Volume 6 - CH 6

Once Stella had left, Alice heaved a huge sigh of relief as he leaned on the railings.

“Well, she had me worried about what was going to happen for a while there.”

“Exactly. It was already enough that Onii-sama’s match was such a nailbiter.”

“Like, I’m sorry?”

Ikki flashed a wry grin at the jibe.

The safe victory of their close friend lent to an air of peace between the three. Yakushi Kiriko on the other hand, having no contact with Stella for her part, seemed quite shaken by the match’s explosive denouement.

“That was an amazing technique, to be able to burn an area as large as the entire ring in a single instant. If one were to attempt to dodge by vaporizing oneself or something, the vaporized cells might be annihilated altogether. It was really fortunate that we could see it this early.”

“Honestly, I share that sentiment. It seems it would be best to avoid using Aoiro Rinne as much as possible when fighting against Stella.”

However, evading a technique possessing such an extreme area-of-effect that it could casually cover the space of the ring using martial arts alone was impossible. Shizuku sighed as she pondered such unreasonableness.

“No wonder she had walked in so confidently and called for a four-on-one match,” Shizuku said as she turned to Ikki, as though expecting his approval. “She really gained a ridiculous ability from her special training with the Yaksha Princess.”

He however shook his head.

“...No, I don’t think that’s the case.”

“Eh?”

What was wrong?

It was that Shizuku had referred to Bahamut Soul as the ridiculous power that Stella had gained.

“Bahamut Soul wasn’t something that she gained from her special training with Saikyou-sensei. She could already do something like that when she had just started school.”

“I, is that so?! But we never even saw it once!”

“Of course. Such an indiscriminate technique could never be used when there were bystanders around, could it?”

“I agree with that.”

Kurono concurred with Ikki’s statement.

“Most likely, as Muroto-senpai noted, Bahamut Soul is a Noble Art that resembles a loud shout in that it discards control right from the start. Thus, it isn’t a technique that requires anything special, or any special training - it’s something anyone can use. Even though you could call betting on the people around her to cover for her and just cut loose growth, it’s a little lacking for a week’s worth of special training.”

“So her training didn’t bear fruit?” Shizuku asked.

Ikki shook his head again.

“That’s also wrong, I think. When she was entering the ring, she had a confidence, a spirit that wasn’t present in the Stella who had been defeated in battle with Ouma. So she did gain something from that training with Saikyou-sensei that allowed her to get over the shock of defeat, but that is not Bahamut Soul.”

Which meant that-

“Stella has only shown us a fraction of her strength.”

“...!”

Everyone shivered a little, starting with Shizuku.

She remembered. The momentary illusion that had appeared during the battle. The form of the towering dragon behind Stella. Ikki’s idea was no impossibility for someone whose pressure was enough to create such an image. To be stuck in the same Festival as such a person could only be considered a nightmare.

Shizuku and company’s strained expressions were thus only normal.

But the one who had first mooted the idea of that nightmare, Ikki, had a different expression. Hardly stiff at all, he instead allowed a small smile onto his face.

You really are beautiful.

Of course, she was an opponent against whom considering the path to victory alone could give one a headache.

But more than that, Ikki was glad.

Glad that she was able to safely bounce back, even stronger than before.

“I didn’t know that being weak could be so painful…”

He did not want to see Stella distraught like that.

It made his heart hurt.

He wanted her to always hold herself high, shining like a star in the sky.

This was the Stella that he wanted to pursue.

I want to be closer to her than anyone, and yet I want her to be further from me than anyone...I’m plenty selfish, huh.

Even as he thought thus, the Organizing Committee announcer’s voice came over the airwaves:

「Everyone, your attention please. We will now have a twenty minute intermission while we clear and repair the ring. Once that is complete, we will proceed with the Block D matches. D Block Representatives, please gather in your holding rooms.」

The first to make a move at that announcement was Kurono.

“I’ll make a move here: They’ll probably need my ability to repair the ring.”

Taking another drag out of her cigarette, she leapt down into the ring.

The next to move were Shizuku and Kiriko, both entrants in the D Block.

“Shall we go then, little sister?”

“Mm. I’m tired of waiting anyway.”

Both of them had traded their observer’s calm for their respective ‘battle modes’.

Perhaps it was due to watching Stella’s match, but both their eyes shone with a prodigious will to fight.

“Do your best both of you,” Alice encouraged. “We’ll support you from here.”

“Thanks, Alice. But, Onii-sama, you should go and rest. It might affect your performance tomorrow if you push yourself too hard.”

“It’s fine, Shizuku. I can’t do anything about my magic, but I’m quite well rested up from the time I spent watching Stella’s match - moreover, you’re my important sister, and it’s your match. I’ll cheer you on together with Alice.”

“Thank you…”

Shizuku’s cheeks warmed at Ikki’s straightforward gentleness.

From behind her, Kiriko shot him an accusatory glare.

“My~ aren’t you going to support me too? Am I such a stranger?”

“Well, we did only get to know each other yesterday...but of course we will be looking forward to your match as well. I’ve heard, after all, that the White-Robed Knight is just as first-rate a knight as she is a doctor.”

These were his honest feelings. Up till now, she had been of the view that she was a doctor and not a knight, and as such had not taken part in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. However, it had been said of her that if she had done so she would have at least wound up in the Best 4, and she had proved that to Ikki during the party several days before. As such, he had deep interest in how a match like hers would play out.

There was also another reason for this.

“...I’m also worried about your opponent, Yakushi-san.”

“My opponent? You mean Akatsuki Academy’s Shinomiya?”

Ikki nodded.

Indeed. Yakushi Kiriko’s opponent in the fourth match of Block D was someone Ikki could not ignore - Akatsuki’s Amane Shinomiya.

“Hmmm. I don’t think he has that kind of spirit as befits a member of Akatsuki...but why do you think so?”

“I...don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t understand the reason why, but he worries me.”

“Is it love?”

“Hell no!” Ikki nearly did a spit-take as he denied that outrageous misunderstanding. “It’s not like that, how do I say this...he just has an indescribable ominousness about him.”

“Ominousness, huh.”

His emotional response could even be said to approach disgust.

But Ikki himself did not know why Amane turned his stomach so.

If it was because he was part of Akatsuki, which had attacked Hagun Academy, that would be simple to understand.

But he had already disliked him even before Amane had revealed that affiliation.

Simply put, it was ‘hate at first sight’.

Why? He did not understand...and that was what made it ominous.

“Well, since the ‘Worst One’, whose strength lies in perceiving the true nature of others, feels that way...perhaps Amane does have something that we do not understand. I’ll bear that in mind.”

“Alright. No matter what, just be careful-”

Just as Ikki was seeing Kiriko off-

“Ahahaha-! I finally found you, Ikki-kun!”

“...!”

He heard a voice, high like that of a girl, and then someone hugging him from behind.

The impact was so small that they might as well have had no weight, and yet it made Ikki suck in a breath.

With pale blonde hair, a sweet young face and an affable expression, the one hugging Ikki was none other than their topic of conversation, Amane Shinomiya.

The umpire, having been knocked out by Bahamut Soul, had been unable to call the victor of Stella’s match, her victory being announced by the commentator and the electronic billboards on-site instead. And of course, with the official television broadcast from the Organizing Committee declaring her the winner, that victory would also send shockwaves through all of Japan.

This information also reached the medical ward in faraway Tokyo where Touka was watching the match.

At her bedside was Kanata, who gave a thin smile as though amazed as they received the news.

“Well, well, I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything else...I guess when I said she’d backed herself into a corner, it was just my own guilt speaking.”

“Only in the end did we realize that it was always one-sided, and that she hadn’t shown us all she had. Amazing.”

“Will she continue like this all the way on to victory?” Kanata asked.

Touka shook her head.

“I don’t think it will be that simple. After all, the Sword Emperor of Wind did manage to completely seal Bahamut Soul. She’s definitely one of the favorites, but by no means is her victory a definite thing.”

“So this Festival will be a ‘survival of the fittest A-Rank’?”

“Those two are a definite lock for the win, but they are not yet so outstanding that their clash will be all they wrote for this tournament. Aside from them, there are still others like the White-Robed Knight, Lorelei, Panzer Grizzly and the Worst One - it would not be so strange if any of them were to emerge triumphant.”

“It seems there’s still much to look forward to then.”

“Mm...though if I could, I would have loved to take part.”

Touka said, smiling wistfully.

She had already accepted her defeat at Ikki’s hands, and yet such grudging words were what left her lips.

I really am a sore loser.

“You could always challenge him again once the Festival is over.”

“...Fufu, that might be nice.”

Just as they were about to get into some small talk-

“Uuu…”

A groan could be heard from the bed next to Touka’s, before the figure that had been sleeping atop it slowly arose - the somewhat pint-sized Utakata Misogi, Hagun Academy’s Council Vice-President, who like Touka had been in a comatose state.

“Uta-kun?!”

“...Tou...ka…”

“You’re awake, thas’ great!” Touka said, unknowingly slipping into dialect in her excitement. “You still hurtin’ anywhere?”

Utakata nodded, though he had a somewhat blank expression, as though he was still finding his bearings.

“Errr...um, yeah, I’m fine…”

“This is...the medical ward? Why am I here?”

“Uta-kun...you don’t remember?”

Touka asked.

Utakata nodded.

“Even though it was just Illusory Form, the shock from damage that could put a person into a coma for a week or more might have muddled his memories.”

“Yes, that seems so.”

That made things simple, though.

Illusory Form caused no physical damage to the body itself. As such, memory loss due to brain damage was impossible - the memories were surely still in Utakata’s mind. As such, all they needed to do was explain the situation to him.

Touka cleared her throat.

“When our school was attacked,” she said, prodding his memory with a voice like one talking to a child, “we fought and were defeated by the students from Akatsuki Academy. Don’t you remember?”

“Akatsuki...Academy…”

He mumbled-

“-!!”

Then his eyes widened, his expression strained.

“Kanata!” he cried, alarm in his face. “Have I really been out for a week?!”

“Um, yes. That’s correct.”

“You seem to have remembered. That’s good.”

“Ah, well...that’s true, but what about the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival…”

“It just started today. Kurogane-kun and Stella-san just broke through the first round without incident. Shizuku is replacing Kana-chan, and her match is about to begin.”

Relating the events up till then to Utakata, Touka had expected that he might be pleased.

But he did not respond as expected.

“What’s…-kgh!”

His face distressed, he shot up from his bed, casting his blanket aside. But his legs though uninjured were still creaking from a week-long sleep. They disobeyed him, pitching him off the antibacterial linoleum bed and onto the floor.

“Agh!”

“U, Uta-kun?!”

“Please don’t push yourself too hard. You've been out for a more than a week, you know? There’s no way you would be able to use your legs well.”

“But I have to tell them! ...That’s right, my notebook! Where’s my student notebook?!”

His nose was bleeding, but he was rummaging through the pockets of his hospital gown without bothering to wipe it - quite the rare sight, this urgency from the usually flighty Utakata.

But this also meant that this was no ordinary situation.

“Uta-kun, what’s got you so worked up?” Touka asked. “What do you need to say, and who do you need to tell it to?”

“They must not...fight him…” Uta ground out.

“”Eh?”

“Akatsuki’s...Amane Shinomiya…! They must not fight him! ...If they do, then all will be lost...!”

Amane Shinomiya.

Of course Touka and Kanata knew that name: he had been one of the Akatsuki representatives who had attacked Hagun.

Now that you mention it, Uta-kun had been the one to fight him…

All her faculties had been expended fighting Ouma, and as such Touka had not noticed the details of the other fights.

“Is that kid really that strong?”

Utakata shook his head.

“Strong, weak...that’s got nothing to do with it. He’s beyond that.”

“What do you mean ‘beyond that’?”

“At that time, we thought that he had the power of ‘foresight’. But we were wrong. We were mistaken. His ability is not foresight! It’s something worse, more brutal...it’s absolute power! They mustn’t fight him...or even associate with him...

...There’s no way they can win!”

“Long time no see, Ikki-kun! Congratulations on your first-round victory!”

“A-Amane-kun…”

Ikki’s expression was strained at Amane’s sudden appearance. He was already not particularly good at dealing with him, and to add on to that, he had just been...bad-mouthing Amane, which left him feeling rather embarrassed.

But Amane seemed unaware of that, instead hanging off of Ikki like a puppy wagging its tail.

“I saw the match just now. You were so cool, so I just had to come down to find and congratulate you!”

“Umm...thanks?”

“I should be the one thanking you! After all, I was able to watch your match in person - watch you, whom I admire so! There could be no higher joy for a fan! And you really were awesome. You actually managed to do something like stealing Twin Wing’s swordsmanship! You were pretty good during the match against the Hunter too, so I thought that your Blade Steal was an accessory to Perfect Vision...and I was completely wrong!” Amane, his breathing ragged, began to gesticulate excitedly like a little child as he related his thoughts on Ikki’s match earlier. “And was that Shinkirou? I saw it once on some video site, but it was pretty poor quality and lagged quite a bit since it was taken using a hidden mobile camera. So it’s a technique used to confuse the opponent! You’re really amazing, to be able to do something like that even without possessing any special abilities - I’m so moved!”

Ikki almost seemed to shrink a little. “I know, I know, so...please calm down.”

As expected, he was terrible at dealing with Amane. The boy himself seemed to be approaching him in such goodwill, and yet he himself could muster up none. That twisting of emotions left him feeling terrible.

He wanted to distance himself from Amane. Reject him.

But Ikki said nothing.

This was not weakness or cowardice. He did not wish to antagonize someone who seemed to admire him so over some inexplicable feeling of disgust.

But-

“Excuse me.”

“Au-”

But Shizuku, who stood beside him, was not one to entertain such thoughts.

Without hesitation, she leveled a kick at Amane’s side, peeling him off Ikki, before interposing herself between them as though to protect her brother.

“Ow, ow, ow...what are you doing…” Amane groaned tearfully, his hands on his stomach.

But Shizuku did not back down a step.

“Please don’t come near my Onii-sama. He doesn’t like you, and feels disgusted by you. So could you stop being so familiar? You’re troubling him.”

Of all things, she chose to reveal all of Ikki’s inexplicable ill-will without a shred of hesitation.

“Eh...is, is that so, Ikki-kun?”

“Shi-Shizuku.”

His face steely, he tried to stop Shizuku-

“Onii-sama, you detest the fact that you dislike someone for no reason. While I love that gentleness, there is no need to waste it on him and his ilk - save it for me instead. And claiming to be your fan after messing up our school like that...I don’t see why you should give this weirdo the time of day. If you don’t reject him clearly like this, he will just take advantage of you.”

-but was in turn silenced by her all-too-accurate, all-too-direct assessment.

“Uu.”

And in the first place, that he had abetted in the attack on Hagun alone was reason enough to stand Amane in a bad stead from Shizuku’s perspective.

She harbored suspicions of her own that Ikki had already begun disliking Amane even before that incident, but at this point the order no longer mattered.

The girlish boy in front of them was an enemy who had done them harm.

Nothing more and nothing less.

In that sense, Ikki was too stiff, and Shizuku had to reject Amane in her brother’s place.

“Well, that’s how it is, so please disappear from Onii-sama’s sight. Just as well, they were calling for the Block D participants. Shouldn’t you be getting ready?” Shizuku’s eyes shone with an ethereal jade light, her tone becoming threatening. “...Or should I bring you there? You might be missing a limb or two if I do, though.”

Amane gulped, standing up but not approaching Ikki.

“Uu...I guess so. I did deceive Ikki-kun after all. Of course you would hate me. I’m really sorry.”

He bowed his head.

“Rejected.”

Shizuku rebuffed his apology.

“Um, I was apologizing to Ikki-kun…”

“I won’t allow you to apologize to Onii-sama, nor will I allow you to talk to him.”

“You’re...too brutal! I mean, you were already pretty frosty earlier, but whatever did I do to earn that hate?! I don’t ever remember provoking you…”

“You do not endear yourself to me by using that androgynous face to tempt Onii-sama, and that sissy voice of yours riles me.”

“Do you have to say such dreadful things?!”

“In the first place, even if I didn’t go into detail, Onii-sama disliking you is reason enough for me to dislike you as well.”

“Uwaa, I don’t have a leg to stand on, do I?!”

(TN: he literally says, “no islands to cling to!”)

“Are you saying I’m flat?!”

“Now you’re just finding reasons to hate me!”

Realizing that trying to reach an understanding with Shizuku when she was in her Absolute Emnity mode was a futile endeavour, Amane could only send a sidelong pleading look Ikki’s way as he spoke again.

“Shizuku-chan doesn’t want to forgive me, but I actually am sorry. So while I did really intend on congratulating you, I came to offer ‘penance’ for that incident.”

“‘Penance’?”

“Yes. I would like to make up with you...I’m sure it will please you.”

Something that would please me?

His interest piqued, Ikki sought answers. “What do you mean by-”

「Attention, all Block D contestants,」the rebroadcast cut in, drowning his words out. 「your matches will begin in ten minutes. Please head down to the holding rooms as soon as possible.」

Below, the ring had been reconstructed in the meantime, and the Block D matches would soon begin.

At this moment Kiriko, who had been silent since Amane had arrived, spoke up.

“Shinomiya-kun. I’m an outsider either way, and didn’t understand what you were saying, but it seems like it’s time. I’m sure the teachers would be pissed if we didn’t go to stand-by in the holding rooms. Don’t you think it might be better to save this conversation for later?”

Amane cocked his head, he question mark floating over it almost visible.

And then he opened his mouth.

“Um...who are you again?”

Kiriko’s eyes widened. That was abnormal - he didn’t know the name of the opponent he was about to face.

“Man, and I took pride in being a pretty public figure too...pleased to meet your acquaintance. I am Kiriko Yakushi, third year at Rentei. Doctor by trade.”

“Ohh. Sorry. I’m not really familiar with any knights apart from Ikki-kun.”

“You should have at least heard my name. I am, after all, the one you’ll be facing in the fourth match of Block D.”

“...Oh, really. Can’t say I’m that interested,” Amane said, as he flashed an obfuscating smile.

It seemed he truly did not recognize Kiriko, and that was certainly not pleasant news in her eyes, which narrowed.

“...Aren’t you rather confident.”

There was little warmth left in her voice.

“Being begged by the Director, I had no choice but to be here...but you’ve piqued my interest a little. I wonder if you can show me strength in keeping with that confidence.”

A silent rage burned within her, clear for all to see. She would definitely go all-out against Amane right from the start of their match. There would be no mercy.

“Ah...that probably won’t happen, I think?”

But her simmering anger failed to wipe the smile off Amane’s face.

“What do you mean, I wonder?”

“Well, I, um, Kiriko-san, was it? I won’t be fighting you, so there’s no rush to get to the holding room.”

His words bewildered all present.

The tournament schedule and matches had already been decided, and they would soon face each other. How could he say something that he couldn’t fight her now?

“What are you saying-” Kiriko began to ask-

-but at that moment, the student handbook in her pocket began to ring. Angered as she was over Amane’s disregarding her, she very much wanted to ignore that call, but for the siren-like ring tone that sounded from her handbook. That meant neither a message from friend or family, but a call from the Yakushi General Hospital of which she was Director.

She could not ignore it.

“Hang on a moment,” she apologized, as she fished for the phone. “-Hello. What’s happening? I’m having my match soon-”

「Doctor! 」An anguished voice belonging to the Vice-Director -and its present head in Kiriko’s absence- of the hospital, Kajiwara Mio, ripped through the ears of all present.「W-we have a problem! A big problem!」

Behind her, there were sounds of a panicked tumult that should have been foreign to a hospital.

Kiriko caught on to that unnatural situation quickly.

“Wait. What’s going on?”

「The patients’ conditions have worsened greatly - they’re in critical!」

“What…?!”

Kiriko gasped, her face one of disbelief. She had had to make sure that her patients were in a stable condition and would not take any sudden turns for the worse while she was gone - that had been her absolute condition for taking part in the Festival.

That she was here meant that this condition should have been fulfilled. No doctor would simply leave patients whose conditions could deteriorate at any time to their own devices, after all.

And indeed she had, as the number one doctor in Japan, judged that there had been no risk of her patients deteriorating for the period of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.

Unease bubbled up within her.

My diagnosis was...mistaken?!

But she quashed it swiftly. This was neither the time nor place to curse her own incompetence. She had to get a hold of the situation first.

“Who exactly is in critical condition?”

Mio’s voice shook terribly.

「 A..all the patients!」

The color drained from Kiriko’s face.

“Wh...what?!”

「 The staff are doing all they can, but we don’t have the manpower or the facilities to deal with this! Moreover, we have no idea how this happened so suddenly, or what might have it caused it...our techniques aren’t working at all either! So...」

“...”

Kiriko knew it then.

This was impossible.

It might be reasonable for her to have overlooked one or two people, but for her to have misdiagnosed all her patients - that could not be.

So, how had it happened?

There could only be one reason.

“I understand. Send a chopper, I’ll be right over.”

「 I’ve already done that! It should arrive in ten minutes! I’m...really…*sob*...sorry...! It was supposed to be a big match for you...」

“Don’t cry. I was the one who asked you all to call me back if anything happened. And the deterioration of their conditions wasn’t your responsibility. In any case, hold the line till I get back. Can you do it?”

「 Y, yes! I can!」

“That’s a good answer. I’m counting on you.”

Kiriko hung up, and then turning to Amane leveled a gaze filled with murderous fury on him.

“So,” she asked, her tone unrelenting, “may I ask what this is about, Shinomiya-kun?”

Since the mistake did not lie in her diagnoses, there could only be one reason for this situation: the interference of a third party.

“What have you done to my patients?”

“Hey, hey now, that’s harsh. What could I, being in Osaka, possibly have done to people in a hospital in Hiroshima?”

This third person had created this situation in order to force her out of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. If her patients were to be in critical condition, she would not be able to concern herself with such things as a tournament match. She would have to forfeit.

And that culprit was without a doubt the young man in front of her who had just spouted those deceptively meaningful lines.

But here he was, Amane Shinomiya, waving his arms about in a flustered manner as he tried to sell his alibi.

Indeed, there was very little a person in Osaka could do to people in Hiroshima. Even if they had help from the start, there was no way they could have bypassed the vigilance of medical professionals to induce critical conditions in all the patients in a hospital.

But this assumed that one was speaking of a normal person.

“...”

To the side, Ikki recalled something that Kagami had told him shortly before they left for Osaka.

“Senpai. You called me before to say that you were concerned about the ex-Kyomon student, Amane Shinomiya, correct? So I looked up his intra-school selection results...he had six wins by forfeit in six matches. There’s something really weird about that.”

In that instant, all the pieces came together for him.

“Huh. So that’s it. That’s what this is about...I understand now.”

“Onii-sama?”

“In other words...that’s your real ability.”

“Ikki-kun? My true ability...what do you mean? I thought you knew that my ability was foresight? I knew that Kiriko-san would have to retire, but besides that, I didn’t-”

Ikki shook his head.

“No, that’s not possible. It would be one thing if she misdiagnosed one or two patients, but for her to do that for all of them is simply impossible. And there is no way that you could foresee something that could not possibly happen.”

“Well, this...ahaha, such cruel words, Ikki-kun,” Amane said with a troubled expression. “Don’t they say, “even a wise man stumbles? And I’ve even performed quite a few predictions in front of you too...”

He did speak the truth. He had foretold the future against a criminal at their first meeting, and had seen through Alice’s betrayal. It was now as it was then: Amane was displaying his knowledge of the future.

“No, you don’t actually foretell the future. The order of things is reversed here.”

“...”

At these words, the smile that Amane usually had plastered on his face dissipated, a shadow falling over it.

“Wait, Ikki.” Alice cut in. “What do you mean by ‘reversed’?”

“I should have realized this when he defeated Vice President Utakata. The Vice Pres’ ability, Fifty-Fifty, manipulates probability such that he can twist a result that had already been decided. Since the manipulation is limited to what he can achieve with his own abilities, it lacks offensive power, but he should have been nigh invincible as long as he focused on defense. But he lost. He lost to Amane. Someone who lacks any martial ability at all, possessing only Future Sight. Do you think this is possible?”

“That’s…”

“Impossible. Utterly impossible. If we assume it were possible, then the only way is to use a probability manipulation technique strong enough to force certainty onto Fifty-Fifty. For example...an ability that can change probability according to your wishes.”

“...!”

“Like this, all can be explained. In other words, Amane’s ‘future sight’ is not in fact a foretelling of the future. The truth behind the criminal, Alice’s betrayal, and now the collapse of Yakushi-san’s patients...these are all ‘futures’ that he simply created. Am I wrong, Amane?”

Having said his piece, Ikki leveled his gaze at Amane, who had not said a word since earlier, merely looking at Ikki in silence.

“...Haa.”

He sighed, shoulders drooping, and then flashed a resigned smile.

“As expected of Ikki-kun, I guess. You covered everything that I could say. I was going to reveal it to you together with the my penance, but you’re too good. My poor subterfuge was nothing before the demonic mirror of the Crownless Sword King.”

“So it’s true that you’re the one who did something to Yakushi-san’s patients.”

“Ah, W-wait! Wait! That’s not it!”

Sensing Ikki’s enmity, Amane quickly added to his analysis of his own ability.

“It is as you said, but I would like to make a correction. Yes, my ability is indeed not ‘Future Sight’, but I do not wield some god-like ability as Ikki says. You know...I only make wishes.”

“Wishes?”

“Yes, just wishes. I cannot change every little thing about fate. I only wished to have ‘a dramatic first meeting with Ikki-kun’, for ‘the assault on Hagun to go off without a hitch’, or ‘it would be troublesome to have to fight’. Just that. And when I do so, everything will change such that it will eventually go as I wish, but without my knowledge. That’s the true form of my ability Bad Luck - they call it Nameless Glory.”

Ikki and company’s expressions strained.

“What...that’s...insane...”

“So, what,” Shizuku asked, “could you call the moon to crash down onto the earth if you wished for it?”

Amane cocked an eyebrow in displeasure.

“Scary- I would never wish for that to happen; wouldn’t it be terrible if that were to come true? After all, there has never been a single wish of mine up till now that has not come to be.”

“...!”

No one could suppress a shiver at the matter-of-factness in his voice.

At how confident he was that he was able to do such a thing.

They could not help but be more wary of him, who could overturn the common sense of destiny in that manner.

A weight descended on the conversation…

...before Kiriko took a step towards Amane.

“In other words, your ability to have any wish come true can also be put as an impossible amount of luck, huh.”

“That’s absolutely correct. Just that it takes a roundabout route to fulfilling my wish, and that the method by which it fulfills it something unknown to me,” he said, palms pressed together. “So really, I didn’t mean to or predict that I would endanger the lives of your patients. Sorry about that.”

And yet it felt like he was apologizing for someone else; there was no guilt in his tone.

In fact, he did regard it as someone else’s business.

He had only wished to not have to fight Kiriko. He had not wished to take the lives of her patients. It wasn’t his fault.

But such an attitude would of course anger Kiriko.

In an instant, a trio of scalpels found their way into either hand.

“So what if I just killed you here and now, and return that evil fate to normal?”

Her tone was even, but the anger roiling forth from her eyes said that all she wanted to do was to attack Amane right there and then.

But he merely shrugged, unfazed by the pressure she exuded.

“Of course my death would nullify the effects of my ability, but I wouldn’t recommend it. After all, if that were to happen, I would wish to not die. From my experience, there are a lot of ways that this could make you not fight me. For example, if an earthquake were to strike this place that is all but filled to the brim with people, and there were a great many casualties, you wouldn’t be able to spare the time to fight me, no?”

“Can you really do that?”

“Well, I’d rather not of course. But if it comes down to it, I’m not taking responsibility, so I’d rather you not push it…”

“...Tch.”

With a click of her tongue, Kiriko ended their exchange and dismissed her scalpels.

She could not tell whether or not Amane spoke the truth. But there was one thing for certain: if she stepped out right now with the intent to kill, then his words might just come true.

That was a risk she could not take, as one who called herself a doctor.

That was her bottomline.

Seeing that Kiriko had lost the will to fight, Amane continued speaking, turning from her to face Ikki.

“Well, now that everyone understand why I’m in no rush to go to my holding room, I’ll continue; I’d really like for Ikki-kun to accept my repayment for last time.”

Ikki did not meet Amane’s eyes, his brows furrowing as that feeling of distaste welled up within him again.

“As I said before, I wanted to tell Ikki-kun about my true ability as penance for having deceived him up till now...I was already seen through though, how embarrassing. Of course, I didn’t think I would be able to pay back the debt of having cheated him for this long with just that,” he said with an amiable smile. “So I thought about it. What would make Ikki-kun happy? What could I do to make him happy?”

Ikki felt the hairs of his skin stand on end at that.

He had a bad feeling about this.

That he must not let Amane finish speaking.

But Amane was not to be stopped.

“And so, I remembered. That if Ikki-kun couldn’t come in first at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, he wouldn’t be able to graduate! Terrible, isn’t it? To not acknowledge a knight as strong as Ikki-kun. As a fan of his, how could I take that? Totally unacceptable. So, that is my present to Ikki-kun...”

His smile turned as incandescent as his words were unbelievable.

“...First place at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival.”

“H-Haa?!”

“What are you saying...!”

Shizuku and Alice both looked shaken, their voices trembling, but Amane merely cocked his head to the side.

“Is it really that shocking? Isn’t it a lot simpler than causing an earthquake, or causing the moon to fall to the earth?”

His smile broadened as he pressed in on Ikki.

“Aren’t you happy, Ikki-kun? I will use my ability to wish...for your victory! Like this, you’ll be able to become the Seven Star Sword King with hardly any effort at all! Isn’t it great? Your hard work up till now will finally be rewarded! Do not fret: neither the Crimson Princess nor the Sword Emperor of Wind are a problem before my Nameless Glory! I will take out the rest of the competition, making sure that you will certainly become the Seven Star Sword King! Well, that might incur the wrath of Rebellion, but that’s fine. I would do anything for you, Ikki-ku-”

In that moment, with a thud that resounded through the participant-reserved stands-

-Ikki pushed Amane away with all his might.

“O-Oniisama?!”

“I-Ikki...kun…”

Everyone, whether it was the people around him or the suddenly floored Amane himself, was dumbfounded at the usually gentle Ikki’s sudden violence.

But to Ikki himself, it was a most reasonable course of action.

He had long been unable to reconcile his unreasonable distaste for Amane, but now, finally, he could understand why he felt that way.

“...All this time, I didn’t say this, because no matter how I thought it over, I couldn’t understand why.”

But at last he could speak from his heart.

He glared at Amane.

“I hate you.”

“...”

Amane’s eyes widened as he trembled.

He probably could not understand why he was being rejected by Ikki. It was for Ikki’s own sake, after all, that Amane had wanted him to become the Seven Star Sword King.

But for Ikki, this was the last straw, that last thing that allowed him to throw away what reservations he might have had about Amane.

For Amane was trying to take something most important to Ikki away from him. The work he had put in up till now, and all that that meant.

Including the promise he had made with his beloved, the promise that had seen him through many times. In that moment, his mottle of emotions gave way to a clear disgust, to the point where there was no longer a need for a reason to feel that way.

“You try to mess with my battle,” he said, undisguised fury in his eyes, “and this will not be settled with just a push or a shove.”

“...”

Amane stood in silence with his head bowed, his expression unreadable under his fringe.

Perhaps he was crying.

He turned on his heel, facing his back to Ikki and the others.

“I understand.”

Then, turning around-

-he smiled more brilliantly than ever before.

“...!”

That was unexpected. Ikki’s face showed as much.

Even after being rejected in that manner, his attitude had not changed in the least.

“I will not wish for anything Ikki-kun wouldn’t wish for. I promise!”

An ominous feeling seized Ikki, like a worm crawling about his heart.

Amane seemed as friendly he had always been in both appearance and tone, and yet-

“As expected, Ikki-kun is cool...you will never accept a victory that you didn’t earn with your own two hands. My, I’m becoming more of a fan!”

-his eyes were different.

Or rather, Ikki only noticed now that Amane’s eyes were different.

He had subconsciously refused to meet those eyes up till now, preoccupied as he was with that unknown feeling of disgust he had borne toward him. But now that he had made his stand clear, he could look him in the eye...and so he noticed.

While he showered glittering praises upon Ikki, the depths of his sky-blue eyes held a quagmire of spiralling darkness, threatening to suck a person in.

“When up against opponents of overwhelming power, you give your all, sacrifice everything, and fight to the bitter end. It’s so cool...I envy you. How stoic, how spartan a living! Weaker than everyone, yet desiring victory more than anyone - and for victory’s sake, you burn your soul as you advance, without any regrets, no matter how torn up you become as a result! That’s the Worst One! And you know what, Ikki-kun? You know what? I. Love. You. For. It.”

A negative chaos.

A dark swirl of hate, revulsion, enmity, malice, murderousness…

A whirlpool deluged by myriad negativities, so much so that one could no longer tell which was his original thought.

His lips steepled into a smile even as his eyes bored into Ikki, filled as they were with despair, malice, and a hatred against the world itself, drawing the selfsame ill-omened arc as the red crescent moon.

“And so...and so...hurt more. Bleed more. Cut more. I will cheer for that Ikki-kun until I grow hoarse. I want to see you break, break, and break as you keep on defying your fate!”

“...!”

For the first time, Ikki was afraid of Amane.

This was no longer disgust. No longer rejection.

He was afraid of the young man in front of him.

Of the hatred he held for the world, hidden deep within his eyes.

And above all, the way that gaze was affixed upon himself.

“So...keep working hard, eh?”

And with that last show of support that no one echoed, Amane left, that unfailingly friendly smile still on his face.

But having experienced the unfathomable darkness that lay behind that smile, Ikki’s hands trembled, as though they were frozen.

The sudden failure of the White-Robed Knight to show up notwithstanding, the Block D matches of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival proceeded more smoothly than Block C, in which the Seven Star Sword King had been defeated by an F-Ranked Knight, and Block B, in which an unprecedented four-versus-one match had taken place.

Shizuku Kurogane appeared in the 3rd match of Block D. There, she showed off her prowess as the block’s only B-Ranked Knight with little incident, blowing her opponent out of the water and advancing to the second round without so much as a scratch.

With this, all of Hagun Academy’s representatives successfully proceeded to the second round: a ten-out-of-ten start that certainly boded well.

This, however, had not lifted Ikki’s spirits.

“Blub-blub…”

It was night, and Ikki was submerged up to the mouth in the bathtub of his hotel room, his face scrunched up in gloomy thought.

And that which he was pondering with that clouded expression was the matter of Amane ‘Bad Luck’ Shinomiya.

He had afterward been contacted by Kanata, who informed him that Touka and Utakata had awoken, and also informed him about Amane’s ability. It seemed that Amane’s own detailing of his abilities had not been false.

The ability to make all things under heaven bend for his good was truly not one that was easy to go up against.

But Ikki was not merely concerned about the ability itself.

What I’m worried about...are those eyes.

That chaos of negativity that he had seen in Amane’s eyes as he left.

That toxic hatred of everything in the world.

When he had looked into those eyes, he had felt that-

-I’ve seen those eyes before somewhere, sometime in the past...

“...”

Closing his eyes, he searched his memories, plumbing its depths as one would a bottomless, dark well.

Deeper and deeper, further and further he searched-

-and he met those eyes at the very bottom.

Even in the pitch darkness, a black silhouette staring at him could be made out, its eyes filled with a hatred for the world.

His insides churned with revulsion, but more so with fear.

Indeed...He had met this person, this young man - somewhere in the distant past.

And he knew then, that the reason for his inexplicable distaste for Amane -indeed, of all his questions about him- had to lie in that first meeting. Their first meeting had been both ‘root’ and ‘key’.

So he had to know.

When had they first met?

What happened then?

What happened to make him hate Amane so?

He continued to search.

But he found no more.

Remembered no more.

Only those eyes, gazing at him in the darkness.

“Despite having beaten the Seven Star Sword King, you look rather unhappy for the man of the hour.”

In contrast to Ikki’s scrunched up face, Alice leaned back in his corner of the furo, submerged below the thighs.

“I mean, he is quite the ominous fellow, but it’s best not to think about it too much. Thinking about someone who defies logical explanation is just going to make your head hurt. Or,” here his smile turned impish, “do you need someone to help you take your mind off things?”

“I’ll pass.”

“Haha. I was kidding. I don’t want to get killed by Stella-chan or Shizuku.”

Ikki would rather Alice not joke about it at all, as a wave of cold ran through him despite being immersed in the hot bath - but thanks to that, he was no longer in the mood to brood.

Nothing Ikki’s curious state, Alice continued.

“In any case, there’s no need for you to be concerned about this and that. If you two continue to progress, you would only meet in Round 4 - the semi-finals. And Amane is in Block D. For him to reach the semis, he will have to meet Shizuku in the Block finals.”

“Are you saying that since Shizuku will win, I won’t have to fight Amane-kun?”

“Exactly. Heh, Bad Luck may have a powerful ability, but it might have been a mistake to get cocky and go on telling us all about it. Shizuku seems to think that she has a way to defeat Nameless Glory.”

“Eh, really? Then what-”

“It’s a pity, but she hasn’t told me either. Well, if she told me and then I told you, it would be unfair as fellow participants in the same tournament, no? But I don’t think that Shizuku would have said this without basis. She must have something close to a concrete plan.”

“Indeed.”

As Alice had said, Shizuku was not the sort to either speak to seem strong to or deceive others.

As her brother, he knew this quite well.

So, she must have had something figured out.

“It might be thus more advisable to run simulations of fighting Shizuku instead of Amane, don’t you think?”

“...That may be so.”

It was natural for Ikki to root for his sister over Amane.

And so he nodded, wishing to meet her in battle.

At that moment-

“You’re worrying about the semi-finals already,” a voice they did not recognize rang out, “Crownless Sword King?”

There in the doorway stood a intelligent-looking young man with gracefully narrowed eyes.

“You’re quite hasty, considering that the first matches have just ended,” he mumbled.

Ikki knew this young man.

“Bya-Byakuya-san!”

“Well met. I don’t think we have, since the party.”

Indeed, this was Byakuya Jougasaki, a third year from Bukyoku Academy who had come to the party together with Moroboshi. He was the one who came in second the previous year...and was Ikki’s second round opponent.

“Congratulations on your victory today. To think that Yuu would be defeated in his first match...that wasn’t the outcome that I expected at all. How surprising.”

“Th, thanks. You didn’t have a hard time in your match, did you? As expected of Byakuya-san.”

“I was blessed with a weaker opponent, that’s all. In any case, that’s Hagun Academy’s Black Sonia, Arisuin Nagi, yes?”

“Ara, you know about me?”

“I did some research into you since you were initially entered as one of Hagun’s representative. ‘Know thyself and thine enemy, and you need not fear a hundred battles’ - that’s my motto...even though it proved to be unnecessary in the end.”

“I’m sorry. I had my circumstances.”

“So I’ve heard, more or less, but ultimately that’s your own problem. I’ll avoid butting in with my piece. More importantly…”

So saying, he looked straight at Ikki, a slightly dangerous look in his narrow eyes.

Why?

The reason was a simple one.

“You seem to be pretty relaxed, Kurogane-kun; disregarding your match with me tomorrow and just going straight to simulating your semi-final match.”

“Uu…!”

Embarrassed, Ikki leapt out of the bath, wrapping the towel about his waist, and tried to explain himself.

“Ah, well, n-no! I would never underestimate Byakuya-san! It’s just that...there’s this really troublesome fellow -or rather should I say that he and I can’t get along?- and so I just can’t help but be more conscious of him than I should be.”

Indeed, Ikki had never intended to look down on Byakuya. In fact, he was more than a little embarrassed that Byakuya had heard everything.

For his part Byakuya smiled a little at the obviously flustered Ikki.

“Haha. I was kidding. I know that you’re not the sort of person who would look down on his opponent. I was just trying to get your goat. Sorry about that.”

“W, well, as long as you understand, that’s great.”

It seemed that Byakuya wasn’t actually angry, but was just pulling Ikki’s leg a bit. That relieved him some.

“Still, I thought so when I first saw you at the party, but you really do have an amazing physique when viewed up close. I now understand those superhuman movements you made during the match today. That is no shallow effort you made to train your body to that extent. You have my respect.”

“You don’t have to be...I don’t have anything other than my sword, and there’s nothing I can do with it apart from honing myself.”

“Don’t be so humble. That’s not something just anyone could do.”

“Eh…?”

In that instant, a sound both agonized cry and shocked shriek escaped from Ikki’s lips.

For Byakuya’s fingers were upon his chest.

“Now that I’ve touched it with my own hands, I understand. Each strand of muscle fibre has definition to the core, but not a one has lost its suppleness. The muscles themselves are light but strong - very impressive. Not an ounce of fat, nor an ounce of excess, for-show-only muscle. This is, indeed, the body of a trueborn swordsman, created only to wield his blade. An elegant design, created to display that purity of will. It is truly beautiful - one does not tire of touching it.”

“...!!!!!”

Every hair on Ikki’s body stood on end as Byakuya’s fingers toured the lines of his musculature, his shapely eyes gazing at him under long lashes.

Wasn’t this a dangerous situation?

Gripped by an unspeakable fear, he leapt out of the bath.

“Alice,” he all but yelled at his friend, “isn’t it time for-”

“-me to get in on the action?”

“I’m being pincered?!”

But alas, there were only the three of them there. A tiger before, and a wolf behind. A horrid predicament.

Ikki broke into a profuse cold sweat.

At that moment-

“You pervert-!!!”

-with a resounding warcry, a figure burst from the entrance to the bath, and pried Byakuya off Ikki with a kick, sending him flying into a corner of the bath.

The young man who had done this was also from Bukyoku, and was Byakuya’s friend - Yuudai Moroboshi.

“Moroboshi-san!”

“Yo, Kurogane. Somehow it feels like it was just like this yesterday too.”

Yuudai greeted unabashedly, even before the one who had just defeated him just a while ago that day.

On the other hand, Byakuya frowned at the one who had sent him flying.

“What are you doing all of a sudden, Yuu? Horseplay in the baths is dangerous.”

“The dangerous one was you and yo’ touchy-feely stuff sissyin’ up the whole place!”

“How rude. Momiji is the one I love. I was only touching Kurogane-kun as a fellow one who lives for battle. It was a sign of respect.”

“I know that, but think of how people would see it! Kurogane’s crawlin’ in his own skin, yo!”

“Oh. Then I apologize. I hadn’t intended to scare you. I just wanted to get to know you better.”

“...Eh.”

“Dat’s why I said choose yer words carefully!”

Smacking his friend on the back of the head, Moroboshi proceeded to cover for him.

“Sorry ‘bout that, Kurogane. He does some scary stuff, but his sexual tastes are where you’d expect - don’t worry ‘bout it. It’s just the way he does and acts.”

“Aha, ahaha...it’s a misunderstanding, so it’s fine. Really.”

He meant it enough, but though the misunderstanding had been cleared, Ikki still felt uncomfortable around -of course- Yuudai.

Though it had been an honorable duel, Ikki had ultimately knocked him out to break through the first round. He wasn’t sorry about it, but it was still hard to meet his eyes. While Yuudai did not show it, he was surely still a little sore.

“In that case,” Alice said, seeming to read his thoughts, “should we go, Ikki?”

He was not joking this time.

“Yeah. Should we go get something to drink at the vendor?”

Ikki leapt onto that lifeboat, and they made to depart.

Just then, Byakuya spoke up.

“Oh, you’re both getting out already?”

Ikki nodded.

“I think we’ve spent enough time in the water. Any more and we might get faint.”

“That’s a shame. And I got into this misunderstanding with you to boot. I originally wanted to apologize by washing your back.”

“U-um, no, it’s alright.”

“In that case-”

Byakuya snapped his fingers-

-and something surprising happened.

Out of thin air, a bottle of green tea landed in Ikki’s right hand, while Alice grasped a can of black coffee in his.

“Arara?”

“This is…!”

“At least accept this much.”

As though to say ‘well then’, Byakuya then turned his back to them before heading to the showers together with Yuudai. As they did so-

“Shiro. I’m from a merchant house too, y’know? Y’better have paid for those drinks.”

“How rude. Of course I placed coins into the vending machine.”

-could be heard.

Leaving the bath, the two of them shut the door, keeping the hot steam from leaking out.

Alice pointed at the can that had suddenly appeared in his hands in surprise.

“Ikki...is this in fact his ability?”

Ikki nodded.

“This is the Noble Art of last year’s second place, Eye of Heaven Byakuya Jougasaki - God Hand.”

It was an ability that allowed him to manipulate the ‘placement’ of any object within a 50 metre radius of himself via teleportation. Nondescript in theory, but very formidable in practice - especially so in a tournament that utilized a 10-countdown loss by ring-out rule. In fact, he had used this ability to bring his opponent out of the ring and thereby winning.

“...So once again it’s a rather tricky ability.”

“It is a powerful ability, but it’s not easy to use. If the target object is immobile, then he can freely change their position like he did earlier. But for moving targets like humans, he has to wound them with his Device first before initiating the teleportation. It’s probably a matter of ‘locking onto a target’ via contact.”

“So you mean that if you don’t get touched, it’ll be fine. I guess then the result of the battle will be quite up the air.”

“Yes. Which is why...when I fight him, I will have to be wary of his other ability, the one that gave him his nickname.”

“And that is?”

“What’s in your hand, Alice?”

Ikki asked, indicating the green tea bottle in his hand.

“It’s coffee. How lucky; I was just thinking to buy one after the bath.”

“I, too, wanted to buy green tea after getting out of the bath.”

“...”

“If you gave two people the same drink, it is possible for you to have matched one of their preferences, but to give two people different drinks and guess their preferences is a different thing, wouldn’t you think?”

“Well, it would be a little difficult...so in other words, this is-?”

“Yes. Byakuya-san is a fighter famous for gathering an excessive amount of data on his opponents. Furthermore, he isn’t limited to information gathered during combat, but his data-gathering also extends to the subtleties of everyday life.”

“Now that you mention it, he did say that he was checking us out. But what does this mean?”

“It may not be information that means anything to us, but it’s a very different matter to him. Of course he does take note of movements in combat or the movement of eyes, but he combines that with these small things to figure out a human’s personality and inclinations. He is well known for being to expose the ‘roots’ of another person’s thought - their ‘logic’.”

Exposing their logic.

“So,” Alice asked in response to that praise, “could he replicate the effects of your Perfect Vision?”

“Yes. Our approaches are different, but they are of a similar type...though Byakuya-san’s method wins by far in terms of functionality. After all, my Perfect Vision is fairly reliant on collecting information in the midst of battles. But he would already have grasped his opponent’s ‘logic’ before the battle thank to his meticulous investigation, and he would take control of a fight the moment it begins. Those monstrous powers of observation, that sees through all like the eyes of a god, are what gives him the moniker Eye of Heaven.”

Manipulating his opponent with that godlike power of analysis, and then getting the one slash that would trigger his Teleportation - that was Byakuya’s style. His touching of Ikki previously had probably been for the sake of estimating his physical capabilities.

He had already begun gathering data for the battle tomorrow.

Indeed, this isn’t the time or place to be worrying about the semi-finals.

Having seen Byakuya’s ability up close, Ikki felt this keenly.

He was participating in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. A tough contest with the creme-de-la-creme of Japan’s apprentice mage knights. Not one of them would be an easy customer to handle.

First, the second match. I need to give beating Byakuya-san my all.

He could leave thinking about the matter of Amane for later - so Ikki swore to himself.

Ikki and Alice parted soon after leaving the bath in the basement, with the latter heading for the normal hotel rooms, and the former heading for his room on the tenth floor via the stairs.

There were two reasons for this: one being that Alice’s room was on the second floor, and the other being the need to rehabilitate his thigh, which had been pierced during the match in the afternoon.

He had released his fatigue in the bath, and thanks to Alice and Byakuya his worries too were put aside; as such, his footsteps were light. He could probably sleep well tonight.

All that was left now was to get to his room and rest.

But-

“...”

His room was on the tenth floor, and yet he stopped at the seventh.

This was where Stella’s room was.

We did speak a little after the match, but…

That was all they had spoken since then.

Stella had headed to a Capsule for healing, while Ikki had been hounded by the press on account of his victory over the Seven Star Sword King.

...to be honest, that much conversation isn’t enough.

He wanted to talk to her more. Touch her more.

Or perhaps that desire was stronger because he had put those worries down.

But this was only the first day of the competition. He should also be preparing for his match tomorrow. Would she think he wasn’t serious if he went to see her today? Would she disdain him?

Unease welled up within him.

No, no, don’t think about that.

Recalling the argument they had had at that pool, he shook his head.

Then, they had attempted to place an unnatural distance between them, fearing that the other would think less of them.

Since then, he had made up his mind. He would not hide his feelings for Stella. It was only natural that he would want to talk to his lover whom he hadn’t seen for a while. There was no need to hesitate.

“Alright.”

With that resolve, he headed for Stella’s room.

Stopping in front of her room, he rang the doorbell. And then a second time. No response.

“She’s out, huh…”

Ikki’s shoulders slumped.

She might even have, like him, gone off to the bath during this time.

And I can’t really be standing here waiting for her…

A man standing in front of his girlfriend’s door. Wouldn’t that be embarrassing, if he were seen by others who knew of their relationship.

Thinking that he might have to give up here for today, Ikki turned on his heel and made for his room, but there-

“Wh...what should I do? The tournament is still ongoing, but I somehow came here...I wonder if he would think of me as a shameless woman...But we haven’t spoken today at all...Uuu…”

Stella mumbled to herself as she stood in front of Ikki’s room, as though torn between ringing or not ringing his doorbell.

Uh, wow, I wonder where I’ve seen this one before...

Ikki quirked his lips.

His lover had thought the same way he had, coming to his room in hopes of meeting him.

A strange happiness took hold of him suddenly as he thought her adorable, and this same emotion stopped him from calling out to her.

“...”

Her back was turned. She had yet to notice his presence.

Ikki’s smile turned devious at that thought.

He would surprise her. Sneak up behind her and rap her on the shoulder. Give her a fright.

It was a childish prank.

Ikki for his part knew that it was so, but the spirit was upon him.

If he were to call out to her now, it would merely be a happy reunion.

But if he were to surprise her, he would be able to see her shocked expression, even an angry one too.

Her angry face was cute - so this was the more beneficial course of action. How clever of him.

Thus he silenced his footsteps, approached her.

“Wh-”

He made to tap her on the shoulder, intending to make a frightening sound-

“Don’t slink up behind me-!”

“Woaaaah!!”

-which turned into a cry of shock.

Before he could touch her, she swivelled around, leg extended in a roundhouse kick.

Even without looking, the high kick was aimed right at his head.

From the way it split the air, it was not born of any ordinary amount of strength.

Only by his preternatural reflexes was Ikki able to bend backwards and avoid the blow.

“Damn, that habit from training reared its head...are you alright? ...Eh, Ikki?!”

Stella’s eyes widened as she realized that he had been the one behind her.

“Ha, Hahaha...good evening, Stella.”

His expression was stiff as he greeted her.

Didn’t expect to nearly lose my life over a little prank.

Indeed, no evil deed ever went unpunished.

Later, in Ikki’s room, he and Stella were sitting side-by-side on the bed.

As he related his real intentions to her, she had flashed a happy smile.

“So you were just trying to scare me...Haha. You’re surprisingly childish, Ikki.”

Her unexpected counterattack had Ikki regretful and in a cold sweat, but so smitten with her was he that her motherly smile left him feeling, in fact, rather victorious.

“I put quite a bit behind that kick. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine...it didn’t hit me, after all.”

“I’m glad it was just you behind me, though. If it were anyone else, they might have died.”

“Haha…”

Recalling the sharp crack of the wind as it scythed across the top of his head, his smile was rather forced.

“But those were some amazing reflexes there. I had totally silenced my footsteps and snuffed out my aura too.”

It was practically a reflex reaction, and moreover it was precise, going for a vital spot despite not seeing the other party.

That was something Stella had lacked before.

“Was that something you got from training with Saikyou-sensei?”

Stella nodded.

“Well, I’ve gotten pretty touchy about it since she would always appear in my blind spots as and when- Ah.”

“What is it?”

“Someone downstairs dropped a ten-yen coin.”

What’s this...that's amazing, but...I can’t think of it as such. Odd.

“But speaking of amazing, you were amazing too, Ikki. I didn’t think you would lose, but I didn’t expect you to win in that preposterous way. That technique was really the one from that incident with Alice, wasn’t it? It’s just like you to make a loss more than just a loss.”

She smiled, as though she were talking about herself.

“But I can’t say that I’m using it right,” Ikki said a little awkwardly.

“Really?”

Ikki nodded.

“No matter what I do, I make too much ‘noise’. The real Twin Wings’ sword is completely silent; there’s no loss in power, and so there’s no sound produced. I can’t reproduce it with my technique as I am now.”

Indeed, there was a huge gulf between Edelweiss’ original swordsmanship and the one that Ikki had displayed against Moroboshi. Furthermore, the reason for this wasn’t that Ikki had failed to steal her technique.

He had stolen all of it. Understood the reasoning behind it. But despite this, he could not reproduce it. He lacked the ability to control the flow of power through his body as he executed her instant acceleration.

“I had confidence in my ability to master my body, but it seems I was naive.” His hands, placed in his lap, balled into tight fists. “The more I imitate her, the more I come to understand that I’m still lacking.”

Being unable to execute what he had stolen - that hadn’t happened to him in a long while.

Stella gave him a sideward look, her eyes mirthful as she laughed.

“Haha. That’s also just like you.”

“What do you mean?”

“That you hate to lose. I mean, she's the world’s top swordsman, you know?”

The Twin Wings was not merely admired: for many Blazers, she was an object of fear and worship; she could be considered close to a goddess. No one believed that they belonged in the same world, the same plane of strength as her. They did not believe it, and thus from the beginning forfeited victory.

“But you actually seem displeased that you couldn’t match her, Ikki.”

He saw her as a rival. He, a mere Japanese student, who simply hated losing to the extreme.

One could call him delusional, one who did not know his place.

“But...I like you when you’re like that.”

So saying, she gave him a dimpled smile. That she had them at all was something that Ikki discovered only after they had become lovers, for in truth she hated showing them to people, and would never show them to others regardless of how happy she might be. But she could show him such a smile - that cute expression was something that he alone could see.

Knowing this, that smile set Ikki’s heart thundering warm in his chest.

“Stella…”

It had been so long since he had last seen this smile up close.

He caressed her cheek tenderly.

She did not reject it, as one rejects not the wind in one’s hair.

He could feel her slightly high temperature through the palm of his hand.

They were connected. Not by blood, but she had accepted him as though he were.

These feelings got his blood up.

Her flaming red hair. Glimmering crimson eyes. The heat of her skin. Her soft lips glistening in the light-

-Everything about the girl before him was beautiful.

“Nnn…”

Without realizing it, he had pressed his lips over hers. It was not an ardent kiss, just a gentle one, just one to be sure that they were truly both there.

But it was enough for him.

The one he loved was so close by, and the thought that she too loved him made him so happy he could cry.

At first, he took the lead...and as their lips touched gently, Stella took over.

Lips parted, met, and parted...then met again, as though burying the time they had lost in one another.

Several wonderful minutes passed.

When at last they parted, Stella, her cheeks flushed red, looked up at him.

“Ikki. Were you lonely while I was gone?”

Her voice was barely above a whisper, like a child confessing a sin to a parent.

It seems she was worried that he had been lonesome because she had gone off on her own accord.

By all rights, he should have comforted her. He should have said ‘no’.

“Yeah. I was lonely.”

But he said otherwise all the same.

There was no reason to hide it.

“You know, before I came back to my room, I took a trip to yours.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I wanted to spend more time with you. I mean, the tournament is still on, and I thought you might think that I was taking it too lightly, but I still decided to press the doorbell anyway. No one was in, but I suppose that was because you were here...”

It seemed unmanly that he should feel lonely because he failed to meet with his girlfriend, but to hell with that. After all, he had felt that way because he had thought of her so intensely - and those were his true feelings.

“That’s why I feel really blessed right now.”

So saying, he wrapped an arm around her and held her a little tighter.

“I see.”

Stella leaned in, a small smile on her face.

That they had been unable to spend time together recently made these little moments of contact all the more wonderful. When he thought of it like that, even the moments they spend apart were lovely. He believed this from the bottom of his heart.

“Then, you should punish me, no?”

“...Huh?”

His brain ground to a halt.

That didn’t make sense.

“Um, what was that?” Ikki said, releasing the embrace. “I’m sorry if I heard you wrong, but did you say ‘punish’?”

Stella’s face remained red as she nodded.

That only confused him more.

“Um...so you mean you want me to punish you?”

“Is there any other meaning?”

“That’s true, but why do I have to do that?”

“Because, well, Ikki, you’re supposed to be the man who will become my husband, right?” Stella said, gesticulating excitedly. “Leaving you alone at her own convenience, is that something a wife should do? So, you have to punish me, right?”

From her serious expression, it didn’t seem like she was joking.

“No...no, it’s fine...it’s doesn’t have to be like that…”

He could not agree to this. He had been sad, yes, but the one he loved had already satisfied that. There was no need to do something so outrageous to her.

“That one week was time you had to have! I understand that...and I really don’t want to play the part of some narrow-minded wife-beater who can’t even understand that?!”

“Even if you’re fine with it...I’m not!”

“....Ehhh…?!”

Then he remembered.

This was just like that way back when she had come barging into his bath in her swimwear to uphold the agreement that the one who lost their mock battle would be the victor’s servant. Proud and honorable as she was, she was very hard on herself. She would certainly keep all promises, and pay back all debts of wrongdoing.

And she would not be dissuaded in doing so - troublesome.

In this case, letting her take the lead is a no-go, Ikki decided from that prior experience.

Stella was usually quite shy, but when she was given free rein she could be quite bold. Who knew what absurd request she might make.

Things would get really out of hand if she said something like ‘spank me’...

Hence, he struck first.

“I understand. So starting from now, I’m going to punish you. Do not resist.”

He grasped her by the shoulders, bringing her face close to his, intending to kiss her on the cheek and count that for punishment before she could establish any concrete idea for what it should be.

“O-okay. But no kissing. That’s too gentle to be punishment.”

She hit the nail on the head right before he could execute.

It seemed she, too, knew him well.

He winced. His escape route had been seen through and cut off in but an instant.

“I-I understand.”

He had no idea what would happen if he backed out now.

Changing plans, he brought Stella’s face closer to his.

Would he kiss her? No. He wouldn’t.

Wrapping his arms around her back, he held her close, and drew his face next to hers.

“This is punishment,” he breathed into her ear. “so it’s going to hurt a bit.”

“Eh…?”

He placed his teeth to her ear. The ear lobe was quite sensitive to the touch, and the sensation of hot lips upon its uniquely cool surface was quite pleasurable. He put some strength behind his teeth, neither weak enough to be called nibbling nor strong enough to be biting. Just enough to leave a mark, enough to fulfill her request for judgement.

Then-

“Hii! A...ah...aaahh-!!!”

“Uwa!”

There was a high-pitched shriek, and Stella bucked hard in his arms, as though she were being electrocuted.

“Does it really hurt that much?”

Ikki asked, surprised by her intense reaction. She shook her head, clinging to him.

So it’s not that it hurts, huh.

Ikki thought, looking at Stella as she trembled, crimson up to her ears.

Then, I wonder-

He then pressed his teeth up against her neck.

“Hnnnnnng!!!”

She moaned, gripping him tighter.

Could it be, he realized, that she’s the sort for whom a little pain gives way to pleasure instead?

Ikki felt a little embarrassed about having discovered his lover’s disposition, as though it were his own.

He had never intended to punish her over such a small matter as her absence anyway. Neither was he willing to hurt the girl he held dear - so it could not be better that she derived pleasure from it.

But just as he begun to think that way-

“Haa...Aha...I’m glad…”

“Stella?”

Feeling her breath hot on his ear, he pulled back a little, took a good look at her-

-and started.

Her face was slack, as though in a trance, her skin reddened as though with the onrush of blood, the rationality in her dim, strangely lit crimson eyes melting away like so much strawberry jelly. Undraping her right arm from Ikki’s back, she reached for the shallow teeth-marks on her neck, caressing them with loving tenderness.

“...I’ve...been eaten up by Ikki…” she said happily.

The heat in her tone and the scent of her freshly-bathed body struck Ikki with a world-shaking sense of vertigo.

This is bad...

Clearly, he had flipped an odd switch in her.

He thought that he could just about diffuse the powder-keg with a restrained bite or so, but had somehow stepped on a landmine instead.

This was dangerous. For her, and for him-

It was embarrassing to admit, but if things escalated from here, he was sure that their resolve to not cross the line before her parents had approved of him would break.

So, expending the last of his resolve he grabbed her by the shoulders and peeled her off him.

“Al-Alright! I’m satisfied! We can stop here now!”

“Aa…”

But in his haste, he used too much force. His hand slipped, sliding her yukata down and opening it up from the chest down on one side, exposing half her ample bosom. He could not help but also see to the point where her breasts ended in a discolored tip-

“U...wa…”

Ikki was dumbstruck.

His throat was parched, his heart was pounding painfully in his chest. He wanted to avert his eyes. Apologize. But he could not tear his eyes away. Nor could he find words, as though Stella’s immodest form was short-circuiting his reason.

To make things worse…

“It’s okay…”

Stella was too already far gone to stop him.

“...You can bite if you want to.”

She made no move to correct her dishevelment, instead reaching up to stroke Ikki’s face, a smoldering look in those eyes that reflected only him. Her lips curved upwards, glistening with the wetness of his saliva, allowing him free rein.

Something snapped in Ikki’s head.

He couldn’t think anymore. He didn’t even know what he might do now - only that his face was slowly being drawn to Stella’s breasts as she looked on lovingly, sliding her hands behind his head as she pulled him in to meet her-

Ding-dong.

“...!!!!!!”

The sudden doorbell was met with a pair of wordless shrieks.

The coming of this third party was like a bucket of cold water tossed over their heads: forcibly parting their linked bodies and thoughts, they fled, each to one corner of the bed.

Their excitement cooled, only to be replaced by burning embarrassment.

What were they doing?

What would they have done?

What would have happened had the doorbell not rung?

Just thinking about it gave them fits.

“Haha...is this good timing...or bad timing?”

“Y-yeah, that’s exactly it, isn’t it? ...Oho-hohoho.”

Having parted from Ikki, Stella pulled her robe closed to the point where it seemed like she was wearing a corset as she averted her reddened gaze, her tone unnatural.

It was as though she was trying to recoup her losses with that tone.

Utterly futile - but that said he too had been caught up in that atmosphere. He had no leg to stand on either.

“I-in any case let’s cool off a bit. After all, someone is here.”

“Y-yeah. That’s good,” Stella agreed.

Getting off the bed, Ikki approached the entrance.

Along the way, he massaged his chest.

Th-that was close...!

If they had allowed things to go in that direction, it would have been bad.

That was a pathetic showing, for having promised to not dishonor Stella’s parents.

To think that he would be so easily swayed by circumstances- but, well, it would have been weird if he had had no reaction to Stella when she had been like that.

Whatever it was, this visitor had saved him.

It was only right for him to welcome them.

And it was for the best that the two of them were not alone now. Things were just too awkward.

But who would come to my room at this time?

Wondering thus, he opened the door-

“Hi, may I ask who is this?”

“Good evening. As promised, I’ve come to paint you in the nude.”

-Bam!-

Slamming the door, he locked it with swiftness.

“Ikki? What happened?!”

“Some door-to-door tout.”

“But we’re in a hotel!”

Though somehow she could not see it, blocked as she was by Ikki’s back, the person outside was not a salesman in a suit, but a blonde with unruly hair dressed in nothing but a topless apron - Akatsuki Academy’s Sara Bloodlilly.

He seemed to have caught her eye during the attack on Hagun, and thus she had accosted him during the social party held for competitors in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival in order to get him as a nude model for her work.

And somehow it seemed like she hadn’t been joking.

He couldn’t in any right welcome such a guest.

He didn’t want to pose nude.

Even as he desperately pressed up against the doorknob, wondering how he could extricate himself from this situation-

“Sorry to be a bother.”

The wall beside him opened, and Sara walked in.

“Eh? Eeeeh?! Where did you come in from?”

“The wall.”

“No, I can see that. Why did the door open?”

“It had a knob on it.”

Indeed, there was one on the other side of the wall.

He didn’t even know it was there.

“How could that be?!”

She had used an ability, no doubt about that.

“I don’t know what ability you used there...but why are you clinging to me like this?”

“I just said it. As we agreed, I’m here to paint you in the nude,” Sarah said, without a trace of hesitation.

She met his eyes dead-on. She was serious about it.

So was he about refusing.

“But I don’t remember agreeing to be painted by you…”

“Well, I promised to paint you.”

“That’s not a promise! We didn’t make a compact! That’s just you!”

“...You’re surprisingly stubborn. Can’t be helped then. In that case-”

“You’ll give up?”

“I’ll compromise - I’ll strip too.”

“No! That’s not the kind of compromise I want!” he said, refusing desperately. “I said I didn’t want to, so just give up and go back!”

“I can’t.”

They weren’t even on the same wavelength. Sara did not back down, and indeed drew closer to him.

“...I can’t have anyone else but you. Ever since I touched you that day I’ve only been able to think of you. No one else. Only you can satisfy me now - so please take responsibility for that.”

Saying these dangerous words, she sidled her half-naked form against his chest.

“S-Sara-san, please watch what you’re saying-!”

The blood drained from his face as Stella’s hand clamped down on his shoulder.

He turned around to see her smiling like a demon, a throbbing vein threatening to burst on her forehead.

“Oh, Ikki? I wonder what all this is about? Why’s this nympho from Akatsuki here to see you? And all that about stripping, not stripping and whatnot...it seems like the two of you have gotten really close while I wasn’t around, eh?”

“Err, no, Stella…! Calm down. This is a terrible misunderstanding.”

“Fufufu. What are you talking about? There’s no misunderstanding - this is the tenth floor.”

This is bad, she’s too heated up!

Her blood had all gone to her head, none of his words were getting through.

Leaving aside Sara’s state of dress, Stella was the sort who bore no small amount of suspicion for Ikki’s own sister Shizuku. There was no way she would stay silent if some unknown woman came to her lover’s place right before her eyes.

He had to be straight with her. Show that he had done nothing objectionable.

“We’re not close at all. It’s just that during the party that you didn’t attend...she, err...said that she wanted me to be her nude model.”

“Eh- N-n-n-nude model?!! T-that’s not happening! Definitely not! E-even I haven’t seen you nude yet!”

“That’s the problem?”

“It is! Whatever it is, I won’t allow it! You’re rejected, re-jec-ted! And how long do you plan to cling on to him, you nympho?! Get off!”

Roaring angrily, she pulled Sara off Ikki before pushing her away. Her balance broken, Sara landed bottom-first onto the bed, from whence she glared daggers at Stella.

“Why do you get to refuse, Crimson Princess? It’s none of your business.”

“It is my business! I’m Ikki’s girlfriend!”

“Then it’s fine. I don’t intend to become his girlfriend. You can have his heart. I’m here for his body.”

“His body’s mine too...”

“Eh?”

“Anyway, all this ‘nude model’ talk sure sounds like what an artist would say, but you haven’t proved you’re one! For all I know, you just want to see his naked body because you’re a pervert!”

At this, Sara’s expression darkened significantly, as though questioning her status as an artist was some slight to her pride.

“If you’re doubting my credentials, then allow me to introduce myself formally. As a lady of the Imperial Family of Vermillion, you should know this name.”

Producing a memo pad from her denim pants, Sara wrote something on it before passing it to Stella.

“This is whom I prefer to be known as.”

“A nome de guerre? ….Eh? Eeeeeehhh?!!!”

Stella’s face was immediately tinged with shock.

There was some kind of unknown signature inscribed on the memo pad, and she seemed to know it.

“This...it’s Mario Rosso!”

“Eh, who’s that? Sounds like some character from One P****...”

“He’s the most celebrated artist worldwide today. If I recall, the highest price his work could fetch was 1.4 billion.”

“In yen?!”

“No, USD. Though since Mario was known to be a misanthropic recluse, I myself have never seen him.”

“Since you’ve never seen this person, couldn’t she be a fake?”

“That can’t be. This signature is the real deal. We have one of Mario’s paintings in our dining hall in Vermillion, and the signature on it is identical to this one. That painting made an magnificent impression on me, so I can recall it. To think that ‘Mario’ was someone who lived in the underbelly...I suppose that explains why all those people who tried to seek ‘his’ real identity vanished without a trace...fine, I got it.”

“It’s good that you understand,” Sara said. “I’m no pervert. I simply wish to put my ideal man -the Uncrowned Sword King’s- gallant form into art with my own hands, that’s all.”

As though saying ‘so, don’t get in my way’, she approached Ikki.

But Stella stood steadfastly between the two of them.

“...It’s true that I understand that you’re a first-rate artist, and to be honest I’m interested in how Mario Rosso would depict Ikki, but that’s got nothing to do with it. What’s more important is that Ikki doesn’t want to, and so I won’t allow it!”

“Stella…!”

How comforting, to have a lover like her.

He had been at a loss when she had misunderstood them, but thank goodness, she had been calm. If the two of them together were to refuse, Sara would surely have no choice but to back down.

Just as he was about to heave a sigh of relief-

“If you do not get in my way, then I promise to draw a portrait of the two of you to be hung on the walls of the Vermillion palace, to wish you happiness for all your days - with you as the bride, and him as the groom.”

“...Ikki. Why don’t you just have this one picture drawn to commemorate your showing at the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival?”

“You were so easily bought over-!??”

“It’s fine. It’s just art, there’s no need to be embarrassed...!”

“You’ve got to be kidding!”

Two against one. This was bad. Very bad.

In a flash, he bolted out from the room.

“Eh, Ikki, wait!”

“The model of a lifetime...I won’t let you get away!”

With all his might he fled, running from his two pursuers.

Despite having fled from the two of them, the simple structure of the hotel made it such that there was nowhere to hide. Not there sort of place where he could elude them on foot alone.

And then there was the issue of having a place to sleep. This was the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival; he couldn’t simply sleep outside.

But he couldn’t return to his room either.

So he needed to find someone else’s.

His first thought was Alice’s room, but it was too risky. Capture was all but certain.

Shizuku’s room was also out. Nothing good would come of that one.

And yet it was late, and he did not have any close friends he could simply barge in on without prior notice-

“-and that’s how you ended up at my place.”

“Yes. One can only rely on family in such circumstances.”

The room he fled in the end was his brother, Ouma’s.

“Well, they wouldn’t think to find me at your place. Could I borrow it for the night?”

“Go back.”

“If I could, I wouldn’t be here.”

“You’ve got some nerve to talk like that when you’re imposing on someone else.”

Ikki’s tone was nothing short of disrespectful, given that he was speaking to his senior. But given that his brother was openly assisting terrorist, and had even made an attempt on his own life, it was only to be expected.

“Just go over to someone else’s place. Don’t you have any friends?”

“You’re one to talk about friends.”

“...Have a little respect.”

“Respect? Ha, ha. That’s a good one. Am I supposed to look up to someone who’s become the errand boy for terrorists while I was away? My contempt knows no words - or are you going to spin this one for me?”

“I’m a hated man, aren’t I...”

Ouma frowned as the torrent abuse that would have made Shizuku proud spewed forth, but knowing it to be justified enough he said nothing about it.

“...Just for tonight,” he said, and begrudged him entry.

The room was large, and he was unused to beds anyway.

It couldn’t hurt.

With a short “thanks,” Ikki entered the room.

The lights were off - it seemed that Ouma might have been headed to sleep after all.

While Ikki examined the room, Ouma retrieved a bottle of mineral water from the fridge.

“Need something to drink?”

“I’m going to sleep soon anyway. I’ll be fine.”

“I see. Then use the bed. I’m not using it.”

“Thanks for the hospitality,” Ikki said, and sat on the bed as suggested.

Ouma for his part leaned against the wall instead, seating himself on the carpet laid across the floor, and in the darkness he directed his sharp, glinting eyes at his brother.

“So, what’s your real purpose? You didn’t come here just to flee from them, did you?”

“...Well, kind of.”

He was right.

Running from Sara and Stella was his primary, but hardly the only reason he had come to his brother’s room.

This was after all the same person who had attacked him the previous day, and yet he was here.

There had to be a fitting reason behind that decision.

“The thing is that we’ve always been meeting under hostile circumstances, and we haven’t gotten the chance to talk at all. So I wanted to speak to you in a more civilized manner.”

Ouma did not reply, but he did not reject Ikki either.

Taking his silence for consent, Ikki spoke up.

“You know, I really looked up to you. You were harsher on yourself than anyone; you were the one who bore the expectations of everyone back at home; and you carried all of them with you. You could call it admiration. You were the only one worth learning from. That’s why I wasn’t worried when you disappeared after graduating from elementary school. I knew that you would be roaming the earth honing yourself as a warrior. Japan back then was too small for you.”

Truth be told, Ouma had been unrivalled within the country and without by the time he had upped and left in his first year of middle school. Before his might, that had conquered the League’s U-12 tournament by the sixth year of elementary school, his peers and even middle schoolers could do nothing. His strength as a first year of middle school might even have surpassed that of the Seven Stars Sword King of that time.

For someone who pursued strength as much as Ouma, that must have been torture.

And to top it all off where the rules that Japan had subscribed to when it had first entered the League: the rule that middle and elementary students could not engage in battles outside of Illusory Form must have felt to him as nothing so much as choking claustrophobia. A battle in which one’s life was not a stake could hardly be called such.

No matter where he went, there were only kids’ battles, ones that would not make him an iota closer to true strength if he fought a hundred of them.

If Ikki too felt this way, there was no way that his brother had not thought so as well.

So it had not surprised him that Ouma had left home; indeed he believed it was a matter of course. The tiny Japanese junior league could not possibly satisfy him.

Ikki had always been following behind his brother as he forged his own way ahead.

“But that’s why it was a shock to see you showing up as a terrorist.”

He glanced at his brother in the dim-lit room.

“So why would you do something like helping ‘Rebellion’?”

This question was the reason he was here.

In his memory, his brother was someone who cared nothing for plans and schemes. A warrior who advanced stoically ahead, seeking strength.

Why would he take up with the underground?

He needed to know.

On the other hand, Ouma seemed rather listless, but replied all the same.

“First off, I’d like to correct you. I’m not with Rebellion. I’m just a guest.”

“What’s that?”

“You’re slow. Who’s at the centre of the upheaval surrounding this Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival?”

“...Prime Minister Tsukikage.”

“Correct. I am not with them, but I am on their side. And as for the reason why I’m going along with his scheme, it’s because Itsuki requested it of me. ‘I’d like to support Prime Minister Tsukikage’s ideas’, he said.”

“From...Father?!”

“Is that so surprising? Tsukikage and his people lead the movement that will have Japan exit the League and regain its sovereignty. The ex-Samurai Division had their authority over the nation’s Blazers taken away from them by the League. They both stand to gain from ‘leaving the League’. That there has been a blackout on information regarding our movements makes it all but obvious that there is collaboration between the two groups.”

That made sense, and it wasn’t as though Ikki hadn’t considered it.

He just couldn’t think that their straight-laced father would be up for a scheme as twisted as a coup d’etat. But his brother had confirmed it, and thus their father’s stance regardless the link was there.

That shocked him beyond words.

And speaking of surprises-

“That’s odd. To think you would move on his word.”

-this, too, was surprising, that he would be filial to their father in this way.

Ouma made a face.

“Rubbish. I discarded our ‘family’ long ago. But for the purposes of awakening the Crimson Princess that you rendered dotard, working with Akatsuki is more convenient. Fulfilling that request is just by-the-by.”

“You embarrassed?”

“You wanna die?”

“Do you know what Prime Minister Tsukikage is really thinking?”

“I don’t. And I don’t want to ask,” Ouma answered, his voice devoid of interest.

“Huh. I guess I understand.”

Ikki was comforted by this knowledge that his brother’s alliance with them was not out of interest but merely of convenience. In the end, he did not wish to see his brother wrapped up in these nefarious schemes.

To have kicked up all this fuss in order to have a proper match with Stella - now that suited his brother.

Nonetheless-

“You seem quite taken with Stella. Your attack yesterday was about that too.”

He brought up the incident the day before in which Ouma had attacked him on his way back Moroboshi’s place, with the intention to eliminate him for weakening Stella.

“I was thinking that I might have been in for a fight today too. Or are we good today?”

“...There’s no longer any need for it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. You saw the matches today as well, didn’t you? She’s different from how she was before, she has grasped her power. To have gained so much in so little time, she must have felt that necessity - that it was necessary in order to defeat me. She has awakened from your spell, recognized who it is that she should be competing with. That is splendid - for all her potential she will not grow if she does not aim higher.”

“...”

Ikki was surprised at his brother’s words, and not in a good way.

The one who had promised to challenge her was him.

To hear Ouma claim her hard work as all ‘having been for his sake’ turned his stomach.

But the catalyst for her improvement had indeed been her defeat at his hands. His teeth ground, but no reply would come forth from them.

Yet...

“I understand why you won’t attack me today, but I don’t get why you're so fixated on Stella. There are people in Japan today who are clearly stronger than Stella: the ‘Yasha Princess’ and the ‘God of War’ for example. If you wanted to hone yourself, one of them would be more suitable. But instead you insist on inciting her growth in this roundabout manner. What’s the reason for that, I wonder?”

He still hadn’t gotten a clear answer about that one.

As Stella’s lover, that was the part he was really most concerned about.

And so he pressed in.

“You’re missing the point,” Ouma replied, his gaze mocking. “That’s just like you.”

“Eh?”

“You completely misunderstand the concept of ‘a Knight’s power’. That’s why you fall into using your parlor tricks so lightly.”

‘Listen up’, Ouma seemed to say as he drew himself up like a schoolmaster at the edge of his patience.

“The reason why a Knight is a Knight is because they possess magic. Magic is the ability to reject reason and change the world. The power ‘to reshape the world in our image,’ it has been called. The amount of aura a person has cannot change during their lives, and as such the impact one can have on the world, the size of the mark that one can leave on history - these have already been decided the moment one is born. People call this ‘fate’. As such a ‘Knight’s Power’ is the ability to push back the ‘fate’ of others in favor of their own. And Stella Vermillion possesses what can be considered the greatest amount of raw magical power in the world - thus there exists no greater foe than her in the pursuit of strength.”

Through magic, one’s fate could be realized.

This was how the modern man defined Knights and their magic. And indeed, A-Rank Knights had always seared their mark into legend whether for good or ill, with great deeds to match that rank. One’s magic reserve was foremost in their world. Ouma’s opinion was, as far as the zeitgeist would have it, not unfounded.

“But you’re talking about her potential. In terms of present strength…”

“The ‘Yasha Princess’ is above her? That is so, I suppose. But in that case all I require is to rouse her potential by force. Hook her in, and then awaken her. It’s that simple - and it has borne fruit. You saw it too, didn’t you? That dragon. If that is indeed the core of her being, then the ‘God of War’ and the ‘Yasha Princess’ may as well be nothing. This is where you have it wrong: I’m not looking for a disadvantageous battle. If I were, I could indeed challenge the ‘Yasha Princess’. But in these five years, I have had that kind of experience far too many times already.”

“...!”

“What I seek from her is not a battle that does not favour me. I seek power, power inexorable. I seek defeat, defeat inevitable. For an A-Rank Knight like me, the only one who can give this to me is Stella, who possesses that absolute magic. And...if I can overcome it...if I can do that, then perhaps this hand of mine will tremble no more.”

So saying, he wrapped his right hand in a vice-grip.

Indeed, it shook ever so slightly.

Ikki knew that trembling, born of unquenchable terror.

What did he fear?

Ikki could not say.

But in the gloam Ouma almost seemed aflame, a zeal for battle radiating off him in waves.

...He was also glad.

He hasn’t changed...

Having gotten off on so wrong a foot, he had feared that his brother might have changed utterly. But that was not so. He had not changed. He was still the man on a single-minded chase after strength. He was still the person Ikki had admired.

“I stand corrected, a little, Ouma.”

“How ‘little’ do you mean?”

“I don’t have to look at you like you’re all upside-down.”

“Always had to have the last word, didn’t you,” Ouma said as he furrowed his brow and closed his eyes. “Chit-chat’s over. I’m going to sleep. You should too.”

“I will.”

There was nothing more to ask.

He was concerned about the source of Ouma’s fear, but they were not so close that he could ask about such a private thing.

Closing his eyes, Ikki allowed consciousness to fade. And it fled from him, its path eased by the exhaustion of the match and his lack of sleep. Just as the darkness was about to settle-

“You’ve caught the eye of someone very troublesome,” he heard Ouma say. “Nothing good is going to come of it; you’d best be prepared.”

His warning would be realized the very next day.

[You have unread mail: (1)

From: The 72nd Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival Organizing Committee

Subj: A Notice to all Participants of the 72nd Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival

This morning, the Organizing Committee has received notices of withdrawal from Akatsuki Academy First Years Yui Tatara and Rinna Kazamatsuri, while fellow Akatsuki Academy First Year Reisen Hiraga has been disqualified for malicious conduct. As a result of these forfeitures, Stella Vermillion of Hagun Academy’s advance to the Semi-finals has been confirmed.

This Committee has decided that due to the reduction in the number of total matches, the match schedule should be moved forward.

As such, it has been decided that the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the tournament shall be completed this day. We apologize for the inconvenience that this may cause any of the participants, and hope that you will cooperate with us on this matter.]