Chapter 140: Raikiri!
"It was countered! Just now, Kurogane Shizuku actually countered the secret technique that the [God of War] takes such pride in!"
The announcer became incredibly excited. Even Nene showed a rare look of surprise beside him.
After all, this was the signature technique of the renowned [God of War], Torajirou Nangou.
It was also one of the key abilities that allowed him to dominate countless battlefields.
Yet it had now been countered by a B-Rank knight who had not even graduated.
Once this news spread, it would undoubtedly cause a massive uproar outside the academy.
"Eh?! How did Shizuku do that? She actually countered [Nukiashi]?"
Stella had suffered plenty because of that technique during their training.
Seeing Shizuku successfully counter it with her own eyes inevitably left her shaken.
"Look beneath their feet."
Following Shiro's words, Stella's pupils caught sight of something.
"Is that... water?"
The field was now covered in water left behind by the melted ice.
Both girls were fighting while standing upon it.
"Exactly. Shizuku clearly investigated Touka before the match and learned that she could use [Nukiashi], so she prepared a countermeasure in advance."
Shiro paused before continuing.
"The ice that fell from above wasn't truly meant to injure Touka."
"It was meant to cover the arena floor with water after melting, allowing Shizuku to track Touka's location through it."
If she could not see her opponent, then she simply would not rely on sight.
Shizuku sensed the ripples moving through the water with her Blazer ability and used them to pinpoint Touka's exact position.
Unless Touka summoned lightning to evaporate every drop of water on the field, her [Nukiashi] had now been completely sealed.
However, merely sealing [Nukiashi] would not bring Shizuku victory.
It had only returned the scales to where they had been at the beginning of the match.
Clang, clang, clang—
Once Touka realized [Nukiashi] was ineffective, she quickly changed tactics.
Using a barrage of high-speed slashes, she dragged Shizuku into the close-range battle she excelled at most.
Although both were B-Rank knights, Shizuku's physical ability was the lowest possible E-Rank.
Touka's, meanwhile, was the highest possible A-Rank.
If this war of attrition continued, Shizuku would undoubtedly be the first to collapse.
...
Clang—!
Shizuku had already lost count of how many slashes Touka had unleashed.
But she could not retreat.
The moment she stepped back, Touka would seize the opening and strike.
In a battle like this, even the smallest wound could become fatal.
Her grip had gone numb, and her body was already exhausted.
'This can't continue.'
Realizing that, Shizuku clenched her teeth.
When Touka's next strike arrived, she drove her sword into the water beneath her feet.
Crackle—
[Narukami] pierced through Shizuku's shoulder.
At the same moment—
"Freeze everything—[Frozen Tundra]!"
At Shizuku's command, the water across the arena instantly froze.
Ice locked around Touka's ankles and fixed her in place.
Taking advantage of the opening, Shizuku endured the pain and numbness spreading from her left shoulder and condensed a water projectile at [Yoishigure]'s tip.
If it struck Touka's face, the water would cling tightly to it, prevent her from breathing, and secure Shizuku's victory.
However, Shizuku understood that such a thin layer of ice could not restrain Touka for long.
With Touka's displayed speed, avoiding the water projectile would be effortless.
Therefore, Shizuku's real target was—
The ground beneath them.
Boom—!
The water projectile exploded between them.
Shizuku used the resulting shockwave to open the distance and crashed heavily onto the opposite side of the arena.
She struggled to prop herself up and check Touka's condition.
However, once the smoke cleared, Touka was still standing at the center of the field.
Aside from the wound Shizuku had inflicted upon her cheek earlier, only a small tear had appeared near the ankle of her white stocking.
"..."
Strong.
Overwhelmingly strong.
The strength Touka displayed left Shizuku speechless.
In terms of tactics, Shizuku had clearly held the advantage throughout the match.
Yet Touka had relied upon her unparalleled combat skill to dismantle every strategy one by one.
From the beginning of the match until now, Shizuku had only managed to injure her once.
That sense of helplessness reminded her of Shiro during the battle against Smile.
'As expected of disciples from the same school. Even the pressure they give off feels so similar.'
However, Shizuku still had one final move.
"Byakuya Kekkai!"
At Shizuku's words, the ice covering [Frozen Tundra] transformed into mist and engulfed the entire arena.
Even the spectators above could no longer see what was happening inside.
Just as Touka had attempted to end the battle with [Nukiashi], Shizuku intended to use the white mist surrounding them to launch an ambush.
The moisture around her gathered upon [Yoishigure], forming a massive high-pressure water blade.
Hidden within the mist, Shizuku used her Blazer ability to briefly treat her battered body.
Then she charged toward Touka's position.
No matter how sharp [Narukami] was, the high-pressure blade in Shizuku's hand would continuously regenerate as long as the mist remained.
Even if Touka cut through it halfway, the water blade around [Yoishigure] would reform, pass around [Narukami], and pierce her body.
Even if the result was trading injury for injury, victory would still belong to Shizuku.
However, after passing through layer after layer of mist, she discovered that Touka had not assumed the defensive posture she expected.
Touka had returned [Narukami] to its sheath at her side.
One hand gripped the scabbard, while the other rested upon the sword's hilt.
It was the stance of an iai slash.
Violent electrical currents visible to the naked eye covered [Narukami]'s black scabbard.
More chilling still, Touka's eyes were fixed directly upon Shizuku's location.
'This is bad!'
In the next instant, Touka unleashed her strongest Noble Art upon Shizuku, who remained hidden within the mist.
It was an electromagnetic iai technique that used magnetic force to launch the blade from its sheath in one explosive burst.
It was also the source of her title.
"Raikiri—!"
Boom—!!!
Overwhelming heat erupted in a single instant.
The supersonic slash scattered the surrounding mist, plasma burst through the air, and white light scorched the world.
Anything standing in the path of that godlike blade would be completely severed.
When the white light faded and everyone's vision recovered, the spectators saw—
A devastated training field.
Shizuku lying unconscious on the ground.
And Touka standing nearby as she calmly returned her sword to its sheath.
"Absolutely... magnificent!!!"
"The winner of this deadly clash between B-Rank knights is none other than Hagun Academy's student council president—[Raikiri], Toudou Touka!!!"
"Ooooooooooh!!!" × N
Amid the roaring cheers of the announcer and spectators, the battle between the two B-Rank knights finally came to an end.
…
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