"Go, big brother!" Just as Yudai Morohoshi seemed about to collapse, a girl in the stands suddenly stood up and shouted loudly. The sound made Yudai's body tremble, and he immediately turned his gaze toward her.
"Go, big brother!" the girl shouted again. Once he confirmed that he had not misheard her, a powerful aura erupted from Yudai. He had waited far too long to hear that word, big brother. Now that he had finally heard it, the Seven Star Sword Dance Festival championship meant nothing compared to his little sister's voice.
"Kurogane Ikki, come!" Yudai suddenly roared, raising his spear into position. He might not have cared about winning the Seven Star Sword Dance Festival, but his little sister was cheering for him below. How could he let himself end in such a miserable state?
The moment Ikki saw Yudai's stance, he charged forward without hesitation. In truth, he had no room to hesitate, because the time limit of his Ittoshura was almost up.
"Fourth Secret Sword: Mirage Wolf." Ikki used the same trick again, creating another afterimage. This time, however, Yudai was prepared. When he realized he had struck only an afterimage, he was not surprised. His spear immediately changed direction and pierced Ikki, but Ikki used Intetsu to deflect the spear's trajectory, causing it to stab into his left shoulder. Ignoring the injury, he surged forward, and Intetsu pierced through Yudai's chest. Both suffered grievous wounds.
After that, both of them stopped moving. Their previous battle, along with that final exchange, had drained their strength. They remained locked in a standoff.
"Impressive." Yudai was the first to fall. He had already suffered numerous injuries, and Ikki's final blow had struck a vital point, leaving him unable to hold on any longer. If that had been all, Yudai