Karmatic

A New Sun Interlewd 1

Interlewd 1

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Cleaning up that forest wasn't difficult, just very boring.

Kuroka and I sat there and used Senjutsu to speed up the plant growth.

And by that, I mean I sat there and wiggled in place, not knowing how to do that, while she did all that work.

I did end up using my light to speed up things, though. Kuroka vaguely mentioned that my power felt connected to life in some way, which was…curious.

Pretty sure all I did there was provide food for the plants as 'sunlight' like the world's most handsome sun lamp.

Regardless, after finishing all that, I wanted to go to bed.

Getting your ass handed to you by both the Dragon Emperors in one week tends to have that effect on people, I'd think.

So imagine, to my horror, when it turns out my kitty didn't want to sleep with me, and decided to pack instead!

I know. Nearly threw a miniature sun at her. Clearly, my Kuroka has been replaced by an Alternate.

…But if that was the case, then they are doing a fairly good job at playing up another aspect of being my kitty.

"Kuroka…" I hum out from under the sweet fluffy cover of my blanket, amused, "why are you packing up naked."

I do a quick brief look around, seeing the lack of light level, before adding on with a deadpan, "...in the dark."

I can at least understand the second bit, we both can see in the dark fairly well after all.

"Nya~?" She flicks her tail in my direction, and bends over painfully slowly as she reaches down to pick something up, right at the foot of the bed, "What's the matter, Nori-kun? Not enjoying the show~...?"



Well. I can't go to bed now.

Wonder why?

Gee, maybe it has something to do with…

I hum deeply as I sit up and scoot across the bed, settling on the edge.

This.

In one clean motion, I slap her straight on her teasing peach-shaped rear, drawing a mewling gasp from her as my hand doesn't disconnect.

Instead, I keep it there, sinking my fingers into her jiggly soft flesh, fondling her with an amused wolfish smirk.

"Hmm, I recall asking a question. What do you think you're doing, huh~?" I murmur huskily into the air.

Even without being close, she hears me, and shivers in my grasp, her back arching slightly as she sticks her ass out more for me.

Without me even having to say a word?

She's come so far~!

I stand up, slowly, making it a point to brush my already full throbbing mast against her outer thigh, drawing a flush to her face.

"Such a good kitty~," I reach over my free hand, and grasp one of her plush loose tits, squeezing and playing with it like a child would play dough, "not a word, and you're already making yourself ready for me~?" I go right up to her ear, speaking breathly, "Such a good pet~..."

Kuroka whimpered, leaning the side of her body against mine as I continued to play with her ample assets.

But, Kuroka herself wasn't idle. Her hand came down, grabbing my length daintily, and she began to stroke it almost vigorously.

Our eyes met as soon as she did this, and the next thing I knew, Kuroka was pressing her lips into mine.

Quickly regaining my composure, I held onto the assets I already claimed like some sort of grip, pulling and holding her flush against me as I attacked right back.

My cat girl shivered, and purred, as I invaded her very needy mouth with my tongue, claiming it as well, just as she seemed to want.

Just as these throes begin, I have a thought.

What did I say I'd do to her earlier? Don't know the exact time right now, it could be yesterday or this morning by now.

Don't care about those specifics, the point is…

I suddenly lift Kuroka, turn, and promptly toss her onto the bed, back down.

The poor girl yelps as I do, before landing with a confused gasp.

She quickly sweeps a hand through her hair to clear her face, revealing it to me positively flushed.

She quickly looks around, before settling on me with a slightly confused yet airy look.

I, who am slowly shuffling towards her across the bed, the blanket held at my back.



"N~Nori-kun~?" She mumbles, tentatively, "What are you~..." She trails off, as I reach her, her gaze following me as I loom over her.

Tenderly, I spread her legs, and leaned down over top of her, throwing the blanket over us both.

It's only after I positioned myself, my member pointing straight into her waiting folds, and took her hands into my own, that her eyes seemingly widened in realization.

I smiled down at her, looking her straight in the eyes.

But before she could protest the absolute degeneracy I was about to unleash upon her, I stated one simple thing.

"Told you it was going to happen~!"

She looked almost betrayed before I plunged right into her, entering her with ease, washing away that look with a single breath.

Literally.

I don't stop looking her straight in the eye, smirking sweetly all the while, as her face turns completely red.

A breathy moan escapes from her lips like a quiet whimper as my shaft bottoms out inside her.

"W~Why does this f~feel so…l~lewd~…" she whines quietly, almost desperately, her body quivering underneath me.

I chuckle deeply, setting my forehead atop hers, "That's not quite the word you're looking for, I think~." I respond easily.

"H~Huh~? Then what do y~you- NYAAN~!?"

Her words are replaced with a hot gasp, as I start to move. Slowly but surely, I lifted my hips and drove back down into her.

"Hahn~!? Nori-kun~! Nnghh~!? Y~You~...Nyaahnn~!" Kuroka clenches her teeth as every thrust draws a purr from her core, her back arching slightly into the position, her legs lifting up and around to either side of my body.

I chuckle deeply, grunting slightly in exertion with each pump, "What's the matter, love~?" I ask with an easy smirk, my voice a low husky murmur under the soft sounds of the bed creaking and flash slapping,  "I thought you were used to all this already~!"

Kuroka blanched at that, well, tried to, but a lewd whimper overcame her and shivered the look right off.

Instead, looked at me, lips slightly pursed and desperation clear in her golden eyes.

"T~This is~...Hahh~! Different~!!" She manages, barely, "Ahn~! Nori-kun~!!"

Her head moves slightly to the side like she's trying to look away.

Quickly, I grip her hands and push my head upon her only slightly harder, prompting her to stop.

With a gruff voice, I simply say, "Don't." My eyes bore down into hers, "Don't look away."

She shivers at this, her eyes widening before nodding back slightly, a small smile slowly forming across her face.

I'd call it lewd, but…

"O~Okay~...Darling~..." She purred softly, "Okay~...Nyahhnn~!!"

I think the proper term would be loving.

Something inside me, something in my core, the moment she said those words?

I could feel it, something in there just…snapping.

And not in a bad way, either!

Well, it depends on who you ask.

My lips clamp down onto hers, and I suddenly find my mouth filling with her quickly increasing moans and purrs as I begin pumping my hips down into her.

My one, sole thought?

Breed this kitty.

At this point, I couldn't measure the time, the seconds, the minutes.

As I pumped down into her over and over again, the sound of the bed was steadily replaced by the sound of just her.

That's all I focused on, all I could feel.

Eventually, Kuroka broke off from my lips, letting out a purring gasp for air, before she began slurring the only word I think she could say right now, "D~Darling~! D~Darling~..." She cooed into the air, over and over, each word only making me go faster, harder, but not rougher.

Her tongue sat halfway out of her mouth as she continued to pant out the words, slowly but surely as I continued, I could feel her tightening around my length.

Her hands gripped my hands tighter as well, and her body began tensing up, beyond bracing for each of my impacts, she was preparing for a climax.

And judging by the impossible amount of searing heat building up within me, I can see exactly where this is going.

I see the look in her eyes, and that's all I need for confirmation, the desire, the need.

With one last rush, I push her down into the mattress under my weight and start pistoning down into her.

"Yess~!! Darling~! Right there~!! Like that~! D~Darling~!! D~Darliiinngg~!!!" Her words are cut off, ceremoniously, by her voice stilling completely into a stifled drawn-out gasp, her entire body trembles as I bottom out inside her one more time.

I fill the small silence with a gasping grunt of my own as her folds snap around my length, warmth, and heat claiming my rod for its own.

That's when I also fill her greedy quim with what may be the largest shot of magma hot I've ever put out in my life.

For several, long, seconds we just lay there, both shivering, both gasping and twitching slightly as we ride out our respective orgasms to their conclusions.

By the end, both of us are smiling dopily at each other.

It's at this point, that the world around us finally comes back into focus, at least for me.

I feel it first before giving a cursory glance, but…yeah, I broke the bed frame.

The mattress is now much lower to the ground, and I see the metal legs strewn across the floor.

Oh well.

"Kuroka~…" I mutter, breathily, finally releasing her hands from my grip.

In response, Kuroka merely wrapped her arms around my neck, and giggled softly, "Yes, daaarling~?" She giggles again, with a small smile on her face, as she tests the word again.

I chuckle right on back, and wrap my arms around her torso, holding her close as I look her straight down into the eyes.

"I love you." I state, with one breath, and a smile.

I mean it, too.

Judging by the way she freezes up slightly, she knows I mean it.

"Y~You…stupid…man~..." She stuttered out weakly, with no heat or energy.

No, that's reserved for her actual response.

"I love you too, darling~..." And she moves up slightly to kiss me straight on the lips.

I do return the favor, quickly after, this time our eyes are closed, simply basking in each other's presence.

But, maybe? After that, I find myself pumping into her once more, and we continue right where we left off.

Maybe, we just rest in each other's embrace like that for the rest of the night, content.

In any case, packing can wait until tomorrow.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Interlewd 1


Well now, this is a tad bit late, approximately three hours into Monday, isn't it?

My bad there, the heat and Starfield are kinda kicking my ass over here.

Regardless, I come bearing degeneracy.

And also proof I can write smut without depression!

Originally, this Interlewd was going to be Ruruko getting lewded, but posting Chapter 12 public made me get...ideas.

Now, it's about time I come off my Coke (the drink, not the drug!) sugar high, and pass the fuck out.

See ya'll Thursday, for the start of the Kyoto!

A New Sun Interlude 3

Interlude 3

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

The Inner Shrine of Naiku, housed within the Shrine Complex of the Ise Grand Shrine is dead silent.

Not in worship for the one Kami who’s housed here, unfortunately, but rather in sober and silent thought.

Within this shrine, a round cypress wood table has been erected. Six chairs fit on either side with only one side currently being occupied, although, by how the chairs have all been justled about, it’s clear then they were in use rather recently.

On one end, the figure of a woman sits alone, staring at the ceiling absent-mindedly.

She seemed rather bored, a far-away look clear in her violet eyes, as her long pink locks flowed down from her head and swept the ground gently.

“You know, Ama-chan,” the woman breaks the silence suddenly, “if this is what you have to deal with every day in Takamaghara, I can see why you gave the Earth to your grandchildren.”

A voice, feminine and soft whilst sounding absolutely done permeates the inner shrine, barely above a muttering whisper.

“I know…are you counting, Inari-san?”

She nods, “This is the third recess the Devils have called so far,” she muses, “think they’ll come back with something different this time? This time did seem more urgent than the last.”

The voice snorted, sounding almost like cracking wood, “I doubt it,” Amaterasu muses back, “It’s been the same thing, over and over…we didn’t know anything, we didn’t do anything…they have no one to blame it on, so all they can do is claim ignorance.”

It was Inari’s turn to snort.

Truly, Inari didn’t want to deal with Satan's Leviathan and Lucifer back then, because she knew she’d have to deal with them now.

After all, the Shinto need to present a united front right now, and she’s the closest to a leader or at the very least a representative for the Earthly Kami.

Amaterasu is of course ‘here’ for the Heavenly Kami.

But they are missing one, the King of Yomi was supposed to show a while ago, but he hasn’t quite yet.

Granted, it’s not like they need him here.

Susanoo-no-Mikoto does have a reputation, after all.

Still, he was supposed to be here to confirm the number of the deceased, really press the severity of the situation down upon the Devils, and force them to agree to some…terms.

But, it’s not like they were the only ones missing some of their number.

Inari hummed, before adding, “Think they are finally going to drag the Grigori and Heaven into this?”

Save for the uneasy creaking of the wood composing the Shrine, she didn’t get a direct verbal response.

It’s strange.

Heaven has seemingly denied the Devil's call for help at all.

While the Grigori don’t seem to be picking up the phone in the first place.

It’s very strange.

Standard Three Faction modus operandi dictates that in big situations like this, the three usually band together to press-gang the opposition down and get what they want.

Inari, personally, thinks it’s hilarious.

Because they’ve been leaving the Leviathan out to dry, as she sits across from them and argues around and around in circles.

The Earthly Kami can see the poor Satan getting desperate, and rather annoyed, at the whole thing.

After all, it’s not like the Devils can claim that they, the Shinto, were at fault.

Noriaki’s reveal to the world, showing him as the first responder, while Inari herself covertly focuses on luring people away from the area and trying to save those caught in the blast, sealed that option from them.

It was especially impressive, considering the world sees them as fairly isolationist.

On the flip side, however, the Shinto themselves can lay the blame solely upon the Devils either.

For one, the video also showed the sisters of the Satans attempting to help out and beyond that, trying to pin the blame on them and calling them incompetent directly goes against the edict Amaterasu laid at the Devil's feet all those years ago.

The Devils aren’t supposed to own territory in Japan anymore. If the Shinto tried to claim the sisters didn’t overlook the territory properly, then are they not saying they consider that territory Devil territory?

What about the edict then? Was that just grandstanding from an enraged deity at the time?

Well, yes. But they can’t exactly admit that out loud, can they?

Inari internally groaned.

Politics.

Inari gave politics all of her hate.

At least this situation gives her the excuse to not have to ‘be in’ several thousand different places at once, answering prayers, giving blessings, running several different businesses and enterprises, making several dozen different products, and-

She blinks rapidly a few times, her thoughts snapping out of…that rut again, as she shifts in her seat and sighs.

“How are things going in Heaven?” Inari decides to ask, filling the silence once more.

Also would help stop her mind from drifting off, again…

The wood creeks, as if grunting this time, and the voice returns once more, “I just shot a beam of sunlight through some Kami who thought we should be thanking the Devils for their help, and be giving them a gift.”

Inari giggled at the absurdity, “Who was it?”

She could feel the wooden walls shrug, and the voice huffs, “I don’t know, there are millions of them, how am I supposed to remember one dumbass amongst the sea of millions?”

“Fair,” Inari mused with a sly smile, which only grew slightly more as her senses were pricked by the telltale chill of Demonic Power entering the confines of the shrine space, “ah, guess who’s back~?”

“Inari.” The Shrine, at Ama’s voice, felt like it was deadpanning at her, “I can tell, I’m basically inhabiting the shrine, you don’t need to say that.”

“I know~! But I’m going to do, anyways~!” She sang out in response.

Not like there’s anything better to do anyway.

Inari suddenly quirked her brow, and the Shrine seemed to be still, as another Demonic Power entered the space.

Not with a chill, but like a void. A black hole of all-consuming crushing power, that could easily annihilate anything it so much as blinks at.

Inari inwardly muses then, that it's rather impressive the amount of control the master has over such power.

Unlike the last two times, the Leviathan doesn’t enter the inner sanctum alone, as the door opens and she walks in, not too far behind her is the source of said power.

Sirzechs Lucifer.



Inari is the first to speak, “Welcome, welcome~! I see Satan Lucifer's here as well! Did something happen down in the Underworld?”

Serafall sat down, a blank look on her face, not responding at all.

As Sirzechs sits down, he grimaces. “First things first,” he bows slightly to Inari, “Lady Inari Okami, a pleasure. No, everything’s fine. Right now, anyways.” Inari giggles to that, before Sirzechs turns his eyes upwards, “Well met, Chief Goddess of the Shinto, Lady Amaterasu Omikami, I thank you for allowing me access to your most sacred shrine.”

A beat passes, before her voice returns, directed at the Satan Lucifer, “And I thank you, for not letting out that power of yours to disperse the shrine's power.”

Sirzech blinks at this, not expecting her voice to come from…everywhere.

He turns to look at Serafall, who waves it off. “You get used to it, after a while.” She adds, dully, tiredly. “Now, tell them what you told me, please…”

“Right, right, Sera…” he sighs and faces Inari's side of the table, “We believe we may know who caused all this.”

“Hmm?” Amaterasu hummed out all around, slightly intrigued, “And who may that be?”

“The Fallen.” Sirzechs answered clearly and succinctly, “They were using a Sacred Gear Extractor in Kuoh, presumably killing many. They tried extracting the Boosted Gear from its host, and…well.” Sirzechs trailed off, obviously needing not to explain further there.

Inari, very slowly, pulled out a hand fan and started waving it in front of her face.

Serafall sighed, and Sirzechs looked around and pulled at his collar, as the heat within the shrine rose by several magnitudes.

“Where did you get this information from?” The Shrine demanded with a loud creak.

Sirzechs winced, “Your…son, actually.”

The rising heat halted, staying at a boiling simmer.

Inari raised her eyebrow slightly, and quickly put two and two together.

“Ah, that Reincarnated Devil, then?” Inari spoke up, “He told her, who told you and your sister?”

Sirzechs nodded, “He told my Rias’s Rook, yes.”

Well, isn’t that a shock? She didn’t think the boy knew anything, and certainly didn’t think to ask him while she still could, he seemed far too out of it.

Looks like Amaterasu is learning something about her son today, hmm?

Well, it certainly isn’t Inari’s problem who he fucks and summons, so who’s she to judge?

“Inari.” Amaterasu’s voice echoes dully through the inner shrine, causing her to pipe up, “Kuoh has a Church, no? If the Fallen were in town, they would have been there. Could you check it for me, please?”

Ah, glad she’s taking it well.

“Sure thing~! It will be just a moment!” Inari leans back into her chair, her eyes gaining a thousand-yard stare as she sees elsewhere.

Several of her cute little foxes are still roaming around Kuoh, assisting in the cleanup and searching effort.

She takes control of one of them and has it go skipping off, towards the church house sitting atop a hill in the middle of town.

The doors to the Church are gone, the little fox easily walking in to find them several feet from where they should be hinged, smashed off the frame and onto the ground.

It looks around and beholds the smashed and defaced iconography. The twisted symbols, and ruined insides of the building, the smell of ash and fire wafting through the air.

But the most damning thing it sees?

The stretches upon stretches of Enochian, the Language of the Angels, desecrating the walls of the Church.

Although Inari herself can’t read exactly what they say, she knows the purpose of the writings.

To block out His sight from the house, and deconsecrate the ground around it, commonly used when the Fallen wish to set up a base, but don’t want their wayward Father to watch them.

They were here.

Inari blinks back to herself, slowly sitting forward with a grim smile on her face, as soon as she speaks, everyone focuses on her, “They were there,” she starts, “the walls are covered in Enochian, to ward away His sight.”

Sirzech's eyes widened at the confirmation, a grim frown slowly stretching across his face.

Serafall meanwhile, groaned loudly, “Why, why Azazel!” she shouted, throwing her hands up into the air, “No, how!? How does someone fuck up this badly!” She pulls a phone from her uniform again and starts rapidly pressing the screen, “Pick! Up! The! Phoooonnnee!”

Her phone screen starts to flicker, causing her to pause.

“Eh?” It glitches, before sparking and flickering dead. “Eh!? Oh, come on! Not now!”

The people sitting in the shrine stare at that occurrence with a widened or confused gaze, but Amaterasu? She merely sighs.

“Well, here we go.” Is all she says.

Suddenly, a demonic magic circle appears next to Sirzech's ear.

“Hmm?” He hums out, then his eyes widen into saucers. “The Grigori headquarters is under attack!?”

Serafall pales and blanches at that, “Huh?”

Inari hums thoughtfully, and is about to ask who, but…

Well, the storm building around the Shrine should be a pretty good answer, no?

Sirzechs tensed suddenly, muttering into the circle something about the border, before dispelling it.

Just in time, the smell of ozone fills the air and a massive lance of lightning roars down from the heavens.

The Shrine seems to part, its pieces folding and sliding to the lighting through, striking a chair on the Shinto’s side and shaking the entire Shrine complex.

And standing there, once the light from the bolt parts?



The King of Yomi, God of the Sea and Storms.

In one hand, he holds the Governor General of the Grigori, Azazel, up by the neck. With the other, a massive silver odachi, notched like a sword breaker near the hilt and roiled with darkness and thunder.

“Here’s the man you’re looking for.” The storm god grunted out, before tossing the Fallen like a bag of bricks to the other side of the table.

Azazel has seen better days, Inari thinks.

The man looks like he got struck by lightning and flung through a mountain. Several lightning-shaped burn marks are laced across his body, his clothes are similarly scorched and torn, and several of his wings are bent out of shape or outright broken.

The man’s body ragdolls into a chair, which promptly skids across the room with him on it, and slams into the wall.

Azazel grunts, and groans as soon as the chair stops, sitting up slightly, he sees Sirzechs and Serafall, glaring at him.

“Ah,” he huffs out, “well, I…” he sighs, “okay, yeah…this one is my bad.” He admits, belatedly.

Serafall lunges at him, crying out like a banshee as she rams into him, grabs him by his collar, and starts furiously shaking him every which way.

His cries of pain as he tries to put away his wings, and calls for saying he needs to explain, went unheard and ignored as Serafall continued.

Not even Sirzechs looked like he wanted to step in to maintain any sense of professionalism left.

Above them, the Shrine closed back up, and Susanoo took his seat lazily, putting his feet up on the table.

“Brother.” Amaterasu’s voice rang through, dryly, prompting the Kami in question to huff right back.

“Don’t start with me right now, sister.” Susanoo bit out, “That fucking clown and his posse of edgy rebel wannabes deserved it, and you know it.”

“I know.” She replied, prompting the deity to blink, “Good job.”

Susanoo elected to sit there for a moment, staring dumbly at the table, before huffing and setting this sword down against the chair he was sitting on.

He crosses his arms and lets his eyes go to a more normal look, the blazing orange and red becoming nothing more than piercing sky-blue eyes, as he watches on in amusement at the antics of the Satan of Foreign Affairs.

Specifically how she was slowly shaking Azazel to death. The near-upshot view under her skirt was just a bonus at this point.

Even Inari watched on in poorly disguised mirth behind her fan.

Although it was odd, Inari supposed.

Just how quiet Amaterasu was right now.

After several long moments of enjoying the scene, it was slightly shocking just who eventually interrupted it.

Loudly clearing his throat before speaking up, Susanoo began.

“789.” He stated, prompting the Devils to still and turn to him, Serafall still holding a groaning and dazed Azazel by the collar. “That’s the death total, the amount of souls whose deaths I could manage to trace back to the dragon currently. And that’s not counting the likely dozens if not hundreds more humans who are hospitalized right now.” Susanoo added lowly, “Who knows how large that number may be in a week or two from now.”

At this Sirzech’s frown deepened, saddened at the news, whilst Serafall seemed to bristle, lowering her glare upon the Governor General once more, who tenses up likely expecting his face to get caved in.

Susanoo snorts at his plight, “Hold it shortstuff, you can wail on him some more after I finish.”

Blinking, Serafall looks right back at Susanoo, head tilted slightly, “Eh? Shortstuff?”

Ignoring her, he continues, “I don’t know the exact population count of Kuoh Town, so who’s to say if those are big deal numbers-”

“Kuoh Town isn’t large enough to be considered a city, but still possesses large scale accommodations for large population centers,” Inari interjects, “if I had to guess? I’d say Kuoh possesses the upper-end population range for a town, somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 people.”

It’s Susanoo’s turn to blink, “Thanks, foxy. Anyways!” He moves on, ignoring the giggles she sends his way, “While all that's not fine at all, you wanna know what really pissed me off? What took me so damn long to make it here?”

Thunder rumbled outside, as Susanoo gritted his teeth.

“The few dozen mutilated souls I found over the past month, sorted between Yomi and the Buddhist Heaven!” He practically snarled out, lightning flashing in the background, he levels a fiery glare right at Azazel, who shivers at the god's wrath-filled gaze, “You are lucky, so very lucky, that the bone-headed edge lord outcast from Olympus set down that law that prevented all Death Gods from interrogating exact details out of their dead, or I would have had your head on a spike! And your wings cut off, and sent right back to your Dadd-”

“Susanoo.” Amaterasu’s voice cut in, stern, yet frighteningly calm. “Still your rage, before you tear apart my Shrine with your storm outside.”

Inari looked outside, seeing almost hurricane-like rains and winds and flashes of lightning rage outside.

Susanoo growled, stretching his fingers, as the storm outside slows, but doesn’t truly subside.

“Regardless, Mother’s Shinigami have the Grigori Headquarters locked down. As soon as we figured out the damage done to those souls was much like that caused by having a Sacred Gear torn out, I led the charge myself.” He bit out, then looked at Sirzechs directly, “You don’t need to worry. It’s just Fallen territory we’re locking down, I’m locking down.”

Sirzechs nodded, tentatively, “Then you’ll understand if we keep a watch over our borders, then?”

Susanoo waved him off with a grunt, which Sirzechs took for affirmation.

“Alright!” Serafall suddenly called out, “We good then? Good? Okay!” She holds up Azazel and sets him down in his seat. “What are we going to do, then? Because, I, personally? Can think of several things to do!” She gets this downright sadistic grin that forces Azazel to grimace and shiver.

“Before then,” Amaterau’s voice interceded, cold and commanding, “I want to hear it. What happened, from his point of view.”

Azazel blinked out at that, and pointed to himself, slowly.

“Me…?” He looks around, seeing everyone stare at him like he’s an idiot, “H-Hey! I know, I know, I’m just…surprised is all. I honestly thought I was just gonna be strung up like the world's handsomest pinata, and beat on all night after I got…ah,” he looks at Susanoo, “invited here.”

Susanoo glares right back, but before he can administer a controlled shock, Amaterasu says one word.

“Azazel.”

He winces, and holds up his hands, “Alright, alright…so, ah shit…where do I begin.” He rubs his chin, “So, the Fallen in Kuoh? I sent them there to keep watch over the Boosted Gear user, with instructions to ah…” he clears his throat, “to kill him, under certain conditions. Like lack of talent, compatibility, and such. You know? Standard operating procedures.” He explains, “I didn’t tell them specifically that the boy had the Boosted Gear, for security purposes, obviously. Most lower-level Fallen aren’t the most trustworthy as a rule of thumb, but this particular cell…” he trails off.

He thinks for a brief moment, before shaking his head as he settles on, “Most cells know the Sacred Gear extraction ritual to collect gears for research, but that’s an old practice, I don’t know why they went on a gear collection frenzy…the fools died long before they could tell me anything about their mission, so I guess it doesn’t matter now.” He finished with a sigh.

He was meant with silence.

“Can I toss him into Cocytus yet?” Until it was broken, by Serafall’s deadpan question.

“Make sure to cut his wings off first.” Susanoo adds, ‘helpfully’ with a snort.

“Okkkayyy~!” Serafall happily summons a very jagged piece of ice using her Demonic Power and starts advancing on Azazel, who inches back away from her more and more.

“I think it’s funny.” All of them paused as Amaterasu’s voice broke through again, this time, she sounded amused, “How your name fits you so well, Governor General.”

“A-Ah…?” Azazel’s face twitches and he gives an uneasy smile, “Thank you, Lady Amaterasu?”

“We keep taking it out on you, and yet…” she continued, “I feel as though we have a much better target than the man who doesn’t even truly run his organization. Your Cadres? They don’t do anything either. They sit in their tower, researching, learning, but never keeping up with the present beyond what suits them.”

Azazel gulps, the heat in the shrine simmers, and Serafall blinks as her jagged ice knife starts to melt in her grip.

“I suppose, from a certain standpoint, I’m no better, hmm?” She giggles slightly, “But at the very least, I’m not stuck in the past anymore.” A pause, as the Shrine seems to sigh, “I’ll be honest, Azazel. The only reason I haven’t declared war on your entire Faction and razed your Headquarters to the ground? Four years ago. The Heavenly Alola Incident, your Fallen saved many sons and daughters under my light that day.”

Azazel’s eyes widened in realization, as she continued, “And those same sons and daughters continue to do good work, with my people's blessings.”

Susanoo scowled slightly at their specific mention, while Inari was slowly beginning to realize where Amaterasu was going with this.

“So, rather than you, Azazel…here’s what I want. Lives given, are lives your people took away once more,” the Shrine’s heat and power seemed to press down upon Azazel, causing him to sweat and his knees to buckle, “I would have them returned to me, my sons and daughters born under my light, and by the end of all this? Either by division and dividing up, or destruction, the Three Factions shall become Two.”

Serafall blinked at that, “That is…the dissolution of the Grigori…just like that!?”

Loud, uproarious clapping, echoes throughout the shrine, coming straight from the god of storms himself.

“There we fucking go! Hahaha!!” Susanoo laughed like thunder, “My little sister can pimp slap a little bitch! Ah, where the fuck is the pimp's prayer when you need one!”

Inari watched all this very carefully, as she got the immense feeling that her workload was about to double or triple.

Bypassing Susanoo’s hooting and hollering, Amaterasu went on, “Clearly. The good they’ve done doesn’t outweigh the harm, no? Traitors after traitors, deaths after deaths, with the Children they are supposed to watch over constantly being caught in the crossfire, used by their traitors, or outright killed by them regardless. When will it end, Azazel?”

The aforementioned Governor General simply looked dead to the world, perking up slightly at his name, “I…” he starts, “It’s not that simple, I…” he sighs, deeply. “I don’t know.”

Slowly, he looks up at the Shrine, “If we force this issue, you know there are several executives that wouldn’t approve, right? They’ll try something, and I won't be able to stop them.”

“Would you be able to stop them, regardless?” She responds curtly, prompting a wince from the Fallen. “Let them come,” she continues, “they’ll be dealt with one way or another.”

“I…ugh,” Azazel looks towards Sirzechs and Serafall, though he doesn’t look particularly hopeful, “what about you guys, huh?”

Serafall responds first, with a rather simple, “You nearly got my little So-tan killed.”

And that’s all she needed to say to get her feelings across.

Sirzechs rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly, “I…don’t particularly blame you for my Rias’ lack of danger sense, Azazel, but this is bad.” he stresses, “We all know, this situation could have been so much worse. If the wielder was stronger, then…well…” he trails off silently, the obvious implication hanging.

“Still,” he continues, “I don’t know if dividing up the Grigori like this is a good solution, that's a fair amount of assets, and people, and a whole lot of work and potentially small-scale fighting over something like this, isn’t it?”

“That is what negotiations are for, Satan Lucifer.” Inari pipes up for the first time in a while, “And besides, I don’t think it needs to be said, but I think we all know Lady Amaterasu isn’t going to budge on this at this point.”

“Ah,” Sirzechs hummed, and looked at Serafall, “I suppose I’m not the Satan of Foreign Affairs, but,” he sighed, looking down at the table, “no, we can make this work, I believe.” He moves his gaze to Azazel, “I’m sorry.”

Azazel waves him off, leaning against the table himself.

“Yeah, yeah, alright…” he sighs, defeatedly, before looking between the two sides, “for what it's worth? I’m sorry too. So!” He claps his hands together with fake cheer, “Where do we start?”

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

With a bright crimson flash, Sirzechs Lucifer appeared in the Gremory Castle, a somber expression marring his face.

He had left not too long after the Grigori began being carved up, trusting Serafall’s renewed motivation to push her through and let her finish the job.

Meanwhile, Sirzechs had something he considered much more important to do.

Taking a ginger walk through his old childhood home, he eventually finds the room he’s looking for and knocks on the closed door.

“Ria-tan,” he calls out softly, “are you awake?”

He already knew the answer. Beyond just sensing her awake, he knew his sister well enough to know she wouldn’t be getting any sleep right now.

She was waiting for him, after all.

He heard the soft pattering of feet approach, just before the door handle was rustled and slowly opened.

“Brother…?”

Revealing his baby sister, in her nightgown, looking absolutely depressed.

Her posture held a sag, her eyes were baggy, and her face held a constant sad frown.

He had to hold himself back from wincing, it hadn’t been so long since the incident, and yet, once what finally happened in her town caught up to her…well.

Rias crashed hard.

It only got worse once she found out what the Fallen were doing right under her nose.

She blamed herself almost instantly, and as much as Sirzechs wanted to say it wasn’t entirely her fault, to cheer and hype her up as Sera had been to the Shinto, he just…couldn’t.

He couldn’t lie to her like that, right to her face. She wouldn’t believe it.

And this is all before even knowing all the damages, the death total.

That thought made him struggle to hold back a wince.

“Got time for a small talk?” He asked tentatively.

She merely nodded and beckoned him in.

He had barely managed to close the door behind him, before Rias spoke up, albeit softly.

"How many."

Sirzechs paused, before turning to face her completely, "Not counting those in the hospital, but counting those who the Fallen killed as well?" He elaborated, she nodded, "Just under a thousand."

Rias flinched as if struck.

"That's…somewhere around 5%..." She mutters, mostly to herself, before slowly curling up into a ball on her bed, and saying no more.

Sirzechs walked over to her side, and put his hand on her head, petting her hair gently, "Listen, Rias…I'm not going to sit here, and tell you how bad the situation is…you already know that." He began, tentatively, "Mother and Father have already decided on how they plan to punish you for this," He could feel her still under her hand, "and I…won't be helping you out of it, not anymore."

Rias turned her head slightly to look at him, tears budding at the sides of her eyes, "You mean…?"

Sirzechs nodded solemnly, "Beyond it being moved forward, just as Serafall is going to be personally staying with Sona from now on, they decided you need a…minder…as well."

Honestly, Sirzechs thinks Sera doesn't even see her staying with Sona when she can as a punishment per se, but Sona certainly does.

It also inspired that particular decision from their parents.

Sirzechs shrugs as he adds on, "Although, I don't think they've quite decided on who just yet."

She turns completely to face Sirzechs, her knuckles tensing and cracking, "But! T-Thats…" she weakly begins, but trails off.

This time, Sirzechs does wince. He isn't used to seeing his baby sister so…drained, like this. It hurts.

Usually, she'd be up in arms right about all these decisions, but right now?

Sirzechs blinks, an idea forming and taking shape.

He stands back up suddenly, prompting Rias to give a startled flinch as he does, only for her to look at him quizzically as he holds his hand out to her.

"Ria-tan," He starts with a small smile, "let me show you something."

"O-Okay…?" Rias slowly, hesitantly, took his hand.

And clenched her eyes shut as a crimson glow enveloped the two of them, and sent them away.

Next she knew, the cool night air was hitting her skin, and she opened her eyes to see they were outside, in the Human World…

Above a lake?

The two quickly unfurled their wings, and floated there, Rias looking every which way in sheer confusion.

"Where…where is this?" She asked, concerned.

In every direction she looked, she kept seeing more and more water. She could see mountains far off in the distance, but she didn't recognize any of this.

Sirzechs hummed thoughtfully, before answering, "The United States. Specifically, we are above the Great Grande Lake, right in the middle of the country."

Rias simply blinks at that, "Why…show me this then?"

"Because this lake isn't natural," Sirzechs waved a hand out to the distant waters, "a few hundred years ago, a young man and his family traveled across something called the Oregon Trail, seeking opportunity on the other side of the country."

As Sirzechs went on, the chill in the air seemed to only grow colder, prompting Rias to shiver, "Unfortunately, they wouldn't make it. Around halfway through, stray vampires attacked, torturing and killing the young man's family right in front of him."

Rias' eyes slowly widened as she looked around, starting to get it now, Sirzechs continued with a solemn frown, "How unlucky was it, that said man was that generation's Boosted Gear wielder, and the stress of it all forced a—"

"Juggernaut Drive…" Rias finished for him, prompting a slow nod from her brother.

"This lake was caused by the mere activation of the state…it's bigger than several small states, countries, and islands." Sirzechs stresses, "The water here was placed to cover up all the damage and fighting that happened at the lake bed. Me and Serafall were there to put him down, Rias…it wasn't pretty."

He turns slightly to look at her, "I want you to see this, and I want you to understand just how bad things could have been." He floats over to her slowly, and puts a hand on the side of her face, "There's a difference between pride and…whatever it was you three did that day."

Rias nods slowly at that, "Ah, right…" Then she tilted her head slightly, "Wait...Three?"

Sirzechs hums, "You, Sona, and Kusanagi-san. I'm sure he had good intentions, and he did help, but…Well, I'm sure you saw the video before you got there, no?"

Rias winced, recalling some of the hits he took back then.

Yeah.

What was it Koneko had called him?

A battle pervert?

Fitting, she mused internally.

Sirzechs smiles, and pats her on the side of her face, "I know you can do better at least, Ria-tan. But you're going to have to prove that to our parents moving forward, with the marriage, and your minder…"

Rias smiled right back, albeit significantly more drained, "I got it, big brother…" she put a hand on his hand and squeezed, "...thank you."

Ah, there it is.

That fire in her eyes, just a tiny little spark, but back nonetheless.

There's still a lot of work to be done, for all of them, but at least with this, he can hope his little sister doesn't herself in the times to come.

"Now then, let's go home," Sirzechs suddenly announces, "I picked up some ramen on the way home, and I figure-"

"R-Ramen!?" Rias suddenly bursts out, before sheepishly shifting in place back and forth.

Sirzechs just let out an amused chuckle.

Maybe he should have led with that, instead?

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

A nearly twenty-foot tall heap of muscle and red skin sat atop a carved stone throne.

In one of his massive hands, he held the hilt of his kanabo, a massive stretch of black rock and metal, a club.

The only weapon the Fierce God of the Oni needs.

In the other hand, a contrasting object, a human-made television screen of such size it should be housed in a living room.

But rather, it's used as this Fierce God's phone.

With this, he watches the same video spreading across the Supernatural World, over and over and over again.

That man, no, boy with those markings, wielding that blade clad in those accursed golden flames.

The man who wielded such things should be dead. Yet, here is this boy, all the same.

The answer is simple.

That man mated, and now, their world is under threat once again.

The Fierce God grunted and snarled, remembering the look of that man when he came here and demanded fealty.

When he went around and demanded fealty of all Yokai, the Clans, and the country, all for the Heavenly Kami who would much rather sit up there and let them rot than rule!

And now, it could happen again.

Yet, this boy isn't a man, and most certainly isn't that man.

Here is their chance.

Rising to his feet, the Fierce God let his Youki out for the first time in decades.

And all of Mount Ōe felt his pressure, his rage, and his determination.

"They shall not rule us again." The Fierce God, Ibaraki Douji declared, and his Oni hooted and hollered in reverence and glee, all across the mountain.

It was time to gather the Yokai of Old back together again.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Interlude 3 End

Not gonna lie, I kinda wanted to preemptively JD the Midwest, purely because it's supposed to hit over 100 again here over the weekend.

Anyways, consequences, The Three Factions become Two, and one of them is acting increasingly divergent from their canon counterpart.

Curious.

Also, poor Sona, and could anything else really be different for Rias? Although her minder...I'm not actually sure. Thinking of making it Riser, for the lolz, but I don't know. Think I could do better.

I actually had a scene in mind specifically dealing with what happens with Azazel after the Grigori got Thanos snapped, but decided to pull it from the chapter to maintain the mystery. How exactly is the Girgori gonna be divided? Who's getting what? Will a certain someone be doing very stupid shit after this? Will several someones?

Poor Uzume is going to need to scramble to get her information right as everything changed all of a sudden.

Kyoto Arc officially begins Chapter 15, I've got an Interlewd to post this weekend...gonna make it a separate post to maintain the feeling of this chapter.

In the meantime, thank you all for being with me this far! At the time of me writing this, the Starfield launch is coming up real soon, and I hope you all have fun this weekend!

Peace, ya'll.

A New Sun Chapter 14

Chapter 14

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

I hum, an easy smile on my face as I put my phone back away.

Completely ignoring the way it buzzed constantly at the surge of messages I got in response to the photo I sent her.

Now then.

How do I want to deal with this?

The smoking crater I snapped a photo of earlier suddenly erupts with a bright blue aura, a figure rising from the pillar of power right back into the sky.

As soon as the pillar vanishes, Vali reveals himself in full again, this time with a positively manic smirk plastered across his face.

The sheer glee on his face is contrasted fairly well by the bloody gash he's got a hand on across his torso.

I blink at him.

Do…do I make that same expression?

While looking like that?

You know, maybe Koneko is right.

Perhaps battle lust is a type of perversion?

Suddenly, Vali speaks up, "That sword of yours stings quite a bit…" He grins harder, "I certainly wasn't expecting it to possess a Dragon Slayer effect, though. Didn't look like it was doing much to the Red Dragon Emperor before…" He trails off, excited.

Dragon Slayer effect?

I look at my blade and tighten my grip harder, sending my power into it like I usually do.

This time, instead of filling an empty vessel, my power slides in alongside something else.

I draw both to the surface.

And watch, as that same Holy Aura flickers around the blade once more, mingling with my power seamlessly.

That same power I never felt before hums off it, albeit, dully.

That's what that is then?

I huff, "Trust me, this is news to me just as much as it is for you," I state dully, "that fight would have been so much easier if I had Dragon Slayer Magic or similar."

How did this happen? I knew my sword was empty, it lacked powers of its own when I first took it up, I felt that.

So then…did it gain a dragon slayer attribute when I finished off the dragon?

I can see the logic, maybe, but not the mechanics of how that works!

Unfortunately, I don't get much time to ruminate on the how, as Vali lets out a loud reverberating chuckle.

Then raises his hand to the side, and clads it in Demonic Power.

I tense, but stop dead and just stare as I watch his power spark and burst into a roaring flame.

Which he promptly slams into his torso.

With a smirk, the man doesn't even flinch as he cauterizes the gash across his body, staring me dead in the eyes all the while.

Which, if he was a girl, I'd absolutely take for 'fuck me' eyes.

After the fire dissipates, and the only thing left is the smell of smoke and burning flesh in the air, Vali finally responds verbally.

"Then it looks like coming out here will be worth it after all," He notes, pleased, "I left Grigori early for this, you know? You really should be grateful."

My brain takes a half second to process that, but really, I'm not even surprised.

"Ah, right," I idly began, "Kuroka told me about your group. She said you formed your team behind the Grigori's back. Why drop that cover now?"

He smiles knowingly at me, "It was fun and all, but Grigori is kind of a sinking ship. When I left?" He grimaced, "Well, let's just say things weren't going so great, and leave it at that." He waves it off.

I guess Vali has no reason to stick around for the Peace Conference, huh?

If that even happens here.

You know, I can't help but wonder whether Vali officially leaving the Grigori and turning traitor was a calculated move from Azazel or something Vali did by himself.

Judging by the way he needed to be adopted by Odin later to not be prosecuted to hell and back as a terrorist, I assume the latter.

Which kind of pisses me off, actually.

I frown right back at him.

Azazel…I think he was a shit leader. He'd rather have Grigori die than lead it.

Which to be fair? He's probably going to be getting his wish soon.

But! He still took in the white-haired battle manic before me and raised him basically like an adopted son.

And this brat fucking betrayed him.

My only hope left is that here? He left Grigori when he decided to come fight me so Azazel could claim that he had nothing to do with Vali showing up here to the Shinto.

Not like it'd save Azazel's ass, but I guess it's the thought counts.

I click my tongue and return to a more neutral look, staring at him blankly.

How could I forget?

He's also a stupid battle manic teenager with a grudge and lifelong goal of killing his Super Devil abuser grandfather.

It doesn't change anything, but I can see why he'd do it all, at least.

"Well, you're here," I hold my arms out to either side, "I gave you my welcoming gift for breaking into my property, what now?"

He smirks at me.

I smirk right back.

We both already know the answer.

I could have killed him right there, at the start.

If I had channeled light, instead of fire, I could have cleaved him in half.

But I didn't.

Do you know why?

I, too, wanted this fight!

Vali moves first, posing as he calls, "Balance, Break!", causing his divine-given wings to sparkle and erupt with blue and white power.

At once, the jewels ingrained upon the wings' spine announce—

[Vanishing Dragon Balance Breaker!!!]

Brilliant white draconic metal shines into existence around him, forming across his body like a second skin.

Besides?

I breathe, my blade sparkling with white light as I get into a stance mid-air.

An actual fight will always be far better than most training.

Especially since I don't believe he intends to kill me.

"Try to keep up," Vali says casually and clearly, despite the full body armor, "I'd like for this to last at least a little bit, you know?"

I can almost feel the condescending smirk this guy is sending my way.

I'm going to punch it off him real soon.

"Try not to become mince meat too fast," I reply in kind, smirking all the while, "I know you Devils have a thing for keeling over in the light and divine, but don't worry!"

My smirk widens.

"I'll go easy on you."

I didn't even need to see his face, I could feel the eyebrow twitching there, as he just stared at me.

My smirk turns into a full-on grin.

Then he charges.

A blurry line of white and blue light surges towards me like a bullet train.

Even with my eyes, he's fast. Incredibly so.

I barely have time to raise my blade and block a fist aimed straight at my nose.

The sheer force behind his attack sends me flying away from my estate, my arms rattling and teeth clenched tightly as I endure.

He's stronger than Issei was.

That thought flashes through my mind, as suddenly he's upon me again.

Hinokami Kagura—

His hand was already raised, a ball of aura flaring into existence from his palm.

Fake Rainbow.

I twist and fling myself aside, an afterimage barely taking my place before it's deleted in a blinding flash of Demonic Power.

Pushing my body and speed, I flash rapidly all around him, several dozen afterimages appearing all around him.

Vali laughs.

"You call that speed? Well, watch this!" He intones before he flashes to the side.

Clad in a brilliant light, he ping pongs between my afterimages, punching one out before flashing to another.

It doesn't take me long to realize he's taking them out far faster than I can create them.

This air battle? Not working for me.

I need the ground. I need to be able to put my body, my legs, into my speed!

My blade dims, before igniting into swirling flames.

My afterimages dim and disperse themselves, and almost as soon as they do, Vali rushes towards me.

But my blade is already swinging.

Raging Storm Sun Tree.

Several times, in fact, with the combination of Clean Storm Wind Tree and Raging Sun.

But these slashes around me aren't meant to protect me, no, they're meant to obscure me.

Fire lashes and spirals out in every which way, and Vali charges bullheaded straight through it.

He punches a hole straight through the center with his sheer speed alone, causing the flames to burst out in all directions.

Only to slam to a halt as he hits nothing but air on the other side, and looks around in confusion.

Meanwhile, my feet land softly on the ground, obscured by the now flaming trees.

I breathe in, knead chakra in my stomach, and spit out flames.

The flaming trees are soon joined by a massive fireball, rising from the tree line and soaring straight into Vali’s back like a comet, hitting his armored figure with a blazing explosion.

When the flames clear, Vali floats there, body slightly turned and head pointedly looking towards me.

I can almost feel the smirk on his face, as I see the demonic magic circle spiral slowly at his block, completely negating my attack.

I click my tongue and flip him the bird.

He snorts derisively before exploding into a line of light, heading straight towards me.

Just as he approaches, I twist and backflip back, avoiding a crushing haymaker that slams and craters the ground like a meteor impact.

My blade booms with my light, flaring and mixing with its new aura and power, as I swing mid-flip.

Setting Sun Transformation.

Vali’s wing moves to guard his neck just in time, I hear him tick lightly as the metal of the wing gives slightly under the blade, bending and creaking softly.

But not quite cut.

Damn.

His fist is suddenly far too close to my chin.

At that moment, I recall something that Kuroka told me way back when we first met.

Something about my Holy Spirit Power almost constantly radiated out around me, almost like a shrine?

Now, what kind of being am I fighting again? Who just so happens to get weaker when exposed to divine power?

I grin savagely.

Vali’s instincts likely feel what’s coming, if my face didn’t already give it away, but it’s far too late.

I let the chest containing my sun open.

And almost as soon as I do, my Holy Spirit Power explodes out in a tidal wave, washing over Vali like a surfer in the ocean.

He flinches and gasps, and at that moment, his punch goes slower, tilts slightly of course.

I move, pulling my blade back off his wing, and spinning into a horizontal slash that bats his fist away completely.

As soon as I land, I hold out my hand, and focus, commanding my wild radiating aura to focus purely on him.

Vali snarls, his light blue Demonic Power boiling and flickering to the surface around his body in an attempt to disperse the golden divine power that concentrates around him and solidifies, bathing the area in brilliant golden light.

I breathe in, kneading my chakra once more, and spit it back out as a concentrated bloom of crimson hot flames!

With glee, I watch as he attempts to throw out another demonic barrier, only for my flames to crash into and through it like playdough, hitting him spot-on with a firework like explosion.

I follow in soon behind, knowing the risks, but realizing if I don’t keep the pressure on, he’ll pull something out to turn the tides.

See, the only reason I haven’t completely folded in this fight yet is because of my nature, and the fact that he hasn’t landed a solid hit on my body yet.

And that first one only matters because the second one is true.

As soon as he can Divide my power, I may as well throw in the towel.

But, If I can weaken him first, with a combination of my divine power, light, and new Dragon Slayer blade, then maybe…just maybe, I could eke out a win here.

If I could combine my light and fire like berserker me did, then my chances would soar, but I don’t know how to do that.

And the last time I tried something new like that in the middle of a fight, berserker me happened.

So let’s not do that again, yeah?

I coat my blade with light as I enter the fray once more, mixing it with the meager dragon slaying power of my blade.

“Let’s see how good your endurance is, White Dragon Emperor!” I barked out jubilantly.

And then I started to dance.

Thirteenth Form.

Technically, I have others of course, but keep it simple for now stupid!

It goes like this.

Dance, into Clear Blue Sky, into Raging Sun, and so on.

Keep going, keep battering him down with light imbued dragon slaying sword slashes.

If there is one person that can take it, it’s Vali, the fucker that got chewed up and swallowed by Fenrir and lived.

My vertical slash is dodged, barely clipping his chest armor.

When I leap above him, his wings block another spinning slash.

He meets my sword head-on, punching back two more slashes, meeting them blow for blow, the armor across his fists cracking slightly and smoking.

Stepping back, he thrusts out both hands, his Demonic Power boiling and bursting forth in a flash.

I suspect he’s trying to push me off him and give himself some breathing space.

It doesn’t work.

With a circular slash, my light-infused blade cuts through his demonic power and disperses it.

I step into his guard once more with a flash of movement, backflip over the surprised jab he sent out in response, and aim straight for his head in another sweeping slash.

He ducks underneath it, his wings lash out to try and sweep me to the side.

My eyes glimmer as I see an opportunity.

If I could cut off his wings, would he be able to use Divide anymore?

He certainly wouldn’t be able to vent excess power, at the very least.

My halos flash into existence behind me, as I dodge his sweeping wing by flinging myself high upwards.

Only to fall straight back down at such speeds I come in shrouded by a heat haze.

Vali guards his face as I swing down, seemingly, I miss.

“Hmm?” Vali starts, confused, seeing my blade embedded into the ground beside him, “Did...did you seriously-” Only to gasp as his weight shifts slightly.

His left wing is bent so badly out of shape, it’s hanging there, splintered and broken and nearly fallen off, having been the true target of my attack.

I spiral back into the air before he can even think to react, slashing upwards, completely cleaving the wing off with that motion.

Vali blanches at that, his body going ramrod still as he staggers from the sudden weight shift.

He only barely manages to dodge my next form, a stab aimed down at his chest, which instead embeds itself into the ground.

“You…!” Vali tries to get out, but I keep coming back.

The ground shatters behind me as I move back into his guard, pushing and straining my body as I unleash a flurry of consecutive slashes at him.

Each hammering blow is endured by his gauntlets, left splintered and smoked as I leap over his guard and deliver a wheel-shaped slash into his right shoulder unimpeded, cleaving into it as I pass over.

He grunts in exacerbated pain, whirling around to face my new position, he shouts out, “That's! Enough!”

He throws out both arms, several demonic spell circles manifesting to fire off bullets straight for me.

Too many, can’t cleave them all at once.

I move, vanishing in a blur of gold, afterimages appearing by the dozens all around him.

He moves his circles, attacking in as many directions as he can.

I focus, pushing my Holy Spirit Power upon his shoulders as hard as I possibly can, watching as he stills and flinches, and his Demonic Power sputters at the holy invasion.

And once more I’m in his guard.

And the Dance is complete.

Two slashes, one vertical, one horizontal, right to his chest, to complement the first attack I gave him.

The light and holy cleaves through his armor like butter, drawing gouts of blood, and sending him reeling back with a loud gasp.

His Demonic Power fades completely after that, and he grabs his chest as his helmet unfolds.

He stands there, half bent over, smirking at me.

“Well,” he starts, amused, “I guess the video wasn’t doctored, huh?”

I breathe out and simply deadpan at him.

Is this what it feels like…

“You know, I’m almost insulted,” I state back, “did you come here to fight, or be my test dummy for attacks?”

He chuckles, “No, no…I just figured, training my resistance against holy, light, and dragon slaying powers would be a good idea.” His eyes glimmer, “I figure, I might as well get something out of this, you know?”

…what it feels like to be used for training.

Well. What goes around comes around, I suppose.

“Still, though,” he continues, unabated, “you only figured out your heritage about a month or two ago, no? I was expecting a much worse showing, but you’re pretty good for a rookie.”

My gaze sharpens, “How did you find that out.” I demand.

He laughs right back in my face, and levels an easy smirk at me, “How do you think?”

I snarl and go to say something more with my sword, but he waves me off.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry…didn’t hurt your cat, or anything,” he says, bemused, “I just so happened to be in the vicinity of some girl talk between her, and another member of my team.”

He grimaces before finishing, “Let’s just say I didn’t much care for most of it, just the bit about you specifically. After watching the video online, I put two and two together, and knew where to find you.”

Damnit kitty. What are you flaying Le Fay with?

Probably sexual stuff. It’s always sexual stuff with her.

I click my tongue, before huffing out, “Somehow, I’m not even surprised.”

And for that one blissful moment, me and Vali looked at each other and seemed to come to some sort of understanding.

But that’s beside the point right now.

I break this moment, but I simply asking the very obvious.

“You gonna stop holding back now?”

Vali blinks at that, then smiles.

“If you think you can handle it.”

I’m about to get every single bone in my broken, aren’t I?

I meet his gaze with a smile of my own.

“Test me.”

Vali grinned.

And his aura exploded.

His armor rapidly repairs itself in bubbling light, and even his wing reforms with such speed you wouldn’t even know it was cut off before.

His Demonic Power roars forth with the power of his Sacred Gear, and my Holy Spirit Power gets crushed under its rampaging chaotic wake.

I still as cold dread shoots up my spine, and I rapidly pull back every ounce of power into my body.

I dredge up every bit of energy I possess, and strain it within my body to beat back the tide of pressure I feel rolling off the half-devil before me.

Even with my meager Senjutsu aura sensing, I can feel it.

His power, right now, is stronger than Issei’s was in his Juggernaut Drive.

And beyond that, unlike the animalistic wild drive that fueled Juggernaut Drive, I’m facing something far worse.

Controlled power, backed by a sentient mind, a mind acclaimed for being a combat genius.

I’m fucked, aren’t I?

That thought couldn’t be proved right sooner, then when his fist suddenly appeared, buried into my chest, a trail of light blasting out behind.

I couldn’t see him move.

And suddenly, I’m sent flying.

My touki snapped like a twig, my ribs shattered like china, and I’m left sprawling through the air, not even sure what the fuck is going on.

I hear his voice resound right next to me, just slightly below, “I noticed you’re much stronger on the ground than in the air,” he remarks casually, “It’s because you’re focused on your physical body more, right? You can kick off with your legs on the ground, and put more force behind your attacks then.”

I lash out with a wild slash in the direction of his voice as my body repairs itself.

Suddenly, his voice is on the other side.

“Here, allow me to help you with that little problem.”

The air cracks like thunder as his foot impacts my stomach, and I’m flung like a ragdoll straight into the sky.

Thank fuck there aren’t any bones to break there, just, organs.

My entire body is buzzing, and I can’t stop being thankful that I don’t experience true pain, or else my body may have given up from the shock of it.

But I won’t have that.

His voice echoes from above, “Here we go,” the air cracks again as my momentum is halted, an armored grip around my face, “enjoying the view?”

Slowly looking around with my eyes I alone, I see clouds.

He kicked me to fucking cloud level.

I can almost feel the amused smirk being radiated at me from beneath his helmet.

“Don’t give out on me now, alright? You’ve still got one last thing to see!” He adds on, as his wings perk up and radiate.

[Divide!]

Weakness assaults me.

It felt like my power, the quality of my very being, just got violently cut in half.

I gasp through gritted teeth, and raise my blade once more, imbuing it with light.

[Divide!] [Divide!] [Divide!]

My unpowered blade smacks against his neck and rebounds off it dully.

Fuuucck…

“Hmm,” Vali hums, “this should put you at…around Low Class, on the Devil scale, I believe?” He gets slightly closer, looking straight at my face, “Well, look at that. Are you still conscious? Color me further impressed!” He states, seemingly legitimately ecstatic.

Barely.

I’m just…barely…

What…what did I tell Koneko I was going to practice again?

“You know,” the Chuuni Dragon Emperor begins to monologue, “I originally came here because I needed a new rival, and since you sort of killed my destined one, maybe you could fill in that role.”

Ah, right.

“I wasn’t expecting much, to be honest.” He continues, “That video…well, I wasn’t overly impressed, you mostly danced around the whole time, and didn’t fight. Not until the end.” He spits out

I grit my teeth.

“The…fuck you say…?” I weakly mutter back, “You got a problem with dance, Chuuni Dragon?”

He flinches, but only snickers as he grasps my face tighter.

“Someone’s got a mouth still, huh?”

I snort.

“Someone does stupid poses when they transform, huh?” I spit right back, “You should join my Magical Girl Club at school, you’d fit right in!”

He twitches at that, and tilts his head slightly, “Magical…Girl Club?” He repeats back at me, floored.

I grin and take this moment to flip my inner floodgates open, just like before.

It’s evening now, compared to early morning when I last tried this, It means I should be stronger…but grow weaker as time goes on.

The incoming tsunami wave of Holy Spirit Power slams into my body, roiling through like a violent current.

My mind barely holds on, I force it to hold on.

“Yeah, yeah…” I hum out, slowly, a molten honey aura bubbles around my body, and I can feel it once he finally looks at me, the moment his eyes widen.

In both shock and excitement.

“R-Really, it’s a fun t-time…you should come see it-” My voice shifts rapidly before it finally breaks and I growl out instead, grabbing the arm that holds my body aloft.

My mind, rather than be carried along like before, is assaulted by a tidal wave of emotions and thoughts so foreign and wrong it makes me want to vomit.

How dare he enter my home, this half-devil spawn holding a wild animal in his wings!

How dare he-

Hnnghhh! No! Come on!

Stop it!

Let me free!

Vali, of course, helps in his way.

By throwing me up, slightly.

And punching me straight in the jaw.

My mind wavers, white noise fills my ears…

And golden, wrathful light, fills my vision.

My arms become clad with a bright molten aura, and I move as if possessed, slamming both fists right atop Vali’s face.

The air roars as heat and wind billow out, Vali stares at me dumbly with a sunburnt face, as he rockets downward, his helmet blown off, and shoulder pouldrons halfway melted.

I snarl, before I move, to return his earlier favor.

Appearing just above the ground, I catch his flying body by the throat and stare dead into his eyes.

“Apologize to me,” I command, “for being born into my world.”

The creature before me blinks, then smirks, as his armor reforms quickly with a flash.

He responds rather simply. Rather cockily, for a half-breed parasite.

“Make me.”

And so I shall.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Kuroka appeared, stepping from her magic circle in a hurry, into a forest of desolation.

Charred nature, as far as she could sense, see, and smell, stretched out around her.

The culprits?

The two dumbasses wailing at each other in the sky.

Noriaki snarls, taking a punch straight to his jaw that sends him spiraling back.

He rights himself quickly, and holds up his hand, an orb of spiraling golden flames forming above his palm, bathing the dimming evening sky in new golden light.

“Last Sun.” He intones viciously, before throwing the miniature sun at her team's founder.

Who merely holds out his hand.

[Divide!][Divide!][Divide!][Divide!]

And divides the star into non-existence.

Noriaki grits his teeth, a ferocious grin spilling out onto his face as he charges straight back into the fight.

Vali laughs boisterously, shouting to the heavens as he meets Noriaki blow for thunderous blow, their fist cracking the sky like thunder as they meet, “Yes! Yes! This is more like it! This is what I wanted to see! Come! COME!”

Kuroka just rolled her eyes, then stared deadpanning at the two.

Boys.

What was she worried about again? If Vali wanted to kill her Noriaki, he could have just utilized Juggernaut Drive right off the bat and overpowered him quickly.

But she eyes Noriaki in specific.

Even in that state of his.

Whatever that is exactly.

She was showing Le Fay the video of him fighting earlier while giving commentary about things that most definitely mattered.

Like how it was essential his boxers didn’t get blown off during the fight, or else the resulting encumbrance would have made him lose outright.

Watching Le Fay squirm and bluster at all her little comments was most definitely worth it.

The scolding she’s gonna get from Arthur later once he finds out about all that? Maybe not so much.

The fucking she’s going to get after this fight for accidentally revealing Nori’s location?

Okay, she’s very much looking forward to that.

She should…probably make sure they have a house to fuck in, first though.

Noriaki suddenly raised his sword, a cyclone of golden fire whirling out from the blade as he slashed thrice.

Vali dodged between two, letting them slam into the ground beneath him and cleave open small molten ravines upon the Earth’s surface, before blasting through the third to deliver a haymaker straight to his face.

To his credit, Noriaki tanked it with barely a flinch, grabbed Vali by his shoulder pauldrons, and breathed a stream of crimson flame straight into his face.

Vali tried to shield his face, but Noriaki just pressed harder, the flames intensifying and sparking with light before bursting golden.

Following swiftly after, Vali lashed out, grabbing Noriaki’s face and forcing him to aim upwards into the sky.

Even from here, Kuroka winced, seeing Vali’s gauntlets just gone, with his upper arms scorched to hell and back.

When Vali suddenly lurched forward, grappling Noriaki tightly, before shooting downwards in a stream of light, Kuroka decided now was the time to get out of dodge.

Casting a Youjutsu spell to make herself invisible, using Senjutsu so the boys couldn’t detect her, and with a small simple application of that new power Noriaki gave her, she’s off!

Nori was still trying to breathe fire on him, even as he was being dragged and slammed into the ground.

The heat wave that accompanied the small rumble as they struck the ground told her as much.

Even if she wasn’t using Information Magic to keep watch of their fight from afar.

Just in case.

Luckily, the two seemed to have pushed their brawl away from the house, so that was still in one piece.

However, without the barrier around it, that could change.

So, Kuroka worked on setting up a rather rudimentary barrier around the house as she watched the fight like one would watch an anime episode.

Except, unlike in anime, where several episodes take up some five to ten minutes in an in-universe fight?

This fight lasts for hours.

And in some respects, it's painful to watch.

It’s clear that whatever state Noriaki’s in runs of the height of the sun.

As it fell, he got progressively weaker and weaker.

After a couple of hours, punches that would annihilate Vali’s armor in one to two hits took double the amount of blows.

Another hour or so later? He couldn’t even produce his golden flames anymore, and his normal crimson fire simply wasn’t doing enough quick enough.

He ended up switching to pure light once more, and that brought greater results.

For a little under an hour, because that’s when night finally truly began, and well…

As much as Kuroka would love to root for Noriaki here, It just isn’t happening today.

Because she knows for a fact these two are going to go at it again sometime.

Hopefully, later rather than sooner.

By the time she got back, you couldn’t even tell there was a forest there anymore, just scorched and molten plains.

And in the center of it all? A massive smoking crater, where a white armored figure stood over a robed one, foot firmly pressed down against his chest.

Shockingly enough, though, only Vali was heaving, with Noriaki wiggling underneath the armored boot trying to get out.

“You…” Vali gulped air, “are one persistent bastard, aren’t you?”

“And your entire existence, is bullshit!” Noriaki groaned out, swinging his sword at Vali’s leg, only for it to ping off it uselessly, “How are you so damn tough, huh? You’re half devil, you should be keeling over foaming at the mouth from light poisoning!”

Vali chuckled breathlessly, “I’m just that good. And you’ve still got a long way to go.”

“Ah!” Nori snaps his fingers, his eyes widening rapidly in realization, “I got it! I need to be more Chuuni! Then the world will favor me more so I can pull off more ridiculous bullshit.”

Kuroka had to hold back a laugh to not reveal herself so soon, it only got harder once Vali visibly twitched at that.

“See, I already got a catchphrase, now I just need to pose!” Nori exclaimed as if he was learning the truth of the world, “So, right before I go into Ara-Mitama next time, I’ll do a JoJo pose! Tell me, Chuuni Dragon Emperor lay upon me your wisdom! What should my ultimate attack be call-ACK!”

Vali suddenly pressed his boot down harder, really grinding it into his chest.

“Would you please…just shut the fuck up?” Vali groaned out.

“B-But, But!” Nori heaved out, yet grinning, “I need that master's advice! Clearly, I am in the presence of the one true Chuuni! There can be no greater advice!”

Vali deadpanned at the desolate plains around them, then looked straight back down at Nori, and simply stated.

“These past few lines of conversation have done more damage to me than you did during the whole of our fight.”

“ACK!?” Nori flinched as if punched in the nose, sputtering indignantly as Vali just smirked down at him.

Alright, this is cute and all, but…

Kuroka dropped her visibility and sensing protection, suddenly appearing as if from thin air.

“Alright, alright, nya~!” She starts, walking up to the two who perk up and look at her.

Well, Vali does, Nori barely lifts his head to glimpse at her.

“Haven’t you two had enough fun, keep going any further, and you might attract…unwanted attention, nya~!” Kuroka reminded them.

Both boys grimaced at that, or at Nori did. After all, they are right next to Kuoh.

The only reason she suspects that the Devils and Shinto haven’t rushed out to see what is going on right outside is because the talks are going on right now.

Probably why Vali chose this time to do this, so they wouldn’t be interrupted.

Vali sighs and removes his foot from Nori’s chest, prompting a groan of relief from the half-buried demigod.

“If she’s here, I guess I should probably go,” she could feel Vali cringe as he continued, prompting her to smirk, “I don’t wanna be around to hear what you two get up to…especially if even half of what she says is true.”

Nori looks at her, narrowing his eyes, “The fuck you tell your little team?”

She wiggles her finger at him, and winks, “Only the truth, nya~!”

Nori groans, and Vali’s armor drops, revealing a sympathetic look on his face aimed at the guy he just punched into a crater.

Oi! She’s not that bad!

“One more thing,” Vali adds on, looking at Nori, “my team is open to you if you wanna join. You’re pretty tough yourself, and given time, I can tell you’re only going to get better.”

Kuroka blinks.

Noriaki blinks and widens his eyes into saucers as he fully registers what he just heard.

“I’ll…” Nori begins, hesitantly, “I’ll think about it, alright? Wanna see where everything lands in the world first.”

Vali nods, “That's fine.”

He then promptly turns and starts walking away.

Before suddenly stopping, turning his head back to them slightly.

“You better be stronger for next time,” he adds ominously, “I want to show you what a real Juggernaut Drive looks like.”

And with that, his demonic magic circle bursts into existence beneath him and flashes him away.

The silence that promise left behind is suddenly filled, by Nori snorting.

“Really? Couldn’t even say goodbye properly? The hell man! Chuuni ass- OOF!” He grunts, cut off, as a new weight falls upon him.

This time, something she knows is far more welcome.

She straddled his lap, with her hands resting daintily upon his chest, smirking down upon him.

“Ah,” He looks up at her, smiling warmly, “hi kitty…” He reaches up, stroking her face gently.

“Nori-kun~?” She begins with a small purr, “You okay…?”

He blinks at that, “Well, yeah, I can heal, remember?”

“No no no, not like that,” she refutes, “I mean after getting your ass beaten so thoroughly, nya~?”

He deadpans at her promptly. “Yes, I am in fact not a sore loser and can take an L, kitty.” Then, he smacks her straight on the ass.

She can’t even get a mewl out before he suddenly wraps his arms around her, and pulls her down completely into a hug.

“Cleanups gonna suck, ain’t it?” He suddenly continues, “Especially since I’d rather we get it done fast.”

Kuroka hummed and purred against him, before asking in a quiet daze, “Why is that, Nori-kun~?”

He pats her on the back, before slowly sitting up with her.

“Why, because my sexy little kitty~!” He grins, “We’re moving to Kyoto!”

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 14 End

Kuoh Arc, end.

I'll admit, this chapter was a pin to get out.

Not a writing problem, though. An environment problem. It's 116 (in Freedom units) with the heat index right now in the Northern Midwest USA!

Regardless, next up is going to be an Interlude, covering all the consequences of this arc, hinting at some stuff in the next, and such. Due to how big I know it's going to end up, it'll be posted next Thursday as if it were a chapter.

That'll give me enough time to finalize some Kyoto Arc stuff, and as compensation, I'll stuff the first Interlewd at the end of it as well!

See ya then.

A New Sun Chapter 13

Chapter 13

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Things sure aren't going my way lately, huh?

Turns out, Inari had already left, which left only Uzume here to gather what I needed before deciding fully on what to do next.

What sucks, or rather isn't, is that the moment I mentioned wanting to watch that video of me, Uzume herself quickly told me how to get on the Supernatural forum it's on, then ran off to go get what I told her.

How she seemed very enthusiastic to get work done for once was extremely suspicious, but I only really understood why she ran off until I watched the video.

And, let me tell you, seeing the moment from the outside looking in? When I went full violent mode and started playing with the big dragon?

Fucking hell, I wish I could remember that time clearly!

The video cuts out just after I put the dragon to the torch, not showing the moment I turn and try to turn Sitri into an ash stain on the ground.

Thankfully. I'll have to thank Inari for that next time I see her.

Still, though.

I sit on my couch, leaning forward as I glare at my phone, holding the video paused at the clearest moment I can see myself in it.

Specifically, it's the moment where I stand before the dragon after cutting its head in two, laughing.

I frown, dragging a finger across the screen over my digital self's hair.

Which is highlighted purple in this berserker state of mine.

A very familiar purple, might I add.

Fucking dammit Uzume.

I get the feeling that this is what caused her to leave so quickly, huh?

Leaning back onto my couch, I loudly groan into the currently empty house, tossing my phone onto the cushion next to me.

That information I told her to collect for me better be damn well good.

Supposedly, she is some sort of liaison between the Heavenly and Earthly Kami and the World. If she doesn't know what I want to know off the top of her head, she should know a place to gather it.

It's all Japan specific stuff, anyway, so I don't think it'll be too hard.

My big ask was for contact details and statuses on the Five Principal Clans, the Great Yokai Factions, and the Imperial Family or their Bureau of Onmoyō.

But alongside that, I wanted details and names of the various smaller exorcist families and clans, the beast tamers, the artifact-holding families, the smaller yokai communities and such scattered throughout my home.

Honestly, all that extra stuff is to sate my curiosity more than a need to know, but I figure it would be nice regardless.

And as for the Kami? Well, I figure Uzume should be able to answer anything I ask about them, both Earthly and Heavenly.

Right?

I stare blankly at the ceiling above me, the deafening silence outside of my thoughts the answer to that.

I click my tongue in distaste.

Well, at least my horniness is gone? At least until Kuroka gets back, that is. Or Uzume.

What to do while I wait then? What to do…

A pile of dead bodies flash into my mind's eye.

I still.

Then let out an aggravated huff.

Fine. Fuck it. Let's get this over with, then.

Am I at fault for what the Fallen did here?

No. That's my first response. Why? Because I don't puppet their actions.

But, at the same time, thinking about it more, with my knowledge of the canon, I could have straight up killed them once school started.

But I had a plan, to wait out Diodora, then murder him and the Fallen all at once.

Then fuck off from Kuoh, maybe visit Kyoto, and work from there.

I had no idea canon changed, not until the month ended and Asia never showed!

I assumed! I saw the Fallen, flying about, but I just assumed they were doing random Fallen things!

Like that fedora-wearing fuck! He went out looking for strays in canon, right?

But here, if I had to bet? They were out kidnapping and mutilating people's souls!

And for what, huh!? For fucking what!?

I hissed out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and slowly laid down on my couch, covering my eyes with an arm.

But…you know?

I can't help but think.

If I had just murdered the Fallen the moment I got here, maybe not all, but likely a good chunk of people would still be alive.

How many people died when they forced Issei to go Juggernaut Drive? There's no way that district was clear of people…

I don't even know how many people were in that pile I found.

Hell, that could have been the only pile I found, because they either hid or cleaned up any other bodies before!

I was so close, so fucking close to disaster, and I was never even aware!

And so many people are dead regardless.

And their friends, all their families…

Like, Genshirou! Doesn't he have little siblings? Twelve and under little brothers and sisters?

Fuucckk…

I…need to find them…before I leave this town.

I don't know why, or what I'd even do…make sure they're set for the rest of their lives without their big brother there? Maybe make sure the rest of their family doesn't get broken up and separated?

I don't know. Just…something.

And Asia…

Thinking back on it, I could maybe wrap my head around Raynare and her gang doing equally dumb shit like before, but Asia?

Why didn't she show up!? There's no way I or the Shinto, could have done something that altered that.

Fuck. I just hope wherever she is, that she's okay…

I take a deep, shuddering breath.

I don't want to admit I'm crying right now.

But I am.

Hah. I suppose…I won't say it's all my fault.

I should have known something was up after week three though, with no Asia in sight.

To be fair to myself, canon was always vague on dates, it's why I waited until the start of the next month to act.

But, still. That's no excuse.

I tried being reactive to spoiled information.

It failed. Who'd have thought?

No more being reactive anymore, I told myself that when Juggernaut Drive got unleashed on the town, and I'm reaffirming that now.

I don't believe myself some fairy tale or legendary hero from the old myths and legends that are oh so real here.

A real hero would have saved the day, long before it spiraled out of control.

But…I at least believe in responsibility. I have knowledge, in my head, a basis for what could come in this world.

If I don't use it to help, to at least make the world a better place before I go?

Then I failed.

I failed this time.

I won't a second time.

With a start, I sit back up, taking a deep breath.

Stop pitying yourself, Nori. Control your damn empathy.

It's time to think. Time to be proactive.

Vali is going to respond to what I did, isn't he? The video was very clear, in the description and title, that it was shot in Kuoh.

He'll come searching for me, won't he? Because I killed his 'fated rival'.

I doubt he'll come to kill me, though. He'll probably only come to see what I'm made of.

Maybe he might even get it stuck in his head that I ought to 'fill in' as his fated rival since I killed his actual one?

I give the air a manic grin.

Bring it, Half Devil with a Longinus. My sword will cut through you just as it did your red counterpart!

Now, as for Kokabiel.

His reaction will…likely depend on how the Faction Leaders respond.

But I don't know how the Faction Leaders are taking this, hell, do the Devils or Shinto even know what the Fallen did?

Unlikely, considering any evidence of Grigori activity probably got leveled with the activation of Juggernaut Drive.

So, the best way to get that information, and tell the Devils what's up so they can ram a molten railroad spike up Azazel's dumbass, is…

Koneko. For fairly obvious reasons.

I click my tongue, though, because that conversation I'm very much not looking forward to having.

Still, it needs to happen at some point. Better get it over with faster, the longer I wait, the worse this situation gets.

But first things first!

Inari supposedly left some of her sake behind…

And I could very much go for a drink right now!

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

The past day or so since had been more than a little hectic.

Well, not for Koneko and the others, all they had to do was be interviewed by the Leviathan about what happened.

Ever since then? She's just been sitting around in her room in the Gremory Castle as Kuoh gets cleaned, memories and non-supernatural recordings get altered or wiped, and the works.

It was fairly amusing, watching her President and Sitri have their siblings fawn over them relentlessly.

It got even better once the Leviathan saw those posters Kusanagi made for his Magical Girl Club.

Supposedly, according to her President, the Leviathan flipped and not so subtly said she had to be the advisor for the club.

The sheer panic and fear in the picture her President took of Sitri after that was amazing.

…she just wishes Kusanagi could see it right now.

Koneko stilled on her bed, briefly pausing the handheld console she was playing on as the thought passed through her head.

She's been trying hard to not think about him and his, whatever that was, at the end there.

Deep down, a part of her knows it isn't his fault.

It was a slightly desperate time, and he didn't know what would happen to begin with.

But still.

She can't help comparing that state of his to what she was like.

She can almost see it, the way he stood before the dragon, just like she did to her King…

Looking down at her game now, she suddenly finds she doesn't feel like gaming anymore.

Throwing the console to the other side of her bed, she turns and buries her face into her pillow, sighing and trembling slightly.

That woman, Inari Okami, which she still can't fully believe, said he'd summon her again later.

That he'd be fine, and himself.

It's been a little bit, and she hasn't gotten a call from him yet.

She honestly doesn't know how to feel about seeing him again.

Which sucks, because he probably doesn't even know she's upset in the first place!

Or even why.

That's not a conversation she's looking forward to having.

"Hmm?" She hums, suddenly feeling soft vibrations under her pillow.

Ah, her phone.

Pulling it out from under there, she holds it up lazily and opens it up.

Then she stops and stares, eyes growing increasingly wider as she sees who exactly texted her.

Dumbass: Hey. You up for a summons?

Kusanagi. Who, yes, she has under her phone as Dumbass.

For what felt like several, long, agonizing seconds, she debated on what to say back.

Then she remembered her thoughts from earlier, gave a simple 'K' in response, and gingerly got up to find the Peerage's Summoning Circle.

Since they wouldn’t be returning to Kuoh for a little while, her President’s parents threw together a room where the Peerage could get their job requests done.

Since it isn’t anywhere near the time the Peerage usually operates, Koneko had a relatively easy time getting to said room where the circle is.

She didn’t even have to sneak or anything.

Sometimes, she swears, the people here are a tad too nice.

Still loves them all the same, though.

Regardless, she makes it to the circle and fires another quick text telling him to use the summoning slip.

After a beat, said circle begins to light up an ominous red.

Ah. That’s just her imagination, right? It’s always been that color. Gremory Clan and all that!

With a deep shuddering breath, she closes her eyes as the light overtakes her.

She doesn’t dare open them, not until moments later when she’s sure the lights are gone, and the floor beneath her feet is completely different than before.

“Heeheehee~! Hiiiiii, my cute little kohai!”

Hold up.

She opens her eyes, any semblance of fear or trepidation violently dying as she beholds Kusangi, lying there on the couch before her half slumped, grinning at her like an idiot with a slight flush on his face.

He sounded giggly, almost slurring his words.

A single sniff, and she can tell why.

Sake.

“Senpai.” She begins, with a half-lidded stare of pure contempt. “The fuck.”

“Ah ah ah!” Kusanagi holds up his hands, “Hey! I know what you’re thinking! But I’m not actually drunk! Ehhh~…” He reaches over, with some difficulty, to a small coffee table next to the couch, and grabs a small tea cup.

He holds it up, to reveal it's basically entirely full of the offending liquid.

“See, see~! I took a sip, a sip!” He whined, before going to slam the cup down.

Then stops dumbly as he realizes the mess he’d make, so sets it down gently.

“I took a sip!” He continues unabated, “And I turned black-out drunk! This stuff is the weakest Inari left behind, and I’m cycling every energy under the sun over here through my body just to remain, well…” He stares up at the ceiling for a second, then he suddenly perks up, “me! Mostly, anyway. Think I’m just slightly more…loose if you know what I mean?”

He looks at her, and hics.

Koneko deadpans at him, “I see absolutely no difference.”

“Eh!?” Kusanagi flinches back as if struck, “Koneko-chan! That’s kinda mean, you know!?” He pouts, “Besides, I called you up because I heard from a little someone that you were, well.” His focus and eyes sharpen slightly as he fixes his gaze upon her, “Not well, at the end of the battle the other day.”

She wavers slightly and refuses to meet his gaze with a huff. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Please be drunk and stupid right now, please drunk and stupid right now, please be drunk and stupid right now.

Just as she realizes that thought should probably be more along the lines of just, ‘be himself’, she finds that he is indeed, not being drunk and stupid.

He’s got a fucking death wish!

She suddenly found herself being grabbed and pulled right to him so fast she didn’t even know what was happening until all movement stopped.

And she found herself sitting on his lap, with him holding her like some kind of teddy bear.

“Senpai.” She hisses out lowly through gritted teeth while trying very hard not to blush or move at all, “The fuck!?”

“Cut the bullshit, the japes, all that Koneko.” He replies just as lowly back, right into her ear, making her shiver, “There’s a video you know? Of the battle? I saw you there, shaking in your skirt, and Inari told me the same.”

She bristles at that.

Video? Who in their right mind would get close enough to record any of that!?

“So, tell me,” He stresses, much less lowly, much more genuine, and if her ears don’t deceive her, with a hint of…fear? “Are you okay?”

She twitches, slowly looking down as she processes what she’s hearing.

“I’m…fine now, Senpai.” She decides after a moment, slowly pushing her head into his chest so he can't see the ferocious blush spreading across her face.

“But you weren’t then, hmm?” He hums in response, holding her tighter.

She, pointedly, doesn’t answer that.

“I noticed that for most of the fight, you were fine,” he continues, “it was only near the end, after I had my moment, that you…you know.”

She slowly finds herself gripping his robe tighter.

He sighs deeply.

“I’m sorry I scared you, my cute little kohai.” He mutters dejectedly to her, whilst reaching up to pat her on the head.

Her mask cracks.

“D-Don’t…Please…” she mutters right back, brokenly, causing him to flinch and look down at her with what she can feel is concern, “It’s not your fault, you couldn’t have known! I…I…” she shivers in his arms, struggling to find the words she wants, no, needs to say.

He merely reaches back down, and rubs her back gently, in smooth circular motions.

“It’s okay if you don’t wanna talk about it, Koneko-chan, you don’t need to tell me anything you don’t want me to.” He mutters gently into her ear.

Then he hums, before adding on, “Although, if you want to talk, but don’t want me to remember, I could chug a shot and let it take hold,” he chuckles, “then I won’t remember a thing! HehEHE!?”

She doesn’t dig her fingers into his sides and grabs on far tighter.

She doesn’t do all that, with a deadpan stare into his chest, not at all!

And she certainly doesn’t have a small smile on her face as she mutters back, “Don’t do that, you stupid senpai. You’ll die before I can kill you.”

“Oi! My tolerance isn’t that bad!” He replies, almost sounding offended.

The pin-drop silence she gives after is all the answer he needs, so he slumps back while hugging her.

“Fine.” He relents evenly, then after a moment, he asks, “Can you please stop squeezing my sides now?”

“No,” she replies simply, “you’re like a stress ball that doesn’t break. You should hang up your sword and do this full-time.”

Instead of jabbing back at her, like she thought he’d do, he just chuckles, and says, “Hmm, alright. Use me anytime you like!”

He winces and whines shortly after she full-on crushes his sides in her grip.

“Stupid. Dumbass. Pervert.” She intones like a mantra.

“I’m not into this!” He objects right back.

She huffs, then blinks, realizing all her ensuing stress and panic from before has been washed away.

Belatedly, she also realizes that all of that talk from before was probably on purpose.

Sighing, she shuffles her body closer to him, still refusing to look up at him, however.

“Hmm? Koneko-chan?” He spoke, confused.

Just do it. What’s holding you back anymore?

“A long time ago,” she suddenly began, as if reading dispassionately from a storybook, “there were two Nekoshou, cat yokai, sisters, one older and one younger, who lived together in the Underworld.” she intoned.

“Their life was…fine. It was all the younger one ever knew. And that was fine.” She gave a slight, pained, grimace.

“Until suddenly, it wasn’t.” Her voice picked up slightly, “The elder sister, who had been reincarnated into a Devil by the one they lived with, grew more and more powerful day by day. In magic, in the native yokai arts, and as a Devil.” Her breath hitches, despite how hard she’s trying not to, “One day, that power got to her head, and the younger sister bore witness as the elder slaughtered her way out of the household, and into the night.”

She pauses briefly, then finally looks up slowly, meeting his concerned gaze with a dead one.

Or she wished.

She found herself shaking instead, as tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

“Leaving the little sister behind to be charged for her crimes.” She finished, barely getting the words out straight. “They wanted to kill her, but luckily, the Devil King Lucifer had mercy, and took her into his house, where she would meet his little sister, and…well…” She smiles, half-heartedly and broken, quivering slightly.

“You’re not dumb enough to not be able to figure out the rest, r-right, Noriaki?” She watched, uncaring as his eyes widened at her finally saying his name, only to gasp slightly as he wrapped her up tightly and pulled her in for a very sudden bear hug.

“So I did push a trauma button then? Fuck,” he bit out loathingly, “I’m sorry, Koneko, really!”

“Eh?” She blinks out in a daze, “I already said…”

“Just because I didn’t know, doesn’t mean I didn’t hurt you.” he refutes, “I’m gonna feel bad about it regardless. Besides! I did a dumb thing in the first place,” he states disparagingly, “trying what I did in the middle of the battlefield like that, seriously!”

Her face flushes, more and more, as he goes on. “Senpai, you really…” she trails off.

Honestly. This man.

How can one man be so bloody stupid?

“It's like, OOF!” He grunts as she cuts him off with a jab straight to his gut.

“Stop saying stuff like that…you pulled through in the end, right?” she refutes right back, “Even if you did nearly torch Sitri.”

Honestly, she couldn’t tell if that would even be that big a loss if he did.

The only thing she’d worry about is the Leviathan going mental.

He pauses, briefly, looking down at her with a stunned expression, then he smiles warmly and pats her on the head.

“Still, I’m sorry regardless.” He apologizes wistfully, “And it sucks, what happened to your family, too.”

She quickly finds herself purring slightly at his touch, before she softly asks aloud, “Then…you won’t do that again? That…thing.”

He hums, “Ignoring a part of me, won’t make it any better, Koneko-chan.” he responds easily, “Rather, I’m going to master that power. Make it mine, so that the next time I need it, I’ll be in control, not my violent half.” He states with conviction.

She blinks, rocking back and forth, forcibly biting down a nasty retort.

She saw him fight that dragon. He was far stronger, far faster, far more deadly than when he was in their spars.

If it’s him, then…maybe he could do it?

“I like this senpai,” she states aloud, without even really thinking, “he’s…a bit of a dumbass, maybe. But he’s still kind, he cares when it matters. I…” She eyes him, pleadingly, “don’t want that senpai to go away!” she declares, face positively on fire.

And yet, he gives her that same stupidly warm and reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine, I got people here, far stronger than me, to knock some sense into me if it comes down to it. I promise.” Then he leans forwards and kisses her forehead. “Alright?”

She just stares at him, mouth slightly agape, eyes slightly wide.

Koneko Toujou.exe has stopped working.

She stopped working so hard that the transformation magic she used to hold back her yokai features broke.

Her ears and tails suddenly fluttered into existence, causing Noriaki to look at them in wide-eyed surprise.

Which, unfortunately for her, quickly turned into awe.

“Aww!!” He exclaimed, snapping her out of her shock, but far too late, as he was already petting her ears, gently and soothingly. “So, cute!”

She purrs, beside herself, trying very hard not to - “Nyyannnn~...”

Damnit!

There’s only one way to escape this!

She punches him, as hard as she can, briefly instinctively causing an amber mist to flow around her as she does so.

Her fist collides right into his unguarded side, right into his kidney with a crack in the air.

She blinks, eyes widening into saucers as she realizes she just used ki.

Slowly, fearfully looking up, she saw Noriaki locked ramrod still, his eyes whited out, face pale, his entire body quivering slightly.

Blood slowly trickles down from his mouth.

Before she can say anything, he suddenly grabs her shoulders and holds her quivering body in place as she looks down at her with a nigh proud gleeful smile.

“Good hit, kitten!” He praises, blood still slowly trickling out of his nose.

She found any fear she had quickly vanished, as she looked right back at him blandly.

“Senpai.” She began, blandly, “I just punctured your kidney. That’s not good.” She emphasized just as blandly, somehow.

He snorts at that, “I ain’t no pussy, I can take a hit and heal.”

She blanches at that, and eyes him incredulously, “I take it all back, senpai. You’re purely a dumbass, go die for all I care.”

Despite her tirade against him, all he does is continue smiling, “My point is, Koneko-chan, let's say you want someone who can take a hit from you because you’re trying to say…I dunno,” he hums, “practice a little something,” her eyes rapidly widen, and he smiles knowingly, “just know, I’ll be right here!”

She stares at him as her tail slowly starts swishing back and forth rapidly.

With a huff, she looks away once more, face completely flushed, “You really are just an idiot…”

He chuckles, undeterred, “And you’re just a cute little tsundere, aren’t you?” He responds right back.

Her tail twitches.

She’s heard her President call her that before. What the hell does that mean?

Regardless, she punches him again, just for safe measure.

And his chuckling doesn’t stop, only sputters, as he falls onto the couch on his side, dragging her down with him as he still holds onto her.

“S-Senpai!?” She exclaims as they go down, and she promptly finds herself being cuddled.

“So!” He voiced, ignoring her cries, instead favoring to pet her ears as he moved on, “It’s been a little bit since we talked, hasn’t it? What’s been going on at your guy's end while I’ve been taking a power nap?” He asks.

Ah, so he’s been out this whole time?

Lucky. Even if it’s just been really boring for her.

Still, this conversation sounds much better to have than…everything else so far.

Even if she is being cuddled as it happens.

She shuffles slightly closer just before she replies.

“Well…”

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Hours later, I'm once again lying on the couch by myself.

Koneko, after being sufficiently cuddled and telling me how boring it's been since the battle, having left not too long ago.

Of course, not before I told her about what I found in the Church, so she could relay that to Sirzechs and Serafall, who would hopefully relay that to my mother.

Then they can both suplex the Grigori while I point and laugh.

I was thinking about just telling my mother directly, like, walking out into the sun and sending a prayer directly to her…

But eh. Don't feel like it. Not even sure that method would work.

Besides, I'm still slightly buzzed, from just a sip!

Still can't get over that.

At least I can kind of cheat by cycling my ki, Holy Spirit Power, and…

I narrow my eyes in thought.

Could I really call my chakra, chakra?

I mean, it acts and works like the Naruto World's Chakra, but I'm seeing a theme with my powers so far.

That being, they seem in some way connected to the world and aren't just there for no reason.

On the one hand, I'm glad because I don't have to make up some bullshit about why I have select powers.

On the other hand? Makes me feel significantly less special.

Regardless of all that, what could my chakra be then?

Hmm…that's some food for thought, isn't it?

With a huff, I hop off the couch onto my feet and take a second to stretch out the kinks cuddling always leaves in your body after.

Uzume still isn't back yet, nor is Kuroka, and although I'd have loved it if Koneko stuck around so we could fight, she had to head back.

My bet is partly because she legitimately had to go, and partly because she just caught feelings and is trying to process them.

Sucks too, because I don't plan on holding anything back during our spars anymore.

I don't think I'll give her 'chakra' just yet, but I do want to try teaching her Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.

For a Rook, that style would be kind of stupidly broken, wouldn't it?

Beyond that, I also want to push her more and more into getting stronger, so she can body Kokopuffs if he ever does show up.

Hmm. One Punch Kat?

I hum and nod to myself, liking the idea of that.

Ah, and another thing she mentioned before leaving!

Apparently, Rias wants to have a chat with me sometime.

…it's totally because of my eyes, isn't it?

I'm not giving her anything, even if she's an adorable little weeb who's begging for it!

I ain't no bargain sale!

With a huff, I walked back upstairs to my bedroom, where Inari left my sword sitting there waiting for me.

How about, while I wait for everyone to get back, I do some training, yeah?

See if I can't figure out Mist and Flower Breathing and add those to my repertoire.

So, with a happy little hum, I do just that. Grabbing my sword, and within minutes of light walking, I'm out the door once more.

By the time me and Koneko's chat got over with and she had to leave, the sun had passed over the midpoint, and it was now smack dab in the middle of the evening.

I click my tongue in annoyance.

I should have made Koneko lunch or something, that'd have made her stay longer!

Bemoaning that missed opportunity, and vowing to do just that next time I summon her, I continue walking—

I stop, as the barrier around my estate suddenly cracks with a loud thunderous creak.

Slowly, I raise my eyes to the sky, seeing it bathed in spider web cracks.

I narrow my eyes slightly with a half-lidded glare, as a thunderous clap rings out once more and the barrier promptly shatters.

Guess who slowly floats down from the rapidly growing hole of the barrier?

He's not even wearing his armor, he purely just has his wings out.

Messy anime white hair whips in the wind, as the chunni half devil's blue eyes look down upon me, and he smirks with poorly constrained glee.

"There you a—"

"You're paying for the replacement barrier." I interrupt casually.

"I…huh?" He stammers, tilting his head like an idiot.

"You heard me, dumbass." I reiterate. "I said you're paying for the replacement barrier."

"That's…" He frowns, trailing off in sheer confusion.

"Also!" I call out, adding, "Talking isn't a free action."

He blinks at that, "Huh?"

And I'm upon him.

My Mark, my eyes, my touki, my everything is activated at once, and I'm upon him.

Crimson fire erupts around my blade like a volcano as I slash down upon him, the crimson wave slamming down upon him and carrying him away.

Away from my home, and into the plains and forest around it, straight into the ground where he belongs.

I eye my blade quizzically, seeing it flicker with a holy aura, carrying the spark of another power I can't quite describe.

I blink as my phone vibrates in my robe.

Pulling it out, I see a message from my dear black kitty.

Tiddy Kitty: You may wanna stay low for a while, someone's looking for you, nya~! And it won't be pretty if they find you!

I stare at my screen, slowly shifting my gaze to look at the smoking flaming crater outside my estate.

Then I snap a picture and send it to her.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 13 End

Emotionally charged chapter today. And so the final boss of this arc appears to ruin it! Honestly. Respect+ to Vali for the drive.

Isn't gonna stop him from taking a flaming sword to the face, though.

Place your bets on the chances they become friends after this while Ama pegs Azazel in Takamagahara?

A New Sun Chapter 12

Chapter 12

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Whack. Whack. Whack.

The dull thud of a paper fan smacking something resounded throughout the Kusanagi Estate.

"Staaahhpp!! Please, Inari-chan!! I said I was swoorryy!!" As were the cries of the said something, who at least in Inari Okami's mind, would forever be deemed 'useless goddess' from here on out.

Inari sighed, retracting her fan back to her face, glaring daggers down upon the Revelry Goddess turned maid as she kneeled next to her seat.

Truly, it's a wonder Noriaki hasn't lost his mind dealing with this one.

Though, judging by his actions when the Boosted Gear user went Juggernaut Drive, perhaps he too also has a few screws loose.

Wouldn't surprise her, considering his parents and 'caretaker' for most of his life.

"Turn one more of my sake barrels into fruit punch, and I'll wring your Holy Spirit Power out through your nipples." She threatened with a serene smile across her face.

"Eeek!?" Uzume promptly yelped and covered her chest, for all good that'd do, and looked at her in teary-eyed fear.

"Look! I said I was sorry, okay!? Nori inadvertently nuked my musubi with the other Earthly Kami with his orders!" She whined incessantly, "I can't summon any food beyond party snacks anymore! I can't even try drinking alcohol without it turning into some random kid's drink!" She shook, swaying side to side, voice growing increasingly manic, "I'm losing it, Inari-chan! LOSING IT!"

Whack.

"Owwiee!!" The maid goddess promptly grabbed her head and whined, all emotional build-up lost.

Inari, once more, let out a baleful sigh.

After Inari brought back Noriaki and set him in his room, she thought it prudent to come down and take a look at the situation she was inheriting.

You know, ask Uzume for her side of the story, what's been going on and all.

And let's just say, her being smacked with a paper fan is not only for vengeance over her lost sake.

Turns out, there's a pretty good reason, she was to be the young man's new guardian.

Who'd have thought?

Something he certainly needed coming up, after his fighting the Red Dragon Emperor and winning got around to the wider world.

There were yokai in that town. Several saw him flying into the battle and more than a few watched said fight from afar.

It would only be a matter of time before the whole damn world heard about it.

She knew because she commandeered a kitsune's senses to get a front-row seat to the fight herself.

Said Kitsune was also recording said fight, hilariously enough.

Ballsy kit, Inari could admit. She had half a mind of taking that one under her wing later.

Ah, right. Speaking of musubi, though.

"Uzume?" She questioned, prompting a pained 'huh?' from the Kami in response, "Were you aware that Noriaki shared his musubi with the reincarnated nekoshou he took as a concubine?"

Uzume just stared at her, dumbly.

Inari stared at her back, scathingly. "Does he even know what musubi is?" She continued.

Uzume slowly started tearing up again. "N-No…" she stuttered out, "But I have a-, w-wait—!"

WHACK.

The useless goddess was silenced by her fan, forced to give out a stuttering shriek as it struck her with a tad bit more force than before.

"You truly are a useless goddess, Uzume." Inari admonished with a scathing sigh, "I don't have time to teach him everything about his Kami half before I go, and he's going to have to learn quickly," She continued, biting her lip in thought, "especially after today…"

"A-Ah…" Uzume sniffed out, "what happened in town, by the way? For him to come back like that?" She asked quietly, nearly deathly so.

Inari blinked. Right, this place is warded so heavily Uzume couldn't have felt the aura that Juggernaut Drive emitted, could she?

Well. Best be blunt about this.

"Noriaki fought a rampaging Boosted Gear user in Juggernaut Drive." Inari casually revealed, "He had some help of course, later on in the fight. He ended up awakening his Ara-Mitama however. Nearly turned on and killed some Devils after he killed the dragon. I stopped him before he could, though."

What she doesn’t explain, at least out loud, is what she herself was doing during all that. Luring the people away from the fight, rescuing those that could be saved.

In a sense, she still is, her foxes are still out and about, while her main consciousness and form are here for now.

But that’ll change quickly.

Uzume just stared at her, mouth slightly agape.

Seconds pass of just this, as she can see the gears turning in Uzume's head.

Eventually, the Goddess of Revelry slumps down and says the one thing Inari herself agrees with regarding all this.

"I need a drink."

"Finally, some words of wisdom." Inari mused, and with a snap of her fingers, a drink appeared in her hand.

Some of her own special brand sake.

Taking ginger sips, she watches with mirth and a sly fox-like smirk as the purple-haired girl whines and shakes with envy and jealousy next to her.

With a refreshed sigh, Inari spoke up once more, "I can't be here for long you know, so we'll have to make this quick." She rose from her seat and looked down at her shrine priestess outfit with a huff. "After I change out of my work clothes into something more comfortable." She added with a huff.

Uzume winced at her words, "Doesn't that mean waking him up early?" She questioned with a frown, "After his violent half woke up in the middle of a battle like that, his mind, the strain…" she trailed off worriedly.

"Yes, it will be a bit much for him," Inari confirmed simply, "but even so, he needs to know regardless."

With a clap of her hands and the scent of freshly watered rice fields, Inari suddenly found herself wearing something much more casual.

And also quite sexy, but that's par for the course for her, no?

Flicking a drooling Uzume on the nose to bring her back to her senses, she waved for said woman to follow her.

"Come along now, you should be there too! A good maid wakes and cares for their master, no?" She giggles as Uzume rises with a flush, and leads her away to said master's room.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

I see only darkness, as I lay upon a soft fluffy mattress, presumably in my bed.

On my side, I can feel the softness and plushness of my kitty, and feel the way she breathes quietly against me.

Completely naked, of course. I don't need to be able to open my eyes to say that much.

Idly, one of my arms is wrapped around her body, keeping her close.

I…don't know how it got there. Maybe I put it there automatically when she snuggled against me?

I certainly don't recall being awake doing it, regardless.

Hell, I don't even recall being awake getting here.

The last thing I remember was sucking up Holy Spirit Power from the sun like the world's most overcompensating solar panel.

Then, I didn't exactly blackout, it was more like an out-of-body experience.

There was a fight afterward, right? I won, I think? And then I blacked out.

Fuck. Not only did I pull the anime trope of last minute power in the middle of a fight, but I also blacked out afterward!

Think I've reached my quota of anime bullshit for the week.

Anyway, I'm currently conscious, barely right now…although I'd really rather not.

The problem is though, there's this awful smell being pressed against my nose, and it's forcing me to stay awake.

And I can barely move, much less swat away the fucker who's trying to interrupt my peaceful catgirl snuggle times!

"Come on, come on~! Noriaki-san!" A soft, feminine, vulpine voice mutters into my ear, "I know you're awake…we need to have a chat, you and I~..."

…okay, the very seductive sounding fucker.

Still a fucker!

"You don't need to worry about us waking your little pet over there~..." She continues sweetly, "I'll keep her asleep for as long as we need, okay~?"

"Whaddya want." I groggily intone, cracking open my eyes slightly.

Thank all gods, old and new, she didn't open the shades right now.

Funny, coming from the son of a sun deity, but I really don't feel like getting light in my eyes right now.

I know I'll be fine, I'm just not feeling up to it right now.

Turning my head slightly, ignoring my twitching purple-haired maid at the foot of the bed, I see the figure of the woman talking to me.

Long pink hair, violet eyes, a foxy smile, and several pink tails swishing out behind her.

Also, her massive cleavage is more or less being shoved in my face.

Yet, the back of my head starts phantom buzzing, and I narrow my eyes at her.

"And...who the hell are you?" I mutter out.

She chuckles at that, "I see," she muses aloud, "you don't remember then, hmm? I suppose that makes sense."

She sits down at the foot of my bed, throwing one leg over the other before smiling down at me.

"I am to be your guardian for the next few years, Noriaki-san, until you reach the age of adulthood." Closing her eyes, she bows slightly, "I am Inari Okami, or just Inari, if you will…pleased to finally meet you fully conscious for once, no?" She giggles as she raises her head back up, and gives me a little wink.

I simply stare at her as best as my heavy body will allow, my mouth hanging open as low as it'll go while lying down.

Damn…I feel, and look like a fish right now, don't I?

"I have…several questions." I respond intelligently.

Inari Okami, the most popular and widely worshiped deity in Japan, responds to my dumb response with a giggle and rubs my cheek slightly.

"I'm sure you do, Noriaki-san." She hums, "And I will answer as best as I can, unlike a certain…someone." Her smile widens ever so slightly.

And out of the corner of my vision, I see Uzume fidget slightly more.

Course.

Although…hmm. Hold that thought for a second.

Let's start from the beginning first.

"Before we start," Inari interrupts curtly just as I open my mouth, "I must apologize for waking you up like this, see, Noriaki-san, I am a very busy woman…I'm afraid I can only stick around here for a few hours more, so it's best we do this as soon as possible. Alright?"

I think for a second, then nod in acceptance, causing the Fox Goddess to smile brightly.

Inari Okami. As I said before, she is one of the most popular goddesses in Japan in the modern era.

A third of the shrines in Japan are dedicated to her. She has more shrines than my mother, of all Kami!

Fucking hell. Why do I know those details? What was I in my past life, the useless trivia facts guy?

Still, I'm not one bit shocked she's so busy.

Now. Where to begin?

Ah, beginning. Right.

"How did I end up here?" I start, "Last I fully recall, I was sucking up sunlight to restore my powers, then…" I trail off, not too sure how to describe what followed out loud.

Inari frowned slightly, pursing her lips at my statement. Even Uzume seemed to furrow her brow in confusion.

"You did something to cause yourself to enter Ara-Mitama?" She asked, slightly off, "That's…strange. I thought it was triggered by you undergoing intense emotional stress…huh." Inari quirked up a smile, "Then again, I suppose you are a unique existence. Perhaps this is to be expected."

Well. That wasn't helpful. What the fuck is an Ara-Mitama?

"...All of that just brought up more questions." I followed up blandly.

She giggled at my statement, "Then please, ask away, but first!" She boops me on the nose, causing me to go cross-eyed in confusion, "Congratulations are in order, Noriaki-san. You killed a Red Dragon Emperor in Juggernaut Drive! And with little civilian deaths as well" She smiled sweetly, "That's something to be quite proud of! Most times, when such a thing happens, several Faction Leaders are required to intervene and put them down, you know!"

I frown slightly at all that.

That does answer my first question, in a roundabout way.

I ate sunlight, went Ara-Mitama – whatever that is – and finished Issei off.

Considering how Issei was the weakest Red Dragon Emperor in history, not counting titty power-ups, that's nothing to write home about.

Especially due to the circumstances that led up to it all.

Moving on, I wave off her words, as much as I can move my arm and hand, and ask something she didn't touch on, "And the Devils?" I ask, "Did they make it out okay?"

As soon as I said Devils, Inari's smile turned a lot more sly.

"Oh, they made it out just fine," she hums, "although…you did almost torch the Sitri Heiress." She casually adds.

I blink.

Huh? Wait, what? When?

I recall being very pissed at her because she tried barriering in an ultimate class being like it was no biggie.

When realistically, she should have had her Peerage play support, and have us play around her Queens ability to reflect attacks.

If they were there, we could have ended it when he fired off that Longinus Smasher then…

But they never showed up, even after their barrier was destroyed.

I narrow my eyes at her, and say one tired word, "Elaborate."

Her eyes sparkled with mirth, "As you wish…this is actually a perfect segue into Ara-Mitama and a few other things we have to go over quickly."

Clearing her throat briefly, she continues, "In essence, Ara-Mitama is your violent half. Every Kami possesses two separate souls. One violent and rough, the other gentle and kind. Ara-Mitama, and Nigi-Mitama. You, Noraki-san!" She puts a finger to my chest and leans closer to my face, her sparkling eyes taking the whole of my vision, "Are different, due to something very important. You're alive."

I stare at her, blankly.

"I sure hope so." I respond wholly seriously.

She chuckles, and pulls back slightly, "Not like that, Noriaki-san." She pats my chest, "I mean you're both alive in the Human sense, but you're also Kami. You are both. There's a word for your existence, an 'Arahitogami', a Living God."

Huh. That's…actually pretty neat.

"Sounds way cooler than 'Demigod', that's what I've been calling myself this entire time." I shrug, weakly.

Her eyebrow twitches at that, and she huffs.

"I suppose the Western term is what you'd be more familiar with, hmm?" She pulls back completely, "Granted, that term isn't incorrect either…by Western standards, anyhow."

Eh. I'll probably still call myself Demigod, regardless. I get the feeling I'd have to explain myself more if I said Arahitogami.

Sucks too, sounds hella cool!

"So," I pushed on, "what's all that got to do with my…Ara-Mitama, you called it?"

She grimaces, and gets back on track, "As Arahitogami, you possess one whole soul. A Kami who enters their Ara-Mitama still has another soul to go back to if placated, you…don't." She huffs, "When your soul became consumed by your Ara-Mitama, that's all you were at that point. I had to knock the power out of you to restore balance to your soul."

At her mention of knocking, my head buzzes and throbs again.

I wince, "You…mean that literally, don't you?"

She merely smiled at me.

The buzz in my head grows.

Ugh, so that's what happened then?

I went beast mode, killed Issei, tried to kill Sona, but then I presume Inari stopped me?

Wait.

I groan out suddenly.

I did all that shit in front of Koneko.

I went into a state literally called 'Wild Soul' in front of Koneko.

Good. Fuck. I probably hit all her trauma buttons, didn't I!? Shit!

Suddenly, Inari pats me on the head, ruffling up my hair, "Took you long enough," she hums out softly, "I felt the incredibly irrational fear of a white-haired girl as she watched you. I presume you know each other?"

Fuuuuucck. Meeee.

"Yeah," I huffed out, "damn, I need to talk to her, as soon as possible…" Almost instinctively, I try to get up to go do just that.

But I can't feel my legs. So there's that.

Also, Inari moves her hand back down and places her hand firmly down upon my chest, keeping me from moving even a little.

"Don't worry," she starts softly, "I already informed the girl you'd talk to her when you could, and that you'd be alright and yourself again when you did."

I breathe a slight sigh of relief, "Thank you." I give her my most grateful smile, "Helps a lot, truly."

She returns a beautiful one right back, "You are most welcome, Noriaki-san."

What else to ask, what else…

"Hmm, although, Noraki-san?" She suddenly spoke curtly, "If I may ask a question of my own…?"

Huh?

"Well, sure?" I affirm, confused, "Not too sure what you could want to know, though?"

She hums, giving me a sly smile at my last remark, "Oh, I was just wondering why you'd share your musubi with your catgirl concubine?"

My brain seizes thinking.

I slowly widened my eyes at her.

"Huh?" I respond dumbly, not entirely certain what she's asking, but at the same time knowing what she means.

Her smile widens in turn, "Why did you share your power with a girl you just met a month ago? Especially this interesting energy of yours…" she rubs a finger across my chest, "I can feel it, in pathways lodged between both you and her's physical and spiritual being…very very interesting…" she trailed off, mystified.

She can sense Chakra!?

Okay, Nori, hold the fucking phone.

Of course she can, she's probably one of the strongest Earthly Kami in the Faction! I shouldn't be shocked that she can!

Let's rewind here, she mentioned…musubi? And sharing it? In reference to giving her my power, my chakra that it is.

There's a word for my awakening powers here? Others might be able to awaken powers in others!?

I need information!

First things first, I need to answer her…

No reason not to tell her the truth.

"Because I really really like her," I responded after a second of gathering my bearings, "and she saved my life, a bit ago. Beyond that? Well…" I think for a second, then smirk, "I fully intend to breed this cat later on down the line, so I'd appreciate it, Inari-san, if you didn't refer to her as a mere concubine."

If I could, I'd be showing my displeasure at her statement a lot more.

The idea of referring to Kuroka as a concubine, like a side piece, fucking pisses me off.

Inari merely gives me a thoughtful hum, "Interesting indeed, Noriaki-san, interesting indeed…" she chuckles, "someone's possessive, hmm?"

"A bit." I admit with ease, "So. What's musubi?" I tack on casually.

"Everything." She responds just as casually, saying it like it answers all my questions.

I stare at her, and she stares right back at me, a sly smile on her face.

"Oh, alright," she relents, "it's a tad more complicated than that. Musubi is the interconnecting energy of the universe." She reveals.

A tad!?

She continues, "Kami are manifestations of said energy." She raises her hand and snaps her fingers.

Instantly, the nice sweet smell of tea leaves fills the air, and she's holding a steaming cup of said drink.

"Via our Holy Spirit Powers, we govern and hold authority over the natural laws and phenomena with our domains. In my case," she holds up the drink and takes a sip, "tea is one of my domains, amongst others. It's via musubi that we exist and gain our powers. It also enables us to share said powers, give blessings, and enable small parts of our domains to be shared. Amongst ourselves…" she trailed off as she reached down, and tapped my chest suddenly.

Golden and pink sparks flicker across her finger and into my chest.

Something snaps into place, deep inside me, and it's like I finally understand.

It's like waking up from a dream I never knew I was in.

I hold out my hand, and a similar steaming teacup to Inari's own appears in my hand.

A dream specific to tea, sure, but now I know I can just sort of summon really good tea to me! If that makes sense?

Sucks I can't move to drink it.

Dammit!

Seeing my plight, Inari chuckles and reaches down, her cup disappearing as she helps my arm and hand move.

"And others." She finally finishes, as I take a nice long sip. "Musubi isn't technically unique to us Kami," she adds, watching me in satisfaction, "all deities, of all pantheons, have something similar. It's the source of their 'Holy' Powers, the core generated by the faith of humans long ago that ties them to reality. It's what enabled them to cause miracles, bless followers, and even come back from death eventually…with enough power gathered."

Huh. Uzume flinched when Inari mentioned coming back from death.

Odd.

"Still, though." She continues, "Each pantheon has their niches when it comes to their version of musubi. In our case? We are very good at sharing, giving to individuals and nature in turn." She pulls my hand away from my mouth, revealing a very empty cup.

Damn, I didn't even realize I chugged it…

Inari giggles and boops me on the nose, before promptly vanishing my cup.

"That's a fair bit to take in all at once." I sigh in satisfaction. Still damn good though.

Inari nods in understanding, "It is probably just a bit much, hmm? Don't worry, you'll have time to ruminate on it later," she pats me on my face, gently, "Anything simpler do you have to ask? Perhaps that'll help cleanse your mind, so to speak?"

Simpler, huh? Well. I'm not too sure this is simple, but…

"Do you know what this unique energy of mine is, Inari-san?" I ask with slight trepidation.

I gotta know. She can sense it, somehow, so maybe it's more like other energy sources than I thought?

She shrugs nonchalantly, "I have not the slightest idea."

Eh?

"I assume, however, that it's a product of you being an Arahitogami." She adds nonplussed, then with a thoughtful hum, continues, "The last true Arahitogami didn't live long when he was alive, and that was some thousands of years ago. I never met him, so who's to say they didn't also possess that power, hmm?"

Well. That's a whole lot of nothing.

"Alternatively," she grimaces before finishing, "you could have gotten it from your Mother."

That makes me just blink at her.

What the hell does Amaterasu have to do with chakra…?

"Ama has actually been experimenting with creating different powers for a while now!" Uzume suddenly pipes up wistfully, "I believe in modern lingo, she would be called a…Shut In NEET? Most of her experimenting is inspired by anime and manga, and due to her musubi being so strong, she actually managed to make a few work!" She says with awe.

Meanwhile, I'm just deadpanning at the ceiling.

Shut in NEET, huh?

That explains so, so much.

Also, with that said, I have a sneaking suspicion…

"Like these?" I suddenly speak up, and at the same time, activate my eyes.

And nearly flinched at my increased detail and vision.

Did my eyes get another tomoe during the fight and I never even realized it?

Regardless, I can watch in figurative 8k as Uzume suddenly lights up.

"Ahhh! Heehee!" She squeals and giggles with excitement, "You've got her eyes!" She exclaims happily.

Ah. Well. Fuck.

I feel significantly less special now.

But, thinking about it, how else would I have these powers?

As an aside, this means others besides me do have these powers, since supposedly my mother just made them, who's to say she's the only one?

Ain't that a slightly worrying thought?

Uzume continues blabbering on to herself, mentioning something about how my mother's eyes have way more tomoe before a deadpan glare from Inari cowes her into being silent and stepping back.

With an annoyed huff, Inari states, "I believe we're getting slightly off track here."

I deactivate my eyes, and look at her once more, "Maybe just a bit," I reply tiredly, "honestly though? I think I've had enough questions and answers, for now…" I trail off in a daze.

Seriously, a man can only take his exposition scenes for so long!

I need time to process all of that, and I might need to change a few of my brewing plans here or there now…

Well, all my plans just recently got kicked to the curb because canon got fucked, so there isn't much to change admittedly.

Inari gave me an amused smile, "As you wish, Noriaki-san." She pats me on the head, "Take a nice long rest, and when you wake up? You should go take a look at the Supernatural Online Message Boards! The video of you fighting the Red Dragon Emperor is getting a fair bit of traction, you know?" She says far too happily.

Wut.

"Wut."

Video? How. Who in the fuck was ballsy enough to take a video in the middle of that warzone!?

And where are they, so I can shake their hand and pat them on the back because holy fuck.

Also so I can strangle the life out of them for revealing my existence to the world far too early!

I click my tongue and follow up with, "Course that happened. Somehow, deep down? I'm not even shocked."

Fuck this shit. I need a nap.

Inari stood back up, chuckling all the while as she waved at me, "Have a nice rest, Noriaki-san~!"

I grunt out, "Night." In response.

As the two leave, I try my best to snuggle up against my soft catgirl, before letting the darkness take me in once more.

Never would have thought unconsciousness could be so sweet…

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

The next time I wake up, it's to something much more pleasant.

What feels like soft and slow licks against my neck stir me awake, "Nyaaan~...Nori-kun~...Nori-kun~...Hello~? Are you awake yet, nya~?" And the breathy almost vulnerable sounding questions into my ear sends shivers down my spine.

On instinct, I try turning toward her, and actually succeed! Although my body still feels weak, I can move once again!

I wrap my arms around her, slightly surprised to find her actually clothed, but still hold her regardless.

"Nya~!?" She yelps in shock, "Geez, you stubborn man~...there you are." She slowly hugs me back.

"Mhmm." I hum back to her, slowly opening my eyes, "Good…whatever time it is."

She chuckles at that, only to yelp once more as I move down and claim her lips suddenly.

Slowly, I roll us over so I'm on top of her, looking down into her eyes as I pull back.

"I assume Inari or Uzume told you what I got up to out there?" I ask.

Her face flushes slightly as she frowns up at me, "Yeah, you stupid stupid man!" she says with very little heat, then suddenly sighs, "But I guess that's par for the course with you, isn't it, nya?"

I wince, "I couldn't just sit there and let him destroy the town, it wasn't all battle junkie you know?" I explained myself.

Leaving out the part where it's all my fa—

No. Stop that. Later.

"You didn't have to rush in all by yourself," Gently, she took my face into her hands and looked me deeply in the eyes, "especially against an opponent like that."

"I had help." I argue.

"Not at the start." She says back.

Ah…yeah. Okay.

I chuckle, weakly, "Sorry, then."

"Don't be," Kuroka sighs, "that's just how you battle junkie types are, you think more with your sword, over even your sword and head, nya!"

"It wouldn't be you if you didn't make it at least slightly sexual, huh?" I muse out loud.

Slowly, Kuroka wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me closer to her, "The next time something like this happens, Nori-kun, give me a call, okay?"

I blink at that, "Huh? But, Kuroka…if people see you…" I trail off. If she got caught on video with me, everything could get so much worse.

"I don't care about any of that!" She nearly hisses out, "I don't like it, seeing you come home like this, you know!? If I can help stop it from happening, I want to!"

I stare down into her defiant and resolute eyes at her statement.

Before very slowly, I start breaking out into a wide happy grin.

I go down, missing her lips, and go straight into returning to her what she did to wake me up.

Slowly and methodically, I start licking her neck, wrapping my arms around her body tightly as I do.

"Nyaan~!?" Kuroka gives a startled yelp as I do so, her body shivering in my grasp, "Noriaki~...! What are you~...hahn~!"

She stifled a moan as she clung to me in turn.

"That's dangerous, you know? What you just said to me right there~?" I say huskily between licks, "Some might even say that's a declaration of some sort~!"

I smirk, feeling her freeze up in my grasp.

"I already felt the intense urge to breed you once I got back, a big fight where you almost die tends to activate that neuron, but now~?" I pull back, looking her straight down in the eyes, "I'm most definitely going to do that, by having lovey-dovey hand holding missionary sex under the covers while staring deeply into your eyes~."

I can feel her quiver underneath my body at that proclamation.

"Y~You…stupid…silly…man~..." She shakily and sultry huffs out, but then, she suddenly sighs. "I don't think you understand just how badly I want to take you up on that offer, nya~..." She pats me on the back.

"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow, "And why can't you?"

"I have to go, remember?" She drawled, "All of sudden, of all times, the timing couldn't be any more terrible, could it, nya?"

Ah. Fuck.

I sat up, pulling her up too with a sigh, "No, no it couldn't."

Kuroka chuckles, leaning forward and placing a sweet kiss against my lips, "Don't worry, Nori-kun, you can do all those degenerate things to me, and more, once I get back, nya~!"

With that, she turns and leaps off the bed to her feet.

I smirk, and chuckle at her, "You damn well bet that ass I'm going to!"

Turning towards me one more time, Kuroka looks at me with a lustful smirk and the greatest teasing 'fuck me' eyes I've ever seen as a magic circle appears and lights up underneath her.

"I'm looking forward to it, darling~!"

And with that, she's off.

I chuckle, scratching the back of my head as I sit there in bed, wondering what exactly to do now.

I get the feeling that due to that video of me being up, that's what caused Kuroka to have to go now, rather than soon.

Don't know if Vali would be pissed I beat his Rival, or clambering to try and find me for a fight because I beat his Rival.

Either way, doesn't sound fun to me.

But beyond all that, I'm hella horny, fucking cat.

At least some of that was probably on purpose, wasn't it? To blueball me at least a bit?

Don't think she thought it would've wound up ending up that kind of heated, though. Heh.

Still. I've got to take care of that, and something else…

Canon is gone. Reduced to atoms.

I need information on the Japanese Supernatural World. I recall Uzume mentioning a Bureau a while back. What's up with them?

And that's not even getting into the Clans, the situation with the Yokai, the dozens of exorcism families, beast tamers, those sword collectors…

I'm a fish in a pond, surrounded by darkness. Not knowing how big the pond was outside my small little corner, not even thinking to know what was within the darkness.

And that small little corner was crushed by the darkness as a result.

Brushing a hand through my hair, I get off my bed, the inkling of a plan forming in my mind.

I wonder how good Uzume is at gathering information.

Can't imagine Inari is still around, after all.

Still, even just the bare minimum would be a start.

And it's not like that's all Uzume is going to help with either~! I still remember that titjob she gave me back then!

If nothing else, she's at least good at that.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 12 End

Exposition, a tad more worldbuilding this chapter. Finished it up with a hint at what's to come, along with a dash of sweet and steamy. Gotta get a break in before move on ahead you know?

Think next Interlude is gonna be a PHO style one, if I can get the maker for that to work right in a timely manner.

A New Sun Chapter 11

Chapter 11

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

You know, I thought I was going to have to hurry up and start searching for Issei right away.

Then the town started to shake like an earthquake was hitting it.

Not long after, the warehouse district exploded.

And at its center? A bright pillar of pulsing red and green touching the sky.

I stood, ramrod still as an aura washed over my entire body, sending it shivering and sweating.

Issei went Juggernaut Drive when they tried to take his Sacred Gear, didn't he?

Those fucking idiots.

"Ah…well, fuck." I huff out through gritted teeth.

And yet, slowly, a grin starts etching its way across my face regardless.

I need to hurry. The town won't last much longer if I don't give him something to focus on!

My hand rests upon the hilt of my sword.

And several things happen at once.

I breathe and kick off into the sky. Both my halos burst forth into existence before I blast off, flying right in the direction of the pillar.

My ki explodes out, a dark golden mist wrapping around me to form a rudimentary touki.

And I get faster.

Molten fire suffused my face, my veins, my muscles, and my blood as my Mark activated and roared to life.

And I get faster.

Chakra swirls around my network almost immediately as it gets molded, suffusing my being internally as my ki does externally.

And I get faster!

Air snaps as I draw my now crimson-bladed sword.

Hinokami Kagura—

Fire whirls around my blade.

Shooting like a comet, I fly straight down into the pillar of draconic aura, cutting through it all with a whirl of flame.

Sunflower Thrust.

Straight to the red dragon in the center.

"AUGGHHH!!!" He roars as my blade stabs straight into his chest, barely piercing the strange metallic-like flesh perhaps only a few inches deep.

But I heave with all my strength, picking up the raging dragon by the tip of my blade and pushing him back, carrying him my momentum and speed away from this district.

And hopefully, out of town entirely.

The dragon growls and snarls, looking down at me, his mouth opening to reveal a bright bloody red mass of aura ready to fire.

I smile, "Aww, for me?" My eyes spin as they activate, "You shouldn't have!"

I drop him off my sword and barely have time to twist and dodge out of the way as a beam of crimson red fires from his mouth.

It hits the ground behind me, annihilating it, before exploding out and creating a mini ravine that erupts with aura.

I grimace, looking around quickly to find that we are still in the now very ruined warehouse district.

But we're close, very close, to the edge of town.

It'll have to do!

I eye the dragon as it turns to me, and fires another blast of red aura with an animalistic roar.

My eyes widen at the sheer speed, but I raise my blade in time nonetheless and breathe.

Radiant Scorching Sun.

I spiral into the air, whilst slashing upwards in a circle, combining both Beneficent Radiance and Rising Scorching Sun to cut the aura shot in half and send it twisting into the air.

Where it detonated, bathing the sky in violent red fireworks.

I shakily land back on my feet, clicking my tongue and steading myself once more.

That single shot of aura? Felt like cutting through some sort of diamond silk.

Dodging it is then!

I kick up into the air, just as the dragon begins changing up another blast.

Fake Rainbow.

Which is promptly used to annihilate the afterimage that took my place.

That singular afterimage has its place taken by dozens more, all flying around the dragon and fading in and out rapidly.

"Guh…Grah…AGHH!!" The dragon looks around quickly, before just deciding to rapidly fire off lasers into the sky every which way.

I grimace, watching my afterimages getting blasted left, right, and center.

But, at least like this? None of his attacks will hit the town, instead, they merely light up the sky.

I'm under no delusion that I can kill him by myself.

Even my one attack from earlier, that piercing strike with loads of speed and momentum to build up to it?

Barely did anything.

And I can see what little damage I did already healing, bubbling with aura as the metallic flesh restores itself.

Really, the only reason I can fight him right now is because this is an Issei who's not even a Devil.

No training, no Pawn Pieces to boost his non-existent base power, nothing.

All of this is Juggernaut Drive, all of Ddraig's original power. And a mere fraction of it at that.

Wild, absolutely insane.

Even when Rias and Sona's Peerages get here, I don't think we'll be able to put him down.

We may well have to wait for his life force to run out!

Or, maybe, since he's rather mindless right now, I can try this.

I suddenly appear in front of the red dragon, just after he blasts apart another afterimage.

He turns, and when our eyes meet, mine spins.

"Go. To. Sleep." I command, opening the floodgates of my Holy Spirit Power to bury his mind and force it upon him.

For a second, the red dragon falters, staggering under the pressure of my aura, and the sudden weight on his mind.

Then I hear…whispers?

Voices.

A cacophony of voices.

I blink, as all around me hooded and cloaked figures scream and shout and roar.

Old, young, men and women.

I couldn't make out any words. Just their sheer hatred.

Their loathing, their contempt for life, purely focused on me.

The world darkens, and the voices and people are suddenly consumed in violent crimson fire.

But they never stop screaming, frothing with rage. Never.

From the flames, a red beast rears its head up, emerald eyes looking down into mine with contempt.

A Red Dragon. The Red Dragon Emperor.

"Think you might have pushed a tad far, aye, Godling?" The dragon, Ddraig, says over the screams and fire, melancholic, "You can't save him, boy. He's gone, long gone."

I clench my fists tightly, and refuse to meet his gaze, "Sorry." I mutter quietly.

The dragon snorts, "Don't be. It's not your fault." he says chidingly, then sighs, "I'm used to it ending like this, anyways."

Please don't say that. I'm trying hard not to think about that right now.

"Dodge." He adds all of a sudden.

"Huh?" I blink.

"I said dodge, brat!" He roars indignantly.

And suddenly, I snap into the real world.

My Holy Spirit Power is crushed, tossed from his mind, and violently batted to the side.

And a bloody red glow is rapidly approaching me.

Even with my eyes, I could barely see it move, I couldn't even move myself!

Aura like liquid red diamond slams into my body and explodes.

My body is sent flying from the blast, unable to feel anything sans the fizzles and buzzes all over, as I ragdoll through the air and crash into the ground with a thunderous thud.

Before my body hits the ground, I'm already cycling Holy Spirit Power through my body.

Boosting my native healing factor to mend my newly acquired broken bones, seared and broken skin, torn muscles, and other comparatively minor injuries.

All from that from one blast striking true.

The fuck.

My touki snapped like a loose twig in front of the blast, but without it bracing my body, I might have just gotten my limbs blown clean off as well!

Regardless, moments after I hit the ground, I spring back to my feet, skin red and revealed by my lack of yukata, but still alive.

Very much alive, judging by my smile being so wide it physically hurts.

Well, fizzles lightly, but you get it.

You know, I really shouldn't be so into this fight after nearly getting my arms and legs blown off…but…

Fuck it.

I can't help it.

My touki explodes out, weakly enveloping me once more as I eye the dragon who thought that blast killed me.

I could tell, because of the way its attention focused on me as soon as I stood up.

He roared, but rather than try to blast me with more aura as I expected, it charged, claws and teeth spread.

I take my stance and breathe.

Fire reignites around my blade, around my body, suffusing my aura with raging flames.

"Test me, Red Dragon Emperor!" I call, before launching myself straight at him.

"GUOOOOOH!!!" The dragon roared in ferocious response.

Heaven knows I'll need the experience, for the hell that's about to come after this battle!

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Rias surely wasn't expecting the new student in her class, one Noriaki Kusanagi, to straight up poof in the middle of class.

She most definitely didn't see the town starting to shake soon afterward, followed by a pressure slamming down upon every one that even made the normal humans afraid.

Deciding that dealing with all of that later and figuring out what the hell was going on was more important, she put the entire school to sleep with ease before gathering up her Peerage and heading out.

To find…well.

"Oh my…" her Queen, Akeno Himejima gaped at the image before them, "Rias, this is…" she trailed off, struggling to find the proper words to use.

Behind her, her Rook Koneko, clenched her fists tightly, body tense and face twitching.

Besides Koneko, her Knight Yuuto had a much more calm yet clearly focused look on his face, hand at his side ready to use his Sacred Gear at any moment.

Meanwhile, Rias just bit her lip, trying to figure out how exactly to deal with this.

Before them, Noriaki Kusanagi was fighting the actual Red Dragon Emperor, who's currently raging out in Juggernaut Drive.

He wasn't winning, that's for sure.

But he wasn't losing either, thankfully.

"He's stalling for time," Yuuto suddenly said, eyes glued onto the battle, "that I'm sure of. He's dancing around him, literally." He notes.

His fighting style does resemble a dance, doesn't it?

"President." Koneko suddenly spoke up, her voice hard.

Rias turns to look at her due to her tone and grimaces at the frown she's projecting down at the battle.

She didn't need to say anything more, Rias knew what she wanted.

She knows Koneko holds something of a spot for Noriaki, her client of a month or so.

Even before today, she was aware of him being a part of the Supernatural, Koneko told her as much, but as her adorable little Rook seemed to like the young man Rias never felt much need to personally talk with him.

Even still…

Rias turned back to the scene in front of her and crossed her arms under her chest, her eyes dead set on the two fighters.

"We won't let him fight alone." She declared resolutely, prompting her Peerage to look at her.

Realistically, even if they all fought together, they wouldn't be able to bring the Red Dragon Emperor down.

All they can do is weaken and tire him out faster so he'll die due to running out of life force.

"What's the plan then, Rias?" Akeno asked patiently.

Watching Noriaki go, she started to think.

She watched as he deflected several raging claw strikes, and slid under the dragon's body as it tried to bite him in half, flip over, and parry a tail strike.

Rinse and repeat, all in a circle, all in a flowing dance, never getting out of the beast's personal space.

Seeing the two's physical prowess, she came to a decision almost immediately.

"Koneko. Yuuto." She called out, prompting the two to nod, "I want you two to pepper the field with traps, Yuuto, using your Sword Birth, and Koneko to set them off."

"President." Koneko immediately stresses in objection, prompting Rias to glare right back at her.

"Koneko, those two are far too strong and fast for you two right now," Rias explains, "please, just for right now, focus on support, okay?"

Koneko glared right back, but didn't object further, rather she looked away and huffed through gritted teeth.

Rias' heart throbbed a bit with pain for her little Rook, for having to tell her off like that.

She gets why she wants to go down there, really, but it's just too dangerous right now for them.

Both her Knight and Rook lack ranged attacks, it's better this way.

Yuuto grimaces, but nods regardless, seemingly having already figured that much out himself.

Having settled that, Rias turns to Akeno, "Akeno, when an opportunity presents itself, you and I are going to open fire right on top of that dragon to give Noriaki-san some breathing room." She declares, "Hold nothing back."

Akeno giggles at this, flying up higher as she does for a better vantage point, "As you command~! How will we know when to start?"

Rias frowns slightly, racking her brain for a moment.

Noriaki is too close for them to unleash their Demonic Powers, so…

A moment will have to be created, first. And there's only one person who can do that right now!

Thinking quickly, Rias summons a devil magic circle and makes it glow brightly as she holds it up.

Just as Noriaki himself is flipping over the dragon, she can see it, the moment his eyes flicker up and sees them.

He—

Hold on a moment.

Are those Sharingan!?

Why does Noriaki have Sharingan!? How? Where? What!?

She momentarily falters but regains herself when she sees the way he smirks at them.

Internally huffing, she decides to shelve that as a conversation for later.

Needless to say, she's regretting not talking to him before!

Koneko never mentioned this before, either!

…why does she suddenly feel a very smug smirk being aimed at her back by her Rook right now?

Before she can turn and confirm her gut feeling, Noriaki lands, before leaping up high.

Her eyes widened.

"Akeno!" She calls urgently, red demonic magic circles erupting into existence around her hands.

Her Queen merely giggles, and raises her now electrical sparking hand, causing a bright yellow devil magic circle to roar into the sky above.

Koneko and Yuuto drop behind them to the ground suddenly, as three separate things happen.

Thunder builds and bellows from above.

Noriaki's blade and entire body ignites with crimson fire as he spins.

Around her hands, pitch black and lashing out to destroy all creation, her power surges forth.

"Resound, Thunder." Akeno intoned diabolically.

And the gathering lightning dropped like a hammer.

"Summer Sun, Burning Scarlet Mountain." Noriaki called breathlessly.

He slashes, arching and spinning as he moves, creating a spiraling growing arc of flames that wraps around the dragon.

Meanwhile, she throws her arms forward with a shout, blasting forth her destructive power in something like a beam.

Internally, she laments, because she doesn't have a cool named attack or callout.

But really, later!

All three attacks converged on the dragon, who took too long trying to figure out what to do about all the sudden attacks coming its way.

As a result, its form is suddenly engulfed in a cacophony of flames, lightning, and black destructive power.

"GGUOOOHHH!!!" The resulting roar the dragon gives out as the pillar of powers explodes atop it halts even Akeno's sadistic giggling for a moment.

Hell, it even gives her pause for a moment, causing her to shiver slightly.

He sounds…like he's in pain…?

"Nice of you all to show up." A new, slightly tired voice draws her from her mind.

Turning towards the source, she finds Noriaki there, having floated up to them with two actual halos at his back.

He waves at her, half-heartedly.

Rias chuckles right back, "Sorry we took so long, Kusanagi-kun. Are you holding up okay?" She asks, noting his, well.

Lack of clothes. And very red skin.

"Yup!" He replied with a wry smile, "Managed to keep my boxers and my limbs, so I can keep going!"

Rias felt more than a little concerned, hearing that part about his limbs.

"Well, okay…?" She replied wearily, not entirely sure how to respond to that.

Only, before she could think of something more, both their attentions were snapped away, as a growing growl reverberated from the ground below.

The dust cloud clotting the view of the red dragon’s form below falls, revealing a worse-for-wear dragon underneath.

Across his metallic flesh, spider web cracks lay, barely skin deep and smoldering.

Superficial wounds. They could see them already healing as aura bubbled into them. They barely did anything.

And that was putting everything into an attack!

Rias clicked her tongue in annoyance, and her Queen frowned, hand twitching with more lightning.

Noriaki didn’t seem surprised, rather, he sighed, slowly floating before the two girls.

“Yeah, that makes sense,” He voices her earlier thoughts, “I don't believe he can last much longer though, we can do this!” and he smiles, not entirely unlike Akeno’s smile when she does her…thing.

Although Rias gets a distinct feeling this smile is a different kind of bloodthirsty.

“Hmm, although…” Noriaki adds thoughtfully, “Where is Sitri and her Peerage?” he asks, “Thought they’d come with you, but I don’t see them anywhere?”

“Ah, they did.” Rias confirms, “They’re setting up a perimeter around the battle and are going to place a barrier up to protect the town.”

The moment she said that Noriaki froze, before slowly turning to her with wide almost enraged eyes.

“She fucking what!?” he hissed, prompting her to flinch slightly. “She decided to leave the one person that could deflect his attacks back at him to deal some real damage out of the fucking fight!?”

Huh. You know. She didn't really think of it like that.

Just as he says this, the world around them begins to shift slightly, as a crystalline sheet starts to spread up and around the area they’re in, beginning to form a dome.

The dragon looks up at them but has its eyes drawn to look around at the dome as it climbs higher and higher into the sky.

He snarls. Seeing all the enemies, seeing the attempt to trap it.

The dragon's gems erupt with a blinding bright light as they all begin to announce—

[BOOST!]

A bloody red aura explodes around the dragon.

Everyone pales.

“He…hasn’t done that yet…” Noriaki mutters, only causing Rias to pale more.

[BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!]

The dragon continues, its chest opening up, and aimed towards the sky.

At them and the barrier.

[LONGINUS SMASHER]

“To the ground! Now!” Noriaki shouts, as he suddenly grabs her!

Just as a bright bloody red beam coated in green thunder blasted forth from its chest, easily the width of a building, and soared into the sky so fast she could barely see it as a bright blur.

It blasted through the barrier, shearing it apart like it was made of paper, before climbing ever higher and turning the blue sky sparking and flickering with red and green.

Even being nowhere near the beam of energy, the shockwaves it sent out caked and cracked the ground in kind.

Rias, although she didn’t even realize it until it was over, was holding onto Noriaki for dear life, trembling slightly at the sheer force of that single attack.

Akeno, who was much further away from them, actually used her Knight Pieces speed for once to get out of dodge.

Luckily she did.

“You okay?” His voice broke through the haze of her mind and made her look at him, at the three pupils in his eyes, as he looked down at her in concern.

She nodded slowly, knowing if she said anything, it would just be about his eyes. And now is really not the time!

“Good!” He smiles, a non-bloodthirsty smile, “Because this fight ain’t over, and I’m not keeling over until I maim a certain Sitri, and fuck her Knight and Pawn!” he states casually and far too happily.

Rias blinked.

Now she has several questions.

But first!

Her eyes widen looking behind him, “Kusanagi-kun!” she suddenly called out.

Noriaki whirled on the spot, forming a sign with his hand as he moved.

There the red dragon was flying towards them, having grown red bone-like wings encrusted with jewels all over it from its back.

It growled and snarled, holding its claws out on either side of its body, ready to strike.

Fortunately, they both had an answer for that.

Rias held out her hand, her power gathering haphazardly and crackling as it burst into existence in front of her palm.

Noiriaki breathed deeply, leaning back before suddenly dipping back forwards, and breathing out.

As one, a beam of raw destruction blasted forth from her palm, as a gout of crimson flame from his mouth turned into a cascade.

The two powers slammed into the advancing dragon, who raised his wings to block the brunt of the attack and continued pushing forward through it all, barely even slowing down his advance!

Lightning crashed down upon its frame from above, prompting little more than a primal grunt as it barrels on through, shrugging it off just as well.

"Damn it!" Noriaki curses as he finally reaches them, blowing through their combined attack.

He drops her quickly, kicking her away from them as he grabs his sword and just barely blocks his claws from running him through.

Rias sits up, her eyes widening rapidly as she watches Noriaki get barreled down upon hard.

The dragon begins a pure all out assault of claw slashes that Noriaki is barely able to dance through.

Thinking fast, she calls out, "Koneko! Castling!"

A magic circle quickly spiraled into existence beneath her, promptly flashing, trading places with her Rook.

Rias appeared overhead of the battlefield, where Koneko was seemingly watching for a time to trigger their trap, or so she guessed.

So, Rias decided to give it to her!

Koneko understood exactly what she needed to do the moment she got there.

"Senpai!" She called, raising her fist, "His wings!"

Noriaki blinked and looked closely.

Seeing the wings the dragon just used to block their attacks filled with cracks and splinters, he took the chance with a grin.

A dark golden aura exploded out around him as he slipped past the dragon's claws with a jump, getting gashes on either side for effort, but that didn't appear to deter him.

Just as he reaches the apex of his leap, his blade ignites with whirling crimson fire, and he lashes out with two raging strikes, one for each wing.

This time, with as thin and damaged as those wings are, his blade completes its cuts.

"GUAAAGHHH!!!" The dragon roars in outrage as its severed wings hit the ground.

Quickly, he opens his maw, and goes to bite down on Noriaki, finally finishing him off.

Only to find itself tumbling back, as the ground beneath him shatters.

With Koneko's fist now buried into the ground, she triggers their very rudimentary trap, and the dragon falls into a pit of demon swords jutting out from the walls and ground.

"GUHH!? GRAAAHH!! GOOOHHH!!" Konenko winces slightly, hearing his near desperate roaring and raving as he tries to cling onto the swords to stop his fall, but only breaks them under its weight.

More importantly, however…

"Senpai!" Koneko rushes over to the downed form of Noriaki, just as Rias gets back to them, having flown down as soon as the trap was sprung.

Noriaki lay there on his side, clutching the wounds on one of his sides, breathing heavily and deeply, but still controlled.

Shockingly, as the two girls found, he wasn't bleeding in the slightest, but the wounds still looked pretty deep

Before the two could even begin fussing over him, he held out a hand to them and waved them off, "I'll be fine!" He exclaims with a heave, "I heal real fast, you know that Koneko-chan, don't worry, see?"

The three looked at his wounds.

His wounds began receding, at a remarkable pace!

Then nearly halted entirely.

Albeit they did continue to heal, just fairly slowly, not exactly fast.

Noriaki lowered his head suddenly, "Ah. Never mind, ran out of juice." He said solemnly.

And promptly got batted over the head by Koneko.

"Stupid. Know your limits, Senpai." She chided him coldly, glaring down at him.

"I know, I know!" He waved his hands and sighed, "But I…think I have an idea to fix myself up and put down the dragon for good."

Koneko raises an eyebrow, "You're going to do something stupid, aren't you?"

Noriaki merely smiled widely back, "You betcha."

As much as Rias would love to tease these two over their antics, they've got bigger trouble to deal with right now.

Rias grabs both of them, pulling them away from the pit as the ground around it begins to shake violently.

"As much as I don't think it's a good idea what with the state you're in, Kusanagi-kun," Rias voices her thoughts solemnly, "I can't think of anything else to do now. Will you be safe, doing…whatever it is you plan on doing now?" She asks, slightly afraid.

She really doesn't want to have to knock him out and take him away to safety for Koneko's sake if he's planning on hurting himself here.

He shrugs, "Worst case scenario? Nothing happens, and I'm…" He sighs, reluctantly, "out of the fight, I guess."

Okay, that makes her feel better.

The ground cracks and shatters next to the pit, and a clawed red hand soon bursts forth from it.

Nevermind!

"He…dug out? So soon?" Koneko intoned, bewildered.

Noriaki closes his eyes, "Alright, doing it now! Let's see how this goes!"

"GUOOOHH!!" The dragon roars in rage as it charges down towards them.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

I didn't really start thinking about it until recently, but…

Why don't I get stronger during the day?

I mean thinking about it? I should.

Even Devils get a burst of energy during the night, all Devils.

And it's no shocker that God's are more powerful within their domain.

So then what gives for me? Beyond that nice feeling sunlight grants me, it does little to nothing else.

This brings me to a thought I had. Like just now.

What if I absorbed the sunlight like the world's most handsome plant?

What could go wrong? Already got a raging dragon running us down, literally nothing could get worse at this point.

I opened my eyes, looking towards the morning sun as it climbed ever higher into the sky.

Like so long ago, I grasp onto that nice feeling that I first felt so long ago.

But instead of just holding it, memorizing its touch, and finding my own sun…I take it in.

And then some more. And some more. More.

It's like the reverse floodgates open.

I gasp, stifling a breath as my sun explodes in my chest, reinvigorated, greedily sucking up the sunlight like a parched man in a desert.

A molten gold aura wraps around my being, and I sink slightly into the ground as the rock beneath my feet melts.

Vaguely, in the corner of my scenes, I hear the girls around me yelp and quickly back away.

No matter.

This feeling…is so, so, nice.

I breathe, and energy ripples and thrums across my tired body.

My chakra and ki are gone but with this? I can keep restoring my Holy Spirit Power, at least.

Hahaha! Why haven't I thought of doing this before!?

This is…I feel…so right.

As the dragon finally reaches us, or rather me, I take up my now golden-bladed sword, and slash once, into the claws that lash out for me.

And cutting the animal's sharp metal tongs from its hands.

"GUUUOOHHH!??" The dragon reels back at the loss of his claws, and I slowly rise.

Smiling, laughing with glee.

I look upon the wretched beast that has run quickly out of its usefulness, and grin.

"S-Senpai…?" I hear a girl's voice behind me. A weak, terrified girl's voice.

But I promptly ignored it. After all…

"Throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am The Honored One." I declare to the world.

I am Akaruihiruotoko. He of the Bright Midday Sun.

"And you, dragon…" I point a finger at it, "Have outstripped your welcome."

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Rias feels like she's been saying this a lot, but she doesn't really know what's happening now.

All of a sudden, Noriaki began glowing, thrumming with heat, and coated in Holy Spirit Power from head to toe.

His hair changed color, gaining purple highlights in the sunlight, and his pupils and marks around his face started glowing golden.

And he…doesn't sound like himself anymore.

Judging by the way Koneko is staring at his back, he isn't acting like himself either.

Rias takes Koneko's shoulders, and gently pulls her back, further away from them, "Koneko, come on, we need to get away from here!"

Koneko flinched at her touch, and tried to resist being pulled, "But, S-Senpai, he…!"

"He'll be fine, Koneko, please!" A wave of heat washes over them, and Koneko trembles as she stares at him, before falling back into Rias' arms herself, and letting herself be pulled away to a safe distance away.

Noriaki just stood there, a smirk on his face as the dragon recklessly charged straight for him.

"You know, I have to wonder." He muses out loud, jumping back to dodge the dragon's diving maw, "Why haven't you shot any blasts at us to finish us off after your Longinus Smasher? You could have easily done so multiple times."

The dragon's tail lashes out, and Noriaki casually knocks it away.

"Or, could it be…you can't? No…" He smiles maliciously, now so much more like her Queen it makes her shiver, "You won't. You're trying to save energy, aren't you?"

The dragon snarls as aura bubbles around its hands, its claws quickly regrowing.

"Don't worry," He intones, raising his sword…it engulfs itself in crimson fire, "I'll make sure to take your head before you run out, then." His grip tightens, and the fire around his blade crackles with light, before fusing and bursting into deep golden flames!

The dragon seemed to object to that.

[BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!][BOOST!]

Noriaki didn't seem to care, giving an even wider smile in reply.

The dragon's aura engulfed his body as he rushed forward, swinging wildly like a trapped caged animal.

Noriaki deflected his claw swipes with his flaming blade, each swipe turning the dragon's claws into molten crimson slag due to the sheer force and flames behind each strike.

Only for his aura to restore them, and the dragon to continue.

Rias hasn't seen Noriaki fight for long. But the way he swiped back at the claws, using pure force rather than dancing around his attack, it just felt…wrong.

Noriaki clicked his tongue in annoyance, his body vanishing into a blur that the next claw swipe cleaves through, leaving nothing but air.

He reappeared at the dragon's side, upside down, already swinging.

"Setting Sun Transformation."

He speaks, as his blade cleaves into the dragon's neck, getting about halfway through it before abruptly stopping.

Golden fire erupted from his neck, but the blade refused to go further.

"Even like this, huh?" He says, seemingly equal parts annoyed and fascinated.

Suddenly, he wrenches his sword from his neck, his halos flashing into existence behind him and he turns.

Cleaving through the dragon's thin tail as it tries to strike him from behind.

"G-GUUHHH…GUUUOOO!!" The dragon staggers back, growling and heaving aura as its neck restores itself.

"You know, dragon." Noriaki idly muses, "The longer this fight goes on, the stronger and stronger I'll get." He points to the sun, his eyes full of mirth, "And the weaker you get as I deal more damage." He eyes the dragon, in particular, his face? "So let's end this, then. Before this fight becomes a chore."

And with that Noriaki blasts forward, a blur of light and heat.

The dragon's eyes widen, and instinctively, he opens his mouth and starts rapidly firing aura beams.

Each beam is cut through, all the same, being divided in half and diverted around him.

But just before Noriaki reaches him...

The dragon's chest suddenly snaps open!

[EXPLOSION!!!]

All the gems announce as one. His aura explodes around him once more, forming a pillar of energy that reaches the sky.

Noriaki makes it there, in a golden blur, and swings.

He…misses.

Just barely, he missed his face, he swung for his mouth.

[LONGINUS SMA—]

Yet, the dragon's final announcement was suddenly cut off by gurgling metallic static.

As the top part of its head slowly slides off its body, and hits the floor, cut straight across from its mouth.

"Solar Heat Haze." Noriaki intones, as the dragon's body clambers to the floor with the top half of its head.

Looking down at the fresh corpse, everyone stares stunned, except for the victor himself.

Who starts laughing. Loudly, joyously, boisterous!

"You, you! Hahaha!! You almost had me there, you tricky bastard! Hahahaha!!!" He continued to laugh, barely managing to get the words out.

Rias wasn't too sure whether or not to be relieved just yet, but she let out a relieved sigh anyway.

Koneko, however, continued to tremble in her grasp.

"R-Rias!" Rias turned in the direction of her name being called, finding Sona…only Sona…flying down to her.

"Sona!" Rias called back as she landed next to them, "There you are! What happened after the barrier broke? Are you all okay!?"

It was slightly worrying how they didn't come running after their barrier broke. She actually thought they may have gotten caught in the blast.

Sona grimaced, "The destruction of the barrier sapped everyone's Demonic Power, and knocked us all unconscious. I just woke up, and sent everyone away…" She looks around before finally eyeing Noriaki and the corpse, "Is it over?" She asks quietly.

Rias looks towards them as well, "I…think so?"

Noriaki stops laughing.

Slowly, he looks down at the corpse one final time, before raising his sword and pursing his lips.

Golden fire swirls around the blade, and with a single swing downwards, a column of said fire erupts from his slash, engulfing and consuming his slowly deteriorating body in the flames.

"Not. Enough." Noriaki huffs out.

Guess it's not over then!

He turns, and once he sees Sona, his eyes lock onto her.

"You." He remarks scathingly, voice dripping with sheer fury.

His look alone froze Sona in place like a deer caught in headlights, his tone sent her shivering on the spot.

Rias, as much as she wanted to get up and defend her friend from what she felt was coming, couldn't even muster the courage to move her legs!

"K-Kusanagi-san—" Sona tries.

But Noriaki cut her off by having his blade burn brighter with flames while barking out, "Silence. I will hear none of your dumbass excuses! What I will hear, however, is your screams as I—"

"Alright, that's enough mister."

He stops, they all stop, and blink at the soft female voice that interrupts him in turns.

Standing there, right next to Noriaki, is suddenly a woman wearing a very elaborate shrine outfit.

He turns his head slightly to look at her, "Don't you interrupt me— ACK!!"

He's promptly silenced again as he's slammed down onto his knees by an invisible force, all the woman doing is narrowing her eyes.

But the Devils? They could feel it.

A titanic amount of Holy Spirit Power, purely focused and pressed down on Noriaki.

"You! You!" He grunts out, trying to rise back onto his feet.

The pink-haired woman, meanwhile, just giggles slightly.

"You are some thousands of years too early to try and challenge me with your violent half, Akaruihiruotoko." She chided lightly, "Now, you take a well-deserved nap!"

He growls in response, still trying to rise.

Only for the dull thud of bells ringing to be heard as she smacks him over the head with her Kagura Suzu.

She hits him so hard, that he flops straight down, his face impacting the ground with such speed and force the ground cracks and splinters and craters.

His aura pops off him, his hair fades back to normal, and he finally lets go of his sword.

Now, he's just a very unconscious, almost naked Noriaki, just like that.

The Devils just stared, eyes wide and bewildered.

The woman reaches down, and picks him and his sword up, throwing both over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, before finally turning to the Devils, immediately causing them to tense up.

Only for her to begin with, "Apologies, Heiress of the Gremory and Sitri Clans, our little Noriaki here isn't used to that part of his powers," she pats him on the rear, "not yet, anyway."

Sona, still too shell-shocked at almost getting torched, doesn't respond with the obvious, but Rias manages.

"Who…are you?" She asks, trying very hard to remain stoic in front of obviously a deity.

They just don't know which one.

The woman gives a fox-like smile but doesn't respond.

Instead, it's her Queen, who floats down slowly next to them while staring at the women in awe and fear, "Inari Okami-sama…?"

She giggles, "Correct, little Devil, of course it would be you that recognizes me. You do take care of one of my shrines, after all." She walks over, and pats Akeno on the head, prompting her to still at her touch.

Sighing though, Inari backed up, looking at all of them scathingly, "You're all very lucky though, I came as soon as I could when I felt that aura, truly, do none of you have any self-preservation?"

Everyone looks down, ashamed, but Inari just huffs. "Although I suppose it's not my business, is it? It's your brother and sisters, no?"

That prompts both Sona and Rias to perk up.

"They'll be here soon, I think," Inari muses, "when they get here, please tell them not to worry about his mother on this." She smacks Noriaki's rear, "It was him who jumped into this battle, after all."

Sona blinked, "His, mother…?"

Inari smiled, "Why, Amaterasu Omikami, of course. Can't you tell?" She points up to the sky, "She's watching us right now."

Of course, neither girl dared look at the sun directly, mostly because they were too busy being in awe, or wishing they had been torched by Holy Spirit Fire.

But both did notice, at least slightly, that the sunlight did feel slightly…harsher…than before.

"Before I go, though…" she utters, walking up to them again, this time kneeling to Koneko, and petting her head. "Don't worry, little one," she mutters softly, quietly, "he's still there, that was just another side of him, is all. Okay? I'll make sure he talks to you again soon."

Koneko barely nodded at that, but at least for the moment, she trembled significantly less.

Smiling, Inari stood back up, waving to the Devils as she walked away, "Have fun dealing with your siblings~!" And with the scent of tea and rice in the wind, she suddenly vanishes without a trace.

Leaving the only one to regain her bearings, Rias, to sigh, as the sky fills with several dozen devil magic circles.

The cleanup for all of this…isn't going to be fun, that much Rias knows.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 11 End

There we are. This, technically, wraps up the Kuoh Arc, sans Kuroka/Koneko's thing, and one more fight right before going to Kyoto.

Any guesses on who's batting next?

Also with this, Nori's Sunshine is finally revealed. I know his quotes here weren't the best, but I can't splurge all the good ones in the first showcase, no?

A New Sun Chapter 10

Chapter 10

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

The dojo is abuzz with the sound of clashing steel.

"Claws-Purifying Wind!"

"Rising Scorching Sun!"

Two voices, both my own, call out from my sides.

Four vertical slashes come down from above, and a single roaring slash from beneath, both at the same time.

I plant my feet.

Raging Sun.

And counter with two raging slashes to both of my sides, angled slightly up for one, and down for the other.

My sword strikes true and both clone's forms are stilled, their bodies thrown away by the force of my swings with loud grunts.

They land amongst the others, numbering four in total clones that I'm fighting at once.

Each with their own headband denoting an elemental breathing style they're using exclusively for this match.

See, I realized something.

"Thunderclap and Flash."

Fake Rainbow.

My afterimages head comes clean off with a crackle of thunder left in its wake.

"Drop Ripple Thrust!"

I parry and redirect a thrust aimed straight for my neck to the side, but before I can cleave the clone's neck in twine—

"Blazing Universe!"

I'm forced to block a falling overhead strike that rumbles the dojo upon my blocking it.

I grit my teeth and breathe as my Flame clone smirks at me.

"Rice Spirit."

"Clean Storm Wind Tree!"

Several slashes from the speed and agility based styles race towards my body from either side.

Burning Bones, Summer Sun by itself won't be enough to deflect all these attacks.

By itself.

My body tenses, and I move.

Burning Bones, Summer Sun—

A singular fluid circular slash turns into multiple in an instant, spiraling out all around me, stopping and blowing away several slashes and all four clones at once.

Undulating Heat.

A combination of the aforementioned original Hinokami Kagura form and Flame Breathing Blooming Flame Undulation.

Sucks I had to go with a Flame Breathing form like that, Wind and Thunder are much better suited for that type of defense, but it's part of the rules of the training.

See, when I try to combine forms like that, I'm explicitly not allowed to use the forms of the style I'm being attacked by to force variance and such.

Where was I? Right.

Hinokami Kagura, or Sun Breathing, is the ultimate breathing technique due to the sheer versatility it possesses.

This training I'm doing right now is meant to forcibly draw out that potential, by combining the techniques and strengths of the other forms and pushing it to its limits.

Much like how Tanjiro did it, where he combined Thunderclap and Flash with Dance, or that one time he combined Water Breathing and Kagura Breathing.

I'm going to do that but go further. I want to eventually combine all the strengths of all the forms into my dance, and pull them out whenever I need.

Sucks I've only managed to fully recreate Flame, Wind, Water, and Thunder in about a month and a half or so?

I can't remake Stone, Love, or Serpent, don't possess the weapon for those, Moon requires powers and I'm specifically focusing on swordsmanship right now.

Besides, if my methods pan out, I'll have several new forms to rival Moon's number anyway.

Though when I'm done, the Thirteenth Form won't be the thirteenth form then, will it? Hnngh. Gonna need a name for that, then.

Mist and Flower are next on my list to recreate, and I'm honestly pretty excited about Flower due to it possessing a form that isn't a sword strike, but a body enhancer that targets the eyes.

As my clones begin to stand up, I hold up my hand, causing them all to freeze.

"Alright, that's enough." I call out, sheathing my sword to my back.

They all look at me, then at each other, then promptly fall back down, sprawled out and groaning.

"Fuck you boss!" Wind barks out.

"I think! You should!" Flame heaves, "Commit die!"

Thunder is snoring. Fakely. But still trying at least.

Water holds his chest, taking long deep breaths, "Really, guys, just calm down…It'll be fine as long you breathe righ—"

"Fuck you bitch, you didn't do shit the whole night!" Wind snarls at Water, who looks exaggerated back at him.

I grimace as Water tries to get up and headbutt Wind, only to be stopped by Flame, who…tries to pin and hold down Wind so they can both headbutt him.

Hmm. You know. When I originally envisioned this training, I thought getting into the mindset and personality of those who used the styles would be a good idea.

I take it back. It was and still is a great idea!

"Alright, alright everyone!" I call out, prompting them to look toward me, "I'm going to release the Jutsu now, get ready!"

"Hai Hai, Sun!" they all call back. Besides Thunder, who gives a thumbs up. And Wind, who scowls at me.

Heh. Love this training.

I slam my hands together, and we all vanish in a cloud of smoke.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Several hours of muscle memory from several different perspectives slam into my body all at once.

"Hmmmghhh!!" I groan, and nearly fall back, off the roof of my house!

The tallest point atop my house, mind!

Not like the fall would do any damage, but it would still be annoying.

As for why I'm up here in the first place? Well.

I groggily opened my eyes to find Kuroka cross-legged right in front of me, one eye open and eyeing me knowingly, her form perfectly positioned in front of the early morning sun.

"Your clones just got done in the dojo, nya~?" she asks, with which I simply nod back, "Alright, but remember we're not done yet! Try not to lose focus again, nya~!" Kuroka swishes her three tails at me as she says so.

I respond to her attempt at being the paragon of focus by reaching out and scratching her cat ears.

"Nyyaaannn~!?" she squeals, nearly falling off herself until she grabs and clings onto me, "Nori-kun~!!!" she looks up at me, and whines.

With a chuckle, I pat the most definitely afraid of falling cat on the back.

While my clones practiced the sword, I and Kuroka practiced ki and, get this, chakra control.

She managed to reach her third tail after around a month or so of dedicated meditation, purely focused on taking in the non-malicious ki of nature.

And, honestly? No jokes, I'm hella proud of her.

After all, I made sure to assist her in her training by giving her ample bust a massage the whole time, just as she gave my back a massage.

You know. Paying it forward and all.

But she did it! I knew she had the potential! She had to have, what with her younger sister hitting her third tail within a few months after neglecting Senjutsu for so long.

Turns out, Kuroka just needed a proper kick in the tail for her to get going, and seeing Shirone as she is now was enough of a kick.

Also, the prospect of learning shiny new techniques might have helped, the little goblin.

I awoke her chakra that night, by having copious amounts of reward sex.

I didn't need to do it that way, turns out, but I wanted to because why not?

Besides, the actual method - touching her, injecting her with Holy Spirit Power, and simply willing the power to awaken within her - was much more boring.

As for what giving Kuroka chakra did? Well…

She told me about the network that sprang up inside her body, she also told me that molding chakra feels like the perfect blend between spiritual and bodily and that it seems to be some sort of in-between for her Youki and normal ki.

Oh. Also, she's progressing fast.

Like. Faster than I am. Way faster than I am.

It's got to be a Nekoshou thing, there's no way it isn't! I'm not kidding when I say the damn cats already trying the shadow clone technique!

It's been a week! A week! She can walk on water already, memorized all the hand seals I showed her, and is already well on her way to trying to create jutsu.

I call haxs. Can I get a race change in my non-existent store yet?

Although I will say, I'm fairly curious as to what her chakra affinity is gonna be, and what kind of techniques she'll come up with.

I'm betting Yin Affinity, makes too much sense for the damn cat.

With a sigh, my thoughts shift to something tangentially related, and I stand up, holding and bringing Kuroka up with me.

"Actually kitty? I think we're done for now," I speak solemnly, "I've got something to do that requires my attention."

Kuroka tilts her head, "Your Magical Girl Club, nya~?"

I snorted and sputtered out a chuckle, "No, that's actually doing really good."

Seriously, I managed to get normal members for the club. Damn things grew beyond just a Sona troll club.

I'm so proud of myself!

Now it's a legitimate club that Sona can't shut down now that she's Student Council President.

Little shit tried to tell my clones we didn't count as enough members to hold it.

So I might have Genjutsu tricked a teacher into signing off on it.

Just a simple illusion to make two of the three names look different, no biggie. With one tomoe, that's about all I can do anyway, and on a non-supernatural being no less.

Wait a minute, where was I?

Fuck, Kuroka damn it! Stop derailing my thoughts!

"No, you see," I start, "there's a group of Fallen in Kuoh, and I think it's about time I throw them out."

Kuroka blinks at that, "Really, nya~!? Fallen…" she thinks for a moment, "they haven't done anything yet?"

"No," I answer, succinctly, "not yet."

And that's the problem. They haven't done anything yet.

It's been a month and a week. The first month of school is where events like Asia showing up and Issei being murdered should have happened.

But they haven't. Asia never showed, Issei hasn't been shivved yet and he and his friends continue glaring hatefully at my clones when they walk by.

The only reason I haven't headed down to the Church and murked them yet is that I want to draw out Diodora the Explorer and murk him and the Fallen at the same time.

But as time goes on, and Asia doesn't appear to be showing, I doubt that chance will come.

This means there's no point in keeping the birds nest around any longer.

I shrug, "Still, I don't want to keep them around any longer." With a small hop, I jump off the roof and land on the ground below deftly, giving Kuroka a small smile.

"Fallen aren't exactly known to be the most trustworthy…besides…" my grin turns hungry. "I have yet to fight a Fallen Angel."

Strays are boring now. I've culled the population of them in this part of Japan by now, no way I haven't yet.

Kuroka, playfully, smacks my chest and rolls her eyes, "Somehow, I'm not even surprised, nya!" she huffs, "Try and be quick about it, at least? I have another…meeting…to go to soon," she sighs, "and I don't know how long it'll be. Rather you be there to see me off, nya~!"

"Ah, it has been a while since your last, hasn't it?" I muse, "Was wondering when you'd have to leave again," I pulled her right up to my face, and kissed her tenderly, feeling her mewl and purr into my mouth as she kissed back.

After a short moment of that, I pull back slightly to say softly, "I'll be there, then. Shouldn't take too long."

…I just tempted Murphy, didn't I?

Fuck.

"Jeez…" she reaches up and slowly caresses my face, "you've been getting increasingly more and more affectionate you know~? You gonna miss me that bad, nya~?"

"Yup." I confirm easily with a smile.

Kuroka's eyes widen as her face flushes at my easy response.

She tries to avert my gaze, but I take the side of her face into the palm of my hand and caress it, forcing her to stay looking at me.

"I'm not sure if you've taken the hints, kitty, but I can be both incredibly petty and lustful, but also compassionate and loving," I give her a wink, and kiss her nose, "and In my book, a man knows when to be and can be both." I state with a bright smile.

And with that, I pat her on the head, "See ya when I get back, kitty!" and head off with a nonchalant wave, leaving my catgirl confusedly staring off at my back.

I smirk and chuckle when I hear something like a loud panicked drawn-out meow.

Think I might have just broken her there.

Whoops?

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

The flight to the Church was uneventful, and judging by the fact that it's bright and early out, I'm not exactly surprised at the lack of guards and such at the front door.

I could also just chalk it up to general incompetence, that's a staple of Ray Ray and her group after all.

No, what's making me frown right now isn't all that, but instead, the positively zero life force signals I'm reading inside the Church.

I get it, my Senjutsu is only a month into being trained, and my range is kind of trash, but I should be able to pick up something from out here!

Hmm. Well! There's only one way to check for sure, isn't there?

I grab the hilt of my sword that's strapped to my back, take a few easy steps forward, and promptly kick the doors off the hinges.

The cracked and shattered masses of wood slide forward into…

An absolute shit fest.

Several times worse than what I recall the state of the Church being under the Fallen in canon.

Religious iconography hasn't been just smashed, but actively defaced, twisted, and ground up.

The walls are lined with a chaotic series of weird symbols and letters I don't recognize.

Hell, not even the seating remained unscathed, all torn up and thrown amongst the building.

"What the fuck…" I mutter to the very fucked up, but also rather empty Church.

This…doesn't make any sense.

I saw them, the Fallen, in town. I caught the only guy in the cell wandering around looking for strays.

All this damage to the Church is intentional and fits with the Fallens modus operandi, if a bit extreme I'll admit.

They had to have been here, then.

But then why…?

I walk into the Church, still feeling nothing within my sensing range as I head down the aisle to the big hole in the ground where an altar is supposed to be.

Within that hole? A big staircase leading down straight where the Fallen performed that ritual to extract Asia's Sacred Gear.

Well. Couldn't hurt to check at this point, no?

Hand never leaving my hilt, I do just that.

And am struck by the most putrid fucking smell ever about halfway down.

Against the very ardent protests of my nostrils, I quicken my pace, practically flying down the stairs.

…only to nearly run into a massive pile of bodies, waiting for me right next to the entrance to the large underground ritual room.

I take just a few seconds.

Just a few.

To look at what I'm seeing right now.

A haphazardly made pile of corpses, each with their face contorted and twisted in agony.

The light in their eyes? Long gone. And judging by the state some of these people are in? They've been dead for weeks. Already decaying away.

I see people from all walks of life, young and old, all classes.

But I only recognize one body amongst the multitude.

One Genshirou Saji. Corpse just as cold as the rest. Former holder of the Absorption Line Sacred Gear.

Former, because it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what his corpse lying in a room where the ritual to extract Sacred Gears is means.

My hands cycle through hand seals on instinct, and the next thing I know, a wheel of fire erupts out from behind me.

In the next moment, the corpse pile in front of me ignites into a massive bonfire as the wheel crashes into it.

I clap my hands together, wishing the deceased a safe trip into their afterlife.

And with that, I turn on my heels and quickly leave the now empty ritual room behind.

Canon? What's that? That doesn't exist here anymore.

The idea that the Fallen here were for anyone else besides Issei isn't canon, the only reason they were was because Azazel is a fucking wizard, and figured out Issei had the Boosted Gear.

So what the fuck did I just walk into down there!?

Sacred Gear gathering. Collecting. The purpose of this cell has changed, if not by Azazel's order, then by Ray Ray herself.

For some reason, despite me having done nothing to influence the canon, shit flew off the rails anyway.

If I had known, I'd have killed everyone here a month ago and burned this place to the ground.

But now they're gone, and I don't know where.

As I step back into the Church proper, I promptly still.

Around a dozen or so life forces enter my range, all at around the same time.

They're all weak. Pathetically so. Sans one, but not by much more.

Stray Exorcists, perhaps? Here to clean up their mess downstairs?

You know. I was about to make a joke about how it's so like Ray Ray's group to leave such evidence in a squeaky clean room…

But thinking about it, she more than likely saw such a thing as beneath her to do or some stupid shit, so sent some grunts after the fact to clean it up.

As much as I want to kill them all the moment they step foot in the Church proper, I need more information right now.

So, instead, I jump up high, touching my hand to the ceiling and sticking myself there with a bit of chakra.

And now I wait.

Thankfully, it didn't take long.

"Ayo! Did these shitty old doors finally decide to give up or what!?" a shrill, preachy boyish voice screams out from just outside, "Any one of you baby fuckers do it!? Eh? Was it you? Or you?"

I hear mutterings of denial from several people and, "No, Father Freed…"

"Well fuck! I wanted to do it!!" he eventually whines out.

Ugghh…just my luck, huh?

Several stray exorcists file in shortly after, with a pouting Freed close behind them.

"Alright, alright, let's get this shit over with," Freed mumbles out, "you lot go down and clean up the mess downstairs! While I…" he slowly looks around the Church, "eh. I don't know. Maybe touch grass or something!"

All the exorcists glare at him.

"Eh?" he raises an eyebrow, "Sorry, I don't recall stuttering, get a move on little timmys! Or else I might need a training dummy or several when we get home, eh? Eh!?" they all quickly start shuffling downstairs, he throws his arms up, "Oh come on, no takers!? Maaann…you're all such pussies!" he pauses briefly, then chuckles maniacally, "What about you, spiderman on the ceiling?"

Ho? Don't tell me. The one guy to look up at the ceiling is Freed of all people.

I stop sticking to the ceiling, falling easily back to the floor some distance away from a maniacally grinning Freed, who eyes me without a care in the world.

"Now, who might you be, little peter? Hmm?? You know it's rude to listen in on other people's conversations, or attempt to hide incriminating evidence!" he whips out his oversized gun and light sword, "So, for that, ima have to punish you like all good priests of the Vatican punish naughty little boys! With a good old spanking!! Heeheehe—"

"You like to talk a lot, huh." I interrupt to state.

"Eh?" Freed tilts his head, "Well fuck you too weeaboo!"

I'm sorry. What.

"Weeaboo!?"

"Yeah!" he smirks, "After all, what else could the overcompensating sword strapped to your back mean!?"

"That I can very easily cut you down even shorter than you already are?" I fire back.

"Agh!!?" he grasps his chest tightly as if wounded, "Hey! It's not my fault my momma was a test tube! We can't all get big, thick test tubes to grow in, alright!?"

I snort, "Joy. I got the runt of the litter then, huh?"

"Tch! You!" he points his gun at me and narrows his eyes, "What the hell even are you, eh? You're not a dirty Devil, but you sure as shit ain't human either!" his eyes wander to my sword, "Hmm…could you be…a Pagan?"

"Close enough," I hum, "but, considering what you are, you really shouldn't try talking shit."

"Oho??" a grin splits across his face, "So the majesty of the great, Devil slaying, pagan fucking, rogue Exorcist Freed Sellzen has reached the ears of you people here in this backwater country, eh? Tell me, Pagan, why should I give a fuck what you say when I'm about to chop you up into itty bits and eat ya!?"

"Damn, you do talk too much." I sigh, then start walking toward him.

My eyes shift, gaining a second swirling pupil.

"Oi! The fuck you think…you're…you're…huh..?" he slowly trails off, dazed, his eyes flickering and dulling with a second pupil much like myself.

With a few more steps, I'm right in front of him, my hand on his forehead.

He drops his weapons to the ground with a dull thud as he stares off into nothing.

Genjutsu entrapment is successful. He's human, and already a tad bit coo-coo for cocoa puffs, so there's no chance in hell he can shake off the Holy Spirit Power I just shoved into his brain.

Although, using the Hypnosis Eye for genuine hypnosis feels weird, not gonna lie.

"Alright," I start, "let's make this quick before your buddies come running back. Where are you and your friends located now?"

"Hmm…warehouse…" he says, dreamily, almost giddy, "big abandoned warehouse."

Well. That's…something.

"Why did you all move?" I ask next.

"Something something…ritual…" he replies.

I blink. He wasn't paying attention completely when they were told why exactly they moved. Of course, he wasn't. This is Freed after all.

With a scowl, I rack my brain for what to ask next, only for the echoing of rapidly approaching footsteps coming from the hole to cut off my train of thought.

Fuck.

"Father Freed, Father Freed!" one of them calls as they rush out into the light, "The bodies, they're—!" he cuts himself off, of course, once he sees me and Freed.

They all stop and just stare at us.

I hum, finally thinking of what to ask Freed next. "Do any of these guys know anything more than you?"

Freed almost barks a laugh, "No…heh…even lower…just mobs."

Nice.

And with that, I grab Freed's head with both hands and snap his neck.

His body falls to the floor with an unceremonious thump, the extras gaping in disbelief all the while.

Yeah, sorry Freed, and just to make doubly sure you don't come back within the next few months, I'm gonna burn your body to ash.

After I take care of the extras.

"Kill him!" one of the exorcists calls, but I'm already moving.

Hinokami Kagura.

As I draw my sword, crimson flames swirl into existence around the blade.

Sun Halo Dragon—

Several bullets whiz past my speeding form, then I am upon them.

Head Dance.

Several heads for several slashes, and in moments, their bodies join their heads on the floor.

Right alongside Freed.

I huff as I sheath my sword, "About what I expected for a bunch of mobs."

With that said, I turn and walk out of the Church.

But not before fire wheeling all the bodies to ash, of course.

I also offer no prayer, at least for Freed, I'm not sure about the rest, but I'm not in a particularly good mood, so off in silence they all go.

As I step back into the morning sunlight, I realize something.

Canon is well and truly fucked. No longer can I operate on the assumption that things will go a certain way.

I can't presume to be able to react anymore, I need to be proactive.

With a clap of my hand, I suddenly release all the shadow clones that I have out and about. I need their information, just to make sure…

My three at school suddenly popped, and although one was in the middle of class, it was fine. Rias is in the same class, she'll mind-wipe everyone there.

No, you know what the real problem is?

Issei didn't show up to school this morning.

Son of a bitch!

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Raynare was on top of the world.

Seriously, everything is going perfectly!

This mission she and her team had been sent on by Lord Azazel? A piece of cake! Hell, she even went far above and beyond the call of duty!

Thinking back on it all, truly, if her Father still cared about her, she might even think it was a blessing from Him!

This simple little check-and-smash mission swung wildly into a collection mission that stands to massively boost the power of the Grigori in Japan by several folds!

And that's even with one of the stronger Grigori cells in Japan getting smitten out of existence all those years ago, massively weakening the Grigori's presence and power in the area!

Seriously, who would've thought a single town held so many Sacred Gear wielders?

Sure, most are 'common' types, but some? Like the last Vritra Gear?

She knows that will make her Lord a very happy camper! After all, he's been trying to find and collect that piece for a while!

And none of that includes what their original mission was for…

Ah. Speaking of!

Raynare turned to the door, sensing the arrival of her subordinates just as they walked in.

The tall buxom blue-haired one, Kalawarna, threw the target of their original mission onto the floor in front of her.

A knocked out cold, brown-haired school boy.

Whose nose was…bleeding profusely, for some reason? Though it didn't look broken?

Raynare raised an eyebrow at her, to which Kalawarna shrugged.

"I led him away from his walk to school with my tits," she huffed annoyed, "pulled him right into my cleavage when we got somewhere private, his nose exploded. Was afraid the kid would bleed out before we got here."

Mittelt, the blonde loli snorted, "Almost wished he did. There's no way in hell someone like him is who we could be looking for."

The only male fallen in the group, Dohnaseek, huffed disappointedly and straightened his fedora, "I concur," he agrees, "the boy possesses no magical potential, is weaker than your average human, doesn't appear to possess any noteworthy talents or skills…" he trailed off.

"Truly, I think Lord Azazel may be mistaken with this one." he finishes solemnly.

Raynare looks at the fedora-wearing Fallen with narrow eyes, then back at the boy, with a sigh, she picks him up by the back of his shirt. "You shouldn't doubt Lord Azazel so quickly, Dohnaseek." she retorts, dragging the boy to the center of the massive ritual circle in the center of the warehouse. "Regardless, the ritual continues."

"Of course, Raynare." Dohnaseek tentatively agreed. Likely for the same reason Kalawarna nodded, Raynare thought, and Mittelt groaned.

"Ugghh…" the blonde loli whined, "all that work moving everything over to a bigger space, drawing with chalk for days, and he might not even be the real deal!?" she crossed her arms and pouted, "Lame. Waste of fucking time!"

Raynare grimaced, "Let's just get this over with, hmm? Then we can return home as heroes."

She smiled viciously, "Besides? Worst case scenario? He turns to paste and a blood smear, Sacred Gear or not, our tracks are covered!" and with that lovely image, she dropped the boy into the middle of the circle.

Mittelt perked up, "Speaking of covering our tracks, has Freed and his cleanup crew gotten back yet?" she asked tentatively, "I'd rather not leave that dog off his leash too long, he might expose us to the Devils, or do some other stupid shit!"

Before Kalawarna could respond, Raynare called out, "Who cares about Freed? We'll go pick him up after the ritual! Well?" she barked out, "Take your positions!"

"Ugghh…" Mittelt groaned, but complied regardless, walking to one side of the ritual circle.

Dohnaseek did the same, stoically, while Kalawarna huffed and took her place.

Once each Fallen took a spot in each cardinal direction on the circle, Raynare raised her arms almost reverently and began chanting.

A language by which no human could understand, Enochian, the Language of Angels.

Soon, the ritual circle lit up, and as it did each Fallen mirrored Raynare, the light building and building, collecting around the center where the boy lay still.

The light ballooned around him, forming a small cylinder around him that, once it touched him…

Forced his eyes open wide, and screamed in sheer undiluted liquid agony.

Luckily before he could even think to escape, golden chains came up from the circle shortly after, wrapping him up and pinning him tight to the ground against the circle.

It still didn't stop the screaming, unfortunately.

"AAAGH!!!" the boy hollered, his mouth and jaw straining to open wide enough to let him scream as loud as possible.

Fortunately, Raynare has gotten used to the noise, what with how many times she's had to do this.

Still, it's shocking he hasn't—

"PLEASE! STOP! IT HUURRTTSS!!!"

Ah. There's the begging.

Slowly but surely, flickers of green bubbly light begin to evaporate off the boy.

With each bubble, each bib, the giddy-ness in Raynare increases.

The boy hasn't exploded! It's working! He has a Longinus!

She just wishes he would stop screaming like a bitch.

"AGHHH!!!" somehow, in fact, they get worse, "PLEASE!! I DON'T WANNA DIE!! NOT LIKE THIS! NOT LIKE THISS!! UGHH!!!"

The green bubbles of power begin coming off him more and more frequently, mixed in with a tinge of red.

So, so close!

"I…FUCK…YOUU…BASSTAARDSSS!!!" the boy growled and snarled with anguish, "YOU! ALL! I…III….!!!"

The bubbles condense, and explode into a violent red and green aura.

The cylinder of light flickered, as all four Fallen are tossed to the ground, their chanting halting.

Only for a new one to take its place.

"I…who am about to awaken!!"

But not from them. The boy.

"Am the Heavenly Dragon who has stolen the Principles of Domination from God."

The chains shatter. The boy floats there, growing, changing, shifting. Red armor with green jewels forming across his body like a second flesh.

Boosted Gear.

"I laugh at the 'infinite', and I fret over the 'dream'."

"Kill him!! NOW!!!" Raynare calls, voice hoarse with sheer fear. At once, the Fallen all hurriedly and desperately throw light spears at the boy.

"I shall become the Red Dragon of Domination."

The aura devours the light spears. It grows, devouring the pillar of light, the ritual circle—

"And I shall sink you to the depths of crimson purgatory!"

"RUN!!! ITS—"

The Fallen.

Kuoh Town shook, as the jewels upon the armor all announced as one.

["JUGGERNAUT DRIVE"]

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 10 End.

Well. That escalated quickly.

I always wanted to do the Juggernaut Drive chant, didn't think my first time using it would be quite like this.

It sucks though, because Patreon won't let me do things like add the invisible text I wanted to add, or center the chant, or color the Juggernaut Drive at the end.

Feels bad man.

A New Sun Interlude 2

Interlude 2

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

The first day of school.

A certain Vice President was out doing bag checks and welcoming all the new and old arrivals alike.

Everything was fine.

And then he showed up.

Noriaki Kusanagi approached with his bag already out, the smugest smirk plastered across his face.

"Hai hai! Shitori-san!" He gives her a little wave, "Nice morning isn't it?"

Her eyebrow twitches, and she does her best to maintain her neutral gaze as she takes his strangely light bag from him.

"I suppose it has, Kusanagi-san—" there's nothing in the bag.

She looks up and glares at him.

He just smiles sweetly at her. "Everything fine, Vice?" he asks innocently.

Her eyes narrow dangerously. "There's nothing in this bag."

He shrugs, "I wouldn't worry about it. Brothers coming down with my stuff later. I'll be fiinne!" he said coolly.

Brother?

"Brother?" she replied, befuddled.

"Yup!" He responded easily, taking his bag back, "Don't worry Miss Half President, It'll all work out!" And then, without prompting, he walked off, waving behind him. "See ya around!"

She just stared at his back, mouth slightly agape.

The overwhelming urge to drown him pulsing through her body begins to boil up.

Around a week or so ago, he had done what he said he'd do; summon one of her Peerage to answer questions.

So why, oh why, did the one to be someone have to be her delinquent Pawn?

Not only did he apparently flirt with her so hard that the girl came back a blushing mess, he also intentionally screwed up the questionnaire he was supposed to fill out.

For instance, when asked, 'What kind of being are you?' he put down in response, 'The kind of alive, kind of not kind, but not in a machine way, more like a spirit way?'

What the hell is any of that supposed to mean!?

Regardless, she seriously doubts he has a brother.

She huffed externally before going back to bag check.

Internally, she screamed.

At least that man came early, one of the first in fact, that's good.

Halfway until school officially started.

She was still doing bag checks.

Everything was fine.

Then he showed u—

Wait. Huh?

Noriaki Kusanagi approaches, sardonic smile on his face, bag already out.

"Hello there, Shitori-san."

What the fuck.

She glares balefully at him, "Do you think this is some kind of joke, Kusanagi-san?"

It's the same innocent smile again! "I have no idea what you mean, Vice." He shakes his bag at her.

His very full-sounding bag.

Sona pursed her lips into a frown and took it.

Heavy. Frowning deeper, she opens it up and finds the supplies required for at least three students.

How.

"Yeah, I know, I know," He gently takes the bag back from her, "I lost a game of rock-paper-scissors, so I had to carry everyone's stuff."

With an anguished sigh, he closes up the bag, throws it over his shoulders, and walks away.

Sona just stared. Stared so hard, that one of the other Student Council members - not of her Peerage - started looking at her worriedly.

How. Why? What the hell is going on?

There's no way in hell that's his brother. They looked exactly alike! Same uniform, same face, height, even bag!

Wait. Did he say everyone? Why not ours?

Sona doesn't think she'll like that answer.

Minutes felt like moments, and shortly thereafter school was just about to officially start.

The gate was beginning to close, and just as she thought everything was going to be fine.

He came flying over the half-closed gate!

Oh sweet Mother Lilith why is there a third one?

Noriaki Kusanagi gave a wave to her as he flew over her, landed with a roll, and hopped up onto his feet.

"Nailed it!" He turned to Sona, "No need to check my bag, Sitri." He spoke freely with a smirk, "After all, I don't have one on me!"

She should have gone in sooner. Then she wouldn't be alone out here for this.

"See ya around, Polka Dot Wings." He waves as he heads off.

Haha. Polka Dots. Like a leopard. Because of Sitri and leopards, right?

"Very funny, Kusanagi-san." She bit back at him.

That's not even correct, anyway!

But she was too done with all this to even try fighting that.

She went to walk away to class, only she looked in the direction he went first.

And she froze.

Three Noriakis. All stood there, talking, chuckling, and chatting it up with one another.

How. How. How.

They all turned and smirked at her.

Sona very quickly turns, and speed walks away, face quickly paling as that foreboding feeling from a week ago returns at full force.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

"School was honestly kinda boring, how about you, Toujou-chan?"

Her latest client asked suddenly, while lying wrapped up in blankets on the couch, with her sitting right in front of it…also wrapped up in blankets, and on a much smaller yet still very comfortable cushion.

She shrugged, though the blankets barely moved, so she said, "About the same as it usually is, I suppose."

And then they focused on the TV screen in front of them, as the two proceeded to beat the shit out of each other in a fighting game.

Kusanagi is suffering from some type of exhaustion, so no sparring for today.

Honestly? That's alright with her. They've been at it for around a week now, and she was curious as to what kind of games he had.

Her eyebrow twitches as he locks her character into an infinite, feeling the smugness radiating off her client in droves behind her.

…If she could get to play them, that is.

Idly, she reached down into a big bag sitting in front of her, took a handful of the very small bite-sized cookies, and jammed them into her mouth.

At least the snacks are really good.

He chuckles, "You like the snacks, yeah? My maid makes them. All magical and like," he huffs, "she used to do that with all the food, then I realized I got groceries for no reason, so now she can only do snacks."

"All…food?" She, completely forgetting the game, turns to look at him.

"Yeah," he waves off, "not even sure how she did it before. She shouldn't have been able to stretch her powers that far, thinking she might have been double cheating."

He looks down to see her staring at him expectantly, and his eyes widen in realization.

"If you want me to make you something, just ask," he chuckled, "I can cook just fine without her."

She nods, satisfied.

Then turns back to the game, and frowns, as her character is still caught in an infinite loop with no health.

She looks back at him with disgust, "You're not playing that guy again."

He snorts, "Just get good scrub."

Her eyebrow twitches, and she shoots back.

"You don't have skill, prick."

"I don't need skill for you shorty, that's how bad you are."

Her eyes narrow at him.

"Worthless dick can't play the game, needs broken exploits to win."

"Cope. Seeth. Mald."

"Die in a hole, you bastard," she growls and glares at him, "and wipe that smile off your face…"

"Maybe I will when you stop being a sore adorable loser?"

"A-Adorable?" She huffs, and looks away, "Pervert."

He huffed a laugh at that, "Would you rather me call you a midge—"

She whirls around fully and looks at him.

"See what I mean?" his smile never wavers and grows more when he reaches out and pats her on the head. "Adorable."

"M-Meowwrr!"

Her attention is suddenly drawn away by Chomusuke, or as she calls her now, Chom-chan, crying out for help.

She had been loafed out on her lap, and when she turned, Chom-chan must have gotten tangled up in the blankets.

Quickly ignoring that last comment from Kusanagi - and the slow flush she feels burning across her face - she goes to dig her out.

"Sorry, Chom-chan…" she pulls out the fluffy black cat from the sheets she was buried under, petting her head as she does, "your master was just being a dick, is all."

…why does the cat look so smug all of a sudden?

Chom-chan, no!

This is all Kusanagi's fault. Somehow.

He cackles loudly as her expression turns crestfallen.

"Alright, alright!" he slowly laughs out, and down, "Serious question time, Toujou-chan!"

"Hmm?" She raises an eyebrow, what could this be about?

"Would you like to join the Magical Girl Club I'm starting at school?" he asks, stoically without a hint of other emotion.

She's gonna fucking kill him.

"And no, I'm not asking you just because I want to see you in a Magical Girl outfit." He adds.

She wasn't thinking that!

"I wasn't thinking that." she grumbles out.

"Right," he smiles, most definitely not believing her, "well? What do you say?"

"Why did you even start a club like that?" She asks after a pause, still trying to wrap her head around all…that.

She didn't even need to look at him, she could feel his shrug.

"Purely to fuck with Sitri."

She raises an eyebrow at him, slowly. "That's it…?"

"Yup."

She gives him a thumbs up, "I approve."

"Ah? Huh…" After a beat of him scratching his chin, he asks, "You know, I've been meaning to ask, why are you so salty with her group?"

"Her Queen caught me eating my snacks during a break last semester," she idly scratched Chom-chan's head, her eyes narrowing off into the distance, "it wasn't lunch, I was in class, and she confiscated them. Now she and the entire student council are dead to me."

He claps at that, "My people!" and calls jubilantly to the sky whilst throwing up his arms.

Suddenly, he looks down at her, "Say, if you really mean all that, then does that mean…?"

"No," she shuts him down, causing his face to immediately drop, "I'm already busy with club stuff. And besides," She points out, "how are you going to get the minimum required members for something like that?"

He smiles sardonically as he lays down, "Me, myself, and I are already members enough." he answers plainly.

…why does she get the feeling he means that literally?

But before she could even begin to question that, he sighs and yawns with despair.

"Ah, big sadge, now I can't get to see my cute little kouhai in a Magical Girl outfit!"

She elbows him in his side, causing him to let out a sputtered laugh.

"Pervert." She mutters, face flushed.

The bastard then thought it would be funny for them to watch a horror movie after that.

No, she did not cling to him and Chom-chan throughout the night.

Nobody can prove otherwise!

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

"Mmm~, having a nice night, Kuroka?" I ask the big tiddy kitty, currently sprawled out on top of me purring into my chest.

"The very best, nya~!" She snuggles against me more, "I got held by Shirone all night, she fed me, and gave me pets! Nyaann~!"

She's practically vibrating against me now.

Cats are never not simple, I tell you.

After our movie, Shirone left, glaring at me all the while.

Somehow, she blames me for putting on the movie, when she's the one that called me a pussy when I said I didn't like horror.

See how that turned out for her, huh?

"Say say, Nori-kun~?" She suddenly pats my chest, causing me to look down at her, "Are you gonna be okay? You've been like this the whole time after you made those clones, nya~!"

"Awww," I coo, "someone concerned over me?" I lean down, planting a surprise kiss on her face, causing her to yelp with shock, "I'll be fine you, just overdid it is all."

Chakra exhaustion is a bitch, let me say.

Physical and Mental Energy is churned up into chakra, which is then used up. Running out of chakra? It's like running both your mind and body through the gutter.

Fucking sucks.

Like, earlier, Shirone was right! I couldn't have won without an infinite there, not because I'm bad, but because my mental power wasn't there enough to pull it off.

Kuroka huffs, and slaps my chest, "Stupid man, you better not be trying to kill yourself before you put kittens in me…"

"Right," I say neutrally, as I wrap my arms around her waist, "because that's the most important thing, no~?"

After a moment of just staring at me, she snuggles her face into my chest and refuses to answer.

I think someone may have caught a little bit of feelings. But who am I to guess that?

I pet her back, as the quiet night settles in around us.

"How did you do it?"

And then it's shattered, as she asks that.

I blink, "The clones you mean?"

"Yeah," She nods against my chest, "I thought maybe they were avatars of some kind, but that's it, is it? I didn't feel your Holy Spirit Power in use, so…?" she trails off.

And I struggle internally as to what to say to that.

The idea of chakra and the chakra network doesn't exist here, in this world, although through native Senjutsu there are the chakras and ki.

Hmm…

Eh, fuck it. I'm too tired to bullshit my way through this.

"Basically, I take my mental and physical energies, mash them up, process them, and turn them into a new form of energy that powers certain techniques." I explain briefly, and succinctly.

Kuroka finally looks at me, her head tilted, "Techniques?" she asks.

I blink at her, "Well, yeah?" I say, "This isn't the first time I've used this power. Remember when I practiced walking and fighting on the pond, or the ceiling? I was using it then too, training it."

Her eyes widened significantly, "Really? I just thought that was all weird deity stuff, nya!"

I deadpanned at her. "Course you did, cat." I huff out.

"Is it teachable?" she suddenly asks, and I…

"I…don't know." I try, carefully, "Why do you want to learn to clone yourself all of a sudden?"

She winks at me, "Don't you wanna be the meat between a big titty kitty sandwich, nya~?" She says softly, with a sultry smile as she makes sure to rise slightly, exposing more of her cleavage to the world.

Hmm. Well, fuck. Now I've gotta at least try on principle, but!

I raise my hand up and bring it down upon her ass with a thunderous slap.

She squeaks and mewls, dropping back down on top of me as she goes.

"Okay, while that does sound fun," I eye her expectantly, "now the real reason. Give."

"Mmmm," she huffs, "I've been thinking about what you said a while ago, about my potential, and seeing Shirone again…" she trails off.

"Gave you the kick in the tit to get your ass in gear again?" I finished for her.

"Nyah hah hah~!" she chuckles, "Close enough, I suppose?"

"So," I begin, "why rush straight into trying to attain a new power then, Ms. Two-Tailed Ultimate Class?" I question like a parent asking their child why they tried to steal a cookie.

"Eh? That again!?" she cries out, "Nori-kun, it isn't that—"

"Have you even tried?" I cut her off.

She didn't meet my incoming gaze after that.

I sigh, "Alright then, Kuroka? Here's what you're gonna do!" I start, "You're gonna actively try and reach your third tail!"

Before she can instantly start complaining, I power on, "When you achieve it, or after I've seen you put in significant effort to at least try, then we'll see about you learning cloning and such. Got it?"

Kuroka whines, and cries out, shaking all up against me, but doesn't at least verbally reject.

I huff and pat her on the back. Damn big baby.

I don't know about teaching her chakra and how to clone and such, but I do get the feeling I can…at least awaken the potential in her to use it, if that makes sense?

Course, I'm not just gonna give her free handouts, she's gonna have to put the effort in first.

And as for anyone else? Fat fucking chance. I'm not a bargain sale.

Now, I can't believe I'm actually about to say this.

"Now enough talk about training, kitty." I wrap my arms around and hug a suddenly scandalized Kuroka, "I'm tired, I want my body pillow to not be crying about having to meditate tomorrow."

"But Nori-kun~!" she whines, "Mediation is so boring!"

I bore my gaze down into her, then snorted, and rolled my eyes. "Ask Uzume for help then, she's supposed to be a Meditation Goddess."

"Eh? Really?" Kuroka pauses, and thinks, "That doesn't make a whole lot of sense, nya!"

I shrug.

She's right of course, I'm betting she hasn't meditated once in a thousand something years. Or something just as absurd.

Ah, well. Not my problem~!

With that cheery thought, I hug my soft plush cat girl to sleep.

All around, a lovely start to the school year so far, and I haven't even set foot inside the school since I got my uniform! Hah!

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Interlude 2 End

Pop interlude, go!

Just a quick little thing to show off some stuff that has happened, or will be happening, during the time skip about a week in.

The Sona bulli begins, the Shirone bulli(seduction?) continues, and Kuroka is finally going to do something!

Chapter 10 is still coming Thursday, and there begins the end of the Kuoh Mini Arc, as it were.

A New Sun Chapter 9

Chapter 9

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

I woke up the next morning to a very naked cat girl clinging to my side.

So, the best way to wake up, of course!

What made it even better was that she was purring at the same time, with the most adorable grin across her face.

With a small chuckle, I extract myself from her grasp, my body crying in grief at the loss of her softness.

Turns out I'm not the only one suffering inside as Kuroka slowly frowns at my absence.

Her purring suddenly ceases, only to be replaced by a quiet whine as she reaches out and snatches up the pillows.

With an amused chuckle, I reach out and pet her head, "I'm going to go get breakfast started, alright? Shouldn't be long."

She snuggled up against my hand, and gave up a hum of what I'm fairly certain is a hum in agreement.

Pretty sure, what else could, "Hmmmfghnn." mean?

Regardless, after throwing on a fresh new yukata, I'm up and out of my room shortly after.

It takes me walking about halfway to the kitchen to realize something.

"Oh yeah. I got a maid to do all this for me!"

And with that jubilant exclamation, I turn and make my way to Uzume's room instead.

And promptly kick down the door when I make it there.

"Raise and shine! It's breakfast time!" I say whilst walking in, stopping halfway to her bed.

She's sprawled out half-naked.

Course she is.

"Maid!" I call out, "Wake the fuck up!"

"Mnnn…" she mumbles, and pulls the covers over her face, "five more minutes, please Goshujin-sama~...?" she gives her ass a little shake.

Bitch you trying to bribe me?

I answer in the only fashion appropriate to this disobedience.

By taking a few steps back, then bomb-rushing her down, and leaping.

I dropkick her off the bed.

"GHAA!?" she screeches and hits the wall with a pathetic flop, she isn't down for long though, scampering up right before she starts whining, "N-Nori-kun-!"

"Nope!" I cut her off, "Don't start! I wanna see if you can cook, so get that ass in uniform and get moving! Also," I narrow my eyes, "that's Goshujin-sama to you unless you need another reminder?"

"Mmmm!!!" she squirms, holding her head, "Too hungover for this!"

With a snort, I walk over to her and lift her to her feet, "Yeah, well, it won't be an issue anymore. No more drinking for you."

Her eyes widen into saucers as she looks at me, blanching, "Wah!?"

I give her a casual nod, "Mhmm, and before I forget!"

She flinches as I bring up my hand once more, only to give a confused blink once I bring it down and only pat her head.

I go right up to her ear, and whisper, "So I noticed you didn't leave a mess outside my door the other night, good job! Have some head pats! Also," I turn my tone much softer, "head pats for taking care of the Dojo all this time. You earned that much, at least."

Confusion slowly morphs into a small smile as she leans into my touch.

Ah. I'm gonna turn her into a head pat slut over the years, aren't I?

That small smile quickly becomes a look of realization as she turns and eyes me, "W-wait, are you paying me in head pats?"

"Yes." I reply simply.

"Wah!?" she sputtered in response, once more.

"Be glad I'm paying you at all," I continued before she could say something stupid, "now!" I rear back my other hand and deliver a big meaty slap to her rear while she wasn't looking.

The flush on her face and the squeal she let out was the cherry on top of the cake of the sheer look of betrayal on her face.

"Get this ass in a uniform, and let's see how well you can cook!" I command.

After a brief moment of composing herself, she let out, "H-Hai! Goshujin-sama!" and scurried off to do just that. I think.

Regardless, I set down for the living room myself, where my jacket was haphazardly thrown to the ground before…well, I guess you could call it a type of training?

Bedroom Method training. Ki training. That type of thing!

Also, another thing to add to the list of shit I gotta train.

Joy.

Moving on, my jacket has the summoning slips in its pockets, both Sitri and Gremory.

With a huff, I find said jacket and take those slips out before chucking the thing onto the destroyed couch's armrest.

Ah well. Just another thing for the maid to clean up, no?

Speaking of cleaning, I really oughta have her do that while I make a 'deal' or two.

I lay the summoning slips out on the table, and take a seat, looking over the two small fliers while I wait.

Now, who should I summon first?

A responsible person might summon Sona's posse first, but I'm feeling rather, hmm…I dunno, lazy today?

Not that I don't wanna train, I will later, but I know I've got some gaming system lying around here.

A whole emulator and all, actually, with a shit ton of different games.

And if I recall correctly, Shirone takes requests for gaming with her clients.

Now, as loath as I am to summon a Devil to play games with them, it's like the equivalent of a more pathetic Rent-A-Girlfriend in my mind, I'm not doing this to make friends.

This is part of the plan to get Shirone comfortable enough around me, and hopefully, a Kuroka in cat form, so that the reveal of her sister doesn't make her die from a heart attack or something.

Huh. You know, I just had a thought. I don't think I told Uzume or Kuroka what happened last nigh—

"Goshujin-sama!" Oh shit. "It's do—" at that moment, Uzume came walking into the kitchen with way too much food to be done already.

Like. What the fuck. How do you already make waffles!? It's been like a few minutes, tops!

Also, she paused because she was staring dead set at the summoning slips in front of me.

"You cheated and used your divine powers, didn't you?" I suddenly say, without missing a beat.

Uzume blinked. "Huh?"

"With the food, Uzume, there's no way in hell you made all that already!" I elaborate.

"B-Beh!?" she stutters, dumbfounded whilst putting it all on the table, "So what if I did!?"

I shrug, and smirk, "Nothing. I just felt like pointing it out."

As long as it's good, I don't care.

Uzume pointed at me, her face pouting, "You! Y-You! Gha! That's not the point!" she slams her hands down on the table, "Nori. Where did you get those fliers from?"

"Bunch of Devil familiars." I respond casually.

Another slam, as Uzume's head hits the table.

Slowly, she lets out a low whining groan.

"Why, why are there still Devils in Kuoh!?" she cries out into the table.

Huh.

"Is there not supposed to be?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

Uzume raises her head slightly, "No! Well…I don't think so?" she clicks her tongue and stands back up straight, "Remember how I mentioned that meeting your mother had after your Dad died?" she asked, her face stony.

Oh…I think I see where this is going.

"Yeah?" I confirm, "Let me guess, Mom wanted them all out of Japan?"

Uzume nodded, "Yup. Although that's what she wanted, that doesn't mean she got it." Uzume crosses her arms and starts rapidly tapping her foot against the ground, "Without help, Ama can't enforce anything on Earth, since she doesn't technically rule it directly anymore."

With a sigh, Uzume continues, "That responsibility was handed down to her grandson and was supposed to be in the hands of the Imperial Family and Five Clans today."

Pointedly, Uzume looks at me, "Your father was the closest to consolidating Japan, you know? He had Ama's blessing, and he was the Crown Prince, if he had lived…" she trails off, melancholic.

I, meanwhile, blinked.

"Uzume," I say, blankly, "you don't just casually drop that kind of bombshell, you know!?"

I mean, I always expected it considering his name and mentions of an inheritance, but damn girl, could at least lean into it rather than slap me in the face with it!

"E-Eh? O-Oh!" her eyes widen and she gives an awkward laugh, "Right, right! Sorry! I jus—"

"Uzume." I say, pointedly, "Just move on."

"R-Right, right…" Uzume cleared her throat, "where was I? Uh, right! The Imperial Family with their Bureau can't fight the Devils, the Clans are too busy throwing their members out to deal with it, so…yeah."

"And the Earthly Kami?" I ask though I get the feeling I know the answer.

"Too weak, too divided, or locked up in shrines," Uzume answers, "the only two who could fight the Devils are Inari, but she's too busy, and my husband, but he hasn't left the bridge in centuries." she lets out a tired discontent sigh.

"I'm not shocked the Devils continued with business as normal, they probably expected Ama to forget or not take up her mirror again, but…" Uzume mutters in slight horror, and…astonishment? "she really is like her siblings, to some extent."

"That turns you on, doesn't it." I more so state, accusingly.

"Yes."

A beat passes.

"W-Wait, I—"

"Nope!" I smile good-naturedly at the suddenly very embarrassed maid goddess that refuses to look me in the eyes, "That's going to stay a core memory for the rest of my life, I just want you to know."

While Uzume squirms under my teasing gaze, I reel, mentally.

All that I just heard? I don't like it one bit.

I already knew the Five Principle Clans were kind of shit, more concerned with tradition and other stupidity rather than the state of the world.

And the less said about the Bureau and Imperial Family, the better. They likely can't do much on the supernatural side due to a lack of power.

So, Japan, my new home here, is kinda screwed isn't it?

If the Devils aren't supposed to be in Kuoh but are anyway, then that means the Fallen probably are as well.

Transgression after transgression.

And that's just the outside problems, what about internal ones? Are there any Shinto or Buddhist Gods to worry about, the Yokai?

Hold up.

Why am I getting so worked up over this?

Internally, anyway.

Dad tried to fix all this, but he got killed, no?

Well. Yeah…but he was just Human. I'm not. I could do more, couldn't I?

That sounds disrespectful.

I…need more time to think about this.

Externally, I let out a frown and sighed, prompting Uzume to finally look at me, "Regardless. Devils in Kuoh, alright? Not much to do about it right now. Besides, I met one of their Peerages—"

Slam.

Uzume just smashed her head into the table.

"Uh," I blink, holding a hand out to her head, "Uzume, you okay…?"

I flinch back as she suddenly throws her head back up and stares me down.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you!? Did they offer to make you into one of their slaves!?" she asked, rapidly, Holy Spirit Power flickering around her into sparks of dawn-like light.

Okay. Damn. Probably should have seen that reaction coming.

"Eh," I wave off, "the King of the Peerage, she wanted me to answer some of her questions, I said no…unless she fought me."

Slam.

I grimace and continue, "So I fought her Queen, hit her with a fire dragon and all, and told her I'd text her later using one of these!" I tap the Sitri slip.

Slam. Slam. Slam.

"Nori." Uzume grumbles into the table.

"Yes…?"

"Why are you like this?" she asked with a pained breath.

"Because it's funny." I answered amused, prompting a groan from the maid, "Also, I wanted a good fight, strays are rare in Kuoh, and I wanted a proper challenge for once?"

It was at that moment, a certain someone entered the room.

And almost immediately started stretching out provocatively, because of course she had to come down here for that, no?

"Mmnnyaaahh~!" Kuroka practically moaned as she stretched out the tension in her body.

Well. At least she's wearing…something.

Thin tank top and panties are still clothes. Mostly.

"What's all the noise about down here, nya~?" she rubs her droopy eyes with the back of her hand, "It sounded like someone was trying to break in!"

Before I could say anything, Uzume shot up and looked at Kuroka with gods on high tears in her eyes.

"Kuroka-chan!" she pointed at me, "Nori-kun went out, met a Devil Peerage, and challenged their Queen to a fight!"

Oi. Are you telling on me to my cat girl?

Well hah! Jokes on you! I ain't whipped!

Also, spankings later. Cheeky shit.

I sent a baleful glare at Uzume that caused her to squeak and back up slightly.

Meanwhile, Kuroka blinked and tilted her head. "So that's why you were so out of it when you came home last night, nya~?" she struts over to me and suddenly sits on my lap, and wraps her arms around my neck, "As to be expected of my mate, nya~! Did you kick their ass?"

"Yup." I smirk, and mirror the 'fuck me' eyes Kuroka is suddenly sending me right back at her, deriving high sadistic joy in the way Uzume squirms off to the side.

I'm like, fairly sure she's doing this just fuck with Uzume. Fairly.

Could also be that she's horny again.

Or both. It's probably both.

Wait a minute.

I pause briefly, considering what she just said fully. "Mate?" I parrot back to her, "Is that a Yokai thing? And since when was I your mate?"

"Since you fucked me into your bed and declared it 'breeding training'~" she replied with a sly grin, Uzume had the nerve to gasp at that, "also, yes, it is a Yokai thing, nya~!"

It really is that simple with her, huh?

Also, I didn't notice it until right now, but Kuroka is ever so slowly grinding herself against my hips.

Oh yeah, it's both.

"Careful kitty~," I warn her hotly, reaching around to take big handfuls of her ass, "or we'll continue off directly from last night~..."

She shivers and mewls at that, grinding against me harder with a sly lewd smirk plastered across her face.

Hmm. Uzume is a future head pat slut, Kuroka? She's a slut slut.

Guess that's what happens when you go from slutty virgin to not so virgin anymore in a single long night.

My bad!

Unfortunately for Kuroka, as much as I'd love to fuck her into the table, there is work to be done and food to eat!

With that thought, I bonk her on the head.

"Nya~!?" she flinches, grabbing her head and gapping at me, "Nori-kuuun~!"

"Not now, kitty! Breakfast is right behind you, and we've got a very present audience." I remind her.

And then all horny is lost, practically with a snap of the fingers, as she whirls around and eyes the bacon with sparkling eyes.

Cats, everyone.

Also, more of her ass is pushing into my crotch.

Task failed successfully?

I then look at a flushed, yet snickering, Uzume.

Well, that won't do.

"Oi. Voyeur Maid." I call out blandly, and she freezes, "What are you snickering about, go clean the living room!"

"V-Voyeur!?" she blanched in response, "I'm not…! You two…! You! Hnnnghhh!!!" she groans and shuffles away, presumably before she can say something stupid.

Look at her, she's learning!

"Ah, Nori-kun?" Kuroka spoke suddenly, though slightly muffled and much more softly due to the bacon stuffing her mouth.

Also, the fact she finally noticed the summoning slips and is staring dead at the Gremory one might have something to do with it.

"Are these…?" she trails off, and I just chuckle, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her in for a hug.

"Correct." I confirm for her, "I presume you recognize the sigil on one of these, yeah?"

She nods, absentmindedly, "The Gremory Clan…Shirone…" she says longingly.

"Well then," I kiss her on the back of the neck, "let's eat, and figure out how we're going to go about this!"

Operation, reunite the cat sisters in a way that doesn't further destroy their relationship is a go!

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

The plan was simple.

I would summon Shirone, or Koneko as is now, and make a contract with her.

It doesn't matter what exactly, it could be playing games, training, whatever.

The point is, I make a pact with her.

Next part?

Be a decent, non-perverted, normal human(?) being

Yup, it's that simple.

If I recall correctly, Koneko's contractors are generally losers who make her do weird shit.

Like that one guy, who had her dress up as anime characters and carry him around like a baby.

Yup. Not exactly envious of that job.

In the end, be myself, and make friends with smol cat girl.

While all that's going on, Kuroka is going to pose as my completely normal pet cat, that wanders around doing cat things.

When Koneko opens up, hopefully with her version of the sisters' backstory, then Kuroka can finally reveal herself.

But, well…

"Let me just go around and check the wards again, okay, nya?" my cat girl who now actually looks like a cat asks. Again. For the seventeenth time in the last thirty minutes. "It'll be quick, nya! I promise, nya!"

I've learned a few new things about Kuroka today.

One?

She looks really cute in her Yokai form. Just a black cat with two tails, though she's currently using transformation magic to hide her second tail.

Two. When she's nervous or stressed, her verbal tick is constant.

And three.

I grab her before she can run off again and check the damn wards like she's been doing all day, setting her on my lap. "No." I affirm, "We're doing this, now."

"But…! But! Nyan!!!" she fluffs out and puts her paws over her head as she whimpers, "...can we not just kidnap her instead, nya!?"

She tries to make really stupid fucking decisions when she's stressed.

My eyes darted down to look at her, "Do you want me to go get the chair leg again!?" I glared, heat in my eyes.

Kuroka instantly cowered, "N-No Master, n-nya!!"

When I gave her my plan originally, she suggested we did what she did in canon during the Youth Devils Tournament.

I objected by tearing off a chair leg and bonking her over the head with it.

Honestly? I don't think it's the chair leg itself that knocked some sense into her over that, it was the sheer vitriol in my reaction that did.

Still, none of that's stopped her from trying to delay my summoning her by doing silly shit like setting up and checking wards over and over.

I only let her do it, because Kuroka thinks Shirone practices or utilizes Senjutsu, and would thus be able to sense her without wards.

I had no reason to object there since I wouldn't realistically know otherwise.

Poor Kuroka, she's gonna be in for one hell of a surprise when Shirone finally shows up, huh?

In any case, I have Sitri Devils to summon and bulli later tonight, preferably right before daybreak for maximum fuck you energy.

"Kuroka," I called out to her, my gaze softening as she looked at me, "we're burning nighttime, we gotta do this now." I state with finality.

Kuroka's ears pinned to the back of her head, and she shuffled up against me closer, before muttering out a barely audible, "O-Okay…"

With that, I picked up the Gremory summoning slip that sat next to us on the couch.

Uzume, being the good little head pat voyeur maid she is, cleaned the living room and even moved some of the furniture out so there'd be enough room for the summoning circle.

The little slip simply said something about granting your wish.

Hmm, my wish huh?

I wish Kuroka and her sister would make up.

Aiming that desire towards the slip, the Gremory Clan sigil on it suddenly glowed a bright crimson red.

I reached down on instinct, running my fingers through my cat's back fur as she flinched at the sudden lights, "Here she comes, kitty."

It didn't take long after that for a full-on magic circle to appear right in the middle of my living room.

And with it?

Exactly who I wanted to see.

To none of my surprise, the cat under my hand froze like a deer caught in the headlights at her appearance.

Meanwhile, the cat now standing before me just gave the black cat in my lap a simple once over, before leveling her eerily passive and emotionless gaze on me directly.

"You are the one that summoned a Devil, yes?" she asks simply, and I merely nod, "I am Koneko Toujou, what is your wish?"

Well, damn. She's every bit as stoic as I recall her being.

Somehow, that doesn't make her less cute.

I put a hand to my chest, "Well, Toujou-san, my name is Noriaki Kusanagi. And this here is Chomusuke!" I pat disguised Kuroka on the head.

Who properly turns, and gives me a scathing glare.

My bright beaming smile never wavers.

Sucks no one would get that reference here beyond the chuuni as fuck sounding name.

But I think Koneko got the spirit of the reference by the way her lips twitched slightly.

I huff out a sigh, "And honestly? I'm actually a tad bit unsure as to what my wish should be."

Koneko raises an eyebrow slightly, "Unsure…?"

"Mhmm," I hum and continue, "It's like, I'm quite lonely here—" her eyes narrow, "not like that!" I quickly interjected.

"Then what." she asks coldly.

Christ, cat. Chill for a second.

"Like, okay, look." I lean back into the couch, "I'll give you the simple less personal version of sad anime backstory," another twitch of the lips, I continue as normal, "my maid majorly fucked up upbringing. So I don't have any friends. Or social skills, mostly. I got over it. But you see, because of that, I don't have any friends to do fun stuff with." I promptly whip out one of my controllers from between the couch cushions!

"Like play video games with!" my eyebrow twitches at that, hell that sounded so pathetic!

Koneko's narrowed eyes give me that same feeling, just with a healthy dose of pity atop that, "...you could have just led with that."

Fuck it.

I chuckle, "Maybe, huh? But, well, like I said it's a hard choice…" I slowly stand up, my motion giving enough time for Chomusuke to jump off my lap. "I'm unsure, see because while that's all fun and dandy, I've also got something else in mind."

This is a shonen anime world, after all...

I walk over to her, her eyes narrowing as she looks up at me, "Tell me," I ask, "how good are you at throwing a punch?"

She blinked at that, "I'm pretty good. Why?"

My smile may as well be blinding, "Spar with me?" I ask simply.

She furrowed her eyebrows at me, "That's…probably not a good idea."

"I can take a hit, or two, or three," I assure her, "besides, it'll be fun, I think. Never know until you try it?"

Koneko stares at me impassively, then shrugs, "It'll be your funeral, I guess."

Hah! Dub Koneko! Yes! Best timeline!

"I'll be fine, Toujou-san!" I said faking hurt, "Really, you haven't even seen me in action yet, don't judge a book by its cover you know?"

The stare Koneko sent me could bring about the next Ice Age.

"...I suppose." she dully replies, before pulling out a tablet like device, "Now, about payment..."

Ugh. Paperwork. Miss me with that shit and let's get to the good stuff already!

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Koneko didn't know what to think exactly of this potential client of hers.

He was different from her standard clientele, that much was for sure.

In that, he didn't appear to be a pathetic, degenerate loser who wanted her to do weird shit.

She could get behind that.

Also, his claim of being able to handle himself in a fight, although at first just sounded like he was low-key digging at her small frame, might hold some merit.

The devices that Devils use to calculate prices for wishes and contracts are generally based on the worth of the person making the wish.

So, when she pointed the device at him, imagine her internal shock when it found that he was considered a potentially exceedingly high-value client.

Like, several times the value of all her current clients, combined.

It's a level of value in a client that someone like her President should have gotten, but instead, the summoning determined his wish and desire was best granted by her.

Curious.

After signing the digital paperwork, he asked her to follow him over to his dojo, which she obliged to.

On the way, Koneko was trying to figure out exactly why he was considered such a high-value client

Looking around his full-on estate, she gets the feeling it could be the money…but, no.

Akeno-senpai and Yuuto-senpai, get rich clientele all the time, but their worth isn't nearly that much more substantial.

As for the young man himself? Well, he doesn't seem particularly special.

Hell, she can't even smell him.

Wait.

He smells like...nothing?

That's unusual. And slightly worrisome.

As they enter the dojo, her fists tense slightly at just how eerie the place looks.

Though, the guy, Kusanagi, just waves it off. "Yeah, I know. I think it looks cool, especially at night, but I can see how it looks to others."

Koneko gave a stiff nod to that.

It did, in fact, actually look incredibly edgy, at least in her eyes. But she wasn't about to say that out loud.

Maybe. She's thinking about it.

Eventually, they reached a longer, more traditional looking training hall, and Kusanagi took up the other end of it.

With a bright, very punchable smile, he turns and looks at her, "Ready when you are, Toujou-chan!"

Her eyebrow twitched at that. This guy…

Regardless, she takes up her position and raises her fists in a boxer's stance. "Hai, Kusanagi-san." she stresses coldly.

His smile just gets wider.

Then, he starts pulling off the top of his yukata.

She blinks.

…okay. She changes her evaluation. He's very much not like the worthless degenerate losers who probably never left their homes a day in their lives before.

This guy is ripped. Mildly, he isn't a bodybuilder, but more like a swimmer.

Maybe his confidence in fighting her isn't too unfounded, after all?

Also, that tattoo on his collarbone.

Yakuza, perhaps?

"Sorry sorry, Toujou-chan," she was, admittedly, too busy staring thinking to correct him again, "it's just, I'd rather not destroy another one of my robes again you know?"

She gets that sentiment. She always scuffs her clothes in fights too.

Wait. Again?

Then he moved.

Koneko had to strain her eyes to see him coming, and even then, she barely had time to bring up her guard to stop his fist from connecting with her nose.

Her arms shook as she absorbed the blow, and she was sent sliding several feet back from her original position.

She blinked and looked at him incredulously.

Why? Well.

"Damn, girl!" he whined, shaking the arm that he struck at her with, "You've got the durability of a Queen!" his smile shifted slightly, "Nice."

Why does the way he said make her wanna call him a pervert?

"Come on then, Toujou-chan!" he enters an…interesting looking stance, breathing deep before his eyes focus on her intensely, "Test me."

She doesn't know what exactly this is, but this has to be a type of perversion, right?

Regardless, she isn't one to not give as good as she got.

Besides, his face is very punchable.

Rushing forwards at a not inconsiderable speed, she delivers a right hook, straight to his jaw.

To her shock and slight horror, he tanks it, shifts his body, and punches her straight in the jaw right back.

The force nearly sends her airborne, it was stronger than his first punch after all, but she's quick enough to grab the hem of his robe and stay her ground.

"Ey!" with a kiai, she lifts him up and promptly throws him across the hall in response.

He twists midair, spinning to land on his feet, hitting the wall before springboarding off it and right back at her.

Their fists collide as soon as he makes it to her, staggering both and stopping his flight.

As soon as he lands on the ground, however, he's upon her once more.

A jab to the left side of her face that she's forced to take and let slide as she punches at his center of mass.

Only for him to come up with his free hand and redirect it away.

She steps into his personal space, and spins on her feet, lashing out with a kick that connects to his center.

He grunts as his breath temporarily leaves him, and she dashes forward to press pressure upon him.

A right hook from her is dodged, she backflips away from his retaliatory left chop, then dashes forwards to shoulder tackle him.

He steps forward, his own shoulder out, stopping her advance with barely a flinch back.

She frowns, right into his smiling face as they locked eyes.

He's the one to disengage, trying to trip her up and knee her center, but she catches his knee easily and pushes him.

Following up, she begins an absolutely brutal assault, advancing on him with constant jabs and strikes aimed at his stomach.

He easily pushes her attacks away, redirecting them several times with his superior reach and the palm of his hands, all whilst backpedaling to force her to expend more and more energy trying to keep up.

It was incredibly annoying.

"Tch!" she huffed, and suddenly lashed out, grabbing his arm as he redirected another one of her jabs.

"Ho?" he raised an eyebrow, then his eyes widened comically as she flipped him over her shoulder and jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his throat and legs around his waist.

"Ah," he noted, with strain, "well aren't you cute, giving a hug to a guy you just met!"

What.

He then promptly jumped into the air and slammed her straight into the floor upon coming back down.

He grabs onto one of her arms, holding it whilst pinning her in place under his weight as he starts elbowing her over and over again with his free arm, straight into her side.

"You gonna let go?" he calls out, muffled and choked.

"Nope." she responds with a pained wince.

"Alright then!"

Suddenly, he hops to his feet.

He blasts forwards, jumps, and flips, and slams both of them right into the far wall with enough force to make the entire building creek.

The two sputter to the ground shortly after, herself dislodged from his back.

With a groan, she gets up slowly, looking at the young man who's rubbing his throat, wincing as he does so.

"Damn, I didn't even consider that as a weakness," he idly notes, then looks at her with appreciation, "thanks for that!"

She has no fucking clue what he's talking about.

He stands up, seemingly not much worse for wear, "Also, damn, you fight rough huh?"

She snorts, "You as well." she goes to brush off her clothes, but…ah.

Chunks of cloth are missing here and there, though thankfully her underwear remains. Somehow.

Lovely.

She immediately eyes him again, "Look and I'll kill you."

He eyes her right back, momentarily stunning her, "Oho? You can fuck me with your eyes but I can't do the same? Double standards much, Toujou-chan?"

Her eyebrows twitched as she huffed out, "Pervert."

"Pervert." he shot right on back with a stupid smile.

She blushed, slightly.

He chuckles, "Don't mind your ruined clothes. I'll give you something you can wear after, alright?"

"...fine." she concedes, "If it's skimpy, I'll murder you in your sleep."

"It's just a shirt," he looks at her much more intently, "seriously, are you okay? Do you deal with perverts that often that even the slightest hint in that direction makes you flip?"

Well. No. But considering how her normal clientele usually are…

She shrugs at him, "It's just better to keep an eye out."

And also keeps herself far away from her personality.

He looks at her, then reluctantly shrugs, "Alright. But you tell me if my teasing goes too far, alright Toujou-san? I don't wanna make you feel uncomfortable."

She blinks at that.

How shockingly considerate…

Wait. Teasing?

Before she can reach the proper train of thought to strangle him again, he's suddenly holding a bottle of water.

"Water?" he holds it up to her, she nods, and he tosses it over to her. "Ready for Round 2 when you are!"

He practically skips over to where he was standing before, and Koneko narrows her eyes at him as he goes.

She downs the entire bottle in a single chug, smashes it, and throws it aside before mirroring his position.

She isn't usually into fighting all that much, but she feels the need to prove something here.

And also break his nose for nearly breaking her jaw earlier.

"Hai." she enters her stance, glaring at him as he does.

"Let's begin, round 2!" and with that, he rushes at her once more.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Well. My everything hurts.

Fighting a cat girl who can rival a Queen like Sona's in raw physical strength and durability with pure martial arts all night tends to have that effect.

Speaking of…

"Like the shirt I got you?" I eye her cheekily.

"I will destroy you." she replied coldly, sitting there on the floor with a glare that promised death.

Though the small flush on her face kind of took away from it.

I smirk, and raise my arm slowly from my prone position on my back to give a thumbs up, "Ah, like you did during our fights? Why, go on ahead! I could use the cardio!"

Her eye twitches at that.

No, but like, seriously? This girl broke my nose seven times.

Don't think she noticed though, I heal fast.

We fought at least a dozen or so rounds, with breaks thrown about every few so she could catch her breath.

When she noticed I didn't get tired mid-fight, it just made her try and break me harder.

Honestly? Love the spirit! You go kitty!

Truly, this type of training is waaay better than raw physical exercise. Breaking my body on a petite cat girl's fist and with my martial arts, is always superior.

…I think I may have issues.

A tablet-looking device nearly soars past me, I catch it casually before it does.

"Whatever," she huffs, "just fill that out so we can be done already."

I chuckle and idly begin doing so, "You have fun, Toujou-san?" I ask offhandedly.

I get a grumbling hum in response.

"For what it's worth, you did break my nose like, seven times." I remark.

I'm fairly certain she snaps her gaze towards me, as I can feel her incredulous gaze bore into the side of my head.

"How…?" she asks, still disbelieving.

Hmm. Should I reveal who or what I am? Really?

Let's see. I'm only fucking with Sona and her Peerage out of spite, purely because Sona made our first interaction intentionally as awkward and painful as fuck.

Also, her Queen called me names, so I threw a dragon at her.

Koneko broke my nose several times, but I asked for it, and I like her quite a bit.

Eh. What the hell? If my luck with Sona was any indication, Rias and Co would eventually find out anyway.

"I'm not human," I state casually, "fully anyway. I'm half, I think."

"You think?" she asks, still unbelieving.

I shrug, then look up from the tablet to eye her, "Yup, half human, and…" I let the floodgates that is my Holy Spirit Power open, and surge out across the dojo, "half-god."

Her reaction was instantaneous, the moment I opened the valve so to speak, Koneko paled, shivered, and began to sweat. Her eyes widened comically and started shaking.

And then I reeled it all back in like it wasn't even there.

"Or at least I think so, anyways? Shinto myth doesn't have demigods in the Western terms, but, eh…" I rub the back of my head, "It works for now, so that's what I've been running with."

After several brief seconds of Koneko catching her breath, she replied with a heated glare, "Don't do that again without warning, or I'll kill you."

Jeez. So quick to threaten death.

"Don't doubt what I say, or I'll give you head pats!" I respond in kind.

Koneko gives me a blank stare at that.

I simply chuckled, moving my eyes back to the screen, ah…review huh…how would I rate Koneko's job?

"Hmm, you know, you're really tough," I say aloud, basically what I'm writing down, "about as tough as the Sitri's Queen I fought the other day, in terms of pure physical ability."

"You fought…huh." she blinks out, "Why?"

I shrug, "The Sitri King earlier that day made getting my uniform at my new school awkward as hell. So, when night rolled around, they caught me hunting strays for training, and she asked questions? Well," I smile positively devilishly, "I made 'em work for it in a duel."

Koneko stared at me for a good, long moment. "You didn't give them answers, did you, Kusanagi-san?"

"Nope~!" I confirm cheerily, "I'm supposed to summon a Sitri Devil tonight, give them answers then, but…eh." I wave off, "Don't know if I'm feeling it tonight either. I'll likely just be coy about it all."

To my slight surprise, Koneko nodded vigorously at that, "Good. That bitch deserves it."

Damn, Koneko. Did someone from her Peerage or the Student Council steal your snacks?

…that's probably exactly what happened, isn't it?

Still. My people!

After a brief moment of thinking further, Koneko perks up, "Wait. You mentioned a new school?" she asks simply.

"Yeah," I confirm, "Kuoh Academy, I'll be starting my Third Year of high school there soon."

And by that, I mean I'm making clones do it.

"Huh. Small world, I guess." Koneko mutters, before suddenly standing up.

Holding the hem of her shirt, she bows deeply to me.

"Then allow me to introduce myself once more, I am Koneko Toujou, and I'll be starting my First Year of high school there shortly." I can tell she's straining slightly to say this last bit properly, "Please take care of me, Kusanagi-senpai."

Ah. Japanese and manners. Always nice.

I walk over to her nonchalantly, and suddenly pat her on the head, causing her to freeze ramrod straight under my touch.

"Honestly, with how tough and cute you are little kouhai? I think you'll be just fine." I beam my smile down at her, "Just give 'em the same left hook you did me, that'd do anyone else in! Heh!"

It's cute, the way she bows deeper to try and hide the growing flush I can see growing on her face.

Very cute. Heh.

I hold the tablet out to her as I move my hand off her head, "I'm all done, Toujou-chan."

She takes it gingerly, rising slightly up, but still refuses to meet my gaze, "Right, Kusanagi-san."

"Say, you wouldn't mind if I wished for you again, no?" I ask suddenly, "It would be nice to continue where we left off. Hell. Maybe I could even break out of those games at some point?"

Koneko blinked, then she replied stone-faced, "That's up to you, Kusanagi-san," a beat passes, "but I…would not be opposed, I suppose." she tacts on, quietly.

Progress!

I nod happily, and kneel to her, "See you next time then?"

She nods, and hums, "Mhmm," then just as she turns to leave, "...hmm?" she stops and looks down.

Where Chomusuke stood, right next to her legs, just…standing there staring up at her.

I instantly tense up.

Kuroka. You fucking cat. I swear if you try anything.

Chomusuke rubs against Koneko's leg, "Meowr?" and looks up at her, swaying her tail back and forth.

Koneko continues to stare down at her.

Until, well.

Suddenly, she reaches down and pets her right on the head, a small smile on her face.

Chomusuke immediately freezes, before slowly rubbing into her hand more and more, purring loudly.

Then Koneko pulls away, and I can see the sheer longing in her eyes begging her to not go just yet.

She nods at me, and I nod back. "Have a wonderful day, my new cute little kouhai!" I call out as she walks, a devil magic circle appearing in front of her.

As she steps into it, she flips me off and disappears.

Leaving me giggling softly, and a very desperate black cat eyeing where she left.

I walk over to Kuroka, and pick her up, "Don't worry kitty, she'll be back, alright?"

Her digging her head into my chest and whimpering is all I get as a response.

With a sigh, I gently pet her back.

All finish this night off by playing coy with Sona's Peerage.

Ah, I hope I summon thigh highs. She acted like the delinquent type, those are always fun no matter what!

After that, I have to snuggle my cat for the day, to make her feel better.

Beyond that, the grind well and truly begins! I've got shadow clones to make, a white cat girl to train and make friends with, and everything else to train as well.

The grind, be it for power or people, is well and truly eternal it would seem.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 9 End

Holy hell, over 7000 words in this chapter. Fitting, considering we're time skipping about a month and a half or so into the future next chapter. The plot chugs ever onward.

Interlude after that based around Nori summoning and messing with Koneko during the time skip, me thinks.

A New Sun Interlude 1

Interlude 1

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Before Amaterasu, Uzume kneeled, face completely flushed and unable to meet her eyes.

She just explained, well, everything. Right up to, all the…copious amounts of sex Nori is giving to that cat devil.

Slowly, Amaterasu closed the manga volume she was reading and set it gingerly on her room's nearest table.

"So," she began, tone dull and neutral, "that's all then?"

Uzume slowly nodded meekly.

Then waited to be blasted into pieces.

And waited. And waited…

And – wait. Is that giggling?

"Snnnnrrrkk!!" Ama suddenly flung her head back, a loud poorly restrained chortle spurting forth, "Damn, he played you, huh?"

Uzume sank even further down, her face flushing a deeper red hard.

When she left, he and the cat were still going at it, and she, well…

She doesn't wanna think or talk about that anymore!

Ama nods sagely, "Yeah, that about serves you right," casually, she puts one leg over the other, and looks down at Uzume amused, "and honestly? That's practically the same punishment I was gonna hit you with when you got back, anyways."

Uzume blinks, and finally looks up at her, "R-Really?" she stutters, dumbfounded.

Ama hums in confirmation, "Although, honestly, Uzume…" she closes her eyes, her amused smile slowly turning into an annoyed frown, "I didn't think you fucked up quite that badly."

"A-Ama. I–"

"No," she didn't even raise her voice to interject, "I don't wanna hear it. But you have something you need to hear." with a huff, Ama continued.

"Do you know why I put you in charge of him in the first place?"

Uzume blinked at that and just stared.

After a moment, Ama sighed.

"I mean. It doesn't make sense at first glance, right?" Ama chuckled slowly, "Goddess of Revelry, raising a child? Doesn't make much sense. But, I wanted you to do it because it could only be you, Uzume."

Ama stands up, walks over to Uzume, and gently puts a hand under her chin, "When Susan drove me into my cave, you dragged me out. When my marriage to him fell apart, you were there…" a sad, nigh fragile little smile appeared on the Sun Goddesses face, and Uzume's heart cracked, "since the beginning, you were there, always there. When Nori was born? Hell, you helped make him, Uzu!"

Ama fell to her knees, right in front of Uzume, putting their foreheads together, the two looked straight into each other's eyes.

"And after Kuni died, and I nearly flash fried that Leviathan bitch, her whole Peerage, and that sleazy crow and his cronies when they came flying over demanding shit, who was there?" she asked, softly, so softly.

"I…I was…" Uzume answered quietly, tears budding on the sides of her eyes.

"That's right," Ama confirmed with a smile, "You were. Not my fucking court. I had my aids and advisers telling me to prostrate myself before them like I was in the wrong." she sneered, full of contempt and malice, "Tenjin. Omoi. All of them. Cowards scared of the watermelon and strawberry devils!"

She shook her head slowly as Uzume reached up and slowly wrapped her arms around her.

"You were the only one who made some sense, then…and it was after that, Uzume that I knew it could only be you," she said pointedly, "not my dumb as fuck court, who would mold him into the perfect pawn while I'm not looking, not his fathers, they'd do the same but mundane."

Ama took a shaky breath, "The Earthly Kami were all far too busy to take care of a child, none of the other Heavenly Kami would ever descend, and Nori would have died as a baby if brought here." Ama grabbed and held Uzume tightly on either side of the face.

"Only you can walk freely between Heaven and Earth, Uzu. Only you I trusted enough to even think of watching him. And yeah, ever since the war you've been a bit put out! But, I thought…well…" Ama slowly looked away, tears forming in her eyes, "you loved him too, didn't you?"

"I do!" Uzume cried out, latching onto Ama's waist tightly, "Of course I do! I still do! Kuni and Nori both! I just…! I…!"

"Then why, Uzume?" Ama asked harshly, her gaze snapping back to her, "Why? It's not hard to pick up a parenting book! Hell, you saw me raise my other sons and daughter! What changed!?"

"I…" Uzume shivered, slowly looking away from her, as tears broke from her eyes.

During the Great War, Uzume died.

Luckily, it didn't take long for her to revive.

But, that void, where dead Gods go to sleep. She saw…things.

Things that keep her up at night. Things that make her stop wanting to think.

Machines and flesh things, duking it out on thousands of stars. World's consumed by parasites like Devils, but thousands of times worse.

The Old Gods sat there. Watching her. Enjoying her suffering. They wanted her to stay, be their new playmate.

The only thing that kept her sane and able to come home was the thought of seeing light again. Ama's light.

When she came back, the only thing that could keep her from slipping back into that spiral was drinking, partying, and doing literally anything else.

How is she supposed to tell Ama any of that? What she saw? When just thinking about it cracks her min—

Light envelopes her.

And she's at peace.

"Uzume…?" Ama's now staring at her, concerned, her pupils like magatama whirling around her eyes as the area is bathed in flaming light.

Purifying white flames.

"Beautiful." Uzume muttered breathily, as she waved her hands through the purifying flames, and grabbed hold of Ama, refusing to let go.

Ama blushed slightly and wiped the tears from her eyes, "Now's not the time for that, Uzu. No flirting."

"Not flirting," Uzume states dazedly, "just stating the truth!"

Ama blinks, before slowly patting Uzume on the back with a small smile.

Then she sighed, remembering what was supposed to be going down.

"Regardless, Ame-no-Uzume," Uzume froze at the announcement of her full name, "the punishment my son set for you stands. Go. Pack your things and head down, you will stay with him. Answer his will absolutely. And as for you being his Guardian? No more," she announces, "I'm going to call in a favor. She's fairly busy already, but he's old enough now that he doesn't need a baby sister, just someone to check in once in a while."

Uzume slowly, reluctantly, let her go. "I…I understand, of course, Ama…" she slowly trails off, looking away once more. "I'm sorry." she mutters, brokenly, tiredly, "I'm so so sorry…" and with that, she curtly gets up, and walks away quickly.

Ama just stood there, watching her go, her eyes slowly shifting back to normal.

"I know." Ama mutters, quietly, "Me too. To you and Nori…" she slowly sits down, now mumbling, "I don't know what's going on with you…"

She thought that maybe, just maybe, giving Uzume this job would help break her out of…whatever all that was, earlier.

Help her get out of this funk she's been in since the Great War.

But it looks like it wasn't to be.

She slowly leans back in her chair, staring dead up at the ceiling, "And Nori? Well…I'm preparing myself for the worst when we finally meet."

He was born into such a broken family, after all.

And in the end? It's all her fault.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Interlude 1 End

Very short, Interlude, tis why it's not being posted on Thursday! Still getting a chapter next Thursday, don't worry.

Originally, this was going to be just a short of Ama laughing and making fun of Uzume the entire time.

But a fair few people were asking or wondering what was up with Nori's guardianship situation, why Ama chose who she did, and why Uzume even acted like this in the first place.

So, I decided to give those answers. Not like Uzume is the Guardian anymore, anyways.

Hmm. I think I've had enough depression for a bit? Don't worry, there won't be anymore for a few more chapters.

General Story Master Index

A New Sun Chapter 8

Chapter 8

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

I could feel it.

Molten lava coursed through my veins, spreading and shooting up and from my neck and face.

My Demon Slayer Mark was finally activated, and guess what?

I'm itching to see just how strong it makes me.

I grin wickedly down at the befuddled group of girls, eyeing the black-haired Queen who threw me up here in the first place.

Fire erupts around me as the sun in my chest thunders with power, swirling around my sheathed blade like it's the eye of a storm

The next moment, I fall.

I can see the moment her eyes widen, now in picture-perfect 4k with my eyes activated, as I fall upon her with the force and speed of a comet.

Hinokami Kagura.

She barely has time to bring up her spear to block.

Solar Heat Haze.

My blade fell upon her spear shaft but lost in the heat and flames as it was, she seemed to have misjudged exactly where my strike was landing.

The ground shattered and ruptured, as my blade slid off her spear and fell upon her shoulder.

To her credit, she didn't even so much as flinch as the fire bit into her or began eating away at her clothes.

Good. No prude shit here!

With a grunt, she pushed her spear forward, knocking me off her.

Before I can land on my feet, she already transitioning into several wide yet quick slashes out at me.

Ah. She's still trying to play keep away, huh?

And even with my eyes, I can still say she's fast…not nearly as fast as before, but still fast.

The Queen Piece is no joke, huh?

Very good!

But no more of this keep away.

I breathe and kick off the ground into the air once more almost as soon as I land, launching myself over her just as her blade lashes the air where I once was.

Fire Wheel.

I slam my flaming blade into the back of her head, sending her sprawling away wide-eyed, her spear too far extended to bring it back in time.

As soon as I land, I don't give her time to recover, instead, I drop my sword and race right into her personal space.

With my body fortified like this, I should be able to do this…!

With my breath still held, my chest beats and energy like sunlight ripples through my veins as I aim a jab at her solar plexus.

She barely blocks it with her spear, visibly shuddering as solar energy ripples out like incendiary sparks across the air.

She once again attempts to backpedal, but I grab onto her spear and yank her right on back, slamming my head straight into hers.

I get a startled cry of pain from that, followed by a knee slamming into my chest.

It was almost instinctive. The moment her knee struck true, the vibrations, the flow of kinetic energy hitting me traveled through my body. Into my arms, my hands.

I lashed out, striking both my palms against either side of her face with the force of her attack backing it up.

Discombobulate.

That got a strangled sputtered cry as she staggered back, waving back and forth before hitting the ground.

She had let go of her spear to do that, so I generously returned it to her by embedding it into the ground in front of her.

I smirked at her seeing the way her head spun behind her eyes even as she projected a wrathful glare my way.

I casually walked back towards my sword, picking it up, whilst masking the growing soreness slowly stretching out across my body.

That was the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, I believe.

Even with a mark active, it still takes a strain huh?

Doesn't help that the general strain of pushing my body this hard is slowly catching up with me.

Ever so slowly, that molten lava in my veins is turning to lead. My body isn't getting weaker, but it's getting harder and harder to move as I go.

I need to wrap this up quicker than I'd like.

Well. Shit.

I do still have that summoning slip, though. Hmm.

One last exchange then.

I whirl around, blocking a downward strike from her spear, her face poorly stifling her hatred and aggression.

"Sneak attacks are unbecoming." That is all I say before fire ignites into existence around my sword, and I begin an absolutely brutal assault.

No fancy forms, no graceful dancing, I just began hammering away at her with sword strikes.

My fire scorches her, reddening her skin and burning away her clothes, yet she doesn't relent in trying to play keep away.

I refuse to be kept at arm's length, however.

She tries to trap me in a sphere of barriers and regain her reach.

Burning Bones, Summer Sun.

I blow through with an unsheathed flaming blade just like before, which I note is glowing red hot rather than black.

Very interesting.

With a step, sheathing my blade as I move, I’m in her space, her eyes wide as I bring my sword down once more.

Light and a burning crevice in the ground are all I see until I look around and find her on the catwalk.

Teleportation. Cute.

I stab my sheathed sword into the ground and rapidly go through hand signs so the Devils can't see exactly what I do.

All they see is the sudden spiraling orbs of crimson fire that appear behind me and form into a wheel before launching itself towards Tsubaki.

Who…smirks at this?

Ah. Her Sacred Gear.

With a wave of her hands, an ornate silver mirror around the size of a person forms in front of her.

My flaming wheel gets sucked into the mirror before rapidly being expelled at twice the size I sent it.

Right back at me.

I stand there, smirking right back as the flaming wheel slams into me.

Then, she starts…hold up, is she?

"This is my Sacred Gear, Mirror Alice!” she fucking gloats.

The audacity of this bitch. Anime character power explaining to me like she just won or got the upper hand!

"Yeah yeah." I wave off as the flames die down around my completely unharmed self, she gapes at me, and also seems a fair bit offended, "I got it, you can reflect attacks. Tell me though?"

I glared straight back at her, "What made you think my attack would hurt me?"

The intensity with which I said it made her flinch and grit her teeth at me.

Also, fuck you for trying that shit on me like you just won! Fight ain't over till it's over!

I raise my sword, gripping the hilt with both hands and entering a high guard.

"This is how you end a fight!"

Fire explodes out around me like a volcano, and I breathe!

My body creaks as every muscle, every bone, every fiber of my being cries out with sheer raw adrenaline.

Hinokami Kagura.

I move.

The ground ruptures and melts as I tear off from the ground, into the air, and onto the catwalk.

The metal turns red hot as I blast across, it falls apart behind me as I move, a corona of fire and molten metal exploding out with every step!

Sun Halo–

Tsubaki throws up several barrier circles and even another mirror.

I blast through it all, as the fire around me roars into the shape of a dragon!

Dragon Head–

I finally reach her, my blade poised to strike and end this now.

And then, in a flash of light, she's gone, teleported again to the other side of the warehouse.

I turn, seeing her smug yet panicked smirk.

Aw. That's adorable.

I twist, into a spin, and the dragon of fire follows, I slash in her direction…

And watch as the flames continue their course without me.

Dance!

Dance for me!

The dragon crashes into her, blowing her into the side of the warehouse with a plume of roaring bright crimson flame.

I hear several cries of alarm below before the rest of the catwalk around me falls with me still standing on it, bringing me with it.

I know she's okay, so once I land on my feet, I merely give a small wave to the girls that suddenly surround me.

The blue-haired girl, sword girl, and thigh highs, hmm?

I wink at thigh highs, but she doesn't take the bait for some reason, so I wait as the other girls fly up the flame-bathed section of the warehouse.

I watch with mirth as the white-haired girl, one of the Bishops, pulls out a very toasty and unconscious but still alive Tsubaki.

Huh. I thought the giant flaming dragon would do more than make her apple red and torch her clothes.

She'll be fine after a quick Devil cuddle sesh, I think.

Sona soon flies down to join us as well after fully confirming that she's alive.

She nods to her two pieces standing on either side of me, before actually glaring at me.

Before she even starts, I point at her.

"You start talking about how I almost killed your Queen, then I'll start talking about how she almost stabbed me in the face." I glare right back into her eyes, "I don't wanna hear it, Sitri. She's fine. I can control myself."

Mostly. Usually.

Sona doesn't relent in our glaring contest, letting out a shaky breath.

"Questions. I have questions." she states, matter of factly.

I hum, feeling the heat crawling up my face slowly dissipating and simmering down.

"I would presume so." I reply simply.

Her eyes narrow at me, "Like where those flame markings going up your face are, and…and…!" she stumbles over her words, although I can't tell if it's because of fury, confusion, or a bit of both.

Huh. Is that what my Demon Slayer Mark looks like when active? Kewl.

Speaking of cool though…

"How about this?" I speak up suddenly, "Why don't we all go back home, relax, cool off a bit, yeah?" I put my sword on my back and stretched out my increasingly stiffening limbs, "Then, later, I'll use that summoning slip I got from some guy earlier to give you a lot a call, and we can talk then?"

Sona stared up at me, slowly composing herself, before backing away slightly.

"That's…acceptable, Kusanagi-san." she finally says.

I nod happily at her, "Good!" and give her a pat on the head as I walk right past her, she freezes at my touch and I continue with, "Sorry about roasting your Queen! Tell her she needs to get rid of that stick up her ass!"

And with that, I'm gone, out the backdoor, and off to where I stashed my stuff.

I plop down on my motorcycle like a puppet with his strings cut, every part of my body feeling extremely heavy and spent.

I do manage to stuff everything I bought earlier into the basket attached to the back of the seat, before finally zooming off myself.

The nice, fresh cold night winds were like a balm to this tired body of mine, as I rode all the way home.

The whole time I sported the biggest shit-eating grin on my face.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Ah~...now this is how you cap a night off~!

"Where did you even get that outfit from~...?" I question in a hot low breath, shivering slightly as my drained body gets another shock of pleasure shot straight into it by, well…



Kuroka, bouncing up and down atop my length with the hottest fucking ahegao I've ever seen.

"Uzume-chan had i~it in her closet, nya~!" she grinds down into my hips, swiveling around slowly as folds tighten around me, "You like that, Nori~kun~? Hmm~?"

I glared at her, dangerously, "Who said you could stop bouncing, pet~?"

At my gaze and words combined, she shivered, clenched down even harder around me, and got back to bouncing and mewling like a good little fuck cat.

Man. Even as the bottom, I can't be the sub, huh?

I'd have it no other way!

Ah, but before I get into greater detail about what exactly I and Kuroka am doing - it's more than sex, I promise - let's head back a little.

When I got back, Uzume was passed out drunk on the couch.

No shock there.

Note to self, replace all alcoholic beverages with kiddie cocktails, and order her to exclusively drink those from now on.

Kuroka dragged her ass to her room, because she has a designated one now, and threw her in there.

She also tossed everything in the fridge that needed to be put in there.

Meanwhile, I was quite literally on my last legs.

My body had given out so hard that I was actively spinning and draining my chakra to walk.

I took Uzume's old place on the couch, and seeing my state, Kuroka said she had an idea to help me out and ran off to what I now learned was Uzume's room and came back wearing that.

Needless to say, she easily managed to get me up, and out of my clothes, and how we're here.

So, this is Bouchujutsu, huh?

It feels like regular sex, just with a purple-misty glow around us.

Although, I am slowly being revitalized.

Hella disappointed, still.

I muster some of my slowly returning strength to grab my cat girl's hips, digging my fingers into her soft supple flesh.

Can't thrust up, for now, but I can at least do this…

"Kuroka~..." I give out a low pleasurable groan as I call for her.

"N~Nya~?" Kuroka looks at me, a blissed-out smile across her face, "Y~Yes, Nori~kun~?"

Hmm. You know what? It was hot when Uzume called me it, so I wonder…

I lock eyes with Kuroka, and reply, "Call me master, my pet~..."

"Maagh~..." Kuroka grins and lets out a lewd moan, "Hai~, Master~! Let your good little fuck pet take care of you, nya~!"

I think I might have broken her with all the sex the other day.

Also, Japanese for Uzume, in English for Kuroka. Perfect.

My only regret? Right now I can't grab her hips and hold her in place while I pound up into her so hard she can't even speak.

I slowly drag my hands up her body, resting them upon the squishy and juicy orbs mesmerizingly bouncing in front of me.

As I play with them, I can feel Kuroka shiver and mew at my touch.

A little rub on the nipples there, a little grab and pull.

"N~Nyaah~!?" Kuroka cries out in brief ecstasy, "Maaaasster~!" she slurs with attempted admonishment.

Attempted. I just kept doing it and delighted in the way she quivered around my cock.

"You know, pet~?" I dragged her attention back to my voice, "I kind of expected the vaunted Bedroom Method to feel and be a bit more effective than normal sex~?"

Still can't get over that.

"Well, Master~...the Bedroom Method works best when both man and woman share their ki~!" she answers through her daze.

"Ah, so it's because I don't have my ki unlocked yet~..." I mutter softly.

"Eyup~! N~Nyah~!?" I pull on her nipples, causing her to throw her head back, and let out a loud, lewd mew as she 'paws' at my chest.

Cute.

So, my ki huh?

If I recall correctly, Bouchujutsu is when a woman shares her ki with a man and a man shares back.

Technically, that means she's shoving ki into my ki, but the circle can't be complete without me returning the favor.

The last time I tried to find my ki, I found the general area, but not specifics.

Though, with this, Kuroka's ki knows where my ki is, so maybe if I follow it…

Well. No better time than the present I guess?

I lean back, close my eyes, and let myself get washed into the moment.

Down the road of pleasure, and the trickle of revitalization entering me, I follow it through my mind's eye.

That misty purple glow, as it passes my chakra, and flows deeper and deeper and–

Huh? Where did it go?

It just…vanished.

I "look" around, finding nothing but darkness, I feel nothing besides emptiness.

Did I take a wrong turn or something?

No. I know I didn't, the trial just ended. So where…?

I doubt this void is my ki, right? That wouldn't make much sense.

I don't feel anything from this place, besides a creeping cold that I don't like.

So what's going on here?

Backing up, the trail suddenly manifests itself back into my eye.

Rather than follow it, I look at it, and find something rather odd…

It's thin. Extremely thin, more so than…wait.

I back up even further and watch as the trail gets larger, thicker.

The further it goes, the smaller it gets. Why?

Where is the excess going? Why is it bleeding off like this? Is it just energy inefficiency, or something else?

Maybe it's not going for my ki in the first place? No, but that's how it stimulates the body, it has to be…

Wait. What if, what if, I've been thinking far too hard about this, and the answer is actually much simpler.

Beneath my chakra, there's nothing there. It's strange, very strange. I get the feeling my ki is supposed to be there, but it isn't.

Ah!

I'm not Human.

Not completely, at least I don't know what exactly I am.

But it stands to reason that Human ki and Me ki would be in different places, and act differently because I am different.

Kami are spirits, forces of nature, in simple terms.

Humans are alive, free, and unbound by something like nature.

I…I am both, then. Right?

I am alive. The beating heart in my chest proves it.

I am the sun. The beating star in my chest proves it.

Between the rhythmic thumping of my heart, star, and Kuroka, where my body and spirit meet, humming throughout my entire being…

A dark golden mist blankets me, covering all, seeping into everything just a tiny bit.

I can see it clearly now, the way Kuroka's ki drills into mine, and melts away into the whole.

That's what it was doing before, right?

So, how do I return the favor?

Maybe I just–

I grab my metaphorical ki blanket and flip it up like one would when they straighten out a bed sheet.

I'm forcefully dragged back into reality as my dark golden mist bursts out of my body and entangles itself in Kuroka's purple.

The glow around us suddenly explodes, and Kuroka spasms around my length, her eyes going wide and cross as she cries out, falls upon me, latches onto me with her arms, and climaxes hard for several long shivering seconds.

"N~NYAAAHH~!? Mmmnnnghh~..." she moans out straight into my ear, "M~Master~...Nori~kun~..." she blearily muttered, "did you just~...?"

"Unlock my ki mid-sex ~?" I smirk darkly, as my arms come up around her waist and grab big handfuls of her ass.

It took her around half a second to realize what that meant, but it was too late, as I was already slowly sitting up.

Turns out, unlocking your ki is a really good energy booster, who'd of thought?

"Ahnn~...Nori~kun~...Master~...Nnghh~!!" I slowly started bouncing her up and down on my length myself, "W~Wait~! I'm still- Mmmmnn~!?"

I promptly shut her up by capturing her lips with my own.

She purrs, melting into my embrace and the pace of my bouncing her as I deepen the kiss.

I'm not entirely sure how Bouchujutsu works, to be fair. So I could be completely missing the mark here as well.

But I get the feeling that it works best when the intercourse is much more sensual and intimate, rather than bestial fucking.

This means, fortunately for kitty, I'm not going to bend her over and pound her ass into the couch.

I'm okay with this, though. I can do both fucking like animals and sweet lovey dovey kind, both feel good so who am I to complain?

Speaking of…

I begin bouncing her much faster, groaning into her mouth as I feel my climax start to reach its peak.

Kuroka perks up and pulls off my lips slightly so she can speak.

"Nya~? Master~? Is your little fuck pet doing a good job~? Are you going to reward her~?" she hums hotly, right to my face, prompting me to finally begin thrusting up into her.

The suddenness prompts her to yelp, and hug up against my body, she continues moaning right into my ear.

"Please~! Master~? I've been a good little pet, yeah~? I've been a really really good pet~! Please give it to me~! Give it to me~! Reward me, master~!"

With one last thrust upwards into her quivering quim, I hilt completely inside of her and give her exactly what she's asking for.

I groan as I release several long ropes of white hot seed, straight inside her.

Her walls clench around me as soon as the first burst comes, like she's trying to greedily milk me.

"Mmmnnnah~..." she slowly licks my ear as she moans out, while I bounce her a few more times, riding out my orgasm slowly, "Thank you, Master~, nya~!" she dazedly thanks me.

Suddenly, she hums, grabs my shoulders, and pulls back to look me in the eye before I can say or do anything more.

"Say, Master~?" she asks while batting her eyelashes, "Perhaps we should move this to the bedroom, no~? It is a tad bit cramped after all!"

Huh.

I take a good look around, seeing exactly that. Actually about to fall off the couch as is…

"Alright, kitty~..." I grab her by the legs, hoisting her up by the thighs as I swing off the couch entirely and stand, cock still hilted deep into her folds. "Bedroom it is~!"

Admittedly, I was still a tad bit weak, but it was so worth it, watching her bounce up and down on my length as I walked, mewling every step of the way…

Perfection.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Needless to say, we went at it a little while longer after that, but due to how late it was and Kuroka requiring sleep, we had to stop much earlier than I think either one of us wanted.

Which resulted in now, Kuroka cuddling naked into my side, with me all the same.

Despite her soft purring and the fact that I can't see her face because it's buried into my neck, I know she's not asleep.

I've been paying attention this time, see!

I gently rub Kuroka's back and speak softly into the night, just to make sure.

"You still awake, kitty?"

Her purring instantly stops.

After a short pause, she holds onto me tighter and nods against me.

I reach up and pet her hair instead.

"You feeling okay?" I mutter down to her, "You're usually out like a light after…" I trail off softly.

Kuroka lets out a slow shaky breath, causing me to immediately tense up.

"I'm fine, I just…" she clicks her tongue, holding back something before seemingly caving and outright saying. "Uzume-chan and I talked earlier today - er, I suppose it's yesterday now, nya?"

I blink…then deadpan at the ceiling as all tension leaves my body.

"Kuroka. Did the maid threaten you?" I ask, scathingly.

Kuroka perks up, suddenly looking wide eyed at me, "Nya!? N-No! Well, actually, kind of…?"

I'm gonna fucking kill that bimbo bitch.

"I'm gonna kill her." I growl out, prompting Kuroka to grab my face and make me look down at her.

"Noriaki-kun! No. It wasn't that bad, she just…she was worried, and I…" she slowly looked back down, "because I haven't been entirely truthful with you…"

Oh. Oh shit.

Are we doing this now?

Why after sex? This better not be a bloody pattern!

Alright, well…let's do this.

"Oh?" I intone, both curious and confused. I turn onto my side as well, wrapping her up into my arms and holding her close, "I presume, since you're bringing it up, you'll explain?"

Kuroka shivers slightly in my grasp, but I just go up to her ear, and whisper, "Don't worry, I understand…telling the whole truth to an unknown and potentially dangerous stranger?" I chuckle, "I get it. I'm not gonna hold any of it against you. If you want to tell me, go ahead, and if you don't feel ready? I won't judge. Just do your best, kitty…" I softly mutter into her ear.

She takes a deep, shuddering breath, before muttering, "Okay, let's see, where to start?" she mumbles briefly, before finally settling on and saying out loud.

"You remember when I told you about Peerages, and that I was a part of one?" she asked softly, with which I hum in acknowledgment, "I…was in one. Not any more, though. That was years ago, I…well," her voice became tiny, "I killed my King."

A beat passes and I ask the obvious, whilst being careful to not sound accusatory or something similar, just curious, "Why? I don't take you for one to murder for no reason, so…?"

Kuroka chuckles darkly at that, "Officially? It's because I got drunk on my powers, and went insane, killing him in the process. Unofficially?" Kuroka starts shaking slightly, and with my new-found senses due to unlocking my ki, I can feel her energy boiling under her skin. "That bastard wanted to experiment on my sister, so I ended him before he could even touch her!" she bit out harshly.

Hmm. I already knew this, of course. Still, If my own flesh and blood were going to get experimented on, I'd kill the bastard planning it too.

Suddenly, Kuroka sighed deeply, "Unfortunately, I…may have gotten a bit carried away? I overheard his intentions and jumped him immediately, but the rest of the Peerage was there, and I…" I can feel her slowly cringe up against me as if slowly chewing a lemon as she recalls, "I killed them all. And Shirone, she saw, so I…" She heaved a shuddered deep breath, and I gently caressed her back, pushing her onwards.

"It…I panicked, pretended I lost it, and l-left her there…"

…okay. I may have checked around and planned an ambush, and most certainly wouldn't have done that. Damn, kitty…

She giggled manically for a second, "I-I know what you're thinking! Really! But, at the time, I knew the Underworld would hunt me down after what I'd done. I didn't have evidence, not like they'd care anyways, and I didn't want that for my sister…" She shook her head and huffed, "She didn't end up getting much better though, those bastards took her and tried to charge her with my crimes! They tried to kill her! She wasn't even a Reincarnated Devil! And that…d-damnit…" She let out a small sob, but quickly pulled it back in and reoriented herself.

"The Devil King Lucifer took her in, had his younger sister reincarnate her, and she's been part of the Gremory Heiress's Peerage ever since. And as for me? I…" she spoke so quietly, so tiny, I barely even heard her, but I could feel the pain in her grimace as she said, "may have joined a group of terrorists to survive…"

"Ah," I speak up, just as quietly, "so when you said you had Peerage stuff to do…" I let the question hang.

"Yeah," she answered for me, "group meeting…but, b-but!" she suddenly speaks up, "For transparency! The sub-group I'm a part of doesn't actually do any of the terrorist stuff, our leader just wants to go around and fight strong guys! Most of them do," she buffs, "I just wanna live, nya…"

Ah! A chance! Humor, go!

"Oh? Fight strong guys?" I raise an eyebrow, a smile slowly growing across my face, "Where do I sign up?"

Her eyes shoot up to meet mine, her face already a perfect deadpan stare.

Then she slaps my chest. 'Playfully.'

"Ow." I wince, with an amused smile on my face.

"Battle junkies," she huffs and looks away, "you and Vali must never meet, that's a calamity waiting to happen, nya!"

"Sounds like a fun time to me!" I say good-naturedly.

Only to receive another slap in return.

"Ow."

"I swear…" she huffs yet smiles slightly.

"Hmm?" I slowly snake a finger underneath her chin, and make her look up at me, "You swear, huh? Rather rude of you, don't you think?"

"Nya~?" I see the moment light, desire, and mischievousness return to her eyes, "So what if I'm a little rude, hmm? I'm a terrorist criminal, it's practically expected~!"

"You could be a smooth criminal, instead you know?" I reply, with a bright smile, "But aren't either of those things, instead, you're just a sexy little vixen who loves her sister."

The moment I say that, her eyes widen, and I don't even let it fully sink in before I capture her lips with mine once more.

She retaliates rather quickly, wrapping her arms around me and holding my closer as she deepens the kiss, to my surprise.

By the time we finally break off, her face is absolutely scarlet red, and I pull her in for a big hug.

"I just wanna let you know, nothing you just told me lowered my opinion of you." I began, feeling her stiffen in my grasp, "While I think you could have handled it better, there's no real point in admonishing you for it. You've done that yourself plenty, me thinks. I don't care that you're some criminal to a government I find myself disliking the more I hear about it, and while the terrorist thing is slightly concerning…" I trail off, then shrug.

"You aren't a bad kitty. Just one forced into your current circumstances by the past." I gently scratch behind her ears, "If I have to say one thing though? It's this." I go down and mutter softly into her ear, "Don't blame yourself for her being almost put to death. That's not on you. It's the guys that dropped the sentence, you hear?"

Kuroka immediately spoke up, "But I-"

"No." I slapped her right back down, "You swung the sword. No matter your reasons, there is no reason to pin any of that on a little girl."

Like. Seriously. The fuck? Who does that?

Shirone wasn't even a Reincarnated Devil at the time, not like that should have mattered. She didn't kill anyone. What kind of ass backward government charges the son for the crimes of a father? The sister for a sister's?

For a second, all is silent.

Until Kuroka breaks it by asking a simple question.

"...You really mean all that?"

"Yes." I affirmed succinctly.

Another second and I get a tired, shuddering sob as my cat girl tightens her grip around me, and two softly spoken words in response.

"Thank you."

I pet her back gently and let her ride out the waves of emotion pelting her like several tons of bricks.

All the way until her sobs turn into quiet, content purrs, and her shuddering is replaced by gentle rhythmic breathing.

I smile, and kiss her forehead, getting a tired mewl in affirmation.

Quietly, so as to not wake her up, I softly mutter, "Thank you for telling me, kitty."

With that, I hold her close and close my eyes right alongside her.

You know, I don't need sleep, but rest sounds really nice right now, after everything today.

And besides, there's nothing else like waking up alongside someone else after a long hard day.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 8 End

I swear, I don't mean to keep putting emotional scenes acter sex, it just kind of happens, okay?

Next one won't have that after. Promise.

Next chapter, we do some devil summoning, and the start of a month or so long time skip. The plot chugs ever onward.

A New Sun Chapter 7

Chapter 7

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Dancing upside down on the ceiling of an abandoned warehouse is an interesting way of spending my very late afternoon.

I think. Mostly for the reaction I'll get from whatever poor stray wanders in following my scent.

You know, when the spell I told Kuroka to put on me wore off exactly when I told her to have it do so, I'm kind of surprised I didn't immediately get jumped.

Honestly though? That's good! It means Rias is doing a real good job of keeping strays out of her territory!

Still a tad sad I didn't get a fight right away, though.

Getting some chakra control training is always nice, thought it was about time I went to the next level, but since I don't have a tree, the ceiling will have to do!

Anyhow, the only reason I'm here in the warehouse district is because I realized after my little shopping trip that this area has way more space to hide in than say, the forest and fields out in the country.

The only problem with this new plan of mine is I can't stay out all night. I've got two phones, a bunch of food, my motorcycle, and devil fliers stashed out back.

Yup. Devil fliers. Those summoning slips used when you want to broker deals with Devils.

I ran into both Rias's bat girl and some short business suit wearing man, both of whom gave me little slips.

One for Gremory. One for Sitri.

It was hilariously easy to just broadcast my desires - lust, both power and sexual - while I was just walking around and shopping.

The familiars, at least I assume the guy was Sona's familiar, just walked up and gave one to me like it was an ad of some sort.

Easy peasy!

Honestly, the only one I was really after was the Gremory one. My plan for Shirone and Kuroka requires it.

No fucking clue what I'm gonna do with the Sitri one, but, eh? Maybe I could use it to bulli Sona in some way?

Decisions, decisions…

As I was thinking of ways to bully the Sitri Heiress, the doors to the warehouse exploded.

Flying in with about as much subtly as a bag of tin cans, some…spider looking stray devil? Eight legs, eight eyes, the works.

I can feel the taint of his demonic power, a cold dread fills the warehouse, telling me that this guy probably doesn't have a sad backstory like my favorite danger noodle from day one.

The spider halts in the center of the room, his mouth salivating like mad, as his several eyes dart around the room.

"Ehhh…?" he moans, "Come out, come out, wherever you are, ehhh?? Come on!" he chitters a laugh, skittering around on the floor, "I can smell you, ya knooow? Come on!"

What is it with all the strays I've meant so far having a verbal tick like that?

Also, why do all the strays I've seen look bum fuck ugly?

While I'm internally insulting my not-so-friendly neighborhood spider mutant, he's down there sniffing up a storm.

"Ah! I see! I see!!" he exclaims jubilantly, "I know where you are!"

Ho?

"Below! Yes! You bunker beneath me! I will dig you out!" and then, the dumbass began doing just that.

With about half of his arms - or legs? - working on it, he's actually making quick progress.

To accomplish nothing, of course.

I almost let out a loud snort and fall off the ceiling in a fit of giggles, but I smash down that knee-jerk reaction and continue my silent dance.

With a stupid grin on my face, but I continue nonetheless.

I have an idea as to why he came to that conclusion, and it involves the bit of time I spent on the floor before jumping up here.

You see, I did a bit of a pre-workout routine before coming up here; stretches, moving around, getting all fired up, the works.

Also rolled around on the ground like an idiot trying to put out fires again.

But! This was all with the express purpose of testing something.

You see, I'd imagine my scent is extremely thick down there right about now, and I wanted to see if more scent worked like getting someone more and more drunk.

Looks like I was correct, if the guy didn't even think to look up before digging.

You know. In a world where most supernatural species can fly naturally!

Ugh. You know what? If I keep thinking about it, I'll just give myself a headache.

So I'll just keep dancing up here, instead.

I actually kind of want to jump the guy now, but I figure, let's wait a bit! See if I can't get more strays in here to fight all at once?

Hmm. Although, if I do that, maybe they'll start fighting each other for the right to eat me or something?

Eh. Worth it if I at least have to put some effort into it. One-on-one will be over too fast, especially since I want to test my fire during combat this time around.

This time through my sword!

Because let's be real, the only Kami I got around is Uzume, and I seriously doubt she can teach for shit.

So, I'll be on my own here.

Sadge day, truly.

I do hope it doesn't take too long though. If it does, I might just say fuck it, kill the spider and start wandering around the abandoned district out in the open.

That outta work better, right?

Though I'd rather train, efficiency and all that.

Well. I'll see how it goes, time to zone out and dance for a bit in the meantime.

Honestly? The frantic digging noises in the background are kind of like rain, nice white noise to just do whatever too for a bit.

Could do with fewer random giggles and coos during it though.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Sona Sitri hasn't been having the worst day, all things considered.

Although one could say chasing your assigned target across town is as it ravenously goes after…something…is slowly pushing it.

"Kusaka-san, report." Sona crosses her legs and sighs. Currently, she and her Peerage are camped out on top of a roof.

Sona has been using one of her Bishops, Reya Kusaka, information and spy-based magic to track their target.

With a sigh of her own, the long brown-haired girl opens her eyes, the spiraling magic circles overlapping them vanishing as soon as she does so.

"Nothing concrete yet, Sitri-sama," she shakes her head, "although the target does seem to be heading in a much straighter path now, so perhaps soon?"

Sona nodded her head in acknowledgment, "Good, keep observing them, then. Update me when something changes."

"Hai, Sitri-sama." Reya compiled quickly, and quietly.

"Uwaaahh…" Sona's attention snapped to the exuberant whine, finding her Pawn, one Ruruko Nimura, sprawled out on the ground, "Seriously, I still just don't see why we didn't jump the guy when we found him! He was right there!"

Momo Hanaki, her white-haired second Bishop, kneeled on the ground next to Ruruko and patted her dark brown-haired head, "Ah, don't worry so much, Ruruko-chan! I'm sure Sitri-sama has a plan."

Tsubasa Yura, her only blue-haired Rook sitting next to them, snorted and interjected. "Leave her Momo-chan, she's just grumpy she didn't get into a fight right away."

Ruruko's eyes snapped to look at Tsubasa, "Oh yeah? Don't act like you didn't want a fight either!"

Tsubasa grunted, "True. But at least I'm not gonna whine about it all night."

"Now now, Tsubasa-chan, Ruruko-chan!" her one and only Knight, Tomoe Meguri, interjects before Ruruko can bite back.

She comes up, getting right in between the two, "Think about it like this, eh? What if! Wherever this guy leads us? Turns out to be some sort of secret hideout! With more baddies to slay!" She pulls her katana from her sheath, and swings it, up, down and around. All with a big silly smile on her face.

"Just imagine! That'd be way more fun than just fighting the one, yeah!?"

The two girls stared at Tomoe blankly, before slowly turning to face away from each other, grumbling their agreement.

Momo smiled, and Tomoe just giggled.

On Sona's side, Tsubaki Shinra, her black-haired Queen sighed at the Peerage's antics, relenting her grip on her naginata slightly.

Sona simply gave everyone a small smile.

At this point? They've run across the entire warehouse district after this guy. She isn't exactly surprised everyone is starting to strain.

Truly, though. Tomoe is very close to Sona's plan, although she doubts they'll find more 'baddies' to fight.

In reality, she suspects that the stray might have something important hidden there, to his single-minded pursuit of reaching said place as soon as possible.

The only reason she hasn't voiced such thoughts is because it would make two of her girls huffy, and she'd rather not deal with that right now.

She gets the strangest feeling like she's going to be dealing with a lot of snark, sass, and general bullshit in the near future, and she can't figure out why.

"Nimura-san," Sona suddenly calls out, prompting the girl in question to freeze and slowly look at her, "when the fighting starts, you have my permission to Promote. For the time being, I'm designating this area as Enemy Territory."

Ruruko gave a predatory grin, "Hai hai, Boss!"

At Sona's ensuing glare, her grin slowly turns sheepish, "Right, Sitri-sama, eheh…my bad."

Sona waved it off with a sigh. Old delinquent habits die hard, she supposed? And Ruruko is the most recent addition to her Peerage…

Sona's thoughts are snatched from her as her usually soft-spoken Bishop suddenly stood up, "Sitri-sama!" and shouted in alarm.

All eyes moved to her, and as soon as Sona looked at her, she continued.

"The target has just entered one of the warehouses, and has started fighting two other strays!" she exclaimed.

Ruruko shot up to her feet, "Hell yeah! Let's do this!" she pumped her fist into the air, a predatory grin back on in full force.

Tsubasa nodded with a similar look, Tomoe looked giddy, and Momo looked slightly concerned for her battle-hungry friends.

Sona quickly took control, raising to her feet, she spoke aloud, "Tsubaki-san, work with Kusaka-san, and get a teleportation circle up and running to that location."

"Hai, Sona-sama." her Queen acknowledged, moving to Reya to do just that.

Sona looked over everyone else sternly, "Gather around, standard formation."

To their credit, they did move quickly into position. Drawing from Sona's favorite game, this formation is quite literally just the typical chess board at the game start.

Although she's lacking all the pieces to fill it up, it always feels like Ruruko acts like she's more than just one Pawn.

Soon, her Queen and first Bishop join them, magic circles spiraling in their hands.

Before they head off, Sona speaks plainly, "By the honor of Prince Sitri, we shall see this through. Right, everyone?"

"HAI! SITRI-SAMA" they all cry back in affirmation.

With a smile, and nod to her Queen, Tsubaki slams the butt of her naginata onto the ground.

A magic circle blazes into existence, and just like that, they're off.

With a flash, the Peerage finds themselves directly outside a warehouse, right before a blown-out section of the wall.

Inside said warehouses, three strays are…arguing, and taking potshots at each other?

"No, I tell you! The smells source is mine!!" a giant naked centaur lady, wielding dual spears, throws said demonic power-imbued weapons with a roar at a spider stray, and her original target, an owl stray.

Wait. Smell?

"And I said, I got here first!!!" the spider stray screeches as he dashes into a hole, that's seemingly just there, to avoid the spear.

"Hoot hoot!!" her target calls down to both of the other strays from a catwalk.

Both of whom turn, and look at the owl.

"What are you even saying!?" they both angrily shout back, the spider even poking its head out to do so.

"Hoot!!! Hoot hoot!!!" the owl keeps jumping, pointing a wing upwards.

Fortunately, Sona notes internally, it can't fly anymore…it lost that ability when it strayed, but supposedly, it could do other strange things.

So, why does it keep pointing upwards…?

The answer came for her.

A cracking of stone and tile, the pop of air being displaced, and the heat that suddenly pushed out and bathed her and her Peerage made them all take a step back.

In the next moment.

"Clear Blue Sky."

A voice, this time a human male, that Sona thought was familiar, came from above.

And then a person, a figure, with a katana larger than Tomoe's, followed.

And then fire.

Circular waves of slashing fire fell upon the spider stray's neck, cleaving through it and the ground beneath it, all radiating off the man's sword as he delivered a beautiful circular horizontal sword stroke.

As the spider's body slumped to the side, and his head rolled away, the man huffed as the flames billowed out around his sword.

"Sorry about that," he begins, and Sona realizes she does recognize him, "I know you three had like a whole thing going on, but I just can't anymore!" he sighs, and crosses his arms, tapping his foot restlessly on the ground as he goes off.

"Look, I've had to sit up there on the ceiling, listening to that," he points to the corpse, "moan and giggle and shit for most of my night now. I deserve a break, okay!?"

Noriaki Kusanagi.

Well. Maybe he's not just some uncaring delinquent like she originally thought, hmm?

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

This entire thing was a waste of time.

Now, granted, it wasn't a complete waste.

The ceiling training went well, but that was just a warmup!

I was hoping for like, several guys to show! You know! A real fight to push my limits!

But instead! I got the Hooty expy, that one Stray from the first Light Novels, and Spider Brother expy!

"Sooo~..." centaur bitch slurs and swoons, "you're what smells so go-"

"Shut the hell up."

"I, wha-?"

I hold a finger up to her, "I said. 'Shut the hell up'," I slowly turned my head to eye her scathingly, "Did all the cotton from your clothes go to your ears or something?"

I am not in the mood for this shit. Could you tell?

Rias. Girl. You've done too good of a job.

The centaur bitch fumes in her spot, her hands clenching tightly as she eyes her spears embedded into the ground next to me.

Before she can say anything that just makes me kill her on the spot, I continue.

"Look. I'm not interested in any bullshit you fuckers spew about eating my brains, my skin, whatever," I huff, crossing my arms, "if you wanna try me? Go ahead! But don't gloat before we even start…after all."

I slowly enter a simple combat-ready stance, and mutter, just loudly enough barely so it softly echoes across the warehouse.

"In the end, all I see you as is free EXP."

The centaur bitch screeches - or nyehs? - some sort of war car, as she rushes down my position on all fours.

Slow.

A shadow slowly encompasses me, and I look up to see a massive owl head barreling its way down upon me.

I snort, and dash to the side, just as it crashes its beak into the ground.

In the next moment, I Ieap forwards, my blade igniting with swirling crimson fire as my heart beats and sends Holy Spirit Power straight through my sword.

The Hooty expy elongated and enlarged his neck and head to make that attack, but its original body sits still, completely open and undefended.

"Hinokami Kagura–", one quick slice. "Dance."

Like an executioner's blade falling atop a neck, I cleave through with ease, dropping from the catwalk with a newly limp corpse falling behind in short order.

The neck and head hit the floor as well, but…

"HOOT!! HOOOOTTT!!?" They begin immediately flailing about on the floor, screeching in anguish and what I think is confusion?

Regardless, he isn't regrowing anything, so death throes, maybe?

I look down at my sword, and grin.

Unsurprisingly, the real deal is a tad bit better than wood, huh?

I turn to the centaur bitch, who just now was grabbing her spears, having pushed the Hooty expy's severed head off them.

She turns towards me and eyes me with an angry and hungry gaze.

I hold up a finger, and her eyes brim with confusion as I speak the last thing she'll ever hear.

"One. You get one chance to attack me. Put your all into it, or, well…" I swipe my hand across my neck.

Confusion turned to sheer unadulterated rage as she full-on bull stampede rushed towards me.

I sigh. Really.

No. Seriously.

Is this a stray thing? Do all of them share a compulsive lack of pattern recognition skills?

With a booming roar, she's before me, two spears primed for a pincer attack to my sides.

I breathe.

Hinokami Kagura.

Two blades of fire lash out to either of my sides, cleaving through her misshapen spears and severing her arms.

Raging Sun.

A fitting name, no?

As burnt leather fills the air and the centaur bitch cries out in agony, I merely take a single step forward.

"W-Wait no! Pl-"

Her pleading, and nascent attempts at shuffling back in a rare moment of life preservation, are cut off as my normal unlit blade cleaved through her neck.

A second later, her body joined her arms on the floor.

And I loudly groan, as I slowly sheath my sword.

Seriously. I'm not going to lie, danger noodle put up more of a fight than these guys.

Is it because of the sword? Are these guys just weaker?

Ugh. This is why I wanted a good group of them.

"HOOOOT HOO-GHHHUUUU-" the anguished screaming behind me suddenly gets, not cut off, but replaced with…drowned screaming?

I turn, finding said owl monster's head covered in a nice large glob of water.

It doesn't take long from there for the screaming to finally taper off and cease.

Though, I'm not focused on that.

Nope. Instead, my eyes are locked onto the violet eyes of a small girl, surrounded by other girls, as they stand just outside the warehouse, looking in through a large hole in the wall.

She wore an impossible smug smirk on her face as she looked right back, and held a demonic circle out casually in her other hand.

When the stray finally fell limp, she snapped her fingers, and the water and circle dispersed.

"Well, Kusanagi-san," she begins rather amicably, although as she steps into the warehouse, the other girls - her Peerage, I assume - follow around her in a strict formation, "is this what you were out doing to miss your assigned times?"

Sona Sitri.

Well. Look at what we have here!

I send an appraising gaze toward the group as I answer, "Would you believe me if I told you I got sick?"

Sona chuckles at that slightly, "Unfortunately, no."

Well, shit. "Would you believe me if I told you I got sick from drinking, lost my memories, and wandered the countryside mountains for a bit?" I try, lightly.

Sona deadpans at me as her answer, and I laugh.

With one fluid motion, I grab my sword, with its sheath still on, and bring it forth. Slamming it to the ground, and resting my hands on the hilt.

The group flinches at my sudden movement, getting in battle-ready stances quickly. Sona moves, raising a hand to cow them, but I speak as she does.

"Well, Sona Sitri?" She, and her entire group, flinch at that, and I grin as I continue, "Nice to finally meet you, without all the bullshit hiding and faking it. My name is Noriaki Kusanagi, still!" I pause for a beat, then add with a smile. "Technically."

And I mean that.

Honestly? I should probably be a tad peeved at being exposed this early, but eh.

As long as no one finds out about Kuroka living in my house, I find that I don't care all that much.

Besides! This means I can just bully her harder later, no need to fake being weaker, with no powers, or other such nonsense!

Sona frowns heavily at that and goes to speak, but I raise my hand quickly, stopping her before she asks the several questions I know she wants to ask.

"No." I preemptively answer, "To whatever it is you're about to ask."

Sona's expression turns so gobsmacked I wish I could frame it on my wall.

And the rest of her girl squad has these cute little scowls too, aw!

Although, that thigh high girl looks especially reared up to fight.

Cute.

Also, thigh high stockings.

Nice.

She's the pawn, right? Let's see…

The sword girl is obviously the Knight, the two girls in the back next to Sona are the bishops, and the spear wielder is her Queen, which leaves the blue-haired girl as her Rook, yeah?

Wait. Hold up.

I snorted loudly, drawing in their now weary glares, "Did you arrange everyone in your Peerage into a chess match start formation?"

I know Sona had a hard-on for chess, but damn, this is new.

Sona coughed, a tad weakly, "It's just a standard formation is all…" she paused, huffed, and leveled a glare straight at me, "but none of that matters right now. Why won't you answer any of my questions?"

"I don't know you." I state simply with a shrug.

Sona furrowed her brow, "Yet, you know who I really am?"

"Yup."

"So you do know me?"

"Nope."

Her glare turns wrathful.

I smile, and before we can continue this warped rendition of Spongebob any further, I add.

"But! I could get to know you!"

Several of the girls, including Sona herself, preened and stared at me for that.

I deadpanned right back, "Not sexually or romantically, you perverts."

After receiving confused stares in response, Sona decides to just ask.

"How, then?" Sona asked slowly.

Shockingly, before I could answer her, the thigh-high girl stepped forward toward me, "He means a fight, of course! What else could he mean? And I, for one, would love to give it to him!" she declares, her grin almost feral.

"Nimura-san!" Sona interjects sharply, "There will be no fighting here today, fall back!"

"That sucks." I hum out, "Because thigh highs is right, that's what I'm asking for."

"I…" Sona's glare turns into a dumb stare, "huh?"

Did my shattering whatever assumptions she had break her in the head as well?

Heh. Nice.

Nimura…nah, thigh high's grin turned spicy, "Hell yeah! Let's get this going! Er, wait?" she stops, and blinks, "Thigh highs?"

I nod sagely, "Yes, thigh highs." I give her a thumbs up and wink, "Very nice."

The girl blushed, slightly, and winked right back, "Big ass sword, very nice dude," She then turned to look at the sword girl, "Oi. Tomoe-chan! Take some pointers from this guy!"

"E-Eh!?" the now named sword girl exclaimed, "But! Odachi are really hard to wield you know!"

I ignore her and respond to thigh highs with a chuckle, and a nod, "Thank you. It was my father's sword."

"Could you please stop flirting with my Pawn?" Sona bit out through gritted teeth.

"Hmm…" I make a show of thinking for a moment, then succinctly I reply with.

"No."

Sona lets out a trembling, angry groan.

I smile widely, "What? She's cute alright!"

She is. However, maybe before I go pursuing more girls I should ask Kuroka first.

Hmm hmm! I'll do that when I get home.

"Regardless," Sona powers on through before her Pawn can respond, "why do you want a fight so badly? If you know who I am," her glare intensifies, "then you know a High-Class Devil and their Peerage isn't too be trifled with."

Aww! She thinks she's a threat!

Well. She just might be. Only one way to find out…

I smile, widely. "Ah? But that's exactly why I want to fight you," my response boggles Sona once more, judging by the gapes at that, so I continue, "Let's just say, I just joined this wonderful new world, and I want to be tested. I want, no need, to see where I stand."

My grin mirrors the look on her Pawn from earlier, "And I lose? Well. I'll take that L, learn, and become better. If I win, all's the same to me!"

For a good long moment, Sona just stares at me, and then she lets out a deep, loathing sigh.

"Why…why is there another one of you?" She just barely mumbles.

I shrug and smile good-naturedly, "What can I say, I love fighting, okay?"

Sona shakes her head, sighs once more, and pushes up her glasses.

I nearly giggle at how her glasses do the whole anime shining thing.

Is this gonna be a common occurrence here? Ah, well. Just adds to the fun.

"So," Sona continues, "who do you wanna fight?"

"All of you." I respond instantly.

"No." Sona deadpans, hard, "Do you crave death, Kusanagi-san?"

"Hey!" I hold my hands up, "It's not like I'm paper mache here, I could take it! My swords going to be sheathed the entire time too, it'll be a spar!"

Sona huffed out, "And? If you speak truly on your naivety, then you'll die with a challenge like that."

I pout and stare at her.

Sona stares right back. "...acting like a child won't convince me otherwise, Kusanagi-san."

Before I can interject with a very adult response, the spear-wielding girl steps forward, a fuming frown on her face.

"Sona-sama. Please, allow me to take him on."

I blink and tilt my head at her.

Say. Didn't this girl have a Sacred Gear? Mirror Alice, right?

She's also the only Queen in the series to use all her pieces' attributes, yeah?

Not quite High Class yet I don't think, especially not without her Balance Breaker, but she surely shouldn't be Low Class.

Respect +.

Hmm. Yeah, I'd love to go a round with her.

Sona looks back at her Queen, a thin frown on her face, "Tsubaki-san, are you sure?"

"Quite," she replies curtly, then narrows her eyes at me, "this man shows a lack of respect, and clear ignorance, which sorely needs to be corrected."

"Respect is earned," I say aloud, "not freely given."

The grip on her spear tightens significantly, "Sona-sama?" she asks again, much more strained than before.

Sona looks between us, and sighs, before focusing on me, "I assume you don't mind?"

"She's your Queen, right?" I ask, and upon receiving a nod in confirmation, I mirror it and add, "Not at all!"

Sona looks back to her Queen, "Very well, try not to hurt him too bad," she then quickly looks back to me, "and you will answer all my questions when we're done here."

You know. I wanna snark back at that insulting and accusatory tone she's got. I really do.

But actions speak louder than words, no?

Her Queen, Tsubaki, steps up towards me, a tight glare on her face.

I grin straight back at her.

Gee, wonder why she dislikes me so much.

It can't be because of a little disrespect, right? I know she's a lot like Sona, but the King in question seemed only lost or mildly annoyed at my antics.

Not like, well this.

"I will correct your ignorance," she spins her spear around with a flourish, just as the rest of Peerage pulls back to give us space she stops and points it straight towards me, "and displace that arrogance of yours."

Arrogance, huh? Is that it?

I smirk right back, "You know, spear lady, some may say facing an unknown opponent with such gravitas…", I slowly slide into my combat-ready stance, "is the height of arrogance."

She furrows her brow at that, her grip on her spear shaking despite the cold stoic look she glares at me.

"It's not a spear," she says plainly, "it's a naginata."

My smirk grows wider, "I know. I just find it easier to call it a spear."

I see the moment she clenches her teeth, and scrunches up her face.

So did Sona, as she called out before Tsubaki could bite out another reply.

"Tsubaki-san," Sona says simply, "he's intentionally riling you up. Stop responding to him, and let's get this over with!"

She huffs, "Hai, Sona-sama!" before taking in a deep breath and eyeing me.

Her mouth is shut, but I can see it in her, the roaring embers of anger…and hatred?

Oh. Most interesting!

Say. Now that I think about it, isn't this girl a throwaway from the Five Principle Clans?

I wonder, do I remind her of someone from there? Or did her time with them allow her to, at least subconsciously, know who and what I am, and thus ping that mental sore spot in her life?

Ah, well. Still doesn't mean I'll go easy on her.

I look her back, straight in the eyes. All mirth, all passion, all excitement leaving me, replaced with sheer unadulterated anticipation.

"Test me." I utter, just loud enough for her to hear.

Her eyes tighten, but that's all the response I get before Sona announces.

"Begin!"

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Sona watched, rather passively, as Noriaki blasted forwards, his blade wreathed in crimson fire.

"Dance!" he intoned, falling upon Taubaki from above.

Tsubaki immediately backpedaled, dodging the flaming blade, whilst lashing out with her naginata like a snake.

Noriaki was quick to redirect the sharp metal, batting away her thrusts harmlessly around him.

Sona couldn't help but smile.

Tsubaki, with incredible ease, started dancing around him, using her reach advantage to keep his massive sheathed sword away.

She spun around another one of his swings, easily getting behind him, and before he could turn, her naginata was already poised and struck.

The boy tilted his head to the side, avoiding the brunt of the blade, but it still nicked his cheek.

Sona's smile flickered.

That…was a possible lethal attack, had it connected fully.

But before she could say anything, Noriaki turned to Tsubaki and grinned a grin that sent shivers down her spine.

"You're…faster than me?" he said, not all sounding surprised, but rather ecstatic. "That's your Knight trait, right?"

As if to answer him, Tsubaki blasted forward once more, sending numerous thrusts at him.

He couldn't parry them all, several nicked his flesh, but none were lethal.

Even more worrying though? The wound on his cheek was already closing.

Sona had her suspicions, but now she's sure. Noriaki isn't human.

Tsubaki, seeming to realize something similar to her King, widens her eyes, before guarding against a massive overhead swing from the sword wielder.

The ground beneath her cracks and the shaft of her naginata groans slightly, but otherwise? Tsubaki doesn't seem affected by the swirling flames and is only lightly exerting effort into holding back his attack.

"Stronger, more durable…?" Noriko voices, sounding more and more like a kid on holiday.

He didn't even grunt as Tsubaki kicked him in the gut, sending him flying up into the ceiling with a smile on his face.

Tsubaki pointed her naginata at him, and intones, "Be silent," before several barrier magic circles appeared around him, pinning him to the wall, "and yield."

Noriaki looked down at them all, the biggest, happiest, grin on his face.

"Aw, but why would I do that?" his sword ignited into fire, bursting from the sheath as he swung it.

Swirling slashing fire blasted apart the magic circles in the next moment.

Tsubaki clicked her tongue and readied her weapon for him to fall.

Only to gape and stare, as he seems to stick to the ceiling, and sheath his sword.

"After all!" Noriaki intones through the swirling flames, looking down upon them like a kid would for dessert.

And as he does so, Sona and everyone else can see the moment deep red flaming tattoos come up from his neck onto his face, and the way his eyes suddenly spin with two pupils.

"This fight is only just getting started!"

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 7 End

You know. Originally, I was gonna have Nori fight her entire Peerage, but I got hella tired after their intro scene and said, eh. Let's just do the Queen.

For now.

Nori may have use for the Sitri slip after all, beyond just using it to flirt with thigh highs and sword girl.

A New Sun Chapter 6

Chapter 6

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

The ending of last night kind of sucked, not going to lie.

Which is why I prefer this morning, so much more.

"UGHH!!!" My crumbled body slams into the top of my new dojo, and sticks there for a second, before slowly falling back down and hitting the ground with an echoing thump.

Even if it involves me being trashed in a fight with the cat girl I just fucked silly yesterday.

"Nyaaa~..." Kuroka yawned and stretched, before walking over to poke my prone form, "Eh? Nori-kun~? You still alive? It's only been a few minutes! I thought you said you wanted to test your new sword, nya?"

I slowly look up at her.

"I lied," I revealed, unsurprisingly, she didn't seem phased by that, "I just wanted to get beat up because last night after sex sucked."

"Ho?" she plops down right in front of me, "I knew that first bit, although…not the why," she pauses for a beat, "What happened, nya?"

I roll onto my back, and groan, "Just…stuff about my dad." I grumble out, and at Kuroka's head tilt, I continue, "He died before I was born, of course, I just found out why. A bunch of Devils and Fallen ambushed him, it made my mom forbid Uzume from ever talking about him, for some reason? Grief, maybe."

I huff, holding the charcoal-black Odachi up in front of me.

"This sword was his, Uzume gave it to me last night. And I just…" I trailed off.

"Don't know where to start?" Kuroka offered, and I turned my eyes back to her. "About the Fallen and Devils? I mean, they did kill your dad…"

"That's the thing, though?" I chuckle, softly. "I don't particularly feel anything regarding them. Not anger, not sadness."

I shake my head, "Mom already killed his killers, and I'm not gonna go blame an entire race for the actions of a few." I reach up, and pat her head in reassurance a few times, getting happy mewls from her as I do.

Who the hell am I? Akeno? Snnnrrk! Right.

"It's like," I huff, sitting up and turning to face her, "I never knew my dad. Never met him. Never held any attachment to him. I always knew he was dead, so when I heard how he died…" I pat my chest, and sigh, "Nothing. Not even a damn tear."

Kuroka's eyes widened, slightly, "Really, nya? That's…"

I snort. "I know right? A tad heartless?"

Kuroka shook her head, "No no! I doubt you're heartless, you feel bad about not feeling bad, right?"

I nod, "Well, yeah?"

Kuroka nods right back, looking far too pleased with herself, "Then you aren't heartless, nya~!

I stare at her, blankly.

Cats. Almost forgot.

"I'm fairly certain it's more nuanced than that, though?" I replied unsurely.

It can't be that simple, right? Am I overthinking things because I've got too much shit to do right now?

Kuroka seems to think so, seeing as she's nodding rapidly.

"You know what I think, Nori-kun~?" she jumps on me, all of a sudden, wrapping me up in a nice big hug. "You saw Uzume-san crying, heard about how your mother reacted to his death, and feel like you should have some sort of reaction, but you don't, because you're right, you know?"

She puts her forehead right against my forehead, "You didn't know him. Why would you act like you did, feel like you did, otherwise?"

I blink at that.

That…actually makes some sense? Holy shit.

"Where the hell is the bimbo kitty I fucked into the mattress last night?" I mutter in shock.

"Nya~!?" she yelps, nearly jumping back, but I hold her close. "Why do you say that, nya~!?!"

I chuckle, mirthfully, "No particular reason~..." and then I go up, and kiss her, straight on the lips.

The way she froze before slowly melting into it was precious.

It's funny. We fucked like wild animals last night, but haven't actually kissed until right now.

That was intentional, on my part.

I wanted to save the kisses for intimate moments, like this one!

I place my sword gently on the ground before my hands slowly go around to and down her lower back, and at about the point I reach her waistline, she perks up and pulls back slightly.

"Maah~..." she breathes out hotly, "Careful, nya~! You better watch those hands~! I'm still sore!"

I deadpanned at her, hard.

"Sore. Yet you still kicked my ass with ease."

"Well! You are pretty weak, nya~!" She says matter of factly.

Okay. Ouch. Damn Gojo, where's your blindfold? And rest of your fucking clothes while you're at it!?

"Then why the hell are you wearing that!?" I exclaim, waving to her lack of clothes.

Seriously, she might actually look less sexy naked now. I didn't even know she had underwear? When did she get those!?

The fucking cat smiled, "Fashion! Nya~!" she said wistfully with a wink.

You little shit.

"Fine…" I grumble, "you can fashion, you little~" I cut myself off, by capturing her lips with my own once again, drawing a cute surprised giggle from her before I eventually pull back, and huff.

A beat passes in blissful silence.

And then I ruin it.

"I still feel bad." I suddenly said.

Kuroka looks at me, sighs, and playful smacks my chest, "Stubborn. Man." twice, one for each word.

I chuckle weakly, "I know, my bad, I can't help it?" I try rapidly firing off.

Kuroka looks unamused.

I sigh, "Look. I know, I'll get over it eventually, okay?" I huff. "I just have a lot of shit to process and deal with, recently…" I trail off.

Kuroka just stares me in the eyes, before giving me one last pat on the chest, slightly harder than before.

I wince, "Ow! And there's another!" I exclaim dramatically.

"Oh hush you! Nya~!" she wraps her arms around my neck and practically hangs onto me. "So! You mentioned stuff to do? Anything you plan on doing today?"

I nod, wrapping my arms around the catgirl to hold her as I start explaining. "Yeah. I got school supplies to pick up for my Third Year at a new school."

Kuroka blinks at that, "School? Out here? Where, nya?"

I watch her carefully as I say this next part, "Hmm? We're right next to Kuoh Town, I'll be heading to Kuoh Academy to start my final high school year in about a…week?" I ponder out loud.

The 'break' – fucking hell, I hate Japanese School Trimesters – between the 3rd Quarter and 1st Quarter is two bloody weeks.

I spent half that time out and about, as it were, enrollment starts in a week.

But none of that's all that important.

It's the way that Kuroka stilled and paled the moment I mentioned Kuoh.

So…she knows already, huh?

"Kuroka?" I ask, slowly, and even that makes her snap her attention towards me. "You okay?"

Kuroka blinked, "I'm…fine, nya~? Perfectly fine! Nyah hah hah~!" she laughed, so rigid and forced.

Damn, kitty. You're an awful fucking liar, you know that?

Great actor. Shit liar. How does that even work?

I sigh, internally, I mean.

You know, I hate being vulnerable, like earlier, but amongst the multitude of shit on my plate now is Kuroka's issues with her sister.

I have a plan in my mind for dealing with it. The problem? I can't start it, because I'm not even supposed to know about her and Shirone yet!

She needs to tell me first. I hoped that being vulnerable, and opening up first, would encourage her to do the same, but, well.

It'll probably take more time, won't it?

Damn.

I reach up, placing a hand on her cheek, causing her to rapidly blink in confusion, "N-Nori-kun…? Nya!?"

I kiss her on the forehead, and whilst rubbing her cheek, whisper to her ear, "Whenever you're ready, you can tell me, alright?"

I chuckled as she gaped at me for that.

"Now!" I start standing, pulling her up with me gently, "Speaking of, I have to go into town soon. Besides the school stuff I gotta grab, someone," I stare down at her, "ate all the damn food in the fridge…"

Kuroka, at least, had the decency to look sheepishly down at that.

Seriously. It's not like there was much in there in the first place, and admittedly some stuff was expired because I was gone for so long, but one break last night, and it's gone?

Fucking freeloading cat.

Then again, I wasn't expecting anything less.

Didn't she do something similar in the Light Novels? Ate all of Issei and co's food, laid around all the time playing games and shit.

I also distinctly remember that she offered him sex to pay for it, and he folded.

Didn't get any sex in the end, why would he, it's an ecchi not a hentai world for him.

Fortunately, I don't live constrained by genres.

So. I wonder what Kuroka will offer me?

"Well, Nori-kun~! I can help pay you back, nya~...?" she says hotly, slowly slipping her frankly non-existent top up further.

…Was there ever any doubt?

I flick her on the nose.

"NYA!?" she quickly moved to cover her clearly very hurt nose, "Nori-kun~! Wwwhhyy!?" she whines out.

I slowly put a finger under her chin, and looked her right in the eyes, "Because I'd get your body anyway, pet." I mutter huskily. "I already own you, remember?"

I grin, watching her shiver and nod slowly in place, before deciding to turn down the horny - for my poor kitty's sake - and speak much more softly.

"Horny aside," I begin, "I wasn't actually about to ask you for anything." at her eyes quickly widening, I continue, "Recall, I invited you here, after what happened with your shack-"

"House!" she piped up.

I stare at her, dully, for a second before continuing.

"House. After what happened to your house," she nods, "I'm not gonna make you pay me anything, alright? Hell," I chuckle, "this is supposed to be my way of paying you back, remember?"

Kuroka blinks for a second, then she realizes and suddenly she's chuckling to herself, "Oh yeah! Nya ha ha~!"

Ah, that's a much more real laugh than before.

"But!" I suddenly interject, causing her to pause, "If you truly do wish to pay me back? Well." I pat her on the head, "You do remember that time we talked about your training, right?" I wave around to the dojo, "Might be a good time to look into that, no?"

Kuroka stared up at me, dumbfounded. "I'll…looking into it, nya?" she said slowly.

I nodded at her and gave a light chuckle.

That's good enough for now, I think. Trying to force her into anything wouldn't work.

If she's going to make any progress, she needs to be the one to push for it, herself.

"Good girl~!" I suddenly start scratching behind her ears, my light chuckle turning into a hearty laugh as she bats at my hand and mewls in protest.

"Ghaa!? Nori-kun! Stop it! What's this even for, nya!?'

I shrug, "Because I felt like it, your ears are soft, and I know you like it?"

Kuroka pouted, looked away, and refused to answer.

With a smile, I pick up my sword and point it in the direction of the exit.

"Well, come along kitty! I owe you an explanation, and I gotta go soon. Let's get that all over with, yeah?"

Kuroka, still pouting, harrumphs as she heads out, prompting me to chuckle as I watch her go.

Before I follow, I take one last look around the dojo, finding the now picture-less sword stand.

I thought it would be kind of weird to have a picture of my dad watching me do stuff, and all…that…with Kuroka, I knew was going to happen here.

So, I moved it inside. Gave him a proper household shrine before I started my routine last night.

I wonder if Uzume found it yet? She passed out on me last night as well.

Hmm. Well, if she has, I'm sure she liked it, at least!

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

With a low hum, and a slight smile on my lips, I grace the streets of Kuoh Town by blazing down them on a motorcycle.

Yup. I'm pulling a Kirito, and am gonna hit up Kuoh Academy via motorcycle.

Only way this could piss off Sona more is if I wore my yukata as well.

Sadge I can't though, damn things are hella comfy. Nice and thin, yet soft, easy to breathe in the works.

I love my hoodie and shorts, don't get me wrong, but I'd much rather live my likely very long life henceforth in the most comfortable way possible.

Only problem is that yukata are technically, well, traditionally bathrobes. So I can't wear them everywhere.

Omega sadge.

At least I can still wear them at festivals and such without getting weird looks.

With a content sigh, I take pleasure in the wind whipping through my hair, completely ignoring some strange looks I get from people walking about or in other cars.

Turns out, motorcycles were pretty popular with gangs and such back in the day. Who'd have thought?

Not like I care though. This feels good.

Just gonna ignore everything else I got going on.

Like, what am I supposed to do with my life now? How do I deal with all the shit at Kuoh? Should I even?

Also, my Dad may or may not be related to the fucking Japanese Imperial House, if his name and context clues from Uzume are anything go by.

Do I even wanna think about shit like that right now? Should I even? Is any of this possibly important to me specifically!?

Suddenly I find myself slamming on the brakes as the light before me turns red, and I come to a sudden stop that nearly flips me off my vehicle.

With an annoyed grunt, I slam my head down onto the steering handles.

This isn't like you, Nori. Chill.

Let's just take one thing at a time.

The light turns green, and I drive off, much slower than before.

The breeze whipping through my hair now isn't nearly as intense, but it gives me time to think.

Kuoh. Why would I go there? Obviously, it's because the plot happens there, all of the main characters are there.

Do I care about the plot or characters?

…Not really, no.

I like Rias, she's a dweeb, I'd love to make friends with her!

And no. Not to fuck her or add her to a harem or anything.

Which, let's be real here me, it's gonna happen eventually, the harem thing.

It's inevitable in this world. Suck it up. Prepare for it.

But as for Rias, adding her to a harem is a terrible fucking idea. I remember how she acted with Issei on that.

Despite knowing about his dream, and seemingly supporting it, she still got extremely petty and jealous with him about it.

Not touching that with a thirty-foot pole, no thank you.

Speaking of Issei. What do I think about him?

Eh. Unless he starts perving on any of my girls, I couldn't care less about him.

I won't go out of my way to kill him, yoink his Sacred Gear - like I'd know how without that ritual Raynare used on Asia - or other such nonsense with him.

Mostly because I don't think killing a kid is a valid solution to anything.

Also, the easiest way to remove Issei from the board is to just kill the Fallen before they kill him.

Assuming you're not in some sort of evil manipulative Rias world or some shit.

Which, side note, I need to do that. And Diodora.

Although, I would rather not take Asia in myself.

She'd latch onto me like a lost puppy, and likely form romantic interest out of nowhere because, well, Asia.

And I just wouldn't be able to reciprocate those feelings, I think.

Still, no one deserves that fate. And Diodora deserves to be burned alive.

Koneko is a given, I have to care about her for Kuroka. It helps that I do like her, she was a savage in the English dubs of the anime.

Gasper? Eh. Fem boy Dio.

Yuuto? Eh. Edgy sword bro? Maybe. Unlikely though.

Akeno? Cringe. Her Fallen hate boner makes no sense, she's got some fucked S/M tendencies, and if I recall correctly? She's got a thing for cucking men away from their wives.

Won't be touching that with a sixty-foot pole.

As for Sona? I don't hate her or anything, but her extreme strictness puts me off a good bit.

I don't even remember anything about her Peerage, sans Genshiro, who I don't care about.

Huh. And as for the plot, I'd rather not Kokabiel blow up the town and start a second Great War in my backyard, but besides that?

Rias and her marriage to Riser won't happen early if she doesn't get Issei and Asia in her Peerage.

Killing the Fallen annuls the entire plot before that, and shit like the Young Devils Gathering isn't my business.

Cough. Sai should have won that. Cough.

Ugh. Sorry about that. Had to clear my mental throat.

But, huh? So that's it, then?

The only real reason I would go to Kuoh is for Rias and Koneko. That's…not much, is it?

And actually, now that I think about it? If part of my plan works, I won't even need to go to Kuoh for Koneko.

Just Rias.

Is just Rias worth it though?

Hmm.

I could send a clone. Like, Shadow Clone, to school for me.

Although I'd have to rush chakra control training, could I advance enough to make a single shadow clone in a week?

Yeah. Yeah I think I could.

Hold up.

Doesn't that make, like, my entire stressing over this situation pointless?

…Fuck.

With that sobering thought, I finally pulled up to Kuoh Academy, a dead look in my eyes.

There isn't a place to park, I just kind of haphazardly park next to the bike rack outside the walls and chain it up there.

Then, I slam my head against said wall and groan in frustration.

"What did I say, Nori!?" I scolded, well, myself. "You just need to chill a bit! Think, Nori, think!"

I blink in confusion as an 'ahem' sound comes not too far to my right.

Slowly standing up straight, I turn to look at the source.

Ah. Joy. Already at the gates waiting for me, huh?

"Shitori-san," I give a small bow, and a tired smile, "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Kusanagi-san," the bespeckled girl replied in kind, nodding back to me stiffly, "I see you finally decided to come on time, hmm?"

Ah, that's a tad cold don't you think?

"I had to call ahead of time for this," I raise my head back up and level an easy smile at her, "of course I wouldn't be late. Especially not with this bad boy!" I pat the motorcycle like I would a pet. Or Kuroka.

Sona's eyes drift to it, and I withhold smirking at the slight tightening of her brow.

"I can see that." she states dryly, though impressively her neutral expression doesn't shift at all.

With a single arm, she opens the gate slightly - making a show of putting some effort into it despite her likely being able to do it with ease - and waves me on in.

"Come along, Kusanagi-san," she huffs, "can't keep putting this off forever."

I nod sheepishly, "Right, right," and enter, helping her close the gate behind us, "I respectfully apologize for my lateness in following up on my assigned pick-up dates, it won't happen again." I softly apologize.

She gives a slight nod in thanks, and looks at me sternly, "See that it doesn't happen during school hours proper, yes Kusanagi-san?"

"Hai, Shitori-san." I acknowledge. After another nod, she starts walking off, with me following close behind her.

You know. I didn't like that. Speaking softly, meekly, bowing to another authority.

From my memories, that's how I was before the mountain. Before the Stray Devil, and Kuroka.

So, correction, I hated that. I have pride now, damn it!

But I don't want to intentionally antagonize Sona.

Okay. Maybe I wanna bully her a bit, but not make an enemy out of her.

Hnggghh. I wonder how long all of this is going to take?

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

"Nyah hah hah~..." the lazy cat girl lay sprawled out on the couch, playing games on an emulator, humming jollily to herself.

Kuroka has been having a great time so far.

Granted, it's only been about a day, but getting pounded into a mattress for the first time, and laying around after that is, at least by Kuroka's definition?

A really good time.

Disregarding the small windows of time she had to do anything else, of course.

Like beat Nori up earlier, and put a spell on him to mask his scent for a bit.

None of that counted, though.

Neither did the fact that she was right next to Kuoh Town.

Where her sister is.

Where Shirone is.

Nope! None of that mattered! Nor does the lying, the fact that Nori knows she's lying and doesn't seem to mind.

Nah! Nope! Everything's peachy!

Kuroka stopped humming a tune and stopped playing games.

Whenever you're ready, you can tell me, alright?

Kuroka let out a small little whine, flipped onto her stomach, and dug her face into the couch.

Years. She's spent years as a criminal terrorist. She's spent even longer letting her sister believe she went insane on power and killed her King for shits and giggles!

Why? Oh, why did she think that was a good fucking idea!? It wouldn't have been hard to just tell Shirone the bastard was going to experiment on her too!

Ah. That's right. She did it because she heard about his plans, had a knee-jerk reaction without thinking, and ran with the whole mentally insane angle.

But…at least Shirone is safe. That's what matters.

And with that thought, Kuroka's mind can rest at ease.

"So. When are you gonna tell him?"

Nevermind.

"NYA!?" Kuroka squealed and fell off the couch, flailing wildly. Looking up, behind the couch, she finds the source of the intruding voice.

A smug purple-haired woman in a maid outfit? Ah, this must be the Uzume that Nori was talking about!

"You know!" Kuroka huffed, and crawled back onto the couch, "For a glorified party Goddess turned maid, you look far too smug right now, nya!" Kuroka pointed at her.

Uzume grimaced, her admittedly very smug look dropping.

"Don't remind me," she huffed, "but hey? At least I'm not a glorified sex doll."

Kuroka narrowed her eyes, "At least I'm getting sex."

For a good, long moment, the two stared each other down.

Uzume sighed through gritted teeth, "Touche. Cat. Touche."

"Nyahaha~!!" Kuroka threw up her arms and chortles in victory.

Uzume's eyebrow twitched, watching the cat, before she suddenly spoke up, causing her to sit still once more.

"You still haven't answered me, SS-Class Devil Kuroka," something glimmered in Uzume's eyes, that made every single hair on the back of Kuroka's neck stand on end, "well? I'm waiting."

Kuroka stifled the intense urge her flight or fight response was sending her to flee, and sighed, "I was just thinking about that, you know?" Kuroka gave a dry chuckle, "Generally speaking, telling someone you're a criminal after sex isn't a good idea, nya!"

"Really?" Uzume raised an eyebrow, "Seems like just the type of thing you usually would do?"

Kuroka levels a dry glare at her. "You've thrown too many parties, nya."

Uzume levels a challenging stare right back. "And you haven't been to enough parties, kitty."

Kuroka waves her off, "Regardless, it isn't that simple-"

Uzume snorts at that, "No no. It is," she interrupts her, "you're just scared about how he'll react, right?"

At Kuroka's scathing glare, Uzume took that as affirmation and continued.

"Trust me when I say, kitty, he won't care. Hell," Uzume sits down next to her, leaning against a broom she's holding. "I don't particularly care either. Well, now at least."

Kuroka blinked. "Nya?"

"Yup!" Uzume nodded, "You may not know this, but generally speaking, the Underworld and Devils? Not well-liked. Not by me, not by the other Kami, and I'm sure Nori will think the same way once he gets a detailed explanation."

She waves towards Kuroka, "As for you, specifically, kitty? Well. We heard you killed your King, but that you went insane beforehand. But from what I see?" she looks her up and down, "Yeeaahh…I think that's a load of bullshit."

A beat passes, with Uzume looking towards the fridge.

"Actually. I take that back. Insane for food." Uzume corrects with a snort.

"Nyah!? I already said I was sorry!" Kuroka whines out.

Uzume chuckles lightly. "Yeah. You aren't insane on power or some other bullshit. I'll be honest, any enemies of the Devils?" she reaches into her cleavage, and pulls out two full-on cups of sake, "Are friends of mine!" she hands one to Kuroka, who just stares at it befuddled.

"How did you…?" Kuroka begins, but Uzume just waves her off.

"God domain stuff. Mostly. Anyways!" she holds out the cup, "Here's what I'm thinking! You tell me what's up with you, huh! Consider it as…practice! For telling Nori!"

Kuroka blinks, "That's rather, Uzume-san…"

"Just Uzume is fine, kitty." Uzume interjects.

Kuroka nods, "I guess I'll just ask then…why?" she looks at her, "Why do this for me, nya?"

Uzume hums, "Because if we're going to live under the same roof for Heaven knows how long, I'd rather not deal with stupid YA drama?"

Kuroka blinks. "Ah."

"Right? See, you're getting it!" Uzume nods, "But, ah, also…like I said before, about friends, and such? I wasn't kidding about that either."

"Friends, huh?" Kuroka said wistfully, "A bit much to call someone you just met that, yeah?"

"It's a bit much to get dicked down by a guy and ask him for kittens barely two weeks into knowing him, yeah?" Uzume replies in kind, with a small smirk.

Kuroka stared at her, for a long moment.

"Fair, nya, fair…" Kuroka eventually conceded.

"Besides," Uzume suddenly added, "if it'll make you feel better, I fully plan on getting black-out drunk while I still can. Especially while Nori's gone!"

Kuroka tilted her head at that. "Don't you have a job to do?"

Uzume chuckled mirthfully, "Oh, I'm already finished! All that I had to do recently was a whole bunch of dusting, and Nori isn't easy, but you?" she points to said cat, "Ehhhh…its been a day, and I already crave death." Uzume shrugs and says nonchalantly.

Kuroka looks mildly concerned, "Are you…I'm sorry?"

Uzume waves it off almost casually, "Eh. It happens. So!" she downs a whole cup in one gulp, "Woo! Tell me your story, girl!"

You know. Kuroka didn't think this would be how her first interaction with the woman, this Kami, would go.

But she'd say it worked out pretty well.

With a slight smile and sad chuckle, Kuroka draws a deep breath and unveils her story.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

"And this is the Gymnasium." Sona waved to the, admittedly rather large and impressive, gym.

"Ah, I see, I see…" I trail off, nodding stiffly in understanding.

Okay. So, I have to keep checking my internal clock to make sure this isn't taking the hours upon hours this feels like it is.

No shot. All this was supposed to be is me getting my uniform, books, and a quick tour.

That's it.

And the funny thing? That's all it has been so far! But it's all so…I don't know how to exactly describe it?

Painful would be one word I'd use.

I tried to do some small talk, but anything I got back from her was what I'd describe as professional, and to the point.

Like, watch!

"So, Shitori-san?" I begin as we walk away from the Gym, "I've been meaning to ask, but what is the Student Council Vice President doing giving a lone student so much attention?"

A legitimate question for a mundane person, although based on meta knowledge, I know it is likely related to her desire to open up her own school.

Somehow.

"It's part of my job, is all, Kusanagi-san." she replies simply.

"I…alright, Shitori-san." I acknowledge awkwardly.

See what I mean? She isn't being cold, or just a bitch, just professional and distant!

Or she's socially inept, but I doubt that considering she's a, you know, Devil.

Is she lowkey trying to make me awkward? Because it's working.

"Kusanagi-san," Sona begins slowly, looking over her shoulder slightly towards me, her eyes going specifically to the bag on my back, "do you practice Kendo?"

Ah? Finally asking me a question, huh? Fair enough assumption though, I am carrying around my sword in a kendo shinai bag.

"I suppose I do," I nod, "just recently started though. Going to hit up the Dojo after this."

Sona gives a curt nod, "I will inform you now, then. Although Kuoh does have a Kendo Club, they opted to remain an All Girls Club after our switch to co-ed," she continues, moving her head back to facing forwards, "if you wish to join such a club here, you'll have to start one yourself."

"Ah? What about a Dance Club?" I follow up, in a futile effort to keep the conversation going.

Sona doesn't even look at me, "Same as the Kendo Club." she states succinctly and says no more.

Fuck.

You know what? I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut now.

Just ride out the pain Nori, you got this!

Luckily, I did indeed have this.

Since I was attending as a Third Year, we didn't have to go all the way over and check out the college campus, nor any of the primary school buildings, just the ones I'd use as a Third Year.

Thank. Fuck.

On the way to our last destination, the Student Council office, I waved and said hello to a few of the staff.

Nice people. Felt like I could hold a conversation with them if I wished!

Interestingly enough, I didn't see any of Sona's Peerage around. Hmm?

At the office, I was presented with a nicely folded-up boys' uniform, and my schedule for the year.

"That marks the end of your tour, Kusanagi-san," Sona bows to me, "I hope you enjoy your Third Year at Kuoh Academy."

"Ah," I now back, deeper of course, "thank you for showing me around, Shitori-san. I will be in your and the Student Council's care."

The whole thing with bowing tradition in Japan is one hell of a thing to parse through and seems like something Sona would be a stickler over.

"Please, raise your head Kusanagi-san." I do so, seeing her giving a small smile my way, a knowing small smile, "Please try not to be late during the actual school year, and I believe you will excel."

Oh. Oh, you little shit.

You're getting hella bullied.

"Hmm, hmm!" I pretend to preen at the praise, "Thank you, Shitori-san!" I say, and smile at her right back, "I'll be sure to give due warning and reason next time something happens, alright?"

And by that, I mean I'm gonna intentionally 'miss' a bunch of school, and give her the most bullshit and asinine reasons.

What is she gonna do? Call my parents? Snnrrkk!

And Japanese Schools don't kick people out unless under extreme circumstances, and missing school isn't a big enough reason! At least in Japan!

Of course, I actually will be there…well, my clone, which will just confuse her more.

Seemingly picking up my petty energy, Sona's smile tenses slightly,  "...see that you do, Kusanagi-san." she replies curtly.

I chuckle and pick up my things, "You have a good rest of the break, Shitori-san! See you during the Enrollment Ceremony!"

And with an easy wave, I walk off and out of there.

Honestly? I felt a lot better leaving than going in, which isn't the greatest start to my time here, but, eh.

At least I got another thing to do here fueled by petty spite. Always a plus in my book.

Now then! Let's see, I've got some shopping to do! Need to fill the fridge for three people, for one!

Well, two. I don't need to eat anymore.

Eh, actually? Does Uzume need to eat? I mean, she can get drunk, so I assume she can eat, but does she need to?

Eh. I'll get enough for four. Three for one in Kuroka, one for the maid.

Also need to get cellphones for the two, which would help in communicating with them over long distances.

After that, drop off the stuff, and head out into the forests and long plains around my place at night.

I did bring my sword out with me for a reason.

What with me being a monster beacon, I don't even really need to hunt them, just let them come to me!

And voila!

Easy mob farming.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 6 End

Well, that was an ominous line to end the chapter.

Honestly, I was walking a thin line writing Sona here.

Generally, fanfiction likes to present Sona as being overly strict, uncompromising, and cold to a nigh ludicrous degree, and while I agree she's a rules lawyer, I don't think she's that bad.

She was definitely fucking with Nori the whole time, though. Her way of trying to "punish" him, since there really is no official way to do so.

Coming up within a few chapters, I think we'll have a much bigger time skip coming up, something like a month or so, perhaps within the next few chapters, so I can really get the plot rolling.

A New Sun Chapter 5

Chapter 5

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

My home is located just outside Kuoh Town, technically making it a part of a different, and much larger, territory.

Though sparse in people, it more than makes up for in views, a classic Japanese countryside.

And my place was built to take full advantage of that.



Despite being a traditional Japanese-styled estate, or I suppose compound, what with multiple unused buildings around the main house, it still held plenty of modern amenities.

All insisted upon by my Father, who I inherited the place from.

It shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that besides this house also came an absurd amount of money.

Enough that I'm set for life, one or another.

In the end, it's just one of the many reasons I'm sitting in a kitchen chair, glaring down at a kneeling Uzui– Uzume, who refuses to meet my gaze.

This girl is so lucky I don't throw her out right now, she can't even begin to comprehend it.

After she finally stopped crying earlier, she got her shit together enough to teleport us all straight here.

Last I checked on Kuroka, she had claimed my big bed in my room as her own in her Youkai form, that being a black cat with a forked tail.

She was looking forward to some rest after whatever went down with her the past week and a half.

Figured I'd get answers out of her later, so I let her rest, she kind of earned it after all.

Besides, I had other things to do.

Like listening to Uzui–, Ugh...Uzume,  blubber on for a whole…how long has it been?

3 hours. Fucking hell.

She told me what was up, who she actually is, how I ended up on top of that mountain, the whole works.

A lot to process. Let's start with something simple!

"So. Just to clarify." I suddenly start, keeping my tone decidedly neutral, causing her to perk up, "I applied for Kuoh Academy around 2 or so weeks ago, managed to get in, and you took me out drinking to celebrate. I got smashed on sake made by the Inari Okami so hard, I lost my memories temporarily?"

Uzume slowly nodded.

I whistle, "Damn. And drunk me challenged you to a drinking contest that left you so smashed, you didn't wake for a few days?"

Uzume nodded once more, even slower, and a bit shamefully.

"Well shit." I snorted, "Drunk me sounds hardcore…"

"I know right!?" Uzume suddenly popped up, "I tried to tell Ama that! But she…Ah." her eyes met my glare, and she slowly shrunk back down, "Sorry…"

I huff, leaning back in my chair.

My memories haven't fully come back yet, but I get the feeling everything she's told me is true.

Which, if it is, I have to wonder…

Why in the hell would I want to go to Kuoh when I'm rich?

The answer supplied itself quickly enough, just based on the sheer uneventful and lonely childhood I had.

Friends. That's it.

From what I can gather, I was already ousted from the schools I normally went to due to my antisocial nature and 'strange' hobbies.

Although Japan has an entire section of dance and theater purely for males, I guess it was still niche enough that I wasn't a part of the collective.

Fucking Japanese schooling system.

Regardless, I think I saw Kuoh as a chance to 'start over' that part of my life, the idea of it being a former all-girls school likely helping to push that idea along.

Though, with what I know now about the school now, do I really want or need to go there?

Hmm. I don't know? Maybe I should ask the fucking stack of letters from the school, sitting on the kitchen table behind me.

One is from the School Headmaster, sending me my school supplies list and time to pick up my uniform.

The rest? All from one Souna Shitori, the current Vice President of the Kuoh Academy Student Council, all of which I assume to be about me missing said time.

At least that nugget of info told me where I am in the timeline. Just before Rias and Sona's third year, a few months before Ray Ray shanks Issei with a light shiv, to be precise. I was meant to be joining them that year, but now?

I'm not sure.

Ugh. Fuck it. I'll come back to that mess later.

First, though.

"What am I going to do with you, Uzume?" I sigh, and she flinches. "Look. I'll be frank. You ruined my childhood, or what I can remember of it so far. You weren't so much of a guardian as you were the reason I taught myself to cook, clean, and take care of myself." I watch as her eyes widen like saucers, and quiver a little.

"On one end? I'm fairly self-sufficient now. On the other?" I snort derisively, "I couldn't interact with people because I didn't know how, and on top of that, my hobbies were 'weird', and thus I had no social life. I was alone…" I trail off, tiredly.

Honestly? When it comes to Uzume? At this point, I'm not even mad anymore.

Just tired, and a little annoyed.

My inherited memories from my old life flushed out my social inexperience, so really? I'm mostly fine now.

Though it might honestly be better to say I just don't care about any of that anymore.

I jerk from my thoughts as something soft impacts my legs and wraps around them.

Looking down, I found the purple-haired kami wrapped around my legs, snuggling them, tears rolling down her face.

"I-I'm sorry, Noriaki-san~!" I raise my eyebrow at the honorific, but otherwise, just watch as she goes on, "I-I didn't mean to do anything like that! I! I just…!"

"Suck at raising kids?" I try.

"Yeah! That!" she nods frantically in agreement.

Well. It's nice to know she wasn't intentionally malicious. Still…

"Doesn't change the fact that you tried and failed." I nail in.

She just looks down in shame, "I-I know…I…" she bites her lip. "I want to make it up to you."

Oh?

"Really, now?" I mumble dryly, "And how do you plan on doing that?"

If you say anything related to serving me, especially sexually, I swear-

She stands up and drops her kimono to the floor, a blush spreading across her face as she does.



And now, she's suddenly completely nude.

…Son of a bitch. Fucking DxD, man.

"I…can't bring back the time I lost you in your life. But, maybe I can help make the rest of your life less lonely, and more pleasurable~?" she murmurs, with just enough hotness to it to make me shiver.

"Are you…basically offering to become my maid? For the rest of my life?" I very clearly meet her eyes, and continue the contact, making damn sure not to check her out.

She giggles, and slowly kneels before me once more, her hands traveling up the length of my legs, rubbing them softly. "Concubine works too…so does slave, if you're into that? Whatever you want me to be, I'll do it, just say the word~...?"

I click my tongue, and despite myself, I find my pants getting rapidly tighter and tighter.

Needing to buy time to think, I pull from my knowledge of Shinto Mythology and throw one last thing at her.

"Aren't you married, though?" I breathe out through gritted teeth.

She smiles up at me, "Ah? That man? He has a harem, and he's agreed to let me be a bit more…free, because of that." she chuckled suddenly, "I'm also Ama, your mother's, consort…fuck buddy…maid…basically what I just offered to be for you?" she stops for a second, and blinks.

"You know, she…she trusted me with you…and I…" she grimaced, I could see the pained and guilt-ridden expression breaking through on her face being smashed back by a quickly growing sultry one.

"I want to make it up to you~...before she can tell me what to do, I want to take that responsibility into my own hands~..." she looks me right in the eyes, finally, "Please~?"

You know?

I'm not a man to be led around by my dick. I have more pride than that.

But Kuroka has made me around a week and a half backed up.

And Uzume, despite being an actual trash guardian, is hot.

As a Goddess, it's only natural.

I want to fuck her. I'll admit that. Anyone saying they could be the 'bigger man' and not be even the slightest bit tempted has the testosterone levels of a fucking tree branch.

But I want to punish her, as well.

If I bend her over the kitchen table and fuck her silly, that doesn't feel like a punishment, as presumably, she likes sex.

Sure, I'd get to fill her womb with my seed, and it'd feel hella good. But that's all it would be.

The pettiness inside me demands justice. Some kind of justice. Justice that only I dispense, not my mother.

I want to fuck her, sure.

But I have a really hot cat girl that deserves my seed more upstairs.

That doesn't mean I can't fuck with her, first.

I suddenly stand up, causing Uzume to yelp and fall back in surprise.

In the next moment, just as she had done just a bit ago, I dropped my clothes, or what was left of them after my fight over the night.

My member, so close to fully erect it might as well be, slaps her right in the face.

"Ahh~!?" she flinches at the strike, half surprised, half incredulous. Then she takes a look at my rod and stares. "Big~..." she gasps hotly, and I see the moment sheer lust fully enters her eyes.

I roughly grab her hair, lifting her back up to her feet.

She whines as I do, but gives an even greater moan when I reach around to deliver a meaty spank upon her reer.

"Fine, I accept." I mutter huskily, straight into her ear, grinning darkly as I feel her shiver at my voice.

I promptly sit back down once more, bringing her upper body down atop my lower, so my cock is once again right in front of her face.

"Your first task~? Get me ready~." I don't even need to say more, the sheer lust flowing from my voice is all the explanation she needs.

"As you command, Goshujin-sama~..." she moans out, I shiver slightly at her addressing me as 'Master', and watch as she wraps her hands around her breasts and brings them around to envelope the whole of my manhood in soft bouncy flesh.



I grunt, as she slowly begins bouncing her bust on my rod, slowly at first, but very quickly picking up speed as she gets used to my length.

She stares into my eyes, filled with desire, as she sticks out her tongue and begins gently lapping at my exposed tip.

"Mmm~..." I grunt lowly, "I should have had you do this years ago~..." I brush strands of hair outs her eyes, as she shoots a sultry smile up at me.

"I wish you did~..." she replies hotly back, "I could have started serving my sentence sooner~..." with that, she goes back down on my wood, enveloping the tip within her lips.

I groan slightly longer, as I feel her tongue twirl around my tip, with my shaft being massaged by her bouncing bust in turn.

It almost makes me cum on the spot.

Almost.

"Well~" I mumble darkly, "there's always the present~..." I sat up, though not enough to dislodge Usume from her work. "Dorei-chan~..." I feel her shiver at me basically calling her a sex slave. "Be a dear for me and go bend over that table over there for me, alright~?" I wave to the table in question.

"H~Hai, Goshujin-sama~..." she gets off my manhood, reluctantly, I can tell, and walks over to do exactly that.

She puts her hands on the table and bends over with an arch to her back.

As I approach, she gives her plump ass a nice little shake. "T~This~...Dorei~," she quivers with a lewd smile at calling herself that, "is here for Goshujin-sama's pleasure~..."

Good god, you have no idea how much that makes me want to fuck you into the ground.

But! I'm not here to please you, my sweet little Dorei-chan ~...

When I approach her, I slap her straight across the ass, "Only for your Goshujin-sama~?"

She moans and nods eagerly. "Y~Yes~! Only for you~! From now on~!"

Good.

With that, I don't hit my entire length inside of her, like every fiber of my male hormones is telling me to do, instead, I jam three of my largest and longest fingers inside of her.

All at once.

Not the same as my nice large dick, but well…

"Ahhnnmmm~!!!" I feel her quiver around my fingers as she moans, loudly, grasping for breath.

Which I don't give her, as I start moving. Rapidly.

I twist and spin my fingers around inside her with each push deep into her folds, not aiming for quality, but sheer overwhelming stimulation.

"W~Wait~!! Maahh~!! Goshujin-sama~!" another push in, another breathless gasp and moan, "M~Maaahh~!! P~Pleaase~!! I can't, hnnghh~!!!" again, "H~Hahh~! Staahpp~!!" again, "Noriaki Goshujin-sama~!!!" and again, and so on.

I only stop, just as I start to feel her folds tighten, the start of a tension building for her climax.

And I don't just stop, I rip it away.

Pulling my fingers out quickly as soon as I feel it start to take hold, I let her gasp out a shocked moan as my fingers leave her entrance, and watch amused as she slowly slides down and slumps to the floor.

She heaves out quivering gasps for air, her body shaking in I realized release.

"Y~You…You…Goshujin-sama…w-why?" she whines out, and I answer fairly simply.

By walking up to her, grabbing her hair, and putting her face right up against my throbbing hot rod.

I smile darkly, watching as she breathes hotly against my shaft, nearly forgetting about her denied climax.

Until I remind her.

"Because you don't deserve this yet." I pulled her head harder against my shaft, "This shall be your punishment, my beautiful little Dorei~!" I feel her shiver, likely in both pleasure and horror as she slowly realizes what I'm saying.

"I won't take you~...my cock won't part your walls, and I won't fill your womb with my seed~..." her eyes slowly start to widen up at me, "Oh sure, I may use your tits or mouth for my release~, but don't expect me to bring you to release myself~!" I chuckle deeply and boop her on the nose, before suddenly pulling back, leaving her to drop to the floor completely with a whining yelp.

"I…y~you~! Noriaki~! That's cruel!" she whines.

"It's Goshujin-sama to you, remember?" she shivers at just how softly I say that, "Don't worry! It's not like I won't ever give a try at breeding you!" she shivers even more at how casually I state that, "Let's see…prepare for, maybe in another 2 decades or so?"

I smirk evilly, as her eyes widen to sheer comical levels, "For every year you took from me, I'll deny you release." I lay out plainly. "Now, I won't stop you from achieving release yourself, but let's be real here~..." I put a lone finger under her chin, and lift her head slightly as I look down in her eyes. "...it just won't be the same, will it?"

And with that, I remove my finger and start walking away.

Uzume just stares at my back, dumbly for a second.

"W~Wait!" she suddenly calls out, "What are you d~doing~!?"

I don't turn back to her, or even stop. "Going to pay a certain kitty who deserves something far more than you do! Feel free to watch, just make sure not to get yourself caught, hmm~?"

My smirk widens into a grin as I hear her choked confused gasp turn into a whining sputter for…something or other, I stopped paying attention.

Ah...this is going to be fun~!

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

I enter my room, to find a very familiar sight greeting me on my bed.

Why hello there~...

Despite the deadpan she sent me the moment I walked in, she was already blushing.

It got worse once she saw I was as naked as the day I was born.

"I thought you had forgotten about me up here," she mumbles softly, her eyes seeming unable to move off my manhood, "you two weren't exactly quiet down there, you know~? Nya~!?"

She yelped when I dived onto the bed next to her.

Ah. Big bed.

I casually wrap an arm around my kitty, pulling her soft nude body against my bare side.

Perfect.

"Ah? You mean with Uzume?" I feel her eyes suddenly widen against me.

Oh yeah, she wasn't there for the ted talk, huh?

"Yeah, that Uzume." I grumble, "I'll…explain everything to you tomorrow. For now, just know that she's my maid from now on and that I didn't fuck her…quite the opposite in fact."

Kuroda blinked. "Eh? Then those noises downstairs?"

I chuckle, giving her a devilish smirk. "Punishment. I fingered her to the edge, then pulled out. Came up here to do you instead, and she won't be feeling anything inside her for a little under two decades…"

Kuroka blanched at that, "That's…Nori-kun, that's cruel, nya~..."

Then why are you shivering and holding onto me tighter, huh?

"Hmm. You seem to be into that, though~?" suddenly, I turn, pushing her onto her back, with me right on top of her.

My hand comes down, right next to her head, and I stare down into her eyes.

"Maybe~...I should give you the same treatment, hmm~?" I mumbled deeply.

"Nya~!? That's not what I! Nori-kun~! It's cold! You're warm~!" she stifles a gasp, subduing her whining as she feels my other hand travel down her stomach, to her thighs, before finding her somewhat wet entrance.

"Right~," I huff out, amused, "like you weren't keeping yourself warm before I got here~..."

I slowly trace the boundaries of her entrance, staring her deep in the eyes as I do, watching with mirth as the lust and desire slowly builds up with them.

"You know," I hum out nonchalantly, "I don't have any condoms~..."

Kuroka hisses a bit at that, "So~!? I want kittens, nya~!"

I chuckle, going down to place small kisses at her neck and collar, smiling at every shiver and poorly kept mewl and soft moan she lets out, before slowly going up to her ear and whispering.

"You and I both aren't ready to be parents yet, you know that…" I trail off, leaving the mention of our obvious unresolved personal issues unspoken.

Also, the fact that lust does not make a relationship.

If I'm gonna be a Daddy, I sure as hell am going to be there to raise my kids, and I'd like to love my kid's mother and have a proper relationship beyond just sex.

After a beat, I feel Kuroka wrap her arms around my head and sigh.

"I know," she whines sadly, "but being a Devil…well, lets just say it might take a while, alright~? We have extremely low fertility~..."

I chuckle, causing her to look at me slightly in confusion.

"Then, how about we call this…" I whisper huskily, directly into her ear, "breeding training~..."

She stills the moment the words leave my mouth, letting out a low, hot moan shortly after…

As my longest finger, my middle finger, finds purchase and enters her tight folds.

"Don't worry, though~..." I continue through a small smile, "as I am a most generous trainer, and this is your first session…I'll make sure you're ready for me~..." Kuroka gives a near-sputtering lewd gasp as I lay a gentle lick across her ear, and begin to slowly and steadily finger her quivering quim.

"And, don't worry~!" I say just as cheerfully as lustfully, "I'll be gentle." I lie. Straight through my teeth.

The way her folds suddenly tighten around my finger, and the way her eyes light up with sheer desire makes me think she enjoys that idea.

Without further adieu, I quickly increase the pace of my fingering.

Okay. I'll be truthful. I'm finger fucking her, if the way my hand slams against her entrance with loud wet slapping sounds.

"N~Nya~!? Nori-kun~!" she whines and moans, "Don't~! You~! Nnnghhh~!!"

I shut her up, by stretching her out further, having another of my fingers join the first in getting her nice and ready.

I hum as I do this, almost casually, smiling down lustfully at her as I go.

"You know~?" I suddenly began. "You can help me out too~!"

"N~Nyahh~!? How~...?" she moans in a lust-filled daze.

My smile widens. "Beg~." I answer simply, succinctly, huskily.

My smile becomes a grin as her eyes widen, and she loudly mewls lewdly, and dare I say, a tad bashfully?

"Beg for me to fuck you. Beg for me to do what no other man will do, and fill you up with my seed. Beg, and know I will do it when you ask~..."

I saw the moment, the moment sheer burning lust and desire enveloped and ignited in her eyes.

She pulls me down, so her mouth can easily go up to my ear.

Her next words were almost slurred with desire, the sheer heat coming off her breath made me shiver.

"N~Nori~kun~! P~Please fuck me~!! I~I've been waiting for so long~!! Please~ nya~!?"

I smile.

Yeah. I think she's ready now.

In the next moment, I move, pulling my fingers from her desperate folds and moving to place the tip of my member right up against her entrance.

I move forwards, my own legs pushing hers up into the air before settling back down over mine.

Mating Press.

I smirk down at Kuroka, whose body trembles, eyes filled with anticipation.

"P~Please, n~nya~?" Is all she says, with a lewd mewl tacked on right at the end.

I slam down into her, my rod easily sliding into her soaked passage, bottoming out into her shortly after.

"N~NYAHHH~!!!" my cat girl screams out in pleasure, and her insides mirror the action by locking my shaft in a vice grip, causing me to give a pleased low groan.

After a second or two of letting her adjust to the pleasure thrumming through her veins, I start moving again.

Not slowly, no. Just as 'promised' I started being the opposite of gentle.

I started pounding into her, roughly slamming down into her eager folds, causing the bed to harshly shake, over and over and over again.

"Ngghhyaahh~!!! Nori~!! Ghhaa~!! Kun~!!! Maaahhh~!!!"

Besides her desperate, heat-filled moans, the only other sounds to fill my room were the rough sounds of flesh slapping together and my poor bed ready to fall apart.

Looking down at her face now? With her mouth wide open, her tongue hanging out, and the literal hentai hearts in her eyes.

Only made me go harder.

"MMNNNGHH~!!!" suddenly, her arms and legs wrapped around my body held me tight.

Her walls clamped down on my shaft, and I nearly came with her as her climax exploded.

Her entire body started vibrating and shaking profusely, as the hottest, lewdest moan I ever heard went right into my ear.

"Nyyaaahhh~...N~Nori~, kun~..."

I shiver and let out a deep groan, "Fucking hell, Kuroka~..."

"Nya~!" she gives me a dazed, sultry cheshire grin, and goes up to slowly lick my neck. "Where's my seed, Nori~kun~...I want it~...give it all to me~..."

Say no more.

I promptly continue right where I left off, pistoning into her, but this time with a different goal in mind.

Filling her up.

"NYAAAHH~!? That's it~!!! Right there~!! Mmmmm~!! Fill up your pet~!! Fill her up~!!!" she begs and moans, straight into my ear.

I pin her down on the bed, pushing her into the mattress as I hilt myself completely inside her, and gave her everything she begged for.

She clings onto me, giving a loud lewd cry in time with the several long seconds it took for me to empty every drop of seed I had deep inside of her.

"A~Aaahhn~...Nori~kun~..." she gives my neck and chest several lewd kisses and small licks, seemingly in a pleasure-filled daze.

"F~Fuck~..." I huff out. "Kuroka~?

She just continues kissing and licking my chest and neck, hell, she's purring now? And rubbing up against me?

Admittedly, it does feel good. But…

"Kuroka~...Pet." I say a little more sternly, smiling with glee as she perks up.

"Nori~kun~? Nya~?" she slurs, looking up at me and tilting her head to the side.

I look her right back in the eyes.

My next words cause her to still entirely.

"I'm not done with you yet," I grumble huskily, "let's flip you over, on your stomach, hmm~?"

I sit up, pulling her up by her shoulders as I go, her eyes glazed over with lust, yet mounting with confusion rapidly.

It's only when I actually flip her over onto her stomach does she give a somewhat coherent, yet confused mewl.

"H-How are you still- NYA~!?"

I cut her off, by putting my still very hard member right between her cheeks.

As it would turn out, breathing techniques that energize my entire body with oxygen gets the blood flowing.

Everywhere.

Not too sure if I have any seed left in the tank, but there's only one way to find out, right?

"Y~You~...? Nori~kun~! Answer me-"

My answer comes in the form of me pushing down and into her still very wet folds!

"NYAH~!? W~Wait~!! Nori~kun~!! Not like that~!! I'm still not~!!! Maaahh~!!!"

What was it that I said I was going to do to her way back when we first meant, hmm?

It had something to do with fucking her senseless, making her stop thinking about dragons, all that jazz, right?

Time to make full due on that promise.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Several hours later, it's now the middle of the night.

I walk now down a small path on my estate, heading towards a particular building that, from my memories so far, shouldn't exist.

Only reason I saw it was because, after our sex-a-thon, I decided to take a nice long look out my window and noticed it.

Ah! By the way, I left Kuroka in a sex coma in my bed. Fun times.

Didn't get to try everything on her, and it turns out that although I can keep a rock solid hard-on basically forever, my sperm bank is indeed limited.

Sadge.

Even during our breaks - she did have to eat after all - I played with her, teased her.

Me thinks she's learned her lesson about being a little tease, but my rational mind calls bullshit on that.

We'll see about that.

Anyhow, a strange building that just seemed to have…appeared, on my estate. What's up with that, hmm?

Taking the path that avoids the moonlight the most makes this little trip take longer.

Ugh…that's another thing I need to look into, huh? This almost built-in hatred for the moon and night.

I don't like being predisposed to bullshit like this. I'll have to ask my mother about that when I get the chance.

Regardless, I made it to the building, a large rectangular building built in the same style as the other buildings amidst the estate, traditional Japanese.

As soon as I approach the sliding door, I feel something like…my entire body passing through a soap bubble? Or maybe a liquid plastic film?

I blink. A barrier of some kind? Is that why I couldn't see it before?

What changed then? Is it because I now have powers?

I shake off those thoughts for now. Just another thing to check in later about. Another thing added to my plate of bullshit I needed to sort through.

With that joyous thought in my head, I pulled open the door.

To reveal…a dojo?



Sheathed in darkness, lit only by candles this late at night, huh? Still, it looks rather nice…

I still, my blood turning ice cold as a thought breaks into my mind.

Who the hell lit all these candles?

"Ah, Goshujin-sama!" Oh for fucks sake. I recognize that voice.

I turn, finding Uzume standing there holding a lit candle, the most polite smile on her face I've ever seen.

She's…also wearing a maid outfit.



Nice.

Still. Kind of ruins the whole mood this place gives though, doesn't it?

"Ah, Uzui-chan!" I clap and smile right back, relishing in the confused blink she gave me at my impromptu name switch. "You have fun earlier today?"

Her polite smile twitches.

My smile turns into a smirk.

According to Kuroka, she was watching but had tapped out at one point or another.

Poor girl. At least she didn't leave any trace of a mess around?

Good maid! I'll give her head pats later as a reward!

Ah, shit. Okay, Nori! You're doing it again! Focus! On secret dojo! For now!

I cough into my hand, my smirk dropping as I look about the place.

"So," I start, a tad awkwardly, "what's up with this place?"

Uzume blinks at my awful attempt to change the conversation but takes it regardless.

"This is a Dojo your Father had built so he could train in peace," she explains, whilst walking to place another candle down, "you're here because you never saw this place before, correct?" I nod, and she continues.

"Your Father had a few of his friends from the Bureau of Onmyo put up barriers around the place, to hide it from the mundane world. Now that you have powers, well..." She waves nonchalantly around the place.

Okay. The only bit I got was the first and last bit.

I don't know much of anything about my Dad. Only his name, Kunihito, and that only came from a very drunk Uzume talking about how much she misses him.

Besides that? I got nothing. So, he was a fighter of some kind? Had connections to some Bureau?

"You lost me." I outright state, causing her to flinch and look directly at me. "I mean, why did Dad need any of this? And a Bureau? Like, you never told me anything about him, so I don't…" I trail off, my eyes slowly widening, as I look at Uzume.

Quietly crying, tears gently streaming down her face, as she stares at me with this dreadful expression across her face.

It's like someone mixed grief, horror, guilt, bitterness, and anger in a pot, and drank the whole damn thing in one gulp.

"Uzume?" I step towards her, raising a hand, "Are you okay…?"

She nods shakily, "I…" she takes a labored breath, and shoo's my hand away when it gets close, "No. No I'm not actually." she states through gritted teeth, "I had forgotten that, you didn't really…know anything about your Dad."

Tears still streaming down her face, she glances up towards the sky. "Fuck it. Ama can't hear us now, anyways. You deserve to know."

I blink at that. "Huh?"

Before I could ask for more, she turns and walks away.

"Follow along, Akaruihiruotoko." she more so orders, then asks.

"That name again, huh?" I mumble, seeing the moment for how serious it was, I follow along behind her without a complaint.

As she leads me through the long wooden halls around the Dojo, she suddenly begins.

"You have three names, Akaruihiruotoko, the Kami name Ama picked for you. Norihito, the human name your Father picked for you, and…" she chuckles good-naturedly, "Noriaki, the compromise name I came up with when your parents couldn't decide!"

"Don't they…all just mean variations of the same thing, though?" I ask, confused.

"Yup!" Uzume agrees, amused. "It's…a tad bit complicated, but let's just say that neither of your parents wanted what the other wanted for your life," she shakes her head, "let's not go into that, though, for now. I want to tell you about your father."

Eventually, we make it to a wide-open indoor space, shaped like a long rectangle.

At the very end of the space? A katana stand, holding, well…a katana!



And in front of it? A small picture frame, holding the visage of a man…

Dad?

I didn't realize I had walked straight up to the stand and picture until I was already in front of it.

The man in the picture…didn't look much like me, I'll admit. I think I got basically everything from my mother.

Uzume, who stood off to the side of it, smiled slightly as I kneeled before it.

Regardless, it is still my father. Shame I don't have any incense around to light.

"I won't give your father's entire life story," she began, "you've been hit with enough new stuff lately already, and it's not like I won't have plenty of time now to tell you more later."

She waves toward the weapon. "This Odachi, it was a gift from your mother to your father when they first met." I trace a finger down the charcoal-black blade, absolutely mesmerized, and yet... "It's made of Hihiirokane, Brilliant Scarlet Metal straight from Heaven. Ama made it herself for him…"

"So why is it black, then?" I suddenly ask.

"Huh?" Uzume looks at me.

"It's…" I frown, "not supposed to be, right? I can feel it, the sword feels…dead?"

It's the strangest thing. It feels like something crucial is missing here…

Uzume smiles sadly, "I…of course you could tell."

She walks over and places a hand on my shoulder, "When your father fell, the blade turned black, because, Ama…well…" her grip tightens slowly, I can feel her trembling through her hand, "she didn't take it well."

I take a slow, measured breath, "How did he die?"

Uzume gulps and huffs a sigh.

On her hand, I can see it, inklings of an orangish dawn-like light, sputtering off her.

But I can also feel it. For the first time, another's Holy Spirit Power, as hers throbs out in irritation.

Compared to mine? I feel like a puddle next to an ocean.

"Some context, Nori…your Dad was on a one-man mission," Uzume began, "to expel all the 'Darkness' from Japan, as he liked to put it. He left behind his family, his responsibilities, his inheritance to do so."

Uzume gave a choked sigh. "Devils. Fallen. Yokai. Their strays. He hunted them all. With the Five Principles Clans too busy fighting amongst themselves, and the Yokai Factions not having much sway outside their territories, Japan was, and still is…w-well."

Slowly, Uzume came down to her knees, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"It's not great Nori. But, at least it's not America? Yeah? Hah…" she gave a sad chuckle, and I got a small smile out of that, though for reasons even she couldn't have suspected.

She snuggled into my back, mumbling as she continued listlessly. "He…H-He always told us he'd die out there. Fighting. Ama gave him the sword so maybe he wouldn't but, in the end? He was right."

The sound of sad, slowed-down party music wafted into my ears as her holy spirit powers flexed a bit.

"They ganged up on him. The Fallen and Devils. Ambushed him." she dug her head into my back. "Ama smote the entire block once she felt his soul cross. Ashed a whole Grigori cell, and Devil Peerage."

Uzume gave a long, tired chuckle. "Ah, the meetings afterward? Fun. But I won't bore you with those details, Noriaki."

A beat of silence passed, and I just sat there, processing all of…that.

"Nori-kun." Uzume suddenly spoke, causing me to look slightly back at her, seeing her still crying softly. "The sword is yours now. And," her arms tighten around me, "I'm sorry, after he died, Ama forbade me from talking about him. And I just…" slowly, she trails off into soft sputtered sobs.

As the night ticked ever onwards, I sat there in silence, letting Uzume cry it out behind me.

In my hands, I hold a perfectly sized Odachi for my fighting style, preferences, and tastes.

And yet.

The blade couldn't feel more empty.

Just like me.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 5 End

Lewd beginnings, depressing endings, hmm?

Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

This is my first time writing lewds, so I hope you all liked it!

I do hope I managed to convey the lack of emotion that the revelations about Nori's Dad brought. I wanted you to feel, exactly how Nori does at this moment.

A lot of pics in this chapter, too, damn. I had to go across my phone, laptop, and computer to grab them all.

A New Sun Chapter 4

Chapter 4

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

It's the strangest thing, but I could have sworn the rubber hose wasn't this fast.

"Hinokami Kagura – Fake Rainbow." I twist, turn, and move. Half a dozen afterimages appear around my stalker, the number going down by one as the snake bites through one almost as soon as it's formed.

"Ssstop running! You bassstard!!" He screeches with fury as he moves in turn, his bony claw lashing through another afterimage, tail striking another, and biting through another.

My remaining afterimages snicker. "I haven't been doing much running this past week or so. Only you-" I pause, looking at his lower body intently, then smirk. "Nevermind!"

The danger noodle lets loose a hiss-like roar as it launches out a full-blown stream of acidic bile, swiping its head to strike my remaining afterimages.

The remaining afterimages vanish as I break the form to dodge, back flipping over the bile, and away from him. I take a deep breath midair, and just as I land, he's upon me.

"Hinokami Kagura," his bony claw swipes through the air, as I once again backflip, "Setting Sun Transformation."

"Acck!!!" my bokken slams into where his neckline should be, aiming to cut through and take the bastard's head clean off.

I feel the scale-like flesh of his bend underneath my wooden blade's cutting edge, but not break.

It was here that I realized something.

While my blade is very good at cutting trees, a stray devil — even one as weak as I assume this guy is — is still tougher than a tree.

Luckily, the sheer force of my attack acts like I just hit him in the neck with a bat, and he gets sent sliding off to the side.

But not before he bats me himself, straight into the ground, with his tail just as he skids off.

I groan but don't have time to lick my bruise, as I feel the sickening vibrations of his movements come straight at me.

With a kick off the ground, I flip up and over the snake as he bites down into the ground where I was just laying.

My bokken blocks a wild swing of his tail, I feel the wood heave under the weight of his strike, but not break.

Hmm. Maybe I should lighten up on the teasing a bit when Kuroka gets back? Think she may have earned it. Wonder if I can get her some milk after this, lord knows she hasn't had it in a while I'll bet.

As I dodge another swipe from my one-armed danger noodle, I shake my head.

Fight now, kitty later.

"You know, I'm quite sssurprised…" my stalker drawls, "you haven't said the word yet…" my noodley stalker shivers out.

I simply shrug, spinning my bokken around nonchalantly, "I don't need to rely on a crutch like that anymore." I state, "Never planned to continue using it. I was sick, and out of it then. Not anymore though!" I smirk slowly. "Enough talk. Come at me, at least tell me your mommy taught you some dancing skills before you lost your legs!"

"I…! You!! Fuck youuuu!!!" it screeched, bomb rushing towards me like a wild animal.

Ah~...you know, I think I just learned another thing.

This sound, of my heart beating in my ears. The way my fingers tighten around my sword as anticipation and tension rise in my chest.

The slowly growing, almost near-manic grin appearing on my face.

I think, maybe, that I might be just a bit of a battle maniac.

I want to test myself against this guy, even if he's the weakest of the low class.

I'm going to draw every scrap of experience I can from this fight. And the next, and then the next. Growing better, stronger, and faster as I go on.

Just training won't cut it in this world.

Besides, this guy is a pleasant surprise so far, he's far faster than I gave him credit for!

I frown, realizing that's not quite right, though.

Another stream of bile is avoided, a claw swipe aimed at my face forces me low to dodge.

I feel his tail come up and down, aimed to skewer my back, "Hinokami Kagura." I spin around to meet it, "Clear Blue Sky." my following horizontal slash bats it away, causing the snake to hiss in pain before he brings his whole head down to chomp down on me.

I bring my legs up quickly, kicking him in the face before he can go down, pushing myself down and back onto the ground in the process.

Yeah, he's not fast per se, it's just the way his body is. The way he moves, twists, and springs into his attacks, it's almost like a dance?

Despite the sound, it's actually kind of…graceful? Well, as graceful as a wild animal can be I suppose.

I roll out of the way as he attempts to slam his entire body down on top of me, springing to my feet immediately afterward.

Still, I can't help but think, at the end of my previous encounter with him, wasn't he really really slow?

I huff, putting that out of my mind, grinning straight at him. "I wonder," I intone through an excited breath, pointing my bokken straight at him, "just how long can you dance? Can you keep up?"

I receive nothing except an exasperated screech in response.

In turn, I smirk and prepare myself for the long night ahead.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

"Ssstop toying with meee!!!"

He had realized it only about half an hour into their 'fight'.

His prey, the prey that was so weak just a week or so ago, the prey that smelled sssooo good, was bloody toying with him now!

Playing with him like a child! Testing things! Using him like a training dummy!

Now the moon is up, nearing its crest in the sky.

Hours! They've been at this for hours!

He never should have played with his food the first time around.

Mother taught you better than that.

He stopped, reeling his head back, and screeched.

"IEEEEHHH!!! I said stoooppp!!!"

The bastard boy stopped, tilting his head.

"Eh?" he began, confused. Lowering his wooden blade slightly, "Did I break you already? Come oonnn… it's only been like, what? A few hours! You can take a few more hits, right? Hell. I even let you get a good hit or two on me!"

Hits, maybe. But they felt superficial, at least to him.

The boy didn't even look the least bit scuffed, besides some dirt and dust on his robe.

He pointedly never let himself get struck by his claw or teeth, it was all blunt force hits.

Not enough.

"Not only that," the boy continued, undeterred by the increasingly irate expression forming on his face, "but I kinda hoped to try a couple more things on you. You see, I'd much rather try them on you. I don't wanna take the chance it'll hurt my friend."

"Well then why don't you try it, you bassstard!!" he screamed in reply.

The boy let out a dark chuckle. "Why, my wild rubber hose…" he grits his teeth, ready to launch a stream of bile to melt his prey into delicious mush while his guard is down.

But the next words that leave the boy's mouth make him freeze in his place.

"It's because you'd die too quickly if I did."

He froze, ramrod straight at the boy holding an easy smirk aimed right at him.

The way he said that, the way he said that, the way he said that…

A memory?

Why do you keep doing this!? Please!! Leave him!! Take me instead!!!

Mother…?

Begone, wench! I want him to see and feel the price for not following my orders exactly!

Him.

Besides, he'll die too quickly if I don't!

Him.

Demonic Power, uncontrolled, wild, and seething with malice explodes around his snake-like form.

Taking the appearance of a dark purple, rolling mist, hissing just as loud as his mouth when it comes into contact with the ground, coating it with acidic burns.

Slowly, he starts sinking as the ground melts around him.

"I'll kill you. I'll kill you - I'll kill you - I'll kill you…" he repeats like a mantra, over and over and over again.

"Ah." the boy blinks, still seemingly not perturbed by this turn of events. "Did I trigger you again? My bad!"

The boy huffs, drawing a deep breath before refocusing on him.

That look in his eyes. What is that?

"I'm well and truly sorry." the boy speaks, and he can't help but feel that he's genuine.

Ah. It's…sadness?

And then the boy's sword explodes with light. Pure, bright light, shaping around the blade like a sheath.

Despite all his senses screaming at him to run, he proceeds regardless.

There's nothing left for me here, anyways.

"Hinokami Kagura–"

Here he comes! This time he'll eat him alive with his Demonic Power enhanced aura!

"Faux."

Golden puffy wisps of liquid burst forth from the boy's feet.

And suddenly, the boy moved.

"Dancing Flash."

All he saw was the arc of light, as it cleaved through his bony arm like a hot knife through butter.

Pain.

An unimaginable burning pain shot up the severed appendage as the stump began to smoke.

Where is the boy!? He needs to-

"Clear Blue Sky."

Directly behind him, the wooden sword of light cuts clean through his aura, and slams into his neck.

He can feel it, the unimaginable burning pain emanating and spreading throughout his body, as the wood sword starts to cleave through his scales-

Crack.

And then promptly shatters.

The boy's eyes slowly widen. The first look of genuine shock he's seen from the brat ever.

More importantly though? A chance.

"EYYYY!!!" he screeches, his aura-clad tail slamming into the boy's side, sending him flying back, still holding what's left of his now lightless blade in his hand.

The hilt, and a small bit of the blade.

The rest is splinters in his neck right now.

He'll die from Light Poisoning soon.

But not before he takes this brat down with him!

"I"LL KILL YOOOUU!!!" he screams like it's a commandment, gathers all his remaining aura into his mouth, and fires.

An acidic purple bullet of Demonic Power flies toward the rising boy.

And misses, as the boy is suddenly standing, his body turned slightly to just barely dodge the bullet.

It collides with and vaporizes the small shack behind him, before detonating and melting the immediate area around it.

"...y-you!!" he growls, but the boy doesn't even look at him, instead having turned to look at the destruction.

The boy sighs, "You know, it's lucky I planned on having her come with me."

The boy turns back to look at him, and he almost had to do a double-take.

Why did the boy's eyes have two pupils!?

Reaching down, the brat tore off the remaining upper layer of his robes. The rest having dissolved from his attack.

He still seemed relatively unharmed, besides the big nasty red spot on his side.

Even that didn't look bad.

"So, thank you I guess? The place was kinda shoddy, regardless." he started casually.

He hisses, gathering more raw Demonic Power.

He can be hurt! Just need a good solid hit and-

Suddenly, he found himself curling in upon himself, a foot – the brat's foot – buried in his center of mass.

In the next moment, he was airborne, flying up into the sky.

The ground where the two just were shatters, and the boy is suddenly flying there, high above him.

Two halos mark his back, a smaller sun-based one behind his head, and a larger more oval looking one encompassing his entire upper back.

The picturesque image of the moon glowing behind him contrasts the scene before him perfectly.

The boy clenches his busted sword, a hilt with barely a blade, refilling it with light.

"For what it's worth?" the boy speaks solemnly, his strange eyes glistening slightly, "I'm sorry for what I said about your mother." then he smiles, a real, genuine smile, "I hope you find her again in the next life, buddy. Mayhaps she's waiting for you at the Sanzou, hmm?"

Ah…mother, waiting for me? No. No! She shouldn't have! She…really…I…

"Hinokami Kagura."

I…I'm coming home, Mama. I hope I didn't keep you waiting long…

"Sunflower Thrust."

A beautiful flower, brimming with pure white light filled his vision.

And then, he finally became free.

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

With a slight huff of exertion, I wrench my broken bokken from the danger noodles' body.

Looking at his broken, beaten form, oozing vile smoke, laying in a good-sized crater of all things, yet etched across his face is something akin to a smile of all things.

One hell of a contrast, that's for sure.

I take a good long moment, staring at the corpse.

How do I feel?

Well.

I'm not sad I killed him. I'm sad about his circumstances, if they're true, which made him end up like this…but I'm not sad he's dead.

How many did he kill before trying me? How many did he eat alive in his fucked up sense of self?

I don't want to know, but I figure the number is higher than zero, and that's far too many to not kill him over.

Still.

I crawl out of the crater, set my bokken down next to me, and get on my knees before the crater and corpse.

Soundlessly, I put my hands together, and now my head slightly. "Go easy on him and his mother, alright Uncle?" I intone silently in prayer.

Though I doubt it'll make much of a difference, Susanoo isn't exactly known to be…well-tempered.

"He'll pay for his sins whilst stray, but beyond that, be at ease, please."

Maybe I should do an offering later? Hmm. Decisions, decisions.

I rise slowly, grimacing as I realize his trip across the Sanzou probably won't be pleasant either way.

Regardless, I have more pressing matters to attend to.

Like the massive mess this guy made around the place!

No seriously! It was mostly him! Promise! I only made a couple of craters!

This guy melted half the area!

Half of his bile is still lingering around, and his corpse, of course, I should probably start cleaning up…

But before that, my eyes, somethings up with my eyes.

Earlier, right after I pulled off that Faux Dancing Flash using chakra, and proceeded to break my sword on his Demonic Power strengthened scales, something similar to the last time I fought him happened.

His last attack, that acidic power bullet, was painfully slow to me. Just like his last attack the first time around.

And now, I feel this itch in my eye, not like there's something in it, but more like I'm feeling the strain of taking in so much more than I'm used to.

Holy hell this is weird…I need some water or something-

Plop. A nice cool bottle of water appears in my hand.

I blink, staring at it incredulously.

"Okay then," I say aloud, "thank you…?" I thank the air slowly.

What the fuck. Did I do that? Did someone else do that!?

I decide to not take a gift from the water bottle gods – kami? – for granted, and look at my reflection in the bottle.

I blink again.

Once. Twice. Thrice.

"Holy shit." I mutter, barely containing my nerdgasm as I see the reflection of my golden eyes, with two pupils.

A normal pupil, and then a second tomoe-shaped one around it.

I'd recognize these eyes from anywhere.

"Sharingan," I mutter with sheer disbelief. "I've got the Sharingan…!"

I don't squee, throwing my arms up with exasperation.

I don't.

After I'm done perfectly containing my nerdgasm, I sigh as a new fact hits me.

If I didn't know I had the Sharingan, what else could I not know about?

With a huff, I pop open the bottle and dump the water over my head, shivering with delight as the fresh water runs down my body.

It runs down my side, where my fancy new acid burn sits, and even though it's healing up quite nicely – it went from bright red to pale pink in just this time I've been sitting here – the water running down it does feel nice.

Healing factors, always nice.

The water also helps me clear my mind for a second, and I realize that, for right now, I really should just focus on cleaning up.

I can do crazy experiments and testing on my powers later, for now, maybe I can turn this cleanup into training?

Idly, I turn off my new pair of eyes with the ease of flipping a switch, marveling briefly at just easy it is to miss if you didn't know to look for it.

With a shake of my head, I turn back towards the corpse and begin weaving chakra, forming hand seals as I go.

Snake. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Bird. Tiger.

"Fire Release: Fox Fire."

This is the only jutsu I know so far, it came with my knowledge of chakra, or so I'm fairly certain.

I've never heard of this jutsu before, but the irony of giving it to me of all people isn't lost on me.

The only reason I haven't practiced it yet, or used it during the fight, is that it takes a fair bit of time and chakra to use for me right now. Need to build up my chakra control more first.

Doesn't help that it looks like a crimson version of a Yokai's Kasha or Fox Fire, either. So training it in front of Kuroka may get a question or two I wouldn't be sure how to answer at present.

Several spiraling crimson balls of flame spark into existence around me. The balls form a wheel, before launching itself at the corpse, causing it and the entire crater to be enveloped in a bonfire of crimson flame.

I silently clap my hands together, giving the stray's burning body one last respect, before turning to the rest of the mess.

Well, the night's still a bit young, right?

Ugh. Maybe the next time I provoke someone into a drawn-out fight, I pick someone less prone to make a big mess, yeah?

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

She needed a drink.

"It is certain that all the Kunitsukami have been questioned, yes?" the soft and quiet male voice before her spoke, with twelve golden wings coming from his back.

The latest reason she wishes she could just haul up in her room for the next few thousand years or so.

Archangel Michael.

"Yes," she replied dully, for what felt like the umpteenth time, "we've been over this. Again, and again, and again. All the Earthy Kami have been questioned. They didn't hear anything."

This fucking game of theirs has been going on for over a week at this point, ever since the Archangel showed up in her country.

After blatantly trespassing, he wished to meet the Chief Amatsukami; Amaterasu herself, and her Imperial Court.

As much as she would rather not deal with this shit, ever, it turns out she didn't have much of a choice.

You see, the Three Abrahamic Factions all have their own…shall we say, methods of negotiation.

The Devils? Do what we want, or get the melon and strawberry-haired mutant super devils sicked on you.

The Grigori? Do what we want, or get the Longinus Wielder with a God Slaying Blade and Abyss Side Balance Breaker sicked on you.

The Angels? Do what we want, or end up like the Egyptian Pantheon. Defunct.

And as much as she well and truly doesn't care much for the Heavenly Kami meandering around trying to play politics, bickering and fighting each other over literally nothing, she'd rather not end up fighting a pissed-off Abrahamic God over some nonsensical perceived threat.

That man can be incredibly petty, after all. She wouldn't put it past Him to set her manga collection on fire for shits and giggles. He's done worse over less in the past.

Because in the end, that's what this whole week-and-a-half roundabout is truly for, isn't it?

The dear old Abrahamic God felt something in her country, got pissy, and sent his closest son over to deal with it, but he can't outright say what this is all about. Which leads to exchanges like right now.

The Archangel sighed sadly. "I see, how…unfortunate."

"You know," she stiffly interjected, "it would be much easier to figure out what's wrong if we had an idea of what we're looking for."

The Chief Angel smiled such a fake smile, "Unfortunately, that's sensitive information, as stated previously."

She resisted the urge to bury her face in her hands and scream. Again.

Why didn't she just throw the Angel out again?

Oh right. Her manga collection.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure how else we could help then, Lord Archangel." she continued through gritted teeth, "It took long enough to gather the Earthly Kami and question them, yet they've heard nothing anathema to your Father. Unless you provide more information about what the big deal is, I'm afraid that's all I can do."

Truly, she's actually going over her authority here. The Earthly Kami aren't technically hers to order around, that job is meant to be Uzume's 'husband' Sarutahiko.

She almost snorted out loud at the thought. Husband? Chief of the Earthly Kami? Yeah. Right.

Inari all but took over that job in name a while ago, and that man seemingly welcomed the change, content to just laze around and practice his Martial Arts in peace for the rest of eternity.

She's so fucking jealous.

Regardless, she had to call Inari for help in gathering everyone up. Luckily, in matters relating to outside factions such as the Abrahamic, everyone can get on the same page relatively quickly.

Still, there are many Earthly Kami, the process took a while.

And during that time, she and the Archangel stared at each other, debating in nonsensical circles the whole while.

What makes it all worse is that this whole time she has to have worn these super stuffy, long thick robes that drag every which way she goes.

She's had to sit on her throne, a rendition of the Japanese Imperial Throne the Takamikura, this whole time.

Honestly. Whoever suggested the Throne is lucky she was in autopilot mode when it was suggested, and thus can't remember who exactly did, or else she'd smite them for it.

The robes paired with this old, dated, chair that hasn't been touched for several hundred years?

Pain.

Hell! Even her court is getting tired of this, they haven't spoken up in days to offer anything insightful!

At this point, she'd take anything to get this fucking meeting to stop.

Even Uzume, coming in here and ruining it by trying to seduce the Archangel, as ruinous as the incident would be, at least it would end the suffering!

Sucks she threw her from Heaven like Hera did Hephestus. She's supposed to searching the Earth right now, but...

Oh well.

Just as Michael was about to open his mouth, and draw the conversation into another circle, and thus draw Ama to consider finding her old cave again, something different happens.

And by that, she means an arrow of silver light blows off the ceiling of her palace and embeds itself in front of her throne, right at her feet.

Her court stared at the offending projectile, mounting indignation spreading across their faces.

Michael made a facial expression that wasn't a fake smile for once, actually gaping at the random light arrow.

Meanwhile, her's eye twitched.

A silver light arrow.

A moonlight arrow.

She takes it back. Anything except this would be fine.

She rose from her throne, taking just a few steps until she reached the offending dirty arrow of light, and wrenched it from the ground.

The silver light dissipates, revealing an antiquated scroll underneath.

Ah. What a way to send a letter. Just like her brother, hmm?

Uncaring that the Archangel is still right there in front of her, she opens it up with a sigh.

Ama–

Collect your son already.

That's all it read.

After she read the single-letter signature though, the scroll shifted, its paper turning into a sort of screen or mirror.

Through dirty silver light, she saw the Earth below.

She saw her baby boy down below.

Is that…the corpse of a monster?

"Get the fuck out." she suddenly hissed, slamming the scroll shut with a thick thwack.

Michael flinched, "I…beg your pardon?"

"You are not pardoned Archangel. You are being told to leave." she glared balefully at the offending Angel. "I tried being courteous, out of respect for your Father, but you've been running circles around us this whole time. I have more pressing matters to attend to now. So if you aren't willing to be courteous in return, leave."

Michael seemed rather lost for a moment, before straightening his shoulders and giving her a simple smile. "I…see. Very well, Lady Amaterasu. I apologize for the inconvenience then, and I shall be going. Thank you for speaking with me." he gave a cursory glance at her court, standing around her throne. "You all as well. Good day."

And like that, with a golden flash, he vanished just as quickly as he came.

Briefly, she'd wondered if she should have tried blasting the Archangel for recompense. Repayment for wasting everyone's time, specifically, in the form of a specific sword…

She knows the Church has it. Her sword. Broken, to boot! And they wouldn't be able to fix it, they simply can't work with Holy Spirit Power.

But she knows someone who can fix it. And she can think of a pair of hands it would be much better suited in than some random Exorcist who hates 'Pagans' and whatever else.

That image from the scroll plays in her mind once again, and she sighs.

He most definitely might need it, especially since he finally awoke to his powers, it would seem.

She waves toward a random member of her court, "You there. Go contact Ame-no-Uzume. Drag her back to Heaven, if you must. I have something for her to do."

The Kami gave an affirmative before running off to do just that.

Uzume can't possibly fuck this up, right?

She's got an exact picture of his location now!

Ama, unfortunately, won't hold her breath. Still, Uzune needs at least a chance to go fix her fuck up.

I'm sorry, Nori. Mama should have done something…so much sooner.

With a bitter sigh, she left for her room, waving the rest of the court off.

She's had to deal with far too many emotions lately, and she figures things are only going to continue going downhill from here…

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Okay. Now I caused most of the damage.

Looking around at my attempts to 'clean up' and only finding a Biblical Hell scorched wasteland, I click my tongue in dissatisfaction.

At least it doesn't smell like acid anymore?

That's a plus! Now it just smells like sulfur!

Ugh. Okay, so this is exactly what I was afraid of when using my powers, specifically, my demigod powers.

All the crimson fire still blazing like the depths of hell? Made on the order of my Holy Spirit Power.

The problem is that once made, the fire didn't act at all like the energy used to make it. So ordering it around? Yeah. Nope. Did nothing.

Which resulted in my fire just kind of…doing whatever the hell it wanted.

Like burning things. And spreading to burn more things. Who'd of thunk right?

It's weird, when I used my light earlier by channeling it through an object, it worked just fine. Maybe it's a skill issue?

I snort loudly at that.

Wouldn't surprise me at all.

Regardless, I'm probably going to need help from a Kami anyway, which means I'm probably going to have to check off trying to use those powers for a bit.

It sucks, but between all my swordsmanship-related skills, marital arts, breathing techniques, chakra, and eyes – still can't get over that – I feel as though I've got enough on my training plate.

Not even counting Senjutsu, Eastern Magic which I plan on learning eventually, and my physical condition.

Yeah, I'm definitely going to have to drag Kuroka into my training. Having an actual opponent is sooo much better than waving a stick in the air!

Anyhow. How am I going to put out these fires?

The usual method is dousing it in water, of course.

Can't go with that though, I have no idea where to get enough water to pull that off.

The second method? Suffocate it with something that doesn't burn.

Well, considering everything is on fire right now, I don't think there is something that doesn't burn around at the moment.

Besides, well.

Me.

Needless to say, when the sun finally poked above the horizon, it was beholden to an…interesting scene.

Me, rolling around the ground, using my fire and heat-immune body to cover and suffocate my own fires.

Never let it be said I didn't at least try.

And you know what, it actually kind of worked?

For the smaller ones anyway.

I wasn't large enough to cover the literal trees on fire, unfortunately.

It was in the middle of one of my attempts to put out one of these larger fires that I heard the whirl of a magic circle.

Impeccable timing, kitty.

Her unique purple magic circle blazed with light, moving to deposit said cat girl right in front of where her former shack was located.

"Nyyaaa~..." the big titty kitty was stretching, eyes shut with a dramatic pose, as she appeared.

Of course she planned it like that.

"Oh Nori-kun~! I'm ba-" she stopped suddenly, her jaw left hanging mid-sentence as the smell finally hit her nose.

She slowly opened her eyes and just as slowly, looked around.

Then her eyes found me, rolling around on a particularly large bush that was on fire.

"Nori-kun." she began, dryly. "How?"

I grunt with exertion as I roll, "Some creature found me, and I may have had a tiny problem cleaning up?" I stop rolling, only to give her a pained chuckle and a pleading smile. "Please help."

Kuroka sighed and shook her head, and shot me an amused smile right back, "Where would you be without me, Nori-kun? Nya~!"

With pretentious ease, she waves her hand and makes strange symbols appear and float around her fingers.

Ah, that's Youjutsu, hmm?

The symbols combine, and a purplish-black mist bursts forth, running over the flames like a train and easily smashing them down.

The mist slowly wraps around me, dragging my prone form over to the black cat, who held a glimmer in her eye… is that also a tinge of worry there too?

"Nori-kun?" she asks, bringing a finger up to my chin, "I'm assuming that since I don't see a body anywhere, and you're uninjured, you took care of it, nya~?"

In response, I reached up and scratched her ears, drawing a light purr from the cat girl.

"Oi. I can handle myself just fine, you know? Especially since, well…" I trail off into a chuckle, before continuing, "guess who's not sick anymore?"

The way she suddenly stilled in my hand was delicious.

"That would be the first thing you think about, huh?" I tact on amused.

To her credit, she does recover quickly, batting her eyelashes 'innocently' at me, "I have no idea what you mean, nya~?"

I snort, "Course you don't." and boop her on the nose, causing her to jump back and squeak.

Ah. Cats.

I get off the cloud of mist holding me up, and eye the spot where her shack was.

With a grimace, I turned back to her and gave her a genuinely remorseful smile. "Sorry about your place. I promise I didn't melt it…but I couldn't save it, either."

Kuroka blinks at me, before grinning slightly, "Don't worry about it, Nori-kun~! I always build em like that just in case, nya!"

Just like your barriers, huh?

I put my hand on my chest and gave a dramatic sigh in relief, "Thank goodness…I thought your fashion sense was about as bad as that barrier you put up…"

Kuroka's eyes widen the size of saucers, and puts a hand on her chest, looking legitimately offended, "Eh? What do you mean Nori-kun!? I have perfect fashion sense!" she bats her eyelashes, giving me a little sexy smirk and pose that reveals much more skin than before, "Your eyes and little buddy seem to think so when it comes to my clothes, nya~!"

"Naked implies no sense. You're just hot." I retort dryly and succinctly.

"Gck!" she stumbles back, and whines, "Nori-kun is so meeaann~!"

Paybacks a bitch. Also, that's what you get for calling my 'little' buddy little!

"Also!" she adds on, "My barrier was perfectly fine! It was only meant to mask your scent and aura, that's it! I didn't have much time to put down much else!"

"Don't worry, Kuro-chan!" I add on far too happily, completely ignoring her whines of complaints, or attempt at defending herself, "I'll show you proper fashion when I take you home with me!"

Kuroka stops and stares at me, before resuming her sultry look, "Nya~? Inviting me your home already, Nori-kun~? I…" she trails off suddenly, realization slowly dawns on her face, replacing the heat in her eyes, "wait, doesn't that mean- nya!?"

Suddenly, Kuroka found her waist wrapped up in my arms, and her body pulled into a big hug!

"Ah! Kuro-chan~! I'm so proud of you!" I gushed as Kuroka just looked lost, "You finally came to a conclusion that wasn't sexual! Good on you!"

Kuroka blushed at that, "Nya!? Nori-kun! That! Do you have such little faith in me!?"

"Yes."

"Ack!!" Kuroka flinched, "Nori-kuuunnn~!"

"Anyways," I soldier on, "I got a bit more of my memory back, so I know where I live now!"

Still, no clue how I ended up where I did, but yes! I remember where I live!

My memories came back just a tad bit faster during the middle of my fight, a neat bit to note.

Not gonna lie, the fact that I live eerily close to Kuoh Town worries me slightly.

Like my place is legit right on the edge.

But we take the good with the bad! And I could use a proper bed for once!

"And I'm taking you with me! No if, ands, ors, or buts allowed!"

"Eh? But, Nor-" Kuroka tries to interject.

"Besides," I carry on, putting my forehead to hers, my voice turning so incredibly soft, "being alone out here sucks, doesn't it? I think you could use a proper bed. And food. And actual company, don't you think?"

I look her straight in the eyes, and I watch as she diverts a very unsure gaze away from my eyes.

"Kuroka." I give her a small smile as her eyes snap back to mine. "I said I'd repay you, and I'm not going to take no for an answer. You know that, right?"

For a moment, Kuroka just states in my defiant and resolute eyes.

After a beat, she gives a tired, worn sigh, and slowly hugs me back.

"You stubborn man…" she mumbled, barely audible.

I give her pats on the back, content to just hold the clearly very traumatized cat girl in my arms.

I can't say I'm looking forward to helping sort through and deal with her issues, but…well.

I want to. And I feel predisposed to helping her if that makes sense?

At this point, I can't do nothing. Especially since I practically claimed her at this point, right?

Well. Verbally.

Physically? Soon.

Though, no horny now.

Let's just…enjoy the moment.

…Say. Is it getting much brighter out, or is it jus-

The sky parts.

Kuroka freezes in my grasp, going ram rock still, as an aura so very similar to my own slams into us.

Dawn's light shines from the Heavens and with it? A figure.

A purple-haired woman, wearing a very revealing kimono of similar color, slowly descends do-

Wait.

Hold up.

This bitch.

Casually, I let Kuroka go and began rummaging around on the ground. Poor kitty looks like a deer caught in the headlights.

She just looks even more confused at my actions.

Meanwhile, she spoke, her voice echoing down from the Heavens, reverberating across the air.

"Ah. Akaruihiruotoko, there you are…"

Who? Eh.

"It's been a long time since I've last seen you…"

It's been a week and a half.

"But look at how you've grown! Finally, you see the truth of the world. The light."

Mhmm. Right. Ah, here we go.

"And now, I reveal myself to you, in– ACK!!!"

Bam. Bullseye. Rock right to the forehead.

"Uzui!" I shout, "Shut the fuck up and get down here you overdramatic drunk sow!"

"Bwah!?" the kami sputtered, her reverb long gone, hands holding her forehead, "B-But! I! You…!"

"Now!!" I call over her.

I can feel her mumbling as she floats down, and lands right before us. All flashy lights and shit gone.

Then, she pouts. Puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms. "Hmph. You ruined my entrance."

I snort. "Okay. And?" I say, "Where the hell have you been? What the hell happened?"

'Uzui' blinked, and slowly looked at me, "...I feel like I'm missing context here."

I sigh, before explaining simply. "I lost my memory of how I got out here. Amnesia. Forgot everything for a little while."

The purple-haired kami stared at me, for a good, long moment.

Then, she curled in on herself, putting her knees to her chest, and sat there.

Rapidly mumbling.

"OhfuckimsoscrewedAmaisgonnakillmehowishestillaliveohfuckohnonono…"

Hmm. Yeah. I don't feel like trying to parse all that together.

I give a cursory glance at Kuroka, who just looks more absolutely dumbfounded now than scared.

I give her a smile, and a few head pats, before looking down at the kami having a straight panic attack at my feet.

"Oi." I smack her over the head, causing her to yelp and look at me, holding her head with barely constrained tears in her eyes. "You gonna take us home, or what?" I wave towards myself, and Kuroka.

The kami blinks. "Us?" she parrots back, looking between Kuroka and me. Her eyes widen slightly once she gets a proper look at Kuroka. "But! Nori! She-"

"I don't wanna hear it!" I hiss, causing her to flinch, "Kuroka here actually helped and saved me, unlike a certain someone else, so she's coming back with! Got it?"

"B-But-"

"Got it?" I repeat through a strained smile.

For a second, my 'guardian' kami just kind of sat there, staring up at me.

Then she started to hiccup.

"E-Eh…" oh my goodness she's crying. "Nori-kuuun~! Why are you so mean now!? You used to be so soft-spoken! Did awakening your powers put more Ama in you!? Waaahhh!"

Hmm. You know? I think I got another thing from Demon Slayer.

The face.

"...and why does that kind of turn me on!?"

I let out an exhausted, tired, sigh.

Fuuucck. My. Life…

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

Chapter 4 End

Huh. I wrote over 6 thousands words each for the first 4 chappys alone. Damn. You know, my general range is supposed to be like, 5 thousand or so, jeez. I gotta chiil. 

A New Sun Chapter 3

Chapter 3

< ~ A New Sun ~ >

I do have more than just the mark.

Hinokami Kagura.

Dance.