It had been one year since Leo's little "forest experiments."
He was now seven, and during that time, Tokiko had somehow declared herself his unofficial apprentice.
She'd learned that her affinity was Wind, which, in her mind, meant copying all of Leo's moves—except louder and with more spinning.
Leo's own affinity turned out to be Water, which meant one very important thing to him:
'Time to recreate Water Breathing in real life,' he'd decided proudly.
Between training sessions, Leo started digging into the history of this world. To his surprise, a lot of major events had still happened—World Wars, pandemics, even global economic crashes.
But some things were… off.
For example, the Titanic never sank, which meant every "iceberg" joke he tried to make fell flat.
Apparently, North and South Korea had merged after a civil war up north, forming a unified Korea—under the South's rule, no less.
And considering it was the year 2057, that somehow made sense.
Entertainment-wise, the world still had Marvel, DC, some anime, and a few familiar shows... but oddly, no Naruto.
That one hit him the hardest.
Leo sighed. "So, no ninjas yelling about friendship and ramen, but actual ninjas fighting demons exist. Yeah, sure—makes total sense."
The more Leo learned about this world, the more convinced he became that it was basically a parallel version of his old one — same roots, completely different branches.
From what he'd pieced together, things started going sideways around 2027 — that's when corruption quietly sank into the system and technology jumped forward in some areas but stagnated in others.
It gave Leo a working framework:
"This world's like mine... just run through a blender with extra demons."
But right now, deep philosophical thoughts had to wait — because he was sitting cross-legged in a classroom, being taught by his mother.
Around him sat familiar faces — Asagi, Sakura, and Tokiko — along with a few new recruits.
One was a young girl with very long blue hair that reached her ankles and calm purple eyes.
[Insert image of Akiyama Rinko]
Another was a boy with olive skin, blue hair, and one amber-colored eye — his cousin, Fuuma Kotaro.
[Insert image of Fuuma Kotaro]
Depending on the timeline, Kotaro was either going to be the protagonist hero or the "oops, I joined the dark side" villain.
Leo quietly hoped for the first option.
'Please be the RPGX version,' he thought. 'I don't want to have to smack family.'
At the front of the class stood Aoi Fuuma, his ever-energetic mother, and another, older student assisting her — a girl with messy brown hair, red eyes, and that awkward 13-year-old confidence that came from being both too young and too aware she'd hit puberty first.
[Insert image of Mizuki Shiranui]
Leo glanced at her and felt a quiet pang in his chest.
He knew her story — what would one day happen to her.
Mizuki Shiranui... captured, brainwashed, turned into a Succubus… and in many bad endings, responsible for her own daughter's death.
'If I can stop that,' Leo thought, 'I will.'
But then again... could he really change fate?
The Fuuma clan's downfall had already diverged from canon here — in this version of history, the Igawa clan had been the ones to destroy them, starting what became known as the Igawa War.
Asagi herself hadn't been born yet when it happened, meaning even cause-and-effect had shifted.
Some things, it seemed, were already too deeply rewritten.
For now, though, class resumed.
Aoi stood before the group, pulling up a holographic tablet. A glowing purple orb appeared above it, swirling with streaks of energy shaped like a fire symbol.
"Taima Particles," she began brightly, her tone the perfect mix of motherly teacher and overly enthusiastic science presenter. "Also known as Anti-Demon Particles (対魔粒子), or simply Particles. They're the basis of a Taimanin's power."
Shiranui stepped in, tapping the holographic display so the orb split into glowing layers.
"Very little is known about these particles," she explained, her tone more composed. "They're still under study — but one theory suggests Taima Particles are a catalyst that channels power from another dimension."
The class — a bunch of kids under ten — nodded along, pretending they understood what "dimensional catalyst" meant.
Shiranui continued, "In the past, Taimanins didn't understand what these were, so they called it Ki. Demons, on the other hand, view it as magic power — though the function is quite different."
Aoi smiled and gestured at the display. "From what we do know, these particles are the reason we can use Ninja Arts — supernatural abilities that ordinary humans can't. The current theory is that Taima Particles exist within a fifth-dimensional space."
Leo tilted his head.
'Fifth dimension? So… like, anime logic with quantum flavoring.'
He glanced around — half the class looked fascinated, the other half confused.
Tokiko was drawing wind swirls in the air with her finger. Sakura was trying to poke the hologram.
And Kotaro had that calculating face that screamed "I'm totally gonna weaponize this when I'm older."
Leo smirked slightly.
'Yup. This world's doomed if any of us survive puberty.'
Leo then felt his leg being pinched, as he looked at Asagi who was glaring at him, he spoke in a whisper "what did I do?"
She just looked as she spoke with venom. "Stop looking at the Older senpai".
Leo blinked as he spoke in his head. 'wait, she think I am staring at Shiranui, wait a minute... Is she Jealous?'.
Leo blinked, completely thrown off. He whispered back, "Wait—what? I wasn't even—"
Asagi narrowed her eyes, puffing her cheeks slightly. "Don't play dumb."
He stared at her, half confused, half amused. "Asagi, she's our teacher right now."
"So what?" she shot back, crossing her arms, her little face trying (and failing) to look intimidating. "You were staring."
Leo blinked twice, slowly.
'Okay… yup. She's jealous. She's actually jealous. I repeat—seven-year-old jealous of a thirteen-year-old. Adorable and terrifying.'
He gave her a small, teasing grin. "You sure you're not overreacting?"
Her cheeks puffed more. "I'm not!"
Sakura, who'd been sitting behind them, leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "Oooooh, Asagi's jealous~."
Tokiko whispered from the other side, "Classic fiancée moment."
Asagi's head whipped around. "I am not jealous!" she hissed, her face turning crimson.
Aoi, oblivious to the brewing miniature soap opera, continued her lecture cheerfully about particle harmonization.
Meanwhile, Leo leaned back slightly, hiding a grin.
'Man, this timeline's turning into a rom-com faster than I can say Taima Particle.'
He looked back at Asagi, who was now facing forward, arms crossed, pretending to listen. The tips of her ears were still pink.
Leo sighed softly, smiling to himself.
'Guess even in a world full of demons, some battles are just… emotional ones.'
Aoi then continue the lesson. "The UFS researches detectors and ways to artificially create particles for weapons, as they are so effective against demons. In theory, particles are able to reach 5th-dimensional space and might have odd interactions with gravity, but how this is able to create Ninja Arts or Inner Demons is unknown.
Though both, Onmyoji and Exorcists often deny this, the core of their abilities might also be Taima Particles, with internal bias, making them often unreliable sources on the subject".
Kotaro tilted his head as she spoke. "UFS?".
Shiranui then continued. "The United Federation of American-Pacific States (アメリカ及び太平洋諸国連邦) is one of the largest nation conglomerates in the world of Taimanin.
In Japan, the term US Federation (米連) is more often in use. Unlike the real or old "United States of America", the UFS is an even larger entity that formed as a result of the Taiwan Crisis. It is a federalised cooperative body under a trusteeship that governed over parts of Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and both American continents.
As an American Pacific Federation, they oppose the Chinese Union, and both are in a state of Cold War".
Asagi looked at her as she spoke. "They are our allies?"
Aoi looked at her as she spoke. "It's complicated, they are both our enemy and allies".
Aoi sighed softly, folding her arms as the holographic screen shifted to show two hemispheres — one marked with the UFS flag and the other with a crimson dragon-shaped insignia for the Chinese Union.
"Politically," she continued, "Japan has to work with the UFS because they supply us with resources, weapons, and research funding… especially after the demon incursions. But—"
Shiranui added, finishing the thought, "—they also exploit Japan's Taimanin program for their own interests. To them, our villages and clans are both partners and test subjects."
That made even the kids go quiet for a second.
Leo tilted his head, frowning. "So basically… they're like that friend who helps with your homework but then takes all the credit?"
Aoi blinked — then chuckled. "That's… actually not a bad way of putting it."
Sakura raised a hand. "So, like, frenemies?"
Tokiko whispered, "Superpower edition."
Kotaro sighed. "Adults make everything sound complicated."
Leo muttered under his breath, "Yeah, that's politics for you."
Aoi smiled at the group, trying to keep the mood light. "That's why, for now, you don't have to worry about world affairs. Focus on your training and understanding how Taima Particles work. The more we know, the better we can protect this world — and ourselves."
As she spoke, Leo's gaze drifted again — not to Shiranui this time, but to the energy orb on the holographic screen.
'Particles that touch the 5th dimension… sound suspiciously close to the Virus I use,' he thought.
'If I can somehow sync them… maybe I can evolve my powers beyond what Alex or James ever did.'
He smiled faintly at the thought — unaware that Shiranui had noticed his focused, calculating expression.
"Fuuma Leo," she said suddenly. "You're thinking about something."
Leo snapped upright. "Eh—what? No, just… uh, focusing on the lesson."
She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced but amused. "Good. Keep it that way. Curiosity is good — recklessness isn't."
Asagi whispered from beside him, "See? Even Shiranui-senpai can tell when you're daydreaming."
Leo sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I'll write that down right after Miss Jealousy finishes her notes."
Asagi's face instantly went pink again. "Wha—! You—!"
Aoi: "No fighting in class!"
The kids immediately straightened up, faces innocent.
Leo muttered under his breath, 'Man, I'm gonna get detention in every timeline, aren't I?'
'This world is very interesting, I have to say'.
Leo panicked hearing the voice. 'Ah fuck, Alex stop doing that, at least give me a warning like James'.
The voice in his head chuckled — deep, smooth, and dripping with that smug confidence Leo recognized instantly.
'What? You'd rather I knock first? This is a hive mind, not a hotel room.'
Leo mentally groaned. 'Still! You can't just pop into my head while my mom's teaching quantum ninja magic!'
James's voice followed, calm but firm, like the exasperated dad of the group. 'Alex, the kid's got a point. You scared the hell outta me when you did that the first time too.'
'Please,' Alex scoffed. 'You don't get scared. You yell at fear until it leaves.'
Leo rubbed his temple, muttering softly under his breath, "Oh great, now I have both of them arguing in my head again."
Asagi glanced sideways at him, confused. "Are you… talking to yourself?"
He froze. "Uh—no! Meditation. Totally meditating!"
Sakura whispered to Tokiko, "Do you think he's hearing ghosts?"
Tokiko whispered back, "Maybe the Taima Particles are talking to him."
Meanwhile, in his head, James sighed. 'Kid, you're slipping. You need to find somewhere quiet before someone starts asking the wrong questions.'
'Yeah,' Alex added casually. 'Preferably somewhere without psychic five-year-olds eavesdropping.'
Leo mentally facepalmed. 'Not helping.'
He raised his hand suddenly. "Uh, Mom? Bathroom break!"
Aoi blinked mid-lecture. "Now?"
"Emergency meditation moment!" he said quickly, darting toward the door before anyone could stop him.
Once he was outside and far enough from the others, he leaned against a wall and exhaled. "Okay, okay, talk. What the hell do you guys mean by 'this world's interesting'?"
Alex's tone shifted — less mocking, more analytical. 'Because it's not normal, kid. These Taima Particles — they feel alive. Similar wavelength to our Virus, but… purer. Structured.'
James added, 'Whatever they are, they're compatible with your biomass. If you learn to use both together, you could become something neither of us ever were.'
Leo blinked. "…So basically, you're telling me to fuse ninja magic with the Blacklight Virus."
'Yup.' Alex sounded like a man telling his protégé to build a homemade nuke for fun.
James sighed. 'Just don't blow up the village.'
Leo looked up at the clear blue sky and muttered, "…I can already feel fate giving up on me."
Leo froze mid-step.
'Wait… what do you mean "we"? You two are just voices in my head — you can't actually use anything.'
Alex's tone came back sharp, amused, and just a little too confident. 'Kid, you still don't get it. We're not just voices. You're the core, yeah, but we're echoes of power — data, instinct, memory. If Taima Particles interact with your biology, they'll interact with us too.'
James chimed in, more methodical. 'Think of it like resonance. If your body adapts, we adapt. The Virus doesn't exist in isolation — it evolves through everything it touches. That includes these particles.'
Leo frowned. "So basically, if I learn how to manipulate Taima Particles…"
'Then we get an upgrade,' Alex interrupted, tone hungry. 'Imagine Blacklight fused with Taima energy — divine anti-demon biomass. You, me, and James could rewrite the rules of this dimension.'
Leo exhaled sharply, whispering, "You're thinking about it like a weapon again."
Alex's laugh echoed, dark and proud. 'Weapons win wars, kid. And if this world's as broken as it looks, you'll need one.'
James cut in, voice steady but edged. 'Don't listen to him completely. Power like that needs control. Taima Particles aren't mindless. They have intent — order. The Virus… is chaos. You mix the two without understanding them, and you might tear yourself apart.'
Leo rubbed his head, already feeling the beginning of a headache. "So… one side wants to evolve me into a walking anti-demon god, the other warns I might explode trying."
'Pretty much,' Alex said with a grin in his tone.
'That's accurate,' James replied flatly.
Leo sighed. "Why can't I ever get a normal power-up?"
'Because you're not normal,' both voices answered at once.
He groaned and muttered under his breath, "Great. I'm raising eldritch parasites that talk back."
Alex smirked mentally. 'Correction — we're co-parenting evolution.'
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and give me Power stones