Fighting Like a Lion (4.5K)

Monday,

You En arrived in the classroom.

Wang Meiyu saw You En and worked up the courage to greet him:

"Good morning, You En. What's all this?"

You En carried two bow cases of the same size. One held Heart Bamboo, the bow his upperclassman had given him. The other held a longbow he'd made himself over the past few days, modeled after Heart Bamboo. Of all the bows he'd put together with their many flaws, this one was the most comfortable to use.

He also had a quiver slung over his shoulder, filled with homemade bamboo arrows. Their tips had grooves and had been provided by his upperclassman. He could have made those himself, of course, but it would have taken a lot of time and effort. His upperclassman had said it shouldn't be a problem, so he'd left it at that.

You En snapped out of his thoughts and replied,

"It's for a club activity."

Wang Meiyu studied the bow cases. "A musical instrument? It doesn't really look like one."

"This is a kind of performance, too."

You En recalled nocking an arrow, drawing the bow, and opening his shoulders to shoot. The bowstring made a sound as well. Couldn't that count as a musical instrument?

"If you're interested, you can come visit the club."

Wang Meiyu seemed to have been inspired by something.

"Okay! I'll definitely come!"

After chatting with Wang Meiyu for a few minutes, You En ended the conversation and returned to his seat.

"Are club activities really that busy?"

Horikita Suzune reached out and tapped him on the shoulder.

You En turned around and saw that she seemed a little unhappy.

Only then did he remember that because of his intensive training this week, he'd often missed breakfast and dinner with her. Lunch was the only meal he'd consistently shared with Horikita.

"I'm disappointed, too, that I can't eat with you, Suzune."

At those words,

Horikita Suzune closed her eyes and gave an almost imperceptible huff. Then she opened them and said,

"I never planned to eat with you. I just thought you looked a little pathetic, so I'd give you whatever I couldn't finish."

Tsundere types were so outdated, Miss Suzune.

You En thought she and her older brother were actually quite alike. One was a tsundere, and the other was an even more tsundere tsundere... He could only conclude that they were definitely blood siblings.

Horikita Suzune glared at him with her big eyes.

"I feel like you're thinking something that would really upset me."

"Can you read minds?"

You En asked.

"All your emotions are written in your eyes,"

Horikita Suzune said slowly, meeting his gaze.

"I can see them."

You En thought it over briefly.

"If you can really read emotions in my eyes and guess what I'm thinking, I suggest you look for a Psychology Club. A Deduction Club would work, too."

"I have no intention of joining a club,"

Horikita Suzune said firmly.

"I'm definitely joining the Student Council."

"I was just making a suggestion."

You En didn't want anyone else to dictate his life or choices, and he likewise didn't interfere much in other people's affairs. He'd made the suggestion out of friendship, not because he meant to force her.

"I have a fairly important assessment this afternoon, so I'm going back to nap after this morning's test. I won't eat with you at noon."

Horikita Suzune pinched her chin and thought it over for a moment, then nodded lightly.

"Okay."

She didn't ask why. She asked You En about plenty of things she didn't understand, but when it came to his own choices, if he didn't want to talk about them, she wouldn't ask.

Just as he had never tried to talk her out of joining the Student Council or of her obsession with catching up to Horikita Manabu. He had even helped her understand herself and stand firm in her convictions.

And so,

You En slept through the morning.

When the first class of the afternoon, Swimming, began, he only warmed up a little before relaxing and doing his best to get into the right state of mind and sense his "Second Self."

At last, he arrived at the door of the elective-classroom. Ibuki was already poised and ready.

Ibuki helped You En put on some of his usual protective gear: a leather jacket, wrist guards, and greaves.

She sighed faintly, feeling that her ability to learn and work with her hands still left something to be desired.

"I didn't make you a helmet or shoes. There wasn't enough time, and rhino hide is too hard to work with. Those unfinished pieces might affect your condition."

You En asked, "It's fine. I don't need those, either. You're the one in the most danger. Did you get your own gear ready?"

"No. I only managed to make one more shoe than you did. I'll skip the head protection. I won't get hit there anyway."

Ibuki was very confident. After all her practice lately, she didn't think the gray wolf was anything special. Even alone, she'd only suffer a few minor injuries—and with You En there, she had nothing to worry about.

You En was confident and optimistic, but not careless. He reminded her,

"Be careful."

Ibuki felt as if she were on her home turf.

"Whether it's a fight or a sparring match, I've got a lot more experience than you. You're the one who should be careful. Remember not to get too far away from me."

"Mm."

You En said nothing more. He noticed the door to the Survival Class classroom was open and unlocked, so he pushed it open and looked at Ibuki.

"Shall we go in?"

"Let's go in and wait,"

Ibuki said, brimming with excitement as she went in ahead of him.

"We can take a look at that gray wolf while we're at it."

You En followed her inside. To be cautious, he left the door ajar instead of closing it.

There was no sign of the teacher in the classroom. The huge partition curtain still stood in the middle of the room.

You En took off both bow cases. He first took out the Heart Bamboo bow and held it in his left hand. With his right, he nocked an arrow, holding another between his fingers.

Ibuki was about to go take a look.

The instant she reached for the partition curtain—

You En heard it: a beastlike growl, and the barely audible scrape of paws against the floor.

He didn't hesitate. He shot an arrow toward the curtain right in front of Ibuki, aiming slightly off-center.

Ibuki pulled the curtain aside. Completely unprepared, she watched an orange-yellow jaguar accelerate and pounce toward her. Its claws and fangs were only inches away.

It wasn't a gray wolf?!

Staring at the tawny beast, Ibuki couldn't help feeling a flicker of fear at the sudden attack. She didn't think to fight back. She even wondered if the teacher had already been killed.

"Whoosh—"

In the instant she stood frozen, an arrow struck the jaguar below the neck and buried itself deep. It slowed the beast's terrifying momentum a little, but it still came pouncing toward her!

Ibuki Mio's panic at being attacked eased somewhat when You En's arrow came into view. Instinctively, she crouched to shift her center of gravity, then tipped to the side, barely avoiding the jaguar's pounce.

But that dodge had a consequence.

The jaguar crossed the middle of the classroom and ended up directly in front of You En.

Five meters? Or eight?

You En wasn't sure. He only knew the beast was right in front of him. He had only two arrows in his hands. He'd just shot one, and the other was now nocked.

If he let it fly and the beast dodged, it would take him at least two or three seconds to pull another arrow from the quiver and nock it. That was more than enough time for the jaguar to reach him.

The jaguar had explosive speed and a bite force surpassed only by tigers and lions. Its bite was powerful enough to tear through flesh and even crush a skull.

He hadn't trained in close combat. It might take only a dozen seconds for it to bite through his neck and kill him.

You En watched the beast without fear. His dark eyes met its tawny ones as pure hostility faced off against savage killing intent.

The jaguar tried to paw the arrow off, but after struggling for a while, it managed only to snap the shaft. The arrowhead remained embedded in its flesh.

The pain in its neck told the jaguar this human wasn't to be trifled with. At the same time, the pain stirred its most primitive savagery, making it desperate to tear into flesh.

Its gaze shifted away from You En and settled on Ibuki, who still hadn't fully regained her composure. Judging by their builds, this prey should be easier to deal with. She was probably a cub or a juvenile.

Watching this, You En tried to gauge Ibuki's situation. Could she really dodge the jaguar's next pounce?

"Don't be afraid."

That low roar, like a lion's growl,

was like a spring of water welling up in the desert. Ibuki's restless mind finally calmed.

She'd misjudged the situation. She'd been too confident, too reckless... and that was how she'd ended up in danger.

At the very least, she had to make sure You En got out safely. This was her mistake. She shouldn't let him sacrifice himself for her.

Ibuki glanced toward the door from the corner of her eye. It was still open, and You En was only about three meters away. If they could get out and shut the door, they'd be completely safe.

But only one of them could make it.

You En chose to trust his partner. He believed that he and Ibuki could defeat the beast together, just as they'd agreed.

"Get out of the way!"

"You go first."

They acted at the same time, practically shouting their decisions at each other.

Ibuki moved suddenly.

You En's bowstring, which he'd been about to release, snapped back.

To avoid hitting his teammate,

he loosed the arrow into empty space.

The arrow shot free and struck the arm of his left hand, leaving it faintly sore.

Ibuki Mio dodged to the side as the jaguar attacked and kicked it hard in the stomach.

If that kick had landed on a person, most people would have been left unable to fight back.

But this was a jaguar.

It slid across the floor for a short distance, then steadied itself again. The blow had hurt it far less than the arrow had.

It had judged correctly. This was the prey it should kill first.

The fingertips of You En's right hand hurt, too, and blood seeped between his fingers. But he didn't stop. He immediately pulled out three arrows, nocked one, and held the other two in reserve.

Ibuki Mio took the opportunity to move to You En's side. "Listen to me. You go first."

You En didn't look at her. He kept his eyes fixed on his opponent, never faltering as he challenged it with his gaze and presence.

Even without a teammate, he would accomplish his goal.

"Go. I have a better chance of surviving than you do."

The calmness in his voice sent a chill through Ibuki. She'd been driven by emotion when she wanted him to escape, but he had stated a brutal truth with the coldest logic.

"Haah—"

Ibuki took a deep breath. She couldn't just run away. She assumed a stance and stood in front of You En, making her resolve clear through her actions.

She would be You En's hunting dog, protecting him and helping him complete the hunt.

You En grinned. Even in such a dangerous situation, he found himself smiling.

"Then let's do this, Ibuki. Watch out for my arrows."

The jaguar attacked again, but it couldn't land another blow. No matter how fast it was, the distance was too short for it to get a proper running start. It couldn't outrun You En's arrows.

Even when one of You En's arrows missed because of the jaguar's speed and agility, it still couldn't get close to him.

Because a certain girl was blocking its way in the most ferocious manner. She knew that if she wanted to drive it back, she had to hurt it.

—Give it an even stronger shock.

She aimed every kick she could at the arrow wound You En had made in the jaguar.

She didn't retreat or leave anything to luck.

She simply risked her life again and again.

As the beast fell nearby and lay prone on the ground,

You En drew the last arrow he had left and, concentrating, shot it. At close range, the arrow flew almost in a straight line toward the jaguar's eye socket. It sank deep, piercing straight into its brain.

The jaguar convulsed once, then fell completely still...

It was dead.

The arm of You En's left hand had gone completely numb, as had the fingertips of his right hand.

Ibuki watched as he picked up an arrow that had missed and fallen to the ground, held it in his right hand, and walked toward the dead prey. He struck it once more.

After confirming that it was dead,

You En turned and went over to Ibuki.

"We're safe now," he told her.

Ibuki's body finally went limp. She leaned against You En's chest, her heart pounding.

You En said nothing. He simply wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her back.

He was grateful for their victory.

"Congratulations on completing the challenge,"

Teacher Ed came out from the doorway, applauding enthusiastically. He also spoke with some remorse.

"I'm sorry for putting you through a trial like this. But the most dangerous thing about a beast isn't fighting head-on. It's lying in wait and launching a surprise attack."

Ibuki buried her face in You En's chest, lost in the scent of his pheromones. She didn't plan to respond, even after hearing the teacher's voice.

You En rested a hand on Ibuki's back and asked Edward,

"Teacher, you were outside the whole time. If we'd been in danger, you would've protected us, right?"

Edward nodded. "I would have stepped in before either of your lives were in danger, but I couldn't guarantee you wouldn't get hurt."

"Then there's no problem,"

You En said, looking at the jaguar.

"Would it be illegal if I killed this jaguar?"

Edward shook his head and said with certainty,

"No. No one can control this school. No law can."

You En found it more and more intriguing.

"Ha, that's not what the promotional material says."

"What you saw was merely the promotional material you wanted to see. In reality, each of you sees a different version of the school website."

Edward had said a lot. Perhaps passing this trial had made him willing to share some information with You En.

You En nodded. "I see. That's quite something."

He wanted to ask more questions, but saw Edward smile and shake his head. It seemed he had already said enough.

Edward was very pleased with this student. Whether in class, in actual combat, or in casual conversation, You En always knew how to strike a balance.

He took a folded animal-hide map from his robes.

"When I was young, I survived in various parts of the world and discovered some small islands. I mapped them out. They're only of sentimental value, but perhaps they'll be of some use to you."

You En took the map. It was a nautical chart, showing thirty or forty small islands and one larger island farther away.

The small islands looked close together, but according to the map's scale, there was quite a distance between them.

A souvenir?

You En wasn't disappointed. He put it away.

"Are there any more lessons?"

"Of course."

Edward grinned, showing two rows of pearly white teeth.

"Before that, you and this young lady should get some treatment. I'll cover the cost."

You En thanked him. Ibuki seemed reluctant to leave his side and kept her arms around his waist, so he could only walk out of the classroom with her like that.

"Oh, right. If there's anything you two need to take care of..."

Edward gave them a knowing smile.

"We can wait."

You En looked at Ibuki in his arms. She was clingy and a little bashful, completely unlike her usual self.

If he asked her to do that thing now, she would agree without a doubt.

Under such extreme stimulation, it was only natural for human instinct to drive people to seek out reproduction, whether male or female.

"You En..."

Ibuki Mio had heard what Edward said. She had finally regained some of her usual composure and reluctantly pulled away from You En's embrace.

"If you want..."

The once headstrong girl lowered her head, a trace of guilt in her expression.

"I can."