Read up to 16 extra chapters worth of extra content. Simply go to my Patreon and become a supporter of this project.
Patreon: patreon.com/Morpheus146
Discord: discord.gg/QCWgkCCbd2
You too can help the story out and gain up to 16 advanced chapters worth of content, simply head over to my Patreon to become a supporter
(Also if anyone wants to become a patreon member do not do it through the Apple IOS patreon app otherwise you would have to pay 30% extra, instead use the browser version so you pay less.)
(Now back to the story!)
----------------------------------------
Chapter 73: A Nekomata's Teachings (II)
The Dark Forest had not changed since the last time I had walked through it and you would imagine that nothing would happen to this cursed place.
If you thought carefully this place was the prime location for sorting out your beefs without alerting too many people. Instead of committing murder in day-broadlight and with everyone in the Academy screaming Bloody Mary, using the forest gave you privacy.
Yes, privacy.
The branches still twisted toward the blood-red moon like grasping fingers. The air still smelled of damp earth and decay. The shadows between the trees still pulsed with a life of their own, as if the forest itself was waiting for something or someone to die again and give nutrients to its roots.
This place had seen a lot of bloodshed before, it had witnessed my first killing, but I cheated this cursed place of any benefits. There were other deaths of beasts and monsters who knew no better, but touching what was close to me.
Tonight, I think this place will witness another eventful incident where another step would be taken forward. Whatever that meant since I might as well embarrass myself by losing pathetically.
I had chosen this spot deliberately. Far from prying eyes, far from the prying ears of students and teachers who might question why the Newspaper Club president was sparring with his homeroom teacher in the middle of the night.
Here, in the heart of this damned place, we could fight without interruption.
I stood in a small clearing, my feet planted on the moss-covered ground. The Heirloom Sword rested in my right hand, its blade gleaming with a faint silver light. The tunic I had summoned was light, flexible, designed for speed rather than protection. The boots were enchanted, allowing me to move silently across the forest floor. I had chosen my gear carefully, not the full armor, but enough to give me an edge.
Across from me, Shizuka Nekonome stretched her arms above her head, her tail swaying lazily behind her. She wore her training clothes, the same revealing outfit that had made my breath catch earlier.
Like, Sensei, I know that you know how to use Magic to change your clothes. I did learn it myself so you could do this instead of making me uncomfortable, no, horny.
Her golden eyes were fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.
She was studying me. Not as a teacher assessing a student, but as a predator sizing up unknown prey. This was the first time she had seen me like this, ready for combat, armed and dangerous. I think the rumors about me as a Vampire was spreading among the students and even the Teaching Staff wouldn't escape from being part of the rumor mill, and the fact that I fought Gin without dying was enough to make her curious.
Now she would see the truth for herself.
"You look nervous, Tsukune-kun." Her voice was warm, teasing. "Is my little student afraid of his Sensei?"
"I am afraid of you." I kept my voice steady. "I am just wondering how much you are going to embarrass me tonight."
She laughed, it was a soft, musical sound that reminded me of a cat, "That depends entirely on how hard you make me work."
"I will try my best not to disappoint you, Sensei."
"Let's do this then."
"I'll do the honors then Sensei."
I moved first, since I was past the stage of allowing my arrogance to dictate my fights.
I crossed the distance between us in a heartbeat, my sword cutting through the air in a precise, horizontal arc. The strike was fast, clean, and aimed at her midsection. It was a probing attack to gauge her reflexes and she didn't disappoint my initial expectations.
Shizuka's eyes widened, just a fraction. She had not expected me to be this fast. But she recovered quickly, her body flowing around my blade like water. She was not there when my sword completed its arc. She was three feet to my left, her head tilted, her golden eyes gleaming with playfulness.
"Not bad," she said. "Your speed is impressive. But you are telegraphing your strikes. That tells me you have trained, but you have not fought enough real opponents."
I did not respond. I pivoted on my heel, my sword coming around in a sweeping arc aimed at her shoulder. This time, I was faster, more precise, my movements honed by hours of sparring with Silent Swordsman.
Shizuka's hand shot up, and her palm caught the flat of my blade. The impact sent a jolt up my arm, and I felt the force of her block reverberate through my bones. Her strength was immense, far greater than her slender frame suggested. And yet, she was not even trying. I could tell that much from the casual way she held my blade at bay.
"Better," she said. "But still not enough."
She pushed my blade aside and stepped into my guard, her palm aimed at my chest. My instincts screamed, and I twisted, barely avoiding the strike. Her palm brushed against my shoulder, and I felt a surge of energy, a jolt that made my arm go numb for a fraction of a second.
"This is one way of using Senjutsu," she explained, her voice calm. "A single touch can disrupt your Yoki, as it reacts violently with your other sources of energy if you can't control it. Senjutsu is not just about power, Tsukune-kun. It is always about control."
Of course. She is using that energy to mess with my body control.
"I will keep that in mind."
I moved again, my blade flickering through the air in a series of rapid strikes. There was no wasted movement from me, no overcommitment that would expose my body for counterattacks.
I let my Vampiric instincts take over, reading her movements before they landed, anticipating her counters before they came. It was a rhythm I had learned through pain and failure, through every bruise and broken bone from sparring with Moka.
Shizuka flowed around my attacks like a nimble cat. She did not attempt to block my sword strikes, not really. Instead, she redirected, deflected, let my momentum work against me. Her movements were fluid, almost lazy, as if she had all the time in the world. But while she did appear lazy and taking this sparing half-assed, her eyes were sharp, watching, analyzing all of my moves.
"You are adapting to opposition," she said, her voice carrying a note of approval. "I will give you some guidance as your Sensei. Your footwork is good, as are your instincts sharp. But if I have to criticize something, it is that your attack range is limited and also, another flow, you're fighting like a Human. For a Vampire to fight like this tells an opponent of a higher caliber many things they can exploit to take you down."
"You need to think like a predator."
"I am fighting like a vampire. How can I fight like a human?"
"Hmm, good question. You just don't feel like a vampire to me. Your attacks after reading them can feel predictable."
"Sensei wants to see more from you so I can offer guidance."
My eye twitched, and I pressed harder. I used a feint, a quick shift of weight that made her think I was going for her left side. She bought it for a fraction of a second, and I exploited the opening, my blade slicing toward her shoulder.
Her hand shot up, and her fingers closed around my wrist. Her grip was like iron, her touch burning with the energy of Senjutsu. I felt my Yoki waver, felt the strength drain from my arm. The numbness spread, crawling up my forearm like frost.
"Not bad," she said. "But you are still a long way from matching me."
She twisted my wrist and spun me around, sending me stumbling across the clearing. I caught myself on a tree trunk, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. The bark dug into my palms, grounding me and I could see some twisted faces surfacing out, all twisted and thirsty for my essence.
"Again," she said. "I want to see what else you can do."
I straightened, my jaw set. I dismissed the Heirloom Sword and raised my hand, a sphere of condensed blood forming in my palm. The crimson orb pulsed with a faint, rhythmic light, and I hurled it at her with a flick of my wrist. The projectile flew through the air with a sharp hiss.
Shizuka's eyes widened again. This was something she had not expected out of me. She batted the blood sphere aside with a flick of her wrist, her hand glowing with the soft, golden-green light of Senjutsu. The blood splattered against a tree, sizzling as it evaporated.
"That is interesting," she said. "I assume this is the ability of you Vampires call Hemomancy. Your control is precise, tells me you have been practicing. How long have you been able to do that?"
"Since my fight with Gin." My voice was steady. "I have been refining it ever since."
I raised my hand again, and a volley of blood daggers shot toward her. They came from multiple angles, a coordinated assault designed to overwhelm her defenses. Each blade was shaped with precision, aimed at a different vital point.
Shizuka did not dodge. She stood her ground, her hands moving in a blur, her palms glowing with the golden-green light. Each dagger was deflected, redirected, or simply dissolved before it could reach her. Her movements were precise, economical, the product of centuries of practice.
"Impressive," she said. "But you are still relying too much on raw power. You need to be more precise, more controlled. Your attacks are broad, wasteful in energy usage."
"I am doing my best, Sensei."
"Your best is not enough."
She moved.
One moment she was across the clearing. The next, she was in front of me, her palm aimed at my chest. I tried to dodge, tried to turn my body into blood mist, but she was faster. Her palm connected with my chest, and a wave of energy exploded outward.
I flew across the clearing, crashing into a tree with enough force to crack the bark. The impact drove the air from my lungs, and for a moment, I could only lie there, gasping. The world swam in and out of focus.
"You are holding back," she said, her voice carrying a hint of disappointment. "I can feel the power residing inside you, Tsukune-kun. Why are you not using it? What are you afraid of?"
I pushed myself to my feet, my body aching, my breath coming in ragged gasps. "I am trying to learn without washing away my achievement with that power."
"Then show me your true face. I want to see what you are truly capable of. I have heard the rumors circling around you, Tsukune-kun. Now I want to see the reality. I want to know who you have become since our first meeting at the Gymnasium."
For a long moment, I stared at her. Her golden eyes were fixed on me, waiting, patient. Her tail swayed gently behind her, a steady, hypnotic rhythm. There was no judgment in her gaze, no dark emotions behind her. Only a cat's curiosity.
Seeing this type of reaction out of her, it didn't take long to reach a decision.
I reached into my pocket, my fingers closing around the small, silver key that Mikogami had given me. The metal was cold against my skin, and I felt the weight of it pressing against my palm. Without it, the Holy Lock was a prison meant to hold and suppress the Shinso Blood from corroding myself. It was also a tool that could strengthen my Bloodline Purity with time.
With this key, I could unleash my full Vampiric power but risk being subjected to Alucard's schemes if I linger longer in this state. However, since the first time he surfaced out and was about to uno-reverse roles with me the transmigrator, under the threat of Kuriboh's bonks, he retreated into the crevices of my body.
"Are you sure?" My voice came out rough, strained. "Once I open it, I will not hold back even if it's you, Sensei."
Shizuka's smile softened. "I know. But you are not going to lose control, Tsukune-kun. I trust you to handle it, and I am here to catch you if you fall down."
"Who even mentioned losing control? I am fully in control of my transformation, just that I will get darker than usual."
"Then show me. I want to see the dark Tsukune-kun."
I looked at the key, then back at Shizuka. I saw the trust in her golden eyes, the quiet confidence in her posture. She believed in me. She had always believed in me, even when I was just a scared human who would always fail his PE classes and protect me from the bullying of other classmates.
I inserted the key into the lock.
The click was deafening in the silence, a sound that seemed to echo through the trees, through the dark, through the very fabric of the forest itself. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a jet of crimson Yoki erupted from the seal, surging into the air like a pillar of blood.
The Dark Forest was engulfed in a sea of crimson light, the trees casting long, twisted shadows that danced in the glow.
My body convulsed as the power surged outward through me. My hair bleached to silver, lengthening past my shoulders, cascading down my back like a waterfall of moonlight. My eyes blazed crimson, the pupils slitting into vertical lines. My fangs extended, pressing against my lower lip. My nails darkened, sharpening into claws that could tear through steel.
Devil-like bat wings tore through my back, spreading wide, their membranes catching the crimson light. My features sharpened, becoming more angular, more predatory, more symmetrically perfect.
With this, I was no longer a human, nor could I continue to pretend I was for the sake of my ego.
I was a vampire, a predator, and the full power of my Shinso blood was on display. The air around me shimmered with residual energy, and the ground beneath my feet cracked from the pressure of my release.
Shizuka's breath caught. Her tail went still, and for a moment, she forgot to move. She had felt my Yoki rising, settling close to the boundary of S-tier, and she understood now what I had been holding back. This was not the scared, confused human who had stumbled into Yokai Academy.
The silence stretched long, heavy with unspoken words.
"Wow, this made me get goosebumps. You have come a long way," she said, her voice soft. "I am proud of you."
"I am not done yet."
I dismissed the tunic, and it dissolved into shadow. I stood before her in my Vampire Form, the Heirloom Sword in my hand, my wings spread wide.
Then I raised my hand, and my combat gear materialized around me. The Alucard Mail formed over my chest, its dark runes pulsing with power. The Dragon Helm settled over my head, giving the impression that my vampiric eyes started to morph into draconic ones. The Legend Boots encased my feet, their enchantments already made me feel lighter, as if I managed to steal a feather from Hermes Cap. The Black Cloak, a memorable item of the Castlevania's Final Boss, Dracula, billowed behind me, its edges trailing shadows.
"Make sure you're ready, Shizuka-sensei. I will get rough with you."
Shizuka's smile widened.
"Meow~ Ara~Ara. Don't you say that to me, young man."
"Now you look like a true young Vampire Lord, Tsukune-kun. Let me teach you a lesson you will not forget. All for free."
She lunged body enveloped in Senjutsu Chakra.
.
.
I have written this chapter while traveling on train when I went to a concert (back in july and just now august me has given some touches and proofread furthermore). Overall, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, next chapter ends the spar between Shizuka and Tsukune as we get to see more what a Nekomata can do (aside from what we know from DxD's Kuroka and Koneko?)
We'll progress into Disciplinary Committee vs Newspaper Club and from here on the butterfly wings will start to spread and events from canon will get more uncertain.
And, yeah, who does like sexy cat mommy wearing modern gym gear? Like, whatever these fashion guys are giving the ladies to sniff in wearing such revealing clothing in gyms must be too great. And, I don't mind having my eyes pleased when going to the gym, tho makes it awkward sometimes.
Raise your hands if you agree with me (meee, here!)