“And we have a winneeeeer! With twists everywhere you looked, the fourth match of block C was a breathless roller coaster! Another One, Ikki Kurogane, comes out on top of this struggle! It’s unprecedented! The Seven Stars King, a favorite to win two years in a row, has been bested in the first round! What an incredible upset!”
As soon as the match ended, a medical team rushed into the ring and loaded Moroboshi onto a stretcher. His energy completely exhausted, Moroboshi didn’t even have the strength to leave the arena on his own two legs. As he was rushed out of the arena, his supporters sent him off with applause.
“Good job! You did your best, Boshi, you really did!”
“We’ve cheered for you ever since before your retirement… but today was your best showing ever!”
“Applause rains down on the hometown hero as he’s carried away, unconscious, on a stretcher. This is the boy who recovered from career-ending injuries; an incredible warrior who stood at the top undefeated until today. Even though he lost, the unwavering grit he showed in that glorious performance was more than fitting for the strongest student knight in Japan, and stands as a testament to his Seven Stars King title!”
Off to the side, Ikki watched as Moroboshi was carted off the field.
“Yeah, don’t worry. I won’t lose,” he said confidently, answering Moroboshi’s last request before turning to leave the arena.
“And now, after taking down the conqueror of the Seven Stars, Another One leaves the ring with his usual composure as he looks onward to the second round. The weakest magic meets the strongest swordplay. His reputation is well-earned, and everyone here today can be completely sure of that. This boy is the real deal! He’s not just some Rank F, he’s a knight strong enough to compete with the greats for the top of the sixty-second Seven Stars Battle Festival!”
“That was sooo cool! Go, Tokyo guy!”
“Ikki’s the best!”
“Keep up this momentum and take the top! You can do it!”
Like Moroboshi, Ikki was subject to a rain of applause as he left.
Thank you.
Though he was a little embarrassed to be getting so much attention, he silently offered his heartfelt gratitude to everyone in the Dome as he returned to the gate he’d entered through. Due to the effects of Ittou Shura and his use of an unfamiliar style of swordplay, his steps were heavy with fatigue. However, his back remained perfectly straight, for he was proud of himself for winning against such a powerful knight.
It was a worrying match, to say the least. When he’d left the waiting room to enter the arena, he couldn’t bear the fear he’d felt. But he had won and made it to the next round, making it through the first tribulation of Seven Stars, leaving only four more. Only four more wins, and he would finally be at the place he’d always admired, the place he’d always aspired to reach.
The peak of the Seven Stars isn’t too far now!
Ikki came to that realization as he made his way through the gate and exited the arena. Then, from within that gate, a lone figure was visible, clapping as they walked toward him.
“So, you really won.” The path between the waiting room and the gate wasn’t illuminated, so the area they were in was pitch-black. Thus, as the person speaking to him was still far off, Ikki had trouble seeing their face. He had no need to see their face, however, for hearing their voice was more than enough to tell him who it was. “But of course you did. After all, I’m the only one who gets to take down Another One.”
Approaching him was a girl with eyes as beautiful as rubies, and scarlet hair like flames to match: Stella Vermillion, the Crimson Princess.