After offering Ryuga advice about his troubles with that girl, Kiriha, he finally managed to steady his thoughts and went straight to her house. The girl was utterly flabbergasted by his sudden visit, even more so by his bold confession that he might not understand his feelings for her yet. Still, he promised he would give her a clear answer when the time came.
They sealed that promise with a pinky swear, both of them breaking into quiet, hopeful smiles. Kiriha was willing to wait. Unbeknownst to them, her parents lingered behind the door, shamelessly eavesdropping on everything that had just unfolded.
With that settled, Isadora and Hideo sat in their apartment. Midnight had long passed, yet neither of them showed any sign of sleep.
"It's finally time."
"For what?"
"For that."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Without another word, Isadora grabbed a marker, scribbled something onto a small whiteboard, then slammed it down onto the table.
"IT'S TIME FOR DOUJIN DRIFT!"
Doujin Drift was a major event held three times a year, always hosted in Odaiba, specifically at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center. Both well-known and niche doujin circles or even independent creators gathered there to sell their latest works, while official companies showcased exclusive merchandise. Even Virtual OurTubers joined in through collaborations, drawing massive crowds.
Beyond the booths, the outdoor exhibition area was packed with cosplayers, posing for the long lines of attendees eager to take photos. Ticket prices varied depending on entry time, with morning passes typically costing more than those for the afternoon.
"Isn't that held in Tokyo? Why the hell would we go there?" Hideo frowned.
"I want to try it at least once. That's why," Isadora replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
She still regretted missing the winter event last year. This time, she intended to make up for it.
"We'll only be there for a day, so it'll be brief. I've already planned out our schedule."
"Why are you already assuming I'm agreeing to this"
Isadora practically radiated excitement, while Hideo could only sigh at his partner's enthusiasm. Truthfully, it wasn't the distance that bothered him. It was the sheer volume of people. From what he had seen online, the crowds were suffocating, with people collapsing from the heat. It sounded less like an event and more like a nightmare.
"Pretty please~~~"
"…"
"Just this once. Mato's been behaving all week, so this might be my only chance to experience it."
Hideo leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as he weighed his options. It was rare for Isadora to ask him for something like this. And it was only a one-day trip to Tokyo. Short. Manageable.
The Thunder Gods had gone quiet lately, likely laying low after the noise they had caused. Whatever they were planning would no doubt escalate from bad to worse eventually, but for now, things were calm. Gates weren't appearing as frequently, and the Defense Force had managed just fine without him before.
It was those Humanoid Shuukis that had complicated everything.
"One day only?"
"One day only. Yes."
After a moment, Hideo made up his mind. With a small, resigned gesture, he raised his hand.
"Fine. We'll go to Tokyo for the convention."
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he gave in.
"Let's go."
Isadora clenched her fists, grinning as excitement surged through her, practically overflowing.
She laid out her plan for Doujin Drift, which would begin exactly three days from now. From budgeting to assigning Hideo specific tasks, she covered everything, even suggesting they split up to secure the doujinshi she wanted from particular circles. Those works would sell like hotcakes, so efficiency and a clear route through the venue would be their top priorities.
"According to my friends on online forums, three of the artists I follow are bringing plenty of stock, so we don't have to worry about them selling out. We can leave those for the afternoon. Our priority is the booths marked in yellow," she said, pointing at a specific hall on her map. "I'm sure those will be gone in the blink of an eye."
Despite his earlier reluctance, Hideo simply nodded, following the general flow of what she was saying. For someone who claimed this would be her first time attending, Isadora planned like a seasoned veteran. She mapped out routes to avoid getting trapped in the relentless tide of people and carefully prioritized which booths to visit first.
"God, with that many people sweating, the place must stink. The ventilation probably doesn't stand a chance," Hideo remarked, his face twisting in disgust.
"Unfortunately, that's true, based on what I've heard from people who've been there," Isadora replied with a shrug. "People passing out isn't even unusual."
She let out a small sigh.
"A weather report on that building wouldn't even be out of place."
"Oh, now that you're saying that… yeah, like a humidity report or something."
Good advice was that if you'd already done everything you could, you should just leave immediately.
It was going to be quite a sight for both of them—a ridiculous number of desks lined up, each one manned by people selling their doujins. Isadora was already looking forward to the hentai she planned to collect there.
"Ratatatat74, Hikage, Enokido, Hisasi, Napata, Alp, YD, Itou Nanami, Tachibana Omina, Akino Sora, Mataro, Mashu, Anza Yuu, Saigado, Z-ton, Doji Ro, Wakamatsu… and so many more. I want physical copies of their work so badly, but I never could get them."
Isadora spoke with a tinge of regret as she listed the creators of adult content.
"Looks like we've got a Division 1 pervert here."
Hideo could only deadpan.
He looked at the time on the wall and decided that it was time for him to go to bed. Getting up from the chair, he yawned.
"I sure hope nothing bad happens while we're there."
Hideo sighed, then immediately realized what he had just done.
Every single time he got overconfident, that fuckass thing called luck always came back around like some unhinged goddess licking her lips, all lubed up and ready to drill him with a ten-inch dildo.
"Yep. You just jinxed us, asshole."
"Shit… maybe it won't actually happen this time. Hopefully."
Isadora could only laugh as Hideo started fidgeting
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Seated at a garden table in the Azuma residence, a cup of coffee resting in her hand, Fubuki enjoyed a rare moment of solitude on her day off. Her legs were crossed as she read a book about swans, the quiet rustle of pages the only sound accompanying her.
She flipped through it at a steady pace, absorbed in the text, before finally closing the book when she heard footsteps drawing near.
"You have something to say to me, Maia?"
"Yeah, I do… Mother."
Fubuki lifted her gaze to her eldest daughter, who approached with a stoic expression. A faint smile curved her lips as Maia stopped in front of her and took a seat across the table, dressed simply in shorts and a shirt.
Azuma Maia was a striking young woman with long bluish hair framing a face that carried both beauty and quiet intensity. Her figure, slim yet undeniably voluptuous, closely resembled Fubuki's own. As the current assistant and vice chief under Fubuki, Maia carried herself with composure. Most of the time, she was calm, precise, and unwaveringly professional in her duties.
"I'm going to spend the rest of my day off in Tokyo. I just wanted to give you a heads-up."
Three fingers went to the bridge of Maia's glasses, sliding them back into place.
"And why is that, if you would care to elaborate?"
"Personal matters. Don't fret, it's nothing serious."
"Mhmm~"
Fubuki rested her chin on her hand, watching her daughter with faint amusement. Truthfully, she already understood what Maia was planning, even without her saying it outright.
Maia was heading to Doujin Drift to buy several games that had piqued her interest, plus a few collectible cards. Her mom didn't quite get the specifics of the event, but she knew it kept Maia entertained.
Maia might appear stoic, but to Fubuki, she was surprisingly easy to read—especially when it came to the little habits she thought she kept hidden.
"You're already an adult, Maia, so it isn't my place to dictate how you spend your free time."
Fubuki smiled as she leaned back in her chair.
"I don't care how many games you play or how much manga you read. However, if that hobby of yours starts interfering with your work, then it becomes an entirely different matter. Judging by you now, that doesn't seem to be the case."
"…I understand."
As far as Maia knew, Fubuki was only aware of her tendency to shut herself in her room whenever they were outside Mato, indulging in her games.
What Maia did not realize was that Fubuki had already seen and busted through everything. She knew about her hidden identity that is live streaming behind a virtual avatar. Even the current head of the family, Azuma Tobera, was aware of it.
"Forget that," Fubuki said lightly. "Why don't we have a little chat?"
"I have nothing better to do this afternoon, so I guess I'll do that."
Maia's lips tugged upward ever so slightly.
As her mother had suggested, the two women indulged themselves in a wide range of topics. They drifted from mundane chatter to discussions about their current situations and everything in between. Their voices carried easily through the garden, blending with the calm atmosphere that seemed to soften even their sharpest thoughts.
The peaceful atmosphere held until Maia shifted the conversation.
"The Azuma Banquet is rapidly approaching," Maia noted, her tone dropping into a cool indifference. A faint, mocking smile touched her lips. "What are we going to do about that girl?"
"As one of my daughters, she is expected to participate in the gathering," Fubuki replied. "However, I think you know how stubborn she is about not returning."
"Well, Himari would certainly need thick skin to show her face here again of her own volition."
"Interestingly, your sister just informed me that their squad will be having an inter-squad tournament against Chief Uzen's group."
Fubuki had already tried contacting Himari several times, urging her to come back, even if only occasionally. Each attempt had been met with refusal.
Since being accepted into the Seventh Squad, Himari had made no effort to reach out to them in any meaningful way, aside from matters strictly related to work. In truth, despite the love she still held for her youngest daughter, Fubuki could not ignore her disappointment. Himari had once shown immense promise, only to falter after discovering the limitations of her own ability.
The ability known as Learning.
By observing the movements and powers of those around her, Himari could manifest their skills as collectible cards stored directly on her smartphone. This granted her access to a vast array of abilities, making her an incredibly versatile fighter.
At first, the Azuma's believed her power would be extremely extraordinary. However, an ability of that caliber came with significant drawbacks. More often than not, she could not fully utilize the abilities she acquired, and her personal compatibility with each new power remained a massive hurdle.
To those unfamiliar with her, like Hideo, it was easy to assume her powers were weapon-based, given how often she relied on machine guns and defensive constructs. In reality, her ability was far more promising than it initially appeared.
"I will see the results of that tournament for myself before I knock on their door," Fubuki said, her eyes narrowing. "Though, whether she wins or loses against Yachiho, I will still have to go there regardless. Because If she remains that way, I will have no choice but to handle her myself. I will not allowing her to bring shame to the Azuma name."
Maia remained quiet as her mother's mood shifted to a familiar, serious edge. She had no strong emotional attachment to Himari and felt completely neutral toward the girl. This was a stark contrast to Yachiho, who harbored a massive, albeit hidden, fondness for their younger sister.
"The only thing I care about right now is buying that doujin game," Maia thought, snacking on a plain biscuit her mother had offered.
On the outside, Maia appeared stoic, but she could be playful when the moment called for it. The Azumas were simply full of ego, bred with a superiority complex born from years of strict indoctrination. The current family head, the former Supreme Commander of the Defense Force, had drilled into all of them that power was the only thing that mattered.
At present, Maia could not wait to attend Doujin Drift and purchase all the merchandise she had her eyes on.
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Standing at an elevated vantage point, Kyouka observed the field through her binoculars. She wore a simple tank top, her katana resting at her waist. Below, Himari and Yuko cut through waves of Shuuki, using them as living targets for their training in preparation for the upcoming inter-squad tournament.
A duel format would demand careful planning. Himari, in particular, would need to devise counters against Yachiho's ability, which was arguably among the most dangerous and useful in large-scale combat and one-on-one.
"They're doing better than I expected."
A small smile formed on Kyouka's lips, a quiet sense of pride surfacing as both of them exceeded her expectations.
By allowing Himari to team up with Yuko as her weapon during the fight against her sister, Kyouka had learned something valuable. Yuko's slave form did not remain constant. Instead, it shifted depending on her partner.
When paired with Himari, Yuko became faster and more agile compared to when Kyouka rode her. However, that increase in speed came at the cost of strength. Her firepower was noticeably reduced, far below what it could normally achieve.
"I wonder when she'll realize that not holding Yuko's chain is making her weaker."
The bond created by Eternal Chains strengthened the slave through their connection with the master. In Yuko's case, the chain bound to her collar enhanced her capabilities significantly. The difference was clear when compared to moments where that connection was not actively maintained.
Kyouka chose not to tell Himari outright. She preferred that the girl discover it on her own. Still, given the current situation, she considered offering a subtle hint to guide her in the right direction.
"…"
Letting her thoughts drift, Kyouka found herself no longer focused on the upcoming match with the Sixth Squad.
The Thunder Gods, along with the other humanoid Shuuki, had been absent for quite some time. Rather than easing her mind, their silence unsettled her even more. It made her wonder what might be waiting beneath that stillness.
It felt like a gathering storm—eerily silent at first, only to unleash its full, devastating might the moment one's guard was down.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Hoping her anxieties were merely misplaced, Kyouka turned and walked toward her motorcycle to head back to base. She had no way of knowing that the very gods she was thinking about were already moving and plotting, orchestrating a disaster that would affect the human world itself.