HBWnovel Chapter 64: NO. 64 - I Promise
Chapter 64: NO. 64 - I Promise
Chapter 64: NO. 64 - I Promise
"I apologize. I didn't intend for there to be an audience." Yuu said as we turned to a rather big crowd standing off to the side of the extensive training room Yuu had booked.
[+5 SP]
Himiko and our odd little group stood beside the crowd composed of the popular kids and some other first-year Gen Ed students. Noticing my stare, Himiko waved with a small smile while the rest of our group cheered me on. Off beside us, Cementoss stood watching over us with a patient expression as our overseer.
"Go, Shimizu-san! Kick that pretty boy's ass!" Toshio yelled with an indignant expression as Kohaku glared at him.
"As if Tajima-kun would lose." Kohaku huffed as she flipped her orange hair back. Her eyes then glanced over to me quickly with a conflicted light.
"It's whatever." I shrugged and adjusted my gym uniform. Looking around the training mat below us, I eyed Yuu with a bored look. "So, what's this about again?"
[+5 SP]
"Ah. Of course." Yuu nodded and began to stretch. "Throughout our limited practical combat classes, you and I have yet to be assigned to the same group. However, I've kept a close eye on you throughout your own matches. Despite your Quirklessness status, you've somehow been able to win your matches through sheer skill, strength, and speed alone. For this to be possible, you must hold mastery over several martial arts despite your young age... I want to see how my own physical skills compare to your own."
"I see," I said, getting the gist of what he's getting at. "What do you gain out of this? If you use your Quirk, I doubt I could keep up for long. There's no real benefit from fighting a Quirkless person."
Shaking his head, Yuu stared into my eyes with a calm, calculating look. "No, I do stand at attaining something from a pure hand-to-hand fight with you. That is getting one step closer to my goal of attaining true strength." Slowly, he slid his body into a perfect Aikido stance. "Please allow me to see where my skills stand up to yours, Shimizu-san."
Huh. He's not like how I expected. I guess I have to rethink my biases.
"...I guess that's fine. I got some free time." I nodded and slid into my own Wing Chun stance. "Show me what you got."
[+5 SP]
Hearing my agreement, Yuu smiled slightly and began to close the distance between us. Seeing us both ready, Cementoss stepped forward and held a hand up before bringing it down.
"Begin!"
Yuu darted forward, light on his feet, feinting with a quick jab before twisting into a roundhouse kick. With little effort, I stepped back, the air whooshing as the kick passed inches from my face. Without pause, I countered with a thunderous straight punch, aiming for Yuu's chest.
Yuu twisted his body, deflecting the blow with a forearm block, but the sheer force of my attack sent him sliding back a foot with a look of surprise.
"Oh?" I muttered, seeing my opponent's reaction speed and skill. "Not bad."
With curiosity welling within me, I charged. My fists flew like sledgehammers toward my grey-haired classmate. Face twisting in exertion, Yuu ducked and weaved under one of my haymakers before he tried to drive an elbow into my ribs.
The popular crowd behind us roared as the strike landed with a dull thud. However, the crowd quickly grew silent as they saw my palm holding Yuu's elbow before it could touch my torso. Seeing this, Himiko and my oddball group all cheered.
[+8 SP]
"You're fast," Yuu said with an impressed look as he tried to force me back but failed to move me even half a centimeter. "And strong."
"How observant."
Grabbing Yuu's arm with lightning speed, I yanked him forward and smashed a brutal knee into his midsection. Yuu gasped, the air driven from his lungs. Letting him go, I watched as he grunted in pain, but he quickly leaped back. As he regained his footing, he spun into a back fist. I watched his attack fly harmlessly past my jaw as I leaned back slightly.
Kids good. Very good... for a brat.
"Not bad," I said with a grin. "But you're gonna have to hit me eventually to win."
[+5 SP]
Yuu responded with a flurry of strikes: a jab to my throat; I blocked aside. A spinning elbow, I parried away. A low sweep, I leaped away.
Moving in, Yuu blocked my jab but failed to avoid my hook punch into his ribs. Yuu grunted, but he ignored his pain to bring his foot down like a hammer onto my knee. With a swing of my arm, I smacked him over his ear and threw his strike off target.
Deciding it was time to end this spar, I dashed in and unleashed a volley of attacks. Panicking, Yuu sidestepped, barely dodging the blows. His face was tight and fatigued as he tried his best to avoid my attacks, but more and more punches and kicks landed.
"You're pretty good," I said, landing a jab into his face. "But you're slowing down."
Hearing this, Yuu finally lost his cool and charged, his movements heavy now. I ducked low, slipping under a wild swing, and drove a fist into the side of his knee. The pink-eyed pretty boy bellowed in pain, his leg buckling.
I seized the opportunity and spun into a flying knee that connected squarely with his jaw. But I was careful to hold back so I wouldn't break it. His eyes went blank for a second before he collapsed onto the ground.
"Enough!" Cementoss called out as he moved between us. "This spar is over!"
I nodded at the teacher and walked over to a panting and injured Yuu. "You're a pretty decent fighter, Yuu."
[+5 SP]
"...that's all you have to say?" Yuu panted before a small smile erupted on his usually calm and stoic expression. "You're a monster, Shimizu-san."
"Why, thank you."
x x x
[General POV]
Now out of my gym uniform and back in my school uniform, Himiko and I were walking out of the school's main gates in a comfortable silence.
"You can't imagine all the people that were in disbelief that you beat that pretty boy," Himiko said as she held onto my blazer as we traveled down the stairs. "Still, their expressions were pretty hilarious, which reminds me. Why'd he want to fight you anyway? Is this another form of bullying I don't know about?"
"No, nothing like that." I shook my head as I looked back at her. "He just wanted to see where he stood when it came to martial arts."
"Ooh! It's like that anime Eri-chan and I are watching! So he's like your fated rival or something, right?!"
"I'm not sure if I'd call him my rival. Maybe a decent warm-up to the warm-up."
[+10 SP]
Just before we could leave the school's premises, a loud and cheerful voice called out behind me.
"Shimizu-kun! Shimizu-kun! I finally found you!" Running towards us was none other than a beaming Hado Nejire. Walking behind her in amusement were two other individuals, one of which was Amajiki Tamaki, who I'd already met. The other, however, was a tall, muscled blond with small eyes and a large, happy smile on his face.
It's Tintin... I mean Togata Mirio.
Jumping in front of Himiko and me, Nejire smiled widely at me as she got into my personal space. "I've been looking everywhere for you, Shimizu-kun! I tried looking through each first-year class, but I never could find you!" Turning to Himiko, Nejire somehow smiled wider. "Oh! Who's this?"
With a raised eyebrow, Himiko turned to me with confusion over our overly excited upperclassmen. "This is Toga Himiko. A friend of mine." I said before motioning to Nejire. "Himiko, this is Hado Nejire. Our Senpai."
[+25 SP]
While she still wasn't entirely sure what was going on, Himiko smiled at our periwinkle Senpai and gave her a slight bow. "It's nice to meet you, Hado-senpai!" She said before wedging herself between Nejire and me. Apparently, Himiko didn't like how close our rather pretty Senpai was getting to me.
"It's nice to meet you too, Toga-chan!" As if suddenly remembering her two friends, Nejire waved over at Tamaki and Mirio. "These two are my good friends! Amajiki Tamaki and Togata Mirio! Say hello to your Kohais, you two!"
"Togata Mirio! It's nice to meet you two!" Mirio smiled brightly as he waved at us. "And also, welcome to UA!"
"...Amajiki Tamaki... Hello." Tamaki said with his head down. Looking up, he flinched when he noticed my stare and returned to staring at the floor.
"It's nice to meet you two. Please take care of us." Himiko said with a small respectful vow while I simply gave them a nod.
"Sup."
[+25 SP]
[+30 SP]
[+25 SP]
Mirio laughed at my greeting and walked closer to me with a hand under his chin. He hummed as he looked me up and down. "Hado-san was right. You do have this negative feeling about you! How interesting!" He said with a laugh before patting me on the shoulder as if we were longtime friends. "I'm sure you must get stopped by the police a lot because of it! Just kidding!"
"...actually, I do," I muttered in annoyance as I recalled the several times patrolling officers stopped to talk to me whenever I was out in the city.
"...for real?" Mirio said.
"For real, real."
[+20 SP]
[+20 SP]
[+20 SP]
"Oh! I have a great idea!" Nejire said with a cute hop, causing her rather ample chest to move. I watched them bounce around before quickly looking off to a far-off tree as I felt Himiko's stare fall on me. "As your Senpais, we'll treat you two to some ice cream! What do you all think?"
"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Mirio said with a smile as Tamaki sighed before nodding. "Works for me." The shy boy said.
I'd rather go home, but I'm not gonna pass this chance at making points up.
"Sure, that sounds good," I said with a nod before turning to Himiko. "What do you think?"
"That sounds fun! Count me in!" Himiko said with an excited smile before grabbing onto my right arm. She then turned to Nejire and her smile somehow grew wider. "Thank you for inviting us!"
"Of course! Now let's go! I know this great spot a few minutes from here." Nejire said, oblivious to Himiko's unsaid message as she walked in front of us. Turning to my clingy blonde friend, Nejire began asking several questions as we walked to the ice cream shop.
"Wow! You have sharp teeth and cat-like eyes! Does your Quirk have something to do with cats?" Nejire said before her eyes grew wide as she gasped loudly. Jumping in front of me, she leaned into my personal space again and stared into my eyes. "I can't believe I forgot to ask you, Shimizu-kun! But, what's your Quirk?"
Scratching the back of my head, I gave her, Mirio, and Tamaki a grin. "Ah, I'm actually Quirkless."
[+55 SP]
[+55 SP]
[+75 SP]
"...eh?"