kill Noble Art. It was a technique that brandished a sword that burned with heat and light, investing all her spirit into her longsword,Lævateinn.

―Katharterio Salamanda.

I don't know what kind of ability my opponent has. But I know he's no ordinary person!

In that case, she'd use all of her power at the start. It would be best to decide it here. If she didn't, she'd try to probe her opponent's ability by seeing how re responded. That was Stella's decision. In response, Ouma―

"―Hmph."

At Stella's spirit which was churning up the surrounding atmospheric temperature―

"Is such a trivial thing the best you can do?"

Giving a savage smile that showed a peek of his fangs―he replied with his own strongest Noble Art.

Strangely, he took the same stance as Stella. Taking his huge sword with both hands, he raised the blade, and poured all his magic into that Device. The ability of Ouma Kurogane, the Sword Emperor of Wind, was of the elemental-influence system―the power to manipulate wind.

The windstorm born of that power was turned into a cyclone within Ryuuzume, and devoured the surrounding atmosphere. The atmosphere, the debris, the flame―anything and everything in the surroundings. Before long, what he had made was a sword of raging storm-winds, layers and layers of mass stacked together―

"Kusanagi."

A sword of light and heat against a sword of storm-winds. Both blades were more than fifty meters long, each an attack beyond the norm. With only thirty meters between the users, their reach was surely more than enough. If they both swung down on their opponent at the same time like this, they would clash.

In an instant, the fire and wind from the two blades of magic intertwining rained sparks, came undone, destroyed the surroundings together as a tempest of flame.

"Eeeeeeekkk!"

At the white-hot tempest that was blowing and burning away everything, the Hagure sisters screamed. No, everyone else in that place including them protected themselves with magic, curled up their bodies, and just narrowly managed to stand firm. If they lost focus even a little, their bodies would've been blown far away, and probably would've taken an impact as if they had fallen off a skyscraper. That was why everyone protected themselves desperately. It was a battle beyond what ordinary knights could bear to watch. But―

Before long, the clash between the sword of fire and the sword of wind began to break down. The one beginning to crumble was―the Crimson Princess.

N-No way!

With creaking sounds, Stella's two hands with which she boasted of physical strength beyond the norm and begun to feel a pressure she had never felt before. Her heels were slowly sinking into the ground, and the asphalt under them were cracking to pieces. At being shown this reality, Stella was astonished.

I'm losing in strength? Me…?

It was her first time experiencing it. The reason was because her plan of using Katharterio Salamandra to see her opponent's response had collapsed in an instant.

It was natural. Up to now, not a single person had ever taken or turned back Katharterio Salamandra, the Noble Art that the Crimson Princess was proud of. She had not learned anything about her opponent with it.

Stella had no experience dealing with this situation. If she had no experience, she could not come up with a response.

What should I do…?

Gradually, gradually. The beautiful cross being made by the swords of fire and wind began to lose its shape. The sword of windstorm was pushing into the wind of fire, shaving through the blade of light with a cyclone spinning like a rock drill.

Finally, Katharterio Salamandra's blade form was cut through. And Kusanagi fell toward Stella's head.

Oh―no―

Stella, in the instant just before the pressure fell on her from above, could not move to avoid it. And at the same level where the two collided, the others were protecting their bodies with all their strength, and couldn't rush in to help. Stella couldn't avoid this strike. Her defeat was certain.

―If not for the only one would could do anything at that moment, Raikiri Touka Toudou.

"Stella-san!"