Author's notes:
Hello Everyone, as it may be, I have been planning to write this chapter for a while, and while I have been doing that, I once started reading one of my first fanfics I ever created in my first days as fanfic writer. Adventure Time, so in a time to come back to my origins, I think I should rewrite one fanfic that I have been writing on that time. So I will be rewriting that old fanfic into a modern version of. Princess Bubblegun adopting Finn the Human, as a way to demonstrate how the AU would be interesting if Finn had Princess Bubblegum not as love interest, but a maternal reference to his grown and maturity, that would be interesting to bring back. Will be a harem fanfic? I don't know because who would Princess Bubblegum approve for her son to be the ideal girl?
Anyway, now answering the reviews:
Just a wee guest. I'm so glad the reaction I wanted for that scene was exactly yours. I wanted to make sure nobody saw Rando's cruelty and ruthless when it comes about erasing the memories of Murugu, since it would be too cruel to eliminate everything she knew about Suzaku, she literally now is a single bird without owner, so she decided to stay with Rando. But yeah it will be hilarious to see her interaction with the suffering of Yusuke hahahaha.
Le Quack. I looked around the wiki of HXH, and there isn't a technique named Calm Siberia, there's a character named Palm Siberia and I don't think you are talking about her, those concepts of Healing technique isn't for anyone, since some were specialized into doing that, but sadly some doesn't fit their style. So I don't believe that's possible, that would depend on the type of spiritual energy of the others. So I cannot promise anything. Anyway have fun reading the new chapter.
Crazy Mad Guest. Well the martial arts style hadn't been implemented yet because it was a situation not needed for hand to hand combat, it will happens in the future now the order of the techniques had been separated into 7 books, one for each day, and those random orders and selection will now make Rando try to adapt and strenght the techniques around the books he has now. Which means, Rando using martial combats here we go... Also One Punch man martial arts are a joke... since in the end Saitama's punches will also be the most iconics and amazings to do. It was like the final joke of him always winning which I don't think it would work for Yu Yu Hakusho.
Guesthouse . I don't think so dude, I have my own plans of developing Murugu, and neither of them are related with your ideas, sorry. But I already have plans in mind.
Just Guessing . Funny you mentioning the clothing style, since on the arc of Four Saint Beasts, Rando was using a Mix between Kurapika's traditional outfit with Shiorin outfit mixed, while it doesn't have the Phantom Troup logo, it had the style of both monks and arcaic fighters. I will refuse the other implements since I don't want to use that kind of hairstyle for rando and neither the nobody's overcoat style, and I hope you like this chapter, because things will get real.
Odd guest. Don't worry, many questions will be answered after this chapter XD.
Hyper LOL Guest. Yeah, Botan will surelly strangle Yusuke whenever possible, but that's how her new life will be from now on. You better get ready for the next chapter, since it will be interesting to see how things will go from now on.
Ghostly Guest. You better get ready, because you will be surprised by this chapter. XD
Just Guest. I'm glad you liked the chapter, yeah, Rando sometimes uses the weapons as a way to facilitate the use of his spiritual energy to certain techniques since he didn't have much time to train, but now having a better access and using the right weapon, he can be unpredictable and yet strong at the same time.
Sleepy Guest. In accordance of nen technique, at the time someone uses the technique to read the memories of the person while using the technique, by using the memory bomb it will be erased permanently, in resume, Murugu thinks herself as just a yokai bird who were between both Human World and Makai which she acidentally got inside of Rando's Hide and Seek, which now will be her life from now on. Also in regard of Byakko, I don't think that was possible because Kurama was a rank S yokai who used as last resort to escape from a Spiritual Defense Agent from Spiritual World, which lead the situation he was now. Sadly Byakko was caught by surprise by Seiryu and he died on such gruesome way.
Mr. E Guest. Murugu will not have an humanoid form, and the shippings were already decided, but for the book skill list yeah, they will be introduced later in the future, so get ready to see those techniques in motion with the randoness that they will be. It will be interesting XD.
Eccentric Guest. I'm glad you liked the chapter, don't worry, she doesn't know who Suzaku is, as when someone tells it about him in front of her, she will act curious as any new person would find. You will like on how the students will react into meeting Rando for the first time. And about Rando's technique, it's literally Hide and Seek From Hunter X Hunter, the technique is a labirint on it's own. Check it out. Anyway, I hope this new chapter will answer all your questions, and have some fun reading it.
coldblue2015. I'm glad you liked the chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much I liked to write it. To answer your questions.
1-Of course, they will need to get stronger, and since they are Team Urameshi of course Rando is going to demonstrate the concepts of powers, and Hiei actually discovers that some of his own metods of training is related to conditions and limitations, Dark Flame Dragon (Or in Portuguese version Deadly Dark Flames) requires metods of training which Hiei actually understands the concepts of limitations and conditions which was awesome, maybe with Rando he can evolve this to another level. And Kurama, man can you imagine using his plants to use Emission of spiritual energy? It's going to get crazy hahahaha.
2-Actually is more about reducing the quantity of techniques, placing them to be all random numbers and he is going to adapt on using those techniques. Since in exchange of making him use only 1 book per day, and random techniques, it will pratically made Rando mid B tier until he starts training. Each book is related to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
3-Oh yeah the aprentices of Genkai, they needed a better training, which he would teach them some techniques, but he would make their lives a hell just like Genkai Hahahahahaha.
And Sensui will respects Rando since Rando will have the audacity to tell Sensui is an idiot, and he was choosing the wrong enemy, the true enemy of all the problems, aren't the humans. Are the Rich, all the rich people is the ones causing all that problems hahahahaha.
4-Oh yeah, that's going to be my favorite scene of the next chapter, but it would have a lot of building as well, since Rando as a teacher, he would need to meet and understand each student so you will see a lot of development around the class as well.
5-I don't want to try to play with that style of nen types because since we use the water divination techniques it would be a mess up trying to explain that to yusuke, so I think explaining the nen basics concept will be for the best.
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Now let's enjoy the new chapter.
"Would you like more tea Mr. Zorudikku?" A gentle and weak voice of a woman reaching her 40s made the man looks on the left as he was sitting on a comfy chair, as he was staring at the person who was reading the papers in front of him. As the white-haired man dressed his fancy suit, he looked at the woman, who seemed to be reaching the stages of recovery of probably a cold, which passed for a long stage over the city.
"If that wouldn't bother you." Rando smiled as the woman smiled weakly and poured more of the green tea over his cup. As he gave a glance over the man in front of him. "What do you think?"
"I never thought a school would actually teach that, but from a perspective, if someone came to the time I was studying at the middle school, I would have thanked my teacher if they could give a huge help to my future. To see my son Okubo learning this will greatly help our family." The man said firmly as he nodded his head. "Mr. Zorudikku, I find it strange a teacher of Sarayashiki Junior High would be interested in visiting every single student. Even as I know how problematic it is with his friends."
"Well sir… to be honest, usually the school system is so focused on competitions that they forget what is really important in society. On how to actually live in society as a whole." Rando explained as he could see the woman calmly sitting on the couch and staring at him. "I believe that every single student should at least have a right to dream, and as much people would shune them down for saying bad things. I think what was more important was to explain the reality on how it would be difficult for them to achieve their dreams. And I think teaching the concepts of common sense will make them on the right path... and from what the educational committee says, they won't let the mistakes done by the former teachers be dismissed. Which will be my job into fixing their mistakes now."
"Are you sure Okubo will be alright? He had been working so hard after school to help us." The mother calmly commented as she could see the smile of the young man with sincerity on his face.
"Believe me what I say, Miss... your son will be in the right hands, and I will make sure that he will still be the good son that you both have." Rando smiled as he gave a handshake for both the father and the mother, as the duo bowed to him in the traditional form of Japanese gratitude.
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"When the episode said Okubo wanted the best for his family, the anime wasn't kidding. It's strange that kid being treated so low while his parents say praise even as he was one of the gangs of the school. Well with Kuwabara, they all have a good heart." Rando said as he was enjoying the walk towards another house. "It's 15 parents so far; I just need to talk with Sawamura's parents, Kirishima's mother, and then I will check Keiko's father... At least this will be good enough for me to understand each of them and their personalities. I'm still glad that it's Saturday now; Monday will be interesting for everyone."
The young teacher smirked as he let it out a smoke while he walked towards another member of Kuwabara's circle of friends.
"Mom, I will take a walk; I will see how's Keiko doing." Yusuke shouted as he was already leaving the door; suddenly someone threw at him a jacket, which made him caught by surprise.
"Don't forget your jacket. And say to Keiko, I said hi." Atsuko said loudly as she saw her son jumping downstairs as she was able to finally have some good time for herself. Her son had been annoying since he came back from his adventure, and the school had been closed for a few days. "Now to celebrate another good time for myself."
The matriarch of the family couldn't enjoy much since on the next minute she heard someone knocking on her door.
"Ugh… what that boy wants now?" Atsuko rolled her eyes as she went directly at the door just to rant to her son. "Did you forget something, Yusuke?"
Just for the time she looked straight, there wasn't a person of the size of her son, but someone who looked smaller as he was dressing in a fancy suit and with a folder on his hands.
"Atsuko Urameshi?" The person who she could swear was a child made such a comment, which made her raise her eyebrows as she recognized a fancy suit, since most of the members of Yakuza sometimes would use a fancy suit to describe their style of life and power.
"What you want, kid?" Atsuko narrowed her eyes, as she could imagine the boy being from a member of the clan, and after the events of the few days ago, there was a cleaning storm across the clans, and a few bodies were discovered and a lot of apologies and bald and fingerless members as well.
"I'm the new teacher of Sarayashiki Junior High; my name is Rando Zorudikku, and as a way to present myself for the students across the school, firstly I want to talk with their parents before I officially give my teachings over the place where Yusuke will be studying." Rando calmly and professionally commented as he could see Atsuko blinking her eyes a few times. Which made him sigh. "I'm Botan's older brother and Shizuru's friend."
"OHHHHHHHHH, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO? Come in." Atsuko grinned as she opened the door and let the white-haired man walk inside and see the place looking almost exactly like the anime, the furniture, and the blankets where the matriarch used to keep looking at her son after the tragedy of his death and her concern of always wanting to be a better mom for Yusuke. "You were the one Yusuke told about helping him kick the ass of the leader of the guys who made the insects attack the town. And when the bastard of teachers was arrested, I was asking myself who would be the person who would be his substitute. Shizuru told me about you as being a teacher in other countries."
"That's correct." Rando sat as he saw Atsuko bringing a bottle of wine, which he raised his hand. "No, thank you; I don't drink. Just smoke."
"Suit yourself." Atsuko commented as she was eager to hear more about the person who helped her son save the world. She was going to enjoy more about what the person in front of her wants to talk about.
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"So you're going to teach Yusuke how to be a man?" Atsuko summarized everything the white-haired boy had told her as she blinked at how straight-forward Rando had been talking about the school situation.
"It's kind of strange you say that about your son since he's still less than 16, but I think so." Rando shrugged as he gave a good drag of the smoke and let it out while thinking about what to say to the matriarch of the family. "Yusuke already have a responsibility over the Spiritual world; working for Koenma and Botan isn't a bad idea, as he was doing something that he could learn a lot and be more mature with his decisions. Life in both the spiritual world and the real world will always have some good and bad moments, which is why Botan and Mr. Koenma want Yusuke to understand the job he has in hands."
"But still he doesn't get paid over these problems." Atsuko said as she crossed her arms, which Rando simply raised his eyebrow.
"The chance of resurrection and staying alive to cherish with the people he loves... it's more than payment; it's a miracle, Miss Urameshi." Rando explained as Atsuko flinched from hearing the painful but truthful words coming from the yokai in front of her. "In my honest opinion, on the day he died, he had the strongest reality shock anyone would ever have. You know, there was a philosophy I learned a long time ago. The more you want to hurt someone, the easier is to make them stop living... But no matter how much you want to love someone, you can't bring them back from being dead."
Atsuko remained quiet as Rando simply stated the facts.
"Yusuke returning from death, is a gift that many would wish and envy you for it... And as much I agree on how much Yusuke may be underpaid, I can see on his eyes how much he loves the people of this world, and he doesn't regret to having the chance of being a live again." Rando said as he suddenly took something from his pocket, as the matriarch of the family remained quiet. "That said, while Mr Koenma may need to talk to Yusuke about his payment in the future, this is from me and Botan. Since he needed motivation to keep working with a smile on his face."
"Really?" Atsuko said as she was surprised by the change of tone from the man in front of her; as much as she looked down at the short person, she could see how serious he was, and it was exactly like dealing with an adult and not a teenager.
"I think Yusuke will enjoy this payment; since he wanted so much to go to the Martial Arts championship, there will be one at the end of the year, and Botan made sure to buy one ticket for him, while I paid a good quantity of money for him to buy some things for himself." Rando explained as he could see the eyes of Atsuko sparkle, but with a sigh and a nod, she looked at the man in gratitude. But then she tilted her head.
"Hey, I gotta a question... Do you think your sister Botan has a thing with Yusuke?" Then the matriarch of the family gave the slight comment, as Rando also had his eyes sparkling, which something both of them had something in common; they would never let that down to both Yusuke and Botan.
And the conversation would be more interesting from that point.
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"HAHAHAHAHAHA, so you hate when someone calls you short, to the point that you not just destroy them but humiliate them to the point of them cursing you every day?" Atsuko laughed as she passed an hour talking with the teacher, who chuckled from the story he told about how Yusuke got stuck with Master Genkai. "And you have a vendetta against the old rag who beat the crap of you? Oh boy, I wish I could have seen his face when he realized he was screwed. It's no wonder he always complained about that woman, Genkai, and you how much he wanted to punch you in the face."
"I heard that a lot, but firstly, he would need to train way more to actually be able to do that." Rando chuckled as he accepted a glass of water. While he isn't the type of person that would drink, he accepted the courtesy while dealing with the mother of one of his friends. "And to be honest, he had been lacking a lot to get strong enough to deal with the world; if I'm being honest, at the moment Genkai finds out, she's going to double or even triple his training, and Yusuke will have nightmares just to imagine what kind of cruel things Genkai would do to him."
"Huh, for a person who talks badly of the old rag... it seems that you value her with a lot of respect." Atsuko said as she raised her eyebrows at the person who was in front. As he gave a loud chuckle.
"To be honest, Genkai was one of the most fearsome people I ever encountered in life; I was lucky to get out alive. And I have kind of respect for her. Petty as I may be, I know Yusuke got the best teacher of martial arts and spiritual arts as well." Rando explained as he got up from his seat. "If you don't believe me, next time Yusuke gets into a mess and has to visit Genkai, go with him. I think you two would have a lot to talk."
"Hmph… I don't think I should be doing that." Atsuko said in a tired tone, as she was very hesitant to even get involved on that side of Yusuke's life, but then she looked at the white-haired boy who clearly looked at her.
"Sometimes it's for the best you know the dangers that it may go after you instead of leaving everything for your son to deal with without you knowing... Sometimes a support coming from a mom would mean the world for him." Rando explained as he loosed the tie of his neck, which he was stepping away, as Atsuko went to open the door for him. "I know there will be times I will teach Yusuke and Kuwabara a lot more about the spiritual and the devil world. But in case he would be worried about you and Keiko; being on his back and giving the right support will give him the strength that he never thought he would have."
"Hmph… there are a lot of things Yusuke doesn't know about me." Atsuko said as she saw Rando leaving the apartment.
"But that doesn't change the love he has for you... and also, there's a lot of secrets that neither you nor Yusuke know about it." The person slowly was leaving the door as he gave a last comment for Atsuko. "Someday there will be secrets that Yusuke will be so shocked that he will have no idea what he's going to do... and I think that day you should be with him, to give the support he would need when he needs most."
"How did you find out?" Atsuko said as she looked at the professor who just suddenly felt that he had discovered the secret of her past. Which he simply passed by her.
"I have my ways to gather information, Miss Urameshi; however, your ability to hold a secret so big related to your life had been a surprise for so many people. Maybe Mr. Koenma will be interested in talking to you personally; he may have some good information to share with you about Yusuke. Something you may be interested in about your life as well." Rando said as he was leaving the place, and as he gave a polite smile, he walked away. "I will see Yusuke at school on Monday; make sure that he doesn't get late. Have a nice day, Miss Urameshi."
As the time Rando left, Atsuko sat as she looked at the bottle of sake on her table, and by looking at the television, she doesn't know if she should be happy or angry for this bittersweet encounter. She learned a lot, and she was grateful for her son to be working and learning a lot and being responsible. But she could see the boy was lying, and Rando took from his own pocket to pay Yusuke after his hardwork, but then she reflected on how Yusuke being alive was the best payment for the work that he should be doing. She hated that feeling that her son deserved better.
But she recalled that once she started with the Yakuza, she was also on that spiral where she had to work to survive, but with the more time she worked, the more she grew and got the luxuries she had before. But now she could see that her son is alive, but was dragged into things that she may not understand now... but got an invitation to actually learn and not be in the shadows of ignorance.
There was a secret regard not just Yusuke but also about her… something so big that would put her in danger if she's not ready. And knowing her son, he will be in danger as well at the time he learns about it.
She hated that feeling of wanting to punch something, but the truth and the logic cannot be beaten by mere punches.
It was indeed a bittersweet feeling. She just hopes that she will be ready to give support for her son when he needs her most. She will be there; she won't be left in the dark, while his son will work himself and even kill himself for things he doesn't have control over.
The warm, cozy living room of the Kuwabara house smelled faintly of pepperoni and melted cheese. The small coffee table was covered in pizza boxes, their contents rapidly diminishing as Rando and Shizuru shared a casual meal. The soft hum of a ceiling fan mixed with the distant sounds of the city outside, creating an atmosphere of relaxed domesticity.
"So, you're going to give more classes now?" Shizuru asked, leaning back in her chair with a mischievous grin. She held her soda can lazily, her demeanor casual but her sharp eyes glinting with amusement.
"Yep, it seems they hired me to give classes for the school during around the years; my contract says for 5 years giving classes." Rando replied simply, taking a bite of his slice.
"Oh, man. Please, please take a picture of Kazuma and his buddies when they see you teaching. I need that in my life." Shizuru's grin widened as she pictured the scene. "I mean, I want to see that photo. Don't worry, I won't tell Keiko. This stays between us."
Rando couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head.
"I can take it." A melodic voice chimed in, drawing Shizuru's attention. Murugu offered from her perch on the armrest of the couch. Her colorful feathers shimmered under the dim lighting, her beady eyes watching the two with interest.
"Err… I kind of forgot that she can talk to us like that," Shizuru blinked, momentarily startled. She said with a sheepish shrug, recovering quickly. "Spiritual birds and all. Tell you what, Murugu. If you manage to snap a good picture of Kazuma looking like a complete idiot, I'll pay for whatever food Rando feeds you later."
"That's a deal," Murugu let out a soft, amused laugh. As the trio seemed to be comfortable talking more about things happening. the atmosphere growing more comfortable with every passing moment. Rando leaned back in his seat, observing the playful banter between Shizuru and Murugu. He'd grown used to the bird's giggles and teasing, finding them less grating and more endearing with time.
"Don't worry, we will try to take the picture. But obviously they will be shocked, but from the fact I need to make not only Kuwabara focus on his training but also on his studies." Taking a sip of his soda, Rando added, "You have no idea how Prism of Seven cut a lot of my work short, taking care of school but also focusing into helping the others after class."
"And don't forget the pizza runs. You're practically an international food courier at this point." Murugu flapped her wings lightly, settling back into her perch.
"Yeah, I have to confess, the Italians knew what they were doing when they created Pizza." Shizuru had to confess for someone who takes trips across the world and brings pizza still warm was a great way to pass the afternoon talking about nothing. especially on Shizuru's day off.
"Thank you," Rando said, raising his glass of soda in a mock toast. "But you should really check out the pizzas from the United States and Brazil. They're always experimenting with new flavors—some of their creations are absurd, to say the least."
Shizuru chuckled, her smile widening. "Absurd how? Are we talking dessert pizza, or something worse?"
Rando leaned back against the couch, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Dessert pizzas are tame. I've seen pizzas topped with bananas, chocolate, and even green peas."
Murugu, perched on the armrest, let out a trill of laughter. "Humans and their strange cravings. It's fascinating—and terrifying."
Their laughter filled the living room, the warmth of their camaraderie blending seamlessly with the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows. The quiet hum of the fridge and the occasional creak of the ceiling fan added a backdrop to their lighthearted banter.
The front door creaked open suddenly, and a familiar voice called out, "Shizuru, I'm home!"
Kazuma Kuwabara stepped inside, his orange hair slightly ruffled and his jacket slung over one shoulder. He froze mid-step, his gaze narrowing at the unexpectedly crowded living room.
"What's going on here? And…" His eyes landed on Murugu. "What's with the bird?"
"It's mine," Rando replied nonchalantly, taking a sip of soda as Murugu waved her wings in greeting.
"I'm Murugu. Hello!" the bird chirped.
Kuwabara blinked, then squinted suspiciously. "Wait a second—is this one of those spiritual demonic creatures Yusuke's always dealing with?"
Rando, Shizuru, and Murugu exchanged amused glances before shrugging in unison.
"Probably," Rando said.
"Not the last one you'll see," Shizuru added.
"And definitely not the weirdest," Murugu quipped.
Kuwabara sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Great. Just great. Well, at least the world-saving stuff is over, and things are finally looking normal again…" His eyes lit up as he spotted the pizza boxes. "HEY, PIZZA!"
Before anyone could stop him, Kuwabara grabbed a slice already resting on a plate.
"HEY, THAT'S MINE!" Murugu screeched, flapping her wings in indignation.
"Birds shouldn't be eating this kind of food anyway," Kuwabara retorted, chomping down on the slice with zero remorse.
Murugu's feathers puffed up in outrage. With a loud squawk, she launched herself at Kuwabara's face, her sharp beak aiming for any exposed skin.
"OUCH! OUCH! GET YOUR BEAK OUT OF MY FACE!" Kuwabara yelped, flailing wildly as he tried to fend her off. "I'LL SLICE YOU IN PIECES IF YOU DON'T STOP!"
"GIVE MY PIZZA BACK!" Murugu shouted, relentlessly pecking at him.
Rando and Shizuru watched the chaos unfold, their expressions ranging from mild amusement to outright humor.
"I don't know why," Shizuru said, resting her chin on her hand, "but I think they're going to be great friends someday."
Rando chuckled, nodding in agreement. "I think so too. Though, I'd better add another slice for both of them before they actually kill each other."
Shizuru waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, let them go at it for a bit. It's free entertainment."
Rando smirked, leaning back. "You've got a point. How long do you think it'll take for them to realize there's more pizza?"
Shizuru's smirk deepened. "Ten minutes."
"Really? I'd bet shorter than that."
"I know my brother," Shizuru said confidently, taking another sip of her soda.
"Another good point," Rando mused, settling in to watch the ongoing scuffle.
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"Okay, Kuwabara, for someone who managed to take down one of the Four Saint Beasts in hand-to-hand combat, losing to a bird? That's just embarrassing." Rando crossed his arms, his voice dripping with mockery. The two of them were back outside the house, walking under the soft glow of the streetlights. This was supposed to be Rando's opportunity to offer tips to help Kuwabara grow stronger, but the sight of the bruises on Kuwabara's face—courtesy of Murugu—was too amusing to ignore.
"Shut up! She just caught me by surprise!" Kuwabara snapped, rubbing the side of his face as they strolled through a nearby park.
Rando smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "If you say so. Anyway, are you ready to show me your progress in spiritual energy?"
"You bet I am!" Kuwabara's voice carried a note of pride as he balled his fists. "Hey, check this out!"
Rando, however, waved him off. "Nah, I think you already know what to focus on with your Transmutation training. But if you're serious about leveling up, it's time to take things to the next stage."
Kuwabara's interest piqued. "What do you mean by 'next stage'?"
"The next level of Transmutation involves multitasking," Rando explained, raising his index finger. With a subtle flare of his spiritual energy, the numbers 0 through 9 began to appear and shift rapidly across his fingertips in perfect sequence, almost like an animated display.
"Whoa…" Kuwabara muttered, his eyes widening in awe.
Rando continued, "This training requires you to run through obstacles while forming the numbers on your fingers using spiritual energy. It's all about maintaining focus on your surroundings while simultaneously keeping your energy under control. If you get too fixated on your fingers, well... He smirked and gestured to an imaginary wall.
Kuwabara flinched as the image of his face smashing into a wall popped into his mind. "Yeah, let's not talk about that."
Rando shrugged. "Fair enough. But I remember you also wanting to focus on Enhancement training. Now, I told you before to stick to transmutation since you've already built techniques around it, but... seeing how determined you are, I'll teach you how to train for Enhancement properly."
Kuwabara's face lit up with excitement. "Really? That's what I'm talking about!"
Ten minutes later, Kuwabara's enthusiasm had turned into complete despair.
"WHAT KIND OF TRAINING IS THIS?!" Kuwabara shouted, glaring at Rando as both sat on the ground, each holding a rock in their hands. In front of them was another rock of equal size, and nearby, piles upon piles of similar rocks were stacked.
Rando, unfazed, looked amused by Kuwabara's outburst. "It's simple," he began, holding up his own rock. "Basic Enhancement training is about focusing your spiritual energy on the rock in your hand. You have to envelop the rock completely in your energy and use it to crush the rock in front of you. The tricky part? You need to keep the rock in your hand intact while doing it."
As Kuwabara watched skeptically, Rando demonstrated. He channeled his energy, his hand glowing faintly as he pressed his rock against the one on the ground. In a split second, the rock on the ground shattered into dust, leaving the one in his hand perfectly intact.
Kuwabara's jaw dropped. "How the hell did you do that?! It just crumbled!"
Rando shrugged, tossing the rock casually in his hand. "It's all about controlling the energy of the impact at the last moment while simultaneously protecting the rock in your hand. Sounds easy enough, right?"
"Easy?!" Kuwabara's voice cracked.
Rando smirked. "Here's the deal: to complete this phase of training, you have to crush 100 rocks like this without breaking the one in your hand. If you break it, you start over from the beginning."
Kuwabara groaned, slumping back against a nearby tree. "You've gotta be kidding me. This is insane!"
"Insane?" Rando chuckled, leaning back with a smug expression. "You haven't even seen the advanced training yet. Now stop whining and get to it, unless you want Murugu to come back for round two."
The mention of the bird's earlier assault was enough to make Kuwabara grit his teeth. He reluctantly picked up another rock, muttering under his breath about how spiritual training felt more like punishment than progress.
Rando, noticing the boy's frustration, decided to offer some parting advice. "One more thing," he said, his tone suddenly serious. "It's recommended you only train one type of spiritual energy per day. Otherwise, the energies will clash internally, and you'll end up wasting far more energy than necessary. Worse, you'll exhaust yourself to the point where recovery becomes difficult."
Kuwabara glanced at him, his brow furrowing.
"So here's what you do," Rando continued. "Understand your limits. Push yourself as far as you can go, but know when to stop. If you're too tired, go home, rest, and start fresh the next day. Don't be stupid about it."
Rando took a step back, preparing to leave, but paused and looked at Kuwabara one last time. "For someone who managed to take down one of the Four Saint Beasts, you've done well. But don't let that make you cocky. There's always someone stronger, someone faster, someone more ruthless. Kuwabara, let me give you one last piece of advice."
Kuwabara looked up, his exhaustion momentarily replaced with curiosity. "What is it?"
"Real power…" Rando said, his voice dropping to a chilling tone as his crimson eyes seemed to glow faintly in the darkness, "doesn't come to those who are born the strongest, or fastest, or smartest. It comes to those who will do… anything… to achieve it."
Kuwabara felt a shiver crawl up his spine as he processed the words.
Rando stepped closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming. "You may complain about how this training feels like hell. Maybe you even think we're torturing you for our amusement—just like Yusuke does." He smirked briefly before his expression turned cold. "But here's the truth: those who achieve real power don't whine about the cost. They pay the price willingly. They'll even create limitations and conditions for themselves if it means growing stronger. They'll go beyond reason to reach their goals."
The night grew darker, the moon obscured by clouds. Shadows swallowed the park, adding to the oppressive atmosphere. Rando's voice carried through the still air like a warning.
"Never underestimate the kind of training others endure to surpass the limits of humanity. You'd be surprised how many people willingly sacrifice their humanity—or parts of their bodies—just to kill their enemies."
With that, Rando turned his back on Kuwabara and walked into the shadows, his presence vanishing as if he'd dissolved into the night.
Kuwabara sat frozen for a moment, his grip tightening around the rock in his hand. A heavy sense of dread lingered in the air, pressing down on him. Slowly, he looked down at the stone and gulped, Rando's words echoing in his mind.
Resolving to push forward, Kuwabara returned to the task. On his fifth attempt, the rock in his hand crumbled into dust. "Dammit!" he cursed, frustration boiling over. But instead of giving up, he grabbed another rock and started again.
This time, his movements carried a newfound determination. Though the training felt relentless, Kuwabara gritted his teeth and pushed forward, knowing that this path was the only way to grow stronger.
Sunday unfolded like any other day in the Spirit World, its ethereal offices teeming with activity. Blue-skinned ogres shuffled through endless corridors, balancing stacks of documents and scrolls that threatened to topple at any moment. The clatter of footsteps, the rustling of papers, and the hum of hurried conversations filled the air. Occasionally, the sound of a portal opening or closing punctuated the chaos, marking the arrival or departure of messengers ferrying reports between realms.
In the heart of it all stood the grand main office, typically a hub of authority where Mr. Koenma, the heir to the Spirit World, managed operations. But today, the large room was eerily quiet, its usual occupants conspicuously absent. The desk where Koenma usually sat—with its perpetually messy pile of paperwork and an assortment of stamps—was untouched.
Koenma himself had called for a private meeting in an undisclosed location within the Spirit World. Only two individuals had been summoned: Kurama, the cunning and enigmatic fox spirit, and Rando, the rogue yokai whose distrust for authority was as palpable as the energy he exuded.
Kurama, ever composed, stood by the room's ornate window, his green eyes scanning the glowing skyline of the Spirit World. His curiosity was piqued, though his expression betrayed little. It wasn't every day that Koenma requested a private audience, and he was intrigued to learn what matter required such discretion.
Rando, on the other hand, leaned against the far wall, his arms crossed and his posture radiating skepticism. His crimson eyes flickered with distrust, not at Koenma himself, but at the walls around them. The Spirit World's bureaucracy, with its gossiping ogres and tendency for leaks, wasn't exactly known for its ability to maintain secrets.
Koenma, in his teenage form, paced the room with a mix of impatience and calculation. "Thank you both for coming on short notice," he began, his voice calm but serious. He glanced briefly at Rando, catching the subtle glare directed at their surroundings. "I understand your hesitation, Rando. That's why I have a suggestion to ensure no one overhears what we're about to discuss."
Rando raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
Rando's fingers brushed against the wall, and with a deliberate motion, a swirling black void opened before them. The darkness pulsed faintly, like a living entity. He stepped inside without hesitation, gesturing for the others to follow. Koenma and Kurama exchanged brief glances before entering, the void closing behind them.
Inside, the space unfolded into a dimly lit room, its walls appearing infinite, stretching beyond sight in all directions. The air was cool and carried a faint echo, as though the room existed in an endless cavern. Here, within the confines of Rando's Hide and Seek technique, the trio was shielded from all prying eyes and ears.
This particular room seemed to be one of Rando's personal sanctuaries, complete with bookshelves carved from shadow, a simple wooden table, and a few mismatched chairs. There was a utilitarian charm to the place, though it felt distinctly detached from the material world.
"Murugu, we've got visitors," Rando called, his voice carrying a casual air as he moved toward one of the walls.
The sound of flapping wings echoed moments later, and a small, dark bird darted into view. Its feathers were a glossy black, but its crimson eyes gleamed with mischievous intelligence. Both Koenma and Kurama blinked in unison, surprised by the unexpected sight.
"I didn't know you had a bird," Kurama remarked, tilting his head as he observed the creature.
"She found her way into one of my Hide and Seek spaces," Rando explained with a shrug, as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world. "No idea how she managed it, but once she was in, she couldn't get out. So, I figured, why not keep her?"
Koenma arched an eyebrow. "You... kept her?"
"She's useful. And amusing," Rando replied, his tone unapologetic. He glanced at the bird. "Murugu, meet the boss of the Spirit World."
Murugu flapped her wings, her crimson eyes fixating on Koenma. Her beak curled into something akin to a grin. "OH, LOOK AT THE SHORTY! HE'S LIKE A BABY!"
The room fell silent for a beat, save for the bird's giggling. Then, simultaneously, Rando and Koenma snapped: "WHO'S A SHORTY/BABY?!"
Their synchronized outburst startled even Murugu, who froze mid-flap. She glanced nervously between the two before Rando cleared his throat and shot her a stern glare.
"Murugu, strike one," he said flatly.
The bird immediately began sweating, her earlier bravado vanishing. "S-sorry!" she squawked. As she flew away to hide from the wrath of the white-haired yokai.
"She likes to mess around, but there are things she knows better than to say in my presence." Rando shook his head. "Some words are forbidden to be told over this place, and she's learning little by little. Anyway, let's talk about business."
Kurama allowed himself a faint smile at the odd dynamic but soon turned his attention back to Koenma, whose serious expression had returned.
"Now that we're here," Koenma began, his tone somber, "we can speak freely. The information I'm about to share must not reach the wrong ears. If it does, there could be disastrous consequences."
Kurama leaned forward slightly, his curiosity evident. "What is it you wish to discuss, Koenma?"
Rando led them to a modest table near the center of the room, where he fetched a bottle of soda from a shadowy refrigerator. Pouring drinks for Koenma and Kurama, he motioned for them to sit.
Koenma clasped his hands behind his back, pacing as he spoke. "This concerns Yusuke's next mission. It's a rescue operation involving a Snow Princess Yokai."
Rando, who had been mid-sip, paused. His crimson eyes slowly rose to meet Koenma's, a flicker of surprise breaking through his usual indifference.
Koenma continued, "My informant reports that an old businessman—a wealthy and influential human—has captured the yokai. He's been extracting her tears, which, as you may know, are incredibly valuable."
Kurama's typically composed demeanor faltered, his emerald eyes narrowing with unease. "This is deeply troubling. If someone has gone so far as to kidnap a member of the Ice Maiden Village, their intentions must be cruel. Her tears can only be obtained through suffering."
"Why do I have a feeling that it's gets worse? It's not like it's related to…"Rando leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, a shadow of suspicion darkening his expression. Rando had a good idea on who the person was, but to make things even more serious, he used all his acting to show how serious the situation was. "Tell me it's not her... Please don't tell me it's her."
Kurama blinked in confusion, glancing between Rando's sharp tone and Koenma's unnerving silence. The Spirit World prince avoided Rando's gaze, confirming the unspoken truth without a word.
"It's true," Koenma admitted, his voice subdued but steady. "It's her."
Rando let out a low, bitter laugh, though his sharp eyes betrayed no humor. "Of course it is." He straightened, his tone biting as he addressed Kurama. "You're going to love this. I could've made a riddle out of it—'the woman who gave birth to both fire demon boy and an ice demon princess.' The boy born of her encounter with a fire demon, and the girl born of her icy essence. But we don't have time for riddles. It's Hiei's sister."
The weight of Rando's revelation hung in the air like a thunderclap. Kurama's eyes widened in shock. "Hiei's sister?" His voice was barely a whisper, as if speaking it aloud might solidify the dire implications.
Rando nodded grimly. "And if Hiei hears even a whisper about where she is, he'll tear through the human world like a hurricane, leaving bodies in his wake. He won't stop until she's safe—and anyone standing in his way, human or otherwise, won't live to regret it."
Koenma crossed his arms, his expression heavy. "That's precisely why I called you both here. Hiei is on probation. The Spirit World cannot—and will not—tolerate him killing a human, no matter how vile the person may be. If Hiei breaks probation, it will throw everything into chaos. He's already been imprisoned once, and his actions would jeopardize the tenuous balance between the worlds."
Koenma's gaze sharpened as he addressed them. "Your mission is twofold: stall Hiei, and ensure Yusuke has the time he needs to rescue Yukina."
Rando's sharp laughter cut through the room again, tinged with disbelief. "You've lost your damn mind, Koenma. Stalling Hiei? The fastest, most stubborn yokai I've ever met? That's a suicide mission."
Kurama, ever the strategist, interjected. "Perhaps we could assign him another task, something to divert his attention from the human world."
"I don't believe Hiei would believe in that, there's only one thing he would want after a mission a reward. And there's nothing Hiei would want more than to find Yukinaaa…oh shit."Rando scoffed, running a hand through his silver hair. But suddenly his face looked serious as he felt a bad feeling, a shiver on spine, something that came on his mind, a very risky and stupid idea. "I know what he wants more than his sister location. But that's going to be the hardest thing we would ever do."
"What?" Koenma and Kurama asked as it seems they found a way to stall the time they would need.
"The cristal tear of his mother." Rando hesitated, visibly wrestling with the implications of what he was about to reveal. The room fell silent. Even the faint hum of energy within Rando's hidden space seemed to dull as the weight of his words settled over them. "Hiei was hunted because of that jewel, It's why he implanted the Jagan eye in the first place—to track it down. And before you ask, yes, I know where it is."
Koenma's expression tightened. "Something tells me it's in the last place we'd want to look."
Rando's lips curled into a grim smile. "You'd be right. It's with Mukuro."
Kurama stiffened, and even Koenma paled at the mention of her name. The weight of Rando's revelation struck like a hammer.
"Mukuro," Koenma repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "One of the Three Kings of Hell."
"Oh boy, this is going to be way more difficult than we ever thought," Koenma muttered, rubbing his temples. He was grateful for the security of the room they were in—one of the rare places where sensitive, confidential matters could be discussed without fear of prying eyes or eavesdroppers.
"How long do you estimate it will take Yusuke to rescue Hiei's sister?" Kurama asked, his tone measured but concerned.
"About one or two days," Koenma replied thoughtfully. A flicker of an idea crossed his mind, and he leaned forward. "Maybe we could use that to our advantage."
"I agree," Kurama said, catching on quickly. "If we send Hiei on a mission that seems important enough to him, something to distract him, it might buy us the time we need. We could even fabricate a lead on his mother's crystal tear. It would give him a single focus and keep him occupied."
Rando crossed his arms, his expression skeptical as he weighed their plan. "Sending Hiei off with a fake lead is one thing, but he can't go alone. If the mission is dangerous—and knowing him, it will be—he'll need backup."
Koenma shifted his gaze to Rando, his face serious. "Name your price."
Rando raised an eyebrow, a wry smirk forming on his lips. He had expected this. Over time, his contributions to the Spirit World had proven invaluable, but he wasn't one to work without compensation. He tilted his head slightly, letting the tension build before speaking. "I want access to locations or devices that can manipulate time."
Koenma blinked, his usually calm demeanor faltering for a moment. "Time manipulation?"
"Exactly. I know of sanctuaries in the Spirit World where time flows differently—places where one week outside equals just a day inside. A treasure for anyone serious about training. A Time Chamber."
Koenma leaned back in his chair, his expression turning somber. "That's rare knowledge. Even within the Spirit World, very few are aware of such places, and I don't recall any currently accessible chambers or devices with that capability."
Rando sighed, clearly displeased with the answer. "Fine," he said after a moment, "then I want a dedicated training ground with a concentrated spiritual energy field. Something similar to the site Genkai used during her trials. Since she doesn't allow us to use her grounds for training anymore, I want a place of my own."
Koenma considered the request for a moment before nodding. "That, I can arrange. There's a location that should meet your requirements."
Kurama, who had been silent during the exchange, couldn't hide his surprise. He blinked, glancing between Rando and Koenma. "That's... an interesting request," he remarked, though his tone hinted at curiosity.
Rando smirked. "Let's just say I like to value preparation. If we're going to deal with threats like this, I need a place where I can refine my techniques—and fast. And I think I'm not the only one for that."
Koenma nodded again, seemingly satisfied with the terms. "Then it's settled. I'll provide the information once this mission is complete. For now, let's focus on keeping Hiei occupied."
Kurama leaned back slightly, his mind already turning to how they would execute their plan. "I only hope the diversion is enough. If Hiei realizes we're deceiving him before Yusuke finishes the mission…"
Rando chuckled darkly. "If that happens, we'll have bigger problems than a rescue mission."
"Which means," Koenma interjected, "we need to lead him to the truth, but in a way that helps him understand he's not ready to face it yet."
Both Rando and Kurama nodded in agreement as Koenma continued, his tone firm. "Prepare your things. You two will accompany Hiei in Makai for three days. Do your best to make the mission as real as possible—and don't die. If you reach any area where the Three Kings see you as a nuisance, they won't hesitate to eliminate you."
The room fell silent, the gravity of the task pressing down on all of them like a suffocating weight.
Monday morning around the world, would reveal how life was a good opportunity for everyone to have a good time for school. On their ordinary and normal lives.
"WAKE UP, YOU'RE GOING TO GET LATE AGAIN!" The piercing shout echoed through the cramped apartment, accompanied by the sounds of hurried movements and the occasional crash. Inside, chaos reigned as one teenager scrambled to recover from yet another late start.
"I know, I'm going, Mom!" Yusuke shouted back, his voice groggy as he stumbled toward the door. When he finally yanked it open, his disheveled appearance betrayed his rushed departure. His dark hair stuck out in messy tufts, and his green uniform looked hastily thrown on, complete with unevenly fastened buttons. He yawned deeply, his body still catching up to the fact that he was awake.
Behind him, Atsuko's voice rang out again. "Hey, you forgot your suitcase!"
Before Yusuke could react, the said suitcase flew through the air with surprising accuracy, hitting him squarely on the back of his head. He winced, stumbling slightly before picking it up from the floor. Turning back toward his mother, he met her stern gaze.
"Go straight to school; did you hear me?" Atsuko said firmly, her hands on her hips as she stood in the doorway.
"Ugh, trust me," Yusuke muttered under his breath, scratching his nose. A cocky grin spread across his face as his sluggish demeanor finally gave way to his usual confidence.
Without another word, he took off running, his footsteps echoing down the hallway as he darted toward the street. Atsuko leaned against the doorframe, watching her son disappear into the distance.
A knowing smirk tugged at her lips as she imagined Yusuke's reaction when he inevitably met the person he's going to see at the school.
.
.
.
It didn't take long for Yusuke to finally reach the school. The corridors were mostly empty, the hum of distant conversations echoing faintly as a few students wandered in. Yusuke smirked to himself, satisfied that he'd managed to arrive before the bell rang. It was a rare win, and as he glanced around, he realized neither Keiko nor Kuwabara had made it to class yet.
"Perfect," Yusuke muttered under his breath, already plotting. This would be a prime opportunity to nap through the lesson and then slip out for some peace and quiet at his secret spot on campus. The idea of ditching class to bask in the luxury of doing absolutely nothing brought a lazy grin to his face.
Minutes later, the door creaked open, and in walked Kuwabara, his usual loud energy muted by the early hour. Not long after, Keiko entered as well, her presence bringing an air of calm to the room.
The trio exchanged casual greetings, grateful for a brief moment of normalcy. After the chaotic week they'd endured, it was refreshing to ease into the routine of school life again. The recent scandal involving one of the teachers had left the students abuzz with gossip. Rumors about the arrival of a new instructor were circulating, and Yusuke couldn't help but pity the principal. The guy wasn't perfect, but he clearly wasn't the source of the school's issues.
Still, Yusuke had a sinking feeling about whoever was coming in next. "Another pain in the ass, probably," he thought, slouching in his seat.
"Morning, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko," a voice called out suddenly, breaking their quiet conversation near the doorway.
The trio turned, blinking in confusion. None of them had noticed anyone enter. A soft fluttering sound followed, drawing their eyes to a figure striding confidently toward them. The boy with stark white hair carried a pole on his shoulder, a small bird perched atop it, its wings adjusting for balance.
"Morning, Rando…" they responded instinctively, only for a collective realization to hit them moments later.
"RANDO?!"
CLICK!
A bright flash blinded them momentarily, causing all three to flinch in surprise.
"GOT IT! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The bird on the pole cackled, its claw gripping a tiny camera as it captured the shocked expressions of the group.
Rando stood before them in a tailored suit and tie, his expression a mix of boredom and amusement. His polished appearance clashed sharply with the stunned chaos of the trio, who could do little more than gape at him in disbelief.
The yokai who normally roamed the world giving lectures to various institutions was now inexplicably standing in their school.
"Woah, woah, woah, stop the world—I want to step off. What are you doing here?" Yusuke demanded, watching as Rando adjusted the pole holding his bird companion near the blackboard. With a practiced air, Rando placed a stack of neatly organized folders on the desk at the front of the classroom.
"Yeah! Aren't you supposed to be lecturing in Argentina right now?" Kuwabara added, recalling the time Rando had boasted about his global teaching gigs. Even though Kuwabara knew the yokai had the ability to teleport anywhere on Earth, it was still surreal to see him standing in their classroom.
"I had to cancel the event," Rando replied, raising an eyebrow at the group. "Why, you ask? I've been hired to teach at a school that, oh, coincidentally, no longer has teachers. Care to guess which school that might be?"
Rando's raised eyebrows and deadpan expression only deepened Yusuke and Kuwabara's sense of disbelief. Their jaws hung open, rendering them temporarily speechless.
CLICK!
Another flash went off, capturing their stunned faces.
"Ugh… Wait a minute." Kuwabara rubbed his eyes, trying to clear the spots left from the camera's flash. Then, as the realization struck him, his face paled. "Oh no. Please don't tell me these pictures…"
"Shizuru promised to buy me all the food I want in exchange for these pictures," Murugu, the bird, chimed in gleefully, earning a blink of surprise from Keiko.
"Did… Did that bird just talk?" Keiko asked, looking between Murugu and Rando in confusion.
"Oh yeah. Keiko, Yusuke, this is Murugu," Rando said, gesturing casually toward the bird. "She's a spiritual bird. And yes, she can talk."
Before anyone could respond, Murugu flapped her wings and pecked at Rando's head.
"Hey, don't look down on me!" she squawked indignantly. "I can fly through the Spirit World, the Makai, and even the Human World all on my own!"
"Ugh, of course you do," Rando muttered, rolling his eyes.
Kuwabara, however, narrowed his eyes at the bird. "I can't believe you brought this bag of feathers with you," he grumbled.
"Oh, hello, Kuwabara the Virgin," Murugu replied in a sing-song tone, earning a glare so sharp it could cut through steel.
"Stop calling me that!" Kuwabara snapped.
"Then maybe you shouldn't have eaten my slice of pizza. It was mine!" Murugu retorted, sparks practically flying between their eyes as their staredown escalated.
"Err… Should I—"
"Please don't ask," Yusuke interjected, cutting off Keiko's attempt to clarify the bizarre exchange.
Rando clapped his hands, commanding their attention. "Alright, enough. Go to your seats. Class starts in 30 minutes."
Yusuke and Keiko exchanged bemused glances before heading to their desks. Kuwabara gave Murugu one last glare, muttering under his breath as he begrudgingly made his way to his seat. Murugu, looking smug, perched triumphantly on the pole, her tail feathers swaying as if she had just won a grand debate.
Rando leaned back against the desk, exuding a calm authority that contrasted sharply with the absurdity of the scene. For him, this was just another day. For the trio, however, it was shaping up to be anything but normal.
.
.
.
The students were on their seats, as many of them couldn't believe in their eyes, as it feels like a teenager, smaller than them, wearing a suit and writing the name on the blackboard. He didn't seem phazed or distracted by the sounds of mumblings coming towards the class. Murugu was happy as she was giving a small rest on the pole the boy brought with him.
At the time, the white-haired person finished writing the name on the board. The person placed the hands behind his back.
"Alright class, some of you may now know me, but I think it was properly for me to present myself in front of you all." Rando commented as he used his finger to point at the name over the board. "My name is Rando Zorudikku, and I have been a teacher across the world after some time. I spent most of my days travelling across the world to give my teachings for people across Europe and America for some time. I have graduated from Harvard, the prestige university of the United States, and I have been recommended to give the teachings for each of you."
The group blinked in silence, as they never thought to hear over how much the boy in front of them had been an actual professor, to the point he came from the exterior. While Kuwabara, Keiko, Yusuke, and even a few friends of Kuwabara actually knew about him telling about his job, which means he had been serious over the presentation.
"I know many of you would like to make some questions, but I won't answer them today, only a few days." Rando explained as the group stared at him, inquiring something as he gave another explanation. "The school will still be in construction for a few more days since the windows needed to be replaced on the first floor. And as a way to pay for you students who had to deal with the stress of the last week events about the vandalism happening across the town. The exam that was supposed to happen in a few days had been canceled. As a way for all of you to enjoy a few more days of resting."
A large number of students cheered at the sudden good news, but still, a few students who had been studying nonstop couldn't help but have some complains about it.
"I know that for some of you it may be annoyed for wasting all your time and effort into trying to make you all above the ranks over the students, and I respect the feeling; however the frustrations of such a rank of the educational student, I don't give a damn about it." Then the words were said, which made the entire group stare in shock at Rando, who simply rolled his eyes. "As a way to tell more about myself, I will tell what each of you kids should have known since a long time ago... the educational ranking system is flawed... And as much as you want to try to fight and be the number one of the school, when you graduate and try to get a job, some don't even care about the rank you are. That's the reality. And what matters most around finding a job is connections."
"Connections?" The group of kids asked as the teacher simply explained as he sat on the table.
"Charisma, important people you know, networking; no matter how much you study, if you don't have usually these three, then kids, you would never pass the ground of trying to reach a great job in the company." Rando explained as he walked around the middle of the class. "Meritocracy, this is how usually the world lives; the rich people will always get richer, while the poor people mostly don't have the good opportunities over the world. Don't look at me like that, because deeply inside of your hearts, and even asking your parents about... that's the truth. You want to have a different life? Then meet the right people, be charismatic, and then you have better chances than actually trying to believe only studies but not having an idea on how to talk around the interview. You would be eliminated with a false promise. 'We will contact you,' trust me, these are the words of: I will not remember you in a few minutes. Have a good day, loser."
The students glanced at the teacher, who just shrugged off everything the kids learned about their lives, as he didn't seem to care about telling the actual subjects of the school.
"Well, while you all are going to learn the principles of things like geography, history, grammar, math, and science." Rando explained as he went over the blackboard and decided to go further. "I will actually teach you things that you will remember for the rest of your life, facts and curiosities that you will be telling that will actually be important to you, than the actual I will just study that to pass in the test and I will forget everything in a few days. That's useless knowledge, so why should I be focusing on that if it's not the focus of your future career?"
"But I want to be an accountant." One of the students said as Rando nodded his head.
"If you want to be an accountant, I can teach you how to use their equipment, how they would be using their calculators to help them administrate the money of some company." Rando explained as the boy had his eyes wide open in surprise. "If your focus is on going to learn a career, then you should know how to use the tools they would provide for your work and not teach all the biggest math calculations in head; you want to be an accountant, not a physicist."
"Everyone wants to work at their dream career, and I can teach you how to reach it. However, I will tell the obstacles and challenges and be realistic with all of you. I won't give a white lite or anything silly; I will be blunt and tell every obstacle you are going to suffer and everything you would need to study." Rando explained as he passed across the class and saw a picture of the moon. "Astronaut? You would need military training to be able to sustain hundreds, if not thousands, of punches since the pressure of the space would make you pass out easily, and while the view of the space would be amazing... what the people aren't telling you is the fact everyone who came from the space was messed up, the lack of gravity on the space would let you without a proper way of exercising your body, and the system of your own body would be a mess. If you have the opportunity in the future, take a look on the picture of austronats before and after their space trip, you will be horrified at how old they looked and how messed they must be."
The group watched the yokai pass every single one of them.
"Also, you should be aware of another reality: racism. Each country had its own version of racism, and many spaceships came from the USA or Russia; can you imagine they let a single person from Japan try to use their spaceship? No, they wouldn't let the opportunity to give pride of their own country to a person of another country." Rando explained as he gave another hard brick for the students who wanted to even imagine the possibility of going to space crash upon them. "I won't lie, you can study all you want and have better opportunities in your life, but before you think about your dreams, make sure to understand one thing. Have some common sense. The reality isn't wonderful like the dreams, and it will take blood, sweat, and tears for you to achieve some of your dreams."
The group remained quiet, as even Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Keiko never thought they would see Rando give straight facts and make such an impact over the class. Even Murugu remained quiet as he was doing the lesson of the class.
"Well, while I'm telling you about the reality. I will give you class that actually matters in your life. First Aid, Tax Calculations... trust me, your parents would love you learn this to help them at your home, I'm going to teach English, Spanish, German, Russian, Portuguese, Italy and any other languages. At the time Rando commented, everyone had their eyes wide open in surprise. "You guys may be wondering why, well, learning other languages is a good way to understand the culture but also a good opportunity to explore the world. I have a trip to Miami in 2 months, and with that good time I can teach you all enough to have the conversation around the natives."
"Hawaii is better." Murguu said as Rando gave a glance at the bird while he rolled his eyes.
"We will go to Hawaii in case they request me on their country." Rando explained as the group of students were getting more and more shocked. "Anyway, Miami, there's a good part of the Cuban culture as the same way from the United States, which I will be glad to teach you all, but to not mess up on this trip, I will be sure to teach all of you how to speak English and Spanish properly."
"But that's not possible; there's no way we can learn other languages in just a few months." One of the students commented as the teacher simply rolled his eyes. "It take years to be able to master one language; it's i-"
"It's because you all had been focusing on learning things from your own language, never actually giving effort into learning subjects by reading other languages." Rando explained as he walked outside, just to then bring with him a large bag of books. "You are not just underestimating your ability to learn, but you are also looking down at my ability to teach. And when I say you all have potential to learn from my classes, I'm giving my word that all of you will learn; even as many of you will struggle, I guarantee... your life will change for the better into ways you wouldn't believe. And now before I start calling for the class names and tell about the classes I will be giving. I'm giving all of you a book for you all to read during these 3 days."
The students groaned annoyed with the homework they were about to have.
"Well, if you guys don't want to know the path of being millionaires, then suit yourselves." Then Rando gave a small smirk, which immediately brought the attention of all the class. "Rich father, poor father, is a great book for everyone who wants to start their lives knowing about how they are losing all the money and what they should be doing to have more money in their hands. I know a lot of people who got millionaires by creating an enterprise from the ground by using this. I translated it in Japanese for everyone, but in the future some of the new books will be on their native language, and people interested in getting ready for reality and the future are free to request to read."
The students looked curious as each book was passed over the boys and girls.
"You have 3 days to read the book, and for homework… you have to resume the book in 40 words." Rando then gave the homework to everyone, and they had their eyes wide open in surprise at the absurd request for homework. "Trust me, resume a whole book in 40 words or less? It's something that you may be struggling. Since once you start reading you may want to take notes about a lot of things, but then when you read the book you are going to be beating yourself on the wall trying to figure out with your own words... why I should recommend this book to another person? Yeah, these 40 words will be your way to use the charisma to recomendate the book for anyone. Some jobs do interviews of you trying to sell a product or even the book for them, so your homework is... convince me on why I should be buying this book from you in 40 words."
The students looked at the teacher as now they found another way of getting homework and something they weren't even sure on how to reply to him.
"Well, never mind that. Let's focus on the now. I'm going to call the names of the students, and everyone who is here, I want you all to raise your hand and say here." Rando took the clipboard as he was staring at the names of all the students in the class. "Aikoi Tsukushima."
"Here,"
"Akioshi Tabata,"
"Here"
.
.
.
Yusuke couldn't believe how things were now. As the time he met Rando and he learned he was a teacher, he always thought he would be going international and dealing with his own projects, but seeing him giving class on his school and with him in the class, he could see why Rando was the big deal; the yokai was telling straight facts, and he couldn't help but see the painful look from Keiko and Kuwabara at the times he told the truth in a way he didn't know about it.
Heck, he was even interested to know what the hell the book was about and the way they would have 3 days off? It was a good way to rest since he was legally ditching the school for a few days, which was good for the rebuild of the place. Since the Suzaku incident.
He couldn't help but understand why Rando was telling people people would ask him to be the teacher across the world; he was telling the truth that many would never tell and was giving lessons that many would want to take. A lesson on how to make money? Who wouldn't want that?
At least he could have a few days to enjoy without something regard to the spiritual world.
"Botan Zorudikku." Then came the name, which made Yusuke's eyes wide open. As the group looked around as they heard the name, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Keiko had their eyes wide open. "Botan Zorudikku."
"Oh oh, your little sister is in trouble." Murugu sang as the students had their eyes wide open as they could see the white-haired teacher looking annoyed.
"First day of school, and she does that." Rando said as he wrote something on the clipboard. "This is embarrassing beyond words. Chojiro Tsubasa."
"Here…"
Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at each other in surprise, as they didn't know Botan was supposed to be in class.
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.
.
As the class ended, each of the students was saying goodbye to the teacher while even patting and greeting Murugu, who liked attention.
Yusuke and Kuwabara were about to leave when suddenly a voice came to bring their attention.
"Yusuke, Kuwabara, would you two follow me?" Rando's voice made the duo stop as he passed by them and called for the Murugu to say the final goodbyes for the kids before he would return and take her home.
The duo walked behind him as they walked in the direction where the trio were alone in one of the rooms.
"Okay, what's about Rando?" Yusuke asked as he placed both his hands in his pocket, until he saw Rando taking a white VHS tape with him.
"Before any of you have some kind of idea. You have a new mission, Yusuke," Rando explained as he gave the tape to Yusuke, who was surprised by the statement. "Koenma asked me to give this tape to you as he was going to explain the next mission. These 3 days will be enough for you and Kuwabara do the mission."
"Hey, hey, I don't want to get involved on this spiritual thing an-"
"Kuwabara, trust me, you will want to be part of this; at the time you watch the VHS, it's a mission for both of you." Rando commented as he could see Yusuke blinking at him.
"Wait, wait, wait, you're not going with us? No way I'm going around the problems without you having a backup." Yusuke said as he was about to complain about the mission, but Rando raised his hand.
"Yusuke, Koenma gave me a mission to my own. And it's one way more important than yours. I hope you understand the seriousness of my task in hands." Rando explained as he pointed on the white tape. "My mission is to make sure your mission wouldn't be screwed by one problem, one problem I need to be take care of. The video you have in your hands is a secret that nobody other than Koenma knows, and my mission is to make sure to remain like that. 3 days I won't be in the human world. But I will be on Makai."
"Wait you're going to hell?" Yusuke and Kuwabara asked in surprise as the yokai nodded his head.
"Yes… I know you both are going to be fine; since you have been training a little more Kuwabara, you still need to learn more about your control, but that would take time, but I'm glad you're learning the proper way of Enhancement." Rando nodded his head as Kuwabara looked annoyed.
"Using rocks to smash rocks without destroying one is absurd training, but I can see myself controlling my spiritual energy around my body now." Kuwabara confessed as he could see Rando nodding his head at him.
"You also should be trying to do that kind of training, Yusuke," Rando explained as he could see the boy about to complain. "It's not my responsibility to give some training, and since I didn't see you around, it's not my problem; you should talk to Genkai about it. But anyway, I will be on my way. And good luck."
And with that, the duo couldn't see Rando simply leaving the room, as they seem to try to follow him, but at the time they saw Rando walking back at the class, and with Keiko appearing from nowhere asking their day, they suddenly went to see the classroom, empty... without neither the teacher nor the bird who once were there.
Yusuke looked annoyed, but then gave a glance at Kuwabara.
"Do you have a VHS on your house, don't you, Kuwabara?" Yusuke asked as Keiko blushed.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TWO ARE GOING TO BE PERVERTS LIKE THAT." Keiko screeched as Yusuke and Kuwabara now were having a bit of trouble trying to explain to Keiko about the new mission in hands, while leaving a confusion of being misunderstood so easily.
"THAT'S NOT WHAT LOOKS LIKE." Both boys shouted as they ignored the group of students who suddenly saw the trio talking over a white VSH.
As soon as Rando stepped into his Hide and Seek, the faint glow of the room's runic wards illuminated his figure. Murugu, his ever-energetic bird yokai companion, was already flitting around, her black feathers glistening under the dim light. She landed on the edge of a nearby table, her wings flapping excitedly.
"Good, good! I can't wait to go around Makai! Do you think the mission will be a success?" she chirped, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Rando didn't immediately reply, instead unbuttoning his suit jacket and hanging it on the closet while taking out his tie. He rummaged through a set of clothes he was looking for, a set of lighter, more flexible clothing suited for the harsh and unpredictable terrain of Makai. The rough fabric of the tunic felt foreign to him, a stark reminder that this mission would take him to places he'd rather avoid. But still using the traditional art of style of martial arts that he had been so proud of learning across the time he was around the world.
Sliding the tunic over his head, he finally addressed Murugu, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of resignation. "Our focus is to make sure Hiei stays in Makai for three days. That's the bare minimum. To do that, we'll need to gather as much information as possible—every lead, every whisper of what's happening in the region. We might have to split up to cover ground. Survival comes first, but the mission comes a close second."
Murugu tilted her head, processing his words before puffing out her chest confidently. "Got it! Gather intel, avoid trouble, and if things get dicey, run like hell. Oh, and if you die, can I laugh at your funeral?" Her cheerful tone contrasted sharply with the grim subject matter, a trait Rando had come to expect—and, on some level, appreciate.
Rando shot her a withering look, though his lips twitched in amusement despite himself. "You'd be the first and last one to laugh, I'm sure," he replied dryly, fastening a belt around his waist where several small pouches dangled and walking around the set of weapons that he looked across the world. He would need to be prepared for any kind of unpredictable fight that he would be in hell.
Murugu fluttered over to his shoulder, her claws gripping lightly. "I'm just saying, you've got a knack for making things interesting. But hey, you're good at not dying, so I'll hold back—for now."
He let out a soft snort and adjusted his gloves, his mind already running through the various scenarios they might face. The mere thought of entering Makai, with its volatile energy and dangerous inhabitants, was enough to send a chill down his spine. He hadn't ventured there before, and the stories he'd heard were enough to make even seasoned yokai hesitant. The two locked eyes briefly, an unspoken understanding passing between them.
"Alright," Murugu said, finally breaking the silence. "Let's do this."
Rando nodded, slinging a small pack over his shoulder. The preparation was done. Now all that remained was the mission itself—a task that would test not only their wits and strength but also their ability to navigate the treacherous alliances and dangers of Makai.
As they exited the Hide and Seek, the faint glow of the wards faded behind them. As he walked outside of the Spiritual world, reaching the office of Mr. Koenma... Rando looked at the baby boss before turning his head to his spiritual bird. With a flicker of determination in his blue eyes.
"This is going to be hell," he muttered under his breath, as he could see the giggle of the demonic bird on his side.
"And you wouldn't have it any other way." Murugu, perched securely on his shoulder, gave a mischievous grin.
As the duo could see the solemn look of the boss of the spiritual world, the legendary thief, and the black-haired fire yokai waiting for him.
It was the time for the mission.