The pendulum clock in the room chid six tis.
It was ti for the banquet. The two, now fully dressed, walked out of the room side by side.
"Wow."
The mont they stepped out, the sound of a door opening ca from next door.
Kurogane Ikki and Kurogane Shizuku, dressed in new formal attire, erged together from another room.
"See, it's so much easier to cheat when Stella isn't around!"
Eiji grinned suggestively.
"Don't say things that could be misunderstood!"
Ikki, who had been sowhat nervous, imdiately retorted loudly.
"Shizuku and I aren't in that kind of relationship!"
"Oh, I wouldn't mind though~!"
Shizuku blushed deeply.
"Shizuku, stop making things worse!"
Ikki couldn't help but loudly complain to his sister.
"I only asked Shizuku for help coordinating my outfit! Nothing happened!"
In truth, he had actually consulted Arisuin Nagi from Shizuku's contacts—neither of the siblings had any fashion sense.
"Let's get going."
Touka urged the group.
"If we don't hurry, we'll be late."
"Alright, let's go."
Eiji put away his teasing smile and entered the elevator at the end of the corridor with the other three.
In this hotel specially prepared for the representative competitors, the top floor housed a banquet hall—the venue for tonight's event.
After entering the elevator, the cabin shook slightly before steadily ascending to the top floor.
"Has Stella still not arrived?"
Eiji turned and asked Ikki behind him.
Theoretically, all representatives for the Seven Star Sword Art Festival should have arrived by tonight. They themselves had co at the latest possible ti.
But currently, only four of Hagun Academy's representatives were present.
The final representative, the Crimson Princess Stella, was not here.
"She said she'd train with Instructor Saikyo until the last mont and wouldn't co until after that. But she promised she'd make it before the competition."
"As long as she arrives."
Eiji nodded silently.
"Ding—!"
A chi sounded as the elevator doors slowly opened.
They filed out of the elevator and were greeted by a massive pair of double wooden doors.
From behind the doors ca the sound of lively chatter and excitent.
Doubtless, many representative competitors had already gathered and were conversing animatedly inside.
"Beyond those doors are the top student knights from across the nation!"
Shizuku's expression remained calm, but visible tension appeared on Ikki's face.
As an F-Rank Blazer who couldn't even participate in school tests before, he now stood at the nation's largest stage.
"Let's go in."
Eiji's expression was as calm as still water.
Having long cultivated strong nerves, he showed not a hint of fear even when facing national-level powerhouses.
"You must be the representatives for the Seven Star Sword Art Festival. We've been expecting you. Please, co in."
Two attendants at the door greeted them with perfect polite smiles and opened the doors for them.
A wave of warm air washed over them.
The spacious hall was elegantly decorated, with crimson carpets and massive chandeliers exuding luxury. Tables were lined with various delicacies and fine wines of diverse styles.
Under the dazzling lights, dozens of figures mingled amidst the glow, clinking glasses and exchanging cheerful conversations.
There were over thirty people in total.
Each carried an aura vastly different from ordinary individuals—just a glance gave off a sharp, piercing sensation.
With so many gathered together, it created an illusion of being suffocated, as if tides were blocking one's mouth and nose, making it hard to breathe.
But at the sa ti.
The mont the door opened, the lively chatter in the hall abruptly ceased.
All eyes converged on the entrance as if by prior agreent.
"Is that the representative contestant from Hagun Academy?"
"The Deep Sea Witch, the Uncrowned Sword King..."
"Raikiri, and Aurora!"
Soon, murmurs began to ripple through the crowd.
"I heard the title 'Uncrowned Sword King' doesn't quite live up to its na?"
"That depends on who you compare him to. I've seen his match footage against Aurora—though slightly inferior to Aurora, he's still far stronger than us!"
"The Uncrowned Sword King was a title Kurogane Ikki earned early on. It beca 'unworthy' later when Aurora rose to prominence. In any case, he's still a formidable opponent!"
So engaged in serious discussions, while others scrutinized with solemn gazes.
Varied reactions filled the space among these thirty individuals.
Yet, not a single one among them showed contempt.
Each of them understood clearly: no one who stepped onto the stage of the Seven Star Sword Art Festival was ordinary. They would never grow arrogant over superficial labels like "F-rank knight" or "E-rank knight" when facing their upcoming opponents.
No one here was foolish enough to underestimate others.
"Is that Aurora?"
"Just as the rumors say, he's an exceptionally remarkable man!"
"Don't be deceived by his appearance. In truth, he's the strongest at Hagun Academy—he's the God of War's disciple and a top contender to win this Seven Star Sword Art Festival online!"
But almost everyone's attention was drawn to the youth at the forefront.
His transcendent charm first left the crowd breathless and dazed.
After snapping out of it, so marveled in admiration, while others grew wary.
"Strange, the Uncrowned Sword King radiates such a sharp aura, so why does Aurora's presence seem so... ordinary?"
In a corner of the hall.
Three youths in slightly plain school uniforms stood together.
Among them was a bespectacled boy whose eyes road over Eiji like torches, their piercing gaze seeming to see through all falsehoods straight to the essence.
A trace of confusion surfaced in his eyes as he muttered with palpable bewildernt.
"Even you can't see through him, Xiao Bai?"
Beside him, a girl with a high ponytail, an adhesive bandage on her cheek, and mischievous boyish eyes watched him curiously, her hands clasped behind her back.
"Don't you have that ultimate technique of Complete Mastery? The one that lets you see anyone's root concept—totally cheating! You're the only one in all seven star academies who can do it, right?"
"No, from what I know, Kurogane Ikki of Hagun Academy has also mastered this technique. But of course, I'm more proficient since I mastered it much earlier than him."
The boy called Xiao Bai adjusted his glasses, the lenses flashing with a cartoonish glint of wisdom.
"Moreover, complete mastery isn't omnipotent. This ability is heavily constrained by information. The data I have on Aurora only goes up to the finals of Hagun Academy's internal selection tournant. There are no public combat records of Aurora after that, so I can't grasp what level his strength has actually reached."
Theoretically speaking, there was only a half-month gap in between.
But Byakuya Jougasaki understood perfectly well - half a month was more than enough ti for a swordsman of Aurora's caliber to undergo earth-shaking changes!
"The answer is simple, little Byakuya."
At that mont, a tense voice rang in both their ears, so exhilarated it seed like a tiger accumulating its hunting instincts.
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