Nate was with Toadal Dude in the training room, as Nate enchanted his fist with Spirit Bond, as his arms moved, and then he started to smash and break the giant rock in the room with the motion of a streaming River. After a few second, he stopped.
As he heard clapping, he turned his head to see, Insomnia, Kunou, Forstina, Whisper, Jibanyan, Kuroka and Fumika.
He made a shipshape grin. "Thanks, guys".
He them spoke in his head. "Still, no way near what Bang was with The Water Stream Rock Smashing, then again, I am trying to recreate it".
Toadal Dude just looked at him as he spoke. "Not bad, still creating a whole new style, from nothing is hard".
Kunou then went to Nate as she spoke. "So, um, Nate, what does this style do?".
Nate panicked in his mind. 'Right, what do I do, how do I explain to this 15-year-old fox girl, what, Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, is, One Punch Man hasn't even been made yet'.
Nate rubbed the back of his head nervously, sweatdrop forming. 'Crap, crap, crap—no One Punch Man yet, so if I say the name straight, I'll sound insane… Think Nate, THINK!'
He quickly made a hand flourish like some martial arts master from an old kung-fu flick.
"Ah, Kunou, my style… it's called the Flowing River Fist."
Kunou tilted her head. "Flowing River Fist? Sounds like a yo-kai name."
Whisper immediately puffed out his chest. "Ooooh! A martial art that is both destructive and cleansing—like washing away evil spirits with a mighty tide! Very yo-kai indeed!"
Jibanyan crossed his arms. "Nyaa… sounds more like he just punches stuff really hard."
Forstina added dryly. "You mean breaks stuff, loudly."
Kuroka purred. "Mmm, but nya~ it does look graceful, little flowing kitty punches~."
Insomnia finally clapped her hands once. "So it's a style that embodies movement like water, but strikes like a hammer. A human version of river spirit combat, maybe?"
Nate latched onto that instantly. "Yes! Exactly! That's totally what I was going for."
Phew… safe.
Toadal Dude chuckled from the side. "He's bluffing, but hey—if it works, it works. Training ain't about fancy names, it's about results."
Fumika, being the only human in the room, tilted her head and asked plainly,
"But… what does it actually do?"
Everyone turned to Nate, waiting. He froze for a second, recalling Bang's words from One Punch Man. Then, slowly, he straightened his back, clenched his fists, and let his tone grow serious.
"It's basically the perfect blend of offense and defense," he explained. "Every strike flows into the next, like water—never stopping, never breaking. If someone attacks, their strength isn't just blocked, it's redirected right back at them. In short…" He looked at Fumika directly. "It's the art of overwhelming your opponent without ever letting them land a real hit."
The room went quiet for a moment. Even Whisper stopped fidgeting.
Kunou's golden eyes widened. "So… it's like a dance of water that drowns your enemy in their own power."
Insomnia crossed her arms, nodding thoughtfully. "Efficient. Beautiful. Terrifying."
Kuroka smirked, licking her lips. "Nya~ sounds fun. I wouldn't mind testing it firsthand…"
Fumika, however, blinked twice, unimpressed. "…So basically… it's parry-spam, but with extra steps?"
Nate's eye twitched. "It's not parry-spam! It's—okay, maybe it sounds like that, but it's way more refined!"
Toadal Dude burst out laughing. "Kid, you're lucky she's human. Most yokai would've eaten you alive for underselling it like that."
Jibanyan snickered. "Still just looks like fancy punching to me, nya."
Nate groaned in his mind. Bang would cry if he heard this…
Toadal Dude cracked his knuckles. "Alright, words are fine, but show 'em what you mean. Let's see this 'flow like water' stuff in action, dude."
Nate sighed. Great. Guess I can't bluff my way out of this. He clenched his fists, letting Spirit Bond course through his arms again. "Fine… just don't complain if it looks rough. I'm still piecing it together."
Toadal Dude charged with a wide hook. Nate stepped in, his body moving fluidly, and with a twist of his arm he caught the momentum and redirected it—sending the yokai skidding sideways into a mat.
"See?" Nate panted. "That's the idea. Use their force, not mine."
The group leaned forward. For a moment, it really did look like the water-dance Kunou imagined.
But then Toadal Dude sprang back up and came in with a barrage of strikes. Nate tried to keep up, redirecting what he could, but his timing faltered. After three deflections, the fourth blow slammed into his chest and sent him stumbling back.
"Gah—okay, yeah, not perfect yet." Nate wheezed.
Kunou giggled behind her sleeve. "Decent… but clumsy."
Fumika nodded matter-of-factly. "So… parry-spam with lag frames."
"Stop calling it that!" Nate snapped, his face red.
Kuroka purred, her tail swaying. "Mmm, but it's promising. If you polish it, you could toy with even strong devils and fallen angels. Nya~ I like it."
Toadal Dude gave a thumbs up. "Not bad, kid. For half-baked martial arts, it's got flavor. Keep training and maybe one day it'll be the real deal."
Nate exhaled, rubbing his chest. Still a long way from Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist… but hey, it's a start.
Toadal Dude picked Nate up as he spoke. "Still, as a martial artist myself, and someone who fought my mother before, creating a whole new fighting style is highly difficult—nearly impossible—if you're not sure what you wanna do."
Nate dusted himself off, wincing. "Yeah… I figured. It's like I'm trying to reinvent the wheel, except I don't even have the blueprints."
Insomnia smirked. "So basically… you're throwing punches and hoping philosophy catches up?"
"Hey!" Nate shot back, but then shrugged. "...Kinda."
Toadal Dude crossed his arms. "Look, dude, martial arts ain't just about cool moves. They come from purpose. Like, what are you fighting for? Power? Protection? Balance? The 'why' shapes the 'how.' Without it, you're just flailing."
Nate froze. Purpose, huh? His mind flashed between all the faces—Kunou, Hailey, his friends, even the Classic Yokai relying on him to keep them from fading away.
Kunou tilted her head. "So if Nate's reason is… protecting others, then his style will reflect that?"
Toadal Dude nodded. "Exactly, lil' fox. His flow will only stabilize when his intent does."
Jibanyan stuffed another sweet in his mouth. "So basically… Nate's fighting style is in beta testing."
Everyone laughed. Nate groaned. "Great. My martial arts is early access."
Whisper adjusted his bowtie, smirking. "Well, at least you're not charging us for DLC yet."
Fumika looked at Nate curiously. "So… Nate is a prodigy?"
Nate chuckled, shaking his head. "As if."
Kunou tilted her head, ears twitching. "But… you're the child of prophecy, aren't you?"
Nate pushed himself up to his feet, brushing the dust off his clothes. "Not saying I'm not. But a prodigy? No way. My sword technique, my Spirit Bond, my body, and now even this martial art… all of it came from training. From Lady Yasaka, from my mom, from the other Yokai who drilled me until I thought my bones would snap."
His tone grew firmer. "None of it came naturally. I'm not some genius who just gets it. I just… refuse to quit until I do."
There was a moment of silence. Even Whisper didn't crack a joke this time.
Then Jibanyan piped up, mouth full of sweets. "So basically, you're not a prodigy—you're just stubborn."
Nate smirked. "Exactly. Stubborn beats prodigy any day."
Toadal Dude gave him a rare serious nod. "Respect, bro. That's the spirit of a real martial artist."
Kunou smiled softly, almost proud. Fumika, though, looked even more impressed. "So… you're telling me all this strength is earned?"
"Every last bit," Nate said, crossing his arms. "And I'll keep earning more."
Kuroka padded over and flicked Nate's forehead with a sly grin. "Nyha~ and that's exactly why you have a harem, kitten."
Nate groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Ow—wait, how does that even connect!?"
Kuroka's tail swayed lazily as she smirked. "Because girls can tell when someone is all talk… and when someone actually bleeds, sweats, and claws their way to power. That's why they stick around you, nya."
Hailey chuckled from the side. "She's not wrong. It's… kind of inspiring, actually."
Kunou crossed her arms, her cheeks a little pink. "…Not that I'd say it out loud or anything, but… she's right."
Whisper dramatically pulled out his tablet. "Ah, yes! The classic tale of the underdog hero winning hearts not with destiny, but with sheer effort and—"
Jibanyan shoved a sweet into Whisper's mouth. "Too long, didn't ask."
Nate sighed, shaking his head. "…Unbelievable. I train every day, break my body, build my style, and what do I get? A forehead flick and a lecture about harems."
Kuroka leaned against him with a teasing purr. "You get me, kitten. That's more than enough~."
Nate looked over at Fumika, who was focusing on the faint glow forming in her palm. "So, how's everything with your Spirit Bond training going?"
Fumika flicked her wrist, and a brief shimmer of purple light flickered across her hand—then fizzled out. She sighed. "Still not there. Three years, Nate! Three years, and it still feels like trying to catch smoke. Yokai magic just comes so easily to you, Kunou… or you, Nate… Hey, why is that anyway?"
Nate rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to sound smug. "Well, as Lady Yasaka explained to my mom—since you all know she's a seer and a former Yokai Watch user—Spirit Bond just kind of runs in my family. Mom learned it directly, and it's been passed down for five generations now. I'm basically the fifth seer in the bloodline."
Kunou tilted her head with a curious smile. "So, your entire family's just been… spiritually linked to Yokai for generations?"
Nate nodded. "Pretty much. Guess it's in the blood at this point. Makes bonding a lot smoother for me."
Fumika crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks slightly. "So you're saying I'm just cursed with normal bloodline problems?"
Kuroka snickered from the side. "Nyaha~ you're fine, Fumika. Magic takes time. Besides, not everyone can have a family tree full of spooky humans and fox wives."
Nate groaned. "Kuroka, can you not make that sound weird for once?"
Kunou smirked. "But she's not wrong~."
Toadal Dude chuckled deeply. "Heh. Kid, you got talent and heritage, but don't get too comfortable. Training's training. Bloodline or not, power fades if the body doesn't earn it."
Nate smiled at that. "Wouldn't dream of it, master."
Fumika looked at Nate as she spoke. "Will, that doesn't explain Hailey and her being good at it!"
Nate looked at her as he spoke. "Fumika, you're sweet and Softhearted, you get Yokai metal through summoning Yokai Echo with your Yokai Pendant, while Hailey.... We all saw what she did to that poor punching bag yesterday".
Fumika's face turned red at the reminder. "H-Hey! That punching bag didn't deserve what happened to it!"
Kunou giggled, her tails swaying behind her. "It exploded, Fumika. It didn't even tear—it detonated."
Whisper floated in dramatically, holding up his tablet like a police report. "For the record, that poor punching bag's remains were found scattered across three different rooms! A tragedy of the highest order!"
Hailey, who had been quietly snacking on dango, looked up and smirked. "What? It looked at me funny."
Nate crossed his arms, giving her a deadpan look. "Yeah, looked at you funny, and now it's in therapy."
Toadal Dude let out a booming laugh. "She's got the right attitude though. Spirit Bond thrives on intent and emotion. Hailey's got plenty of both."
Fumika slumped her shoulders, muttering under her breath. "Guess I'm too nice for Spirit Bond then…"
Nate placed a hand on her head gently. "No, Fumika. You're just approaching it differently. Yours isn't built on aggression—it's built on empathy. You feel the Yokai around you instead of trying to control them. That's not weakness."
Fumika blinked, looking up at him. "You really think so?"
Nate smiled softly. "I know so. You're not meant to punch through walls. You're meant to reach hearts."
Hailey elbowed Nate teasingly. "That was so corny I could make popcorn out of it."
Kunou giggled again. "Still sweet though~."
Toadal Dude nodded, arms crossed. "Cheesy or not, it's the truth. Every fighter's Spirit Bond is different. Learn yours, and you'll stop comparing it to someone else's."
Whisper raised his hand like a narrator. "A wise lesson from the amphibious master of fists!"
Toadal Dude grinned. "Darn right."
Fumika took a step back, exhaling deeply as faint purple light shimmered around her hands. "Alright, Nate. Let's see if I've got it this time."
Nate cracked his neck with a grin. "That's the spirit. Remember—don't force the connection. Let your Spirit Bond flow with the rhythm of your heartbeat."
Hailey smirked from the sidelines. "Or, you know, try not to blow the floor up again."
"Hailey!" Fumika snapped, cheeks puffed up, before turning her focus back to Nate.
They both took stance. Nate's movements were calm and fluid, his aura like a gentle river stream. Fumika's was smaller but vibrant—waves of emotion flickering through her energy, unstable yet alive.
She lunged first, fists glowing as her Spirit Bond flared. Nate effortlessly redirected her strike, twisting her momentum away like water weaving around stone. "Good form," he said calmly, "but you're still thinking too much."
Fumika grit her teeth. "Then maybe I'll stop thinking!"
Her next swing came in faster—less perfect, more instinctual. The energy around her pulsed, more fluid this time. Nate smiled faintly, catching her arm and pushing her back gently. "That's it. You're starting to feel it now."
Before Fumika could respond, she slipped on the floor and fell—right into Nate's arms. The room went silent.
Kunou giggled. "How romantic~."
Kuroka purred mischievously. "Nyha~ so bold, Fumika~."
Hailey facepalmed. "Classic anime moment, right there."
Fumika's face turned crimson. "I-I-I wasn't trying to—!"
Nate laughed softly, helping her up. "Relax. Happens to everyone. Even I fell on my face the first time I tried redirecting energy."
Meanwhile, in the observation room above the training hall…
Yasaka stood behind the viewing glass, watching with calm amusement. Her golden eyes followed Nate's every motion, a proud yet knowing smile curving her lips.
"Still growing fast," she murmured, tails flicking gently. "His control over the Spirit Bond is almost seamless. Just like I hoped."
Next to her, Lily appeared, holding a cup of tea. "Almost seamless? You sound like a proud teacher and a worried mother-in-law."
Yasaka smirked. "He's both our student and our headache."
They both chuckled softly as they watched Fumika attempt another strike—this time managing to lightly graze Nate's shoulder before he redirected it perfectly.
Yasaka nodded approvingly. "Good… she's finding her rhythm. Her spirit resonates with compassion rather than force."
Lily smiled fondly. "It's strange, isn't it? Watching our kids blend Yokai and human arts, creating something new. Something alive."
Yasaka closed her eyes, sensing the ripples of energy through the air. "Indeed. The world changes when the next generation learns to fight not just with strength… but with understanding."
Nate let go of Fumika, who was still blushing so hard that even her Spirit Bond aura flickered pink for a second. He handed her a bottle of water with a calm smile. "Here. You did great today, Fumika."
"T-Thanks…" she said softly, taking it with both hands like it was some kind of sacred relic.
Nate stretched, rolling his shoulders as he ran his hand through his hair, pushing it back into place. The simple gesture somehow made every girl in the room pause.
Kunou's tails twitched. "Why… why does he look like he's in one of those romance dramas when he does that?"
Kuroka leaned on Kunou's shoulder, purring lazily. "Nyha~ Because he's our cool kitten~."
Hailey crossed her arms, pretending to scoff. "Tch. Show-off." Her faint blush gave her away.
Nate blinked, completely oblivious to the effect he was having. "I guess that's enough training for today," he said, taking a deep breath. "Everyone did great. We'll continue tomorrow."
Jibanyan flopped on the floor, tail swaying weakly. "Nyan~ finally! My paws are done for the day."
Usapyon, who had been recording everything for training data, gave a robotic thumbs-up. "Mission complete. Nate's 'Cool Hair Flick Move' documented for analysis."
Whisper groaned. "Oh yes, let's all pretend the hair flip was a martial arts technique now!"
Nate just chuckled. "Hey, it's all about the flow, Whisper."
Hailey smirked. "Flow, huh? You sure that's not your ego?"
"Could be both," Nate said with a grin, earning a few laughs from everyone.
Nate looked at Fumika, Hailey, and Kunou. "Oh yeah, Imada and Gorota are waiting for us at the arcade."
The girls blinked before remembering—it was Sunday. Their usual day to hang out together as a group.
Then Nate suddenly paused, as if recalling something. "Oh right, before I get changed…"
He leaned in and kissed Fumika, Hailey, Kunou, Kuroka, Frostina, and Insomnia on the cheek.
It had become a strange little habit of his after every training session—a small gesture of affection none of them really questioned anymore. With that, Nate headed to his room to shower and change out of his martial arts outfit.
To be continued
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