32 Seven Sword Art Festival (1)

-5 Years Later-

Otto Apocalypse is now a second-year student at the Bukyoku Academy, in those 5 years, no one nor he challenged anyone to a duel.

And because of that...

"Heh— why am I even here?" Otto smirked as he didn't know why the chairman of Bukyoku Academy, agreed to Yukime's request to let him on the Seven Sword Art Festival when their reputation could be at stake.

He, of course, knew full well that having no combat record in your time in the academy is a big no-no. He's even shocked at the fact they still kept him in their school.

"Hahahah, well, you did say you've been training?" Yudai said as the crowd cheered for him to have an easy win against Otto, whom they didn't know the capabilities.

"True..."

'Not really, I've only been trying to achieve the reverse curse technique and been upgrading my Dharmachakra, since it would become really handy in the future. With people's overpowered abilities.' Otto inwardly cursed as he didn't wanna participate in a tournament like this, to show off to people.

"TORA-OU!" Yuudai summoned his device, which took on the form of a yellow spear.

"I don't usually underestimate my opponents, especially when they're my friend. So... No hard feelings if you lose okay?" Yuudai stated as this was his return match after he had been crippled for almost 2 years, due to an accident that took place, during the Sword Art Festival.

"You really shouldn't..." Otto sighed as he summoned the fucking wooden sword (Bokken).

"Toyako Bokuto." That is what he named the Bokken, since it haven't been broken after clashing with a real weapon (Nene's Fans), he felt like naming the sword something for that achievement.

[A— wooden sword!?]

The announcer was shocked at Otto's "Device", as this was the first time the public had seen him manifest his device.

"You're not throwing the match right?"

"Nah, I would win no matter what." Otto shook his head, as he might as well win the first round of the tournament with style.

...

"Is that his device, Nene-chan?" Torajirou who spectated the match with Nene and Kurono, asked his disciple. She said that she had fought with him a few years ago.

"Eh—? Don't think so?"

"It's not..." Kurono confirmed.

"Then what is it?" Nene curiously asked. After pestering him, not once had he used any other tools other than his trusty fucking wooden sword, which he uses to whack at her.

"I think... It was. Blade of Tathagata?" Kurono peered into the future where Otto fought seriously against the most wanted criminal in the world.

"Blade of Tathagata... What a fascinating name for a sword." Torajirou sounds impressed, as a blazer's device represents the user's soul.

"Is he a god or something?" Torajirou chuckled, making Kurono's face darkened for a moment.

"Perhaps..."

...

"Broad Cold Palace."

A horizontal slash approached Yuudai, as he desperately defended against the moon blades that came along with it.

[What a fascinating noble art, Otto-sama—ouwww]

[He is after all an A-rank blazer.]

"Was he always this strong?"

The crowd who wanted to challenge Otto back then started to think twice about challenging him to a duel.

"TIGER BITE!" Yuudai's spear shined a golden light, forming a tiger's head, attempting to devour Otto's techniques

"Disaster Flames." Otto calmly said.

The real name of the technique was "Burning Love", as it was Brynhildr's maximum technique. But said Disaster Flame instead, since it was too cringe for him to say it.

The temperature suddenly leaped up to 1270 Celsius.

The entire arena was engulfed with Otto's and Brynhildr's blue flame as some of the metal objects in the arena quickly melted.

Most of the participants including Yuudai who was caught off guard, collapsed due to the heatwave.

Even the spectators who were protected by the barrier from the arena felt the heat as some drink cans popped or boiled due to the intense temperature.

"Haah— he's causing this!?" Torajirou used his magic to protect himself from the heat.

"Wow..." Nene and Kurono wiped their sweat.

The heatwave lasted for 10 seconds before it immediately subsided, leaving a scorched patch in the middle.

[@#%!?!@ Hello? Oh, here we go. T-t-the winner for the first round is O-Otto!]

"GGEZ sweep," Otto smirked as he left the arena.

...

"Was that necessary?" Brynhildr in a blue flame apparition form said.

"Yes, else the tournament would take a very long time..." He slightly felt bad for Yuudai who just came back from being hospitalized. Just to be sent into a blast furnace by him.

"Hello, sweetie." Nene playfully said, while she sneakily latched into him.

"..."

Brynhildr hissed at Nene for getting too close to him, sending a small flame to her.

"What now?"

"Can't I speak to my darli—OUUUCH!" Brynhildr tried burning Nene alive, seeing that she was trying to flirt with him.

"Who you calling a darling?" Otto frowned, and thought that Nene was just jealous of Kurono who is now married, and now was trying to seduce him.

'My heart will not. Falter.' He stood firm and loyal to his lover, that is Brynhildr.

"Ne-nee Otto-kun, after the festival." She whispered into his ear. "Wanna go on a date with me—?" Nene avoided Brynhildr's flame but didn't fight back since she couldn't hit the flame apparition.

"Tell me why are you doing this?" He asked.

"Because I-I you know... Like you."

"I'm still a minor you know." He reminded me that he was still in the illegal age range which is 16.

"Why are you, thinking so far? I mean... If you want to do it I'm glad to do with with you." She shyly giggled.

'Is this the Nene, that I knew from the original?'

The Nene he knew was a cruel person who didn't care about human lives.

But this Nene... Was, to him. Is strange as she no longer showed an intense bloodthirst back when they first met and gradually became a softer person.

After Kurono retired from the league, Otto had expected Nene to break down from her rival not fighting anymore. Instead, Nene came and pestered him about it, and just accepted Kurono's reasons that quickly.

'Was this girl really in love with me?' Otto didn't want to say it himself, as he didn't want to look weird if he misunderstood what she was trying to do.

"So, what's your answer?" She excitedly circled him.

"Hmmm... I'll think about it..." Otto left briefly before Brynhildr could burn Nene alive.

...

"Nene, are you sure that you want to associate with him?" Kurono questioned as she still considered Otto dangerous, from the moment they met in the station.

"Yeah."

"But he's—"

"I don't care! Why are you trying to dissuade me from chasing after him, when you already have someone special!?" Nene loses her cool as Kurono tries to separate Otto from her life.

"Nene, listen. He will destroy the world!"

"So what? Do I even look like someone who cares about others? Don't forget Kurono, I was once a cold-hearted murderer."

She stated that in the past, she had killed her stepfather when he tried to beat her mother who used to be the only one to genuinely care for her.

But one day... When she recently just found out she could control gravity, her stepfather got mad and stepped over her meal before beating her mother up... Unable to bear the abuse her mother is going through, she ends up crushing her stepfather into a mush.

After a year had passed, her mother couldn't view Nene as her daughter and left her without saying anything. This leads Nene to fully commit to her desires, by doing as she pleases such as using her ability without restraint. Where she would then start to get into trouble as she got her title The Yaksha Princess before she got arrested.

But thankfully her mentor, Nangou Torajirou pardoned her crimes in exchange that she would train under him... The rest is history, leading her to eventually meet with Otto whom she cares dearly.

"And what do you even mean by him destroying the world? He doesn't seem to look like someone who'd do that."

Nene glared at Kurono for accusing Otto of such as person. Since she viewed him as a person who would avoid harming others as much as possible.

"What I had seen in the future was him..." Kurono was strange at first as to why Otto's personality had become passive, unlike what she had seen. But it couldn't hurt to be still wary of his existence.

"I saw a strange radiant light that covered the world, as it..." Kurono couldn't finish her sentence as the vision she witnessed was too vague and unknown to be said, but knew the light was dangerous.

"As it, what?"

"Never mind..."

"Hmph... You already retired Kurono. Please, don't pry in my private life, even if we're close..." Nene stated as she left before she might do something bad to her if she had badmouthed Otto.

"Nene... What could have Otto done to make you fall madly in love with him? Even I wasn't that obsessed with my husband." She sighed and decided to give Otto a chance if the future she truly saw was real...

Little did she know, it was a future where Otto had never met Brynhildr, and continued to be a bloodthirsty battle god who continuously looked for someone strong.

...

-Chapter End-