.
Ousame's brothers were dead silent. They looked at Mame who had been gasping for air after he had been thrown to the side like a ragdoll. They didn't expect such a child to act so ruthlessly and to display such strength.
*wheeze wheeze*
"Remember the contracts you've signed. I would rarely show myself in front of you guys but I'm still your employer. It wouldn't do you any good if you judged me by how I look" Kazuya grinned and caused all of them to feel shivers down their spines. It was as if they had made a deal with the devil.
"I-I sincerely apologize young master and I thank you for your mercy!" Mame lowered his head to the floor and expressed his sincerity towards Kazuya.
He had no doubt that he would have died if Ousame hadn't intervened on his behalf. His brother had already warned him not to mess with Kazuya but he ignored it as soon as he saw that he was dealing with nothing but a kid. The respect and fear his brother held for this kid was not without reason.
"Good. Looks like you've understood. I like people who are quick to understand" Kazuya smiled and the oppressive chill everyone felt started to leave. Only then everyone started to relax.
Kazuya was impressed by this. As expected from people who used to work for the underworld. They were quite sensitive when it came to sensing danger. He was glad that the gamble in roping in these people paid off.
"What brings you here at this time young master?" Ousame decided to change the subject after sensing the danger passing. He was always on edge in Kazuya's presence and with good reason.
He didn't tell his brothers about his experience with Kazuya for the same reason Mame reacted the way he did. None of them would believe what he had experienced and see him as a crazy fool. This was why all he did was warn them not to mess with him or there will be dire consequences and he wouldn't be able to protect them.
"I was going to tell you this over the phone but grandpa Jirou already brought me here. You're all going to be meeting the people you will be working with, observing and protecting very soon. The company will have a end of the year gathering and all of you are going to be attending" all of their ears perked up after hearing what Kazuya announced.
Unlike the regular employee's contracts, theirs were different and even a little stricter. Their responsibilities differed especially because of their experiences and specialties. Not only were they security to protect from the outside, they were security from the inside as well.
"A gathering with M-mistress Kazuno and Sawada-san?" Unlike the others, Ousame felt pressured. He already heard that Mei was pretty much set to be his future wife, hence his nervousness.
"Correct. Also, since I'm already here, I want to remind you that although I told you to consider her words as mine, one command shall never be overwritten even by me. That will be that her safety is above even my own. No matter what she says, her safety if it ever comes down to it will be more important than anyone else's. Do you understand what I mean?" Kazuya looked straight into Ousame's eyes and expressed his seriousness.
"Y-yes" he shuddered. Ousame understood that he meant that even if they had to die, Mei must be kept safe or they would be pulled down to hell.
"Good" Kazuya nodded approvingly. "I'm not telling you guys not to enjoy yourselves during the gathering but you must remember your responsibilities and not get yourselves get carried away"
"Understood. I will brief my brothers on their responsibilities"
"I will be staying here for a few days so I'll drop by and test you and your brothers if I have time" he turned towards the rest who shuddered at the thought. They all saw the color drain from Ousame's face when Kazuya said that and they immediately felt scared.
"Y-young master, can I ask a question?" Mame mustered up his courage and decided to speak up.
"What is it?" Kazuya was impressed with this guy's courage.
"How are you so strong? I don't mean to be rude but you're really still just a child, right?" Mame looked at Kazuya with expectant eyes.
"It's because he can use internal energy" Jirou walked in with Tomoyo following behind him.
"(Internal Energy? Is that how mana is called in this world?)" Kazuya pondered.
This was mentioned in Natsu's studies. There were various names and identifications on Earth but for them who had been summoned to Edea, it was mana. It was just with the small amount present on earth, only those who had real talent and trained would be able to feel or even use it.
"I knew it was something like that!" Mame looked ecstatic. It was like what happened earlier never occurred. He looked reverently at Kazuya which made even him a little uncomfortable.
"Such a thing really exists?" Ousame was a bit skeptical but he couldn't deny it after seeing and experiencing it for himself.
"Of course it exists. It's something that can't be explained by science nor something that people can use on a whim so skeptics such as yourself find it hard to believe. It normally needs to be trained and even after having some ability to use it, it would be at an age where people would shrug it off as adrenaline or muscle power.
The kid in front of you is living proof of it. I don't know how he did it but he is able to use it on a whim. You can ask him to give you another demonstration using yourselves to confirm it" Jirou laughed after seeing their startled reactions. He wasn't eavesdropping this time and just arrived but it looks like the boy already did it.
These group of people seemed a bit shady at first but after starting their training, Jirou felt that they really were trying to turn over a new leaf. Kazuya may have sent them here with his recommendation but Mei followed up to make it clear that they were aspiring security personnel that she was asked to take care of.
"Then are you able to use it as well Master?" Mame asked with glittering eyes. He not the least bit skeptical since he had already experienced it himself.
"It would be a too early to explain it to you but I will allow you to listen since all of you were already shown part of it by this kid I assume" Jirou turned to Kazuya who had remained silent. "Since you haven't denied it, you admit to being able to use it right?"
"I didn't know it was called internal energy until now. But if you're referring to this…" Kazuya used mana to enhance both his presence and abilities to make everyone feel a sense of danger towards him. "Then it would be correct" he cut it off after noticing Jirou's startled expression. This crafty old man successfully tricked him.
"You really can use it on a whim… (I've really lucked out this time old Kou)" Jirou smiled and looked at Kazuya with excitement.
Tomoyo who had been at the side remained quiet but tried to absorb everything she could. Kazuya had already given her tips on how to use it but he referred it as 'mana' rather than 'internal energy'. Kazuya promised her that as long as she progressed, they would be able to spar for as long as she could use it.
"Did you just want to confirm it granpa Jirou?"
"No… I already know you've been trying to teach my granddaughter. I was trying to think of a way to teach her in the future but you've already volunteered to take over so I'll leave it to you. Your control over it should be better than mine anyway" he admitted it.
"Don't sell yourself short grandpa Jirou. You're quite skilled in both detecting and concealing it" Kazuya startled the old man even further.
"You can tell?"
"I wouldn't have stayed in this dojo for long if I didn't. I was just waiting for you since I've already expressed my intention to exchange pointers with you when I first arrived here"
"I see… I've completely forgotten about that. No matter, I came here with the intention to grant that request myself. First things first, I want to ask you about what you think about your own swordsmanship"
"My swordsmanship? Does that really matter?" Kazuya didn't expect such a question. He learned everything from the otherworld and it was mostly due to his experiences so explaining it in words would prove quite difficult for him.
"I would like to hear it from you. I will tell you what I think of it from my own perspective before anything else. I believe that thinking about it will help you improve on it more and hearing insights from another swordsman might prove useful to you" Kazuya couldn't help but give a sigh since this old man was being so persistent.
"My style changes depending on the enemy. Battles are always unpredictable so I use my skills to adapt to the situation. If you ask me for a specific style then I can't answer you since I've learned a bunch" Kazuya decided to be honest even though it might raise a few questions. He believed that Jirou had a very good reason for being so persistent.
Jirou tried to hide his surprise but he couldn't. he didn't expect such an answer because his description didn't match what he had observed. He was glad that he pushed for an answer. He threw Kazuya the wooden sword he had been using in their dojo and took one out on his own.
"I wouldn't have expected such an answer from you because to me and the other instructors, your style is ruthless, wild, rough and unrefined. It's a style that fits well with the same types of enemies but will be dangerous against people like myself who have a deep understanding in techniques and trained to refine them" Jirou confidently stated.
Kazuya didn't deny it or rather he couldn't. He might have been a hero in Edea for 8 years but even though he used a sword, his actual training was more on actual battles. He only was able to learn the basics from the academy build by his predecessor before he was thrown into conflict.
This was why Kazuya chose to remain in the dojo. Jirou and the other instructors were good subjects for observation so that he could refine his own swordsmanship. As a hero, he had the overwhelming advantage of having a blessing that made him overpowered and barely any enemy could withstand his hits.
The demons weren't exactly known for their skills except for a certain group who served under the demon king. Like Jirou had stated, these were the enemies he had the most trouble with because unlike the rough styles of most of the demons he's faced, they were more experienced and Kazuya had only won because of his overwhelming advantage and the help of his former companions.
"I'll prove it to you" Jirou raised the wooden sword and took a stance to challenge Kazuya.
He couldn't help but smile. The pressure this old man radiated was no joke. Unlike the overpowering ones he's faced, this was like a sword that could cut. Jirou hadn't been lying when he said that he has trained and refined himself.
Kazuya was still a bit skeptical when Jirou made it seem like he didn't have a chance. He knew that he wouldn't if it were normal circumstances but now he really was tempted to go all out. He might not be at his peak because he had reverted to a child but he had the weight of all his experiences with him.
"Congratulations granpa Jirou. You've convinced me to try out my current capabilities without holding back" Kazuya raised the sword with one arm and used his mana without hesitation.
Everyone who was around them immediately felt the tension between the two and moved to the walls. They knew that these two monsters were about to fight to their heart's content without any regard for them. This was the first time Tomoyo saw her grandfather acting like this so she made up her mind to move to a safe place where she could watch the two people she liked the most and learn from them.
"There would be no use for rules in this battle kid. Let's fight to our heart's content. You don't have any objections, right? Your style is for actual battle after all" Jirou knew he was right after noticing the flicker in the boy's gaze.
Kazuya's heartbeat started getting faster. He didn't consider himself a battle maniac and would avoid it if possible but after years of continuous battles in the frontlines, he looked forward to being able to gauge his current capabilities with someone he didn't think he could beat with certainty.
"I just hope that you don't stop halfway after saying all those things. I know that you have your worries about going all out but I only intend to stop until there is a clear victor" Both of them knew that getting hit with the wooden sword in their hands was inevitable. Jirou may stop if he gets a hit since he saw Kazuya as a boy so he wanted to make it clear that he had no intention of stopping because of a mere graze.
Jirou nodded. He already knew that Kazuya had been itching to fight ever since he revealed his aura. As a swordsman himself, Jirou had a thirst to battle someone capable so this was good news for him. The opponent before him may appear to be a boy but he felt like a wild beast whose mere presence gave him a sense of danger.
"(If he can refine his swordsmanship then…)" he glanced towards his granddaughter who seemed to have her whole concentration on both of them. A grin slowly formed on his face as he thought about the possibilities.
Though the two were ready to battle, both remained silent. the onlookers could feel the tension and no one thought that the fight would last long once it started. They felt like they were on the edge of a cliff as the anticipation kept increasing.
"(This old dude's style is as crafty as he is)" Kazuya understood that Jirou had no intention of making the first move so he had no choice but to be the first one to test out the waters.
Kazuya's step was big yet silent as he disappeared from where he was standing. He appeared at Jirou's side with the intention of hitting his side but his swing was blocked by Jirou's sword.
Jirou himself was startled because he almost didn't have the time to react and the strike made him take a few steps back. He had underestimated the boy's speed and strength as he planned to counterattack after parrying.
Kazuya wasted no time and immediately dashed before Jirou regained his balance. He swiped upwards with the intention of disarming the old man but the old man used his imbalance to take a step sideways to evade and launch a strike of his own.
Jirou was confident that he would get a solid hit especially since Kazuya's strike upwards tore through the air like it was paper. He struck targeting the boy's left shoulder but he was met with the boy's sword instead.
"(Tsk! I forgot he could do this)" Jirou thought as the boy's free hand held the wooden sword that was supposed to still be on the other.
The impact of their strikes forced the two apart. Both of them had the same opinion. They had greatly underestimated each other's abilities. Both of them thought that no matter who was stronger, their battle would not last long but they understood that they were wrong.
Those who watched couldn't help but feel chills. Some of them even forgot to breathe as they only realized it after both of them stopped to ponder on what just happened. It felt like they were watching a movie. They took a look at the girl who had been silently watching at the side and had the same thought as they shifted their gaze at their little boss.
""(If he could teach the girl then would he teach us if we do well?)"" the thought couldn't leave their minds. Who didn't want to be capable of such things?
.