225Hiiiiii~ Another chapter is here!
Don't have much to say other than thank you to my newest patrons: Sanddun, Undefinedofs, Yuuyoh, Thorn, iDreamALot, Zamasu, Weldin, Emil Irving, Kuma Hakaiz Luc, Stebeme, and Arnold Dietrich. Y'all rock!
Next update is An Archer's Promise.
That is all,
Author NimtheWriter out!
Beta read by Shigiya, Darklord331, Maglad amd Kyugan.
Beta read by Shigiya, Darklord331, Maglad and Kyugan.
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(Early morning)
Kyoko wasn't having a good day. The young, busty reddish-brown-haired school teacher was busy massaging her temples as she rested on her living room's couch. She stupendously managed to hold back a sigh, especially considering all the troublesome matters she's had to deal with over the last few days, almost all of which can be traced back to his young ward.
"I feel like I'll have white hair before I'm forty. I'm really tempted to call your mother and ask her why she sent over such a troublesome child," she muttered, her cheeks slightly flushed as she was still wearing her bathrobe over her pajamas — not having gotten the time to change before opening her front door due to a certain… uninvited guest. She had hoped her robe would be enough to preserve her modesty, but based on how the policeman did his best to look anywhere but in her direction, and based on the long wolf whistle Cu let out, she had failed spectacularly in that regard.
"Ha! With a face and figure as pretty as yours, white hair would only make ya more attractive to the eye, not less! You barely look like you could be my older sister, let alone my or anybody's guardian!"
The boy had no sense of shame or didn't care for it, because he had been unabashedly ogling her legs non-stop from the moment he came home.
To be fair, it certainly didn't help that she looked ready to cause a traffic accident if she dared take a step out of her home right now. Her babydoll negligé was only sort-of-hidden under her short fluffy robe.
Really, even though Cu had no issue whatsoever with beautiful women doing the world a favor by showing off their assets, after living in the modern world for some fifteen-odd years, even he couldn't help but wonder if the officers that escorted him home would be forced to try and arrest his guardian for public indecency the moment she ventured outside.
Then again, these Japanese folk seem a bit too meek for such a thing, given the way the officers kept trying to look at anything but Kyoko the night he got detained.
Well, he could sort of understand the officer's position. After all, even with her robe on, it was easy to tell that her silky nightgown was more of a fancy underwear than proper pajamas, let alone something that could be shown to the general populace. Not only was it much too short for any claim at decency, but it turned out to be mostly see-through, with just enough opaque bits here and there to cover his guardian's most critical bits while doing an excellent job at hugging her limber-yet-curvaceous figure.
Yup, a traffic accident and indecency charges combo just waiting to happen.
To make things worse, or better in Cu's well-informed opinion, anyone would be hard-pressed to believe the redhead was thirty.
Heck, she barely looked like someone in her early twenties thanks to working as the school's ping pong club's advisor nearly from the moment she was hired. Understandable, given her status as a former ping pong champion herself — something he found out by the trophy displayed in the living room. Such activities had done wonders to preserve her youthful figure.
"You know, I can't help but get the feeling those legs of yours are an accident just waiting to happen." He delivered with an ear-to-ear shit-eating grin, causing his guardian to visibly blush at his matter-of-fact tone.
'She's easy to tease indeed, but I should still stay in my lane for now.' He was starting to like it here in Japan and didn't feel like getting kicked out and having to explain what happened to his ma, so he kept his comments on the safe side.
By his standards, anyway.
Besides, Cu was having a good morning himself.
"Do not patronize me with such bland compliments. It's not something you should say to anyone so casually."
"Bland? I can be more creative if you want me t—"
"—No."
"Tch, you're no fun." Grumbled the boy, making it much harder for Kyoko to understand how to handle this rowdy Irish youth. He was just so…
"I should change into something more appropriate."
"Nah, it's not that big of a deal. You show as much cleavage in your regular suit as you're doing right now anyway, and if that sexy little number you're wearing under that robe right now is your natural 'at home' state, I don't want to impose by forcing you to change your habits, anyway. Also, breakfast is almost ready."
Her hands smacked the coffee table in front of her, the sudden action making her breasts jiggle erratically in her flimsy top even as the woman tried her best to keep a straight face at the crass words of her friend's son. "Seth Collins!"
He winced, rubbing his ears. "I'm just messing with you! No need to shout my name like that. Seriously, it instantly reminds me of my ma, talk about a mood killer, ya' know?"
Wanting to calm her nerves, she took a sip of her coffee as a plate filled with two sunny-side-up eggs on a bed of beans with a fried fish next to it was placed on the table before her. Next to it was a bowl of miso soup and a strange-looking bread of some kind. "A bit heavy for a breakfast meal, also, what is this?" she asked, pointing at the bread.
"It's called a bannock, a popular flatbread from my hometown. I used to eat it every day before going to train… uh… I mean, before going to school. Taste it, you'll like it!" he urged. Kyoko had to admit, it was an interesting assortment of food. A mix of Japanese cuisine with foreign dishes that somehow still manages to smell amazing. She glanced over at the boy before her, trying to decipher what kind of person he was but having trouble doing so.
For a brief moment, her eyes focused on the clothing around his body, the blue shirt that clung to his figure as if it was a size too small for him, yet easily reached under his belt line, so it had to be the right size despite it showing off almost every detail of his chiseled physique— 'No, what are you thinking!?' She chided herself. This was a boy and she was his guardian, for goodness sake!
"I-I didn't know you could cook," Kyoko remarked with a stutter, trying to change topics, though she couldn't shake the impression he didn't look like someone who could cook in the first place. She chose not to voice that particular thought aloud, but Cu really fit the image of a delinquent more than that of a domestically-savvy young man.
"Try it, it's not at the level of my folks back home but I believe it's good enough."
"Alright," Kyoko said, grabbing her spoon and tentatively taking a small bite of the fish. She was surprised to find that it was cooked perfectly, using very few ingredients other than salt, possibly pepper, and a bit of lemon juice. The eggs and beans underneath were okay, though lacking some salt in her opinion, the miso also needed some work. As for the bannock, it was tasteless, but she figured it was meant to be eaten with other dishes in order to bring out the flavor.
"Like the taste?" Cu asked, "I would occasionally try to cook for my teacher just to impress the woman early on. I didn't do it regularly, but I tried my best every time. I also got more experienced whenever I would eat my catches whenever I went fishing," he explained, having already scarfed down his meal before she could even truly start.
The very basic thing a warrior needed to know in order to survive in any environment included cooking the food they caught.
Finally, unable to hold herself back, Kyoko couldn't help but ask, "Not that I don't appreciate your gesture but…, why come over to my house this early in the morning!? I was worried you got yourself into more trouble when I heard the door ring before the crack of dawn!"
She nearly blew a fuse when she was awakened from her sleep by the sound of a doorbell ringing, thinking the boy had committed another crime, or something far worse. Remembering rushing over half asleep while still in her sleepwear, imagining meeting a group of policemen detaining the boy with handcuffs and a muzzle, with the streets filled with cop cars and officers ready to shoot him down. But to her shock, it was none of those; it was just the young man standing there casually holding a fishing pole made of bamboo and a bucket filled with worms. He grinned at her before saying, "Hey, want to go fishing?"
Safe to say, Kyoko was not amused.
"Ah, don't need to be so dramatic, I only got detained before and didn't do anything wrong," Cu answered. "I felt bad about how I made you worry that first day I came over, and I wanted to make it up to you. I wanted to show you some of my good side, and it doesn't hurt to spend some quality time with someone like you."
"..."
The woman raised an eyebrow at his words but decided to dismiss it regardless. She started to understand that it wasn't just this boy who was being too obvious with his attempts, but rather, his personality was just this open. Maybe.
She really hoped it was the latter mostly.
"I hope you've been preparing your books and going through the documents about the curriculum I gave you. School is starting tomorrow, and you shouldn't be behind regular students in any way, shape, or form. I can understand if your history knowledge is incomplete for obvious reasons, but your other subjects like Maths, English, and Science shouldn't lag much if you put in the effort," she said, as the boy just rolled his eyes.
"Oh please, Kyoko, you shouldn't be so uptight about such things so early on in the morning," Cu countered. "Why don't we just hang out around the city and relieve some of that stress of yours? I know a good place I spotted yesterday with a friend of mine. I'm positive that you'll like it, and I have some saved-up funds for me to use for such things. Come on, it's my treat."
Her eyes twitched at the young man's nonchalant invitation. Wasn't this basically him asking her out on a date? But then it brought something to mind, when was the last time she had someone ask her out on a date? The redhead couldn't remember. Years went by since she started her job as a teacher and unlike her colleagues, romance never became an important factor at the time.
"Young man," she said firmly, "I would like to remind you of my position as your legal guardian and teacher. You shouldn't act so familiar with me and maintain a respectable discipline level."
The former servant chuckled once again, "I'll keep that in mind."
He had gotten a good grasp on Kyoko's personality; she had a good heart but was far too strict for her own good. He worried that she would find no one in her life if she kept being too uptight. While it is good to be serious about your work, one should always find some time to have fun.
"You just mentioned a friend? You've already made acquaintances before school started? I hope they're not those kinds of people," she emphasized, sending him a suspicious glare. The woman seemed to expect him to be associated with local thugs and criminals for some reason.
Well, she wasn't completely wrong… he had gotten that Honda guy's number. Making sure he wouldn't go back on his promise and start searching for a real job to support his little sister.
"Nah, they're not like that, and I've made multiple friends, believe it or not. They're all students of the same high school I'll be going to, good people all of them." Cu explained, thinking about Momo, Fumiko, Rei, and even Igo whom he met recently.
Kyoko was caught off guard by this revelation; she had to admit, what were the chances for him to get acquainted with people of his age group going to the same school?
"Since you're a teacher, you probably know them. There are two girls, one is a fiery-headed redhead, her name is Momo, and the other is a girl with glasses, super shy but has a hidden fiery personality, Fumiko. Ever heard of them?" he asked.
She paused, those names sounding very familiar to her, but nothing came to mind other than blurry faces. The second one, she believed, was a member of the council, but she couldn't be sure, as she had only met them in passing.
"Not particularly, the names do ring a bell but they are probably not in my class. What about the others?"
"Oh! You'll have a blast at this one," Cu continued enthusiastically. "Remember the girl I gave my shirt to? She's actually the daughter of the police officer who detained me. You should have seen the moment we met; the gal was fiercely swinging her spear without any technique, just pure rage. It was like seeing a young child throwing a tantrum. After seeing such a travesty, I went over, and exchanged… some words, if you will. The next thing I knew, might have gone a bit too serious and caused her to fall into the river. But it was all good in the end since she gave me her number and let me show her some of my moves. By the way, do you use Line? It seems fun and I want to add you."
"..."
Kyoko was speechless before feeling another headache coming around. This boy was truly searching for more trouble, and she was seriously considering calling his mother to demand answers and to give her old friend a piece of her mind about the troublemaker she had raised.
But before Kyoko could start lecturing him about his actions and how they could lead him into a precarious situation, Cu was the first one to leave the table and took his plate to the sink before cleaning it.
"Look at the time," he exclaimed. "I'd love to sit and chat with you, Kyoko, but I have a date with a young lass, and it would be rude for me to be late. I'll stop by again in the afternoon, so don't wait up," he said hurriedly, rushing out of the door before the woman could even stop him.
"W-Wait! Grab your things before you leave!"
"I'll pick them up when I come back!"
With the boy already gone, the teacher could only sigh and finish her cup of coffee. "I'll have to find a way to reel him in," she thought to herself. If she stayed idle for too long and let him do as he pleased. But when started on her breakfast, she let out a hum of delight, "Then again… it's not that bad having here regularly… I get to keep my eye on him much easier if he comes over in the morning."
Her quiet musing went on for a couple of minutes as she finished eating her breakfast.
Indeed, not like she was crossing a line by having him over unless he wanted to sleep the night. This was just fulfilling her duty as his guardian and nothing more.
{Break}
-Tokonosu, West Park-
Running along the sidewalk of the streets, Cu sported a large grin on his face, particularly looking forward to today. "This is quite a beautiful city, though it lacks in comparison to Howth's natural scenery — it has its own charm," he mused to himself. "Rei should be there already."
Thinking about their past interactions, parts of him wondered if it would be okay to train the girl for a couple of years using his best abilities and push her to reach a high enough level where he could genuinely let himself go for a tiny bit in a duel. Unfortunately, that would be a bit too manipulative and cruel for his taste, and he'd rather not tread a somewhat similar path as his master.
'Wait… is Scáthach alive in this world?' Immortality also remained a prominent part of her legend in this reality, so it made him curious. But he has yet to find any mages or any sign of magic in this world, so it might be more of a story than actual facts.
"Hey! Cu! Over here!" His ears twitched as he heard a young girl's voice push his previous thoughts to the side. His eyes veered to the right, where he found her near the park entrance, wearing regular clothing consisting of a black skirt and long-sleeved red shirt. Though Rei did garner some attention, as the tight red shirt helped to show off her bountiful breasts, and caused quite a few to get some nose bleeds as they watched them jiggle and bounce when she ran towards him.
"Hey there, young miss, hope I didn't keep you waiting here for too long," Cu greeted as he waved at her, meeting her halfway. His response earned a slight eye roll from Rei, crossing her arms under her chest and making them look bigger from the action.
"Told you to stop calling me that. And don't worry about being late, I just got here a couple of minutes ago, and we still have a lot of time before it starts" Rei replied with her cheerful demeanor emerging back. As she spoke, Cu looked around in confusion, as if trying to find someone.
"So, where is your candidate B boyfriend? I thought this was supposed to be a group gathering or somethin'—Oof!" The man feigned being hurt as the red-faced Rei came in with a quick elbow to his stomach, though it wasn't strong enough to hurt him.
He played along just for fun.
"I told you that Hisashi and I aren't in any sort of relationship? The same goes for Takashi! So stop calling them candidates A and B, it makes it sound like I'm stringing them along." Rei clarified with a mean glare but was ruined by the blush on her face. It just made her cute in Cu's opinion. "Takashi isn't even interested in me!"
"Come on Rei, even you don't believe that horse shit. Both boys are hounding after ya, in their own personal way at least. Like seriously, even you can't be that blind that they're interested in ya."
"Shut up, I don't wanna talk about it."
Her pout was indeed quite adorable to see.
After hanging around her for a few days, Cu had gotten familiar with some of the friends around her, particularly two individuals in particular. The first was Takashi Komuro, whom he met at the convenience store, Cu had heard a lot about him from Rei herself afterward. The second was Hisashi Igou, a guy he also met later on, and safe to say, they got along quite nicely.
"It's a shame Igou won't be here; we had a blast last time," Cu remarked, feeling a twinge of genuine disappointment.
Rei just glared back at him. "By 'a blast,' you mean emptying a dozen packs of beers and acting like buffoons near the river? I had to physically carry you two away somewhere quieter because you two kept making a ruckus! Do you realize how sore I felt this morning!? Worst of all, I think my dad got the wrong idea from that and had to run away from him when I couldn't tell him the real reason!" Her statement caused him to laugh out loud. For such a small girl visually, she sure packed some hidden muscles underneath, having more strength than he expected from his initial guess.
"Ah, I almost forgot. Here." Rummaging through her bag, she took a neatly folded shirt in a small plastic bag and handed it over to Cu. "This is the reason why my dad got suspicious in the first place and mom won't stop teasing me…"
"How so? She asked ya if you're still a virgin?"
"Cu! Shut up! Don't say such things out loud, you idiot! Even as a joke!" Her head swerved left and right to see whether or not someone accidentally heard them, but thankfully, everyone was minding their own business.
Cu let out a chuckle. Just like Kyoko, she was too easy to tease.
"And no, thankfully she didn't ask… that. Also, they don't even know about you yet… So Mom thinks I'm going out with Takashi because I knew him the longest. She doesn't believe me even when I try to deny it and keeps asking for a name as proof."
The Irishman shrugged, "You can tell her my name, or I can just pass by your house and clear up the misunderstanding, I don't mind."
"Absolutely not!" Shouted Rei, more than aware of her father's reaction if he saw Cu, especially with how the two first met. "Let's forget about it for now and I'll worry about it later. As for why Hisashi isn't here, he's probably still suffering from a hangover because of you, that's why he didn't come."
"Hahahaha! Probably, but it was fun! We did some fishing, and he was having a ton of fun, in my eyes. You should have joined instead of complaining in the background," Cu retorted playfully. "Personally, he'd make a good boyfriend for a certain lucky gal."
"I told you he is not my boyfriend!" Rei insisted again, her voice far firmer this time.
"You keep saying that, but I know you're quite aware of the looks he sent towards you. That's a boy head over heels for you and he's actually trying to find a good opportunity to confess to you. Just like the Takashi fellow, he thought you and I were together or something, I still remember how sad he was when he saw us together for the first time." Cu remarked, recalling the past interactions between all three of them.
He was pretty sure this was what his old friends would call a 'Love triangle.'
Rei didn't say anything, going quiet as she looked vacantly at the ground below with a complex expression.
"I know that, and I can see that he's been trying to get closer to me for the past month or so, but I don't know, I still see him as a good friend. And Takashi, well, I don't even think he has the guts to start anything. Remember the last time you saw him? Yeah, he hasn't talked to me since, not even a message or anything. Just ignoring me like usual" Rei explained, her tone tinged with sadness and frustration.
"Well, I'm not a master when it comes to a teenager's love life, or any love life in general as mine was pretty messed up to begin with."
Rei turned her head around, looking at him surprised. "You… you're not a… you have a girlfriend?" There was curiosity also present in her voice.
"Uh, I used to?" Hard to explain that he used to be married and even had a son in his past life in another reality, so better to keep that part a secret for now.
Or forever. Forever sounded good.
"I do have some experience with this sort of stuff."
Honestly, Cu didn't understand why there was so much complexity between these people and their love lives. Why couldn't they just be honest with one another and be done with the entire thing?
"They are just young men who are confused with their way of life. Give them time, and they'll figure things out and finally muster the guts to ask you out on a date or something. Though it will be up to you in the end who you choose," he said jovially while smacking her back, nearly making the girl nearly stumble to the ground in surprise. However, the action did cause her breasts to jostle in their confines once again. "Well, enough about your stupidly complicated affairs and teenage love life, you younglings are just as troublesome as ever," he said chuckling.
"Hey! Don't treat me like I'm a child! You're a teenager as well, I would like to remind you. And don't tell me you didn't also go through something similar in your hometown," Rei retorted with a frown, holding her ground.
"That's where you would be wrong, Rei. I had plenty of friends, and some were more than interested in me. Unfortunately, I wasn't looking for a relationship back then. I didn't really have the time to commit, given I had to help out my parents with their work. Even though they tried to push me away and get a girlfriend or two, not to mention, none of them knew how to fight and with a fiery personality like you, so it was boring." he replied confidently.
"Didn't you say you had a girlfriend?" Rei started to believe this man was either lying or messing with her, both options she didn't like. "Also, what's that supposed to mean?" She protested, trying to straighten out her hair, and avoiding eye contact with the blue-haired teen.
Cu chuckled as he rubbed her head once more. "Oh, you don't need to worry your pretty little head about me having an interest in you. Get better with your spearmanship instead of waving the stick around like a caveman, and then I'll probably reconsider my decision to take you out," he teased, his grin growing larger as he dodged another punch from the blushing girl. It was clear he was having trouble hiding his tone, and seeing her get so worked up made everything that much funnier.
"You're unbearable," Rei muttered, though there was a hint of amusement in her tone.
"I'd like to think that I just have some standards," Cu replied with a smirk, unfazed by her comment.
Reeling from her anger and starting to calm down, the orange-haired girl decided not to dwell much on his taunting words, knowing he was doing them deliberately because he found it funny.
"Alright, enough messing around. Let's just go to the area before we're too late. Oh, shoot! We're already late, we only have minutes to get there! Come on, let's go!" Rei exclaimed, looking at her watch in panic. She swiftly grabbed his arm and pulled them with surprisingly much force. He stumbled on his feet at first before easily keeping up with her.
Originally, they had made plans to go spectate a local tournament that was going to take place in the Tokonosu Stadium with Igou, who was the one to suggest that they go.
He had heard it was about Kendo for the first half and then sojutsu in the afternoon, and that got him interested.
"What, are you serious? Calm down, it's not like being late by a minute or two will make us miss the entire thing," Cu reassured, thinking Rei was overreacting a bit about their lateness.
But it seemed he was wrong as she sent a glare towards him. "Are you an idiot? It's not whether or not we'll miss the show or anything like that. But there won't be any good spots left if we don't beat the crowd. Don't you remember who is participating today?" she retorted, still dragging the Irishman by the hand.
"Who?" Cu asked in confusion. "Don't know if you forgot, but I'm kind of new to this place, so the only famous practitioners I know are those who are already dead."
Taken aback by his answer, Rei recalled that Cu was indeed not from this town, a point she had forgotten due to how fluent he was at speaking Japanese. "Right. Today, the tournament is being sponsored by the Busujima clan, and of course, that's because Saeko will be participating as well. And you know, she's kind of famous in our school and the town in general, so of course, many people will go there," Rei explained.
Cu's eyes widened as he recalled Momo and Fumiko having mentioned this Busujima person. Apparently, a prodigy with the way of the blade and someone who had caught his interest from day one.
"Why didn't you say so!? At this rate, you're slower than a damn turtle. Let me take over," he exclaimed, getting even more excited about this tournament.
"Kya!" Rei yelled in surprise as Cu swiftly closed the distance between them, effortlessly scooping her up into his arms. Speechless and caught off guard, she braced herself by wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself close to him, her chest squishing on his. He surged forward with incredible speed, the sudden movement making her senses go awry.
"P-Put me down!" Her shouts were ignored as he only ran even faster than before. "Wah! Look out! You're running into traffic! Wait for the light to turn red!" Rei exclaimed, startled by Cu's sudden burst of energy.
"Don't worry, I'm confident with my instincts and speed. We won't get hit by any cars. I've dodged worse in the past," Cu reassured, his voice filled with confidence.
"That's not my point! Put me down now!" Rei protested, her voice filled with urgency.
"Too late!" Cu declared, and just like that, he leaped into oncoming traffic. Rei's life flashed before her eyes, Cu's laughter reaching her ears, making the situation even more terrifying.
This guy was mad!
{Break}
(A few minutes later)
The atmosphere crackled with anticipation, the cheers of hundreds, if not thousands, echoing around her. Saeko felt the steady rhythm of her heart, unfazed by the surrounding excitement. Across from her, the opponent shifted nervously, betraying the facade of confidence they attempted to maintain. The purple-haired girl couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. "She's not even close to last year's finalist," she mused, her expectations far from being fulfilled.
Before the match had even begun, Saeko had already gauged her opponent's skill level, finding it lacking compared to those that have stood there before. Despite this, she hoped for a challenge, a chance for satisfaction, however minor. She yearned for a test of endurance, something to make the victory worthwhile.
"We still have a couple of minutes left before the match starts. Do you want me to bring you some water?" one of her teammates, another skilled kendo practitioner, offered. She had secured victories against three opponents but faltered in two matches, leaving her family in the fourth spot.
Despite these losses in a previous match, her teammate showed no signs of anger or sadness. On the contrary, she persistently pestered Saeko with daily questions about improving her skills and training routine. However, she mostly ignored her, not bothering to engage in a lengthy conversation.
"No thank you, this match won't last that long," she replied, her tone devoid of enthusiasm despite having a smile on her face.
She held no expectations for the upcoming matchup. Just like every other opponent, she anticipated it would be over in a matter of minutes at best. Even when purposely holding back to give them a chance, it hardly mattered. The feeling of satisfaction she sought always fell short of her expectations.
"Saeko! Do your best!" her teammate cheered, but the girl remained unfazed.
The crowds were plentiful, with most cheering for her and only a few for her opponent. The contrast was evident; the majority came to see her alone, and only a handful believed anyone else could match her prowess. It was a fair assessment, but it often demoralized plenty of opponents. If it were up to her, there would be no spectators at all.
'At the end of the day, they are more of a hindrance than anything else.'
"Miss Busujima, please get ready," one of the main staff members announced, signaling that it would soon be her turn to compete.
"Understood, thank you for your work," she replied with a smile, expressing gratitude to both the staff member and the girl who was eagerly anticipating the next match. Despite her emotions, she maintained her composure, but inwardly, she anticipated yet another lackluster, boring game lacking any real substance.
All of them would play defensively and try to stall for time, hoping to end with a draw rather than playing aggressively and waiting for her to make a mistake. Not that it would even happen. 'Even if this tournament was merely a small show made by my clan to satisfy our sponsors, I won't do it again if I'm not satisfied with my opponent,' she thought to herself.
She picked up a helmet, carefully put on the equipment, and grabbed her shinai. The bamboo weapon was still pristine despite how long she had used it. Walking onto the stage, she observed the one in front growing increasingly nervous. The sound of people cheering in the background became louder, affecting the other side even more. She held back a sigh and got into her position, bowing to her opponent before doing the same toward the judges once again. She took the time to look at the crowd present, recognizing many students from her high school and a few others from different schools.
There were some students from prominent families present, likely attending at the behest of their parents or just to catch a glimpse of her without much interest in the sport.
'Oh, Rei is here,' a familiar face amongst the sea of strangers that she genuinely respected even though the latter insisted on calling her senpai rather than using her name.
"Please get ready," the referee announced, returning her attention to the opponent on the other side. Suddenly, the entire place fell silent. Her surroundings darkened, leaving only herself and the opponent before her. All distractions faded away as she focused entirely on her next fight.
She counted to three, already visualizing which moves to use and aiming for her opponent's weaknesses.
"Hajime!"
"—!"
As the referee's signal pierced the air, Saeko sprang into action, her feet gliding across the polished floor of the arena. She closed the distance between herself and the girl with calculated precision, her movements fluid and deliberate. Sensing the hesitation in her opponent's stance, she intensified the pressure, forcing her adversary to make the first move in order to defend herself.
"Hah!"
With a sudden burst of resolve, the opponent launched into an overhead strike, the shinai descending with determined force. But Saeko was ready, her senses finely attuned to the subtle shifts in the opposing person's movements. With a calculated risk, she lowered her guard, baiting her adversary into committing fully to the attack.
As the opponent's shinai descended toward her, Saeko shifted her weight effortlessly, pivoting on her heels to evade the blow with lightning speed. The opponent's strike sailed past her, the rush of air brushing against Saeko's shoulder, narrowly avoiding a hit.
Without missing a beat, she seized the fleeting moment of vulnerability, her instincts guiding her as she unleashed a rapid counterattack. With a swift motion, her shinai met its mark, connecting with the opponent's helmet with a resounding clang that reverberated throughout the hall. The sound echoed in tandem with the crowd's cheers, signaling Saeko's dominance as she asserted her presence on the tournament stage.
"Whoa! That was awesome!" They all shouted in unison, a wave of cheers resounding within the hall as Saeko managed to land a hit and gain a point within seconds of the match starting. Saeko initially wanted to toy with her opponent more, but she realized the desired outcome would not happen. It would be better to end this as soon as possible and return home.
"Tch, you got lucky," her opponent spoke, an ignorant comment meant to deceive oneself and attempt to get inside her mind.
"..."
Her arms twitched, yearning to put more strength behind each attack and make the other squeal in pain. Heart beating faster at the image of her opponent squirming on the ground, moaning in pain and begging her to stop. 'Not now, I have to hold back.'
As the second round commenced, Saeko wasted no time in asserting her dominance. Her blade sliced through the air with focused determination, closing in on her opponent with relentless speed. Once again, the opponent stood frozen, unable to evade the swift strike, their shock palpable as the score surged from one point to two points in Saeko's favor.
This scene played out repeatedly, each exchange reinforcing her superiority. She showed no mercy, refusing to grant her opponent even a moment's respite, despite the referees' attempts to allow for a brief interlude. There was no room for mercy; Saeko was driven by a single-minded determination to secure victory, her opponent's feeble attempts at recovery only fueling her resolve.
By the time the day drew to a close, she had once again emerged triumphant, her dominance unchallenged. Standing atop the podium, a golden medal adorning her chest, the purple-haired girl regarded her prize with indifference.
.
.
.
"Another victory," she thought, glancing at the medal before her. The significance had long since faded; she had amassed a collection too vast to count, each one a testament to her unparalleled skill and determination on the kendo battlefield.
Saeko acknowledged inwardly that she likely had a dozen such medals by now, though they didn't hold much significance. The woman who had just come second and the one in third place were smiling and congratulating each other, but she merely put on a fake smile for the cameras.
"As expected from you, that was amazing! I think there are some journalists outside waiting for you. You're basically a local star, aren't you?" one of the participants, whose name she had forgotten, said to her in the changing room.
She couldn't help but notice the subtle blushes adorning the faces of the other girls as they stole glances at her while she changed. Eyes glued to her chest, waist, and bottom, watching as the fabric of her bra snuggled tightly into her skin, forcing her breasts to surge upwards, and giving them the most tantalizing of views of those twin peaks. Having come to terms with the fact that she was quite gifted likewise.
Some were clearly entranced by her beauty, unable to tear their gaze away, while others watched with a hint of envy, perhaps wishing they could possess the same confidence and allure.
"It's really nothing like that. They are just doing their job and reporting about the competition. I'm not a star in any sense of the word," Saeko replied, downplaying her status. "They'll eventually forget about me in a day or two."
"Are you kidding me? Did you see how many people came today just to see you? Even this place didn't have enough space to accommodate everyone, and many were even willing to pay twice the price to get a spot. Girl, come on, I'm honestly jealous of your popularity," this person exclaimed.
Jealous? There was nothing to be jealous about. Saeko truly wanted to rebuke the girl, explaining that if the latter trained harder and performed better, she would have also garnered such attention. But this individual obviously didn't take the sport as seriously as she did, so it was a waste of time and words to convey that.
"I'm sure there were many here excited to see you as well," It was all she said before grabbing her bag and walking out of the changing room. She didn't give the girl any time to reply, waving goodbye to everyone.
[Break]
"Hah, finally done with this mess."
Outside the stadium, Saeko walked out through the back door, the area more guarded and less crowded than the front. She didn't want to waste her time dealing with the crowd and just wished to go back home and try to find another way to hone her skills.
Before her was a black car with her family's insignia showing on the door. Inside was none other than her grandfather, the head of the clan and the first person who taught her how to wield the blade.
"You did well today," he answered without so much as looking at her in the eyes, his face stoic as he stared ahead, his expression betraying his words. "Your skills have gotten sharper. Next time, you should compete on an international level."
She wanted to say so much, but she knew it wouldn't matter as her grandfather wouldn't even listen. "Thank you. I'll make sure to continue my efforts, but in the meantime, I would also like to focus on my studies," she answered.
She wasn't against the idea of participating internationally, as it would give her more opportunities to meet skilled contenders and experience the adrenaline rush she desired. But she also knew that her grandfather's motives were likely driven by a desire for more attention towards the family's business, and she didn't want to be used like that.
"Good. I expect nothing less than the best from you, Saeko," he replied before the window closed and the car drove away, leaving her smiling.
"Rude," she said jokingly, not at all offended by his treatment, having grown used to his personality over time. "I guess Father didn't have time to come over either." She checked her watch. She still had plenty of time, so Saeko decided to take a walk. Her phone was always with her, and it only took a single call to have a car come to pick her up.
As she walked down the road, Saeko wanted some peace and quiet, and saw a small area near the river surrounded by trees that grabbed her attention. It seemed empty, with little to no one there, so she decided to go there for a small breather. Near the river, she sat against a tree with enough shade to cover her and retrieved a small book from a bag, immersing herself in some light reading. She had already pushed the tournament of the day to the back of her mind as a trivial matter.
"... mazin… sword skil…!"
Her ears twitched as she took note of a conversation happening nearby, the voice sounding familiar, and doing a quick check the young heiress was surprised to find Rei.
"What's she doing here?" However, the sojutsu practitioner wasn't alone, accompanying her being a boy she'd never seen before. "He doesn't look Japanese."
Despite keeping to herself in school most of the time, Saeko was still in a loop about the latest events. 'Having been held back a year is bad enough, I heard she even had some troubles with one of the teachers. But she seems to be in a good mood all things considered.'
"Hm, well you're not wrong, it did look quite good, she's probably the best sword user I've seen so far here." said the boy, sitting near the water while holding a pocket knife that he used to sharpen the end of a bamboo stick for some reason. "Didn't even give the other gal room to breathe."
Oh, were they discussing her prior duel? It would be a lie to say she wasn't a tiny bit curious about what Rei thought about that.
"You know, at moments like these, I get an idea why so many are so obsessed with her. I still find it weird, but I have to admit she's better at kendo than I am with sojutsu. Her style is too aggressive for my own liking. You saw how she had complete control, focusing on forcing her opponent to go on the offense and purposefully taunting the other into making a mistake first. She was playing mind games with the other," she remarked, lying on the ground with an unreadable expression on her face.
Saeko couldn't tell from her location whether it was envy or admiration.
As for what she said, Saeko was honestly just as surprised as anyone to hear that observation. Truthfully, she had just gone with the flow and didn't have any particular thoughts on each of her attacks, only doing so to put her opponent down as soon as possible and not prolong the battle any longer than necessary.
"You think so?" said the boy as he did some final touch-ups with now sharpened bamboo, a look of satisfaction passing through his face at the finished product, "I won't lie, but to me it honestly felt like she was bored."
"..."
She wasn't expecting such an answer, and neither did Rei who looked at him with confusion.
"Ah, what do you mean bored?" The girl didn't seem to agree with his assessment and looked at him before she continued. "It's not like you could have seen her face with the mask or read her emotions telepathically," she joked, a statement that had Cu take a few moments to hum aloud before shrugging.
"I don't know how to explain it to you, like a gut feeling. Even though it's true that I couldn't see her face, her entire demeanor overall just gave off that feeling you know? If I was in her place, I'd get bored pretty quickly if all of my opponents were that weak and I would lose the motivation to fight pretty quickly… it's not a pleasant feeling I tell you. So I kinda pity the lass."
This was the first time Saeko ever had someone pity her in such a way, she didn't know whether to be offended or happy.
"Humph, I don't think Saeko will be glad to hear that from anyone else, I know I wouldn't at least." Rei squinted her eyes before pointing an accusatory finger at him. "You're thinking of challenging her and giving her the same treatment as you did with me."
Same treatment? Saeko wondered what she meant by that.
"Whaaaaat? Of course I wasn't!" Cu answered exaggeratedly, his expression saying otherwise.
"Cu! You'll only get in trouble with the boys and girls around school if you do something stupid like that!"
"Hahahaha! That makes it more fun doesn't it? I'll take them all in a fight if I have to! Why should I be afraid of a few hundred brats who are still sucking on their mother's teats? Though I won't hurt the girls, not something I enjoy doing."
"... You used your stick to hit my head and tripped me."
"Hey, I wasn't messing with you and you didn't get hurt. Also, that was a duel where I was teaching ya how to fight, completely different."
Saeko's lips twitched upwards, this guy… Cu was his name? An odd one, most definitely not Japanese, she couldn't tell where he was from as even his accent was perfect. But he certainly sounded like a funny person, saying such things just to impress Rei wasn't a bad strategy.
And he knew how to use the spear? No wonder Rei was hanging around with him, probably a friend she made from the club.
Unbeknownst to her, the Heroic Spirit was being completely honest.
"And besides, I'm not really interested in challenging her or anything like that. I'm more interested in fighting another spear user like you rather than practicing my dusty swordsmanship."
That caught Rei's attention, "Wait, you know how to handle a sword as well!?"
Cu wondered why she had to look that shocked, it was very common for someone to be experienced using more than just a single weapon. 'Oh right, modern time and a different era.'
Saeko's ears perked.
Just who was this person and why hadn't she heard anything about him before? Perhaps he was a new student… but Rei seemed to be quite familiar with him. So he must have been here for quite a while, most likely a student from another school.
"I do, I wouldn't say it's as good as my spearmanship but passable enough to keep me alive in a tight spot. Even learned some hand-to-hand combat, but barely had any chance to seriously train that aspect." From his legend, he used plenty of different weapons other than the spear. He'd even count his chariot as a weapon along with that old shield of his.
"What the hell, you are like a jack of all trades or something?"
"Ha! Hardly, just basic knowledge. I can teach you some sword techniques if you want to, though it won't be like kendo." Archer's ugly mug surfaced in his mind when thinking about a jack-of-all-trades kind of fighter. Bastard even held a shield Noble Phantasm capable of stopping Gae Bolg and called himself an Archer. "Also, the sun is about to set. Promised Kyoko that I wouldn't stress her any more than necessary so let's go and practice."
"Oh shoot! We must hurry then, I promised my dad I'll be back early as well."
Saeko who continued to eavesdrop on those two got curious, looking over she found Rei and saw an odd sight. That of Rei going behind a tree, taking off her clothes before putting on a red tracksuit. Cu on the other hand did some stretches, giving the purple-haired girl a clear view of his rather fit body. She would deny that her eyes had strayed longer than it was appropriate when he bent down.
"He's a fighter alright, guess all that boast wasn't for nothing." She whispered, wondering why she continued to hide here and spy on these two for no reason.
Their demeanor changed, especially the boy's as he grabbed the sharpened bamboo with two hands, his stance close to the ground with the spearhead pointing downwards. "Ready? I'll start slow but that doesn't mean you won't suffer if you make a mistake."
The orangette on the other hand had a similar stance but with a straight posture rather than crouching like the man was, even from where she hid Saeko could see the young girl gulping as Rei's grip tightened.
"—!"
A hauntingly familiar expression momentarily appeared on Cu's face before turning serene, "In three… two… one… clench your teeth!"
And so, with a setting sun in the background, Saeko watched what could only be described as a completely one-sided battle.
Yet she did not feel bad for Rei, no matter how many times the latter either fell or got struck.
Rather…
She felt a rare feeling of jealousy.
Wanting to be in her place with a sword in hand.
Crack!
"—!?"
The girl flinched, noticing her hands trembling as her heart accelerated like never before. The anticipation, the increased blood flow reddening her cheeks, and the desire and discovery of a possible individual capable of crossing blades with her starting to take over.
"Hah," as much as she longed to stay here till the end and enjoy the sight, she knew it would be too dangerous. "I'll remember you."
Her eyes rested on Cu for a while longer before she headed back, she… she had to find a way to cross paths with this person again in the future.
.
.
.
"Oof!" On the field, Rei's lungs felt like they were on fire, her entire body covered in sweat as the tracksuit now completely clung to her figure. The zipper having gotten loose enough to show a large part of her cleavage, yet the sight didn't even distract her opponent moved like a shadow. "Aaah!"
The opposing weapon forced the head of her spear to the ground before a powerful stomp completely forced it out of her hand.
"Hah… Hah… Hah…"
"Wow, you actually did better than before. Your stance is more stable and you managed to defend yourself quite well there." Cu said, throwing a towel at her face before glancing at the forest nearby for a couple of seconds. "Continue at your rate and you'll even surpass that champion girl from today."
Perhaps their next session could take place somewhere more private, he wasn't expecting to have had a spectator.
Though it seemed she left a while ago.
"Cu… I… c-can't feel my legs any… anymore. B-be more gentle… please…hah…"
"And you wonder why your da' is getting the wrong idea."
He didn't know whether she was doing it intentionally or not, but it was funny nonetheless.
"Shut… hah…up…"
{Break}
(The next day)
Sitting inside a car, Cu watched the passing greenery from the window, driven by the buxom brunette to this prestigious school everyone kept clamoring about.
"Got your books all packed up?" asked Kyoko, forcing him to sigh as she wouldn't stop asking him the same question since early this morning when she picked him up from his apartment.
"I already told you, woman, I have all of my supplies and course books packed up. And it's only the first day. You're a teacher yourself, and you should know that nothing much will happen other than the welcoming ceremony and students being introduced to the teachers. We won't be having an intensive course from the get-go." Then again, he wasn't familiar with the Japanese system, having not particularly gone out of his way to learn the details.
"That may be so, but it's always ideal to be prepared, young man, and you better not have such a mindset, or else I guarantee you that when you come to my class, I'll start lessons as if it were a normal day."
He rolled his eyes, never in his life did he imagine that he would be threatened by education in any sort of way. "Fine, fine. I'll keep that in mind. But seriously, aren't you a bit too nervous? You're acting like this is your first day at work."
"I have an image to uphold. I can't let the students have any amount of leeway under my guidance and make sure they all understand that my lessons are not meant to be taken lightly." Said the woman wearing a tight suit that showed off her curves with a rather revealing skirt showing off most of her legs.
'She won't need to be strict to have everyone's attention, for the male population at least.' The suits in this world were certainly very different from what his former Master had.
Seriously, it looked like the buttons on her vest would give out at any moment and hit some poor sap in the eye.
After that, Kyoko asked smaller similar questions to which he replied along the way. Soon, the entire school came into view, and it made Cu whistle as he was impressed.
"Now that is what you call a luxurious school. Are you sure we are at the school and not at a museum?" he joked, seeing the sea of students working along the streets and entering through the gates. Of course, he recognized none of them, but he kept looking out for familiar faces. "This place is even bigger than Fuyuki School. How did Ma manage to get into contact with someone like Kyoko again? And how did the latter even get me here with my average score?"
He wasn't so blind to realize this place was where the elites went to study. The explanation the young woman gave him did not explain much and felt like an oversimplification of how she got him in. But once again, he appreciated her effort as it must have been hard to accept him.
"All right, we've arrived," Kyoko said before putting the car in her parking spot, taking a deep breath, and looking at the relaxed boy. "Remember, don't attract too much attention if you can. There are many students here from powerful backgrounds, and you got lucky not being in more trouble with that police officer's daughter. But here, we have kids whose parents are politicians and large business owners. If you get in any sort of trouble with them. I won't be able to help you, Seth."
Getting out of the car with his bag swept to his back, he gave her a glance followed by a thumbs up. "I know when to tone down my behavior and to lie low, so you don't have to worry about me. Also, your bra is showing."
With a startled gasp from behind, Cu continued to walk and made his way towards the main entrance where he finally got a good view of the entire establishment. The area was beautiful, regardless of how many places he had been before and how many sights he had seen throughout his life as the Hound of Ulster, he had to admit this wasn't so bad in comparison. The Sakura trees blended perfectly with the background.
"Hah," he took a deep breath before tilting his head around just in time to dodge a hand slap. "Quite the way to greet your friend early in the morning, Igou." A grin appeared on his face as he looked back at the boy who appeared behind him.
A young man standing at an above-average height with a slim build. Gray hair and brown eyes, and just like him, he was wearing the standard Fujimi High School male student uniform.
"Looking good, Igou."
Igou's eyes still showed signs of being sunken due to a lack of sleep or more likely, a night of drinking.
"Damn you, Cu, do you have any idea how long I had to sleep to recover from that hangover? How do you look so unaffected in the first place!?" said the man with disbelief, unable to understand how the person before him looked completely unaffected when he was the one who drank the most!
"Experience. I've done it so much in the past that my body has become used to it. Also, you're a damn lightweight. One can was enough to get you buzzed and it wasn't even that strong."
"Whatever you say… hey, sorry for skipping on you guys yesterday. I'll also apologize to Rei for being absent when I see her."
"Don't worry about it, she's not that angry to begin with. Next time we can hang out somewhere else, there is always something to do in this town I bet."
"Oh right, come with me, I have someone I want to introduce you to. We still have half an hour before the bell rings." Without saying much else, Igou led him within the building, the man familiar with the area, walking up the stairs till they reached the roof. "Since you're still new, I'll introduce you to some of my friends. If you need any help or anything else and I happen to not be available, then talk to him — he's a reliable guy."
At the back of Cu's mind, he had a faint suspicion of who this person might be.
And his suspicion was proven right the next second as a boy leaned against the handrails near the edge, looking below at the students. His attention turned around as he noticed their arrival.
His curiosity changed into shock the moment his eyes landed on Cu. "You…"
"Oh, so it was you after all Takashi! Nice to see you again!"
He hoped the young lad didn't hold a grudge or any misunderstanding from last time.
The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.