u would be able to wrap it up like that?"

"..Yes. To tell you the truth, I didn't think you would repel it."

That was truly a surprise. One could say it was completely unexpected. But Kaito wasn't just some inexperienced swordsman to be shocked by every move of his opponent.

That's some instincts he's got there.

It seems he had predicted Kaito's counter. That reaction speed could not be explained any other way. It was beyond the speed of humans.

However, it was not a problem even if he stopped a move. Kaito still had tricks up his sleeves.

"Here! I'll return the favor!"

Again, he swung down his sword just like before without any beauty, with the same speed and at the same place.

Obviously, that power was truly dreadful. There was no doubt that his wooden sword would get crushed if he received it upfront.

Even so, Kaito received it with his wooden sword. Was he not able to escape? No, this was Kaito's plan. If his counters were not going to work, then he didn't need to dodge the attacks.

The moment the two wooden swords clashed, before his wooden sword could break, Kaito moved his wrist, and changed the angle of the wooden blade with which he received the attack, and let the impact of the attack out.

Because of that, Kuraudo's wooden sword slid out and he lost his posture.

Dodge and receiving are just a part primitive defense mechanism. Martial arts exist on a higher level. It creates groundbreaking defensive techniques.

In other words, that was a deflection. It involves receiving the opponent's attack and then using that same attack's power to parry it off. With it the opponent floats; he loses his balance and a decisive opening is forcibly created. And this time for certain, Kaito seized that opening.

"Ha.. ha..."

The moment when the judge, Ayase, confirmed the state of affairs―

This feeling...

After feeling the resistance from the strike, Kaito felt his heart throb.

..What is this feeling?

"As expected of Instructor! Your movements didn't seem like a sick person!"

"Father.. amazing...! As expected, Father is amazing!"

The disciples raised their voices in delight after seeing him score the first point. To that, Kaito smiled at them concealing the inexplicable bad feeling that was welling up inside his heart, and then moved his gaze back towards the enemy.

Kuraudo was standing up while holding his side.

"Hahaha.. As one would expect of the Last Samurai, this is the first time I've received such sharp blow. However.. is this all you've got? ―If so, you'll die, old man."

Even after receiving the first strike, Kuraudo still did not lose his fighting spirit. The light in his eyes, still burning and hungry, pierced Kaito.

"As if. It starts from here on, brat."

"Good.. then, I'll be coming at you seriously, too!"

While smiling like a brute, Kuraudo once again closed the distance by charging in with pure leg strength, and for the third time, swung his sword downwards.

He doesn't learn..! Such an amateurish move.

Certainly he predicted and parried the counter. Those moves were something. But, he just swings his attacks around with emotions and brute strength. That kind of sword play, with just power behind it, didn't pose any threat to an excellent swordsman.

I'll end it with this..!

Kaito, once again, took the stance for deflection with his sword at his left side. He'd deflect the attack, and finish it. Kaito, Ayase, who was watching from the side, and Sugawara, too, believed that.

At that moment, Kuraudo's wooden sword disappeared like mist.

Wha..!?

In that instant, the sound of Kaito's ribs breaking echoed inside the dojo.

※　※　※

Kaito fell down after being hit in the torso by Kuraudo's wooden sword. He violently convulsed, but Kuraudo got a fair point in, to which no one could complain about.

However, Ayase didn't have the composure to calmly announce the point, because on the floor, Kaito was suffering from lung hemorrhage while holding his side. The amount of blood being lost was excessive. It was obvious from one look that his internal organs had ruptured. Realizing that, Ayase ran over to Kaito with a pale face.

"Father! Are you all right!?"

"Don't come!"

But, Kaito, while still spewing blood, stopped Ayase who was approaching him with a loud and strong voice.

"The match has not ended yet..! If you can't judge fairly then step back!"

"This is not the time to be saying such things!"

"AYASE!"

Kaito, who was still spewing blood, shouted at Ayase who was still coming towards him, having ignored his words. Ayase was scolded and shouted at multiple times in the past, but this time it was entirely different. She felt fear, as though her heart was directly attacked. His shout was like a wild animal's roar.

"This is my battle! Don't interfere!"

"A.. a.. Fa.. ther!?"

Ayase lost her standing at Kaito's serious shout that she had never heard before.

"Don't worry! ..I'll definitely win!"

Kaito stood up while spilling blood from his mouth. His red eyes were fixated at just one point, towards Kuraudo. His burning fighting spirit seething.

"Here I come! Boyyyy!!!"

Kaito dashed.

"Haha! The result will be the same no matter how many times you try."

Kuraudo took him head on. For the third time their swords clashed. However, it was just one-sided now. Kaito had already suffered a fatal wound. With his offense and defense it was becoming clear that he had rusted due to not having held the sword for several years.

He was being pushed back. He was being pushed back mercilessly by random swings, which didn't contain even an ounce of beauty or technique and were only swung with pure, brute force. Now, he could not even attack, and he was just barely parrying the random attacks.

And, to deliver the ending blow to Kaito, now, whose entire body was covered in wounds, Kuraudo once again released the same attack that took one point from Kaito before. Aiming for the torso.

Kaito quickly took a defensive stance to that. A stance intending to receive the attack. However, just before clashing with Kaito's wooden sword, Kuraudo's wooden sword once again disappeared like mist and hit Kaito's body.

This time it was swung down on his skull.

It was incomprehensible. How did a sword, swung towards the torso, come from above the head. That action had probably surpassed the abilities of humans. Was it some kind of trick? They could not understand it. No one could tell what it was.

However, the wooden sword, which swung down, certainly existed above Kaito's head and mercilessly crushed his skull. Or so it was supposed to be.

"What!?"

That strike which was supposed to be the decisive blow didn't strike Kaito's skull and ended up falling towards his nape. The attack broke his collarbone. Kaito barely avoided it so that it won't become a point.

"Kuh... You can't call this a point.. boy!"

"Haha, you're just someone who failed to die! Don't struggle!"

After kicking Kaito in the stomach, and widening the distance between them, Kuraudo once again resumed his violent barrage of attacks. Even if an attack on the collarbone didn't count as a point, it didn't change the fact that it drained Kaito's stamina. Kaito's movements were now dulled to the point they were incomparable from before, and they lacked their usual brilliance, and then uncountable blows were delivered to Kaito.

The sharp attacks of the wooden sword broke his bones, cut his skin, and splashed his blood all over the dojo. Even then.. even then, Kaito didn't let him hit the places that would give away the point. Even when his whole body was covered in blood, he still stood on his two legs and continued to fight.

..Why!?

Ayase could not comprehend Kaito's actions. It was obvious who was going to win. Even so, why didn't they stop fighting? Why didn't he surrender?

"Stop.. stop already!"

Sounds of flesh being smashed echoed.　And every time they echoed, Kurauｄo's red-dyed wooden sword splattered blood.

"Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Kuraudo, who was covered in blood, laughed. His laughter resounded.

Now, Kaito was just being hit around. It was no longer about victory or defeat, it was no longer about the match. Ayase broke into tears, and could no longer see what kind of expression Kaito was making or if he was even conscious at all.

If she didn't stop this.

If she didn't stop this.

If she didn't stop this, her father would be killed!

Ayase understood that, but, even so she could not move. Even when Kaito's blood soiled her clothes, and even when Kaito's teeth broke and got stuck to his cheek. She was not able to gather power in her waist because of Kaito's roar from before.

"Stop, please stop it! I don't need this dojo! Just please stop hitting Father!"

Ayase could only scream. But, Ayase's scream.. didn't reach the two who were standing on the verge of death. Kaito still didn't surrender, and Kuraudo didn't stop swinging his sword.

"―"

In an instant, Kaito, whose entire body was covered in blood, unleashed a final strike. He aimed his wooden sword from between his eyes towards Kuraudo, and advanced.

"Ooooooooooooooooo!!!"

"!"

Did he sense something from the dying prey who could only defend pointer blows? Kuraudo's expression stiffened. But Kuraudo didn't retreat rather he swung his wooden sword down with all his might. He aimed for Kaito's head who was advancing towards him.

Even towards the nearing wooden swords that was tearing the air, Kaito didn't stop his advances. No, rather he did not even move his wooden sword that was held between his eyes, and he didn't take precaution towards the lighting like slash that's coming down from above.

It was suicidal attack. The meaning of that seemingly reckless conduct―

That stance is―!

Ayase knew it. That was the result of the Last Samurai Ayatsuji Kaito's entire life, the secret technique of Ayatsuji's sword. The only hidden technique capable of breaking this situation.

But.. there is no way Kaito, who had become weak due to illness and injured in the battle, would be able to use it.

"Ssstttttoooooooppppppppp!!!"

The merciless attack broke Kaito's skull and consciousness.

"Ah..."

The second point was taken. The moment that was settled, Kaito's body fell to the floor.

"Aaaaaaaa!!!"

Ayase ran towards Kaito, half crazed. She called out to him numerous times, but Kaito didn't respond. Kaito's mouth was just spilling out fresh blood.

"No, nooooo!"

"..Hmm, this is boring. This got settled pretty quickly."

With a *Clack*, Kuraudo threw the wooden sword he was using in front of Ayase. It was dyed dark from blood, and there were a few cracks here and there due to having broken so many bones. Upon seeing the state of the wooden sword, Ayase's consciousness got covered in red because of the amount of killing intent she was emitting. That hard wooden sword had continued to hit her father until it became like this.

"You fienddddd!!!"

Having lost all reason, Ayase charged towards Kuraudo after materializing?Hizume.

But the arm that was about to swing?Hizume?was caught by Kuraudo and he easily lifted Ayase's body up.

"Don't lose your temper like that, I have no interest in weaklings."

"Let me go! Let me gooooo!"

"First of all, this isn't the time for you to go at it with me, am I right?"

After saying that, Kuraudo threw Ayase on top on Kaito's body.

"Tch!"

With that Ayase, too, remembered what she needed to prioritize and do.

"Sugawara-san! Ambulance! Call an ambulance! Hurry!"

"O-Okay!"

Ayase gave out orders to Sugawara who was standing in a corner of the dojo. Meanwhile Ayase franticaly tried to wake Kaito by calling out to him. After looking at those two with a cold and bored look, Kuraudo left the place, leaving a few words behind while departing.

"Pack up all of your luggage and leave. This place doesn't belong to you guys anymore."

Ayase gritted her teeth in bitterness. At that moment, Kaito let a sound resembling a moan from his chest.

"So..r..ry....."

"Father!"

She looked at Kaito, but he was still unconscious. He was just letting out words of apology like weak sighs.

Two years ago, on that day, Ayase had lost everything. The dojo's sign, its land, and everything else was stolen by Kuraudo.. and she had not met with the other disciples ever since.

And, Kaito, too, having been cruelly beaten, had fallen into a coma. He had still not woken up. Kaito was still inside that nightmarish day, and.. he still continued to apologize till this day.

Sorry, sorry.

To his disciples that he was not able to protect. And to Ayase because he let everything of the Ayatsuji single-blade style get stolen.

..Father might not able hold on until this winter.

That was the diagnosis that the doctor had given. She had already made up her resolve when his illness was diagnosed. She already understood it.

But she just couldn't allow herself to leave her father in that nightmare for eternity. That alone she could never allow. That's why in these past two years Ayase had challenged Kuraudo, who had become the new master of the dojo, numerous times. To reclaim the dojo that her father risked his life to protect.

However, there was no way that Ayase would be able to win against Kuraudo, whom even Kaito couldn't beat. Ayase was put down numerous times by Kuraudo who treated her like a kitten that was trying to play with a lion.

At first, he was having fun showing his comrades the sight of a pitiful woman who was desperately trying to defeat him. Maybe he got bored of it, but recently she was being turned down without being given a chance to face him. Now, the only way to fight him was for her to appear in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, and beat Kuraudo who would appear there, too.

Ayase and Kuraudo were both third years now. The limit of Kaito's life was approaching. The coming Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival would be her last chance. If she lost, her father's soul would forever be caught in the darkness of despair. She couldn't forgive that.

Then the only choice left was to use any means necessary to win. To get results. She would prioritize that above anything else. The means did not matter. She didn't think it was the right thing to do, but by no means was she wrong either. If the weak wanted to win against the strong, then he or she did not have the luxury to choose his or her ways. That was the reality.

"I will reclaim the dojo at all costs. Even if Kurogane-kun never forgives me."

..Then, finally, she could say to her father, who was wandering deep inside the despair, that it was fine now, and he didn't have to apologize anymore.

Once more, Ayase recalled everything and settled her feelings. She would no longer waver. She would no longer hesitate. Even if she couldn't boast to anyone.

She would win at any cost, and get the dojo back, because that was everything to Ayatsuji Ayase.

"Thank you for waiting! It's time, so we will be starting the first match in the sixth training arena! I, Isogai of the Broadcasting Club, along with Oreki Yuuri, a homeroom teacher of the first year, will be your commentators for this match! Oreki-sensei, you seem to be in a good condition today!"

"It's because it's still the first match~ I will become the same ol' Yuuri that everyone loves when we get to around the third or so match~ ? But, it's still good. I've got about a liter of blood in reserve~"

"I see! It seems there will be a rain of blood in the broadcasting corner again! Well then, everyone, we will carry out the awaited introductions of the participants!"

The female student of the Broadcasting Club began introducing the first player.

"First, in the blue corner, with his perfect games; having won ten out of ten matches, and the one who is now the center of attention, the F-Rank knight, Kurogane Ikki!"

The audience burst into cheers the moment Ikki showed up in the stadium. The fans who came to cheer the Failure Knight on were female students.

"The stadium got filled with shouts the moment he showed up! He has amazing popularity!"

"Kurogane-kun has lots of female fans―"

"Even though he is so strong despite being a F-Rank, it feels like he isn't being rewarded!"

"Does Sensei understand this feeling?"

"A little while ago no one took notice of him, and he was just a nobody who had repeated the same year, but after the changes in Hagun's system, he stood out after displaying his ability in actual combat and weaponry. Now, the Failure Knight is considered to be one possible candidate for the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival! What kind of fight will he show us today!? And, today the one facing him has appeared in the red corner! With the same splendid record of ten wins out of ten matches, and wishing for her eleventh victory, the D-Rank third year knight, Ayatsuji Ayase!"

After Ikki, Ayase appeared, her black hair fluttering.

"For some strange reason she is also from a house that practices the art of the sword, which is very rare these days, like the contender Kurogane. They both had won their every match with sword techniques. From the information provided by Kagami-san from the Wall Newspaper Club it seems that she is actually a disciple of contender Kurogane who had been giving her lectures! In other words, today's match is between a master and his disciple! Will the disciple be able to overcome her strong master!?"

"*Cough* This will become a critical moment for Ayatsuji-san."

"Yes. Unlike contender Kurogane who had fought off competitors like the Hunter and Runner's High, contender Ayatsuji had won against lower E-Rank knights. Realistically speaking she was extremely lucky to have continually won ten matches."

"What kind of Blazer is she~?"

"We have little to no information regarding contender Ayatsuji. We don't have any data because she didn't participate in last year's competitive matches even once, and like I said before, she had won her matches with sword skills alone this year. That is why we don't know what kind of ability she is hiding up her sleeves! The existence of the trump card that contender Ayatsuji is hiding will increase the excitement of this match! Well then, both of them are now on the starting line!"

The two of them faced each other with a distance of twenty meters between them in the middle of the ring that was about a hundred meters long. Like it had been announced a little while ago, both of them were comrades who had practiced the sword and had spent time together. But, at present, there was no longer such a relationship between them.

..Such a scary face.

Ayase thought, looking at Ikki's expression. She had never seen such a strict and grim expression on Ikki's face before. He was mad. At Ayase who had dirtied herself with a conduct called foul play that a martial artist should never lay his hands on.

But Ayase didn't feel sorry. Because she had already decided to walk down this path.

Rather.. this is more convenient.

Ikki's mana had not completely recovered because of Ayase's preparations. He should not be able to use Ittou Shura anymore. On top of that, Ikki was clearly straining himself. That was not his usual posture, she could easily see that.

Anger robbed his composure, and lack of composure always connected to the decline of potential. Since the difference between them was obvious, she had to remove whatever was removable from Ikki's fighting power. That is why, this could be said to be a pleasant byproduct of her actions.

Furthermore.. Ayase had a trap that could very well be called a trump card. She had already prepared it at dawn before the face off with Ikki.

Now that he has lost his composure, he might just jump into that trap.

"Now then, Everyone, please cheer them on! MATCH START!"

The moment the buzzer to start the match was hit―

"―!"

With the reaction speed of a sprinter, the swordsman with the black katana rushed towards Ayase. Bending his body low, a sprint like a gale that used his entire body's springs and not just leg strength. It was a complete surprise attack, raising the curtains of the match.

Ayase, who hadn't yet taken a good hold on the red Japanese sword?Hizume, would not be able to counter it.

But, that was only if they were just swordsmen. The two of them were Blazers!

"You fell for it!"

Along with her voice, Ayase's device?Hizume?released a red light, resembling fresh blood, from the blade of her sword.

―Blood flew from Ikki's entire body.

"Guhh, ahhhhh!"

Ikki fell while shouting in pain. Upon examination, Ikki's entire body was covered in wounds made by long slashes.

"Wh, wha wha wha wha what was that just nowwwwww!? Suddenly contender Kurogane's body has been hacked up! Just what the heck happened!?"

"What!? What happened!? There is blood coming out of the Failure Knight!"

The audience was stirred by the sudden turn of events. No one understood what happened in that moment.

However, only a Blazer can do something like slice-and-dice an opponent who was far away. That was the ability of Ayatsuji Ayase's Device?Hizume.

My ability is to open the wounds given by the blade of?Hizume.

By manipulating the wounds given by her sword at will, her ability allowed her to make any kind of small wound into a fatal one. In other words it was an ability to deepen vital wounds.

However, this was only when it was used on humans. Her ability could also be used on the atmosphere. By manipulating the parts of the atmosphere that were cut by the blade of?Hizume?she could instantly, or after a certain time, create blades of vacuum.

That was her Noble Art,?Mark of the Wind.

Before dawn, and before she went to meet with Ikki, Ayase had come to this sixth training arena, which was to become the stage for her match, and laid down the land mines of slashes by cutting up the entire ring with?Hizume.

I've laid out more than a hundred of these marks all over the ring. Even if Kurogane-kun is a master in seeing through things, there is no way even he can defend against attacks that can't be seen! In reality, he just easily fell for one of my traps.

Of course, this was against the rules. It wouldn't be a problem if she marked around during the match, but it was completely against the rules to set up traps on the stage before the match had even begin.

But, because the kamaitachi couldn't be seen, it was hard to notice the trick. She was worried that Oreki, who was a mage knight, might be able to see through it. But Oreki still hadn't called off the match due to foul play. Then―

I can do this!

She had outwitted Oreki. Ayase certainly felt the attack hit.

The vacuum blades created by?Mark of the Wind was a byproduct of conceptual magic. Honestly, it lacked the power to kill the opponent, and thus was not a decisive move. But a slash of?Hizume?was a different story. With Ayase's ability, the match would be decided if Ikki received even a scratch from the blade of?Hizume, because she could make any kind of wound, no matter how small it was, and open up and tear the flesh until the bone to make it fatal.

In other words, Ayase's goal was to corner Ikki with?Mark of the Wind?and then slash him once with?Hizume.

If I can do that, then I'll be able to win.

The problem was, when could she charge in to deliver the wound?

Ikki was no average swordsman. Ayase understood it the best due to directly taking classes from him. If she made one wrong move, she would be defeated instead. She had given him some damage with that surprise attack, but that didn't make him fall down, it only stopped his charge. He still had his guard up to at least fend off attacks even while he was wounded.

..That's why, it's too early. It can't be helped, and his actions would mean only one thing if Kurogane-kun doesn't charge at me now.

His charge had been stopped, and in return it ended up with him receiving heavy wounds. There was a breather for a while to reconfirm his emotions and posture. Then―

"Oh, contender Kurogane took a step back! Has he decided to retreat and reconfirm the situation before the unknown slash!?"

I'll aim for that!

"Gahhhh!?"

"Ahh!? How could this be? Contender Kurogane was slashed from behind this time! What is going on in that ring!?"

Ayase had created a prison out of slashes. There was nowhere to run. Ikki finally fell to his knees after suddenly being slashed from behind.

A complete opening, and that was for Ayase―

A once in a lifetime chance!!!

She would end it here; with that in mind, Ayase rushed forth towards Ikki.

"Contender Ayatsuji takes the offense the moment Contender Kurogane fell to his knees! This is bad! He won't be able to demonstrate his prized sword technique in that position!"

Ayase had the choice to drag out the battle since she had created the prison of slashes, but she was afraid.

Kurogane-kun was able to beat even that Hunter.

And he didn't just beat him. The important thing here was the fact that he managed to beat Hunter after receiving all of his attacks and even broke that famous Area Invisible.

In that fight Ikki was not able to see Hunter until the very end. Despite that, the Worst One still caught Hunter and defeated him. Ikki had frightening insight. With that it wouldn't be odd for him to trace Ayase's thoughts back and see through the places that had?Marks of the Wind.

She wouldn't think about it if it was someone ordinary, but Kurogane Ikki just might do it. Even if she dragged out the match and chipped his stamina off little by little, it'd be bad if he managed to recover mentally during that.

The frightening part about the Worst One wasn't his physical strength but his mental power that supported his insight.

That's why―I'll charge in now! It'd be fine if I just hurt him a bit! The match would be decided with just that!

"Haaaaaaa!!!"

"And contender Ayatsuji fiercely attacks! Rush, rush, ruuuuush! She is raining down slashes by the scarlet blade at contender Kurogane, who is on his knees! Is blocking the attacks in that unstable position the best contender Kurogane can do!? Will he get sliced by the rain of slashes just like that!? ..No!? Wh-What a thing! Contender Kurogane is completely defending against the rain of red slashes despite being at a disadvantage and in an unstable position with the blade of?Intetsu! He is not letting even a single slash from the blade which keeps falling down on him from above pass!"

..Kuh..!

She couldn't reach him. Even though all she needed to do was scratch him a little bit, that little bit seemed so far away. Ayase was astonished at Ikki who was, despite being in a disadvantaged position, blocking all of her attacks by using techniques that relied on the wrists alone.

As expected.. of the knight who was even called the Crownless Sword King by some. He wouldn't let her win easily. Moreover, Ikki stood up while blocking the rain of slashes.

"Haa!"

"Contender Kurogane, while blocking the sword strikes from his opponent in that position, stands up and finally counterattacks!"

He launched a wide and big slash to her head.

It wasn't Ikki's style to strike with power alone, but that was all a part of his plan.

―This was not a counterattack like the commentator had said.

Even if he was able to make a comeback, the rhythm that was lost because of receiving the attacks in that disadvantageous position wouldn't come back so simply. Ikki wished to create some distance, thus the wide swing. If his opponent dodged, it would obviously increase the distance between them, and even if the opponent received the attack it would still shake her off because of the power of the strike and distance would be created between them.

It'd be advantageous for Ikki no matter which of the two she chose. It was an attack with a plan behind it. However, Ayase had read that plan of his!

Here!

She read his movements and understood that this was a chance to win. Ayase's Ayatsuji single-blade style was a school that specialized in the counter by deflection.

It is normally impossible for someone of my level to actually counter a strike from a serious Kurogane-kun.

Ikki's swordsmanship was too agile. If she recklessly tried to make a move, she would be the one getting burned.

But this strike from above was a different matter altogether.

This intimidating strike was just to gain some distance from a glued opponent. Though -->>

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