After Yorui's arrival, the gang continued their school time. Yorui had the same class schedule as the boys, so she happily followed them throughout the day. Every new experience, from classrooms to corridors, seemed to excite her.
During lunchtime, she mingled with her new friends, gossiping about boys and whatnot. She would see the boys down the table and always scooted her way towards them.
In gym class, she excelled in the lessons with Ishio, enthusiastically showcasing her self-taught fighting style. Her fighting skills sent butterflies to all the boy classmates. The boys fought against each other to train with her. However, their smile burned away once Yorui joined either Surata or Koroki.
Oblivious to the other boys, her first day at school went as planned, enjoying every second of it. But as with most things, her fun ended once the final bell rang. Hearing the bell, the students flooded the hallways, packed their belongings, and were ready to leave.
Yorui and the boys strolled down the busy hallway.
"Hey guys, I'm going to the gym to keep training. The tournament's coming, and I need to get stronger. You guys want to join?" Surata wondered.
"Tournament? What tournament?" curiously asked Yorui, tilting her head, puzzled.
Koroki responded without hesitation, "Nah, I'm going home. Y'all have fun without me." Koroki sluggishly waved goodbye towards the group and split off, dying to go home.
Yorui still had more energy and figured that training with Surata would be a great bonding activity. "I'll train with you, Sura. I can practice the new move I learned! " she exclaimed, smiling excessively.
Surata and Yorui excitedly strolled to the gym, ready to get stronger. Although they did not talk about it, the altercation with Mikado still lingered in their minds. They were powerless against it, and they knew Mikado would come back.
"By the way, Sura', you said tournament? What tournament?"
Surata's eyes widened momentarily. Everyone knew about the Tournament of Heart. However, he gave her the benefit of the doubt since it was her first day and chuckled, "Don't worry, I'll explain it to you."
Surata explained the tournament to Yorui as they walked to the gym.
Several minutes later, the halls were still flooded with students. Koroki arrived at the school's front door.
But before leaving campus, Ms. Shirai interrupted him. He stopped walking and turned his attention to her.
"Koroki, could you come with me for a minute?" Koroki followed her without hesitation but with a sigh. "Where am I going now?"
Was he in trouble? He didn't do anything unusual, so where was Ms. Shirai taking him? Knowing he had done nothing wrong, he annoyingly strolled with his hand slouched behind his head.
___
After a short walk through the hallways, Ms. Shirai arrived at the principal's office door.
"Why're we at the principal's office?" Koroki curiously wondered, raising an eyebrow while trying to hide his annoyance.
"You'll see." Ms. Shirai vaguely replied. She turned the doorknob and opened the door. "I brought Koroki," she said, speaking to someone in the room.
Koroki followed Ms. Shirai into the office, and his eyes scanned the area.
The place looked cleaner than it was on Ishio's last visit. The paperwork usually stacked on the desk was gone, and no scattered trash was on the floor. It looked presentable.
Koroki stumbled upon Ishio, who stood to the left of Principal Tsume, seated at her desk, alongside a reserved-looking individual with medium wavy hair and black-framed glasses.
Surata and Yorui stood in front of Principal Tsume's desk, bickering with each other facing the desk.
"You guys too?" Koroki questioned, lowered his clasped arms, surprised.
His voice pierced the air, and everyone in the room faced him. The chatter halted. Silence filled the room, and the atmosphere somehow became tense.
"Hello, Koroki." happily greeted Ishio.
Koroki hesitated, slightly overwhelmed by the silence and unsure of what awaited him. "What is he doing here?"
Koroki glanced back at Surata and Yorui, who shared his confusion.
Ms. Shirai's stern expression didn't give away any hints.
Koroki thought to himself, "I haven't done anything wrong. Why am I here?"
"We just filled in these two, Koroki," Tsume informed, her tone filled with authority. "Great, now that everyone is in attendance, let's get straight to it. As you all know, Ishio is the head of the Noye Agency. While being the head, Ishio receives daily reports from citizens requesting help from us Shikari. The reports have been increasing lately, so they can't help everyone."
Principal Tsume glanced at the kids. "This school's a training academy for upcoming Shikari. You kids did such an amazing job at defeating Majuro. So, we're giving you guys your first official mission!"
Surata and Yorui's eyes lit up, and their spirits brightened.
Koroki wondered with an uninterested, lazy expression, leaning on his clasped arms behind his neck. "But wasn't Majuro our first mission?"
"No, technically, you guys were supposed to assist in capturing him. However, the situation changed. Also, you guys didn't have your license, so you had no authority against Majuro. You guys fought as a form of self-defense rather than actual Shikari duty."
Yorui quickly verified, "If we need a license for missions, and you're giving us our first official mission, does that mean we get our own license?"
"No, you guys aren't ready for a license yet."
While Koroki and Yorui did not care much, Surata felt deeply sad as his hopes were shattered by the disappointment of not acquiring his license.
Tsume quickly added, "But because of that, we're testing something new."
Tsume gracefully turned her head back, gesturing to Ishio. Ishio approached the kids, dug into his pocket, revealing a white card, and handed it to Koroki.
Koroki hesitated momentarily before grabbing the card. "What is it?" he asked, blankly staring at it.
Surata and Yorui leaned closer to examine the mysterious card, their curiosity clearly showing.
The card displayed a portrait shot of Koroki. A blue rose badge in the corner of his portrait represented the school's logo. His name was printed on the side, and the card was painted in the school's colors: black, blue, and white.
After examining the card, Surata's brain clicked, trying to connect the dots. His eyes widened with his assumption. "Is this what I think that is? Is this a Noye License?"
The one thing that Surata was working toward was having his very own Noye license. Obtaining one takes lots of hard work and determination. Just having one allowed the wielder to officially become a Shikari.
That was his goal, and here it is, potentially in front of him. However,
"Not quite." Principal Tsume further explained. "This is similar to a Noye License but more like a Noye Permit."
"Huh? A Noye Permit?" Surata's excitement turned into confusion. "I've never heard of that before."
"Yeah," Tsume elaborated, "this permit allows you to operate under the supervision of a licensed Shikari. Think of it like having a driver's permit. You can drive a car, but only while accompanied by someone else with a license. This is our first time using this, so we're testing this out."
Koroki smugly examined the card front and back. "But why choose us?" he annoyingly asked, his curiosity slightly piqued.
"Well… that's because Ishio recommended you three."
"Wow, that's so cool, Koroki," Yorui exclaimed, snatching the permit from Koroki's hands. "Let me see!"
"What're you doing, Yorui? Give it back!" Koroki grumbled as he tried to get his card back. Refusing to give it back, the two began arguing with each other.
Surata interjected their argument by asking Principal Tsume, "Do we all get one?"
"Oh, yeah. Here you kids go." Yorui passed Koroki's permit back as Principal Tsume handed her and Surata their Noye Permits.
As Surata stared at the Permit, his grip tightened as his excitement showed. "Yes! It's not an actual license, but it's one step closer to becoming a Shikari. Finally, all of my hard work and training really is starting to pay off! Just a little more, and I will become an actual Shikari!"
"So, who's coming with us?" Yorui curiously asked.
Principal Tsume replied as she returned to her seat, "You're going to be accompanied by Ishio."
The kids were relieved that Ishio would accompany them on their mission. After recently being involved with some dangerously strong people, they needed a strong member who could help them.
"Well, actually..." Ishio stepped in, subtly rubbing his head. "I can't join you kids on this mission. I have some important things to take care of."
"What a surprise. He always has something to do." Koroki subtly mumbled under his breath, annoyed by Ishio's repeated excuses.
Surata secretly whispered back at Koroki, hearing his mumbling. "You can't blame him. He is the Noye chief, after all."
Ishio noticed the dissatisfied expressions in the room, and a nervous sweat ran down his face. "Well… don't worry." Ishio patted the reserved man with glasses. "I told Seto here to take my place instead."
Seto closed his eyes and smiled half-heartedly, wanting to brush Ishio's hand off his shoulder. "I'm only doing it because you kept nagging me."
His voice matched his reserved state, sounding soft and sincere.
Principal Tsume felt she had to give Seto a little introduction. "Seto here is the 6th member of the Harta. So, he's very strong."
"Oh wow!" Yorui was amazed by Seto's status.
She was unfamiliar with the Harta, but Seto's introduction made a good first impression on her.
"One of the Hartas?! That means they're in the group as Father!" Surata was speechless. He could not comprehend all this information. "Having a first mission is already amazing! But working with a Harta is even better! I wonder what kind of mission we're going to have!"
"Thank you, Tsume, for the kind words." Seto kindly appreciated his introduction, "but I wouldn't use the word "strong" for me. I'm not the same as some of the "brutes" in the group." He explained, subtly throwing shade at some members.
"Umm… can we hurry this up? So, Principal Tsume, what's our first mission?" Koroki asked, wanting to get this conversation over with.
"Oh, thank you for reminding me, Koroki. Have you guys heard about the Toihe Casino?"
"One of the most popular casinos in the world. That Toihe Casino?"
"Yes, that casino. It's located in Aoi, just off the border of Ikari. The owner goes by the name Tiger. He's an ex-Shikari who got his license provoked."
Yorui hastily interrupted Principal Tsume with a question. "Why did he get his license provoked?"
"Tiger is a man who prioritizes money over morals. It doesn't matter if he's playing the hero or villain; if there is money, that's all he cares about. There's rumors spreading around that he is illegally selling Noye-related items, but we have no proof of that. So, we need you guys to investigate."
"Are we even allowed to go inside a casino?" Yorui asked once again.
Surata added, "Father used to go to that casino before, and he told me there's an adult-only policy."
"Don't worry," reassured Tsume, smiling with confidence. "We've got that taken care of."
The kids gazed at each other, puzzled by Tsume's potential plan.
___
After travelling for a few hours, the team found itself in Kyaka, near the Toihe casino's entrance. Before arriving, the group acquired their disguises and discussed their game plan.
Kyaka was a vibrant city near the Ikari border, known for its lively atmosphere and welcoming spirit. Its centerpiece was the grand Toihe casino, an architectural masterpiece that stood tall and proud.
The casino's entrance welcomed everyone with its elegant columns, big glass panels, and beautiful carvings, inviting visitors to come in and explore its amazing offerings. The façade lit up with a cheerful array of golden lights that twinkled in the evening air, creating a magical view that caught the eye from far away.
Men in three-piece suits descended from their vehicles, accompanying elegantly dressed women toward the luxurious entrance.
Surata's team disguised themselves with their own attire.
Surata inspected his classic black three-piece suit with his white shirt and black tie, looking around his body. "Woah, I've never worn a suit before. I looked like a real stud." He felt a little out of place but eager to start his mission.
"You look nice, Sura. You almost look grown up." Yorui cheerfully commented, complementing Surata as he adjusted his collar.
"Thanks, Yorui. You look pretty in that dress."
Yorui's sleek black dress complimented her green hair and white heels.
Yorui smiled in happiness. "Thanks, Sura."
After complimenting each other, Surata turned to Koroki. "How about you, Koroki?"
Koroki smacked his teeth in disgust. The tightness in his chest from the tailored suit made him extremely uncomfortable. He usually wore comfy, loose clothes, so this was something different for him.
"Horrible," Koroki fidgeted with his collar, feeling the tightness of the suit. "I can't wait to take this off."
"But why? You look very handsome." Yorui smirked, her voice taking on a more intimate tone.
"He looks like some sort of famous model," Surata said, joining in on Yorui's teasing and exposing his smirk.
"I know, right?"
"Would you guys stop it?! And what's with this on my face?" he muttered, rubbing at the fake facial hair Yorui had insisted would help them blend in.
"Wait, stop! Why are you removing it?!" Yorui protested, trying to grab his arms.
Koroki's makeup was done terribly as if a toddler doodled on his face. But, in Yorui's eyes, it was well made.
Surata touched his face, feeling the makeup on it. However, his and Yorui's makeup was more professional-like, almost changing their overall experience.
"You refused to let Mr. Seto do your disguise, so Yorui decided to do it herself. By the way, Mr. Seto, how are you so good at doing makeup? I almost look like a completely different person!"
"I have a friend who's an expert doing makeup. I only did what he taught me."
Seto did not have any makeup on for two reasons. One, he didn't need to disguise himself since he was allowed to enter, and two, he did not know how to apply makeup on himself.
"Stop rubbing off my hard work, Koroki!" insisted Yorui.
Koroki struggled to break free from Yorui, who held his arms. "No, I look stupid!"
As they continued bickering like siblings, Surata adjusted his tie, his eyes sparkling with excitement and nerves. "Just deal with it for now, Koroki. We have to pull this off," he reminded himself.
"Stop causing a scene, or you will draw attention. Let's go!" Seto commanded, trying to keep them focused. "Remember, don't blow your cover."
After fixing themselves up, the team strolled toward the entrance, following the long red carpet that stretched from the inside. Huge glass doors welcomed them, opening automatically.
As they entered the casino, the atmosphere drastically changed from quiet to rowdy. They were greeted by a dazzling interior filled with the sounds of spinning roulette wheels and the cheerful jingling of slot machines.
Gamblers cheered and clinked their drinks in celebration. The women sat on some of the men's laps while the men surrounded their seats with booze and a haze of cigar smoke.
Lush carpets and opulent décor enhance the sense of luxury, immersing visitors in a world of excitement and chance.
"It's very loud in here," Surata noted, his nerves slightly tingling.
Yorui's eyes sparked in amazement, witnessing this surreal moment. "Wow, this place looks so cool. No way they don't let us come here, this isn't fair!"
Meanwhile, Koroki sluggishly strolled down the casino floor without a care in the world, leaning back on his clasped arms.
"Alright, let's split up to cover more ground," Seto instructed, his voice calmed. "You kids, head to the floor, and I'll head to the back. If you find Tiger, let me know."
"Yes sir!" Yorui and Surata reply in unison.
The team split into separate groups. Seto cautiously headed to hug the building walls while the children navigated toward the vibrant casino floor.
As they advanced towards the center of the building, the team were confronted by a multitude of figures that flooded the floor, creating a bustling atmosphere.
"Ugh… how are we even supposed to find one person with this crowd?" asked Yorui, squeezing through the crowd.
"According… to Mr. Seto, Tiger… wears a heavy overcoat and l-loves to gamble with guests," Surata replied, struggling to speak maneuvering through the crowd.
"That's a very vague description of the guy."
Eventually, the team regrouped out of the crowd. They momentarily catch their breath after their struggle.
Surata pointed to the right side of the room. "I'll head this way."
He quickly pointed to the left side. "You two head that way."
"Okayy!" Yorui happily obliged, dragging Koroki with her.
Surata knew Koroki would not take this seriously, so being with Yorui should motivate him.
Koroki did not care, so he followed Yorui.
With each team going in their own direction, the team split again.
___
Several minutes later, Koroki and Yorui wandered around the casino, searching for the man known as "Tiger".
The loudness from the slots and people cheering around the tables slightly ticked Koroki.
Yorui walked beside him, scouting for anyone who fit the criteria.
As they strolled near the poker tables, the rowdiness grew louder. Large groups formed around the tables, and the smell of alcohol and cigars filled the atmosphere.
"How are we going to be able to find Tiger with all these people around?" Yorui curiously asked, overwhelmed by the crowdiness. "All we know is that he likes to gamble."
"I don't know." Koroki calmly responded, "But we should try to blend in like adults."
"Yeah, you're right." As she finished her sentence, out of sheer luck, Yorui stumbled and slipped, face-planting the floor.
Everyone minded their business. No one noticed Yorui fall, so there was no scene.
She looked toward her white heel to spot what caused her trip.
A black coin, with white and black stripes on its side and a golden tiger logo, towards the center lay on the floor.
Someone must had accidentally dropped it and didn't realize it.
Since the coin was unclaimed, Yorui's brain quickly clicked with an idea. "I think I found a way to blend in."
Yorui shifted her body and strolled towards one of the poker tables.
"Where are you going?" Koroki followed her curiously.
No one fitted Tiger's description at any of the nearby tables. However, Yorui continued searching for an empty seat with a smirk resting on her face.
Sooner or later, she found a table around the edge of the building with a missing player.
"Alright, the buy-in is $50!" The dealer declared to any potential customers.
The black coin in Yorui's hand was worth double that. She quickly dashed to the table and sat down, keeping her composure.
"Is this enough?" Yorui asked with an intimate tone.
"Yes, that's enough."
Yorui slammed her coin on the table. Her competitors glanced towards her, suspicious of her buy-in amount.
"Hey, miss, aren't you a little too young to play this game?" The man with white facial hair asked, puffing a cigar.
"Oh, haha. Thank you for the compliment." She thanked, ignoring the puff of cigar smoke in her face. "I get that a lot. This makeup my boyfriend bought me can really make a girl feel young again."
Her makeup was not anything impressive, but her demeanor and confidence looked mature enough. Koroki stood behind her, watching her play.
The man gazed at Koroki, puffing his cigar again. "Mhmm… well, your boyfriend here does have a baby face."
Koroki maintained eye contact with the man for a minute, staying calm and composed.
Before the man doubted his eyes, the dealer grabbed everyone's attention. "Alright, bets are now closed."
The dealer smoothly swiped all the chips towards her. Afterwards, she dealt the cards on the table one by one.
As the dealer passed out the cards, Koroki whispered loudly enough for only Yorui to hear. "This is your idea of blending in?"
Yorui continued facing the dealer while replying to Koroki, "Yeah, unless you have any better ideas?"
"Yorui, do you even know how to play poker?"
"Nope, not at all."
Koroki raised his voice slightly. "Huh?! Then why are we doing this?"
"Because it looked fun. Hehe."
As Koroki grew angry, the dealer finished dealing everyone's third card.
Every challenger put on their best poker face to confuse their opponents.
Yorui attempted to put on her poker face to blend in despite not knowing anything about poker.
She went all-in in the beginning, so she had everything to lose.
She lifted and glanced at her card.
"Check!" The man with the white facial hair shouted.
It was her turn, and she looked around at the other competitors, who had left her stranded. "Umm…c-check!" she exclaimed, her voice gradually losing confidence.
The dealer dealt everyone's fourth card. Then, their final card.
The tension escalated, becoming almost suffocating. A nervous sweat gland ran unseen on Yorui's face. "I don't know what I'm doing! I have some of the same numbers, so I think I'm doing good?"
After checking for the final time, everyone showed their hands.
Yorui nervously dropped her cards, losing all confidence. "Please be a good hand!"
The dealer scanned everyone's hands.
"Dang, so close!" a player exclaimed.
"Ugh, one card away!" another added.
The dealer gestured his arms at Yorui, "The winner is the woman with the green hair with a four-of-a-kind."
Koroki's eyes widened in disbelief, nearly popping out of their sockets as he stared in shock at Yorui's unexpected victory. "What?!"
Yorui's face flushed with excitement, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red. A warm rush spread through her, and she felt her heart racing. The corners of her mouth lifted into a bright smile. "I-I won?! It was just 4 sevens! I don't know how I won, but I won!"
The other men sarcastically congratulated Yorui while reeking of booze. "That was just luck. I'll win the next one."
The dealer declared, "Time for the next round", as she gathered the cards and shuffled the deck.
"Wow, I got so much chips from that. Should I go in again? The next round is starting soon. Mhmm… yeah, why not!" Yorui decided to test her luck again.
She shoved all her chips forward, going all in again.
Maybe it was just beginner's luck, but she decided to test that theory again. She planned on playing one more game.
As the game ended, the dealer declared, "The winner is the green-haired woman!"
That game turned into another game.
"Winner!"
Then another one. "Winner!"
Over and over, she kept winning the rounds, constantly going all-in for the buy-in, and winning the pot.
"… Winner!"
Yorui felt her chest pounding after another victory. "What is this feeling? I don't know what I'm doing, but I keep winning. Each game makes me so nervous. But it's so… fun!"
Koroki stood there, not knowing what to do.
Yorui gradually got more immersed in gambling with each game, tasting the adrenaline as she leaned on the table.
"Yorui, we should head somewhere else," suggested Koroki.
With the number of games she won, people would suspect something.
Yorui insisted, "No, we should stay here. I feel really good with this hand right now!"
Before he realized it, Yorui had already created a gambling addiction.
A middle-aged man was impressed by Yorui's streak. "Wow, you're good at this."
The man chugged his old-fashioned drink. "You should try your luck with Tiger."
Yorui and Koroki were stunned by what the man said, but they kept their composure, hoping he would lead them to Tiger.
The man then pointed to an isolated table in the distance. "Tiger's over there and he's also good. Maybe even too good. He loves gambling with big spenders like you."
Koroki slowly observed the distant table the man pointed at. They had no leads to go from, so this was a start.
Koroki casually leaned into Yorui and suggested, "Yorui, let's go find Tiger."
Yorui refused to leave, enjoying the atmosphere. She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "I'll head there later. I don't wanna end my losing str… Woo, another win!"
Koroki awkwardly tried to stop Yorui, but her addiction was beyond control.
___
Several minutes after separating himself from the others, Surata strolled alone around the center of the casino, searching for Tiger.
While blending into his environment, Surata heard a faint cry— a noise that distinguished itself from the loudness of the casino. "Stop!"
Out of the corner of his eye, a boy wearing a massive, tattered shirt ran across the casino floor. His sleek, white hair dazzled the bystanders with its beauty.
A black eye patch rested over the boy's left eye, and bruises tainted his visible skin.
The boy looked terrified, panting, constantly looking back as he dragged his injured body to the exit of the building.
Surata's mind was dying to help the boy, but his body resisted his urge to help and watched the boy scurry away from a distance.
A man wearing a suit chased the boy down, irritated by the boy's quick movements. "rrr…Come back here!"
As fast as the boy could run, it was impossible to win a race with someone who had longer legs than him.
The boy's shorter legs struggled to keep pace. The man eventually caught up to the boy, firmly gripping his arm, refusing to let him go like his hand was glued to the kid.
"Somebody! Help!" the boy cried, hoping to reach someone in time.
The boy desperately pounded on the man's arm, trying to loosen his grip.
Casino patrons glanced over, smirking and whispering among themselves. Seemingly entertained by the bickering, a crowd formed.
Surata's blood boiled, watching the cruel situation, feeling disgusted by his surroundings.
He did not understand the entire situation, but he understood enough.
The kids continued to scram, eventually locking eyes with Surata. As he gazed at Surata's doubted eyes, his eyes fell deeper with sadness.
Surata contemplated what he should do. "I want to help this kid, but I can't. I can't expose myself in this place." His heart pounded as he witnessed the boy struggle.
Surata quickly recalled what Seto and the others said before starting the mission: "Remember, don't blow your cover."
But the kid's desperate eyes mirrored Koroki's when they first met.
"This is my first mission. I don't want to screw it up. If I do… I might not get another chance to prove myself. Ugh… what do I do!"
Having your first mission fail could destroy someone's motivation. Having his father acknowledge him for his mission was what Surata desired the most.
Surata collected his thoughts for a moment. He gritted his teeth out of anger.
Realizing his built-up anger, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could not stand by and watch a helpless kid like that. Someone had to do something.
The boy continued to fight back. "Let me go! I… have to help my sister before tomorrow!"
The man fought off the kid's resistance and cockily insisted, "Stop your yapping, boy. Don't worry, after tomorrow your sister can get all the help she needs. Just hope that someone will pay a good price for her. Haha."
The patrons cheered on for the show. As no sign of help arrived, the boy realized his effort was futile. But before the defeated boy gave up…
"That's enough! Put the kid down!"
The casino's noise dissipated as Surata's words hung in the air.
Birthing out of the crowd, Surata slowly approached the man with his head tilted down, hiding his face.
He subtly clenched his fist.
"I'm sorry guys, but… I just can't leave this kid alone."
The man noticed Surata approaching him, confused, "Huh, who are you?"
The defeated young boy slowly lifted his head to Surata, confusion lingering on his face.
This moment decided whether their mission would succeed or fail spectacularly.
Surata stood in front of the helpless boy and the man. He hastily raised his head and aimed his determined and angrily pointed eyes at the man.
The crowd murmured, sensing the brewing conflict.
Surata needed answers, and this may be a clue to find Tiger.
"Something is going on here, and I'm going to find out what it is!"
___