The crowd in front of the stand was much thinner when I returned from the building. All the remaining people also were looking like they were about to leave.

"So… He won't be coming back, right?"

"Yeah, looks like he ran away."

"I mean, really, why the hell would you invite a gaijin to join a kendo club?"

The last phrase made Takeshi lower his head.

His face became pale. Though it was hard to tell, as he still was standing in the shade of the tree.

Soon, I approached the stand and immediately asked Takeshi, who still hasn't noticed my by than:

"So, can I do it again?"

The guy shivered, turning his face to me. Then, he looked at me with a gaze so amazed that it made me even feel a bit uncomfortable. Finally, a bright smile appeared on the face of Takeshi. He nodded.

Meanwhile, I looked at Siro and his friends. They were also surprised by my return. Siro himself was at loss, but soon the look full of contempt once again appeared in his eyes once I have taken the sword.

All ten or something people who had still been standing in front of the stand looked at me attentively. Then, several other people came back. They called their friends, the crowd was growing... And at some point, there were more onlookers than ever before… I felt slightly annoyed by such attention, but there was no other way but to endure it.

While people were gathering, I looked at Takeshi with my special eyes:

Str: D

End: D

Int: D-

Special Abilities:

[Kendo: D (C-) Talent Grade - Low]

Huh? What do these brackets mean? Wait, right now he can only use one arm... Probably without that injury, his grade would be C-, but currently, he's only at D level.

Well, it does not look too bad. If by having [Kendo: D] he managed to catch ten leaves, then I with my [Kendo: E-] wasn't completely without a chance.

I grasped the hilt of the sword. And right away a new feeling washed over my entire body. It was hard to describe, it reminded me of electricity. I suddenly felt an urge to do something amazing.

Before, the limit of my abilities resembled a thick concrete wall that I had no hope of getting through. Now, however, it was more akin to a thin foggy haze. And there was a great appeal to just tear it into pieces.

I smashed at the tree. Several seconds after, pink snow started falling all around me. I started catching the leaves with the sword. One, two… No, I can't do more than that. I missed the third one, lost the first one, and, at last, one again the sword fell to the ground without any catch.

The crowd was silent.

Then everyone started laughing.

"That's it?"

"Ha-ha-ha…"

"Man, and he looked so sure of himself…"

Friends of Siro were laughing as well, but the guy himself was strangely silent. He was looking at me attentively. Yet that state of him didn't last long, and soon, he started mocking me as well.

It didn't concern me at all. I was about to give it a second try when suddenly I was approached by Takeshi. He hesitated, seemingly trying to find the right words, and then said:

"You should… Shouldn't aim to be fast. Also, try to do it like… In one move."

Not so fast… In one move… His words that I felt had no meaning before now strangely were making sense in my head. I nodded to Takeshi, and he awkwardly smiled. Then, once again, I smashed the damn tree…

…

…

…

My breath was heavy. My shirt was wet from sweat. Tiredness mixed with other, pleasant feeling was brewing inside of my chest.

Half an hour.

For half an hour straight I had been trying to pass the exam.

And I did it.

Five pink leaves were lying on my sword in a not so straight line. I sighed, shacked the sword of them, and, resting on it as if an old man on his stick, looked around.

Everyone was silent. Other children were looking at me with their mouths agape.

A hand fell on my shoulder. It was Takeshi. He was looking at me with a kind smile:

"Welcome to the club."

"Thanks," I said in a tired voice.

What a relief.

Then, with a slight smile, I turned to Siro and his gang. These three guys were red from anger. Siro himself was grinding his teeth. I was waiting for him to say something, but suddenly he just turned and started walking away. Oh well, to hell with this gu…

'Attention! Attention! A person with the potential to be a Rival detected!'

"…"

What?

Rival?

Don't tell that…

"Yep."

"…"

Yuji was talking about Siro.

He was my potential rival? What the hell? Why, then, the magazine hasn't detected it immediately, as it did with Murakami…

Maybe because it was only now that he acquired the right potential?

Well, doesn't that mean that in theory, I can cultivate different types of characters by slowly forcing them into the roles? That's a good idea, but I have no time to think it through now. Siro is walking away, and I doubt that I will be able to find another 'Rival' were he to leave now.

Curses.

It seems like I have no choice.

I licked my lips and shouted:

"Wait!"

Siro stopped. Then he turned to me and asked with an annoyed look on his face:

"The hell do you want?"

To be honest? Punch that dumb face of yours.

"Are you really going to leave? Just like that?"

"What?"

He frowned.

"Haven't you said… That you also wanted to join the Kendo club. Why are you leaving, then?"

I sound like an idiot. Not that I have any choice in that matter. Siro looked at me with amazement in his eyes.

"Just try it," I said while trying to make the dumbest smile I possibly could.

He blinked.

And then answered:

"…Are you r**arded?"

…