Chapter 87: Genius.
''Train me? Why?'' Ichiro was slightly untrustful.
Quella crossed her arms, ''It seems fun.''
''How does training someone seem fun to you?'' Ichiro doesn't understand what is going on in Quella's mind.
''Give me one of the swords.'' Quella suddenly said.
Ichiro narrowed his eyes, ''And if I don't?''
Quella smirked, ''I will beat you up.''
Ichiro snorted and pointed the two swords at her, ''Well, come on th…'' Before he could finish his sentence, he was already sent flying.
''UGH!'' Air left Ichiro's lungs; he flew to a nearby tree, splitting it in half.
Quella was still standing with her hands crossed with an innocent smile on her face; she crouched and grabbed the dropped sword.
Ichiro wiped the blood from his lips and stood up; he was surrounded by broken trees.
His body was aching, but not as much as expected. It obviously meant that Quella went easy on him.
''Damn.'' He looked at his hands and noticed one of the swords missing; he turned his gaze towards Quella and saw her standing innocently while holding a sword.
Sweatdrops started appearing on his forehead, 'Strong!'
''Thanks for giving me the sword.'' Quella smiled and said, ''Do you want to see how much you have yet to learn?''
Ichiro wiped the sweat off his forehead. He put his sword forwards.
Quella put her sword in front of her; with a calm smile, she waited.
[Weakness Detection Eye!]
Blue rims appeared in Ichiro's eyes; he used the Weakness Detection Eye!
But… Ichiro grimaced.
'Zero weak spots… How is that possible?' Ichiro stopped using the Weakness Detection Eye.
''Are you attacking or not?'' Quella asked with a smile, but then she looked with a mocking look at him, ''Or are you afraid of hurting a weak and frail woman like me?''
Ichiro didn't change his expression.
[Calm Nature Activated]
Ichiro was very close to start swearing, but Calm Nature activated at the right time.
'Impressive…' Quella thought with a smile.
Ichiro took a deep breath and started moving with calm steps, his eyes locked in Quella's feet.
Not because he has a foot fetish, instead it is the best way to know when she is going to make her move.
Ichiro will know if she is going to attack if her leg muscles twitch.
But Quella has no intention to attack.
Ichiro noticed that as well; she was only standing and waiting.
'Fine… Let's attack then.' Ichiro took a more firm hold on the sword.
*SWISH*
He slashed with the sword towards Quella's shoulder.
*WOOSH*
But the sword missed by an inch; Ichiro narrowed his eyes, the blade was almost in contact with the shoulder, but it missed only by an inch.
'Did I make a mistake…' Ichiro tried again and slashed with his sword, this time aiming at Quella's delicate-looking arm.
But the sword again brushed past her skin.
Quella hasn't moved at all, but Ichiro's sword strikes keep missing.
Ichiro put his sword into a thrusting stance.
[Iron Lance - Swordless-Steel!]
He thrusted his sword forwards, towards Quella's torso, this time, it can't miss!
But… Ichiro's arm is stretched as much as he can, but the sword tip is only touching her clothes, not her skin.
Sweatdrops trickled down on his cheeks; he knew that the attack should have hit.
''Is that all? You didn't even hit me.'' Quella smirked.
Ichiro scoffed; he took his sword back and asked, ''What did you do?''
Quella tilted her head cutely, ''I have no idea what you mean.''
''My attacks didn't hit you; why?''
Quella smiled and took a step forwards, ''It is time for me to attack.''
Ichiro took a step backward with instinct. He can feel a threat coming from Quella, which he has never felt before.
Quella's innocent look changed to furious Empress.
She slashed her sword and aimed at Ichiro's shoulder.
He widened his eyes and tried to put his sword in the way, but Quella's sword tip was already touching his shoulder.
''?!'' Ichiro felt the cold blade on his shoulder, but it didn't go deeper into the skin.
Quella then swung again, this time towards Ichiro's arm.
Ichiro slashed his sword, but Quella managed to hit Ichiro's arm before his sword was close enough.
He gulped heavily, sweatdrops appearing on his forehead; he knew what Quella was doing.
Quella jumped backward a few meters and put her sword into a thrusting stance.
[Iron Lance - Swordless-Steel - Quella Version]
Ichiro only saw a wind appearing, and then a cold blade touching his torso.
''…How?'' Ichiro asked with a pale face; she learned his techniques only by watching.
Quella took her sword back and said, ''Genius.''
''Genius?'' Ichiro quirked his eyebrow.
Quella nodded, ''I have never touched a sword before; this was my first time actually.''
Ichiro went even paler, 'What kind of monster is she?'
Quella swung the sword around her like a master, ''I wonder where the geniuses come from. Is it in genes… or are we blessed by heavens?''
''Why are you saying me this?'' Ichiro asked with slight anger.
Quella pointed the sword at him, ''You aren't Genius.''
Ichiro gritted his teeth, ''I am well aware!''
''Let me finish…'' Quella smiled, ''You aren't genius; you are a person who can surpass geniuses with hard work.''
Ichiro looked at her.
''A person who can surpass geniuses by only hard work is even rarer than geniuses.''
''What about the geniuses who are also hardworking?'' Ichiro asked an important question.
Quella smiled, ''Geniuses have limits too; it only comes faster if they work harder. And once they reach the limit, you will be the one who surpasses them.''
''That's why I want to train you, at least for a few months.''
Quella was standing innocently, waiting for Ichiro to give his answer. She will be staying in Irio for a few months until Mars finally finds her. She still has to reach Martial King somehow.
She is training Ichiro because otherwise, she would stay in her hotel, doing nothing. Training him is an excellent distraction and can be quite fun as well.
Ichiro was silent; he didn't have anything to lose. He doesn't know the exact strength of the woman in front of him, but it must be above Martial Commander, not quite in the level of Martial King, but close.
Ichiro decided and bowed, ''Please teach me, teacher.''
Quella shook her finger, ''Call me mistress.''
Ichiro rolled his eyes, ''Please teach me, mistress.''
Quella nodded proudly, ''Stand up, my disciple.''
Ichiro stood straight.
''You have problems with Underworld, right?'' Quella said with a knowing smile.
''How did you know about that?''
''I know a lot of things.''
Ichiro sighed, ''So what? I can handle them.''
Quella smiled and nodded, ''I wasn't planning to help you; I am planning to make you strong enough in two months to surpass them!''
Ichiro rolled his eyes, ''Mistress, you said you haven't touched sword before, how can you even teach me?''
''I have seen my father and grandfather teaching the younger generation, I learned their every teaching method.''
''That's cheating.''
Quella smirked, ''Maybe.''
Ichiro looked at the sky, which was becoming darker, ''Should we start training tomorrow?''
But Quella shook her head, ''Nope.''
Ichiro quirked an eyebrow, ''I have school tomorrow.''
''Don't care.'' Quella grinned.
''My parents will be worried.''
''Don't care.''
''My sister will miss me.''
''I doubt that, but I don't care.''
''I need to feed my cat.''
''Your parents can do that, and don't care.''
''I need to do my homework.''
''You look stupid, I bet you don't do homework, so I don't care.''
''I am a B-Level student though…''
''Probably gave the level out of pity.'' Quella then stomped the ground, which caused a huge crack to appear.
''Enough, start running!''
''Running?'' Ichiro thought he misheard.
Quella sadistically grinned, ''Yes. Run, and if I catch you, I will slice you.'' She showed the shiny sword.
Ichiro gulped.
''Start running!'' Quella shouted and slashed with the sword.
Ichiro crouched and managed to dodge the blade.
''Mistress, this is bullying!'' Ichiro shouted and started running towards the forest, filled with trees.
''This is for your own good dear disciple.'' With a sadistic grin, Quella started running after Ichiro.
The forest for the next few hours was full of screams of despair and laughter of maniac-sounding witch.
People who heard the screams came up with the theory that witch lived there. A witch who haunts young boys. It will be a story which will be told for every kid even 30 years later.
The forest nickname will be changed a year later to Screaming Boy Forest, and it will be a place of countless rumors. Every kid who sees the forest will be scared to go near them, while teenagers find that place interesting and visit that forest for the test of courage.
But Ichiro wasn't aware of people hearing his womanly screams.
''KYAA!'' Ichiro ran with despair on his face.
*SWOSH*
He felt something cold brushing past him; he shakily turned his head and saw a part of his hair being cut off.
''AAAAHHH!'' He ran even faster.
''HAHAHA!'' Quella ran after him with a sadistic grin.