[Volume 6 - Interlude: Blackout]

"Sheesh. I thought Akatsuki'd give up after Stella-chan creamed half of 'em at once, but I guess they've got some real monsters left."

Moroboshi Yuudai shook his head as he watched the conclusion of the match. He was in the waiting room attached to the blue gate with his friend Byakuya. Since he'd fought Ikki, he knew that the clones Sara had created were just as strong as the real one and possessed the same sharp perception. It was mind-boggling that she could just create as many copies as she wanted of a fighter that

strong.

"Even if you beat Kurogane, you'll have to go up against that next. I feel for ya, man," Moroboshi said with a laugh and clapped Byakuya on the shoulder.

"Yuu, did you come here to cheer me on or to make me feel

worse?" Byakuya asked, frowning.

"Mostly just to make fun of you."

"Get out."

"Oh, come on. It's not like you need me to encourage you. You know you've got what it takes," Moroboshi said nonchalantly.

Of course, the two of them had known each other for a long

time. Byakuya understood that this was just Moroboshi's way of trying to get him to relax. He didn't genuinely want Moroboshi to leave.

"I gotta say, though, you really are a weird guy, Shiro. You

didn't even watch your next opponent's match or warm up at all. You've just spent all your time staring at that shogi board."

Moroboshi looked down at the shogi board Byakuya had set up on the table in front of him.

"This is my way of warming up."

"Aren't martial arts battles completely different from intellectual ones?"

Byakuya gave Moroboshi a small smile. Moroboshi had an outstanding sense for the flow of battle and came up with his plans on the spot, so him thinking that way wasn't a surprise.

"To me, duels aren't about physical prowess or martial skill,

they're all about intellect. Battle is all about learning what pieces—aka techniques—an opponent possesses and what their outlook on life is. Once you know those two things, you're able to ensure you're always one or two steps ahead."

Byakuya's explanation didn't end there.

"But that's just the start. Any analytical fighter can do that. I also study my opponents' bodies, as well as their personalities, quirks, any tendencies they might have in how they prefer to use their skills, what they like to combo together, and even what slight changes in their stance or where they choose to look signifies about what they'll

do next. My stance is to analyze everything, right down to the way a person breathes. Then, I compile all of that information and thoroughly examine it from all angles to ensure I can control the flow of the match from beginning to end."

"So you're telling me you already know how to checkmate

Kurogane?"

Byakuya's smile turned into a confident grin.

"Indeed. In twenty-three moves, when Another One uses Flicker Mirage to dodge to the right, I'll be able to land a decisive blow. I'm certain of it."

"I'd be careful if I were you. He might not move like you expect him to. Sure, his Blazer powers are weak, but he's got a lot of martial arts techniques at his disposal. For all we know, he might have a few hidden moves he hasn't shown us yet."

Byakuya nodded in understanding, realizing that this was what Moroboshi had come to warn him about. Despite his flippant attitude, Moroboshi was sincerely rooting for his friend. Byakuya was grateful for that, but at the same time, he didn't need any advice.

"You're right, Yuu, he's a far trickier opponent than he appears at first glance. Honestly, even for me, it'd be difficult to predict every single move he'll make. Under normal circumstances, that is. But this upcoming match is different," he said with the utmost confidence.

"How so?"

"For this next match, it'll be easier than usual to predict his

moves. After all, he has one glaring weakness."

Moroboshi could easily guess what Byakuya was referring to.

"The restrictions that come with using his Noble Art?"

"Yes, exactly. His Noble Art is all about using up all of his strength in a short window. But that requires superhuman focus to accomplish, and as a result, he can't cancel it halfway through. Furthermore, it takes him a day to get enough mana back to use it again. Since he'll have to fight two matches in a row today, he won't be able to use it in this match."

"You can't be sure of that, can you? He can use it in one of his two matches, so what's to say he won't in the first one?"

Byakuya shook his head.

"I'm positive he won't. Sara Bloodlily can create numerous copies of him that are all capable of using Ittou Shura, so there's no way he'd challenge her without keeping it around to deal with that. In addition, there's a very important reason he needs to win this tournament. He won't do anything that will lower his overall chances of accomplishing that."

"There is?"

"Unless he becomes the Seven Stars Sword King, he won't be able to graduate and become a formal Mage-Knight."

"What?!" Moroboshi exclaimed. "Why the hell does he have to win the tournament to graduate?!"

"His family is holding him back. Apparently, they think it would be shameful if they produced a Rank F Mage-Knight. That's why he needs to produce results so outstanding that no one can complain about him being granted the title."

"Seriously?"

Since Moroboshi attended a different school, he didn't know about the abuse Ikki had faced in Hagun last year or the conditions surrounding his graduation. However, Byakuya had thoroughly researched Ikki. He knew everything about his background, including his complicated family situation and the unfairness he had to deal with. It was for that reason that he was confident Ikki wouldn't use

Ittōu Shura in their upcoming fight.

"If all he wanted was to showcase his strength against the very best in the country, then it would be entirely possible that he'd use his Noble Art against me. But he's always been aiming for the top. He has no other choice. Therefore, he can't afford to use up any of his trump cards before fighting Sara Bloodlily, who can make copies of him. After all, he needs to be able to beat her as well."

Just as Byakuya finished speaking, the announcer called for him and Ikki to enter the ring. He got to his feet and waved casually to Moroboshi. "See you soon," he said, then started walking toward the gate.

As he stepped out into the arena, he was greeted by a wave of cheers. But he paid no attention to the voices of the crowd. He was focused on one thing and one thing alone—his opponent. There was no room for unnecessary information in his brain right now. Not only did he not hear the crowd, but his vision didn't even register the stands. He blotted out all visual noise, focusing his sight solely on

Ikki Kurogane.

Narrowing his eyes, Byakuya examined his opponent. As he'd expected, Ikki, too, was completely focused. He was staring directly at Byakuya. There wasn't a hint of fear or nervousness in his eyes, and his heartbeat was steady. Though he was focused, he was taking care not to be too tense. He was in top form. Byakuya smiled slightly. This was exactly what he wanted for their duel. Only if Ikki was in peak physical and mental condition, only if he was able to squeeze out every last drop of intellect to try to outwit Byakuya...

'Only then will my perfect twenty-three-move game of shogi be complete!'

For Byakuya, achieving victory in the manner he'd predicted was just as important as winning. It went against his aesthetics to merely win. He wasn't interested in slugfests or battles where people tried to one-up each other with their various techniques. He wanted a purer battle of intellect versus intellect, logic versus logic. And he was confident that Kurogane Ikki could give him the kind of cerebral battle he wished for. A thrilling duel where they tried to read each other's moves, plan one step ahead, and back their opponent into a corner without ever once drawing blood. Byakuya had no doubt that these twenty-three moves would lead to a legendary match whose beauty was spoken of for years to come.

"All right, it's time for the second C-block match of the day! Let's go ahead!"

'Come! Let us play out the perfect match on this game board!'

That was the last thing God's Eye Byakuya Jougasaki

remembered thinking. A second later, he blacked out. It was so sudden that he didn't even realize he'd been knocked unconscious.

The last thing he remembered seeing was the afterimage Ikki had left behind upon using Ittōu Rasetsu.