Leo looked around the room, surrounded by adults who suddenly acted like he was a ticking bomb. So he did the only safe thing—play dumb.
"Um… can someone explain?" he asked, tilting his head like a confused kid.
Genzo exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. "Grandson… this is a story we don't tell lightly."
He stood, posture straightening as if preparing for a ritual.
"A very, very very long time ago—back when the Taimanin fought demons without a moment of rest—the Fuuma Clan was considered one of the weakest. We were outnumbered, outmatched, and constantly dying. The clan was on the verge of extinction. So one of our ancestors… snapped."
Leo watched the old man's expression tighten.
"One elder, desperate and convinced the clan wouldn't survive another year, sought forbidden aid. He summoned an Incubus King. But not a typical one—a being who was strangely sympathetic to humanity's struggle."
Leo raised an eyebrow at that. An Incubus? Sympathetic? Yeah right.
Still, he stayed quiet.
"The elder begged for strength—something to save our clan. And the Incubus King agreed. They made a pact. In exchange for power beyond human limits… we inherited a part of the Incubus King's nature."
Genzo pointed at Leo's arm—the place the blade had formed.
"That power became what we call the Fuuma Demon Mark. What some call our 'Devil Trigger.'"
Leo felt his stomach drop.
Inside his head:
Alex: 'I'm sorry—WHAT did he say we are?'
James: 'You're telling me we swapped being a weaponized virus for being part incubus?!'
Leo: 'GUYS I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS!'
Genzo continued, unaware of Leo's internal chaos.
"The Mark usually awakens during adulthood—after years of training. It is not meant to manifest in children. Unlocking it too early is dangerous. It can twist the mind… or burn out the body entirely."
Aoi held Leo tighter, trembling.
"You shouldn't be able to use that power yet," she whispered. "Not naturally."
Genzo turned to him, eyes narrowing.
"So tell me, Leo… how did you awaken it? Did something trigger it?"
Leo froze.
He couldn't exactly say: 'Oh yeah, Grandpa, I didn't awaken some demon bloodline. I just have two murder-virus ghosts living in my head.'
The room waited for his answer.
Leo looked between them, trying to keep his voice as innocent as possible.
"I… don't know. One day I woke up, stretched, and then—" he mimed his arm transforming, "—my arm turned into a blade."
Silence.
Genzo froze so suddenly it was like someone pressed pause on him. His eyes widened—not in shock, but in recognition.
"…So," Genzo whispered, "you're like him."
Leo blinked. "Him?"
Aoi's face immediately twisted—fear, guilt, frustration, all tangled together.
She grabbed Leo's shoulders as if afraid he might vanish.
"Your uncle," she said quietly. "We don't talk about him."
Internally:
Alex: 'Oho. Family drama. This sounds important.'
James: 'Considering our track record? Probably another walking biohazard.'
Leo: 'Guys please, not now.'
Genzo exhaled shakily and finally spoke.
"Your uncle—Aoi's younger brother—was the last Fuuma born with an early awakening. Just like you. He manifested the Demon Mark as a child, gained abilities no Taimanin had ever seen… and because of that, he became the most dangerous."
Aoi shut her eyes. "He couldn't control the Mark. It overwhelmed him. He hurt people. Good people."
Genzo looked away, guilt shadowing his face.
"He left the clan… or maybe he was taken. We never found out the full truth."
Aoi squeezed Leo's hand.
"That's why we panicked. Seeing you awaken it the same way—at the same age—"
Her voice trembled.
"It terrifies me."
Leo swallowed.
He wanted to say Don't worry, it's not demon powers, it's literally a murder virus,
but that felt like… the wrong thing to bring up.
Genzo stepped closer, voice firm now.
"Leo… listen carefully. If you truly awakened the same way he did, then the path before you may be dangerous. But unlike him, you have us. You're not alone."
He paused.
"And this time… we won't make the same mistakes."
Leo's heart thumped.
Inside his head:
Alex: '…Kid, this is getting heavy.'
James: 'We might need to investigate this uncle. Something's off.'
Leo: 'No kidding.'
Genzo straightened.
"We must test your abilities—properly. Before they spiral."
He gestured for Leo to follow.
"Come. If you truly carry the same potential… we need to see how deep it runs."
Leo blinked, trying desperately to defuse the heavy atmosphere.
"Sooo… like everyone in the clan has it, right? The whole 'demon mark' thing?"
Ryuji didn't miss a beat.
"Nope," he said flatly. "Not even close."
Leo's face twisted. "Wait—what?"
Ryuji pointed a thumb at himself.
"I married into the clan, remember? I don't have any Fuuma blood. Your mom does. And as for the clan itself… what do we even have, seven or eight pure-blood members left?"
He began counting on his fingers.
"You, your two cousins, your mom, your aunt, your uncle, and Grandpa here. That's about it."
Leo stared.
James, in his head: 'So the clan is basically an endangered species.'
Alex: 'Great. No pressure, kid.'
Leo: 'Thanks for the support, guys.'
Aoi sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"It's precisely because so few of us remain that early awakenings are dangerous. The stronger the bloodline, the greater the instability."
Genzo nodded.
"And your uncle was… very strong."
Leo raised a hand. "Okay—but I turned into a blade, not a demon. Isn't that different?"
The entire room collectively stared at him.
Aoi: "Leo… what?"
Ryuji pinched the bridge of his nose. "Son, do not just casually mention turning into a weapon like it's a new hobby."
Leo coughed. "Right—sorry. Forgot that's not normal here."
Inside his head:
James: 'You absolutely did not forget.'
Alex: 'You wanted dramatic effect, don't lie.'
Leo mentally shoved them both aside.
"So—only seven or eight people have these powers?" he repeated for clarity.
Genzo nodded gravely.
"And you may be the youngest in history to awaken it."
Leo swallowed.
…Great.
No pressure at all.
Leo looked at his mom with wide, curious eyes.
"So… Mom, if you have a Demon Mark, can I see it?"
Aoi blinked at him, surprised by how calmly he asked. Then she smiled—soft, gentle, like she was trying not to worry him.
"Well… it doesn't hurt to show you. I suppose you're old enough to see it."
She stepped back, exhaling.
A red magic circle bloomed beneath her feet, humming like a heartbeat.
Taima energy whipped the air, and wisps of demonic aura curled up her body like rising smoke.
"Devil Trigger."
Her skin shifted into a smooth violet tone.
Armor-like plating rippled into existence along her arms and legs.
Her hair unfurled into long, tendril-like appendages—alive, flowing with an eerie grace.
Organic patterns glowed faintly along her torso and helmet-like crest.
In seconds, Aoi Fuuma stood transformed—elegant, lethal, undeniably inhuman… and still recognizably his mom.
Leo's jaw dropped.
James, in his head: 'Okay, that's… actually badass.'
Alex: 'Kid, your mom looks like she walked out of a cosmic horror fashion show.'
Leo whispered, "Mom… you look so cool."
Aoi chuckled in her transformed voice—deeper, almost melodic.
"Thank you, sweetheart. This is… what we call the Fuuma Devil Form. Every member manifests a little differently, depending on their nature and strength."
Genzo folded his arms proudly.
"Your mother was one of the strongest of her generation. Her mark awakened when she was fourteen."
Leo blinked.
"So I awakened mine at… seven?"
Aoi nodded and gently placed her clawed hand on his head, careful not to scratch.
"That's why we're worried. Early awakenings mean unstable power… and sometimes, new abilities no one has ever seen before."
Leo paused.
"…Like turning your arm into a bow?"
Everyone stared at him again.
Ryuji groaned.
"Aoi, your side of the family is terrifying."
Aoi sighed.
"Leo… honey… your uncle also manifested… unusual traits."
Leo perked up.
"My uncle? What did he do?"
Genzo and Aoi exchanged a grim look.
Aoi deactivated her transformation; the magic circle dissolved, and she returned to her normal appearance.
"…He didn't just awaken early," she said quietly.
"He awakened too completely. And his power didn't resemble any Fuuma mark we'd ever seen before."
Genzo continued:
"Your uncle's Devil Form was… not like ours. Not demonic. It mutated. Shifted. Adapted. It was… viral."
Leo, James, and Alex all froze.
Leo:
"…Oh no."
Inside his mind:
James: 'Leo… tell me that's not what I think it is.'
Alex: 'Your uncle went full Prototype, didn't he?'
Leo swallowed hard.
"…Mom. Grandpa. What exactly did my uncle look like?"
Aoi hesitated.
Then she whispered:
"Like you, Leo."
Later that day.
Kotaro and Tokiko sat in front of Leo, both frozen like their brains had blue-screened.
Tokiko blinked first.
"So… let me make sure I understand this correctly."
Leo nodded.
Tokiko pointed at him.
"You turned your arm into a sword."
"Yeah."
Kotaro raised a finger.
"You also turned it into a bow."
"Yep."
Tokiko raised another finger.
"And apparently, that means you awakened the Fuuma Demon Mark early."
"Uh-huh."
Kotaro looked like he was about to cry.
"And THEN we find out the last person who had your kind of powers turned into a… what did Grandpa call it? A mutating viral nightmare?"
Leo shrugged.
"Basically our future."
Kotaro stared at him.
"OUR future? Why OUR?! I didn't mutate! Tokiko didn't mutate! YOU mutated!"
Tokiko tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"So, Leo, theoretically speaking… can you mutate into ANYTHING? Like a dragon? Or a giant wolf? Or maybe turn into ten Leos stacked on top of each other?"
Leo thought for a moment.
"…I mean, probably?"
Kotaro paled.
"Tokiko, stop giving him ideas! We're trying to PREVENT the apocalypse, not speedrun it!"
Tokiko grinned.
"I'm just imagining a ten-Leo pile screaming 'Water Breathing!'"
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"…Why would we scream—?"
Tokiko cut him off, pointing dramatically.
"BECAUSE IT'S COOL!"
Leo sighed.
"You're both missing the point. Grandpa thinks I'm going to turn into a bio-weapon if I keep messing with my powers."
Kotaro groaned into his hands.
"Why couldn't you just awaken a normal Demon Mark? The kind with horns. Or glowy tattoos. Or wings. Why did you awaken the one with body horror DLC?"
Leo shrugged.
"I dunno. Reincarnation perks?"
Tokiko gasped.
"So the rumors are TRUE!"
Leo slowly turned toward her.
"…What rumors?"
Tokiko leaned in, whispering dramatically:
"The Strongest Fuuma… is always born with something weird."
Kotaro deadpanned.
"Tokiko, our grandma sneezed lightning once. That doesn't count."
"I'm serious!" she snapped.
"Great-grandpa had psychic nosebleeds! Auntie could talk to frogs! And your mom—"
She pointed at Leo.
"—has that thing that looks like a cosmic squid suit! So Leo being built like a shape-shifting murder monster kinda… fits."
Leo opened his mouth to argue.
Then closed it.
Because… she wasn't wrong.
Alex spoke in his mind:
'Leo, your family is weird.'
James chimed in:
'Kid, you're the weirdest one.'
Leo mentally shoved both aside.
"Look, guys, it's fine. I'm learning to control it. Worst case, my powers go crazy and I turn into something eldritch—"
Kotaro held up a hand.
"Nope. Don't finish that sentence."
Tokiko nodded.
"Yup. Bad luck. You'll jinx us."
Leo blinked.
"…You guys think I'm that reckless?"
Kotaro and Tokiko spoke in perfect unison:
"YES."
Leo crossed his arms, offended.
"Okay, rude."
Tokiko smiled.
"Rude, but accurate."
Kotaro sighed.
"Well… at least if you DO mutate, we'll be there to stop you."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"You mean help me?"
"No. Stop you," Kotaro said bluntly.
"I've seen how you train. You're like a goblin with too much caffeine."
Tokiko added cheerfully,
"But don't worry! If you ever go all 'Raaah, I'm a monster!' we'll knock you out."
Leo stared at them.
"...I love you guys, but your confidence in me is deeply insulting."
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and give me Power stones