Vol 1 Chapter 1 (2/2)
“I see,” Bri said “Bye then Take care”
“That’s it!?” Ranta, who had beenhis way to the door, stopped and turned on his heels “You’re as cold as Haruhiro! But hold on a sec, if I were to leave nohat should I do?”
“I take no responsibility regarding that,” Bri laughed “If you don’t want to becoo If you decide to enlist as a trainee, you’ll receive ten silvers fro, I think”
“Silvers?” Manato’s eyes widened as he searched his pockets for soot… money”
Haruhiro searched the front and back pockets of his pants too and pulled his hands out empty He had no money
“Part-ti his face “Need to find a part-time job Maybe Temporarily…”
“Best of luck,” Bri said with an exaggerated shrug “Other available jobs are way more difficult than volunteer soldier Even if soes are so low you’ll barely scratch out a living You’ll also start off as pretty much a slave-boy to your new master”
“Guh,” Kikkawa s a slave-boy I guess there’s no choice but to go the soldier trainee route?”
“I said it already, whether or not you enlist is up to every single one of you,” Bri said, pointing a finger at them all one by one
Renji heaved a long sigh “Then tell me, in practical terms, what I have to do”
“Oh, Renji, you disappointyour oits, ability to collect informent That’s hoe operate”
“So you’re telling ure out e’re supposed to do as trainees on our own?”
“In a nutshell,” Bri nodded, placing red colored coin-like objects and small leather pouches in a neat row on the counter, until there were twelve sets total Bri picked up one of the coin-like objects, which portrayed a crescent moon in relief
“This will serve as identification, and a symbol that you are a Crimson Moon trainee This will be the only proof that you are a trainee, so don’t lose it Well, holding onto it all the tiood idea either, but anyhen you have the means to purchase your service contract for twenty silvers then you’ll becoed Cries and distinctions”
“Wait aus pay money to enlist as volunteers?”
“Yes Is there so with that?”
“That’s unacceptable”
“Would you be able to buy food or clothes or do anything withoutbecause you have no o die in a field somewhere”
Renji grinned “Even when life is hell, it still costs money, eh?”
“‘hell’?” Bri cocked his head to one side, unfa said that, you will all need to figure out what you’ll do and where you’ll go from here for yourselves, but it would be wise to make your first priority the purchase of your Crimson Moon contracts”
“Fine then,” Renji said, picking up a Crimson Moon coin and a leather pouch “Reserve force trainee or whatever, I’ll do it and go from there”
Buzz-Cut Boy went after Renji, taking a red coin and leather pouch for himself Gaudy-Girl, Manato, and Glasses-Boy did the same
“I’ll take one too, thankyouvery up a coin and a pouch He made to pick up a second pouch as well
“Oy!” Bri scolded, slapping his hand away
Haruhiro couldn’t see any option but to enlist But for what? He didn’t know Maybe for theCrimson Moon was the only way to earn money then he didn’t see any other options, but a part of him didn’t like it at all
shi+horu, Twin-Braided Girl, and Super-Szo Bri’s sky-blue eyes fell on them “And what about all of you?”
“I get this nagging feeling I’ into so his way to the counter
“Where there’s a will-a-will, there’s way-a-way and where there’s no will-a-will there’s no way-a-way…” Twin-Braided Girl said, following Ranta
“Um,” Haruhiro turned his head towards her “I don’t think we say ‘will-a-will or way-a-way…'”
“Oh, is that so?” Twin-Braided Girl turned to look at hirab the red coin and pouch “That’s the way Yuh”
“There’s the probleht there, then The correct way to say it is ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’”
“Oh, I see But isn’t will-a-will and way-a-way so much cuter? Yume thinks cute is important too~yan”
“…I guess that does raise your cuteness a few notches”
“Yep!” The Twin-Braided Girl, apparently called Yuenuine happiness
While Haruhiro was talking to her, the super sirl had picked up her red coin and leather pouch as well The only three rezo, shi+horu, and himself For some reason, Haruhiro didn’t want to end up last, so he took a coin and pouch too As Haruhiro was checking the contents of his pouch, Mogzo slowly made his way over and took his share from the counter as well shi+horu was the last to pick up hers
“Congrats,” Bri applauded, putting on a smile for them “You are all Crimson Moon trainees now Work hard and become independent as soon as possible, okay? When you’ve become full members, you can even co you feel like discussing”
Suddenly, there was a dull thudding sound accorunt When Haruhiro looked, he saw that Buzz-Cut Boy had fallen to the floor on his buttocks It happened so fast, he hadn’t turned in ti, but it sees out from under him Tripped him on purpose? Why?
“Get up,” Renji said, face expressionless
“What’re you doing?!” Buzz-Cut Boy shouted as he scra him on the floor on all fours
“What’s the matter?” Renji said “Get up”
“bastard, what the hell are you doing?”
“The er than me or weaker than me?’ I’m about to show you Get up”
“damn it!”
Renji aiting to attack the ain That much was obvious, even to a bystander like Haruhiro All Buzz-Cut Boy had to do was block hie Renji punched hiain Renji grabbed him by the ears, pulled him up, and with a shout, kneed him in the chest Not just once but several times in a row Renji then took Buzz-Cut Boy’s head in both hands and headbutted it with full force
There was a loud cracking sound and Buzz-Cut Boy slumped to the floor on one knee
“You really are blockheaded,” Renji reertip Blood trickled down as Buzz-Cut Boy’s forehead started turning red “Your name?”
Buzz-Cut Boy was still down, one hand on the floor and the other across his knee Probably, fully being down on all fours was not so he could bear
“Ron You’re strong, you bastard”
“You’re pretty tough yourself Join me, Ron”
“Ahh For now then”
“That’s good enough Who else…” Renji glanced around the roo on Manato
Manato returned his gaze, his own eyes narrowing just the slightest bit
Renji looked away first and his eyes settled instead on Glasses-Boy “You look like you can fight Come with me”
Glasses-Boy blinked several tilasses up the bridge of his nose and gave a sharp nod, as if he were pulling his chin back “Fine I’m Adachi Good to be on board, Renji”
Renji smiled crookedly, then his eyes fell on Haruhiro
What? Me? Is it possible that… Haruhiro thought Surprised, his heart seemed to leap in his chest It was just that… not only did Renji, by all outward appearances, look strong, but he had proved it judging by the way he had beaten Ron so easily He also had the ability to think fast and take action It see in a constant state of fear, but if he could soet past that there was no doubt Renji was a person that got things done If Haruhiro joined Renji’s group, things from here on out would be a lot easier
Haruhiro adroup Very much so
But he was soon disappointed Renji, the one central to the entire group, had turned his gaze elsewhere Haruhiro had been passed up
“You, runt”
“Ay?” The Super-Small Girl squeaked The sht too
“Cole hand ‘Chibi’-chan looked confused but staggered over to Renji, then looked up at him Renji patted her head
“You seem like you’ll be useful Follow”
Chibi-chan nodded, “…ay” Her face was red, like the color of boiled octopus It wasn’t that she was attractive; it was more that her actions and presence were by themselves incredibly cute, like a mascot
But useful? Really? Renji had judged her to be more useful than Haruhiro That irritated him and made him feel pathetic at the same time
“We’re leaving,” Renji said, gesturing with his chin towards the exit
As Renji, Ron, Adachi, and Chibi began to leave the gaudy-girl cried, “Wait! Take me with you!”
Renji heaved a short sigh “I don’t need anyone I can’t use”
“I’ll do anything,” she said, clinging to hi”
“Anything, eh?” Renji said, pushi+ng her away “Never forget those words”
“I won’t”
“And don’t touch me without permission”
“I… understand”
“Good Come then”
“Thank you, Renji!”
Sassa opened the door and Renji’s group filed out, Sassa leaving last When the door closed behind them, only the seven rejects, the seven failures remained
“Gah,” Kikkawa frowned, scratching his head “I wanted to be on Teaht, Adachi looks like a suy, Chibi-chan is adorable, and Sassa’s sweet and a beauty Such a good party But no use coo take a look around town Bye bye!”
And just like that, Kikkaas gone Haruhiro’s eyes met shi+horu’s for a brief moment before she looked away
“I guess I’ to learn anything by standing around here I’ to take a look around and see what I can find out See you guys later”
“Right, see you,” Haruhiro said, waving hi if it was better to follow Unlike Renji, Manato was easier to approach and he seeuy; someone who could be depended on
Haruhiro didn’t care about Ranta, but what about shi+horu and Yuzo was still here too Oh, right Maybe if they all followed Manato together… but it was too late Manato had already left Though if they left now, it ht not be too late to catch up
“Hey, everyone, let’s all follow Manato It’s no good staying here…” Haruhiro began to say when the door suddenly opened
Had Manato returned for theht, but no The person who entered the building was a different man He seemed older than Haruhiro and the others His upper and lower body was covered with leather, on his head was so across his back His eyes resembled those of a fox and his mouth was crooked
“G’afternoon, Commander”
“My hill What happened? Is there so you need from me?”
“No, nothing fro at Haruhiro and the others “I heard that a new group just arrived”
“Word sure travels fast We only got twelve this time and only five are still here”
“The dregs, huh?”
Ranta’s expression beca?”
“What else could it be but bad?” Raghill said glaring at Ranta before turning his gaze to Haruhiro and the three others, sizing the a tank, so you there, big guy You’ll do”
Mogzo pointed to himself “…Me?”
“Yes, you Who else here is big and a guy? We’ll let you join our party and teach you the ropes As foroffer If you’re smart, you’ll take me up on it”
“Ah, okay…”
“Seriously, Mogzo? You’re going to go with hizo’s left arm “Don’t do it It’s obvious he can’t be trusted…”
“Ah, right…”
“I’et about hizo’s other aret an invitation into a party You should be thankful!”
“Uh, okay…”
“Don’t let hizo! Untrustworthy bastards will never say that they’re untrustworthy!”
“Uh, um… ow… that hurts…”
Ranta let go “Oh, sorry, sorry”
“Let’s go!” Raghill yanked on Mogzo with all his strength and dragged him out
shi+horu’s shoulders sluone”
“That leaves…” Yu at each in order One, two, three; Haruhiro, Ranta, shi+horu Finally, herself “The four of us”
“Just how long,” Bri said, stifling a yawn, “do you all plan on being here? I’ to stand there, I’ to throw you out”
Ranta, looking like a dog with its tail between its legs, turned to Haruhiro and the others “Let’s go?”
“Yeah,” Haruhiro replied, looking just as pathetic and defeated