The Absolute Godspeed of Infinite Worlds

Just moments ago, he had easily been provoked into a competitive spirit, challenging Eiji through a race, his face filled with the fiery determination to settle the score. But now, he was left utterly confused, his expression a sea of question marks.

This black-haired young man was clearly very straightforward and completely clueless about what Eiji was talking about.

Since he didn't understand, Eiji had no intention of explaining. He simply continued to pant like a broken bellows.

"Let's reintroduce ourselves. My name is—"

Seeing Eiji's breathing gradually slow down, the black-haired young man awkwardly extended his hand, ready to introduce himself.

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

Eiji took a deep breath, using his breathing to suppress his racing heart and gradually lower his cardiopulmonary function. Then, he looked at the stunned young man in front of him.

"My name is Eiji, Eiji Nangou."

He reached out and grasped Kurogane Ikki's outstretched hand.

—Nangou.

The moment he heard this surname, Ikki Kurogane's expression froze.

In those brief few minutes of their encounter, he sensed a fateful aura.

"Your physical fitness is impressive, isn't it?"

Eiji straightened up, his gaze tinged with envy as he looked at the other.

"Not really, just average."

Ikki Kurogane let go of his hand, burying the rekindled competitive spirit deep within his heart, his tone modest.

"How many kilometers can you run?"

"Round trip, about twenty kilometers."

"...At a slow pace?"

"With some sprints mixed in. If it's just slow running, it doesn't do much for training."

What a monster!

It was just a morning run, yet in the limited span of half an hour, he could run about twenty kilometers. Considering the mix of slow running and sprints, his instantaneous burst speed was likely comparable to a car.

Thinking about how classes were about to start, and how he couldn't possibly run to class like a dying dog, he must have been conserving some energy. Running twenty kilometers was probably a breeze for him.

Eiji, on the other hand, could barely manage five kilometers in twenty minutes, constantly pushing his cardiopulmonary function to the limit to enhance his explosive power, exhausting himself to the brink just to finish.

Their physical fitness levels were simply not on the same playing field.

Eiji was genuinely envious.

If he had physical fitness like Ikki Kurogane's, he could be much more reckless when using .

The essence of was being absolutely faster than the opponent.

But the concept of "speed" manifested in many ways—sword-swinging speed, running speed, throwing speed, and so on. When applied, there were many possibilities, not just limited to the Lightning Flash technique.

The Lightning Flash technique, being a full-power strike, was an all-or-nothing move, and its side effects were unimaginably severe.

But if it was just a normal application, like making his sword swing faster than the opponent's block speed, integrating the ability into regular attacks, the side effects would be much smaller.

When he had faced Kurono Shinguuji earlier, the strike that broke through her arm defense and sliced her sleeve had utilized the ability.

However, even a normal application of still imposed a significant burden on Eiji's body, as it granted him speed he didn't naturally possess.

If he had physical fitness like Ikki Kurogane's, he could use more freely and without restraint.

"Sports drink, do you need it?"

Seeing that Eiji was no longer panting, Ikki took a thermos from his bag in the corner of the gate and handed it to Eiji.

"Thanks."

Eiji accepted it without hesitation, unscrewed the filter cap, and gulped down the slightly bitter drink.

"Here you go."

Ikki took it back, reattached the filter cap, and put it back in his bag.

"You're going to keep running?"

Eiji understood immediately.

"Yeah, today's workout is less than a quarter of what I usually do."

Ikki's eyes sparkled with determination as he muttered, "This year, I finally have a chance to participate in practical training. I have to work even harder!"

Eiji raised an eyebrow.

Anyone who had watched 'Chivalry of a Failed Knight' knew that the protagonist of this world was the young man before him—Ikki Kurogane. Unlike traditional harem school anime, this series was essentially a pure love story wrapped in a harem cover, and it was incredibly intense.

After all, as the center of this world, Eiji had made a conscious effort to memorize various details about Ikki Kurogane. Thus, he was aware of the many challenges the young man faced.

"Well, keep at it. I've hit my limit, so I'll head out first."

Eiji had no intention of digging deeper. Although he was very interested in Ikki Kurogane, they were in the same school, so there would be plenty of opportunities to interact in the future. He waved his hand and walked off toward the school building without looking back.

"Eiji Nangou... What a strange name. But Nangou, huh..."

Ikki watched the retreating figure of the young man, his thoughts a tangled mess.

Theoretically, as a descendant of the Kurogane family, he should have felt an uncontrollable surge of competitive spirit upon encountering a direct disciple of the God of War, viewing him as a rival.

Ryoma Kurogane and Torajirou Nangou.

These were two men from the Kurogane and Nangou families who, decades ago, during a time of chaos, had made tremendous contributions to world peace together.

They were both close friends and rivals, and to people today, they were legendary Blazers.

His encounter with Eiji Nangou here might have been arranged by fate.

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

Ikki suddenly smiled bitterly, his expression becoming incredibly complex.

After all, even though he still bore the Kurogane surname, his family likely no longer considered him one of their own. Even if the rivalry between the Kurogane and Nangou families continued, it wouldn't manifest through him.

For him now, rather than dwelling on the past between the Kurogane and Nangou families, it was better to focus his energy on the upcoming "Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival Representative Selection Battle."

He shook his head, dismissing the stray thoughts from his mind, and his eyes once again filled with fighting spirit as he ran back toward the slope.

***

"Where on earth is the student council room?"

On the other side, Eiji wandered aimlessly around the school.

After finishing his morning workout, he had planned to return to the dormitory to shower and wash off the sweat. But as he wandered around the school, he found himself unable to locate the student council room.

At this point, the downside of the school's vast campus became apparent. Eiji had been wandering for over ten minutes and still couldn't find the student council room.

The student handbook, which could be used to contact his senior sister, had been left in the dormitory because it was inconvenient to carry during exercise.

"Miscalculation. I should have asked Ikki Kurogane earlier."

Eiji sighed in frustration and continued to wander around the school. Soon, he spotted a figure and hurried over to ask for directions.

"The student council room? I know where it is! Follow me!"

It seemed to be a female teacher. When she saw Eiji, her eyes lit up, and she enthusiastically grabbed his hand, leading him toward their destination.

***

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