Chapter 22: Volume 4 - CH 3

(translation)

It was evening on the final day of the combined training camp. In order to greet the students who were about to return, Hagun Academy instructor Yuuri Oreki was sweeping outside the main gate with a bamboo broom.

At that time, a female student in a jersey called out to her.

"Good evening, Oreki-sensei."

The voice coming over her shoulder, though it didn't startle her, had her remembering a third-year girl. It was a student from a selection battle that Oreki had supervised some time ago. Oreki dug up the girl's name from her memories, and returned the greeting.

"Oh my, good evening, Ayatsuji-san. *cough*"

"Thank you again for your help back then."

Ayatsuji gave her gratitude with her head bowed, speaking of that matter with the selection battle against Ikki Kurogane.

"I didn't do anything, you know? It was all Kurogane-kun doing his best."

"But Oreki-sensei, if you hadn't looked the other way while I was breaking the rules, I probably wouldn't be able to stand here now."

"That's also because Kurogane-kun spoke to me about it before hand. *cough* Since there was the matter about your father, I thought you'd definitely return home for the summer."

"I also intended to be with Father during his rehabilitation, but he kicked me out. 'Don't skip out on training during your growth period. I'll manage on my own.'—he said."

"Ha ha, he's the Last Samurai after all… right?"

"Well, he's been sleeping for two years. After waking up, he's been very energetic. I won't lose to him, so I've been out running just now."

"Yes, it's good dedication. I think your other teacher is working hard right now too, Ayatsuji-san."

Saying that, Oreki looked toward the clear sky to the north. Ayase also said "that's true" in a small voice, and stared at the same sky.

"Kurogane-kun is really amazing, huh? He even defeated the student council president in those circumstances."

"Indeed, right? Even I was a little bit surprised~"

"I heard gossip, but is it true that you were the one in charge of Kurogane-kun's entrance exam?"

"*Cough*… yes, it's true."

"Then Sensei, you had a really good eye, huh?"

Looking only at Ikki Kurogane's attributes, he was an F-rank. He didn't reach the eligibility cutoff for Hagun Academy. The fact that Ikki was in this school must have been due to Oreki's judgment. Thinking this way, Ayase praised Oreki.

However, Oreki shook her head with a somewhat apologetic expression.

"No, no, that's not it at all. The reality is I also rejected him."

"Is that so?"

Oreki nodded.

—It was rare for a person to lack talent to that degree. When Oreki took in her first impression Ikki, she had no hesitation in deciding she wasn't going to let him pass. So intending to stick to the rules, she had boasted of her own merits as a Blazer.

"But what do you think that boy said to my boast?"

"What… did he say?"

"'I can defeat you.'—just like that."

A child who wasn't even a first-year, to an established C-rank mage-knight instructor.

"I was so surprised I couldn't believe my ears!"

"…A-Amazing self-confidence, right?"

"*Cough* …And even more than that, he was going to win until he was accepted. Even if it wasn't against me."

"I see. So something like that happened…?"

Hearing the details of his school entrance, Ayase nodded in admiration. Perhaps Ikki understood it himself. He couldn't succeed with the usual examination. For that reason, he had stirred Oreki up with a provocation, and created a chance to show off his own strength.

Ayase thought about it. Lacking power, insufficient attributes, in compensation for his negative factors, he had to detect any means of surviving no matter how inferior he was.

In truth, it was very much like Ikki—no doubt even now, and into the future, he would continue like that.

Thinking of him, Ayase asked Oreki.

"Oreki-sensei, do you think Kurogane-kun can become the Seven Stars Sword King?"

In response, Oreki said—

"That boy is fated to become all kinds of things, so I may see him in a rather favorable light. I think he has enough strength to get that far. …But…."

"But?"

"This year, there's not just the class of people who have the strength to become the Seven Stars Sword King. He might not be able go farther than that, right?"

She gave a somewhat pessimistic answer.

"You mean the A-rank knight who's Kurogane-kun's older brother?"

At Ayase's words, Oreki cleared up a bit and nodded.

"There's him too, but more than that… there are many kids this year who I don't know well. Nameless first-years whose abilities are ill-understood are representing almost every one of the schools. What kind of power do those kids have? The Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival will evolve greatly, I think."

"Uh huh… like with Stella-san, this year is very fruitful."

At Ayase's unconcerned words, Oreki sank a bit into silence.

Fruitful. That was certainly true. In most years, only one or two new representatives would enter. It wasn't unusual for no new people to show up for a year either. Thinking of it that way, a year in which ten people from across the schools entered was undoubtedly a great harvest.

But there was something heavy in Oreki's stomach.

It would be fine if it was one year. But would it end with just the nameless ones?

…It's as if something has been working covertly all along, right?

If Board Chairman Shiguuji and Saikyou both came back from Osaka, she should get their opinions? As Oreki was thinking that…

"Oh? Oreki-sensei, it seems like a lot of people are coming this way?"

Ayase informed Oreki of this while pointing at the main gate. When she said it, Oreki also looked that way. Indeed, from outside the main gate, the figures of seven people were approaching Hagun Academy in a line.

It was an unusual scene to from the student dormitories to the academy. To say nothing of it being summer break, it was very seldom for this many people to come in a single group this way.

But of the seven people, two were riding an enormous, savage beast that looked like a lion. It was odd.

Wondering who these people were, Oreki narrowed her eyes.

"Eh, isn't that…."

Her narrowed eyes widened in surprise. Among the seven people, there was a face she knew from the past.

"The A-rank knight from Bukyoku Academy, Ouma Kurogane…!?"

Why was someone from Bukyoku coming to Hagun? That question rose in Oreki's mind, but it quickly fell away from her thoughts, because she noticed something in her field of vision that left no room for trivial concerns in her mind.

It was everyone other than Ouma. Oreki had seen their faces in the data distributed to the staff of this year's Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.

It's not just Ouma-kun. Bunkyoku, Donrou, Rentei, and even the others…!

They were various representatives of the seven schools who had all entered the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival this year.

The nameless first-years that Oreki had just been wondering about were all lined up here. In an instant, Oreki felt an unspeakable chill on the nape of her neck.

Why had representatives of all the schools gathered?

Why had they gathered and marched to Hagun?

Why was she remembering an unpleasant premonition?

And more than anything else—why had they manifested their Devices!?

In that moment, the questions swirled through Oreki's mind, and—

"Ayatsuji-san! Run away right now!"

In that moment—it began.

One of the seven people. Even though it was summer, a girl was heavily dressed as if against cold weather. The representative of Donrou, Yui Tatara, suddenly shortened the distance between herself and Ayase with the speed of a gale.

And she swung a chainsaw-shaped Device she was carrying with both hands at the defenseless Ayase.

"Eh?"

A brutal malice that was simply too unexpected. Ayase stood stock still, unable to respond. The roaring blade descended, and—

"Haa!"

Just before the blade sheared through Ayase's neck, Oreki repelled it with a cutlass-shaped Device. Knocked back smoothly, Tatara's body lurched. Oreki didn't miss that opportunity.

First, I have to take control of this…

Why had she suddenly made the assault was something Oreki could ask once she woke up. Deciding this, Oreki spun her wrist, and with the slightest motion turned her blade. She aimed with illusionary form at Tatara's carotid artery. Once that was cut, her consciousness would fade. Slashing with the smallest motion would let her avoid any gaps in her defense. And as Oreki planned, her cutlass sliced toward Tatara's artery—

"Total Reflect." [1]

—In that instant, Tatara's mouth drew a crooked arc, and a mysterious impact smashed into Oreki's slash.

It was evening, and the sky was dyed in red.

Ikki and the team of Hagun's representative contenders for the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival that he was leading, as well as Shizuku and the entire student council who were assisting them, were on a bus slowing coming down from the mountains. They were finally on their way back to Hagun Academy. In the bus, the close companions were sitting together and having sweet snacks, chatting peacefully.

But in the middle of that, only Stella was dropping her shoulders with a disappointed face.

"…Haa~"

"Cheer up, Stella."

Though Ikki who was sitting next to her was worried about her, she didn't recover her liveliness.

"But it's frustrating…."

Suddenly, two female students called to her. Two girls with the same face, her fellow Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representatives, Kikyou and Botan Hagure.

"What's wrong, Stella-chan?"

"Are you carsick, your Highness?"

Ikki gestured to the two of them as if saying not to worry about it.

"She just seems annoyed with her sparring record against Toudou-san."

He explained the reason for Stella's depression.

"Now that you mention it, they fought quite a few matches, huh? By the way, what the results come out as?"

"…Three wins, three losses."

To the question, Stella herself answered with a low voice.

Yes. Stella's goal for the training camp was to have more wins than losses against Raikiri. But one way or another, it had ended in a tie, and that goal wasn't achieved. Stella had become disappointed in herself.

"But I think it's already amazing enough with the student president as your opponent."

"No, Stella-chan is an A-rank knight. She'd want to win against a lower-ranked opponent, right?"

"…I don't think Touka-san is lower rank than me, though."

Stella spoke those words in response to Kikyou's argument. She didn't think Touka was lower ranked. The opposite, in fact. Stella thought she was inferior to Touka at the present time. For that reason—she was trying to win during this training camp, for the sake of having confidence in the coming Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. But—the outcome wasn't as Stella wanted.

"Oooooh! Frustrating! It's so frustrating I can't calm down! If it's like this, I should just run all the way back instead of taking the bus!"

"That's just nonsense…."

Ikki let out a wry smile. Well, this was how Stella was.

"…At a time like this, I'd better distracting myself with food."

Saying so, Stella took out three Snic●ers[2] bars from her travel bag, and curling up, she started eating them restlessly.

Seeing Stella like this, the Hagure sisters screamed.

"You had three bowls each of udon and ramen during lunch at the service station, and now you're eating again!?"

"You'll get fat, you know—"

In response, as if it was no concern, Stella gave—

"It's fine. I can't gain weight no matter how much I eat."

—that brief explanation.

Indeed, it was mysterious, but although Stella was a preposterous glutton, her body was beautifully toned and had no useless flab. Even for Ikki who considered his own body special, this was a mystery. He could only consider it unfair.

Well, even though Ikki also felt a bit peevish about it—

"Huh!?"

It seemed to be devastating to the two upperclassmen who had learned about it for the first time during the training camp. The two's expressions froze over, and…

"…Botan-chan. The udon bowls were… kitsune, curry, and kakiage[3]. The ramen were shouyu, miso, and tonkotsu[4]. Is it possible to not get fat after eating those at lunch and then adding Snic●kers on top?"

"There's no such black magic. She must have a potbelly under her clothes."

"N-No way do I have something like that. How rude. It seems my constitution just collects all the weight into my chest, so I've never had too much fat ever since I was born."

Stella answered so while eating the super thick candy bars noisily, and when she did—Ikki, who was sitting next to her, definitely heard a sound like something was being ripped in half.

"Don't lie to us!!!"

And the Hagure sisters who had emitted that sound grew enraged faces that looked like demonic masks, swooping down on Stella.

"Whoa!?"

Dragging Stella from her bus seat by the shoulders, the two held her firm.

"Wh-What are you two doing!?"

"Don't give us that! We know you're hiding blubber under there! Confess!"

"I said all the fat goes to my chest, didn't I!?"

"How can something so outrageous be truuuuueee!?"

"We'll definitely have you prove it!"

"Don't lie to us!!!"

The Hagure sisters grew enraged faces that looked like demonic masks, swooping down on Stella.

"I said all the fat goes to my chest, didn't I!?"

Turning the shoulders they were holding Stella by, the two began to grope her body. To this, Stella flushed and screamed.

"Hey! Stop! Where do you think you're touching me!? Ikki don't just sit there, help me!"

"Ah, yes, right! Calm down, you two!"

The moment Ikki tried to intervene—Flash! Two pairs of savage, bloodshot eyes turned toward Ikki—

"This is a girls' crusade, which we won't concede."

"Boys should just sit there and eat Pocky[5]."

"O-Okay. Please forgive me."

"Ikki—!?"

Sorry, they're really scary.

Pinned down by the overwhelming intensity of the two sisters, Ikki averted his eyes from the scene that might lead to an international problem.

And in the empty seat that Stella had been dragged out of, a petite silver-haired girl sat down. It was Ikki's younger sister, Shizuku Kurogane.

Shizuku turned her green eyes toward the three people struggling onstage, and spoke in jest.

"It's a scene that would have Kusakabe-san happy clicking her shutter if she was here, isn't it?"

"Ah, ha ha…. That's certainly true. I'm sure she'll be regretful when she finds out about it later."

Ikki also agreed with her view. Rather, Kagami would also join in.

"Kagami san went to Hokkaido by herself?"

Ikki's question was to Arisuin, who was sitting on the other side of the bus aisle at the window. To his inquiry, Arisuin returned a nod.

"Yes. She went to cover Rokuzon's training camp that started three days ago, and she left early this morning."

It was a lie, of course. In truth, she was tied up and imprisoned in an out-of-sight place within Kyomon's traning camp facility.

But at the moment, Ikki had no way to see through this lie.

"She should've come back with us, though."

He believed the lie without any doubt. And it wasn't just Ikki. Shizuku also believed Arisuin's lie, and it left him breathing a tiny sigh in relief.

"What a hard-working person, Kusakabe-san. I'm a little bit tired myself."

"You've done a lot, Shizuku. Thanks to you being here, we were saved in many ways."

Although iPS capsules were convenient, it was necessary for injecting anesthesia, and the burden on the body was great. With an excellent healer like Shizuku in reserve, the difference in training efficiency was huge. For that reason, Ikki had brought her to the mountains even though she wasn't a representative, and appreciated her work in tending to the minor injuries. Shizuku responded with words and a smile that blossomed like a flower, which she would never show anyone else.

"It's only for you, Onii-sama."

And she held out a box of Pocky.

"Would you like some?"

"I'll take just one."

Ikki didn't like sweet things much, but it was different if his little sister was offering. He extended his hand for the Pocky she was offering, and moved to pull out a stick from the box.

But—the moment before Ikki's finger touched the Pocky, the characteristic red box was moved away.

Eh?

Ikki was perplexed. On the other side, Shizuku pulled out a Pocky with an innocent face, and put it between her pale pink lips, she faced Ikki with it in her mouth between them as if requesting a kiss.

"Nnn~"

"Wh-What are you having me do!?"

Ikki faltered beneath the sudden attack.

But there was no way his sweetheart was going to take this scene silently.

"H-Hey you! Shizuku, what you trying to do to Ikki!?"

"Whoa!"

"Eek!"

As if being held until now had been an illusion, Stella shook the Hagure sisters off easily and came closer.

"It's just sexual harassment. What about it?"

"Don't do it so boldly! So seriously! Don't you think it's immodest!?"

"A person in such a state shouldn't be talking about modesty."

"Eh?"

Having a finger pointed at herself, Stella shifted her attention to her own situation. And she became lost for words. Because the Hagure sisters had groped her, her bra was completely visible, and her skirt had fallen almost completely off.

"E-Eeeeekkk!"

She lost all other thoughts. As her consideration of reality caught up with all of the other matters, Stella crouched down with her face ablaze.

At that figure, Utakata who was watching from the side muttered.

"…She's really acting like someone without experience who just got raped."

"Uta-kuuuun. Once we get back to school, I hope you'll be prepared for punishment—"

"Hiiii! I stirred up a hornet nest! Kanata, save me!"

"You plunged into that thicket by yourself, so I'm not helping you."

But Stella was also a lady of character. She did not shrink away from something of this degree. She promptly put her outfit back in order, and pressed Shizuku once again.

"Hey Shizuku, the thing between Ikki and me, didn't you accept it already?"

"You mean you two becoming a couple?"

"Yes!"

"Of course I accepted that."

"I-In that case, please stop doing this kind of thing!"

Raising her voice, Stella expressed her dissatisfaction. In response, Shizuku—just laughed.

"Goodness. I'd really like you to think about this more carefully."

"Wh-What are you talking about!?"

"I've certainly accepted that you're the one Onii-sama loves, you know? Yes. But that is all I will concede to you, Stella-san. I will adore Onii-sama as a sister, care for him as a mother, follow him as a friend, and love him as a lover."

"Umm, Shizuku, something out of the blue was mixed in toward the end there…"

Ikki protested, but Shizuku ignored it magnificently. Holding up four fingers in front of Stella, she declared.

"In other words, I love Onii-sama four times as much as you do! Do you understand this incontrovertible truth?"

"How can I understand that—!?"

It was natural for Stella to respond so. What an irrational argument.

"Stop nitpicking with such frivolous statements and get away from Ikki! That's my seat!"

"I decline!"

Stella finally pried Shizuku up with sheer force, but Shizuku refused Stella by wrapping herself around Ikki. In that situation, Ikki who couldn't watch anymore spoke up to Stella.

"W-Well look, Stella. Let's not kick up too much fuss in the vehicle. It's dangerous."

"But…."

"Isn't it fine if we leave it like this? At any rate, we'll reach the academy very soon, so…."

Saying so, Ikki turned his eyes toward the scene outside the bus window. The bus had already reached the end of the mountain road, and the familiar trees and asphalt of the metropolitan area were visible. It was the course that Ikki and Stella ran every day. At this point, they would soon be at Hagun Academy.

"Muu… I guess there's no choice. I'll have you make amends once we get back!"

At any rate, if they arrive at Hagun Academy in the next few minutes, there was no need to go back to arguing right now, so Stella withdrew—and at that moment.

The bus screeched to a halt.

"Eeeeek!"

"Whoooa!"

The motion of the bus suddenly disappeared, and everyone inside was thrown forward. What had happened?

"Wh-What's wrong, Saijou-kun!?"

The first one to act was the student council president, Touka Toudou. She stood up immediately, and rushed to the side of Saijou who was driving.

Saijou was—staring out the windshield with an expressionless, but what was for him unusually pale, face.

"Could it be—we ran over something!?"

"No… that's not it, but…."

Saijou slowly raised a shaking figure and pointed it at the sight outside the windshield. Ikki and the others who rushed up belatedly looked in the direction he was pointing, and―

"Huh…? Isn't that toward the Academy?"

At the end of the shivering finger, in the evening sky that was like the color of blood—there was a column of black smoke rising. It was exactly in the direction of Hagun Academy's campus buildings.

At that sight, all of them were speechless, and their eyes opened in astonishment.

Except for one person—except for Arisuin, who had not left his seat.

The bus that Ikki and the others were taking entered Hagun Academy by the main gate, and its tires slid to a stop. At the same time, through the door and through the windows, Ikki and the others flew out.

"This is… terrible…."

Flames were rising from all of the school buildings, and black smoke filled the air. The asphalt paving the road was full of cracks, as if it had been destroyed by bombs. And everywhere in the destroyed campus, the teachers and students who were staying there had fallen. This was no ordinary fire. This was the remnants of a battle.

"Ikki, over there!"

Stella shouted and pointed. When he turned his gaze, he saw—

"Oreki-sensei and… Ayatsuji-san!?"

—two ladies who he knew. Did they both lose consciousness? They were lying on the ground without movement. Ikki and the others quickly raced to their side, and lifted them up.

"Ayatsuji-san! Please wake up!"

But there was no response.

"It's no good, huh? Stella, how about you?"

"No reaction here either. …But it doesn't look like she's injured. Just fainted."

Certainly so. The two bodies did not have any wounds. But on their clothes, there were traces of blade cuts. This must be—

"From illusionary form…?"

"Laaadddieeesss! Aaannnddd! Geeennntlemeeeeen!"

Abruptly, a very playful voice resounded. The voice came from above. Ikki and the others raised their gazes up in unison, and saw it there. Standing on the roof of a burning school building, it was a tall and lean man dressed in the garb of a clown.

"Everyone of the fighting team at Hagun Academy, you've had a long trip! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

"A clown?"

At the outrageously strange enemy's clothing, all of them made expressions of bafflement. But among them, Ikki and Touka—

"No, he's—"

They remembered the boy's appearance. They saw it in the catalog of this year's Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival participants.

"You. You're Bunkyoku Academy's Reisen Hiraga, aren't you?"

Touka asked this with a grim expression. In reply, the clown happily opened his richly colored red-bordered lips.

"Oh, you recognize me? It's a privilege to be remembered by Raikiri herself, isn't it? Ha ha ha. How do you like this stage? Did it surprise you?"

"This is your doing?"

At her question, the clown shook his head grandiosely.

"No, no. No no no! It wasn't me who did this."

In an instant—the clown Reisen Hiraga leapt off the school building rooftop that was more than ten meters away. But wasn't Hiraga alone who leaped. Following after him one by one, a train of figures also jumped down—

The entire crew landed in front of Ikki and the others.

A man dressed in traditional Japanese clothes who carried a nodachi[6].

A striking woman who was dressed in what looked like a topless apron.

An eyepatch-wearing girl and a woman in a maid uniform, straddling a lion with crow-black fur.

Plus another three, in total there were seven people including Hiraga, each with strange appearances. Their oddness was matched by auras filled with evil omen, and they stood in a row in front of Ikki's side.

And Hiraga pointed to himself, then answered Touka's question.

(clockwise from top)

Reisen Hiraga

Sara Bloodlily

Amane Shinomiya

Rinna Kazamatsuri

Yui Tatara

Ouma Kurogane

(not pictured: Rinna's maid)

"It wasn't me. It was us, Akatsuki Academy."

This was the official proclamation of Akatsuki Academy, the power that was the eighth school squirming in the shadows. It was their commencement. Against the seven schools that took their name from the Big Dipper—they were proclaiming themselves the dawn[7].

Ikki and the others stood staring at the enemy, dumbfounded. Their surprise was understandable. These were all representatives for schools other than Hagun in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. Furthermore, the relative of Ikki and Shizuku, their older brother Ouma Kurogane was stand there among them.

No, not just their brother.

"Ah, it's you! The one from Kyomon who was at the training camp…!"

"Ahaha, we meet again, Stella-san. And Ikki-kun too. I'm happy to see your faces again so soon."

Among the seven who called themselves Akatsuki Academy, there was also Amane who Ikki and Stella had met a few days ago.

"Ikki, the bad hunch you had… it was about this, huh?"

Previously, Ikki had pointed out his revulsion at Amane hugging him, and Stella coughed as if understanding now.

But—to her side, Ikki thought.

Is it… really just that?

The evil omen he had felt at that time was a hint of this event. It would be good if it ended there. But Ikki had not deeply investigated the suspicion born inside him. If he didn't think about this now, if he didn't look harder―

"Kyomon and Rokuzon, Bungyoku and Bugyoku—besides Hagun, why are all the schools' representative contenders standing here? I'd like you to tell me, big brother."

Among the enemies, he asked the one with whom he had the closest ties.

"What is going on here? I've never heard of Akatsuki, but—"

However—

"Silence."

What came back was not an answer, but cruel words as if shaking off a fly.

"I have already cut ties with the Kurogane. Don't speak so casually to me."

Ouma did not spare a glance to his blood-related brother or sister. His eyes were fixed on only one thing—staring only at Stella, who was standing next to Ikki in this place.

Receiving that gaze, Stella certainly felt it.

This man—isn't half-hearted, huh?

Just by receiving the glance, she was picking up a sensation of her skin tingling and numbing.

The seven people lined up in front of her eyes. Each and every one of them was a devil full of ambition. But above them all, the Sword Emperor of Wind, Ouma Kurogane, was outstanding among them. In terms of intimidation, the feeling radiating from his body was an order of magnitude higher.

There's no mistake. …This one is far and away stronger than the rest of them.

Stella was confident about that, and moreover—she stared back at him with strong emotions. And not just Stella, but all the others were the same. Little by little, but noticeably, the tension between the two sides swelled. In the middle of that, as substitute for Ouma who didn't seem like he was ever going to answer, Hiraga responded.

"Why did we do this? What is Akatsuki Academy? The little brother's question is natural–so let's explain. It's all very simple. No matter how many students get the right to appear in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, a newly organized academy fighting without the League's authorization would definitely not be accepted by the steering committee. But we intend on being recognized. So even in a meaningless festival to decide Japan's strongest, we will show ourselves clearly in front of everyone."

"I see. In other words, by making a demonstration of destroying Hagun, you intend to take its place as the seventh school in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival?"

"As expected of Raikiri, you understand quickly. That's exactly right."

"…Such lawlessness, do you think it will be permitted?"

"The steering committee isn't stupid. They'll probably suspend the festival."

If one looked at what has happened before, the justice system in this country would not stand silently. Touka and Saijou pointed this out, and Hiraga broke into fearless laughter.

"—Ha ha. That's not true at all. All of us will definitely appear at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. More than that, the steering committee and its parent organization, the League, have no choice but to recognize us. Isn't that right? After having destroyed a historic academy like Hagun, if our challenge is denied, it would be the same as running away like a whipped dog. The League won't tolerate any educational institution for Blazers in countries under its auspices other than those affiliated with itself. Because that is the level of faith the League depends on. In order to recover the faith that they lose, they must prove that the Blazers they've raised is far superior to ours. It's to protect their monopoly over the training system of all Blazers in Japan that they've created in the last half-century during the post-war period."

Indeed. The Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival wasn't just a normal school festival. However much the League boasted of its excellent education, superior Blazers were always appearing. It was a stage for Japanese citizens to see these newcomers. At this stage where results were shown, the League was trying to win the approval of the citizens—it was an exceedingly special situation, where the training of Blazers who were the nation's defense, as well as that of other organizations besides Japan, were displayed.

In that case, what would happen if the knights that the League had educated were overwhelmingly defeated, and those of a different organization stood victorious? Naturally, the faith in the League's brand would be shaken down to its foundations.

And that was the aim of the mighty organization which created Akatsuki Academy and employed Rebellion, the great enemy of the League.

"So I greatly apologize, but please fall here. And be our stepping stone."

—In that moment, an extremely strong bloodlust arose from the members of Akatsuki. The thick killing intent was accompanied by the manifestations of Devices, and Akatsuki prepared for battle in unison.

Facing that, Ikki and the other students of Hagun Academy—

"Doing as you please like fools until now, did you think we'd go 'okay, that's fine'?"

Before they knew it, malice had appeared. It was much too sudden. It would be a lie to say that they weren't disturbed.

But—all of them manifested their Devices, and demonstrated their feelings against the enemies arrayed before them.

"If you want a fight, then come get one!"

"Oh, we'll do so without reservation. Ha ha."

In this place, the tension had reached the snapping point, and both sides lunged forward simultaneously.

"Nangou-sensei. Thank you very much for going to the trouble of traveling like this."

At the training grounds of Kyomon Academy, in the unenergetic facility after the students of both academies had gone back, the sword instructor who had been summoned in a hurry, Torajirou Nangou was being sent off by car, and the institution's administrator was giving his thanks to the elderly man.

"I didn't think none of the swordsmanship coaches would turn out to be worthy."

"Hohoho. It's fine, it's fine. I was hoping to have a bout with that boy at least once. It was a good opportunity. …And all things considered, that boy was considerable, wasn't he?"

"Is that so?"

At Nangou's reply, the administrator tilted his head in puzzlement.

"I was also watching the bout between you two closely, but there was only an exchange of glares at range, and you didn't cross blades even once, so I thought Ikki-kun had just been held at bay…."

"Ho ho. Well, it can't be helped that a layman would see it that way."

Certainly, at the training camp, Nangou had three total bouts with Ikki, but neither of them had moved from the beginning of their matches, and they only passed the time until the end of the training. So it was unavoidable for the administrator who had watched them to come to that conclusion.

But Nangou was saying that the truth was different.

Three matches. Sixty minutes. From the start, the Worst One had matched every single approach from the smallest behavior, whether that was gaze or sword spirit.

For a swordsman of Nangou's class, the reach of his sword was the same as a field of certain death. If even a single step was taken carelessly, in that instant, Nangou's sword would've taken the enemy's consciousness. Therefore Ikki discarded any thoughtless approaches, making no move to enter his opponent's range, and stood at the starting line, trying all kinds of ways of testing that reach, challenging Nangou's sword barrier.

But his opponent was Torajirou Nangou, the God of War. He who fought at the highest league, and the only Japanese person who conquered China's famous War God League. Ikki could not step into his range, and eventually backed down without ever having moved from the starting line. But—

But even so, Nangou had a high opinion of Ikki. The reason was—

I didn't believe it, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him either.

Indeed. Ikki certainly could not move from the start of the match. But Nangou was in the same position. The Worst One, in the total of sixty minutes they fought, had not given the God of War a single vulnerability to take. No matter how many times Nangou tried to intimidate or feint with sword spirit, Ikki's heart was not even a bit perturbed, and instead Nangou who was trying to attack could not provoke him into leaving an opening.

From next to them, it seemed like a match without movement. But for Nangou, passing this dark and dense sixty minutes was like waiting through many entire lifetimes.

If we both used abilities, there would be a different conclusion, but….

Nangou's wrinkled face moved in apparent happiness.

"If only in swordsmanship, he's better than Ryouma, huh? What an ominous youngster."

"What a great young man. For Nangou-sensei to judge him that highly."

"Ho ho. Though I don't think I'll lose to him, of course–hmm?"

Nangou suddenly stopped walking.

"Sensei? Is something wrong?"

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The administrator walking beside him also stopped, and asked that. Nangou was looking forward at the small shack standing next to the path.

"Over there, what is that?"

"A storehouse. I believe it's where the quicklime for repairing the sports grounds is kept."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, most likely."

At the administrator's answer, Nangou scratched his beard and tilted his head in confusion.

"…If that's the case, it's strange."

"How so?"

"Because there's a person in there."

Nangou's words carried the plain truth. To that, the administrator cried out in astonishment.

"Eh… Eh!? H-How can that be…?"

However, Nangou didn't wait for his reaction. Carrying his walking stick, he strode toward the storehouse, and—with a small effort and a speed faster than the eye, he drew his sword-cane Device, and severed the padlock holding the storehouse's door closed.

That door opened, and—

"Like I thought."

"Mmm! Nnn!"

He discovered a young girl inside, bound hand of foot. The administrator who had entered belatedly also opened his eyes wide in surprise.

And the administrator knew this girl.

"Y-You're from Hagun Academy's newspaper club…!"

Yes, the bound young girl was Kagami Kusakabe.

"NNN—!"

"Don't worry, I'll get you free."

Saying so, Nangou skillfully cut away the bonds tying Kagami down. Kagami, with her limbs now free, pulled away the gag covering her mouth on her own, and took a deep breath.

"Bwah…haa! Haa! Y-You really saved me…!"

"Wh-What happened here?"

A girl was bound and shut in here. At this unusual situation, the administrator showed an uneasy face, and asked for an explanation. In response, Kagami shook her head.

"Haa… I'll tell you later. Please let me make a phone call right now!"

The truth she had grasped. And the reality that had attacked her. She had to deliver these to her friends—to Ikki and the others. With that sense of purpose spurring her own, Kagami took her student datapad from a pocket. But—

There's no connection…!

No matter how many calls she made, neither Ikki nor Stella nor Shizuku, no one was responding. It was a bad premonition.

What came to mind was her friends, fallen at Arisuin's feet. Kagami who had socialized with Arisuin, knew the dreadfulness of his ability. If Arisuin was someone on the enemy side as she feared, the scene in her head was by no means unrealistic.

"Kuh!"

Quicker, if she wasn't a second quicker, if she didn't tell them about Arisuin. Kagami's insides were throbbing with impatience, and—she took an emergency measure. She, with a particular protocol, operated the display of her student datapad. Changing it to an emergency mode for forced transmission of calls to her fellow academy students at maximum speaker volume, Kagami connected to Ikki's terminal, and shrieked—

"SENPAI! ALICE-CHAN IS ANOTHER SCHOOL'S SPY! PLEASE WATCH OUT!!!"

At an enormous volume, Kagami's scream echoed throughout Hagun Academy, reaching every possible ear there.

But—alas, it was just a moment too late.

Kagami's scream certainly arrived at the instant both Hagun and Akatsuki broke into a run. At that time, Arisuin had started to move. Standing at the end of Hagun's line, staring at the backs of his friends who were facing Akatsuki—

Manifesting multiples of his Device, Darkness Hermit, he arranged them in a fan on his palm.

Arisuin was aiming for that moment. He was here for the sake of that moment.

Arisuin's ability was a conceptual-interference type, manipulating shadow. His Noble Art, Shadow Bind, was an extremely strong ability that allowed him to completely seal his target's movements by stabbing his target's shadow with Darkness Hermit.

Once the shadow was stabbed, no matter how strong one's muscles, one could not break this binding. Even someone as strong as Stella would not be able to do it.

Arisuin's ability, under the circumstances of a surprise attack, was strong than any kind of ability. Since that was the case—he just needed to arrange the circumstances for that surprise attack. If he entered the academy, got close to important people with an air of innocence, insinuated himself into their trust, and with only one blow created an opening that he could exploit, then they had no chance of victory.

This was what Akatsuki Academy had arranged, the plan for dealing with the Hagun Academy opponents on festival eve that they had carried out without a single mistake.

And at this time, Arisuin had carried it out completely. At the defenseless backs of the Hagun camp, Arisuin watched them rush toward their enemy.

None of them suspected Arisuin. That was a fatal mistake. Even though Kagami had screamed out, it was already too late to evade or defend—

"Shadow Bind—"

Without mercy, without compassion, Arisuin threw down countless daggers of Darkness Hermit, and slicing through the air, they sank into the shadows that he had aimed for.

—And every shadow of the Akatsuki members was held still.

This was something that happened ten minutes ago, just as Ikki and the others were confirming the black smoke rising in the distance.

「Akatsuki Academy—that's the name of the people who've attacked Hagun Academy.」

Inside the bus full of slightly panicked people, Arisuin's cold voice resounded. At the same time, Darkness Hermit was thrust into the shadows of everyone inside the bus.

「Eh!? A-Alice!?」

「What is the meaning of this?」

Everyone showed agitation at having their ability to move stolen away.

Looking at all of them in turn, Arisuin spoke.

「I'll tell you step by step, so won't you settle down and listen?」

And he explained. His true colors as an assassin of Rebellion. The plan to be employed by Rebelliion, and create havoc at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. In order to accomplish that, him and other elites of the underworld were sent in. Furthermore, in ten minutes, the menacing strategy to attack Ikki and the others.

「My role, in other words, is to reduce you all to helplessness from behind after we arrive at Hagun. Once that comes to pass, the chances of this plan failing is no more than one in a million―that was why I came to Hagun Academy, and became close to you people.」

「Then you've been deceiving us all this time!?」

「If you're joking, I'd like to to take it back immediately.」

Stella and Ikki made faces that showed their confusion and distress. But Arisuin shook his head at the two of them.

「Alas, it's no joke. Everything I've said just now is true.」

He declared so. At his unwavering tone, the expressions of Stella and Ikki became all the more grave. But one person―

「I don't understand.」

Shizuku, perhaps the one in this place who had associated with Arisuin the most, with an unbrokenly calm expression like clear sunlight upon the surface of water, interrupted with a question from the side.

「Why are you telling us now? If we hear this, it would spoil the entire strategy, wouldn't it?」

Shizuku's question, it was very natural. Because Arisuin, from his own mouth, had admitted his own role to render Ikki and the others helpless from behind after they reached Hagun. If he was going to do so, the timing of the betrayal was currently premature.

Shizuku put forth her doubt on this issue. In response, Arisuin faced Shizuku and whispered an answer.

His answer was—that he had decided in his heart.

「Yes, that's true. In other words, I want to spoil this strategy.」

An unwavering tone. Words that conveyed nothing more than a certain resolution. The words echoed with what was undoubtedly Arisuin's true feelings.

He was already determined. He would make sure the strategy failed.

「Why? You came to the academy and became close with Shizuku for this, didn't you?」

「…Yes, that was certainly how it was supposed to be.」

Ikki asked why Arisuin was making this double-cross, and Arisuin gave a troubled smile.

「But I grew fond of Shizuku despite myself, you know?」

While gazing at the silver-haired girl before him, Arisuin reflected.

A strained family. Broken blood relationships. Many absurdities. In the middle of all of that, wounded and lost, accepting anything and everything... even if she couldn't be the closest at her brother's side, this girl would continue to love the one person who was her brother.

In the eyes of Arisuin who couldn't endure the world's absurdities and abandoned love, Shizuku's way was exceedingly noble and dazzling.

And because of that, Arisuin had found himself thinking carefully for some time.

The strong take, the weak are taken from. The words from Wallenstein back then, even if they were the truth of this hellish world―he didn't want to take something from this high-minded girl.

Because if he did, he'd be no different from the gang who took everything away from him back then.

「If you ask me why, that's the entire reason for my actions. I don't want to ruin Shizuku's wish, or the dream of the person who's precious to her. I don't want to ruin anyone. …So for that reason, I want to cooperate with everyone. In order to protect the stage where all of your dreams take place, the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.」

「Cooperate?」

「Yes. Everyone in Akatsuki Academy is powerful in the underworld. If we fight them honestly, they're too strong. Because of that, the best chance to defeat them would be with a surprise attack.」

Treachery from an ally. No matter what kind of fighter, one could not respond to that. It was why a spy had been sent into Hagun, so that Akatsuki would have no chance of being defeated.

―It was the exact scheme that Akatsuki would now fall target to.

So Arisuin had, until this last moment and without showing the slightest sign of dubiousness, acted as a member of Akatsuki would. In order to create the circumstances for the best chance of a one-hundred-percent surprise attack.

「If Hagun completely turns the tables on Akatsuki here, their calculations would be perfectly disrupted. Akatsuki Academy won't be able to appear at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, nor can they flee. ...So please. Cooperate with me, and crush Akatsuki's machinations.」

Concluding his words, Arisuin bowed his head deeply in petition.

It was all for Shizuku and the people she completely loved. Doing one good deed after all this time, he didn't hope to preserve their relationship. He was a murderer, and the fact that he had always been deceiving Shizuku and the others wouldn't change.

Shizuku would probably never call him "big sister" ever again. Just like the little sisters he had before. But that was fine. He didn't mind if Shizuku's everyday life no longer included him if her hopes, and the people important to her, were protected. That was all Arisuin wished for, his true motive that carried no falsehood.

However….

「E-Even if you say that, I can't believe you…! After all, isn't Rebellion a terrorist group full of murderers!?」

「That's right! You admit yourself that you're an assassin, so how can we trust a guy who's still taking our ability to move right now!?」

Alas, people had no way of telling what was in someone else's heart. Especially for the Hagure sisters who knew him the least, it was only natural for them to express that view. The two of them were making expressions of dismay and repugnance at the assassin they were facing, who deviated from the framework of their own common sense. Such a murderer had been living nearby up to now.

Dread. Fright. Revulsion. Such emotions of strong rejection. But such reactions couldn't be helped. If anyone found out that her neighbor was a killer who had personally killed dozens of people, she would probably be terrified. The everyday conversations they had casually shared would all turn nauseatingly repulsive.

Arisuin's assassination targets were underworld criminals like himself, but a murderer was a murderer. The two's reactions were extremely justified. So Arisuin said―

「I think what Hagure-senpai said is quite right. I'm sure you can't trust what a murderer like me tells you, since I've been betraying all of you for all this time. So after this matter ends, I promise I won't appear before you again, and if I somehow come to harm during this plan, I don't mind if you abandon me―but please, I ask that you believe me for one hour.」

Recognizing of course that his own request couldn't be trusted, he still bowed and begged.

Arisuin understood. He could do nothing other than beg. He had no way of making them completely understand his inner heart. So in that case, he could only speak the plain truth, bow his head, and convey his good faith as best he can.

To Arisuin as he bowed this way, Touka asked―

「I have a concern. The organization that hired Rebellion to destroy the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, the one who sponsored you… who are they?」

「―I can't answer you right now.」

「Why is that?」

「…It is not an enemy we can manage. To tell you will only distract you uselessly. So I won't say at the moment.」

「H-Hey! Are you keeping it a secret!?」

「We really can't trust this shady guy after all!」

To the jeering Hagure sisters, Touka gave a command of "wait".

「―If we say we don't believe you, what do you intend to do?」

「If it comes to that, I will have the bus make a U-turn, and make us escape as far as possible.」

To Touka's question, Arisuin replied without hesitation, because this was the last measure he had been thinking for quite a long time about.

「Though since holding on to all of you is impossible to begin with, it's really just my own useless resistance. For me, I can only reliably exploit the advantage of unpreparedness at the start.」

「I see. I understand your view well.」

It was probably the dignity of the student council president. In this chaotic place with the erratic conversation, Touka had quickly settled the comments, and arranged the conclusion.

「…What will it be, Kurogane-kun?」

She passed the entire decision down and sought the opinion of one who would make the judgment.

「To flee or to fight, to believe him or to not believe him, right now it's a race against time. This is not a situation where we can exchange opinions leisurely. You are the team leader for the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. I believe you are the most qualified to pass judgment on this matter.」

In response, Ikki sank into silence, and considered what they should do.

At the present moment, he could not have complete faith in Arisuin. However, like Shizuku had pointed out, if he considered Arisuin's standpoint, it was true that Arisuin's actions did not benefit the enemy. Ikki thought it over… and for an instant, he peeked at Shizuku's expression―he answered.

「I think we'll try trusting Alice.」

As a result, Airisuin's stratagem had been activated splendidly. Everyone one on Akatsuki Academy's side had his or her shadow trapped in the moment that both sides collided, and were completely defenseless―

"Yaaaaahhh!"

Before the flourished blades of Hagun Academy, all of them fell. In their defenseless condition, they had taken fatal hits. Unable to guard, they could not dodge either. It was victory with no room for doubt.

Thank goodness… now then.

The hopes of Shizuku, of his precious little sister, had been protected. Their Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival had not been tarnished. Arisuin rejoiced about that. And everyone else was the same―

「Wh-Whew…. I didn't know what to do if you really attacked us from behind.」

Everyone leaked a similar breath of relief, and let the tension out from their shoulders. It was probably because each and every one of them had felt the response against his or her own blade.

Except for one person.

Except for Ikki, who was looking with a stiff expression down on his older brother, Ouma Kurogane, who he had cut down himself.

Impossible.

Ikki, at the reality stretched out before his eyes, remembered a chill that made him nauseous.

What is this?

No matter how he looked, this was really his older brother Ouma. In behavior, in aura, in spirit, voice, and face, surely this was the real thing. The response of Intetsu also told him that he had defeated the opponent without a doubt.

But because of that, no matter how real it was―it was absolutely impossible.

That his older brother, the Sword Emperor of Wind Ouma Kurogane, was stretched out at his feet so unsightly!

―At that moment, what caused him to realize it was the recollection coming back to his mind. Many days ago, the memory of that shopping district in the mountains―that fragment―

「Wah! Wait, wait! You can't do that!」

On that day, that young boy had, faster than Ikki's trained body, grabbed onto the man who had started attacking people in the street. And the boy had said it was a Blazer ability. Under that state of affairs, taking the boy's physical fitness into account, he must have started to act before the attacker moved. If not―Ikki should've been faster.

That ability could've been one of two types.

One was penetrating sight. If he saw that the man was carrying a blade, it was possible to start moving before the man began his action.

But one factor precluded this possibility. Kagami had said the boy's reason for being selected as a Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representative was because he was a Blazer of the causation-intereference system with a rare skill. Penetrating sight was neither a rare skill nor part of the causation-interference system.

In that case, there was only one possibility remaining.

Future prediction―

Realizing that possibility, Ikki felt the revelation. In that instant, a shudder spread through his throat and gut.

"Watch out, Alice! This is a trap!"

He turned in Arisuin's direction, the shudder erupting with his voice.

But―it was slightly too late.

"Eh―?"

Faster than Arisuin could act on Ikki's words, countless swords flew into Arisuin's body from behind.

"Ha…?"

"Ali…ce?"

With a thud, Alice fell to the ground with ten silver swords piercing him. Everyone's breath was taken away by the abrupt situation.

"Not quite, huh? You might've made it if you were just a little bit quicker."

That boundlessly cheerful voice was heard.

"But figuring out my ability just from seeing it once! That's Ikki-kun for you!"

The voice came from behind Arisuin. Standing there smilingly innocently with countless silver blades in both hands, it was Amane Shinomiya.

Alice's powerless body fell to the ground. His body had been pierced by weapons in illusionary form, and he had blacked out.

At this situation, Shizuku was the first to act.

"Alice!"

Shouting, she tried to rush over to where he was. But that act―

"Shizuku, don't be careless! Watch out in front of you!"

Ikki's warning was just in time, unlike previously. In front of Shizuku's eyes, in what should be empty air, there were twists in space.

This is―!

Shizuku who recognized it immediately covered her head with both arms. In that instant, something hit Shizuku's petite body, and sent her bouncing back like a ball. As if something invisible had sent her flying.

And that was entirely the case.

"Eh…!"

Was the surprised from someone on Hagun's side? Or was it from everyone? But that was understandable. It was that astonishing a sight. The students of Akatsuki Academy who should've been defeated were walking out from the entirely transparent smoke, completely unharmed.

"H-Huh!? What is the meaning of this!?"

"Copies of the same people…!? Impossible! Then who are the ones we defeated―!?"

Renren and Saijou once again confirmed the forms of the Akatsuki students at their feet.

And they opened their eyes wide. The things lying there were painted wooden puppets.

"Wh-What is this!?"

"Trick Art[8]. My art that is even more real than the real thing."

At Renren's cry, one of the people from Akatsuki Academy coughed lazily. It was a topless young lady whose large breasts were hidden under only a painting apron. Like Arisuin, she was hired by Rebellion, the Bloody Da Vinci, Sara Bloodlily.

"In other words, what you've all thought were us were in fact wooden dolls animated by my Black Widow[9], with appearances given by her own Noble Art. And the real us were hiding over here with Ouma-kun's wind bending the light around us, waiting for all of you to finish spinning your wheels."

"You saw through Alice's plan since the beginning!?"

"Yes, well. We have an excellent prophet over here, you know? …Though we didn't believe there would be a traitor among us."

While the clown laughed loudly as if he had laid open a joke―

"But in the end, Amane-san's prediction came true, huh? I'm sure Wallenstein-sensei who mercifully gave him a chance all the way to the end will be sad.

He lifted Arisuin's fallen body.

"Well, I'll leave you to finish the rest of this, everyone. Our sponsor's order was to destroy them so profoundly that there's no room for arguing our superiority. To crush them thoroughly, leaving no one left. As for me, I have to bring this traitor to Sensei, so…."

And he leaped backward with a panther's agility, most likely to withdraw from the battlefield. Taking Arisuin, of course.

But naturally, Ikki did not allow that to happen easily.

"Hold it!"

He dashed forward hot on the clown's heels. His speed was great enough. He could catch up immediately―or he should be able to.

Ikki's course was blocked by the Sword Emperor of Wind, Ouma Kurogane.

"Brother…!"

"Fall."

Ouma, without hesitation, swung his more than meter-long nodachi-shaped Device Ryuuzume[10]. Cutting the air, he drove a silver arc toward Ikki's torso in a flash.

Ikki was convinced about that merciless strike. If he didn't stop his feet, focus his gaze, and turn to defend his body with all his might, then he would be bisected along with Intetsu.

"Kuh!"

But as Ikki was about to abandon the chase―

"Haaaaa!"

Following the same line as Ouma's Device, a flame-covered golden sword thwarted its path.

"Stella!"

He shouted the name of his red-haired sweetheart who had interposed herself to protect him. And while Stella locked swords with Ouma, she told Ikki.

"Ikki! Shizuku went after Alice!"

Being told that, Ikki looked toward where Ouma had sent Shizuku flying. There was already no one there. Searching his field of vision, he found Shizuku's back racing after the escaping Hiraga at full speed.

"These guys let Shizuku pass! They probably set traps before coming out! It's bad to let her go alone! Hurry up and chase after her!"

At Stella's blurted words, Ikki hesitated a little. Should he leave this situation to Stella and the others?

But luckily, the student council executives were here, starting Touka, and the representatives besides himself, the Hagure sisters, were also here. In that case―he had to join the one who was alone.

"I understand! I'll leave this to you!"

"Yeah. If these guys don't have Alice's power backing them up, we'll take down all of them!"

Stella's high-spirited words settled inside him, and Ikki withdrew from the field to race after Shizuku. Seeing Ikki's back as he left―Stella once again gazed at the boy who was both the one she loved the most and the one worthy of being her rival.

And she knew. Her enemy was in front of her eyes, standing straight like the wooden puppet and gazing at her.

"I've been feeling your gaze all this time. You want to fight me, right!?"

If that puppet had be more real than the real thing, then that gaze was copying the real Ouma's emotions. If that was true―

"I accept your challenge, Sword Emperor of Wind!"

The Crimson Princess had no reason to decline. Because her opponent was an A-rank knight like herself, this was her role to uphold. Deciding that, Stella pushed Ouma's body away with all her strength.

And against Ouma who had ben blown off thirty meters, she began to prepare her sure-kill Noble Art. It was a technique that brandished a sword that burned with heat and light, investing all her spirit into her longsword,Lævateinn.

―Katharterio Salamanda.

I don't know what kind of ability my opponent has. But I know he's no ordinary person!

In that case, she'd use all of her power at the start. It would be best to decide it here. If she didn't, she'd try to probe her opponent's ability by seeing how re responded. That was Stella's decision. In response, Ouma―

"―Hmph."

At Stella's spirit which was churning up the surrounding atmospheric temperature―

"Is such a trivial thing the best you can do?"

Giving a savage smile that showed a peek of his fangs―he replied with his own strongest Noble Art.

Strangely, he took the same stance as Stella. Taking his huge sword with both hands, he raised the blade, and poured all his magic into that Device. The ability of Ouma Kurogane, the Sword Emperor of Wind, was of the elemental-influence system―the power to manipulate wind.

The windstorm born of that power was turned into a cyclone within Ryuuzume, and devoured the surrounding atmosphere. The atmosphere, the debris, the flame―anything and everything in the surroundings. Before long, what he had made was a sword of raging storm-winds, layers and layers of mass stacked together―

"Kusanagi." [11]

A sword of light and heat against a sword of storm-winds. Both blades were more than fifty meters long, each an attack beyond the norm. With only thirty meters between the users, their reach was surely more than enough. If they both swung down on their opponent at the same time like this, they would clash.

In an instant, the fire and wind from the two blades of magic intertwining rained sparks, came undone, destroyed the surroundings together as a tempest of flame.

"Eeeeeeekkk!"

At the white-hot tempest that was blowing and burning away everything, the Hagure sisters screamed. No, everyone else in that place including them protected themselves with magic, curled up their bodies, and just narrowly managed to stand firm. If they lost focus even a little, their bodies would've been blown far away, and probably would've taken an impact as if they had fallen off a skyscraper. That was why everyone protected themselves desperately. It was a battle beyond what ordinary knights could bear to watch. But―

Before long, the clash between the sword of fire and the sword of wind began to break down. The one beginning to crumble was―the Crimson Princess.

N-No way!

With creaking sounds, Stella's two hands with which she boasted of physical strength beyond the norm and begun to feel a pressure she had never felt before. Her heels were slowly sinking into the ground, and the asphalt under them were cracking to pieces. At being shown this reality, Stella was astonished.

I'm losing in strength? Me…?

It was her first time experiencing it. The reason was because her plan of using Katharterio Salamandra to see her opponent's response had collapsed in an instant.

It was natural. Up to now, not a single person had ever taken or turned back Katharterio Salamandra, the Noble Art that the Crimson Princess was proud of. She had not learned anything about her opponent with it.

Stella had no experience dealing with this situation. If she had no experience, she could not come up with a response.

What should I do…?

Gradually, gradually. The beautiful cross being made by the swords of fire and wind began to lose its shape. The sword of windstorm was pushing into the wind of fire, shaving through the blade of light with a cyclone spinning like a rock drill.

Finally, Katharterio Salamandra's blade form was cut through. And Kusanagi fell toward Stella's head.

Oh―no―

Stella, in the instant just before the pressure fell on her from above, could not move to avoid it. And at the same level where the two collided, the others were protecting their bodies with all their strength, and couldn't rush in to help. Stella couldn't avoid this strike. Her defeat was certain.

―If not for the only one would could do anything at that moment, Raikiri Touka Toudou.

"Stella-san!"

At the instant Kusanagi was to bisect Stella's body, Touka quickly used Shippu Jinrai to speed up. Sliding to Stella's side, she pulled Stella away from the descending blade just in the nick of time.

The moment that Kusanagi struck the ground, the blade of storm-wind cut and blew away everything there. While hugging Touka tightly, Stella beheld the destruction with her own eyes. The track that Kusanagi had carved in the ground, nothing remained there. The school buildings, the practice arenas, even the asphalt paving the roads… all had become rubble. Everything had been ripped apart, leaving only a concave track in the brown earth. That was surely like an enormous dragon had gouged the land. If a human had taken it directly, he would probably be leaving no trace.

S-So close…. If Touka-san hadn't saved me just now….

"Thanks, you save me, Touka―!?"

As Stella spoke, her voice stopped.

The reason was―Touka's right hand that was holding Stella. Touka's right hand was propping up Stella's head. Right now, she was driving lightning into Stella's skull.

"Wh… why?"

"Sorry, Stella-san. Right now, you can't fight with Ouma-san. Right now you can't even separate from me, so you can't win against him."

"…ah…."

With a face that seemed to say she wanted to respond, Stella immediately lost consciousness. Naturally so. A breaker inside her head had been directly flipped.

"Kikyou-san! Botan-san!"

"Eh!?"

"Eek!"

Touka, who had stunned Stella, faced the Hagure sisters, and threw Stella's body at them with all her strength.

The Hagure sisters were astonished by the abrupt event, but nonetheless they were brave women who had fought to the bitter end of the selection battles. Though they were astonished, the caught Stella's body successfully.

To those two, Touka yelled without pause.

"Please take her and get away! Get as far away from here as you can! Right now, you representatives of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival absolutely can't lose here!"

At this instant, under this circumstance, Touka was calmer than anyone else.

Beating Akatsuki Academy and finishing this now, Stella's chosen method is certainly a best-case approach, but this situation is already not the kind that will lead to the best-case scenario.

After their surprise attack had failed, the situation changed. Taking into account the difference in the battle ability, repelling Akatsuki Academy was already very difficult. If they threw down a challenge here, and Stella and the Hagure sisters were beaten by Akatsuki Academy beyond recovery, Akatsuki really might replace Hagun Academy as the seventh school in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, making this the worst conclusion.

In that case, what we should do here is protect Hagun Academy's representatives!

Touka, a veteran who had undergone countless instances of real combat, hit upon the single best strategy. And with the strong will Touka had put into her voice―

"Y-Yes!"

Though the Hagure sisters hadn't understood her thinking, Touka's voice roused them both to action. Kikyou, who was strong, put Stella on her back, and the two turned on their heels and fled from Hagun Academy.

In response―

"Do you think you can run?"

At the same time Ouma's voice reverberated down upon them, the students of Akatsuki who were standing behind him in reserve burst forth. The young girl in the dress, straddling an enormous black lion―the "Beast Tamer" Rinna Kazamatsuri. And the "Unturning" Yui Tatara. They gave chase to the three people. But―

"Mach Grid!"

"Crescendo Axe!"

Dashing forward quickly, Runner's High and Destroyer attacked the ones chasing the three who were fleeing from the side, and obstructed their advance.

"―Do you think you can follow?"

Touka asked that to Ouma who was standing in front of her eyes, and raised Narukami. Acting in concert, the ones with Touka also brandished their Devices.

"You intend to sacrifice yourself to let the representatives escape? Such a composed decision. But it will only postpone the inevitable a short while."

In agreement with Ouma's words, Akatsuki's wicked hostility rose in unison, and they took one step forward. It would be their second clash. But the clash this time would not be the falsehood that the first one was. It would be probably a genuine fight to the death.

In the atmosphere that was quickly becoming strained, Touka called the name of the girl next to her.

"…Kana-chan."

Kanata Toutokubara. The only Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representative among the student council executives. Touka urged her to escape with her gaze, but―

"I won't run away. I'll be with you until the end, Touka-chan."

At that gaze, Kanata did not spare a glance. She only stared at what was straight ahead.

"―Right."

Touka knew her stubbornness well, because they had been together since childhood, so Touka didn't repeat any pointless words.

"What happened here today is an affront to Hagun Academy's student council. We'll return twice the favor!"

Saying just that, the companions left in this place gave forth a cry of encouragement.

"YEAH!"

―Everyone there faced the enemy and threw down their challenge in unison.

"Haa… ha…!"

She had been running for quite a while, descending the deserted slope in front of the academy. After Shizuku left the popular shopping district street, her feet stopped due to the pain she was feeling in her side.

I'm… not really in shape, huh?

Clicking her tongue at her own weakness, she inferred the distance to Hiraga who was carrying Arisuin. It was already beyond what she could check with her eyes. It could even be that he had gotten into a car along the way.

But I haven't lost track of him yet.

At the moment Arisuin was kidnapped, Shizuku had wound an invisible thread of water magic to Arisuin's body. That thread pierced through every material substance, and was stretching straight toward Arisuin. In other words, if she tugged, it would definitely point her to where Arisuin was.

But it seemed she could no longer follower them on foot. Therefore, Shizuku―

"Excuse me."

―called out to a man who was waiting for a traffic light on top of a motorcycle.

"I'm a student knight of Hagun Academy. Because of an emergency, I would like you to lend me your bike―"

"Huh!? Don't mess around with me, shorty. Why should I?"

She thrust Yoishigure at the throat of the bluntly refusing and frowning motorcycle rider.

"It's an emergency. I'm begging you."

"Okay! Please take it!"

The man smiled and nodded repeatedly as he got off the bike and fled.

Because she was in a hurry, she had no choice but to do this. It would probably be fine if she asked the academy to return the motorcycle afterwards. Thinking that, Shizuku straddled the motorcycle that the man had handed over. But―she realized that she had made a serious mistake.

My feet don't reach the pedal….

"…I can't believe there was a trap like this."

"What game are you playing, Shizuku?"

Suddenly, a voice at the nape of her neck made Shizuku turn her head.

"Onii-sama."

Ikki who had chased Shizuku breathlessly was there. Seeing him, Shizuku explained her own situation.

"The distance to Alice has grown, perhaps because he's on a vehicle. I procured a bike, but as you can see there is a structural defect in it. Even on a bike made in Japan, it doesn't meet the ground properly."

"It's clearly not the manufacturer's fault."

Ikki laughed wryly at Shizuku's grievance. But he immediately hardened his expression, and meeting Shizuku half-way, he spoke. What he said was a question to Shizuku who was chasing after Arisuin, even though Arisuin had deceived them up until today.

"…Shizuku. Even though they know we're chasing after Alice, Ouma and his companions aren't chasing us. It's because there's no need to chase us. It's surely because there is an enemy we'll face who we can't possible beat. Of course, you realize that, right Shizuku?"

"Yes, I know that."

"Alice tricked us. It could be that us chasing after Alice is also a trap for me and you. Surely you know that possibility too, right?"

"Yes, I know that."

"And even if Alice really did cut ties with Akatsuki in order to save us, he said that we should abandon him. That was Alice's wish. He didn't want to see you in danger, Shizuku. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, I know that."

Three times. Shizuku had confirmed the same understanding to each of Ikki's questions. He had come to hold her back. But he had not subdued her. Even though they were the words of her beloved older brother. After all―

"Onii-sama, did you come to ask me this?"

For Shizuku, it seemed that Ikki had come to ask three questions. Those all seemed to be completely trivial, inconsequential things. Shizuku stared straight at the face of her brother who had come to hold her back.

"Alice was the first person I liked after you, Onii-sama. He's my precious friend. Right now, my friend has fallen into danger. For me, there is no greater matter. So no matter what kind of danger is waiting for me, and no matter what Alice did or what he wants―I am going to go save him."

She conveyed her decision to Ikki. She would never take that back. Even though she understood all the risks, she would go and save her friend, her only older sister regardless.

Hearing that, her brother… cracked a small smile.

"―Good answer."

"…Eh?"

It was an answer she hadn't expected from Ikki. And Shizuku let out a befuddled voice without thinking.

"Onii-sama, you didn't… come to stop me?"

"Well, if you gave a half-hearted answer, I was going to drag you back against your will, but… since you're so resolved, I don't have any reason to stop you."

As he answered, Ikki nudged Shizuku's body to the back, straddled the motorcycle, and grabbed the handlebars. And he turned to Shizuku over his shoulder.

"I'll also go along with your wishes, Shizuku."

Knowing all the dangers, he pledged to follow his sister's desires.

"Onii-sama…."

At that thoughtfulness, Shizuku felt a sweet sensation tightening in her chest. She pressed her forehead to Ikki's back, and thought―

My love won't be accepted, but….

It was good that she loved this person.

"Thank you."

As she gave her gratitude, she shivered just a little.

"Don't thank me, Shizuku. I'm your older brother after all. ―Well, here we go. I'll leave the directions to you."

"…Yes!"

And Ikki floored the bike pedal.

They drove in a straight line, toward where Arisuin had been taken―to Akatsuki Academy.

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