-1226- Seven Stars Sword Art Festival

Next, Rozen and Ikki didn't continue their fight, but instead declared it over.

However, they didn't just leave it at that. They sat on benches by the open area and talked to each other.

It was a conversation, but in reality, Ikki was just continuously thanking Rozen.

According to Ikki, before this, there was really no one in the academy willing to spar with him. He wasn't even allowed to participate in practical combat courses. Rozen was the only one since his enrollment in the past year who didn't mind his F-rank knight status, was willing to spar with him, and talk to him.

So, Ikki was very grateful to Rozen.

But Rozen said this:

"I only did it out of curiosity, so you don't need to thank me."

He noticed Ikki because of Ikki's swordsmanship.

He wanted to spar with Ikki because he felt an inexplicable concern from Ikki.

Now that the puzzle was solved and he learned that Ikki had reached the height of the Mind's Eye with the sword, Rozen looked at Ikki with renewed respect.

So...

"I won't look down on you just because your magical power is low. You can rest assured of that."

Rozen said this indifferently.

"Thank you."

Ikki kept thanking Rozen relievedly.

However, Ikki didn't just think Rozen wouldn't treat him equally just because he was an F-rank knight.

"Knowing that I'm from the Kurogane family, I'm really grateful that you still treat me like this."

Ikki sighed with emotion.

Rozen somewhat understood.

"You've been through a lot."

Rozen genuinely thought so.

He knew that as a member of the Kurogane family, Ikki staying low-key at Hagun Academy and even being held back as an F-rank knight must have a lot of stories behind it.

Otherwise...

"It's really absurd that someone as skilled as you, who even defeated the examiner during the entrance exam, ended up being held back. "

Rozen bluntly said such words.

This made Ikki somewhat helpless.

"There's nothing I can do. After all, I'm still an F-rank knight."

Ikki concluded with just this sentence, accepting this fact.

Rozen knew very well how much bitterness was contained in this sentence.

Excellent Blazers are treasures of a nation. Even though a swordsman as skilled as Ikki has low magical power, his strength is extraordinary. Being held back is probably not the intention of the academy, but rather the intervention of the family, right?

Rozen could understand it with just a little thought.

"Because if the Kurogane family, known for producing excellent Blazers for generations, had an F-rank waste, it would ruin the family's reputation. So, they must have intervened, right?"

With the influence and strength of the Kurogane family, any request to suppress a student from the academy would likely be accepted.

Perhaps, the reason why Ikki was not allowed to participate in practical combat courses due to his low ability was also due to the suppression from the academy, right?

In the end, Ikki was held back because of insufficient credits. This should be the main reason.

In other words...

"I'm someone abandoned by my family, and it's been a long time since I left home. The reason I chose to enroll in Hagun Academy is also because I can exempt from tuition and accommodation fees here. Even so, the family still doesn't want to see me graduate successfully as an F-rank knight. Otherwise, if it's known to the people in society that the family has an F-rank member, the family's reputation will be tarnished."

Ikki held a water bottle in his hand, muttering to himself as he drank.

"I know my talent as a Mage-Knight is very poor, with very little magical power and weak abilities. I'm really not suitable to be a knight, but I don't want to give up."

Ikki persisted with this thought and continued to train in swordsmanship.

"Since my talent in magical power isn't good enough, I'll train this body and my swordsmanship."

Ikki's superb swordsmanship, reaching the height of the Mind's Eye, was also thanks to this dedication.

Therefore, even if he was held back, or even if he was held back again, as long as there was still hope, Ikki would never give up.

"I, will definitely become a Mage-Knight."

Ikki expressed his dream.

"Luckily, the director who once colluded with the Kurogane family has been dismissed. The new director brought in to make up for Hagun Academy's performance has abolished the system of participating in practical combat courses based on ability."

The director Ikki mentioned, other than Shinguji Kurono, there was no second person he could think of.

If it was that person, he would indeed not heed the pressure from the Kurogane family.

As a former third-ranked KOK popular blazer in the world, Shinguji Kurono's influence and strength were definitely not something the Kurogane family could easily manipulate.

After all, Kurogane Ryoma had already passed away, and the Kurogane family did not have a Blazer who could contend with the World Clock.

In the presence of truly powerful Blazers, even a nation doesn't count for much, let alone a small family.

Such Shinguji Kurono gave Ikki a promise.

"As long as I can achieve victory at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, regardless of how low my ability values are, that person will let me graduate."

Ikki told Rozen about this situation.

—Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.

It is an annual martial arts festival jointly held by seven knight academies in Japan, aimed at selecting the strongest student knights. It also to some extent affects the status and ranking of the seven academies. For the seven academies, it is the most important event of the year.

Over the years, Hagun Academy's performance at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival has become increasingly poor. The best result was last year, but it was only the top four, unable to compete with the champions, runners-up, and even the third place.

In order to make up for Hagun Academy's performance, Shinguji Kurono took office.

Being able to achieve victory at the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival not only means being the strongest student knight of the time but also will be highly valued by the League. The future can be said to be very promising.

Therefore, the student knight who dominates the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival will be given a unique title—Seven Stars Sword King.

"I, will definitely become the Seven Stars Sword King."

Ikki made such a declaration.

His eyes, unprecedentedly firm.

This is destined to be an extremely difficult road.

Standing in Ikki's way are not only countless individuals with talents higher than him but also outstanding geniuses at the top of student knights.

Ikki, as an F-rank knight who can't even compare to ordinary Blazers, wants to defeat so many strong opponents, which is as difficult as climbing to the sky.

However, this man must have already been prepared to break his head without regret, right?

Rozen smiled wryly.

"Well, good luck to you."

As a fellow student he just met, Rozen could only give such a blessing.

"Thank you."

Ikki smiled gently at Rozen and accepted Rozen's kindness.

On one side is the highest-ranked A-rank knight.

On the other side is the lowest-ranked F-rank knight.

Through a conversation, the two men have initially established friendship.