Am I a criminal?

"Chase and kill, Orochimaru!"

As Kuraudo shouted, his serpentine bone-like blade moved on its own as if it were a living being, staring at Isao dangerously like a wild beast before it made its move.

The point of the blade moved like a whip and snapped in Isao's direction. 

Bang!

The impact brought large fissures to the ground, causing many to shudder with the force behind Kuraudo's attack. 

Yet Isao only moved slightly to the side, dodging the attack with ease, appearing nonchalant. 

Kuraudo snorted and wasn't surprised Isao could dodge his attack, but this wasn't the end. He could control his blade as he wished. Even if his attack had missed, he could make it to chase after Isao no matter where Isao was! 

Nothing could escape from the jaws of his Orochimaru!

However, before Kuraudo controlled his blade to send another attack, Isao put his blade on the jagged part of Kuraudo's blade and pulled him lightly. 

"Huh?!" 

It was just a light movement, yet Kuraudo's blade was pulled, and then the Device that he believed the most escaped from his palm and fell onto the ground with a thud. 

"..." Everyone. 

Not only was everyone dumbfounded, but Kuraudo was the one who was the most bewildered by this situation. 

"Eh?" 

Was that it? 

Was it over?

They fell into a daze and weren't even sure what to say. 

Even Ayatsuji Ayase, who was worried about Isao as she knew how strong Kuraudo was, was also in a daze. 

Yet, how could they not be? 

Kuraudo's reputation was clear, and he was the strongest in his school, Donrou Academy. Last year, he also participated in the 61st Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, a competition that determined the strongest Blazer apprentice between schools. He represented Donrou Academy in that tournament and successfully reached the Top Eight.

However, Kuraudo was defeated with ease like this. 

Isao looked at Kuraudo, who was dumbfounded, and then kicked Kuraudo's blade into this guy's hands. 

"Come. Use your serious, or else you will make me bored." 

Compared to Aiz, who he had fought previously, the war on the "Danmachi," his massacre of all the demons in the world of "Kimetsu," and even the war on Okinawa in the world of "Mahouka," he felt that Kuraudo was nothing. 

While Blazers might be an existence that a human could only look up to, Isao didn't think that they were strong. Their physical abilities were so-so, and the amount of their magic was even more so, but he had to say, their special abilities were amazing. 

Even the ability he gained from Ayase's DNA was amazing, which made him wonder why that woman lost to this loser, who only bullied the weak. 

"Ha...." 

Bore. 

Kuraudo could feel that gaze from Isao as they had their duel. This duel that he thought he could trump and show who was the loser between them ended up with him being the loser. 

He was the weakling who could only get another chance from the pity of his opponent. 

Should he feel happy that Isao gave him a chance to have a proper defeat? 

No. 

Kuraudo was completely enraged, and his anger was like an unstoppable volcano that was impossible to stop. 

"YOU BASTARD!" 

His roar shook the space, and everyone shuddered at the killing intended for his body. At this moment, he had completely let go of all the breaks on him and completely made a decision to kill Isao! 

Like a beast that tore its cage, brutality, and savagery were exuded from his body, and at that moment, Kuraudo made his movement, raising his blade high, like an angry beast, ready to end Isao with his strongest move! 

"Yamata no Orochi!"

As Kuraudo charged forward, he moved the blade in his hand so fast that it formed into eight heads that hunted Isao simultaneously.

The name of this technique came from the evil eight-headed dragon that brought terror to this country in the past. 

This technique was the same, and the moment Kuraudo used this technique, no one could escape from him. 

All eight blades moved, and all of them were ready to maim Isao to death! 

"BE CAREFUL!" Ayase shouted worriedly, feeling an intense fear with the thought that Isao might die from Kuraudo's attack. 

Everyone was also startled by the change of the duel, and some of them even closed their eyes, fearing that they would see Isao be killed by Kuraudo. 

Yet, in Isao's eyes, this guy was a complete amateur. 

If there was a reason why Kuraudo could win over his opponents, it was because of the innate talent in his body. 

"Do you think you are the only one with that talent in your body?" 

"Huh?!" 

While Kuraudo wasn't sure what Isao was about to do, he felt complete dread, and as expected, Isao made an exact movement as his. 

The scarlet blade also moved and became eight, completely blocking Kuraudo's Yamato No Orochi! 

"IMPOSSIBLE!" 

Kuraudo couldn't believe what he had seen. "You... don't tell me you have the Marginal Counter, too?!" 

Marginal Counter. 

It was a unique reflexive sensitivity that no one except Kuraudo had, and even the original protagonist, Ikki Kurogane, was unable to replicate. It was estimated that his reaction time was 0.05 seconds; in other words, he was able to perform two or three actions in the amount of time that it would take for an average human to react, which was 0.13 seconds. This allowed him to perform actions at a much faster rate than most Blazers, dodge attacks aimed at him, and then retaliate at almost the same moment. 

This was the source of his power, his pride. 

Yet, someone other than him had this power?! 

How could he accept it?! 

"No, compared to you, I am far better." 

Unlike Kuraudo, whose reaction speed was about 0.05, Isao's reaction speed was double that, as he had gained the fly's DNA, which boosted his reaction time to 0.02, which was double that of Kuraudo! 

"Blaze Buttercups." 

Suddenly, Isao's movement became even faster, and the blade on his hands seemed to multiply so many times that it made Kuraudo widen his eyes.

"How can..." 

Kuraudo tried to dodge and block all of those attacks by using his reaction time, but it was impossible as he was quickly surrounded and overwhelmed before his entire body was filled with slashes, and along with that, his prized Orochimaru was cut into half, causing his spirit to be hit and fell on the ground. 

"You... I will defeat you! I will crush you!" 

Even if Kuraudo was defeated, his spirit would never break. He looked at Isao maliciously and fell into a craze. "No matter who you are, I will break—" 

Crack! 

Isao simply kicked Kuraudo's jaws and broke them before he put his blade on the top of his spine. "Say, if I put this blade into your spine, what will happen to you? Can you fight me again when you have become disabled?" 

"—?!" 

Kuraudo, who couldn't talk due to his broken jaws, felt dreaded. 

Usually, when a Device is summoned, it can take two forms; one is the normal form, which could be used to kill people, and the other is the illusionary form, which is akin to a safe mode that allows Blazers to only attack the spirit of their opponents and makes them incapacitated. 

Naturally, in this duel, the two summoned their Device in its normal form, which is why Kuraudo was hurt. 

At the same time, if Isao really pushed forward his blade into Kuraudo's spine, then Kuraudo was as good as disabled. 

"Oh, wait a moment. It seems that with the current technology of this world, you should be able to recover even if your spine hurts." 

"....." 

No matter what, Kuraudo felt better when he heard Isao's words, but—

"But it's too cheap to let you go like this." 

The blade on Isao's hand lightly stabbed Kuraudo's back and caused a small, minimal wound that wouldn't do anything to Kuraudo, but Kuraudo felt an intense terror as he felt his connection with his Device, Orochimaru was severed. 

"Goodbye." 

Wound Manipulation. 

This was the ability he gained from Ayastsuji Ayase's DNA. 

Usually, Ayase would use this ability to make a small wound into a large wound or cause a tear in the space, creating a vacuum effect. 

However, Isao felt that this technique could be developed further, such as by creating a wound between the Blazers' connection to their power. 

In other words, by tearing that connection, Kuraudo was as good as an average human now. 

By using this technique, Isao completely abolished Kuraudo's life as a Blazer. 

Cruel? 

Well, did Kuraudo ever think about the consequences of trying to kill him? 

Instead, Kuraudo should be glad that Isao wasn't a killer. 

Frankly, this ability had so much potential, but fortunately, Ayase's talent, wit, and creativity were just horrendous. 

"..." Ayase. 

While Ayase wasn't sure, she could feel that Isao was thinking something bad about her. 

Still, at that moment, she knew that her nightmare had ended, and it was all thanks to this young man. 

Isao wasn't sure what Ayase thought, but he stretched his hands high and even yawned as he unsummoned his Device, then looked at Kuraudo's followers. "Take care of the rest." 

"...." Kuraudo's followers. 

Isao didn't care about their thoughts and just walked toward the waitress who had packed his food. "Have you packed my food?" 

"Yes, it's here." 

"...isn't there a lot of them?" 

"It's the owner's thanks and the owner told me you could come here anytime to eat. For you, it is free for a lifetime!" 

Naturally, in addition to the food, Isao could also get the waitress for free as she kept hinting at him, yet he decided not to as this waitress wasn't his type.

"Thanks." 

Still, it made him quite happy as many unfortunate things kept happening to him after a moment he had just arrived in this world. 

Still, he didn't intend to go back right away. Instead, as the dangers of this world were within his capability, he decided to stay for a while, thinking of increasing his power even further. Moreover, even if he met danger, he should be able to run away with ease. 

Only—

"Um... I am sorry... to bother you." 

Isao, who thought of going back to his house, was stopped by Ayase. 

"If... if possible, can you let me thank you?" 

With a shy yet eager expression, Ayase said those words. 

This was good and all, but—

"I am sorry, but can you follow us?" 

At that moment, Isao was surrounded by many police officers who also held various weapons, showing their identity as Blazers.

Their purpose was clear, and that was to catch him. 

"....." 

Isao blinked his eyes. 

Was he a criminal now?