Lanterns floated along the canal like captive fireflies, their reflections rippling in the black water. The night market's clamor had thinned to a murmur—vendors packing takoyaki griddles, last tourists snapping photos of the willow-lined banks.
Issei and Asia strolled the stone path, yukata sleeves brushing, the air thick with the scent of grilled eel and distant temple incense.
Asia's steps slowed. The Boosted Gear gauntlet beneath her glove pulsed once, a dragon's heartbeat against her wrist. "Issei… do you feel that?"
He did. A flicker of spiritual pressure—sharp, childish, laced with panic. Not hostile. Desperate.
"Stay close," he murmured, hand drifting to the key-chain Excalibur at his belt.
They rounded a bend where the path narrowed between machiya walls. A small figure huddled beneath a red torii gate half-hidden by bamboo: blonde twin-tails, fox ears twitching, nine miniature tails fanned in distress.
Shrine-maiden reds and whites, hakama torn at the knee. Tears streaked her cheeks, smudging soot from earlier foxfire practice.
Kunou.
She sensed them first—ears snapping upright, golden eyes narrowing. "Humans!" The word cracked like a whip. "Have you seen my mother? Tall, nine tails, leader of—"
"Yasaka," Issei finished softly. "Yeah. We know the name."
Kunou's tails bristled. Foxfire ignited in her palms—pale blue orbs no larger than marbles, but hot enough to singe the air. "Then you're with the spear-wielders! Liars! Thieves!"
She hurled the first fireball.
Issei sidestepped lazily, the orb sizzling past his ear and bursting against a stone lantern. "Whoa, easy, kid. We're the good guys."
"Liar!" Another volley—three this time, arcing like comets.
Asia raised her hands. "Kunou-chan, please—!"
But the fox-girl was already charging, tiny fists glowing, tears flying. Issei sighed. Canon speedrun, huh?
He played.
First orb: he caught it bare-handed, Phoenix Force flaring to swallow the heat, then juggled it like a baseball. "Cute trick. My turn." He flicked it back—gentle, controlled. It popped against Kunou's shoulder with a puff of warm smoke. She yelped, more surprised than hurt.
Second volley: Issei spun Asia behind him, Excalibur unfolding into a slender rapier of light. He parried each sphere with the flat of the blade, sparks dancing like fireflies. "Tickles," he grinned.
Kunou growled—adorable, furious—and lunged, tails lashing. She summoned a barrier of foxfire, a shimmering dome meant to trap him. Issei stepped through it, Gamer's Body shrugging off the heat, and tapped her nose with two fingers. "Boop."
The barrier shattered. Kunou blinked, ears flattening. "How—?"
Issei crouched to her eye level, voice softening. "We're not your enemy. But you're scared. And tired. And you attacked first." He offered a hand, palm up. "Truce?"
Kunou hesitated, lower lip trembling. Then pride won—she slapped his hand away and pounced, tiny fangs bared for his throat.
Guard down.
Issei moved.
He flowed like water—Phoenix Force guiding his limbs. One hand caught her wrist mid-bite, the other scooping her under the armpits. He spun her once, twice, a playful pirouette that left her tails flailing. "Gotcha."
She kicked—wild, frantic. Issei pivoted, using her momentum to flip her upside-down, holding her by the ankles like a caught kitten. Foxfire sputtered uselessly toward the sky.
"Stop squirming," he chuckled. "You'll hurt yourself."
Kunou thrashed, cheeks puffed. "Put me down, pervert dragon!"
"Only if you promise not to bite." He swung her gently, side to side, a living pendulum. Her tails brushed the ground, collecting fallen camellia petals.
The fight drained out of her—exhaustion, embarrassment, relief.
Asia stepped forward, Boosted Gear glowing softly. "We'll help find your mother. Promise."
Issei righted Kunou, setting her on her feet but keeping a loose grip on her shoulders. "Start from the beginning. Who took Yasaka?"
Kunou sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "Men with spears. One had a glowing lance—said it could kill gods. They came to the shrine at dusk. Mama fought, but…" Her voice cracked. "They put her in a magic circle. Then—poof. Gone."
Issei exchanged a glance with Asia. Hero Faction. Cao Cao.
He ruffled Kunou's hair, careful of the ears. "We'll get her back. Dragon's honor."
Kunou peered up, golden eyes wide. "You're… really strong. And you didn't hurt me."
"Course not. You're just a kid." He winked. "A bratty one, but still."
Asia knelt, offering a handkerchief embroidered with tiny crosses. Kunou took it, blew her nose with a honk that echoed off the walls.
Issei stood, Excalibur collapsing back to key-chain. "First things first—ryokan. You're crashing with us tonight. No arguments."
Kunou opened her mouth—then closed it, shoulders slumping. "…Okay."
As they walked, Kunou slipped her tiny hand into Issei's. Her tails swished, brushing his calf. "You smell like mama's incense," she mumbled. "And… dragon."
Issei smirked. "Get used to it, foxy. You're stuck with us now."
Behind them, the canal lanterns flickered. Somewhere in the distance, a spear of light pierced the night sky—brief, cold, gone.
____________________
The ryokan's inner garden was a pocket of serenity: raked gravel paths winding between mossy lanterns, a koi pond murmuring under paper lanterns' glow, steam rising from the private onsen bathhouse tucked in the bamboo grove.
Moonlight silvered the persimmon leaves overhead, casting dappled shadows on the tatami mats of the open-air dojo annex—a modest training space with wooden pillars, weapon racks holding bokken and shinai, and sliding fusuma screens for privacy.
Issei Hyoudou stood at the center, yukata sleeves rolled to his elbows, True Excalibur in its key-chain form dangling from his obi like an innocuous charm.
Beside him, Asia Argento fidgeted in her pink yukata, the Boosted Gear gauntlet manifesting faintly on her left arm—crimson scales glinting under the lantern light.
Kunou bounced on her toes nearby, her shrine-maiden hakama hitched up for mobility, nine miniature tails swishing like agitated flags. Her golden eyes sparkled with a mix of defiance and exhaustion, cheeks still flushed from the earlier scuffle.
"Alright, squirts," Issei said, clapping his hands. "Four hours. No holding back. Yasaka's in deep with those spear-jerks—Hero Faction, right? You two need to pull your weight if we're storming Nijo Castle tomorrow."
His tone was light, but his eyes—draconic slits flickering with Phoenix embers—were dead serious. Canon knowledge burned in his mind: Cao Cao's ambush at Togetsukyou Bridge, the pocket dimension trap, Siegfried's dragon-slaying blades.
Asia's Boosted Gear would be key for support boosts; Kunou's foxfire for distractions. They trained now.
Kunou puffed her chest. "I'm not a squirt! I'm the temporary ruler of Kyoto Youkai!"
Asia smiled nervously. "I'll do my best, Issei!"
Hour 1: Fundamentals – Stance and Evasion
Issei started basic. "Feet shoulder-width. Weight forward. Kunou, your tails are dead giveaways—keep 'em tucked or they'll snag."
He demonstrated a low guard, Excalibur unfolding into a training bo staff with Mimic's casual shift. "Asia, Boosted Gear ain't just punches. Channel it through your legs for speed."
Kunou lunged first—foxfire orbs materializing in her palms, hurled in a wild scatter. Issei twirled the staff, deflecting two, sidestepping the third with a casual hip sway.
"Predictable. Foxes telegraph with ear twitches." He tapped her forehead lightly—thwack—sending her stumbling back with a yelp.
Asia hesitated, gauntlet glowing. "BOOST!" Power surged; she dashed forward, fist aimed at a straw dummy. Issei intercepted with the staff's flat, redirecting her momentum into a spin.
"Good surge, but follow-through's weak. Use the boost to pivot, not charge." She nodded, retrying—faster, landing a solid crack on the dummy's torso.
Kunou growled, tails flaring. She wove illusions—phantom foxes lunging from shadows. Issei played along, staff whirling in a blur: parry, sweep, feint.
One illusion bit his calf; Phoenix Force flared, dispersing it in harmless sparks. "Clever. But real fights don't fade."
He closed the gap, staff spinning overhead—Kunou ducked, countering with a tail whip. Issei caught her tail mid-swing, yanking her off-balance into a gentle shoulder throw. She hit the mat with an "Oof!", tails poofing in embarrassment.
Asia watched, mimicking Kunou's dodge on a dummy. "Like this?" Issei grinned. "Nailed it."
Hour 2: Combo Drills – Offense Synergy
Sweat beaded on their brows; the air hummed with foxfire ozone and draconic static. "Pair up," Issei commanded. "Asia boosts Kunou; Kunou lights 'em up. I'll play bad guy."
Kunou rode Asia's shoulder like a fox cavalry, tails streaming. "BOOST!" Asia's voice echoed; Kunou leaped, foxfire condensing into a spiraling lance—barreling toward Issei.
He smirked, Reality Warp bending space: the lance curved harmlessly into the pond, startling koi into frenzy. "Teamwork's solid, but aim trumps speed."
They adapted—Asia boosting herself for a flying knee, Kunou flanking with illusions. Issei danced through: staff batting Asia's strike aside, telekinesis pinning Kunou mid-leap.
"Gap in your flank!" He released her with a spin, letting her land cat-like. "Again. Kunou, illusions need intent—make 'em bite."
Asia panted, gauntlet whirring. "BOOST x2!" Kunou rode the surge, tails forming whips that lashed like azure vipers. Issei blocked two, dodged three—then countered, staff sweeping low.
Kunou flipped over it; Asia followed with a boosted palm strike. Issei crossed his arms, absorbing it with a grunt. "Progress! Felt that one."
Kunou beamed, ears perking. "Again!"
Hour 3: Endurance – Pressure Testing
Fatigue set in. Issei amped it: Phoenix Flames licking his staff, turning it into a blazing whirlwind. "Survive me for ten minutes. No holding back."
Kunou unleashed a barrage—foxfire blossoms exploding in mid-air, illusions multiplying her into a dozen snarling kits.
Asia wove between, "BOOST!" propelling her into evasive rolls, countering with gauntlet-enhanced punches that cracked air.
Issei pressed: staff swings forcing retreats, flames singeing yukata hems. Kunou's barrier flickered up—Issei shattered it with a casual thrust, sending her tumbling. "Barriers drain you—use as last resort!"
Asia took a glancing flame hit; Twilight Healing (Issei's Sacred Gear) auto-flickered from his palm, sealing the burn. "Stay mobile!" She nodded, boosting Kunou for a tandem aerial dive—fire-lance raining down.
Issei spun, telekinesis redirecting half back at them; they scattered, giggling through gasps.
Kunou panted, tails drooping. "You're... mean!"
Issei ruffled her hair. "Mean wins fights."
Hour 4: Sparring – Live Fire
Final stretch: free-for-all. Issei held Excalibur in sword form, holy light dimmed for safety. "Come at me."
Asia and Kunou synced perfectly—Asia's "BOOST x3!" launching Kunou like a comet, foxfire comet-tail blazing. Issei parried the impact, shockwave rippling the pond.
Asia flanked, gauntlet claws raking; he backstepped, staff—Mimic to chain—whipping her legs out. Kunou rebounded with tail-sweep; Issei vaulted, countering with a downward strike she barely blocked, barrier cracking.
They pressed: illusions swarming, boosted punches chaining into fire-lash combos. Issei weaved, staff a blur—deflect, redirect, feint.
A boosted uppercut grazed his jaw; foxfire scorched his sleeve. "Yes! That's the fire!" He swept low—Kunou jumped into Asia's arms; they combo-launched again.
Climax: Kunou's ultimate—nine-tail vortex of foxfire, Asia boosting its spin. Issei grinned, Phoenix Force roaring: cosmic flames met foxfire in a dome of azure-gold inferno.
He emerged unscathed, staff tapping their foreheads. "Time. You pass."
Exhausted, they collapsed in giggles. Kunou hugged his leg. "You're the best, Onii-chan!" Asia beamed, gauntlet fading.
Midnight struck as they cooled off in the onsen—steamy waters soothing aches. Issei slipped away to his room, mind whirring. Gacha time.
Interface spun silently: wheel blurring, landing on gleaming orbs.
"Reward: 10 Master Balls (Legendary Tier). Effect: Catches any being without fail. Empty. Stored in Inventory."
His eyes widened. Pokémon shit? In DxD? Perfect for Cao Cao or Siegfried—non-lethal takedown. Secret. Only if necessary. No one knew. Not Rias, not Elysara. Soul-erasure risk too high.
Dawn loomed. Hero Faction waited at Togetsukyou—just like canon. Issei gripped Excalibur's key. Game on.