Awesome / Chivalry of a Failed Knight

• Ikki vs Stella, whereupon it looks as though both of them are losing by the standards they set for themselves. Stella wanted to prove that her hard-work contributed to her victory more than her magical power, but its because of her magical power that she's in that position to claim victory, while Ikki wanted to prove that his hard-work could make up for his lack of ability, only to not be able to defeat her because of it. Then Ikki reveals his Noble Art and manages to score the win, showing that hard-work can make up for talent.
• Ikki vs Sword-Eater. Both display competent swordsmanship and Ikki is forced to go without his Ittou Shura.
• Ikki defeating Manabe and his friends by disabling their devices when they are about to attack him.
• Shizuku vs Tohka, with the former displaying her abilities and planning in full, all while facing off against a superior opponent in terms of element, close-range capabilities, and experience.
• Ikki "Worst One" Kurogane vs Tohka "Raikiri" Toudou is the shortest yet most intense fight of the entire adaptation closing the season with a beautiful display of color, music and exposition. Both contenders decide to aim for a One-Hit Kill by using their ultimate moves as their first and only move in the entire fight. No tricks or special abilities are used, only a single swing from their blades.
  • Stella's father, the Emperor of Vermilion, gets a minor one for telling Ikki's father to never try that shit again, and that any parent should be happy that their child is engaged.
• Ikki vs Twin Wings Edelweiss. Edelweiss is an international criminal and the strongest Blazer in the world, using a fighting style faster than most people can see, Ikki included, and her sword spirit is so potent that it can make Nene break into a cold sweat from several miles away and totally paralyze Kurono when she has her guns drawn and aimed at Edelweiss. Ikki fights her, earns her respect as a warrior, survives her strongest attack, and may have made her bleed.
  • With the reveal of the Desperado ability to exude an aura to scare off or harm weak-willed opponents, this moment becomes more awesome in hindsight for Ikki, who managed to resist Edelweiss's aura.
• Shizuku comes up with a countermeasure for her melee weakness by turning herself into mist, allowing her to defeat the Rebellion Apostle Wallenstein. Kurono is so impressed that Shizuku is allowed to participate in the festival despite not passing Hagun's selection matches.
• Ikki vs Yudai Moroboshi in the first round of the Festival. Moroboshi is the current Seven Star Sword King, the winner of the past two Festivals, and ostensibly the most skilled knight their age. For once, Ikki goes into battle with an advantage, because Moroboshi's Anti-Magic specialty is weak against Ikki minimal-magic-melee, but Moroboshi's combat skill and tactics make up for it. He layers a series of attacks and counter-attacks, launching a counter to what he knew would be Ikki's counter to each of his previous strikes, and several times it is a mix of reflexes, luck, and Morobishi's own honor that keeps Ikki from being knocked out. Then Ikki brings out the swordsmanship copied from Edelweiss and Yuudai still almost counters it despite being badly wounded resulting in Ikki only barely winning, but still successfully beating the previous festival's champion in the first round.
• The entire first chapter of Volume 6 is this for Stella. To wit, she clears a landslide that delayed her train, by hand, requested a match 4 to 1, three members of Akatsuki, and her original opponent, as a self-inflicted penalty for being late (so that none of the Akatsuki members would get a "bye" in the tournament) took down Yui Tatara, an assassin specializing in counter attacks first, and then forced a second Akatsuki member to use her trump card just to keep up! And then upped the ante by "healing" her arm that she broke while fighting Tatara right in the middle of the fight so she can use both hands.
• In Volume 7, Ikki is unable to use Ittou Shura against Sara due to previously using it against Jougasaki. He is then pitted against a painting copy of Edelweiss, which has the same stats but none of her tactical ability. Despite that, Ikki is only able to win by allowing the copy to partially pierce his skull in their last exchange. Eventually, Sara summons a giant warrior that seemingly overwhelms Ikki, only for it to be lured into a vacuum slash left behind by the fake Edelweiss. Ikki then holds Intetsu with his teeth and stabs Sara for the finishing blow.
  • It bears noting that Jougasaki basically forced Ikki to use not Ittou Shura, but Ittou Rasetsu simply by existing. He's acknowledged to be so good at analyzing opponents, anticipating moves, controlling battle, and discerning the path to victory that Ikki knows if he engages Jougasaki at all then he's 100% sure to lose, so he's pushed to take the single action that effectively precludes any and all engagement the instant combat starts. The only other person to elicit a similar course of action from Ikki thus far is Tohka, against whom he created the Rasetsu technique to beat in a bid of desperation.
• Volume 8:
  • Stella is initially at a disadvantage against Ouma, whose incredible defence lets him No-Sell even her powerful attacks. Then she unleashes Dragon Spirit and pummels Ouma with her bare hands. Ouma refuses to back down even once it's clear he can't win, and fights right up to the end.
  • Ikki's victory over Amane, which everyone thought was impossible due to the latter's ability. First, when Amane attempts to forfeit the match, Ikki provokes him into fighting using information about his past. Second, he avoids all of Amane's attacks, compensates for the effects of Nameless Glory, and succeeds in landing a sever injury on Amane. Finally, when Amane refuses to give up and manifests his power in a form that lets him instantly kill people, Ikki still avoids his attacks and not only defeats him again, but also talks him into a Heel–Face Turn. He does end up being hit by one of Amane's attacks, but that's solely due to protecting someone else rather than in a fair fight.
  • For a non-combat example, Kiriko manages to save Ikki's life and even restore him to fighting condition, despite him being hit by one of Amane's supposedly-lethal attacks. As Amane himself notes, this effectively means that he couldn't even beat his first opponent in the tournament without cheating.
• In Volume 9, Ikki and Stella's battle in the finals is rife with awesome moments, with each taking consecutive levels of badass throughout. What's special about this fight is that every time they cross swords, they're actually improving each other's skill.
  • It should be noted that neither held back in the slightest, as giving it their all is the highest form of respect one could show their opponent. This also meant that if either Ikki or Stella failed to block or dodge a strike, or slipped up even a little, they would be killed. Both knew this, and both were fine with it.
  • The ending is just amazing as both are so exhausted and coughing up blood, Stella's Laeventein is broken and yet she still approaches Ikki to punch him with Ikki receiving it and Stella telling him that she'll win next time, only for Ikki to catch her before she falls down, hugging her, and telling her that he will make sure to win again.