Finally, the first game began.

　Right at the start, neither of them still moved.
　Now, both of them are slowly moving to the side, taking their time.
　They are looking for an opportunity to jump in.

　I have been informed that Guns Verheid is good at footwork.
　He's probably the type of person who claws around with his feet.
　I've heard that some of those who fought in combat classes in the past have lost without ever matching swords with Gans during a match.
　In the attack on the Holy Ruins, he's also said to be the captain of the cutting edge.
　He is responsible for attracting and dodging demon attacks at the front line, and from there he can connect with his companions' attacks.
　Thanks to his skillful footwork, he doesn't get in the way even if the battle turns violent.
　Being strong in a melee means that one is able to make good decisions and have a wide perspective.
　And he is proud of his footwork, which allows him to make the most of his judgment and wide vision.
　In this match, he will be competing with his proud feet.

　The situation moved.

　The one who moved first was Ira-san.
　With her sword drawn back, she closes the distance between her and Ganth.
　Ganth moves diagonally backward in a step.
　Ira spins the axis of his foot to change direction and chase after him.

　Gans must have been measuring Ira's instantaneous power and speed of the change of direction now.
　His stepping quickness is also real.

　Normal, fast.

　Still, Ira-san closed the distance between him and Gans.

　Until she was within sword's reach.

　Before the match, Ira-san and I were discussing fighting techniques.

''My opponent seems to be very good at footwork. So I came up with two tactics.''
"Two?　That's great, Kurohiko!
The first one is to thoroughly aim at the opponent's legs right after the start. Anyway, when you get close to the range of your attack, aim at the opponent's legs with all your might. Oh, you don't have to aim at an effective strike at first.
Shouldn't you be aiming at them?
'First of all, you just need to make your opponent understand that you are trying to crush his legs. If your opponent understands that you are trying to destroy their legs, then you can make them focus on your legs. If your legs are your strength, they will almost certainly try to protect you.
'I see... so you're going to go after other parts of the body that are less protected?
''Yes, that's right. And if you feel your intentions are being read, you can disperse your attacks to other parts of the body in an appropriate manner. Then, when he thinks that you are going to attack other parts of the body, go for the legs again. Anyway, I think it will be difficult for the opponent just to feel that his feet are being targeted.
''Yeah, and what if the opponent's speed is higher than expected and they can't get close enough to reach the attacker?''
'When you feel you can't catch up, look at the opponent's eyes and initial movement and predict the direction of movement, then release the jutsu in the direction of the predicted movement. Just by making your opponent aware of this, they should be a little less likely to move. This is the realm of Ira-san's prediction power here...''
''Oh, I see........hahaha, I just thought of the sword.
''Due to the rules of the tournament, you can't expect much in the way of the power of the jutsu, but there should be a use for it, just to stop them. Anyway, the first thing you do is block your opponent's movements and slow down their vaunted speed. This is the first battle method. And the second is--''

　Gance blocked Ira-san's sword shot aimed at his leg.

''After all, you've been aiming at my leg?

　Ira fires a second shot.
　Legs next.
　Guns prevents it.
　Third and fourth shots also target the legs.
　Fifth blow.
　As we talked about in our first battle strategy, this time he scatters the attack on the arm.
　However, Guns avoids Ira's attack.
　As I thought, he's good at using his legs.
　He also has an excellent sense of measuring distance.
　Ira continues to fire off a series of attacks, but Gance uses his feet to evade them with his skillfulness.
　Besides footwork, it seems that he also has good dynamic vision.

It's a good example of Gance. The other kid's attacks don't hit me at all.
'No, no, only a single-digit candidate can keep up with that speed. He's just being able to close the gap between his attacks, and he's doing very well.
'Well. But the only person who can keep up with Gans' quickness, outside of the single digits, is Cecily Arkwright at best.

　The Spectator was right on the money with Gans, he is moving fast.
　Gans takes a short breather.

'That's quite a feat, Ira Horne. I've been measuring your strength up until now, and I can't believe you're a freshman. But--'

　As he says it, Gans now moves into an attacking stance.
　Ira-san is closing the distance inch by inch.

''With that level of speed and swordplay, it would be difficult to win against even a ten-digit candidate of the Little Saint rank, let alone two presidents.

　Ganth steps on the floor.

'I'm afraid that's it, Ira Horn.
Finally, I understand.
What?
I don't know what kind of strategy to use.

　At the moment, Ira-san "blocked" Ganth's dive.

　Matching the timing to Ganth's start of movement, Ira-san jumped in from his side.
　The speed of that dive far exceeded the speed of the previous one.

''Huh?　This, speed.........?

　Ira-san jumped in between and swung her sword.

''The method of battle--the second one.

　In a whisper, I could hear Ira muttering that (I could hear the muttering because the power of the forbidden host had focused my hearing on Ira's surroundings).

　The second strategy.
　It's--

''The second way to fight is if Isla-san's speed is greater than her opponent's.
"What?　I wonder if that fighting style ... can it work?''
'Use the first minute and a bit of time from the start of the match to assess your opponent's strength. So you don't have to be at full throttle at first.'
"Yeah, okay.
''So if you decide that your speed is higher than your opponent's you can discard the first strategy at Ira-san's discretion.
'Does that mean you don't have to fight in a way that slows them down?
"Yes. When that happens--

　'Go out and win with everything you've got,' I told him.

'Oh, come on!　Gance tried to evade, but well, he's been turned around!
'Geez, geez!　And that kid just generated a floating attack technique behind Gans!　It's only for a few seconds, but they've taken the retreat behind us!

　I had left the surgical procedure to Ira-san, but the speed at which he shot that technique was unexpected.
　It's fast.
　He's also good at using it.
　And movement speed.
　It was true that Gance was fast.
　But it was only 'normal' fast.

　Ira-san's sword shot became a wild attack and attacked Gance.

''Phew!''

　But Gans isn't just a man with legs, either.
　He used his vigorous sword speed to greet them.
　Furthermore, Gance also used his signature footwork in his attacks.
　He controlled his body's center of gravity well with the axis shift of his feet and moderate stepping in.
　But--.

'Seriously........I can't believe Gance can't handle the attacks of his opponent.......'
''Gance uses the movement of his legs in his attacks as well. That's why Gance's attacks have so much momentum, and they're surprisingly powerful... and yet you're being pushed around...''
Okay, okay, you're handy.
"Move?
In terms of hand count, Gans is outnumbered look closely.
"...Really. We're outnumbered, so we're defending ourselves... not quite effective, but we're getting small attacks too...

　All of Ira's attack returns have a straight-line trajectory.
　As with her attacks, Ira's trajectory for her attacks and returns is almost a straight trajectory.
　It's her signature trajectory.
　The faster the return, the faster the next attack occurs.
　That straight line trajectory that she's good at is also suitable for incessant continuous attacks.

　Moreover--.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. What kind of physical strength is that........

　Aila's byproduct of the grueling, long-term training so far.
　It's overwhelming stamina.
　In this short match time, she wouldn't run out of stamina even if she attacked at full strength.

　At that moment, Gance forced the trajectory of the attack to change.

　From the way he twisted his body, it's obvious that he was reckless, prepared to hurt himself.
　However, with that blow, he succeeded in escaping from Ira's attack.
　Taking advantage of the momentum of playing off the opponent's attack, Gance took the distance as it was.

　--At the last minute, it came to this.

　Ganth's right finger glows.
　Technique.
　Probably planning to use it in place of a shield or smoke screen to buy time to breathe and adjust his stance.
　Gunth's right finger draws a surgical formula--

　Pow!

Hey...

　Ira's sword struck Gance's right hand as he was about to draw the art form.

　With a blow from a reckless posture that disregarded the strain on his body, Gance was able to get out of the slashing storm.
　But Ira closed the gap again with more speed than Gance could imagine.
　Surprised, Gance tried to leave the scene with the footwork he was so proud of.
　A horizontal nagi was released from the direction that Gance was going to move in.

''Gu--haha!

　As if to prevent Gans from moving, Ira-san, who was moving ahead of me, was hit by a horizontal nudge.

''Yuh, effective hit!''

　The judge gives Ira-san an effective strike.

''Kutu...!

　Gans holds his neck and wobbles.
　Ira tries to give chase.
　Her aim - her legs.
　Here, he went to destroy his opponent's last resort.

　Even when he decided which battle method to use immediately after the start of the match.
　I also go for the other guy's legs.

　Faithfully, he's doing what I tell him to do.

　Does that mean that he trusts me that much?

''........wait!''

　Guns has his hands full.
　Ira stops the attack.

'Judge I give up. I ... lose. There is no point in continuing this.

　Once the judge compared Ganth and Ira-san to each other.
　Then he raised his hand to Ira-san's side.

'By the surrender of Gans Verheid the winner--Ira Horn!

　We won.
　Ira, you won.

　The tension that had been building up in me had finally loosened, and I let out a breath.
　The spectators were all wide-eyed.

"But Gance lost to a first-year...?
You weren't feeling well today, Gance?
Well, I don't know... maybe I let my guard down because he was a pretty girl, or maybe I went easy on him...
Either way, I can't believe...

　Ira-san bowed to Gans-san with a smile.

''Oh, um ... thank you, thank you very much.

　Ganth smiles as he runs his hand over the neck where he received the blow.

''Huh, a thank you to the loser...............If it's sarcasm, it's an act of flogging in reverse.
'What?　Oh, no, no, no, no!　I didn't mean to........

　Ira waved his hand in denial, waving his hands in the air.

'Well, you won, that's a fact. It's frustrating, but that's the result. You were stronger than me. That's just it. But if I may just say--

　Ganth's twin eyes narrowed.

'I've fought two presidents. With the student body president, in a combat class. With the president of the wind school, I had to take an unofficial test of skill match. That's where I thought that this Holy Martial Arts Festival...............................the best stage has been prepared for me.

　Ganth looked at Ira's hand.

''But........it's actually a delicate point to ask if I had confidence in beating those two. The reason for that........is the difference in talent.
Talent...
''Yes. I've fought many candidates, including those who were testing their skills. In that situation, I've felt an overwhelming difference in talent--three of them.

　Three.

Dristos Quirsinha, Koudelka Ferraris, and Beoza Fallontessa.

　So it is those three people who are the most famous, after all.

In my eyes, there is no similarity between those who are blessed with talent.
Similar...?
A truly gifted person has their own 'something'. The air he emits, the atmosphere he wears, and the way he fights are also beyond the bounds of ordinary people. They have "something" that no one else can imitate. I believe that such people are geniuses. Cecily Arkwright, for example, is a genius in that sense. In fact, it seems to me that she has a form of attack that is unique to her.

　I have a good grasp of it.
　Ganth is right, Cecily's type of attack is not so easy to imitate.

'But Ira Horne. I feel that you do indeed have a certain amount of talent and background. But - in the talent department, you are not far from those geniuses. Overwhelmingly, it's inferior. That's how I felt.

　Without hesitation, Gans said.
　Ira turned over and clenched his fists.

''Yes I know. I know that my talents aren't as good as those guys.''
That's why I want you to win.
What?

　Ira looks up.

'It's frustrating, but I'm on the lesser side of the talent spectrum too.

　Gance drops his gaze to his own palm.

''And ... I've seen that most of your current abilities are the result of your own hard work.

　Ganth's eyes looked once more at Ira-san's hands, whose skin was torn and blisters were crushed by training.

''I........I want to see someone like you win against [geniuses who have accumulated a lot of effort]....

　With a huff, Gance smiles.

'I really wanted to be that kind of person but I guess I haven't worked hard enough, yet.

　Ganth held out his hand.

'Go ahead and win, Ira Horne. I'm rooting for you from afar.
Thank you very much...

　And so, Ira gripped Gans' offered hand forcefully with his palm, which still bore evidence of his training.