Chapter 7

Dancing upside down on the ceiling of an abandoned warehouse is an interesting way of spending my very late afternoon.

I think. Mostly for the reaction I'll get from whatever poor stray wanders in following my scent.

You know, when the spell I told Kuroka to put on me wore off exactly when I told her to have it do so, I'm kind of surprised I didn't immediately get jumped.

Honestly though? That's good! It means Rias is doing a real good job of keeping strays out of her territory!

Still a tad sad I didn't get a fight right away, though.

Getting some chakra control training is always nice, thought it was about time I went to the next level, but since I don't have a tree, the ceiling will have to do!

Anyhow, the only reason I'm here in the warehouse district is because I realized after my little shopping trip that this area has way more space to hide in than say, the forest and fields out in the country.

The only problem with this new plan of mine is I can't stay out all night. I've got two phones, a bunch of food, my motorcycle, and devil fliers stashed out back.

Yup. Devil fliers. Those summoning slips used when you want to broker deals with Devils.

I ran into both Rias's bat girl and some short business suit wearing man, both of whom gave me little slips.

One for Gremory. One for Sitri.

It was hilariously easy to just broadcast my desires - lust, both power and sexual - while I was just walking around and shopping.

The familiars, at least I assume the guy was Sona's familiar, just walked up and gave one to me like it was an ad of some sort.

Easy peasy!

Honestly, the only one I was really after was the Gremory one. My plan for Shirone and Kuroka requires it.

No fucking clue what I'm gonna do with the Sitri one, but, eh? Maybe I could use it to bulli Sona in some way?

Decisions, decisions…

As I was thinking of ways to bully the Sitri Heiress, the doors to the warehouse exploded.

Flying in with about as much subtly as a bag of tin cans, some…spider looking stray devil? Eight legs, eight eyes, the works.

I can feel the taint of his demonic power, a cold dread fills the warehouse, telling me that this guy probably doesn't have a sad backstory like my favorite danger noodle from day one.

The spider halts in the center of the room, his mouth salivating like mad, as his several eyes dart around the room.

"Ehhh…?" he moans, "Come out, come out, wherever you are, ehhh? Come on!" he chitters a laugh, skittering around on the floor, "I can smell you, ya knooow? Come on!"

What is it with all the strays I've met so far having a verbal tick like that?

Also, why do all the strays I've seen look bum fuck ugly?

While I'm internally insulting my not-so-friendly neighborhood spider mutant, he's down there sniffing up a storm.

"Ah! I see! I see!" he exclaims jubilantly, "I know where you are!"

Ho?

"Below! Yes! You bunker beneath me! I will dig you out!" and then, the dumbass began doing just that.

With about half of his arms - or legs? - working on it, he's actually making quick progress.

To accomplish nothing, of course.

I almost let out a loud snort and fall off the ceiling in a fit of giggles, but I smash down that knee-jerk reaction and continue my silent dance.

With a stupid grin on my face, but I continue nonetheless.

I have an idea as to why he came to that conclusion, and it involves the bit of time I spent on the floor before jumping up here.

You see, I did a bit of a pre-workout routine before coming up here; stretches, moving around, getting all fired up, the works.

Also rolled around on the ground like an idiot trying to put out fires again.

But! This was all with the express purpose of testing something.

You see, I'd imagine my scent is extremely thick down there right about now, and I wanted to see if more scent worked like getting someone more and more drunk.

Looks like I was correct, if the guy didn't even think to look up before digging.

You know. In a world where most supernatural species can fly naturally!

Ugh. You know what? If I keep thinking about it, I'll just give myself a headache.

So I'll just keep dancing up here, instead.

I actually kind of want to jump the guy now, but I figure, let's wait a bit! See if I can't get more strays in here to fight all at once?

Hmm. Although, if I do that, maybe they'll start fighting each other for the right to eat me or something?

Eh. Worth it if I at least have to put some effort into it. One-on-one will be over too fast, especially since I want to test my fire during combat this time around.

This time through my sword!

Because let's be real, the only Kami I got around is Uzume, and I seriously doubt she can teach for shit.

So, I'll be on my own here.

Sadge day, truly.

I do hope it doesn't take too long though. If it does, I might just say fuck it, kill the spider, and start wandering around the abandoned district out in the open.

That outta work better, right?

Though I'd rather train, efficiency and all that.

Well. I'll see how it goes, time to zone out and dance for a bit in the meantime.

Honestly? The frantic digging noises in the background are kind of like rain, nice white noise to just do whatever too for a bit.

Could do with fewer random giggles and coos during it though.

~ A New Sun ~

Sona Sitri hasn't been having the worst day, all things considered.

Although one could say chasing your assigned target across town is as it ravenously goes after…something…is slowly pushing it.

"Kusaka-san, report." Sona crosses her legs and sighs. Currently, she and her Peerage are camped out on top of a roof.

Sona has been using one of her Bishops, Reya Kusaka, information and spy-based magic to track their target.

With a sigh of her own, the long brown-haired girl opens her eyes, the spiraling magic circles overlapping them vanishing as soon as she does so.

"Nothing concrete yet, Sitri-sama," she shakes her head, "although the target does seem to be heading in a much straighter path now, so perhaps soon?"

Sona nodded her head in acknowledgment, "Good, keep observing them, then. Update me when something changes."

"Hai, Sitri-sama." Reya compiled quickly, and quietly.

"Uwaaahh…" Sona's attention snapped to the exuberant whine, finding her Pawn, one Ruruko Nimura, sprawled out on the ground, "Seriously, I still just don't see why we didn't jump the guy when we found him! He was right there!"

Momo Hanaki, her white-haired second Bishop, kneeled on the ground next to Ruruko and patted her dark brown-haired head, "Ah, don't worry so much, Ruruko-chan! I'm sure Sitri-sama has a plan."

Tsubasa Yura, her only blue-haired Rook sitting next to them, snorted and interjected. "Leave her Momo-chan, she's just grumpy she didn't get into a fight right away."

Ruruko's eyes snapped to look at Tsubasa, "Oh yeah? Don't act like you didn't want a fight either!"

Tsubasa grunted, "True. But at least I'm not gonna whine about it all night."

"Now now, Tsubasa-chan, Ruruko-chan!" her one and only Knight, Tomoe Meguri, interjects before Ruruko can bite back.

She comes up, getting right in between the two, "Think about it like this, eh? What if! Wherever this guy leads us? Turns out to be some sort of secret hideout! With more baddies to slay!" She pulls her katana from her sheath, and swings it, up, down and around. All with a big silly smile on her face.

"Just imagine! That'd be way more fun than just fighting the one, yeah!?"

The two girls stared at Tomoe blankly, before slowly turning to face away from each other, grumbling their agreement.

Momo smiled, and Tomoe just giggled.

On Sona's side, Tsubaki Shinra, her black-haired Queen sighed at the Peerage's antics, relenting her grip on her naginata slightly.

Sona simply gave everyone a small smile.

At this point? They've run across the entire warehouse district after this guy. She isn't exactly surprised everyone is starting to strain.

Truly, though. Tomoe is very close to Sona's plan, although she doubts they'll find more 'baddies' to fight.

In reality, she suspects that the stray might have something important hidden there, to his single-minded pursuit of reaching said place as soon as possible.

The only reason she hasn't voiced such thoughts is because it would make two of her girls huffy, and she'd rather not deal with that right now.

She gets the strangest feeling like she's going to be dealing with a lot of snark, sass, and general bullshit in the near future, and she can't figure out why.

"Nimura-san," Sona suddenly calls out, prompting the girl in question to freeze and slowly look at her, "when the fighting starts, you have my permission to Promote. For the time being, I'm designating this area as Enemy Territory."

Ruruko gave a predatory grin, "Hai hai, Boss!"

At Sona's ensuing glare, her grin slowly turns sheepish, "Right, Sitri-sama, eheh…my bad."

Sona waved it off with a sigh. Old delinquent habits die hard, she supposed? And Ruruko is the most recent addition to her Peerage…

Sona's thoughts are snatched from her as her usually soft-spoken Bishop suddenly stood up, "Sitri-sama!" and shouted in alarm.

All eyes moved to her, and as soon as Sona looked at her, she continued.

"The target has just entered one of the warehouses, and has started fighting two other strays!" she exclaimed.

Ruruko shot up to her feet, "Hell yeah! Let's do this!" she pumped her fist into the air, a predatory grin back on in full force.

Tsubasa nodded with a similar look, Tomoe looked giddy, and Momo looked slightly concerned for her battle-hungry friends.

Sona quickly took control, raising to her feet, she spoke aloud, "Tsubaki-san, work with Kusaka-san, and get a teleportation circle up and running to that location."

"Hai, Sona-sama." her Queen acknowledged, moving to Reya to do just that.

Sona looked over everyone else sternly, "Gather around, standard formation."

To their credit, they did move quickly into position. Drawing from Sona's favorite game, this formation is quite literally just the typical chess board at the game start.

Although she's lacking all the pieces to fill it up, it always feels like Ruruko acts like she's more than just one Pawn.

Soon, her Queen and first Bishop join them, magic circles spiraling in their hands.

Before they head off, Sona speaks plainly, "By the honor of Prince Sitri, we shall see this through. Right, everyone?"

"HAI! SITRI-SAMA" they all cry back in affirmation.

With a smile, and nod to her Queen, Tsubaki slams the butt of her naginata onto the ground.

A magic circle blazes into existence, and just like that, they're off.

With a flash, the Peerage finds themselves directly outside a warehouse, right before a blown-out section of the wall.

Inside said warehouses, three strays are…arguing, and taking potshots at each other?

"No, I tell you! The smells source is mine!" A giant naked centaur lady, wielding dual spears, throws said demonic power-imbued weapons with a roar at a spider stray, and her original target, an owl stray.

Wait. Smell?

"And I said, I got here first!" the spider stray screeches as he dashes into a hole, that's seemingly just there, to avoid the spear.

"Hoot hoot!" her target calls down to both of the other strays from a catwalk.

Both of whom turn, and look at the owl.

"What are you even saying!?" they both angrily shout back, the spider even poking its head out to do so.

"Hoot! Hoot hoot!" the owl keeps jumping, pointing a wing upwards.

Fortunately, Sona notes internally, it can't fly anymore…it lost that ability when it strayed, but supposedly, it could do other strange things.

So, why does it keep pointing upwards…?

The answer came for her.

A cracking of stone and tile, the pop of air being displaced, and the heat that suddenly pushed out and bathed her and her Peerage made them all take a step back.

In the next moment.

"Clear Blue Sky."

A voice, this time a human male, that Sona thought was familiar, came from above.

And then a person, a figure, with a katana larger than Tomoe's, followed.

And then fire.

Circular waves of slashing fire fell upon the spider stray's neck, cleaving through it and the ground beneath it, all radiating off the man's sword as he delivered a beautiful circular horizontal sword stroke.

As the spider's body slumped to the side, and his head rolled away, the man huffed as the flames billowed out around his sword.

"Sorry about that," he begins, and Sona realizes she does recognize him, "I know you three had like a whole thing going on, but I just can't anymore!" he sighs, and crosses his arms, tapping his foot restlessly on the ground as he goes off.

"Look, I've had to sit up there on the ceiling, listening to that," he points to the corpse, "moan and giggle and shit for most of my night now. I deserve a break, okay!?"

Noriaki Kusanagi.

Well. Maybe he's not just some uncaring delinquent like she originally thought, hmm?

~ A New Sun ~

This entire thing was a waste of time.

Now, granted, it wasn't a complete waste.

The ceiling training went well, but that was just a warmup!

I was hoping for like, several guys to show! You know! A real fight to push my limits!

But instead! I got the Hooty expy, that one Stray from the first Light Novels, and Spider Brother expy!

"Sooo~..." centaur bitch slurs and swoons, "you're what smells so go-"

"Shut the hell up."

"I, wha-?"

I hold a finger up to her, "I said. 'Shut the hell up'," I slowly turned my head to eye her scathingly, "Did all the cotton from your clothes go to your ears or something?"

I am not in the mood for this shit. Could you tell?

Rias. Girl. You've done too good of a job.

The centaur bitch fumes in her spot, her hands clenching tightly as she eyes her spears embedded into the ground next to me.

Before she can say anything that just makes me kill her on the spot, I continue.

"Look. I'm not interested in any bullshit you fuckers spew about eating my brains, my skin, whatever," I huff, crossing my arms, "if you wanna try me? Go ahead! But don't gloat before we even start…after all."

I slowly enter a simple combat-ready stance, and mutter, just loudly enough barely so it softly echoes across the warehouse.

"In the end, all I see you as is free EXP."

The centaur bitch screeches - or nyehs? - some sort of war car, as she rushes down my position on all fours.

Slow.

A shadow slowly encompasses me, and I look up to see a massive owl head barreling its way down upon me.

I snort, and dash to the side, just as it crashes its beak into the ground.

In the next moment, I Ieap forwards, my blade igniting with swirling crimson fire as my heart beats and sends Holy Spirit Power straight through my sword.

The Hooty expy elongated and enlarged his neck and head to make that attack, but its original body sits still, completely open and undefended.

"Hinokami Kagura–", one quick slice. "Dance."

Like an executioner's blade falling atop a neck, I cleave through with ease, dropping from the catwalk with a newly limp corpse falling behind in short order.

The neck and head hit the floor as well, but…

"HOOT! HOOOOTTT!?" They begin immediately flailing about on the floor, screeching in anguish and what I think is confusion?

Regardless, he isn't regrowing anything, so death throes, maybe?

I look down at my sword, and grin.

Unsurprisingly, the real deal is a tad bit better than wood, huh?

I turn to the centaur bitch, who just now was grabbing her spears, having pushed the Hooty expy's severed head off them.

She turns towards me and eyes me with an angry and hungry gaze.

I hold up a finger, and her eyes brim with confusion as I speak the last thing she'll ever hear.

"One. You get one chance to attack me. Put your all into it, or, well…" I swipe my hand across my neck.

Confusion turned to sheer unadulterated rage as she full-on bull stampede rushed towards me.

I sigh. Really.

No. Seriously.

Is this a stray thing? Do all of them share a compulsive lack of pattern recognition skills?

With a booming roar, she's before me, two spears primed for a pincer attack to my sides.

I breathe.

Hinokami Kagura.

Two blades of fire lash out to either of my sides, cleaving through her misshapen spears and severing her arms.

Raging Sun.

A fitting name, no?

As burnt leather fills the air and the centaur bitch cries out in agony, I merely take a single step forward.

"W-Wait no! Pl-"

Her pleading, and nascent attempts at shuffling back in a rare moment of life preservation, are cut off as my normal unlit blade cleaved through her neck.

A second later, her body joined her arms on the floor.

And I loudly groan, as I slowly sheath my sword.

Seriously. I'm not going to lie, danger noodle put up more of a fight than these guys.

Is it because of the sword? Are these guys just weaker?

Ugh. This is why I wanted a good group of them.

"HOOOOT HOO-GHHHUUUU-" the anguished screaming behind me suddenly gets, not cut off, but replaced with…drowned screaming?

I turn, finding said owl monster's head covered in a nice large glob of water.

It doesn't take long from there for the screaming to finally taper off and cease.

Though, I'm not focused on that.

Nope. Instead, my eyes are locked onto the violet eyes of a small girl, surrounded by other girls, as they stand just outside the warehouse, looking in through a large hole in the wall.

She wore an impossible smug smirk on her face as she looked right back, and held a demonic circle out casually in her other hand.

When the stray finally fell limp, she snapped her fingers, and the water and circle dispersed.

"Well, Kusanagi-san," she begins rather amicably, although as she steps into the warehouse, the other girls - her Peerage, I assume - follow around her in a strict formation, "is this what you were out doing to miss your assigned times?"

Sona Sitri.

Well. Look at what we have here!

I send an appraising gaze toward the group as I answer, "Would you believe me if I told you I got sick?"

Sona chuckles at that slightly, "Unfortunately, no."

Well, shit. "Would you believe me if I told you I got sick from drinking, lost my memories, and wandered the countryside mountains for a bit?" I try, lightly.

Sona deadpans at me as her answer, and I laugh.

With one fluid motion, I grab my sword, with its sheath still on, and bring it forth. Slamming it to the ground, and resting my hands on the hilt.

The group flinches at my sudden movement, getting in battle-ready stances quickly. Sona moves, raising a hand to cow them, but I speak as she does.

"Well, Sona Sitri?" she, and her entire group, flinch at that, and I grin as I continue, "Nice to finally meet you, without all the bullshit hiding and faking it. My name is Noriaki Kusanagi, still!" I pause for a beat, then add with a smile. "Technically."

And I mean that.

Honestly? I should probably be a tad peeved at being exposed this early, but eh.

As long as no one finds out about Kuroka living in my house, I find that I don't care all that much.

Besides! This means I can just bully her harder later, no need to fake being weaker, with no powers, or other such nonsense!

Sona frowns heavily at that and goes to speak, but I raise my hand quickly, stopping her before she asks the several questions I know she wants to ask.

"No." I preemptively answer, "To whatever it is you're about to ask."

Sona's expression turns so gobsmacked I wish I could frame it on my wall.

And the rest of her girl squad has these cute little scowls too, aw!

Although, that thigh high girl looks especially reared up to fight.

Cute.

Also, thigh high stockings.

Nice.

She's the pawn, right? Let's see…

The sword girl is obviously the Knight, the two girls in the back next to Sona are the bishops, and the spear wielder is her Queen, which leaves the blue-haired girl as her Rook, yeah?

Wait. Hold up.

I snorted loudly, drawing in their now weary glares, "Did you arrange everyone in your Peerage into a chess match start formation?"

I know Sona had a hard-on for chess, but damn, this is new.

Sona coughed, a tad weakly, "It's just a standard formation is all…" she paused, huffed, and leveled a glare straight at me, "but none of that matters right now. Why won't you answer any of my questions?"

"I don't know you." I state simply with a shrug.

Sona furrowed her brow, "Yet, you know who I really am?"

"Yup."

"So you do know me?"

"Nope."

Her glare turns wrathful.

I smile, and before we can continue this warped rendition of Spongebob any further, I add.

"But! I could get to know you!"

Several of the girls, including Sona herself, preened and stared at me for that.

I deadpanned right back, "Not sexually or romantically, you perverts."

After receiving confused stares in response, Sona decides to just ask.

"How, then?" Sona asked slowly.

Shockingly, before I could answer her, the thigh-high girl stepped forward toward me, "He means a fight, of course! What else could he mean? And I, for one, would love to give it to him!" she declares, her grin almost feral.

"Nimura-san!" Sona interjects sharply, "There will be no fighting here today, fall back!"

"That sucks." I hum out, "Because thigh highs is right, that's what I'm asking for."

"I…" Sona's glare turns into a dumb stare, "huh?"

Did my shattering whatever assumptions she had break her in the head as well?

Heh. Nice.

Nimura…nah, thigh high's grin turned spicy, "Hell yeah! Let's get this going! Er, wait?" she stops, and blinks, "Thigh highs?"

I nod sagely, "Yes, thigh highs." I give her a thumbs up and wink, "Very nice."

The girl blushed, slightly, and winked right back, "Big ass sword, very nice dude," She then turned to look at the sword girl, "Oi. Tomoe-chan! Take some pointers from this guy!"

"E-Eh!?" the now named sword girl exclaimed, "But! Odachi are really hard to wield you know!"

I ignore her and respond to thigh highs with a chuckle, and a nod, "Thank you. It was my father's sword."

"Could you please stop flirting with my Pawn?" Sona bit out through gritted teeth.

"Hmm…" I make a show of thinking for a moment, then succinctly I reply with.

"No."

Sona lets out a trembling, angry groan.

I smile widely, "What? She's cute alright!"

She is. However, maybe before I go pursuing more girls I should ask Kuroka first.

Hmm hmm! I'll do that when I get home.

"Regardless," Sona powers on through before her Pawn can respond, "why do you want a fight so badly? If you know who I am," her glare intensifies, "then you know a High-Class Devil and their Peerage isn't too be trifled with."

Aww! She thinks she's a threat!

Well. She just might be. Only one way to find out…

I smile, widely. "Ah? But that's exactly why I want to fight you," my response boggles Sona once more, judging by the gapes at that, so I continue, "Let's just say, I just joined this wonderful new world, and I want to be tested. I want, no need, to see where I stand."

My grin mirrors the look on her Pawn from earlier, "And I lose? Well. I'll take that L, learn, and become better. If I win, all's the same to me!"

For a good long moment, Sona just stares at me, and then she lets out a deep, loathing sigh.

"Why…why is there another one of you?" She just barely mumbles.

I shrug and smile good-naturedly, "What can I say, I love fighting, okay?"

Sona shakes her head, sighs once more, and pushes up her glasses.

I nearly giggle at how her glasses do the whole anime shining thing.

Is this gonna be a common occurrence here? Ah, well. Just adds to the fun.

"So," Sona continues, "who do you wanna fight?"

"All of you." I respond instantly.

"No." Sona deadpans, hard, "Do you crave death, Kusanagi-san?"

"Hey!" I hold my hands up, "It's not like I'm paper mache here, I could take it! My swords going to be sheathed the entire time too, it'll be a spar!"

Sona huffed out, "And? If you speak truly on your naivety, then you'll die with a challenge like that."

I pout and stare at her.

Sona stares right back. "...acting like a child won't convince me otherwise, Kusanagi-san."

Before I can interject with a very adult response, the spear-wielding girl steps forward, a fuming frown on her face.

"Sona-sama. Please, allow me to take him on."

I blink and tilt my head at her.

Say. Didn't this girl have a Sacred Gear? Mirror Alice, right?

She's also the only Queen in the series to use all her pieces' attributes, yeah?

Not quite High Class yet I don't think, especially not without her Balance Breaker, but she surely shouldn't be Low Class.

Respect +.

Hmm. Yeah, I'd love to go a round with her.

Sona looks back at her Queen, a thin frown on her face, "Tsubaki-san, are you sure?"

"Quite," she replies curtly, then narrows her eyes at me, "this man shows a lack of respect, and clear ignorance, which sorely needs to be corrected."

"Respect is earned," I say aloud, "not freely given."

The grip on her spear tightens significantly, "Sona-sama?" she asks again, much more strained than before.

Sona looks between us, and sighs, before focusing on me, "I assume you don't mind?"

"She's your Queen, right?" I ask, and upon receiving a nod in confirmation, I mirror it and add, "Not at all!"

Sona looks back to her Queen, "Very well, try not to hurt him too badly," she then quickly looks back to me, "and you will answer all my questions when we're done here."

You know. I wanna snark back at that insulting and accusatory tone she's got. I really do.

But actions speak louder than words, no?

Her Queen, Tsubaki, steps up towards me, a tight glare on her face.

I grin straight back at her.

Gee, wonder why she dislikes me so much.

It can't be because of a little disrespect, right? I know she's a lot like Sona, but the King in question seemed only lost or mildly annoyed at my antics.

Not like, well this.

"I will correct your ignorance," she spins her spear around with a flourish, just as the rest of Peerage pulls back to give us space she stops and points it straight towards me, "and displace that arrogance of yours."

Arrogance, huh? Is that it?

I smirk right back, "You know, spear lady, some may say facing an unknown opponent with such gravitas…", I slowly slide into my combat-ready stance, "is the height of arrogance."

She furrows her brow at that, her grip on her spear shaking despite the cold stoic look she glares at me.

"It's not a spear," she says plainly, "it's a naginata."

My smirk grows wider, "I know. I just find it easier to call it a spear."

I see the moment she clenches her teeth, and scrunches up her face.

So did Sona, as she called out before Tsubaki could bite out another reply.

"Tsubaki-san," Sona says simply, "he's intentionally riling you up. Stop responding to him, and let's get this over with!"

She huffs, "Hai, Sona-sama!" before taking in a deep breath and eyeing me.

Her mouth is shut, but I can see it in her, the roaring embers of anger…and hatred?

Oh. Most interesting!

Say. Now that I think about it, isn't this girl a throwaway from the Five Principle Clans?

I wonder, do I remind her of someone from there? Or did her time with them allow her to, at least subconsciously, know who and what I am, and thus ping that mental sore spot in her life?

Ah, well. Still doesn't mean I'll go easy on her.

I look her back, straight in the eyes. All mirth, all passion, all excitement leaving me, replaced with sheer unadulterated anticipation.

"Test me." I utter, just loud enough for her to hear.

Her eyes tighten, but that's all the response I get before Sona announces.

"Begin!"

~ A New Sun ~

Sona watched, rather passively, as Noriaki blasted forwards, his blade wreathed in crimson fire.

"Dance!" he intoned, falling upon Taubaki from above.

Tsubaki immediately backpedaled, dodging the flaming blade, whilst lashing out with her naginata like a snake.

Noriaki was quick to redirect the sharp metal, batting away her thrusts harmlessly around him.

Sona couldn't help but smile.

Tsubaki, with incredible ease, started dancing around him, using her reach advantage to keep his massive sheathed sword away.

She spun around another one of his swings, easily getting behind him, and before he could turn, her naginata was already poised and struck.

The boy tilted his head to the side, avoiding the brunt of the blade, but it still nicked his cheek.

Sona's smile flickered.

That…was a possible lethal attack, had it connected fully.

But before she could say anything, Noriaki turned to Tsubaki and grinned a grin that sent shivers down her spine.

"You're…faster than me?" he said, not all sounding surprised, but rather ecstatic. "That's your Knight trait, right?"

As if to answer him, Tsubaki blasted forward once more, sending numerous thrusts at him.

He couldn't parry them all, several nicked his flesh, but none were lethal.

Even more worrying though? The wound on his cheek was already closing.

Sona had her suspicions, but now she's sure. Noriaki isn't human.

Tsubaki, seeming to realize something similar to her King, widens her eyes, before guarding against a massive overhead swing from the sword wielder.

The ground beneath her cracks and the shaft of her naginata groans slightly, but otherwise? Tsubaki doesn't seem affected by the swirling flames and is only lightly exerting effort into holding back his attack.

"Stronger, more durable…?" Noriko voices, sounding more and more like a kid on holiday.

He didn't even grunt as Tsubaki kicked him in the gut, sending him flying up into the ceiling with a smile on his face.

Tsubaki pointed her naginata at him, and intones, "Be silent," before several barrier magic circles appeared around him, pinning him to the wall, "and yield."

Noriaki looked down at them all, the biggest, happiest, grin on his face.

"Aw, but why would I do that?" his sword ignited into fire, bursting from the sheath as he swung it.

Swirling slashing fire blasted apart the magic circles in the next moment.

Tsubaki clicked her tongue and readied her weapon for him to fall.

Only to gape and stare, as he seems to stick to the ceiling, and sheath his sword.

"After all!" Noriaki intones through the swirling flames, looking down upon them like a kid would for dessert.

And as he does so, Sona and everyone else can see the moment deep red flaming tattoos come up from his neck onto his face, and the way his eyes suddenly spin with two pupils.

"This fight is only just getting started!"