Seven stacks of documents were spread across the table.
Eiji examined them one by one, skimming past insignificant figures but pausing briefly when he encountered formidable opponents.
For instance, last year's Seven Stars Sword King, Yuudai Moroboshi. Eiji had long admired him from afar—both were major clients of Yakushi Kiriko, and the man had even defeated Eiji's senior last year, proving himself as a formidable B-rank knight.
Others included Kuraudo Kurashiki from Donrou Academy and Renji Kaga from Rokuzon Academy, all top-eight contenders from the previous year who warranted extra attention.
Suddenly—
Eiji spotted a familiar name.
"Sara Bloodlily?"
His gaze sharpened as it landed on the photo of a golden-haired girl with unruly locks.
That face, combined with the memory of her in nothing but an apron—there was no mistaking it. This was the same Sara he'd met at the exhibition hall.
"She's a first-year at Rokuzon Academy?"
Eiji was stunned.
When he last saw Sara, her frail physique—collapsing at the slightest push—had led him to dismiss the idea that she might also be a Blazer.
Yet here she was, not only a Blazer but also a representative fighter for her academy.
Wait a minute.
That night—
Eiji suddenly recalled the ambush on the long street.
It had happened shortly after parting ways with Sara. What had always nagged at him was how the shadowy figures that night had all sought to capture him alive.
Coincidentally, Sara had shown him unusual enthusiasm for reasons unknown.
"Ability: Art Manipulation, Conceptual-type… Not Creation?"
Eiji frowned.
Sara's Device was a paintbrush and palette, with records describing her ability as Conceptual-type Art Manipulation.
Contrary to his assumption, it wasn't about creating other Blazers through painting.
Could it not be her after all?
Blazers couldn't possess a second ability. If this was truly Art Manipulation, then creation was off the table.
For now, Eiji set aside his suspicions.
Without concrete proof of Sara's involvement, it was unwise to act rashly.
He continued scanning the other academy representatives.
Soon, another familiar face caught his eye.
"Kazamatsuri Rinna?"
A pink-haired loli whose photo radiated chuunibyou energy, her expression brimming with arrogance.
This was none other than the young heiress of the Kazamatsuri conglomerate, whom he'd also encountered at the exhibition.
"A first-year at Rentei Academy…"
Both of them were Blazers? And this year's representatives?
What were the odds?
Eiji kept flipping through the documents.
Then, his expression darkened abruptly.
"Tatara Yui, first-year at Donrou Academy… Ability: Reflector!"
That petite figure.
Her Device—a chainsaw!
Without a doubt, she was one of the three shadowy assailants from that night!
Something was off.
Something was definitely off.
Eiji sped through the remaining pages, his eyes scanning like lightning.
Sara and Rinna Kazamatsuri knew each other. Tatara Yui was among the trio who ambushed him—no, the Tatara Yui from that night was likely a fabricated shadow, not the real person.
But could this all really be coincidence?
He felt as though he was on the verge of uncovering something.
Yet an intangible veil obscured the full picture, leaving him grasping at fragments.
Let me think carefully—what is the common thread among these three?
They are all Blazers, all this year's representative competitors, from different academies.
—And all of them are first-years!
Eiji suddenly grasped the key point and abruptly stood up, spreading all the documents in front of him. He sifted through the pages, identifying crucial information before compiling it together.
"What's wrong, Eiji?"
Kagami, who had been typing on her laptop, looked over in surprise as he suddenly rose with a grim expression.
"Kagami, among all the representative competitors in past Seven Stars Sword Art Festivals, what percentage were first-years?"
Eiji stood before the desk.
Seven documents were spread out in front of him.
"Let me check... only about ten percent."
Kagami pulled up data from the past three tournaments and gave the answer after compiling it.
Out of forty-two competitors in previous years, the number of first-years had never exceeded four or five.
"And this year?"
"...Uh, nearly forty percent!"
Kagami was stunned.
What was going on?
How had she missed such a crucial detail before?
This year, the number of first-year representatives had skyrocketed to over a dozen—utterly unbelievable!
"Kagami, help me investigate these six people."
Eiji gathered several documents and handed them to the reporter girl.
"Especially their backgrounds!"
His expression was inscrutable.
"Leave it to me!"
Kagami took them with enthusiasm.
She could smell a major scoop!
After reviewing each document, Kagami entered their names into a newly created spreadsheet.
Donrou Academy—Tatara Yui.
Kyomon Academy—Amane Shinomiya.
Rokuzon Academy—Sara Bloodlily.
Bunkyoku Academy—Hiraga Reisen.
Rentei Academy—Kazamatsuri Rinna.
And Hagun Academy—Arisuin Nagi.
Six in total.
All first-years, evenly distributed across the Seven Stars Academies.
While Kagami grew increasingly busy, Eiji returned to the stack of documents.
Among this year's representatives from Bukyoku Academy, there were no first-years.
But Eiji still wanted to single out one person from Bukyoku Academy's representatives—of course, this was purely from an opponent's perspective, not because he was obsessive-compulsive.
Among Bukyoku Academy's representatives this year, aside from last year's top three contenders returning, hardly anyone else stood out.
Except for one.
"Kagami, add this one too!"
Eiji handed over the final name.
Kagami took it and glanced at the name.
"Bukyoku Academy—Kurogane Ouma... isn't he a third-year?"
"Right, he is indeed a third-year."
Eiji said solemnly, "But he disappeared five years ago and suddenly returned just to register for this year's Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
Exactly.
Kurogane Ouma was also participating in this year's Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.
Combined with what he had said during their encounter in Okutama, it almost seemed like he was deliberately opposing Stella.
"Oh, and one more thing—help me investigate this Hiraga Reisen. Find out what his Blazer ability really is!"
Eiji paused for a moment before giving his final reminder: "Remember, you must be careful. There's likely another faction interfering behind the scenes of this year's Seven Stars Sword Art Festival. We still don't know who they are exactly, so don't act recklessly!"
That's right.
Another faction had intervened, arranging for these first-year students to enter Seven Stars Academy. By becoming representative fighters, they clearly intended to do something during this year's Seven Stars Sword Art Festival.
This was currently the most plausible theory.
This would also explain why Sara knew both Kazamatsuri Rina and Tatara Yui, as well as Arisuin Nagi.
Judging from the puppeteer who had previously acted alongside Kurogane Ouma, the origins of these people were truly suspicious.
***
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