Hey guys, I'm back. Sorry about the wait on this chapter. Had it half written and then my computer froze and I lost everything so I decided to take a break for the holidays. I am making a quick, minor change. I will be now saying Fong-Fong instead of Fang-Fang as both are correct in the manga and my fingers automatically go to type Fong-Fong lol. Please enjoy the chapter. Bit of a teaser, I will be having Tsukune venture into the Monster World within 1-2 chapters as well as introducing Moka and a few of the other main/supporting characters (not sure if I'm gonna introduce all of the harem. Maybe just one or two).
'Ugh. Where am I? And why does it feel like I got hit by a bus?'Fong-Fong got up from the bed he found himself in and began to study his surroundings. He was in a very large room with a bookshelf that went the entire length of the walls. On the shelves were what seemed to be one of every copy of every manga ever printed, including special editions. Other than the bookshelf and the bed, there was nothing else in the room. Hearing a conversation outside the room, Fong-Fong made his way to the doorway to see who was outside the room.
Fong-Fong pushed the curtain aside to see the boy who he had fought with in the street talking to a small, wrinkly old man while having lunch.
"You are progressing very rapidly Tsukune. I am proud to call you my disciple. However there is still a long way to go until you can give me a challenge." The old man said with a devilish grin.
"You never cease to amaze me sensei. I am eager to learn everything you have to teach me," said Tsukune.
"It seems our guest has awoken. Please come and make yourself at home." The old man motioned Fong-Fong over to a spot next to him around the table.
"Th-thank you." Fong-Fong made his way over to the table and sat down. "Might I ask where I am and what I am doing here?"
"You are at my dojo on the outskirts of town. As for the reason why, my disciple here brought you back with him after running some errands for me. You've been unconscious since 6 in the afternoon yesterday." Fong-Fong just stared at the old man for a second; taking in everything he had just said.
'I've been unconscious since yesterday? What exactly happened to me? WAIT! DID HE SAY I'M IN HIS DOJO ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN?! TH-THAT MEANS THAT THIS OLD MAN IS…. IS…"
"Grandfather!" Fong-Fong exclaimed, pulling the old man into a hug.
"Easy there son. I realize you are excited to see me, but I am a brittle old man. Try not to be so rough with your grandpa." Touhou Fuhai said as he pried Fong-Fong's arms off of him.
"Where have you been for the last decade? Everyone in our family has been looking for you non-stop! We even sent our best men out to find you!" Fong-Fong exclaimed.
"I have been enjoying a quiet, peaceful life. I am sorry I wasn't around to watch you grow up but I wanted time to myself. However, if I was around I wonder if you would've become manlier." The last part Touhou said under his breath, but loud enough for Fong-Fong and Tsukune to hear. Hearing his grandfather's words, Fong-Fong hung his head in defeat and disgrace.
"So this guy really is your grandson sensei?" asked Tsukune.
"Why yes he is. My great-great-grandson to be exact. However I haven't seen him since he was very little."
"Anyway, back to our discussion Tsukune. Today I'm going to teach you how to channel the energy within your body so that you can use it for either offense or defense. It is going to be the hardest training you've done thus far so prepare yourself." Touhou instructed Tsukune.
"Of course sensei. When exactly are we going to start?" inquired Tsukune.
"As soon as we finish our meal. After this, we are going to head into the forest. There is a secret spot that is perfect for this type of training."
And with that, the three finished their meal and followed Touhou Fuhai through the forest to this secret training spot. After about a ten minute walk, they arrived at their destination. It was a secluded pond with a 30-foot waterfall with rocks at the bottom. Looking up at the waterfall, Tsukune noticed a path that was carved into the rocks behind the waterfall and guessed that there was some type of cave behind the waterfall.
"This place is amazing! I bet it feels great to take a swim in there!" exclaimed Fong-Fong.
"Indeed it is. That is of course if you wish to be eaten alive by the various fish dwelling within the water." Fuhai said with his notorious devilish grin. Fong-Fong's face tensed up at the thought of what exactly lived beneath the water.
"So what exactly makes this place ideal for teaching me to control my inner energy?" asked Tsukune.
"This is not the place we shall be training at, my young apprentice. The place we seek is behind that waterfall." Touhou pointed about ten feet up the waterfall which Tsukune and Fong-Fong assumed had a secret cave hidden behind it. "And your inner energy is referred to as Ki. It is the life force that every living thing has within it. There is a room deep within that cave that helps you harness that energy and that is where we will be training for the next few days."
Tsukune and Fong-Fong inched their way up the cliff behind Touhou Fuhai who seemed to have little to no trouble scaling the mountainside. After a little while, they reached the mouth of the cave. "Stick close to me boys and don't touch anything. I have set up traps inside this cave to keep unwanted visitors out." Touhou warned the two teens whose faces turned a ghastly white at the mention of traps.
Twenty minutes later, the trio reached a giant doorway with strange markings all over it. In the middle was a circular looking lock with various images on it. On the outer layer of the lock, there was a moon, a lizard and a star. On the middle layer, there was what looked like a flame, a tree, a cross and a serpent. On the innermost layer, there was a sun, a bear claw, what appeared to be a fanged mouth, a pitchfork, and a lightning bolt. Touhou Fuhai approached the door and studied the lock and its markings.
"Now if I remember correctly, I placed a timer on this lock so even the slightest hesitation when trying to unlock it sets off a pitfall trap that leads one hundred feet straight down to a spiked pit." The mention of a pitfall trap and spikes at the bottom caused Fong-Fong to faint, and Tsukune's knees to buckle and shake. "Now if only I could remember the combination." Fuhai said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Y-you're kidding right? You know the combination don't you? After all, you wouldn't bring us here if you didn't. R-right sensei?"
"Sadly, my dear Tsukune, I can't seem to remember the combination for the life of me." Fuhai said with a chuckle. "I guess I should ease up on how much manga I read. It seems to be causing me to forget things in my old age." Touhou let out a loud laugh that woke Fong-Fong.
"Why don't you give it a try Tsukune?" Fuhai motioned for Tsukune to step up to the door.
"WHAT?! There's no way I know the right combination! I'll get us all killed!" Tsukune yelled in protest.
"Now, now Tsukune. The only choice we have is to move forward and open this door. And with my old joints I can't steadily slide each layer."
"Why don't you just transform into that younger version of you and do it?!" beamed Tsukune.
"Because it would be a waste of what precious energy I have left now get over here and open this door." Fuhai said with power in his voice. Upon hearing the strength and force in which his master spoke, Tsukune shakily walked over to the door.
"Now, place your hand on the door and concentrate. Feel the space around you and clear your mind." Fuhai instructed as Tsukune closed his eyes and placed his hand in the center of the locking mechanism.
'Clear my mind. Feel the space around me. Focus. Focus.' Tsukune thought to himself. He stood there for a few minutes letting his mind go blank. Suddenly, Tsukune could see three images flash in his mind one by one. It was a moon, a cross and then fangs. Tsukune abruptly opened his eyes and his body jerked. "I-I think I saw the combination." Tsukune stammered.
"Wonderful. Now carefully slide each layer to match top to bottom what images you saw. Make sure you slide each one with the same speed and grace." Instructed Fuhai. Tsukune shakily reached his hand towards the uppermost layer. He mentally braced himself as he steadied his hand as he placed it on the layer and began to turn it so that the moon was pointing north. He then proceeded to do the same with the middle layer and the innermost layer, pointing both the cross and the fangs north in line with the moon. Once he slid the last layer into place, Tsukune expected something to happen. But there was nothing. Silence.
After a few more seconds passed, a loud click echoed through the room and the ground began to rumble. "Great! I just got us all killed!" Tsukune couldn't help but yell causing Fong-Fong to faint, yet again.
"Relax my pupil." Touhou said calmly yet loud enough for Tsukune to hear. Tsukune listened to his master's words and stopped panicking. After a few more seconds, the door began to slide open and reveal a hidden chamber within. "You've done it Tsukune. Now grab my grandson and let us begin our training."
Tsukune walked over and threw Fong-Fong's unconscious body over his shoulder and walked into the room.
"Welcome, Tsukune, to the location of your final lesson."
Hope you guys enjoy the chapter. I plan on starting to make each chapter from here on out longer (hopefully twice as long so long as the words steadily flow out of my fingers lol).
Just so you all know, I do not plan out the events that will take place from chapter to chapter. I simply let my mind and fingers do their work and let the ideas and words flow.
Now there are some parts that I plan out as I begin to write a chapter to try and guide myself in the direction I want the story to take.
Like I said up above, there will probably only 1 more chapter before I have Tsukune and company go to the monster world. As such I will do a small time jump to the final day of Tsukune's training and probably another which you guys will have to wait and find out about.
I am also looking for someone to be a beta reader for me as I have none. I simply post the story the second I finish typing it which is the main reason for any grammar mistakes I may make along the way. If you are interested and will take it seriously, message me.