Chapter 4
Cardin glared at Natasha for what felt like an eternity. Natasha didn't move a muscle, waiting for him to make the first kove.
After a few seconds, Carsin rushed Natasha. Raising his mace above his head, Cardin brought it down. Natasha dodged the attack by simply side-stepping. Countering his attack with a slash from her weapon, Cardin was sent onto his back from the force. Aiming her gun at Cardin, Natasha fired off multiple shots, each one hitting Cardin with pin-point precision.
Once her weapon was out of anmo, Natasha held it under her arm as she reached for more bullets. Reaching into the pocket on her leg, Natasha pulled out six rounds and began reloading, ignoring Cardin as if he didn't even exist.
Getting to his feet, Cardin rushed Natasha, not wanting to give her time to reload. Just as he reached her, Cardin swung his mace at her head.
Performing a reverse cartwheel, Natasha kicked his weapon out of his grip, while at the same time dropping the remaining ammo in her hand.
Swinging her gun upwards, the cylinder open, the bullets slipped into each chamber with ease.
Pointing her gun at Cardin's head, he froze, staring at Natasha.
As Cardin stood like a deer in headlights, the bayonets on Natasha's revolver suddenly pressed together and extended. Her weapon formed into a katana.
The tip of her sword scraped Cardin's adam's apple.
Without a word, Natasha shot Cardin again. The bullet drained his aura as the recoil made her sword slice his face. Following the attack with a quick slash across his chest, Cardin's aura flickered as he was sent onto his back.
As Natasha reloaded the bullet she just shot, Ms. Goodwitch approached, tapping her scroll.
"Well, that was faster than I imagined." Goodwitch commented before turning to the class. "As you all can see, Mr. Winchester's aura has fallen into the red. In a tournament style duel, this would indicate he is no longer fit for battle and that the official may call the match." Goodwitch tapped her scroll a few more times. "Now, onto the next match."
Minutes later
Two other matches went by, and nothing to note had happened in that time. That didn't stop the Phoenix clan from paying attention, though.
As the previous fighters left the arena, Goodwitch tapped her scroll. On the large screens on either side of the room, Kuni's profile popped up as well as another student's. A red haired girl with bright green eyes.
"Ms. Nikos, Ms. Yuuki." Goodwitch said, getting Kuni's attention. "Would you two care to participate in the next match?"
Kuni glanced over at the spot Nikos was sitting. She instantly recognized the girl as Pyrrha Nikos. World renowned fighter.
Seeing she was her opponent, Kuni couldn't help but give a smirk. Kuni went up against people just as skilled as her all the time, and even more who were stronger. If the stories about Pyrrha are true, she should pose a rather interesting challenge.
"I would be delighted to spar with someone of your reputation, Pyrrha." Kuni stated. "If you don't mind, that is."
Pyrrha took a second to consider it before answering.
"I'd love to." She said.
A minute later
The two of them stood in the center of the stage, each one wielding their weapons. Pyrrha had a shield on her left arm with and held a xiphos, rifle, javelin hybrid in her right hand. Kuni stood with her kunai, as well as her countless spares on her belts.
"Ready?" Goodwitch said.
Pyrrha raised her shield in front of her while aiming her rifle at Kuni. Kuni replied by taking her own stance. Spacing her feet apart, Kuni placed her left hand firmly on the ground while holding her kunai behind her back.
"Begin."
Pyrrha immediately shot round after round at Kuni, who dodged each shot with cat-like reflexes. Sprinting directly at Pyrrha, Kuni continued to dodge her shots. Once close enough, Pyrrha was forced to change her weapon into its xiphos form. Blocking Kuni's first strike with her shield, Pyrrha tried to counter Kuni, but the fox Faunus simply jumped over the attack and landed right behind Pyrrha. Going in for a slash with her kunai, Kuni's attack was once again met with Pyrrha's shield.
As Pyrrha tried to push back, Kuni slid between the spartan girl's legs, slashing one of her shins and placing another of her kunai on the ground between Pyrrha's feet. Getting back up, Kuni was knocked away by a kick from Pyrrha. Following the force of the kick, Kuni performed a one-handed handspring, pushing off the ground and landing on her feet.
The two girl's locked eyes for a few moments. Firing a shot at Kuni, the girl suddenly vanished in a blurr, appearing behind Pyrrha.
Kicking her in the back, Kuni threw her kunai as Pyrrha was knocked away. As the small blade went by Pyrrha, Kuni appeared right above it, holding the grip of the kunai.
Pulling her arm back, Kuni punched Pyrrha into the floor. Pushing off her, Kuni performed multiple reverse somersaults to make some distance.
Slowly, Pyrrha rose to her feet, gripping her weapon and shield.
Taking a second to compose herself, Pyrrha rushed Kuni. Throwing her shield, Kuni jumped over it with a spin, landing on one knee as Pyrrha continued to advance. Just as she was ready to block an attack from Pyrrha, the shield ricocheted off the wall behind Kuni, coming back and slamming into her.
Knocked off balance, Pyrrha slashed at Kuni, knocking her onto her back. Leaping into the air, Pyrrha threw her weapon, in its javelin form, directly at the downed Kuni, firing off a shot to increase its speed. Hit in the chest, Kuni's aura flickered but remained intact.
Retrieving her shield and weapon, Pyrrha went to finish Kuni off but noticed she had vanished once more. Appearing behind Pyrrha, Kuni raised her kunai, slashing passed the spartan. Turning around as she slid across the ground, Kuni threw three of her kunai at Pyrrha. Two landed on the ground, and the third stuck itself into the ceiling.
Appearing at the one closest to her, Kuni kicked her towards one of the other kunai. Appearing at that one, Kuni kicked Pyrrha into the air. Teleporting to the one in the ceiling, Kuni punched Pyrrha back towards the ground.
Vanishing a fourth time, Kuni appeared standing over Pyrrha. Raising her leg into the air, Kuni slammed her heel down onto Pyrrha's chest, draining her aura into the red.
"And that's the match." Goodwitch said while stepping forward.
Everyone in the crowd sat in a shocked silence. Everyone except for the members of the Phoenix clan, that is.
As Goodwitch spoke to the class, Kuni looked at Pyrrha, who was slowly pushing herself into a seated position.
Kneeling down, Kuni reached out to Pyrrha's shield. Watching her closely, Kuni removed a piece of paper that was stuck to the side of her shield, barely noticeable unless you looked the shield over thoroughly.
Reaching for one of her kunai, Pyrrha noticed all of them had a similar piece of paper wrapped around the grip except for one. The one without the paper was the one Kuni grabbed, wrapping the paper around the grip and placing it back on her belt.
"Teleportation?" Pyrrha asked, guessing at Kuni's semblance.
"Kinda." Kuni replied as she extended her hand out to Pyrrha.
Accepting the help up, the two girls left the class to change back into their school uniforms.
Pyrrha was the first to finish changing. Instead of heading back to class, Pyrrha wanted to have a brief moment to speak with Kuni. She was rather fascinated by the girl, that much was certain. Not many people had managed to beat Pyrrha in battle in the past, so meeting someone who could was a rarity.
Turning passed a few of the lockers, Pyrrha saw Kuni just as she put her school skirt back on. However, she still had yet to put oh her school top.
In her bra and skirt, back facing Pyrrha, the spartan girl saw a small tattoo on Kuni's right shoulder blade.
It was a bird with flames covering it.
However, that only caught her attention momentarily as her eyes noticed countless scars lining her back. Some were faded with time, but most seemed to be still fresh.
One of the scars in particular caught Pyrrha's attention. It ran from her left shoulder all the way down to the right side of her back.
"Oh!" Pyrrha let out a surprised gasp at the sight.
Looking over her shoulder, Kuni put her head through her school uniform, pulling the shirt down before turning to face Pyrrha.
"What?"
End of chapter 4