Ikki Skill

====Negating Stellas Strikes===
Stella brought her Lævateinn down on the enemy before her. Ikki received that strike with his Intetsu―but without stopping there, he rode the force of the strike and swiftly leaped backward, widening the distance between them once again.

…Again!

From afar it certainly seemed like Stella's strikes were pushing Ikki back, but the reality was different. Against his tactics, her strikes were being completely negated. Using a soft defense that slowly drained away power―that might sound easy, but doing it was quite difficult. If the strength in blocking was even a little bit too high then his arm would be pulverized, and if it was even a tiny bit too low then he'd be cut down. The calculations of power, angle, timing―missing even one of these factors meant immediate failure, yet Stella's opponent handled all that without so much as breaking a sweat. At this realization, Stella felt an indescribable anxiety. It was an alarm bell, her sixth sense warning that the enemy before her was very dangerous!

=========Steals Stellas Sword ability==============
"Are you only good at running away!?"

As if trying to dispel that feeling, Stella kept on slashing at Ikki.

But he didn't reply. The troubled but warm smile he sported just a while ago had disappeared. Now he wore an expression so serious it could be terrifying, and he was calmly watching every movement Stella made.

What irritating eyes!

As if her clothes, skin, and muscles were being read fiber by fiber, her every little act was being studied. And from that gaze, she realized that Ikki was trying to understand the Imperial Arts from her movements.

"My sword style isn't so simple that you can see through it easily!"

"…No, I already got it."

In an instant, the flow of the battle turned. Only five minutes had passed since the start of the match when Ikki Kurogane began to attack for the first time.

It might've seemed like a suicidal action at first glance. In a head-on clash between swordsmen, what could he do with just honed technique against an opponent with that much offensive force? He could only fall before such scorching firepower. It should've been inevitable, but―

"Kuh!"

But Stella was the one who retreated. Ikki was pushing Stella back with his weapon. How? The method lay with the sun-like orbit Intetsu was tracing. It was, in fact, Stella's Imperial Arts.

"Impossible…! How can you be using it?"

As she asked, something flashed through Stella's mind.

"You don't mean, you copied my style during these exchanges!?"

"Something like that. I've been despised ever since I was a child, so no one ever taught me, and all I could do was watch others and steal their styles. That's why I'm quite good at these kinds of tactics. I can grasp most sword techniques with only a minute of trading blows."

Swordsmanship describes its own knowledge, style describes its own history, and breathing describes its own principle. If one followed the branches and leaves of a sword style and arrived down at the root, then it wouldn't be hard to grasp that style's techniques and combinations, or its approach in facing different situations. This was what Ikki was saying.

"And if I can understand the style that far, I can also create techniques that outperform my opponent's."

What was the ultimate way to surpass an opponent's sword style? Simply correct all the flaws of that style to create a more perfect one, and the new would be plainly superior to the old. The new style would account for all the old style's faults, and even compensate for its weaknesses. It would eclipse its precursor in every offensive and defensive situation.

"Creating that sword style in the middle of battle is my technique, Blade Steal[7]. Because Stella-san's techniques were so well-engrained, it took me two minutes to steal it and thirty seconds to surpass it. But now I have a solid grasp, so I'll also be attacking from here on."

Stella was falling behind visibly. The audience started stirring up at the unexpected development, but the one most surprised was Stella herself, and not only because she had lost in sword skill. She was surprised because her prized style had been copied, and moreover, Ikki had refined the style enough to surpass it. Just by looking at her sword swings, he could grasp the wisdom of a technique, read its history, and find its secrets. That devilish insight, it could even be called a reflective magic mirror. And on top of everything, he had done all this without using a bit of magic.

She could no longer deny it. Comparing just their sword skills, this boy was several levels above her. If the duel was restricted to weapons alone, it wouldn't even be a fair fight.

=====================Irregular Blocking================================
She could no longer deny it. Comparing just their sword skills, this boy was several levels above her. If the duel was restricted to weapons alone, it wouldn't even be a fair fight.

Stella understood that. It was one of her strengths that she admitted that. But it was also a strength of the A-Rank knight Stella Vermillion, the Crimson Princess, that she continued to strive against a stronger opponent.

If her sword style was seen through, then she could exploit that fact. Stella took the stance to swing Lævateinn downwards. Ikki swung Intetsu upwards in response. She had sent her downward arc to crush his guard, and Ikki had already grasped the speed and power of the strike when she took the initial stance, so his response was inevitable. But that itself was Stella's trap!

It worked!

Stella abandoned the swing and jumped backwards with a grin. If Ikki had seen through her style, then he should surely be caught off guard, because Stella, who had only attacked thus far, was retreating for the first time.

Ikki had taken the initiative after seeing through her style, and he immediately fell for the feint. His slashing attack missed by a wide margin. Aiming for that moment, Stella struck with her Lævateinn at Ikki's exposed flank. It was a sudden variation of tactics for Stella, who had only been attacking straightforwardly until now.

Intetsu's black blade, which was slashing empty space, could not respond to this change in timing. Lævateinn's blade smoothly scythed toward Ikki's unguarded torso.

It had to work, but―

"Your sword is half-asleep, you know."

―Lævateinn's blade never reached Ikki's side. It had been blocked.

N-No way!?

He had changed her rhythm, stopped her approach, and even entered her blind spot. Intetsu's blade was supposed to be too far off to possibly react to her cut, but her cut was still blocked!

How!? The answer to that question was―his hilt. Ikki had blocked Stella's feint-enabled strike with Intetsu's hilt, using the slight gap between his hands as they clasped the grip.

Just what kind of motion perception does this guy have!?

"Aiming for victory carelessly after feeling pressured? Slashing while retreating isn't your style. Even someone like me can stop such a weak attack. That move was your downfall."

Saying that, Ikki pushed Lævateinn away, creating a large opening in her guard.

"Haaaaa!"

And with Intetsu's blade, he slashed down at Stella's defenseless form.

=====Deafeats the principal, third best blazer in the world=========
"…Haa. I thought I had forgotten it long ago. Losing… certainly does feel like this."

"Well, you shouldn't let it bother you that much. Handicaps aside, Kurogane is a guy who even won a straight fight against me. He's not someone you could defeat as you are now."

"Winning against 'World Clock', the former top third in the world… what the heck is that?"

There was a limit to being a monster.

=========defeats 5 blazers with their devices with his hands===========
At his words, the five boys started to circle Ikki like hyenas surrounding prey, and the four with Manabe summoned their Devices. Kagami yelled out at that sight.

"Hey wait! Are you guys serious!? You'll be suspended if you use Devices here!"

"Shut up, bitch! Get back if you don't wanna get hurt."

Manabe's four followers ignored her warning and brandished their weapons. Judging from their ferocious expressions, they weren't using illusionary form. But even in this situation, Ikki held his composure and tried to control the situation.

"No, we can't do this here. As Kusakabe-san said, fighting in the classroom is against school rules. Our powers as student knights are restricted in this academy, and we're not allowed to use them outside of designated zones. If you'd like to fight, let's go somewhere else. I'll play along with you until evening in one of the practice fields."

Ikki was saying he could spar at one of the training arenas. He would accompany these boys even though they weren't worth fighting and he'd rather go find his sister. He was acting as a senior, indulging his juniors.

"You bastard…."

Yet another vein popped on Manabe's temple, because Ikki had made a blunder. What Manabe and his followers wanted wasn't to spar, but to see an F-Rank coward crawl at their feet and beg forgiveness for using deceit to make himself popular with girls. Instead, this F-Rank said he wanted to fight after switching locations? That was pure insult.

"Don't be cocky, you damn repeater! Get him, guys!"

Huh? Did I say something wrong?

It was too late to wonder. The boys could no longer be stopped from trying to cut Ikki down, and the girls screamed at the unfolding scene. This was no longer a mess he could resolve peacefully. Ikki sighed. He had to use force now.

"Senpai! I'll vouch for your legitimate self-defense, so stomp them good!"

Kagami urged him to fight and promised to absolve him if the school authorities investigated. That was a nice proposal, but―

"No, there's no need."

No need, because he wouldn't wield his Device in this scuffle.

In an instant, Ikki focused his sight. He didn't need color, so Ikki cut off that detail, and seeing the world moving in gray, he transferred the acuity of his color sense to his motion perception. As he did so, the movements of the world around him slowed. This was no special power, just the boost in cognition that even regular people would receive from danger, except that Ikki could activate it consciously since, obviously, he couldn't reach the level of concentration needed to win a fight in under a minute without this sort of ability.

The gray world around him slowed and dimmed as if sinking to the bottom of the sea, and Ikki analyzed his surroundings. There were four enemies to his left, right, front and back.

The fastest would be the one wielding a Japanese sword and coming directly from the front.

Seeing that, Ikki gently used the back of his empty right hand to hit the center of the sword, and with a completely relaxed motion, he changed the trajectory of the swing.

"Eh―?"

Surprise emerged on the face of the boy who swung the sword. His blade flew horizontally past Ikki, and at the same time, Ikki used one leg to trip him.

"Waaah!"

As he tripped, he crashed into his compatriot coming at Ikki from behind with a longsword-shaped Device, and they both tumbled crashing into some nearby desks.

Two down.

"You son of a biiiiitch!"

"Diiieeeee!"

Two boys on his left and right attacked him simultaneously with axes. They were both aiming for Ikki's head, so responding was simple.

"Hup―"

Ikki folded his knees and ducked. A second later, the clear sound of steel on steel rang above him. That was the sound of a clash between two parties giving their full strength.

"Gaaaaaaaah!"

Both boys fell screaming. The jolt of impact had completely numbed their arms.

One left.

"Sh-Shit!"

Manabe's haughtiness was nowhere to be found. He couldn't comprehend how his friends were defeated so easily, so he summoned his Device in confusion. It was a large-caliber revolver, an unusual Device for an Easterner, and he aimed the muzzle at Ikki. He could fire a magic bullet with just a squeeze of the trigger.

Ikki was already moving. He grabbed a eraser from someone's desk close by and flicked it upward with his thumb. The piece of rubber hit the ceiling, bounced down, and―wedged itself in the space between the gun's hammer and percussion cap.

Manabe raised a voiceless scream as if he saw a ghost. Ikki had disabled the gun in a totally unimaginable way.

Ikki stepped into the now defenseless Manabe's blind side, and―

*Bam!*

―clapped his palms together before Manabe's eyes.

"Hii―"

But that was enough. Though Ikki had only clapped once, Manabe fell down on his back and stared at Ikki with trembling eyes. And why not? Right before those eyes, an empty-handed F-Rank had defeated five Device-wielding Blazers like it was nothing. There was no way Manabe would have any fight left in him, so Ikki didn't need to give a finishing blow. No battle using Devices had happened. No combat had even occurred.

=========He studied how to beat invisibility by tracing the shots back to the shooter===============

He had already seen through his opponent's trick in the video. He had analyzed the strength his enemy used for shooting, the angle of the shots, and the expected maneuvers afterward. He had already developed a way to break Kirihara's Noble Art, Area Invisible. He had trained his counter-strategy through many simulations.

The hunter concealed himself in the deep forest, and from cover drew his bow on his prey. Seeing that hunter was already impossible, so there was no one to stop that shot, and from what should be empty air, magic arrows suddenly appeared and drilled into Ikki's back from his blind spot!

That was how it should have worked.

"Over there!"

「Knocked away! Contender Kurogane has used his katana to knock away the unseen enemy's arrow!」

「No, it's not over yet~. Look!」

As Saikyou said, Ikki hadn't just deflected the arrow coming from his blind spot. He immediately spun his body half-way around like a top, and ran in the direction those arrows were flying from.

Kirihara was certainly impossible to see. However, the arrows were different.

The location of the hand sending those arrows can be calculated from where those arrows fly. That's Area Invisible's weakness!

If one carefully determines the arrows' moment of appearance, it was possible to spy out this location. Ikki's strategy against Area Invisible was to calculate the opponent's direction and distance from the force and angle of those arrows.

"Take this!"

Ikki swung Intetsu's blade, aiming at the place where the enemy must be. But the edge scythed down empty air, and from empty air, scraps of a uniform fluttered down gently.

"Ha, so close. Not only deflecting an attack from a blind spot but even guessing my position after I disappeared? That takes real concentration. Is this what they call seeing without sight?"

===========By "becoming" his opponents he can see everything they will do================
A destructive killing intent shot invisibly, an arrow capable of even snatching away life, was racing directly toward Ikki. But―killing intent was inconsequential now. Of the arrow, there was nothing that could be seen, nothing that could be heard, so rather than try for the arrow, Ikki would only see what he could see, hear what he could hear.

Remember it―

The order he received his wounds, the direction―

Remember it―

The depth of his injuries, the angle―

Remember it―

Kirihara's words at that time, the voice―

Everything about this match was packed into those details. As if perusing the history of its fencing from the sword style technique, derive the enemy's process from the order and direction. As if collecting the school's knowledge from its swordsmanship, reverse-engineer the position from the injuries and angle. As if stealing the principles of its invention from its tricks, expose the patterns of thinking from the words and the voice. And then from everything there, investigating the previous degree of piercing's tendency, the personality, technique, design, by integrating, analyzing, understanding, exhausting data on all kinds of things―grasp everything about the person called Shizuya Kirihara!

There was no reason he couldn't do it. It wasn't difficult. Because all along, since long ago, Ikki Kurogane had fought that way!

In that instant, the arrow shot from Oborotsuki bit into Ikki. The place it pierced… was not the crown of the head, but the heart. Yes, Kirihara had set a trap into the last blow with a Hunter's composure and cool-headedness. His opponent was already in a hopeless situation, but just in case none of the injuries had occurred, he had shot an arrow at Ikki's heart while saying he was aiming at Ikki's head. A feint in addition to invisibility, his attack permitted no evasion. And exactly as the Hunter planned, the invisible killing intent pierced Ikki's heart―

"…Oh?"

That sound spilled out from Shizuya Kirihara's mouth at the inexplicable sight before him, and his mind went blank. He had sent an arrow of certain death that couldn't be avoided or blocked, but―Ikki's left hand had grabbed it, stopping it on the verge of penetrating Ikki's chest.

"H-How…."

How was it possible? Did such a thing really happen? To the astonished Hunter who was confronting a reality beyond his comprehension, his red-soaked prey coughed and said―

"…As I thought, there's no way you'd tell me the truth."

"What… are you saying―!?"

In that moment, Kirihara shuddered as if a worm had burrowed into his back. Ikki's eyes, without the slightest wandering, were staring him down even though he should be imperceptible.

"It… can't be…."

He had never experienced this, and icy sweat was pouring from all over his body. A chill crept up his spine, and his limbs trembled with a clatter. In Kirihara's swaying field of vision―

"…Yeah, I caught it. And I won't let you get away again."

―the bloodstained knight before him laughed weakly.

「W-W-What happened―!? Contender Kurogane just caught the arrow that he shouldn't be able to see! What the heck is going on!? Even I, reporting live on location, still can't find Contender Kirihara! Area Invisible, the perfect stealth, is still going strong, but the images from our camera are being delivered now… and they reveal that Contender Kurogane reacted to the arrow flying at him! Is he seeing what we can't!?」

「Aha, wahahaha! Are you serious!? That guy really did it!」

Saikyou, who was also giving commentary to the arena, abruptly clapped her hands and gave a resounding laugh.

「Saikyou-sensei? Did you just figure something out!?」

「Heh heh heh…! Yeah, I figured it out. It's exactly as it looks. Area Invisible is already useless.」

Kirihara countered Saikyou's words reflexively.

"D-Don't be ridiculous! My Area Invisible is unbeatable! There's no way this F-Rank garbage has seen through it!"

「Ahaha. Yeah, that's right. That's also what I think. Kiri-yan's[8] Area Invisible is the strongest Noble Art against individual fighters. It's fine to be confident about it, because after all, Area Invisible can't be seen through. The thing that's been seen through is… the Hunter himself.」

"What the hell does that mean!?"

「Oh goodness, you're exceptionally dull, aren't you Kiri-yan? Haven't you seen the fight between the princess and Kuro-bou[9]? At that time, Kuro-bou saw and stole the princess's Imperial Arts, but stealing a sword technique isn't an ordinary feat like imitating a style. From something like a style or swordsmanship, the accumulated history is studied, taking the ideas arrived there, and exposing and returning with the principle of its foundation. That's what we call stealing a sword technique. And just now, he did the same exact thing to you. During the fight, he stole the person called Shizuya Kirihara. Isn't that right, Kuro-bou?」

Ikki affirmed her analysis with a nod. He had employed his anti-personnel technique, Blade Steal, against Kirihara.

"R-Ridiculous! How can something like that happen!? Especially since I must have been invisible to you…!"

"I didn't see you, but knowing 'where Kirihara-kun is right now' isn't that difficult, because you've left a lot of clues, you know?"

"Clues…?"

"The wounds you've put on me. Your procedure from the sequence of wounds I took. Your direction from the angles. And the distance from the power. They all tell me where you are. Tracing the Hunter's position at any particular moment is easy if I follow these markers, and if I understand that much, it's the same as being able to see you. In that case, it's fine to do what I usually do. Whether it's sword technique or people, there's a principle that fundamentally governs all their actions. You can call it a system of values. By using that―the person's actions and plans, what that person is thinking right now, how I myself should move, what countermeasures should be taken, whether to move forward or draw back, to attack or defend―every possible action is completely and quite clearly predictable. For example, at this moment, I know that you've taken three steps back."

Kirihara's body froze in fright at Ikki's light declaration, and he leaked out a soundless shriek, because what Ikki had said was unmistakably true. But of course Ikki could know Kirihara's response. The principle he spoke of wasn't a notion limited to the here and now. That predictability of human thought was a firmly-rooted identity, not something that could be changed in an instant. However much the person himself wants to outsmart that identity, even the thought of outsmarting it arises from the identity itself, and therefore couldn't escape Ikki's perception. By stealing the opponent's identity, Ikki seized all those thoughts and feelings.

If Ikki had to name this technique, it would be Perfect Vision[10]. Before its power, Kirihara finally understood. The true dreadfulness of the knight called Ikki Kurogane wasn't sword technique, a one-minute boost, or anything else like that. It was his ability to expose and reflect the true nature of everything he sees, a discerning eye like a shining magic mirror. That mirror could capture even the invisible Hunter. Therefore―

"I see everything you're capable of doing. In this match, I'll take the win!"

In response, Kirihara put up one final resistance. Drawing Oborotsuki so forcefully that it creaked, he faced the sky above and shot one arrow that had all of his magic loaded into it. A moment later, the arrow exploded in midair, becoming a hundred slivers of iron shining with light invisible to the naked eye. Overtaking Ikki as a sudden shower, they homed and poured down on him, drilling into and smashing the stone floor of the battleground, heaving it up and smashing it again.

There was no pattern to the destruction. The Noble Art Million Rain[11] was an attack of indiscriminate scope made of more than a hundred pieces of iron. Kirihara had concluded that if his thoughts were being read, he should carpet-bomb the area without thinking. The idea had to be correct, but even so―

"Why!? Why doesn't it hit!?"

―Ikki cleared away the invisible arrowheads, running through the destructive rain without slowing the slightest and darting through the rolled-up cloud of dust. In truth, he had already seen all of it.

"It's useless, you know. No matter how much you try to keep your heart clear, you want to beat me. You want to kill me. The urge for that frightened heart to shout its killing intent can't be restrained. No matter how much you want to attack with an unreadable mind, the killing intent dwells inside you."

And Perfect Vision accurately captured that intent. Attacking an enemy without consciously aiming to kill was a mental state taught by certain martial arts, but it wasn't a skill that someone like Kirihara could use. He had only increased the number of arrows he had shot.

"Whether a hundred arrows or a thousand, my Ittou Shura won't fall to such things!"

Every resistance was already meaningless. Like a superior player who predicts a hundred moves ahead, Ikki had already seen the endgame!

==============Universal Martial Artist===============

The lecture they were talking about was the one Ikki was forced to start giving, being pestered by his classmates. It was a martial arts class. Ikki gave classes on various martial arts. Of course swordsmanship was included, but there were also kodachi techniques, spear work, and even archery.

Only Ikki could do it. Being well versed in many martial arts after analyzing so many techniques of different enemies, he was a universal martial artist.

========Could tell the specific weapon someone used from the calluses on her hand=========

At that moment, Ikki noticed something on the palms of Ayase's hand, who was waving them rapidly while denying Stella and Shizuku. Calluses, a result of swinging a shinai several thousand, hundreds of thousands of time. Seeing that, Ikki immediately thought of a possibility.

=============Self explanatory============
"That's not true. A while ago Kurogane-kun said we could counsel each other, but honestly, I don't think there is a single thing I can teach Kurogane-kun. Thus the disciple here is actually me."

Ikki showed a bitter smile at that. It was as she said, even though Ikki could teach her stuff, there was nothing she could teach him in return. He could steal most of her techniques just by seeing them. More humility would just be sarcastic.

============Blocking a flurry of attacks from a master swordsman while on his knees===========

The frightening part about the Worst One wasn't his physical strength but his mental power that supported his insight.

That's why―I'll charge in now! It'd be fine if I just hurt him a bit! The match would be decided with just that!

"Haaaaaaa!!!"

"And contender Ayatsuji fiercely attacks! Rush, rush, ruuuuush! She is raining down slashes by the scarlet blade at contender Kurogane, who is on his knees! Is blocking the attacks in that unstable position the best contender Kurogane can do!? Will he get sliced by the rain of slashes just like that!? …No!? Wh-What a thing! Contender Kurogane is completely defending against the rain of red slashes despite being at a disadvantage and in an unstable position with the blade of Intetsu! He is not letting even a single slash from the blade which keeps falling down on him from above pass!"

…Kuh…!

She couldn't reach him. Even though all she needed to do was scratch him a little bit, that little bit seemed so far away. Ayase was astonished at Ikki who was, despite being in a disadvantaged position, blocking all of her attacks by using techniques that relied on the wrists alone.

As expected… of the knight who was even called the Crownless Sword King by some. He wouldn't let her win easily. Moreover, Ikki stood up while blocking the rain of slashes.

"Haa!"

"Contender Kurogane, while blocking the sword strikes from his opponent in that position, stands up and finally counterattacks!"

===================More Irregular blocking==============
As expected… of the knight who was even called the Crownless Sword King by some. He wouldn't let her win easily. Moreover, Ikki stood up while blocking the rain of slashes.

"Haa!"

"Contender Kurogane, while blocking the sword strikes from his opponent in that position, stands up and finally counterattacks!"

He launched a wide and big slash to her head.

It wasn't Ikki's style to strike with power alone, but that was all a part of his plan.

―This was not a counterattack like the commentator had said.

Even if he was able to make a comeback, the rhythm that was lost because of receiving the attacks in that disadvantageous position wouldn't come back so simply. Ikki wished to create some distance, thus the wide swing. If his opponent dodged, it would obviously increase the distance between them, and even if the opponent received the attack it would still shake her off because of the power of the strike and distance would be created between them.

It'd be advantageous for Ikki no matter which of the two she chose. It was an attack with a plan behind it. However, Ayase had read that plan of his!

Here!

She read his movements and understood that this was a chance to win. Ayase's Ayatsuji single-blade style was a school that specialized in the counter by deflection.

It is normally impossible for someone of my level to actually counter a strike from a serious Kurogane-kun.

Ikki's swordsmanship was too agile. If she recklessly tried to make a move, she would be the one getting burned.

But this strike from above was a different matter altogether.

This intimidating strike was just to gain some distance from a glued opponent. Though it was violent and rough it didn't have that agility and sharpness.

If it was this strike, then even I can counter it.

She decided it in an instant. Ayase readied Hizume and slid the hammer-like strike outside. Simultaneously, Ayase put strength into her leg and moved her body forward, aiming for a counter. She passed by Ikki whose upper body was afloat and swung Hizume aiming for the torso.

I got him!

Ayase gained definite confidence in her judgment.

But―rather than getting the sensation of cutting abdominal flesh, what she felt was the resistance of having hit something hard.

He was able to guard it! Why!

Even though she had slid his blade to the side, how was he able to guard in that timing?

The answer lay in Ikki's hand.

He blocked Ayase's counter strike with Intetsu's hilt.

"Oooooooo! The moment when we thought he was countered, contender Kurogane blocked the counter with the hilt of his sword! What an amazing trick play!"

"Kurogane-kun used the same guard in his mock battle with Stella-chan. Guarding attacks, which couldn't be guarded with the blade, with the hilt. A defense that uses both the blade and the hilt, as always the cross range is impregnable."

…Kuh! Now that I think about it, Kurogane-kun was able to guard in this strange manner, too…!

Upon Oreki's explanation, Ayase clicked her tongue. What amazing power of concentration. But why is he able to maintain such concentration? Even though he had lost his composure―

"―!?"

Thinking about it, Ayase, who looked at Ikki's expression, was stunned.

His expression didn't contain even an atom of anger or impatience that he showed before. Ikki had regained his composure. He was looking over at Ayase with eyes so tranquil that it reminded one of a fountain that didn't create even a single ripple.

It can't be…. I was lured in…!?

Ayase reacted immediately to chills she felt on her back. She kicked off the ground and gained a considerable amount of distance from Ikki's attack zone. She was on guard thinking an attack from him would follow, but Ikki didn't chase her. Ayase was just standing still in one place but there were no attacks that followed her. She thought she was either under a misunderstanding or maybe she was being excessively cautious.

Either way, it's back to square one.

There were still many traps left. She didn't wish for a prolonged battle but it would be meaningless if she went for a decisive battle only to get bitten herself.

==================== Was able to deduce a blazers powers to a T from a single sound ============
"…When she severed the fence she was not doing anything, but I definitely heard the sound of a long sword in that moment. By deducing from that, though I don't know the exact mechanism behind it, I think Ayatsuji-san's ability is positioning slashes at various places, which can be fired off randomly. If she has that kind of ability then it won't be a mistake to assume that she has probably placed traps all over the sixth training ground where the match is going to take place today. After all, she tried to fake a suicide to kill my trump card, and for sure, she will use any means necessary to defeat me in the match."

================= He can create after images to confuse his opponent with footwork ==========
Ayase swung Hizume while screaming intensely, and slashed at Ikki who was before her eyes―

That blade slashed through empty air.

"―Eh…."

Ikki was, for sure, before her eyes―

Ayase's slash, which was swung with all her might, had only scratched the tip of Ikki's nose, while he was running towards her. It didn't reach him. Had she miscalculated the distance between them? No. Certainly, Ikki was within the range of her sword. But, that Ikki disappeared like a mirage, and another Ikki from behind him was running towards her.

Ayase blanked out. She could no longer understand what was going on. But that confusion was not meaningless. This was one of original techniques Kurogane Ikki possessed, a technique rivaling the seventh secret sword, Raikou. With radical footwork he creates an afterimage before himself while running to confuse the distance between him and his opponent.

"Fourth secret sword―Shinkirou[1]."

At that moment, the blade of Intetsu swung with all of his might slashed through air and Ayase

=====Self explanatory====
For Ikki who was abandoned by the adults of the Kurogane house, people like Kaito were the same as a swordsmanship master for him. Watching their matches, he stole, analyzed, and practiced their techniques over and over again. It was something which became the foundation of the current Ikki.

========Defeats 30 blazers=============
"However, it'll be the same as how I did it. You're going to have to fight all these thirty idiots alone before you get to fight me. Start from there."
"I don't mind. The girls are here just to watch. When challenging a dojo, I have to abide by the dojo master's rules. Because that's the proper manner of doing it."
"Seems like you know a dojo challenger's etiquette huh. Fine, wait a bit. I'll go call the guys."
Kuraudo accessed the cell phone feature in his handbook to call the guys outside but―
"No, there's no need for that."
"Huh?"

"I thought you'd say that, so I already finished all that up before coming here."

Saying that, he turned the vinyl bag he had upside down. Donrou Academy student datapads starting falling down on the floor while making noises. And among them, one started to ring. That one was, in fact, the recipient Kuraudo just called.
"All that's left are the seven people here."
Showing his trophies, he made a bold smile at Kuraudo as if taunting him.

=========Kuraudo said this about Ikki============

I see, even if these guys all attack at the same time, it won't even be sport for him. (referring to 7 blazers that had him surrounded)

======More reading people=========
That's right, Ikki wasn't just fighting defensively. He wasn't that submissive of a person. There would definitely be a deeper scheme in his battles. When he was dodging Kuraudo's attacks by a narrow margin, he was actually analyzing and sealing Kuraudo's movement, action, and combination patterns, all the while disclosing the roots of the person called Kurashiki Kuraudo.

=======Switching his sword position on the fly to block attacks======
―But right at that moment, Ikki took action. With a clang, the sound of two blades clashing reverberated and sparks containing mana flew out. With Intetsu which Ikki had in his right hand, he repelled the Orochimaru coming from the right. But that was… a mistake! Ikki's reflexes weren't fast enough to be able to block the second attack coming from the left! The saw blade coming from the left struck his body!
The saw blade ripped off the flesh from his body which flew in the air, and blood spilled on the floor dyeing it red… that was supposed to happen.
"What?"
But that didn't happen. What spilled wasn't blood but sparks. Why? The answer was in Ikki's hand which defended against Hebigami.
"You―!"
After noticing it, Kuraudo raised a howl. Ikki wasn't gripping the hilt of <Intetsu>, but the base of the blade and thus intentionally reduced his reach.
"That's right, kodachi[4] techniques…! As expected of Ikki!"
"Kurogane-kun can use a kodachi?"
"He can even teach Shizuku who has a kodachi-shaped device, so of course he can use it!"

=================Proficient in most thing====================
"That's right, kodachi[4] techniques…! As expected of Ikki!"
"Kurogane-kun can use a kodachi?"
"He can even teach Shizuku who has a kodachi-shaped device, so of course he can use it!"
Ikki hated teaching wrong things to others, knowing that nature of his, Stella was convinced. And her guess was correct. Ikki wasn't only well versed in swordsmanship, he was also proficient in archery, grappling, unarmed, and many others. Even if it could only raise his strength on a minuscule level, he desperately practiced it and used all the time his body would allow to pursue those methods. Because he was well aware of the fact that he was weaker than anyone. And he was now bringing out everything he had learned back then.
The fact that was able to discern the position of the Hunter after being struck by his arrow was also a result of that. That was true for his display of defense and offense in this match too. Because of the shorter reach, the kodachi had less offense, but since it could be rotated faster, the blocking ability rose. Ikki, utilizing that defense, deflected Kuraudo's godspeed attack.
"It means that you're not the only one who can change his reach."

=============Realizing he could only block 2/4 hits, he used the momentum of the two to dodge the other 2===========
However it wasn't enough. Kuraudo released four attacks at Ikki instantly. Ikki could only block two. The remaining two slashed at Ikki's chest with a cross.
"Argggggh!"
"Ikki!"
"Kurogane-kun!"
"…I-I'm fine, I can still fight."
A large amount of blood was spilling. The wound probably reached the sternum. But Ikki still poured power into his knees and refused to give up. He continued to gaze at the opponent before him.
"Oh! You avoided a fatal wound by using the momentum of the first and second hits to move backwards. Crafty ain't ya…? But that all ends now!"

=============Realizing he couldn't beat an opponent almost three times faster then him, Ikki played a game of endurance========
"That's it! So that's the weak point of Marginal Counter…!"
"Eh? What are you talking about Vermillion-san?"
"Just carefully look at the face of the skull guy, you'll understand."
Being told that, Ayase looked at Kuraudo's face. He was sweating a lot, and from his chin, drops of sweat were pouring down as if overflowing.
"…I see! It's his stamina!"
"Yes. It's quite simple now that I think about it. That overwhelming common sense-defying Marginal Counter of his boasts higher action counts, but in return the stamina consumption is really harsh. Ikki immediately realized that and played for time while sustaining the minimum amount of injury he could, in order to bring down his stamina!"
As if confirming that, Kuraudo suddenly gnashed violently.
Damn mimic…! This was supposed to be going with my pace, but before I knew it I got caught in that bastard's game of endurance!
Even though he was half dead and could barely hold his sword, he immediately saw through the weakness of Kuraudo's Marginal Counter and drew him into his own pace. As a result, Kuraudo's energy was almost completely exhausted.
Yes, it's exactly as Stella said. Ikki wasn't the type of guy to just quietly sit around while he was being attacked. In his arsenal, there were many methods to wear out his opponents.
Almost like witchcraft… what an annoying bastard.
Kuraudo got the chills when he tried to think of how many layers of planning this simple attacking and blocking match had.

=============Stole a technique from somebody's style they didn't even know=================
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[6]!"

But why was Kurogane-kun able to use it? Even Kaito only used this top secret technique in front of her once, so why―
"―Ah."
Then she remembered something Ikki had said at that family restaurant.
"It's all because of Ayatsuji-san's hard work. Even alone, I think you would have noticed it, you would've reached that secret when the time's right."
Ikki never says anything he isn't sure of. Ayase who had directly received his training knows of his sincerity the best.
"No way, did he already know it then…!"
"Blade Steal."
"Eh?"
"Ikki's sword style. He's able to steal even the deepest secrets of a sword style after observing it. This happened in my case too."
Yes, at that time, Ikki had already seen through the Ayatsuji style. The destination where Ayase's sloppy sword, a sword that was training desperately to chase after her father's back, would reach.