##
Back inside his room, Natsubi Raku took off his shoes and walked on the smooth floor, gently placing his cursed tool on the table. He retrieved the clothes from the washing machine and hung them to dry on the balcony.
Having completed these chores, he sat on the bed, contemplating the sword on the table while recalling sword techniques he had seen on television. If only Zen'in Maki could teach him some sword techniques now; it would be helpful. However, it was obvious that she wouldn't, especially since he had just copied her naginata skills. Asking her to demonstrate sword techniques would likely get him beaten up, even though he was thick-skinned, he wasn't foolish enough to risk his life.
Was he really going to waste the entire day?
A crisp knock on the door interrupted Natsubi Raku's thoughts, followed by Zen'in Maki's voice from outside, "It's me, open the door."
What could she want?
Raku raised an eyebrow, surprised by Maki's visit. Logically, her anger should have subsided, and she should be either training Okkotsu Yuta on the field or making friends with Fushiguro Megumi, her future junior. Nevertheless, there was no reason to leave a guest waiting at the door.
Raku slowly got up and responded, "Coming."
He opened the door to find Zen'in Maki standing with a boxed meal in her hand. "What's up?" he asked.
"Here's your lunch. You haven't eaten since the morning, right?"
"Oh, yeah, thanks a lot." Raku accepted the meal, feeling a bit embarrassed about forgetting to eat.
"Want to come in and sit? I have some leftover fruit in the fridge."
"Sure, I'll come in."
Maki removed her shoes and entered the room.
"No worries, we're classmates after all. What's with the formalities?" Raku remarked, placing the meal on the table and starting to eat while looking at Maki sitting on his bed. He asked, "Did you just come over to bring me lunch?"
Maki glanced at him, her tone unmistakable, "Is that a problem?"
"Not at all, it's a lifesaver. I'd be starving otherwise."
Maki snorted softly and moved to the main topic, "Do you really think you can beat Fushiguro? You're not just bluffing, are you?"
"A bit, yeah. Losing to a junior would be quite embarrassing."
"…"
"Honestly, I usually don't care about things like this, but today's an exception."
Watching Raku eat his noodles with such immersion, Maki felt exasperated. Despite the impending crisis, he could still eat. She slapped him on the back, "How confident are you?"
"Ow!" Choking on his food, Raku held up four fingers, "Forty percent... If you teach me sword techniques today, it'll go up to fifty."
"Fifty percent? Fine, I'll teach you. But if you lose, don't blame me for looking down on you."
Maki dragged Raku out of the room.
"Wait, I haven't finished eating!"
Raku hurriedly wolfed down his food. Seeing the meal reminded him of how hungry he was, especially since he had vomited everything in his stomach earlier that morning.
"Learning first, eating later. If not for the fear of you embarrassing us, I wouldn't teach you sword techniques."
Maki gave him no chance to argue, pulling him out of the room.
---
In the training field, Raku sat on the sidelines, watching Zen'in Maki swiftly swing her long sword. His Sharingan recorded everything. Despite not knowing if the techniques would be effective without actual combat, his body clearly wasn't up for fighting now.
He could only observe, memorize, and let these moves become second nature. Every swing was simple yet powerful, unlike the large, sweeping movements of the naginata. Maki seemed to be teaching him how to create opportunities for counterattacks while defending. As expected from a cursed tools expert, Maki's instructions were straightforward and easy to understand. If he could apply them flexibly, his chances of winning wouldn't just be fifty percent, but sixty.
After all, under these eyes, all efforts are futile. The lower winning probability was due to his limited stamina and cursed energy, coupled with Megumi being a summoner, which could easily drain his energy reserves.
---
The next morning, the alarm clock rang, and Raku opened his eyes to see the rising sun outside. He stretched, noticing that his body was no longer as sore as the previous day.
"Not bad, my body's recovering well. Today's the real training, and tomorrow's the duel with Fushiguro. Honestly, I'm looking forward to it!"
After dressing and washing up, he picked up the long sword from the table and headed out.
Perhaps because of yesterday's events, everyone was up early training. Only Panda was sitting on the sidelines cheering them on.
Seeing the three running around the training field, Raku wondered if he had set his alarm wrong. It was known that Maki always got up early, and Okkotsu Yuta and Inumaki Toge seemed to be training ahead of schedule.
Panda wasn't training, but he got up early just to cheer them on?
"..."
What a jerk.
"Hey, Raku! You're late, we're all waiting on you. Join us for the run!"
Panda waved, shouting.
"You don't even run, you've got no right to say that! Besides, I'm already up early!"
Raku retorted, put the long sword on the ground, stretched a bit, and joined the others in running.
After five laps to warm up, it was time for the real combat training, the reason why Panda, Yuta, and Toge got up so early: they wanted to see Raku's skills.
"How long do you think Raku can last against Maki?"
Panda whispered.
Remembering his previous beatings, Yuta considered Raku's superior combat talent and said uncertainly, "Ten minutes?"
"Bonito flakes," Inumaki disagreed.
"Real combat training doesn't usually last that long. Maki didn't go all out to teach you, Yuta, otherwise, you'd be defeated instantly."
Panda explained, and Inumaki concurred, "Salmon."
"Really? That's a bit disheartening T_T."
Yuta looked at the two in the center of the field with admiration, gripping the ring on his right hand, muttering, "Rika, I'll break your curse and set you free."
In the field, both held long swords, observing each other. It was a "teacher versus student" match, a necessary trial in Raku's growth journey.