"What...!?"
As the surging magical power erupted from Rozen, Tomaru Renren and Saijou Ikazuchi, who were attacking Rozen from the front and back, showed expressions of shock.
Because they saw it.
At that instant, as the magical power burst forth, numerous silver-white chains appeared around Rozen like a mist.
The silver-white chains spun rapidly around Rozen like a tornado.
Moreover, like a vortex, the chains extended outward, spinning like a top in tandem with the tornado.
As they spun, the chains turned into wind blades, whirling and swinging violently towards Rozen's surroundings.
With this swing, the chains precisely met the approaching attacks of Saijou Ikazuchi and Tomaru Renren from Rozen's front and back.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Accompanied by two heavy thuds, the silver-white chains struck Saijou Ikazuchi and Tomaru Renren, who were attacking Rozen from the front and back.
"Ugh...!"
"Guh...!"
Saijou Ikazuchi and Tomaru Renren both let out pained cries as they were sent flying, turning into human cannonballs that crashed into the walls on either side of the battle zone at a speed even faster than their attacks.
In an instant, dust flew up, and debris scattered as cracks appeared on the walls of the battle zone, spreading like spiderwebs.
"This..."
Watching this unfold, Misogi Utakata in the audience was stunned.
"Renren and Ikazuchi were defeated so easily...?"
Misogi Utakata was truly shocked.
Not only Misogi Utakata, but everyone else fighting in the other directions also looked over. Seeing this scene, their expressions changed.
However, Rozen hadn't finished his actions.
"Did I go too hard?" Rozen muttered to himself as he snapped his fingers, dispersing the rapidly spinning chains around him.
Then, two chains shot out, one after the other, extending like whips towards the direction of the shattered walls, disappearing into the dust.
In the next moment, the silver-white chains began to retract.
However, this time, the chains were binding two figures, pulling them out of the rubble.
"Damn it...!" Tomaru Renren's hands were bound by the chains, her body covered in dust, looking battered and bruised. She tried to stabilize herself with her feet, but found herself being dragged towards Rozen.
"My magical power...!" Saijou Ikazuchi was only bound by one hand, the chain wrapped around his wrist. Despite his sturdy physique, he too was unable to resist and was dragged towards Rozen, just like Tomaru Renren.
From both directions, the two members of the student council were helplessly pulled in front of Rozen by the chains.
"Does this settle it?" Rozen said with a smile to the two of them.
"By the way, my ability is also a form of conceptual interference, like yours. It interferes with the concept of 'sealing,' which allows me to control my Device's chains at will, automatically sealing enemies, and even sealing things other than enemies, such as your magical power."
Rozen's explanation made Tomaru Renren and Saijou Ikazuchi's expressions change again.
Which meant...
"That's right. As long as you're bound by my Injunction Shackles, Blazers who heavily rely on magical power are effectively helpless. Even though your abilities are also conceptual interference, you can't use them if your magical power is sealed. Furthermore, your abilities can't counter my Device. The moment my Injunction Shackles caught you, your defeat was sealed."
Rozen continued.
"Will you two concede?"
Hearing this, Tomaru Renren and Saijou Ikazuchi both fell silent.
After a while, they gave up resisting and lowered their heads.
"Alright, I admit defeat. I didn't expect you to be this strong," Tomaru Renren said dejectedly.
"...So this is what an A-Rank Knight is like?" Saijou Ikazuchi remembered how he was also easily defeated by Stella during the selection match. As someone ranked fourth in the academy, he felt disheartened by his inability to put up any resistance.
Rozen, however, while dispersing the chains, which turned into mist and vanished, spread his hands towards them.
"Don't underestimate yourselves. The fact that you both rank third and fourth in Hagun Academy proves your strength."
Indeed.
Tomaru Renren and Saijou Ikazuchi were strong.
They just chose the wrong opponent.
Rozen was ultimately not an existence that mere students could contend with.
Therefore, if these two were discouraged by their defeat at Rozen's hands, it was entirely unnecessary.
Of course, as members of the student council, Rozen didn't think their spirits were that fragile. Otherwise, Tomaru Renren and Saijou Ikazuchi wouldn't have been able to bounce back after being defeated by Ikki and Stella.
It should be noted that Ikki and Stella's ways of defeating Tomaru Renren and Saijou Ikazuchi weren't any less decisive than Rozen's.
"Sigh, we lost again."
"This year's first-year students are really strong."
As expected, it wasn't long before Tomaru Renren and Saijou Ikazuchi pulled themselves together, heading to the audience seats and complaining to Misogi Utakata.
"You've had a hard time. I didn't expect him to be that strong," Misogi Utakata said. "Although he is an A-Rank Knight like Stella, he didn't participate in the selection match or the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. I thought he must be weaker than Stella, but it turns out he is not inferior to her at all, and he might even be stronger."
After all, while Stella decisively defeated Saijou Ikazuchi, she only defeated Saijou Ikazuchi.
This time, Saijou Ikazuchi teamed up with Tomaru Renren, and they were both decisively beaten, proving that Rozen's strength might be above Stella's.
"This year's first-year students are really interesting. No wonder Touka is so interested and couldn't wait to fight them during the selection matches."
Misogi Utakata smiled as she looked towards the battle zone.
In her line of sight, Rozen was still standing there, observing the other battles.
"Is it starting over there too?"
Rozen muttered.
In his field of vision, two battles were taking place.
One was between Shizuku Kurogane and Totokubara Kanata.
The other was between Ikki Kurogane and Touka Todo.
Both battles were intense.
Exceptionally fierce.