Chapter 476: Ittou Rasetsu vs. Human-Ghost · Eternal Future Slash!
The reason for this outcome was actually very simple.
The ability to grow at terrifying speed was indeed incredibly rare, but that trait had nothing to do with one's innate limits.
In those few dozen seconds, Ikki had advanced through decades of his future growth.
And as a result—He had reached the end of his potential.
That did not mean he could never improve again.
But from this point onward, the only thing left for him to refine was technique.
Speed, strength, stamina—Attributes that could be raised through training all possessed limits.
Everyone eventually reached a point where no amount of training would produce even the slightest physical improvement.
The body known as Kurogane Ikki had reached that point.
Neither his body nor his mana could progress any further.
Could he still become stronger through swordsmanship and technique alone?
Of course.
But how could that possibly let him surpass Luke?
Stella was different.
The girl's natural upper limit seemed almost endless.
She could continue growing without restraint and keep advancing far beyond normal limits.
Even her supposedly fixed mana could rise again.
Ikki—Could not.
That was the cruelty of reality!
This was no longer a question of effort.
It was a fundamental difference decided by heaven from the very beginning.
Under identical conditions, Stella could easily grow past Luke.
Ikki, however, could at most reach a point where they were evenly matched.
Victory seemed impossible now…
But he refused to accept that!
"HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
With a furious roar, Ikki changed his stance.
Intetsu shifted in his hands.
Instead of absorbing Luke's incoming force, Ikki borrowed its momentum and hurled all of it sideways!
Boom—!
A deafening explosion shook heaven and earth!
Beginning from Ikki's position, an enormous sword scar appeared as though the earth itself had been split in two.
It tore through the stage.
Through the venue.
Through the distant harbor and city beyond!
Only after seeing that abyss-like scar did the spectators truly understand how much terrifying power had been hidden within this seemingly low-destruction sword duel.
Naturally, forcibly interrupting a clash at this level came at a price.
As stated before—Luke and Ikki were effectively competing to see who would make the first mistake.
Ikki had interrupted it deliberately, but the result was not much different from making one.
The violent force he released outward also dealt enormous damage to his own body.
But—He achieved his goal.
Having opened a little distance, Ikki ignored his injuries.
While Ittou Shura remained active, he could not waste even a single second.
Truthfully, Ikki's body had already reached its limit.
And this time, that did not mean the limit of growth.
It meant the limit of what his body could endure.
Ittou Shura was already an ultimate technique that forcibly squeezed the human body beyond its natural boundaries.
Before activating it, Ikki had accumulated injuries from repeatedly clashing with the Twin-Wings Sword Style.
After activation, he had then forced himself through reckless, explosive growth.
Although Ittou Shura theoretically still had more than twenty seconds remaining—Ikki's body probably would not last that long.
So—It was time to decide the battle!
No feints.
No changes in trajectory.
No concern for the surroundings.
No need to think about whether Luke would dodge.
No need to consider the outcome.
One strike.
Just one strike was enough!
If Luke dodged…
No.
With Luke's ability, if he chose to evade, such a straightforward attack would unquestionably miss.
Ikki also possessed the Twin-Wings Sword Style.
He could not surpass Luke in speed.
But Ikki knew something.
When faced with this challenge—Luke would never dodge!
So all he needed to do was pour everything he possessed into this final strike.
Swing the sword.
And defeat him!
As Ikki began gathering his mana, physical strength, willpower, and even his fighting spirit into one point—Luke immediately understood his intention.
And just as Ikki predicted—Faced with such an open and honorable challenge, especially from a swordsman worthy of respect—Luke would never evade!
He returned both Starfall Sword and Ser-Veresta to their sheaths.
Then Luke once again assumed the crossed opening stance of Dual-Life-Sword.
By now, many spectators recognized that posture.
Thanks to explanations from earlier matches, people knew it was the fundamental stance of Luke's dual-sword style.
Yet at this moment—Although the posture looked identical—Luke felt completely different.
Only a handful of people noticed that subtle change.
Aside from the several Desperados watching from the venue, only Ikki—And Stella, who had personally faced this technique before—Recognized it.
Almost instinctively, Stella shot to her feet.
Her eyes locked firmly onto Luke.
She could never mistake it!
That technique.
The strike that had defeated her!
Anyone else might fail to recognize it—But Stella never would.
Even during the match, and even after it ended, Stella had never understood what exactly happened.
Even after learning about Desperados and the existence of the power of fate—She still could not see through Luke's final technique.
No.
She did not even know whether it had truly been a single strike.
Had Luke used one sword?
Or both?
Did the five wounds mean five separate attacks?
What exactly had that strange phenomenon been?
Why had Luke appeared both in front of her and behind her simultaneously?
There were many more questions.
Stella could not answer a single one.
She did not even understand how she had lost.
How could a princess as competitive as Stella possibly accept that?
So now—She focused harder than anyone.
She intended to uncover the secret of Luke's technique no matter what!
Ikki felt something similar.
Only when facing this technique directly could one truly understand the terrifying pressure accumulating within it.
Not enough!
This wasn't enough!
Ikki immediately understood the situation.
His current strike could not defeat Luke!
But something like that would never make Ikki surrender.
Inferior to someone else?
How many times had he faced that in his life?
If his strength was insufficient, he would concentrate it.
If that still was not enough—Then he would squeeze out even more from his body!
He did not need one minute.
He did not even need the remaining twenty seconds!
One second.
No—One sword strike was enough!
At this final instant, even breathing became unnecessary.
Refine the soul.
Extract every last thing he possessed.
And then—Release a strike beyond his limits!
What Luke saw now was no longer merely fighting spirit.
It was a scream emerging from the deepest part of Ikki's soul.
Truthfully—Even Luke found himself wishing, for a moment, that Ikki might win.
For someone to make Luke feel that way—Especially while Luke himself stood opposite them as an opponent—Ikki was the first.
Unfortunately—Luke could not let him pass.
Respect.
Admiration.
No matter what reason existed—Luke would never willingly surrender victory.
And so, the instant Ikki swung that blade beyond his limits—Luke moved as well.
For that moment—Time itself seemed to freeze.
Countless eyes focused upon the stage.
Upon the two swordsmen.
Upon the single instant when blade and blade would cross!
"Ittou Rasetsu!!!"
"Human-Ghost · Eternal Future Slash!"
Slash—!
Sword light and blade shadows crossed.
And then—Blood sprayed into the air!
After that single exchange—The one who fell—Was Kurogane Ikki.
…
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