"―Eh…."

  Ikki was, for sure, before her eyes―

  Ayase's slash, which was swung with all her might, had only scratched the tip of Ikki's nose, while he was running towards her. It didn't reach him. Had she miscalculated the distance between them? No. Certainly, Ikki was within the range of her sword. But, that Ikki disappeared like a mirage, and another Ikki from behind him was running towards her.

  Ayase blanked out. She could no longer understand what was going on. But that confusion was not meaningless. This was one of original techniques Kurogane Ikki possessed, a technique rivaling the seventh secret sword, Raikou. With radical footwork he creates an afterimage before himself while running to confuse the distance between him and his opponent.

  "Fourth secret sword―Shinkirou1."

  At that moment, the blade of Intetsu swung with all of his might slashed through air and Ayase.

  Part 9

  "It's overrrrr! Contender Kurogane's attack was a clean hit!"

  Upon the voice, which dislodged from the accumulation of scenes, the audience, too, raised loud cheers.

  "Contender Ayase has fallen to the ground! However she is not bleeding…! What is going on…?"

  "*Cough, cough*…Yes, that is because he changed his device into Illusionary Form the moment before slashing her."

  "Then, does that mean she only got exhausted and did not necessarily received a fatal blow?"

  "Yes, that is correct."

  "But why did he do such a thing? Does it mean that he does not want to hurt women?"

  "That's not true. I was slashed by him in the past. Probably, from the start he was just aiming to tire her out… because this time around, wining is not Kurogane-kun's only goal."

  Oreki whispered to herself, and looked down upon the ring.

  The fallen Ayase was trying to get up by putting strength into her limbs. Ayase, while trembling, raised her head and glared at Ikki who was standing before her.

  "…What are you… trying to do here…?"

  "About what?"

  "Don't play dumb… why are you not cutting me down…!?"

  "I don't have to. Ayatsuji-san can't fight anymore."

  Making fun of me…!

  She was made light of. Thinking of that action as insult Ayase flexed her limbs. One does not receive any physical damage if she is cut by a Device in Illusionary Form. Only her stamina gets depleted. Ayase had confidence in her stamina, to the point where she can easily keep up with Ikki and Stella on their morning runs. A fatigue of this level did not mean anything to her.

  "…Huh?"

  That's how it should have been… but she could not feel any power in her body.

  "…Why…?"

  She had to stand up, she had to win this fight, or else everything will be over. She won't be able to save her father…. Why, why?

  My heart… was it this cold?

  Her heart wasn't stirring. She couldn't feel her fighting spirit to stand up once more by mustering the last of her strength.

  Ayase realized upon feeling that fact. That her soul was rejecting such a fight which didn't have pride in it.

  I see…. This is the scream of my heart….

  When people were cornered, they were only able to stand back up because they have pride within their hearts. That they could still do it. That they should still do it. Not to give up. They encouraged themselves like that.

  Ayase, too, had been doing so all along. No matter how hard the training was, no matter how much her hands got blistered, she was able to endure it all because she had pride in herself who wielded the sword of Ayatsuji.

  But… for the Ayase who rejected that same pride….

  "…It's just as Kurogane-kun said."

  She no longer had the power to stand up.

  "…It's my loss."

  Part 10

  "Wow, there is the surrender sign from contender Ayatsuji! The match ends with this~~! As expected, it was the Worst One, contender Kurogane, who won! With this, contender Kurogane has eleven consecutive wins! The eleven consecutive wins he earned by defeating famous people like Hunter and Runner's High! We can now say it with confidence that he will be a representative for the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival!"

  Glancing over the excited cheers of the audience, Ayase let out a dry laugh.

  "So uncool… forget about abandoning it, I couldn't even maintain it…."

  The words that came out of her mouth were meant as a sneer at her own half-hearted self.

  But, that sneer―

  "You are not uncool."

  Ikki rejected it strongly.

  "Eh…?"

  "You wandered, were mistaken, and in the end lost sight of yourself, but you had not thrown it away yet, and that is Ayatsuji-san's strength."

  And Ikki asked while extending his hand to the fallen Ayase.

  "Ayatsuji-san, please tell me… what was taken away from you by that Sword Eater? What was it that pushed you so far?"

  "What do you plan to do after hearing something like that…."

  "I'll get it back."

  There was not even a bit of hesitation or falsehood in those words. If Ayase relied on him, Ikki would fight for her without any hesitation. She understood that, and precisely because she understood it that, she said―

  "…I cannot tell you, because it doesn't have anything to do with Kurogane-kun after all."

  She could not let him fight against such a monster. She could not let such a kind man get hurt because of someone half-hearted like herself.

  Father is enough. I can't let such a thing happen to him too.

  That was why Ayase was concealing everything. But―

  "Then, I'll just investigate the matter."

  "Eh?"

  "I'll investigate everything by following you around and researching you."

  "Wha, what are you saying…."

  "I'll inquire about everything, and get everything back for you. Ayatsuji-san, too, stalked me before, so we'll be equal with this. Thus, I have no reason to listen to your complaints, do I?"

  Incomprehensible. What "we'll be equal with this"…? This was not balancing debt, just increasing it.

  "…Why…?"

  Ayase couldn't stop the trembling in her voice, nor could she stop the miserable tears.

  "Even though I betrayed Kurogane-kun…. Even though I did such horrible things…. Why… are you trying to help me?"

  Ayase asked with a trembling voice. Ikki's answer was filled with clarity.

  "I don't need a reason to wipe my friend's tears."

  "…!"

  For a moment Ikki's figure overlapped with Kaito's in Ayase's eyes. The figure of her father that climbed the stage of battle for the sake of his apprentice. Ikki was the same as him. Even if he was spat on or jeered on, he would not take out his sword for things trivial like those. But, if his precious comrades are hurt, he would not hesitate in the slightest to draw his sword.

  Ah…. Yeah, that's how it was….

  Since when had she lost sight of it? This, right here, was the figure she had been chasing so badly after in that dojo. Ayase looked at her own hands. They were blistered hands that couldn't be said to be pretty even as flattery. Just like her father and Ikki, they were the hands of a swordsman.

  That's right, I just wanted to be a cool swordsman like Father. That's why I wielded the sword.

  She was confronted by Kuraudo's violent strength just once, and lost the sight of herself in the impatience of trying get the dojo back. Where her pride was, Ayase had finally remembered that and squeezed her hands, strongly.

  At that moment, Ayase's heart finally decided.

  "…Kurogane-kun… please help me… !"

  The thing she should do now was not to go against the teachings of her father, and betray her own pride and bask in self-pity like a damsel in distress. It was to ask this gentle yet strong boy for his help, and believe in his victory.

  That's why Ayase took Ikki's extended hand.

  "I just wanted to hear those words."

  Upon those words, Ikki smiled like he was really happy and strongly gripped Ayase's hand.

  Shinkirou, 蜃気狼: "Mirage Wolf"

  Chapter 4: Decisive Battle VS

  Part 1

  It was midnight of the day Ikki battled Ayase. A single silhouette could be seen in the forest clearing where Ikki usually trained. The silhouette swung a dimly glowing Katana under the moonlight.

  A windless night, but the sound of the blade swaying in the wind could be heard. It was a beautiful form of training, as if dancing.

  But that movement suddenly came to a stop.

  "Stella?"

  The silhouette… Kurogane Ikki turned towards the entrance of the recess while wiping his sweat and asked. He felt a presence there; as expected, a girl with glossy fire-blonde hair stood there. It was Stella Vermillion.

  She frowned a bit, but asked frankly.

  "You're still at it? If you're not careful then it's going to affect the battle tomorrow."

  The battle Stella mentioned was a duel with Kuraudo. After Ikki's match with Ayase yesterday, Ikki and Stella heard everything from her. From the beginning till the end, and what happened two years ago.

  How Ayatsuji Kaito, the Last Samurai had been beaten.

  And after hearing everything, Ikki firmly promised Ayase that he would duel Kuraudo tomorrow betting the dojo. Tomorrow… a battle even harder than today's might be waiting. Then the wisest decision now would be to rest. Ikki also understood that, but he couldn't calm down.

  "…Was it a shock?"

  "Well, yeah… For me, Kaito-san might've been something like an idol."

  For Ikki who was abandoned by the adults of the Kurogane house, people like Kaito were the same as a swordsmanship master for him. Watching their matches, he stole, analyzed, and practiced their techniques over and over again. It was something which became the foundation of the current Ikki. So hearing the past events from Ayase was a shock to him. Decayed by disease, in a match with no magic… in other words, in a match not between knights but swordsmen, he was one-sidedly beaten.

  "As expected, Kurashiki-kun really isn't a pushover."

  "Are you nervous?"

  "…Yes, because he is such a tough opponent."

  Kurashiki Kuraudo, the ace of Donrou Academy. A third year. He was in the best eight of the last festival. Information about a figure like him could be easily found if searched. His device was Orochimaru1, a white saw blade with the ability to expand its length. It killed the meaning of distance. He could thrust at the opponent with bullet like speed even from a long distance, and if that was dodged he could still mow down the entire ring. If his opponent came in close range, he could shrink Orochimaru to a short sword and overwhelm his opponent with a rotating barrage.

  Serpent Bone Blade, Kuraudo's Noble Art which had an absolute reach no matter what the distance was didn't have any blind spots. It wasn't a flashy move. But this simple move had an annoying amount of offensive power. The constant change in distance between the opponent was difficult to deal with for a swordsman like Ikki, who specialized in sword fights.

  Thus he was called 'Sword Killer', and like the nickname stated, his ability was the natural enemy for swordsmen. And he beat Kaito. So Ikki had a feeling that Kuraudo had something else up his sleeve.

  "But, that's something I understand."

  Ever since he felt that barbaric aura with that savage expression of his at the restaurant. But that wasn't the reason Ikki couldn't calm down.

  "…Stella. After you heard Ayatsuji-san's story, what did you think?"

  "She got mixed up with a troublesome mutt, and I pity her."

  "Is that all? I…."

  "You don't have to say it."

  Stella interrupted him and muttered.

  "Probably, we're thinking the same thing. That's why you said it, didn't you?"

  "Is that so…. Yeah, that's right. I knew Stella would understand."

  Ikki's face lit up happily. He was happy that his lover was thinking the same thing as him.

  "But whatever the truth is, it shouldn't concern Ikki, right? What you have to do hasn't changed."

  "Yeah, that's right."

  Nodding, Ikki once again swung his sword in the darkness.

  …Body condition is fine. No problems with vitality either. All that's left is to wait. After tomorrow, everything will be clear.

  ―The truth that Ayase had yet to realize, the events that happened two years ago.

  Part 2

  On the evening of the next day, Ikki and Stella headed for the ex-Ayatsuji dojo grounds being guided by Ayase.

  "This road, it brings back memories."

  Ikki muttered while looking at the old familiar houses lined up.

  "Come to think of it, didn't Kurogane-kun come challenging our dojo once?"

  "Yeah. But I was turned away after being told they didn't do stuff like that anymore."

  "That's from Ikki's middle school days, right? You went to many places and visited a lot of dojos."

  "Might've been a mischievous side of me. When I could manage the time, I would go around the country and make challenges."

  "That's a lot of willpower. But Kurogane-kun, wasn't it dangerous? A middle school student going around challenging dojos, weren't you ever beaten to a pulp because of that cheeky attitude?"

  "There was that too. Sometimes I would get beaten from all directions by disciples until I'm half-dead. But it couldn't be helped since I did something rude like challenging their dojo. The challenger can't complain no matter what the challenged does to him, that's an ironclad rule."

  That's right. He knew it was dangerous, and the number of times he was almost killed couldn't be counted with just his fingers. But at that time, he just wanted to become strong no matter what. Since the adults around him didn't help him at all, he wanted to experience everything, absorb everything, and gain all the strength he could.

  But still, I didn't do stuff like attack the pupils and forcefully challenge the dojos when I was refused.

  While reminiscing, the three left the highway and entered a vacant space mixed with groves of trees. Before them was a solitary house surrounded by long walls.

  "This… was my home once."

  But now, it was appropriate to call it an abandoned samurai mansion. The tiles were out of place, the wood supporting the gate rot and collapsed. The area around was littered with cigarette butts, snack boxes, poly-bags etc. The white walls now had tasteless and colorful graffiti.

  "What tasteless scribbles. I've heard that there are people with awesome graffiti skills but this, this is totally a no."

  "…I don't think that's where you should be surprised…. What a mess."

  Ayase who guided them here had a pained expression, as if she was killing off the disappointment she was feeling. Her precious place was damaged to such an extent, of course she would.

  I have to get it back.

  Ikki resolved himself yet again, and took out a wooden sword from his bag.

  "Kurogane-kun… may I ask, how are you going to get back the dojo?"

  "Of course, I'll go straight in and challenge the dojo master. There's no other way right?"

  After hearing what happened two years ago, Ikki thought that Kuraudo's way of doing things was surprisingly modest. Of course, attacking the students to get the right of challenging the dojo wasn't exactly modest, but in the end, everything was settled under a supervised duel both parties agreed to. In other words, both good and evil, truth and false, everything was entrusted to that duel. So a third party butting their nose in the results would be very rude. It's an insult towards Kaito.

  "That's so like Ikki."

  "I understand… But Kurogane-kun, please be careful. That man… Sword Killer is very strong. Certainly at that time my father was ill, but he was still strong enough that I and the other pupils couldn't even touch him. But he still lost…."

  "I know. He's the ace of Donrou too. Not someone I can go easy against."

  Ikki took a deep breath once.

  "Then, let's go."

  Resolving himself, he headed towards the gate of the ex-Ayatsuji dojo.

  Before the now decaying and almost collapsed gate of the dojo, about five people, probably high school students in crude-looking garb were kneeling down and chatting in a crude manner. Among them, there was the skinhead they saw at the restaurant. Without a doubt, they were Kuraudo's lackeys.

  "Pardon me, but could I have a moment of your time?"

  "Huh?"

  I wonder why these types of people start everything with a threat.

  "…A-Ah! Aren't you that coward from the restaurant―!"

  It seems like the skinhead remembered Ikki. He immediately recognized him.

  "Eh? You mean that guy you talked about recently?"

  "Yeah, yeah! That coward who couldn't say anything even after getting hit by Kuraudo, he could only shake!"

  "HAHAHA! Looks weak too. He's wearing the Hagun uniform but is this guy really a Blazer!?"

  "Nn? Rather isn't that Ayase-chan in the back… whoa! Who's that totally hot redhead chick!?"

  One of the idle boys noticed Stella's presence and with a wrapped smile, he approached Stella.

  On the other hand, Stella glared at him as if looking at a spineless insect. Red sparks started to appear in the air.

  Ah, that's bad.

  Before burnt corpse number one could be produced, Ikki grabbed the shoulder of the guy who was approaching. He was doing it out of goodwill, but the atmosphere around them suddenly changed abruptly.

  "Hey! The hell's with the hand, mate?"

  "I was trying to save you from dying here but, well hear me out. I've come to challenge Kurashiki-kun to a duel. Please guide me to where he is."

  At that, their eyes all turned round for a moment,

  """HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!"""

  And they started an outburst of laughter.

  "Hey hey hey, you serious! A duel!? A chicken like you? This is priceless!"

  "In the first place you, do you even know what duel means?"

  "Hihihi! Damn, this is too much~"