Chapter 160: Kira
"Carry on with your training; I'm just here to observe," Chiya said to the group.
He then moved to an inconspicuous corner to watch the proceedings. However, as long as he was present, even the most obscure corner became the center of everyone's attention. The students, in particular, didn't dare slack off, all wanting to appear as diligent and hardworking as possible.
The training schedule consisted of forty minutes of exertion followed by twenty minutes of rest. During this break, students in various groups chatted amongst themselves.
"So that's our Head Coach? It's the first time I've seen him in all these days. Who would have thought he'd be a guy who looks about the same age as us?"
"Don't let his age fool you—look at those SSS-rank Devil Hunter shoulder patches. Rumor has it there are only a handful of SSS-ranks in the entire country, and one of them is actually our Head Coach!"
"An SSS-rank Devil Hunter our age? That's just insane! Meanwhile, we haven't even qualified as bottom-tier D-rank hunters, have we?"
"It's not just the Head Coach; the Deputy Head Coach and several other trainers are quite young, too. Most of them are SS-rank, but it's clear the Head Coach is the youngest of them all."
"..."
Because the Head Coach was far younger than they had imagined, the discussion was quite lively. His handsome, refined features looked slightly youthful, yet his demeanor carried a sense of composure and maturity that belied his age, while his blood-red eyes added a layer of authority. Most importantly, the shoulder patches symbolizing an SSS-rank Devil Hunter ensured that even with his youth, Chiya commanded respect from everyone.
"Reze and Kobeni are both in the group you're leading. Reze goes without saying, but how is Kobeni doing?" Chiya asked Shingetsu, who was standing by his side.
"Most of the time, Kobeni's performance is very mediocre, but she erupts with astonishing power at critical moments. She's impossible to figure out," Shingetsu replied.
"That sounds like Kobeni. She needs rigorous training so she can tap into that potential more consistently," Chiya noted.
He continued to discuss other students with Shingetsu, offering advice tailored to different situations. Of course, for those students who were clearly slacking off from the start, they would be warned once or twice; if they didn't change their ways, their status as specialized students would be revoked. Even though these students could eventually choose not to become Devil Hunters, they had to endure the necessary hardships; otherwise, this specialized program would be meaningless.
When the break ended, the instructors prepared the students for physical training.
"Next is physical conditioning. We did three kilometers the day before yesterday and four kilometers yesterday, so today's task is five kilometers. It's best to proceed step-by-step at the beginning, and we will gradually increase the intensity later."
"Same as before: you can run fast or slow, just work within your limits—but you cannot walk. If your body truly can't handle it, tell your instructor. Naturally, the instructors will also be monitoring your condition at all times."
"Once you've finished, you are free to disperse. Don't try to cheat or cut corners; don't underestimate the instructors' eyes. You may begin."
Most of the instructors used similar instructions. Soon, the students began running laps on the indoor track.
Chiya was in his study reviewing documents when he suddenly received a call from Chairman Jiang.
"Hello, Chairman Jiang?"
"Young friend Chiya, there's a high school girl who calls herself Kira. She's demanding to become an official Devil Hunter and join your team. Do you know her?"
Upon hearing this, Chiya fell silent for a moment.
"…She is someone I know. I'll head over there now."
"There's no need to trouble yourself, young friend. Since you know her, I'll approve her application shortly. As for her team placement, I'll leave that to your discretion."
After hanging up, Chiya insisted on going to the Devil Hunter Association anyway. Who knew what kind of trouble Kira was stirring up there? He couldn't set his mind at ease.
The next second, Chiya used Kamui to teleport himself to the Shanghai Devil Hunter Association. It had been many days since his battle with the Darkness Devil; his body and ocular powers had long since recovered.
At this moment, Kira seemed to be preparing to sign a contract with Chairman Jiang. Once signed, she would officially be an employee.
"Young friend Chiya? You got here so fast?"
Chairman Jiang was taken aback to see him. He had just hung up with Chiya moments ago. Although he was aware of Chiya's abilities, seeing it firsthand was still startling.
"Apologies, Chairman Jiang. I need to have a word with her first."
Chiya stated his intention, then caught Kira by the wrist and said in a calm tone, "Come out with me for a second."
Kira offered no resistance, following Chiya out of the Chairman's study. Chiya led her to a deserted corner of a hallway, a blind spot with no surveillance or listening devices.
"Famine Devil, what exactly are you playing at?" Chiya asked.
"..."
Kira remained expressionless and did not respond. It seemed that because Chiya hadn't used her preferred name, she had no intention of engaging with him.
"Kira?"
Chiya tried again, but she still didn't reply.
Note: To clarify the translation nuance—in the original Japanese manga, the Famine Devil refers to herself as "Kiga-chan," which translates to "Little Famine." The Chinese localization often uses "Kira" (a phonetic translation of 'famine'), but if one addresses her directly as "Kira," it's essentially calling her "Famine," which she dislikes. To get her attention, one must use her preferred diminutive.
Chiya quickly caught on. "Kiga chan, that works, doesn't it?"
"I am hungry, but I currently have no human currency. Since I am cooperating with you, I cannot expose my identity as a Devil to rob anyone, so I have no choice but to find a job to earn money. To my knowledge, being a Devil Hunter is a profession where it is relatively easy to make money."
Kira didn't offer any superfluous words, answering Chiya's previous question directly.
"Fine then..."
The reason caught Chiya off guard. For one of the Four Horsemen to be forced into becoming a Devil Hunter just to fill her stomach was somewhat dramatic—though, in fairness, the primary reason was that he hadn't allowed her to expose her true nature.
"If you want to earn money, then go ahead and be a Devil Hunter."
"As for your hunger, I'll treat you to something to eat later."
"Also, I won't have as much paperwork to deal with in a couple of days. We'll take a trip to Hell then; I want to find the Control Devil as soon as possible."