Episode 03: All In A Day's Work

“HAAH!!” Seth swiped horizontally with his wooden sword, Kotaro blocked it.

“Your stance and swordplay are already improving.” Kotaro smiled as he blocked another attack and pushed Seth back, “That's right, try to keep the angle of your slice low!” Seth closed the distance between himself and Kotaro.

Clack Clack Clack!! - Their wooden weapons collided over and over again.

Different people bloom under different tutelage, Seth withered away under Yuga's, but blossomed under Kotaro's. Kotaro was also growing thanks to Seth, there was only so much one can achieve training by themselves, even if he was inexperienced, just having a sparring partner trained his battle sense.

“Okay, that's enough of that.” Kotaro declared.

“Yes, Master!” Kotaro nodded enthusiastically. He had ordered Seth to call him Master when they train. He wanted to feel all the pluses of having a disciple.

“Right!! We're running whilst practising our swings!!” Kotaro declared, “Gotta put some more muscle on those arms.”

“EHHH!!” Seth exclaimed whilst wiping away his sweat. The enthusiasm and energy Kotaro gained from having a disciple would always show itself in his training regiment, at Seth's distress.

“Less complaining, more running!” Kotaro ordered as he started off on his own. Seth took a deep breath before chasing after him.

No wonder he is one of the strongest fighters in our year. Doing this kind of training every morning before school.

A few hours later, Kotaro was dragging Seth's exhausted body. “Sorry Seth, I pushed you a little too hard. Although you're already showing improvement.”

“Yes...” Seth replied weakly. This had only been his second training session and his body had yet to adjust to the change. Seth's willpower had sparked him to push his body beyond its limits. With prospects of becoming a Blood Warrior, despite his frame he naturally had guts.

“Excuse us...” Kotaro opened the infirmary's sliding door. What greeted him was a very unpleasant sight. The perverted doctor, Dr Kurokari, was kneeling behind the human anatomy modal (Johnny), moving a cucumber towards Johnny's rear end.

“Eh!?” Dr Kurokari's arm froze and his stiff face turned to Kotaro and Seth. Kotaro silently closed the sliding door.

“Ah wait Kotaro! I'm just practising for the real thing. Please don't misunderstand…!!”

Kotaro ignored the perverted doctor's yelp as he walked away.

“It's not Johnny's ass I want, it's yours!!”

Kotaro's walk transformed into a sprint.

Kotaro had managed to escape from a situation where his ass was literally on the line. A perverted doctor chasing him around Mutsuroku Academy's hallways with a cucumber in his hand had mentally tired him out. Even though I was carrying Seth, how the hell did that doctor manage to keep up with me even though I'm a Blood Warrior? A level of perversion that could even keep up with a Blood Warrior's speed. Kotaro shuddered to think what would have happened to him if he hadn't ran into Makoto-sensei, whom scared off the doctor whilst holding a flame in her hand.

The perverted doctor was chased off, although not before declaring that Kotaro's bottom would soon be his for the taking. It took several minutes of Makoto-sensei's affectionate head patting to end Kotaro's shivers.

“Now then class, before we begin today's lecture I want to introduce a new friend for you all.” Makoto-sensei beamed. The men in the class perked their ears and sat up straight, “And sorry boys, but it's a guy.” their shoulders fell in sync. Just how badly did they want it to be a girl? Makoto-sensei felt a slight amount of disgust, although she was their teacher, she was still a girl the same age as her students.

“Please come in Sei-kun,” Makoto-sensei invited.

Opening the door and walking to the front of the classroom was a teenage boy with snow white spiky hair and blue eyes. “My name is Sei Ishigami, due to certain circumstances I decided to enrol here in prospects of becoming a Blood Warrior. I hope we all can get along.” A pure smile surfaced on Sei's face. Many of the Vampiresses were instantly charmed. Whispers among them began about how cute the new boy was. The men in the classroom gritted their teeth at the female students' positive impression.

“HMPH!” Saito simply grunted in disinterest, Nora who was sat next to him gave an awkward smile at the reaction.

“Hey, what do you think about this guy, Kotaro?” Keisuke asked.

“Maybe I will be able to save my ass by introducing him to the good doctor.” Kotaro's answer contained no malice, just self interest. Kotaro had already been bonded to a Vampiress, so he cared little about the girls' interest in the transfer student. Saito's disinterested response was for a similar reason, the ones bothered were those whom had yet to become Blood Warriors.

“Okay, Sei-kun. Why not take a seat at the back there?” Makoto-sensei suggested, mainly to move things along.

“Yes.” Sei replied as he made his way through the admiring gazes of the Vampiress and the jealous eyes of all the fledgling Blood Warriors.

“Okay class, today we're going to review the positive implications of the Blood Bond. But first an explanation about the Blood Bond itself, if you would, Keisuke-kun.”

“Yes, the Blood Bond is the connection between a Vampiress and their Blood Warrior. The connection is made originally by a Vampiress sucking the blood of the Blood Warrior. By creating this connection the Vampiress is able to send mana over to their Blood Warrior.”

“Correct,” Makoto-sensei smiled. “Blood Warriors and Vampiress can be almost said to be complete opposites of one another. A Blood Warrior has low mana capacity but the mana they possess is heavily refined, where as a Vampiress possess great amounts of mana, but it is very raw. Therefore channelling their mana through to their Blood Warrior covers the Blood Warrior's natural weakness. Plus the mana transferred will also become refined. The Blood Warrior then sends the excess mana back to their Vampiress. So in essence the Blood Bond creates a cycle of mana refinement.”

“But then why can only Blood Warriors and not regular humans use mana?” A student asked.

Makoto-sensei smiled at the good question, “A human's body naturally contains mana, however it is actually locked away. When the Vampiress first sucks the blood of their partner, they also release a special enzyme into their partner's body, this mutates the human body into that of a Blood Warrior. Thus awakening the latent potential to use their mana.”

“So once you're a Blood Warrior, you're one for life?” Another student asked.

“Not necessarily. If the Vampiress doesn't renew the Blood Bond after so long there is a chance the Blood Warrior may revert back into a human. That's why Blood Warrior's and their Vampiress tend to renew the Blood Bond on the anniversary of their original bond.”

“So does that mean that Kotaro may revert back into a normal human?” A careless student asked.

“””……..””” The class was silent at the crude remark. Kotaro narrowed his eyes, Makoto-sensei glared at the student before saying. “The Blood Warriors that revert back to being human are those whom stop using their mana. Kotaro-kun is always using his, so I doubt it.”

“I...see...” The student replied quietly, sensing the tension in the air.

“So you can see the benefits of the Blood Bond.” Makoto-sensei tried to lighten the atmosphere.

“And yet there is one fool, who despite his talents, refuses to create a new Blood Bond.” Saito remarked.

“...” Silence returned again.

Saito and Kotaro exchanged angry glares, which was interrupted by Nora slapping Saito across the face. “A.K.I.R.A.!!” Nora stared daggers into her partner. Whilst she may have been paired with Akira Saito, she despised some of the things that came out of his mouth.

“Saito-kun...Go stand outside!!” The pressure from the cute teacher's gaze could probably have scared off a Lower Maou Darkness. She held her anger back before because the previous student was just careless, Saito however was just being a pure bully.

“Tch!!” Saito grunted as he walked out the room with his hands in his pockets.

Nora looked towards Kotaro with apologetic eyes and lowered her head. You're not the person who should be apologising. Kotaro mouthed silently.

The rest of the lesson continued on without incident. Until the bell rang ending the period.

“The next period is the first round of the tournament. Those of you participating I wish you luck. Those not, please cheer your friends onto victory.” Makoto-sensei smiled encouragingly.

“Go break a leg Kotaro,” Keisuke patted his friend's shoulder before wandering over to the transfer student, Sei.

“C'mon newbie, you're watching with me.” Keisuke dragged Sei, whom looked nervous at the attention the Vampiresses were giving him, towards the exit.

As pushy as ever. Kotaro smiled at his friend before walking to the exit. Where he spotted Makoto-sensei waiting there.

“Kotaro-kun, I'm sorry I couldn't help you before,” Makoto-sensei looked at her student in concern.

“It's nothing you need to apologise for.” Kotaro smiled. “Anyway, I'm going.” He waved lightly before walking towards the coliseum that would hold his first match.

“Don't push yourself too hard, Kotaro.” Makoto-sensei whispered under her breath.

“Mutsuroku Academy tournament, year two, round one, match six, Keigo and Ellen versus Kotaro!!”

The crowd cheered at the announcement, “Smash that pretty boy's face in, Kotaro!!” Keisuke's voice somehow managed to enter Kotaro's ear over the crowd.

Is he cheering me because he wants me to win, or just the fact he can't stand Keigo-kun? Keisuke and Keigo from day one got along about as well as Kotaro and Saito, so his friend's cheering came tenfold.

“Ha-ha-ha the howling of a loser. Kotaro-kun, you should choose your posse with greater care. If you get on your hands and knees I wouldn't mind taking you under my wing.” Keigo offered whilst brushing his long dark bangs out of his yellow eyes.

Kotaro's eye twitched in annoyance. He knew that unlike Saito, Keigo was an oblivious guy rather than a hurtful one. But this made him all the more difficult to deal with.

Keigo's Vampiress, Ellen, sighed whilst shaking her head, “Why can't you just ask him if you can be friends like a normal person?”

“Within every friendship a hierarchy is developed, one must grab the top position first chance they get.” Keigo replied.

“How can a guy who has no male friends to speak of know anything about friendship?” Ellen's words cut deep into Keigo.

An arrogant man who all guys avoid, and because he already had Ellen, Vampiresses didn't bother approaching him. You could say Keigo was a bit pitiful.

“GGGRRR!! This is all your fault Kotaro!! Why is everyone so obsessed with you. I'm going to beat you a new one and make you my underling!!!” Keigo directed his misplaced anger.

“Ellen-san, can you translate your Blood Warrior's train of thought for me.” Kotaro asked.

“With how much his mind twists things, you're asking me for the impossible.” Ellen scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

“Are you quite finished with the traditional pre-match insult exchange?” The referee began.

“NOT YET!!” Keigo shouted, “Kotaro you have the same intellect as an ape!!” Keigo folded his arms, looking somewhat pleased at his great taunt. The crowd looked on in pity and in response to the pathetic insult Kotaro…

First pointed his finger towards Keigo's nether regions, then held the tip of his index finger and thumb a few millimetres apart.

Keigo grew red in the face as the crowd laughed hysterically, even Ellen was hard at work trying to stifle a laugh.

“I'll kill you!!” Keigo summoned his Blood Weapon a pair of daggers. Electricity ran through their blades. Kotaro in response summoned his own Blood Weapon, a sword, the blade slowly turned red. Electricity also began coursing through Ellen's body and the static discharged.

“Keigo and Ellen versus Kotaro, match begin!!” The referee announced.

Keigo charged at Kotaro and swiped with one of his daggers. Kotaro arched his back and watched the blade pass meaninglessly over his neck. Keigo thrust his second dagger, a bolt of lightning shot from the blade tip, Kotaro twisted his body with minimal movement, avoiding the bolt.

Ellen flanked Kotaro and shot a lightning stream. Kotaro swung his sword and shot a fireball, cancelling the lightning stream.

Keigo suddenly disappeared from Kotaro's sight, Kotaro ducked by instinct a fraction of a second before Keigo's dagger could pierce him. Ellen jumped into the air and shot a wide electric beam, Kotaro grabbed Keigo's unsuspecting wrist and threw him into the oncoming attack.

“URGGHHH!!” Keigo grunted.

“KEIGO!! URGHHH!!” Ellen shouted in an uncharacteristic loud voice before Keigo's body slammed into her.

Kotaro didn't let the opening slip, with quick work he conjured up a big fireball and shot it at the duo. Ellen created a wall of electricity, but it was too little, too late.

“”URGGHHH!!”” The duo were sent skidding along the arena floor.

Keigo and Ellen lay sprawled out along the floor.

“Winner: Kotaro!!”

The crowd cheered as the match had been decided.

“Amazing...” Sei stared on in wonder, “He managed to defeat both the Blood Warrior and Vampiress without having a Vampiress at his side.”

“Kotaro has always been strong. Due to the lack of a Vampiress he doesn't have the ability to fight for long, but Kotaro's mana capacity is about five times that of a regular Blood Warrior. This, although for only a short time, let's him surpass a Blood Bond by himself.” Keisuke explains. But such capacity means he can't be paired with just any Vampiress.

A weak Vampiress would drown in the refined mana Kotaro releases.

“Well, there is one more person who has an equal mana capacity to Kotaro.” Keisuke turned his eyes to the back of Saito's head.

Sei asked one final rhetorical question. “If he is this strong on his own, just how powerful would he be with a Vampiress?”

Kotaro's Aircom suddenly vibrated, he turned on the device, on there was a simple message that brought a smile to his lips.

Luckiest Vamp: Congratulations, you were really cool.