Chapter 478: Desperado vs. Desperado!
The sound of the chains was not particularly loud.
The surrounding spectators were still immersed in the final clash between Luke and Ikki, unable to recover from what they had just witnessed.
So only Luke and the several Desperados hidden among the audience noticed the subtle change.
Almost the instant the chains sounded, all of their expressions shifted.
Some were excited.
Some were impressed.
Some were surprised.
Some were displeased.
And some concealed their thoughts perfectly.
Luke paid no attention to what anyone else thought.
With a trace of pleasant surprise in his voice, he continued speaking to Ikki.
"A few nights ago, your father came to see me."
"Hmm… considering how well you know the Kurogane family, you should be able to guess why they approached me."
Clink—!
"We didn't talk for very long."
"We simply couldn't reach an agreement, so in the end, I offered him a proposal."
"A proposal that would make the Kurogane family formally and unconditionally accept Kurogane Ikki."
"And the head of the Kurogane family—your father…"
"Accepted."
Clink—!
The sound of chains grew louder.
Gradually, even the spectators began to notice it.
The referee stopped counting down as well, staring at the stage in disbelief.
"Well, I suppose none of that has anything to do with you anymore."
"You can't hear me anyway."
"Ah, what a shame."
"If you miss this opportunity, the next thing you receive will probably be an official notice that the Kurogane family has completely severed ties with you."
"Tsk, tsk. Ikki, your luck really is—"
Clink—!
Crack—!
Before Luke could finish, a deafening shattering sound suddenly erupted!
Then, under the stunned gazes of everyone present—
Ikki staggered back onto his feet.
Fragments of the shattered chains of fate scattered through the air.
And Ikki's voice reached Luke.
"What… is the method?"
Burning within those black eyes—Was incomparable hope and longing.
Ikki had once believed he had let go.
But now, with Luke bringing it up again and offering him an almost miraculous possibility, Ikki finally realized he had been wrong.
How could he possibly let go of something he had never truly been able to abandon?
He had merely been deceiving himself.
A child's longing for home.
For family.
For parents.
How could something like that ever be discarded so easily?
Claiming he had let go had merely been a compromise born from helplessness.
Looking at Ikki, who could barely remain standing yet stared at him with unwavering determination—Luke smiled.
He smiled in relief.
Because he had not misjudged Ikki.
Because someone had answered his expectations.
Luke returned Starfall Sword and Ser-Veresta to their sheaths.
But this time, he did not assume the crossed stance behind his back.
Instead, he removed both swords from behind him and hung them at his waist, one on each side.
After settling into his stance, Luke did something he had not done in a long time.
He began gathering power before using a sword technique.
At the same time, he answered Ikki.
"Beat me—"
"And I'll tell you!"
Those words made the barely standing Ikki suddenly steady himself.
He gave Luke no verbal response.
His actions were his answer.
Ikki held his empty left hand as though gripping a sheath and slid Intetsu into it.
He too assumed a quick-draw stance.
Then—A pitch-black gate flickered into existence before Ikki.
Truthfully, Ikki had already been satisfied.
When he fell moments ago, he had already obtained enough fulfillment to last him an entire lifetime.
Luke's provocations had not affected him.
Because Ikki knew no one was disappointed in him.
For an F-rank to fight this far—No one would ever look down on him again.
But now—Ikki was dissatisfied once more.
Luke had successfully reignited the longing buried within his heart.
Only one final step remained between him and the ending he had dreamed of for so long.
No amount of self-deception could convince him to remain lying on the ground.
So—He had to win!
Using Ittou Rasetsu as the foundation—Using the Twin-Wings Sword Style as fuel—Ikki would unleash the fastest strike he had ever produced!
A tremendous blaze of mana erupted once again.
Ikki, who should have already exhausted everything he possessed, released an unimaginable amount of power once more.
And at the same time—The gate standing before him opened with a thunderous roar!
A strange and terrifying power instantly swept across the entire arena!
Ikki's movements did not appear particularly fast.
But that was only an illusion.
At that moment, even the flow of time seemed to slow.
As Ikki swung his sword—The shadow beneath his feet did not move.
No.
It did move.
But like a clumsy imitator, it lagged behind, desperately trying to catch up with him.
His own shadow—Could no longer keep pace with Ikki!
This was a strike that had transcended mortal limits.
Proof that Kurogane Ikki had officially stepped into the Desperado realm!
"Final Secret Sword—Oikage!!!"
Overwhelming pressure!
'I'll lose.'
'I'll die!'
Pressure, tension, dread—Countless emotions surged through Luke in that instant.
Without question—He could not block this strike.
But that was exactly right.
This was perfect.
This was what Luke had wanted!
"I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT!!!"
Unlike Ikki's gate, which had appeared silently—Luke's descended from the heavens.
It manifested directly before him in an open and overwhelming display!
The last time, against Stella, this gate had opened by only the slightest crack.
Luke had still been too far away.
So it immediately closed again.
But this time—Things were different!
Fate could no longer stop Luke from moving forward.
After deliberately forcing himself into a desperate situation twice—Luke finally completed his transcendence!
Boom—!With a deafening roar—Luke forcibly smashed open the gate to the Desperado realm!
Desperado vs. Desperado!
Power of fate vs. power of fate!
Luke gripped Starfall Sword and Ser-Veresta tightly.
But he did not move.
Not because he chose not to.
He couldn't.
This technique was still incomplete.
It required time to gather power.
And once he began, he could not move.
Until the previous instant, forget moving—Luke had not even been capable of actually unleashing this attack.
Gathering power was as far as he could go.
Only after truly stepping into the Desperado realm could Luke finally perform it.
To thank Ikki for helping him reach this point—Luke decided to end the match with the secret technique representing the culmination of his current swordsmanship.
Quick-draw technique vs. quick-draw technique!
"My Style · Zenith of Stars—Firmament!"
Pitch-black flames engulfed Ser-Veresta, dyeing its pure-white blade completely black.
It was the manifestation of the Orga Lux being driven to its absolute limit.
Across Starfall Sword's black blade, countless stars began to shine.
That too represented Severing being pushed to its maximum output.
For this single attack—
Luke exhausted every last trace of his remaining Prana and mana.
Blue fragments of starlight intertwined with azure mana flames.
Against the darkness of night, it looked as though a true galaxy had descended upon the arena.
Then—
Two pitch-black sword lights erupted!
They surged directly toward Ikki's Oikage!
—!
Sword light flashed.
Blade light swept past.
And after the two crossed in this truly final exchange—The battle came to an end.
The winner—Luke Ashburn!
…
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