Chapter 13: Sparing

Recap: haruki and hori are sparing for the first time!

Haruki: alright!! Bring it on!!!!!

Hori: I'm putting everything I've got into this final attack!!!

*Dragon Ball reference*

Haruki: haha,I think that's enough goofing around.

Haruki: let's get SERIOUS.

Hori: yes sir!

Hori:(I'm so glad haruki san is safe)

Hori:(I was very worried)

Narrator: so we're finally training?

Hori:(good morning narrator!tsk tsk tsk, you woke up even later today!)

Narrator: you fucking idiot! I don't sleep!! You only hear me when I say something!! you can't talk to me on your own first!! so you won't hear from me until I start the conversation!!!!

Hori: (someone's cranky, did you wake up on the wrong side of bed?)

Hori said teasingly.

Narrator:&@°™&#&#&#&$()"!"¢©€®!!!!!!!!!!!

Haruki brought out a robber mask that had two googly eyes on them.

Hori:.... what is that haruki san.

Haruki: it's a special mask that costs millions of yen, it's so rare and unique that I had to book it 3 years back!

*he's lying,he stole it about a year ago*

Hori:.....it smells like fire.

Haruki: fire?uhhhh I ain't smelling nothing.

Hori:it smells like strong fire.

Hori repeated her words with a strange look.

Haruki:.... your being weird, I'mma just cut to the chase.

Haruki: the mask has a special "ability"

Haruki:it hides your presence once worn.

Hori: really?! That sounds so cool!!

Hori said with excitement like a kid.

Haruki: yh I use it when killing peopl-i mean, "bad people"

Hori: killing is wrong haruki san!

Haruki: well you eat 3 times a day sooo shut the fuck up.

Haruki wore the mask.

Haruki: what do you think?

He asked hori proudly.

Hori:....*pfft*

Hori: hahahahahaha!!!!!

Hori burst into laughter!

Hori: you look so stupid haruki san!!!

She teased while still laughing.

Haruki: hey that's not nice!

Hori:haha oh,my apologies!

She said while trying to control her laughter.

Hori: you looked so funny that I broke out of character.

Hori joked while cleaning her tears.

To imagine what haruki looked like while wearing the mask, just think of a bank robber mask but with googly eyes instead of Holes where the eyes are meant to see through.

since the beads in the eyes aren't fixed, they might end up looking at opposite directions.... making whoever's wearing it look.... stupid.

Hori: I promise to take this seriously.

Hori forced the words with a serious face while trying to hold back her laughter.

They both took their fighting stance.

Haruki: okay, the point of this training is to improve your detection skills.

Haruki: having high attack power is nice and all but if you can't sense a strong attack you might actually die if you don't block.

Haruki: kinda like how I knocked you out when we first met.

Hori:oh I remember that haruki san!

Hori: we've really gotten close since then, and I'm proud to call you my friend!

Haruki's fist was at the back of hori's head.

Hori:....huh?

Haruki: I've been standing here for about 3 seconds now.

Haruki:I literally just walked.

Haruki: so that's,boom, your dead.

Haruki said imitating a one inch punch (he didn't actually punch off her head)

Haruki:boom, your dead again, boom your dead AGAIN!

Haruki: and your still not doing anything hori!

Hori:oh I'm sorry!

Hori quickly turned and tried grappling haruki.

Meanwhile haruki was already at her back AGAIN!

Haruki: that's the thing, you think too much when fighting.

Haruki:I have a secret when I work.

Haruki: for eliminating opponents quickly.

Haruki: just kill this mother fucker

Haruki: once I tell myself that, my body practically moves on its own, thinking of the fastest way of killing that mother fucker.

Haruki: in your case, knocking them out, the only thing you should be thinking of during a fight, IS THE FIGHT!

Haruki: understood?!

Hori:.... yes, I'm sorry for disappointing you.

Hori answered facing her side.

Haruki:(is she... angry? maybe I was too harsh)

Haruki: don't be sorry,I told you the mask is special, it means no normal person can sense me when it's worn.

Haruki:I guess I just expected too much since you've gotten 3 dark frames!!

Haruki removes the mask.

Haruki: I'll just try attacking you normally.

Hori: okay!

Haruki: here i cum!

Haruki began running towards hori.

Hori:(I shouldn't punch!I should just grab and pin him down!)

Narrator: heyyyyyyyyyoooo!!

Hori:(stop distracting me!!)

*Slide* haruki maneuvers his way through hori's legs and appeared at her back AGAIN!

Haruki: just because you can now see and sense me doesn't mean you can legit stop me.

Haruki: so if I had a weapon, your head woulda been rolling right now.

Haruki: your meant to stop your opponent from an attack even if he's easily visible!

Haruki: NEVER underestimate you hear me?!

Hori: it's all narrators fault! I'll do better haruki san!

Haruki: okay, we'll try again, but this time I'll actually hit you if I get contact with your blind spot.

Hori:gulp!

Haruki:(did she just say gulp?)

Narrator:I know right?!?!!

*Referring to chapter 3*

Haruki: okay here I come!

Haruki:try grappling and pinning me down!

Hori:(okay,I can do this! narrator shut up this time!)

Narrator: okay

Haruki begins running towards hori again!

Hori:(hear he comes!)

Hori leaned in and grabbed his shirt around his waist tightly!

Hori:(I did it!)

*Dark frame*

Haruki quickly forces his body to rotate around hori, using his legs to hook around her neck whilst facing her stomach.

His hand was perfectly set in front of her stomach,ready for a ONE-INCH-PUNCH.

Haruki: I'm going to punch you now.

Hori: ah wai-

*Spdushhhhh!*Haruki's fists sunk into hori's gut, forcing her into the air.

Her stomach quickly got hot as her eyes widened from pain.

Such strength needed an explanation!

Hori:(....oh....I forgot)

Hori remembered whilst in the air.

Blood dripping from her mouth and her consciousness slowly fading.

Hori:(haruki san....is a sin)

She passes out.

Hori:*gasp!*

She quickly woke up in a jolt!

Haruki:oh your awake!

Hori:.... haruki san?

Her head was rested on Haruki's lap as he gently stroke her hair.

Haruki: guess we're even now.

He said teasingly, haruki was referring to when hori scattered his head and also gave him a lap pillow.

Hori: *giggle*

Hori:....this is quite embarrassing, haruki san.

Haruki:...nah...

Hori: how long was I

unconscious?

It was already evening, and they started training in the morning.

Haruki: about 7 hours....

Hori:oh... that's long....

Haruki:*sniff* I'm so sorry...

Haruki was crying.

Haruki:I thought I killed you! you lost so much blood!!

Hori:oh please don't cry haruki san!

Hori: I'm alright! it doesn't hurt anymore!!

Haruki was cleaning his tears, but still crying.

Haruki: it's probably because it's been a while since I've fought someone without going for the kill.

Haruki:I was so scared!I thought you died!!

Hori hugged haruki tightly and struck his head.

Hori: thank you for crying for me haruki san, you must have been so worried.

Hori: but I'm alright!

Hori got up in tip-top shape!

Hori:I told you I have fast metabolism, so I heal fast too!!

Haruki:...is that so?*sniff*

Haruki was calming down as he rubbed his eyes.

Hori:yes! now let us continue the training!!

Haruki: no way hori! I'm not going to hit you again! your not a sin.like me so you can't regenerate! I might actually kill you!!

Haruki yelled in protest.

For some reason,he genuinely cared for hori, compared to his other "friends" haruki has actually remembered hori's name for 3 days now! that's a broken record to him!!

Hori:I appreciate your concern, but it's alright haruki san!

Hori: please continue training me!!

Haruki:NO, I'm not going to kill you,i told you already,I only kill "bad" People!

Haruki: and you are the SWEETEST person I've ever met in my entire life!

Haruki remembered all the caring moments he has witnessed from hori, from looking for his corpse after the arson incident,to helping that pregnant woman at the store.

Haruki: so over my dead body will i EVER hurt you again!

Hori was in shock.her heart racing from such powerful words from haruki. Almost as if it was a confession of love.

Hori:.....*blush*

Her face was red, she covered her mouth with one hand and held her chest tightly with the other hand. Her heart racing at Mach speeds!

Haruki: infact I think we should just withdraw from the Sabbath exams!

Haruki: it's way too dangerous!!

Hori: but-

Haruki:no!

He cut her off! Brother,let the girl speak!

Haruki: I'm sure we can find another way to get info about contracts!

Haruki : besides, civilians have no clues what the Sabbath exams are like!it could be hella dangerous! or just straight up messed up!

Haruki:who knows what those sick fucks are into!!

Hori stood there in silence while haruki was still spouting out reasons to withdraw from the Sabbath exams.

Hori:(... it's just like that time....)

She was referring to when her father disowned her, from such a ONE SIDED ARGUMENT.

Hori: haruki!

She called his name with no formalities!!!

Haruki immediately kept quiet because of the shock!!he never would have expected hori to ever stop using honorifics!

Hori: please,LET ME SPEAK!

Her words cut deep, polite yet strong! commanding entire armies to stop! this girl has something to say!!!

Haruki kept shut after seeing hori stare DIRECTLY into his eyes.

She reached for Haruki's hands and held them tightly.

Hori: it's okay.

Her voice, so soft and soothing,came out from a natural smile on her face, making her tomboyish appearance look ever so lovely and feminine.

Hori: it happened only once.

Haruki: but what if-

Hori: haruki!

She said it again without honorifics!!

Haruki's heart was simply racing at this point!

Hori:I swear on my life,I promise not to die!

Hori:I WILL PASS THE SABBATH EXAMS AND MAKE YOU PROUD!

Not a declaration of love, but of genuine trust!

Hori was still staring deep into Haruki's eyes, conveying her message with looks alone!

Haruki:....(Those eyes... so... brave)

Haruki:....(I'm an assassin so I should know....)

Haruki:(I SMELL NO FEAR)

what haruki reasoned was the truth! this girl has set her goal, and will stop at nothing to achieve it!

They stood there for a while.

Hori:.....*blush*

Hori: I'm so sorry for suddenly grabbing your hands!!

Haruki:....Huh?

Hori: kyahhhhh!! and I was staring directly at your face!!!

Hori's face was red.

Hori: your beautiful, BEAUTIFUL

face!!!

She squealed whilst covering her face from embarrassment.

Hori:I even said your first name so casually!!!

She admitted all the embarrassing things that were going on in her head.

Hori:*ehem!*

She cleared her throat and returned to the topic.

Hori:my point is,I will pass the exams, haruki san.

She returned to using honorifics.

Haruki:...*sigh*

He let out a chuckle-like sigh and stretched out his hand in a fist bump.

Haruki: how about we make a promise!

Haruki:we both pass the SABBATH EXAMS alive and safe!

Hori:... UNDERSTOOD!!

Hori bumped her fist sealing the promise!

Narrator:Well let's see what'll happen next!!