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After hearing Zenin Maki's shout, Natsubi Raku stopped swinging his naginata, looked around, and pointed at himself in confusion, asking, "Me?"
"Yes, I'm in a bad mood today and want to beat you up," Maki replied without any pretense, picking up the three-section staff lying beside her with a smile on her face.
"..."
Gulp.
Seeing that Maki was genuinely ready to fight, Natsubi Raku instinctively swallowed hard. Imagining himself getting beaten black and blue, he suddenly had the urge to back down, saying, "Hey, we're classmates. We shouldn't be doing this. I think I should just head back."
"Don't go! Let's fight!" Maki showed no mercy as she swung the three-section staff, the afterimage of her strike grazing Natsubi Raku's cheek.
Red blood trickled down from the wound, dripping to the ground. Realizing that Maki's displeasure stemmed from his rapid learning of her techniques, Natsubi Raku knew that retreating now would only earn her contempt—something he couldn't afford.
At this moment, there was no choice but to fight.
"Alright, I get it. Let's take it to the training ground," Natsubi Raku said, gripping his naginata and moving to the center of the field. His crimson eyes, with their quickly spinning tomoe, fixed on Maki. To gain her respect, he had to give it his all; half-hearted efforts would only lead to disgrace.
Moreover...
Isn't real combat the best way to test training results?
"If you don't give it your all, I'll beat you to death," Maki stated firmly, observing Natsubi Raku from ten meters away. His unwavering gaze, full of determination, pleased her more than Yuta Okkotsu's hesitant demeanor.
"I understand. Dying at your hands would be an honor, but I don't intend to die today. I will fight with everything I've got!" Natsubi Raku replied, holding his naginata firmly, ready to counter Maki's attack.
"Not bad," Maki acknowledged, rushing forward with her three-section staff, shouting, "Let me see how much you've stolen from me!"
Clang!
The clear sound echoed between them.
In their initial clash, Natsubi Raku's hands were already aching from the shock, and without the support of cursed energy, he would have been thrown off his feet. His Sharingan was working to its fullest, allowing him to hold out for a few more minutes.
Seeing her first strike fail, Maki raised an eyebrow and then suddenly exerted force, sending Natsubi Raku flying. The three-section staff in her hands seemed like an extension of her body, both flexible and precise.
Every swing was anticipated by the Sharingan, but his body couldn't keep up with the high-intensity battle, and a sense of helplessness began to creep in. Each block felt like being hit by a truck, the heavy blows causing his arms to ache, and his cursed energy depleting rapidly.
No!
Taking blows without fighting back doesn't suit my style. At least I should use everything I've just learned, lose with dignity!
Don't blame me for going all out!
Natsubi Raku poured all his cursed energy into reinforcing his body, seizing a chance to counterattack. Despite being inexperienced in battle, his movements with the naginata lacked any awkwardness. Each strike was bold and swift, resembling a desperate tiger's final struggle, seeking to deal the highest possible damage, no matter the cost.
A fatal blow!!
"Interesting," Maki commented, smiling with satisfaction at Natsubi Raku's display of her techniques. Her intention to fight him was simply out of annoyance. However, seeing that he had truly learned and could use these skills to protect himself in future battles against cursed spirits, she felt a sense of pride.
"However, it's still not quite there."
As the original creator of the moves, Maki quickly spotted the flaws. Dodging his naginata, she suddenly flung her three-section staff, the sturdy iron chains binding the blade, making it impossible to swing properly. She then planted one hand on the ground and delivered a swift kick.
"So fast!"
Natsubi Raku's pupils contracted. Seeing the incoming kick too late to dodge, he swiftly released the naginata and crossed his arms.
Elsewhere, a drowsy Yuta Okkotsu, who had just woken up for his usual morning training, mumbled, "Why is the training ground so lively today?"
Just as he finished speaking, a shadow flew past, followed by a loud crash.
"Ouch! It hurts!"
Natsubi Raku slowly got up, touching his aching back, looking at the crater in the wall, and said, "Ah, damn! My bones almost shattered. I thought I had it."
"Defeat me? Don't think that learning a few moves will let you challenge me. You're still too green!" Maki said, slinging her three-section staff over her shoulder and walking towards Natsubi Raku. Spotting Yuta Okkotsu standing by, she waved and asked, "Wanna spar?"
"Uh..."
Looking at the crater in the wall and Natsubi Raku's pained expression, Yuta swallowed nervously and said, "Um, go easy on me, just use a regular wooden staff."
"Sure, I'm in a good mood today, so I'll teach you more," Maki replied, slinging her arm over Yuta's shoulder and heading to the training ground, leaving Natsubi Raku writhing in pain.
"Ouch, ouch! No way, I have to go and learn something more, otherwise, this beating was for nothing," Natsubi Raku muttered, clutching his back as he made his way to the training ground. He lay sideways on a stone bench, supporting his head with one hand, watching the sparring session between Maki and Yuta.
Unlike with him, Maki wasn't using her full strength with Yuta; she was guiding him. From Yuta's clumsy and panicked blocks, it was clear he hadn't been training for long. Despite this, Natsubi Raku, having just learned, felt capable of teaching Yuta a thing or two.
Although he might not learn much from this, it was a good way to pass the time.
"Yuta, kick her lower body, avenge me!"
Amid their fight, Natsubi Raku began issuing tactical commands.
"Now! Hit her leg with the stick!"
"Ouch! You missed? You have to avenge me, Yuta!"
"Quick! Kick her, kick her!"
"..."
Raku, this is going to end badly for you...
Seeing the murderous look in Maki's eyes, Yuta swallowed hard. The wooden staff in Maki's hands snapped with a crisp sound.
The clear sound echoed in all three of their ears, while Natsubi Raku felt a sense of doom, realizing he had gone too far.
"Uh, well... If there's nothing else, I'll just leave. No need to see me off," Natsubi Raku said, slowly getting up and taking a few steps before feeling a pair of white arms wrap around his neck from behind. Maki's voice came softly from behind:
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave. Let me help you stretch your muscles."
"No! That's not necessary! Aaaah!!!"