13 Light spar

I really tried. Over the course of 4 months, I did try. It felt as though I was swimming just below the surface of an ocean, every day getting just an inch closer to peeking my head out of the water, yet whenever I tried to do so, the cold ocean current would pull me back into the depths, making me start over.

'I'm sick of this. What do I have to do? Please, just give me something to work with' I found myself repeating this prayer in my mind day in and day out. Whenever I'd close my eyes to sleep, and whenever my hands couldn't take the exhaustion anymore. Yet my prayers went unanswered.

I looked for anything that could help me. My grandpa was simply amused by my shortcomings, yet his playful stabs at my character no longer seemed funny, they only left me more bitter than before I came asking for help.

For years now, the only thing keeping me company was the sword perpetually strapped to my side. Now though, I looked at the piece of beautifully ordained metal and wished for it to vanish into nothingness, just so I could have an excuse to stop the madness. But I couldn't stop. It was all I had. 'What am I without it? Just another person? Fuck that. I want more. I need more.'

I needed a victory, anything to get me back. So I did the only thing I could think of back then. Joining my dad's sparring practice.

"Dad, do you think I could spar with you today?" I asked after I finished my lap around the grounds.

"Are you sure you want to join? You could get seriously hurt, you know?"

"You use wooden swords right? It'll be fine."

"But still," He hesitantly replied 

"Gramps said I could" I lied

"Really?" He scratched at the back of his head. "Then I guess you're fine. If that old man said so." He let out a long sigh before clapping his hands, "All right then, you'll be taking on my newest recruit. Watanabe! Get your ass over here!"

Watanabe was a young guy who looked green both inside and out. His naive looking face was spotted with freckles and his short, jet black hair had neon green ends. He didn't look particularly strong, though he was tall and had long limbs.

"Sir, do I really have to fight this kid? He looks like he just popped out of the womb" He haughtily remarked, with all the arrogance of a pompous noble.

"Watanabe, you already got your ass kicked by one of my sons. Just pick up a sword and do as I say" He threw a look of disapproval to his cadet, before giving me a look that was practically pleading me to win.

We both took up our swords and moved to the center of the grounds, everyone else moving to the sides to give us space and get a better view.

I was planning to come here and spar lightly. I didn't mean to injure anyone. But when I heard my opponent's remarks I couldn't help but be thrilled by the sudden appearance of a stress relieving punching bag.

"Come on, come at me. I'll give you the first strike. It wouldn't be fair any other way would it?" He shouted from across the grounds.

That was the nail in the coffin.

I took him up on his offer. I overloaded all the blood vessels in my legs and dashed towards him with a speed that, based on his lack of reaction, he couldn't follow.

I stopped right in front of him, halting my momentum so as to slice his head clean off. When the man saw me seemingly teleport right in front of his eyes, his eyebrows raised and his mouth fell agape, forming an expression of both absolute bewilderment and complete horror.

I struck in the blink of an eye. The femur in his left leg, lower left ribs and his collarbone were completely shattered in one swift motion. One light kick to his solar plexus was enough to topple him over, leaving him to drown in his own pain.

The fight was over before it even began. He never stood a chance.

I stood over my opponent and looked towards my father like a gladiator waiting for the emperor's final decision. Yet I was met with no applause, no cheers and no looks of approval. I spun around and looked at the crowd standing behind me.

Some of the surrounding cadets looked at me with a mix of surprise, fear and hate. while my father had a complicated look on his face. They all shared one feature though, they all looked as though they were staring head on at a monster.

My father rushed over to where I was looming over my opponent and kneeled next to Watanabe. "What are you doing you morons, can't you see he's injured" He shouted, snapping everyone out of their stupor.

"And you." He turned his head to look up at me. "You went too far. I don't even know what to do with you." 

I stood there, as if in a trance. 'I went too far? Me? I did nothing wrong. I only put him in his place.' The wooden sword in my hand started to splinter under the force of my grip. 'He should be bowing to me, begging for my forgiveness'

Everyone eventually rushed to his side, though Watanabe wasn't looked upon favorably by his fellow cadets, their sense of camaraderie was stronger than anticipated. He was, afterall, one of them.

As quickly as the crowd formed, the crowd dispersed, leaving me alone in the center of the grounds.

For the first time in my second life, I wished grandpa was there so he could give me a scolding that would set me straight. Yet after the festival, he said he'd never again intervene with my actions. Leaving me all alone.

I was left in a state of confusion. The realization of what I had done hadn't set in yet. I stood there for a long time, not knowing what to do. Completely frozen.

Far away, the men carrying Watanabe to the physician asked almost in unison: "What was that, sir?" 

"It looked like the little devil vanished and reappeared." Another cadet added.

"Don't speak like that about my family, 50 laps to you. But you're right in thinking that. I've only seen it done a couple of times." Father responded to the initial question. "Yuki really inherited from the wrong side of the family." He muttered to himself.

"Come on dad, cut Yukiko some slack. He's only so young." Tatsuya interjected

"That's exactly the problem. Someone that young shouldn't even dream of holding such power. I'll need to have a talk with the old man."