Tokyo Airport.
“Wow, we’re finally going on a mission, how awesome!” A female college student in a white short-sleeve shirt and blue jeans cheered as she jumped out of the car. Her budding figure radiated the vibrant energy of youth.
Close behind her was a girl with her hair tied up high in a ponytail, wearing athletic wear. Anyone’s first impression would be that she looked very cool. Unlike the first girl, her personality was clearly much more composed.
“Huh? Why is it only the two of us?” The white-shirt girl, as if she had ADHD, paced back and forth non-stop, her bright, big eyes darting around left and right.
The cool-looking high-ponytail girl glanced at the time and frowned slightly. “Three minutes left. They’re not going to be late, are they?”
“Who said we were going to be late?” A fair-skinned, bespectacled young man with a refined appearance appeared, accompanied by another person—a muscular 1.7-meter-tall tough guy dressed in a black suit that made him look a bit like a yakuza member.
These four were all third-year students at Tokyo Supernatural Academy. Coming out on a mission this time counted as a practical training exercise. For students like them, who had been cultivating mainly on campus, it was an incredibly valuable opportunity.
“We’re not late. The one who’s late is probably that mysterious lead teacher,” the refined young man said jokingly.
The suited tough guy spoke meekly, “Isn’t it a bit bad for us to gossip about the teacher behind their back like this?”
The white-shirt girl pouted. “Well, they shouldn’t be late then.”
Just as they were chatting, a pink convertible pulled up beside them. A girl stepped out, wearing sunglasses and a khaki trench coat. She looked even a bit younger than them, yet her demeanor outshone anyone else present.
The girl glanced at her watch and nodded affirmatively. “Still thirty seconds to spare. Not late.”
Whether it was because her presence was too commanding or because she was just that beautiful, the four of them fell silent, secretly sizing up their lead teacher:
She was nearly 1.7 meters tall; only the refined young man was taller than her. The curves beneath her trench coat were subtly hinted at—graceful without being exaggerated. Her physique, with its golden ratio proportions, was something even the high-ponytail girl couldn’t match.
“Even though I can’t see her eyes clearly, a girl with such a pretty face definitely can’t have bad-looking eyes… just like me,” the white-shirt girl muttered to herself, her voice dropping especially low on the last part.
“Chiba-chan, I’m off!”
Sakurai Mei was dressed in a matching outfit, calling it some kind of bestie look, which left Su Mo feeling quite helpless.
She pressed the accelerator and sped off in the car, leaving behind a gentle breeze that slightly ruffled Su Mo’s long hair.
Watching Sakurai Mei leave, Su Mo turned his attention to the four people in front of him: four third-year university students, a year older than himself.
If calculated based on Ye Qingyi’s age, they’d be two years older.
She was only nineteen this year.
“Let’s start with introductions.” Facing newcomers, especially those under his supervision, he reverted to his former aloof demeanor.
The white-shirt girl, being lively, was the first to answer. “Hello, teacher! My name is Hoshino Tamai. You can call me Hoshino or just Tamai.”
The refined young man: “Teacher, my name is Kurokawa Saki.”
The high-ponytail girl: “Kuchiki Cho.”
The suited tough guy: “Hello, teacher. My name is Takahashi Hideo.”
After these simple introductions, Su Mo had already roughly figured out their personality traits, assuming they weren’t putting on an act—or if they were, that it wasn’t a masterful disguise.
However, when Su Mo heard the high-ponytail girl’s name, the corner of his mouth couldn’t help but twitch. He thought to himself: Kuchiki Cho… Did the person who named her know the saying ‘A piece of rotten wood cannot be carved’ or not?
If they knew, how could they give someone this name?
If they didn’t know, then why this name…
Oh my god, this is so abstract!
Su Mo cleared his throat and spoke in a slightly cool, authoritative female voice: “My name is Chiba Mayaka. Just call me Chiba-sensei.”
“Chiba-sensei,” the four replied obediently, even though they looked a little unconvinced.
Su Mo nodded with satisfaction. “Before we set off, I need to make a few things clear. First, we are going on a mission, not a vacation. Please be prepared to face death or injury at any time. Second, I am not only your lead teacher for this training but also your commanding officer. Absolute obedience to orders is the most basic requirement. If anyone dares to disobey, don’t blame me for being harsh. Finally, life is precious…”
Mid-sentence, he suddenly realized he had picked the wrong quote. So, he steeled himself and improvised a line: “Life is precious, your own life is more valuable. When danger comes, you are the most important.”
The refined young man, Kurokawa Saki, frowned and retorted, “Chiba-sensei, I don’t agree with your view. One’s own life is certainly important, but sacrificing oneself to save others is extremely meaningful.”
Su Mo glanced at him, offered no comment, and instead said, “Sacrificing oneself for a just cause is honorable, but walking into death foolishly is stupid. Work on improving yourselves. If such a day ever comes, I hope you have the ability to make your own choice, rather than having it decided for you.”
Hearing his response, the four of them thought to themselves simultaneously: That didn’t answer the question. Looks like this teacher is just another motivational speaker who likes to create mysteries under the guise of being profound.
The plane was about to take off. Su Mo didn’t want to delay any further and led the four ‘burdens’ onto the flight to Shikoku Island.
Actually, it wasn’t just him going out for missions these past couple of days. Others who had secured spots for the temple secret realm assessment had also been dispatched to various locations, seemingly for training, and most of them had brought students along.
Throughout the journey, Su Mo and the four maintained a superficial friendliness while secretly disliking each other.
Su Mo disliked them for lacking strength, as it would hinder his performance.
The four of them, in turn, disliked Su Mo for being young and fond of creating mysteries. If it weren’t for the fact that he was quite pretty and likable, they probably would have already been speaking their minds without restraint.
People always naturally hold a favorable impression towards pleasing things to the eye, whether it’s a person or an object.
The plane landed in Kagawa Prefecture.
As soon as they exited the airport, they were stopped by someone, saying they had been invited.
Su Mo was puzzled, as he didn’t know anyone here, but after thinking for a moment, he decided to follow along.
They were taken to an exquisite, traditional-style estate. The owner was a middle-aged man with elegant manners. Upon seeing Su Mo and the others, he quickly stood up to welcome them. “You must be Miss Chiba. I’ve been expecting you for some time.”
Su Mo, still confused, asked suspiciously, “Who are you, and how did you know I was coming?”
The middle-aged man smiled. “You are a friend of Miss Mei, so naturally, you are also a friend of mine. She instructed me to take good care of all of you.”
As he spoke, he led Su Mo and the group to their accommodations, all of which were top-quality rooms. “Our home is quite humble, so please make do. I apologize for any inconvenience.”
From the moment he entered the estate gates, Su Mo had been quietly observing. He noted that this middle-aged man, who claimed his family was ‘humble,’ was certainly right about it being ‘humble.’ After all, it seemed even less impressive than Nishimura Koishi’s place… Heh, such a humblebrag.