Ikki Reactions

===========Aborts actions midstrike showing good speed=========
Yet a wide swing was just a wide swing. Ikki saw through her movement and raised Intetsu to receive it―but he immediately aborted that action and took a sudden step back. An instant later, Lævateinn struck the arena floor violently and the entire space shook like an earthquake.
======Can cut out sound/color/etc to increase his reactions and can see 360 degrees=======
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.

Bloodlust filled Kirihara's voice, and Ikki knew it was time to focus on the second shot. Sharpening his concentration to take in all possible angles, he stretched out his perceptions and provoked an attack.

"If you think it's disagreeable, you should nock an arrow into that bow and shoot to kill. I'll brush it away entirely."

=====Swings his sword so fast he couldn't even track it=========
But Bischof was a terrorist who had struggled through many extreme situations. Noticing the surprise attack immediately, he quickly made a countermove, reaching out toward Ikki's Intetsu with the same left hand that had caught Stella's Lævateinn before. The Judgment Ring that seized every single attack as sin―his left hand activated the ability that had rendered Stella's earth-shaking blow powerless.

Ikki's sword was only faster than Stella's sword; it was several times less powerful, so it couldn't penetrate that ability. The surprise attack must have been a blunder. Ikki's blow would surely be taken as sin and returned to him as penance―if Bischof's left hand could capture Ikki's flashing blade!

"…Huh?"

In that instant, Bischof saw something unbelievable: his own left arm flying in a spray of blood.

No matter how well Bischof's left hand rendered attacks powerless, it had no way to catch an attack Bischof couldn't see, and what Bischof couldn't catch, he couldn't stop. Ikki swung Intetsu with a speed that far exceeded human motion perception, so quickly that Ikki's own body couldn't track. It was an invisible slash, one of Ikki Kurogane's seven original sword techniques.

"The seventh secret blade―Raikou[15]."

================Dodges a girl that "really surpassed Mach 2" and catches her and slams her down============================

Tomaru sensed something on her field of vision that couldn't possibly be there. A gaze. In the thin juncture of time, she felt something that stuck her gaze. It was the gaze of Ikki's eyes, which had caught her movements even though she was in supersonic speed!

N-No way!? He reacted!?

The next moment, Ikki's figure vanished from in front of the fist Tomaru struck out. The supersonic punch hit the air, and their figures intersected. With them passing by each other, Ikki grabbed the scuff of Tomaru's windbreaker and by using her supersonic propulsion, he rotated her with one full swing―

And with that momentum, he slammed Tomaru on the stone surface of the ring.


==========Just watching her for a while let Ikki trace her entire fighting style and point out its flaws===================

Ayase parried Ikki's downward slashing sword and with that opening, she went to strike for his body. But the red blade of Hizume was tightly halted.

"What's the matter, Kurogane-kun? I'm still… I'm not… tired yet."

Ayase showed confusion at the sudden interruption. Her eyes didn't calm down, but she didn't avert her eyes and disappear like the first time. Well, it was natural that she would get a bit used to Ikki after three days.

"As I can see, the Ayatsuji single-blade style seems to be a sword style that emphasizes on counter-attacks."

"Eh, err, yeah. That's right. You could tell with only that much?"

"I didn't have a master you see, so I've only learned stuff by observing and stealing techniques from others. So as I was saying, now that I've seen your style, I kinda figured out what your problem is."

"I-Is that true!?"

"Yeah. Ayatsuji-san's been in a slump after you've started trying to follow your father's ways, right?"

Ayase nodded.

"Yes. I just can't seem to produce the same sharp movements like my father. Even though I've memorized all of his moves already."

"You shouldn't do that."

"Eh!?"

"Trying to mimic Kaito-san, that's the reason for your slump."

"…Are you saying that… my father who taught me how to use the sword was… incorrect?"

Instantly, Ikki saw an emotion in Ayase's burning eyes. It was anger. She was angry after being told that her teacher was the one who was the cause of the mistake.

She really seems to trust Kaito-san.

He was a bit jealous after seeing that she had a father she was so proud of. While keeping that small envy hidden inside, Ikki shook his head in reply to Ayase's bitter words.

"That's not it. Kaito-san was an excellent swordsman. I don't doubt that."

"…Then, why can't I mimic father's techniques?"

The reason was simple.

"It's because Ayatsuji-san's gender is different."

"Gender…? Does that matter?"

"Of course. Being a different gender means your body structure is also different. And having a different structure naturally means the muscle coordination is also dissimilar. Movements that bring out the best of a man's potential form are definitely not the same as the movements for a woman's potential form. The more you try to follow the opposite, the sooner the restrictions caused by it would surface."

"Ah…."

At Ikki's careful explanation, the anger faded away from Ayase's eyes, and understanding replaced it. Ikki wasn't mocking her teacher. Rather, it was because her teacher excelled too much. Well, there were some unavoidable factors too. In the first place, swordsmanship was something created for men to use in ancient times.

"For the time being, I've thought of a method on how to reform Ayatsuji-san's movements. If Ayatsuji-san wants to continue her previous ways of following Kaito-san, then I won't forcefully reform them. Since I don't think that we should do it if you think like that either. Because one's mentality is a big factor too. However, if the movements are reformed through this technique, you won't be able to reclaim your previous movements afterwards."