onent is a warrior who went through the preliminary contest.

It won’t be easy to settle the match. On the contrary, Larke has unleashed counterattacks. She stops the blows of Touka’s sword, repelling them.

Two people who keep a fierce sword fight in the center of the battlefield. But among them, Larke is the one who stood up with superiority.

– Hya!

In the middle of the sword fight, Touka scooped up with her own feet.

Because of that, Touka lost the balance of her body.

– It’s a shame, but this is the end!

She swung downward the sword while showing a smile confident of victory.

Although it was thought that there is nothing more that can be done, Touka uses one leg attached to the ground like a coil and jumps, and rotates while twisting her body.

Latia shouted.

. That is..!

– Kenzaki Style New Technique―― <<Cutting Revolution>>?Senkaizan!*

It’s Karen that answered.

Touka had learned some new techniques for this tournament.

For that purpose, she received an old Tablet PC from Karen, she taught her how to use it, she made video calls with her former master Ryūsei, approaching him for consultation.

– It has been decided.

Emilia muttered so.

That’s not something that can be done so trivial, that is, to slash the opponent while somersaulting.

Larke who was attacked in her unguarded moment by a perfect attack that used an unimaginable physical ability, her body, due to the direct hit was sent flying bouncing at the very limit off the premises.

– Somehow or other, that’s what it looks like.

Hayato answered, looking at Larke Mandola collapsed, and her armament cancelled.

The buzzer resounds at the venue, informing the end of the match.

On the huge monitor, the portrait photo of Kenzaki Touka, and the characters indicating her victory were displayed.

– She did it!

– Yes, Touka-san did it!

Sakura and Karen stand up, and share the joy embracing each other.

A KO victory in 1 minute 50 seconds. That was the result of Kenzaki Touka in the first round of the finals of the tournament.

– Good job, Touka. It was a nice match.

Hayato welcomed Touka who returned to the waiting room after the end of the first round.

– Thank you very much, Shinshishō. But this time I was blessed with my opponent. Whether the next will turn out well like this or not..

– The next match is tomorrow, right?

– Yes.

Touka nods and answers to Emilia who asked.

– I see.. Umm, the next opponent seems to be a Slayer of Rasiya.. huh..?

The finger of Emilia that was touching the PDA stopped. Hayato instinctively asked.

– Is something wrong?

– Look at this.

Hayato, who picked up the PDA that Emilia had handed over, looked at the screen and became speechless.

– Eh? This is..

– Isn’t he the muscle guy of that time!?

It was Latia who peered into the PDA from the back of Hayato and gave a voice. She keeps speaking without a change.

– Why is he in individual matches? Wasn’t he going to be in team battles?

That muscle daruma*――

Before the friendly reunion, Latia had a dispute with a Slayer from the Empire of Rasiya――Gert Abramovic.

– ..I don’t know. However, there is no doubt that Touka’s next rival is that guy. Hayato, the video of his first fight, has already gone up?

– Yeah, it seems that it’s up.

By saying that, Hayato watched the video that Emilia and the others had looked into.

It was the side of the Martial Arts type Hundred <<Hell’s Gate>>?Val Beck, being worn by Gert Abramovic, who went for an offensive movement at the same time the match started.

Instantly approaching his opponent, a Slayer of Romalia, he kicked up his body high in the sky. However, the armament of the Slayer of Romalia is a Dragoon type.

He immediately straightens himself in the air using the propulsion device on his back and tries to attack with the floating batteries to Gert. However, Gert wasn’t there already. He kicked the ground and jumped high going after the Slayer of Romalia. Gert then joined his arms together, and swung them downward around the cervical vertebrae of the neck.

Romalia’s Slayer fainted with the shock, apparently. Without taking a safety fall, he hit the ground. Because of that, his armament is released, and the match is over.

– ..amazing, a KO that took less than 30 seconds... That attitude of him wasn’t just a mere show.

Emilia muttered. Hayato has also the same impression. Even though he was wearing a thick armor, apart from the power of the attacks that are unleashed from his large body, those movements of him were also quick.

There, a rumor came with the resounded voice of a man.

– Oh, so in the spot over there is the opponent for the second round, huuh?

– !

Everyone looked back all together, and there was the figure of Gert Abramovic, who changed clothes from the Variable Suit to the military uniform of Rasiya Empire.

Cezary who is the captain of the Rasiya team, and Elena, a woman Slayer, are standing as if holding him between.

– ..Gert, you understand it, right?

It seems that he doesn’t like to say too many things.

With a calm voice, Cezary gives a warning to Gert.

– ..I know. Nonetheless even if?she’s from Little Garden, there’s nothing?dat?can be don’ if that brat opponent picks a fight.

– Gert, if you know that, then a foul mouth is no good.

– Yeah yeah.

Elena also gives him a warning, and Gert drew back his neck like playing the fool, with the palms of both of his hands towards the ceiling.

The three of them passed by next to Hayato and co.

Hayato thought that it would be fine to not do anything at all.

But it didn’t act in accordance to that..

Immediately after passing by Hayato and the others’s side.

Gert stopped his legs and turned over.

– ..lady-chan, one advice.

– Gert!

Elena restraints him by roughening her voice. However, Gert doesn’t stop.

– It’ll be something very small, so its fine, don’t ya think? It’s an ordinary advice. Besides, I won’t do anythin’.

Gert continues his words while showing a smile and grinning.

– Lady-chan, if?u?don’t want to get hurt then withdrawal. I?ain’t?interested in bullyin’ a brat.

It’s evident that it’s an act of provocation.

But, Touka wasn’t agitated.

– ..lady, huh.

Touka replied, staring at Gert.

– I’ll not withdrawal. I don’t have the intention to lose!

– Hahaa, hahahaha! You heard that, Cezary. She’ll defeat me, yo!

– Gert, your playing is going too far.

– Chi, fine. But, a few words to end――

Gert received a warning again from Cezary, and after saying so, he released again a few words towards Touka.

– If?u?do it, then I won’t go easy on?ya. I’ll break?da?fightin’ spirit of you and Little Garden. That’s all――

Together with Cezary and Elena, Gert tries to turn his back on her.

It was Latia who called him out there.

– ――Hey, wait a minute.

Those words made Gert to stop his feet and looked back.

– Huh, what is it??U?are the chibi* of that time, what?da?heck do?u?want?

– I have something to ask you.

– ..what do?u?want to ask, huh?

Gert furrowed his glabella*.

– Why are you in individual matches? Wasn’t your intention to appear in team battles?

– Ooh,?dat?thing. Don’t listen to worthless thrash. Of course I’ll appear――

Gert continues his words while showing a grinning face.

– Just coz’ I’m going to compete in team battles, there’s no rule that won’t allow me to come out in individual matches, don’t ya think? Appearin’ in individual matches, it’s to show off?da?strength of Rasiya and I. Besides, this is a good warm-up.

After listening to that answer, Latia had an expression of being taken aback.

– ..because of that alone, are you really coming out in individual battles? If you do such a thing and get injured or use too much energy, that will have an impact on team battles, isn’t it?

– Hahaha, impact? As if individual battles could have some kind of impact on me.

Gert laughs loudly.

Looking at that figure, Latia questions with a meek expression.

– In short, you believe that you can win individual battles without using a lot of power..?

– Precisely.

Gert immediately replies.

– ..you guys, also think the same?

Latia asks that to Cezary and Elena.

– Well, I guess so.

It was Cezary that answered.

– It will be an honor for Rasiya to have an overall victory in both team competitions and individual matches.

Following, Elena answers.

– ..I thought that coming out in individual matches will allow him to cool off his attitude a little... But it seems that our plan went off, huh..

– Hahahaha.

When he heard the answer of Elena, Gert laughed holding one of his sides.

– Well, although the opponent is a small fry, it’ll be a good exercise, no?

In brief, they don’t doubt about their victory and they probably think that it won’t be difficult either.

– This is all what you have to say? In which case, if you excuse us.

When Cezary said so, the other two showed their backs to Hayato and company and disappeared in the inner part of the passage.

It’s at the same time that their figures disappeared.

– I’ll tell you what..

It was Emilia that began to talk.

– Those guys, they sure are underestimating other Slayers, isn’t it? Honestly, he doesn’t seem to be that much of a great Slayer or anything..

– I agree with that.

Latia immediately indicated agreement.

– Limited to his personal data and the fight of the first round, he is certainly a Slayer in his own way. But, I don’t think that it goes that far――. When we were facing each other in that situation with our armaments deployed, I didn’t feel his power to that extent.

– ..but still, it’s not that he’s exposing all of his abilities and I think that it’s dangerous to make a decision so far, right?

Listening the words of Fritz who butted into the conversation, Hayato remembers.

Nesat said that they felt strange, when she saw Cezary and Gert.

(..then, perhaps it’s related to a hidden power of them, I wonder?)

If it happens to be that, then what on earth could it be?

– But, if he is hiding his strength, then Touka-chan is the same, I guess.

It was Emilia who said that.

– Well, I still haven’t used my secret techniques.

– Yeah, now that you mention it.

In response to Emilia’s words, Latia nods.

It became public that Touka had a constitution that doesn’t receive the effect of?energy?and some of her techniques have been used in the preliminary contest. However, she didn’t use Kenzaki Style Secret Technique?Zaneizan.

– ..Touka, are you okay?

It was Hayato who asked Touka calling her out.

It’s because her body was trembling in short and continuous movements.

– Yes―― I’m okay. I’m trembling with excitement.

He knows that those words were a lie. Still, she continued to pretend to be tough.

She grasped tightly her fist, and continued her words.

– To taste the finest victory, you have to defeat the toughest opponent, for sure. I’ve been practicing without a break for several months to win the individual matches. Therefore, Shinshishō, and everyone. Please watch my fight tomorrow. I will definitely win――