- The First Test

The next morning I woke up extra early.

"I'm going to a shrine with Mikami-san? Alone? I'm kinda nervous, it kinda sounds like a date"

I took the bus to the Northern shrine.

"Now that I think about it, this will be my first time seeing Mikami with normal clothes"

Getting off the bus, I saw Mikami waiting for me in a cute outfit, she looked like a completely different person from that maid i met yesterday

"Good morning, Katsumi" Mikami said with a shy smile.

*Mikami-san still looks cute even with normal clothes, i knew it. Take that Ren!*

"Good morning Mikami-San, thanks for inviting me"

"I didn't invite you, you invited yourself, " she pouted

*Ah, so she's the tsundere type hmm..*

"Yeah, yeah, " I said, trying to satisfy her.

"Anyway, I'm glad you didn't make me wait, let's go to the shrine" she said trying to change the subject.

"Okay"

Mikami and I walked to the shrine together without saying anything. It wasn't an awkward silence, it was just me gazing at the beautiful view.

After a couple minutes of walking we finally arrived at the shrine.

"We're here, Now where's your sensei? Let's kill some evil spirits!" I said, trying to sound more enthusiastic.

"Let's start with a game of tag, I'll give you 10 minutes to tag me, if you tag me, you win."

"What? A game of tag? That's a joke, right?"

"9 minutes and 55 seconds left..."

"Wh-"

I stopped talking and chased Mikami for 5 minutes straight, I wasn't able to tag her by just chasing her, so I stopped to catch a breath and tried to think of a strategy.

"5 minutes left Katsumi, i hope you don't expect to win in a fight against an evil spririt if you can't even win in a game of tag against a girl"

*There are lots of trees here, if i can manage to hide my presence while up in the trees, I should be able to tag her while she's off guard."

I climbed up a tree, hiding my presence, stalking Mikami from above and waiting for the perfect chance to tag her.

"He hid his presence? Where is he? How did he hide his presence without learning how to do it?"

*She has to climb over that tree trunk if she wants to get to the other side*

Mikami did indeed climb over the tree trunk so i jumped off the tree and came from above with a surprise attack on Mikami, she couldn't react in time and i barely was able to touch her shoulder.

" I won"

"That was sneaky, but you did a good job hiding your presence. What do you think sensei?"

I felt a hand tapping me on my shoulder from behind. When i turned around i saw a tall, mysterious, middle-aged man with dead eyes.

*A middle-aged man? His eyes look dead, who is he? *

"Who are you?"

"I'm Chizu-chan's uncle, and you are?"

*Mikami-san's uncle? Why is he here? *

I didn't say anything and looked at Mikami, asking for answers with my eyes

"That's my sensei, Itsuki Hirano-sensei.

"Oh, sorry, I'm Saito Katsumi, nice to meet you sir."

"Chizu-chan told me you want to become an exorcist, is that right?"

"That's right, sir"

"Why do you want to become an exorcist, Katsumi-kun?"

"Because I want money"

"Do you want to become an exorcist just for the money?"

"Yes"

"Is that the only reason?" He grinned.

"Yes, " I mumbled.

"Then why don't you just get a job"

"Because that's boring, sir"

"Ha-ha, You're right kid"

"By the way do you have any experience with exorcism?" He added.

"No, I don't"

"Then where did you learn to hide your presence like that?"

"I never learned anything like that, I just climbed into the trees and hoped Mikami-San wouldn't notice me."

"Interesting, you have no experience and you're already able to hide your presence like that."

*he's a simple kid who just wants to make money. But he seems athletic enough to become an exorcist, and he's already able to hide his presence, this kid has potential.*

"You're an interesting kid, I'll accept you as my disciple, Saito Katsumi."

"Thanks for accepting me as your student, Hirano-sensei!"

"You two will start training together every day starting tomorrow, I expect a lot from you two."

Mikami and I looked at each other with a smile on our faces.

"Yes, sensei!"

Hirano-sensei vanished in the woods and it was just me and Mikami again.

"Hey Mikami-san"

"?"

"Wanna walk to the bus station together?"

"No, " she said as she started blushing.

*such a tsundere* I started grinning

"What are you grinning for?" She asked, and pouted.

"Oh It's nothing, I'm just looking forward to our training."

"Oh, well me too. It's the first time I'll be training with a partner."