Vol 2 Chapter 2 (1/2)
Chapter 2: What can be done
Kei was a flowing energy inside of every huh the nervous systeh the bone hts, and aies was one called Kei
Certain people were born with the ability to create a huge amount of Kei On a certain level, one could view it as redundant energy produced by the phenothen the body or destroy things outside the body
Did this new human ability evolve to ensure the survival of mankind in this polluted world? Or was this the evidence that pollutants were slowly invading the human body?
Hu They treasured it and respected it
The flow of Kei created the Military Arts It took a long tih the cities in the world And in the intervening time, many cities fell prey to the filthlet out brushed past his ears Layfon pulled back his stance to respond to that breath
And the sole of a shoe suddenly appeared before him
”Wa”
He bent forward, and the kick went over his head His opponent changed tactics and swung doards Layfon's back with the foot In a flash, Layfon's left hand shot upward to grab the foot, his right hand already pressing down his opponent's chest, and he kicked out at his opponent's other leg
”Wha”
Red hair scattered His opponent fell onto the hout the gyht?” Layfon extended his hand to his opponent
”I thought I alot you!”
”Yeah, al froht? I lost because of that!”
Naruki co s of which, LaytonHave you forgotten I'irl?”
”Huh?” Then he remembered how he had pressed his hand down on her chest
”Yes, I ad, but for you not to have felt itIt lowered at him
”Ah, noI didn't mean that! My body justof which, it was a shame he couldn't feel that softness - NO NO NO! How could he think like that
Naruki s”
”That'sThat'sa girl's breast That's the etiquette for being a man”
”Really?”
”Yes Besides, I don't want to be touched so easily” she said, scanning the sports hall
He followed her gaze
This was the class for martial arts Most of the first-year students had been kicked flying and were lying on the floor Thunderous noise filled the hall Their sparring partners were all third-year students As expected, none of the first-year students inning
Layfon was in first-year but was also a platoon member nobody wanted to spar with him, so he was paired up with Naruki
”Has the captain of your platoon got so Nina Nina cal
”Does she look like that to you?”
”Yes As if her heart's soht so
”Do you know so?”
”We had aa ”
Almost all of the platoon captains were in their fourth year, but Nina was a third-year She obtained permission to form a platoon because of her excellent skill, but that wasn't all that she wanted to do She wanted to save Zuellni through her own strength
In other words, she wanted to win in the next Military Arts coe blow to her
”Uht
”What is it? Is so?”
”No That's what I think”
But he felt that wasn't the real reason Things weren't as siht they were
”Hey, you over there! Practice seriously!”
”Ah, sorry!” Layfon apologized automatically to the three third-year students Behind those three were other first-year students, watching Layfon with curious glances As for the three third-year students
”What is it?” Naruki asked
”He's the truht?” one of the Layfon with challenging gazes
”U from meAll three at once?”
”U in it was jealousy
Layfon was used to the negative e in the air It was a nor meals everyday He had encountered this sort of scene before and after he became a Heaven's Blade successor in Grendan
This was an older person's contemptuous attitude towards his juniorAnd his jealousy at having a kid be better than him
”I'm fine with it”
”Layton?” Naruki said in ah Is that okay too?”
One of the three students giggled
”No problem It's natural not to use a sword in a martial arts class”
”Aren't you a bit conceited?”
”This is not conceit Besides, it's just a class”
”That's being conceited”
That rowing gap between his words and feelings He responded lightly to the provokers, as if he was a robot He didn't think the situation would i else, so he decided to accept the challenge
But he didn't think accepting the challenge would improve the situation either
”I'm not conceited This is the truth,” he said anyway
”I see”
The observing crowd turned angry They watched the three third-year students move to Layfon from three different directions
Layfon didn't take a stance He took a step back so he could see all three of his opponents
”Well then” As the person directly facing Layfon muttered, the two students rushed in fro their bodies through Internal-type Kei, they attacked Layfon with fists and feet
The bullet-like fist and scythe-like kick didn't hit Layfon
”Huh?!”
They searched for him
Layfon was in the air
He turned into descend at unbelievable speed A loud noise froht behind the student in the center
”What!”
His surprised face was inches from Layfon's Layfon stood up
”Wu-!”
His fist found the chest of his surprised opponent Ignoring the third-year student he had defeated, he faced the other two
The other two third-year students turned back at the noise and saw their friend lying on the floor
Layfon still hadn't taken a stance He stood, stoic, paying no attention to the student he had just taken out, his gaze sweeping through the other two students
And in that one swift moment, he disappeared
It looked as if he disappeared In fact, the other two third-year students couldn't keep up with his ht breeze, Layfon moved swiftly to the two opponents and repeated his attack, burying his fist into their chests
”Arrr!”
”Whu!”
The two students toppled
Joyful shouts erupted froroup of first year students
Layfon let out a breath to soften his blank expression
◇
”I don't think you should've done that”
”H Meishen's bento and listening to Mifi talk all by herself when suddenly, Naruki had spoken up
They only had class in the , so the four of them went a bit further from the school today to the patio of a General Studies senpai's restaurant The patio faced a freshwater lake that was used for agriculture
They ordered the cheapest juice from the restaurant and took out Meishen's sandwiches fro to appreciate the lake while eating Layfon saw a field of fruit trees on the other side of the lake, and ricultural s anywhere The sky looked like it ed with the trees
”I ymnasium,” Naruki clarified
”Oh”
”Huh? What's that?”
Mifi had started the conversation as she had gotten news of the incident and wanted Layfon and Naruki to give her more details
”No matter what, they were just jealous”
”True I' he should've lost deliberately to them because they were senpais, but I feel it would've been best to leave them some face”
Naruki didn't worry about other patrons overhearing It was past lunch time, so there weren't many people in the restaurant
”H on three people at once and fighting them one-on-one instead”
”Is thatall?” But didn't he finish them one by one?
”They wouldn't have accepted it Aren't they in a platoon too?” Mifi said
Naruki nodded ”Perhaps they wouldn't have accepted it But it would have looked better if the other three suggested the three-on-one fight Now it looks like Layton's the bad guy”
”Oh” Perhaps she was right
”Layton ht not care how other people perceive him, but this is troublesome for the friends around you,” Naruki said She then looked at Meishen
”II don't really ation
”Ah, sorry I didn't think about that”
”Well, Imy friends,” Naruki said
”Thanks,” Layfon nodded his thanks
”Never mind It's not Layton's fault, so don't mind it”
”Yeah, don't worry about it, Layton”
”Thanks,” Layfon said
Face reddening, Meishen lowered her head
But perhaps there was a problem with his attitude Just as Naruki had said, Layfon didn'tenemiesTo the point that he had no interest in it at all All he wanted was to end the fight as quickly as possible He didn't care what consequences came from that
That was the attitude he held
Why did he have such an attitude?
There wasn't a need to ask that question
Proble
Before he becaht countless ed him They felt they had been insulted because he was only a kid
He was foolish to respond to the, he had had no knowledge of Naruki's alternate rown up a little, he felt it wouldn't be bad to have an attitude that could avoid some of the trouble
In the end, he still hadn't understood When he was little, he had always used his fist to solve his problems And he now responded instinctively
Till now, he had never thought anything of his attitude He didn't knohat other people thought of hi strong
That was enough for hi of which,” Mifi said, interrupting Layfon's train of thought ”What did we coh I had alanted to co here today This restaurant was quite popular airlsOf course, Naruki had told Mifi and Layfon that when she'd said she wanted to coe about Naruki's request to co to this kind of thing
”Uh, well” Naruki patted her hair ”I have a favor to ask of Layton”
”Here?”
Naruki stuttered ”Uh, we didn't haveto come here If Layton's ok with it, I can just say this”
”Is it tiring?”
”So Sometimes it's hard work or not hard work at all But it'll surely take away some of your time”
”That's like a riddle!”
”Yeah, this isn't like hed
”Is this, to work for Nakki?” Meishen said
A sour smile on Naruki's face ”Yes”
To work for Naruki meant to ith the City Police
”Me?” Layfon said
”I' to scout you from the platoon I don't have the authority anyway, but the Military Arts course has recommended people to the City Police I only knew of this after joining the police force And there's one empty slot in that temporary list”
”And you want me to join?”
”AhMy superior knows that I know you He wantsa platoon really stands out”
”But I have to clean the Central Mechanis you Since you're a temp, that means you won't knohen you'll be called, and the pay also isn't that good I understand it's not reasonable to ask this of you when your job and school work have such irregular hours, but”
Looking at her troubled expression, Layfon felt there ree to her request, he et it Sure”
Naruki was surprised ”Really?”
”Yeah, NarukiYou, and you two are so good toI can do, I'll do it”
”NoIt e for me to say this now, but you can think about it for a few days ht Whether it is the cleaning job or tea, I don't think they'd ”
”I'll tell them After all, I asked for your help”
”OK, then shall we end the conversation here?” He clapped his hands
◇
He never thought he'd be asked to work the same day
”Sorry!”
”That's ok” Layfon said to Naruki
They stood in a building at the outskirts of the residential district, looking at the ground below
Naruki's superior in the City Police was Formed Garen, a fifth-year student in Cultivation course Short, but with a sturdy build, Garen was nervously checking water in the lab
”Ah, it's youI' you”
It felt hard to approach Garen, but theand rough hand, like a blacksmith's, placed a beaker on the desk with caution, perhaps even fondness
”It's a bit too quick, but I want you to lend us your strength”
”Sure”
Garen didn't look concerned at asking for Layfon to work right now Thatto hide
”I want to explain the details to you Have you got time today?”
”I have work in the Mechanis about that, I don't mind”
”Good, then I'll talk with theood, but I'll pay for it And you'll also get paid by the City Police”
”NoYou don't have to”
”Either e're students An equal pricecircumstances affected by this”
Layfon's reservations were quickly brushed aside
”Besides, those guys who snatch away the achievements of the students' hard work must be punished!” Garen said, unable to hide his fury
And so Layfon stayed to watch the dor he was in
”I canthis too,” Layfon et extra pay, and looked away fro bus station
Most people who needed to use the buses were those getting out of the city, andbetween cities to sell products Sometimes true travelers without homes would appear, but that was rare The freedom of travelers in Zuellni was restricted as all the districts were populated by students The dormitory here was ht you that intelligence is thewith the rope she was carrying