The Absolute Speed of a Certain Comic'

Although earlier he had easily provoked Ryoji's heart of resistance, issuing a challenge through a run and displaying a passionate determination to compete with him, the black-haired young man now wore a completely confused expression.

This young man was clearly very straightforward, completely unable to understand what Ryoji was saying.

He couldn't understand, and Ryoji had no intention of explaining, instead continuing to breathe heavily, like a bellows.

"Let me introduce myself," The black-haired young man said, feeling a little embarrassed, extending his hand as Ryoji's breathing gradually slowed down.

"Kurogane Ikki, right? Descendant of the great hero Kurogane Ryouma."

Ryoji took a deep breath, controlling his heartbeat through his breathing, allowing his heart and lungs to gradually stabilize. He then looked at the stunned young man in front of him.

"My name is Ryoji, Nangou Ryoji."

He extended his hand as well, shaking Kurogane Ikki's hand that had been left suspended in the air.

—Nangou.

The moment Kurogane Ikki heard the surname, his expression froze.

In the brief minutes of their meeting, he sensed a fateful connection.

"You're really strong in terms of stamina?"

Ryoji straightened up, looking at the other with a hint of envy.

"Not really strong, just average."

Kurogane Ikki released his hand, burying the reignited heart of resistance deep within himself, and then spoke modestly.

"How many kilometers can you run?"

"Round trip? About twenty kilometers."

"...A jog?"

"Sometimes I sprint too. If I only jog, it won't provide much exercise."

What a monster!

It's just a morning jog, yet within a half-hour time frame, he's able to cover about twenty kilometers. Considering the combination of jogging and sprinting, his burst speed might rival that of a car.

Thinking about the upcoming class, there's no way he could run to class like a dying dog. He must save some stamina, so running twenty kilometers would likely be a breeze for him.

Ryoji could barely manage five kilometers in twenty minutes, panting like a dying dog the entire time, pushing his heart and lungs to the limit to boost his explosive power and depleting his stamina to the max.

The two were on completely different levels of stamina.

Ryoji felt genuine envy.

If only he had Kurogane Ikki's stamina, using the 'Absolute Divine Speed' would be so much easier.

The essence of 'Absolute Divine Speed' is being faster than your opponent in every aspect.

But "speed" applies in many ways— such as the speed of swinging a sword, running, throwing, etc. When used properly, it can be applied in various forms, not just for the 'Lightning Flint' technique.

The 'Lightning Flint' technique is a maximized strike, a full-force blow where failure leads to disaster, so its side effects are enormous.

However, if the output is more moderate— like making your sword-swinging faster than the opponent's block speed and integrating that ability into a regular attack— the side effects are much less severe.

When Ryoji fought Shinguuji Kurono, he used the 'Absolute Divine Speed' ability to break through her arm defense and cut through the cuff of her sleeve.

But even in that case, the 'Absolute Divine Speed'— though a more moderate output— was still something Ryoji didn't naturally possess, putting a strain on his body.

With stamina like Kurogane Ikki's, Ryoji could use 'Absolute Divine Speed' much more freely and recklessly.

"Do you need an energy drink?" 

Seeing that Ryoji's breathing had calmed, Kurogane Ikki took a thermos from the corner near the school gate and kindly handed it to Ryoji.

"Thanks."

Ryoji took the drink impolitely, unscrewed the cap, and drank it straight from the spout, gulping down the slightly bitter beverage. 

"I'll return it to you."

Kurogane Ikki took it back, replaced the cap and spout, and put it back in his bag.

"Are you going to keep running?"

Ryoji understood immediately upon seeing Kurogane Ikki's determined expression.

"Yeah, today's workout is still less than a quarter of my usual."

Kurogane Ikki's eyes gleamed with a determined look as he muttered, "It's rare that I have the chance to participate in real combat training this year. I have to work even harder!"

Ryoji raised his eyebrows slightly.

Anyone who has seen 'Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry' knows that the male lead of this world is the very same young man standing before him— Kurogane Ikki. Unlike traditional school harem anime, this one is essentially a pure love story with a harem backdrop, and it's incredibly intense.

Since Kurogane Ikki is at the center of this world, Ryoji had intentionally memorized information about him, so he was aware of the challenges Ikki faced.

"Then keep it up. I'm reaching my limit, so I'll head off."

Ryoji had no intention of probing further. While he found Kurogane Ikki interesting, since they were at the same school, there would be plenty of opportunities to interact in the future. He waved his hand and walked toward the teaching building without looking back.

"Nangou Ryoji... such a strange name... But Nangou..."

Kurogane Ikki watched the departing figure, his mind in turmoil.

Theoretically, since he is a descendant of the Kurogane family, upon meeting a direct descendant of the God of War, a strong heart of resistance should well up uncontrollably, and he should view him as a rival.

Kurogane Ryouma and Nangou Torajirou. 

They were both from the Kurogane and Nangou families and decades ago, they made great contributions to world peace in a time of war. They were both close friends and rivals, now legends in the Blazer world.

His encounter with Nangou Ryoji here might be the work of fate.

"But what does that have to do with me?"

Kurogane Ikki suddenly let out a bitter laugh, his expression turning complicated.

After all, even though he still bears the Kurogane surname, that family probably doesn't consider him a member anymore. Even if the rivalry between Kurogane and Nangou lasted, it could never manifest in his body.

For him now, rather than thinking about the legacy of Kurogane and Nangou, it would be better to focus his energy on the upcoming 'Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival representative selection battle'.

He shook his head, expelling the stray thoughts from his mind. His determination resurfaced, and he ran back toward the slope.

...

"Where exactly is the Student Council room?"

On the other side, Ryoji was walking aimlessly through the campus.

After finishing his morning workout, he had planned to return to his dorm for a shower to wash off the sweat, but he ended up wandering around the school, trying to find the Student Council room.

This was where the disadvantage of the wide campus became clear. Ryoji had been walking for over ten minutes and still couldn't find the Student Council room.

The student handbook, which could be used to contact Senior Sister, was left in the dorm since it wasn't convenient for his workout.

"That was a mistake. I should've asked Kurogane Ikki earlier."

With a frustrated look on his face, Ryoji continued to wander around. Soon, he spotted a figure and quickly walked over to ask for directions.

"The Student Council room? I know where it is. Follow me!"

The person seemed to be a female teacher. Upon seeing Ryoji, her face lit up, and she enthusiastically grabbed his hand, leading him toward their destination.

(End of this chapter)

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