"Yo Sensei." As I slowly open my eyes I'm greeted by the sight of the red haired woman, so it's only natural I say hello.

She sighs in relief. "Yo Yuta." And then she immediately hugs me. "Sorry!" Sensei is crying, it's impressive how quickly she started.

I awkwardly pat her head, we are in a weird position since I'm laying down. It's obvious where I am, in a hospital.

Trainer Yuta lost the pokémon battle and had to run towards a pokémon center. That's essentially what happened, Vlov crushed me in everything.

He was stronger than me, more skilled than me, and smarter than me as well. The only thing I have above him is my good looks! And that's debatable depending on who you ask.

It doesn't take too much time at all for Rika to come out of my shadow and hug me as well. She seems really stressed.

Rika is crying too. "Sorry Yuuuta! I'm sorry!" Of course Rika would feel guilty about something like this.

I give her a comforting smile. "There's nothing to be sorry about Rika, I messed up. The moment Vlov appeared I should have ran and let you deal with him."

There were multiple ways I could have handled that encounter better, I could have ran like I just said, but I could have also asked Rika to engage in a projectile fight.

Or even better, I should have asked Rika to fire a beam upwards, act like a flare so Arcueid and Sensei knew where we were. But I didn't, I got caught in a flow of battle designed by Vlov.

Aoko hugs me tighter. "No! I messed up! What was I thinking!? Of course a Dead Apostle Ancestor would have run circles around a teenager!"

She continues. "I'm the experienced mage here, so I should have sent you to Shiki's house or something, not let you wander around the edge of a battlefield!"

I try to reassure Sensei. "It's fine, there's no way you could have know that the vampire would just kind of stumble onto me."

It was just really bad luck, that's all. Vlov could have come out of the rubble from any other side and I would have never met him. It just so happened that he didn't, in a way it's similar to the car accident that killed Rika.

But there's one important thing that hasn't left my mind. "So where is Arcueid?" Vlov was after her after all, that's the reason why I fought him in the first place.

If she died then... Nothing changes, if Sensei is here than Vlov is probably dead already. There's no one to rage at, Sensei avenged Arcueid already.

Sensei smiles. "She's fine, she's hunting this Vlov Arkhangel actually." Oh, so she is fine? That's great.

I breathe a sigh of relief. "Good." I was scared for a second, that my mistake would have cost Arcueid's precious life.

And it also means Vlov is still alive, I can still kick his ass. I'm going to cut him into a million pieces.

But there's one thing I don't quite understand. "Why is she even hunting Vlov? He was the one that wanted to hunt her." That seemed to be his goal.

Aoko nods. "Yeah, but you knocked some sense into his head." Sensei notices my obvious confusion, so she elaborates. "It's clear that his mental faculties weren't all there, he was losing himself, that's why he made such a risky plan to kill the princess."

She continues. "But your fight with him must have awoken his old warrior instinct, because he retreated as soon as he saw me. There was no mad vampire in sight."

I clench my fist. "So the only thing I accomplished was making him smarter?" And even saying it was me who did it is giving me way too much credit.

I cut one fireball, that's it. Nothing more. The one who put all the work was Rika, and I only managed to screw her over.

Aoko gives me a sad look. "Yuta... No one is going to blame you for surviving a fight with a Dead Apostle Ancestor. In fact I...!"

She's hugging me again. "I'm so, so glad you're alive! I was so scared my stupid pupil was going to die! What was I supposed to do then!? Wage war against the vampires!?"

I can only awkwardly smile. "Sorry Sensei." I ended up worrying everyone... But I'm glad I'm alive too. I don't want to die to some bloodsucker.

I nod to myself. "But most important of all... When are we going back to the hunt?" I want to take another crack at him, this time I'm more experienced.

No, it doesn't matter how experienced I become, in that department I can never match a immortal knight, but... I still want to fight him.

Aoko shakes her head. "You aren't going back into the fight at all, it's a miracle you are even alive... I had to use some heavy guns to heal your lungs, ya know?" Oh right, I forgot about that.

Aoko continues. "It goes without saying that Shiki won't be hunting anything too. I learned my lesson, high school kids should be perving on their mentors, not fighting vampires."

She has a resolute look on her eyes. "I don't care if those high schoolers have special eyes or they can destroy countries, go enjoy your life and leave everything to Sensei."

Ah! Sensei is being responsible!? My almost death really did impact her! And I even managed to fuck over Shiki too...

I have no doubt that he's going to try to sneak out so he can keep hunting, that's just how Shiki is. I won't do the same of course, I won't put Rika in danger like that again.

But there is no point in bothering Sensei, she won't change her mind. She watched one of her pupils almost die after all, if I was in her place I would do the same.

Well, it's time to begin asking some important questions. "So how long was I out for?" A few hours? It's still night.

Aoko looks down. "A few days, you entered in a short coma." I see... Fuck. I really am so glad I'm alive.

Rika clenches her fist. "Yuta..." Why do you sound so mad? I guess it would be natural to be mad at me.

I give her the best apologetic look I have. "I'm sorry I screwed up so badly and almost got us killed Rika." A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And as it turns out, I'm a very, very angry link.

Rika makes a shocked face. "Yuta, I'm not...! I'm not angry at you at all, please stop apologizing." Why are you angry then? I for once can't understand you... Are you mad at Vlov? Yeah, me too.

Aoko sighs. "Two absolute idiots...!" It's three right? Since you're here. "But I will make everything right! I promise!" She hugs both of us tightly.

What a day, I keep getting hugged by Sensei! Normally I would celebrate this, but her tears in her eyes stop me. The tears I've caused.

It's time to change. "Sensei, I need to ask you something." It's shitty to ask this of her when she's emotional, but I've got no other options.

Sensei looks at me. "If you're asking to join the hunt then forget it. Go hang out with Shiki or something." An expected answer.

But my question wasn't that. "Actually I wanted to ask you something else Sensei... Could you please train me?" She's some super special mage, right?

Aoko takes a moment to think and then answers. "Sorry, but I can't Yuta. My skillset is very specialized, it's not something I can just teach."

She continues. "And there are a few other reasons too... First of all, it's clear what this is about, and let me answer you straight. You will never reach Vlov's level."

She sighs. "What you're trying to do is the equivalent of a martial artist who wants to beat a man in a tank, it's simply impossible."

She looks down. "I actually do know a normal human would could fight even someone like him..." Then...! "But he was a very special occasion, and he grew weaker with time." So like he became old?

But I still want to train. "That's fine Sensei, I don't need to surpass Vlov, I just want to be stronger."

She sighs. "Sorry, but your answer won't be found in magecraft... When I healed you with true magic I did learn a bit about your body."

She continues. "I only checked the 'surface' admittedly, but you don't have a single magic circuit..." She notices my look of confusion. "That's the thing modern mages use to produce mana."

Ah. So I can't train in magecraft no matter how much I want to. This sucks, this is the fucking worst... Why do I suddenly sympathize with seaweed?

Sensei pats my head. "Being normal is fine Yuta. I have plenty of people who I love and who have never used magecraft."

She gives me a smile. "Don't ever start thinking of normal people as inferior, okay? That leads to a dangerous road."

I chuckle. "Like what? Magic Hitler?" I guess I never thought about it, but there are probably some mages who think they're better than normal people.

I'm not like that, I don't want power so I can feel superior. I just want to protect myself and my friends, or at least I don't want to be a burden.

Aoko gives me a serious nod. "Yes, like magic Hitler... There was a man I once knew, his name was Suguru Geto." She takes a deep breath. "I-I had to put him down..." That's ominous.

Sensei looks down. "Actually, I don't want to talk about him." She is being really vulnerable right now. I can't help, but feel she was close to this Geto guy.

I smile. "It's okay Sensei, I understand. And don't worry I won't become some super evil guy."

She smiles back. "You'd better! If I ever catch you calling someone a monkey I'm punching you in the head." Freeza!?

She gives me a thumbs. "I'm leaving now, the faster I catch this Vlov guy the better." She then looks at Rika. "Please don't let Yuta do anything stupid."

Rika seriously nods. "Of course! I won't!" Those are some big words considering how stupid I am.

And just like that Sensei leaves, so she can kick Vlov's ass like the shounen main character she is. I hope she makes it really painful and doesn't bring him to our side with talk no jutsu.

Rika immediately looks at me. "So, we're going after Vlov, right?" Ah! Sensei just left and you're already saying stuff like that!

My face twists in shock. "No! Of course we aren't!" Sensei said we shouldn't, so I won't go. Even if I really want to.

I can't get stronger, I can't get more experience than him. I don't have any new trick, if I fought him the result would be the same as last time.

That's why I can't fight him. It would just worry everyone, it would be absurdly selfish. Arcueid and Aoko are hunting him already... There's no need for me to intervene.

Rika pats my head. "Yuta tell me truth, it's okay I'll listen to everything, okay?" That's way too unfair.

I clench my fists. "I... The truth is that I'm not sad at all, and I'm not too relieved about survival either... Neither am I angry with Vlov."

I sigh. "I mean, who would be angry with him? He's a fucking vampire, he acted like a vampire, he killed hundreds, but that's what vampires do."

I look down. "I'm not some hero of justice, I won't lost sleep over people dying in some far off country, and it's the same if the occasional person bites the bullet around here."

Damn it, I'm crying. "But that changes if I straight up fail, I lost to Vlov, I encountered him and failed to put an end to him. I even risked the people I actually care about, I risked you."

I continue. "Vlov wasn't killing some random civilians! He was trying to kill my friend, he almost killed you! That's why I'm... Furious at myself."

My entire body is shaking. "I had lots of precious memories in that apartment, even these past few days I made some... I ate Pizza with you and Arcueid, I watched movies with everyone, I helped Shiki with his family troubles... It's not fair that he gets to erase it all, and I don't even get to be angry at him."

Rika hugs me. "I feel the same way you know? That place was precious to me too, there I could spend time with my friends too."

She's crying. "And I also put you in danger! I'm not dumb you know!? I should have realized what the vampire was planning... But I didn't, so now I'm pissed!"

She continues. "So even though I want to tell you that Sensei is right, I can't. Because I want to hunt him down, and you feel the same, so I can't just tell you to give up. I know it would hurt way too much."

A slight smile appears on my face. "Then we are hunting the bastard?" She nods. "Yeah, he's not ready for round two... Actually, it's still round one, I didn't hear no bell."

I take out my cellphone. "I'm calling Shiki." He's definitely on the hunt, even if Sensei doesn't know about it.

He eventually takes the call. "Yuta!? You woke up!? That's...! Really, really good!" I can hear his happiness through the phone. My bro is truly top tier.

I nod. "Yeah, I'm up and ready to fight again... There's no point in hiding it, were you hunting the vampire?"

I hear a sigh through the phone. "So you're immediately jumping into action huh? That doesn't surprise me at all."

He continues. "Well, I understand. I'm pissed at this bastard, and I want a piece of him too, even if Sensei is against it."

I smile. "It's good that you get it so quickly. So was I right in guessing you are totally ignoring her orders and scouring the city?"

His tone sounds frustrated. "Normally I would, but sadly I now have one annoying ass bodyguard." Since when!?

He continues. "Remember that spooky yakuza looking guy? Akiha hired him as one, and now he spends all day trailing me, so I never get alone time."

I can hear him sighing. "It sucks, and he only ever leaves me alone at night... But then I'm watched by the other residents of the mansion..."

He then gasps as if remembering something. "Oh, everyone is wishing you a speedy recovery by the way... Some more than others, I think Kohaku might hate you now though." Huh!? What's with this development!?

I nod. "Send my thanks to them, and don't worry Shiki, I understand your problems... Hopefully you can find some way to dupe this guy."

He sighs. "I sure wish I could, but he... He's just scary, it doesn't help that he's a complete and utter weirdo."

He continues. "Now he sometimes calls himself my uncle and just starts laughing to himself, and he doesn't do that to Akiha." That is pretty weird...

I chuckle. "The mysterious Toji Fushiguro huh? He gives me bad vibes... Shiki this didn't bother me much before, but I have to tell you this now."

I continue. "Vlov gave off the same feeling as him. Do what you want with that information." I have no doubt that he isn't a normal human.

Shiki chuckles too, but he sounds way more nervous than me. "Ah... That's scary." Indeed. "Thankfully he doesn't seem to have any bad intentions or anything."

He continues. "Oh, before I forget, this obvious and all since you're talking with me, but I got my cellphone back. Call me anytime you need."

I nod. "Will do, see ya." I can't believe Toji cucked my friend from hunting vampires with me.

Shiki is really strong and he also possesses the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, so I'm sure him and me could do some crazy combination attacks.

Sadly it wasn't meant to be, still Shiki says his goodbye. "Yeah, see ya too... If Sensei asks about you I will lie." And then we end the call.

I'm sorry that you raised three little murder addicted goblins Sensei, but as a shounen protagonist, surely you understand?

Rika makes a questioning face. "So what did Four Eyes say?" That there is an old man being weird around him.

I shrug. "That he's sadly not available. His little sister has his leash pretty tight right now." Understandable, Shiki is the only man that can rival my sheer dumbassery after all.

Rika's face shifts into worry. "So what do we do? Do we just go after him alone?" No way, we will both die.

But I have one more contact, one I gained just before I lost. "I have an idea of who to call, but it might turn out really dangerous... Even if I think the chance of that is low, she's pretty kind after all." And I don't think that was fake.

I continue. "And knowing her organization, she probably has some method of training up weaklings like me... The only problem is whether she will be okay with you or not."

Rika slowly nods. I understand what your saying, and I get who you're talking about... Please call her, I don't think she will attack me, she was afraid after all."

I nod and take out my phone, her number is now saved on it. Once I start the call she quickly takes it.

I put on my most charming tone. "Hey Ciel! So can I join the church even if I don't really care that much about it!?" Be my savior french girl!

AN: Now Ciel will start to actually be important... Arcueid has been overshadowing her like crazy huh? It's not good to bully a near side heroine like her.