Anime, Girlfriend Shokuhou Misaki.

The upward-swinging Nodachi was forcefully swung downwards by Kurogane Ouma.

Pfft—!

The sound of tearing echoed immediately.

The hurricane-like slash landed mercilessly, coldly, cruelly, mechanically, and emotionlessly, cleaving Kurogane Ikki, who was close by and had lost his balance from being knocked back by the slash, into two halves.

"Not bad, not bad at all. For a one-minute diversion, it was quite something."

Kurogane Ouma muttered, then reversed his grip on the hilt and slashed horizontally to the right.

"Clang—"

Chapter 123: The Match Continues

"Fourth Secret Sword—'Louse Wolf'!"

This, like the Seventh Secret Sword, was one of the seven secret swords created by Kurogane Ikki, using the rapid switching of speeds while running to create an afterimage.

With this move, Kurogane Ikki barely managed to evade Kurogane Ouma's attack.

Immediately following…

"First Secret Sword—'Rhino Strike'!"

Kurogane Ikki transformed his entire body into a bullet, bursting towards Kurogane Ouma, who had just swung his sword, with a sharp sound of tearing through the air.

"Excellent!"

"Asahi Itto-ryu—'Pinnacle of Swiftness: Amaterasu'!"

Grasping the sword hilt with both hands, Kurogane Ouma redirected the blade that was originally pointing downwards, his legs and spine erupting with cracking sounds as his body twisted to its limit like a pretzel.

"Bang—"

Immediately, the dislocated bones returned to their original state.

Then, using the elasticity of the dislocated bones returning to their original state, he released all that elasticity into his arms.

This was a strike that was almost impossibly fast.

So fast that ordinary people couldn't even capture the afterimage of this strike.

"Clang—"

The piercing sound of swords clashing echoed once again in this space.

Kurogane Ikki's full-force attack was once again thwarted by Kurogane Ouma.

Not exactly effortlessly, but Kurogane Ouma truly showed no sign of panic.

"Let me feel more, Ikki!"

Kurogane Ouma suddenly shouted, then clenched his left hand into a fist and struck his own sword.

"Asahi Itto-ryu—'Pinnacle of Strength: Fire and Thunder'!"

A weight so heavy that even Kurogane Ikki, who had already activated Itto Shura, couldn't withstand it, surged forth.

Amidst the sparks, under the impact of this unmatched force, Kurogane Ikki's sword tip pointed towards the ground.

"Boom—"

Kurogane Ikki's strike slammed heavily into the ground, shattering that area and sending countless rubble and debris flying.

"Damn it—"

The intense trembling sensation constantly transmitted through his blood, his entire body enduring destruction; Kurogane Ikki was well aware of this.

He desperately wanted to counterattack, but he could only watch as the blade drew closer and closer.

"Pfft—!"

The sound of flesh tearing, this time, was genuine.

Blood instantly splattered the earth.

"Guh… cough…"

A painful and muffled cry escaped Kurogane Ikki's throat.

Kurogane Ouma's merciless slash heavily wounded Kurogane Ikki, who couldn't react in time.

A gruesome wound stretched from Kurogane Ikki's shoulder to his side, causing a large amount of blood to gush out.

This was undoubtedly a fatal injury.

"Is this how it ends for you?"

"You continue to disappoint me."

Is this how it ends?

Blood constantly flowed from his body, the feeling of powerlessness becoming more and more severe, even his consciousness was becoming blurred.

Kurogane Ikki was well aware of his current physical condition.

If he wasn't desperately holding onto his spirit, he probably would have collapsed already.

It can't end like this!

He carried so many expectations on his shoulders.

Shizuku gave up her right to participate so he could compete, and Miss Yuuko had also sacrificed so much for him.

He couldn't give up like this.

He had to give it his all, give everything he had, just like he promised.

Now, victory or defeat was irrelevant; it was no longer within his consideration.

Pouring all of his remaining stamina and magic power into it.

He could discard his survival instincts, break all limitations, and pour everything he possessed into this one strike.

A genuine, unreserved, full-force strike.

If Itto Shura was about draining all of his stamina and magic power in one minute, then this strike, which integrated everything, was his strongest strike.

"—Itto Rasetsu!"

Stopping his backward momentum, at the moment he stepped forward.

The world before his eyes turned black and white, all color and sound leaving him.

The joints throughout his body creaked violently, blood vessels bursting open in his thighs, wrists, and other areas.

Muscles, bones, internal organs… all limitations were broken, all life resources were poured into the blade, regardless of victory, just to unleash his full-force strike.

"Good, that's it."

A gleam appeared in Kurogane Ouma's eyes, his gaze sharper than ever since the Seven Star Sword Art Festival.

He raised his greatsword directly, a tornado instantly engulfing everything around him, sucking in rubble, gravel, and even sand, compressing it, compressing it, and compressing it again.

A storm sword capable of sweeping away everything took shape in an instant.

"—'Crescent Moon Heavenly Dragon Claw'!"

Kurogane Ouma also unleashed his strongest Noble Art in an instant.

This was probably the greatest respect Kurogane Ouma could show to Kurogane Ikki at this moment.

The next moment!

The terrifying storm sword was slashed down, like a collapsing tornado, howling and sweeping out.

The arena cracked inch by inch, the atmosphere issuing a painful wail.

The storm sword, capable of destroying everything, devoured Kurogane Ikki like a scythe from hell.

"Seventh Secret Sword—'Thunder Flash'!"

One strike against one strike.

Kurogane Ouma's strongest strike, Kurogane Ikki's strike, exhausting everything he had.

In this instant.

Enveloped in black light, Kurogane Ikki's figure was like a comet dragging its tail, without looking back, recklessly crashing into the storm sword.

No one could see clearly the collision in this instant.

After this instant, anything could happen.

The entire audience was silent.

If they weren't so eager to know the outcome of the match, cheers for Kurogane Ikki would have already erupted.

Although this duel was very short, so short that many of them couldn't see what had just happened.

But this didn't stop them from thinking this match was wonderful.

The huge wave of energy spread out like a tsunami, turning into a gust of wind that stirred up countless fans and dust, and even blew away the clouds in the distant sky in an instant.

"Brother…"

In the hospital room, Kurogane Shizuku clenched the tablet in her hand, squeezing snowflakes out of the screen, but she didn't notice at all, instead continuing to lock onto the figure on the screen.

"Ikki…"

Unknowingly, Noel's hand holding the handle also loosened, his eyes locked tightly on Kurogane Ikki.

Even Stella and the others didn't know when they had held their breath.

"W-What happened?"

"I don't know, I can't see…"

Whispering voices rang out from the audience seats.

"Yeah, what happened?"

Even Noel, who was next to Haramura Makoto, couldn't help but ask.

Only Haramura Makoto's gaze inexplicably became a little more solemn.

"He lost—"

The mist gradually dissipated, and the situation in the arena finally became clear.

Kurogane Ouma was still standing in the center of the arena, still with that arrogant and conceited look.

However, his current state was no longer that bright and clear appearance, but rather a bit embarrassed.

Let's not mention the dirt on his clothes for the time being.

What was even more amazing was the huge sword mark from his shoulder blade to his hip bone, with blood gushing out of the wound like rain.

However, the loss that Noel was referring to was not Kurogane Ouma.

But Kurogane Ikki, who had completely fallen to the ground.

If Kurogane Ouma's wounds were shocking, then Kurogane Ikki's current state made people sincerely wonder if he was still alive.

His entire body was completely stained with blood, turning into a blood-soaked garment, with wounds that were deep enough to see the bone everywhere.

"No."

A familiar voice rang out beside Haramura Makoto.

"He's about to break through his limits."

This was also a relatively familiar voice.

The stuttering, goddess-like swordswoman and the old man who was still disrespectful at ninety years old came together, standing behind Haramura Makoto, watching the match on the field.

"What does this mean?"

Haramura Makoto couldn't help but raise his head and ask.

But Nangou Hikojiro had a look of deep taboo, and then gently shook his head.

(This little guy, he's still one step ahead of this kid after all.)

Shaking his head at his disciple, Nangou Hikojiro shut his mouth and said nothing.