Chapter 839: How is your progress?
In the area, everyone gathered together for IS practice.
Chifuyu stood up in front of everyone and said in a strict manner, "We will begin practice starting today."
"Yes ma'am!"
"First, we will be watching combat practice." Chifuyu looked at two students and said, "Fann, Alcott."
"Yes ma'am!"
"Yes!"
Chifuyu looked at both of them and said, "Since both of you have personal machines, you should be able to begin immediately. Come forth."
Cecilia and Rin who was being called didn't have that much spirit.
"So much trouble... why do I have to?"
"Sigh... I don't feel too encouraged to do this since it feels like I'm some exhibition."
Both of them walked, and Chifuyu whispered something to them to raise their spirits.
"You two need some enthusiasm. This is your chance to show off to either Haru or Ichika."
*!!!!*
Cecilia and Rin became excited and thought that it was a chance.
"This is the stage for me, the representative candidate student for England, Cecilia Alcott!"
"It's great to show you our difference in skill as personal machine holders."
"..."
Haru looked at Chifuyu and thought that this woman was very smart at manipulating her students.
Cecilia and Rin had become very spirited to show their abilities. They were asking who their opponent was, and they even said that both of them could fight right away to show their abilities to everyone.
"Calm down, your opponent is going to appear soon...."
Looking at the sky, Chifuyu was waiting for someone to appear. Her action caused everyone to follow her and also look toward the sky.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"
Suddenly they heard a loud scream and a black dot in the sky slowly became bigger. They squinted their eyes and realized who this black dot was.
"Yamada-sensei!"
Maya couldn't control her IS screaming loudly in panic.
"Please get out of the way!"
Everyone hurriedly ran away trying to escape from this disaster.
Haru who saw this situation equipped his IS in a hurry since he saw that Maya was coming toward him.
Maya who couldn't control her IS falling down at very fast speed screaming loudly. She was about to hit the ground, no, she was about to hit Haru, but suddenly she was caught in arms.
"You alright, Maya-sensei?"
Feeling a bit confused, Maya opened her eyes slowly and saw that she was being hugged by her student.
"Um...."
Maya nodded with a slight blush on her cheek.
"Be careful, alright? If it was not me, then that person might die...."
"Yes, Haruka-kun..."
"But, are you alright, Maya-sensei?" Haru asked in concern.
"Yes, I'm alright. You don't need to worry."
Smiling brightly, Maya pushed the glasses on her face talking happily with him.
Looking at both Haru and Maya who seemed to be talking to each other in harmony, Cecilia, Houki, Chifuyu, and a lot of girls couldn't help but feel annoyed.
"Hurry up and get away!"
Being separated, Maya stood up beside Chifuyu regained her demeanor.
Haru had unequipped back his IS and stood up along with everyone, however, he couldn't help but notice the painful gaze on his back.
"Kasugano-kun, you're very popular...." Charlotte said while smiling.
"You too are going to be popular soon. There are only three guys in the school and you can get a girlfriend quickly," Haru said while looking at Charlotte.
"Haha... I don't have any intention to get a girlfriend..." Charlotte laughed weakly.
"Then, do you want to get a boyfriend? But I'm going to tell you that I don't have an inter---"
Before Haru finished his words, Charlotte hurriedly put his hands on Haru's mouth.
"P - Please don't say something stupid, Kasugano-kun!"
Charlotte had a blush on his face and thought that this guy was too annoying.
Looking at the close interaction between Haru and Charlotte, some girls in the class seemed to have a nosebleed.
Ignoring the people around, Chifuyu looked at Maya, Cecilia, and Rin.
"So then little girls, let's begin already."
"Umm...? Two against one?"
"That's a little...."
Cecilia and Rin seemed unsure for both of them to fight together against Maya.
"Rest assured. You two will lose quickly," Chifuyu said with confidence.
Frowning and unable to accept, Cecilia and Rin were taunted by Chifuyu and accepted this combat practice.
Maya didn't say anything and had accepted Chifuyu's arrangement.
The three of them flew toward the sky together, Chifuyu announced the battle right away, "The match begins!"
The fight started immediately and Cecilia and Rin attacked Maya at the same time.
Cecilia sent out flying cannons shooting beam after beam toward Maya.
Maya dodged all of Cecilia's attack calmly while observing the movement of Rin. She quickly raised her shield when she saw Rin shoot out a laser beam.
*Pshh!*
The laser bream was blocked and Maya continued to fight both of them.
Looking at the confrontation between the three of them, Chifuyu asked Charlotte to explain Maya's IS.
Charlotte explained to everyone that Maya's IS was a Raphael Revive from Dunoa Company. It was a machine that was developed at the end of the 2nd Generation, but its specification could rival the early 3rd Generation machines. In terms of deployed mass production IS models, it went on sale last year, but it had 3rd largest user-base in the world. By changing its equipment, it could configure all types of IS including close combat, sniper role, and defense.
Haru couldn't understand how someone was able to mass-produce an IS when there were only 467 IS cores in this world, but he didn't think too much and listened to Charlotte's explanation while watching the battle between Maya, Cecilia, and Rin.
Maya was very smart and very skillful at piloting her IS. She could take advantage of both Cecilia and Rin who didn't have good teamwork using that chance to trap them making them crash into each other.
When Cecilia and Rin crashed into each other, Maya didn't waste her chance and shot out a grenade launcher at both of them.
*BOOOOMM!!!*
Cecilia and Rin were hit by a huge explosion and thrown to the ground with a very loud "bang" creating thick dust along with a large crater on the arena.
Looking at the result of the battle, everyone knew that Maya had won the battle.
Cecilia and Rin who had dropped on the ground started to argue with each other blaming each other since they had lost. They kept fighting until Chifuyu stopped them and explained the purpose of this practice battle.
"You should understand the ability of the teacher now. From now on show some respect. Next, we will be doing group practice. Personal IS holders will act as leaders."
"Now, split up!"
Everyone hurriedly moved and ran toward Haru's direction, but there were already some people who had gathered in front of him from the start and the number of groups had hit the quota so they could only sigh and went to different people for this practice.
"...."
Charlotte really couldn't understand how that bastard could be that popular, but even so, he was also very popular since he was also surrounded by a lot of girls. He looked at Ichika who went to Rin and wondered whether Ichika didn't have a machine. He looked at Haru once again and wondered whether Haru would show his IS at this moment.
"....."
Charlotte took a deep breath and decided to focus on the lesson first, forgetting about the matter at home. It was better to forget about it for today since it was very unpleasant and she didn't really want to do it.
Haru taught the students who came at him patiently telling them how to perform using an IS, tips, trick, etc; that he knew to them.
Listening to his lesson, they had to admit that it was better than listening to the teacher since Haru was very pleasing to their eyes. They knew that Haru didn't have a girlfriend and saw a chance to make him their own.
Haru didn't know what they were thinking, but it was alright to ignore it for now. Teaching one girl, then it was time for another girl.
"Who's next?" Haru asked.
"It's me."
Haru looked and felt a bit surprised that it was Houki since he didn't expect her to come to his group. He thought this girl would go with Ichika to Rin's group since they could stay together, but he felt that it might be understandable since the relationship between Houki and Rin was a competitor, and Houki would hate being taught by her competitor.
Houki folded her arms looking at the tall IS beside her. "But... I can't reach the C.o.c.kpit this way."
Maya, who heard their conversation, couldn't help but interrupt them. "Oh, that's a mistake that often happens for beginners. Haruka-kun, carry her in."
Haru looked at Houki and asked, "Is that alright with you?"
"W - Well, I don't mind. You're just helping me after all," Houki said. She didn't understand why she was quite nervous at that moment.
Haru looked at Ichika to see his reaction, but he could see Ichika seemed to be reprimanded by Rin which made him speechless.
'This guy...'
Haru looked at Houki once again and decided to equip his IS. Full clad armor covered his entire body only leaving his face, he walked beside Houki and asked, "You ready?"
"Um..."
Houki nodded toward Haru's question and asked, "But what are you doing to do?"
"I'm going to carry you. Be prepared."
Haru squatted down and carried her with both of his arms.
"Wha-?!"
Houki was surprised and hugged his neck subconsciously. "W - What are you doing?!"
"I'm carrying you to the C.o.c.kpit. I've told you, right?"
"W - Well... sorry, I'm a bit surprised..." Her voice was very low and clearly embarrassed being carried in this princess-carry style.
"Ahh....."
The girls around seemed to be screaming in jealousy and the next girls had decided to ask him the same thing which he had done to Houki, but the first girl who was being taught by Haru was crying in anguish since she couldn't ask him to carry him since she had done with the practice.
During that moment, Haru asked Houki in a low voice, "How is your relationship with Ichika?"
"W - What?!" The distance between the two was so close which made her blush.
"I mean, is there any progress?" Haru asked.
"W - Well...." Houki's mood was very low since she didn't see any progress.
"..."
Haru was helpless and said, "I'll help you to set up a lunch with everyone later. You can use that chance to show your cooking skill to him."
"W - Why do I need to do that?"
"To grasp men's hearts, you need to grasp their stomachs first, haven't you heard such a thing before?"
"..."
Houki was wondering how this guy was very skillful at pampering her, and at the same time, she felt quite reluctant to lose this feeling, but she thought about the sentence which had just come out from Haru's mouth.
'To grasp a man's heart, you need to grab his stomach first, huh?'
"What's wrong?"
Haru felt weird when he didn't hear a response.
"A - Alright, you can invite everyone for lunch later after the training."
"Good. I'll support you."
Cecilia who saw the interaction between Haru and Houki was wondering whether Houki really liked Ichika at this moment.
'I need to uncover this!'
However, Cecilia had to admit that she was really envious of Houki since that girl was being carried by Haru in princess-carry style...
"Hello, Cecilia, what's wrong?"
The other students who gathered around Cecilia looked at her with weird expression since Cecilia seemed to be in bad mood or something.
"Nothing. Let's continue, alright?"
"Yes!"
Cecilia was an elite and she wouldn't lose her composure in that such a thing. She knew that Haru was a very high quality man, and it was normal for her to have a lot of competitors, but she was confident in herself that she could make him fall for her.