K SIDE:BLUE

Chapter 2.1

CHAPTER 2: DOJO TRAINING
PART 1

　　Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau, Family Register Section, Fourth Annex.
　　The Blue King Munakata Reisi's official position was the director of this small office at the bottom of the polity, whose business was "the collection and management of information regarding persons retaining abilities caused by a unique phenomenon."
　　The combat organization of Scepter 4, made up of nearly a hundred uniquely powered individuals, was a strictly non-public organization. Officially, it was an outside agency commissioned for a part of the Fourth Annex's business, and at the same time it should be said that it was the private army of the Fourth Annex's director, Munakata Reisi. Be that as it may, in actuality the members of Scepter 4 and the Fourth Annex were practically one and the same. Basically, the "Fourth Annex" was a paper identity given to Scepter 4, who kept the extra-legal side of things. But Munakata normally calls himself "director," and his subordinates also called him by this title through and through. It was a display of power more immense and transcendent than anyone else, while showing deference towards the existing social system - there was no way for outside people to understand such a truth.
　　He was a man like a chimera, Zenjoh thought.
　　In front of him, the man like a chimera smiled like a chimera.
　　A smile that steals one's freedom.

†

　　Once a week during the day in the dojo, along with the squads, or those who willingly choose to participate in martial arts training, occurs a joint training that all troops participate in. Unlike fencing practice, which was for learning the armed group movements, dojo training was designed for the mastery of each and every person's swordsmanship technique itself. During practice, they wear dogi[1] and use bamboo swords. They use techniques prohibited in competitive kendo, and use them mercilessly. Protective gear is unused. They etch into themselves the agility to evade an attacking enemy along with countless bruises.
　　Saturday afternoon, just before joint training. Roughly a hundred troops sat properly in neat rows. Much like during fencing practice, the lieutenant, Awashima Seri stood facing them, commanding them.
　　No - today at Awashima's side was an unfamiliar man. A single-armed man wearing a dogi on his huge muscular body, enshrined like an old tree. He emanated a strange presence just by being there, without saying a single word.
　　"…Hey, who's that crazy lookin' guy?"
　　"Mm, I wonder…"
　　Troops from the fourth squad, Fuse and Gotoh, whispered to each other.
　　"Heheheh, I know…" Hidaka slid over from diagonally behind them, sticking his head in. "He's the soba guy."
　　"The hell is that?"
　　Fuse and Gotoh gave him a questioning look, and beside him Enomoto smiled wryly. "He's something of an old vet. It seems he was moved to internal affairs after an injury…"
　　"Huh… a battle-whatevered warrior. Well, doesn't look like a wimp just from looking at him."
　　"No, he's actually a surprisingly nice guy--"
　　"--Silence!"
　　A sharp voice rang throughout the dojo, and Hidaka and the others hurriedly fixed their posture.
　　"This is Mister Zenjoh Goki, who will be advising our dojo training from today." Awashima bowed as she introduced him, and Zenjoh lowered his head in return, facing the troops again.
　　"Hello."
　　The troops gave Zenjoh their full attention, expecting some sort of speech to begin, but Zenjoh didn't say anything else; he looked around the room and bowed his head again.
　　"Mister Zenjoh was a part of the former Scepter 4 organization and participated in actual battle. He is incredibly experienced. Do not disrespect him."
　　"Ma’am!"
　　Awashima wrapped up the greetings, the troops gave a single bow, and training finally begun. After several easy forms and light practice swings, and the formation of lines and such, Awashima ordered, "Scrimmage!"
　　Scrimmage was a kind of so-called free-style practice, but it presupposed a melee situation in actual combat, and as every person changed opponents one after another they moved freely, fighting each other. It was dangerous training, where training swords and other's bodies may hit blind spots beside and behind, in addition to a proper opponent.
　　Feet rubbing the floor, striking training swords, the troops' shouts - the dojo in scrimmage showed a state of chaos. But upon closer inspection, within that chaos existed different characteristics and a kind of chaotic order. For example, Awashima walked along the walls without participating in the scrimmage, shouting commands such as,
　　"Ishizuka! You're too defensive! Hit back!"
　　"Jinnai! You are too sloppy!" Bringing together the whole atmosphere.
　　And Akiyama, Benzai, Camo, Domyoji - the space around the four squad commanders was rather open, showing their skill and air of intimidation, and those around them continued to challenge them.
　　And then, one more--
　　Fourth squad, Kusuhara Takeru.
　　His body was small and his skills were nothing to fear, but for some reason there was space around him and others were avoiding him. It's because he was "hard to approach." As though he himself was more aware than before, Kusuhara would often strangely delay his breaths between blows and his timing, and moved at a moment that his opponent wasn't expecting. He'd catch his enemies off guard by his own reflexes - "awkward" would be an easier way to express it. For example, were this a conversation with bad verbal responses, or when two people speak up at the same time converted into sword training, you have practice swords and bodies bumping into each other. Everyone understood that Kusuhara himself had no ill intent, and scrimmage training was aimed at those exact irregular situations in the first place. It was just that "going up against him's a pain" - those feelings manifested themselves as a strange feeling of distance around him.
　　On the other hand, there were those who liked that quality of his.
　　"Kusuhara!" Hidaka called from an area far from him, the point of his bamboo sword pointing to him.
　　"Yes!" Kusuhara answered by readying himself.
　　They edged slowly towards each other, feinted each other, when finally Hidaka's sword suddenly lowered.
　　"Yaa!"
　　"Ha!"
　　Hidaka managed to preemptively strike him on the abdomen as Kusuhara came at him without waiting. Since they weren't wearing any armor, his attack hit him directly in the gut.
　　"Agh…!" Kusuhara doubled over with the wind knocked out of him. But he stepped to stop himself from falling to his knees.
　　"Alriiight! One more!"
　　"Ach… Okay…!"
　　Kusuhara somehow managed to ready himself without being able to breathe, so Hidaka dropped his stance, resting his weapon on his shoulder and smiled, "…Haha, you can take a breath."
　　But--
　　"--Hidaka! Don't lose focus!"
　　"Egh!"
　　Awashima scolded him and he shrank.
　　Watching the scene from a distance, Gotoh gave a low laugh. "Heheheh… Hidaka likes Kusuhara, doesn't he."
　　"Yeah, the new one… I like him too," Fuse answered, striking back at him. Fuse, Hidaka and the others, the problem children of the fourth squad, were proficient in pretending to exchange blows while they took breaks and chatted behind Awashima and the other squad commanders' backs.
　　"He really gets tricked by feints. It's funny 'cuz it's like a puppy playing around."
　　-- "Puppy" is probably too much. Enomoto overheard their conversation and smiled wryly, but he then remembered, Ah… That's right, I just called him a puppy, too. He wasn't one to talk.
　　Then,
　　"…Oh hey, how's our famous pro doing?"
　　"Uh? I dunno…"
　　Enomoto also unwittingly looked back into the dojo as they said that. The single-armed man Zenjoh was sitting the same way as he was at the beginning of training, without moving an inch.
　　"…You think he's sleeping?"
　　"Heheh, maybe… Oh. Awashima-san's going to wake him up."
　　Just as they said that, Awashima, having made practically her third loop around the dojo, spoke to him. "Zenjoh-san… How is it?"
　　It was as though he was listening to the sounds of the training, and he lifted his head.
　　"Hm… It's wonderful that everyone is so full of spirit." It was a harmless answer.
　　Then Awashima sat on her knees directly in front of Zenjoh. Her unshaken bearing was much like a direct attack to the head. "I've heard from the Director that you worked closely with the previous Blue King in the former Scepter 4."
　　"Ah… That's an old story."
　　"No one has been able to match you in swordsmanship."
　　"Not at all." Zenjoh shifted the position of his glasses uncomfortably. "Director Munakata is giving me too much credit… No, it must be a bad joke of his."
　　"There's no need to be modest. Please do give guidance."
　　"Ah, that's…" Zenjoh scratched his head in bewilderment at Awashima's pressing attitude.
　　At some point the troops around them had stopped moving too, watching the two exuding an unusual air. It wasn't as though Awashima had said something with hidden meaning. They were simply thinking, if Director Munakata had said that this man here was strong then he must be, and that if he was told to teach then he should.
　　"Heh… Pro's embarrassed."
　　"That's 'cuz Seri-chan doesn't get the hint."
　　Gotoh and Fuse whispered to each other in hushed voices. There was a soft murmur throughout the dojo of the similar conversations occurring here and there.
　　"…How about it?" When Awashima began to ask to be doubly sure--
　　"--Um… Lieutenant Awashima! One match please!" Kusuhara stepped in front, clutching his training sword.
　　"Oh? Saving the day, huh."
　　"He sure got guts."
　　"You can call that 'way too conceited,' too."
　　As the troops spoke to each other, Awashima stood and faced Kusuhara with her weapon readied. "Alright, let's go."
　　"Okay! Ya--!"
　　-- Smack!
　　The moment Kusuhara raised his sword over his head to strike, the tip of Awashima's moved slightly. Kusuhara's body stiffened for just a moment in response to her movement. She took the chance to step directly towards him, connecting at his forehead - that was all half a second. He fell on his behind right where he was. He seemed to have gotten a slight concussion, and his head was spinning. Low sounds of "ooh…" stirred from the other troops. Despite Awashima's clear hit, Fuse said with a wry smile, "There's no one else who could lose so beautifully."
　　"Dumbass, I was gonna decide that, Kusuhara!" Hidaka said, poking Fuse in the side.
　　"Kusuhara, can you get up? …Seems not. Then, you there. Carry him to the corner." Within the hesitant, low laughs, Awashima quickly ordered Kusuhara and the troops around him, and she once again sat in front of Zenjoh.
　　"…How about it?" It was a continuation of the earlier conversation. It was almost as if she wasn't even aware of her face-off with Kusuhara.
　　"…Well, you know. That'll be…" When Zenjoh started to stand, clearly hesitant about it--
　　The loud, screeching sounds of the sirens set in the dojo walls went off. It was the signal of an all-troop emergency dispatch.

†

　　Awashima instinctively stood and turned back, then made a bow to Zenjoh who nodded to her silently, and gave orders to the nervous troops. "Men, gather at the exit in full uniform! First and second squads will depart first and receive information support and briefing during transport. Third and fourth squads stay in battle-ready standby until further orders!"
　　"Ma'am!"
　　The troops exited quickly from the dojo like pouring water.
　　"Ah…" Kusuhara hurriedly tried to stand, but Hidaka kept hold of his shoulder.
　　"Lieutenant, what about Kusuhara!?" Hidaka raised his head and asked.
　　"He'll rest there!" Awashima's voice grew faint as she answered.
　　"…Yeah. You chill here for today."
　　"Ah… Okay."
　　Hidaka patted Kusuhara's shoulder and followed the other troops out.
　　For a little while afterwards, Kusuhara lay on the floor in the corner of the dojo, staring blankly up at the ceiling. It wasn't that long of a time. When he finally came back to his senses, he could still hear the hurried voices of roll call and vehicle guidance from the front. It just felt as though that clamorous energy had escaped to outside the dojo. The space just moments ago was filled with a hundred troops striking at each other like fireworks, and was now just like an empty bowl. Only two remained now in this empty bowl. Kusuhara himself, and Zenjoh.
　　Pulling a sword stand with a caster, Zenjoh picked up one by one the bamboo training swords the troops had tossed to the ground.
　　"Oh, I'm sorry. I can take care of that." Kusuhara tried to stand, but Zenjoh stopped him with his hand.
　　"Rest for a little more."
　　"Ah… okay. I'm sorry." Kusuhara sat with his back against the wall. His head was still spinning a little.
　　"…I'm the one that should be sorry. I had you looking out for me." What Zenjoh was talking about was Kusuhara's earlier match with Awashima. When he'd seen Zenjoh's trouble he'd interfered without thinking, but --
　　"No, that was unnecessary. There didn't seem to be much point in it."
　　"Hm…" Answering vaguely, he finished collecting the swords and began to mop the floor. He was probably used to cleaning the dojo. He fixed the long stick between his right hand and underarm, moving the mop skillfully with one hand.
　　"…Zenjoh-san?"
　　"Hm?"
　　"…I don't have any talent, do I?"
　　"Hm…" Zenjoh stopped and rubbed his chin with his right hand. Then, without answering Kusuhara's question, he began to mop again.
　　-- Is he smiling…? He gazed blankly at Zenjoh, then listening to the noises from the front, he brushed his bangs. That's mean-- Oh… His finger touched a large bump that had formed on his forehead.

†

　　They said that the emergency dispatch during the day was one to deal with an incident of assault somewhere within the city. So to speak, it sounded like "a hundred security force troops were mobilized for one quarrel," but since one person of the concerned party was a Beta Class superpowered, "The monster appeared, so we send the army, or something," Hidaka had said when they returned.
　　"When it becomes a so-called Beta Case, then it's something like, will Director Munakata himself appear, or will they dispatch all of us like they did today?" Enomoto joined the explanation, and Hidaka continued.
　　"And the guys today were taken in by Lieutenant Awashima, Commander Akiyama and Commander Benzai and those guys. So basically only they really got to do anything."
　　"No, the numbers were necessary. Working with the police to secure the perimeter and such… But I don't think we needed a hundred. And us fourth squad and Commander Domyoji sort of stood out in the front, and the rear was clattering some."
　　"The 'strong guys' and the 'responsible guys' have to be separate."
　　"Well, the organization of Scepter 4 exists because of those 'strong guys’… Originally, the squad units with the commanders' strength as the center were meant for dealing with Common Class superpowereds, but if the opponent's a Beta Class, there'll be a lot of irregularities…"
　　"And aren't Beta Classes in the first place… supposed to be one in a hundred? So why are they appearing like every week when we don't even know if there's even a hundred of them in the entire country? Is this the year for them or what?"
　　"That's a mystery," Enomoto nodded.
　　"It looks like we don't know what the cause of it was today… Anyway, we have to deal with it."
　　"…So, that's that reorganization, right?" Kusuhara interjected.
　　-- Several days prior, the "Soba Day."
　　Munakata, who had come to visit Zenjoh, spoke of a plan to rearrange the swordsmen troops and the entire organization of Scepter 4 into an assumed Beta Class-response system. In order to make possible a quick response to Beta Class superpowereds who appear suddenly, he would place a selected unit comprised of troops who excel in special skills and fighting prowess at a higher rank above the regular sword division, concentrating on information and authority. Conversely, this was removing strong squad-class personnel from the position of "subordinate leadership" and granting them individual mobility.
　　"…More specifically, the squad commanders of squads one through four, as well as those who excel in their individual skills, in addition to a small number from the intelligence division… I plan to place this unit comprised of roughly fifteen men in total directly beneath me."
　　"Huh…" Why was he speaking of such a thing to him?
　　Munakata said to Zenjoh, who wore a dubious expression on his face, "Zenjoh-san. I would like to hear your opinions as consultation on who to choose." So for that, Munakata had ordered Zenjoh to make appearances at the midday training under the name of "adviser" but…
　　"--So basically, if we show that old guy our cool moves, then that means we'll be promoted to the elite corps. Hey, this's our chance!" Hidaka smacked Kusuhara's back.
　　"I don't think it's that simple… But a chance is a chance," Enomoto smiled wryly.
　　"…But I showed that chance some pretty uncool things, though," Kusuhara said dejectedly. Hidaka grabbed and held his head under his arm, swinging him around roughly.
　　"Dumbass, they're gonna evaluate those guts of yours! You've got the potential! Be more confident, confident!"
　　"T-Thank you! But owww, don't hit me! Please don't hit me!!"