Saint Raspberry Belle. She is too strong for any amount of strength--.

　The crowd's enthusiasm reached an all-time high.


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

　One man stares at it in a boring way.

　It is Rave. He doesn't care that his own father is stunned by his cruel defeat, he just stares with cold eyes at the cheering raspberry bell.

　He had one thing in mind - I wouldn't (...) fall for it.

　The only thing I could think of was that such a blatant guidance, or rather, that it was crazy to fall for it.

　It was an obsession with Ichusenza. Rothman was out of his mind, after all. In order to regain his former glory as soon as possible, he had devoted the last six months of his life solely to taking measures against the second, which was, to put it bluntly, a fool's errand. Rave calmly analyzes that frustration and narrowing of vision is definitely the reason why he fell for Raspberry Bell's frame-up, he says.


'...... easy, I guess.'

　He doesn't have the same carelessness as his father.

　Raspberry Belle's status was too low. It was even fatal in a swordfight, such as a low STR that couldn't be shaved off even after hitting Rothman with seven "Silver General Sword Art" shots.

　Even before the start of the match, Rave had an overwhelming advantage.
　It is safe to assume that the match will begin with a handicap of more than two cards down, so to speak (no use of the Dragon King, Dragon Horse, Flying Car, or Kakugyo). The two of them were that much of a status difference.

　Rave didn't doubt his own victory in the slightest, muttering as if it was natural.

''I'll be the one fighting the second triple crown.





　Ippenza Challenger Tournament Final.

　The match between Rave and Raspberry Belle.

　There was a cold silence between the two men facing each other in the center of the arena.

　One looked boring, bored, and cold-eyed.
　The other, cold eyes, like they were observing a carp on a cutting board.


I heard Senpai say it best. "Isn't he a genius?

　Raspberry Belle was the first to open her mouth.

　Rave instantly understood that what she meant by sempai meant the Second Triple Crown.

　It was a word that came as a surprise to him.

''What? Really?''

　The boy, who was cold to everything, reacted for the first time in a reaction-like manner.

　Seeing this, Raspberry Belle opened her mouth, the corners of her mouth rising.

'Well, how did it go?'
............

　In an instant, Rave's grumpiness returned.

　Raspberry Belle's words were undeniably true, but Rave thought it was a lie to tease him.


'I saw the first game and the next. You're pretty good for a young guy.'

　The next thing that came out was a compliment from her own.

　However, Rave can't take it in stride.


''I'm a genius.''

　Rave returns it plainly, without showing any humility.


　...... genius. He has been told that all his life by those around him growing up.

　In fact, he's probably a genius. The fact that he is standing here at the young age of 16 is the best proof of that.

　But ...... he does not yet know the weight of the word "genius".

　He has never been exposed to a true genius.


I've never been shaken before.
......?
You've never cried in your life.
...... No.

　In response to Raspberry Belle's question, Rave snickered, "What's the norm?


'Because I've never lost,'


　There was no need to shake, no need to cry.

　It always has been, and always will be.


I guess.

　After all, he has never known defeat in a serious competition.

　Raspberry Bell, whose prediction was correct, smiled ...... and said with a grin.


'You'll have to learn that first, lad.

　Clearly a 'down' looking gesture.

　Rave frowned silently and took his own position.


'Bow to each other!　Ready!

　At the call of the judge, he curtsied languidly and loosely held his longsword.

　After showing a graceful bow, Raspberry Belle took out - "Mithril Longsword" from her inventory - from her inventory.


　No matter what you come to, your advantage will not be moved ...... and. Rave's mind is undisturbed and he just focuses on the opponent in front of him.



''-- Begin!

　As soon as the match was signaled to begin, both sides began to close the gap between the two sides.

　Raspberry Belle is not an idiot who would try the same frame-up technique for two matches in a row. I knew that Rave knew that, ...... but it was questionable that she wouldn't bring out a large sword that would make up for her weaknesses while the distance between the two sides was still open.

............

　Still, what Rave does remains the same.

　At the stage when the timing was tight, he unleashed the 《Infantry Sword Art》 and 《Katsuma Sword Art》 compound with a thrust towards his right foot.

He didn't know the name 'Seven System', but he called this series of set marks 'Second Style'.

　Six months ago, his father took him to watch the Ichibenza fight as usual, as his father always did.


　Since that time, he has been a prisoner of the second formula, or rather, the second .......


　He felt that his own father was somehow trivial to him. People would call this a rebellion, but in his case it was different. Because his talent was far beyond his father's.

　Certainly, Rothman has a first-class technique. However, to Rave, all of his techniques seem to be boring swordsmanship.

　That's not only for Rothman. Everyone who competes in the Ikusenza fight is bored. They all use boring swordsmanship. That's certainly what I was thinking ...... until half a year ago.


The End.

　Once he entered the change of the second formula, his own victory would be decided.

　Rave was convinced that.


　--There was no way he could lose. My admiration, my goal, that strongest man, that strongest man, the swordsmanship of the Second Isshuiza, could not be defeated.



'No. It's just the beginning.

　At the same time as Raspberry Bell's calm tsukimi, he plunged into the set trail.

　The second move, Raspberry Belle ducked with a large step back.
　Third move, Rave aimed at Raspberry Belle's hand that was thrown out into the air and slashed up with 《Infantry Sword Art》.
　Fourth move, evading. Having evaded a bit larger in the second move, I can avoid it with plenty of time to spare here.
　Fifth move, he prepares the Flying Car Kenjutsu and unleashes a thrust into Raspberry Bell's bosom.

　And the sixth move. Raspberry Belle used a combination of 《Kakuyo Kenjutsu》 and 《Katsura Ma Kenjutsu》 to thrust into Rave's face.

　《Katsura Ma Kenjutsu》 had a kryptonite effect, and hitting the kryptonite had 200% firepower at nine levels. The Kryptonite Judgment would mainly come from a face to neck or heart attack if it was against a human.


I know.

　This turnaround, Rave had expected.

　This is a scene of power difference. I'm not going to be able to get the best out of it.

　If that's the case, it's best to attack each other without daring to duck.

　It's decided - Rave is convinced of victory.



''Idiot.''

　Raspberry Bell spilled a word.


　--In a moment, everything goes into slow motion.

　And then her sword tip falls slowly and slowly downward, like a frame-by-frame motion, aiming at ...... Rave's hand (.).



''...... ......!''


　Cringe. In an instant, I break out in a cold sweat.


　It was really a stupid carelessness (・・・・). Just because the 《Katsura Ma Kenjutsu》 has a special effect on the kryptonite, it doesn't necessarily mean that they will aim for the kryptonite.


　Raspberry Belle swings the Mithril Longsword down into Rave's hand while lowering her left leg and ducking her body.

　Rave's longsword deviates slightly from Raspberry Belle's pocket and is thrown out into the air.


　Immediately afterwards, an intense pain shot through the tip of his left hand.

　Numbness envelops my entire arm and I unintentionally let go of the long sword.



''


　...... lie.

　Rave wanted to scream.


　It's too disgusting.

　So easy, so easily, to be defeated.

　It's an unforgivable humiliation more than anything else.


　But ...... no matter how much I regret it, it's too late.

"Normally I wouldn't make such a dumb mistake," he would explain in his mind.

　But I made an inadvertent mistake. I can't change that fact. There was no way to take it back now.


　Karan - and the long sword falls to the ground.

　What Rave, who raised his face, saw was ...... the figure of Raspberry Bell holding a large sword (...) when he put out ...... one.


"...... Ours has shaken and cried at times. Do you know why?

　Raspberry Belle spoke to the unarmed Rave as she ruthlessly began to prepare the 《Dragon King Sword Art》 in front of him.

''Why .......''

Because I want to win. I don't know why. I want to win. I absolutely want to win. I want to win, I want to win, I want to win, I want to win so bad that I'm dying to win, and I'm going to work like hell to win.

　Preparations for the 《Dragon King Sword Art》 were finished.

　Rave forgot to pick up his sword and just listened to Raspberry Bell's words in a daze.


You know, a genius is not a cold-hearted person who can do just about anything at will, like you think. No matter how much you lose, no matter how frustrating it is, he's the one who can risk everything to win. Someone who is strong and strong, stronger than anyone else, who wants to win.

......!!!


　In a moment, Rave felt tremendously ashamed of himself.

　Looking back, he had never once tried so hard to risk everything.

　He thought it was somehow uncool to try so hard without any room to spare.


　Now, at this time, I must regret not taking the second long sword out of my inventory.
　Now, at this moment, he must be ashamed of himself for not going to pick up the long sword that had been played off, with a desperate desire to do so.


　I had made a mistake.

　The Second Triple Crown is not a genius because I can afford to do everything.
　They are geniuses because they have a strong desire to win more than anyone else and are able to risk it all.



''You see, ...... the end or...''

　Raspberry Bell spoke one last word and swung down the "Dragon King Sword Art" with his great sword.

　No matter how much of a status difference there was between them, if it was a direct hit, there would be no room for one more.


　I lost.

　In a serious match, in front of a lot of people, I lost for the first time.

　A very unbearable feeling, as if everything about me was denied.

　It's frustrating. Embarrassed. And it hurts to death (...)

　In a few hours, I will cry. A few days will pass, and I will shake.

　And yet, somehow ...... his feelings were so refreshing.


'Thank you so much,'

　-- she let me meet the person I admire. Indirectly, she allowed me to meet the person I admire.


　Thus, his first single flash battle came to an end with a word of thanks.