Haru finally reached the park. It was deserted and he saw no one around.
Perfect.
Haru made his way to the playground where he would sleep. As he made his way towards the playground, he saw a familiar figure near a lamp post. It was Gakushuu. Haru froze at the sight of him. Quickly, he ducked near some bushes and hoped he wasn't spotted. He took a peek and saw that Gakushuu didn't see him. Haru sighed, lucky that he didn't see him. He then heard him talking.
"I just don't get it, how can her kick do that kind of damage to me? Her form was awful and sloppy, but yet it made such a critical impact on my knee. It doesn't make any sense!" He growled out in frustration.
Haru was also wondering how Hakufu's kick made a guy like Gakushuu fall to his knees. She kicked him in the ribs, not in the knees. So how did she cause him to fall? Was she that powerful? And Haru knew that it would happen too, he doesn't know how he knew it, and he just did.
"Maybe Haru really is a freak?" Haru whispered.
Just then, three guys came up to Gakushuu. They looked like they wanted to fight him.
"Oh boy, this might not end well." Haru gulped.
"You're Gakushuu from Nanyo of the Big Four right? We have sacred beads and you must fight us!" One of them challenged.
"You're from Yoshu Academy aren't you?" Gakushuu asked.
"So what if we are?" One of them asked.
"Kick me."
"What was that?"
"I want you to kick me, give all you got." He repeated.
"Are you fucking dumb? Oh well, YOU ASK FOR IT DIPSHIT!" One of them did a high kick to his face.
But Gakushuu stopped it with just his finger. It stupefied the others. Gakushuu looked at him with a disappointing glare.
"What was that supposed to be?" Gakushuu asked before he threw the guy into the fountain.
Haru was amazed at how strong Gakushuu was. It was no wonder why Hakufu couldn't beat him.
"I hope that wasn't your best shot, I haven't even broken a sweat yet. Let's see if either of you two can do better?"
"Why you fucking bastard!" They screamed and went for him.
But just like the guy in the fountain, Gakushuu beat them without missing a beat. They eventually got up and ran away. Haru was glad it ended and there was no blood spilt like so many others he saw. He looked back and Gakushuu, he looked like he was deep in thought.
"Not the same… it wasn't the same thing. What made it so different? Was it because of who she is that made me feel this way? This…deep fear I have. Maybe that's why?" He asked himself.
Haru also wanted to know, mainly on how Hakufu's kick made such an impact but most importantly, how'd HE knew what would happen. He wasn't a fighter like them or uses this chi stuff, so how can he know what Hakufu's kick would do to someone like Gakushuu? Haru then heard a loud crash followed by a yelp. He looked up to see Gakushuu leaning on a crushed gate with a brushed left face.
"What the… who attacked Gakushuu?" Haru asked himself.
He got his answer when a soft chuckle was heard not too far from Gakushuu. Haru turned to see a girl in a maids outfit with an eye patch, gloves and boots. She had a smirk on her face. Haru could sense she was very powerful and it doesn't look like even Gakushuu will win this fight.
"Ryomou-san, what's the meaning of this?" Gakushuu wiped off the blood from his mouth.
"Is it really that confusing to you? One of the Big Four attacked a newcomer on his own without even asking our leader, you must have known that Enjutsu-sama would learn of your actions sooner or later." She said with a smirk.
"How did you… Saji-san told you, didn't he?" He said standing up.
"Does it really matter how we know? All that matters is that we do know and I'm here to re-correct your mistake."
Gakushuu ran up to her and threw a punch but she jumped on his arm and with her body in a vice grip, she pinned down on his entire arm. Gakushuu couldn't get Ryomou off of his arm as she started to put a lot of pressure on his arm till it broke. Haru winces as he hears the bone snap. Gakushuu stumbles back but launches another attack but Ryomou takes out two pairs of handcuffs from God knows where and cuffs his wrist and uses his arms to pin his arms around his neck. Ryomou was behind him with her feet on the back of his head. Haru was amazed by how fast and strong she was but couldn't help feeling slightly off set of her face and how it looked. She was enjoying this. Haru also felt her power seemed to be coming from beneath the eye patch; it was like an outside force. Could this be why she is acting like this?
"How does it feel? Your thick arms around your neck. This is ecstasy isn't it? I know I'm having an orgasm." Ryomou laughed and his pain.
"You… are indeed strong… and you hold your title of one of Nanyo's Big Four without a doubt… but I don't fear you like I fear her." Gakushuu gasps.
"What was that?" She snapped.
"The fear I have for Hakufu Sonsaku…you could never match it." He said his last breath before Ryomou's attack finally done him in.
Gakushuu fell unconscious as Ryomou landed near him. Haru looked at her and saw she didn't have her sadistic face on but a scrawl on her face. Haru thought that she might have a split personality or has serious bipolar in her. Haru could sense the power in her was gone… for now at least.
"Hakufu Sonsaku… you better get ready for one hell of a fight cause your ass is mine!" She said and left the park.
Haru waited till she was far enough for him to leave his hiding place and went up to Gakushuu. He checks to see if he is still alive. Haru let out a sigh of relief finding out he was still breathing.
"Thank God Gakushuu is still breathing… but why did strange girl attack Gakushuu in the first place? She's from Nanyo like Gakushuu… so why attack Gakushuu? Was it because Gakushuu fought Hakufu? No, Haru feels that this goes deeper than at first glance." He looked over at the down teen.
"My, aren't you a curious, aren't we?" Said a voice from behind.
Haru quickly turned around to see Saji behind him. Haru yelped and moved away from him in fear that he might attack him.
"Relax Haru-Kun; I'm not here to hurt you, just picking up Ryomou-chan's mess." He said in his calm voice.
"Why did Ryomou attack Gakushuu? Aren't they on the same team?" Haru asked.
"Yes but Gaku-chan here did a bad thing, Haru-Kun. He fought your friend without Enjutsu-sama's permission, you see, and as one of the Big Four, that's not a good thing." Saji explained.
"Isn't that a bit… extreme?"
"To an outside party like yourself it may seem that way, but to us fighters, this is politics. There are certain rules and protocols we must follow if we want to survive and believe me Haru-Kun Gaku-chan here got off easy."
"It doesn't make sense to Haru."
"Lucky for you, this kind of thing doesn't concern you. We fighters are destined to battle one another, some will always win while the rest meet an early end to our lives. This is our destiny and we have no say in it. Now if you excuse me Haru-Kun, I think I need to take him to the hospital, I'll see you around." Saji lifted Gakushuu with no problem and left Haru to his own thoughts.
Haru stood there taken in by what Saji said. From what he gathered, fighters were born with the destiny and fates of their ancestors. Each is given their ancestors' fate and from what he heard, many died in battle. And it seems some want it to go exactly the way it did back then.
"But then what's Hakufu's fate? Would Hakufu end up like Gakushuu? Or worse? Haru needs to warn her… but Haru doesn't know where Hakufu lives? Haru should find her tomorrow at her school and warn her about Ryomou… and hope Haru won't be late."
With his mind set, Haru went to the playground to find a place to sleep. He went to one of the little buildings that look like a castle and settled in for the night. He used his bag as a pillow and rested his head. He gazes up upon the stars with so many things rattling in his brain.
"Haru must figure out how to save Hakufu without going berserk. And Haru needs to know more about this war thing if Haru is going to help Haru's friends… but Haru doesn't know if Haru can do anything. And if Haru does lose it again and in front of Hakufu… no, Haru mustn't think like that. Haru will help and save Haru's friends. Haru owes that much to them."
And with that thought in mind, Haru got comfortable and drifted off to sleep. But little does he know the adventure he'll embark on or what lies ahead of him.
Or the enemy he never knew.