Promise Duel Against the Sword Eater
Ayase is seen sitting next to her coma state father remembering the words he told her a few years ago back when she was in junior high, about what the Ayatsuji Ittou-ryuu fighting style stands as to become strong and protect the weak with honor. She also knew that the heart diseases her father got meaning he won't be in this world for long as she tries to learn and master the family style as much as she can, and she remembers how everything came crashing down when the Sword Eater.
"(I had almost lost hope and myself if Ikki didn't save me in that duel.)" Ayase thought, remembering how Ikki's spirit felt to hers.
"Father, I'm not sure if you can hear me, but I want you to know that I think, no, I believe the Sword Eater is going to be slain by a warrior who helped me found my way to the right path again." Ayase believed as she held her father's hand.
(Tomorrow)
The day has finally come for Ikki to face against Kuraudo Kurashiki to reclaim the Ayatsuji Dojo for Ayase and her father's honor as he is accompanying by the daughter of the Last Samurai herself along with Stella, Shizuku, Masane, and Alice for eyewitness for the duel.
"Let see, Kuraudo Kurashiki, Junior at Donrou Academy." Stella looked at the information on the guy.
"What a jerk, this guy is bad news." Stella commented.
"Indeed, he goes other dojos to challenge their leaders, beating them in an ugly brutal way, and taking their dojos. This man sounds more like a beast to me." Shizuku said already not liking this guy even though she hadn't met Kuraudo in person yet.
"Quite a savage habit." Alice commented.
"Yeah, but he was also one of the Top 8 contestants at last year's Seven Sword Art Festival. They call him the Sword Eater." Ikki mentioned.
"Just hearing the nickname makes me scared that he could eat my Device." Masane worried as she looks at her bracelet.
"He's a force to be reckon with. Two years ago, when he challenged my father's school, he didn't use his Device at all." Ayase informed shocking the group.
"My word, to challenge a swordsman master with his Device is quite fearsome." Alice admitted.
"So, he didn't use any powers at all. His sword technique must be strong." Stella said.
"Yes, even my father couldn't…" Ayase stopped walking for a moment, remembering that day.
"That's unbelievable, Kaito was called the Last Samurai for a reason." Ikki surprised.
"I remember how he fought; it was like I was living in a nightmare." Ayase started to remember that day.
She remembers how the battle was two years ago when Kuraudo pushed her father back several times and Kaito kept getting back up from those blows, to show the Sword Eater the strength of his swordsman spirit, how strong and hard Kaito kept fighting on, but it was not enough to defeat Kuraudo as he was dealt with the final blow. She even remembers the last words he said before he entered his coma state.
"I'm sorry…"
"I should have stopped him. I… should have stood in front of that bastard and taken my father's place." Ayase clutched her fist.
"Kuraudo Kurashiki… He has no pride, he's a reckless barbarian. And that monster took down my father and left him completely broken and disgrace." Ayase angered.
"I'm so sorry." Stella said.
Masane may not remember her past before meeting Ikki, but she can feel how it's like losing something in your life and may not be able to get it back yourself.
"Don't worry, on my word as a knight, I will reclaim what was taken from you." Ikki promised as he hugs Ayase from behind.
"Thank you." Ayase thanked as her cheeks blush a little.
Stella and Masane didn't mind the scene as Ikki want to comfort her the best he can right now while also thinking Ayase may join the harem as well, Shizuku on the other hand pouts thinking her big brother is being too nice to girls but couldn't do anything about it.
Soon, they arrive at the dojo seeing some graffiti on the wall of the door and more on the other side as they walk in and saw Kuruado's men hanging out outside of the dojo.
"It looks like the place has rats." Stella mocked those guys.
"Shall I freeze them?" Shizuku asked to beat up those goons.
"No, this is Ikki's fight. So, we have to let him do this." Masane reminded her youngest adopted child.
"Hey, guys." Ikki said walking up to the goons getting their attention. "I appreciated if you could take me to Kurashiki." This angers Kuraudo's men.
Kuraudo is seen resting on his couch inside the dojo as he is bored to death at this point and remember his last duel against Kaito.
Then his thoughts were interrupted when he heard the door open, he saw Ikki standing there along with the others.
"Hey, it's the pussy from the other day." Kuraudo said sitting up right.
"(We'll see if you can still talk like that for long.)" Masane thought glared at the young man.
"Kuraudo Kurashiki, I'm here to challenge you." Ikki revealed as this got Kuraudo's interest a little.
"On behalf of the Ayatsuji family, I am prepared to fight you for this dojo." Ikki determined making Kuraudo laugh.
"You want my dojo? Pretty ballsy, kid, I already beat your ass once." Kuraduo recalled something like that.
"And we both know that wasn't the right time or place." Ikki stated.
"How did she talk you into this?" Kuraudo asked as he looks at Ayase, but Ikki chose to ignore the question.
"It's prohibited for the knights of Hagun Academy to use their Devices outside of school unless they get special permission from one of the staff acting as a witness or you happen to be the master of the martial art school. You're not going to turn me down, are you?" Ikki stated the rules.
"Interesting, but before we get into it, I'm gonna have to see if you're even qualify to take me on." Kuraudo said thinking about getting his men here.
"These guys, they kind of do." Ikki dropped five ID phones of the goons he defeated.
This definitely got Kuraudo's attention seeing this kid is serious on fighting him for the dojo and to help that girl out, and he unexpectedly felt some excitement for this fight as he stands up smirking.
(Music: Orochimaru's Theme, Naruto OST)
"Chase and kill, Orochimaru." Kuraudo summoned his Device that is the form a long sparkling white bone-colored nodachi with blades that looks almost like a saw.
It pops out of the ground near him and nearly attack its master though Kuraudo wasn't worried as this always happens and grab his sword calming it down and ready for battle.
"Come to me, Intetsu." Ikki summoned his katana.
"Nice, that's some first-class stance." Kuraudo commented.
"This is it." Masnae said.
Kuraudo charges at Ikki clashing his blade against his and into a little power struggle.
"You ready to die!" Kuraudo pushed Ikki back and swing his swords wildly.
Ikki can feel his brute strength behind each attack as his reflexes kicks in to block them all.
"Haha, nice reflexes!" Kuraudo laughed.
When Ikki spotted an opening, he swings his sword from the right to attack his opponent on the side of his torso, but Kuraudo was able to block that faster than he could react.
"He was able to block that from such a close distance?" Shizuku shocked.
"It almost like he saw that coming." Alice said, but think it's something else and knows Ikki is thinking the same thing.
"Bring me his head, Jakkojin!" The Sword Eater unleashed his noble art that extend the boney blade and attacks Ikki from all sides as he is force on the defense.
"Orochimaru can transform into anything! It's impossible to get out of my reach, asshole!" Kuraudo bragged.
"Damn, never knew he could work on both long- and short-range combat." Masane surprised.
"Kurashiki's reach seems endless and Ikki is going to have a hard time getting by that. But it doesn't matter because Ikki's techniques are way more than this dumbass can handle." Stella smiled.
Ikki charges at Kuraudo after parrying away the bone-snake sword though he wields it to make it attack the Another One young knight in the back.
"(So, that's your next move. I see it now.)" Ikki thought and dodge the attack without any looking because of his perfect vision.
"Yes, go get him big brother!" Shizuku cheered.
Ikki thrust his sword forward for the head and Kuraudo dodge it fast by leaning his body backward like limbo and shrink his sword back to the normal size.
"(This flex, I see.)" Ikki thought figured out Kuraudo's ability.
Ikki blocks one strike from his opponent jumping back a little and prepared himself to block another, but the bone sword suddenly vanished from his sight shocking Ikki barely dodge the attack coming at his side.
"What in the… What did we just see?" Stella shocked as the others are.
"I barely saw him move his sword like that." Masane gasped.
"You dodge that, that's pretty good." Kuraudo laughed.
(Music End)
Ikki looks down seeing the small blood stain close to the bottom of his shirt and look back up at Kuraudo.
"I see, this ability of yours. This is how you defeated the Last Samurai." Ikki said getting Kuraudo to listen for a moment.
"The foundation of your technique is built on a single power, and that's your reflex speed." Ikki revealed.
"To receive, to understand, and respond. The timing it takes to execute all of these things are called reflex speed. It takes .3 seconds for most people; Stella and I are about .13 seconds no matter how much we train. And my mother can go about .16 second faster than us. But I've been watching the speed of your counterattacks, you've actually managed to get it down 5 hundredth of a second. Before I can make one move, you can make two or three moves, that gives you quite the advantage in a battle like this. With a reflex speed that fast, you can dodge attacks that otherwise impossible to avoid or alter your weapon's orientation before it makes contact like you to strike spontaneously from a completely different angle." Ikki explained about Kuraudo's fast reflex.
"Oh, so that's why." Alice said.
"That explains why his sword disappeared in the middle of the stroke." Stella said.
"To think there would be someone who can react that fast." Masane surprised.
"I got to hand it to you, you figured out my Marginal Counter on the first time we fought." Kuraudo chuckled.
"Big deal won't help you, there's nothing you can do about it. Marginal Counter is not a technique, it's a gift I was born with. No matter how much you train your body, hone your technique, or study your tactic." Kuraudo stated.
"So, all that from just being born with a talent like that." Shizuku feared this could be trouble for her big brother.
"Yes, it's meaningless if it's all overwhelmed by natural talent." Ikki understand.
"Wow man, you are one insightful little bitch. I hope you don't die too fast. Hebigami!" Kuraudo attacked double in one move.
Ikki dodges and block some at Kuraudo pushes him back as the Sword Eater sees that his opponent is gonna try the same trick twice, but Ikki surprise him with his own guard pose.
"Irregular guarding?" Kuraudo surprised.
"That's right, it means you're not the only one who can control this fight!" Ikki said as he blocks them again.
"It's not over. Let see if you can handle this little trick!" Kuraudo unleashed a four-point attack pushing Ikki backward as he blocks them.
Ikki would have gotten a deeper cross shape wound on his chest if his foot didn't trip a little on one of the matts.
"Ikki!" Masane worried.
"Your clumsiness kept me from killing you that time. Lucky son of a bitch." Kuraudo said.
"(His skill is truly exceptional.)" Ikki thought commented and excited.
"I'm not going to give you a second chance to strike back, I'll slice you into pieces!" Kuraudo begun his savage barrage.
Ikki blocks most of them though his opponent's attacks are landing on him a few times, but Ikki isn't worried at all because he is smiling right now and excited.
Ayase saw the onslaught of the barrage reminding her of the duel between him and her father and feared that it will happen again.
She was about to step in, but Masane and Stella stop her.
"If you step in now, you can kiss your dojo goodbye forever." Masane warned.
"Trust us, we're all angry at the guy for being like a savage beast and want to give him a piece of our mind. But look at Ikki's face." Stella pointed at the duel and they see Ikki's smile as Ayase is surprised of this.
"My, my, it looks like Ikki is having so much fun." Alice commented.
"That's right, Ikki always love to face opponents far stronger than himself and defeating that strength with his own. That boy just can't get enough of that." Masane shrugged.
Seeing Ikki smiling while facing Kuraudo in a death match despite the struggles against his opponent's fast reflex and savage sword fighting style.
"Hey Ayase, are you sure the Last Samurai was so ashamed he went down?" Stella asked.
"What are you talking about? Of course, he was ashamed." Ayase said as they continue watching the duel.
"This bastard mocked my father's honor and challenge him for his dojo, then cut him down in what should've been his peaceful years." Ayase angered.
"I can understand your anger, but I believe there' more to it than meets the eye." Shizuku said.
"Yes, your father was a master swordsman and there's a reason why he is called the Last Samurai." Stella added.
"I think your father wanted the feeling of fighting strong opponents again even when growing old age peaceful." Masane stated.
Ayase gasp on the ideal they spoken and look back at the fight seeing Ikki as her father again.
"You're right about this guy being bad. But don't you think some part of your father relish the idea of someone like this would come along and challenge?" Stella asked rhetorically.
"I believe, the Last Samurai went down in the final battle he wanted to." Alice concluded.
It was then Ayase she realizes what her father last words two years ago meant, what he was really saying to Kuraudo.
"I'm sorry… I could not finish the lesson."
"I can see I was never a swordsman… I never understood the warrior's way." Ayase cried as she fell on her knees.
Ikki pierce Kuraudo's sword through the floor and pants of little exhaustion from the ongoing fight, and the Sword Eater himself is looking a bit tired too.
"Whoa, Kuraudo is looking tired just now." Masane surprised.
"Yes, his Marginal Counter grants him extra speed, but no extra stamina." Stella figured out.
"Damn, you are stubborn, little bitch." Kuraudo panted.
"I hate to lose; you know how this is. Honestly, you've been really keeping me on your toes, you're very gifted. I've been having fun, I wanted to make it last." Ikki smiled.
"You're having fun? You're my kind of psychopath." Kuraudo laughed a little.
"If you don't mind, I got a question." Ikki said.
"Go ahead." Kuraudo allowed it.
"There's something I wanted to know about the Last Samurai, he was smiling just like we are, wasn't he?" Ikki asked.
"What a stupid question. You don't earn the name like the Last Samurai if a nice deadly battle doesn't make you smile." Kuraudo answered and they push each other back.
(Music: The Worst One, Ikki Kurogane's Theme)
"Ayase, with all of my strength, for you and your father, I'm going to get back the two years!" Ikki declared and into one last fighting stance before charging at Kuraudo.
"Come, Yamato no Orochi!" Kuraudo unleashed his strongest technique where he moves his sword so fast that it looks like it grew eight heads.
Ikki saw this and didn't flinch in fear as he keeps going forward.
"(He's charging forward? That kid got a death wish.)" Kuraudo thought.
But that wasn't the case and Ikki perform a strong swordsman technique, a technique that Kuraudo knew as this was the move Kaito was trying to show him in that final moment of the duel back then.
Ikki charge through the attack of the eight-headed snake sword coming at Kuraudo with everything he got.
"Oh man, I've waited two whole years to see this move!" Kuraudo shouted.
Both Knight sword fights charge and past each other, everything became silent as nobody move or made a sound except the dripping sound of blood from Kuraudo's chest.
(Music End)
"Did… he just used my father's final technique? Ten'i Muhou?!" Ayase shocked.
"The soul of Ayatsuji Ittou-ryuu." Ikki said, standing strongly.
"How… how does he even know that? Did I show him during training somehow?" Ayase puzzled.
"Oh yeah, Blade Steel." Stella mentioned.
"Ikki just can't help but copy a move from someone inspiring him." Masane giggled.
"Hey kid, what's your name?" Kuraudo asked as he stands up.
"Ikki Amaha." Ikki answered.
Kuraodu just walk past him and headed out for the door.
"We'll settle this in the Seven Sword Art Festival." Kuraudo said.
"What about the dojo?" Ikki asked, hoping Kuraudo would keep his promise.
"It was fun while it lasted, but I got bigger fish to fry." Kuraudo said, meaning the dojo is now Ayase's again and walked out.
"Ikki!" Ayase ran to Ikki hugging him despite the injury from his chest.
"Thank you, thank you so much! For everything!" Ayase cried with tears of joy.
"You're welcome, Ayase." Ikki hugged her back.
And so, the Ayatsuji Dojo has finally been returned to the rightful owner and the Savior of the dojo was Ikki Amaha.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
Ikki has defeated the Sword Eater in battle and wins back Ayase's family dojo after the two years of suffering and sadness she went through, now Ayase can restart herself again to make herself stronger to uphold her family's legacy with Ikki by her side. And I'm sure her father, Kaito would be very proud of her too.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!