The morning sun cut through the clouds as Narukaze trudged into the Hunters School training yard. Bruises from yesterday still ached, and whispers followed him like a shadow. "Weakling…" "Orphan boy…" His ears burned, but he kept walking.
Then he saw her.
A girl with fiery eyes, standing confidently in the middle of the training yard, demonstrating perfect form with her sword. Every movement was precise, every strike elegant. Narukaze's heart skipped a beat. He had never noticed anyone like her before. Not like this.
As the class began practical drills, Narukaze tried his best to focus, but he couldn't take his eyes off her. Every glance, every flicker of her smile, sent heat to his cheeks. He stumbled on simple movements, missed blocks, and nearly dropped his practice sword — but he didn't care.
Later, as students gathered for lunch, she approached him. Narukaze froze, unsure if she was coming to mock him like the others. But instead, she smiled.
"You're new, right?" she asked. "I noticed you trying, even if it's… not perfect yet. Don't give up."
Her words were simple, but to Narukaze, they were electric. For the first time in school, someone had acknowledged him without ridicule. He nodded quickly, too flustered to speak.
As she walked away, Narukaze's mind raced. Her presence… it was distracting, inspiring, and terrifying all at once. He didn't know why, but he wanted to impress her, even if he was still the weakest student in the class.
And somewhere in the back of his mind, a quiet hope formed: maybe, one day, he could fight beside her, not just watch from the shadows.