《Stupid Cat》


 1-The Forest, The Mountain Lord, and the Stupid Cat.

    Ichi sweated in the summer heat, stumbling home afterschool. He thought about the cute girls in class, as always. The twins who were aloof, the two younger girls who made him think about having a daughter someday, and then there was the one who couldn''t leave Ichi alone on the way to school, Renya.


    Renya walked him to school everyday. She''d talk to him about love. Then, once they got to the school, Renya would leave him and go do math alone. Ichi couldn''t fathom what she was thinking, playing around like that. Ichi knew Reyna was lying to him. Ichi could smell it on her.


    Ichi looked at the forest, far away across the heated rice paddys. Perhaps he''d go today as well?


    Grandpa would bother him about coming home late, but Ichi didn''t let Grandpa stop him as he walked towards the broad green band in the distance.


    The sun passed down into sunset as he walked touching each tree as he did, feeling the cracks in the bark as he passed. Amber light filtered through the green foliage. Ichi knew the time to go home had come, but something within said, "just for today."


    Ichi took off into the depths of the forest, farther than Ichi ever went before.


    Ichi knew how to navigate the forest by instinct. How well he find a certain tree. How many things he could locate by smell alone. With people, he got the sense they were lying by their smell. He shrugged it off, but it bothered him.


    Ichi came upon a waterfall by a cave. He smelled it when he came to the forest before, but Grandpa always told him, "Don''t go too deep, you''ll get eaten by an evil spirit." Picking up a stick and trimming it, he swung it around like a sword.


    Ichi watched the waterfall trickle down fierce and rush into the river below as he swung down mimicking it''s force. I am the current of the river, I am the flow in the water, I am the leaf on the wind, Ichi chanted to himself.


    Acting like he was doing kendo training Ichi imagined himself as a samurai in the old movies he''d watch on Grandpa''s VHS player. All Ichi had at home was the VHS player and old books lying around. At least his school didn''t have homework.


    Ichi swore as he swung down, someday, I''ll get my smartphone back, and then I''ll take over the world, and then I''ll find my dad in hell and punch him in the face for leaving Mom alone.


    Like he could. Ichi got pulled into this village by a bunch of thugs in the night. Couldn''t fight back much.


    A samurai would have gone down fighting. Would a samurai have submitted to them to avoid violence? Ichi got one with a left kick to the head. Looked at him pissed, then his consciousness flickered out. Would a samurai have killed them with no effort? Then, he would track down the villain behind it all and brought him to justice. At the end of a swordpoint.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    After all, the samurai would only have protected his peaceful life.


    It''s not much of a story if there''s nothing to protect. Where''s the women? Samurai needs a woman floating three steps behind him, Ichi nodded.


    A yowling meow echoed out. Ichi got the scent of blood in his nose. Wiping his face with his sleeve, his head cocked to listen.


    Ichi ran into the forest, wooden sword in hand. Ichi wasn''t a samurai, but he could act like one. Crashing through the foliage he swung the sword cutting bushes cracking twigs into the air.


    Breaking into an amber lit clearing, he saw across the tall grass a black bear.


    Ichi''s sense of logic told him to run. Ichi''s grip tightened on his sword. Another meow sounded out, then a flash of light blinded him. Spears of light floated in the air, striking down on the bear like rain. They melted on the bear''s fur, dissipating into sparks.


    The wind shifted. The bear turned and shifted it''s head towards Ichi. Ichi''s short hair flowed in the wind. A rumble echoed out from the bear, a deep thick voice like a samurai.


    "Leave, Tanuki. This matter is not yours."


    Ichi ran forward. Never seen a talking bear outside of a cartoon or anime, he thought. Tanuki? Him? A racoon-dog? Being insulted by a bear is unbearable, Ichi joked as he charged. A grin cut across his face as he sped at the bear with his wooden sword held aloft.


    "Very well. Count yourself one of the fools who this Mountain Lord has slain. You will number but one among the many," the bear rumbled.


    Ichi saw a white and black cat with two tails swishing around run in front as if to block him. Ichi stopped, wondering how fun today could get. If he went insane, he figured, at least that''s an improvement over his old life.


    The white and black spotted like a cow cat had deep gashes across her flank.


    "This isn''t your fight, Tanuki! I will live or die on my own merits!" The cat meowed at him in a feminine feline voice.


    "I''m no tanuki. I''m Ichi. Nice to meet you, talking cat." Ichi laughed as he eyed the Mountain Lord who stared with void pupils at the two. Ichi crouched and petted the cat''s head, slinging his sword over his shoulder. The cat arched it''s back to Ichi''s touch.


    "Don''t touch me, filthy tanuki! You will be next!"


    "You gonna survive and kill this bear, and then me, and then what?" Ichi chided her.


    The cat relaxed her arched back.


    "And then, freedom!"


    The Mountain Lord rose behind her and swiped down. Ichi saw black carpet blocking out the sun, and he snagged the cat and rolled out of the way. Then, his body dodged back. Ichi felt the air pressure hum as sword claws grazed his cheek, stinging him.


    Ichi backed away as the Mountain Lord advanced on him, then a massive golden shield shined into existence in front of the bear blocking him. Rising to it''s hind legs the bear swung back his paw fully, crashing it down on the shield cracking it.


    Ichi took that as a signal to run as he heard furious blows echo out against the shield. He looked back at the flurry of blows the Mountain Lord unleashed, wishing he''d listened to Grandpa for once.

 2- The Mountain Lord

    "Let me go!" The cat screeched asIchi felt the fluffy body worming through his arms. "I don''t need your help!"


    Ichi stopped and turned as the cat leaped out of his arms. Heaving breath, he walked over to the treeline, leaning on the closest tree, slinging his sword into his belt loop. Sweat poured down his face as he gave her distance.


    "I''ll watch then. If you need help, your tanuki is right here."


    "Don''t mock me!"


    The cat charged the shield the Mountain Lord wailed on, spears of light formed around her in midair and shot into the shield of light. The cracked shield shattered into pieces when the spears hit it, embedding shards of light into the bear''s black fur. They all melted, steam flowed off the bear like water evaporating.


    "Know your place, Sacrifice." The Mountain Lord swirled into a black blur and the cat went flying. Slamming against a tree near Ichi rushed to her. Blood spilled everywhere. Ichi panicked, looking back from the bear to the cat as her chest heaved and the bear advanced on them.


    The cat''s eyes glowed, staring into Ichi''s he felt his body freeze.


    "Tanuki, forgive me." The cat said. Then, Ichi''s consciousness flickered out.


    From a distance, as if in a dream, his body rumbled. A far away sensation, muddled out. A thrum went through him as his heart started thumping. Then, he heard the drums. Don. Don. Don. Ichi''s consciousness gathered together, as began to think this must be a dream. What was he doing again? Don Don Don. The drums got faster. Don Don Don Don. Ichi remembered the samurai, an old scene appeared in his head from a movie.


    Two samurai stood across from each other, then, they charged past one another swinging their swords then froze. A blood spray shot out from both of them.


    Then, Ichi awoke. He was on the ground with the cat placing a paw on him as light enveloped a huge gash across his chest. The Mountain Lord was lying some distance away, roaring out and rolling around as it''s blood marred the tall grass.


    "Sorry, sorry, sorry," the cat repeated under her breath the gash on his chest closed.


    "What happened?" Ichi croaked out in a smaller voice than he thought he had.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "I possessed you. Then, I lost consciousness. You must have awoken somehow, and then you must have done that to the Mountain Lord." The cat shifted her eyes to the bear.


    "I should''ve ran, shouldn''t I." Ichi said.


    "Yes, that would have been the smart thing to do." The cat answered.


    "Got a plan, stupid cat?"


    "I am not stupid!"


    "You''re stupid for getting me into this mess."


    "You''re stupid for staying!"


    The Mountain Lord rose to it''s hind legs, staring down at Ichi.


    "Superb." The bear rumbled out.


    Ichi and the cat looked at each other.


    "Again," the cat said, "and this time, let me take full control. Stay calm, I can handle this."


    "Nah," Ichi said, "let''s do it together."


    "I don''t even know how we could do that! I can''t trust you to fight!"


    "Then run, I''ll stay here and die." Ichi said.


    The Mountain Lord advanced on it''s hind legs, pulling back his arm like the blade on a guillotine.


    Ichi tightened his grip, his wooden sword still in his hand. The cat looked into his eyes, disappearing. He felt the cat enter his body. This time, Ichi stayed conscious. A thrum of energy crackled around him as his wound closed.


    A big bushy tail shot out from his butt ripping his clothes. Then, a black and white cat tail shot out accompying it.


    "I am the current of the river," Ichi''s voice echoed out. He stood up.


    One cat eat popped out on his head on the bushy tail''s side, One round bushy ear popped out on his head on the cat tail''s side.


    "I am the flow in the water,"


    Ichi held his sword aloft. Memories of his old days in the city he grew up in, all those fights to prove himself, passed through his mind like a flim reel. The Mountain Lord swung down.


    "I am the leaf of the wind,"


    Ichi dodged, eyes open, he felt the blow woosh cutting his ear a sliver.


    "No heaven or hell rules man, only man may rule himself,"


    Ichi stepped forward, stabbing the bear through it''s gut in one strike.


    "Grow like a tree, be the branches to balance all life!"


    Light shined through the wooden sword, as energy traveled directly into the Mountain Lord''s guts. The bear''s bulk expanded out, light shining through the dark, until it exploded. Ichi stood there, covered in it all, as the Mountain Lord fell back. A thud echoed out as the bear crinkled the tall grass around him, forming a funeral wreath.


    The Mountain Lord whispered out.


    "Fool. Mankind cannot surpass nature. We are all there is. You will come to see that, may you live long enough."


    Ichi twirled his sword and stabbed it into the dirt ground with a thud. He clasping his hands together in a line as he let go.


    "If that is true, Mountain Lord, then I will use nature to surpass nature."


    Whispers rumbled out from the Mountain Lord.


    "Such stupidity. Typical of a Tanuki. Suit yourself. You live with mankind, and yet you are one of us. You will understand. You will-" the whispers died out.

 3- Tanuki Meets Miko

    Ichi stood there in a daze over the corpse of the Mountain Lord as he felt a burden lift off of him. Crouching to the ground, his body felt heavy. Ichi tried to reach his wooden sword. It felt like he was under the current of a river. His muscles didn''t listen as weight pulled on them.


    "Overdid overdoing yet again," Ichi gasped out. "I''ll be the death of me."


    Then a flicker of silver in the corner of his eye made him turn his head. Under the last rays of the setting sun, a girl with long silver hair and white robes looked at him. She had a silver gloved hand to her chin, carrying a folded iron fan in her other ungloved hand. Ichi knew her from school, one of the twins, Syon, but he couldn''t catch his breath to call out to her. If he did, the first thing he would have ever said to her is "Help."


    Slowly, her gloved hand let go of her chin and she tapped the iron fan against one of her temples on her head, closing those slate colored eyes, Ichi saw her lips break into a dazzling smile he''d never seen from her.


    "Sleep well - Ichi Danzaburo."


    Ichi heard Syon''s misty voice lull him to sleep before he hit the ground.


    The sun fell, and Syon left. Ichi and the Mountain Lord layed together for the last and first time, one in death, one in slumber. Cicades let out their nightly noise, echoing in the silence. Clouds obscured parts of the rising moon as Ichi woke up in a daze to the two tailed cat licking his face. Ichi pet the cat''s head, and the cat squirmed away from his touch. He got up, muscles creaking like an old man as he looked to the distant silver moon.


    "What was that?" He breathed out as the events of the evening came back to him.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "You killed the Mountain Lord. That is a crime punishable by death," the cat answered.


    "That''s nice, always wanted to be someone special. Since when do cats and bears talk?" Ichi said.


    "I am not a cat. I am a bakeneko, a spirit cat, and a shrine maiden."


    "You got a name?"


    "For a tanuki like you, calling me Miko is enough."


    "Alright, Miko. Nice meeting you, nice killing the bear, I had fun, but I''ll be going home now." Ichi waved at the cat.


    "Goodbye, Tanuki. And, I thank you." Miko closed her eyes and lowered her head to him.


    Ichi guessed Miko sticking around was to say that to him. At the words ''tanuki'', his curiousity got the best of him. He didn''t feel like it was a good idea to do anything but walk away, but the words left his mouth anyways.


    "I''m no tanuki."


    "You believed yourself a human? It is clear to my sight that you are a tanuki, a racoon-dog known for mischief and changing their forms on a whim. I can sense your spirit power, you are of no ordinary bloodline."


    Ichi thought about his dad. Mom told him that Dad left soon after Ichi was born. Waving his hand at the cat, he left, calling back as he did.


    "Take care, Miko."


    Ichi stumbled into the woods. He could smell Miko following him, but he let it be for now. Looking at his hand, he realized he was still covered in bear guts. A shower would take care of that, right? Wouldn''t take care of the murder charge though, Ichi joked with himself. "It was self-defense your honor," he imagined himself in a court full of talking spirit animals and laughed it off.


    Ichi''s mind flashed to Syon standing under the sunset. Such a beautiful scene made his heart tremble. He didn''t want to see her tommorrow at school, but hopefully she''d ignore him like usual. Renya, on the other hand, would be there waiting on his way to school. Although he didn''t want to admit it, hearing the usual lies from Renya on the way to school sounded like comforting thoughts.

 4- Single

    Ichi was glad to get up that morning. For a few minutes of bliss he didn''t remember what happened yesterday. He came home after ducking into rice paddy to wash off all the Mountain Lord''s blood that covered him, sopping wet. Grandpa watched him like a hawk as he interrogated and lectured him for coming home so late, but Ichi held his ground and said "oh I slipped." Ichi felt for sure Grandpa knew Ichi was lying the way he stared at him.


    Grandpa gave Ichi a piece of paper he called a shikigami, and told Ichi to use it if "the twins bothered him." Ichi knew those girls at school, he never said a word to them, so the thought that they might break the ice with him


    Then, Miko ambushed him. On his stomach, the cat was curled up. Ichi went to pull her off but Miko clung desperately to his pajamas, so Ichi took them off along with the cat and got dressed quickly and sprang out of his room''s window, rolling on the roof he landed on the ground. Luckily he didn''t ever have homework these days, Ichi mused, or he might feel guilty for not bringing a bag.


    Ichi ran in a morning jog, staring behind him to make sure the cat wasn''t following him. As he stopped, he saw Renya waiting for him at the usual spot, smiling and waving. When Ichi caught Renya''s eyes, he felt Miko slip into his body from behind. Grabbing at his body like a mosquito bit him, Ichi sighed as he trudged over to the cheerful blonde hair blue eyed girl.


    "Good morning!" Renya said. She handed him a bottle of water. Ichi took it without thinking and twisted of the top and began to drink.


    Renya waited until Ichi looked like he was really chugging it, and then said:


    "Heard you killed a bear yesterday and got possessed by a bakeneko?"


    Ichi sputtered the water, Renya dodged neatly to the side dusting off her clothes. A single drop hit her, she felt disappointed looking at that. How imperfect, she bemoaned in her mind.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "How''d you-" Ichi''s mind flashed Syon standing there after he killed the Mountain Lord. "Oh. Oh, shit."


    Ichi rubbed his face clean with his shirt. Renya starting walking away, and Ichi followed her.


    "It''s normal to know everything about the person you love. If you killed a bear in the middle of the forest to save a cat, how couldn''t I know?" Renya laughed a little.


    "No, how could you possibly know?"


    Renya turned on Ichi, holding her hands behind herself.


    "Syon told me. Apparently, the seer''s council that runs this village debated something last night, and I''m being punished for getting close to you. Have I been annoying?"


    Ichi stared blankly at her. Then, he walked past her. His head felt fuzzy.


    "Seer''s Council?"


    "Yeah. Don''t you know? The people who run this village? Very powerful. It would be nice if we could kill them all and escape, don''t you think?" Renya said.


    Ichi never heard of them. He''d only been going to school and lounging around for the past six months. Renya''s words felt ominous.


    "So you''re getting punished just for talking to me?"


    "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your imagination, Ichi." Renya giggled and turned around, walking away.


    Ichi looked at her back. He followed as the distance between them grew. As silence settled between the two of them, Ichi felt like he wanted to tell her the truth. Everyday, Renya would act friendly and say I love you and such, but Ichi felt for sure Renya was lying. Ichi didn''t say anything. As the minutes stretched on with Ichi''s brain overheating over what might happen next with a punishment coming from an organization he never heard of just for playing nice with him, Ichi felt the pressure mount.


    "Renya. Why do you talk to me?"


    "I felt like trying to fall in love for once. It''s a shame you weren''t more mature." Renya complained, sighing. "There''s nothing to do in this town at all. I can only write and garden so much, at least, I could make a single friend I thought."


    "So, you were lying?"


    "Yes?"


    "Good, good." Ichi nodded. "I always had a feeling you were."


    "How perceptive." Renya said, turning and smiling at Ichi.

 5- Friendly Mountains

    Ichi''s ''school'' is a two floor thatched roof house where young girls named Rikya and Satou lived. Rikya, the local shrine maiden, owned the house and offered it to be used as the gathering place for the young people of the village. Until two years ago, it was Myon and Syon who came over to Rikya''s house for "self-study". Then Reyna came, and six months ago, Ichi.


    When he walked in Rikya''s house, he saw Rikya doing oil painting. The detail of the scene felt incredible, but in six months Ichi couldn''t remember her looking at him even once. Today Rikya looked at him, smiled, and went back to painting. Ichi felt for sure she could see his half-possessed state. Unlike Myon, Syon, and Renya, he only thought of Rikya as cute, so Ichi felt safer around her than the other girls.


    Ichi huddled in the bathroom tub soon after ''school'' started, studying the ceiling. Myon said a bright hi with a wave of her hand and Ichi retreated to the bathroom. He''d do that sometimes, read, or go for a walk. Reyna left Ichi alone at Rikya''s house, she would do some writing exercises and math from difficult sounding books, and Syon would be nearby reading. Which left Myon either doing exercise outside, disassembling or reassembling her gun, or playing board games with Satou.


    Ichi heard a knock on the bathroom door. Fearing the worst, he sunk down a bit into the tub with the whites of his eyes showing and pulled out the tsukigomani or whatever. Ichi put his hand on the tied seal, ready to rip it off, hoping he''d be quick on the draw.


    "Can I come in? There''s something I wanted to tell you." Myon''swarm voice reverberated through the door.


    "Yes." Ichi croaked.


    Myon opened the door with a smile, spinning her gun around her finger. Walking close, Ichi almost ripped the seal until Myon offered Ichi the handle side of the gun.


    "Check it out," Myon grinned.


    Ichi took his hand off the seal and moved it slowly towards the gun.


    "It''s not loaded." Myon said.


    Ichi took the gun. Blood rushed to his head, excitement pouring through him. Noticing for the first time, it reminded him of something from a youtube video, the name sprang to mind.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Luger? But the barrel is kind of long... Isn''t this that gun Nazi''s used?"


    Myon wore a tight grin at that comment.


    "It''s a magic tool. The original, designed by a mage in the 1900''s for Spirit Hunter use."


    "Antique." Ichi said as he examined it.


    "Syon and I were watching you, Ichi, since you came here. You had some fun the other day, sounds like."


    Ichitensed his shoulders, and sighed.


    "This about that mountain lord?"


    "Mountain Lord? What are you talking about? This is about that Bakeneko following you around." Myon said.


    Ichi felt it best to not to say anything about how he killed a magic talking bear.


    "My Grandpa was worried you and Syon would get on my case about the cat. Hegave me this," Ichi showed Myon the tsukihogame or whatever with his other hand.


    Myon took the paper, her face going sour.


    "This could have been bad. You''d get pulled into servitude for the rest of your life!" Myon handed the paper back to him.


    "I had a feeling it was something like that." Ichi sighed. "What does it do?"


    "It would have been better than dying. But, not by much. Summons a powerful spirit. One I''d have trouble with. A lot of trouble." Myon groaned.


    Ichi realized that this was his first time talking with Myon this much. He felt relief that she sounded as friendly as she looked.


    Myon smiled, and Ichi''s eyes met hers.


    "We were given the choice to kill you or train you once we reported to the Seer''s Council abou the bakeneko. You''re lucky I decided to give you a chance."


    Ichi''s heart raced at her words. Training?


    "What a fun place this village is, I''m getting excited already." He moaned.


    Myon crossed one arm under her ample chest and put her hand to her chin, staring off into the distance. Her smile went straight, then curled up again.


    "Yeah!" She said. "I''ll be training you. If I left it up to Syon..." Myon paused, "So! Tomorrow, you''re coming over to my place for a kendo match."


    Ichi always wanted to do kendo. He shifted the gun Myon gave him in his hands.


    "What about the Bakeneko?" Ichi asked, handing the gun back to Myon, who sheathed it behind her back.


    Clicking the safety buckle on the gun Myon said, "TheSeer''s Councildecided that she''s going to carry the cat within her. You have a week to pass the cat into her."

 6- Girl Tomorrow

    That evening Ichi took an early stroll home hoping to ditch Reyna''s invitation. He admired the evening sun filtering through the trees, the smell reminding him of the forest. The words Myon said haunted him. Why would Reyna need to be possessed by the cat?


    This village makes no sense. Ichi didn''t like Miko possessing him without asking, but he didn''t want someone he didn''t know pulling the cat out of him. Ichi didn''t ask Myon the details of how he was supposed to do it. He was relieved enough that Myon didn''t shoot him.


    Since he fought the Mountain Lord, Ichi''s senses were heightened. Ichi could smell Reyna following behind him. His heartbeat started to thrum. don. don. don. Like drums, he heard this before. This feeling, like the smell after rain falls, it was the feeling of bloodthirst in the air. Like before a fight he used to haveat his old school in the city. Ichi smiled to himself, thinking of standing over the dead Mountain Lord.


    Ichi turned around and looked at Reyna. The girls shoulder length blonde hair and light blue eyes caught his for a moment before they flickered away from him. Acting shy now? Ichi thought.


    "You here about a cat?"


    Reyna''s eyes tracked the ground as she walked near a treeline, veering off the path and picking up a heavy dry stick and pruning the branches with her hand to make it bare. She swung it around in a circle, the air thrummed as she did. Ichi got excited seeing that. Maybe she''d fight him? Ichi''s heart started pounding.


    "I suppose this is one way you can have fun with girls," Ichi whispered as Renya met his gaze.


    Renya pointed the stick at him like a sword.


    "You wouldn''t mind dying for me, would you?


    "That''s a lot of commitment." Ichi laughed, punching a fist into an open palm.


    Renya lunged forward, tapping Ichi on the forehead. Ichi lost his balance, falling over.


    "Perhaps a stray cat is better company than you. It might be interesting. Being possessed. Never tried that before." Renya slung the stick around her shoulder looking off into the distance.


    "If, I give it up that is." Ichi said. He was surprised the words came out of his mouth. Standing up, he walked within Renya''s striking distance.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Renya swung. The speed was a blur to Ichi, but his instinct had him dance back, a stab followed to his face and Ichi swerved out of the way as he felt his cheek sting. Moving forward towards Renya''s pretty face, his fist punched straight into her cheek. His fist sunk into that cheek like sinking into sand. Renya looked at Ichi with interest from under his fist, and she knocked his arm aside with the stick. Ichi''s balance broke and his feet tapped the ground as he tried to rebuild it.


    "Heavy blow," Ichi gasped.


    Renya made an impressive flourish at Ichi.


    "The Seer''s Council gave us a week. ''Have Ichi give you the cat by the end of a week. If not, we''ll take it from him for you.'' That''s what they said. This isn''t about you. It''s about me. I won''t let that happen. No stupid cat is going to live in my body."


    Ichi eyed her, breathing hard, he sped forward and launched his fist at the girl. Renya dodged this time, and Ichi took a kick to his gut he couldn''t see. Ichi stayed upright, feeling the sting from the hit. That wasn''t good, he thought, almost threw up there.


    Reyna broke the stick, tossing Ichi a jagged half through the air.


    Ichi caught it. Then, examing the dagger edge, he tossed it aside.


    "I don''t need a weapon like this."


    "It wouldn''t have done much against me anyways." Renya said with a smile.


    "My punch didn''t make much of an effect either. Felt like hitting a sandbag. Are all girls made of sand?"


    "My cheek felt like sand to you?" Renya felt her unblemished cheek with a concerned look on her face.


    Ichi waved his hands at her with his fingers spread out.


    "I''m sure that if I liked you, I''d at least lie to you about that."


    Renya squinted at him.


    "How pretty would you rate me? Out of ten?"


    She threw the stick away.


    Ichi crossed his arms, eyes traveling over her body. Stopping at her nonexistent chest, then moving to her face.


    "Numbers don''t convey it well. You''re good. Except there," Ichi gestured at her with his palm out, "but, that has it''s own charm too."


    "''Good''? So seven out of ten?"


    Ichi groaned.


    "That''s going too far for a girl I just punched."


    "So I''m over seven then? Since you don''t want to say it."


    "I don''t want to say it."


    Renya smiled, walking up to Ichi, she lightly pushed his chest, knocking him to the ground. Renya got on all fours and crawled up to his face like cat, closing the distance between them. Ichi blushed at how close her face was.


    "Sex, exists, you know?" Renya said.


    "I am aware." Ichi nodded.


    Renya leaned past his face putting her lips to his ear. She whispered to him.


    "Let''s talk tomorrow. I''ve got to get dressed."


    She pulled herself up off of hovering over Ichi''s body on all fours. Renya looked down on him, giving him a goodbye wave, then started walking away.


    Ichi stood up, adjusting his clothes haphazardly.


    "Tomorrow. Yeah."


    In the branches of the forest trees nearby there was a familiar girl reading a book. She watched over the two.


    "How cute," Syon said.

 7- Date

    Reyna kept three paces behind Ichi wearing a tightly wound kimono on the way to school. Ichi felt a warm simmering behind him, reminded him of a hot tub he went to once with his mom while she was still alive.


    "Would you do me the pleasure of accompanying me this Saturday? I want to go moon-viewing. Rikya''s house has a nice rooftop, that sounds like a wonderful place. Around midnight would be beautiful." Reyna said.


    "Sure," Ichi responded. He wondered if Rikya would mind.


    "I have a dress picked out. It''s a white one piece, but I''m worried about the color... I think red suits me better, don''t you think so?"


    "White''s better on you." Ichi turned and grinned, watching the smiling Reyna adjust her kimono.


    "I like red."


    "It''s up to a girl what she wears to a date." Ichi shrugged.


    "I promise an exciting evening." Reyna chuckled.


    With that, small pleasant comments between the two lovers were sent back and forth on the way to school. It''d be a date he might die for, Ichi thought. As they passed through the trees they stayed silent, Ichi''s heart thumped in anticipation of an attack from behind, by Reyna parted to the schoolhouse peacefully.


    Ichi went to the back of the schoolhouse, where he could hear shots from Myon. Myon stood there, ample breasts present as always, with one hand firing a stream of careful shots. Bottles stood up on the rungs of a fence teetered back as she hit them, then she walked over to set them all up again when she met Ichi''s eyes from a distance.


    Waving at him, Myon curled her hand toward herself in a come over here command. Ichi followed, meeting her at the fence. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Stay here and set them up," Myon pointed to the glass bottles. Not a single one was even cracked, even though there was a small pile strewn across the ground and onto of each other. Ichi complied as Myon went distant. Myon turned on her way out to the shooting stand which was a chalk mark in the ground. "Don''t move. I''m serious, I could put an eye out."


    Ichi stood by the side of the fence, instinct telling him to bolt. However, he felt something within saying that if he backed off now, he''d hurt Myon''s feelings. Either way, twelve shots rang out and the bottles got hit just enough to land on the ground behind the fence in the grass. Falling from the fence the shot bottles missed the bottles strewn across the ground as they made no sound falling into place.


    Then, Myon came over, climbing on the fence close to Ichi.


    "Did Reyna say anything?" Myon asked.


    "Date this Saturday," Ichi said pointing to the rooftop of the schoolhouse, "up there. Think Rikya will mind?"


    "Not a matter of minding or not. Reyna didn''t take the news well?" Myon sighed.


    "We''re about to fight to the death, for sure. You got a favorite? For the fight." Ichi said looking at her side boob unintentionally, then intentionally.


    Myon waved her hand, like swishing away his line of sight as she caught him.


    "Syon and Reyna... seem to be friends."


    Ichi blushed and looked away, noticing that Myon noticed with a flash of her eyes.


    "So? Is that all my life is worth?"


    Myon laughed, turning to meet Ichi''s gaze.


    "The seer''s council gave Reyna a week. That means, they gave her preparation time. Either they were too lazy to do the ritual to transfer the cat right away, or they value her more than you." Myon looked away, half whispering. "They''re so creative with their ''punishments''."


    "What, did the seer''s council do this on purpose to have Reyna whack me off?"


    Myon stayed silent for a second, humming under her breath and biting her lip.


    "Maybe? Either way, I have plans. Want to hear them?"

 8- Sex and Violence pt. 1

    Afterschool Ichi went to Myon''s place to practice kendo. Long walls and curved armor plate roof tiles opened to a large courtyard and a sprawling compound of squat one floor buildings. Ichi entered following Myon, with Syon close behind him as they took off their shoes. Ichi noticed there was a statue there in the entryway and felt curious about why it looked like a tengu. Long nose, stern face, black wings. Ichi gulped unconsciously.


    The long open floor of the dojo opened in front of him at last. Laid our there were two sets of kendo gear. Ichi saw that one set was missing a glove, the one Myon went towards. As she kneeled down and put on the head scarf, Ichi copied her with his gear. ''


    "You''ve done this before?" Myon said.


    "Nah."


    Ichi felt his way through it though, and the armor got on somehow. Myon came over before she put on her breastplate to check his work. Ichi felt Myon''s hand run across his armor at places and shivered with excitement. Myon left, nodding and voicing wordless assent and Ichi caught her eyes briefly as she did. Buckling on the rest of her gear save her missing left glove, Myon stood in full armor as she invited Ichi to pick a bamboo kendo stick from along the wall with a gesture. Ichi grabbed onto the first one he felt looked good, returning to the center of the dojo and giving some furious practice swings a try.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "Good," Ichi said.


    Myon went back to her starting place, taking a stance with her stick facing Ichi.


    "It''s tight, isn''t it?"


    Ichi copied her stance, facing her with his stick.


    "Yeah."


    "Ichi, what do you think about this... world?"


    Ichi already could tell from her somber tone what she was talking about.


    "Seer''s council brought me here. I want to live free, so I''d have to fight them."


    Myon sighed.


    "You''re not going to do that anytime soon, are you?"


    Ichi laughed, resting the stick across one shoulder.


    "I have enough trouble with women right now. What can someone like me do against monsters like them?"


    Myon nodded, voicing wordless assent.


    "Good. I feel the same. This isn''t just about Renya, right?"


    "Why would it be about Renya?" Ichi asked.


    "You like her?"


    "My ranking," Ichi put his gloved hand to his chin, "First, Myon, Second, Renya, Third, Syon, and Rikya and Satou are sacred."


    Myon smiled and let her left hand hang free. With the other hand, she pointed the stick at Ichi.


    "You''re rather cocky, for a tanuki."


    "I''d never settle for ''pet'' status. Not into that sort of thing." Ichi swung his head from right to left.


    "How about ''boy''?" Myon said in a mocking tone.


    Ichi pointed the stick at Myon. His face went stern as he locked eyes with Myon.


    "With a chest like yours, I''ll consider it in the future."


    "If you prove yourself worthy, I''ll consider it at least."


    Myon swungher gun out from behind her back and shot.

 9- Sex and Violence pt. 2

    Ichi took Myon''s shot straight on his breastplate.


    "Those bullets aren''t going to kill me."


    Myon fired a couple times more, shifting her aim to his head guard''s grill for one shot out of five. The flurry of bullets didn''t last, but when the sound stopped Ichi had his head covered with both arms. Myon sighed at Ichi, who blocked his own vision to avoid a dummy bullet to the eye.


    "If this were a real fight-"


    "This isn''t a real fight," Ichi countered from behind his gloves, "this is kendo."


    "A sport. That''s," Myon paused, "right."


    Myon scooted forward, shuffling into range and called out, "Tsuki!" as she jabbed with her stick straight toward Ichi''s neck.


    In kendo, Ichi thought, a tsuki is a dangerous attack that shouldn''t be used lightly. In competition, it''s not banned, but a strong tsuki signifies that you are fighting an opponent worth injuring for a victory. Using it when you don''t need to is an act of desperation. This isn''t a test. This is Myon wanting to see Ichi broken.


    Ichi realized that before the tsuki hit, and scooted back beyond it''s range. Although the guard wouldn''t let him see the stick tapping the neck of his headguard, he felt the headguard shift on his head. Light touch. Even a sliver away from Myon, or a sliver closer to Myon, he felt like either would have ended up in punishment. Frustration for Myon''s one handed tsuki not hitting Ichi, and Myon looking down on him if it hit full on.


    Ichi''s windpipe would have been crushed as well, but Ichi wasn''t thinking about that at all.


    "So, this is Myon? Such a sad smile," Ichi said looking down on her.


    Ichi looked at Myon''s face as the tsuki touched him. Light smiling Myon, but Ichi''s nose could tell. This is anger. This is her saying, "I''ve lost? Again?" That isn''t what Myon said out loud, that was what Ichi thought she thought inside.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    What happened in reality was that Myon scooted forward again, her stick still at Ichi''s throat, and her thighs under the dress unleashed all their force as she squatted and released them in one swift action. Ichi''s time lost in thought and responding to Myon with words rather than knocking her stick away had cost him. Ichi floated back in the air from the force of the push against him briefly before crashing down flat on his back. As he hit the floor, Ichi started laughing. The sound reverberated throughout the spacious dojo. Myon stood over Ichi, her ungloved left hand tightening on her gun.


    "Myon, you really hate losing, don''t you, Myon?" Ichi said.


    Myon stood silent, catching her breath.


    She dropped the bamboo stick, and started undressing. Her armor came off all around her like a waterfall, and she turned as the last of it fell on the ground around her, walking towards big slatted paper doors. It wasn''t an exit, Ichi saw, as Myon wrenched both slats aside with both her hands in an explosive motion. It looked like a dead end, pitch black all around her, not even the evening light touched the inside of that room.


    Ichi saw Myon standing with her back to him, her long hair trailing down her back in a bunch, as around her lights flickered on revealing a wall of weapons. Strange rifles with sigils across them. Long spears with curved blades. Swords that looked like an orc wielded them. Myon went for a neat dresser with even square cubbyholes bolted to the wall. Selecting a top drawer, she pulled out a cartridge, and turned to Ichi.


    Myon held up the cartridge for Ichi to see, tapping the golden bullets so he would notice from across the length of the dojo hall.


    "These are the bullets I use against real human opponents. Because of my special gun, these bullets melt on firing, splattering the air with drops of molten gold. It''s not normal gold. A single touch on the skin, and the opponent will die instantly. It''s instantly lethal as well, poisonous."


    "Use''em," Ichi said, standing up.

 10- Last Boss pt. 1

    Myon pitched her arm back, chucking the ammo clip straight into Ichi''s forehead. Ichi felt the clip knock off his headguard as he squinted his eyes in defense, and when he opened them, Myon stood in front of him. The most disgusted look on a face he had seen in his life wore on Myon''s face. Myon''s clothes changed too, although it was only an instant, she wore a long robe of flowing silver with pale gold threads woven throughout. Ichi was surprised to see the air literally crackling with electricity around her, as Myon grabbed Ichi''s collar with one arm and lifted him without shaking. Ichi was suspended in the air, as if from a statue. Looking down at Myon''s face, he remembered the tengu statue in the entryway to the housing complex. Myon called out in a low deep tone.


    "Do you like my work clothes?"


    Ichi nodded furiously.


    "You''re a very pretty girl, Myon, you look great, it doesn''t make you look fat at all."


    "Are you so eager to impress me that you''re fine with dying? Or are you an idiot?"


    Myon''s growl tickled his ears as Ichi felt Myon shake him a little bit.


    "Wasn''t that long ago but I did choose to be an idiot once I remember and I don''t think I''ve gone back on that point so right now I am reconsidering that life decision in light of recent events."


    Ichi''s words poured out like a waterfall. Like Myon shed her kendo armor, so did Ichi shed his words.


    "Listen," Myon began to lower him, "I like you."


    Ichi''s feet touched the ground, as Myon lightly slapped his chest and shoulder in quick succession after she left go. Myon''s face grew stern.


    "You''re cute. You''re my cute. Understand?"


    Ichi let out a long low groan of misunderstanding, shock, and partial awe that ended in a sigh of relief. If it were verbalized in word form, it might be something like:


    "uhhhhhaghhhahhhhaaaaaa...."


    Ichi felt like curling into a ball. Tanuki could change forms into birds right? He''d need special training before he could master his new escape technique he came up with in that instant, but looking at Myon he felt like he''d end up as fried chicken.


    "...instead of fried tanuki." Ichi muttered under his breath.


    Myon smiled and rubbed his back. Myon''s hand traveled to Ichi''s lower back, where she felt paper with her fingers.


    "You brought the shikigami Grandpa gave you?"


    "Yep. I have a feeling I''ll need two by the time this is over with."


    Myon folded her legs down as she sat on her calves, her feet peeking out behind her butt.


    "You look tired, want to lay down?"


    Ichi half collapsed his head into Myon''s lap. Ichi didn''t plan it that way. Myon guided his head there. In truth, Myon had this in mind all along. Myon is adept in wind, healing, seals, sigils, runes, and lightning magic. Myon used a little wind to guide his body to the ground, but Ichi would never know that she did that in that moment for the rest of his life.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon."Is this okay?" Ichi half-croaked out in panic.


    Myon didn''t respond as she began stroking his hair. Pulling out a seal from one of her voluminous sleeves with one hand, she tore off Ichi''s kendo breastplate and shirt throwing it to the side and slapped the slim paper rectangle on the center of his chest.


    Ichi''s eyelids grew heavy. His whole body relaxed.


    "Goodnight, tanuki boy."


    The last thing Ichi heard was Myon''s giggle.


    The sun set. The full moon rose as clouds obscured parts of the sky, crossing the moon lazily as Ichi awoke.


    Above him, he could see Myon''s breasts and hear her light breathing. She was asleep. Half-crawling he rolled out of her lap, his muscles sore, wondering where his shirt was as he looked down at his chest. There, paper looked glued to his chest. Complex squiggles and shapes were carved over the surface. By instinct, his hand went to tear it off, but Myon''s hand lightly grasped his.


    "No." Myon said.


    Ichi caught her smile and breasts in his vision, and stood up, yawning.


    Myon rose too, from a seated position she did it with her legs strength alone, not even using her hand for balance. Ichi noticed that her clothes were back to normal, a simple white robe.


    Ichi gestured to his chest, pointing at the seal. Myon understood he was asking a question.


    "It''s a seal. Seals away decay. There''s a lot more involved in it than that, but for now, you should know that it''s much more useful than that shikigami Grandpa gave you. It works all the time, instead of being a trump card you can only use once. Don''t take it off."


    Ichi looked down at the seal, sighing and rubbing his head, he stumbled over to the door.


    "Wait-!" Myon yelled out, as Ichi opened the door to the dojo.


    The moonlight poured down on the courtyard. Ichi''s eyes met another girl''s right away. Under the roof of a nearby buildings, Syon sat with her legs folded under her. Under her was wood and framing of the building, giving her the appearance of floating against the white paper door behind her. Ichi heard Myon letting out a long sigh behind him.


    The distance between them under the sky reminded him of how far away Myon was when she went to the weapons cabinet in the dojo. That felt like it was a minute ago, as he noticed the clothes the girl was wearing. Silver-white robe, like the moon, with grey lacing and tighter sleeves. Instead of long and flowing like Myon''s, Syon''s robe looked a size bigger than a bathrobe. Ichi got a tight stomach and his back shivered as Syon stared into his eyes.


    Myon grabbed his shoulder from behind, wrenching him back into the dojo. Throwing her arm around his back, she pulled him close and whispered quick and stern into his ear.


    "Last boss," Myon pointed towards Syon who sat across the courtyard, watching them. Do not- do not do anything that you think is a good idea! You''re an idiot, anything you think is going to be a stupid idea! Whatever she wants, do that. Rules. Follow. Rules."

 11- Last Boss pt. 2

    Ichi opened his mouth thinking of rebutting her somehow but Myon slapped him quickly. So quickly, Ichi staggered back.


    "No." Myon said.


    Ichi looked at the girl in the distance and girl in front of him. What did he do to deserve this pleasure? Ichi wanted to go home very badly, but he was sure that today was about to get much worse. He looked to the moon, thinking that Grandpa would have a lecture waiting for him. If he ever got home.


    Myon looked at Syon. Syon stood up, closing the distance between them, reaching the halfway point in the courtyard before pulling out a silver glove. Pulling it over her left hand, Myon jumped down from the dojo and ran in front of her spreading her arms out like wings.


    "No."


    "A demonstration is necessary. I can not take Ichi Danzaburo lightly." Syon said.


    Danzaburo? Ichi thought, that''s not my last name. At least, not my mother''s. Syon knew about his father?


    "Me, then."


    Myon caught Syon''s gaze.


    Syon looked back, then averted her eyes. Looking at the ground, Syon spread out her silver gloved hand far to her left side, fanning her fingers as a wire struck out. Ichi watched light glimmer across a squiggly line under the moonlight. Then, Myon froze. Ichi saw a wire in her neck, leading back to the glove.


    Ichi heart started pounding furiously as he froze, looking at Myon, even though she didn''t move a millimeter. It looked unnatural, like a puppet on strings. Everything told him run away.


    Syon''s eyes drew his to hers from Myon''s frozen form. Syon spoke out, meeting Ichi''s gaze.


    "Like this - I could do anything I want." Syon''s even paced dull tone gave Ichi shivers.


    With that, the wire snapped out of Myon''s neck. Myon fell to the ground breathing hard.


    Ichi''s body moved before his thoughts could catch up, running to Myon, he went to grab her shoulder.


    Myon knocked Ichi''s hand away as he touched her shoulder.


    "Go with her." Myon growled at him like a wounded animal.


    Ichi righted himself from trying to touch Myon. His mind raced, as he looked to Syon who averted her eyes. \


    Myon did this for him? Ichi thought that was stupid of her at first, then admirable, then Ichi''s judgement reverted back to stupid. He stood, thinking he''d better at least listen to her right now or he''d hate himself later. This is what sacrifice looks like? Ichi wondered. What an idiot. Let me take that hit! That was my hit to take!


    Ichi''s brow furrowed.


    Then, Syon leaned over, crouching a little so her right hand could reach Myon''s head. Syon ran her fingers though Myon''s hair. Ichi''s heart leapt looking at Syon''s face. A dazzling smile. It looked like Renya''s when she declared war with the stick. Only, this smile, Ichi felt for sure, this is-


    A real smile.


    Ichi couldn''t believe what his nose was telling him. His tanuki nose smelled truth, but his human mind screamed this is wrong.


    Syon''s fingers carefully left Myon''s hair as she pulled away, and with that the smile faded. Ichi, in a daze, followed Syon up a wooden platform into the building''s awning stopping as Syon stopped in front of a paper door.


    A pitch dark hallway opened up like a pit in front of him as Syon opened the paper door.


    Turning around fully, facing Myon who was still breathing hard crouched on the ground, Syon said "I am sorry." Ichi turned to look at Myon under the moonlight. Only strength in that face. He couldn''t do anything but listen to her. However, Ichi felt that after what Syon did to Myon, there wasn''t a chance he would be able to listen to Myon''s warnings.


    The two of them padded their feet down the hallway lit by sparsely placed candlelights. Ichi stared at Syon''s back, half feeling like punching her, half like kicking.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it."Why''d you do that?" Ichi growled.


    "I needed to perform a demonstration of the Silver Cross. That is the name of this glove."


    Syon held up her gloved left hand, the back of her hand wavering a little. Syon pulled off the glove, storing it somewhere in her robe.


    "Why."


    Syon kept silent.


    "For now - know that I did it for Reyna, for You, and for Myon. Your fearsome scary tanuki nose must acknowledge that as true."


    Ichi''s sense of truth disagreed with his instinct. Syon''s statement was entirely truth to his nose. Ichi calmed down. This opponent isn''t someone he should take lightly. He needed to learn how to win, those words flew through his mind. How did Syon know he could do that? Even if she can see that he is a tanuki, even Ichi knew that no normal tanuki had that kind of ability. Syon knew more about Ichi than Ichi did.


    "Syon, what do you know about me?"


    Syon kept silent. Ichi continued down the hallway with her.


    "Hey, answer."


    "The right time - the right place, please give me a moment to rest."


    Syon''s tired? Ichi felt like strangling her, again, but the anger released itself as a sigh.


    They entered a small room with twin lit flowing blue flames on a slightly raised section of the floor. The entire room covered itself in dim lighting. Syon motioned for Ichi to sit on a pillow on the lower portion of the floor. Ichi squatted down on it, cross-legged. Syon moved to the higher part of the floor and folded her legs under her as she placed her body on a pillow between the twin blue braziers.


    Syon and Ichi''s eyes met, seated far across from each other.


    "Please - excuse my ru-", Syon said as a phone rang from Syon''s robe. She pulled out a red phone which looked like a ladybug. Folding the flipphone open, Syon averted her eyes from Ichi''s gaze.


    Talking to her phone, Syon went on in a series of silences and responses.


    "Ah." "Yes." "Yes." "No - there is no need to wait - we will start moving this instant." "Yes - I understand." "They will not be a problem." "Yes - I estimate the target at low difficulty." "Thank you - goodbye."


    Syon pulled the red flipphone out from her face, positioning it towards one of the blue braziers, squinting as she tried to make out where the red end call button was on the phone''s keypad. Ichi could see it from across the room, as Syon searched a little tapping a few numbers before the end call button. She closed the phone, and let out a long sigh.


    "Tired?" Ichi said, mocking her.


    "Work. Dangerous work."


    "Can you see? It''s not that dark in here."


    "I own glasses - I do not wear them," Syon said in her even paced tone.


    "Tell me, Syon," Ichi leaned his head on his fist. "Are you good, or evil?"


    "Evil."


    "Glad we got that cleared up. Never thought I''d meet such a pathetic villain."


    "Being a good person - is something beyond my ability and station in life," Syon said sighing.


    Ichi knew Syon told the truth again. It worried him, his mind raced to figure this girl out as silence settled between Ichi and Syon.


    This girl, Ichi thought, reminds me of something. Renya got punished because of her behavior towards me, but why wasn''t I punished by the seer council themselves for coming into town possessed with a bakeneko? Syon and Myon are their lapdogs, and they left the decision up to Myon? If they left it up to this girl - I''d be very, very dead. Why''d they let me live, after Grandpa told them about Mei''s unknown high status? Mei''s from the depths of the spirit world. Mei never saw a human before this.


    Ichi scratched his head, grunting. Rubbing his fingers through his hair, his instinct screamed at him there was something vital here. Something he could only know, if he asked the right questions, right now. Then it came to him. The possession he did. That idiocy.


    Ichi''s hand shifted to grabbing his chin as he continued thinking furiously. What is Syon? Syon''s like me on the bank of that rice paddy, right before I let Mei possess me. In Ichi''s mind he saw the cat lifted in front of him and the expanse of the evenly placed riceplants and the muddy clay packed water. The words that came to his mind, over and over before he did it, was that this was the dumbest thing he has ever done in his life.


    The girl in front of him might be the dumbest, the most dense being he had ever encountered in his short existence. Ichi got the sense he was looking into a black hole when he looked at Syon''s eyes.


    "Syon?"


    "Is there something the matter, Ichi Danzaburo?"


    "I''ve got a new name for you. Idiyon. Idiot Syon."


    Syon kept silent.


    "Perhaps - no, if it comes from the son of Danzaburo then that is the truth of what I am. I have never considered myself an idiot, even once, before this conversation, however, now I am worried because of the evidence that has presented itself. You are quite fearsome scary, Ichi Danzaburo." Syon sighed.


    Ichi''s focus heightened on Syon like a laser beam, trying to detect a signal in Syon''s silence. His tanuki instincts rose their ability to the limit to detect a faint sniff of something Ichi didn''t expect. Sadness. For a second there, Syon and Myon weren''t that far apart in Ichi''s mind. Only for a second.


    "Son of Danzaburo?" Ichi laughed. "So, you know about my father then. Care to go on?"

 12- Last Boss pt. 3

    Syon kept silent. Moving her hand to her side, she rummaged through her robe. Ichi got chills of either excitement or fear, he couldn''t tell the difference anymore as Syon pulled out a tiny notebook instead of the glove. A girly notebook, pink, with a magical girl drawn on it. There was a pen clipped by its handle through the rungs of the notebook, a blue gel ink pen. Syon opened the notebook, looking through the pages. Then, she wrote something down, neatly, as if inscribing it in stone.


    Syon flipped back through the pages, Ichi saw her eyes dancing over the page. Ichi finally took the hint, Syon wouldn''t tell him a thing. He''d be sure to grill Grandpa for all he''s worth when he gets home.


    "Grandpa will be mad at me for staying out so late. When I tell him it was with twins, will he forgive me?"


    Ichi moaned out in the silence.


    "Please - give me more time. You are fearsome scary. If I say the wrong thing - then our relationship will sour."


    "No, no, our relationship is the worst it could possibly be, Idiyon, and I''d leave town this second if it were possible solely because I know someone like you exists."


    Syon flipped the notebook shut, putting it down at her side on the floor. She pointed the pen at Ichi.


    "Do you believe you are the only one who is trapped?"


    Syon said in a flat tone. Ichi''s nose didn''t detect any feeling behind those words. Instinct begged him to ask the question that came to mind, and Ichi didn''t deny his instincts.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it."How many people are trapped? Is Idiyon trapped?"


    Syon averted her eyes.


    "First question - cannot estimate with total human population. Here - this town - at Rikya house where we go to school - there are six people. Does that answer the second question - Ichi Danzaburo?"


    Ichi grunted.


    "You''re content to live like that?"


    Syon smiled. It reminded Ichi of when Syon patted Myon''s head.


    "This is the most wonderful place on Earth. I travel a lot for work. I enjoy work. It is hard - but satisfying."


    Ichi stared into her smiling eyes. This isn''t the time, Ichi thought, to do anything about this mess in front of me. This is a cosmic entity of uncertain density, I may need to learn astrophysics to comprehend her basic speech.


    Fight or Flee? Ichi asked himself, and he chose flee, hard.


    "I''d really like to be getting on my way home now, it''s late." Ichi went to rise.


    "Please - another three minutes. We must discuss Renya. That was my intent from the start."


    Standing on the pillow, Ichi pointed at Syon.


    "You sure have a roundabout way of going about it, Idiyon."


    "I want to help. I will subdue Renya with my Sil-"


    "You ain''t doing anything for me, ever. Can I go now?"


    Syon looked like she was about to cry. Ichi felt the urge to punch rising. That wouldn''t end well, Ichi thought, and I bet I''d feel guilty in the morning.


    Syon wiped her eyes with her sleeve, sighing out and breathing in deep like a monk about to meditate.


    She caught his gaze.


    "I will not allow you to die."

 13- Moonlit Concerns

    Ichi turned and walked to the paper door ignoring what the girl said, stopping as he heard Syon rush across the floor behind him to his front. Syon opened the paper door for Ichi.


    "I will lead you out."


    Ichi waved his hand with disgust as he followed Syon out in the dim hallway. Ichi didn''t expect he''d be able to get out of this maze without her help, but his mood urged him to tunnel out. Syon smiled in front of Ichi.


    "This has been the most amusing conversation I have had in my entire life. I would enjoy the pleasure of your company anytime. At the least I offer to bear one child - I am weak so please keep it to one."


    Ichi''s right hand tensed. I could grab that head, right now, Ichi thought.


    "The next time I see you open your mouth near me I''ll consider it an attack of my sanity."


    Syon kept silent as they shuffled through the dark maze. The minuted soaked in silence, Ichi felt like he was bathing in that silence. Syon came to a paper door. Opening it, moonlight covered half of Syon''s body, half of her body in the darkness. Syon lit up her half-hidden smile, meeting Ichi''s eyes.


    "You are a good man, Ichi."


    Ichi ignored Syon and walked past her. Then, he was surprised to find his hand move to Syon''s head. Looking back, he saw his right hand rubbing through her hair. Syon''s eyes were closed showing a pleasant face. In shock Ichi snapped his hand back he looked for the silver glove, thinking this was some sorcery, but no, Syon''s hands were visible. Disturbed, Ichi looked at his pulled back right palm as if it had betrayed him.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Ichi walked away, glancing to courtyard hoping Myon was there. She wasn''t. Hurrying up, he broke into a speed walk. Then, a run. Distance is good, distance is great. With distance, Ichi couldn''t talk to Syon at all. That was an advantage of having no smartphone. Ichi could make the excuse "Ahh, well,I have no friends anyways so what''s the point of having a phone?" For the rest of his life, he could make that excuse.


    Ichi vaulted over the two meter wall with strength that surprised himself. "This doesn''t seem human, oh wait, I''m not only human," were Ichi''s thoughts as he sailed through the air and crashed into the ground outside of the building compound, rolling over the ground like a rag doll. Ichi landed face up, staring at the moon and stars. Out here away from the city, Ichi saw more stars at night. At least the sky here was pretty.


    Ichi smelled Myon before he saw her. A hand grabbed his shirt, pulling it up, and another hand ran over the seal Myon placed over Ichi''s chest. Myon sighed, her breath pouring over Ichi''s face as she drew back from crouching over him.


    "You okay?" Myon said. Ichi thought her voice never sounded kinder since he met her.


    "I''m fine," Ichi lied.


    He pulled himself up, talking to himself saying it was all a bad dream in his head.


    "Your sister and I had a chat. She''s concerned about me. I''d rather not have your sister''s concern."

 14- Homestay

    Myon looked over Ichi, who had bags under his eyes. She sensed that asking about what Syon said now would be dangerous. She''d grill Ichi later.


    "Let''s go home to Grandpa," Myon said.


    Ichi noticed Myon had a large backpack mounding behind her shoulders. Myon urged Ichi along with her hand, under the moon and stars the bloodflow from walking began to revive Ichi. He looked at his right hand again, wondering why he patted Syon''s head like that. The loss of control bothered him. It''s like there was a whole different side of himself he knew nothing about. Does being half-tanuki factor into that? Ichi mused. Then, Ichi noticed something that bothered him about the way Myon addressed Grandpa.


    "He''s my Grandpa, not your Grandpa. Why do you call him that way?"


    "I''ve known him since I was a kid. Before you came here six months ago, I used to have dinner with him when work wasn''t in the way."


    Ichi''s brow furrowed. He would have liked to have know this in advance.


    "We''re not blood related are we?"


    "Our families go back centuries, but there''s no marrying between them, so no. Our fathers arranged that."


    Ichi sighed. He''d grill Grandpa and Myon for all they were worth about his dad.


    "I''m glad. By the way, what''s that backpack for?"


    "Oh, I''m moving in."


    "Ah, I see."


    The vestiges of the sun would rise in a few hours over this small town. It would light up all the expansive rice paddys with an amber glow. Looking to the forest in the distance, Ichi couldn''t imagine it being further away.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "What?" Ichi said.


    "I think Syon is training Renya. We''ve worked together a long time, it''s the sort of thing she''d enjoy doing."


    "That doesn''t mean you can just move in!"


    And when they finally got to Ichi''s house:


    "Grandpa!" Myon shouted as she ran in and hugged him. Ichi never saw Grandpa smile so happily. His face melted. Ichi grumbled to himself. Why is Grandpa even awake now?


    "Too shy to come around lately because there''s a boy here now?" Grandpa mocked her laughing.


    Myon blushed as they went into the kitchen. ichi thought, no wait, who is that girl. His mind went back to a few hours to when Myon had him hanging in the air.


    "Ichi, come sit down. Myon will cook us an early breakfast."


    No, no, Ichi thought, she can''t cook, that should be impossible for someone like her. Ichi sat down as Myon was already in an apron heating water. Ichi watched as Myon bustled his kitchen with a smile on her face.


    "Are you the same girl?" Ichi asked. Myon knit her brows and gave Ichi a dismissive look. Grandpa put a hand on Ichi''s shoulder.


    "Girl trouble?"


    "Yes, very girl trouble."


    "I bet they''re all crazy for you at school."


    "Yes, that is definitely true. And Myon is right there."


    "It''s not a secret that you''re a teenage boy."


    Myon interrupted from the side, as she was cutting up potatoes she mentioned it casually.


    "Renya doesn''t seem too happy about the punishment the seer''s council gave her. Think Syon''s on her side?"


    Grandpa laughed and slapped Ichi on the back.


    "Ohh, I''d like to be young again! You''re going to have so much fun, Ichi."

 15- Golden Eyes and Burning Brain

    Myon began to lay out plates. In her hand was a dull golden knife with intricate etchings of fish flowing all over the handle. There was lobster bisque. Ichi could smell it. However, Grandpa didn''t buy any lobster.


    There was peking duck. A light crispy smell from the thin skin of the duck tickled Ichi''s nose.


    "Myon?" Ichi ventured.


    Myon smiled at Ichi, then went back to the kitchen.


    Grandpa served himself some peking duck, taking a bite.


    "It''s a magic knife. Turns food into more food. If you use it to cut right, that is. Don''t talk about it to others, it''s one of the ones that Myon ''picked up'' during work."


    Ichi stared at the dishes before using a ladle to serve himself some lobster bisque. As he drank, Myon came in and sat down with a bowl she kept near herself. Ichi liked the smell, but he got a queasy feeling looking at it.


    "What''s that?" Ichi asked.


    "Oh, you don''t want to know." Myon said.


    "No, I really do." Ichi persisted.


    Grandpa interceded on her behalf.


    "Have you ever heard of a dish called ''Golden Eyes and Burning Brain''? I''ve got a book on chinese cuisine if you''d like to read about it."


    Ichi didn''t want to read a book. This was Grandpa''s way of saying ''you should read more'' again. Ichi thought that there was a more pressing question he wanted to ask. Talking to Syon was weighing on his mind. Myon said that Syon is helping Renya, but Ichi''s nose told him that was impossible because of Syon''s words. If anything, Syon would kill Renya before him, Ichi felt that had to be true since Syon offered to subdue Renya to protect him. Ichi stared at his lobster bisque, the wonderful cream smell wafting in his nose.


    "What do you do for work, Myon?"


    Myon smiled, then picked up a spoon and dug into her dish. Again, Grandpa interceded on her behalf.


    "Don''t talk about work at the table. I''ll tell you later, so eat."


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.Ichi''s brow furrowed as he picked up the bowl.


    "I hate my life," Ichi sipped his lobster bisque, "but the food is good."


    Myon smiled at Ichi.


    "Thanks."


    "She''s a good cook, isn''t she? Think about marriage," Grandpa chimed in.


    "Myon''s a nice enough girl, I''m worried about her sister." Ichi half joked as he ate.


    Myon looked to the side as she put some of the Golden Eyes and Burning Brain into her mouth.


    Grandpa chuckled.


    "You talked to Syon?"


    "Yeah."


    "She''s doing well?"


    "Very well, I''d say. She seemed tired."


    Grandpa tore off some more peking duck.


    "She''s different, isn''t she?"


    "She''s a monster." Ichi growled.


    Myon answered, her tone flat.


    "Syon''s my monster, though."


    Ichi thought back to a few hours ago, when he saw Myon kneeling under Syon heaving breath and sweating after Syon used the Silver Cross on her. He sipped the bisque and the creamy texture swirled in his mouth.


    "The two of you don''t seem like you have a great relationship."


    Grandpa gave Ichi a stern look, like an eagle staring at a mouse.


    Myon looked to Grandpa, and they caught each other''s gaze, then Grandpa looked to Ichi and relaxed his face. Grandpa went back to eating. Myon waved her tongue cleaned spoon at Ichi.


    "She''s a horrible person to people, but she''s saved my life countless times. Be gentle with her, she''s a lot more fragile than she looks."


    Ichi thought that Syon already looked fragile enough. Ichi couldn''t let the topic rest just yet.


    "And, in the courtyard?"


    "She''s just like that, sometimes. It''s nothing compared to what I do for work."


    "And, what do you do for work?"


    Grandpa took a glance at Ichi and Ichi met his gaze before both looked away. Myon dug her spoon back into her Golden Eyes and Burning Brain. Then, smiling, she said, "I''ve killed a lot of people."


    "What is this a mafia movie or something," Ichi grumbled.

 16- Shadow Society

    Ichi let the matter drop after Myon''s cheerful admission of mass murder. He had enough, forgoing the early morning magic breakfast Myon pulled out of nowhere for bed. Talking it slow like an old man, he crawled up stairs, into his room, and collapsed on his bed.


    The sun rose from beyond the horizon, painting the town amber then gold. Evening came, and with it a calm warm breeze. Ichi awoke, then pulling on clothes he went downstairs. The breeze flew through the house. Grandpa sat on the patio drinking tea. Ichi could see the garden outside. Green and gold covered Grandpa in a shining blur as Ichi approached and sat down.


    "So?" Was Ichi''s first words.


    "You''re so hasty."


    "Had enough time in bed. Got to get back to work." Ichi stretched.


    "That''s some good work ethic. Well, then, would you like to hear about why you''re here?"


    "Please."


    "The seer''s council," Grandpa gestured towards a building in the distance, "is Myon and Syon''s employer. Like a business, they own this village, they guard it." Grandpa pointed towards the forest. "Deep within there is a shrine. It''s known as a Spirit Gate. These lie all over the world, connected to the spirit world beyond ours. Sometimes, evil spirits leak out, sometimes good ones. There organizations protecting these spirit gates all over the world, not just here. Together, it''s known in our community as the Shadow Society. People who rule the world from behind the scenes using magic and magical artifacts. Myon and Syon''s job as spirit hunters extends to collecting the wealth the spirits leave behind. Most of their job is raiding powerful individuals in other countries, taking their weapons for the benefit of the seer''s council of this village."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Ichi mulled it over, stroking his chin.


    "So there''s not only one seer''s council? And that magic knife Myon used to cook breakfast. That was something Myon ''took;, you said? I shouldn''t tell anyone about that, I think you said this morning."


    "The seer''s council of this village is suspicious that many powerful weapons over the years were lost during fights. Because of that, they send they on more dangerous missions, and Myon is put under pressure to retrieve ever more powerful items to present to the council."


    Ichi''s mind brought the armory Myon showed him in the kendo dojo last night to his attention. All of those were ''missing''? How many did they have to kill, if those are the ones they stole?


    Grandpa rambled on.


    "The seer''s council permits them some of the lesser weapons from time to time, I taught Syon to not be so greedy. If it were up to her when she was younger, she would have stole every magic weapon they retrieved from their job. See, she likes to see Myon get hurt. It''s just how she''s been since she was young. Girl doesn''t like being touched. Syon''s different."


    Ichi nodded. Very different. The bad kind of different.


    "Anyways, Ichi. Myon clued me in before she went off to work. Dangerous job this time, she said. She wants to train you. Myon will be here all week. Do your best to win her affection so she doesn''t go too hard on you, alright?"

 17- Slime Door

    Ichi''s glum face under the evening sun cracked open to sigh.


    ""One girl made me her pet, another is trying to kill me, and another said she wanted to bear my child and she''s a complete mess."


    Grandpa gave him a hawk eye look again. Ichi noticed out of the corner of his eye how his Grandpa''s eyebrows hovered like thunderclouds.


    "''bear my child''?" Grandpa growled.


    Ichi held out his palm to Grandpa, appealing to him as he avoided his gaze.


    "You''re not worried about the pet part? That''s referring to your favorite new daughter who moved in this morning, after all."


    "That''s reassuring to hear," Grandpa said.


    Ichi waved his hand in a lazy motion.


    "Is there anyone normal in this town? I want to leave, immediately."


    Ichi lifted his shirt. The seal Myon placed on him was still there across the center of his chest, he touched it gingerly like a wound. Grandpa''s gaze drew to it.


    "Myon gave you this?"


    "Yeah"


    "I think she likes you," Grandpa chuckled.


    "Very aggressive way of showing it. Lifted me half off the floor last night."This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Your Mom used to complain about how you were fighting all the time. Aren''t you into that sort of thing?"


    "Not like this." Ichi moaned.


    Grandpa shook his head.


    "You want to choose how you would like the world to be, then seeing what''s there is the first step. Resent your imagination of this world, and you resent yourself, you decay into weakness."


    Ichi heard it before.


    "More of this kind of talk? You''ll make me run away from home at this rate."


    Ichi blew out a heavy sigh like a cloud.


    "Fine," Grandpa looked at Ichi. He stared at his garden nearby. Then, he nodded to himself.


    "Then, let''s change strategy."


    Grandpa rose pushing on Ichi shoulder as a support. Ichi was used to that sort of behavior from him. Then, Grandpa kicked Ichi''s lower back with the side of his foot.


    "Good. Come with me. Might as well show you something."


    Ichi welcomed the change of pace as he followed Grandpa''s back. Grandpa lead him down a hallway towards the opening leading to the kitchen, then, he turned towards the wall. Ichi puzzled himself over Grandpa''s movement until Grandpa punched through the wall. Instead of breaking, the wall bent around his hand slithering around it like slime.


    "Access confirmed," a female voice said.


    Ichi swore that sounded a lot like Renya. An older Renya. He kept silent as the wall pulled itself off Grandpa arms with a bounce, then melted rolling apart like slime from the center pulling off to the sides forming a perfect rectangle opening. Ichi''s jaw dropped, but only a little, before he remembered again how upset he was about life.


    Grandpa took the first step down the steep stairs into the darkness, as lights began to flicker on in the depths below.


    "Don''t try to punch that wall. It''ll slap you."


    Ichi nodded to Grandpa''s back. He stepped onto the stairs after him, heart thumping.

 18- Stick of Balance

    Grandpa led Ichi to a cavern. Water dripped in the distance, plopping sounds and rushing flows beyond his sight sent steady background noise into Ichi''s ears. Light poured in from around them, but there wasn''t a single source. More like it radiated out from the stone, Ichi thought. Across the vast open cavern massive doors with a symbol of white flowing into black painted on them.


    "Is that the Dao symbol?" Ichi said stopping.


    Grandpa urged Ichi to hurry along as he kept walking


    "Close. This is symbol that existed before that, one that the spirit world understands. Your father, Genji Dansaburo, built this house on top of this cavern," Grandpa pulled open one of the doors, pointing with an open hand urging Ichi inside. "This room was built to store some treasures he left for you."


    "I don''t need anything from my old man," he said, but he walked through the doorway. Ichi''s face furrowed in the darkness as more lights flickered on, revealing a small stone room with a cabinet at the end.


    "This is it?" Ichi complained to himself.


    Grandpa passed Ichi and stood in front of the cabinet facing Ichi.


    "Your father believes a man grows like a tree in the woods. Strength must be earned by interacting from the world, alone, or it is not true strength. Dansaburo believes men become men once they pass that trial."


    "And so that''s why he left? To go play with girls and party in the spirit world?"


    "That is his idea of being a man. As one of the highest ranking Tanuki in the depths of the spirit world, he did whatever he wanted, as an immortal being. It might be easier for you to think of him more like an animal than anything resembling modern man."


    Ichi''s face slackened. He supposed he could understand. Last night, there was more than a few times he wished he could break all the stupid rules and win, without cost, with no one to stop him from indulging in his instincts for victory. That freedom and power intrigued Ichi, but then his mother''s face came to mind.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author."He left Mom behind, to go play? And he left me this," Ichi waved his hand at the cabinet, "so that I could grow alone?"


    Grandpa nodded at Ichi.


    "Tell me, Ichi, how do you feel about your father?"


    Ichi brows tightened again.


    "He''s not a good person."


    Grandpa urged him again.


    "But, what is the feeling, the gut reaction."


    Ichi reassessed as he became aware of what Grandpa was trying to get at, slacking his face again.


    "I don''t like how he''s having too much fun. He should have stayed with Mom and me. I''m angry."


    Grandpa nodded his head, then he stepped aside.


    "That will be good enough for now. You have will, your own will. Do not forget that," Grandpa pointed with an open palm to the cabinet. "Put your hand there."


    Ichi listened, placing his hand on the cabinet, and a circle of intricate light designs floated under his hand. Then he heard a click. Ichi opened the door, and Grandpa lightly pulled Ichi''s shoulder from behind and Ichi backed off in response.


    "I only want you to have this one, for now."


    Grandpa grabbed something from inside, then shut the cabinet door.


    "The rest are beyond you. With this and that shikigami I gave you, and this, you could live a happy life alone."


    Grandpa pulled back, showing Ichi a stick. A meter long, horizontally cut across it''s length with one side colored black and the other white. Grandpa twirled it in front of Ichi easily in a circle, then grabbing with his other hand, he chanted out loud.


    "Break."


    Then he slammed the stick on his rising knee, snapping it in two.


    Ichi saw it happen in an instant. One stick turned into two. One white, one black.


    Grandpa held up the black stick.


    "Punch."


    Ichi punched it, and he felt his body jerk back when he hit it. It felt like he punched him own hand. Ichi''s face went tight and he breathed out, giving Grandpa a menacing look which Grandpa ignored. Grandpa head up the white stick next.


    "Punch."


    Ichi followed the order despite his doubts. His fist this time felt like it was sucked onto the stick. The force felt equal in his mind to what he put into the punch. That was his instinctual sense talking, and he believed it right away.


    "What is this thing?"


    Grandpa smiled.


    "A stick of balance. Grow like a tree so that your branches may support all life."

 19- Bow

    Ichi trained in his Grandpa''s garden in the back house that evening. With a little force applied to both sides Ichi snapped it into black and white. Grandpa said Ichi was a natural at it. It took Grandpa time and chanting out loud to cause it to break, Ichi snapped it in two within minutes of getting it outside.


    "Is this growth?" Ichi murmured as he trained.


    He pretended it was kendo practice, reforming the sticks into one he swung it. Despite it''s meter length the weight made it easy to handle. Sometimes it will slip out of his hands from the force of his swing.


    "It doesn''t want to be used forcefully?" Ichi thought.


    In terms of finesse, in samurai movies he saw, it looked like they were always trying for form and discipline in movie. Movies weren''t reality, Ichi knew that, but he thought that he might learn something by trying to conform to some set of rules. He invented a few routines based on movements he saw. Based on his fighting experience, he corrected some of them. The distance between his opponent and him changed with a weapon. Ichi wanted to get used to that.


    Renya came to mind. Could he really hurt her with this? Ichi shook his head. Somewhere along the way, he''d already resolved that even though she said she''d kill him, the same was never true for him. Ichi will show her his strength. He groaned reviewing the situation in his mind - if he won, he''d have to have Mei possess her. If Mei, Ichi, or Renya refused, then the seer''s council would do it for them. Ichi didn''t like the sound of that.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    He went to sleep that evening worrying, then trained the morning away. Grandpa straight out told him to skip school. That was a welcome change. Evening came before he smelled Myon. Ichi sense of smell made it hard to surprise him.


    As if sensing that, Myon waved with a light smile as Ichi turned to meet her.


    "Back from work?"


    "Yeah."


    "Hard job?"


    "Yeah."


    Myon sat down on the porch and watched Ichi train. Time stretched out as Ichi felt her eyes on him. Just as he got his focus back fully on his movements, Myon interrupted him.


    "Syon?"


    Ichi kept training. He didn''t like how Myon didn''t even feel the need to voice the whole question, which Ichi imagined went like this:


    "Hey, Ichi, a few nights ago? After ''that'' happened, you know, in the courtyard, and then, Last Boss, so-"


    That was something Ichi felt like Myon would never say. If anything, Ichi got the sense she expected him to read her mind.


    Might as well check with his words.


    "Do you think I can read your mind?"


    Myon laughed to Ichi''s surprise. He kept training as Myon responded.


    "Syon knows me really well. When we''re fighting, it''s like we can talk with movement alone. It''s hard to switch out of that habit."


    Ichi found himself impressed at that teamwork. Syon has some use after all. After meeting her, it''s not like Ichi thought she was worthless as a human being and someone who he should stay away from no matter what- no, that was exactly what he thought. He swung down, trying to clear Syon like a mist forming in front of him.


    "I''m not telling you what Syon said to me. You want to know, ask her."


    Myon laughed nervously.


    "So rebellious."


    "Don''t remember asking my ''owner'' to train me, either." Ichi growled.


    Myon walked over in front of Ichi, and made a ninety degree bow.


    "Sorry."

 20- Mountains

    Ichi looked at the bowing Myon, her long ponytail drifted down from her back to the ground.


    "Fight me."


    Myon showed her palms to Ichi in surrender while she smiled.


    "I''m tired, please spare me."


    "Later?"


    And so the morning after, Ichi was on the grass in his Grandpa''s garden for the hundredth time, already.


    "Can I have a break? No, let me rest. No, buy me ticket out of this town. No, smuggle me out. You leave for work, right? We can do it then."


    "You''re cute when you complain." Myon pushed her ponytail away from her chest and it swung to her back.


    "I have my pride." Ichi said. He thought it''s unfair to fight someone who who''s been fighting a secret war across the world all her life. Because Myon is a girl, he wanted to win no matter what. Because Myon looked down on him, he wanted to win no matter what. But because Myon was Myon, there wasn''t a chance for him to win. And Renya? Ichi lowered his expectations as he crawled back up.


    "Renya doesn''t seem that strong." Ichi remembered her vice grip. Might as well have been a robot. At this point, he would accept it if someone told him about her without complaint. She did like math, normal girls don''t like math, Ichi grumbled.


    Myon came over, rubbing Ichi on the back. She''d been tossing him all morning, the rough skinship payed off for their bitter relationship.


    "It''d be nice if you told me what Syon said. I could take a guess at what she''s thinking about Renya. Even if Renya''s an amateur at fighting, from watching her, I feel like it wouldn''t even take her a single week to become someone worth fighting with my full strength."


    So Myon wasn''t the only one who got that sense? Ichi didn''t know why he thought the same thing about her. Must be because Renya''s always doing math. Math makes you better at everything, which is why only smart people did it. Ichi didn''t think himself as smart. At least not math smart.


    "There''s no way anyone knows what that Idiyon is thinking."


    Ichi thought about whacking her hand on his back away. Although he hated to admit it to himself he liked it. And he couldn''t deny the appeal of her appearance. To Ichi, her appearance was an insurmountable wall. If Myon was uglier or didn''t have those mountains on her chest, Ichi felt for sure he''d be able to shrug her off no problem. Myon''s hold on Ichi worried him all morning.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Which was why he gained distance instead, breaking his stick into two and held them crossed together in an x symbol. At least, he thought, I''ll feel like I''m trying to win at something.


    Myon took a stance, using only her body as she did all morning.


    "You''re right. There''s no knowing what my misty eyed sister is thinking. Which is why you should trust me. If there''s anyone you should trust, it should be me."


    Ichi switched the white stick into a backwards grip with a twirl, then lunged forward. He stabbed under Myon''s armpit. Like Myon saw many times before, it sucked her body towards it, holding her there. But the stick held only her shoulder and arm, she could move her feet fine. And before Ichi could see it he hit the grass again. Breathing out and sweating, Ichi cursed his speed.


    He wanted to use the black stick''s repelling ability against her legs, but Myon was simply too fast. She''s too competent. The gulf between them felt like heaven and earth. Ichi resented Myon.


    "You''re right." Ichi said, responding to Myon''s insistence to trust her. "The smart thing would be trusting you."


    Myon giggled lightly.


    "So, there''s no chance, is there?"


    "If Renya kills me, please put on my tombstone ''here lies an idiot who died because he saved a stupid cat''."


    Myon weaved her fingers together behind her back, looking down on Ichi''s heaving body.


    "I could back you up with cover fire. Jump in if the fight gets too hot. You don''t need to fight her alone."


    Ichi reached behind his back, pulling out a piece of paper. This paper was his trump card, a shikigami to summon a tengu. He flapped it about at Myon.


    "I''ll use this against you."


    "Not against Renya?" Myon said.


    "That would be cheating. I''d rather die than use this against her."


    Myon laughed.


    "Could it be, you''ve fallen for a dangerous girl?"


    "I don''t like it. This situation. This village. The seer''s council," Ichi rose to his feet. "I''m going to break them all. If I can''t even win against some flat math girl who has been all over me for the past couple months, then there''s no way I can beat all of you."


    Myon''s face went straight. Her arms swung to her sides. Then, her fists gripped themselves tight.


    "I''m strong," Myon started, looking Ichi in the eyes. "Really strong. With Syon by my side, I''ve beaten opponents that would make you into tomato paste within a second and think nothing of it. Our seer''s council, they are on a higher level than that. They''re so powerful, that even Syon estimates we could kill only a few, and that''s if we managed to fight them one on one."


    "So?" Ichi shrugged.


    "You don''t understand. Syon''s a genius, she-"


    "Idiyon''s got her head in the clouds," Ichi pointed his black stick at Myon. "You want to crush them, too, don''t you?"


    Myon looked to the side, her lips parted as she whispered out.


    "I''m too smart for silly things like that."

 21- The Mist Girl, The Homunculus Girl, and the Stupid Cat

    Two years ago, on the rooftop of a skyscraper in the city. The night sky spread out before the girl with shoulder length blonde hair as she stood on the edge. She held a katana with blood dripping off the blood in one hand. In her other, a sheath held in a backwards grip along her arm. Were Renya to stretch out her shealthed arm, she''d look like a praying mantis, she thought that to herself as she stared into the night sky.


    Renya eyes moved the city below, and she smiled, thinking of all the people she hadn''t met yet. Those bonds between them were so sweet. Much sweeter to see them broken. If it was by her machinations that love between people was broken, she would be satisfied. And she was satisfied many times. The beauty of those moments was Renya''s treasure. That was- and is- Renya''s way of living.


    Really, Renya thought, the world would be better off without someone who loves destroying love. There''s no place for someone as stupid as me. However- that calculation was incorrect. Others would want Renya to die, Renya didn''t wish to die. And so the answer is-


    Renya turned and pointed her bloodied katana at a girl in white clothing with a silver glove and and iron fan in her hand.


    "Take my life." Renya told Syon.


    Syon''s spread out iron fan snapped with a twist of her wrist into a neat line. Syon pushed it against her temple, gingerly.


    "Are you offering your life to me? In it''s entirety?"


    Renya laughed, twirling the katana at blinding speed blood splattered off painted the ground and cleaning her blade. The vacuum of wind from the movement was enough to blow some of the blood off into the sky.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there."You''ve killed my family. Their corpses are lying a few floors below here. Isn''t it logical that I am next?"


    Syon waved her folded iron fan at Renya.


    "Normally. It is my job - but I have an interest in the person who injured Myon so beautifully."


    "Beautifully?" Renya''s tone conveyed interest. Curiosity. With Syon''s response alone, Renya sheathed her blade. Renya could tell by Syon''s monotone speech and statement that there was no intent to kill.


    "I enjoy seeing Myon under the weather. At those times - I feel like I love her the most." Syon said.


    Renya nodded, a smile spreading on her face.


    "I see. I am similar. I never thought I''d meet someone like myself before I died."


    "The Shadow Society''s records on you were interesting to read. It sounded familiar in my head - reading the events of your life played out like the events in my life. My secrets remain hidden - yours became public." Syon put her fan away, and pulled off her silver glove.


    "So, did you kill my whole family, only for me? To meet me, alone?" Renya said.


    "I would never be so rude. Going out of my way to meet someone like you - someone like me - is a mistake." Syon said. Renya nodded at the ''mistake'' part.


    Syon held out her hand to the girl at the edge of the skyscraper.


    "Homunculi are outlawed. Your family''s research became a problem for the whole world. However - my employers said nothing about killing the whole family. In fact - they said to threaten them. I am in a pinch. If I happened to come back with a daugther - one who knew the secrets of those infamous alchemists - then I would be rewarded greatly."


    Renya chuckled, walking over to Syon.


    "Even if that daugther is a homunculus herself?"


    Syon took Renya''s hand. Both of their grips were light, and both were cold.


    "Wouldn''t have it any other way. I have plans - Renya - I have a place for you."

 22- The Mist Girl, The Homunculus Girl, and the Stupid Cat pt. 2

    Syon and Renya descended into the top floors of the skyscraper. A large open laboratory full of bubbling equipment and steam expanded before them. The top three floors were remodeled into a vast facility. A poisionous dark green mist hung in the air. Renya''s alchemist family attempted to escape notice from the Shadow Society by placing it at the top of a residential skyscraper.


    "Blowing up the whole building would have been easier," Renya said.


    "It would have. I do not like easy." Syon motioned to Myon, who was lying against a wall with corpses all around her. The was cuts through the flowing white robes she wore and she was stained with blood.


    "Is that girl alright? You should take better care of your sister." Renya said.


    "Taking care of her would ruin the moment." Syon walked over to Myon, fanning out her iron fan. She flicked it with her wrist, and the blacked out windows all across the laboratory exploded outwards from the air pressure. The poison mist started to spread out into the air. Syon waved her iron fan again, and a rush of mist and snowflakes poured through the building.


    Renya started shaking from the cold, hugging herself and squatting down.


    "Cold." Renya moaned at Syon, her eyes on her back. Syon looked over her shoulder at Renya, grinning.


    Myon gasped. Syon''s head snapped back as she danced over the corpses to Myon''s side. Syon rubbed Myon''s head, leaning in close with a smile as she helped Myon up.


    Renya crouched in the cold, looking at the sisters. She saw her family scattered about, and in the center, a smiling girl and a bloody one. Renya cut one up herself, and the other wanted to adopt her. What a messed up relationship. How wonderful, Renya thought. Her face felt hot in the cold, watching the two.


    Myon grabbed Syon by the collar, slamming her into the red painted wall. It cracked behind Syon''s body as she spit up blood. Myon''s dark green eyes met Syon''s slate colored ones, and Myon''s face was a mask of vengence while Syon''s was a girl in love. Myon let go, her head and eyes scanned to Renya. Then Myon stood there, watching the crouching homunculus girl with the sheathed katana. Myon knew from experience with Syon alone what this meant. Myon and Syon panted in the cold as Myon weakly pushed Syon up against the wall again, letting Syon fall to the ground.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "You make me sick." Myon said.


    Myon pulled out her gun from behind her waist and pointed towards Renya. Syon drifted between them in an instant. As if she turned into mist and was carried on the wind. Syon wrapped her silver gloved hand and bare hand around the barrel of the gun, guiding it to her heart and pushing her chest against the barrel.


    Dark green eyes met slate colored ones again as Myon and Syon locked eyes. Syon''s smile was gentle, Myon''s furrowed brow was stern.


    "What are you doing? Want me to fight her again, after all this? You''re too greedy." Myon whispered to Syon.


    "No. She''s coming to live in the village with us. Like a weapon - Renya is necessary." Syon closed her eyes.


    Myon pushed the barrel into Syon chest, keeping her finger along the barrel to make sure she didn''t shoot.


    "After what you just did, locking me up here in this hive, you want to bring the one back that almost killed me? I''m supposed to accept this?"


    "You''re strong, Myon. If I thought you''d die, I could have blown the whole building up."


    "That was never an option."


    "It was - to me."


    "And the gas?" Myon nodded to the windows which now showed the city. "What if that homunculus got me?"


    "I was watching. Why wouldn''t I watch?" Syon said.


    Myon pulled her gun away, pushing Syon into Renya. Renya dodged Syon''s body as it hit the ground. Myon pulled up her left sleeve and slapped on a paper seal she pulled out of her robe onto her forearm. Green lines poured across Myon''s body, her wounds closing as she grimaced, then she tore the seal off. Myon stared at the crouching homunculus.


    "Renya? Is that your ''name''?"


    Renya looked at Myon''s face, and with her mouth turning round for a moment she nodded at Myon. Renya stood up, holding the sheathed blade horizontal in front of her.


    "You want to fight, again? You look tired, Myon. This isn''t good for your health."


    "It''s a shame that killing you would be like killing Syon. I can''t kill Syon, because I need her, because I love her. Despite how miserable she can make me. Renya, I can''t kill you because Syon needs you. Remember that."


    A flash of lightning pierced the ceiling. Myon grabbed the blue flash with her bare hand. Twisting it in one movement, it formed a large golden spear.


    "However, Syon won''t mind if I try."

 23- The Mist Girl, The Homunculus Girl, and the Stupid Cat pt. 3

    Renya felt energy crackle in the air. Sparks of blue light made small explosions around Myon, her face a mask of stone. Myon''s eyes grew dull, looking in Renya''s general direction, Myon''s body rose to it''s full height.


    Myon charged. Her spearpoint hit Renya''s sheath. A small light blue circle appeared where Myon hit, blocking her from pushing forward. Pulling her spear back, Myon rained stabs into Renya. Renya adjusted a blocked every hit with the slim sheath, until Myon sped up. More blue arcs crackled around Myon''s spear as it went even faster. Renya grimaced and did a backstep when the amount was too much to calculate.


    Myon twirled the spear, slamming the butt end planting it into the building''s floor. She sighed, releasing the spear haft. Myon walked over to Renya, as Syon still on the ground spread out her iron fan. Myon held out her hand.


    "You''re annoying, I''m tired. I''ll give up. Let''s be friends."


    "Friends?" Renya said, her smile worn like a mask. She held out her hand not carrying the sheath.


    As Myon grabbed Renya''s hand, she threw her out the window. Renya spun in midair, twirling her body as Syon appeared behind her. Syon whipped her iron fan, a gust of snowflakes shot Renya back through the window. Renya made a landing on her feet as if nothing had happened.


    "I seem to have made one new friend already tonight. That''s too much for someone closeted like me." Renya waved her hand at Myon as she landed.


    Syon floated in behind Renya, eyeing Myon.


    "She is serious."


    Myon grabbed the spear haft. She stomped down with her foot and pulled it free from the building''s floor. Crackling blue light began to burn around her like an aura. Then it doubled. Lightning started pouring down from the sky snapping the skyscrapers roof apart as chunks melted from the repeated fire.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Renya gasped at the sight. She clutched her sword with both hands, frozen. Syon wrapped Renya in thread with a flick of her silver glove. Swinging the iron fan, a gust blew both of them out of a window. Syon aimed at rooftop across the street dragging Renya with her as she fell through the air. As Syon landed with one foot lightly, Renya crashed into the roof cracking it. Despite that, she rose, looking at the skyscraper in wonder. Syon shielded her eyes and looked away from the lightning raining down as it increased. The top of the skyscraper began to melt away from the cascade of furious lightning strikes.


    "She is like this sometimes." Syon said.


    Renya was still tied up in silver thread from Syon''s glove, hugging her katana. Renya looked at the ground where she landed. Her head rang from the impact. A normal human would have died, Renya thought, how lucky.


    "It''s your fault."


    Syon kept her eyes covered as blue light began to fill the horizon behind them.


    "Really?"


    "Didn''t you leave her in a room with a bunch of monsters that were ripping her apart?" Renya said, calling her own recently deceased family ''monsters'', clearly, out of respect and love for the time they spent together, and out of years of deep-seated revulsion.


    "As one of those monsters - you should not be complaining. I gave you a fair shot. This is our normal." Syon said.


    Renya enjoyed the sight as she watched her home burn away in the lightning. All of them were burning away, Renya thought. The experiments, her family, the top of the skyscraper leveled out entirely from the force of the lighting hits. As if her entire life turned to ash before her. Renya''s heart thumped at the thought. She didn''t realize her whole family was really dead until that moment.


    "Never seen such beautiful fireworks before." Renya smiled at the lightning. She looked down at her tied up body.


    Struggling against the silver thread, Renya complained.


    "Syon?"


    "What?" Syon kept looking away from the engulfing blue light.


    "Could you...?"


    "There is not a chance."


    A year and a half went by with Renya stuck in the village, until Ichi came, Renya kept quiet and enjoyed the countryside. She wrote extremely detailed novels about human suffering to relieve stress. Renya started a garden, and watered it everyday. At school, she read math books.


    Then, Ichi came. His heart became her new hobby.

 24- Ichis Imagination and the Methods of Irrationality

    After a few days of fighting Myon, Ichi was worn out. Physically, he felt fine. Mentally, the memories of the past few days were hard to process. A few times he thought to himself about all that he learned from Myon, the scenes floating into his head didn''t seem like they happened in reality. As if he was imagining all of it, that''s what Ichi felt like.


    Ichi hefted the black and white stick across his legs as he sat down, pulling up his shirt to chest the seal Myon put on him.


    He traced his hand along the seal, and felt his body shiver as he did. Tearing it off would hurt a lot more than a bandaid.


    Thanks to this magical seal, Ichi wasn''t tired. Physically at least. Myon explained that it ''stopped the body''s time'' by eliminating entropy. "Sealing away decay", Myon said after she slapped it on him when she beat him in ''kendo''. If Ichi tore it off, an explosion of decay would occur to Ichi in an instant.


    Myon told him that normally that would kill a person, but the seal also had the property to heal the user when torn off. Ichi would nearly die and be entirely healed within a single instant. That would include all the damage his body and mind while the seal was still on.


    "You''ll be a new person. But, don''t take it off until I say so. If you take a heavy hit and then tear it off, it will kill you." Myon''s haunting words floated in his mind.


    A few days ago, Myon explained magic to Ichi.


    Ichi couldn''t process it. It''s not that magic was hard, it was the opposite. It''s too simple. Myon''s words floated in the air, Myon''s instructive tone simmering his mind in anger.


    "You believe in it. As in, you have zero doubt. When it''s fully ingrained in the entire ''you'' then that is your imagination of the world. People don''t see reality as it really is, people see a simple mental model they''ve constructed: their imagination of the world, not the reality of the world. Magic is something your mind, not the mind you have awareness of, but the ''other'' part of the mind as well, fully accepts as ''this world''. That''s how it happens. Once your mental model of the world is altered, even the part beyond your awareness, then the rest is trusting yourself to execute the magic."This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Ichi remembered screwing his face up like he used to in Math class. He did it half on purpose to show his disgust, half on instinct.


    "Well," Ichi sighed, "at least it''s not Math."


    "It''s the opposite of Math. Math wants to be accurate as a tool, to create an ever expanding self-contained system of rules to define the world. Math wants to observe what''s there at it''s best. Magic is imposing on the world, your will, to the point where the energy and existence of the world obeys you."


    Ichi remembered what he told the Mountain Lord standing over his dying body.


    "Then I will use nature to overcome nature."


    Those words came out like they were from somewhere else, from someone else.


    And the Mountain Lord''s question floated to his mind as well:


    ""Fool. Mankind cannot surpass nature. We are all there is. You will come to see that, may you live long enough."


    Ichi had been pondering his talk with Myon in the back of his head for the past few days. He groaned.


    "Maybe I knew, somehow, by instinct. I am a part of nature. So, why bother imposing on nature? Could just live in harmon-"


    In a few days, he would be fighting Renya. A homunculus, Myon said. A fusion between magic, the imposition of mankind''s imagination of this world, and math, an attempt to understand this world as accurately as possible. Myon said Ichi couldn''t survive.


    Ichi wanted way more than to survive Renya. Ichi wanted to leave the village behind. And then what? No, Ichi shook his head, leaving the village alone would be impossible. One thing at a time, bird by bird, Ichi thought, thinking of some book title he saw once.


    That is his desire. Ichi scratched his head.


    "That is my imposition of the world. To survive, to thrive." Ichi thought.


    Myon slapped him on the back from behind, knocking him out of his head and back into reality.


    "It''s time to see the witch," Myon whispered into Ichi''s ear.

 25- The Witchs Mansion

    Myon led Ichi up the mountain to the other side of the village in the night. Most of the buildings in the village were in a valley below the mountain, plains of architecture extended with rice paddys to the forest''s edge where Ichi killed the Mountain Lord.


    The mountain was blanketed in trees. Ichi stepped carefully up narrow stone steps behind Myon''s white outfit, keeping an eye on her like a lighthouse when sailing home on the sea.


    The trees closed in around them. The steps grew more and more cracks. Weed overgrowth and shattered statues spotted the sides of the steps. As they passed through the trees, a vast mansion with a shrine hidden behind glass in the center opening appeared before them. Ichi thought of the tall many windowed victorian england architecture he saw online. The western mansion enclosed the shrine. As if the shrine was the main attraction to an amusement park. It looked out of place, like a mall kiosk where they hawk goods. A glass to floor wall blocked them from walking straight into the dilapidated shrine. Myon paused in front of it. Around them, a dying garden spread out, filled with overgrowth.


    "This is Rikya''s place." Myon said.


    Ichi shivered as he looked at the shrine. The frayed dark wood was lit from above inside the mansion, twisted and old, he could smell the damp moldy smell from it even outside beyond the glass. A huge twisted rope encircled the entire shrine. Ichi thought that those ropes were seals to keep out bad spirits. Putting it around a shrine didn''t fit.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "This is a bad idea, isn''t it?" Ichi heard himself say out loud. He didn''t realize he was speaking until he stopped speaking.


    Myon put a hand on Ichi''s shoulder, pulling him close.


    "This is a terrible idea."


    Ichi sighed, staring at the shrine, he knocked on the glass. It slid open, pulling back from the center of the tap of his fist in a circle, giving him a generous semicircle to enter in from when the glass stopped expanding.


    Ichi crossed into the building, realizing there was no place to take off his shoes. He turned as he felt that Myon wasn''t following. Myon stood there in the moonlight, smiled, and then waved seeing him off. Myon turned around and stood there as the glass closed behind her. Ichi faced the shrine. Putting one foot in front of the other he trudged towards it. A forboding sense overcame his entire body as he got close, the pit of his stomach felt like it dropped to the ground and lit on fire.


    "It''s just a little girl." Ichi chanted to himself. "It''s just Rikya."


    Since his track record with the rest of the girls hadn''t turned out well Ichi figured that any village like this wouldn''t have a single normal person. Ichi was wrong about that, too, there was Satou at school, after all. Someone needed to handle the finances that the seer''s council accrued. Not that Ichi knew that.


    What Ichi did know, as Rikya appeared before him in a flash of pink light on the steps of the shrine, that this was definitely-


    "Magical Witch Rikya!" Rikya cheered, in a cute voice wearing a witch costume complete with a long floppy hat.


    This was definitely the wrong place to go. Ichi murmured a saying his mom told him as he looked at Rikya.


    "One hundred years of doing wrong won''t bring a single year of doing right. One hundred bad ideas may blossom into a single decent one."

 26- Fox

    Rikya looked at Ichi intently. Ichi felt like he had to be the one to lead the conversation.


    "Hi, I''m Ichi, from school, and this is our first time meeting but-"


    "Yes!" Rikya''s face lit up. Nodding, she urged Ichi to continue.


    Ichi looked around the shrine, and the little girl in front of him. Behind him there was pitch black. Myon had to be somewhere there, Ichi thought.


    "-and I''m here to see the witch."


    "To~?" Rikya kept nodding. She drew out of her voice on purpose.


    "Learn to crush." Ichi said.


    Rikya walked over, wielding a wand that looked like it was made out of plastic. Her came up to right over Ichi waist. She reached with the wand and knocked Ichi on the forehead.


    "I''ve been waiting to talk to you for so long, both of us, and that''s all you''ve got to say?" Rikya laughed.


    "You''re very cute." Ichi waved his hand at Rikya, trying to smile. Ichi ignored the ''both of us''. Sounded like trouble.


    Rikya pulled Ichi by the hand. Ichi went with the girl in the witch costume as she headed straight for the shrine with the huge rope encircling it.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "We''re not going in there, are we?" Ichi asked.


    "We have to go there. How would you meet my friend otherwise? Unless, you want to break the seal?"


    "No way, whatever spirit is in there looks really bad if it needs a rope this big to seal it."


    Rikya turned back at him with a sour face.


    "She''s on your side. The least you could do is break the seal." Rikya tapped Ichi on his forehead a few more times.


    Are all kids like this? Ichi felt annoyed. Myon should have said something more besides "Ichi wants to come over and play!" Then, Myon told Ichi nothing. The fragile trust through skinship and daily beatings Myon had been building the past couple days was waning.


    Rikya lead him under the rope, big smile on her face, as she slid open the shrine door and urged Ichi inside. Ichi looked into the pitch black room and grimaced. Trudging in, Ichi felt Rikya run behind him to his front. The door slid shut behind him, and brazier across the room lit up with warm red and orange glows. Shadows danced around, and as Rikya sat in front of Ichi, Ichi in Rikya''s shadow tons of huge bushy tails with jagged lines of hairs around their edges.


    Rikya opened a minifridge in the back, pulling out a tray she prepared in advance. She walked over, serving Ichi some cold herbal tea in a sphere glass and put some packaged snacks down around him. Then she carried the rest over to where she sat.


    "Okay!" Rikya called out, to someone besides Ichi.


    Bushy tails spread out from Rikya, too many to count. At the tip of the tails there was a spot of white, the rest of the undulating tails were golden. One fox ear popped out of Rikya''s head, and the eye below that ear turned golden.


    "This is called half possession. You''ve done it before, right, Miko?"


    Ichi felt the cat well up within him. This was the first time in a few days Ichi felt her speak to him, ever since Miko possessed him to hide from Renya.


    "Let me talk to the fox." Miko said.

 27- No Plan

    Ichi felt his control over his body recede. Miko, who until now had been possessing him silently now took center stage. Unlike last time, Ichi didn''t hear the drums. He felt no ability to fight back. Miko was too strong this time. If this was a fight for control, Ichi lost in an instant.


    It was as if he watched a first person view on a tv screen.


    Rikya let out a low laugh as cat ears and two tails shot out of Ichi. A mature voice that didn''t match the cute girl in the witch outfit echoed in the small shrine room.


    "Life is a meal, not a journey, young Miko. You have been biding your time well. Or, should I call you Priestess?"


    Ichi heard his own voice answer back.


    "And I will call you Fox. If the humans got a hold of our real names, then that would be... inconvenient. I suppose you know everything, from your human''s magic?"


    "Rikya is an excellent spy. Recreating events after the fact is no problem for her, such a lovable and talented girl. Rikya knows my real name. It has been lonely, trapped here for the past twenty years. There is no better ally than an impressionable young girl whose rebellious spirit knows no bounds," the Fox replied in somber words, and then the girl''s tone changed to Rikya''s warm and light voice.


    "My family is strict. They won''t even allow a nice Fox spirt like this free. So, I kept her company, and together we learned a lot from each other."


    Rikya held out her hand and a blue fireball appeared in it.


    "Magic like this is second nature to me now. And, I learned of how I might set her free, with your help. Wouldn''t it be wonderful if we could be together all the time, instead of only meeting in this stuffy shrine?"This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The Fox spoke next.


    "Priestess. Use that child''s power to break this seal. His mother sealed me here. He is a channeler as well. Danzaburo''s experiment, a son with his bloodline and the bloodline of those who seek to bring balance to this world. A beautiful thought, but too naive. Join me, and you will have nothing to fear for the rest of your life."


    Ichi couldn''t do anything but watch. He came here on Myon''s bidding for a vague promise of growth, and within less than a few minutes it looked like the stupid cat that had been in him the whole time was about to run away with his body.


    To Ichi''s surprise, Miko bowed in Ichi''s body.


    "That is a wonderful proposal, but I must decline."


    "Oh? And why? Aren''t you just a lost ''Sacrifice''?" The Fox said in a mocking tone.


    Ichi''s body raised, and Miko nodded his head.


    "That is why. I escaped from the spirit world to put an end to the nonsense of the Bakeneko Kingdom. Dying so that they can preserve their ''peace'' against the Tengu is... not my problem."


    The Fox laughed, swiping packaged food from the floor and opening it.


    "Stupid cat. If you, the ''Sacrifice'', doesn''t do your duty and die to appease the Tengu, there will be war. Are you fine with that?"


    Miko looked up at the Fox with serious eyes. Ichi could feel her will burning inside his body.


    "No. But, I have a plan."


    The Fox and Rikya both nodded for her to go on.


    "My plan... is that I have no plan."


    Miko sighed, her ears drooping.


    "You''re fine with causing a war because you want to keep living?"


    "No. But, still, I will continue to live. I chose to stay with this Tanuki because he is easy to possess and has a lot of spiritual power. After I recovered feeding off Ichi''s spiritual power, I realized that I hadn''t thought through what to do next. I never expected to escape and survive. Dying against the Mountain Lord would have been a testament to my will, if nothing else, that would be my victory. Ichi saved me from the Mountain Lord, and so, I cannot betray him. I will not. Because, I have nothing else to live for right now. I have no plan, and that is my plan."


    Miko made a confident smile with Ichi''s face.

 28- The Worst

    Ichi inside Miko watched on in silence and relief. At least the cat wasn''t going to betray him. The Fox laughed with Rikya''s face, then calming down, she drank some tea.


    "A lost cat. That is all you are. Were I free, I would have helped you. A war between the Bakeneko''s and the Tengu means nothing to someone free spirited like me. Very well then."


    With that, Rikya closed her eyes, and the one ear and tails on Rikya''s body receded. When Rikya opened her eyes again, they were both dark violet again instead of one being golden. Rikya adjusted her witch hat, and tucked into the packaged snacks ignoring Miko. on his side.


    After Rikya ate, she patted her stomach, sighing.


    "I get hungry after the half possession. Full possession takes less concentration for either side. Half possession takes full union of will. It''s amazing that you did it the first time. Ichi is very powerful because of his bloodline. Because of that, you should be able to pull off half possession with anyone now. However, your full possession..."


    Ichi felt Miko recede back into him and the ears and tail disappeared. Ichi stood up, moving his arms and legs about, patting himself down. He made sure his shikigami was where he left it. Security first. Ichi sat down cross legged breathing hard from the sudden exertion.


    "She can''t do that again, can she, Rikya?" Ichi asked.


    He leaned into the witch girl, eager for her answer, but Rikya was still chewing. She swallowed in the frozen time between when Ichi expected her to answer and when she decided to finally answer, taking her time as if nothing was amiss.


    "Miko''s full possession is permanently weakened. I could tell from seeing your aura at school that you were possessed. It took more time and magic to uncover your murder of the Mountain Lord. Without even knowing how to channel or use magic, you used both to kill a god. Your talent is amazing. And, The Fox likes you. And, I thought we could be friends. Which is why I decided to help you when Myon asked. The only reason you were brought here was so that T- er, ''The Fox'', could confirm the bakeneko''s intent."Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Rikya smiled at Ichi.


    "Want to be friends?"


    She held out her hand.


    Ichi grasped the little girl''s hand an shook it. In a daze, Ichi''s relief that he wasn''t about to live out his life controlled by a cat dissipated looking at Rikya''s carefree smile. Rikya nodded her head.


    "So, you''re going to fight Renya?"


    "Yeah. At this point, I think I want her have the cat." Ichi sighed.


    Rikya laughed.


    "That''s no good. Then the Seer''s Council gets what they want."


    Ichi remembered what Rikya said about Miko''s half possession.


    "But it''s not that big of a punishment anymore, is it, if Miko can''t even take full control for that long? Maybe I could talk it out with Renya..." As the words went out of Ichi''s mouth, he doubted them himself.


    Renya, probably, Ichi thought, was looking for a way out of this place just like him. Fighting Ichi wasn''t her real reason.


    Rikya shook her head from side to side.


    "That isn''t the only reason she''s fighting you."


    Ichi nodded his head. Finally, someone was talking sense. Rikya set down her teacup.


    "Renya is planning something. I have a magic ability called ''Path Weaving'', it allows me to see the hidden connections of the world. When I look at Renya, all I see is a vast mass of tendrils spinning outward. She''s like a fountain of threads of connections to this world. There''s one tendril, though, that goes straight to the worst place possible."


    "The Seer''s Council." Ichi groaned.


    "One of the members. The worst one. It''s possible that the fight on the rooftop is a trap Renya set for him. How she could manage to do that, I have no idea. Even with ''Path Weaving'' that lets me see what fate lies between people and objects, the ability that let me understand what happened during your fight with the Mountain Lord, I couldn''t see why that tendril extends to ''that'' man. She''s incomprehensible. In my current state, at least." Rikya pointed to the shadows of fox tails streaming behind her.


    Ichi didn''t like where this was going.


    "Free the Fox, and then you''ll be able to know what Renya is thinking?"


    Rikya drank some tea, then shook her head again.


    "With the Fox free, I could just kill whoever disturbs your fight. Myon said you were dead set on fighting Renya, I don''t mind killing that ''man'' myself."


    Rikya pouted. Ichi smiled at the contrast between her cute face and her talk of murder. This just happens to be what his life is like these days/ Ichi shook his head.


    "You''re very cute, but I''m not doing it. That Fox has a voice that sounds like bad news. She''s probably been playing you like a violin."


    Rikya made a smug face, twirling her wand.


    "What if I told you that your mother sealed the Fox here, solely for you?"

 29- Friend of a Friends Dad is a Financial Angel

    Ichi heard Rikya out for awhile after that. She began to tell him about how he has the power of a channeler from his mother''s side, and that he used it during the fight with the Mountain Lord to kill it. Ichi found himself furiously nodding his head. Rikya is someone he really wanted to spend more time with, he kept thinking. Ichi decided after the conversation hit a lull to bring it up. Rikya was in the middle a warm explanation of what else Ichi did during the fight with the Mountain Lord.


    "... so when you stabbed the stick into the Mountain Lord''s belly, again, without realizing it, you imagined that the flow of your full energy went into the strike. You must have used some powerful image for you, something you trusted deeply, that allowed you to evoke the magic of the cat."


    "Samurai." Ichi answered.


    Rikya nodded.


    "I see. That explains why you were able to that attack that wounded the Mountain Lord. It was a brilliant strike, even the Mountain Lord expressed delight."


    "At the time I wasn''t conscious."


    "So, then that image of a samurai''s strike must be very strong. That''s a magical ability."


    "I already know some magic, then?"


    Rikya nodded, resting a finger on her chin.


    "You have at least four."


    Ichi pulled up his shirt, and Rikya blushed. Ichi noticed, then with a nervous smile he pointed to the seal on his chest.


    "Myon put this on me. Know what it is?"


    Rikya sidled close, her breath warm as she traced her hand across the squiggles on the paper over Ichi''s heart. Ichi like how the top of her black hair floated just under his vision. Rikya felt so small.


    "Myon''s pretty scary. All the girls at school are. Except for Satou, who I live with on the weekdays, and she hates magic. That''s why I like her." Rikya pulled back, mumuring.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there."I can tell from my ''Path Weaving'' ability that it''s there to help you grow. Myon''s intent, tendrils flowing from her to you are all over it."


    Rikya rested her finger on her chin again, looking at Ichi''s abs with interest.


    "Myon must have put it on as a collar. It''s a powerful blessing and a curse at the same time. I could remove it for you, easily."


    Ichi put down his shirt, to Rikya''s disappointment. She rubbed her knees together nervously.


    "Rikya, would you teach me how to use my magic?"


    Rikya looked Ichi in the eye for a moment, then stared away.


    "Sure. But, you''ll have to stay in here. I''ll bring food and bedding. My dad is one of the Seer''s Council members and the rest of my family are..."


    Ichi nodded at Rikya.


    "It''s fine. Everyone in this village has their weird families. My grandpa had a slime door with a cave filled with some stuff my dad wanted me to have. It was really cool, but, definitely weird."


    Rikya laughed lightly.


    "Do you like it here, in this village, Ichi?"


    "The village? No. You, though, are the first person sensible person I''ve met." Ichi nodded.


    Rikya paused, her mouth agape. "Thanks. No one has ever told me that before."


    "Satou is probably an angel as well." Ichi nodded.


    "How did you know?" Rikya gasped, her hand covering her mouth.


    Ichi looked at Rikya.


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    "Huh."


    "It''s not as glamourous as you''d imagine, though. Her dad is on the Seer''s Council too, he handles the finances."


    "An Angel in Finance?"


    "Moral systems support laws, where else would angels be but supporting the rules of the world?"


    Ichi made a huh noise in response.


    "I was just guessing. Really, it''s mostly because she''s cute as well."


    Rikya blushed, looking down.


    "This personal attention is stifling. Little overwhelming."


    Ichi reached out with his right hand towards Rikya''s hand. For a moment he froze, thinking about when he head patted Syon unconsciously. This is different, Ichi thought, if there''s anyone in this world worth trusting...


    Ichi patted Rikya''s head. Rikya grimaced.


    "Could you stop?"


    Ichi removed his hand.


    "Ah, sorry. Did I upset you?"


    Rikya waved her hand at Ichi.


    "No. It''s just, a little much for one conversation. Too exciting, my hearts pounding."


    Ichi stood up. Give her space, Ichi thought. Rikya didn''t seem like she would be the one to tell him to go.


    "I''m going to go tell Myon I''ll be staying here," He walked to the door and pulled it open, then turned around.


    "I''ll be back soon, so don''t mind me." Ichi said to the kneeling girl.

 30- Groping Myons Chest

    Ichi saw Myon''s back in the distance, guarding the magic glass wall. He had a smile on his face thinking about Rikya. Ichi had a few days he could spend with her. He felt excited. As he touched the glass wall, it spread out in a circle before him, and Ichi greeted Myon.


    "Hey. This was a fantastic idea."


    Myon looked at Ichi with narrowed eyes.


    "What''s wrong?" Ichi asked.


    "Your smile is too wide. Being this happy isn''t the Ichi I know."


    Ichi laughed.


    "I suppose you''re right. I''m going to be having a sleepover with a little girl, so I feel like the world isn''t such a bad place after all."


    "My company isn''t as appreciated?" Myon cracked her fist.


    Ichi held out his palm in a clear stop message.


    "Your body and face are impressive, your personality though..."


    Ichi felt his body tugged by his collar as Myon grabbed it.


    "Would you like some early morning training?"


    Ichi''s hand went for her shoulder, to give her the message to back off. But, it diverted to Myon''s left breast. A full-on grab, he felt it in his hand, hoping that this wouldn''t be the last time while also trying to preserve this moment for posterity.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Myon''s dark green eyes stared into Ichi''s.


    "What are you doing?"


    Ichi kept his hand where it was.


    "You wanted to know what Syon said to me?"


    Myon ignored Ichi''s hand.


    "Yes. You''re going to tell me right now, like this?"


    Ichi nodded.


    "I''ll tell you one thing. Syon wants to subdue Renya for me. She wants me to survive, at any cost."


    Myon tore Ichi''s hand off her chest, Ichi''s face screwed up as she applied strength to his wrist.


    "We could have avoided all of this if you just let her do that."


    Ichi squeaked out the words as he felt his forearm would break.


    "No way. I got to train with you and meet Rikya, and I think it''s only going to get better from here. A Seer''s Council member might be coming to break up my fight with Renya."


    Myon let go, letting Ichi fall to the ground nursing his hand.


    "How do you know?"


    "Rikya," Ichi gasped out.


    "She hear that from her father?"


    Ichi pulled himself into a cross-legged position sitting below the towering Myon.


    "No, she''s got good magic. I think I''ll have Rikya join us with a friend of hers. Syon will definitely be lurking in the trees waiting for the right moment. There''s no way someone like her would leave me alone."


    Myon put a hand to the back of her head, rubbing her fingers through her hair, her ponytail bobbing as she did.


    "Then, I''ll have to come too."


    Ichi nodded.


    "Bring the gold bullets. And tell Syon, the Seer''s Council member is someone Rikya called ''The Worst One.''"


    Myon face became and mix of disgust and depression.


    "Alright. Whatever. Let''s go home, I''m tired."


    Ichi stood up, clapping Myon on her shoulder.


    "Actually, I''ll be staying here, remember?"


    Myon groaned.


    "Oh. Right. Well."


    Myon punched Ichi full-on in his face, Ichi flew back sliding across the ground.


    "I''ll get your stick for you. Take a nap here."

 31- Microwaving

    Ichi woke up inside the shrine, his white and black stick laying next to him. He was tucked into a bedsheet on a futon in the cramped dark interior. He heard the Fox''s voice whisper sleepily into his ear.


    "Rise and shine."


    Ichi rubbed his head as he pulled off the covers. He couldn''t hear see the Fox in the dark, but he felt the spirit lurking around.


    "Morning." Ichi said. He yawned.


    Myon looked mad, he thought. That''s about what he deserves for pulling a stunt like that. But, Ichi felt happy. He said what he needed to say. At least, a few days from now, even if the ''Worst'' from the Seer''s Council didn''t show up, he''d have Myon there too. Ever since he heard Syon say that exhausting night, "I can not allow you to die," Ichi figured she''d be hiding in the shadows. Syon was probably watching Ichi when he fought the Mountain Lord. Maybe, she would have even stepped in if he failed.


    The thought of Syon saving him from a bear made him sick, but the thought of dying by bear felt manly. Really, he''d rather have died by bear than be saved by Syon, but he knew if he told anyone that they''d think he was crazy. Ichi himself thought that the thought was crazy. Ichi muttered to himself in his mind as he woke up and paced around the room, lighting the braziers.


    "Is Syon really that bad?"


    Ichi remembered her standing over Myon under the moonlight with that smile on her face. He veered towards the mini-fridge and found it well stocked. Rikya''s a thoughtful girl, Ichi smiled as he saw prepared meals with plastic over them. Ichi took out a water bottle and opened it, then popped a plate into a nearby microwave. Rikya must spend a lot of time here.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Syon''s," He began thinking in his mind, trying to finish the sentence. Ichi remembered his talk with her. That cell phone.


    She''s gross. Her appearance wasn''t gross. Her personality was... Ichi searched for the right word as the microwave beeped at him. He let it sit so the heat could finish cooking the food. Ichi read somewhere on the internet back when he had a smartphone that your weren''t supposed to take the food out right away, so he was obeying that rule, this time.


    "Sadist?" Ichi said out loud.


    "Are you talking about me?" The Fox in the dark responded.


    Ichi thought it a good time to ask, as the microwave beeped again letting him know his food was still done.


    "You''ve been with Rikya for how long?" Ichi mumbled.


    "Ten years. She came to visit once. I wasn''t in the best mood, she calmed me down. It gets boring stuck in here."


    "Ah, yeah, that''s right. And my mom did that to you, so I could have some Fox spirit hanging around this place to buddy up with? That means, Mom knew I was going to end up here."


    "It was planned. Not that I volunteered, a punishment dealt out by Genji."


    Ichi''s tanuki ears shot out of the top of his head at the mention of his dad''s first name.


    "Genji Danzaburo?" Ichi checked. He pulled his food out of the microwave and grabbed a plastic fork.


    "Yes, your father was in on it as well. A lot was prepared for you in advance." The Fox said.


    Ichi looked at the black and white stick. Grandpa said there was more treasures down there too. What was this all for? Ichi sat down in the dimly lit room. As he ate, he put it out of mind.


    "If my dad put you in here, I''ll free you. That''s a good enough reason for me. I''ll feel bad if destroy the world or something, so promise me you''ll go easy, alright?" Ichi told the Fox.

 32- Three Second Escape

    Three days passed with Rikya popping in when she could. Ichi felt like he was finally making progress. Scenes played in his head. Memories of the last week he had felt like they were so long ago. Nostalgia crept in as he watched them play in his mind.


    Myon''s kendo match with him, holding him up with only one arm and her showing him her armory.


    Syon''s ladybug phone and her nonsensical idiocy, his right hand patting Syon''s head, and shame creeped in as he saw himself running from her. Coward, Ichi called himself.


    Renya crawling on top of him and whispering in his ear. The day after, where she showed up in the kimono and made a silent declaration of war.


    Getting the stick from his Grandpa past the slime door. The promise that more lied behind there.


    Meeting Rikya and the Fox with half possession. Rikya''s decadent explanation of his abilities. The truth about his mother being a channeler. Learning of his father''s will. The days of training afterward.


    Ichi remembered slaying the Mountain Lord. That feeling of victory. The feeling that he''d won for once. To be free, of this.


    Ichi opened his eyes, looked at the dark shrine walls, and thought that it was strange that the place he felt most free was where he was most cooped up. Hiding from Rikya''s family and consorting with her in the nighttime as she and the Fox taught him how to use magic excited him. And, he was planning to break the seal on an ancient evil. Ichi''s eyebrows went crooked.


    "Fox?"


    The Fox nodded in the shadows. Ichi couldn''t see her, but he could feel her movements by now.


    "You''re not evil, are you?"


    "Oh, of course I''m evil."


    Ichi nodded.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it."Yeah, I figured. Just checking. Does Rikya know?"


    The Fox nodded. Ichi nodded back.


    Ichi turned his eyes to his stick as he rose. The black and white mirrored each other on it''s long haft. He twirled it, imitating Renya''s twirl he saw her do almost a week ago. Better, Ichi thought, but Renya''s was clean looking. Ichi snapped the stick in two with practiced ease and slapped them against his wrists, akimbo. He felt energy thrum through his body. He guided it, then, he snapped the stick together with a whirl and heard a thick thrum of whooshing air.


    "Better." Ichi said.


    Rikya popped her head in from a hole that served as the entrance. She wore the clothing Ichi saw her wear at school, conservative, old, and boring, but cute, because Rikya.


    "You ready, Ichi?"


    "Sure." Ichi slung the stick across his shoulders. "Let''s go."


    Rikya skipped into the room, her clothes changing in an instant to her witch outfit. Ichi saw nothing. One of Rikya''s eyes turned golden and a Fox ear popped out of her head. Rikya adjusted her hat, slotting the ear through a hole she prepared in advance. Golden tails flew out from under her skirt as she twirled a wand into existence with some black sparkles popping in the air.


    "What''s that?" Ichi pointed at her wand. It was white and black, like Ichi''s stick of balance.


    "I''ve learned a few things from training you, too." Rikya grinned.


    Ichi patted her hat, grinning back.


    The mansion from the outside was calm in the night. The overgrowth and cracked stone that would leave a traveler to believe that the place was abandoned wasn''t helped by the lack of lighting. In the dark, if someone walked close, they would see the glass window, like a shopping mall built into a mansion. Looking further in, they would see a shrine with a massive rope around it. If they were there that night, they would see the escape which lasted only a couple seconds. It only would take a couple seconds, but they wouldn''t be able to explain what they saw. It might as well have been a flying saucer that destroyed the shrine. But, to Ichi and Rikya, they knew what happened.


    In the silence of that night, a white and black stick cut into the shrine door. It cracked apart, flying from the force and making light thuds as it skidded across the floor. Then, a boy put both his hands on the rope. He pulled it apart with his grip, fire sparking out as he did, then a girl behind him in a mass of gold and black encircled the boy with what looked like a tail and lifted him up. Then, black lightning exploded out blinding the surroundings and the glass pane blew off into the distance, still encircled by bits of the mansions construction glued on. The whole glass pane landed with a snap, cracking into a rain of shards as a black and golden ball shot through the shards scattering them around the forest.


    The traveler who saw that scene that lasted three seconds would have to watch their step carefully as they left. The glass was everywhere.

 33- Moonlit Confession pt. 1

    A black ball of flowing golden hair tinged with white tips fluttering out the back and black lighting traveled across a full moon. Rikya and Ichi at the center, a daredevil smile on each of their faces. One of Rikya''s fox tails uncurled from Ichi''s waist.


    Ichi nosedived towards the schoolhouse. Dense dark green trees encircled the place he spent everyday for the past six months.


    Within those six months, he hadn''t known anything about those girls that were around him. Not a single conversation. That had changed entirely. Satou was the only one he hadn''t dealt with. Hopefully, she wouldn''t be a fallen angel with a magical sword that kills you in one strike. Ichi prayed as the wind whipped past his body.


    The day before, Rikya had Satou move out of the schoolhouse. Satou lived there even on the weekdays. As for Rikya she wasn''t sure she or Ichi would survive, but, she said, if there was ever a chance to stage a fight against the worst member of the Seer Council, it would be here. Ichi thought it was weird Myon or Rikya didn''t complain about going up against someone that sounded like he could swat them like a fly. Ichi realized it. Syon said that night that there were six people trapped here. That included him, Myon, Rikya, and even Satou. And Renya.


    Ichi felt the chilling wind blow past him as he aimed his body for the rooftop, making out Renya''s form with a glittering drawn katana out from a vast distance.


    "Could Rikya have been wrong?" Ichi muttered under his breath.


    His ability to smell astounded him, after training his abilities with Rikya he felt like he could smell every leaf. The wood on Myon''s stock had an earthy smell. She hanging far out, as if on point. Ichi had to crane his head against the rushing wind to get a sense of where she was. A vantage point? Ichi looked over to the mountain Rikya''s house was hidden in, Myon was all the way at the top. He couldn''t see her, but how could she even get over here if something happened?The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Ichi felt abandoned for a second before remembering it''s Myon. She had battle experience across the entire planet. She may have even fought people like the Seer''s Council without breaking a sweat. Ichi chose to rely on her judgement. The other girl, Syon, who smelled like a wet paper bag, Ichi couldn''t place. It was as if she were on the rooftop as well. Invisibility?


    It wouldn''t surprise Ichi. After all, in a few days he learned more than a few tricks himself. Tanuki, or racoon-dogs, are known for their ability to shapeshift. During that kendo fight, Ichi wanted to fly away from Myon. Turn into a bird and fly away, Ichi imagined.


    And, as Myon taught him, magic is limited by the imagination. Once you believe that you can, the rest is trusting that you can. Ichi already knew he was a tanuki, and already believed that tanuki could change shapes. Despite that, he still only managed two forms. He''d work on the other three he came up with some other time. At least he got the two he wanted most.


    That early morning with Myon where she cooked that lobster bisque stuck in his mind. That disapproving glare his Grandpa gave him burned into his mind like a hot coal.


    "Don''t talk like that to my daughter!"


    If his face could talk it would sound like that to Ichi. He brought that eagle stare to mind as he saw Renya''s head tilt up on the rooftop, eyeing him with interest.


    "Thanks, Grandpa. Form of Eagle!"


    It was easier to say it out loud. Ichi thought it was lame, but he did it anyways because it helped him get the transformation right. Ichi''s body warped, the stick of balance and his clothes morphing into his body as a brown two meter wingspan spread out. Ichi''s eagle head was white, and his new sharper gaze let him make out Renya''s smiling face.


    Ichi made circles, letting the wind carry his smaller body in a spiral to land deftly on the rooftop. Eagle Ichi stared at Renya, and cocked his head, as if asking her if she could handle this.


    "You''ve changed," Renya laughed. "How could I possibly have predicted you''d show up as an eagle? You''re amusing, if nothing else."


    Her white one piece fluttered in the wind as she held her katana shining under the moon and its sheath in a backwards grip like the folded arm of a praying mantis. "Welcome, Ichi. I''ve been waiting."

 34- Moonlit Confession pt. 2

    Renya bare feet tapped on the rooftop as she ran Ichi down. In an instant Ichi switched to human form his stick of balance flying out from his shifting body. Ichi''s hand grabbed it, snapped it in two, one black stick one white stick. Renya''s katana sliced thinly into Ichi''s neck. Ichi felt his blood pour over Renya''s blade. His black stick pushed up against her edge.


    Ichi held his black stick with all his strength he could barely keep the blade from taking his head in one strike. His other hand dropped the white stick and grabbed the black one with both hands. Channeling his spiritual power like Rikya taught him, he used it as a circuit. Ichi imagined his energy going through one arm into the black stick and being pulled out from his other hand. The flow of invisible energy thickened. The black stick glowed violet, the repelling force in it multiplied.


    Renya''s kanata snapped backwards forcing her entire body back, feet skidding across the rooftop trying to maintain balance. She bent her knees and fanned her arms out, tapping the rooftop with her feet until she could feel the force dissipate from her body. Renya looked over the edge of the roof just behind her.


    "I''ve underestimated you. Thought you''d be quick."


    Ichi grinned as he crouched to grab the white stick. The blood tickled dripping down his neck. His eyes grew fierce looking at Renya.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    "Renya." Ichi growled at her as he crossed both his wrists over the other. One hand held the black stick, the other held white.


    "Yes?"


    "I might kill you." Ichi taunted her. He was serious.


    Renya let out a heinous cackle in response, meeting his gaze with a warm smile.


    "That would be interesting," Renya held out her blade pointing towards Ichi. "If you can show me something before you die, I''d like to see it."


    Ichi didn''t think Renya was serious about killing him. He didn''t have much to go on besides her strange words and actions. He got to know a lot of girls this week. Syon came to mind as he looked at Renya. Confusing, but¡ª Ichi rejected the image. If anything, Renya would take his life in an instant, and Syon¡ª he didn''t want to live to see what would happen if Syon got involved in his life.


    "I''ll get serious then." Ichi said. "Form of Bigfoot!"


    Renya started giggling as Ichi''s shirt ripped apart with bulging muscles and his pants reduced to shorts. Hair spread out all over his body leaving only his face showing. The white and black sticks vanished into his massive fists, one fist glowing white and the other black.


    Renya started laughing so hard she dropped her katana and shealth. Her knees went weak as she held her stomach as tears rolled down her face. One of her hands went to wipe away tears pooling in her eyes, but then she got another look at Ichi, and laughed even harder.


    "You''re going to kill me!" Renya choked out. Ichi stared at her sternly.

 35- Moonlit Confession pt. 3

    Renya struggled to her feet as she recovered her sheath and sword. She still shook a little from Ichi''s ridiculous form. A guffaw lilted out from time to time in the minute it took Renya to recover and put back on a straight face. Meanwhile, Ichi had his arms crossed in a challenging pose. He assured himself that this was fine. He needed to assure himself that this was fine.


    "Are you serious?" Renya said.


    "This is what I look like when I''m being seventy percent serious." Ichi uncrossed his arms, drawing attention to his broad chest.


    Renya whipped her sword around in a perfect circle. She danced forward cutting diagnonal across Ichi''s chest. The blade caught in the hair. Ichi''s white fist punched Renya''s katana by reflex. Renya pulled back trying to free her katana, but her feet dug into the roof as she did. The katana wouldn''t budge despite her strength. She sensed an attack and let go of her sword, blocking with her sheath as a glowing black fist ploughed into her. Her whole body bounced into the air from the hit.


    Renya saw a crack form in her sheath as she floated through the air. Gauging her bodyweight perfectly, she spun in the air and landed on the roof. As Renya landed, her foot slipped, she spent a second awkardly regaining her balance, widening her stance.


    Renya puffed air in and out as her eyes swam before her. Without that katana, she''d lose. Renya already planned for a loss. Against the ''Worst'' Seer''s Coucil member, Scipio. She''d run in confusion after Ichi''s death using the fleeing cat spirit as a distraction. She didn''t want to fight against Scipio. She never imagined she''d have trouble against the small fry Ichi.


    Renya breathed out slowly, grasping her cracked sheath with two hands. She gave him the bait to attack here, tonight.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "My parting gift, Syon." Renya whispered under her breath.


    Despite that, Renya felt for the first time that she''d lose even before meeting him. Renya had no idea that Syon, Myon, Rikya, and even Satou were all involved. The reason why was the hairy tanuki in the form of bigfoot in front of her united them against their common foe, the Seer''s Council, all because of Rikya''s magic deducing Renya''s involvement with Scipio. Renya couldn''t use magic. Renya knew nothing.


    Renya understood from the start her actions to deny the transfer of the cat to her were pointless. Renya knew that if she denied the ritual or killed Ichi, she''d be punished. However, she was tired of waiting for two years for something to happen. That''s why she tried to get involved with Ichi. That''s why she wouldn''t back down here against such a ridiculous looking foe. Especially not someone looking like this. Renya''s pride flared up as she looked down on Ichi under the moon. She held out sheath in a striking pose. Ichi saw Renya mimic a samurai.


    Renya didn''t know that she had no chance of winning. Renya knew that she didn''t want to lose.


    "Ichi." Renya addressed the tanuki.


    "Yes?" Ichi pinched the katana stuck to his white fist in two sausage fingers and tossed it lightly to Renya.


    Renya shifted her sheath with both hands, aiming to catch the sword. The katana slid into it perfectly, and Renya drew it with a flourish.


    "Give me a hundred percent." Renya said.


    Ichi stared at her. Then shook his head.


    "Survive my seventy first." Ichi slammed his fists together and the air vibrated with a pulse of energy. Renya had to push forward with all her strength to stay on the rooftop.


    "If I do, then you''ll be dead by then, I assure you," Renya said.


    "I''ll feel better about being dead than going one hundred percent right now." Ichi nodded.


    "Going easy on me because I''m a girl?" Renya mocked him, flexing her blade she advanced.


    "Yeah. If you were a man, I''d have gone for the kill from the start."


    Renya and Ichi grinned in unison as battle began.

 36- Moonlit Confession pt. 4

    Ichi saw one strike from Renya. A shine of metal stabbed straight toward his nose. Ichi dodged back. The nose tingled with a sharp feeling. Renya gave him a papercut right on the tip. Ichi didn''t see the second strike. He felt the sword slam into his thick hairy right arm like a cement brick. His bigfoot form let him withstand the attack without flinching. If he were human the arm would have been severed.


    Ichi shifted back on his feet, widening his eyes trying to catch the next strike. Renya''s light smile invited his eyes, her blue eyes met his, her blonde hair had a streak of shine under the moonlight. Beautiful, Ichi thought, as he dodged back from a stab straight to his hips. In the same moment moonlit metal flashed in front of Renya''s face. Ichi snapped his head back a bird twitching to look around. He felt a deeper sting this time. Straight under his eye, a line. Warmth dribbled from the wound. Blood, again. The third wound. Renya''s too fast.


    He crouched and punched with his left as both attacks happened. Ichi counted four strikes. Two cuts to his face, one attempt to sever his arm, one attempt to cut something below. Ichi had a sense where she was going witht that. However, Renya only had time for two strikes.


    Ichi''s black fist slammed into Renya''s body. She didn''t even move to block with her sheath. Ichi thought that strange. In all his fighting experience back in city, he never saw someone block with their body over their arms or a weapon. Country people sure are hearty.


    Renya floated back spinning her body in the air like a windmill. This time she swirled her body whipping her sword and sheath in a circle. The force of the attack couldn''t carry her any farther after that move. Her weight dragged her down to the roof, within Ichi''s striking distance.


    Last time Ichi hit her with his repelling black fist, she almost flew off the rooftop. Ichi''s eyes narrowed as he saw Renya stand in front of him licking the edge of her katana. A small amount of Ichi''s blood was there.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "Tastes good." Renya commented as if she were a gourmand.


    Ichi wanted to ask her if she was a vampire on top of being a homunculus, but Renya already stabbed him twice in both his arms. This time, he felt them penetrate the skin. Two heavy stabs. Ichi saw two flashes that time. He clearly saw it. Renya wasn''t attacking twice. She stabbed him once. Then, another stab also happened.


    This could only be a magic katana. The sheath withstood his full attack. Myon told him it acted as Renya''s magic shield, but Myon said nothing about a magic sword. Could it attack an extra time for each attack? No matter, Ichi thought. Change of strategy.


    Ichi held out his white right palm. The white stick had combined with the flesh when Ichi transformed into bigfoot. Now, he imagined the white stick releasing from his body. It popped out and Ichi snatched it before it could fall. With that, he pinched it between his fingers and threw it at Renya.


    Renya stared dumbly as the white stick slapped horizontally on her flat chest. It stuck to her. She gingerly pulled on it with her index finger and thumb, as if not wanting to grab it fully. Renya''s instinct that she shouldn''t grab the white stick was dead on, but her finger and thumb were stuck. In a moments panic her whole hand closed on the white stick trying to tear it off her chest. It wouldn''t budge. Renya already felt Ichi''s attack coming at her less than half a second ago, but her frustration at not being able to pull off the white stick distracted her. She guarded with her sheath. The blow shattered it, continuing on straight into her body. Renya''s katana loosened from her grip stabbed into the rooftop.


    In less than fifteen seconds from when they began the battle in earnest, Renya rapidly shot over the moon. Ichi''s full on uppercut with his entire strength behind it from his right hand sent her there. Ichi held out his black right palm to the sky, his body extending out as if he was trying to grab the moon and Renya at once. Through Ichi''s thick hairy fingers he saw Renya turn into a speck passing the moon. Stars glittered around her, and Ichi couldn''t tell where the girl was.


    "Combine." Ichi muttered. He prayed that a sturdy girl like her would live through this.

 37- Moonlit Confession pt. 5

    Renya saw the stars around her. That night she witnessed her family torn apart by Myon flowed through her mind. All of them were worthless. She shifted her body in the night sky the moon backing her. Renya''s agile mind racing to come to a conclusion staring down at the hairy lump on the rooftop. Renya remembered the feeling of freedom staring at Myon''s blue lightning explosion. It was as if her past was wiped out. Then, Syon puppet string curled around her.


    That memory sent shivers down Renya''s spine. A shiver of joy. That was the happiest moment of her life. Renya didn''t know the answer to why she felt that way. She wanted to know. That night, what Renya lost the most when her family was killed by Myon wasn''t love. It was a chance for her greatest fantasy to come true.


    Renya didn''t have familial love for them. She spent her days as ordered by her Father on experiments. She was praised. Her Father''s hand touching her head made her sick. If there was anything she lived for, it was that one day, she''d crush his heart herself. That fantasy kept her alive, kept her happy, kept her thinking, kept her fighting among all the others to remain a ''worthwhile subject''.


    If Father chose to dispose of her at anytime, she would have accepted it. Not because she wanted to die, but because the thought of being killed by her Father gave her that same feeling she got when Syon ensnared her that night.


    Renya felt her hand glued to the white stick tighten it''s force. If she had the strength to crush it she would. All of her strength wasn''t enough. If she used her other hand, then maybe?


    Before she could consider her option further, she saw the lump of hair raise it''s hand. Then, the stick on her chest loosened. In her left hand she felt her fingers come free as well. She could have let go. She was able to realize that. Let go, plummet to the ground. She didn''t have to fight Ichi anymore. She could apologize, she could run away. Scipio was coming after all. The stick gained an insane gravity to it and Renya held on, carried through the sky bombing towards Ichi.


    In the back of her mind Renya knew she was a fool. The plan she made to ''escape'' had so many fatal flaws it hurt her head to think about it. Escape was impossible. Scipio would kill her. Like her Father could have killed her at anytime. Renya knew that. There was no chance of surviving this night. The stupid choice she made leading to death. A death she welcomed. She could let Ichi kill her and save herself the trouble. However:


    Renya wanted something from this world. It was the same reason she decided to leave this village in the first place. The same reason she tried to take Ichi''s heart. She wanted that feeling. That feeling that Syon gave her. That feeling she had reading books and visual novels in her off time cooped up under her bubbling alchemy experiements. Renya wanted that feeling. She wanted to know what it was. She wanted to understand. Most of all, the fantasy of seeing Ichi begging for his life got her homunculus heart pounding.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Renya''s spine tingled. She imagined it like electricity crackling, then spreading all through her body. The air rushed past her cooling her skin as she exhaled, gripping the white stick and pointing it towards Ichi. Her other hand curled around the handle, doubling her control. Using all her focus, she plummeted aiming straight for Ichi''s palm holding the black stick to the sky.


    They smashed together. The white stick and black stick formed into the horizontal lined white and black stick. Renya held on, Ichi held on, as the stick inched toward Renya''s stomach. She spun her legs up in that instant. She didn''t plan that at all. She didn''t expect that the sticks would combine at all. Yet, Renya adapted perfectly and swung herself towards the rooftop. She held onto the stick of balance, attempting to break it from Ichi''s hold with the added force of her fall. Renya''s smile lit up as she did. This was it. This is it. Renya chanted to herself.


    Ichi stared at Renya in shock. In his mind, he was worried about her getting impaled or splatting to the ground. His grip loosened, but not enough for Renya to pull the stick from him. Ichi saw the stick bend and Renya''s capricious smile. His heart beat faster. His next thought was,


    "Isn''t the stick going to


    ?"


    Ichi got very good at breaking and combining the stick of balance the past few week. His talent with it worked against him. When he thought


    , that was enough to cause the stick to seperate again. Ichi stared dumbly as Renya pulled the white stick away from him. Renya landed deftly, stared at the stick and got her bearings, then tossed it back to Ichi. It thudded against his chest and fell to the roof, rolling to a stop at one of his giant feet.


    Renya felt her fists. Clenching and unclenching her hands, she punched a fist into an open palm. It wasn''t that far to her fallen sheath. It wasn''t that far to her fallen katana. Renya decided she didn''t want them anymore. Ichi must be proud of his strength. Renya wanted to break that pride.


    "Ichi. Are you going to use a weapon against an unarmed opponent?" Renya goaded him.


    Ichi stared at her and combined the stick with a thought. Sizing Renya up, he twirled the stick of balance and stabbed it through the roof. He imitated Renya, cracking his knuckles.


    "You ever been in a fist fight before?" Ichi said.


    "Today will be my first."


    "I''ve got a lot of experience. Aren''t you better off with that magic katana of yours?"


    "Lot of experience, huh? Thanks for telling me. That way, when I win like this, it''ll be a sweeter victory."


    Ichi nodded. Then, he clasped his hands together and bowed. Renya blue eyes and blue hair shined in the moonlight. She slid her hands up the sides of her white piece, pinching them in a formal curtsy.


    "Ichi, if you win, what would you like? I''ll do anything."


    Ichi scratched his head, a thick finger covering his chin in thought.


    "Can''t think of anything off the top of my head. Maybe a maid outfit, with cat ears? Eternal servitude sounds appealing. With one hundred percent less murder and lies. How about you?"


    "You will be my prize, as well." Renya shot to Ichi and the battle continued.

 38- Moonlit Confession pt. 6

    The first few blows Ichi threw didn''t hit. Renya''s agility was inhuman. It got worse fast, as he started taking heavy hits from Renya. One to the shin, one near his thigh. Was it the same time, the same instant? He kept his eyes open, making sure he''d see it. His heart sank as he felt two kicks at once, one to his head, one to his chest. Despite his strength and weight, they were enough to make him stumble back. Ichi saw one kick. He felt two.


    Renya stopped her strikes as Ichi''s balance broke, waiting for him to recover.


    "You mentioned something earlier. You called my katana ''magic'', is that right?"


    "Yup." Ichi replied. He used the break to grill his head for a solution. She''s too fast.


    "That katana? It''s not magic. Neither do I. What you see tonight is merely me."


    Ichi raised his arms in response. Like twin trees, he stepped forward. A flurry of kicks exploded onto his arms. Four. Eight. Twelve? It felt like rain. Ichi made a quick step back, then pulled back and whipped his fist into Renya''s body.


    She blocked with a raised knee and held his hairy fist with both hands. Pulling back, her other leg lowered and Ichi''s whole body shifted into the air. Ichi couldn''t believe such a small girl was throwing him. She may be a homunculus, but still! He watched with great interest as Renya''s back hit the rooftop and Ichi floated above her. Then, she pulled back her knee, stamping into the air vertically with her foot. Ichi tumbled in the air, his weight forcing him down through the rooftop.


    He lied there with the broken roof tiles around him, an upset look crawled onto his face.


    "I thought you said you never fought hand-to-hand?"This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Renya jumped down landing on Ichi''s back, she scooted her face close to his ear.


    "Haven''t you seen some martial arts movies? I''m copying them."


    "It''s not that easy!" Ichi growled as he stood up.


    Renya jumped off his rising back as Ichi leaped after her back onto the rooftop. She knit her hands behind her back.


    "There are patterns to their movements. Can''t you see them?"


    Ichi couldn''t. His anger got the best of him, and he went ape on her swinging wildly. Double ape, since he was already in bigfoot form. His attacks were parried by arms or legs, he took heavy hits in quick succession. Renya danced around him nimbly, launching strikes from every direction. She calculated every angle calmly. He relied solely on instinct. There wasn''t a chance for him to win, but Ichi''s senses were blurring. Repeated hits everywhere drained him, and before he knew it his bigfoot form undid itself.


    His trust in his strength was broken. His tanuki ability at least required him to trust his strength, but Renya completely overwhelming him in her first fistfight brought him low. And it''s a girl! That stung too. This whole time, Renya could have beaten him in a one to one fight? Ichi slumped to the ground. This wasn''t all he had. He knew that. He looked to his stick of balance sticking out of the rooftop where he planted it. Lying on the rooftop, his hand moved to his back pocket, his fingers sliding over the shikigami hidden there.


    It''d summon a tengu. Myon said it would enslave him for life, Grandpa said it was a friend of his dad''s. If either of them were true, he didn''t want to use it. Then, he heard chuckling.


    Renya stood over him with her katana in both hands. She looked at Ichi breathing hard, an amourous red blush across her cheeks. She slowly raised the sword. Ichi watched as the moon''s reflection glitter across the blade as Renya raised it to full height.


    Ichi''s fingers tightened around the shikigami. Then, they loosened. Ichi''s eyes closed as he cursed himself. Nothing happened. Ichi waited for Renya to end it, but it didn''t come. He looked up, and saw Syon standing behind a frozen Renya. Syon''s long silver hair blew in the wind, hiding her face.


    A silver thread stuck out of Renya''s neck. Renya dropped the katana and it slid clattering off the roof, then sunk to her knees like a puppet with a thud.


    "Ichi," Syon said, "give her the cat."

 39- Moonlit Confession pt. 7

    Ichi''s left hand crawled to his chest. There his fingers slid across the seal Myon placed there. Rikya offered to take it off for him during their days cooped up in the shrine, but Ichi denied her.


    "Honorable war wound," Ichi muttered as he ripped the seal off his chest.


    His whole body seized up. The feeling of an extended sneeze ran through his body. Ichi didn''t have that much strength left in the first place. Myon''s words haunted him. It''d either kill him or revive his strength. Ichi wanted one bad enough at the moment to accept the other. His muscles relaxed and he stood up shakily, wearing only his ripped shorts. Syon glanced and Ichi and Ichi saw her face went red. He thought that this really wasn''t the time.


    But, she did save him. Ichi didn''t have the strength left to pull the shikigami. That was before he tore off Myon''s seal. He felt no gratitude at all. What burned inside of him Ichi couldn''t understand, but he knew what he wanted to do next.


    Ichi pulled the shikigami paper out, a folded rectangle with a decorative cord. He pinched it by the end, holding it like a worksheet he used to forget to do back when he was going to a real school.


    Ichi pushed the paper into the side of Syon''s head, his brow furrowed.


    "Get lost, Idiyon."


    Ichi poked the shikigami into the side of her head. He chanted "go, go" under his breath as she turned her head. Ichi got a glimpse of her slate colored eyes before he poked the shikigami inbetween them, causing Syon to squint. Syon had a second to read the words written on the front of the shikigami before her eyes squinted by reflex. She was able to confirm her mounting fear as she finished reading the text written on the shikigami. Then Ichi poked her again, and again. Tears pooled up in the sides of her eyes.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Ichi failed to notice that in Syon''s right hand a folded iron fan fell out of her sleeve and she snatched it.


    "Ichi, the ca-" Syon started to say as Ichi interrupted her with a growling "Get lost."


    Ichi wanted to punch her. The air chilled his blood. An instant had passed, his eyes had closed, and when they opened-


    Ichi''s arm holding the shikigami was frozen in ice. Before he could react Syon snatched the shikigami with her silver gloved hand and tucked it through the neck of her tight white garment. Syon took a few steps back.


    Ichi reimagined the form of bigfoot in his mind. Podcasts he used to listen to when he walked to school flashed in his mind as he body grew hairy again and the ice broke. He stepped over Renya''s still form, walking over to Syon who looked to right and left in panic as a massive hairy hand grabbed her robe and picked her up off the rooftop. Syon''s face turned aside as Ichi burned his gaze into Syon''s avoiding slate eyes. He thought they were pretty, but they were Syon''s eyes.


    "Give it back"


    "The ca-" Syon whispered.


    "No one cares about the stupid cat. Didn''t Myon tell you about the Seer''s Council member that''s coming? I''ll need that shikigami."


    "Seer''s Council member?" Syon said, her tone wavering.


    "Myon didn''t tell you?" Ichi growled at her.


    Ichi held his other hand out. He felt the energy of his stick mix against each other as he channeled his spiritual power into the white side. It flew from across where it was planted in the roof into Ichi''s hand, and Ichi touched the dark side to Syon''s chin.


    Syon turned and locked eyes with Ichi for a second before turning away. Her hand shot into her robe and pulled out a small pink notebook with a magical girl on the cover. She held the iron fan and journal in one hand as her silver gloved hand shifted the pages with the other.


    "Who?" Syon''s voice quavered. "Who!"


    Ichi put Syon down as he watched her panic. He slung his stick over his broad shoulders.


    "Someone called the ''Worst''."


    "Ah-" Syon squeaked out dismay as she flicked a pen out of thin air and began scribbling and muttering under her breath.


    "Then ¡ª Armory ¡ª So Ichi gets the ¡ª then Renya ¡ª and why? ¡ª No matter."


    Syon sighed. Her eyes closed as she shut her notebook.


    "We should run." Syon said.

 40- Moonlit Confession pt. 8

    "No." Ichi shook his head.


    "You don''t know anything - Ichi - this is insane-" Syon''s fingers trembled as she fidgeted with her book. The wire leading to Renya''s body twitched.


    Ichi''s brow furrowed as he stuck his face into Syon''s.


    "Rikya and her ancient evil fox are here. Myon''s here. Even you''re here. When do we get out of here? When do you get out of here, out from under the Seer Council''s thumb? Does anyone like living like this? Are you proud of being shipped around the world being their little assassin girl, or is it that you want an excuse to watch your twin sister get ripped apart?"


    Syon''s face froze as she dropped her pen and notebook. The wire leading to Renya''s body swerved on the rooftop, but Syon was too distracted by Ichi''s challenge to see it.


    "I am not a good person - and this village is not a desirable situation for anyone - but that is not the issue. There are too many unknown factors. The Burncastle''s sealed spirit freed. Rikya herself. Myon not informing me. Your - body - that stick. Renya''s betrayal. And the ''Worst''. Only I know his real identity. Fighting him will kill us all - and¨C"


    Syon breathed in deep summoning all her strength. The wire from Syon''s silver cross flailed wildly. Her face changed. Her slate grey eyes gained a shine, her brows furrowing.


    "I will protect Myon no matter what. I love her. I have nothing else."


    Ichi''s brows went crooked as he stared at her imitation of a hero.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Idiyon, the best thing for Myon would be for you to never talk to her again."


    Syon looked down and averted her eyes.


    "I know that - better than anyone."


    Ichi tried to grab Syon, but she danced back twitching her iron fan and covering him in frost. Ichi tore through the ice.


    "You''re better off dead." Ichi growled at her.


    "Even I..." Syon whispered.


    "If you''d just give me back my shikigami, and let Renya go from your puppet string so we can get back to trying to kill each other, at least she''s honest! You''d disgust me a little bit less. A little."


    "Even I have feelings, Ichi."


    "That''s obvious, Idiyon. This isn''t about you," Ichi flung his arm out gesturing to the forest where Rikya waited, the mountaintop where Myon sat. "This is about all of us. We''re trying our best. You''re ruining everything."


    Syon''s eyes teared up as she yelled back.


    "This is about you! You will lead all my pieces to meaningless deaths! You''re exactly like your father! He took everything from me. I have nothing. You are all puppets to me. I know that is not right - but my Myon and I survived more than you could ever understand, Ichi." Syon looked at Ichi''s eyes challenging him.


    "I am strong. Everyone will live happily - if they would listen to me."


    Syon''s wire went taut. The wire snaped flying free with the wind behind her. The shine of the loose wire in the moonlight caught Syon and Ichi''s eyes.


    Before either of them could move, Renya put her lips over Syon''s. She pressed into Syon''s face, her blue eyes wide open staring into Syon''s slate eyes. Syon''s eyes shimmered and her eyebrows relaxed as tears pooled down her face. Syon twitched her iron fan. A pillar of ice formed and shot out of the sky slamming Renya''s body off the rooftop.


    Syon''s knees collasped under her as she rubbed her mouth, then spat. Silver fluid hit the rooftop. She breathed heavily and sweat poured from her as her shaking hand reached for her fallen notebook.

 41- Moonlit Confession pt. 9

    Ichi couldn''t do anything but watch. He unfroze from shock and his hand went to snatch the shikigami back from under Syon''s robes. Syon gave him a look of pure hatred as Ichi tore at her clothes trying to rip them off. Syon''s body turned into water and slid away in the wind. A fine mist shining in the moonlit was all that remained of her.


    Ichi cursed and punched a hole through the roof. When he looked up, he saw Renya standing there looking at him with a somber face. Renya rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand, disgust creeping around her face. When she put her hand to her side, silver liquid covered the back of it.


    "I lost my first kiss. I planned on giving it to you."


    Ichi''s hand ran over the top of his head.


    "What was that? Are you into her? Like that?"


    Ichi didn''t plan to say those words but they tumbled out anyways. Renya looked to the moon. Judging by it''s position, Renya calculated that her time was up. Her good mood was ruined anyways.


    "If revenge counts as love? Then, sure. That wire in my neck wasn''t consensual. I''ll kill her, myself, next time, for sure, I swear."


    "But that was a kiss, clearly." Ichi nodded at her.


    Renya showed him the back of her hand, dripping with silver liquid.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "Homunculi have a magically enhanced type of mercury in place of normal blood. It''s poison to humans. Don''t you know?"


    "Didn''t have to be a kiss though," Ichi sighed sizing up Renya.


    He realized that beyond her martial skill Renya could have killed him easily anytime she wanted. Something must have held her back. Ichi''s frustration burst like a bubble. At least Syon is gone now, he comforted himself with that thought.


    Ichi pointed his stick at her, both hands wrapping around the end as he prepared to use the same magic that slew the Mountain Lord. He''d kill her. He resolved himself to that fully. Playing around almost got him killed.


    "Want to continue? I''ll show you my hundred percent."


    Renya moaned, folding her arms. One of her hands drifted her fingers across her upper arm.


    " You can''t read the mood at all, can you? You don''t understand, Ichi. It had to be a kiss, for a wispy girl like that. I''m tired of this. I want a shower. If I live through tonight, I want a bath."


    An explosion thundered out behind Ichi, and as he turned he saw a mass of tentacles pouring out from a portal. An twister made of flame blasted the forest apart carrying hundreds of trees into the air by their roots like leaves in an autumn gale.


    "I want a hot bath." Renya said.


    Syon''s words haunted Ichi''s mind as he observed the scene like a fireworks show at a festival. ''Renya''s betrayal''.


    "This your friend?" Ichi said, as he saw a bolt of blue from a nearby mountaintop shoot into the fray. An unearthly screech wailed out from the tentacle mass as blue blood spurted into the night sky. Ichi smelled fried octopus.


    Renya sighed in response. She walked to Ichi''s side, sliding her palm out gesturing toward the battle her eyes half closed as she yawned, covering her mouth her other hand, she made a fist and coughed into it.


    "That is the Seer''s Council member who''s going to kill us all. Scipio."

 42- Moonlit Confession pt. 10

    Ichi looked at the moon. He undid his bigfoot form, wearing only shorts he didn''t have a scratch on him thanks to Myon''s seal. Renya stood beside him, watching the mass of tentacles writhe in the distance.


    "It''s a nice night to die." Ichi cheered.


    "Would you like some help?" Renya teased him. Her tone was weak.


    "Later, I smell squid cooking. How about this? Let''s ride out." Ichi pointed his stick towards the fight. The mass of tentacles swirled open revealing a huge squid. Ichi made a low chuckle.


    "You ever had calamari? Could make a lot, Rikya''s good with fire."


    Renya turned to her side. A shine blinded her. She looked to see what it was. Her katana lied stabbed into the ground below the rooftop surrounded by grass. The point buried in the dirt, the handle jutting out towards her. Renya sighed.


    "Myon''ll be there. She''s a handful."


    "Yeah, her breasts are huge," Ichi held out a hand with his fingers spread out, as if trying to grasp a soccer ball.


    "I betrayed her. Told Scipio about their secret stash of weapons. And Syon will be there. I''ll be dead soon anyways."


    Ichi turned to her, grinning.


    "Then, if you''ll be dead, would you like to go out fighting with me? I''m going anyways, got a little girl to protect. You''ll get a good chance to stab me in the back. I''m sure."


    "Trying to lure me with cheap tricks like offering your life up as bait is so lame." Renya groaned. She stayed slient a second, her mouth parted as her words whirled in her head then tumbled out her mouth.


    "Aren''t you interested in why I betrayed them? I planned using you and that cat as a distraction to get out of here. You''re acting too nice."


    Ichi tapped his stick against the edge of the rooftop, sliding it across made a smooth metallic sound.


    "No one''s perfect. A little fight to death didn''t kill me, a little betrayal won''t kill you. I''ll make sure of it. So? That a Yes?"This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Renya sighed. She folded her arms and averted her gaze.


    "We can''t win."


    "You were pretty aggressive a couple of minutes ago. What, because it''s a giant squid instead of bigfoot you''re not feeling up to it anymore?" Ichi said.


    Renya looked at her sword sticking out of the grass. Her sheath was lying in pieces somewhere.


    "I really want to make your life worse a fate worse than death." Renya whispered out. "It''s so disgusting how you''re taking this so easily."


    "You nearly killed me, now you want me to be upset so you can feel good about giving up?" Ichi mocked her.


    Renya laughed. A smile crept upon her lips.


    "Fighting to the death again does sound fun," Renya looked to the moon. "And Syon isn''t dead yet. It''d be nice if I could kill her myself."


    "I''m rooting for you." Ichi gave her a thumbs up.


    Renya face tinged with surprise. Her eyes met Ichi''s.


    "Wasn''t she on your side? That ambush wasn''t something I couldn''t predict. I figured you for the lone wolf type."


    "Nope. She wants," Ichi held up a finger. "one child. I''m not ready to settle down. And she''s annoying to be around. I had more fun tonight fighting with you, than that night I spent talking to her."


    Renya knit her hands behind her and looked away.


    "How can I trust you?"


    Ichi laughed.


    "I''m giving you a good chance to stab me in the back when I''m fighting against the squid! Isn''t that enough?"


    Renya felt a smile creep on her lips again. She felt like she lost, but she couldn''t say what.


    "Ichi, you''re good at telling when people are lying, right?"


    "Yep. Tanuki nose." Ichi tapped his nose with a finger.


    "Ah, so that''s why you could turn into bigfoot? You''re full of surprises. Then, tell me if this is the truth."


    Renya moved in front of Ichi, her smile grew wider as her blue eyes stared into his.


    ""I want to marry Ichi and live in this village forever!"" She said in a generous tone.


    Ichi chuckled.


    "It stinks. Even if it was the truth, I''m not interested. You''d be the death of me, can''t keep up with such a smart girl like you."


    Ichi swung his stick across his back. He looked out to the unfolding battle. Renya took a few steps close to him, following his gaze.


    "You ready?" Ichi said.


    Tentacle monsters started flying in out of portals as strange moans echoed throught the night. The giant squids tentacles whipped upwards as if to swat a fly. A flurry of blue flashes severed them.


    "I''m tired, but I guess a little while longer won''t hurt."


    "That''s the spirit." Ichi turned into an eagle and flew off. Renya jumped down and stood above her katana''s handle. She looked up at the moon, and saw Ichi in eagle form gliding across it.


    "The moon is beautiful tonight." Renya freed her katana and whirled it in a perfect circle.

 43- Vs Worst pt. 1

    Ichi flew over the battlefield. A small girl in a black dress with dull golden hair and tiny translucent wings on her back stood in front of Rikya who was crumpled on the ground. Around her was a large golden sphere with strange writing on it. Surrounding that sphere was hundreds of thick slithering monsters that looked like they came from the depths of the ocean.


    Ichi sped down in eagle form, switching to bigfoot and grabbing his stick with both hands. In his mind, the image surfaced.


    "Miko. Hold off. Save your energy."


    Ichi felt the cat trying to wrest control from him. In his mind, Ichi imagined that strike against the Mountain Lord. He hit the ground, knocking back the writhing monsters who screeched out. He held his stick aloft, and let the magic fire off. In an instant Ichi''s body moved forward as if it turned into wind, and a single strike of his stick carved ten of the monsters in half. Body parts rained down as Ichi refocused and charged again. He cut swathes through the army like they were nothing but walls of paper. The blue blood scattering told a different story.


    Ichi''s hands didn''t even feel resistence, or even when his stick hit them. The attack that imitated a samurai. The Flawless Strike. With that image in mind of one strike, one perfect strike, repeating itself again and again Ichi cut through a hundred monsters in less than a minute. They couldn''t even react. The speed of his strikes sped up the more he got into the flow of it. As if doing it more and more made it even easier to do rather than exhausting him.


    To the girl inside the sphere, all she saw was a hairy ball fly into the monsters and become a blur. A black and white blur flowed in the beast''s hands slicing the monsters apart. Her mouth parted in surprise as she watched the grisly scene.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "This your boyfriend?" Satou said. She knew Rikya could barely answer.


    It was more to herself than anyone else, the angel girl was having a rough night. Dark circles were under her eyes, She was summoned in her sleep thanks to the protection spell she put on Rikya. If Rikya were ever in danger, Satou would be able to be there because of that spell, but because of that spell she couldn''t get a good nights sleep.


    Ichi turned to look at her. The stick of balance rested on his shoulder as his hair was matted with blue blood. He undid his bigfoot form and walked over, completely naked save his shorts.


    "Hey, Rikya okay?"


    Satou waved her hand and hole opened in the barrier. Ichi walked over, crouching down over Rikya. She was conscious but her eyes were half closed. Rikya''s black witch clothes were ripped, her long dark hair splayed out across the ground, and the black and white wave she made was lying broken by her side. The fox was nowhere in sight.


    Satou tapped Ichi on his bare shoulder.


    "Ichi, right? Keep an eye out, I''ll heal her."


    Ichi stood back as Satou kneeled down over Rikya. A dull gold eminated from her hands, then she pressed them into Rikya''s body.


    Ichi kept his eyes peeled as the shield went down. He silently worried about Rikya, but he didn''t want to bother Satou. Miko told him she was a decent healer, but Ichi doubted a bakeneko could match up to an angel.


    Renya caught up with Ichi, glancing at Satou kneeling over Rikya. She hovering behind his back and tapped his bare back with the flat of her blade.


    "Cold." Ichi complained.


    "I missed it." Renya said.


    "My back''s still there. Go ahead and stab. I''m keeping my promise."


    "You''re not fighting the squid, yet."


    Renya looked above the treeline. The massive beast whirled it''s tentacles about as blue bolts charred it from every direction. Red and orange tinged fireballs rained down from above.


    "Kraken. Elder Kraken. I''ve seen them in grimoires before, but never in real life. How beautiful."


    Ichi waved his stick at the piles of flesh he created.


    "These guys?"


    "Deep Ones." Renya replied.


    "Oh, great. What, are we fighting Cthulu or something?"


    "It''s "a" cthulu, not ''the'' cthulu."


    Renya looked over at Rikya and Satou.


    "He''s wearing us down first."

 44- Vs Worst pt. 2

    In the forest above the Elder Kraken, lighting poured like rain. Myon floated above the deep sea beast holding onto a long spear. Blue surged around her and thickened until it swallowed the beast in a thick column. A cylinder of lightning covered it, cooking it. The lightning cleared with scant crackles popping in the air. On the ground a massive black husk of tentacles and suckers started crumbling. Burnt parts snapped off and blew into the wind.


    Myon charged the spear with lighting, out of it''s end a plume of blue imitated a rocket. She locked on her target. A mature woman with fox ears and tails everywhere held her hand across her chest painted with blood. The Fox was breathing hard staring at the ground when Myon plunged the spear into her, driving her into a nearby tree and pinned her on it.


    Myon let go of the spear, and shook out her right hand. From her big white sleeves a small thick golden scroll tumbled into her hand. A cold draft blew, catching Myon by surprise she blinked ice out of her eyes. She felt her hand holding the scroll turn numb. Her blood ran cold.


    "Syon." Myon growled as she looked at her hand. It was entirely encased in ice.


    Lighting crackled along the ice, blue sparks melting the ice into steam freeing her hand. Myon tossed the golden scroll back into her sleeve, a look of disappointment coloring her face as she groaned. Syon condensed out of mist behind Myon, her back to her, and she whispered into the air behind Myon''s ear.


    "Did you think I would not be here?"


    "I knew you would be." Myon said. Her tone was low. "Ichi isn''t someone I ever thought you could possibly ignore. I wouldn''t have bothered coming otherwise, who else would but you would get us out of this mess?"


    "You could have at least mentioned who we were fighting. That part - the most important part. If you had said nothing else - I would have had time to make a real plan. As it is - it has become a mess. I am not doing well tonight either."Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Syon thought back to what she said when the Silver Cross wire broke from Renya''s neck. Her instinct told her to pay attention to her own words. She made an error. Syon wrote them down after she drifted off the rooftop.


    "Like you''ll lose anyways." Myon grunted.


    "Like we will lose." Syon said. "Is that her? The Burncastle''s sealed spirit?"


    Pinned against the tree, the Fox breathed hard with the spear stuck through her.


    "It''s her. Tamano no Mae. A bigshot like her was hiding down her for this long." Myon whispered. "We could take her out right now. Why''d you stop me?"


    "This situation. It is the worst. Heal her." Syon said.


    Myon leaped forward fanning out rectangle paper seals. Seven of them landed like knives all over Tama''s body as Myon freed her spear with the same movement. She twirled it around and aimed at Syon. Electricity crackled out from the butt of the spear, and Myon rocketed straight towards Syon. Syon spread her iron fan the moment Myon went for her spear, by the time Myon charged at Syon she met a thick wall of ice. Syon left Myon''s sight as Myon pushed her spear through the thick wall of ice, lightning burning it into a mountain of steam.


    Myon felt Syon appear behind her back again. Myon didn''t bother to turn around.


    "I am not doing well. Please - go easy on me tonight." Syon pleaded.


    The slight waver in Syon''s voice made Myon slam her spear into the ground and turn around to face her.


    Myon met Syon''s eyes, and Syon''s lips trembled a bit as she wiped them again. Then, she said it.


    "Renya. She is the only one who could have brought the ''Worst'' - Scipio - out to this village. The only reason someone of his ability and bloodline would be here is if Scipio knew about the Armory. She must have discovered our secret somehow. Or Rikya. But - Rikya''s presence here is a mystery to me. Renya had motive. Renya almost killed me."


    "Seriously?" Myon didn''t believe her. There wasn''t much that could catch Syon by surprise.


    "I told you - I am not doing my best tonight. Plus - Ichi was mean to me."


    Myon''s arm reached out slowly. As if deciding whether or not to move, Myon watched her own hand, then she grabbed Syon into a one armed hug, rubbing her back.


    "It''s okay. It''s just another night."


    Syon buried her face in Myon''s chest as Myon other arm encircled her.


    "I have a plan. You will not like it." Syon whispered from below Myon''s face.


    "I never like your plans."

 45- Vs Worst pt. 3

    Broken trees formed a makeshift hexagon fort around Satou. Rikya laid below Satou as Satou ministered to her wounds. Outside of the fort a wasteland of stumps and foliage littered the ground. Renya moved busily slicing with her katana stripping tree branches off a tree like a lawnmower. A burst of flashes flickered in the air, revealing a bare tree without bark as they stopped. Renya then braced her legs and slashed. The tree fell with one strike. She threw her katana point down into a nearby stump and shouldered the entire tree easily.


    Renya walked past a hairy blur who cut a deep one that went for her. A splash of blue blood hit Renya''s face and she squinted by reflex.


    "Won''t you be a bit neater while you kill, Ichi?" Renya didn''t stop walking with the tree as she complained to Ichi.


    Ichi landed his huge hairy fist into another deep one. The creature took flight screeching as it bowled into an oncoming pack of them off of their limbs. Ichi looked at his hands.


    "I am entirely blue." Ichi said. "Want to switch?"


    "You''ll mess up my fort." Renya muttered darkly.


    Ichi knew it was time to back off from her tone. He yelled out when the deep ones started surging out of the forest, "Renya protect Rikya!" What surprised him the most was that Renya actually listened. He spared himself a glance at Renya as she put the next tree into place on what was quickly becoming a hut. Then he turned and punched. With a sniff he knew a deep one was right behind him. His nose never failed him.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Which was why he got worried when he smelled cologne. Ichi hadn''t smelled anything like it since he was in the city. Walking past a luxorious shop on the way to school, Ichi smelled something like this. His brow furrowed as his hand grabbed what he thought was a deep ones head and crushed it. The deep one fell to the ground and laid still. Ichi nodded in satisfaction.


    The rest of them were retreating. Their smells were fading away. Ichi could tell the distance by instinct. The cologne smell was getting closer. Ichi''s heart thumped harder. He swung his stick around shaking himself trying to get the guts and blood off of himself. Ichi wanted to look presentable, at the least, he was going to be meeting a Seer''s Council member for the first time. If Ichi got his way, it''ll be the last. But, there was always a chance that he could be a nice guy, right? Ichi mused in his head that maybe he''d be able to talk his way out of it, "No no I''ll give her the cat right away sir!"


    Like Ichi would say that. His gripped tightened as his eyes caught on to fleck of white dancing in the dark. It came from the direction of the cologne smell.


    "Renya. He''s here. Mind helping?"


    "Let me finish."


    Ichi snapped his head around, watching as Renya sheared the next tree of all of it''s foliage. Then, he slowly turned his head around. He faced the white walking figure as it melted out of the darkness and into the moonlit. In front of Ichi stood a man in a fashionable white suit with white shoes. Blond hair and blue eyes with a white coat cut above the knee.


    The guy looked like a model in a catalog. Ichi wanted to punch him already, and the guy hadn''t said a word.


    The man looked at Ichi. A business smile crawled on his face. Ichi thought of a used car salesman. Ichi and Scipio''s eyes met each other and Scipio spoke first.


    "Sorry, sorry, didn''t know you were here. I swear. Danzaburo''s kid?" Scipio pointed at him as he walked closer. As he closed the distance, he held out his hand to the big blue blood covered hairy giant.


    "Hello. I''m Scipio. Our fathers are good friends, go way back. Nice to meet you."

 46- Vs Worst pt. 4

    Ichi knocked Scipio''s hand aside with his stick.


    "I''m covered in the blood of your little cthulu friends. I''ve had a rough night." Ichi pointed back with his thumb towards the fort Renya was detailing. "And you hurt my girl. Turn around and leave and I''ll let you live." Ichi said.


    Scipio started laughing as he shoved his hands in his white coat pockets.


    "There''s a pecking order. In this world, I''m above you. Seer''s Council. We''ve got these really nasty Tengu Twins that run roughshod all over the planet. But," Scipio held out his arms wide. "I''m double special. I''m Dracula''s and Ika''s son! We run the Shadow Society! I''m what royalty wish they could have been, for thousands of years they pined for eternal life and absolute power," Scipio swung his fist with his thumb pointing to his heart.


    "I was born with both." Scipio walked up to Ichi, staring up into his hairy face. "You''re special too. We can be friends. I''m always on the lookout for new connections. I''ve got ambition. When your dad''s got the world, you''ve got to go bigger!" He swung his hand around Ichi''s lower back, reaching for the stars with his other. "The galaxy! Together, we could rule the galaxy!"


    Scipio started cackling madly as he one armed hugged Ichi from the side. Ichi turned around looking at Renya with one raised eyebrow. Renya made the slight effort to shrug a little then went back to work carving out windows.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "I can see why they call you the ''Worst''." Ichi moaned. Scipio let him go and danced back, performing and extragant bow.


    "Charmed. You know what Schopenhauer said. First they hate you, they they champion you, then they accept you as common knowledge."


    Ichi''s face twisted in disgust. People who quoted philosophers with inaccurate interpretations of their work on purpose- no wait, he lost his train of thought entirely. Ichi scratched his head.


    "You''re here about the cat, right?" Ichi half heartedly let the words slip out.


    "What cat?"


    Ichi felt his blood run cold as Scipio straight face filled his vision. Then-


    "Why are you here?"


    Scipio pointed over at Renya. The fort was complete with insulation from the surrounding foliage. She was on the rooftop carving the wood into a design she felt best suited the theme of ''moonlight''. She was really into it.


    "That girl. The little alchemist girl. She''s energetic. Been in touch a long time trying to get a little extra information on what her family was up to. She told me about this ''Armory'' that the Tengu Twins had. They stole from the council. Withheld their spoils of war. I came to steal it for myself. Ripped their whole house apart and there was only some disgusting anime merchandise. The lower classes have no sense of taste. I do. I love arguing matters of taste, Ichi, if you like anime, we can''t be friends."


    Ichi shook his head.


    "No, I like anime. There''s no way I''d want to hang out with slimy bastard like you anyways. I''m thinking murder sounds good."

 47- Vs Worst pt. 5

    As the word ''murder'' slipped from Ichi he felt Miko fly out from his back. Ichi kept his eyes on Scipio as he smelled Miko running towards Renya. Miko jumped onto Renya''s shoulder, both of her twin tails swinging down Renya''s back. Unconsciously Renya pet the cat''s head with one hand as she continued carving paneling on the fort''s door with her katana in her other hand.


    Scipio cocked his head as he pointed towards the cat.


    "Is that a bakeneko?"


    Ichi swirled his stick in his hands. Holding it aloft pointing at Scipio, he chanted to himself under his breath.


    ""I am the current of the river,


    I am the flow in the water,


    I am the leaf of the wind,


    No heaven or hell rules man, only man may rule himself,


    Grow like a tree, be the branches to balance all life!""


    Ichi''s consciousness broke as if he blacked out. When awoke, he saw his stick stopped on a dull golden blade. Scipio held the blade close to his chest. Ichi''s eye snapped up to meet Scipio''s, and Scipio no longer looked amused.


    "Nice magic. Nice. Always good to see a fellow perfectionist like myself."


    Ichi stepped back. He blurred as hundreds of strikes flashed around Scipio. Each black and white blur met a dull golden flash. From every angle the Flawless Strikes would come, but not a single one got through. Scipio arm moved like a whip, blocking every strike. Scipio didn''t move his feet even once. Scipio''s voice droned out as the cascade of strikes continued.


    "I took you too lightly. Always had trouble making friends. You''ve got some powerful stuff going on here. Not nearly as good as what I''ve got. There''s always someone better than you, and when you find out who all of those people are,"


    A dull golden slash outwards knocked Ichi''s stick from his hands, burying it into a distant tree.


    "Let them know I''m better than all of them."


    Blue portals opened up all around Ichi. Through them snaked dark countless gray tentacles. His fought them furiously to keep them from grasping him, but his strength failed. His bigfoot form wasn''t nearly enough. Ichi felt the tentacles squeeze around his body, lightly, yet firm. Scipio''s voice came as if it was from underwater.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "Stay there. A hostage like you might come in useful, but I can''t let you grow. You''ll like my place, really comfortable."


    Scipio walked away from Ichi who lost consciousness in the writhing tentacles. His sword dissipated into dull golden sparks.


    He held up his hand to say hi to Renya. Renya turned her head on instinct, but she saw nothing. Slightly shrugging she went back to work.


    Had Renya been a millisecond faster in turning her head she would have seen a blue flash. Like lightning gives the impression it lasts longer than it actually does when it strikes, her eyes would have seen a crooked blue streak for a half a second.


    Soaring above the clouds, Myon''s spear was stuck through Scipio. After he realized what happened, he held up his hand and snapped his fingers.


    On the ground around the perimeter cleared by Renya''s handiwork and Ichi''s battle against the deep ones, large blue portals opened up. Stepping out halfway were dark shaded beasts. Renya readied her sword.


    A orange fireball slammed into the ground. The flame cleared Tama appearing out of the dying flame. She held aloft an ornate staff with goat horns. Tama slammed it into the ground. A huge red circle with forboding markings appeared across the battlefield, sliding under the blue portals. At the instant the red circle hit the blue portals they closed, slicing the creatures crossing through into parts. Tama quickly tugged the staff free, whirling it around.


    Mist condensed near Tama, and Syon stepped out of it. She held out her hand as Tama handed the staff to her.


    "I don''t mind you keeping it - as an apology for our behavior." Syon said.


    "You''ll need to do better than that to apologize to me." Tama fired back. "I don''t like the color."


    Syon held out a hand and a short golden scroll fell from her sleeve. She grabbed it, twirling it around in her hand she flipped a small lock on the center. The scroll popped out of her hands unravelling around her the trails of clouds in the sky at sunset. Syon pushed the staff into one of the many golden bands around her. From Syon''s view, countless images of weapons flickered across the inside of the scroll. The staff dissolved and became just one more image on the scroll. Syon flicked her hand and the scroll wound itself up. It neatly flew back into her hand and she threw it up into her sleeve.


    Syon walked over to the fort. Renya threw away her sword as she slid her legs apart and opened her hands wide. Stopping before Renya, Syon looked away from her bloodthirsty gaze. Then, Syon folded her legs completely to the ground bending her arms fully into a traditional apology bow.


    "I''m sorry!" Syon said.

 48- Vs Worst pt. 6

    Renya kicked Syon like a football. As Syon landed, she verbalized a wooden ouch for Renya''s benefit. Renya stepped onto Syon''s cheek.


    "If I were to squish your head like a grape right now, I''d feel like I missed out. You''re joking."


    A trickle of blood came down from Syon''s nose. From below Renya''s foot she spoke with her head pushed into the ground.


    "The apology is genuine. A puppeteer is limited by their puppets. They must know that their puppets limits are their own - and I considered you a puppet of mine from the start."


    Renya''s foot lifted off of Syon''s face. She glanced at Tama with a crooked brow. Tama looked down on Syon like an open rotting bag of trash on the side of the road. Renya liked Tama at first sight. Syon continued as soon as she saw Renya''s attention back on her.


    "I lied about the bakeneko. The Seer''s Council never ordered for the bakeneko to be ''transferred'' to you - that was only what I told Myon from the start."


    Renya''s mouth shaped into a small circle.


    "That''s a nice lie."


    "I thought you wouldn''t consider the possibility that Myon was lying to you. She probably relished an excuse to give you bad news."


    Renya nodded her head.


    "Oh, no, she was polite about it. Made me sick. So then," Renya looked aside for a moment. "This was all because of how I reacted to your lie? If so, your aim was?"


    "I wanted the bakeneko, Miko, in you. The transfer of the possession was the real part of the lie. I saw Ichi fight with the bakeneko, a half possession. Renya''s greatest weakness is that you can''t use magic. I wanted a Renya with magic." Syon said.


    Renya looked to Miko on her shoulder, a smile spreading across her lips.


    "You wanted a homunculus, you got me. You wanted to give it magic, and use it as a weapon? For what?"


    Syon groaned. Both Renya and her understood that this was a situation that a single lie would break the attempt at allegiance. Syon knew Renya was playing along out of interest. If she hadn''t had a history of Renya''s manipulative behavior, she would have never have recruited her. However, since she knew Renya was a manipulator like herself, she knew that only a truth would have value here. Renya had the advantage.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "As I said - A puppeteer is limited by their puppets. I wanted you to consider yourself the puppeteer. By allowing you to believe you were in control, I would control you."


    Renya giggled, then her laughter escaped in a burst. She wiped away a silver tear from her eye.


    "And because of a small ruse like this, I managed to bring the worst enemy to your doorstep."


    "Renya caught me by surprise. In many ways. I have reflected on my ability - I have already learned a great deal from this night. How did you find out about the Armory?" Syon said.


    "I had two years to observe Myon and Syon. Did you know Myon would pull out a kitchen knife from there from time to time? Despite that, I never knew you were Tengu. Scipio said some interesting things, I''m glad he came. I lied to him on purpose and told him it was in your house, to get him riled up. It worked well."


    Syon averted her gaze from Renya''s wide smile. Renya made her final move.


    "You still didn''t answer my question. I asked ''For what?'' did you collect me for? A tool without a use doesn''t exist."


    The middle of Syon''s lips touched together as she grit her teeth. Squeezing her eyes together, she said the truth she knew she had to say. If she lied here, Renya could easily become an even more troublesome enemy later on in her plan.


    "Revenge against Genji Danzaburo, Ichi''s father, for the crime of abandoning Myon¡ª and me."


    Renya looked to Tama. Although Renya didn''t even know the busty beauty with fox tails name, her eyes caught Tama''s reaction to what Syon said.


    "Do you have anything to add?"


    Tama looked at Renya. She sized her up from head to feet, scanning with her eyes. Then, Tama nodded.


    "I thought that was a wonderful sentiment. I know Genji myself, that tanuki needs to be boiled in a hotpot and eaten as soon as possible. Never did I think this girl would feel the same way. Or that she was a tengu. How fitting."


    Tama covered her smile partly with her sleeve as she laughed. She walked over to Renya, her breasts meeting Renya''s face as Tama looked down on her. Renya looked up into Tama''s eyes. A feeling of vague familiarity drifted between the two as Renya struggled with a desire to sink her head into Tama''s chest. She smiled. Tama smiled back.


    "Nice to meet you, Homunculus. I am Tama. The Tamamo-no-Mae of legend. After twenty years of staying cooped up inside, I went out for one night and met a troublesome young man. I don''t suppose you could assist this old woman?"


    Renya grew a cavalier smile on her face. She kneeled on one knee and Miko rocked on her shoulder as she placed her hand over her heart.


    "Yes, my lord."

 49- Vs Worst pt. 7

    Tama giggled at Renya''s act. Her hand reached out and ran her fingers through Renya''s blonde hair.


    "What a cute child."


    Renya relished the sensation of Tama''s fingers running through her hair across her head. As Tama hand pulled away, she felt surprised at how disappointed she was. Rising, Renya looked to Miko.


    "Be gentle with me." Renya gave the bakeneko a white grin.


    The cat nodded.


    "I am far more worried about what you will do with me. However, if the son of the Lord of Darkness is here it can''t be helped."


    With that, the bakeneko''s white and black tails swished as she turned into light and merged into Renya. Renya held her stomach and bent over, steam rose around her body. Tama reached out her hand. Renya turned to face Tama with gritted teeth and silver sweat dripping over her face.


    "Get back." Renya said. "Give me space. You too, Syon. It would be a shame if you died before I could enjoy killing you. Calibration to new factors like magic or a cat can be annoying."


    Tama''s instincts went off like an alarm. She ducked back, looping her hand around Syon and flew towards the nearby fort. She ducked inside, admiring the ornate paneling on the door as she did. Tama breathed a sigh of relief as she dropped Syon like a rock. Syon verbalized an ouch to let Tama know she didn''t like being treated like luggage, but Tama ignored her and walked over to Rikya and Satou. Rikya was leaning against a wooden wall resting with Satou beside her.


    Tama crouched inspecting Rikya face then body. Satou felt that where Tama was looking was unnecessary.


    "Who are you?" Satou said, standing. Her eyes went from the fox ears to the busty chest as her lips folded down into a show of disapproval.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Tama didn''t take her eyes off Rikya, who gave Tama a weak smile to let her know she was alright. Tama reached into her robe, pulling out two of the weapons from the armory that Syon gave her. A long dull golden gauntlet and a short magical girl stick appeared on the ground. Tama picked up the dull gold lump. The finger holes only looked like they''d cover half of a finger. Although this style is referred to as fingerless gloves, there clearly was some coverage of fingers there. She handed it to Satou.


    Satou grabbed it, her stare not leaving Tama. Her brow furrowed as Tama''s ''searching'' became more disprovable. Tama spared Satou a glance.


    "I''m Rikya''s imaginary friend. A lot of people are seeing me these days, so it''s become difficult. There''s a girl outside who is behaving strangely, it''s probably that time of the month, I think. Could you please erect a barrier with that, Dark Angel?"


    The bags under Satou''s eyes quivered.


    "''Dark Angel''? Not even Rikya-"


    Rikya''s head turned to her and smiled. She knew. Satou turned away, looking outside through a cut out perfectly shaped circular window. Renya was struggling outside, random bursts of steam and silver liquid splattered around as manacial laughter erupted. Syon rose and watched beside Satou out of interest, then pulled Satou away from the window by her shoulder as soon as she saw.


    Syon slapped her palms together in prayer closing her eyes, kneeling before the little dull golden haired girl in a black dress.


    "Satou? Please - listen to Tama we will all die. That silver is poison. It''s turning into a gas - if it drifts here we''re dead."


    Satou''s eyebrow twitched. Asking a favor right when you meet someone - that sort of behavior was the worst.


    "Fine." Satou swung out her hand. " ''Shadow Derivatives''." Satou said lazily.


    Outside, a golden dome surrounded the fort. A silver mist cascaded over in a cloud, hissing as the barrier evaporated it when it touched.


    Satou held out the dull golden gauntlet to Tama.


    "I don''t take gifts from strangers. This should be enough."


    Syon stood up and blocked her view of Tama.


    "I am not a stranger. That weapon is from me. I work for your dad. If his daughter were to go missing because of me - I would be troubled." Syon said.


    Luckily, she had experience talking to Satou''s father. Rules were very important to him. Syon assumed that the child would be the same way. After all, Satou''s dad ran the world''s financial system. Strict adherence to cultural custom, that was Syon''s plan.


    Satou looked at the gauntlet with disgust.


    "I don''t like it."


    It didn''t work at all.

 50- Vs Worst pt. 8

    Syon pleaded with Satou in tears while outside Renya fell to the ground. On Renya''s head was one black cat ear, one white cat ear, and snaking from below her dress were twin black and white tails.


    Renya struggled up, holding one side of her face covering an eye. As she pulled it away her eye shined bright yellow contrasting with her blue eye.


    "There''s another voice in my head. But, it''s just one more voice."


    Renya wasn''t sure which voice was Miko''s and which was hers at first. She figured it out because Miko was the only one trying to push for control. All the rest of her voices in her head were busy discussing matters like the roman senate of old. Renya liked thinking of her mind like that, an ancient oil painting of civility and discourse. To her, it was like someone drew a cat on with crayon.


    Already Renya felt her entire mind discussing the potential of using the cat as a medium for casting magic. Already the voices were devising spells and running thought experiments to see if they would work. Renya had little imagination. Renya had a lot of observation.


    The human mind automatically sees a model of the world, then they build on that model of the world step by step. Every human had a stack of hasty and haphazard chunks that formed their concept of the world. They couldn''t see the world as it was. Yet, Renya''s mind could only see the world as it was. She had no imagination of the world. She only had the world. The sole saving grace that gave her the ability to survive Myon''s onslaught that night was simple: an internet connection on an old PC she setup herself.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    She did not have the specs of the stronger homunculi, in fact she was weaker. Those homunculi were ran over first. The way Renya survived her first fight against an opponent that destroyed countless stronger than her was by imitation. She imitated what she saw on TV shows and imagined from visual novels. She imagined that she would never get hit, and her mind was able to bring that into reality using her imitation alone.


    It would be called talent or skill if a human did it. To Renya, it was magic. Since she already fully understood this, and the nature of her body, and how a bakeneko might fit into the picture, she came up with the solution of attaching the bakeneko to her imagination.


    It was already an accomplishment far beyond Renya''s Father could have ever dreamed. If he were alive he would have hugged Renya out of sheer joy. A homunculus with the power of magic. Syon''s strange idea she got watching Ichi that day in the forest came true through Renya''s efforts.


    Renya touched her neck lightly. The wound was long gone from where Syon used the Silver Cross on her. The desire for vengeance burned brighter than ever.


    Renya had a hero she read about online. In secret forums, they would talk about the Druid Runa and his exploits. When Renya saw Tama earlier, she could only think of the gallant and wild Runa saving a beautiful woman. Half of his motive would be carnal lust to bed yet another romantic conquest, and half would be desire for approval from his mother, an eye-patched wolf who raised him.


    So when Renya walked inside and saw Renya fully prostrated with a straight silver sword in front of her, her eyes turned into stars. She couldn''t believe what she was looking at. The Druid Runa''s Wolf Sword.


    Renya mouth trembled as she kneeled down and her fingers shook over the blade. She wiped away silver drool as she saw her indecent face reflected in the clear blade.


    In a corner of the fort, Satou adjusted her new golden glove with a look of distaste at the scene in the doorway. Two shameless women, a white clothed long haired tengu bowing it''s head into the ground and a slavering homunculus with cat ears.

 51- Vs Worst pt. 9

    Renya hugged the silver sword with gusto. Syon had never seen Renya so happy. She half melted into mist on instinct as a defense mechanism.


    "Where''d you find such a wonderful imitation of the Wolf Sword Runa uses?" Renya gushed.


    Syon quickly decided to hide the fact it was the real sword. She would hide the fact she killed Runa herself after the hardest fight in her or Myon''s career. She had no confidence she could sell Renya a lie right now. So, Syon did what she was best at and drifted away into a sparkle of mist.


    She had one final thing to do anyways. As she flew over the battleground strewn with monster flesh and flat tree stumps, she located a mass of tentacles with Ichi''s hair peeking out. A cold wind drifted under the tentacles deftly mincing them off Ichi''s unconscious body. Syon landed near his form, turning away her head with a blush at his nearly naked form. She crouched pulling out a healing seal Myon gave her. Without looking Syon felt around for his chest and placed the seal, rubbing her hand across it once before she got too embarrassed to continue.


    Standing up, Syon whipped the golden scroll from her sleeve to her open hand. With a flick of her fingers it opened, and she chose the weapon that she thought suited him best. Syon looked at the thick short mangled sword with a spiky guard. It had flecks of blood and endless dents, scratches, and jagged points along the cleaver blade. Ever since she saw Ichi''s strike against the Mountain Lord, she thought for sure that this was the perfect match.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Earlier, she watched over Ichi''s fight with Scipio. She waited to signal for Myon''s attack on purpose. Scipio''s words made her feel safe enough to let them have at each other. If he was serious, then Syon wouldn''t even have had a chance to distribute weapons from the Armory. She felt glad that Renya had pulled off the merger with the cat fine as well.


    Looking to the stars, she saw bright blue flashes. Myon chasing an invisible white fleck called Scipio. Syon couldn''t tell how long she had until Scipio overwhelmed Myon. Syon told her to play for time, and Myon''s stalling for time with her magic won both of them more fights than Syon would like to admit.


    Syon heard Ichi groan below her. In fright she dropped the heavy sword on his body and turned to mist. Ichi grabbed around for his stick by instinct, as he woke up he channeled energy into the white part of his stick and drew it from across the field into his hand. His other hand grasped the thick sword as he leaped to his feet.


    He admired the blade. He remembered it. Back after he fought Myon, he saw it in the closet where Myon kept her golden bullets.


    "The Orc Sword?" Ichi wondered aloud.


    Holding it, he felt like his arm warmed up. Ichi looked up, watching the blue flashes. As he did, in Ichi''s mind an ancient roar of battle rang out. An unending roar. It reminded him of drums. It wasn''t like the Tanuki drums he felt before that went don don don. This was something much more primal.


    "Syon. Thanks. Giving a man a weapon is always a good choice." Ichi said.


    Ichi could smell Syon''s invisible form beside him just fine. Syon partly solidified in shock before blinking back into a mist.

 52- Vs Worst pt. 10

    Blue flashes struck again and again the starry night. Ichi watched Myon fight Scipio with his sword held high. The battle roar curdled his blood. Ichi mused that this is what normal looks like when you''re lost in life. Ichi shook his head as he kept his eyes on the blue flashes above him.


    Then, a white speck crashed down. Scipio''s clothes hung around him in tatters. He held a small golden scroll in his hand. Blue portals in the area opened as Ichi smelled Syon slip away back to the fort.


    Myon appeared out of a blue flash and shoot bursts of gold flecks at Scipio. Golden bullets cut through a thick wall of summoned tentacles, thudding into Scipio''s flesh. Blue blood specked all over the fancy white coat as it drifted off of him in scraps. Ichi saw Scipio take the golden bullets on his body. Those bullets should kill instantly. Scipio didn''t even wince.


    Ichi didn''t bother to think about it too much. He had a sword, and he had murderous intent. Ichi''s hand grasped the white stick loosely in his right hand. In a moment of clarity staring at Scipio Ichi thought,


    "I don''t really have to do this. I could take Rikya and run away. Myon will be just fine. This isn''t my problem. I''m really punching way above my level here. Maybe Syon-"


    Was right. As the final two words echoed through Ichi''s head, he threw the white stick. Even if Syon was right, he didn''t want to admit it. The white stick stuck on Scipio''s back and glowed. Ichi felt the energy between the white stick and the black stickin his right hand.Stolen novel; please report.


    He pulled them together, imagining them combining. As he neared the mass of tentacles and the white figure in them, he wielded the orc sword. Ichi saw the flawless strike of a samurai in his head. As the orc sword blurred, a red aura pulsed around it. Ichi saw the sword go anywhere but where he wanted it to go. It slipped through the tentacles with the force of a battering ram. Scipio''s hand flashed and tried to block with a dull golden blade.


    Ichi''s strike curved around it. The blade cut Scipio''ssword hand off. A tentacle whipped out of a portal and stuck it back on. By then Ichi''s red sword cut Scipio twice. He watched at close range as the wounds closed up as tentacles nudged them back into place. Scipio''s face furrowed as he fell back.


    In Scipio''s other hand he held the small golden scroll. The Armory. Myon told him that she had the Armory to distract him long enough. Scipio managed to steal it from her when Myon slowed down enough to shoot him. Looking at Ichi''s sword with distaste, Scipio puzzled over the golden scroll, looking for a way to open it.


    Myon appeared next to him, driving her spear into his side. Tentacle whirred out of portals around him and made to grab her, but she pulled back. Scipio held up the golden scroll, pointing at it with his sword. Myon shook her head.


    "Whatever." Scipio said.


    With a flick of his dull golden sword the scroll cracked open. Pure gold all the way through.


    Scipio''s face soured.


    "A dummy? Then where''s the real one?"


    He looked to Ichi, then to the fort.


    Ichi caught where Scipio''s eyes were looking. Even if Scipio tried to slip past him, Ichi could use the white stick he stuck on his back to catch him again. Scipio was within his reach no matter where he went. The problem was, Ichi didn''t see a way to win against the immortal vampire-squid. The infinite battle roar from his orc sword sounded like music. Ichi grinned and charged.

 53- Vs Worst pt. 11

    Scipio swung his sword down. It met Ichi''s red pulsing sword. Scipio pushed forwards into Ichi''s face as he stared at Ichi''s sword.


    "It''s not cutting? Why isn''t it cutting? Do you know what this sword is, Ichi?"


    Ichi pushed Scipio back in response. He struck through Scipio''s defense again. Scipio right arm flew off, but a tentacle placed it back on. Ichi saw Scipio''s confusion and pressed his attack. Each strike would go anywhere but where he aimed, but it would cut. No matter how many times he cut Scipio to shreds, Scipio still could strike back.


    The battle was already over. Ichi knew that. He couldn''t win.


    Until he smelled Renya behind him. Ichi turned in a flash, blocking Renya''s strike. She was panting with a silver sword in her hands. His eyes moved to the cat ears on her head. His mind nodded in silent approval as his eyes drifted to the sword coming for his neck.


    "Syon handed them out like candy, didn''t she?" Ichi thought to himself. "She''s desperate."


    A rain of silver strikes that blocked Ichi''s vision flew down upon him. From the other side, Scipio snuck in a cut to his ribs before Ichi could block. He didn''t have time to do anything but trust his sword would move as he was sandwiched between blocking gold and silver slashes. Ichi''s shoulder tore, his thigh took a stab, the weight the strikes pushed him around like a leaf in the wind. The red orc sword went everywhere. All Ichi could do was keep the magic of flawless strike channeled. His calm mind and the orc sword allowed him to survive. The silver sword and gold sword were ploughed aside. Renya''s strikes stopped.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Ichi channelled the black stick in his hand. It grew violet and pushed his body away from Scipio, away from the white stick on his back.


    Renya faced Scipio.


    "You''re in the way."


    She launched herself into him. Ichi watched Renya''s strikes pour down on Scipio with relief. He didn''t think he would have lasted much longer against both of them at once.


    Renya diced him. Each of Scipio''s strikes outward could block maybe a hundred of Renya''s strikes. However, Renya''s strikes were like raindrops. What''s worse was that they increased the longer she attacked. Scipio''s face only contorted more as his body flew into pieces. Tentacles surged out to pass the golden sword back to him but a silver flash cut them. Renya didn''t move, yet the locations of her strikes did. The pile of flesh that used to be Scipio moved as tentacles curled out from portals, tending to it.


    Ichi smiled as he saw Scipio''s sorry state until Renya rushed him. He saw Rikya and Satou walk out of the fort. By that time he was already deep in the forest fighting off an excited Renya.


    "You''ll kill me at this rate." Ichi complained.


    Renya laughed heartily in response. Ichi kept swinging his sword. He had to keep calm. He had to keep swinging. He had to trust that Rikya and Satou could handle Scipio''s scraps from here. He doubted he''d live to see them again if he didn''t.

 54- Vs Worst pt. 12

    Satou and Rikya exited the fort. Satou watched Ichi and Renya disappear into the forest. Above the treetops she noted tree trunks cast up into the air from their fighting.


    "He''s a little, hotheaded." Satou said to Rikya.


    Rikya smiled. She pushed against Satou''s side as they approached the tentacle mass.


    "Before that, aren''t you worried about the ''Worst''?"


    "I never told you about ''him'', did I? Then again, I don''t remember you saying anything about that fox girl." Satou squinted as she accused Rikya.


    Rikya smiled in response. Satou took that as, "It''s natural for both of us to have secrets between each other, aren''t our families always one step from tearing each other apart?"


    Rikya would be slow to talk, but quick to smile and stay silent. Satou knew that was Rikya''s impenetrable defense. As long as Rikya looked happy, Satou couldn''t argue with her. Satou didn''t want to argue with someone looking that happy.


    Which is why it was convenient three others were there as targets for her abilities. Satou waved her hand at thin air.


    "Being social is expected at a gathering. You''ll never get a good job if you can''t maintain small talk. Connections and saying empty words are part of social graces, if you know that, why don''t you act on it, Syon?"The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    A dull golden shackle with a chain and ball attached looped around a foot that condensed out of the air. The dull golden ball thudded into the ground, carrying Syon with it. Syon''s head spun around as she tugged fruitlessly at the ball and chain. It didn''t budge. Her magic couldn''t activate either. Her hand went into her robes for her magical girl journal, her fingertips brushing by Ichi''s shikigami. For a moment her hand stopped, then Syon shook her head. She pulled out the journal and went to write, but Rikya stepped in and pulled the journal from her hands.


    "A magical girl?" Rikya said as she started thumbing through the pages. Syon sweated as she stared at Rikya''s eyes searching through the pages.


    Myon was watching from the treeline since Scipio hit the ground. It had barely been a minute of time, but already Scipio was a pile of slowly regenerating flesh on the ground due to Ichi and Renya.


    Myon walked out onto the battlefield, her eye on the dull golden shackle chain and ball on Syon''s leg.


    "Betrayal." Myon muttered.


    Rikya held out her hand and chains shot out of the ground pulling Myon down.


    "That implies we were friends."


    Electricity cracked as Myon''s strength tightened against the iron encircling her body. The chains started to break. Then, Satou stepped in.


    "You rely on your sister too much." Satou said waving her hand at Myon. A dull gold shackle chain and ball appeared on Myon''s stomach, pulling her onto the ground.


    Rikya pocketed the magical girl notebook, following after Satou who walked to Scipio''s body. Syon looked at her with embarrassment etched on her face, her hand held out as her eyes flickered to Myon bound on the ground.


    "Worse than worst." Syon sighed as she watched the two girls approached the mass of tentacles.

 55- Vs Worst pt. 13

    Satou walked up to the tentacle mass. Rikya kept her distance with a strained smile showing on her face that Satou couldn''t see. Satou peeked her head inside the tentacles like it was only a bush. Inside, Scipio''s body reformed itself, he was pouting like a child lying there naked. As soon as Satou saw him, tentacles covered his body.


    "Satou?!"


    It''s not often your young fiancee sees you naked. Satou eyes went stony as she murmured to Scipio.


    "Playing around with Rikya, huh. She had some terrible wounds. What were you thinking?"


    A golden shackle ball and chain snapped onto Scipio''s ankle. His hands were already out and waving at Satou pleading with her.


    "Hey, hey, I thought your families were enemies? What''s the Burncastle girl to you?"


    Seeing Scipio''s confused face let Satou feel joy. Satou smirked.


    "Give me a moment." Satou said.


    The girl in the black dress with short dull golden hair turned around. Satou spread her hand like wings, looking at Myon and Syon chained on the ground. She half closed her eyes. The dull yellow color of her irises shimmered above heavy eye bags under her eye. She was tired.


    "Myon, Syon, aren''t you feeling tired?"


    Both of them closed their eyes at her words. Satou waited until she saw their chests moving slowly up and down. She walked over to Syon and crouched over her, poking her in the face.


    "Rikya. Search her. Take what you want."


    "Your eyes are great at seeing where the value is, aren''t they?" Rikya said. She hummed as she skipped over to Syon''s body and looted her for all she was worth. She picked up a silver glove and an iron fan. Satou''s eyes flickered over to the fan.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "That fan is just a fan. Excuse me."


    Satou walked toward the mass of tentacles, cracking her fingers. She opened a palm and punched it with her fist. Rikya stayed behind. She pulled out Ichi''s shikigami from Syon''s clothes. Words were written across the front in a strange language. Tama spoke up in her head, and they held a silent conversation within Rikya''s mind.


    "Gai Tengu. This can summon Gai Tengu." Tama said.


    "Myon and Syon''s father. Why didn''t she use it against us?" Rikya said.


    "Family ties are the worst, aren''t they?" Tama chuckled.


    Rikya spread an evil grin on her face in the real world. Satou heard malicious cackling behind her. She smiled herself. She kept walking, reaching the tentacles. Her smile faded and went straight, then morphed to disapproval. Pushing through the tentacles she met Scipio who was being dressed by a deep one in a perfect black tux.


    Scipio looked in a nearby mirror with a comb in his hand, running it through his hair. He handed it back to the deep one in a tuxedo who bowed and retreated through a blue portal, bringing the mirror with him. Satou stared at him, one of her fingers reaching out and testing the tentacle wall with slight pressure.


    "Take these down. First, an apology to Rikya."


    "Aren''t there three enemies out there?" Scipio asked.


    "Your worst one is right here." Satou muttered darkly. Scipio''s face flinched as she said it.


    Satou felt it was proper to inform him of the situation anyways, so she coughed into her fist and met his gaze.


    "Myon and Syon fell asleep on the job."


    "And those two? Renya and Ichi?"


    "What are you so scared of?" Satou complained. "They ran off in the forest. Last time I saw them it looked like they were going to rip each other apart."


    Scipio averted his eyes as Satou said ''scared''.


    "Well, it''s just..."


    Satou walked closer, tugging on his fresh white clothing. She barely reached his waist in height.


    "Tell me. After you put the tentacles down."


    "But Rikya-" Scipio complained to Satou, but Satou''s eyes bore into his.


    Scipio sighed as the tentacles retreated back into portals, revealing Satou and Scipio to Rikya and Myon and Syon''s sleeping bodies.


    Scipio twisted his hand and a dull golden blade condensed out of golden particles into his hand. Scipio handed the sword to Satou.

 56- Vs Worst pt. 14

    Ichi ran into the depths of the forest, and the girl with the silver sword followed after. Renya was laughing. Ichi was scared. She struck him again and Ichi turned to face her strikes with the orc sword. Each strike of hers seemed to multiply before his eyes. His heart pounded as he watched his sword whirl around blocking each strike. Ichi could only see silver flashes. His left arm holding the sword had black and blue splotches all over it. It felt numb to Ichi. The strikes stopped, and Ichi ran from the girl.


    The look on Renya''s face, he''d seen it before. When he was in the city sometimes he''d walk around at night, looking for trouble. Since he didn''t talk to anyone no one bothered him. However, he did see people who were walking around like zombies. They had a glazed look on their face, a weirdly strained smile.


    Renya was drunk. Ichi understood that at glance. His eyes flickered to her cat ears as she pursued him through the forest. A black and white tail swiveled behind her butt. A plan formed in his mind as he ran, and a grin spread to his face.


    Ichi sniffed. The waterfall was close. Cats hate water.


    He dashed to the edge of the river as Renya followed after him. She launched herself onto him chanting his name like it was his birthday party. At the same time she stepped into the river. The water bubbled around Renya''s legs as rose as steam. Ichi circled around her, placing the waterfall at her back. A burst of silver flashes rained on him as he put his numb right arm to work again. Sweat dripped down his face as he felt Renya cut him across his forehead. Then her strikes stopped and she lost her balance on her own, stumbling to the her side.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Ichi didn''t miss the chance. He threw the orc sword away and changed his body into bigfoot. His thick hairy right arm punched into Renya''s body, launching her straight into the cascading water. Her body stopped as steam flooded all around her, clouding over Ichi he got the sense he walked into a hot bath. His vision was covered in gray. If he were attacked now, he''d be dead.


    The steam drifted into thin strands. Ichi saw Renya sitting under the waterfall with her knees touching, her head hanging down. She wasn''t moving, even though her eyes were open.


    "Creepy." Ichi said.


    He sighed as he undid his bigfoot transformation, snapping up the orc sword. He held it out with his hand like a stick, moving close to Renya. He poked her cheek with the thick sword. When her body didn''t move he sighed.


    He looked at his left arm holding the orc sword. It was completely healed. Ichi stood over Renya.


    He gripped the orc sword in his left hand. In his right, he held the black part of the stick. His left hand tightened. Then, his right hand lifted up to the sky.


    "Combine." Ichi chanted.


    But, he felt nothing. Ichi stared at the black stick in his hand. No response. He couldn''t feel the energy in it either. Ichi thought of a cellphone with no reception. Ichi''s arm went down. He took one last look at Renya cooling off under the waterfall then headed back to Rikya, his nose guiding him.

 57- Vs Worst pt. 15

    Ichi reached the treeline. He saw Satou holding Scipio''s dull golden sword. Rikya''s eyes darted to him and he knew she spotted him. Rikya stared at him for a second and smiled, then looked toward Satou with a straight face.. Ichi stopped and hid. His instinct was roaring at him not to approach. From that look on Rikya''s face, he felt like she didn''t mind if he came or not. Ichi hid in a bush, holding the orc sword low.


    Satou bit into Scipio''s sword. She pulled it from her mouth, sniffing it, then put her ear to it and tapped on it with the golden gauntlet Syon gave her. Satou listened intently to the ringing metal as Scipio studied Myon''s sleeping body.


    "This is awful." Satou complained. She twirled the sword in her hands. "I''ll take it as an early dowry."


    "Hey hey hey," Scipio turned his head to the girl, "give it back."


    His arm reached out, but Satou twisted the sword collapsing it into a shower of golden sparks.


    "I worked hard on that." Scipio''s face grew angry. Satou stared at him, and he ran a hand over his face to hide the fact that he was looking away.


    "Are you trying to become a Druid or something?" Satou asked.


    Scipio froze as his hand pulled away from his face.


    "What?"


    He was dumbfounded. For second there, Satou''s tone sounded like praise.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "You did well with that sword. Better than you''ve ever done. But, I could also say you''ve done too well."


    Satou looked to the ground nearby. Her eyes traced the treeline. She could see Ichi''s orc sword and black stick easily. Her eyes were good for seeing the value of things, even from far away. Even though Ichi was hiding, his high class weaponry couldn''t escape her eyes. She met Scipio''s gaze like she saw nothing. Satou''s voice took on a dark tone.


    "You were trying to surpass Dracula, with a sword like that?"


    Scipio looked at Rikya. Rikya smiled at him, and Scipio looked back at Satou. He didn''t want to say it in front of her.


    Satou saw his gaze move to Rikya.


    "It''s alright. You came here for the Armory that Syon and Myon were hiding, right?"


    Scipio''s breathing stopped, then he nodded. He had no idea how Satou knew that it even existed. It didn''t occur to him that he blabbed the whole thing to Ichi earlier and Satou was in Renya''s fort listening to the whole speech.


    "Isn''t it a shame that Rikya got to it first?"


    Scipio''s brow furrowed. The dull golden shackles that were binding his ankles snapped.


    "I came all this way. I''m getting something for this. You can''t take my sword and expect me to leave empty handed."


    Satou looked down and grinned.


    "Ichi. Throw that sword you''re holding at Scipio, would you?"


    Ichi flinched in his cover at the treeline. His eyes darted to Rikya waiting for approval. As always, Rikya smiled. It seemed like anything was fine with her. Ichi didn''t understand what was going on at all. The fight looked over. Myon and Syon were down too, Ichi was grateful to see Syon tied up at least.


    He stood up and walked out of the treeline, hefting the orc sword over his shoulder. He stared down Satou, sizing up the small girl.


    Satou noticed his stance. She thought he needed convincing. Satou shifted her head to the side and the golden sword condensed in her hand. She tossed it to Ichi''s feet, point first.


    "Take that in exchange."

 58- Vs Worst pt. 16

    Ichi adjusted the orc sword on his shoulder. He looked down at the dull golden blade and sniffed. The smell reminded him of the fish market he used to pass in the city. Such a small village like this didn''t even have a grocery, so Ichi''s mouth watered at the thought. His mind snapped out of good memories. Now wasn''t the time.


    He shook his head at Satou.


    "I don''t want it."


    Satou grinned at him, folding her arms behind her back.


    "Oh? And why is that?" Satou looked at the sword she threw to Ichi''s feet. "Scipio''s sword is a unique masterpiece. I assure you, as someone with high appraisal ability that its worth exceeds that cracked lump of metal you are shouldering by at least four trillion United States Dollars."


    Ichi froze. Four trillion? Four trillion dollars? His eyes drifted to the dull golden blade on the ground. He shook his head, again, that wasn''t the point.


    "I''m not giving this sword to a slimy bastard like that," Ichi pointed at Scipio. "Even throwing it at his face would be an insult to the sword. It''s not even mine. I respect other people''s property."


    Satou looked to Rikya with a straight face. Rikya met her gaze, then nodded. Rikya turned her head to Ichi.


    "Ichi, Satou''s trying to make a point to Scipio using that blade. They''re going to get married in the future. Satou wants to make sure he grows up well so her future is secure."


    "Marriage?" Ichi balked.


    Rikya nodded solemnly. Ichi saw Scipio looking at him, waiting. The three other people here were having a discussion that had nothing to do with him, but, Ichi was glad that Scipio didn''t seem interested in fighting anymore. So he threw the orc sword into Scipio''s face.


    Scipio''s hand moved to grab the handle. The sword pulsed red and dodged from his hand. Scipio''s hands then tentacles chased after the blade''s grip as it slipped through his grasp to the ground. Scipio stared at it with a frown on his face. He bent over the blade and put his hand carefully around the grip. As his fingers tightened, the blade squirmed out from under his fingers. Ichi looked on with bemusement. Satou matched his mood.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Scipio tried a few more times to grab the orc sword on the ground before he opened a blue portal. Out from it stepped a deep one. Scipio slapped the tentacle beast and it went to pick up the sword itself. A tentacle from the deep one snaked out and curled around the hilt of orc sword. As it picked it up, it''s violently struck Scipio.


    Scipio''s blue blood splattered across the ground as he coughed. His hand grabbed the deep ones head. He crushed it.


    Breathing hard, Scipio turned to Satou.


    "Magic Rejection."


    Satou heard Scipio''s weak tone and she turned to Rikya.


    "Didn''t you say Ichi first learned magic only during the last week?"


    Rikya nodded and closed her eyes. She saw where Satou was going with this, and she liked it. Satou turned back to Scipio.


    "You couldn''t resonate with even a single blade from Syon''s Armory. A blade that Danzaburo''s son was able to wield within a week. The Armory will stay with Rikya. I''ll take it as part of my early dowry for our future marriage. And as recompense for the abuse you inflicted tonight."


    Scipio shook his head. His brow furrowed as he stared down Satou.


    "I''m not leaving without the Armory. Even if it''s you, I can''t let a Burncastle get their hands on whatever the Tengu Twins managed to collect."


    Satou tented her fingers in front of herself pointing at Scipio.


    "You could make something much stronger yourself if you listened to me. I''ll only tell you the secret if you agree to my terms."


    Scipio held up a finger.


    "Or, I could take the Armory. You could tell me the secret. And, then, we''ll have both in the future. You see, Satou, you''re not thinking of the future. Can you really trust the Burncastle girl? No, no. How could you possibly trust her?"


    Satou drifted her hand over her golden glove, stroking it.


    "The real question is how can I trust someone who blows an entire nations worth of budget on aircraft carriers?"


    Scipio held up his hand.


    "The U.S loves those aircraft carriers. They have more than the rest of the world combined!"


    "Those are toys. Technology can never surpass magic, Scipio. It took humans until the 1950''s to get to the moon while people like us have been there since it formed."


    Ichi''s eyebrow raised at Satou''s statement. He looked to Rikya, whose face was staring at Scipio. This didn''t look like new information to her from the look on her face.

 59- Vs Worst pt. 17

    Scipio''s eyes flickered over to Ichi. Ichi tracked Scipio''s gaze to the dull golden sword at Ichi''s feet.


    "Whatever. Give me my sword back and half the Armory." He ran a hand over his face. "I''ll call it a night then."


    Satou crossed her arms.


    "Ichi, pick up the sword."


    Ichi hand half moved at Satou''s words. At this point, he felt like interjecting in this love quarrel would be the most stupid thing he could do. Scipio didn''t seem like he would die by normal means anyways, and the thought that someone like him was immortal made Ichi want to be a pioneer in research in how to kill immortals. If his hand grasped Scipio''s sword, he would do it because the situation called for it. The people around him forced him into it. Really, just get it over with. Ichi''s hand loosened around the grip. As his fingers closed around the guard, his hand snapped open. Ichi felt a sense of disgust wash over him.


    It was as if the sword itself was something ''wrong''. What Ichi''s body sensed standing in front of the sword overwhelmed him. It''s just a sword isn''t it? Ichi thought to himself. What did Scipio say earlier? Something about aircraft carriers? That this sword was special? No, ''Magic Rejection'', when he tried to pick up the orc sword. This disgust. This disgust that ran through every fiber of his body. His disgust at being helpless at this situation, and his disgust at this town, Renya beating him in that fistfight on the roof, that sight of her with her eyes open under the waterfall like a broken doll with cat ears on her head, her pointlessly capable ability-If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Renya in general. Mainly, Renya. If he had to say, Renya.


    But - Ichi knew this sword wasn''t Renya. He didn''t know what urged him on. Something deep inside him, some deep instinct, some powerful sense welled up in him to <ACCEPT> this sword. Ichi''s fingers closed around the hilt.


    This wasn''t a sword Ichi could <ACCEPT>. However, his hand closed around it anyways.


    In Ichi''s right hand he still held the black half of the stick of balance. It glowed violet as he grasped the hilt, then sucked into Ichi''s body. Black energy pulsed across Ichi''s arm, then through his whole body. Ichi felt the black stick ''within'' him as he pulled the dull golden sword free of the ground.


    He couldn''t explain the feeling. He didn''t know what was happening. However, he knew that he stared at that sword, and it turned pure white. The entire color changed. It reminded him of the white part of the stick of balance, but it was paler. A dull pale color. As his eyes turned to look at the girls and the vampire squid, he saw all of them with their jaw on the floor.


    "What?" Ichi said.


    Even Scipio was surprised. Ichi didn''t like his face matching Rikya''s and Satou''s. Satou''s head snapped to Scipio and nodded aggressively, then to Rikya. Rikya smiled weakly. Satou nodded at her twice with a stern face. With that, Rikya''s smile failed. Her face went straight. She shook her head and put her hand to her face.


    Ichi felt even more adrift from the rest of them.


    "What? I do something wrong? You told me to take it Satou!"


    Satou grimaced. She turned to Scipio. Scipio looked at her with a furrowed brow, his lips drew down.


    "That what I think it is? He did it, with my sword, and this guy''s an amatuer?"


    "''Magic Resonance''..." Satou sighed.

 60- Vs Worst pt. 18

    Satou looked at the dull pale sword. Her bright yellow eyes scanned it as she walked over in a trance. Satou cracked a smile. Ichi stood there as the angel girl cornered him like a zombie, her hands moving across the sword he held. Ichi felt uncomfortable witnessing the way the little girl fawned over it. He head snapped up to his gaze.


    "Ichi. Have you ever heard of the Druids?"


    Ichi nodded his head. His eye flickered over to Scipio. Satou looked like she was bargaining with him, so maybe this is finally over, he hoped. Satou looked off into the sky. The stars were hidden by the light. Ichi hadn''t noticed, but it already dawn.


    "There are weapons that can kill Druids. You could call them the guardians of magic. They have power that is- literally- beyond imagination. Even normal humans can cast magic, easily, but their magic is weak. Druids live in a world that is pure imagination, somewhere out there. And what your ''Magic Resonance'' with Scipio''s blade evolved it."


    Ichi looked to Rikya who nodded solemnly. She picked up where Satou left off.


    "I never explained ''Magic Resonance, did I? Because, it''s something weird. If a sword itself is magic, then how could the person who held the sword become connected with that magic? The magic user amplifies it by copying the spells perfectly. When I saw you wield that brutish blade against Scipio so well, I thought it was weird."


    Satou turned to Rikya.


    "So you noticed as well. That red pulse around the blade, the fact that it moved so strangely, how it was able to cut Scipio, who was even wielding his self-made masterpiece ''Scipio''s Tale''. A blade made out of Dark Angel magic combined with one of the strongest beings in the world. Ichi, whatever you did, you gave that already powerful sword an upgrade just touching it."


    Ichi wondered at what Satou said. ''There are weapons that can kill Druids'', she said earlier. Did she mean this dull pale sword? Then, could it kill Scipio? He walked over to Scipio, brushing Satou to the side. Rikya''s eyes darted to Ichi, as if reading his mind Rikya half jumped to run between Scipio and Ichi. Scipio held Rikya off with a tentacle that snaked out of a blue portal.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Should I thank you? I should thank you. I came here for power, and you gave me power. My wonderful blade got only more wonderful. However," Scipio spat on the ground near Ichi''s feet. "You did it with so little experience. Has anyone ever told you talented geniuses are disgusting?"


    Ichi thought about stabbing him. He really could try, right now. At least he could try. But then-


    "Satou''s your financee? Right" Ichi said twirling the sword.


    Scipio nodded. His face screwed up in derision. Ichi held his hands wide.


    "Earlier, Satou did said she take this sword as an early dowry. Rikya over there, she hasn''t known me long, but she knew for sure I''d stab you. Isn''t this a wonderful blade? And it''s all Satou''s." Ichi growled under his breath. "Or I''ll give back to you in your gut."


    Ichi held out his right hand. It was free and open now that his black stick melted into his body.


    "Earlier, when we met, you said you were ''looking for connections''. How about you shake my hand and walk away?"


    Ichi did the best fake smile he could manage. He felt embarrassed with Rikya standing right there. She should be glad Ichi was thinking of the future instead of giving into his murderous rage. Ichi comforted himself with that thought.


    Strangely, Ichi thought he heard Satou cheer from behind him.


    Scipio''s right hand moved slowly to take Ichi''s hand. His face straightened as he parted his lips and let out a sigh like a dragon breathing fire.


    "I''m not walking away with nothing." Scipio growled as he shook Ichi''s hand.


    "Didn''t Satou say something about becoming stronger with her advice? All you have to do is continue to work hard." Ichi held up the dull pale sword. His best salesman''s smile crackled his face. "If you don''t like geniuses, then a little more hard work for someone who was born an special existence doesn''t sound like much to ask, for someone who likes hard work."


    Scipio groaned at Ichi''s words. He looked to Rikya and retracted the tentacle holding her back. Rikya rushed to Ichi''s arm, pushing it down physically and holding it there. Scipio moved his eyes off the little girl and boy only wearing shorts to Satou.


    Scipio beckoned to Satou. She walked over, smiling at Ichi as she did, patting him on his back.


    "Over here. I don''t want the Tanuki bastard to hear." Scipio said.


    Ichi gritted his teeth. Maybe he should stab him after all?

 61- Ichi loses to Tamas chest. How pitiful!

    Rikya tugged Ichi''s hand, leading him away to the fort. Ichi watched as Scipio and Satou made distance between the two of them.


    "Is she going to be okay?"


    "Scipio''s the one who lost the most today. We gained the most."


    Ichi sighed. Outside Renya''s intricately detailed fort he drew his hand over the carved wood. She was still under that waterfall. Hopefully. He cracked open the fort door and was met with a lavish interior. Carpets, furs, strange objects littered the place in an orderly fashion. The amount of color and clutter dazzled him. Ichi could only say one thing as he glanced over the mahogany table in the center with three ornate chairs and a full spread of food and drink.


    "Renya''s pointlessly talented. What is this, some alchemy thing?"


    He picked up a plate of food and smelled it. Rikya hovered low behind his back.


    "The ''Fox'' spirit you freed from my house did this. She wants to talk."


    "Right now? I''m kind of tired. Really, got to get home-"


    Ichi turned to pat Rikya and head home. He was blinded by the sunlight from the dawn trickling through the windows. A tall dark figure appeared to his side. He noticed the fluffy tails and ears before anything else as his vision returned.


    Rikya held out a hand in front of the woman in front of Ichi.


    "This is Tamano no Mae."Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Rikya nodded to herself as she saw Ichi''s eyes move over Tama''s body like a snake. She walked to the table, took a seat, and started eating. Ichi couldn''t move. No, more like he didn''t want to move. What he was undoubtedly looking at was a woman. With fox ears and a bunch of golden fox tails. Tama''s smile and breasts took over his attention. He could see her white teeth peeking through parted lips. His eyes moved down to her broken flashy garment, and stayed there as his heart raced. He felt arms circle around him as his vision went black. The fragrant smell overwhelmed him, as did the softness he was enveloped him.


    Ichi spent the last six months around a bunch of silent girls and Renya. Really, there was a limit. That limit was passed. Tama hugged Ichi''s frozen body into her chest, stroking his head.


    "Nice to meet you in person, Ichi Danzaburo. That was quite the exciting night, wasn''t it?"


    Ichi couldn''t move. No, even if he could move, he didn''t want to move. His arms were frozen in a crooked position. Half of his mind was telling him to give up and grab around Tama, and the other half was still thinking about Rikya being in the room. The half that told him to hug Tama back won. His arms circled her lower back. He could hear Tama''s voice from above.


    "Are you hungry?"


    Ichi stayed there. At first he thought that Tama would give some indication by moving her body that he should pull back. But, Tama didn''t do that. Tama''s hand stroked Ichi''s head rhythmically. Ichi didn''t have the will in him to move either. When he realized that Tama wasn''t moving, and that Rikya was still in the room, a lot of time had passed. Ichi didn''t realize it, but he was stuck in Tama''s chest for over an hour. He gradually came to the realization that Tama wasn''t going to let him go unless Ichi did something.


    Meanwhile, Rikya ate, took a nap, and then played around with the new golden scroll she stole from Syon. She checked over the shikigami, then headed out, smiling at Tama frozen in Ichi''s breasts. During that time that Ichi was entirely occupied, she had free movement. And she used it to her advantage. By the time she came back, Ichi was still stuck.


    Rikya pouted. She felt cheated. Slightly, slightly, jealous. Tama and Rikya had a strategy planned out. But, that wasn''t needed. Ichi lost to Tama''s body alone.

 62- Vacation

    Rikya''s activity during the time Ichi was busying himself with Tama was well spent. She headed out and met Satou near Syon and Myon''s sleeping bodies.


    Satou studied her new white blade as Rikya approached.


    "How''d you trick him?" Rikya asked. Her voice was filled with wonder.


    "He''s my future husband. I don''t need to lie. Scipio''s path will be fruitful for me in the future."


    Rikya laughed.


    "Really? Didn''t you say he was a self-destructive fool?"


    Satou turned to face Rikya.


    "And that''s why I keep my distance. Spending time with people you actually care about is, mature, right? My dad does it all the time. So I''m copying him."


    Rikya smiled.


    "I''m sorry about the short notice. I didn''t know an opportunity like this would come. We have time, so come rest in that building Renya made. Tama spruced it up."


    Satou hugged the white sword. The dark circles under her eyes looked heavy, but her eyes were sparkling.


    "Are you kidding? Who''s going to watch Syon and Myon? Now that I have this, and even this golden gauntlet that Syon forced on me, how can I trust some dirty rebels from the spirit world? Moreover, would you be okay alone? In another world, with only your imaginary friend?"


    Rikya smiled.


    "Thanks, Satou. Then, that means you''re coming with us to the Spirit World?"


    Satou nodded, still hugging the sword.


    "I need a vacation. Plus, aren''t you worried about Syon and Myon taking revenge on you?"The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Rikya laughed a little, her face strained.


    "Last I remember, I just stood there while you tied them up with that magic of yours..."


    "You''re the one who wanted their Armory."


    "That was Tama''s idea."


    Satou sighed.


    "You aren''t thinking of the future at all, are you?"


    Rikya looked into the forest behind Satou. She saw a glimmer of sunlight bounce off metal in the treeline.


    "Ah, the rebels are here. I''ll show you, I can be responsible. Sometimes."


    Rikya waved to the forest. A blue ball of fire lit up her hand. Although it was morning, hundreds of eyes waiting in the treeline could see it just fine. Fox spirits wearing armor trotted out. Some had the form of men, some were large as wolves. Tails of all colors flicking behind them, the fox spirits mimicking soldiers carried spears and swords. Their swords were sheated and their spears were held straight as they eyed the little girls suspiciously. They surrounded the girls.


    A gray fox stepped forward, bashing an armored paw to his chest. A thud of metal rang out.


    "Rikya? Rikya Burncastle?"


    Rikya nodded her head. Her face straight, she held her ground with Satou at her side. Satou wielded a dull pale blade. Fox spirits eyes moved over the blade, as they chattered with awe.


    "Silence." The grey one called out. "Tamano has been freed? This is true?"


    Rikya nodded her head.


    "We stand with Tamano no Mae. If she desires the throne, she will have it. Do you feel the same?"


    Rikya nodded.


    "Good. Now, these are the two prisoners?"


    Rikya nodded.


    The grey one motioned to the fox spirits, who picked up Myon and Syon.


    "We have nothing to restrain them with, I apologize. We were given such short notice."


    Rikya shook her head. She held out her hand to the girl with dull golden hair beside her.


    "She''s the chains. Please allow her to travel with the prisoners."


    The grey one''s eyes flickered over the white sword and the girl in a black dress.


    "There was nothing in Tamano''s message about her. That... blade... especially."


    His voice trailed off as Satou''s eyes met his, and he looked away.


    Rikya nodded.


    "And it will stay that way."


    The grey one cracked a smile.


    "So this is the welcome of a legend? How wonderful."


    He raised his arm and shook it briskly in a circle. The soldiers thinned out, returning to the forest. A few picked up Syon and Myon, and Satou waved goodbye to Rikya as she followed after the fox spirits. She twisted the white blade in her hand and it disappeared, a smile spread across her face as she let out a short laugh.

 63- Worrying Rikya

    Rikya watched Satou go. The fox spirits disappeared into the treeline carrying Myon and Syon, the grey one gave the little girl a final glance before he left.


    Rikya took a walk, thinking to herself of the next move. She''d won. It was an undoubtable victory, but- Rikya knew that it couldn''t be this easy to leave. Her thoughts went to her family and what they would do when they discovered the shrine in their house broken and Rikya missing. Rikya had Tama on her side. They''d be in the Spirit World, in Tama''s country. They''d have a small rebel army. Tama told her she thought it up while pinned to a tree by Myon.


    She passed through the trees, crouching down to stare at a line of ants crossing in front of her in a line. The idea of going to another world was exciting, but there''d be problems too. Rikya glanced at the fort, shielding her eyes from the morning sun. Ichi was stuck in Tama''s breasts there. How shameless. He was that age, though, Rikya smiled to herself. For all Rikya knew, Tama had already brought him over to their side. Playing him couldn''t be this easy. Rikya nodded to herself.


    It''s because she understood something about Ichi in the time she trained him in the shrine. It wasn''t just that he performed magic resonance with the orc sword earlier this morning, he performed magic resonance with Scipio''s Tale, a weapon made by one of the strongest immortal beings alive in the world. Royalty of the real world, spillovers from the spirit world who took over Earth long ago. Scipio''s father Dracula, the manifestation of evil in mankind, and Ika, the manifestation of the good.


    Scipio was the child of light and dark, the pinnacles of humanity. And, he was overwhelmed last night by two different opponents. Rikya considered the first, holding out her hand to her right. In it, she saw Ichi. The orc sword with magic resonance. She''d have to ask Satou what happened there. Satou could see the true nature, the rules of the underlying magic in the world. However, Rikya saw Satou watching Scipio get overpowered twice. She didn''t seem that upset watching the fight from Renya''s fort, so it must have been nothing special.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Rikya walked around kicking the grass. The warmth of the sun basked over her. This would be her last day on earth. She could easily spend the rest of her life in the Spirit World. That was only if things went well.


    Ichi was one thing. Unpredictable, but controlled by instinct. He''d walk wherever he wanted, which to Rikya meant over her plans as well. That was fine, to Rikya, because he seemed far too weak to women and girls for her to even worry. That complacency worried her the most. Ichi would be dangerous because he was boring. He wouldn''t draw attention, and then, one day, he might cost her everything. And that would purely be because of his instincts as well.


    The other factor was Renya. Rikya had time to use her Pathfinding ability to see where Renya went. Rikya hoped she went home. She couldn''t imagine a more dangerous opponent. Not just unpredictable, but also competent. She hadn''t had the chance to see Ichi''s fight with Renya on the rooftop. At the time, Scipio was busy toying with her, Tama, and Myon with his sword and the Elder Kraken.


    She felt her body remembering his attack. Like new, she sighed at the memory. What would she have done without Satou? Die? Could Tama have saved her? Or, even worse...


    Was Tama thinking that was the perfect time to let her die? Rikya shook her head. She didn''t want to distrust Tama. She knew that even thinking that would be dangerous. Her eyes once again drifted to Renya''s fort. There was a counterbalance option. There was Renya. If she could convince her, Rikya thought. She held her head thinking of that. Someone who fought like that could really kill her in an instant. She had that bakeneko in her too.


    Then, Rikya got an idea. Rely on Ichi. Ichi could handle her, or at least, he already did. She wandered around the forest, thinking of ways to convince Ichi to bring Renya over to their side. At least try. Then Rikya thought about how she might be much, much better off just not having Renya around. By the time she returned to the fort, she resolved to say nothing. When she walked in and saw Ichi still in Tama''s chest, she wondered just what she was so worried about in the first place. And that got her even more worried.


    So, she took a nap.

 64- Flight from the Breasts of Time Distortion

    When Ichi finally pulled back from Tama, he was in a daze. Tama let him do that. He knew that. Ichi let himself stay. He knew that. Really, was there was a limit to how immature he could be? Ichi chastised himself. Tama didn''t miss that Ichi went for the door instantly. Ichi felt a tug at his wrist. A firm tug.


    "Wouldn''t you like to stay a while longer?"


    "I''m tired."


    "We have a bed, right here."


    Ichi didn''t turn around. Half-embarassment half-instinct both were whacking the war table in his mind. Both were telling him to floor it, and he was flight-capable with form of eagle.


    "I''ll pass."


    He felt Tama''s chest press in behind him. He moved away. Ichi considered his options. One, run, two, run, three, try to talk after what he just did to explain himself. Three also had a bad taste to it. So, Ichi dashed out the door only wearing shorts away from the most beautiful woman he had touched in his life. Because he knew, instinct alone told him, that this wasn''t going to end well.


    Was this his father''s legacy? Ichi mused as he turned into form of eagle. Chains whirled around him, knocking him to the ground. He saw Tama walking up on him with a twisted smile. Ichi switched straight to form of bigfoot and snapped the chains, he saw Tama''s surprised face before he eagled out of there.


    Tama giggled to herself.


    "The faster they run, the quicker they''ll come back."


    Instinct told him he probably could''ve gone all the way and Tama would have obliged him. Instinct told him that he should have absolutely have gone for it, Rikya or no. Instinct also told him to run. Ichi called himself named as he soared over the forest. Syon and Myon were gone. Not home, but deep into the forest, with Satou and what smelled like an army of beasts.


    Did Tama plan this? Their smells lead into the forest, and there was the Spirit Gate that this town protected. Tama must have had time to get word to someone on the other side. Ichi didn''t like that Myon was captured. Not that he was on good terms, last time he talked to her he practically declared war. He remembered the strange dull golden restraints on Myon. Should he be grateful?


    As for Syon, it was Syon so his mind ignored her unconsciously. He did feel grateful for the orc sword, but he also felt for sure that was just her way of turning him into a pawn because of who they were fighting. It was the absolute worst outcome for both of them.


    Scipio''s smell slithered off into nothingness, somehow. Along with Ichi''s white stick. Ichi threw that white stick on Scipio, hoping it would give him a chance to close the distance. He didn''t see it on him earlier when Satou was haggling him to death either. Ichi didn''t have the luxury of talking small matters like a lost stick with someone like that, nor did he want to even if he had the chance.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Ichi''s Grandpa said there was still some other stuff from Danzaburo behind the Slime Door. Ichi wasn''t sure he should even bother trying to explain.


    "Hey, grandpa, sorry I''ve been gone for three days! I can turn into an eagle now, thanks to the memory of your disapproving face. Myon''s been captured! I need all the help I can get to save her!"


    He didn''t want to tell a lie like that. Saving Myon from Tama''s clutches on his own didn''t sound like a good idea. If it involved Tama, bargaining with her would be much easier, and he''d regret it less. He didn''t even know Tama''s plan. It couldn''t be good for Myon, though.


    Then, there''s Renya. Ichi landed on a rock near a waterfall Ichi kicked a girl into it last night to cool her off. Renya''s cat ears were drenched along with her entire body. Ichi felt guilty for an instant until the memory of the oncoming silver blades poured into his mind.


    Ichi looked at Renya''s still form, going over his memories of last night. He was the one who encouraged her to fight. He offered his life as a target. Ichi thought it was mostly that after facing Renya, he felt like leaving her behind was the wrong thing to do. Her battle power didn''t end up coming to much use, even if her abnormal construction ability did.


    Was that fort really necessary? Ichi couldn''t understand. Renya in general was a mystery, but he sensed something as he reflected on the fight. She could have tricked him, kissed him, and that would have been it. But, Renya didn''t do that. He didn''t think of Renya as the type of person who would be below that. She also fought him hand to hand, although that turned out to the worse for Ichi. If he had to sum it up, how would he solve for the equation called Renya?


    She was playing around. From start to finish. She called a Seer''s Council member. The cat got in her somehow, whether Syon forced it on her or Renya chose it herself Ichi didn''t mind. Either way, Miko was in Renya. Ichi fluffed his wings. Escaping to the city would be easy. He had the orc sword on him too.


    World domination? He laughed to himself. He could get a job, he could get an apartment, finally get a smartphone again. He really could fly away.


    There were the girls here. Did he owe Myon anything? Just because she was chummy with grandpa? Just because she taught him a little? He could leave it to her. Her usual life was probably much worse than getting captured. This might even classify as a vacation for someone tied to Syon like her.


    Rikya, yeah, she''s cute. He enjoyed spending time with her. Even though it was only a couple days, he couldn''t remember liking anyone more. But, she was tight with Tama. The ancient evil spirit he freed with magic breast of time distortion. Ichi''s eagle eyes narrowed. A formidable opponent indeed.


    Ichi''s eagle eye flickered over Renya. The one playing around from start to finish. The one who he felt like was trying to kill him the whole night, then found out she wasn''t, then she really was trying to kill him. Ichi didn''t blame her for the last part.


    Despite all his thinking he couldn''t come to a decision. He felt a sense of dread. If he just abandoned them all, the girls he knew for less than week, he''d regret it. Running from Tama, running from the village, he decided all of that could wait. He didn''t want to leave Renya like this. He''d face her one last time, and then- Ichi didn''t want to think that far ahead.

 65- Maid Knight Renya

    Renya woke up, the waterfall rushing around her. She saw Ichi in eagle form cock his head at her as she stumbled out from under the flowing water. Renya dropped the wolf sword on the bank of river. She sat hard, expelling air like a bellows from a forge. Her hands went to her soaked cat ears poking out of her head, and then to both her tails. Her cat ears and tail twitched as she tried to get water out of the wet fur.


    "Last night, was fun. Thanks."


    Renya miserable tone shocked Ichi. He thought he detected a sense of sarcasm in Renya''s voice, but thinking it over his smell told him the truth. Renya did have fun last night. Even if she was wet and he was an eagle, he could figure out that much.


    "Ichi. Would you not stare like that? I''m..."


    Ichi turned himself around. Her clothes were soaked. She ran her hands across her clothing, peeling it off.


    "I''m sorry. I lost control last night. That was in bad taste."


    Renya flung her white one piece onto a tree branch. It landed perfectly at the halfway fold, barely shaking the branch.


    Ichi couldn''t believe his ears.


    "Why am I still alive?" Renya said, staring at her hands.


    Ichi changed to human form on the rock where he perched. He still faced away from her.


    "No one killed you." Ichi told her.


    "Shouldn''t you have? What''s more, how are you still alive? Did Scipio..."


    Renya''s voice trailed off. Ichi didn''t like Renya''s voice. She sounded weak. The Renya Ichi knew was anything but weak.


    "Satou haggled with him. He lost, then left. As for me killing you, I''ll admit, I thought about it."


    "Then, why? I''m... so disappointed."


    Renya''s tone returned to normal as she said the last half of her words. Ichi smiled. Renya couldn''t see his face.


    "Last night on that rooftop, I invited you to attack my back. Isn''t my back open right now?"


    "That was supposed to be against the Elder Kraken, and I vaguely remember sandwiching you against Scipio..."


    "You''ve got a sword, right?" Ichi felt his smile getting wider. He didn''t have a clue why.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Renya looked down at the wolf sword.


    "This sword. It''s not something you- I - would use for something underhanded. It''s an imitation of a heroes sword. The idea of using a heroes sword to attack someone''s back- that goes against my sense of beauty."


    Ichi shook the orc sword in his hand.


    "Want to borrow this? I''ll take that one then."


    "No no, this sword doesn''t suit you at all. On the other hand, that beat up lump of metal suits you perfectly."


    Ichi looked over the orc sword. A flash of red pulsed over it as he did. What did Rikya say? ''Magic Resonance''?


    "Renya, could you explain magic resonance to me?"


    "Why, all of a sudden..."


    "If you don''t want to fight, there''s talking, right?"


    Renya sighed. She was entirely naked behind Ichi, but she made no effort to cover her wet body.


    "Did it happen last night?"


    "Yeah. I did it twice. I think. Everyone got really scared the second time."


    Renya''s cat ears twitched at that.


    "Twice? With what weapons?"


    "This awesome beast here, and then that slimy vampire-squid guy''s thingie."


    "And, everyone was shocked the second time?" Renya went pensive as a finger cover her lower lip.


    "Yeah. It turned some marble color. They all acted like it was a big deal and said a lot of strange stuff. Did you know that there are magical beings on the moon?"


    Renya''s mind poured over the information she had avaliable. Scipio''s blade, that golden flashing thing, she remembered passing through it''s defense, and when she did- she felt it. She broke some invisible barrier. Even though her attack was frenzied from the effect of her ''installing'' the bakeneko into her body, she remembered that. The memory replayed in her mind over as she analyzed it over and over again.


    That sword, that sword, that sword, where had she read something like that? Her eyes moved down to the wolf sword lying on the bank.


    "Ichi. Have you ever heard about Druids?"


    "I think Satou said something about that."


    "Magic Resonance, with a blade that was approaching the ''territory'' of the druids?" Renya muttered to herself. She couldn''t comprehend it.


    Ichi grinned hearing Renya''s lost voice. For someone who seemed like such an impossible genius to be brought low by something he did just by picking up a sword made him feel powerful.


    "Ichi, you''ve probably- no, you''ve definitely violated the laws of magic. You''re going to be hunted down by the Druids. It''s only a matter of time at this point."


    Ichi turned his head at her words, then when he noticed she was naked, he turned back, then he reconsidered and turned back to face her again. Renya''s eyes were serious.


    "Where are you looking?"


    "At you."


    Renya looked away. Ichi was surprised to see her blush.


    "That''s quite a maidenly face you have on, Renya. What was the bet we had last night? You wear a maid outfit and cat ears if I win and serve me for the rest of my life?"


    Renya turned to face him. Her face screwed up in anger at first, then she relaxed and smiled. She crouched down on one knee, grabbing the wolf sword she laid it beside her and placed her right hand over her heart. Her smile practically reached her ears as she closed her eyes and bowed her head.


    "It would be my honor. My lord."

 66- Grabbing the Turkey

    Ichi held out his palm, signaling for Renya to stop.


    "I wasn''t serious."


    "I am." Renya said seriously.


    Her naked crouch didn''t shift at all. Ichi stood up. He shifted the shaft of orc sword onto her shoulder.


    "All right. I dub thee Maid Knight Renya." Ichi''s head cocked. "That sounds fun."


    Ichi grinned at the girl.


    "''Maid Knight Renya''?" Renya said under her breath.


    "Yeah. You don''t mind the change right? That''s enough talk. Come on, lets go get something to eat. Tama''s got a spread setup inside the fort. I''m hungry."


    Ichi turned without a second thought, a grin on his face. His orc sword shouldered, he walked away from the naked girl. Renya looked at his back, a smile creeping on her face as her fingers curled around the wolf sword at her feet. She rose, following her new lord.


    The sounds of the forest flooded over the two. They walked in silence, Ichi sniffing the way back. He purposely detoured through the long winding road Renya paved as she chased him last night. The memories of almost dying six times were something to laugh at now.


    The hot sun baked into them as they passed through the treeline near the fort. Ichi walked straight up and knocked on door, and it creaked open. Rikya stood there, sleepily rubbing her eyes.


    "Ichi? And-" Her eyes moved to the naked Renya and she looked away. The door opened fully to reveal Tama who sat at the table drinking tea.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Ichi walked in and said the most important thing first.


    "Got a maid outfit?"


    Tama said nothing but a flash of garments appeared out of the air.


    Ichi thumbed through them, upset that nothing western was there. What''s the point if it''s not western style? No, Ichi realized, these could be called ''maid outfits'' as well. It was his misunderstand of what a maid was- a servant. Tama''s sense of culture would no doubt be different.


    "None of these are good." Ichi said. They disappeared with a flick of Tama''s hand. "Mind if we eat?"


    Tama showed them the table with her hand. Behind him, Renya had already dressed.


    "When did you..."


    "There were clothes and I was naked. Why wouldn''t I wear them?"


    "So fast." Ichi complained.


    He dug his teeth into something that looked like turkey with both hands holding it like a football. His table manners were appaling. Renya respected the wide array of cutlery and used it properly, waiting until Rikya served her.


    Tama coughed.


    "Anyways. Ichi, how do you feel about living in the village?"


    In between bites Ichi mouthed out some vague statements of disapproval.


    "Rikya and I are heading on a vacation. I have some friends in the Spirit World that won''t mind accomdating us." Her eyes moved over Renya, solemn, with the wolf sword at her side as she ate neatly. Tama''s grin lose a little of it''s luster.


    "Would you like to come?" Tama offered Ichi.


    Meanwhile, Ichi ripped the turkey to shreds. He looked more like a dog than human. As a Tanuki, he figured he could get away with this behavior, especially since he was at the table with someone who could easily be his enemy tommorrow. Ichi''s gaze moved over to Rikya, who nodded her head and smiled as he looked at her.


    He snapped a bone from the turkey and used it to pick scraps of food out from his teeth.


    "Sure. I''ll rest first. Tired from last night. Then, I''ve got something to pick up from home. Renya, prepare yourself as well."


    Renya nodded at Ichi''s words. They would be going to the Spirit World with Tama. Ichi felt like he was walking into a trap, no, this was definitely a trap. Instinct could tell him that much.

 67- Cats Out

    Ichi woke up that night in Renya''s fort to Tama sleeping next to him. He carefully untangled himself from her breasts and snuck out the door. Tama acted as if she was still sleeping as Ichi slipped out the door. The night air blew past Ichi, chilling his body wrapped in a robe and sandals he bummed off Tama. Renya left before he went to sleep. She said something about a golem. Ichi shoved the orc sword in his sash, tying the robe tight to keep the chipped metal lump from unwrapping his clothes.


    Ichi''s eyes were drawn to the moonlight revealing a small girl with long black hair sitting near a treeline. As if she was waiting. Ichi walked closer, finding Rikya sitting under a tree close to the forest. She was reading a small journal with a magical girl on the front. She closed the journal and tucked it away as Ichi approached. Ichi greeted her with a wave.


    "Reading?"


    "Yes. Very interesting. Do you know Syon well?" Rikya said.


    "Spent one night talking to her and she became the last boss."


    Rikya laughed.


    "What''s with that?"


    "''Last Boss''?" Ichi guessed at her intent.


    Rikya threaded her fingers together, averting her eyes.


    "You''re really important to her."


    "That''s horrible. I had a feeling, though."Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Ichi''s mind flashed back to that long night. His hand going to her head without him being unaware, that clammy clinginess that felt like stumbling in a mist. Two nights with two girls, both felt like strike outs. One with Syon, one with Renya.


    Rikya''s voice cracked out as if she was whispering.


    "Your dad, Genji Danzaburo, seems to be her target for revenge."


    "Good?" Ichi grunted.


    Rikya looked at him with the same level of surprise she did when Ichi turned Scipio''s sword white.


    "Huh?"


    "I''ve never talked to him in my life. I think I could go the rest of my life not meeting him and not miss anything, based on what I''ve heard from my Grandpa."


    Rikya stayed silent, looking to the ground. Then, she looked up, and laughed a little.


    "We''re very different."


    Ichi patted her head and Rikya''s eyes squinted as he did.


    "That''s alright. Family or friends, it''s just more people, right?"


    Rikya''s face froze at Ichi''s words. Her mouth half open, she looked like Ichi told her santa didn''t exist. Ichi caught on.


    "Worried about something? Tama, maybe?"


    "Tama?" Rikya shook her head. Her voice strained out. "No, surely you know about my family?"


    "Nope. I can guess though, since Myon called you a ''Witch''. Really, Tama is much more dangerous. Those... breasts... especially... " Ichi''s eyes flashed back to Renya''s fort.


    Rikya laughed at Ichi, a smile glowing on her face as she hugged him when his head was turned.


    "Oh?" Ichi turned his head back and down to look at the head of the small girl wrapped around his waist. The shine of the moonlight cut across her black hair.


    Rikya looked up at him, smiling.


    "Rikya, I don''t know what you''re thinking when you don''t say anything and just smile."


    Rikya smile grew wider.


    "It''s what you said. ''Family or friends, it''s just more people, right?'' I like that thinking."


    Rikya released Ichi, taking a few steps back.


    "Why''d you think I was worried about Tama?"


    Ichi made a furrowed face, then ran his hand ran across his face as he blew out air.


    "It''s nothing. I''m worried. I smelled Myon''s and Syon''s scent. Satou took them deep into the forest, to the Spirit Gate, along with a small army."


    Rikya cackled a little, a grin forming on her face.


    "Cat''s out of the bag."

 68-Of The Bag

    Ichi smiled at Rikya. Rikya fidgeted a little under his gaze. Ichi towered over her.


    "What''s up with that? Tama''s idea?"


    And yet his tone came out playful. Rikya untensed. She didn''t know Ichi. They spent time in the shrine together, talking back and forth as she guided him in training. Ichi was friendly, yet easily frustrated - and dumb. Rikya felt like she had no choice but to lie. She had no idea about Ichi''s ability to smell lies.


    "Tama''s idea."


    Rikya thought to blame her. From what Ichi said before, he was already focused on her. Whether it was her body or deceptive nature Rikya couldn''t tell, probably both. Ichi''s eyes hidden in shadow as he tilted his head down under the moonlight.


    "No need to lie, Rikya. I''m not mad. I''m curious. Half of me feels like thanking you, but I at least want to know what I''m getting into here."


    Rikya fidgeted.


    "But, I''m not lying?"


    "Yeah. You are."


    Rikya balked at Ichi''s confident tone. His advantage in the situation was supernatural, and against a little girl, it was no better than bullying.


    "I don''t know what to say. Tama... she''s... really smart. And old! She''s very old. Big breasts. Tall?"


    Rikya increasing lost her will as Ichi stayed silent and still. His forearm leaned on the orc sword. Rikya caught his gaze and shivered.


    "What''s your relation to them? You''re not... they''re not important to you, are they?"


    Ichi lost his threatening stance and shrugged. It was as if his anger was a trick of the moonlight.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "They''re trouble. Like I said, I''m just curious. Why''d you do it, Rikya? Did Satou put you up to it?"


    Ichi somehow outright knew she was involved as well. Rikya couldn''t process why. She usually was good at understanding the relations between people. With Renya, she failed to see her relation to Scipio with her Path Weaving magic. With Ichi, he only looked like a black hole. It bothered her.


    "I - I did it." Rikya admitted. "The truth is, I was looking for a way out of this village for a long time. However, with the Spirit Hunter''s of the Seer''s Council, I could never get far. Since I knew you could break Tama''s seal, I hoped that Tama would let me escape through Spirit Gate. I was afraid to talk to you at school because if I messed up, I''d ruin my only chance to leave. You were my only hope, Ichi."


    "So, why capture Myon and Syon, then? With whatever that strange magic that was around them. The golden chains." Ichi said.


    "Countermeasures against my family. I intended to rely on Satou and Tama once we got past the Spirit Gate, but once Tama told me about the Armory Myon and Syon were holding... the repository of magical weapons they collected over the years without the Seer''s Council''s knowledge, I knew I had to have it. And I didn''t want them coming after me."


    Ichi nodded.


    "Ok. Neat."


    Ichi smiled at her and made to walk away. It was Rikya who snatched the hem of his robe.


    "Wait, that''s it? How''d you even know I was lying, anyways?"


    Ichi grinned and tapped his nose.


    "You''re too serious. Tanuki can smell lies you know. I''m sad, Rikya, I thought we were better friends than that."


    Rikya let go of his robe and sighed.


    "Stop joking. There''s no magic like that."


    "Are you sure?" Ichi grinned at her.


    Rikya stared at him. It must be instinct. He must have guessed that she had a role in it, though why Ichi felt the need to press her on that she couldn''t fathom. There''s no way a tanuki could smell lies. That sounded like a fairy tale. Ichi turned to go, but Rikya felt the need to check one more thing with him.


    "What are you going to do, if you see the Spirit Hunter twins again?"


    Ichi was already sauntering home. He melted into the darkness of the forest and waved with the back of his hand as he answered.


    "At the time, I''ll figure it out. No matter what I decide to do, I already decided to protect you." Ichi turned his face with the moonlight revealing half of his features. "Against all comers. ''Family or friends, it''s just more people'', right?"

 69-Short Dark Teatime of the Soul

    Ichi walked through the forest. Moonlight cut down through empty patches in the treetops. Ichi could walk blind home because of his innate abilities, but he liked looking at the trees. He could have flown home too, using his eagle form. It was late, and he didn''t give Grandpa any notice he was cooped up with Rikya. Surely Myon said something?


    Ichi wasn''t sure he cared. He planned to just come clean about what was going on, and go from there. Might as well wake him up to do it. After all, it was only this morning he was feeling like just flying off to the city and abandoning this place. Then again, he might even get recaptured by the Seer Council themselves, now that Myon and Syon were gone.


    As Ichi walked toward home through the forest, he pondered what about Renya changed his mind. He didn''t have much of a clue. There was her being naked, her being not like herself. Something happened when he talked with her. When it was she was crouched in front of him naked? That part about druids hunting him down? It all seemed to swirl through his head.


    Like last night, it was a rush. A challenge. And, most importantly, there were girls. Ichi''s eyes narrowed as he walked through the trees. His hand would reach out a push off a tree, as if guiding him to the next one, then he would push off that tree. He acted like he needed it, playing around for the sake of doing something different.


    Really, Ichi thought, he could call Renya a challenge. Her little promise to serve him passed the smell test, but Ichi didn''t probe her any more. He could''ve said something like what''s your goal here, or ask about the druids that Satou was talking about, but in the end, it all didn''t seem to matter.


    Ichi stopped. His hand creeped to his chest. Pressing his palm against his chest, he felt the black stick of the stick of balance melded near his heart. When he touched Scipio''s sword, it sucked itself in through his hand. Ichi tried since then to get it out, but his connection with it wasn''t there. An idea came to him, and he lazily decided to try it.


    Ichi walked to a nearby tree in the dark. His laid his palm against the tree trunk. Imagining that his black stick was his body, he channelled energy into it. He only channeled a little. However, the bark in front of him cracked as violet energy expanded out from his hand. The tree''s branches shook as the top above Ichi''s palm snapped off and collapsed to the ground.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Ichi guessed right. The black stick, somehow, was part of him now. When Rikya taught him magic it didn''t seem as mysterious, and when Myon taught him magic he was more confused by the details. Ichi crossed his arms, imagining a sphere around him expanding.


    A massive violet sphere shifted into being around Ichi, leaves and loam shot into the air away from him. The trees around him bent and their branches shook as wind whistled through them.


    Ichi smiled as he let go of the channeling. Like turning off a light switch or snapping his stick of balance apart, he had a sense for it. Instinct was the word that came to Ichi''s mind.


    It''d be useful if he ended up fighting Syon for sure. Ichi laughed to himself as he continued on his walk, grasping the hilt of the orc sword as he did. Less than a week ago he would have given anything to skip town just to get away from her, but now he''d be heading after her and Myon.


    Ichi felt like breaking them up. That relationship didn''t seem healthy. Of course, it was none of his business how Myon wanted to live, maybe she was even into that sort of thing, like a masocist or whatever, but Ichi didn''t like it.


    He drew the orc sword carefully from the sash of his robe so he wouldn''t rip his new clothes to shreds. Gripping the blade in front of him, a pulse of red flashed over it. ''Magic Resonance'', right? Satou said something last night about repeating the spell or whatever?


    But, Ichi was just holding it. The infinite battle roar echoed in his head as it did when he held last night. He''d read stories when he was younger with talking swords, but not yelling swords. It suited him, Ichi felt.


    Back in the old days in the city where he''d download and listen to podcasts, play mobile games, and go looking for fights with anyone who looked stupid enough. Did anything change?


    Ichi''s half covered he lower face with spread fingers as he stared as the orc sword. The roar sounded like background music in his head as muttled over what was different, what he wanted to do next. Ichi''s hand left his face as a smile formed, alterning to a wide grin as his grip on the orc sword tighetened.


    He slashed. Like last night, the orc sword went where he didn''t cut, decapiting a group of trees far beyond it''s range as a red pulse shifted over the scarred metal lump.


    He''d swing his sword. He''d let Renya play around. He''d protect Rikya. He''d outfox Tama. He''d save Myon, if he felt like it.


    What changed from his old life, from the city with his smartphone to six months hanging around silent girls in a small village, walking to school with Renya with her fake confessions of love? More girls. More mysteries than he had time to unravel, more danger, and a ticket to another world.


    Of all of that, Ichi couldn''t decide if he liked all of this in his life, or even if he liked being involved with any of it. But he knew that he liked being involved. He''d swing this sword.

 70-Normal Journey To Adulthood.

    Night shrouded the rice paddies of the village as Ichi slipped through the dark. He admired the starry clear skies above that he couldn''t see in the city. He might be in the Spirit World tommorrow. The thought excited him as he strolled, thinking of what kind of place it might be like.


    He reminded himself this trip was something he chose. Tama suggested it, and that was enough to get him going. Which turned his thoughts to Renya. It was near midnight, and Ichi still felt groggy from sleeping in Renya''s fort, so Ichi wandered towards her house.


    At least he''d say his goodbye to Grandpa in the morning, he reasoned. Surely Renya would let him stay over? He''d never been to her house, so he tracked her smell. The thought occurred to him that normally, this would be stalking. No, wasn''t it still stalking? Ichi put it out of mind. It''s Renya, she shouldn''t mind.


    After all she did put him through a lot trouble last night. He justified his behavior like that. Ichi began to wonder if it was good idea or not to even stay near her in the first place despite her pledging loyalty, so when he arrived at a strongly built thick wooden house, he knocked weakly on the door.


    A deer scarer, a bamboo pipe that filled to the brim with water then dumped it with a pleasant hollow tap into fountain, went off nearby. It flowed into a small curated pond filled with black goo. The stench clogged Ichi''s nose. In the corner, he noticed a giant metal form taller than the house. Giant robot? Renya did say something about a golem. Ichi''s heart beat with excitment.


    The thick wooden door opened to a candlelit interior. Renya pulled the door aside fully, she folded her hands in front her and bowed deep, outfitted in an elegant western maid outfit.


    "Welcome home, my lord."


    "I like the effort." Ichi said.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    His eyes moved over the bowing Renya, her cat ears twitching through her short blonde hair as two tails, one white, one black, swished behind her.


    "Is Miko in there?" Ichi wondered aloud pointing to Renya, half asking Renya, half not really wanting to know.


    Renya straightened her body and moved her hand over her flat chest.


    "Inside me? Just another flow of thoughts. I already have lots of those, so she''s in good company."


    "Huh." Ichi blanked.


    Renya stood aside. She pointed inside with a open palm and bowed slightly with a light smile.


    Ichi walked in admiring the rustic style of Renya''s place. A fireplace crackled with a bear rug in front of it. There was only the one room, but the ceiling was higher than his eyeline so he had to slightly tilt his head up to see a dark metal candelabra hanging in the eaves.


    "You''re really into this maid thing." Ichi said. He ambled around the place, not taking off his shoes.


    Ichi heard the door close softly behind him.


    "For now, please take it as gratitude for last night."


    Ichi turned to her.


    "What did I do?"


    Renya averted her eyes. The blue in her irises shimmered. Ichi sighed and turned around ambling over to the fire and waving his hands near it to feel the warmth on his palms. Better not to press the issue? Ichi got that sort of feeling. It was a different sense of danger than when Renya came at him with the katana. Ichi found it more frustrating in comparison, despite one would kill and one might upset her.


    Renya started to voice something despite his worries, half vocalizing then trailing off like a sigh.


    "Ichi. I''m serious."


    Ichi didn''t turn around as he answered in a droning tone.


    "Really? Last night, I realized you could have killed me with a kiss. You never went all out."


    Renya smiled behind him laughing a little.


    "You didn''t either."


    "I suppose that''s fair, then. Just two kids like us playing around, not knowing any better, then one summons an adult and things get hairy." Ichi turned around. "Normal journey to adulthood."

 71-Isnt it a Giant Robot?

    Ichi stayed the night. After he tucked himself under the covers of a thick oak bed, Renya gave him a kiss on his forehead. Ichi passed out immediatedly and found himself writhing on the floor in the morning. He stood up, his arm rubbing the back of his next. A vague aftertaste tingled the back of his throat. He stretched, looking around the cabin as he fumbled for his clothes muttering curses.


    The fireplace and candalabra were exstingushed. Through the windows came heat, his body warmed from sunbeams. He grabbed the orc sword, noticing it was lodged in a thick short wooden coffee table. Ichi had to brace with his foot to pull it off. Ichi wrapped himself up and struggled out the door, searching around the courtyard for someone to blame.


    The black goo Ichi saw last night that filled a pool was gone. He walked over the edge, crouching down shouldering the orc sword as he examined the basin. Smooth, impossibly smooth. Like the inside of a glass? There was a hole in the center. A funnel, maybe? The black goo, could it have been oil?


    Ichi got up swishing in hand over his face as he circled around. The large shadow last night revealed itself. Taller than the cabin, a giant of metal, entirely black with armored plates filling out it''s girth. It really was a giant robot. On it''s back was a large green bulging backpack. Ichi marveled at what could possibly be in there.


    Renya walked out from behind the cabin and Ichi launched himself at her. By the time he reached her, he noticed she was covered in black smears wearing overalls. And nothing else. Ichi froze with the orc sword held high above his head. A red pulse drifted off the blade as violet energy seethed off his body. He could see it. Ichi could see Renya''s chest. However, it wasn''t enough. He could only see the side of the chest down in a line. He noticed from how the overalls revealed below the hip line that it was impossible for her to be wearing underwear.


    Renya''s eyes were wide and she laughed as Ichi pulled back, sheathing his sword. He pulled his sash open, stuffing the metal lump back were it was last night.


    "Morning," Ichi grumbled.


    Renya gave him a big smile and waved at him mockingly at short range. Her hand was covered in black smears.


    "Morning! Did you sleep well?"


    "Too well."


    Ichi reached around to his shoulder, cricking his neck. He ambled past Renya to the back of the cabin, his face furrowed.


    There, he saw the so-called ''golem'' in it''s full glory. He felt Renya''s arms entangle around his left arm, hugging it to her body.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "Isn''t it beautiful?"


    Entirely black, with jagged shoulderpads and thick armor slid over all the joints giving a pleasant feeling of stubbiness. It looked unnaturally black in the sunlight. Ichi noticed there wasn''t even a reflection. It''d be useful for night attacks. This was undoubtedly the kind of robot a villain would pilot.


    Perfect for Renya, then? He looked at her.


    "It''s okay."


    "You don''t like the color?"


    Ichi''s hand went to his head as he stared into Renya''s pleading eyes. He felt like they were talking about a house. That vague sense of being newlyweds with Renya disgusted Ichi.


    "Eh... It''ll be useful for night attacks." Ichi eventually settled on saying that.


    "Yeah! It absorbs all light, so it''d be perfect for an ambush. Come on, I''ll show you inside."


    "''Inside''?"


    Renya pulled Ichi by his hand. He''d never seen her smile so brightly. Wait, he did, right before she was about to swing down her katana on him that night. They walked under the metal giant''s belly, Renya brought him close and pointed to a sphere. She passed her hand, rolling it.


    "To get inside, roll this to the left and think ''open sesame''. I couldn''t think of anything else that I could be sure you''d remember."


    Ichi took that jab head on.


    "Glad you were thinking of me." He said happily. His grin was tight.


    "Here, try."


    Renya released his hand. Ichi stepped up to the small sphere. On the torso, it felt right where the bellybutton would be. That felt kind of appropriate, design wise. With a swish of his hand the entire torso opened upwards, towering over his head.


    Ichi did a double take as he looked inside. There was a chair, and behind that, a cavernous hole leading down. The size dwarfed the robot itself, but Ichi could only see the cavern hole when looking into the robot''s cockpit. He saw faint light coming from below, shimmering as if there was a pool below. Ichi walked around to the back, making sure that there was nothing behind it.


    "Bigger on the inside?"


    Renya nodded.


    "Get in." She urged.


    Ichi walked around to the front and grabbed a metal rung to pull himself into the machine. He sat down hard in the chair, looking around for some sort of controls. Nothing of the sort was there. Renya jumped up into the robot''s cockpit, pointing to another button.


    "And this closes it."


    She tapped it and the front shut. They were enveloped in total darkness as the robot closed, then as the last light disappeared through the closing crack, the entire robot disappeared around him. Ichi stood up. He looked around at Renya, behind her he could see the cabin. He reached his hand out towards where he thought the chestplate was and felt solid. He rubbed his hand on the invisible window, staring out at Renya''s backyard.


    "Complete three-hundred and sixty degree visibility." Renya said as she looked out the back towards the rice paddies in the distance. It was if they were just standing a few feet in the air. Below Ichi''s feet he saw a slight tiny of grey. He tapped it with his foot. Solid, yet see through.


    Renya walked over to the cavern behind the chair that lead down.


    "Now, for the rest of the place."

 72- Isnt it a giant robot? pt. 2

    Ichi followed Renya''s swishing tails into the back of the machine. As he walked, Renya''s cabin disappeared from his view and it all around the front of him he could only see a massive dark cavern. Ichi looked up and saw night stars. Turning around at the sound of waves sloshing, he saw a sea extend into the horizon. Only a small hole showed Renya''s backyard filled with sunlight from the cockpit of the robot.


    "How is this even possible?" Ichi said.


    Renya smiled and hummed as she turned around. She bent her body over, her hand going her cat ears.


    "I''ll spare you the details. Have you ever heard of Richard Feynman? Lacan? Karl Fristion and the free energy principle?"


    Ichi''s eyes moved to Renya''s chest. He could see through the loose overalls, but the darkness covered everything.


    Renya moved her hand down from her cat ears to cover her chest as she unbent herself. Her words cut through Ichi like a katana.


    "There''s more on the internet than porn, you know?"


    Ichi fell to his knees. He cursed as he smacked the sand with his fist.


    "I know! I know! I knew it all along! But, I never understood that stuff! It''s boring!"


    Ichi rose as he drew the orc sword from his sash and shook it at Renya.


    "Anyways! All of humanity couldn''t do this. You''re cheating with that stupid cat! If this Shadow Society or whatever has Spirit Worlds and Druids and moon bases of course a homunculus like you''d have the upper hand with magic!"


    Renya walked closer that smile goading Ichi as she pushed the orc sword aside with one finger. Ichi let her.


    "No one likes a sore loser. All the heroes I''ve read about online when I was growing up are all good losers. They have to become heroes, because they value life so highly. The opposite of someone like me. And, if it makes you feel any better, I made this all for your benefit."If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Ichi scanned the cavern hole, avoiding Renya''s eye staring intently into his. It was wide, cut into a cliffside that extended for miles. A strong warm light emenated from the depths.


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    "That kiss last night on the forehead?"


    "Don''t you want to get used to my body?"


    "If I have to go to sleep like that every night, then no. Can''t you find another way? No, find another way. If you can warp space and time to build a giant robot surely you can figure out how to have sex."


    Renya turned and walked towards the cavern hole.


    "Who said anything about sex?"


    Ichi grumbled as he followed after her.


    "For a Maid Knight you''re not very maid or knight like."


    "It''s my first role as an actor. I guess I''ll have to improve given the audience''s disapproval." Renya said.


    Ichi sighed as he followed her back to the opening. Expanding down below him was a massive cavern filled with an entire city. At the center he noticed signs of activity. Small metal beasts moved about, carrying tools and pushing carts. Ichi thought they looked like dwarves.


    "Wasn''t it barely a day since you combined with that cat? How''d you manage all this?"


    "Oh, well, for this place, I actually just opened a portal to it. I doubt my family would approve of me using one of our secret bases, but they aren''t around to complain. Usually, we would drop off a few golems in places to make more golems to then build places to escape to, if we ever needed them. Until we were all hunted down and killed."


    Ichi had a sense who.


    "The Seer''s Council?"


    "Myon and Syon, actually. Syon told me it was her idea. She wanted me in particular, as part of some plan. The Seer''s Council thought she had a deathwish for going after Alchemists, but they managed, somehow."


    Ichi scratched his head.


    "You don''t seem mad about it."


    "It was the second best night of my life. Myon is so beautiful when fighting, I almost died at least a thousand times, I counted."


    Renya sighed. From her tone Ichi inferred she felt relieved. A lift rose in front of them and Renya stepped onto it with Ichi. Ichi surveyed the city. Renya called him ''my lord'' but it really felt like this place might as well be his. His eyes moved to the girl beside him.


    "Thanks, Renya. For this."


    Renya smiled and crouched, placing her hand on her chest.


    "Yes, my lord."


    "Please, don''t do that in overalls."

 73- Im still driving

    They toured the place, ending up at a fanciful german castle. Robot maids attacked Ichi when he was wandering the halls distracted by the paintings and clothed him in some sort of black velvet coat complete with black tie. Little hints of white showed where his shirt peeked out. Ichi never felt like he''d worn anything this fancy in his life. He saw the maids sprinting down the hallway, their shiny hair trailing behind them.


    Ichi adjusted his new clothing, dusting it down. He walked over to a window, touching his hand to the stone. Ichi looked out over ''his'' domain. It didn''t feel real. Staring out over the cavern hole, he saw a quaint village with red abbey and a thick black forest surrounding black dome that Renya called her ''lab'', and a vast lake. Ichi saw a dark snake like shape surface and then submerge. He nodded his head, closing his eyes.


    Before going to a fantasy world, he had gone to a fantasy world. He thought of this situation like that. If things in the Spirit World got tough, he could always coop out here and get to know the robomaids better. Before he escaped to the city, he had already escaped to the cliffs surrounding England. According to Renya, that was the location, the cliffs of England. Ichi didn''t even know England had cliffs. Really, he couldn''t figure out how to thank Renya, just thanking her earlier didn''t feel like enough. Maybe he shouldn''t even bother. He suspected this was all a ploy to get him to lower his guard. And then, probably, she''ll- Ichi didn''t know. But he felt like it wasn''t going to be good.


    "I could be piloting a giant robot right now." Ichi toned out meditatively. The wind blew in his hair as the sun warmed his body. In the distance, the bell of the red abbey rung.


    The sheer size and complexity of the place dwarfed him. He felt like he''d never get out of there if he let Renya lead him around. No, rather, why would he leave? Ichi''s hand went over the orc sword, which was now buckled in a leather holster. He unbuckled and rebuckled it, making sure he could get at it at moments notice.


    Ichi sighed, and followed Renya''s smell. As he wandered the halls he saw robot maids running from him. A small one tripped over her own broom. Ichi towered over the small maid with robot ears and crouched down, grabbing her by the back of her garment. He righted her by picking her up and placing her down. As soon as he let go she zoomed away. Not even a glance back.


    Ichi waited near the baths. He figured he could barge right in and Renya wouldn''t mind, but his own opinion of himself would plummet. So he waited in his new clothes, waiting for Renya to finish up. He sagged again the wall, thinking that he''d have to finish things up with Grandpa first. There were some heirlooms still waiting for Ichi, and he admitted to himself begrudingly that he didn''t want to take off.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Renya swirled out of the bath in her maid outfit, complete with a silver lined grey sheath for the wolf sword. She was humming to herself, Ichi didn''t know the song at all but it sounded sad and classical. Her taste was the worst.


    Her ears perked up as she turned and noticed Ichi. Her humming stopped immediatedly She blushed and looked down.


    "What, are you embarassed?"


    "Partly."


    "I''d like the maids to be more friendly. Do you mind? Also, a smartphone."


    Renya put her hand over her chest as she grinned at him.


    "Altering the maids is against my ethics. As for the smartphone, I''d have to drive into the city. Do you have a preference?"


    "You can''t make one?"


    "Ichi, do you even know how smartphones are made?"


    Ichi shook his head. Renya extended her palm as she explained.


    "It takes a vast network of resources and businesses to produce even a single smartphone. Buying one would be much easier on me. Plus, I doubt you''d use any special features I''d add."


    Ichi waved his hand. Not a priority.


    "Forget about it. Want to meet my Grandpa?"


    Renya froze. Ichi''s hand went to the back of his neck immediatedly.


    "It''s no big deal. I''m just going to say goodbye, and pick up some things. You can wait in the robot if you want."


    Renya closed the distance between them in a moment. Her face was serious.


    "It''d be improper to not greet your family. As a Maid, I cannot do that."


    Ichi chuckled. He turned showing Renya his back and flung his hand out carelessly


    "Getting into that role, are you? If you ever get tired, don''t hestitate to be lazy."


    "Laziness is but an excuse to not pursue idealism, what value is there in life if you don''t pursue the ideal?" Renya said.


    Ichi put a curled finger to his chin.


    "Indulging in the impermance of the moment? Anyways, I''m driving the car back."


    Behind him, he could feel a wave of heat.


    "You don''t have a license."


    He turned he head to see an angry Renya. That was the first time he could remember seeing her face like that.


    "And you do?"


    Renya smiled.


    "I''m not human, so it doesn''t count."


    "I''m still driving."

 74-Eternal

    Landing the robot in front of his Grandpa''s house, Ichi plopped out from the opening chestplate like a pile of goo.


    "That interface... could use work." He groaned on the ground.


    Renya tapped down beside him and scooped him off the ground, righting him. Ichi swirled around and leaned against Renya to steady himself.


    "Direct mental link makes the most sense. Even a child could pilot it." Renya said.


    The door to Grandpa''s house burst open. A tall musclebound figure with arms crossed and long black hair stood in the doorframe. The shadow squinted at them.


    "Hello. This is our first meeting, face to face, Ichi Danzaburo. Where is Rikya?"


    Ichi caught his bearings, waving his hand at Renya who went for her sword as he met the man''s stare. He stepped in front of threshhold, resting his forearm on the hilt of the orc sword, pulling in a long breath before he spoke.


    "She said something about trouble with her family. I''d be betraying her if I told a stranger where she was, wouldn''t I?"


    "Hmph. Then you have Rikya''s interests at heart, then?"


    "What kind of monster would betray a cute girl?"


    The figure uncrossed his musclebound arms and walked into the sunlight. A friendly looking face with long black hair blowing appeared as well as a toned hand. The hand offered itself for Ichi to shake.


    "It is an honor to meet a fellow gentleman."


    Ichi didn''t understand, but he took his hand anyways and shook it.


    "I am Oni. Rikya''s elder brother, and her only ally within the Burncastle family. Allow me to show you my true form."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    With that, a puff of grey smoke covered him, and as it cleared, a little girl in a black outfit with small daggers appeared.


    Ichi''s hand went to the side of his head. Renya giggled behind him. The girl posed, her voice as light as a cloud, her eyes and hair black as night.


    "Truly, this form is the best. It was worth obtaining immortality for, now, throughout the ages I may protect all little girls. However, it would be shameful if I couldn''t protect my own little sister, as a man, Ichi, you must agree."


    Ichi patted Oni''s head. A grin lit up his face.


    "Honorable words. Now, if you don''t mind telling me, where''s Grandpa?"


    Oni stood stock still as he endured the headpat unflinchingly.


    "Waiting inside. Once he heard the news about Tamamo being freed, he grew worried. It was irresponsible of you to release that woman so easily. I had to disable the alarm myself, lest Mordanth, my father, be alerted."


    Ichi pulled his hand back from the girls head.


    "Thanks. I wasn''t really thinking things through back then, got a little excited I guess."


    Ichi glanced at Renya, who returned his gaze. Renya nodded with a small bow, her eyes closed.


    "Let''s discuss the rest inside."


    After greeting Grandpa who hugged Ichi with that stern eagle look on his face, they all sat down at the kitchen table.


    Renya handled the explanation she heard from Ichi about the night''s events as Ichi nodded. She conveniently skipped her fight with Ichi. Renya conveniently skipped how Myon and Syon were captured. She skipped her betrayal of Myon and Syon as well. Instead of telling the old men that she let Scipio know about Syon and Myon''s armory on purpose, she transmuted the reason Scipio appeared to ''a spat between Dracula and Gai''.


    Ichi could only pretend like he just happened to wander in to this situation as Renya lied. If Ichi were alone, he reflected, he would have just burst out the truth as fast and as clumsily as possible. No way Grandpa or the little girl man would look upon that favorably. What concerned him what that Renya''s lie wasn''t one he understood.


    Renya placed Dracula as the convenient villain, the father of Scipio. Someone called "Gai Tengu" was setup as the opposition. Ichi didn''t know who Gai Tengu was or why that mattered but he kept quiet. Oni and Grandpa nodded along to Renya''s explanation without missing a beat. Having Renya do the explaining was a good choice on his part, surely if these magic people have moonbases he must have missed yet another useless detail. Or a couple thousand, he nodded to himself.


    It''d only be later that he''d discover Gai Tengu was one of the strongest rulers of the Spirit World and Myon and Syon''s father.


    When Renya mentioned the black stick disappearing into Ichi''s body and Scipio''s sword turning white, Oni raised an eyebrow and Grandpa''s brows lowered.


    Grandpa looked to Oni at his side, and Oni nodded. Grandpa fumed out air.


    "Danzaburo''s experiment seems to have succeeded."

 75- As a druid?

    "I see." Said Oni.


    Ichi was lost. But, his eyes mowed around the garden. Renya would handle it, won''t you, Renya? Ichi thought to himself.


    "So, the time has come to explain everything." Grandpa said.


    He looked down at the table, before Renya leaned in front of Ichi.


    "I already explained it." Renya said.


    Ichi didn''t know what she explained about ''Danzaburo''s experiment'' or when she did. Ichi could smell the stink of a lie coming from her as his eyes bored a hole into the cat ears and blonde hair in front of him.


    This was a clear intent to decieve. Either Ichi, Oni and Grandpa, or both. Ichi bet on both. Grandpa met his eyes, as if asking him:


    "Oh, so I don''t need to explain anything about Danzaburo''s experiment and how it relates to you?"


    And Ichi answered with a nod, as if saying:


    "Yes, please, spare me."


    For someone who could sniff a lie Ichi wasn''t interested in the truth at the moment. Anything that involved his father might as well be astrophysics. Then again, Ichi couldn''t ignore that Renya lied to them about it. He sliently filed this moment away in his memory. Hispriority was freedom. And recovering the rest of his inheirtance from Grandpa''s basement. Which lead to more freedom. At least, he assumed that.


    Ichi thought it was probably more of an excuse to say goodbye to the stern old man who he lived with for six months. Ichi said nothing as the conversation continued.


    Grandpa got up and lead them to the slime door, Oni following close behind them. Renya''s eyes were shining and she asked if she could keep it. Ichi stepped in at that point.


    "She''s good with construction. By the time we''re done down there, she''ll have the slime door replaced. Probably with something better too."


    Grandpa looked bothered as his eyes traveled between the enthusiastic girl and his grandson. He said yes mostly because Renya wouldn''t be downstairs. He couldn''t help but feel a connection between the slime door and the girl, which he thought was strange. The only sort of person who should be able to understand a contraption like this was an alchemist. Grandpa had no clue about Renya''s existence as a homunculous and alchemist.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Ichi''s second time descending into the cave felt less exciting. Back then when he got the stick of balance, he felt like he was bringing a gun to a streetfight. Now, he felt like he was walking into a bank to withdraw his account.


    They walked up to a door with a white half and a black half. In Ichi''s sight, it felt like the black half was shining. Before they entered the door, the black half flew open by itself.


    Grandpa looked back to Ichi.


    "In case I died or something, I suppose Danzaburo wanted to give you a way to access this place on your own. It''s too bad you lost the white stick, at this rate, you''re only half complete."


    So if Ichi absorbed the white stick, both doors would have opened? For now, Ichi nodded like it was no big deal. Besides, the last time he saw the white stick he threw it on Scipio''s back. Wherever Scipio took it, Ichi didn''t feel like meeting him again. A sense that he had made a horrible mistake welled up in him.


    Grandpa opened a cabinet, pulling out a string of wooden beads, a drinking gourd, a shiny steel revolver, and a tanuki plush. Ichi sneered at the Tanuki plush. He had a bad feeling about it, even though it felt horribly out of place. Grandpa sighed as he handed the items to Ichi in a bag. He pulled out the string of wooden beads briefly.


    "These were your mother''s. Please, take care of them."


    Ichi''s eyes glanced over the wooden beads. Strange marking and flecks of dried blood covered them. A chill went down his body. This is the first time he saw evidence of what his mother did for a living. Rikya said she caged Tamamo as well. He thought he''d be happy to see something of hers. Grandpa stored it into the bag after pausing with his mouth open, as if he wanted to say something.


    "Ichi, as a druid, these items will be extremely powerful in your care. Please, use them wisely. As wise as anyone who freed Tamamo could."


    ''As a druid''? Ichi kept his face straight with effort. Renya did say something about druids hunting him, that it would only be a matter of time. Satou said something about a Druid-killer when Ichi touched Scipio''s sword. Ichi felt like asking would make things worse, so he said nothing.


    Oni, who stayed silent stepped to Ichi side and recieved the bag in his place. The little girl hoisted the dark blue bag over her shoulder.


    "Alright, let''s go." She said.


    Ichi looked down at Oni.


    "That stuff is mine, right?"


    Grandpa shook his head.


    "Oni here will be going with you. I trust him to act as a limiter on your actions in the Spirit World. There''s beings that you cannot upset, and I fully expect you to upset them with your latent ability."


    Oni nodded from below Ichi.


    "I will serve Rikya loyally. It was long her wish to free of our family. I will support such a powerful being like yourself in your efforts, as long as you defend her wishes."


    Oni turned to Grandpa.


    "Farewell, old man." She smiled.


    "Take care, idiot." Grandpa smiled at him.


    Grandpa walked over to Ichi. He stopped and held his arms out awkwardly before pulling him in for a hug. Ichi didn''t feel want to hug back, but given the situation he did it anyways.


    Grandpa stepped back, giving Ichi a toothy smile.


    "Enjoy your trip. Try not to destroy the world, alright?"


    The pat on the shoulder that hit Ichi made him shift his stance. What was he?

 76-Intent

    Ichi crawled into the giant robot outside of the house. Oni and Renya were waiting inside, the little girl with her arms crossed and the maid knight with her arms folded. Ichi turned and waved to Grandpa who waved back with a tight grin on his face. What, Ichi thought, I can''t have a giant robot?


    The chest closed down as Ichi hit the button himself.


    "Renya, please take us to the fort."


    "What? You don''t want to pilot again?"


    "It''s a bit... stressful."


    Ichi looked down at the chair with disgust on his face. Too much stimulation. Piloting it with a direct mind to mind interface felt much more like suddenly walking on stilts underwater with a fierce current.


    Oni uncrossed one arm, raising her hand.


    "I will do it."


    Ichi half-heartedly nodded at the man who could change into a little girl. Rikya was right about her family. Ichi had misgivings about letting her come, but he didn''t want to bother trying to deny Rikya the chance to meet her family before she left.


    Oni''s shiny black hair swayed as she sat into the chair. Her black eyes closed in deep meditation.


    "I see. This is an ingenious magical tool, whoever created it is a genius beyond any I have ever seen."


    Renya immediatedly stepped forward giving Ichi a snarp glance. "Ichi created it."


    Ichi''s bafflement quickly turned to resignation as the giant robot boosted into the air. Oni began muttering acceptance of Renya''s lie.


    "I would expect as much from a druid. No wonder it''s black, it came from Ichi''s ability. Perhaps when the black stick fused with him, he gained the ability to manipulate ''darkness''. We are alike, Ichi, although I specialize in much weaker magic involving shadows."


    Oni prattled on as she flew over the town. Ichi looked down at the village as it sped by below him. He casually gave directions to Oni when prompted. Even Renya didn''t remember where she built her fort before they fought Scipio. Ichi got some amusement out of that, and it prompted him to digest what he didn''t know himself.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Myon and Syon were captured because of Rikya. She admitted that. Ichi was a druid, whatever a druid was. Renya doubtless knew something, and Tamamo would doubtless knew more, but when he thought of asking either of them, he couldn''t stomach it.


    Renya knew Ichi was clueless, so she''d exploit it. Renya would probably tell the truth, but frame it in a way that left out important details. She''s too smart. Ichi sneered at Renya who returned with a glowing smile. What worried Ichi the most was that he might end up trusting her. Too reliable a person, she did too much for him too quickly and too loyaly.


    He''d sooner accept Tamamo explanation about druids than Renya. At least Tamamo had bre- no no, at least Tamamo- Ichi lost his train of thought a second time. Ichi realized it in that moment as he guided Oni to land near Renya''s fort. He wanted to see Tamamo. In a moment of weakness he thought he might as well just give in and let her manipulate him. That scared Ichi more than Renya.


    As Rikya waved at him from the open doorway, he finally realized the situation. Renya would do whatever he said, but she had her own goal for Ichi. Tamamo would do even more than that, but she had her own goal for Ichi. Ichi could trust neither of them until he knew what they really wanted. Both of them were no better than strangers. Not to mention there was an actual stranger here who tagged along, Oni.


    Rikya, however, was the only one whose plan was revealed. ''Get away from her family''. That was something Ichi could trust. Something he felt himself. He''d ask Rikya first. That way when he asked Renya, he''d have more information. Ichi nodded to himself. Oni as well. As a stranger, he could trust Oni more. Then Tamamo, because she wasn''t trying to decieve him about his existence. That phrase, ''Danzaburo''s experiment'', if Ichi remembered right he heard that from Tamamo when he first met her when Miko was controlling him body.


    Renya would be last. He looked over to the smiling maid knight as he crawled out of the giant robot. Oni and Renya leapt out like superheroes, Renya landing behind Ichi without changing her stance at all and Oni crouching before Rikya.


    Rikya let out a big sigh as she saw her older brother transformed into a little girl. If Ichi didn''t know any better, he might have assumed Oni was the younger sister.


    "I should have known," Rikya said.


    Her hands held her head as she lowered it into them. Ichi looked at Rikya''s despair with a smile on his face. Perhaps it was because he also got an unwanted servant recently? Although he couldn''t call Renya ''unwanted'' so much as ''someone he didn''t abandon''.


    That felt about right to him. Ichi walked forward to the suffering Rikya, patting her on her shoulder.


    "I could kill him if he bothers you that much." Ichi said.


    Rikya balked and head out her hands waving them. "No, no, it''s fine."

 77-Unhealthy

    Renya collected her fort and stuffed it inside the giant robot. She took down a large green pack off of the robot as well, and when Ichi asked what it was Renya said ''fuel''. It didn''t have a smell to it. Ichi got suspicious as Rikya entered with Oni.


    They decided to wait the night in the giant robot. Tama had gone on ahead to the Spirit Gate to scope out the situation there. Rikya told Ichi that she wanted to confirm the safety of her ''guests'' in the Spirit World. A Lord would be hosting their stay where Satou stood guard over Myon and Syon.


    Rikya was promptly lied to as well by Renya about where the giant robot came from. Ichi decided he''d correct Rikya''s understand the truth later. He didn''t want to risk upsetting Renya''s scheme in front of her face. Rikya asked if there was a name for the robot. Ichi blurted out Avalon because it linked to a city built into the the cliffs of England. It was that evening when Renya left him to do some work and Rikya and Oni seperated that Ichi set to track Rikya down.


    His sense of smell came into use even in the massive cavern hole inside Avalon. Ichi met Rikya near the palace in a garden, she wore a long somber black gown with no frills. Rikya sipped tea and scribbled in a notebook, a small pink notebook with a magical girl on the cover laid beside hers. She was doodling. The maids around her looked serene.


    Ichi exchanged a wave with Rikya as he approached, watching the maids scatter from him as he did. A frown darkened Ichi''s face as he watched them flutter away like doves. Ichi plopped down next to Rikya and put his legs onto a nearby chair, leaning back his head and closing his eyes as he did. He didn''t say anything, and neither did Rikya as they spent the silence together.


    "The maids don''t seem to like you that much, ''my lord''." Rikya said.


    Ichi lazily half pointed at her. "That''s Renya''s doing. That my lord thing. She''s a handful."


    "You walked to school with her for awhile, and then she shows up in a maid outfit. If I had to evaluate the relationship, I could only think of ''love''." Rikya continued doodling.


    "I''ve known her for about a month. Then we get in a fight, and I kick her into a waterfall, and now she''s all nice. I don''t understand girls at all."


    Rikya looked up from her drawing and smiled at Ichi. "I''ve known my brother all my life. About all I know is he seems unhealthily obsessed with me. Tama told me to ''use him'', and when I asked what she meant, all I heard were lewd and improper acts. She went on about stuff like that a lot, so I grew tired of it."


    "Deception?" Ichi inquired. He knew Tama was bad news, but felt relief that her corruption hadn''t reached Rikya despite all the time they spent together.


    Rikya''s hand folded up the pink notebook with a magical girl on the cover, pushing it over to Ichi.


    "Deception."


    Ichi stared at the pink notebook like it was a bug.


    "That''s Syon''s diary."


    "Suggested reading." Rikya motioned to the pink journal.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Could you give me the gist of it?" Ichi said.


    "''A girl in love''?"


    "I don''t like romance." Ichi thought of the tanuki plush and the revolver he got from Grandpa. "So, she was attachted to my dad, I guess. Since you said Syon wanted revenge on Genji, perhaps that''s why?"


    Rikya nodded as she got back to doodling.


    "She''s a great tactician. Her calculations and summaries of battles she underwent are harrowing. Downright self-destructive, too. In comparison, I lived a very easy life."


    Ichi felt like changing the subject as he tore his eyes off that journal.


    "I got called a druid."


    Rikya went silent. Her hand went to her chin, then she hummed to herself as her eyebrows knit.


    "And how does that make you feel?"


    "It''s not a matter of feeling. I don''t know what a druid is in the first place. "


    "So we have to start there..."


    Rikya flipped to a blank page. She drew a large circle. She wrote imagination at the top, then she drew a circle inside the large circle. She wrote Ichi''s name inside there. She picked it up and pointed out the small circle to him with her pen.


    "You''re this."


    "So, I''m a piece of imagination?"


    "Magic is all imposition of imagination on the world. I thought that you were just talented when I first met you, but if you are druid, then what happened a few nights ago with Satou''s fiancee makes sense. It''s not that you were able to use magic resonance with Scipio''s sword, as a druid you directly interact with magic, as a being of magic itself."


    "So all my abilities are likely..."


    "Innate. It''s strange for a druid to not know what a druid is, I''ve never read about anything like that. Druids mostly stay in the Dream, and manage the balance of imagination."


    Balance? As in, the ''stick of balance''? Ichi pondered.


    "That stick I was given, it was called the ''stick of balance''."


    Rikya shrugged.


    "Perhaps Genji fathered you as a druid. Which sounds impossible, but given what we know, it''s the only thing that makes sense."


    Ichi remembered what Renya said about druids near the waterfall when he woke her up.


    "What does it mean to ''violate the laws of magic''?"


    Rikya grew pensive.


    "Who''d you hear that from?"


    "Renya. She started taking a bet I said during our fight seriously, about serving me in a maid outfit and cat ears for the rest of her life, right after I talked about what happened with Scipio."


    Rikya closed her head and leaned it to her side. She switched to the other side.


    "She must know something. I''ve never heard of ''laws'' where magic is concerned. Tama''s really old, you''d be better off asking her than some strange girl who walks around half possessed."


    Ichi groaned upon hearing that.


    "I''ll try Oni first. Rather not trust that woman. Or, rather not trust either of them."


    "Didn''t you agree to go to another world with them? Don''t tell me you''re sticking around just for me..."


    Ichi grinned as he turned to face Rikya.


    "I guess doing anything sensible is too boring for me."


    Rikya looked over to the flowers in the garden, peeking at the robot maids who waited in the trees for Ichi to leave.


    "Well... I want you to understand that as a druid, you really could be doing a whole lot more with your life."


    Ichi muddled over that.


    "Like what?"


    "You''re untrained, so, apprenticeship?"


    "Sounds blue-collar. Too much work. I don''t like it."


    "You don''t even know what it''s like yet."


    Ichi groaned.


    "I''ll figure it out, somehow. Either that, or end up getting used for my newly discovered druidic abilities by two beautiful girls. Win- win?"


    Rikya frowned.


    "Sounds unhealthy."

 78-Syons Journal

    Walking under the reccesses of the cavern hole, Ichi stopped near a luxorious car. Rikya handed Syon''s journal to him despite Ichi''s protests. He held it in his hand, flopping it about. His hand tightened around the orc sword''s hilt. A quick flick of his wrist twisted the orc sword free and the infinite battle cry echo in his head. Red pulses traveled over the weapon in waves.


    Ichi tossed Syon''s journal into the sky. Aiming straight for it, he swung the sword. Black energy pulsed around him as he forced the blade that would never travel where he wanted it travel to cut Syon''s journal apart. The sword cracked as he swung. He exerted immense pressure aiming for Syon''s falling journal, his black energy crawling across the blade like tendrils.


    The orc sword''s red pulses faded as the hunk of metal snapped. Part of it thudded into the luxorious car nearby, and the hilt remained in his hand. Syon''s journal hit the ground as if nothing happened.


    Ichi walked over to the car. The entire door caved in from the front half of the sword. Ichi pulled the metal hunk out with great effort, using his repelling black energy to free it. Holding it, he felt like he broke something. No, to be more accurate, the feeling was ''killed''. The word came to Ichi''s mind. Syon sort of threw it at him, and somehow, he broke it.


    Must be a druid thing, he surmised. He innocently tried to place the sword back together. It didn''t feel right. The roar was gone, whatever it was, Ichi mourned the death the blade. He threw the hilt and hunk of metal into the backseat of the car. Turning back to the ground, he eyed Syon''s journal. The tanuki plush came to mind again.


    Genji Danzaburo probably planned this future out for him. Myon used a gun. So Genji gave Ichi a revolver. Syon used a glove with a wire that made people into puppets. So Genji gave Ichi a tanuki plush. Rikya said Syon wanted revenge on Genji, he already imagined for what. Syon probably sensed she was manipulated somehow.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Or, even worse, and far more likely, that was Genji''s intent all along. When Ichi would walk into that vault below Grandpa''s house as a druid, or by his Grandpa''s guidance, he would have ended up with those items, in that village, with Syon and Myon. It sounded impossible, but Ichi couldn''t disagree with the conclusion.


    Perhaps, Ichi thought, the whole reason that Syon and Myon were on Earth was to watch Ichi. If he was born a druid, they may have been the chains that Genji created. Somehow. Ichi shook his head. He was thinking too much about it.


    He reached out to Syon''s journal on the ground. He grasped it lightly, picking it up. Flipping it around in his hand as before, he couldn''t get himself to open it. He didn''t want to. Ichi reminded himself that he was heading towards Syon, not away.


    And then he thought of a way to deal with this in the least painful way possible. It occured to him as he stared out in the direction of a large black dome. Renya''s Lab. He flicked the journal in his hand.


    He wasn''t sure about the extent of his abilities. He had no idea why Genji gave him those items. He didn''t feel like he could trust Renya, or, for that matter, anyone but Rikya.


    He looked around the inside of his newly named giant robot, ''Avalon''. Looking at the situation, he didn''t feel like he had a choice. Renya demostrated something very close to loyalty. Heading to Oni or Tama like he planned wouldn''t make him any friends. He needed to make friends with the one person who already was acting like his servant.


    There was the choice of avoiding Syon, but there was no avoiding Renya. If he wanted to continue this journey, if he truly wanted to see where Renya''s intent would lead him, he had to face her head on.


    Ichi nodded his head. He placed the journal in the inside of his black blazer. His eyes stared at his coat pocket with dread. First things first. Ichi got into the car and drove off towards the black dome.

 79-Not-Last Boss pt. 1

    He entered the black dome. Inside, rows and rows of robots toiled on benches. Looking up, Ichi could see pitch blackness. There didn''t seem to be any point in making it so large. Room for growth? He stood near a robot which barely had any parts to it. It looked to be made of a mash-up of stone and black matierial. As Ichi got closer, he smelled oil. It reminded him of that night he showed up at Renya''s place, the black goo in her yard smelled the same. Strange.


    Ichi looked at what they were working on. Some were building small robots, some were crafting small tools. Others made random devices and parts. Other robots hurried around picking up pieces that were finished. A robot would finish it''s work, lean back, and one robot would deliver parts while another robot took the completed item.


    At this rate, it looked like Renya would have an army. He saw a partially completed maid robot in the corner attended to by a group of robots hurrying around and adding parts to her. It was indistiguishable from a beatiful girl, although the green hair felt unnatural.


    Ichi shook his head as he wandered in the darkness with the clicking of the robots silent work humming in his ears. He saw a light in the distance, a small room appeared as he moved closed. Little better than some lighting and few walls, he peeked inside to find Renya.


    She sprawled out in a lab coat and glasses on the ground surrounded by parts and black goo. A half-finished robot in front of her. Huge black bags hung under her dim eyes. Under such little light, even her blonde hair and blue eyes looked dull. The twin black and white tails were swishing lazily.


    Ichi crouched beside her, shaking her gently.


    "Renya?"


    "yes, yes."


    She gradually pulled herself near a wall, propping herself up. She pointed with her hand to a nearby chair. Ichi went and sat down without a word. He pulled himself close to the girl who looked close to death.


    Really, it wasn''t the best time. No, there couldn''t be a better time, Ichi thought. Get her while she''s weak! He steeled himself with those thoughts.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Renya pointed at him, her finger wavering.


    "You''re thinking, that because I''m exhausted, you''ll have an easier time dealing with me, isn''t that right?"


    Ichi nodded with a grin on his face.


    "You are correct," Renya said. Her voice wavering, she continued. "Please excuse my behavior at the moment. I seem to have gotten overzealous. Making a gol- ''giant robot'', like this and expanding the cavern hole in a few days, I suppose I got too excited. That''s never happened to me before."


    Renya''s droning voice made Ichi feel like a bad person for bothering her like this. However, he remembered her amorous face when she stood over him, about to swing down her sword. That brightened his mood. If there was any better time to have this conversation, he couldn''t imagine it. Get right to the point, he told himself. He didn''t have time to let her regain her boundless intellect.


    "Can I trust you?"


    "Of course not."


    Ichi grew pensive. He didn''t think she''d answer like that.


    Renya sighed as she adjusted her body against the wall.


    "There''s no way for someone as stupid as you to trust someone as smart and unpredictable as me. And yet, you accepted me. That night under the moon, you invited me to strike at your back. As if the fight between us was but a game. And then, a second time, you accepted my pledge of loyalty by that waterfall. That was even after I tried my best to tear you apart."


    Ichi meditated on her words. His hand caught his chin as he answered.


    "That fight between us was a game. Couldn''t you have just kissed me and ended it at anytime? I wouldn''t have know any better."


    Renya uttered a tone halfway between surprise and exhaustion.


    "I didn''t think of it that way. Maybe I was too caught up in the excitement. Yeah, I wanted to feel something, and I did, so, maybe I won, if that was my goal."


    Ichi held out an open hand as he continued.


    "And for the oath where I called you a Maid Knight, I thought you had some scheme in mind. I''ve been distrusting you ever since, thinking that you had something planned for me."


    Renya nodded weakly.


    "Ah, yes, the part where I betray you, inevitably."


    Ichi nodded at her. He was hoping she''d say something like this. After all, she knew lying to him was useless. She didn''t seem like she was in the state where she''d be able to decieve him either.


    "However, my betrayal I planned at that time and the one I planned after you granted me such power with the title of Maid Knight were both rather pathetic. I even got all excited after learning I was now in service of a druid like stories I read online, and went overboard playing around with magic. The result is Avalon and this facility, and that castle, and the red abbey and it''s inhabitants."

 80-Not-Last Boss pt. 2

    Ichi balked at Renya''s words. He was becoming aware of how much his ignorance of his abilities as a druid might become an ongoing issue.


    "I granted you power?"


    "Yes. Until that moment you granted me the title of Maid Knight, I only suspected you might be a druid. When you told me on the rooftop that you could smell lies, I thought that was strange. Even the Tanuki Lord Genji Danzaburo is incapable of that. At least, according to the grimoires my family kept. When you told me about what happened with Scipio''s sword, I decided to take that bet we made on the rooftop seriously. I wanted to know the truth behind what you were. When I kneeled, I was just acting, amusing myself more than you. Granting names, especially those granted titles by a druid, can be extraordinary powerful."


    "So, soon after I called you Maid Knight you figured out I was a druid?"


    "That lie I told Oni in the gol- ''giant robot'' - sorry, about you making it, is partly true. Miko, the cat within me, barely has any magical power. This is all an application of my knowledge and ingenuity after being granted the title of ''Maid Knight''. Without your power, I wouldn''t have been able to make any matierials."


    Ichi looked around the small room. Vials of black goo were in the corner. He saw them everywhere.


    "This black goo is part of your new abilities?"


    "I''m using your power to make them. That you haven''t even gotten exhausted after I tried to exhaust you is a testament to your natural ability as a druid. It''s discouraging."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Renya breathed out softly, then continued.


    "My pathetic betrayal was to reveal that I wasn''t going to betray you at all. I wanted you to writhe for awhile wondering if I was truly on your side."


    "You''re merciless."


    "Yes. And my betrayal now is to continue making you writhe in the future. I''ll find a way to make things difficult for you, but at the same time, I''ll open up new opportunities. That sounded like something worth doing for the stupidest druid in existence."


    Ichi looked at Renya''s dull blue eyes. She was half smiling.


    "This really is a game to you, isn''t it?"


    "Is there anything wrong with that? At best, I''ve given you a kingdom and a brilliant beyond measure Maid Knight with vague romantic intentions, and at worst, I''ll watch you suffer and enjoy myself. If you were planning on suffering anyways, isn''t it better for someone to benefit from it? I may be a parasite, but I''m your parasite."


    Ichi levered his forehead into his closed fist. He sat in silence with the girl, then flung out Syon''s journal onto her lap.


    "That''s a gift. Syon''s journal. Syon, you see, offered to bear one of my children after one conversation. I might become a happy person if that happened. You can''t have that, right? She''s way smarter than me, and I''m not very good at being a druid right now. You don''t mind taking care of a mess like her for me, do you?"


    Renya stared at the journal with a magical girl on the cover in silence.


    "Bear your child?"


    "Yeah. You know what happens to people that have children, right? They do anything for them and feel satisfied with life despite all troubles. I''d be miserable, but in the end I''d be glad I lived. Wouldn''t stopping that from happening be satisfying?"

 81-Not-Last Boss pt. 3

    "That lame persuasation can''t work on me, even in this state. You just want to push her onto me. I still haven''t forgotten what she did that night, with her Silver Cross. She might end up dead."


    Ichi shook his head.


    "Somehow, I''m not worried about that at all. And even if she does, I imagine I''ll feel relieved."


    Renya smiled weakly at Ichi.


    "Then, I''ll have to keep her alive."


    Ichi nodded.


    "I''m glad I didn''t talk you into murder. It''s good to know where you stand. So, if I asked you about that violation of the fundamental laws of magic thing you talked about, you wouldn''t mind explaining something that simple to the stupidest druid, right?"


    "Yes. There''s no risk of you gaining an upper hand with knowledge alone, at any rate. And if you were to die, I feel like I''d run out of amusement and go hunt Dracula to keep myself entertained with life."


    Ichi rubbed the back of his head with a bright grin on his face.


    "That''s awful flattering of you to enjoy being around me so much."


    "You must just be a masochist if you''re okay with this sort of thing," Renya muttered under her breath. "Anyways, the fundamental law of magic that you broke was becoming a druid with discovering a ''secret''. However that occured is also a mystery."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Ichi stayed silent, thinking that Rikya told him it might have been Genji''s plot. Renya continued.


    "Druids, as pure magical beings, are based around one word, one concept, or one existence. You likely don''t have one. An untrained druid couldn''t manipulate Scipio''s sword. It appeared to be an extremely high level magical creation. That I was able to surpass it with my magic as well is a mystery."


    Ichi touched his hand to his chest. He remembered the black stick getting sucked into his body. The vault under Grandpa''s house half opened as well. It had a white half and a black half, but only the black half opened. If he had absorbed the white stick as well, would he have become whatever Genji wanted him to be?


    "What about that black goo? I have the black stick inside me. Isn''t that my ''secret'' now?"


    Renya waved her hand.


    "I have no idea how that would be possible. Druids embody a ''secret'', they become a concept in it''s entirely, and because of that they can enter the Dream where all imagination, and everything beyond imagination, resides. All you did was pull something into your body. If I dissected you, maybe I could figure something out, but I doubt you''d be interested."


    "There''s no way you''d put me to sleep first, is there."


    "With a kiss, sure." Renya grinned.


    "That''s a no, then." Ichi said.


    He stood up. Looking down at the girl who looked like she had a bit more life in her now, he sought to escape before she made a full recovery.


    "Take care of yourself, and slow down. Excitement and sadism is great and all, but if you end up tired at the wrong time I''ll have Syon misting down my neck."


    "Then feigning tiredness at the worst possible moment might be interesting."


    Ichi gave her a stern look.


    "When it comes to Syon, please be more serious. I have a bad feeling I''m underestimating her."


    Renya shrugged on the ground. "Isn''t she rotting in a jail somewhere? What''s to be afraid of?"


    "It''s because she''s probably waiting for me to rescue her that she''s even more dangerous. That means there''s a chance she''ll use the situation to her advantage."


    Renya groaned at Ichi. "You''re just being paranoid. The only one who wants you to suffer is most likely me."

 82-Onis Curse

    Later that evening, Ichi got dead drunk in the Red Abbey. All manner of animals that walked, talked, mimicked human appearance occupied the place in green robes. Hedgehogs, mice, moles, some militaristic hares, and a badger.


    Oni found Ichi slopping down an amber drink with a hedgehog. He talked animatedly with the hedgehog in great cheer. Meanwhile, the poor hedgehog looked like he wanted to escape.


    Oni had suspected it, but given what she knew about Ichi, creating this ''cavern hole'' as Rikya called it so soon after learning about magic was strange even for a druid. After questioning Rikya on the matter at the castle and being fussed over by the maids, she set out to find out more information. Oni investigated the black dome and talked with Renya, who kept a tight guard.


    Oni supected her of some interference with Ichi''s magic. The cat ears and black and white tails interested Oni. It looked to be half-possession by a spirit, but not only did the spirit not have control, the possesed person seemed at ease.


    Then, he came upon the Red Abbey and everything started to make sense. He heard from the creatures there that there was a ''cavern hole'' within the Abbey itself. This was the beating heart of Avalon, or to be accurate, the counterbalance.


    It''s well known in the Shadow Society that Oni hails from that all magic can be divided into light and dark. The symbol of the Shadow Society, half black, half white, is to show that there is a purity to these magics. The Dao symbol where the black and white swirl together and a circle of white appears in the black and a circle of black appears in the white is considered magically incorrect, something that humans who do not understand magic created to represent true magic.


    Ichi''s Avalon was nothing more than a false representation of his thinking that there should be white here. The castle and the Red Abbey were filled with romantic imagery, while the black dome could easily be called nothing more than cold logical domination of reality, pure black energy.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Of course, this lead to Oni''s conclusion. Oni''s only thought upon seeing Ichi drunk with a hedgehog was to turn him into a little girl. And he did so.


    "To protect a little girl, you must ''become a little girl''!" Said Oni with a grand gesture.


    Oni could only cast that spell with his manly form. The hedgehog in a robe dashed out upon seeing such foul witchcraft, calling for help.


    Oni did what was natural. Oni sought to limit Ichi''s power, somehow, to have him understand what he was doing. However, Oni''s mind is only filled with thoughts of little girls. His most powerful spell is to turn anything into a little girl. This is the natural solution he came up with, believing in the power of little girls, Oni used Ichi''s drunken state to it''s fullest.


    In the Shadow Society sex was used as means of manipulation. It was sealed and controlled by those who aligned themselves with white energy in the Shadow Society. Their children were raised with a belief that sex was only used for procreation, along


    Oni and Rikya''s family, the Burncastles, were known for believing the exact opposite. As a family of black energy, they were infamous for using sex as manipulation. Rikya and Oni disagreed with this from an early age. Rikya merely convinced her father through combat to exile her to a small village. Oni did the opposite, seeking the great powers of the world and sealing himself into the form of a little girl.


    Oni has the ability to turn anything into a little girl. It is only by mastering that ability that he was able to become a little girl himself. Ika, Scipio''s mother, was his reluctant teacher.


    Ichi in the form of a little girl later got dumped off in front of the castle. A maid with short blue hair put the girl in a bed. However, Tama returned that night and attacked Ichi in his sleep, attempting to steal his unexperienced heart. When she found Ichi in the form of a little girl, that didn''t stop her.


    A grand battle of a drunk little girl Ichi unleashing his full potential and defeating Tama- didn''t happen. Ichi instead ran crying hugging a pillow to Rikya''s room.


    Rikya thought Ichi was a robot maid had a bad dream. It was her first time in a bed with someone else. She read characters taking in small girls into their beds, and so she imitated them. Ichi fell asleep drunk his first night in Avalon as a little girl with his head laying on Rikya''s chest.

 83-Head Maid Fubuki

    That morning after- Ichi struggled with his memories of the night before. He stood near a window after escaping Rikya''s sleeping grasp. Renya managed to find him within minutes of his escape, and he had to resort to drastic measures to get away from her.


    When Renya saw Ichi in the form of a little girl, she got that drunk look on her face. He managed to get away by repeatedly using his black energy to skirt around the castle, luring Renya to defenstrate herself. The window he managed to get Renya to fly out of was the place where he stood.


    Ichi immediatedly held his head, sinking to the ground on his knees. He regretted ever drinking and being taken in by the company and good food of the humble abbeyfolk and their simple ways. Ichi had no suspicion that Oni turned him into a little girl, instead, he blamed the drink. And upon further thoughts of shame and blaming himself wondering what his inner desires truly were, he blamed the drink. He also blamed Oni for putting the idea of manly man becoming a little girl. He didn''t understand he was correct to blame Oni, so he still blamed the drink more.


    After moping by the window, he easily undid Oni''s spell ''become a little girl''.


    Ichi''s ''form of bigfoot'' relied on his belief in the ideal masculine. A hairy beast that lives in the forest in pure contact with primal nature and physicality was a strong image for him. He spent a great deal of his life venturing into the forest to escape society.


    Becoming a little girl was in direct conflict with his values. His nigh boundless druidic ability didn''t even matter, as soon as Ichi was able to realize his situation he was able to return by using ''form of bigfoot'' and then undoing the transformation.


    However, the memories of the night remained. Ichi felt like he''d be able to become a little girl at a moment''s notice because of those memories, though he didn''t see where that would be useful.


    He patted himself down there to make sure everything was back where it needed to be. Ichi let out a huge sigh near the window in a state of undress, clothed in only a shirt.


    A maid with long grey hair and eyes and dark blue uniform glided past his fallen form. Ichi felt a soft tap on his forehead, and found himself fully clothed. He stood up, watching the maid''s back as she drifted past him, her hair blowing in the wind from the window.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Thanks." Ichi said. He adjusted his new black tie and blazer, assuming the nearest maid responsible for it.


    "Such is my duty, Master."


    The maid''s voice drifted to Ichi ears as if they were but a whisper. Ichi watched the maid dazed as she left at somber pace.


    Then, Ichi felt a tug on his clothes as a dirty Renya crawled from the open window, pulling his body and chucking madly. A delicate chop from the grey haired maid landed straight in Renya''s face and she crumpled to the ground.


    In the same moment Renya''s clothes were cleansed. The maid snatched Renya by the scruff of her neck like a stray cat and drifted away from Ichi carrying her with one hand with ease.


    "Please excuse this maid, Master, I will have ''this'' disposed of immediatedly." The grey haired maid said in a pleasant tone.


    Ichi froze for a moment in surprise, then another moment as he pondered letting the maid get rid of Renya, then his hand reluctantly caught the maid''s shoulder.


    "Stop. That- the maid with the cats ears is special."


    "Is that your taste, Master? I shall have another maid prepared with such a preference right now. They will be better behaved."


    "Ye- I mean," Ichi pointed at the girl held by the grey haired maid. "No, don''t kill Renya. She''s important. Dangerous, but, important."


    "You address this maid by name? I understand. So that is your relationship... I will train her, then, to properly serve."


    Ichi couldn''t disagree with the maid''s conclusion. The maid turned to go, sensing his acceptance. Ichi watched her walk away, and on impulse he asked the maid her name.


    She turned showing the side of her face to Ichi.


    "Head Maid, Fubuki, Master. I look forward to serving you."


    Ichi thought of the maids scattering wherever he went. This maid was different, her being head maid with that aura made sense to Ichi.


    "Then, Fubuki, would you also get the other maids to stop running away from me?"


    Fubuki turned her head and bowed slightly.


    "Please excuse them for now, Master. They are afraid of your presence. In time, they will be able to serve you."


    "My presence? Because I''m a man?"


    "Master''s dark energy appears as if it is a vortex reaching to the sky. Did Master not know of this?"


    Ichi''s eyebrow twitched. He figured at least Rikya would say something about it if she noticed. Maybe she thought it would be rude.


    "I didn''t know."


    "If Master seeks awarness of his appearance, or assistance with any task, Master may call upon me at any time. It is my duty to serve."


    Fubuki bowed again and left with the unconscious Renya clutched in her hand. Ichi felt relieved looking at her back.

 84-Maid of Solitude, Wavr

    Tama came back from the Spirit World with news. Myon and Syon were kept in a Tanuki Lord''s dungeon. The lord was one of Genji Danzaburo''s rivals to ruling the Tanuki in the Spirit World. The Tanuki Lord gladly accepted the rebels from the fox spirit kingdom. Tama said that "He was only too willing to do me favors." Ichi got a shiver down his back when he heard it second hand from Rikya.


    Still, when Ichi heard the situation he was raring to go. He wanted to talk to Myon and assess where he should go from there. His indecision over his feelings drove him to press onward. However, Rikya told Ichi that since there was a war going on between Tengu and Bakeneko for some reason, throwing rumors of sightings of darker than black golem entering a Tanuki Lord''s estate would attract unwanted attention.


    Rikya piloted Avalon to the outside of the Spirit Gate deep in the forests near the village. Oni departed to the Spirit World through the Spirit Gate to secure a route for them that would let them slip in unnoticed. Tama ended up staying at the Red Abbey, far from the castle. Fubuki heard from Ichi about ''the events from that night'' and arranged Tama''s lodging to prevent further incursion.


    Rikya didn''t want to admit it, but Ichi scared her. His overwhelming power and his dedication to her felt like they were too easily earned. Ichi was too convenient an existence for Rikya. Within a few days had made all long held plans of escape from her family come to fruition. She found herself enjoying Ichi''s company as well, which only made her worry more.


    She made sure her calm smile that looked like the still surface of a lake didn''t ripple around him. She grew wary of the new situation she found herself in, and pieced together what she knew from questioning Ichi.


    Avalon, a darker than black giant robot with a portal to a city hidden in a cavern hole in the cliffs of England. When Ichi gave Renya the title of ''Maid Knight'', he gave her access to Ichi''s needlessly abundant druidic energy. Renya used that energy to the fullest making Avalon, the portal to the cliffs of England, and her black domed lab where she set out to manfacture as many robot maids as possible.


    The Red Abbey and the castle stocked full of grimoires in that cavern hole were already there - leftovers from Renya''s family. If anything ever went badly for them, they''d escape to the cavern hole with the castle, forest, lake, and red abbey full of humble animal folk. It would be comfortable living. Renya''s family were all killed by Myon and Syon, so they never got to experience the luxury they created. Their wealth went to waste.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    When she happened upon the castle library full of grimoires, and she began to study in earnest, hoping to find out more about Druids and the Spirit World before they went. All of this was too much. She felt like she won the lottery. Rikya could spend everyday free to study what she wanted, instead of whatever her family would tell her to study.


    Ichi even stopped carrying around that strange sword he used in the fight against Scipio. Rikya got a bad feeling from it when she saw it in Ichi''s sash the last time they talked, so she felt some relief.


    Rikya would travel to the library every morning after eating with Ichi. Renya, for some reason, served her in a maid uniform, while Fubuki, an intense long grey haired maid, served Ichi.


    Rikya would then go straight to the castle library, but inevitably the robot maids would seek Rikya out, dressing her up, having conversations that could last hours, offering trips to the lake to watch the monster there, talking about eating at Red Abbey with her. Rikya had enough.


    Having only spent time around Tama and Satou since she came to the village, her heart pounded at all the robot maids talking to her. It was too much socialization for Rikya to handle. She pondered how to get the maids to stop bothering her.


    One robot maid caught Rikya''s eye. A tall robot maid with short blue hair and eyes that avoided Rikya everytime they met. Rikya felt that robot maid was strange- she couldn''t explain why. All the other maids made excuses to strike conversations with Rikya or stand silently by while she was reading and annoy her with their presence. Rikya would have to figure out tasks to get the robot maids to leave her in peace.


    Rikya eventually worked up the will to approach the blue haired maid and asked her to ward off all the other maids. The maid nodded almost imperceptibly, and before she knew it, the blue haired maid would follow her at a distance, intercepting all threats to Rikya''s solitude at high speed.


    The maid called herself ''Wavr'' and spoke only when spoken to. Wavr was terse and distant, expressionless, she melted into the scenery wherever Rikya went. Rikya thought she was perfect.


    The threat included Tama, who would sometimes storm the castle while drunk at all times of the day mumuring and drooling with her colorful outfit falling off of her body. Wavr would repel her in combat, which left a lot a damage for other maids to clean up. Rikya didn''t know, but Tama tried to contact Rikya from the Red Abbey numerous times sending paper messages with magic only for them to be intercepted and crushed by the blue haired maid.


    As her interest in Wavr and the surprising quality of the books in the castle''s libray She wanted to know more about Avalon beyond "Ichi did it" but with Oni gone, Tama busy drinking at the Red Abbey, and Renya being shadowed by an unapproachable grey haired maid, she had no one else to ask except Ichi who was maid hunting and running off into the forest at random times of the day.


    After five days, Rikya finally had it. She knew Renya knew something. She''d use Wavr as a shield to forestall Fubuki and get some answers out of Renya.

 85-Fubukis Duty

    By the sixth day, Rikya finally told Wavr her intentions. Wavr silently nodded and dashed off, homing into Fubuki as if she had GPS installed. Fubuki met her eyes and the two nodded and exchanged a pleasant conversation before Fubuki teleported three steps behind Ichi.


    "So, you were there, Fubuki." Ichi nodded.


    His surprise at Fubuki''s smell appearing right behind him out of nowhere got hidden by the meditative aura he cultivated.


    Sitting cross-legged in the dark forest loam near Renya''s Lab Ichi was training his mind in the silence, hoping to gain more control over his magic. Ichi''s night as a little girl freaked him out a little, and gave him a sore wake up call. Oni''s curse did it''s job, just not in the way it intended.


    Fubuki''s voice drifted to Ichi''s ear as if she was whispering to him.


    "Master, there is a request from the Witch. She wants to see ''that'' maid."


    Ichi''s mellow mood wasn''t soured. Fubuki''s voice could have carried death threats and it would only encourage him to think maybe death is a good idea. However, he didn''t like how she referred to his resident homunculus and cute guide. But, it was Fubuki, so Ichi let it pass like a leaf on the wind.


    "What my citizens wish is of no concern to me."


    Ichi said in a deep voice. He felt like talking like that around Fubuki. Regal, stately, like he was someone worthy of getting called ''Master'' by someone like Fubuki. Were anyone else there, he wouldn''t have done it. Having such a great sense of smell is wonderful if you don''t want to get embarassed.


    "Then Master doesn''t mind if they conspire against you? It is Master''s taste to ensure that those under him have great freedom, even if it leads to his demise."


    "They both have my best interests at heart. In different ways, but, still, my best interests lie in their hearts."


    "These best interests don''t appear to be within Master''s understanding. Shall I enlighten you as to their efforts lately?"


    Ichi nodded. Fubuki acknowledged the tip of Ichi''s head and continued.


    "The Witch scorns all efforts of the maids to care for her. She befriended the strongest evil maid, then she spent all day helping herself to Master''s property without informing him, learning powerful magics without supervision. ''That'' maid spends her time away from the castle. All inquiry into her whereabouts lead to her lying. She is distant while working, as if her attention is caught within endless daydreaming."Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Ichi muddled over Fubuki''s words.


    "That''s just them. Is there a problem with any of that?" Ichi asked Fubuki.


    "Master. What is your desire with those two girls?"


    Ichi scratched his head and blinked his eyes. He stood up yawning as he turned around.


    Fubuki''s solemn grey eyes and placid face didn''t seem like they were judging him, but Ichi felt wary under her gaze. If not for her beauty Ichi might have thought she was challenging him to become serious about his relationships with Renya and Rikya, but at the time his thoughts were only on Fubuki''s appearance and presence.


    Besides, Ichi comforted himself, getting serious with such strange people was weird.


    "Protect one, not suffer from the other."


    Fubuki nodded and closed her eyes.


    "Does Master understand his situation in full?"


    Ichi hand went halfway to his chin before falling.


    "Of course not!" Ichi said.


    Fubuki''s eyes met Ichi''s.


    "I understand. Then, I shall handle the matter myself. Are there any issues with that, Master?"


    "That sounds great, thanks, Fubuki. I suppose I''ve always been the type to shirk responsibility," Ichi palm rubbed the back of his head as he looked down. "I''m guilty."


    Fubuki stepped one pace forward. The hem of her dark blue skirt floated into his view.


    "There is no need to hold back on your desires around me, Master. I am not someone you should take lightly."


    Ichi looked up. There was a strange gleam in Fubuki''s eyes. Ichi couldn''t help but feel intimidated.


    "What''d I do?"


    "I am your maid, Master, to fulfill Master''s every desire is my eternal duty. If Master doesn''t communicate his desires to his maid in full, his maid will not be able to act properly."


    Ichi sighed looking at the serious maid. Her beautiful appearance and voice distracted him, Ichi forgot she''s a robot as well. If he doesn''t tell her his ''desires''? Which desires? All of them? Ichi thought of a way to make Fubuki happy. He wasn''t thinking of himself or his situation much at all, nor why Fubuki might be so concerned. Ichi had simpler matters on his mind: controlling his drudic abilities. Should he tell her that?


    "I want... Renya to be calmer, I guess. It''s be nice if Rikya were a little happier, she seems like such a serious person. Fubuki to be happy. For myself, I''d like to understand the full extent of my abilities as a druid."


    "Those are good desires, Master, but isn''t there anything more selfish Master wants?"


    "Sure. But, not right now. I can''t have you fulfilling every single desire I have, some things I have to do for myself, right?"


    "Then, Master desires my uninvolvement in... ''certain'' desires? I understand."


    With that, Fubuki disappeared leaving an afterimage in Ichi''s mind. Ichi had a bad feeling from the way the conversation went. Ichi was missing something, as usual. Perhaps he''d ask Rikya and Renya about it later.

 86-Discussion

    The castle garden bathed in silent moonlight as Fubuki stood behind Renya, and Wavr behind Rikya. Rikya and Renya sat across from each other, both averting their eyes from the other. Renya wore a labcoat and glasses. She was gunked with black goo when Fubuki found her but with a maid''s touch she was sparkling clean. Tea lined the table, both cups were poured with steaming tea but neither the sweating Renya nor the shaking Rikya.


    Rikya''s eyes moved to Fubuki, who nodded at her. Wavr guided her here, she had to talk to Renya, only, the discussion fell entirely flat for both of them. Neither wanted to make the first move. Since Renya came to the village two years ago Rikya hadn''t talked to her even once.


    Renya felt the same way. She avoided Rikya at all costs because of her reputation. The Burncastle family were famed manipulators in the Shadow Society. Although Renya herself had enjoyed playing manipulator at times in the past, she knew nothing of the depths of emotion into recently. Her merger with the stupid cat left her more irrational, more self-destructive, and easily swayed by her own impulses.


    The last thing Renya wanted was to meet with someone who had actual intellect, not to mention a mysterious intent. Her talk with Ichi felt shameful to her as she replayed it in her mind. Even Ichi managed to best her in her current state, she couldn''t put that thought down.


    Between that and Fubuki''s strict maid training and watchful eye she barely got any time to herself. Renya didn''t regret melting down the imitation wolf sword to make Fubuki, Renya regarded Fubuki as her greatest masterpiece in her life. However, she was losing steam quickly.


    Meanwhile Rikya had been reading all week and had severe information overload. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to Renya despite her curiosity about Avalon, but then Fubuki appeared and she got pulled into this situation.


    When Rikya called out for Wavr to stop Fubuki from dragging her away, they suddenly started an incredible fight, and Rikya had to shout for Wavr to stop. Rikya couldn''t believe that Wavr was so loyal to someone that she barely exchanged words with, and a glimpse at Wavr''s extreme level of magical ability dazed her.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Rikya didn''t feel she''d win against either of the maids. The pressure layered on with their gazes over Renya and Rikya.


    Eventually, Renya strangled something out for fear of Fubuki butting in.


    "h-hey."


    "h-hi."


    And then silence prevailed. Fubuki butted in after all.


    "The both of you, what are your desires with Master?"


    Renya spoke without reserve.


    "Make him suffer for my amusement. And then, meet some druids, maybe, if they come for him. Druids are interesting, too. Ichi''s interesting. It''s like love without love."


    She knew Fubuki well enough that trying to hold something back from her only encouraged her to move closer. As she spoke Renya felt like she was blowing out hot air.


    Rikya stared at Renya in surprise. Fubuki''s gaze moved onto her, and she quickly imitated Renya.


    "I want freedom. Ichi''s helping, so that''s... great." Fubuki''s grey eyes zeroed in on Rikya further. Rikya continued as she felt Wavr move closer behind her.


    "I''m grateful. Scared. But grateful."


    "Afraid?" Fubuki said in a light tone.


    Rikya nodded, and Wavr moved in front of Rikya silently. Rikya put a hand on Wavr pushing her to the side.


    "Of Renya. And you."


    Fubuki nodded, then bowed.


    "I apologize. It seems I have made an error. My wishes are my Master''s, and Master wishes for Rikya to be ''little happier'' and for Renya to be ''calm''. I believed it might benefit everyone if you got to know each other better."


    Rikya and Renya exchange eye contact for a moment before breaking again. Rikya went back to shaking more and Renya went back to sweating.


    The silence maintained itself until Rikya struggled out "I''m tired" to Wavr, who nodded at Fubuki with an expressionless face. Renya let out a big sigh at Rikya words. Both of them made brief eye contact again and shared an embarassed chuckled before they departed.


    Fubuki drifted behind Renya who made for her lab without reserve. She clutched Renya hand as soon as Wavr and Rikya were out of sight.


    "Perhaps we might have a discussion as well?"

 87-Fubukis Smile

    The curtains flew open in Ichi''s room, blinding him as he awoke. He was used to Fubuki waking him like this, but there at the window was unmistakably a dutiful looking Renya. She wore a black chestplate and sword at her side with a maid skirt with layers of armor across the sides.


    It''s not like Renya had any other matierials to create with besides Ichi''s ''black goo'', which Ichi wondered about as his consciousness pieced together reality. He sat up sleepily, rubbing his eyes and clothed in white pajamas that Fubuki kept heated and waiting for him before he slept.


    "Morning." Ichi croaked out.


    Renya bowed, mimicking Fubuki perfectly.


    "Good morning, Master."


    Ichi already felt like it''d be a long day. Not that he had much to do before he left the village, and after he came to Avalon was still wasting time in nature as usual.


    But, he had his limits. More like, Ichi knew this must be Fubuki''s fault. It didn''t occur to him even once that Renya was tricking him, or that it was possible she just decided to play along a little harder in her accepted ''Maid Knight'' role this morning.


    Ichi pieced it together within a few seconds of waking up. And the main reason was Renya calling him ''Master''. She used ''my lord'', and the Renya Ichi knew would never make a mistake, unless on purpose.


    "What''d Fubuki do?"This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Renya immediatedly froze. The dark circles under Renya''s eyes and the fear on her face told Ichi all he needed to know.


    "N-nothing."


    "I''ve never heard you stutter since I''ve known you."


    "It''s nothing, Master."


    "You''re very robotic this morning. I thought you were a homunculus? Aren''t you supposed to be more humanlike?"


    Renya sweated. A silver drop went down the side of her face. She didn''t look good. Ichi sighed and he talked her down.


    "I''ll take care of Fubuki. Please, go get some rest. You''re not yourself."


    Renya relaxed, and nodding, she smiled weakly and went for the door. Her hand stopped on the doorknob.


    "You shouldn''t take her lightly." Renya whispered.


    "Says the scaredy cat. Give me back the Renya who had no trouble beating me hand to hand."


    Renya turned the knob at Ichi''s words, pulling open the door. She gave Ichi a tired look and left.


    Ichi dressed himself, lead him down to the dining hall where Rikya was absent. Fubuki waited there with breakfast served silent and standing next to the table with her eyes closed.


    Ichi walked over to the table, kicking over the chair. Fubuki didn''t move, as Ichi expected. Ichi sat down on the fallen chair sideways crouching with he hands layered over his knees as he grabbed at Fubuki''s skirt. She moved just out of his reach in response. Ichi looked up at the long grey hair above him.


    "New rule: Don''t touch Renya or Rikya."


    Fubuki turned to face him, her eyes placid as they met his.


    "My efforts didn''t produce the result my Master wished."


    Ichi looked down and rubbed his face. That wasn''t the truth. Ichi didn''t take Fubuki seriously enough.


    "It''s my fault. You''re just a robot maid. I shouldn''t have left it up to you. Renya and Rikya are my, problems, I guess."


    At that moment, Ichi felt a chill down his spine as an aura of white entered his eyeline. He looked up to see a flowing white energy humming around Fubuki. It curved off into tendrils, a graceful sense came as Ichi viewed it, but it hurt him to look at, as if his eyes were blinded. He saw her smile.

 88-If you say things like that no one will understand you, you know?

    Ichi looked up at Fubuki, shielding his eyes.


    "Something strange about that white energy around you."


    As Ichi mentioned it to Fubuki, it turned off like a light. Fubuki looked at her hand.


    "Renya told me I was made from ''an imitation of the wolf sword'', yet something within me telling me she is incorrect. Both of us are mysteries to ourselves, Master, so your patience and virtue will be appreciated as I learn to serve you better. Renya also mentioned the same is true of another maid, she was also built of something called the ''orc sword''."


    Ichi thought of the blue haired maid he saw with Rikya. He told Renya to repair the thing, not turn it into a maid!


    He stood up off of the chair and apologized in his heart to Fubuki for his crass behavior. He let his anger get the better of him.


    "I''m sorry for being impolite."


    Then Ichi apologized out loud to Fubuki. A part of himself seemed to think apologizing inside his heart wasn''t good enough.


    Fubuki looked at Ichi silently with clear eyes, then nodded.


    "If my Master became someone more worth serving, I would be grateful."


    Ichi felt offended, but he didn''t disagree with her entirely. So he would disagree with her part way to save his pride.


    "Sorry."


    And yet what came out was another apology. Even though Ichi felt like he was in the right when he walked into the room, he ended up somehow feeling he was in the wrong. Fubuki''s a robot. He was expecting too much of her.


    Ichi shared an awkward breakfast with Fubuki standing silently by before he sought out Rikya. A blue haired maid attacked him with an impressive axe kick seeking to take his head clean off before Rikya came running to stop her.


    "Wavr! He''s one of the okay ones!"Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Wavr nodded and moved away.


    "She''s quiet." Ichi looked at the serene atmosphere Wavr generated around her. A maid like this came from the orc sword?


    "Very quiet. Are you okay?" Rikya eyebrows were knit together.


    Ichi shook out his arm he blocked the kick with. Good thing he had been training. Coating his arm with black energy was enough to take something as heavy as that.


    "Something strange about these maids." Ichi mused to her. "I''ll be fine. How''s it going?"


    Rikya averted her eyes and shook. Ichi didn''t like her looking like that.


    "Did Fubuki do something?"


    "No, no, nothing much..." Rikya said and yet her eyes were still dodging Ichi.


    It took awhile for Ichi to calm her down enough to have tell the truth about her meeting with Renya. He told her that he handled it already, and Rikya sighed.


    "She''s not a normal existence. I think she could even beat Morganth with ease. Wavr is the same."


    "Let''s just blame Renya''s mad sciencetist side for that. Moving out of the village was always going to be a period of... adaptation I guess."


    Rikya looked at Ichi.


    "I never thought I would have trouble a robot maid. I''m not in the Spirit World yet. It''s like you''re distorting the natural laws of the universe, or something. With your power, I wouldn''t be surprised."


    Ichi immediatedly felt like a bad person.


    "I''m sorry."


    "It''s not your fault!" Rikya''s hands went up as if to cover him.


    "Nah, it''s definitely my fault. I should have kept a closer watch on Fubuki."


    Rikya shook her head.


    "Now you''re being unreasonable. Even if I was that maid''s master, I am certain that I couldn''t handle her. It''s like she''s a druid or something."


    Ichi didn''t want to entertain the thought. Ichi and Rikya shared some time together and ate lunch. Fubuki was dismissed when she came by and Ichi saw Rikya get uncomfortable again. Ichi left her when he felt like she brightened up. He felt glad he checked in with her.


    As he was leaving he passed the serene blue haired maid. He wondered why she would attack him, isn''t he her Master? Ichi stopped and went back to the maid, figuring he''d better get it over with. Ichi didn''t want another surprise like Fubuki.


    "Wavr? Is it? Aren''t I your Master, isn''t it rude to attack me out of nowhere."


    Wavr looked unconcerned with his presence and speech. After several moments, a low answer drifted out.


    "There is unbalance. I sought to correct the distortion."


    And with that, Ichi turned and walked away. He had a smile on his face, glad that he''d chosen to leave that problem for another day. Oni was due to come back tommorrow, he wanted to check on Renya before that. He hoped Renya would be rested by then, as he sorely needed technical support.

 89-Avalon

    The black dome stood in the distance behind Ichi and Renya. They faced each other, Ichi tugging at his black tie and shedding his blazer while Renya wore full black armor. The maid skirt was gone, and Ichi felt glad for it.


    Ichi cricked his elbow and summoned his energy, shealthing his white shirt in a thin black aura. He held out his hands, making two fists.


    Renya closed the distance first, kicking Ichi in his head.


    "Wavr''s was better." Ichi said as he pushed it aside.


    He gave Renya a stiff front kick knocking her back. She twisted in the landed with all limbs to the ground before attacking again. This time, eight punches to Ichi''s flank and chest. Ichi saw four, so he blocked four. The rest hit, but Ichi didn''t move. Renya''s fist stopped on the black energy. She held it there pushing forward with all her strength.


    Ichi used his palm to tap her chest and she bounced back. Renya shrugged as she stablized herself, shaking her head.


    "It''s useless. Can''t I use the sword?"


    A black sword lay in a sheath leaning on a tree trunk. Renya looked at it wistfully as Ichi followed her eyes.


    "Renya, you might win you use that black sword. It''s only fair that the stronger opponent gets a handicap."


    "Aren''t you the stronger opponent?"


    Renya closed the distance in a moment and grabbed Ichi from a crouch, trying to toss him in the air. However, her arms looped around him and couldn''t apply any force. Ichi canceled her force with the black energy. She was clutching something that didn''t allow itself to be moved.


    "Usually, I''d go for an environmental attack here, but ruining the forest by picking up a tree seems useless as well."


    Renya said that below Ichi''s chest as she released him. In a series of quick punches Ichi tried to corner her, but her speed and sense for where his punches aimed left him hitting air.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "It''s a stalemate. How boring." Renya said.


    Ichi frowned as his mouth creased down. His punches didn''t even look like they were anywhere near her, as if she was swaying in the wind when he punched.


    "You didn''t get better, did you?"


    "Of course. I have the memories of my fight against you, against Myon two years ago, and recently fights against every maid."


    Ichi relaxed as he saw his hits not going anywhere. Renya kept learning when he was tired, Renya kept thinking when she was tired. There should be a limit to potential, shouldn''t there?


    He changed strategy, crossing his arms.


    "Okay. Then, Renya, can you think of a way for me to win?"


    Renya looked to the sword. Then, she pointed at it. Ichi shook his head.


    "I might actually win, if I used ''Flawless Strike''."


    "Then, how about letting me try my magic?"


    Ichi grimaced. He didn''t like the idea of taking the same attack again, that one where Renya sandwiched Ichi against Scipio, and then even went on to scratch Scipio himself.


    "What''s your magic called?"


    "''Derivative''. The portal to Avalon was only something I could make using it''s upgraded form. The ''Maid Knight'' title made it more flexible."


    Ichi scratched his head.


    "Alright."


    And with that the sword disappeared, and a hail of strikes like rain landed on Ichi. It felt unfair that he couldn''t even see Renya move this time. This is probably her serious speed. However, not a single strike could break through that unreasonable black energy. Renya spared the ground around Ichi as a storm of black with a dash of blonde hair blurred around him. Ichi felt dizzy and his heart pounded just watching her move, however, he could still watch.


    Renya stopped sheathing her sword as she walked a few steps away from Ichi, twirling her hands behind her back and above her white and black swishing tails. She leaned her head down in the full black armor that didn''t even have a glint to it in the sunlight.


    "More power. I''d probably need a druid-killer weapon, wouldn''t I? It''s unfair."


    Ichi expected this result. He left Renya a few days to recover. A week had passed and Oni didn''t return. Ichi wondered if he should decide to push ahead into the Spirit World, but Renya and Rikya hadn''t even mentioned it. He guessed they were both under enough pressure in Avalon already, where the only enemy was an obedient maid. Even though it was Rikya''s idea to take Myon and Syon hostage, she hadn''t brought it up even once, and neither had Ichi. Ichi didn''t like it. What was different from the village.


    Well, for one, maids.


    "Sword."


    Ichi held out his hand. Renya turned, and flicked the blade at him. It spun in the air as he snatched the handle, slashing forth.

 90-Hopefully

    Renya dodged Ichi''s blade as it blew pass like the wind. She stepped back, her hand going to her chest and tracing a scar in the black armor.


    "See? If you could cut through the armor made from the black goo, you could cut through me easily."


    Ichi swung his sword again neatly slicing through Renya armor on the back of her hand. He missed Renya''s skin perfectly.


    Renya examined the cut in the armor.


    "The accuracy is good. Mechanical, even. And this was done by someone without any mathematical knowledge. Must be fun, being a druid."


    Ichi shook his head.


    "Ignoring laws of world is great, but not knowing how to control it, not so great."


    Renya crossed her arms and closed her eyes, nodding at Ichi. The black dome in the distance towered over the two of them.


    They relaxed their stances. Renya undressed her armor as Ichi sheathed the black sword.


    The sun couldn''t be seen from inside the cavern hole of Avalon, but the light still made it in. Renya and Ichi entered the black dome. A green haired robot maid took Renya''s armor and Ichi''s sword. Ichi followed Renya through still robots sitting at their benches. Last time Ichi came here the place was buzzing, now the sound of silence filled the place.


    Ichi cocked his ear putting his hand to his head.


    "Nothing?"


    "Everything that''s working hard is on my the top of my neck."


    "That''s great. But, no more maids?"


    Ichi disappointment in his voice mirrored Renya''s tone.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "If I had better matierial, I might bother. I think I did the most I could with the black goo. So repetitive after making twenty."


    They entered a small room in the back with a light on and relaxed as the green haired maid pushed in a trolley. Ichi greeted her, and she showed a playful smile as she set down a covered pewter bowl in front of him.


    "Master''s favorite, tanuki hotpot." The green haired maid said. She lifted the top off and it was just noodles. Ichi''s chest sank.


    "Hifu, you have one right here, why didn''t you use him?" Renya said.


    "Then I''d be butting in. I''ll butt out."


    Hifu bounced out of the room with a smile. Ichi eyed her flapping skirt as he brought the bowl to his face to eat.


    "She''s cheerful."


    Renya stared down at her coffee and took a sip.


    "And carefree. Isn''t natural to want to hang out with idiots on purpose if you''re tired of being intellectual?"


    "That''s why I''m alive, I guess." Ichi chuckled.


    Renya carved up her beef liver, eating faster than Ichi thought was reasonable. If anyone else were here, they might say something, but Ichi politely reminded himself that ignoring her table manners would be best. She never seemed the type to take things slow.


    After they finished eating Ichi got around to his main concern: maids.


    "So... Fubuki..." He started trying to break through the topic of ''what happened that night'' without asking her outright, but the words didn''t come to mind.


    "She''s overpowered."


    "Ah." Ichi nodded.


    Renya scratched her neck with a finger as she looked away.


    "A maid''s lap is something that shouldn''t underestimated."


    Ichi immediatedly got the sense that he shouldn''t pursue the topic further.


    "And, battle potential?"


    "Oh, that? She held back when we fought after I made her. Her skill is high enough that she can hide it without effort, so she might be unstoppable. She was the second maid who held back."


    Ichi thought of the strange blue haired maid.


    "Wavr?"


    "Wavr. I thought the orc sword might turn out someone more rebellious. Instead, she''s like a lake. Strange words come out of her mouth. Hopefully, she isn''t insane."


    Ichi drank the rest of his noodle broth in abandon.


    "Hopefully."

 91-The Bakeneko Scourge

    Another week passed before Oni returned to Avalon from the Spirit World. He met Rikya and Ichi at the castle dining hall. The ceiling towered above them as Ichi sat at the head of the table with two small girls at his sides. Fubuki, Wavr, and Hifu stood near the brown double doors behind Ichi in a line.


    "So, no go." Ichi elbowed the table as he sank his cheek into his hand.


    Oni nodded with her arms crossed in front of her.


    "The city containing the other side of this Spirit Gate is overrun with bakeneko. The Tengu attacked their kingdom, scattering them. It appears that cat you spoke of that possessed you, Ichi, is the infamous ''cat of balance'' that sparked the conflict. She was a sacrifice to the Tengu. Without the sacrifice to the tengu, their public order was destroyed. The Bakeneko Kingdom surrendered instantly, but the taxes and penalties levied by the Tengu were too harsh."


    "And so now a bunch of stupid cat spirits are ruining everything." Ichi said.


    Oni nooded solemnly.


    "I contacted Satou as you requested, Rikya. The news is not good. Tanuki Lord Danberu closed his fort''s gates to the bakeneko, and now Satou and Rikya''s prisoners are surrounded. The bakeneko pillage anyone who tries to trade with Danberu. They raid his supplies by climbing over his walls when night comes. I established a supply line through a tunnel using my abilities, but it will not hold for long. The troops inside Danberu''s fortress have grown increasingly violent as their food and luxury has dwindled, more than a few times they opened the gates and fought against the bakeneko hordes only to be repelled."


    "How many are there?" Rikya asked.


    Ichi had already guessed as his head sank deeper into his palm. Oni sighed as he explained the depth of the issue to Rikya.


    "Uncountable. Bakeneko''s reproduction rate is unparalleled, so even if they are weak, when their social order failed, they became a plague upon the Spirit World. The Fox Spirit Nation on the other side of the Spirit Gate is no better than a warzone. I wouldn''t stop you, Rikya, if you were to cross the Spirit Gate, but I also would never leave your shadow."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Rikya cringed at the thought as a serious Oni challenged her. Rikya looked down shaking her head.


    "Satou''s in danger. If I did nothing, I would regret it. I owe Satou too much."


    "The Burncastle family will be hunting us down as well, Rikya. Avalon is on England''s coastline, so we are vulnerable."


    Ichi groaned. He realized the situation. Go to the Spirit World or not, either way the Burncastle family would be hunting down Rikya and Oni on Earth. However, Rikya brightened up.


    "I''m not worried about our family hunting us down anymore. Before I knew it, I made too many friends."


    Oni grimaced at Rikya''s comment.


    "You did face your father Morganth in combat, but that isn''t the full extent of the our family''s power. Surely you understand what is coming for us."


    Rikya gestured to Ichi and the maids.


    "I''m happier fighting with these people here. I won''t abandon Avalon because of the Burncastles."


    Ichi nodded his head at Rikya''s words.


    "So, you want to go into bakeneko infested lands to save Satou?"


    Rikya looked at Ichi. Her face froze as she considered imposing on him or not, but in the end Ichi spoke before she could.


    "Let''s go to the Spirit World. Slaugthering bakeneko sounds fun. We''ve got no shortage of battle power, not using it would be a waste."


    Behind Ichi the blue haired maid Wavr tugged on the green haired maids Hifu''s sleeve. She whispered incomprensible gibberish that if anyone heard they would think meant something about summoning the Old Gods. However, Hifu nodded along easily as if it were normal speech. Fubuki looked appaled by what she heard, but she didn''t stop Hifu from approaching Ichi.


    Hifu sallied forward stiff to Ichi''s side. She saluted, her eyes stern as she reported Wavr''s intentions.


    "Lead the charge, sah, Wavr wants to lead the charge, sah."


    Ichi nodded without turning. He tented his fingers.


    "Sure. Anyone happy to go knee deep in bakenekoes sounds good. She say anything else?"


    "Bakeneko burnt crispy and washed away in a floods will be a daily sight, sah." Hifu said.

 92-Bakeneko Lord

    Fubuki lined up the robot maids. The twenty robot maids stood equally spaced apart from each other, each given a weapon from Rikya''s Armory she stole from Syon. Each weapon the maids held was the former possession of someone worthy of becoming a target by the top Spirit Hunters on Earth. They could not be taken lightly. The maids trembled as Fubuki stood in front of them. She carried a katana talled than her in it''s sheath.


    Wavr and Hifu abandoned her summons for military training, and Fubuki wasn''t eager to chase after them. She was grateful her Master had the sense of responsibility of a walnut in times like these. She sensed a terrible chaotic energy from the two, hiding under their calm and cheerful atmospheres.


    Fubuki scanned the shaking maids.


    "Our Master has requested war. Our enemies are numerous. Before the sun sets, you will all be procifcient in the art of war."


    A maid objected, throwing down her sword. As she did, Fubuki pulled her katana enough to show a glint of steel. The maid scrambled to pick up her sword but her head was cut off by then. The sound of Fubuki''s sheathing sword left the maids silent and attentive. She pointed to a small maid.


    "Get this piece of junk to ''that'' girl. Tell her to have our soldier ready for training."


    The small maid squeaked and scattered as she collected the fallen maid''s head and body. Fubuki stared straight on at each maid, making them recoil.


    "If there is anyone who feels the same, let them speak now. I am happy to send you to ''that'' girl for repair."


    Each maid looked straight forward, masking their faces as best they could. None of them looked like they had any will to resist left. The training continued deep into the night.


    Meanwhile, Ichi visited the Red Abbey with Oni and Rikya. Ichi couldn''t believe his eyes when he saw Tama.


    She was happily chasing after animal children with a smile on her face. Her extravagant clothing was gone, replaced by a simple volumious habit. Ichi noted that it wasn''t enough to hide her breasts completely, but it gave her indomintable appearance some well needed counterbalance. Tama looked like a normal woman.


    Ichi fell to the ground is despair. Rikya rubbed Ichi''s fallen back.


    "Why..." Ichi gasped out on the ground.


    "She''s just playing. After ten thousand years of deception and power games, there''s no way she''s changed her tune now." Rikya said, comforting Ichi.


    Oni herself had fallen in with the children, his entire atmosphere of respectability gone as he acted like a little girl. Even though he looked like a little girl, it warped Ichi''s perception to see Oni actually playing the part. He removed himself to the kitchens, Rikya accompying him. There, they saw Hifu and Wavr who were discussing something in-depth with a large brown hare and an old mouse.


    "Desolation and death await." Wavr said.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    "There might be an attack from scary people, in that case, run run run." Hifu clarified.


    The old mouse wasn''t having it.


    "We won''t abandon the abbey!"


    And the brown hare had to say his piece as well.


    "Just a nip to the mountain and back and I''ll have ten score fighters ready to take on any nasties you''ve got coming."


    Wavr shook her head.


    "Very weak, shadows take spirits fastidiously." Wavr said.


    "Each enemy is worth a hundred hundred score of any fighters you have! They have powerful magics, poooowerrrrfulll maggiiicsss." Hifu wiggled her fingers with a forboding face at the brown hare.


    Rikya and Ichi walked past them into the kitchens and asked for something to eat from friendly looking mole. Rikya couldn''t understand the creatures speech, but somehow Ichi did. They tucked in to some steaming vegetable pie with greensap milk, Ichi using his hands while Rikya ignored him and used a plate, fork, and knife.


    "Better to keep Tama here to protect these people, right?" Rikya commented.


    Ichi laid back in between wolfing down chunks of the pie. He half burnt his tongue. That didn''t stop him for long. The maids at the castle could cook, decently, but he got thought that he should send them here to train.


    "Definitely. Perhaps this is for the best. I was worried she''d be trouble."


    "Even as her friend, I think she''s trouble. Ichi, you''re much worse, but at least you''re loyal." Rikya poked her portion. She was already full.


    "It''s just some stupid cats. How bad could they be?"


    Meanwhile, in the Spirit World, at the pinnacle of the city of Prsuka in the Fox Spirit Nation where the Spirit Gate linked to, a bakeneko walked down the streets at night. His two thick grey blue tails swished as his shadow caused fox spirits to shut their windows in fright. One of his eyes was covered in a white eyepatch, he wore a blue robe, and at his waist a katana and wakashazi were sheathed.


    A small gang of bakeneko leapt out from the shadows, surrounding him and snickering. A short fat black one waddled forward


    "Nice swords you got there, mind if we swung them around? For the rest of your life, which won''t be long!"


    The bakeneko with the white eyepatch met eyes with the fat one.


    "You are a disgrace to our people with your crude speech. If I need to kill you all to make you quiet in death, I will do so."


    The fat black cat sneered at him. He felt a strange aura from this cat. His thoughts of thievery and violence fled upon hearing his voice and seeing his posture.


    "Who do you think you are? The bakeneko lords have fallen! There is no one who can restrain us now, all we have left is to fight to the bitter end and take what we can from others, freely! Aren''t you the same?!"


    "I am Avar. I have restrained myself. I will not bring misery to others like the likes of you." The grey blue cat drew his katana.


    The fat black one had already noticed it. All the bakeneko surrounding Avar noticed it as well. This bakeneko, he had the aura of a bakeneko lord. None of them could believe it. The fat black one questioned his instincts, before he shook his head and bowed, touching a paw to the ground.


    The bakeneko looked at the fat black one in disbelief, then nodded to each other and bowed as well.


    Avar couldn''t believe his one eye. It swished around at the stupid cats, thinking they had all gone insane.


    "What are you all doing? It''s as if you''ve all decided to become respectable! This is impossible!"


    In the night, the fat black cat looked up at his new lord, his new bakeneko lord. That aura was unmistakable to someone who lived for a hundred years in the service of former bakeneko lords.


    "I am Tufts. There is an army to gather, a nation to conquer, and you will be the one to rule it. I will see to it."

 93-Stupid Cat(s)

    Rotten wood stunk the air as the darker than black giant robot moved.


    The Spirit Gate to Pruska stood outside of Avalon. Located deep in the forest hidden away from the village Ichi got spirited away to six months ago, it was an old shrine covered in a thick carpet of vines and trees. Inside the center doors a blue light pulsed along the rotten wooden floors and walls. The darker than black giant robot Avalon towered outside of it with glowing red eyes.


    It walked into the center of the shrine, cracking off the top of the roof. A small blue portal with marble buddha statues sat in front of the robot. The robot dived in headfirst. What was a black shape disappeared into nothingness, leaving behind broken buddha statues.


    Inside the cockpit of Avalon, Ichi stood watch as Rikya piloted the robot effortlessly. He gagged remembering the last time he tried it. Renya said something about how it might have something to do with the black goo not reacting well with Ichi. Since the entire robot was made from his black energy combined with Renya''s alchemy, and all the maids were made from black goo as well, Ichi excused himself for the sour situation before.


    He wasn''t good with girls, or robots. Robots was just another item to add to the list. As Rikya made the robot dive into the blue portal, Ichi swore he''d learn something, somehow. He reminded himself helpfully he did ask Fubuki about the druids. That was a start. Renya did give him some pointers as well.


    Ichi guessed at it, but sometimes it''s better to go ahead. At least he had already decided to go ahead anyways.


    Then the inside of the cockpit turned into a washing machine, tumbling Ichi around like a ragdoll. He was glad he had Hifu and Wavr wait outside the portal to the cavern hole on the beach. A blue sea of energy surrounded Rikya and Ichi. The robot from the inside was transparent to both of them. Rikya shielded her body as Ichi flopped her way, and Ichi activated the black energy pushing himself to a wall of the cockpit he couldn''t see.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "Sorry." Ichi said to Rikya as he waved his hand at her.


    Ichi laid against the wall as Rikya gave him awkward looks as if asking if he was alright.


    "I''m fine. Just, bad position."


    Rikya silently accepted Ichi''s explaination. She sensed through her mental link to Avalon that she could fly even in this blue energy sea, but her instinct told her to let the Spirit Gate guide them.


    If they plopped out anywhere but Prsuka because of her, Rikya would feel guilty. And if they didn''t save Satou, she''d feel guilty, and she also felt guilty about having Satou capture Syon and Myon. All of that guilt stewed in her as she stared into the swirling blue energy.


    A pinprick of white light opened ahead of them. It grew larger as they approached, swallowing the robot. White blinded Ichi as he toppled to the floor of the cockpit, leaning on the side of the wall as he tried to stand up. His head swum as he breathed hard. Rikya waited for Ichi to recover, thinking it better to spare his pride than to ask if he was okay again.


    "Can they come in now?"


    "...yeah."


    Ichi''s response came as his eyes opened. He heard a strange wavering in Rikya''s voice. In front of him, hundred of tents and fires spread out leading to a city of colored stone. Walking everywhere he looked were cats. Standing on their hind legs, wielding spears and swords, quarrelling over food.


    Ichi heard the steps of the maids behind him. He turned around to see the green and blue hair walk past him. They stood in front of him. Hifu tapped the side of the wall and the robot opened, becoming solid again. She turned her head to Ichi with a smile as Wavr stood next to her silently.


    "Numbers of the buggers looks bonkers. Could use a thinning up of the species, I''d say. Clean up this mess, sah?"


    Her cheery tone and accompying salute didn''t match the feeling in Ichi''s stomach. He took a look at Rikya who nodded solemnly. It was Ichi''s call.


    Looking between the maids skirts blowing in the wind he saw a scarred eye cat lower his spear and start hissing at them. The cats around abandoned their tents, grabbing weapons and hissing as a crowd. Ichi''s heart leapt at the sight of the numbers.


    "Clean up these stupid cats."

 94-A Big Blue Bulb Swimming with Stupid Cats

    The maids leaped down to meet the charging cats with ease. Ichi slapped the button to close the hatch as he saw Wavr hold her palms upward and balls of water floated above them.


    "Will they be alright?"


    Rikya''s voice drifted to Ichi as he saw Hifu''s body glow light green and disappate into the wind.


    "It''s just an army. Let''s get out of here."


    Rikya nodded at Ichi. The hatch closed and for an instant they were in plunged into darkness before the inside of the robot became translucent again. It was less than a couple seconds for Ichi and Rikya, yet they were clearly now underwater.


    "Woah."


    Rikya looked up at thousands of cats and tents and everything inside swirling up towards the sky. The light from the sun of the Spirit World blinded her as it cut through the top of the depths of the new river. Ichi was caught in wonder as well. He snapped out when he realized his maid just drowned him in water.


    "That''s a sight. Hifu said she''d catch up to us. Should be a straight shot from here."


    Rikya shifted Avalon in the water, turning on the flight. She felt her own magic activate, as if the machine acted as some sort of conductor. Crackles of black lightning snapped from the back of the machine and turned into flapping wings. They burst straight toward the light, a herd of cats bashed onto the front of the robot like mosquitoes as Rikya took them out of the water.


    She looked down at the massive droplet of water below. Ripples crested and released around the entire blue bulb on the landscape below her. She saw trees and dirt whirling around the water in the wind.


    "Amazing."


    Rikya stared at the destruction. She mourned the cats for a moment out of respect. Then she pulled out the map she cajoled out of the motherly Tama, and took off for Tanuki Lord Danberu''s fortress, checking the crudely scrawled parchement as she did.. She heard Ichi musing to her about their plan.


    "Prska is overrun, so since Wavr and Hifu agreed to clean out all the cats to restore the region, it''s best to start there."


    "Then we''ll wait at Danberu''s place for Wavr and Hifu to finish up cleaning out Prsuka to take out the bakeneko laying siege."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Ichi shook his head.


    "No need. I''ll take care of them."


    Rikya raised an eyebrow. There wasn''t talk of that detail when they were discussing a well thought out and sensible plan that involved long term thinking and strategy. However, she felt it common for Ichi to Ichi things, so she let it slide. The only sensible thing to do was to let it slide around him. That did nothing to dispel her worry though.


    "Are you sure you don''t want a sword?"


    She whipped out a small golden scroll. The Armory Myon and Syon spent many years collecting weapons of power in Rikya had gladly distributed to the robot maids. She even gave a beautiful one to Fubuki who made her nervous just looking at her. The smile Rikya got in return was worth it, but it bothered her that Ichi didn''t even bring the subject up with her.


    "Oh, that. I forgot to tell you, didn''t I?"


    Ichi placed his hand on his black blazer. Rikya watched with surprise as his hand melted into the chest pocket, pulling out and showing her the handle a black blade.


    "Oni showed me some shadow magic. I managed to learn how to store a little in my pocket, it only works on pockets though. I asked Renya for one of her stock black goo blades she used for training with the maids."


    Rikya scanned the horizon. Sure enough at this speed she could already see the landmark mountains to left of the sprawling wooden fortress.


    "Wouldn''t a magic blade be better? I''ve got so many of them, I doubt I''ll ever be able to sell them even if I tried..."


    "Nah, I''ve got enough trouble with the power I do have, I don''t need even more. Plus, stolen goods shouldn''t be sold off so easily. How about giving them back?"


    Rikya laughed as she zeroed in on the fortress, making her final run to land. The soldiers there would undoubtedly be in for a surprise.


    "If I thought I could survive Syon and Myon I wouldn''t have stole them in the first place. What if they get out of Satou''s magic? I''ve been worried about that since I met them. I knew Satou could counter them, but I didn''t know what to do after that..."


    "Ah, don''t worry. It''s just some girls. I''ll take care of them." Ichi said, blowing it off. He didn''t believe it, but he said it anyways.


    "They''re Tengu. Usually, Tanuki and Tengu don''t mix together well."


    She landed Avalon in the center of the grounds. Tanuki immediatedly grabbed their weapon and surrounded the darker than black giant. Ichi tapped the open switch, opening the hatch a crack so he could slip outside.


    "I''ve got Renya. If I can''t think of something, I''m sure she will. Stay in Avalon until I get back, alright? I want to make sure these furballs are trustworthy."


    Rikya grumbled at Ichi.


    "But, I''m sure I could take them out. I''ve learned a lot of magic in the last couple weeks too, I''m no pushover!"


    "Yeah, but these are tanuki, not cats. I''ve got a bad feeling that they are much more dangerous. They do remind me of me, after all, and I''ve been doing pretty well lately. Seeya."


    Ichi slipped through the hatch as Rikya gave him a quick glance and shut the hatch behind him. Ichi walked into a circle of spears, pulling out the black blade from his chest pocket. The tanuki shouted at him, and with a wave of his sword it blurred, snapping every spear pointing at him in half.


    "Rude of you all to greet a fellow tanuki at spearpoint. Where are your manners?"

 95-Danberu

    At the center of Tanuki Lord Danberu''s fortress his soldiers piled onto Ichi. Black energy wrapped around his body and Tanuki went flying, transforming into birds in mid-air and winging out of the way. They shouted curses at the usually strong bastard flumoxing about. Despite their furry bodies of all shapes and sizes trying to pin Ichi down he easily repulsed them into the air.


    "Pile on! Pile on!"


    The Tanuki quickly went into a frenzy as they turned into elephants and strange massive beasts and flung themselves onto Ichi. Looking up at the sky full of Tanuki trying to crush him with their weight he sped out from under their plunging bodies. The thuds landed behind him and in front of him as he dodged around what falling Tanuki he could in all different forms.


    A giant squid thudded on his head. Luckily he had the black energy to repel the massive squirming beast. Ichi didn''t think they would be that aggressive from the start. If he wasn''t a druid, he would have died instantly from even one hit. Ichi let loose, forming a sphere around himself. Avalon was still at his back, Ichi feared he''d knock the bloated Tanuki forms into it and hurt Rikya inside.


    He stood there with the sphere up as elephant men and racoon-dog pounded on the outside. Ichi shook his head at the sight, hoping that his stupid amount of black energy would be enough to keep him alive.


    Then Tanuki started peeling off, one by one massive fat tentacles roped around each soldier ripping them off of the black sphere. Ichi saw the beast towering above him, an Elder Kraken. As the last of the tanuki pulled off, the Elder Kraken turned into a Tanuki in golden robes.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Ichi had gotten used to seeing animal people since he spent time in the Red Abbey, but this Tanuki stood at least half his height higher than him. The big fat body and bulging eyes looked unreal as the Tanuki approached him.


    "Please excuse my troops. They were always rowdy, but they have gotten rowdier. I am Tanuki Lord Danberu. You are Ichi, Son of Danzaburo, yes?"


    Ichi took down the black sphere and nodded at the Tanuki.


    "Those are quite potent abilities you have. Surely a lesser Tanuki would have died! I apologize. I had spread word that a black golem would be appearing thanks to that ninja girl Oni, but it seems that didn''t deter them."


    Danberu sneered at his troops. They scattered, turning into mice and birds in packs and flocks as they vanished into buildings.


    "Ruling Tanuki is more about cleverness and strength than authority. You''ll never tell a Tanuki what to do and have them do it, unless they''ve already decided it was a good idea. Care to come inside?"


    Ichi didn''t feel safe bringing Rikya with him. Satou though, she took out Myon and Syon. She also had that ''druid-killer'' weapon that Ichi made.


    "Is Satou around?" Ichi said warily.


    "Ah, distrustful, are we? No matter. She''s watching the supply line the ninja girl set up for us. Stern girl, Satou. Come with me."


    Danberu turned and Ichi followed. Better to get an idea of what Satou thought of the Tanuki here from her mouth than Danberu. The welcome wasn''t pleasant.

 96-"let the little girls act as slaves like any sensible person would."

    "No," Ichi said. He couldn''t believe the sight. "This is wrong."


    "Is that your pride speaking, Ichi Danzaburo? This is how the Shadow Society operates. Using ones magic to the fullest, even if it''s like this, is natural. Plus, it''s cost efficient. If I had Oni''s ability..."


    Satou slavered as she looked down at the little girls who formed a procession under her. She stood on a wooden platform, wielding the white druid-killer blade Ichi made from Scipio''s sword. The white sword looked like an instructor''s baton as she directed little girls wearing large brown sacks as clothing to put down supplies. Then, the little girls stormed back into a tunnel from which they came, as more hustled out carrying supplies.


    Ichi couldn''t believe it. Oni had said something about creating a supply line for Danberu''s fortress, but he never expected it would be a bunch of little girls and a small tunnel.


    Ichi looked at Tanuki Lord Danberu who towered behind him with confusion. Danberu stared back at him with bemusement. Finding no ally in his fellow Tanuki, Ichi turned to the authoritarian Satou.


    "But, these are little girls. You can''t use them for freight! Those Tanuki are strong, why can''t they turn into little girls and use the tunnel to get the supplies themselves!"


    Satou laughed mockingly from her high position as she directed a girl covered in dirt to drop a sack of rice onto an ever growing pile.


    "This is Oni''s magic. He can make anything become a little girl. All of these girls you see," Satou waved her hand over the crowd of hustling delivering girls, "they were all pebbles, barks, leaves, and dirt. They will return to the dirt from whence they came, when their duty is done."


    Ichi doubled over and genuflected in front of Satou. He didn''t want to accept this culture gap. Sure, Ichi was from the city and they did things differently there- but this was too much. He was only in Avalon for about three weeks. Three weeks of freedom from any and all responsibility. Not that he had that much even in the village with Grandpa, Ichi solemnly realized.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    And yet, not only in that time did Renya submit to him by becoming his ''Maid Knight'', he also realized that he became the lord of powerful maids. Even someone like Fubuki acknowledged him as ''Master''.


    Ichi''s head raised up as he stared at the little girls busily packing the food stores with Satou''s supervision. This is too far. Ichi could only repeat that in his head as he watched the little girls.


    He couldn''t handle it. No- he didn''t want to handle it. Not like this, whatever he needed to do, he didn''t want this! Ichi stood up.


    "This is enough. This ends- now."


    Satou looked at Ichi with disgust as if he were disrupting her production line.


    "Don''t let your pride get in the way of profit. The Tanuki here may seem like a peaceful enough lot, but they are at their limits. If nothing is done, they will crack open the walls and plunge themselves in the bakeneko waiting outside- to die pointlessly. Do you know how many died recklessly rushing out trying to slaughter all the bakeneko? Idiots like those Tanuki are responsible for their own death, but if you have any compassion for them, you will let the little girls act as slaves like any sensible person would."


    Ichi''s mind froze at Satou''s words. He remembered his first smartphone dying on him once. When the smartphone was updating, he turned it off. Ichi turned that smartphone off solely because the screen told him not to turn it off! That ended that smartphone''s life. Ichi looked to the ground.


    "Then, how about if someone killed all the cats? Normal trade would have to resume."


    Satou chuckled at Ichi and got back to supervising the little girl. Danberu walked in front of Ichi, blocking out the sunlight with his massive brown furry form. He shook his head at Ichi.


    "You are not from this world, but, I suppose it is natural to think poorly of us for exploiting these creatures that you regard as children for their mere appearance. However, as a Tanuki yourself, surely you understand how little appearance means. You can change your form at will. There is no need to care for these beings. They are just magic."


    Ichi heard his thoughts retorting Danberu that he was just magic too. A druid was a being of magic- and yet he was treated as someone worth talking to. This Tanuki Lord didn''t know what he was talking about. Ichi reached into his chest pocket. He pulled out the black blade Renya gave him, swinging it free.


    "I''ll be back soon. One hundred, or one million dead cats is fine too."


    Danberu''s massive paw slapped onto Ichi''s shoulder like a weight.


    "Can''t let you do that, Ichi Danzburo."

 97-"Let me be stupid, or Ill become even stupider!"

    Ichi turned to Danberu as he knocked the paw on his shoulder aside.


    "I have limits. This is my limit. If I have to cut through you to get out of here, I''ll do it. Let me be stupid, or I''ll become even stupider!"


    Danberu stared silently at the small young tanuki below him. He knew little about Ichi, but Danberu''s experience dealing with roughhousing tanuki informed him of the proper choice. There were no end to tanuki who had no sense of seriousness in their speech, who thought nothing of others and spoke out of turn ignoring the atmosphere of the situation entirely.


    Moreover, Danberu mused to himself that he had no responsibility to the son of Danzaburo. In fact, he was aware of his own hatred for Genji Danzaburo, and he had transferred that to his son on first meeting. Since Danberu knew he felt that way, he acted polite on purpose, despite Ichi tossing his beloved troops like rag dolls.


    His mind moved to Ichi''s words as well. ''I''ll become even stupider''. This is a rash youth, of that Danberu had no question, however, in this case, it would be the wise decision to let him make his own mistakes. Danberu remonstrated himself sliently for attempting to control someone he barely knew. He let out a long sigh.


    "Do you mind if I accompany you? I am worried for your safety."


    Ichi balked at Danberu''s unexpectedly calm response. He was half sure the next action Danberu would take was a fist to his face. No luck, huh? Ichi just about wanted to spit on the ground out of spite, before realizing that he was literally wishing to fight someone who looked like they could crush him if they rolled over in their sleep.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Ah... sure. Guess I lost my head there. The," Ichi gestured to the little girls, "slavery got to me."


    "We all have our faults. Come, let us clear out some of those bothersome furballs that occupy my lands."


    Danberu started walking towards the fortress walls, Ichi following behind him after a startled start.


    "Aren''t you a furball as well?"


    "One worthy of not being referred to as a mere furball, but still a furball, I suppose."


    Danberu grinned as he turned into a massive four winged beast. The lower part had the black and red stripes of a tiger, and the upper part and wings burned with flames. Danberu took flight, and Ichi turned into an eagle to follow. He marveled at Danberu''s form. A phoenix tiger? Either way, he wanted to learn that one. Maybe the elder kraken form too?


    Ichi silently said yes to himself. The Elder Kraken brought back memories of that night. That was a fun night. At the time, it felt like it would never end and he was sure he should have died, but looking back on it let him feel glad.


    Danberu''s phoenix flames cracked sparks into the air as they soared over the fortress battlements. Looking down, Ichi saw the bakeneko camped outside. A mountain towered nearby. Scanning the area, his eyes caught sight of a waterfall near the foot of the mountain, a small skirmish between bakeneko had broken out.


    What drew Ichi''s eye was one of the bakeneko. With his eagle vision he saw the cat clearly. A white eyepatch, and in his hand a katana.


    Though surrounded, bakeneko fell one by one with clean strikes. The effortless movement entranced Ichi. His curiousity peaked, he flew near Danberu''s side, pointing with his eyes towards the waterfall. Danberu gave a nod in response, and the two of them winged toward the fighting cats.

 98-Fast Loss

    The grey blue bakeneko with two tails slashed through his opponents with ease. Each strike seemed measured and practiced, as if Avar had done it a million times. The cats opposing Avar ringed around him, goading and jeering at each other to charge to their own death. Every couple seconds a stupid cat would lose to his own instincts and charge, only to be neatly cut and land on an ever growing pile of dying and dead.


    As Ichi drew closer from above, he felt a strange sense looking at Avar. It was as if a sense of duty was instilled in him, like he was looking at someone who was his leader. Ichi shook his head as he landed between Avar and the cats surrounding him. Twirling his black blade Renya gave him, Ichi faced Avar.


    Both Avar and Ichi spoke with their swords. They struck each other. Ichi unleashed his Flawless Strike aiming for Avar''s head, but it didn''t even clip the cat. It was as if Ichi''s cut wasn''t even aiming for Avar. Ichi couldn''t explain the sensation of missing, but he did feel Avar''s sword bury into his gut.


    The thrust took Ichi by surprise. The cold steel in his belly flickered out as soon as it entered. Ichi fell to the ground, his consciousness fading.


    Ichi realized he didn''t even have time to bring up his black energy barrier. He realized he didn''t even think of it. His mind swum in signals telling him he was dying he changed to eagle form. Ichi took to the sky again.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    To Danberu and the crowd of cats it was less than a couple seconds. They saw a brown blur drop from the sky, a glint from Avar''s swinging sword, and then an eagle flying weakly away. Avar flashed his sword again as a cat charged his back attempting to ambush him.


    There wasn''t even a missed step in Avar''s movement. If someone were to only look as him fighting it was as if he expected that an eagle might come and turn into a human and attack him with a black blade. However, Avar was silently baffled by the attack. He kept swinging his sword at attacking cats, hoping the fools would accept defeat eventually.


    Ichi glided into tree branches and transformed back to human form, his hands rubbing over his stomach in shock. He pulled his white shirt out of his pants and gave the bare skin a close look to make sure he blood was still there.


    Danberu landed at the foot of the tree in his phoenix tiger form, staring up at Ichi as if waiting for his next move. Ichi sighed as he let his body sink into the tree. From a distance he watched the bakeneko lord Avar fighting a defensive war against countless enemies.


    Ichi moped over the attack he just took from that strange white eyepatch cat. He could activate the black energy barrier and try again, but the memory of the pain stung him. His ability to heal when he change form was the only thing that saved him. He might as well have died. And, Ichi thought, that was only a single bakeneko.


    He realized that all the other bakeneko were clearly losing to that strange one, but Ichi fixated on beating that strange one. He didn''t have much of a plan. He thought he didn''t need one. Ichi leaped out of the tree down to Danberu.


    He nodded to the phoenix tiger and set off to fight, this time he swore to himself, he''d be more careful.

 99-"This is dumb."

    The ring of cats jeered at each other as they lost steam. Their will to fight was draining fast. The corpses around Avar were too many. Even the bakeneko, of all shapes, sizes, and experience in combat, began to understand they couldn''t win. At first, this caused them to yell even harder at their fellows to get them to attack instead of challenging Avar themselves.


    All of the cats understood at a glance. This was someone they shouldn''t be fighting. However, that only drove them on. Their instinct was to ''obey'', and the majority rebelled against that notion. Some of the bakeneko even kneeled. Then, Avar gave them orders to go to a cave. The group peeled off at Avar''s orders, including most of the older bakeneko. It was as if they became his servants. To the bakeneko, they could only think of it as some kind of foul magic.


    The older ones among them that camefrom the Bakeneko Kingdom understood what Avar was. They were to either submit to Avar''s rule or leave. The social order of the bakeneko was simple. The bakeneko lords have ''authority'', and certain bakeneko will follow them blindly. Old bakeneko knew it was useless to convince the bakeneko that rebelled.


    Even though Avar was told it was useless to convince them, he thought a demonstration of his ability might be enough. That lead to the unfortunate slaughter.


    The bakeneko lord Avar, who only a week ago considered himself a normal cat, had become accustomed to sudden kneeling. It was strange. He was young himself and avoided other bakeneko like a plague, so why did it become like this? No amount of thought solved the problem. Swinging his sword however, did.


    Avar shook his head as another one charged. The herd of cats cheers began to die down. Silence covered the field as they noticed silence filling the air from others. Bored looks were traded between the cats. They began to flake off from the group in pairs then packs. Avar stood amongst the corpses thinking about proper burial rites when that human came back.


    The human wielded a strange black blade that had no reflection of light, as if tar had been scrapped across the metal.


    Avar had only heard stories of humans while he was living in the chaos of the city of Prsuka. They had less fur than he imagined. Avar avoided slightly as Ichi''s sword struck out to a point just outside of Avar''s side. Avar could only wonder what Ichi was aiming at. Each strike seemed to carry such power and precision, as if they were all intended to fell an enemy in one blow.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Not a single one was accurate. Not a single one hit. After a flurry of strikes which blurred before Avar''s eyes into a black mass, he decided to stand still to test a theory.


    Again, the strikes rained on everywhere in the air but his body. Avar chuckled as he enjoyed the wind the strikes blew on him.


    "Human, this is some impressive swordplay. If only you could impress me to death, then there would be no need to cut me at all."


    Ichi''s face soured at the comment. A black energy blew out from his body, knocking corpses into the air. Avar shrouded himself in a golden aura, but it wasn''t necessary. The black energy didn''t even push on his body. Avar''s eyes watched as dead leaves around his feet didn''t even swirl.


    Avar felt offended. This was clearly a superior opponent. He would need to use magic to contend with that black energy, he would need to put some serious thought into his sword strikes if they were aimed at his body.


    "Are you even trying? Or, is this an introduction?"


    Avar could only think Ichi was joking or trying to communicate something through this fight. This must be how humans communicate? Then, should he respond?


    However, Ichi was trying his best. He couldn''t see what he was doing wrong. Even if ever strike and wave of black energy missed, he clearly targeted each one at Avar.


    "This is dumb." Ichi said.


    He changed to bigfoot form and Avar let out a note of surprise. The massive hairy fist stopped just in front of Avar. Ichi could feel his large muscles, his entire arm, pushing against the air, and yet there was nothing there stopping him. To test, Ichi aimed a punch near Avar instead of at him. It hit the dirt just fine.


    Ichi stepped back, grabbing a clump of the ground and heaving it at Avar. However, Ichi must have thrown wrong. The dirt swerved mid-air as if he really aimed somewhere else.


    Ichi turned back into human form sneering at the grey blue bakeneko. Avar returned his stare with amusement. His one golden eye shimmered as he drew his sword. A thunderous voice hit the both of them from above.


    "Stop."


    A flaming phoenix tiger landed on Ichi like a rock. Danberu transformed back into his massive tanuki form, picking Ichi up by the scruff of his neck. Danberu moved his face close to the human in his grasp, asking the only question possible.


    "What are you doing?"

 100-baka baka

    Ichi couldn''t give Danberu an answer. It really was one stupid thing after another with him. The pattern of nothing going how he planned began to dawn on Ichi like the rising sun. Was there any escape? At least a solution that didn''t involve continuing to rely on Renya or Rikya. He fell into a dreamlike state of fantasy, wondering why he came to the Spirit World in the first place. If he could do it all again, with the knowledge and abilities he has now...


    Well, he wouldn''t have Avalon if he didn''t ''win'' against Renya. Really, that settled that matter. Involvement with Renya was a must, Syon and Myon, however...


    And that was Ichi''s thinking as he stared blankly at Tanuki Lord Danberu.


    Danberu noticed the shellshock Ichi was experiencing at a glance. He had seen many green soldiers charge into battle only to come back nursing serious wounds to both their body and pride. Other tanuki would take great merriment teasing the unfortunate soul, but Danberu was different.


    It could also be said that the reason Danberu was able to hold his position as Tanuki Lord was because he was different. And he threw great parties.


    But that was far from Danberu''s mind as he studied the blue grey bakeneko. Danberu placed Ichi down like a glass doll and approached Avar''s striking range.


    Avar didn''t flinch despite the tanuki''s gigantic weight thudding near him. He got a sense that Danberu was sensible, and Danberu himself had the same sentiment.


    Besides, Danberu felt something familiar about this cat. He couldn''t say what. Avar greeted Danberu as he approached while sheathing his sword.


    "I sense no bloodlust in your posture, Tanuki. Your bearing is impressive, if only there were more spirits of your caliber then I could take life a lot easier."


    "Thank you. The same seems to be true of you. All bakeneko I have met of this new breed are nothing but thugs, however, you are acting against your own kind. As the ruler of that fortress over there, I am grateful for your service in ridding my land of needless pests."


    Danberu''s stern glare didn''t phase Avar in the slightest. On the contrary, Avar was too busy relishing in the fact he met a tanuki to bother to be concerned. However, the tanuki''s words rubbed him the wrong way.


    "Wouldn''t you say that it is their behavior that is needless, rather than their lives?"Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Danberu looked around at the ring of cat corpses lining Avar''s position.


    "From where I am standing, their lives appear to have much less value to you than to me."


    Avar laughed, his paw going to the back of his head unconsciously.


    "I''ve only got one trick when it comes to dealing with others, and it''s at swordpoint. So please, excuse me."


    Danberu''s face softened.


    "I am Tanuki Lord Danberu. Your name?"


    "Avar. I was told I am a Bakeneko Lord, though it is a mystery how I achieved such a title."


    Danberu stroked the bottom of his maw.


    "Then, how do you know? ''Bakeneko Lord'', I thought it was a legend."


    "I have had many swear fealty to me, on sight even, they immediately obey my orders, while others attack. One bakeneko called Tufts claims to have been in the service of a bakeneko lord for years, he has been guiding me, though I am ignoring his council..."


    Danberu reassessed the situation as he continued his questioning. He was dealing with a bakeneko who could control other bakeneko, but would cause other bakeneko to fly into a rage. After a few minutes of conversation with Avar, he resolved to meet with Tufts. Going straight to the source would be best.


    Manipulating Avar became an intriguing prospect in Danberu''s mind.


    Ichi, however, was lost in frustration. He followed behind Avar and Danberu, Avar giving him looks and comments as they made their way to a cave in a mountain. Avar hoped to find out about Ichi''s strange attack, but even Danberu dissuaded him from asking.


    In Danberu''s mind he thought Ichi was just unwilling to kill. In Ichi''s mind, he could only think that this was somehow Syon''s fault. He knew it was irrational to blame her, but his sour mood didn''t allow him much freedom of awareness. Like when he found out when he was a druid, it was another stupid thing he didn''t know about himself.


    As they reached the cave Ichi began to think that maybe he ought to get used to it. After all, he wasn''t Renya, who could solve any problem and then be busy thinking about the next one. If he asked Renya straight about it, would she be able to figure it out?


    A short fat cat with white paws greeted them at the cave entrance. He kneeled before Danberu.


    "Pleasure to meet you, Lord. I am Tufts, the guide and servant of the latest Bakeneko Lord, Avar."


    Danberu probed Tufts for info and Avar nodded at Tufts to explain further. Avar didn''t have much of a connection to his title besides recognizing that he should at least be responsible.


    "So, these Bakeneko Lords were all killed by the Tengu, and that had the effect of unleashing the rapid growth and migration of the bakeneko across all nations in the Spirit World. However, it isn''t possible for a Bakeneko Lord to exist without a supposed ''cat of balance'', is that correct?"


    Danberu summed up what Tufts told him, however Tufts shook his head.


    "It is unknown how a bakeneko attains the abilities of a Bakeneko Lord. Some say that is it a matter of character, spirit, or magical might, but all of these have been disproven. The ''cat of balance'' is an existence that is sacrificed to the Tengu. The Tengu have always threatened war if current ''cat of balance'' is not sacrificed. It was a mystery even among the Bakeneko Lord I served. When the ''cat of balance'' went missing the Tengu killed all seven Bakeneko Lords at once."

 101-The Massacre Begins

    "Stupid cat."


    Ichi muttered to himself. He hadn''t heard a word of Tufts and Danberu''s conversation. Ichi could smell a massive herd of cats deep in the caves.


    Danberu concluded his important conversation with Tufts that lead him to strategic plan to strike back against the wild bakeneko with the help of Bakeneko Lord Avar. He turned to see how Ichi was taking this all in, but he didn''t see him there.


    Sometime during the conversation, Ichi had drifted off. Avar caught the Tanuki Lord looking around for Ichi and told him what he saw.


    "Your strange human turned into a bird and flew off."


    Danberu considered thousands of possibilities, such as the ''cat of balance'' being in Ichi''s possession according to what Oni said, that once Ichi learned of Avar''s true identity that he was now moving to secure his position. Danberu face screwed up in thought as he considered Ichi''s next move.


    Surely, he was dealing with an unprecedented situation. Ichi''s disappearence came at a weird time. Danberu''s mind raced like a storm to consider what Ichi could possibly be doing. Ichi''s strange little girl Satou had shown up out of nowhere with fox rebels and two tengu prisoners, the two of which appeared to be connected to royalty. Then, Ichi''s strange little girl Oni had shown up out of nowhere to relieve their supply issues with his strange magic.


    Danberu hadn''t considered that this was entirely outside of Ichi''s control. Nor did he consider that Ichi was upset over being unable to hit Avar for a mysterious reason.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    At the end of Danberu''s thinking he could only think to regroup at his fortress. Avar told Tufts he''d be going back with Danberu to plan the next phase of their plan. After all, Avar had agreed to be the lure for the bakeneko herds outside of his fortress. Those who kneeled to his rule would join Tufts in the cave in the mountain north of Danberu''s fortress, and those that didn''t would be culled to reduce overpopulation.


    It was a good plan that, while their would be ample sacrifices, would also spare as much life as possible.


    It was also a plan that Ichi didn''t hear at all.


    At the same time that the reasonable and calm headed Bakeneko Lord, his trusty experienced servant, and the Tanuki Lord were discussing the best possible outcome, Ichi the Lord of Avalon was busy killing bakeneko en masse in the forests below.


    Trees fell like leaves in the wind as Ichi''s black blade slammed through trees and cats all the same. Moving through the forest as if he was a blur, a camp of bakeneko would be merrily cooking that nights dinner, speaking of life and sharing stories of the future and of what they would name their children, wiping sweat off their brow after a day''s hard labor of hunting or fishing.


    Then they would all be dead very quickly.


    It would be inhumane if they were human.


    But they were just stupid cats to Ichi.


    Ichi stopped near a stream to drink, taking his black blazer off and tearing off his black necktie. He hadn''t noticed, but white energy surrounded his white shirt. The black stick formerly merged with Ichi''s heart laid in grass nearby, yet black energy still surrounded Ichi body and sword.


    Ichi hadn''t noticed the black stick was gone. Like the white stick that he last saw on Scipio''s back, the black stick as well was left behind as Ichi charged forward, decapitating an attack herd of cats in one strike. A tinge of white energy spilled across the blade black.

 102-An Unexpected Invitation

    Avar rode ontop Danberu in his phoenix tiger form. They surveyed Ichi''s rampage from above. Neither was quick to leap down to the cat''s aid. Danberu had witnessed Ichi''s magical power three times now. Certainly the son of someone as foul as Danzaburo. Going forward, Danberu would have to tread lightly.


    Avar thought Ichi''s behavior was strange. After talking to Danberu, Avar believed the bakeneko that kneeled before him would survive. And yet Ichi had run off. Avar made a mistake assuming that Ichi was Danberu''s soldier. Going forward, Avar wanted to know more about this powerful opponent.


    Avar''s right eye under his eyepatch tingled in the wind. He took off the white eyepatch revealing a dull golden colored iris. It tracked Ichi''s movements carefully. The landscape, the corpses and how they were cut, and a suspicious black stick entered his view.


    "Memorized." Avar said under his breath.


    He replaced the white eyepatch on his head, brushing it over one of his tall grey blue ears. The wind buffeted him as he looked toward Danberu''s fortress in the distance. A smile covered his face. The sun began to set over the horizon, covering the land in burnt orange.


    His first flight, and it was on the back of a Tanuki Lord. Avar thought it might easily be his last. Using himself as bait so that he could save as many bakeneko as possible was his idea. Avar looked down at Ichi slashing down cats to his heart''s content.


    That lust for battle excited him. Perhaps he''d ask for a match? A serious one, this time.


    Before the sun set Danberu landed in the center of his fortress. Another strange human with a long dark blue dress and grey hair waited next to what appeared to be a massive black statue. Avar jumped off landing on two paws as Danberu changed back into tanuki form.


    Fubuki walked up to Avar and bowed.


    "Come with me."Stolen story; please report.


    Despite her servile bow her tone was strict. Danberu backed off immediately, acting like he had better things to do. That maid looked like a lump of trouble to him. However, on the other hand, Avar-


    "Alright."


    Quietly accepted as his heart pounded in excitement. To anyone looking at Avar they would see a stern appearance and nothing more. Meanwhile, Avar couldn''t wait for what was next. Fubuki lead him into the statue.


    Danberu slunk off to the kitchens. He hoped that Avar would show himself tomorrow. He wouldn''t be surprised if his entire force had abandoned the place and were now knee deep in bakeneko, fighting their hearts out, only to come home moaning about how many there were. This must be yet another cog in Ichi''s master plan. Danberu sighed.


    In the forest at the foot of Danberu''s fortress night fell, shrouding the trees. Ichi slew another herd of bakeneko within minutes, but he could still smell more and more. The scrapes covering his body from the cats who managed to damage him with magic or bows cut through his clothes.


    Despite his black energy shield, it wasn''t as easy as he thought to maintain it against so many opponents. A strange white energy had appeared the more cats he killed, but instead of being able to control it, it interfered with his usage of the black energy.


    He sat down hard on a tree stump he fashioned during the fight. Ichi pushed away a dead cat with a spear, giving himself some more space. The cats wore him down. Granted, Ichi had taken their lives. If they hadn''t at least injured him this much it would be an insult to their memory. Ichi looked at their corpses, thinking that it was a shame they couldn''t win.


    The screams of "Monster! Monster!" and "The Demon has come! Shoot him! Shoot him!" damaged his spirit as well. He began to think of the bakeneko as more human the more he killed. Mostly because they weren''t that much different.


    But, they were spirits! That''s what he told himself as he continued. Plus, he told Rikya he''d get it done. It was weighing on his mind, like they were married and he promised to take out the trash for her.


    Ichi began to think this wasn''t that great an idea after all. After all, isn''t this mass murder? There had to be a better way. Ichi had skipped out on Avar and Danberu''s conversation so he had no idea that there was a better way. During his rest, a group of enterprising cats ambushed him.


    Arrows peppered into his back, meeting white energy covering his shirt head on. The arrows stayed glued to Ichi''s back, unable to penetrate. Ichi swiveled around, completely unaware of what just happened to his back.


    He rose with his sword and got back to work.

 103-Hormesis

    In the night, cats yowled at the moon. The sound chilled Ichi to bone as he came upon the next encampment.


    He slunk away after observing their activity in more detail than he would have liked. He fell against a tree, the arrows glued to his back snapping off like twigs. Ichi stared in silence at the broken arrows.


    So, that was how there were so many bakeneko. Ichi let out a curt chuckle. His hands crept to his face and rubbed himself in silent contemplation.


    The moon was full tonight. The bakeneko were busy. Ichi may have cut them down en masse easily during the day, but to interrupt what they were doing right now and attack?


    He was at his limit. His mental state was. He hadn''t even noticed that he had arrows on his back, nor the white energy shrouding his white shirt. He was already burnt out over the massacring, so why did this have to happen next?


    Another stupid event occurred yet again. Ichi was still sore over taking a sword to his gut. He reflected he should be glad, after all, people normally just die from that.


    Ichi realized his power allowed him to continue surviving choices that would normally get him killed. When he attacked Avar twice to no avail? When the tanuki dogpiled him when he arrived? When he attacked Scipio? When Renya toyed around with him?


    All of them lead him further towards stupidity. There had to be a better way of surviving than this. After all, wasn''t Renya nice enough to make him robot maids? Even though it left a bitter taste in Ichi''s mouth remembering it.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    He''d pull back for now. Crying like a bitch before Rikya sounded like a promising option, however he didn''t think his pride would allow him to do that. Crying like a bitch before Renya? Ichi smiled at the thought. She''d enjoy that. At least he could make someone happy.


    Ichi called out for the resident taxi of Avalon. She did say call her anytime, anywhere. Might as well go for it.


    "Fubuki."


    Ichi caught her smell three steps behind him. Teleportation is amazing. Fubuki is amazing. This kind of convenience in travel technology should be spread across the world, and then, humanity could rise to the stars...


    Ichi retched a little as he looked at the moon, remembering someone disgusting. He rose and Fubuki glided up behind him, replacing his clothes in an instant. Ichi adjusted his new black blazer as Fubuki showed him a pile of arrowheads cupped in her hands.


    "A busy day at work?"


    Fubuki''s light comforting tone gave Ichi the sense she was watching the whole time. He didn''t feel like checking it, but his instinct was yelling at him that it was one hundred percent on the mark.


    "Just playing around." Ichi was quick to downplay events. "Thanks for coming. These cats... behavior... became too much to bear."


    Fubuki nodded with understanding. Just looking at her face made Ichi feel like he was home. Such was to be expected of a maid of her caliber.


    "Beam us out, Fubuki!" Ichi said excitedly.


    Fubuki silently didn''t understand, yet she acted anyways, interpreting via context that he wanted to go home to Avalon.


    She put her hand on Ichi''s shoulder. With a flash of grey the two disappeared.


    The yowling cats would live to die another day.

 104- Bugged

    Avalon was shrouded in darkness. Fubuki teleported him right outside Renya''s black dome. Fubuki bowed, her hair gleaming in the moonlight.


    "There is a matter that must be brought to your attention, Master. Please bear with us."


    Fubuki''s somber tone was enough for Ichi to take her seriously. He followed Fubuki as she showed him to Renya''s small room in the back of the empty black dome. He saw Avar with his eyepatch off relaxing with Renya. It was only logical for him to become upset. However, Ichi wasn''t logical.


    He sat down next to the two of them as they ate. Ichi grabbed some food for himself, thinking calmly of how best to approach the situation at hand. There were matters to clear up, weren''t there?


    First,


    "How''d you even get here?" Ichi grunted. He attended to his noodles rather than challenge Avar directly.


    Avar''s relaxed tone only left Ichi reeling in simmering anger.


    "Isn''t this my lodging for the night? I have to say, this is a wonderful place. The strangeness of humanity, aliens from this ''Earth'', is beyond my comprehension. I have much to learn."


    The laugh Avar let out at the end made Ichi consider attacking him. However, Fubuki was right behind him, he felt that it would be rude to betray her intent.


    Ichi looked to Renya with a sharp gaze instead.


    Renya shrugged.


    "Someone has to be responsible about information gathering. This is another world, you know? Going in without intelligence means that spying is the most responsible thing to do. Especially if someone were to run off into an vast army thinking he could cut them down."


    Ichi''s face soured as he began to understand the situation from her perspective. It was a rash decision on his part, that dawned on Ichi in the coming moments as Renya continued.


    "When Rikya came to me in tears I knew something was wrong. That wasn''t like her at all. It''s lucky that Fubuki was watching you with magic, or this situation might have easily spiraled out of your control."


    A tight grin stretched across Ichi''s face. He didn''t think he had it in control in the first place. But still, Avar? Avar?! Here?! Ichi shook his head trying to dispel his doubts.


    "And so, that''s why I brokered a deal in your place with Danberu while you were out having fun. He planned to go on the offensive tomorrow with Avar''s troops coming from behind, I offered support from our faction as well. Danberu didn''t seem happy, but he accepted."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Renya went on to explain about Avar being a Bakeneko Lord, and how Renya and Fubuki agreed that keeping him as their pawn was the best strategy, and how Avar agreed because of his interest in Avalon. Ichi sat in silence, waiting and listening for the part where he would get to ask the question he really cared about.


    "So, you saw me fight Avar, then?"


    Renya smiled at Ichi''s question. It was natural for her to predict where his line of thinking was heading, straight for a brick wall. She let Ichi continue.


    "I really, really tried to hit him. It was like he had a barrier or something." Ichi looked suspiciously at Avar. "You have a barrier? That''s not fair."


    Avar shook his head.


    "All of your strikes lacked will. They had force, focus, but, no will. If a strike from a sword doesn''t hit, it''s about as good as flailing around like an idiot."


    Renya basked in the moment as Ichi rubbed his head with both hands. Ichi''s muttering encouraged her, but she didn''t see much of a future in delaying the inevitable. Renya looked to Fubuki looking sternly on. If only she wasn''t here, Renya could have dragged this out for much longer.


    "I figured it out from third party reports by Fubuki and Avar five hours ago."


    Ichi groaned as he buried his head in his hands. He wondered if it was right to ask the answer from her or not. Either way, he was sure that she didn''t want to tell him. He remembered his thinking on the battlefield with the bakeneko. At least today, he could make someone happy.


    Ichi raised his hand like a stop sign, got up, and walked out. His parting words rang out to Fubuki, Avar, and Renya.


    "Nevermind. Fubuki, see that tomorrow''s battle goes well. I''m going home."


    Renya''s laughter filled the black dome as Fubuki looked at her master with disapproval. Avar looked back and forth between the two as Ichi slid out of the place.


    "Shouldn''t you, as his retainers, teach him how unskilled he is in magic?"


    Renya already explained why Ichi''s attacks that wouldn''t hit to Avar. Ichi was new to magic. She surmised that Ichi simply lacked the will to cut Avar down. For whatever reason, Renya could only guess.


    She had no idea that Ichi''s magic ''Flawless sword'' was based on his image of a samurai cutting down an enemy in one strike. Avar''s attire was that of a samurai complete with a short sword and he had the bearing of one as well. Ichi saw Avar as a real samurai cat. However, Ichi didn''t believe he was able to cut a real samurai, and so, his magic obeyed his thinking without his awareness.


    Renya smiled at Avar.


    "I follow my lord''s orders to the letter. He seems tired. Wouldn''t it be better to let him rest?"


    Fubuki glared at Renya. Renya knew that Fubuki wouldn''t let Ichi stay ignorant, but Fubuki was bound by her master''s orders. Furthermore, Fubuki was puzzled as to why Ichi wouldn''t push for an answer. His desire to grow was there, what happened?


    She decided to put the matter aside for now. The next day would be a busy one, after all. This was not the time to contemplate a small matter.


    However, it was only Fubuki who thought it was a small matter. What Fubuki observed next from Ichi made her blood run cold.


    A small white moth clung to Ichi''s clothing. It was Fubuki''s bugging magic, perfect for a maid to keep watch. Fubuki saw Ichi alone, a strange smile on his face.


    Ichi walked to the castle in the distance under the moonlight. A hearty laugh echoed into the woods, scattering small animals. Ichi held out his hand, feeling a white energy flow across his hand.


    "I''ll get him. Next time, I''ll get him."

 105- The Cat in the Cage

    "This is humiliating." Avar said.


    In the center of Danberu''s fortress Avar was trapped in the center of a hastily fashioned cage made of wood. Tanuki danced around the bottom, laughing to themselves as they imitated worshippers. They prostrated themselves around him in a circle, calling out names to the ''Bakeneko Lord''. The last of their food and drink disappeared as they had an impromptu battle feast.


    Danberu buried his maw into his paw as he watched them. Tanuki weren''t known for discipline. In the spirit world, ''discipline'' was a foreign word to most who called themselves ''soldiers''. Danberu had learned in his youth of Tengu society and how they achieved dominance over every other military in the spirit world. He only needed to look over towards his own fortress gate to see a shining example.


    Robot maids with somber faces evenly spaced apart from each other. Each were wielding some weapon he could only stare slack-jawed at, some of the Tanuki around him stared as well but soon left to join in on mocking the ''Bakeneko Lord''.


    Renya and Fubuki stood in front of the maids. Fubuki stood behind Renya, watching her back.


    "I am open to the idea of murdering all the tanuki. Would you mind taking the blame?"


    Fubuki watched the back of Renya''s head as it shook up and down. Renya''s cat ears and twin tails twitched.


    "It''s more efficient to wait. It makes sense to wait. A pincer attack with Avar''s troops against superior numbers is a good idea. It''s what I believe anyone experienced in war would do, and yet..."Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Her voice trailed off. Renya was struggling. She really was struggling. Fubuki and Renya agreeing was rare. Even now, what held Renya back was that she was sure that Ichi, who was moping around in bed in Avalon, would certainly be upset if they killed tanuki.


    She wasn''t even sure Ichi would be fine with killing at all. When Rikya came crying to Renya about Ichi launching himself into the massive cat herd attempting to take them all himself, she found herself surprised.


    Renya thought it was reasonable to assume command after hearing about Ichi''s impulsiveness. Even Fubuki had silently agreed for some reason. A long sigh came out of Renya, her bodies perfect posture failing.


    "Okay. Let''s just, attack."


    Fubuki heard Renya''s order loud and clear.


    "Forward!"


    At Fubuki''s yell the maids bounded over the fortress walls. Scatters of blood and cat''s yowling filled the air. Renya turned away from the fortress gates, wandering towards the tanuki. In her hand she gripped the black blade.


    Danberu''s eyes went wide at the sight. His allies patience with his soldiers had broken.


    Renya walking alone towards the tanuki with her sword at the ready made Danberu throw caution to the wind. He tracked Renya''s direction straight to the cage Avar stood in. Did she want to capture him herself to give her troops the tactical advantage of a Bakeneko Lord?


    Either way, if the cat in the cage was gone so was her motive. Danberu changed to the form of an Elder Kraken, knocking his own troops out of the way. He snapped the cage up in a tentacle and bounded over his own fortress walls himself. Some tanuki even knocked aside their food and drink and scrambled after the bakeneko lord in the form of birds. The rest of the tanuki were either too drunk or too full to move.


    Renya stopped as she saw Danberu move out. She put a hand over her eyes and leaned her head back, thinking she should have just threatened them with violence earlier. Renya lifted her hand off of one of her eyes, staring at the tanuki left behind.

 106-Was Not Thinking

    Danberu strode about the battlefield in his Elder Kraken form, waving the cage holding Avar in his sprawling tentacles about as if it were a lantern to ward away the stupid cats. Bakeneko below him kneeled in groups, they kneeled in scores, and Avar looked upon the still cats in the chaos of the battle frantically shouting orders to escape to the mountains.


    The maids moved in a pack, orderly, bunched together as they butchered countless foes, as Fubuki kept a close watch behind them. She hadn''t even drawn her sword.


    Each of them held a weapon that was the spoils of war from some of the greatest of Earth''s modern warriors. All of them came from the Armory that Syon and Myon that Rikya stole. A golden scroll full of looted weapons from their fallen enemies.


    Rikya armed the robot maids of Avalon by her own choice using the Armory, and now the unfortunate packs of bakeneko were driven by magical beams of light, flurries of snow and needles, caught by plants, and crush by upraising ground.


    An enterprising blonde maid broke ranks and charged forth, hoping to kill as many as she could herself. Fubuki appeared in a grey flash at her side as she ran, neatly tripping her and circling her arms around the maid''s waist. Fubuki gripped the maid and gave her a brisk german suplex. The maid bounced off the ground as the other maids watched on in horror.


    The bakeneko herd gained ample time to run from the oncoming maids. They had stopped their march and watched as Fubuki picked the blonde maid up like a doll and placed her back in her rank. Fubuki scanned the line, meeting each maid''s eyes individually before she gave the sign of to advance by raising her arm and showing a closed fist to them.


    Avar could only stare with indifference as he watched the maids march relentlessly over his kind. Their magical weapons were akin to fireworks in his eyes, the blood and corpses a mere afterthought A normal bakeneko might be drowing in terror and despair and running, but Avar could only watch on with glittering eyes at their performance. He had his white eyepatch off the entire time.


    His ability in his covered eye allowed him to copy the rules behind his opponents attacks. At least, that was the homunculus he met last night explained to him.


    The cage jostled in the air and shook Avar from his fascination with the maids. He faintly noticed another pack of kneeling cats and put strength into his voice.


    Danberu let out a stentorian roar, charging in the opposite direction from the maids brutal efficiency. It didn''t even occur to Avar that Danberu could be afraid. Afraid of what? Of these mighty beings that looked like something out of a picture book?Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Avar watched as the bakeneko left. It would be another matter to sort out which of them was truly loyal to Avar or not after the cleansing ended. However, that matter wasn''t in Avar''s mind at all.


    Meanwhile, back at Danberu''s fortress, Renya tossed the fat lazy tanuki sitting out of the fight like footballs over the battlements. She buried her sword in the ground, thinking that if Ichi happened to ask what happened she could say she was motivating the tanuki. He''d let it pass. For whatever reason or the other, Renya assumed that she had free range to disobey Ichi as much as she liked.


    But that didn''t mean that Renya wasn''t thinking of Ichi''s feelings. Rather, she thought a great deal about Ichi''s feelings, and she found the image of driving Ichi to kill Danberu and all the tanuki himself as much more amusing than taking out her rage on them for disturbing Renya''s first tactical posting.


    She gripped drunk tanuki by it''s tail and swung it around throwing it over the battlements like a baseball pitch. To her surprise, the tanuki cheered. One even strode up to her asking to go next, waving his tail in her face. Renya''s fist sunk mercifully deep into the tanuki''s maw. She heard a crunch. She decided this one didn''t count if he died or not.


    The matter of her performance wore on her heavily as soon as the tanuki toppled to the ground.


    "No, Besides, isn''t it, Fubuki! Fubuki is the one leading the maids! It''s not my fault. It wasn''t my fault!"


    If anyone was watching they might think she was upset. It turned out someone happened to be, but he was busy being amused by Renya.


    In the eaves of a barracks a grey haired fox spirit smiled at the girl''s behavior. The bags under her eyes and her behavior charmed him, however he had a greater interest in her black and white tails and ears.


    "Is that the ''cat of balance''? Possessing a human?"


    Beside him, a fox spirit whispered, "Tamamo no Mae''s shikigami said to stay away from the beings from the black golem. It is not a matter of our concern. For us lesser beings, the only contribution we can make to her efforts will only interrupt her masterful plan."


    The grey haired fox spirt doubted that. He said nothing. If he did, he''d be ripped to shreds by his own brethren within an evening. Their loyalty toward Tamamo exceeded his expectations. He silently watched Renya''s rampage, hoping to grasp some information of worth. There is always opportunity for profit.


    Back in Avalon, in Ichi''s castle quarters, a lump shifted under the covers. Ichi slipped out from under the cover to the carpeted floor, letting his body roll and smooth out. His boxers and white shirt functioned as pajama wear in this situation. Gradually, he lazily moved his body toward a wooden stand. His hand gripped the wood and his body lifted itself, a white energy pulsing along his hand. It shifted color.


    Ichi wearily trickled out of the room, his hair a mess, in a state of total undress, as he descended from the empty castle.


    It was time, he thought, to try piloting Avalon himself.


    Of course, had he spoken to anyone about it before hand they would have disagreed and suggested he either rest or man up and join the fight. However, that wasn''t what Ichi was thinking at all.

 107-Masters Impromptu Nap

    Already the cats were in full retreat, their strong instincts to charge to their deaths overridden by the maid''s show of force. Fubuki stopped and tapped two forefingers to the temple of her head. She checked on Ichi, just in case. Her fears were confirmed as she saw images from Avalon in her mind. Ichi appeared on the verge of making another stupid decision.


    For Ichi''s sake, Fubuki had bugging magic on his shirt. She was always watching him through magic white moths that would blend in on his white shirt that Fubuki dressed Ichi with herself. Fubuki found herself in the position of correcting her young Master''s mistake yet again.


    On the field of battle the robot maids milling herds of cats to bits saw Fubuki''s form blur.


    Ichi lazily crawled in a state of undress towards the cockpit. He felt a sharp pain in his neck and blacked out. Fubuki made sure that Ichi was within the cockpit itself before she ended his errant desires with a sleep aid performed by her hand. She decided to have some choice words with Ichi after the battle.


    Fubuki teleported back to her maids, glad to see that they hadn''t broken ranks in the couple seconds she was gone.


    Her joy at her good work soon went to waste. The sun glinted off an orb of water floating in the horizon. Fubuki frowned. That was Wavr and Hifu''s magical combination. They were returning from Prsuka. She didn''t require backup, especially from the likes of Wavr and Hifu. Fubuki didn''t have much of a choice in the matter since killing them would be against her strongly held beliefs as head robot maid.


    She calmly turned her attention to the battle at hand, snapping a bakeneko''s neck that got too close. It was time for her to act. Before Wavr and Hifu would have a chance to make a mess of her cat cleansing, she''d finish up.


    "Aggressive stance, break ranks! Squads Alpha through Delta, clean as you will."


    The robot maids were overjoyed as they broke off in packs of five and fanned out over the cat herds. At Fubuki''s side a katana taller than her appeared and floated, as if waiting.


    She dashed off into the forest surrounding Danberu''s fortress, disappearing in a flash grey and appearing in one of the hundreds of spots she marked the night before. Each spot had a white moth she placed there to monitor the bakeneko''s movements.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Fubuki appeared next to a group, and turned her head to the sword beside her and nodded. The sword unsheathed itself, floating as it swept down on a cat herd bisecting them from the waist up. The sword whipped backward through the air neatly sheathing itself.


    It took barely a second, but as Fubuki disappeared only cat corpses were left littering the forest grounds.


    Back near the fortress Danberu in his Elder Kraken form sluggishly put the cage holding Avar to the ground. The maids ran out of his view when he wasn''t looking, so he took the liberty to shift back to his tanuki form. Danberu acknowledged he feared that the stern grey haired maid might come over and snap him in half if stopped for a rest in her sight. He sat on the ground hard next to Avar''s cage, sighing among the bakeneko squished under the bulk of his Elder Kraken form.


    Danberu''s mental faculty began to return. He assessed the situation as he sweated from exertion .


    His force of tanuki were struggling against a small pack. They were already showing sluggish movements. His unwillingness to follow the maids into battle felt like the right decision at the time, with the boon of Avar''s ability to turn the enemy into allies he thought that he would have enough of an advantage to progress to Danberu''s lofty expectations.


    Danberu only had those expectations because Avar agreed to order his newly acquired bakeneko troops fight against their own


    However, Avar only ordered the cats to run to the mountain, despite being told repeatedly by Danberu that he should ask them to fight their own. Danberu eyed Avar, causing Avar to glance back at the Tanuki Lord. The Bakeneko Lord stared back unamused as he shifted his eyes to the battle at hand.


    Danberu considered that enough of an answer, tired as he was from maintaining the Elder Kraken form for so long.


    They made significant headway, Danberu acknowledged the efforts of his men, but it was nothing like the field of crimson to his north where the maids used to be. He spoke to Avar, fruitlessly he thought, but he was the company at hand, so Danberu figured he might as well.


    "Enjoying the fight?"


    Danberu pulled out a sealed flagon from his pack, tossing it at Avar''s cage, just out of reach.


    Avar turned and gave Danberu another stink eye as he drew his katana, nimbly flicking the tip under the bottom of the flagon. The flagon shot into the air vertically as Avar sheathed his sword and caught the drink in his other paw.


    "Thanks. Yes, this will be useful. Your tanuki are making for a poor performance today, my lord. Perhaps it is better to be a bakeneko and dead, rather than to live as a tanuki and fight like this."

 108- Stupid fairy maid

    Fubuki''s fears that Wavr and Hifu were coming to assist her cleanup of the cats were unfounded.


    A ball of water containing the robot maid Wavr floated down inside Danberu''s fortress. A flash of green covered the empty grounds as Hifu condensed out of the air. Wavr sneered at a nearby barracks, through the windows she could see the shadows of fox spirits milling about. A grey shifty one caught her eye. She sniffed, wiping her nose with her sleeve.


    "Killing them all would be vital to our efforts. Would that be outside of orders?"


    Hifu slapped her hand on Wavr''s shoulder, pressuring it.


    "Holding back from now on sounds more fun. Don''t you agree? You agree."


    Wavr turned to the green haired maid and saw a generous smile on her lips. No good, huh. Too bad, Wavr thought. They would be an information leak. That grey one didn''t look right to her. Anyone could see how untrustworthy they were. If they were Wavr. Wavr was especially worried since she had just wiped out a city. Poor Prsuka. It looked like a wonderful place. Her orders were merciless. Ichi was a monster.


    Hifu was worried too. She was worried about Wavr, who wiped out the city of Prsuka. Hifu tried her best to hold Wavr back with her wind magic. She thought that as long as she was there, Wavr would behave herself. The innocents and cats of Prsuka both perished as tornadoes of flame and fat waterballs merrily rained down upon them. No one was left alive. Hifu felt betrayed.


    She thought Wavr was nicer than that. She was quiet. She was the only one who would talk to Hifu in Avalon. They spent all day together. Wavr would keep a neat distance from Rikya, respecting her boundaries. Hifu didn''t think much about the strange rumors surrounding Wavr, other maids just didn''t understand her.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Even Fubuki steered clear of Wavr. What hope did the other maids have against her? Stories sprung up among the robot maids about Wavr, how she was the true master of Avalon and Fubuki was but her mere servant. That the girl she attended to, Rikya, was some evil god, who summoned Ichi to be their dark servant. To the maids, Ichi looked like a whirling black tornado, so it was natural for a robot maid to run away.


    The maids Hifu and Wavr failed their mission to wipe out the cats. The maids succeeded in wiping out the nearby city, the one where the residents of Avalon planned to replenish their supplies from. Hifu hoped that she could make an excuse when the time came to report their efforts, saying that now, they could take everything.


    It would be free! It would all be free! Think of the money they would save! Don''t think of the dead innocents. Please.


    Wavr and Hifu opened the giant robots chest and jumped inside. Hifu thought it best to guide Wavr to the only one who tolerated her presence, Rikya. She hoped Rikya would make an excuse for Wavr, otherwise, the both of them might have to fight their way out of Avalon to survive. Hifu didn''t like that prospect. Fubuki''s thundering form appeared in her mind like a storm cloud. She sighed as the chest to the giant robot closed.


    In the cockpit of Avalon, Wavr found Ichi''s sleeping body. Wavr thought it a good chance to finish him off, but she knew that Fubuki would be there in a flash if she did. Stupid druid with his stupid overpowered fairy maid, Wavr didn''t like them one bit. Hifu frowned as she saw Wavr''s emotionless face puff up with anger.


    Hifu thought it would be for the best to leave it alone, which was why she decided to do the opposite. She thought it a good opportunity to learn more about Wavr and perhaps prevent a measure of Wavr''s future mayhem.


    "You look mad. Isn''t this our Master, Wavr? Maybe we should bring him back to the castle..."


    Hifu gingerly broached the topic. Wavr turned away from her.


    "He''s sleeping. Let him sleep. Who are we to judge this idiot for sleeping on metal?"


    Hifu let the topic drop. It would definitely take time to get to the bottom of this. Hifu was the only one who could. She tightened her fist, imagining herself putting on a Sherlock Holmes costume as she stepped Ichi''s body.

 109- Danberus Fears

    Outside of Danberu''s fortress the battle to exterminate the bakeneko continued. Danberu pushed forward with his tanuki soldiers and Avar. Renya joined them with all the tanuki she roused to battle. Danberu was surprised to see the strange severe maid back him up.


    When Danberu first saw Renya the night before the battle he thought he was dealing with Fubuki''s flunky. Renya appeared to be a maid from her clothing, though he thought it was strange that she wore armor as well.


    Renya was all demands. It was as if she were talking to an animal.


    "The battle will begin at dawn."


    "Everyone will assemble."


    "We''ll all move out in one group."


    All of those demands were high demands for tanuki. They didn''t like war, until they did, which would happen every so often, and when the tanuki were done with battle they turned to whatever else caught their interest. Danberu had responded unfavorably to Renya at the time.


    "Who are you, and why are you even talking to me?"


    And that was when Renya slammed him into the ground.


    Danberu soured on the girl as his giant body hit the ground. She must be related to a tengu, or be that sort of being that has no patience with ''lesser beings''. Although she appeared to be a young human girl, to Danberu as a tanuki it was natural to change appearance to suit the situation.


    Danberu learned to take maids seriously in that moment.


    Danberu decided to obey Renya''s orders. No doubt she was Ichi''s envoy, there to threaten Danberu into submission. Danberu had already seen first hand what Ichi''s ability was like when he fought Avar. The current situation of his fortres was dire anyways with only a trickle of supplies coming in from the strange ninja girl''s tunnel. Renya didn''t need to be that rough with him. Danberu wondered why Ichi would send a maid to pressure him into helping him, especially since now he saw the incredible power of Ichi''s troops.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    It was all for a show of force. Danberu couldn''t think of any other reason.


    That thinking was turned on it''s head when Renya showed up. She cut Avar''s cage apart and ordered him around like he was her soldier to combat. What surprised Danberu is how quietly he obeyed. Danberu thought Avar the strong type, and yet here he was obeying a lowly maid!


    Now, Renya fought at the front of his tanuki troop, urging tanuki forward into battle with hits of the flat of her blade on their backs like a slave master as she cut bakeneko down with unnatural speed. Danberu was already tired of seeing the excellence of Ichi''s maids.


    When Danberu looked at his own goofy fat subordinates stumbling into herds of cats he wondered why he sought to rule them in the first place.


    Danberu spent the fight thinking of what to do next. He admired how Renya was able to turn his tanuki into a decent fighting force.


    Maybe it would be better to attach himself to Ichi like a barnacle would to a whale. He had already conspired with the fox spirit rebels who claimed to be allied with Tamano no Mae. Danberu thought the foxes were insane, but if they weren''t lying Danberu thought he had far too much to gain. Danberu even agreed to house some strange prisoners for them.


    However, when he happened to get a glance at those prisoners, he regretted his decision.


    Their faces and clothing were unmistakable. They appeared to be the twin sisters of Dai Tengu, the leader of the tengu. When Danberu was in the Tengu Empire traveling many years ago, he heard a sensational news story. Dai Tengu would be sending two of his children to earth to prevent a fracturing of his kingdom. The picture in the newspaper of the mother of Dai Tengu children looked the spitting image of the prisoner called Syon.


    He had no moves but forward. It reminded him of his old days when he was an enterprising tanuki thinking of making a name for himself. Indeed, as the battle continued on Renya even came to his side and urged him into battle.


    Danberu had no choice but to go all out. He transformed into his phoenix tiger form and ran into a pack of bakeneko, setting them aflame with his wings. Were he younger, he might challenge Renya himself even if it meant death. So tiresome to be so old. Danberu thought himself a coward as he ran from the maid and into battle, burning bakeneko to crisps quaking on the ground.

 110-Renyas Oath

    Renya waited until Danberu was far inside the bakeneko herd. Danberu made a good showing lighting cats on fire under the evening sun. It was good that Danberu went so far ahead. Renya was contemplating throwing him deeper into the herd of cats herself if he didn''t go far enough. The tanuki delayed her this morning, and for that, she resolved they had to die.


    This morning Renya looked down upon the tanuki prancing around Avar''s cage and partying and told Fubuki.


    "I''ll kill them all. Lazy furry bastards."


    Fubuki didn''t take her seriously. Renya viewed it as more of an oath. Renya had reservations about slaying Danberu, who at least listened to her orders. Danberu looked like he could be bullied into usefulness. Renya saw him as useful for his title of Tanuki Lord, if nothing else. If someone had seen the conversation Renya had with Danberu that morning and the evening before it might look like she didn''t value him as anything more than a tool. That was still true.


    In the center of the fighting she sidled up to the nearest tanuki who was lazily swinging up his iron club. The line of attacking bakeneko were held at bay by Renya''s rain of strikes. The tanuki didn''t look serious about killing a cat in one blow. He''d hit a cat alright, Renya could see that, just not well enough to even stun it.


    That kind of usefulness wasn''t needed.


    Which was why when she struck out killing one cat in front of her she also cut the tanuki beside her in the leg. She timed her attack so the bakeneko in front of the tanuki would have the chance to kill him. They did. Renya moved onto to her next tanuki. Renya kept the attacking cats at bay in front of her, still cleaving a path of dead cats as she took out each tanuki one by one.


    Each tanuki barely noticed over the course of a minute that they were falling in battle. When the tanuki realized that the front line had gone down, they began to lose strength. Some panicked and turned to birds, but for some reason their necks snapped in midair. The tanuki were confused at the sight and thoughts that foul magic was afoot worsened their panic.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Danberu raged far from the front line cleaving a path of flame with his phoenix tiger form deep into the cat herd. The bakeneko ran from the flame, pressing attacks onto the defending tanuki. Meanwhile Renya began to urge the tanuki to fight seriously with love taps to their bodies, forcing them forward.


    If the tanuki had any time to think it through logically they still wouldn''t have realized Renya was attacking them. Even if they huddled around a bonfire telling war stories later that night they would only talk about how strange it was that the tanuki who tried to fly away died so fast. They would complain about Renya, mourn the dead, and blame themselves.


    They couldn''t see Renya''s strikes at all. Renya was able to move fast enough that she could attack twice at one time. It was a technique that used her homunculus body to the fullest. She would strike normally, then just as the strike landed her arm would change direction and force and strike again.


    It wouldn''t be possible for a normal human to pull off the intense amount of control and calculation required to be that exact with the use of her body''s power was a trick possible for Renya.


    She developed the trick when fighting Myon two years ago. Renya surpassed herself to survive in her first battle, kicking herself into overdrive to learn combat from observing Myon. She used her own family as bait, studying in mind why they fell and how to avoid death. Renya didn''t think much of doing that to her family, after all, she assumed that if they were serious about survival they would do what she did. Her accrued experience and contemplation of attack patterns was great enough that by the time Renya faced off against Myon alone, not only was Myon wounded and tired but Renya felt like she could face Myon at full strength.


    Renya acted out her spoken oath that morning with efficiency. Within a few minutes Avar and her stood surrounded by bakeneko. The tanuki all fallen, and Renya and Avar fought back to back. Piles of bakeneko corpses collected on the field as Renya broke off from Avar.


    If he happened to die she wouldn''t mind much either, but for her sake, she hoped her tool, her bakeneko lord, lived.

 111- Fubukis Discipline

    A flash of grey appeared among the cat herd in the forest. Floating through the air without a wielder, a katana cut the cats. A long grey haired maid smiled lightly standing above the corpses. Fubuki finished her work.


    She wondered how the other maids were doing. Using her bugging magic, Fubuki put a white moth on one maid in each of the four combat groups to monitor them. She would check on them without their knowledge, and if needed, assist them, and afterwards discipline them properly.


    Fubuki saw that she had trained her maids right the first time. They already circled around through the forest and back to Danberu''s fortress. Fubuki saw the fourth group, Delta, standing near Renya, Avar, and one of the tanuki. An old large looking one, he knelt on the ground, looking over the corpses.


    Fubuki tilted her head as she listened in. Danberu growled from his position on the ground at Renya.


    "Monster. This is your fault. You drove us too hard, now, look what you have done. There is nothing to be done. There is nothing I could do. Leave me to mourn, or I''ll see to it that you regret it."


    Renya stared down at the tanuki.


    "Very well. I''m sorry. Even I make mistakes from time to time. These things happen."


    Fubuki noticed something weird on her face. A smile. She was lying. Fubuki knew that Renya was placating the tanuki lord. Renya had told her the truth before about her and Ichi, how they had a silent pact. Renya would try to harm Ichi, and Ichi would fight back. That was as far as Fubuki could fathom the real relationship between the two went.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    At first, she thought Ichi a masochist, but no, clearly she overestimated him. He must be dumb or mislead by his youth. At first, she thought Renya a sadist, but no, clearly she had little feeling for anyone. It was as if she drifted around in a storybook of her own making.


    Even the robot maids felt more alive to Fubuki. She silently chided herself for not training Renya properly.


    Either way, she put a mental note that Renya was to be disciplined. She''d get the truth out of her as well, whatever she did, at the very least letting the tanuki around her die was enough to warrant Fubuki''s discipline.


    Fubuki switched her attention to right in front of her body. In the distance her eyes caught a glimpse of crowds of cats running towards the mountain. The bakeneko lord Avar had the ability to marshal cats to his army by his presence alone. Renya told Fubuki that much, but now, Fubuki suspected there might be more afoot with Avar and the bakeneko. She followed the cats from behind, teleporting from tree branch to tree branch above the running cats.


    Fubuki sneered at the cat herds below her.


    Why leave any alive at all? It didn''t sit right with Fubuki. Plus, leaving Avar alive? Usually, Fubuki as a maid should leave the matter in her Master''s care and let him decide. However, she doubted his competency.


    It was always in question, these events merely pushed her slightly over the edge, is all. Fubuki nodded to herself. It''s no big deal. She''s taking some time off. Ichi forcing her to fight a war when he was lying under the covers in the castle like a child was no small matter.


    Fubuki tracked the cats to a cavern in the side of the mountain. Noting the position, she placed a white moth on the stone. It faded from sight, and so did Fubuki. First, Fubuki had some cleanup to do.

 112- Fubukis Pride, Fubukis Misunderstanding

    Fubuki stood in the cockpit of Avalon over Ichi. She knelt at his side with an icepack, tending to the bump on his head as he leaned back against the bottom of Avalon''s cockpit chair.


    Ichi gradually realized he was wearing pants. And awake. And Fubuki was here. And that ''here'' was the cockpit of Avalon. He caught himself about to say something embarrassing in his waking stupor, and instead talked about the next most convenient topic.


    "Thanks for the pants, Fubuki."


    She was close. The ice on his forehead felt cool. Wait, what was he doing before this? The answer eluded Ichi. Fubuki had a concerned look on her face. Instead of offering pleasantries, she made a strange decision to confront Ichi on the topic she wanted to know about the most.


    "Why keep someone around like Renya?"


    Ichi groaned at Fubuki''s question, the words rolled off his tongue with surprising ease. As each word came out, Ichi wondered where they were coming from himself.


    "Haven''t you ever thought what it''s all for? There''s no passion without putting in effort first. I thought it was different, I was wrong. I could have flown away from the village after that long night and called all of this a stupid dream. I stayed. I''m waiting to see what''s next. Renya''s someone who I feel like I can never beat, no matter how much stupid druid power I have. Maybe, if I keep trying, things, I''ll pull out a come from behind win. Don''t you think that sounds fun?"


    Ichi regretted what he said immediately but he was too lazy to correct himself. That, and it felt too late. He wasn''t sure which parts were true or not, but that would have to be his best effort, for now. He was tired from waking up.


    Fubuki''s stunned face perplexed Ichi. It didn''t show at all on Ichi''s face. If he didn''t know better, he might think Fubuki admired his words. That''s a nice joke.


    "Master... that statement is strange. Perhaps you hit your head a little too hard? It almost sounded like you said something worthy of respect."


    Ichi waved his hand at Fubuki''s words as if he was shooing them away in the air. He droned on.


    "Compared to Renya anyone would be an idiot. I wonder if an alien landed on earth if they would get along with her? She didn''t seem too confident in herself one bad morning, and I lent her some words of comfort, and then she made me a home. That''s nice of her. I see myself winning against her in my imagination, but I can''t see it happening in reality. Don''t you think it would be thrilling if I could overcome her ability?


    Fubuki frowned at Ichi''s words, pushing the icepack closer to his head as he winced.


    "Like, say, throwing yourself against a brick wall?"


    "Or, mountain climbing. I wouldn''t have met you if I didn''t stick with Renya. Would I have been better off? I''ll answer that when I feel like answering the question, but right now I''m not interested in finding out why. I want to see the what."


    Fubuki stayed silent after Ichi''s words. She had thought him an idiot, and Ichi thought the same as her, but now Fubuki was getting different ideas. Fubuki''s agile robot maid mind worked overtime to analyze everything she knew about her Master and generate an alternative perspective of the reality she was presented with.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Fubuki really didn''t need to, but Fubuki has rules to follow.


    She remembered Ichi ordered her to stay away from Rikya and Renya, at the time Fubuki interpreted that as him coddling his own enemies. They didn''t appear friendly with him by any means, they spent no nearly no time together, barely talked, and when they did it concerned surface matters. Rikya was left to Ichi''s treasure trove of magical tomes and even befriended the strangest maid Wavr, who could even match Fubuki in combat.


    There was once where Wavr even fought Fubuki to keep Rikya safe.


    Fubuki had no idea that Wavr only decided to follow Rikya around because she was cute. Or that Wavr was following Rikya''s order to keep all maids from approaching her when she fought Fubuki. Fubuki''s mind skipped into overdrive despite her ignorance


    From the start, Fubuki made a critical mistake a long time ago. Fubuki thought Ichi was offering Rikya and Renya stay in Avalon, and that since they didn''t interact much, that they must be powerful enemies.


    Why else would a boy Ichi''s age separate himself from two attractive young girls? Fubuki couldn''t explain that at all.


    Fubuki''s misunderstanding multiped from there. Renya''s strange behavior and both of their distance from Ichi suddenly became entirely understood in her mind. Renya and Rikya were still Ichi''s targets, but he kept them close to give him satisfaction of triumphing over lesser beings at their own game. Why else would a druid with his overflowing ability tolerate enemies with such high potential?


    Fubuki was the one who first reported to Ichi herself, asking what was to be done about Rikya and Renya. Fubuki misunderstood everything from the start. She failed to imagine that Ichi could consider himself a lesser being than Renya, that Ichi, a druid, could be worth less when compared with Renya.


    She interpreted Ichi''s words as if he was playing a game with Renya. It was as if he was an overwhelming chess master of unbelievable potential using a pawn to win the board in a single move.


    Steam poured from Fubuki''s ears. She felt extreme guilt. Was it the right decision to knock him out? Perhaps the night before where he went on a solo rampage against the bakeneko was but a game to him! Fubuki couldn''t believe herself. She stared at the cold steel below her, avoiding her Master''s clouded glare. Fubuki felt like she failed.


    Her pride had to be restored, somehow. She opened her mouth to admit her wrongdoing, holding the words on her tongue. Fubuki didn''t want her Master to think she was incompetent. Fubuki decided that she would regret it if she didn''t say anything now. She didn''t even question if now was a terrible time to hold a serious conversation with Ichi.


    "Master. I must admit, last night, I thought it was a poor decision to raid the bakeneko by yourself. I see now, it was all a game to you."


    Ichi couldn''t disagree, he did view it as a bit of a game. Though guilt had begun to set in as Fubuki called his slaughter a ''game''. Isn''t he a horrible person? Fubuki continued.


    "As well with Renya, and even Rikya. You hold the two of them in the palm of your hand so easily, and yet I doubted you. I thought you were naive. I see now, you seek to challenge yourself."


    Fubuki smiled. Ichi felt the need to correct her rise within him. He was definitely naive!


    "Doubting my actions is only sane I suppose. How about this: give me a chance to take care if both of them myself. You''re always watching, anyways, so what''s the harm if you let me give it a shot? This may look like a stupid situation to you, and I know this sounds stupid, but I already knew that. What''s the point of having all this magic if using it is beyond me?"


    The way Ichi said it lead Fubuki to think he was anything but naive. It only cemented Fubuki''s misunderstanding. She resolved to leave Renya to him. It was silly of Fubuki to think of disciplining Renya. Of course, Master would forgive her for having a little fun with her, she was sure.


    As long as Fubuki didn''t violate the two conflicting orders Ichi gave her. The first, train Renya. Ichi gave her that order on their first meeting. The second, stay away from Renya. Fubuki obeyed and only saw Renya when it was necessary.


    There was necessity here, she was sure if she explained herself to Ichi he would understand.


    However, he didn''t need to burdened with such small matters now.

 113- Math is Hard

    Night fell on Danberu''s fortress. The moon of the spirit world bathed a library window in light. Inside, Danberu laid his bulk across carpet. Ripped books and parchment littered the floor; an oaken desk split into two. Danberu''s stomach began to shake.


    Down the hall hiding in a cupboard, Renya heard laughter. She got the sense that the tanuki lord wasn''t in a good mood. Renya occupied herself with the books she made away with before Danberu got to them. Reading in total darkness was easy for a homunculus like her. In fact, she preferred it.


    The door to the cupboard opened. Renya shielded her eyes, wondering who it could possibly be, and then as she acclimated to the bright light of the hallway she saw the grey haired maid.


    Right away, she put the book down and stood up and bowed. Renya couldn''t fathom why Fubuki was here. Fubuki put her hand on Renya''s shoulder.


    "Did the ''maid knight'' think she did alright today? Every tanuki down but one."


    Renya didn''t like the tone. How was she going to get out of this one? She wasn''t. The math was clear. Fubuki plus Renya equals not happy Renya. Renya knew that, so she began to adjust her expectations for the future.


    Renya took a knee to her stomach and fell to the ground, making sure to grunt out for Fubuki''s satisfaction. However, her tone came out flat and fake, which encouraged Fubuki to lay into her harder. Renya chuckled under the blows.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "Frankenstein had his monster, and I have a Fubuki."


    Fubuki stopped. She picked Renya up by the scruff of her neck, stood her up and straightened her out.


    "Because you mixed me into being doesn''t mean you created me. You took pieces of the world and arranged them and you liked, and it came out like me. Does Renya believe herself my creator?"


    Renya waved her hand at Fubuki.


    "If someone doesn''t explain the mathematical proof of their own thinking, then there''s no way I''d be able to figure it out without their input."


    Fubuki sneered at her. The girl with the cat ears and two tails was always nothing but trouble.


    "You''re always like this. Stop trying to avoid the question. You aren''t able to avoid everything."


    "Don''t be stupid, I''m sure I''ll be able to avoid any question of yours for the rest of my life at least."


    Fubuki gaze softened. Renya noticed and her interest got peaked. Usually, this would be the part where she took a hard hit the face and skidding across the ground into a wall. She had learned something from Fubuki. Fubuki turned away from Renya. Her hand went to her chin as her other arm supported her elbow.


    "You will, won''t you?"


    "You''re taking my words unexpectedly serious this time."


    Fubuki put her hands at her sides. Her eyes went to the books on the cupboard floor.


    "Learning about the spirit world, are you? That''s useful of you. Do you plan to share that information with us?"


    "If you ask, I wouldn''t mind answering simple questions. We do live in the same area after all, neighbor."


    "And still she doesn''t consider herself my underling. Talking to Renya is worse than talking to air, the air listens."


    The punch came as expected. Renya''s math was correct.

 114- Responsibility

    While Renya was getting whaled on, under the same moon Avar entered a cave in a mountainside. He told the cats that bowed to him to rally here. The grey blue cat with the white eyepatch descended into the depths of the cave. There were empty thick wooden carts and huge pickaxes jammed into the stone walls, broken railing littered the ground.


    The abandoned mine smelled of rotting wood. Avar plunged further into the depths and into a large open cavern full of light from the moon. Avar looked up. Though he was inside a mountain, the moonlight poured in through an open top.


    Avar couldn''t see that detail from the outside. He marveled at the natural construction as Tufts, his self-appointed attendant, found him.


    "Good thing your back my lord, there''s much work to do, we need-"


    Tufts began gesturing and talking about the cats below him. Hundreds of them, it looked like moving carpet, moonlight glinting off their fur. Avar drew his katana.


    "What are you doing, my lord? Are you listening?"


    "No."


    Tufts voice faltered in his lord''s presence. Defying the bakeneko lord''s will was possible for most lesser bakeneko. However, Tufts spent many years in the employ of the former bakeneko lords before they were all killed, so much time in their presence left him unable to challenge one to their face.


    "My lord? Where are you going?"


    Avar walked off, leaving Tufts behind, katana drawn. He circled down from the top of the cavern to the bottom filled with his new subjects.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Tufts, you have not seen the wonders I''ve seen. Power beyond my wildest imagining lies beyond my grasp, those maids, that Avalon place, it''s splendor is beyond anything."


    Tufts didn''t like where this was going. He followed after his lord, thinking of anything to say to derail him. Avar would leave them behind? An entire armies worth? And he could easily recruit more with how the bakeneko have spread over the spirit world, though no doubt it would be difficult fighting, Avar could rule Prsuka within the week.


    If Prsuka wasn''t a pile of flotsam and corpses, that is.


    Avar kept descending down to the cat herd. He switched his katana to his other paw, putting the other one over his eyepatch.


    "If I don''t have my own freedom, what do I have?"


    He reached the bottom, several cats kneeled, then as if it were a ripple every cat kneeled before him. The entire place was silent.


    Tufts himself struggled to stand as he asked his question.


    "Then, who will lead us, my lord?"


    Avar pointed his sword at Tufts.


    "How about you?"


    "My lord, the presence of a bakeneko lord himself is required! Without that magic, the bakeneko have rampaged across the spirit world breeding incessantly! Didn''t you say how despicable our people were when we met, how''d you change us and bring us order?!"


    "That was then. I came from countryside to the big city, hoping to see the world, and all I saw were more stupid cats. They can barely control themselves, not the type of people I''d like to spend time around, that''s for sure."


    He walked up the crowd of cats. Avar raised his sword. He cut down, slashing several cat''s heads off in a single blow.


    Yowls rang out and hundreds of cats began to rise, sensing danger. The rest stayed kneeling, worrying to themselves.


    "However. I can''t let you all go without supervision. The responsible thing to do would be to kill you all. My first and final order as your bakeneko lord, please kill yourselves."


    Nearly every cat rose in rebellion. Avar''s katana flashed through them incessantly under the moonlight, glittering as bakeneko fell to pieces before him. Hundreds upon hundreds came at him late into the night. In the end, Avar remained.

 115- Dead

    Fubuki got tired of Renya''s play acting. She parted from the girl telling her to read. Fubuki knew Renya would do it anyways. She wanted to feel like she accomplished something of value with her time she spent with Renya, even though she told herself it was useless.


    In a flash of grey she moved to the mountainside. She walked into the cavern, her katana summoned and floating at her side. The cats needed to die. Fubuki decided that since Ichi was playing around, she could play around as well. Her bottled up frustration needed venting.


    She couldn''t vent. Fubuki saw a sea of corpses laying below her. Her katana floating beside her disappeared, and with it, so did she.


    The following morning Ichi prowled around Danberu''s fortress, enjoying the sun. He was mostly alone. Rikya took off with Avalon to go pick up some supplies. Ichi looked to the part of the fortress that used to have a train of little girls delivering supplies. He was glad that stopped. Rikya said Satou said it would be cheaper to use the giant robot than the little girls. The two of them said they sat the battle out, uninterested in the bakeneko.


    Ichi wondered why he bothered with them himself. He did want the little girl trading chain to stop. It stopped. Not because of anything he did, but at least it''s done. Ichi nodded to himself.


    He threw off his black blazer, throwing it into the air where a flash of grey retrieved it. Ichi was so used to it by now he didn''t think much of it. He loosened his tie, circling the battlements peering out at the corpses of cats.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Two nights ago he went on a rampage through the forest for what felt like forever, yet there were still this many? Fubuki told him that there were far more in the forest too, and even some in a cave.


    Yesterday''s battle was a total failure. Despite having the might of the maids armed with Rikya''s Armory weapons, they still managed to lose every tanuki.


    What''s more, every single tanuki. Not one survived. When Ichi asked Fubuki if she saw anything, she smiled. Ichi felt like he was missing a key component here. Renya took the field, so he had a feeling it was probably her fault, but he had no way to prove it.


    Renya couldn''t lie to Ichi because of his ability to smell lies. Ichi felt like it would be unfair to straight out ask her. As he paced the fortress walls taking in the sight, he strongly considered it. He tripped while staring at the battlefield.


    His body fell into something furry and large. Ichi pulled himself up, recognizing the shape of Danberu. The Tanuki Lord had empty jugs by his side and snored. Ichi thought it best to leave him alone. As he left, he tripped again, this time caught by his ankle.


    Ichi hit his head second time and groaned in despair as he felt the cool stone on his face. He turned around on the ground to see Danberu''s paw closed around his ankle. The tanuki snored. Ichi wrenched the paw free after struggling, he had to use the black energy just to budge the tanuki''s grip.


    Ichi got up swaying from the dizziness of the fall. Looking down at the tanuki, he muttered, "strong guy," and carried on with his walk.


    He looked to the inside of the fortress. There were a bunch of foxes taking it easy in the barracks. Ichi shied away from them, thinking that he might get roped in with Tama if he bothered them. The little girls who were running in supplies were gone. Just him, Danberu, and some foxes.

 116-Healing Via Transformation Is Really Useful- When You Dont Forget It Exists

    Ichi explored the empty fortress. Besides a ransacked library that looked like it was torn apart, he found nothing. Even the dungeons and larder were bare. Ichi smelled the faint scent of Myon and Syon. Rikya''s prisoners. Satou went with Rikya in Avalon to pick up supplies, so she took them? Ichi didn''t like the sound of Syon in Avalon. Ichi didn''t like the idea of seeing them again. Bad memories came to mind.


    Why did he come to the spirit world again? What was it all for? How about running away? No, wait, would Fubuki even let him? Does he get to keep the maid? She can teleport, so that''s handy. What about her range? Is it infinite? So he could anywhere but where Syon was going to be in the future.


    Ichi scratched his head. He creaked open the front of the fortress door, and waiting in the center sitting cross-legged was a bakeneko. A grey blue colored one with a white eyepatch. Heavy amounts of dark splotches covered his robe. Ichi closed the door.


    That was Avar. Why''s he just sitting there? Ichi''s hand went to his head. Half the reason he bailed out on the supply run was because of his head. Ichi found out the hard way, hitting your head can seriously impair your functioning for awhile, even if it''s a light hit. He felt like he just wanted to roam around until the end of time and never talk to anyone again.


    If he knew it was Fubuki who knocked him out, he''d would have forgiven her. Mostly because he wouldn''t have found a way to get mad at her.


    Ichi didn''t know what happened. He assumed he pushed himself too far and blamed himself for not resting enough. It was a long, long fight. Stupid ideas came to him. How about fighting Avar, right now?


    Ichi''s hand went to his chest pocket, trying to pull out his sword. His head tilted down to look and he realized he already gave Fubuki his blazer. Ichi sighed. He was tired anyways. Why bother?


    Besides, what would he do if Avar won again? He really could die. Trying to kill bakeneko just because he almost killed you isn''t moral. Ichi reasoned onwards, avoiding the truth that he really wanted to go kill Avar. He comforted himself with promises of later, Ichi thought, later.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    That would be a sensible idea.


    Within five minutes Ichi stood outside facing Avar.


    "Hey," Ichi croaked out. For some reason calling out to the cat felt like he was talking to a girl he didn''t know.


    Avar swirled his head around to greet him.


    "Lord of Avalon, good morning. If you don''t mind, I''m waiting on the Avalon to come back. I can''t wait to get back inside that wondrous place."


    Avar swirled his head back and ignored him. Ichi thought it strange. The maids and Renya were fond of calling him lord, but this is the first time he saw someone use the title with so little weight. It''s just a stupid cat, Ichi reckoned. His desire to kill lowered.


    Which was why Ichi drew back his fist. He wasn''t mad at all. He shifted into bigfoot form. He wasn''t mad at all. A swirling black energy covered his fist. Spider lines of white energy swirled with it.


    Ichi wasn''t mad. So when shot his fist straight into Avar''s head it was something that happens sometimes. Like an accident. This is a vehicular collision. It''s a heart attack. These things happen.


    A golden aura shimmered around Avar as his body shot across the fortress grounds, knocking into a barracks full of foxes. Strange black and white energy sparkled around the building as it exploded, blowing spirit foxes bodies into the air like leaves in the wind.


    Dust and smoke covered the fortress grounds. As it began to settle, Avar walked out of the wreckage, his thin golden aura active. He didn''t draw his sword. Holding out his paws wide, Avar appealed to Ichi.


    "So violent. I don''t remember doing anything to anger you, Lord of Avalon. May we discuss this peaceably?"


    Ichi groaned at his words. His hairy bigfoot form had ripped his clothing apart. There was also the matter of responding to the cat, but Ichi just groaned again.


    Fubuki would be here in the next second, wouldn''t she? Ichi looked right and left, expecting her. No one came.


    Meanwhile, Fubuki watched on, thinking it was another one of Master''s games.


    Ichi, however, had considered it before. Just have Fubuki kill him. But, that wouldn''t sate his pride. Ichi shifted out of his bigfoot form, walking away and ignoring Avar''s words.


    Wait, Ichi thought, why does my head feel better? Oh. Ohhhhh.

 117- And Then

    And then Ichi died and this stupid story ended. That would be great. Unfortunately, Ichi lived. He lived to fight. He lived to be stupid. He lived.


    The moment Ichi turned around healed he unleashed a flurry of blows on Avar. His bigfoot form renewed, his tree trunk arms covered with black energy with spider white lines planted into the cats golden aura. Each one of Ichi''s blows staggered Avar. Spirit foxes all around him that survived the explosion of the barracks ran in all directions like their heads were cut off, as a grey one slipped off up to the battlements.


    Avar''s golden aura grew thinner. It took all of the cat''s concentration to maintain what little magic he had. He couldn''t run, the fists where flying at him too fast. He didn''t have the spare time to move his hand to his sword. Each blow required his full focus, his full magical energy.


    It ran out. Avar slumped to the ground. Ichi''s fist stopped just short of Avar face. Ichi flicked his finger at the cat for good measure. As Ichi saw the bakeneko fly into a passing spirit fox like a bullet he regretted his actions. Isn''t Ichi... aren''t I, Ichi thought, a lot stronger than him?


    It''s not like they got a chance for a real fight in the fight place. Avar got one good stab in. Then, Ichi wondered, why couldn''t I hit him the first time?The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The answer eluded him, and his mind chased after it as Avar groaned. The surviving spirit foxes regrouped and dashed to the battlements, some jumping off in panic. A grey fox came upon a grumbling, but awake, Danberu. He lightly shook him to his senses. A wicked grin spread across the grey foxes maw. Reaching into his clothes, he pulled out a leather sack. Flinging it open revealed a countless small vials of colored liquids. The fox muttered to himself, "No, No," as his paw moved over each one. He pulled out the one he wanted and quickly snapped off the top of the vial and poured it''s contents into Danberu''s mouth.


    Ichi changed back into his human form. He walked over and stood above Avar, looking down on the cat''s heaving chest. Ichi''s head snapped up as a roar rang out from the battlements and the tanuki lord jumped off. Veins popped on Danberu''s face, his tight open teeth flashing at Ichi as a deep low growl echoed out.


    Ichi backed away on instinct, his eyes shifting from Avar on the ground to Danberu. Froth spilled out of Danberu''s mouth.


    "Wait, wait, calm, calm, down boy, down!"


    Ichi said stupid things like this before Danberu pounced on him. Surprised, Ichi nearly forgot to put up his black energy barrier. If he had been a second later Danberu would have crushed his head.


    There''s no shifting out of death. Probably. Ichi didn''t want to try, at least. The bulk of the growling tanuki lord pressed in, massive weight and strength forcing itself onto Ichi''s shield.


    Then Ichi saw it. White spiderweb energy lines flowed through his black energy. The shield began to crack even more as Danberu pressed in on it.


    Ichi gulped. Could he call Fubuki now?

 118-Danberus Soliloquys

    The tanuki lord flung Ichi covered by his shield into the air. Ichi really wanted to say the magic word ''Fubuki'' to bail him out of this mess. However, the thought of himself being such a bitch having his component mature female underling handle versus himself handling the grumpy tanuki lord by himself convinced him to hold off calling her.


    Ichi turned into an eagle and flew away. Why''d he even need to fight? The thought popped in his head and he capitalized on it. Taking a brisk turn when he though he was safe, he became engulfed in flames. Danberu''s phoenix tiger form soared over his tiny eagle body, knocking out of the sky.


    Eagle''s feathers were surprisingly sensitive. Ichi felt the burn. Ichi didn''t want to feel the burn. He changed into bigfoot form as his body thudded into the ground, hairy, but unburnt. Now, if only he had a mole form so he could dig into the ground and hide...


    Ichi half slapped himself. Danberu divebombed him from the sky, the fire from the phoenix wings engulfing his hair in flame. Ichi spread his black energy out over his body, imitating Avar''s thin golden aura as best he could. He muffled the flame with the tight shield of energy. The white cracks over the surface of the shield thinned as he tightened it. Felt, springy, maybe?


    Danberu leaped on him again. Ichi pulled back his fist and gave the phoenix tiger a good punch. It slammed into a nearby tree and twisted into a mass of tentacles as it hit. Ichi froze as he saw whirling tentacles coming from Danberu''s body. The tentacles stopped and lost their form. Danberu''s body shifted back into his tanuki form, a big paw holding his head and groaning.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "What... what happened?"


    Ichi would like to know himself. Ichi''s chest was heaving breath as he shifted back into his human form.


    "You attacked me out of nowhere. I mean, I think I did blow up a building with a cat, but, that''s not a big deal, is it?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    Danberu''s groaning continued. Ichi didn''t feel like explaining. Danberu attacked him out of nowhere. He was already done with Danberu as far as he was concerned. Danberu would have to sort things out for himself. Even though Ichi thought it was suspicious that Danberu would suddenly attack him, he still didn''t bother continuing the conversation.


    The fun part was finished. Fubuki could handle the rest, that''s what she''s for, right? Cleaning up messes.


    "Fubuki."


    And so Ichi said the magic word. Without turning around, he could smell her appear behind him.


    "Help him, would you?"


    Ichi didn''t lack compassion, if it was someone else''s job to fix the problem. He could be as generous as he wanted his Fubuki''s efforts. He wasn''t saying anything derogatory to himself about the situation as he fled the scene.


    Fubuki bowed to Ichi as he turned into an eagle and flew away. If someone were to look at her face, they might think it would be askance.


    Fubuki took Danberu back to Avalon, listened to his story of woe patiently with concern. It ended with Danberu crying tears for his fallen comrades deep into the night, and endless soliloquy''s about what is meaningful and right in this world poured out of Danberu easily in Fubuki''s company.

 119- Ichis Intent

    "Five hundred thousand?"


    Danberu had a chat with Renya the following day. He explored Avalon to the fullest to keep his mind off his misery. The first one he visited was the strange girl who fought with his tanuki troops. Danberu wanted her dead for slave driving his troops, but his long years of experience ruling and being a sensible person didn''t allow him the luxury.


    "Five hundred thousand?"


    Danberu repeated his question. Renya was lying to him, saying she had sold her life to Ichi for 500,000. Danberu couldn''t believe it, not because it was a total lie and Ichi had no money, but because 500,000 in his context meant Tengu currency, the tengi gold. He had never dreamed up such a number. 500,000 of those? They are short and fat metal bars, any merchant could tell the purity of the metals inside with simple magic. They formed the currency in the spirit world, and Renya told him she sold herself to Ichi for 500,000 of them!


    Danberu struggled to understand. Even examining one bar would take a few seconds, even with magic. There was no way to mass count them. Danberu didn''t even believe there could be 500,000 tengi gold in the entire spirit world.


    He left trying to make sense of what Renya told him. Everything she said was a lie. Unlike Ichi, Tanuki Lord Danberu had no magic nose that could sniff lies. His head full of utter nonsense, Danberu returned to the castle. He wondered what kind of monster the son of Danzaburo must truly be to have access to unlimited resources. The maids and Renya alone appeared beyond any spirits understanding.


    For one, Renya said that she was half bakeneko. That explained her cat ears and tail. Danberu nodded to himself as he returned to the castle, thinking to meet the other residents. He ran across two little girls talking in the castle''s cavernous library. It appeared to be a sea of books on top of books, Danberu, looking inside, couldn''t help but enter. A stern blue haired maid seemed to regard Danberu as air as he slipped past the double doors. He hoped that these girls were more normal than Renya.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Instead, he heard them talking strangely as well. Danberu stopped in his tracks to listen, hidden by a bookshelf .


    "Syon and Myon could be sold for... a favor?" Satou questioned Rikya.


    "Yes. I thought it would be great to have a place among the Tengu, as they have the most freedom in this world. But, that was before I came to Avalon. This place has absolute freedom."


    Rikya crossed her arms on her chest and closed her eyes. Her light smile on her face left Satou aghast.


    "No, no, Rikya, you''re insane. This place is ruled by Ichi. He created the whole place. And he''s a druid. You''re a walking target. Plus, his behavior..."


    "What''s wrong?"


    "He didn''t approve of the using of Oni''s magic. That''s not sane."


    "Oh. The little girl delivery through tunnel system? Yeah, Ichi''s a normal person. He didn''t grow up in the Shadow Society, it''s just culture shock."


    "But he tried to get me to stop deliveries, when the fortress was under siege by thousands of bakeneko!"


    Danberu walked away after hearing what she said. Satou failed to mention the reason why was because they were little girls. Danberu fled and wandered the halls. The maid who listened to him the night before, she was on Ichi''s side. Perhaps this was a ruse all along. But, Danberu reasoned to himself, why would Ichi try to stop the delivery of supplies right before the battle?


    He couldn''t understand. There were two competing options in his mind: either Ichi was insane like the little girl said, or he was a mastermind. Danberu set out to hunt Ichi down, bent on finding out who Ichi was. It kept his mind off other matters, at least.

 120- Just raining is all

    Danberu searched Avalon for Ichi. The cavern was small enough, he felt like he could find Ichi if he looked, but it turned out to be too big for Danberu to expect to find him. The castle alone had enough twists and turns to get him lost.


    As he wandered, he found himself far below ground in the damp recesses of the castle. In two separate cells laid two girls. Danberu walked up to one cage, apprehensive about their dress. What they wore looked like Tengu military attire. Dull golden magic shimmered on them. Danberu knew this type of magic. Any magic dull gold in color affected the rules of the world. Golden magic was commonly used in monetary transactions for appraising the worth of currency in the spirit world. Danberu had heard legends of sacred beasts called ''Dark Angels'' who could use it on people as well. He studied the ball and chain as the girl looked up at him.


    This application of the magic appeared as a ball and chain on the familiar looking girl''s ankle. Danberu couldn''t place her face, no matter how much his memory ran.


    "Hello." Syon said.


    Danberu almost fell back in shock. She knocked him right out of his reverie. The girls strange misty eyes met his, and Danberu could feel it on the tip of tongue. Something familiar.


    "Fine day to be a prisoner, isn''t it?"This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Syon broke the silence again. Danberu stood up straight on impulse. It reminded him of his academy days in the Tengu Empire. He laughed at himself for taking the girl''s voice so seriously, and the suffering haunting him returned before he responded.


    "Yes. Very fine."


    Syon noted Danberu''s tone. She wasn''t the best at this, which was why she decided to try something new.


    "Are you, doing well? Is - the weather, alright?"


    It didn''t go well. Danberu took it as her suffering from her cell and imprisonment. Syon was safe but didn''t know it.


    "Weather''s fine."


    Just raining is all.


    "You, your, name?"


    Syon squeaked the words out.


    "Danberu. Tanuki Lord Danberu. Those clothes, you are with the Tengu Empire?"


    "Tengu Empire. Yes. Unfortunately. Very, unfortunately."


    Danberu mind flickered to a newspaper he read a long time ago. The cover, the empress of the tengu empire, wife of Dai Tengu, her face flashed into his mind. That face matched perfectly with the girl in front of him. She was clearly younger.


    "You... you can''t be... are you Dai Tengu''s daugther? He said he had no heirs..."


    Danberu''s maw outran his mind. Syon nodded. It would take a master of perception to understand that in this moment, she was lost. She responded anyways, thinking she might as well go along with the tanuki''s line of conversation.


    "Dai Tengu had two heirs. Myon, over there, and myself, Syon. He kept this a secret because he wants to maintain power for himself. Throughout the centuries, Dai Tengu has had many heirs, and he has seen them all die before reaching maturity."

 121-Gja-what?

    Renya and Avar took a break from combat training under the black dome. With no maids to serve them thanks to Fubuki being preoccupied, the two ''enjoyed'' the silence with each other. If Renya could snap Avar''s neck without consequences for the future, she would have.


    She had plans. Ostensibly. Really, Avar just felt like too much potential utility to kill. The bad part was the same as the good part, he had too much potential.


    "So... Ichi is..."


    Avar grunted out the words from the ground. He''d been lying there from the spar, half-dying, for a long time now.


    "A real idiot would never know how much of an idiot they are, that is how they are a real idiot." Renya explained to Avar without provocation.


    "No... I mean... the power..."


    Avar''s last gasps escaped as he fell unconscious. Renya poked the bakeneko on the ground, making sure he wasn''t faking. She didn''t think he was that clever anyways.


    "A useful druid. How else would I conquer existence? You should think of the future, next time. If it''s not at least a hundred thousand moves ahead, if you don''t start at the end point with really specific vision in mind, you''ll never get anywhere, right, Avar?"The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Renya talked to Avar''s body.


    Under Avalon''s castle, the endpoint wasn''t reached yet. Danberu stayed into the night, hearing out Syon. The girl looked to be an adolescent, but Danberu began to doubt her maturity. At first, he thought himself clouded by his misery, then he thought himself a poor judge of tengu because of his experience with them in the past, until he finally came to a firm conclusion.


    She''s bad at living. Really bad. At what specifically Danberu was unable to pinpoint, and his frustration grew until it popped, and he began to merely enjoy her company. Danberu couldn''t believe the stories she told of her past in the least.


    "So, you say, you have fought Druid Runa and not only survived, but won?"


    The girl nodded. Danberu was used to Syon''s favorite tactic for conversation. Expound on information, then nod. Danberu smiled. He''d heard children tell stories like this. They too, all of them, believed that if they tried really hard, someday, they too could be a Druid and rule over existence.


    "And then we got his sword and put it in the Armory because giving it to the Seer''s Council would have lead them to give it to Dracula - like everything else they do. They know the true powers of the world - and they obey them."


    Syon nodded after speaking, anticipating Danberu questioning her.


    "But, Druids can only be killed by legendary druid-killer weapons. You had one, from your previous conquers, I assume."


    Syon''s mind flashed over the inventory. She remembered every fight like it was yesterday. Memory was important, that''s why she kept a diary. Memory was important, that''s why you don''t write everything down.


    "Three. We used one of them. Gjahallorn, The Black Beast. Summons a constrained black hole."

 123-breast thing

    Danberu left the dungeon. His mind occupied, he bumped into Ichi, knocking the kid straight onto his back. Danberu''s furry bulk had enough weight to easily crush him without trying.


    "Ah, excuse me."


    Danberu''s grunt fell on Ichi as he walked past. Ichi caught a glimpse of Danberu''s fiery eyes as the tanuki lord waddled past him. Before Ichi got his bearings the bulk of the tanuki disappeared around a corner. Not that Ichi had anything to say to him anyways. He frowned, thinking he wrong to come down here in the first place.


    He looked down the steps into the darkness. Myon was just down those steps. Syon, too. He could face them and get it over with, or he could run away again. Rikya said Satou decided that the Tengu Empire was their next destination, to offload Rikya''s annoying prisoners, Myon and Syon.


    Ichi couldn''t decide what to do about Myon. Myon could easily be sold off tomorrow if he did nothing. Staring into the dungeon, he feet carried him downstairs. In the darkness he felt engulfed as he moved in front of the cages. Myon was asleep, Syon was awake and looking at him.


    "H-hello."


    Syon''s timid voice echoed at him, freezing his blood. The first thing Ichi did was smash Myon''s cage. His body changed to bigfoot form and ripped it apart. Ichi grabbed Myon and left.


    He let out a long sigh after he escaped from the dungeon. Ichi dropped Myon onto the castle''s stone floor.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "There."


    Ichi complimented himself. He noticed a thick dull golden band around Myon''s midsection. He wasn''t in a hurry to take it off. If he would ever get the chance. Ichi debated whether it was a good idea in the first place.


    When in trouble, rely on others? Ichi could do that. He scratched his head as he looked down at Myon, then walked away. Fubuki would pick her up, right? Ichi didn''t want to call out for him herself, nor did he want to challenge Rikya. It''s fine like this, Ichi knew it was a total lie to say it to himself, but he let Myon lie on the ground; so lying to himself was no big deal. Then he tripped.


    Ichi''s face squished into the carpet, he felt Myon''s breast pushing in on his back.


    "Should I thank you?" Myon''s voice tickled his ear. The dull golden band dug into his back.


    "Probably... no. Definitely, no."


    Myon stood up, tensing her trapped arms against the dull golden band.


    "Mind helping me with this?"


    Ichi flipped his body over, staring at Myon above him.


    "I''m sorry."


    Myon showed confusion.


    "About what?"


    "About.. the... breast thing."


    Myon honestly had no idea what Ichi was talking about. For a second.


    "Oh."


    Myon kicked Ichi''s face on the ground. Ichi took the blow head on as his head snapped back.


    "Now, help me."


    Ichi rolled on the ground of his own volition. He went back and forth thinking of calling Fubuki or calling Fubuki or calling Fubuki. He smothered his face in the carpet as it went red. He didn''t want to do it. Ichi really didn''t want to do it.

 123-s e x

    Myon kicked at Ichi''s stomach.


    "Hey."


    Ichi squirmed on the ground. Myon had no context for his behavior, Myon needed no context. But still she-


    "You okay?"


    Ichi looked up at Myon.


    "Why''d I save you?"


    The gears cranked in Myon''s head as she caught up. He''s still thinking about ''why''?


    "Sex?" Myon nodded, Ichi squinted as it dawned on him, "Sex?", "Yes," Myon replied, "Sex", "No, wait, I wanted to get back at you, remember that kendo fig-", "Ichi," Myon interrupted.


    "Help me out of this binding. Lets go back down and get Syon."


    Her stern and calm voice chilled Ichi. He knew she was a veteran of countless battles, an assassin, a Spirit Hunter who teamed with Syon and fought Earth''s most powerful opponents-


    "Ichi?"


    The clock ticked in Ichi''s head as Myon interrupted his thinking. He got up, pointing at Myon.


    "No Syon. Just you. I only wanted you. For sure. I know that, for sure. Syon bad."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Myon looked at Ichi unamused.


    "I don''t have my gun, but I could kick you hard."


    "This isn''t about fighting right now, this is serious!"


    Myon kicked him hard. Ichi saw it coming and blocked with black energy. Myon stood there, whacking against Ichi''s body with one foot, frustration bubbling up inside her.


    "Ichi, this is some nice magic and all, but this really isn''t the time."


    She stopped her foot and sighed. Whatever happened, the Witch Rikya must have got to him. Maybe Ichi likes little girls?


    "Are you on my side, or no?"


    "Yours, not sure. Syon, most definitely not."


    Myon thought to clarify.


    "''Syon bad'', right? Is that how you''re going to go about this? I run away with you, and, then what?"


    Ichi ran his hand over his face and hair.


    "I didn''t think it through. And! I''m still not going to. So, there."


    His smug smile earned him a swift kick from Myon. It hit this time, Ichi let down his guard.


    "I''m going."


    Myon headed down the steps, still bound by the dull golden band around her torso. Ichi looked at her, contemplating. Syon was down there, and so... fight Myon to stop her? Ichi could do that. Seemed like a little, controlling, he realized. However, she would free Syon, maybe? And then? Myon and Syon running around Avalon, maybe trying to kill Rikya?


    She did steal their Armory and imprison them. Wait, isn''t it Rikya who''s in the wrong? Oh wait, sex. Yes yes. That, was that really the reason he saved her, if so, then-


    Ichi drew blank after blank in his head. He stumbled after Myon, following her down the steps to the bottom of the stairs. Then, Ichi rushed past her. Syon gave him another, more shakier h-hello this time, before Ichi ripped open her cage with bigfoot form.


    "Okay. Syon. Do. not. talk."


    Syon kept silent, staring at Ichi. Her eyes moved to Myon, who shrugged with her shoulders. Ichi closed his eyes. The sound of mice squeaking filled the dungeon air.


    "Okay. Here''s the plan-"

 124-New Lord of Avalon

    The next morning, everything in Avalon had changed. Ichi''s frantic work in the night before to square away the squirrely situation with Myon and Syon ended with a plan made up on-the-fly lead to unexpected results.


    First, Ichi told Syon not to talk. That was number one. Last time he talked to her he felt like she shaved off a portion of his life source, she he was adamant about that. Then, since Ichi had no idea what he was doing, or what to do, his mind kicked into overdrive.


    Really, sex with Myon? That was all he freed her for? No, wait, what about prisoners and-


    Ichi''s mind bounced thoughts like those around as his mouth said entirely different words.


    "Follow me. Quickly. Don''t talk!" Ichi pointed at Syon. "Don''t... okay. Yeah. Let''s go."


    Myon nearly thrashed Ichi despite still being bound after he said that, but he struggled out the words about their situation.


    "Rikya''s got the armory, the robot maids super strong, have armory weapons, I''m in control of the maids, and I''m super- please stop, I''m being serious."


    Myon kicking wore a hole in his energy shield. He''d never seen the shield dent like that. Rattled him a little, which wasn''t much because he was already rattled. Ichi didn''t understand whether he conveyed anything or not to the two of them, but Myon looked to Syon for orders, as always.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Over the years, Syon always pulled through for Myon. That was the order Myon understood. Syon does the plans, Myon does the fighting, Syon has the fun, Myon takes the pain. This was a matter of survival. So when Syon nodded her head, Myon went with it. This time, Myon went with Syon''s nod.


    However, Myon still had reservations. All the reservations possible about what they were doing, where they were, why they were captured, the magic that bound them, Ichi''s words which had no relation to reality at all- those were all second


    tier to Syon''s nod.


    Meanwhile, Syon only nodded for one reason. She couldn''t talk. Ichi said no talking, so she listened. Her magic disabled from the mysterious dull golden band around her leg, she could do nothing. No amount of trying during her stay in the prisons let her figure it out. She was stumped. An inconceivable puzzle was attached to her, she was completely helpless, and then Ichi came in and has something like a spastic fit.


    Really, what was going on? Neither Myon or Syon could tell. So, when Ichi lead them to Renya''s black dome and had them stay the night so he could go ''fix things'', they both had questions.


    Yet, neither of them wanted to talk to Renya. And Renya avoided them like the plague. Renya couldn''t risk associating with the two famed tengu assassins, so she straight out ran from Ichi when she saw him escorting the two. For Syon, she just had another confusion added on a list of confusions. What could the situation be if Renya didn''t even want to share information with her? Myon, on the other hand, shrugged it off.


    The unconscious bakeneko lord lying in the center of the black dome was just another curiosity for the twins.


    Before the evening ended, Rikya was the new Lord of Avalon.

 ~The End~

    Ichi didn''t know what to do. He went to Rikya that evening, hoping to somehow force her to let go of Syon and Myon as prisoners. And yet, he failed. Miserably.


    In the library there were towers of thick books beyond measure. Satou stood over Ichi like a monolith. Fubuki lied among them ripped apart by dull golden metal thorns, Ichi himself was full of them. He couldn''t move. His energy shields broke from Satou''s magic easily. He took her too lightly. Rikya stood behind Satou looking coldly on Ichi.


    "This, this is how it ends, I thought we were, come on, I-"


    Ichi''s sputtering made Rikya''s gaze colder.


    "What are you doing? You freed two assassins after my life, then you come and beg me for help? If Satou wasn''t here, I would have kept quiet and played nice, but now, I don''t need to."


    Satou felt the weight of the white sword in her hand. She shook it at Ichi.


    "Thanks for this. I could never have killed a druid, even a newbie like you, if I didn''t have such a powerful weapon. Really, I''d like to let you live, but it''s too much risk, you know? I''m thinking of my future."


    Satou''s tone felt somber, Ichi''s beating heart told him it really was the end. He couldn''t believe it. He really didn''t know what he was doing, he knew that! He knew that! Yet, despite all this- His voice floated out over the two little girls.


    "Eh~ so... this is how it ends? This is stupid. Always, always stupid. Chasing dead ends, looking for a way out, never feeling like I won even when I won. Even got a castle and maids and it still ends like this. Even learned I was some special druid, and still, it ends like this. Rikya, I thought you''d never betray me, but, yeah that was just because you were a little girl." Ichi started laughing, coughing out blood on the ground. "I''m stupid. I''m so stupid. There never was any hope, was there? I walked right out of that village, and still, all I achieved, for everything I did, was to earn a death like this!"


    Rikya''s face twitched. She looked away, then walked slowly out of the room. The maid Wavr gave Ichi''s body a smug look as she followed her not-Master away. Satou ruffled her hair over Ichi''s body.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "Should I finish it? Dying takes a long time. I''ve got better things to do."


    Ichi grunted.


    "You won''t even bother waiting for me to die? I did give you that blade. You owe me."


    Satou tossed the blade from hand to hand as she looked at the ceiling.


    "I''ve never killed anyone before."


    "You just killed Fubuki, that counts."


    "Isn''t she a robot?"


    "Robot maid," Ichi corrected her.


    Satou whined.


    "Ehhh~ this is pretty uncomfortable. If I stab you to death, I might feel like in the future I''ve done something immoral. Already, I''m worried. I''ll look back for the rest of my life from time to time, thinking what I could have done. What a waste of time and energy."


    Satou sat beside Ichi. The minutes drew on as silence filled the library. Hundreds of arcane books towered over the little girl and the dying young man. Satou played with her blade, poking at a book''s cover, making little holes with the point, being careful not to cut through the whole book. These might be expensive, after all, from what Rikya said, they had value, secrets to powerful magics were contained within. Ichi bled out beside her. She let his blood stain the books red. She felt it was only proper to allow him that much.


    "You dead yet?"


    "You''re... so impatient."


    "Killing is so boring. Next time I kill someone, I''ll make sure they aren''t someone I owe."


    "... glad you learned something."


    Ichi''s body untensed. Satou waved her finger underneath his nose to make sure it was done. She nodded.


    "I''m good." Satou said.


    She left, thinking to herself about her next move. First, Renya would die. Too unpredictable. Lived in a big black dome, that can''t be good. Then, Myon and Syon? Satou worried about them. Maybe the maids could help? Worst case scenario, she might have to take Rikya and run. Either way, the fight would be a dirty one. She doubted she would survive. That, and Oni passed word to her that the Burncastles were gathering to mount an attack on this place.


    It would probably be best to leave right away, if she thought they could escape Myon and Syon.


    Of course, Satou''s thinking was entirely based on the idea that Myon and Syon had regained their magic and weren''t still bound. If they were still bound by her Rulebinder, then they wouldn''t be any more trouble than a regular human. Satou laughed.


    It couldn''t be that easy. There''s no way. She''d be stupid like Ichi if she thought like that.