Chapter 409: Thanks!
Shinomiya Amane's words silenced the entire audience.
His meaning was obvious. Everyone realized that their suspicions had pressured a competitor into withdrawing.
No matter how much they disliked him, there was no proof that he had cheated. Yet now, because of those accusations, he had chosen to forfeit…
Complicated emotions filled everyone's hearts.
Then they heard Amane continue.
"Thank you, Luke."
"You helped me understand reality."
"I watched your match against Ouma yesterday. Your strength is genuine, so I'm sure you'll easily win the Sword Art Festival."
"I believe you'll become the champion. I'll cheer for you from the sidelines during your remaining matches!"
At that moment, the true meaning behind Amane's words became unmistakably clear.
"D-Does that guy mean…"
"With an ability like his, if he cheers for Falling Star Sword Emperor, wouldn't Luke be guaranteed to win?"
"Luke-sama doesn't need his support! He was already going to become champion!"
"B-But competitors like Crimson Princess still have a chance against him, right? If that's true, then…"
That was right.
Amane intended to taint this year's Seven Star Sword Art Festival—or more precisely, to destroy the value of its championship.
The title of Seven Stars Sword King carried incomparable weight, glory, and symbolism.
But if someone gained it without relying on their own strength, everything would change.
Glory would become humiliation.
For a student aspiring to become a Mage-Knight, and for every Blazer fighting in the Festival, that would be an extraordinarily cruel injury.
Realizing this, Ikki, Stella, everyone from Hagun, and even the other competitors instantly rose from their seats.
They stared at the malicious figure in the arena, barely suppressing the rage surging through their chests.
Every one of them glared fiercely at Amane, wishing they could rush down and tear apart the bastard who intended to stain their honor.
For a moment, chaos spread across the entire venue with Amane at its center.
Just as the Festival was about to become a laughingstock, a calm voice reached everyone's ears.
"Then I'll thank you."
Luke's words were like a sword, instantly cleaving apart the chaos hanging over the arena.
Amane's face twisted because he had seen Luke's expression.
The face he expected to be covered in rage and humiliation held nothing but blinding gratitude.
That was right.
Luke was genuinely grateful.
He was not pretending. If Amane truly did what he promised, Luke would sincerely thank him from the bottom of his heart.
There was no complicated reason.
Amane would simply be helping Luke complete the Main God Space's mission ahead of schedule.
[Main Quest: Participate in the Seven Star Sword Art Festival and place among the top three.]
[Mission Difficulty: B-rank.]
This mission was no longer difficult for Luke. In fact, it could be called effortless.
However, that was only because he had encountered Edelweiss.
Without the improvements she had inspired in him, Luke might not have been able to defeat the original story's absurdly strengthened protagonists after Stella's recent growth.
Even reaching third place would have required him to overcome opponents such as Ouma and Sara.
Before arriving in this world, Luke had not even obtained Starfall Sword.
Of course, discussing hypothetical situations now was meaningless.
Still, although Luke could easily become champion, he naturally welcomed anything that made the mission less troublesome.
To him, winning a student-level tournament in this country was hardly something worth boasting about.
If an agent of the Main God Space felt proud over such a minor achievement, he would disgrace every other agent.
Seven Stars Sword King?
Honestly, Luke thought Falling Star Sword Emperor sounded much better.
The only meaningful part of this Festival was the opportunity to fight Stella and Ikki.
Yet even regarding that, Luke was deeply dissatisfied.
He was not dissatisfied with fighting them. He was dissatisfied with the Seven Star Sword Art Festival as a battlefield.
Just think about his two battles against Edelweiss.
Had either of them ended without reshaping the surrounding terrain?
Yet now they were expected to fight on this arena.
Even during Luke's match with Ouma, an attack nowhere near his full strength had pierced through the entire building.
If he faced a monster at Stella's current level, the venue would unquestionably restrict both of them.
Their battle was no longer something ordinary people could safely observe from nearby.
If Amane could truly ruin the Festival, Luke would sincerely thank him.
Ikki and Stella would never accept such an ending. They had waited too long for the chance to challenge Luke and would certainly seek private matches afterward.
At that time, their battlefield would no longer be restricted.
They could unleash their strength without restraint or fear of injuring innocent spectators.
On top of that, Luke would effortlessly receive the championship and complete the Main God Space's mission.
It would solve several problems at once. The result could hardly be more perfect.
Therefore, Luke looked at Amane with complete sincerity.
"Please, make sure you do exactly that!"
"What the hell?!"
Amane stared at Luke, feeling as though his entire mind had broken.
The triumphant smile created by his supposedly successful scheme froze, then visibly twisted.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!"
"Why the hell are you thanking me?!"
"You're supposed to be furious! You should scream, suffer, and collapse after fate toys with you!"
"Why aren't you shaken?! Why are you thanking me?!"
"You damned—"
Amane's furious screams spread throughout the venue through the referee's microphone.
His agonized howling filled everyone with an inexplicable unease.
Then Amane suddenly stopped like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
Several seconds later, he slowly raised his head and stared blankly at Luke.
"Forget it… I don't want to look at you anymore."
"Let me end this farce."
"I'll kill you with my own hands."
After speaking, Amane manifested his Device.
He stood motionless at the starting position, resembling a broken puppet.
The sudden silence left the referee unsure what to do.
He looked at Amane, then at Luke.
When Luke nodded, the referee hesitantly moved between them and prepared to begin the match.
"The match will beg—"
As he raised the microphone in his left hand, the referee suddenly paused.
He glanced awkwardly at the ramen bowl in his right hand and thought deeply for a moment.
Then he silently lifted the bowl high above his head.
"Begin!"
The moment he made the announcement, the referee quickly picked up the two chopsticks that had flown from the bowl and vanished from the stage.
…
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