Leader?It was decided the day after the a.s.signment to Yamato. Hayato was called by Erika and was told that he would become the commanding officer. Since that moment, he"s been worried about if he can do that properly.
– What are you saying? You are the only one within our unit that has a lot of experience fighting Savage. Everyone in the unit will feel insecurity if you act with anxiety, so be confident.
– Understood.
Certainly, it is like that.
If the commanding officer of a unit seems to be insecure, then surely their subordinates will be troubled.
– Ok then, the members of the unit…
– Actually they aren"t ready yet.
Three people are under the lead of Hayato. Two of them are still middle school students who have been attending the training school of Warslan Company in Yamato, around half a year up to now.
– Yumina, who"s also their academic advisor, is on her day off today. You might as well wait until they three are together, right? However Hayato-kun, tomorrow is your day off, so―
Hayato, who was guided by Mika until he was put on a car, was sent to the inst.i.tution where he spent many years. After all, he stayed at Warslan"s Motomatsu Base for about twenty minutes. Meanwhile, Mika, who was a deputy commander of that base a year ago when she invited Hayato to Little Garden, she got promoted and it turned out that she is the commandant now.
– It may have been the effect of the introduction of Hayato-kun to Little Garden. That"s why I"m grateful.
Maybe she had the intention of complimenting him, but it was too embarra.s.sing to tell him.
The car travels during the evening. It was around the end of the day, when the car arrived in front of the inst.i.tution.
– Welcome back, Hayato-kun.
Greeted to the driver, got out of the car and rang the chime, and so Kizaki Ryōko, the inst.i.tution chief, came out and gave a soft smile.
Behind her, and standing in a line, are the children who live in the inst.i.tution, and so they greet one after another. Some little girls approach to Hayato"s feet and jump.
– Hayato!
– Hayato-Niichan, welcome back!
– Karen and Sakura are not here this time?
– And Mihal?
– Emile isn"t here either?
After that, there was a welcome party just like last summer vacation. After eating dinner happily with everyone and talking to each of them, he took a bath with the children. And then, after having delivered everyone to their bedrooms―
Hayato headed to the living room and there he saw, to Ryōko"s nimble figure who was tidying up the meal.
– Ryōko-Obasan, thank you very much.
– It is I who should say thanks to you, for taking care of our children.
Ryouko put a sweet smile and continued.
– Would you like to drink some tea?
– Yes, I would like to.
When answering and sitting in front of the table, Ryouko brought to him a warm houjicha*.
While drinking it, Ryouko sits on a chair in front of him and asks a question.
– Hayato-kun, what are you going to do tomorrow?
– I"m thinking of going to visit the grave of my parents.
Hayato tells to Ryouko that he couldn"t go visit their grave when he came in the summer vacation, and that he had the opportunity to go to Gudenburg some time ago and visited the National Memorial Cemetery where his parents are enshrined.
– Oh, I see. I think that your father and mother will be delighted. Besides, if it is alright with you.
– "Alright", what is it?
– If you have any spare time, I thought about saying to you to make an appearance to Kenzaki dōjō. The last time you came back, you didn"t go there. When I met with Ryūsei sometime before, he told me that in the case Hayato-kun does come back, to convey to you about going there.
– Oh, is that so?
Hayato attended that Kenzaki dōjō until he started to live at this inst.i.tution and shortly before he headed to Little Garden.
Kenzaki Ryūsei, the master of the dōjō. He is a large man whose height is over 180 centimeters, and his age is in the mid-40s, but he has a youthful face that can be mistaken as if he is in his twenties.
(The truth, I did something bad to my master…)
While listening to Ryōko"s talk, feelings of guilt started to rise in Hayato"s chest.
Ryūsei trained him well as a disciple, even though Hayato was very young, and then sending him in a gentle way towards Little Garden to become a Slayer, so his grat.i.tude will never be enough to truly thank him. To Hayato, Ryūsei is a benefactor, a respected master. So then, why he didn"t visit the dōjō during the summer vacation? There are two reasons for that.
The first one, he had a hunch about that Emilia will surely come. Ryūsei, the master of the sword, possesses a high perspicacity. His judgment is dangerous, as he could see the true ident.i.ty of Emilia, who is dressed as a man. The second reason is that, for the female individuals like Karen, Sakura and Mihal, it is dangerous for them to come along. Although he is a benefactor and a respected master, he has a little difficult personality. He is an unequalled lover of women.
Especially, it was unmistakably s.e.xual hara.s.sment towards women who were in their adulthood. Regardless of Karen who has seen her face many times, what things he may say to Sakura and Mihal―If someone enquired to him to think how was his relationship with him, then it was terribly unbearable. However, this time is just one person. It"s all fine.
– Will you do it? If you go, then I will let them know.
– If that"s the case, I"ll really appreciate that.
***Just before noon of the next day, Hayato, who"s alone, and wearing the uniform of Little Garden, left the inst.i.tution. The first place to go is the cemetery where his father and mother are resting. He reached the place after a fifteen minute walk on foot through the path that goes inside the forest. He bought flowers for offering, and sprinkled water on the gravestone. Then, he put one hand over the other in front of his chest and closed his eyes, and spoke to the two deep sleepers.
Dad, mom, it"s been a long time.
I"ve grown accustomed quite a lot to live in Little Garden.
First of all, I have happy news.
Karen"s legs are getting better.
She is now able to attend to school.
Moreover, she is starting to be a something like a songstress…
She, her wonderful songs are splendid.
And now, comes the sad news.
It"s been ten years since the Second Attack.
And, it seems that the Savage are coming a lot to the Earth.
I am, trying to protect this world where we are living now.
To protect Karen, and those people who are precious to me.
That"s why as a Slayer, I will fight the Savage.
To prevent a tragedy like that time.
This city, I will protect it.
So dad, mom.
The moment we overcome the Third Attack safely, if Karen got better―.
Oh, that"s right.
I went to Gudenburg the other day.
Mom and dad were also enshrined in the National Memorial Cemetery. The one who took me there is a princess of the Kingdom of Gudenburg―.
Emilia, if I could bring someone along with me here, the one who I will bring along with me is her.
I"m sure that, if it"s her, I think that she will definitely say h.e.l.lo to mom and dad.
Well then, mom, dad.
Also, I will come back to this place whenever I can.
Please watch over me, and to this Earth.
Hayato left the graveyard and went towards the next stop, to the dōjō were his master is waiting. The positioning of the inst.i.tution, the cemetery and the dōjō is exactly like a triangle. Therefore, rather than heading directly from the inst.i.tution, it became a considerable detour. It"s a road that is not paved, and the up and downs are quite fierce. Even so, He was able to have in sight the building of a samurai residence-like in about fifteen minutes.
It is the residence where the master of the dōjō Kenzaki Ryūsei lives, and the same old-fashioned wooden building next to it is the Kenzaki dōjō. Plenty of years have pa.s.sed since the First Attack―. Since then, the time had come where they ought to protect themselves. In addition, it is the birth of the Slayers. The parents that allows their children to learn martial arts are tremendously increasing all over the world, and Yamato is not the exception. Dōjōs such as kendō, jūdō and karate, are full of children everywhere.
…but, Kenzaki dōjō was not one of those.
There are not a few disciples.
Hayato was the only one who attended there every day.
The reasons were the depopulated village and that it was within the forest, and more than that, it was that the dōjō master Kenzaki Ryūsei had a bad reputation. Ryūsei had imposing matching features, his hair was always ruffled, and you could see that his chin was unshaven. And above all, he gulped down alcohol every day during the daytime.
Even though the monthly tuition fee was cheap, there were probably no parents who tried to entrust their important child to such a man.
(But, his teachings were quite respectable…)
It was thanks to that, that Hayato was able to enter as one of the best 4, at that time in his third year of middle high school, to the [Yamato Unified Kendō Tournament, Junior High School Male Students Division]
He recalls when he was introduced by Kizaki Ryōko, the inst.i.tution chief, when he visited the dōjō for the first time.
– Why, do you want to learn my swordmanship? Are you aware of my reputation?
Hayato was raised by the house, that"s why Ryūsei asked that to him.
Nor because he was introduced by the inst.i.tution chief, nor because the monthly tuition is cheap, nor because is close to the inst.i.tution. He soon realized that when he heard that it was not any of those realistic reasons.
– I do not want to lose anything.
He hesitated a little and was barely able to finish his answer.
– Then, what do you not want to lose?
– At the time of the Second Attack, I was staying in the Kingdom of Gudenburg and I was attacked by the Savage. I lost my parents there and lost my memories about my stay in Gudenburg.
– Hou…
After narrowing his eyes in a sad way, a little silence elapsed and Ryūsei continued.
– That was a disaster.
– But, recently, I have been feeling that I can recall the memories from that time.
Then Hayato told to Ryūsei about a story of a fragmentary dream that he sees.
It is about a little girl who"s captured by a Savage, and the boy, who"s telling this dream, can"t save the girl.
– If that incident really happened to me, I wouldn"t run now. But, if I had the power, I think I might have saved that little girl.
– While it may be true that, by learning swordsmanship, you will not gain enough strength to fight the Savage. Do you understand that?
– Still, I want to become strong.
– Understood, then I will make you a disciple of mine. I will make you a strong man by training you from the beginning.
– Really!?
– On the other hand― although I said that, as you see, I"m bad at keeping my stuff tidy. So, will you do the cleaning here? Of course, not only this residence, but the dōjō too. In that case, there won"t be need of a monthly fee. I don"t feel like taking money from a boy living in an inst.i.tution.
Such an offer by Ryūsei is very appreciated by Hayato―.
– Thank you, Shishō*! Really, I"m very grateful for this!
*TN: Shishō means master, and as I already used "master" before under another kanji, and to avoid confusion, I"ll use this term from now on as this is heavily used in this volume. Shishō = master, teacher in a certain discipline.And so Hayato became a disciple in this way, but in the first six months, there was hardly anything related to swordsmanship coming from Ryūsei"s teachings. Between doing practice-swinging and uchikomi*, he is occasionally under his guidance.
*TN: Uchikomi referes to the action of a practice in kendo, in this scenario, is related to a one person, were you wrap a band around a pillar, and you throw of it with the both ends of the band.– Niisan, is he really okay, Shishō?
Karen, who had met face to face with Ryūsei, asked about Hayato so many times.
Certainly thinks that there is some problem with this human Ryūsei, and she also believes that there is some use in his way of saying things.
But still, Hayato trusted Ryūsei.
Ryōko gave her stamp of approval in that his skill was certain, because she knew that his body had tightened a lot, specially his muscles while cleaning and mopping was also being done. A bamboo sword, he gotten used to that a lot.
It was half a year ago, and since the beginning of going to the dōjō that Karen understood, as well as Hayato, that such guidance of Ryūsei was accurate. There was an elementary school kendo tournament sponsored by the town and he was told by Ryūsei to partic.i.p.ate in it, and he did. While being not so sure about how to fight in the first game, he won and advanced to the next round, until he won the championship in the primary school category.
(Shishō is amazing after all…)
What he thought at that time was not a mistake. By the time he was in junior high school, in his first year he was within the best four in the prefecture, and in his second year he was able to advance up to the finals. And so in his third year he finally won the championship and was able to go to the best 4 at the Yamato Unified Kendo Tournament men"s category. It was around that time that Ryūsei learned that Hayato had a talent to be a Slayer.
(Me a Slayer…)
Hayato thought about what to do over the night, and in the evening of that day, a scout woman who came from the Warslan Company, Shinonome Mika, invited him to Little Garden. There"s hesitation. That"s why, to shake off that, the next day, Hayato conveyed to Ryūsei that he decided to enter Little Garden.
– Shishō, I earnestly need to talk with you today. I have something important to tell you.
– …what is it?
After Ryūsei"s residence and dōjō cleaning was over. Hayato called out to Ryūsei who was drinking sake and holding that sake bottle while lying down in the tatami living room.
– Actually, It seems that I have a talent to be a Slayer, so I was invited to be a Slayer.
– Hou, let me hear that in detail.
Ryūsei got up, his facial expression was serious.
After that Hayato was encouraged by Karen and the children of the inst.i.tution, he accepted a reasonable test from the Warslan Company and so, the Hundred responded, and that response value was very high― As a result, he was told that he was invited to join a training facility known as Little Garden.
– Is that so? Then you are one of Warslan"s Slayers cadets….
After a brief silence, Ryūsei continued.
– So, what"s your plan? Do you intent to go to Little Garden?
– Yes, that"s my plan.
– The sword that I teach is not to defeat the Savage. Do you remember that I said that at the beginning?
– …yes.
Hayato nodded, and continued.
He predicted beforehand that this question was going to be asked.
Hayato conveys the answer that was hidden in his heart to Ryūsei.
– I"m going to Little Garden, but not to fight the Savage.
But for my sister.
For everyone in the inst.i.tution.
And, to regain my memories completely.
– All right.
Ryūsei stood up and said.
– If you have settled your heart, then there is nothing to say from me. If you want to go, then do as you wish. It will be somewhat lonely.
– Shishō, I am truly grateful for all that you have done so far.
– What are you saying? Attending here just before going to Little Garden. You are going to be a Slayer. I"m not going easy on your training. I will do of you a real swordsman.
And finally the day before he left for Little Garden came.
Who came to Hayato as he finished cleaning the dojo for a last time is Ryūsei while he is holding two bamboo swords in his hand.
He offered one of them to Hayato, and said.
– Hayato, have a match with me.
– Eh?
It was natural that Hayato is surprised.
He had countless occasions where they exchanged blows while doing practice, but if it"s about having a match against Ryūsei, that never happened.
In the first place, this is the first time that Ryūsei is about to have a combat, something that Hayato has never seen before.
– I"m telling you this to make sure how you much of a swordsman you have become. Think of it as a graduation exam, okay?
Hayato unintentionally suppressed his breath.
– Understood, then the protective gear is…
– Those things are unnecessary. Let"s take it as it is―with full power.
– Is that really okay?
Hayato is in middle-level posture*―.
*TN: Refers to Chūdan =中段, middle-level posture in kendo.Ryūsei set ups his bamboo sword at high-level posture, and so they face each other.
– If you don"t come here, then I"ll go there.
And so Ryūsei was the one who attacked first. Stepping forward with his foot on a gale-like speed, he swung downward his quick bamboo sword.
– …agh!
Hayato stopped the blow, but the impact was a tremendous shock to his hands as they are trembling.
Hayato also undauntedly returns a blow, but it was unable to break Ryūsei"s stance. Weapons clashing over and over again. Until it was the moment that they were locked sword to sword. Before he could put a step forward with his foot, Hayato was pressured and lost his stance to the sword pressure of Ryūsei, who put his whole body weight on the bamboo sword. From there, Ryūsei swings downward the bamboo sword consecutively. Hayato tries to dodge them, but soon his condition came to his limits and his posture collapsed, falling on his backside.
– It seems like, I"m the winner.
With a puff, Ryūsei" expresses a smile, and extended his hand to Hayato.
– I thought that Shishō is undoubtedly strong, but I didn"t expected to be this much. It is no way true that you can lose in a championship match.
– By the way, I wasn"t being serious at all. When you came back, make a serious effort so that you can be able to win against me.
– Understood.
Hayato grasps tightly that hand and stands up.
– Well then, Shishō, I"m going.
– …oh right. Don"t die, Hayato.
It has been since that time that Hayato was with Ryūsei.
– So you have finally appeared, Kisaragi Hayato!
Suddenly, in a place a little further to the residence, he heard a voice.
It is a voice of a young woman.
– …Eh?
Hayato takes a look to his surroundings, as the voice that he heard is around somewhere.
– What are you doing looking around restlessly? I am here!
Once the voice has raised a second time, he finally found the spot.
Hayato directed his sight to the nearby tree.
– You are…
– Fufufu, so you finally noticed, isn"t it?
A girl wearing a kendo uniform as she raises a wide-angle complacent smile, is on a branch of a thick tree around three meters above the head of Hayato. The red hair behind the top of her head is slightly swaying like a flame by the wind.
(Don"t tell me, is she a new disciple of Shishou?)
Her stature may be around 140 centimeters tall, younger that her sister Karen, and as far as he can see, that figure belongs to someone who is definitely practicing kendo.
At any rate, she has a wooden sword in her hands. And the girl declared while pointing its tip to Hayato.
– Kisaragi Hayato, have a match with me!
Then she kicked the branch of the tree and tried to jump off from it―.
– Fuee!?
A scream was leaked out from the girl. The moment she tried to jump off, she probably put too much weight on that branch. And so, the branch of the tree breaks with a loud noise, and the body of the girl falls to the ground.
– It"s dangerous!
At the last moment, Hayato rushed to the bottom of the tree so he can possibly catch her, but as his momentum was too much, he failed a little the falling point.
– Uwaah!?
– Kyaaaah!?
At the same time as the voice of both of them overlap, the front of Hayato becomes dark.
– Ow ow ow…
It was a strong impact on his body. Due to hitting his b.u.t.tocks and his back with the ground, the lower half of his body is numb.
(No way, did I fail to catch her…? Moreover, what is, this?)
His face is pressed quite well, both of his cheeks are very hot, and it is unreasonable oppressive. It is such a situation where he may suffocate if it keeps like this.
(It may be that the one who is over me now, is that girl on top of me?)
This seems to be an unimaginable situation.
Hayato struggled to move his body, trying to escape from the girl.
– Hyaaaa!
It was a scream of a girl that came to his ears.
So once again, Hayato thinks back upon the situation in which he is now.
He tried to save the girl who fell from the tree and failed. So no doubt, she is the girl who is on top of his body right now.
(If so, what place is this from that girl?)
Darkness.
Warmth feeling on his face.
And the smell of sweat and sweetness unique to girls intermingled. So Hayato, reaches to one answer.
(Perhaps, this is the inside of a hakama*?)
*TN: A formal divided skirt.Supposing that these are the girl"s thighs were his head is being hold between. Then, it"s the girl"s nether region that is blocking his mouth.
(This is bad, this situation is absolutely bad!)
His body is getting hotter. So Hayato moved his body in an attempt to escape from this situation as soon as possible. But because of that, he added a stimulus to it.
– Hyann! That"s… nuuh!
The girl"s face struggles upon that.
His face is being pressed forcefully and continuously by the nether region, so his mouth is further blocked with soft meat. In this way, he may die wrapped in softness and sweet fragrance.
His head felt dizzy.
Even if he wanted to beg to her to move by saying it, it would be the same as the words won"t come because his mouth is blocked.
While groaning, Hayato desperately continues to move his body.
– Hiaa, what is thiss..!? Kuunh… uuuuunh! Nn… then…
She finally understood the situation at last.
The girl who was leaking a cute voice and that was continuously moving stopped.
– Kyaaaaaaaaaahh!
– Puhaaaah…
Hayato, who released of that together with a scream, took in a breath in a big way. Now that his field of vision is finally released from the darkness, the one who is reflected, is the figure of a girl standing up in a hurrying manner who then jumps out.
– Ah…!
Involuntarily, Hayato raised his voice.
The girl was too overly impatient, so she couldn"t stand firmly on the ground. Her balance breaks, and so her body falls to the back.
– That"s dangerous!
Without a moment"s delay. Hayato reached out his hand, and grabbed the girl"s chest. However, due to the gravity and its momentum applied to the girl, his body is carried away.
– Uwaa?!
– Kyaah!?
The voice of the two overlaps again.
This time Hayato had the appearance of like riding on a girl"s body―rather than Hayato pushing down the girl"s body.
– Ah…!
He feels something in his palm, it has a soft sensation.
– Hyann!
A pretty voice leaks out of the girl"s mouth. Hayato"s right hand was touching the girl"s breast.
(Oh no, don"t tell me such a thing is happening again…)
He remembers, it was at that time in the duel with the president. He covered her from above and rubbed her breast with all his strength*.
*TN: Like when you fall to the ground while having something on your hands, your muscles will get tense and apply more strength as they contract.It"s a girl whose height is lower than Karen, but the growth in her chest is good enough that can be tightly hold.
Although this was an accident, Hayato was trying to excuse him somehow, and the girl turned her face red,
– Wh wh wh wh wh where are touching!?
– Uwaah!?
She threw Hayato"s body backwards with both of her hands.
– That really hurt….What are you doing…?
Hayato, who once again falls on his backside, tries to get up while suppressing the pain in his hips and b.u.t.tocks. From there, the girl"s voice echoes.
– I won"t forgive you, I"ll never forgive you!
As he raises his face, the girl who stood up earlier picked up the wooden sword that rolled on the ground, and within a step she readies herself. The pointed end was of course, pointing to Hayato.
– Punishment!
– Uwaa!?
Hayato hurriedly rolled to the right as the wooden sword was swung downward.
*DON*!
A dense cloud of sand soars from the ground where the wooden sword had struck.
– Geh…. What was, that…?
Hayato"s spine felt a cold shiver when he saw the ground clearly dented.
(Such a blow, if I simply apologize…)
While it may be true that, he can"t deploy his Hundred.
The Third Attack is close. It is forbidden to use energy in vain.
– The thing that I did was really bad. I apologize, I"ll do whatever you want, so forgive me!
– Whatever I want, if that"s the case, what I want is to have a match!
– No, just forgive me, no more than that!
– Nope!
The girl never stopping her hands, starts to pursuit one after another.
– So, why do I have to fight you?
– Did you forget the promise of two years ago?
– A promise of two years ago?
– At that time, you promised me that you will have a rematch with me! So, while I dedicated myself to study, you were just hooked on with girls!
– "Girls"? What are you talking about!?
While dodging the girl"s wooden sword, Hayato kept asking desperately.
– It was about when I returned to Yamato in the summer. I heard from Ryūsei that you did not come to greet to the dōjō and that you were having fun with girls that you brought. I was thinking that I just had to settle this with you, for all the time that Ryūsei had been waiting!
– Even so, those girls have nothing to do with it. In the first place, who are you? It is common sense as a swordsman to introduce yourself first when you challenge someone to a match, don"t you agree!?
– I"m Kenzaki Touka.
– …eh?
– There"s a gap!
Kenzaki is the same family name as his master, Ryūsei. Shishō Ryūsei should not have any children.
In the face of Hayato who thought whether she was probably a relative, the sharpest thrust releases.
(Dangerous!)
Hayato felt the danger on his life, in that moment―.
*DON*!
(Oh――!)
The scenery in front of Hayato"s eyes was similar to be suspended the moment he felt the attack.
It is a dual world.
The eyes of Hayato were dyed with a golden color. It is the awakening of the ability of the Variant.
– …kuh!
He felt like his consciousness was breaking down, suddenly he clench his teeth, Hayato is pa.s.sing out. If the Variant Virus take over his body, then he doesn"t know what might do. By deploying the Hundred that is hanging from his neck, there is a possibility of starting a sword fight with that girl.
(That"s no good)
In his slow-motion world, he warped his body, and Hayato dodged her thrust.
And so, he thinks.
(Next is… what do I do?)
First of all, stop the girl"s attack, and then to calm down myself.
(For that I should――)
Pulls out his own foot and hangs it on the girl"s foot.
– …Wha!?
The girl, surprised by the thrust, immediately noticed the impact on her right foot. Because of that, she lost her balance.
– Kyaa!
The girl falls to the ground from the front. Hayato, who felt relieved to see that figure, the color in his eyes returned to normal. There, a voice reverberated.
– You guys, what are you doing in a place like this?
Hastily the girl raised her body, and turned her eyes to the owner of that voice. Hayato does the same.
– "Ryūsei!" - "Shishō!"
The voice of the girl and Hayato overlapped.
– Dodging Touka"s thrust from that stance, you seemed to have raised your skill quite a lot.
Having said that, Kenzaki Ryūsei who is Hayato"s Shishō, has shopping bags on both of his hands, gave a nice smile.
***– It is more beautiful than I thought.
Hayato and Touka follow the lead of Ryūsei, They step into the residence, and encircle the desk that is in the tatami-matted living room. He was thinking that the inside of the house would be a mess as a result that he was in charge of cleaning for many years until he left, but it is surprisingly clean and everything is in order.
– Ha-ha-ha, that"s right. This is thanks to Touka.
Ryūsei looks to the girl next to him.
But Touka didn"t give a single reaction to that. She was glaring at Hayato with her eyes half-opened.
– …umm, it might be suddenly going to the main question but, Touka-san, why did you attack me?
– As I said, it is because of the promise of two years ago.
Says Touka, sharpening her lips.
– That "two years ago" thing, what"s with that?
He spontaneously answers back with a strong tone, being angry.
– Yamato Unified Kendo Tournament preliminaries, that final match. At that time you said this. Someday you"ll have a rematch with me and―.
– Umm….
Hayato remembers that final match of two years ago. His opponent was surprisingly short and, he remembers that the skill of that person was considerable.
– …wait, by any chance, that opponent was you?
– Uh huh. It was definitely me.
– But, wait a minute. That was the boy"s division…. And besides, how old are you now?
– I"m thirteen.
– So then, at that time you were an elementary school student. What"s more, you are a girl, isn"t it? Even so then why were you in the middle school boy"s tournament!
It is a fact that there is no mistake that she is a woman because he touched her breast a while ago. Hayato"s hand proves that.
– The one who"s all to blame is Ryūsei.
As Touka says that, she looked up at Ryūsei who"s sitting next to her, and glanced at him.
– … It was Shishō?
– Three hours before fighting you. That was after winning the tournament in the elementary school girl"s division. I found Ryūsei and supplicated to him [I want to be your disciple] but, he lightly washed me away with [If you want to be my disciple, then you must defeat my best pupil]. So that"s why I applied to have a match with you on the spot. But then you [You aren"t a man. Girl"s―even so, can I really fight with a child?]
– Umm, did such a thing really happen?
– It did!
Hayato looks at the face of Ryūsei.
Thereupon, Ryūsei asked to Hayato.
– It might be that you don"t remember?
– Yes.
Hayato nods.
– But, the story of now is true.
If it is Ryūsei that says so, then there"s no doubt about it, right?
– So I considered some ways to fight you. The idea that I came up with was, to do a surprise attack to the opponent, and remove the kendō armor, it is a way to make you leave the match instead*.
Being the case, kendō is something that is performed while wearing protective armor, so she thought that he can"t be exposed. And so, that expose didn"t happen.
– But, the result was an utter defeat. After that, I wanted to rematch you, so in order to obtain that victory, I continued practicing hard every day. Although I entered the prefectural preliminaries of the high school boy"s division, you weren"t in that place! You become a Slayer to avoid to match against me, you went to Little Garden―
– Well, I didn"t particularly did it to avoid to match against you…
– Shut up! Shut up! That doesn"t have nothing to do with this! Moreover you, you came back in the summer but you didn"t show your face at the dōjō at all, because you were flirting and flirting and flirting with women, right!?
– No, "flirting"…
– That kind of behavior, I heard it from Ryūsei!
– Shishō!
– I just told her exactly what I heard from Ryōko-san.
*Hahaha*, and smiled.
– For that reason the next time you come back you must absolutely visit the dōjō, that"s what was conveyed through Ryūsei. So I kept waiting on this house for the day that―
-As a result, I was attacked because of that…
– So is that sort of thing.
Ryūsei laughs loudly, and Hayato sighs heavily. Then he remembers the moment before he left Little Garden. Karen who used Tarot"s fortune telling, said that there"s going to come out [ill fortune concerning women].This is one of them, apparently Karen"s ill prediction hit the mark.
– With that being said Kisaragi Hayato. Fight me. Understand already that there"s no need for mercy just because I"m a girl!
Surely is just like that, isn"t it?
Hayato understands well enough her skill.
– But, why did you want to become a disciple of Shishō?
How should he put it, Hayato thinks that is similar to the previous disciple. At any rate, works and lives there, she also does the cleaning and the like. Hayato also never received decent guidance for the first six months.
– There"s something that I want you to teach me.
Touka replied.
– Something you want me to teach you?
– Uh huh.
Nodding, Touka continues.
– How to defeat the Savage.
– Huh…?
Hayato unintentionally turned his eyes towards Ryūsei.
– What is that reaction? Before the Hundred were developed, don"t you know that Ryūsei fought against the Savage together with my father?
– Shishō was, and the Savage…?
Hayato was truly surprised.
[The sword that I teach is not to destroy the Savage]
Because that"s the first thing that was told by Ryūsei.
– Such thing, is all true?
– …yeah, sort of.
Ryūsei suddenly spilled a smile.
– Why did you not tell me about that story?
– I specially avoid to talk about that. Besides, I ran out of that fight. I can"t feel pride of that…
Ryūsei who was sitting cross-legged stood up, and took with one of his hands a pitch black sword that was decorating the living room. It is a sword that has been told to Hayato a long time ago to not touch it.
– I"ll go outside. Both of you follow me. Today I"m going to talk about a special old story.
He thought that they would move to the dōjō, but that was not so. It is the backyard of the dōjō where Ryūsei headed to.
– That reminds me, I haven"t told to Hayato the relationship between me and Touka yet. Touka"s father is Kenzaki Hokuto― my brother.
– As I thought, you were a relative of Shishō.
It is just as he supposed the moment she self-introduced as Kenzaki Touka.
– But, we don"t look alike, isn"t it? I"m similar to my brother Hokuto, With the exception of the ability with the sword, Touka is similar to her mother.
With that as an introduction, Ryūsei continued talking.
– Hokuto and I were connected by body and soul the moment we had a sword in our hands. The family lineage of the Kenzaki has been a family dedicated to swordsmith for over a thousand years, and there was a sword anywhere in the house. Even though, we could only have a bamboo sword in our hands at that time. That"s why we used to sword fight every day with our bamboo swords.
Ryūsei smiles like he is yearning for something of that time. It was around at the beginning that the ability of his older brother Hokuto flourished. However, the position was completely reversed once Ryūsei turned ten years old. He was no longer defeated.
– Although I might say, the ability of Hokuto was considerable. Of course he didn"t lose at the Kenjinkai*, nor at the national compet.i.tion, nor even to the adults. With the exception of me.
*TN: Literally: a.s.sociation of people from the same prefecture. 県人会.Without a change, those two people turned into adults, his brother Hokuto succeeded the swordsmith, his family business"s work, and Ryūsei taught fencing at the dōjō.
– At that time, the Kenzaki"s workshop and dōjō were not only here, but also in the central part of Motomatsu. There were more than one hundred disciples.
And in middle of that, the Second Attack occurred. Yamato is a small island country. Although the number of Savage that attacked was only a few, some cities fell into destruction.
– Of course, the Imperial Army was also in a state of devastation. In such a situation, Hokuto was requested by the Imperial Army. You can"t train a sword with the objective of causing damage to the Savage, I thought.
Savage"s steel sh.e.l.l is hard, and not only ordinary swords, but guns and even missiles can"t do any sort of damage. Therefore, they went to talk to Hokuto, who is an excellent swordsmith, to whether he can make a weapon effective against the Savage.
– Hokuto was a man with a strong sense of justice. From the beginning. I was wondering about if there would be an effective sword against the Savage. Only that, when he received the request, he couldn"t make a sword that is effective against them. But, right at that moment, a piece of meteorite that came flying from the s.p.a.ce, was brought in from the army. It was a Variable Stone.
They were told that its shape could change to a weapon if a human touches a part of it, but when Hokuto touched it, and even when Ryūsei touched it, there was no reaction.
If that"s the case, then he can only make a sword for himself, Hokuto used the Variable Stone as a raw material, so he tempered thoroughly a one of a kind sword. The strength of that sword was quite high, it seemed like there was nothing that couldn"t cut in this world. After that, it was the real deal, to test it with the Savage―.
– The Savage have just appeared near the city where we lived around that time. The Imperial Army thought that this was a good opportunity and proposed to use it in the actual war.
But, the problem was that n.o.body could use that sword. It is heavier than a regular sword and it is difficult even to handle it.
– And so, they came with the conclusion that it was my turn.
– In other words, Shishō had to fight against the Savage with a sword that was made of Variable Stone?
– That"s right.
Ryūsei nods.
– But, I couldn"t cause any damage to the Savage.
It was possible to scratch or dent the steel sh.e.l.l of a Savage, but it can"t be cut off. That is because a thin membrane is developed using energy over the steel sh.e.l.l.
The shelter that protects the core which is the source of Savage"s life was further thick, and it was impossible even to land a scratch. As a result, the Imperial Army was discouraged. Hokuto too.
– Then, at that time I thought. If I were my brother, how could I destroy the Savage with this sword made by Hokuto?
As Ryūsei says that, he raised the black sword that had in his hands, showing it to Touka and Hayato.
– In short that sword, is the one that my Chichi-ue* forged?
*TN: she said "father" in a very formal way.While staring at the sword without a motion, Touka murmurs.
– Indeed.
Ryūsei nods, and continued.
– Therefore I thought, and came up with a technique. Perfect, that will do it.
Ryūsei set his eyes to a huge rock that is in his garden, its height is fifty centimeters and has a length of eighty centimeters.
– Hayato, a question. Do you think that I can destroy that rock with this sword made by Hokuto?
– Huh?
– If you like, it"s ok to hold it.
Hayato received the sword that Ryūsei handed out.
– Uwa…
It looks just like a ma.s.s of lead. His arms and upper body are about to sink.
– I can say that this thing is so heavy…
And its blade is thick. It looks more like a western blade that is made to hit rather than to slash. Although it looks like it is completely thin, it may be a little similar to Hien.
– I want to hold it too!
Said Touka while she was jumping, doing *PYON* *PYON*
She looks at the sword that Hayato possesses with her eyes resembling a puppy desiring a snack.
– You sure? It"s pretty heavy.
Touka receives the sword from Hayato who presented her an advice just in case.
– Mu… certainly, it- it"s… heavy huh…
Touka, who was about to fall at first, immediately adjusts her balance and does one, and two swings with the sword.
– This is my Chichi-ue"s forged sword― the sword that fought against the Savage!
Touka stared at the sword, while her eyes were brilliantly shining. It seems like, she is immersed in deep emotion. Continuing, Touka said.
– Ryūsei, is it fine if I try it!?
– Try it? What do you mean is, you want to test whether you can destroy that rock…. I see, there"s no problem. Try to do it.
– Really?! If so―.
Touka walks towards the rock"s location, and readied the sword in her upper right corner.
– Here I go, teei!
After taking down the sword from the upper part, it slashes the rock.
But, the result is disastrous. Far from doing anything to the rock, Touka ended sat down on the spot. Her arms have become numb, due to the reaction of her sword that stroke hard with all her strength. Touka had fallen into tears. While watching that figure laughing with a *Hahaha*, Ryūsei picked up the sword that was placed in front of Touka.
– The answer, is as you see. Touka is not unskilled at all. It is like that almost all the time. Hayato, you try it too. However―.
Ryūsei readied the sword overhead.
– What I created is, the destruction by the application of natural vibration.
Declaring that, Ryūsei swings downward the sword towards the rock.
– This is the special move that I created―Kenzaki Secret Style > Zaneizan*
*TN: It doesn"t have a specific meaning. The first kanji can mean: beheading, kill, murder and the second one: shadow, reflection, image, presence. It seems that the first one comes alone and the other two form another term. If anyone comes with a cool name for it, I"ll use in the translation. My guess could be: Slashing Beheading Shadow. A lame one xD.
And then, the rock was pulverized into pieces.
– Amazing…
While looking, Hayato raised a surprised voice. Touka too.
– Ryūsei! How on earth could you do that now!?
– As I said earlier, I used natural vibration.
– …natural vibration? What is that!? Explain it in a way that I can understand it!
– Do you know that the waves for that sword are transmitted? Just like when an object collide with another object?
– No, I didn"t know.
Touka replies immediately. She is still a middle school student, so that it can"t be helped, right?
– Hayato, what about you?
– Umm, I understand a part of it but…
A learning lesson of Little Garden.
– Don"t tell me, are you and Touka at the same level? Well, minor theory and the like, I can tell you that is irrelevant, so it doesn"t matter. Simply put, we can add a second long sword to match the wave made by the first long sword, which will resonate the wave to amplify it. That way it will double, triple its power, it"s no more than that.
– In short, as the blade was slightly repelled by the reaction when it touched the rock, are we supposed to swing down the sword again instantaneously?
– You understood it nicely, isn"t it? That"s exactly the answer. I thought that it was a trivial matter, but it"s not so.
– The reason is that I know that thing about the sword.
Touka answers with her arms stretched. But, it seems that she doesn"t have the intention to deny that such thing is a trivial matter.
– Then the next. Besides, this is a similar way of doing it.
Moving in front of the rock approximately the same way as before, Ryūsei readied his sword.
– I"m going to do the same move of releasing a long sword followed by a second long sword but, this time I"m going to release a series of attacks so that I can draw an X-shaped cut line on the rock. With this, the power will decrease a little. You watch.
Saying that, Ryūsei shows that sword technique.
– This is＜＜斬影斬・弐式＞＞ Zaneizan Second Style !
Ryūsei released a series of attacks, and the rock was pulverized in the same way as before.
– One more, there is one more technique.
Ryūsei kept speaking while walking towards the front of another rock.
– This is for the moment you have to destroy the core of a Savage. Look carefully, ok?
And so, it was done in an instant. By the thrust that Ryūsei released, the rock was destroyed in very small pieces in a similar way as before.
– Incredible…
– Indeed.
Hayato and Touka were staring at Ryūsei with a surprised gaze that was mixed with envy.
– Oh well, if you do something like this with a normal sword, the blade will be chipped and so it will become useless. The fact that it can withstand it, is because this is a sword that was forged, that it was made by Hokuto.
There are only two swords made with the Variable Stone that were received from the Imperial Army. And with those swords, Ryūsei and Hokuto decided to fight the Savage. The older brother Hokuto using his forged sword, and the younger brother Ryūsei who slaughters Savage with the sword technique that he created.
Approximately one year and a half―.
Those two people, the Kenzaki brothers, fought against the Savage and protected the Yamato Empire. It was their task until that moment came, when the Hundred were developed by Warslan Company"s engineer, Linis Harvey.
– Even though it was for a short period of time, our bodies were worn-out during that time. In the first place, our ages were over thirty, and of course, the injuries didn"t stop. For that reason, an unusual phenomenon occurred to my body.
In the battles Ryūsei did not receive direct attacks from the Savage. But, he wasn"t covered in body fluids one time nor two times.
– At that time, the Savage"s virus pretty much invaded my body. Because of that, my body has stopped moving like before. Thanks to a fall that I had from a cliff during a battle, I suffered a serious injury, so I retired from fighting with the Savage.
Nevertheless, his older brother Hokuto did not stop fighting the Savage. He continued fighting alone.
Ryūsei, in comparison with the virus, his resistance is stronger, so that"s why there were no abnormalities in his body. Besides the Hundred were handled, and although the Slayer who could fight the Savage appeared also in Yamato, the number was still small. There were also cases in which a great deal of damage happened until the Slayers that came running could get there. Additionally, the Slayers at that time could only deploy Hundred, and most of them did not receive decent battle training. And of course the experience of fighting against the Savage, the battle technique is overwhelmingly superior on the side of Hokuto. There were many of those Slayers who appeared during the battles and pulled their legs, as a result, Hokuto who covered the Slayers was attacked by a Savage and died due to the injury―.
– Maybe, it should have been better if I had entrusted to the Slayers to defeat the Savage after I had retired along with the Imperial Army. Many of those persons weren"t ought to do it as it was absurd to not being with their families―the death of Hokuto was avoidable, it was so meaningless.
– There"s no way that is true!
Touka declares that raising her voice, she continues her words while her shoulders are trembling.
– Certainly, it was painful that Chichi-ue died, it was a sad event. However, I respect Chichi-ue who died, as he kept fighting until the end for the sake of helping others. It was the same with Haha-ue. I want to live like Chichi-ue. I want to become stronger. That"s why Ryūsei, that sword technique, to me―teach me about Zaneizan!
– What are you saying? I already taught you something like that, isn"t it?
– Eh…?
*BACHI* *BACHI*, her eyelids blink in a surprised way.
– It"s just that you have the blood of the Kenzaki running in your veins, and the sword skill that you have is already high. After this, and as I did earlier, in the case that you practice so that you aim to do the Zaneizan to try to use the natural vibration, you will be able to use it at once. If you like, would you attempt it with this sword?
– ……
Receiving the sword from Ryūsei, Touka faces the rock that is in front of her. She closes her eyes, and *BUTSU* *BUTSU*, she murmurs something.
If you listen carefully, it turned out that it was the slashing technique that uses the natural vibration just like Ryūsei said a moment ago.
――First of all, a long sword.
――Release the second long sword so that it overlaps with the wave made by the first slash.
After muttering that so many times, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. And, while raising a loud voice, Touka swung down the sword.
– Haaaaaaaaaaaahh!
– Oh…!
Hayato was wide-eyed as he saw a part of the rock blown off, although it"s not at the same level of Ryūsei.
– I did it, I did it!
*PYON* *PYON* Touka is delightful as she jumps repeatedly.
– Err, even to Hokuto took him about half a month to get this far…, well, you almost did it perfectly for being done once.
Ryūsei didn"t think that she could do it at the first time too.
He was talking like he was surprised.
– Ryūsei―no, Shishō! Thanks for teaching me such a technique! With this, I can also fight the Savage!
– Nay, you are getting carried away as expected.
Ryūsei shook off his hands like a sword on the head of Touka.
– It may be a success, but its level is far from being able of being used on the battlefield yet. Because that sword will kill for you, you need to polish your skill more.
– Ah… um… I comprehend… then will I receive this sword?
– That is like a memento of Hokuto. You should keep it at your side. Besides, there"s already another one in the warehouse. And because this belonged to Hokuto, you should have it.
– Is that true!? Thank you, Ryūsei!
Touka seems to be very happy.
And so, looking at that charming figure,
– Next is Hayato, I have to earnestly request a favor to you.
– "A favor"? What is it?
He had the presentiment that it is a little unpleasant.
– Can I entrust this to you, to look after Touka in Warslan?
– …he?
– Ryūsei, what is that thing you are saying!?
Asks Touka, following the dumfounded facial expression that was floating on Hayato"s face.
– I originally intended to request it today. Touka has that type of personality, that if you leave it by herself, she will not know what to do. If the Savage appears in the vicinity, there is a possibility that she is going to fight them right on the spot by her own accord. You had better take care of her in a proper place.
– It may be as you say and also, Touka is not a Slayer, and also there is thing like the Savage"s virus―.
If she keeps fighting, there is a possibility that it will be the same as her father Hokuto.
– For that reason, I think that you should go to Warslan. In Warslan, they should have a higher technology to support your own strength than me or the Imperial Army.
– But, I can"t do anything by my own will.
– Ok then, all I have to do is to propose this and discuss it with your superiors. So if that"s allowed, then you could do it.
– Certainly, it can be done that way but…
– a.s.suming that you return to where Sasagawa-san is, then the battlefield that were you are heading will not change. Anyway, I"m counting on you.
– …Sasagawa-san?
I wonder who that person is.
– His father has deceased, he was a close friend and a good-natured old man. Before she came to me, Touka lived and trained at Sasagawa-san"s dōjō. As a matter of fact, the mother of Touka died several years after the death of Hokuto.
– Oh, that thing happened.
In addition, it"s said to be caused by the virus. It was the influence for the continuing deep relationship that she had with the infected Hokuto. Besides, there were no other relatives, and n.o.body was going to be the caretaker of Touka that could have been infected with the virus too.
That"s why Ryūsei took charge of her, because he could not raise children, so he asked to the good-natured old man who was an old friend of him.
– Anyway, if Touka stays here for even one second or minute, I"ll be troubled. To be honest, I"m at my limit. Because I knew that this would be the case, I have entrusted Touka to Sasagawa-san.
– Limit? About what?
– Yeah, about what?
Following Hayato, Touka tilts with her head.
– Hayato, lend me your ears for a minute.
Saying that, Ryūsei moved his index finger like saying "come here" and so, he brought near his face close to the ears of Hayato.
– Even though she is my brother"s daughter, she resembles so much to her beautiful mother, and sensing that she is having a very nice growth, it"s very hard for me to endure it… you understand me, right?
– I disagree, what are you talking about, Shishō…?
– That"s why I"m saying that as it is, I might attack at any moment. I don"t think that I can endure it anymore. I even forget that she is the daughter of my brother, Tonight might be finally the day that I"ll attack…
– No no no…
This is really bad. What should I do?
– Besides, I can"t bring other women as she is living here. That being said, I"m counting on you, Hayato.
It seems like that is his real intention, I guess.
Ryūsei breathed with a sigh while he stroke briefly the back of Hayato.