Like I said, next chapter should be out by the end of the week/beginning of next week. It honestly depends on how things go. I'm gonna try to get past the 'MC unlocks his sacred gear' arc I have planned before I go back to making other stories, so stay tuned for that.

Disclaimer: Godzilla and all related trademarks are owned and licensed by Toho Co., Ltd, Legendary Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Pictures. High School DxD is owned and licensed by Ichiei Ishibumi and Fujimi Shobo. I own neither series, please support official releases.


"Alright~! So far, you guys are doing good," Kai-sensei told us just after we'd finished exercising. "I might think about stepping up your conditioning just a little bit. You guys don't look like you're unfit, at least."

"I don't know. Maybe we should focus on their muscle memory first before conditioning?" Syu-sensei chimed in.

"Eh, either or~!" the blonde man shrugged while turning to us. "Right, so, are your parents gonna pick you up?"

"There's this park nearby. We're supposed to meet them there," Matsuda hummed, nodding to his cousin as she passed us. "It's close to the daycare our younger cousins go to. Tou-san said it was just convenient for them."

"I live on the same street as him, so I can just hitch a ride," Motohama huffed.

"Tou-san's job isn't too far away, so he can pick us up," I shrugged, a move mirrored by Issei.

"Cool, cool~! Well, go ahead and pack everything up. We'll keep up with this tomorrow."

"You mean we have to do more chores?!" the bespectacled boy wheezed.

"I thought showing you 'The Karate Kid' was supposed to fix this?" I muttered as the other three boys groaned fearfully.

"Just because we know the reason we're doing this doesn't mean we think it's fun," my brother sighed.

Several minutes later, the four of us were back in regular clothes while carrying our gear over our shoulders. We met up in the front room, since Matsuda wanted to wait for his cousin. I could tell the three of them, despite their complaints, seemed somewhat pleased.

"I mean…I guess that wasn't the worst," Motohama adjusted his glasses tiredly while tilting his head. "Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean…the bathhouses they talked about-"

"Nah~! I mean, it sorta sucks…okay, it totally sucks, damn it! It sucks that we won't have time to sneak a peek at some babes~!" Matsuda lamented tearfully. "But this could've been worse. As long as we don't have to do too many chores, I'm cool~!"

"I mean…okay, Nii-san, I guess if you're sure this is a good thing," Issei sighed out. "But, like, how will this help me get a harem?"

"...Girls can be perverts too?" I supplied, still not exactly sure of my words. "And, like, they like seeing tough guys without their shirts, I think."

"Without their-do you mean the girls or guys?" the bespectacled boy asked.

"...Yes."

Issei immediately perked up, a goofy grin spreading across his face. "Hehe, sweet~! I'll be reeling in babes in no time, then!"

"Oh, yeah, by the way!" the bald boy suddenly turned to the three of us with a cheerful smile. "I totally forgot to mention this, but…"

Suddenly, Matsuda grabbed me and the others and dragged me into a headlock. I could hear my brother wheezing in fear while Motohama let out a small whimper. I felt a small gasp escaping my lips as the bald boy continued giving us a sweet smile.

"I'm only gonna say this once, kay~?" he said kindly. "If any of you try to get with my cousin, then we're gonna have a problem. I like you guys, so I don't want that. So, Sousei-chan. Off-limits. We clear~?"

"C-Crystal!" I said quickly.

"Bahahaha!"

"L-Like Nii-san said! I won't make any moves!"

"Alright, cool~!" the bald boy said cheerfully before releasing us.

"Oi, what's going on here?!"

"Oh, hey Sousei! I was just chatting with my friends!" Matsuda said cheerfully, ignoring the worried looks we were giving him. "Hey, by the way, do you know where the bathhouses near this place are-"

Sousei quickly shut the bald boy up with a blow to the head. "Quit it with the pervy shit outside of work, idiot!" the girl grabbed him by the shirt and started dragging him along. "Oi, four-eyes! We're headin' out, you coming?!"

"Y-Yeah, sorry!" the bespectacled boy chuckled for a bit before leaving

"Guess we better go too, huh?" Issei asked me.

"I mean…probably," I shrugged. "The park isn't too far, right?"

Just before we'd left the building, I realized my brother wasn't following me. When I looked back, he was just standing there frozen, tilting his head curiously, like he was listening to something. I didn't understand why until I heard a cry from another nearby room.

"Are…are you sure?! How long does she have?!"

That was that teenager, Tatsumiya. The poor girl sounded…well, heartbroken, honestly. It was like she was barely holding back sobs. Hearing whatever was happening made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

"N-Nii-san? I think we should go," I said softly.

Issei ignored me, instead taking a step towards the girl's voice.

"Alright, that's fine. T-Thank you, Jun-Jiisan. I won't keep her waiting…" halfway through speaking, the girl walked into the room. Upon spotting us, she frowned slightly before adjusting her cellphone. "I have to go. I'll see you soon."

When the teen put her phone away, Issei swallowed nervously before walking forward. "Umm…are you okay?"

"...Why do you want to know?" the girl asked in a very hollow voice.

My brother tilted his head thoughtfully before smiling. "Your oppai look nice~!"

"Nii-san?! The fuck?!" I cried out in horror.

"What the hell did you just say, you little perv?!" Tatsumiya growled angrily while grabbing my brother by the shirt and nearly pulling him off his feet. "What kind of game are you trying to play here? Quit fucking around, you little creep!"

Issei, on the other hand, just kept smiling. "I'm glad you're not sad anymore."

"...E-Excuse me?"

"Wait, wat?!" I wheezed out.

"I don't like seeing pretty girls being sad. I mean, I don't like seeing anybody being sad, but pretty girls being sad are worse." Issei rubbed the back of his head sheepishly while continuing to grin. "So, I'm okay with making a girl mad at me. As long as she won't be sad anymore, then things will get better. So…go ahead and be mad at me, because I'll be fine as long as you're feeling better."

If Tatsumiya had actually been lifting the poor boy, she might have dropped him when she released him. She just kinda stared at him blankly for what ended up being a full minute, almost like she wasn't even looking at him.

Halfway through her blank staring, I immediately walked up to my twin brother and smacked him on the top of the head. While Issei was whining and groaning from that, I quickly bowed to the girl while pressing my hands together in front of my face.

"Please forgive my brother for being rude! I'm very sorry if he's bothering you again!"

"...Eh?"

"Umm…l-listen, Tatsumiya-senpai? Whatever is happening to you right now, I promise it'll get better," I said sincerely. I swallowed nervously when her eyes darted to me, but I continued nonetheless. "The thing with being at the bottom, or having a terrible thing happen to you, is because it can't get any worse. I always remind myself that nothing can be worse, which is why I don't stop going forward."

"...Heh, that's…that's something," the teen said quietly.

Thing is, I really wasn't bullshitting. I had to talk myself up some days, but I always went through my day as full-chest as I could. Nothing could be worse than dying, and in this new life I was given, I wanted to make the best of it. Hell, that was part of the reason why I'd signed up for this dojo-I'd gone to a bullshido gym for one year in my last life, and I still half-assed that.

Nothing in this world, person or otherwise, was gonna outright scare me anymore, not without needing to work hard. Not with the competition from my last world to work with on top of me straight up dying.

"I'm starting to see why Kai-sensei took you two in. At least, just a little bit of it," the girl said quietly.

Then she stared.

She wasn't staring at the two of us, I realized. She was looking out the window behind us. I followed her gaze in confusion for a minute, noting that there wasn't anything really special there. Sure, it was getting dark-not like the sun was going down, but it was definitely low noon.

For the briefest second, I swore I saw just the smallest shadow flashed beneath the window. It could have just been a bird, or a plane maybe. Or some stray cat or a squirrel moving around looking for food.

But…for some reason, I was reminded of that 'old man' from a week ago. I'd been terrified at the time-hell, I was still worried. But I'd resolved myself to not just live in fear of him, regardless of what he was.

A furious eye opened in the depths-

I had more than enough unknown monsters on my plate already to worry about whatever these hidden monsters were. I'd already promised I wasn't gonna engage with any more of the other ones, and I was starting to think I should just stop secretly gawking at them entirely.

"Hey, you two be careful heading home tonight," Tatsumiya said while turning away. "And…thanks for saying that. I really needed to hear it."

"No problem?" I shrugged while grabbing Issei hurriedly. "Come on, let's get going!"

"Wah! Why are you being mean all the sudden?!"

I heard Tatsumiya shouting to Kai-sensei and Syu-sensei. Obviously, we didn't stick around to find out. I made sure we grabbed our gear before we headed out.


That's not the end, obviously. See, halfway to the park, we passed by a nearly empty parking lot. There were a bunch of guys there that seemed to be the kind of sketchy type you'd see in alleyways.

The guys had loose collars, unbuttoned shirts that showed off chain jewelry over slightly dirty t-shirts, baggy pants, and dyed hair or partially shaved heads. The girls wore clothes that showed a bit of their ankles, chests, and midriffs-which, of course, meant that Issei would immediately start looking, much to my chagrin. At least one or two of them were carrying bats or shinai, which they'd hoist over their shoulders when Issei and I looked.

Obviously, my plan was to drag Issei along and walk past them-

"Oi, kids!"

Welp, that plan just got fucked harder than an employee in a Thai massage parlor.

One guy was walking towards us, some dude who looked a bit like Mimisaka from 'Food Wars!'. Also, a bunch of the others falling in line behind him looked like they were secretly J-Pop stars or Idols. All of that made sense, of course, seeing as I was most likely living in an anime, so most of the people here were probably made by elite character designers.

"Umm…hi?" I made sure my voice was even, all while eyeing Issei as a perverted look threatened to face. "How can I help you?"

"You guys are some of Kai's new students, right?" the Mimasaka-look alike asked.

"Yeah, that's us~!" my brother said cheerfully.

"Ha! That guy actually got some more students?" one of the teens, a blonde boy who looked like he belonged in a boy band, chuckled. "Lazy dumbass only put up one flyer and a tiny little ad."

"Yeah, I heard…wait, how did you know about that?"

"I was there when he did it," the guy shrugged. "I didn't show up today because I didn't wanna be bitched out by the moral princess."

"Same~!" A few of the other teens deadpanned.

"So, you guys all know Kai-sensei?" I asked.

"Yeah, Surprise~! I know, we must seem like we're delinquents or something."

I tilted my head and looked at all of them. They all just stared back blankly for the next few moments.

"...Nah, I had no idea. Couldn't have gotten that vibe from looking at you," I said sarcastically.

"Ha! I like this kid already!" one of the girls laughed.

"My name is Ikuzeki Tokitoshi!" the Mimisaka-look alike said cheerfully. "So, what's Kai having you train first?"

"He's having us do chores!" Issei suddenly whined.

A bunch of the teens, and even some of the adults, chuckled at that. It did not help my brother's reaction.

"Aw, don't worry about it!" one of the girls said through giggles. "Once you're done, he'll show you what it's for. See it's-"

"Like 'Wax on, Wax off', right?" I chimed in.

"See! I told you! I told you it was an easily referenced movie!" the blonde boy from before suddenly shouted while pointing at the girls. "Just because it was dumb doesn't mean it wasn't cool~!"

"Ugh, whatever!"

Ikuzeki just shook his head good-naturedly. "Yeah, Kai and Syu know what they're doing. I still remember how much of a thrashing they gave me in the Vale Tudo."

"...What's that? B-Ber-baru?" Issei suddenly muttered.

"Wait, wait, wait! You mean…those guys were in the Vale Tudo?!" I suddenly shouted.

"Yup, same as me. Same as Shuri, actually," Ikuzeki tilted his head curiously and hummed. "Haven't actually heard from her in a while. Wonder what she's up to…"

"What's the…Ber…that thing?" Issei asked.

"It's like the movie 'Bloodsport'. But it actually happened…unlike 'Bloodsport'," I said happily.

"Ouch~!" one of the delinquent teens said.

"It was this big tournament in Brazil, organized by a big Martial Arts family. It was billed as 'no-holds barred', where you brought whatever style you knew against the fighting styles of everybody else. All to see which was 'the best'," Ikuzeki smiled like he was having a fond memory. "I was an Aikidoka, Kai was a Karateka, Syu was a Muay Thai monster, and Shuri was a Judoka. We got pretty far the first time we all went, but the further we all went up…well, we didn't even get close to the winner's bracket."

"What? Why didn't you win?" my brother actually looked disappointed as he spoke. "You must be awesome at Aikido."

"Aww, I wasn't that much, just a third dan black-belt," the man shrugged.

"Third dan black-belt?!" I wheezed out.

"Yeah, Kai and Shuri were even higher than that, actually, and Syu was on another level entirely. Heh, if any of us ever saw each other in the ring when we were moving up the ladder, things would get crazy~!" Ikuzeki shook his head. "But there were dozens of guys just like us. Calling the competition stiff was an understatement. And, of course, since certain styles had certain advantages over another that you didn't know how to deal with…"

"Iku' and his friends started fusing other styles into theirs by cross-training, which is how a Muay Thai master knows Bajiquan, or a Judoka learned Wing Chun, and so on," one of the teens motioned with their hands tiredly. "Every competitor hybridized styles in order to get better chances. That spiraled all the way into the UFC and MMA."

"Those cage fights you watch?" Issei asked me.

I lightly elbowed him with a stern look. "They're not 'cage fights', they're awesome!"

"Preach it!" one of the teens hollered.

Ikuzeki chuckled good-naturedly for a bit before getting an odd look on his face. Just like Tatsumiya earlier, he was looking at something behind me. This time I didn't follow his gaze, instead I just leaned forward.

"Uh, Ikuzeki-san? Is everything alright?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, sure, kid~!" the man said kindly. "Ah, hey, I'm guessing you guys have to head out, right? Real quick, I think I should give you these."

With that, Ikuzeki pulled out four paper talismans and presented them to us. Issei and I had similar reactions, him gawking in confusion and me staring blankly.

"I'm also throwing in a few extras in case you wanna give 'em to your parents. They're good luck charms," Ikuzeki smiled generously. "Kai and Syu put up a bunch in their dojo, 'cause they want all their students to have good fortune. I help a friend of mine with spreading them around, and a bunch of other local places got into it."

"Even some of the other dojos in town? Because that would explain a lot," I mused.

"Heh, yeah, just about. A bunch of them probably think it's the 'newest fad', but I don't mind," the man shrugged cheerfully. "I really do hope these things help you, at least in some way. What do you think?"

"I'll take one! And one for Tou-san as well~!" Issei said happily while grabbing one of the talismans. "Maybe this will help him at his job? And can totally get my hare-mppphh!"

"Yeah, I'll take them," I said coolly while covering my brother's mouth. I gently took two of them and stashed them away. "Thank you for the gift!"

"Don't mention it, kid! You two take care~!" Ikuzeki said cheerfully.

"See you guys later!" Issei called back to the teens as we walked away.

Not long after we got to the park, Gorou picked us up. I handed him his charm, telling him maybe half the story of how we got it and why I was giving it to him. Issei, once we got home, gave Miki her charm and was a bit more descriptive.

By the end of the next week, Issei, myself, and our two idiot friends were standing in front of Kai and Syu while they ordered us to make the same movements we'd used during our chores. Then the two men made half-hearted punches and kicks that we quickly blocked using those exact movements.

"Oh, that's what that was all for!"

"Nii-san, I literally told you that exact thing!"


Later, in a dark place

A shadow stalked through the dark. Curse upon curse seeped from every step. Light was siphoned away as the black figure strode through the halls. Around them, dark spirits slowly shied away, showing deference to the living profanity in this world.

The dark figure entered a wide room and stopped, snapping their limbs together and pressing their hand over their chest in a salute. As their glowing eyes scanned the room, several dark shapes slowly manifested.

The first was a tall figure draped in a red cloak, a blue sash tied around its torso. a pure white mask covered its face, black eyes staring out lifelessly. The creature held both of its hands in its sleeves as it stared at the dark shadow.

The second was a svelte, pretty woman in a loose outfit. Her hair was loose and unkempt, and her white eyes would be unnerving to look at for a human. Most of her face, however, was covered by a large mask.

The third was a gorgeous and athletic woman in a white dress accented by feathers. Despite her smug smile, her eyes belied an unchallenged viciousness. Held over her shoulder were bags dripping with blood.

The final was yet another woman, this one gorgeous and draped in fine clothes with turtle-shell designs. Despite her beauty, her red eyes glowed with terrible malice, and her smile was almost predatory.

"...It seems we're not all here," the dark shadow mused as he loosened his stance.

"The imp is lazing about as usual," the masked woman said contemptuously.

"The 'imp' is a loyal servant to our master, and incredibly powerful," the noblewoman hummed. "You would do well to remember that, little girl~!"

Before the masked woman could respond, a set of nearby doors opened. Two black creatures draped in dark robes strode in on all fours, long tongues whipping out and leaving drool across the floor. The two creatures stared at the five yokai with curious gazes, eyeing the three women almost lustily.

"Oi, boss-man! Didja really have to give me these as an escort?!" a tinny voice echoed from behind the two creatures. "Seriously, they're creepy as hell! And they smell like they haven't bathed!"

"They haven't," the dark shadow deadpanned as another creature passed the two black yokai. "I assume you succeeded in your task?"

The creature was a thin red-skinned thing that barely looked like a man, and it dressed in loose robes. It had large claws and sharp teeth, and despite its lithe frame, it was visibly muscular. Extending from its head was a single, large horn that curved back slightly.

The red-skinned yokai simply gave the shadow a smile. "What do ya' take me for? I always deliver, boss." The thin creature reached into its robes and pulled out two packages. "I even pulled this old switcheroo trick on 'em. By the time they realize what happened, it'll be too late~!"

"Good, very good!" the shadow hummed as he gracefully took the packages before turning to the black creatures. "Out, then! And close the door as you leave!"

"Told you so~!" the turtle-dressed woman said to her masked comrade.

"Whatever!" the unkempt woman hissed.

"And what of the rest of you?" the dark figure asked in his monotone voice when the door slammed shut.

"The Imperial Academy of Onmyoji had quite an eventful evening when a large group of Fudahegashi weakened the wards preventing yokai from entering the grounds. It was a nice spectacle…" the red-cloaked figure hummed as the other spirits eyed him curiously. "With the amount of yokai entering the grounds, the sorcerers had their hands full. Of course, they're working furiously to update the wards that prevent demons from entering the academy…but, that would mean they're overlooking other wards. Ones that would prevent such things as curses and spiritual attacks…my, I wonder if those are still working right~?"

"Wow~! You got that many paper shredders in on that? Dayum~!" the red-skinned monster clapped his hands while cheerfully dancing at the red-cloaked spirit's feet. "You're amazing, senpai~! When I heard you were taking a crack at the wizard academy, I didn't know how you'd pull it off. But you managed to trick them into leaving themselves wide open! Amazing~!"

"Were you seen?" the masked woman hissed at the masked yokai.

"...Well, yes. It was doubtless that an Onmyoji, even just a student, would see me. Thankfully, I was among several other Obake." The red-cloaked spirit inclined its head thoughtfully. "I don't think she suspected that I was the primary threat. She attempted to face the spirits as a whole rather than each at once. Quite admirable…of course, I didn't stick around to find out. I finished my task and fled when I could."

"Idiot! You let yourself be seen by a human?! That could ruin our plans!" the masked woman growled.

"He was seen by an Onmyoji!" the dark shadow said curtly, causing the unkempt woman to stay her tongue. "That was a given. Show him leniency, for he still maintained his cover and lied beneath suspicion," the living curse muttered angrily as he held back his own thoughts, before eyeing the masked woman and the other spirits. "Continue, then!"

"While I'm not often welcome to Urakyoto, I managed to sneak in under disguise along with my servants~!" the turtle-dressed woman giggled. "It's too early to tell, of course, but Lady Yasaka's own wards across her properties and belongings will slowly weaken over the years. Why, in nearly a decade it could even be possible to capture her…or her young child, maybe?"

The red-cloaked spirit laughed at this. "Oh, really? My, I wonder what kind of organization out there would take advantage of that~?!"

The noblewoman chuckled viciously at the appraising glances the other spirits gave her. "Aside from that, the other Ninetales clan in Urakyoto has experienced some rather heated infighting. It seems Tamamo-chan's little grandson was having a bit of a disagreement with his dearly beloved, and their children saw the worst of their bickering." The woman's red eyes flashed with amusement as she inclined her head. "Of course, most couples can't fling fire at each other, can they~?"

"What of them now?" the unkempt woman asked.

"Split apart, non-amicably. It seems they've each taken a set of their kits and stole away with them to different places. He's in Shikoku now, having shacked up with Akihito-chan~!" the turtle-dressed yokai licked her lips playfully. "Seems some of their brats have been acting rebellious on each side, though. I wonder what will happen there. As for Akihito-chan, well, I assume Mune-kun is still whispering in his ear, no?"

"Precisely why Munehito could not join us. Though he did send a letter," the dark figure mused as he pulled out the letter in question before hiding it in his sleeve. "I will read it later to hear your thoughts. Tell me, the mother of those ninetails…a Tenko, yes?"

"But of course~! Why do you ask, master?" the noblewoman eyed the shadow curiously.

"Even if they're not Zenko, they would still have inherited some of her divine power. They could be useful to us," the living curse's glowing eyes narrowed at the turtle-dressed woman. "I want you to take some of my shikigami with you and your servants and position them to spy on them, no matter where they are. If one of them is exiled or flees their parents, I want to know."

"As you wish, my lord~!"

"What else?" the shadow asked.

"The Stone God's temple in Kanto was damaged due to a miscommunication during a construction project. Within the other world, his sacred grounds were vandalized," the woman in the white dress chuckled at the curious looks from the others. "Of course, while Nurarihyon was busy working to appease their 'greatest defender', he was blind to our agents and I as we infiltrated his company to insert multiple computer viruses."

The dark figure hummed. "Computer viruses?"

"It's a modern battlefield, my lord~! With them, we'll be able to spy on both the mortal and yokai side of Nurarihyon's work, giving us a chance to better sabotage it. But that's not what will interest you the most, my master~!" the woman hefted the bloody sacks over her shoulders while a wicked grin tugged at her lips. "These are simply leftovers from the ritual. With everything happening there, none of the locals will notice what we've done."

"Excellent~! That means we can perform that to finish it. And you, of course?" the shadow turned to the masked woman.

"The greater Taimanin clans have befallen various misfortunes, and seem to be fighting amongst themselves. Of course, that tends to happen when various precious artifacts are stolen or broken by what could only be rival clans," the unkempt woman rolled her eyes before pulling out a small box. "Not that those pitiful trinkets were important. After all, this is one of the objects they should have been focusing on. And the rest, I have agents lined up to acquire them soon, though I'm hoping I can personally pilfer them."

"Perfect~! Then things are going along nicely." The shadow's golden eyes flashed mirthfully as the others cheered.

"Oi, boss-man! You keep asking the rest of us how things went, but what about you?" the red-skinned monster jumped up and down before giving the dark figure a pleading, puppy-dog eyed look. "I wanna hear what you did! We can't be doing all the work, y'know!"

The shadow hummed gleefully as his servant begged playfully. "You remember that exorcist and the devil ruler in Chūbu? The ones who 'fell in love' and were, strangely, found out by their respective factions? Well, I waited until after their execution to disrupt their graves," the dark figure chuckled at the scandalized gasps from his subordinates. "Of course, that only gave me the chance to 'requisition' an artifact from the exorcists themselves while they chased whichever devils they believed responsible for such a transgression. And while the devils were busy fending off the exorcists, I stole away with something they were trying to hide."

"A few useful tools, no doubt. But come, playing with devils and angels can't be all you've done," the turtle-dressed woman hummed.

The shadow cupped a hand to his chin, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Well, there are the Five Principal Clans. With all the fighting and bickering, they can't be bothered to watch over their most sacred objects and texts." A twisted grin tugged at the dark figure's face. "But that doesn't begin to cover the Himejima Clan…"

"What did you do to the Himejima Clan?" the masked woman asked.

"Oh, me? I didn't do anything~!" the dark figure said almost playfully. "I simply asked a very jealous man several important questions. He's the one who whipped the rest of the clan into a fervor to kill a woman and the nephilim she'd birthed."

"Nephilim? Was that all? You had a nephilim killed?" the woman in white asked.

"Not quite~! The child managed to escape, and currently she's wandering the countryside with nothing more than the most meager means to hold herself afloat," the shadow chuckled slightly as the other spirits leaned forward curiously. "Of course, one wonders what would happen if she were to have a…guiding hand. After all, she is both a nephilim and a spirit mystic. She could be useful~!"

"That's so twisted~! I love it!" the woman in white cackled.

"Well, with all this done, we'll need to go over our plans again, won't we? Just think of all the variables we'll have to account for if we want to get things started…" the turtle-dressed woman eyed the dark figure as he looked away stiffly. "Is something wrong, master?"

"There is something else…while I was passing through Kuoh…a child saw me," the shadow's golden eyes twitched slightly as he faced his servants. "A human child saw through my disguise. It was why I was more than willing to give our red-caped comrade some leniency."

"What?! Wait, are you serious?!" the red-skinned monster hissed. "Who are they?! Where do they live?! I'll deal with 'em myself!"

"The child is bound to go to the bathroom. Perhaps I can handle this," the red-cloaked spirit hummed.

"No, let me deal with the child!" the masked woman said, while pulling out a massive pair of bloody shears. "The child can't possibly pass my test~! And even if they do, I'll go after their loved ones instead!"

"Enough!" the other two female spirits hissed to the three.

"Master, may I assume that you've already taken steps to deal with the child?" the woman in white asked.

"I have sent my shikigami to spy on him and, possibly, either capture or kill him," the dark figure sighed in annoyance. "However, a strange group of locals have gifted him and his loved ones with various talismans. Because of this, no physical attacks by myself, my Shikigami, or our forces will reach him, not right away at least. No, we need to go the magical route…"

"Ah, so you'll curse the boy, then? How interesting~!" the red-cloaked spirit hummed, tilting his head curiously when he noticed his master shifting in place nervously. "Master, did you already curse him? Should he not be dead, then?"

"No, I attempted to curse him. But…something blocked me. I have no idea what it could have been," the shadow growled slightly as his golden eyes narrowed. "Which is why I don't want to attempt another attack. Not without more information."

"Ah, so you'll be speaking to the old women, then?" the turtle-dressed woman hummed.

"Yes. And you will all be joining me," at the looks and grunts of shock from his subordinates, the dark figure sighed. "If this boy is a potential threat, I'll need to workshop solutions. You'll need all the information to assist me."

A few moments later, the group of yokai emerged from the chambers. They fell in line behind the shadow, all following the living curse as he led them through their home. Many of the dark spirits in the halls leaned towards them expectantly or curiously, while others bowed low and showed deference.

The group quickly reached a large, circular room. At the center was a large basin of water surrounded by a strange glowing green light. Standing at the sides of the basin, just a few feet away from each, were two elderly women with vicious expressions.

"We had a feeling you would come, my lord~!" one of the old women bowed lowly.

"You're in need of some divination, are you not?" the other asked.

"Indeed! And can I assume that you have already prepared the ritual components?"

"But of course, my master~!" the first old woman motioned to the basin while producing a small bag and presenting it to the dark figure. "Come, my lord! Come and gaze into the future for what you seek~!"

Within minutes, the ritual was complete, and the group of yokai leaned over the basin expectantly. The image of a small, brown-haired boy in a martial arts gi slowly appeared in the water.

"That's the child? He doesn't look like much," the red-cloaked spirit mused.

"Yes, well, let's see what he will be like in the future, shall we?" the shadow mused as he waved his white-gloved hand over the basin. "AH~! Now, isn't that interesting?"

The vision showed a teenager in school, flashing across different images of his school life. Most of the images showed him flirting with different girls. Altogether, the boy's future seemed unimpressive.

"I suppose that means he's no threat?" the woman in white muttered.

"...No, no, this isn't all there is. This is only a small glimpse." The dark figure once again waved a hand over the water. "There we are~! Now it all makes sense!"

In the image, the boy faced against all sorts of opponents. Devils, angels, fallen or otherwise, powerful yokai of many varieties, gods, and even dragons. And the boy did so while donning a peculiar device.

"Ah! So he possesses a Sacred Gear…" the shadow tilted his head curiously as he watched the various images of the boy's battles. "I don't recognize this one. Do any of you?"

While the other yokai shook their heads or gave noncommittal noises, the turtle-dressed woman leaned forward curiously. She scrutinized the images even as they switched intermittently, her red eyes narrowing worriedly.

"It…it could be a subspecies? While I've seen quite a few of those objects, I've only seen their basic forms," the noblewoman sighed while leaning back. "If only my castle were still standing~! My library might've had an answer…"

"The Sacred Gear means nothing! What is important is the boy's role in our work!" the red-cloaked spirit hissed angrily.

"Precisely~! What will he do? I wonder…" the dark figure waved his hand over the water once again, his lips curling in annoyance. "Ah, yes, of course. Such a thing is to be expected."

The images were all different. It would only be one of their own in some, a member of their group leading what might be a small contingent of their forces. Several other images flashed as the water rippled, however, showing two or more of the group working in tandem with some of their subordinates.

The images, however, all held one thing in common. One or more of the six evil yokai were either standing over or detaining different persons. None of their features could be seen, only that they were people. There were some symbols surrounding the indescribable figures, showing that they were something cherished.

And standing across from the evil yokai and their hostages was the boy. His eyes would only remain on the yokai, differing expressions of rage written across his face. Deep within his eyes, even through these visions of the future, the spirits could see the fiery glow of his burning hatred as he glared them down.

"So, he will only act if we attack those close to him?" the masked woman asked.

"Well, easy fix, ya? Just don't go after his loved ones!" the red-skinned monster whined.

"Ah, there is no telling what could happen in the future~!" one of the old women suddenly chimed in. "While you may think that you can simply avoid this boy's loved ones, how will you know you've done so? There could be those out in the world who he has not yet met, but will meet and cherish."

"Yes, and you could have already set plans in motion to harm them without even realizing it. The future is a fickle thing, dears~!" the other old woman giggled. "So, what will you do to handle the boy, then, master? What is your plan?"

"He could kill the boy instead," the woman in white hummed.

"No! First…I shall see…whether he can be of use instead~!" the shadow's golden eyes flashed brightly as a fang-filled grin nearly split his face in two. "Yes, yes~! Show me, show me what shall happen if I either use the child for my own ends…or if I kill him instead~!"

The dark figure waved a gloved hand over the basin of water. And the basin responded, flashing with dark and bright colors as the glowing light in the room shifted. While the dark figure smiled viciously, the rest of the group suddenly felt a shudder running through them.

They couldn't describe why or how, but they could feel it. Something had gone wrong.

The image in the basin was of a city. The shadow recognized this city-he'd watched it grow from a set of tiny little huts into a sprawling metropolis over the course of two millenia. And as he'd watched the growth, he sat there hating the city. Hating what it represented, hating how it continued to grow greater, hating its very existence.

In the basin's vision, the city was nothing but rubble and ash. The shadow's golden eyes widened when he saw this. His grin twitched slightly as he leaned towards the basin almost hungrily.

"Heh….hehehehehehe~! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA~! Yes, this is perfect!" the dark figure shouted, a maniacal cackle escaping him for several long moments. "This boy…this child, he could be the key to my plans! If I take him, then we could even start our plans early!"

"Based on the answer you sought, this will happen no matter what you do with the boy. Whether he lives or dies, this will happen all the same," the masked woman hissed curiously. "Why would that…wait! There! That thing!"

"Hmm? Oh, well then~!" the shadow blinked as the vision panned over to a figure standing in the city.

It was a tall creature, standing so tall that even the remains of buildings were only up to its ankles. Most of it was shrouded in darkness, and the image showed the view from behind it, but its general shape could be made out; a bipedal body covered in spines and scales, along with the silhouette of its clawed hands, whipping tail, and massive head. The creature was barely moving, instead it stood in the center of the ruined city.

Then the monster's head shifted, turning around almost as though it had heard something. The yokai watching the vision gasped as they heard thousands of tons of body and muscle move. The monster's claws twitched slightly as a small growl echoed from its jaws.

"Incredible~! This creature…it must be the creature sealed in that boy's sacred gear!" the turtle-dressed woman gasped. "Just like Canis Lykaon! Canis Lykaon is a Longinus that can spawn a monstrous canid that can act on its own instincts and will! The boy's sacred gear could be similar!"

"The Longinus known as Regulus Nemea supposedly did something similar. The lion spirit inside was said to have manifested itself under its own power after an unknown group killed its wielder," the woman in white mused. "So, this outcome…that creature will spawn, regardless of whether the boy lives or dies. This could be useful~!"

"If we can gain control of the boy, then we'd need to change our plans. But…to see that? Yes, it would all be worth it," the dark figure cackled madly as he eyed the smoking ruins of the city around the beast. "I'll send my shikigami en masse! No amount of charms or talismans will protect the boy from them~!"

The red-skinned monster suddenly shifted nervously. "Uh, hey! Is it just me, or is that thing looking at us?"

True to his words, the monster in the vision had once again shifted while the yokai were speaking amongst themselves. The black-shrouded beast had shifted so that it could glance at them from the side, a single glowing white eye piercing through the smoke and pinning them down. The group anxiously watched as the creature stood still.

"Impossible! This is simply a vision of the future, nothing more!" one of the old women said dismissively.

"Indeed~! This creature cannot be viewing us as you believe," the shadow chided the red-skinned monster while moving his hand towards the basin. "It is likely hearing something nearby in the future that is in the same direction. Now, I'll ask a few more questions to ensure that-"

The dark figure froze suddenly, fear lancing through his heart. Just as his hand reached the basin, the monster in the vision suddenly shifted until it was directly facing them. The shadow could feel those glowing white eyes boring into him, searching him with their vicious gaze.

"This…this is simply a coincidence! That is correct, right?" the shadow asked one of the old women.

"Y-Yes, this is only a vision of the future," one of them said, though her eyes were wide in confusion. "This…this can't be real! This must be a coincidence! We have no reason to feel worry, there is nothing to fear-"

* ARE YOU ALONE?*

The moment those words appeared in the vision, the group of spirits gasped. The monster itself tilted its head curiously as all of them, save the shadow, stepped back in horror. White eyes met gold as the two stared each other down.

"This…this can't be real," the shadow hissed.

*IS THAT SO?*

"You…I don't know how you're doing this, but you're two thousand years too late to strike fear into me!" the dark figure growled, fangs flashing angrily as he leaned towards the basin. "You cannot harm me! My wards, my shikigami, my powers, I know they'll keep myself and my subordinates safe. I'm unstoppable!"

* YOU ARE NOT.*

The shadow felt one of his eyes twitch as the monster shifted again. Its clawed hands twitched as its eyes seemed to narrow. The living curse felt a shudder run through him as the sound of a derisive snort echoed from within the basin.

*YOU SEEM UNEASY~! WHY IS THAT?*

The dark figure felt his breathing grow shallow as the creature continued to communicate. All the while, it looked at him with an increasingly smug gaze.

*THIS SEAL WILL NOT CONTAIN ME FOREVER~! YOU KNOW THAT, RIGHT?*

"Seal? So, it is a Sacred Gear?"

*IS THAT WHAT IT'S CALLED? HOW INTERESTING~!*

"You…my plan for the boy was…to use him. Or to kill him," the shadow said as his worry grew.

*GO AHEAD~! SAVE ME THE TROUBLE~! THEN I'LL GET TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN~!*

"Fun? Fun?! You…what are you planning?! I'm the one in control here!" the dark figure hissed angrily. "...If something happens to the boy, you'll be released?"

*GO AHEAD AND FIND OUT~!*

At these words, the creature shifted again, leaning closer. The group could see its features slightly clearer now. A monstrous snout, filled with a terrible maw of teeth, and the entire front of its face was soaked in dripping red fluid. The monster's lips were pulled back as it gave them a terrifying grin.

*BUT ONCE YOU DO…ALL BETS ARE OFF~!*

"What does that mean?!" the shadow growled.

The water rippled slightly as the image zeroed in on the creature's left eye. The image magnified until only the eye was in focus, completely overtaking the entire vision. The glowing white orb burned like a terrible flame that promised death.

* YOU WILL NOT BE SAFE ANYMORE~!*

Before any of the yokai could respond, the water in the basin rippled, the light around them flashing as a loud, terrible growl echoed through the room. The vision was quickly overtaken by the image of a monstrous set of bloody jaws opening wide and biting down, before cutting off at the last second.

The group of yokai stood in silence as the room returned to normal, the original ominous green glow slowly returning. Despite this, none of the yokai moved or spoke. The growl continued to echo in their ears minutes after it had ended.

"AH! AH! AH!" the red-skinned monster started crying out.

"Would one of you shut him up?" the dark figure groaned.

"...T-The boy. What should we do about him?" the masked woman muttered.

"Leave him," the shadow said flatly.

"What?! But, my master-"

"Do not question me!" the dark figure cut the woman in white off curtly, eyeing the other spirits in the room with a firm glare. "There is a theory in life, one about how the rewards of an action can outweigh the risks that it brings. Interfering with the child's life, it seems, will bring too great a risk."

"So, then, w-we just stick to the original plans and hope the brat doesn't cause us problems?" the red-skinned monster asked innocently.

"Yes, precisely! We don't need to change our goals…this is yet another new variable," the shadow hummed. "Continue with our plans, but take the boy into account."

"And whatever that nightmare was, of course?" the turtle-dressed woman shuddered.

"So long as we don't arouse that creature's ire or threaten the boy, we'll be fine. Come, we'll return to our quarters to speak more." The living curse turned towards the woman in white as he motioned for the rest of the group to follow him out of the room. "What was it you set in motion in Aichi-ken?"

"W-What? But, should we not focus on-"

"We won't simply ignore the boy, obviously! But I won't risk attempting to bring such a creature to heel," the shadow bit out, giving the feather-dressed woman a curt glare. "We have more important issues. Now, tell me of your plans in Nagoya."

The woman in white nodded anxiously. "Ah, yes, of course! W-Well, there is this group of humans based in Nagoya that have very interesting goals…"

Despite the tone of the conversation changing, the spirits remained at unease. The shadow chased away his worrying thoughts as he led his subordinates back to their meeting chamber. He couldn't focus on one small child who had a nightmarish monster protecting him. He had scheming to finish, plans to draft, orders to make.

After all, his revenge was far more important.


The group of Yokai are all based on actual Yokai in folklore, save for two-the 'shadow man' leading them, and the 'woman in white'. Their identities will be revealed eventually, but since the Shadow Man likes to stay hidden that won't be for a very long time.

The others are fairly simple. Aka Manto is an evil spirits that haunts restrooms-look him up for some nightmare fuel, and for the best excuse for when somebody asks 'hey, did you forget to wipe?'. Kuchisake-onna is...obvious, I think-the internet has basically given you a free handbook for her. Kame-hime is Osakabe-hime's evil sister, and I do mean evil, because she likes severed heads being presented to her on platters. Amanojaku are a type of Oni who are also (sometimes) lesser evil Kami, and also fights gods-the Four Heavenly Kings are frequently depicted as standing over piles of defeated Amanojaku. So, our main villain has a well-rounded group of other bad guys working for him, and you should probably be worried.

Now then, onto the reviews.

Jji: The MC kinda spells it out, but I'll say it now-the 'perverted comic relief' character almost never dies. The MC, being genre-savvy, thinks that he'll save his life by pretending to be this character. Unfortunately, he didn't commit to it, so he'll have his expectations subverted, seeing as he's dying a second time right at the beginning of the fic.

Some1call4MR-E: One of the things I have planned is where Protagonist/Kazuto gets his own 'side-story', at least on SB, where he's dragged into some anime plot, and suddenly has a mental breakdown and desperately begs MC to save him from being the protagonist. It's meant to be a huge joke where he's desperately worrying that he'll become a bland piece of toast like every other stock LN protagonist, and goes crazy trying to not be 'That Guy'.

tonatiuheber: I'll list the Godzillas that made it into our sealed Godzilla in an Informational Threadmark on SB. I'm not planning to tack that onto any of these ANs here-FF's format isn't capable of handling certain fonts, or bullet/numbered lists very well, or any deviations from the way their site formats things. It's why I prioritized uploading on SB and AO3 first.

Zet4: Thank you for the review :I

For anybody whose interested, you can check out my P a treon. Unfortunately, FF. Net doesn't do the links well, so you'll have to close the spaces below/rewrite it slightly on your browser.

P a treon. com(slash) Locksoli

As always, please leave any thoughts, questions, and constructive criticism in your reviews. And thank you for reading.