I watched Lisa stepped out from the club room noiselessly. She stooped her head before finally making her exit as she walked to the other side.

I set her off with a nod. In my hand was a white paper that contained important information about our target.

It made a rustle as I lengthened it on its end to get a better view of the writing.

Name: Rito Hazawa

Age: 16

Sex: Male

Description: A transfer student from the oriental who wielded a bizarre weapon called "katana" A prodigy at sword who defeated an evil organization with other students.

A promising young man! No wonder why Lisa took a liking to him. She also added that, even though his face was average, he has heart of gold and was kind to everyone he met.

But that was also the cause why girls gathered around him. Wow, what a lucky man. I am sure that he was a target of envy from his male peers.

Location: He always stays on the open grounds after class. If not, he's with the other girls, touring around the city. (Not that I care)

Was the last sentence really necessary, Lisa? I could only imagine her frustration while inscribing this.

I tucked the paper at my pocket and stood straight, reaching out for the ceiling before giving a great yawn.

It was already noon, the time where students like me should go back to their home and enjoy moments with their families or do whatever they wanted... That, if this was a normal school. Everyone here was committed to their way of the sword, so it was not that unusual if there were still students practicing their swordsmanship even at this time.

I should get going. I thought. I passed the door and gently locked it, though there was nothing at valuable to be stolen in the club, I just do not want someone entering this room without my permission.

The sound of rattling shoes traced down the long hallway. It was peaceful and quiet, the noise from the practicing student managed to bounce their way to here.

Everything was clad in an orange light that was given by the setting sun. Continuing my normal walking pace, I exited the school building.

I bathed in the sunlight. Running students in their gym uniform weaved their way in front of me. The grass underneath reflected everything the rays has, clouds that loomed the horizon appeared darker than what they should be.

I carelessly tugged my rapier before heading to where the open grounds were. It would be a long way before I could reach the training ground because of how big this place was.

I wonder what Claire will think of this when she sees this school? Perhaps she would be dumbfounded. My little sister was easy to impress. I remembered showing her a magic trick coin, every single day, for an entire month, and she never got tired of it.

She would always say “Amazing!” or “One more! Please Bigbro!” or something along that line.

Perhaps, my sister, have her retard moment, too. A faint smile was formed from my mouth. I love my sister, that much was obvious. The reason why I am here, and why I was desperate to earn money, was to ensure that she would live a happy life.

And what's the reason why I picked up a sword? I tried to remember why I was using a sword—rapier to be exact—but failed splendidly, earning a jolt of pain in my head.

The earliest memory I had was me, already grasping this very blade that was hung to my waist.

I grunted at my inability to recall clearly and dismissed the idea of remembering them altogether.

My feet brought me to an open field that spanned as far as I could see. Lamps and other light source was all around, producing a healthy amount of glow that covered the entire place.

The grass below was properly trimmed. A gust of air reminded me that I finally arrived at the open grounds that was always being used by the practicing students.

I was surrounded by the shouts of training swordsmen.

Now, where is he? Twisting my neck here and there, I desperately searched for the man named Rito. Certainly, there was no way I could spot him in an instant with this many people, but I still felt annoyed. It was irritating if there was something I could not do.

From a student that endlessly swung his sword, to the duo that clashed with each other, even to the one that laid on the field, regaining his breathing after an intense exercise. I could see all different kinds of people, but not that black-haired man that Lisa was so infatuated with.

Did he go outside already?

When I was about to turn back and leave the place, planning to go outside, I heard the uproar of students that was not present until now.

“Wow! Look at that!”

“They're finally starting!”

“That footwork is godlike!”

“I want to be able to do that someday.”

The cling and clang was unmistakeably the sound of clashing swords, but was there something new about that? I looked from behind my shoulder and saw two students younger than me.

One was a girl with red hair tied into twin tails, she was quite a beauty, the type that would fight everything and anyone that gets in her way.

She was clutching two cutlasses, one for each hand. Her attack and strikes were precise, she resembled a dancer as she spun around left and right repeatedly.

“Oh, there he is,” I said to no one.

The girl was confronting a young man, his face was calm and smooth. Lisa was right when she said that he looked average.

His black hair shook at his rapid movement. He was holding a long sword, a thin and a very sharp one. Is that the thing called katana? I thought.

The sheath still clung to his hip as he held the scabbard of the sword with both hands.

His grip tightened every time he collided his sword to his female counterpart. Flashes and sparks were produced by their intense battle.

On first look, one would tell that they were on the same level, but after a closer inspection, it was clear that the man, Rito, was ahead of his opponent.

Rito moved his blade upward to pushed back the girl. He was successful, his sword was far longer than his opponent, so he could force the girl to fight in a long-distance battle, something that the girl with short twin sword could not afford.

He kept her busy with his sudden piercing attack, Rito was in complete control in this fight.

This caused the girl to feel frustrated as she couldn't enter her fighting range. Rito knew this, he was planning this all along, after all.

He purposely left his side undefended, the girl wasted no time attacking it without even thinking that it was a trap.

The girl head straight, swords in hand, and in one quick swoop, Rito quickly drew his blade at the neck of the girl.

Shock, confusion, and ultimately, she accepted her loss as she raised her hand, smiling wryly. It was a good sport between the two. Rito displayed all the good signs of an excellent swordsman, while the girl was rapid to recognize her failure.

“Amazing...”

“I feel like, if I blink an eye for a sec, I'll miss out on the entire fight.”

“Having mind games while in the heat of battle? I can't do that.”

“The two did well, I really admire them.”

With the audience giving their own verdict, I approached the two with an applaud.

My clap twirled their head to me, wiping the sweat from their forehead, gasping for air.

“The battle was really impressive! I know all the face of the strong student here in the academy, but this is the first time I'm seeing the two of you.”

The two met their faces as if saying who the hell was this? But I endured their rather painful look and proceeded with my speech. “My name is Elric, the man who won the last year's tournament of first years.”

As a dedicated swordsman, the two found my words hard to ignore, completely stunned at my revelation.

With uncertainty, Rito asked me something. “If that's true, why are you here? Shouldn't the representative of each year are currently training up in the Sword Saint Mansion?”

Okay, what the f*ck is the Sword Saint Mansion? This was the first time I had heard of it.

“Don't bother with this man, Rito, he's just lying.” The girl brought up the rational conclusion after my blunder.

“Is that so? I really believe him for a moment.” Rito admitted, scratching one side of his cheek wryly.

Lisa! It's true! This boy does have a golden heart! A man like this was rare to find, someone who would acknowledge the words of lowly me. I was moved to tears, young man!

“Well, it doesn't matter if what I said is true or not.” I unsheathed the old and ragged rapier that I had been using since childhood. “I just want to play with the two of you for a bit, would you mind?”

Rito took it as something of playful banter, while the girl was boiling in anger, grasping her cutlasses.

“Let me handle him Rito, I'll bring back this fool to the ground where he belongs.”

“Whoa there! Such a heavy word milady! You wouldn't want to injure a man like me, would you?” I swirled my finger and draw a circle in the air, throwing gasoline to the already burning girl.

“Rito!” She shouted. Was she waiting for permission? I think that was the case as Rito nodded with a troubled expression.

“Please be gentle...” Was what he only said to the gi—was he looking at me? Yeah, those words were definitely aimed at me.

Rito pushed his palm together and made a pleading gesture, whispering “be gentle to her...” repeatedly.

Good gracious Lisa! You found the goodest boy in the world! A man worth keeping at her side!

“Are you ready to die?” The girl said dauntingly, brandishing her dual sword. I only answered her with a refreshing smile.

“I'll erase that smile of yours!” She had no warning or whatsoever as she jumped at me, bursting forth with her trained legs.

I am not even on my fighting stance yet. Minus points for being impatient.

I casually stepped aside and evade her killing intent on my neck. She then spun around like earlier, trying to slice my shoulder but her sword didn't reach me.

My rapier came flying at the will of my arm, traveling at terrifying speed, it went into the throat of the girl. Even at the tiniest of movement, the tip of my blade could potentially penetrate her skin.

The girl still has a lot to learn.

Good thing that the girl promptly picked up her situation as she ceased moving. The fight ended rather fast, wasn't it?

“You spin to many times, do you even watch the action of your enemy?” I asked her, my rapier wobbled as I bring it down, then I scratched my head.

“Urg...” She has no comeback. Perhaps she was aware of her bad habit but could change it since it was rooted in her body. And looking at how she wavered her eyes confirmed my deduction.

“You have high attacking power, though you lack control.” My final words served as the ultimate criticism of her. She slumped her shoulder, depressed.

“Aya could get down easily when someone talks bad about her swordsmanship.” Rito smoothly entered the conversation, he tapped the back of the girl to cheer her up.

“What about you, don't you want to fight me?” I attempted to taunt him to have a battle with me, but as expected of the level headed Rito, he denied it. “No, I'm not in the mood today.”

“I see, I thought that I can tell you this evil organization but...” I flapped my hand around and wheeled my direction.

“Wait.” And as expected, he took the bait. “How do you know about them?” He added.

“Who knows?” I replied to him. But really, who knew? I certainly did not. I just uttered the evil organization without much thought except for snatching his interest.

“Are you with them?”

“Hahaha! As if I'll team up with those losers.” Just a little bit more and it will be night. Students were understandably lesser than before.

I slowly faced them yet again, wearing a boastful expression that I rarely used. “Look, Rito.”

“...!”

“You know his name!”

“Oh I do, I know a lot of things.” Lie! I don't know jack sh*t about this matter and just playing along!

“For a price, I could tell you anything you want. Do you want an information broker? Gotta pay for that. Do you want someone who will fight for you? Gotta pay for that, too.”

This time, I finally started strolling away from them, still looking at Rito's serious eyes, saying my final words before leaving their confused and wary expressions.

“All I'm saying is, I can be your friend, or an enemy, depending on what you pay. I offer you this deal, Rito. Someone strong as me to take your side in exchange for a few coins is a good deal, isn't it?”

I ended my theatric action with a narcissist chuckle. I might sound crazy to those who did not know why I was laughing, but to the two, it was definitely anything but that.