Yamata no Orochi.

While spilling blood from the many cuts across his body, Ikki jumped out with a short posture.

His red-dyed body was half dead, half alive. But the speed of that dash right now was the highest since the start of the battle, almost like a gale.

What a ridiculous bastard!

Kuraudo didn't feel rueful when commending that Ikki. Then, he should also throw away all hesitation. He decided to pour all his soul into the next attack, and shrank Orochimaru to the size of a one-handed sword.

Shrinking the reach, but prioritizing the speed. A full speed attack containing his all. Utilizing the full of Marginal Counter, an ultimate technique that only Sword Eater could unleash!


"Yamata no Orochi―!"


A full power attack. And at the same time he swung the sword; eight heads appeared as the attack! Dimly glowing in a bone-colored radiance, the eight headed serpent assaulted the dark haired knight while baring it's fangs.

Ikki, who couldn't stop the four-fold attack, couldn't possibly stop this. He would be murdered without a doubt.

But, even though that was a fact. But still!

The Worst One didn't stop. Without a shred of hesitation, he dashed towards the coming eight-headed serpent. With the blade positioned parallel to his eyesight, and with the tip pointed directly at Kuraudo's chest, he jumped forward without any intention of defending.

Was it self-abandonment? Was it a random frenzied attack?

Wrong!

…No! This is―

From the blade positioned parallel with his eyesight. And from the depths of the pair of eyes that released a blinding radiance. Kuraudo felt a chill as if his whole body was being cut apart.

He knew this. In the past, there was a moment where he felt the same sensation. That was, during the match with Ayatsuji Kaito. During the very last moment. At that time, the almost dead Kaito was trying to do something. Just like the current Ikki, he had his sword positioned like that, and he jumped forward abandoning all defense.

Kuraudo had always pondered what that was until today, that feeling. But he certainly felt it right at that moment, that sensation.

Danger.

From a man who was half dead, a man who could collapse any moment, he felt an unreasonable fear that well up from his very depth. And right now, it was the same—and exactly because so!

Interesting!!!

Kuraudo didn't stop his sword. Even at this very moment, he could evade with his Marginal Counter. But still, he didn't! He faced it head on!

Of course I will…!!!



Kuraudo always longed to see this. He wanted to see the continuation of that duel, even though he thought it was no longer possible. Maybe, just maybe Kaito might recuperate. Maybe Ayase would also master the sword completely and come to challenge him.

With that marginal wish in mind, he had always waited at this place. That was why he wouldn't stop. There was no reason for him to stop.

"It was worth the wait! These two long years―!!!"

Immediately after, their two figures intersected, and fresh blood flew in the air.


The splash of blood that rose so high that it reached the ceiling―was Kuraudo's. There was a massive slantwise gash on his huge built body, starting from the right shoulder till the end of the lower left abdominal area.

And as for Ikki, he sustained no wounds.

Why? Yamata no Orochi was something that didn't allow defending nor evading. In truth, Ikki took on the eight serpent fangs with his body. But why was he unharmed?

The reason, Ayase understood it immediately.

…N-No doubt… that's….

In the past, Ayase had witnessed this technique just once. When Ayase decided to enter Hagun Academy, it was the secret technique of the Ayatsuji single-blade style her father had shown her.

At that time, when Ayase attacked her father with Hizume, she certainly did hit his body. But, she wasn't able to cut him. The response, it was as if he was cutting the sakura petals dancing through the air. Her father said this―

―A counter-attack will be delayed if one uses the blade for deflection in order to perform an interception.

Because whenever one shifts the enemy's sword to evade, then one's own sword will also shift from the place he wants to attack a proportional distance. Then what should be done in order to perform a perfect counter?

Kaito's gave an answer to that question. All one had to do is take the opponents attack with one's body and ward it off without shifting the opponent's sword along with the place one wants to attack.

A peerless stance to evade the enemies attack by taking the most minimum possible movement, dispelling everything of the material world while feeling every physical existence around.


"Ayatsuji single-blade style final secret, Ten'i Muhou[5]!"