Our eyes met and was surprised as we see each other again. He raised his right arm and greeted me effortlessly, "Hey..."

I flustered, "H-Hey! What are you doing here? Where are you going?"

"Back to apartment, you?"

"Going home now! Hehehe..."

I scratched my head and laughed. Grinning at him with eyes wrinkled, like obviously I've been onto something.

He raised an eyebrow, asking me dubiously, "Where have you been? By your action it seems like you are hiding something. Did you do vigilantism again?"

I gulped. It was somehow scary as he asked me that, because he is also looking at me with dead-fish eyes...

I replied right away, "Of course not! You don't hear any news now, do you? I mean if I did, I'm pretty sure there will be news around again, just as the same as before. Hehehe..."

He is still looking at me dubiously, "Hmm, I see..."

Then, all of a sudden, he just smiled, "Well, it's nice to see you again." He added.

I sighed. A heavy feeling is lifted. He was about to leave, when suddenly, I realized something, 'Oh wait! This is my chance to ask him—'

"—Wait!"

He looked back at me, I asked, "Um... Can you teach me how to defend? I mean, I want to learn more from you..."

I should've asked him about himself. Like who really is he, and what's his background? Or why there are some people looking for him? And just how he is a legend to them? Yet, I didn't. It's because I don't want him to be surprised. I don't want him to evade my questions again. I know that the only way to ask these questions is through getting nearer to him first, or at least befriend him first.

"I want to learn self defense, and I know you are the only one who can help me. Please..." I begged.

He lazily asked me, "Hmm, did you ran into a hoarder? Or all this time you were looking for me?"

I instantly flustered, "N-Neither of the two! I did not do neither of the two! I just... want to be prepared just as you said."

He sighed. It felt like he has the responsibility, because it's his words, "Fine, we'll start by tomorrow after your school. But note this, I don't take responsibilities if you get injured or get into trouble. Basically, you are not under me and that you are doing these based on your own free will. Understood?"

I replied immediately, "Y-Yes sir!"

"And you don't have to call me sir. No nicknames for me, just Ryu. Ok?"

"Y-Yes! Master Ryu!"

He then immediately performed a lower cut punch, slamming my head down as he furiously reply, "I said just Ryu!"

I quickly felt that pain and replied sobbingly, "Y-Yes... Ryu..."

He then smiled, "Good, I'll see you tomorrow then"

'Does he really have to slam me? What a sadist...'

"So, um... Where do we meet?" I asked.

"In an abandoned school, far east from here."

I suddenly felt a nostalgic feeling, "Oh, ok... I know exactly where's that. Me and my best-friend hanged out in there when we were younger..."

Then, I remembered Miki...

(Back before when we were younger, we got lost together, because we got separated from our parents who were just buying stuffs in a shop. My mom and his mom were shopping together that time, and that is how the two of us get to know each other more. At first, we didn't foresee that we are already getting too far from our parents. All we know is that we just entered an abandoned place to play and do stupid stuffs, until it gets darker.

We were just wandering around, when suddenly, we heard whispering voices, coming from a room, nearby. We felt an unusual feeling in our body as we got terrified.

I told Miki, "We have to go! Huhuhu, it is getting dark now. No, I mean it is dark now! Huhuhu."

I was crying like a wimpy kid, but then Miki raised his chest up, as if he is confident and brave.

"Don't worry! I'll protect you! No ghost shall ever touch us!" He says.

I laughed for a second, but then continued crying after. Because after all, we are still lost. We did try to run as quickly as we can and left the building. After that, we wandered around the street, as if we were like lost children. But actually, we really are.

We returned back to the shop we previously went on before we got lost. However, our parents weren't there and that the shop is closed. We couldn't believe that it is already late night, so late that even the shops around had closed as well.

We then continued walking, and walking, and walking... Sooner or later, we got tired from walking. We sat down, then, I cried. Meanwhile, Miki is just somehow chilled, as if getting lost doesn't bother him.

"Don't worry, help will come soon." He said.

"How can you say?"

He pointed at the car with red and blue lights heading towards our way, "I know that car is the police. I know they can help us."

He then stood up and tried to jump, even waving his hand continuously 'till the police sees us. They then stopped by and inspected us, soon realizing we're the missing children.

From that day, I knew that I only need to calm down from certain problems, because somehow, those problems will resolve on its own...)

I completely spaced-out for a second. Then, Ryu asked, "Where is your best-friend now?"

I looked down, "He died recently..."

He was mildly surprise, "My condolence, sorry to hear about it..."

Then, he clapped his hands once, to try to bring me back to the present, "Anyways! I'll just see you tomorrow. Ok?"

He tapped my shoulder and smiled at me. Meanwhile, I still felt the sadness and just nodded at him as a reply. As he left, so as I. I laid down on my bed and then closed my eyes. It seems that I got tired so much for today. But as I closed my eyes, I still did have some flashing image of Miki from my mind. It felt like I still missed him and that maybe I need to visit his grave once more...

The next day, I woke up late and at the same time, almost got late to my first subject. I hurried immediately after I wake up from bed. I even skipped breakfast just to get to school early. I did forgot my lunchbox and that I'm pretty sure mom is going to kill me when I get home. However, I remembered that me and Ryu will be having training after school, so I think I might be able to evade her.

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I eat as much as I can during lunch-break, so that I'll be full of energy in the training to come. Before the end of the class, my last subject posted an assignment via online. Basically, most of our subjects nowadays are blended classes. We have meetings in school and we continue our meeting through online. It's basically convenient, because in case we missed our lesson, we can see it through online.

I felt a struggle, because I have an assignment, and at the same time, over time training after school. I've been thinking, 'How will I insert my time of making an assignment? When I do have a training over night?'

I shrugged, 'Oh well, I guess it will just resolve on it's own...'

I know that eventually, I'll have time for my assignment. But seriously, why am I overthinking this much? Am I expecting too much?

After school, I headed to the said place that Ryu told me to meet him, the abandoned school. As I head to the abandoned school, near the alley, I got snatched by a guy wearing a dark trench coat. It was Ryu!

"Don't enter yet. This abandoned building is like a mini camp of Kuroyami No Hoda. Basically, this is where they stay for a while." He whispers.

He then removed his hand from my mouth and told me to hide. He is stalking the building as if he's either waiting for someone to enter, nor waiting for someone to leave. We were waiting there for almost half an hour, until finally, a guy in a black jacket, came and was about to enter the building.

Ryu, then swiftly head to the building before the guy was about to enter. He made a small noise, to grab the man's attention. Before the guy was about to turn and look, Ryu immediately broke his neck and silently sat him down the corner. Meanwhile, I'm just speechless while standing and watching him.

I asked myself, 'Is this really happening?'

He then signals me to come quickly. So, I hurried as quickly as I can before anyone sees me.

"I don't know how many more are on the upper floors, but I do know that 4 guys entered the building, earlier." He says.

We sneaked in and as we were about to enter the second floor. We heard people talking, coming from the next floor. The abandoned school is somewhat a four-story building and on top of it is basically a rooftop. So, if we are in the 2nd floor, then we must've heard the voices from the 3rd floor. It was an assumption, because maybe they're also in the rooftop. So basically, there are two floor possibilities of where they're meeting, or could be divided; Some of them are in rooftop, and some are in the third floor. Either way, they're just up there.

We walked silently as we climb the stairs. As we're about to enter the third floor, we saw a table, a lamp, four guys and a map on the table.

We silently sneaked in, while also stalking to what they're talking about.

We heard random voices of four guys as they talk to each other, "We just recently found out that two couple students from Rutherford Academy just bought these keychains, 3 days ago."

"We have been stalking these couple. However, we are also cautious. Maybe because of the appearance of this black swordsman recently, and we all know, that guy suddenly appears out of nowhere."

One of the four hoarders furiously replied, "Nonsense! If you two killed the couples already, we wouldn't have to worry any more. That way, we can focus on that blonde schoolgirl."

"Do you really think that these couple are our first priority rather than what's threatening us?"

"W-Well... I suggest we kill the newbies first, after all, they're easy prey."

I somehow knew who that black swordsman they were talking about, and that blonde schoolgirl as well. I also related myself from what that guy said: We newbies are easy prey. That was the exact same thing that happened to me, 2 days ago.

As we stalked them, one of the guy mentioned, "After we kill the others, we will soon hunt this black swordsman next. Next to the lone-wolf girl, but mostly the black swordsman! Oh... I will really cut his head-off and bring his head to the elder!"

Suddenly, Ryu spoke, "Oh really? Why don't we settle this now?"

I was shocked by his action. I thought we were going to ambush them, but no, his sudden action changes my perception.

He then took his keychain from the pocket of his coat, and there, his black, cold-steel sword, magically appeared. He then prepared a ready attack stance.

The four guys were in shock and was trying to reach their keychain weapons, when suddenly, Ryu charged on to them and managed to slice one of the guys with one slant, and then followed with a pierce to another guy through a thrust attack. Only then, the remaining two guys' weapons finally appeared.

Both of them wears a black leather jacket. However, they don't have the same weapon. The other guy has a wolf-hilt sword (the same as the guy that first ambushed me) and the other guy has somewhat a Chinese long spear.

Ryu was just looking at them with piercing eyes. Scaring the two guys as their body trembles in fear, as if they don't know what to do.

The two guys, then suddenly charged at him. However, Ryu cuts through the guy that was using a spear. He lowered his body to cut through between them, while also cutting the guy—who was using a spear—on the knee. Then after that, he swung his sword to the right and performed a slant attack from their behind.

The guy that was holding a spear, suddenly fell on his knees, and at the same time, blood is bursting from the back of his neck, all the way to his lower body, as if he's suffering from a rupture.

As the other guy, fell to the ground and dies, Ryu then asked the remaining guy, "So... Are you the one who said that you'll cut my head-off? Maybe keep on dreaming then!"

They then began parrying each other, multiple attacks coming from both sides, left and right, without hitting each other. This hoarder is as almost as quick as Ryu. However, it seems Ryu is a lot older than any of them, and at the same time, more experienced. Ryu parried, but after he parried, he quickly uses a combo and slashes him from below. However, the guy still parried it, and it wasn't part of Ryu's expectations, making him surprised.

The guy then mentioned his brother, "Yes! I'm the one who said it! I said it, because I will avenge my younger brothe-"

However, as he was about to finish his sentence, Ryu, then jumped onto the air and spin, along with his sword, quickly slashing and cutting the neck of the guy.

The guy fell on his knees and before his body was about to fall, he quickly says, "Dirty move..."

Then, he died.

"Next time, don't talk during a fight." Ryu says as he sheathe his sword.

I'm speechless once again, but then I started to think, 'Where's the training here?'

Ryu then asks, "Have you learned something yet?"

I'm just, bewildering, as I look at him, "Um... What should I suppose to learn?"

"Everything. From sneaking to the enemy, all the way to attacking the enemy..."

I asked with a frown in my face, "Where is the self-defense here?"

"Which one do you choose? To be a prey? Or to be the predator, or should I say, a hunter?" Ryu smirked.

"Of course not to be a prey! But I don't want to be the predator as well..."

"Idiot! You are already a prey! You have this keychain and now they'll come looking for you! Otherwise, you kill your killer first!"

He got furious. But then I remembered what Shoto said to me: Kill your killer first...

"Is there any other way to not be the prey, nor to be the predator? As in, I just want to survive and live a simple life..."

"Hmm... There is. If you are the prey and the predator is the trapper. Maybe try trapping the trapper? I don't know! Ok!? I am now teaching you basic ways, but if you don't want this, then I suggest go find your own way! I had enough teaching newbies..." He shouted.

I suddenly remembered something, "You were teaching newbies before? I mean, I know that there are some guys who says that you're a legend, but, are you a legend to them because you taught them these ways?"

It seems that I slipped my tongue. I forgot that this was not supposed to be my intention and that my only intention is to just learn self-defense.

"Who? Have you met people that fights hoarders as well? Was this yesterday? Because time sure flies, but I figured you knew something yesterday."

I had to continue since I already slipped my tongue, "Yes! I met some people who fought hoarders in an alley. I met Shoto and Toki."

He narrowed his eyes, "Shoto? As in Shoto Mamuro? I know him, I taught him. However, I don't know who is Toki. Is it a she? He now have an apprentice?"

"I think he have a small group, n-not more than 10, I guess..."

"It's been a while since I saw him. I'd like to see these "group" you were saying. I hope there's improvements now..."

I quickly reach my phone from my pocket, "I can call them no-"

However, Ryu immediately interrupts, "No! Not now, plan it tomorrow. Just not now and not here."

"Oh, uh, um, ok... Ok..."

"Let's go, before more hoarders returns."

We ran as quickly as we can, 'till we distance ourselves from the building. Luckily, no one else saw us as we leave the building. There were only just many birds on electric cables. Not even a single car passes by.

As we say goodbye to each other, I asked, "Where do we meet tomorrow?"

"Tell them to meet me at the park. I'd like to see this Toki as well, so they both better be there."

I replied immediately, "Ok!"

As we head home back to our places, I spotted the same birds from the abandoned building. It felt like these birds were like following me all the way to my house. They just sat there in the electric cable and fly only when I move for a mile. I was wondering, 'Why do these birds follow me?' However, I completely ignored it and just head home.

As I returned home, mom suddenly scolds me, "Why did you leave your lunchbox!? Just where have you been and why you woke up late??"

I scratched my head and grin, "Uh... Um... I just had new friends from school, and we were doing assignments together. We even had lunch together... Hehe..."

I'm such a liar. I even tried my best at fake smiling.

"Hmph! I see. Next time, don't forget your lunchbox. Ok?"

"Yeah, yeah..."

I head to my room after, and lay down to my bed. Meanwhile, I tried remembering Ryu's moves.

Stalking, sneaking, breaking the enemy's neck while sneaking behind, ambushing, attack first before they do, create an alternative attack, and don't talk during a fight. I guess I did learn something in the end. But I do hope that Ryu will now fully introduce himself tomorrow, and just who else are they? Aside from Shoto and Toki?

Sigh. Oh well, I guess I'll find out soon...