After Kurayama defeated Yazaki, the dark mist that was covering him started to fade out as he went back to normal, his shoulder was injured but it wasn't a big deal.
Kurayama took a quick glance at Yazaki and proceeded to walk back home, it took him a while to reach his apartment that was seven kilometers away. He reached the front door and knocked on it, waiting for Hinotori to open.
Hinootori opened the door to see Kurayama breathing heavily while holding his shoulder.
"Woah! Kurayama-...are you okay?" Hinotori asked Kurayama in a worried voice.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Said Kurayama Said as he walked past Hinotori and released a quiet groan. Hinotori was able to spot a single drop of blood that came out from Kurayama's shoulder.
"You're bleeding?!" Hinotori asked in a panicked voice.
"Just get me some bandages, they are in the bathroom." Kurayama calmly asked Hinotori, which the latter responded by running towards the bathroom and quickly grabbing a roll of bandages. Kurayama removed his hoodie and his shirt and started bandaging his punctured shoulder.
"This is attempted first-degree murder with premeditation! Yazaki must be immediately reported to the police department and HGA!" Hinotori said in a worried, nervous, and angry voice as he grabbed the phone and tried to dial the HGA.
"Can you calm the fuck down?!" Kurayama said as he snatched the phone from Hinotori's hand and delivered a light slap to his face.
"Are you crazy?! He's insane! He attempted to kill me and you!" Hinotori shouted while rubbing his left cheek.
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"I know! He's popular, arrogant, overconfident, stupid, and has a somewhat retarded sense of justice."
"See!"
"But he's a good guy nonetheless." Said Kurayama as he put the phone on the table and lied down on the sofa.
"What?" Hinotori asked in a confused voice as he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes.
"When we were at the hero test, precisely in the hall, Yazaki was acting nice and supportive towards all of the applicants. But as soon as I entered, he felt my dark aura and checked around him to see if anyone else detected it. He took it as his job to indirectly warn the others about my presence by describing my looks and aura out loud, but the others were deaf to such warnings.
After that, in the written test, he tried to accuse me of giving answers. It was stupid to just accuse without any evidence, but he anticipated his failure and sacrificed his eligibility to pass the test just so he could warn others about me.
In the physical test, he used all of his physical force to do his absolute best and show his superiority in physical power compared to me, until he was sweating and breathing heavily.
In the power test, he used his last chance to try and make you quit the test by using his insults and popularity to mentally break you down, so I also quit. He hated doing it, I saw it in his face, but he had no choice. After he got shocked by my rage aura, he didn't give in to fear and used all of his energy to perform one super attack to try and scare me into not doing anything to the applicants." Kurayama stated as he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.
"You said it! He was trying to stop you from harming the applicants, then why did he try to kill me?!" Hinotori shouted his argument in full confidence.
"After he saw us talking to Kiode, he might have thought that we were gathering information on the applicants to try and sell them, or do something worse. He couldn't risk it, and did what no else could've done." Said Kurayama as he slowly started fading to sleep.
"But-...he shot an arrow at me?" Hinotori wondered in a doubtful and quieter voice.
"His arrows can disappear at will. When he aimed at you and fired that arrow, he made it disappear before it hit you, but you still dodged it, that's why you thought that he was trying to kill you. I knew that he wasn't going to give up, that's why I fought him. He is honorable, strong, and heroic, that's why he didn't try to do a dirty move and shoot me while not paying attention. I really want to meet him tomorrow, so I clear this misunderstanding and move on with my life."
"Huh-...I see. I don't fully forgive him, but I guess it's hard to hate him or have a grudge against him when you hear his reasons for such actions." Hinotori said as he looked down in a regretful way. He was thinking about how he was about to ruin someone's life forever for simply trying to be a hero.
"Well, he earned my forgiveness, but he still didn't earn my trust." He stated before falling into a deep sleep.
Kurayama woke up in the next morning and removed his bandages to see his injury completely healed, he walked towards the kitchen and smelled something really good, he walked to the kitchen and saw Hinotori being a master chef again while wearing an apron and serving breakfast to Kurayama while being very cheerful.
"Man, you're cooking is an actual lifesaver, you could have become a very well known chef." Siad Kurayama after taking a deep breath.
"You think so? I only do it for fun, but I really appreciate all those supportive comments. By the way, how's your injury?" Hinotori asked his friend in concern about his well being but still keeping a cheerful attitude.
"Voila, it's fully healed." Sarcastically said Kurayama while showing his previously pierced shoulder to be completely fine.
"What? Your shoulder got punctured, and now it's fully healed?" Hinotori asked in wonder.
"What do you think we were doing in Lab 5 for ten years?" Kurayama asked.
"I'm not sure how to react to such information. But I'm glad that you're okay." Hinotori said as he gave Kurayama a happy smile.
Silence fell as Kurayama was eating breakfast and tried containing his inner joy from eating proper food again.
"Hey, Kurayama. What were you planning to do before the hero test?" Hinotori asked in curiosity as he removed his apron and sat down on the table to start eating.
"Nothing." Nonchalantly replied Kurayama.
"But, wouldn't it be a problem if you continued your vigilante work?" Hinotori asked in confusion.
"Yeah, but I wasn't going to live longer anyway." Casually replied Kurayama as continued eating.
"...What?" Hinotori asked in confusion and curiosity.
"When I just lived here and started night hunting, I swore to myself that if I don't find a purpose or reason to live for before the crime rate drops in this area, I will have to commit suicide." Casually replied Kurayama.
"...W-why?" Hinotori asked in shock.
"The pain was too great to bear. I blended into society, but deep inside, I am still the broken thirteen years old boy from ten years ago. Plus, my trust issue was unbelievable, I was still not trusting Kiode before you came."
"Well, I'm happy that you're still alive. By the way, what was this purpose that kept you alive?" Hinotori asked in curiosity.
"Rent, yours percicelsy."
"Oh-...that's it?"
"I guess having someone to talk to somewhat made my mind clearer about so many things. I no longer have to kill criminals at night to keep my mental stability. I guess that's all thanks to you."
Hinotori almost teared up as he heard Kurayama somewhat praise him.
"Alright, finish your breakfast sleepy eye, we need to get to the HGA to finally become full-time heroes." Stated Hinotori as he raised his fist in victory.
"Sleepy eye? I guess you're right, soft flame." Kurayama said as both he and Hinotori laughed at each other.
Shortly after, Kurayama and Hinotori made their way to the HGA on foot. They entered the agency to be greeted by a familiar friendly face.
"Hey, you two." Said Kiode as she waved at the two with a friendly smile.
"Hey, Kiode." Replied Kurayama as he waved back.
"H-H-how are you Kiode?" Hinotori asked as he slightly stuttered.
Kurayama and Kiode looked at Hinotori and tilted their heads in confusion.
"Didn't you have social anxiety?" Kurayama asked.
"I still do, but-...n-not in front of friends." Replied Hinotori as he slightly blushed and itched his chin while releasing a friendly yet shy laugh.
Kiode smiled "Well then, I'm happy to be your friend, Hinotori." She replied while giving Hinotori a friendly and beautiful smile. Hinotori was bashful and couldn't utter a word.
"Anyways. Kiode, I think you already know why we're here?"
"The license of course. But before that, you have to make up with someone." She said as she pointed behind them.
"Kurayama! Hinotori!" The familiar voice of the overconfident archer was heard behind the two. They turned around to see Yazaki coming towards them in quick steps, and as soon as he reached them, he quickly bowed down to show the bandages that were wrapped around his head.
"I am so sorry for my foolish and hasty behavior yesterday. You have my full honor and gratitude for forgiving me for attempting to kill you. Please, if you have any requests, just ask me right now." He said in an apologetic and regretful voice.
"I think I should be the one apologizing for smashing your head." Replied Kurayama as he took a closer look at Yazaki's bandaged head.
"Please don't worry about me. That was the least punishment that I deserved." He said as he bowed lower.
"It's okay Yazaki, let's not blame each other anymore. In fact, you can come and share a drink with us if you want?" Kurayama suggested while trying to stop Yazaki from bowing anymore and attracting attention to them.
"I humbly refuse your kind offer. After all, I am a hero who should be working day and night to save people, and to atone for my sin against you." Yazaki said as he slightly bowed again.
"Alright. Don't burn yourself out, okay?" Kurayama said.
"Don't worry, because after all, I need to become stronger than you," Yazaki said after giving a smile to Kurayama. He turned around and walked out of the agency while waving goodbye at the trio "Until we meet again." He said as he walked out of sight.
"That guy sure is energetic and very determined, I bet he will become a very famous hero in no time." Said Hinotori while smiling at Kurayama.
"He already is actually." Stated Kiode.
"What?" The two asked in confusion.
"Yes, he is B-Tier rank 100 out of 200 heroes. His immense popularity and amazing performance at the hero test gained him a very high rank in the hero list, he scored a perfect 100/100."
"Celebrities and their privileges. What about us?" Kurayama asked in curiosity before Kiode handed him and Hinotori their license.
Kurayama Ishigami: Pro hero, C-tier, rank 7
Hinotori Hisaki: Pro hero, C-tier, rank 13
"Unfortunately, you two didn't obtain a perfect score. Hinotori, your points were deducted because you didn't perform well at the power test. And for you Kurayama, they deducted your points at the physical test because the punching machine 'broke.' Don't worry, I heard the story, it's truly unfair. I'm truly sorry you two." She said in an apologetic voice.
"N-n-no worries, K-Kiode. It's our fault for not performing g-g-good." Said Hinotori after mustering up the courage to answer.
"Thank you, guys. Anyways, the HGA will call you to give you a job, but if you want one, then just call the number in the right corner of your license, you can request a job by phone or from here." She said in a professional voice while giving an equally professional smile to the two.
"Okay. Thanks, Kiode." Replied Kurayama.
"Your welcome, you two." Said Kiode after waving goodbye to the two.
Kurayama and Hinotori were walking home after getting their license from the HGA, they were discussing their plans for today and what should they eat for lunch. Suddenly, Kurayama's phone rang. The caller was a private number and beside it was written "The HGA."
"Hello?"
"Kurayama Ishigami?" An unfamiliar voice asked.
"Yes?" He replied in a confused voice.
"Sorry for bothering you, sir. If you don't have any plans, then can you please take care of a recent job request we've received?" The unfamiliar voice professionally asked.
"Of course, what is it about?"
"Thank you. The job information will be sent to your phone, if you don't think you can handle it, then please just give us a call." The voice replied.
"Of course. By the way, is it okay if another hero helps me?" Kurayama asked while looking at Hinotori.
"Of course, but he will only be registered as a sidekick and take less credit for it. If you want equal pay and credit for the job, then you have to register as a hero duo." The voice statted.
"Can you register us now?"
"Of course. Who is your partner, and what's his rank?"
"C-Tier hero, Hinotori Hisaki."
"Alright, would you like a name for your team?"
"No, just register it us without it for now."
"Of course."
"Okay, thank you for your help."
"At your service, sir." The voice said before ending the call.
"Who was it?" Hinotori asked in a curious voice.
"The HGA, they already gave me a job. By the way, I registered us as a hero duo." Replied Kurayama.
"Hero-...duo?" Hinotori asked in confusion.
"Yes, so we take equal pay and credit for the job." Replied Kurayama before he received a message from the HGA.
"Hello, Hero,
A job request has been received from a farmer who reported that his livestock has entirely disappeared, most likely been stolen, but the farmer insists that wild foxes are the main reason for his missing livestock. This incident started four weeks ago.
Objective: -Investigate the nearby mountain forest.
-Kill any foxes nearby (Optional).
-Arrest any suspects.
Recommended equipment: -Winter clothes due to snowy weather.
-Hunter's rifle (for safety).
Tap on the map to receive the location of the mission.
Once you finish the mission, please report back to the HGA via Phone or Agency.
Good luck."
After reading the message, Kuryama looked at Hinotori who's eyes were glowing from excitement.
"So, do we take the job?", Kurayama asked the excited Hinotori.
"Of course! I have been waiting for this moment for all of my life!" Hinotori shouted in utter joy and determination.
"Before that, we need to drop by the clothes store and buy a snow jacket for you." Said Kurayama while trying to calm Hinotori down.
"Oh it's okay, I have my flame powers, so I'm gonna be fine. What about you?" Hinotori asked while shrugging off Kurayama's demand.
"I'm already wearing my leather jacket, are you sure you're going to be okay?" Kurayama asked Hinotori in concern.
"Of course." Confidently replied Hinotori.
"Well then, let's do what actual heroes do to reach their destination," Kurayama said.
"Oh, we use our evolvements to reach it?" Hinotori asked in excitement.
"No, we take public transportation." Replied Kuryama as both he and Hinotori got utterly depressed.