Lorelei VS Raikiri.

Both of them were the strongest student class B-rank knights.

The contest between two of the most powerful figures in Hagun welcomed an unexpected start.

「Wh, what is going on-? Both of them refuse to step forward!」

The kodachi named <Yoishigure> possessed a silver blade.

The Japanese sword <Narukami> sheathed in a black scabbard.

They both circled around the ring, keeping their distance the same, while holding their devices.

Even though an entire minute has passed since the match started, they still had not clashed their swords even once.

---The ground was covered in tension to the point of being painful.

The audience, who had come to watch a high quality fight, held their breaths without any exceptions and watched the ring.

"Neither of the two are trying to make the first move."

The fiery red haired girl, standing beside Ikki, called Stella Vermillion muttered in a stiff voice.

"They're checking each other's moves out while glaring from a distance."

It was the tall beauty, Arisuin Nagi who answered to Stella's mutter.

"Both of them are B-rank knights possessing the power of a Seven Star Sword King. That student council president and of course Shizuku, too, have the means to attack from one end of the ring to the other. Both of them are within each other's attack range. The one to make a careless move will be defeated."

"To add one more thing to what Alice said, Shizuku doesn't want to be the one to make the first move because Toudou-san has the strongest cross range weapon."

"..Ikki, is that the trump card the commentator talked about?"

"Yes, it is neither exaggeration nor a lie. It's the noble art that became Toudou-san's epithet because of its immense strength and awe striking nature. To elaborate, it is the ultra-electromagnetic battoujutsu <Raikiri>."

She creates a powerful magnetic field with her thunder ability around the blade and scabbard of <Narukami>, hanging on her waist, and then shoots the blade out.

The strike of that battō has the tremendous power and speed to even cut through a lightning bolt.

That's no longer a strike that could be parried with the body of a human.

Thus it's a certain kill technique.

"Every single official match where she used <Raikiri> ended in Toudou-san's victory. Once it's released it will defeat the enemy without fail. It's literally a trump card."

"Huh, but Ikki, wasn't she in the best four last year? Then, wouldn't it mean the knight who defeated her surpassed it?"

"No."

Ikki denied, swinging his head.

"The current Seven Star Sword King, Moroboshi- kun is a spear user. I saw a video of the match, he was doing his best, throughout the match, to stay out of <Raikiri>'s range. In other words, even the Seven Star Sword King was afraid of her <Raikiri>. There has been no one till now who has been able to breakthrough Toudou-san's cross range. Every single one who stepped into that territory was, without any exception, cut down by her faster than a lightning slash, and of course, Shizuku knows that, too."

"..That's why, she doesn't make a move."

"Yes, Shizuku will be on defense throughout this match. Though, originally, Shizuku specializes in long range magic battles. There is no one who will step into a disadvantageous distance by their own will."

That's why, Shizuku was going to wait.

For the moment when her opponent will attack.

Within the frozen time.

"But.. once Toudou-san makes a move things will develop quickly."

At the exact moment Ikki said that―Touka moved!

Swiftly bending her knees, she leaned forward, and leaped.

Within an instant she reached top speed.

Their distance was twenty meters.

Touka could cover that distance within a blink of an eye.

But the 《Witch of the Deep Sea》 wasn't someone who would easily allow that!

It was obvious because she had been waiting.

For the moment when Touka would move with all of her strength!

"Freeze―Toudo Heigen[1]!"

Along with those words, Shizuku's footing froze.

That ice froze the entirety of the ring and extended to the walls faster than Touka.

And what would happen if one were to run with all their might on such a foothold?

Of course, they'll slip.

Thus Touka would have to temporarily decrease her speed.

But, to force her in that situation was Shizuku's plan.

Shizuku immediately made her next move.

Noble art 《Water Bullet》.

A water cannonball, which could take away the enemy's breath by clinging to his/her face once it touches it (them), was shot from 《Yoishigure》's tip.

Three consecutive shots. It was impossible to dodge those three shots on this frozen plain. That was common sense.

However, her opponent was a monster who lived in the immediate vicinity of Seven Stars' summit.

To her surprise, Touka didn't decrease her speed on the frozen ground.

She saw through Shizuku's plan to slow her down in an instant.

Thus, rather than stopping she further accelerated by sliding on the floor.

She slipped through the space of the three cannonballs like sewing through them, and skillfully dodged 《Water Bullet》.

And, while spinning around like a top by using the frozen floor, she released 《Narukami》, which was on her waist, aiming at Shizuku who was still far away.

Instantly, from the drawn blade a crescent shaped lightning slash was released towards Shizuku's neck.

After seeing through Shizuku's plan, she immediately performed a long range counter after dodging her attacks.

Touka was visualizing her evasion and counterattacking the moment she saw 《Water Bullet》.

There wasn't any enemy till now who saw through Shizuku so fast and precisely.

But---- that was within Shizuku's prediction.

The moment before the lightning slash cut Shizuku.

A water wall with a breadth of thirty meters from the ground came between Shizuku and the slash.

It was the noble art 《Shouha-Suiren》. It was Shizuku's impenetrable defensive technique that didnt't allow any kind of bullets or lightning attacks to pass.

Of course, Shizuku didn't think 《Raikiri》 would let her have her own way.

Obviously, because she was the fourth strongest apprentice knight in Japan.

She was sure to attack from long distance.

Having read that, Shizuku had taken precaution(s).

The lightning slash was able to blast away a part of the water wall, but it didn't penetrate it.

She had safely dealt with Touka's counter attack.

―That thought existed for brief moment.

"―Nn."

The instant Touka saw that her attack didn't pass through the water wall, she let out two, three, ten more lightning slashes without even waiting for a second.

She unleashed lightning attacks like a machine gun.

What frighteningly violent attacks these were.

There didn't exist any valor like before when she saw through Shizuku's plan. This was just an overpowering, brute force spasm.

But, it was all part of her plan.

Touka, at this point, had already understood the advantage she had against Shizuku.

It was the time required to execute techniques.

Shizuku needed to pay attention to every single molecule of water, removing any impurities to create pure water that had an attribute of insulation, to dodge the lightning. It was an extremely nerve wracking, delicate operation.

In comparison, Touka only needed to clad her slashes with lightning and send them flying towards Shizuku. It didn't really require a delicate procedure.

Of course, a gap in their speed appeared.

Touka realized that advantage with a single exchange.

That cornering her with a barrage of instantaneous lightning strikes was the most difficult development for Shizuku.

And that was a correct deduction.

Shizuku would be unable to undo the barrier if she was under the constant bombardment.

Shizuku had no choice but to protect herself with 《Shouha-Suiren》 from the barrage of lightning blades.

But, even just a single attack from Touka was heavy.

The hot lightning blade was certainly, without fail, chipping away Shizuku's defense.

And after several tens of attacks, the machine gun like barrage of lightning finally blown away the last of Shizuku's defense.

Touka immediately proceeded to swing 《Narukami》, intending to finish it up with one last lightning attack.

―It was at that moment.

"......n!"

Touka's movement stopped.

Why?

The reason was at her foothold.

Touka's feet were caught up by something.

They were arms made out of water coming forth from the frozen ground.

The water arms froze the instant they caught Touka, effectively sewing her to the ground.

At the same time a shadow was nearing Touka from above, whose movement have been completely sealed.

What is it?

It was too late when Touka took her gaze off from Shizuku and looked above her head. What she saw was a scene where an enormous pillar of ice was falling down at a terrifying speed from a human's absolute blind spot, and it had come so close to her it could almost touch her nose.

―Everything went as Shizuku had planned it out.

If Touka was to go on offense by quickly seeing through her plan, then Shizuku was to counter it by seeing through Touka's plan profoundly.

Shizuku let Touka think that she had the advantage of speed.

She caused her to get the wrong idea that all she could do was be defensive and protect herself like a turtle.

And, behind that facade, she imbued her mana into the ground and made the arms constrain her. On the other side, she used the water that was vaporized by Touka's lightning attacks to create a mass of ice to crush her.

She simultaneously performed three different complex mana operations.

A feat average blazers wouldn't be able perform, but Shizuku could do it.

Her ability to control mana was worthy of being rank-A, because it was at the highest level among humanity, even surpassing Stella's.

Instantaneously, the fallen mass of ice split the ring along with Touka.

Its power was tremendous. The crack from the destruction extended till the audience stands.

It was that powerful of an attack.

And at the center of that destruction was a tombstone made of ice.

There was no way she could still be standing after receiving this attack.

The result of the match was obvious to everyone. It was supposed to be.

Despite that, Shizuku felt it.

--That even a single atom of that almost painful atmosphere has not disappeared.

As though to ascertain her understanding, the mass of ice burst opened from both sides like a blooming flower.

《Raikiri》 stood at the center of that, unharmed.

"...." "...."

Both of them attacked, and defended to the point where the ground was partially destroyed, but still none of the two have scored a point.

They were evenly matched.

The fight of two rank-B knights had returned to the starting point, both glaring at each other.

『A...... amazing!!!!!!!!!!! What a high level match of offence and defense! I, despite being a commentator, was not able to let out a single word!』

The commentator who was captivated by their fight, shouted like she finally remembered her position.

And with that the audience, finally freed from the pressure that rendered them breathless, raised surprised voices.

「Wh, what heck are they....!? Are they really humans like us....!?」

「Amazing, President is really amazing after all!」

「No, no, I already knew President was amazing! After all, she is among the best four! But, what's up with that first year who is equally holding up!?」

「In that moment, she defended, counterattacked, pulled off a bluff, and used her trump card.. how many cards did she play in that short amount of time!?」

「However, President countered them all!」

「Both of them are monsters. So, this is the power of a B-rank....!」

『Their fight has stirred a commotion in the stadium! However, it's no surprise! Power, technique, tactics; everything shown in this match is not at the level of an interscholastic competition! It wouldn't be weird if either of them becomes the Seven Stars Sword King, since they have such power! On top of that, both of them are without scratches even after such a violent battle! As they say "Diamonds cut diamonds!" Just who will fate choose as the winner today!?』

"Shizuku, she is doing good....!"

"..I knew she was strong, but to this extent.. even I am surprised!"

Like the commentators and others, Stella and Arisuin, seeing Shizuku holding her own game expressed their admiration.

Since her opponent was the strongest knight in Hagun.

And, she was the girl who was in the best four in last year's Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.

Against such an opponent, Shizuku was fighting equally.

In other words, it meant that Shizuku's power was equal to the monsters living at the summit of Seven Stars.

"At this rate, she might really win....!" said Stella, with expectations.

Despite quarreling with her all the time, Stella did not hate Shizuku.

There were things they understood, precisely because they loved the same man.

That's why Stella was happy with this development from the bottom of her heart.

Shizuku was fighting well enough against a high rank lightning user.

Thus, the outcome of this match was unclear. There was a large possibility of something unexpected happening.

But, standing beside the two filled with hope, there was one―

Kurogane Ikki was the only one looking towards the ring, grimly.

(......Equal, huh.)

"Well, Kanata, those two are certainly evenly matched."

"Yes, Vice President, it does seem the case."

Two people of the student council lead by Touka Toudou, Utakata Misogi and Kanata Toutokubara, were watching the match from above the red gate located opposite the blue gate where Ikki's group was at.

"Really, this year's first-years are amazing. Everyone's so strong, I'd have to give up. If they acted up, the ones who'd have to come stop them would be us, huh?"

"Hahaha. Aren't you crying out in joy? The point is we can graduate with relief."

Complaining with a refined voice like a songbird's twitter, Kanata gazed again at the opponent who was fighting equally with Touka from beneath the rim of her hat.

"However, I was truly surprised that she can compete with our princess this far."

"It's true. She really isn't the tiniest bit inferior. That there's anyone like this among the first-years besides Kurogane-kun and Stella-chan, it's truly amazing."

Utakata also acknowledged that. And more than acknowledging it, he cheerfully smiled with cool composure.

"―But that is still, in the end, the wrong range."

Right. It was the reason Ikki had a grim expression. It was the one visible reality of the current match. Touka had taken absolute control over close range. For one thing, it could be said that cutting through this was impossible. In other words, Shizuku Kurogane's way to win was completely in commanding long range. In that case.. it was wrong to call them evenly matched. The scene of offense and defense just now was, as far as Shizuku was concerned, about seven to three that she had to come out on top. In spite of that, she couldn't do any kind of effective damage to Touka. That is, if the current match was restricted to offense and defense, it was even, but if one expanded his outlook and carefully studied the whole fight.. since some time ago, a clear superiority had emerged between Lorelei and Raikiri.

Furthermore―

"Furthermore, Touka isn't serious yet."

Shizuku was a B-Rank knight, a water user who could boast of almost A-Rank Magic Control. For this kind of outstanding talent, there was something at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival which couldn't be found elsewhere by chance. That was hard-won experience. For that reason, Touka didn't purposely attack unreasonably, and accepted the long range combat that Shizuku wanted. In order to study the top water user's offense.

"Fighting before the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, Touka is probably delighted, huh?"

"Yes. But still, it's about time for the studying to wrap up. The time span of today's match is extremely strict. Because as president of the student council, she prefers to not fall behind schedule."

Exactly as Kanata had said, something unusual was happening in the ring. Under Touka's feet, the icy surface created by Frozen Field began to steam. With the Joules of energy created by a lightning user's manipulation of vast electric power, Touka was overriding?Frozen Field. And raising?Narukami, she aimed its point at Shizuku.

Shizuku certainly felt a heart-piercing blood thirst from the clearly shining sword-point, and her expression stiffened. However, the reason for Shizuku's expression stiffening wasn't only that pressure.

I don't understand.

While Shizuku was surrounding Touka with a spell, she had been captured by doubt. It was the previous response to the offense and defense from not long ago that was giving her an irremovable doubt.

How was she able to respond to my surprise attack?

Lorelei's magic control far eclipsed that of Raikiri. Compared to Stella the A-rank knight, Raikiri's magic control would be even more inferior to Shizuku's. For that reason, Shizuku had absolute confidence in her concealment tactic. It was impossible for her opponent to discern what kind of technique she was bringing out. Furthermore, humans have an absolute blind spot above their heads. Even the people who could react to indications from behind them could not sense things above their heads. That was the mechanism of the creatures called humans. But in spite of that, Touka noticed it as if it was nothing out of the ordinary, and sliced in two that tombstone of ice.

I'm seeing something.. something I've never seen before.

The instant she thought over what that was...

A sudden wind roared, and Shizuku saw Touka's figure brandishing?Narukami?before her eyes.

Shizuku goggled at that sight, and almost screamed. It was understandable, because in a blink, the enemy who had to be tens of meters away had gotten close enough to extend a hand and touch her with their sword.

"Guh―!"

But even if she was surprised, she didn't freeze up. Shizuku threw her body backward without breaking her fall or any thought, and evaded the sword flash that was swung in a horizontal line. And then like that she turned her body, and placed her left hand on the ground. From the palm of that left hand, high pressure water exploded outward, pushing her body far from Touka.

It was simply a composed judgment that didn't stop at evasion. However, that was Shizuku generally using her reason and somehow decisively acting with composure. Right now, her head was half-panicking.

The reason, I don't understand it!

She couldn't understand what was occurring. Her gaze could not have slipped for even a moment. Despite that, Touka had shortened a distance some tens of meters without a sound or sign, and abruptly appeared before her eyes.

「Oh, contender Kurogane! She just made a dangerous evasion just now! Even though she was able to cope with contender Toudou's movement, what the heck happened just now!? It looks like she's somehow lost concentration, but..!」

I've lost concentration?

To the voice of the live broadcaster, Shizuku knit her brows in puzzlement. It was impossible for her to lose concentration in the middle of the match. However, the words of the live broadcaster made what looked like that apparent to everyone else. That she had overlooked Raikiri, who just now made an attack.

Even though that kind of thing couldn't have happened.

In any case, it had been unfavorable just now. She had to concentrate so that it'll never happened again. Shizuku told herself so strongly, and gathered her awareness into her eyes.

The next instant, her eyes that swung downward saw the blade of?Narukami?approaching.

"..Uu!?"

It cut deeply into Shizuku's clothing, and she had no time to dodge or think.

「Aaaaahhh! Contender Kurogane Shizuku took a hit from Contender Toudou's sword just now! And it was quite deep! Could this be a fatal wound!?」

However, the instant that everyone thought the match was decided, Shizuku's body suddenly turned pale, turned to ordinary water, and spilled onto the ring. And the real Shizuku was already behind Touka, standing quite a large distance away in the arena.

「I-It was some kind of water clone! Contender Kurogane has avoided Raikiri's sword splendidly.. no!」

The live broadcaster's voice suddenly cut short. Why? Because the scarlet color flowing across Shizuku's left hand was visible.

「Blood is dripping from her left hand! She wasn't able to dodge perfectly! In the end, Contender Kurogane was struck! The first one to get in a damaging hit in this match is 'Raikiri', Contender Touka Toudou!」

"Kuh..!"

I didn't see it at all.

Shizuku moaned as she held the light wound on her left arm. She didn't know what kind of mechanism had been used. What kind of method was used to move invisibly, Shizuku completely could not comprehend it. However, the scarlet flowing down her left hand told her only a single certain truth.

I can't catch the movements of this enemy..!

Right. In this instant, it was obvious to anyone's eyes that the even struggle between these two people was broken.

Once the struggle for supremacy was broken, in the situation afterward, Touka pressed forward just like that. Shizuku started a one-sided defensive battle, and ran around the ring single-mindedly. However, the pace of the pursuing Raikiri was swift, and her own reaction was slowed by the burden generated from her evasive movements. She was gradually becoming tired, and now if she was pressed she'd be driven to exhaustion repeatedly to the degree of collapsing.

「What's going on? Lorelei and Raikiri seemed to be even matched in the beginning, but now Lorelei is running around, and it seems that's the best she can do. Why in the world has the balance up to now become so different!?」

The bewildered live broadcaster hadn't grasped that Shizuku had lost sight of Touka. Because of that, she couldn't comprehend why the match up to now had progressed so one-sidedly. However, there was one truth everyone at this battlefield could understand together. That was―who would be the winner of this fight.

「Even though it's fine for her to surrender already...」

「Guess this was a heavy opponent for a first-year after all.」

「Even though I thought there was a possibility she'd be able to compete...」

「Well what? Gonna leave?」

「Yeah, I figure the match is already decided. She's really strong, that Prez is.」

The venue whose atmosphere was cooling; the enthusiasm from the start was nowhere to be found. That was how it was. If one thought about it, no matter how exceptional she was, she was still a first-year. Was there a reason for Hagun's best knight to lose to that kind of opponent? There had been an off-the-mark enthusiasm, but that kind of apathetic atmosphere now drifted through the venue.

In the middle of that, Stella asked Ikki in a moaning voice.

"..Hey Ikki. How is Shizuku doing?"

"How, meaning?"

"I can tell by looking. It's obvious that her response to her opponent's movements worsened all of a sudden."

"It's just as Stella-chan says. Even though the President is moving normally, it looks as if she can't see it."

Arisuin also felt that there was a problem with Shizuku's movements. And of course, Ikki did too. But Ikki could already see a few more things than the other two.

"..It's exactly like that, probably."

"Eh?"

"Shizuku really can't see her. I've also seen something like this once before."

It was that time before his debut battle, when he met the Yaksha Princess Nene Saikyou at the reception desk.

"That time, Saikyou-sensei got right in front of me in an instant. Even though I didn't let her out of my line of sight for even a moment, she got to my chest before I knew it. Right now, Raikiri is probably using the same body technique, I think."

"Ahaha. As expected of Kuro-bou. You noticed it after all, huh?"

A voice descended from an angle above. Ikki turned his eyes in that direction, where a bewitching petite woman dressed in a kimono and an imposing woman clad in a suit were descending the bowl-shaped stadium's stairway.

"Hey there~. It's been a while ?."

"Saikyou-sensei, and Madam Director. The two of you together, I wonder if something's going on?"

"What, she just called out because she saw you guys, not because there's a reason."

The board chairman, Kurono Shinguuji, answered Arisuin's question. These two only came to see the duel between fellow B-Ranks in an ordinary Selection Battle. They only greeted them because Ikki's group was having an interesting conversation.

"..Hey, Nene-sensei. The thing that Ikki noticed, is what he's saying correct?"

Saikyou-sensei confirmed Stella's question with a nod.

"Yep. That is an ancient Japanese martial arts technique called Trackless Step that merges breath control and footwork. Or something like that―"

"..Eh?"

In an instant. Saikyou who had to be at least five meters away from Stella reappeared very close, and―raised Stella's plump breasts from below while rubbing them.

"Eek!?"

"Oh, this kind of feeling? Well, no milk's coming out. Yet it's super soft~?"

"Kyaaaaa! Wh-Wh-What are you doing!?"

"I was wondering if rubbing yours would make mine grow."

"If you want to grow then go rub your own!"

"I don't have anything to rub, IDIOT!"

"You're getting angry at the victim!?"

Ignoring the two noisy people, Kurono asked something of Ikki.

"Kurogane. Someone like you has already seen through how Trackless Step works, right?"

To that inquiry, he nodded.

"Somewhat. If you tell me to do the same thing, I could probably do it."

"Hey Ikki, what is this Trackless Step?"

"Let's see, humans are nothing more than animals, and like a machine they can't process all the tiny details that they see and hear, and the brain certainly can't consciously recognize all of those sights and sounds. After all, if they processed and analyzed everything they see and hear, the brain will burn out. Therefore, the human brain will toss low-priority information into the unconscious, and abdicate recognizing them in order to ease the load on itself. This thing called Trackless Step is a martial arts technique that applies peculiar breath control and footwork to slip its user's existence into the opponent's unconsciousness. As a result, even though Shizuku can still see Toudou-san, she has become unable to recognize that fact. Even though the brain and the eye can capture Toudou-san's movements, they can't be processed because the consciousness is classifying them as unnecessary information, to the degree that a life-threatening danger can approach to little more than a blink away.

"Spot on. You understood it well."

Kurono praised him as if in admiration, because there were no faults in Ikki's answer that divulged the mysterious mechanism that was assaulting Shizuku.

Right. There was only unconsciousness within.

The opponent was making everything about herself imperceptible by shifting her breath and body a half-step, and by sliding into that interval, she had dodged the awareness locking onto her. That was the mechanism behind the old-style footwork Trackless Step.

"Because I've already seen that body technique once."

Moreover, Touka's Trackless Step had great flaws compared to Saikyou's. Because of that, Ikki was able to see through the mechanism.

"But I didn't think that there was a student who could do the same thing as the Yaksha Princess."

"Well, it's natural to be able to do the same thing, since Nene and Toudou both study under the same knight. Trackless Step was originally the technique that was that knight's strong point."

"Is that how it is? By the way, who was that teacher?"

"Torajirou Nangou."

"Nangou, the 'God of War'..!?"

To the revealed name, Ikki showed a shocked expression.

God of War―Torajirou Nangou. The great hero Ryouma Kurogane's lifelong rival, the elder knight who was on active service while being over ninety years old. He is a living legend who people talked abo-->>

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