Hello, my fellow readers! So you guys are probably curious about what went on during Gordon's training sessions with Nariko, right? Well, that's where the power of extras come in handy! I originally planned to put this in the previous chapter, but it would be too long to navigate. Without further ado, here's the extra in its standalone form. Enjoy!
- KID2NR
**Revision v.1 completed 04 Jul 17**
Disclaimer:
The characters and settings of Omamori Himari are properties of Fujimi Shobo and Milan Matra. Please support the official release in your respective country. I'm a fan of the series and all, but hey, it's not mine. And never will be. I only write for fun, not for profits. That's what a fanfic should be all about.
Also, all other characters referenced in the story, including OCs, are properties of their respective owners.
Legend:
"Normal (Japanese) speech"
{"English speech"}
"Thoughts (Assume character's native language)"
Quotes from other characters are centered, regardless of perspective
Extra Round 3 - Gordon's Training Diary
Cover: Gordon doing some speed bag exercises at the Y's boxing gym, wearing red shorts and a black V-neck shirt.
Note: All shorts take place after chapter 10 but before chapter 11
Entry #1: "The Envelope, the Knife, and the Scroll"
{"Phah! Haah..."}
Gordon was busy taking a swig of his ice water after finishing his shadowboxing routine in a remote section of the forest. The blistering heat in Japan was as merciless and unbearable as ever, even in the morning, and the loud screeching of cicadas pounded and penetrated the young boxer's eardrums to the point of insanity. Thankfully the shade of the trees cooled him down a little as he plopped himself down on one of them.
Today was Gordon's very first day of training after awakening his powers at Noihara. His motivation came after learning of Himari's dark heritage and seeing it manifest for the first time in his life. After that, he vowed to become strong so something like "that" won't ever come to pass.
"I wish to assist you in your training, Young Lord."
Gordon let out a heavy sigh, feeling sorry for declining Himari's request to tag along, but this was something he needed to do himself. Besides...
"RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!-!"
...he was still reeling from the effects of that fight with her.
{"I've gotta stop thinking about it for now,"} he muttered to himself, reaching into his bag and taking out a plain white envelope. Initially he thought Himari was simply trolling him until the cat said it contained a few things Kaya sent that were necessary for his training.
{"Might as well give it a shot."}
Curious, Gordon proceeded to unseal the mystery envelope. However as soon as the New Yorker touched the flap, it started to give off a bright glow, forcing Gordon to drop the envelope while shielding his eyes from the blinding light.
When Gordon let down his arm a few moments later, his expression became dumbstruck after seeing a young woman wearing a long white kimono stand before him. Her hair was long at the back and was tied near the end with a ribbon, while the front was well-maintained with straight bangs across her forehead and side bangs that were cut at her cheeks. The woman's face bore a stoic expression that was even reflected in her eyes. Both her eyes and hair matched the pale blue obi tied around her waist, and Gordon immediately took note of the woman's skin being quite pale, almost like paper, in a way.
"How do you do, Gordon-sama? I am the Fuguruma-youbi, Aya, a subordinate of Kaya-sama," she introduced, giving the New Yorker a polite bow.
"Erm..." Gordon awkwardly stood up and returned the woman - Aya's - bow, "Y-Yeah, nice to meet ya. So Implants sent ya, right?"
"That is correct," she answered. "Speaking of which, I have a message she wishes to have delivered to you."
Gordon's lips contorted into a grimace. No doubt it was going to be a spiteful one but there's no helping it. "Fine, let's hear it."
"Certainly," said Aya as she cleared her throat. "Ahem. 'Listen up, you mangy mutt, and listen real well. If I hear that you are plotting to do perverted things to my beloved Himari, I will come to your house at night and cut your dick off in your sleep. Then as I relish in you bleeding from where your precious manhood used to be, I will slit your throat, cut up all your organs, grill them 'till they're well done, and feed them to a pack of hungry bears. Finally, I shall use your rotting corpse as fertilizer and your severed head as my preferred chopping block. How'd you like them apples?' is what she said."
Beads of sweat rolled down Gordon's face. How this woman can repeat such a cruel and unusual threat and keep a straight face is beyond anyone's assumption.
Then again, this is Kaya he's dealing with.
"...She doesn't know when to hold back a grudge, doesn't she?"
"Apparently not. Though that is rather tame compared to what I must put up with," Aya stated before letting out a weary sigh. "Personally, I would prefer Kaya-sama to not make me divulge such gruesome threats."
"Glad to see we're on the same page, then," said Gordon before deciding to move away from the subject. "So what do you have for me, anyway? I doubt you put whatever that brat wanted you to bring in that kimono of yours."
"That is because I am not simply a messenger spirit, Gordon-sama," Aya began explaining with her eyes closed. "My stomach is capable of storing entire stocks of items, regardless of size or shape."
"I feel like I've seen this in a cartoon before," Gordon dreaded in his head.
"One moment, please. A...Ahem! B...BLEEEEEEERRRRGH...!"
Gordon recoiled at the deluge of vomit and stomach juice erupting from Aya's mouth, a disgusted look now on his countenance.
"Y...Yep, she's definitely related to Rico, all right," he concluded, having been reminded of that crazy weapons and explosives-obsessed penguin.
A while later (and after cleaning up the vomit) Gordon picked up a scroll case that looked ancient judging by the aged metal and faded writing. It felt fairly heavy in his palm, too. Almost like holding a ten-pound dumbbell.
"That is the Founder's Scroll, one of the Three Sacred Heirlooms of the Benigawa family. It contains every Touki technique the Founder and First Successor learned and developed throughout their lifetimes," Aya explained.
Gordon tried opening the scroll case but found no luck in doing so as it was sealed shut. "How on earth do I open this?" he asked Aya.
"Try activating your Touki first. Only then will it open," the Fuguruma advised. "Please, give it a try."
Gordon gave a reassuring nod and glanced down at the Founder's Scroll. The New Yorker then closed his eyes to concentrate getting his Touki to surface, and it took him a while before he can feel his body slowly become bathed in it. After opening his eyes, Gordon noticed the case to the Founder's Scroll giving off a faint blue glow before it opened, revealing the ancient scroll inside. Satisfied, he powered down his Touki and opened up the Founder's Scroll, revealing multiple lines of text and a handful of diagrams on the old parchment.
"There is one more thing I must give you, Gordon-sama."
Gordon looked up and noticed Aya presenting him a small wooden case with metal rivets around the corners.
"I believe you will find this to be of great use. Kaya-sama was quite careful in selecting this item."
Gordon accepted the envelope spirit's gift and proceeding to carefully open it, revealing a knuckle knife inside. The knife had a bluish black metal handle closely resembling that of a knuckle duster as the name would suggest, with a sharp pommel at the bottom and the words "U.S. 1918" stamped on both sides. The blade itself was tucked away inside a sheath that matched the color of the handle.
"That knife was Taiji-sama's preferred weapon, rivaled only by Yasutsuna," Aya pointed out. "In fact, that became his only weapon after passing the sword down to Himari-sama, well into his death."
Gordon removed the trench knife from its metal sheath, revealing a razor-sharp blade with the same midnight finish as the handle. The knife felt a little heavy in the young boxer's hand due to the handle providing most of the weight, almost reminding him of his sap gloves somewhat.
"Did Gramps really take out ayakashi with just this old knife?"
"Even a plain oar can be made into a deadly weapon in the hands of a master, Gordon-sama," Aya stated succinctly. "And please, do take care of that knife you're holding. Kaya-sama will be most upset if she found out it broke."
Gordon's lips spread into a confident smile while gazing at his grandfather's trench knife. Even from beyond the grave, that old man still wanted to show appreciation for his grandson somehow. First with the omamori, and now with this knife.
"Yeah, okay, just as long as she doesn't grill me. Also, tell Kaya I said thanks," he told Aya, withholding the nickname he gave the Zashiki-warashi.
A faint smile broke through the Fuguruma-youbi's stoic features. "Understood," she spoke.
Entry #2: "A Spar with the Vixen"
Almost a week has passed since Gordon started training his Touki by himself. The young Benigawa was making steady progress learning the basics from the Founder's Scroll. It helped that he got a chance to see the techniques for himself during his battle with Himari in Noihara, even if they were, for the most part, unintentional.
Now it was just a matter of finding someone to spar with. However the choices Gordon had were very limited. He couldn't spar with Himari yet, as he was still recovering from what happened during the Noihara debacle, and he didn't want to spar with Shizuku since it was unconscionable for him to fight a child, even if she was over a century old in biological terms.
Putting those into perspective, Gordon can only think of one person that can help him. However, that person has yet to show up.
{"Hmm... She's late,"} he murmured to himself. {"Yeee!"}
Gordon suddenly felt his sides get tickled by something, forcing him away from the tree he was leaning on. The New Yorker then frowned when he saw four red fox tails peeking out from behind.
{"Haah... Nariko, get out of there, will ya?"}
The girl in question peeked her head out from behind the tree, a crafty grin on her lips before stepping out entirely. The vixen's attire consisted of a black sports bra that showed off her toned stomach and grey yoga pants with two magenta stripes running down the sides. Her hands were wrapped in bandages, and she neglected to wear anything on her feet.
{"Fuhu. Surprised you, didn't I?"} she asked, brushing away part of her hair.
{"Not necessarily,"} Gordon scoffed.
{"Aww... And here I thought I'd come all the way over to spar with you,"} Nariko pouted cutely.
{"Only 'cause you somehow slipped your number into my shorts,"} he shot back with a grumble.
It happened one day when Gordon was doing his laundry. While checking the pockets for any loose items, he stumbled upon a folded slip of paper in the shorts he wore from the Noihara trip. After opening it, he found Nariko's cell phone number inside, followed by a short message:
If you ever need a sparring partner, just give me a call, 'kay? I'll be waiting~ ;-)
Even in writing, the vixen still manages to stick a thorn to his side. What kind of idiot would write an emoticon at the end of their message? Though he should be grateful she didn't go for a wink emoji. Never go full emoji.
{"Putting that aside, I'm glad you showed up to help. Mmmph!"}
Gordon suddenly found himself in a tight hug by Nariko who smiled and giggled gleefully.
{"Ufufufu~ Anytime, Sweetheart. Oh, I'm totally looking forward to this!"}
{"D...Dammit Vixen, I can't breathe!"} Gordon struggled, his head forcefully stuffed between the kitsune's breasts.
#######
WHUD! WHUD!
{"Kuh!"}
Gordon and Nariko got right into sparring a few moments later, the former empowering himself with his Touki. Already Gordon was forced on the defensive, his feet shuffling back and his forearms raised trying to withstand the brunt of Nariko's kicks. It appears her fighting has improved slightly since their last bout at Noihara. The black teen knew Nariko wasn't going easy on him just because his Touki is now active.
But that's just how he wants it.
Gordon stepped away from Nariko's side kick and reared his right fist for a counterattack, the aura surrounding it quickly becoming dense as the boxer then threw a hard hook towards Nariko's chin. The kitsune quickly raised her arms to block it, however...
BOOM!
"Kyah!"
A powerful blast of Touki erupted from Gordon's fist upon impact, sending her flying a couple feet. Nariko was quite creative in her recovery, reinforcing all four of her tails with youki to use as anchors in order to keep herself planted. Wasting no time, she made a quick dash towards Gordon, her legs coated in blue flames.
"Flamme Forage!"
Nariko jumped and spun her body around like a corkscrew with her legs fully extended, preparing to strike Gordon square in the noggin. The young Benigawa, however, disappeared in a blue streak just before the flames reached him. He reappeared a few meters away before disappearing once more, this time to close the gap.
Nariko let off a cunning smirk as blue fireballs manifested on the tips of her tails. She tossed all four of them at once, each making fiery craters in the ground.
BOOM BOOM BOOM! BOOM!
{"Agh! Whoa!"} Gordon was forced to put the brakes on his move when two of the fireballs narrowly struck his path. Smoke immediately clouded the demon slayer's field of vision until it started to clear, after which he became befuddled after seeing five identical copies of Nariko. Already it was becoming quite difficult in distinguishing them, as their ears, tails and clothing are all identical.
"What the hell...?"
One of the Nariko clones giggled at Gordon's baffled reaction. {"Having trouble, Sweetie?"}
{"Maybe your ears are still ringing,"} another implied, tapping her cheek with her finger. {"I should have that checked out if I were you."}
Gordon let off a snort at the vixen's taunt and immediately went at them. He threw a fierce uppercut to one of the clones, only for that particular clone to explode the moment his fist made contact.
KABLAM!
{"AAAAAGH!"}
The blast threw Gordon back forcefully with a loud yell, landing hard on his side after sailing several feet. Wincing in pain, he attempted to stand, only to get piled on by the remaining clones, groaning under their combined weight.
{"Hahahaha! Hahaha!"}
Gordon scowled at the Narikos' laughter. {"Oh, you think this is so funny, huh Vixen?"}
{"Aw come on, Sweetheart. You should know how tricly we foxes can be,"} one of the clones reiterated as if stating the obvious.
{"Well, one thing's for sure: all of you are heavy,"} he muttered.
{"Hey! We're not that heavy, you know!"} the Narikos objected, taking offense to the comment.
Gordon rolled his eyes before closing them to concentrate, his body remaining still as his Touki aura began to condense itself. The Nariko clones interpreted that as a potential omen and quickly began to disperse.
BOOM!
Unfortunately, their timing came too late when a powerful flash of light erupted from Gordon's Touki aura. Each of the redheads were sent flying in various directions, disappearing one by one in a puff of smoke until it was just Gordon in the area.
{"Haa... Haa..."} Gordon was taking heavy breaths in between as he slowly stood up. It seemed he used a tad too much Touki for that Aura Burst, and as a result his body is starting to feel fatigued.
This, in fact, was the drawback recorded in one of the Benigawa family's documents. The more Touki is used for a particular technique, the more strain it puts on the user's body. Juto and Takahiro, the Founder and First Successor of the Benigawas, didn't have this problem to begin with but it gradually became known for each passing generation. Some of them have even died as a result of getting too reckless with their Touki.
Needless to say, even Gordon was no exception to the rule, even with years of boxing under his belt.
Putting that in mind, he kept a close eye around for Nariko. There could be the possibility of the redhead hiding herself somewhere in the forest after deploying her clones. It was her home turf, after all.
"...Where could she be? Whoa!"
BOOM BOOM!
Out of instinct, Gordon zipped away from two fireballs that nearly roasted him had he not moved. He was then forced to move away from another pair of fireballs, and again when one more was fired. It quickly became a game of cat and mouse at this point as Gordon relentlessly dodged each of Nariko's blazing orbs, narrowly grazing death with each explosion.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
"D-Dammit, is that vixen trying to wear me out on purpose? Aaagh!"
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Gordon slipped past another barrage of Nariko's fireballs, albeit just barely due to the fatigue building up from his prolonged Touki use. At this rate, it's without a doubt he will soon feel the full effects.
"Come on. Even Red has to have her limits somehow. I just know it. Hm?"
Gordon quickly became puzzled at the sudden lack of fireballs being thrown at him. Was she feeling tired as well? Or is she...?
{"Geronimo!"}
{"Eh? Wagh!"}
Gordon was caught by surprise the instant Nariko suddenly landed on his back, the young demon slayer barely managing to keep his balance under the foxgirl's weight. Her legs were crossed over his stomach in a tight lock, and Gordon already can feel the softness of Nariko's breasts on his back as the scarlette let out a carefree laugh.
{"Ahahaha! Whee~ Hehehe!"}
{"Rrr...! For god's sake, Vixen, get off!"} a frustrated Gordon demanded with a growl. {"Aren't you even taking this seriously?"}
Nariko gave a playful giggle. {"You have your way, I have mine. Speaking of which... Hup!"}
{"H-Hey, what're you...!? W-Whoaaa!"}
THUD!
Using her weight, Nariko managed to make Gordon tip backwards while restricting his movements with her tails, causing both of them to fall hard onto the dirt. With him successfully knocked down and restrained, Nariko then proceeded to put Gordon in a tight choke hold.
{"Fuhuhu~ Looks like I win this round. Wouldn't you say?"} she declared with a proud and victorious smirk.
{"Nnngh! Aaagh! Okay, okay, I give!"} Gordon surrendered, powering down his Touki to prove his loss. Satisfied with his response, the scarlette ceased her chokehold but her legs and tails still kept a firm hold on him.
{"I'm quite impressed you managed to get the hang of your demon slayer powers,"} she complimented, brushing Gordon's cheek. {"Did the kitten help you in any way?"}
Gordon's expression became downcast, which didn't go unnoticed by Nariko.
{"...Sweetheart?"} she asked, concerned.
The dark-skinned foreigner shook his head with a sigh. {"Let's just say...I needed some time away from her,"} he said cryptically.
A grim expression slowly took over Nariko's features. She understood the meaning of what Gordon meant by that. Being forced into a fight-or-flight situation with someone you've developed close ties with tends to leave some unsightly memories, especially if they're not in their right mind. The fight she (or rather, her clone) witnessed in Noihara was a clear testament to the fact.
The vixen decided to release her hold on Gordon, unwrapping her tails from his legs before propping herself up.
{"How about we take some time to relax,"} she suggested, changing the subject. {"That okay with you?"}
Gordon relaxed his stiff neck. {"Yeah, sounds good."}
Nariko went back and grabbed her gym bag from the tree she was hiding behind. {"I'll be taking a dip over at the river. Of course, you're free to come along if you'd like. Fufu~"}
{"How about no thanks?"} Gordon did not want a repeat of what happened last time when he accidentally saw Himari in the buff for the very first time. Though it could potentially turn out worse with Nariko given her habit of teasing him at almost every opportunity.
A disappointed sound came from Nariko's pouting lips, her fox ears drooping down. {"You're no fun at all,"} she complained, sticking her tongue out before taking off into the forest.
With the redhead out of his hair for the time being, Gordon heaved out a sigh and let his back fall flat onto the dirt, no longer able to withstand the exhaustion brought on by his Touki. The New Yorker then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep under the cool, refreshing shade.
Entry #3: "Going Overdrive"
A few days have gone by since Gordon's initial spar with Nariko, and they more or less have gotten acquainted to each other's fighting styles. While Gordon favored simplicity and effectiveness in his boxing, Nariko favored trickery and showmanship with her Youjutsu and heavy use of kicks. The use of her tails and submission wrestling holds also add to the vixen's unpredictability, reinforcing Gordon's need to stay alert at all times.
"Flamme Blitz!"
Fox flames rose from Nariko's feet and covered her entire body as she went for a high-speed tackle. Gordon, however, made quick use of his footwork and pivoted his body away. He then used his right forearm to swat away a kick aimed for his head before hurling his Touki-infused fist towards the scarlet-haired fox. Nariko quickly backed away from the boxer's strike and fought back with her kicks in hopes of pushing him back.
WHOOSH! Left mid.
WOOSH WOOSH! A low and mid kick, both with her right heel.
WOOSH! A jumping kick with her left foot.
Gordon managed to slip through a majority of the vixen's blows, keeping his forearms held in front until he decided to make his counterattack, channeling his Touki to his knuckles.
However, Nariko wasn't going to fall for such a move.
"Doppelganger!"
Five copies of the redhead appeared and immediately began closing in on Gordon. The young Benigawa was forced to fend off against the small army of Narikos, ducking and weaving while doing his best to keep his guard up.
One of the clones kept her distance from the scuffle and distracted Gordon with an array of fireballs.
BOOM BOOM!
{"Agh!"} Gordon used the Phantom Rush technique to get away from the blazing projectiles, all while struggling to keep his defenses. The clone that threw them showed no signs of giving up as she continued to bombard the New Yorker with more.
"Dammit, I gotta find a way to get rid of her!" he thought to himself while dangerously avoiding both a heel drop from one clone and a Flamme Blitz from another, the latter of which managed to make a small burn mark through his shirt from just a mere graze.
"Ouragan Flamme!"
Gordon looked up and spotted a Nariko clone performing a spinning roundhouse kick imbued with foxfire. The young boxer ducked his body to the left to evade the flames, only to find himself blasted back by another fireball.
{"Aaaaah! Oof!"} Gordon's back landed hard on the grass with the back of his head making contact with a tree stump, forcing him to hold it while wincing in pain. Even with the Touki augmenting his body, it still hurt like a bitch.
{"Not done yet!"}
{"Huh? Whoa!"}
Gordon immediately rolled away from a fireball that struck the tree stump, setting it on fire. This fight is really going nowhere at the rate it's going. He'll need to try something else if he's ever going to push back.
"I can't use 'that' yet. I need just the right moment. In the meantime..."
Gordon used his Phantom Rush to engage the clones, sending one of the redheads flying with a one-two combo and a hard straight. However he was struck from behind by another doppelganger who managed to sneak behind him. Barely managing to keep his footing, he then used another Phantom Rush to slip past a surprise kick by the third Nariko clone. Unfortunately for the young boxer, his legs were caught by a fourth who used her tails to send him falling face first into the dirt.
{"Had a nice trip, Sweetie?"}
{"Ptoo! That was a lame joke and you know it,"} an unamused Gordon pointed out while going past another fireball from the fifth clone. Okay, now he really needs to get up there and take that clone down a peg!
Channeling Touki straight to his legs, Gordon performed a giant leap towards the tree where the fireball-throwing vixen stood. He barely managed to make his landing on the treebranch, only by grabbing on to a nearby branch to ensure his stability. The Nariko clone pointed her middle and index fingers out like a gun and proceeded to shoot small fireballs at Gordon. The other redheads quickly followed, pelting the New Yorker with numerous rounds of foxfire bullets. One of them even shot projectiles from her palms.
Gordon had nowhere else to run, as his back was pressed straight against the tree bark like a cornered rat. His Touki did make his body a little tougher than normal, but it also puts a little bit of strain the more he tries to channel more of it just to defend himself. He was even feeling it now after using his Phantom Rushes.
{"Rrgh! Ngh! Khhh...!"}
"Keep at it! He can't stay like this for long!" one of the clones ordered.
"Right!" the rest replied before doubling their efforts to shoot Gordon down.
Feeling the stamina leave his body at an alarming rate, Gordon knew he needed to turn the tables quickly. And there was only one means of doing so.
The young Benigawa closed his eyes and imagined an old dam, the water representing his Touki and the dam itself representing his current limit with the power. He wanted to obliterate that dam and let his Touki break out in a huge deluge. He wanted that quick burst of power so he can give those pesky clones a piece of his mind.
Small cracks were forming on the face of the dam, growing larger until water began to seep from them. A chunk of concrete then fell into the river below, followed by another, and a few more as water started to pour out. Eventually the dam could no longer hold the water back, and the entire structure collapsed upon itself. Millions upon millions of gallons of water poured down in a devastating tsunami that wiped out all signs of life.
With that image embedded deep into his subconscious, Gordon can already feel the back of his neck getting warm and his body beginning to overflow with energy.
Down below, the Nariko clones noticed red markings appearing on Gordon's arms and legs, as well as his Touki aura flickering about. Interpreting that as a potential omen, the foxgirls attempted to prevent the young demon slayer from making his move.
Gordon immediately descended from the treebranch and repeatedly used the Phantom Rush to gain some distance. Unfortunately the clones were quite fast and soon enough the boxer was back to square one, this time being surrounded by all five.
{"Haah...! Haah...! Haa...!"} Gordon's breathing became ragged, a sign of his body slowly approaching its limits with his Touki.
One of the Nariko clones disappeared, allowing the real Nariko to step in after making her descent. {"Are you about to give up, Sweetheart?"}
Gordon gave a bitter glare and scowl to the four-tailed vixen, too tired for words or even some witty banter. Though that only caused Nariko to ease out a shrug.
{"Guess not. Let's go, girls!"}
{"Right!"}
The clone quartet closed in on Gordon, who, due to his current state, was still too fatigued to move as quickly as he wanted to. At that point, the New Yorker knew it was now or never to go all out.
{"Grr...! Overdrive!"}
Gordon's eyes took on a sinister white glow while his Touki aura flared violently, forcing the Nariko doppelgangers to keep their distance. Red markings appeared all over the demon slayer's arms and legs, also taking on a glow while parts of his hair started turning white from the front, mainly his left temple.
Though Gordon can feel bounds of energy coursing through his body, there is a setback to using this particular technique. Overdrive (known as Raging Touki from the Founder's Scroll) only lasts for fifteen seconds once triggered, and he cannot use his Touki for at least twenty minutes after it passes. He would have to make the time count.
Meanwhile, a surprised look appeared on the real Nariko's face before her lips curled up into an amused, yet sinister grin. The scarlette's tails couldn't contain their excitement as they kept bristling about. And it had to be powerful as well, given her clone's account of the events in Noihara.
Feeling the need to test Gordon's Overdrive, Nariko dismissed her clones before allowing a red aura to slowly envelop her body. As it did, the pupils of her eyes became slit, and her fangs and fingernails became sharp and more pronounced. The vixen can already feel herself getting roused up by the sudden rush of youki flowing through her body, as her flushed cheeks can clearly tell.
{"Haah... Haa... Fufu~ C'mon, what're you waiting for, Sweetheart? Show me what you got."}
Gordon easily obliged to Nariko's request by taking her head-on. The foxgirl also sprang into action, rushing Gordon at a blistering speed before using her tails to swat the Brooklyn native, only for him to vanish with his Phantom Rush. Gordon then reappeared behind Nariko and threw a swift, Touki-infused hook but missed as one of her tails deflected the blow. In response, Nariko aimed a low kick to her dark-skinned opponent but Gordon easily zipped away, again using the Phantom Rush.
"Only ten seconds left," he counted in his head after bobbing and weaving past Nariko's roundhouse kick. Channelling Touki into his right fist, he quickly followed with a fierce swing to the kitsune's stomach.
{"Hah!"}
POW!
Gordon released the channeled Touki straight to Nariko's abdomen, sending the scarlette flying several feet in a powerful shotgun-like blast. This was the Aura Burst Strike, a technique that requires a fair bit of Touki control and timing to get right, as it can easily backfire on the user if used incorrectly.
With only five seconds of Overdrive remaining, Gordon sped towards Nariko, again using Phantom Rush to close the gap before the fox got a chance to regain some lost ground. With a heap of Touki already stored in his left fist, the New Yorker threw another Aura Burst Strike in the form of a downwards punch towards Nariko's solar plexus.
{"Hyah!"}
BOOM!
The sheer force of the blow sent Nariko crashing hard onto the dirt, creating a cloud of dust in its wake. When it cleared, Gordon looked down to see the scarlette lying on her side, clutching her chest and stomach while catching her breath. Her tails were also sprawled on the ground, and her long hair already appeared disheveled.
The white glow in Gordon's eyes faded as did his Touki aura and markings, signaling the end of Overdrive. However fatigue and exhaustion quickly took a toil on the New Yorker's body, causing him to collapse on the ground. He barely managed to keep himself from falling on Nariko, using what strength he had left in his arms to support himself.
{"Haa... Haah... Haa..."} Aside from the accumulated sweat on his face and shirt, Gordon's breathing was heavy and ragged to the point he might contract asthma.
{"Haah... Haah... Heh. Looks...like...I got ya... huh,Vixen...?"}
Nariko cracked a small smile at her opponent's remark after her youki aura faded. {"Y...Yeah, you sure did,"} she said, wincing a little. {"However, I do have a problem with the position I'm in."}
{"Hm?"} Gordon's face became puzzled for a moment before he quickly found himself in the clutches of Nariko's tails. With no time to react, he found himself being forcefully thrown to the ground and had his wrists pinned by Nariko herself, a satisfied and dominating smirk gracing the foxgirl's lips.
{"I prefer to be the one on top,"} she explained in a soft purr, accentuating her point by straddling the young boxer's stomach. {"Wouldn't you say, Sweetheart?"}
{"Oof! Ugh..."} Gordon's body was already strained from channeling too much Touki, not to mention using Overdrive at the last moment. He just didn't have the stamina for his usual quips against Nariko's promiscuousness. Instead, he just stared at the vixen's perspiring face for a few moments before closing his eyes to rest his tired self.
Nariko let off an amused giggle as she got off Gordon and moved her body close to him. She tilted the boy's head off the ground and slid her tails underneath to create a makeshift pillow. Soon after, the scarlette laid down on the ground and quietly observed Gordon from a glance. Her heart nearly skipped a beat seeing the young Benigawa's sleeping face, her lips breaking out into a sentimental smile.
"Cute... Ah-!"
A surprised sound left Nariko's lips after feeling Gordon's arms rest over her stomach, his body having turned over.
{"Zzz... Zzz..."}
The four-tailed fox blinked for a moment before she reached her hand out to pet her sleeping sweetheart.
"I think I've decided. He's gonna be my mate for sure."
That finishes the third Extra Round, everyone! Phew! Releasing two chapters in one day sure takes a doozy, I'll give you guys that.
Like I said at the beginning, this chapter is pretty much self-explanatory from the title alone, detailing the various stages of Gordon's training and how Nariko got involved. We also get a new character debut in Aya, the Fuguruma-youbi. One thing's for sure, she's not Rico, but she is Rico's ayakashi cousin (for those who don't know, Rico is a character from the Madagascar films and its TV spinoff, The Penguins of Madagascar).
A hint of trivia, the knife Gordon received from Aya is the Mark I trench knife used by American soldiers in World Wars I and II. Taiji requested the blade to be reforged in order to make it less prone to breaking while fighting ayakashi. As Himari explained in the last chapter, it suits Gordon well due Taiji having shared a similar fighting style to his.
The next chapter of this arc starts the Kuesu portion of the Second Term, titled Hexennacht ("Night of the Witch" in German). Yes, the Jinguuji heiress will finally take the main stage! How will the Touryou High crew deal with the demon-slaying sorceress, and especially Gordon, in particular?
So until next time on The Brooklyn Demon Slayer...
"I am the heiress to the Jinguuji family, one of the twelve demon slayer families. My name is Kuesu."
"Twelfth Round - Sorceress"
"That's Kuesu Jinguuji-sama, I'll have you know!"