Once, Cecily Arkwright had successfully attacked those four plagues by tracing the wound once cut and then tracing it further upwards.

　Now that he thought about it, it still seemed like a tremendous feat.
　The opponent was the Four Deadly Disasters, which were famous all over the continent.
　How much concentration and precision was needed to pull off that technique against such an opponent?
　Or so I thought.
　At that time, she might have been in a temporary pseudo-Polar Sky state.

"A pseudo-polar space state?
'I don't think it's impossible. I mean, that's the only explanation I can think of at the moment.

　I replied to Currier-san, who asked me while staring at Cecily-san, who had changed into a leopard.

''What a guy........''

　But there are questions.
　Why hasn't it been triggered before?

　I surmised that.
　What separates whether or not it is activated is whether or not the instincts feel threatened against the opponent.
　Isn't that where the dividing line exists?
　Chairman Koudelka showed a growth that could be called an awakening in this match.
　And that awakening awakened Cecily's pseudo 《Polar Sky》.
　The reason why it was activated during the Four Deadly Disasters was because his instincts judged his opponent to be an 《overwhelming threat》 - if you think about it, it makes sense.

　The match was back in full swing for Cecily-san.
　But.

'Ugh!　But you still can't decide?

　Currier-san slaps her knees in frustration.

''If it's like Kurohiko says, if the current Cecily is in a pseudo 《Polar Sky》 state, then it's worth marveling at. But........it's only a fake.

　Chairman Dristos said.
　There was tension in his voice.
　I could tell that he was talking with his hands sweating.

''There is no reason why the real one is inferior to the fake one.......!

　That was an accurate insight.
　It is true that Ms. Cecily got a boost back.
　But it only turned the negative back to zero.
　It's just gone from underdog to antagonistic.

　With Chairman Koudelka outnumbering him in effective hits, if the battle continued to be evenly matched, Cecily-san would lose as time expired.

''Has Chairman Kudelka evolved too much in this third game.......kook!　But Cecily never gives up!　He'll win!　I promise!
'No!　Unless this antagonism is broken, Cecily can't win!

　Mr. Currier and Chairman Dristos.
　They were so enthusiastic about cheering each other on.
　I, too, was completely enthralled.

　The two men on the battlefield no longer seemed to be saying a word.
　Cecily was so focused on the match that she seemed to be fighting unconsciously.
　The noise in the hall had become meek now.
　His brother, Mr. Diaz, was also watching the fight, looking speechless.
　Prince Hugde, who had been somewhat bored at other games, was watching the game with rapt attention.
　The same goes for his grandfather Gaiden-san.
　The Holy King as well.
　And the guests from other countries.

　Everyone was mesmerized by the other semi-final.

　I put my hand over my mouth as I stared at the game.
　Nevertheless, this match, President Dristos was right....
　If we can't break the deadlock, Cecily-san has no chance of winning.
　The time for the match is past halfway through.

''...........''

　But there's something not quite right about it--

No, no!

　As if to release the pent up tension, a member of the audience shouted a wretch, "I don't know what to do!

'I thought for a moment Cecily Arkwright had gotten back into the swing of things, but it's too late!　You can't win that one!

　Gulp, Currier-san exudes regret.

　What did he feel frustrated about?
　Probably for not being able to argue with him.
　From Curie-san's reaction, I could tell that she hadn't given Cecily-san a plan to get out of this situation.
　I guess we can say that we have both now exhausted our prearranged plans.

''However, Cecily Arkwright did well too...''
Yeah. Because you're only a freshman, right?
So there's still room to grow!
'Yes!　I'd rather congratulate you on a good fight!
Well done, Cecily Arkwright.

　Currier finally glared at the audience as the wind became unbearable.

''Whoa!　What, what...?
'The game isn't over yet.......don't make it sound like Cecily has already lost.......'
..........

　If Currier-san hadn't told me, I would have bitten him.
　The body, which had been about to swing back at an angle, returned to its original position.

'That's right. The game isn't over yet.'
Blackbeard.

　Currier looks pleased with himself.

'And--'
Is there something on your mind, Blackie?
I don't know, this whole situation it's just not...

　What's bugging you?
　Something happened on that battlefield, and now it's happening.

!

　Okay.

It's the Currier.

'What?　Am I...?　Wow, what's wrong with me?

　A pouting Currier said.

'This match is still undecided. 'Look, Currier-san,'

　Unlikely, but possible.

'Little by little Miss Cecily is getting the upper hand, isn't she?
'What?　Ah ... ho, it's true ... mmmm ... you don't think that the wind-up chairman has run out of energy?
No I don't think I'm out of energy.

　From the feel of it, President Koudelka should still have plenty of strength left in him.
　He must have put a lot of effort into building up his physical strength for this Holy Martial Festival.

''Perhaps it's because of his sword personality.
Hmm?　Personality?　Something about the personality of the sword--ah.

　Mr. Currier seems to have noticed.
　That's what I'm talking about.

''No way.........Is that possible?　Against that sword type that has changed excessively...?
It's possible, that's why I'm Miss Cecily.
Oh, um...

　The one who came in there was Ray-senpai.

''What are you talking about...?　I'm not quite sure I understand what you two have just discovered...

　This is where some of the audience members notice the change.

'Oh, that?　Isn't Cecily getting the upper hand?
Really.
'Koudelka's strength is running out...?
'But you don't look that tired...'　

　Currier-san, who understood everything, explains to Lei-senpai while breaking out in a cold sweat.

''Cecily is probably 《preading》 the Fuuki-chan's sword.
'What?　Because our chairman's sword type is now--
'Oh, yes. It's too different from the original mold. But still the core is always there. No matter how thick the paint is, no matter how hard it is coated.

　It's inevitably difficult to smell the "core" behind the thickly-coated layer.
　No.
　Under normal circumstances, it would be close to impossible.

"But?　That trifecta can only be described as an unknown type!　It's too different from the type of chairman I know!　It's something else!

　After letting out a breath that seems to release the tension, Currier-san answers the question.

"But even so - after all, it's also a type derived from the "core" of individuality. Koudelka Ferraris, that's what it's called.

　As if he had finally run out of patience, this time Chairman Dristos interrupted him.

'Oh, no, it can't be!　So that's what it means!　Cecily says that she is constantly anticipating every derivative of Koudelka's sword as she fights!　That's just too unrealistic!
'To be honest, I agree with you, student body president.
What--?
What Cecily is doing now it's just too ... too unrealistic.

　Branches branch out from the core of individuality.
　What kind of pattern will these branches form, and how will they grow out of it?
　Looking at only the thin core of the individuality, we can anticipate all of these branches to be created in the future.
　The fragments of the "personality" accumulated through the battle are incorporated into the core part without a break.
　Then, the accuracy of "anticipation" is further increased.

　Countless anticipation.
　Not just one, but countless.

　Impossible, but possible.

　The girl who was called a genius.
　A genius, Cecily Arkwright.
　And that name is true.

And I finally understand why Kurohiko mentioned my name earlier.

　The reason I answered "Currier-san" earlier was because I felt their traits were similar.

　Curie-san has a trait that the longer she fights, the more she "adapts" to her opponent's fighting style.

　And now, Cecily-san is accumulating data while fighting, and using this huge database, she can predict - calculate - the next attack of the opponent, and then "adapt" to the opponent's fighting style.

　Very, very similar.

''.........''

　Well, this is more of a story about who is Currier-san who can do that on a daily basis even though there is no such thing as a pseudo 《Polar Sky》 state.......

''Oh!　Cecily Arkwright's fourth effective hit!

　Cecily, who pushed back at once, took the fourth effective hit.
　She even predicted her opponent's "Unknown Derivation Type" in anticipation.
　Could this be called a form of future vision?

　She was looking at the landscape beyond that of the anticipation of the anticipation, and even beyond that of the anticipation.

　At that time, a strong light was emitted.

　The light was above the buttocks of Chairman Koudelka.

　Was the holy element kneaded to its maximum value?

　Due to the specifications of the holy warrior's bracelet, there is a ceiling on the amount of holy element that can be kneaded.
　The amount of holy elements that could be kneaded into the ring was probably just barely enough to reach the ceiling.
　And if you make the slightest mistake in manipulating the amount of holy elements, you will exceed the limit of the bracelet and be disqualified at that point.
　Of course, if you increase the amount of holy elements, the load on your body would also increase.
　However, I'm sure Chairman Koudelka is well aware of the risk.

　He went into the game after preparing for it.

"Y--effective strike!

　Whoa, they cheered.

'Got it!　Koudelka has returned one effective hit!

　It's mean.
　If I go that far, we're both..........

It's four against four!

　Senior Lei lifted his hips and raised his voice.

''If you've come this far, you have no choice but to win, Chairman!

　When I looked, I saw that Mr. Dearles in the audience was also floating on his haunches.

'Just shove it in, Cecily!

　What followed there was.

"Dear Cecily!　We're going to give it another go!
But if it's Cecily, you can win!

　Zeke and Mr. Hyrgis, who were watching the game from a different location than us.

　The next thing we heard was the voices of the members of the windbreakers.
　No - there were also the voices of the members of the student council mixed in.

''President Koudelka!　The Chairman can do it!　We'll definitely win!
Get it, Mr. Chairman....
You should win for our chairman now, Mr. Koudelka!

　As if he couldn't hold back, Beoza-san, who was watching the game, also raised her voice.

''In order to gain momentum for my final match I need you to win here, Koudelka!

　Then, as if unintentionally, Currier stood up too.

'Go ahead, Cecily!　You're the best swordsman I've ever known!　In this semifinal, you're going to win!

　Chairman Dristos also stands up.

'Koudelka!　You can win!　This Feast of the Holy War, I entrust you with everything I have!　So - let's not win!

　The expression on his face was no longer that of one who calls out to his dog and monkey counterpart.
　It was already that of a pure cheerleader.

　The two of them on the battlefield.

　One foot in front of the other, pausing in time.


　A world without sound.


　Maybe those two can't hear the sounds of the hall anymore.
　Maybe all they can hear is each other's heartbeats and breathing sounds.

　Chairman Koudelka waved a small sword in his right hand.
　Cecily catches it with the sword in her left hand.

　Chairman Koudelka bends his body to gain momentum and sharply swings down the long sword in his mouth.
　Cecily launched the sword in her right hand and flicked the swing back.
　Chairman Koudelka recoils from the recoil of the bullet.
　However, he doesn't relax his attacker's hand.

　He didn't stop moving and came straight for an effective strike with his right hand sheath.

　Cecily's divine speed return blade forcefully flicks the sheath of the long sword approaching from the right.
　The scabbard was separated from Chairman Koudelka's hand.

　But was there recklessness in the way the return blade was applied to the force?
　Cecily's right-hand sword slid over the battle platform at almost the same speed as the flicked sheath, and then moved away.

　The sword in her left hand is now equal to a battle of forces.

　The only weapon that can move into an attacking stance here and now is the long sword attached to Chairman Koudelka's mouth that was launched.

　Everyone thought that if she returned to the state where she could use it, President Koudelka would win.


　At that moment, Cecily-san's hand reached out to Chairman Koudelka's "waist".


''Ah.''

　That's right.

　That's right.

　There was one more weapon.



　Chairman Koudelka's "Scabbard of the Small Sword"...



　Cecily pulled out the scabbard of the small sword.

　Immediately after, Chairman Koudelka's left hand cut the sky.
　Was she not used to pulling out the scabbard that was inserted on the left side of her waist with her left hand, compared to pulling it out with her right hand?
　The movement, there was no familiarity with it.
　And the one who pulled out that scabbard faster than its owner--



---------.



　Faster than her opponent's long sword could be used, the scabbard of the small taiji in Cecily Arkwright's hand--



　Firmly, I struck Chairman Koudelka's left arm, hard.



　I was at a loss for words.
　I could see clearly.

　I didn't see Cecily-san [not seeing].

　She hadn't moved her 《gaze》 to the scabbard when she pulled the sheath of her small sword from Chairman Koudelka's waist.
　Her eyes were looking straight at the long sword in the opponent's mouth.
　That's probably why Chairman Koudelka was also slow to realize that the opponent was aiming for the sheath of the small taiji sword.
　Just before, it was possible that he was trying to take away this long sword of the mouth, ''Isn't he trying to take away this long sword of the mouth? He may have been thinking about it.


　It's highly likely that the presence or absence of that thinking time made the difference in the game.


　In short, Cecily-san had done all the "calculation".
　It could be so.
　She had calculated the entire series of movements after they had closed the gap between them.

　Hence, there was no need for her to move her gaze towards the scabbard of the small sword.

　How would Chairman Koudelka move?
　Where would the scabbard of the kotai sword come in?
　Where should I reach out and with what degree of force should I pull it out?
　What should I aim for after pulling it out?

　Because I had calculated all of this, I was able to avoid anticipating their next move with my eye movements.

　I was able to make my opponent use the time to think.
　I was able to turn the difference in thinking time into a victory.

　I think I understand it better now.
　And the reason why that hibigami wanted that talent so badly that it made me want to take him to the apocalypse.

''Yu........effective strike!

　Lili took a breath and shouted cheerfully.


'The winner, Cecily Arkwright!