Yokai Administration Hall — Evening
Yasaka was buried in paperwork.
Contracts, faction agreements, post–Rating Game reports, Hero Faction integration documents—her desk looked like it had survived a small war.
Lily stood nearby, arms crossed, skimming a glowing report screen.
Then—
The air changed.
Not hostile.
Not aggressive.
Just… heavy.
Yasaka's ears flicked.
Lily straightened instantly.
Before either could speak, a black-and-crimson magic circle bloomed in the air, ornate and ancient, lined with sigils older than most supernatural nations.
A tall, oval mirror formed within it.
The surface rippled like dark water.
Yasaka calmly set her pen down.
"…A high-tier long-distance ritual. Vampire."
Lily narrowed her eyes—but didn't raise her power.
The mirror cleared.
And Akasha Bloodriver looked back at them.
Silver hair cascading like moonlight.
Crimson eyes calm, deep, and ancient.
A noble presence that didn't need to shout to dominate the room.
She inclined her head politely.
"Lady Yasaka. Lily Adam."
Yasaka blinked once.
"…You know our names."
Akasha smiled—soft, motherly.
"I would be ashamed if I did not."
Lily felt it then.
Not killing intent.
Not pressure.
But the unmistakable sensation of someone who could end a war if she felt like it.
Akasha folded her hands calmly.
"Please forgive the intrusion. I did not wish to involve your King or Queen prematurely."
Yasaka exhaled slowly.
"…You're here about Nate."
Akasha nodded.
"Yes."
No denial. No games.
"I wished to speak first with the women who raised him—and the one safeguarding his people."
Lily's expression softened just slightly.
"…That's considerate."
Akasha's smile warmed.
"He has been… kind to my daughter."
The word daughter carried weight.
Yasaka tilted her head.
"Moka."
Akasha nodded again.
"She is safe. Laughing. Curious."
A pause.
"…Interested."
Lily snorted quietly.
"Yeah, that tracks."
Akasha chuckled—a gentle, genuine sound.
Akasha's gaze sharpened—not hostile, just focused.
"I am not here to demand anything."
The mirror's light dimmed slightly.
"I wish to understand the man my daughter has begun to orbit."
Yasaka smiled faintly.
"Careful. People tend to do that around him."
Akasha's eyes gleamed.
"Yes. I noticed."
She straightened, aristocratic but sincere.
"I have ruled monsters. I have buried nations. I have lived long enough to recognize a… convergence point."
Then—softly:
"Nate Adam would make a good son-in-law."
The room went silent.
Lily burst out laughing.
"Wow. Straight to the point."
Akasha smiled warmly.
"I see no reason to lie."
She inclined her head again.
"When he is ready—when they are ready—I would like to speak with him directly."
Yasaka nodded, calm and respectful.
"I'll inform him."
Akasha's eyes softened further.
"And please tell him this…"
The mirror pulsed once.
"He does not need to prove anything to me."
A pause.
"If he continues to protect others the way he already does—he has my blessing."
Then, just before the ritual faded, Akasha added gently:
"…Also, my daughter's Inner Self has already noticed the Kitsune Queen."
Yasaka laughed.
Lily winced in sympathy.
"Oh boy."
The mirror dissolved.
The room returned to normal.
Yasaka leaned back in her chair.
"…Well."
Lily stretched.
"Congrats. Nate just passed the 'ancient vampire mom' test."
Yasaka smiled knowingly.
"And he doesn't even know it yet."
Meanwhile, in the Backyard of the Adam House
The backyard had been turned into a war zone of embarrassment.
Nate stood on the porch with a clipboard, sipping tea, looking far too calm for the nonsense unfolding in front of him.
"Alright," he said casually, checking a box. "Phase two is proceeding nicely."
Across the yard—
Absolute. Chaos.
Leonardo was frozen solid from the waist down by Mizore's ice, teeth chattering violently.
"I— I can still move my arms—!"
"Not for long," Mizore replied flatly, already lowering the temperature.
Right next to him, Kurumu floated lazily in the air, wings fluttering as pink heart-shaped energy pulsed around her.
"Oh come on~" she teased sweetly. "Focus~ focus~ you're a hero, right?"
Leonardo's face turned red instantly.
"I— I am focusing—! Stop smiling like that—!"
His wooden spear clattered to the ground.
Kurumu gasped dramatically.
"Ooops~ disarmed already? That's a demerit~"
From the other side of the yard—
Heracles was doing his absolute best to remain composed.
His feet were frozen in place by ice creeping up from the grass, while Mizore calmly adjusted her glasses.
"Your breathing pattern is unstable," she said. "You're resisting inefficiently."
Heracles clenched his jaw.
"I have fought gods—!"
Kurumu drifted past him, whispering just loudly enough:
"Wow~ such a strong body~ but your heart rate is so loud~"
CRACK
The ice climbed higher as Mizore nodded.
"Emotional disturbance detected."
Perseus tried to rush Nate with his wooden sword—
—and immediately slipped on ice, skidding face-first into a snowdrift that did not exist five seconds ago.
"WHY IS IT SUDDENLY WINTER—?!"
Kurumu landed beside him, hands behind her back, smiling innocently.
"Aww~ you almost had it~ try again?"
He did not try again.
Nate scribbled something on the clipboard.
"Good synergy. Emotional pressure plus environmental control is accelerating resistance breakdown."
He looked up as Cao Cao—arms frozen, back against a tree—glared daggers at him.
"This is not training," Cao Cao said flatly. "This is psychological warfare."
Nate nodded.
"Correct."
Kunou, sitting on the fence eating dango, kicked her legs happily.
"They're learning fast though~!"
Yasaka, watching from the engawa, covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
"This is… cruel."
Lily crossed her arms, unimpressed.
"They tried to kidnap my son. This is mercy."
Kurumu floated back beside Mizore, eyes sparkling.
"Hey~ Mizore~ I think I'm getting it~ when I stop trying to charm them and just exist, their resistance collapses faster~"
Mizore nodded.
"My ice density has increased by 12%. Emotional interference makes their movements inefficient."
They both paused.
Then Kurumu grinned.
"…Race you to SSS rank?"
Mizore adjusted her glasses.
"Accepted."
From the yard came another scream.
"I DROPPED THE SWORD AGAIN—!"
Nate took a sip of tea.
"One month," he muttered. "Yeah. That's doable."
Cao Cao clenched his teeth.
"You can't just treat us like this!"
The backyard went quiet.
Even Kurumu stopped teasing.
Mizore paused mid-freeze.
Kunou tilted her head, ears twitching.
Nate slowly turned around.
He didn't raise his voice.
He didn't even look angry.
"That's interesting," he said calmly. "Because last I checked—"
He tapped the clipboard once.
"—you agreed to rehabilitation under my authority instead of going to the Yokai Dungeon."
Cao Cao scoffed and raised his hand.
"Then fight me."
Golden light flared as his spear materialized, holy energy crackling.
"I won't be humiliated like this."
For exactly half a second, Cao Cao felt confident.
Then—
Blink.
The world jumped.
Suddenly Nate was right in front of him.
No sound. No flare of power. No warning.
Just steel.
The tip of Nate's blade rested gently against Cao Cao's throat—close enough that he could feel the cold.
Nate leaned in slightly, eyes completely calm.
"Dead," he said flatly.
"Dead before your brain finished forming the thought."
Silence.
Cao Cao's pupils shrank.
He hadn't sensed movement.
Hadn't sensed power.
Hadn't sensed intent.
It was like Nate had simply decided to be there.
Kunou hopped down from the fence and walked over, tail swishing.
"He's being nice," she added cheerfully. "This is him holding back."
Kurumu floated closer, smiling sweetly.
"You should've seen what happened to the last people who tried to grab her~"
Mizore nodded.
"They did not last long."
Nate pulled the blade back and stepped away, sheathing it casually.
Then he looked straight at Cao Cao again.
"You're heroes, right?" he asked.
"Then act like it."
He gestured to the frozen, exhausted Hero Faction members scattered across the yard.
"You wanted strength. You wanted relevance. You wanted to 'protect humanity.'"
His eyes sharpened just a little.
"So stop posturing… and start learning."
Cao Cao slowly dismissed his spear.
For the first time since arriving, he didn't look angry.
He looked outplayed.
"…Understood," he said stiffly.
Nate nodded once.
"Good."
Then he turned back to Kurumu and Mizore.
"Alright," he added casually, like nothing happened.
"Reset positions. Increase difficulty."
The Hero Faction collectively groaned.
Kunou grinned.
"This is gonna be fun~"
And somewhere deep down, Cao Cao finally realized the truth:
Trying to kidnap the Yokai King's fiancée
wasn't a mistake.
It was a career-ending decision.
A Week Later — Backyard of the Adam House
What started as humiliation…
had quietly become effective.
Very effective.
Cao Cao stood in the center of the yard, breathing hard, sweat running down his neck.
Across from him—
Kurumu hovered lazily in the air, wings half-open, eyes glowing faintly.
Mizore stood beside her, expression calm, the temperature around her dangerously low.
"Again," Mizore said flatly.
Cao Cao tightened his grip on a wooden spear.
A wooden spear.
A week ago, he would've laughed at the idea.
Now?
He took a stance.
Kurumu smiled.
"Charm—verbal only."
Cao Cao shut his eyes, teeth clenched.
"…Focus. Don't react. Don't respond emotionally. Anchor the mind."
He stepped forward.
Kurumu spoke softly.
"Cao Cao~ don't you want to stop fighting? Just rest for a bit…"
His heart spiked.
He stumbled—
—but didn't fall.
Instead, holy energy surged internally, reinforcing his mental core instead of flaring outward.
Mizore's eyes widened slightly.
Kurumu blinked.
"…Oh?"
Mizore raised her hand.
The air around Cao Cao froze—not his body, but the space around him.
The ground cracked.
Absolute Zero pressure.
Cao Cao moved anyway.
Not fast.
Not flashy.
But deliberate.
He pushed through the cold, step by step, spear held steady.
Then—
He stopped.
Exhaled.
And grounded himself.
The frost shattered outward instead of inward.
The charm dissipated.
Silence.
Kurumu stared.
Mizore blinked twice.
"…He adapted," Mizore said.
Kurumu grinned.
"He really adapted."
From the porch, Nate sipped his coffee.
"…Huh."
That was new.
Training Results (End of Month)
Cao Cao
Mental resistance to charm: High
Internalized holy energy instead of external dominance
No longer collapses under Ultimate-Class pressure
Rank rising from SS → low SSS
Jeanne
Learned emotional grounding from Kurumu's charm field
Now able to resist corruption and manipulation simultaneously
Faith stabilized without fanaticism
Heracles
Learned to wait instead of charge
Physical output unchanged—but efficiency skyrocketed
Perseus & Leonardo
Coordination under extreme debuff environments
No longer panic under apex-predator pressure
Yasaka watched the reports silently.
"…They're actually becoming respectable," she admitted.
Lily folded her arms.
"They still owe us," she said.
"But yes. They're improving."
That night, Cao Cao approached Nate again.
This time—no defiance.
"I won't call you my king," Cao Cao said.
"I won't bow."
Nate waved a hand.
"Didn't ask."
"But," Cao Cao continued, "if humanity is going to survive the next era…"
He met Nate's eyes.
"…then standing against you would be idiotic."
A beat.
"…I'll work with you. Not under you."
Nate studied him for a moment.
Then smiled—just slightly.
"Good," he said.
"That means you're thinking like an ally, not a martyr."
Cao Cao exhaled.
For the first time since arriving—
He felt like a hero again.
In Nate's room
Kurumu and Mizore were hugging Nate's Arm
Kurumu looked at him, her chest pressing against his arm. "So, what do you think".
Nate was playing with her tail; his other arm was wrapped around Mizore's waist. "Great, both of you, in just 2 weeks have gone from B to S rank, it would have been SS if I weren't busy helping train Rias Peerage"
Mizore spoke. "We don't mind it, your mother kept our training up, and helping Rias was more Important".
Kurumu puffed her cheeks a little, tail flicking under Nate's fingers.
"So? You're not even a little proud~?"
Nate smirked. "Proud? I'm impressed. You two didn't just survive my training—you adapted to it."
Mizore nodded seriously. "Hero Faction members now instinctively counter charm and cold-based restraints. Their reaction speed increased by 47%."
Kurumu giggled. "And their trauma increased by 300%."
Nate snorted. "Worth it."
Backyard, Hero Faction POV Flashback
Someone screamed.
Another guy was frozen mid-step, eyes wide, as Kurumu casually leaned close.
"Focus~ you're supposed to block, remember?"
WHAM.
Wooden staff to the ribs. Ice shattered. Seduction aura broke. Pain followed.
Someone else groaned from the ground.
"I miss normal training…"
Cao Cao, bruised, exhausted, and absolutely done with life, stared at Nate from across the yard.
"…I hate that this is working."
Back to Nate's Room
Kurumu tilted her head, clearly enjoying herself a bit too much.
"So~ Cao Cao's finally stopped complaining."
"Because he learned," Nate replied calmly. "Strength isn't about ego. It's about results."
Mizore hugged his arm a little tighter. "He listens to you now."
Nate sighed. "Reluctantly."
---
Cao Cao's Turning Point (earlier that day)
Cao Cao wiped blood from his mouth, breathing hard.
"…You didn't kill me."
Nate cleaned his blade without looking at him.
"Didn't need to."
"…Why?"
Nate finally met his eyes. Cold. Sharp. Honest.
"Because if you're going to stand anywhere near Kunou or Hima ever again, you're going to be strong enough to die trying to protect them."
Silence.
Cao Cao lowered his spear.
"…Understood."
Present – Nate's Room
Kurumu smiled softly now, less teasing, more genuine.
"You're scary when you're angry, you know that?"
"Good," Nate replied instantly.
Mizore rested her head against his shoulder.
"But you're fair."
That gave him pause.
"…Yeah," he admitted quietly. "I try to be."
For a moment, everything was calm.
Then Kurumu smirked again.
"So~ what's next? SS rank? SSS?"
Nate's grin was sharp.
"Next month."
Mizore blinked. "That's—"
"Insane?" Nate finished. "Yeah."
Kurumu laughed.
"Perfect."
Mizore looked at Nate. "Why don't you already take it to SS".
Nate looked at them. "Ok".
He activated Spirit bond as he kissed both girls, as he his energy flow into them
Once he removed his lifts, both girls were now SS rank.
Nate looked at them. "I should remind you, thinking only works when you guys are either close to, or need one more push to the next rank, that's why I didn't return you from B rank to SSS rank on our first day training"
Kurumu froze first.
Not from ice. From the sudden jump in power flooding her body.
Her wings flared instinctively, demonic energy rolling off her in waves as her heart raced. "…W–wait. That wasn't just a boost."
Mizore staggered slightly, eyes widening as frost spread across the floor in delicate crystalline patterns—controlled, sharp, perfect. Her aura felt denser, colder, but clearer than ever.
"…SS," Mizore said softly. "This is… SS."
Nate stepped back, completely casual about it, like he hadn't just speed-ran what most supernatural beings take decades to reach.
"Yeah. Clean promotion."
Kurumu looked down at her hands, flexed her fingers, then laughed—half stunned, half exhilarated.
"Oh wow… oh WOW. I can feel it. My charm isn't just stronger, it's refined."
She immediately leaned into Nate again, tail flicking smugly.
"So this is what it feels like when your boyfriend breaks the system~"
Mizore nodded, still analyzing the sensation with her usual calm.
"My control efficiency increased dramatically. Energy loss is minimal. This would not have worked at B rank."
Nate pointed at her. "Exactly."
He looked between them, expression serious now—not cold, just teacher mode.
"Power jumps aren't magic cheats. If your foundation isn't ready, all you get is instability. Best case, it fizzles. Worst case—your body rejects it."
Kurumu shivered. "…That doesn't sound fun."
"It isn't," Nate said flatly. "That's why I trained you the hard way first."
Mizore hugged his arm again, this time tighter.
"…Thank you for not rushing us."
That earned her a small smile.
"SS is stable," Nate continued. "SSS won't be."
Kurumu blinked. "Meaning?"
"Meaning," he said, eyes glinting, "SSS isn't just power. It's intent, identity, and absolute control. You don't receive that."
He tapped Kurumu's forehead lightly, then Mizore's.
"You become it."
Kurumu grinned, confidence blazing.
"Then we'll earn it."
Mizore nodded. "Together."
Nate leaned back, clearly satisfied.
"Good. Because once you hit SSS—"
A distant crash echoed outside. Someone yelling. Possibly the Hero Faction suffering again.
"—I'm throwing you both back into live combat training."
Kurumu laughed like she'd been waiting for that.
"Bring it on."
Mizore's eyes gleamed icy blue.
"…They will not enjoy this."
Somewhere in the house, fate itself quietly updated the difficulty setting.
SS rank unlocked.
SSS… approaching.
To be continue
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