Two days passed quickly, and now there were only five days left before Monolith 32 collapsed, marking the start of the Third Kanto War. That morning, under clear skies, El and Kayo were back at the training ground.
Like the previous days, El slightly increased the intensity of Kayo's training, pushing him harder to master the Fog Breathing techniques faster.
Kayo's movements were now sharper than a few days ago, although they were still legible to El. However, the difference was felt. This time, Kayo was enough to make El a little pressed and more serious about her every attack.
Their training also felt more lively. Unlike before, where El was just passive, she was now starting to respond with more counterattacks.
Even so, Kayo still did not manage to touch the hem of El's garment. Every time he launched an attack, El broke with precision, causing Kayo to be thrown, rolled over, and even hit a wall of rubble.
Supposedly, such training left Kayo's body full of abrasions. However, Kayo's much faster regeneration ability ensured that each wound healed in a matter of seconds. She got up again and again, with unwavering determination.
Kayo stood up as she wiped the dust off her clothes. Her irritated gaze fell on El who was standing casually in the distance. "Adrian-san, can I hit you just once?" she said in a typical protest tone.
El looked at him coldly, his demeanor remaining calm. He shook his head slowly. "In that case, what's the point of training if I give up more than this?" he replied flatly.
Sighing softly, El changed her tone of voice a little warmer. A faint smile formed on her face. "Stop being spoiled. Don't be such a little girl. Come and attack me."
Kayo bit her lower lip, frustrated by the comment. However, she was no less quick to reply. "I am a little girl!" she exclaimed in a fierce tone, her eyes burning with determination. "The promoter failed! I'll hit you for sure! Just you wait!"
Kayo stood up straight, her breathing regular, then slowly lowered her body into a stance typical of the Mist Breathing Movement.
Her feet are shoulder-width apart for perfect balance, with the front foot slightly bent and the back foot stable as a fulcrum.
Kayo positioned his wooden sword at a sharp angle, pointing forward in line of sight, like a dragon ready to pounce. Her left hand was close to his side, while his right hand grasped the hilt of the sword firmly, but not rigidly.
Her crimson eyes were focused, filled with determination, while a light mist began to envelop the surroundings, slowly covering the terrain.
Long, deep breaths were exhaled from his mouth, creating a stream of mist that looked like a calm flowing stream of water.
Suddenly, Kayo's entire body emitted a calm yet dangerous aura. "Kasumi no Kokyū," Kayo said in a calm tone, her voice steady like the calm morning air.
Kayo took a deep breath, letting a light mist flow gently from her mouth, enveloping her surroundings like a transparent blanket. "Shi no Kata: Iryūgiri."
Kayo's movements became more focused. He took a firm initial stance, her body lowered in a ready-to-attack stance. From a distance, El watched the development intently.
A small smile appeared on his face, a sign of appreciation for Kayo's hard work. 'Hmm, this back training is indeed worth it. Plus, Kayo's reasoning is really fast.' she thought.
However, just as Kayo was about to dart forward, El raised her left palm, a universal signal to stop.
Kayo who was already ready to attack was forced to stop her movement, holding the momentum with full control.
Her gaze turned to El, slightly confused but still waiting for an explanation, showing her respect for her instructor and opponent.
"Alright, training is over," El said in a flat but calm voice. "Now go to school, and don't forget to change your dirty clothes."
With one casual gesture, El turned around, making room for Kayo to change between the ruins of the wall that served as their training ground.
Outside the city, the makeshift field was indeed quite quiet, surrounded only by the debris of the buildings left behind. Kayo's bag of clean clothes had been prepared earlier.
Moments later, Kayo emerged from behind the rubble in a blue and white Sailor outfit. A red handkerchief was wrapped around her neck, while a blue skirt completed her uniform.
Kayo's face flushed slightly, looking unusual in such an outfit, especially since Kayo hardly ever wore skirts.
Kayo walked over and tugged on the strap of the trench coat El was wearing, saying something in a distinctive voice. "I've changed my clothes. I'm going to school," she said in a flat yet reassuring tone.
El turned around, her eyes staring at Kayo's new clothes. Slightly astonished, he tilted his head. "Why are you wearing Sailor?" he asked with a lightly raised eyebrow.
Kayo let out a long sigh, her face looking annoyed. "I lost when playing with Enju-chan. The punishment was to wear this outfit..." she replied, her voice half mumbled, but clear enough to be heard.
El just gave a small nod, ignoring Kayo's annoyance. Meanwhile, Kayo carried her bag on her back and began to walk away, her steps light but firm.
El stood in silence, his eyes watching Kayo's back as it slowly disappeared from sight. However, the brief silence was soon interrupted by the repetitive vibrations coming from the Dimensional Device on his wrist.
"The vibrations are unusual..." thought El, his gaze shifting to the suddenly active holographic screen in front of him.
A message notification appeared, but this was not from a private conversation but from a group that was rarely, if ever, active.
Kring!
[Sister Ichigo: You guys, Misaka said with concern. Is it okay over there, Misaka asked with a tone of making sure the source of her Points was safe]
[Lumine: My right hand was burned to shreds. I'm badly injured. But, I can't die because I have to find my brother, Aether!]
[Kaneki Ken: I immediately escaped by taking a mission in another world. So, I survived. I almost died!]
Meanwhile, El looked at the messages, his eyes narrowed, filled with suspicion. "This... what does it mean?" he muttered, his voice low but enough to portray confusion and alertness.
Quickly, Adrian typed in a reply.
Kring!
[Adrian: I'm fine here. What's going on over there? Why are you guys... panicking? Can you explain what's going on?"]
Answers soon came, and each message only deepened the strange feeling that hung over El's mind.
[Kaneki Ken: Oh, you're a new member, huh? It seems Misaka's skills are getting better at deceiving people]
[Isyana Yashiro: Young man, you must leave this group immediately! Don't ever associate with Misaka again! This is a warning from me, don't ignore it]
[Lumine: Looks like Misaka dragged someone else in again. It's unfortunate for you, but you're also quite lucky. Misaka is the senior among us, she's a 3rd year authority]
[Sister Ichigo: Ehehe, Misaka laughs and explains, Suddenly the Reincarnation Room undergoes a massive invasion and massacre by a mysterious figure, it looks like a small humanoid hologram]
[Sister Ichigo: As a result, many Beyonders died, even level 3 Authority levels were killed like insects, Misaka said describing the horror that occurred]
[Sister Ichigo: It also caused the Reincarnation Room's main system server to be severely damaged to the point of crashing, not just the facility, Misaka said]
[Sister Ichigo: Because of that, maybe the main system will give out strange titles later, Misaka said while recalling past events. This happened about 400 years ago]
El paused for a moment, staring at the hologram screen with a cold expression that had now turned more serious. His breathing was slow, but a furious tone began to appear in her mutterings.
"No wonder... I got the Tittle 'Loli Killer' so this is why!" The atmosphere grew heavier as El sent the last reply.
[Adrian: Thank you for the information. I'll be off because I have something important to do]