Hikari frowned slightly, her confusion evident as she glanced at Katsuki. “Who is Sylvia Bloodwood?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. There was a trace of disbelief in her voice—everything she thought she knew had been shattered by the supernatural chaos she’d just witnessed.

Katsuki took a slow drag from his vape, exhaling a thin cloud of smoke that danced in the evening air. “She’s a Senior Exorcist,” he began, his tone casual but laced with admiration. “No one does it like her. The woman can go head-to-head with some of the deadliest entities without even flinching. Ruthless, smart—a total badass.” His eyes gleamed, almost as if the mere mention of her sparked a sense of pride.

Hikari tilted her head, her lips quirking into a sly smirk. “You seem awfully proud of your teacher.”

“Of course I would be,” Katsuki shot back with a grin. “She’s amazing and super cool!”

“Now you’re just sounding like a little kid talking about his favorite superhero,” Hikari teased.

Katsuki leaned toward her, feigning indignation. “Damn, harsh. Can’t a guy appreciate his sensei without being judged?”

“Sure, but you sound like you’re in love with her,” she countered playfully, crossing her arms.

Katsuki scoffed dramatically, waving her off. “Pfft, please. In love with that old hag? Not a chance.”

Before Hikari could reply, a sharp voice cut through the night like a knife, startling them both.

“Unbelievable, Katsuki. I told you not to cause a scene—yet here you are, making sure half the neighborhood remembers us!”

The voice, distinctly female, carried a tone of exasperation. Katsuki groaned, his shoulders slumping. “Great, I thought I outran her earlier…”

A figure approached, petite yet commanding, with hands planted firmly on her hips. She looked almost doll-like, her long, silver hair catching the dim streetlights with an unnaturally radiant shimmer. Her faintly glowing pink eyes gave her an air of otherworldly danger.

“What the hell did you just say, Katsuki?” she snapped, her words dripping with irritation.

Hikari blinked, taken aback by the girl’s sudden arrival. She wore a modified black and pink uniform that screamed rebellious defiance. Chains, gloves, and badges adorned her outfit, amplifying her intense aura.

Katsuki raised his hands in mock surrender. “Relax, Nami. You’re wound up tighter than usual. Miss me that much?”

Nami glared, her pink eyes narrowing dangerously. “How very perverted of you, Sutaro. One of these days, I swear I’m going to snap your neck.”

Hikari glanced between them, trying to gauge if Nami was joking. Was this just normal banter in Katsuki’s bizarre world? Or was she genuinely threatening him? “So, Katsuki… who’s this?”

With an exaggerated sigh, Katsuki scratched the back of his head. “This is my partner, Nami Kuromiya.”

“Partner? Like girlfriend?” Hikari asked, raising an eyebrow.

“OH GOD, NO!” Nami exclaimed, recoiling as if Hikari had suggested something utterly vile. “I’d rather hang myself than date this idiot!”

Hikari flinched at the sheer aggression in Nami’s tone. “Uh… seems a little extreme…”

“Extreme?” Nami huffed, crossing her arms. “The church assigned me to this dumbass as my partner, and it’s been hell ever since!”

Feigning heartbreak, Katsuki clutched his chest. “Ouch! You wound me, Nami. But at least I keep things interesting~.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Interesting?” Nami snapped, glaring at him. “You make my job harder, you moron!”

Katsuki ignored her protests and turned to Hikari, his usual smirk returning. “Enough about her paycheck. We’ve got something more important to talk about.”

“And what’s that?” Nami asked sharply.

“This girl,” Katsuki said, gesturing toward Hikari. “I met her during my undercover mission at Seiryu Institute. And, well, you must have noticed it by now—her aura.”

Nami’s eyes narrowed as she scrutinized Hikari, her expression hardening. Hikari shifted uncomfortably under the intense gaze. Nami stepped closer, and for a brief moment, her vision flickered. She saw something—a vivid cyan fire roaring within Hikari, bright and potent.

“Huh. Not bad, Sutaro,” Nami admitted begrudgingly, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “She’s got potential. Looks like we’ve got ourselves an esper.”

Hikari blinked. “An esper? Like a psychic?”

Nami rolled her eyes. “What else would ‘esper’ mean? Use your brain.”

Hikari clenched her jaw, biting back a retort. What a bitch. She looked down at her hand, and her breath caught. A faint cyan outline shimmered around her palm, pulsing gently. It felt alive.

“So… I’ll have psychic powers?”

Katsuki grinned. “Yup! You’ll be able to move stuff with your mind and all that cool stuff~” He wiggled his fingers in mock imitation of telekinesis.

“Right…” Hikari turned to Nami. “Can you help me learn to control it?”

Nami snorted. “Hell no. I’m not an esper.”

“But I know someone who can~!” Katsuki cut in, earning a sharp kick from Nami.

“Interrupt me again, and I’ll slit your throat,” Nami growled.

Hikari couldn’t help but chuckle quietly. The two of them bickered like siblings.

“Alright, enough,” Hikari interjected. “Who’s this person you’re talking about, Katsuki?”

“My childhood friend at the church,” Katsuki explained with a wink, though Nami quickly pounced on him, wrestling him into a headlock.

The group’s chaotic energy continued as they made their way through Shinjuku’s busy streets. But unbeknownst to them, a shadowy figure watched from a distance, his sleek suit blending into the crowd.

As the church came into view, Hikari stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening.

The exorcist church loomed above the bustling streets, an imposing blend of traditional and modern architecture. Dark stone walls were adorned with intricate carvings of protective symbols and talismans. The angular design clashed starkly with the neon chaos of Shinjuku, creating an eerie, otherworldly presence.

“Whoa…” Hikari whispered, staring at the massive arched doorway flanked by towering statues of mythical guardians. Above it, a stained-glass window glimmered, depicting exorcists locked in battle against shadowy demons.

“You’ve probably never seen it because you didn’t have supernatural affinity before,” Katsuki said, smirking. “To normal people, this place looks like a coffee shop.”

“Seriously? Supernatural abilities can do that?”

“You’d be surprised,” Nami added, her voice uncharacteristically calm.

Inside, the church felt even more surreal. High vaulted ceilings stretched above them, illuminated by dim, golden light. The air was thick with the scent of incense, and rows of ancient tomes lined the walls. At the center stood an ornate altar, surrounded by candles and mysterious relics.

Hikari’s awe was interrupted when her gaze met a pair of bright azure eyes filled with mischief.

“Hi there~! Are you a new recruit?”

Startled, Hikari stumbled and fell back. She looked up to see a petite girl with bubblegum-pink curls and a cheerful smile.

“Sorry! Didn’t mean to scare you~!”

Katsuki grinned. “Hikari, meet Lila. She’s the one who can help you.”

As Lila helped Hikari up, her soft touch sent a jolt through Hikari’s chest. She blushed, stumbling over her words. “Uh… hi… I’m Hikari.”

Lila giggled, her azure eyes sparkling. “Nice to meet you, Hikari~!”

“Sorry, Lila, but I have to take her to Sylvia. You know the drill—new recruits always meet her first~,” Katsuki said with an exaggerated shrug.

Lila pouted playfully. “Ugh, I know. Lady Sylvia and her rules. She’s so strict.” She turned toward the backyard, giving a cheerful bounce to her step. “Well, I’ll be out there if you need me~.” Spinning around, she waved at Hikari with a radiant smile. “See you later, Hikari-chan~!”

Hikari’s cheeks flushed as she awkwardly returned the wave, her smile tense and unsure.

“Ooooh, someone’s got a crush~,” Katsuki teased, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

“HUH? WHAT?! NO, I DON’T!!!” Hikari stammered, her face turning an even brighter shade of red.

Katsuki leaned closer, his smirk growing. “Oh, but you do~. It’s written all over your face. I read body language for a living, and yours? Screaming it.”

Hikari clutched her face in embarrassment. “Ahhh… just please don’t say anything to her about it!” she begged.

“Relax,” Katsuki said with a casual wave. “Your secret’s safe with me~.”

With that, he led her toward the reception desk, where the lady behind the counter—Bonnie? Betty? He honestly didn’t care—gave him a knowing look. The kind of look that said, Oh, it’s you again. She raised a faintly amused hand in greeting, like she was enjoying the slow train wreck of someone else’s day.

Ignoring her, Katsuki pushed open the door to Sylvia Bloodwood’s office without waiting for a response.

“Old hag, you in here~?” he sang obnoxiously.

Sylvia, the legendary Senior Exorcist, glanced up from her paperwork, her icy gaze slicing straight through him. Her sharp eyes swept over Katsuki, then landed on Hikari, who hovered nervously behind him. A faint, wry smile tugged at Sylvia’s lips.

“Katsuki,” she said, her tone flat. “Still a pest, I see. Barging in as always.”

Hikari, still flustered from the encounter with Lila, stood frozen. Her mind kept replaying that smile, the warm touch of Lila’s hand as she helped her earlier. The flutter in her chest hadn’t subsided. She barely even noticed Sylvia’s scrutinizing gaze or the mounting tension in the room.

It wasn’t just a crush, was it?

“Hikari.” Sylvia’s voice cut through her thoughts like a blade. “You’re staring off into space. Something on your mind?”

Hikari startled, her face burning as she scrambled for an answer. Before she could speak, she caught sight of Katsuki’s smug grin out of the corner of her eye, and her embarrassment deepened.

“You okay, Hikari?” he asked, his tone dripping with mock concern.

She shot him a sharp glare, unwilling to let him needle her any further. But deep down, she knew the truth—she wasn’t going to forget Lila anytime soon.

And, judging by how clumsy her emotions were making her, neither was anyone else.