Who Isn't a Herrscher?

If either side hesitated even slightly, they would be knocked down or slain by the other.

The lightning flickering in Touka's eyes reflected the excitement and exhilaration flowing through Luo Mio's bio-electricity. Her worry faded from her gaze, and she looked gently at the younger brother she was so proud of as he fought to the death in the arena.

It had been a long time since she had seen him this happy...

Saikyo Neine in the VIP seats also smiled sweetly when she sensed the change in Luo Mio and Ouma's moods.

In the arena, Luo Mio threw another basic strike, smashing it viciously into Ouma's arm.

Ouma's resilient mind endured the blow. Just as he tried to swing his Dragon Claw at Luo Mio in retaliation, an afterimage streaked across his vision, followed by countless swift kicks battering his back.

"Thousand Stars: Wisteria Peacock."

Muda muda muda muda muda muda!

The rapid, concentrated blows to his back made him instinctively twist his body, trying to strike behind himself and interrupt Luo Mio's assault.

Another afterimage flashed past. Luo Mio appeared on the right side of his vision, moonlit silver radiance gathering around the Eternal Twilight Wolves on his left hand as he punched Ouma's right cheek.

This strike would pierce the stars!

"Soaring Eagle: Moon Smasher's Fang."

The instant Luo Mio's fist landed on his cheek, before he could even react, Luo Mio abruptly appeared on his left. Two golden leg shadows flashed past so quickly that he could only barely make them out, followed by heavy kicks to his arm and the back of his waist and abdomen.

"Thousand Stars: Egret Under the Moon."

Golden streams of light struck at high speed, while Luo Mio's figure flickered continuously around him, leaving afterimages behind every attack!

His chest—Peregrine Falcon! His back—Wisteria Peacock! His abdomen—Soaring Eagle! Both sides—Phoenix Dive Kick and Egret Under the Moon!

It felt as though every joint in his body was being attacked at once.

Even when Ouma swung at Luo Mio, his Dragon Claw passed straight through the lingering afterimage. Every strike gave off a biting chill, slowing Ouma's body as though he were trapped beneath ice and snow.

"!! Incredible! As contestant Miohua's Blade Dance Technique, Thousand Stars, erupted, contestant Ouma was suppressed by those swift and fierce attacks shortly after clashing with him!"

Stella's crimson eyes widened as she stared blankly. "Is this Miohua's true secret technique?!"

Ikki smiled as well. "Come to think of it, my One Blade Asura was also a Blade Dance Technique developed by taking inspiration from Miohua's Thousand Stars."

"Huh?! Really?"

"Yeah. Back when I didn't know how to make myself stronger, I saw Miohua's Thousand Stars and created my own One Blade Asura."

In the arena.

No!

While withstanding Luo Mio's attacks through his powerful physique and steadfast will, Ouma swiftly thrust his Dragon Claw into the middle of the battlefield.

"Wind God Barrier!"

As the Dragon Claw plunged down, violent hurricanes rose around him. Ouma pulled the Dragon Claw free, spun his body as he swung it, and slashed outward in a full 360-degree arc.

The hurricane followed Ouma's slash, tearing outward from him like a wall.

A golden flash streaked by.

"Boom!"

Directly in front of Ouma, Luo Mio turned sideways and shattered the Wind God Barrier with his elbow.

Seizing that opening, Ouma stomped down heavily and swung his blade down from diagonally above Luo Mio, holding it one-handed in his right arm.

"That's—!" Ikki's expression changed on the platform.

As the second son of the Kurogane family, he naturally recognized Ouma's current movement.

The kesa-giri.

A sword technique passed down through the Kurogane family since the age of the samurai!

"Rising Sun One Heart Style: Ultimate Hardness—Fire Thunder!"

In the arena, Ouma clenched his left hand into a fist and slammed it heavily into the back of the Dragon Claw's blade.

The slash had already been fast and vicious, but with Ouma's heavy punch driving into the blade's spine, its power became even more ferocious!

Faced with an attack that roared like thunder and struck with lightning's force—

The moment Luo Mio saw Ouma's movement, he lowered his body and drew back his left fist at his side.

Just as Fire Thunder was about to descend, Luo Mio swung upward at Ouma with a fist filled with starlit streams and silvery moon radiance.

"Thousand Stars Moon Shatter: Soaring Eagle!"

From above came the might of thunder and lightning; from below rose the dazzling power of stars and moonlight, brilliant as Liuli.

"Clang!"

The shockwave erupted from their clash and surged violently in every direction.

Luo Mio and Ouma were both sent flying backward by the force of their blows.

"The clash between contestant Miohua and contestant Ouma has blown them apart once again. Th-this... from the start of the match until now, neither side has gained the upper hand. The scales of victory have yet to tip."

Luo Mio bent forward slightly and raised his head to look at Ouma.

The numbness from the impact coursed through his body. Their clash had already exceeded the limits an ordinary Blazer's body could withstand.

Even stacking Moon Smasher's Fang onto the heavy Soaring Eagle strike while in Thousand Stars state had failed to break through Ouma's Fire Thunder and send him flying! Was this truly the swordsmanship secret passed down through the Kurogane family?

Likewise, although Ouma looked unharmed after taking Luo Mio's Thousand Stars-enhanced Soaring Eagle, Luo Mio's thick, heavy punch had traveled directly through the Dragon Claw into his hand and body. If he had not coated part of his right arm in Heavenly Dragon Armor at the crucial moment, his right limb would likely have been unable to hold a sword or move by now.

Ouma stared at Luo Mio, his eyes gleaming.

"!"

Through Mana Vision, Luo Mio saw Ouma's mana gradually gathering inside the Dragon Claw.

This was...!

A wild azure gale wrapped around Ouma's Dragon Claw. The air itself seemed to wail as the raging wind spun ceaselessly, devouring the surrounding atmosphere. The density of the whirlwind around the blade steadily increased until it became a sword of storm winds coiling around it.

Ouma looked at Luo Mio with burning fighting spirit in his eyes.

"Looks like Ouma intends to decide the match with his next attack!" Morohoshi Yudai said gravely as he saw the storm circling the Dragon Claw's blade.

"But this is going to be trouble for Classmate Tōdō!" Jonoshiraki Byakuya adjusted his glasses and spoke without taking his eyes off the arena.

"Yeah." Ikki agreed with a solemn expression.

"Huh?" Stella asked in confusion. "Based on how things are going, shouldn't Miohua have the greater advantage?"

"That's exactly where the problem lies!" Ikki replied, explaining to Stella, "Although Miohua, Stella, and my brother are all A-Rank Knights, he has one weakness!"

"A weakness?"

"That's right! Miohua doesn't have a Blade Dance Technique like Stella's Sky Burning Earth Dragon King Flame that can decide victory or defeat in a single strike!"

Hearing that, Stella understood. Although Miohua possessed mana that surpassed hers, his Thousand Stars was a sustained, long-duration burst-type Blade Dance Technique.

Clearly, the move Ouma was preparing was the same kind of killing technique as her Dragon King Flame!

In the arena, Luo Mio lowered his head slightly. Within his Mana Vision, purple markings slowly emerged over his palm beneath the Eternal Twilight Wolves gauntlet.

Luo Mio closed his eyes and exhaled, clenching his hand tightly into a fist.

When he opened his eyes, he lowered his stance slightly, assumed his opening posture, and fixed his gaze on Ouma.

Ouma grinned.

"Moon Breaking Heavenly Dragon Claw!"

A gigantic storm sword capable of destroying everything swept toward Luo Mio like a slanting tornado of natural disaster, overturning and tearing apart every inch of ground within the battlefield!

I can't write anymore.

The cat I've had for a year and a half is being sent away, and it's got me completely messed up.

Damn it, it's such a good cat. It only ever sleeps in its own little bed, never makes a fuss, and when it's hungry, it just comes over to me.

They're saying they're giving it away. Damn it, I've grown attached to it already. Isn't this just messing with my feelings? It's so annoying.

I'll be back soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Taking the cat for a bath. I'll be back this afternoon!!!!

It won't take too long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Victory and Conversation

Dim storm clouds blanketed the arena.

Wherever the endless, violent cyclone passed, the earth was torn apart, and wind pressure crushed the groaning air.

Luo Mio looked at the savage, despair-inducing sword of storm winds. With the evasive ability granted by Thousand Stars, he could absolutely dodge Ouma's Moon Breaking Heavenly Dragon Claw.

But... when he saw the blazing eyes filled with fighting spirit and killing intent—

Luo Mio had only one thought.

Damn it all!

To hell with backing down!

Just charge!

Hesitation meant defeat!

Faced with the howling hurricane, Luo Mio showed no fear. A terrifying torrent of mana erupted from his body.

Although Luo Mio, as an A-Rank Knight, did not possess a skill like Ouma's or Stella's that could determine victory in a single explosive attack.

But!

Brilliant streams of light appeared around Luo Mio the instant the torrent of mana burst forth.

Silvery moon radiance, deep and crystalline like a galaxy.

The fading glow of the setting sun, a tranquil yellow haze proclaiming itself across the heavens.

Golden brilliance, endless starlight illuminating the dim galaxy.

The currents of those three dazzling lights gathered together, enveloping Luo Mio's left hand.

Still not enough!

Luo Mio declared furiously in his heart.

Within that Consciousness Space, where time seemed to hold no meaning, a crimson figure stood in the void, the red-and-white feathers on her chest gleaming faintly.

Fu Hua raised her head and watched specks of Golden radiance slowly decorate the Consciousness Space.

The instant Luo Mio's words fell in his heart, the Eternal Twilight Wolves on his right hand dissolved into flowing light, while his left hand instantly blossomed with dazzling silver-blue brilliance.

Behind Luo Mio, two phantom silver-white wolves seemed to appear, howling at the raging hurricane.

Luo Mio watched the Moon Breaking Heavenly Dragon Claw before him, as though a natural-disaster tornado had been reborn.

Gold... quietly swept past.

A fist wrapped in flowing light collided with the savage sword that severed the earth and tore apart the air.

Boom boom boom—!!

The battlefield was instantly reduced to rubble by the collision of those two powers!

As though light itself had vanished, time on the field seemed to freeze. Dim darkness descended like nightfall, then a faint glimmer flickered—followed by blinding white light bursting across the entire giant dome!

An invisible torrent, like a flood waterfall, surged toward the spectator stands. Even the sonic shock generated by that torrent could have destroyed the entire Number One Dome arena!

"—!"

Invisible gravity transformed into an impregnable wall and blocked the impact!