[Author Note]
Disc: HrPrTeam
Toji was a smart man.
He was able to sell his garbage to the Zenin clan.
__________
3rd P.O.V.
*whoosh*
Toji leaned his head back with a smile as the dagger flew above his face.
Akira's wide eyes narrowed slightly as she stopped her movement after missing Toji.
Toji crossed his arms with a smirk. "You're feisty, just like green hair."
Something of note was that her pupils were small, and she seemed wholly focused on her target.
Akira radiated malice. "I'm gonna kill you."
Toji rested his cheek on his fist. "You're like an entirely different person. Is this something your eyes do, or is it just another weird personality trait?"
Rather than responding, she flipped the knife back around and followed a new line, showcasing his movement to the side before he made it.
As she moved her knife, she thought to herself. 'He's toying with me. He hasn't even moved an inch.'
Unexpectedly for Akira, Toji moved, defying her current path, still nonchalantly resting his fist on his cheek.
*grab*
*clank*
Toji grabbed her wrist, pushed it up, and squeezed, forcing Akira to drop the knife.
The problem with this 'fight' was that she could only see a single line and that it was Toji who she was fighting.
It wouldn't take a Path user long to see multiple paths to kill a target, but it was the first time she actively moved through a path. It was lucky enough for her to activate it at all.
Akira couldn't understand why it didn't end up as Rion told her, although Akira only received a basic explanation since this was the first time Rion was seriously training her.
Rion didn't have enough time to explain it to her before Akira wanted to kill Toji.
Following a line doesn't mean certain death. Someone needs to finish the line to kill.
Rion trained herself in speed because fighting an opponent who can move fast enough to alter a path makes the fight more unpredictable and complex.
Speedsters like Toji and Kindaka are bad opponents for Rion.
Path users are most deadly when they finish the line before an outside force can alter it.
So, it wasn't like Toji had to let her finish her path.
In a life-or-death fight, someone doesn't have to follow your rules.
Well, in this case, it was against a ten-year-old, but the point still stands.
As he held her wrist, Toji blinked as he couldn't help but come to a revelation. 'I beat up a lot of children and teenagers, don't I?'
Akira scowled, but before she made another movement, someone spoke. "Akira, chill out."
Rion slowly walked toward the surreal scene of a child being restrained by a professional assassin.
Akira spoke as she snapped out of her trance, her pupils returning to normal. "But aunti-"
Toji let go of Akira now that her human pacifier was here.
Rion shook her head. "Toji didn't mean anything he said. He only said that to get you angry enough to see a path."
While Rion stood outside the gym, she could hear everything Toji said. Obviously, Toji didn't mean it, but Akira had only known him for a day and a half.
Plus, children were gullible.
Rion would be lying if she said she wasn't irritated that Akira would kill for her, but she was happy that Akira could see a path without being in a life-or-death scenario.
Akira let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in and fell on her butt.
*pat*
Rion smirked and put a hand on her head. "You did good. You're no failure, kiddo."
*drip*
*drip*
Akira started shaking as tears slowly trickled down her face.
*BOOF*
"Oof!"
Rion's eyes popped out, and her breath was taken away as she was caught off guard when Akira tackle hugged her. "I-I thought he was going to hurt you!"
Rion gave her a comforting smile and returned the hug. "I'm not goin' anywhere."
...
Toji scratched his head. "Am I just supposed to sit here since this is really uncomfortable."
...
Rion's eyes narrowed. "Read the room, assho-...I mean, meanie."
She wanted to tone down her 'vocabulary' with Akira around.
Toji shrugged. "She's the one who attacked me."
Rion gave him a deadpan stare. "You are the one who...*sigh* never mind. Thanks for helpin' her out."
Regardless if she thought he was ruining the mood, she was thankful that Toji got off his ass and did something for Akira.
Rion closed her eyes and gave him a wide smile. "Hey, you're becoming less of a bum!"
The entire time, Akira held Rion, still silently sobbing and not letting her go.
Toji rolled his eyes. "Consider yourself special. You're the second person who has been able to do that."
Rion tilted her head to the side. "Second? You had someone else help you with your bumness?"
Toji sighed. "Yeah, but I don't feel like talking too much about it right now."
She raised an eyebrow. "Nah, I'm just shocked you've been a bum for so long that you've needed two people to help you with it."
Toji kept silent as he gave Rion a deadpan stare.
She shrugged with a smirk. "What? I'm right, aren't I?"
Toji stood up and patted his pants. "Whatever. Is this all you needed me for?"
*grab*
Rion picked Akira by the back of her shirt to remove her. "Alright, stop cryin' and sit down by the walls. I wanna show you something."
Akira had a small smile and looked up at Rion, nodding before making her way toward the edge of the gym.
Rion spoke while stretching her arms. "I want a spar, Toji. This time, don't hold anything back. I wanna see the difference between you and me when we go all out."
Toji cracked his neck. "You'll die if I go all out."
He smirked when he felt a malicious gaze from a ten-year-old.
Rion sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Yeah, I figured. Just match me and hold back less and less until I lose."
Before Toji could speak, Akira yelled from across the gym. "KICK HIS BUTT, RION!"
*pft*
Toji let out a small laugh. "Looks like the kid is still pissed."
Instead of responding, Rion picked up the dagger Akira had used before and started stretching her legs.
The atmosphere suddenly shifted around Rion.
Toji smirked. 'She's gotten stronger since I beat her up in the department store. I'd say she's right around hollow-eyes #2, if not a little below, but who knows with that Path thing she's got.'
He could relatively gauge how strong an opponent was, but he couldn't gauge how much stronger the Paths made her since his only reference was a one-sided beatdown against Rion and a child.
Toji responded by pulling out the small dagger he kept in the back of his pants.
Rion's pupils narrowed as her eyes started showing multiple lines. "Here I come."
Toji smiled. "Show me what you got, green hair."
*WOOSH*
The two assassins vanished from their spots.