Another common hour day, much to the fortune of Hawk and Eeno. However, Mikoto was nowhere to be seen. However, this did not deter the Esper from traveling down to Garden Street as a means of spending the day with his good friend. However, while he walked down the busy street, evading and shimmying through passerby, something within Eeno churned at the forefront of his mind: Who will be, the final, handpicked student of Homeroom 106? This question echoed in Eeno's thoughts until he approached the bottom of the steps of the four-story apartment complex.
Inside the apartment room of the third floor, belonging to Hawk and Ryori, the boy stumbled down the steps to the living room. As he got down the flight of steps, reaching the bottom of the stairs, he rubbed his right eye. Ryori noticed Hawk due to his noticeable yawn. "I'm glad you're not sleeping in on this fine, summer day." He told Hawk. "Wouldn't dream of missin' it." The boy groggily said in response, with the Grandmaster chuckling at his comical retort. The sound of the landline phone in the kitchen suddenly rang, prompting Ryori to answer as soon as possible.
"Hello?" Ryori greeted the receptionist of the apartment complex. Though the receptionist's voice was faint, and her voice was muffled by the phone being up to Pops' ear, Ryori furled his eyebrows, in a perplexed demeanor. However, a wave of realization overcame him, before he happily requested the receptionist to bring whoever was waiting for them up to their room. A knock would soon be heard, gently tapping upon the door. Hawk lightly rushed to the door and unlatched the locks, before opening the door, revealing Eeno, who stood before him. "Eeno!" The boy excitedly called out to him. The two would shake hands as an audible clapping sound emerged upon their hands coming into contact with one another. "C'mon in." Hawk instructed the Esper, delighted to see him yet again.
Inside the room, Hawk and Eeno sat around the coffee table, with Ryori disappearing into the kitchen, if only for a few, short minutes, leaving the two friends to discuss matters amongst themselves. "What brings you here?" Hawk asked. "Curiosity has gotten the better of me. It has something to do with the last student in our Homeroom." Eeno conceded. Hawk looked at Eeno with intrigue before a light bulb went off in the boy's head. "Now that you mention it, I have no clue who he is. No one would say." He said. Ryori reappeared again, with cool refreshments in both hands. He set the two cups down on the coffee table, one for Hawk and the other for Eeno. The Esper hovered his hands near the rim of his cup while Hawk took a sip from his beverage. "It's almost mysterious to wonder why they're keeping the final student's name hidden from the rest of us." Eeno said. Hawk placed the cup down onto the coffee table again, wiping his mouth in the process. "Maybe it's got somethin' to do with how powerful his family is. Maybe he's just stronger than the rest of us and they're treatin' him like a king." What Hawk said managed to provoke Eeno's interest. The boy's words began to jog his thinking. The Esper looked down to see his partially obscured reflection within the liquid of his cup. "Either way, we got some serious ponderin' to do." Hawk added.
"We could talk to Toma and see if he can work his street magic on this conundrum." Eeno suggested lifting his head upward from the reflection in his cup. Hawk was in the middle of sipping the tea from his cup a second time, but he placed his cup down again. "Good idea, actually." He told Eeno. Just as Hawk stood from where he sat, Ryori immediately turned to face him. "Cool your jets, turbo." He reassured Hawk, getting the attention of the two. A brief moment of silence followed. Hawk and Eeno held their gaze at Ryori, who smiled at them. "If you're going to find out who the secret student is, I'd suggest you carry this plan out with care." The Grandmaster told them. He placed the dishes he was washing down on the counter and walked toward Hawk and Eeno. "You can detect thoughts, yes?" Ryori asked Eeno. "I can..." The Esper said with some uncertainty in his voice. "However, I overheard something about the student's identity being kept a secret, even from the mentors for the Initiation Trials." He then informed Ryori. The Grandmaster stroked his chin gently, searching for a solution to quickly solve the mystery that has been hanging over Eeno's head. "I will suggest this: Try to ask around your peers across the academy." Though it was not the definitive answer that Ryori had in mind, it was still enough to sate the tension within the Esper. "Perhaps the final student has yet to be chosen and the staff seek your expertise to decide who will be the last member of Homeroom 106." He told Hawk and Eeno. The two peered at each other with a moment of realization, inspired by Ryori's advice. "It will be done." Eeno promised the Grandmaster. "We can do this. We have to." Hawk encouraged his friend. With an expression of gratitude from the two, they proceeded to exit the apartment. As they closed the door behind them, Ryori looked onward with a smile.
Outside, in the ever bustling streets of Toshi City, Hawk and Eeno walked down the street from Garden Street and were in the midst of making their way toward the intersection. While Eeno had his hands in his pocket, concentrating on what was ahead of him, Hawk felt a jittery feeling within him. Something inside him stirred with excitement, eager to find an answer to the burning question that had been eating away at Eeno's psyche for quite a while. However, Hawk did not try and pester Eeno with any questions pertaining to their current quest. But the Esper decided to speak up: "I will take Ryori's advice into consideration, but at best, I only perceive it as guesswork." Meanwhile, Hawk was looking at Eeno, while he spoke, with a confused expression. Confused as to why his friend would even attempt to second-guess Ryori's sound advice. "The fuck's wrong with what Pops said?" He then asked, much to Eeno raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm not doubting Ryori's words." Eeno conceded. "However, I would not place all of my faith in what he said. Treat it as an assumption... for now." He warned Hawk, much to the boy's defiant sigh. "Fine. Let's just get this outta the way."
As Hawk and Eeno delved further down the more dismal streets where the Toshi Arcade Center resided, Eeno could not shake the feeling that something, or someone, was watching him. A pair of eyes lurking within the dark of an alleyway, a run-down apartment complex, or even from afar, watching the two with such steady surveillance. Nevertheless, Eeno tried to resist the sensation. But he would turn up just short, as he gripped the side of his head in pain. Another experience of Psychic Distress torrented his mind and Hawk would stop to help Eeno stand upright. "You good?" He asked, concerned. "Something is... watching us." The Esper admitted. Whatever it was that stared at the two from a sequestered distance, it soon retreated back into the shadows of the second-to-last floor of a nearby apartment complex. As the entity disappeared, so did Eeno's Overloading. "The hell do you mean?" Hawk asked, now nervous, yet curious. Eeno looked around the streets, left, right, over Hawk's shoulder, and then from behind. "We can't talk here." Eeno proceeded to walk ahead of Hawk, who followed shortly after. But not before anxiously looking around his environment.
Hawk and Eeno arrived at the entrance of the arcade center, but were stopped by the palm of Rambutan's hand, who halted the two in place. "If you're looking for Toma, he's not here." He informed them. "Where'd he go?" Hawk asked, just as Rambutan lowered his arm. "I was told to stand guard here while he went to take care of something in the backstreets." He told the two. "So he made you stay on guard duty? What a downgrade." Hawk said, with a sarcastic smile and a slight scoff. "Listen, guarding Toma is something I take seriously." Rambutan scolded Hawk. "DON'T fumble the respect he has for you two." He then advised the two. "Did he tell you what kind of business he had, at the very least?" Eeno asked. "Dunno. He never told me, or even our scout, Quince." Rambutan answered with utmost honesty, which Eeno could detect through his telepathy. Hawk then scoffed at Rambutan's words, attempting to make light out of it. "What good is a fuckin' bodyguard if you won't tell him what business you got?" However, it came off as slight irritation, which even provoked Rambutan. He grabbed Hawk by the collar of his jacket and hoisted him into the air, just mere centimeters above the ground. "Woah woah woah woah, let's not get too feisty here." Hawk tried to calm him down, but even that came off as something in jest. While he was held in the air, the boy remained indifferent to being manhandled. But before the quarreling could escalate any further, with Rambutan winding up a punch, Eeno attempted to probe the bodyguard's thoughts. "These two... They should be in the backstreets... Why did they come here?" As much as the Esper successfully received the information he needed, he was, on the other hand, unsuccessful in saving Hawk from a punch to the face, as the boy was launched back onto the pavement. Eeno proceeded to approach Hawk, kneeling on one knee to assist his friend. "You coulda made the effort to stop 'em, y'know." Hawk told Eeno. "I get that. But we are needed in the backstreets."
Meanwhile, in the backstreets of Central Toshi, within the eatery that is Palazzo's Pizza, Toma sat directly in front of the counter, with Dauser sitting across from him. "It seems the very balance of nature itself has been thrown into disarray." The druid told Toma, as they conversed over two slices of pizza, both of which lay on the table, on the plates of both their respective consumers. "You speak in paradox, nature boy." Toma said, with one arm draped over the back of the chair he was sitting on. "Now, tell me: Why do you seek the identity of the final student belonging to Homeroom 106?" He then asked. "Especially since you are not even a part of such an inner circle." Dauser sighed with some uneasiness in his heart. "The lack of identity surrounding the last student of Homeroom 106 has been a damper on my mind for the longest time, as with the rest of the academy." He said. "With your thieving expertise, we can uncover the secrets in which Toshi Academy has been hiding from the rest of us." The druid elaborated further.
Then, before Toma could answer, the sound of a small bell ringing just above the entrance door the the eatery was heard, catching the attention of both Toma and Dauser. Hawk and Eeno walked inside the pizzeria. The first thing they set their sights upon were their two peers. "My friends!" Toma ecstatically greeted them, extending his arms out, and chuckling at the sight of them. "We were told about you wanting to meet us here." Eeno said, approaching the two. "We heard you got somethin' on the mystery student." Hawk informed Toma. "How does one get on that kinda train?" He then asked.
"It seems this mystery student has become the very topic of conversation, both during and after school." Toma said. "Luckily for you guys, my schedule is cleared for such an... exciting adventure like this." He added. Hawk, Eeno, and Dauser stood in silence, pondering their final decision as to whether or not they should accept Toma's unique knowledge and overall street smarts. Hawk then placed a hand on Eeno's shoulder, nodding his head in reassurance, followed by a smile. "We gotta do this." Hawk persuaded his friend. "It's worth a shot." He also suggested. Then, Eeno agreed with a head nod. This was a clear enough gesture to lend their help to the thief, and for the thief to lend a hand to his friends. "It's a gamble, but we got some good hands here." Hawk said to Toma. "I like your thinking." The thief told the boy, before standing up from his seat, and making his way to the exit of the eatery. "Oh, before we embark on this little quest... Somebody has to pay for the food." Toma then turned to the three before exiting the eatery. As the door opened, with the bell's ringing following suit, Hawk, Eeno, and Dauser were left in silence, knowing full well that their food was already paid for.
Outside, Toma was roaming through the backstreets. However, Hawk, Eeno, and Dauser managed to catch up to him, stopping him in his tracks with the simple command of "wait." The thief turned to face them. "You're gonna help us, right?" Hawk asked Toma. "Of course." Toma said, genuinely. "I acquired some insider information that the academy has a vault somewhere deep within school grounds." He explained. "Finding it is going to be as tricky as getting inside it." To which Hawk chuckled at Toma's words. "Aww, man! Don't tell me you're backin' down from somethin' tricky!" Hawk said, sarcastically. Rather than becoming peeved at the boy's flippant jest, Toma took it on the chin with a laugh, which Hawk and Dauser began to chuckle as well. Eeno, on the other hand, smirked with an exhale of amusement from his nose. "Anyhow, I already have Quince, my finest scout, already searching for it as we speak." Hawk and Eeno appeared confused at first, but the boy motioned to Dauser to ask a quick question, one strictly out of curiosity: "Hey tree hugger, can't you turn yourself into a bee or somethin'?" Hawk asked, whispering, as he and Dauser had their backs turned on Eeno for only a few, short moments. "At the moment, my Shapeshifting abilities can only allow me to transform into animals much larger than me." Dauser admitted. "Though, I can send bees as a form of gathering information." Hawk had a look of delight on his face, his mouth forming an "O" with interest. While Hawk and Dauser whispered amongst themselves, Eeno looked at the two, unbeknownst to them, with a puzzled face, before turning to look at Toma.
"We got a better idea." Hawk told Eeno and Toma, who looked at the boy, interested to know the new idea Hawk and Dauser had just conjured. Hawk then used his hands to signal Eeno and Toma to focus on Dauser, like a stage light trained on the star of a show. "I can send bees and other insects alike as a form of espionage, to better unravel this debacle."
While the four were making their way out of the backstreets, along the way, Toma slowed his walking speed to glance at a shirtless, chubby man, dressed in nothing but an adult diaper. Even Hawk and the others saw this as well, as they watched the diaper-wearing man wander into the store like a lost child, looking for his parents. The four looked at each other with such bewilderment as to what had just transpired before their eyes. Dauser had a look of discomfort, while Eeno looked on, as if to say, "what the fuck?" The only exception was Toma, who only raised an eyebrow, if only nonchalantly. Meanwhile, Hawk laughed at the diaper man stumbling his way into the convenient store. Such unusual activities was commonplace for the likes of those who live within Central Toshi, which included Hawk and Toma, both of whom were accustomed to the bizarre. Needless to say, the four followed after the diaper man and into the store.
But before either of the four could even set foot inside the store, there was a brief commotion, one in which the sounds of fighting transcended beyond the confines of the bodega itself. Then, before Hawk could open the door, a man had burst out of the doorway, crashing through the glass, and tumbling across the road, colliding into a dumpster. Then, out from the store, emerged the diaper man, who exited the store, carrying several bags of chips and bottles of liquor, with a face making it seem as if he were either lost or not conscious of his actions. The diaper man began to walk away from the vicinity of the store. Before Hawk could pursue him for answers, Toma gripped his shoulder tightly, advising the boy, with an iron-hard grasp, not to go after him. "The hell, man?! What was that for?!" Hawk asked Toma, as the thief turned Hawk around to face him. "We're not here to play with the locals of the backstreets." Toma said with a reprimanding tone. But Hawk did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked behind him, then back at Toma, and then over his shoulder again, watching the diaper man disappear into his very own domain that was the shadows of the backstreets. Should anyone try and chase him down, the clutches of the diaper man would prevent them escaping. "And besides, we have more pressing matters to attend to." The thief reminded Hawk, much to the boy's deliberate look of being dumbfounded. "Why didn't you say so?" Another sarcastic question from Hawk, which prompted a slightly irritated response from Eeno. "Let's just get on with this." He said.
On the school grounds, Hawk, Eeno, Toma, and Dauser stood at the entrance to the Toshi Martial Arts Academy. As they looked on through the open entrance of the academy, students walked in and out of school grounds. Others were conversing among themselves, with four students talking in a circle just outside of the academy walls. As the four passed through the entrance, on either side of the stone walkway, leading to the entrance steps of the academy, several students were active along the grass of the school grounds, generally enjoying the weather, using this time to bask in the sunlight. "Are we gonna see what Mr. What's-his-face is up to?" Hawk asked Toma. "I assume you mean Quince?" He also asked Hawk. "Yeah." The boy confirmed.
"As much as it would be courteous to drop in on my finest scout, I'd say we give him his space." Toma informed the other three. "After all, we cannot afford any distractions." He then said. Then, just as the thief said this, in the distance, Nile and Li noticed Hawk. Eeno, and Dauser's familiar faces from afar. They were near the fountain, and while Li scoffed, still bearing angst toward Hawk, Nile looked on, focusing on the movements of their mouths as to make out the words they were saying. Then, before he could successfully decode what each of them were saying, he noticed the four walking along the stone walkway, walking in their direction. "Just act natural." Nile told Li, in spite of his friend's defiant silence.
The four would make their way up to the fountain where Nile and Li were waiting for them. "Guys, go on without me. I got this." Hawk said to the other three as he noticed Nile and Li, approaching them with a warm greeting. Nile would humbly reciprocate a greeting of his own, while Li looked at Hawk, silently, with a modicum of anger. "You still pissed over what I did?" Hawk immediately diverted his attention from Nile to Li upon noticing the latter's visible irritation. "Listen, I'm sorry for what I did to you." Hawk told the silent Li, who had his arms crossed the entire time. "I said I'm sorry, but if you're gonna keep actin' this way, then I'll just have to push you to the side." Li sighed, but there was no response following the angered exhale of air. "'Cause I'm not gonna let anyone stand in between me and my path to be the best." Hawk then told him with a current of forwardness carrying his words. "No." That was all Li said while looking directly at Hawk. The boy was confused at first, but then, Li would elaborate further: "I should be the one to apologize. It was wrong of me to think it wasn't a good idea for you to lend a helping hand. I see the errors in my ways, but word of advice: You should definitely listen to the warnings your friends tell you." Hawk nodded his head, firmly. "Good to see we're all caught up now." He then said, now with a smile. "Anyhow, we wish you good luck on your adventures." Nile said to Hawk. "And best believe: We'll always be at your side." Li also told the boy. With a wave of farewell, Hawk walked off in the direction of the academy entrance. Eeno and the others waited for Hawk on the other side of the fountain to finish his conversation with Nile and Li until he made himself known to them. "It's about time you got your differences settled with them." Toma told Hawk.
Inside the academy, the four walked further and further down the halls until they stopped before the corridor that led to Homeroom 106. "Here's the deal: Two of us will split. One going to Homeroom 106, and the other to the archives of the school." Toma informed the others. "You guys can handle the Archives, right?" He then asked, motioning to Hawk and Eeno, who looked at Toma with faces of readiness. Their looks were all Toma needed for him to entrust the two. "You have my word it will be done." Eeno told Toma. "Damn right!" Hawk said, clutching his fist. "Fantastic." Toma smiled. "We'll meet back outside, by the fountain." After the four wished each other "good luck," they went their separate ways for now, with Toma and Dauser sneaking into Homeroom 106, while Hawk and Eeno walked toward the Archives.
Halfway down the hall, where the door to the basement of the school resided, Hawk and Eeno passed by a yellow-haired boy, who leaned against the wall to their right, arms crossed. They paid him no mind, thinking nothing out of the ordinary when it came to him, despite the entrance to the basement almost being bereft of students. Nobody, not even Pudge, would be foolish enough to hang around the door to the basement. However, this kid would do what many other students would consider to be daring and ballsy. "Are you guys looking for the Blade Singer, by chance?" The mysterious student asked, his question holding Hawk and Eeno in place. They turned around to lay their eyes on the kid, who remained in the same position, leaning against the wall, with his arms folded. "Who the fuck is that?" Hawk asked, much to the mysterious student's amusement, as his smirk was partially visible. "We're looking for the unnamed student of Homeroom 106. Do you know him?" Eeno then asked. He and Hawk were now tense, their shoulders reaching up to their necks, ready for anything that the kid might try and pull on them. The student made his smile known to the two, standing up from leaning against the wall, now facing them directly. "You found him." The kid said, placing a hand on his chest in the process. Silence ensued. Hawk and Eeno were speechless. They looked upon the kid with shocked expressions. "Shit." Hawk said, under his breath. "That's him?" The boy whispered. That was all he could say before the unnamed student continued to talk again. "You guys are tenacious, you and your other friends." He told the two. "But your boldness can only take you so far." While the kid began to speak further, Eeno felt a shift in the cold air of the empty hall until he noticed a faint, yellow flash from the kid's sheathed dagger, which Hawk picked up on seconds after. "I'll be there when it all runs out." The kid said, his cadence was as cold and ominous as the winds that traveled through the hall. He turned to walk the opposite direction from Hawk and Eeno. The boy took a step forward before Eeno reached his arm out to halt his friend. "No! We have a mission to do!" He reminded Hawk. "And I'm not gonna let 'em snitch on us." Hawk said, with gritted teeth. "And while I'm at it, he might get all the teachers comin' down on you." He continued, before gently moving Eeno's arm to the side, and racing back the way he and his friend came. The Esper sighed in concern. Should Hawk engage in fighting with the kid, it could very well be an uphill battle. But Eeno looked on, as Hawk rushed further down the hall, but his confidence did not waiver.
The Archives were a secret place, located within the very same basement of the academy. This particular room is made accessible only to the higher-ranked staff, like Principal Okono and the Librarian, to name a few. Other than them, the Archives were sacred to the rest of the school, with Qi-Tech golems, patrolling the room throughout the day. Even at dusk, the eyes of the golems pierce through the shadows of nightfall, anticipating any duplicity, any intruder that would be obstinate enough to try and slink their way into the Archives. All but two golems were on patrol. But before Eeno entered the Archives, he thought to himself: "I have to do this without raising suspicion. I'll shut down the golems, if I have to."
Meanwhile, in another secluded area, outside the hallways, the kid from before walked through the pathway outside. He then heard the sounds of quick footsteps getting closer and closer, making their way to him, before stopping altogether. The kid turned around, facing Hawk with an unamused expression, not surprised that the boy would chase after him. "You gonna snitch on us to the teachers?" Hawk asked. The kid chuckled at his question. "Who're you anyway!?" The boy then asked, angrily. "You'll find out soon enough." The kid told Hawk. However, the tone behind the student's words left much to be desired. But whether or not it was a warning for what is to come, or a threat, it was not the focus of their encounter. "Gimme a real answer. Not this half-assed shit you're throwin' down." Hawk demanded him. "Look, there will be a time and place for that." The kid then informed Hawk. "Have you no patience for the rules?" He then asked. "Fuck your rules, you spoiled brat!" Hawk then cussed at him. This time, something within the kid snapped. He unsheathed his dagger with such ferocity, the sound of the blade being revealed rang out for a good few yards. "Don't get snide with me!" He warned Hawk. "Or what? You're already the academy's little regret!" The boy quipped back. Out of frustration, the kid slipped up: "I am the Blade Singer! Niall Yamimoto!" Rather than staring each other down, the kid instantly threw his dagger at Hawk, nearly cutting a scar into the boy's cheek, only for him to slide underneath it, and continue running up to him. "Throwin' your weapon away like the bitch you are?!" But the whistling of the dagger grew more audible, as it soon found its way into Hawk's shoulder blade. "Dumbass!" Niall shouted at the boy, before waving his right hand, as the dagger tore out of Hawk's back, returning into his hand. "I'll dispose of you quickly!" Niall then shouted. But before he could swing his dagger down on Hawk, the boy kicked Niall in his ankles, causing him to fall to the ground. "Better do it right!" Hawk then said to Niall, who threw his dagger again as the boy charged at him.
The dagger only sliced through Hawk's bicep, but the cut only sliced the surface of the skin. Because of this, Hawk continued his assault on Niall. He attempted to slam his right knee down on Niall's gut, only for the kid to roll away. The Blade Singer would call his blade back to him with the extension of his right arm. The dagger hurled its way back into Niall's grasp, prepared to run Hawk through in the process. But Hawk managed to backflip in the air at the right time, just as the sound of the dagger grew closer, and landed back into the palm of its owner. Hawk resumed his charging forth at Niall, who got back up, off the ground. He had no other choice but to close the distance between him and his adversary. Hawk proceeded to throw an inverse kick directly at Niall's gut. However, he managed to guard against the sole of Hawk's foot with the edge of his weapon. But the force of Hawk's kick was powerful enough to push the Blade Singer back, further opening the distance between the two opponents. Niall would switch grips with the dagger, now holding it in a reverse grip. He then slashed across the cobblestone ground. With a swift swing of his blade, imbued with his mastery in Wind Techniques, chunks of fragmented stone was then catapulted at Hawk, who deflected the projectiles out of their intended direction with several kicks, as well as his left arm, while racing toward Niall.
With the final fragment of broken cobblestone deflected, Hawk propelled himself into the air, giving him enough range to throw a mote of fire down on Niall. The fireball itself rained down on him at alarming speeds. There was no way for Niall to counter the attack, either through swatting it out of the way, or raising a barrier before himself. The mote of fire was big enough to destroy him, and his defenses, outright. He had no other choice but to jump backward, further away from Hawk. The fireball crashed down onto the pathway, decimating the spot where Niall stood, and forming a crater upon impact. The residual smoke that emitted from the impact was thick, making it virtually impossible for anyone to see through the dark heap, which was accompanied by floating embers. As a countermeasure, Niall threw his dagger into the smoke, curving his throw. The blade instantly disappeared into the smoke.
On the other side of the smoke itself, Hawk noticed a yellow glimmer from within the thick, black clouds that the fireball created. He leaned all the way back, narrowly avoiding the spinning dagger, which flew over his head. Before Niall could make any sudden maneuvering, either retrieving his blade, or blindly charging into the smoke after Hawk, he was interrupted by chunks of stone pelting Niall. The stone that Hawk launched were pebble-like in size, in comparison to the larger stones that Niall threw. Nevertheless, Niall had no other choice but to guard against the small stones. Then, just as he lowered his guard, out of the smoke emerged Hawk, who ran after him. He managed to throw a feint punch near the Blade Singer's lowered defenses, as he flinched. But Hawk threw a sneak attack across Niall's face, which caused him to stagger backwards, holding the side of his face in pain.
The familiar sound of the whistling dagger came swirling back behind Hawk. But the boy hopped into the air, crescent-kicking the blade out of its intended direction, as it planted itself into the ground beside the two combatants. Then, Niall threw a punch upside Hawk's head, only for him to duck underneath the potential blow. Hawk would counter this with a left elbow to Niall's gut, but he managed to grab onto the boy's elbow just in time, with his left hand, before throwing a straight punch at Hawk's face, which made him tumble backwards. This gave Niall the opportunity to retrieve his dagger where he soon charged at Hawk, who was in the middle of getting back onto his feet again. Niall then initiated a flurry of slashes and swipes, quick yet direct, wild yet accurate. Hawk managed to dodge and evade most of the slash attacks. However, he managed to notice, amid the relentless attack, several slash marks on his clothes, markings that were never there to begin with. Needless to say, Hawk jumped back away from Niall, who threw his dagger one last time, only for the boy to catch the blade in the nick of time. "Y'know, I coulda swore I dodged those slash attacks you were hurlin' at me." Hawk told Niall in the middle of the fight. "So, you noticed my Rhapsody Technique? I'm impressed." Niall commended the boy. "If you didn't have such immense endurance and stamina, like the rest of the Cabal race does, I'd be more astonished." He then said, taking notice of Hawk's monkey-like tail, which lightly swayed behind him. "But let's see how well you can keep up now!" Without warning, Niall charged forth, with his dagger prepared to strike.
As Niall thrusted his dagger forward, which was directed at Hawk's abdomen, the boy managed to step to the side, before grabbing Niall by the same wrist in which his hand held the dagger, and struck the Blade Singer in the face with the back of his fist. Niall staggered back, before falling onto the floor, with the dagger falling out of his hand. Then, before Niall could move even the slightest muscle, Hawk stood over him, with his fist mere centimeters away from his face. "What are you waiting for?" Niall asked. "Do it." He commanded Hawk. But rather than knocking the kid unconscious, the boy's fist opened, now offering a helping hand. Even Niall was surprised by this act of leniency. "You're too nice." He chuckled. "Anyone else would see your kindness as weakness."
"I know." Hawk simply told Niall. "But we gotta stick together, and we gotta watch each other's backs too." Initially, Niall was shocked at this revelation, as he stared at the boy's open hand with wide eyes. A smile then crept onto his face, before taking Hawk's hand, and being lifted back onto his feet. "You have a funny way of showing friendship, I'll say." Niall then told Hawk, who grinned with his eyes closed in response. "Comes with the territory." He gleefully said. Niall smiled. But this time, it felt genuine. Some kind of warmth overwhelmed him, especially after he laid eyes upon Hawk's grin. "Listen, don't tell on me, and I won't tell on you. It's essential that my name is kept a secret until the final Initiation Trial." Niall promised. "You got my word! Scout's honor!" Hawk then said, holding up three fingers, much to the delighted smile of Niall. "Then it seems we're square. I'll see you at the annual Nidan Exams." And just like that, Niall was off. But he was stopped by Hawk calling his name. He turned around to see Hawk holding his dagger in his left hand. He went to retrieve it, but before the Blade Singer could flee a second time, Hawk asked him, "you're sayin' the exams are happenin' this month?"
"Yeah..." Niall said, with a hint of uncertainty. "But they're taking more risks with this year's Nidan Exams." He added, before looking over Hawk's shoulder. He noticed a spiky orange-haired kid, approaching Hawk from behind. "This is it. I have to go." He then informed Hawk. But before the boy could say anything else, he was gone, already running off in the distance. "Who was that?" Eeno asked, approaching Hawk. "Just someone I knew way back when." He said. "Nothin' bad."
As Niall was now out of Eeno's field of vision, he slowed his running down to a brisk walking pace. "Maybe my encounter with the acclaimed Devil of Toshi was that of chance..." He thought. "But the more I was around him, something deep within me knew it wasn't just fate. If I'm like the moon, then he's like the sun. Everything orbits around him along with that radiating kindness of his, even if he's so hotheaded and challenging about it." Niall then turned around. Just as he was about to turn the corner, he looked back at Hawk and Eeno in the distance with another genuine smile. The two had turned around, as they began to walk the opposite direction of where he was going. "You have a good heart. Don't let anyone take that away from you." And just like that, Niall faded into the corner, where he would enter the academy soon after.
Meanwhile, Hawk and Eeno reunited with Toma and Dauser. "What happened to you?" Toma asked, noticing the multiple slash marks adorned on Hawk's body. "Nothin'. Just a scuffle with one of Pudge's guys." The boy said, smiling through it. "Those scars are something I can mend easily." Dauser said. "Anyhow, did you guys get the documents on the mystery student?" Toma asked, before Eeno partially revealed a file from within the inner pockets of his jacket. "Good." He then said with a simple smile. "Now, we can get to work on solving this once and for all."
Hours later, nearing the end of the day, Hawk and Eeno were already beyond the academy grounds, with the document from the Archives still secured within the confines of Eeno's jacket. Hawk remained at the Esper's side, so as to make sure they were not being followed. While walking down the street, past Hawk's residency, Eeno stopped as Hawk kept walking. It did not take long for the boy to notice Eeno stopping. He turned around, concerned for his friend, only for Eeno to ask, "what happened while I was in the Archives?" But Hawk smiled, still determined to cover up his encounter with Niall. "What happened with the mystery student?" Eeno asked, directly, his snippy tone catching Hawk off-guard. "If there is something you know, you might as well tell me." Eeno approached Hawk, until stopping before him, face-to-face. The bustling cars and passerby were the only sounds that filled Hawk and Eeno's awkward pause. That was until Hawk spoke up: "I was tryna make sure the mystery student wasn't gonna rat us out to the teachers. I... kinda got into a little fight with him. We made up, but he ran off before I could get anythin' else from him." A visage of uncertainty was plastered upon Eeno. He did not get lash out, nor was he completely surprised. Just a face of slight apathy. "I believe you." The Esper told Hawk. "But let's save the fisticuffs for another time. We can't afford to get ourselves expelled." With the Esper's advice coming across, Hawk nodded his head, happily. "Gotcha." He said. "Let's get goin'." Just like that, the two went their separate ways for now, with both heading to their respective residencies.