CHAPTER 16 – Traveling Club’s freshman’s orientation (Part 1)

The next day was the day I was finally going to deliver my club's applications with Kim Hajin. After hours of thinking. I decided I should drop the Boobs' Appreciation's club application form. It's for the greater good. I don't have time to lose appreciating boo… I mean. Art. Appreciating art.

After taking a shower, wearing my cadet uniform, and eating some self-made breakfast. I went to my classes. I'm really thankful that the cadet's uniform is multipurpose, and I don't have to change into some gym clothes that would show my stigma.

After all, today is anti-personnel combat training. Which means. I'll be fighting someone. Who? I don't know. I barely know like 10 cadets, just friends with one, barely interacted with another, and merely a teammate with two.

Oh, wait. There's also Crazy Girl. Damned Olivia. I hope she doesn't come to me talking about sparring or something. I would prefer to try my luck with the princess than having to spar with that girl.

{I better find someone to spar before she comes. Or well, I really hope she doesn't come to me in the first place.}

*

"Hey, who are you pairing with?"- Asked Hajin once we got to the sparing place for the anti-personnel training class.

"Who knows. I've been thinking about it. But excepting you, I barely know anyone else. Maybe one of the guys from my team. Though he probably would choose some of his friends."

"Why not with your girlfriend?"

"For the love of whatever you hold dear. She's not my girlfriend. And she's insane. Don't wanna."

"Who are you calling insane?"-Suddenly asked a wild Olivia. Where the hell does she come from? I didn't even detect her.

"You."- I said, while turning to her.

"Well. I'll be going my way. The instructor asked me to see her after getting here. See you man."-Said Hajin, almost as if dropping some smoke bomb to escape.

"Wa-wait. You traitor!! Don't leave me alone with this lunatic."-I said while extending my arm to him. But, sadly, I didn't grab him in time.

"You know. You're really offensive. Calling me crazy or lunatic all the time. I'm perfectly sane."

"No. You're not."

"Whatever. Wanna spar?"

I fucking knew it.

"No. You see. I already have a sparring partner."- I lied.

"Bullshit. You were saying that you didn't know who you would spar with right before I got here."

Bull's eye.

"…tch."

"So? Wanna spar or what?"

"No. Look for someone else. You're a sharpshooter and I'm a swordsman. You'll have a lot of disadvantages. Also. I'm faster, so it's not like you can keep your distance from me."

"…tch… It doesn't matter. I use long-ranged throwing knives. And daggers too. So I can adapt myself."

{Sorry. But no. Won't let you have it your way this time.}

"I already told you that I won't spar with you. Go ask some of your friends."

"Why? Scared?"

"Are you a kid or something? That provocation won't work on me."

"Sooooo… you are indeed scared."

"Whatever you say. Kid. Look. Didn't we agree to you not pestering me after telling you how to become faster? What are you doing here right now?"

"I'm only asking for a spar. Isn't it too much to call that pestering? You don't even have someone to spar."

"Yes, I do. And right on cue, there she is."- I said while pointing right behind her. Where Rachel was kind of lost looking all around.

"The princess? Do you even know her?"

"Right. Her. And I'm her teammate for your information."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"Well, she'll be my sparring partner too. We're pretty compatible, being both swordsmen."

"She uses a rapier; you use a longsword. How's that compatible?"

"A sword is a sword. Doesn't matter the shape. So. Leave. I'm going to train with her. See ya!"- I said, finally going to where Rachel was still looking around.

"Don't come crying after you get rejected!!!��- I hear her scream from behind me. Can't you be any noisier?

"Hey. You up to spar?"

"…"-She glances at me with a questioning look.

"I'm your teammate. Remember me? Cristopher."

"… Yes, I know you. But why would you want to spar with me?"- I can't tell her it is because I'm trying to run away.

"Well. I don't have any partner, and seeing as we're teammates, I thought that we may be able to spar this class. So, what you say?"

"…Well, sure, my partner didn't come today."

{Did she have a friend here? OH WAIT! I remember. There's always another cadet that's with her for her protection. Kind of like a secret agent. Though her not being here is weird. What a bad agent.}

"Great! Thanks!"- I thoughtlessly thanked her.

"Why're you thanking me? It's just a spar."

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry, I misspoke."

"By the way, who's that?"- She asks, pointing behind me. To a furious looking Olivia.

"Who's who?"

"That girl? The one behind you."

"Don't know who you're talking about."

"…She is glaring right at you."

"You must be seeing things. I don't know any other girl in the class."

"…"

"So. Can we start?"

"Sure. I'm not meddling with a couple's problem."

"She's not my girlfriend."- I answered almost glaring at Rachel.

"…Huh, okay. Let's start the spar. I hope you're prepared. By the way, what was your ranking again?"

{Why's everyone so damn focused on ranking?}

"915th. Why? Is it a problem?"

"No. I just want to make sure to not use too much force. We're training our techniques. Not power."

"Well. I don't know if you remember. But I have pretty good techniques."

"Ohhh right. I remember how you passed the Shielded Mantis' defense. Okay."- She said while nodding. As if finally remembering. So she indeed forgot huh…

After that. We went to a sparring area. Not before looking for Hajin, who is right now starting his fight with the instructor since there are no training guns and Cube is worried about grave injuries.

"Well then. Let's begin."-Said Rachel while coming right at me with her training rapier.

{Thrust huh? I admit it is the best choice when using a rapier. Even more with a longsword that's trickier to handle in close range. But. She should consider the speed. If I'm faster. My longsword would reach her faster than her thrust. She sure is taking confidence in her rank. Well. I need to play my part.}

I make as if I'm trying to move my sword, changing my stance halfway to an evasion, as if my speed wasn't enough to attack her faster. That leads me to a sideway step, almost "falling", to which she answers with an upward cut.

{She should learn some quick-changing techniques with her rapier. While slashing is possible, it's not as effective as a thrust with her weapon. And unless she has more physical strength than her opponent, a rapier wouldn't win against more sturdy swords.}

While I "can't" recover from my sudden evasion, I still can stumble forward, almost "falling". So I got to escape from her sword. After giving one quick front turn on the floor, I quickly stand up and turn behind so she's again in front of me. Eyeing me as if amused.

"What?"

"Well, you're better than I thought."

"You sure know how to compliment someone."

"Didn't mean anything bad with that."

"Sure. I know. Let's keep going."-I said as I go forward, taking the initiative this time, but slower than I'm able to go.

With a downward slash at max reach, I go at her. She easily evades me with a half-step to the left, and then a full step to the front, also using the maximum reach of her rapier to attack me while I'm still with my sword down. I can see a little knowing smirk on her face as if she's thinking she already won the first round. But sadly, while I don't want to gather attention. I also don't want to go down so easily.

I use the weight of my sword to lower my stance almost to a squat, and then propelling myself slightly to my front, letting go of the sword and using my hands as support to spin, kicking at her feet.

Once she saw this, she immediately jumped back, escaping my kick and getting in position to enter again with a quick-thrust while I'm almost on the floor. But, sadly for her, I'm not done, and my sword hasn't entirely fallen on the floor thanks to a slightly and unnoticed soft kick from my spin.

With that said, I spin again kicking my sword higher this time and putting it between her and me. Stopping her advance. While she stops to change her direction of attack, I stop, lifting my right arm and putting down my left foot on the floor while kicking the sword's handle with my falling right foot, leaving it pointing down while I propel myself with force using my left arm for impulse and left foot for support, springing back up and taking the sword with my right hand to finish the move with another max range spin, that alerts Rachel and makes her jump back once again.

A longsword with kinetic energy is really dangerous after all.

{Having Free Movement sure is handy for doing flashy moves.}

After finishing my last spin, I stand with my sword over my left arm right in front of me in a somewhat wide stance. Ready to act. But Rachel is still in place. Like she saw something really strange.

{Ok. Maybe I exaggerated a little bit with those flashy moves.}

"What? You coming at me or not?"

"Well… It's just…"

"What?"

"Nothing. Here I go!"- She says while jumping in once again.

"RANK 934 KIM HAJIN, GET UP!"

Or was about to, when a sudden scream from the instructor brings her, and my, attention toward another sparing pair.

"I, I can't."-Said Hajin, down on the floor, with a really tired face.

Our sparing session completely stopped, while we look at the scene unfold.

"What do you mean you can't!?"-Said the instructor, with a somewhat angry face. "Get up!" Maybe she's trying to motivate him?

"I can't continue."-Said Hajin still on the floor.

"Yes, you can!"

"My body won't move."

"It will!"

{What kind of comedy skit is this?}-I thought while chuckling and looking all of this unfold, without any more will to keep sparing with the princess.

Soon the instructor, as if losing her patience, forcefully pulled Hajin up from the floor. And left him there while returning to an attacking position.

"Put up your guard and do something!"-Said the instructor, almost threatening.

At those words, Hajin barely shot his gun, almost as if unwillingly. But the instructor quickly stopped it with her hand. Unscratched. And quickly tackled him, bringing him down. Or must I say he stumbled down?

"I give up, I give up."-Said Hajin from the floor after his last attempt failed.

{Really man. You need to grow some balls. But well, nothing you can do when you're so untrained. Told you to go spartan mode.}- I thought while sighing for my friend who's now suffering the torments of the instructor.

"You didn't move after shooting. I said do something!"- And I totally agree with her.

*CHAK*

Well. Almost. That slap was totally unnecessary.

"GET UP!"

*CHAK*

"I said. GET UP!"

"You fucker."-Said Hajin while grabbing her arm right before he received the third slap to the face. NICE MAN!!! GO AT IT!!!!

{NOT LIKE THAT!!!! HAHAHAHAHA} "Haha…"-I thought, almost laughing my ass off at what's happening right now.

Hajin is forcefully biting the instructor's hair as if he wanted to rip it off.

"Ah! What are you doing!? 934… Ak! Let go! Let go! Let go!"-Hajin starts pulling harder on her hair. {This isn't going to end well.}-I thought.

"T-This is a warning! Let go! I said, LET GO!"-Said the instructor while quickly losing her temper.

"Y-You…!"

{There she goes.}- I thought as the instructor's punch closes on to Hajin's face, knocking him down for good. {Rest in peace mate. Hope you have a better life. And thanks for the show, it was a good laugh for me. After all, one thing is reading about it, and another totally different is seeing it happening right in front of you.}-I thought while chuckling a little louder this time.

"What's so funny?"

"Mmm? What? You didn't find that funny?"

"No. It also stopped our fight."-She said, with a little anger on her face.

"Oh well, it was funny for me."

"Let's reassume our fight."

"YOU'ALL KEEP SPARING WHILE I TAKE CADET 934 TO THE INFIRMARY!"-Screamed an angry instructor after checking out her hair wasn't ripped off.

{Mmmm… Nice. Free time.}-I thought while watching the instructor leaving the sparing place with an unconscious Hajin.

"Well, that's good. I'm taking a rest."

"What? Why?"

"The instructor left."

"Yes. But she said to keep sparing."

"C'mon. I'm tired. How do you expect me to pull off some crazy moves and not be tired after?"-I lied.

"…"

"Well. See you at the next team battle. And thanks for the sparring! It was really nice to see such nice moves."- I said while going away.

"Princess want to spar with me? Now that he left, you can spar with me."-Asked Park Min-Ho, who came after seeing me leaving Rachel to herself.

{He sure is persistent trying to be close to Rachel huh. At least I'll give him that.}

Rachel is still looking at me like she really wanted to reassume our fight. Sorry. Don't intend to keep up this little spar.

{You too. Stop looking at me with angry eyes.}-I thought while trying to ignore Olivia who's glaring at me with furrowed brows. {I don't want to go to the training center today already. She'll sure have a lot of things to say… Huh… I just hope she can tire herself out at the gravity chamber today so she doesn't bother me.}

I finally sit at a bench, faking being all tired while drinking water.

"Now I'll have to wait for this to end, and then go to the infirmary to look for Hajin, we're going to deliver our applications after all."- I murmur only for myself to hear.