[Volume 9 - Chapter 14: Heightened Fighting Spirit Part 1]

After the end of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival's second semifinal round, Ikki fainted in the waiting room. By the time his cardiac arrest was discovered, the shock and anxiety had spread beyond his inner circle, to the tournament staff and spectators. Many of them seemed to expect the worst outcome. In reality, the tournament staff had to at least consider that possibility, so they revised the schedule for the next day.

Fortunately though, due to the power of Japan's greatest doctor, there was no need to worry. Ikki was saved from death.

However, Ikki had still not awoken by the time the final round was scheduled to begin. But was that really a big deal? As long as Ikki was alive, what was waiting a day?

Everyone's hearts were united in this.

Ikki Kurogane and Stella Vermillion.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that this 62nd Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival had been the highest level ever.

The two knights who had fought their way to the summit, the finals.

The tournament should not end without seeing the conclusion for oneself.

An attack after the end of the match. Not to mention taking a stray hit after protecting the umpire. With such an unfair end, there was no good excuse to end the festival there.

Therefore, they waited for Ikki to come to the stage of battle.

To this end, everyone offered a hand. The staff ran about apologizing and moving forward an exhibition that had been planned for the last day, the media coordinated special coverage, and the spectators accepted these

changes without complaint. All for one young man's sake, countless people gave their all.

And then… He came.

The sun had already gone down completely. His clothes were disheveled and he still had a bed head.

Even so, he was there in the ring, ready to face his fight, showing his strong will.

The hopes of the fighters, the desires of the staff, and the feelings of the audience were all the same.

There were no longer any obstacles.

Thus, with many people's support and good will and the great spirit of the fighters, the final match was ready.

Dawn broke at last, coming from the eastern sky with a first light that seemed to burn white...

And the morning of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival's final day, which so many had been longing for.

◆◇◆◇◆

"Wow, What a huge crowd. Everyone is so fired up even though it's still morning, huh."

It was 9 am. Tomaru Renren, from the Hagun Academy Student Council, had taken the bullet train to the station nearest Wangan Dome, where the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival was taking place. The moment she got off, she found herself both amazed and astonished by the massive congestion, and murmured this complaint.

Everything, from the platform to the ticket gate to the road to the dome, was filled with an uncountable number of people.

Naturally, they all had one goal. The Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival finals.

"But with this many people, can they even get inside?"

"There's no way they can all fit inside. They've even installed monitors outside."

The one who answered Renren's question was the one who had come with her to Osaka, another member of the student council.

It was a large man with a physique like a rugged boulder, Saijou Ikazuchi.

Just like he had pointed out, most of the people were there to watch the fight from outside the venue.

Even though normally a lot of people gathered, the semifinals simply couldn't compare to the finals.

Considering that it was a confrontation between the A-Rank Knight Crimson Princess, boasting magic power that could be said to be the greatest of mankind, against the Blazer with the worst evaluation of F-Rank, Worst One, who had advanced by continuously defeating one strong opponent after another starting with Seven Stars Sword King, it's even more so.

Moreover, with such an unprecedented turnout, many merchants had gathered to do business as well.

Some sat with their backs to the hedge, guitar in hand, singing songs.

Other performers juggled or did magic tricks.

And then there were the local stalls.

Even though it was but morning, the area around Wangan dome was already festive.

There was another person currently with Renren, the Student Council Vice President, Utakata Misogi, whose face was blue and trying to hold something back from his mouth.

"Somehow this large crowd is making me feel rather sick…"

"Are you okay? Vice Pres...?"

"I'm not okay. I'm hot. Frazzled. Tired. I can't take it."

"Then it would have been better to leave you at school."

"That's no joking matter. Wouldn't I look like an idiot if only I had stayed behind to work while everyone was playing? Let's just hurry and get to thehotel. If we stay in this kind of place, I think my brains will melt out through my ears."

Utakata whined while pulling at the hems of Saijou's shirt.

Well, even if one's brain didn't melt, staying much longer would probably lead to heat stroke.

It would be no laughing matter to have spent the two and a half hours to come from Tokyo only to watch the game from a hospital bed.

"Even if you say that, with a crowd like this, finding Kanata-senpai will be such a pain..."

"Nah, that's not true."

As he said that, Saijou pointed at a spot in the crowd.

"Everyone, over here~"

Amongst the crowd, dressed in mainly short sleeved shirts and shorts, with at most a thin cardigan, was the figure of Kanata Toutokubara, completely clad in a white dress that did not reveal even her fingertips, which could already be said to be a partially suspicious getup.

"That was a needless worry, huh."

"Kanata-senpai, aren't you hot?"

"I'll be fine if I just endure it~"

"Endure… Why endure through that…"

Perhaps there was some spiritual reason? It perplexed Renren.

Utakata tilted his head questioningly at his junior, then asked Kanata a question.

"Eh? Kanata, whatever happened to Touka?"

Though they had without a doubt been traveling with her, the figure of Hagun Academy Student Council President, Touka Toudou, was nowhere to be found.

"Since it's Touka-chan, she probably slipped out for some urgent business that just came up this morning."

"Urgent business?"

"Fufu. Yes. Urgent business."

Though Kanata would not explain the matter further, her bemused expression told them that it was not a serious matter.

Since it seemed that forceful questioning wouldn't be necessary, Utakata closed the matter with a "hmm."

"Well, she did say that she would come back before the fight, and that we should all watch the finals together."

"I see."

"But, finals, huh… Once, we were wondering what would happen, but it would be good to have a meeting about it. Being surprise attacked after a match, moreover losing by default due to an injury taken while protecting someone else, Kurogane-kun is too pitiable."

"That issue is something for the management committee to consider for us. Such a special measure is an unprecedented exception. …According to the information Toutokubara collected, to make this extension happen, Prime Minister Tsukikage pulled a lot of strings."

"The Prime Minister who put us through all that?"

"…Again, that's a separate matter."

"Nonetheless, there's no way they would have delayed the schedule just for one student. It just so happens that the rampage Stella went on that shortened the festival by a day may have been a blessing in disguise… It looks super unfortunate, but kouhai-kun is pretty lucky."

Renren nodded in agreement at this as well.

Then she looked up at Saijou behind her and asked a question in her friendliest classmate voice.

"Hey hey, who do you think will win? Saijou..."

At this, Saijou put his hand on his chin and contemplated for a moment.

"…Both are from our school and are developing their abilities quickly. However, just looking at how they fought during the semifinals, Vermillion has the edge in ability. I can't imagine how to handle that dragon's power with just sword techniques. My assessment is that Vermillion will triumph."

With that answer Renren came to an understanding.

Stella's true power was what she pulled out in the semifinals, Noble Art Dragon Spirit.

It was natural for Saijou to come to such a conclusion.

However- Renren's thoughts differed.

"It's true that Stella-chan's true power, the embodiment of a dragon, was amazing. I do think it's already beyond what one person has the power to handle; it's just that abnormal a power… But, it's by repeatedly overturning such unreasonable odds that Kurogane-kun came to be standing in the finals ring tonight."

"…You think Kurogane will win?"

Renren nodded.

"I understand because I've fought him directly. Though Stella-chan's power surpasses human understanding, Kurogane-kun's skill can also be said to be superhuman, something in the realm of the abnormal. Do you remember? What Kurogane-kun did when he defeated me at the Hagun

selection battles?"

"If I'm not mistaken, he sidestepped your supersonic charge 「Black Bird」, then caught you by the nape of your neck and smashed you into the ring."

"That's right. Normally, doing that would get your arm torn off. Despite that, Kurogane-kun countered that power completely and instead diverted it into the ground. That skill is definitely a match for Stella-chan's violent power."

"…It's not that I can't understand your point of view, but your understanding of Vermillion is a little naive. She effortlessly stopped my Crescendo Axe's heaviest strike. Because of Dragon Spirit, that brute strength probably rose even more. That offensive power is beyond the domain of things that can be stopped with techniques. I was crushed by it, after all."

"Kurogane-kun has the speed to completely dodge that. I saw it myself, Kurogane's speed throwing Stella's figure off her feet!"

"That's an illusion. Fights are won by by those who are strong."

"What a thoughtless thing to say! Speed is the key to modern wars!"

"In the end, it seems you just want the opponent you lost to to win."

"You're the one who wants that!"

"Hnnnng!"

"Mmmmm-!"

"Ah okay okay, let's stop it there you two."

Within the heat that only gave rise to a haze, those two held an argument so heated, it gave off sparks.

Unable to just watch, Utakata got between them and tore them apart.

"Have your sweltering conversation in a place with air conditioning. If we stand around here any longer, we'll end up with heat stroke."

"That's right. Then, everyone, let's go to the hotel. There's even food prepared, so let's continue there."

It seemed Kanata agreed with Utakata.

She immediately took the lead to guide them to the Toutokubara group's hotel and began walking.

"Eh? Food? Awesome~ There's food, Food~"

"…Apologies. I, of all people, got unusually fired up."

"Nah, the lightning god image was quite scorching, so it didn't seem out of place."

"!?!?"

With a shocked expression, Saijou hardened like a statue and got left behind.

◆◇◆◇◆

"Fuhaha~ Look, the people are like trash!"

"What the hell are you doing?"

A long line of people stretched from the station to Wangan Dome.

Watching from the hotel terrace, Nene Saikyou let out a strange, feigned voice, at which Kurono Shinguuji shot her an incredulous gaze.

"Now look here, when you look at a crowd of people from somewhere high, don't you just want to say that? Instinctively."

"I do not."

"Seriously? Kuu-chan, are you sure you're Japanese?"

"Is this really something you'd involve nationality in?"

While grumbling in a sighing voice, Kurono pulled out cigarettes from her suit.

She put one to her lips and lit it before tossing words at Saikyou.

"It seems you didn't agree to do commentary for the last day, even though it should be a profitable job."

"Well, yeah. It's the finals of my favorite pupil. Wouldn't I want to watch from the front row?"

"It was only for a week, I want to say, but… She did improve

considerably."

"I was surprised too. I thought I'd just try more or less shoving her around. Who would have thought that such a beast would be sleeping."

"When I think about it, that huge appetite of hers that doesn't match her constitution must be the influence of the dragon's power as well."

As she said that, Kurono glanced at the top of the table fleetingly.

There, stacked on the table, was a mountain comprised of the ruins of what had once been a room service meal.

Farther in, on the bed, the red haired girl who had created the mess…

Crimson Princess Stella Vermillion was sleeping with her body curled up like a baby.

"…Nene. About today's finals, what do you think?"

"I think it'll be a great fight. Since they're both knights who obtained great power in their own ways, neither should get done in easily. Though it could also become an appropriately high level mudslinging contest."

"A mudslinging contest eh."

"You know, since they're lovers and all. It's kind of messy."

"If such a pleasant quarrel were to occur, the viewers might just feel relieved."

After responding to Saikyou's banter with a dry laugh, Kurono puffed out a breath of smoke.

"I don't think that's likely to happen. Especially between these two."

She muttered, though her tone betrayed a tinge of nervousness.

At this, Saikyou also returned a small nod.

"True. If something goes wrong, someone might die. Just like in the match between you and me."

Though Saikyou was joking, Kurono could see that her eyes carried the same nervousness.

What she was recalling was the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival of their own generation.

What she clashed with back then were her own feelings.

...Back then, she believed she didn't mind dying.

To beat that person, she would even throw away her life.

It was to that extent… The girl named Kurono Takizawa had pined.

Saikyou was sure that Kurono thought something similar might happen.

That, with the same feelings as they had held back then, these two might...

"Still… It seems the one in danger here in the end is still Kuro-bou."

"Does Yaksha Princess see Crimson Princess as better?"

"Yes, after all, I can't picture it. The image of this princess losing, that is."

Saikyou momentarily looked over the sleeping Stella.

As she was deep asleep, all Stella did was make sleeping sounds.

She was saving her strength.

Not even using the energy to open her eyes, she accumulated strength from head to toe.

All so that tonight, she could erupt at the finals.

"…"

While laying her on the bed, the two had visions of the dragon's giant body several times.

At that overwhelming pressure, Kurono couldn't help but gulp.

And so she thought.

Tonight, the one to face this monster will be a single knight.

'Kurogane. What are you thinking now? How are you spending your time?'

Was he, like this girl, accumulating strength?

Perhaps he was waiting eagerly for the finals, unable to sleep from the exhilaration?

Or possibly…

"…Either way, in this match, even if we interrupt it, things could get deadly. We can't leave this to some half-hearted knight. If it comes down to it, you and I will stop it… Just like Nangou-sensei and Kurogane-sensei did back then."

"I know, I know."

Saikyou agreed with Kurono's sentiment without showing distaste on her face.

From the start, in order to focus on the fight and not miss such an important timing, she had turned down the commentary.

She didn't have to be told such a thing.

Saikyou regarded Kurono with a serious expression. Right now, even more important was...

"Hey, Kuu-chan."

"Hm? What?"

"This place is a non-smoking room, you know."

"…Next time, please warn me before I light up."

"I'll use my best discretion."

With a mean grin on her face, Nene smirked at the blushing Kurono.

◆◇◆◇◆

Stella had stored as much strength as she could in her body.

Her opponent, Kurogane Ikki, was in a training facility owned by the National League near the Wangan Dome.

For the duration of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, this training facility was free for use by contenders.

Ikki was carrying out a mock battle in one of that facility's rings.

Acting as his opponent was a tall, thin, and handsome person.

It was his friend, Black Sonia Nagi Arisuin.

"...Huu."

With a fast attack that whistled through the air, Ikki charged at Arisuin.

In response, Arisuin shifted his weight backwards and took a retreating stance.

"Shadow Beast...!"

Arisuin threw three copies of his dagger shaped device, Darkness Hermit, at the ground, and left them standing there.

In an instant, they melted into puddle-like shadows on the ring.

From those shadows, a black spray splattered and two giant tigers and a bear flew out of them attacking Ikki.

However, Ikki was not even perturbed by these wild beasts, simply kicking off the floor and charging at the enemies that now stood in his way.

With one stroke he dealt with the shadow tiger snapping at his head, lightly sidestepped the bear trying to claw his head, and cut it at the torso as they passed. Then, with his fastest secret technique, Raikou, he used the weakness in the second tiger's offensive stance to overtake its movements and bisect it.

The shadow beasts dispersed into a seemingly harmless black mist.

However, it had never been Arisuin's intention to use Shadow Beast to stop Ikki's movement.

It was just a distraction.

The black mist that had dispersed from the crumbled shadow beasts blocked Ikki's field of vision for a moment-so he could to use his shadow jumping technique, 「Shadow Walk」, to jump to Ikki's shadow!

After his machinations went through smoothly, Arisuin moved from his own shadow to Ikki's.

From Ikki's shadow, stretching out behind him thanks to the lights in the ring, he sprung out, thinking 'I've got you…!'.

From this position, facing Ikki's back, he flourished Darkness Hermit to strike at Ikki's neck.

However, in that instant...

"!!!"

Even sooner than Arisuin could strike at Ikki's neck, the jet black tip of Ikki's device, Intetsu, appeared from under Ikki's arm, stopping just at Arisuin's brow.

Without facing Arisuin, Ikki had completely read the plan to flank him, and counterattacked instead.

"!!!"

Arisuin promptly used the knife he'd been striking down with to guard.

By doing so he narrowly avoided being skewered, in that one beat, his action was stopped.

What Ikki Kurogane just took advantage of had been a fatal weakness.

"...Gah, ha!"

The thud of a heavy strike reverberated throughout the ring.

It was the sound of Ikki's kick striking the pit of Arisuin's stomach.

The impact of the kick to the stomach sent Arisuin flying three meters, where he rolled out of the ring and started coughing painfully.

"Cough! Cough! H-harsh! To kick a maiden in the stomach is incredibly unchivalrous."

"Er, Sorry?"

"Why do you seem so unsure?"

"Because I am unsure"

Arisuin couldn't help but smile at Ikki's answer, even as he continued to cough.

"Haha, well, jokes aside… Despite sleeping for an entire day, your body doesn't seem sleepy at all. Ikki. You've given me some peace of mind."

"It's all because you came with me for some warming up, Alice."

While expressing thanks, Ikki lowered Intetsu.

After all, Arisuin was lying on his side on the floor and not in any condition to fight.

In the end, this mock battle had just been to warm up Ikki after he'd slept for a day.

There was no need to deal a finishing blow.

Thus, a petite girl rushed over with small steps to the two who had stopped fighting.

With neat, short, silver hair, the girl was Ikki Kurogane's younger sister, Shizuku Kurogane.

As soon as she arrived at Ikki's side, she gave her honest opinion while looking slightly astonished.

"Isn't that enough? Tonight is the final and you're still here holding a mock battle. You're being too unreasonable."

"Haha, sorry. But I've been sleeping the whole time, so I'm checking the condition of my body."

"Well, I know how you feel, but if you don't restrain yourself, your condition will only worsen. Look at how much sweat you've worked up… Eh?"

Shizuku unexpectedly used a towel to wipe the sweat that had collected on Ikki's face, but her expression hardened.

That was because the sweat that he'd shed was as cold as a winter stream.

"Onii-sama, this is…"

"…I've been exposed, huh."

With a bitter smile, Ikki received the towel from Shizuku.

"This sweat isn't borne of exhaustion. It's from fear… Of fighting with Stella, that is."

Ikki grumbled while continuing to mop up cold sweat.

Right, this wasn't sweat from exercise.

Nervousness, anxiety, weakness… it was something that came from an emotions, that could only be described as chills.

It was because he was scared.

Scared of Crimson Princess Stella Vermillion.

But that was a matter of course.

The ease she had shown in her first irregular match against Icy Scorn Mikoto Tsuruya and others had demonstrated a power up within Ikki's expectations, but the power she showed in the semifinals far exceeded his imagination.

"She is already different from the girl I fought before. Up until now, she had only been fighting with the dragon's breath. But now, she has realized what she really is. Moreover, she now possesses the ability to freely control

the power of the dragon that burned her as a child. She is not just a flame user anymore. Skill, power, tactics… She is the incarnation of the prideful, all-powerful monster with the strength to force any enemy to yield."

And tonight, he would have to face that monster himself.

What's more, this time, Stella now had even more information on the man named Ikki Kurogane.

When he had beat her in the past, he had used her lack of knowledge to launch a surprise attack. She would not let that happen again.

A veteran of losing battles. Stella knew about Ikki Kurogane's struggles better than anyone else.

In this final, there was definitely no room for slack in Stella's heart.

With such a Stella as an opponent, in the ring where there was nowhere to run or hide, the only option was to conquer her head on.

"Because of that, I cannot waste even a minute, no, a second."

Sharper by the minute and stronger by the second.

He would sharpen himself up until the last moment before entering the ring.

"That is my best condition."

"Onii-sama…"

Shizuku responded to her brother's unusually stiff expression with an uneasy voice. At that moment...

"Oi~ I did it!"

A call in a familiar kansai dialect hit everyone present.

Upon looking at the entrance to the room they were talking in...

"Ara, it's you guys."

"Moroboshi-san! And Toudou-san too! You came for us!"

In front of the open fire door stood the one Ikki had defeated in the first round of the tournament, Seven Stars Sword King Yuudai Moroboshi, and the one he had eliminated in Hagun's selection tournament finals, Raikiri

Touka Toudou.

Shizuku let her bewilderment at these unexpected visitors seep onto her face.

"Why are you guys here…?"

Touka answered while happily grinning towards somewhere else.

"This morning we got mail from Ikki saying he wanted our help with training."

"From Onii-sama?"

"Exactly. Well, I was free anyway. Incidentally… At the hotel, I called over some of the other losers to come."

As he said so, Moroboshi pointed at the fire door behind him with his thumb.

"Who's a loser? You've said a little too much, Boshi!"

"Well, in reality, that's exactly what we are."

"Gahaha. True, True. Even if you try to say it nicely now, there's nothing you can do"

"We didn't even participate in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, so we didn't lose!"

"…Even though you guys got beat up by two people at the training camp?"

Behind the two, faces that anyone would recognize streamed in.

Moroboshi's fellow representatives from Bukyoku academy, Eye of Heaven Byakuya Jougasaki and Demon Flame Momiji Asagi.

Making the entrance seem small just by stepping his huge build through was Rokuzon Academy's Panzer Grizzly Renji Kaga.

And finally, two original representatives from Hagun who had withdrawn from the festival, Kikyou Hagure and Botan Hagure.

Ikki's eyes opened wide in surprise at their entrance.

"Did, did all of you came for my sake? Hagure-senpai and everyone else too?"

"Hehe. Well we arrived early and had nothing to do."

"…During the training camp, you taught us, so we'd like to return the favor."

"Though we're not sure how useful the ones who were KO'd the quickest will be."

"Actually, we were also called upon by Sensei. It was because that procedure looked to have taken a lot of your strength, and it seems to be as bad as she thought. …But the people here are of the same calibre as those who entered the tournament. I think we'll be just right as practice

opponents."

Ikki shook his head at Moroboshi's words.

"Don't even mention things like being just right! Everyone, thank you so much!"

"Good, good. All of us wanted to try going up against the rumored Worst One once as well."

"So, what do we do? Before we came here, we also had some mock battles. Should we take a break?"

"No."

Ikki refused Touka's consideration with a single word and once again took up Intetsu.

Then, he faced everyone with eyes burning with fighting spirit.

"Immediately though… Please!"

His passion instantly spread to everyone.

""Yessir!!!""

As if responding to Ikki's spirit, everyone else's devices manifested.

◆◇◆◇◆

"Guhaa! Th- This is…! Poison? Assassination? My Twilight Crusaders…! Such an underhanded method…!"

"Ojou-sama is saying 'This is so bitter!'"

"If bitter is not acceptable, it would've been better not to request coffee."

They were in a cafe slightly out of the way of the long line to the venue.

At the terrace seats, Sara Bloodlily shot an astonished look at Rinna Kazamatsuri, who had coffee dripping from the corners of her mouth.

The one who wiped Rinna's mouth with a handkerchief was her attendant, Charlotte Cordé.

Together with the three girls at their table was one other person.

He was an elderly man, dressed stylishly in a suit.

It was Japan's Prime Minister, Chairman of the school the girls attended, Akatsuki Academy's Bakuga Tsukikage.

"Even so, Sara-kun's Color of Magic is truly convenient. Even with so many people around, nobody can see us. I've always wanted such a convenient power"

"Even without a special power, something similar can be done."

"Is that so?"

"Ikki did it."

"…That only makes it feel more impossible."

Tsukikage's wrinkled face twisted into a bitter grin.

"Sorry, Prime Minister. Could you pass the sugar pot?"

"Yeah, here."

Responding to Charlotte's request, he slid the sugar pot near his hand toward Rinna.

Rinna blushed shyly at this.

"Ah, thank you, Oji-sama…"

While expressing her thanks with a sincere tone, she drew the sugar pot towards using her small hands.

However, Rinna's movement stopped there.

Without even putting sugar in her coffee, leaving her gaze on the sugar pot in her hands...

"…Sorry."

In a single word, she remorsefully apologized to Tsukikage.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Every one of us ended up losing…"

"Ah, that."

Tsukikage understood Rinna's reason for apologizing.

To begin with, Akatsuki Academy was a group of mercenaries gathered via the connections of Tsukikage through one of Rebellion's Numbers, his old friend Kouzou Kazamatsuri, in order to sever the connection between

Japan and those who utilize the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, the League of Knights.

However, they had been completely eliminated by Hagun Academy's Worst One and Crimson Princess.

Remorseful over being unable to carry out the duty they had been entrusted with, Rinna had said that.

However, Tsukikage hadn't placed any blame upon Rinna.

He put his hand on her apologetically drooping head.

"Don't worry about it. You all did well. I understand that perfectly."

"But…"

"Giving up easily does not befit a politician. If Akatsuki fails, then I will think of a different direction to go in… At that time, if I need you, will you lend me your power again?"

While stroking Rinna's head gently, he asked her that.

Rinna finally raised her head at this, and with a smile like blooming flowers nodded "Yes!"

...It was precisely 'that time.'

"…She's here."

Sara mumbled curtly while focused on the line of people.

Everyone gathered at the table responded to her voice by following her gaze.

There, in the dense crowd without a single gap in it, without pushing her way through, calmly weaving through the crowd with steps as if walking across an empty field, was a girl.

While her long, pure white hair swayed, she stepped directly to the four people who should have been hidden by Color of Magic.

Nonetheless the four of them raised no suspicion toward that.

For her, it was only natural.

That she could see them even when they should've been invisible.

Someone who could pass through a crowd without any difficulty.

Additionally, while doing so, she didn't alert a single person she crossed paths with.

Today, the person they had come to wait for...

"It's been a while, hasn't it. Sara. Rinna. Char. And also… Tsukikage-sensei too."

The strongest swordsman in the world, Twin-Wings Edelweiss.

◆◇◆◇◆

"Thank you for waiting. Here is your blend coffee."

"It's for her."

"Thank you."

While expressing her gratitude with a friendly smile, Edelweiss pulled the sugar pot to herself.

Then she looked at Tsukikage.

"Thank you for today. For listening to my sudden selfish request."

She lowered her head slightly.

The selfish reason she mentioned was the reason she was here today.

Last night, Edelweiss had contacted Tsukikage.

…Wanting to watch the final of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.

"Unexpected, that you would be interested in the battle of someone who is just a student, Ede."

"Perhaps there's some relationship we don't know about."

"Fufu, if I remember correctly, when we carried out Operation Beowulf on Hagun Academy, the one who faced Another One was Brynhildr."

"Be, Beo?"

Sara offered an advice to Edelweiss, who tilted her head and was making a bewildered face.

"Don't think about it too much. It's just Rinna's usual sickness."

"Ojou-sama is saying 'When we made the attack on Hagun Academy, she fought Another One.'"

"A, Ah. So that's what it was. Yes, it's exactly as she's saying."

Edelweiss confirmed as she scooped up a spoonful of sugar from the sugar pot.

"I saw the semifinals on TV. It surprised me to see Ouma lose in such a one-sided fashion, but… even more than that, seeing Amane in such a helpless state was beyond my expectations."

Amane's childhood and the attachment he had to Ikki because of it.

Edelweiss had known about that.

Because of that, Amane's existence was an obstacle blocking Ikki's destiny.

That's what she'd thought. -However,

"He took no notice of him."

He'd faced the defeat Amane had thrust at him head on and crushed it for all to see.

"…He's an amazing young man. Truly."

"That's why you want to watch the finals in person?"

Edelweiss nodded at Tsukikage's question while adding yet another spoonful of sugar to her coffee.

"For Crimson Princess it is natural, but Another One as well… He is climbing onto our stage. I decided that when I saw he had the willpower to undergo extraordinary training and obtain the physical prowess needed to defy fate that he showed at the semifinals. Thus… even I cannot ignore that. Another exciting moment will happen soon. I might cross swords with him again."

"…"

"More importantly… Another party with the same thoughts as mine came here today in order to overcome the menace of the future, we are willing to be audacious."

"Eh?"

When he heard those disquieting words, Tsukikage lifted his gaze from her hands, which were busy scooping a third spoonful of sugar.

Edelweiss was looking at the crowd instead of Tsukikage.

...Her eyes glinted sharply.

Following that dangerous gaze, Tsukikage also noticed.

In the crowd, there was a man looking at them astutely through a visor.

"That's… America's…!"

"It's not just him. At this place… Agents from various factions have already gathered."

Edelweiss' words made Tsukikage recall a certain scene in his mind.

A red and black memory that he'd seen.

Tokyo, engulfed in flames.

The permeating stench of protein being scorched and human fat that stuck to the skin…

With fists shaking from fear and anger, Tsukikage informed Edelweiss.

"Front row box seats have been prepared."

"Thank you very much."

Edelweiss returned a slight bow and put her coffee, which she had just added a fourth spoon of sugar to, to her mouth.

"Yum."

"If you can't handle bitter, then it would be better to not order stuff like coffee."

◆◇◆◇◆

'Too, too strong…!'

Bukyoku Academy's third year and finalist at last year's Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, Momiji Asagi, was struck with admiration at the physical prowess of the man she was crossing blades with.

As the disciple of God of War Torajirou Nangou, she had confidence in her blade.

However, that was exactly why she couldn't help but understand the magnitude of the difference between herself and the warrior in front of her, Another One Ikki Kurogane.

"Hah!"

"…!"

Countless clashes later, a particularly loud strike rang out and Momiji was sent flying backwards.

Her vision went blurry. There, at the edge of the ring, Momiji fell down and exhaled roughly before looking at the trio.

The Hagure sisters and Jougasaki, who had already carried out mock battles with Ikki.

Ikki had kicked the three around in front of Momiji.

He hadn't even been scratched.

If this went on, she too would...

"Asagi! Show your determination!"

"Enmaku…!"

Responding to Moroboshi's encouragement, Momiji deployed a wall of fire in front of her.

Frustrating though it might be, she couldn't compete with swordsmanship.

She would just have to show her determination by fighting with magic.

Thus she switched over. However...

"Seya!!!"

Her determination was short lived as Ikki cut through her wall with a single shout and a slash.

From an overhead stance, Ikki had swung Intetsu down, and by sheer force, blasted away the approaching Enmaku.

And at the same time, -Momiji's spirit as well.

'…'

Having cleared Enmaku away, Ikki's eyes shone like a wet blade.

Momiji's blood ran cold seeing this.

Head and chest, mind and body, would be cut apart.

Ikki wasn't foolish enough to waste that moment.

He closed to space between them now that there was no obstacle...

Fast.

Though she'd frozen for only an instant, Momiji lost her chance to respond.

Clash was now inevitable. No, rather, if there was an ability that could still allow her to evade, it would be the Nukiashi Master Nangou had taught her.

'Even if I were to try to enter his blind spot… he doesn't even have one!'

Standing against Ikki, Momiji came to a realization.

Ikki's discernment was just like her friend Moroboshi's Happou Nirami, in that it could perceive the entirety of the arena, not overlooking a single movement from the enemy. Her own Nukiashi would not be precise enough to outmaneuver the owner of those eyes.

In that case… there was nothing to do but intercept him with her sword.

Despite the knot in her stomach, Momiji clad her device, Hibachi, in flame.

One hit would be enough.

If she just grazed him, Hibachi's flames would capture Ikki's whole body like a snake.

'Just one stroke…!?'

However, she was only eager for an instant.

She had lost sight of Ikki Kurogane.

"Crap."

Momiji realized in an instant that it was due to Nukiashi.

"Aku..."

But by that point, it was already over.

Ikki had passed by Momiji's side and cut her torso with his device in illusionary form.

That attack had, without a doubt, been a fatal wound, cutting through her stomach all the way to her spine, causing an appropriate amount of strength to drain out of Momiji as a magical red light- Blood Light, which dispersed

into the air.

One moment later, Momiji's body collapsed onto the ground.

"Ha, ah, …!"

Sudden fatigue hit her as she was gouged of strength appropriately for an illusionary fatal wound.

Despite also feeling a burning pain in her abdomen, Momiji somehow managed to raise her head. Then...

"Thank you!"

Ikki bowed his head deeply and thanked Momiji.

Just as he had done earlier with the other three.

"Aha, you're welcome… I don't feel like I was very useful though."

"That's not..."

"Armor Piercing Bullet...!!!"

"Hu...???"

A deep voice like a cannon's roar suddenly interrupted their conversation.

While Ikki was facing Momiji, an attack came from directly behind him, aiming for the back of his head- It was Panzer Grizzly Renji Kaga's iron palm strike.

It was a most unexpected, barbaric surprise attack for a mock battle.

Momiji was petrified at this. However...

Ikki's expression didn't even waver.

Momiji saw it during that moment.

"...True at all."

After completing his statement towards Momiji, without even an ounce of confusion, Ikki moved half his body, almost casually, and stopped Kaga's palm strike with his own palms.

His body was nearly twice Ikki's size.

The palm strike from the man who boasted weight four times that of Ikki's, didn't even move him a bit.

'...Impossible.'

There was a trick to this impossible feat.

That trick was in Ikki's feet.

As he received the blow, the ground below Ikki's feet sank noticeably, cracking and being crushed.

Witnessing that, Kaga understood in an instant.

'...He had redistributed the force.'

By moving his whole body and perfectly shifting his center of gravity,

Ikki had received the blow and released it into the ground through his legs without having it reverberate in his body at all.

Just like a lightning rod.

After receiving the surprise attack, Ikki matched the movement of Kaga's attempt at retreating and pushed him back using the arm he'd received the hit with.

'…!'

In that instant where he shifted his weight back, more force had been added from the front.

With his own weight being so heavy, Kaga was bent backwards greatly...

In that instant, Intetsu cut open his robe.

_Gu, Nuu!"

Kaga's great body collapsed at the knees and he hit the floor.

Towards that Kaga...

"Ah, you! What were you thinking, attacking so suddenly?!"

Shizuku shouted angrily.

After all, it was an unthinkable thing.

He had launched a surprise attack on a fighter who was set to fight that same day, even if it was in Illusionary form.

Ikki himself was far calmer.

"It's fine, Shizuku."

"O, Onii-sama!?"

Then, of all things...

"Kaga-san. Thank you very much."

He thanked Kaga as he had Momiji and the others.

For a moment, Kaga stared in puzzlement at this expression, then broke into a broad smile.

"Gah, hahahaha! On top of not having any weak points, you don't even have a single complaint about a surprise attack, eh. Even though you have a girly mug if you look at it right… Being combat ready at all times. It looks like you know that well."

Knights were not sportsmen.

Therefore, they had to maintain high concentration outside of matches as well.

Even when they are walking, sleeping, or eating, they must always keep their senses sharp.

They can't afford to be careless.

If one became used to slacking off, they would surely fail when it matters.

Sometimes, the flow of battle goes to the one who can transition quickly.

Going about it in small steps is out of the question.

This was all the more true against an opponent who'd easily overwhelmed Ouma, whom he had been so powerless against.

That was why Kaga decided to attack in the moment when Ikki was preoccupied with Momiji.

However...

'I've been preaching to the choir, at most'

To this man, it was a pointless warning.

At the same time Kaga realized that, he came to believe it.

"You'll win! You will!"

Kaga thumped Ikki's chest with his fist as he insisted on this.

Stella was certainly a formidable enemy. Her attack power was nothing normal.

However, Ikki knew how to use and stop force.

His special skills shouldn't be outdone by her attack power.

Kaga believed this based on what he'd witnessed.

Ikki smiled at the encouragement.

"Then, I shall be your next opponent."

"…!"

Ikki's expression stiffened as a wave of numbness ran through his neck.

When he turned his head, he saw a girl climbing slowly into the ring with a katana in a black sheath in her hands, Raikiri Touka Toudou.

The opponent Ikki had defeated at the finals of Hagun's selection tournament.

Though their battle had consisted of a single stroke, her strength was vivid in Ikki's memory.

She had been in the top 4 last year, falling behind Byakuya and Momiji, but the impression on Ikki's skin was betraying that fact.

No doubt she was the best of the members that Moroboshi had assembled.

She was a difficult opponent to face with no abilities.

"What will you do? Including Arisuin-kun, you've fought 5 consecutive battles. Will you take a quick break?"

"No, don't worry about that."

His fighting spirit was overflowing.

Ikki wiped away the sweat from his hands and renewed his grip on Intetsu.

"Please don't hold back!"

He raised his sword to point at Touka.

◆◇◆◇◆

In the instant Ikki raised his sword, Raikiri began to move. From ten meters away, she unsheathed Narukami and fired a crescent slash formed of lightning towards Ikki.

The golden lightning charged at Ikki like a bird with wings spread open.

It was the same long ranged attack she had used against Lorelei, the Noble Art Raiou.

However, while it was a quick opening strike, it was made from a considerable distance.

Far from distressing Ikki at all, he immediately took an evasive maneuver.

Namely, he took a big sidestep to the right.

It was a style of moving that he'd learned from Twin-Wings using his Blade Steal. That was how he managed to evade so easily at high speed as soon as he raised his heel.

Truthfully, it didn't pose a threat to him.

However, the moment Ikki dodged the first attack, Touka launched a follow-up Raiou right at him.

The technique he had just dodged so easily was launched again.

Of course, that one didn't reach Ikki either.

With a leap in the opposite direction, Ikki evaded that as well.

As expected, it didn't even graze him.

Even so, Touka fired a third Raiou.

Was she just being stubborn?

Of course not.

Touka had a reason for her actions.

'This is…!'

"As expected of Toudou. After watching his match with me, she has recognized his weak point."

Murmuring this with a spirit of admiration was Moroboshi, who was watching their battle from the sidelines.

"Onii-sama's weak point?"

"Well, more accurately, it's a flaw in that technique. It's a technique he's been using since his match with me, a technique he took from Twin-Wings using Blade Steal where he uses all of the muscles in his body simultaneously

to accelerate rapidly to top speed. Most people cannot follow such acceleration with their eyes. That being said, constantly moving at full speed is…"

"Ah…"

Once said, Shizuku realized as well.

Since earlier, Touka had been unleashing Raiou left and right in order to force Ikki to dodge in different directions constantly.

"I get it. When moving at full speed constantly, it's difficult to make sudden stops and turns. All that switching makes puts excessive strain on his lower body. Dodging will slowly become more difficult, and eventually he'll get caught."

Moroboshi's prediction was coming true up in the ring.

While Ikki had avoided the first two by a good margin, that margin started shrinking, and the amount of near misses began to rise.

"Ikki should also understand Touka's intention, though. If he stays on the defensive, he'll just remain pinned down from long range."

Ikki started to change his movements, just as Moroboshi predicted.

He stopped his sideways evasion, faced the scattered Raiou strikes aimed at him, and started running.

Just as he was about to take a direct hit, he dropped to the ground like a crawling animal to get past the Raiou.

"Wow…!"

"He's doing the unthinkable as usual. Passing through a gap like that!"

_It's possible because it's Onii-sama!"

Once he slipped through that, he was in range to cross swords.

It was close range.

Having closed the range so much, Ikki could now launch attacks as well.

Both of them moved so quickly that only the trails left by their swords were visible.

Touka fought back well, but no longer had any opportunity to resheathe her blade.

And when Touka is unable to sheathe her blade, she cannot bring out the strongest close range noble art she boasts, Raikiri.

'This is good…!'

Ikki thought this while carrying out an orthodox Raikiri countermeasure.

Ikki understood the power of Raikiri from personal experience.

Only by using Ittōu Rasetsu to put his all into one daring strike was he able to overcome Raikiri before.

Since he was preparing for a match with Stella, he would be unable to use such abilities. In order to beat Touka, he had to first ensure that she could not use Raikiri.

If it was used on him, he would lose right then and there.

Thus in that manner, he would pressure her with swordplay and suppress Raikiri.

'I've got this! My swing speed is faster…!'

Though Touka's attacks were sharp as well, they were a far cry from Ikki's, which mirrored those of Twin-Wings.

As long as it didn't come to a sword lock, he shouldn't have to worry about being shocked either.

'At this rate, I can overwhelm her!'

Ikki made up his mind. He shifted forward again and put his power into the sword.

Then, suddenly, he struck out like a flying swallow and forced Touka's Narukami to the side.

'Alright, she's off balance!'

After exchanging blows with Touka, he had finished measuring the speed of her swings.

With her sword pushed to such a position, she would not be able to block his strike.

Next, Ikki would...

'I've got her here! It's decided!'

Believing so, Ikki struck forward again...

Rather, he tried to.

'!?!?'

Immediately after, a sharp numbness ran up his neck.

It was sixth sense he'd honed by toeing the line between life and death so many times warning him.

At this warning, Ikki's body ignored his previous assumption and moved...

Touka's sword had moved faster than Ikki's expectation and, just barely, had managed to return to defend.

'That's crazy…!'

Based on Touka's swing speed, the speed of that counter was impossible.

Ikki gulped in astonishment.

What on earth was that?

Ikki thought about the unexpected counterattack.

However, Touka wasn't about to wait around for Ikki to think.

Narukami and Intetsu clashed once again.

From the contact point, Touka channeled an electrical attack into Ikki.

"…Ah!"

Zap! Sparks crackled between Narukami and Intetsu as electricity ran through Ikki.

Though his skin wasn't burned thanks to Illusionary form, receiving a shock made his muscles spasm intensely and cry out in pain.

In the end, his movements were stopped instantly.

Touka took aim at this opportunity...!

She raised Narukami overhead nimbly, and struck down at Ikki.

However, Ikki had baited that attack out.

'She's flustered!'

Just as Touka began her strike, Ikki steeled his writhing body.

Using the full body control he had cultivated, he took control of his heart and forcibly restored function to his peripheral nervous system.

Recovering from the shock in that instant, Ikki avoided the strike towards his head with the smallest possible sidestep.

Thinking that the shock had immobilized him, his opponent had gone for a finishing blow.

It was a move made after seeing through Touka's thoughts, outplaying her thoroughly.

That was Ikki's chance-or it should have been.

"Ku!?!?"

Once again, Ikki's predictions were overturned by Touka's blade.

This time, having sidestepped Narukami, Ikki did not need to lock swords with Touka, which prevented her from using the same move again. Their close range battle continued in this manner.

Ikki would have to rethink his close range tactics from square one.

Despite being able to clearly surpass her swing speed, he could not land a decisive blow on Touka.

Moreover, Ikki was slowly starting to fall behind.

The cause must be…

'This switching around!'

Ikki saw it in her movements while being pressured.

Touka's blade would strike out with the sharpness of the legendary sword technique Swallow Counter, then return with unnatural speed, leaving a trail like a flash of lightning.

Squeezed into the moments between blows, these strikes threw off Ikki's rhythm.

This was the technique Touka Toudou had polished in order to win at this year's tournament. By creating a special magnetic field around her, she could use electromagnetic attraction and repulsion to move her sword at speeds

exceeding the limits of her body. It was her Noble Art, Inazuma, devised as a counter to Yuudai Moroboshi's superhuman technique, Houkiboshi.

The burden on the wrist made it impossible to use it haphazardly, but by occasionally mixing it in while trading blows, she could interrupt her opponent's rhythm. Once their rhythm was interrupted, forcing them back was simple!

"Aha!"

"Ku!"

Touka lunged at Ikki's chest.

In order to avoid the blow, Ikki threw himself backwards, ending up outside of engagement range.

He escaped with his tail between his legs.

"Onii-sama…!"

Ikki had been forced out of his comfortable range.

Shizuku realized this and let her worry show, while on the side Moroboshi's expression hardened.

It was only natural. Ikki knew well the close range superiority of Twin-Wings' sword, which he had learned. That being said, someone had pushed it back.

'This girl is… powerful. She can't be compared to herself from last year.'

Not intending to let Ikki get away, Touka stayed hot on his heels, keeping up the pursuit.

'Kurogane-kun. Your sword sword skills are certainly amazing. When I saw your match with Moroboshi-san on TV, I got goosebumps. Your techniques don't even seem human. However!'

That much was expected of Blazers.

It was incredible that Ikki had gotten this far on physical skill alone.

However, that was a product of Ikki's circumstances, having not been blessed in terms of Blazer power.

Touka and other Blazers hadn't needed such single minded focus on martial artistry in order to reach this point.

If they simply used their magic power along with their abilities, then surpassing an ordinary person was no big deal.

His skill alone would not be enough.

With sword techniques that merely surpassed average people…

'Forget Stella-san, he can't even handle me…!'

"Gah…!?"

In response to Touka's fierce attack, Ikki stayed on the defensive.

Beyond avoiding clashing, Ikki was forced to constantly retreat.

In the end, that turned out badly for him.

"Ah!?!"

Suddenly, while jumping away, Ikki's balance wavered.

What had happened?

The answer was under his feet.

Shizuku and the other spectators looked on with dismay.

'That's what was left behind when he took Kaga-san's attack!'

'No way! His foot got caught in the cracked part of the ring! An attack is coming, Ikki!'

'…No, this is...'

"Haaaaaaaaaaah!!!"

As Arisuin expected, Touka took the opportunity and attacked with all her spirit and might.

Having caught his foot in the broken ring, Ikki's balance was off and h was not able to defend. However, with a dull 'Gagi!' the two returned to having their swords locked.