17 Europe

During the year I realized quite an important detail, I regret ever saying mom was really helpful.

She may or may not have intentionally forgotten to mention that you have to have only one martial art to reach grandmaster class. Even Kenichi created his own Shirahama style, could I do it, yes.... Was I stupid enough for haven forgotten about it, absolutely…. Will I someday somehow, get my revenge on mom, you can count on it…...

You can reach master class with more than one martial art, as the requirement is only to master them, but grandmasters do not only have to master the martial art, they need to perfect it.

By my deductions, you also have to make it your own.

For example, both mom and Akisame, reached grandmaster through jujitsu, yes, mom has the Kushinada style, but jujitsu is jujitsu, they fight completely differently, but the underlying principles are the same.

It was so frustratingly obvious, but I was too focused on reaching grandmaster and the missions from the government to stop and think about it.

The only good news about all my stupidity is that fusing my martial arts wouldn't be so difficult.

In a sense, Renewal is already fused martial arts, I just need to combine them, and I have an idea.

Incorporate the throws from jujitsu into kicks, imagine a rotating high kick in which you do not need to hit the person, but use your foot as a hook to the neck to throw them or pull them closer.

The original Renewal had way more punches than real taekwondo, so in comes the Fūrinji style, the legendary techniques are fine on their own, there is already a kick in there, Kazoe Nukite, and I'll try to see if I can find a way to see is I can find a way to use Korui Nuki with both my feet and hands.

That's it, from know I'll stop practicing all martial arts and start integrating them into Renewal.

My styles' name will simply be Renewal, Fūrinji style is already taken.

Though this thought process took me months, I did not suddenly have an epiphany.

._._._._._._._._._.

A little over a year since I started working with the Japanese government and it appears, they lent me to the European Union.

They needed a team formed quickly and asked the Japanese government for help. Lucky me.

I was out on a plane to Germany in hours. And as much as I've learned languages, I did not think I would be visiting Europe this early in my life, I focused on Asian languages since they are closer to Japan.

English will have to do.

As soon as the plane landed, I was escorted to quite the normal looking house. When I entered, I felt everybody stop what they were doing, and start looking at me.

One of the men that escorted me to the house, said what I can only assume was my introduction.

Everybody just gave one last judgmental glance and went back to work.

I still felt two stares on me, looking around the room I saw one man and a woman looking at me, they were sited in a couch, of what may have been the living room, now, an impromptu mission center.

They flared their ki, probing me, testing me, I flared mine in response.

Their look of astonishment had become common occurrence due my age, most become masters in their twenties, I was sixteen by now.

After the astonishment finished it was time for greetings.

First was the man, tall, at least 180 cm, athletic by his looks, not muscular, early twenties, brown hair, and a serious look in his face.

"Arek Angelova." He said, nodding once, and going back to his seat. Not caring about my response.

"My turn! My turn!" said the girl, she was small, 150 cm, petite… before I could proceed with my observation. "Ilona Brunner, happy to meet ya." She extended her hand, looking exited, I respond in return.

"Azuma, a pleasure." I answer with a smile.

She was…. bubbly, jumpy and way to happy, but it seemed there was a nervousness and fear hidden in the back.

Blond, with a pixie cut, not an ounce of observable muscle in her. Late teens or really early twenties.

We keep talking, Ilona was a HEMA practitioner, Historic European Martial Arts, in short, a weapon user, if the straight medieval looking sword was not enough clue.

Arek was a Da Dao practitioner, pretty much Bulgarian MMA, a mix of Judo, Karate and Muay Thai, at least that was what Ilona explained.

She told me they had read my dossier, which was why they were, first speaking in English, and second why they flared their ki.

It seems they thought I was not up to the task and needed to make sure.

She convinced Arek to do it, it would appear Ilona was the reason we were here, she is an incredible doctor, much like her mother, that was kidnapped, and by incredible, I mean, Akisame and Kensei pretty much resuscitating Apachai, level of good, judging by what little I understood.

That explains the nervousness and fear I felt before.

As we were deep into our conversation, a man from the logistics team came for us, it was time for the briefing.

"Alright everybody here is the mission." The mission leader started. "Mitrofan Václav, an ex-grandmaster, has kidnapped Florián Brunner, Ilona's mother. I interrupted, "What do you mean ex-grandmaster?" I asked.

"Do you seriously thought we would ask two MASTERS in their twenties, and one in his teens to fight a grandmaster, and risk the life of one of the best doctors in Europe?" He said with sarcasm.

Fair enough.

"Yes, ex-grandmaster, based on our investigation, a war wound damaged most of his limbs, dropping his fighting strength to master level, but his experience in battle makes him dangerous enough, thus why we are sending three master class fighters." He finishes answering my question.

Before he can continue, I look apologetically at Ilona; she looks confused as to why. I ask, "And why is the daughter of the victim in the team? Her emotional commitment to the person involved may risk the success of the mission."

Ilona looks angrily at me, sorry, but I did look apologetically at you, that most count for something.

"Good question." The leader says, "The reason Ilona is here is mostly for your safety and her mother's, in case Florián or any of you has been wounded, she would be there to patch you up, until your arrival at a hospital." He pauses. "Any other questions?" Silence…

"Václav seems to have holed up in a small farm near Rothenburg, as he has not asked for ransom, we speculate he kidnapped Florián for her medicine prowess, hoping she could heal his injuries." Another pause.

"The kidnapping occurred one day ago, we need to move fast, our sources in the area say it seems he paid for some normal mercenaries to keep watch over the farm. It's a fast rescue operation, enter, deal with the mercenaries as you see fit, incapacitate Václav or kill him, we don't care, and rescue Florián Brunner."

This was a more formal operation that what I was used to, I don't get why the Japanese government would send me, I lack the experience for this type of situations. Need to bring my best here.

"We move in thirty!" The leader shouted.

We dispersed, Ilona went to the kitchen, her mood soured. Arek went back to the couch they were sitting on. I went to another corner to meditate.

This was starting to feel like it would be a long day.

._._._._._._._._.

Thirty minutes on the clock and the team moved out to their destination. The mood tense and filled with seriousness.

They were an hour drive away from the farm.

Slowly sunlight begins to fade.

By the time they arrive, almost a kilometer away, and darkness filling the sky, the car stopped.

They would need to walk the rest of the way. The team got into formation, Arek at the front, Ilona in the middle with her sword, and Azuma in the back.

The positions did not signify anything, it was only the more logical way for the team.

Arek engages first, if anyone gets pass him, Ilona would be next, her sword extending her reach, Azuma in the back providing support and watching their backs, in case needed.

Moving forward for some minutes they see the farm. Keeping their ki contained, only extending it enough to look for any mercenaries in the way.

Soon they start seeing some mercenaries, as obvious as it was, they were carrying firearms, while on one on one a gun posed little problem to a master class, a large group with them is another story.

Arek, in the the vanguard, starts killing any mercenary that he could, a broken neck, a palm to the temple, a broke larynx, a painful but silent way to die, as air starts to leave to the neck and chest, suffocating them, and slowly killing them.

He seemed more experienced on this type of missions than the other two. Eliminating the few he could, would make it easier when they undoubtedly get discovered, having sensed at least twenty.

Slowly but surely, they get closer to the main house.

Some meters away they stop, formulating a plan.

"I'll stay here and make sure none of the mercenaries enter the house, while you two rescue Florián." Arek says. The instant he finishes Azuma mentions, "Why? We three could enter the house, you seem more experienced than us, I could stay."

Ilona is quiet, not speaking at all.

Arek refutes Azuma, "You thinking is stupid." He says. "If all of us enter the house, we would need to take care of Václav and the mercenaries at the same time, and while the mercenaries are normal people, having guns shooting at you, in a close space, while fighting an ex-grandmaster is simply idiotic."

Not really believing Azuma's stupidity he continues, "And as you said, I have more experience, which means I can take care of the mercenaries faster, and leaving you to fight Václav two on one, uninterrupted, is the best course of action. As soon as I finish with the mercenaries I will rush to your position, helping in case you haven't dealt with Václav."

Azuma opens and closes his mouth, trying to refute him, but he can't.

His logic is sound.

While he can deal with the mercenaries, he does not have a lot of experience dealing with large groups of people, specially if they are carrying guns. Meaning he will take longer on them, possibly being late to help the others in case they needed it.

As for Ilona, she would want to be there, to see if her mother is okay.

Besides the extended reach from her sword would make the fight against Václav easier, Ilona being great for support in this case.

Without any argument against Arak, Azuma only says, "Fine. We will enter the house, look for Václav and rescue Ilona's mother."

Ilona only nods her head, approving of the plan.

"Lets start." Arek finishes. As soon as he says that Azuma and Ilona make their ki as small as possible, Arek flaring it up, as if a torch in a cave.

He rushes toward the closest group of mercenaries. Not shouting, that's just stupid, but making himself visible, while Azuma and Ilona slowly move towards the house.

Let's start, Azuma thinks for himself.

____________________________

A/N: Hope you like the chapter,

I'm still experimenting with POVs, tell me if the transition felt weird.

Okay, just did a quick clean up on the previous chapters, what the fuck was I smoking, I wrote leaved, instead of left, was I on crack?

Christ, please, if not for you, do it for me, pleaseee point any spelling mistakes, pleaseee.

Thanks

Ciao.