Chapter - 19

The world's strongest swordsman, Edelweiss. The one confronting her, the 'Worst One' Ikki Kurogane, immediately―

"Ooooohhh!"

―emitted a raging blue aura that coiled around his body, activating the Noble Art Ittou Shura.

Faster than the exchange of a single blade stroke. Why did he use this technique with a strictly limited duration of one minute from the start? It was obvious―if he didn't, he would not be able to fight at all.

It was none other than Ikki's own insight, recognizing that difference between their power.

One minute. It was the limit to how long he could match the strongest in the world.

And that judgment was correct. Edelweiss attacked with the wind coiling around around her. From the beginning, Ikki was confident that he had not erred in his judgment about his opponent. The moment Edelweiss swung both swords, his eyes lost sight of the attack. In confusion, he hurled his body backward.

At that instant, the air where Ikki's nose had been was split. Something invisible and absurdly sharp flitted across his eyes, just barely scraping his nose. At the odor of something burning drifted by, Ikki understood. The invisible thing that had flitted near had been an attack―Edelweiss's two swords.

I can't―see her strikes!

Because it was much too fast, much too sharp, he could not even see the afterimages of the twin pure-white blades with the naked eye. What had just barely been perceived was a glimmer of incandescence in the air due to the sword blades cutting through it at extraordinary speed.

What a temper…! If I lose focus for an instant, my head will fly…!

At this moment, Ikki abandoned any thought of taking the fight by trickery. Literally, his breath had been sucked away.

To deal with the slash that could of Edelweiss's two swords that drew a flash, he mustered all his nerves. Among the techniques he knew, the invisible technique that boasted of such speed as to be invisible. With the seventh secret sword Raikou, which used the power of Ittou Shura that was coiled around his body, he met the approaching attack.

Once, twice, three times, four times―the invisibly entangled steel gave births to white spars in the dark night. Ten clashes in all. Against the invisible chain of attacks that Edelweiss sent out with little pause, Ikki had traced back their movements from her gaze, just barely defending himself.

But from the beginning, Ikki's expression as he endured this showed obvious astonishment.

A-Amazing…!

Receiving the slashes had sent numbness from both hands to his shoulders. It wasn't just speed―but also preposterously heavy force. Despite being sent by only one hand, each was far beyond Ikki's Raikou!

Why? Ikki understood the reason instantly.

"Kuh!"

Ikki fought back with Raikou yet again against Edelweiss's approaching attack. Amidst the crossing steel that gave off sparks, Ikki was sure his understanding was correct.

That's the reason…! This person's actions aren't making any sounds!

Her steps, her slashes, everything she did was completely silent.

Sounds were waves born of impacts against the atmosphere causing oscillations. Put another way, one could call it the dispersion of physical force. So if one was able to control the energy of his actions completely, and not allow any to be consumed uselessly, what would happen? As a result of making all actions silent, one could show speed and offensive at close to a hundred percent potential.

Such a thing was not the technique of a human being, but―without a doubt, this was possible for the human in front of Ikki's eyes. Ikki understood that, and shuddered as he swallowed the saliva gathering in his mouth.

This is… the world's strongest swordsman…!

In offensive approach. In swordsmanship. In all of these things―she was beyond the pale. There was no chance to get an advantage.

―However.

Even if that's true, I can't just defend!

While barely defending against the unpredictable attacks coming endlessly, Ikki understood this.

Raikou is just barely enough! I can't match her in speed or offense! If I just take this directly, I'll be cut through in five seconds!

For that reason, he had to shift to another way to attack. Offense was the best defense. He didn't believe those words as is, but the truth was too one-sided here. Even if an attack wouldn't hit or reach the opponent, if it broke her posture, it would have meaning.

Therefore, Ikki made his decision. Facing the world's strongest swordsman―to attack. He was not going to be stingy. Against this opponent, he couldn't afford to be so.

Clashing with everything I have…!

Instantly, Ikki put his decision to action. The high speed attack sent from Edelweiss's two swords. Ikki too a step back as if running away from them.

Edelweiss immediately lunged, chasing after him with her swords held like a cross. Raising them as both a defense and a cutting attack was a stance that showed no openings. The opponent he was confronting was pursuing, but at the same time it was also the best state of affairs for him—exactly as Ikki predicted.

Here I go!

Against the pure white Edelweiss, Ikki set forth. And using a unique step, he created an afterimage by suddenly changing his body's speed as he moved forward―

The fourth secret sword, Shinkirou.

Edelweiss attacked the afterimage brought forth by the illusory footwork. Her two swords slashed toward it simultaneously from both sides in a cross. But since it was nothing more than an afterimage, the blades cut only air. As a result―

Her chest is open!

Aiming for that, Ikki prepared Intetsu and rushed toward it―

But suddenly, Ikki brought his body back from his charge in panic. In that moment, an invisible slash went through the space where Ikki's neck had been.

No good! Her sword travels faster than I can step in! I can't finish her like this!

If he had stood within range carelessly, he would've been decapitated just now.

But is this something I'll give up on after trying once or twice!?

If he wasn't good enough in speed, then Ikki attacked a second time, switching to power. Twisting his upper body against his lower body like a spring, putting all his weight and physical strength and concentrating them into a single charging thrust, it was the Worst One's strongest technique―

The first secret sword―Saigeki.

Ikki's highest offensive ability that even put a hole in that giant rock doll. The charge and its penetrating power was peerless. Even someone like Edelweiss would have no response but to flee―what naïve thinking.

"Wha…!"

The next instant, Saigeki's charge lost power, and was no longer advancing.

Why? ―The reason was Edelweiss, who Intetsu infused with Saigeki's force was rushing toward, had stopped Saigeki by blocking with her own swords. At the tip of his sword that was no wider than a needle, her blades had met perfectly, countering Ikki's highest offensive ability. ―It was indeed amazing.

"Ugh…!"

Just like that, at the deed which displayed the true difference between the two of them, a great agitation grew in Ikki's chest.

And Edelweiss didn't miss that agitation. She took the gap in Ikki's reaction that had become just slightly dull―

"Whoa!"

Edelweiss's attack tore Ikki's skin at last. What was torn was―his forehead. To make things worse, the blood that burst out from there flowed into Ikki's eyes.

My view!

Of course, Edelweiss didn't let that fatal vulnerability pass. What she unleashed was the instant cross-shaped attack that she had showed at the beginning. The pursuing sword, with its swift stroke, burned the air white―

"Haaaaa!"

But all of that was an interaction Ikki Kurogane had foreseen. He drove her off, and all of her cross-like attacks. For Ikki who had the vision of both eyes stolen away, not a bit of agitation was in him.

How? All of that was already things he didn't need to see!

I can't see the swings, but I can see through the muscles moving her body!

Edelweiss's breath. Swordsmanship. Tempo. Footwork―

It was the peerless ability of insight, stripping bare the essence of the opponent's habits through the information he gained from the opponent while fighting.

Perfect Vision―using the asset he had besides sword technique, the Worst One saw through Edelweiss's own technique. So he didn't need vision anymore. Because even without something like vision, he could predict two or three moves ahead of his enemy!

"You're doing quite well."

Even the world's strongest revealed a voice of admiration at Ikki's sensitivity that approached the mystical mind's eye.

However, her slashing attacks did not slow. From the front, she attacked with the absolute advantage afforded by her two-sword style. It was a continuous onslaught. She understood that her own sword-wielding muscles had been seen through, but the difference that existed between them would not be surmounted just by something like foresight.

In that case, there was no need for trickery. It was enough just to press forward with speed and power.

―It was entirely proper judgment. As it was, she immediately pressed the attack. Again, Ikki was confident about this. For that reason―

The fight will be decided here―!

It was only one thing, but there was a way to change the flow of this situation. While handling the silent shadowless attack with only foresight, he considered it. Edelweiss had not fallen back once during this fight. She had defended while advancing, but she had never moved to evade. Why? It was simple. She didn't need to. There was no need to dodge. The spare time to defend while attacking was more than enough. Ikki's sword was nothing more than a single blade, to be brushed aside by Edelweiss's own. If he considered the difference between them, that was certain. Therefore Edelweiss had not chosen to evade.

Then in that case―

On that point, there was a way for him to survive. Because it was certain, it was the one thing that was easy to read!

This is the single point where I can disrupt her rhythm!

And Ikki's last offense came out. Flicking one pure-white blade with just a bit of strength, he would delay the returning sword. An attack thrust into that gap could bring it all to an end.

The blade of Intetsu just barely scraped along the ground―no, while scraping the ground, it drove toward Edelweiss.

The swing was big, like a sharp gale. However, it would probably not reach Edelweiss. If Ikki's sword was like a gale, Edelweiss's sword was like a flash. Without a doubt, she would block.

However―that was nothing to worry about. Because this technique was purposely such that there was meaning for it to be blocked. In the instant that the opponent defended against Intetsu, from his feet to his fingers, all of his muscles worked together, flexing to cast forth a shock wave.

The human body was mostly flesh made of and filled with water. Therefore, it was fragile against vibrations. If a slight ripple was made on a human body that was vulnerable to vibrations, the interior of that body would be disrupted. For example, there was a type of penetrating blow in Chinese martial arts that used this principle.

In other words, Ikki's attack was a penetrating blow using an edge. It would bypass armor and strike the internal organs. If blocked with swords, it would strike both arms. Arriving at the human body through vibration of the sword blade, it was a poisonous stroke that brought disruption.

The sixth secret sword―Dokuga no Tachi

Taking heed of the difference in their strength, and making sure she wouldn't evade. One could say that Ikki had truly made sure of the difference between his movements and Edelweiss's correctly.

However, the secret sword would only be effective in the situation where the opponent blocked forcefully. And exactly as Ikki planned, Edelweiss did not have any doubts―and blocked the poisonous longsword with her pure white blade!

However much she was the world's strongest, Edelweiss was still human. In the structure of a human body, she was no different from Ikki. In that case, she had no way to escape from this poison!

Ikki aimed at Edelweiss's naked sword, drove into it the shock wave born of his all his muscles working together.

In that instant, blood surged out from all over Ikki's body.

"Eh?"

Muscles burst through his skin all over his body, and blood flew all around.

Why? The reason was something Ikki realized instantly. It was simple. Edelweiss had done exactly what Ikki was about to do―with a speed and destructive power an order of magnitude greater.

As a result, the shock wave Ikki was launching at Edelweiss had been completely extinguished, and the waves that remained had conversely destroyed Ikki's body instead.

Ikki had intended to see through Edelweiss's sword. But all of that was an illusion. All he saw was what Edelweiss wanted to show. Everything had been in the palm of her hand all along.

This reality made Ikki's body shake in cold fear.

To this… degree…?

Exhausting all his strength, betting on all his techniques, using the best tactics he could devise―he couldn't even touch her.

The world's summit… is this high… this far away…!?

Before such strength that his own scale could not measure, Ikki felt terror.

And in the next instant, the end came. Against Ikki who had lost all methods of attack, Edelweiss swung the sword in her right hand―the white blade flew invisibly, broke through the blade of Intetsu, and sliced into Ikki.

"Ah."

From that one blow, the wound Ikki received was not deep. However, because the Device crystallized from his own soul had been shattered, Ikki's consciousness and body crumbled down.

Edelweiss did not give the final blow. He understood that there was no need for it. Having ended the fight, she turned her gaze away from Ikki―

"UuuaaaAAAAAAA!!!"

But at the moment Ikki's body would've hit the ground, incredibly, Ikki mustered as much of his strength as he could, and refused that last act. Grabbing a piece of Intetsu that was flying through the air―

"Aaaaahhh!"

He slashed at Edelweiss again.

That broken edge was easily blocked by the pure-white blade.

"…You still wish to continue?"

Ikki's action had made Edelweiss's heart waver just a little. She asked the knight who was now breathing over her shoulder, yet still grasping the broken shard of his crystallized soul.

"It is plain to see that with the difference in our strength, you cannot even hope to win by chance. The sword formed from your soul is broken, your consciousness faint. You body can no longer fight either. Despite that, why do you hinder me? I have no desire to injure children unreasonably. Since the beginning, I had no intention of killing you or your sister. Compared to keeping me here, you are putting your little sister in danger. Lord Wallenstein is not one to show children mercy, I fear. …Do you not also know this?"

At that question, Ikki nodded while breathing heavily.

"Yes… I know…. You're a kind person."

"If so, why?"

"…Because Shizuku doesn't want that."

Ikki, keeping himself awake with pure will, stared back at Edelweiss through his blurred eyes and answered with the reason that he had not yet surrendered.

"If I let you go… maybe Shizuku will be saved. But Alice won't be!"

"―That boy is a criminal, a member of society's underworld. Such a fate is inevitable."

"Maybe so. But Shizuku doesn't want that. She came here because she doesn't want that! And I promised to follow what Shizuku wanted!"

Therefore―

"Even if I die, I won't surrender here!"

At that answer, Edelweiss's noble face turned in confusion.

"Even if you die? You don't hold your life so cheaply, do you? Having cross blades with you, I know how strong the ambition and longing is inside of you. You too have a dream. You too have someone important. Despite that, you don't mind losing your life here?"

At the perplexed question, Ikki returned a weak smile.

"This is… the first time."

"First?"

"Yes… the first. That Shizuku has depended on me."

Ikki spoke as he thought back on his relationship with Shizuku.

"I've always been worried about it. As an older brother, I've never done anything for her. Yet that girl was always idolizing and loving me as her older brother. And today, my little sister has something she wishes for, and is relying on me."

To this useless older brother, she had entrusted her hopes.

"That's all the reason I need to risk my life…!"

That was why he wouldn't surrender. Not here. He wouldn't surrender here. The one wish of his good little sister, who did impious things but always supported him. If he didn't put his life on the line here, what kind of brother was he!?

"With my weakness, I'll hold your strength here!"

As long as he was alive, he would not let her leave. Holding this strong will and resolve, Ikki stood in Edelweiss's way. And Edelweiss could see that resolve shining in his eyes.

What strong will. Are these the eyes of a boy who's only just had his coming of age?

Her breath was taken away. Such strength, such ambition. And not only that, but the noble spirit to risk his life for the sake of others.

It's been a long time, hasn't it? That I've met a person as beautiful as this.

"Young man. May I have your name?"

"…Ikki Kurogane."

"Kurogane―I will apologize for my impoliteness up until now. Young warrior."

Declaring this, Edelweiss leaped backwards lightly.

Opening a wide distance between herself and Ikki―

"You are not a child who needs to be protected. You are a man capable of witnessing my full strength as a knight. So… with the strongest sword in the world, I will slay a knight such as you."