In the middle of a room layered with tatami mats and scrolls, weapons laying about haphazardly around it, a young man is tied up, a section of silver of hair tied together as his blue eyes are narrowed in a mix of disbelief and shock. His mouth gaping open and closing on occasion as he takes in everything that happened.
You're fucking kidding me.
Caleb has experienced many things, this bullshit is not one of those. Wiggling from his position within the Shinobi Room, his wrists and feet lazily tied together, he rolls around a bit, trying to take stock of his situation, and comes up blank.
With ease, he manages to remove the rope as he rolls his wrist around and looks around in confusion. "What the hell?"
It all started off normally, he woke up, got ready and stepped out of his apartment. Only to meet Asuka and the others as they insisted he go to the Shinobi Room with them. So he did.
Admittedly, he did not expect to be tied up as soon as he got there. He should've, but he didn't. Granted, it's not a thought everyone just thinks up unless you're into it, but it's not something any normal person would think.
Though, it's not like Caleb is normal by any stretch of the word, he's paranoid but he likes to think he's reasonable about it. Though why was he tied up? The only thing worth noting that's happening today is Hanzo Academy's fight with the evil Shinobi.
Did they think he was going to be kidnapped or something? School is still in session and that's when they're fighting, kidnapping someone in broad daylight is just stupid.
Looking around, Caleb doesn't see anyone, so if he's smart about it…
He has been lagging behind in preparation to go after the Umbral Awn when the time is right, might as well change that now since he has the time.
While Caleb was inspecting the area, looking for exits, entrances, the normal, the Shinobi girls are at their decided locations for their fights.
Asuka looked around, sucking in her lips as she couldn't help the feeling of overwhelming guilt she felt. "Mou~, should we really have done that? I feel so guilty."
While she wasn't the one to plan it or the one to put it into action, she still felt guilty that they did it anyway, even if it was for a good reason.
Katsuragi was the one to bring it up while Hibari and Asuka could see the logic behind it they still felt guilty about it. Ikaruga at first argued against it but Yagyu backed up Katsuragi, though she made no effort to hide that while Caleb's safety was in mind, it's more or less for Hibari's peace of mind and because she wants to tie him up.
Katsuragi immediately leaped onto that but Yagyu managed to stare her down into silence before they dispersed onto their fights with the exception of Ikaruga, who stayed back to defend the school and Caleb.
Shaking her head, she takes a deep breath and looks forward, her eyes set in stone and so is her resolve, after all, thoughts like this will get her killed.
With that, she jumps out into the clearing where she's meeting Homura. "I'm here, Homura-chan!" She yells out, waiting as she spins around, keeping her senses sharp in case of an attack and her hands ready to summon her wakizashis.
"Finally," a rough voice rang out as Asuka flipped to the side and away from her location as something landed on the ground with force, kicking up dust and dirt as she raises an arm to block it. Seconds later, someone stepped out, the familiar form of Homura's feminine form in contrast to her tomboyish attitude sauntering out, three sword held in between the gaps of her fingers of each hand, "I was getting bored waiting for you. Now," she starts, her steady voice still the same, "let's start."
"What will this accomplish?" Asuka asks, confusion still on her face despite her hand inching back to where her wakizashis would usually be located, "What's the point?"
"The point?" Homura asks derisively, as if the question itself was stupid. "I'm from Hebijo," she says, pointing at herself before pointing at Asuka, "and you're from Hanzo. Isn't that enough?"
"You think that's enough reason for us both to put our lives on the line?" Asuka asks in disbelief, "To bring in someone who isn't involved?"
Homura shrugs dismissively to Asuka's frustration, "Pretty much. Wars happen all over the world for less reason than that."
Asuka can't help but gape at the words coming out of the mouth of Homura, "...I just don't get it."
"You don't need to get it." Homura cuts in as she lowers her stance and prepares to fight, "I'm done talking. Time for the beauty of death!"
Before Asuka could refute, Homura seems to practically blur as she jumps up and over Homura's swords before she unsheathes her own wakizashis and kicks herself down and onto the floor, and slashing her swords in a cross, cutting Homura's clothes only to get kicked back as she rolls back and slides, looking up with a frown and resolved eyes.
"Homura-chan," Asuka starts, "if I win, promise me you'll clear out of here."
Amused, Homura answers, "'If you win', huh? All right, you've got my word. It's not like you have the slightest chance anyway!" She finishes, pushing Asuka away.
"I've been training ever since our last fight. I'm going to win. I will win." She finishes as there's a beat of silence and the two dash at each other.
The two clash again in a song of sparks, steel and beliefs.
Hibari leaps from roof to roof, looking around for the location. "Ummm, is it… here?"
She lands softly, looking around in confusion while tilting her head. "There's...no one here?" A gust of wind passes through the shrine, whistling audibly as the wind chimes ring melodiously with the wind, no vendors in sight, no shrine maidens or priests, both which usually have some sense for the supernatural. Just her, supposedly, "Am I in the right place?"
Her instincts were telling her so and the style she was taught by Caleb, even if she still regrets leaving him tied back in the Shinobi Room, was agreeing with her instincts.
"Ah, there you are," a seductive and mature voice rang out behind Hibari as she whirls to meet the one challenging her, "a little late, aren't we?"
"I-I'm sorry." Hibari apologizes despite everything in her telling her that she was dangerous, and not in the same way the rest of her teammates or Caleb were.
Slowly, she started to circle Hibari, holding a finger to her lips as she pouted, "What took you so long? You couldn't have gotten lost."
"I-I was nervous," Hibari admits while shaking her leg, "My legs were kinda shaky."
The girl in front of her doesn't say anything as she looks her over seriously, "You…" She trails off as Hibari jumps.
"Y-Yes?" She responds as the girl's expression only continued to grow sterner.
Finally, it all disappears in an instant as she smiles a blush on her face, "You're so precious!" She exclaims, excitement lingering in her green eyes and her pink bow seems to bob along with her emotions.
"Huh?" Hibari says as the girl reaches out.
"Your terrified expression...it's such a delightful little thrill." She says, a darker tone bubbling up and lacing her words like poison as Hibari's senses only continue to warn her. "I simply must tease you."
Slowly, she closes in, a mischievous smile in place as her hand slowly ghosts Hibari's face, "But you know, that won't be enough."
That was her first mistake. The Setting Sun discipline emphasizes the use of their adversary's strength or speed against them, whether that strength be mental or physical, and with Hibari in such a state of wariness from the developed Sense Motive that comes with the training of the discipline of the Setting Sun that she's instinctively using.
Haruka didn't believe that such a cute girl could cause much damage nor that she'd be fit to even be a Shinobi. She perceived herself as superior.
Hibari moved on instinct, surprising Haruka as the demure girl was replaced by a fierce opponent as she grabbed Haruka's hand and shifted, performing a Mighty Throw on Haruka and sending her tumbling on the ground as the pinkette straightens up.
"I-I'm not afraid, and even if I am, I will win." She proclaims, to herself and to a surprised Haruka before that becomes amusement.
"Can you really say that in front of my dolls?" She asks as dolls came out of the woodwork, appearing all over as Hibari reeled back like a scared rabbit as Haruka shivered.
"I-I don't know." She admits, "I don't know a lot, and I get confused easily, but I'll fight." She says, her eyes resolved as she looks at Haruka, pointing at her as the words of her mentor, the one who's causing so many conflicting feelings rise in her, and the one who helped her come to mind, "The sun setting is an irrefutable fact but so is the fact that it will rise. If I lose, I lose because you were better, prepared, or smarter, not because I was worse, clumsy, or dumber."
Just a repeating of words she heard, but words that she can't help but agree with.
Slowly, Haruka's eyes widen as her lips twitched upwards, "Ha-haha, such beautiful resolve," she compliments, standing up as one of her robots moves, holding a lab coat over her coat as she smiles, "I can't wait to turn you into a quivering mess of fear."
Hibari can't help but flinch a bit at that as she looks around, "Please be gentle." She says under her breath before she moves first, breaking one of the dolls with a kick before throwing the other in Haruka's general direction only for mist to disperse as her body is gone.
Confused, Hibari looks around, trying to find Haruka as the brunette looks on from atop the roof, "Here, have a little gift~." She says, throwing a glowing vial over the roof.
A doll collided with it, breaking it and tossing the acid within the vial in different directions to Haruka' surprise. "Well this is going to be interesting. I wish I could offer her to become my doll. Oh well…"
"Not yet." She mutters darkly as she continues to fight.
Yagyu was in a good mood, she got to tie up Caleb. Now if only she had the opportunity to knock him out she'd be fine, but now she's struggling with this bubbling worry deep inside her as she looked in Hibari's general direction, her singular eye narrowed in worry as she crosses her arms. "...I hope Hibari is alright."
In front of her, a young girl with her own eyepatch stands proudly, hands on her hips and with a long skirt and long black hair, "It was stupid of you to come here alone." She says, leaning back to look down on Yagyu.
Yagyu glances at her, moving as she tries to cut her down with the blade hidden in her umbrella as she yelps in shock. "Whoa! Easy with the cutting!"
After patting herself down and making sure nothing was off, she harrumphed, returning to her previous stance but with a more dogged look at Yagyu, "Are all Hanzo students low-class cheaters?"
Yagyu just glances at her and folds her umbrella, the wind shifting her bangs as she throws it, bottom first as the short girl yelps, "Ack! Again!?" She ducks under it as Yagyu slashes at her but misses as she leaps back, the wind unfurling her umbrella and returning it to her hand gently, an act that caused the enemy to look a bit impressed. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
"I don't have time to deal with you." Yagyu says curtly and clearly as her opponent's eye twitches in frustration.
"Oh, really?" She starts, glaring at Yagyu, "You're ignoring me? That just makes me want to fight you more." Her hands slowly slide down her long skirt until she reaches the end, glaring down Yagyu.
Yagyu just gets into her stance, "I have to finish this quickly and get to Hibari."
She dashes forward, poised to cut her down until-.
Raising her skirt, the shadow hides what's under it for a second before a second source of lights reveal it.
Flashes of gunfire reveal the rotating barrels of the minigun under her dress, the clatter of casing causing Yagyu to unfurl her umbrella and hide behind it. "That's what you get for ignoring me!"
The umbrella spins around, circling the enemy to the side as a vein was visible from her frustration, "Don't think you can-hyah!"
Behind her, Yagyu slashes her blade cutting into the enemy's uniform and surprising her as the minigun's aim shifts to the ground, kicking up dust and wind as it reveals no one behind the umbrella.
As Yagyu was about to thrust her sword into her spine, the black hair from the girl shifts as Yagyu's eye catches the glint of a string with a ring attached to her hand and something else as the kicked up wind reveals the girl's back.
A plate and a flashbang with the pin released while tied to the string as Yagyu's instincts scream at her as she looks away and spots a spherical object.
A grenade or a flashbang.
In one move, Yagyu hits away the grenade with the flat of the blade but is still disoriented by the ensuing bang of the flashbang but manages to stay standing.
She grasps her umbrella that floated to her in the chaos, sheathing the blade and used it to block the ensuing bullet storm as she tried to regain her hearing.
Finally, it was over as Yagyu stood up, watching as her opponent began to talk, "Hmm, not bad. But here's the main cou-woah!" She exclaims as Yagyu lashes out again as she sighs, "Would you at least let me finish?"
"I'm in a hurry." She insists, reading the girl's lips as she answers.
Slowly, the girl's expression darkens, "So you just keep ignoring me…"
She began to chuckle darkly, slowly before stopping. "Don't mess with me!: She yelled, the ringing in Yagyu's ears disappearing, "No one ignores me and gets away with it. I will shred you!"
"Say what you will." Yagyu coldly cuts through, "I have no interest in you."
"Then I'll make you look at me!" She growls as she reaches for her own umbrella, pointing it at Yagyu, who looked exasperated.
Finally, she relented. "Fine…"
In a puff of smoke, the fight began anew with the sound of gunfire ringing out.
Katsuragi mutters within the shopping district, strangely bereft of people while tapping her foot impatiently, "Okay then, so who'm I fighting?" She mutters under her breath.
She steps forward, already knowing the answer as she steps back, the wind whistling as a knife stabs into the ground in front of her. "Whoa!"
Hikage appears, walking slowly a knife in each hand with her yellow eyes solely focused on Katsuragi to the blonde's excitement. "I figured it'd be you."
"Yup." Hikage agrees blankly, but Katsuragi pays it no mind.
"You look like you're still sharp." She notes, "This oughta be a good fight." She says, her greaves manifesting on her as she prepares herself, excitement coursing through her.
"A good fight?" Hikage repeats, tilting her head while showing no emotion.
"Yeah," Katsuragi nods, "fighting someone tough like you gets my blood pumping." She explains while still shifting excitedly.
"Why's that?" Hikage asks, with no emotion.
"What's with you?" Katsuragi asks, stopping her movements as she slumps in disbelief, "You seem like you're not into this. I've been training ever since we met! And it's not gonna end the same way this time." She says, returning to her stance.
"Okay. See you later." She says, turning around and walking off to Katsuragi's confusion before that turns into frustration.
"Wait, what!?" She yells as Hikage dashes away and Katsuragi grits her teeth, glaring at Hikage's fine rear, "You don't get to call me out here and then run off!"
Chasing after her, Katsuragi taps into the Hearing the Air as she moves, circling as Hikage jumps from rooftop to rooftop, the chase beginning as the two move constantly until Katsuragi finally catches up, kicking Hikage down as the green-haired girl lands, looking at Katsuragi as the blonde was excited.
"So, how was it?" Katsuragi asks, "After you beat me, I trained like crazy. Now come on," she says, extending her hand and curling them in in a 'come on' sign, "let's get to it."
Standing up, Hikage asks, "Why should I?"
"'Why'? Because I wanna make sure I really did get stronger." Katsuragi answers like it's the most obvious thing in the world.
"Then anyone will do for that." Hikage points out bluntly.
"But it wouldn't mean anything." Katsuragi insists, slowly losing her patience.
"Why not?" Hikage asks, "There's plenty of ways to find out if you're strong."
"Look," Katsuragi starts, frustrated, "if I don't fight you, I'm never gonna be satisfied!" She says before adding with a nod, "You're like a challenge, you feel me?"
Hikage looks up, not a thought behind her yellow eyes until she answers, "Nope...not even a little."
Katsuragi growls as she holds a hand to her head, "Ok, whatever, I'll just let my fists do the talking!"
Lashing out, Katsuragi kicks but Hikage swerves around in her usual snake-like movements as she turns to attempt to cut her.
Only to have Katsuragi's forearm meet hers as Katsuragi laughs, "Shishishi, that won't work this time."
Hikage grunts as Katsuragi kicks her away in the stomach, smiling as she chases after her.
Glancing back, Ikaruga frowns as she sighs, "Was all of this really necessary?" She mutters, her sights sent on the old school building where the Shinobi Room, and conversely Caleb, are located. Still, this doubles as a trap in and of itself, after all, the only way to get through is through her and if they're looking for her, that just makes things easier.
Not like her heart is really understanding at the thought of Caleb as she fights off the slight blush threatening to rise from her cheeks.
Still, she has a duty to complete, personal matters can be left for later. That duty is to defend the civilians and to fight any Evil Shinobi that go her way. Shaking off her blush she relaxes as her eyes catch someone, an intruder.
She had long blonde hair with round green eyes, walking with poise and grace but her gaze was sharp as it landed on Ikaruga, the senior Hanzo student returning it with her own blue eyes and then disappearing a second later.
Landing in front of the intruder, Ikaruga rested a hand on the pommel of her sword, "Who are you? State your intentions."
"Oh my," the blonde starts softly, "how aggressive, I was simply wondering how long it'd take for you to meet me, Princess."
"I decided against it." Ikaruga retorts curtly, inspecting the intruder with a critical eye. "So either leave or prepare to be removed."
The intruder also inspected Ikaruga before noting, "Do you even know the feeling of being 'removed' Princess? After all, what do you know of struggle?" She asked, her voice becoming darker as she continued, "I'm sure you grew up with no end of love and affection. All cuddles and kisses and hugs and so on. Never wanting anything." She ended, her voice practically becoming a growl before she released a breath of air. "I came here to kill you, Princess and to come for my own interest."
"What could you want with Caleb?" Ikaruga asks as Yomi simply holds a hand to her cheek.
"That's none of your business." Yomi curtly responds.
"I have no wish to kill you." Ikaruga says slowly as she shifts into a combat stance.
"Oh, but I do, after all," the girl says as she brandishes the large broadsword, a crossbow mounted on her wrist as Ikaruga narrows her eyes, "Princesses that hold captives deserve nothing but death."
"That's not a good reason!" Ikaruga retorts, unsheathing Hien and pointing it at Yomi as the wind blows by them, causing their skirts to flutter in the wind.
Then, they move, Yomi swinging her broadsword in a sweeping slash, kicking up dust as Ikaruga moves to the side, pointing the edge of Hien at the blonde as she thrusts, practically sliding across the ground like it was ice as Yomi moves.
Brandishing her wrist-mounted crossbow, she shot at Ikaruga as she cut the projectile and flinched as a liquid hit her clothes as she smelt it. Gasoline.
Ikaruga's eyes widen as Yomi cuts through her, only for a gust of smoke to explode as Yomi jumps out, Ikaruga also out and without her shirt, usually an embarrassing situation if it wasn't a life-or-death one.
Yomi leaps forward, spinning like a top as she Ikaruga's eyes widen and she grits her teeth, a glint of light appearing as Yomi searches Ikaruga for any tricks but finds nothing, to her confusion as Ikaruga simply spins and lashes out with a leg, stomping over her face as she brings Hien over her head, flames gathering as she slashes downward, the arc of flames colliding with Yomi's form as she falls to the ground.
Landing, Ikaruga watches as Yomi sashes her sword, kicking up enough wind to disperse the cloud of dust. Closing her eyes, Ikaruga prepares herself for a hard fight.
Cloak Of Deception is a very useful maneuver to hide or to generally check anything, which is what Mateo used it for as he checked the area around the Umbral Awn and the campus. As far as he knows, it'd probably be best to simply take it when no one's looking, but it's full of seals all around that he simply just can't translate or even begin to understand. His Silverbrow blood is reacting to it, but that's all he has on the Umbral Awn.
The only way he'd be able to take it is to grab it before anyone's the wiser and get out quick before anyone could arrive. Not like it'd be hard, just running, like he always has, lying and so much more to five beautiful girls…
Caleb sighs as he walks around the old school building after sneaking back in. Seems like they left some snacks since they knew he'd probably escape.
He's feeling guilty, not like this is uncommon, he's had to leave a lot of people behind because of his decisions. Still, there was something about the girls…
It felt wrong to do so, not only because they were hopelessly naive for being Shinobi, but also…
Scowling, he takes a bite out of the sandwich left for him as he takes a drink out of the coke in the fridge. Probably Katsuragi's.
At the mention of her name, his conversation with her comes to mind as he blushes again and shakes his head. As always, Katsuragi will be one of the strangest people he's seen.
Still…
Why is he feeling so uncomfortable?
Not to say he's the picture of comfortable, he is, after all, lying to the girls and nearly everyone about a lot, or is actively withholding information and context to make things easier for himself. Yet, he feels like someone is watching him.
Slowly, he gets up, looking around as he begins to walk around, his eyes on a swivel as he feels something bubble up, something primal and angry as the Tiger Claw discipline begins leading around with bestial instinct until it reaches a room, slowly, he opens it and peers inside. Within is a fluffy...orb thing that's...floating. Yet, there's ki inside it.
Caleb decided to do the rational thing.
He reared his leg back and kicked it, 'breaking' it as he tilts his head as a familiar sound is caught at the edge of his ear.
The sound of steel-on-steel clashing, so that must be Ikaruga fighting her opponent.
Well, he might as well go see what he can be dealing with.
Slowly, he goes down as he watches Ikaruga and her opponent trade blows.
As befitting of her status, Ikaruga moved gracefully and poised, evading and countering with strength and speed with practiced moves.
Thrusts cut through her enemy's defenses, cuts left lines and no block was taken directly, instead redirected as her breasts bounced with each movement, only held back by black lingerie as her skirt was the only thing keeping her underwear from being revealed.
Meanwhile, her opponent was her complete opposite, reckless swings filled with power, jerkier but more sudden movements and her wrist-mounted crossbow shooting arrows, clams, vials and everything in between.
The blonde, as buxom and beautiful as Ikaruga, swung, forcing Ikaruga back as she shot her crossbow, releasing a smokebomb that covered Ikaruga's view as she threw her sword, forcing Ikaruga out as she followed, Ikaruga's eyes widening at her mistake as the blonde stomped on her foot reared back her arm and slammed it into Ikaruga's side.
Ikaruga coughs but manages to keep her cool, ramming the pommel of Hien into the blonde's side as she coughs too and the two jump back form each other.
Ikaruga looked like a wet dream while her opponent looked like she was put through a blender, cuts and rips all over her clothes, part of a skirt ripped off and revealing her panties. A very stimulating sight if Caleb didn't know what that meant.
After all, Ikaruga was losing, and she was losing pretty badly. If this kept going, she's most likely die, making the stealing of the Umbral Awn that much easier. He should let it play out, sit back and watch as Ikaruga loses.
Instead, Ikaruga stood up, and revealed her scroll, "Shinobi Transformation!"
"Ooh~, so that's how it is?" The blonde says, revealing her own scroll, "Then, Shinobi Transformation!"
In a burst of light and paper, the two are once again fine as they prepare themselves to clash once more, with Caleb looking on, complicated expression in place and confusion warring in his body and mind.
Though it was a better attempt, Ikaruga finds herself on the backfoot once more as Caleb watches on, his eyes catching cracks spreading through Hien until finally, it broke.
Ikaruga looks at it in shock as the blonde prepares one last attack, preparing her crossbow as she grins darkly.
Before he can stop himself, Caleb runs out, reaching into his Bag of Holding for the Unfettered and instead, a pommel wrapped in white leather appears as he reveals the crossguard, resembling a wall as each steps brings him closer.
To Ikaruga's and the blonde's surprise, he stands in between, the Blade of the Last Citadel, or the Citadel's Blade, in hand as his ki flares out as he activates one of the Stone Dragon maneuver, the Roots of the Mountain as his skin flashes grey for a second, lowering himself as he plants his feet flat on the ground.
The payload of Yomi's crossbow hits, revealing itself to be a kunai with a tag on it as an explosion rings out to the girl's horror and shock.
"C-Caleb…" Ikaruga says quietly as she can feel her heart drop.
With no care for theatrics or anything, Caleb answers, "Fuck! Ow!" He yelps, practically hopping out of the smoke, a bit scuffed and his clothes a mess. "Jesus Christ, I-."
Then his eyes land on Ikaruga and he pauses, his mouth dry and intimately aware of how much distance can affect what someone can see. Coughing into his fist, he looks away, and to the enemy, who held a hand to her chest and sighing in relief.
"That's good." She says, before smiling brightly, "Hello, I was hoping you could move tot he side, you're not my target."
"Get out already, she's too strong!" Ikaruga pleads as he turns and scoffs.
"Yeah, I can see that." He notes as Ikaruga looks down, realizing that her chest was visible to Caleb as she moves to cover it with an arm while glaring at her underclassmen.
"This isn't a joke. Listen to your senior and go back!" Ikaruga says, as the blonde adds.
"She is right you know, her type would rather see people like us sink further than do anything to help." Yomi notes with a bit of venom in her voice as Caleb turns to her.
"Well," he says, getting into a stance, as he calls back, "you better fix that sword or else we might as well be dead anyway."
"Caleb!" Ikaruga yells, "Stand down!" She tries again but Caleb doesn't answer as Yomi sighs.
"Oh well." She regrets, holding a hand to her cheek while hefting her large sword, "I just want to let you know this is tough love."
"Got-Wait, wha-?" Caleb felt a wave of confusion go over him for a second at the words 'tough love' before she moved as Caleb moved before he could comprehend anything other than the blonde leaping at him with a sword in hand.
She expected for her sword to be enough, for her strength to cow him, she didn't think he'd be able to move, block her attack and contest with her in strength as he called back, "Hurry! Fixyourfuckingsword!"
"What are y-."
"Put a fucking sock in it will ya and hurry." He starts, ki gathering around him and his voice as he taps into the White Raven discipline, an aura appearing as he takes a deep breath and uses a Bolstering Voice, "UP!"
Like magic, a visible wave came from him, empowering Ikaruga as she instinctively listens to Caleb and begins the process of fixing her sword and Yomi jumps back in surprise. As Caleb stands in front of Ikaruga like a knight coming to protect her Princess.
Yomi can't help but pout in jealousy as she hefts Beowulf, the large broadsword. "I really don't want to do this to you, but you leave me no choice."
With that, she dashes forward, dragging her sword against the ground and slashing upwards, throwing up dust as Caleb raises is arm to cover his eyes as he returns to the Roots of the Mountain stance and opened an eye. Slashing his sword, adamantite met steel as Yomi tries to force him back but he shifted, causing Beowulf to slide down the blade with a screech as he shifts, slashing at Yomi's legs and cutting through the skirt of her dress, resembling a maid outfit with a low cut that revealed a sizable amount of her chest and a hat atop her blonde hair.
It was pretty cute but Caleb had other things to think about.
The two clashed time after time, Caleb having more trouble keeping his strength to a constant level while occasionally being genuinely surprised as he has to move on occasion or else he might have been in genuine danger.
While Ikaruga was fixing Hien, Caleb lashed out with an arm, hitting Yomi with his elbow as he performs an overhead slash immediately, cutting through some of the cloth around the chest as she stumbles back and looks down. "Oh my~. How naughty~."
"I think the elbow is a lot more to think about." Caleb mentions as the blonde waves it away.
"That? That was like a love tap at most." Yomi says as she points her wrist-mounted crossbow as she fires off bolts of arrows among other things.
Caleb moves Roots of the Mountain deactivating as he rolls to the side, the bolts hitting Ikaruga, except, after a puff of smoke, it reveals a piece of wood as it clatters to the ground to Yomi's surprise as Caleb moves to attack for the first time.
He slashes as Yomi almost carelessly parries it, only to flinch as Caleb digs a foot into her stomach while in the Roots of the Mountain stance, a momentary gain in strength as he milks it for all its worth as he thrusts. Yomi slashes upward, parrying the Citadel's Blade as she goes low and he blocks it before stepping forward, bringing the longsword across Beowulf before swinging it forward and catching Yomi off-guard only to reveal wood as Caleb's brow twitches.
The trick was getting frustrating.
Transitioning mid-swing into a stab to the ground, he kicks off the blade, holding the grip as he pulls it out as Beowulf swings where it was a second later as he dashes forward, the two clashing with the loud ringing of steel as something within the Stone Dragon discipline rings at him and his training with the blacksmith.
His eyes go across Beowulf's form as a plan forms and he simply resolves to buy one simple thing.
Time.
A more...angry part of him is getting frustrated at how long Ikaruga is taking while another wants to do a lot of unspeakable thing to her, but that's probably just hormones that he should ignore.
Sliding under a swing, she brings her sword in a downward swing, but Caleb lands a solid kick in the side of her knee as she flinches before the other leg kicks her in the side as he rolls to the side and back on his feet as he stabs the Citadel's Blade against the ground and rammed his shoulder against it as Beowulf collided with it.
Grabbing the grip, he drags the blade across the dirt as he tries to kick her once he's close enough but Yomi leaps away, firing off from her crossbow as Caleb moves in between the makeshift projectiles and evades them with little problem as he meets with Yomi as the two become a whirlwind of steel and limbs lashing out.
Yomi was enjoying it while Caleb was simultaneously trying to give nothing away and enjoying it himself as he stabs the Citadel's Blade to the dirt as he ducks a slash, Beowulf hitting the blade as it flies off its position, leaving Caleb weaponless.
As Yomi was about to finish it with a pleasant smile, she glances back as she hears something cut through the air as she leaps up to see Caleb's blade flying back as he catches it and slashes at her as she brings up Beowulf and blocks it, sending her back as she slides on the ground. He dashes forward, acting aggressive for once as he continues sending cut after cut with the occasional strike at her with the same measured strikes and chaotic rhythm as she tries to keep up with the changes.
Finally, his eyes widen as she hears a familiar voice, "Secret Ninja Art: Oukaensen!"
In a surprising move, Caleb performed the picture-perfect splits, lowering himself to reveal a phoenix of blue flames as it collided with Yomi's stomach, burning up her clothes further until it exploded at the end of its flight, sending her back.
"What the hell was that!?" Caleb yells as Ikaruga steps up, "I was right in front of her."
"I don't know how it is in America, but disobeying your seniors is a serious offense in Japan." Ikaruga says while pointedly looking at Caleb as he shakes his head in exasperation. "I'll have to punish you afterwards."
"...Whatever." He dismisses as he stands up, "So, let's do this."
"Affirmative." Ikaruga answers as she gets into her own stance with Caleb.
"My, what great fun." Yomi says as she glared down Ikaruga and smiles at Caleb.
For a second, there's a beat of silence and Ikaruga attacks first, blurring as she becomes a blur, matching Yomi for each blow with overwhelming speed as Yomi retaliates only for Caleb to jump in and parry it as both direct a hit to her as she stumbles back from the strength but quickly rights herself.
So it would repeat, with the two alternating between attack and defense whenever it felt natural as Ikaruga would force Yomi to chase only to be intercepted by Caleb and for Ikaruga to attack from somewhere else or Caleb would keep her in one position as Ikaruga would target certain areas.
Of course, this didn't come with sacrifices, after all, Ikaruga only had scraps of clothes as protection and she's been starting to incorporate stronger hits in an attempt to knock out Caleb.
Caleb kept searching for the perfect moment, kept going in and out of her guard, shifting positions or simply watching as she fought Ikaruga, and he found it.
A crack, just a hairline fracture on the side of the weapon, but it'd be enough.
Soon, he switched with Ikaruga as he took a deep breath and roared, "HAAAAAAAH!"
He hit the fracture with the Stone Dragon's Fury, as Beowulf shuddered for a second, to Yomi's and Ikaruga's surprise as they stared at the broadsword.
Then, the crack grew visibly to their shock, lines spreading out until it reached the end and the parts of the sword clattered to the ground. Breathing heavily, both as an act and he ensuing stress, Caleb waits until finally Yomi sighs.
"Well, guess that's it. I completed my mission." She says before winking at me, "And I found my initial interest grow." She says softly as a shiver runs up Caleb's spine for a second.
"Wait, weren't you here-." Ikaruga starts.
"None of your business, Princess." She adds, venomously as something clatters to the ground. "Don't worry, I'll finsih it up next time."
Covering their eyes, the flashbang goes off and the two twitch as their ears are assailed from the ensuing ringing as they try to stay balanced, only to find the blonde nowhere to be seen as the two get up.
Caleb looks around, "Well, looks like she left." He notes, none of his sense picking her up, "Well, guess that was a Shinobi."
She was strong. Really strong, he shouldn't underestimate too much if they're this strong. Sure, he was strong too, but he was mostly adaptable thanks to the myriad of maneuvers he has access to, but if he's not careful, he might be in actual danger before he can finish.
Ikaruga doesn't answer, her bangs hiding her expression, her underwear visible from the cuts on her clothes but she didn't care as she stormed towards Caleb. Before Caleb could react, she slapped him as he stumbled, "Wha-."
"Idiot! I told you to stay back!" Ikaruga yelled, glaring at him, "She wasn't looking to hurt you, but what'd happen if someone else does, huh?"
"Well, you look like you needed help." He admits, honesty in every part of him as he scratches his cheek with a sheepish smile, "I couldn't let such a beautiful girl get hurt without trying to do something."
Ikaruga's eyes widen as a blush follows and her bangs hide her expression as she tilts her head downwards.
In one final surprise, she cupped his cheeks and pecked him on the cheek before whirling around and walking back. "Th-Then come, we need to decide on your punishment for defying orders."
For a second, Caleb watches her go while holding his cheek, the warmth of her lips melding with the mark left by her hand as he dumbly muttered, "Huh?"
Meanwhile, Ikaruga couldn't help but hold her cheeks to cool them down at the memory of Caleb stepping in, his broad back in view like a Knight or a Hero.
Shaking her head, she scolds herself, she can't be this easy!
Sadly, as the dreams she would soon have can say, she was, in fact, that easy.
A/N: That's it! I quite enjoyed writing the action scenes, I hope all of you enjoyed them as I made a few changes to cannon, especially with Hibari v Haruka. The next chapter is the aftermath of the fights and will the other girls realize something is going on with Ikaruga and Caleb?
Let's be honest, it'll be entertaining if they do, so they might.
Anyway, until next time!
