[81] Eiji v/s Kuraudo Kurashiki

Student knights are not allowed to summon their device outside without permission.

However, there are exceptions. In special circumstances or with the permission of the dojo owner, they can summon their device.

Although the dojo has been taken over by Kuraudo Kurashiki, it still nominally belongs to the Ayatsuji family. As long as Ayase Ayatsuji allows it, student knights can use their spirit gear for combat within the dojo.

In the dojo.

The two stood facing each other.

Eiji held a katana that shimmered with a silvery ripple-like light, his sharp eyes fixed on Kuraudo Kurashiki across from him.

Although he was confident of victory, Kuraudo Kurashiki, as a former top-eight contender, was not to be underestimated. Eiji would not take this battle lightly.

"Indeed, facing off against a swordsman is the most thrilling. It's a world of difference compared to those fools who rely solely on their abilities!"

Under that piercing gaze, Kuraudo Kurashiki felt a long-lost sense of tension.

The sharp stare and the glinting silver blade gave him the illusion that his heart was about to be pierced.

"Swordsmen are the best!"

Unable to suppress the boiling heat in his heart, he let out an excited, uncontrollable laugh.

The moment Ayase announced the start of the match, he immediately stepped forward, closing the distance between him and Eiji with large strides.

"Haha!"

With a loud laugh, Kuraudo swung his blade with all his might.

Amid the roaring wind, his right hand gripped the white bone nodachi, its jagged blade slashing toward Eiji's head.

This strike of his was less of a "slash" and more of a "smash."

He seemed completely unconcerned with the proper technique for wielding an nodachi, relying solely on brute force to deliver a powerful blow. It was strikingly similar to the first strike Eiji had used in his fight against Kurono Shinguuji.

Back then, Eiji had intentionally made an amateurish move to lure Kurono into underestimating him, deliberately inviting her to meet his blade so he could end the fight with a single, lightning-fast strike.

Now, Kuraudo was making almost the exact same move.

But in comparison—

Clang—!

Eiji's eyes were razor-sharp.

Before Kuraudo could close the distance and swing his nodachi, Eiji had already thrust his blade forward.

He twisted his wrist, turning the blade upward, and with pinpoint accuracy, the tip of his sword struck the guard of the white bone nodachi, completely neutralizing the attack.

This scene was identical to what had happened in the restaurant.

This strike perfectly targeted the fulcrum of Kuraudo's arm, dispersing the majority of his strength and allowing the weaker to overcome the stronger.

"What immense strength!"

Even though he had perfectly found the fulcrum and blocked the strike, Eiji was still inwardly shocked.

Despite Kuraudo's crude movements, his arm strength was extraordinary.

Eiji had dispersed over 90% of the force by targeting the fulcrum, yet he still felt a numbing sensation in his arms, as if he had been struck by a wild beast's claw.

A sword driven purely by wild instinct could be so ferocious!

Devoid of any logic or conviction, relying solely on raw power to overwhelm—such blatant intimidation!

But—

"...As I thought, you have no real skill in swordsmanship!"

Eiji maintained his stance at the fulcrum, coldly staring at Kuraudo.

This approach made Kuraudo hesitant to press forward recklessly, as the moment he withdrew his blade, Eiji's sword tip would follow, piercing into his body.

"So what?"

Kuraudo, having been exposed by Eiji, was completely unfazed, continuing to laugh wildly.

Eiji's method of finding the fulcrum was an extremely difficult technique.

It required not only unparalleled eyesight and a keen intuition for timing but also an overwhelming superiority in swordsmanship.   

Indeed, only when there was a significant gap in swordsmanship could one easily find the opponent's fulcrum.

Therefore, unlike the feint Eiji had used against Kurono, Kuraudo's strike was genuinely that of an amateur.

His swings were crude, his movements full of openings, and his technique utterly clumsy, making it easy to find multiple ways to defend against him.

This guy had never studied proper swordsmanship!

Thus, Eiji could effortlessly find his fulcrum with his superior eyesight and skill.

"As long as the fight is thrilling, that's all that matters, right?"

Kuraudo didn't care.

He took a step back, intending to retreat out of Eiji's counterattack range before stepping forward again to evade the sword tip pressing against his guard.

But his footwork was too obvious, and his intentions were instantly read by Eiji.

The moment Kuraudo stepped back, Eiji also stepped forward.

However, due to their difference in height and build, the distance covered by a single step varied, and the fulcrum Eiji had established naturally became unsustainable.

But Eiji had no intention of maintaining the fulcrum anyway.

The moment their blades disengaged, Eiji's sword, leveraging the rebound force, let out a sharp whistle as it thrust straight toward Kuraudo's chest.

This strike carried not only Eiji's own strength but also Kuraudo's.

The blade shot forward, plunging toward Kuraudo's chest. In less than a blink of an eye, it would pierce through!

Eiji excelled in close-quarters combat.

Especially in sword fights!

Against an opponent like Kuraudo, who lacked technique, Eiji could easily seize the initiative with his keen eyesight and control the rhythm of the battle.

Admittedly, the difference in arm strength between him and Kuraudo was immense, but swordsmanship was precisely the art of overcoming strength with skill!

Kuraudo shouldn't be able to react to this strike.

Even if the blade didn't pierce all the way through his chest, it should at least penetrate a centimeter or so, ensuring it wouldn't be a wasted effort.

That was the normal judgment.

But Kuraudo was not a normal person.

"Ha!"

As the blade thrust forward, the white bone nodachi suddenly appeared, defying logic, and swung from the side, colliding with Eiji's blade.

The blade was instantly knocked off course, and with Eiji's arm strength, he couldn't control it, his arms flung wide.

To avoid further follow-up attacks, Eiji instinctively retreated.

Both of them stepped back, standing about five meters apart.

Eiji focused intently on his opponent, feeling both wary and incredulous.

When Kuraudo had stepped back, his plan must have been to retreat and counterattack. While retreating, he must have already prepared to advance subconsciously.

Under Eiji's aggressive strike, he shouldn't have been able to react. Even if he did, he should have been at least slightly flustered.

But Kuraudo had clearly reacted instantly and made the quickest, most accurate judgment.

"Hahaha! Did you really think you could finish me with a single strike?"

Kuraudo laughed heartily.

Then, completely disregarding the slight disadvantage he had just faced, he stepped forward again, closing the distance and swinging his jagged white bone nodachi at Eiji from the front.

This time, he used a sweeping strike.

Eiji frowned and took a step back, choosing to avoid the attack for now.

From this angle, it was impossible to block the strike using the fulcrum method.

A frontal attack allowed the use of both arms to concentrate strength, making it possible to block with the fulcrum technique. But a sideways strike, due to the angle, could only be met with one arm.

Even with both arms, Eiji had struggled to withstand 10% of Kuraudo's monstrous strength. With one arm, it was simply impossible.

***

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