[AFTERNOON – CLASSROOM 3B]
Noah was having a good day.
He had eaten three melon breads. He had finished his homework (mostly). And best of all, nobody had tried to sell him weird invisible insurance from a rooftop.
He leaned back in his chair.
"Hey, Lilly," he whispered. "Maybe my luck is turning around."
Lilly didn't answer. She was staring at the window.
Outside, in the hallway, a large shadow was pacing back and forth.
It was Daisuke "The Tank" Tanaka. The senior bully from the cafeteria.
He was standing guard.
Every time a student tried to walk past Classroom 3B, Daisuke would glare at them, crack his knuckles, and point silently to the "Quiet Please" sign he had taped to the wall.
"Noah," Lilly hissed. "Why is Tanaka outside?"
Noah looked. "Oh! That's the guy I gave the token to. Maybe he wants to return it?"
"He's acting like a sentry," Lilly said. "He's securing the perimeter."
"That's nice of him," Noah said. "School safety is important."
[HALLWAY – OUTSIDE]
Daisuke Tanaka was sweating.
The gold coin burned in his pocket.
The Boss gave me the Seal, Daisuke thought, panic racing through his mind. He trusted ME. A low-level thug like me.
He remembered the way Noah had tossed it. Casual. Careless.
It was a test, Daisuke realized. If I keep it safe, I ascend. If I lose it, I die.
A student from Class 3C walked by, chewing gum loudly.
Daisuke stepped in his path.
"Spit it out," Daisuke growled.
"W-What?"
"The chewing. It disturbs the Boss's concentration."
"What boss? You mean Sato?"
Daisuke grabbed the student by the collar.
"Do not speak His Name without honorifics," Daisuke whispered terrifyingly. "Now walk. Softly."
The student ran away on tiptoes.
Daisuke nodded. Perimeter secure.
[AFTER SCHOOL – SHOE LOCKERS]
Noah opened his shoe locker.
It was clean.
Usually, there was dust. Sometimes a spider.
Today, it sparkled. His indoor shoes were perfectly aligned. And there was a single, fresh rose placed on top.
"Uh..." Noah blinked.
"I took the liberty of polishing them, Sir," a deep voice rumbled behind him.
Noah turned. Daisuke was standing there, bowing.
"Oh! Hey, Daisuke," Noah said cheerfully. "You didn't have to do that."
"Nonsense," Daisuke said. "A leader must walk on clean ground."
Noah scratched his head.
(Is he practicing for a butler cafe? That's actually a good part-time job. Pays well.)
"Thanks," Noah said. "So, about that coin..."
Daisuke stiffened. He dropped to one knee right there in the busy entrance hall.
Students gasped. Phones came out.
"I have guarded it with my life!" Daisuke declared loudly. "No one has touched it! I wrapped it in silk!"
He pulled out a handkerchief. Inside was the Serpent Seal.
Noah sighed.
"Dude, keep it. Seriously. It's yours."
Daisuke looked up, tears in his eyes.
"You... you allow me to carry the burden?"
"It's just a coin, man. Don't make it weird."
"Understood!" Daisuke shouted. "I shall not make it weird! I shall make it LEGENDARY!"
Noah walked away. "Okay, cool. See you tomorrow."
[CONTROL ROOM – INTELLIGENCE REPORT]
"New asset confirmed," the analyst sighed. "Daisuke Tanaka. 18 years old. Delinquent history."
"Status?"
"Loyalty: Absolute. Threat Level: Increased."
The Commander rubbed his eyes.
"Why is the Threat Level increased? He's just a high school bully."
"Because," the analyst said, pointing to the screen, "Tanaka just made a call."
[THE CALL]
Daisuke stood behind the gym. He held his phone with trembling hands.
"Dad?"
"Daisuke? Why are you calling? I'm busy."
"Dad," Daisuke said, his voice shaking with awe. "I found Him."
"Found who?"
"The One. The Serpent. I have the Seal."
Silence on the other end.
Then, a terrified whisper.
"Do not lie to me, boy."
"I'm not lying. He gave it to me. He bought me melon bread."
"He... fed you?"
"Yes."
"That is the Pact of Bread," his father whispered. "An ancient rite."
"Dad... call the uncles. Call the cousins. Tell them the Throne is filled."
[NEXT MORNING – SCHOOL GATE]
Noah arrived at school yawning.
"Lilly," he said. "I had a weird dream. I dreamt there were a bunch of guys in suits standing outside the school."
Lilly stopped walking.
She pointed.
"Noah."
"Yeah?"
"Look."
Noah looked up.
Lining the school wall—from the gate to the corner—were twenty men in black suits.
Rough men. Men with scars and tattoos hidden under their collars. They stood in perfect silence.
When Noah approached, Daisuke stepped forward from the line.
"Morning, Boss!" Daisuke shouted.
The twenty men bowed in unison. Ninety degrees.
"GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT SATO!"
The shout echoed through the neighborhood. Birds flew away. Students dropped their bags.
Noah stood there, holding his juice box.
"..."
He looked at Lilly.
"Is this a flash mob?" Noah asked. "Are they gonna dance?"
Lilly put her face in her hands.
"No, Noah. They're not going to dance."
Noah sipped his juice.
"Well," he said. "As long as they don't block the entrance. Nana hates traffic."
He walked through the line of yakuza.
"Morning," he said politely to a man with a missing pinky.
"Morning, Sir!" the man squeaked, sweating profusely.
Noah entered the school.
The men remained outside, guarding the gate.
The Legend of Noah Sato had officially begun. And all it cost was one melon bread.