Ryuji sat at the kitchen table, half-awake, half-alive, holding his freshly brewed cup of coffee like it was the only thing keeping him tethered to existence.
Tokiko stood in front of him, hands waving dramatically as she explained everything in one breath.
"—and then Leo went FWOOOSH with his knife, and there was water everywhere, and the tree went SHWAK, and then he said he didn't invent anything but he totally invented something and Asagi got jealous again and—"
Ryuji blinked once.
Twice.
Then took a very, very long sip of his coffee.
"…And here I thought Mondays couldn't get weirder."
Tokiko nodded enthusiastically. "Uh-huh! He made a new ninja art! Sakura said so!"
Ryuji took another sip.
"…Of course she did."
Tokiko leaned in, eyes sparkling. "Uncle Ryuji, do you think Leo can make more? Like fire breathing? Or lightning breathing? Or something cool like—"
Ryuji held up a hand.
"Tokiko… sweetie… I'm gonna need you to slow down."
She blinked. "Why?"
Ryuji set his mug down, rubbing his face like he aged ten years in the last ten minutes.
"Because if your cousin really did what you said he did… I'm going to have to explain to the council why a seven-year-old reinvented martial arts."
Tokiko gasped. "Will I be in trouble too?"
"No, no," Ryuji sighed. "You'll be fine."
He pointed at the stairs with tired resignation.
"Leo, though? He's grounded from inventing new techniques until further notice."
Leo, who had been eavesdropping behind the wall, peeked around the corner with a pout.
"That's not even fair! I didn't— it was an accident!"
Ryuji gave him a look only a father with decades of ninja nonsense could produce.
"Son… I love you… but nothing you do is ever an accident."
Leo opened his mouth—
Closed it—
And grudgingly accepted that his dad was, unfortunately… absolutely correct.
Tokiko raised her hand again.
"So does this mean Leo can teach me next time—?"
Ryuji: "NO."
Leo: "NO."
Alex (in Leo's head): 'This family is exhausted.'
James: 'And it's only Monday.'
Meanwhile with Leo.
Alex spoke in his head. 'What, are you thinking about'.
Leo replied in his head. 'Just the fact that I recreated a breathing Style means anime sword Technic can be recreated, and maybe other anime powers, Taima Particles are very flexible. '
Alex's mental voice came through with that familiar, annoyed-scientist tone he always used when Leo was about to do something insane but also technically correct. 'Flexible doesn't mean limitless, kid.'
Leo spoke back, but was annoyed. OhedOh come on, Alex. You saw what happened — my blade actually produced water. That means elemental breathing is fully compatible with Taima Particles. Which means… theoretically… if I push it…'
He paused dramatically in his own head. '…I could recreate any anime technique that relies on internal energy manipulation.'
There was a very long, heavy, tired sigh that echoed through the hive link. 'I swear to god— Don't say chakra.'
Leo: 'Chakra.'
James: 'STOP.'
Alex, however, was dangerously calm. 'So let me get this straight. You think Taima Particles—which already manipulate gravity, magic, and fifth-dimensional space—can reproduce fictional combat systems from worlds that don't exist here… solely because you remember them?'
Leo (proud): 'Yes.'
Another silence.
Then—
Alex: '…Annoyingly, that tracks.'
James: 'WHY ARE YOU ENCOURAGING THIS?!'
Alex: 'Because it's interesting.'
Leo smirked to himself as he walked around his room. 'If breathing techniques work… then maybe ki-based techniques will too. Or nen. Or cursed energy. Or—'
James practically yelled through the hive link. 'NO. NO MORE POWER SYSTEMS UNTIL YOU CAN DO THE FIRST ONE WITHOUT ALMOST CUTTING YOUR OWN FOOT OFF.'
Leo looked down at his foot.
…fair point. 'Fine. No cursed energy.'
(He lied with the confidence of a politician.)
Alex, however, sounded amused—dangerously amused. 'But Leo… you're right about one thing.'
Leo: 'Hm?'
Alex: 'Taima Particles are flexible. Too flexible. If this world really sits on top of a dimensional sea like you said… then the energy here isn't just compatible with those systems.'
A pause.
Alex: 'It's hungry for them.'
Leo stopped walking. '…Meaning?'
Alex then explained. 'Meaning whatever you introduce here—breathing arts, fighting styles, "anime logic"—this world will adapt to them. Evolve with them. Spread them.'
James groaned loudly. 'Fantastic. We're one kid's imagination away from turning this universe into a shōnen battle series.'
Leo grinned wider. 'Not gonna lie… that sounds kinda awesome.'
Alex:
'Which is exactly why it terrifies me.'
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and give me Power sorry for the Short Ch but didn't feel like written much today enjoy