-1224- What is he planning?

Even if someone has excellent physical ability, continuous fierce attacks will eventually come to a halt.

Although, generally speaking, as long as you continue to attack fiercely and put the enemy on the defensive, in the end, usually, it's the enemy who can't hold out and gets taken down by the relentless assault.

Defense is often more difficult than offense, that's common knowledge.

As long as the fierce attacks continue, then in the end, eighty percent of the time, it's the defending side that will be overwhelmed first.

Of course, this is just a general rule.

In the case of skilled Blazer like Rozen, although this theorem is not invalid, there are still situations where the defense holds up until the end without leaking.

Defense may be harder than offense, but some people happen to excel at defense.

Rozen may not be proficient in swordsmanship, but because of his Mind's Eye, he excels in defense to a degree that others can't match.

So, amidst Rozen's continuous defense, Ikki's attacking movements finally began to slow down.

"Hoo!"

Carrying a sharp sound of wind, Ikki's wooden sword came down from above, aiming for Rozen's forehead.

Seeing this strike...

"Now's the time!"

Rozen suddenly stopped his backward steps, abruptly raised his head, and his eyes sparkled with a daunting light.

Immediately, Rozen's defensive stance changed.

At this moment, Rozen's movements were no longer as casual and chaotic as before, but as if they had been rehearsed hundreds of times, they became as smooth as flowing water.

"What's this...!?"

Ikki noticed this and was astonished.

And at this moment, Rozen had already begun to counterattack.

"Thud!"

With the loudest clash, Rozen suddenly swung out his fastest sword yet, deflecting Ikki's wooden sword, causing Ikki's wooden sword to be lifted high and his posture to be disrupted, exposing a wide opening in front of his chest.

In this situation, Rozen maintained the posture of swinging his sword, his body spun like a top, and his wooden sword had already changed from a deflection to a cut, fiercely slashing towards Ikki's direction like a windmill.

And Ikki's opening in front of him was already wide open, with no time to withdraw the sword for defense.

As a result, Rozen confirmed his victory.

Unfortunately, Rozen's confidence was misplaced.

"...!"

In the nick of time, Ikki suddenly reacted, releasing the lifted wooden sword, causing the wooden sword to fall along with gravity, landing in his other hand.

"Clang!"

Rozen's fierce strike brutally landed on the hastily raised wooden sword, and it even landed on the hilt, creating a crisp sound.

Ikki, using the hilt of the wooden sword, defended against Rozen's surefire strike.

Only then did the two of them push each other away, returning to the situation they were in at the beginning, facing each other from a distance.

Both of their expressions carried a hint of resignation.

"What kind of defense was that?"

Rozen's voice was filled with annoyance.

"And you, you said you didn't understand swords, but that move just now was unexpectedly ingenious and sophisticated, not at all like a move that someone who doesn't understand swords would use."

Ikki chuckled bitterly.

But then, the two of them simultaneously burst into laughter.

"What was that move just now?"

Rozen asked Ikki this way.

"That was a bit of a unique defensive technique, calculating the distance and length between the opponent and the weapon, using parts of the sword or blade other than the blade or sword body for defense, called 'Special Defense.'"

Ikki answered truthfully, and then asked the same question.

"What about the move you just used?"

Ikki's eyes lit up as if he had encountered some treasure.

Clearly, this young man was obsessed with swords, and he became curious about the moves Rozen had just used.

So, Rozen truthfully answered.

"That was a sword technique used for counterattacks, called 'Horizontal Arc.'"

――Horizontal Arc.

That was a two-strike sword technique for single-handed swords in SAO, used for counterattacks. First, the first strike deflects the enemy's weapon, then following the force of the enemy's attack, the body rotates, accelerating for the second strike, attacking the enemy whose weapon has been deflected, securing the victory.

Against monsters without special attacks and skills, this sword technique has many uses. Both Rozen and Kirito liked to use this move when their levels weren't high.

Originally, without the system's assistance, Rozen, who couldn't smoothly move his body like in a game, had to use "Telekinesis" to manipulate his body in order to use sword techniques from SAO.

However, after various training during his time with Natsuki and wandering and traveling for ten years, Rozen unexpectedly found many opportunities to utilize his body. Coupled with the assistance of his Mind's Eye, he eventually became able to move his body decently enough to execute sword techniques from SAO.

It was also because of this that Rozen's physical fitness test could reach a D-level. Otherwise, with his previous physical fitness only matching that of an ordinary person, he would likely have ended up with an E-level.

Even so, compared to Ikki, whose physical fitness reached an A-level, Rozen was still far behind. If it weren't for his Mind's Eye, in close-quarters combat like this, he would have been defeated long ago.

"Horizontal Arc..."

Ikki seemed to remember something, smiling suddenly while murmuring to himself.

"I see, I've noted it down."

Saying so, Ikki unexpectedly launched another fierce attack.

Seeing this, Rozen was slightly taken aback.

Because this time, Ikki's movements became just like his own earlier—full of openings, completely unlike the situation that a swordsman of his caliber would have.

(What is he planning to do?)

This thought flashed through Rozen's mind in an instant, but his body had already acted preemptively.

Using his Mind's Eye to see through Ikki's movements, Rozen almost reflexively abandoned defense and delivered a slashing strike towards the exposed openings.

This strike...

"What...!?"

Rozen was suddenly surprised.

"Clang!"

In the loud clash, Rozen's slashing strike was unexpectedly deflected by Ikki's wooden sword, which he had flicked up in an instant.

A huge force acted on Rozen's wooden sword, lifting it up, disrupting Rozen's posture, and lifting his hand, leaving his front wide open.

Yes.

This situation was completely identical to what Rozen had just done to Ikki.

And then...

"Horizontal Arc!"

Following the force of Rozen's downward strike, Ikki's body swiftly turned, his wooden sword transformed into a rapid slash, like a windmill, chopping towards Rozen's body.

Rozen didn't even have time to defend.

He could only forcibly endure this strike.

"Thud!"

A muffled sound rang out.

Ikki's wooden sword landed solidly on Rozen's side, truly hitting him.

However...

"Ugh..."

It was Ikki who let out a groan of distress.

It was as if Ikki was struggling to strike a piece of hard steel with his wooden sword. His arm was numb from the shock as he retreated, wearing a pained expression, seeming very uncomfortable.

Just because...

"I was forced to use magical power."

Rozen stood in place, his face full of complexity.

Upon closer inspection, flames of magic began to ripple on Rozen's body.

Using mana to shield himself, Rozen blocked Ikki's attack.