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Within the silence surrounding the class； the sensei sent the next boy at her。 The result was the same； though she varied her response to his attack。
Now the sensei sent two of his pupils at her at once。 Akiko still knelt staring straight ahead。 She did not have to turn her head in order to know where the second student was or what he was doing。 Shinki kiitsu revealed his strategy to her。 Both her fists gripped the wooden pole lightly yet firmly at its exact center； this was essential because she was employing the fulcrum concept and balance was crucial。
She kept her place； at a disadvantage because she did not have her feet。 But there was a lot she could do with her upper torso。
Concentrating on the Void； she felt the advancement from behind her。 She torqued her shoulders； dipping her right side and bringing it up to increase momentum and thus power。 The pole whistled through the air； slammed into the student's rib cage； sending him flying。
The opposite end of the pole…now the lower end…began its upward swing at just that moment； its rounded end jamming lightly into the oning second student's throat。 He sat down hard on his buttocks； a stunned look on his face。
It was only then； as her concentration broke its intense focus； that she became aware of the interest from other quarters of the dojo。 What she had thought to be an isolated incident had been observed by fully three…quarters of the ryu。
But if she suspected that the sensel of her class would now accord her the honor of performing against him； she was mistaken。 Again the school sought to subtly humiliate her。 The sensei bade her rise。 Taking the pole from her； he led her across the dojo floor to where Saigo's class was working。 He left her in care of another sensei； a dour…faced individual with severe pockmarks across his cheeks and chin。
He bowed formally to her。 〃Wele；〃 he said； though he did not for a moment mean it。 It was as if she were a gaijin in her own country。
His hard…calloused hand； as yellow as tallow； extended。 〃Please be kind enough to assume kokyu suru。〃 Kokyu suru was an attack stance but as with all Japanese words and phrases it had another meaning； it also meant； 〃breathe。〃
〃Jin…san。〃
The student he had named stepped forward； bowing toward his sensei。 〃Hai。〃
〃It seems that Ofuda…san has been inadvertently put in the wrong class through an administrative oversight。 We do not wish for such an occurrence to happen again。 Would you be so kind as to convince us that with us she has found her proper place。〃 So saying he retreated to the edge of the circle formed by the rest of the class。
Out of the corner of her eye Akiko could see Saigo standing relaxed and calm。 Was he curious about how she would fare in his more advanced class？ Was he wishing that it were he instead of Jin…san who had been chosen to test her？
There was no bowing done within this dojo circle as there would be in any other form of martial discipline in Japan。 They were ninja here； the code of bushido…the creed of the samurai… was meaningless to them。 Though honor was not。
Jin…san stood facing her； his feet apart to about the width of his shoulders。 His fisted hands were held before him at waist height； the left cupped over the right。
There was something disturbing in this stance that Akiko could not quite put her finger on。 Then he moved and were it not for the fact that she could read his spirit； anticipating his physical strike； she would have been finished even before she had a chance to parry。
As it was； she barely made it。 Her foreknowledge allowed her to both prepare her spirit and focus her attention on the unknown。 Therefore she saw the glint of the manrikigusari…literally 〃the chain with the strength of ten thousand men〃…consisting of two feet of hand…forged iron chain with three…and…one…half…inch blunt…ended weights attached to each end。
And now she knew what had disturbed her about Jin…san's stance： it was goho…no…kamae； one of the openings or kamae in spike and chain fighting。
Jin…san was already halfway toward her； his arms spread so that the manrikigusari hung in a loose arc between his fists。 He would seek makiotoshi； she knew； winding the chain about her neck； because not only was it essential that he defeat her but also that he do so quickly and decisively。
She did not make the mistake of trying to grab for the chain。 She knew that she could expect only a weight in her eye for her trouble or； if she were foolish enough to manage a two…handed grasp； crushed knuckles。
Therefore she sought to ignore the manrikigusari entirely as a target。 She bent her torso only slightly…and to the side； not； as he had expected； away from the attack。 This allowed some of her own momentum to build up while she came inside the attack； using her left side as a wedge bined with his own forward momentum to strike at ekika； a vital spot just beneath the armpits。 The ate broke both Jin…san's rhythm and his concentration。 Thus cut off from the Void； he was easy to take down。
The pockmarked sensei said nothing as Jin…san got shakily to his feet and returned to the sanctuary of the circle's edge。 But Akiko could feel a great leap in the onlookers' tension。
In her memory there was something absolutely otherworldly in the next several minutes。 How many times had she relived the sense？s next movements； watching as if in slow motion as he turned toward the press of his students and uttered the word； 〃Saigo…san。〃
There was no hesitation； no eye contact； nothing at all in Sai…go's demeanor to tell her what was in his mind。 But she knew that in the next instant； as they came at each other； the fate of their relationship； present and future； would be spelled out。
She also knew that both their fates were pletely in her hands。 In his own mind he had already conquered her； so he held none of the dominance…anxiety for her that he might male rivals of his here。 He would simply do what his sensei asked of him： that is； defeat her as convincingly as possible。 Humiliate her in public。
It was up to Akiko； therefore； to divine the twining of their karma…if there was to be any at all…and to use this moment to defuse the deep well of hatred that seethed like a volcano inside of him。 He was very dangerous； and she never lost sight of that。 He could very easily hurt her seriously if she allowed that well to e uncapped。 She did not believe the sensei would be able to sense it soon enough and intervene in time。 Saigo might easily kill her； gripped in the heat of his own energies； without even knowing it。
All this flashed through her mind as Saigo entered the inner circle where moments before Jin…san had gone down before her。 Seeing his tense； hot face； she knew that he had vowed not to allow the same indignity to happen to him。
He took three minutes to defeat her； but in that time an eternity of knowledge seethed back and forth between them in microcosm。 The employment of strategies revealed the layers of the spirit； there was nothing behind which to hide。 They became more intimate than lovers； sharing more； even； than twins。 The Void connected them in its wholeness as they maneuvered； as they stared down the dark tunnels of each other's souls。