Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

Punching Through Walls Is Romantic (1.3)

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Neo San Kyoto, Hiyo Clan Complex, at 9AM PST.

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The Hiyo Clan’s complex was impressive. Located outside of Neo San Kyoto next to a lake surrounded by mountains, it was extremely defensible with only one road leading in that diverted from a highway. They had a light cargo rail next to a warehouse for trucks to come in and offload goods. Cars that came in and out were inspected before and after going through a tunnel that could be collapsed to seal the place off, and for anyone who wanted to come from the skies, they apparently had two separate SAM sites with two different command centers.

Why go through all the effort?

Primarily, because even though it was owned and operated by the Hiyo Clan, the valley was the location of a ninja school. After clans were satisfied by the training of their next generation, they took the best and sent them out here. The heirs to the clan rubbed elbows with other heirs, while their attendants from the clan looked for prospective marriages and good stock to bring in.

Meanwhile, they were also taught more advanced ninja techniques, got personalized weapons developed for their fighting style, and were instructed on how to use and counter magic. Then, once they passed their first four years, they were put into squads led by elite ninja on staff in operations against demons, evil organizations, cults, and more. The last two years gave them a chance to learn on the field while watched over by someone skilled and capable.

A million dollars in tuition each semester. Three semesters a year. Six total years.

Eighteen million dollars total for someone to go from a decent ninja to someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best around the world.

Honestly, given the fact that the high tiers of ninjas could be used to fight back and seal evil gods or malevolent entities from other dimensions, it was a steal.

Most governments would pay eighteen million just to put down a couple dozen armed insurgents!

Eighteen million to train someone capable of putting an eldritch horror that can eat a country back in its box?

That’s a steal.

Anyway, I was thinking of saving up for tuition as an independent once I reached fourteen, but that was two years from then.

So, I was looking at the curriculum while waiting outside the dean’s office.

Who also happened to be the Hiyo Clan’s matriarch.

The door opened just as I finished the introduction portion of the magazine.

“Kaa—the clan’s matriarch—has agreed to my project.” The door closed behind Asakura. Someone of my standing wasn’t about to meet with the head of an entire clan and the head of one of the most eminent training centers in the world. It’d be like a hired thug off the street getting time to meet with the head of West Point, if the head of West Point also happened to come from a heroic bloodline. “But no official support from the clan, and funding shall be what we can seize.”

“Makes sense. You were betrayed by your long-term partner in the middle of a mission. That means there are traitors.” I followed her while a grimace formed on her lips. With flowing robes in white and red over her bodysuit, she almost looked presentable.

Almost because the neckline still went to her vacuum-sealed belly button, and there were no sides to the robes at all. Side boob. Side ass. Underboob. Underbutt. Inner thighs. Cleavage. Reading the curriculum and seeing all the defenses really almost allowed me to forget this world was made for depraved and debauched fantasies.

“The clan head said that I’ll be feigning needing to recover in a remote clinic, as though I were defiled like others who failed.” The words were bitter. I could bet that the heiress didn’t like the thought of a fake failure as a cover. How did the saying go? Build bridges, help the community, and live an accomplished life, but if you drunkenly fuck a goat once, that’s all people will remember. “We have six months before I return and showcase that it was all a sham. In that time, we’ll investigate every lead and kill everyone involved.”

“Nice. Sounds good.” At this point, a normal mercenary would haggle about pay, but the Hiyo Clan had deep pockets. Not to mention the fact that this was all hush-hush. The premiums involved spoke for themselves. So, there was only one thing to ask. “Any chance we’re fighting more than just orcs and regular people?”

“The data in the laptops point towards two key figures leading the organization. The humans are largely patsies who have been lured by money, much like the orcs. One is a powerful vampire, and the other is a troll.” I gave a whistle. Those were two heavy hitters with strong regeneration and legendary toughness. However, it also made sense why they targeted the Hiyo Clan. “They targeted me and the Clan because of our successes against them. They cannot stand the fact that we’ve all but nearly ousted them from the western coast.”

Both trolls and vampires were relatively weak to fire, let alone the concentrated plasma that the Hiyo’s elites threw around. Regenerating from ash was well beyond their ability.

Figures that they would target the heiress of the clan.

“Never fought either one, and I don’t like my odds against them, but if you let me loose on their human organization, they’ll start sending elites to protect them. That’s less you’ll have to deal with taking them down.” It was a typical divide and conquer strategy. Hiyo gave a quick nod at it, not at all surprised since ‘ninjas’ didn’t hesitate to use anything at their disposal. More than a couple clans genetically modified themselves and used combat drugs and were considered good guys. Those who actively bred monster genes into their lineages were considered honorable for being willing to sacrifice themselves. “Just give me addresses, and I’ll start hitting them.”

Going all over Neo Kyoto smashing enemy bases sounded really fun.

“The plan is sound, but let us establish a firm foundation first. Come along.” Hiyo waved for me to follow, and I did. We reached an elevator, and she pressed the alarm button and held it for a few seconds. The light flickered, and then she pressed the buttons in sequence. The number display lit up and showcased B2, despite the fact there were only four floor buttons. One each for 1st to 4th. I’d say it was clever, but if someone wrenched the elevators open, they could just rappel down. “Have you entered the other side before?”

“The Mirror Realm?”

Hiyo grimaced but nodded at my words.

“It is the realm of the supernatural when long ago a united organization of humanity’s defenders cleaved the world in half.” If there was anything to be said about this world’s humanity, it was that it fought hard when push came to shove. Sure, there was depravity and debauchery wherever you looked, and plenty of corruption… but threats to all humanity were dealt with harshly. A couple dozen organizations could fall apart, wiped off the planet by some plan that would make a god of pleasure blush, but another will take their place soon enough. “The magical races and peoples went to a parallel our sorceress found empty and connected to our world. There they would live in peace and no longer interfere with us.”

“I heard of it. It’s the perfect place to hide, but there are also a lot of threats, right?”

“Correct. We will be going into a city that acts as a gateway between our realm and the supernatural called Trespass.” I nodded and listened as we left the lift and faced a torii gate. It was covered in seals and guarded by stone familiars whose eyes followed both me and Hiyo until she produced a wooden block with her family’s crest and threw it towards the gate. The statues came alive, not facing us, but towards the gate. They were stone, but they were weapons of enchanted steel. “We will go there, contact one of Mother’s old friends, and base ourselves in her domicile. From that safehouse, we will be able to go to Neo Kyoto through a gate and pursue our foes.”

For a spur-of-the-moment plan after a kidnapping, this was a pretty good setup. I could only guess that a situation like this was anticipated. A ‘lost’ talented ninja was recovered, but instead of just bringing her in, they could base her somewhere no one would look. From there, she can hunt whoever harmed her.

Or, it could just be an escape plan with a safehouse at the end that could be used as a weapon.

Either way, I didn’t see a reason to refuse.

“Alright, then. Let’s head on in. I’ll leave the talking to you.”

Hiyo frowned and nodded at my words, looking towards the whirling purple gate ahead of us while summoning her courage and willpower to move forward.

From rescue to enemy territory with only a vague promise that our contact was an ally, all for the sake of putting down those who wronged her.

She had guts.

Hopefully, this wasn’t all a setup for some meme instant loss scenario.

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Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

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Crooked alleys leading into dead ends.

Eyes peering between shutters and storm drains.

The sweet scent of cloying perfume and refuse.

Trespass was a sprawling metropolis that lingered between realms.

In crystal spires were those who could tunnel into other realms and even alter the past and future of worlds without protectors. So great is their power and influence that they have toyed casually with other worlds and even acted as gods on a whim.

Meanwhile, the downtrodden from both the mirror realm and the human realm flow into the guts of their city. Prey for those who ply the trade of flesh. Humans desire the flesh of the supernatural, and human flesh is a prized delicacy. There are many meat shops in Trespass, but few serve cattle, pigs, or poultry.

It was a realm in which I held up my guard, upon which I strode in the shadows with my hand on my sword’s hilt, and killing intent plain for all to see.

Yet, I was an outsider that drew many eyes.

Meanwhile, the child I brought with me walked whilst whistling.

His bloodied hatchet was in one hand, while the other examined the purse he’d taken from the man who tried to steal him after he stepped out of my range for a second.

That fool hadn’t realized the child had done so on purpose.

It had been a single moment.

Barely a blink between a pair of arms lurching out of the shadows beyond my sword’s reach.

The next moment there was a thud, a monster dragged out of the shadows, and then a gleaming axe head descending through a skull with ease.

He took the man’s belongings with practiced ease before walking just out of my reach.

None looked his way any longer.

They saw him as one of them.

Or, perhaps, they even feared him.

Meanwhile, I kept my guard up until I reached the manor that dominated an entire block of the sprawling, crooked city. In a sea of chaotic, almost ramshackle houses, it was an oasis surrounded by a wrought iron fence with a green lawn and a stone path that led to the house. The porch was furnished with cushioned rocking chairs, while the outside of the manor was painted white and had a green roof. At three stories tall, it was dwarfed by many buildings that lay across its periphery, but it exuded a sense of serenity and majesty whilst surrounded by chaos.

The wrought iron gates opened, and I almost stepped through.

“Oi, we should make sure we have the address right. You don’t walk into a place like this in the middle of a slum without at least checking twice.” My companion sounded reproachful. For a moment, I was tempted to just ignore him, but he insisted. “Entering a domicile unprompted in a world filled with magic? That’s asking for trouble. Also, would you trust a host who doesn’t ask for an invitation first? Someone who just invites people in, especially with what we need to do?”

His words were sound, and my brow furrowed as I took a step back, then I took the invitation my mother gave me.

I barely managed to pull it out from my subspace when it was suddenly plucked out of my hand, and the entire manor fizzled into nothingness, simply becoming another dilapidated set of buildings amidst winding, shadowy alleys.

“So, you’re Miya’s kid, huh?” The scent of smoke almost engulfed me, and I turned to face the speaker. I found myself staring at a chest instead of a face, and my eyes widened as I looked up and found a face almost too like my own, save for a pair of elongated ears and hair a darker shade of black. “You almost failed my little test. At the very least, you seem to have an eye for talent.”

The first of the Hiyo Clan.

The Fiery Blossom.

“This one greets the honorable founder!” I bowed my head and clasped my hands together in respect and held my position even as she scoffed. Mother said she would send me to an allied witch. Not the founder of our clan, so many centuries old! “I am the ninth heiress of the Hiyo Clan, Asakura! I am thankful to be in your presence.”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on. Let me take you in… oh, ho?” Boredom gave way to an ounce of interest, and I felt fear travel down my spine. “Are you going to do something with that axe, brat?”

“Not if you prove you’re who you’re implying you are.” The mercenary boy I brought with me had bowed but had raised his head after a moment. Now, I saw in the corner of my vision, one hand wielded his hatchet and the other a tangle of kunai with explosive talismans. “I’m not taking any chances here.”

I feared that he would die for his impertinence; instead, the great founder gave a single chuckle, producing something from a belt covered in pouches and throwing it my way.

I caught it, and my mouth dried as I looked upon my clan’s crest on a golden medal covered in glittering rubies.

Both their gazes were on me while I gingerly held the medallion back to her.

“It’s her. She is who she says she is.” I confirmed with a glance towards the boy. “Now, just do as she says!”

“Got it, boss.”

I winced at his lack of decorum, but the ancestor just chuckled and bid us to follow.

Strange.

All tales of her told me that she allowed no disrespect, but this child has been spared many times over.