~NRK~

She hummed, sipping on a mocha frappe as she looked over her custom sheet.

'It would seem one of them has good wits about them,' a woman with bat wings said, her slender dark gray hands caressing 'her test'. 'Curious but there's some interesting ones here,' but then there was that droll one.

Why did she barely put in half her foxy Is?!

She kind of loved them!

How dare this trainee get her to love these wisp-like kitsune-tama?!

~NRK~

Obito adjusted his gloves. "What is it?" He asked his mirror as he slicked back his hair. "What could he be giving me?" In this world of quirks, it could honestly be anything.

Wearing a pair of sturdy black boots, a pair of navy blue slacks, a white dress shirt with rolled-up sleeves & three buttons undone, and his black gloves, Obito walked away from his reflection while looking at his phone as his limiters sat on the ground in one corner of the room.

'Thank God, these events aligned,' it would seem Ippan's team had a sudden change as well.

Apparently, one of their main idols had arrived to inspect the talent of their Osaka-based school.

It seemed like there would be two big dinners to commemorate an occasion.

"It's none of my business," Obito whispered as he put on a black tie.

Looking at his attire, he put on a navy blue vest before giving his hair one more slick-back.

A single strand fought against it, much to his chagrin.

"Dammit-" His phone beeped.

Checking it, he nodded.

"Alright… Hopefully this doesn't put my heart out of service."

~NRK~

Getting to the parking garage with a large poncho thrown over his body, Obito found a disguised Ippan waiting by his bike.

"I-Is everything good?" She asked.

"Yes, no one followed me, I even came here covered-up," Obito said.

Ippan blushed before nodding. "C-Can we go to the place first? I know this is a bit too early for you, too, Obito-kun," her brown boots clicking against the pavement.

"It's fine, I honestly still want some time to think about this whole thing. I'm just wondering what my grandfather has for me.," he gestured to his bike.

Getting on, Ippan having a bit of trouble with her large raincoat, they put on their helmets before Obito took them out of the garage.

Enjoying the casual drive once they hit some real road, Ippan looked down at the back of Obito's helmet. She fiddled with the side of her helmet before finding a button.

Obito was surprised by the beep on his protection. [Ippan?]

[Y-Yes, it's me.] She said as they rounded a corner and got on a highway. [I'm just wondering what's going on with your dinner?!] Ippan asked as the winds picked up.

[...] He mulled it over.

[I-If you don't want to say anything, I understand!]

[It's fine!] Obito responded as they went along a curve. [... I'm not who I thought I was, at least, I'm not who I thought I was related to!]

[I don't understand. Did something happen in your family?!] Ippan asked before squealing as Obito sent them between cars with amazing skill.

[I'm not related to my grandfather!]

[Whoa!]

They came out on a ramp before going onto the feeder road.

[H-How? Why? Did… Did your parents…]

[You'd be mistaken, I don't have parents.] Obito admitted.

[!?] When?! Ippan was surprised.

Then, she considered his words from all the times before this past week.

[... Obito-kun, I didn't even notice. Y-You've only ever talked about your grandfather.]

[Well, he's not anymore. That's not me hating him, by the way, it's just the truth.]

[I think both of you are fine despite this situation.] Ippan hugged his torso a bit, snout by his ear. "I think you both love each other enough, this is just new for you."

Obito didn't feel odd about her closeness this time.

No, he just felt unsure about his blood-relative who suddenly wasn't his blood-relative.

"I…" Obito whispered, Ippan's ears twitching even in their helmet confines. "... Maybe. I've never been in this situation before, Ippan, I'm not sure how this works."

"I think you're smart enough to make it work," she smiled.

Coming to a stop by a stoplight, Obito looked at her smile before focusing ahead.

"... I hope so."

They kept going in companionable silence before wheeling around a corner in a parking space.

The fact that Obito's ride got only a few looks made sense, after all.

This was a high-class area.

"Is your friend sure she didn't need a ride?" Obito asked as he got off while Ippan nodded, taking her helmet off to release half-smooshed hair. "And you might want to just comb that out."

"I will! As for Hachi-chan? She told me to go on ahead since I'd be doing this," Ippan said as she got of- "O-Oh!" She jumped at a pull on her coat before tripping ove-

"Easy," his voice said calmly as her body's fall found itself arrested before she was put back on her feet, a hand undoing her clothing malfunction. "There."

Ippan's eyes dilated at Obito's up-close hold on her waist, fur growing a vermillion color.

"Ippan?" Obito raised a brow at the young woman's wide eyes before she jumped back and smoothed out her entire outfit with nervous laughter. "?"

"I-It's nothing! T-Thanks, Obito-kun," she said before thanking him quietly, flustered beyond imagination. 'H-He held me so easily!' It was damning to think that Obito h-had just held her like a woman.

Without much issue! And then she observed, once more, just how dense his body was.

Ippan blushed up a storm while Obito rubbed the back of his head, helmet in hand as he smoothed out his hair with the other.

'God, that's so fucking cute,' someone help him, he was 'drowning' and didn't know how to stop. 'How did one week change so much?' So much for him.

His tendencies, his boundaries, his feelings?

How had this woman snuck in on all of those in one week?!

Obito muttered something under his breath. "I'm really not doing myself any favors," he sighed before finishing up his 'spike-smoothing'. "Ippan? Where are you going to do this?"

Ippan stopped her fumbling to answer, face bright red. "T-T-The Lavender Bubble Lounge," she stuttered.

Walking with Obito towards that rather large cafe across the street, the people around looked at them like they were incredibly weird.

"I-I'm sorry," she whispered to him. "I stand out."

"... Ippan? You do remember we're wearing conspicuous coats, right?" He asked her flatly.

Ippan blinked before steaming as she powerwalked into the cafe while Obito shrugged and hurried after her.

Getting inside, they moved to the counter where a cashier blinked in confusion.

"Ippan?" Obito asked.

"Um, right, could we get some changing rooms, please?" Ippan requested.

Getting led to the back by two waitresses, they bowed to them as they reached the dressing rooms.

"Wait, why do I need a dressing room?" Obito muttered in confusion.

Ippan looked bashful. "Sorry," she admitted with a small smile.

"No issue, let's get ready."

Going inside of their changing rooms, Obito came out in seconds with his coat over arm.

Ignoring the blushing waitresses, the young man crossed his arms and waited patiently for his acquaintance to come out.

It took her five minutes before Obito raised a brow at the opening door.

Ippan blushed at him as she exited, arms held behind her waist with her coat in them.

The outfit affected him for God-knows-what reason.

It had been something simple, admittedly, what with it being her knee-high tight brown boots, well-fitting black slacks, and her chest-tight white dress shirt but it got to him. Especially so when he noted she'd slicked back her own hair with three bangs coming over her noggin & those four golden's brace earrings in her ears collectively.

'It's showing her in its tightness,' his hand found his face before coming down it as Ippan smiled embarrassedly. "... It's a good look, I mean that," Obito said with red cheeks, hands on his waist. 'Why do I keep fucking this up?' Stop getting attracted, please!

He couldn't screw someone over by trying to be in their lives!

Ippan was honestly over the moon by the compliment, surprisingly so, and was left a bit flustered by her own enjoyment. "T-Thanks, Obito-kun, y-you look handsome!" She tried to compliment him back.

And was rewarded with a blush & grumble so she hoped that was good.

Going back out front, Obito left her for a moment to go put their things away in his bike's compartments before coming back to find a smiling Ippan seated at a table with two cups of water on it.

"So," Obito got seated. "What is the plan for you, Ippan?" He asked.

"I want to impress her," Ippan declared with clenched claws, her limbs in front of her eyes. "I want to become one of them, the Creatoria, a-and become someone accepted by the world."

The young man observed his young woman counterpart, this one who was essentially his 'opposite' in all ways save for one that he felt he understood.

"Ippan, how hurt have you been up until now?"

The rest of the cafe went about their days without much care thrown the two's ways save for a few odd stares. The eyes-locked pair going unnoticed for the most part.

"I can't imagine how much you must have been hurt by others' neglect but I've noticed, you're always seeking 'acceptance'," Obito whispered, her ears flicking without her input. "I'm just… No, I'm not 'curious', I'm concerned."

As he'd feared earlier, this woman had snuck in. She'd gotten into his heart a bit.

And that bred many kinds of concern but this was one of the few that he could vocalize.

Ippan looked startled as he asked. "..." Her eyes dimmed a bit as they looked away from him.

"As you said earlier, I'm fine with you not wanting to share but I'm just showing my concern."

The fox's eyes snapped back to him in surprise as Obito looked a bit uncomfortable. "... You're really not used to this, are you?" She whispered back.

The young man's arms folded on the table as he frowned softly. "I'm not used to being anyone's emotional core. All throughout my life, that's been someone else for me," Obito whispered as he looked deeply into her eyes. "But I get the feeling you may need one, I don't know but it's how I… How I feel."

Ippan's claws hesitated before she reached out and held his elbow, her eyes full of conflict before she released a bodily sigh.

"I'm… I-I've been hurt a lot, Obito-kun," she whispered as Obito nodded. "I-I guess you can say that, sometimes, I'm sure it was deserved," Ippan frowned, her claw on his elbow trembling. "I-I wasn't always so aware of people, I should have been more observative. More aware of those around me and…" Ippan bit her lip before rescinding her hand.

Obito's eyes slowly narrowed into a glare that could have froze hell itself.

Because Ippan gently lifted her left sleeve mor-And showed the dull RED cross-shaped scar mark… Obito's eyes closed.

"Hmm, it's kind of cold in here, madam," another patron behind Ippan's chair said. "I'm liking it but it's like the sun's not even there. Are you fine, ma'am?"

"Yes, it's fine," his table-top acquaintance said.

"Ippan…. Ippan-chan," Obito whispered as she pulled her sleeve back down, the fox's following smile sad and pained. "... If this person ever shows up in your life again, I swear it," his eyes opened.

And the young woman's eyes softened at the intensity that spilled out of his gaze.

"I'll put them in the DIRT where scum like them belong."

"... Thank you," she whispered, her claw reaching out and grasping his fingers that were currently pressed into the table hard enough to crack its surface. "I'm… I don't want anybody dead," Ippan said with conflict. "I-I just wanted answers, was that so bad?"

"No, not one bit," Obito said.

His emotional wit throbbed as his hand gripped hers back gently before she interwove them.

"You feel wronged, you feel like you're lost in a spiral," her eyes widened at his words. "You don't know if it was your fault despite later knowing better, you don't know if it was preventable despite knowing later that it might not have been worth it," her claw gripped his hand tightly, Obito reciprocating in full. "You don't know if God was there, dammit… But there's something I know you need to hear that I had, at one point."

Her head fell.

"You will get better, you will find better, and you will become better," Obito said. "There are far too many people in this world, far too many paths, to get stuck on one," he let out a shuddering breath. "Your world ISN'T over."

They sat there, hands intertwined, as she sniffled before nodding, wiping her eyes.

"... I-I don't know what to say here," Ippan whispered as a person behind her flexed her wings. "I don't know what to do with that."

"That's fine, neither do I," Obito said flatly.

Despite her sniffles, despite the heaviness of their previous topic, Ippan giggled.

She giggled and Obito smiled softly.

"Come on, there's," he quickly checked his phone before putting it away. "Forty minutes before our collective dinners. Would you like some tea and a snack beforehand?"

She smiled as she used a napkin. "S-Sure," Ippan said.

They were finally approached by what had to be the world's most aware waitress.

"Is everything sorted away?" She smiled for Ippan who blushed before nodding, looking bashful as Obito chuckled. "I'm glad, you two seemed intense. The fact nobody but a few of us, waitresses, noticed is beyond me but that's privacy, aye? What can I do ya for?"

Getting their orders, she left quickly.

Leaving the two in their emotional 'stew' before they noticed their clasped hands.

Obito's cheeks colored as he assessed this situation before finding those large clawed hands interwoven with his wiggling and gently rubbing his knuckles.

He dared to look up and let himself 'fail' at what he'd originally set out to do when it came to Ippan.

She blushed a powerful crimson yet didn't fold as she smiled comfortably.

With his hand in hers.

Ippan, this insecure, kind, and yet oh-so-pained young fox woman, was comfortable with him.

Obito truly hated his emotions right now-

His phone rang, startling them both before Ippan released some nervous laughter while releasing his hand.

The former shinobi felt true embarrassment at his hand's want of warmth.

He answered his phone with a look away. "Hello?"

-Boya, we'll be going to a specialized room in another restaurant- His not-so-grandfather said. -And, well, I can't imagine how you feel about the whole 'not your direct grandfather' situation-

"..." Obito's eyes softened. "It's been that way for a LONG time, it'll be hard to say otherwise," he smiled as Ippan did.

-... We really raised you right, I'm glad-

"It's what it is. Still, what restaurant?"

-It's called the 'Akame'-

Obito's face slowly lifted before it mechanically turned to Ippan. "A-Across the street from Aoi Mei, right?" He asked as the fox leaned forward in disbelief. 'My God, what is our LUCK?!' Obito truly didn't understand.

Was the universe trying to say something?!

-Correct. So, just a small change in location, alright? We'll meet there at 10-

"Y-Yes, ojii-chan… Yep," he said as the call ended. "I don't… I can't…" Obito gawked along with Ippan.

"W-What kind of luck is that?" She squeaked.

"I don't know, it's ridiculous."

Staring at one another for a moment, they grew sheepish.

"I guess we'll be seeing more of each other, today," Ippan said happily as he colored.

"Yes, well," Obito smoothed out his hair. "I guess we will," he grinned unsurely.

Her follow-up smile defeated him.

Oy vey.

~NRK~

Driving around in their 'going out' clothes, Ippan looked at the sidewalks as he drove before pointing out a specific spot where a large gathering of women in fashionable clothes chatted on the street.

"That's your group," Obito said, coiling around to the front of the Akame and coming to a stop in a reserved parking space.

Ippan blushed under the focused gazes of her idol trainee group as she got off Obito's bike without problems this time around. The young man, meanwhile, punched in a code into a parking meter before getting a ticket and picture taken of himself and his vehicle.

Ippan included.

"O-Oh, I've never done this before," Ippan said in surprise as Obito nodded.

"It's a machine that keeps a record of your registered vehicle & yourself, especially so, when it's reserved parking," he explained, taking off his helmet and smoothing out his locks. "I'm noticing my people aren't here yet."

Looking at all the empty spaces around them, Ippan really began to realize that Obito might not have come from too much money but his connections did.

Getting up, he walked her over to the other side of the street where her troupe gawked.

"Ippan-chan, WHEN?" Hachika asked, wearing a white-and-pink strapless polkadot dress with white platform shoes. "Woman, where has this man been hiding?!"

Ippan blushed as Obito raised a brow, the Uchiha amused. "H-Hachi-chan, this is Obito."

The octopus woman's jaw dropped alongside the other trainees.

"WHAT?!"

"They're certainly more Energetic," Obito said with a shaky grin, leaning back from their shock with his hands in his pockets. "I've never been in this situation before."

Ippan whined as he shrugged before his ears twitched.

He looked up.

"And that's certainly an entrance," he said, confusing the group who followed his gaze. "I'm assuming this is the Bat Princess."

There was a group-wide gasp at a falling woman's bat wings flaring out before her descent was arrested in an instant, the wings' owner landing seconds later.

'Her wings are decently strong,' Obito thought as he and this newcomer locked eyes.

The sight of larger-than-average black slit black pupils was interesting.

She grinned.

The Bat Princess was an average-heighted woman with a lithe build who bore white skin, bright yellow eyes with those large pupils, and short wavy gray hair. Having large bat-like wings that came out from her slender gray-furred arms, she had a pair of bat ears on the sides of her noggin with a fuzzy 'collar' of neck fur.

Wearing a white halter dress, a pair of thigh-high black socks, white boots with black heels, and a single large yellow ribbon tied around her waist at the back, she had several bangles on her wrists as a gold metal hoop earring sat on her right ear.

The large number of shocked looks on the street, the cameras, and then the idol trainees' own cheers had Habami Touko grinning brightly.

"Yep, yep~! It's me, Habami Touko," she winked at a camera in her hand as a rushing figure skidded behind her. "And this time around, I'm going to be testing out the Aoi Mei Fever Rush Dish Deluxe with my Osaka School!"

Ippan stared at her in awe before blinking at a text, her focus barely going to her phone.

Please don't say my name in front of her nor that camera. The LAST thing I need right now is people knowing I'm coming here like I live in this part of town.

Looking at her friend's smiling face, Ippan nodded before quickly shooting a group-wide text.

"Oh my God!" Hachika cheered. "Ipp-chan, it's one of them," her eyes shone as Ippan nodded eagerly, phone back in her pocket.

"We've gotta make a good impression, Hachi-chan!" The fox said quickly as the octopus had fire in her eyes.

Obito sweatdropped. 'Will my words be ignored?' He hoped not before noticing a few special black cars parking across the street. 'Almost time, gran… Jiji isn't here yet,' Obito thought as the women grew rowdy or excited by Habami's moving-about camera.

Before Ippan froze as it began to come towards them, Hachika waving animatedly without issue and casting a harsh contrast Obito found hard to not notice.

"Calm down, it's just a wave," he told her, patting her back firmly, getting a blushing jump out of Ippan.

Then he smirked.

"Isn't this what you want?"

Ippan looked surprised before swallowing her fears, waving at the camera with a grin as Obito smiled for her.

Habami's eyes caught a 'gleam' as she finished up. 'Found my Spotlight Duo!' And she had to make sure to get their angles eventually! "Now, now, I wasn't aware the producer was so young-looking," she grinned as Obito raised a brow.

"If I was?" He shot back.

"I'd say you must be new."

"Maybe, or you've just never been on my radar, ma'am."

His smirks were 'life' for him, she realized with an audible gasp! "I knew you had some spunk in you, pretty boy!" Habami grinned widely as he sweatdropped.

"Not interested, I've got other business," Obito said with an adjustment of his glove before nodding at Ippan. "I've got a meeting," he said, turning towards the black cars. "Put on a show, will you, Habami Touko?" He grinned and left. "I might be interested this time around."

"The gall! My God, woman, how?!" She asked Ippan who blushed before looking sheepish. "He's basically prime real estate on sass! I love it!" Habami declared.

"U-Um, well, he's usually a lot more reserved," the fox blushed as they watched the young man get surrounded by people from the black cars. "I don't-"

"Welcome," they all bowed to the sweatdropping Obito as the idol group gawked in unison. "Young sir."

"Can you all please not do that? You realize that's making life difficult, right?" Obito facepalmed as they chuckled or laughed, some patting his back while others smirked. "God, you're all the worst. Welcome to whatever this is, I'm not sure what jiji wants."

Watching with dropped jaws alongside most of the sidewalk, they gawked at the fact that a blazer suddenly was settled on the brunette's shoulders by a giant of a man.

"Young Boss," that large man gave a thumbs-up. "How's the ride?" He rubbed his hands together in delight at the sight of the bike.

"It's fine, Kendo. Honestly, better than fine."

"Nice!"

This 'Kendo' guy was huge, as they said before, a man of seemingly nine feet of height with slightly-tanned skin, wild rustic-orange hair, and black eyes. He was a wall of muscle and long limbs as he kept patting Obito on the back, wearing a black suit whose sleeves were clearly ripped off.

"You realize Chisaki-senpai is going to kill you, right?"

"Will he?!"

Obito shook his head as chuckling reached his ears. "Hello, jiji," he greeted his 'former'-grandfather.

The man wore a sad smile but looked relieved still, a large long rectangular box held in a younger man's hands at his side.

The first man, his familial connection, was moderately tall with fair skin that had some wrinkles and black eyes. His hair was a dark black that was slowly showing signs of graying and in a slicked-back style, allowing his forehead to show.

Wearing a black suit, a gray scarf around his neck, a black hat, and a pair of brown dress shoes, the two reached him before Obito noted the box.

His eyes were a bright yellow and slightly narrow while his skin was peach-colored and his hair short & black. Wearing a black dress shirt with a white tie, black slacks, black dress shoes, and a pair of white gloves on his hands, he bowed to Obito with an unsure smile.

"Young Sir, I hope your recent school venture has gone well," he said.

"It has, Chisaki-senpai, I guess you could say things got curious?" Obito said weakly as his grandfather shot him a smirk while Kendo snickered.

"He's talkin' about his lady friend over there," the large man whispered as Kai's head snapped to the side, looking each person of that idol group over. "Hehehehehe, it's the big one."

"... The big one?" Chi asked Obito, the younger man's face in his hand. "Obito-sama? What is this?" He looked shocked.

"D-Don't run with that, Kai… Dammit, man, I'm trying to figure this out," Obito hissed at Kendo. "Look, whether or not there's someone over there who has my attention isn't important at the moment."

"Ah, of course, afterwards."

Obito shot the man a worried look as his eyebrow trembled.

"Let's just get inside the friggin' restaurant before I do something I'm going to regret."

Obito rolled his eyes before nodding to his closest family. "Let's go, Jiji, these ones got bad jokes," he said as adjusted his top, the angular eight-petaled design on the back a powerful white against his black jacket.

"We've got more jokes!" Kendo said as the youngest man there shook his head.

He looked back at the gawking idol group before shrugging and walking inside with his people at his back.

Ippan was suddenly very unsure of who that person was, that one who walked alongside many other similarly dressed individuals of high status, right?

What the hell was her friend?!

"What… The hell did we just witness?" Habami blinked thrice, taking several pictures of Obito's back. "And why does your boytoy suddenly look like a yakuza boss?"

"T-That's rude!" Ippan squeaked.

Habami gasped before Ippan burned under those shining eyes' gaze.

"YOU can SQUEAK?!"

Oh, she was a fool.

Obito could totally handle this better than she could.

"Ippan-chan, what happened?" Hachika was still utterly flabbergasted by her friend's male acquaintance, essentially looking exactly like Habami had assumed.

That man was a 'Boss' of some sort, dammit, and he pulled that look off WELL!

~NRK~

"So, that's the one," his relative said with interest as Obito's cheeks colored while he grumbled, the group being led towards a private room. "The big lady without a tail?"

Obito blinked twice. "Wait, she doesn't have a tail?" The former shinobi looked alarmed as the older man laughed.

"Well! At least I know where your eyes have been."

"...?!" He burned before grunting away his embarrassment. "Not. Helping."

"Wait, so you were serious about that, uh, development thing?" Kendo asked, chin in hand and head tilted with a '?' above it. "So, Our Guy is thinkin' about marriage already?"

"How are you so off the mark yet so close?" Kai asked humorously. "The Young Sir is simply finding his desired qualities, I'm sure he has high standards," he said confidently.

Obito's head slowly turned further away from Kai's presence on his left as his relative smirked knowingly.

'Ohhhhh, God,' he best not let his senior member know his biggest criteria was 'KINDNESS'. "Ahem! Yes, well, I came around to the idea around an hour ago."

"Eh?" Kai & Kendo blinked in unison. "Wait, what?"

His relative raised a brow at the Uchiha. "Hmm, you two had a bit of a heart-to-heart?" He chuckled.

"Hokei, your boy is certainly growing well," one of the older women giggled as Obito colored harshly. "Even if his tastes are certainly out of this world."

Obito's relative, Hokei, nodded sagely. "Aye, he's truly developed in our society," he declared wisely.

Obito just felt nervous from their chuckling, or smiling, Family members.

"Sirs, madams," the waiter who'd led the way smiled as he moved to the side and bowed. "Please, have a nice meeting."

"Thank you, Touma," Hokei declared as he and Obito went in first before being followed by the others. "We might be in here for a bit, bring us some sake and snacks, please."

"At your word, oyabun."

As the man left, Obito looked at the large circular room with immaculate red tiles beneath their feet, the tan-colored walls with dark brown trim, crystal lights above on a chandelier, and the elegant large table at the center.

"This isn't a normal place," Obito noted as Hokei smiled. "And Touma-kun has an 'in' here?"

"Yes, he's quite capable in this building and has gained a lot of favor here," the older man said. "Now, come, let's get seated. We'll eat first before I give you your birthright."

Involuntarily taking out Hokei's seat without much thought, Obito smiled at the relaxed man as he got seated.

"Young Sir, you should have let me & Rappa do so," Kai said with an unsure smile.

"It's fine, Kai, I've no issue doing that," the younger brunette said as the now-named Kai looked concerned before nodding and kneeling down.

He gently put down that heavy box, took off one of his gloves, and touched the floor with his bare hand.

A coiling structure sprouted from tile and created a ceramic 'nest' of spiraling stone he placed the box on.

"A bit dramatic," Obito said as Kendo sat down with a grin. "Kendo, what's happened on your end?"

"Went to a buncha underground fighting rings, met some old dude and a weird bunny girl, apparently there was some weird gas going around, oh yeah, that old dude turned out to be a hero undercover," Kendo said with a thumbs-up and grin. "I got into a lot of good fights three months back."

"Is that why you got posted-up?" Kai asked. "Rappa, for God's sake, you're lucky he didn't try and bug you."

"Ya always check me, I'm good!"

"Right, 'good' is not the word I'd use."

Obito chuckled, Touma returning with a metal cart filled to the brim with snacks, alcohol, and a set of documents underneath a set of towels.

Passing out the food and drinks, the documents were given to Hokei and three other members of their twelve-man party.

Looking over Hokei's shoulder, Obito raised a brow at the report. "Kendo, was it so serious?" He asked as the tallest there nodded.

"Yep, Young Boss, that shit would have been crazier if that hero hadn't said something. There was a guy's hand coming out of black smoke and touching people. Next second? Their quirks stop going wild," the carrot top crossed his arms. "It was unreal."

~NRK~

30 minutes later, in the Aoi Mei, Ippan was still answering the others' questions.

"Look, I-I don't know. He's never said his family was wealthy t-though I did think their family friends were," the fox said with a pout.

"This is unreal, he's basically an heir?" Hachika asked.

"I don't know?"

"You seem to have an interesting beau over there," Habami said before taking a sip of her wine, eyes alight with mischief as she watched Ippan sputter, stutter, and fluster all in one go.

"?!" Her and Obito? REALLY?! 'No, stop, w-we've barely known each other!' Yet, their earlier conversation, his words.

Obito's sturdy body and just the strength within it to hold even someone as big as her steady?!

She glowed a neon hue while the others snickered, giggled, or whined in jealousy.

"How?! How did you find the one guy who's somehow a prince?" Another one of them whined. "Dammit, woman, save some for us!"

'That could be taken some kinda way,' the Bat Princess thought with a smile, putting her cup down gently. "What do you think about all of this, Shinji?" She asked her guard. "This is rather ridiculous."

Her bodyguard wore an intrigued narrow-eyed look, his chin in his hand. "That one… He's strong."

He was nine-feet-tall and bore slightly angular features with fair skin, a scarce mustache & stubble, angular red eyes, and short wild black hair. Having a slightly thick broad-shoulder frame, a pair of thick hands covered in black fur, and a long bull's tail that had spiky tail fur, he wore a tight-fitting brown long-sleeved top, an open gunmetal gray blazer, black slacks, and a pair of black combat boots.

Shinji, or Shinji Shinya, her bodyguard of six years.

"And there's something else," Shinji's eyebrows raised as he rubbed his chin. "I think he's quirkless," he told her, surprising his charge. "Yes, I'm sure you'd be able to tell if you had enough experiences with people who lack quirks."

Habami looked at Ippan's current blush & sip of her drink, her eyes clearly elsewhere. "A quirked-up girl like her and a quirkless prince?" She blinked before growing excited. "Shinji-kun, this is gonna be GREAT," she squealed as her bodyguard looked confused.

"It… It is?"

"Yep! I've just got my way out of this stupid industry and can help push along another mutant-normal couple."

Shinji looked uncertain but nodded all the same. "Very well, hime-dono."

Ippan, meanwhile, blushed as she snapped back to reality. "W-Wait, what?" She asked the others who scoffed, whined some more, or grinned.

"Thinking about your manz?~" Hachika asked with fluttering eyelashes as her friend choked. "Hehehehhe~ Come on! He seems to know some men, have him introduce us!" She requested sneakily as Ippan blinked at the idea.

"M-Maybe? I mean, I can try?" She offered weakly and got cheers all around, sweatdropping at her group's clear intent. "Wow, this is a first."

Habami laughed.

From above, on the second level of the rather obscenely large restaurant, a man breathed rapidly as he looked down at the large 'idol' table. "Look at all of them," he swallowed excitedly. "They're all such precious creatures, such beautiful animals, they can't just be walking around and get tainted by all these worthless normal-looking people," he growled, fangs bared. "Like that one's boyfriend."

That beauty of a fox who, sadly, didn't have a tail yet could stand above the rest!

She was so elegant, so different from even her other trainees that he couldn't keep his anger at bay.

-Okay, geez, I GET IT!- The radio in front of the infuriated man sparked. -Jesus Christ, man, the only reason I'm here is to do this job. Please, stop telling me about your fetishes!-

-Just let me get my chance, will you? You bought me for some reason and know my rates- Another voice, one distorted by some kind of reverb, said. -Where's that 'Shinji' guy?-

"Tsk, he's with Habami," the creeper said. "He's right beside her, we'll have to wait for Ku-kun to do something about this."

-Hm, hm, hm- Third voice whispered. -This will be my biggest Flower. I'm ready, give me the signal and this whole damn building will 'Sprout'-

~NRK~

Getting all their 'personal study' heard, written down, and understood, things came to the main event.

Obito stood before Kai & Hokei as Kendo leaned around his side in wonder at The BoxTM.

"What's inside it?!" Kendo asked while Obito snorted.

"He seems more into this than even I am," he smirked as Hokei laughed while Kai shot Kendo a flat look.

"Ugh, he's such a pain. He's only here before you brought him in, Young Sir. Only that," he said with a twitching brow at Kendo's grin. "Onto more important matters, sir, oyabun has something to say."

Kai stepped back while Hokei came forward, the rest of their Family standing on the side.

"This is going to be a big change for you, maybe," one of the older women said.

Obito looked surprised as half of them nodded, Kai, Kendo, and their younger members confused.

"Wait, you all know?" Kai asked. "Akane-san?"

"Of course, Kai-kun, we were around when Obito-kun was given to Hokei-dono for protection," Akane, that older woman, said with a sad smile as Hokei grew somber. "It wasn't a grand day even though it should have been. God, it should have been so different," she whispered.

Obito was increasingly confused. "I don't understand," he and Kendo looked at Hokei. "Jiji?"

"Obito, boya, I was incredibly happy to have you call me your 'grandfather' but that title needs an adjustment," Hokei began, removing a bronze pendant from within his collar. "We are related by blood, of that you can be sure," he smiled sadly as he handed Obito the pendant.

Looking down at it, Obito noted it wasn't bronze but gold.

A golden kanji pendant.

"Home?" Kendo said in surprise. "Um, yo, you get this?" He asked Obito who frowned.

"...?!" His eyes widened as Hokei smiled. "This…This was my father's? Or is this more related to you?"

"You always were smart. No, it's not your father's, he never chose this life and I would have been happy for him but he never got to know much more," he said. "He left, found a life, found love, and had you before being assassinated," Hokei said as Kai, Obito, and Kendo choked. "No, that pendant is your grandfather's, my brother's, from after the event. He left that and you, boya, with. I'm your granduncle."

"I… I don't understand, why? Why give me this now?"

"Because you simply didn't show the signs."

"Signs?" Kendo asked, rubbing the side of his head. "Signs of wat? I mean, he's quirkless unless dat aint it?"

"No, Kendo-kun, signs of his strength," Hokei explained, confusing him all over again.

"... Obito-sama's body has always been a marvel of a quirkless person's but that's not it, is it?" Kai asked.

"No, Obito's power is truly something he personally manifested but that's just it. He's gained grand power even for his age, will likely grow stronger as he reaches his prime, and my brother wanted to reconnect with him but only after those two things were assured," Hokei wore a deep frown as the youngest trio reciprocated. "Your grandfather had enemies, Obito, and those same ones killed your parents when he started his tenure in another job. That's why he returned that pendant and handed you to me."

Obito considered the truth of his birth, his family, and then this box. "What is this?" He whispered as Kai came forward once more.

"Two objects that are your birthright by blood, it seems," he said softly, quirk activating before the box unfurled like a tree. "Though one is unfinished."

When the entire container unfurled, Obito's eyes widened while Kendo 'WHOOP!'.

"Dude, ya got swords!" The tallest there declared.

Obito understood, he'd gotten swords.

And they were designed, well one was, amazingly.

One of them was a royal blue color with silver caps on the pommel and the bottom of the sheathe. It had small silver circular motifs on the sides of the pommel leading up the silver circle guard of the lacquered solid blue handle where one more circle sat in the center on the sides, with a set of golden cords by the pommel & beneath the guard and one more on the sheath a bit below the mouth.

But the other one was… Well…

Obito took them both out of the Kai-enhanced offering, noting that Kai's body relaxed more and for good reason.

The weight on these things were something else, Obito gripped them firmly and looked at both. 'Four-and-a-half feet long and 10 pounds each at least,' he thought, realizing why he'd need the strength for these. 'So, why's this one so plain?' The youngest in the room wore a soft look at the seemingly 'normal' katana.

It was a simple lacquered white thing with… No real adornments.

No, silver circles, simple brown end caps, and even the cord on the sheath was a dull brown.

All that it had going for it was its brown accents.

"This is unfinished?" Obito asked as he hefted both yet couldn't help but feel something off about the white one. "... It feels empty," he whispered as Hokei observed him some more.

"... So, I truly was right to give these to you," he said, confusing his grandnephew. "Tell me, Obito, do you think quirkless people are truly untouched by the quirks of today?"

"Not one bit, that wouldn't make sense. Anyone who assumes so isn't thinking about it logically and only follows the current trend of heroes. The fact remains that despite being quirkless, there is still quirk blood in their veins, there's going to be something different about them. And I'm going to assume, that has something to do with me."

"Yes, your grandfather's quirk, your father's quirk, and your mother's quirk, all of them were spirit-based if you'd believe it," Hokei chuckled as Obito looked alarmed. "The thing is, no one's ever seen a quirkless person who's come from a family of one type of quirk. It's unheard of because why would they? There's no unknown biology that makes people with specific quirks come together… Or is there?"

"There's a difference," Kai considered. "You mean to tell me that spirit-users band together?"

"I'd assume so. When it came to my own wife, she had rabbit features but her father had the ability to call on the spirit of a rabbit. That has to mean it has to do with purity, perhaps? I don't know, I just know that your situation isn't like others of you persuasion. And, likely, when you find yourself with a child, they too will become something beyond even a normal quirk."

Obito let that settle in, his eyes closing as the words 'child' came to mind with Ippan as their mother. The lack of embarrassment wasn't surprising, this was actually incredibly serious.

But now he had to question what this meant for him as is.

"... Kendo, hold this," Obito handed the tall man the more elaborate katana as he held the more drab-looking one. "Jiji, what did Kai mean by this one being unfinished?" He asked as he hedl the weapon out, hand on its sheath and handle. "What does this blade need?"

There was a feeling that welled within him as Obito tightened his grip.

"Your 'Completed Blade' is called 'Butsuri-Teki Ryōiki', the blade of the 'Physical Realm'. It has been imbued," Hokei began as Obito began to unsheathe his 'Incomplete Weapon'. "With abilities you'll likely need to learn on your own. While that one," he smiled as the blade's crystal-like blade released a powerful sheen that reflected something unseen.

That shobu-zukuri style katana that left its scabbard held a gleaming edge that could have reflected the sun itself as Obito swung it out at his side.

The black back, the crystal-like edge, and yet that odd cloud-like hamon light all pulsed at once.

"Is your Imperfect Blade, 'Mumei'. Only you can decide how to take it to its absolute limit."

Obito looked down at that 'nameless' weapon before holding it up to the light.

A glint of light traveled down it like a droplet of water before vanished into the guard, Obito's eyes trailing the blade's length.

"Mumei, huh?" He felt something within him swell and slowly spread out. 'A son of a family of spirit-users,' Obito took in a long deep breath.

And felt the world around him slow, eyes closing as he inhaled until he couldn't. He felt his body growing taut with strength, his mind alert with every inch of his five senses alongside another, and his soul filled with power.

Obito released that breath and the world returned to normal, his senses relaxed despite still being slightly heightened, his body felt more limber than before, and his soul more 'fitting'.

"These weapons, I don't think they can be used by any normal person. Not to their full potential," Obito observed Mumei one more time before spinning the handle around and slowly sheathing it to the very 'clink' of its guard. "Was this all, jiji? You told me that my grandfather wanted to meet me?"

"Yes, my older brother's able to leave this life but he could never forget us, forget you," Hokei smiled. "That said, he's also just as much of an old biddy as he seems!" He laughed alongside those 'in the know' while Kai blinked.

"You said he turned to another 'job' but by what nature?" He asked.

"That, for now, will have to remain unknown, Kai. My brother is one for cryptic messages, puzzles, and more."

Kai sweatdropped while Kendo looked at the sword in his grip with awe.

"Oh, yeah!" He tried to pull it open. "Let's se-What?" Kendo tugged fiercely.

And only got a bit of the blade to show before it snapped shut.

"... What the heck, there's a lock?!"

Obito tilted his head before reaching out and touching the blade.

Kendo jumped at a warm throb before Obito grabbed its handle and slowly removed the weapon from its scabbard.

Flaring this one out like he had its twin, its sibling, Obito felt the difference in an instant.

"This one isn't normal," despite being prepared, he was still shocked by this sensation. "It's not-"

His body throbbed, eyes widening as he held a suddenly-pulsing blade.

Obito blinked-

Before he found himself within a familiar space.

"Isn't this the space where I and Naruto spoke?" He wondered aloud, frowning as he stood within that white realm. "... If I were a betting man, I'm going to wonder where that blade is."

And as if summoned by his words, a familiar katana unveiled itself before him.

Staring at it, Obito reached out only to find it suddenly surrounded by a white glow covered by a gray backlight.

'What is this?'

"Hmmmmm?" The weapon's form was soon enveloped within the form of a spiritual man. "So, you're the one that's supposed to wield my quirks?" It asked.

"I'm guessing this isn't magic," Obito said with interest.

"Ain't nothin' like it, kid, but ya don't just get to link with a quirk within me without learning about its history."

"History? You have a trial?" Color him intrigued.

Obito found this interesting.

"Yeh, my Creator isn't a normal man. He was the guy who formed this blade with yer grampa's blood & quirk-enhanced metal while adding the other quirk to it. You're already halfway there, your grampa's blood gives us a baseline. It gives his creations something akin to a 'mind' but we're still just that, creations. We're not living beings like you, we're not that full of feeling but we DO got desires."

"Is that how it works? Will you only work for me if I fulfill those wishes of yours?" Obito asked.

"In a way, yep. I mean, you can think of us like enchanted weapons, we've got a spirit to 'tame'."

"What do you desire?"

"Heh, eager, I like that."

Their world grew a bit more warm, surprising the Uchiha who looked around.

"We're connecting, kid, but you've got a few more 'posts' to reach. Let's see…" He came forward before circling Obito.

The sword's spirit did so several times, touching his hands, his thighs, his abdomen, his fingers, toes, and then his noggin.

The air grew more warm.

"Yeah, yeah! Being wielded by a strong guy fits what I am. You gotta keep training, keep getting stronger, to reach my full potential," he said.

Obito began to understand. "You're doing a test for capability but there's no way this is the only thing. You'll need those things, maybe things like my body's limberness, agility, strength, or durability to help match me to your quirk but there's something else, no?"

"Truly, he gave me to a smart one. Yer right," the air grew warmer, growing intense. "Your lack of quirk makes you a good container for our 'Links' but you have to do two more things. You must tie the weapon to your being, you have to be able to actively use our skills and that'll take time and methodology," the 'Sword' held out a hand. "The name's as ya heard it, Butsuri-Teki Ryōiki, the sword that'll stand atop the physical world. Can you handle me, Obito Uchiha?"

Obito clasped that limb with a determined nod. "I have a feeling that ever since she entered my life," he whispered.

The imagery of a smiling fox woman stood beside him.

"I got attached, I got way too attached," Obito frowned as their shared link grew more intense. "I let her in on some of who I am, my feelings, my uniqueness, and yet she shared similar things with me," his eyes narrowed.

They released a powerful white glow as the sword's quirk grinned.

"I'm far too deep into it now, I… I don't know if we can make this feeling real but I will protect her from the bottom of my heart. That's a promise I'll swear between us."

There was a loud 'lock' as black cord tied itself around their clasped limbs.

"Well, with that, you've made a 'Vow' to me. Follow that promise and I'll stand by your side for the rest of your days, I'm basically made for protection. This weapon will not falter as long as you don't."

Obito smirked.

"Very well."

Obito opened his eyes before smiling at the weapon.

"You can feel something we can't?" Kai asked, looking confused as Obito realized something. "It has to be your special bloodline," he looked intrigued.

"Oh, man!" Kendo whined. "C-Come on, sword, come to me," he beckoned.

No response.

"DAMMIT!"

"I think it's a bit more complex than that," Obito chuckled, mind awhirl. 'They didn't act unusual, time runs differently in that realm,' good to know. "One, sheath, please."

Kendo slumped, handing it to him. "Yes, sir…" He groaned.

Obito sheathed his blade before taking the next. "Two, Kai?"

It turned out, his granduncle had planned for this and Kai had brought along some steel and alligator scales. One application of his quirk later, Obito adorned a pair of crossing gray-scaled belts with holsters for his blades to sit on his right hip.

"This is going to be a different kind of walk-out," Obito noted, holding his blazer in his arms. "Still, I'm going to make the most of these. Especially because I'm sure life for Ippan is going to become more ridiculous after today."

"Ippan… Ah, yes, your fox lady friend," Kai said like he was talking about the weather.

Obito blushed before rolling his eyes regardless. "You're not that slick, senpai… But I will admit to… Emotions, perhaps?" He admitted flatly.

The women there squealed while the men laughed or snickered at his expense.

Kendo was in that last category, shaking off his sword-rejecting funk.

And then the floor rumbled, screaming came from outside, and Obito's face became apathetic as the others stopped laughing.

Listening in some more, they went silent.

Then, his phone rang and he had it in his hand in seconds.

"... Grandnephew, not to say you've wished this upon us but-"

"I get it, jiji."

Then, there were screams. Many women's screams.

Obito's form shot out of the room like a whirlwind, startling the others as the winds died down.

"Dude, what the fuck!?" Kendo gawked. "Right, his weights are off! I'ma comin', Young Boss Man!" He ran out. "Leave some for ME!"

Watching Rappa go had Kai sweatdropping while Hokei cupped his chin, his eyes going to that pair of footprints that had crunched into the tile.

~NRK~

~Minutes Earlier~

Ippan had thought things were going well.

They'd talked with one of her idols, in many ways, had good food on the wealthy bat's dime, and spoke on 'business opportunities'.

Like now where she colored at the idea Habami had put forward.

"Yep, I think you can see it as a way to see some scenery with your man, get some real experience in, and see what it's all actually like," the Bat Princess smiled as she drank from an iced coffee with a relaxed air about her. "It'll be good for you all to try it out, say, in a week if you can do it. I'm supposed to be doing a few commercials with some heroes and you girls are trying to get into it anyway. You need to get some OTJ experience."

"C-Can we?" Hachika asked nervously, looking determined yet weak. "I mean, we're not actual idols yet."

'And you won't want to be one but we'll see how this goes,' not her choice. "Yeah, yeah, I can just call it one of 'my Outings'. Those are pretty important, you know."

They agreed, the chatter flowing some more as desserts were brought over.

Looking at her rice pudding, Ippan held her spoon in her mouth before pulling out her phone.

'I wonder what he's doing,' but should she really be bothering him if he was busy? 'Mmmm,' Ippan hesitated before putting it away.

"Thinking about 'Obito'?" Hachika whispered as the others ate. "I mean, I'd be too with his whole crazy situation."

Ippan considered that, removing her spoon. "I mean, I guess but I was just w-wondering if he was doing anything of note," she blushed as her friend smirked, nudging her a bit.

"God, are you two a thing? Like, seriously? Didn't you guys meet this week?"

The fox colored some more but looked considerate. "W-Well… We had a small talk before coming here, we went to Lavender Bubble Lounge."

"The place with the cute bubble teas?"

"Yep. We talked about a couple personal things," Ippan whispered. "I'd never known but he implied a lot of things that I can't help but feel empathy with. Despite how things happened out there, he's also gone through some things."

Hachika looked bashful. "I mean… I guess even for normal folk, it's not easy," she said as her younger friend nodded. "Still, ya know, ya didn't answer my question."

Ippan turned a deep red. "I-I mean, I wasn't sure we should, you know? I didn't think I should bog him down with my baggage, and definite problems, but I've learned that he's a lot more 'seasoned'. H-He's clearly able to handle everything," the fox trembled as the octopus snickered. "H-Hachi-chan, I almost tripped today a-and he caught me."

"Wait, no way!"

"Yes, way! Obito held me up like I didn't weigh a thing."

"Ippan, you can't let that pass!" Hachika declared with fire in her eyes. "He's literally able to sweep you off your feet, you can't let that one go!"

Ippan fiddled with her claws while growing more embarrassed. "B-But it's gonna look weird, isn't it?" She asked bashfully. "I mean, he's normal, he's handsome, tall, strong, and likely decently well-off. I'm not… Most of the important things," Ippan frowned deeply.

"... Ippan-chan, you ever just… Try?"

"..."

"Like, you just said it. You guys had a moment where you realized you're more similar than ya thought. Maybe, just saying, you're making this too complicated?" Hachika offered.

Ippan looked at her in confusion, her fiddling brought to a halt.

"You're a woman who's going to graduate soon, remember? After this, when will ya find another man like him?"

He growled.

"You should take this chance and see if it isn't exactly what you want out of a man. I get the feeling, you guys got killer chemistry," the octopus snickered as the large fox blushed like she had many times before.

Yet, she looked thoughtful. "I… What if it doesn't work out?" Ippan whined.

Call her foolish, call her 'naive' but while Ippan had never been in a relationship, she'd wanted her 'First' to be her 'Last EVER'.

She wanted to mix her and her significant other's similarities, differences, and odd 'quirks' before solving any conflicts so they could have something s-stronger than even something like 'love'.

"Then, it doesn't. You're talking to the literal definition of things sadly not working out," the woman grinned sadly. "But it'll come around again, most likely… Yet, I get the feeling that this is different for you. You didn't go looking, neither of ya did. You guys just found each other, talked, had fun, and just hung out without thinking about it. Within one week? I'm getting the feeling this is big."

Ippan's eyes widened, claws freezing on the table top.

She remembered this whole week, this one week.

One week where her teacher didn't have to accommodate her with time constraints, a week where she'd met an honestly rather cool person.

A week where this one person had made her feel like normal, like another in the crowd.

Like a-!

"Ippan, there are three things to be aware of," he smiled. "One, it'd only be right and it's not like I wish ill will on you. Two, I've been raised traditionally, a woman like you shouldn't just be walking out at night alone," Obito smirked as she blushed harshly one more time.

She colored at the memory again yet couldn't stop the butterflies.

"... He deserves so much better," Ippan whispered.

"Maybe, maybe not," Hachika grinned. "But you saying that must mean some feelings."

Ippan burned.

A 'heat' from afar grew greater.

"So, go on and make either a small mistake or your biggest blessing in life, girl. It's not like life is over if you guys just stayed friends, Obito seems like a pretty straightforward person."

The fox smiled despite herself. "I know he is."

The 'heat' grew impossibly unbearable.

Ippan blinked at the feeling of something down below.

"... Hachi-chan," she whispered to her friend who grinned without a thought. "H-Hey, um, let's go and check something in the bathroom," Ippan told her, getting up and surprising the octopus. "N-Now."

Hachika was up and out of her seat before they walked off. "Be right back!" She told the others with a fake grin. 'What happened?' Her eyes looked at the table before she noticed something. "What. The. Fuck?" She turned around immediately before 'it' could see her.

That walkie-talkie.

By the time they got to the bathroom, Hachika began to hyperventilate while Ippan's phone came into her hand.

She made to dial '911' but her thumbs trembled above the phone once screaming came from outside of the bathroom.

Her heart stopped at a distinct yell.

"Take your f-fu… Freaking hands off of me, do you know how bad of an idea it is to attack an IDOL?!"

"Habami-dono!"

It wasn't a response she could understand, not one Ippan would 'get' until things had changed.

But she'd called Obito first.

By the time the call went through, the floor rumbled, more screaming had erupted, and Hachika had fainted.

She dialed '911' before the front of the bathroom erupted inward.

Ippan grabbed her friend and shielded her from the rushing dirt and dust, eyes clenched shut as they rolled into the opposing wall.

The lack of pain didn't stop her from yelping but Ippan opened her eyes enough to see the damage.

Those impossibly large vines, flowers, and plants all coated by blood?!

Ippan froze at the sight of it as someone walked through the debris.

"Hello, Targets~," he whispered, his eyes squinting into an upside-down 'U' of a smile that creased the skin on their sides. "You're quite valuable to some people."

Ippan swallowed nervously as she observed him.

He was a eight-foot-tall lanky man with fair skin, white pupils & irises on black sclera, and what looked like a blocky nose. That said, most everything else about him was covered by a red cowl with a straw ring tightening it to his neck, a loosely-tied cream-colored kimono with red hakama beneath it that revealed the black boots on the man's feet.

And he was also slowly covered by coiling vines-flowers, actually.

Seeing those dreary dark-red lilies coil out of his flowy sleeves did nothing to lower her fear.

"Now, follow me, you exotic beasts," the man kept on 'grinning'. "You're desired by someone of worth! Why, this should be your best chance at living an easy life," his expression slowly relaxed. "Or is this not enough persuasion?"

The flowers' stalks shot around them and tore apart their surroundings, Ippan shielding Hachika's unconscious body from the falling dust and rocks.

She grit her teeth as the rumbling got worse, the feeling of stones bouncing off of, smashing against, or pelting her form causing her eyes to tremble.

By the end of it all, Ippan released a shuddering breath as her body throbbed all over before the sound of screaming gained volume.

Her eyes shot open before she paled at the large hole in the side of the building that easily covered almost half of the restaurant. One of her claws came up to cover her mouth as she saw the destruction, the viciously red flowers with thorny stalks, and then the bodies.

So many bodies.

"... Why?" She whispered in horror.

"Hmmmm?~ I can't hear you," the lanky man leaned down by her side like a snake, his eyes filled to the brim with joy. "Well, that's part of my display."

Ippan's eyes trembled at the sight of pained people, injured guests, a-and…

Habami hit her knees as a loud dust cloud unfurled to reveal the unconscious but alive bodies of her idol group.

"T-This…" She huffed before groaning, combat off in the distance tearing apart another section of the restaurant. "Is bad…" Habami collapsed.

Ippan's pupils dilated as she stood on achingly cold but strong legs.

"You're coming with-" The villain hadn't seen it coming.

But the force in the blow would likely have snapped him in two if it wasn't for the lack of training, the lack of precision.

But damn it all if it didn't hurt like HELL!

Ippan's ferocious kick sent the vicious man tearing into the wall around from them before causing more debris and stone to fall down around him.

The fox woman released several heavy, gasping, breaths as the noise subsided ten seconds after. Her eyes locked on the villain's completely-covered location.

"U-Ughhh," a voice from behind had her turning before she enveloped an awakening Hachika as the older woman groaned. "E-Easy, I… W-What the hell's happening?!"

Seeing the destruction, horror, and bodies, the octopus flinched. Swallowing a horrified spit before she heaved once she looked Ippan over.

"I-Ipp-chan?! You're bleeding!"

Ippan smiled for her right before a trail of blood fell down from her temple past her neck. "I-I'm fine, everyone else is…" Her smile vanished as she looked at everything. "T-This is horrible!"

"I'd say so," a voice from behind her said as Ippan's eyes widened, a sixth sense, one for metal, twitching down her spine. "Yea, I can see why that bastard wants someone like you."

She turned her head to find a quintet of glowing gun-fingers pointing at her face.

Wearing a gray metal helmet with a pair of slanted black demon eyes on the front, dark brown hair that released out the back down to his nape, a thick black ballistic vest, black military fatigues, and a pair of black boots, he frowned at the two with his other hand's tutting finger.

The lights hit a crescendo before they fired.

Ippan hit the floor with Hachika's tackle, the octopus kicking out at the man's balls.

"Ack!? B-Bitch!" He held his nuts, hitting his knees. "They're running!"

The two ran towards… Dammit!

They tried to hurry outside but were blocked mere inches from freedom by flower stalks.

"What?!" Ippan looked shocked as they heard pained chuckles coming from within the broken bathroom walls.

"Y-Youuuuuu," there was the crackle of stone under heel. "You've got good legs," there was a hiss of breath as a familiar figure returned. "I almost became… A piece of art myself!"

That flower villain's front was covered by a trail of blood that led down from his masked face before he tore off the covering to reveal an empty-toothed grin, blood falling down past his lips like red saliva.

The sight was so terrifying that the two trainees backed up to the wall, eyes trembling at the sight as more of those red buds began to slip out of his mouth.

"Hmm, huuuhuhuu, yes, I think this will be fun," he whispered, voice distorted by his growths and yet doing little to impede his words. "I wonder what you'll both look like with these flowers budding throughout your bodies? I mean, the more these Lovelies drink, the more vicious they get!" His flowers began to coil around their part of the restaurant.

Hachika's skin turned clammy.

Obito's eyes narrowed as he left the Akame building, his glare on the destruction wrought by what had to be ridiculous plant life covered in blood and wicked flowers.

The quirkless young man's entire body throbbed at the sight, an empowering rage filling his being as his eyes dilated before gaining a gleam.

The gleam of his soul.

He caught the sight of the growing vine wall and then the details.

The scent of blood, not 'human' like a normal quirk-users. There was a sweat, there was a familiar body heat.

And the scent of FOX.

Obito's form was a blur that already appeared in front of it, a raging beast that heard the terror behind the barrier, the villain's words.

His victim-to-be.

His hand found Mumei.

And it raged with bloodlust.

Ippan's entire being felt it, like a giant skeletal beast that coiled past her and reached for the villains. The sound of crunching stone, the rush of an inhale, the clink of metal.

And all of it drowned out by a wrath that tore past her and Hachika towards the half-unsuspecting villainous pair.

The plant man had barely dodged it, his eyes trembling in the face of that hell rushing upon them.

The gun-fingered man wasn't so lucky.

Ippan breathed.

And a cyclone diced the vines, shattered the floor, and carved through the gun-quirk-user's torso.

Mumei glinted in the light outside, the blade's crystal-like edge completely uncovered despite that horrid slash on the finger-gun man's upper-half.

"H-Huh-?" He spat out blood like no other, fingers trembling before they went still as he fell on his front.

Obito stood up from his crouch, back to the other three.

Skeletons covered the floor, raging about before coalescing on the plant villain.

"?!" He jumped back on instinct, landing outside with a terrified look in his eye.

"A quirkless? No," his eyes slowly narrowed as Obito looked over his shoulder, the feeling of hatred intensifying. "Hmmm~ No, you're just another monster like me," his eyes squinted in delight before flowers sprouted from his body enmasse.

Obito's eyes narrowed as more shot out of the broken-down wall beside him.

"Obito-kun-?!" Ippan cried.

Only for the wave to fall to pieces, Obito's weapon returned to its scabbard.

"What?!"

"Ippan," Obito looked at her.

His eyes went over the wounds, the bleeding, and the frazzled state her hair was in.

Black eyes grew dark as he surveyed their surroundings before walking towards the hole. "I'll be back, stay safe," he told her gently. "This won't last long, I swear to you."

"... Be safe, please," Ippan requested softly, wincing at feeling on her side.

Obito's eyes snapped to it and felt his rage rise all over again. "I will. Now, go and find a safe space," he looked at his opponent, thumbing-up Butsuri's guard.

The lanky man grinned under the sunlight as Obito walked forward.

The next second, Obito's form charged, Mumei's blade purposefully in hand.

Two blinks had the quirkless man's blade at the villain's neck before the plant villain grinned as he bent all the way back on a series of erupting flowers.

Movement from below had Obito's form blurring behind the villain as twisting rose stalks crushed the space ahead of them.

Mumei came down again on the villain's neck before the man was sent flying by his own plants.

'He can manipulate, produce, and enhance plant life,' or was it just flowers?

Standing there and watching the man flip & turn, Obito saw the raging blood-red flowers coiling up and around him before he landed within a forest of dark green thorns and vicious-looking roses.

Obito tilted his head at the collective.

"Let's see how this works, no?" The plant man's bloody grin returned. "A battle between monsters can only be like this!"

His limbs crossed like a guillotine.

The former shinobi's eyes narrowed, Mumei returned to its sheath as that building-sized wave of plant life shot at him.

Obito lunged at it, meeting it in the middle before his foot found purchase on a large thorn and he scaled it in seconds with his body popping up over the edge in time to find the villain there.

His grip on Butsuri grew taut as the lanky man's hands clawed up before swinging towards his chest.

A resounding gong echoed out before the quirkless man was sent flying, his body heading towards the ground before he spun and kicked at it.

Obito righted himself as he hopped to release his momentum.

He took in a breath before his senses were amplified, his feet coming to a stop before he rushed towards the plant man who grinned before his fingers twitched.

The quirkless man's eyes narrowed at the sight of humanoid plant men forming out of the flowers, their bodies shooting at him like missiles.

Obito stomped down and twisted, his body growing taut.

The next second, the three copies were shattered by a swing of his Named Blade.

What followed was a wave of white energy that slammed into the plant wall, the structure rumbling with the villain stumbling on top of it.

"What?!" He roared, confused, as his eyes snapped to Obito's also-confused form.

Obito looked down Butsuri's length, the blade releasing a wispy white energy along its end.

"That's who I am, kid," the sword's spirit, its vestige of its original user, said. "The ultimate shield, the power to absorb all physical abilities. The real man behind my power couldn't handle it, his body was only so strong and he wasn't even a fighter."

Obito's eyes gained an ethereal glint, weapon singing in his hand.

"But NOW it's in an unbreakable blade with a fighter like you. Go WILD."

Obito shot towards the lanky villain, the quirkless man's body charging right into the mass of split, shattered, and torn stalks from his previous attack.

He climbed them all in impossibly fast leaps that had him cresting the edge to find a shocked villain.

"You bastard," he hissed as Obito descended upon him with a harsh twisting slash.

He shot back as the attack missed but still split down his plants before Obito landed and charged at him.

The quirkless dodged a slashing hand, the plants around him curling up.

Black eyes glinted.

A single hop and twist destroyed them all; Tearing through the stalks, smashing the flowers, and shattering the villain's arm.

"AHHHH?!" He stumbled back over the edge of his own plants to hit the ground with a grunt, rolling to a stop down the street while holding onto his unmoving limb. "You bastard!" He hissed as Obito looked down on him from above. "You can't beat me-!"

Obito had already jumped off, falling towards the man like an uncaring force of nature.

His body spun, the winds around him growing harsh as a crystalline shine shot down into the villain's stomach.

"RAIJIN!"

The white flashed crushed the lanky man all in one go before erupting around him like a hammer of the lightning drum god himself, tossing up a tower of dust.

The 'GONG' that echoed out startled those on the street, the dust and haze swirling around before slowly settling down in the street.

A sole figure stood within the chaos as Hokei, Kai, and Kendo exited the Akame.

"YO?!" The tall young man called out. "Dude?!"

"It's fine, Kendo," a single voice said. "I handled it."

There was the sound of clinking metal.

And then the whole dust cloud dispersed, Butsuri held out and gleaming in the sunlight above.

Kendo's 'WHOO!' had Obito shaking his head as he returned his hissing blade back into its sheath.

"I'm going inside!" He told them, shooting towards the opened portions of the Aoi Mei, half the damn building covered in still-coiled plant life. "Someone call the authorities!"

Kendo ran after him. "I ain't missing anything this time!" He declared.

Obito considered him before his eyes widened at an idea, sliding to a stop as Kendo blinked.

He held his weapon out in front of him with determined eyes. "KENDO!"

The tall man looked alarmed before his mouth set into a large grin as he skid towards him, fist reared back.

"ORYA!"

The singular punch flew straight into the blade's sheath as Obito hopped with all his might.

He grinned as he was sent flying while Butsuri-Teki Ryōiki gained that white aura once more.

Righting himself as he ended up above the Aoi Mei's opened roof, Obito's eyes 'pictured' the area in one breath.

The sight of Ippan's group huddled together, safe, was one thing.

But seeing an oncoming man with a torn-up hoodie had his body filling with 'heat'.

He released a harsh breath and swung.

Ippan's eyes widened at that rushing man, Habami's bodyguard grimacing as he turned to face him with his hands transforming-

"RAIJIN!"

All for no reason as a heavy slash of white slammed into the man, crushing him into the ground, shattering the restaurant floor, and stopping his approach all in one go.

They gawked save for Ippan and a recently awakened Habami, the two looking up at the falling figure that was Obito who glared down at their halted assaulter.

He sheathed that beautiful weapon before pulling out a cloth, hitching it between his fingers and allowing it to catch his air.

His descent was arrested, painfully so from his wince as he slowly floated down to them before yelping as his cloth tore.

"Oh, come on-Hmph?!" Obito groaned before blinking as he was caught by something firm but soft. "... MIppam?"

"Obito-kun!" Ippan sighed in relief as the man blinked before lifting his head from her cleavage. "H-Hey."

His eyebrow began to twitch as she put him down, Hachika snickering at his red cheeks. "I won't speak of it," Obito uttered as he looked at his right arm. "This is going to take some time, God, for such a short fight?"

He lifted his right arm before looking at the bruising that fell down his bicep to his elbow and then the ones around his wrist. Even some on his other arm from the times he used Butsuri with it.

"You're hurt," Habami said even as she looked between him and their hooded attacker in disbelief. "S-So, uh, quick question?" She said with a shaky grin as Shinji looked at Obito's arm before nodding.

"If I may?" The much taller man held out his hand to the limb.

Obito raised a brow before shrugging. "Go ahead, both of you," he answered as Shinji nodded and gripped the quirkless man's limb with a specialized grip on his elbow, wrist, and palm.

"So… My bodyguard says you're quirkless, something about a smell?" Habami asked, surprising all of them sans Shinji who nodded.

"One moment," the tailed man said as his fingers grew taut before pushing in those points in one go.

Obito released a single wince before taking in a deep breath, something that surprised Shinji who looked at his arm in interest.

"You're a martial artist?" They asked one another before looking more intrigued.

"... Um, yo, can you guys not have a bromance moment right now?" Hachika sweatdropped. "There's no way this guy is quirkless," she said while gesturing to Obito. "Not a mil-"

"Oh, I am," Obito corrected her, causing her limb to go limp. "I'm guessing you're wondering about that," he gestured to the defeated man. "All things considered, that's more so several things working together."

He slowly removed Butsuri-Teki Ryōiki from its sheath before holding it in front of himself.

"This is most of the reason."

"That's a ridiculous-looking katana," Hachika said as they stared at its crystalline blade. "... Beautiful, though. That's serious work."

"It is, I can't place this craftsmanship," Shinji noted. "But how does this translat-"

"Yo, Bito, you guys handle this crap?" Kendo asked as he slid to a stop and noticed the hoodie guy. "Nice!" He shot him a thumbs-up.

"Thanks, Kendo. Still, what about the heroes?" Obito asked as Ippan shot him a look of concern he nodded at. "I'm fine, I promise. I'll just need to get looked at since Shinji-san's work is already doing its job."

"Oh, right. The old boss already called 'em while Kai got ordered to help out with the street."

"Good, today's been far too interesting for my tastes," he scoffed as Ippan smiled, Kendo grinned, Habami giggled, Hachika smirked, and Shinji nodded. "Let's wrap up that man-" Obito had gestured to the hoodie-wearer.

To the not there villain, correction.

"..." Obito's eyebrow twitched.

"..." Ippan's jaw dropped.

"?" Kendo blinked.

"Mmmm," Habami's hand found her face.

And Hachika yelped while Shinji growled. "Dammit!" The octopus woman yelled.

~NRK~

When the police came, there were pros and cons.

The pros? For one, they knew some of these cops, his Family that is.

Two, they were quick to apprehend the criminals while not judging that finger gun villain's dead body upon discovery.

Three, they seemed unbothered by mutant-type quirks.

Now, if only the 'cons' weren't so intrusive.

The powerful musculature on display was hard to deny, scars playing across his taut skin in a show of 'experience' that was almost saddening.

Obito sat in a portion of the now-open Aoi Mei restaurant with most of the others plus his granduncle, Kai, and Kendo. In front of them, a cop & two heroes sat with inquisitive looks thrown Obito's way.

"You've clearly got questions," Obito said, expression apathetic but intentions clear. "Best to just ask outright, Tanuma-san, Overclock-san, Edgeshot-san."

"You're incredibly composed," the cop began, eying Obito's open top that showed the young man's powerful body and scars. 'He's not some normal kid,' he'd realized it already, mind you, from their first meeting.

But seeing him now made Eizo Tanuma aware of just how 'not young' this so-called high school student was.

Eizo was a man of average height, slightly tan fair skin, black hair with a receding hairline, and small black eyes. Wearing a pair of black work boots, black slacks, a white dress shirt, black tie, and a brown trench coat, he leaned back in his seat with crossed arms and a thoughtful look.

"You're right, though, so explain it to me," Eizo began. "How does a quirkless young man like you do what the testimonies have been saying? The people around say you have incredible speed, skill, and strength. That last one's the most interesting one because they say you caused that 'noise' outside."

"Most of that I can attribute to just training," Obito admitted without giving anything away, shrugging at the three's looks of disbelief. "Whether you want to believe it or not, that's the truth. I've trained to get as strong as I am, it's not like it's impossible."

'God, what I wouldn't do for that rookie, Naomasa, to be here,' because everything this one was saying came away as 'true' to his experience.

His body language emitted no falsehoods.

"That's a large claim to make, young man," one of the heroes, Edgeshot, said with a focused eye trained on the Uchiha. 'He's telling the truth, this young man's truly ascertained a body that's matched with most pros,' how fascinating.

With a hero costume adapting the appearance of a traditional ninja, he wore a blue mask that covered his mouth and was tied at the back of his head with red yarn. Sporting red shinobi shozoku underneath a blue robe, his arms were covered in thin dark cloth that tucked into his white forearm sleeves. There were even red straps attached to his belt and his robe that extended outward.

Bearing a golden oni mask on his shoulder and sporting a signature red scarf that featured a white patch attached to the front of it. He finished his costume with blue socks and yellow zori sandals.

All in all, the most 'ninja' hero of them all, Edgeshot.

"I'm quite well-versed in training regimens, that's why I'm surprised by both of your body types," he said to Obito and Shinji. "Well, not just you two but you both are the notable ones of the hour. Tell me, why train your bodies to such limits? Did working as bodyguards truly seem like your calling with skills like yours?"

The two-in-question locked eyes. 'This is surprising,' Shinji thought.

Obito picked up on it. 'It's also an odd cover-up,' he thought. 'If we accept this misconception-'

'It means that he'll be involved.'

'I'm just a normal civilian in all of this and yet…'

Ippan looked worried for him before becoming determined.

"Yes, he's/I'm her bodyguard," two voices said.

Obito & Habami blinked before locking eyes as Shinji & Ippan gawked at them.

Considering the situation, Kai looked shocked while Hokei wore a confident smile.

Kendo just looked lost. "You getting this?" He whispered to Hachika who shook her head.

"I think this is just a whole crazy-ass situation," she told him.

"Yeah, I thought so."

Obito nodded to the Bat Princess as she grinned.

"These are my school's trainees," Habami began. "This one, Ippan-chan, has been one of our students for over six years and this young man, Obito Uchiha-kun, is her bodyguard as of recently. They're talented ones, sirs, and I'm supposed to be taking them on a little retreat soon so I held this get-together to keep us all updated."

Eizo rubbed his chin while Edgeshot raised a brow in interest.

"So, that's how ya are," the last-to-speak of the trio chuckled. "I can tell you're a decent young man."

He was tall, had fair skin from what his hero costume showed for his mouth and fingertips, and an athletic build covered by a red-and-dark blue bodysuit with black and white accents that had white lines here and there. All throughout the man's costume sat a circle emblem with an arrow, his Overclock emblem, as his costume's yellow eyes peered at him.

'He's ridiculously well-trained,' it wasn't wrong to say.

This one likely could have pulled off most of those physical stunts… Most of them.

"Still, what's that gotta do with these explosive energy waves we heard you were causin'?"

"That would be my family's history," Obito shrugged as Hokei nodded. "Because this weapon was made by a man I don't really know," he admitted as he pulled Butsuri-Teki Ryōiki. "This is why. While I have all the attributes, I'm far more than aware, to defeat that man without it… This is the reason for the energy waves. It's basically been made, one, unbreakable and, two, been given the ability to absorb physical attacks and return them. Found that out during the fight."

"Eh?" Overclock's jaw dropped a bit while Edgeshot perked up, looking at the weapon in awe and yet no small amount of excitement. "Wait, wait, wait, ya mind explainin' that again?"

Obito did, in full. He went through the whole fight from the first moment down to the ending of the fight with missing a detail.

Overclock was honestly intrigued while Kai frowned at the hero's interest.

"That's it, I got back here and then the cops like Ezio-san came," Obito said, unsheathing a bit of Butsuri to show its incredible craftsmanship. "This weapon is a birthright of mine, apparently, so I'll be making the most of it."

"God, do bodyguards do that much damage now?" Ezio asked with a hand rubbing the back of his head as he looked at Shinji. "Then, there's you. No offense but you're ridiculously strong for seemingly no reason."

"No offense taken, my family's been martial artists for generations with our bovine-related quirks," Shinji explained. "My own sister will be attending UA in two years as well."

"Hmm," Edgeshot's eyes were still on Obito and his katana. 'I'm being weird,' come on, man, you were 26!

Stop being the same 'nerd' you were in your UA years!

"Hmm, I guess that's not the weirdest thing with a family of quirks these days," Ezio said as his eyes went back to Obito. "Still, you'll likely come under a lot of scrutiny after today. That villain was pretty vocal about your status in society, you're noted here in Osaka's Color District, and now you've got all the witnesses & camera footage."

"I'll live with it, it's not like I give a damn about the populace. I'm not a hero, I'm not some figure in the wings, and I didn't care in the first place. People like that aren't worth my time or attention," Obito declared with a calm expression.

Hachika nudged Ippan who gently pushed her back.

The octopus grinned.

"Well said," Edgeshot said, head tilted. "Yet, I am curious about your workout regimen. Your quirklessness notwithstanding, you must truly put yourself through the wringer."

Shinji also looked intrigued.

Obito smirked.

~NRK~

After informing the officer & heroes about that bit of his life, Obito shrugged atop his bike as he & Ippan parked behind that Idol Bus that Habami had bought for the evening that led them to a Creatoria-owned hotel.

"I'm sorry about all of this," Obito told his patched-up 'charge'.

"I'd like to say the same, they were after us. I don't know…" Ippan frowned deeply. "If you'd not been there, Obito-kun, this would have gone badly."

"If I wasn't involved, you might not have gone. Not to say anything but you never know."

"I get it. That said, I'm glad we DO know each other."

They sat there for a moment, Obito trying to come to any kind of thought.

"Go on, boya, I think this is important," Hokei smiled for Obito as they spoke off to the side with the others, Kai currently working on the street for a bit more. "You've got the chance to find something incredibly priceless, don't miss this chance."

Obito looked down with a frown. "I don't… How would I even open up a conversation on that? J-Jiji, this isn't normal for me," he looked a bit put-out. "Especially when it comes to our side of things."

"You're thinking about everything again, that'll never be wrong… But what about both of your wants? What about your happiness?"

"It shouldn't have to come at the cost of someone else's."

"Right but you'll find, Obito, that women had quite a way of standing strong beside you. They will go to hell itself to move beside you. It's a sad situation in a lot of times, where that leads them to ruin besides men who didn't deserve such love," Hokei pat his shoulders. "But you aren't those men, you are a person who deserves it. I think this will open up the world to you."

"... Methods?" Obito asked weakly as the man laughed.

"Just ask, boya. There's nothing better than security in truth."

Well, now he just felt anxious.

Getting off his bike, Obito held out his hand to Ippan with an embarrassed smile.

She grew red yet took it graciously, Obito helping her off his bike.

As he did, Ippan stood before him with their hands intertwining as she remembered Hachika's words from hours ago.

'I-Is it really fine?' Ippan wondered.

'God, am I going to drag her down?' Obito thought.

'I really connect with him.'

'She's a lot like me in a few regards.'

'So-'

'-Should I just do it?'

Locking eyes once more, Obito tried to figure out what his next move was before he was engulfed by a hug.

Not a hug of 'thanks', not one of 'comfort', no.

Obito knew the energy in this hug was far different, he burned at the idea but gathered his wit.

He reciprocated and Ippan's body relaxed, Obito's eyebrows lowering as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"I've got no idea where… W-Where this kind of thing goes," he said.

"I know, I-I'm not exactly winning on dates," she agreed.

"... I'm going to be honest, this isn't an offense," Obito began, getting a giggle out of this 'intruder' into his heart. "Mmmm. What I mean is… Well… You're very womanly, Ippan-chan. I can't very well say otherwise, just today alone was 'confronting' my sensibilities as a man."

Ippan erupted into red, her eyes shrinking as Hachika got off the bus with Habami.

They took one look at them before their phones were out and taking pictures.

Oh no, they were the same PERSON!

"I-I get it," she squeaked as he sweatdropped, the two leaning back within their hug to lock eyes. "... I-It's also not like I couldn't tell who was around for those reasons."

"You know my thoughts but I'm guessing that answers my questions so…" Obito trailed off, cheek pained. "... Are you… Up for something far more consensual… With me?" His words relayed his embarrassment before it all slowly melted into a look of disbelief. "What's wrong with me? There wasn't a romantic vowel in those STUTTERS!"

Ippan laughed at his annoyance, giving 'her bodyguard' a deep hug that he grumbled into before returning.

"S-So, you're fine with me?" She asked him, the two giving each some space again. "You know, for dating?" Ippan asked bashfully.

"Yes," he said instantly, heart singing. 'God, my body is so weird about this,' Obito thought even as Butsuru thrummed happily. 'Now, my sword has an opinion, just great.'

Parting from the hug but not the hand-holding, they turned around before blushing up a storm at the cheering idol trainees, the people on the street, and then Habami's own cheering & came-OH GOD!

"Woman, put that away!" Obito yelped.

"No! This is great!" The bat grinned. "And my God do my fans LOVE THIS!"

"Y-Y-You're what?" Ippan paled before turning red all over again. "HABAMI?!"

The idol cackled.

These moments were dear, especially so when it came to the new couple's beginnings.

Yet, it didn't stop the cogs of fate from turning.

~NRK~

He gasped, sitting up in his dojo.

Watching the showings of the fights had startled him, sure, knowing that mere 'bodyguards' were so powerful was honestly inspiring.

Yet, that didn't mean much when he'd seen him. That young man, 'Obito Uchiha' was it?

When he saw him, his soul throbbed, his quirk's familiarity with that young man's visage alarming him for only a moment before it 'hit'.

His jaw dropped at not only that familial resemblance but the boy's clear penchant for Iaijutsu, the young man's blade work perfection that accomplished its many goals all at once over and over. That was his school's version of it! Those bodily twists, those jutting elbows, and those stomps!

That meant he'd gone into his schools!

"Hokei, h-he's incredible," an old man whispered into the moonlight from outside. "And he's accepted those two," which meant that Obito had accepted their challenge.

Their wants and desires… And likely, it also meant the swords had accepted HIM.

His grandson was truly a ridiculous warrior.

'But it's not time yet,' not now even if his body rebelled, the desire to meet his only remaining personal bloodline rampaging in his body but he had to stop.

He couldn't endanger this one… Not like he had his own son and daughter-in-law.

No, this old man had to let the young man choose 'this' path all on his lonesome.

Even if his soul shuddered in sadness at the idea.

~NRK~

He scoffed at the so-called 'Quirkless Bodyguard' and his charge. "This is ridiculous," he shook his head as they returned to their hotel room. "Himiko, never emulate someone like that, he's bound to have the world falling down on him for his obscenity."

His daughter flinched, looking down. "W-What's so weird about it?" Himiko whimpered.

"He's a fool who thinks he can be something he isn't," her father said with derision. "Honestly, can children not just act respectable?"

"It's sad but it's none of our business, he's not our malfunctioning child. Himiko is far better than some quirkless boy," her mother said.

Himiko bit her lip but that was 'unbecoming' of her, showing those odd bits of her were taboo.

She just trembled in anger at the unfairness of it all.

~NRK~

"Hmm? Ooh, a swordsman?~" He grew determined. "A stoic bodyguard versus a dashing rogue?! Why, it'll be printing money! I've got my next target," he declared. "This Gentle Criminal isn't hesitant to take down even an idol's entourage!"

~NRK Out~