Light Novel Volume 16

Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan Light Novel 16 is the sixteenth installment of the Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry light novel series, written by Riku Misora and illustrated by Won. It was released in April 2019.

Summary
''After the life or death battle against Or-Gaule, a moment of peace has arrived in Vermillion Empire. But the malice of the "Puppet King" has left a huge mark on the world. The fainting of officials and people connected to governments after being released from the puppeteer's control has caused global confusion, and in Japan it has become a situation in which student knights are mobilized through "special convention".''

''"Star of Naniwa" Yudai Moroboshi, "Sword Eater" Kuraudo Kurashiki, "Raikiri" Touka Toudou--These students knights of the golden generation who were gathered during the crisis test each other's fangs and rush their feelings to the future. But they are about to be engulfed by the great flame released during the chaos!''

16th volume filled with hardships and trials where new brilliance drives away the darkness of the era!!

Chapters
Epilogue II: Nostalgia

After the battle against Or-Gaule is over, Ikki was doing his daily sword training in the courtyard of Vermillion Castle. But because he currently has the body of a ten year old, his physical capabilities have declined. He is exhausted just after doing half of the usual amount of training. Even though Ikki has lost his trained body, he is not discouraged. He thinks that if he can't rely on strength like before then he will just sharpen his skills. He still hasn't reached the full potential of what he can do with his sword. Having his current body is a good opportunity for him because there might be something that can only be seen from a body that doesn't rely on strength. His swordsmanship that was cultivated from Edelweiss' swordsmanship can still be used in this body. Ikki aims to continue training himself during his half-year recovery in order to make his body even stronger than before.

In an examination room of a hospital in Vermillion capital Flareverg, Stella is lying completely naked on an examination table as shown in a colored pic. Her body is attached with pads and cords extending from medical instruments being operated by Shizuku who is wearing a white coat. The instruments transmit special kind of frequency to Stella's body and Shizuku uses her water healing techniques that she learned from Kiriko Yakushi to examine Stella's body. Stella had been feeling discomfort from her internal organs and bones being played around. After 5 hours, the examination is finally done and Shizuku says Stella can get up now. Stella asks for the result and Shizuku answers that there was no abnormality found and Stella is still human. Those who had undergone "Excessive Awakening" might have transformed into a different existence even after they returned to their original human appearance. If the body has degenerated, it would have huge negative impact on everyday life and for a woman the worst possible thing that could happen is unable to have children with her beloved man. Thus, Stella is relieved to the point of shedding some tears after knowing that no abnormality in her body was found. However, Shizuku says there is no guarantee it will be the same the next time and so it's better not to use that power as Nene had already said. The power Stella obtained from "Excessive Awakening" was necessary to defeat someone strong like Or-Gaule so she is determined to obtain that power while staying as the “Crimson Princess”. Stella then asks Shizuku if it was necessary to attach the pads to her breasts since the place was quite sensitive and electrical stimulation sent there was quite painful. Shizuku replies that it was to harass Stella which shocks her. But Shizuku was just joking and then says Stella was the one who asked her to focus on checking Stella’s female body function. Stella then sincerely thanks her but Shizuku becomes uncomfortable of it and turns her face away as shown in a pic while saying it’s not something to be thanked for. Shizuku only came to Vermillion as Kiriko’s replacement. Stella then says she’s heard many people in Japan have broken out of prison which Shizuku confirms. Or-Gaule’s threads ran deeper than the League of Mage-Knight Nations had thought and troubles have occurred in various parts of the world. Shizuku’s father, Itsuki, had launched a “special convention” which student knights such as Kiriko, Touka Toudou and Yudai Moroboshi have been sent to take care of the situation. Stella says that even though “special convention” has large criticism for sending students to the frontline, it is a well launched action. Shizuku replies that making a correct judgement is Itsuki’s only good quality. Stella then takes out her phone in order to check the current situation in Japan as Vermillion is currently not in good shape and so not much information from the outside is coming in. With nostalgic feeling, she wonders how everyone in Japan is doing now. However, at this point Stella and everyone else have no idea that a tragedy is about to occur in Japan where a “great flame” is going to engulf Stella’s second home.

Prologue: Embedded Fire in Abyss

A person looks up and sees so much darkness with small lights. The small lights that represent hope cannot clear away the darkness and once gain the era is about to be swallowed in constant darkness. Right now, the world requires a large star like the ones that have cleared the way for new era. This person who exists outside of cause and effect knows its arrival. He thinks that that it was God’s love that brought the arrival of such huge hope that shines like the Sun and burns away the darkness of the era.

Chapter 1: The Rivals' Present Time

During the time Ikki and Stella had just arrived in Vermillion, Or-Gaule had released control of all the officials and people connected to governments who were under the control of his Noble Art “Marionette”. The sudden faintings of all these people at the same time had caused a worldwide event in which many prisoners have escaped from detention facilities. Some of the prisoners are Blazers and so it has caused huge threat to Japan’s security. Then around the time Ikki and the others first faced off against Or-Gaule, Prime Minister Tsukikage had left the country and so Itsuki Kurogane who is the head of the League of Mage-Knight Nations’ Japan branch was in charge to handle the situation. Itsuki made a big decision to launch “special convention” of student knights in Japan. In emergency situations, student knights that received the invitations are temporarily granted the same authority as licensed mage-knights and so are freed from the restrictions on using magic in public places in order to fight.

In a plane that is about to leave Aomori Airport and going to Haneda Airport, there are 6 people who have escaped from a detention facility. They are spread across various places in the plane and the leader of the group is referred to as Prisoner #15. He plans to have his group hijack the plane and their goal is to reach a country in north that is run by dictatorship and out of the League’s reach. The moment the plane reaches a certain altitude and the seat belt light is out, Prisoner #15 holds the neck of a slender girl and points his submachine gun type Device at the girl’s temple. The others in his group are also holding people hostage and so the mage-knights that are boarding the plane as security are unable to do anything and subdued. Prisoner #15 while holding his hostage heads to the cockpit and threatens the pilots. He tells them that the plane’s new destination is North Korea. The pilot protests since even if they are in a civilian aircraft they will be shot down if they go there. Prisoner #15 assures the pilot that they won’t be shot down and will be welcomed there. However, the moment Prisoner #15 is convinced of the success of his operation, there is an explosion. The plane’s left wing engine is caught on fire and the entire plane is shaking greatly which causes everyone in it to panic. Even Prisoner #15 can tell that they won’t make it to North Korea and so orders the pilot to return to the airport that they had just left. As the plane is heading back, the left wing comes off and the resulting violent shaking causes Prisoner #15 to fall and screaming. However, his hostage who turns out to be a boy is standing calmly as shown in a pic and tells him that it will be okay. The boy says the plane won’t go down because he’s very lucky. Eventually, the plane that lost its wing and buoyancy manages to land safely. Everyone is stunned because it is such great luck for such a thing to happen. Prisoner #15 realizes that this is the boy’s doing as the boy manifests a thin sword that pierces the man’s throat.

“See? I told you. Ah, but if I didn’t just happen to be here and not thought of a situation where no one would be killed or hurt to occur then it wouldn’t be like this in the first place, so you were rather unlucky.”

“You, who are---”

“‘Bad Luck’ Amane Shinomiya. Right now I’m still just a worthless student knight. Even so, to come across this right away on the plane I boarded in order to respond to the convention, I really am lucky…or rather unlucky perhaps.”

At Ayatsuji dojo in Tokyo, a huge barrel-like man with huge scar on his face kicks down the main entrance and knocks down Donrou Academy students who were training in the dojo’s yard. The man’s name is Ginji Ookuma and he is one of the Blazer criminals that escaped from prison. He says to the dojo’s master who is sitting on the edge of the yard, Kaito Ayatsuji, that it’s been a long time and asks if he remembers him. Kuraudo Kurashiki, who is standing beside Kaito, then asks who Ookuma is but Kaito says he doesn’t know him. 15 years ago, Kaito took down Ookuma who was a high-ranking member of Masuyama-gumi and was responsible for the group’s collapse. With Ookuma’s father and all of the group’s members caught, he has no place to go home to now and so he came here for revenge. But Kaito doesn’t remember Ookuma because he wasn’t interested in remembering the faces of the Blazer criminals he attacked. This causes Ookuma to be very angry and manifesting jade-colored gauntlets on both his fists. His ability is manipulating wind and he converges air onto his right fist. Ookuma pushes his fist forward and the compressed air is launched towards Kaito like a cannonball, which Kaito shouldn’t be able to avoid. However, Kaito and Kuraudo are unharmed even though the blast causes a huge destruction to the house behind them. Kaito’s daughter Ayase then appears and becomes angry. She thinks the Donrou students have caused destruction again but they tell her that it was Ookuma who was responsible for the current destruction. Kaito then tells Ayase to fight Ookuma since it is a good opportunity for her to practice real battle. Ayase agrees and then manifests her Device “Hizume”.

Ookuma advances towards Ayase fast to attack her. Ayase, who practices Ayatsuji swordsmanship style that emphasizes on counterattacks, easily receives the incoming fist with her blade and slides the blade to deliver a horizontal attack towards Ookuma’s flank. However, the moment Ayase’s blade touches Ookuma’s body he activates a technique called “Fuubakushou (wind detonation)”. A wind pressure is released from Ookuma’s body and then Ayase’s thin body is blown away. Ookuma was able to handle Ayase’s counterattack because he had experienced the Ayatsuji swordsmanship before. For the past 15 years, he had thought of measures to deal with the swordsmanship that Kaito uses. Ookuma then continues attacking Ayase with his Noble Art “Souran (clawed storm)” which he uses his wind power to accelerate his movements and creates wind blades attached to his arms. Ayase is defending herself from the fast series of attacks delivered towards her. Kuraduo asks if he should fight instead but Ayase refuses. Ayase’s swordsmanship is now much sharper than from the time she fought Ikki and she can actually counter Ookuma’s level of attack easily. However, the moment Ayase turns from defense to offense, Ookuma would have activated “Fuubakushou” and thus crushing her counterattack like before. So what Ayase needs to do is to deliver a counterattack that doesn’t give Ookuma a chance to switch between offense and defense, by leaving her blade in offensive position while warding off her enemy’s attack. Ayase is able to achieve this by using “Ten’i Muhou”. She slips through Ookuma’s punches with minimum defensive body movement and should be able to deliver a decisive blow in an instant. However, Okuuma is able to remain calm and activate “Fuubakushou” barely in time due to having already seen Kaito using “Ten’i Muhou” to avoid Ookuma’s attack just recently. Ookuma only receives a small cut but Ayase suddenly turns her back against him as if the battle is already over. This causes Ookuma to attack her unprotected back while angry. However, Ayase’s Blazer ability enables her to open wounds caused by her Device, turning small cuts into fatal wounds. As a result, Ookuma loses consciousness from the pain and his body falls to the ground in a pool of blood. Ayase then tells Kuraudo with a scornful laugh that the enemy wasn’t beyond her capability. Kuraudo replies Ayase shouldn’t be in such high spirits since she had practiced everyday against Kuraudo’s attacks and so winning against an opponent of Ookuma’s level is obvious. The mischievous Kuraudo then asks if Ayase perhaps wanted him to compliment her instead while bringing his hand close to her head as shown in a pic. Ayase knocks Kuraudo’s hand away hard while telling him not to say such stupid thing and then turns her eyes away from him. Ayase can’t deny that during battle she actually thought the opponent’s attacks were minor compared to the attacks she usually received from Kuraudo’s sword.

In an underground area of downtown Shinjuku, there is a huge coliseum owned by a Russian mafia group called Dragunov. A betting game where 70 Blazers are about to have a battle royale is being held there. Yakov, who is a leader of Dragunov, is also managing the place. In a VIP room, Yakov is talking with Bishou who is a former apostle of Rebellion that was captured by Ikki, Stella and others few months ago. Yakov suggests that Bishou participates in the battle royale but Bishou declines because he can’t be standing out after escaping from prison. After Rebellion has collapsed, Bishou and his men have been looking for a new patron. Rebellion’s remaining power is flowing towards the League and the Union, with the United States gaining most of it. The “Grand Professor”, who is one of the two of Rebellion’s “Numbers” who were not killed by Or-Gaule’s group, leads his own faction and joins the United States which is his home country. The alliance between member countries of the Union is not as strong as the alliance between the League’s member countries and Dragunov’s big shots doesn’t like that the United States is gaining so much power. Yakov then tells Bishou that Dragunov’s big shots welcome Bishou’s group. As they are talking about business, one of the Blazers participating in the battle royale is suddenly thrown into the VIP room through the glass wall that was facing the ring arena. The person responsible for it takes off her raincoat and reveals herself as Renren Tomaru. There are also others wearing raincoats and they reveal themselves as Ikazuchi Saijou, Kikyou Hagure and Botan Hagure.

The Hagun Academy students were searching for escaped prisoners and they ended up discovering this underground area. Illegal activity is occurring here and so the Hagun students under the temporary authority granted by “special convention” have to arrest everyone here. Yakov then informs the Blazer thugs that there will be reward money for taking down the Hagun students. However, the thugs are no match for these students who are in the upper ranks at Hagun. Renren uses her speed ability to take down the thugs one by one fast. A huge bald man wearing red lipstick called “Queen” then faces Renren. His Device is a pair of large shields with huge spikes. “Queen” knows about Renren including her weaknesses which the trajectory of Renren’s attack is always straight and she is unable to put feints in her attacks. An attack from someone of Renren’s size also wouldn’t have very much weight in it. All “Queen” has to do is protect his surrounding sides with his shields and Renren’s accumulation of speed will reset once she makes contact with the shield. However, Renren became aware of her weakness after Hagun’s selection battles. Renren previously could only attack at 2D plane trajectory but now she has developed a new Noble Art called “Delta Force” which enables her to attack at 3D solid trajectory. While moving very fast Renren then jumps up high above “Queen’s” head using mana emission and then runs along the walls and ceiling of the coliseum. She kicks the ceiling and hits the top of “Queen’s” head from above. “Queen” is knocked out with his head squashed with half of it sunk into his body. After one of the thugs’ strongest has been taken down, more thugs are joining and they plan to overwhelm the Hagun students with their difference in numbers that reach over a hundred-fold.

The thugs focus on attacking Kikyou Hagure who they consider as the weakest. However, Kikyou is capable of dealing with them especially after a certain person had given her advice on battle tactics including the best way to make use of her ability. Whenever any of the thugs gets too close to her, she uses “instant acceleration” to move back in order to maintain distance which is an advantage for a spear-user like her. Kikyou’s “instant acceleration” ability may not be as fast as Renren’s speed but it enables her to move fast without the need to run which is a strong point similar to “Twin Wings” swordsmanship. The thugs then decide to launch magic attacks from a distance but Kikyou moves sideways to give her sister Botan a clear line of fire. Botan’s ability is “penetrate” and each of the bullets she fire from her guns pierces through the enemies that are lining up from front to back. Those that didn’t get hit by the bullets are also caught up in the accidental discharge of the thugs’ magic, leaving all of the ones that were fighting the Hagure twins unable to fight. The thugs’ strongest fighter who is called “King” suddenly appears near the Hagure twins. His ability is to increase the size of his body up to 5 times and he swings his iron rod weapon towards the twins. However, Saijou receives the incoming attack with his zanbatou and then pushes “King” back. The angered “King” then increases the size of his body and iron rod in order to attack Saijou with more power than before. Saijou tells the Hagure twins to leave this fight to him but the twins are worried because “Crescendo Axe” at maximum output could only push “King” back a little. But Saijou became aware after fighting Stella once before that “Crescendo Axe” is not enough when fighting someone strong. Instead of just swinging his zanbatou like he usually does before, Saijou is now also rotating his body horizontally together with the swinging blade. This accumulates more than 10 times the weight “Crescendo Axe” can accumulate on the blade. The rotation is accelerated by the accumulated weight and eventually produces a tornado of pressure. “King” believes he can kill the rotation by swinging his own weapon downwards. But before "King" could act, Saijou tells everyone to get down and then strikes the surrounding air with his zanbatou. This new Noble Art called “Forzato Smash” releases a giant tsunami of air pressure that largely blows away everyone that were standing while breaking their bones. Everyone who is watching from the VIP room becomes very worried after seeing all the thugs in the coliseum defeated. They then find out that a similar catastrophe is occurring elsewhere which is shown through a security camera.

The underground coliseum has people working as security guards and 15 of them are near an elevator that leads to the emergency exit. They are fighting a female Blazer wearing white dress. Their weapons are equipped with special bullets that can break a Blazer’s mana barrier but no matter how many bullets they fire the female Blazer won’t go down since the bullets somehow end up disappearing without touching her. The girl in white dress just calmly comes closer to the armed people while holding her parasol as shown in a pic and then some of the men go down one by one while bleeding from all over their body. The remaining men become terrified and try to escape to the elevator. But because the elevator has weight capacity limit they have to kick out some of themselves out of the elevator. As the ones that got kicked out also go down, the elevator door is closing. But the girl in white dress stops the elevator closing by pushing the tip of her parasol into the gap. The girl enters and the men inside try to shoot her. But it is useless because her Device which is in the form of tiny blade particles cut the bullets into dust. As the elevator door closes, the men inside also lose consciousness in red darkness. Yakov who is watching from a security camera recognizes the girl as Kanata Toutokubara. Everyone in the VIP room tries to escape through a secret exit route. But before they could escape, Touka enters the room. She first subdues Yakov with her lightning and then confirms one of the men in the room is Bishou who is the escaped prisoner she’s chasing. Bishou refuses to surrender but Touka releases “Raikiri” before he could do anything. Bishou’s consciousness is cut off immediately and everyone else in the room is blown away. Touka’s group had been successful in locating escaped prisoners due to Utakata Misogi’s ability. A week after the “special convention” was first launched, the Vermillion War has ended around the same time and the League’s Japan Branch has captured 90% of the escaped prisoners with the help of the student knights deployed.

Chapter 2: "Sword Eater" vs "Star of Naniwa"

Chapter 3: "The Great Flame"