Join the Evil G.o.d Army: for Fii here: stared enviously as the other apprentices happily talked to each other.
“They finally taught me it! The Five-Step Parade Thrust!”
“The heck is that? The Diagonal Spin Slash I got taught is way better.”
“You guys are dumb. My 15th Division Special is the best!”
The boys were talking about “secret techniques”.
Apparently the seniors in the other divisions had been teaching them lately. The apprentices all showed off their techniques with their wooden swords. And while they were boasting and smiling about it, Fii’s eyes glittered as she watched them.
A secret technique boom had gripped the apprentices of the Northern Dormitory.
Pretty much all the apprentices had learnt something from their seniors, and right now they were having a great time discussing whose was best.
“How nice… I want one too…”
Fii could only watch on enviously with a thumb in her mouth.
n.o.body in the 18th Division had taught her anything like that. That’s why she couldn’t partic.i.p.ate in the discussion at all.
Next to her, Gorms looked on, astounded.
“Are they r.e.t.a.r.ds. How can you use any of that stuff in a real battle. And you, if you have time to watch them, go swing your sword.”
With that, both Fii and Gorms began sword training.
But even so, Fii’s longing for a secret technique didn’t die down.
“Gorms! Tomorrow I’m going to go learn a secret technique too!”
“You, were you even listening to me…? That s.h.i.t’s completely useless, you know.”
Covered in sweat, Fii clenched a fist in some kind of determination as she practised the sword. Gorms just looked at her, fed up.
From Gorms’ point of view, even the relatively simpler ‘secret techniques’ that began the whole fad might not work in real combat. By now, the techniques they showed off took seconds to prepare, seconds to use, and had not even a speck of practicality to them.
If you tried using them in a match or battle, at best you’d have the s.h.i.t beaten out of you during the many openings.
(Even the people teaching this stuff are getting carried away…)
But Fii held a completely different opinion.
“Because I’m just so envious! I want to do it too!”
Despite Gorms’ reasoning, Fii was still determined to learn one.
They were just really cool, after all. And they looked fun too.
More important than anything, it was kind of like building bonds with their division members, which made Fii feel touched. And envious. Very envious.
“I’m definitely going to learn it tomorrow. The 18th Division Special…”
“Ahh… Just do whatever you want… Just make sure not to get me involved. Also, don’t come up with your own techniques.”
Since Fii’s enthusiasm seemed unstoppable, Gorms decided to give up.
He decided not to get involved any further with his friend who had been brainwashed by r.e.t.a.r.ds.
“Alright! Then in that case, next week we’ll show each other our new secret techniques, Gorms!”
“I told you I wasn’t gunna do it! f.u.c.king listen to people! What ‘in that case’!”
Far from giving up on it, Fii even tried to wrap Gorms up, and was rewarded with a bellow for it.
And so, the next day, Fii appeared before Crow first.
He was a chronic pick-up artist, but Fii knew that he was a really amazing person. Not only that, he was good at looking after others, and for some reason paid a lot of attention to Fii.
He would definitely teach her something cool, she thought.
“Crow-san! Please teach me a secret technique!”
Fii gave a fist pump in front of her chest.
Crow placed a hand to his chin, and seemed to fall into thought.
“Ahh, those. So it’s another boom, huh. The same thing happened three years ago too.”
“Really?”
According to Crow, every few years the apprentice knights would fall into a secret technique boom. Each time, the new seniors would pa.s.s onto their new juniors the skills they inherited, as well as techniques they came up with on their own.
“T-, Then…”
If Crow knew about this, then it meant that Crow knew a secret technique as well.
Expectations suddenly surged within her.
“Yeah, I’ll teach you. My most valuable secret technique.”
Crow flashed a toothy smile, and nodded.
After that, at Crow’s instruction, Fii leant against a wall.
Crow stood in front of her.
(I wonder what it is! A way to escape a pinch with your back against the wall!? A way to corner an enemy against the wall!?)
Fii’s heart pounded in excitement.
“Heath, this is a secret technique I came up with myself. I’ll only teach it to you.”
“Wah! Thank you very much!”
Fii knew now that she made the right choice in asking him.
He was definitely going to teach her something amazing.
“Alright. Here we go.”
“Yes!”
Crow’s expression sudden became serious.
(He really is so different when he’s using the sword.)
Suddenly, Fii became tense.
First, Crow placed his left arm beside her face.
(Is this to stop me from running…? Wasn’t it going to be a sword technique…?)
She would have preferred something with the sword, but other techniques were fine too.
Or so she thought, when Crow brought his beautiful face close to her eyes.
(Eh-…. Eh-….?)
Fii didn’t know what was going on any more. Crow had brought in his face point-blank now.
Just as she thought they were going to touch, his face went past hers, and in a low voice he whispered,
“You’re the only one I love.”
“HYAAAAAAAAH!”
A chill ran down her spine, and she screamed.
When he heard her, Crow covered his mouth with his hand and began to shake.
“Pfft… kkhkh… kh-”
He was laughing. He was stifling his laughter.
Fii finally understood. She was being teased! Crow-san was teasing her!
“PUHAH, AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH!”
In the end he couldn’t contain it, and roared in laughter as he held his sides.
“Crow-san! You lied to me, didn’t you! You promised that you would teach me a secret technique!”
Not only did Fii’s face show anger, it was also as red as a tomato.
“Whoa, whoa, I told you the truth! That’s my secret technique for getting girls to fall for me. You’re really the only one I’ll teach, you know.”
“I don’t want something like that! I don’t need it!”
Seeing Crow laugh at her, Fii clenched a fist, and starting beating on him, fairly seriously.
But alas, Crow’s well-built body showed no signs of damage at all.
“Haha, it worked, right? You screamed like a little girl just now! OW-, ow! He-, Hey! Don’t go for the vitals! Stop it!”
Realising that her attacks weren’t working, Fii began aiming for his vitals instead. She was targeting the gaps between the muscles, like Conrad had taught her.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry, okay!”
With where she was targeting, even Crow felt the pain, so he apologised.
Her face still bright red, Fii wheezed as she stopped her fists.
“Geez! You’re too much, Crow-san!”
“Nah, well, I’m sorry for teasing you, but like, the sword really is nothing but earnest practice. And I’d be troubled if you picked up some bad habits because of some weird technique, you know? So I think you’d better stop.”
Even though he teased her, his warning still seemed serious.
“Then as long as it isn’t the sword, it’s okay?”
“Hmmmm, well, I guess? Maybe try asking the others.”
So nodded Crow.
Fii decided to look for a secret technique outside of swordsmanship.