Graceful Redemption

Bojin's POV

Well, this should at least cheer everyone up a bit. The whole seed situation really brought down the class vibe.

Especially him.

I glance at Rafa. He's not handling this situation well at all.

I wish I could switch places with him, you know? Starting from scratch doesn't bother me, but I don't think that's the real issue here. Actually, it might just make him dislike me even more.

We all tagged along with Sensei as we entered the arena. I pitched in a bit during the setup, but man, it was still overwhelming.

Sensei gave us a graceful signal to pay attention to him.

"And now myself included here are your teachers!"

The resounding echoes of numerous enchanting portals opening reverberated through the vast expanse of the empty stands.

Our collective gaze was captivated by the tantalizing anticipation that filled the air, as the harmonious clinking of armor resonated and soon thereafter, a procession of seventeen gallant figures materialized, adorned in magnificent suits of armor and armed to the teeth.

In short, pure awesomeness.

And then everyone gasped.

Sensei's graceful POV

A remarkably formidable gentleman, possessing an exceptionally sturdy physique, gracefully advanced. The arena fell into complete silence, captivated by his presence.

Placing his hands upon his hips, he proceeded to unleash a resounding and exuberant laughter, unparalleled in its intensity.

His guffaw reverberated so forcefully that it compelled the other knights to shield their ears, while the students, immobilized by sheer astonishment, remained transfixed.

Suddenly, he came to a halt, his steps measured as he advanced towards our presence, his destination fixated on Kain alone. With graceful ease, he crouched down, meeting Kain's gaze with unwavering composure. Despite the telltale evidence of weariness etched upon in Kain's eyes , he fearlessly returned the knight's intense stare. My how graceful!

Rising to his feet, the knight emitted a hearty laughter once more, exuding an air of charm and charisma.

"Sensei!" His voice was somehow even louder, "I'm interested in this one!"

My weary yet graceful sigh resonated in the air as I delicately pressed my hands against my temple.

"Let us not forget the meticulous order that was established," I reminded, my voice filled with a tinge of disappointment.

My gaze gracefully shifted towards Rafa, emphasizing the responsibility that was intended for him.

Tsurugi gracefully approached Rafa, replicating his actions. He gracefully lowered himself into a  squat,    meeting Rafa's gaze with unwavering intensity.

However, upon rising, there was a noticeable absence of his trademark laughter. Instead, a pensive expression adorned his face as he gently closed his eyes, deep in thought.

"I say no!" We all covered our ears, "I don't like the dark!"

"Teacher! You taught me, so you already know. There's no will in that person's eyes."

We all turned our gaze toward Rafa. He looked even more puzzled now than he did before. That look was indeed far from graceful.

"Very well" I looked stressed enough already. "Just this minor shuffle will do no harm. Now where are th-"

*crack*

Several small rocks descended gracefully from above, making a subtle thud as they hit the ground.

Suddenly, another resounding crack resonated throughout the room, prompting a few more rocks to plummet downwards. As the rocks tumbled, a peculiar silence enveloped the surroundings, broken only by the faint sound of a muted voice, barely audible amidst the eerie atmosphere.

???: ONE, AND TWO, AND THREE!!!...

There was a loud explosion.The sky seemed to be showering rocks upon us, mimicking the patter of rainfall.

With a disapproving shake of his head, I swiftly yet gracefully conjured an earth dome to shield us from the cascading debris.

Once the torrent of rubble ceased, I dismissed my protective barrier, unveiling a colossal void where the ceiling once stood.

My! How rather ungracious.

Suddenly, a different voice, this time belonging to a woman, echoed through the newfound emptiness.

"See I told you that was too much, do you ever even think?!"

"Well so much for the cool entrance" The first voice said.

Bojin POV

Something about those voices was familiar. I knew I had heard them before. No, I had heard them before. It was those guys!

"Go on then"

"After you, big boy"

All of a sudden, the voices that had been filling the air abruptly ceased, leaving behind an eerie silence. In that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps reached our ears, growing louder and more frantic with each passing second.

Without warning, two individuals  leaped into view, effortlessly soaring through the air and landing with a resounding thud on the ground.

The impact sent plumes of dust billowing into the air, obscuring our vision and creating an atmosphere of chaos.

Slowly but surely, the figures emerged from the swirling cloud of dust, their coughs echoing through the space as they engaged in a heated exchange, their voices filled with irritation and disagreement.

At the same time , a second portal materialized right behind Sensei, and a hand emerged from within, reaching out to firmly grasp his shoulder.

A human head emerged from the portal, followed by the emergence of the entire body of the mysterious individual.

It was them.

Oh no! He doesnt know!

I turned to where Rafa was supposed to be . It was too late. He was already gone.

"RAFA WAIT!"

As I narrowed my eyes, I noticed Kain hot on Rafa's tail .

However, upon blinking and taking a closer look, I realized that Kain wasn't actually after Rafa but rather heading towards the portal alongside them.

Rafa's POV

Those voices.

What were THEY doing here again?!

What gives! I've had about enough of this day already!

I dash to the portal. A sense of urgency rushed my veins. He was going for Teach!

"RAFA WAIT"

I quickly turned my head to catch sight of Bojin who was urgently signaling for me to stop.

Sorry Bojin! Not now !

Before I could refocus , sand just whizzed past me. That didn't stop me from running. As the sand cleared I noticed Kain going for portal too. At least someone else understood how dangerous these guys were.

As the portal spat him out, the man emerged completely, his presence commanding attention.

Without hesitation, Kain forcefully shoved Sensei aside, his adrenaline surging through his veins as he executed a swift sweep kick towards his adversary.

Hatred aside , this Kain guy was HIM

In a mesmerizing display of skill, he conjured a scythe-like weapon composed of hardened sand, aiming to disarm the man by targeting his legs. I mean I hated the guy, but that was one cool way to fight.

I grabbed Sensei and gently placed him on the floor before jumping back in.

Not like I expected Kain's attempt to be successful, but it did manage to catch the man by surprise, leaving him momentarily off balance.

In a swift motion, the man leaped off one foot and unintentionally landed directly onto the sharp blade of Kain's sand scythe.

For me this was more than enough , keep the change.

Taking advantage of Kain's sweep stance, I leaped off his back, propelling myself through the air as I aimed to deliver a powerful spinning kick with my right leg.

It was a calculated move, and Mr. Cloak couldn't resist taking the bait. In an attempt to counter my attack, he skillfully parried my kick using his left hand. Despite feeling the tight squeeze on my foot, I let out a creepy grin .

Bingo!

Cloaks made an attempt to reenter his portal, but Kain skillfully prevented him from doing so by using his sand to immobilize the lower part of his body. He turned toward me and nodded. Aww  Look at us bonding.

LIKE THANKS FOR THE ASSIST DUDE!

I inhaled as much oxygen as my lungs could hold, releasing all thoughts and concerns from my mind,.

The KSEs , school, seeds. None of that mattered anymore.

In that moment, everything went white ,my mind went blank again.

When I blanked out earlier , I was unsure of what had just happened. This time was entirely different. I found myself exhibiting all sorts of emotions and responses.

As I exhaled, the carbon dioxide escaped my lips, and as if by magic, the world around me burst back to life in a vivid display of colors.

If this is what it felt like to actually breathe then I don't know what I'd been doing all my life.

With a firm hold on my staff, I concentrated my energy and created a powerful earth release projectile, which materialized at the very top of the staff.

Filled with a surge of emotions that had been building up inside me, I tightly gripped the staff and swung it forcefully, channeling all my pent-up feelings into the motion.

*flashback*

It was a week after I got back to school. I began working on a new move and asked Bojin for some help.

After school, We headed over to the school field.

"So this move, what do you want it to be" Bojin asked.

"Well I'm not really sure yet. You know how that game you love works, umm.. what's it called

"Baseball?"

"Yeah that one. You know how batter sends the ball flying" I swing my staff, " I kinda want it to be like that"

" A magnificent display as you strike with all your might, delivering a forceful blow that will send your opponent soaring like a home run in a baseball game! I like it!"

I laughed at how seriously Bojin was taking this. Guy really loved his balls. I mean ball game.

"Yeah exactly but a bit less extra!"

We had a few practice runs with medium sized boulders but nothing was working.

"All right Bojin let it rip!" I scream at Bojin.

"You got it!"

Bojin sent a huge mass of rock pain my way.

" Hey Bojin isn't this a little too much ? Ah *sigh* forget it"

I took a deep breadth and pictured it just like Bojin said.

I let the air out of my mouth , swung my staff and hit the boulder right in the sweet spot, smashing it to bits.

I opened my eyes and Bojin was giving me some weird look.

"Oh man!" He ran towards me "That was friggin' awesome! What are you gonna call it?

" I don't know man. I'll think about that later. For now I'm just glad it's over."

I fall on the grass out of exhaustion and let out a victory shout.

"Oh I've got it! How about -"

*end of flashback*

"Earth Release : Strike! Home Run!"

I closed my eyes tightly, I wasn't going to open them until I could feel his face connecting with my staff. And in an instant, it happened.

I struck him, the impact unmistakable, but it vanished just as swiftly as it came. With caution, I gradually lifted my eyelids, only to find an empty space before me.

Still reeling from the shock, I momentarily forgot that I was suspended in mid-air, causing my body to collide forcefully with the ground.

Kain's sand was still standing meaning that at some point we had him. Then we heard something behind us.

"That was close right Sensei? Cloaks helped Sensei up.

"Wait Sensei?" I forced myself up, " Ow , did you just call Teach, Sensei?"

"Yes he did young Rafa" Teach dusted himself off gracefully and fixed his glasses back on his face.

"If you would ever let me finish my sentences. Now class . In addition to the 17 knights present here we have acquired the services of these three Ganban special operations officers. The 20 of them and myself will be responsible for you over the next three months."

"Please take good care of us!"

"Okay now ,the pairings are as follows, Sully...., Gohan...., ....Bojin will be with Jotar Tsurugi from Special Forces."

"HECK YEAH!'' Bojin and Jotar high fived each other.

"Aziza from Special Forces is assigned to Lady Alcea".

Aziza rested her arm on Alcea ,and whined " Aww really I wanted the shortcake", she licks her lips.

Ugh! I think I just felt chills for the first time.

" And finally young Rafa who was originally supposed to be under the care of Tsurugi Kenma, will now be under the supervision of Gmakame Aizer. That is all."

"WAIT!HIM?!" Cloaks and I point to each other.

"You have a lot more in common than you think, haha .I'm here for it, it's a great fit." The one armed Jotar says as he and Bojin walk toward us.

Teach glanced at his watch and realized that this situation had been going on for quite a while. He then addressed the mentors and mentioned that if they had nothing else to discuss in private, the individuals could leave. As Teach departed, the arena erupted into conversation.

Every single person, including Alcea, was eagerly surrounding their mentors, seeking guidance and advice. It seemed like everyone was engaged in animated discussions, except for me, who stood on the sidelines observing.

However, just moments before Teach exited the premises, he specifically beckoned Cloaks and me to approach him, drawing our attention amidst the buzzing atmosphere.

"Dear Rafa, it's hard for me to accept the fact that you could possibly have feelings for someone like me, who is much older than you, yet you always seems to effortlessly complete my sentences."

I let out a nervous laugh while absentmindedly scratching my head. He paced for a while and then continued

" I must admit that I have been gracefully taken aback by your unexpected reaction to the events that unfolded today. It is safe to say that your response has been nothing short of surprising. In fact, I dare say that both you and Aizer possess a similar sense of spontaneity."

Cloaks scoffed and turned his head away, clearly expressing his disbelief.

How was this guy on the special ops team? He was more of a sleep-deprived child rather than someone who possessed exceptional abilities.

Teach let out a sigh " Observing the unpredictable shifts in mood from gloominess to sudden bursts of energy. I your teacher, recognized that, despite the inconsistency, there was a graceful display of emotions. "

He cleared his throat and continued, "The ability to express one's heart, especially for someone at the early stages of their training as a junior officer, is a quality that has the potential to lead them towards great success in the future."

"Junior officer?" I asked "What do you mean Teach? I thought we were talking about the KSEs"

Cloaks knocked me so hard I almost bit my tongue off.

"He means exactly what he said you're a Junior officer now. *Scoff*"

" Well young Rafa. This is not an everyday occurrence but every now and then a student from a particular year group sparks the interest of the higher ups ..." He went on and on

"Well, the long and short of all this is-"

" You're the best one in your class so you got a special recommendation from the academy. The top dog at special ops seems to have taken a liking to you so no need to take the KSEs." Cloaks butted . He gritted the rest through his teeth, "You're already in."

I couldn't believe what i was hearing. I looked up at Cloaks and then at Teach

"Teach is Cloaks , I mean Gmakame right?"

" You both always seem to finish my sentences for me. Yes Aizer is right. Rafa have more confidence in yourself. You never even argued about the seed decision. Surely you must have had questions?"

Shit. Trying to hold back a waterfall here.

" Ahem. So just like Aizer and the elder Tsurugi: Kenma once did, you  go through the ranks, as the kids say , no sweat. And just like Aizer, while being a year younger than your class. Things do happen for a reason, dont you think?"

"HELL YEAAAHHH!'' My scream was almost as loud as Tsurugi's.

Everyone shifts their gaze toward us.

Bojin and Alcea along with Jotar and Aziza rush toward my direction.

I jump and crash Bojin into the ground. The rest of them gather around us.

"Ow! What is wrong with you?! Ah-my head." Bojin looks up at me.

"We're gonna be FREAKING KNIGHTS!".

"Junior Officer not knight" said Cloaks.

Heck i could be a freaking marine for all i cared! Guys I've done more than my part of the deal now! It's on you guys now, Michio, Nana.

"But what about Bojin and Alcea?" I asked.

" They would also join you after the KSEs as officers as well. Seeds don't necessarily go to the KSEs to participate it's more of a rather graceful commemoration for them."

" Holy base balls! For real ?" Bojin enquired tossing me aside.

" Ahem" Sensei cleared his throat " As you do say among yourselves , No shit."

"Alright!" Bojin pulled as all in for a hug.

Jotar and Aziza laughed at as while Cloaks just stood there.

I pulled out the folded picture I had in my bag and opened it up.

It was a stitch of two pictures .

The first one was a bit old and had me standing there by my best friends: Michio and Nana.

The second one was a more recent one of me standing in front of the academy with Teach and my new best friends : Bojin and Alcea.

Man I love these guys.

終わり