Edelweiss

He knew that. Because he was an excellent swordsman, he could grasp how great the difference in strength was between them. He couldn't win here. And more than that, it was true, the one before his eyes was genuinely—the world's strongest. It couldn't be compared to something like the summit of the Seven Stars. Likely, this was an enemy Ikki should face after following his path as a swordsman for years, even decades, of constant tireless training…. No doubt, in the battlefield right here, he could not qualify as an opponent in the same dimension as he was now.

=================== Ikki can't see her strikes even with Ittou Shura activated
―emitted a raging blue aura that coiled around his body, activating the Noble Art Ittou Shura.

Faster than the exchange of a single blade stroke. Why did he use this technique with a strictly limited duration of one minute from the start? It was obvious―if he didn't, he would not be able to fight at all.

It was none other than Ikki's own insight, recognizing that difference between their power.

One minute. It was the limit to how long he could match the strongest in the world.

And that judgment was correct. Edelweiss attacked with the wind coiling around around her. From the beginning, Ikki was confident that he had not erred in his judgment about his opponent. The moment Edelweiss swung both swords, his eyes lost sight of the attack. In confusion, he hurled his body backward.

At that instant, the air where Ikki's nose had been was split. Something invisible and absurdly sharp flitted across his eyes, just barely scraping his nose. At the odor of something burning drifted by, Ikki understood. The invisible thing that had flitted near had been an attack―Edelweiss's two swords.

I can't―see her strikes!

======================= I got no fucking clue
Ikki fought back with Raikou yet again against Edelweiss's approaching attack. Amidst the crossing steel that gave off sparks, Ikki was sure his understanding was correct.

That's the reason…! This person's actions aren't making any sounds!

Her steps, her slashes, everything she did was completely silent.

Sounds were waves born of impacts against the atmosphere causing oscillations. Put another way, one could call it the dispersion of physical force. So if one was able to control the energy of his actions completely, and not allow any to be consumed uselessly, what would happen? As a result of making all actions silent, one could show speed and offensive at close to a hundred percent potential.

======================
Ikki's highest offensive ability that even put a hole in that giant rock doll. The charge and its penetrating power was peerless. Even someone like Edelweiss would have no response but to flee―what naïve thinking.

"Wha…!"

The next instant, Saigeki's charge lost power, and was no longer advancing.

Why? ―The reason was Edelweiss, who Intetsu infused with Saigeki's force was rushing toward, had stopped Saigeki by blocking with her own swords. At the tip of his sword that was no wider than a needle, her blades had met perfectly, countering Ikki's highest offensive ability. ―It was indeed amazing.

===================
The sixth secret sword―Dokuga no Tachi[6]


Taking heed of the difference in their strength, and making sure she wouldn't evade. One could say that Ikki had truly made sure of the difference between his movements and Edelweiss's correctly.

However, the secret sword would only be effective in the situation where the opponent blocked forcefully. And exactly as Ikki planned, Edelweiss did not have any doubts―and blocked the poisonous longsword with her pure white blade!

However much she was the world's strongest, Edelweiss was still human. In the structure of a human body, she was no different from Ikki. In that case, she had no way to escape from this poison!

Ikki aimed at Edelweiss's naked sword, drove into it the shock wave born of his all his muscles working together.


In that instant, blood surged out from all over Ikki's body.


"Eh?"

Muscles burst through his skin all over his body, and blood flew all around.

Why? The reason was something Ikki realized instantly. It was simple. Edelweiss had done exactly what Ikki was about to do―with a speed and destructive power an order of magnitude greater.

As a result, the shock wave Ikki was launching at Edelweiss had been completely extinguished, and the waves that remained had conversely destroyed Ikki's body instead.

Ikki had intended to see through Edelweiss's sword. But all of that was an illusion. All he saw was what Edelweiss wanted to show. Everything had been in the palm of her hand all along.

This reality made Ikki's body shake in cold fear.

To this… degree…?


Exhausting all his strength, betting on all his techniques, using the best tactics he could devise―he couldn't even touch her.


The world's summit… is this high… this far away…!?

Before such strength that his own scale could not measure, Ikki felt terror.

And in the next instant, the end came. Against Ikki who had lost all methods of attack, Edelweiss swung the sword in her right hand―the white blade flew invisibly, broke through the blade of Intetsu, and sliced into Ikki.

"Ah."

From that one blow, the wound Ikki received was not deep. However, because the Device crystallized from his own soul had been shattered, Ikki's consciousness and body crumbled down.

Edelweiss did not give the final blow. He understood that there was no need for it. Having ended the fight, she turned her gaze away from Ikki―

===================== The third best in the world was terrified to start a fight with her
"Calm yourself."


At the instant Edelweiss was going to be shot between in the eyes, the fingers on the trigger were frozen in place. It was as if Kurono's heart had exploded from fear. She had landed on the ground, and only just barely pointed the gun barrels, but even so her fingers didn't move.

What was stopping her was none other than Kurono's own instincts. Because if she moved her fingers just a little, the battle was start instantly, and she knew she couldn't win this fight.