The next day...
Aoki had just returned to the dojo when Akiyama Keisuke stopped him.
"Aomura, we're having sparring practice tomorrow. Join us!"
"I think I'll pass."
Aoki declined.
Fighting ordinary humans was pointless. It wouldn't help him, and it wouldn't help them.
Keisuke thought he was worried about the sun. He spoke quickly. "Don't worry. The sparring is in a shady room."
Aoki looked at Keisuke's tired face, his pleading eyes. He thought for a moment. He couldn't refuse. "Okay. I'll be there."
If it wasn't for Keisuke, he might never have learned martial arts. He wouldn't have built his fighting style so fast.
Besides, Keisuke had been kind to him.
He couldn't turn down this small request.
The next day...
Many students gathered at Aoki Dojo. Friends chatted in small groups.
After a while, Mizuno Kengo walked into the training room with Keisuke. "We're having sparring practice today!"
Aoki looked up.
It was the first time he'd seen Mizuno Kengo since that first day.
He looked ten years older. His hair was white. His face was worn.
Mizuno Kengo spoke. "We'll make groups. Hanewu Takeshi and Yasui Koki, Oura Shunsuke and Kunikawa Yasuo... Aomura and Fujita Seiyu..."
Aoki heard his name. He looked at a muscular young man at the front of the training room.
Fujita Seiyu. He'd heard the name. An advanced student. One of the strongest.
Fujita Seiyu looked at Aoki.
Their eyes met.
Fujita Seiyu grinned. His eyes were hungry, aggressive.
"First sparring practice... I'm fighting someone that strong?"
Aoki sighed. He didn't really care.
Fujita Seiyu had a crowd around him. Aoki was alone.
"Aomura? He joined the dojo recently, right? Does he even know the basics?"
"Seiyu got an easy fight!"
Fujita Seiyu crossed his arms. "I'd rather fight someone good. What's the point of crushing a newbie?"
"Don't be careless. Master made the groups for a reason. He's strong, at least," someone said.
"What reason? He wants to punish him! He wears that stupid hat all the time! It annoys me, let alone Master!"
A fat young man cut through the argument.
"Come on, place your bets! How long will Fujita fight the newbie? Five minutes? Three minutes? One minute?"
People were interested.
"Three minutes! The fight will be over in three minutes!"
"Three minutes? Seiyu will finish him in one!"
Fujita Seiyu took out ten thousand yen, slapped it into the fat young man's hand. Everyone stared.
"Fujita, that's not allowed!" The fat young man shook his head, pushed the money back.
Fujita Seiyu didn't take it. "I bet thirty seconds!"
"Confident," the fat young man said, smiling. He pocketed the money.
...
Keisuke looked worried. "Master, is it too much to have Aomura fight Fujita Seiyu for his first sparring practice? Aomura doesn't have any experience."
Mizuno Kengo said, "How can you see real strength without a strong enemy? If Aomura is as good as you say, he can fight Fujita Seiyu."
Keisuke knew it was decided. He could only hope Aomura showed his true skill, gave his master a spark of hope.
The sparring matches went fast.
They weren't like tournaments, with many rounds. They were short, decisive.
"Next group: Aomura versus Fujita Seiyu!"
Aoki heard Keisuke's voice. He stood, took off his hat, walked into the ring.
Everyone looked at him. The training room buzzed.
"Huh? That's Aomura?"
"Damn! I thought he wore the hat because he was ugly! He's handsome!"
"He's okay. Not that... Hot!"
Fujita Seiyu blinked. A flicker of envy crossed his face. He grinned. "Newbie, protect your face. I like hitting faces."
"Heh," Aoki said.
Fujita Seiyu felt a surge of anger.
"Fight!"
Fujita Seiyu charged. A straight punch, like a spear, aimed at Aoki's face.
Aoki swayed, dodged the punch. He stepped forward, closing the distance.
"Aoki Style, Tempest!"
Tempest. Like a wild wind. Like a storm of rain.
Fists, elbows, legs, knees... Every part of Aoki's body became a weapon. He attacked Fujita Seiyu with a complex, brutal rhythm.
In three seconds, Aoki stepped back.
Fujita Seiyu crashed down.
The training room went silent.
"Master, Keisuke, I have to go," Aoki said. He grabbed his hat, nodded to them, left the training room.
Then, the others woke up.
Keisuke ran to Fujita Seiyu, checked him. He sighed in relief.
"He's alive."
Aoki had been terrifying. Just watching had made his skin crawl.
He'd feared Fujita Seiyu had been killed.
The training room was getting loud.
"What happened? What? I yawned. Fujita was down?"
"Damn! Damn! Damn! That was scary! I couldn't breathe!"
"What was that move? Did Aomura use Aoki Style? I've never seen it!"
"You're an idiot! It wasn't Aoki Style!"
"You're the idiot! It was Aoki Style! You're just weak!"
Mizuno Kengo's face was blank.
It was Aoki Style.
The punches, the moves, the transitions... It was all Aoki Style.
But it wasn't Aoki Style he was used to.
Aoki Style didn't have a move that brutal.
Fujita Seiyu's friends were stunned.
He'd been a harmless rabbit. Now, he was a man-eating dragon.
The fat young man's face was strange.
How long was the fight? Three seconds? Five seconds? It was under ten!
He'd made a lot of money!
But the fight... The result... It was the opposite of what he'd expected.
The fat young man thought of something else.
Fujita Seiyu had made a lot of money, too.
But did he want it? Would he be happy, or sad?
---
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