Chapter 18: The Swordmaster's Gambit

In the arena, a girl with peach-golden short hair and glasses caught Jiangli's attention. She was cute, almost Jiangli's height, and her petite figure had an endearing charm. Despite her youthful appearance, her figure was well-developed, comparable to Senior Sister's, accentuated by the school uniform she wore.

This girl was different from Tomaru Renren; she was the girl with a fate, the one who had captured Jiangli's interest before. As she turned to look at Jiangli, her eyes lit up with excitement, as if she had met an idol. Her gaze sparkled with starry wonder and admiration, a mix of pleasant surprise and devotion evident on her face.

"From pictures to real life, you're even more charming. It's like a dream come true!" Her heart raced with joy.

What no one knew was that after filming the video of Jiangli, she had watched it more than ten times the previous night. She had taken screenshots from different angles and cherished them like treasures, placing them under her pillow as she slept, imagining her dreams next to them. She even changed her underpants in the morning, a testament to her dedication.

Now that he stood before her, the real person incarnate, she was thrilled beyond measure. Despite her impulse to put down the camera and approach him, she remembered her duty as a reporter and the importance of obtaining exclusive news material. So she fought against her desires and continued filming.

Coughing lightly, she focused on the duel. As a Blazer, the most crucial aspect was Magic Quantity. Magic Power was an inherent mental energy, unique to each individual, and it couldn't be grown through training—it was a fundamental aspect of a Blazer's power. Just like destiny, it was predetermined and inescapable.

Magic Quantity was a key factor in determining a Blazer's strength. When the League evaluated a Blazer's level, they examined their special abilities, Magic Quantity, Magic Control, and values such as attack and defense power. Physical abilities were given less importance, as Magic Power could often replicate their effects.

For instance, using Magic Power to enhance explosive strength increased attack power significantly. Stella's Magic Power was so immense that even if she increased her power by five or six times through Magic Power, it would still be formidable.

Jiangli possessed a unique causation manipulation system Blazer ability, which, despite being highly rare and potent, was appraised as only an E-Rank due to his low Magic Quantity and Magic Control.

To put it into perspective, Stella's Magic Power, according to the eager camera girl, was about 30 times the average, meaning it was 300 times that of Jiangli's. Even Kurogane Ikki, who had the same F-Rank Magic Power as Jiangli, wouldn't dare to face Stella's overwhelming Magic Power head-on.

Jiangli envied the immense power of Magic Quantity. If he had Stella's Magic Power, he might be invincible.

"Kurogane Ikki must have his own plan to persist this far. Let's see if he can win," Jiangli mused, shifting his gaze to the battlefield. His dark eyes were unwavering as they fixed on the two combatants.

With his exceptional vision, he captured every detail of the battle, meticulously analyzing their movements and techniques. His swordsmanship was second to none, and he could deduce their strategies accurately.

"Almost time for a counterattack..." Jiangli mumbled to himself.

Suddenly, as he spoke, the situation on the field changed. Kurogane Ikki altered his stance, his gaze sharpened, and he surged forward with his blade. In one swift motion, he overpowered Princess Stella, driving her back.

"Did he deceive her? Is this the counterattack?" The camera girl's excitement was evident, though she was still perplexed. "But how? Stella's Magic Power clearly exceeds his by far."

"Her sword was read." Jiangli found the camera girl quite likable and decided to explain the situation to her.

"Read? You mean he stole her technique?" The camera girl's eyes widened in realization.

"Stealing is a strong word," Jiangli corrected her with mild annoyance. "He learned from her, studied her technique. Let's call it studying, not stealing."

If Kurogane Ikki "stole," then Jiangli "plundered." In a matter of seconds, Jiangli had deciphered the secrets of Kurogane Ikki and Stella's sword techniques.

"What's with that reaction?" The camera girl was taken aback. "But isn't learning from the opponent's technique considered stealing?"

"No. In the realm of swordsmanship, it's called studying," Jiangli insisted, disapprovingly. He felt sensitive to such terms, especially when they referred to swordsmanship.

Kurogane Ikki might steal, but Jiangli—well, he plundered. In mere seconds, he had analyzed and identified the flaws in both Kurogane Ikki and Stella's techniques.

"Let's not argue semantics," the camera girl shrugged, her eyes shining. "But it's impressive to pick up an opponent's technique secretly."

As the duel continued, Jiangli's attention remained on the field, but he directed his gaze specifically at Stella Vermillion. Her reputation was well-known—a ten-year prodigy, a talent whose special ability as a Blazer was manipulating fire from the natural interference system. Her flames reached temperatures of up to 3000 degrees Celsius, capable of offense and defense.

"I want a fairer resolution to this fight," Stella declared, as she enveloped herself in a coat of blazing flames. "Empress Dress!"

With her body covered in Magic Power flames, she became an impervious barrier. Even submachine gun bullets would be vaporized upon contact. Ordinary swords were ineffective against this defensive wall, but for Kurogane Ikki, it meant facing an even greater crisis.