It had been two weeks since the siblings had started living in their new home.
Nero had already grown used to his new environment, and even assisted Inkra in some of the chores that had to be done. He’d often go out to buy more wood for the fire, though Inkra insisted that he did not need to push himself to do so. He felt this was a means to repay her kindness however, and he continued to do so despite her comments.
Mena was still not used to living in this space, but Inkra did her best to help her. She’d bathe her, read stories to her, tuck her in at night, she made sure Mena felt safe even if Inkra had seemed scary at times.
She was not their mother, nor could anyone replace their mother. However, she was special to the two of them. She may have yelled at minor inconveniences occasionally, she may have smoked inside the house, she may have looked scary, but the two were well aware that she was incredibly kind.
In the middle of carrying laundry, Nero had heard a noise by one of the side rooms. It almost sounded like Inkra grunting every few seconds.
When he thought about it, Nero had never seen the room in which the noise was coming from. He had heard her enter this room on occasion, but he never took a peek at what had been inside. Perhaps there was something painful inside of there that had to be used? After all, Inkra had many scars on her body, and if she had been making these sounds from within this room, then there was likely a reason for all of it.
Nero hesitated to look as he did not want to disturb her. However he ultimately put the basket of laundry down, and peeked into the small open space of the door.
What he saw was Inkra, standing tall with her arm to the side, her legs spread out from each other but still positioned into a stance. Every few seconds, the grunts would occur but now it was clear what was happening. Inkra quickly struck the air in front of her with her fists at an incredible speed. Sweat flew off her arm and tapped onto the floor. Along with that sweat on her arm, Nero had noticed her body covered in a large amount of it. He knew that she was likely quite strong, but he never expected her to be a martial artist. How long had she been practicing today? No, not just today. How long had she been doing this for her entire life?
Before Nero could even make an estimation of his own, his hand slipped on the door, and he came stumbling into the room and onto the floor.
Inkra: [You slipped up a bit.]
Nero: [I-I’m sorry! I did not mean to do such a thing!]
Inkra: [Heh. Don’t lie. I could tell you were there the whole time.]
Nero’s face froze up upon the realization that Inkra had known he was there.
Nero: [I-I’ll get back to the laundry!]
Inkra: [You wanna learn?]
Before Nero could exit the room, Inkra asked a question of him.
Nero: [P-Pardon?]
Inkra: [You were learning cause you were interested, right? Well that, or you’re a perv, but I highly doubt the second one. So I assume you wanna learn how to fight, right?]
Nero: [I-I despise fighting. I do not like harming others.]
Inkra: [I do as well.]
Nero: [You….You do?]
Inkra: [There were some things that happened a long while ago. I’m not exactly proud of any of it. I’ve even been careful about leaving the house because of it. But in a way, I’m glad that I learned my fighting style. I’m able to protect people with it…or at least, that’s what I wanted to do with it.]
Nero stared down at his own hands, closing and releasing them over and over.
Nero: [Protecting…people…]
He then looked back up towards Inkra with resolve filling his eyes.
Nero: [Inkra! Please! I would like to learn your fighting style!]
Inkra: [Not happening.]
That very resolve in his eyes was crushed in an instant by Inkra’s cold voice.
Inkra: [I got two reasons for that. One, I don’t got time to be a teacher. Two, this fighting style is forbidden. If you were to use it, you’d be putting yourself at risk.]
Nero: [I don’t care!]
Inkra had grown used to Nero being polite, but in this moment, his voice rang out furiously. She looked down at him with a combination of shock and fury.
Inkra: [Hey! I don’t need a kid trying to get themselves killed out there! You’ll be just fine living here rather than trying to go off on your own with this shit!]
Nero: [What about my sister?! Who will protect her?!]
Inkra: [She’s living here, isn’t she?! The two of you will be fine!]
Nero: [What about in the future, when I’m possibly married, or maybe I’ll even have children of my own, what then?! I was unable to protect my mother because I was too weak, but I won’t let something like that happen anymore!]
As his words pierced her heart, Inkra gazed down at the boy before her. What was once a frightened little boy two weeks prior had now looked like a young fearsome oni.
Inkra: [...If I teach you this, there’s no going back. You understand?]
Nero: [Yes.]
Inkra: [You’re sure you want to learn?]
Nero’s face only grew stronger in appearance as he opened his mouth to reply.
Nero: [Yes.]
Inkra: [Alright. I’ll teach you then. But finish the laundry and then shut the door when you come back in.]
Nero: [But I thought you did not have time to teach me?]
Inkra: [Ha? What the hell are you saying? I love being a teacher.]
The two of them chuckled at one another, and Nero hurried off to finish his final chore of the day.
Following this, Inkra would begin her lessons on the fearsome fighting style that had been banished by many.
This fighting style was called…
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Kaoru had been released from her lock, and had rushed over to heal Kōkatsu after hearing about her state. Tears streamed down her face, but they were wiped off by Kōkatsu who looked back at her with a smile. Once she was finished healing Kōkatsu, she moved to Shiro and Silvia in order to heal them. Nero stood there and watched as she went, with a girl who was around a whole foot smaller wrapping her arms around one of his own arms.
Shiro: [Heh. All it took was one good understanding, and now the two of you are real close!]
Nero: [Close? Oh yes, I suppose I didn’t notice. She is indeed close to me.]
Yoro: [Hehe…♥]
Yoro did not make much of a response to their comments, but instead rubbed her cheek across Nero’s arm.
Shiro: [Well, not just in that way, but you know…the other kind…]
Nero: [Other kind?]
Silvia: [Sssshe issss holding your arm, issss sssshe not?]
Nero: [Yes, but I am having some difficulty understanding how that relates to things.]
Shiro and Silvia stared back at Nero with their mouths agape. They had realized why he was saying these things.
Shiro: [N-Nero…you do know why she’s that close to you….right?]
Nero: [Me and her are friends now, aren’t we?]
Yoro: [A little bit more than that, hehehe…♥]
Silvia: [He doessssn’t undersssstand.]
Shiro’s eyes widened as Silvia’s began to close. The tone of Shiro’s voice only became more serious as she spoke.
Shiro: [You…know why she made you feel her heartbeat…right? Like there’s no way you didn’t understand that. Especially after what she said. Wait…Oh, I see. You’re taking one thing at a time. That’s fair. I guess we did just meet her after all–]
Nero: [I’m sorry but I’m rather confused, Shiro. She made me feel her heartbeat because she was excited, correct?]
Shiro: [Yes. Okay, good. I’m glad there’s an understanding.]
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Nero: [Me and Yoro indeed had some fun with our battle.]
Shiro and Silvia erupted in an instant
Shiro and Silvia: [HOW DID YOU NOT GET IT?!]
Nero: [Get what exactly?]
Shiro and Silvia: [YORO LIKES YOU!]
Nero: [I knew that. The two of us are friends now after all.]
Shiro: [DO YOU KNOW WHAT SEX IS?!]
Nero: [Of course, though I do not understand how that relates to this conversation.]
Shiro and Silvia: [SHE WANTS YOUR HOG!]
Nero: [Ah. I must apologize, Yoro, I do not live on a farm.]
Yoro: [That’s alright, dear. ♥]
Shiro and Silvia fell over at the sight of Nero’s obliviousness. The awkward conversation was cut short however by Nero, who noticed an issue with Yoro.
Nero: [Ah, right. Kaoru, could you come over here? Yoro needs to be healed.]
Kaoru: [I-I’m sorry, but I refuse.]
Kaoru had gone pale upon turning to face Nero and Yoro. Nero was not in the room at the time of what had occurred, so he was unaware of what had happened with Kaoru earlier.
Nero: [I…don’t understand. She’s not going to harm anyone. Why are you shaking after seeing her?]
Kōkatsu began to stand up, all of her wounds now closed, as she moved towards Nero.
Kōkatsu: [I gotta agree with Kaoru. No, not just that. Nero, move. I’m finishin’ the job.]
Nero: [Huh? There is no need to fight anymore, Kōkatsu! The battle is over!]
Kōkatsu: [Ya can say that all you like, but this girl is a yarn ball of lies, waiting to be unraveled. However she got ya caught up in them doesn’t matter to me, I’m just gonna make sure to remove those strings by cuttin’ the ball itself.]
The two knights who stood to the side of the group walked in front of Nero and Yoro.
Corti: [Please wait, ma’am.]
Forti: [As he has mentioned, there is no longer a need to fight.]
Kōkatsu: [Move it. I didn’t get to finish my fight with the two of ya before. Want me to do so now?]
The knights grew nervous at her retort, but remained strong in order to protect their lady.
Kōkatsu: [Can we really trust her? Even if ya say all that atonin’ shit, Nero, there’s no guarantee she holds true to it. She might just be tryin’ to win ya over.]
Shiro: [Kō!]
Kōkatsu: [Think ‘bout it, Shiro. Why would she specifically do this with Nero? The answer is simple, ’s his strength. The fact that he could stop her attacks before they hit, the fact that he overpowered the knights, everythin’ was for her own good. She makes me sick, honestly. So I’m doin’ the one right action to do here, and I’m gonna cut her hea–Oi, where the fuck are ya goin’?!]
In the middle of her speech, Yoro let go of Nero and walked past Kōkatsu, now standing in front of where Silvia, Shiro, and Kaoru had been.
Yoro: [Please hold your hands out.]
Silvia did not move, nor did Kaoru. However, there was one exception.
Shiro: [Here.]
Kōkatsu: [Oi, Shiro! Don’t fall for her tricks!]
Shiro: [No. I know exactly what she is going to do. Me and her are the same race after all.]
Yoro replied to Shiro’s comment with a smile, and pulled out an odd pen from thin air. The pen was neither made of matōki, nor her own element, but a different type of essence entirely. She then began to write on Shiro’s palm.
Yoro: [From this point forward, I, Yoro Kobi, promise to not bring any harm towards Nero’s friends. Do you agree?]
She then handed the pen to Shiro. Shiro took the pen from her, and wrote a Y in the palm of Yoro’s extended hand.
Yoro: [Very well. Now in order for this to work, I require all other members to sign my palm as well. I will not force any of you to do so. It is entirely your choice.]
No one had extended their arms, until a few moments later, not Silvia, but Kaoru raised her arm.
Kaoru: [I’ll do it…]
Kōkatsu: [Kaoru!]
Kaoru: [It’s fine, Lady Kōkatsu. I will believe her.]
Yoro smiled and walked over to Kaoru, once again making the same agreement. Shortly after, Silvia extended her arm and Yoro had made another contract. She then turned to face Kōkatsu, a look of disdain still remaining within her eyes. Despite this, Yoro began to walk towards her…
…Before falling to the floor due to her injuries.
Nero: [Yoro!]
Shiro: [Damn it! Kaoru, heal her! Quick!]
Kaoru: [R-Right!]
Kaoru rushed over to Yoro, but was pushed away as she kneeled down to help.
Yoro: [Not yet. I will not be healed until I know if she wishes to agree.]
Kaoru: [But…I can do it right now! You don’t need to wait for the contract stuff!]
Yoro: [If she does not enjoy the sight of me, then that is fine. I do not wish to be healed then. If she chooses to fight me, that too is fine. I will not fight back in the slightest.]
Nero: [Yoro…]
Yoro: [I was sad for so long…I will not let the one who has freed me from that sadness to also feel the same way if I were to fight back. Therefore, she may do as she pleases…]
The room fell silent while everyone looked down at the injured girl. The stillness was then broken by the steps of geta moving across the floor.
Kōkatsu: [Fine. Here.]
Yoro: [Are…you sure?]
Kōkatsu: [I’m not entirely sure I enjoy ya all that much, but if Kaoru trusts ya, then I will too. So hurry up and do that contract thing so she can heal ya.]
Yoro smiled back at Kōkatsu while Kōkatsu averted her eyes away from her.
Yoro: [Thank you.]
She then wrote down the agreement on Kōkatsu’s palm, and a Y was written on Yoro’s own. A light shined against the palms of all who had been there, and the deal was made.
Kōkatsu: [I do have one question though. Why wasn’t Nero included in this?]
Yoro: [The answer is simple. I would sooner kill myself than harm him in any way.]
Kōkatsu let out a small exhale and raised one eyebrow.
Kōkatsu: [That so? Ya sure are a crazy gal. Alright, Kaoru, heal her.]
Kaoru: [Y-Yes!]
Yoro was healed back to her original state. Her wounds had disappeared and the only blood that remained was the dried out sections of her face and clothes. Nero assisted her in standing up off the ground, which resulted in her grabbing her dress by the sides and bowing shortly after.
Shiro: [Well, now that that’s settled I think we should be good to g–]
All of a sudden, the entire castle began to shake. The ceiling had started to fall, bricks in the walls had slid out, and certain sections of the walls had collapsed with the ground all together.
Shiro: [What the hell is going on?!]
Kōkatsu: [Oh shit.]
Shiro: [What?]
Kōkatsu: [Yeah so…remember when I said I had a plan earlier?]
Silvia: [You didn’t…]
Kōkatsu: [I might have…]
Shiro: [I don’t get it! What are you two going on about?!]
Kōkatsu: [I kinda destroyed anythin’ that was supportin’ the castle…with the exception bein' the pillars near the entrance…which got destroyed by her last attack…]
Shiro: [You did WHAT?!]
Nero: [We need to move! Quickly!]
Everyone: [Right!]
The group hurried across the now collapsing castle in order to reach the entrance once again and escape. While moving, several pieces almost collided with the party. However, while they were running…
Yoro: [Ah! Wait! There’s something I need!]
Kōkatsu: [We don’t got time to wait! Oi!]
They turned to see Yoro running back to collect something from a room. As she ran towards the door, a large chunk of debris fell towards her.
Yoro: [Aaaaaaaaaah!]
The debris was then stopped…by two knights who were struggling to push it upwards.
Yoro: [Corti! Forti!]
Corti and Forti: [We will do what we must! Please go, Lady Yoro!]
The two shook more and more, falling lower and lower as more debris was added to the pile.
Corti: [We won’t be able…]
Forti: [To hold much longer…]
Yoro: [No! I’m not losing the two of you!]
With the amount of weight that was now on their backs, the two looked as though they would be crushed soon enough. They once again dropped lower and lower until…a shadow raced past Yoro, and arrived at where the two knights were.
Corti and Forti: [You!]
Nero: [The two of you! Go and assist her now!]
Corti: [But with this much weight…]
Forti: [Surely you will…]
Nero: [NOW!]
Corti and Forti: [Y-Yes!]
The knights rushed to help Yoro retrieve what she needed, while Yoro tried to extend her hand towards Nero in desperation.
Yoro: [No! Please! I don’t want him to die!]
Kōkatsu: [Oi, little missy.]
Yoro: [Huh?]
Kōkatsu: [Don’t worry ‘bout him. Focus on what ya need.]
Yoro: [But–]
Kōkatsu: [Trust me. Ya ain’t seen nothin’ yet.]
Kōkatsu gave a grin towards Yoro, and nudged her head in the direction of Nero.
The immense weight of clay that would have soon crushed the knights still persisted, and had attempted to crush Nero as well. Attempted, however, was the defining word. The debris could barely move him. No. Far from it. It was the opposite. Nero had been moving the entire stack upward. His body completely outstretched towards the sky. He did not falter, he did not kneel, he stood tall and conquered the mighty force that tried to push him.
Yoro looked at him in awe, but was quickly pushed by the knights to grab what she needed and move. While Yoro left the group temporarily, Shiro and Silvia had also gazed at Nero in complete shock. They were well aware that he had been strong, but to hide this much felt unreal. Yoro quickly ran into the bedroom of the castle while the knights made sure she was safe, where she grabbed a flat looking book, and ran outside with it. Nero quickly crushed the rubble above him, and moved towards the entrance with the others.
Though it had been close, the group successfully made it out of the castle, with smoke from the aftermath following shortly after, covering their vision and causing them to cough for a few moments.
Kōkatsu: [Haha! That was fuckin’ awesome! That shit was like an action movie!]
Shiro: [I feel like you’re getting too excited over this.]
Silvia: [I am ssssurprissssed my tail did not get sssstuck at any point.]
While the party stood there, relieved that they had made it out alive, Yoro stared up at Nero.
Yoro: [You saved them…]
Nero: [It would have made you sad to lose them, correct?]
He smiled at her, causing her entire face to become red. It had even seemed as though steam came out of her ears. Yoro quickly turned around and shouted at her knights.
Yoro: [Corti!]
Corti: [Yes!]
Yoro: [Forti!]
Forti: [Yes!]
Yoro: [Properly introduce yourselves!]
The sand dunes grew silent as the knights were unsure of how to reply to their lady.
Corti: [Lady Yoro…]
Forti: [We have already introduced ourselves to him…]
Yoro: [Properly!]
The knights turned to one another in confusion.
Corti and Forti: [Properly? What exactly does that enta–Oh! OH! YES!]
They quickly rushed over to Nero and proceeded to take off their helmets. Nero and his friends were surprised at the sight of Corti’s true appearance.
Corti: [I…am Corti!]
Shiro: [Corti…]
Silvia: [Issss…]
Kōkatsu: [A….]
Nero: [She…?]
From what emerged underneath the helmet, was a woman with luscious blond locks. Her body was incredibly tall, and muscular at that. However, due to these features, the group had assumed the “brothers” were brothers the entire time since they had not seen her face.
Forti: [And I….am Forti!]
Underneath the other helmet emerged a man with dark blue hair styled into a faux hawk appeared. The group…was silent at his appearance.
Forti: [I understand. My reveal is not as exciting…]
Corti: [It is okay, brother! They are likely too shocked to speak at the sight of your appearance!]
Kōkatsu: [Actually no he’s ri–mmphmpmhm]
Shiro: [Shush.]
Forti had become saddened at the realization that his reveal was not as grandiose as Corti’s, leading Corti to console him afterwards. Kōkatsu tried to mention that what he said was true, but was promptly stopped by Shiro who put her hand on Kōkatsu’s mouth.
Yoro: [The two of you are aware of where the backup castles are, correct?]
Corti and Forti: [Yes!]
Yoro: [Very well. You will move to the closest one. From there, you will keep things in check while I am gone.]
Corti: [Yes, La-While you are gone?!]
Forti: [Lady Yoro, are you saying…]
Yoro: [I’ll be joining Nero and his friends on their journey! Once I am done, I shall return back to my new castle with my new husband!]
Corti and Forti: [New husband? Oh! Yes! Of course! Does this mean we shall serve him as well from this point forward?]
Yoro: [The moment I decided he was mine was the moment you two started.]
Corti and Forti: [Yes, Lady Yoro!]
Nero turned to face Shiro.
Nero: [I wonder who this new husband of hers is. I hope he will be quite the nice fellow when we meet him.]
Shiro: [You cannot be serious right now.]
Kōkatsu then interrupted both conversations by stepping in the way.
Kōkatsu: [I didn’t agree to her joinin’ us, I’ll have ya know. So if ya think ya can just walk in here and let her in, ya got a whole lot more discussin’ ya need do with me–...Nero…]
Nero: [Yes?]
Kōkatsu: [Ya sly fuckin’ dog. Ya did this on purpose.]
Shiro: [Kō? What do you mean?]
Kōkatsu: [I have Kaoru. But due to the situation with Kaoru, we can’t exactly go reportin’ her now can we?]
Silvia: [No, but how doessss that–Oh, I ssssee.]
Kōkatsu: [If Yoro was some nobody who wasn’t even written into the tasks, then this would be easy. But this motherfucker, when I least expected it, pulled a fast one on me.]
Kōkatsu looked at Nero with a smile stretching across her face.
Kōkatsu: [Ya made sure to get some leverage on me. Ya allowed Kaoru not just because she had nowhere else to go, but it would also help ya out. Now I can’t go reportin’ her, or else I’m in shit myself. I can’t make any threats, because ya’d be able to make one easily as well.]
Nero: [I don’t know what you mean, Kōkatsu.]
Kōkatsu: [Don’t play dumb. I can sniff out yer real feelin’s from a mile away.]
Nero closed his eyes in response to her comment, a nervous smile slowly appearing on his own face.
Nero: [I apologize. I’m truly not fond of such methods. I had contemplated going through with the plan several times while traveling to the castle. But as soon as I saw how sad she was, I knew that my idea I created in the beginning in order to prevent any harm to her had been just. Therefore, I wanted to help her in any way I could.]
Kōkatsu: [Well it worked out pretty well. Now we got the task done, she’s still safe, and ya even have yer own girlfriend.]
As Kōkatsu finished talking, Nero’s face became puzzled in response.
Nero: [Girlfriend? I’m sorry Kōkatsu but I do not have…one…]
His eyes began to widen and his body quickly pointed to himself in a sporadic motion.
Nero: [SHE WAS REFERRING TO ME WHEN SHE SAID HUSBAND?!]
Shiro, Silvia, Kōkatsu and Kaoru: [YOU JUST FIGURED THAT OUT?!]
A new comrade has joined the quintet, and with it, a new dilemma has risen for Nero.
A succubus who is deeply in love with him now hangs over his shoulder.
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