Knocked-over stands, dazed people and various belongings of said knocked-over people littered the blacksmiths/artisans store-filled street with the groans of disgruntled citizens floating in the air.

"Urg... not again, this is the fifth guy the Capital Virtue of Diligence has punched in the face this month," a man in blacksmith attire uttered as he and many others helped restore the area to an orderly state.

Xenazuki blinked in utter bewilderment as she balanced on the tip of her fuzzed-up woolly tail with her fist firmly placed against Temperance's face. Temperance faintly puffed up his chest before slowly letting out a heavy exhale from his mouth. Xenazuki's eyes lit up and sparkled like stars as she removed her fist from the ticked-off Temperance.

"Thanks... for interrupting me with that punch," Temperance said snarkily with an obnoxiously sarcastic tone. Xenazuki averted her gaze and timidly giggled at Temperance's tone.

"Erm... punch line... insert punch line here?" Xenazuki uttered nervously. Skull nawed on a femur bone while she and Kannachi glared at the giggling Xenazuki.

"She's setting her sights on my future man/Sis is trying to steal my sparring partner," Kannachi and Skull grumbled simultaneously before sharply looking at each other. The duo slumped their heads to the side and defeatedly sighed at each other. Xenazuki instantaneously ended her giggling before she rotated her head and glared at the duo with an angered/disgusted expression on her face.

"You've got some nerves thinking I'll be participating in your harem squabbles because you best think again, dumb-dumbs," Xenazuki stated as her voice became deeper and deeper with every syllable; Kannachi and Skull felt a wave of pressure weigh down on them which emanated from Xenazuki.

"Zuki, what have you been told about exerting your azure abilities on others especially when punching them," the ice/wind elemental said sternly as he landed on the street and dispersed his snow wings. Xenazuki flinched, and her pupils bulged as she released the pressure she was exerting on Kannachi and Skull. Xenazuki swung her head at the ice/wind elemental and stared at him while she was on the verge of tears.

"But Papa... he didn't even flinch from my greeting punch that basically makes us a couple," Xenazuki whined in a high-pitched voice. Temperance unamusedly closed his eyes and furrowed his brow while Kannachi crossed her arms and held her tongue.

"Did your mother tell you that's how it works or something?". Xenazuki nodded, making Xenazuki's father defeatedly exhale before looking at Temperance.

"Do you have any problems with my daughter's declaration, sport?" Xenazuki's father asked. Temperance let out a meek groan and opened his eyes into a half-hearted glare.

"I mean I already... have someone who calls themselves that, but given how kitsunes operate I doubt that would matter, right?" Temperance snarked jokingly, managing to get a chuckle out of Xenazuki's father.

"I hear you. Once a kitsune or alkorian sets their sights on someone that's that, for better or mostly for worse" Xenazuki's father added before he raised a hand to Temperance.

"My name's Magistrate Yokuza Sakamoto.". Temperance looked at Yokuza's hand and reluctantly shook it.

"Temperance...". Yokuza raised an eyebrow while trying to keep his growing smug dad demeanour in check.

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"I would say only telling me your title is rude, but I'm mostly referred to as Magistrate, so I shan't judge," Yokuza stated telepathically, causing Temperance to flinch. Yokuza smirked at Temperance as the two ended their certified awkwardly prolonged handshake. Temperance felt light thuds on his chest, making him look down to see Xenazuki tapping her head against his chest.

"Yeah?" Temperance uttered politely.

"Why's your spiritual energies all funny?" Xenazuki uttered timidly.

"Medical condition," Temperance stated sharply. Yokuza amusedly huffed and rubbed the back of his head.

"I was going to ask that myself, but I figured as much, and since you're functionally family why don't I have my sister do a medical examination on your condition?" Yokuza offered.

"I appreciate the offer... but there's no need, my... teacher said it would pass after a certain point in my life," Temperance stated.

"That's a weird way to say it, Tem-Tem," Skull remarked as she, while carrying Kannachi on her back, crawled up Temperance and settled on his kitsune tails.

"Not my words; he's just weird like that," Temperance uttered before he agitatedly glanced to the side as he felt the faint visage of Teach looking over Temperance's shoulder. Hika-01 appeared on Yokuza's shoulder from a cluster of silver before she leaned to his ear and whispered into it.

"She said what...?" Yokuza mumbled before he covered his eyes and sighed, "...honestly what is she thinking.". Yokuza rocked his head from side to side while mulling over the relayed request he received from Hika-01.

"On an unrelated note, I take it you're still planning on participating in the extra entrance Hunter Tournament, Temperance?" Yokuza asked. Temperance glanced back at his tails as Merrybel and Crystal climbed onto them before Temperance lightly sighed.

"You should choose your next words very caref-" Teach managed to say before being cut off mid-sentence.

"It would seem like that," Temperance replied. Teach violently facepalmed, dragging his fingers across his face as he groaned to himself.

"It would appear your ears aren't working, given you couldn't hear what the main Hika said to the snow fairy here," Teach remarked, with Yokuza flinching and shivering upon Teach uttering snow fairy despite being incapable of perceiving Teach. Teach faded away, and Yokuza rubbed his cheek as Hika-01 teleported away.

"Didn't think I could still get chills. Anyways, I take it you don't seem too thrilled about that, so I have a proposal for Temperance," Yokuza stated. Temperance lifted and lent an ear to Yokuza.

"I'm listening; if it happens to involve circumventing the need to do that tournament.". Yokuza nodded.

"It seems we're on the same wavelength then. I'm willing to get not only give you a scholarship but also to your friends given the... heh... severity of mine and my partner's request," Yokuza stated with Temperance and Kannachi nodding as they listened.

"Which is?" Temperance asked. Kannachi tilted her head as the gears in her brain turned before her face lit up as she thought of something.

"Let me guess; you want my Tem-Tem to add all of your daughters to his recently formed harem." Kannachi stood triumphantly on Temperance's tails and felt a wave of pride as she saw Yokuza smirk with an equal amount of surprise.

"Impressive, and that saves me the trouble of trying to word it more subtly. But yes, what you said is indeed what the request entails.". Yokuza held out his hand for a handshake, and Crystal smirked.

"Talk about making a deal with the devil," Crystal said in an upbeat tone, causing Yokuza to snicker and lower his hand.

"Well, we all can't be made of virtue; now can we?" Yokuza retorted with an equal amount of glee in his voice, which made Xenazuki defeatedly curl up into a ball and encase herself with her tail fur.

"How is Papa so much better than me at puns?" Xenazuki whined as Yokuza picked her up and placed her on Temperance's tails.

"So, what do you say?" Yokuza asked once more.