So... what is it that you want to talk to me about?
Well, the reason I asked you to come here today, is because I have something I wanted to ask you about.
Ask me?
I heard that you and Vermillion promised each other that you would fight at the Seven Star Battle Festival.
Yes. No matter where it is, we have promised each other that we would make sure to fight again.
But what if before you get to that point, you have to face an enemy that you can never beat?
What would you do?
I would fight fairly, with all I've got.
Even if you can't win?
Yes. There's nothing else I can do but fight with everything I have.
I don't think so. Justice that doesn't produce result is just nonsense.
But me... No matter what it takes, I will take him out.
Ayatsuji!
"Takami o mezasu nosa, A brave new world," I'll aim higher, A brave new world,
"Jounetsu no kissaki de" With the point of a passionate sword
"Kono basho ni kizamu no wa, It's my soul" What I mark in this place, It's my soul
"Dare nimo furesase nai identity," I won't let anyone touch my identity,
"Kyoumei shiteku kodou" The heart beat that begins to resonate
"Unmei wa kono isshun de kimaru darou" My destiny will be decided in this moment
""Kakugo" o waraeba ii, Ogori takabureba ii" Mock my "resolution," Be arrogant
"Mayoi fumi tsubushi, Let's go ahead!" I'll stomp out doubts, Let's go ahead!
(Let's go ahead, Right now) "Mayoi fumi tsubushi, Let's go ahead!" I'll stomp out doubts, Let's go ahead!
"Dakara ima uchiyaburu nosa," That's why I'll break it now,
"Sou, ashita o fusagu omoi door o" Yes, the heavy door that blocks tomorrow
"Zenryouku de jibun tsukai tsukuse," Use yourself in full force to the end,
"Togi sumasareta kokoro de" With your sharp mind
"Ichigeki de tsuki yaburu nosa," Break it with one stroke,
"Sou mirai o kobamu atsui door o" Yes, the heavy door that refuses tomorrow
"Kishi kaisei, sono toki ga kita nosa," Revive, The time has come,
"Dotanba no climax" The climax at the last minute
It's time to take a top
Sword Eater II
Ayatsuji!
Itto Shura!
This isn't gonna...
Ayatsuji... Why?
If I haven't saved you--
You used it.
Your ace in the hole.
Was it...
Was it your intention from the beginning to make me use Itto Shura?
You can only use it once a day.
The selection match begins in 10 hours.
You won't have enough time to recover.
This way, I have a chance to win.
I may not be good enough as a swordswoman, but if I combine it with my ability as a blazer,
I can defeat you now that you've lost your ace.
Why?
Why do you want to win so much?
You're throwing away your pride as a knight, and bringing disgrace to the spirit of Ayatsuji Itto-ryu.
Why so much?
I don't care what you say.
I will defeat you no matter what.
I just have to.
W-wait.
Aya... tsuji...
Kurogane Vermillion
No, Ikki... Not in here...
Not your Itto Shura of the night.
People can see us.
I said no.
Huh? What was that?
Ikki?
H-hey! What are you doing in the middle of the night?
H-hey. Say something.
Oh! Is this what I heard as a rumor?
The Japanese night-time sneaking?
It is, isn't it? Answer me, Ikki!
Well, Ikki?
Hey, Ikki? Ikki?!
Where am I?
Onii-sama!
Shizuku...
Oh good... Are you alright?
What am I...?
You still have time.
The match begins at 3pm. You still have plenty of time.
Alice told us.
Ayatsuji-senpai wanted to meet you last night.
What happened was...
You're finally awake, Kurogane.
I know you're tired, but I need you to come with me.
So that was you.
I heard you were brought into the Nurse's Office, so I thought it might be.
I can't tell you what happened.
But I'll accept the punishment.
Hey, Ikki!
Stella.
You're not covering for someone, are you?
May I ask you something?
Huh?
About Ayase Ayatsuji of Class 3-1.
He'll find out anyway if he researches a little.
About two years ago, I think, her father, Kaito Ayatsuji, who's also known as the Last Samurai,
became unable to ever hold a sword again.
What happened?
It was a result of losing the one-on-one battle when his school was challenged.
He fought--
The Sword Eater from Donro Academy, Kuraudo Kurashiki, correct?
That's right.
And according to the rules they agreed upon before the duel,
the land and building that the Ayatsuji family owned was all handed to Kurashiki.
And how's Kaito doing now?
He's been unconscious for the past two years.
Listen, Ayase. Never forget your pride at any time.
Always value civility, help the weak, and hate evil.
No matter who your enemy is, face them fair and square.
Become a swordswoman with no shame.
You know, you won't even make an object of killing time.
Don't ever come back.
If I make it to the Seven Star Battle Festival, I could fight him.
This is my last chance.
I--
I'm...sorry...
Don't apologize anymore, Father.
I promise I'll get everything back.
That's a terrible story.
Everything she loved has been taken, and she was driven to the edge.
But that's what makes her strong.
She's like a desperate beast.
She'll do anything to attack you in the match.
So what are you gonna do, Ikki?
Of course, I'll fight with all my heart and soul.
Otherwise, it would be rude to Ayatsuji.
Okay, but she used such a dirty trick--
Shizuku.
Stella.
Huh?
Will you...come with me?
S-sure, but to where?
There's just one thing I need to do...
...before the fight.
Today's third match at the Third Training Field will begin very shortly.
It will be reported by me, Hangetsu Tsukuyomi, of the broadcasting club,
and commentary will be by Yuri Oriki-sensei!
Hello.
Wow, Sensei, you look like you're feeling well today.
Yes, because it just started.
But soon I'll be the Yuri-chan you all love.
Don't worry, I have spare blood in liter units.
I see. Looks like there'll be a lot of bloodshed at the commentary seat again.
At the East Gate, the player enters.
First, the F-rank knight who's won six out of six fights.
"The Worst One? No. I'm Another One."
The first-year, Ikki Kurogane!
At the West Gate, the player enters.
And now the other player makes her appearance.
She also has a great record, winning six out of six fights.
A D-rank knight, the third-year, Ayase Ayatsuji!
They're a rare swordsman and swordswoman.
Not only that, Ayase-senpai took swordplay lessons from Kurogane.
In other words, this is a sword battle as well as a master-versus-pupil fight.
I gotta write it down.
So you did show up.
I was hoping for a win by default.
I'm impressed with you, Kurogane.
Come to me, Intetsu.
You can't seem to forgive me.
But I'm the one who wins.
Turn scarlet, Hizume!
What kind of a blazer is she?
There's almost no information regarding her.
She didn't enter any of the official matches prior to this year.
So there's no data. And this year she's won by only using her sword techniques.
So she hasn't shown her abilities.
That means, the kind of abilities she possesses...
...will decide the direction of the fight.
Let's go ahead.
Wow! Kurogane jumped!
A swift attack as the match began!
Wh-wh-wh-what was that just now?!
Kurogane's body was suddenly cut severely!
What in the world happened?!
Kurogane took a step back.
Upon taking the mysterious attack, did he decide to get poised again?
Now it's his back?!
Onii-sama.
How is my Noble Art?
The taste of the Wind Scratch?
It does damage, a good amount.
Opening the wound. That's the ability of my device, Hizume.
She has probably initiated the traps that were already placed in that space.
She used the invisible whirlwind to cut me.
The sword cuts that were left in this space from earlier.
By opening one, the air around it gets sucked in rapidly,
and as a result creates a whirlwind.
In that case, this battle space is already...
...planted with several hundreds of sword cuts.
You have nowhere to run!
Planting traps before the match is against the rules.
If that's what she did, then as soon as the truth comes out,
the match will be forfeited immediately, and Onii-sama will win.
Good. She hasn't noticed yet. How about Kurogane?
Not yet.
He dodged?!
Is it possible that he knows about my traps?
But he can't be sure about it yet.
Before he does...
Oh! It was so unbearable that Kurogane is on his knees!
But what was that attack?
It looked like his sword wound opened by itself.
That was also her...
I used my ability to open that wound.
The very little cut that I made with this Hizume just now.
That means...
If I get it in a vital spot, one hit can become deadly.
A fierce attack! It's a rush of attack!
All Kurogane can do is defend himself!
I'm sorry, Kurogane.
Onii-sama!
He lured me into this!
It's his special technique, irregular guarding!
In close-range combat, he's always impregnable.
Yeah.
Good.
You're who I thought you were.
So what is it that you want to talk to me about?
Yes. I'm definitely sure that Ayatsuji will violate the rules.
A-are you sure?
Then as soon as you see that, we can stop the match immediat--
No. In this match, I want you to overlook the violation on purpose.
Wh-why, Ikki?
If she really violates the rules, then the match will be forfeited and you will win.
You know how important each selection match is, don't you?
Yes. If I lose even one match,
I probably won't be selected as a representative for the Seven Star Battle Festival.
Even so, you want to...
Please, Sensei.
Can you tell me why?
Because I want to believe.
Yuri-sensei is a good teacher
You want to believe?
If I end the friendship with Ayatsuji, then I will lose this match.
But is that really what I want?
I thought really hard, but I never found the answer.
But I learned one thing.
What is that?
It's my own feeling that I don't want to end my friendship with her.
So Sensei, grant me one last opportunity to see her true intention.
Ayatsuji.
Your swordsmanship, steps, breathing now...
They're all out of order.
You're not only ignoring what I taught you, but even what you could already do.
No matter how hard you try to create an evil person inside of you,
you can' fool your own soul.
When your mind is lost, your swordplay can't show its true potential.
Sh-shut up!
Ayatsuji. You have a lot more pride in you than you allow yourself to believe.
Yours and your father's Ayatsuji Itto-ryu taught me that.
I'm not lost.
I've learned it the hard way two years ago.
That no matter how much pride you have when you fight, it's all no good if you lose.
Ideals that don't produce results are meaningless!
Then I'll do whatever it takes to win.
No matter what, I'll win, and get back what I lost!
Then there's one thing I will do.
Ayatsuji. With my strongest...
I will bring back your pride.
Shut up!
Get ready, Ayatsuji!
Kurogane is dashing toward her!
But this is not his Itto Shura.
He's making a charge in his flesh and blood, without his magic power!
This is his perfect vision.
I knew he had it.
I need to do better than his vision.
I need to be faster than that.
Otherwise, there's no way I will defeat the Sword Eater.
I can't lose.
I can't give up just yet!
Not yet.
This can't be over yet!
The Fourth Secret Sword, Shinkiro.
He did it!
Kurogane's attack made a clean hit!
He did it, but...
Right before he cut her, he must've switched his device into phantom form.
I don't know why.
From the beginning, his intention was to drain her energy.
Because his objective is not just winning.
Why didn't you cut me?
Because even if I don't, you can't fight anymore.
Don't insult me.
I can still fight...
Why can't I move?!
Why? Why?!
When we're driven to the edge, and have nowhere to go,
the only thing that support us is the pride we have in our swords.
Does your soul exist in this battle without pride?
It disappeared...
I see. This is proof that I'm deceiving myself.
What you said was right, Kurogane.
I... lose.
This is where Ayatsuji gave up!
The winner is the Worst One!
Ikki Kurogane!
I'm so miserable...
Not only I couldn't throw it away,
I couldn't even stick with it.
You're not miserable.
You got lost, made mistakes, lost sight...
But you never threw away your father's Ayatsuji Itto-ryu.
That's your strength, Ayatsuji.
Ayatsuji. I want to help you.
Let me help you get back what you lost.
Why? Why?
I deceived you...
I did such terrible things to you.
So what? I don't need a reason to help a friend.
I just...
...wanted to become a cool swordswoman like my father.
K-Kurogane...
Please...please help me...
That's what I wanted to hear.
"Ikiru nowa ma no michi, Megutte koete" Life is a road of evil, I go around and over
"Deaishi wa sadame ka, Mezame no chi wa makoto no yume" What I encounter, Is it fate? The land where I woke is the true dream
"Shinawa yori too hibi" Going back further than the days of myths
"Watashi wa honoo no tori" I'm a firebird
"Ou no kata o hanare" I left the shoulder of the king
"Guren no sora ni tonda" And flew into the crimson sky
"Nante negai tabi nano" What a long journey
"Kioku wa suna to mai" Memories hover around with sand
"Ima wa anata no ude" Now I'm in your arms
"Yatto yasuragi oboetemo" I finally learned peace, but...
"Mada tsubasa o tsurugi ni kae" Still I turned my wings into swords
"Aisuru wa shuradou, Kugutte ochite" Love is a road of the demon, I go through and down
"Matoshi wa hiiro no toge no yoroi" What I wear, It's scarlet armor with thorns
"Kono namami ga shi no hana nara" If this flesh and blood is the flower of death
"Anata no ken de sakasete hoshii" I want your sword to make me bloom
Sword Eater III