Location: Okuto Island Aquarium – Command Center
HUMMMM.
The large computer servers along the back wall hummed quietly.
Kaito sat in the heavy leather chair behind his custom wooden desk. He looked around the massive command center.
The room was packed.
Gang Orca stood near the front projection screen. Dozens of maritime sidekicks filled the chairs and lined the walls. They held digital tablets and notepads.
Barnacle, Shira, and Iruka sat right in the front row. Iruka held a remote control for the projector.
"Pull up the yearly review, Iruka," Gang Orca grunted, crossing his thick arms.
"Right away, Boss," Iruka said.
BEEP.
Iruka pressed the remote. A large digital map of the Japanese coastline projected onto the main screen. Several red financial graphs popped up next to it.
"Here is the raw data," Iruka explained, pointing at the screen. "Our ocean patrols are great. Ever since we joined the Pacific Shield network a few years ago, our deep-water tracking is rock solid. We catch smugglers easily. But the mainland is a totally different story."
Shira leaned forward in her chair.
"The ocean is secure, but our budget is bleeding out on the land," Shira said, looking at Kaito. "The aquarium costs a fortune to run. Fish food, water filtration, and staff salaries eat up all our bounty money. Plus, our response times to mainland city crimes are terrible."
Kaito rested his elbows on the desk and linked his fingers together. He looked directly at Gang Orca.
Kaito said in a calm tone. "You rely entirely on rented helicopters to reach the inland cities. Why do you avoid using ground transport or moving deeper into the mainland during the summer?"
Sigh.
Gang Orca let out a heavy, tired sigh. He rubbed the back of his thick neck.
"It's my quirk, Kaito," Gang Orca groaned. "I'm a killer whale. Heat and fire are my absolute worst enemies. If I stay inland too long during the summer, I dry out completely. I lose my strength, and if it gets bad enough, I'll pass out. I have to stay near the coast just to keep my skin from cracking. The helicopters get me there fast, but the rental fees are killing us."
Kaito nodded slowly. He completely understood the physical burden.
"Before we fix that," Kaito said, looking around the room. "I need to know your main goal. Orca, what do you want for this agency? Do you want to break into the Top Five, or do you just want to secure the mainland without going broke?"
Gang Orca looked at his sidekicks, then back at Kaito.
"I just want to do my job right," Gang Orca answered honestly. "I want to protect the civilians further inland without collapsing from heatstroke. And I want my sidekicks to be able to handle themselves. We need a solid base."
"Then we will build exactly that," Kaito smiled.
CLICK.
Kaito connected his laptop to the main projector. The financial graphs vanished, replaced by Kaito's screen.
"We are doing a massive operational overhaul," Kaito announced. "I have seven specific proposals. Let's start with the gear."
Kaito opened the first folder. A blueprint of a sleek, black tactical suit appeared on the screen.
"This is the Orca-Tech Moisture Armor," Kaito explained. "I'm commissioning a custom tactical suit for you from Detnerat-Shield. It uses a closed-loop hydration system. It constantly sprays a micro-mist of water directly onto your skin under the armor."
Gang Orca uncrossed his arms. He stared hard at the blueprint.
"You can fight in a blazing desert or inside a burning building without losing stamina," Kaito told him gently. "Your biological limit is gone."
"Wait," Barnacle raised his hand quickly. He looked worried. "Kaito, Detnerat-Shield custom gear costs millions. We just said our budget is bleeding. How do we pay for that?"
Kaito smiled. He liked that Barnacle was thinking about the money.
"We cut the helicopter leases completely," Kaito answered. "Instead of renting choppers every month, we commission a semi-submersible transport ship for the harbor. You patrol the coast while staying hidden underwater. When a crime happens on the mainland, you breach directly from the water. The money you save on aviation fuel will pay for the tactical suit in exactly four months."
Barnacle did the mental math. He nodded and leaned back in his chair, looking relieved.
"A mobile underwater base," Gang Orca muttered, rubbing his chin. "I like that. What's next?"
Kaito opened the second folder on his screen.
A picture of a very cute, round, animated chibi-orca popped up. It had massive shiny anime eyes and a tiny red hero tie.
"Public relations," Kaito said with a totally straight face. "We are doing a online campaign."
"No way. Absolutely not," Gang Orca groaned instantly. He buried his face in his hand. "I'm a Top Ten Pro Hero. I'm not doing some cute cartoon dance on the internet. It's humiliating."
The room went quiet. The sidekicks looked at each other nervously.
Iruka slowly raised his hand.
"Boss," Iruka said quietly. "Kaito has a point."
Gang Orca glared at him. "Excuse me?"
"You scare the kids, Boss," Iruka explained, shrinking down a little but standing his ground. "When you walk through the aquarium lobby, little kids literally start crying. Then their parents get mad and leave bad reviews online. Our merchandise sales are terrible because of it."
"They cry because I look tough!" Orca argued.
"They cry because you look like a villain," Kaito corrected him flatly, but with a warm smile. "And angry parents ruin your Approval Rating. We have to fix your image with the child demographic. You'll stream educational marine biology videos for kids using this digital avatar. The kids will stop crying, and your points will skyrocket. It's like what pro-hero Selkei was doing but different."
Gang Orca looked at the cute cartoon whale on the screen. He looked at Iruka, then at Kaito.
"Fine," Orca grumbled loudly. "I'll read the fish facts. Just keep that cartoon away from my main hero profile."
"Deal," Kaito smiled, opening the next folder. "Next is Eco-Tourism. The aquarium is a great space. We are turning it into a paid Hero Rescue Experience. The sidekicks will run live water-rescue shows for the tourists. The profits go straight toward cleaning the ocean."
Shira's eyes lit up. "We get to run live shows for the crowds?"
"Yes," Kaito nodded at her. "The Hero Commission loves public service. You get independent funding for better gear, and you guys get direct face-time with the public to build your own popularity."
Kaito clicked to the final slide. It showed a diagram of a killer whale pod hunting together.
"Finally, we change your combat tactics," Kaito said, his voice turning a bit more serious. He looked at all the sidekicks in the room. "You guys have amazing radar data, but you guys fight too honest. We are switching to Pod Tactics."
Click.
Kaito pointed at the diagram.
"You'll stop relying on raw brute strength," Kaito explained. "You'll use Pack Hunting formations. Using crowd-control gear to herd villains directly into Orca's paralyzing sonic radius. You trap them, he freezes them."
Kaito paused.
He looked right at Barnacle, Shira, and Iruka. His eyes softened with genuine empathy.
"I know what happened back in mainland Japan," Kaito said quietly. "I know watching Stendhal ambushed one of you and slaughter those escaped Tartarus inmates right in front of you took a heavy toll. You felt helpless. These new formations will make sure you are never caught off guard like that again. You'll fight as a single, unbreakable unit."
Gulp.
The sidekicks swallowed hard.
Hearing Kaito validate their feelings and give them a real solution made the heavy weight in their chests feel a little lighter.
Kaito closed his laptop. The projector screen went dark.
He sat back in his leather chair and looked directly at Gang Orca. He left the final decision completely up to him.
"Those are the proposals," Kaito said. "What do you think?"
Gang Orca stood in silence for a moment. He looked at Barnacle, Shira, and Iruka. He saw the relief in their eyes.
He thought about the Tartarus inmates who died because his team formation wasn't secure enough to stop the villain.
Gang Orca turned his head and looked at Kaito.
"I accept the proposals," Gang Orca stated, his deep voice carrying across the room. "All of them. Even the stupid mascot."
A few sidekicks cheered quietly in the back.
"But I'm setting a hard boundary right now," Gang Orca added, raising a thick finger. "We execute the business and tactical changes first. We secure the funding, we get the submersible running, and we stabilize the public relations. We don't start any quirk development phase until the foundation is perfect."
Kaito smiled. It was a very smart, logical leadership decision.
"I agree completely," Kaito said, grabbing his pen. "Let's get to work, Kugo-san."
*-*-*
Location: Tokyo – Shoowaysha Publishing Headquarters
Time: 10:00 AM
CHATTER.
The massive executive boardroom was completely chaotic.
Coffee cups cluttered the long glass table. Whiteboards covered the walls, filled with messy schedules, budget numbers, and stage blueprints.
Chitose Kizuki sat at the head of the table. She wore a sharp maroon suit.
She looked at her production team. They were completely exhausted, but they looked incredibly fired up.
They were building a massive television show from the ground up in record time.
"Alright, give me the updates," Chitose demanded, tapping her pen on the table. "Did the legal paperwork clear?"
The lead producer, a tired-looking guy named Sato, held up a thick folder.
"The Hero Public Safety Commission stamped the permit this morning," Sato reported. "The television set is officially classified as a Controlled Quirk Assessment Facility. We are legally clear to film."
"Good," Chitose smiled sharply. "What about the venue?"
"We rented out the Saitama Super Arena," Sato answered, looking at his notes. "It holds over thirty thousand people for the live audience. We are building the main stage right in the center."
Sato hesitated for a second. He looked up from his notes.
"Director Kizuki, about the stage," Sato asked nervously. "Are we banning fire and explosion Quirks? The legal team is worried about liability if a contestant blows up the studio."
Chitose stopped tapping her pen. She gave Sato a completely flat look.
"Absolutely not," Chitose stated. "This is television, Sato. We want the biggest, flashiest performances possible. If a guy wants to juggle fireballs or use explosions for a dance routine, we let him."
She pointed her pen at the stage blueprints on the whiteboard.
"We have Detnerat-Shield level funding," Chitose ordered. "Rip out the normal floorboards. Reinforce the entire stage with Hero-grade shock absorbers and heavy thermal plating. Make it completely bomb-proof. I want the contestants to go all out. As long as it takes actual talent to control, we put it on camera."
"YEAAAH!"
A loud, booming voice shook the boardroom windows.
Present Mic sat at the far end of the table. He wore his leather jacket and his yellow glasses.
He was holding a draft of the show script, literally vibrating with excitement.
"That is exactly what I want to hear!" Present Mic cheered, slamming his hands on the glass table. "The public is tired of watching heroes fight the same boring villains every week on the news. They want to see normal people do crazy stuff! I love this energy!"
Present Mic grabbed a pen, flipped to the last page of his contract, and signed his name in huge, messy letters.
"I am officially locked in as your host," Present Mic grinned, sliding the contract across the table.
"Glad to have you aboard," Chitose smiled genuinely. She turned to her casting director. "Who are our judges?"
The casting director, a woman with short green hair, flipped through her datapad.
"We called the Top Ten first," she reported. "All Might politely declined. He said his schedule keeps him too busy. Endeavor declined the second I said the word 'television'. He mentioned that he already casted in our first reality series."
Present Mic laughed loudly. "Typical Endeavor!"
"But we locked in the perfect four-person panel," the casting director smiled. "First is Uwabami. She accepted instantly. She wants the screen time, the glamour, and the fashion exposure. She will be our strict judge."
"Perfect," Chitose nodded. "Who else?"
"We called Fat Gum down at his new restaurant agency in Osaka," the director continued. "He loved the idea. He is all about community support. He wants to cheer the normal civilians on. He is our hype judge."
"Third is Ryukyu, the Dragoon Hero," the director said. "She accepted because she actually believes in the message. She thinks giving civilians a safe, legal outlet to use their Quirks is healthy for society. She brings the professional grace and legitimacy."
"And the wildcard?" Chitose asked.
"Tiger from the Wild, Wild Pussycats," the director grinned. "He brings the intense, theatrical discipline. He doesn't care about flashy powers. He only respects raw, physical hard work."
Chitose leaned back in her chair. The panel was incredibly balanced. It gave the contestants a great mix of personalities to interact with.
"The stage is set. The judges are locked," Chitose said, standing up from her chair. She looked at her tech team.
"Start the drop," Chitose ordered. "Take over the screens."
*-*-*-*
Location: Tokyo – Shibuya Crossing
The afternoon sun shined over the massive crossing.
The streets were packed with thousands of people.
Teenagers in school uniforms walked out of the train station.
Businessmen carried briefcases toward their office buildings. Tourists took pictures of the massive skyscrapers.
Up on the sides of the tall buildings, giant jumbo screens were playing different commercials.
One showed a shampoo brand. Another showed a popular soda.
ZZZT.
Every single jumbo screen in the entire crossing suddenly glitched.
The audio cut out. The screens turned completely pitch black.
The massive crowd stopped walking. People looked up, confused by the sudden silence.
"Is the power out?" a young girl asked, pointing up at the dark buildings.
BOOM.
A massive explosion of colorful digital confetti popped on all the screens at the exact same time. Bright, flashing lights lit up the street.
[LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!]
Present Mic's loud, booming voice echoed through the massive street speakers. The bass was so heavy people could feel it in their chests.
Present Mic appeared on the jumbo screens, pointing a finger straight at the camera.
[Are you tired of just watching from the sidelines?!] Present Mic yelled happily. [Do you have a totally weird, unique, or everyday Quirk that you never get to show off?! Well, it is your time to shine!]
[Shoowaysha Publishing proudly presents a brand new, legally sanctioned television event!] Present Mic announced.
Huge, flashy neon text slammed onto the screen.
JAPAN'S GOT QUIRK.
[This is the first-ever civilian talent show of its kind!] Present Mic explained rapidly. [We want normal people! We want everyday Quirks! Can you juggle with extra arms?! Can you sing with two vocal cords?! Can you make the best latte art using mild telekinesis?! We want to see it!]
[The rules are super simple!] Present Mic held up his fingers. [You must be sixteen years or older! And absolutely no Quirks are banned!]
The crowd gasped loudly. Public Quirk usage was strictly regulated. This was unheard of.
[Our stage is reinforced with heavy-duty Hero-Tech!] Present Mic yelled, hyping the crowd up. [We don't care if you float, if you shine, or if you cause massive explosions! As long as you have the talent to control it, we want to see your act!]
Present Mic leaned close to the camera. He gave a massive, hyped-up grin.
[And what do you get if you win?] Present Mic whispered into his microphone.
The screen flashed a massive golden graphic.
[ONE HUNDRED MILLION YEN!] Present Mic screamed.
[The live auditions start next week at the Saitama Super Arena! Send in your video tapes now!] Present Mic yelled as the commercial faded to the massive show logo. [Show the world what you got!]
The entire Shibuya crossing erupted.
A teenager standing near the crosswalk stared up at the screen.
He had a mutation that made his nose glow bright green. He usually kept his head down, embarrassed by it.
His friend grabbed his shoulder and shook him violently.
"Dude!" his friend screamed over the noise of the crowd. "Did you hear that?! You can do that glow-in-the-dark breakdance routine! They literally want your Quirk!"
The teenager touched his glowing nose. A massive smile broke across his face. "Are you serious? We need to record a tape right now!"
A few feet away, a salaryman holding a briefcase looked down at his own hands.
His fingers were abnormally long and flexible. He usually hid them in his pockets so people wouldn't stare.
"I can play three keyboards at the exact same time," the salaryman whispered to himself, his eyes wide. "One hundred million yen. I could quit my accounting job."
He immediately dropped his briefcase on the sidewalk, pulled out his phone, and started dialing his wife's number.
*-*-*
Location: Tokyo Metro – Line 4 Train Car
The train car was completely silent just seconds ago.
Now, every single person was staring at their glowing phone screens. The live broadcast notification hit everyone simultaneously.
"No way," a high school girl gasped, covering her mouth. "A hundred million?"
"Hey, Maki!" another girl yelled from the opposite seats, ignoring the quiet train rules. "You can make those floating water bubbles! You have to enter!"
Maki looked up from her phone, her face totally red. "Are you crazy?! I just make bubbles! I can't fight anyone!"
"It's a talent show, you idiot!" her friend laughed, running over and sitting next to her. "You don't have to fight! You just make them dance to music! We are going to the studio!"
An older man sitting in the corner let out a loud, booming laugh. He snapped his fingers, and a tiny, colorful spark popped in the air.
"Looks like my old parlor tricks finally have a stage," the old man chuckled, typing quickly on his phone to find the submission website.
*-*-*
Location: Osaka – Residential House
CLATTER.
A teacup hit the kitchen counter.
A father wearing an apron stared at the small television set sitting next to the microwave. He had a mild levitation Quirk.
Right now, three cooking knives and a spatula were floating perfectly in the air around him, chopping vegetables on their own.
"Honey!" the dad yelled toward the living room. "Did you see the TV?!"
His wife walked into the kitchen, holding her phone. She was already laughing.
"I saw it," she smiled, pointing at the floating knives. "You've been doing that stupid juggling act with the kitchen knives for the kids for ten years. Are you actually going to apply?"
The dad grabbed the floating spatula out of the air.
"One hundred million yen," he said, completely serious. "I am going to juggle flaming swords on national television. Where is the video camera?"
His two little kids ran into the kitchen, cheering loudly. "Dad is going to be on TV!"
*-*-*
Location: An Internet Cafe in Kyoto
CLICK. CLACK. CLICK.
The sound of furious typing filled the dark room.
A college student slammed his hand on his desk in frustration.
"Come on!" he groaned, hitting the refresh button over and over again.
The entire internet was completely hijacked.
The trending pages on every single social media platform were filled with the exact same hashtag: #JapansGotQuirk.
Nobody was talking about the Tartarus transport or Stendhal anymore.
Normal people who always felt like background characters suddenly realized they had a chance to be the main event.
Chitose Kizuki's PR campaign completely set the nation on fire.
*-*-*
Location: Okuto Island Aquarium – Back Accounting Office
Time: Next Day
SHUFFLE.
Kaito sat at the large conference table. Thick stacks of paper covered the wood.
Two sidekicks sat across from him.
Coral had pale skin and small white ridges on her arms. She secreted calcium to build the artificial reefs in the tanks.
Kelp had long, green hair that moved like underwater plants. He handled feeding the massive aquatic exhibits. They both looked totally stressed out.
"The helicopter fuel is ruining us, Manager," Coral said, pushing a spreadsheet across the table. "We spend millions of yen every month just flying the boss to the mainland. We barely have enough left over for the fish food."
Kaito looked at the numbers.
"You guys are doing a great job keeping this place running," Kaito told them calmly. "The animals look healthy. We are just going to fix the spending."
Kaito pulled out a red pen and drew a line straight through the aviation budget.
"Cancel the chopper leases right now," Kaito said. "I am placing a direct order with Detnerat-Shield. We are buying a submersible ship for the harbor and a custom hydration suit for Orca. The money we save on fuel will pay for the gear."
Kelp let out a massive sigh of relief. He slumped back in his chair. "Oh, thank god."
"One more thing," Kaito added, opening his laptop. "We are launching an Online Hero Personality campaign for the boss."
He turned the screen around.
A cute, animated chibi-orca avatar blinked on the monitor.
Gang Orca was standing near the door. He groaned loudly and rubbed his face.
"I hate this," Gang Orca grumbled.
"The kids are going to love it," Kaito smiled. "You start streaming sea-safety videos next week."
Day 5
SPLASH.
A massive wave of saltwater hit the front row of the tourist stands.
The crowd of little kids screamed and laughed, totally soaked.
Out in the main pool, Iruka jumped high into the air.
He grabbed a heavy plastic rescue dummy and flipped backward into the water.
Shira and a new sidekick named Wave swam in fast circles.
Wave used his Current Control Quirk to create a small whirlpool, pushing the dummy safely toward the edge of the pool.
The tourists cheered loudly.
The whole crowd was buzzing with energy. Up in the stands, a few little kids were waving their hands around, making small balls of water float in the air.
"Did you see the TV commercial?!" a little boy yelled to his dad. "I'm going to go on Japan's Got Quirk and win a hundred million yen with my water bubbles!"
"We're not even sixteen years old. Stop dreaming."
The national hype for the talent show had officially reached the island. People were excited about Quirks again.
Up on the observation balcony, Gang Orca watched the entire live show. He rested his heavy hands on the metal railing.
He looked down at the cheering kids. They weren't crying. They weren't hiding behind their parents.
"They actually like us," Gang Orca muttered, sounding genuinely surprised.
Kaito stood right next to him, holding a cup of coffee.
"The public always wanted to support your agency, Orca," Kaito said simply. "They just needed a safe, friendly way to interact with you guys. The live rescue show gives them that."
Gang Orca smiled. He gave Kaito a firm nod of respect.
Day 10
BZZZZT.
A small, fast-moving training drone darted across the concrete docks behind the agency.
"Cut it off!" Kaito yelled over the noise.
Barnacle sprinted forward, his heavy rocky skin slowing him down.
He tried to block the drone's path. Shira swam through the water next to the dock and jumped out, baring her shark teeth to scare the drone toward the center.
Barnacle tripped over his own feet. He stumbled sideways, completely blocking Shira's landing path.
CRASH.
They slammed into each other and fell onto the hard concrete. The drone instantly zipped past them and escaped into the sky.
"Hey! Watch where you are going!" Shira yelled, pushing Barnacle off her.
"I was trying to block it!" Barnacle argued, rubbing his bruised shoulder. "You jumped right into me!"
FWEEEET.
Kaito blew his silver whistle. He walked over to them.
They were normal people trying to learn a highly advanced tactical system in a few days.
"Take a breath," Kaito told them calmly. He crouched down and picked up a piece of chalk.
He drew a quick triangle on the concrete.
"You guys are trying to do too much," Kaito explained, pointing at the drawing. "Barnacle, you don't need to be fast. You just need to be a sturdy. Plant your feet right here. Do not move. Shira, you use the water to herd the target directly into the wall. Let the drone bounce off him."
Barnacle and Shira looked at the chalk lines. It suddenly made sense. They didn't have to fight the drone. They just had to control the space.
"Got it," Barnacle nodded, standing up. He slammed his rocky fists together.
"Run it again," Kaito said, stepping back.
BZZZZT.
Another drone dropped from the sky.
Barnacle ran to his spot and planted his feet hard. He widened his stance and completely stopped moving.
Shira jumped from the water, slashing the air to force the drone to turn.
The drone zipped away from Shira and flew straight toward Barnacle. He didn't try to grab it.
The drone bounced right off his rocky chest and spun out of control, flying straight into the center painted circle.
ZIIING.
Gang Orca released a concentrated sonic wave. The drone froze mid-air and dropped to the ground.
"Perfect," Gang Orca called out, giving his sidekicks a huge thumbs up.
"Yeeey!"
Barnacle and Shira high-fived each other. They were finally getting the marine-style discipline down.
Day 15
[Did you know that some species of plankton glow in the dark when they get scared?]
Gang Orca sat inside a soundproof recording booth.
He wore heavy headphones and held a script in his hands. He looked completely miserable.
Out in the control room, Kaito, Sonar, and the other sidekicks were watching him through the glass window.
On the main computer monitor, the cute, animated chibi-orca avatar was bouncing around a digital ocean.
The avatar's mouth moved perfectly in sync with Gang Orca's deep, scary voice.
"I feel completely ridiculous," Gang Orca grumbled into the microphone.
The chibi-orca on the screen crossed its tiny flippers and looked grumpy.
The entire control room burst out laughing.
The stiff, nervous energy from the first day was totally gone.
The sidekicks were completely comfortable joking around with Kaito now.
"Keep reading, Boss," Sonar laughed, pointing at the side of his screen. "We just hit sixty thousand live viewers."
Bright colorful alerts kept popping up on the monitor.
"The digital donations are flooding the bank account," Sonar told Kaito. "Parents are throwing money at us just to hear the scary hero talk about fish."
Sip.
Kaito nodded, taking a sip of his coffee.
*-*-*-*
Location: Naruhata Ward – Kaito's Apartment Building
Time: 7:00 pm
DING.
The elevator doors opened.
Kaito walked into the ground floor lobby of his renovated apartment building.
The place looked like a high-end residential hotel now. The floors were polished, and comfortable couches sat near the large front windows.
"Welcome back, Mr. Arisaka," a polite voice called out.
Aoi stood behind the front reception desk.
Kaito hired the young woman a few months ago to manage the building and handle the tenants. She smiled and gave a small bow.
"Thanks, Aoi," Kaito said.
He walked over to the lobby couches. The whole Naruhata crew was hanging out.
Koichi, Tamao, Soga, Rapt, and Moyuru were all sitting around a coffee table, eating snacks and watching the lobby television.
A commercial for the Japan's Got Quirk auditions was playing loudly.
"I should totally enter," Soga joked, throwing a piece of popcorn into his mouth. "I bet I can win that hundred million."
"With what talent?" Rapt laughed.
Kazuho sat on the end of the couch. She wore her blue and white Seiai Academy uniform.
She looked completely burnt out. She rested her head against the armrest, groaning softly.
"I hate geometry," Kazuho complained. "I have a massive exam next week, and I have three hero patrols scheduled before then. I am so tired."
Kaito stopped behind the couch. He looked at Kazuho.
He remembered the promise he made to her months ago in his kitchen. He promised her an international trip if she passed her first-year exams.
"The big international trip is still waiting for you when you finish your finals," Kaito told her, dropping his travel bag on the floor. "But you look like you need a break right now."
Kazuho looked up at him. "A break?"
"Consider it a deposit on the promise," Kaito smiled. "I just finished doing things in the Okuto Island Aquarium. The public exhibits are beautiful right now, and the weather is great."
Kaito looked around at the younger crew on the couches.
Grandma Saki already had her camping trip, and Iwao and his wife liked staying home. This was for them.
"I am inviting you guys for a short weekend trip to the island," Kaito announced. "Fully paid. You can hit the beach, look at the fish, and just relax."
"..."
Kazuho's eyes went wide. She sat up straight instantly.
Koichi dropped his bag of chips. Tamao clapped her hands happily.
"Are you serious?!" Soga yelled, jumping off the couch.
"Pack your bags guys," Kaito laughed.
The entire lobby erupted into massive cheers.
...
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(9 Advanced Chapters)