[61] Scharlach Frau

"Everyone, take your positions and get ready!"

The referee stepped forward, standing directly between the two competitors, issuing instructions to both simultaneously.

The referee was a striking woman with her black hair tied up, dressed in a sharp suit, exuding an air of efficiency and authority.

"Is the chairwoman personally acting as the referee?"

Whispers of surprise could be heard from the surroundings.

Kurono Shinguuji shrugged.

She hadn't originally planned to come, but she couldn't refuse a personal request from a close friend, so she took on the role of referee for this match.

She understood Nene's intention—should Eiji risk his life, she was to use her ability to save him promptly. No ordinary teacher could perform such an efficient rescue.

In the arena.

Eiji and Kanata stood about twenty meters apart.

At Kurono's signal, Eiji silently extended his hand, and in a flash of light, a shimmering silver blade appeared in his grasp.

"Follow me, Francesca."

Kanata softly chanted a spell.

As if stars were shining, a surge of magical light manifested, and a rapier appeared out of thin air. Its blade was as thin as a cicada's wing, delicate and translucent, resembling a fine piece of glass art.

This was Kanata's inherent device, 〈Francesca〉, a typical Western-style rapier.

She held the rapier in her right hand, leveling it horizontally in front of her chest.

Then, she extended her left hand and pressed it against the blade—slowly piercing it.

However, the rapier's blade was too fragile, and before it could penetrate her palm, it shattered into countless starlike fragments, dispersing into the surrounding air, flickering like stars.

This was the combat stance of the 〈Scharlach Frau〉.

Kurono watched as Kanata shattered the rapier, her eyes narrowing in vigilance. However, she didn't detect any foul play, so she remained silent and raised her hand.

Then, with a swift motion, she brought it down—

"——Match start!"

In that instant.

Eiji took a sudden step forward, raising his blade horizontally, channeling all his strength into a single point. His dark eyes burned with a resolve as if he were ready to face death.

"Lightning Flash? Using it right from the start?"

Kurono retreated to the edge of the arena, her gaze never leaving the two combatants. She couldn't help but feel surprised.

She had personally experienced this move before.

The abrupt burst of speed was overwhelming, making it a powerful first-strike ability. If one didn't know about his ability, they would likely be defeated in a single blow without any defense.

The only way to counter this move was to jump aside the moment he assumed the stance, before he could activate his ability, preventing him from targeting you.

Back then, she had failed to see through his ability and tried to confront him head-on, only to be struck directly, becoming one of his victories. It had been a humiliating experience.

"Knowing that his opponent's ability counters his own, he's planning to go for a quick opening strike, but—"

Kurono shook her head slightly.

This strategy wouldn't work.

This distance should be enough!

As Eiji assumed his stance, his instincts sent him a signal.

Since people's reaction times vary, Eiji relied on his instincts to determine the optimal distance to use Lightning Flash.

In his battle with Kurono, he had sensed that he needed to unleash the move within five meters. However, in this fight against Kanata, Eiji felt that even at twenty meters, it would be more than sufficient.

Kanata wasn't a physical-type knight. Her strength overwhelmingly relied on her inherent device ability, and her reaction speed, lacking specialized training, was far inferior to Kurono's.

Just as Eiji had anticipated, by the time he assumed the Lightning Flash stance, Kanata hadn't even reacted to the match's start signal.

This single strike could decide the outcome!

Eiji gathered all his strength, channeling his mana, ready to end the match with Lightning Flash right from the start.

But just as he was about to unleash the move—

Buzz—!

A violent warning surged through his instincts!

He would die!

He would absolutely die!

If he charged forward now, there was no way he would survive!

His foot, which had been about to step forward, slammed to a halt like a car hitting the brakes. The raised blade froze mid-air, unable to advance any further.

Eiji instinctively sensed the danger of death and forcibly stopped Lightning Flash, remaining frozen in his stance.

"A wise decision."

Kurono breathed a sigh of relief, retracting her device, Propator.

If Eiji had actually unleashed Lightning Flash, the best outcome would have been mutual destruction.

Kanata would have been crushed into pulp by the supersonic strike, but Eiji would have been reduced to a mist of blood, leaving no trace of his body behind.

If he had used Lightning Flash, Kurono would have had no choice but to prematurely end the match.

What a troublesome kid.

"...You looked like you were about to do something. Why did you stop?"

Kanata finally reacted.

Even though she was a step behind, her expression showed no trace of panic. Instead, she remained eerily calm, though her tone had become much sharper, a stark contrast to her usual elegant demeanor.

This was because she had entered combat mode. With experience fighting terrorists head-on, her reactions in a match were on a completely different level compared to ordinary student knights.

"If you're not going to do anything, then I'll make the first move."

She spoke with composure.

However, after saying this, she did nothing.

She didn't summon her rapier, Francesca, nor did she assume any attacking stance. She simply stood there, as elegant as ever, not even lowering the parasol she held above her head.

But suddenly.

Tap!

Eiji felt a chill run down his spine.

It was as if a deadly ghost had appeared before him. Like a cat with its fur standing on end, driven by instinct, he reacted violently, leaping backward.

Only after putting more than thirty meters between them did the sense of impending danger slowly fade, allowing him to relax slightly.

However, his nerves were now even more on edge.

"...You're quite sharp."

Kanata paused briefly, slightly surprised that Eiji had dodged her earlier attack.

"If you hadn't avoided it just now, you would have already lost."

It was imperceptible.

There was no trace of her attack to be seen.

Even Eiji's eyes couldn't catch the trajectory of her strike. He had only managed to avoid defeat by relying on his instincts.

"Still, even if you dodged the first strike, your situation hasn't improved in the slightest."

Kanata gracefully stepped forward, moving toward the center of the arena.

"Didn't you say something before? That you would never compromise with fate without putting in the effort. Then let me see—whether you can escape the palm of my hand, the hand of fate."

She likened herself to fate, treating Eiji as a puppet in her grasp, as if she could manipulate him at will.

In that moment.

Eiji felt as if he could see a vast sea of blood emanating from Kanata, carrying an overwhelming stench of blood, rushing toward him.

This was the aura Kanata had cultivated as a knight, mixed with an unconscious killing intent, as if her hands were already stained with countless lives.

This was the Mage-Knight, Kanata Totokubara.

This was the true—〈Scharlach Frau〉!

***

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