[54] Willing to Do Anything to Win

Ikki lowered his head, seemingly deep in thought.

His expression was so focused that he didn't even hear Eiji's words.

"Hey."

It wasn't until the voice sounded by his ear that Ikki suddenly snapped out of it, seeing Eiji standing just a foot away from him.

"Your senses have become so dull, that's not like you!"

Eiji looked at the startled expression on Ikki's face, feeling quite surprised.

Ikki is a swordsman, and an excellent one at that. His senses are very sharp. Unless he was completely absorbed in thought, it's impossible for him to be startled by a simple greeting.

"Sorry, I was thinking about something and got too absorbed."

Ikki forced a bitter smile, then showed an apologetic expression, "What did you say just now? I didn't quite catch it."

"I asked why Stella didn't come."

"Oh, I woke up early today and already finished my run, so I didn't wake her."

Ikki patted his cheeks, as if trying to focus his scattered attention, and answered Eiji.

Upon closer inspection, his black sweatshirt indeed had sweat stains. Given his physical fitness, it must have been quite an intense workout to produce such sweat.

"Hmm... do you have something on your mind?"

Eiji pondered for a moment, then asked somewhat uncertainly.

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm a swordsman too, I can tell when you're this distracted."

Eiji replied honestly.

Whether one's attention is focused or not is clearly reflected on their face.

The most convincing evidence is that teachers can always tell if you're daydreaming in class.

"...It's that obvious, huh."

Ikki was slightly taken aback, then showed a somewhat helpless expression.

"You're right, I do have something on my mind, it's about today's match... but it's fine, I will definitely win."

Now that he mentioned it, Ikki's first-round match is indeed this afternoon.

Eiji suddenly realized, "Too much pressure?"

"Saying there's no pressure would be a lie."

Ikki thought for a moment, his expression becoming complex.

"After all, the opponent's ability really counters mine, it's going to be a tough fight. But it's okay, I've already figured out a way to counter them."

For Ikki, this is a battle he absolutely cannot lose.

Director Kurono promised him that if he could become the Seven Stars Sword King, he would be allowed to graduate from Hagun Academy. This is an opportunity he's been waiting for a long time, and he's willing to risk everything to seize it.

He carries a great ambition, but sometimes that ambition can also become a huge pressure.

Right in the first match of the selection battle, he encountered an overwhelmingly unfavorable opponent. Their Blazer ability greatly counters his, which made him feel uneasy.

The ideals he holds in his heart have now become a tremendous weight on his shoulders.

He was so deeply engrossed in thought that he didn't even notice the footsteps, probably because he was thinking about how to counter the opponent's ability.

And according to him, he has already found the flaw in the opponent's ability and a way to counter it.

"I see, then let's do our best together."

Eiji knew that Ikki is a very independent person, so he didn't say much, just offered encouragement.

"Together?"

"Yeah, didn't you know? The opponent I'm facing tomorrow also has an ability that completely counters mine."

Eiji helplessly spread his hands, looking troubled, "And unlike you, I still haven't found a way to counter them."

Kanata Totokubara, his first-round opponent.

Eiji had asked his senior sister about her ability and was shocked upon learning it, immediately feeling a huge pressure.

In the Hagun Academy rankings at the end of last year, Kanata ranked second, just below Touka-senpai. They were the only two B-rank knights in Hagun Academy before this year.

Not only that, but they have also participated in "Special Summons," having faced and fought terrorists several times, putting them in a completely different league from other student knights.

And the most important thing is her Blazer ability.

Her ability is a hard counter to close-combat swordsmen like him, and it's hard to defend against. He still hasn't thought of an effective way to counter it.

"So it's Totokubara-senpai? Indeed, if I were to face her, I'd be very troubled too... against someone like that, perhaps only a quick opening attack could work?"

Ikki mused, his tone somewhat uncertain.

"That's what I thought too, but my intuition tells me it might not work."

Eiji shook his head.

His intuition is extremely strong, able to make absolutely correct decisions in battle, almost like foreseeing the future, completely comparable to Saber from the neighboring Type-Moon world.

His intuition tells him that trying to quickly take down Kanata is probably not realistic.

"Then all we can say is, let's do our best together."

Hearing this, Ikki could only laugh helplessly.

The way he looked at Eiji had a sense of camaraderie.

After speaking, the two went their separate ways.

Ikki packed his bag and headed towards the dormitory.

Eiji started his morning run alone.

Nene likes to sleep in and wouldn't accompany him for early morning training, so he couldn't borrow Jibakujin from her. Eiji wakes up early and can't stay idle, so to avoid wasting time, he came for a morning run.

As his feet continuously lifted and fell, sweat gradually seeped from his forehead, his lungs heaved and contracted heavily, and his brain began to lack oxygen, quickly approaching its limit.

Every cell and bone in his body screamed to stop and rest, a soreness that felt like it could strike at any moment assaulted his entire body. Eiji ignored it all, just continuously squeezing out the last bit of strength from his body.

And then strength surged up bit by bit, as if there was no limit.

How can I win?

His brain turned into mush, but this thought instinctively surfaced in his mind.

Some say that the first thought that comes to mind unconsciously is what a person cares about most in their heart.

Although he appeared calm in front of Ikki, Eiji's heart was far from that open.

It's true that he doesn't care much about the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, but he really hates losing.

Every time he loses to someone, that weakness reminds him of his frail, impoverished, and powerless self lying in a hospital bed as a child, and a strong sense of unwillingness wells up in his heart.

I must win!

I absolutely cannot lose!

I will use every means, do anything to win!

In his daze, with this stubborn determination, his eyes gradually cleared, his feet seemed to regain strength, and his previously faltering steps firmly stepped on the ground again.

Physical training, after all, is about constantly pushing past your limits.

***

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