Toihe Casino

After Yorui's arrival, the children continue their school time. Yorui has the same schedule as the boys, so she happily follows them throughout the day, her excitement palpable. Every new experience, from classrooms to corridors, seems to excite her.

During lunchtime, she mingled with her new classmates but always found her way back to the boys. In gym class, she reveled in the lessons with Ishio, showcasing her self-taught fighting style with enthusiasm.

Towards the end of class, the final bell rings. Koroki splits off from the group, dying to go home. Yorui still has more energy, so she decides to stay longer with Surata.

Before leaving campus, Koroki gets interrupted by someone. He stops walking and turns his attention to Ms. Shirai.

"Koroki, come with me for a minute." Koroki, without hesitation but with a sigh, follows her. "Where am I going now?"

Was he in trouble? He didn't do anything out of the ordinary, so where is Ms. Shirai taking him? Knowing he did nothing wrong, he annoyingly strolls, with his hand slouched behind his head.

___

After a short walk through the hallways, Ms. Shirai opens the principal's office door.

"Why're we at the principal's office?" he asks, trying to hide his annoyance.

 "You'll see." Ms. Shirai vaguely replies. "I brought Koroki."

"Good."

Koroki looks around the principal's office. It is cleaner than it was during Ishio's last visit. The paperwork that is usually stacked on the desk is gone, and there isn't any trash on the floor, either.

Koroki sees Ishio standing on the left side of the principal's desk, along with Principal Tsume and a reserved-looking individual with medium wavy hair and black-framed glasses.

In front of those people are familiar people Koroki knows.

"You guys too?" Koroki questions as he spots Surata and Yorui also standing in front of the desk.

Everyone in the room faces Koroki. The atmosphere gradually becomes heavy, seeing how this is somehow important.

"Hello, Koroki." happily says Ishio.

Koroki hesitates, unsure of what awaits him. He glances back at Surata and Yorui, who share his confusion. Ms. Shirai's stern expression doesn't give away any hints. "I haven't done anything wrong," Koroki thinks. Why am I here?"

"What is happening?"

"We just filled in these two," Tsume explains, her tone filled with authority. "Let's get straight to it. As you know, Ishio is the chief of the Noye Agency. This school is an extension of the agency, acting as a training ground for upcoming shikaris. While being the chief, Ishio receives daily reports from citizens requesting help from shikaris."

Ishio digs in his pocket, revealing some sort of card and hands it to Koroki.

Koroki hesitates, staring at the card. "What is it?" he asks.

The card displays a portrait shot of Koroki, with his name on the side and the school's colors: black, blue, and white.

Surata's brain clicks, trying to connect the dots. "Is that what I think that is? Is that a Noye License?"

The very thing that Surata works for is his very own Noye License. Obtaining one takes lots of hard work and dedication. It also allows the wielder to become an official Shikari. It's his goal and now, it's in reaching distance.

"Not quite." Principal Tsume further explains. "This is similar to a Noye License, but it's more like a Noye Permit."

"Huh, a Noye Permit?" Surata's excitement turns into confusion. "I've never heard of that before."

"Yeah," Tsume elaborates, "this permit allows you to operate under the supervision of a license Shikari. Think of it like having a driver's permit. You're able to drive a car, but while accompanied by someone else who has a license. This is the first time we are using this, so we are testing this out."

"Why choose us?" Koroki asks, his curiosity piqued.

"Well because Ishio has put a lot of trust in you three." Tsume replies.

"Wow, that's so cool, Koroki," Yorui exclaims, snatching the permit from Koroki's hands. "Let me see!"

"What are you doing, Yorui?" Koroki grumbles, trying to get his card back. The two begin to ramble between each other.

Surata then asks, "Do we all get one?"

"Oh, yeah. Here you kids go." Principal Tsume hands Surata and Yorui their own Noye Permit.

Surata can't contain his excitement. "Yes! It's not an actual license, but it's one step closer to becoming a Shikari. All of my hard work and training really is paying off. I wonder what our first mission is gonna be!"

"So, who's coming with us?" Yorui asks.

"You're going to be accompanied by Ishio."

The kids are relieved yet excited that Ishio will accompany them on their first register mission.

"Well, actually..." Ishio steps in, subtly rubbing his head. "I can't join you kids on this mission. I have some important things to take care of."

What a shock, Ishio isn't going with the kids. At this point, it sounds like Ishio doesn't want to help them at all.

"What a surprise. He always has something to do." Koroki mumbles under his breath.

"He is the Noye chief, after all," Surata whispers back at Koroki.

Ishio sees the displeased faces in the room. "Well, don't worry. I told Seto to take my place instead."

Ishio pats his hands on the average-looking Seto. "I'm only doing it because you kept nagging me."

His voice matches his reserved state, sounding soft and sincere.

"Seto here is one of the Harta. He is Seto, Harta #6. So, he's very strong."

"Oh wow!" Yorui exclaims. She isn't very familiar with the Harta, but Seto's introduction makes a good first impression on Yorui.

"One of the Hartas?! That means they're in the group as Father!" Surata is speechless. Having a first mission is already amazing! But, working with a Harta is even better!

"Thank you, Tsume, for the kind words." Seto kindly appreciates, "but I wouldn't use the word "strong" for me. I'm not the same as some of the "brutes" in the group."

"So, what's our first mission?" Koroki asks, wanting to get this conversation over with.

"Thank you for reminding me, Yorui. You guys heard about the Toihe Casino, right? The owner goes by the name Tiger. He's an ex-Shikari who got his license provoked."

"Why did he get his license provoked?"

"Tiger is a man who prioritizes money over morals. It doesn't matter if he's playing the hero or villain; if there is money, that's all he cares about. Seto here tells me that he's up to something again, but we don't know what. So, we need you guys to investigate."

"Are we even allowed to go inside a casino?"

"Father used to go to that casino before, and he told me that there is a no-children policy."

"Don't worry we got that taken care of."

___

A few hours later, the team finds itself near the Toihe casino's entrance. Before arriving, the group went to acquire their disguises and discuss their game plan.

The casino's bright, golden architecture makes the atmosphere feel rich. Men in three-piece suits exit their vehicles, escorting elegantly dressed women to the entrance. The team disguises itself with their own attire.

Surata inspects his classic three-piece suit with his black tie, looking at all the angles. "Woah, I've never worn a suit before. I looked like a real stud." He feels a little out of place but determined.

"You look nice, Sura. You almost look grown up." Yorui complements Surata, as he is adjusting his collar.

"Thanks, Yorui. You look pretty in that dress."

"Thank you, Sura."

"How about you, Koroki?"

Koroki smacks his teeth in disgust. The tightness in his chest makes him extremely uncomfortable. He usually likes to wear comfy, overfit clothes, so this is something different for him. Koroki fidgets with his collar, feeling the tightness of the suit. "I just can't wait to take this off."

"But why? You look very cute." Yorui teases.

"He looks like some sort of famous model," Surata adds to Yorui's teasing with a grin.

"I know, right?"

"Would you guys stop it?! And what's with this on my face?" Koroki annoyingly rubs his face. he muttered, rubbing at the fake facial hair Yorui had insisted would help them blend in.

"Wait, stop! Why are you removing it?!" Yorui protests.

His makeup is done extremely poorly as if a toddler doodled on their faces. But, in Yorui's eyes, it was well made.

Surata adjusts his tie, his eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and nerves. "Anyways, just deal with it, for now, Koroki. we have to pull this off," he reminds himself.

"Let's stop fooling around and let's go. Remember, don't blow your cover." Seto commands, trying to keep them focused.

The group strolls toward the entrance, following the long red carpet that stretches from the inside. Huge glass doors welcome them, opening automatically as they approach.

The atmosphere shifts drastically as they enter the casino. They are overwhelmed with bright lights and chattering noises. Casino slots roll on one side, gamblers cheer and clink their drinks, and women sit on the laps of the men surrounded by a haze of cigar smoke.

"It's very loud in here," Surata notes, his nerves slightly tingling.

"Alright, let's split up to cover more ground. You kids head to the floor, and I'll head to the back. If you find Tiger, let me know." Seto instructs.

"Yes sir!" Yorui and Surata reply in unison.

The group split into separate groups. Seto cautiously strolls to hug the walls of the building while the children navigate their way toward the vibrant casino floor. As they advance, they are confronted by a multitude of figures that are flooding the floor, creating a bustling atmosphere.

"How are we even supposed to find one person with this crowd?"

"According to Mr. Seto, Tiger wears a heavy overcoat and typically likes to gamble with the customers."

"That's a very vague description of the guy."

Surata points to the right side of the room. "I'll head this way." He quickly points to the left side. "You two head that way."

Having all three of them would be a safer thing to do. That way, they can cover more surface. However, Surata knows Koroki isn't going to take this seriously. So, being with Yorui should help Koroki out. The children split once again.

___

Minutes go by and Koroki and Yorui continue to wander around the casino. The loudness from the slots and people cheering around the tables seem to annoy Koroki. He casually minds his business, leaning on his arms, which are resting behind his back.

Yorui walks beside him, scouting for anything suspicious.

Walking near the poker tables, the rowdiness grows louder. Large groups form around these tables, and the smell of alcohol and cigars fills the atmosphere.

"How are we going to be able to find Tiger with all these people around?" Yorui curiously asks, overwhelmed by the crowds of people. "All we know is he likes to gamble."

"I don't know but we should try to blend in like adults."

Yorui stumbles while walking for a moment. She looks down to spot what caused her trip. A black coin with white and black stripes on its side and a golden tiger logo towards the center lies on the floor. Someone must have accidentally dropped it and didn't realize it. Since no one has claimed it, Yorui's brain begins to click.

"I think I found a way to blend in."

Yorui shifts her body towards one of the poker tables. Koroki follows her curiously. Yorui searches for an empty seat. There's a table around the edge of the building with a missing player.

"Alright, the buy-in is $50!" The dealer declares to any potential customers. The black coin in Yorui's hand is worth double that. She quickly walks to the table and sits down. "Is this enough?" Yorui asks.

"Yes, that is enough."

Yorui tosses her coin towards the table. Her competitors look towards her, suspicious of her buy-in amount.

"Hey, miss, aren't you a little too young to be playing this game?"

"Oh, haha. Thank you for the compliment. That's what most people say, but this makeup my boyfriend bought me can really make a girl young."

Her makeup isn't anything impressive, but her demeanor looks mature enough. Koroki stands behind her, watching her play.

"Alright, bets are now closed."

The dealer swipes all the chips towards her. She then starts dealing the cards on the table one by one.

"This is your idea of blending in?" Koroki whispers loudly enough for only Yorui to hear.

"Yeah, unless you have any better ideas?"

"Yorui, do you even know how to play poker?"

"Nope, not at all."

Yorui triggers Koroki to get annoyed, raising his voice slightly. "Huh?! Then why are we doing this?"

"Cause it looked fun. Hehe."

The dealer deals with everyone's third card. Fourth card. Then, the final card. Every challenger puts on their best poke face to confuse their opponent. Yorui tries her own poker face to blend in despite not knowing anything about poker. She went all-in in the beginning, so she has everything to lose. After checking, everyone shows their hands.

"Dang, so close!" a player exclaims.

"One card away!" another adds.

The dealer scans everyone's hands. "The winner is the woman with the green hair with a four-of-a-kind." Yorui's face blushes in excitement.

The other men cheer for Yorui, reeking of booze. "That was just luck. I'll win the next one."

Yorui decides to test her luck again. Maybe it was just beginner's luck, but she decided to test that theory again. She plans on playing one more game. That game turns into another game. Then another one. Over and over, she keeps winning the rounds, going all-in for the buy-in, and constantly winning the pot.

Yorui feels her chest pounding. "What is this feeling? I don't know what I'm doing, but I keep winning. Each game makes me so anxious. But it's so… fun!"

Koroki stands there, not knowing what to do. Yorui freezes him in shock. With the number of games she has won, people are going to suspect something. "Yorui, we should head somewhere else."

"No, we should stay here. I'm feeling really lucky on this hand right now!" Before he realizes it, Yorui has already created a gambling addiction.

One of the players can't stop feeling impressed by Yorui. "You're really good at this. You should try your luck with Tiger." The man points to a table in the distance. "He's also good. Too good. He likes gambling with big spenders like you."

Koroki looks at the table the man pointed at. They don't have many leads to go with, so this is a start. "Yorui, let's go over to Tiger."

"I'll head there in a bit. I don't wanna end my losing streak…. Woo, another win!"

Yorui refuses to leave, savoring the atmosphere. Koroki awkwardly tries to cooperate with Yorui as she continues to gamble.

___

Meanwhile, after separating himself, Surata walks around the center of the casino, around the tables. While acting normal, Surata notices a faint noise—a noise that distinguishes itself from the loudness of the casino.

Out of the corner of his eye, a boy wearing a massive, tattered shirt runs on the casino floor, a black eye patch over the boy's left eye and bruises tainting his visible skin. The boy looks terrified, panting, constantly looking back as he drags himself to the entrance of the floor. Surata curiously watches the kid run away, trying to watch from a distance. Behind the kid, a man wearing a suit chases the boy.

"rrr…Come back here!"

As fast as the boy can run, he can't be helped in a race with someone who has longer legs than him. The boy's shorter legs struggle to keep pace. The man eventually catches up to the boy, firmly gripping the boy's arm, refusing to let him go like his hand is glued to the kid.

"Somebody! Help!" the boy cries, hoping to reach someone in time. He desperately pounds on the man's arm, trying to loosen his grip.

Casino patrons glance over, smirking and whispering among themselves, seemingly entertained by the bickering.

Surata's blood boils, feeling disgusted by his surroundings. He may not know what is happening, but deep down, there is something that feels off. The kids continue to scram, locking eyes with Surata. His eyes fall deeper with sadness as he gazes at Surata.

"I want to help this kid, but I can't. I can't expose myself in this place."

Surata starts contemplating what he should do. His heart pounds as he watches the boy struggle. He remembers what Seto and the others said before starting the mission: "Remember, don't blow your cover." But the kid's desperate eyes mirror a young Koroki's.

This is his first official mission. The last thing he wants to do is screw it up. Having your first mission turn out to end up as a failed mission can break someone's motivation. Instead, he wants to impress others, especially his father. Having his father acknowledge him for his mission is what Surata desires the most.

Surata collects his thoughts for a moment. He grits his teeth out of anger. Realizing his built-up anger, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He can't stand by, watching a helpless kid like that. Someone has to do something.

The boy continues to fight back. "Let me go! I… have to help my sister before tomorrow!"

"Stop your yapping boy. After tomorrow, your sister can get all the help she needs. Just hope that someone will pay a good price for her. Haha."

The customers around the scene giggle with the man.

"Put the kid down!"

The casino's nose seems to fade as Surata's words hang in the air. Surata pushes his way through the crowd. Birthing out of the crowd, Surata slowly steps closer to the man with his head tilted down, hiding his face.

"I'm sorry guys, but… I just can't leave this kid alone."  

The man notices Surata approaching him, "Huh, who are you?"

The boy looks up to Surata with a mixture of hope and confusion.

This is the moment that decides whether their mission will succeed or fail spectacularly. Surata stands in front of the helpless boy and the man, slowly lifting his head. His determined and angrily pointed eyes are aimed at the man.

The crowd murmurs, sensing the brewing conflict.

"Something is going on here, and I'm going to find out what it is! Leave the kid alone!"