"Little Ai, you're here?"
Nangou Torajirou glanced casually at her with a beaming smile.
But after just one look, his eyes suddenly froze.
"What happened to you?"
The listless aura emanating from Little Ai made his heart tremble with shock.
Who in this world could possibly make her appear so defeated?
Saikyo Nene also looked over in surprise.
The two of them carefully examined Edelweiss.
There didn't appear to be any injuries on her body, but her ntal state looked terrible—almost as if she had been fighting a formidable enemy for three days and three nights straight.
A demon's endurance was remarkably strong. What kind of enemy could wear down even Edelweiss to this extent?
Was it White Beard?
Or had the Superman made a move?
"I was slightly careless and didn't expect..."
Edelweiss gave a sowhat helpless bitter smile.
She seed to be marveling at her enemy's power herself.
But halfway through speaking, she suddenly stopped.
"Didn't expect what?"
Seeing her reluctance to continue, Nangou Torajirou took the initiative to press further.
"Nothing."
Edelweiss shook her head, silver hair swaying, choosing to remain silent.
"When the match begins, you'll naturally understand."
The match?
Nangou Torajirou and Saikyo Nene exchanged glances.
They both saw surprise in each other's eyes.
What could Little Ai's injury possibly have to do with the match?
No.
Unless—
Nangou Torajirou suddenly jolted, his aged eyes fixed intently on the arena, his heart surging with profound astonishnt.
"Could it be...?!"
In the arena.
The caras precisely captured Eiji's arrival, and the entire stadium erupted in thunderous cheers!
"Aweso! The Sword God is finally here! The arena probably won't get demolished now! Though I didn't expect the Sword God to look unexpectedly disheveled..."
"That might not necessarily be the case."
"Oh?"
"While his clothes are indeed tattered, his ntal state has never been better. Since the start of this Seven Star Sword Art Festival, have you ever seen the Sword God show such a brilliant smile?"
"That's true!"
"In that regard, the Sword God's condition is absolutely perfect!"
Within the combat ring.
Kurogane Ikki scrutinized Eiji up and down, reaching the sa conclusion as Kaieda.
Although his clothes were ragged, his ntal state was excellent, and there wasn't a single wound on his body.
"No problem, no problem."
Eiji himself waved his hand dismissively.
The radiant smile on his face was unstoppable, as if he was recalling sothing extrely delightful.
"That's good to hear."
Kurogane Ikki also breathed a sigh of relief.
Honestly, he didn't want to settle the match with Eiji under unfair circumstances.
"Yesterday, Nangou-senpai ca to see ."
Oh?
Eiji perked up his ears.
"I originally planned to give you the championship."
Eiji's face darkened.
He wore a fierce expression that clearly said, "Don't you dare."
"But senpai's words woke up. With your pride, you would never allow yourself to accept a victory handed to you by an opponent. Moreover, what you truly desire is battle, right?"
Kurogane Ikki said this.
The student has been taught well!
Eiji nodded with satisfaction.
He truly hadn't known that Kurogane Ikki had entertained such thoughts. If Ikki had actually gone through with it, Eiji would have felt that he had misplaced his trust all along.
"So for this battle, I'll bring forth my full strength and do everything in my power to defeat you!"
Flas blazed in Kurogane Ikki's eyes.
Flas of fighting spirit.
"This is the greatest respect I can offer you as my opponent, rival, and friend!"
Bringing his palms together, a shimring azure light rippled forth.
Following that, an unremarkable katana, as black as teoric iron from tip to hilt, materialized in his hand.
He then assud an iaido stance, positioning it at his waist with his thumb acting as the sheath, pressed against the tsuba.
"This stance?"
Eiji narrowed his eyes.
He seed to have guessed Kurogane Ikki's intention.
It was the sa move he had used to instantly defeat Stella in their duel yesterday!
"In terms of swordsmanship, I'm probably far from being your match."
Kurogane Ikki let out a sigh filled with frustration.
"Though I'd love to spar with you in swordplay, once I fall into your rhythm, I'll be beyond saving... So I won't engage in a prolonged fight with you. Instead, I choose another thod!"
"—We'll decide this with one move!"
Kurogane Ikki lifted his head, a defiant smile spreading across his face.
"Do you have the courage for it, my rival?"
He was deliberately provoking Eiji.
If he were to compete with Eiji in pure swordsmanship, Eiji, having reached the realm of instantaneous complete stillness, would undoubtedly crush him!
But that wouldn't do.
He had promised Nangou Torajirou that he would defeat Eiji!
Therefore, he absolutely must not compete with him in swordsmanship!
And if there was one possibility for him to win, it lay in the advantage of being a Demon King!
The manipulation of causality!
He would concentrate everything into a single strike, delivering an overwhelmingly powerful blow—only then might he have a chance to defeat Eiji!
"The Uncrowned Sword King is demanding a one-move showdown?!"
"I truly didn't see that coming either."
"Old master, do you think the Sword God will agree?"
"No, I don't know what he's thinking... But honestly, it's probably better if he doesn't."
Kaieda's tone was grave.
Because that would an the Sword God might lose!
Though the Sword God is powerful, he is still not a Demon King!
The slightest misstep, and he could very well fall to the manipulation of causality!
"Little junior brother seems capable of resisting causal interference directed at himself."
Saikyo Nene hid her face behind a folding fan, her solemn eyes fixed on the arena.
"But a Demon King's interference with causality isn't limited to pulling on the opponent..."
"If he wants to win, he shouldn't accept Kurogane boy's provocation."
Nangou Torajirou nodded in agreent.
A Demon King's causal interference is profoundly elusive.
Aside from those of the sa realm, it's nearly impossible to break free!
No, sotis even Demon Kings of the sa realm might not be able to escape it!
"That may not necessarily be the case."
But then, Edelweiss suddenly spoke.
"Hmm?"
Nangou Torajirou and Saikyo Nene both looked at her in surprise.
She would say sothing like that?
And with such conviction, as if she had great confidence in him?
Did she know sothing?
"I agree!"
Within the battle ring, Eiji readily accepted.
"Let's decide it with one move! Bring out your strongest technique!"
His words, transmitted through the caras, reached the entire audience.
The spectators erupted in excitent.
Everyone widened their eyes, afraid to miss the most critical mont of this match.
"Please guide !"
Kurogane Ikki took a deep breath.
The expression on his face and the fighting spirit in his eyes vanished completely in an instant, his entire being suddenly still as still water.
Yet at the sa ti, the oppressive aura emanating from him abruptly multiplied several tis over!
Emotion, sentint, spirit—all were condensed into a single blade.
This blade was the ultimate technique he had created after stepping into the realm of the Fiend, combining the Fiend's nature of causality manipulation.
Its na—
"Final Secret Sword: Shadow Chase—!!!"
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