ebookland #131 - Boring, I want to see a river of blood
#131 - Boring, I want to see a river of blood
“Ugh, so it really turned into a battle-focused segment?”
There are more than 20 giant egg-shaped arenas on the grounds of Hagun Academy, scattered in various locations around the school, used for students to train or resolve disputes.
After all, they are all students who can use Device, and with power, they naturally become restless.
Can you even call them young people if they aren't hot-blooded?
The arena is equipped with a circular battle ring about one hundred meters in diameter, and tiered seating that surrounds the ring in a bowl shape, capable of accommodating thousands of spectators.
When they arrived, only a few people were using the training ground for self-directed training, but when they learned that Ikki Kurogane was going to duel Stella Vermillion, they quickly retreated to the stands and called their friends over to watch the show.
Zunzun sat in the VIP seating.
The chairwoman, Kurono Shinguuji, also stood next to the battle ring, serving as the referee for this match.
The two of them later ended up going to the chairwoman, and Stella, who was humiliated, and Ikki Kurogane, who kept apologizing, had originally planned to reconcile, but under the chairwoman's subtle instigation, they became opposed to each other again.
Probably intentional.
The chairwoman wanted to suppress the arrogance of Stella, the 'most outstanding student in the history of Hagun Academy, a genius rarely seen in a decade,' and at the same time, she also wanted to make Ikki Kurogane understand that this world is not determined by magic power alone.
Zunzun in the stands commented.
—Boring, I want to see blood flow like a river!
With the superficially harmonious but secretly contentious opening remarks over, the battle of master and servant between Ikki Kurogane and Stella Vermillion was finally about to begin.
From the very beginning, Stella generously used her vast magic power, flames dyeing her fiery red twintails and her entire body, holding aloft a two-handed greatsword as dazzling as gold, the intense heat of the flames could be felt even by Zunzun sitting in the stands.
The vast magic power naturally brought extremely violent combat power, and Ikki Kurogane, who was stingy and reluctant to even use magic power for defense, naturally didn't even have the idea of a head-on collision.
If he dared to collide recklessly, Stella would let him taste the feeling of being sent flying by brute force.
Stella, whose magic power was overflowing, fully utilized her advantage, constantly attacking and turning the battle into a one-sided affair… or so it seemed on the surface.
“Ah, it really turned into this.”
“Boring.”
“I knew it.”
The students in the audience, after seeing Ikki Kurogane 'embarrassedly' running around, put on an 'I knew it' expression. Some people even felt that staying any longer was a waste of time and quickly turned around and left.
Of course, these people only saw the surface.
Stella was chasing Ikki, but it also meant that she couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes, and was being led by the nose the entire time.
“Oh ho~”
Some people saw through it and revealed slightly surprised expressions.
The chairwoman also smiled slightly.
Stella wasn't stupid. When she realized she couldn't touch Ikki, her choice was—increase the firepower!
The intense heat radiating sparks of flame showed that her temper and temperature had reached an extremely terrifying level.
Warning! Warning!
“She is a princess of the Vermillion Empire, a genius rarely seen in a decade. With the highest entrance exam scores in history, she was classified as an A-rank Blazer. Some say her magic power is the greatest in the world. Although it hasn't been confirmed, it seems that it should be true now.—Snap!”
The sound of a camera shutter came from beside him.
…Well said.
But, who asked you?
Zunzun turned his head to look at the girl with glasses holding a camera beside him, raised his eyebrows, and asked, “Thanks for the explanation. By the way, who are you?”
“Kagami Kusakabe.”
This girl with short brown hair tied with a crimson ribbon looked at him with obvious curiosity and exploration in her eyes, and said, “Um…if you don’t mind, could I interview you too? Of course, it would be even better if I could take a photo.”
“I mind.”
“…”
Hearing Zunzun say this, she showed obvious disappointment.
On the field, Ikki Kurogane had finally figured out Stella's weaknesses, learned most of the Vermillion Imperial family's swordsmanship, and extended it to create a swordsmanship more suitable for himself.
But although his swordsmanship was superb, his attack power was too low to break Stella's defense.
“This way of winning is really dishonorable.”
Stella sighed slightly.
Ikki Kurogane's mouth had a slight bitter smile, and he said, “It seems you know that the Intetsu won't hurt you. Knowing this, you still chose to decide the outcome with swords…”
“Yes, using swordsmanship is to let you understand that I am not just someone with talent. But I can only admit now that if I want to win this battle, I still have to rely on my talent in magic power. So, I want to pay you my highest respect…and then defeat you!”
Stella's entire body surged with even more intense flames, as if to melt the entire dueling platform, and shouted, “Pierce the heavens, inferno of purgatory! Sky Scorching Dragon King Flame!”
With a loud bang!
A pillar of flame hundreds of meters high broke through the dome and reached the sky, the light so bright, the flames so scorching, that anyone who saw it would not think Ikki Kurogane could win.
Even formal participants who had already entered the professional league would find such an opponent tricky and headache-inducing.
At this moment, Zunzun suddenly said to the camera girl beside him, “Kagami, I'll test you. Who do you think will win next?”
“So intimate right from the start?”
Kagami Kusakabe was a little shy about Zunzun's boundary-less address, but after feeling this terrifying magic power and temperature, she said without thinking, “Princess Stella…is impossible. I'm optimistic about Ikki Kurogane.”
After discovering that Zunzun showed a disappointed expression, she immediately changed her mind and chose Ikki Kurogane.
Whether he can win or not is not important.
What is important is to get Zunzun to accept the interview.
“Not bad, very discerning.” Zunzun's mouth turned up, with an approving smile, and said, “It seems we have a lot in common, in that case, I will accept your interview.”
“Really? That's great!”
Kagami Kusakabe cheered, her judgment was indeed correct.
“Then I want to ask…”
“Male, 13 years old, from the Crimson Demon Clan.”
“Eh?”
“What, isn't that what you wanted to ask?”
Zunzun instead asked her such a question.
Having never seen such an unconventional interviewee, Kagami Kusakabe showed an awkward smile and said softly, “Th-that…no, but this answer is quite useful, I think someone will like it if I publish it in the newspaper.”
“Is that so?”
“Like aunts who like little boys?”
“…No, I don't think anyone in this country likes little boys.”
“Ugh!”
Kagami Kusakabe was choked and couldn't say anything, or rather, she didn't know how to answer. Sometimes, the high emotional intelligence that a journalist should have is not necessarily a good thing.
“So…”
Zunzun stared at Stella, who was still gathering magic power on the stage, and asked without turning his head, “Kagami, what do you want to ask?”
“Um, were you kept as a concubine by the chairwoman?”
“…What?”
“I mean, what's it like to be kept as a caged bird by the chairwoman?”
Kagami Kusakabe said this close to his ear.
WTF!?
What's a concubine?
What's a caged bird?
Where did being kept come from?
Zunzun was completely confused, looking at her with a dumbfounded expression, thus missing the most exciting scene on the field.
When faced with a pillar of flame that makes people despair, most people would choose to submit.
But Ikki Kurogane, as if unwilling to yield, the emotions of unwillingness surging in his chest burst open at this moment.
The blade that had been honed for ten years appeared at this moment!
“—Ittou Shura!”
In such a desperate situation, Ikki Kurogane took a deep breath, revealing a determined expression, widened his eyes, and let out a low roar, his entire body surging with a light blue magic power flame. Although the color was not deep, it looked extremely solid.
Most importantly, this shouldn't be the amount of magic power that a magic power F-rank guy like Ikki Kurogane should possess.
To put it bluntly, with F-rank magic power, being able to conjure a spark at your fingertips—the same level as basic magic—is already very good. Something like Ikki Kurogane's, which envelops his entire body, is simply impossible!
Not only that, but Ikki Kurogane's speed was also ridiculously fast, easily closing the distance between them at a speed that was invisible to the naked eye, as if teleporting.
From this moment on, he already had a chance to turn the tables!
Even if it was only for a minute.
Destruction is a magnificent moment, if you seek survival in a base manner, this life will be too long.
—Blazer, when was your shining moment? Was it KOK? And my shining moment is, when I unleash my ultimate move!
Ikki Kurogane's strike with resolve, his longsword landed on Stella's chest in the blink of an eye and broke through her defense, surpassing Stella in absolute strength after condensing his magic power burst.
Ikki Kurogane did not stand tall with the pride of a victor, but instead knelt trembling on the ground, looking a little disheveled.
But now Zunzun didn't have time to care about those things.
Because—
“I once saw you coming out of the chairwoman's office, and there is a room for rest in her office.
Not only that, but you often go to Ikki Kurogane's dormitory, and your hair is always wet when you come out, obviously taking a shower every time you leave.
Princess Stella just arrived at the academy today and had a conflict with Ikki Kurogane. Could it also be related to you?”
Kagami Kusakabe's mouth was like a machine gun, spouting a lot of words.
Zunzun just stared at her in a daze.
“The transfer student princess had a conflict with the Worst One on the first day, and the reason is actually him! The caged bird kept by the chairwoman, a neutral pretty boy who disrupts the atmosphere of the academy, what is the relationship really like! The news department will bring you exclusive reports, so stay tuned!”
—Majoring in journalism!