The Fox

Chapter 14

After waiting for 20 minutes or so, I heard two sets of footsteps getting closer. I turned around and saw the two boys walking together, Yuta carrying his sword and Toge changed his training clothes to his uniform. "Yo! You two ready for the missions?" Toge nodded his head. "Salmon." I nodded back at him, still not understanding what salmon meant, then looked at Yuta. "And you Yuta?" The boy tensed up a bit before nodding his head nervously. "I think so? I'm still kinda nervous." I pat his head and flash him a smile. "It's alright, just do as Satoru told you and I'm sure you're gonna be fine. Besides, you have Toge-kun and me with you." He nodded again before the sound of someone clearing their throat caught our attention, I turned to the voice and saw Ijichi waiting while holding a clipboard.

"Oh Ijichi! How are you? It's been a while huh?" I wave at him as he smiles and waves back. "Yes it has, Kitsuroku-san. Though I have to ask, what are you doing here?" I sigh remembering that annoying face of Satoru. "Satoru dumped his job on me." Ijichi then sighs alongside me before he clears his throat. "Seeing as you are the supervisor for today's mission, why don't we get going?" I nodded my head and gestured to Ijichi to lead the way. "C'mon boys, I wanna see how you two are gonna handle the curses." I caught up to Ijichi and decided to ask more about the mission "So, where are we going?" I asked as we entered the car. "We're going to Hapina Shopping District. I'll tell you more when we arrive." I nodded and leaned on my chair as the car started driving.

"Kitsuroku-san, were you sent on a lot of mission when you were in the first-year?" I heard Yuta ask, I looked at him through the overhead mirror. "Yup. Like Toge-kun here, I was sent to a lot of solo missions back then. It was a bit unnerving at first, but with time I got used to it and much preferred solo missions over group missions." Yuta nodded as he looked at the ring on his finger. "Do you think I can be as strong as sensei or you?" I raised my eyebrows at the question, looks like he still has doubts about himself huh? Well it's only been three months and he hasn't been assigned to many missions. "You're already strong, Yuta-kun. You just have to be more confident in your abilities. I used to be like you too, believe it or not." I chuckled, remembering the time where Tamamo would calm me down before every mission. "How so? I heard from sensei that you're really strong." That's a nice little fact to know, never expected Satoru to tell them about me. "Well I was easily scared back then and I was really anxious, like you kid. But, I had someone who always reassured me that everything will be just fine."

The car stopped and Ijichi exited the car first. I soon followed and checked the surrounding market area. There are a few shops and store open, like a convenience store and a couple of food stalls. "So, Ijichi. What's going on with this place?" He pushed his glasses up and started reading from his clipboard. "As I told you earlier, this is Hapina Shopping District and a part of this place will be demolished to build a large shopping center. During the inspection, a flock of low-grade curses was observed. Their exorcism was entrusted to grade 2 sorcerer Inumaki Toge." Ijichi raised his head and his eyes widened as the boy he mentioned was gone. Yuta also panicked seeing his friend missing.

I sigh and put my hand on their shoulder to calm them down and point at the nearby convenience store. Toge calmly walked out of the convenience store with a bag in his hand. "What did you buy Inumaki-kun?" The kid then grab something from the bag and shows it to us. It's throat medicine and from the look of the bag, he bought a couple bottles. Does he hurt himself every time he uses his technique if he needs that many? Ijichi then clears his throat to gain the attention of the two boys. "Anyway, it would be bad if a building this expensive got ruined by rumors. It has to be exorcised as soon as possible." Toge nodded his head while Yuta started sweating a bit. "I'll lower the veil. Good luck to you three."

After Ijichi lowered the veil, we went inside the empty market. "Well then, be on the lookout for the curses boys. Even though they're low level, it's not out of the realm of possibility that they will come in large numbers." The two nodded and start walking deeper into the market while I followed them from behind. Whispers then started to slowly fill the market, I looked to the side and saw a fish-like curse swimming in the air. More and more of these curse start swimming to the center of the market. I lean myself on a nearby wall, waiting to see what the two boys will do.