Underground of the dojo

Eri led Homura's group in a place prohibited for the normal students, in order words, they're now at Hachi Academy.

The corridors are empty and silent, only the girls' footsteps can be heard.

"Excuse me, Eri, is that it? Can I ask you something."

Mirai shyly asks.

"Of course."

Eri answers without looking back.

"Those people up there, they weren't shinobi, why are you training with them?"

Mirai indeed was surprised to see that, it's not that rare shinobi school hides inside places where normal people attend, but usually, shinobi never do anything with them."

"That's a good question, our school's always been like that. The founders thought it's a good way to train for blending into the population and for strength control."

Eri's answer sounds logical for Mirai, for her friends too.

"By the way, Yoseikan Budo lessons are held the evening after dinner, keikogi are already inside your rooms."

This addition surprised Homura's squad, Yuuma didn't tell them about it.

"Wait! You mean we'll have to practice with them?!"

Homura asks loudly.

"Sure, do not worry, after a harsh training day, those lessons actually are pleasant. Also, according to our senior's observations, it's good for morale."

That response doesn't really convince Homura, who thinks it's just a waste of time for a shinobi like her."

"Of course, as I said, it's part of the training, also, it's mandatory, so just do it and shut up."

This suddenly rude answer sure makes Homura angry…

"What?!"

She yells, red of anger and ready to fight.

But it won't happen, because they aren't alone anymore…

"Come on, Eri, they are new recruits, please be gentle with them."

A very warming female voice asks, voice coming from a person in front of Eri, no one noticed her.

"I… Yes Fumiyo, I apologize…"

Eri says by bowing.

The woman in front of her has pretty long black hair with brown eyes. She is also pretty pale and wearing a gray t-shirt, a white keikogi pant with a black belt and tabi.

Her posture is elegant, and her face is soft, like a kind big sister, which is kinda similar to Yumi in a certain way.

But Homura and her friends aren't paying attention to her appearance, because she has someone else…

"This girl… She's strong, very strong…"

Homura thinks, barely able to move.

"Grils, let me introduce you to Fumiyo, one of the five elite students of that school. She will lead you for the rest for now, I'm leaving."

Eri says by bowing before leaving to the opposite direction, probably to train at the dojo as she promised.

"Yuuma told me this school's elite students were stronger than she is, seems she didn't lie…"

Homura think.

"Nice to meet you, I hope you will enjoy your journey with us."

Fumiyo says with an even softer voice, no one would figure she's an evil shinobi.

"N-Nice to meet you too, here Yomi, Mirai, Haruka, and Hikage…"

Homura greets by showing her friend one by one when she says their names.

"Please follow me."

Fumiyo asks Homura's group while she's entering a room.

Homura's squad, once inside, find a pretty spacious room. It has a great TV, a trendy computer, expensive looking seats… In other words, a place worthy of five-star suite.

"This is your ninja room, I guess you had a place like this during your time at Hebijo, am I wrong?"

Fumiyo asks, still smiling.

"That's right, it even looked like this one…"

Haruka answers, the comfort of that room makes her happy.

"Perfect! I have something else to give you."

Fumiyo gives Yomi five keys with a numbered tag.

"Those are the key of your respective room, you can find that at the first floor. All the room are the same, no need to argue for the distribution. We also made sure your rooms are neighboring, I thought you'd like that."

Fumiyo explains to her new comrades, who can't help smiling in the face of such kindness.

"Thanks…"

Homura shyly tells Fumiyo.

"You're welcome, I let you get settle and take some rest, someone else will meet you tomorrow to explain with more details how the school works."

Following those words, Fumiyo slowly leaves the room, she even smiles at Homura's group one last time before closing the door."

After a brief moment of total silence.

"For now, it doesn't seem bad…"

Mirai says, she sounds kinda reassured.

"For an evil shinobi school, that's kinda a warm welcome."

Yomi highlights with a pretty confused tone of voice.

"Sure it is…"

Hikage adds with her usual calm voice.

"This Fumiyo, she seems as nice as she's strong… and cute."

Haruka seductively says by quickly licking her lips as if she was starving.

"I think we can dismiss the idea of a trap, but remain vigilant."

Homura orders her friends.

"Let's check our rooms, I have a little stuff to put, and I'd like to sleep a little."

Haruka by yawning.

"Little stuff… You have more stuff than the four of us reunited…"

Mirai highlights with an annoyed voice.

"Oh, you have a problem with that?"

Haruka threateningly asks, of course, Mirai is scared.

"N-No! It's fine…"

She answers, panicked.

"Enough, let's get some rest…"

Under those words, Homura and her friends leaves the ninja room.

A few moments later, at the first floor of the building

Homura and her friends just found their room, as Fumiyo said, they are next to each others.

But something completely unexpected, or rather five things, are there too.

"Y-You?!"

Homura yells, she's shocked, her comrades too.

Miyabi and her group are just in front of them, and as shocked as they are.

"Homura, what're you doing there?!"

"We're the one who should ask that!"

A few minutes later

Despite the confusion, the girls explained their respective reasons for being there, even if Miyabi didn't like telling renegades about it.

Of course, Hebijo girls also explained to them why no one was responding at Gessen.

"I can't believe they kicked Yumi's group asses…"

Homura says, now, she's wary of Hachi school again.

"One last piece of advice, if you still want to stay there, be aware we won't accept any kind of implication from you, no matter if it's with us or against us."

Miyabi threateningly tells Homura's squad before returning to her bedroom, her friends all do likewise without telling a single word… Except Murasaki, who looks at Homura with an afraid face before closing her door, then, she tells them that:

"Be careful about the other elite students, they are very, very scary…"

Which confuses them a lot, but also scares them a little.

"L-Let's go to sleep, we need some rest…"

Homura says by holding her head as if she has a headache.

"So, we still stay here?"

Yomi confusly asks.

"For now, yes."

Homura answers before doing like her "friends" from Hebijo and finally entering her room, leaving her friends alone for the night for the first time since they left Hebijo.

Once Homura's inside her room, she decided to give a quick check on it to change her mind.

It's a kinda normal looking bedroom, but it looks conformable and well-equipped, the walls are gray, and the roof is white. There also are a bathroom with toilet, shower and even a tub, all well cleaned up, Homura is obviously happy to see that.

But not enough to make her forgot about her doubts.

"Just who the hell are those people…"

Homura asks herself before letting herself fall into the bed, way softer than her futon put on the rock.

After several tens of minutes during when she asks herself a thousand of question without being able to give a single answer, Homura finally falls asleep.