Iris's sword crossed with Rui No's sword. A metallic sound reverberated in the surroundings. It continues not once, but intermittently.
When dealing with the purple lightning, Iris cloaks not only her sword, but also her body in purple lightning.
　But right now, her body is not covered in lightning. The thunder from the blade makes a sound, but Iris is consciously controlling it.
　Just releasing power in the dark doesn't work on many people.
　I've already seen Luino's fight. There is no need to wait and see, no need to check and balance. He uses the magic that flows through his body to wield the sword.
　The same goes for Luino's fighting style. She doesn't rely on magic to fight--she simply swings her blade with all her strength, blow by blow. There is almost no difference in the speed of our swords.
　With every swing, there was a chance of winning or losing.

"Oh, that's nice!　That's what fighting is all about!

　Luino said with a happy smile. He just barely dodged Iris's blade, and a slight cut appeared on his kimono.
　He doesn't care about such a small thing at all.
　Luino takes a step forward and pokes Iris in the chest.
　Iris reacts immediately, blocking the thrust with a purple light - or rather, parrying it. He slightly deflects the blade, keeping the power intact.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.

"Huh!
You can't hit me!

　It's a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open. It's a good idea to keep your hands on the ground and kick.
　I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.

!

　You'll need to have a good idea of what you're doing. Luino had already regained his stance, bending his knees and stooping. He kicked off the ground and aimed for Iris' neck with a quick movement.

(Fast--)

　A counterattack from evasion. The speed at which she goes on the offensive is unparalleled. There is an overwhelming difference between her and Iris in terms of "experience in actual combat.
　However, Iris also has a lot of experience in one-on-one combat.
　In particular, in purely "hand-to-hand combat," Iris is called the strongest by many. These words are too heavy for Iris, who is only fifteen years old.
　But Arutha, who must be younger than Iris, has promised to be the "strongest in the kingdom". She told me where Iris was going.
　I'm here to protect such a person--there's no way I'll lose at this level.
　Iris lost her balance, but she did not dare to adjust her stance and turned her head. Rui No's blade, which came out with great force, struck out at the last moment.
　Iris twists her body to face backward.
　As Luino spins in the air, he soon realizes that he is looking at him. And then.

And then, "Hit!　This is the way I really fight.

　A wall of magic power was created under Luino's feet. It's not even close to the level of magic, but it's enough for a foothold.
　Using her legs as springs, she accelerates back down to Iris.
　An almost horizontal leap. Iris immediately goes into a defensive stance, but is unable to kill Luino's momentum.
　A non-fatal blow to Iris's shoulder.
　It was not a shallow blow, and the pain made Iris' face contort. But Luino's attack did not end there.
　Iris immediately turned her body - Luino was on the offensive again.
　The blade closes in on him. Iris blocked it again just in time. The sound of metal scraping echoed through the air as the two crossed.
　Again, unable to kill the power, Iris is cut in the arm.

(Still not enough reaction: ......!)

　Then came the third blow.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I'm sure you'll agree.

　I'm not sure if you've heard of it or not, but I've heard of it.
　If you're not sure what you're looking for, you can always ask for help.
　Rather, the blow that is sure to take Iris' life is simple and straightforward.
　Again, his reaction was slightly delayed, but this time he made sure to prevent the attack. As they passed each other, Luino's expression wavered slightly.
　After the first and second blows, he was able to wound Iris without fail.
　But on the third blow, Iris had seen through it. On the fourth strike, Iris' blade was ahead of her.
　Leaping with the momentum, Rui No crossed, blocking Iris' blade.
　As he rolled around on the ground, Rui No regained his position.

I was a little surprised when I saw ....... I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.

　The fourth blow wounded Luino.
　In battle, Iris always grows. The more intense the fight, the more power she gains.


　With his sword at the ready, Iris looked at Luino. Staying low, Rui No also grasped his sword and held it.

I told you. I told you I would stop you.
I told you I would stop you.　Well, it looks like you didn't live up to your word.
...... Yes. But I'll tell you this. I'm going to win.
Oh, I like that. I would have enjoyed it more if you hadn't tried to kill me. If you are so strong, why don't you want to enjoy the fight more?　Don't you want to enjoy the last minute ...... fight for your life?　It's never too late to start.

　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that. I'm not sure if it's a good idea or not.
　The answer to that is quite simple.
　All Iris has to do is decide to kill Luino without thinking about it.
　Maybe that would be easier. Wielding power without thinking is many times easier than thinking hard.
　But the path Iris has chosen is the one that will make her dreams come true, even if it is ...... difficult.

I'm not going to change my mind.
"...... I see. That's too bad.
I need to check something with you, too.
...... check?
Yeah. Luino, why did you want to fight Zenas?

　That's the question I've been asking myself.
　When we came here, when Iris and Luino confronted each other, this was supposed to happen.
　Luino would choose to fight Iris because Iris had declared that she would fight him.
　And yet, as soon as he saw Zenas, he went towards him without hesitation.

I don't mean to be a prude, but... The Swordsmen are after Alta Schweizer. I was just trying to get rid of them because they will eventually get in the way. ...... That's all.
Then I'd be in their way as well. I'm fighting to protect you, Schweizer.

　If you're looking to get out of the way, Iris is definitely more of a hindrance to Ruino.
　But even if Rui No bothered to let Iris go, he chose to fight Zenas.
　This time he was happy to take on Zenas, who he said had not tried to fight him properly in King's Landing.
　There's something about Luino's actions that bothered me.

"...... What are you trying to say?

　I'm not sure.
　The conclusion that Iris has reached may be wrong. I'm sure that the reason why Rui No wields the sword is not only to enjoy fighting.

I heard that he formed a partnership with the Knights in order to fight Dr. Schweizer. I'm sure he means it.
Of course I meant it. That's why you're trying to stop me, isn't it?
Yes. I wanted to stop you without killing you because I knew you didn't just enjoy killing.
"...... Huh?

　Luino's expression grew grim.
　I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.

If you really enjoy fighting, ...... there would have been a fierce battle in King's Landing. But I've heard that the only real damage was done by the Knights. In this town too. You only killed ...... the swordsmen. Except for the fact that you're going after Dr. Schweizer, your actions seem more like you're taking care of him.

　Luino's actions seem to be inconsistent, but there is one rule of thumb.

What's that? It's as if I'm ...... fighting for the right to care about others?　It's like you're on the side of justice.
I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out. But you chose to fight Zenas because he targeted Aria and Otto, didn't you?　You are an enemy of the strong and a friend of the weak. That's why ...... I wanted to stop you.

　That's just Iris' speculation. I'm sure Rui No is still wielding his sword to make sure Iris is dead.
　But the Luino of yesterday did not even try to fight Iris.
　He acknowledged his strength, but did not fight.
　This raised questions in Iris' mind and led her to an answer.
　She wanted to fight against the strong, but she didn't want the weak to get hurt... wasn't that the girl Luino Tomura?
　I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.

I'm not sure what to say.　I'm not sure what to make of it.　I'm sure you'll be able to understand why I'm doing this.
We're alike, me and you.
...... Like you?
Yeah. I tried to be strong, thinking I could do everything on my own, with no one to turn to. And if someone came along who might be stronger than me, I'd fight them. I tried to prove that I was stronger than him. I was going to be the strongest knight. Don't you feel the same way about yourself?


"Hee-hee, I see. Yeah, that's a very important feeling. But you know...

　The smile disappears from Luino's face.

You can't keep talking like you know what you're doing .......

　I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it. It's a great way to get the most out of your day.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing. Blade meets blade, and their gazes intersect.
　Luino's expression was full of surprise.

Why the sudden ......
There's nothing sudden about it. My strength has not changed. It's your sword that's upsetting me.
I'm upset ......?　Don't be silly. I'm upset ...... because of what you said!

　Luino's expression was one of anger. In spite of his words, he is showing more emotion than ever before - a person I had no idea what he was thinking about.
　But the fact that he is angry proves one thing.
　Iris was telling the truth, and Luino couldn't deny it.
　That's why he's so angry.
　This is understandable because Iris once pointed out her vengeance to Alta.
　She believes that Rui No is just like Iris.
　Iris flicks Luino's sword and launches a series of blows. Luino blocks it and dodges.
　He immediately tries to counterattack, but Iris doesn't allow it.
　He swung quickly, giving Luino no time to counterattack. The speed of the swords should have been almost the same, but now Iris has the upper hand.
　Luino leaps to distance himself from Iris.
　You'll be able to see the difference in the way they look. His demeanor has changed from the relaxed attitude he had just now.
　Iris is not going to chase after Luino. This will anger Luino again.

"Ha, ha, ......, why didn't you come after me?　It was a great opportunity.
"Because ...... I'm not going to win by shaking you up. I wasn't expecting you to be so upset.
Upset?　You can't just assume that. I'm ...... on the side of the weak?　That's funny. I never think about weak people. Because weak people have to be eliminated. On the battlefield, the weakest people die first.　So--

　When Luino continued to say that much, a look of shock appeared on his face and he stopped speaking.
　As if to stop him from slipping up.

"Because it's ......?
"......, that's bullshit.

　With a thump, Luino kicks the ground.
　In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to use the site, please contact us.
　When he reaches a height of more than ten meters, he turns around and sticks to the wall of magic he created, just as he did before.
　This time in the direction of Iris. And he put an extraordinary amount of magic into the blade.

I'm going to end this on ...... because talking to you is getting on my nerves.

　　　I'm done.

　I'm sure you'll be able to understand what I mean.
　His grandfather and parents were also sword wielders, and Luino was given a sword that he used with great care.
　One day, she would be famous as a swordswoman...she was very straightforward, despite her ungirlish wishes.
　If someone is in trouble, she will help them. That's what Rui No was, and even at a young age, she was able to help others as a matter of course.
　--Luino changed when her family was murdered.
　The first one he lost was his mother.
　Although he was grieving, his grandfather was kind to him and encouraged him. Even though he lost his mother, his kind grandfather was always there to support him.
　I can still vividly remember ...... when my grandfather, who would always greet me with a smile, was lying in a pool of blood. He lost his beloved grandfather and his father at that time. All Luino felt was helplessness.

(Why ...... why why why--)

　Rather than despairing, Luino just thought. Why did this happen? ...... Both his grandfather and parents were better swordsmen than Luino. There is a reason why you lose. The one who loses is weaker.
　My grandfather once told me.

"On the battlefield, those who are chosen by the Grim Reaper die first.
The Reaper?
Yeah, no matter how much you want to live, if he finds you, you're dead.
Have you ever seen the Grim Reaper, Grandpa?
Yes, he has. Well, me and the Grim Reaper were very close!　That's why I'm still here with my beautiful grandson.



　--But my grandfather is dead. Is that what it means to be chosen by the Grim Reaper?
He said he was friends with the grim reaper, and yet he was killed. 　
　Then what do you do? It's simple--be strong.
　If you believe that you are chosen by the Reaper to be killed, then get the power to kill even the Reaper, or even God.
　It doesn't matter if it's a god or a demon.
　Luino wished for the power to slay everything, and so he gained the power. Absolute strength to subdue all the strong.
　Luino continues to kill the strong. That's what Luino wants to do, to eliminate the existence of the Reaper.
　And now he has it - no one can prevent him from using this sword. The name of the sword is.

The name of the sword is "The God Slayer"!

　Like a single blade. Rui No jumped towards Iris.

　　　I'll be back.

　I've always wanted to be a "friend of justice" like my father.
　I thought I would be able to do that one day, and I thought my father would watch over Iris as a matter of course.
　But when Garlo was killed in front of her eyes, Iris changed her mind.
　Now that Garlo is gone, someone has to take his place on the side of justice.
　The only person who can take his place is ...... himself.
　But when she met Alta, she changed her mind.
　She now has a clear goal to fight to protect others and to become the ...... strongest knight.
　So these days, I often think about the past.
I've been thinking about the old days a lot lately, and I've been thinking about one technique that Garro showed me, wielding the Shiden perfectly.

"Wow, wow!　How did you do that?
"This is... It's a trick I invented.
Your father?
Yeah. Does Iris believe in ...... God?
God. ......?
Yes. In the world of swords, a ...... "sword saint" might be the equivalent. I'd like to get that kind of strength too.
Who was your father's admirer?

　I'm not sure what to make of it.

In terms of swordplay, I guess you could say I admire him. But I'm going to be me and wield my sword to protect the ...... people. That's why I've decided to borrow the name of a god for this technique. It's the name of the ...... god who is fierce but more gentle than anyone else. Many people are afraid of lightning, but I intend to protect people with this sword.

　The young Iris did not understand all of Garro's words.
　However, the words "protect the people" clearly remained in Iris's memory and she inherited them.
　Even though he has only seen the technique once, it is etched in his mind.

"Thunder God".

　A rumbling sound dominates, and Iris swings a blade that shines strongly in purple.