Chapter 118: Shirou's Dilemma

"Alright, since today's the first day of school, we won't have classes! However, I have an announcement to make regarding the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival Representative Selection Battle. Please take out your student handbooks."

Hearing Ms. Oriki Yuri's instruction, Shirou and the other students took out their student handbooks. Unlike Shirou's past student handbooks, these were not small notebooks, but rather liquid crystal devices similar to smartphones.

Hagun Academy's student ID cards were high-performance devices with many functions, serving as identification, wallets, mobile phones, handheld computers, and more.

"Although the chairperson also mentioned it during the entrance ceremony, I'll repeat it again. Until last year, Hagun Academy selected representative participants for the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival based on ability values."

"However, starting this year, the ability value selection system has been abolished and replaced by a practical combat selection system open to all students! All students will participate in selection battles, and six outstanding students will be chosen as representatives!"

"Wow~ How exciting! The match schedule will be sent to your student handbooks by the Selection Battle Executive Committee. Please carefully check the time and go to the designated location on the specified date.

Those who fail to appear will be judged as a default loss, so please pay close attention."

"Then what's the interval between matches, Yuri-chan?" After listening to Ms. Oriki Yuri's explanation, Ikki Kurogane, who took the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival Representative Selection Battle very seriously, immediately asked.

"Time? It's probably a match every three days, and everyone will have to fight at least ten matches."

"I see!" Hearing Ms. Oriki Yuri's detailed explanation, Ikki Kurogane finally relaxed. After all, his Blazer Art could only be used once a day. If he had to fight every day, or even twice a day, the situation would be very difficult for him. Now, one match every three days was perfect for him.

"Ugh, is it that much trouble?"

"Indeed!"

"Honestly, I don't really want to participate in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival." As Ms. Oriki Yuri finished her explanation, discussions in the class gradually began.

Unlike the fantasy form used in regular training, the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival would be in its real form. As weapons born from the soul, Inherent Armaments could switch between fantasy and real forms. In fantasy form, a Blazer's attacks would only deplete the opponent's stamina and not endanger their life. All previous training for these future Blazers was conducted in fantasy form.

The real form, however, was the true form. Battles in real form were genuine, life-or-death struggles. Under these circumstances, many students couldn't muster the courage to participate.

Meanwhile, Shirou, who was propping his face with his hand and daydreaming, also began to ponder his own situation.

Regarding whether or not to participate in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, Shirou could only say he was indifferent.

After all, with his strength, he was definitely the strongest among the Student Knights. Even Ikki Kurogane and Stella, who would reach the finals in the future, could only barely contend with him. One could only say it was bad luck; these two had poor compatibility with him.

With Stella, due to Loki's blessing, he was immune to fire damage. Just this alone would significantly reduce Stella's strength. The only thing she could contend with Shirou with was her world-leading magic power.

As for Ikki Kurogane, their compatibility was even worse. Ikki Kurogane could read others' sword techniques, and even their thought processes. But Shirou could read others' experience. He might even be able to learn abilities like Ittou Shura.

Coupled with his overwhelming stats, tsk tsk! Although Shirou's data on the entrance exam wasn't eye-catching, that data had no reference value whatsoever. In that data, Shirou was indeed poor at magic control, and he admitted it.

But his Total magic capacity had only been greatly consumed during the magic fusion and conversion, and it wouldn't take long for his magic power to recover.

As for other attributes, that was a matter of ranking. All relevant attribute rankings in this world were related to magic power.

Attack power was attack power under magic reinforcement, and defense power was defense power under magic reinforcement. Honestly, even without magic, Shirou's physical body alone would be several times stronger than their magic-reinforced selves.

But the ranking system didn't consider that! As for physicality, Shirou could only say A-rank, which was just the upper limit. If 10 stamina was A-rank, then 20 stamina was also A-rank, and Shirou's 100 stamina was also A-rank! Could an A-rank truly be compared with another A-rank in this system? In terms of physical ability alone, Shirou could completely overwhelm opponents in this world.

But this world also had things he needed to learn. That was skill and Inherent Armament. Although Shirou could read the experience within weapons, this didn't allow him to reach the peak instantly.

These experiences only allowed him to quickly get started and grow rapidly. But none of his skills had reached a very high level; he could only say they were proficient. Of course, except for archery. But isn't it an international norm for archers to be proficient in close combat?

This world, however, was different. There were many individuals in this world who had honed their weapon skills to the pinnacle. Here, Shirou would hone his true techniques. And besides that, was there any place more suitable for Shirou than this world? Everyone had an Inherent Armament.

These things could all be called Noble Phantasms. These Inherent Armaments scattered all over the world could definitely make his Unlimited Blade Works even stronger.

Moreover, he only needed to see an Inherent Armament to replicate it; he didn't need to fight the opponent in person at all.

On the contrary, the competition time somewhat hindered him from watching the matches. After all, he needed to be present in person; watching recordings was useless. But if he didn't participate, it would be a bit regrettable, as martial arts tournaments were quite interesting.

"It's a bit difficult to decide!" Shirou was conflicted about whether or not to participate in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.

While Shirou was conflicted, Ms. Oriki Yuri above was continuously answering the students' questions. After all the students had no more questions, she herself then had a question.

"Alright, students, for the entire year ahead, you'll need to pour all your strength into studying! Students, let's all work hard, and throw up!! (Spits blood)"

"Yuri-chan!!!" Seeing Ms. Oriki Yuri spitting blood, all the students cried out loudly. Shirou and Ikki Kurogane also quickly rushed to the podium to check on Ms. Oriki, who was continuously spitting blood. The sudden tragedy left the students in a panic.

Ikki Kurogane, being a repeat student familiar with Ms. Oriki, comforted his classmates while supporting Ms. Oriki's shoulder. "Don't worry too much, Ms. Oriki is just very weak physically."

"Of course I'm worried! The teacher just threw up a huge puddle of blood!?" Hearing Ikki Kurogane's reassurance, Shirou couldn't help but retort.

"Cough, cough," Ms. Oriki coughed incessantly, giving a faint smile to her worried students, as if she could pass away at any moment. "Me, your teacher, I've been spitting about one liter of blood every day since I was a child!"

"How can that be fine!?"

"Cough, cough! Oh, well, I've been living with this body for over twenty years, so I'm quite strong. Hehehe, pretty amazing, right?"

"Please don't boast about such a pathetic thing. Uh, in any case, I'll take the teacher to the infirmary first.

Please everyone clean up that bloodstain."

"Okay, leave it to us!" A girl with peach-gold hair nodded. Seeing this, Ikki Kurogane supported Ms. Oriki's shoulder and headed to the infirmary.

--------More Bonus Chapters!!!!

Every 300 power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter