Nate was clashing wooden sword in a dojo, as he was beigg train, he was in the back footh, the one too blush him back was Lie-In Heart.
From what his mother told him, Blazion and Komasan are her closet Yokai Companions with her having more metal she can summon them from
So it only made sense, be was being trained by one of her stronger Yokai.
Nate's arms ached as the wooden bokken smacked against his guard again, the impact rattling down to his elbows. He slid back across the polished dojo floor, sneakers squeaking, his stance barely holding.
Lie-in Heart towered in front of him, the lion warrior's strikes carrying real weight despite being "only practice." His fiery mane flickered as he spoke.
"Too slow, Nate. You've got spirit, but spirit alone won't keep you standing."
Nate gritted his teeth, lifting the sword again. 'Yeah, easy for you to say. You're a flaming lion samurai. I'm just a six-year-old with noodle arms'.
Still, he lunged forward, swinging in a wide arc. Lie-in Heart parried effortlessly, batting his blade aside like swatting a fly. Nate stumbled but caught himself before he hit the mat.
From the sidelines, Blazion crossed his arms, watching with a grin. "He's holding up better than I thought. Most kids would've dropped the sword five minutes ago."
Komasan tilted his head, tail swishing. "Oh my swirls, he sure is stubborn… reminds me of Lily when she first trained."
At the mention of his mother, Nate shot them a glare. "Hey, don't compare me to her—I'm me!"
Lie-in Heart's mane flared brighter, and he pressed forward again, forcing Nate back step by step. "Then prove it. Don't just inherit your mother's fire—forge your own."
Nate staggered back, clutching his ribs where the last strike had grazed him. He lifted his bokken just in time to deflect another swing, wood clacking against wood. The force sent vibrations through his arms, and with a sharp twist, Lie-in Heart's strike knocked the weapon clean out of Nate's hands. The wooden sword clattered across the dojo floor.
Breathing hard, Nate scowled but refused to drop his stance. His legs trembled, yet he stayed on his feet.
Lie-in Heart lowered his own blade, mane flickering like embers. He gave a slow, approving nod.
"You're better than most six-year-olds I've seen. You learn fast, Child of Prophecy."
Nate wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his sleeve, muttering under his breath. Yeah, because I've got the soul of an eighteen-year-old crammed in here. If I didn't, you'd be wiping the floor with me in five seconds flat.
He forced a grin, meeting the lion warrior's eyes. "So, what's next? Gonna keep smacking me until I pass out, or are we done proving I'm not useless?"
Blazion chuckled from the sidelines. "He's got your fire, Lie-in Heart—just in a smaller package."
Komasan clapped his paws together nervously. "Oh my swirls… he's got spunk, but maybe we should give him a break before he breaks."
Lie-in Heart smirked. "Breaks are earned. If the boy wishes to stand among us, then he must endure. Again!"
With a roar, the lion hurled Nate's bokken back toward him. Nate barely caught it, his hands stinging. He sighed. Of course. My life is anime boot camp now. Fantastic.
But as he reset his stance, he felt a flicker of something—focus, sharper than before, like his body was finally syncing with his mind. Maybe, just maybe, he could turn this around.
Few minutes later
Kunou padded across the dojo floor, tails swishing as she hurried to Nate's side. "Nate, are you okay?"
Nate leaned on his bokken like it was a cane, sweat dripping down his face. He gave her a crooked grin.
"Oh yeah, totally fine. Just got whacked around by a flaming lion samurai, no big deal. Happens every Tuesday."
Kunou puffed her cheeks. "You always joke when you're hurt. You should take this seriously!"
He shrugged. "I am taking it seriously. I'm seriously about to collapse."
Lie-in Heart gave a rumbling laugh, mane flickering brighter. "Good. Humor in the face of defeat. A warrior's spirit shines not only in strength, but in resilience."
Kunou crossed her arms, still frowning. "Or maybe he's just stubborn."
"Both," Nate said with a wheeze before slumping onto the tatami mat. "Definitely both."
Blazion leaned toward Komasan, whispering. "Told you, the kid's got fire. He just hides it behind sarcasm."
Komasan tilted his head. "Mmm… or maybe sarcasm is his fire?"
Kunou huffed, kneeling beside Nate and patting his shoulder. "Fine. But don't push too hard, or I'll tell Aunt Lily you're overdoing it."
Nate groaned dramatically. "Great. Nothing's scarier than Mom finding out. Not even lion guy."
Lie-in Heart raised an eyebrow. "…We'll see about that, boy."
Nate gritted his teeth, forcing himself upright, bokken clutched in both hands. "Round two," he muttered, eyes narrowing.
For just a heartbeat, his gaze flickered—bright purple light shimmered in his pupils like a spark trying to ignite.
He dashed forward, wooden blade swinging. The movement was sharper, faster than before—so fast that when his feet struck the tatami, faint embers scattered behind him like fireflies.
Clack!
Lie-in Heart barely intercepted the strike, his wooden sword locking against Nate's. The impact rattled harder than expected, enough to make even the seasoned Yokai warrior widen his eyes.
Blazion's mane flared, his voice breaking into an excited roar. "That was… fire! No doubt about it!"
Komasan's ears perked, blue flames flickering nervously. "Oh my swirls… that wasn't normal. Not normal at all!"
Lie-in Heart held his ground, staring at the boy's glowing eyes. "So… the prophecy stirs already. At only six years old…"
Kunou blinked in shock, then quickly scrambled to Nate's side as he staggered back from the clash. "Nate! Your eyes—what was that?"
Nate blinked rapidly, and just like that, the glow was gone. He scratched his cheek, pretending it hadn't happened. "Uh… probably just the dojo lights or something."
Everyone else in the room: "Yeah, sure kid".
Later that day, Nate and Kunou sat cross-legged on the polished wooden floor, notebooks in front of them, though only Kunou seemed eager to take notes. Nate, meanwhile, leaned back with his arms crossed, his expression caught between interest and sarcasm.
Yasaka sat before them, her nine golden tails swaying gently behind her like lanterns in the wind. A soft aura of nature pulsed around her—warm, steady, and calming.
"Unlike humans," she began, "we Yokai do not rely on formulas or cold calculation to cast magic. Nor do we possess innate demonic energy like the Devils. Instead…" She raised a hand, and a lotus-shaped flame bloomed from her palm, glowing with natural energy. "We draw from the world itself—breath, stone, tree, and stream. This bond with the world is called Spirit Bond. It allows us to weave nature's energy into objects, into ourselves, or into spells. It is both versatile and deeply personal."
Kunou's eyes sparkled as she leaned forward. "So when you make barriers around Kyoto, that's Spirit Bond?"
Yasaka smiled. "Correct. The barriers exist not because I impose my will, but because I ask nature to lend me strength. The land answers, because I honor it."
Nate raised an eyebrow, tapping his knee. 'So… nature magic, but friendship style. Cool. Guess that explains why Yokai energy feels different from the mana I know in games'.
Yasaka's tone shifted slightly as her tails flicked. "There is, however, another path. One far more dangerous."
She let the flame in her palm fade, her golden eyes narrowing. "Senjutsu."
Kunou tilted her head, ears twitching. "Senjutsu?"
Yasaka nodded. "It is the art of sensing and manipulating life force itself—the breath of all living things. With Senjutsu, one can heal, strengthen, or grow… but also poison, corrupt, and kill. It is not forgiving. Those who wield it recklessly are devoured by the very nature they try to command."
At that, even Nate sat up straighter. So it's basically nature magic on hard mode. Okay, that sounds like something I'd either break myself on… or totally abuse if I figure it out.
Yasaka looked at both children seriously. "That is why I will not teach you Senjutsu—yet. First, you must learn the harmony of Spirit Bond. Only when your hearts are steady, only when you can respect life itself, may you walk the path of Senjutsu."
Kunou nodded earnestly, ears wiggling with determination. "I'll do my best, Mother!"
Nate? He just sighed, deadpan. "So basically, don't turn into a toxic swamp monster. Got it."
Yasaka blinked, then pinched the bridge of her nose. "…Why do you sound exactly like your mother?"
Nate's brow furrowed as Yasaka finished her explanation. The word Senjutsu had triggered something in the back of his mind—memories not from this life, but from the late nights he'd spent binge-reading fanon theories and wikis.
'Right… the Nekoshou thing. In canon, Koneko's sister Kuroka went rogue because she was forced into Senjutsu experiments. And that was tied to… Naberius. But wait, wasn't that only fanon? No, in some versions it was actually true. Crap. What if it's true here too?'
His small hands tightened into fists.
Taking a slow breath, Nate looked up at Yasaka, breaking the serious silence of the lesson. His tone was cautious but deliberate.
"Lady Yasaka… do you know about the Naberius family? I've heard some Yokai whisper their name."
Kunou blinked at him in surprise—hearing a noble Devil name from a six-year-old's mouth wasn't normal. Yasaka's ears twitched, and her expression immediately hardened, her tails flicking sharply behind her.
"…The Naberius," she said slowly, her voice suddenly carrying an edge. "Yes. A devil clan of old. Experimenters. Meddlers. They pursue power through… cruelty."
She placed a protective hand on Kunou's shoulder, her eyes narrowing at Nate. "Why do you ask, little one?"
Nate swallowed. He couldn't exactly say 'Oh, I read about them in a wiki in my past life'. So he did what he always did—half-truth with a sprinkle of sarcasm.
"…Because some of the Yokai elders mentioned their name when they were gossiping. It sounded… bad. And if they mess with life force the wrong way… well, I don't want Kunou—or anyone—to get hurt."
For a moment, Yasaka just stared at him. Then she exhaled softly, looking at him with something like respect… and wariness.
"You are far too young to worry about such things," she said gently, but her tone carried weight. "But your instinct is not wrong. Keep this to yourself, Nate. The Naberius have been silent for years, but silence does not mean safety. And… you are not the only child they would covet."
Kunou shivered, leaning closer to Nate. Nate kept his face straight, but inside, he was frowning.
'So it's not just fanon here. Damn it. That means Kuroka's story might actually happen. And if I don't do something, it'll spiral just like canon… or worse.'
Nate looked at her as he spoke. "Yasaka-sama can you please check up on then I have bad feeling"
In his mind he spoke. 'In Canon, it was Kuroka who was hunted and her sister was given to Rias, but in Fanon it was Genocide, I rather not have be a genocide to anyone be miss used, I am gonna be the Yokai King after all'
Nate smiled faintly at Yasaka's words. Kunou tilted her head, curiosity burning in her golden eyes — but she kept silent.
Later that night, Yasaka's home was quiet, save for the hum of spiritual wards being set into place. Yasaka and Lily sat together, an unspoken weight hanging over them. Yasaka raised her hand, summoning a shimmering portal screen, the air rippling with her magic.
"Time to call in a favor," Yasaka muttered.
The screen flickered to life, revealing a youthful-looking devil with a childlike figure but an almost ridiculous bust. Her black hair was tied in twin-tails, swaying as she spun dramatically. She was wearing… a magical girl costume—complete with sparkles, frills, and a star-tipped wand.
[Insert image of Serafall Leviathan]
"Mahō shoujo Sera-tan, transformation—!" the devil sang, twirling in place.
Both Yasaka and Lily froze. Their eyes twitched.
"...She's still doing this?" Lily muttered under her breath.
As if synchronized by decades of friendship, both women raised their hands and smacked their foreheads at the exact same time.
"Serafall," Yasaka finally said, her tone equal parts tired and sharp.
The devil froze mid-twirl, blinked at the screen—then gasped. "Yacchan! Lily-chan! Ahhh, why didn't you tell me you were calling?!" She scrambled, trying to hide her wand behind her back, her cheeks puffing like a scolded child.
Yasaka sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We need to talk. And it's not about… whatever that was."
Lily crossed her arms. "Though it really should be."
Serafall laughed nervously, scratching her cheek, but the playful mask slipped when she saw the seriousness in Yasaka's gaze.
Serafall froze under the heavy stares of Yasaka and Lily. The air shifted—playfulness drained from her like water seeping out of a cracked vase. Her wand vanished with a flick of her wrist. With a snap of her fingers, a high-backed chair materialized behind her, and she lowered herself into it gracefully.
Her frills and sparkles dissolved into a sharp, tailored black suit. The childish sparkle in her eyes dimmed, replaced by something colder, calculating. The aura around her now was unmistakable: the Demon Lord Serafall Leviathan.
She crossed one leg over the other and folded her hands neatly.
"Judging by both of your faces," she said, her voice calm but edged with steel, "this isn't a casual visit. This has something to do with my people."
The room went quiet. The levity that had been there moments ago was gone, replaced by the tension of old friends forced to speak as leaders.
Yasaka's tails twitched behind her. Lily glanced at her friend, then back at Serafall, and gave a short nod.
"Yes," Yasaka said finally, her tone solemn. "It's about the Naberius."
Serafall's eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't speak—just gestured lightly with one hand. Go on.