The Crisis World XX

Chap. 74: Test Tanding With Mei-senpai

The morning at Haiiro Cafe when the Cafe had not yet opened, Oita-san went inside and found that Yuuki-san was arranging the cups on the hanging shelf. He who was aware of Oita-san's presence then called out to her.

"Oita-san?"

"Want to open a new cafe? Can you make me a cup of coffee, please?" said Oita-san who went straight in and sat in one of the customer seats.

"Good."

Oita-san then takes out her smartphone and checks if there are any important messages or not. And not for long, Yuuki-san came over while carrying a cup of hot coffee.

"thank you. Oh yeah, you said Herlin was waiting for me? I'm coming to the orphanage this afternoon."

"If it were …."

Oita-san who wants to sip her coffee then stops because of the hanging words from Yuuki-san.

"What's wrong?"

"She said that she didn't want to be disturbed for a while."

"Don't want to be disturbed?"

**

Meanwhile on the back hill, there will be a duel between Herlin and Mei-senpai.

"You're testing it with me?"

"Eh? No. .., I just practiced earlier—"

"Hoo! Also maybe! It will be a good exercise for you, Herlin," Tetsu interrupted Herlin's conversation.

"That's it, right?!"

"Yes, that's right!"

The first day of practice he initially thought would be safe and peaceful. But suddenly came someone he did not expect, Mei-senpai who had wanted to pull him home because she did not know that the wound on her body had been healed by Cecilia.

But after knowing the truth, now Mei-senpai instead invites Herlin to duel with him while testing how the development of Herlin sword technique. He has just learned it starting today.

But Herlin could not do anything, Tetsu who was originally his teacher now even excited himself because he was interested in the duel that the two of them would do in a moment.

With resignation, Herlin also walked a distance to prepare for a duel with Mei-senpai. So is Mei-senpai who has done a small warm-up.

"Are you ready, Herlin?"

"Why is Senpai so excited? I just learned it today, you know."

"Eager? Of course I'm excited! You've always exhausted me in every exercise, this time I'll repay you earnestly."

"So Senpai wants revenge, huh?" asked Herlin flatly.

It seemed like Senpai's true purpose was to get Herlin to duel. He so had thought that if he started training later, Herlin would reduce the portion of his training. Because the exercises he gave might be too strenuous and exhausting.

But it could not release him from the duel this time around. Herlin then put up the horses he had just learned before. His right foot was one step in front of his left foot and grasping the sword with both hands.

While Senpai did not take Herlin too seriously and just skipped around a little to relax his muscles.

Tetsu then stood in the middle of the two of them and acted as the referee. He raised one of his hands high and prepared to start his duel.

"Prepare …!"

"… Start!"

The moment Tetsu dropped his hand, the gust of strong wind along with Mei-senpai's disappearance from his previous footing quickly made Michi-chan who saw him widen her eyes in shock.

"Senpai .. so fast!"

While Herlin who already knew that Senpai had made a move, still did not do anything. His eyes which he normally flowed with aura, this time he did not flow and his vision was on par with that of an ordinary human. It made him unable to keep up with Mei-senpai's movements that quickly shot towards him.

Too soon, thought Herlin. And as a plus, Herlin's reflexes weren't so good that he was actually an easy target for Mei-senpai.

Mei-senpai came in front of Herlin just like that and stopped when it was about a meter in front of Herlin. Without a pause, Mei-senpai directly hit right towards Herlin's face.

But the punch did not arrive and still left a few inches from Herlin's face. Herlin who was already preparing for the attack was a little surprised that Senpai's punch didn't reach him. He had thought that it was just a bluff from Senpai.

Swuush…

But Herlin's conjecture was instantly lost, as a few seconds later a strong gust of wind was created right in front of his face which made him close his eyes and his horses slightly wobbly.

But it did not last long, Herlin immediately checked the whereabouts of Mei-senpai again who was in front of him. His guess was correct, Mei-senpai had already disappeared from before him.

Herlin looked for Senpai to his right and left. And he instantly realized his whereabouts when a shout sounded by him.

"Above you, Herlin-chan!"

Herlin looked up and found that Senpai was flying by manipulating the wind under his feet.

Senpai then raised his legs high and kicked him down vertically in the air which created a gust of strong and sharp wind towards Herlin.

This time Herlin took a different action. He jumped backwards and as much as possible avoided the wind. Because Tetsu warned him to use defensive and attack strategies. Avoidance is one way to survive.

Mei-senpai who was confused because Herlin did not attack her then began to ask.

"Nee, Herlin-chan .. Why don't you attack me?"

"Does that need to be clarified?"

"Why indeed?"

"I am currently an ordinary human holding a sword. While Senpai was an Exception who could fly, of course I chose to stay. After all, didn't Senpai unleash Senpai's best strength against me right now, proving that Senpai is weak?"

Jamb…

An imaginary arrow suddenly pierced Senpai's chest as a result of the words from Herlin. Though Herlin was depressed by Mei-senpai, but instead he was hit first—although mentally.

"The words that come out of your mouth are the best."

Cecilia could not hide her curiosity when she heard Herlin provoke someone's anger, it was fitting that Iraya was often upset with her words. But it seems like it has made Mei-senpai angry. Cecilia and Herlin who felt that the aura belonging to Mei-senpai came out even more.

"Tu-Wait .. Mei-senpai, I'm just kidding."

"Herlin-chan .., I will teach you how to speak to older people correctly."

"Senpai .., I'm just an ordinary person right now. If you attack me with that much aura I'll—"

Although Herlin had already begged to ask for leniency. But it seems that Mei-senpai is already really upset with Herlin. So whatever Herlin was saying right now had no effect on him.

"Well .. you seem to be in danger" said Cecilia in a joking tone of concern.

"Don't just talk and quickly help me. I could be hurt worse than I was yesterday."

"Some of you seem to have gone too far earlier."

"I'll apologize to her later, but now help me first."

Zwuush…

Wind gusts around Mei-senpai are getting louder and irregular like a typhoon. He didn't seem to be holding back at all at the moment.

"Se-Senpai .. I think it's been too much."

Mei-senpai's anger at being underestimated has really reached its peak. Moreover, he had to endure it every day during training. This was his greatest chance to avenge Herlin.

"You didn't even put up your horses huh, Herlin-chan? All right, I'll attack you earnestly."

"Wait, Mei-senpai?!"

He then pointed his hand towards Herlin who was below him. The wind that was blowing fast earlier now became rhythmic and shot towards Herlin. Herlin who was already unable to dodge it anymore due to his attack area covering the entire place they were dueling ended up only being able to protect his head by using Tetsu's sword.

Zwuusshh…

"May-senpai! Mei-senpai was already overkill!"

"Eh?"

Michi-chan's shout instantly resuscitated Senpai who had been consumed by his own anger. He then realized the attack he had just given and looked down.

Dust from the ground destroyed by his attack covered the area making him unable to see Herlin.

"I-I'm over!"

Swuush…

Mei-senpai flew the dust so that she could see Herlin's current state. Mei-senpai thought that she should apologize because what she did was too late.

After the surrounding dust was gone, he finally found Herlin. But he was surprised because Herlin was still standing healthy and not injured at all. Even the ground around the area within a distance of one meter was not affected by the Mei-senpai attack.

Zii…

"Geez, I'm finally using the last way" said Herlin.

"Herlin-chan?! Are you okay?!"

Mei-senpai directly descended from above and approached Herlin. He then removed the round-shaped aura that protected him.

"I'm fine. But that was really close."

Realizing her mistake earlier, Mei-senpai directly lowered her head ninety degrees and apologized to Herlin. Although he was angry but still the thing he did was outrageous.

"I'm sorry! What I've done has really gone too far!"

Seeing Senpai who had apologized so earnestly like that, made Herlin feel bad to scold her. He also could not blame her because what made him lose control like that was him himself.

"I should also apologize. It seems like Senpai is depressed with my training pattern and my harsh words. So I'm sorry, too."

Herlin also lowered her head though not as deep as Mei-senpai. And as the two of them both apologized, the atmosphere turned awkward. But just as this atmosphere controlled the two of them, suddenly from behind Herlin came out someone who instantly melted the atmosphere.

"Alright, you two have already apologized to each other and everything will be fine."

"You-You …?"

"You've never seen me, have you? Right, I'm Cecilia. The spirit that was always inside Iraya's body."

Because Herlin called the word 'ghost' to Cecilia, Mei-senpai's shadow to Cecilia was a terrible and dangerous creature. But it turns out that he looks more like an ordinary man than a ghost.

"So she's Cecilia, then if Tetsu …."

"I am the Spirit that lives on Iraya's sword!"

"Cecilia and Tetsu. He has two Spirits on his side."

"Surprising, right? People seem to be able to make friends and work well together with these Spirit-Spirit."

Mei-senpai looked towards Tetsu and Cecilia. Tetsu, aware that he was being watched in silence, gave a 'peace' hand pose and approached Cecilia. He still did not know how the true nature of these Spirits were, but he thought they might not be dangerous.

"Oh yeah, then when you fought me, why did you insist on not letting out your aura?"

"Because I have Cecilia. As long as he's inside my body, I don't want to let out my aura—more precisely can't."

"What happens if you let out your aura?"

"In a few minutes, my body I'll explode because my aura doesn't match her."

"Me-Ion?!"

"Therefore I learned the sword technique. If I can't, then I'm nothing more than an ordinary High School girl."

"That's it, huh?"

"So will Senpai help with my training?"

"of course! With pleasure!"

Herlin and Mei-senpai then shook hands and agreed to help with her training. Tetsu suddenly piled his hands on the hands of the two of them, and Cecilia did the same.

"You guys …?"

"It's not just the two of you who are going to fight. Of course me and Tetsu will come."

"Fuckin' thick!"

Then Herlin and Mei-senpai changed their hands into a pile of hands or tos that are usually done by a team. But it doesn't stop there, they all stare at Michi-chan who makes her misbehave.

"E-Eh?! A-What's up?"

"You also helped me in the beginning, Michi-chan. I'm not leaving you alone."

"Then …."

Though timidly and carefully, Michi-chan slowly approached all of them and placed her hands on them all slowly. He had never felt anything like this before, but it was really fun.

"Can we help too?"

"Eh?"

Just as they all wanted to shout in cheers, suddenly two people came to interrupt them. The two of them are Kudou and Hira. And Hira also carried a full plastic bag that looked heavy.

"Oh? Iraya's friend?" ask Cecilia.

"How did you two know we were here?"

"Iraya once muttered about the back hill, the back hill like a fool. I thought he was just fantasizing, it turns out that he really did something here. Maybe we're not going to help much, but is this enough?"

Hira lifted up and showed me a white plastic bag that he had brought from earlier. It turns out that there are soft drinks and energy drinks for all of them here.

"Of course that's enough!"

"Godhehe!" Kudou spoke nothing and only responded with laughter.

Then the two of them walked towards the other and stacked their hands on top of the other.

"Let's save Iraya together!"

"Yeah!"

And we cheered loudly and threw our hands high up into the sky.

Herlin training began again. In addition to warming up a thousand times swinging a sword, Tetsu also taught other things based on the experience of hundreds of years living in it along with the swordsman.

Cecilia also helped her practice by telling her the things that were happening inside Herlin's body. For example, if Herlin's breathing had started to become irregular, Cecilia would tell him and Herlin normalized it again.

There was also Mei-senpai who when Herlin's rigorous training by Tetsu ended, Mei-senpai was ready to be her dueling practice. This was also needed by him to familiarize Herlin against those Assassins.

And besides the three of them, there was also Kudou and Hira who came here every day to bring them drinks. So did Michi-chan who came to give Herlin some spirit.

It helps each other to expect the best results. And after that, a week had passed and this practice had reached its end.

**

It was already night time, Herlin and the others were already willing to return home to each other. But suddenly Cecilia who was in Herlin's body invited Herlin to speak.

"Goodbye all."

"See you tomorrow!"

Kudou, Hira, and Michi-chan had already walked home and now only left Mei-senpai and Tetsu alone. Herlin had also sheathed his sword and prepared to go home.

"We're home too, huh?" take Mei-senpai.

"Mrs."

"Come on!"

"Wait a minute!"

Herlin stopped his steps when Cecilia suddenly shouted inside her head. Mei-senpai who saw Herlin's strange behavior then asked him.

"Herlin-chan is? What's up?"

"Oh~ most Cecilia is talking inside her head,"

"Cecilia? Inside his head?"

Herlin gestured for a moment of silence to Tetsu and Mei-senpai using her hands. He then continued his talk.

"What's up, Cecilia?"

"I think your training has been enough here."

"Why indeed?"

"I have a feeling that we should retaliate for their attack as soon as possible, otherwise we'll be late."

"What do you mean?"

"Of course."

Like saying it half-and-half, making Herlin even more confused by what Cecilia meant. But one thing is for sure, if good things don't happen.

"What did Cecilia say?" ask Mei-senpai.

"I don't understand either, but I think we should go see Oita-san now."

"Now too?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"Then I will return to the sword. I've started to get sleepy" Tetsu said as he covered his evaporating mouth with his hands.

After that, a blinding light came out from Tetsu's body and gradually disappeared along with Tetsu's body.

"Let's go."

"Good."

The two of them finally headed to the Haiiro Cafe that night as well. And when they got there, they went straight into Oita-san's room which happened to be sitting on her usual stool.

"Herlin-chan, you've finally come too. You haven't been here in a week. Did something happen to you after visiting Iraya's house back then?"

"Right, I know some new things about Iraya. And for a week I've been practicing."

"Practiced?"

Oita-san glanced at Iraya's sword attached to Herlin's back complete with a sheath.

"Does that have anything to do with Iraya's sword you're now carrying?"

"True, I trained my sword skills. I'm not getting my aura out because there's Cecilia inside me."

Oita-san widened her eyes a little. He suddenly pulled out a grin that he immediately covered using his hand. Then after a while, he could control his grin and speak as usual again.

"Is there anything to do with you not being able to give off an aura with Subject C being inside your body?"

"There was. Since the auras of the two of us are not suitable, if I let out my aura for a moment, then I will feel the heat burning my body from within. Worst chance my body could explode."

"So that's it, yeah. Then what do you want to talk about these nights?"

"We must counterattack immediately, Oita-san. I've been training my skills for the past week, plus there's Cecilia in my body. I'm sure we can win."

Oita-san did not answer him immediately, but she glanced at Mei-senpai who had been standing earlier together with Herlin.

"What about you, Mei-chan?"

"I agree with Herlin. If we waste too much time, it could be an advantage to the enemy."

Oita-san then smiled and got up from her seat and spoke something.

"Then we will gather again at midnight. I will also call Ishikawa-san."

"Good!"

Eventually their fight will begin again. With the same opponent but with different strengths. To save a family. They'll risk their lives.

Seriate