The moment the competition began, a figure moved with rhythmic precision, surging forward before anyone could react!
"It's Kurogane Ikki! He's launched the first attack! But he hasn't used Ittou Shura yet?"
"That's a wise move... cough cough. Against an opponent like Nangou Ryoji, using a Noble Art first would actually put him at a disadvantage!"
"Indeed!"
As the commentators spoke, the two combatants had already clashed.
"...Seventh Secret Sword - Raikou (Lightning)!"
Kurogane Ikki widened his stance, extending one leg forward and the other back.
Within that short distance, he unleashed an explosive burst of power, channeling every ounce of his strength into that first strike!
The blade moved so fast it was invisible to the naked eye, friction with the air creating an ice-blue flash like lightning!
This sword skill was designed to maximize sword speed, aiming to push it to its absolute limit within a short distance.
As Kurogane Ikki charged forward at high speed, he locked his gaze directly on Ryoji's form. His eyes, like high-precision cameras, captured every nuance of Ryoji's reactions.
If this had been Ryoji from just over a month ago, he would have been caught completely off guard by this strike, forced to rely on his Blazer's special ability.
But…
As Ikki swung his sword, he suddenly noticed Ryoji's vision shift. In an instant, his focus converged on the sword tip aimed directly at him!
"He predicted it!" Kurogane Ikki's heart tightened.
Clang!
As expected, the strike that surpassed the limits of human vision was abruptly blocked by a blade slashing in from the side.
Clash!
Sparks flew as the blades clashed violently, their guards grinding against each other in a fierce struggle for dominance.
"I'm not the same as before," Ryoji said calmly, a relaxed smile playing on his lips. "You won't take me down so easily now!"
"As expected! I knew you'd become incredibly strong!" Kurogane Ikki's eyes burned with fervor.
He had been anticipating this sword-to-sword clash with Ryoji for a long time. If he had won too easily, he would have felt deeply unsatisfied.
But now wasn't the time to indulge in such simple excitement. Under normal circumstances, he would have relished the opportunity for more sparring sessions with Ryoji. But this time, he carried a greater responsibility, he absolutely couldn't afford to lose!
"Second Secret Sword - Rekkou (Rend Armor)!"
During their locked clash, Kurogane Ikki twisted his lower body. A subtle yet immense force surged from his hips, channeling through his torso and erupting in a zero-range slash from his katana, Intetsu!
At such close quarters, there should have been no room to build momentum for a proper slash. Yet Ryoji felt a sudden force surge through his blade, violently knocking his Vrring Blade aside.
"Inch Punch?" Ryoji raised an eyebrow.
Kurogane Ikki gave him no time to think. As Ryoji's guard opened, Ikki raised Intetsu high and slashed diagonally toward his chest!
Clang!
But the blade never reached Ryoji's chest.
Looking closer, Ryoji had retracted his arm between the Lightning Flint strikes, using the gap between his hands to block Ikki's seemingly inevitable slash with the hilt of his sword.
"What is this...?"
"Your technique!" Ryoji's lips curled into a smile.
Blocking a slash with the hilt of a sword was an incredibly difficult maneuver. The gap between the hands was so narrow that it was hard to control; a slight miscalculation could injure one's fingers, making the risk outweigh the reward. Few warriors ever attempted such a defensive technique.
But Kurogane Ikki had mastered this skill, and so had Ryoji.
"Hah!" Ryoji let out a low grunt.
His lower body twisted violently, channeling the force through his hips and waist into the hilt of his blade.
Then he unleashed a point-blank slash!
Bang!
Kurogane Ikki's hands jolted, and his katana, Intetsu, was knocked flying.
"My Rekkou (Rend Armor)...?!"
'He actually copied that too?!'
Kurogane Ikki's eyes widened in disbelief.
He possessed a unique technique called "Imitation Sword Skill," which allowed him to discern the underlying principles and flow of another's sword technique. Within minutes, he could replicate it in his own body and even identify its weaknesses.
Until now, he had always been the one plagiarizing others' sword skills. This was the first time he had ever seen someone plagiarize his own!
He finally understood how those whose techniques he had copied must have felt!
As Kurogane Ikki left his guard wide open, Ryoji grinned.
He then lunged forward with his leading foot, widening the stance between his legs and raising his blade horizontally.
"Damn it!" Kurogane Ikki's heart jolted.
He frantically stomped his feet, retreating explosively.
But such a maneuver wouldn't evade this strike!
Retreating, Kurogane Ikki had a flash of inspiration. He violently shifted his footwork, alternating between rapid and erratic steps, creating multiple afterimages across the arena!
'Fourth Secret Sword - Shinkirou (Mirage Wolf)!'
This technique involved rapidly alternating between fast and slow steps while running, creating afterimages to confuse the opponent. The user then concealed themselves behind the afterimages to deliver a fatal strike.
Originally, this move was meant to be used while advancing. Most people can only control their forward momentum; running backward makes it easy to stumble. Yet, under Ryoji's relentless pressure, Kurogane Ikki executed the technique while retreating.
"Lightning Ray!"
Like a flash of lightning, a strike beyond the limits of the naked eye erupted from Ryoji's blade! The afterimage directly ahead was instantly shattered by the lightning-fast thrust, vanishing like a mirage.
Having destroyed the afterimage, Ryoji didn't pursue the others. Instead, he abandoned the chase and remained rooted to the spot.
"As expected of the creator, you know this technique's weaknesses perfectly!"
Thud!
Kurogane Ikki's figure descended from mid-air.
"If I hadn't known this technique's weakness, I would have been at a disadvantage from the start."
He caught his breath, adjusted his breathing, and forced a strained smile.
The Lightning Ray technique was a thrust.
It required the user to spread their legs wide, then explosively propel themselves forward with a ground-pounding motion, achieving extreme short-range speed in a single burst. However, this meant it could only be used against opponents on the ground.
If the opponent leaped into the air, the user's momentum chain would be disrupted, rendering them unable to adjust their trajectory and forcing them to abandon the chase.
This put the user in a precarious situation.
"An amazing clash! Contestant Kurogane Ikki's attacks are incredibly sharp, one wrong move and Contestant Nangou Ryoji could lose his chance at victory. But Contestant Nangou is equally formidable, completely blocking contestant Kurogane's attacks and even launching a counterattack!"
The announcer's excited voice boomed across the arena through the loudspeakers.
"After this fierce exchange, both fighters have temporarily retreated. For now, they appear to be evenly matched!"
"No, to be honest, I don't think... cough cough ...they're evenly matched at all!"
"Eh? Yuri-chan, what do you mean by that?"
"Contestant Kurogane's aggressive attacks should have created a decisive opening, or at the very least, allowed him to find a suitable strategy after their initial clash! But Contestant Nangou is completely watertight... urp! Not only does he show no weaknesses, but it might even be impossible to find a strategy to counter him. Contestant Kurogane must be feeling quite frustrated right now!"
(End Of This Chapter)
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