Chapter 35
When I open the door to my classroom, I see only Sakura and Sasuke, on the verge of boredom.
"Hello, both of you. Is it just the three of us today?" I ask, not understanding why.
"Hello Senji! We got a message Saturday that we were finally going to be assigned to our special classes. Do you remember?" Sakura replies.
"Ah... Yes, thank you, it's coming back to me. But... are we agreed that he's super late?" I look at the clock, which reads 8:37 in the morning.
"Tss... Our teacher is supposed to be a superior shinobi and he dares to be so late. It's pathetic." Sasuke grumbles aloud.
I let out a sigh and leaned back against a desk, sitting cross-legged, and began to train my magical circuits.
"Um Senji?" I turn my gaze to Sakura, who's standing next to me, slightly embarrassed.
"What's up?"
"Um, I wanted to apologize, for... you know, the first time we talked." She sits down next to me. "I wasn't very polite to you and I feel a little bad. So sorry." She bows her head apologetically.
"I'd completely forgotten, but don't worry it's forgiven. We don't really know each other, so it's not too bad. Anyway, I hope we get along well from now on." I extend my hand towards her, switching off my magic circuits in the process.
"Yes!" She shakes my hand enthusiastically. "I hear a lot of amazing things about you, I hope we'll be good friends!"
With the misunderstanding cleared up, I get back to my impromptu training. I reactivate my magic circuits, raise and open my hand and create a concentration of energy in the center, taking the form of a sword but not projecting it completely, leaving it in its energy form.
"So it's true, mages still use magic circuits... Isn't it painful? Or unpleasant?" Sakura asks, watching me intently.
"Um... I'm not really a mage, but at first it was painful, but as time goes by I don't pay attention anymore and it becomes unpleasant when you start doing too much. It all depends on the training process though."
"I see. Those threads of light going through your arm, it's really pretty..." She rests her head on her knees, calmly watching my training.
As I feel my magic circuits weakening and prepare to project the sword, I hear rapid footsteps in the corridor heading our way. I cut my magic circuits and the projection disappears, surprising Sakura.
"He's finally here." I hear Sasuke sigh and stand up.
I do the same, followed by Sakura. The door opens to see the same guy who accompanied the Hokage to my house. Grey hair, half his face hidden by a cloth, and his left eye hidden by a headband.
"Yo, sorry I'm late kids, I got lost in the establishment. This place is really big."
The three of us are speechless, not knowing how to react.
"Anyway, let's go somewhere nicer than a classroom. Follow me."
The teacher takes us up to the roof of one of the school's many buildings, leans against the railing, and we sit on the bench facing him.
"Okay, let's start with introductions." Said the teacher.
"What kind of stuff do you want to know?" Sakura asked.
"Whatever you want. What you love, what you hate, your dreams for the future, your hobbies, the classic stuff!"
"Um, sir, perhaps you could start with yourself?" I ask.
"That's right... You look shady too..." Sakura murmurs.
"What... me? Well, my name is Kakashi Hatake. What I like and what I hate is none of your business. Dreams for the future... Bah... I don't have many. As for my hobbies, they're diverse and varied, that's all."
"Great! We're well on our way with this... All we've learned is his name..." Sakura comments.
"Come on! Now it's your turn! We'll start on the right."
"My name is Emiya Senji, I like cooking and video games. What I hate... I'd say injustice and evil in general. My dream for the future... to become strong enough to take over my father's quest." At these words, Kakashi seems more interested. "And my favorite pastime is playing video games."
"Okay, next!"
"Sasuke Uchiha. There's a lot I hate but very little I love. My dream for the future... I'd rather keep it to myself. For the time being, I'm more interested in restoring my family's honor and killing a certain man."
(I see... I just thought he'd invented a dark character, but it looks like he's had a rough go of it too).
Kakashi squinted as he listened, as if he knew what he was talking about.
" Good... and to finish the damsel."
"My name is Sakura Haruno. I like gardening and taking care of the animals at the shelter. I don't really know what I hate. My dreams for the future... I don't know yet, I think it's still a bit early. And I spend a lot of time at the shelter with the animals!"
"Okay! That's enough of the introductions. Normally, starting tomorrow, we'll be able to start missions, I'll obviously let you know in advance when we're assigned to one."
"Do you know what these missions will consist of?" I ask, curious.
"To start with, we're going to do a little exercise, just the four of us." He ignores me completely.
"What's that?" Sasuke asked.
"A test of survival."
"A survival test?" I repeat.
"What's the point of this test? Weren't we supposed to complete missions? We're already going to take a lot of tests at school!"
"This is no ordinary test. This is me you have to face." His serious tone suddenly shatters the silence.
"What exactly does it consist of?" I ask, feeling a cold sweat pass over my forehead.
"Hihihi..." He replies with a laugh.
"What makes you laugh like that, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.
"Oh... it's nothing. I was just imagining the looks on your faces when I explain what's at stake in this event."
"What's at stake? What stakes?" I ask, understanding less and less.
"Of all the students taking part in this special class, only a handful will actually be able to take part in the mission and continue their progress. The rest will take conventional classes, with no hope of becoming heroes or shinobi. In other words, this is a hyper-selective test with a failure rate of over 77%!"
Sasuke's gaze became even more serious, and Sakura was not at all reassured. As for me, I'm confused, not really buying it.
(If it's so hard, why are there so many second- and third-year students? Is he trying to scare us, or is this something new?)
"Ah! Ah! Ah! You should see your faces! They're great!"
"Sorry but I don't believe a word of it, with so many students in the same stream as us who are in second and third year, you're just trying to scare us." I regain my composure.
"Good observation, but wouldn't that mean there were a lot of people hoping for their place?"
"It's also possible but..."
"Anyway, enough chit-chat! I'll be the one to judge tomorrow whether or not you've been selected! Take everything you need for a fight. And above all, come on an empty stomach... If you don't, you might throw up your breakfast."
(I can't fail now! I must convince Kakashi-sensei of my strength. There's only one way to do that, and that's to pass his test with everything I've got.)
"You'll find all the information you need on this photocopy. Please be on time." Kakashi approaches us and hands the three of us a document.
"Are we really in danger of vomiting?! How hard is the ordeal?!" Sakura panicked, reading the sheet.
"I'm home!"
I make my way down the corridor, slip past the dining room door to see Haruko and Kodama with their noses buried in their homework.
"Welcome back Senji-chan, so tomorrow's the big day for you too?" Haruko asks, raising her eyes to face me.
"Yes. Wait how's that for me too?"
"Inaho is already training in the dojo, I've never seen her so stressed." Kodama explains. "Besides, she asked us to tell you to join her as soon as possible."
"I see. Okay thanks girls and good luck with your homework."
"Don't overdo it! You have to be at your best tomorrow!" Haruko calls out to me one last time before I exit the dining room.
I head for my room to change into something more comfortable for training and join Inaho in the dojo.
As I enter, I see Inaho striking Chiyo's tentacle tips with precise martial strikes. The tentacles are positioned to make Inaho move constantly.
"Oh Senji-kun! Welcome back! Are you here to train with Inaho?" Chiyo is the first to notice me.
"Indeed, but I can see it's going well." I reply.
"Senji-sama!" She stops and approaches me. "Are you taking the test tomorrow too?"
"Yes. So why did you want me to come? What you're doing with Chiyo-san is pretty effective."
"I know, but I wanted a real situation. That's why I wanted it to be you, let's fight."
"...Okay, then let's do this. 10-point match. To get them, you have to: either immobilize, drop or put in a position of defeat. Chiyo-san, can we count on you to count?"
"No problem, I look forward to seeing you at work." Chiyo steps aside, leaving us all the space in the dojo.
We face each other, ready to fight. The tension is palpable. I can feel how important it is to her. We wait for Chiyo's signal, with a certain apprehension or excitement. I clench my fists. That's it, Chiyo's hand drops, announcing the start of the fight.
I put my left foot forward, ready to defend myself. She tries to grab my right arm in the rush. I push her away slightly, making her pass by me. I turn around immediately, dodging the blow that comes for my jaw, hit her kick to deflect it but get caught by a punch in the ribs, causing me to lose my balance. She grabs me and throws me to the ground.
"2 points for Inaho-chan!" Chiyo announces.
"Senji-sama, you had plenty of opportunity to attack me while you stayed on defense. I asked for a real confrontation, so attack me, please!" Inaho asks, reaching out to help me to my feet.
"You're right, sorry." I reply briefly, settling back into my stand.
Seeing this, Inaho regained her seriousness and turned back to me. This time, she suddenly turns and throws a back-kick straight at my face. I crouch down to dodge. She follows up with a punch, but she doesn't have time to finish her move as I grab her arm with ease, then tighten my grip, preventing her from backing away. She prepares a punch with her other free hand, but I hit her in the stomach, confusing her. Having lost momentum, I let myself be hit, not hurting myself too much, I sweep her off her feet, making her lose her balance. I go behind her and grab her neck, but don't press down to strangle her.
"2 points for Senji-kun!"
I release her and step back, but stop when I see Inaho's ragged breathing.
"Is everything all right Inaho-chan? I didn't press too hard?" I ask, worried.
"No, it's not that, it's just that we were so close, I was literally lying on you... No, it's nothing! Let's start again!" She settles back into position, her cheeks flushed.
During this time of confrontation, Sakura has come to see us, warning us that she's starting to prepare dinner. Then it's Fuji-nee's turn and she's staying to give us some advice. It's been getting dark for a while now, and dinner will soon be ready.
"The score is 9 to 7 in favor of Inaho-chan!" Chiyo announces the score.
We're sweaty and exhausted, but neither of us wants to give up, especially Inaho, who can barely stand on her legs.
This time, I'm the first to attack, throwing my punch straight at her face, which she dodges, her eyes wide with surprise. Knowing she was going to dodge, I move to grab her shoulder, but instead of stepping back or sideways, she moves quickly towards me, puts her arm under my armpit and applies all her weight to me, trying to bring us both down.
I try to free myself, but when I feel the icy air rush into the dojo and Sakura enter, I give in, knowing this is the end. So we both fall, I protect her head from hitting the floor.
"10 to 8, Inaho wins the match!" Chiyo announces with great excitement. "You were both incredible!"
"Is everything all right Senji-sama? You fell hard with my extra weight and on top of that you protected me." she whispers, her mouth very close to my ear.
I can feel her whole body on mine, sweat-soaked clothes sticking together, her heavy breathing and pounding heart.
Normally, this would have embarrassed me to no end, but right now, I'm happy. But it's time to separate, the piercing stares of the spectators becoming more and more intimidating. I pat Inaho on the back, signaling her to stand up.
"I'm fine Inaho-chan, now we should get up." I answer her.
"Indeed! How much longer do you plan to stay like this? Get up!" Fuji-nee scolds us.
Her face turns as red as a tomato all of a sudden, and she leaps to her feet despite her fatigue, then holds out her hand to help me up.
As I stand up, Chiyo approaches me and places a towel over my head, blocking my view. When I take it off, I can see her pouting.
"Senji-sama, you held back... didn't you?" Inaho asks me, avoiding my gaze.
"Um... yes sorry, as you've noticed, I've been taught to turn my martial arts into a weapon, made to kill and since I'm afraid of hurting you, I've forced myself to hold back..."
"Let's just say Kiritsugu did far too good a job teaching Senji." Fuji-nee adds.
"I see... I understand, you don't have to apologize. I'd even say you're incredible, fighting on equal terms while you're holding back, if we really had to fight, I wouldn't stand a chance. Senji-sama, thank you so much, with this I feel much better for tomorrow, I'm sure I'll succeed."
"That's perfect then, because so am I. Let's do our best tomorrow."
"Yes!"
With my confidence sky-high, I feel ready for the test that will decide my future.
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
"Hi, kids! Feeling good?" Kakashi greets us.
"You're late!" Sakura exclaimed.
We find ourselves in the forest surrounding the school, and the sound of fighting can already be heard in the distance, signalling that other groups have already started their tests.
(I hope everything goes well for Inaho. Kiba seemed a bit stressed last night too.)
Kakashi places an alarm clock on a trunk and activates it.
"Okay! It'll ring at 12 o'clock sharp!" Then he pulls something out of his pocket. "I've got two bells here. You must get hold of them before noon. Anyone who hasn't managed to grab a bell from me by then will be deprived of lunch! They'll be tied around these barrels and I'll eat right under their noses, understand?"
(That's why he told us to come on an empty stomach.)
"As you can see, I only have two bells. Therefore, one of you three is bound to skip dinner. And above all, those who don't have bells will fail! So there's at least one of you who'll give up the heroic route and take a conventional one." At these words, the tension rises sharply. "You're allowed to use whatever you have in your arsenal. You're going to have to put up a serious fight to succeed."
"But! We might kill you?!" Sakura exclaims.
"For someone who always arrives late and seems a bit slow, you're showing off a bit too much I think." Sasuke looks down at Kakashi.
"Funny that... it's always the incompetents who bring it back the most... Well, let's leave our friend to his delirium and get ready to start when I give the signal."
Kakashi's remark seems to have hit a little too close to home for Sasuke, who becomes enraged. Suddenly, he opened a pouch on his leg, took out a shuriken and was about to throw it at Kakashi. But he's no longer in front of us, when I see a swift movement pass behind us, grabbing the hand holding the shuriken and placing it behind his neck, immobilizing his head with his other hand.
(He's faster than Kiba...)
"No rush. I haven't given the starting signal yet." Kakashi said calmly.
(Incredibly, I didn't see it move. So that's what a higher level shinobi is capable of...)
"Perfect, I see you understand. Are you taking me seriously now? Hehehe... I think I'm starting to like you. Come on, let's get started! Ready... Go!"
At these words, the 4 of us jumped up, and Kakashi took off in the opposite direction. Getting to know the character, I follow Sasuke, closely followed by Sakura. We stop after a few seconds of retreat.
"Why are you following me?" Sasuke asked, irritated.
"We need a plan to catch the bells." I answer simply.
"That's what I was going to say! We can't face Kakashi-sensei independently!" Sakura adds.
Sasuke looks at us for a few seconds, then turns and starts to walk away.
"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura tries to approach but stops.
"Forget it, you've already forgotten the rules, there's bound to be one who flunks, so there's no question of us fighting together, I'll manage on my own." Then he disappears.
Sakura let out a sigh of exasperation.
"Hmmm, I thought so, he's going to be a pain, but it's also a good opportunity for us." I think out loud.
"Do you think the two of us can handle it?" Sakura asked, not quite reassured.
"No, but I still have a plan, if you're up for us doing this together."
"Of course, I've also thought of several plans of attack against Kakashi-sensei but I'm curious to hear yours first."
"It's pretty straightforward, it's all going to be based on the trust we're going to give each other."
"Huh?"
"I'm going to go head to head with sensei, I'm going to try as hard as I can to make an opening for you so that you can grab the bells, basically I'm getting his attention so that he forgets you as much as possible."
"Wait, it's much too risky! I've got another solution that's much less risky!"
"I know, but... sorry that's my selfish side talking. I prefer a one-on-one fight. Will you back me up?"
I can see hesitation in Sakura's eyes. She seems torn between helping me, fending for herself or joining Sasuke. Then she shakes her head and looks serious again.
"My role is to wait for the right moment? You can count on me."
"Perfect. Then let's do it."
