Chapter 7

"Tatsurou, don't go to the block!" a tall girl with long purple hair commanded, "Attack him!"

The boy in a kendo club uniform, who was fighting a person who was a bit taller than he was, answered nothing. Tatsurou tried to make a lunge, but it was quickly blocked, and the boy received a strike at his shoulder.

"Be careful!" he heard another command, "Don't attack without thinking!"

The boy nodded and then decided to attack his opponent again, this time he decided to attack his opponent at his right side, but before this he decided to make a feint straight at his stomach. However his opponent predicted it and dodged both of his attacks. Then Tatsurou's opponent decided to give him a series of strikes, he attacked him quickly and several of them were skipped, but several of them were blocked.

"Tatsuro, from the right!" he heard the voice of the captain of the club. The boy heard the command and quickly protected his right side with his wooden katana. "Not bad." she added to him, when he successfully blocked his opponent's attack. Their fight was intense; both of them gave strong attacks to each other. However it was easy to understand that Tatsurou was fighting a bit indecisively, even his stance was indecisive. However the boy tried to hide this feeling. "Well! That's enough for now." Akiyama Rinko commanded, and the boy with his opponent, stopped their training. The boy took off the helmet, and his opponent did the same.

"Thank you for a good practice Pavel-san." the boy said with a smile to the boy with dark hair.

"You're welcome." Pavel referred to him with the same smile.

"Tatsurou." the lass with long purple hair and with formidable bust said, as she came closer, "You must fight more decisively."

"I… I know it." the boy mumbled.

"To be honest." Pavel started, "You fight well. You need to be careful, your attack are predictable, you should became a bit wilder in battle."

"What do you mean?" Rinko and Tatsurou asked him in one voice.

"Well, as Oleg Semenovich told me, you must try to attack faster and unpredictably at the same time." he put his indicative finger on his chin and said pondered, "I think you should ask someone from teachers to train you."

"There's the problem." Tatsurou said to the Russian boy, "The only teacher who uses katana is Igawa-sensei."

"You mean the principle, don't you?" Pavel didn't understand, and Tatsurou nodded in agreement.

"She is a very busy person, so that's why she can't train me." the boy sighed.

"Don't worry Tatsurou." his sister put her hand onto his shoulder and said smiling, "Just practice hard and everything will be fine."

"Thank you Rinko." the boy answered her with a smile too. And she went to other members of kendo club. Pavel wanted to go to change his cloths but he was stopped by the chief's club brother.

"Um, Pavel-san…" the boy started, "You told that Tereshkov-sensei gave you special training…"

"Yes, and what?" at the begging the Russian pupil didn't know what the boy wanted, but then he realized it and said. "Ah you want him to train you, don't you?"

"Yes." the boy nodded, and then added, "But." he turned his head watched where was his sister and then continued, "Don't tell my sister about it."

"Don't worry I'll be as still as death." Pavel chuckled, "Then I'll talk with him today, I think he won't disagree in training you." the boy said and then added, "But his training is extremely severe."

"There's no need to worry about it. I'll do my best." the boy smiled again and ran to his sister.

"Man, I must hurry or I'll be late for the next lesson." he said to himself and went to the dressing room.

After thirty or so minutes, Pavel was in the training class. There were about twenty five people; all of them were in their hunting uniform and at the same time were his classmates.

"Pavel! We're here." Pavel heard female's energetic voice he turned his head to the right and saw a group of four pupils and the one who was waving with her hand was Sato Maki. Pavel came to the company and saw his other friend Ito Aki, Ikenami Ren and also he saw a girl he knew, but never talked before, she had long fair hair, dark blue eyes, almost pale skin. The girl had solemn air; she had purple uniform that exposed her shoulders, and upper part of her bust. And on her back, it was possible to see a katana. It was Ogawa Mai. He came to them and turned his head to the blonde and nodded to her in greetings, she accepted the nodding. A little by little he started to know all his classmates, but still he knew little about them.

"You're just in time Pavel, where were you?" the energetic girl asked him.

"Rinko just asked me to have sparring with her brother; I had no idea that it will take so much time." he rubbed his back of the head.

"And, how is Tatsurou for you?" Aki asked him.

"He has good potential, but still he fights indecisively as I understood." he said and then he wanted to add something, but stopped in time, because he remembered that the boy asked not to tell about his request.

"By the way Mai… Am I right?" Pavel wasn't sure in remembering her name so he decided to ask her, she nodded and he continued with relief that he remembered her name. "Is everything alright? You look too pondered." she wanted to say something, but couldn't as Maki took the first word.

"Don't worry!" she answered him, "It's her usual state." she continued with hitting Mai by her back with her hand. "To be honest she is one of wonders of our academy." Pavel saw like Mai became frown.

"And why?" Pavel asked his friend, preparing that she will have problems soon.

"Because no one have never seen like Mai express her emotions."

"Because, I don't see an opportunity to use them." she merely said.

"That's why you have so little friends Mai." Maki got closer to her pouting at her face; however Aki quickly pulled her and after it lectured her.

They talked a bit more, but then they heard the voice of the teacher. "Ok boys and girls I hope you're all ready for our training." the woman with orange hair said merrily. "Yes!" the class exclaimed. The woman had black outfit with orange elements, her uniform was exposed only in two places, and these places were her shoulders and a small part of her sides. She had to daggers on her back. It was the principle's sister Igawa Sakura.

"Finally, our training passes Igawa-sensei." one of students whispered to another.

"Yes Yatsu-sensei is really harsh. It's good sometimes to have a time to relax from her." the second whispered to the first one.

'It seems that many students don't like Yatsu Murasaki.' Pavel thought.

"Today's training will be special to you, so that's why, I brought some help with me." as she said it two other persons entered the training room. The first one had short green hair, brown eyes. His Taimanin uniform consisted from, top that closed his chest, gloves which reached till his elbows and trousers, with closed all his legs. He had metal plates on his legs and on his arms too. On his back he had two swords. He had a smile on his face and when the class saw him they gave loud exclamations.

"Wow, even Takano-sensei is here!" someone of the female part exclaimed.

Another person had a strange uniform. He had metal gloves and metal boots, it was easy to hear because of the clang they did. His upper part was closed with some sort of a robe, it had long sleeves, and in the basement it was wide giving to his legs an opportunity to move. The person had blond hair and blue eyes, on his belt was laying a sword in the hilt. It was the Russian teacher Oleg Semenovich.

'Wow, even Oleg Semenovich is here.' Pavel thought.

"First of all you must break in pairs in two." Sakura said exposing her indicative finger.

All students started to break in pairs; Maki formed the pair with Aki, Ren quickly untied with Mai, so Pavel left without a pair. He noticed that all students quickly formed pairs, however he found one student who had no partner. She was standing alone with upset expression on her face. The girl had brown curly hair. Her hair reached her blade bones. Her uniform was quite reviling. She had some sort of a shirt, which closed all her front part except the small part a bit upper then her belt, and her back was fully exposed. Her shirt was dark blue, with black stripes. Her shirt had a strap straight under her blade bones. Her shirt also exposed the side parts of her breasts. She had the same colour trousers which closed all her legs, but small parts of her thighs were exposed from the outer parts. She had black heels and the same black gloves which closed her arms but they didn't close her arms fully the closed all hands and a small part behind her carpus.

"Don't you mind if I combine with you?" Pavel asked the girl.

"Man does he really want to work with Andou?" Pavel heard someone's voice.

"Man, his luck was out." he heard another whisper.

"If you want…" the girl Pavel asked muttered barely audible.

'What's with her?' the Russian boy couldn't understand, what was happening with the girl he decided to join. However he was quickly taken out of his thoughts by their teacher's voice.

"Ok, boys and girl time is up. I hope that all of you found your pairs." and then she added, "Now I will describe the rules of today's training." she stopped for a second and then continued, "Today two students will fight one teacher." all students were amused, but kept calm as they didn't want to interrupt the teacher. The teams can choose the teacher. But remember that one teacher can't be chosen twice in a row. So if someone fought me, then for the next match you can't choose me."

"So that's why you brought three teachers, sensei?" Aki asked the orange hair teacher.

"Yep." she merely answered.

"But why, is Oleg Semenovich is here?" Pavel asked her, "He is not a teacher of combat practice."

"Well he agreed to help me, isn't it Oleg Semenovich." she watched at him with gleaming eyes.

"Something like this." the blond coughed in his fist.

"By the way, today we will change the structure of the room too, in order to make the practice a bit more difficult." she said and then ordered to everyone to jump onto balconies. When all students and teachers were on balconies the room started to change. Many barrages started to appear out of the floor some of them were higher than another. "Well the first student is Maki Sato!" younger Igawa exclaimed. And then the girl with metal glove jumped from the balcony with her friend Aki Ito.

"I chose Aki Ito as my partner! And as opponent we choose Takano Suzumu!" when she stopped to shout, the man with to swords.

"I hope you won't be too reckless this time Sato?" Suzumu chuckled, "Or the training will be pretty quick."

"Don't worry sensei." Maki referred striking her palm with the fist. "This time I want fall into your tricks."

"Maki are you ready?" Aki whispered in her ear also putting his hand onto the hilt of his katana.

Maki smirked and rushed at the teacher at a full jump. Aki quickly grabbed his katana and was on his way to help to his partner. Suzumu put his hands on his swords and quickly took them out of the sheaths. He dodged Maki's straight attack and then blocked Aki's katana. Then he pushed Aki away as Maki was on her way to give him another strike. Suzumu preferred to dodge Maki's attacks while the attacks of Aki were blocked or parried. While Aki attacked him thinking his moves, Maki preferred to make lunges instinctively relying on brute force. However, being a skillful hunter who was battle-hardened, gave him an advantage in battle against the students. When he was blocking another boy's lunge, he noticed that the girl was about to strike him from the air. The teacher pushed the boy away and jumped from one elevation onto another one. When the teacher landed onto another elevation he heard a strong sound like something was destroyed, he turned his head and saw that the part of the platform was destroyed.

'So she decided to use her power.' he chuckled, 'Then, I must play a bit harder.' He turned his head to the boy and thought again, 'First of all, it would be better to take Ito out from the battle, and then it will be much easier to fight Sato.' he squeezed the hilts of his swords and jumped at the students. His swords met Aki's katana once again and when Maki was on her way to help her friend, but Suzumu worked out in advance and jumped away from the boy that made Maki bang against her friend.

"Sato you are still trying to work alone." the teacher said, "For you it's much better to work in pair."

"Maki, he is right." the boy agreed with the words of the teacher, "We haven't even discussed the strategy." he noticed that the girl became a bit adroop, but she agreed with her friend and classmate. Aki got closer to her ear and whispered, "Try to attack him the same way you did it, and I'll try to get him." the girl nodded at Aki's offer and rushed at the teacher. When she was near with the ridge of the platform, she jumped and when she reached another platform she aimed a blow and when she was near to him she smashed the place he was standing. The man decided not to block her attack, and just to dodge it, but when he was on his way to land the next platform he noticed the boy with his katana. Their swords clashed once again, but this time Aki could quickly get his arm with his leg.

'Damn! They are teaching quickly." the teacher thought with a smile and then threw one of his swords at the girl who was about to strike him with her fist. When she saw a sword she stopped and closed the aimed area. But after it she saw her teacher in front of her and gave her a kick at her side. She leaned, on one leg and but didn't fall. Aki was in time to help her, the man close himself from the boy's katana with his swords. "Opened yourself." he declared to the boy.

"What?!" the boy didn't understand and received a kick straight at his stomach. The boy sat onto one knee grabbing his stomach. 'It was strong.' the boy thought. Suzumu noticed that Maki was on her way to attack his back he decided to merely to dodge it. When he dodged it Maki noticed that she was attacking her friend this time, she could stop herself straight in front of him. She helped him to get up.

"We must change our tactic." Maki said him.

"Yes, but how we should change it?" Aki asked her.

"Try to attack him, with everything you've got. And I'll try to take him from behind."

"Well, it can work." the boy agreed, with his partner. He sighed and quickly, rushed to their teacher. Aki started to attack the teacher with quick and during some moments unpredictable. Then in one moment Maki quickly appeared out of Aki's back. The man jumped away from the girl when he prepared to attack her he was quickly stopped by Aki's katana. The man decided to make a feint he jumped over the boy and was on his way to the girl. He prepared his swords to attack her, but somehow he could turn around at full speed at give a strong kick to at Aki's chest, and then he did the same to Maki.

"Sorry, but I know you perfectly, and tricks won't work on me." he said and put his blade to Maki's neck. "How about to give up?"

"We give up." she nodded, at the question of their teacher.

He took of his blades in the sheaths on his back and helped her to get up. "But I must admit that today you fought well. You must work better and you'll be a strong team."

"It's time for another match!" they heard the energetic voice of Igawa Sakura, and they quickly onto their balconies. "Well another one is…" she pondered but then with a slight snapped her fingers, "Ogawa Mai!"

The girl with blonde hair went out of the crowd and said, "My partner is Ikenami Ren." the tanned hunter went out of the crowd too, and Mai continued, but first she looked at Ren who nodded to the blonde. "And as opponent we take Igawa-sensei!"

"You never give up, don't you Ren?" Sakura said with a grin on her face.

"I just want to try to defeat you, sensei." the tanned hunter chuckled, "And this time I'll try to do it in a team."

Mai and Ren jumped from the balcony they were standing, Sakura didn't make them wait long and quickly, jumped from her balcony too. "You'll be the next." Suzumu whispered to Oleg in his ear.

"Why do you think so?" Oleg asked his colleague.

"I just think so." he chuckled at his question.

"And what will be if I don't be chosen?" Oleg asked him again.

"Fat chance." Suzumu chuckled again.

"Well, are you ready?" Sakura asked her students. Both of them quickly exposed their weapons, Ren her short blade, and Mai her katana, Sakura took out her daggers. 'This battle will be interesting.' Sakura thought and licked her lips.

Both of students ran straight at their teacher with their weapons prepared. While Ren was running to her target Mai quickly jumped in the air and prepared herself for a slice attack with her blade. Sakura quickly dodged Mai's attack and decided to parry Ren's attack. Sakura appeared behind Ren and was on her way to get the tanned girl, however she couldn't do it as Mai was by Ren and protected her back. Mai pushed Sakura off and quickly attacked her again. This time Ren was the one who decided to attack her teacher from the air. Ren jumped and took the direction to her teacher. Sakura noticed her, and quickly jumped away from the place Ren was aimed. Sakura jumped to the platform and glance over, she noticed that and quickly disappeared from the place she was standing on. When both girls landed onto the place where their teacher was, they turned with their backs to each other in order to protect them.

"Ren! Helter-skelter!" Mai quickly shouted, and both girls quickly jumped to every which way. They did it just in time, just as they left they place, Sakura immediately appeared, it would be better to say, that she jumped away, attacking both side with her blades.

"Not bad Mai." Sakura admitted with a smile on her face, "You're using your abilities well."

Then Mai quickly rushed to her teacher, with Ren behind her. Sakura decided not to dodge and met their weapons with hers. They started to fight for a minute their weapons clashed and clashed again and again. But then Sakura decide to play a bit harsh she land onto the ground and when Mai and Ren were about to get her several spikes appeared by the orange haired huntress. Somehow Mai and Ren could avoid them and get away clear with several scratches. But they couldn't expect that Sakura will do another move such unexpectedly. Sakura quickly got close to Ren and gave her a strong kick at her stomach, and then she suddenly appeared with Mai, but somehow she could block one attack of her teacher, but the second one was successful to the teacher, and she could give Mai a strong kick at her side.

"Are you giving up?" Sakura asked Mai with a chuckle. But Ren wasn't going to give up and was on the way to help her partner. Sakura clashed her daggers with Ren's blade again. "Your teamwork is perfect Ren-chan." Sakura smiled, "No doubts, you'll be good hunters in the future."

"Thank you sensei." Ren was glad to hear such complement, "But it'd be better if you watch carefully, at what happens behind you." Ren added with a green in her voice.

Sakura turned her head and some the blonde girl who was about to slice the teacher. But Sakura quickly disappeared in hers and Ren's shadows. And then Ren heard Mai's voice again. "Ren! From the right!"

Ren quickly turned to her right and then saw Sakura who was quickly getting out of her shadow. Ren quickly blocked the lunge of her teacher. But Sakura have no plans to attack Ren, she jumped over her and attacked Mai. Mai couldn't react at the time, and Sakura could give her a strong kick at her right arm. Mai flew off for a quite good distance, and met an obstacle in the face of wall.

"So Ren, I think it's the time to give up?" Sakura decided to give a chance to give up peacefully.

"I'm sorry, but I'll reject your offer sensei." Ren stood in a battle stance. 'It would be better to fight in defense state.'

"Never looking for easy ways, do you?" Sakura shook her head and quickly rushed to the girl. Ren clashed her blade with one of her daggers again and then quickly, pushed her off again. Sakura threw one of her daggers at Ren. Ren could parry it, but then Sakura stretched her hand in order to grab Ren's hand.

'Shit!' Ren tried to get her hand off, but Sakura was faster and more skillful. Sakura gave Ren a running board, Ren fall onto the ground and in no time felt a cold dagger near with her neck.

"What was with you Ren?" Sakura asked her student, "You pulled your hand like you saw something dangerous."

"Sorry sensei, I just imagined another person." Ren gave an uncertain smile to her teacher.

"You mean that Polish, you and Muu-ch… Yatsu-sensei met?" Sakura asked Ren again.

"Yeah." Ren merely replied and nodded with her head. Sakura took off her dagger into the sheath which was on her back and helped Ren to get up.

"I think your skills became better from the last time." Sakura said taking her second dagger, "You should be more careful." she stopped and then said, "But everything else was well." she gave her brand smile to Ren, "So there's no need to worry about it." Ren took her blade and put it into the sheath, which was on her belt and then she helped Mai to get up. After several seconds of rest both girls returned to the balcony. And Sakura could name the other student. "And this time it will be…" she made a theatrical pause. "Andou Masami."

The girl with brown curly hair came out of the crowd, she could hear some whispers, but she didn't pay much attention on them. "Who will fight with you?"

"Tarasov Pavel." she merely referred and Pavel came out of the crowd too. "And as opponent…" she made a pause and watched at her partner.

"Oleg Semenovich." Pavel answered for her, and she nodded in agreement.

"Very well." Sakura referred, and the both students jumped off from the balcony, they were standing on.

"Oleg Semenovich." Sakura quickly called him; Oleg turned his head to her and looked at her. "Please be a bit easier with this girl."

"What do you mean?" Oleg looked with a puzzled expression as he didn't understand the request of his colleague.

"It's a long story." Sakura said him, "Just be careful."

"Fine, I'll be then." Oleg Semenovich nodded and jumped off from the balcony. 'What did she mean by to be easier with her?' Oleg thought as he landed onto the ground.

"Pavel, Andou. Are you ready?" he asked them putting his arm onto the hilt of his sword, which was peacefully was on his belt.

"Masami are you ready?" Pavel asked his partner, she only sheepishly nodded, also taking out her spear from her back. Pavel also grabbed the hilt of his sword and took it out. Then he quickly rushed at his teacher. Oleg exposed his sword and blocked Pavel attack.

'What?' Oleg thought, 'Why is she just standing there?' Oleg turned his head to the girl with the spear.

Pavel pushed Oleg Semenovich and shout, "Masami. I need a little help here!"

She nodded and ran to the Russian boy to help. She jumped and dabbed her spear at her teacher.

'Did she jump with a delay?' Pavel and Oleg thought at the same time. Oleg could easily dodge the lunge of Andou Masami and then he made his lunge with his sword she could block the attack.

Pavel ran to his partner in order to help her. Pavel started to attack his teacher with quick strikes, Masami on the other hand decided to stand while Pavel was fighting.

'I don't understand what she is doing.' Oleg thought again, he wanted to say something, but when he wanted to say something she rushed to him again. She prepared her spear for attack Oleg quickly pushed the boy off him and parried her spear. He stroke the girl with brown hair at her back making her flew off in the platform. When Oleg turned his head he saw Pavel who was near with him and tried to slice his teacher. Their blades started to clash. Pavel tried to break through the defense of his teacher, with the brute force, however Oleg's sword allowed him to parry his attacks quickly.

'What is it with this girl?' Pavel thought while he was fighting his teacher, 'She's fighting in some way detached.' Pavel continued his thoughts but he was taken out of them as he saw that Oleg Semenovich parried his next attack and was about to give him a dangerous attack. Pavel could quickly dodge it, but he lately realized that it was just a feint, and Oleg Semenovich gave another strong attack with his knee at Russian boy's stomach, Pavel bowed down and then he received another hit and this one made him to flew off and fall afoul at Masami who was about to get up.

"Man that was really a strong hit." Pavel moaned, but then he quickly realized that he was lying on his partner, "Dammit!" he exclaimed quickly getting up from her. "Are you alright?" he asked her stretching his hand to her.

"Yes." she mumbled getting up, she didn't took his hand, but took purchase onto her spear.

"We must think something." Pavel said to her, "Or we will lose too."

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled barely audible.

"Huh?" Pavel didn't understand what she said but then quickly exclaimed, "Look out." and he pushed her off and jumped away too, as Oleg Semenovich was on his way to attack them from the air. Oleg decided to attack Masami this time. He quickly appeared near with her and started to attack her, she tried her best to block and to parry all his attacks but suddenly she missed one of his attacks and he could cut her arm with his blade. Masami's eyes became wide, it was possible to compare that she saw a ghost. She dropped her spear and shouted loudly covering her head with her arm. Tears went out of her eyes. Oleg was surprised with such an action; he didn't know what to do.

Sakura quickly jumped from the balcony and pushed Oleg from her way. When she ran to the student she started to calm her down. Then she helped her to get up and took her away from the training ground.

"What was that?" Pavel asked the Russian teacher when he came to him.

"If only I had known." Oleg said putting his sword in his sheath and returned to the balcony.

Pavel did the same thing as the training was ended. Takano told to the students that the practice is over and all of them can go to get changer. Pavel decided not to know about what happened a bit later, when there are no so many people. Oleg Semenovich decided to do the same. This accident amused so he decided to know what had just happened.

Sakura brought Masami to the sick-room and put her onto bunk. Masami still was holding her head with her hands and was mumbling something. 'Damn Oleg! I said him to be careful with her!' Sakura was scolding the Russian teacher in her head. 'Poor girl.' Sakura looked at her student. 'She will shut off herself from the world harder now. I thought she could beat it.'

The nurse arrived quickly and asked Sakura, "Did she see blood again?" Sakura merely nodded, and then answered.

"During the training."

"Who was that teacher?" the nurse asked the teacher.

"Oleg Semenovich." Sakura sighed heavily.

"Didn't he heard that she is has problems when she see it?" the nurse asked again.

"He wasn't told."

Then the nurse took a syringe and injected contents of it in the girl's arm. Gradually th girl started to fall asleep and after five minutes she fully fell asleep. When Sakura was about to leave the room she turned her head to the sleeping student and asked herself.

'How we can help you Masami?' and left the room pondering about happened accident.