Published at 25th of March 2019 10:11 pm

Volume 9 Chapter 3 - Male and Female (Part 1-3)

Part 1

“However I’m really troubled here if you don’t treasure us a little more as comrades that fought together on the same side. Even though we came to help and trying to stop those Germans from going wild, there is my comrade that just got left to die without any help and fell into magic intoxication for all that. That’s just really heartless ain’t it―. And then there is no thanks or apology at all, you guys looks like you are just completely concerned about those German bunch only, yeah―”

A rare guest was visiting the Witch’s Mansion.

That person was securing the position right in front of the Phantasmagoria where it was the easiest spot to watch the show in the living room. The person was earnestly complaining and spouting sarcasm while gulping down the served cookies and black tea.

“Mu… this cookie! I said many selfish things to that old man Yamagata and got him to feed me with various high class food, but this cookie is the tastiest I have gotten to eat until now… It looks simple somehow, but there is this good feeling that it was made courteously. It feels like a mom’s cookie. Seconds!”

That person shamelessly held out the plate that had become empty to the [server].

“Then please enjoy.”

Kazuki took the plate and placed a second helping. The one who brew the black tea was Mio, but the one that baked the cookies was Kazuki. …After hearing the word mom, there was still a complicated feeling gushing out from him.

“Hauu―…even though it’s Otouto-kun’s cookie that was baked for us… because of the sudden visitor the portion for each person decreased completely…”

Kaguya-senpai fell prostrate on the table.

The rare guest―was Ryouzanpaku’s Roshouko. From the wild jacket and denim pants that she wore, it showed her figure in civilian clothes with her skin that was burned healthily exposed, giving off the impression of her southerner origin.

She looked wild but her instinct was sharp, she was strangely proficient at bargaining―she gave off the impression that she was someone he mustn’t let his guard down against.

“Shouko-san, how can you act this freely?”

Originally she was not a person that was supposed to be left alone too much to do as she pleased. She was friendly but, she was similar to the Kings that came from the outside, a powerful warrior that was a match for a thousand. It was strange that she was monitored by the country.

“You don’t really need to worry, after all my comrade is hospitalized in Japan’s Knight Order’s facility y’know?”

Shouko-san shrugged her shoulder and answered.

“I’m not gonna do anything suspicious okay. I begged to Old man Yamagata to let me go play, if I try to do something then it’s fine for them to just kill off Silirat. It’s the opposite way of thinking.”

I’ll give you my comrade as hostage so let me do as I please―opposite way of thinking or whatever, such a shameless reason wasn’t supposed to be accepted. But he guessed that Commander Yamagata couldn’t really reject her so strongly.

Before, Silirat intervened to help Kaguya-senpai that fell into a predicament because of Germans running wild, and because the girl fell into magic intoxication from that fight, right now these girls were perfectly in the position of a good willed injured party.

By making the rampaging Germans into their common enemy, it also could become a good chance to deepen the relation between Japan and Ryouzanpaku.

But as for Kazuki―he didn’t want to turn Germany into an enemy.

First he wanted to ask the circumstances why Beatrix rampaged around like that.

As for Silirat’s action, who was going to add more injury to Eleonora whose magic power was gone, without even asking about the circumstances, although they said it was for the sake of helping Japan’s side… that was something that he couldn’t thank them for.

Due to that Japan’s attitude toward Ryouzanpaku was still in the air until Beatrix and the others woke up.

Shouko was dissatisfied with this stance that compromised with Germany rather than Ryouzanpaku who was supposed to be their comrade in standing together against Chukadou.

“So, why does Shouko-san who became free come to this place?”

“It’s Old man Yamagata’s public stage after all, so I was thinking to watch it with everyone like this. Come on, it’s beginning see. …Hyaa―, they really make a spectacle eh.”

Shouko-san amusedly pointed at the Phantasmagoria while biting at the cookie.

{Regarding the east and west war that was suddenly tied with a cease-fire agreement, the General Staff Headquarters Vice Chief Yamagata Koyata of the Knight agency opened an urgent press conference. We are now broadcasting from the Asaka garrison of the Knight Order.}

Along with the stiff voice of the announcer that was colored with nervousness, the Asaka garrison where many knights were forming a tight line there was projected in the Phantasmagoria. The avatars of Solomon 72 Pillar were floating at the back of the knights in a line. What Shouko-san called as a spectacle was surely about this rather than the knights itself.

In the center, there was Commander Yamagata with his best serious expression.

No, should he call him General Staff Headquarters Vice Chief now?

So that the household that didn’t have the Phantasmagoria could also watch, this announcement could also be watched on flat television. It was the consideration so that this announcement could be conveyed to all the people of this country without fail.

“Leme, what’s with these avatars of the 72 Pillar?”

Kazuki asked Leme who was gulping down cookies with a vigor that didn’t lose or was inferior to Shouko.

“It’s just a show. With this the persuasiveness toward the people will increase right? Everyone of this country loves the 72 Pillar after all.”

In Japan the people were not obligated to be faithful to Divas, rather the 72 Pillar was loved like idols.

The announcement from now on was something supported by the 72 Pillar. If they appealed with that kind of setting, the way the people received it would greatly change.

“Still I wonder why it’s old man Yamagata that does this? For this kind of thing, the highest big shot… in this country it’s the Knight agency’s minister right, shouldn’t it be more logical for that guy to be the one that does this?”

Shouko-san was talking while somewhat making fun of it along with sending a sidelong glance at Kazuki. It looked like she was looking for an answer from Kazuki. He felt her nastiness that was trying to test him. Kazuki answered.

“This too might be a show. Today, what will be announced here will be more persuasive if it’s said by a person that was actually there.”

Originally Vice Chief Yamagata was the commander of Shizuoka regiment that was located in the front line of the east-west war. He fought along with Kazuki till the end and accomplished a promotion in this occasion.

Because Kazuki’s active role was not made public, in the society the achievements from the battle against Yamato were all assigned to Vice Chief Yamagata. Of course the person himself didn’t wish for that, but…

In the eye of society, he was without a doubt a hero.

{…It’s exactly as has been reported, the mediation of the other Magic Advanced Countries was the impetus behind the sudden ceasefire of the east-west war. It was a mediation on the basis of the logic of a mythological country.}

Vice Chief Yamagata got the ball of the press conference rolling with a grave tone of voice.

{Their logic disregard the historical legitimacy that we own and stated that the one that should govern this Japanese archipelago is the mythologically legitimate King―the Basileus. Because of that the dispute between our country and Yamato will be settled not by war, but by looking at who can gather the King’s symbol―the Three Sacred Treasures the fastest. Regarding this matter, I think it will make all of you the people of this country become terribly uneasy of this course of events that cannot be understood at all looking from the sense of values of our country, but this matter until the end is something for the sake of obtaining the international acknowledgment.}

Something for the sake of obtaining the international acknowledgment―in other words it was not something absolute.

They still did the Three Sacred Treasures gathering for the sake of obtaining the acknowledgment from the other countries, but if they lost in that endeavor they still wouldn’t withdraw so easily, it was that kind of thing.

If the situation is moving to the destruction of the country, we the government plan to continue our battle of resistance while telling something like international acknowledgement that they could go and eat sheet. That was what was indirectly said here.

{Here I reported that the struggle for the Three Sacred Treasures between the two camps of Japan and Yamato had come to an end.}

The journalists that filled the interview hall were making a stir.

{With <Ame no Murakumo> in our country, and <Yasakani no Magatama> and <Yata no Kagami> in Yamato, all of the Three Sacred Treasures have been discovered and the searching has ended.}

The commotion among the journalists grew even bigger as if an earthquake was happening.

{Isn’t it one against two?} {What’s going to happen?} {There was also the legend that the magatama had low importance you know.} {How are you going to take responsibility?} {What responsibility if the country is going to disappear…}

Vice Chief Yamagata surveyed the journalists and informed more without any panic.

{The Three Sacred Treasures are divided between the two camps, so both camps are going to bet their respective Sacred Treasures and a duel will be performed by the two people that Japan and Yamato respectively have as King.}

The commotion reached its peak. …Even Kazuki swallowed his saliva nervously.

{Who is this King you talked about!?} Someone yelled that. Asaka garrison fell silent in unrest.

{The King is―a fifteen year old high school student named Hayashizaki Kazuki.}

He said it. Vice Chief Yamagata really said it.

“Oohh hoh! It’s finally really said out huh!”

Shouko-san pointed the tip of her finger at the screen and directed an amused gaze at Kazuki.

“Otouto-kun, are you okay…?

Kaguya-senpai was worrying for him. Kazuki shook his head unrelated to the strong pressure.

“It should be clearly announced officially like this. It’s different with the era of Kaa-san’s time. The connection between people and Diva has become strong. There is no need to shoulder this alone by myself and fight while understanding nothing.”

“But won’t this affect the fight later~? What are you going to do if you get cold feet and lose and this country ends then~? As expected it’s hard right? This kind of thing will only become unnecessary pressure on you yeah.”

Shouko-san laughed as if to stir him up.

“Of course this will become a pressure without doubt, but I don’t think that this fight that will decide the fate of this country should be performed behind closed doors without anyone knowing. I should fight in front of the people. After all the fight this time is not for the sake of protecting the people that is only within my sight, this is a fight for the sake of protecting all the people of this country.”

“Hou…?” Shouko-san retracted her laugh and narrowed her eyes.

{Who is this young man called Hayashizaki Kazuki?}

Inside the uncomfortable silence, Vice Chief Yamagata continued his words with a powerful weight.

{He is without a doubt the strongest Magika Stigma in this country. I, who knows every single one of Japan’s knights, can affirm that.}

{But he is still a young boy right…?} {Moreover a male…?}

{He has already grown up by piling up diligent training of an old style sword art since his childhood and made a contract with a special Diva―the King of the Diva that supervises Solomon 72 Pillar. He had cultivated the skill of a sword master, moreover he possess the possibility to be able to use all the Summoning Magic of Solomon 72 Pillar. He has already obtained several dozens of magic and special abilities. Let alone being the strongest person in the Knight Order, even if he is paired against a single regiment of the Knight Order as his opponent he is able to win… while he is a human he is still a young boy that is bestowed with a power that is similar to an ultimate weapon. That is what a BasileusKing is.}

There was conviction that was not just fleeting inside those powerful words.

The figure of Vice Chief Yamagata that extolled the young boy called Hayashizaki Kazuki with conviction didn’t seem like a top brass of the Knight Order or the likes anymore. That was the figure of a [follower of Hayashizaki Kazuki].

He who was seen as a hero by the society had declared such a thing until that far.

{All of you are mistaken if you feel an apprehension whether it’s okay or not to leave such an important matter to him. If you asked why, that’s because if he didn’t fight in the first place then Yamato would have already finished invading this country. That is the reality of the battle before.}

The anxiety of the group of journalists that were in that place was gradually changing into anticipation towards the new hero that was still unseen. At the same time a solemn atmosphere that was unlike a press conference of a democratic country but more like of a religious conference of a religion country began to drift in that place. One of the journalist raised a fearful voice.

{If he wins… will this country become the possession of that youth…?}

{It won’t.} Vice Chief Yamagata declared so.

{Of those I know he is stronger than everyone, and also a person with a more upright nature than anyone. He is absolutely not someone that is going to change the thing that he loves the most by his own greed. Also in the case that he does such a thing, he will lose his power as a King… it will become something like that.}

―After that Vice Chief Yamagata announced that the duel would be performed tomorrow and ended the press conference.

The announcement was sudden, but there was already previous arrangement between the two camps and Kazuki had already been notified in advance.

The duel ground was Sekigahara.

“It seems they really made too much of this matter.”

When Kazuki unintentionally uttered that out while sitting and drinking tea, Mio stood up from her chair noisily and hugged at his neck right from the side, the tea was almost spilled.

“Isn’t all of it the truth! As expected from our Kazu-nii! Kazu-nii is magnificent!!”

Kaguya-senpai also took the opportunity to stand up.

“As expected from Otouto-kun! This Otouto-kun is raised by all of us!”

She said something like an old man of a farmer family and then hugged Kazuki from the opposite side.

The face of Kazuki who was sitting on the chair was sandwiched between the breasts of the two that were hugging him while standing.

Kazuki distorted his expression to hide his embarrassment while continuing to drink his tea.

Seeing that situation, Shouko-san too murmured “Hmmm…” while drinking her tea.

The tea time was over, so Kazuki sent Shoukou-san back.

After that, when Kazuki was washing the tea set, Kamimura-san in a jersey appearance came trotting into the kitchen. An active Kamimura-san that moved by her own instigation like this was rare.

“Kamimura-san, are you coming to give me help?”

“That’s absolutely not it. I don’t want to work degozaru.”

A wry smile reflexively appeared on Kazuki’s face hearing Kamimura-san clearly declaring that.

He thought that someone younger that needed to be looked after was cute.

Kamimura-san sat down with a plop on the nearby floor and looked up at the working Kazuki.

“Kazuki… sorry. It looks like I pushed it out to you, about becoming the King of the Japanese Mythology…”

“The bad one is Amaterasu who abandoned her work you know.”

When Kazuki carelessly back-talked like that, {Just wait right there―} the avatar of Amaterasu too was floating beside Kamimura-san.

How he was going to simultaneously become the King of Solomon along with the King of Japanese Mythology, when he thought back now it was only the natural progression of events.

“But Kazuki… after coming back from Mt. Fuji, I have the feeling that your atmosphere has changed a little.”

“Is that so? Though I don’t know it myself.”

“Somehow… you feel heavy.”

Was she saying that he was fat? Kazuki reflexively tilted his head.

Kamimura-san stood up and tightly gripped the fringe of the working Kazuki’s shirt from behind.

“Maybe you feel even more worth it to depend on than before… I feel this awesomeness from you, that if I become a parasite to this person then he would give me support, that I can continue to live without working. It’s a NEET’s intuition.”

{I get it.} The NEET god Amaterasu was also nodding.

“But I’m thinking… I wonder whether I have made Kazuki shoulder something really heavy like this.”

“That’s not true Kamimura-san.”

Certainly, perhaps right now he had become unperturbed by everything. The heavy pressure that he thought to be really heavy before, didn’t feel like it burdened him really that much now.

Why he became like that―it wasn’t really related with Kamimura-san.

Right now he already knew that he was really loved by his mother from the bottom of her heart, and then he also knew that his mother now had already died in the true meaning.

It was nothing more than that.

Part 2

When Kazuki returned to his room, a paper was stuck at his door.

When he took and looked at it, it was a cutely looking pastel pink paper sealed with a heart seal, but right in the middle of it there was [Letter of Challenge] written with a bold stroke.

He wondered who was the owner of a sense that made a love expression and letter of challenge coexist together on one paper without any contradiction. When Kazuki confirmed the name of the letter’s sender, it was Kanae just as expected.

―Tonight at 10 o’clock, I will be waiting in front of the Sword’s Division Washed Blood Pond.

‘Just where in the world is this Blood Washed Pond located…’ Kazuki thought.

To purposefully prepare a cute paper yet choosing the meeting place that the other side had no way of knowing, it was a really careless mistake that really seemed like Kanae. Kazuki contacted Kazuha-senpai by phone and got taught the general location of the place, and then right at 10 o’clock after he finished tidying up the aftermath of the dinner, he finally arrived.

The garden of the Sword Division at night was dark as usual. Before, Kazuki had once proposed to install illumination here though it didn’t happen.

The place called [Blood Washed Pond] had an outrageous name that seemed to be earned because it seemed the place was often used as the duel arena for fellow students. There was an open space in front of the pond. Even though originally it was a plaza for the sake of admiring the beautiful pond, the youthful students began to use the place as a duel space.

Kanae was waiting there with her back facing the pond. The night sky was really clear without a single cloud in sight, moonlight that really matched a black cat was shining down.

“So you came, Nii-sama.”

“I didn’t know at all about this place called Blood Washed Pond, so it’s quite a trouble to arrive here you know.”

Kanae raised “Eee-!” voice and for the first time she noticed her failure, she was then pitifully all shaken up from the shock of having the wind taken out from her sail.

“So so so so, sorry Nii-sama.”

“You careless girl. And then, what’s with that letter of challenge?”

Kanae who received a fresh start from Kazuki cleared her throat with *kohon*.

“Just like the words that I wrote there… right now, in this place, please have a match with me.”

Kanae unsheathed her black katana smoothly. <Michikage>… it was Kanae’s old beloved sword that she used a long time ago.

Although these few years Kanae had been using two kodachi, in a two sword style all along until now.

Her two sword style that came from her concern of her powerlessness. For her to stop doing that meant… that she might have broken out of her shell. That should be the reason of this sudden duel.

―[Shin’iki]. The technique Kanae used in the Grand Haunted Ground that even Kazuki didn’t have any knowledge about.

What kind of technique was it, Kazuki at that time couldn’t ascertain it clearly.

“Got it.” Kazuki didn’t ask her reason and drew his sword too.

“Is it fine to start from this distance?”

Kanae asked. The distance between them was around 3 meter. The distance between them shrank really naturally due to their conversation in the middle of this darkness. It was a swordsman’s distance that was disadvantageous for chanting a spell.

“I’m not a magician. It’s fine for you to start at the timing that you like in the distance that you like.”

“Nii-sama has an important event tomorrow so… let’s do this only until a good timing to quit.”

The decisive duel was tomorrow. Some magic power could be recovered when sleeping but he couldn’t force himself here.

“That helps.”

“Well then.” The figure of the black cat melted into darkness.

He used not just his eyesight but also used his magic power perception to Foresight Kanae’s movement―behind.

The magic power’s flow conveyed to him a horizontal sweeping slash.

Evasion was impossible. Kazuki put up Ame no Murakumo vertically and blocked the attack while his body was still turning behind. The sound of steel and steel clashing scattered sparks inside the darkness.

From there the two blades entangled with each other softly, trying to break the sword stance of each other.

The disturbance at each other was equal. When they both saw that what they were doing was difficult, both of them simultaneously took distance from each other to the back.

Immediately Kanae’s figure vanished with a jump. It was similar with a reinforced Beatrix and Ikousai, a speed in the dimension where a naked eye was helpless to do anything. He had to read her movement using only the portent of the magic power.

The movement of Kanae tonight was sharper than usual.

A thrust assaulted him from diagonally behind. Kazuki drove away the tip of the sword to the side and tried to parry the attack. Kanae’s blade twisted like a snake’s head and tried to run away from that redirection. Both blades entangled with each other once more. Instant Positioning. But he couldn’t pour the concentration of his whole nerves into this battle between sword and sword.

If he couldn’t chant Summoning Magic, this fight would only become a one-sided defensive battle. The other side was superior in speed.

Saying it in reverse, as long as he could just maintain his spell chanting, he wouldn’t mind even if he got hit with one or two strikes.

However… what about Shin’iki?

Kazuki began the chant of Phoenix’s level 5 [Blazing Wings]. If he could just invoke that then it was a large scale attack magic that was impossible to evade.

Having said that, it was hard to contest Kanae equally in sword while maintaining this chanting. While advancing his chanting, Kazuki was falling little by little into the inferior position.

His posture was broken. Kazuki resolved himself to get hit. In exchange he passed the climax of the spell chanting. He switched his consciousness’s gear from the sword to his chanting and poured all his concentration onto that.

“O immortal bird that soar from dusk to dawn, please grant that wings of hope on my back…”

“Now!” At that time Kanae shouted―she had read what Kazuki was going to do.

Kanae’s movement became even more honed and accelerated with a trajectory that depicted nothing pointless in it.

It was a movement that was the only one for Kanae. And then her timing was exactly when Kazuki was welcoming the climax of his chanting. He had the feeling that some kind of unseen gears were clicking in him.

“Shin’iki!!”

While slipping into Kazuki’s bosom, leaving behind an afterimage, Kanae swung down her black katana diagonally at his shoulder. All of her movement was unified like a gust of wind. The impact of a slash ran inside Kazuki.

“For the sake of rebi………”

The attack just now was by no means something heavy.

But blue defensive magic power was shining and the reflectionrecoil from that transmitted a spark at the most vital part of the chanting that Kazuki was spinning inside his head.

Like a candle extinguished by a gust of wind―the chanting inside Kazuki’s head vanished on its own.

“…So this is Shin’iki!”

Kazuki spontaneously yelled and took a step back behind. But Kanae was fast. Foreseeing his escaping movement, she came in pursuit to attack. He couldn’t evade. But something like a minor damage was trivial.

The true identity of Shin’iki was a chanting destroyer technique. Power was unnecessary for it. It slipped a single attack at the keystone that became the chant’s most inner core with extreme sharpness and accuracy.

He was being in wonder that a human’s movement could produce such an extremely sharp blow. There was no mistaking it, that this technique was something obtained from the realization of the most optimum movement solution that was derived from Kanae’s muscles, bone structure, and every kind of factors in her body.

Slipping the ultimate sharpness inside in the ultimate timing, a miraculous technique.

The hair on Kazuki’s back stood up in cold shivers. In front of this technique, Magika Stigma were powerless.

Having said that, this was absolutely not a technique that would succeed without fail.

Just now he tried level 5 but… if he went for a low level magic with an easier chant then…

Kazuki corrected his posture and once again he clashed his sword against Kanae’s. What kind of magic should he chant from here? There was a lot of choices available for Kazuki.

Several methods to deal with the situation appeared inside Kazuki’s head. Magic that could make Kanae’s Shin’iki powerless if he invoked it in this occasion. Kazuki picked out one from the list of his magic that he thought would be the most certain.

“O stream of atmosphere, converge on this body, become the storm that reject the hated person…”

Baal’s level 3 defensive magic. He brought down the level quite far, also if a defensive magic was targeted to the caster himself, then the Targeting step would be unneeded and he could chant easier.

It was a magic that clad the whole body with an armor of wind. Moreover that wind could be manipulated according to the user’s will. In other words he would be able to disturb Kanae’s delicate swordsmanship with wind. Her perfect movement would deviate due to the wind that was impossible to calculate against, if her timing was out of place, just from that, Shin’iki would be unable to be completed anymore.

It seemed that Kanae sensed the nature of the magic that Kazuki was trying to chant from the magic power wave because her face went ‘hah’ in realization. Kanae’s concentration increased even further.

“Become the storm that reject the hated person…!”

“…Shin’iki!”

Before Kazuki’s eyes, Kanae stepped in with a speed that made her seem as if she was warping. It was a perfect movement.

Shin’iki had once more―destroyed Kazuki’s chant.

“Level 3 defensive magic is impossible-!?”

Kazuki was struck with admiration. With this the majority of Kazuki’s magic became sealed.

Kazuki barely blocked Kanae’s pursuing attack. He didn’t have any composure to bring out offense from his side.

Plan B―a magic with even more simpler chanting, that he thought would most likely be able to break down Shin’iki.

“O peerless master, make another showing from beyond the dream…”

Futsunushi no Kami’s level 2 magic, [Kenki Tensei].

It summoned a phantom of famous swordsman from the past, whose history of sword was remembered even in this era, to make them fight. Kanae wouldn’t be able to unleash Shin’iki while fighting the phantom swordsman. During the interval when Kanae wasted her time driving away the phantom swordsman, he could just chant [Storm Fort] or [Blazing Wings].

“Along with the flame of transmutation…”

Now, what would she do? Kanae who was just earnestly swinging her sword and Kazuki who was blocking that while chanting, both of their gazes entangled.

Kazuki’s spine froze in shudders. Kanae’s eyes stood out inside the darkness of the night. A strong magic power was residing inside those eyes for the sake of sensing Kazuki’s magic power, those eyes were shining with magic power light.

That blue magic power light increased in intensity and was changing color to green―and then it was changing into a golden color.

It was a phenomenon he had never seen before. He felt the shivers from witnessing something amazing.

Kanae’s figure vanished. That instant, Kazuki completely felt gears interlocking inside him. ‘No good, it’s going to get smashed’, Kazuki half gave up.

“The memory sealed inside the silver mirror………”

“…Shin, iki-!!”

Kanae’s strained voice. Blown away magic power. Even level 2 magic was destroyed…

His Plan B… Most of level 1 magic was a simple attack magic. It wouldn’t land on Kanae.

The Summoning Magics were all sealed.

Then with pure swordsmanship…

Kazuki’s expression turned bitter. Kanae’s swordsmanship had been polished several levels higher than several months ago.

In contrast during these several months he spent all his time just for magic training.

So Kanae was this powerful if she could just force her opponent to stand in the same arena as her.

Another alternative plan, there was none. Now it was only a matter of until when Kanae’s concentration could continue, how many times she could continuously make her Shin’iki succeed against Kazuki’s magic in succession.

Finally the two laid down on the lawn while feeling a comfortable fatigue. The scent of the grass was pleasant.

After that Kazuki attempted low level magic three times. Kanae crushed all of those attempts.

In the first place it was a match that started with the promise to stop at a good place. If they gave it their all, it would affect the duel tomorrow. Inevitably, Kazuki instantaneously invoked magic with Zekorbeni and ended the match.

A magic with its potency weakened hit Kanae with a bump. The match ended with that.

That meant Kazuki as a magic swordsman was destroyed by Kanae, and Kazuki became the victor as a King.

Of course rather than the sense of fulfillment of his victory, his feeling that was extolling Kanae was stronger.

“This technique is, Hayashizaki-style Dream Sword the Second, named Shin’iki.”

Kanae who was lying down with him said melodically.

There was a technique in Hayashizaki-style that was called the dream sword. A technique that was hard to realize like fulfilling a dream. His stepfatherfather created a technique called [PileKasane] and handed it down to Kazuki and Kanae.

“…[Kasane] is still hard to put into practive and that’s why it’s a dream sword, but this technique is different don’t you think? Because yours can be used in the form of real battle.”

That was exactly the point that had to be praised. Kazuki too was able to understand the principle of the sword. But this time he didn’t get it how the technique could continuously succeed even against low level magic. Rather than a divine work it could be thought of as an abnormal technique already. It was just too absurd that he wanted to feel astonished more than praising it.

In the first place, those golden eyes…

“No, it absolutely cannot be used until this far in real battle. It’s because the opponent tonight is Nii-sama that it could be used until this far.”

“What?”

“It’s Nii-sama doping. Nyaa―!”

Incomprehensible. Kazuki turned his head with a roll to Kanae and asked for an explanation.

“…I wanted to show my good aspect tonight towards Nii-sama that I could display a concentration that surpasses my limit. Even I, myself, am surprised that I can do that technique successively like that. Even if I try the same thing to other opponents, it’s absolutely impossible. After all I cannot let out my full power if it’s not concerning Nii-sama.”

Kanae also rolled and turned her face at Kazuki and returned a wide smiling face like a cat.

“…What if, for example it’s concerning your life, or it’s concerning the fate of the world?”

“If there is no Nii-sama in there, surely I will not become so heated up like this. The greatest concentration that cannot be used except once in a lifetime, was used tonight, only in this moment.”

Kazuki was astonished and looked up to the sky.

“Tonight, the time where I was exchanging slashes with Nii-sama, just the two of us with determination and conviction… for Kanae it was completely like a stage of a dream. That’s why this technique, is still just a dream sword.”

Unintentionally a deep sigh escaped his mouth while looking at the moon. Just when he thought that she had mastered an absurd technique and became a monstrous swordsman, she then completely returned to the usual little sister.

“You who can let out a power even greater than your full strength because I’m the opponent… what kind of meaning does that kind of thing have? Use that kind of thing for something more, like, for the sake of world peace or something.”

“I’m fine with this. I’m different with Nii-sama… After all rather than everything in this world, I love only Nii-sama alone.”

It was the usual―stupid beloved little sister of his.

“That is why, fufufu. Nii-sama, what do you think? About Onee-chan’s strength.”

“I still admire you just like in the past you know. Rather than me or Ikousai… Kanae-neesan is exactly the strongest swordsman.”

“But even Nii-sama surely can also do that technique you know? Even Nii-sama should have continued to pursue your ideal movement until now.”

Perhaps that might be so. It was simple to imitate it if he had worked out the how and made comparison.

“If there is an instant where I cannot concede that I rapidly concentrate on something… when my adrenaline is flowing out gushingly inside my brain…”

What was needed was a concentration that saw through instantly. This technique was largely influenced by the state of mind.

Kanae tonight was concentrating to her maximum limit.

“In my case, I had to demonstrate this technique to Nii-sama no matter what tonight.”

He somehow understood. Why did Kanae look for a turning point in the relationship between them tonight…

These few days, the person called Hayashizaki Kazuki was in the process of having his essence changed dramatically.

“Nii-sama is not a successor of the Hayashizaki-style anymore. Nevertheless, there is me here so please rest easy.”

Surely Kanae wanted to say those words no matter what before the decisive duel.

“…It looks like you have confidence in it huh.”

“Yes. Please climb to a different stage Nii-sama. I will become the strongest swordsman.”

If Kanae could say so with pride, then the Hayashizaki house had no need for anything like Kazukia child for duty anymore.

Unneeded. That’s why…

“That’s why Nii-sama, Nii-sama is not a Nii-sama anymore. Nii-sama now is an existence that is like a Nii-sama.”

“You suddenly said out something so incomprehensible.”

“Nii-sama is not a Nii-sama… but an existence that is like a Nii-sama… a man that I love.”

He felt a sign of nimble movement like a cat from Kanae.

He felt a weight bump his stomach. On the torso of Kazuki who was lying down face up, Kanae was taking a pose of straddling him. From there she brought down her body and got her face closer to him.

“Please look at me… not as brother and sister, but as a woman.”

Kazuki softly caught the face of Kanae that was nearing him with one hand.

“…Since a long time ago, I have already been aware of you as an opposite sex you know?”

Since his puberty arrived, he had always mobilized his reasoning power in full to reject Kanae’s temptation while saying jokes in his mouth even though inside he was desperately reigning himself. Now the reason to reject her had completely disappeared.

“I noticed already that Nii-sama on the inside is always throbbing fast from my every single action. Kanae is not that shameless, to keep asking to be spoiled so much like that while knowing that what I’m doing is making the other party seriously draw away instead.”

“What a wicked woman.”

While saying something like a sore loser, Kazuki accepted the face of Kanae who even now was still drawing closer.

Even inside this darkness Kanae’s lips looked extremely alluring.

“…nn-“

The lips felt extremely sweet, like strawberry milk.

Their lips admirably separated after touching only slightly.

“Nii-sama… I’m happy…”

A single male and female were connected.

“Fufufu… tonight for while… please kiss me like this the whole time.”

One more time, Kanae brought her lips closer timidly. Kazuki embraced tightly the thin waist of Kanae.

Part 3

The ground of the duel was at Sekigahara.

Looking from the sequence of events until now, from the geographical situation between Japan and Yamato, from the historical nuance that Sekigahara possessed, there was no place more fitting to settle the dispute other than here.

Looking back, the place where the battle between Japan and Yamato was halted because of the intrusion from China was also at Sekigahara. It could be said that right now the time that had stopped since then was moving again.

The battle between Tokugawa and Toyotomi happened far in the past, but even now Sekigahara was still a vast field. It was surrounded by fields of crops and partitioned by roads, but there was nothing blocking the view at all around them in this unduly wide field. When taking an extensive view at the stretching out mountains in the distance, the viewer would understand that this ground was a hollowed basin.

The sky of the midday was clear. In the center of Sekigahara, Kazuki and Ikousai were facing each other. Taking a few dozen meters distance from there, the east army and the west army were taking position in representation of Japan and Yamato.

The promise was a one on one fight, but there were a lot of people that would ascertain this event with their own eyes.

On the east side, everyone of the Witch’s Mansion were forming a line at the front line. After them was the top brass of the Knight Order, with Vice Chief Yamagata at the front with ten knights as their escorts. There were also the figures of Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai.

Roshouko-san of Ryouzanpaku too was coming here, though for some reason, she was taking along her beloved horse while wearing a knight outfit. Perhaps she didn’t ride the car of the Knight Order and came here riding her horse.

“Kazuki, knock downBOM-BA-YE♪ Kazuki, knock downBOM-BA-YE♪”

Kamimura-san and Amaterasu were singing a strange cheering song.

So that they wouldn’t be a hindrance the mass media people were asked to hold back, but surely there were people that were taking pictures from a distance. There was nothing around the two that would be a hindrance.

The bunch of Yamato was lining up on the west side. Loki and the illegal magicians that were his close associates were also there. Hel’s figure was not there. He wondered if it was because she had still suffered from the serious injuries previously dealt. The Japanese Divas that were still in the Wild God state, <Susanoo Faction>, should also be here, but the figures of the Shrine Maidens couldn’t be seen.

The cavalries of the Chukadou Emperor’s Imperial Guard were not here. Kazuki was relieved about that.

In comparison the battle power of Japan’s side was more numerous.

Even in the case that they became dissatisfied about the result of the duel, this place wouldn’t fall into turmoil.

There were also three people that consisted of Arthur, Regina, and Ilyailiya, who were standing on the boundary line of east and west like judges.

Ikousai who was confronting Kazuki, was in her usual Japanese clothes carrying a katana in one hand. Yasakani no Magatama was wrapped on her left wrist while Yata no Kagami was held in her hand like a shield.

Neither a composed smile nor an exhausted look could be seen from her, just an expressionless face like a Noh mask.

Kazuki who was in his uniform was only holding Ame no Murakumo in hand as the replacement of his lost beloved sword.

Kazuki, too, didn’t feel nervous.

“Between you and me, unnecessary words are no longer needed.”

Ikousai talked with a calm tone. It was a battle that had been prepared until this far, but there was no rule at all in it. Both of them wouldn’t mind whenever the duel would start.

“I too had already grown weary of fighting you here.”

“What is left is only the conclusion.”

“I agree.”

That became the signal for the both of them.

Ikousai pointed Yata no Kagami in her hand at Kazuki.

Kazuki poured magic power into Zekorbeni that appeared on his chest.

“Illuminate the seven seas and all countries, <Yata no Kagami>! Sun Fire Single FlashFukyou Kaikon―Hika Issen!”

Yata no Kagami instantly polished up from bluish green color into pure white and emitted light like the sun itself.

“Mode・Veritas!”

Kazuki’s body was wrapped in Prometheus’s streamlined shaped silver dress and instantly invoked that power.

“Custom Liberion!”

Equipped with a high speed maneuver thruster system, Kazuki instantly escaped from the high temperature light that was emitted by the mirror. His defensive magic power was slightly scraped but he immediately came out from the light’s exposure range and circled to Ikousai’s back with a twirl.

He didn’t let Ikousai chant strengthening magic. There was a speed difference between them from the Custom Liberion that Kazuki wore which couldn’t be evaded even if she had predicted the attack. Kazuki kept riding on the speed and swung Ame no Murakumo.

But Ikousai met Kazuki’s attack with the minimal movement.

“Illuminate all creation, <Yata no Kagami>. Fuukyou Kaikon―Mizukagami no Tate.”

Ikousai directed the mirror that had finished radiating light at her own blind spot. Just doing that was enough for her.

Yata no Kagami enlarged and became a mirror shield.

Kazuki’s figure was reflected on the mirror shield. Thereupon the shield moved automatically and repelled the strike from Ame no Murakumo.

Auto-defense. It was a shield that automatically blocked all attack that was reflected in the mirror.

That solid defense ability was just as demonstrated previously in their battle at Fuji’s sea of trees.

…But why can she use the Sacred Treasure’s power this skillfully during this short time?

Kazuki still had yet been unable to master all of Ame no Murakumo’s power.

“Open the world boundary, <Yasakani no Magatama>! Open String Release SouKaicho Kaikon―Gate of Divine CrossingKamiwatari no Mon!”

Yasakani no Magatama that was wrapped on Ikousai’s left hand naturally untied and floated on the air while enlarging.

Inside that giant string became a pitch black another dimension and it absorbed Ikousai.

Yasakani no Magatama shrank down in the air and vanished. Suddenly, Kazuki’s opponent disappeared.

“Is that the warp ability like the time help came for Hel!?”

Kazuki strengthened his perceptions and paid attention to his surroundings.

Ikousai’s magic power had perfectly disappeared.

No matter how fast an enemy he faced, Kazuki was able to Foresight them.

But against an enemy that was not fast but warped instead?

Magic power flipped behind Kazuki and without any time to dodge a slash was dealt to him.

While receiving an impact from the smashed magic that made him stagger forward, Kazuki swept Ame no Murakumo while turning his body.

At that time Yasakani no Magatama that was floating in the air―the entrance to another dimension had already absorbed Ikousai’s body inside and vanished.

The body of Yasakani no Magatama itself also shrank and vanished, Ame no Murakumo slashed empty air.

Ikousai disappeared again.

She was right now located in an another dimension. He couldn’t Foresight at all where she would appear next.

He couldn’t sense the magic power of another dimension or the like!

“O piling up wisdom in human history, become the armor that armored my body in several layer! Heavily, thickly, reject every brutality! Seusenhofer!!”

Kazuki prepared for the attack that he didn’t know when it would come and deployed defensive magic. He poured magic power into Zekorbeni and set up a thick armor on his whole body.

Immediately his armor was broken. He received an attack that was impossible to Foresight from behind.

By the time he turned back, Ikousai was already vanishing.

Both evasion and counterattack didn’t make it in time.

…There was no other way than to sense the magic power when she came out for even an instant faster and react.

Kazuki concentrated his mind and guarded against the magic power that he didn’t know when it would come.

―A magic power at his back once again!

Kazuki tried to escape from the slash right away.

But while he was still in an unsightly posture of frantically twisting his body, he was cut down by Ikousai.

…He didn’t make it. She was just too fast from when she appeared and then attacking.

“Hahaha, run around more! You pitiful worm!!”

Ikousai laughed scornfully while once again disappearing into another dimension.

“…So this is the power of the Sacred Treasure she has.”

He wouldn’t be able to escape if he couldn’t react more instantaneously…

If he didn’t overcome this wall then he wouldn’t be able to fight properly.

No, even if he could avoid the slash and counterattacked, there was still the auto-defense of [Mizukagami no Tate].

If he didn’t surpass that wall too, his attacks wouldn’t have any effect at all.

Warp and auto-defense. If he didn’t surpass these two walls simultaneously…

An unpleasant sweat flowed down his forehead.

“The Three Sacred Treasures each have the power of offense・defense・movement!”

She appeared at his back and slashed him once more. [Seusenhofer] became hacked to pieces and vanished.

Ikousai disappeared while leaving behind a yelling voice.

“Yata no Kagami is defense, Yasakani no Magatama is movement! Offense is Ame no Murakumo, but… if defense and movement are perfect then an opponent can be made to not do anything and get shutout completely!”

While receiving damage without any way to get out from the situation, Kazuki asked at the vanishing Ikousai.

“In this short time period, how can you become this skillful in using the Sacred Treasures?”

She appeared at Kazuki’s back once more and answered while slashing her blade.

“…That’s because I have been mostly Susanoo himself! There is no way Susanoo cannot use these Three Sacred Treasures skillfully!! Solomon King… I’m already waking up to the power as the King of Japanese Mythology!!”

Kazuki was slashed helplessly.

He couldn’t call her cowardly. Hit and run―it was a way of fighting that perfectly sealed the opponent.

“But that doesn’t mean that my offense is incomplete! Right now, part of my body is becoming Susanoo!! The herculean strength of god that is unrivaled under the sky!!”

The willowy woman clad in Japanese clothes, Ikousai was having one of her arm changing into the muscular arm of a giant. Certainly a single attack from that was heavy.

“…You are already not even Aisu Ikousai or anyone anymore huh.”

“What a foolish sore loser! I’m only using everything that I possessed skillfully!!”

Ikousai appeared and vanished many times over as if her existence itself was turning into an illusion. Only realistic and certain slashes were left behind.

“Thunder fall on my body and I obtain lightning thought and god speed… awaken the sleeping lion! Ride Lightning!”

While Kazuki kept being slashed he invoked strengthening magic for the time being so the time wasn’t wasted in vain. His physical ability was strengthened electrifyingly. Though right now there was no way he could put it to use.

“Thy rage become the happiness of the war Shrine Maiden! Answer the Kagura of soul invitation and break out storm of outcry, split the cloud and please descend here. The spirits and demons in this body! Super Strength InvitationChouryoku Shourai!!

Ikousai also invoked a strengthening magic. She was chanting while crossing another dimension and attacking.

“This won’t drag out any longer!”

Her strike’s heaviness increased even more. Ikousai immediately dashed once more into another dimension.

Saying it in reverse, right now Ikousai was also unable to sense the magic power on this side.

Think of a breakthrough solution. …On the contrary if Ikousai was already feeling relieved from discovering just a single winning pattern, then the breakthrough from this situation would become a chance at the same time.

There was an aspect of Ikousai that was like that. He could say confidently that she hated to doubt her victory.

In contrast, no matter how cornered he was, he still had countless magic in reserve. Without doubt there was supposed to be the correct solution among these options. He was able to believe that there was a possibility of victory no matter what kind of disadvantageous situation he was in.

‘Are you still continuing to think even at the other side of that another dimension…?’

Kazuki was slashed many times over.

But while being slashed, he was pondering.

“…O desire that lurk in the sea of heart, that hand reach out passing through the deeply sinful flesh. O incarnation of violation entangle following the desire. Desire Tentacle.”

Kazuki silently chanted a magic that he thought would likely become necessary. It was a magic he could freely manipulate that grew out tentacles from inside the ground. ―Kazuki made the produced tentacles to not break out from the ground so that it was on standby inside the earth.

Ikousai that was inside another dimension didn’t notice that he was chanting a tentacle magic. She was similar to his side that was unable to sense the magic power of the other side.

The instant Ikousai appeared in this world, she would be captured by tentacles in a surprise attack.

…It was still impossible. He still needed some more conditions. He was still unable to even evade her attack. His reaction was just too slow, surely by the time the tentacles appeared Ikousai would be already gone.

He was slashed again. He was concentrating at his pondering, but Ikousai’s slash was by no means light. Rather, his magic power was shaved off steadily and his remaining time was rapidly shortening.

Think. What was needed was an even more sensitive sensor.

A sensor to detect the opponent’s appearance. Kazuki didn’t have that kind of magic. He had never used something like that in all of his battles until now, so Ikousai also roughly knew about that aspect of him.

But if he changed his point of view for his currently existing magic…

“Mode・Phoenix!”

Kazuki switched to Phoenix’s dress. Kazuki’s Magic Dress transformed from the silver suit to a flame armor.

“Burn to ash all that you touch… the scorching heat of rejection without any place to depend on! Self Burning!”

He poured magic power in the amount more than what was needed originally into Zekorbeni and invoked a low level magic.

A flame in the amount that was incomparable with when he was using [Self Burning] normally was completely covering Kazuki’s whole body.

Excessively large amounts of flame―he manipulated that with his will―he stretched out the flame like a net to his surrounding in a 360° angle.

For the flame to be manipulated by his will meant that the flame got across to Kazuki’s mind. This flame passed through his nerves and was close to being a part of his body.

It was hard to detect a generation of magic power in a space where there was nothing and react immediately. He would be late no matter what.

But reacting immediately when something was touching his body could be done instantly if he was watching out for it.

And then, for the sake of surpassing the two walls―he needed one more method.

Think.

Ikousai appeared―right in the middle of the net of flame.

Right there! Kazuki immediately reacted as if his body was directly hit.

“This is!?” Ikousai raised a shocked voice from being so suddenly caught inside flame.

But there was not much of damage from the flame that was spread out thin. She didn’t even pay it any heed and swung her blade.

The reaction that Kazuki immediately took was not an evasive action.

A large amount of tentacles overflowed out breaking the ground with a thunderous sound, it entangled Ikousai who was floating in the air and bound her hands and feet.

“Guh-!?” Ikousai raised an agitated voice.

Kazuki turned his body while swinging his blade.

Not at Ikousai―the blade ran through his own left wrist.

He had removed his own left hand’s defensive magic. Fresh blood scattered at the same time while he was turning back.

It was his last hand for the sake of overcoming the second wall.

Kazuki directed his left hand at Ikousai and spurted out his blood. Blood spurt was reflected on Mizukagami no Tate at Ikousai’s hand, At that moment in order to protect Ikousai from the spilled blood, Mizukagami no Tate pulled Ikousai’s arm on its own accord and defended automatically.

It was blocked. The entirety of the blood was blocked by Mizukagami no Tate.

Mizukagami no Tate was dirtied. …At this moment, Ikousai was not paying attention to that fact.

“Just tentacles on this degree!”

With the right arm that was transformed into a giant, she tore apart the tentacles with brute force before trying to cut away at the tentacles by swinging around her katana with her right arm that had obtained freedom. After all it was just tentacles from a level 2 magic. If Susanoo’s herculean strength was exerted it wouldn’t pose any challenge at all.

With a hair breadth timing Kazuki stabbed Ame no Murakumo and blocked Ikousai’s katana. The situation became a sword locking contest with him protecting the tentacles from being cut away.

Ikousai noticed how Mizukagami no Tate didn’t react and for the first time a look of impatience floated on her expression. And then she noticed―how the mirror didn’t reflect anything from being dirtied by blood.

“O august god that call the storm, please bestow thy breath on my back that is dancing under the heaven! Fuujin Kenbu!!”

Ikousai invoked reinforcement magic while locking her sword with Kazuki. It was a magic that accelerated her every single action by manipulating the wind freely.

But her objective was not acceleration, she was attempting to wipe away the blood that dirtied Mizukagami no Tate with wind.

“O stream of atmosphere, converge on this body, become the storm that reject the hated person! The eye of the typhoon is exactly my throne! Storm Fort!”

Kazuki who had read ahead that Ikousai was going to do that had also began to chant ahead and invoked the magic at the same time. It was a defensive magic that manipulated the wind freely and defended against enemy’s attack.

But his objective was not defense. He collided the wind at Ikousai’s manipulated wind from the opposite direction. He neutralized the wind that was trying to wipe away the blood and also trying to keep the blood staying on the mirror surface.

It became a double layered sword locking contest―an entanglement of blade and blade that was trying break each other’s sword stance, and also wind against wind that entangled with each other twisting and bending in various directions trying to outwit each other.

He wouldn’t let her bisect the tentacles. He wouldn’t let her wipe off the blood on the mirror.

Both of them manipulated their respective blade and wind with a do-or-die spirit. This moment was exactly the moment that Kazuki had been waiting for.

“…You Susanoofake King of Japanese Mythology! This is the victory of the King of Solomon’s power! Even I am already awakening to the power of my bond!”

Just a moment was enough. He drove magic power into Zekorbeni―and invoked magic instantaneously.

“O undying bird that repeated life and death, burn that body and liberate the last flame, become the sun of the surface…! Imitation Flare!!”

Level 8 magic he could invoke from his bond with Mio―between Kazuki and Ikousai who were unfolding a double layered sword locking contest, the avatar of the immortal bird was floating, it liberated all of the flame in its body and turned into a small pseudo sun. That energy of light and heat possessed directionality and it advanced in Ikousai’s direction.

The Mizukagami no Tate reflected nothing.

“UOOO…!?” Ikousai was burned entirely together with the tentacles by the colossal heat. Her defensive magic power was smashed up. The blood evaporated and the stain on Mizukagami no Tate was sticking onto the mirror even more.

While her body was ablaze Ikousai finally succeeded in running away into the entrance of Yasakani no Magatama.

Kazuki maintained the flame sensor and stretched it out to his surroundings.

In order to escape from that range, Ikousai appeared far separated from the distance of sword range.

“The blessing of Susanoo o <lightningthe spouse of rice plant>, cover the surface and show the power that smash and devastate violently…Heitei Banrai!!”

She invoked a large scale attack magic at the same time with her reappearance.

It was a high speed chanting due to her possessed assimilation with Susanoo.

Dark clouds hung over the clear blue sky overhead in the blink of an eye, lightning cloud and lightning cloud clashed with each other and made it rained down lightning. It was a magic that didn’t give any place to escape even if he Foresigthed it. But―

“So you throw away yourself as a swordsman huh Ikousai! That’s pointless! Battou Kaikon―Kusanagi no Tsurugi!!”

With Ame no Murakumo, Kazuki mowed down the downpour of lightning.

With that one sweep―an invincible blade that was like a soundless wind bisected all the lightning and lightning clouds with one slash and made them all disappear. Witnessing the power of Ame no Murakumo that was finally made apparent, Ikousai’s eyes opened wide in shock.

In panic Ikousai tried to escape to another dimension.

“Mode・Merfolk!!”

But before she could do that―Kazuki instantly had Zekorbeni switched. The flame armor changed into water feather robe. He poured magic power at the same time into Zekorbeni.

“Time turn painting circle, the history is repeated inevitably, awaken the forgotten era right here… leave behind everything into inside the dream, toward the era of glacier! Ice Age!!”

Ikousai who was going to escape into Yasakani no Magatama that was floating in the air froze instantly altogether with the space. Her defensive magic power was smashed up and Ikousai’s muscle instantly stiffened.

Kazuki ran. He closed the distance in an instant and swung Ame no Murakumo at the frozen space.

“Carry the mystery in the blade crest, <Ame no Murakumo>! Battou Kaikon―Tsumugari no Tachi!!”

The chill that spread out widely in all the space was compressed into the blade of Ame no Murakumo.

The blade where the compressed chill was residing―was slashed diagonally at Ikousai who was freezing in place from her shoulder.

Ikousai barely moved Susanoo’s right arm in time and blocked the attack with her katana.

A terrific impact was generated.

―It was not only a clash between blade and blade, extremely low temperature was conducted instantly through the blade, turning the metal’s crystalline structure brittle where it was going to break.

The defensive magic power of Ikousai that extended until her blade was magically trying to neutralize this cooling pulverization phenomenon. Ikousai’s defensive magic power was smashed up in large amount just in an instant.

―That reflectionrecoil. From the impact of an enormous smashed magic, the body of Ikousai who was moving her foot to another dimension was blown away. He would continue like this and end this in one go―just like in his battle with Hel.

“Tenrou Kaidan!”

Ikousai’s body, that he thought was going to collapse onto the ground just like that got up as if she was rebounding on an invisible spring and she adjusted her stance for a counterattack.

Ikousai’s original magic technique! Kazuki who aimed for a pursuing attack was taken by surprise.

Her explosive thought in regard with the unexpected situation that was happening to her―as expected, Ikousai was an excellent swordsman.

At the same time―Ikousai’s figure changed.

“Hand over more power Susanoo! In exchange… I don’t care even if you plunder me more!!”

Ikousai’s trademark Japanese clothes disintegrated into Prima Materia and transformed into a completely different jet black costume. It was exactly the same like carving the avatar of Susanoo onto her body.

Susanoo’s power of existence that was suppressed into just Ikousai’s right arm ran amok into Ikousai’s whole body. He felt vast magic power was going crazy at the inside of her skin.

Ikousai―liberated that in the shape of magic.

“O young noble of storm, set free all of that violent emotion right here!”

It was a reinforcement magic―it was also in a level that he had never seen before until now.

Kazuki was able to Foresight the invoked magic but―his body had already begun to move in a pursuing attack.

He couldn’t stop.

Kazuki accelerated using [Level 6Custom Liberion] and [Level 5Ride Lightning] while [Level 8Ice Age]’s cold was compressed inside the blade of Ame no Murakumo, he unleashed a thrust with all that.

He didn’t expect Ikousai to have put her stance in order, but there shouldn’t be anything to criticize in this single attack of his.

“Residing in my body, make another showing of the tragedy of the heavensTakamagahara!!”

While chanting reinforcement magic, Ikousai threw away Yata no Kagami and thrust out her left fist.

The katana gripped in her right hand was still repelled because of the impact from before.

In desperation she was only swinging her left arm―it was kind of like a left straight.

But the instant his blade and her fist collided, Ikousai’s unknown reinforcement magic was invoked.

It was the ultimate reinforcement magic.

“Tyrannical God of Military ArtsBougyaku Bushin!!!!”

For an instant he hallucinated Ikousai’s left fist turn gigantic.

KAA-* A flash of the collision between magic powers―Kazuki’s body was blown away. He received a hard blow that unbelievably overmatched his attack and hit him, Kazuki opened his eyes wide unable to believe what just happened.

Ikousai took a further step forward at the direction of the blown away Kazuki. *DOSHIN!* The earth shook. This time she raised her right hand that was holding her katana tightly―and swung it down.

He was unable to take any evasive motion or defense at all.

It was a completely dreadful slashing attack that he had never experienced personally before. The blade was pushed into his body diagonally starting from his shoulder.

[Custom Liberion] burst and scattered leaving none of its original shape behind.

His defensive magic power burst open and Kazuki’s body was blown away for many meters through Sekigahara.

…He was safe. He is still living. While lying down on the ground, Kazuki reflexively thought like that.

It was a blow that for an instant made him unable to think that he was protected by a defensive magic power.

What the hell, with that power… so that’s Susanoo’s full power!

“UAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!”

It was not the blown away Kazuki, but Ikousai who was raising a shriek that sounded like she was completely in agony.

She was trembling clatteringly looking like she was unable to suppress what was inside her body.

But even while trembling she kicked the ground powerfully and ran at Kazuki who was lying down on the ground.

Once again, that strong sword with hard to believe power was raised up.

…It would be bad to be hit with that kind of destructive power in succession.

No, he couldn’t get hit again for even one more time with that!

With the table turned, this time it was Kazuki that was cornered. Ikousai was approaching with the speed of a raging wave.

With his thought working explosively in an instant―at that instant, Kazuki thought it fortunate that currently he was clad in [Mode・Merfolk]. Without his date with Koyuki he would get killed here.

“Moves in the Field!!”

With a prompt judgment, Kazuki pulled out the most optimum solution.

His blue feather robe shined, Kazuki froze the surrounding ground surface.

Ikousai had never seen this magic. Also Kazuki invoked the magic just too fast for Ikousai to predict that it would turn out like this, and then currently she had also lost her presence of mind. Ikousai’s foot that was treading powerfully on the ground while raising her katana overhead, slipped. All of that power turned into nothing.

“What the!?”

While falling down, even so Ikousai was still swinging down her katana in desperation. Because she did that right after flopping down, the edge of that attack didn’t reach Kazuki.

“Impossible… reach! Shiraha Kagerou!!”

The instant he thought it wouldn’t reach, with that secret technique Ikousai extended the length of her katana.

But this time Kazuki was not surprised. He had already remembered that his opponent was a swordsman in the level that could do such a thing. Taking a precise half-step back, he saw off the tips of the elongated katana passing him away with paper thin difference.

And then in a counterattack he took a step forward.

“ “UOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-!!” ” Both of them yelled at the same time.

As if scooping up the falling down Ikousai, Kazuki raised the Ame no Murakumo that was filled with a condensed cold.

Their offensive powers were mutually inflated. This time it was Ikousai who was blown away with a single strike.

“Te, Tenrou Kaidan!” Ikousai’s body that was blown away rebounded back at him.

But Kazuki didn’t swing his katana completely. He immediately reversed his blade and laid in wait, able to swing a second slash any time. The Tenrou Kaidan with its movement read was the same as if coming to offer herself to become a sandbag.

Even faster than Ikousai’s counterattack, Kazuki swung down his second slash. Her defensive magic power was pulverized. This time Ikousai didn’t use Tenrou Kaidan and turned into a somersault before rolling on the ground.

He wouldn’t allow any counterattack at all and kept beating her! Kazuki drew closer to Ikousai with Ame no Murakumo that still carried the compressed cold in it in his hand.

“Susanoo!” Ikousai yelled.

“Susanoo, give me more! Hand over more power!!”

“Stop Ikousai! You are really going to lose yourself at this rate!”

Ikousai had already reached the limit where she was just barely suppressing the power. If she continued to invite Susanoo into her any more than this, she will be consumed completely…!!

“GUAAAAAAAAAAAAA-! SUSANOOOOOOO!!”

Ikousai who was lying on the ground sprang up her whole body as if the blood flow throughout her body was boiling up, she was struggling. From her right arm that had been changed into Susanoo himself, a muddy black magic power was overflowing out and went to encroach into Ikousai’s body. In the blink of an eye the color and texture of her skin was changing. Her body was being converted into a totally different bone structure and muscle. She was becoming a male god with flawless darkish skin.

She couldn’t control it at all.

Ikousai herself let escaped a breath of dread “Hyii-!” witnessing the transformation from her neck to her lower body.

But once a Diva had been presented with a flesh body, they wouldn’t stop anymore even if their host lost their nerve. Ikousai who immediately relied on Susanoo from her fear of defeat already didn’t have any willpower left to oppose that.

Ikousai was going to vanish if it kept like this.

Altogether with her sword art’s technique that she had bet her life all this time to temper.

“Stop it Ikousai, don’t you lose that!”

Kazuki spontaneously shouted.

He loved sword art. He had respect for someone that worked hard in swordsmanship.

Kazuki was… he had recognized Ikousai as his rival, he respected her skill, he noticed that in a sense he fell in love.

He earnestly sympathized towards Ikousai’s strength, he felt respect and affection.

That Ikousai, right now, her figure that was going to completely throw herself away for the sake of her longing to become strong was something that he absolutely wouldn’t accept, no matter what.

Muster out the strength for the sake of protecting!

Kazuki’s mind tensed in that instant and he concentrated.

The body moved naturally. With a movement that didn’t have even a single futility in it he took a step forward.

…What Kanae worked out, that technique!

Finally Susanoo’s magic power completely eroded everywhere of the body below the neck and it fully covered the face of Ikousai that painted the look of terror. The last stronghold of the existence called Ikousai, when even that fell then Ikousai’s everything would be changed into the god of rage.

The timing, that would become the cornerstone of Susanoo’s encroachment.

With a motion that had been honed, Kazuki swung down Ame no Murakumo.

That was the most ultimate movement that the flesh body could possibly build. The motion was different from Hayashizaki Kanae’s optimum movement, an optimum movement solution that was only his. Added to that, with a perfect timing he finally reached it. The gears were meshing perfectly with each other.

The single strike that broke down every kind of magic phenomenon.

DON!* Something shot off from Ikousai’s body―and vanished. The pitch black magic power that eroded Ikousai’s body was torn off, broken down, and evacuated back to Astrum.

“…Ju… just now… what kind of technique that…?”

Ikousai who was a researcher of the sword asked that as the first thing even while sprawling down.

The duel was decided. Kazuki answered while slowly pointing out the tip of his sword right before her eyes.

“Hayashizaki-style Dream Sword the Second, Shin’iki. The highest peak of Japan’s sword art, that my little sister worked out. …Recognize your defeat, Ikousai. Both as the King of Yamato, and also as a swordsman.”

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