The intense clash between Mahiru, Touya, and Noah erupted across the battlefield. The ground trembled with every impact, the air torn apart by the blur of high-speed movement. Mahiru's golden yellow prana and Touya's swift slashes moved in unison, forming a relentless assault against their brother.
Each time the twins were cornered, Amane would jump in with a precisely timed barrier, giving them breathing room. Koutaro and Ayato rotated in seamlessly, their blades flashing as they took the twins' place. Ayato's technique paired with Koutaro's keen reading of Noah's movements created a constant pressure.
Noah, who even outnumbered, was still a whirlwind. His dual Lightsaber Lux style parried and weaved between strikes showcasing his swordsmanship. His motions were sharper and more refined than even Touya and Ayato combined.
But despite his overwhelming agility, he kept his guard high whenever clashing with Ayato. He wasn't being cautious out of habit, but due to the ability of Ayato's weapon. Ser-Versta, with its disintegration ability and intense heat that could melt through nearly anything. Noah refused to meet it head-on. Instead, he relied on precision and control, redirecting Ayato's strikes rather than blocking them outright. His Force-enhanced Luxes might be sturdy but it wouldn't survive a direct hit from that blade of inferno.
"Kuh!… he's reading my every move," Ayato muttered, stepping back after another parried strike.
"That is because even he knows that your sword's not something to be trifled with." Touya said, glancing sideways.
In addition, Touya's well-timed use of Wole–Zain's space cutting ability kept Noah on edge. The spatial slash were barely perceptible, but to Noah, they screamed danger. One wrong step, and the blade would shear space clean through his defense.
Then came Mahiru, who used her Meteor Arts together with the Basilisk. Taking advantage of its size, speed despite size, precision, and mass. Every time it slams its huge body towards Noah, it forces his shields dangerously closer to breaking. The color rapidly switching from orange to red. He barely had time to let them recover before the next barrage of attacks came.
And then… there was Koutaro.
No flashy techniques, no overwhelming pressure just his practiced forms. As Noah's very first sparring partner, and perhaps the one who understood his flow best. Koutaro didn't need to overpower him. He simply needed to move a second ahead. A block here. A feint there. His understanding of the Alden Sword Style was deep enough to be irritating and effective.
"Seriously, Koutaro… you've gotten annoying," Noah muttered under his breath, parrying a familiar sequence.
Koutaro only gave a faint grin. "I was taught by the best."
Crap… I might actually be in trouble here… Noah thought, sweat running down his neck..
Every time Touya pushed Noah's shield into the red, a certain tsundere's voice could be heard from the commentary booth.
"TSK!! Touya! Do you really want that reward from Nii-san, huh?! Are you that desperate for 'Wives'?!!!!"
"Waaah!!! Please calm down Alya-chan!"
"Mercy! Mercy!! Have mercy on the table Alya-chan!! It's crying(creaking) already!!"
Back on the battlefield, the momentum had stalled. Mahiru's eyes harden with resolve.
"Everyone," her voice came through their shared mental link, "I need a moment.... to gather enough prana to hit Onii-chan with my strongest attack… and then Touya, you'll follow up and finish it."
While she kept the Basilisk moving, slamming its huge body towards Noah.
"That's easier to say than to do, Mahiru!" Touya snapped, narrowly dodging a counter from Noah. "Kuh..! We're already stretched thin here! There's no room to play support!"
"Sorry Mahiru-san, but I agree with Touya…" Ayato added, joining the fray beside him. "It's taking everything we've got just to match Alden-senpai's pace… and we're still a step behind."
From the sidelines, Koutaro catching his breath as he watched Touya and Ayato press Noah from both sides, blades clashing in intense rhythm.
"...what do you need us to do, Mahiru-chan? And for how long do you want us to hold on?" he asked, eyes fixed on Noah, Touya and Ayato's intense duel.
Mahiru bit her lip, her voice firm despite the fatigue. "I just need you to take Onii-chan's attention away from me for ten—no, five seconds! Just five seconds to gather enough prana. I swear, I'll land a full hit on Onii-chan's shield. I'll break it!"
Everyone was tense. Even halving the charge time would demand too much from them, it was a tall order.
"...Five seconds, right?" said a calm voice.
All eyes turned to Amane, who hadn't spoken until now.
"Do it," he said simply. "I'll give you that five seconds."
"Tsu!… Amane?!" Touya's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Amane-kun?!" Mahiru gasped, mirroring her twin's shock.
"Amane… you…" Ayato muttered.
"Tsk… Kid, don't go doing something reckless!" Koutaro growled, concern flashing in his voice.
"...Please listen first." Amane took a deep breath before continuing to explain. "I think I can create that window. With the strength of my barrier techniques, I've got the highest chance of surviving. I've trained enough to withstand attacks from both Touya and Mahiru... and even Ser-Versta."
That shut everyone up. Because he was right. Amane's barriers had taken full blows from Touya's Wole–Zain and Mahiru's Magical attacks before. Even Ayato had tested his might against them once, and Ser-Versta hadn't managed to completely destroy the barriers in a direct hit.
"Mahiru, please," Amane looked at her. "Trust me on this. I can do it."
There was a beat of silence then Touya clicked his tongue, clearly conflicted.
"Tch… and here you go again. Acting cool… Damn it, now I remember why I reluctantly approved of you." He muttered, face twitching like he just swallowed something bitter.
"Touya!!" Mahiru's glare could have burned a hole through a wall.
Amane gave a sheepish grin, brushing the back of his neck. "Thanks, bro…"
"Tch." Touya looked away, but didn't argue further.
"Then it's settled." Koutaro stepped forward with a nod, then turned to join Touya and Ayato again. "Fujimiya, we're counting on you."
With that, they worked together to get Noah's attention and went back to the usual three-man force, giving Amane the opening he needed.
Fujimiya Amane took in a deep breath, trying to calm the tremble in his chest. What he was about to do was, by all definitions, insane stepping into the battlefield to face not just Mahiru's fiercely protective brother, but also the strongest Alden of their generation. He opened his eyes and focused on Mahiru's figure up ahead, watching her glide with inhuman speed. She created the illusion of launching attack after attack on Noah, but in truth, she was slowly distancing herself to start gathering the prana she needed for her final strike.
As he watched her, Amane's mind went back to the day they met.
It was six months ago, right before their first day in Seidoukan Academy's high school division. Just one day after Noah had departed on his journey. The rain had poured endlessly that evening. He'd found her sitting on the park swing, soaked to the bone, head lowered, devastated. He didn't even know her name then. Just that she looked completely heartbroken. Out of concern, he'd approached and asked,
"Hey… are you alright?"
What greeted him was a curt, almost sharp-tongued reply biting and cold, a complete contrast to her angelic looks. It stunned him. Without another word, he simply thrust his umbrella into her hands, forcing her to take it before walking off into the rain himself.
She didn't have time to stop him then. But that moment stuck with both of them more than either realized.
The very next day, during the entrance ceremony, they crossed paths again. Mahiru stood on stage as the first-year representative, angelic and elegant. It was then he learned her full name: Mahiru Alden, the daughter of the legendary Alden family.
But fate wasn't done playing tricks. Due to being soaked the day before, Amane had caught a nasty cold. On his way home, weak with fever, his legs gave out. He would've collapsed face-first on the road if Mahiru hadn't been there to catch him. She didn't say anything dramatic. She just sighed, muttered something about 'hopeless boys,', helped him reach home, even took care of him that evening. From that day forward, their fates tangled little by little. Before he even knew it. Mahiru had captured not only his heart but his stomach as well.
He didn't fall for her because she was perfect, he fell for her because she wasn't. Because she glared at him when he was dumb, because she stayed when she didn't have to. And so, for the girl named Mahiru Alden, Amane would do anything. And right now, what he had to do… was this.
"Excuse me, Noah Alden-senpai!!" Amane shouted, snapping Noah's gaze toward him. The older boy smoothly sidestepped a flurry of sword strikes from Touya, Koutaro, and Ayato. Then, in one smooth motion, he waved out his left hand holding his Lightsaber Lux.
A powerful Force wave sent them outward, knocking all three attackers back just enough to give Amane his full attention.
Good! His attention is on me! Amane thought.
"Senpai... no—Onii-san!" Amane called out.
"Huh?" Noah blinked, clearly caught off guard. His eyes widened and his brows shot up.
Even Touya, Ayato, and Koutaro halted, expressions frozen in disbelief.
The simulation room erupted in a mixture of gasps and stunned silence. A few live viewers in the chat were already typing things like:
[Did he just call him Onii-san?!]
[This boy's got guts!]
[Pray for Fujimiya Amane.]
"....Fujimiya-kun, was it?" Noah slowly asked with visible confusion. "...Although I don't mind….Why are you calling me something like... 'Onii-san'?"
"I-It's... it's only right that I call you so!!" Amane stammered, trying to keep a straight face. But the redness creeping up his ears betrayed the internal panic.
Mahiru, previously locked in deep concentration, snapped her head toward him with an expression of pure horror.
Amane-kun, what the are you doing?! she screamed internally.
"Ha?" Noah blinked again, even more lost than before. "What is going on right now…?"
Amane took a deep breath, chest rising with determination. "Please allow me to introduce myself properly, Onii-san! My name is Fujimiya Amane, sixteen years old, first-year student of Seidoukan Academy High School Division and…"
He paused. A single gulp loud enough to be heard in the silence. Noah's brows lifted higher, his expression unreadable as he waited.
"…Mahiru Alden's boyfriend!"
Silence slammed down like a hammer.
"...Amane… you idiot…" Touya muttered, staring in disbelief.
"Holy crap. Amane… you absolute legend," Itsuki whispered from the edge of the combat field, gaping with the rest of the eliminated spectators.
"Hmm. Hmm. Such a man indeed," Eishirou said solemnly, giving a slow, approving nod.
"...Such guts… damn…" Koutaro murmured, caught between dread and respect.
"This kid…" Haruto muttered, half in awe. "He actually said it."
"...This is exactly why I both like and hate this kid," Caelus sighed, his face a mix of exasperation and reluctant pride.
"Mahiru really found herself a splendid partner." Elena smiled gently, then turned to the frozen Masha still processing the shock. "...Masha-chan, dear."
"A-Ah? Y-Yes, Auntie?" Masha jolted upright, snapped out of her stupor by Elena's voice.
"I think we better head down there. Fujimiya-san might need someone to check on him... once Noah wakes up from whatever dimension his mind just collapsed into."
"R-Right… I'm on it." Masha nodded quickly, rising to her feet and following Elena down with a mix of concern and panic.
[Warning! Captain's consciousness was not detected. Initiating shock therapy.] Void Archives announced flatly.
Buzz.
[No reaction. Re-attempting.]
Buzz.
[Still no reaction. Final attempt initiated.]
Buzz.
[...No signs of recovery. Conclusion: Captain has fallen into the bottom of the Sea of Quanta.]
"HUH?! What do you mean he fell into the Sea of Quanta, you idiot AI?!" Kiana, Elysia, Lumine, and Miss A screamed in unison from Sumeru.
"Reboot his brain or something!!" Elysia yelled.
"Throw a cookie at him!" Miss A added.
"…Not helping," Lumine muttered, facepalming.
[Uploading emergency reset cookie.exe...] Void Archives replied sulkily.
Whether it was five seconds or ten, Amane's outrageous stunt had somehow bought them nearly thirty seconds of precious breathing room. However it was not just Noah but also everyone had frozen from the shock.
"Ahh… Onii-san?" Amane asked, voice trembling as he tried again.
That single word made Noah twitch. Amane blinked carefully, and an audible gulp could be heard in the entire room
The atmosphere tensed. Every pair of eyes bounced between the two.
Then, without warning, Noah vanished.
He reappeared instantly right in front of Amane.
"—!!"
Amane crosses his arms, layering barrier after barrier in sheer panic.
Holy crap, I broke the man… he thought, sweat pouring.
Noah's fist came crashing forward not just powered by Prana, but amplified by Force and Imaginary energy. The moment it struck, it sounded like shattering crystal.
Every single layer Amane conjured shattered like paper.
I AM SO DEAD!!! he screamed internally, bracing for impact.
With a shattering sound, Amane was launched across the room, crashing into the wall hard enough to leave a crack. His body bounced twice on the ground before finally coming to a stop, sprawled motionless.
An oppressive silence settled over the entire room.
Even the live chat was frozen.
[.....?]
[?????]
[!!!!!!!!!!!!]
[Bro just got punched into the next simulation.]
[Uh. Is he breathing?]
[Someone! Somebody! Please revive our boy!]
"Huh?! What just happened? Wait—why's Fujimiya-san all the way over there?!" Noah blurted out, eyes wide as he came to. "D-Did I punch him?!"
His shout snapped everyone else out of their stunned daze.
"AMANE-KUN?!" Mahiru screamed, panic written all over her face.
Thankfully, Masha and Elena arrived just in time to check on Amane. After running a few scans, Masha finally let out a long sigh somewhere between disbelief and relief.
"Incredible… he is actually unhurt... Ah! Sorry, everyone—Fujimiya-san is okay," she said, turning to the group. "He just fainted from the shock. No internal damage, no injuries. His barriers took most of the hit from Noah-kun's punch. Somehow."
She raised both arms and formed a big "O" with them. "Perfectly safe. Just... stunned."
Everyone collectively winched.
Mahiru let out a sigh of relief, then immediately turned toward her brother, expression darkening.
"Onii-chan! Why did you punch Amane-kun that hard?!"
"I—I didn't mean to!" Noah protested, panic creeping into his voice. "And I don't even remember doing it!"
"That's not comforting!!"
From the sidelines, Touya muttered, "That poor bastard…"
Koutaro crossed his arms with a nod. "A man of bravery… and zero self-preservation."
Ayato added under his breath, "May you rest well Amane...."
Then a heavy surge of prana descended through the room like a tidal wave, shaking the entire arena. Brilliant, star-like lights appeared, at its center floating was Mahiru Alden, golden aura blazing, eyes locked onto her older brother with silent fury.
Noah flinched. Touya winced. That expression on his twin's face? Yeah, that wasn't the usual sweet Mahiru.
Ayato and Koutaro dropped to one knee, their bodies reacting instinctively to the pressure. Even Noah's knees buckled slightly as his complexion paled.
"W-Wait! Mahiru-chan! I swear, Onii-chan didn't mean to—It just happened—"
"Be quiet, Onii-chan," Mahiru said sweetly… too sweetly.
Noah snapped his mouth shut immediately. Mahiru's tone remained respectful, her voice sounded sweet as always, but every syllable hit like a hammer and sent a chill down the spine of everyone present.
Those who truly knew Mahiru understood: she was usually gentle, polite, and reserved. But she also had a terrifyingly sharp tongue especially when someone tried to flirt with her or assumed she was easy to approach.
To outsiders, Mahiru Alden looked like an angel. But those closest to her knew better. Underneath that graceful exterior was a storm waiting to strike. And when it came to Amane, when someone dared to hurt him or even speak ill of him it didn't matter who you were. Not even her beloved older brother was safe from the wrath she reserved for those moments.
The classmate who once insulted Amane in front of Mahiru mocking him for how could someone like him be like by Mahiru. Well, let's just say he now curls up and sobs like a child whenever he sees either of them.
And now… her beloved Onii-chan had just stomped on the very switch that triggered that same wrath.
Mahiru's eyes narrowed.
"Prepare yourself," she said plainly.
Ah… crap. Noah broke out in a cold sweat.
"Expecto Patronum—Jue!" Mahiru shouted, her voice laced with divine fury.
In a flash of radiant gold, the guardian spirit appeared. Jue, an eastern dragon emerged in a swirl of blazing light. Like Selena the Basilisk, Jue was one of the Alden family's Guardian Spirit, born from the bloodline of Hotaru Alden, one of Caelus Alden's wives and mother of Haruto.
Hotaru, descended from the Samuel family much like the Kujou Family, has a strong spiritual affinity. Her clan revered the blazing sun and the dragon Loong, as symbols of purification and power. And in this generation, Mahiru inherited that gift the most, refining it into something awe-inspiring.
Ethereal dragon horns came into view above Mahiru's forehead. She clasped her hands together in a prayer-like pose, her eyes shined like miniature suns as blazing heat erupted around her form. Jue hovered protectively beside her, coiling in midair with majesty and power.
Jue's eyes locked on the sweating Noah, then released a mighty roar. From its maw, a barrage of golden sun-like beams erupted with blinding speed.
Noah gritted his teeth and moved, narrowly dodging as beams shot toward him at light speed. Despite his best efforts, multiple blasts struck true, hitting his already fragile shield.
"Ahh crap… this might be a really dangerous situation?" he muttered, drawing on his Trailblaze energy. Both Lightsaber Luxes ignited in his hands with a hum. His form blurred as he began slicing through the oncoming beams with precision. Most rays shattered midair, but a few managed to break through, forcing him to absorb the impact.
From above, Mahiru performed a sword hand sign.
"Jue, now," she commanded.
The great dragon roared once more, this time gathering prana in its mouth. A sphere of molten light, no larger than a basketball but pulsing with terrifying energy, formed between its fangs. It looked like a miniature sun.
"Sunflare Burst!" Mahiru cried.
Jue released the concentrated beam, and Noah crossed his blades just in time. The force of the impact was deafening, pushing him back across the floor, his boots digging furrows into the ground.
"Damn it…!" he growled, trying to hold his position as the wave of heat and light bore down on him.
Moments later, the area around Noah had turned scorched and molten from the intensity of the heat. A sharp, deafening crack heard through the air a definite sound of glass shattering signaling the collapse of Noah's shield. Jue let out one last low rumble before its body began to fade. Mahiru, having spent every ounce of prana and spiritual power he had from summoning Jue and unleashing the barrage, dropped in midair. Her body gave out.
"Mahiru!" Ayato shouted, dashing forward.
Just in time, he leapt and caught her gently before she hit the ground.
But Noah didn't even get a chance to breathe.
Warning! The Force screamed at him. Danger.
His head snapped upward.
From above, Touya had begun channeling his own form of his inheritance, the Sun now reflected in his eyes. Dozens of radiant blades hovered in the air around him, encircling Noah like a storm waiting to strike. The Urm Manadyte on Wole–Zain shines with bright intensity, its power harmonizing with its current partner—Touya Alden.
"Meteor Arts: Infinity Sword Arts: Infinite Strike!" Touya roared.
And the blades rained down.
He burst forward, a flash of sunlight blades trailing behind him as other countless blades rained from every direction. Noah raised both Lightsaber Luxes in response, smashing each with speed and accuracy that sparks erupted with every impact.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The storm of blades was unrelenting. Noah danced between them, breaking some mid-flight, sidestepping others, and intercepting the rest with perfect angles. Then, the brothers launched upward, exchanging blows midair. Each strike shook the atmosphere, their silhouettes blurring with each clash. Touya managed to land a sharp kick, sending Noah hurling downward like a comet crashing to earth.
Noah hit the ground with a crater-forming impact but rolled back to his feet as Touya conjured a colossal blade overhead. With no time to hesitate, Noah surged prana and Force into his Luxes, forming a massive blade of his own to counter it. He slashed upward, aiming to slice the falling weapon in half.
But in that instant, Touya activated Wole–Zain's ability.
A spatial rift opened. Noah's strike passed cleanly through it, connecting with nothing but air. His eyes widened in alarm.
"...To use my own technique!..." Noah muttered in shock.
He released his hold on both Luxes and diverted all remaining energy into his right fist, coating it in Imaginary energy. The instant the giant blade reached him, he met it head-on with his punch with force.
The blade shattered into thousands of fragments.
Yet before the shards even touched the ground, Touya emerged from the same rift, his timing flawless.
Their eyes met for a split second.
"It's my win!" Touya whispered.
Wole–Zain's blade grazed across Noah's cheek, drawing a line of virtual blood.