Light Novel Volume 09

The ninth Light Novel volume of the series released on December 11, 2015.

Summary
The finals stage of the Seven Stars Sword Battle Festival has come. As the battle between Ikki and his cherished lover and greatest rival, Stella, approaches, a last-minute change happens. Powerful people who have fought with him before appear once more as his sparring partners: Raikiri (Touka), the Seven Stars Sword King (Yudai), and the Sword Emperor of Wind (Ouma). Before them, the Uncrowned Sword King sharpens his fangs to their utmost limit!!

"In this last battle for the knight's crown, I want to fight with you"

To realize the promise they exchanged before, the curtains to the tournament's historical, severe, rigorous, beautiful, bog-like battle unfolds!

Chapters
Chapter 14: Rising Spirit

It’s the morning of the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival final match which will be held later that night. Hagun’s student council members are outside the dome and Renren is surprised that it’s still morning but many people are already waiting. Saijou says though not everyone can enter, there will be additional outdoor monitors. Misogi is not feeling well being surrounded by so many people and feels very hot. Kanata feels fine even in her usual outfit as long as she does her best to bear with it. She also says Touka is not here with them because she has an urgent business to do. They then talk about who will win the tournament final match. Saijou thinks Stella will win because her ability is very powerful, but Renren thinks Ikki could still win with his techniques. During Ikki’s match with Renren, he grabbed the back of her collar and then slammed her to the ground. Ikki’s arm should have been torn apart but he circulated the force and then used it to power up his slamming Renren to the ground. She believes the same principle can be used against Stella’s monstrous strength and Ikki is fast enough to dodge her attacks. It becomes a strong argument between Saijou saying that power is what matters and Renren saying speed is the most important. Misogi tells them to stop and have the heated conversation somewhere cooler. Kanata suggests that they all go to a hotel and have something to eat there.

Kurono and Nene are on the terrace of a hotel with Nene jokingly saying like a villain that the people down there look like a pile of garbage. She felt like trying to say it when she’s at a high place. They then talk about Stella’s improvement after her one week training with Nene. Even Nene was surprised that such monster was sleeping and Kurono remarks that Stella’s huge appetite was probably influenced by her dragon power while glancing at the pile of room service remnants. Stella is inside the room sleeping on a bed. Kurono then asks Nene how she thinks the match between Ikki and Stella will go. Nene thinks it will be a high level battle and either of them will die if they hold back, like when Nene and Kurono fought in the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. However, Nene can’t see Stella losing against Ikki. Kurono says they can’t leave it to half-assed knights to take care of things when the match becomes too dangerous. When it comes to it Kurono and Nene will take care of it themselves, just like how Nangou and Ryouma did during Kurono and Nene’s match.

At a training ground open to tournament participants, Ikki is training with Alice on a ring. Ikki moves towards Alice fast, and Alice retreats back as he threw three of his ‘Darkness Hermit’ knives to the ground and says ‘Shadow Beast (animal caricature)’. The knives create some black puddles on the ring, and then two tigers and one bear come out of them. Ikki easily takes them down with his fast sword slashes, but a black fog is then created from the fallen ‘Shadow Beasts’. Alice had planned on using it as a camouflage so that the moment Ikki’s vision is blocked he could travel from his own shadow to Ikki’s shadow using ‘Shadow Walk’. Alice comes out of Ikki’s shadow and swings ‘Darkness Hermit’ at Ikki from behind, thinking that he got him. However, Ikki’s sword comes from his body’s side towards Alice’s forehead. Alice manages to block the thrust with his dagger, but during that opening Ikki kicks Alice in the abdomen and sends him rolling backwards. Alice says Ikki is mean for kicking a maiden in the stomach, though Ikki has doubts on what Alice just said. Alice then says he’s glad that Ikki’s body is in good condition now after being asleep for a whole day, and Ikki replies it’s thanks to Alice having a mock battle with him. Ikki is actually worried about fighting Stella though, and Shizuku hands him a towel to wipe his cold sweat. Ikki knows Stella is not the same as before when they had that mock battle and so he needs to be as strong as he can get before his match with Stella starts. Then, Touka and Moroboshi enter the training ground. Ikki had contacted both of them to help him, and they also brought Byakuya Jougasaki, Momiji Asagi, Renji Kaga and the Hagure twins. Some of them want to get payback and some want to try having a match with Ikki once. Ikki thanks them for coming and they are about to start the mock battles.

Rinna, Charlotte, Sara and Tsukikage are having drinks at a café, but no one can see them because Sara is using ‘Color of Magic’. Rinna apologizes that all of Akatsuki students had lost in the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival but Tsukikage says that it’s fine since they all did well. Tsukikage created Akatsuki Academy as part of his plan to sever Japan’s relationship with the League of Mage-Knight Nations. He hired Rebellion to be part of Akatsuki through his connection with Kouzou Kazamatsuri, who is his old friend and one of Rebellion’s ‘Numbers’ (12 Apostles). Tsukikage also says if Akatsuki didn’t work then he will just make a different move and asks if Rinna will help him again when the time comes, which she agrees. Then, a woman approaches them even though they should be invisible due to Sara’s ‘Color of Magic’, but they know it’s natural for her. The woman is Edelweiss wearing casual clothes as seen in a pic and she greets them. Edelweiss came to watch the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival final match and Tsukikage didn’t expect that Edelweiss has an interest in watching a battle between students. Rinna says the ‘Brynhildr (war maiden)’ did fight Ikki during Operation Beowulf. Edelweiss is confused over what Rinna just said, but Sara says not to think about it too much since it is Rinna’s usual sickness. Charlotte then says what Rinna meant was that it is because Edelweiss fought Ikki when they attacked Hagun Academy, which Edelweiss confirms. Edelweiss then says she watched the semi-finals on TV and was surprised Ouma was defeated one-sidedly, but she was even more surprised that Amane couldn’t even do a thing. Not just Stella, Ikki is also approaching the same stage as Edelweiss and so most likely they will cross swords again. Thus, Edelweiss is interested in watching the match and she says she’s not the only one as she looks towards a man wearing a visor in the crowds who also notices them sitting. Tsukikage recognizes the man is from the US and Edelweiss says agents from various powers have gathered here. Tsukikage then tells Edelweiss that special front row seats have been prepared.

Ikki already had mock battles with the Hagure sisters and Jougasaki, and defeated them without receiving any injury. He is now fighting Momiji, who is amazed of Ikki’s skills and thinks that he’s too strong. Even though she has confidence in her sword skills from being Nangou’s disciple, she can tell that Ikki’s skills are much superior. After countless clashes of their swords, Momiji gets pushed back by Ikki. She then creates a wall of fire in front of her using ‘Enmaku (fire screen)’, but Ikki just cuts it down with a strong slash. Momiji is surprised by it and during that moment Ikki moves fast towards her. It’s too late for Momiji to avoid it and even ‘Trackless Step’ won’t work well against Ikki. Thus, she covers her device ‘Hibachi (fire hornet)’ with flame that will cover Ikki’s whole body even if the flame only grazes him. However, Ikki suddenly disappears from Momiji’s sight by using ‘Trackless Step’ and then slashes at her body. Their devices are in ‘illusionary form’, so red magical light called ‘blood light’ comes out of the area in Momiji’s body where she is injured and her body collapses to the ground. Ikki then thanks Momiji for the sparring though she feels she didn’t help much. Suddenly, there is a voice saying ‘Tekkoudan (armor-piercing bullet) that interrupts Ikki and Momiji. Kaga, who is almost twice the size of Ikki and over four times his weight, launches a surprise iron palm strike that is aimed at Ikki’s head from behind. However, Ikki receives it with his own palm without moving which surprises Momiji. It is due to Ikki circulating the force he received to beneath his feet, causing the ring arena to be cracked and crushed. Ikki then pushes back Kaga’s arm causing him to bend backwards. At that moment, Ikki slashes at Kaga with his sword and then Kaga’s large body falls to the ground. Shizuku gets mad at Kaga’s surprise attack but Ikki says that it’s fine because a knight must be careful at any time and then thanks Kaga like he did with Momji and the others. Touka then says that she will be Ikki’s next opponent.

Even though Ikki already had five mock battles in a row he’s fine with starting his match with Touka immediately. The match starts with Touka launching from a distance towards Ikki her Noble Art ‘Raiou (lightning seagull)’, the same crescent-shaped lightning slash she used in her match against Shizuku during Hagun’s representative battles. Ikki easily avoids the lightning slash by making a side step to the right. However, Touka keeps shooting ‘Raiou’ at Ikki to make him continuously moving left and right alternately. Moroboshi says that Touka has realized from watching Ikki’s match with Moroboshi in the tournament first round that Ikki can’t use the 0 to 100 burst speed of Edelweiss’ technique while making sudden stops and directional changes. Touka’s continuous attacks are putting a load on Ikki’s lower body and so Ikki will eventually get caught at this rate. But Ikki knows this as well and so he avoids ‘Raiou’ by running towards the gap below the lightning attack. Ikki moves towards Touka so fast that she has no time to return her sword to her sheath and use ‘Raikiri’. Ikki attacks Touka multiple times with his sword and Touka is able to counter well. He manages to throw her off balance and during that moment he plans to deliver a slash that will defeat her. The speed of Ikki’s sword swing should be faster than Touka’s, however she is able to attack back faster. Ikki is surprised by it and is able to block in time. When their swords are in contact, Ikki’s body is struck with electric shock. When Ikki’s movement stops for a moment, Touka raises her sword in order to cut him down. However, Ikki uses his body control technique to manipulate his heart muscle and obscure neurotransmission in order to recover from the electric shock. Ikki avoids Touka’s huge swing with a side step and it should be a chance for Ikki to attack. But once again their swords meet instead and it becomes a close range sword fight.

Ikki should have faster sword swing but he can’t break through Touka and is starting to fall behind. The reason is because Touka is able to return her blade very fast using electromagnetic attraction and repulsion present in the special magnetic field she created. This is her Noble Art ‘Inazuma (lightning)’ which she devised in the past year as a countermeasure to Moroboshi’s ‘Houkiboshi’. The burden on the wrist is not ordinary so it can’t be used randomly, but it can be used to rattle the opponent’s rhythm. Touka launches a thrust and Ikki retreats in order to avoid it. Both Shizuku and Moroboshi are surprised that Ikki got pushed back in close range battle. Moroboshi thinks that Touka is much stronger than last year. Touka pursues the retreating Ikki until he stumbles on the part of the ring that got crushed from receiving Kaga’s attack earlier thus causing his body to be off balance. Ikki has no choice but to block Touka’s incoming sword with his sword and once again receives electric shock when their swords are in contact. Touka plans to release ‘Raikiri’ during that moment which the blast should be enough to knock him down even if Ikki dodges the slash. However, Touka is unable to return her sword to her sheath because a fragment of the ring is lodged at the mouth of her sheath. Ikki actually went to the broken part of the ring on purpose and kicked a fragment of the broken ring towards the sheath. Once Touka becomes defenseless during that moment, Ikki recovers from the electric shock and slits her throat, ending the match. Touka is surprised that 'Raikiri' could be overcome through such method. Though it was a surprise attack that can’t be used again, Touka is still impressed by Ikki’s creativeness and says she has learned something. Ikki thanks Touka for the match and she also thanks him. As Ikki and Touka are complimenting each other, Moroboshi interrupts them and says he will be fighting Ikki next.

Moroboshi won’t use ‘Tiger Bite’ because Ikki has a match with Stella today, but he’s looking forward to having a mock battle with him. The match starts with Ikki moving around Moroboshi, forming a circle. During their match in the tournament’s first round, Moroboshi was heavily wounded which made him unable to keep up with Ikki’s speed during that time. But this time it is dangerous for Ikki to get close because right now Moroboshi’s body is in perfect condition and he has better understanding of the ‘Twin Wings’ swordplay that Ikki uses. Even so, Ikki can only obtain victory by getting close to his opponent and cutting him down. Ikki then moves fast towards Moroboshi, but he can’t get close because Moroboshi launches countless ‘Sanrensei’. The speed of the thrusts are much faster than during their previous match that even Ikki with his ‘Twin Wings’ swordplay can’t repel them all. This is ‘Sanrensei’ at its fastest speed when it’s not mixed with ‘Houkiboshi’ and along with ‘Tiger Bite’ not being used. Ikki thinks that rather than three-linked stars, it is more like a meteor shower. Ikki then uses ‘Shinkirou’, moving left and rightfast to create afterimages. However, Moroboshi is able to chase after the real Ikki because he has seen through the preparation of using ‘Shinkirou’. Moroboshi’s spear hits Ikki’s sword hard, causing Ikki to be blown away towards the edge of the ring arena.

“Don’t think the same trick will work twice on a first-class. Your thinking is naïve.”

“…..Huh? Won’t work twice? Botan-chan”

“Or rather, that was the reason for his defeat in the first round’s match”

“That means he’s a second-rate”

“S, shut up! Outsiders just be quiet!”

Ikki once again rushes towards Moroboshi and plans to use ‘Dokuga no Tachi’ when Moroboshi thrusts back. However, when ‘Intetsu’ is about to touch the spear tip of ‘Tora-Ou’, Moroboshi immediately pulled back his spear and thrusts at Ikki again. Moroboshi only manages to graze Ikki because Ikki is able to hit the incoming blade with the butt of his sword’s handle and divert the trajectory of the thrust. After moving away from the spear’s reach, Ikki asks why Moroboshi didn’t take the bait since he shouldn’t have seen ‘Dokuga no Tachi’ before. Moroboshi replies it was because he had a bad feeling. Ikki then decides there’s one thing left he can do and takes a stance with his sword aiming at Moroboshi. While in that stance, he moves forward slowly with all his focus on Moroboshi. Once Ikki starts entering Moroboshi’s territory, Moroboshi delivers rainstorm of thrusts like before which keeps hitting Ikki’s sword. However, no matter how many times Moroboshi thrusts at him, Ikki doesn’t get pushed back at all and just keeps moving forward. Ikki has cut off all other unnecessary senses and minimize his body movements, putting all of his concentration into his sword. Ikki keeps defending and attacking while moving forward causing Moroboshi to get pushed back towards the corner of the ring arena. Moroboshi had repeated the same attacks many times and as a result Ikki was able to see through it. Ikki adjusts the power, angle and speed of Moroboshi’s attacks while repelling them. Once Moroboshi is at the corner of the ring, he becomes hasty and delivers a crude thrust. Ikki allows the thrust to pierce his own shoulder so that Moroboshi can’t counterattack. While ‘Tora-Ou’ is caught, Ikki moves forward to pierce Moroboshi’s heart and defeats him.

Everyone couldn’t really give everything they had during the mock battles because Ikki will have a match with Stella later today. However, Ikki could tell that they still gave the best they could and so he thanks everyone for all the help. Moroboshi replies that it’s fine as long as Ikki wins the tournament. Ikki is still not confident since it will be the toughest battle in his life, but Moroboshi says that they can keep going at it until Ikki becomes confident to fight Stella. But before they can continue, Ouma suddenly enters the room. Ikki had asked Ouma to come to have a mock battle with him before the tournament final match, though he’s surprised that Ouma really came. Ouma says he has some free time and he also wants to see Ikki’s strength. Ouma believes that Ikki’s defeat is already decided by fate since in the first place he is an F-rank while Stella is an A-rank. He further says that if Ikki still plans to stand before that ‘dragon’ with his half-ass strength then it is the older brother’s duty to cut down the stupid younger brother before that happens. After Ouma manifests his device, Ikki thinks that Ouma has a point because if Ikki can’t win against Ouma then he won’t be able to defeat Stella. Ikki then manifests his device and is ready to start his mock battle with Ouma.

Ouma and Ikki begin their match by charging straight towards each other but Ikki uses ‘Shinkirou’ to create an afterimage. Ouma cuts down the afterimage as planned and at that moment Ikki is about to strike down the defenseless Ouma. However, after swinging down his sword Ouma immediately unleashes a shoulder sharge. Ikki blocks it with ‘Intetsu’ but he is blown away towards behind by the 500 kg weight of Ouma’s body. While Ikki is recovering his stance, Ouma pursues him and delivers a series of slashes and thrusts that are as fast as Moroboshi’s ‘Sanrensei’. It is Kyokujitsu Isshin-ryuu (rising sun one mind style) · Retsu no Kiwami (highest of sequence) – ‘Amatsukaze’, an ougi (secret technique) of the Kyokujitsu Isshin-ryuu that’s been passed down through the Kurogane family for generations that consists of 108 consecutive strikes. The powerful and fast strikes are designed to overwhelm the opponent and cause him unable to do anything. However, Ikki was actually aiming for this and is waiting for a hole in ‘Amatsukaze’. When a chance occurs in between the 57th and 58th strikes, Ikki uses ‘Raikou’ which has improved ever since he acquired the ‘Twin Wings’ swordplay. The side of Ouma’s sword is struck which causes his body off balance and his combination of attacks to stop. Ikki then immediately uses ‘Dokuga no Tachi’ which should work on Ouma despite his steel-like body. However, Ouma has put on ‘Tenryuu Armor’ and so Ikki gets blown away towards behind instead the moment his sword touches Ouma’s body that is covered by the armor of windstorm. Ouma then creates ‘Shinkuuha’ which the vacuum blade heads towards where Ikki lands after being blown away.

After being blown away, Ikki launches ‘Saigeki’ by making use of the force from the impact of his landing and then kicking the ground strongly to leap straight towards Ouma in a thrust. The fast and powerful thrust destroys the incoming vacuum blade and is about to hit Ouma’s body. Ouma then makes a stance that suggests he’s about to release Kyokujitsu Isshin-ryuu · Jin no Kiwami (highest of swiftness) – ‘Amaterasu’, an ougi that is his fastest attack which he uses all of his muscles to deliver a very fast slash. Ouma’s ‘Amaterasu’ has better speed and reach than Ikki’s incoming thrust, so Ouma’s sword should hit Ikki first. However, the moment Ouma releases ‘Amaterasu’ towards Ikki who is leaping straight towards him, Ikki lowers the tip of ‘Intetsu’ and stabs the ground. Ikki uses ‘Intetsu’ as a pole vault to jump over ‘Amaterasu’ and then kicks the ceiling strongly to deliver another ‘Saigeki’ towards Ouma. ‘Amaterasu’ is a move which the user gives everything he has into one slash but becomes wide open after using it. Ikki’s thrust pierces through the armor of windstorm and hits Ouma’s clavicle. Ikki has seen through the shape and density of Ouma’s muscles from his movements, and so Ikki’s blade should be able to pierce through Ouma’s body. But Ouma protrudes his muscles before the pierced blade can cause lethal injury and thus stopping the blade as if catching it in between his muscles. Ikki pulls out his sword but Ouma grabs him and then throws him into the ground. Ikki was able to use an ukemi (the art of falling safely) and distributed the impact to the ring, but his posture is bad. While Ikki is on one knee, Ouma swings his sword down towards Ikki with all his strength. Ikki swings his sword to receive the attack though he shouldn’t be able to withstand such heavy attack while in that position. However, Ouma instead gets blown away in the next moment and he’s pushed out of the ring.

Everyone who was watching the match including Touka and Moroboshi couldn’t understand what happened during that last attack. But Ouma, who was blown away by the attack, understands how it happened. While his arm is numb, Ouma glares at Ikki while saying that it is just like Ikki to use such trickery. Ikki replies that despite so, Ouma was the one down on the ground. Ikki adds that his sword is not for him to become strong but for him to win against his opponents. He will use everything that he can do to win against others who are stronger than him. This is the answer his weak self has come up with, and he’s not ashamed of it even if Ouma thinks that Ikki’s sword is a fraud. Ouma wonders if this is another form of strength and he asks if Ikki’s satisfied with his sword only able to push Ouma off the arena. Ouma then gets back on the ring with his sword covered in tornado of wind as if it’s a claw of a heavenly dragon. Ouma tells Ikki to be prepared because Ouma will use all of his techniques on Ikki. Ouma also says Ikki should make the most of it and show that he can overturn fate. Ikki is surprised that Ouma would go along with him this far. While he’s feeling deeply appreciated, Ikki prepares his stance and the cold sweat he’s been having has stopped. Elsewhere, Stella wakes up on her bed and her consciousness is completely clear. She takes off the bathrobe she’s wearing and then stands in front of a large mirror, looking at her own naked body as shown in the colored pic. She confirms that she’s completely filled with energy from the meal she had before she went to bed, and is in her best condition ever. She is now prepared to head for the highest stage where her strongest opponent is waiting.

Final Chapter (First Part): The Promised Time

It is night time and over a million people have gathered near the dome arena where the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival final match is being held. After the introductory speech by Iida is finished, everyone then becomes excited. Stella is entering the ring arena from one of the gates while she’s being introduced. All members of Hagun’s student council are together as they watch Stella’s dignified entrance. Edelweiss who is also watching Stella’s entrance remarks that this is the first time she sees Stella in person. She also says Stella is a very remarkable character and that even someone like Edelweiss loses to Stella in mana quantity. Ikki then enters the arena from the other gate while being introduced. Moroboshi, Shizuku and Alice are just behind the fence closest to the ring arena. Alice is worried about Ikki’s stamina after having mock battles for hours recently, but Moroboshi says Ikki is not the kind of man who would make a stupid mistake like warming up too much. Even so Shizuku is still worried because of who Ikki’s opponent is. Nene and Kurono who are also watching from somewhere say that Ikki needs to be in top gear all the time or else he will lose to Stella. Kurono then gets mad at Nene, who is holding a huge bucket of popcorn, for being in holiday mode but Nene says not to worry because she will move when it comes to it. Despite being dejected, Kurono eventually asks for some popcorn which Nene refuses. Kaieda is with Iida to provide commentary. Ikki and Stella are finally standing together on the same ring arena. Both of them had been looking forward to fulfill the promise they made to be here and now it has come true. Stella says she has been chasing after Ikki’s back but now she’s going to surpass him, and she then manifests ‘Laevateinn’. Ikki replies that he never thought he was ahead of Stella but even so he won’t let her surpass him, and he then manifests ‘Intetsu’. The final battle of the Seven Stars Sword Art Tournament then begins after the signal has been given.

Final Chapter (Last Part): People Standing as Equals

Characters

 * Ikki Kurogane
 * Stella Vermillion
 * Ouma Kurogane
 * Tohka Todo
 * Yudai Moroboshi
 * Edelweiss
 * Ikazuchi Saijou
 * Renren Tomaru
 * Shizuku Kurogane
 * Nagi Arisuin
 * Utakata Misogi

Translation
Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan Translation Blog: https://jasonwanderblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/17/rakudai-all-parts-with-images/ (partial)