Chapter 7: Style Training

During the morning Akira, Sora, and Yudo are chatting with each other.

Sora: "Did you hear, there's a big announcement today at our class."

Akira: "Yeah. Apparently we're gonna start training about Styles."

Yudo: "Wait really? That's quite fast."

Sora: "Well it's already been a month since our class, so I guess it makes sense that they'll teach to us eventually. Plus we only have one year of class."

Yudo: "I guess so. My Poison Style isn't yet ready, so I'm quite worried."

Akira: "I asked my uncle on what they do during these lessons. Luckily they'll assign some people that are experts in the certain Style that you picked, so you don't have to worry about it."

Yudo: "Well that's good to know, I was scared for a second."

Sora: "Wait, wouldn't that mean Mieru will teach you Akira? Since after all, aside from your uncle, She knows a little bit of it."

Akira: "Unfortunately yes. But luckily, uncle Rengoku will teach as well, since I'm the only one who's learning Inferno Style."

Yudo: "But what about the others that can't learn it? Will they get expelled?"

Akira: "Nope. They'll stay with the rest of us, but they'll be more on the strength training."

Sora: "By the way Yudo, where's Taki? I haven't seen him today."

Yudo: "He said he'll be absent today. Said he needs to take care of something."

Akira: "I hope he feels better."

Taki shuts himself in his room wondering what he can do.

Taki: "What should I do? I failed as a leader yesterday. Yet when I saw Akira's team, they seem rather in sync. It's like they know what to do. Maybe I'll ask him tomorrow."

Back at the academy they started their Style training with them struggling due to how difficult it was. There were some certain people that decides to not use Styles, however they would often struggle due to them being unable to keep up with their strength. Akira, despite struggling to learn Inferno Style refuses to give up and continue, even if he'll have to endure Mieru's insults.

Yudo: "This is super tiring. I don't think my body can take it anymore."

Sora: "I know. But this is something we need to get used to."

Sora then looks at Akira and sees him very tired but is still continuing.

Sora: "Akira..."

When noon arrive everyone but Akira took a break with Akira continuing training with Rengoku.

Sora: "That was exhausting. My body feels like they're gonna give up."

Yudo: "Hahaha, at least your managing to master it quite fast."

Yumi: "You guys seemed to have done alot of work for your body to tire out quickly."

Sora: "Well, we are learning Styles now, so it's definitely gonna tire us out."

Yumi: "Is that so? Wait where's Akira?"

Sora: "Oh he's still training."

Yumi: "Even during breaks? Isn't that gonna take a huge toll on his body?"

Sora: "We tried to tell him to take a break but he refused, so we decided to leave him be. Besides, his uncle's teaching him so he doesn't have to worry about anything."

Yumi: "I hope he's gonna be fine."

Back with Akira, he continues his training with Rengoku and is still struggling with learning Inferno Style.

Akira: *pants* "This is... Quite... Frustrating..."

Rengoku: "Akira's been progressing well so far. But he still hasn't manage to manage to spark a single flame is his sword. Wonder what he's missing."

Akira: "Come on uncle, let's continue!"

Rengoku looks at Akira looking very exhausted to the verge of fainting.

Rengoku: "Take a rest Akira, you're taking a huge toll in your body."

Akira: "I can... Still... Keep... Going... So don't... Worry... About... M-"

Before he could finish his sentence he suddenly fainted with Rengoku grabbing him before falling on the ground.

Rengoku: "He pushed himself too far. I understand that he wants to learn it fast, but he's trying to hide his weakness to the others."

Rengoku takes him to the infirmary with his other teammates arriving as soon as they saw Rengoku carrying Akira.

Ninako: "Is he gonna be alright?"

Rengoku: "He's gonna be fine. He's just exhausted from all the training."

Sora: "He really kept going despite being tired."

Rengoku: "In some ways, he resembles me when I was young. I always tend to not show my weakness towards others, so that they won't feel deterred. It was... Selfish of me."

They decided to do the activity without Akira. Despite Akira not being with them they were able to hold themselves against Rengoku. Though like always, they failed to land a single hit on him. Akira gained consciousnesses but was feeling a little sick.

Akira: "Ugh... What happened?"

Akira tries getting up but is still weak from the training so decides to lie down. Then he looks at the clock and sees that it's 5 O'clock in the afternoon.

Akira: "Guess they must've started training without me. Wonder how they're doing without me. I shouldn't worry about them for now. I need to worry about myself. I feel hot. This was my fault since I forced myself to continue despite being tired. These past 5 years all I ever did was the basics of swordsmanship, but never about the Inferno Style. Yet despite that, I still wonder why I uncle didn't want to learn to me. Was he scared of something? Or is it because he thinks I'm not unable to do it?"

All these thoughts bothered Akira to the very core. Just then his teammates arrived to check on him.

Sora: "You're finally awake."

Ninako: "Akira!"

Hazuka: "You look like you lacked some sleep."

Yumi: "Are you alright?"

Akira: "Just a little sick, but other than that I'm fine."

Ninako: "Please don't worry us like that again."

Sora: "Yeah dude. I understand you're training super hard, but you need to limit yourself from training."

Akira: "Yeah. I'm sorry I made you guys worried."

Yumi approaches Akira with a plastic of fruits.

Yumi: "Here Akira, I gathered these from the forest. Eat them to get healthy.

Akira: "Thanks Yumi."

Hazuka: "So are you gonna take a rest tomorrow or continue training?"

Akira ponders on the question. But before he could answer Rengoku arrives.

Rengoku: "You alright kiddo?"

Akira: "I'm fine uncle. Just a little sick, that's all."

Rengoku: "That's good. If you want to continue training tomorrow I don't mind, but you should be more careful next time. You're making your friends worried."

Akira then looks at his friends looking worried about his condition. He looked down and decided to give his uncle an answer.

Akira: "I'll take a rest tomorrow. I don't wanna worry my friends more."

His friends felt relived when he said that and Rengoku gave him a nod of approval.

Rengoku: "Alright, I understand. Just be sure prepared the next day got it?"

Akira: "Got it."

Rengoku, Yumi, Hazuka, and Sora left the room to return home with Ninako staying.

Akira: "Errr, you're not going home yet?"

Ninako: "I just feel worried."

Akira: "Hey there's no need to be worries about me. I'm gonna fine, don't worry. You can go home now."

Ninako looks at Akira despite looking weak gave her a reassuring smile and left.

Akira: "I should take it easy for now. I still don't have enough stamina to use Inferno Style even if I did learn it."

Akira then takes some fruits from the plastic to eat. Back with the others they decided to walk home together with Ninako arriving as soon as she left the infirmary.

Sora: "He really needs to know when to stop."

Hazuka: "Was he always like this?"

Sora: "Most of the time. He the type of guy who's willing to push himself to his limit. Like that one time when a kids balloon was hanging from a huge tree. He kept climbing and running to the top of the tree despite the fact he knows it's difficult, but after 30 minutes he finally managed to get the balloon."

Yumi: "I just hope he doesn't push himself too hard, to the point that it might paralyze him."

Sora: "Yeah, though he does sometimes know that there are limits to what he can and can't do. But I feel like in this particular moment, he really needs to push himself even more. In a way, I can understand. He wants to prove to his uncle that he can learn Inferno Style."

Hazuka: "Does Mr. Rengoku think he can't learn Inferno Style?"

Sora: "I asked him about it earlier, but he didn't give me a clear answer. All he said to me said me was "I'm not saying he can't. It's more of  if he can control it." That's what he said to me."

Yumi: "Wonder he meant by that."

Hazuka: "I feel like what he meant by that is that he can learn it, but he's worried if whether or not he can control it's power. Like magic, he might overload it's power if he isn't careful.

Yumi: "Hmm, I see what you mean. I read about Inferno Style in the library one time and it says that it's the most difficult Style to master due to how you need perfect concentration and alot of stamina to use, so only a few individuals can master it. Even some members of the Mokoro family can't learn it due to the difficulty of mastering it."

Sora: "Like Sumire, Akira's mother."

While the three were talking about Akira, Ninako was being quiet the whole time wondering what she could do to help out Akira. Yumi notices this and approaches her.

Yumi: "You okay Ninako?"

Ninako: "Kyah!"

Ninako was startled by Yumi and got all flustered.

Ninako: "O-Oh! What is it Yumi?"

Yumi: "Are you thinking of something?"

Ninako: "N-Nothing really! I'm fine!"

Yumi: "Ninako, I know you're thinking of something. You've been silent the entire conversation."

Ninako: "..."

Ninako begins to tear up a little bit with Yumi comforting her. She begins to cry.

Ninako: "I don't know what to do. I want to help Akira, but I don't know what to do."

Yumi: "You're not the only one who doesn't know what to do. But the doesn't mean you can just give up."

Sora: "Yeah, plus just the little things like talking to him are enough. I remembered when he was all alone in his house that time, he felt a little sad. But talking with him made him feel a little better."

Ninako: "I guess I'll try that."

The next day Akira was looking at the infirmary window looking at the students practicing with Taki now joining as well.

Akira: "Guess I managed to convince him to practice now. Though, I really should've just sent him a letter to come here instead of walking everywhere to find his house. Oh well."

Back to the students Taki and Yudo are practicing their Styles.

Yudo: "Good thing that you started training now Taki."

Taki: "Well I just needed some words of encouragement from someone."

Yudo: "That's good to know."

Taki: "Anyways, let's go back to training."

Back to Akira, he's still recovering from fatigue which was now slowly gone. As hours went on his teammates including Taki and Yudo visit him.

Akira: "Yudo, Taki! Didn't expect you guys to visit."

Yudo: "Well we don't have anything to do."

Taki: "Hey Akira, thanks for yesterday. It really help me out."

Akira: "It's nothing really."

Sora: "Wait, did you go outside last night?"

Akira: "Yudo went to the infirmary that night and told me to check on Taki. I wanted to send him a letter but I doubt he was gonna come, so I decided to go to his house directly. I did have a difficult time finding his considering how vague Yudo's description of the house was."

Akira looks at Yudo with a face of disappointment.

Yudo: "It was an honest mistake!"

Yumi: "Even though you were recovering!? That's very dangerous, you know!"

Akira: "I know, but I wanted to tell him to he needs to train if he wants to get stronger. I know what I did was selfish, but you need to understand."

Yumi: "Akira..."

His teammates were looking concerned, with Ninako not making eye contact.

Akira: "You're alright Ninako?"

Ninako: "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

Akira then holds her hand for a second with everyone confused.

Akira: "You're feeling sad. Don't lie to me. Tell me what's wrong?"

Everyone was shocked about what he said as if he knew how she was feeling.

Ninako: "H-How did you-"

Akira: "We Mokoro's have this ability to sense people's emotions by holding their hands. I never really told anyone about this until now."

Sora: "That must've explained why you were able to know how I felt when we were still young. I was weirded out by why you held my hand sometimes. Now I see why."

Akira: "Yeah, sorry if that weirded you out back then."

Akira then looks at Ninako with a worried look and decides to admit how she feels.

Ninako: "As you saw right now, I'm feeling a bit sad. I don't know what to do. Seeing you like this just makes me feel sad. You're the first friend I've ever had. So seeing you in pain makes me scared, since I fear that I might lose my first friend early. I don't want that to happen."

Ninako began to cry with Yumi comforting her. Akira then gets out of his bed and hugged Ninako surprising everyone in the room.

Ninako: "Akira!?"

Akira let's go of Ninako both of them blushing hard.

Akira: "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you guys. I'll admit, I got careless yesterday. I only thought of myself because I wanted to prove to my uncle that I can learn the Inferno Style. And I guess Mieru was also the reason. She always mocked me that I can't learn it. I guess her words got to me."

Sora: "Akira..."

Ninako: "Still, you made us worry. I understand you need to learn the Inferno Style, but that doesn't mean you can't just train all on your own. Promise us you won't tire yourself again."

Akira: "Well I can't promise that, but I'll at least try to keep myself in check."

Ninako: "That's fine with me. As long as you don't get carried away, that's fine with me."

Sora: "Yeah man, we don't mind if you practice all day, but you keep an eye on your health."

They talked about other things until they realized it was already sunset.

Hazuka: "It's almost nighttime, we should go home."

Yumi: "Be safe everyone."

Everyone went home with Ninako once again staying.

Akira: "Huh, deja Vu."

Ninako: "Is it ok to stay? At least for a little bit?"

Akira: "Why not. I need a little company for a little bit til I sleep."

Ninako: "Hehe."

Akira and Ninako talked about different stuff until she decided to go home.