Ikki and Ayase trained together for 3 days

After performing the initial warm-up, he branded Intetsu and started swinging it. After tracing the form, he began image training, creating a shadow map in his head where enemies are around. Besides him, there was also Stella who was practicing with her Lævateinn. A little further away was Arisuin and Shizuku who were using a kind of unique clay to create shapes, a special form of magic training. During that time, there was almost no conversation between the four. Stella and Shizuku, who usually fawned over Ikki, were also very serious during this period. This was the scene where these four trained.

But since 3 days ago, another person had joined in. Of course, that person was none other than Ayatsuji Ayase.

"Fuh! Hah!"

Ayase vigorously swang her sword Hizume[4], a Japanese katana with a vivid blade, drawing an arc with it. Her face when she used the sword was completely different from the cowering expression she had in the infirmary the other day. With her mouth closed and eyes wide open, she looked only at Ikki with an extremely stern expression. As expected of a swordswoman, the moment she held her sword, all her fear towards men completely disappeared.

Right now, they were doing equal mock training with Ikki as her opponent, per his suggestion. Ikki would fight Ayase while limiting his power to her level, since he was the stronger one. He would only use techniques of her strength level.

And during this training, he would measure Ayase's strength as a swords practitioner.

As expected of the Last Samurai Ayatsuji Kaito's daughter, Ayase was very adept at the basics. She could even keep up with Ikki and Stella's jogging. She must have run for a long time. Ayase's body was perfected as a swordsman, so with any kind of form, shape, posture, and body, there was no uneasiness in her muscles.

The training from the day before was also paying off. Her footwork, the vivid red that drew the arc, everything flowed perfectly together with no interruptions at all. It must have been a form engraved into her body after practicing it thousands of times.

But if one said that she couldn't handle anything but that form, then that was also wrong. During this practice, Ikki tried some seriously underhanded methods over and over again to try and break Ayase's form, but not only did Ayase deal with those attacks appropriately, she also did rapid counter-attacks.

Never forgetting the form, while not being too fixed on it. Ayase's level of skill in practical sword fights was unnaturally high. Ikki completely saw through the surface of Ayase, who boasted of hard work.

Through this, Ikki figured out why Ayase was in a slump.

"Ayase-san, let's stop for a minute."