Selection Battle Arc

Selection Battle Arc is the first arc of the Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan light novel series. It includes the first three volumes. It is followed by the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival Arc.

Volume 1
The story takes place in an alternate world, where there are people, called Blazers, who possess magical abilities, and use these abilities through weapons called Devices. One of these Blazers is Ikki Kurogane, a first year repeater student at Hagun Academy, who is studying to become a Mage-Knight. Ikki though is a failed knight, having an F-Rank, the lowest possible rank a Blazer can have. Ikki gets into a conflict with a new transfer student, Stella Vermillion, who is the 2nd Princess of Vermillion and Ikki's new roommate. This leads into a fight between the two.

Despite his low ranking, and small amount of magic, Ikki manages to present a challenge to Stella, copying her swordsmanship. Stella, who initially wanted to defeat Ikki with pure skill, is forced to use her powerful abilities, and attacks Ikki with her strongest Noble Art, Katharterio Salamandra. However, Ikki activates his own Noble Art, Ittou Shura, which focuses all his power into a single minute. With this, Ikki manages to beat Stella, although he falls unconscious afterwards.After the fight, Stella becomes infatuated with Ikki, who remains mostly unaware of Stella's feelings.

Later on, the students are informed of upcoming Selection Battles, which will determine which students will be representing Hagun Academy in the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. The Festival is a tournament between the seven Mage-Knight Schools of Japan, where the students compete for the spot of the strongest student. Ikki, who due to his low rank and pathetic magic power, is under normal terms, unable to graduate, but he has made an agreement with the Director of Hagun Academy, Kurono Shinguuji, that if he wins the Festival, he will be allowed to advance in the school. Ikki and Stella also promise to face each other in the Festival, sparking their rivalry.

Ikki's younger sister Shizuku Kurogane also arrives to the school. Despite being Ikki's sister, Shizuku is also very attracted to her brother, which shocks Stella. This results in a small fight between the two. Shizuku later tells Stella, how the Kurogane Family has abandoned Ikki, for being so weak, with Shizuku being the only one who cares for him.

Later Ikki, Stella, Shizuku and Shizuku's roommate Nagi Arisuin, go to watch a movie together, but are ambushed by members of a terrorist organization Rebellion. They do however manage to defeat the Rebellion troops, beating their leader Bishou. After the engagement, Shizuya Kirihara, a second year student of Hagun Academy shows up, mocking Ikki and his friends. Kirihara is a former bully of Ikki, being one of the most skilled students of the academy, who Ikki will face as his first opponent in the selection battles. Annoyed by Kirihara's behavior, Stella makes an agreement with him, that if Ikki loses, Stella will become Kirihara's girlfriend.

When the selection battles finally start, Stella, Shizuku and Nagi all win their matches without much difficulty. Ikki though, is bothered by his upcoming match against Kirihara. Despite his fears, Ikki still chooses to face Kirihara. As the match starts, Kirihara uses his Noble Art, Area Invisibility, which makes him completely invisible. Ikki struggles against Kirihara, being assaulted by Kirihara's magic arrows, while being unable to respond with an attack of his own. Ikki almost gives up, but decides to continue fighting, due to Stella shouting at him to keep on fighting. Ikki manages to defeat Kirihara, using an ability called Perfect Vision, which lets him trace Kirihara's location. After the battle, Stella confesses her feelings for Ikki and they kiss.

Volume 2
A month later, Ikki faces Renren Tomaru, a member of the student council, while Stella faces Ikazuchi Saijou, another member of the student council. They both defeat their opponents, with relative ease. Ikki's fame also begins to spread, with other students asking him to train them. Ikki also meets Ayase Ayatsuji, a shy student and the daughter of the famous swordsman Kaito Ayatsuji. Ayase asks Ikki to train her in swordsmanship, so she can challenge the man who defeated her father and took his dojo. This man is revealed to be Kuraudo Kurashiki, a student at Tonrou Academy, and one of the Top 8 strongest students in Japan.

While Ikki trains Ayase and the others, Stella becomes increasingly jealous, and nervous that their relationship is over. However, after talking to one another, they understand that they are both nervous and confused about what they should do, and decide to focus on their relationship more.

Later, it's announced that Ikki's next selection match, will be against Ayase. Not wanting to lose, Ayase decides to use nefarious ways to weaken Ikki, such as making him use Ittou Shura before the fight, and planting traps around the arena, before the actual match. Despite these disadvantages, Ikki still wins, making Ayase realize she doesn't want to win using underhanded tactics.

Although Ayase loses, and will thus be unable to challenge Kuraudo in the Festival, Ikki decides to challenge him immediately, wanting to help Ayase. Ikki faces Kuraudo in the Ayatsuji dojo, for the ownership of the dojo. Kuraudo proves to be extremely skilled, having an extremely fast reaction time, an ability which he calls Marginal Counter. Although the battle is a life and death situation, Kuraudo and Ikki start to enjoy fighting with each other, leading to Ayase realizing her father also enjoyed facing Kuraudo. Despite Kuraudo's great skill, Ikki manages to defeat him, using the ultimate technique of the Ayatsuji swordsmanship, called Ten'i Muhou, which lets him slip through Kuraudo's attacks and defeat him. Kuraudo then leaves, wanting to battle Ikki again in the Festival.

Ayase then thanks Ikki for defeating Kuraudo and returning the Ayatsuji dojo to her father.

Volume 3
As the selection battles advance, Shizuku goes on to face the student council president Tohka Todo, who is one of the Top 4 strongest students, being only defeated in the last years Festival by the winner of said Festival. During the fight, Shizuku shows a wast array of skills and abilities, using both water and ice against Tohka. Despite her fierce resolve, Shizuku is still defeated by Tohka's Noble Art, Raikiri.

Ikki and Stella are later asked by Tohka to accompany the student council on a trip to Okutama mountain, to investigate the mysterious sightings there. During their investigation though, Stella becomes badly ill, forcing her and Ikki to rest at a cabin. While resting at the cabin, Stella asks Ikki if he's interested in having sex with her. Ikki though refuses, claiming that he should first meet Stella's parents, before going so far. After hearing Ikki's reply, Stella becomes embarrassed for having proposed such a thing.

They are then attacked by a large stone doll, but are luckily saved by the student council. The dolls are revealed to have been controlled by an unknown Blazer, who wanted to test the Hagun students.

After leaving Okutama, Ikki is confronted by Mamoru Akaza, an affiliate of the Kurogane Family and the Chairman of the League of Mage-Knight Nations Japan Branch Ethics Committee. He arrests Ikki, for his relationship with Stella, as it has come to the knowledge of the public, through rumors. The relationship is a scandal between Japan and Vermillion Empire, and Ikki is the one resewing the blame on the event.

Ikki is imprisoned in the headquarters of the Ethics Committee, where he is forced to go under harsh questionings, with little food or water, while simultaneously participating in the selection battles. Ikki is also confronted by his father, Itsuki Kurogane, who is responsible for Ikki's harsh treatment, wanting him to not participate in the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, as it would shame the Kurogane Family if a low ranking member of their family would take part in such an event. Ikki though refuses, wanting to keep his promise to Stella.

It's announced that Ikki's final match will be against Tohka Todo. Ikki is finally let go, although he is in an extremely bad condition. Due to his condition, Ikki is almost unable to arrive to the stadium, where the tournament is held, but is encouraged by the other students to not give up, seeing that Stella has won her own final match.

Ikki finally makes it to the stadium, where Tohka waits for him. As the match starts, Ikki immediately charges for Tohka, activating Ittou Shura. Tohka herself activates Raikiri, intending on defeating Ikki with a single slash. Realizing that Tohka's Raikiri will defeat him, Ikki puts all his strength into a single sword slash, creating a new Noble Art, Ittou Rasetsu, which defeats Tohka.

After the battle, Ikki proposes to Stella who happily accepts. The charges held against Ikki are also dropped, with Akaza being fired from the Ethics Committe. Ikki and Stella then prepare to go to the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, along with the other Hagun representatives, Nagi, Kanata Totokubara, Kikyo Hagure and Botan Hagure. There is also a secret organization working behind the scenes, that intends on participating in the Festival.

New Characters

 * Ikki Kurogane
 * Stella Vermillion
 * Kurono Shinguuji
 * Nene Saikyo
 * Yuuri Oreki
 * Shizuku Kurogane
 * Kagami Kusakabe
 * Nagi Arisuin
 * Bishou
 * Shizuya Kirihara
 * Shigenobu Suga
 * Takeshi Momotani
 * Renren Tomaru
 * Ikazuchi Saijou
 * Ayase Ayatsuji
 * Kuraudo Kurashiki
 * Kanata Totokubara
 * Utakata Misogi
 * Kaito Ayatsuji
 * Tohka Todo
 * Mamoru Akaza
 * Itsuki Kurogane
 * Kikyo Hagure
 * Botan Hagure

Light Novels

 * Volume 1
 * Volume 2
 * Volume 3