Back with another chapter, apologies for any grammatical error. Don't know about the chapter title though.

Please enjoy and review


Chapter 8: The wrath that is Naoe

While Yamato was in the thundering storm at the top of Naoe Holdings Tower, and while Kawakami Momoyo was at her home, the Kazama Family were gathering in their secret base. Shouchi, Kazuko, Takuya, Gakuto, Christiane, Yukie, and Tadakatsu were in the room of the secret base, and Shouichi was the first to break the silence. "Guys, have you all seen Yamato?"

Christiane and Yukie shook their heads, Christiane then said, "I tried to talk to him yesterday, but he was very withdrawn."

Gakuto then pointed out, "Well, we all did see him, today." The images of Yamato's ghoulish brutality on Hideo flashed in their heads.

Christiane added, "That battle, there was no honor in it. Yamato was just…horrible."

Takuya and Miyako gave a glance at each other. Chris continued, "Did you guys see what he did? He brutalized Hideo. And the principal had to step in."

Kazuko's eyes drooped down. "Uwoooh, Yamato. He's being like a bad guy."

"Oh come on. You going to tell me Hideo didn't have it coming?" Gakuto raised an eyebrow.

"This isn't about Hideo, it's about Yamato and his actions today." Chris said.

"What would you have him do then Chris? He fought Hideo and beat him, were you expecting a chivalrous behavior?" Takuya asked.

"Well no, I am just saying that Yamato went over the line this time." Chris concluded.

Tadakatsu had his arms crossed as always, he then reminded them, "He's going through a tough time."

"That's right." Yukie's face fell, "He's still suffering his loss."

The rain outside was painting the somber tone. Miyako remained silent throughout the talk. In her mind, however, she pictured Yamato's face when he battled Hideo. Who she saw yesterday was not the Yamato, not the one she knew.


The next day, in the Kuki Corporation Building, there was a meeting carried out. In a secured room with a conference table, Kuki Ageha stood before the maids and butlers under the employment of the Kuki Corporation. The ones she was mindful of were Stacy Connor, Lee Jinchu, Oshitari Azumi, Miss Marple, Hellsing Hyumu, and Claudio Nero.

"Alright, we're all here." Ageha said, "Now we'll get started. We all know what happened, so who's going to fess up about slipping?"

"Slipping?" Hellsing asked.

"Three days ago, Naoe Kagekiyo and Naoe Saki were on the way to us but they got shot and killed. So is anyone going to tell me how someone on the outside knew their whereabouts and took the opportunity to assassinate them? I need to check where all of you were on that day."

Silence filled the room, Kuki Ageha scanned everyone. Lee, Stacy, and Azumi were sharing glances. Azumi then spoke out, "Ageha-sama, I can speak for Lee and Stacy. We were in here in the building, at the maids' recreation room."

"True?"

"Monshiro was with us, she wanted to chat with us. You can ask her Ageha-sama." Azumi said.

Ageha turned to Hyumu, giving him a look to prompt an answer from him. Hyumu, in his proud, arms crossed stance, gave his answer, "I was doing as you have instructed, to research on the Naoe Line. Claudio was with me too." Ageha turned to Claudio and he nodded.

She finally turned to Marple, who was seated at the side of the conference table. Marple, however, responded with a question instead. "Ageha-sama. With respect, is it possible that Kagekiyo himself slipped up and told the wrong person on his end?"

"Possible, but very unlikely. He approached us and he stressed in the secrecy of this matter. He went out of his way to come back here and only when he got back here did the assassination take place. So someone who's already in the country and who knew Kagekiyo was arriving on such short notice, was responsible for this."

"And you want to know our whereabouts because the police are asking?" Marple raised an eyebrow.

"Everyone is to be accounted for. And I'm awaiting your answer Marple." Ageha eyeballed her.

Marple had a frown, even though Ageha was in charge, Marple never appreciated a younger person, a kid, to give her such a tone. Nevertheless, she answered, "I was with your parents."

Ageha gave them all one last glance. She kept her talk with Yamato hidden from all of them. She had her suspicions marked on a few people already. Why did Claudio not say anything about the tracker? Why was Hyumu not with Monshiro on that day? He was assigned to be her butler yet she was staying with Azumi, Lee, and Stacy. And why was Marple stonewalling her at the beginning?

Ageha played along and sighed, "Well I suppose Kagekiyo could have made a mistake which has resulted in the travesty. This is immensely unfortunate. The police will need a statement from me, then they'll have to continue their investigation on their own." The maids and butlers gave a nod. Ageha changed the subject, "We won't know anything more about the Naoe bloodline power. It's a dead end."

This time, Hyumu spoke, "Ageha-sama. I have done more research already and I have discovered more about their trait power."

Ageha crossed her own arms as well, "Go on."

"In a recount dating back in the Heian period, there was a general. He claimed to be extremely powerful, judging from the fights he spoke about he was just like the top tier champions among us to this day. Who the general is, however, is unknown. Seemed like he erased his own name, probably out of embarrassment from what happened in a battle against someone."

"What battle?"

Claudio then said, "All that he said was this. 'My power, my strength, everything I've built in myself, all completely gone. They fell to the Eyes of the Oni. It was the absolute equilibrium. The light in me, snuffed out by the dark. Only pain and frailty, I have never been so afraid. To the champions of the future, take this warning. Do not fall into their ire. Stay your pride, flee from the ones of the demon blood. The wrath that is," Claudio took a moment to clear his throat, "…Naoe."

Stacy could not help herself when a scoff escaped her mouth. Everyone turned their attention to her, Ageha was giving her the narrowed eyes. Stacy then said, "Blood of the demon? Pfft come on seriously, what kind of testimony is that? You going to tell me that Naoe Yamato, that little scrawny brat, is actually something that general has described?" No one answered, it left Stacy in an awkward position from her insult.

Ageha then said to Hyumu and Claudio, "I want what you have uncovered emailed to me, now. This meeting is over." Everyone bowed and exited the room. Ageha was left alone and she started pacing around. She began deducing what exactly she was dealing with, gathering from what she had learned so far.

(Eyes of the Oni…Hideo said something about red eyes. Do not fall into their ire…the absolute equilibrium.) Ageha bit her lip in worry. (A power specifically evolved against people's own strengths and powers. Yamato was able to beat Hideo. Made him experience intense pain like an amplified fever, Hideo lost all of his strength and could not even move. Then when Yamato spoke to me, his aura and Ki, it was like an abyss.)

She finally summed up what exactly this bloodline power was this whole time, her eyes widened in dread. (The absolute equilibrium. A demonic aura and Ki like an Oni. Nullifying all strength and power. If the so-called Eyes of the Oni comes into a fight, all bets are off. No Ki powers will matter. You will be completely neutralized. Puts you in a fever nightmare.)

After the notion of such a bloodline trait sunk in, Ageha glared back to the door where the maids and butlers had left. She had hoped her worst predictions would not come to pass, but it appeared to be so. The servants, she could not trust them. Her own associates, the damn people the Kuki Corporation had picked. She could not bring her family into the whole mess, she was left with no choice. She had to turn to the one who was centered in all this, Naoe Yamato.

(Such a dangerous thing, more dangerous than anything we've seen before…may be more dangerous than Momoyo. But one thing does not add up, why now? Why is he having his trait power now?)


Monday had arrived, the Kazama Family minus Yamato and Momoyo were on the path to school. The usual lively chat during their walk to school had been replaced with an unsmiling trek. Once they got to class 2-F, Naoe Yamato was already at his seat. He was going through his textbooks to cover up the lessons he had missed. This surprised them all and Shouchi was the first to zip over to him. The other boys joined in too. The girls, however, were hanging back.

"Yamato!" Shouchi called out.

"Guys." Yamato said, his head was still in his books.

"When did you get here?" Gakuto asked.

"Before you guys, it seems."

"Where have you been? You didn't attend the gathering last Friday." Takuya asked.

"I was busy tending to my father's company," Yamato answered. His responses left little to continue a conversation, the boys wanted to talk to him more but he was not helping at all.

"You alright Yamato?" Shouchi asked as he placed a hand on Yamato's shoulder.

"Fine." Yamato, again, gave a vague answer. Kojima Umeko had arrived and began to settle the class down and start the lesson. The rest of the Kazama family got to their seats, but they planned to make Yamato talking again when they meet up again this coming Friday.


During the lunch break, Momoyo was in the cafeteria chowing down on ramen. Some of her fans were seated around the other table fawned over her. Back then she would have been relishing in the praises from her fan girls all over school. But after one girl gave a legit confession she had to stop interacting with them. They were becoming bothersome.

She gazed out the window, reminiscing about her summer. Even if she rejected Yamato the first time, he still spent time with her. She had so much fun, and Yamato did so much for her. The date Yamato had planned for the two of them, the festival, the Okinawa trip, and finally the Kawakami Battle. It was such a good time with her lil' bro, her Yamato.

Then it went all downhill. He changed completely, when she wanted to pick on him because she was frustrated after a disappointing fight, he got so fierce. She had never seen him like that before. He did not return her calls or messages, like he was avoiding her now. Then that battle with Hideo, it was just terrible.

Her train of thoughts were interrupted when she heard her first-year fan girls gossiping among themselves.

"Did you all see Yamato-senpai yesterday?" Momoyo fan #1 said.

"Yeah, I was there. Hideo was winning then it all turned around." Momoyo fan #2 replied.

"Everything got so cold. Yamato started beating on him. Did you all see how he looked like?" Momoyo fan #3 added.

"Yeah, he was so scary. I've never seen anyone so scary like that." Momoyo fan #4 shuddered. "I thought he was a nice guy, easy to talk to. The rest of the girls thought so too. But now we know the truth, he's scary."

Momoyo herself had heard enough of them. She got up and returned her ramen bowl before leaving the cafeteria.


After lessons had ended, Yamato was in an empty classroom. The 2-S homeroom teacher, Usami Kyojin, or Beard-sensei as Yamato referred to him before, entered with a chess set in hand.

"Yamato." Kyojin greeted.

"Usami-sensei." Yamato nodded.

"You interested in a game of chess?"

Yamato took a few seconds before he answered, "Yeah alright."

They pulled a table and a couple of chairs, they set the pieces and sat opposite each other. Kyojin then earnestly said to Yamato, "My condolences." Yamato nodded and they started their game.

After a few pieces made their moves. Kyojin proceeded to ask Yamato, "You caught up with your studies?"

"Yes." Yamato said.

"Did you do anything on your leave of absence?"

"Had to settle some admin stuff with my father's company." Yamato then asked, "How's things with Umeko-sensei?"

Kyojin sighed and propped his head up with his arm, Yamato then said, "If you don't want to tell me it's ok."

"Nah I'll tell ya." Kyojin rubbed his face, "It ain't going much. You know I tried leading a conversation with her about the new natural history exhibit at the museum, she said no before I could finish the question to go with her there."

Yamato dipped his head down, "I see."

"Some conundrum this is. You know I overheard this from the school nurse, Komon-sensei. That Umeko-sensei actually appreciates the affections I give her, but she won't say yes. What to do huh?"

"Mm." Yamato grunted. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes or scoff.

In a time before, Yamato would have been really engaged in a story about a girl's crushes and romance in the school. The sweet aroma of lovey springtime in Kawakami Academy. He was not blind to who has a crush on who in the school, he saw through them.

But none of that matters to him anymore.

"It's so troublesome…I can't see how I can do clear the goal line if she keeps saying no." Kyojin sighed again.

Yamato leaned back on his seat. Words from his mother came into his mind. (Your life…your life.)

He then said, "Maybe you shouldn't."

Kyojin's face showed his surprise at Yamato's words, he was flabbergasted at such a suggestion, "Are you kidding me?" Yamato did not answer, but his silence told Kyojin he meant what he said. "Yamato, how can you think of such ideas? To just drop it? How can any self-respecting man just stop?"

Yamato, who was still giving an impassive tone, said to him, "Respect? You said it yourself, Umeko-sensei appreciates your affections. But won't give you a chance or explain her rejection to you straight and proper, what kind of respect is that? Goes to show where you stand in her eyes. And where does that leave you? I just rather you not waste your time if this went nowhere." Yamato shrugged a shoulder.

"Who's the old man here now?" Kyojin said which earned a look from Yamato. "You're too young to sound like an old crow."

Someone else entered the room, Kawakami Tesshin.

"Principal." They both greeted the old man.

"Greetings. Ah Yamato. I must trouble you again. To my office please." Tesshin said, was not much room for argument. Yamato bid Kyojin farewell and followed Tesshin.


Soon after Yamato got into the principal's office again. And to Yamato's subtle surprise, Kuki Ageha was in the room waiting for them standing by the side of the table.

"What the hell?" Yamato narrowed his eyes. "Ageha-san?"

"Yamato." Ageha stepped forward, "We need to talk."

The three in the office settled down. Kuki Ageha straightened herself up. "Yamato, I'll cut to the chase. We need you to stay in the Kawakami Temple."

Yamato instantly recoiled, "What? Why?"

"It's for your safety Yamato." Tesshin explained, "You need to take time to recover and heal."

"I'm fine." Yamato insisted.

"No you're not!" Tesshin finally raised his voice at Yamato. "You've never behaved like this before and you should be better."

"Principal." Ageha stepped in. "Can I speak with Yamato in private?" Tesshin glanced at the two and he stroked his beard. He gave an elderly nod and left the office. Now it was just Ageha and Yamato. She cleared her throat and she lowered her volume. "Yamato, listen to me. I need you to do this."

"Why?"

"You wanted to know what I could have uncovered right?"

"And it has been two days since we last met," Yamato said and got up from his seat.

"I'll tell you what I know." Ageha began to explain, "And we can stop the smokescreen as you've said. The Naoe Bloodline's power is extremely rare, like it's only been seen a couple of times. Your bloodline nullifies all the others, bringing any fight into the basest of aspects. You neutralise all auras, Ki, powers, and techniques."

Hearing what Ageha had revealed, Yamato was narrowing his eyes with an unconvinced face. Ageha then said, "I'm sure you have seen something already when you fought my brother." Yamato remained silent and hid his admission. The evidence showed when he overpowered Hideo. When he managed to fend off Momoyo and even catching her own fist.

"That's one of the two reasons I need you over at the Kawakami Temple, it's the only suitable place where you can see what you can do." Ageha added.

"The other reason?" Yamato crossed his arms.

"Things are getting worse now. The Kawakami Temple is where you would be safe." Ageha frowned and her eyes drifted to the side.

"In what sense?"

"Claudio did not come clean about the tracker he planted on you. He still thinks I don't know about it. Him, along with Hyumu and Marple, they're not telling me everything. I dread it has come to this, but I cannot trust the servants in the Kuki Corporation." Ageha looked back at him, "We're on our own."

Ageha stiffened when she saw Yamato's eyes. They were turning red, she sensed his aura flaring. Yamato said in a low tone, "What the fuck does that mean? Did they have something to do with what happened to my parents?"

"Yamato, I don't know." Ageha held her hand up, "That's the truth, I don't know. Yamato, throwing accusations like that isn't going to work."

"Someone knows." Yamato clenched his teeth.

"I plan to find out who. And when I do, you'll have what you want." Ageha persuaded him.

(Revenge.)

"But on your end, you need to figure out your bloodline."

Yamato's eyes were still red. Ageha had to admit, they were very unsettling. She pulled out her compact makeup mirror from her back pocket and opened it for Yamato to see. "Your eyes Yamato, it says it all."

(What the? Shit…) Yamato backed away from the mirror, he could only watch as his eyes turned back to normal.

"Your bloodline is real Yamato, you need to hone it." Ageha put her mirror away. "So get ready, you're moving out of the Shimazu Dormitory."

"None of this is explaining why it really has to be the Kawakami Temple of all places." Yamato argued.

"What's your aversion to that place then?" Ageha threw the question to him. Immediately his heart panged. His mind went to the image of Momoyo standing by the river with the sunset, where he confessed to her for the second time.

He stammered, "N-Never mind. It's nothing."

"Either way. Your stuff has been moved into a room there already." Ageha shrugged.

He quickly recoiled, "What?! When?!"

"When you were having your lessons."

"Yadon and Karin…"

"Your hermit crabs are fine." Ageha made her way to the door, "I'll keep in touch soon enough. Goodbye Yamato, and be careful." Ageha placed a hand on his shoulder before leaving the office.


The sun was about to set on the horizon already when Yamato was on the ground floor. He figured he might as well head to the Kawakami Temple now. With hands in his pockets, he headed for the shoe lockers before the school exit. He was not prepared when he saw who was leaning on the lockers and waiting there.

Kawakami Momoyo.

"Yamato." She said and approached him. Yamato remained where he was and the two stood facing each other. The setting sun tinted everything in orange, the silence between them was palpable. Yamato took in the sight of her face, her beauty still unmatched. Momoyo took in Yamato's expression, not the same light-heartedness she knew him by. An invisible wedge had been placed in between them and it was immovable.

"Nee-san." Yamato finally broke the silence after what felt like hours.

Momoyo asked, "Can we talk?"


Ok so now we got a little exposition on what the Naoe Bloodline power is. Eyes of the Oni, the demon blood, the absolute equilibrium. etc. etc.

A neutralizer for the powered techniques in the Majikoi world. (Let's face it, the powers shown in the VN and anime are pretty outrageous). Think of it like Naoe's presence is a combination of green and gold kryptonite, with more to be revealed.

If anyone has any suggestions regarding the strained relationship between Yamato and Momoyo, I'd love to hear them.