After the chaos subsided, Kazuma finally revealed his secret to Yamazaki. The confession left the old man a veteran mercenary—momentarily stunned.
"Wow… that's an interesting story. Show me your Ability."
Without hesitation, Kazuma immediately took off his shirt in front of Yamazaki. But before he could continue, the old man cut him off with an annoyed tone.
"I asked you to show your power, not your body, kid!"
Kazuma paused for a moment, then replied flatly.
"My Ability always burns my clothes. And this is already the fifth time I've burned them myself."
"Oooh… go on."
Yamazaki's tone shifted, now sounding more interested.
Kazuma continued. He stood with his upper body exposed, then began channeling that heat energy in a focused manner only to the upper part of his body.
Slowly—his skin began to emit a faint yellow glow.
The air around him immediately changed. The temperature rose drastically in a short time, creating heat waves that made the space around them shimmer slightly, like a mirage under scorching sunlight.
Yamazaki stared at him without blinking.
His eyes lit up like someone who had just found a fascinating new toy.
"Ahem, that's a good ability, kid. Have you developed it?"
"While I trained with master, I also developed this power. As you can see, I can now control the heat that used to be triggered by my emotions."
"Hoo… so that's why you asked me to teach you mind control?"
"That's right..."
"Waaah… Kazuma, you're truly blessed by the heavens. A rare physical condition, sharp thinking, and an ability—which should only be possessed by women. I'm at a loss for words."
Kazuma simply scratched his head, slightly awkward. He had never seen himself that way. To him, all of this was just the result of hard work—and a simple drive to survive from what had happened before.
But now, with his power exposed, he knew one thing for certain—the next battle wouldn't be easy.
Because of that, he had to become stronger. More prepared. More experienced.
"So, can you show me your skill in using that ability?" Yamazaki asked, his tone full of interest.
"Master, I want to as well. But the problem is… we might cause unnecessary trouble."
"I see..."
Yamazaki fell silent for a moment, then roughly scratched his graying hair, his face showing slight irritation.
"Aaah… looks like I'll have to ask for her help."
He stood up and walked toward an old phone lying on a decorative table. His finger hovered briefly over the screen, searching for a number he was actually reluctant to contact.
But for the sake of his student's growth—
He had no other choice.
After finding it, Yamazaki pressed the call button. The phone rang for a few moments.
[Hello…]
"This is Yamazaki Kudo. Azuma-san."
His greeting sounded ordinary, but on the other end, the atmosphere immediately turned lively. The voice there was cheerful, high-pitched, light, and feminine—like that of a young girl whose voice hadn't matured at all.
[DARLING~! It's been so long!!]
...
Kazuma grew curious about who Yamazaki was calling. From his teacher's expression, it was clear something unusual was happening—especially since the woman on the phone openly flirted without hesitation.
'Wait… master doesn't have any weird tendencies, right?'
That random thought crossed his mind briefly. But Kazuma quickly dismissed it, choosing to observe more calmly.
What he saw instead was different.
Yamazaki looked troubled.
Not physically, but genuinely struggling to deal with the person on the other end. His expression was stiff, occasionally irritated, as if he were dealing with someone difficult to handle.
Not long after the call ended, Kazuma was told to go home and rest. His schedule for the next day was cleared, and he was asked to accompany Yamazaki to a residence in Kyoto.
The next day—
Kazuma stood in front of a large wooden door, with the symbol of the Azuma family carved into it.
Its shape was geometric and symmetrical. At the center, it resembled the head of a beast, with sharp lines extending downward, decorated with neatly arranged magatama.
To outsiders, the symbol might mean nothing.
But to the people of this country, everyone knew who they were.
The Azuma family was one of the pioneers in the formation of the MDF. More than that, they were an elite family of Japan. Each member held important positions in the government, and they upheld one principle:
Power is everything.
"Uuh… suddenly I feel like going home," Yamazaki muttered quietly.
For the first time, the man looked slightly regretful for coming here.
"Master, weren't you the one who asked—"
"Be quiet… I'm not feeling well."
Kazuma looked at him flatly.
From his expression—this clearly wasn't about health.
More like… he didn't want to be here.
Kazuma was asked to press the bell beside the door. He did so, then waited for a moment until the door slowly opened.
A woman stood there.
Beautiful, with a well-proportioned figure. Her dark blue eyes were calm yet sharp, while her long dark blue hair was neatly braided behind her head. She wore casual clothing—a simple blouse paired with neat, understated bottoms. Her appearance was clean, elegant, and authoritative without being excessive.
Kazuma froze for a moment.
He recognized her.
His mother had once talked about her.
Fubuki Azuma.
Meanwhile, Yamazaki looked slightly stiff. He wore a dark-colored light yukata with simple white lines near the bottom, paired with geta that made a soft sound as he stood.
"Oya... welcome, otosan."
Fubuki said it without hesitation.
That word—
Made Kazuma's mind instantly short-circuit.
'Otosan!?'
"It's been a while, Fubuki-san. How have you been?" Yamazaki replied, trying to sound normal.
"Ara~… I've been well. I'm more worried about you, father."
"No need to worry about this old man. Where is your mother?"
"She's in the yard, waiting for you. And…"
Her gaze shifted.
Directly to Kazuma.
The young man was still standing stiffly, trying to process the situation in front of him. Meeting the captain of Unit 9 MDF was already an honor—but realizing that Fubuki Azuma was the daughter of Yamazaki Kudo was something he had never expected.
'Didn't he say he was single…? Was he lying about that?' Kazuma thought.
Meanwhile, Fubuki simply smiled faintly.
Her eyes observed Kazuma from head to toe—evaluating without appearing judgmental. His body was firm, shoulders broad, posture solid. Even beneath his simple clothing, it was clear he was well-trained.
His face was fairly handsome, with neatly styled black hair in a comma style.
His outfit was simple, like that of a typical student. He wore practical casual clothing—a light top like a shirt or plain T-shirt layered with a thin jacket, paired with understated long pants.
A small bag hung on his back.
"Ahem..."
Yamazaki's light cough immediately snapped Kazuma out of his thoughts.
"Sorry, that was rude. My name is Kazuma Satou."
"I see. I'm Fubuki Azuma. Are you my father's student?"
"Yes..."
"Not quite… You're his successor."
Yamazaki cut in calmly, but the emphasis on that word was unmistakable.
Fubuki was surprised. Her eyes widened slightly, her expression shifting for a moment before returning to calm.
"Aah… that's unexpected."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the atmosphere relaxed again. Fubuki then invited them inside and guided Kazuma and Yamazaki toward the inner courtyard of the residence.
The traditional Japanese architecture became immediately apparent as they walked further in. Stone pathways were neatly arranged across a well-maintained garden. On one side, a koi pond stretched quietly, its surface reflecting soft light, while the fish swam lazily beneath it. On the other side, a flower garden was carefully arranged, presenting contrasting yet harmonious colors.
At the center of the pond stood a small wooden bridge. On it, a girl in a school uniform leaned slightly forward as she scattered feed onto the water's surface.
The koi gathered beneath her, creating gentle ripples.
Yamazaki's steps slowed.
He stopped at a certain distance, looking at the girl with an expression that was hard to describe. Earlier, he had seemed troubled dealing with someone over the phone, but now—in his eyes—something different was reflected.
Longing.
Something long buried.
He let out a quiet breath, as if brushing aside unnecessary thoughts, then spoke.
"It's been a while, Tobera-san."
The girl flinched slightly.
Her hand stopped moving.
Slowly, she turned around.
Her wide eyes caught sight of Yamazaki, and in an instant, a beautiful smile formed on her face—warm, as if she had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
"You came, darling~"