The Absolute Speed of a Certain Comic'

She was a girl with peach-colored short hair, wearing glasses, and possessing an incredibly cute appearance. 

She seemed to be about the same age as Ryoji, with a slightly petite frame. Her face still had a youthful look, making it easy to invoke a sense of protectiveness in others. 

However, despite her delicate features, her body had developed quite well, with a chest size second only to his Senior Sister's, causing her school uniform to appear slightly stretched around the bust.

Unlike Tomaru Renren, this was a girl with whom Ryoji had a deep connection.

As soon as she turned and saw Ryoji, her pupils trembled, and she let out a fangirl-like squeal, her eyes sparkling with excitement and admiration.

"I already thought you looked amazing in the videos, but I never expected you to look even better in person! You're even more dreamlike— this is just too fantastic!"

The girl's heart fluttered with joy.

No one knew that after she recorded the video yesterday, she watched it over and over again, more than ten times, taking screenshots from different angles and printing them out. She kept them under her pillow as treasured mementos, sleeping soundly with them.

Then, when she woke up in the morning, she changed into a fresh pair of underwear.

Now, standing right before her was the real thing— this was truly 'Subarashii (Amazing)'!

She wanted to put down her camera and rush over to hug this beautiful boy, but remembering her dreams and responsibilities, she reluctantly suppressed that impulse.

She was a professional journalist, and she knew how to resist all temptations in order to capture firsthand news.

'Cough cough', but that boy is only an F-Rank knight. I heard his Magic Power is also F-Rank, while Princess Stella's Magic Power is three hundred times stronger than his. How could he possibly win?

The girl cleared her throat and refocused her attention on the duel.

For a Blazer, the most important metric was the total Magic Power.

Magic Power was an innate force that could not be increased through physical training. This special power was one of the most important qualities of a Blazer.

This energy could even be likened to the inherent "fate energy" every person is born with. Everything is determined by fate, and each person's destiny is set from birth with no room for resistance.

Those who were destined for greatness should naturally achieve it.

When the League evaluates a Blazer's level, they first check the person's special ability in combat, then assess their total Magic Power and Magic Power control, and only afterward do they look at things like attack power and defensive capabilities.

Physical strength had very little relevance. No one would consciously train their physical abilities because using Magic Power could achieve similar effects.

For example, Magic Power bursts could significantly increase one's explosive power, improving attack power substantially. If someone like Stella, with her massive Magic Power, used a burst, she could enhance her power by five to six times or more!

In such circumstances, physical fitness was of little concern.

Although Ryoji possessed the rare and powerful Causation Manipulation special ability, his Blazer rank was only E-Rank because his total Magic Power and Magic Power control were both at the lowest, F-Rank.

What does F-Rank Magic Power mean?

According to the League's statistics, it's about one-tenth of the average value.

And Stella's Magic Power, according to the camera girl next to him, was thirty times the average value. In other words, it was three hundred times stronger than Ryoji's.

Kurogane Ikki's Magic Power, like Ryoji's, was also F-Rank.

Even though he had an advantage in physical strength, against the overwhelming power of Stella's Magic Power, he didn't dare to block even a single strike from her.

This was pure, straightforward, and overwhelming offensive power— grand, magnificent, and awe-inspiring to anyone who saw it.

Ryoji couldn't help but envy her with all his being.

If only his Magic Power were as strong as Stella's, he might have already been invincible.

"Kurogane Ikki has managed to hold on until now. He must have some kind of plan. We'll find out whether he can win as we continue watching."

Ryoji shifted his gaze back to the battle, his dark eyes focused intently on the two figures in the arena.

His eyes were like those of a high-definition camera, capturing every movement of the two fighters and mentally simulating, practicing, and analyzing their strategies in his mind's eye.

His sword technique was the finest— no one could surpass him.

"It's almost time for a counterattack..."

Ryoji murmured to himself.

"Boom!"

In an instant, as soon as his words fell, the situation on the field drastically changed.

Kurogane Ikki suddenly abandoned his previously desperate evasion, his gaze sharpening in an instant. He gripped his sword and charged forward, forcing Princess Stella to retreat with a single strike.

"Are you kidding me? He's actually starting to fight back?" The camera girl became excited, her eyes widening with confusion as she watched.

"But how did he do that? Stella's power is clearly far greater than his!"

"She's lost control of her sword."

Ryoji, who had developed a favorable opinion of this girl, explained to her, considering their shared connection.

"Through all the dodging, Kurogane Ikki gradually figured out the rhythm of Stella's sword technique, learned it, and even innovated upon it, discovering flaws in her style."

It had been roughly three minutes since the battle began.

In these three minutes, Kurogane Ikki had seen through Stella's royal sword technique, assimilated it into his own style, and with a technique adapted from the Princess's body, he had pushed her back.

In other words, he had used technique alone to overcome power.

"So that's what happened— he essentially stole her sword technique, right?"

The camera girl finally understood.

"This a swordsman's Strategy? How can that be called stealing?"

Ryoji immediately turned to her, looking visibly displeased, and said, "At best, this should be called learning, learning! Don't just casually say 'stealing'!"

If Kurogane Ikki's actions could be called stealing, then Ryoji himself was a thief— because within a mere few seconds, he had already analyzed and figured out both Kurogane Ikki and Stella's sword techniques and discovered their weaknesses.

"That's what you're concerned about?"

The camera girl was taken aback.

Well, a beautiful boy must be quite sensitive about swordsman matters... but his expression just now was so cute! I regret not capturing that shot!

"However, relying on just this is impossible to defeat the Princess."

Ryoji's gaze once again focused on the scene, this time entirely on Princess Stella's form.

Stella Vermillion.

A personification of talent, hailed as a once-in-a-decade genius in the Blazer world, her special ability was nature interference in the form of fire manipulation.

The flames she unleashed could reach temperatures of up to 3000°C, making them nearly unstoppable in offense. When used in defense, they were even more impenetrable.

On the field.

"I originally wanted to make the victory more fair."

Her fiery red twin-tailed hair swirled in the air, the intense flames crackling as they danced around. Stella Vermillion, showing respect for Kurogane Ikki's technique, made it clear she would not let victory slip away so easily.

Having been pressured by Kurogane Ikki's technique, even almost being struck by his blade, she finally used her Magic Power, surrounding her body with a layer of intense flames.

"—Empress Dress!"

The high temperature itself served as a natural shield. When her body was enveloped in Magic Power flames, even bullets from a machine gun would instantly vaporize.

Ordinary swords and blades could never penetrate that defense, and Kurogane Ikki found himself in an even greater crisis.

---

''(End of Chapter)''

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