I own nothing but my OC(s).
Chapter 5: Sparring and Comforting
Kyoto, Japan, Yasaka's Palace, Training grounds
The sounds of metal clanking could be heard behind the palace, where Hokori began training Keith. And they were doing just that, however now the two spear wielders were sparring one against another.
"Good, just like that Keith!" The wolf exclaimed when Keith dashed forward and attempted to stab him, only for Hokori to parry it with his own spear. The young man didn't give him time to reposition as he unleashed a succession of fast attacks against him in a burst of speed, which the Youkai either dodged or used his spear to reflect them. Keith then immediately became the one on the defensive as Hokori suddenly disappeared in burst of speed and delivered a thrust of spear towards the human's lower half, which he managed to block with the rod of the True Longinus, but not without being sent back a little. He was surprised by the strength the wolf Youkai used, even though he knew he held back a lot, yet again if he were anything but a human, he might have had an easier time against Hokori.
Jumping back to create some distance against himself and his opponent, Keith pointed the Holy Spear forward and from the bladed tip a beam of light shot out towards the wolf.
"Hm?" He hummed, a small grin adorning on his face. He copied Keith and from the tip of Gae Buidhe shot out a beam of cursed energy, the counterpart of Keith's holy light. When the two beams collided with each other, it didn't take long until Hokori's bested Keith's and the latter needed to roll to the side in order to not get hit.
"We are not finished yet!" Hokori immediately appeared before the young man and attempted to impale him while he was still on the ground, but Keith disappeared in a burst of speed and reappeared behind Hokori to stab him in the back, only for the wolf to rotate faster than Keith would have anticipated and block it with Gae Buidhe. Both spear wielders stood their ground, pushing their spears against one another.
"Impressive reactions and speed, Keith." Hokori praised. "You have been growing more and more efficient with the True Longinus in these four weeks since we began." He then put a little bit more force in his pushing, making Keith do the same.
"I still have a long way to go Hokori-sensei." Keith rebutted. "I feel like I am not ready to face the Supernatural world yet."
Hokori snorted, then added more pressure against Keith, making him grit his teeth. They were sparring for over 30 minutes, not adding the basic training and moves, so saying he was tired was an understatement.
"I would beg to differ, boy." His sensei said. Hokori knew that his disciple would soon enough be ready to join others on missions, not dangerous ones yet, but missions, nonetheless. "You managed to catch up to me and spar with me all this time, barely showing that you were tired." He put even more pressure against Keith, who was forced to concede and jump backwards, stabbing the Holy Spear in the ground, he used it as support to help him remain on his feet.
"I lose." He said, panting. While Hokori could detect the ever tiny bit of frustration in his voice, he accepted his defeat like a man: standing on his two feet.
Pocketing Gae Buidhe, Hokori let out a sigh and made his way to his disciple. When he stood in front of him, he put a hand on his shoulder which made Keith look at the Youkai straight in the eyes.
"You have grown tremendously in this past month Keith." Hokori said honestly. "While whining here and there about the training regiment, you never once gave up."
"I promised myself that I would try my hardest." Keith said resolutely, willing the True Longinus to disappear as he regained a bit of his strength. "It would be selfish of me to stay here and do nothing after all."
Chuckling, the wolf nodded.
"Indeed." He said. "While you still have a long way to go, you are on the right path." He then patted him on the shoulder as he started to leave.
"Oh, before I forget." Hokori stopped and looked at Keith. "Starting with tomorrow, Kunou and Kuroka will join us."
"Huh?" Keith was confused now. "Why?"
"It would help you very much learning how to deal with other types of enemies, don't you think so?"
Realization hit Keith. Kunou usually either used her flames or her claws from what he had seen, meaning she was both magically gifted and good at close combat, while Kuroka, from the little he had noticed, was more of a distance fighting type.
"I see you caught up on it." The wolf said. "Well then, so long Keith." He then disappeared in a magical circle, leaving the young man on his own.
After he took a shower and dressed up, he made his way to Yasaka's meeting room where he normally would learn about the Supernatural world.
He knocked on the door and when he received the answer to come in, he opened the door and was met with Yasaka and a pile of paperwork on her desk which seemed to have no end.
He internally thanked the Universe that was not him.
"Hello Keith." Yasaka greeted him.
"Yo." He greeted back, he then looked at the pile of papers. "You are very busy from what I see."
Yasaka sent a hateful glare towards the pile, wishing she could burn it into flames.
"This is a burden which every Faction leader has to deal with." She sighed and turned her eyes to him. "How was your training today?"
"It went fine." He said. "I sparred with Hokori-sensei again and he said that I have grown very much in these four weeks."
Two weeks have passed since the incident with the Stray Devil, yet nothing else happened ever since.
"I am very pleased to hear this." Yasaka smiled at him. "Now I believe it's time for us to begin our lessons, don't you think?"
"Yes." He then took a seat the big round table, Yasaka sitting near him this time. He cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Is there a problem dear?" She asked, a flirty smile making its appearance on her face.
"No, it's just…you usually sit on the other side of the table."
"Mhm, but I decided to sit here today." She leaned forward, making sure to give him a look of her enormous breasts. "Does this make you feel uncomfortable?"
"Not at all." He quickly took a glance at her breasts before looking her in the eyes. "Just didn't expect it."
"I see." Yasaka said, the smile not leaving her face. "Well, today we will talk about the Three Biblical Factions."
Keith was listening intently now. He held a Holy Spear after all, so it was the most effective against Devils, and although it couldn't harm Angels and Fallen Angels to the same extent, it would still make it very dangerous against them. Of course nobody was that stupid to underestimate the strongest Longinus.
"After the Great War in which all of the Three fought, they suffered so many losses that they had to stop or otherwise they would have ceased to exist." Yasaka said. "While they are not at peace, outright battles do not occur either."
"So, they just tolerate one another?" Keith asked.
"Pretty much." The Kyuubi nodded. "But, it is enough for only one big battle to happen and the possibility for another Great War to start is very much guaranteed."
Keith nodded slowly.
"But nobody wants for this to happen, so everyone tries their best to stay in line." Yasaka assured him.
"If they lost so many of their own, how come they didn't, you know, reproduce to regain at least some of their people back?"
"The birth rate for Devils is extremely low." Yasaka began. "So they use a system called 'Evil Pieces' with which they resurrect and turn any other race into Devils."
"What are those 'Evil Pieces?'". Keith was now intrigued.
"They are chess pieces which only High-Class Devils are able to get." Yasaka said. "Once you reach High-Class you become a noble, which will enable you to receive your Evil Pieces."
The young man nodded in understanding.
"So what happens with those who get turned into Devils?"
"They become servants to who resurrected them." Yasaka stated.
"Like slaves?" Keith definitely didn't like how that sounded. What would stop Devils to go willy-nilly and turn everybody?
"It really depends on the pure-blooded Devil Keith." Yasaka said. "From what I've seen, many Devils treat their servants fairly." Her expression darkened. "However, there are scums who see Reincarnated Devils as nothing but peons and treat them very harshly."
Keith's face became one of disgust.
"I could have become one of those, right?"
"If you were to be resided in a Devil's territory, most likely." She admitted. "Thankfully, you were here."
Keith surely wouldn't have liked living as a servant. Even if his 'master' would have been benevolent, he still would've felt confined and without freedom.
"What about the Angels and Fallen Angels?" He asked, changing the subject. Devil's society left a bitter taste in his mouth. Of course that didn't mean he would start hating on the Devils. He didn't have a reason to.
"For as far as I know, Fallen Angels gain their forces by tempting pure Angels into falling, and I don't have a single clue about the Angels." She said honestly. Out of all the Three Biblical Factions, the Angels are the most inactive, or rather peaceful.
"Interesting." The Longinus wielder said, rubbing his chin in thought. "I am surprised that neither of the two copied Devils' Evil Pieces."
"We cannot rule out that option yet." Yasaka said. "However, this is pretty much all you have to know about the Three in a broad way." She then snapped her fingers and a huge book appeared on the table. "Here you have knowledge about their leaders and how were they chosen." She pushed it towards him. "As well as more in depth about anything else really."
Keith just stared blankly at the gigantic book. There was no way he'd remember all that shit.
"Just scheme through it." Yasaka giggled at his expression. "You are not in school, so I don't expect you to know everything."
He nodded, relieved to hear that.
"Seeing as I have finished telling you a bit about the Three Biblical Factions, and that I still have a small amount of free time." She smiled warmly at him. "How about we get to know each other better?"
The young man bobbed his head in agreement.
"Sure, ask away." He could say he didn't have secrets. He is, or rather was, an ordinary human until the last month.
"Have any girlfriend?" Yasaka asked teasingly.
Keith just shook his head negatively.
"How about you?" He asked, an amused smile on his face seeing her trying to make him embarrassed. "Have any boyfriend?"
He wished he didn't though, seeing Yasaka's face contort in anger and sadness.
"Uh, you don't have to answer that." He said quickly, not wanting to aggravate her.
"No, it's fine." She breathed in and out. "I used to have a significant other." She said wistfully, however her eyes turned into slits, narrowing them. "He is, or rather would have been, Kunou's father, but the bastard left as soon as I told him that we are not human."
She lowered her eyes, calming down, then she looked at him.
"When Youkais are born, they do not show their features, so many mistake them as human babies, however when they turn 1, their features begin to appear." She said. "He didn't react…well…when he saw her tails and ears."
"Did he freak out?" Keith asked softly.
Yasaka nodded. "I had to calm him down." She then turned her head to look out the window. "After I succeeded, I showed him my tails and ears and tried to explain to him that we are not monsters and that I do not wish to harm him in any way."
"What…did he say?" Keith asked carefully, knowing it was a sensible subject.
"He started to yell out that I deceived him all this time, wanting to kill him and eat him." She began to tear up. While she was older than she looked and this happened quite some time ago, it still hurt to see your beloved hate you and be scared of you. She closed her eyes and willed her tears to go away.
Keith decided to remain silent, opting to see if Yasaka had something else to say.
"After he stopped shouting and calling me names, he looked at me and Kunou with such disgust that I almost broke down then and there."
She took a deep breath to calm down, then she continued.
"He said that 'that' monster is not his child and that he wished he never met me." Her eyes began to tear up again. Not wanting to see her cry, well that and because he wouldn't have any ideas on how to comfort a crying woman, he grabbed her hand and caressed it gently with his thumb.
"It's fine Yasaka." He whispered. "Everything is fine." She couldn't hold it in anymore and jumped on him, wrapping him with both her hands and her tails, in a tight hug, putting her head over his shoulder and starting to sob.
'Thank to all that's holy that I began training.' He would have probably died from this hug if his body didn't harden through his training. 'She must have kept all of this inside of her for quite some time if she has such a reaction.'
"You didn't talk with anybody about this?" He asked softly. He felt her shook her head. "I see."
He let her weep until she felt it was enough. Her sobs turned into soft cries, slowly dying out. When she finished, she let go of him, not daring to look him in the eyes.
"Are you feeling better now?" He asked gently. She nodded, still not looking at him. "Hey, it's fine, you know?"
She shook her head. "It's not fine." She said. "I am the Youkai Faction leader and here I am crying like a little girl."
"You are not a little girl, Yasaka." He said. "You are a strong woman who managed to raise her kid into a fine lady, all without her father." He noted. "My mother was the same, you know?"
This fully got her attention, making him chuckle.
"My mother raised me all on her own until I was 10." He said, looking at her. "My…father left after I was born." He took a breath, then continued. "My mom said that he never wanted kids, so when I happened, he just packed up his things and disappeared."
"You said 'was'." Yasaka noted. "Is she…?"
"Yes, my mother died of cancer a few month later after my 10th birthday." He said, smiling sadly. "I knew she would die and she knew that as well, yet she always wore a smile on her face." He then grabbed Yasaka's shoulders gently. "Do not believe for even a second what that…man said about you or Kunou."
The Kyuubi shook her head.
"I don't."
"You have every reason to be proud of yourself, Yasaka." He said. "Kunou turned to be a beautiful and kind woman, you are a loved and respected leader and you keep the peace in Kyoto."
He gave her another warm smile which made her blush pink.
"That man couldn't see that, so it meant that you two were never meant to be." He spoke honestly. "As they say, there are plenty of fish in the sea, so with time, you will find someone much better than him."
Yasaka's tails started to waggle a little.
"I may have found him already." She whispered so he could not hear. She then hugged him again, this time making sure to press her bountiful chest against his. "Ara, you keep saying such things and you will make me fall for you." She smiled widely when she saw him begin to stutter slightly. She managed to make him embarrassed, even for a little.
She let him go.
Keith coughed in his fist, trying to regain his lost composure.
"W-Well, are you fine now?"
"Mhm!" She reverted to her playful and teasing self. "I never once opened up to someone about it, but now I am feeling much better." She admitted. "Like something heavy was lifted off my shoulders." She thought for a bit, but ultimately leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek. "This is my thank you." She giggled and shouted in victory in her mind when she noticed his cheeks turning pink, it was very faint, but he could see him blushing.
"R-Right!" He shot up stiffly. "Look at the time, it seems I have to go!" He gave her a quick bow and left the room as fast as he could, otherwise his heart would fail.
Yasaka just chuckled seeing the usual stoic and no nonsense Keith act like this. She cupped her cheek and smiled contently.
"It seems I still have it in me." She laughed some more and returned to her pile of paperwork which waited patiently, making her groan. "To think that I would feel attracted to a human again." She grinned. "Ara, ara so naughty of you Keith, ufufu." She sat down on her chair. "Making me feel this way."
She sighed and began her fight with the most dangerous enemy among the Faction leaders: paperwork.
After leaving Yasaka's meeting room, Keith took calming breaths and made his way to his own room, ready to hit the hay. He didn't notice how late it got with all the talking they did.
Before he could enter the room however, a voice stopped him.
"Ah Keith-kun!" Kunou saw him and made her way to him. "How has your day been?"
"It was…eventful, to say the least." He opted to remain silent about what happened with Yasaka, for now at least. He saw Kunou looking at him more intently than usual which confused him, but didn't delve into it as he was too tired.
"Oh?" She asked, her eyes slightly distant. "Did anything interesting happen?"
"Well, I sparred with Hokori-sensei again." He scratched the back of his head. "I heard you and Kuroka will join us starting with tomorrow?"
"Yup!" She exclaimed, though it lacked her usual bounciness, she seemed more in thought about something. "So prepare yourself for tomorrow you will face me, the Great Kunou!"
She gave him a smile and bid him a good night, him doing the same. He couldn't help but think that something was wrong with how she acted right now, but he decided to let it for tomorrow. It was late and he needed sleep.
He got inside his room, changed into his pyjamas, and let the sleep overcome him. Tomorrow will be a busy day.
A/N: Hello people! Exiled here with another chapter! So…quite a bit happened this chapter, huh? Keith starts to get better at fighting, comforts Yasaka and Kunou is behaving differently than she usually does…why would that be, hm? To be continued in the next chapter!
Ok…so…this was my first time ever writing a "fight", if you can call it that…I will try to get better, but please have patience :P It was also my first time righting someone comforting someone else, which I hope it was good enough, if not let me know in the reviews what I could improve. I also hope it doesn't seem forced…or at least THAT forced…I really didn't have any better ideas than this one…so yeah…
Also, in the next chapter you will finally find out how strong I've made Yasaka, Kunou and Kuroka.
Now, let's see the reviews!
Lovegood Loves Good: Haha! He definitely does! He will meet her and the others later, for now I want to focus on building his relationship with Kunou, Yasaka and Kuroka.
GhostlyDrew: Thank you for letting me know mate! I appreciate it. I will try to do it more often in the future stories, since I want to end the training and all that stuff soon enough, like next chapter or so…Also it pleases me to hear that you enjoy what I have written so far!
TheCrimsonShout: Thanks you! Yeah, I still have to think about Truth Idea, which will definitely happen, but Keith is not even remotely close to it, so when the time comes, I will try to deliver it well.
Neo Infinity: Thank YOU for enjoying it! Also, I am sorry but I would like to keep the harem as it is for this fanfiction at least. However in the future I wouldn't mind to experiment with the characters you have mentioned! I totally find the three's 'cold' and 'calculate' behaviours funny and badass at the same time, so definitely will try something with them sometime in the future.
Keo namikaze: Thank you a bunch for the ideas mate! I appreciate them a ton! I have thought on how Keith will meet others and while still not 100% decided, I have some ideas and if I happen to use something which you mentioned, I will totally give you credit for it!
Skull Flame: Thank you! Yeah, I didn't really see many fanfictions where Kunou is a busty beauty from the start, so I decided to write my own :P
Lazymanjones96: Thank you! And I look forward to write more.
Guest: Thanks mate. I will continue this story for as long as I can and have ideas.
amerikhan786: I know what you mean, BUT I intentionally chose my MC to be human because I have an idea on how to make him live longer AND to keep his humanity, so that problem has been taken care of. In the fandom it was stated that many humans got to be very powerful, like Vasco Strada and Cao Cao (him managing to match both Azazel and Vali in speed and all that stuff). It is exactly why I even gave him the True Longinus and made him have talent with wielding spears. Coupled up with the Holy Spear, I want him to become strong enough to be able to survive the DXD Universe. That is why I mentioned "weak to strong MC", I do not plan to make him OP, well not THAT OP in the sense that he would just swing the True Longinus and poof everyone would die. Nah, the most I would go for him is probably to make him strong enough to fight on par with Sirzechs WHILE he is NOT in his true form. So yeah…I hope this sheds some light on what you mentioned. Also thank you for considering my story great and writing amazing!
Something else which I would like to mention is that I changed the idea about Kunou's father being dead with him just leaving. An idea popped into my head which I believe will be better than to let him stay dead. I changed that in Chapter 4.
OK, so now IMPORTANT STUFF:
So, I have been reading about the True Longinus and while its Balance Breaker is not shown yet, I decided to create one from scratch, what do you think? Let me know in the reviews.
Also Dying Light is free on Epic Games, so if you didn't grab it yet, do it so! The offer will end Thursday 13th at 6 PM.
I apologise for any spelling or grammatical mistakes!
As always, thank you all for following, favouring and reviewing! It makes me very happy to see people enjoy what I write.
Stay safe & sound!