“Gahah…!”
Moroboshi was awoken by a cold sensation on his face: the stone of the arena floor.
Wha—? Why am I on the ground? With his consciousness having been so suddenly seized from him, he had no idea what was going on—not the situation he was in, or even that he had taken a blow from Ikki. Anyway, I’d better stand up.
It was a fighter’s instinct to quickly rise from a defenseless, prone position. Even if he didn’t know what had happened, his action was a reflexive one. Hence, as soon as Moroboshi awoke, he jumped to his feet.
“Gnaaaaagh!”
He instantly screamed in pain, however, as if a smoldering chunk of iron had been pressed into his side.
“Moroboshi stands up, but he appears to have taken some serious damage! He’s bleeding quite a bit, too! Both of his knees are buckling!”
Once he’d heard the play-by-play announcer’s voice and experienced the pain in his side, Moroboshi finally realized that he was wounded.
What the heck? I got hit?! But I didn’t see anything!
Moroboshi was confused, but then he heard something.
“I finally get it…” his opponent murmured.
“Kurogane? What the hell did you do?”
What realization could he have made that led to such speed? In response to this question, Ikki bowed in apology.
“Moroboshi, I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”
“You’re sorry?”
“Yeah. But now, it’s all here.” Ikki was clearly speaking of the promise he’d made the day before—the promise that he would be the greatest opponent Yuudai Moroboshi could have asked for. He was finally convinced that he could carry out that promise. “I can do what I promised now. I’ll show you the true, full strength of Ikki Kurogane!”
“…Nh!”
As he spoke that last word, Ikki vanished from Moroboshi’s field of vision.
He disappeared?!
It was not that he’d disappeared, Moroboshi’s kinetic vision simply couldn’t keep up with the rocketing start he’d taken, reaching top speed the moment his heel had left the ground. He traced a smooth curve as he darted around Moroboshi to the left, easily slipping through the thrice-striking spear to arrive in sword range.
“Rahhh!”
Dashing by like a black blur, Ikki let loose a hail of sword strikes. The attacks tore open Moroboshi’s right side, but he still turned deftly and counterattacked.
“Damn youuu!”
Judging Ikki’s position by the burning pain that assailed him, Moroboshi unleashed an Astral Trio. However, all three strikes struck nothing but air, for Ikki was no longer in the direction he was aiming.
H-He’s already out of the way?!
He was flabbergasted by Ikki’s speed. However, he was given no time to be surprised as a slash quickly fell on him from behind.
“Gaaah!”
“Wow, he’s taken another blow! Moroboshi keeps on letting his opponent into striking range! He can’t keep up with Kurogane’s moves! Astral Trio whiffs again, sailing through the air without reaching its destination!”
“There’s nothing he can do! Kurogane’s smooth movement and overwhelming speed are making it hard for even us to keep up with him from up in the booth! Following him when he’s right in front of you must be impossible! I doubt the Seven Stars King can see Worst One anymore!”
Muroto’s analysis was right on the mark.
Dammit…!
An unbelievable scene had unfolded in Moroboshi’s field of vision. Countless sword strikes assailed him, the sound of footsteps moving with incredible speed were audible—there was no doubt that his foe was right next to him, but no matter where he turned to look, he saw nothing. The arena seemed empty apart from him.
What the—? What on earth?!
Was it really possible? Was what Ikki was doing actually, realistically possible? In a flat, circular arena of just over a hundred yards in diameter and with no hiding spots to speak of, how could Moroboshi have been unable to see his foe, who was so close that he could hear him breathing?
Th-This is real bad!
Moroboshi sensed the signs of another impending slice. Continuing to get hit would spell his end, but with such a wide gap in speed, defending himself with his spear was nigh impossible. The decision he made, then, was to cross his arms as an emergency guard.
“Hraaahhhhh!”
He stopped pouring magic into his spear, forgoing the use of Tiger’s Bite, and unleashed it from his body to create and envelop himself in armor.
“Look at the Seven Stars King now! The strongest, proudest knight in all of Japan has abandoned pride and glory for a full-on defense!”
Moroboshi’s magic was not as great as Stella’s. Because of that, he was unable to nullify other Devices like she could—not even one belonging to a Rank F. But if he released all of his magic, he could at least weaken Intetsu’s slashes to the point that they were little more than light whacks. If he used his arms to protect his head, he should survive at least one or two blows, but that meant going entirely on the defensive, abandoning the idea of attacking altogether. It gave Ikki the chance to step in and attack without fear.
“Kurogane won’t let this chance go! Running like the wind, he’s striking from all directions at once! He’s beating the tar out of Moroboshi, and the King can’t handle it! Is he losing the will to fight?!”
“That’s not it. The Seven Stars King has completely lost sight of Worst One. The only thing he can do is tighten up and get through this. He’s doing everything in his power to survive right now!” Muroto praised Moroboshi’s spirit in not giving up no matter what may come. “But still, we should end this fight!”
“What?! Are you saying Moroboshi doesn’t have a chance to turn the tables?!”
“It’s impossible,” Muroto responded with a nod. “The difference in their skill is too great. He doesn’t stand a chance!”
Muroto was a Mage-Knight distinguished in Japan, having climbed his way up to the KoK A-League. He of all people knew that the gap in skill was too vast for Moroboshi to surmount. However, his analysis angered Moroboshi’s fans.
“What’s with this stupid analyst?!”
“Boshiii! Don’t you dare give up!”
His hometown supporters screamed in pain. However, the battle’s sudden momentum shift was followed by an unbelievably one-sided match.
“With every gale of dark wind, the magical armor protecting Moroboshi is chipped away even more, breaking down until it eventually shatters! Is this how it ends?! Will the Star of Naniwa, the conqueror of last year’s tournament and hopeful for the first-ever two-year streak, lose here, unable to fight back?!”
In the very center of the crucible of excitement and confusion created by the fourth matchup in the first round’s block C and all its unimaginable developments, Shizuku noticed Koume’s tiny form leaving the venue in her periphery. It looked as if she was fleeing.
Koume…
She wore a strange expression as she ran. It reminded Shizuku not only of her expression while watching the battle, but also of that from when she’d seen Ikki the day before. At those times, too, her face had been distorted by the pain she suppressed.
Shizuku had a good understanding of how Koume felt, as she also had a brother who lived for battle. Along with this came an understanding of why she was tormented, and the knowledge of her logical mistake. Before she knew it, Shizuku’s legs carried her into a run after Koume.
“Oh, Shizuku. I’ve always said that’s what I love most about you,” Alice muttered to herself.
Hearing her friend’s guess as to why she was acting as such, Shizuku’s ears took on a light shade of red.