Zhang Yiyi suddenly sheathed her Red Sakura and turned to leave.
Hayashi thought the real fight was just about to begin, but it had already ended?
"Yiyi, where are you going?" Xie Zhiyong snapped out of his surprise. Why had Zhang Yiyi suddenly put away her Red Sakura?
"He's passed," Zhang Yiyi casually said as she left the area, her face betraying no emotion.
Yan Dao finally reacted, smiling at Hayashi, "Congratulations, Hayashi. Welcome to the Night Owl organization."
"Hahaha, welcome, welcome!" Xie Zhiyong quickly approached Hayashi, extending a hand.
Hayashi retracted his cursed energy armor and, after placing Black Steel back on his back, extended his hand to shake Xie Zhiyong's.
It was a bit amusing how he had ended up joining this strange organization. Who would have thought that a chance encounter while eating noodles would lead to meeting Xie Zhiyong, especially in such an odd way?
With his initiation into the Night Owl organization complete, it was time to learn the ropes. The main difference between an organization and an agency is the sense of teamwork and collaboration. While organizations also accept commissions for handling matters, exorcising curses is a global responsibility for all sorcerers. However, being paid for the work is always a bonus, as organizations have expenses and need funding.
Meanwhile, at Tokyo Jujutsu High.
In the principal's office, Principal Yaga Masamichi held a teacup in his hand, while sitting across from him was Satoru Gojo, wearing his signature black blindfold.
"Gojo, are you really so confident in allowing someone with such a mysterious bloodline to join Jujutsu High?" Yaga asked cautiously.
"Weren't you the one who agreed to it, Principal? I merely brought him here," Gojo replied casually, seeming unfazed by Hayashi's mysterious background.
"Aren't you even a bit concerned?" Yaga probed further.
Gojo stretched lazily, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Sorcerers all have their secrets. We shouldn't pry too deeply into them. Hayashi has a good character—and not to mention, great cooking skills," Gojo coughed slightly, "At the very least, he's not someone who's against us. Let's give him time to grow. Isn't that what we're aiming for?"
Yaga put down his teacup, casting a mild glance at Gojo. "Gojo, it's our responsibility to teach these students. I trust you'll take this to heart."
"Relax," Gojo said nonchalantly, "You did approve his leave from the school. You're not usually this lenient, Principal."
Yaga didn't respond to that, instead changing the subject. "I haven't seen Shoko for a while. How's she doing?"
"She was at school a few days ago. What, didn't she come see you?" Gojo chuckled. "You're really dedicated to your students, huh? Even though we've been graduated for so long."
"Where'd you get that idea?" Yaga coughed awkwardly, his face not showing any special affection for his students, but his actions spoke otherwise.
"Alright, I've got things to handle, so I won't keep you any longer. Let me know if you need anything," Gojo said, his usual smile returning as he stood and left.
The next day, Hayashi had gotten to know his new comrades a bit better. Among them, Yan Dao seemed relatively normal, but the others each had their quirks.
Xie Zhiyong, for example, had social anxiety, though not severe. If it were, he wouldn't be able to communicate with others at all. He was talkative with people he knew well, but in unfamiliar environments, he would become awkward. To combat this, he would periodically go to restaurants, tea shops, or dessert shops to build confidence.
Just like the way Hayashi first met him—making a scene in public places, which could easily induce anxiety in others.
As for Zhang Yiyi, she didn't have any major issues, other than her habit of dressing very casually. She was always in ultra-short shorts and rarely wore shoes, often walking around barefoot.
Some people with a sense of righteousness might say, "Miss, please mind your personal privacy."
To which another group might respond, "Mind your own business!"
In truth, with Zhang Yiyi's hot figure, most men couldn't help but glance a few times. She was indeed pleasing to the eye.
Hayashi, however, had no inappropriate thoughts. He simply admired her as one would a beautiful woman.
"Hayashi, have you gotten a good grasp of our work yet?" Xie Zhiyong asked with a smile, seeing Hayashi flipping through some documents.
"More or less. Let's hurry up and get on a mission," Hayashi nodded. He had joined Night Owl primarily to exorcise curses and increase his strength. To be honest, if he hadn't joined this organization, he would have joined another.
"You're pretty eager. Not many people enjoy exorcising curses. It's usually something they do out of necessity. You seem like you're really enjoying it," Xie Zhiyong was genuinely puzzled. He knew he had his own issues, but did Hayashi have none?
Was it normal for someone to be this enthusiastic about exorcising curses? Or was it just for the reward?
"Exorcising curses is a sorcerer's duty. How could one not be eager?" Hayashi replied, closing his notebook and looking over at Yan Dao, who was working on a computer. "Boss, do we have any missions lined up?"
Without turning around, Yan Dao replied, "We have one job, but the client hasn't confirmed it yet, so we need to wait. Also, just call me Dao-ge, not 'uncle.' It makes me feel old."
"Psh, you're an old man anyway. Why do you care about that?" Zhang Yiyi lazily chimed in from the couch, her legs crossed and swinging in the air.
Yan Dao glanced at Zhang Yiyi, noticing her soles had gotten a bit dirty. But he didn't tell her to go clean up. He seemed to have gotten used to it.
Hayashi, on the other hand, had no idea why Zhang Yiyi disliked wearing shoes. It was a personal issue he wasn't about to question, especially since they weren't that close yet.
Seeing that there were no confirmed orders, Hayashi checked the time and realized it was almost noon. "What are we eating for lunch?"
"Instant noodles," Zhang Yiyi replied bluntly.
"Come on, Sis! I just joined and you're already making me eat instant noodles. What's next? Am I going to be drinking noodle broth for every meal?" While Hayashi didn't have high demands for his quality of life, he at least wanted to eat something a bit healthier.
"Take it or leave it. You can have the broth if you want. After I finish, you can drink it," Zhang Yiyi said without blinking.
"That's just too much. I'll go out and eat," Hayashi said, standing up to leave.
"Going out?" Zhang Yiyi tilted her head, looking at Hayashi. "Take me with you then. I can tell you've got some spare cash."
Hayashi froze. He realized Zhang Yiyi had more than just her eccentricities—she also had the shameless habit of mooching meals.
"What, you're not willing?" Zhang Yiyi looked at him disdainfully.
"You're the most brazen moocher I've ever met. Fine, let's go eat together," Hayashi sighed. He didn't mind spending a bit more money. After all, he'd earned quite a bit from his part-time job. What's an extra meal?
"Uh… can I come too?" Xie Zhiyong chimed in.
"And could you bring me back a takeaway?" asked Yan Dao from the corner.