Chapter 4: What am I lacking?

Akira wonders around the school hall with nothing to do since he's the only one who stayed in school at night due to him being called upon by Mieru.

Akira: "Wonder what she's wants to talk about. I hope it's not about what happened yesterday."

Mieru arrives after a few minutes with a very angry expression on her face.

Mieru: "Akira Mokoro! Why did you let them fight in the forest yesterday!?"

Akira: "Yep I was right." Suddenly he realizes the stupid logic behind her intentions. "Wait a minute, WHY DID SHE CALL ME INSTEAD OF YUMI OR KURO!?" He thought to himself as he was dumbfounded. he calls her out on this. "Why did you call me and not either Yumi or Kuro!? Are you accusing me for something I didn't even have control on!?"

Mieru was understandably angered even more by what he said.

Mieru: "DON'T TALK TO YOUR SENSEI LIKE THAT!!! I'M ASKING A QUESTION!!!"

Akira: "Tch, this woman is really getting on my nerves. Accusing me of something I didn't even have a role in." He thought to himself still annoyed by her logic. suddenly someone's appears before them.

???: "What's going on here?"

Akira/Mieru: "Huh?"

Suddenly Rengoku arrives without them even noticing he even entered.

Akira: "Uncle Rengoku!"

Mieru: "W-what are you doing here sensei!?"

Rengoku: "I went to Akira's house and Sumire told me he hasn't come home yet, so I assumed you were still staying at the academy and it seems I was right. So what's seems to be the problem here?"

Mieru: "N-nothing..."

She says trying to avoid his wrath. but Akira was having none of it.

Akira: "Stop lying. Uncle, here's what happened."

Akira told Rengoku what happened yesterday and why Mieru called him.

Rengoku: "..."

Mieru suddenly tries to escape the scene until she's brought down to her knees due to Rengoku's suddenly angry voice.

Rengoku: "Mieru. Suwaru."

Akira was also shaken, but was still standing due to how used he was to it.

Akira: "He called her by her full name. This is gonna end badly for her." He thought to himself, was understandably terrified by this.

Rengoku: "I understand that you have a grudge that he's gonna be my successor and not you since he was never supposed to learn Inferno Style, but if you ever try to accuse him of something he didn't do, YOU'RE. ON. YOUR. OWN!"

Mieru: "Y-y-yes Rengoku s-sensei."

Rengoku: "Come on Akira, let's go."

Akira: "Right."

Akira looks at Mieru still trembling in fear and on the verge of crying.

Akira: "While she deserves it, I still a little bit bad for her."

As they walked home Akira was curious about what Rengoku meant earlier.

Akira: "Uncle, what did you mean that she was supposed to be your successor?"

Rengoku: "I never really told you about this did I? Well let's go to the park and talk about it"

As they arrive on the park Akira was on the swing while Rengoku was sitting on the bench.

Rengoku: "You see five years ago, I rescued a person from a demon attack, her name was, of course, Mieru. She immediately wanted to be trained in order to avenge her parents. She managed to learn Inferno Style after four years but it wasn't strong as I expected considering she wasn't a Mokoro, but she had potential. I was gonna make her my successor, but after you mentioned your dream, I knew that you could learn, heck maybe even faster. When I mentioned it to her, she was rather upset."

Akira: "Upset is an understatement honestly, considering how she acted to me earlier."

Rengoku sighs of sadness.

Rengoku: "I wish she could understand."

Akira: "Was her attitude always likes this?"

Rengoku look at down and feels a little disappointed in himself.

Rengoku: "Yeah. She always thinks that she's better than everyone else and when I always mention you and your sister, she would always say that she's way more better than both of you. It always bothers me to the point that I wanted to teach her a lesson, but I didn't wanna scare her so I kept to myself."

Akira: "So her first time seeing your anger was during the first day of school then?"

Rengoku: "Not really. It was a week before school started."

Rengoku proceeds to tell him happened that time.

A week before school.

Mieru: "What do you mean it's more important!?"

Rengoku: "Listen, this is something that is beyond you. If you dare come, you'll regret it."

Mieru: "I'VE BEEN TRAINING WITH YOU FOR 5 YEARS AND YOU'RE TELLING ME IT'S BEYOND ME!?!?"

Rengoku having enough of her nonsense got extremely angry with her, which immediately made Mieru fall down to her knees.

Rengoku: "Listen here kid, just because I trained you doesn't mean you can involve yourself in everything I do!"

Mieru: "I-I'm sorry sensei..."

Akira was shocked by what his unlce said and was extremely disgusted by what Mieru did.

Akira: "The fact she had the guts to talk back to him. She's crazy than I though."

Rengoku: "Akira, no matter what happens, don't let any of this make you despise her. I understand if you're like that, but please, at least give her a chance for a little bit."

Akira was rather surprised by what Rengoku suggested to him. However as he thought about it he began to realise what he meant by that. He remembered what he was told to him back then, and it was to give people a chance to make themselves better.

Akira: "I guess your right. Alright, I'll give her at least a chance, if I have the patience to deal with her nonsense of an attitude."

Rengoku: "Thanks Akira, I know it's gonna be a bit difficult for you to deal with her, but I hope you can get along someday."

Both of them arrive home a little bit with Sumire being a bit worried about Akira as always. Akira once again encounters Illya in his dream however they don't have a sword with them and with Illya just wanting to talk to her.

Illya: "Akira."

Akira: "I never really asked her about she knew my name didn't I. It's really weird. And I still haven't beaten her at least once."

Illya: "You have the potential to learn Inferno Style, so don't doubt yourself."

Akira: "She keeps saying that over and over again like a broken record. Feels like I need to actually do Inferno Style so she might actually talk to me."

Akira began to wonder how Mieru managed to learn Inferno Style and thought on how long she manage to learn it and got very worried.

Akira: "Uncle mentioned she learned after 5 years. I've been training with with my uncle and sister when I was 10 years old so I trained with them for 6 years. What am I missing then? Seems I'm lacking something. Argh, I can't seem to find the answer!"

Illya: "You need to believe in yourself. Don't doubt yourself every time."

Akira: "H-huh? What does she mean don't doubt myself?"

But before he can think of it he suddenly wakes up.

Akira: "Wonder what she meant by stop doubting myself. No time dwelling on it for now."

Akira once again spaces out when arriving to the academy due to him wondering what she meant by what she said.

Ninako: "Akira?"

Akira: "..."

Ninako: "Akira, are you there?"

Ninako pokes Akira's cheek with Akira noticing it after a few seconds.

Akira: "H-huh!? Oh it's just you Ninako, what's up?"

Ninako: "You're spacing Akira. I'm very worried you know. Is something bothering you?"

Akira: "O-oh, don't worry I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about."

Akira suddenly dashes to the Blade Class Training Ground with Ninako being a bit stunned by what happened.

Ninako: "Something is definitely wrong with him, but what is he worried about?"

Ninako then sees Rengoku and immediately runs into him.

Ninako: "Mr. Rengoku! I need to ask you something!"

Rengoku: "Hmm? What is it Ninako?"

Ninako: "Did something happen to Akira?"

Rengoku: "What do you mean by that?"

Back at Akira's class, he can't focus during the whole training so he decided to sit down for a while before someone approaches him.

???: "You're Akira Mokoro right?"

Akira: "Um, yep that's me. Err, who are you?"

Taki: "Oh right, my name is Taki Mizuru, and I apologize for what my teammate did that time."

Akira: "That time? Oh, you mean what happened between Yumi and Kuro?"

Taki: "Yes, I'm sorry for what he did to your teammate, I hope you can forgive him."

Akira: "Erm, I'll think about it. But why are you the one apologizing?"

Taki: "As the leader of our squad, I have to take responsibility for what he did."

Akira: "Is that so."

Taki: "Honestly as a nobility, he should've shown more discipline. And as nobility myself, it's disrespectful!"

Akira was quite by his attitude, as he always thought that nobilities are always arrogant and harsh. Although it's more on the fact that he always sees of them acting like that when he was a child.

Akira: "I didn't expect you to be nobility as well, with you're kindness and all. Erm, sorry if I kinda offended you."

Taki: "I understand. Honestly people like him makes nobility look like assholes. He needs to remember that his family wasn't all that rich back then."

Taki sighs in disappointment due to how he felt he failed as a leader with Akira comforting him.

Akira: "Hey, come on now, no need to be disappointed in yourself. Things tends to start roughly, but as time goes on it will get better eventually.

Taki: "Thanks Akira."

Yudo: "Taki, can you help me out?"

Taki: "I'll be there in a second. Sorry Akira, gonna help out one of my teammates, let's talk tomorrow."

Akira: "I'd appreciate it."

During Group Activities Akira felt out of place due to how he's was lacking cooperation with his teammates today with Rengoku being a bit worried.

Rengoku: "Seems you guys were lacking cooperation today, hope it won't be like that next week, got it?"

Akira's squad: "Yes sensei!"

Akira immediately walks to the park with a very worried look on his face.

Akira: "I really screwed up today did I? I was so focused on what Illya was saying that I forgot about everything today. Argh, this is stressing me out!" He then leaves the forest with tears in his eyes. Ninako, worried for him, chases after him.

Ninako arrives at park looking for Akira very worried about what happened to him. She then sees Akira crying alone.

Ninako: "Akira! A-are you okay there?"

Akira sees Ninako and immediately wipes the tears in his eyes.

Ninako: "Akira..."

Akira: "I'm fine really..."

Ninako: "Please, stop lying..."

Akira notices that Ninako is on the verge of crying. Akira felt very bad and comforts her.

Ninako: "Akira, don't lie to me. I know we've only known each other for 5 days, but it hurts me and the others seeing you sad like this."

Akira: "Sorry for making you worried. I'm just trying figure out what I was lacking in me."

Ninako: "What do you mean?"

Akira explains what he meant by that.

Ninako: "I see. You know looking back, I always notice that you rarely try to initiate an attack on Rengoku and let Sora go first. Is it because you feel like you can't beat him?"

Akira: "I-..." He hesitates to answer her question. But then admits to it. "Yeah..."

Ninako: "Akira..."

Rengoku then arrives at the park.

Rengoku: "You alright, Akira?"

Akira: "Uncle... I'm... Not..."

Rengoku: "Ninako noticed you were worried about something this morning. I figured it was about what I said yesterday. Akira, you can be better than her. You have your friends to support you." I didn't tell you this during the story, but despite Mieru Inferno Style, she never really mastered it. In fact the flame effects of her sword are barely noticeable. That's because she didn't improve it. She just learned Inferno Style and never done anything about it. You can do better than that. Sure it will take a while, but don't forget you have me and your friends with you to help you out."

Ninako: "He's right Akira, I know you've been struggling these 5 days trying to best your uncle but don't just do it on your own, you have us Akira. We're here for you."

Ninako hugs Akira with him hugging back tightly and crying.