"Wait. I'll let you stop them." Just as Shen Fei was about to intervene in the battle between Fu Xiaoli and Stella, Kurogane Ikki rushed out from the side with his Device, Intetsu, and blocked Shen Fei. Since Edelweiss Peak had been alerted, naturally Kurogane Ikki had been as well. The moment he saw Taotie Fu Xiaoli's aura, he had charged down from the mountain.
"Hey, hey, hey! What the hell are you doing? He's going to save Stella!" Tatara Yui immediately shouted upon seeing Kurogane Ikki's actions. Though Tatara Yui would never admit it, after spending this time together, he had already come to see Stella as a friend.
"That is precisely why I have to stop him," Kurogane Ikki said gravely.
"Huh?" Tatara Yui looked at Kurogane Ikki in utter confusion.
"After the battle at Caldia, Stella became somewhat rash. That was why I came to Edelweiss Peak with her in the first place: to stop her and protect her if she went too far. The people of that country never wanted Stella to keep hurting herself for their sake."
"If Stella were taking this risk for the people of Familion, I would stop her no matter what. But that is not the case. She is fighting now for something she cannot yield on, fighting so that she will not abandon herself. So no matter what happens after this, as long as Stella does not give up on herself and continues fighting, I will believe in her self until the very last moment. If anyone tries to stop this battle, I will personally clear away every obstacle for her, so that she can continue believing in herself."
Kurogane Ikki stared at Shen Fei with an exceedingly solemn gaze. Stella's situation pained him deeply as well, but he believed