Tokaku strolled down the hallway towards her classroom. Upon reaching her seat, Jack and Epel approached her, noticing their friend's presence in their class.
"Tokaku?! Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to be absent today until you have fully recovered?" Jack inquired.
"I am well enough to attend class today," Tokaku confidently responded.
"Are you sure?" Epel sought reassurance.
"I am certain," Tokaku assured them.
Jack let out a sigh. "Please inform us if you start feeling unwell."
Tokaku nodded, demonstrating her understanding. The first period of the day was dedicated to Magic History. Professor Trein delivered a lecture on The Glorious Era of Mages. He explained that during that era, mages were classified into three categories: sorcerers, wizards, and magicians. Sorcerers were considered the most esteemed among the three, as they were legendary figures in warfare, referred to as Warlords. Their abilities included crafting spiritual weapons and possessing exceptional mental and physical strength, which always ensured their triumph. Wizards, on the other hand, belonged to the middle class and served as mercenaries, specializing in potion production and trade on a global scale. Lastly, magicians were the lowest class of mages, compelled to work as slaves for wizards and sorcerers. They were subjected to abuse, assault, and human trafficking during The Glorious Era of Mages. However, these class distinctions were abolished with the advent of the modern era, eradicating the labels associated with the three types of mages. This led to the contemporary period where individuals possessing magical talents are universally referred to as mages.
While Tokaku listened attentively to Professor Trein's history lecture, she suddenly heard the voice of the blue-haired lady whispering in her ear, informing her that someone was watching her outside the classroom door. Alerted by this, Tokaku looked around to see if Kaiba, her former teacher, was nearby. She noticed him peering at the doorway and glared at him sharply. Kaiba smirked in response and then walked away, his hands in his pockets. Once he was out of sight, Tokaku refocused on her class.
After the fourth period ended, Tokaku joined Jack and Epel for lunch at the cafeteria. As they ordered their food and sat at their usual table, Jack informed them that Coach Vargas had instructed them to gather early at the field because a new Athletic teacher would be joining their class. Curious about who the new teacher was, Epel asked for more details, but Jack didn't know much. Meanwhile, Tokaku listened to their conversation while slowly eating her curry rice. Suddenly, she detected a familiar, sinister scent. She chose to ignore it, knowing that the person it belonged to was approaching.
Just then, Kaiba appeared and greeted the group, mentioning that he had seen them in his previous class. Jack and Epel greeted him warmly, but Tokaku continued eating her lunch, disregarding his presence. Surprised, Jack and Epel introduced her to the new Math professor, but Kaiba interrupted, stating that he already knew her because she had been his student before. This revelation left Jack and Epel astonished, and Epel inquired how Kaiba knew her. Kaiba simply replied that he knew her because she was his former student.
" What?! You're his former student, Tokaku?" Epel asked.
The said girl sighed before she nodded. "Yes, I am his former student and he's my former mentor when I was an assassin candidate in my world. "
" So, you came here from another world, sir? "Jack asked Kaiba.
Kaiba nodded." Yup, you got it! "He gave a thumbs up.
Epel looked at Tokaku, asking to invite his mentor to their table. Tokaku doubted to agree but she changed her mind when she thought that she supposed not to sign how dangerous her mentor is since her buddies like him very much. Kaiba then sat beside his former student, smiling and putting his face in his hand. He asked Jack and Epel how they met and knew Tokaku. Jack explained that he met her when he saw her getting picked up by three bullies during her first day and he got to know Tokaku better after they often support each other in class. Then, Epel chimed in, explaining that he became friends with Tokaku when they worked together on their punishment given by Crewel which they must grow lantern blossom in two months. With Tokaku and him incorporating, they fortunately accomplished their task. Kaiba listened to both of Tokaku's friends, expressing surprised and excited. He confessed that he never know that his former student had changed from being the cold devil in their academy to become a sweetheart rabbit when she enrolled Night Raven College and made friends which she never did when she was his student in training to become a professional assassin. Tokaku rolled her blue eyes, irritated with her mentor for telling her buddies about her time in the assassin training facility.
"Why do you call Tokaku the cold devil?" Jack asked Kaiba.
"Oh, I call her the cold devil because she is cold-hearted. And she was feared by most of the boys in our academy. Whenever she walks down a hall, the boys around will walk away or run away like a devil just crossed." Kaiba explained.
"Oh, we see. Tokaku is actually feared by many students here but they never run away when they see her." Epel said.
"Is that so? Did she threaten to kill someone with a knife?" Kaiba guessed.
Jack and Epel were astonished.
"That's true, but how did you know that?" Epel asked.
"When Tokaku first enrolled in our training facility, everyone there already knew her since she is famous as an heiress who came from an ancient assassin family among the assassins community. There was once a group of boys who tried to woo her because they wanted to marry into her family." Kaiba explained.
"A group of boys tried to approach Tokaku?!" Jack was shocked, listening.
"Tokaku, were you alright back then?" Epel asked Tokaku worriedly.
"I was alright back then, you don't have to worry." Tokaku replied, devoid of emotions.
"How can we not be worried when a group of boys tried to take advantage of a girl like you?" Jack argued.
"You guys are really worrisome. Like Tokaku said, you don't have to worry about her past encounters with those flirty boys. She taught them their place and made them eat dirt." Kaiba reassured, which made them taken aback.
"What did you do to them, Tokaku?" Jack asked the girl.
"I threatened them that I would cut out their tongues if they insisted on bothering me. They failed to listen, so I threw my knives at them. The knives stabbed their feet and the three boys cried out in pain, ending up in the nurse's office for a week and then having to take a prolonged break to recover. They will have to retake their courses next year." Tokaku explained.
Jack and Epel was out of words but not surprised with their friend's assassin instincts. Kaiba turned to his student, asking who she threatened to kill in Night Raven College. Tokaku replied that it was the headmaster who she threatened to kill, explaining her reason for it was because the scent of Crowley's high level magic triggered her feeling of being endangered so she acted to her assassin instincts. Kaiba did not react surprise or shock instead he laughed because he knew well that Tokaku, his former student, always act according to her strong instincts and her sharp sense of sniffing.
"Typical Tokaku." He guffed.
Tokaku appeared to be unbothered when her former mentor laughed at her though she was irritated, thinking of killing him if she had the chance to do it at a place where no eyes can see. Then, Jack interfered, cutting to ask if Kaiba had know Tokaku for a long time when they were at their original world. Kaiba answered that he had known Tokaku since before her first day at the assassin training facility as her late grandmother, the famous former assassin during the 70's, did met him when registering Tokaku at the place. They got along as mentor and student for four years, he told. Tokaku chimed in, telling that as if she get along with him.
"C'mon, Tokaku! You're my favorite student and admit it that I'm your favorite mentor from all of the mentors in our school." Kaiba said.
Tokaku turned, looking straight to her mentor's eyes. " You're my least favorite mentor though you're the best in teaching." She said.
"Ouch! That hurts my heart." Kaiba acting to cry, dramatically touched his chest as if his heart had broken.
Jack and Epel watched the interaction of Tokaku and Kaiba, entertained by their conversation.
"You surely get along with your mentor, huh Tokaku." Jack said, interrupting them.
Epel nodded, agreed with Jack." I don't see how you didn't get along, looking at your interaction with him."
Tokaku became silenced, looking at her buddies. She knew that she was not supposed to reveal the true colors of her former mentor to her buddies since they already liking him so much. However, she realized that she will need to tell them when Kaiba begin to harm them. For now, Tokaku must be alerted, securing and watching her buddies. Suddenly, she sniffed a sinister scent that grew stronger from Kaiba and immediately caught that he is scheming something bad to her buddies. She will stop him at all cost even if she has to bleed in this game is what she determined. At the other hand, Kaiba smirked as response, telling clearly to her that he had decided to run his scheme. Tokaku was going to glare at him but remember that her buddies watching her, instead, she stared at him and quickly turned to Jack and Epel. She reminded them that lunch break was almost over: They have to be ready before P. E like Vargas did say.
Jack and Epel nodded, understanding and soon they said farewell to Kaiba before the three left the table. Kaiba waved at them. As they were walking away, he grinned mischievously. At the school field, the 1B students wore their P. E uniforms and they did stretching up, minutes before Vargas arrived, approaching them with Kaiba beside him. Tokaku became surprised briefly, all at once she felt something bad is going to occur.
Vargas introduced Kaiba to his students, announcing him as their new and additional P. E coach. Hearing the announcement, the students' face sparkled, feeling excited to be trained by Kaiba. Jack and Epel also felt excited to have him as their new coach. But Tokaku did not and was glaring at her former mentor. Kaiba noticed his former student glaring at him. He approached and threw a hand on her shoulder, patting it in front of all the 1B students.
" Everyone, I know that I am your new professor and coach. But I'm a very old teacher to Tokaku." Kaiba told them which made them surprised to know that the deadliest freshman in Night Raven College is the student of the amazing excellent new professor.
" That's correct. Tokaku here is my favorite student when we were in our world." Kaiba reassured them.
The students gasped as they were surprised, knowing that their new professor came from the same world like the assassin girl. Tokaku frowned, glaring her mentor after he spoiled the truth about himself came from their world and revealed she was a student of him. Vargas reacted the same as the students: surprised to discover that his favorite student in Athletic was also a scholar of his new colleague.
"I can't believe that you're a teacher to my one of favorite students, Kaiba." Vargas grinned, his hands on his hips.
"Shocking is it?" Kaiba smiled.
"Yeah, it did. You must have trained Tokaku to be so excellent in Athletic." Vargas praised him.
"Oh, you flattered me." Kaiba said while Tokaku sighed beside him.
After that, Vargas ordered the freshmen to do 30 laps track and 100 pushups. Although they were complaining about it, they just followed the coach's order and did what they are ordered to. Vargas and Kaiba watched the freshmen from afar.
After they were tired except for Jack and Tokaku who still standing on their feet, Vargas complained to the tired students that they haven't learned to push their limits yet. The freshmen were upset to hear the complaints though they followed what Vargas ordered them to until Kaiba stepped in.
"Hold it, Vargas. They're not built just like you so chill down, man." He defended the freshmen.
"Easy for you to say. I have coach them since their first day but they still can't learn to improve their stamina." Vargas grumbled.
"That's maybe because you kept repeating to order them doing the same exercise everyday. Besides, not all of your students can be improved by just one technique." Kaiba said.
"What do you mean?" Vargas asked.
"What I mean is that everyone has different way of learnings. If I were to follow your training techniques, it took me forever to improve anything to get what I need to achieve. Here, let me demonstrate. " Kaiba replied. He called Tokaku then.
Tokaku never wanted to get any near to her mentor but she has to since all of her classmates including her friends were looking at her and Kaiba.
" Hey Tokaku, how about we do a little fight with each other?" Kaiba proposed.
A little fight could be intense. Tokaku has accepted the little fight with Kaiba since she was an assassin candidate and she knew immediately what is his real intention. She agreed to do a little fight with him. Kaiba then approached Tokaku and asked Jack to join his classmates. Jack was taken aback but he nodded as he obeyed and then went to his classmates who were sitting on the grass already after laying down.
Tokaku faced Kaiba in the middle of the school field. She looked at him while he grinned as a response.
"This reminds me a lot of our time when you were training under my supervise." Kaiba pointed out.
"Really? Do any of our time during my training under you touches your heart when you're reminded?" Tokaku said.
"It does but I feel a brief sting to it after I knew you have changed after you came to this magical world. I thought that I still remembered that you usually reply me, asking me to shut my mouth before our little fight. Why's the 180° turn over the leaf?" Kaiba asked.
" I'm in a new world. So it's necessary to change yourself to fit in the new world's society." Tokaku replied.
" Hmmm... I see. You're becoming talkative a little. Time flies fast, and you're changing without I even know. " Kaiba said." Which made me really happy. " He expressed happiness for suddenly in his whisper.
Tokaku didn't take long to ask her mentor to commence their bout. Kaiba willingly agreed, positioning his hands in his pant pockets. Tokaku simply stood, patiently waiting for Kaiba to make the first move. Knowing that his student was anticipating his attack, Kaiba sprinted towards her, closing the distance rapidly. In response, Tokaku assumed a boxing stance. As he neared the girl, Kaiba threw a punch aimed at her face, but she intercepted it with her arm, using it as a defensive move. Instantly, she countered by pushing, wrapping, and pulling Kaiba's arm, causing him to fall to the ground. Unfortunately, Kaiba proved to be faster than she had anticipated. Digging his feet into the grass, he released his arm and pushed Tokaku, causing her to stumble and lose her balance.
"Oh, what a clumsy move on my part!" sneered Kaiba.
Brushing herself off, the girl grunted as she rose from the grass. Kaiba then attempted to kick her, but she skillfully evaded his foot. As Kaiba continued his assault of kicks, Tokaku adeptly dodged each one until she finally ducked and swept his feet out from under him, sending Kaiba tumbling to the ground. Crouching down, Tokaku awaited his next attack, which he launched in a sweeping motion. However, Tokaku effortlessly flipped over, successfully evading his strike. Promptly, Kaiba regained his footing. This time, Tokaku seized the opportunity to strike first, utilizing her experience in boxing to deliver a powerful punch towards her mentor. But as a seasoned assassin, Kaiba expertly dodged her punches. Whenever Tokaku aimed for his face, Kaiba swiftly evaded, instantly seizing her arm, pushing her, and twisting it in a way that immobilized her. Vargas and the other students gasped, intently observing the intense fight. Tokaku winced in pain as her arm was twisted behind her back.
"This is what you have? You are becoming slow now, Tokaku," Kaiba said, while still twisting the arm of his former student.
"I do not engage in combat since I arrived in this world. However, I have not become slower. It seems that you have become faster. Have you acquired new skills since I departed?" inquired Tokaku.
"You know me. My last target almost succeeded in overthrowing me, but I am too intelligent to allow myself, a professional assassin, to be assassinated," explained Kaiba.
"Another member from your family?" guessed Tokaku.
"Yes, these days the new members are becoming more stylish with their black magic. Fortunately, I was born without any black magic abilities. And I have managed to memorize all of the Kuzunoha's black magic arts, so they cannot easily eliminate me from the face of the Earth," answered Kaiba.
"That is unfortunate to hear. I had hoped to discover who would manage to assassinate you while I was absent from our world," said Tokaku.
"It is indeed regrettable. However, I do not wish to perish in my thirties as I still have obligations towards my beloved student," agreed Kaiba.
"Obligations? Save that for your new students. I am no longer the person I used to be when I was under your guidance," declared Tokaku.
"Is it because of that dear vice house warden of yours? Jade, if I recall correctly," the professor guessed, causing the girl to glare at him.
"That's correct. I see now. Think again, he is truly exceptional for a tall teenage boy. In our world, the chances of him becoming a target for assassination would be high due to his family's wealth in the Coral Sea," Kaiba remarked.
Tokaku glared at her mentor. "What exactly do you intend to do to him?"
"Nothing. I simply wish to have a pleasant conversation with him, like that of a student and professor. Just, you know? Inquire about you. See how he has changed you... to the point where you have become so docile now," Kaiba's tone instantaneously shifted. He forcefully squeezed Tokaku's arm, causing the girl to grunt loudly, but she silenced herself to prevent any concern from arising.
From a distance, Vargas could clearly see Kaiba squeezing the girl's arm and twisting it.
"That is enough, Kaiba!" he shouted firmly.
Upon hearing Vargas's command, Kaiba immediately released his student's arm. Tokaku exhaled after struggling to keep her voice suppressed. Jack and Epel, along with the other observing students, fell into silence after witnessing the intense altercation between Tokaku and her former mentor. Her two friends, deep down, sensed that there was something peculiar about Kaiba and they were worried about Tokaku's well-being after the confrontation.
Vargas scolded Kaiba for displaying an act of violence towards a girl in front of his students. Kaiba listened and expressed remorse for his actions. While Vargas forgave him outwardly, inwardly he had developed a dislike towards Kaiba.
Meanwhile, Tokaku approached her friends who expressed concern by inquiring about her well-being and whether she was hurt. Tokaku assured them that she was fine. Epel pointed out that the fight she had with Kaiba was intense. Jack chimed in, stating that he could see Kaiba fighting her in a rough manner.
"What is a fight without a bit of roughness?" Tokaku remarked.
"I understand that. However, I observed Kaiba fighting you in a way that suggested he intended to harm you and leave you in a bad condition," replied Jack.
"Can we discuss this later? I believe that Vargas is about to initiate our training," Tokaku requested, declining her friends' concerns.
Jack fell silent as the girl's statement was correct. They needed to focus on their Athletic class. Mr. Vargas then instructed all of the 1B students to do muscle exercises and approached Tokaku, asking her about her well-being.
"Are you okay after your mentor fought you?" Mr. Vargas asked.
Tokaku nodded, which made the coach sigh.
"Is this how he trained you? To be this exceptional combatant?" The coach inquired, to which she responded with another nod.
"I understand that he used to be your mentor and is now your coach and math professor. However, you should not follow his orders to fight him anymore. In my opinion, your mentor is not teaching in the right and positive way. I must say, I noticed that he acted quite aggressively towards you during your fight, and he only gives credits to students he does not care about, even if it has negative consequences for them. He is violent towards you simply because you are a girl. Moreover, he taught my trainees that it is acceptable to act violently towards women. I am going to report this to the headmaster, so you do not have to stay silent for much longer. For now, I need you to visit the nurse's office and get yourself examined in case you sustained any injuries during the fight," he explained.
"I am fine, so I do not need to go to the nurse," Tokaku stated.
"Are you disobeying me? As your coach, I am ordering you to visit the nurse's office. You must obey me, or else I will remove you from my class!" Mr. Vargas scolded.
Tokaku never wanted to be expelled from the Athletic class, as it was her second-best subject. With no choice but to listen to Mr. Vargas, she ended up going to the infirmary. Jack and Epel volunteered to accompany her. As they walked from the school field, Kaiba watched his former student walking with her friends from a distance, a smirk on his face behind his black sunglasses.