Firefighters took all night to put out the fire caused by Akutani. This was the biggest incident involving vampires in a while so naturally it was all over the news. That mall was over 70% percent destroyed and will take at least a few years until it's fully repaired. In Shioto, if workers lose their jobs due to vampire-related incidents, the government will employ them at any similar nearby occupation within one week. Without this law, many people would end up unemployed each year.
Shoyo also had a long night. When he has important reports to make to the President of the Hunter Agency, he usually takes a flight there for two reasons. 1: He enjoys them. 2: It's a guaranteed day off for him, reason being the roundtrip will take most of the day. Shoyo could just teleport to Hunter HQ, but that would mean no day off.
That night though, he had no choice but to immediately make his report, so he contacted the President shortly before teleporting there. He'd just fought two strong vampires after all, one of who he couldn't even finish off. They were undoubtedly part of the Slayers. Shoyo complained to himself about having to go back for another big report already, especially since he'd be getting no day off, but he simply told himself it is what it is.
A few days have passed since the fight, and it's now the 14th of March. Chifuyu and Iris just have 2 more weeks until their training is completed.
"Chifuyu."
"What's up Shoyo?"
"An old friend of mine is setting up a new group for young Hunters. It currently only has one member, and this establishment was all their idea."
"Oh, so what is it?"
"It's called Odd Jobs Cafe. As the name suggests, they're going to work as a cafe and also take on Odd Jobs requests from people all over Shioto. Apparently after a year after of setting everything up, it's finally ready to open soon."
"Hold on, this sounds super cool! Are you about to tell me I'm allowed to join this?"
"Yeah, they're inviting you to become a member. It shouldn't be a problem at all, I'll let the Prez know and he'll be fine with it. Especially with who's running the whole thing."
"This old friend of yours?"
"That's right. I don't know much about this either, so we're gonna stop by after I get back tonight and she can fill you in more there."
"I'm kinda excited."
"Don't forget this Chifuyu, the only reason you have so much freedom right now is because we're keeping your secret under wraps. The moment you're revealed to be a half-vampire, chaos will break all over Shioto. We'll be held responsible for hiding you as well as a Vampire Lord under us. And you'll either be worked nonstop to your last breath fighting against vampires or simply just be executed."
"Gulp."
Chifuyu's excited expression is washed away immediately.
"Well, that is of course if the cat gets outta the bag. This should end up being plenty of fun!"
"Haha, yay..."
"Don't worry, Master."
Ariel jumps out of Chifuyu's shadow right onto his shoulders.
"If we're ever found out, I'll protect you."
Chifuyu smiles. If anyone can always treasure him, it's his partner.
"Seriously though, it will be interesting. Hunters have always only had one job, to fight against vampires. Now, a group of young Hunters is being formed to serve people food and take on Odd Jobs? The Prez definitely already authorized this, so maybe he's looking for a change in some things."
Flush. Faucet runs.
Iris comes out of the bathroom.
"Oh yeah, you can probably join too Iris. You were listening, weren't you?"
"Eh..."
***
Odd Jobs is in the 4th district which is where they have been staying, so the drive was around 30 minutes. Mainly because of no traffic.
It's located in the residential area of a street that's extremely busy during the day. A small parking lot is right beside it that can fit up to 15 cars. Parking can also be found along the street on the same side Odd Jobs is on.
"This looks like an expensive neighborhood", comments Chifuyu.
"Sigh, let's go on in."
Shoyo doesn't seem too excited about this.
The front yard is about ten feet long which leads to a veranda by the front entrance. In time, it'll be lined with tables and seats for those who prefer to sit outside. There's a circular sign sticking out on top of the entrance confirming this is Odd Jobs Cafe. A closed sign is also hanging at the entrance. Upon entering, a bell rings notifying those inside.
"Oh, good evening. So you guys made it."
Sitting at the counter is the official founder of this place.
"Hello!"
Chifuyu responds back politely while Iris gave a meek reply.
"I'm Ina Boreas, Special Rank Hunter on hiatus and official founder of this Odd Jobs Cafe."
The interior is well-designed with creative patterns running along the walls and ceiling. The lobby can hold 25 occupants with seats also along the counter and a curved flat-screen tv attached to the wall behind it.
"I'm Chifuyu Kyotani, nice to meet you!"
"I-Iris Sakata, likewise."
"I'm glad the two of you are interested in joining, I'll give you a tour while explaining what the job'll be like."
One man hasn't said a word yet. He's just stood at the back with an expression he doesn't make often.
"Nice to see you, Shoyo. Thanks for bringing these two here."
"Don't mention it."
Chifuyu and Iris look on with worried expressions, there was clearly some awkwardness here.
In any case, Ina began the tour. Leaving the lobby led to the living quarters. This would be a live-in job as a Hunter. The living room was wide enough to hold several people without a problem. Right beside it were the dining room and kitchen, connected by an open entry. The living room had 2 separate hallways leading to bedrooms and bathrooms. The hallway to the left though has more. At the end is a glass door opening up to a yard with an outside pool and jacuzzi. Right next to this is the second half of the house which isn't as wide but has 2 floors and a basement acting as a training space. The first floor is something like a family room and has less space because of the stairs leading up. The second floor's hallway is connected directly with the stairs and has a banister so the entirety of the family room can still be seen. This just has 2 bedrooms, both with their own bathrooms. Altogether, there are 10 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, 3 with a bath and shower.
This is nothing short of a luxury house that cost tens of millions of dollars.
Chifuyu and Iris were too stunned to speak.
The cafe has its own kitchen. Ingredients will already be prepared and delivered weekly or biweekly, depending on the schedule. The only items they'll have to make themselves are drinks. Eventually, maybe they'll be able to prepare some of the ingredients themselves and also add in their own little touch.
As for Odd Jobs, they'll accept requests through walk-ins or phone calls mainly in this district. They'll be able to take on Odd Jobs in other districts once they've built a reputation here. For calls, they have to schedule a meeting time at a convenient location for both parties since there could be a chance of getting prank called for a fake request. The Odd Jobs will definitely vary in different tasks. Naturally, they still have Hunter duties to carry out.
Hunters are paid to patrol their jurisdiction hourly based on rank and years on the job. They are also paid extra for a count of how many vampires they exterminate along with special cases they take on, for example: hunting specific vampires.
In Chifuyu and Iris's case, Ina herself will be paying them hourly for their time on the clock at the cafe. As for Odd Jobs, their clients will be paying them. Although this is a new establishment that was allowed to be created under the Hunter Agency, they will not be paying them, which is why Ina is. She already had enough money to start up Odd Jobs Cafe as its own business, but the Hunter Agency still gave her a bit of funding out of obligation, which was still a lot. On top of that, even though she's on hiatus right now, the Hunter Agency also sends in monthly checks as gratitude for her merits as a Special Rank Hunter. It's not as much as she earned while active, but still A LOT. So there will be no worries about her being able to pay members of Odd Jobs.
Since Chifuyu and Iris will just now be starting out, they'll be working a basic 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. shift. Off days will be Sunday and Monday. Business is expected to be slow at first, but it should pick up in time.
Digesting all of this, Chifuyu is still raring to join.
"Honestly I still didn't know what to expect when I become a Hunter, but by joining this, life might continue to be fun."
"That's good to hear", replies Ina in a casual tone. "What about you, Iris?"
"Um... Well, if Chifuyu's joining, then I will too."
Chifuyu looks over at her with a big grin.
He's the only friend Iris has made, so she wants to stick alongside him for however long she can.
"That makes 3 members then", Ina gives a light smile.
"Oh yeah, the first member is the one who thought of all this right? Where are they?"
"I just have her out running some errands. She's going to be living with people her age so she needs to be responsible. She's the type who'd eat raw ingredients instead of making the food herself."
"Eh..."
"You make it sound like you won't be staying here, Ms. Ina."
"I won't, this place is all for the members. I'll be coming to help out a few days throughout each week though."
"That's good to hear then."
"W-we really will have to be responsible."
"There's no need to worry, I live close by. If you need help and I'm not here, just let me know."
Things are looking to wrap up here.
"I don't know what motivated you to do this Ina, but you've got something good going on here."
"Thank you, Shoyo."
Genuine words from Shoyo.
"Now then..."
Ina's disposition suddenly changed completely.
"I'd like to see the Vampire Lord, if you don't mind."
Chifuyu and Iris are surprised, wondering how she knows.
"I figured you knew. Don't worry Chifuyu, she can come out."
"But..."
"Remember what the Prez said back at the trial. If word of her existence and you being a half-vampire gets exposed to the public, all of our heads will be rolling. But that still doesn't stop those who were present from informing people close to them. I'm sure dozens of people are aware of the two of you by now."
"No way..."
"It's fine then, master. As long as she doesn't spill the beans."
Ariel gracefully emerges from Chifuyu's shadow.
"You need something?" asks Ariel with an unbothered look. She already doesn't like Ina, something about her just rubs Ariel the wrong way.
"So this is the Vampire Lord that we had sealed for 200 years, I'm disappointed."
"Huh?"
"Chifuyu, I welcome you as a member of Odd Jobs Cafe. But if I may be blunt, I don't agree with you being allowed to live at all."
"..."
Chifuyu and Iris's initial impression of Ina was clearly wrong. Not everyone is as they appear at first.
"The President has ruled otherwise though, so I have no say in the matter. You being kept alive puts countless innocent people's lives in danger. You've become a beast whose main impulse is to devour humans. I despise vampires with every fiber of my being, but I will still cooperate with them as a means to an end. This Vampire Lord wants to turn on her own and join us, I'll accept that. However, I want you to remember this. If the two of you are still alive by the end of all this, I'll kill you both myself."
Shoyo had nothing to say.
"Ha, I'd love to see you try."
Ariel spurs her on with full confidence.
Chifuyu was overwhelmed, Iris is also at a loss for words.
Second guesses if he should really be left to live after all overtake Chifuyu's mind.
Nonetheless, he bowed.
He doesn't need to keep on going through this. He's resolved himself.
"Then, I'll get you to accept me."
"..."
"I won't throw away this life that was saved. I'll give my all to being a Hunter, and I won't lose myself to any vampire impulses. So all I can ask of you now, is to watch me. I'll become someone you can respect."
Iris lets out a sigh of relief. Shoyo and Iris let out a snicker. This boy never ceases to surprise them.
Ina's poker face remains, she merely gives her response and leaves the lobby.
"I'll see the two of you in a couple of weeks."
***
The drive back home was a bit quiet. Chifuyu and Iris had seen a self-effacing side of Shoyo they didn't know he had. It was clear he and Ina had a "past". It had been 4 years since the two of them spoke to each other. Chifuyu decided to go ahead and ask about it playfully.
"Hey Shoyo, what's with you? Did Ms. Ina dump you or something in the past?"
In an energetic tone, Chifuyu poses this question and slaps him over his shoulder. Shoyo was in his own little world while driving though, like how you sometimes just drive on autopilot. So slapping Shoyo on the shoulder took him by surprise and caused him to swerve the car violently.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"
All 3 of them scream in shock, Shoyo quickly gets the car back in control.
"A-are you okay, Mr. Shoyo?"
"Jeez, something really is going on between the two of you. I've never seen you like this, Shoyo."
"Haha... I guess so. My bad, I zoned out there."
"Wanna watch your favorite movie when we get back?"
"Heh, you tryna cheer me up. I appreciate it."
"What's the deal between the two of you?"
Shoyo takes in a deep breath.
"We just used to be close friends. That's all."
He didn't want to talk about it, this was clear. So Chifuyu decided not to ponder on it anymore.
***
The next day, Shoyo was back to his lively self.
Chifuyu and Iris are in their last 2 weeks of studying and training, they had to be 100% focused now more than ever. They studied intensively still with Shinatsu's additional help. For them right now, studying was more difficult than their training with Shoyo. Their final exam would be covering a year's worth of material for several subjects after all. Chifuyu also kind of wishes he'd been taking a gourmet class now. Though that wouldn't be necessary to work at a cafe, he'd still been motivated. Plus he was a big fan of this cooking anime. In it, the food would be so good the character's clothes would magically tear apart from the overwhelming deliciousness. During these last 2 weeks, they'd gone a few days without getting any sleep. Nonetheless, the time for their final exam came. They'd have 8 hours to complete it with an hour break halfway through. Their final training session will be the next day.
Iris took a shower last night, but Chifuyu waited until this morning to take his. He was changing in his room so Iris was coming to see if he was ready. The door was open so she assumed he'd finished changing.
"Chifuyu, are you rea...dy..."
"Oh Iris, my bad. I forgot to close my door."
Luckily he had some sweats on, but he was still a third of the way putting his shirt on, which let Iris look upon his well-toned upper body. Only his torso and back were revealed, so there was no reason for her to be flustered. But she had never seen the half-naked body of a guy her age, so she was in fact extremely flustered.
"A-a-a-ahhh, I'm sorry!!"
"What're you apologizing for?"
Covering her face, she couldn't help but peek through her fingers with one of her eyes.
'Oh my god. Chifuyu's totally ripped!' is the sole thought that goes through Iris's embarrassed brain.
"I-I'll see you in the living room..."
"Hey! Let's both nail this final exam in the ground!"
"... Yeah!"
Hearing this, Iris's face becomes even more flushed, prompting her to dash away.
"My, my. Aren't we the lady killer, master?"
"Hm?"
"Also, by the end of your training tomorrow, I have something to tell you."
Chifuyu knows it's something serious, so he gives a frank response.
"Got it."
***
The final exam has begun. The two of them have been getting by so far with not as much difficulty as they thought it'd be. That is, until they got to the history section. They knew they'd have trouble with this, but it was still quite the ordeal: long answer questions! They have to read lengthy passages and give full-page answers based on what they read along with any prior knowledge they remember.
'I ain't reading all that', is what Iris thinks as soon as she laid eyes upon the first passage. But she knows that she must. To never study again, she must give her all to pass this exam. Truly an admirable resolve.
It was a very slow and tiring 8 hours.
Long story short, their efforts paid off.
Shoyo had university professors grade their exams in less than an hour. They passed, both of them scoring over an 80% on each subject respectively. Even Iris couldn't hold in her joy. Chifuyu raised his hand for a high five, and Iris followed through.
They made a call to Shinatsu and thanked her for tutoring them. Without her, who knows what they would've scored on the final exam. She merely says it was no big deal and bids them farewell. Their paths will cross again in the future.
The following day, their final training session begins without delay. One condition must be met to pass: land a single hit. But this time, Shoyo will be using his blade's ability. He intends to make this final day as hellish as possible. The main thing being tested is their stamina and coordination. They're both already strong enough to become Hunters, but this test is simply a formality. Nevertheless, Shoyo upped the difficulty several folds. No other duo currently training at the Hunter Academy would be able to land a hit during this test. Which means if Chifuyu and Iris can, they will indisputably be the strongest in their generation.
Ariel is on the sidelines watching.
Shoyo's alter weapon ability allows him to teleport anywhere he's ever been or in any space he can see in his field of view.
For the first couple of hours, the duo is nothing more than a set of rag dolls. They have to save their stamina. They're using wooden swords as they always have while Shoyo attacks with his blade still in his scabbard. They're not getting cut of course, but the blunt hits still hurt like hell. They've fought against him countless times, but Shoyo's moves remain unpredictable. After the next hour, they kick up the tempo. Their swings which have been getting evaded this whole time finally make contact with Shoyo's scabbard. The impact of the wood hitting the metal sheath leaves a little sting after each hit, but they must endure. They exchange swings dozens of times, but that's all. Shoyo can evade, block, parry, and counter their attacks, never the other way around. However, they're still using moderate stamina.
Attempting a surprise attack, Chifuyu sends his sword flying toward Shoyo. He avoids it, but Iris is behind him to catch it. They initiate a double surprise improv attack. Iris begins dual wielding. She's never practiced this before, yet her form doesn't degrade. She pushes forward with relentless attacks that Shoyo has no choice but to parry, even he starts to sweat a little. He finally uses his ability to teleport away to kill Iris's momentum. However, Chifuyu lunges at him with crazy initial velocity, hugging Shoyo's legs.
"Now Iris!"
Shoyo can't help but smirk in astonishment, this isn't enough though. Before Iris's swing can make contact, he teleports far into the sky with Chifuyu.
His blade's ability also allows him to teleport with and without those he comes into contact with.
"What the..."
"I love you Chifuyu, as a disciple of mine. But instead of you giving me a hug, I'd rather it be from a hot news reporter."
"Heh, you can say that agaaaaaaaiiii-"
Falling down still holding on to Shoyo for dear life, he genuinely thinks this is the end for a moment.
Seconds before Chifuyu becomes a stain in Shoyo's backyard, he gets teleported safely a few inches above the ground, laying there dazed for a bit. Shoyo teleports himself right behind Iris and lands a hit on her side knocking the wind out of her.
After a few minutes, they get themselves together and see Shoyo sitting down drinking some raspberry iced tea. This ticks off Chifuyu, Iris looks on anxiously wondering if they'll even get a hit in.
"Let's goo!"
Chifuyu's shout brings her back to her senses, she slaps herself on the cheeks and goes in, following his lead. All Shoyo said was that they had to land a hit, he never said it had to be with their sword. Chifuyu starts swinging with good old reliable, Mr. Left and Mrs. Right. This is ineffective though as Shoyo returns a bonk to his head. Iris continues her dual wielding and in the motion of Shoyo dodging a swing, she seamlessly hands Chifuyu one of the wooden swords.
It's time for them to go all out.
40 minutes of nonstop close combat ensues. Both parties are exchanging and parrying attacks. When Shoyo teleports, the two respond as fast as they can to not slow down their momentum. In the midst of Shoyo taking a swing at Iris, he sees her grip on the sword loosen. Thinking she's getting tired, he knocks it away, but this was intentional. Iris opens her arms making Shoyo think she's going to get a hold of him so the other can land a hit, which leads him to teleport several meters behind her.
She smiled. Knowing her plan had worked.
When Iris got her sword knocked away, Chifuyu was already moving to connect a swing. Her action was a fakeout, so the instant Shoyo teleported away, she brought her hands together to form a foothold. Chifuyu sees this and lets his movement continue to carry him forward. Using all the strength she can muster, Iris bends down and launches him behind her.
Shoyo's moves are never predictable, he could've teleported anywhere else. Iris simply took on a bet. Shoyo didn't predict this final coordinated attack, he couldn't have known Iris would send Chifuyu flying toward his precise location right after teleporting. The chance of him teleporting behind her to evade a surprise attack was just higher than normal in this situation. Iris's bet paid off. As soon as Shoyo teleported, Chifuyu was already a couple of feet away flying at him.
He landed a hit.
Ariel leaps up with joy.
Chifuyu and Iris look at each other.
"Yeeeeeeeeaah!!!"
They shout in celebration.
Shoyo looks up at them, sitting on the ground with a proud face.
While it's true Shoyo didn't predict this attack, he could've still reacted to it in time. His reflexes would've allowed him to evade that attack at an insane speed. But this was fine. Anybody else, and that attack would've landed.
Ariel is aware of this and scoffs at him. He shrugs his shoulders.
"Well you two, it's been a long year."
Shoyo stands up.
"The strongest recognizes your strength, the two of you are beyond ready to become Hunters."
Chifuyu smiles contagiously at Iris, she returns an awkward but genuine smile.
"Well done, as expected of my master and his BFF!"
"B-BFF?..."
"Where'd you learn that?"
A little tomfoolery.
"Congrats guys, let's head back inside, yeah?"
After entering the house, Shoyo goes to grab something. He returns with their Hunter uniforms. They're the standard blue and gray colors for 4th-rank Hunters. They immediately try them on. Hunter uniforms are woven with the strongest fiber on Shioto. Substantial damage will have to be taken to tear through it.
"Looking good."
They move themselves around taking a good look at the new fit, it does indeed look good on them. They look at each other nodding their heads.
"Thank you for everything, Shoyo!"
"Thank you for everything, Mr. Shoyo!"
Chifuyu and Iris give their thanks in unison.
"Haha, you're very welcome my disciples. Don't say it like this will be our last time seeing each other or something though."
"Huh, it won't?"
"Gah, what cruelty!"
"Teh, I'm joking. Looks like I'm able to tease you now."
"Heh, you little brat. You got me real good."
Shoyo captures Chifuyu with one of his arms and gives him a tough noogie.
"Ah! Hahaha."
"I'll visit Odd Jobs Cafe frequently, so hope I don't get tired of seeing your goofy mug."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Ariel."
"Hm?"
"Do you also want to be a Hunter?"
"Me, a Hunter?"
"I've already discussed it with the Prez, acting as a Hunter will be a lot more convenient for you. Plus you'll be able to fight without worrying about getting exposed."
"I suppose you have a point."
"Since nobody will recognize you, just like Chifuyu and Iris, it'll best to also call you one of my disciples."
"Geh."
"Whether you like that or not, that's the plan."
Shoyo makes a malicious face at Ariel. This is a perfect chance to one-up her after all.
"I don't understand how I can be someone's disciple when they're weaker than me, but I'll go along with it."
Ariel smugly shrugs her shoulders.
"Good, here's your uniform. I made sure to ask for a kid's size."
"Oooouuuuu."
Chifuyu's instigating for some reason.
"Tch."
Shoyo wins this battle. Despite mocking Ariel, he lets out a laugh, caused by him having a good time. For Ariel as well, despite rolling her eyes, a giggle also slips out her mouth.
"Put your uniform on, let's take a picture with the four of us."
"Don't tell me what to do."
***
A few days ago, Ariel and Iris had both gotten a little haircut. Iris's hair has grown a few inches over the past year, but she just had her bangs cut a little, while Ariel had her hair cut a bit and also got it styled inspired by a model she saw in a magazine. When Ariel was first freed, her hair was twice the length of her height, so she got it cut the day after the trial.
It's still the same day as the final training session, Chifuyu and Ariel are in the backyard facing each other. It's time for the promised spar between them now that Chifuyu is ready to become a Hunter. Shoyo and Iris are watching by the side. The time limit is 5 minutes. Without any kind of signal, they begin.
Ariel won't be going all-out. She'll be matching Chifuyu's intensity. She has two reasons for this spar. To gauge Chifuyu's current skill level, and to just enjoy some combat with her partner.
Using a wooden sword, the soon-to-be Hunter takes on the offensive. The challenger dances around each swing. Against steps as light as a feather, Chifuyu has no chance of landing an attack. If all Ariel did was dodge, this would be no fun. With each swing, she returns a punch or kick that either has to be blocked or evaded. Some hits connect with Chifuyu, he can't avoid every one of them. But they aren't strong enough to hurt him badly, Ariel's holding back after all.
Both of them are fully enjoying this. With each minute, the challenger picks up her speed. This passionate exchange draws out for the entire 5 minutes. Even though Chifuyu was exhausted and Ariel was matching his pace, the skill level of their spar was still too great for any other Hunter in training to compete with. The Chifuyu from a year and even 6 months ago wouldn't have been able to perform as he is now. These long months of intense training that most would give up on are showing the fruits of their labor.
Ariel never could've imagined her life being what it is now, she's proud. She can appreciate life now.
A white dove suddenly descends upon her. Lifting her hand, it momentarily lands on it. The bird recognized her beauty from above and came down for a closer look.
It wasn't her appearance that the dove saw as beautiful, but her soul.
***
"Hm..."
Chifuyu opens his eyes, and the first thing he sees is Ariel.
"Oh, you're awake."
"What happened?"
"You fell asleep right after our spar."
Ariel had set Chifuyu on her lap. She's been waiting for him to wake up for over an hour now, but isn't complaining about it. Shoyo and Iris went inside to relax.
"Thanks for waiting for me out here."
Chifuyu sits up.
"I'll be there whenever you need me."
"How reassuring."
The two smiled while watching the sunset.
No matter what happens in the future, nothing will ever separate this pair.
They're partners.
"You had something you wanted to tell me right, Ariel?"
"Yeah."
Nothing can stop what will happen next.
"We're going to the Alter World."