The Absolute Godspeed of Infinite Worlds

Chapter 702 - 702

"By the way, Miss Kiriko, have you looked into your next opponent?" Eiji suddenly thought of something and looked seriously at Kiriko Yakushi."My next opponent?" Kiriko Yakushi tilted her head back, lost in thought.

"You haven't paid any attention to this matter at all?Eiji's expression turned subtle.

"Well, you know how it is. I only joined because my teacher begged me to. Honestly, I don't have any expectations of winning the championship. I'm just participating casually," she sighed with a very laid-back attitude.

After thinking for a moment, she suddenly realized, "According to the match schedule, my next opponent should be Amane Shinomiya from Akatsuki Academy, right?"

With the first round over, the eight participants in Block D would be reduced to four. The second round would only have two matches - one for Eiji and one for Kiriko Yakushi.

Since Eiji's next opponent wasn't from Akatsuki Academy, Kiriko Yakushi was bound to face Amane Shinomiya.

"Speaking of which, you seemed quite wary of him during the banquet yesterday?" Kiriko Yakushi recalled the conflict between Eiji and Amane Shinomiya the previous night.

To others, it might have looked like Eiji was picking on Amane Shinomiya unreasonably.

But Kiriko Yakushi knew well that Eiji wasn't the type to lose his temper easily. The conflict must have occurred because Amane Shinomiya had provoked him in some way.

"You'd better be careful," Eiji warned Kiriko Yakushi.

"Many of the rumors about Akatsuki Academy online were actually spread intentionally by Kusakabe, a reporter from our Hagun Academy... They're definitely not baseless!"

"Really?" Kiriko Yakushi pondered this information.

"Could Amane Shinomiya's ability really be that abnormal... Anyway, I'll be cautious."

But if his ability was truly as bizarre as the online rumors suggested, how should she deal with him?

...

"BOOM!"

Suddenly, a massive shockwave swept through the area.

Having just returned to the competition venue, Eiji almost thought an earthquake had occurred.

But that didn't seem to be the case.

"So... so strong..." Countless spectators in the audience stands stared dumbfounded in the same direction.

Eiji followed their gaze toward the battle arena.

Then his eyes slightly froze.

Akatsuki Academy's 〈Unmoving〉 Tatara Yui.

Akatsuki Academy's 〈Beast Tamer〉 Rinna Kazamatsuri and her servants Charlotte Cordé and pet lion Sphinx.

Akatsuki Academy's 〈Clown〉 Reisen Hiraga.

And finally, Kyomon Academy's 〈Frosty Sneer〉 Mikoto Tsuruya.

These four competitors, totaling six combatants.

All had fallen.

Everyone was unconscious, having fallen into deep slumber.

Only one person remained standing in the arena.

Crimson long hair, Hagun Academy uniform.

A girl standing tall and straight, emanating a terrifying pressure like a dragon.

〈Crimson Princess〉 Stella Vermillion!

Blood still remained on her fists.

But in the entire battle arena, she was the only one still standing.

The field was covered with scorched, blackened bricks, pitted like honeycomb from being baked.

"Hagun Academy's Crimson Princess Stella Vermillion wins! She advances from Block B!"

The referee's booming voice echoed throughout the arena.

The entire spectator stands fell into a deathly silence.

"What happened?"

Eiji looked utterly bewildered.

How had Stella advanced from Block B when he had only been gone for half an hour?

Why had all the Block B competitors taken the stage, only to be completely defeated by her?

"This was Stella's request."

Touka's voice rang in his ear, tense as a drawn bowstring.

"She claimed that since she was late, she deserved punishment, and requested to face all Block B competitors at once!"

Incredible.

Truly willful to the extreme.

The Seven Star Sword Art Festival's competition schedule involved numerous considerations—how could it be arbitrarily changed?

Of course, more importantly—

How could Stella be so reckless?

With her abilities, facing one or two opponents from Akatsuki Academy would be her limit. How could she possibly take on four at once?

"Normally, such a request shouldn't have been approved," Kanata Totokubara added, "but Stella deliberately provoked the Akatsuki Academy participants, enraging them to the point where the committee had no choice but to allow it."

Indeed, the tournament couldn't arbitrarily alter procedures.

But if both sides agreed, upholding the principle of personal freedom, the operating committee couldn't easily refuse.

Especially when the person making the request was the Crimson Princess—her status was anything but ordinary.

"And so, this is what happened."

Saikyo Nene covered her mouth with her iron fan, her eyes brimming with satisfaction.

"Well? Does this disciple I've trained meet the Sword God's standards?"

"Average."

"Ahem!"

Saikyo Nene coughed violently several times.

This little brat—now that his wings had hardened, he showed her no respect at all!

"However, she is indeed impressive."

Eiji's gaze also lingered on the princess in the combat arena, his eyes scanning her like X-rays.

Stella, who had been standing there majestically moments before, suddenly shivered, feeling as if she had been completely exposed.

"Her aura is completely different from before. Her strength has likely increased more than tenfold... What happened to her?"

"Simply put, she's become like me!"

Saikyo Nene hummed proudly, letting out a triumphant laugh.

"Sometimes, people are deceived by the surface of their abilities, thinking they've mastered their power completely, when in reality, they're only seeing a fraction of the whole! Stella-chan was the same—she had no idea how formidable her true talent was. Before this, she was practically wasting her power!"

Stella had been deceived by the surface of her ability.

Having always manipulated flames, she naturally assumed her power was Natural Interference-type flame control.

However, that wasn't the case.

Flame control was merely the surface of her ability.

Her true power was—

"Concept Interference-type—Dragon!"

Saikyo Nene waved her fan incessantly, her eyes filled with nothing but pride.

"Anything that legendary dragons can do, she can accomplish as well!"

Dragons are creatures of fantasy.

These beings don't exist in reality—they are concepts born from thousands of years of human history.

Stella's ability is to wield the very concept of "dragon"!

Immense strength, scorching flames, astonishing regenerative abilities, fearsome defense... all these are powers Stella now possesses!

"First was , then , followed by , and finally ... All these opponents were defeated one after another by our junior Stella!"

Touka's eyes still held profound shock.

"That power effortlessly trampled the earth and scattered the clouds... By defeating all opponents in Block B in one go, Junior Stella has become the first qualifier in this year's Seven Star Sword Art Festival!"