-1303- Will be over soon

Under the gaze of the entire audience, the contestants took their positions in the center of the arena, staring at each other.

Completely unaware of his opponent's transformation, Kirihara Shizuya looked at the disheveled Ikki and sneered.

"I say, Kurogane, why do you always look so pathetic every time we meet?"

Previously, when they met, Ikki had just finished an intense battle with Altera, looking even more miserable than now, which had prompted Kirihara Shizuya to mock him. This time was no exception.

"I've told you before, the Mage-Knight path is too much for you. You should give up, and then you wouldn't be in such a pitiful state. But you just won't listen, making me, who used to be your classmate, very sad, Kurogane."

Kirihara Shizuya's words were full of mockery, his expression brimming with sarcasm.

In response to Kirihara Shizuya...

"I'm truly sorry, I was in such a hurry that I could only come directly like this. In hindsight, it's indeed a bit rude."

Ikki apologized humbly and kindly, as he always did.

However, this time, Ikki did not bow his head, nor did his eyes show any bitterness or anguish. There was only a calm and indifferent look that Kirihara Shizuya failed to notice.

His demeanor was entirely different from the usual Ikki.

It was as if he were declaring that he was already on the battlefield and there was no need for politeness. Ikki spoke with an uncharacteristic tone.

"But it shouldn't matter much since the match will be over soon, don't you think, Kirihara?"

Ikki's words were met with...

"Haha...! Hahahaha...!"

Kirihara Shizuya clutched his forehead, laughing heartily as if genuinely amused.

"Exactly, you understand well, Kurogane. Initially, I thought you were clinging to a slim hope of defeating me. Now it seems you're merely desperate. But I understand your feelings. To you, I'm the worst possible opponent. You can't win against me. The match will indeed be over soon. Recognizing this proves you're not entirely hopeless. Good, very good!"

Kirihara Shizuya laughed openly, causing the students in the audience to follow suit.

Ridicule, sarcasm, boos, and insults rained down on Ikki from all directions.

Yet, Ikki was oblivious to it all.

"Because you believe there's no way I can win, you make such a grand entrance, isn't that right, Kirihara?"

Ikki smiled warmly, unaffected by the surrounding noise.

"If your opponent were someone capable of defeating you, you wouldn't even show up. You'd forfeit the match. You only face opponents you know you can absolutely defeat. That's you, Kirihara Shizuya."

Ikki's words abruptly halted Kirihara Shizuya's laughter.

Then, as if enraged, Kirihara Shizuya raised his voice.

"When you're lying on the ground in agony later, let's see if you can still say such things...!"

Apparently, having his opponent, who was usually subject to his mockery, talk back like this was too much for Kirihara Shizuya to bear.

Thus...

"The hunting time has come—〈Oborozuki〉!"

Kirihara Shizuya gathered his magical power in his hands, causing a bright green glow to flash. Finally, it formed into vines that intertwined into a long green bow, which he held in his hand.

This was Kirihara Shizuya's Device—〈Oborozuki〉.

As Kirihara Shizuya summoned his Device, the commentator's voice rang out.

"Both contestants have summoned their Devices! With that, the fourth match at the fourth training ground—Kurogane Ikki vs. Kirihara Shizuya! Now, begin!"

The announcement of the match's start echoed throughout the training ground.

In that instant, Kirihara Shizuya leaped back, magical power surging from his body.

(Next, as long as I use 〈Hunter's Forest〉...!)

Kirihara Shizuya's figure would disappear completely in the forest that would manifest within the arena, gaining full invisibility. Then, he would use his long-range Device to utterly annihilate Ikki.

In the past, Kirihara Shizuya had always used this method to pin down opponents without wide-area attack abilities, effortlessly winning the fight.

After all, if the opponent couldn't find or attack him, he could freely attack them from a distance. Such unequal conditions made it easy to dominate his opponents.

Kirihara Shizuya enjoyed this feeling, like hunting prey in the forest, shooting arrows at helpless targets, relishing their screams. It was exhilarating.

As for those with wide-area attack capabilities?

They were Kirihara Shizuya's nemesis. No matter how well he hid, they could blast him and the forest away, making him the one helplessly defeated.

Kirihara Shizuya would never engage in such foolishness.

(I am the only one who can slaughter my prey...!)

Kirihara Shizuya would never fight opponents who could beat him.

So, he was a hunter, not a knight, not a warrior.

Now, Ikki was his prey.

"Feel the pain of being hunted, Kurogane!"

Kirihara Shizuya, with a twisted face, prepared to use his Noble Art—〈Hunter's Forest〉.

Unfortunately, Kirihara Shizuya had no idea.

He had no chance.

"Clang—!"

A sharp, piercing sound rang out as a jet-black sword light flashed by.

That sword light was as flexible as a whip.

That sword light was as decisive as a slash.

"That is...!?"

Seeing the sword light, both Stella, Shinguji Kurono, and Saikyo Nene's faces changed drastically.

Even Rozen was stunned in that instant.

Immediately...

"Splush—!"

The sound of a slash tearing through flesh echoed clearly.

"Gah...!"

Kirihara Shizuya let out an inarticulate scream.

The jet-black sword light slashed through Kirihara Shizuya's body as if splitting him in half, leaving a gaping wound from his left shoulder to his right side.

Blood spurted out, drenching the ground.

And Ikki remained standing.

His sword had somehow already struck, cutting through Kirihara Shizuya from a distance.

"Thud..."

Kirihara Shizuya fell to the ground amidst the pool of blood.

Blood spread across the ground.