In the training ground, Todo Touka maintained her drawing stance, letting lightning burst from all over her body and transform into streams of electricity that flowed into the sheathed sword in her hand.
"Here I come, Kurogane-kun!" Touka declared, her eyes radiating an unyielding resolve.
Seeing this, Ikki knew that Touka was preparing to decide the match with her next strike.
Thus...
"Whoo..." Ikki maintained his stance and exhaled.
The reason Touka's family heirloom sword technique is invincible is due to two factors:
1. This move has incredible power. Once it hits, a mediocre defense cannot withstand it and will be easily cut down.
2. This move is as fast as lightning and impossible to perceive. Often, when opponents step into Raikiri's striking range, they are already cut down by the draw, unable to even react.
Extreme power and extreme speed is what makes this Noble Art so strong.
Therefore, to overcome Raikiri head-on, one must address these two points.
That is, one must either possess an astonishing defense that can completely withstand even Raikiri's great attack power, or possess superior speed and vision to see through it and either counter or block it.
Otherwise, the only known strategy is to avoid entering Touka's striking range, preventing Raikiri from being activated or landing a hit. This is the only known way to deal with Raikiri.
The current Seven Stars Sword King, Moroboshi Yuudai, used this strategy to defeat Touka.
However, Ikki intended to challenge Touka's sword head-on.
Thus, he needed to focus on the two points mentioned above.
Either have an incredible defense that can withstand even Raikiri's power, or have superior speed and vision to see through and counter it.
There is no other way.
However, the former condition is impossible for Ikki to meet.
With his low magical power, Ikki's defense is genuinely F-rank. If he uses magic to enhance his defense, it would only last a few seconds before exhausting his magic, and the increase in defense would be minimal. It would be impossible to withstand an A-rank attack like Raikiri.
Even if he didn't use magic, no matter how strong Ikki's physical abilities are, a mortal body can't withstand a real sword strike without injury. Especially against Raikiri's attack power, Ikki would not survive if hit.
Perhaps even Stella, with her A-rank defense, couldn't withstand Raikiri's strike solely with magical protection.
Therefore, the defense aspect is out of the question. Given Ikki's conditions, he absolutely cannot withstand Raikiri's power.
In other words, Ikki had only one option.
That is...
"To see through Raikiri...!"
This was the only way Ikki could win this duel.
Fortunately, Ikki possessed the perfect conditions in this regard.
Ikki glanced at Rozen, who was watching the battle, recalling a conversation they once had.
...
This happened after Ikki received training from Altera and won against Kirihara Shizuya in the selection battle.
One day, Rozen took Ikki for a walk and inquired about Ikki's newly acquired "Perfect Control" ability, then mentioned a term.
"Mind's Eye?"
Walking on the night road, Ikki was slightly taken aback by the term.
"That's right."
Rozen walked beside Ikki, as if thinking it was necessary to mention it, and explained.
"It's a state of enlightenment. I've mentioned it to Stella as well."
Rozen explained the concept of the Mind's Eye and that Ikki had achieved this state.
"So, my insight comes from this state?"
Ikki seemed to understand something, placing a hand over his heart, then looked at Rozen.
"Have you also reached the state of Mind's Eye?"
Ikki was curious about this.
Rozen did not hide it.
"I indeed possess the Mind's Eye, but mine is different from yours."
Rozen explained.
"Your Mind's Eye comes from the path of the sword, allowing you to perfectly control your body, perceive the essence of the sword and its wielder, granting you abilities like Blade Steal and Perfect Control."
"My Mind's Eye, however, comes from the path of magic, allowing perfect control of magical power and perceiving microscopic phenomena, as magic and spells are man-made miracles that alter the world."
Similarly, if a martial artist attains the Mind's Eye, they perceive the essence of martial arts.
If a sage attains it, they perceive the hearts of people.
A monk who attains it perceives the vanity of worldly riches, ascending to a higher perspective.
Attaining the Mind's Eye from different paths results in different natures. Thus, even non-mages can attain the Mind's Eye.
It is an elusive yet accessible state, hard to touch but within everyone's reach.
Therefore, while Rozen's and Ikki's Mind's Eyes have similar effects, they target completely different subjects.
"No wonder your Mana Control is unmeasurable and rated as S-rank. You can perfectly control your mana, can't you?"
Ikki finally understood this point.
"Well, that's one of the reasons."
Rozen was somewhat dismissive in this regard.
After all, explaining that Rozen's Mind's Eye had reached a divine level, allowing him to perceive the principles of the world's workings and control magical power beyond normal means—utilizing minimal magical power to perform large-scale techniques and even manipulating external magical power—would be quite complicated.
Ikki was still far from reaching this realm. Without Rozen's experience of traveling through various worlds, witnessing countless existences and concepts, accumulating extraordinary knowledge and experience, and attaining enlightenment multiple times, this realm would be impossible to touch.
This realm was likely only accessible to Rozen.
Thus, there was no need for a detailed explanation.
Rozen simply said, "Your magical talent is extremely poor, and while your physical ability is honed through hard work, others can achieve the same level. The only advantage you have over others is your eye for insight, that is, the power of your Mind's Eye."
Ikki's swordsmanship was accumulated by learning from others through this insight.
Both Blade Steal and Perfect Control stem from this.
Even the completion of Ittou Shura relied on the perfect physical control brought by the Mind's Eye.
Therefore, without the Mind's Eye, Ikki could never catch up to others.
"So, you should make full use of this unique advantage."
This was Rozen's advice to Ikki.
"Understood."
Ikki nodded heavily.
...
Recalling that moment, Ikki slowly closed his eyes.
Everything begins now.
"——"
In that instant, Ikki's world completely lost its light, sound, and everything else.
"Light is unnecessary."
Because the enemy's attack won't lose its power just because it loses its color.
"Sound is unnecessary."
Because even though the enemy's attack isn't silent, it's far beyond the reach of sound.
"Vision is unnecessary."
Because no matter how focused you are, you can't capture that slash with the naked eye.
"Hearing is unnecessary."
Because even if you listen with all your might, all you can hear is thunder.
Ikki, as if giving up most of the functions of human life, let his heartbeat slow to a faint rhythm.
Then, Ikki concentrated all the energy needed to maintain his bodily functions into his consciousness, amplifying his sixth sense without limit.
This wasn't a particularly special ability; it was simply a high level of concentration.
When people are extremely focused, they can't hear others talking or see anything else. They can only do the one thing they want to do, and to achieve that, the body concentrates the energy of the functions it has discarded, allowing it to perform far better than usual.
And Ikki just did this actively.
Because Ikki could perfectly control his body, if he couldn't even do this, it would be impossible to fully exert himself for one minute, an act of extreme concentration that led to the development of the Noble Art, Ittou Shura.
Now, Ikki actively discarded unnecessary bodily functions, concentrating all the energy used to maintain these functions.
All to stimulate the power of his Mind's Eye, making it even more acute.
"Hmm?"
Naturally, Todo Touka noticed the commotion on Ikki's side.
Todo Touka, whose body was bursting with lightning, kept a close eye on the relaxed, eyes-closed Ikki, with electric sparks flashing in her eyes.
Using her Electroreception ability, Todo Touka tried to see through Ikki's intentions.
But...
"I can't see anything?"
Todo Touka was somewhat surprised.
Yes.
She couldn't see anything.
Todo Touka's Electroreception failed to work on Ikki.
The reason was simple.
"Has he completely entered a state of no self, with no thoughts in his mind?"
That's right.
Ikki concentrated his consciousness to the point where he abandoned even thinking, as if leaving everything to his body, to his instincts, entering a state of no self.
In that state, Todo Touka naturally couldn't see anything.
However, this only increased Todo Touka's fighting spirit.
"To concentrate to this extent just to defeat me?"
As a knight, nothing is more gratifying than being recognized and acknowledged to this extent by others.
"Then I'll give one hundred and twenty percent of my effort, putting everything on the line to defeat you!"
The lightning around Todo Touka intensified, flashing wildly.
"Shippu Jinrai!"
This was Todo Touka's most frequently used Noble Art, using the power of lightning to stimulate her muscles, maximizing her physical performance.
Todo Touka poured all her mana into this, gathering the electric light on the sheath of her sword, causing the mouth of the sheath to emit visible lightning currents, while the rest of the lightning traveled through her body, enhancing her physical abilities to the maximum level.
Seeing this, the others held their breath.
Only Ikki remained, eyes closed, body relaxed, maintaining a stance ready to counterattack, bathed in the lightning coursing through the arena, waiting quietly.
Then...
"Boom!"
With an explosive sound, Todo Touka finally stomped on the ground, blasting forward like a bolt of lightning.
Her speed was such that it could only be described as a flash of lightning.
In an instant, Todo Touka was right in front of Ikki.
Lightning flared at her waist.
"Raikiri!"
As that voice resounded throughout the arena, plasma erupted.
"Clang——!"
Amidst the clear and resonant sound of a sword being drawn, a beam of white light appeared as if burning the world.
It was an endless lightning plasma.
It was a lightning slash that cut through with the speed of a thunderbolt.
Overwhelming thermal energy was unleashed in an instant.
The dazzling brilliance illuminated the entire space in an instant.
From Todo Touka's waist, such a slash was unleashed, like a flash of light, like a meteor, like lightning, like thunder, evaporating the atmosphere, creating a roaring sound, and slashing towards Ikki as if piercing the entire sky.
In the blink of an eye, it reached Ikki's body.
"Boom——!"
The next second, countless plasma exploded, followed by a huge air blast that shattered the ground where Ikki and Todo Touka stood.
Immediately, wild winds raged, electric arcs flew, rubble danced, and dust spread, as if a real lightning bolt had descended from the sky, making the scene exceptionally breathtaking.
"Onii-sama!"
Kurogane Shizuku, who was fiercely fighting Totokubara Kanata, couldn't help but be drawn to the commotion, her eyes widening as she cried out.
"Kurogane...!"
Stella Vermillion, who had been watching silently as if intending to witness the impact of Raikiri firsthand, also had a change in her expression.
"..."
Rozen narrowed his eyes, watching in silence.
As for the student council members...
"It's over."
"Yes, it's over."
"There's no helping it, it's over."
Misogi Utakata, Tomaru Renren, and Saijou Ikazuchi all spoke one after another, as if confirming their victory the moment they saw the dazzling slash.
This was Raikiri.
The family heirloom sword that always won, undefeated in battle.
No one doubted that this sword would fail.
No one doubted Todo Touka's victory.
Seeing Raikiri hit its mark, almost everyone was convinced.
Todo Touka had won.
And Ikki had lost.
For this reason...
"When it's broken, people will remember that there's no absolute win or lose in this world."
Rozen, as if confirming something, suddenly smiled and murmured.
The dust ahead dissipated under such circumstances.
Everyone saw the scene within.
"What...!?"
"No way...!?"
A second later, everyone's pupils shrank, revealing expressions of shock.
"Onii-sama...!"
In contrast, Shizuku's voice was filled with joy.
Even Stella's eyes widened.
"He blocked it...!"
Looking closely, in the arena, Todo Touka maintained her sword-drawing and slashing posture, her body crackling with lightning, but her face was replaced with shock.
In front of Todo Touka, Ikki stood straight.
"Drip..."
Blood dripped from Ikki's hands, which were holding his sword.
From his palms to his arms, Ikki's hands were covered in wounds as if they had been shattered.
However, the sword Ikki used to block was firmly holding back Todo Touka's sword, which sparkled with plasma.
There was not a hint of wavering.
"I... blocked it..."
Only then did Ikki open his eyes.
"Swoosh!"
In the next moment, the sound of a slash echoed.
The black blade that blocked Raikiri spun abruptly, slashing across Todo Touka's body at an incredible speed.
"Second Secret Sword—Rekkou!"
As that voice rang out, Todo Touka's body suddenly trembled and slowly fell.
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