Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan - Volume 3 Read online

  Prologue: Shizuku's Challenge

  Part 1

  Kurogane Shizuku recalled them, the memories of her childhood.

  She was forgiven no matter what she did. She was forgiven even when she beat up other children. She was forgiven even when she stole the toys of other children.

  Why? It was all because she displayed her worth as a blazer since she was young.

  「I am very sorry Shizuku-chan. Hey, you apologize, too!」

  Having been beaten by his parent, the kid, who was her relative, bowed.

  "I'm sorry."

  The apologetic words were filled with chagrin.

  Shizuku always glared at that, bored.

  The kids who twist their righteousness before power. The adults who forgive wrongdoings before power. Every single one of them was worthless. Only people like those were around Shizuku. They bow before the strong, and give lip service filled with hollow gratitude and good will.

  Dirty.

  She hated beings called humans because of that. And, she was fed up with herself for also being such a worthless living thing. She was fed up and continued to vent the frustration on the weak. Because whenever she heard the cries of hated human beings she felt a bit relieved.

  But, there was a boy, just a single boy, who didn't forgive Shizuku.

  *Slap*

  That boy, Shizuku's brother Kurogane Ikki, told Shizuku who was making other kids cry―

  "You should not bully the weak."

  Shizuku couldn't comprehend what had been done to her. Because even her parents had never scolded her nor hit her. Not being able to comprehend anything, her cheek, which was hit, was hot, and tears crumbled down.

  Seeing the crying figure of Shizuku, the adults angrily shouted "Hurry up and apologize!" to Ikki who had hit Shizuku.

  The adults started hitting Ikki who didn't abide by their order to apologize. But, even so, Ikki didn't bow until the end. Because he didn't have any reason to bow his head down.

  …Such a human being was a first for Shizuku. There was no one up until now who had stood up and pointed wrongdoings as evil. At the time she cried because she was shocked at having been hit all of the sudden, but in reality, she was happy. She was always searching for someone like that. It didn't matter if they didn't pamper her. It didn't matter if they were hard on her. She just wanted someone who she could respect as a human being.

  Thus Shizuku decided in her heart on that day. That she would follow this person, because if she did so, she was sure that she would be able to become someone different from the worthless adults who she had been seeing until now.

  ―But,

  At that time, I knew nothing.

  The severity of the situation surrounding her brother.

  Nothing of it―

  Part 2

  "First year Kurogane Shizuku-san, it's time for your match, please step forward."

  Shizuku slowly opened her eyes upon the announcement.

  There was a dark passage before her. It extended all the way to the entry gate of the ground where today's match was supposed to be held. Shizuku walked down the passage without any hesitation, and she resumed recalling the past.

  I found out about Onii-sama's difficult position after he had left the house.

  Not even a single person of the Kurogane household tried to find her brother. It was like he was not even there from the start. At that time Shizuku finally realized that thing her brother always hid behind his gentle smile. She realized and hated it. Everything about Kurogane which cornered her brother till that point.

  And she was resolved. If no one was going to love her brother, then she would just love him all the more, including others' part.

  It won't do like this. It won't do if all she ever did was to depend on him, and follow him around. She had to become an equal, and give him her support or else she won't be able to hold on to her brother. Or else, she'll end up leaving her brother in solitude again.

  Thus, she needed to get stronger.

  With certainty, her brother would shine in this world eventually. Shizuku knew his strength more than anyone else, and that's why she knew it. Shizuku desperately worked hard to become someone who would be able to stand by his side as an equal when the time came. And, she acquired strength until she got the excellent evaluation of a rank-B.

  But, it's still not enough. Her brother aimed for the summit of Seven-Stars. Her current level was not enough to accompany him there.

  「Well then, I will begin introducing the competitors of today's second match! From the blue gate, she is the sister of the popular knight, whom everyone in this arena should know, contender Kurogane Ikki. She is the runner up freshmen of this year standing right after the 'Crimson Princess'! Her match results so far are ten wins out of ten matches! The superiority or inferiority of attribute doesn't matter to her! Will she sink her opponent with exceptional magic control today once again? The first year nicknamed 'Lorelei', competitor Kurogane Shizuku!!!」

  Shizuku came out of the dark passage and stepped into the ground filled with cheers. But, the unceasing cheers felt distant. Naturally, it was because Shizuku was only concentrating on the one before her.

  「And from the red gate, the student council president, and also the strongest of this school. She advanced to the semifinals as a second year student last year in the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. Having lost to last year's Seven Stars Sword King, Moroboshi of Bunkyoku Academy, she was not able to take the summit of the Seven Stars. However, she has once again returned to the battlefield, where competitors fight over the summit, along with her still-invincible trump card that has been more refined since last year! Impossible to dodge before that speed! Impossible to parry that swiftness! Will the golden flash today, once again, cut her enemy within the blink of an eye!? The strongest lightning user Hagun boasts of―the third year nicknamed 'Raikiri', contender Toudou Touka!!!」

  Toudou Touka.

  At a distance approximately twenty meters away, the strongest knight of Hagun academy stepped into the ring while swaying her long chestnut-colored hair.

  Shizuku was certain after seeing her.

  …I see. She is on a whole different level.

  She could understand after coming face to face with her. The air hurts. The hair all over her body twitched. Shizuku could feel herself sweating upon the sharpness of her piercing gaze. The very nature of the atmosphere surrounding her differed from every other opponent she had faced in the selection matches until now.

  This opponent was strong. Obviously ranks above her.

  ―But, that's why… Shizuku was excited.

  Finally.

  She had been eagerly waiting for a chance like this ever since coming to this school. A fight where her feelings would be tested.

  She was within the best four in last year's Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. She is a worthy opponent.

  In that case, she'd test it. Just how much did she really love her brother in these past five years. All kinds of feelings, and her love for him―

  With this fight, I'll test my limit!

  And, as if to respond to Shizuku's feelings―

  "Then, let the twelfth match begin!!!"

  The buzzer was sounded marking the beginning of the battle.

  Chapter 1: Lorelei VS. Raikiri

  Part 1

  Lorelei VS Raikiri.

  Both of them were the strongest student class B-rank knights.

  The contest between two of the most powerful figures in Hagun welcomed an unexpected start.

  「Wh, what is going on-? Both of them refuse to step forward!」

  The kodachi named possessed a silver blade.

  The Japa
nese sword sheathed in a black scabbard.

  They both circled around the ring, keeping their distance the same, while holding their devices.

  Even though an entire minute has passed since the match started, they still had not clashed their swords even once.

  ---The ground was covered in tension to the point of being painful.

  The audience, who had come to watch a high quality fight, held their breaths without any exceptions and watched the ring.

  "Neither of the two are trying to make the first move."

  The fiery red haired girl, standing beside Ikki, called Stella Vermillion muttered in a stiff voice.

  "They're checking each other's moves out while glaring from a distance."

  It was the tall beauty, Arisuin Nagi who answered to Stella's mutter.

  "Both of them are B-rank knights possessing the power of a Seven Star Sword King. That student council president and of course Shizuku, too, have the means to attack from one end of the ring to the other. Both of them are within each other's attack range. The one to make a careless move will be defeated."

  "To add one more thing to what Alice said, Shizuku doesn't want to be the one to make the first move because Toudou-san has the strongest cross range weapon."

  "…Ikki, is that the trump card the commentator talked about?"

  "Yes, it is neither exaggeration nor a lie. It's the noble art that became Toudou-san's epithet because of its immense strength and awe striking nature. To elaborate, it is the ultra-electromagnetic battoujutsu ."

  She creates a powerful magnetic field with her thunder ability around the blade and scabbard of , hanging on her waist, and then shoots the blade out.

  The strike of that battō has the tremendous power and speed to even cut through a lightning bolt.

  That's no longer a strike that could be parried with the body of a human.

  Thus it's a certain kill technique.

  "Every single official match where she used ended in Toudou-san's victory. Once it's released it will defeat the enemy without fail. It's literally a trump card."

  "Huh, but Ikki, wasn't she in the best four last year? Then, wouldn't it mean the knight who defeated her surpassed it?"

  "No."

  Ikki denied, swinging his head.

  "The current Seven Star Sword King, Moroboshi- kun is a spear user. I saw a video of the match, he was doing his best, throughout the match, to stay out of 's range. In other words, even the Seven Star Sword King was afraid of her . There has been no one till now who has been able to breakthrough Toudou-san's cross range. Every single one who stepped into that territory was, without any exception, cut down by her faster than a lightning slash, and of course, Shizuku knows that, too."

  "…That's why, she doesn't make a move."

  "Yes, Shizuku will be on defense throughout this match. Though, originally, Shizuku specializes in long range magic battles. There is no one who will step into a disadvantageous distance by their own will."

  That's why, Shizuku was going to wait.

  For the moment when her opponent will attack.

  Within the frozen time.

  "But… once Toudou-san makes a move things will develop quickly."

  At the exact moment Ikki said that―Touka moved!

  Part 2

  Swiftly bending her knees, she leaned forward, and leaped.

  Within an instant she reached top speed.

  Their distance was twenty meters.

  Touka could cover that distance within a blink of an eye.

  But the 《Witch of the Deep Sea》 wasn't someone who would easily allow that!

  It was obvious because she had been waiting.

  For the moment when Touka would move with all of her strength!

  "Freeze―Toudo Heigen1!"

  Along with those words, Shizuku's footing froze.

  That ice froze the entirety of the ring and extended to the walls faster than Touka.

  And what would happen if one were to run with all their might on such a foothold?

  Of course, they'll slip.

  Thus Touka would have to temporarily decrease her speed.

  But, to force her in that situation was Shizuku's plan.

  Shizuku immediately made her next move.

  Noble art 《Water Bullet》.

  A water cannonball, which could take away the enemy's breath by clinging to his/her face once it touches it (them), was shoot from 《Yoishigure》's tip.

  Three consecutive shots. It was impossible to dodge those three shots on this frozen plain. That was common sense.

  However, her opponent was a monster who lived in the immediate vicinity of Seven Stars' summit.

  To her surprise, Touka didn't decrease her speed on the frozen ground.

  She saw through Shizuku's plan to slow her down in an instant.

  Thus, rather than stopping she further accelerated by sliding on the floor.

  She slipped through the space of the three cannonballs like sewing through them, and skillfully dodged 《Water Bullet》.

  And, while spinning around like a top by using the frozen floor, she released 《Narukami》, which was on her waist, aiming at Shizuku who was still far away.

  Instantly, from the drawn blade a crescent shaped lightning slash was released towards Shizuku's neck.

  After seeing through Shizuku's plan, she immediately performed a long range counter after dodging her attacks.

  Touka was visualizing her evasion and counterattacking the moment she saw 《Water Bullet》.

  There wasn't any enemy till now who saw through Shizuku so fast and precisely.

  But---- that was within Shizuku's prediction.

  The moment before the lightning slash cut Shizuku.

  A water wall with a breadth of thirty meters from the ground came between Shizuku and the slash.

  It was the noble art 《Shouha-Suiren》. It was Shizuku's impenetrable defensive technique that didnt't allow any kind of bullets or lightning attacks to pass.

  Of course, Shizuku didn't think 《Raikiri》 would let her have her own way.

  Obviously, because she was the fourth strongest apprentice knight in Japan.

  She was sure to attack from long distance.

  Having read that, Shizuku had taken precaution(s).

  The lightning slash was able to blast away a part of the water wall, but it didn't penetrate it.

  She had safely dealt with Touka's counter attack.

  ―That thought existed for brief moment.

  "―Nn."

  The instant Touka saw that her attack didn't pass through the water wall, she let out two, three, ten more lightning slashes without even waiting for a second.

  She unleashed lightning attacks like a machine gun.

  What frighteningly violent attacks these were.

  There didn't exist any valor like before when she saw through Shizuku's plan. This was just an overpowering, brute force spasm.

  But, it was all part of her plan.

  Touka, at this point, had already understood the advantage she had against Shizuku.

  It was the time required to execute techniques.

  Shizuku needed to pay attention to every single molecule of water, removing any impurities to create pure water that had an attribute of insulation, to dodge the lightning. It was an extremely nerve wreaking, delicate operation.

  In comparison, Touka only needed to clad her slashes with lightning and send them flying towards Shizuku. It didn't really require a delicate procedure.

  Of course, a gap in their speed appeared.

  Touka realized that advantage with a single exchange.

  That cornering her with a barrage of instantaneous lightning strikes was the most difficult development for Shizuku.

  And that was a correct deduction.

  Shizuku would be unable to undo the barrier if she was under the constant bombardment.

  Shizuku had no choice but to protect herself with 《Shouha
-Suiren》 from the barrage of lightning blades.

  But, even just a single attack from Touka was heavy.

  The hot lightning blade was certainly, without fail, chipping away Shizuku's defense.

  And after several tens of attacks, the machine gun like barrage of lightning finally blown away the last of Shizuku's defense.

  Touka immediately proceeded to swing 《Narukami》, intending to finish it up with one last lightning attack.

  ―It was at that moment.

  "………n!"

  Touka's movement stopped.

  Why?

  The reason was at her foothold.

  Touka's feet were caught up by something.

  They were arms made out of water coming forth from the frozen ground.

  The water arms froze the instant they caught Touka, effectively sewing her to the ground.

  At the same time a shadow was nearing Touka from above, whose movement have been completely sealed.

  What is it?

  It was too late when Touka took her gaze off from Shizuku and looked above her head. What she saw was a scene where an enormous pillar of ice was falling down at a terrifying speed from a human's absolute blind spot, and it had come so close to her it could almost touch her nose.

  ―Everything went as Shizuku had planned it out.

  If Touka was to go on offense by quickly seeing through her plan, then Shizuku was to counter it by seeing through Touka's plan profoundly.

  Shizuku let Touka think that she had the advantage of speed.

  She caused her to get the wrong idea that all she could do was be on defensive and protect herself like a turtle.

  And, behind that facade, she imbued her mana into the ground and made the arms constrain her. On the other side, she used the water that was vaporized by Touka's lightning attacks to create a mass of ice to crush her.

  She simultaneously performed three different complex mana operations.

  A feat average blazers wouldn't be able perform, but Shizuku could do it.

  Her ability to control mana was worthy of being rank-A, because it was at the highest level among humanity, even surpassing Stella's.

  Instantaneously, the fallen mass of ice split the ring along with Touka.