Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan - Volume 2 Read online

  Prologue: Memories of a Distant Day

  Standing in the middle of a dojo dyed in the color of mad red, the girl called out to the man before her again and again.

  Her voice was filled with distress, but the grizzled middle-aged man laughed cheerfully.

  "Hahaha, it's still a hundred years too soon for an opponent to hold back against me. Enough, just come."

  "But Father…. Lately your body has been…."

  "That's why I want to entrust this technique to you, before I lose the ability to hold a sword completely."

  Swaying, the middle-aged man, the girl's father, readied the shinai1.

  "Since I'm no Blazer, I can't be of any help to you but with the sword. This technique is the result of my entire life as a swordsman. It's something I've never shown anyone. It will definitely be of use to you. Accept it, Ayase."

  The eyes of the father looking straight at his daughter shined in a warmer color than the mad red of the evening sun.

  There was no way she could refuse after being gazed at with such an expression, because she was loved so much.

  "I'll do it… Father."

  And so, the girl…

  "…."

  Killing off her unease, she materialized her soul as an ‘Armament', a katana with a scarlet blade redder than sunset and more vivid than blood. Gripping the katana in both of her hands as if she was squeezing it lightly, the girl dashed forward, aiming at her father who stood before her. And just as her father desired, she swung down her sword.

  It was something that had happened long ago.

  But right now, she had already lost everything. Nothing remained with her. She could not protect anything.

  Only the scene from long ago still burnt brightly in her eyes.

  Shinai: a practice sword for kendo made from bamboo strips.

  Chapter 1: Disciple

  Part 1

  "Well folks! The seventh match of today's selection battles will now begin!

  "Coming from the blue gate is the one who defeated the C-Rank knight, the 'Hunter' Kirihira Shizuya, who was a representative in last year's Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival. It's the first year F-Rank 'Failure Knight', contender Kurogane Ikki! Till now, he's had eight wins out of eight matches. What's more, except against contender Kirihara, he received no injuries in his matches. But today he'll face an opponent of the same caliber as the Hunter!

  "And that is, appearing from the red gate, a member of the Hagun Academy Student Council and a top contender of this year's Festival, second year C-Rank 'Runner's High', Tomaru Renren! Her records are the same as contender Kurogane, eight wins out of eight matches!

  "But, Buuut! contender Tomaru was third among the past year's academy ranking! In other words, she is the third strongest knight in this school! Will she show her strength today as her rank states? Or will the Failure Knight win today too with his martial arts powers that defy common sense!? Yanagida-sensei, what do you think?"

  "Too long, sleeping."

  "Thank you very much! Well then, today's top match… has started!"

  The buzzer indicating the start of the match sounded, and loud applause and shouts spontaneously resounded from the audience seats.

  As the target of those frenzied echoes, two knights stood in the ring. The boy who stood still while holding the Japanese katana-type Device, Kurogane Ikki. The girl who equipped the knuckle-type Device, Tomaru Renren.

  Even though the match had already started, Renren was doing some hops lightly as if she were playing, and called out to Ikki with an affectionate smile.

  "Kurogane-kun. I saw your match with the 'Hunter'! That was an awesome match!"

  Tomaru's smile was like the light brown color of her tanned skin; it cleared away smoothly. Facing her smile, Ikki also grinned a little in return.

  "Thank you very much. Being told that by the third rank Tomaru-san makes me very happy."

  "Using honorifics when we're just chatting, you do know we're the same age, right? But still, it's strange. Even though you can fight so well, why did you repeat a grade?"

  "…Ahaha, well that's… there were a lot going on and all."

  "Fuu~un. Well, I don't know what happened, but it's unfortunate. It would've been more fun if I were in the same grade as someone as strong as Kurogane-kun~"

  "If you're talking about strange people, then isn't there Saijou-san who's ranked fourth?"

  "That guy's no good. He has crazy physical strength but he can't even touch me with just that. He's just an electric fan… but still, that's the same for Kurogane-kun too. I mean, if you're struggling so much against someone like the 'Hunter', you can't beat me."

  Tomaru's gentle smile changed into a ferocious one.

  "I'll show you the way the third ranked fights―!"

  Suddenly, her figure vanished from Ikki's field of vision.

  Was it a stealth skill like Area Invisible? No, that was wrong. There is sound. A sound of the right being kicked, something passing through the wind with unbelievable speed. If he looked carefully, he could catch a glimpse of the after-images.

  That's right. Tomaru didn't disappear, she just moved so fast that it seemed like she disappeared. That was Tomaru Renren's Noble Art―

  "It's Mach Grid! Contender Renren suddenly dashed with victory in her eyes!"

  The true form of that irregularity was the accumulation of speed. By ignoring the natural deceleration put on her body, Tomaru is able to continuously accelerate.

  "I've heard of it before, but for it to be this fast…."

  "Seeing it on camera and seeing it like this is completely different right?"

  "Yeah, I can't catch up to it…. The reason you talked to me when the match already started was for the steps right? You accumulated the initial speed with those hops."

  "Bingo! The weakness of this power is the initial speed, you see. But with those preparations, I could bright up my speed to five hundred kilometers per hour instantly. But five hundred is just the beginning. My Mach Grid shows its real powers after crossing the sound barrier!"

  Exactly as stated, she continued to speed to the right, using the walls surrounding the ring. Exploiting the ability to ignore the laws that bind this world, she continued to accelerate. 800, 900, 1000, 1100, ―1200! She finally passed the speed of sound, and arrived at the domain of supersonic speed.

  Her speed had long passed the level where the human eye could follow it.

  "Do you get it? My ability isn't something that lets me disappear like the Hunter. I become both invisible and impossible to catch! Kurogane-kun who was having trouble against such an enemy can't possibly win against me!"

  "Then if I can catch Tomaru-san, will you admit defeat?"

  "Haha…! Well that's if you can do it! But you can't! There's no way you can! It's unfortunate, but Kurogane-kun's Festival journey will end here! Let's go, with this supersonic speed attack…!"

  By the time Ikki could no longer even grasp the after-images… Tomaru came forward with victory in mind while putting power into her fists. Moving to Ikki's blind spot, she released a strike filled with the highest amount of energy…!

  "Black Bird!"

  While creating a sonic boom, Tomaru aimed her fist at Ikki's back and let loose a supersonic strike.

  In speed, it really surpassed Mach 2. It was truly a one shot kill strike that far surpassed the level where it could be seen with one's eyes. Forget about blocking, it was no longer possible to evade, or even react in time.

  Tomaru had no doubt about her victory. However―

  "That girl's an idiot."

  A small-built silver-haired girl stood there, sighing as if making fun of someone.

  This adorable girl
who reminded you of a bisque doll was Kurogane Shizuku. A B-Rank knight who was called 《Witch of the Deep Sea (Lorelie)》1 because of her peculiar method of winning, by drowning her opponents. She was Kurogane Ikki's younger sister.

  "The reason Onii-sama had a hard time with that person wasn't because he couldn't see him."

  But of course, her words didn't reach Tomaru currently reflected on her pupils. It didn't reach, but Tomaru immediately understood the meaning.

  Eh?

  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.

  "Kuh-ugh―"

  And a black tip was pointed towards Tomaru, who lost her breath after that impact on her back.

  "It's my win."

  "…."

  Tomaru, who had collapsed, could not understand what had just happened. She could not understand how she was caught.

  But she understood that she had lost. If Tomaru's Mach Grid was stopped, its propulsion speed would be completely reset. She has to be constantly on the move. She could not bring up her speed from scratch again. The person before her would not allow it.

  That's why…Tomaru nodded lightly, and surrendered.

  "I-It's oveeeer! It's over too easily! contender Ikki won it by easily bringing down Runner's High, the third rank of Hagun Academy! It's his ninth victory! Finally the historic moment when someone lower than E-Rank passing the selection for the festival is near!"

  "Hey hey, seriously!?"

  "For that Tomaru to not even be able to touch him…."

  "What the heck is with that F-Rank? Why the heck did that monster repeat a grade!?"

  "C-Cool!"

  "As expected of Ikki. A match without even a shred of danger."

  Among the spectators who were shouting and cheering, one slender man, Arisuin Nagi stood next to Shizuku and clapped for Ikki who was standing in the light.

  "In the end, he didn't use Ittou Shura."

  "The result was obvious. The reason why Onii-sama had a hard time against that Hunter had nothing to do with whether or not he could see him. It was because he had a long ranged bow in addition to his perfect stealth. It doesn't matter how fast she is, or if he can't see her. There's no way she will be unharmed after stepping into the field of Onii-sama's unique swordsmanship."

  For someone of Ikki's level of skill, it was already a close ranged barrier of sword strikes. If there was something close by, a samurai's sharpened sixth sense will definitely react to it, no matter if it is visible or invisible, fast or slow. Failing to read that was the reason why Tomaru lost.

  "Good job, Ikki."

  Ikki, who was leaving the arena saw a vividly red-haired girl standing next to the blue gate as she welcomed him back.

  "My right hand only feels a bit disjointed; I didn't fight so hard that I would feel tired. Stella, do your best too."

  "There's no need to try my best though."

  After replying with a voice filled with confidence, the girl entered the arena.

  "Folks, with the lingering feelings of excitement remaining from before, it's time to start today's eighth selection match! Entering the arena with her blazing red hair swaying is Hagun academy's only A-Rank knight! The 'Crimson Princess', contender Stella Vermillion! Like her roommate the Failure Knight, she also has eight wins with no losses! All of those matches ended with her opponents withdrawing! The sensational supernova who won through with just her pressure, going through all the matches without any decent battles. Buuut! Today her opponent is the Hanaiki Baffalo―!"

  Entering the arena from the red gate from where Tomaru had gone through was a giant with a shaved head and a uniform with a high helm.

  "Ranked fourth in our Hagun academy and a member of the student counsel, the C-Rank knight nicknamed 'Destroyer', contender Saijou Ikazuchi! Having won through an excellent run of matches, he leisurely stands in front of contestant Vermillion! There is no sign of the tension or excitement that had been seen from the others who fought contender Vermillion! Only the glaring at the opponent he has to defeat! Just like the wall newspaper club guaranteed, ‘No running away for Japanese men', he lives up to the phrase! Completely ready to face contender Vermillion! Could it be that this time, we will finally witness the true power of the Crimson Princess!? Now, with both of them summoning their Devices―Match, START!"

  "UWOOOOO!!"

  "Whoa! contender Saijou swung his Device Zanbatou2 immediately with the sounding of the start buzzer! The force is so strong that the roar of the blade reached even the seats of the audience!"

  "I'll ask, do you know my ability?"

  Saijou asked Stella while rotating his Zanbatou overhead.

  "I don't. Unlike Ikki, I don't research my opponents before the fight."

  "Hmph. As expected of the famed A-Rank. Does a C-Rank not interest you?"

  "It's not like I'm neglecting you. In the end this fight, and even the Sword-Art Festival, everything is simply training for us to grow stronger and become mage-knights. When confronting terrorists and the like, it's almost impossible for you to know of the opponents abilities beforehand. That's why, if you can't fight without knowing what your opponent's skill is, then that's no good."

  "You won't do the initial research because of that, even though you are a first year. Such a noble will. Be that as it may, this time it is futile."

  *BOOM*

  Saijou brought down the Zanbatou he was revolving overhead towards Stella. There was magic emitting from the rough sword that clashed with Stella's golden blade, Lævateinn.

  The ‘reason' of the blazers was already at work there.

  "My ability is 'accumulation of the power of slashes'. The more I revolve the blade, the heavier it becomes. The current limit is ten tons. The reason for your loss in this battle will be because you let me charge my power to the limits because you didn't know of my ability!"

  "It's the Crescendo Axe―!"

  Accumulating the power of slashes. The slashes just now had enough force to crack open the ground. However―

  "But no matter how heavy your slashes are, they're useless if they don't hit, you know."

  That's right. This was the reason he loses to the third rank, Tomaru Renren. Certainly, if it's attack power alone, Crescendo Axe is of the highest class. But as for the speed of his fortified Zanbatou, it's definitely not fast. He was truly an easy opponent for speed-based fighters like Tomaru. And of course, Stella had plenty of velocity even though it wasn't as much as Tomaru. This type of attack, she could dodge it with her eyes closed.

  "But, I'll receive it!!"

  "WH-WHAT!?"

  *CLANG*

  The downward slashing Crescendo Axe was received by Stella's Læveteinn. No, it didn't stop at that. Stella didn't just receive the slash from the Zanbatou, she used her might to push it back too.

  "Im-Impossible!?"

  He lost in strength. Saijou was shocked at that fact.

  Yes, Saijou didn't know, because the single time when Stella fought seriously was when she fought Kurogane Ikki, and Saijou was not present there. Because he only saw the pictures taken by the students or the blurry uploaded movies on the streaming sites.

  ―That Stella was someone who could shake the Earth itself with just one strike of her sword!

  "It would do you good to remember this, Sempai."

  Stella pushed back the Zanbatou and stretched her hand toward the now defenseless Saijou, touching the upper helm. r />
  "Power, talent, techniques, I will bring down everything while facing them head on. I am an A-Rank exactly because I can do something like that."

  Instantly, fire blazed out from the hand that touched the helm. The collar snapped, and Saijou's body blasted 10 meters up in the air and then fell out of the ring.

  Saijou, who was now covered in soot, lay unmoving. He lost consciousness at that close distance explosion.

  "The match is over! Winner, Stella Vermillon!"

  Realizing that fact quickly, the referee immediately judged the match to be over and announced the winner.

  "A-Again, complete victoryyy!! Even though contender Saijou daringly wished for a head on battle, he wasn't even an opponent for her! This is world level! This is the highest rank! Strong, way too strong! The first years this time are way too strong!! If it's her, if it's them! They could earn our Hagun Academy the crown of the Seven Stars Sword King after all these years it has been out of our reach!"

  While basking in the excited shouts and cheers, Stella left the ring.

  It has been about a month since The Seven Star Sword-Art Festival selection battles started, when the season turned.

  Failure Knight, Kurogane Ikki.

  Crimson Princess, Stella Vermillion.

  Lorelei, Kurogane Shizuku.

  Part 2

  With their consecutive wins, they became names that everyone in the school knew.

  "Congratulations, Onii-sama♥."

  After Ikki came out of the exit of the fifth training arena where the match was held, he suddenly felt a light impact on his hips.

  After looking down, he saw Shizuku with her jade-colored eyes giving off her presence there. And Arisuin was behind her.

  "Thank you, Shizuku. But could you please stop hugging me in public places. It's embarrassing."

  "Okay. It's cute when Onii-sama becomes embarrassed too."

  "Alice, it seems like my words can't get through my sister anymore. As expected, do you think the lack of communication during those four years is the cause?"

  "Fufu, that might be the origin."

  "Ahhh! Shizuku's hugging Ikki again!"

  An angry roar sounded from behind Ikki who was being fawned over by Shizuku. The one standing there was Stella, who came out of the arena after Ikki. After seeing her, Shizuku's angelic expression twisted into something that made her look like she was biting on a sour insect.