The three of them discussed the matter for quite a while, but still couldn't come up with any reliable way to counter Shinomiya Tamane. Abilities based on luck were just inherently difficult to deal with.

And without a doubt, Shinomiya's real target was Ikki Kurogane, which meant that his closest relative—Shizuku Kurogane—was likely to be targeted first.

That was what truly made Ikki so anxious.

Eventually, he even proposed that Shizuku should forfeit her match entirely.

But Charles could tell—Shizuku had no intention of backing down.

Because she knew that Ikki would have to face Shinomiya eventually. She could choose to avoid the fight, but her brother never would.

And so, she wouldn't run away either. Even if it meant losing, even if it meant getting hurt—she would still fight Shinomiya Tamane.

Even if all she could manage was gathering a small bit of intel on Shinomiya's abilities, it would still help Ikki increase his odds of winning. That was the resolve of the girl named Shizuku Kurogane.

Charles was keenly aware of Shizuku's thoughts. That was why he couldn't bring himself to say anything to stop her.

The tournament continued over the next few days, and the final four from each block were soon decided.

In Block A, the winner was naturally Kurogane Ouma. He defeated both Kaga Koishi and Toudou Touka to advance. Kaga's steel body couldn't stand up to Ouma's blade, and Touka's Raikiri couldn't pierce the armor of the Heavenly Dragon.

In Block B, Stella bulldozed her way through the remaining Akatsuki Academy contenders and earned her place in the semifinals. Even when Hiraga Reizen unleashed his Blazer Technique Machine God Descent, summoning a literal Gundam, Stella tore it apart with her bare hands.

Block C had a bit more intrigue. Ikki's bad luck remained consistent—each opponent was more difficult than the last.

After defeating Moroboshi Yūdai, he went on to face last year's runner-up, Shironosaki Byakuya, and then fought Sharalabud Lily, who could bring forth illusions of other powerful warriors through her artwork.

After a grueling battle, Ikki finally came out on top.

But the real twist came in Block D. For some reason, Shizuku attacked Shinomiya Tamane before their match, and though she was the one severely injured, she was also disqualified from the tournament for breaking the rules.

Wanting to take out Shinomiya even if it meant breaking the rules—just to protect Ikki—that was something only Shizuku would do.

But strangely, Charles had the persistent feeling that Tamane was somehow behind all of this.

And he wasn't the only one. Ikki clearly suspected the same thing. Though he didn't show it outwardly, his silent fury was palpable—and far more terrifying because of that.

Then came the semifinals. Ikki, bearing the weight of fate's cruelty, defeated Shinomiya Tamane.

And in the other match, Stella got serious and unleashed her full power. She overwhelmed Kurogane Ouma, definitively proving which of the two A-Rank Blazers was stronger.

Which led to a final showdown between Stella and Ikki.

Charles didn't have enough context from this world to know how things had originally played out, but this fight was a spectacle regardless.

After the match, Stella stomped her foot in frustration, leaving cracks in the arena floor, but she still admitted that Ikki's will to win was far more resolute than hers. She had no regrets about losing.

Among the crowd, however, were many powerful figures—each of them noticed something off during the match.

Logically, Ikki should've had no chance. His magic was depleted, and using Ittou Shura again should've been impossible.

And yet, he broke free from fate's grip, activating a second Ittou Shura, and defeated Stella.

The more experienced observers all knew what had happened. Even Charles figured it out.

Ikki had surpassed the limitations of fate—he had become a being known as a Majin, or "demon." At Shindouji Temple, such a being was called a Sennin.

As a Majin, Ikki's magic would no longer be bound by destiny; it could now grow through training.

Most importantly, when facing another Majin, only someone of the same rank could resist the pull of their fate. That was part of why Stella lost—no matter how powerful she was, she couldn't overcome the destined defeat before the newly ascended Ikki.

Regardless, Ikki had finally achieved his goal—he earned the title of Seven Star Sword King. Now, not even his father—the head of the Alliance's Japan Branch—could deny his place as a Blazer.

After the tournament ended, Charles and the others were invited to a celebratory gathering at Moroboshi Yūdai's family-run okonomiyaki restaurant.

As a local specialty, okonomiyaki was something Moroboshi took great pride in, confident in his family's cooking.

It wasn't just the usual group—Hagun's main cast—but elite students from other academies were invited too.

Even Akatsuki Academy's Kurogane Ouma, Kazematsuri Rinne, and Sharalabud Lily showed up at the restaurant.

Ouma wasn't just connected to Ikki—he had previously faced Moroboshi in the Elementary School Cup, making them old rivals.

To everyone's surprise, Kazematsuri Rinne was also well acquainted with Hagun's Kitahara Kanata.

As it turned out, the Kazematsuri and Kitahara families were both part of Japan's zaibatsu elite. The two heiresses had known each other since childhood.

Sharalabud Lily was now also Rinne's adopted sister.

Sharalabud clung to Ikki, begging him to model nude for her. She was promptly kicked across the room by Ikki and lay twitching on the floor.

Luckily, the best doctor in the house, Yakushi Kiriko, simply touched her once and "revived" her like nothing had happened.

Rinne loudly spouted dramatic chuunibyou lines while her sharp-tongued maid translated for her and quietly removed all the ingredients she didn't like from her plate.

Moroboshi completely ignored Ouma's grumpy demeanor and kept chatting him up. Shironosaki looked deeply uncomfortable as Kaga Koishi loomed nearby.

Toudou Touka and Kitahara Kanata chatted quietly, both looking genuinely happy.

Of course they were—this year, not only had Hagun Academy finally reclaimed the Seven Star Sword King title, but many of its students had achieved excellent results. As student council members, even if it wasn't their personal victories, they had every right to feel proud.

As for Charles, he was busy relocating food from everyone else's plates to his own. But before he could eat it, Stella swiftly cleared the table.

Her abilities, inherited from a mythical dragon, came with immense physical power—but also an equally large appetite. The tournament had drained her energy, and she was in desperate need of replenishment.

Charles, of course, felt nothing but sympathy for his beloved girl and focused entirely on feeding her.

Stella smiled sweetly, eyes sparkling. Just thinking about the fact that she and Charles would soon be returning to the Kingdom of Vermillion together made her almost burst with joy.

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