Chapter 11

Before the Storm is the eleventh chapter of the Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan manga.

Summary
One month has passed since the start of the selection battles and the announcer announces the current combatants in the ring, Stella Vermillion and her opponent Ikazuchi Saijou. Saijou quickly draws out his Device as he reveals his ability which is weight accumulation of his Device, allowing him to get the maximum weight of ten tons. He then charges Stella, using his Crescendo Axe, but Stella is able draw out her Device and block Saijou's attack, flinging his Device through the air. Stella then grabs Saijou and strikes him at close range, causing an explosion, and knocking him unconscious. The announcer then announces that Stella has won, giving her ninth victory in a row.

Ikki is seen congratulating Stella as she walks off the arena and high fives her, as the announcer announces the next combatants, Ikki and Renren Tomaru. The announcers states that both combatants have won eight of their last eight matches, as both draw out their Devices to begin the match.

When the match begins, instead of immediately attacking each other, Renren begins to talk to Ikki, while moving across the arena. She congratulates him on his victory over Kirihara, and tells Ikki that since he struggled so much with Kirihara he will definitely not win against her, as she disappears due to her speed. The announcers states that what Renren is currently using her ability, explaining that her ability was speed accumulation. Ikki figured out that the reason she was talking to him was to buy time to accumulate her speed. Renren confirms this and even explains that if she were to stop she would no longer have the speed she currently has.

Shizuku is in the stands calling Renren an idiot as the problem with Kirihara, for Ikki, wasn't that he couldn't see him but because Kirihara kept out of his range. Renren then tries to use Black Bird but Ikki is able to react in time and slam her on to the ground. The announcer then announces that Ikki has won against Renren, giving him nine wins, eight of which he did not even need his Noble Art, Ittou Shura.

Ikki comes out of the school, where he is greeted by Stella and Alice and hugged by Shizuku. Stella tries to get Shizuku away from Ikki, but to when questioned why she cared so much, she shied away from why she was so jealous, causing Shizuku to think of her as a coward. Shizuku then compliments Ikki on being very kind but warns him that if he is too kind he will never make any progress, shocking Ikki who wonders what Shizuku actually knows.

The group then walks around campus where they are gawked at by others, becoming famous for their various fighting styles and wins. As the group talks about Ikki possibly having secret admirers, do to his popularity, Ikki interrupts the conversation pointing out that he seems to have a stalker. Ikki then calls out the stalker from behind the bushes, who is revealed to be a beautiful girl. The girl tries to run away, but instead slips and falls into a puddle, causing her to become unconscious as Ikki picks her up from the puddle.

Characters

 * Stella Vermillion
 * Ikazuchi Saijou
 * Ikki Kurogane
 * Renren Tomaru
 * Shizuku Kurogane
 * Alice
 * Ayase Ayatsuji