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Ryosuke narrowly dodged Todo's enthusiastic embrace, the older boy waiting at the entrance like a predator in ambush. He straightened calmly, one eyebrow raised.
"Don't you have class, senpai?" he asked in an even tone.
Todo, a wide grin splitting his face, shook his head.
"I was on a mission! But guess what? I heard about your exploits. Hell of a job, Brother!"
Ryosuke sighed.
"News travels fast, I see."
Todo only laughed and gave him a friendly slap on the back—hard enough to stagger an ordinary student.
"Congratulations on your promotion to Special Grade!" he declared proudly. "You've gotten ahead of your senpai, but don't get too used to it—it's only temporary."
At that moment, Kasumi and Mechamaru walked out of the classroom behind them. Kasumi froze, eyes wide.
"Ryosuke, you became Special Grade?!"
Todo looked at her with pride.
"Of course. It's more than deserved for my Brother!"
Kasumi turned a curious gaze to Mechamaru.
"If you teamed up with him, then you must have too…"
Mechamaru, expressionless, cut her short in his mechanical voice: "No. Ryosuke did almost all the work."
Kasumi looked ready to protest, but Ryosuke, ignoring the slight tension, placed a hand on Mechamaru's shoulder.
"Don't be modest. Your contribution was essential."
Mechamaru said nothing.
Todo, meanwhile, once again tried to trap Ryosuke in a triumphant hug, but the latter dodged with disarming ease.
"Seriously, senpai, stop."
"But it's to congratulate you!" Todo insisted, arms spread wide.
Ryosuke raised a hand as if to push him away from a distance.
"If you keep this up, I'll cry harassment."
The threat, though delivered lightly, finally made Todo back off. He raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Fine, fine, I'll let you off… this time."
Ryosuke smirked and walked off down the hallway.
Kasumi, still a little dazed, turned to Mechamaru.
"He was really promoted to Special Grade?"
Mechamaru nodded.
"It's well deserved," he said simply.
Todo crossed his arms, a proud smile fixed on his face.
"My Brother's incredible, isn't he?" he said, his tone more serious than before.
Kasumi could only whisper under her breath: "Yes… he really is."
Todo suddenly moved closer to Mechamaru, startling Kasumi. He leaned in slightly, eyeing the robot with unusual intensity, rubbing his clean-shaven chin thoughtfully.
"Hey, scrap heap. You're… different today."
Kasumi blinked in surprise. "Really?"
Mechamaru, unperturbed, answered in a neutral tone: "In what way am I different?"
Todo took another step and placed a hand on Mechamaru's metal shell. He tapped it lightly, as if testing something. "Strange," he said, for once serious. "I can't explain it, but… you feel more alive."
Kasumi opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say anything, Todo straightened abruptly.
"Eh, whatever," he concluded, the wide grin returning to his face. "Anyway, I'm off. Later, kids!"
He left in a burst of laughter. Kasumi followed him with her eyes, a mix of disbelief and curiosity in her expression. Then she turned to Mechamaru, her face taking on a faint pout.
Without warning, she stepped in very close—so close that Mechamaru remarked in robotic fashion: "You are too close."
Kasumi crossed her arms and tilted her nose upward. "I don't see the problem," she replied, feigning innocence.
Mechamaru remained stoic. But Kasumi, unfazed, grabbed his metal arm with surprising determination. "Come on, let's go train."
"I don't think today is the right time," Mechamaru responded, but Kasumi was no longer listening, already dragging her robotic classmate down the hallway with boundless energy.
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In the lively corner of a retro-style café, the air was filled with laughter and the clinking of cups against saucers.
Miguel, lounging casually against the back of his chair, watched as Toshihisa Negi laid a photograph on the table between them.
"Here's the target's family," Toshihisa said, tapping the edge of the photo.
Miguel sat up slightly, picking up the picture with his fingertips. It showed a smiling mother running along a shaded path, chased by a laughing young girl whose hair streamed behind her. He studied the image in silence, his impassive face betraying an intense focus.
"So, are we doing this?" Toshihisa asked after a moment, breaking the silence. His voice was steady, but his eyes sought confirmation. "Geto only told us to check his identity, nothing more."
Miguel carefully set the photo back on the table. "That's not enough," he said firmly. He lifted his gaze to Toshihisa, his expression dark. "The target's clearly a threat to the boss."
Toshihisa sighed, folding his arms. "That's true. Being Special Grade at fifteen is insane. Who can reach that level at that age?"
Miguel nodded, his eyes lingering on the photo a moment longer. "That's exactly why we can't take him on directly." He leaned forward slightly, a cold glint in his eyes. "The only way to stand a chance against a monster like that… is to hit him where it hurts. Indirectly."
Toshihisa looked away, grimacing. "I guess you're right," he muttered.