As the Akatsuki Academy launched its assault on Bujin Academy, both Kuromi Shinguuji and Nene Saiguu realized without a doubt—they had been set up.
It was supposed to be a routine meeting held before the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival, yet when the two attempted to return, they discovered that all flights to Tokyo had been canceled.
Canceled flights weren't unheard of, so at first they thought little of it. But when they received a report from the academy that it was under attack, the anomaly became all too clear.
The attackers were representatives from various academies, and the scale of the assault was massive—yet there had been no prior signs. Combine that with the suspiciously timed flight cancellations, and it was hard not to assume the worst.
Without wasting another moment, the two began sprinting along the rail lines back toward Bujin Academy.
Both were top-ranked Blazer Knights, and their speed in full sprint was hardly any slower than a train. (Trains in Japan weren't exactly faster than high-speed rail in some countries, after all.)
At full speed, they soon approached the academy grounds.
But even before they could see it, their footsteps halted involuntarily.
At that moment, Edelweiss had already begun her battle with Charles. The pressure of her sword aura alone froze the two third-strongest Blazers in the world in place.
Kuromi Shinguuji gave a wry smile. She had prepared for the worst, but not this level of worst.
Not being a demihuman, she felt the threat more acutely. The sharp sword aura made her entire body tense, as if every cell were screaming in terror.
Nene Saiguu wasn't much better. Even though she had transcended fate and become a demihuman herself, she didn't believe she could rival Twin Wings.
Then—another presence appeared. One that burned with feral flame, wild and unrestrained.
This new aura stood its ground against Edelweiss's pressure, locking horns with hers.
Nene Saiguu sighed. "Looks like we underestimated that brat from Shindou Temple. Damn that old man—why'd he send over an actual monster?"
She turned to Kuromi. "Kuro, we can't stay here. Can you handle it?"
As her friend, Nene was genuinely worried whether a normal human like Kuromi could endure the gravitational pull of Edelweiss's fate.
Kuromi shook her head. "I'll be fine. I'm a teacher, after all. I can't just let my students fight alone up ahead."
With those words, she pressed forward with heavy steps—straight toward the most intense battlefield.
By the time the two arrived, they witnessed Charles draw his weapon—Martial Saint.
He dragged the massive blade behind him, the green dragon carved along the spine emitting light from its eyes. Its roar echoed through the night sky. Flames coiled along the blade, dyeing its silver-grey edge a burning red.
Opposite him, Edelweiss wore a solemn expression, taking a true combat stance for the first time.
It was clear Charles wasn't going to showcase his new armament with flair. He was pouring everything into his next attack.
That could only mean one thing: the blow would be earth-shattering.
Feeling the increasingly violent pressure, Edelweiss also committed. Her next strike would be executed with a resolve to kill.
Feeling the killing intent from her, Charles felt like his heart was being squeezed. And yet—he smiled. This was the kind of pressure that made him burn.
Both fighters completed their charge at nearly the same moment. Flames swirled into a giant fire dragon on Charles's body, maw open wide to consume the white flash hurtling toward him.
The fire dragon snapped down on the flash. Charles swung the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, landing it squarely against Edelweiss's feather-like sword.
Kuromi and Nene couldn't get anywhere near them. The blast of fire and sword aura blasted the area clear. The front gate of Bujin Academy, along with every nearby structure and tree, was obliterated. Even the ground had a full layer peeled off.
When Kuromi and Nene regained their senses, they saw the two combatants standing back to back.
Charles still gripped the Martial Saint, but the blade extending from the dragon's maw had been cleaved in half. The cut was clean as glass—evidence of Edelweiss's full power.
Charles hunched over, plunging the broken blade into the ground to support himself.
Drops of blood splattered across the battlefield. His dragon-blood mode and spirit assimilation had already faded. The wound carved into his chest was not regenerating on its own.
And yet, despite his injuries, Charles was grinning.
Blood dripped from Edelweiss's sword—not his.
The blood wasn't his.
Edelweiss, always pristine and flawless in appearance, now had a vivid red stain on her shoulder.
It was a wound Charles had inflicted. The blood flowed from it, down her pale wrist, onto her blade.
The world's strongest swordswoman—Twin Wings, the peak of swordsmanship—had been wounded!
Edelweiss turned to face Charles and put away her armament.
"We haven't decided the outcome this time. I'll be waiting for your next challenge," she said.
With those words, she floated gracefully into the night and vanished.
Charles, leaning on the shattered Martial Saint, let out a wry smile.
No winner? What nonsense—the outcome was plain to see. Had the fight continued, he would surely have fallen under her sword.
Just as Kurogane Ikki had said—Edelweiss was a kind and gentle person. She didn't want to kill him, so she declared the match unresolved.
But she had also acknowledged Charles's strength, hence her promise to await his next challenge.
Charles also wondered if he had given Twin Wings a sense of urgency, a feeling that she might be caught. If they met again, would she become even stronger?
If he didn't want to lose again—he'd have to grow stronger, too.
His Martial Saint broken, Charles closed his eyes and collapsed.
…
When he opened them again, it was already midday the next day. After treatment in the regeneration capsule, the wound on his chest had fully healed. A full night's sleep had restored his energy.
The first thing he heard was a familiar voice.
"Charles! Charles! You're finally awake—you had me so worried!"
Stella lunged at him, and Charles could only mutter helplessly, "Stella, I am still recovering from an injury, you know…"
"Sorry!" Realizing she'd overreacted, Stella quickly pulled back. "But still! What were you thinking, going up against Twin Wings like that!"
Charles sat up and replied, "I had no choice. She appeared—if I didn't challenge her, it would've been such a waste."
Stella fell silent for a moment, then showed a resolute expression. She had sworn to become Charles's strength, but she had done nothing.
Even though she hadn't seen Edelweiss, the way Kuromi and Nene described the world's strongest swordswoman left no doubt. And yet Charles had dared to challenge her head-on.
If she didn't want to be left behind, she had to grow stronger.
Charles asked, "By the way, what happened after I lost consciousness?"
Stella answered, "Everyone's okay! Kurogane Ikki wasn't seriously hurt—he fully recovered this morning.
Shizuku and the president's group ran into One-Armed Sword Saint, but the board chairwoman and Professor Nene arrived just in time to drive him off. Unfortunately, all the attackers were taken away by him."
Charles nodded. All in all, it was a decent outcome—at least no one was seriously harmed.
Still, even Charles knew—there was a darker conspiracy behind this assault. And many more trials were sure to come.
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