Only her

"Wow..."

"Yeah, wow." Yuuzou was speechless, holding his head, feeling confused. "Her power is similar to mine, but her mastery over lightning is even better than mine." He might have the nickname of Judgement of Thunder, but in front of Touka, he didn't believe that he could win for some reason.

Still, it was impossible to admit that, considering he was from the older generation.

However, what surprised him wasn't how Touka became lightning or even her swordsmanship.

While he had to say it was amazing, it was far from the possibility that he thought.

'Don't tell me...?'

Yuuzou quickly shook his head since he felt it was impossible.

If Touka was also one of them, then shouldn't this country have three Desperados?

He couldn't imagine such a possibility!

After all, it wasn't so easy to become a Desperado.

Even if someone could become a Desperado, Touka wasn't the one.

Probably.

After all, there was also Tsukasa here, so Yuuzou had a hard time believing that Touka was a Desperado.

'However, if she is one...'

Yuuzou somehow got excited when he thought about the battle between Tsukasa and Touka.

"Yes, her speed and swordsmanship are also amazing!"

"Ah, um, yes..."

Yuuzou didn't bother to say anything since the matter of Desperado was something hidden from the public, so he shut his mouth.

"Now that the battle on the C-Block has been determined, it is time for us to move to the next battle! Finally, it is one of the fights that we have been waiting for!"

The moment the host started to talk, the audience became excited, and they couldn't hold their voices back. They shouted with all of their might, even if their throat and lungs were hurt. However, this was a normal thing since the one who could come out after this was the number one constant that was predicted would become the champion of the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.

Sakra.

Kugayama Tsukasa.

"Even now, I can't get his figure out of my mind. I am sure that it is the same with everyone."

No one denied the host since even whenever they saw him, they would have a good appetite, sleep, and dream.

"And his opponent this time is the Uncrowned Sword King!"

The host held his microphone and kept talking. "Many might have watched it, but this isn't the first time Sakra and the Uncrowned Sword King. In the last battle, Sakra was the winner, but this time we can see how powerful the Uncrowned Sword King had become!"

Even if Ikki was an F-Rank Blazer without talent, he had mastered the Twin-Wings Style with his sheer will alone. He might not have a talent as a Blazer, but without a doubt, he was strong!

The battle of swordsmanship!

This was something that they would look forward to!

Yet, deep inside their hearts, they could tell that it would be hard for Ikki to win.

---

"Shizuku, it's time for Ikki's match," Arisuin said. "Don't cry anymore! Let's go out and support him! If you're not there, who will support him?"

"Onii-sama..."

After she lost, Shizuku cried and was depressed since she was defeated without being able to do anything. By losing, she realized how helpless and weak she was. However, she knew she was blessed. Her talent was good, and she was also strong. She had a good friend and a beloved older brother.

However, her older brother only had her beside him.

She was the only one for him.

If she wasn't there, who would support him?

"Come on. It's not a time for you to cry. We have to cheer Ikki up!" Arisuin said.

"Yes."

Shizuku stood up and walked toward her older brother.

---

In the waiting room, Ikki realized the match between Sara and Touka had finished. Now, it was his turn for the match.

If he had to be honest, he really couldn't see how he was able to beat Tsukasa.

All of Tsukasa's techniques were higher than his, including the Twin-Wings Style.

Ikki might have learned the Twin-Wings Style, but Tsukasa had mastered it!

The distance between them was like the earth and heaven.

At this moment, he could only look up at him, trying, holding, and doing everything to climb up toward the sky. Even if he was bleeding, wounded, injured, and many other things, he kept struggling since he knew he didn't have talent.

"I have to win!"

Ikki tried to stand up, but he could feel his feet trembling.

Without a doubt, he was scared.

However, he didn't realize and tried to fight against himself that he was going to show everyone that he could become the mage-knight.

'And for Shizuku too...'

This battle was no longer for himself. Instead, it was also for Shizuku.

He knew that their relationship could hardly be called ethical, yet even so, he definitely wouldn't give up!

If he won, he would be able to say proudly to everyone that Shizuku was his... he stopped himself, taking a deep breath, before he walked out from the waiting room since it was his turn to go out to the stage.

"Now, let us not wait anymore! It's the battle that we have been waiting for! Please welcome them! Hagun Academy, Uncrowned Sword King, Ikki Kurogane!"

He walked out of the passage and entered the battle circle.

When he walked, no one said anything, and they only stared at him since, at this moment, at this place, no one thought that he was able to win.

His name might be Uncrowned Sword King, but Tsukasa was a God Sword.

Naturally, this brought him pressure.

While he seemed mature to others, he was, after all, only a teenager. In this situation, he could feel a mountain weighing against his shoulders. He was almost crushed by the sheer pressure that was coming from his surroundings. He could feel that fate itself, trying to pull him down from the altar to the place that he should belong to.

Yet like a beautiful rainbow that appeared after the rain, this voice woke her up.

"ONII-SAMA! PLEASE DO YOUR BEST!"

Ikki looked up at the source of this voice and saw Shizuku was there, screaming, cheering with all of her might for him. He inhaled a large amount of oxygen into his lungs, calming himself. Her voice was like a lullaby for him, and it made him realize that he was able to win.

His spirit reached the limit, thrust to the sky like a spear, sharp and straight.

Yet...

"Hagun Academy, Sakra, Kugayama Tsukasa! Please come in!"

Everyone held their breath, and they waited for their figure in anticipation.

Then slowly, his foot stepped out, and his figure was fully shown to everyone.

When their eyes met, Ikki knew his chance to win was almost zero.