Dura 11

“It’s showdown. ──Crimson Princess.”

Ouma injected all his remaining magic power into Ryuuzume, wrapping it in a tornado. The tornado increased in density as it swallowed the surrounding air, becoming a sword of storm from thousands of wind blades in due time. The claw of the heavenly dragon that would tear everything upon contact. It was the trump card of the Sword Emperor of Wind, Ouma Kurogane, which had defeated Stella before. Ouma raised it towards the sky, and pleaded at Stella with his eyes.

──Draw your blade.

It was the figure that would take on the full power of his enemy despite knowing the difference in strength. To the world that he loved, he would not compromise, not deceive himself, such was his spirit. Seeing that, Stella comprehended as she remembered the side profile of Ikki as he talked about Ouma.

「Well, just that from my impression as far as I know, he is a seriously stoic person.」

──When she was talking with Ikki about Ouma, he praised him as such. She could understand a bit of that feeling currently.

He definitely......respected his brother. Only moving for his own sake. He was a knight who held onto his dream from when he was young, and continued to face it more sincerely than anyone. In that case──

“I will take you on. ──Sword Emperor of Wind.”

Stella also responded with the magic boasting the greatest attack power amongst her Noble Arts. What took shape in her palm that was raised towards the sky was a sword of light made from binding the heat that could only be seen as an unwavering flame. Magic power was the power to open up destiny. In other words ── willpower. Binding her willpower, holding her willpower, Stella faced off against the enemy before her eyes. There was no more conversation between their intersecting gazes. No, there was no need to. As things had come to that far, they understood that they only had to cross swords. And then, the flame and wind knights released their killing techniques...

“Kusanagiiii!!!!”

“Katharterio・Salamandraaaa!!!!”

Both of them swung down with all of their strength. The sword of storm and sword of heat crossed. That was similar to the fight before, a storm of heat bursted out in the moment of contact... However ── it was not evenly matched currently. Because Sword Emperor of Wind was swallowed into it just like that. The Katharterio・Salamandra that Stella had released did not stop at subjugating Sword Emperor of Wind, it had also slashed apart the Bay Dome, as well as the Osaka Bay beyond. The audience stand and the huge screen in the dome were burned. A deep trench was carved on the seabed. Along with the extraordinary destruction and dramatic closure, the announcer raised an excited voice.

「A-Amazing! Contender Stella, she has cut Sword Emperor along with the sea!」

「S-SSS-SCARYyyYYY!」

──However, as Stella reminiscenced her own growth, her expression was not that of a smile. The reason was──

(To think that he has managed to come this far, I never expected it.)

Despite receiving a merciless sure-kill strike that even blew all the way to the sea, Ouma Kurogane stood upright without falling on the ring. The slash wound of heat carved from his shoulder to his flank, his consciousness already gone, but without bending his knees, his gaze, overflowing with fighting spirit, turned towards Stella. In those eyes, a trace of 「I will definitely get there」 such a strong will remained.

His sword was broken, but his soul was not.