TODOROKI

Igris, Jean, and Erica were in the hallway, making their way out of the main room. Erica was so overjoyed to have her hunter card that she started hopping around, exclaiming:

— Yes! I finally got my killer card!

Then, in a calmer tone, while looking at her card:

— Mom is going to be so happy.

She then turned her gaze to Igris, tilted her head, and asked:

— Uh, Mister Boubou! You told us you didn't know how to fight, but on the field, you fought like a standard E-rank assassin. So, why did you say that?

— Yeah, that's true, Jean added. You did say that before the fight, but once we started, you were fighting as if you'd been doing it your whole life!

Igris smiled and replied:

— But I never lied to you. I don't know how to fight; I just copied the techniques of the warrior who went before us.

— What?! You can copy techniques just by watching them once?! Jean asked, stunned.

— Yep, Igris replied, rummaging through his pocket.

He pulled out his card and added:

— But I improvised a little.

Erica, thoughtful, said to herself:

He can copy a technique just by watching it? Another shadow demon thing…

Then, aloud, she asked:

— Say, Mister Boubou...

She didn't have time to finish before Igris interrupted her, saying:

— Aaah, Erica... Erica, could you stop calling me Mister? I'm not that old!

Erica looked at him curiously, then asked:

— What?! You're 18 too?

Hearing that, Igris lowered his head and replied in a depressed tone:

— Ah... forget about my age, and stop calling me Mister.

— Alright, I'll just call you Boubou, plain and simple, Erica added with a smile.

Jean, looking at his card, thought to himself:

I hope this will make Father proud...

Then, filled with doubt, he added:

No, it's not enough... I have to surpass Tenten and Ichigo to meet his expectations.

As they exited the hallway, Igris glanced around and said:

— According to the guy who gave us the cards, we need to see the girl at the reception desk for information about where we'll be doing our internship.

He then headed toward the counter where he had registered his name.

Seeing him return, the receptionist panicked and thought:

Oh no, he's coming back?! What does he want? His test is already over, what now?!

Igris reached her counter and said cheerfully:

— Hello again, my lady!

The girl, frozen with stress, thought:

Aaah, he's already back...

Shaking her head, she forced a smile and asked:

— Oh, Mister Igris, you've already finished your test?

— Yep, and they told me to come back here, Igris replied.

She sighed in disappointment, thinking:

Pff, he didn't come back for me, then...

She responded in a dejected tone, head lowered:

— Alright... how can I help you, Mister?

Igris looked at her and said:

— First of all, stop calling me Mister. And I'd like to know your name—it's kind of annoying to keep calling you "Miss."

She lifted her head, smiling brightly, and replied with joy:

— You... you want to know my name?! It's Lise... Lise Harris. I'm from the province of England.

Erica suddenly appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Igris's left forearm, exclaiming cheerfully:

— And my name is Erica!

Lise, slightly annoyed, thought:

Ugh! What does she want, huh?!

She then forced a smile and replied to Erica:

— Hi, nice to mee...

She didn't get a chance to finish before Jean jumped onto the counter. He landed on one knee, holding a rose, and struck a charming pose:

— Hello, miss! The moment I saw you, something stirred within me. I can't hide it any longer... so... I love you! There, now you know!

Lise stepped back, wary, and replied:

— Uh... thanks, but no thanks. I'm too busy with work to be interested in love.

Then she added:

— But anyway, what did you come here for?

Igris held up his card and replied:

— We're here to get the locations for our first internship.

She took their cards and inserted them into a machine connected to her computer, saying:

— Hold on, I'll do this quickly.

Then, at one point, she looked at her screen and said:

— Igris Luzolo, Jean Takamishi, and Erica Rinegali, your first internship will take place at the SHADOW SLAYERS guild in three days. You just need to show up there with your cards, and you'll go on a mission with them.

— Oh, okay, thanks, Igris replied with a smile.

Then, while looking at Lise's right shoulder, he noticed a star-shaped mark. Curious, he asked:

— Lise, do you have a mage's mark?

She glanced at her shoulder and answered with a smile:

— Uh... yeah, I have a mage's mark.

— Then why aren't you a Slayer? Igris asked.

She sighed and said in a somewhat reluctant tone:

— Yeah... I've always loved the idea of becoming a mage since I was a kid... But if I don't do this job, I'll have nowhere to live. My salary is just enough to take care of myself and my sister.

Then, she smiled and added:

— So, if I become a mage, it'll take time before I get paid, so it's not an option.

She handed their cards back, still smiling. Igris, Jean, and Erica looked at her, a bit saddened by her financial situation.

Igris turned to her and said:

— Thanks, Lise. I'll come visit you from time to time.

Looking at her, he added:

— Besides, you have my phone number. Call me whenever you want.

He then started walking toward the exit. Erica ran after him:

— Hey, wait for me, Boubou!

Jean, meanwhile, gave Lise a charming smile and said:

— See you later, pretty lady.

Then, he ran after Igris and Erica, calling out to Igris:

— Hey, Igris, lady Erica's heart isn't yours yet, you haven't won it!

As they left the CNTD building, Igris sighed and said:

— Well, guys, I have to go. See you on the day of the internship.

— Yeah, me too. I've got some stuff to do at home, and I need to train tomorrow. I didn't sleep well! Jean added.

Erica looked at them, lowered her head a bit sadly, and said:

— Ah... It's already time to head home? Well, see you, Jean, and see you soon, Boubou.

Igris smiled and replied:

— Bye!

They parted ways, each heading in a different direction.

Just as Igris left the CNTD, Todoroki arrived with his secretary. As he entered the building, everyone looked at him with admiration. Whispers spread through the crowd:

— Look! It's Todoroki Kimura!

— The former Todoroki... Why is he here, I wonder?

— What rank is he again?

— Wow, what a legend!

Todoroki walked straight toward the door leading to the evaluation room. As he advanced through the hallways, he thought to himself:

— Hm... From what I was told, the boy who killed the demon should be here for the internship. I don't know why, but I want to see him with my own eyes.

When he entered the evaluation room, he saw several people waiting to take their tests. When Allende spotted him, he immediately bowed and said:

— Good evening, Mr. Todoroki. What brings you here in person?

Todoroki glanced around, observing the people present, then said:

— I'm looking for a boy named Igris. Is he here?

Allende thought for a moment, then said to himself:

— What? He's talking about the kid with the demon aura?

He straightened up and replied:

— Yes, he was here a few minutes ago. He just left, sir.

— Damn it...! Todoroki cursed, frustrated.

Then, in a calmer tone, he asked:

— You were here during his test. What did you observe about his power?

Allende, in a serious tone, replied:

— Actually, that boy isn't normal. He had a strange aura... He emitted both darkness and light. And when he started fighting, the magical energy he unleashed was phenomenal. He even made the ground tremble. Even I, as a rank C Slayer, can't do that without draining all my mana. But him, it didn't even affect him...

— Damn... He must be incredibly powerful! Todoroki said, impressed.

Allende looked at him, slightly troubled, and added:

— But that boy has a mark... An assassin's mark.

Todoroki was stunned by this revelation. He exclaimed:

— WHAT?! A MARK?!

Meanwhile, Jean had just arrived home. His house, comparable to a villa, was surrounded by tall towers. Upon entering, he found their butler waiting for him. When Jean approached him, the butler said:

— Good evening, Mr. Takahashi. Your father wants to speak with you immediately.

Jean didn't even have time to respond to the greeting before the butler walked toward the meeting room. Upon opening the door, Jean found his father sitting in a chair, holding a glass of wine. Without looking at him, his father said coldly:

— Son, sit down. We need to talk.