Volume 18 - CH 3

Kouzou is at Tsushima military base talking on the phone with Itsuki. Ryouma and Kouzou were war comrades and now Ryouma’s grandson is informing Kouzou of the results of the battle in Tokyo. Kouzou then heads to the medical room where Tsukikage is resting. Kouzou says to the sleeping Tsukikage that the US military has retreated, and so the nightmare Tsukikage saw is finally over. However, Tsukikage is talking in his sleep with a trembling voice, saying that it’s not over yet and the disaster that’s about to hit the world hasn’t even started. The scene then takes place 3 days after Tsukikage and the others escaped from the US military base in Czechoslovakia. During those 3 days Nangou had been fighting tens of Abraham clones and is currently resting at a nearby mountain. Nangou is injured and is almost at his limit, while using his sound ability to hide himself. Before Nangou came here, he went to Rebellion headquarters and found the corpse of “Tyrant” gone. He is certain the corpse is in the military base where Tsukikage and the others were held before, and he needs to confirm it. Nangou is inside his Noble Art “Nagi (lull)” which is a barrier that obscure all kinds of sounds, and suddenly Edelweiss shows up in front of him. Nangou and Edelweiss are acquainted with each other since Nangou’s best friend Ryouma taught Edelweiss swordsmanship in a foreign country after being exiled from the Kurogane house. Fu Xiaoli, who is wearing a China dress, shows up with Edelweiss as shown in a pic and she is excited to see Nangou who is the only person other than the “Great Teacher” that has the “God of War” title. Edelweiss is here because ever since the incident with Or-Gaule, the Union had been making unpleasant movements across Europe and so a big war is about to happen soon. She knew the truth about “Tyrant” through Ryouma and wanted to check the current state of “Tyrant’s” corpse that could trigger World War 3. She didn’t find the corpse at Rebellion headquarters but she followed traces of magic power to here. She wants to save many lives with the swordsmanship taught to her by Ryouma. Nangou asks why Edelweiss is with Xiaoli, who is a warrior from the Union. After she lost to Stella, Xiaoli was training in the Alps but she was on the verge of death due to not bringing enough food and a blizzard occurred. Edelweiss saved her and gave her s’mores, so Xiaoli is here to return the favor. Edelweiss and Xiaoli then agree to help Nangou fight the Abraham clones. Once they step out of Nangou’s barrier, the Abraham clones detect their presence and teleport to in front of them.

Central part of Tokyo was stored underground with elevator but now that the battle in Tokyo is over, all the buildings are moved back to above ground. Kagami Kusakabe and Alice are walking in the city where everyone is celebrating as shown in a pic. Clones of Kagami created with “Raise Up” are interviewing people all over the area for her school newspaper. She wanted to interview Kurono who is the star in the war for stopping PSYON by herself until reinforcement arrived. But Kurono who was treated for her injuries still hasn’t woken up with Nene watching over her. Kagami then sees Stella within the crowd and goes to hug her. Kagami was worried about Stella because of what happened in Vermillion but Stella said she had help. Alice and Shizuku who is also there greet each other and inform each other that they accomplished their goal for the summer holidays. Shizuku offers to cure Alice if he is injured but Alice replies he’s fine since he was only providing support. Stella was told that Kagami was on the frontline which she finds it to be amazing since normally D-rank student knights are not allowed to be on the frontline. Kagami replies that she was fighting with Kurono and Kirihara, though Stella at first doesn’t remember who Kirihara is. Kagami then asks if she can interview Stella to ask about the war in Vermillion where Stella and Ikki played important roles in it. Stella agrees but asks they do the interview later since she is looking for Ikki. The details of Ikki having the appearance of a child haven’t been spread.

Ikki who got separated from Stella and Shizuku is having a hard time walking through a crowd due to his current body being smaller. Ikki encounters Ayase and she is shocked to see his blood-stained clothes though he assures her that it’s not his blood. Ikki tells Ayase that it’s him but Ayase believes the child in front of her is a fan of Ikki. Kuraudo shows up and doesn’t believe that the child is Ikki as well. Ayase then tells Ikki that he should take a bath since he’s covered in so much blood and so she takes him to a nearby public bath. But because so many men from the self-defense force are using the bath, all children under the age of 10 must use the area for women. Ikki protests but unfortunately he’s exhausted from the battle and can’t escape. He enters the women changing area and inside there are Touka, Renren and Kanata Toutokubara. Ikki while embarrassed does his best to keep his eyes closed as shown in a pic so that he doesn’t see the girls who are removing their clothes. However, Touka crouches beside Ikki and asks in a small voice if he is Ikki since his bioelectric current feels familiar to her. After Ikki explains to Touka what happened to his body, she understands the situation and will help him. Touka separates Ikki from everyone else and helps him take off his clothes. While inside the women bathing area, Ikki holds Touka’s hand so that she can escort him as his eyes are closed the whole time. After Ikki finishes bathing and leaves the women area with the girls, he encounters Stella, Shizuku, Kagami and Alice who are surprised to see him there.

In their dormitory room at Hagun Academy, Ikki is sitting on the floor while Stella sits on the bed looking down on him. After Ikki explains to Stella what happened, she scorns him for taking advantage of his current appearance to peek inside the women bathing area. Eventually she believes that he didn’t see anyone naked but still doesn’t forgive him. Ikki said he will do anything to make Stella forgive him and so she orders him to take a bath with her since it’s not fair other girls had already taken a bath with the small Ikki. Later, Ikki and Stella are naked inside the bathroom and he tells her that she should at least cover herself with a towel. While lifting and showing off her breasts with a provocative smile, Stella asks if Ikki is shy now even though he had played with them so much. Ikki becomes reminded of their first night together and looks away embarrassed. He tells Stella that it doesn’t mean he’s used to it and asks her if she’s not embarrassed. Stella replies that she’s a little shy but she’s not ashamed to show her body to him since her heart and body belong to him. Ikki is then sitting on a chair with Stella kneeling behind him as shown in a colored pic, and she is going to wash his head since he didn’t properly wash his head in the women bathing area before since he was in a hurry to get out of there. Stella’s big breasts occasionally hit the back of Ikki’s head or neck while she is washing his head. It’s making him want to have her body but he feels he can’t do anything while in his current body. Stella looks really happy doing this and thinks Ikki is cute right now. Ikki asks if Stella prefers him to be small as he feels a little jealous of the small version of himself. Stella then suddenly hugs Ikki from behind and his face is caught between her big breasts, causing his heart rate to jump so high. She tells him that the normal Ikki is the best and the reason why she’s having so much fun now is that while looking at Ikki’s current appearance she wonders if their child will look like this. Ikki is surprised Stella has already thought about having kids but she replies it’s not that weird since he saved Vermillion so her father can’t disapprove him anymore. Although she doesn’t plan on making kids while she’s still a student, 3 years will pass by fast. Since her sister Lunaeyes has abandoned the right to Vermillion’s throne, Stella will succeed the throne and her child with Ikki will be a country’s king in the future. While hugging Ikki, Stella tells him that after they graduate she will do her best to give birth a lot and so he should be prepared.

After they took their bath, Ikki and Stella are walking through the school grounds. Many students are celebrating around the school so Ikki and Stella decide to go somewhere quiet. They are at a cliff near the school where they are enjoying the view. Stella says it’s been 4 months since she came to this school and she never thought she would have grown this much and fell in love with someone. Ikki also feels the same as so many things have changed in his life since 4 months ago. He didn’t think he would fall in love with someone and thinking about having kids. He’s a little worried about how to be a parent considering how his relationship with his own father had been. But he’s looking forward to it more than being worried since he and Stella will create a life together, especially if it will be a cute girl like Stella. Stella bends down and while her eyes are looking directly to Ikki’s eyes, she asks if they will always be together. Ikki assures her that they will, and the two kiss under the starry sky.

Nangou, Edelweiss and Xiaoli had fought multiple Abraham clones and suffered injuries. Xiaoli heals her injury with Stella’s dragon metabolism. Edelweiss didn’t receive injury as serious as Xiaoli, but she’s bleeding at various places on her body. Her armor had been covered with excess mana which made it as durable as a device, but now it’s damaged. It is difficult even for Edelweiss to fight a significant number of Abraham clones at the same time. Nangou is the most exhausted with half of his face burnt and he lost one eye. But despite his serious injury, he believes it was worth it since they have arrived at their destination. They are in front of an underground storage shelter in the US military base they infiltrated. The entrance is a huge steel wall and Xiaoli makes a huge hole on it by launching a fist powered with “Katharterio Salamandra”. The inside is like a hangar for an airplane and the throne with “Tyrant’s” corpse is in the center. The last time Nangou saw “Tyrant” was when he was with Ryouma and Bright in the raid against “Tyrant” during the war. Xiaoli asks if the corpse is the famous “Tyrant” Adams Goetia and why he’s dead. Edelweiss replies he’s not dead and is actually kept on ice by Ryouma. The Japanese sword stuck on the corpse is one of the two swords of Ryouma’s device “Hyouga (ice fang)”. The battle against “Tyrant” during the war ended with his life frozen continuously since then, in exchange of one of Ryouma’s sword which is said to be half of him. As a result, Ryouma lost half of his power or even more and left the frontline. Suddenly, Islands appear with about 30 Abraham clones who immediately surround the three people standing near the throne. The current situation is bad because if they fight now, Nangou who is injured and exhausted will definitely die. Nangou all of a sudden recklessly charges towards Islands while screaming his name, which surprises Edelweiss. Two Abraham clones are blocking Nangou’s path but Edelweiss intercepts them with her two swords. She slashes the two Abraham clones and puts them under control temporarily with her Noble Art “Scarred Order (subjugation by violence)”, which allows her to have strong command rights over opponents that she injures. She then makes the two Abraham clones to go after the other Abraham clones that try to stop Nangou. This allows Nangou to jump straight towards Islands and pins him to the floor with Nangou’s device piercing Islands’ shoulder. Edelweiss and Xiaoli feel a little relieved because they can overcome the situation if they have taken the enemy leader hostage.

Nangou who is strongly irritated shouts at Islands, asking him where is “Tyrant’s” device. This causes Edelweiss to realize that the blood-colored long sword called “Blutsauger” is missing from the corpse. Suddenly, Islands’ ribs come out of his body and pierce Nangou’s body. Nangou realizes the Islands in front of him is actually a “magical creature” that acts as a decoy. The face of the decoy splits in two from the top of the head to the chin, becoming one huge mouth and starts to laugh. He explains that while Nangou was busy fighting the Abraham clones, Islands had already left for Japan. He’s not interested in the US’ agenda and wants to fulfill his goal in case the US invasion of Japan fails. Nangou asks what Islands’ goal is, and Islands replies that he wants to create the strongest life form in history. Islands thought he could do it if he used “Tyrant’s” genes and Abraham was created for that purpose. However, Abraham is incomplete and is just a “magical creature” like Islands’ decoy. Spiritually, Abraham can’t be called human and is no different than a machine. Despite having strong abilities, Abraham doesn’t have a Desperado’s ability to overcome fate. In order to reach the ultimate stage, it is necessary to be born into this world as a person. Islands needs the “ultimate soul” and the “ultimate body”. The “ultimate soul” can be extracted from “Tyrant’s” device, but the “ultimate body” is difficult to obtain since it requires a “maternal body” that can carry a strong body. Islands didn’t know where to find it…until he saw the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival final match through Abraham’s eyes. Edelweiss realizes what Islands is after, but suddenly a huge rumbling is heard. Islands says he has no use for the corpse anymore now that he has retrieved “Tyrant’s” soul and so will bury it together with Nangou, Edelweiss and Xiaoli. The corpse was used to lure the three into a trap that even Desperados might not be able to withstand against. The ceiling of the hangar located 20 meters underground collapses and the crushed bedrock and sediment flow come down, crushing everyone inside.

Ikki’s eyes are closed while kissing Stella, but he suddenly opens his eyes when he senses a magic power and sees Abraham grappling Stella from behind. Before Stella could manifest her device, Abraham uses electrokinesis to short-circuit her brain and make her lose consciousness. Ikki manifests “Intetsu” and aims the tip towards Abraham’s face. Surprisingly, Abraham let the sword pierce his throat and then steps forward, causing the blade to pierce deeper. While his throat is pierced, Abraham grapples Ikki’s small body and immobilizes him. As Ikki tries to escape from the grapple, he sees Islands carrying Stella in his arms. Islands says that PSYON being defeated is unexpected but it’s fine as long as his goal here is fulfilled. Ikki recognizes Islands from the news as a major figure in the US political and business worlds, and Islands also recognizes Ikki as the famous person called “Sword God” who is also Stella’s fiancée. Ikki tells Islands to release Stella but Islands refuses because Stella will be the holy mother that will create the “ultimate life form” that Islands dreams of. Ikki then cuts off Abraham’s head and tries to attack Islands, but his body is grappled again by a headless Abraham. Ikki pierces Abraham through the heart but it’s ineffective because Abraham is a “magical creature” that can change his body’s composition. Once Islands says to Ikki that they probably won’t see each other again, Abraham’s body explodes. With Ikki completely swallowed by the flame, Islands grows a pair of wings with his cell magic and leaves with Stella. There are people who notice something has happened and Shizuku screams when she finds Ikki dying. The volume ending marks the beginning of the final battle for the fate of the beloved girl that was taken away.