บท 1342: -1325- The unique adventage
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.
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