kusanagi 1

"I accept your challenge, Sword Emperor of Wind!"

The Crimson Princess had no reason to decline. Because her opponent was an A-rank knight like herself, this was her role to uphold. Deciding that, Stella pushed Ouma's body away with all her strength.

And against Ouma who had ben blown off thirty meters, she began to prepare her sure-kill Noble Art. It was a technique that brandished a sword that burned with heat and light, investing all her spirit into her longsword,Lævateinn.

―Katharterio Salamanda.

I don't know what kind of ability my opponent has. But I know he's no ordinary person!

In that case, she'd use all of her power at the start. It would be best to decide it here. If she didn't, she'd try to probe her opponent's ability by seeing how re responded. That was Stella's decision. In response, Ouma―

"―Hmph."

At Stella's spirit which was churning up the surrounding atmospheric temperature―

"Is such a trivial thing the best you can do?"

Giving a savage smile that showed a peek of his fangs―he replied with his own strongest Noble Art.

Strangely, he took the same stance as Stella. Taking his huge sword with both hands, he raised the blade, and poured all his magic into that Device. The ability of Ouma Kurogane, the Sword Emperor of Wind, was of the elemental-influence system―the power to manipulate wind.

The windstorm born of that power was turned into a cyclone within Ryuuzume, and devoured the surrounding atmosphere. The atmosphere, the debris, the flame―anything and everything in the surroundings. Before long, what he had made was a sword of raging storm-winds, layers and layers of mass stacked together―


"Kusanagi."


A sword of light and heat against a sword of storm-winds. Both blades were more than fifty meters long, each an attack beyond the norm. With only thirty meters between the users, their reach was surely more than enough. If they both swung down on their opponent at the same time like this, they would clash.

In an instant, the fire and wind from the two blades of magic intertwining rained sparks, came undone, destroyed the surroundings together as a tempest of flame.

"Eeeeeeekkk!"

At the white-hot tempest that was blowing and burning away everything, the Hagure sisters screamed. No, everyone else in that place including them protected themselves with magic, curled up their bodies, and just narrowly managed to stand firm. If they lost focus even a little, their bodies would've been blown far away, and probably would've taken an impact as if they had fallen off a skyscraper. That was why everyone protected themselves desperately. It was a battle beyond what ordinary knights could bear to watch. But―

Before long, the clash between the sword of fire and the sword of wind began to break down. The one beginning to crumble was―the Crimson Princess.

N-No way!

With creaking sounds, Stella's two hands with which she boasted of physical strength beyond the norm and begun to feel a pressure she had never felt before. Her heels were slowly sinking into the ground, and the asphalt under them were cracking to pieces. At being shown this reality, Stella was astonished.

I'm losing in strength? Me…?

It was her first time experiencing it. The reason was because her plan of using Katharterio Salamandra to see her opponent's response had collapsed in an instant.

It was natural. Up to now, not a single person had ever taken or turned back Katharterio Salamandra, the Noble Art that the Crimson Princess was proud of. She had not learned anything about her opponent with it.

Stella had no experience dealing with this situation. If she had no experience, she could not come up with a response.

What should I do…?

Gradually, gradually. The beautiful cross being made by the swords of fire and wind began to lose its shape. The sword of windstorm was pushing into the wind of fire, shaving through the blade of light with a cyclone spinning like a rock drill.

Finally, Katharterio Salamandra's blade form was cut through. And Kusanagi fell toward Stella's head.

Oh―no―

Stella, in the instant just before the pressure fell on her from above, could not move to avoid it. And at the same level where the two collided, the others were protecting their bodies with all their strength, and couldn't rush in to help. Stella couldn't avoid this strike. Her defeat was certain.