-1326- I... blocked it...

"——"

In that instant, Ikki's world completely lost its light, sound, and everything else.

"Light is unnecessary."

Because the enemy's attack won't lose its power just because it loses its color.

"Sound is unnecessary."

Because even though the enemy's attack isn't silent, it's far beyond the reach of sound.

"Vision is unnecessary."

Because no matter how focused you are, you can't capture that slash with the naked eye.

"Hearing is unnecessary."

Because even if you listen with all your might, all you can hear is thunder.

Ikki, as if giving up most of the functions of human life, let his heartbeat slow to a faint rhythm.

Then, Ikki concentrated all the energy needed to maintain his bodily functions into his consciousness, amplifying his sixth sense without limit.

This wasn't a particularly special ability; it was simply a high level of concentration.

When people are extremely focused, they can't hear others talking or see anything else. They can only do the one thing they want to do, and to achieve that, the body concentrates the energy of the functions it has discarded, allowing it to perform far better than usual.

And Ikki just did this actively.

Because Ikki could perfectly control his body, if he couldn't even do this, it would be impossible to fully exert himself for one minute, an act of extreme concentration that led to the development of the Noble Art, Ittou Shura.

Now, Ikki actively discarded unnecessary bodily functions, concentrating all the energy used to maintain these functions.

All to stimulate the power of his Mind's Eye, making it even more acute.

"Hmm?"

Naturally, Todo Touka noticed the commotion on Ikki's side.

Todo Touka, whose body was bursting with lightning, kept a close eye on the relaxed, eyes-closed Ikki, with electric sparks flashing in her eyes.

Using her Electroreception ability, Todo Touka tried to see through Ikki's intentions.

But...

"I can't see anything?"

Todo Touka was somewhat surprised.

Yes.

She couldn't see anything.

Todo Touka's Electroreception failed to work on Ikki.

The reason was simple.

"Has he completely entered a state of no self, with no thoughts in his mind?"

That's right.

Ikki concentrated his consciousness to the point where he abandoned even thinking, as if leaving everything to his body, to his instincts, entering a state of no self.

In that state, Todo Touka naturally couldn't see anything.

However, this only increased Todo Touka's fighting spirit.

"To concentrate to this extent just to defeat me?"

As a knight, nothing is more gratifying than being recognized and acknowledged to this extent by others.

"Then I'll give one hundred and twenty percent of my effort, putting everything on the line to defeat you!"

The lightning around Todo Touka intensified, flashing wildly.

"Shippu Jinrai!"

This was Todo Touka's most frequently used Noble Art, using the power of lightning to stimulate her muscles, maximizing her physical performance.

Todo Touka poured all her mana into this, gathering the electric light on the sheath of her sword, causing the mouth of the sheath to emit visible lightning currents, while the rest of the lightning traveled through her body, enhancing her physical abilities to the maximum level.

Seeing this, the others held their breath.

Only Ikki remained, eyes closed, body relaxed, maintaining a stance ready to counterattack, bathed in the lightning coursing through the arena, waiting quietly.

Then...

"Boom!"

With an explosive sound, Todo Touka finally stomped on the ground, blasting forward like a bolt of lightning.

Her speed was such that it could only be described as a flash of lightning.

In an instant, Todo Touka was right in front of Ikki.

Lightning flared at her waist.

"Raikiri!"

As that voice resounded throughout the arena, plasma erupted.

"Clang——!"

Amidst the clear and resonant sound of a sword being drawn, a beam of white light appeared as if burning the world.

It was an endless lightning plasma.

It was a lightning slash that cut through with the speed of a thunderbolt.

Overwhelming thermal energy was unleashed in an instant.

The dazzling brilliance illuminated the entire space in an instant.

From Todo Touka's waist, such a slash was unleashed, like a flash of light, like a meteor, like lightning, like thunder, evaporating the atmosphere, creating a roaring sound, and slashing towards Ikki as if piercing the entire sky.

In the blink of an eye, it reached Ikki's body.

"Boom——!"

The next second, countless plasma exploded, followed by a huge air blast that shattered the ground where Ikki and Todo Touka stood.

Immediately, wild winds raged, electric arcs flew, rubble danced, and dust spread, as if a real lightning bolt had descended from the sky, making the scene exceptionally breathtaking.

"Onii-sama!"

Kurogane Shizuku, who was fiercely fighting Totokubara Kanata, couldn't help but be drawn to the commotion, her eyes widening as she cried out.

"Kurogane...!"

Stella Vermillion, who had been watching silently as if intending to witness the impact of Raikiri firsthand, also had a change in her expression.

"..."

Rozen narrowed his eyes, watching in silence.

As for the student council members...

"It's over."

"Yes, it's over."

"There's no helping it, it's over."

Misogi Utakata, Tomaru Renren, and Saijou Ikazuchi all spoke one after another, as if confirming their victory the moment they saw the dazzling slash.

This was Raikiri.

The family heirloom sword that always won, undefeated in battle.

No one doubted that this sword would fail.

No one doubted Todo Touka's victory.

Seeing Raikiri hit its mark, almost everyone was convinced.

Todo Touka had won.

And Ikki had lost.

For this reason...

"When it's broken, people will remember that there's no absolute win or lose in this world."

Rozen, as if confirming something, suddenly smiled and murmured.

The dust ahead dissipated under such circumstances.

Everyone saw the scene within.

"What...!?"

"No way...!?"

A second later, everyone's pupils shrank, revealing expressions of shock.

"Onii-sama...!"

In contrast, Shizuku's voice was filled with joy.

Even Stella's eyes widened.

"He blocked it...!"

Looking closely, in the arena, Todo Touka maintained her sword-drawing and slashing posture, her body crackling with lightning, but her face was replaced with shock.

In front of Todo Touka, Ikki stood straight.

"Drip..."

Blood dripped from Ikki's hands, which were holding his sword.

From his palms to his arms, Ikki's hands were covered in wounds as if they had been shattered.

However, the sword Ikki used to block was firmly holding back Todo Touka's sword, which sparkled with plasma.

There was not a hint of wavering.

"I... blocked it..."

Only then did Ikki open his eyes.

"Swoosh!"

In the next moment, the sound of a slash echoed.

The black blade that blocked Raikiri spun abruptly, slashing across Todo Touka's body at an incredible speed.

"Second Secret Sword—Rekkou!"

As that voice rang out, Todo Touka's body suddenly trembled and slowly fell.