5.8 weeks into break: Toshio POV
I sat cross-legged on the meditation rock at the mouth of Reigando Cave, the setting sun painting the landscape in hues of orange and crimson. The cool stone beneath me provided little comfort for my aching body. Every muscle, every joint, every fiber of my being throbbed with a dull, persistent pain that had become my constant companion over these past weeks.
My shirt lay beside me, the fabric still damp with sweat from my final spar with Miyamoto. I traced my fingers over the fresh bruises blooming across my torso—blue and purple galaxies expanding across pale skin. The old man hadn't held back today. Not that he ever did.
"Reflect on your progress," he'd told me after I'd peeled myself off the stone floor for what felt like the hundredth time. "Understand how far you've come, and how much further you must go."
Far, indeed. The notification that had appeared after our spar still lingered in my mind:
{Skill Level Up! Shinken no Tenketsu – True Sword of the Celestial Pulse has reached Rank 3}
Three ranks in less than six weeks. Miyamoto had seemed genuinely impressed, though he'd hidden it beneath his usual veil of insults and crude remarks. "Not completely worthless" was high praise coming from him.
Tomorrow I would return. Back to school, back to the ORC, back to Akeno and Rias and all the complications that came with them. Back to Kuroka, who had promised to stay at the house while I was gone. Had she kept that promise? I wasn't sure. The nekomata was as unpredictable as she was dangerous.
And what of my progress? Had these weeks of torture and enlightenment prepared me for what was coming?
"Status."
{Name: Toshio Amano
Title: Zanjutsu Prodigy
Race: Human
Age: 17
Level: 33 (2200/3300)
Health: 100/100
Reiryoku: 29,275 → 1,844,325/1,844,325
Physique: S+
Zanjutsu: S-
Hohō: S+
Hakuda: A-
Spiritual Potential: B
Soul Resonance: 65%}
I stared at my stats, feeling a mix of satisfaction and frustration. My reiryoku levels had improved significantly during my training, yet I knew they were merely adequate for what lay ahead. The supernatural world operated on scales I was only beginning to comprehend—devils, fallen angels, and gods with power that dwarfed mine. I'd need to keep cultivating if I wanted to stand among them.
Still, I couldn't help but feel pleased with my overall progress. When I'd hit Rank 2 in Shinken no Tenketsu, my Zanjutsu had finally broken through to S-rank. The Zanjutsu Prodigy title had proven invaluable—what might have taken others years to master, I'd grasped in weeks. Not that Miyamoto would ever acknowledge that.
I'd hoped my Hohō would ascend to SS once my agility reached its maximum rank, but it remained stubbornly at S+. Perhaps there was some other component I was missing, some aspect of movement or spiritual flow I hadn't yet understood. The runestones from leveling up was really helping my Hakuda. Getting knowledge for free without much effort is so nice.
"You're thinking too loudly," came a raspy voice from behind me.
I didn't turn. There was no need. "Just reflecting, as instructed."
Miyamoto settled beside me on the rock, his weathered body moving with a grace that belied his apparent age and eccentric demeanor. The panties were still clutched in his left hand, now a disturbing shade of gray. I'd stopped commenting on them weeks ago.
"You've learned much," he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "More than most could in such a short time."
I raised an eyebrow. "Is that a compliment? Should I check if hell has frozen over?"
He cackled, the momentary solemnity vanishing. "Don't get cocky, welp! I could still cut you down before you blinked!"
That was undoubtedly true. Despite my progress, the gap between us remained vast—an ocean of experience I couldn't hope to cross in a mere six weeks.
"Your sword," he continued, nodding toward Shinjūka, who rested across my lap. "She's special."
"Yes," I agreed simply. There was no point denying what he clearly sensed.
"She's part of why you learned so quickly. The bond between you..." He trailed off, his eyes distant. "I've only seen that once before. A man and his blade, so perfectly attuned that they became something greater than the sum of their parts."
I waited, sensing there was more to this rare moment of clarity.
"He was my greatest opponent," Miyamoto continued. "The only one who ever truly understood the dance."
I wondered who he meant—what warrior from centuries past had earned this madman's respect. But before I could ask, the moment passed.
"Enough sentimentality!" He slapped my shoulder hard enough to leave yet another bruise. I glared at him, rubbing my shoulder.
I watched the old man walk away, still laughing at my discomfort. When he was out of sight, I glanced down at Shinjūka resting across my lap.
"It's time," I murmured, running my fingers along her sheath. "Shinjūka, would you unlock my reiryoku now? I think I've learned what I needed to from this separation."
I felt a warm pulse of acknowledgment through our connection.
"Of course, my wielder. Are you certain? The old man might notice."
"I'm about to leave, so I'm sure it doesn't matter."
I closed my eyes as I felt Shinjūka's energy flow through me, dissolving the barriers she'd placed around my spiritual core. The familiar rush of power flooded back—like taking a first breath after being underwater too long. My reiryoku surged through my pathways, filling the emptiness that had ached for weeks.
But something was different.
A notification appeared:
{Energy System Restructured! Your energy cultivation has divided into two distinct pathways, resulting in two skills:
Reiryoku Mana Refinement (Rank 9): The cultivation and refinement of spiritual energy (reiryoku) and magical energy (mana), allowing for spellcasting, spiritual techniques, and enhancing supernatural abilities. Each rank multiplies base reiryoku. Ki Cultivation (Rank 1): The cultivation of life force energy that flows through the physical body. Enhances physical capabilities and allows for techniques that transcend normal human limitations.
Notice: These systems can be utilized simultaneously with practice, requiring harmony between body and spirit. Current Soul Resonance insufficient for complete synchronization.}
I frowned, examining the notification closely. The division made sense—ki and reiryoku were fundamentally different energies, after all. One flowed through the physical body, the other through the soul. But I hadn't expected my system to formalize the distinction so clearly. I was happy I finally unlocked a skill for ki though.
"Interesting," I muttered, focusing inward to feel the difference between the two energy types. My reiryoku flowed like liquid light through spiritual channels, while my newly awakened ki felt more like electricity running through my muscles and bones.
I tried directing both simultaneously, attempting to enhance my physical body while maintaining a spiritual shield—but the energies clashed, creating a jarring dissonance that made me wince.
"Not ready for that yet, I see."
I glanced at my Soul Resonance: 65%. Still too low for perfect harmony between the different aspects of my power. I'd need to develop my bond with Shinjūka further before I could truly unite these systems.
For now, I decided to experiment with what I could do. I let my reiryoku settle and focused entirely on my ki, directing it to flow through my limbs. Another notification appeared:
{New Skill Unlocked! Ki Body Enhancement (Rank 1): Channels life energy within the physical body, enhancing strength, speed, perception, and durability beyond human limitations. Current rank enhancement provides x1.2 of base levels. Cost 20 points of Ki energy per second.}
{Ki unlocked! Base Ki levels now in status. Lifespan extended! You will age 1.5x slower past the age of 20.}
{Base Ki: 500/500}
{Notice: Fusion of skills is possible once certain conditions are met. Skills that can be fused: Reiryoku Body Enhancement - Ki Body Enhancement, Reiryoku Mana Refinement - Ki Cultivation, Reiryoku Dominion - ?.}
Well that was a welcome surprise. I wondered if I ranked that up more if that aging rate would get even slower.
But the 1.2 made me frown soon after. That was much weaker than Reiryoku Body Enhancement. Ki couldn't be that much weaker, could it?
"Huh, would you look at that," I almost jumped, the old mans voice right next to my ear. Then his stench hit me, something I had unfortunately grown used to over the last few weeks.
"You're actually circulating ki. I didn't expect that." He had his hand on his chin. His perception of things was scary.
"Yeah, but it still seems pretty weak. The ceiling seems pretty low for his enhancement."
"Hmmm. That's odd. Just circulating ki is providing a mild enhancement for you." He started walking around me, looking at me like an interesting science project.
"You're weird, you know that? First your strange mana, now this." I couldn't tell if that was an insult or not, coming from him. He continued, ignoring my mild glare.
"Usually, unlocking ki provides passive effects. Generating the active flow of ki and nature energies is called Senjutsu." He squatted down on the rock, starring at my stomach, as if he was peering into my energy core. He was uncomfortably close too. He, of course, ignored my discomfort.
"What can Senjutsu do?" I asked, trying to distract myself from his closeness.
"It can provide physical enhancements like how well you can take a punch." My instinct was to search for an attack, waiting for the old man to throw a punch. He merely continued.
"It can also be used to sense the ki and aura of others. Some people can use it to heal injuries, both physical and spiritual. Even rarer, people can use it to manipulate nature itself." He scratched his beard. I had to try really hard to ignore what looked like small bugs fall out of it. Gross.
He finally stepped back.
"There are those who can use Senjutsu to an even more extreme degree, forming Touki, the external manifestation of ki. Touki is where the real power is, increasing speed, strength, and durability to extreme levels." He looked me up and down.
"You're not ready for it. Also, do me a favor, don't try Senjutsu. It has a habit of causing people to go loonier than a rabbit on crack."
"So like you."
SMACK
"More of a berserker rage." I rubbed the growing bump on my head. Once again, I hadn't even seen him move.
"Touki looks like this." I saw a bright white aura form around the old man, expanding several feet out from him.
"HMPF?" I grunted. It felt oppressive, like a physical weight was pressing down on me. I thought only Reiatsu could do that. And soon after, it disappeared like it hadn't even been there.
"Oh yeah, weak cannon fodder like you can handle that." He laughed. The term made me feel strangely inadequate. I really didn't want to be a lowly One Piece marine. I noticed the ground below him was cracked like a spider web.
"You're the caretaker here right? Pretty sure caretakers aren't supposed to damage historical sites," I said pointing towards it. Miyamoto looked down.
"Oh. Woops." The old man scratched the back of his head. "Know any good contractors?" Hearing him ask that seemed out of character.
"No." He looked at me, then laughed.
"Oh well." He shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway."
"You got any questions brat?"
"No, but I do have someone in mind to help me learn Senjutsu and Touki."
"Oh yeah that dangerous cat of yours. Yeah that should be fine." He waved his hand in front of his face. "I expect you to be much further along then when you come back then. If not…" I didn't like the gleam in his eye.
"You might die." I couldn't help but sweat drop at his sadistic expression. "Anyway, you can go home now. I'm tired of teaching a brat like you."
"Oh I'm sure." I knew he hadn't taught anyone else, so the fact he was teaching me at all, I'm sure he didn't mean half of what he said. Probably. He started to walk away.
"Miyamoto-sensei." He stopped and looked over his shoulder. I got off the rock and stood, bowing to the legendary swordsman.
"Thank you for your instruction." I felt genuine gratitude. There was no way I would have made this much progress on my own. His instruction and teaching, despite his odd rules, had been invaluable.
"Hmph. See you in 115 days." He started to walk back into the living area. What a weird, scary, and mysterious old man.
I watched him disappear into the shadows of the cave entrance, then gathered my belongings. My shirt was still damp, but I pulled it on anyway, wincing as the fabric pressed against my fresh bruises.
115 days. That meant he expected me back during winter break. The thought of enduring his training methods in the dead of winter made me shudder, though I suspected the cold would be the least of my concerns.
Before I could leave the shrine, the old man popped up again impeding my path.
"AND DON'T FORGET MY PANTIES!" the old, soiled pair were thrown with such force, there was nothing I could do to dodge.
My life flashed before my eyes.
In what felt like slow motion, the fabric impacted my face. I fell back like it was a physical blow.
"ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY OLD MAN!?" I struggled to hold back a gag. I immediately summoned a spell to blast my face with water. Over the sound of rushing water, I heard him laughing like a mad man.
Once I was done trying to cleanse my face from the biohazardous attack, I glared at the walking biohazard in front of me. I'd hit him, but he'd just dodge and hit me instead. I know. It happened several times.
"And bring some sexier ones this time. The innocent ones are nice, but it doesn't beat the more mature styles." Why was he talking about it like a connoisseur? I suddenly regretted thanking him.
"You're repugnant," I said flatly.
"Why thank you, dear student," he said sagely.
"IT WASN'T A COMPLIMENT!" I yelled. He only laughed that insane laugh again. I gathered myself and stood. I saw the 'code 2316', instead of a '2319'. I raised my hand and cast an acetylene napalm at it. I watched it burn for 30 seconds. I glared at the old man.
"Thanks for dealing with the trash you threw on the ground. It didn't have anymore of their essence anyway, just mine." How could he say that with a straight face. I sighed, with a wince.
"Bye, MiyoVile. I might be back next break." I was actually considering not coming back. I left the shrine without looking back.
I made my way down the mountain path, my legs protesting with each step.
But home wasn't my destination. It was a local hotel. I needed a shower NOW. I absolutely reeked, and I still felt contaminated from the earlier biohazard incident.
Are you ready to return to our complicated life? Shinjuka's voice whispered through our bond, tinged with amusement.
"As ready as I can be," I replied silently.
The nekomata will be interesting to see again. And your lightning priestess...
The thought of Akeno sent warmth through my chest, cutting through the physical ache. Had she missed me as much as I'd missed her? The memory of our last night together at the festival felt both distant and immediate—her laughter, the way she'd trusted me with her pain about her mother, the promise in her eyes when we'd said goodbye.
And Rias. The complicated tangle of feelings there hadn't resolved itself during my absence. If anything, the distance had only made me more aware of how much I cared for her, despite the walls she'd built between us.
By the time I reached the base of the mountain, the sun had fully set. The walk to the local hotel would take another hour, but I found myself oddly reluctant to hurry. These past weeks had been hell, but they'd also been... clarifying. Away from the supernatural politics and relationship complications, I'd been able to focus purely on growth, on becoming stronger. Though not being able to work on magic was a bummer. I was making pretty big strides.
1 || I pulled out my phone as I walked and turned it on for the first time this trip, surprised to see several missed messages. The first few were from Akeno—photos of the Underworld, little updates about her training, messages saying she missed me, and a few racy pictures of her. Each one made me smile despite my exhaustion.
The selfies stirred something in me that desperately wanted to touch her now. Before certain reactions could manifest, I responded.
*Sorry, my phone has been off this whole time. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. I've missed you more than you know. Expect a warm 'physical' reunion.*
To my surprise, she responded back very soon after.
*I can't wait muscle boy. A 'union' sounds perfect.*
I couldn't help but chuckle at her innuendo. I had missed hearing those on the daily.
*I appreciate the selfies. You're as sexy as ever. *
*Oh my, Toshi-kun, that's the first time you've called me that. I think that deserves a reward~ *
2 ||Yeah that was the first time, thinking back on it, I thought. I wondered what the reward might be. Then a notification pinged. It was another selfie. Man, her boobs were perfect.
*Fuck, Akeno. *
*In due time, muscle boy~ *
The play on words sent a shiver down my spine. Before I could get worked up any further, I moved on to the next message.
It was from Rias, formal and brief: "Hope your training is going well. We return tomorrow evening."
And surprisingly, one from an unknown number:
*The house is still standing. I'm out of chocolate. Make me more when you get back. - K *
I snorted in amusement. So Kuroka had stayed after all. That was... something to look forward to. Or worry about. If she's not going to be in her cat form anymore, I wondered if she'd eat more.
I got to the hotel which also happened to have a hot spring. I hadn't tried one of those yet.
While checking in, I could tell the woman at the counter wincing at my appearance and likely odor. I didn't blame her.
I mumbled an apology and paid quickly, eager to escape her judgmental stare. The hot spring was exactly what I needed—the mineral-rich water would help ease the accumulated phantom aches from weeks of Miyamoto's brutal training.
I got to my room and finally—finally—took a proper shower. The water ran dark at first from weeks of accumulated grime and sweat. I scrubbed until my skin was pink, washing my hair three times to get rid of the lingering scent of cave dust and old man stench.
Twenty minutes later, I sank into the steaming water of the hot spring with a groan of relief. The heat penetrated deep into my muscles, loosening knots I hadn't even realized were there. For the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to truly relax.
As I soaked, I found my thoughts drifting to what awaited me tomorrow. The ORC would be back from their summer training in the Underworld. I wondered how much stronger they'd become, what new techniques they'd learned. That spar with Kiba should be fun.
My phone, safely placed on the edge of the spring, buzzed with another message from Akeno. I reached for it, careful not to drip water on the screen.
*I can't stop thinking about our last night together. The festival, the fireworks... the way you held me. *
The memory sent warmth through me that had nothing to do with the hot spring. I typed back with one hand, keeping the other submerged.
*I've thought about it every day. It's helped keep me going this whole time away from you. I've longed for your touch. *
Her response came quickly: *Show me when you get back. I want to feel how much you missed me. *
*Be ready, naughty girl. *
She just responded with a heart eyes emoji.
I set the phone aside before I could get too worked up. Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.
I returned to my room. Clean for the first time in over a month, I collapsed onto the hotel's soft mattress. It felt like luxury after weeks of sleeping on that thin futon. My body began to relax completely, the hot spring and shower having worked their magic on my battered muscles.
But sleep didn't come easily. My mind raced with thoughts of tomorrow—seeing Akeno again, facing whatever complications awaited with Rias, dealing with Kuroka in her human form. The dynamics had shifted during our separation, and I wasn't sure how to navigate the new landscape.
I thought about Miyamoto's parting words about Kuroka helping me learn Senjutsu and Touki. The old man had been right—she would be the perfect teacher. Her mastery of Ki was far beyond anything I could achieve on my own, and unlike Miyamoto, she probably wouldn't try to kill me during training.
Probably.
XXX
The journey back to Kuoh the next day was uneventful, though I could feel the excitement building with each passing mile. I was beginning to dislike traveling by plane. It was too slow.
When I finally reached my front door, the sun was just beginning to set, casting long shadows across the familiar neighborhood. I stood there for a moment, key in hand, savoring the anticipation of being home.
As I stepped inside, the familiar scent of home enveloped me—but with subtle differences. I noticed immediately that something felt different about the air. Reaching out with my senses, I detected several magical barriers layered throughout the house—inconspicuous but definitely present. Protection wards, concealment spells, and what felt like anti-scrying measures.
My gaze drifted to the sun loft I'd built, where a small black cat lay curled in a tight ball on her cushion, seemingly fast asleep. The sight brought an unexpected smile to my face.
"Hey, Kuroka. I'm home," I called out softly.
Her reaction was instant. Golden eyes snapped open, and in one fluid motion, she leapt from her perch. Midway through the air, her form shifted and expanded in a blur of shadow and light. Before I could blink, a very naked, full-sized Kuroka had thrown herself into my arms, wrapping herself around me like a second skin.
"Toshi-kun! You're finally back, ~nya!" she exclaimed, her face buried against my neck.
I chuckled, returning her embrace without hesitation. Her skin was warm against mine, her scent familiar and comforting after weeks away.
"I see you've been busy," I said, nodding toward where I'd sensed one of the barriers. "Nice security setup."
She pulled back just enough to look at me, her golden eyes scanning my face intently. "Can't be too careful, ~nya." Her hands moved to my shoulders, then down my arms, squeezing appreciatively. "My, my, you've gotten even more muscular. So manly now!"
"Six weeks of hellish training will do that," I replied with a wry smile. "My instructor was... unconventional."
"I bet he wasn't as good-looking as me though, ~nya." Her hands continued their exploration, trailing over my chest and abdomen with obvious appreciation.
"He was an unwashed, four-hundred-year-old pervert who threw a pair of used panties at my face. So no, not quite as good-looking."
Kuroka's laughter filled the house, bright and genuine. "I've missed you," she admitted, suddenly serious. "Your cooking, your warmth at night... this house feels empty without you."
Something in my chest tightened at her words. "You have no idea how much I missed it too. And my kitchen—I've been dreaming about cooking in a proper kitchen for weeks."
Her smile turned mischievous. "Does that mean you'll make me something delicious tonight, ~nya?"
"Of course." I gently disentangled myself from her embrace. "Let me get settled first, and then I'll see what we have."
As I headed toward my room, my thoughts drifted to Akeno. She would be back in town by now, probably settling in at the ORC house. The urge to see her was almost overwhelming—to hold her, to tell her everything I'd learned, to feel her lips against mine again. I wanted to call her right away, but decided to wait until morning. Tonight belonged to homecoming.
Rias would be there too, of course. But I suspected she would maintain that polite distance she'd established before the break. The thought brought a familiar ache, but I pushed it aside. One complicated relationship at a time.
After a shower, I found Kuroka in the kitchen, now dressed in her usual black kimono minus the decorative beads. The garment hung loosely off one shoulder, revealing just enough skin to be distracting without being completely indecent.
"What would you like for dinner?" I asked, surveying the contents of the refrigerator.
"Surprise me, ~nya. Everything you make is delicious."
I settled on preparing grilled salmon with a miso glaze, accompanied by fresh vegetables and steamed rice. The familiar rhythm of cooking soothed me, bringing a sense of normalcy after weeks of living like a cave-dwelling hermit.
Kuroka watched from the nearby barstool, occasionally stealing pieces of food when she thought I wasn't looking. I pretended not to notice, enjoying the domestic tranquility of the moment.
Dinner was a relaxed affair, with me regaling tales from my time at Reigando Cave.
"Well, I might have let you take my panties as tribute, but I never wear any, ~nya." Her verbal tic was said seductively.
I snorted in amusement. "You're incorrigible. I'm honestly surprised you're wearing clothes now."
"Hey I don't have fur to keep me warm in this form, I need something."
After dinner, we retired to the bedroom. The familiar comfort of my own bed felt like heaven after weeks on that threadbare futon in the cave. Kuroka wasted no time curling up beside me, her naked body warm against mine, assuming her now normal position with one leg draped over mine.
"I really did miss you, ~nya," she murmured, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest. "The bed was so cold without you."
"I missed you too," I admitted, surprising myself with how true it was. I had thought I'd mainly miss Akeno, but I came to find out I missed Kuroka just as much.
"Toshio…" The uncharacteristic seriousness in her voice immediately grabbed my attention.
"What is it?" I asked softly. She looked into my eyes. She almost seemed, guarded.
"How did you know about me? Who I was?" How was I going to answer that? How much should I reveal?
"I have a unique ability to find out the names of people. It's kind of difficult to explain how it works." She adopted an adorable expression of mild confusion, likely never having heard of this ability before.
"When I was doing my research on the supernatural world, naturally I looked into all of the most wanted people in each major faction. And I gotta say, SS, must be an impressive indication of how strong you really are." She held a conflicted expression.
"Why do you trust me? I'm the most wanted criminal in the underworld, wanted for murder." I could tell she was becoming more guarded. "How do you know I won't kill you in your sleep or when your guards down?" She held up a finger coated in what I now knew was Touki, shaped like a blade, tracing different vital points of my torso. Her eyes never left mine. I wondered if her Senjutsu could tell if someone was lying.
I met her gaze steadily, feeling the sharp point of her ki-enhanced finger against my skin. There was real danger in her golden eyes now—not the playful cat I'd grown accustomed to, but the SS-class criminal who had survived years of being hunted by the most powerful devils in existence.
"Because," I said quietly, not moving away from her lethal touch, "if you were going to kill me, you would have done it already. You've had months of opportunities."
Her finger pressed slightly deeper, and I felt the skin give way just enough to draw a thin line of blood. "That's not an answer, ~nya."
"Isn't it?" I shifted slightly, not to escape her touch but to look at her more directly. "Kuroka, you could have killed me the first night you showed up as a cat. You could have done it any of the dozens of times I was completely vulnerable—sleeping, showering, distracted with cooking. Hell, you could have done it last night when we were... intimate."
The pressure from her finger eased fractionally, though it remained poised over my heart.
"You want to know why I trust you?" I continued, my voice growing more confident. "Because in all those months, you never once acted like the monster they painted you as. You were gentle. Affectionate. Lazy. You made this house feel like a home instead of just a place I happened to live." A spark of amusement flashed through me when I saw her react proudly to calling her lazy.
Then her expression flickered, uncertainty creeping into those predatory eyes.
"And because," I added, reaching up to gently wrap my hand around her wrist—not to stop her, but simply to touch her, "I've seen how you look when you think about your sister. That's not the face of a heartless killer. That's the face of someone who sacrificed everything to protect what mattered most."
The ki blade at her fingertip wavered, its deadly edge becoming less defined.
"You don't know what I did," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You don't know the blood on my hands."
"No, I don't," I admitted. "But I know you. The real you. The woman who purrs when she's content, who gets excited over chocolate, who built magical barriers around this house to keep us safe. The woman who stayed when she could have run."
Her hand began to tremble, the deadly energy dissipating entirely. "Toshi-kun..."
"Whatever you did, whatever they say you did—I don't care," I said firmly. "The Kuroka I know, the one lying in my arms right now, isn't capable of the cold-blooded murder they accuse you of. And if you did kill your master, I'm betting you had a damn good reason."
Tears began to form in her golden eyes, and she looked away. "You're too trusting, ~nya. It's going to get you killed someday."
"Maybe," I conceded, pulling her closer until her head rested against my chest. "But I'd rather trust and be wrong than live my life suspecting everyone around me."
She was quiet for a long moment, her breathing gradually evening out as the tension left her body. When she spoke again, her voice was muffled against my skin.
"He was going to experiment on Shirone," she said so quietly I almost missed it. "My master. He'd been researching ways to artificially enhance nekomata abilities. He wanted to use her as a test subject."
My jaw tightened, anger flaring hot in my chest. "So you stopped him."
"I killed him," she corrected, her voice hollow. "With Senjutsu. I made it look like he'd gone mad with power, lost control of his own ki. The other devils bought it initially, but eventually they figured out the truth."
"And Koneko?"
"She never knew. Still doesn't." Kuroka's arms tightened around me. "She thinks I murdered him for power, that I went insane and abandoned her. It was better that way—safer for her if she hated me."
The pieces clicked into place. The SS-class bounty, the years of running, the way her face twisted with pain whenever Koneko was mentioned. She'd let her sister believe the worst about her to protect her from the truth.
"That's why you want my help with her," I realized. "You want to tell her the truth."
"I want my sister back," she whispered, and I felt tears dampen my chest. "I want her to know that I never stopped loving her, that everything I did was to keep her safe."
I stroked her hair gently, marveling at how soft it was. "We'll figure it out. Together."
She lifted her head to look at me, eyes still glistening. "You really mean that, don't you? Even knowing what I am, what I've done?"
"Especially knowing what you've done," I replied firmly. "You killed a devil who was going to hurt your sister. In my book, that makes you a hero, not a criminal."
"But that's not all I've done," she continued softly. "I've done many bad things while I've been branded a criminal."
"But did you want to do those things? Or did you do them to survive?" She looked at me.
"To survive." Her voice almost seemed broken.
"Then to survive, stay with me instead. You can leave all that behind you." I tried to provide an out. She looked down.
"I can't. Vali would be upset. And it wouldn't just be me put in danger," she said glancing at me before looking down again. "I don't know what they'd do to Shirone. And I'm not confident in my ability to stop the White Dragon Emperor."
"Give me time. I see you can use Touki. Along with my other training, if you could train me in Senjutsu and Touki, I promise that I'll become strong enough to protect you from anything."
Her smile was radiant, transforming her entire face. "You fool, you have no idea what you're saying."
Before I could react, she pressed her lips to mine in a kiss that was desperate and grateful and full of emotions I couldn't begin to name. When we finally broke apart, she rested her forehead against mine.
"Thank you," she breathed. "For believing in me. For seeing me."
"Always," I promised, and meant it.
We lay in comfortable silence for a while, her breathing gradually becoming deeper and more regular. Just as I thought she might be falling asleep, she spoke again.
"So," she said, her voice taking on a more familiar teasing tone, "about that Senjutsu training you mentioned..."
I chuckled, relieved to hear the playfulness returning to her voice. "Eager to start teaching me?"
"Oh, I'm eager for many things, ~nya." Her hand began trailing down my chest again, but this time the touch was purely sensual rather than threatening. I noticed she used Senjutsu to heal the scratch she caused. "But we should probably start with the basics. Ki manipulation, nature energy sensing, that sort of thing."
"And Touki?"
"Eventually." She propped herself up on one elbow, looking down at me with renewed confidence. "But first, you need to learn not to die when I accidentally hit you too hard during training."
"Accidentally?" I raised an eyebrow.
Her grin turned wicked. "Well, mostly accidentally, ~nya."
I groaned, already dreading what I'd signed myself up for. "Why do all my teachers seem to enjoy inflicting pain?"
"Because pain is an excellent teacher," she said, echoing Miyamoto's words. "Besides, I'll make it worth your while afterward."
The promise in her voice sent heat coursing through me, and I found myself looking forward to this new phase of training despite the inevitable bruises.
"When do we start?" I asked.
"This weekend," she decided, settling back down against my chest. "Tonight, I just want to enjoy having you home." Hearing her call my house home made me happier than I was expecting.
"Sounds perfect to me."
"For now, we can start with another training. It's my understanding, someone isn't very experienced with women, ~nya."
Her hand drifted lower, slipping beneath the waistband of my briefs with practiced ease. "Let me show you what I can teach..." her voice was low and sensual.
What followed was a blur of sensation—her mouth hot and demanding against mine, her body sliding down until her face was level with my hips. I groaned as she took me in her mouth, the wet heat overwhelming after weeks of monastic isolation.
3 || Not to be outdone, I pulled her hips toward me, positioning us in the intimate configuration that gave this act its numerical name. Her taste was intoxicating, her moans vibrating against me as I returned the pleasure she was giving. She tasted just as good as Akeno.
We lost ourselves in each other, communicating through touch and taste rather than words. When we finally lay spent and satisfied, her head resting on my thigh as she caught her breath, she looked up at me with those piercing golden eyes.
"That was just the appetizer, ~nya," she purred. "But you should know... I'm not ready to go all the way with you yet. You're not yet worthy to become my mate."
I nodded, running my fingers through her silky black hair. "I understand."
"You'll have to earn that privilege," she continued, her tone half-teasing, half-serious. "This pussy—cat— is very selective in who she chooses as a mate you know."
An idea formed in my mind. "How about a deal?"
"I'm listening, ~nya." Her ears perked up with interest.
"Once I help resolve things between you and Koneko—get your relationship back on track—then we can take that step. And in the meantime..." I let my hand trail suggestively down her spine.
"We can still enjoy other pleasures," she finished, a slow smile spreading across her face. "I accept your terms, Toshi-kun. Though I warn you, fixing things with Shirone won't be easy."
"Nothing worthwhile ever is," I replied, thinking of all the challenges that lay ahead—not just with Kuroka and her sister, but with Akeno, with Rias, with the supernatural world that seemed determined to draw me deeper into its conflicts.
Kuroka shifted, moving up to lay her head on my chest in her familiar position. Her purr rumbled against me, comforting and familiar. "Goodnight, Toshi-kun."
"Goodnight, Kuroka." I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of exhaustion from my journey finally catching up to me.
Tomorrow would bring its own complications—seeing Akeno again, navigating my strained relationship with Rias, planning how to help Kuroka reconcile with her sister. But for now, I allowed myself to simply enjoy the moment—the comfort of my own bed, the warmth of Kuroka's body against mine, and the satisfaction of being home.
As sleep claimed me, I couldn't help but reflect on how much had changed since I first arrived in this world. From a lost soul with nothing but a strange system and a living sword, to someone with genuine connections, real relationships—complicated as they might be. For better or worse, I had found my place here.
And tomorrow, I would see Akeno again. The thought sent another wave of warmth through me as I drifted off to sleep.