I need to be careful. There's no telling what she may pull off next. So far, she's done boxing, taekwondo, and jiu-jitsu.
I don't intend on attacking her, not knowing what she could pull off next. That's why Homura is always attacking me.
Suddenly, she assumed a solid stance. Both feet were planted on the ground and the palms of her hand faced me.
"Karate."
I whispered to myself.
The red-haired girl was concentrated. Though she was making lots of moves, her breathing was controlled. There wasn't a single mistake in any of her open-handed strikes.
I was able to read them and counter them.
Unluckily for me, I wasn't able to fire off a sure-hit attack. Firstly, because I have no opening, and secondly because I have no idea what style she could pull off next.
There was no need for her to change styles all of a sudden but I think the reason Homura did that is because it would get her opponent thinking.
Uncertainty would overwhelm her opponent like what's happened with me.
She aimed for my side but I slapped her hand away and went for a punch to the right side of her waist.
The girl dropped down and went onto her hands. She spun on her hands and swung her legs at me.
This is a new style for me.
I gained distanced slightly.
Homura bounded off of her hands into the air, aiming her legs toward me.
This was it. She made a mistake.
I rushed toward her kick and dodged it; I twisted my body and kicked her from the back.
A clean hit.
A beep and holographic words saying, 'STOP' appeared in front of us.
It then displayed 'SHOYA SASAKI WINS!'
I won that due to a mistake she made. If she had stayed on the ground then it probably would've lasted longer.
"No..."
Homura mumbled.
Isn't she supposed to be teleported to the nurse's office?
Ah, maybe it's based on the conditions of the duel. This one was only one-hit so I guess there's no need to be patched up.
That depends if the system is already broken or just that advanced. I can't believe that someone's Singularity is controlling this all.
"Tch."
Ai-nee spat, walking toward me.
"You made that no fun for the first duel of the school year."
"Well, you want full attendance for your lessons, don't you?"
I smugly said.
"You know, sometimes I wish you went to that teasable boy you were before last year."
"Yeah, sometimes I wish too..."
---
This year is slightly different from the last one.
Firstly, as second-years, we get two new subjects. The two subjects consist of Divine Arts and Armament Enchantment. As for the Streia Course, we also have a few extra AST lessons.
For example, I'm currently in an AST class now.
"Okay, so, with a new student added to our ranks, I'd like to slightly adjust the teams."
As Ai-nee said this, there were a few groans from the class, including Tatsuya and I.
"Relax. Principal Kamish has decided this specifically for the second-years. Mainly because these were teams set by the previous principal. Look for your names and group."
The teacher clicked a button on her white remote and a large holographic screen appeared.
"After you get with your groups, your whole lesson is free.
I searched for a while until I found my name.
"I'm with Kuro, Emika, and..."
I winced when I read the last name.
Tatsuya had been put into another group. In exchange for him, a dreadful girl had been placed into my group.
A scarlet-haired girl walked over to me.
"We meet again, Shoya Sasaki."
"Uh... Yeah, we meet again, Homura-san."
I stared up at Homura, nervously.
Suddenly, Tatsuya punched my gut.
"Guh!"
He then pulled me away from Homura.
"What are you--?!"
"Oi, don't fucking play reluctant."
Tatsuya whispered with an autonomous voice and a blank expression on his face.
"What'd you mean?"
"You're in a group with all girls. ALL girls! You know how lucky you are?!"
I'm not so lucky that my friend is punching me in the gut.
I looked up at the holographic screen once more.
"Aren't you in an all-girl group yourself? Hikari, Matsumoto and Nemurenume."
"Eh?"
Tatsuya's head twisted almost instantaneously as he heard my words. He stared up, in awe, at the screen.
"It's true."
The boy got down onto his knees and began crying. He clasped his hands together with a Buddha's smile.
"Oh, thank you, God. You have truly blessed me."
Tatsuya got up and waved at me.
"Bye, Shoya! Time for a rendezvous!"
And he ran off.
He's the same. Tatsuya never changes. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Well, now I have to deal with her being in my group.
I waited for a little and Kuro and Emika came to us. We then sat in a circle.
"Okay, so, let's start with introductions and we'll introduce what our main element is."
I said.
Everyone nodded, even Homura.
"I'll start. I'm Shoya Sasaki and my main element is the Shadow element."
"Shadow?"
I heard Homura mutter under her breath but I didn't pay it any mind.
"Who's next?"
"I'll go next."
Kuro raised her hand.
Oh... I feel like out of anyone, Kuro has changed the most. Around a year ago, she was much more closed off and didn't like to interact with people who weren't me.
It's not only her looks that have matured, I guess.
"I'm Kuroha Kuroika and I don't have a main element."
Something else about Kuroha is that she's my Familiar now. If anyone were to find out, the whole school would go crazy with rumors and things like that.
"No element?"
Emika repeated.
"So, what's the element of that cat-form you use, Kuro-chan?"
"Oh, that. It's my Singularity. It doesn't have an element. I guess I'd be Null."
"Hm? Null?"
That's the first time I'm hearing that term being used.
"Null refers to someone who isn't loved by the spirits. Meaning that they possess no main element."
Homura explained to me.
"W-well, it's my turn now. I'm Emika Kaneko and my main element is Light."
"Light, cool,"
I said.
However, I then rewinded her words in my mind. My eyes opened wide as I realized what she had said.
"Emika... Could you repeat yourself?"
"Did I not say it loud enough?"
No, you said it loud and clear but I just want to be--.
"My main element is Light."