One Hour Later.
Noah and Stella stood in the Headmaster's office, facing a boy who had just walked through the door.
Noah instinctively used Truth Seeker on him, and their eyes met in a brief exchange.
Immediately, the boy's expression changed dramatically, turning to one of sheer panic.
He even assumed a defensive stance on the spot, as if he was facing a deadly enemy.
Noah was equally taken aback by his intense reaction.
This was a situation that had occurred with Ryuu back in Orario—at the very least, the two cases were extremely similar.
The invasive effect of the Truth Seeker had actually been noticed by his sharp instincts.
"Hey, Kurogane, what has gotten into you all of a sudden?" Kurono Shinguuji asked from her desk.
"What are you trying to do?!" Stella demanded, stepping firmly in front of Noah and shielding him.
"Chairwoman... I..." The boy didn't know how to properly explain himself.
He only knew that the exact moment he locked eyes with that boy, an unprecedented sense of panic surged within him.
The terrifying feeling that his very soul had been laid bare made his knightly instincts sense a deadly threat.
Thus, his subconscious reaction was excessive.
Even now, his hands were still trembling.
The fact that he didn't immediately materialized his Device to defend himself was already a testament to his strict self-restraint.
With Stella standing between them, Noah casually observed the boy's sweat-drenched appearance, his gaze shifting slightly.
The boy's hidden information appeared before his eyes.
[Ikki Kurogane]
Blazer Rank: F
Device: Intetsu
Noble Art: Ittou Shura
Title: Worst One
Attack Power: F
Defense Power: F
Magic Power: F
Magic Control: E
Physical Ability: A
Luck: F
Note: A repeater at Hagun Academy, and a descendant of the prestigious Kurogane clan of Japan. Lacks magical talent but possesses exceptional swordsmanship skills and formidable perseverance.
This was the Blazer with the absolute lowest stats Noah had ever seen in this universe.
Apart from his physical ability, all his stats were vastly below average.
His magic control barely reached an E, while the rest of his abilities were all flatlining at F-Rank.
Just as the Truth Seeker's conclusion stated.
He was an individual severely lacking in magical talent, but his physical perseverance was extraordinary.
Judging by his A-Rank physical ability, it was clear that he was a fighter completely unwilling to accept mediocrity or yield to fate.
Therefore, even though his magical stats were weak, Noah knew he couldn't afford to underestimate him.
Unlike the cowards who had given up on themselves during the exam, the ambition and resolve of the person before him were unbreakable.
"It is alright, Stella," Noah said softly, gently touching her shoulder to signal that she could step aside without worry.
Ikki Kurogane also promptly apologized. "Sorry. I think I was just too nervous earlier..."
Noah shook his head, indicating that he didn't mind.
Seeing that a violent conflict hadn't immediately erupted, the Chairwoman breathed a sigh of relief.
If possible, she really didn't want to intervene.
If a fight had broken out just now, she would have had no choice but to use her Goddess of Thought to freeze everyone present with a time stop.
"Well, Kurogane, the reason I called you here is to inform you that these two plan to move into the dormitory room you are currently using. So, I took the liberty of making a decision for you. How about you have a mock battle for the room?" Kurono Shinguuji casually proposed.
Ikki Kurogane had been confused from the moment he entered the room, without even a second of clarity.
Stella let out an exaggerated "Huh?!" at this point.
"Wait, Chairwoman, what are you deciding on your own?! You just said this person is an F-Rank repeater, right? In that case, how could he possibly be a match for us?!" As an A-Rank knight, Stella had her own royal pride.
At the very least, bullying the weak was something she would never do.
Hearing her words, the boy named Ikki Kurogane suddenly took notice of the beautiful girl standing before him.
That face—he had seen it on international TV not long ago.
"Stella Vermillion?"
Being addressed casually by her full name, the girl gritted her teeth in anger and snapped.
"At least add a proper title, like 'Stella-sama' or 'Princess Stella'!"
"Ah! S-Sorry!" Ikki Kurogane grew flustered, taking several steps back until his back hit the wall.
Even so, the fighting spirit in his dark eyes burned even brighter.
He was actually looking forward to fighting Stella.
Frankly, even from an idealistic perspective, Noah didn't think this F-Rank Kurogane could ever defeat Stella.
With F-Rank magic and attack power, and judging from the appraisal results, his Ability was simply to double his physical capabilities.
But with that pathetic level of base magic, doubling it would likely be his absolute limit.
If that were all, simply standing near Stella and enduring her ambient high temperatures would be unbearable enough for him.
Ikki should logically know that, yet there was no hint of defeat in his eyes.
None at all!
In other words, he had a trump card that could secure his victory—a card that could allow an F-Rank knight to theoretically defeat an A-Rank knight.
[Ittou Shura]
Bearing the will of an Asura in a mortal body.
Actively breaking the body's survival instinct to unleash all latent physical potential to its absolute limit within one minute.
Enhancing the body-doubling effect to its extreme, capable of reaching several thousand times normal output depending on the situation.
After appraising the mechanics of that Noble Art, Noah's pupils contracted slightly.
'Is this a technique a normal human can master?!'
No wonder it's said to bear the will of a demonic Asura in a mortal body.
If one hadn't walked the bloody path of an Asura, it would be physically impossible to master such an exaggerated Noble Art without dying.
So-called Noble Arts are methods by which Blazers creatively combine their inherent Devices and Abilities to exert their maximum attack power, defense power, and other capabilities.
In this regard, Ikki Kurogane had nearly reached the pinnacle of technique.
By forcefully breaking his survival instinct and unleashing all his power without regard for the physical consequences, he could amplify his Ability—which normally only doubled his physical capabilities—to increase his physical abilities dozens of times over.
Coupled with his A-Rank physical ability and his exceptional martial arts and swordsmanship...
If caught off guard, Stella might truly be defeated by him in a single strike.
The greatest disparity between knights of different ranks lies in raw magic power.
In his normal state, Ikki Kurogane couldn't possibly breach an A-Rank knight's defenses.
But if he activated Ittou Shura, his attack power would temporarily rise to a level threatening to A-Rank knights.
Though it lasted only a single minute, during that time, his power was genuine.
"Chairwoman, is what you said earlier true?" Ikki asked.
"Ah."
"Then I accept the duel," Ikki Kurogane agreed without hesitation.
Stella frowned, about to advise him to reconsider, but she was suddenly stopped by the boy beside her.
"Noah?"
Noah stepped forward and spoke proactively. "Though it may disappoint your expectations, our Princess still has me standing in front of her. Please defeat me first. After that, I won't say another word about the room. How about it?"
Ikki Kurogane looked at the boy before him, feeling inexplicably uneasy.
He was a swordsman, with the sharp instincts of a swordsman.
His instincts screamed that this boy was not as simple as he modestly claimed.
At the very least, the suffocating pressure the boy casually exuded made him feel that he was no less formidable than the Crimson Princess.
'A mock battle, a perfect opportunity.'
'A chance to fight a strong opponent!'
Ikki Kurogane clenched his fists excitedly.
No one knew how much he—unable to formally participate in practical combat courses—yearned for a real fight.
If the opponent was strong, he desired it even more.
He grinned and asked, "You are?"
"Noah. My name is Noah."
"I am Ikki Kurogane. Nice to meet you, Noah."
They shook hands, then parted with a mutual, warrior's understanding.
Although the Chairwoman hadn't expected the participant to be Noah instead of Stella Vermillion, in her view, if that little monster were to take the stage, it might actually surprise her even more.
"Then you two should go and prepare. I will authorize the arena now. In forty minutes, head to the Fourth Training Field for the mock battle!"
"Noah, why are you having a mock battle with that guy?! He is only an F-Rank!" Stella complained as they left the office.
She couldn't understand why Noah had suddenly made a decision so unlike his usual, calculating self.
From what she knew of the boy, though he was the type who refused to admit defeat, he was usually not competitive at all. Instead, he always left room for maneuver.
There had been very few occasions where he had been forced to use his full strength.
But today, he had suddenly taken the initiative to challenge an F-Rank repeater.
That was just too strange.
"Stella, watch carefully later," Noah smiled. "The power that man is hiding will surely surprise even you."
"Hidden power?" The girl was taken aback, then pressed further. "Are you saying he is actively concealing his true strength? That he is not actually an F-Rank?"
Concealing one's rank.
Such a thing had no political benefits at all. What intention could there be for doing so? She couldn't figure it out.
Noah smiled and shook his head.
"Yes, and no," he explained cryptically.
He couldn't reveal too much at the moment.
After all, without witnessing that power firsthand, no one could properly describe what devastating effects Ittou Shura could unleash.
...
About half an hour later.
Noah had already completed his warm-up in the competitor's preparation room and was making his way to the training field.
Along the way, he saw many freshmen like himself, though there were also second- and third-year seniors mixed into the crowd.
Being able to watch a sanctioned duel for free before the start of the school term interested both newcomers and veterans alike.
However, their perspectives were rather one-sided.
All of them unanimously believed that Ikki Kurogane would lose this duel.
Noah knew it wasn't because they had faith in his own C-Rank abilities, but simply because they looked down on the F-Rank man, ironically referring to him as the "Worst One."
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