"It's so strange that out of everyone who fought yesterday, I somehow know only four of them. And one of them is never in school. What about you?" Lia says.
Number 14 continues to look down irritating Lia more and more. For the past few minutes since number 14 stood next to her - Lia has been trying to get information from him.
By asking questions that do not seem as if she's getting information. The way she envision it is the way number 14 response, his tone, his body movement and eye movement. Observing all this things she believes she might be able to figure out the type of person number 14 is.
Sorry for her this plan has not worked out even once. Weather number 14 is ignoring her on purpose or this is his plan to stay silent so Lia gets annoyed-is working.
"You know, let's just start." With a annoyed grin.
Lia does the Rin, and Hei hand sign. She sprints directly to number 14. Who is still looking down like a statue.
She throws a punch, as it is about to land Lia notice something with rocket level speed heading straight to her chin.
Kazuki gasp in shock looking upon Lia's body that is falling down to the ground. She crashes on the ground with a puzzled look at what just happened. She calmly stands up, wiping her puzzled look with a smile.
'Dammit. Why the heck did I have to fight with someone from another class?' Lia thinks to herself.
She walks slowly number 14 tapping him on his shoulder.
"What's your name?" She ask.
"M-my name is Preto." His head looking down with a low pitch voice.
"What?"
"P-Preto." Covering his face with his two hands.
Lia chuckles thinking maybe Preto did not ignore her on purpose. 'Seeing how he is acting, he might be one of those shy people.' Thinking to herself.
Though it took one punch for her to finally understand why she was ignored, it was at least able to make her get close to him.
Suddenly Preto can feel a tight clench on his shoulders. He tries to leap backwards, but sadly he is starring up to the sky and his feet standing in mid air.
Lia swings her hand downwards and Preto judging he will be kissing the ground with his back - he position his legs to his stomach and his arms to his chest.
Evens so, he still smashes on to the ground letting out a "arg". However his posture cushions his fall.
Kazuki and Reiji are amazed by the strength Lia posses to pick up a human being and throw him on the ground with one hand.
Unfortunately that amazement turns to shock. Like a break dance, Preto spins around, twisting Lia's body around - as he lands yet another fist with rocket level speed connecting sending Lia to the edge.
"Dammit." Mummering to herself. "How come his punches are so fast. Am starting to doubt he might be faster than my master."
Dashing like a leopard, she reaches him, throwing punches like a karate master. None the less Preto is able to parry and connect his own and Lia does the same thing and lands her own.
The students are astonished by the level of skill these two posses. To put in words, it is like watching two martial arts masters duke it out.
After a while they both vault backwards. One with a smie on her face and the other short winded and holding his heart.
"What's wrong? That was fun." Her smiling widening.
Still punting he adds, "Huh…S-s-sorry but…huh…I-I quit."
Everyone in disbelief after hearing what he just said. Why would decide to quit? The question driving everyone watching go crazy.
The students expected that the second day might surpess the fight between Yoshiro and Faizan since it was the highlight of Day one. And this fight did so.
From their memory Day one was just a showcase of abilities (this is because they only remember Faizan and Yoshiro's fight). However this one was a showcase of skill that this tournament embodies, the only difference is that no Sei was used once.
Though Preto had to say he quits right as it begins to get good.
"What do you mean?" Her brows frowned.
Looking at her exasperated expression, Preto turns away and moves towards Kaito like a rat running away.
"S-sensei sorry but I quit. His fingers tapping on each other.
Kaito sighs to himself as he is also disappointed by this outcome. But, what other choice does he have. He raises her hand, announcing Lia as the winner.
Lia let's go off Kaito's hand and clenches her own. Her heart burning furiously- she jumps down the arena walking towards the two boys.
She stands beside Kazuki and without her saying anything the two boys tell it might not be the right time to talk with her.
***
"Well, time for the next fight." The white board rolls again revealing number 10 and 32.
As it moves away the two numbers walk opposite the arena stairs. On the left is Tamia and on the right is a boy with short jet black hair and a full on ninja gear. And stand face to face with each other having a slight height difference.
The boy reaches out his hand to say, "My name is Shiru Kōshin - nice to finally speak to you Tamia."
"Huh? Why you sounding like am a celebrity or something?" Tamia ask.
"Of course you are." He smiles. "After all you are the unofficial president of class 3."
At the corner of her mouth, Tamia smirks wondering if she should feel grateful or angry at what Shiru just said. Since it can be understood in two different ways.
The first being that Shiru has noticed her hard work for the past few months. For example Tamia has been submitting the morning register for class 3 every day more than any other class in the academy, helping other students with subject they find difficult no matter which class they belong to and stays after school to clean the class she attended during the day.
Or he is just teasing her. Whatever the case, it will seem pretty rude if she does not say thank you and putting on a fake smile.
"Thank you." A smile on her face.
They both shake hands and both their grip tighten.
"Incredible. Not only do you have a strong grip, your skin is rather rough." Shiru says.
"Rough you say?" Her fake smile diminish. "I can tell by how you're gripping my hand that your the same."
"Am pleased to hear that. But what do you mean? This is just how a guys hands have to be." A grin on his face.
"It's a known fact that once a ninja is able to master the circulation of Sei, their skin becomes as thick as rock."
Shiru stares at her unconvinced to say, "I have to give credit to how well informed you are about Sei. And the fact you were able to master it in only a month."
Tamia realizing that Shiru is a master of circulation, she tightenings hard. They both move in sync, turning their hip around like a lit turning to be closed shut.
Looking on everyone can tell that Tamia and Shiru plan to pull each other to the opposite side - unfortunately they have guessed wrong, since all along Tamia suspected Shiru might do the what she's thinking.
So her plan is to the reverse by returning to her original position and land a strong punch by using the momentum of her turn.
However, Shiru does the same move as she. And the two of them end up shacking each other's brains.
"So you're the brawler type?"
He lets go off her hand and moving away a few steps with a mischievous grin on him. Tamia stands still, looking down to the ground.
For as long as she could remember, Tamia has never waivered in her feelings for Nero. He can be cruel and cold at times, even to the point like she is starring at a wall that refuses to turn around, but her feelings will never change no matter what.
However, there has always been one person who was able to make this wall tilt backwards and make it smile when she could not and this person implanted doubt in her heart that she might not one-day break that wall.
Yet by some luck that person is now gone, she can now breath again and her flame of hope she once again are lit. To make it even better, she now has something that she knows will make Nero listen to her for the first time.
But, before she can do that, Tamia understand that in order to destroy the wall to reach the person close to her. She first needs to break a few bones.
"Shiru huh?" Her smile wider than Shiru. "Thank you!"
She strides towards Shiru, an arm length away from him- about 10 cracking bones are heard like crushing finer materials into smaller pieces.
Shiru slides backwards feeling his face vibrating vigorously. He tries to close his mouth, but his jaw unfortunately hangs loose.
Every human being gets to the point where they wish to quit on a particular thing and for Shiru it's this fight his in.
And because he can not do that Tamia does not stop. She lands one more to the sides and again and again and again and again and again and again.
In this moment Shiru's blood gushers from left to right like a hose pipe flanging water.
Stopping after those intense punches- the crowd are baffled as blood drip from Shiru's mouth and nose. His eyes are super red, his cheeks bloated red, as well as his cheekbone crushed and two of his frontal tooth dance freely on his gums.
The crowd stare on horrified by the level of brutality that Tamia just showed them. Even with all that, the ones truly terrified are the two boys.
Kazuki galps, though his smile remain intact. Reiji on the other hand can not help but tremble hoping his trembling is for excitement rather than fear.
Kaito seeing the state Shiru is in rashes to his aid, grabbing him and giving him one of his colleague.
Tamia jumps down the arena confident she has passed. Standing next to Nero who just glance at her.
"I think we've been discovered." She says.
TO BE CONTINUED.
NEXT CHAPTER: PRELUDE 17