The Assassin Within

Part 49~Grip-eth

Karma stared head-on, a truly rare sight but one that was coming more common with each passing day. When he looked straight on, he was aware of the others' strength and he wasn't looking down on them. As Zen pulled him up, they backed away from the scene. Nagisa rubbed his neck as Karma charged forward. He swung out the tree but Grip caught it.

"Too soft-eth. You'll have to find-eth a better weapon." Grip broke the tree as Karma scoffed.

"Don't need one." Karma dropped the tree as he stepped back. Grip charged forward, trying to grab Karma who jumped back. Karma kept blocking, hitting away each swipe. Ducking under the attack, Karma dodged from side to side. It looked almost impossible for Karma to be dodging each attack and with each passing second, it was like they were getting faster.

Karma knew the second Grip got his hand on him, this would all be over. All he could was dodge as this unwinning game continued. He jumped to the side, trying to swap the positions. If he could succeed at doing that, then this would be no different from the usual unwinnable game they play.

He ducked under the hand that came flying over his face, watching each long a calloused finger pass through the air.

The class was watching in awe. They couldn't believe he was actually dodging or blocking every blow the assassin tried.

"That's your defence technique, right, Karasuma-sensei?" Koro-sensei looked up at Karasuma who nodded. He had never directly taught Karma to block as for assassins it was a low priority but he had long ago noticed Karma was always watching. Karma had picked it up from watching him. Even for E class, Karma's talent for fighting is head and shoulders above the rest. After all, that's why Zen chose to make Karma one of theirs.

"What's wrong-eth?" Grip stopped, looking down at Karma. "You'll never get past me if you don't attack-eth!"

"You think?" Karma stood back up, a calm expression on his face. "I mean, I could be doing my best to distract you while the rest of us slip past, a few at a time. But relax. No underhanded shenanigans here. Now... it's my turn." Karma cracked his knuckles as he hopped back and forth. "Barenanded, like you. We'll settle this fair and square, man to man."

"I like-eth that face of yours, young warrior. With you, I've got a chance- a chance to have-eth the kind of fair fight I can't experience in the world of assassins." Grip formed his fist as Karma charged forward.

Karma kicked Grip as attacked. He swiped forward, forcing Grip into dodging and blocking. He uppercut, almost hitting his jaw before kneeling Grip's shin.

Grip stumbled back, kneeling on the ground as he grabbed his shin. Karma smirked as he saw his chance. He dashed forward, ready to go in for the killing strike.

Karma was cut short as a purple gas encased the air around him. His eyes lost focus as he fell to the ground. Grip grabbed his head as he held Karma up from the ground. "It's over-eth." Grip dropped the gas canister that Smog must have given him. What a cheap trick. "I'm not fond-eth of drawn-out fights. So I thought I'd give-eth Smog's paralyzing gas a try."

"That's dirty! Ain't nothin' fair about sneakin' that into the fight," Yoshida shouted with a dark expression.

"I never said that I only fight-eth bare-handed." Grip stood up, holding Karma off the ground. "One mustn't get-eth too particular about one's hangups. That's another key to sticking around-eth in this business. A spray of gas at point-blank range-eth... You'll never defend-eth against it if you don't see it com-" Grip looked back at Karma as a purple gas encased him.

Grip coughed out smoke as he tried to understand what was happening. Karma smirked as he moved the cloth from his mouth. "Wow, what a coincidence! Great minds think alike, huh?" Karma held the canister in his hand as he watched Grip crumble beneath him.

"How... did you... get-eth... that... And how... did you avoid-eth... breathing my gas..." Grip forced himself up as he pulled a knife out. "Eth-eth-eth-eth-eth-eth!" Karma grabbed Grip's arm, swinging him and slamming him into the ground.

"C'mon, Terasaka, make it snappy! We'll need duct tape and sheer numbers to beat this monster," Karma ordered as Terasaka scratched his forehead.

"Yeah, I'm on it. That promise of a barehanded one-on-one fight? It was bullshit from the word go!" Terasaka- and about four others- jumped onto Grip, holding him down as Sugaya brought out the duct tape.

"Careful taping him up. With his superhuman strength, you've got to be cautious even when he's paralyzed," Karasuma warned as the class shouted in acknowledgement.

Once Grip was certainly tied up, and muttering 'eth' repeatedly under his breath, Karma bounced the canister in his hand. "I nicked a used cartridge from that poisoner guy. Pretty handy. Shame they're one use only."

"How-eth... did you see-eth my gas attack coming? All I showed-eth you were my bare hands... So how-eth?"

"Do I really need to say? I was on guard against everything but bare hands. I'm sure you really did want a barehanded bout... but you would have had to stop us by any means necessary, and if I were you, I would've done the same." Karma sat down in front of Grip as he looked at Grip with the closest thing you'll find to respect in Karma. "I had faith you'd fight like a true pro and that's why I was on guard."

Nagisa smiled at Karma. It was good to see he had changed after the exams.

"Seems you're a force to be reckoned-eth with, young warrior." Grip lowered his head in defeat. "I may have lost, but I enjoyed our time togeth-" Grip couldn't finish when Karma interrupted him.

"What are you talking about? The fun's just beginning!" Karma held up two sachets as Grip froze, confused by what Karma was holding.

"What the hell-eth is that?"

"Wasabi and mustard. I'm gonna put them up to your nostrils. I'd been on guard around you all this time, but now that you're tied up, what's the point? Once these are in, I'll plug your nose with a special clip, stuff your mouth with ghost peppers- a thousand times hotter than average chilis- and then I'll gag you. Done and done!" Karma had strapped Grip's nostrils and mouth open, a dark aura around him. "Now, my friend-eth, it's time to show-eth me your willpower as a pro."

Nagisa rubbed his eyes as he watched Karma. "So much for having changed."

"What the hell did you bring with you, anyway?" Terasaka looked at the items, slowly packing away the bag. "Hey, let's get goin'. If we keep draggin' our feet, they'll find us.

"They'll find you, you big hulk."

"Aw, shut it!"

Cautiously, the class walked up the stairs.

"Okay, everyone, the terrace is upstairs," Ritsu announced.

"The bar floor. Could be tricky," Hayami said as she looked at the screen.

"Yes. There's a stairway to the VIP floor inside a lounge here. The back entrance is locked, so we'll have to come in through the lounge to unlock it. Now we're flying by the seat of our pants."

"We really stand out, though," Isogai commented while still holding up Karasuma.

"Let's have the guy hide here. We'll sneak into the lounge and unlock the back entrance." Kataoka pointed over her shoulder at the other girls, a proud smirk on her lips. "We girls won't look suspicious alone in a place like this."

Fuwa and Okano cheered as Karasuma scowled. "No. You girls would be in too much danger on your own."

"Oh! In that case..." Karma drifted off as he smirked at Nagisa. Nagisa just knew this was going to happen.