I do not Own Negima (Ken Akamatsu Does)
Negima – Tales of a Crow
Chapter 2: The Duelists
Two year after joining the Kanto magic association, John and Aya learned how to use their ki, chi and martial arts, but it seemed that John didn't had powers that consisted in using chi magic, it seemed that he had more proficiency for ki energy or western magic and martial arts and Aya for magic, Konoemon always tried to train John personally, seeing that he had potential but was so busy with his association that at certain point he couldn't train him at is fullest, he decided to contact two friends from the magical world.
One morning, while John and Aya were training in the dojo, Konoemon received is two friends, one small man with white beard and hair begins and another tall man with a big dark blue trench coat behind him.
"Welcome and thank you for coming master Hao." Konoemon said.
"My friend Konoemon, what can I help you with?" Hao Said.
"Well, two years ago I found this kid, I think he has a true potential to be a true duelist."
"Is that the kid you found in the forest near Ostia?"
"Indeed it is." Responds Konoemon, the tallest guy goes to the window and sees John train with Aya.
"What do you think Hughes?" Hao asks to the tall guy.
"Interesting, he's not a normal guy, in fact he is not human at all."
"Has expected…"
"So, can you train him?" Konoemon Asks to Hao.
"Of course, in a few weeks he will become a true duelist." Konoemon and the two men go to the outside to meet John and Aya.
"John and Aya, do you have a moment?" Konoemon Calls the two.
"Yes Konoemon-san?" Aya Asks.
"Meet Mr. Hao and Mr. Hughes, two friends of mine."
"So you are John Highnoon, Konoemon-kun talked so much about you" Hao says to John. "I guess you can say you're one of a kind and Konoemon can't teach you anything else regarding martial arts, you need to go to another level of ki energy and of martial arts… what
do think of my proposal?"
"Do you think you can turn me in to a warrior and a man?" John innocently asks.
"Why of course ha ha ha… kids grow so quickly these days." Hao says smiling; Konoemon goes to John's side.
"But there's a one thing, the place were you are going, you have to go without Aya."
"What?! No, she has to go with me!" John says preoccupied.
"Don't worry about me, him still learning here in Kanto and him not going anywhere so you can go without be worried about me."
"Well, we are set to go, should we wait for tomorrow or we can go this afternoon?" Hughes Ask.
"Let's go in the afternoon, lets give the kid some time to prepare." Hao Responds.
The morning passed quickly and after lunch, all were ready to leave.
"Well, let's go." Hao Says.
"Here are we going anyway?" John asks Hao.
"Were going for a mountain next to a city called Ariadne, training ground for duelists, but we must walk some kilometers to a temple north of here" Some meters behind them, Aya and Konoemon say goodbye to john that responds with a swing of his arms. Some minutes later Hughes speaks to Hao.
"Master… what were you talking about with that nymph in lunch time?" Hughes Asks.
"Something important… all that I can say to you is that we must be careful not to let him go berserk."
"What do you mean?"
"He has a great power he needs to control as quick as possible" Hao responds. "But when the come times… I will talk with the spirits about this." As they were speaking they got to the temple; there they entered the portal, the trip was very quick because in a blink of an eye they were in an entry of a mountain.
"That was fast." John said.
"Indeed…now we must go through this stairs, I know the monks on this place, they will let us train here for the time that is necessary."
"Cool, let's go then." After getting to the temple, what took fifteen minutes to get there, Hao knocks on the door, a monk answers the door, greeting them and saying that they were waiting for them.
"Very well then… let's follow that monk; he will take us to your rooms, after that lets go to the gardens to see some points for your training and starting it." Some minutes later, the three were in a big garden were also some monks were meditating, John brought is sword just in case. "Well let's see something's before beginning the training, I know that Konoemon trained you and I liked to see what you know."
"Ok, who's my opponent?" John Asks.
"Hughes."
"What him? Why not you master?"
"Well, you could try but… you couldn't even touch me… for the next years."
"Ok as you wish master." John puts himself in a kendo stance with is sword and waits for Hughes to move. "Why isn't he moving?" John thinks for himself.
"…" Hughes keeps immovable. John approaches him slowly and an attack only for Hughes to stop the attack with is left hand taking the sword of his hands.
"What the…" John quickly backs down and tries to kick Hughes that again catches his foot with his right hand, pushing John back into the ground.
"Not bad for a kid but you still need some work" John stops trying to attack and listens what Hao has to say. "Hughes is on a level you can go, but to do this you must go trough a test, one of many initiations for duelists… the weight tests."
"Weight tests?" John asked.
"Yes… a test of various levels that raises your speed and strength." Hao makes appear five different weights. "Two for the arms, two for the legs and a bigger one for the body, put them if you please" John dresses the weights and immediately feels being pulled in to the ground with great strength.
"What the? How many weight each one?"
"Fifty kilograms each, that multiplied by five gives two hundred and fifty kilograms."
"What!! I am going to be tired after some minutes!" John Said preoccupied.
"Don't worry, in a matter of time you will get the hang of it, while your at it train your body; try jumping, train kicks and punches, run around… if you want try to catch Hughes and don't worry he wont be hard on you." In the next two weeks, john would make al these exercises, at certain time he could move pretty good for this level.
"Look master, I did it, I did it!"
"Not bad… I think its time to go up in the training." In a flash, Hao transforms the weights and John feels the change again.
"How many is the weight now?" John Asks.
"One hundred kilograms each…"
"Very well then, let's continue then." And John continued his training for the next week just to have the same success, one day John goes to Hao.
"Master…"
"What's the matter John?"
"I got the hang of level two but…"
"I see…you want to go to level three… very well… so be it." For the third time, Hao changes the weigh for one hundred and fifty each for John to continue training.
"Master…"
"What is it Hughes?"
"Is it good to put him in level three? He's going too fast."
"I know what you're saying but you know he's not human, you're only could go to level five but this kid maybe going to six easily and after that level…"
"I trust you master…by the way, about that rumor…"
"It's true?"
"Yes… the city has been quite on edge."
"Very well… go see it and inform me the next time you come here." Hughes disappears on a second; John noticed that and came to talk to Hao.
"What did Hughes do? I missed him for a second!"
"I see… after you finished your training of level three, I will teach you this technique but for now… each thing at the time." John goes back to is training. Some days later, the result is the same; John controls the level three of weighs.
"Great job John; usually it takes more of three months to get to level three."
"Thanks master"
"Now, time to teach you something new."
"Is that the new technique that Hughes was using?"
"Cool" The two passed a few days to train the new technique.
One day, Hughes gets back from a recognizance mission, when he gets this feeling that he his being followed, when he looks behind him, he sees that someone his behind him, catching the person by the legs, it was John.
"Hi master Hughes."
"What the… how did you get behind me?"
"Huh… I though you saw me…"
"Don't tell me you learned the Quick step?"
"Yes I did" The two go to master Hao.
"Welcome back… prepare yourselves, we are going to go for a walk in Adriadne" the three go to the city, while they were seeing the stores, at the end of that street something explodes and people come running in fear.
"What's the matter?" John asks to one of the persons.
"A big beast is attacking the stores." In that moment, a big creature with Hog face appears before them trying to attack them with is big wooden stick.
"This guy needs a lesson… master?"
"Go for it" Hao says, allowing him to attack the big creature that notices John trying to attack his legs and almost catching John that disappears in some seconds. Succeeding in hurting the left leg, after that he takes the shot and takes the head of the creature that falls dead in the ground, the people that were watching started applauding John that blushes. "So what do you think?"
"Passed… with no doubts." After that situation, John automatically becomes a duelist, for that was the test, slay a dangerous creature.
Some days later, in the temple, Hao calls John.
"John… you got a visitor" Behind the door was Aya that came to accompany John in the next adventures.
"Aya, it's good to see you!" John says hugging Aya
"John you have future… I will teach you how to control and release your Ki" The next week John and Aya became mercenaries.