《The Same Old War: Reawakening》


 Chapter One: The Divine Star

    CHAPTER ONE: THE DIVINE STAR


    Okami Renshin:


    I was always told that the gods of this world were benevolent rulers who faithfully watched over their people. That''s what mom says, at least. I''ve prayed before. I''ve prayed that dad likes me more. Yet, things only got worse. I didn''t know why he was even angrier than ever. I looked down at the scars on my light brown skin and asked myself, "What did I ever do to him?" My jet-black hair fell past my eyes as I looked down and mumbled, "Why do I have to be stuck with dad of all people?! Why can''t aunt Beatrix come and get me?" I turned and looked out of my bedroom window with one burning question on my mind that trumped the rest. A disappointed sigh escaped my lips while I questioned, "Where are you, mom?" Suddenly, I watched as my mother appeared in front of my home, stepping out from the pathway that led into the forest.


    Her jet-black hair swayed in the wind as the gold pieces of hair jewelry she spread through her locks glistened in the sun. My eyes set on the few strands of white colored hair that rested to the right of my mother''s head. I could never understand why, but my eyes always seemed to stop on her white strands of hair. She lacked it anywhere else throughout her billowing, locked hair. Yet, it was completely natural. The moment my eyes set on her, she looked up at me. mother always had this way of just knowing whenever I looked at her. Each time she looked at me, a smile formed on her face. However, just as my father had grown angrier, my mother looked more and more tired day by day. Jaded even.


    Like every other time in my thirteen years of existence, when mother saw me, she smiled. Though she smiled, I could see through it. It caused me to bite down on my lip and quietly say, "She''s faking it¡­"


    As soon as I heard the door open, I got off my bed, threw on my sandals, and stepped out of my room with my gaze on the front door. I watched my mother take her black boots off with a tired huff. However, when she looked at me, she smiled and said, "There''s my Little Wolf! How ya doing?!" "I''m hungry, mom," I whispered while weakly placing my hand on my stomach. In an instant, I watched as my mother''s smile faded. She instantly turned away from me. Though she turned quickly, I caught her biting her bottom lip so hard it bled. With every bit of restraint she could muster, I heard my mother calmly order, "Go take a seat in the kitchen, and I''ll be there to fix you something to eat, alright?"


    I quickly nodded and turned to the kitchen while replying, "Yes, ma''am!" After taking fifteen steps, I walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. Though they were on the other side of the house, I could hear my mother and father. My hearing has always been abnormally sensitive. My mother just says it''s because of our family. However, my father tells me to stop worrying about it.


    Despite what or why it was, all I knew was I could hear them as if they were standing right next to me. "Why is Kami starving, Arata!?" My mother asked in a furious tone of voice. "I just dozed off for a few hours. I''ll get on it now, Natomi!" My father responded in a tone of voice that suggested he''d rather be doing anything other than engaging in the conversation. "Don''t bother!" my mother snapped back.


    A few moments of silence filled the space between the two. "I can''t believe this is how you act after we lose-" "We didn''t lose anything!" My father stated in a commanding tone of voice. "Like I''ve been telling you, you''re stressed! It''s all the responsibility you''re taking on-" "Where''s the man I married?" My mother asked in a way that sounded like she was on the verge of tears. I heard her light footsteps approaching the kitchen. However, they came to a halt.


    Suddenly I listened to her order with disgust, "Get your shit together, or you''re out of here."


    As soon as she walked in, I looked down at my hands as if I wasn''t listening to the entire conversation. Once I built up the courage to look up, my mother glanced down at me with pity as she said, "You don''t have to act like you weren''t listening, Okami." Her sharp words caused me to look back down at my hands as she walked over to the stove and turned it on. Though she stood five feet away from me, my mother and I didn''t share a single word with each other.


    This silence wasn''t the same one that lingered around my mother and father. It was far more awkward. I wondered if I was in trouble for the conversation I listened to. Mother knew I could hear her, yet she decided to say what she said anyway. Maybe dad was right. She did seem stressed. I don''t know what her job is. Whenever I ask her, she vaguely answers, "public service ." To be fair, it''s not like I would enjoy a job like that. "Have you been keeping up with your studies, Kami?" My mother asked without looking at me. "I''m trying," I answered somewhat.


    I looked up at her and continued to explain, "It''s a little hard to learn everything by myself without grandpa here to teach me." I watched as my mother turned to me and stared into my soul with her silver eyes. A tired sigh left her mouth as she softly emphasized, "I know, kid. It''s tough for me without him here as well. But he''s with grandma now, where he can be happy. I know he helped you learn¡­ self-defense, but you''ll have to step up now, alright?" With a determined nod, I instantly replied, "Yes, ma''am!"


    My mother didn''t ever ask much from me. But she''d give anything for me. This simple truth was enough for me to do nearly anything she asked of me. She turned back to the stove and said, "I''m not saying it''s going to happen today or tomorrow, but soon. Soon, your body is going to¡­ change, Okami." "Are you talking about puberty?" I asked in a curious tone of voice. I watched as a slight chuckle escaped my mother''s lips. Her chuckle turned into a laugh as she side-eyed me and said, "Sure, we''ll call it that." My mother perfectly flipped the grilled cheese in the skillet without breaking eye contact with me. The instant the sandwich landed where it was supposed to, she said, "Just pay attention to your body, Okami. Whenever you notice these changes, let me know. It''s nothing to be scared of. In fact, the more you embrace it, the better."


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    I slightly tilted my head and questioned, "Why is it doing that?" After I asked my question, my mother sat in still silence. Suddenly, she turned her attention back to the stove and answered, "Because your body is¡­ special. Just as you are."


    "But what makes me special?" I quickly shot back out of curiosity. My mother spun around while placing my sandwich before me and answering, "The fact that you''re my son!"


    She reached up and ruffled my hair, saying, "Now eat up. If you''re still hungry, come and tell me right away, alright?" I felt a smile form on my face while I looked her in the eyes and replied, "Yes, ma''am. Thank you!" Once again, my mother gave me a smile. However, this one wasn''t forced.


    It felt natural. It felt like it always had. While I quietly enjoyed what my mother made for me, my sensitive ears caught my mother asking, "Where is my cup?" "It''s sitting right in front of me where you left it."


    My father answered in a slightly annoyed tone of voice. I heard my mother scoff, but she refrained from saying anything else. Once there was nothing else to listen to, I turned my attention elsewhere. However, moments later, I heard glass shattering against our hardwood floor. Right after, I listened to the sound of someone gurgling. The instant my brain processed what I heard, I immediately thought my father had done something to my mother!


    Once that was my realization, there could only be one conclusion. I muttered out loud to myself as I jumped from my seat, "I''ll kill him!"


    I rushed out of the kitchen only to stop halfway after hearing my father cry, "Natomi!" Judging by the terrified tone in my father''s voice, I didn''t know what to think. I no longer wanted to think! I only wanted to turn the corner and see my mother just fine! However, once I rounded the corner, my silver eyes locked onto my mother''s body on the ground, with my father holding her head up. Before I realized I was moving, I ran to my mother''s side while crying, "mom!" I dove down onto my knees and looked her in the eyes. When her eyes met mine, all I could see was confusion, fear, and dread.


    Once I looked down, I saw the blood streaming from her mouth. It managed to flow all the way down her white shirt and to her hands. Though she looked scared and had no idea what was going on, my mother still forced herself to smile at me. My father stood up and called for help on his phone, while my mother never took her eyes off mine. As the tears streamed down my eyes, I cried, "You can''t leave me, mom!" "It''s okay," my mother weakly stated.


    I placed my hand on my mother''s head and lifted it while ordering, "Don''t speak! Just, just¡­ Breathe! Breathe like grandpa taught us!" My foolish suggestion caused my mother''s smile to widen even slightly. She opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn''t. I saw that blood filled her mouth to the point that it was drowning her!


    I quickly placed her head down and turned it to the side so the blood could flow out. However, when I attempted to turn her head, she refused! She refused to break eye contact with me. Though she couldn''t speak, her kind eyes said everything she couldn''t.


    My mother spit out the blood in her mouth and quickly turned to me while saying, "Don''t be afraid! You''re going to live a new life, alright?! Listen closely, Okami! You''re a-" Blood rushed from my mother''s mouth, causing her to instantly turn her head and vomit it out! Realizing there was only one thing I could do, I placed both hands on my mother''s chest and performed CPR while tears ran down my cheeks.


    Though each heave I gave was in vain. After my second push, I heard one more gasp for air. Suddenly, my mother looked up at me, placed her bloodied hand on my cheek, and faintly said, "I love you so much, my son-" It was at that moment I heard my mother''s final gasp for air. However, so much blood filled her airway that she drowned in it. I let out a wail of pain that reverberated throughout the entire house. Once again, my sharp sense of hearing caught the sound of my father''s voice.


    However, he didn''t sound like the same broken man who cried out for my mother when she collapsed onto the ground. In fact, his voice housed the slightest bit of delight as he stated, "It''s done." "Your check is sitting at the front door," an ominous voice remarked. My head whipped around at the sound of this foreign voice. Once I processed what was said, I realized there was a slightly familiar tone to the voice. However, as the sentence repeated in my mind, I realized that whatever happened to my mother was caused by my father. And whoever he spoke to was equally responsible. I grit my teeth and stood slightly as I heard footsteps approaching me. They were light. Nearly lighter than my mother''s. Though the man with a burly voice walked lightly, the instant he walked into the room, his presence was crushing.


    It felt as if he was itching to kill me. Then I saw them. I saw his intimidating eyes. My mother and I possessed dark eyes. Darker than most. But this man''s eyes were even darker. He wore a suit nearly the same color as my hair. It snugly fit him, perfectly revealing his muscular frame.


    However, it also contrasted with his bright silver-colored hair. Once I looked down, I saw that he was holding the hand of a girl who appeared to be the same age as me. The instant our eyes met, she narrowed her eyes. Almost as if the very sight of me repulsed her. Suddenly, the man began to walk toward me. Terror seeped into my core as I dropped to the ground and crawled back while yelling, "No! Stay back! Stay the hell away from me-"


    The man appeared before I even saw him move. He reached out and grabbed my head. But not before I caught a glimpse of a black horn growing from the side of his head. Before I could see, hear, or think anything else, I was knocked out cold. After an unknown amount of time, I woke up on the couch.


    As soon as my eyelids popped open, my father side-eyed me. I pressed the palm of my hand against my forehead as it pounded. For some reason, I couldn''t remember anything. I couldn''t remember going to sleep. I couldn''t remember how I''d gotten here. However, the one thing I did remember was the lifeless look on my mother''s face. I quickly remembered the sound of my mother drawing her last breath. I also remembered her last words, "I love you so much, my son." As soon as my mind processed each of these memories, I broke. Tears streamed down my eyes as I broke out into a sob.


    Without a shred of remorse in his voice, my father stated, "Because you saw Natomi like that, you passed out. While you were out, the ambulance arrived and drove her off. However¡­ she was already dead once they got here. They believe she had a stroke." I cried at the fact that my mother was gone. I cried, knowing that she''d never smile at me the way she did ever again. I cried for all of the pain that I felt.


    However, I also cried because I knew that I wasn''t just left without a mother; I cried because I knew I was left with my father.

 Chapter Two: Unprotected

    Okami Renshin:


    One miserable year dragged by with me living alone with my father. My aunt Beatrix would still occasionally drop by and take care of me. However, as the months flew by, she stopped showing up altogether. With each week, it seemed like my father grew happier and happier. It was because of the mass amount of money that he got from his job. I don''t understand how someone like him could get a raise, but it''s not like I understood much about him to begin with. Though he spent each day happier than the last, his attitude toward me never shifted or wavered. He still disregarded me altogether. He blew the majority of his money and time on his alcohol. Practically every moment with my father was a drunk one. Eventually, I wised up and realized there was no point in focusing on making my father happy. So, I decided to focus on what would''ve made my mother happy.


    With the help of hand-written textbooks from my grandfather and a few additions from my mother, I had a guide on a new form of fighting. It''s purely counter-based. While I read from the book, I also looked up and studied my arm as I glanced down at my anatomy. My grandfather  put a ton of emphasis on studying and understanding my own body. As I read more and got further into the book, I began to see why it held such significance.


    "Not too bad," I said to myself in somewhat of a prideful tone. Once my arm dropped down to my side, my head turned from left to right, taking in the scenery of the forest around me. Though the view was beautiful, it was also remote. There wasn''t another house for miles out. I mean, with us living practically at the base of a mountain, who would be out here? Suddenly, I caught the sound of something rustling behind me. I quickly whipped my head around and scanned the area. However, nothing was there. But I was sure I heard the sound of footsteps.


    "My hearing is never wrong,¡± I confidently whispered to myself. As soon as I focused, I heard faint breathing coming from directly in front of me. But I couldn''t see it. Even though it sounded as if it was close enough for me to reach out and touch, there was nothing in front of me. It wasn''t until I narrowed my eyes that I saw a fox that appeared to be incorporeal. Its fur was shaded into a delicate golden hue. It wasn''t until I saw its three tails swaying behind it that confusion hit me like a freight train. I tilted my head out of curiosity to get a better view of the fox. As I tilted my head, I had the nerve to ask, "What are you?" "I''m a fox. What are you?¡± the fox shot back in a snide tone of voice. As soon as I realized that a fox not only understood my question but formulated a response, I fell down to the ground and began crawling back while asking, "You can talk?!¡± I watched as the ethereal fox lightly trotted over to me and asked, "You can see me, can you?" Though the fox was smaller than I was, it looked at me the same way a predator eyed its prey. "Tell me, what are you and what are you doing out here?" the fox asked in a voice that suggested it was best if I answered now. As soon as I opened my mouth to give a response, I heard, "Come now, sister. Must you think everything around is a threat?" I looked behind me to locate the source of this mysterious voice. As soon as I did a complete one-eighty, my eyes gazed on yet another phantasmal fox with the exact same shade of golden fur as the one behind me. However, this one had two tails rather than three.


    "Yes!" The three-tailed fox shouted out. I watched as it walked right past me as if I wasn''t even there. As soon as it stood before the two-tailed fox, it continued to chide, "Especially now, more than ever! It''s no longer safe for us to just be lingering around! At night we must be more cautious than we were before. We''re no longer protected. That means I''ve got to look out for you now more than ever as well. That leads me back to my previous question." It turned its head to me and stared daggers into my soul as it opened its mouth and asked, "Who and what are you?!" For some reason, every fiber of my being told me to run away, to get far from these dangerous foxes as fast as possible before I lost my life! Though I hated the way my life was going, I didn''t want to die. So, I listened. I quickly glanced around the surrounding area in search of my textbook. Unfortunately, I spotted it right behind the three-tailed fox.


    Getting to that book would mean getting through something that wanted to kill me. Something my grandfather  and mother created for me.


    While gnashing my teeth together, I quietly declared to myself, "I''m not leaving without that book!" As soon as I steeled my resolve, I dashed toward it as fast as I could! Just like I knew it would, this foolish action provoked the fox to bear its fangs at me and lunge with its jaw open!


    "Stop!" I heard the other fox yell from behind me. I couldn''t tell if it was screaming at me or the other fox to stop. I didn''t quite care either.


    Once I decided I was getting my book, nothing else mattered to me. As soon as I saw the three-tailed fox jump at me, I quickly dropped to the ground and into a roll like I had seen my mother do before. As soon as it flew behind me, I heard the sound of the fox¡¯s jaws tightly shutting as it missed my throat! The moment I was able to, I jumped up to my feet and sprinted toward my book without any regard for if the fox would chase me. I reached down and scooped it up while continuing to run away. For some reason, at that moment, I ran faster than I had ever run in my life!


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    I ran so fast that the trees became nothing but a blur to me! However, I quickly got consumed in the speed by letting out a half-entertained chuckle. As fast as the chuckle left my mouth, I smacked into the trunk of a tree even quicker!


    The moment I collided with the sturdy tree trunk, I was sent crashing into the rugged ground. After slightly skidding through the dirt, I let out a defeated "Ow!" and slowly lifted myself off the ground. Suddenly, I felt a searing pain pulsating throughout my left arm. The moment I looked down and saw my arm bent out of place, the meager dinner I had before training came right back up! I quickly placed my textbook in between my teeth and bit down against the binder to prevent myself from biting down on my own tongue. As I let out a guttural yell, I rocked back and forth in a futile effort to quell the pain!


    I began taking as many deep breaths as possible to increase my blood flow and ease my mind. It was a trick my mother taught me before but I''d done it so much that it turned into a nervous habit. I forced my right arm to reach out for my left. As it slowly approached, I asked myself the one burning question in my mind, "Can I really pop my arm back into place?!" I looked from right to left again, almost as if I expected someone to appear and do it for me. Once I realized that there was no one other than myself, I let out one final deep breath. I had no other choice but to steel my resolve once more and bite down on my book harder than before. I reached out and grabbed a hold of the broken part of my arm. As soon as my fingers so much as grazed my skin, the pain surged to a limit I would''ve never thought possible.


    I quickly let go and jerked back. I could do nothing but sit there staring at my broken arm with the realization that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn''t have been able to force my arm back into place. "You want a bit of help?" I heard a familiar voice ask from right in front of me. Just like before, though, the voice was just a few meters away, I couldn''t see who it belonged to. However, I quickly remembered to narrow my eyes, almost as if I was fine-tuning my vision to another mode. Suddenly, the incorporeal fox with two tails appeared before me. I moved back slightly out of fear that it was coming to finish what the other fox failed to. However, when I shifted, it didn''t move. It stayed sitting in the same spot. It just looked at me and calmly said, "I''m not going to hurt you. Neither is my sister. She''s just¡­ scared." I watched as the fox''s golden eyes set on my broken arm. In a courteous tone of voice, it asked, "May I?"


    I was too nervous to answer. However, I also wasn''t in any position to help myself. So, I eventually caved and settled with nodding my head. The fox trotted up to me and placed its paw on my arm. I suddenly watched as a bright, golden light glistened in the fox''s paw and along my arm. In an instant, the pain subsided. Before I even knew it, my arm was back in place. Not only was it where it belonged, but it moved like it always had. A grin crept onto my face as I looked down at the fox and gratefully said, "Thank you!" The fox turned its back to me and began walking away while remarking, "This makes us even, kid."


    "Even?" I asked in a curious tone of voice. With a slight tilt in my head, I quickly asked the fox, "What did I do for you to owe me." Without stopping to look at me, the fox answered, "You didn''t attack my sister." Before I knew what happened, the fox disappeared from my eyesight, leaving me in silence with the moon''s illumination peering down on me. Once I sat alone with my thoughts and processed everything I''d seen in the past twenty minutes, a slight chuckle escaped my lips. That chuckle turned into a slightly disturbed laugh. "This has gotta be a dream!" I laughed to myself while trying to rationalize everything that had just happened to me. Suddenly, I heard a ring coming from my pocket.


    As soon as I realized it was my phone, I reached into my pocket and saw who was calling. "Damn it," I said to myself once I saw the cracks in my screen from crashing into the tree. With a sigh leaving my mouth, I answered the phone and said, "Hello?" "Where are you?!" my father slurred. I could practically smell the alcohol through the phone. "I was out taking a walk," I answered in a low tone of voice to avoid any confrontation. "Get back here, now!" my father ordered in an infuriated tone of voice. I gnashed my teeth together. I wanted to tell him that I wasn''t coming home. I wanted to say that I''d never go back there again. I wanted to yell from the top of my lungs about how I hated him. However, when I opened my mouth to tell him off, I asked myself, "Where would you go?" As soon as I realized there was nothing else for me, I weakly responded, "Okay."


    The moment he hung up, I blankly stared at the phone screen. I saw a bit of myself in each of the cracks. The more I saw of myself, the angrier I became. My chest heaved as my breathing grew heavy. The anger only coursed through me once I realized I didn''t just hate my father. I didn''t just hate myself; I hated everything! I was consumed by anger. I threw my phone against the tree and watched it shatter! When I saw how easily the phone broke against the tree''s sturdiness, it only made me angrier! After all, this was the tree that caused me to break my arm in the first place. Just like anyone else would, I took all the anger writhing within me, condensed it into my fist, and swung it at the tree trunk with all my might! I knew this was stupid. I knew the mere thought of me punching the tree was stupid. However, I was just so angry that I couldn''t think of any other way to release the furry burning inside me other than taking it out on what hurt me to begin with.


    I expected my hand to break on contact. I expected a rush of pain as soon as my knuckles met with the bark of the tree. What I didn''t expect was for my fist to blow a hole right through the center of the tree entirely! As soon as its primary support was blown away, the tree began to tip over directly on top of me. Luckily, I reacted quick enough to jump out of the way before it could fall on top of, and ultimately crush me! While I stood there dumbfounded at the fact that I was the one to knock down the tree, I was even more astonished that I did it with nothing but my hand! Though I stood there in awe at my own strength, I quickly remembered that I had no time to be standing around dawdling. I turned north and began running back home.

 Chapter Three: Kill Them With Them Truth

    CHAPTER THREE: KILL THEM WITH THE TRUTH


    Okami Renshin:


    While I ran home, I tried to force my body to speed up the way it had when running from that fox. Unfortunately, my body didn''t respond the way I needed. However, I did discover something unusual. For some reason or another, I could feel the muscles in my legs moving differently. Like I had been running with weights strapped to me my entire life. Now, my muscles moved with efficiency. Not one fiber lagging behind another. It wasn''t until I made this discovery that I realized I, in fact, was running faster than usual. As I processed this, it caused me to stop in place. I was always naturally inquisitive, but I felt like I couldn''t stop myself from exploring the changes within me. It felt like my entire body was screaming at me to use it. So, I disregarded my father''s instructions and followed my own. I looked down at my calves and studied them as I crouched down. Since I''ve been examining my own body for years, it wasn''t hard at all for me to notice that the muscle groups in my calves had grown more prominent; they had grown stronger. "Well, would ya look at that?!" I said in amazement at my discovery. Seeing how my muscles stretched and contracted gave me an idea. Though it was a foolish idea, so was launching my fist at a tree with all my might. However, that turned out better than I expected. With a curious grin on my face, I asked myself, "how bad could it be?" I gathered every ounce of strength available and launched myself toward the nearest tree branch.


    For one second, my half-curious grin grew larger. I couldn''t believe that I was soaring through the air. "Oh shit," Those were the first words out of my mouth when I realized I poorly aimed my jump. "Oh, God!" came out of my mouth next when I realized I was about to crash into the ground for the second time that night. Thanks to my grandfather and mother teaching me to always stay calm, I managed to turn to the side before I hit my back on the ground. I landed with a loud thud and rolled in the dirt, while letting out a groan of pain. It wasn''t until the groan left my mouth that I assessed the level of pain I felt. A fall like that certainly should have broken my arm. After all, I fell at least six meters down. My arm should have been completely shattered. Yet, the only thing wrong with my arm was that it had a bruise on it of the exact nature when getting punched too hard. I stared deadpan at the bruise on my light brown skin. I tried to wrap my mind around what just happened.


    At that moment, I came to two harrowing conclusions. First, my body certainly had changed, and somehow, I failed to notice it. Second, I had no way of understanding or even controlling the changes in my body. I once again glanced down at my hands. "Is this what mom was talking about?" I asked myself in a desperate tone. I needed to understand what was going on with me! Just like I always had, I looked at the crescent moon floating in the air as if it held the answers I sought. When I looked up, I quickly realized it had moved. As soon as this realization hit me, I knew what that meant. While I was busy testing my body, time didn''t wait for me to do so. "I''m so late!" I said while jumping to my feet, turning north, and spriting with all my might. This time, while I ran, I was far more cautious of the tree trunks in front of me.


    In a forest as vast as the one behind my home, running on the ground was no easy feat. I spent more energy jumping over old tree roots and dodging tree bark rather than actually running. "There''s gotta be a more efficient method of travel," I quietly thought to myself. Since adrenaline was coursing through my veins, I had no way of knowing if I made it home faster or not. It wasn''t until I stood at my backdoor that I recognized two more changes in my body: I could both smell and hear my father before I even entered the home. He was pacing. Not only was he pacing, he was drinking. An annoyed sigh escaped my lips as I opened the door and walked through. The creaking from the hinges rang in my ears like nails on a chalkboard. I quickly pressed my hand up to my ear while saying, "Ow!" As soon as he heard the creaking of the door, my father changed direction and marched toward me. Once I shut the door behind me, I did nothing but stand in place and stare at my feet. Despite not making eye contact with him, I could smell him well enough to give myself an idea as to where he was.


    "I called you thirty minutes ago." he remarked in a commanding tone of voice. I trusted my father as far as I could throw him. I''d fully expect the instant he found out my body was different, he''d sell me out to become some kind of experiment. Through years of dealing with him and analyzing him myself, I had effectively learned how to lie my way out of anything. "I fell down and broke my phone. So, I lost my way." "You lousy brat!" my father shot at me. The instant I raised my head to look at him, the back of his hand collided with my face. Once I felt the stinging sensation, a realization that should''ve occurred to me before rang in my mind. My silver eyes rested on the fading bruise on my arm as I asked myself, "If a fall like that couldn''t hurt me¡­" I slowly turned my head. For the first time in my life, my gaze met my father''s as I continued to ask, "... how could he?!"


    Though I only caught a glimpse of it, I saw fear in my father''s eyes. That must''ve been how I looked at the three-tailed fox that stared up at me. As soon as my father realized he feared his fourteen-year-old son, he did exactly what I expected him to do. He clenched his fist and sent it crashing into my face. The moment I hit the ground, my father grabbed me by my shirt and asked, "So you think you''re tough, huh!?" Realizing that whether I gave a response or not wouldn''t change anything, I opted to stay silent. Once he saw that there was no more defiance left, my father let go of my shirt, causing me to hit my back on the ground. "Don''t you ever look at me like that again, got it!?" I looked into my father''s light brown eyes and studied the way he looked at me. He stared at me as if I was inferior to him. And I let him think that so that he''d leave me alone. The instant he walked into another room, I spit out the blood I had been holding back from when he punched me. As I stared at it, a slight grin formed on my face. "It didn''t hurt!"


    I whispered to myself in an astonished tone of voice. The grin on my face turned into a complete smile as I laughed and said, "He can''t hurt me anymore!" I quickly picked myself up and darted up the stairs and into my room. I happily plopped down on my bed with my book in hand. "There''s nothing he can do to hurt me!" I happily reassured myself while looking in a mirror.


    With the reality that my father could no longer harm me set in my mind, I decided to put a plan together. Now that he couldn''t harm me, he couldn''t stop me from leaving. "But where would I go?" I asked myself while falling down onto my pillow. My jet-black hair fell down on my eyebrows as I began taking deep breaths. One of the other practices that my grandfather wrote for me was meditation. It used to be one of my favorite pastimes. However, whenever I tried to meditate and clear my mind, my mother kept coming up. I could hear her laugh, her cries, her voice. I see her face. I see her smile.


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    When it''s just me alone with my thoughts, she''s the only thing that comes up. So, rather than try to meditate, I just forced myself to drift off to sleep. So far, it worked. I felt my breathing naturally grow heavier as I rolled over to my side. My grandfather ''s teachings had worked until I heard a ring. My head popped straight up as I turned to my door. I quickly realized it was my father''s phone that was ringing. I couldn''t understand why the ringing of his phone hurt my ears so much. "Are they sensitive to a certain pitch? What am I, a dog?" I asked myself with a slight chuckle. As soon as I laid back down, I heard my father answer. I managed to tune most of it out due to my complete lack of interest in anything my father had to talk about. It was pretty easy since I was already half asleep. However, the instant my ears caught my father saying, "Like I said, don''t worry about it. You paid me to do something I would''ve done for free."


    My eyes shot open as I sat up! Suddenly, the statement I made earlier in the day popped into my mind, "I don''t understand how someone like him could ever get a raise." I slowly turned my head until my eyes rested on my bedroom door. I listened as my father walked outside to continue the rest of the conversation. Though he walked as far away from me as possible, I could still hear him vividly.


    Arata Renshin:


    Once I stepped outside so Okami wouldn''t hear me, I raised my burner phone back up to my ear and said, "Alright, go ahead." "So, you''re in need of more, are you?" the man who gave me the poison to drug Natomi asked me. With a grin on my aged face, I happily answered, "Yeah, I want the exact same kind you gave me to deal with Natomi. My Boss is deciding who to give this new position to, and it¡¯s between another employee and me." I heard him chuckle as he remarked, "I see you''re eliminating the competition. Smart power move." I shrugged my shoulders while replying, "I''m just doing what''s best for me. I''m sure you can understand." "Yes, I can." the man shot back. Rather than a chuckle, he laughed in my ear as he stated, "Just like me, you''re a selfish bastard. I have a bit of a sentiment for selfish people like yourself." My grin only widened, causing me to quickly respond, "I selfishly accept."


    "Now, if you want it untraceable like I did with Natomi¡¯s, you''re gonna have to give me a week." the man cautiously advised. "Don''t trip," I assured. Leaning against my home, I calmly remarked, "I got a month to dead this guy." "Then it sounds like we''re in agreement. Get rid of this burner. I''ll give you another one next time I see you," the man happily ordered. "Got it," I said while hanging up. I dropped the phone on the ground and stomped on it until it was completely broken. I carefully grabbed what was left and threw it into the trash bin. Once I turned to walk into my home, another smirk etched itself onto my face as I thought of how much money I was going to be rolling in. With my hands in my pockets, I walked with a joyous stride and thought, "I think I''ve earned myself a beer!" As soon as I reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle, I felt something wrong. I felt something I hadn''t felt in years. I could feel that someone, or rather something, was coming to take my life.


    I slowly turned my head and watched as a white-haired kid rounded the corner. His fists were clenched together, so hard blood ran from the palms of his hands. His teeth looked like serrated knives designed for tearing through flesh and bone. It wasn''t until he turned toward me that I saw the set of ears on top of his head. The fur possessed the exact same hue as hair. There were scars etched into the light brown skin on his forearm; scars that looked all too familiar. Upon processing what I saw, I knew what the kid was. I didn''t think that it''d happen so fast! I was told it should''ve been years before it would happen! "So why now?!" I asked myself as fear coursed through my system. However, the true terror didn''t seep into my core until I realized that this was my kid. This was Okami!


    When he finally raised his head and met my gaze, it caused me to drop the bottle of beer in my hand. The glass shattered against the ground while my eyes went wide. I watched his usual silver eyes darken to a scarlet hue; just like Natomi! When he opened his mouth and angrily declared, "I''m going to kill you for what you did!" I no longer recognized him. Kill? Kill ME?! "When and where did he get the resolve to kill?!" I asked myself out of desperation. I watched as my son took one step forward and suddenly appeared before me faster than I could even blink! His scarred hand wrapped itself around my throat. With nothing but sheer strength, Okami tightened his grip around my airway and threw me to the ground. I looked up at him and watched as his foot crashed into my jaw. Blood flew out of my mouth as my canine tooth was knocked out of place. Suddenly, I felt something heavy drop onto my chest and knock the wind out of my body. I looked up, I saw Okami kicking me in my chest!


    The only thing I could think to do was roll onto my back in an attempt to regain my stolen breath. Okami dropped down next to me and wrapped both of his hands around my esophagus. He was strangling me! As soon as I looked him in the eyes, I watched as a grin crept onto his face; a grin that I''d never seen him make before. This grin caused him to order, "You look me in the eyes as you die! You did this to my mother! This is the least you deserve!" With all the might I could muster in my right hand, I launched it towards Okami''s jaw. I felt the contact against my knuckles. However, just like before, when I hit him, he was unphased. He only looked me in my eyes and calmly stated, "You can''t hurt me anymore. My mother is the last person you''ll ever hurt!" It wasn''t until I really looked my son in the eyes that I understood the answer to my own question. He got the resolve to kill from me. After all, he''s looking down at me the exact same way I looked at the very first man I ever killed. For the first time that I could remember, I felt a bit of pride in my son.


    Okami Renshin:


    I watched as my father gave up any attempt to fight me back, almost as if he gave up on his will to live. Either way, I didn''t care. The only thing I cared about was seeing the lifeless look on his face for what he did to my mother! It wasn''t until I heard the snap of his neck that I stopped crushing his airway. I huffed and puffed as I stared down at his corpse. The smile that formed on my face returned, only larger this time. The smile made me think it was a little funny. I couldn''t figure out what exactly about it was funny; I just knew something was. Something had to be. That could''ve been the only reason why I was laughing. However, if I was laughing because something was funny, why was I also sobbing? I couldn''t understand why or even how I was both laughing and crying at the same time.

 Chapter Four: Legacy

    CHAPTER FOUR: LEGACY


    Okami Renshin:


    I can confidently say the moment I buried my own father, something within me broke. I grew angrier with each waking moment. However, what angered me the most was my lack of understanding of any of the new changes in my life. I couldn''t understand why my hair faded to white when I heard what my father did. Not only that, I grew a set of ears and a tail that resembled that of a wolf. Mom always told me that our family was special, but she always refrained from telling me how exactly. The only logical conclusion that I could come to is that I am somehow related to the Wolf God, who watches over Japan. A part of me actually thought that was insane. My mind didn''t want it to be true. However, no matter how hard I tried to refute that reality, there was no denying that everything that happened to me was real. My mother was poisoned, I murdered my father, and somehow my body was changing. For as long as I could remember, my mother kept all of her ''work'' equipment in the basement of my home. The basement I was always told to stay out of.


    Since I was devoted to my mother''s every instruction, I gladly obeyed this one as I obeyed all the rest. But this time was different. I was different. There were questions that burned in my mind, and I needed the answers. "Going down into that basement is my only option," I said out loud in an attempt to reassure myself of my choice. I wrapped my hand around the handle and gave it a twist. However, just like I expected, the door wouldn''t budge. I gnashed my teeth together out of rage. I didn''t have the time nor the patience to find a key. With a quick glance at my hand, I asked myself, "If a tree couldn''t stop me, what chance does a door have?"


    With my mind made up, I raised my hand above my head. I trained my eyes on the part where the handle was closest to the door and swung down with all my might. I was anticipating that there''d be at least a little resistance as soon as my hand struck the handle. But to my surprise, the handle snapped off instantly, causing the door to open slightly, almost as if inviting me down. As I cautiously went down each step, I began to think of everything I knew about my family.


    The first unusual thing that came to mind was the fact that I had my mother''s last name rather than my father''s. For fourteen years, I was Okami Renshin and hadn''t thought about what it meant to be who I was. Perhaps that''s why my grandfather and mother taught me how to defend myself. They had taught me how to kill. After all, I used what they taught me to kill my father. When I reached the bottom, I immediately thought my basement was right out of an anime. There were multiple talismans with Japanese prayers painted on them. Even stranger, they hung from the ceiling. One of them said, "Ward Off." While another read, "Dispel." Another prayed, "Conceal." I titled my head out of curiosity. "What are these?" I asked myself in an astonished tone of voice.


    Upon reading and contemplating the meaning behind these talismans, something that the three-tailed fox said came to mind, "We are no longer protected now!" "Protection¡­" I mumbled to myself. I was trying to bring the word''s meaning into light by repeating it. It wasn''t until I repeated the word several times that another question popped into my mind. A question that I should have asked the second I heard the fox state this, "Who was protecting them? And what did they need to be protected from?!" I asked as if the answer would come to me. However, it did! Rather than someone else answering, I answered my own question by looking at myself in the mirror. My now scarlet eyes stared at the ears that sat atop my head; one drooped down and the other standing erect. I watched as my tail swayed behind me, almost as if it possessed a mind of its own. "the Wolf God," I said to myself with an expressionless face. "the Wolf God," I said once again, trying to grasp the gravity of my situation. I couldn''t have been sure. Perhaps I was reaching.


    Maybe this is just a result of some kind of panic attack or delusion. After all, I did just kill my own father. In fact, this may be nothing but a delirious dream. I mean, talking foxes, sudden changes in my body, my father killing my mother, me killing my father, a set of ears and a tail? I couldn''t have been the only one who thought this was ridiculous. "You''re dreaming, Okami," I convinced myself. With a swift turn, I began heading back up the stairs before I could even get a look at the rest of the basement.


    However, it wasn''t until I caught a glimpse of the shade of my hair that I remembered something. This caused me to stop in place, spin back around, and look at myself once more. My hair, being this color, was nothing short of an anomaly. It was unnatural. Suddenly, a memory of my mother popped into my mind. I remembered how there were always strands of her hair the exact same color as mine despite the rest of her locks being all black. I grabbed two fistfuls of my hair and tugged at them while asking myself, "H-How do we have the same color hair!?" Vague. That''s one of the words that come to mind when I think of my mother.


    She was vague with most things at best. Always giving me just enough of the truth to satiate my curiosity without exposing the entire story. This beckoned me to ask myself yet another question, "Besides what''s displayed on the surface, how much do I actually know about mom?!" I realized silence would be my only answer. I grit my teeth and continued walking down the rest of the steps. Once I reached the bottom, the first thing that caught my eye was the large painting of a crescent moon displayed on the center wall. The second thing that caught my eye was a shrine.


    The moment I turned my head to see who it was dedicated to, my heart sank into my stomach. "grandpa?" I asked in a tone that sounded like the wind was knocked out of me. It was my grandfather, alright. However, he looked different. In fact, he and I looked similar for once on the account that his hair had faded to the same hue as mine. Even our eyes were the same color! What truly convinced me that I had no idea about what was going on was the fact that he had the exact same ears on top of his head that were currently sitting on mine. "What the fuck is going on around here?!" I yelled out as my confusion and anger got the better of me. The third thing that caught my eye was the katana that rested at the very top of it all.


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    I''d never seen it before in my life. However, it was made up of colors I''d seen my grandfather wear nearly every day. Even though I was only five, I''ve always had a vivid memory. Part of me wanted to reach up and draw the blade, and the other part told me how bad of a bad idea that was. Not wishing to incur the wrath of my grandfather, I opted to keep my hands to myself.


    I saw a desk with a book sitting on it. So I walked over to the wooden desk and sat on it while picking up the book. There was no title. In fact, upon getting a closer glance, I didn''t think it was a book at all. More so, a journal of some kind. When I opened the first page, it read, "The Renshin Tenets." The instant I saw the first three words, I recognized my mother''s handwriting. "She left behind some kind of manuscript!" hopefully,   I said to myself. My scarlet eyes returned to the journal and read, "Though most of our recorded history has been wiped out and erased, I still stoke the flame of hope inside of me that there are other Renshin''s hidden and scattered throughout Japan. We''ve been reduced to only three living members. My mother, father (the acting Wolf God), and myself."


    The journal slipped out of my hands, hit the desk, and rested on the ground. My jaw was left wide open as I realized that what I had only theorized had been confirmed. I rubbed my temples in an attempt to ease my pounding head, while I said to myself, "So, grandpa really was the Wolf God!" I shut my eyes and tried to focus every bit of energy I had into remembering my adolescence. "When did mom start working in ''public service''?" I asked myself desperately.


    I raised my hand up to my mouth as I remarked, "If I''m correct, mom began that job when I was around five or so." Suddenly, my eyelids shot open as I came to a daunting revelation. "Mom was the Wolf Goddess after grandpa!" I blurted out. This caused me to look at myself in the mirror once again. My eyes scanned every noticeable difference on my body. I even glanced at the changes that weren''t so noticeable. With a sigh escaping my lips, I had no choice but to look myself in the eyes and say, "You''re the NEXT Wolf God." "I don''t want to be," I quietly murmured to myself. While grinding my sharp teeth against each other, I started to say louder, "I don''t want this! I want to be a normal kid! I want my mother!" Then it hit me! My mother¡­I didn''t finish reading what she wrote.


    Stuffing my rage back inside of me, I picked up the journal and continued reading, "We were many before. We were warriors. We were demi-gods. However, all at once, we were hunted down and eliminated by an unknown enemy. Most of us didn''t get the chance to fight back against the extermination. Now, the three of us are all that remain. However, we have not given up hope. Our enemy failed simply because of the fact we are still here. My father is growing old. Soon, his term as the Wolf God will be up. Thankfully, he has taught me all that he knows so that I can become his successor when he is no longer here. It''s the same that I''ll do for my children when I have some. Once my father is no longer here, I will become the Head of House Renshin and take on the responsibility of being the Wolf Goddess. I will keep Japan safe from any that would attempt to cause it harm. As such, I will write down these tenets and pass them down to my children when I feel my time is coming to a close. Tenet number one-" I closed the book shut. I no longer wished to read anymore. This was crazy. How was I, a kid with little to no training, supposed to fight for and protect a country? How was I to lead a family of legendary gods? How was I the last remaining Renshin?!


    "No!¡± I spit out. I looked down at my scarred hands and declared, "I won''t do it! I can''t lead! How could someone like me lead anyone?! I wasn''t prepared for this! I wasn''t even properly trained!" Just then, my father''s words rang in my head like a bell, "Like I said, you paid me to do something I would''ve done for free." I stopped. I stopped crying. I stopped complaining. I stopped pitying myself. "Someone wanted mom dead," I said in realization of the situation.


    More pieces started to fall into place as if I were building a puzzle. Someone wanted my mother dead. They went so far as to pay her own husband to do it. Despite what the circumstances are, someone killed my mother for a reason. I looked down at the journal and said to myself, "After all, how do I know if this mysterious attacker who supposedly wiped out my bloodline is truly gone?" As soon as I realized that I didn''t, I knew that nothing was preventing my death as well. "I can''t stay here," I tell myself as I grab my mother''s journal and walk up the stairs. Though I didn''t know the combination, I knew my father kept every bit of his money in a safe stashed underneath his bed.


    While I felt my tail bounce and sway behind me as I dashed up the stairs, there was one idea burning in my mind. "Break it!" I ordered myself. The moment I pulled the black safe from under my father''s messy bed, I grabbed onto the handle and tugged with every ounce of strength I had. Even though I didn''t break it on my first attempt, I heard the hinges cry for me to stop. I knew I was close. Building up my strength once more, I pulled against the handle. However, the door remained locked. An idea quickly popped into my mind. I placed the safe on its back and looked at my elbow. "Well, it is the strongest weapon on my body," I said, almost as if I was justifying my own idea. With as much power as I could muster, I ran my elbow into the safe door''s hinge. As soon as I heard a popping noise, I knew I had broken it. I quickly grabbed the handle again and tugged on it. As soon as the door flew off its hinges, I peered inside. To my disappointment, the first shelf of money was gone entirely. "Damned alcoholic," I scolded. Though the first row was gone, there was more than enough money for just myself. So, I grabbed a backpack from my father''s closet and filled it with as much money as I could fit in there. I managed to leave just enough room for my mother''s old journal to fit in there. Though I rejected just about everything in there, I felt as if it would come in handy at some point. With a backpack full of money and the clothes on my back, I left my home behind with the intention of never returning. Not until I had more answers.

 Chapter Five: December Seventh

    CHAPTER FIVE: DECEMBER SEVENTH


    Okami Renshin:


    It''d been a year since I killed my father and ran away from home. I still haven''t quite figured out how to turn my divine form on and off. I figured calling it my ''divine form'' sounded a lot cooler than something corny. Most of all, when I returned to my base form, I now possessed the identical few white-colored strands of hair my mother had. Even crazier, it''s in the exact same spot, too. I''ve blown through more than half of my expenses in just housing alone. I figured staying in a cheap and rundown motel was better than being a sitting duck at home where anyone who wanted me dead could find me. Spending my father''s dirty murder money made me absolutely sick to my stomach. However, I knew that it was better than dying. I knew that if my mother could have one thing from me, it would be to survive. However, the thought of going to sleep and not waking back up runs through my mind from time to time. I had no one. Worse, I''ve hit a standstill in my training. A visual learner such as myself really only learns from seeing something done by someone else.


    So, more than anything, I feel as if I''m doing nothing but wasting my time. I didn''t even have so much as a lead as to who would have wanted my mother dead. So that meant I had no clue who wanted me dead or why. I spent the past year looking over my shoulder at every turn. However, on my birthday, December seventh, something strange happened¡­stranger than anything that''s happened to me thus far. When my eyelids popped open, I saw nothing but a massive white void. "Huh?" I said aloud in a dazed confusion. I turned my head to the right and then to the left, but the scenery didn''t change; no matter where I looked. Nothing but a white void and golden clouds.


    This caused me to look down at my light brown hands. However, when I looked down, I watched as my tail swayed behind me. I instantly reached on top of my head and felt my ears twitch at my own touch. With a tilt in my head, I asked myself, "Why''s my divine form out? No, better yet¡­" I once again looked around while asking out loud this time, "...where am I?" "You''re in The Realm of Twelve. Or I guess Heaven would be a better word for you," a mysterious voice answered. I quickly spun around to locate the source of the voice. Behind me stood a man that was at least six feet tall. He had the same color of jet-black hair as me in my base form. His eyes were the same hue as mine. However, they were darker. While mine were more scarlet, his were a deep blood red, lacking any sort of glow in them at all. By far his most notable feature once again was eerily similar to mine. Instead of them being reminiscent of a wolf, the man who stood before me possessed a set of ears and a tail that looked like they belonged to a tiger. I watched as his black tail swayed behind him, and then I looked up with skepticism beaming in my eyes as I questioned, "And you are?" Though I had never seen the man before, I had to admit, there was something familiar about the scars on his face. The man placed his hand on his chest and stated, "My name is Tora Romanov."


    "Tora Romanov," I said as I tried to remember where I''d seen him before. The instant I remembered, it felt like someone splashed cold water on my face. I looked Tora in his blood-red eyes and said, "I remember you now. You were at my mother''s funeral with those other people in black suits."


    While resting his arms behind his neck, Tora remarked, "Wow, I''m shocked you remember. That was a¡­ tough day for all of us. Natomi was a good friend. And an even better leader." "Leader?" I ask with a spiteful tone. I felt both of my ears stand on end as I questioned, "Who are you really?!" I watched as his tail maneuvered in front of him, and he answered, "Why, I''m the Tiger God, of course." I knew it. I''ve heard of him before. Twelve animals are beloved in several different countries. "If memory serves, the Tiger God is revered in Russia," I thought to myself in an attempt to piece together what was truly going on. I looked up at the tall man and remarked, "Alright, Tora. You answered my previous questions, so let''s see if you can answer this one¡­" I watched as his posture stiffened, almost as if he was unsure of his own safety for a moment. With my scarlet eyes narrowed, I coldly asked, "...who murdered my mother? If you worked alongside her in ''public service,'' I know that you know." I watched as Tora looked away from me. Almost as if he was too afraid to tell me the truth.


    A slight sigh escaped his lips as he said, "Well, kid. I don''t know how to tell you this. But I don''t believe Natomi had a stroke. In fact, I believe it was your father who poisoned her." I stared at him, deadpan. He was shocked by my reaction. I''m sure he was expecting me to refute what he said. In fact, I''m sure that he expected me to attack him, all while calling him a liar. However, I could do nothing but sit there. "That''s all you have?" I ask in a shattered tone of voice. I gnashed my teeth together and lashed out, "You knew who did it, yet you did nothing about it?!" With his arms extended, acting as a barrier between him and me, Tora asked, "You knew?!"


    "Yes, I knew," I yelled back. The declaration that was about to fly out of my mouth was packed with more bass than I knew my body was capable of producing, "I''m the one who killed him!" Shocked. That''s the only word that would have been appropriate to describe the expression on Tora''s face. "You killed him?" He asked like he couldn''t believe what he heard. "Yeah," I shot at him. I balled my fist and yelled, "While you and all the other people my mom led were fucking off, God knows where I discovered who killed her, and I was the one to kill him!" Suddenly, the aggression was knocked out of me. In place of it stood fear. Tora narrowed his eyes at me and remarked, "Listen, kid. Even though I may have known the truth, there isn''t a damn thing that we could have done about it! There are rules and regulations in place that prevent such a thing! Besides, how do you think that would have gone over with you, huh!? How do you think you would have responded to eleven strangers running into your home and murdering your father?!" "If you had shown me some evidence, I would''ve gladly helped out," I refuted. Tora reached down, grabbed me by my shirt, and stated, "Well, I didn''t have any to show!"


    There was nothing but an awkward silence between us. "What?" I asked in a defeated tone of voice. Tora threw me back by my shirt and continued to say, "I had a feeling. I had a suspicion. But I never had any evidence that proved he did it. Therefore, we couldn''t do anything." He crossed his arms and stared down at me while declaring, "Don''t go around patting yourself on the back like you should get a medal for killing your father. That''s something any son would have done in your position." It took me a second to recognize the way he looked down at me. It wasn''t in a way to display that I was inferior to him like my father had done. It wasn''t to threaten or scare me. Rather, it looked like the way an older sibling would scold their younger sibling. "But how would I know that?" I asked myself. I chalked it up as nothing more than the family dynamics I''d seen on TV. I watched as Tora let out another sigh and turned away from me. Though he no longer faced me, he blurted out, "I know why you''re here." Even if a part of me didn''t wish to speak, even I wanted to know what I was doing in this Realm of Twelve, as he called it. "Why am I here?" I asked with my arms crossed. While he turned and side-eyed me, he answered, "You''re here because it''s your fifteenth birthday." I raised an eyebrow and questioned, "How''d you know that?" This prompted Tora to turn back around and face me. It wasn''t until I looked at him with some form of clarity that I paid attention to how he was dressed. His jet-black hair is worn longer, possibly past his shoulders, with a slightly disheveled, windswept style that gives him a rugged edge. He wore a high-collared, double-breasted coat in a deep, almost black shade of scarlet, with fur trim around the cuffs and hem. Underneath, a shirt in a dark, neutral tone, with subtle stitched-in accents. He wore a slightly torn but sleek pair of black pants, which was tucked into his black combat boots. "Might need a pair of those," I mumbled to myself. His piercing blood-red eyes were his most striking feature, conveying a fierce intensity and divine power. He had two prominent facial scars, one running across his cheek and the other over his brow, which only added to his battle-hardened, predatory appearance. His swaying tail and resting ears truly conveyed that he was a powerful deity.


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    I watched as his gaze met mine, and he continued to say, "Because, every five years, the twelve of us are transported here to bathe in divinity and become more powerful. You might not remember, but I met you once when you were about ten or so. I knew you were thirteen at Natomi''s funeral, and I knew you were born in December. So, really, it was more of a waiting game before I¡¯d meet you."


    With a tilt in my head, I remarked, "Well, you went through all the trouble of getting me here, so what can I do for you?" A slight chuckle escaped his lips. He found something funny. He must''ve. I didn''t think I phrased my question as if it was a joke. "So why is he laughing?" I asked myself. Once he got the laugh out of his system, he looked me in my scarlet eyes and stated, "My young god, it isn''t what you can do for me¡­"


    I watched as his blood-red eyes shone with a bright glow while he continued to say, "... it''s what I can do for you." Being slightly impressed by his display, I crossed my arms once more and asked with a grin, "Alright then, what can you do for me?" "A favor," Tora immediately answered.


    Those two words felt like I was punched in the stomach. "Apparently, I''m not the only one who knows that I need him," I said to myself. While staring into his eyes, I quickly thought of my choices, "He said we come back every five years. So, hypothetically, I could wait here. But then again, why waste five years when I could play a risk and have it turn out in my favor? I''ll just call his bluff for now." My grin widened as I interjected, "What makes you think I need a favor from you-" "Come now, are you really in a position to pull my card? Just think about it; who else do you see around here that''s going to teach you about being a god?" He quickly pressed his finger against my forehead while saying, "Better question, who else is here to teach you how to leave this place and return to Japan?" A chuckle escaped my lips. In fact, for the first time since I could remember, I laughed. I looked back up to the god and saw that he was smiling. Why? I didn''t know. Maybe he and I had the same sense of humor; who knows? As soon as I finished laughing, I placed my hands in my pockets and said, "Alright, I''m listening." I watched as Tora extended his hand and said, "Let me do both you and Natomi a favor. Become my student, Okami."


    Once again, Tora''s words stunned me. I could do nothing but look him in the eyes and ask, "Why would you do that?" Tora ran his fingers through his messy jet-black hair and answered, "Your mother saved my life once before. I failed to save hers. So, I''m hoping that by training her son and preparing him for the life he''s been thrust into, she''ll forgive me." I could no longer prepare myself for anything that Tora said. It all was a shock to me. This entire time, I thought I was the only one suffering over my mother''s death. I thought I was the only one who blamed themselves. However, it''s been placed in front of me in plain view that I was not the only one who felt as if they bore the weight of failure. "Fine. I''ll become your student," flew out of my mouth faster than I gave it any thought. I watched as Tora placed his hand on my head and stated, "Wise choice, kid. Now that you''ve made that decision, I''ll tell you how to leave this


    place. But before I do that, there are a few things I''d like to explain first."


    He cleared his throat and explained, "As you know, you and I are gods. But I''m going to tell you what that truly means. We faithfully serve the countries that revere and venerate us. For me, that would be mother Russia. For you, that¡¯s Japan. You will protect spirits and mortals alike while also protecting yourself. If you don''t, demons will consume the soul of whoever you fail to protect." "That answers what that fox was so afraid of," I thought to myself. Tora continued to say, "Demons hunt by the smell of a soul. Most won''t have the balls to attack you. They fancy spirit souls. But they won''t turn down a mortal soul either. So, at any time of day, in any place, a demon is liable to appear. That means keep your head on a swivel." Little did Tora know, I was on the run with my head resting on a swivel. On the run from who or what? I didn''t know. However, I spent the past year living as if someone were hunting me down, and I had no intentions of stopping. I opted to keep my family history to myself. If Tora knew nothing, just as mom kept it with everyone else, I would as well.


    Once I tuned back into the conversation, I heard Tora emphasize, "Some don''t have as sharp of a smell. But gods like you and I are capable of vividly smelling a demon. The best way I can describe it to you is that of death. Now, the second thing that you need to know is about familiars. We, as gods, can make contracts and bind our souls to spirits. These spirits serve us until we die." "Until we die?" I asked in a confused tone of voice. Tora snapped his fingers and quickly explained, "Since our souls are bound together, their lives end when ours do. Master and familiar are then returned to the spiritual plane together." My eyes narrowed as I remarked, "You''re throwing around a lot of confusing terms at me, man." Tora flicked me on my forehead while spitting back, "Then don¡¯t ask questions if you''re not ready for the answer!" Despite what he said, I shot Tora a glare even though I had more questions. I watched Tora cross his arms and declare, "Now isn''t the time for questions; that¡¯s why I¡¯m keeping this brief. So, when I send you back, the only way you¡¯ll be able to return is if you have a familiar. Next¡­" I watched as Tora opened his hand, and a katana manifested in his palm. I was nothing short of astonished. "How the hell did you do that?!" I asked out of pure curiosity. Tora extended his hand while saying, "If you loved seeing it, then you''re going to love doing it!"


    I graciously opened my hand as Tora dropped the blade in my palm. With impatience coursing through my veins, I wrapped my hand around the handle of the katana and attempted to draw it. However, Tora placed his hand on mine while ordering, "Don''t draw it yet!" I quickly stopped in place and asked, "Why not!?" Tora pointed at it as he explained, "This here is a divine instrument. Your birthday present from your mother." The wind was suddenly snatched out of my body. If I didn''t know any better, I would''ve thought Tora punched me square in the chest. His statement caused me to look down at the blade and study it. The sheathe was the same hue as my jet-black hair. Two scarlet strings were tightly wrapped around and hung from the sheathe. The circular guard was silver in color, while the handle possessed the same color as the sheath. I couldn''t put my finger on it, but something was enticing about it. Knowing that it was from my mother only made me appreciate it that much more. I looked up at Tora as he continued saying, "gods like us possess divine instruments to aid us in dispatching demons. When one is forged, it must be drawn at our shrines to have a blessing inscribed into them." As soon as Tora mentioned a shrine, I immediately knew what he was talking about. Back home in Tokyo, there was a massive statue of the Wolf God that people prayed to. I watched as Tora opened his hand, and a sword manifested in his palm. I''d never seen a sword like it before. "Perhaps it''s Russian?"


    I said to myself in an attempt to satiate my curiosity. He placed his hand on the blade and said, "This is called a Kiliji. It''s a Russian sword. It''s my divine instrument." Once I saw the blade, I was impressed even further. The blade was the exact same blood-red hue as his eyes. However, what caught my interest was the engravings that I couldn''t decipher. While holding it up for me to see, Tora explained, "This here is our divine language. I''ll teach you to speak and read it once you return with a familiar." "Then it sounds like that''s where my focus needs to be," I quickly added. My outburst caused Tora to chuckle. the Tiger God side-eyed me and said, "Alright, kid, you''re antsy, I get that. So let me tell you what I need to so that you can be on your way." Tora sheathed his blade and instructed, "Imagine your Instrument disappearing. Not from you, but just from eyesight."


    Tora''s instructions were vague at best. I didn''t know what that meant. However, I watched as he extended his hand and let go of his sword. Suddenly, it vanished into thin air. I looked back up at him and saw a "told you so" grin on his face. This caused me to scoff and do as he had done. I opened my hand and simply thought of my sword no longer being there. To my complete and utter surprise, it worked! It was gone! I couldn''t see it, and neither could Tora. He patted me on my shoulder and asked, "See? Was that so hard?" I stuck out my hand and extended a specific finger for my response, which made him chuckle. Once again, Tora placed his hand on my head and remarked, "Remember, Okami. Don''t draw your blade until you stand before your shrine." I nodded my head in response. To me, there was no longer any need for words. I knew what I had to do.


    All that remained was for me to leave from this white expanse and get down to it. As soon as I looked back up at Tora, he smiled down at me. Again, I couldn''t figure out why he smiled. But who was I to judge what made someone happy? "Be safe, and for both our sakes, move quickly! Don''t keep me waiting, Little Wolf." Before I could utter a word in response, I stood in a forest. I looked around and realized I had no clue where I was. The only thing I could think to say was, "What the hel-" Before I finished my sentence, I threw up. Perhaps my body didn''t appreciate its first time being teleported.

 Chapter Six: Universal Sever

    CHAPTER SIX: UNIVERSAL SEVER


    Okami Renshin:


    When I stopped throwing up, I looked around to gain a sense of my own surroundings. I was in a forest, that much I knew for sure. However, as far as knowing which forest I was in, I had no clue. As soon as I felt a strand of my hair tickle my nose, a bright idea popped into my mind. "It''s no dumber than all the other things I''ve done to get this far," I remarked to myself. As soon as my mind was made up, I raised my head and stuck my nose into the air. Though I was in my base form, I figured I''d try to activate my divine form on my own accord. I shut my eyes in an attempt to focus. The moment I began to focus, a realization hit me in the face like a right hook from a trained fighter, "I have no clue how to activate it. As far as I know, my emotions are the trigger for it. But do I really have to be mad every time I want to transform into a god?" I asked myself with a tilt in my head. I sighed as I chided, "Well, it''s better than not knowing where I am." I put my nose into the air, shut my eyes, and pictured my father''s face. I imagined his voice. I thought about how prideful he sounded about killing my mother. Before I knew it, I felt something in my sternum, something unusual. So, I grasped onto that feeling and pulled it forward. As soon as the feeling made itself known to me, I realized I was well acquainted with it. "Rage," I murmured to myself. For once, I could feel the change in my body. Every part of it felt warmer. Almost as if I was being enveloped by a hug. I could feel my sense of hearing and smell being sharpened by the second. It was strange; I could hear nearly everything, and I could smell roughly anything. However, the most bizarre thing I experienced was when I opened my eyes.


    I could see differently. I saw glowing insects. They looked like they weren''t alive. Yet, they moved with so much vibrancy that it made me think they were scared. As soon as I caught myself asking, "What are they scared of-" I cut myself off. I realized the answer to that question was previously answered by my teacher. It wasn''t until I took one deep breath that I realized where I was. I was somewhere between Tokyo and my home. I scoffed in amazement at my sense of smell. This caused me to turn my head from right to left while saying, "Well, I''m too close to turn back now. Besides¡­" I turned to the south and started my run while continuing to think, "... I''m still being hunted!" It wasn''t until I began to get closer and closer that I realized something was pulling me toward Tokyo. What? I had no clue. However, I did know that something was expecting me, beckoning me even, and I was more than inclined to accept its invitation. After five minutes of sprinting, I finally began to see signs of life. "Well, can''t walk around with ears and a tail," I remarked to myself. I stopped in place and shut my eyes once more. Since my head was filled with thoughts aside from the kind of man my father was, it was far easier to seal my divinity than it was to utilize it.


    As soon as I could walk around somewhat regularly, I opted to walk among the crowd in an attempt to blend in. However, though I was blending in, I was also looking around every corner, every crevice, and every chance I had, I looked over my shoulder. I may have been walking amongst mortals, but there were still the distinct white strands of hair that I possessed. It may have been a dead giveaway as to who I was, but I would''ve been damned if I hid it.


    It was among one of the last things that reminded me of and made me look like my mother. Even though I''d only been there a handful of times, for some reason, I knew exactly which streets to take to get there. Soon, I stood before the massive stairway leading up to my shrine, "There''s no way I have to go up all of these," I remarked. A sigh escaped my lips as I began to tread up the extensive staircase. I contemplated using my divinity to run straight up the stairs. However, when I realized that I had no clue who might be at the top and that I could quite possibly trip and fall all the way back down, I decided to keep walking. After the most infuriating walk I''d ever had in my life, I stepped through the front gate.


    I saw an awe-inspiring life-sized statue of a dire wolf carved from a massive block of all-black granite. The sculpture portrayed a majestic wolf. Its sharp eyes were molded with such detail that they appeared to follow my gaze as I stared at them. The carving''s stance was a regal, confident repose. The pointed fangs were an apparent show of the raw strength of the deity it represented. Surrounding the central statue were smaller, carved figures of wolves in miscellaneous poses. They stalked through the undergrowth or howled to the pale moon that shone through the shrine''s windows. "Looked a lot bigger as a kid," I commented with a slight chuckle. Since I was the only one there, I decided to look behind me to see if anyone else was coming up the stairs. Once I saw the coast was clear, I stepped forward. It wasn''t until I was standing right in front of it that I realized the wolf had the exact same language carved into it as Tora''s sword. "Guess I am in the right place, huh? What''d he call it again? divine language?" I asked curiously. I crouched down before the wolf statue, which looked larger the closer I got to it. I extended my arm, and my katana appeared within the palm of my hand. A bright grin formed on my face as I commented, "That will never not be cool!"


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Once I placed my divine instrument on the ground in front of me, I decided to shut my eyes, put my hands together, and give a prayer. After all, whether I liked it or not, this was a part of my family legacy, which unfortunately meant it was a part of me. "I know that it''s all on me. I''m the last Renshin. I''m the Wolf God. However, I''m not ready," I stated.


    Yet another sigh left my mouth as I continued to say, "I''m not ready to bear the weight of those responsibilities. I can''t be who it is you want me to be. I cannot protect these people. I can''t even protect myself. Not just yet. There is someone out there, someone who wanted all of us dead. I don''t know if they''re gone. In fact, I believe that they''ve come back. Whoever it is has already taken my family from me, but now my mother. Now it''s just me. Right now, is the time I need to dedicate to learning, to investigating. If I leave the demons of our past to be just as my grandfather and mother had, I will die too¡­"


    I gnashed my teeth together out of anger while saying, "... that''s why I want strength! I want the power to prevent anyone or anything from ever being taken away from me again! That''s why I draw this blade,"


    I quickly wrapped my left hand around the sheath and my right around the handle. While pulling the blade from its sheath, I continued to say, "I draw this blade to protect!" As soon as I presented my divine instrument before the wolf, I watched as some of the divine writing glowed the exact same hue as my scarlet eyes. Suddenly, the words of the wolf appeared on my blade, changing its color from its silver hue to scarlet.  Once I looked back at the wolf, each of the divine writings was gone. "Huh, well, that was pretty cool-" Before I could finish my sentence, I was enveloped by the warmth of my divinity. In the next moment, I watched as a red light exploded from my hand. Though it knocked me onto my back, it seemed to phase through the walls, almost as if it was incorporeal. Before I even knew what was happening, I felt a searing pain surge within the palm of my right hand. I let out a yell while holding my wrist in an attempt to ease myself.


    Just as fast as it appeared, the pain dissipated before I even knew what was going on. It wasn''t until I looked down at my hand that I realized I never let go of my sword. In fact, I couldn''t let go of it. The next thing I discovered was that my ears and tail fully manifested without me even noticing it. My head began to pound with the amount of questions that flooded it all at once. Each new realization only raised yet another question. It caused me to gnash my teeth together and remark, "Tora didn''t tell me about any of this!" Suddenly, my divinity sealed itself. This only angered me further. "How is it just going to come and go whenever it pleases?!" I asked with spite in my voice. The moment I was no longer a deity, my sword fell out of my palm. I quickly raised my hand to my face while cursing, "What the hell is going on-" I was immediately silenced by the discovery I made. There was a vertical line of words within the palm of my hand. However, I couldn''t read them. "Great, I got a tattoo of something I can''t even read," I scoffed in an agitated tone of voice. I finally picked myself and my divine instrument up off of the ground while saying, "A better question would be what that explosion of red light was. Was that something I unintentionally triggered? It doesn''t seem to have affected anything or anyone, so I guess I''ll take the small victory." Once I raised my katana to my face to further examine it, I was immediately impressed by the change my divine instrument had gone through.


    To say that I was nerding out would''ve been an understatement. The new scarlet blade color and divine writing gave my sword the look I never knew it needed. "Well, it does look pretty cool," I say to myself in an attempt to justify everything that just happened. I sheathed my katana while saying, "That''s one task out of the way; onto the nex-" I stopped. My ears caught the sound of someone running in my direction.


    I quickly hid my divine instrument and turned toward the entrance. What stood before me was something that should have usually terrified me, considering what happened the last time we met. However, the fear in the three-tailed fox''s eyes only confused me. "You have to save my little sister," the fox shouted in a petrified tone of voice. "Huh?" Flew out of my mouth while tilting my head and narrowing my eyes.

 Chapter Seven: Binding Collars

    CHAPTER SEVEN: BINDING COLLARS


    Three-tailed fox:


    As I stalked through Tokyo with my little sister, she seemed unusually annoying that day. "What''s taking so long?!" My sister asked with impatience in her tone. I quickly turned my head and shot back, "I''m trying to find the pond that had those amazing-tasting fish in them. However, all your whining and complaining is messing with my sense of direction! So, if you''d shut up for a few seconds, I''d be able to find it!" "Please, you''d be lost with or without me! There''s a reason that I''m the tracker," my little sister remarked from behind me. Having enough of her snide attitude, I spun around to face her, flared my tails, and yelled, "We''re moving slowly because we don''t have the slightest clue when a demon might show up! Carelessness leads to death! However, if you''re having that much trouble being patient while I find you something to eat, then why don''t you just head on home!?" My sister stopped in place. I had done the same. I never yelled at her before. I watched as she stripped her gaze from mine, turned around, and mumbled, "Fine then, I will go."


    "Well, it''ll probably be the safest place for her," I quietly said to myself. As I continued walking in search of our dinner, I couldn''t help but think, "That girl is so hard-headed. She has no clue what a demon does. What a soulless body looks like. I mean, she''s young. She doesn''t know any better. She shouldn''t have to. However, with there being no Wolf God, she needs to be more careful."A slight grin formed on my face as I said to myself, "Since there''s no Primordia in place at the moment, all of the demons that''d be hiding near our home have moved more into the cities. So, if anything, I''m in more danger than she would be right now-"


    Before I could say anything else, I felt something that instantly sparked an ember of hope within my heart. "The Wolf God has manifested," I said in an astonished tone of voice. Suddenly, I felt my deity''s aura envelop me once more. This could only have meant one thing. Once again, a new Primordia has been forged, forcing most demons to flee from the cities and back to the outskirts. The outskirts. The outskirts that we lived in. The moment I realized what this meant, there was only one thing that I could''ve thought to do.


    I spun around and ran south as fast as my legs could take me. Thanks to being a spirit, I was far faster than any human. Before I knew it, I was at the stairs leading up to my god''s shrine.


    With as much speed as I could muster, I dashed up the finely constructed staircase. As soon as I made it up to the top, someone stood before me that I never wished to see again. He looked at me as if he was still scared of me. In that moment, I wanted to tell him how I was nothing but wrong for what I attempted to do the last time we met. However, the only words to fly out of my mouth were, "You have to save my little sister!" The Wolf God stared at me with confusion. "Huh?" Quickly flew out of his mouth, leaving us in yet another awkward silence.


    Okami Renshin:


    "She didn''t look so scary now," I thought with a slight snicker. I looked down at the fox seriously and asked, "What are you talking about?" Suddenly, I saw the fox turn into a girl right before my eyes. However, with her height, she looked like nothing but a kid. Her luminous, golden gaze was fixed directly onto me. Her amber-colored eyes shone so bright,


    I thought actual flames rested behind her pupils. Her expression was calm and composed, betraying no hint of the immense power that she held. The fox''s slender, graceful frame was draped in a flowing, high-collared robe of the finest silk. The fabric shimmered with an ethereal golden sheen. The robe was cinched at the waist with an intricately embroidered obi with ornate patterns and designs. Cascading down her back were thick, lustrous manes of hair. Each strand shined like burnished gold in the light. The tresses flowed and billowed around her as if alive, moving with a subtle hypnotic rhythm that was almost mesmerizing to behold. Occasionally, a flash of golden light could be seen flickering amongst the strands like flames.


    Her hair was long, reaching past her shoulders and down to her lower back. When I looked up at her hair, the tresses fell naturally and framed the elegant outline of kitsune''s face. The fox bowed her head before me and pleaded with all her heart, "There are demons heading right for my little sister. You have to help her, please!" "Calm down and tell me what happened," I ordered while crossing my arms.


    I watched as both the ears atop her head drooped down while she explained, "My sister and I got into a fight. I told her to go back home. However, the second you expanded your Primordia, most of the demons that hid within Tokyo and various other cities have fled to the outskirts of Japan to evade it." Just then, it hit me. I was the cause of whatever massive change just happened. "That means if her little sister dies, it''ll be my-" before I could finish thinking, in fact, before the fox could say anything else, I ran out of my shrine. With no regard for where I''d land, I jumped from the top of my staircase. The only thing I cared about was saving the life that I endangered. I put my nose to the air and took a deep breath.


    I could smell them. I could smell them all! I could smell the demons that were fleeing. They smelt putrid. In fact, the smell attacked my nose so hard it caused my body to shudder while I flew through the air. Before I was ready for it, my feet hit the ground. A fall from that far would have normally broken my ankles and fractured my knees. However, I didn''t feel it. I didn''t feel a bit of the shock from the impact.


    As soon as I realized I could, I kept running. The smell of death wasn''t the only thing my sharp nose caught. There was something sweet there. Something that smelled exactly like the three-tailed fox. That was all the connection I needed. Just like back in the forest, I ran faster than I ever ran in my life. If anything, I was faster than I was then. I don''t know what it was. "Maybe I really did bathe in divinity; maybe going to the shrine boosted my senses! Who cares?!" I asked with a grin on my face.


    I jumped through the sky, allowing the crisp winter air to push my hair back as I continued to say to myself, "I gotta admit, I may not have wanted it, but damn, does it feel good to do this!" I placed my feet back on the ground and sprinted until the environment around me changed.


    I stood in a forest before I even realized I exited Tokyo. Suddenly, I heard a scream. My head whipped to the left, and I started running while taking another deep breath. "They''re no further than twenty meters away," I advised myself as I prepared. I could smell them so well I could practically see them. There were four of them surrounding the fox. According to my nose, they appeared almost human-like. The only thing that stood before me and them was the large tree blocking my path. I couldn''t go through it, and going around would have taken too much time. So, I opted to try something that went poorly for me the last time I attempted it. However, it wasn''t about me. It didn''t matter how poorly it went for me; all that mattered was correcting my mistake. "All that matters is that I prevent someone from dying because of me," I murmured to myself while I crouched down. I was consciously aware of and could feel the muscle fibers in my calves contracting and expanding as I built up strength.


    The moment I grit my teeth, I launched myself into the air and jumped directly above the trees. As soon as I cleared it, I no longer just smelt them; I could see them. Not only that, but the fox saw me. From the angle she looked at, she must have seen me jump over the tree while the moon shone behind me. "So those are the demons I''ve heard about, huh? I won''t lie and say that they aren''t scary. However, I refuse to sit back as someone dies because of me."


    I extended my arm and called my divine instrument to my hand. I wished it had been as easy to activate my divinity as it had been to summon my weapon. Before the demons were even alerted to my presence, I wrapped my hand around the handle and drew my blade above them. The second my feet touched the ground, I envisioned the way my mother would swing her wooden sword at the practice dummies. With a swift stroke of my wrist, the blade of my weapon cut right through the demon I swung at.


    I watched as the blade cleaved straight through his flesh and bone, severing him at the torso. It was bloody, it was gruesome, it was "Exhilarating," I murmured.


    My sudden appearance shocked the demons, which gave me all the time I needed to shift my body and thrust the edge of my divine instrument into the second demon''s throat. As soon as the last two remaining demons realized they were going to die, they both swung at me. This caused me to grit my teeth and attempt to pull my sword out of the second demon''s windpipe. However, I couldn''t get it out. As soon as I turned to figure out why, I saw the second demon holding onto my blade so that I couldn''t.


    Worst of all, we were right in front of the injured fox. If I had taken one wrong step, it could have been fatal for her. The moment I realized this, rather than keep tugging at the katana, I let it go, ducked, and swung my fist as hard as possible. It both hurt and excited me the moment my knuckles crashed into the third demon''s jaw. However, I got lost in my excitement. I quickly remembered that I was not their target. "The fox," I yelled to myself. I once again pivoted to find the fourth demon launching himself toward the fox. Now that I was at an angle, I wrapped my hand around the handle of my weapon and pried it from the second demon''s fingers.


    My sharp divine instrument cut right through his fingers as I launched it toward the fourth demon to protect the fox. I threw my katana with such precision that it pierced the demon''s ribcage and pinned him to the ground. Unfortunately for him, my aim wasn''t precise enough to hit his heart and give him an instant death. Before I knew what was going on, I felt something heavy hit me in my jaw. It reminded me of the way my father would hit me. However, unlike my father''s punches, this hurt.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    I felt a warm liquid flowing down my face. Even though it hurt, it was somewhat funny. I hadn''t been injured in so long that I¡¯d forgotten what it felt like. A slight chuckle escaped my lips, and before I realized I had done it, I spun back around and punched the demon right back. Though mine packed far more force than he was capable of producing. "I was wrong," I said to myself as I placed my hands up in front of me like I was taught. The chuckle that I previously let out turned into a grin while I thought, "I can protect myself! Even though this is tough, I can handle it! It''d be easier if I could use my divine form like an on-and-off switch!"


    I watched as the demon standing before me attempted to gather himself from the devastating punch I landed. While I watched, it occurred to me that I never turned to see if who I was protecting was actually okay. As I started turning around, I asked, "Are you alrigh-" before I could even finish my sentence, I was stunned. Large, expressive orbs that shimmered with a vibrant, amber hue, flecked with hints of molten copper. They seem to dance with an inner spark of energy. Before I even realized it, she changed from her fox form.


    Compared to her elder sibling, she had a softer, more youthful appearance, though no less captivating. She was several inches shorter, with a petite frame. Her hair was also shorter, falling only to about shoulder length. Each strand glowed with a lustrous golden sheen, the color shifting and undulating with subtle hints of auburn and honey. The style was tousled and windswept, with wispy bangs framing her face in a way that lent her an endearing, almost mischievous charm. Unlike the three-tailed fox''s regal, high-collared robe, the sister''s attire was more casual and playful. She favored flowing, airy fabrics in shades of gold, ochre, and amber. The garments were cinched at the waist with a brightly colored obi sash. The overall effect was one of effortless elegance tinged with a youthful spirit.


    Though she was nothing short of captivating, she looked up at me with fear. Yet, there was a hint of relief. She wasn''t scared of me, rather what was around us. However, what stunned me more than anything was how similar her look of fear was to my own. Suddenly, I heard myself cry out, "Don''t leave me, mom!" The few seconds that I paused, the few seconds that I hesitated,


    I was punched in my face and sent flying into the bark of a tree. The moment my back hit the trunk, I gasped for air. Unlike it usually would, spit didn''t fly out of my mouth. In fact, I threw up blood. I''d only ever passed out once before, and the feeling that I was experiencing right now was eerily familiar to back then. "I''m gonna pass out," I told myself in an attempt to hold on to my waning grasp of consciousness. The demon that punched me was slowly walking toward the fox while she backed away in fear. I grit my teeth and told myself, "You''ve got to get up, Okami! Move!" The only thing I could do was move my head; the rest of my body was unresponsive. As soon as I turned right, I saw my divine instrument resting in a demon''s ribcage.


    I don''t know why it never occurred to me to look on the right side of my blade. However, when I did, I saw writing carved into the blade. Though it wasn''t like the divine writing, it was my native language. A message written in Japanese. It caused me to grin. In fact, as I repeated the message back to myself, my grin turned into a smile, "You are strong, my son." Suddenly, I felt warm. That warmth turned into a smoldering heat. "I''m hot," I quietly remarked.


    The demon watched as my hair faded entirely to a white hue. I grew a set of ears as I felt my tail forming behind me. As soon as I raised my head, I stared at the last remaining demon and coldly said, "I''m sending you back to hell." I jumped up faster than the demon expected me to while I wrapped my hands around the handle of my katana. In a burst of speed, I appeared in front of the demon with my katana aimed at his neck. In an attempt to preserve his life, he raised his arms. His futile attempt caused my blade to run into his hands and down into his bicep. I let out a guttural yell while bringing the demon onto his knees.


    I grasped my divine instrument with both hands, pulled my weapon out of his arms, and swung it at his head. The demon no longer fought me to survive. Instead, he decided to give up and accept the fact that my blade was at his neck faster than he could do anything about it. I felt slight resistance as my divine instrument cleaved through the demon''s neck.


    In one precise swing of my sword, I decapitated the demon. I''ll admit, my form made me look like nothing short of an amateur. However, that didn''t matter. All that mattered was that I''d done it. I saved the fox. This prompted me to let out a huff and turn to her. The moment our eyes met, her face smiled in a way that I couldn''t understand.


    "Maybe she''s just happy to be alive," I thought to myself. I sheathed my divine instrument and extended my arm to her while asking, "You alright, kid?" "I''ll have you know that I''m several centuries older than you, kid," the fox shot back at me. She used my arm to pull herself up while saving, "However¡­" Before I could do anything, she wrapped her arms around me and continued to say, "... I''m alright now!" Though she was showing me how grateful she was, "I''m not a kid" was the only thing I could think of.


    "Are you okay!?" I heard a familiar voice shout. I turned my head left as the fox let go of me and ran into her elder sister''s arms. The instant she saw her little safe, the three-tailed fox looked at me and said, "I couldn''t thank you enough, Wolf God!" Those simple seven words made me feel whole. Someone was thankful because of something I did. It was a new feeling. Turns out, I was more straightforward than her words, because hearing them was all I needed.


    With a slight grin on my face, I turned around while sending my divine instrument off and saying, "Glad I could help." While I definitely thought of taking one of the fox spirits as my familiar, I wouldn''t dare separate siblings. Since I had none, the value of someone I could call my equal was higher than most. Once my mind was made up, I placed my hands in my pockets and began walking away with my eyes shut. "Wait," I heard ordered at me. This prompted me to stop and side-eye the two-tailed fox while she pleaded, "Please, allow me the honor of being your familiar! I don''t sense any other spirits around you!"


    Realizing that I didn''t wish for her to blame her older sister, I simply decided to turn back around and respond, "No thanks, I don''t wanna look after a kid." Before I could take one more step forward, I heard her cry out, "Wait, please don''t leave us!" I stopped. I stood there with an emotionless expression on my face. However, all I could think about was how much she sounded like me. "That''s exactly how I cried for mom," I murmured to myself. I grit my teeth because I know how painful it must''ve been for her to say that.


    Even though she had her sister, she didn''t want me to leave. Without turning back to look her in her ember eyes, I explained to the fox, "It''s not like I can take both of you. If I take you away from your sister, then what?" "There''s no rule that says you can''t," the three-tailed fox remarked. I spun around while asking, "There isn''t?!" She shook her head and quickly explained, "There isn''t. As long as you have a soul strong enough to bind both of us, then both of us can become your familiars." I had to admit, I was interested. After all, the three-tailed fox tried to kill me the last we''d seen each other, and her little sister healed my broken arm.


    There was no denying the history between the three of us. "How do I make you two my familiars?" I questioned as I let out a sigh. The eldest sister stated, "We spirits are not born with names. If they are so benevolent as to do so, we are named by our gods, and by them giving us a name, we become their familiars." I crossed my arms, tilted my head, and said, "So I just have to name you two?" I watched as the two-tailed fox jumped up and commented, "Though not every spirit''s soul is bound the same way! Commonly we kitsune, seal our¡¯s with kisses."


    "So I''ve got to name and kiss you?" I asked while cocking my eyebrow. With a slightly embarrassed look on her face, the eldest kitsune cleared her throat and stated, "Emphasizes on some! My soul is not like that. A simple name shall suffice, Master." While clinging onto her sister, I watched as the youngest kitsune tilted her head and asked, "Speaking of names, what''s yours, Master?" I opened my mouth to give the same response I''d given any time someone asked me that question. However, I stopped. I stopped because I thought of my family''s history. I thought of the fact that I was being hunted. Because they were going to be bound to me, these spirits were in enough danger. So, I looked them in the eyes and answered, "Okami. My name''s Okami." A grin crept onto the youngest kitsune''s face as she remarked, "Ya got a last name, Master Okami?"


    "Because we''ll be bound to you, whatever your last name is, will be shared with us." They both seemed so eager. Unfortunately, I knew I had to keep any tie to my family away from them. "Just Okami," I coldly stated. I could tell by the looks on their faces that they understood the severity of my tone.


    Because my mother was hoping for me to be a girl, she told me the names that she had picked out for me. For some reason, the names themselves and the meanings behind them seemed to fit each kitsune perfectly. I raised my hand to the eldest kitsune, who I was slightly taller than, and asked, "May I?"


    She bowed before me while I placed my hand on her head and stated, "I''ll name you Maki." Suddenly, Maki began glowing in a bright golden light. Then I felt something strange, something in my sternum. It was warm. However, it didn''t feel like my divinity.


    Maki looked up at me with a bright smile and tears streaming down her face while she said, "Thank you so much, Master Okami!" My eyes watched as a collar formed around Maki''s neck. Once it was fully formed, two name slates materialized on it. One read, "Familiar of the Wolf God." While the other said, "Maki." I raised an eyebrow out of curiosity as Maki looked down and explained, "This is called a binding collar. They''re worn as badges of honor amongst us spirits. Now, I represent you, my lord." Maki''s joy at the fact that she was my familiar brought a grin to my face.


    "I know your soul is strong enough!" The youngest kitsune declared while grabbing my hand and placing it on her head. Rather than bow like her sister did, she stared at me in my scarlet eyes. Even I had to admit that she was at least slightly cute. "Your name will be Hiroyuki," I proudly declared. The instant I said her name, she stood on the tips of her toes and stole a kiss from me. To say I was shocked was an understatement. "Does that even count?" I asked myself. Truthfully, I was nervous. I had no way of knowing just how strong my soul needed to be in order for this to work. Even if I knew, I had no way of gauging the strength of my own soul.


    Even though I internally panicked while putting on a prideful facade, Hiroyuki began to glow as well. I couldn''t tell what was glowing more, Hiroyuki''s body or her eyes. If I didn''t know any better, I would''ve thought there were flames behind her pupils. Maki, Hiroyuki, and I all watched in anticipation as we waited for Hiroyuki''s binding collar to form.


    The second it did, both Hiroyuki and Maki cheered for each other. A slight chuckle escaped my lips at the display. "Thank you so so much, Master Okami! You''re the best!" Hiroyuki yelled out while tightly wrapping her arms around me. Suddenly, Maki joined the hug and remarked, "We owe our lives to you, my lord. And as such, they are yours." Once I really thought about it, I had to admit that I was happy with the way things played out. "Guess all this unrefined power came in handy for something after all, huh?" I mused with a chuckle.