Hiroto and Saikyõ sensei were in the forest just a couple of feet from the school. Hiroto used his chain, swinging it at Saikyõ, who dodged perfectly. "Jeez this is so frustrating, fighting with a chain is incredibly hard. On top of that, my stomach still hurts from that kick you landed on me." He dropped the chain and clutched his stomach.
"Yeah, my kick is so fabulous that it has that effect, sorry." Saikyõ responded with a nervous smile as he held Hiroto up. "I don't know if I'm cut out for this." Hiroto sighed. "Don't worry, nobody could beat me." Saikyõ said cockily. "No I mean, I don't think I'm cut out to be a martial artist, I mean Class 3-E is supposed to be the worst class full of martial arts assassins, but I just use a rusty chain and I only landed a hit on you by luck. I can't fight and I can't even wield this correctly."
Saikyō sensei looked at Hiroto with a thoughtful expression. "You know, Hiroto, not everyone has to be a skilled martial artist to make a difference. In fact, some of the most formidable individuals I've encountered in my life have been those who rely on their wits and determination rather than raw physical prowess."
He placed a reassuring hand on Hiroto's shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself. The fact that you're even willing to try and fight alongside your classmates is admirable in its own right. Not everyone is born a natural-born fighter, but that doesn't mean they can't still make a valuable contribution."
Hiroto's brow furrowed as he mulled over Saikyō's words. "But how can I be of any use if I can't even properly wield this stupid chain?" He let out a frustrated sigh. "I feel so... Useless."
Saikyō smiled knowingly. "Ah, but that's where you're mistaken, my dear student. There's more to being a valuable asset than just physical strength and combat skills."
He gestured towards the school, where the confrontation between Dyu, Choi, and Gun was happening. "Look at what happened out here. Your classmates were undoubtedly eager to rush in and defend Karasuma or me, but who knows? Definitely me, anyways, despite their relative lack of combat experience. And you know what? I believe they could make a difference, even if they can't match my own abilities."
Hiroto's eyes widened as he began to understand Saikyō's point. "You mean... Even if I can't fight like the others, I could still help in some way?"
Saikyō nodded, his expression turning serious. "Precisely. Sometimes, the greatest contribution one can make is not on the battlefield, but in the shadows – through intelligence gathering, strategic planning, or simply providing moral support to those on the front lines."
He squeezed Hiroto's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't sell yourself short, my friend. You have a keen mind and a good heart. Those qualities can be just as valuable as raw physical prowess."
Hiroto's lips slowly curved into a tentative smile. "I... I never thought of it that way. You really think I could be useful, even if I'm not a fighter?"
Saikyō chuckled. "Of course not!" Saikyõ said as he hit Hiroto in the face with something.
Hiroto winced and felt his cheek. "Ow! What the hell?" he cried.
Saikyō swung his belt around as if it was a nunchuck. "If you wanna wield a ranged weapon, you need to have proper technique, Hiroto. Here, let me show you."
Saikyō expertly maneuvered the belt, the buckle whistling through the air with deadly precision. "The key is to use the weight of the buckle to your advantage. Watch how I control the momentum and redirect the force."
Hiroto watched, transfixed, as Saikyō demonstrated a series of fluid, graceful strikes. "Whoa, that's actually really impressive. I didn't know you could use a belt like that."
Saikyō grinned. "Of course! A true martial artist can turn any ordinary object into a deadly weapon." He tossed the belt to Hiroto. "Now you try."
Hiroto caught the belt hesitantly. "I don't know, Sensei. I'm not sure I have the coordination for this."
"Nonsense!" Saikyō encouraged. "Just focus on the weight of the buckle and let your body flow with the motion. It's all about practice and discipline."
Hiroto took a deep breath and began tentatively swinging the belt, the buckle whistling through the air. After a few clumsy attempts, he started to get the hang of it, the movements becoming more fluid and confident.
"There you go, Hiroto!" Saikyō exclaimed. "You're a natural. Just keep at it, and soon you'll be taking down your opponents left and right."
Hiroto couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. "Wow, I can't believe I'm actually doing this. Thanks, Sensei. I'll kill you now!" He smiled and used the belt to throw a slash at Saikyõ who dodged but it scratched his cheek. "Dammit, I forgot these kids need to kill me!" He said to himself and then watched the way Hiroto moved, it looked familiar, it was exactly how he showed him, no wrong moves, it was an exact copy. "H-he has 'that'? What the hell?!"
Hiroto sent a barrage of slashes that Saikyõ barely dodged. "Hiroto, you can stop now!" He nervously said but then Hiroto threw a kick that looked similar to Dyu's invisible kick but it wasn't fast enough, so he was able to dodge it. "Come on, Sensei. Just let me kill you, you told us to anyway! I've never been able to fight like this, I wasted my whole life studying, and now I can fight, because of you. So it would be amazing for me to be the one to kill you!" Hiriko said with a smile as he jumped and sent a flying kick.
Saikyõ dashed behind him and chopped him on the neck, knocking him out. "Jeez, to think there's someone with 'that' ability in Japan. Now I really have to keep Charles Choi away from these kids." He picked up Hiroto and carried him to the school.
A couple minutes later
Saikyõ was running an errand while the other students were sitting at their desks, eating lunch and socializing while Hiroto was hung upside down by a rope. Some poorly drawn stuff on his face, such as, "loser", "one hit wonder" and "copycat". All written by Saikyõ.
Hiroto's eyes widened in disbelief as he struggled against the rope that suspended him upside-down. "What the- You guys just let him do this?!" he yelled in anger.
Megumi looked up from her book, a casual expression on her face. "Well, this is the new protocol when you lose a fight against Saikyo-sensei," she said matter-of-factly.
Hiroto's brow furrowed in frustration. "But I wasn't even trying to fight him! He was just showing me how to use this belt as a weapon."
Megumi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how did that go, exactly?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Hiroto felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. "I, well... I actually managed to land a couple of hits on him," he admitted sheepishly. "But then he just knocked me out and brought me here."
Megumi and the others couldn't hide the surprise on their faces. "You hit Saikyo-sensei? And he still did this to you?" Megumi gestured towards the ropes and the poorly drawn doodles on Hiroto's face.
Hiroto nodded, his expression a mix of pride and resentment. "Yeah, I guess he didn't want me to, you know, actually kill him or something. He seemed kind of freaked out when I started copying his moves."
Megumi's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Copying his moves, you say?" She leaned in, her interest piqued. "Tell me more about that."
Hiroto shrugged, the motion causing him to sway slightly. "I don't know, it just kind of happened. Once Saikyo-sensei showed me the proper technique, I was able to replicate it almost perfectly. It was like my body just knew what to do, even though I've never really been good at fighting before."
Megumi's expression shifted to one of contemplation. "Interesting..." she murmured, her gaze drifting towards the window.
Hiroto watched her, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Do you... Do you know what that means? Why was I able to do that?"
Megumi remained silent for a moment, her mind clearly working overtime, trying to think of something. Sora then walked up to Hiroto and started drawing on his face. "Johan Seong." She said and began drawing whiskers on his cheek, and a hidden leaf symbol on his forehead.
Murmurs filled the classroom as they listened to Sora and gathered around. Hiroto started groaning trying to get her to stop drawing on his face but Sora put a sock in his mouth. "Legend goes: all the way in Gangbuk, about a man who was able to unite all of Gangbuk and eventually take over the "K-house" gang turning it into the God Dogs. They say he did it all by copying moves, but it can't be him, he's only 18, there's no way Sensei would know about him. But Hiroto is going to be our Johan Seong."
Hiroto's muffled protests were drowned out by Sora's dramatic storytelling. The other students gathered around, their curiosity piqued by this unexpected turn of events.
Kimiharo watched the scene unfold, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Johan Seong, huh? I'm not familiar with that name, but if what you're saying is true, then it might explain Hiroto's ability to mimic Saikyo-sensei's techniques so easily."
He turned to Hiroto, her expression serious. "Hiroto, when you were fighting Saikyo-sensei, did you feel like your body was just moving on its own, without you having to consciously think about the techniques?"
Hiroto nodded, the sock still in his mouth and drool falling out of his mouth. His eyes were wide with a mixture of confusion and anticipation.
Megumi continued, "And did it feel almost... natural, like you'd been practicing those moves your whole life?"
Hiroto nodded again, his gaze pleading for her to unravel the mystery.
Sora leaned in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Exactly! That's the power of the legendary Johan Seong - the ability to perfectly replicate any technique you see, no matter how complex or foreign it is to you."
She turned to the rest of the class, her voice rising with enthusiasm. "It's said that Johan Seong's skills were so formidable, he was able to take down entire gangs just by copying their members' techniques."
The students murmured amongst themselves, their expressions ranging from awe to skepticism.
Megumi raised a hand, silencing the chatter. "Alright, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. We don't know for sure if Hiroto possesses this 'Johan Seong' ability, or if it's even real in the first place."
She turned to Hiroto, her gaze softening slightly. "But I do think you've shown us something remarkable, Hiroto. The fact that you were able to mimic Saikyo-sensei's techniques so precisely is no small feat."
Hiroto's expression brightened, the sock still in his mouth. He nodded eagerly, his eyes shining with hope.
Megumi continued, "I think it's worth exploring this further. If you truly do have a unique ability like that, it could be a valuable asset to our class – and our mission."
She paused, her eyes sweeping over the gathered students. "Of course, we'll need to test it out more, but I believe this could be the start of something extraordinary, Hiroto."
The students erupted into excited chatter, their imaginations running wild with the possibilities. Hiroto, still bound and gagged, couldn't help but feel a surge of optimism. Maybe, just maybe, he had finally found his place in this extraordinary class.
As the commotion continued, the door to the classroom suddenly burst open, and Saikyo-sensei strode in, his expression unreadable.
"Alright, everyone, that's enough excitement for now," he said, his voice stern but not unkind. "I need to have a word with Hiroto."
The students fell silent, their gazes turning to Hiroto with a mixture of anticipation and concern.
Saikyo-sensei approached Hiroto, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So, you've been holding out on me, haven't you, Hiroto?"