15 Dissatisfaction of a Dragon

(3rd POV)

After lunch, Shirou and Kuroneko went to the arena and waited for the 'spar' to begin. There was still no one around as the news hadn't spread to the students yet.

The arena was the only facility in the Academy where the students were allowed to use their Devices, and normally it is only allowed to use them in illusion form for the students to not injure each other, but this rule is disregarded if there was an event going on.

"Who do you think will win? Ikki or Stella?" Kuroneko asked curiously as she looked at Shirou.

"Ikki will win." Shirou said as he leaned backwards while playing with a cross in his hand, "Nothing changed from the book, as we are the only anomalies here."

"Is that so?" Kuroneko said as she looked towards the arena, "So between you and Stella, who would win?"

Shirou stopped playing with the cross in his hand and looked at Kuroneko briefly, before returning his attention back to the cross.

"Of course, it would be me." Shirou said as if it was obvious, but then he noticed some students arriving there.

After a few minutes, the director also arrived and she walked towards the middle of the arena with a tablet in her hands, ignoring the murmur among the students.

*Step* *Step* *Step*

The murmurings stopped as the students heard footsteps from one of the entrances, which slowly revealed Ikki, who was walking towards the director.

"It's him, the Worst One!" One of the students whispered as he pointed at Ikki.

"He really came! I thought he was going to hide in fear!" Another student commented which made his companions laugh in mockery at Ikki.

*Sigh*

"These guys…" Kuroneko hissed in irritation, but suddenly a hand landed on her head.

"Let these guys be happy while they can because soon they will face the harsh reality," Shirou said as he patted Kuroneko's head, making her blush slightly, but she nodded nonetheless.

"They think just because they have a higher rank than Ikki, they would win against him easily," Shirou said while looking at the students who were laughing, "While that isn't entirely wrong, it also counts the person's battle experience and their natural senses like reaction speed, and etc. And with all of that included, no one of them would probably be able to beat Ikki in normal conditions."

"That's an interesting point of view, boy~a."

Shirou turned around and saw a rather young woman, who looked like a child even if she was in her early twenties. She was wearing a red blossom patterned kimono with her cleavage exposed and wearing clogs.

"You are Saikyo Nene-san, right?" Shirou 'asked' hesitantly.

"Oh, you know me~?" Nene asked in an amused tone.

"Of course, I think no one in this Academy doesn't know the Yaksha Princess, besides I also heard you were giving lectures here as a part-time job this year."

"Yes, yes, that's right," Nene said while walking down the stairs until she stopped in front of Shirou and Kuroneko, "Say, what is your name~?"

"My name is Kotomine Shirou, an A-rank Blazer, and the girl beside me is Ruri Gokou," Shirou introduced himself and Kuroneko.

"Hmn," Nene hummed amused and approached Shirou, invading his personal space without a hint of hesitation, "Say, you looks like a promising student, so what do you think of having a lesson with me alone? Of course, that girl can join us too if she wants~"

Kuroneko flustered and her cheeks had become pink when she heard Nene's invitation. Then Kuroneko raised her head looking at Shirou while waiting for his answer, while she unconsciously had some expectation in her eyes.

Shirou looked down and stared directly at Nene who was leaning against his chest, but then he pushed Nene carefully, separating himself from her.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I have to refuse, besides I don't think the director would allow it…" Shirou said and glanced at the centre of the arena, or more specifically, at the director who was releasing the killing intent that was not directed to Shirou, but rather at Nene.

Kurono has long noticed Nene's presence in the arena and didn't think too much about it, but then she saw her trying to seduce one of her students? That's a big NO, at least not under her watch.

"Te~hee~ looks like she found out." Nene said jokingly as she walked away from Shirou and approached the protective railing.

Kuroneko felt disappointed in the response but shook her head to let these thoughts go away.

~~~~~

Ikki was doing his warm-ups while waiting for Stella to arrive.

"Your friends are here watching you." Kurono informed Ikki without taking her eyes off the tablet.

"I know," Ikki said as he finished his warm-ups, "And that is also why I can't lose. I don't want to disappoint them and besides, Stella will be someone I will eventually have to beat in the future."

"That also includes your friend, you know? He is strong, certainly even stronger than Crimson Princess and you together if I have to say." Kurono said with a smile on her face.

"If I want to win the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival, I need to start somewhere. After all that's the only way I can graduate with my scores this low, that's what you told me." Ikki said with a smile on his face as he looked at where Shirou was standing, "And I have to get stronger, strong enough not only to reach him but also to challenge myself and surpass my own limits. I am sure they will also participate in the Festival. It's just a matter of time."

Kurono had a satisfied smile on her face after hearing Ikki's response, but then she turned her head looking at another entrance and her smile grew wider.

Stella just arrived and walked towards the stage where they will fight.

~~~~~

"It will start soon," Shirou said as he looked at them.

"This will be my first time watching a real magical fight!" Kuroneko exclaimed excitedly like a child waiting for his favourite show.

"But didn't you watch me and Jibril or Merlin fighting each other?" Shirou asked with visible confusion on his face.

Kuroneko blushed in embarrassment and retorted, "That was training, so it doesn't count!"

"Sure…" Shirou said as he gave up in understanding her reasoning.

"Now then, this mock battle will commence. As you know, nobody is physically harmed in a mock battle. The battle instead drains the opponent's stamina. The Devices must be turned into Illusion mode." Kurono announced the rules of the mock battle and immediately, Ikki and Stella entered into their stances and summoned their Devices.

"So flashy and impractical." Kuroneko said as she looked at Stella summoning.

"Weren't you the same in the beginning though?" Shirou teased her with a smile plastered on his face.

"..." Kuroneko didn't say anything and looked away, which made Shirou chuckle as he turned his attention to the fight.

"*Bzzt* Let's go ahead!"

Ikki and Stella rushed immediately to each other, ready to strike at the first opportunity.

"She is struggling," Kuroneko said as Ikki blocked every strike Stella made or just redirected it with his own sword.

"Yeah, it's just a matter of time before she is overwhelmed by Ikki, that is if she doesn't go all out," Shirou said and chuckled, "Maybe that is what he is thinking too."

As Shirou said, Ikki switched from his defensive attempts and started attacking too after he grasped Stella's swordsmanship, and soon enough, Ikki forced Stella to rely on her Noble Arts.

'Should I teach Ikki Total Concentration Breathing?' Shirou thought, 'It will maybe make things more interesting if we ever get a chance to fight each other.'

Then, Stella invoked pillars of flame and destroyed the ceiling while chanting to use her attack.

"...Burn it all! Katharterio Salamandra!" Stella announced the name of her Noble Art and a Dragon made of pure fire flew in Ikki's direction.

In response, Ikki also used his own Noble Art and shouted, "Ittou Shura!"

Ikki disappeared from where he was standing right before the fire consumed him.

"What?" Stella gasped in surprise, but she had no time to be surprised as she sensed Ikki behind her, so she turned around and swung her sword at him.

*Sigh*

Shirou sighed in disappointment at Stella's Noble Art.

"Disappointed in your fellow dragon?" Kuroneko asked curiously.

"You could say so," Shirou said as he shrugged his shoulders, "She isn't aware of her own potential nor the true ability of her Device, so it's natural for me to be dissatisfied as someone who has a similar ability. Although she doesn't know it, her subconscious seems to know and is influencing her Noble Art. For example, her attack just now had the appearance of a Dragon."

"Now that you mentioned it, it makes sense…" Kuroneko muttered as she held her chin with her hand, "So what are you going to do?"

"I am just going to make her realize her true power, and maybe even lend her hand if it is needed," Shirou said.

What Shirou was experiencing right now, could only be described as the frustration one feels as an expert watching a friend do the activity so badly that you have the need to stop him and do it yourself, while making sure that your friend actually learns from you.

"...And with all my strongest, I will defeat your strongest!" Ikki said his famous catchphrase while he was in midair and slashed Stella diagonally.

Then Stella collapsed on the ground and Ikki did the same a few seconds after her.

"The match is decided! The winner is Kurogane Ikki!" Kurono announced the end of the mock battle as well as its winner.

"Oh my, with a battle like that, the selection matches are going to be quite exciting this year~" Nene said as she opened her fan as she went up the stairs, but then she turned around to Shirou and said, "Kotobo, I have high hopes for you."

(A/N: Koto (Kotomine) + bo = Kotobo. This is how she called Ikki by Kurobo, Kuro (Kurogane) + bo = Kurobo. )

Then Nene left the duo without waiting for his response.

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Drop your stones or I will drop kick you!