Mentor and Mentee, with an Ace on the Side (1)
By the time we returned to the barracks, it was already pretty lively. Sure, everyone was busy swapping stories about the agent evaluations, but the main hot topic, as expected, was the monster hunter—and me.
"That's Yufir."
"They say she chopped that hunter into 17 pieces?"
"No way, for real?"
"Someone said she fed the chunks to monsters. And that's how she took down Al Miraz!"
"You really can't judge by appearances!"
"Watch out. Rumor has it she grinds people up if they piss her off."
"Holy shit... You think that's why Elvin's been avoiding Yufir? Did she threaten to kill him or something?"
"High chance. Yeah, sounds about right."
Listening to these wildly exaggerated rumors...
"Ughhh, Bina... Am I turning into some kinda scary monster or what?"
"Pfft, pffft!"
Bina, walking down the hall with me, was desperately holding back her laughter.
"I'm serious! I'm... not that scary of a person!"
"Sure, sure~"
Biting her lip to stifle it, Bina ruffled my hair like I was her little sister.
"I know~ You're not some cruel monster... Ah, well... not..."
"Why can't you just finish that sentence!"
"But seeing it right in front of you... yeah, you can't help it, right?"
Honest as ever, Bina couldn't bring herself to lie.
"More importantly, when did I go from Yufir to Yupi?"
"Yupi's my lifesaver, isn't she~?"
"Ehehe, well, yeah~"
"'Well yeah'? Don't big shots like you deserve a nickname at least?"
"I have no idea how your logic got there, but sure, whatever."
"That's the spirit."
Back in the dorms, we immediately prepped for the next training session. Things had shifted a bit since the evaluations. Up until now, it'd been all about raw physical conditioning, but now they were teaching us practical tricks and techniques you'd actually use in the field.
"Hiding your presence isn't just about ducking out of sight."
Blackrose's gaze on us had changed. Before, she'd looked down on us like rookies; now, it felt a tad higher, a tad more respectful.
"It's closer to diluting your very existence. No showing emotions, no revealing intent, blending seamlessly into your surroundings."
We were learning stuff that could've come straight out of some acting academy. It was more fun than I'd expected, but I sucked at lying or hiding my intentions, so I got chewed out a lot.
"Ppikak, can't you control your face? It's so damn expressive, broadcasting your schemes and moods to everyone."
"S-sorry!"
After getting reamed in training, we moved to practical drills. The task was simple: blend into the civilians and evade the instructors' eyes. Like hide-and-seek, but no actual hiding.
Instructors who didn't know our faces played tagger, and within a set zone, we had to act like real locals.
"Out."
"You too."
"Your walk gives you away. Out."
"Might as well wear a sign. Get lost."
The instructors' eyes were terrifyingly sharp. Watching your classmates drop in real-time shook you up. One trainee who'd been doing great got spooked by a nearby dropout and got nabbed herself.
And me...?
"Sis, I wanna eat apple pie!"
"Yeah, yeah! Let's stuff ourselves. Till we burst~"
"Yay!"
Bina and I played country sisters visiting the city. Just strolling arm-in-arm in long, flowy skirts, and the instructors didn't spot us—they even smiled warmly as we passed.
Hmm...
Was it Bina's flawless big-sis act? Or the bias that a tiny thing like me couldn't possibly be an agent? Hard to say, but hey, it worked.
"Top scores for this drill: three trainees."
Airi, Bina, and I had accidentally snagged the highest marks.
"Ppikak..."
"Y-yes!"
Blackrose approached me, the first time I'd ever been treated like an ace.
"Just occurred to me—your looks might actually make it easier to cause misunderstandings."
"Misunderstandings...?"
"Yeah. Ever notice how people drop their guard around you more than others?"
Thinking back, yeah. Not a single opponent I'd faced had stayed fully alert.
"Indecisiveness, honesty... and that airheaded charm could be one hell of a weapon."
"Eh, really~?"
Felt like a compliment, so I grinned like an idiot.
"Sigh... Yeah, exactly that. Wait, but pointing it out ruins the 'airhead' part, doesn't it? Whatever—just keep being you."
Blackrose let out a deep sigh and called dismissal.
"Bina, didn't the instructor just kinda... give up on me? That sigh was heavy!"
"Ahaha..."
"N-no, right?! Tell me she didn't!"
Thankfully, she hadn't given up—training stayed brutal as ever. We got lessons on spotting suspects, tracking targets, real agent-level theory. Physical drills didn't vanish, but as time wore on, I stopped dragging my classmates down so much.
Routine blurs the days. Even grueling ones. Focusing only on your squadmates, a month, two months flew by.
"Urghhh... Eek!"
Morning PT. Always my low scores torturing everyone, just scoldings.
"Hmm."
Blackrose looked down at me, drenched in sweat. Early arrivals were catching their breath, sipping water. No one doing penalties or extras.
"First time, Ppikak. Making it on time."
She turned away, hands behind her back.
"At ease."
The squad cheered—first morning free time in forever.
Evening, after all training. Drowsy haze—sleep crashing in.
"Ugh... Why am I so wiped lately."
"You've been killing it, Yupi. Results show."
Pride fuels more effort, pushing limits till I'm nodding off like a toddler.
"Hey, heard someone else looped a ring?"
The hall buzzed.
"We gotta step up or we'll fall behind."
"We are behind. Fewer zeros now—even 1st Ring."
"Fuck. Ask around?"
"Grab someone, get the secret."
Hot topic lately: mana cultivation. Aura makes or breaks you—everyone grinding personal time to loop rings inside.
Training doesn't teach it. Forming rings with mana is wildly personal. Some weave like thread, others knead like snow dough. Endless quirky methods—you enlighten yourself.
"Hoo..."
Bina sat on her bunk, deep breaths, trying.
She'd started right after evals. 'Don't wanna be a burden,' she said.
Without a ring, I'd flunk agent cutoff.
"A ring, huh..."
I peeked at Bina, mimicked. Eyes shut, deep breath.
"Suuu... Hooo..."
But what do you think? Just breathe? Wait, how do you even feel mana? I'd only passively drawn it via Heavenly Killing Star—never willed it.
"Sigh."
Too many thoughts—no focus. I'd just watch Bina.
Hummm.
"Hm?"
Bina slowly extended her hand. Blue particles gathered at her fingertips, swelling, minty like her hair.
Squad froze, staring—even aloof Airi glanced over.
Blub blub.
Like a water droplet wriggling, it formed a perfect ring.
Pop!
It hung on her hand. Up close, aura was clear: eel-like, skin-wrapped, rippling air with compressed energy.
"It... it worked!"
Bina opened her eyes, arms up in triumph.
Squad cheered. Hall crowd gathered, questions flying on her method. Endless handshakes—she beamed, answering earnestly.
"Aww..."
Great for a friend ascending... but just when I thought I'd catch up, she pulls ahead. Urgency hit.
Me too... gotta loop a ring fast!
Or they'd leave me behind.
"You're still green. Trainees or not, you won't grow treated like babies forever."
Blackrose stood before us in trainee uniforms—but suits for the formal agents arriving.
"Halfway mark passed. Time to step up for full agent status."
Full agents lined up, chuckling nostalgically at us.
"Your mentors: elite from the Agency's nine teams."
Nine total.
"They'll guide you on real missions."
Trainees murmured. From drills to fieldwork—with vets, sure, but nerve-wracking.
"I set pairings based on data. No complaints."
She called names. Team 1: two trainees. Sobs as friends split, gripes on teammates.
"Team 5: Bina Seleze and Mervin Dowell."
I jolted, watching Bina walk away.
"Ahh...!"
My hero, my bestie. Her hugs so warm. Couldn't imagine without her.
"I'm doomed... Sniff."
As I sniffled...
"Team 8: Airi Enposhium and Yufir Seijina."
My name. With our class ace.
"Huh? Airi?"