Chapter 147: The Selection Finals!
Time flew by in the blink of an eye.
Soon, the final day of the selection tournament arrived.
Today, the twelve remaining undefeated contestants would determine who would represent Hagun Academy at this year's Seven Star Sword Art Festival.
"Mm, I'm fine. I'm feeling perfectly energetic."
"Yes, today is the final selection match. My opponent? He's the friend from the same school of martial arts I mentioned before."
Inside one of Hagun Academy's dormitories, Touka was having one final call with the orphanage director before the finals began.
"What? You're bringing the children to cheer for me during the main tournament?! There's no need. I might not even win."
"What do you mean you'll come even if Shiro wins?! When did you meet him?!"
"Forget it... Remember to take care of yourself. The doctor said you've only just recovered and shouldn't do strenuous exercise."
"Leave the heavy work to the children. Also, please thank them for sending me those vegetables."
"All right. I'm hanging up. Bye."
Touka ended the call on her student handbook.
"Touka, are you really all right?"
A cardboard box stuffed until it bulged sat in the corner of the dormitory. It was filled with a disorderly assortment of vegetables.
The children had picked them from the orphanage garden, and the director had specially sent them to Touka.
Kanata sat on the sofa beside the box and watched her friend worriedly.
After an entire day of settling herself, Touka appeared no different from usual on the surface.
However, Kanata had personally witnessed her forcibly compress that enormous Sword Intent into her body, so she could not feel reassured.
Touka's body now resembled a pressure cooker.
While constantly forcing more inside, she had to preserve at least one-fifth of her limit. If she exceeded that threshold, she could explode at any moment.
"Don't worry. This is a surprise I prepared especially for Shiro. I won't collapse before I show it to him."
Touka gladly accepted her roommate's kind concern.
However, today held special meaning for her.
She placed her student handbook into her uniform pocket, walked to the entrance, and put on her shoes.
"It's almost time. I'll leave first."
With that, she opened the dormitory door and headed out to face the approaching decisive battle.
...
Inside the First Training Field—
"Hey, who do you think will win today?"
"Obviously the student council president. I've never seen anyone counter her [Raikiri]. Even the previous Seven Stars Sword King couldn't do it."
"That's hard to say. Did you forget what the [Demon King] did during training that day?"
"He still hasn't summoned his Device even once. I think he has the better chance of winning."
Today marked the final round of the selections.
Only knights who had maintained an undefeated record were qualified to participate in this last match.
Because of that, several times more spectators than usual packed the stands, practically sealing off every entrance to the training field.
"Wow! The audience seats are already full this early!"
"It seems everyone is eagerly awaiting this legendary confrontation."
"Saikyo-sensei, according to information I received, Shiro is also a disciple of the [God of War]. Is that true?"
"Eh? Where did Saikyo-sensei go?!"
The female student serving as announcer was about to confirm the rumor she had heard from the news club.
However, Nene, who should have been sitting beside her at the commentary desk, had vanished at some point.
In her place sat a small doll that looked almost exactly like her.
A note had even been stuck to its forehead.
[I'm slipping away first. Just commentate however you like.]
Meanwhile, at the highest point of the First Training Field's spectator stands, Kurono stood with a cigarette between her lips.
She glared unhappily at Nene, who had slipped down to watch the match beside her.
Should she call Nene fearless?
The commentary assignment was supposed to be punishment for nearly destroying Hagun Academy.
Yet not only had Nene abandoned her post, she had even dared to appear before the person who punished her and watch the match together.
Suppressing the urge to press a gun against Nene's forehead, Kurono spoke.
"Hey. Aren't you supposed to be commentating today?"
"Oh, don't be like that~ You know this is a battle between fellow disciples. How could I possibly sit still~?"
Nene tried to laugh it off with her usual sugary voice.
Unable to do anything about her, Kurono turned toward the contestants' entrance.
"What do you think about this match?"
"Hmm... In the past, it would've depended on whether Touka used her full strength."
"But now, Touka probably can't defeat Shiro no matter what she does."
Kurono was about to object to Nene's assessment when an elderly voice suddenly entered their conversation.
"My, I finally found you two. This academy is truly enormous. I couldn't understand where anything was."
They both turned toward the voice.
An elderly man in a kimono approached while wiping nonexistent sweat from his forehead with a white handkerchief.
"Uweh! Old man?!"
The moment Nene saw him, she jumped in fright.
The newcomer was the master of both Nene and Shiro, the famous [God of War], Nangou Torajirou.
(PS: I mixed up Nangou Torajirou's surname and given name at the start. It's a bit annoying to keep fixing it, but the MC will still have Torajirou as his surname. At this point, I'll just roll with it xD)
"Hohoho. Seeing that your mouth is still as rude as ever puts me at ease."
"But what is this mature aura around you? Did you finally succeed in making a move on Shiro?"
"Shut up! My affairs have nothing to do with you!"
The moment he mentioned it, Nene became like a cat whose fur had been ruffled and hurled her fan at him.
She had already noticed the strange look Kurono was giving her.
Remembering how she had once loudly declared before Kurono that she would never need a man in her life, Nene could not stop her face from heating up.
Fortunately, Kurono did not pursue her unusual reaction.
Instead, she turned toward Torajirou.
"Nangou-sensei, what brought you here today?"
"This old man merely wished to watch a lively decisive battle between his disciples."
"I won't be able to see it during the Seven Star Sword Art Festival, after all. I also wanted to see how much Shiro has grown."
"You mean Shiro? I believe his current strength will surprise you."
"Hohoho. Then this old man shall look forward to it."
At that moment, Torajirou suddenly noticed something.
His normally narrowed eyes opened slightly.
"Oh, they've finally arrived."
Hearing him, Nene and Kurono also looked toward the training field below.
From the contestants' entrance of the First Training Field, a young man and woman slowly walked out.
…
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