"What are you waiting for?..", asked Seijurou while he stood back to back with Chizuru. "We don't have all day. Take your pick, Chizuru."
"Eh?..", still in a shellshock from the blitzkrieg type series of events, Chizuru only then started to process what Seijurou said.
"Oi. Wake up..", Seijurou nudged Chizuru with his shoulder. "Take your shot. It's okay to miss. I'll cover for you."
"Uhm, right!..", even if she was still a little confused, Chizuru began to take aim with the ball.
Most of their classmates stood still around Seijurou and Chizuru as they stared at the pair in confusion. For those who were able to read the situation quickly however, reacted by running towards the far ends of the field. And they did that for good reason.
Chizuru was the best "Markswoman" among the freshmen. Analyzing projectile trajectories as well as shooting one herself was her specialty. It was all due to her passion and training since childhood.
The ball was released with blistering speed. There was no need for artistry. Chizuru simply blasted a straightforward fast ball towards the slowest to react.
Chizuru watched as the ball bounced back to the floor. "That's one out, but damn.. I was hoping that it'd bounce back."
"That's alright, we'll get it again..", said Seijurou while Chizuru remained confused with his calm demeanor.
The first pair left the field as the game went on.
"Midorima, Ayuzawa, out!..", announced Hayama coldly. But the truth was curiosity filled his thoughts about the happenings in his class period. He continued to observe the students, especially the first pair to score.
The next person to possess the ball was Aoikishi Nagato, a "Paladin" build. Predominantly an armored warrior type, he took aim as if he was about to slice with a two handed claymore. But he had something else under his sleeve. "Download Buki No Jumon (Weapon Spell) twenty three.. Swordless Skewer!"
Being targeted again, Seijurou pulled Chizuru behind him right before the ball hit them. But the "weapon spell" was still coming towards them with blinding speed.
With lightning reflexes, Seijurou immediately made the download hand gesture. "Download Yoroi No Jumon (Armor Spell) three..", then he posed as if he was holding a shield. "Ethereal Shield."
A ghostly shield appeared in front of Seijurou almost the same time Aoikishi's attack hit. The spell was nullified to Seijurou's relief. However, he instantly yelled at Aoikishi in irritation. "Oi, Aoikishi! That's dangerous!"
"Oops.. sorry. Thanks for blocking though!..", replied Aoikishi as he ran off while awkwardly scratching his head.
Even if Aoikishi looked oblivious with his apology, Seijurou thought that he was someone not to be underestimated. "He didn't even need to weave a hand gesture."
Hayama scowled as he continued to look on from the sidelines. He could not help but think about what he had missed during his assessments of his students. His keen eyes rarely miscalculated in battle as a soldier and in skill analysis as a homeroom teacher. But this activity he devised made Erida Seijurou prove him wrong.
"There it is again..", Hayama said as Seijurou made another evasive maneuver. "Did you see that, Kinjou-san?"
"Yes, yes!..", Satsuki answered energetically.
"How could I ever miss that?..", Hayama asked while he opened his "console command" to run a full analysis on Seijurou's stats. His eyes widened in shock for a moment. "As I thought."
Satsuki giggled at her sensei's reaction.
"Foundational skills are mostly centered on attack skills..", remarked Hayama while he carried on supervising the activity. "The first year's first term curriculum is centered mostly, if not, all on that."
Takenori Shizune suddenly squealed as Seijurou took aim at her. However, she was able to catch the ball when she opened her eyes after closing them in fear. The ball went to her in a hilariously slow pace that it was actually like a pass.
"Baka-jurou! Why the hell did you give her the ball?!..", yelled Chizuru as they backpedalled away from Takenori.
"You know I have terrible aim if I throw it harder..", stated Seijurou while he ran with Chizuru. "That's why I insisted that you throw it yourself."
Unable to control herself again, Satsuki laughed out loud at Seijurou. "He really has terrible aim.. doesn't he, sensei?..", she remarked. And then, an endearing smile appeared on her face as if she remembered some fond memories of him. "He can't throw a punch or swing a sword. It's because he's too kind."
"His aptitude in offensive skills is below average. And even his affinity for it is almost none..", Hayama said while he watched the boy take position with his partner. "However, his defensive aptitude.."
Hayama Akira paused as a speeding ball approached Taneda Chizuru from behind.
"Is over the top..", continued Hayama while the ball was about to hit Chizuru.
But a quick reacting Erida Seijurou deflected it to a halt, slowly and gently landing into his partner's hands.
"Nice pass!..", Chizuru praised and winked.
"Thanks. Now, shoot!"
Another pair exited the field as Hayama called them out. It was a quarter of an hour before lunch break, and there were four pairs remaining.
"He has zero marksmanship, but he knows exactly where a shot will land..", Hayama continued while he watched the other three pairs gang up on Seijurou and Chizuru. "Melee attacks are not in his skill set.. however, he either blocks or evades incoming blows almost perfectly like it's instinctive."
All of a sudden, a chunk of ice encapsulating the ball flew towards Seijurou. It was a water based spell with a freeze type enhancement shot by Toho Kazuma, a "Sorcerer" build.
"Download Mizu No Jumon (Water Spell) seven..", Seijurou quickly reacted, followed by him holding his palms in front as if stopping and pushing something. "Water Barrier."
The ice spell slowed down as soon as it penetrated the barrier. It also caused the frost to melt, and Chizuru was able to catch the ball safely.
"Tsk. You are fortunate that I don't have armor now..", sneered Toho as he began to move away. "As Sorcerers, we rely on armor to protect us so we can focus on inflicting more powerful spells. Be thankful since I'm constantly casting ethereal armor, I was only able to weave a weak attack."
"That arrogant fool..", Chizuru growled.
"Calm down, Chizuru..", Seijurou insisted. "It's my technique he's mocking. Just make him eat his words and shoot straight."
"I was planning to do that."
Hayama smirked while he watched the remaining pairs take up position again. Gradually, he was beginning to become impressed with Seijurou's battle ability.
"Lastly..", said Hayama, which caught Satsuki's attention again. "He has minimal magic control as we've seen earlier in class.. but his vast knowledge makes him able to creatively wield simple defensive spells at the right moment."
Satsuki just flashed her teacher an eyeless smile in between her taking down some notes.
"But I guess you already know that, Kinjou-san."
"Yup, yup! And a lot more..", replied Satsuki. She looked towards the sky while she held her chin. It was as if she was trying to recall something. "It all started when he was very little."
"I'm curious. Tell me about it."
"Though I only know things that have happened since I started training under Masako-sensei."
As the activity went on to its conclusion, Satsuki's thoughts began to drift away towards her memories of training with the Swordmaiden. It was around the time when she got a taste of Erida Masako's true ability.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ow..", a twelve year old Satsuki cried in pain as her master hit her with a kendo stick.
"Good! You're learning quite fast..", praised Masako while she helped her student stand. "Your strokes are more solid, and your stance is more stable. Your counters look swifter too. You almost got me there."
"Almost..", replied Satsuki in disappointment. She giggled awkwardly after. "I still have much to learn, sensei. Can we extend this session?"
Masako shook her head. "That's enough for today. I believe we'll only get the same results if we pushed through."
Satsuki responded with a disappointed smile and a nod.
Unable to resist the nonverbal response from the child's face, Masako presented another idea instead. "You can refine your movements without me, you know."
A smile half her head formed on Satsuki's face while Masako called her son who was studying at the other end of the dojo. "Why don't you help her train, Seijurou?"
"Eh?! Isn't it about time for her to go home? It's late already..", answered a frowning Seijurou as if it was a drag. "Besides.. I don't want to hurt her."
For some reason, Satsuki found Seijurou funny, and she giggled.
"What makes you think you can hurt her?..", Masako asked Seijurou. Then, she smiled at him endearingly. "Remember what I taught you, Seijurou."
The screams of her classmates blasted Satsuki back to the not so distant future, which is her current present. It was the kind of panic wherein a predator is chasing its prey. Chizuru was chasing after Toho to get a better shot.
"I already had the sufficient skill for a Swordmaiden build before I was ever taken under Masako-sensei's care..", pointed Satsuki out to Hayama. "My father hired different instructors since he saw my potential as a child."
An unusual midsummer noon breeze blew as Satsuki reflected on her past. A huge grin engulfed Satsuki's face when a thought emerged. "And I love swords too!"
"Then what changed when Erida-senpai trained you?..", Hayama asked.
"When she finally recognized my talents, she taught me one thing that made me much, much stronger..", Satsuki replied. "We don't wield swords to inflict damage senselessly. We use it to protect the ones that matter."
Hayama nodded in approval while his expression slowly began to brighten. He watched Seijurou trail Chizuru as she gave chase. It was as if his student was preparing to jump in front just in case a counter attack came. He was beginning to understand the boy's abilities.
"So, the Swordmaiden's defensive protocols are deeply ingrained in her son's mind and soul..", Hayama pointed out. "And yours too, of course."
"Yup! Something like that but much deeper, I think..", Satsuki responded cheerfully. "But Erida-kun's much better."
With Satsuki's surprising remark, Hayama's head turned towards her so fast it almost spun. "Seriously? I find that hardly believable."
Chizuru suddenly threw the ball sideways eliminating one pair. The ball bounced back to her hands and continued to chase Toho.
"I knew it..", Chizuru smugly said. "If we get close, it's easy to catch the ball once it bounces on the ground."
Satsuki jumped for joy on the sidelines and cheered for her friends. Then, she continued her story. "I learned it the hard way when we were twelve, sensei."
Still a little amazed, Hayama asked somewhat excitedly. "How is an Heiress like you bested by a boy like that?"
"I was doing extra sparring with him..", uttered Satsuki, and she giggled the moment she recalled the memory. "I never got to land a single blow. Gosh.. it was embarrassing, really! I got knocked out when I tripped the moment he dodged."
Satsuki laughed out loud to the point of tears, but Hayama turned pale and trembled. Cold sweat began to appear on his forehead as he watched the boy shadowing his partner. He could not distinguish disbelief and excitement anymore with the thought of having Erida Seijurou as his student.
"Upload Kaze No Jumon (Wind Spell) thirty two..", Toho desperately chanted as soon as Chizuru threw the ball at him.
The nature of the spell shocked everyone. Brought back to his senses, Hayama reacted immediately to dispel it, but they were too far away. "Oh, no.. I'm not going to make it."
Toho held a palm in front to cast the spell. "Tatsumaki!"
The desperate attempt to deflect the ball back without contact was a success, but a massive whirlwind appeared. It was large enough to endanger anyone in the vicinity.
Just when Chizuru was about to be swallowed by the enormous twister, Seijurou jumped in front of her. As soon as he covered her, the magical tornado engulfed them both.
Hayama's futile efforts were in vain. In the end, he was only able to save the two other pairs.
Everyone hurriedly went to where Seijurou and Chizuru had been. However, the thick dust from the spell's impact clouded the entire field. Visibility was almost zero, and the blanket of smoke and dust was suffocating.
"Erida! Taneda! Are you there?..", called Hayama as he ventured inside the dust cloud while covering his nose.
"Erida! Taneda!..", the other students called in intervals.
"Erida!"
"Taneda!"
The bothersome situation did not worry Satsuki however. Like her usual self, she just skipped through the smoke and went to where Seijurou and Chizuru were. And when the dust cleared, she was seen helping the two out of a hole.
With a sigh of relief, Hayama just shook his head and grinned as Seijurou and Chizuru climbed out of the hole. But there was also something else in his mind.
"Was there ever a hole in there?..", Hayama asked himself. "No. That boy did something again."
The whole class burst into laughter as the two saw themselves covered in mud. But it was not because it was simply just hilarious. It was also the feeling of relief after seeing Chizuru and Seijurou safe from a dangerous spell.
"Now look what you've done, baka-jurou!..", sneered Chizuru angrily while she referred to her once white Physical Education shirt. "But thanks. That was a handy 'Earth Type Spell'.."
"It wasn't an elemental spell, Taneda-san..", Hayama interrupted. "Am I right, Erida-san?"
Stunned, Seijurou looked at his sensei in confusion. "How did you know, Hayama-sensei?"
"The shape of the hole you made gave it away..", replied Hayama as he pointed towards the semi-diamond shaped hole. "Earth elemental spells that dig deep are high level ones. Judging by your ability to control magic and MP levels, no one in this class can cast that yet.
"It was a Yoroi No Jumon (Armor Spell), wasn't it? An ethereal armor spell, 'Ethereal Shield'? Except that you casted the spell several feet underground and pulled it upward, thus excavating all the soil with it."
Shocked by his teacher's analogy, all Seijurou could do was nod. His sensei was spot on. It amazed him how Hayama saw all that in a brief period of time. "I guess this is what an experienced soldier is all about..", he thought.
"Wasn't it heavy, Erida-san?..", Hayama asked again pertaining to the mess Seijurou made. "That's a lot of soil."
Seijurou scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly. "The ethereal shield is bound by magic, sensei.. not physical strength.. so I barely felt a thing."
A mix of confusion and awe filled the students' expressions as Hayama nodded in approval with a faint smile. Satsuki giggled to herself as always while Chizuru pouted and looked away.
"Forgive me for interrupting..", an impatient looking Jax stepped forward. "But this fight isn't over yet, sensei."
"A fight, Xi-san?..", Hayama turned his attention to Jax. "I wouldn't call it that, but you're right. We have little time left, and we still have two pairs."
Toho smirked as he assumed that him and his partner got through. Chizuru did touch the ball last before it bounced off the ground.
"Toho-san, Igaraki-san, you're out..", announced Hayama, which wiped Toho's smug expression out. "When I said eliminate your opponents to win, I didn't mean for you to literally eliminate their existence. So, you're disqualified."
Toho and Igaraki looked like they were almost going to plead as they turned to the sidelines. However, they just let the decision be due to the scornful look their classmates gave for almost killing everyone. "Sorry, guys.."
"Since it's a restart.. I'll put the ball at centerfield, and you take your positions..", Hayama continued as the two pairs moved to either side of the center circle. "Oh yeah. New rule, no killing."
Jax smirked. "Why don't we finish this quickly, otaku-san? A mad dash to each other?"
"You're on, ero-saru..", Seijurou responded condescendingly, which almost got Jax to pop a vein.
"Don't get provoked, Seijurou..", Chizuru reminded while she took her position. "You're quick, but he's faster in straight line sprinting."
"Yeah, guys. Chill out..", Jax's partner and thug, Mizunoto, also said. "Besides, we don't know what other trick they've got."
"Don't worry, Chizuru..", Seijurou looked back and smiled at his partner. "We'll win."
As soon as the whistle blew, Seijurou and Jax charged towards each other with the ball in the middle. Just like what Jax said, it was a mad dash towards the win. However, with Jax's longer strides, he was closing in on the target much faster. "Here I come, otaku!"
Suddenly, Seijurou weaved the "Download Hand Gesture". "Download Ho No Jumon (Fire Spell).."
To everyone's surprise, Seijurou separated his hands as soon as they went ablaze. He was literally running with his hands on fire.
"Oi, oi, oi..", muttered Hayama as he began to worry. "I said no killing."
"Don't worry, sensei..", Satsuki smiled reassuringly. "Seijurou wouldn't do such a thing."
The moment Jax caught the ball, he jumped towards the charging Seijurou as if he was going to punch him with it. "Eat this!"
But Seijurou also jumped as if he was going to strike Jax with his flaming palm. "Moeru Tsuku (Blazing Thrust)!"
One would think that a collision was inevitable. However, Jax went through the blaze without hitting anything. Seijurou then clapped his hands together to undo the spell in mid air, revealing themselves falling to the ground.
Seijurou dodged Jax's attack at the very last moment by using the flames as a distraction. Both boys fell on the soft earth below, but the ball touched the grass while still being held. It was over.
"Last touch, Xi-san..", announced Hayama. "You and Mizunoto are out."
Jax looked at his teacher and his partner in disbelief. He was outsmarted by Seijurou.
"The winners.. Erida Seijurou and Taneda Chizuru!"
Chizuru jumped for joy in celebration as the whole class cheered as well. "Alright! We won! What's the prize, sensei?"
"Bragging rights..", Hayama replied with a stoic expression but with a thumbs up.
Sweat rolled on everyone's heads as their teacher made another lame remark. Chizuru, most especially, almost stumbled backwards after.
The class was dismissed a few minutes before the bell to give everyone ample time to clean up and change. But Seijurou was called by Hayama to stay for a while.
"I knew there was something different about your flames..", Hayama said discreetly.
"Yes sensei. For some reason, fire spells go out of control when I set the amplitude..", Seijurou replied.
"It's not that."
Seijurou squinted as if he was trying to deduce his teacher's logic. There was a faint smirk on Hayama's face.
"Let me see your hands..", ordered Hayama, which caused Seijurou to hold out his hands. "Fire spells don't get into contact with the wielder to lessen the risk of burning. Yours were all over your hands.. and it didn't hurt, did it?"
Translation Notes:
Ho No Jumon - fire spell
Buki No Jumon - weapon spell
Yoroi No Jumon - armor spell
Mizu No Jumon - water spell
Kaze No Jumon - wind spell
Tatsumaki - tornado
Moeru Tsuku - blazing thrust
...End of "FSG Arc".