The hunger in his voice was undeniable. Lilian must have heard it, because she ground her pelvis against his knee. He could feel the dampness sinking into his pants.
“Bed,” Lilian murmured in his ear.
Kevin got the message and, grabbing plentiful amounts of her ass, he lifted her up. Lilian hooked her legs around his waist. He walked over to the bed and slowly lowered her down. Hovering over her, his hands on either side of her head, Kevin looked at the kitsune whom he’d become the mate of. Lilian’s skin was flushed red. Her chest, in particular, had become a lovely shade of magenta as all the blood rushed to her chest.
“Beloved,” she murmured.
Kevin smiled. “I don’t know what I did to deserve someone like you, but thank you for coming into my life.”
Lilian shook her head. “I’m the one who wants to thank you. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. You’re the Rito Yuuki to my Lala Deviluke.”
“I hope that doesn’t mean you plan on creating the harem plan.”
“I’m not Momo,” Lilian said as she pulled him down into another kiss. “If anyone is going to try that, it’s going to be Iris.”
“You seem awfully calm about all this.”
“I don’t care who joins us in bed, just so long as you remain mine.”
“I’ll always be yours,” Kevin promised.
“Actions speak louder than words, Beloved. Show me how much you love me.”
Knowing what she wanted, Kevin kissed and licked his way down her body, paying attention to her chest and stomach. He swirled his tongue around her nipples and tugged on them with his teeth. He kissed her taut stomach and paid special attention to her sensitive belly button. When he got to her shorts, he grabbed her zipper between his teeth and slid it down. Then he unbuttoned it with his tongue and pulled her shorts off. Lilian helped by raising her hips.
Discarding her shorts, Kevin came back up, positioning himself between her legs. As he stared into her eyes, which shone with the flawless beauty that no emerald would ever possess, Kevin remembered why he’d fallen for this girl.
That night, he and Lilian became one.
Kanya and his forces had gathered just outside of Phoenix.
It was late at night. A chilly breeze swept through the Yamata Alliance base. Above their heads, millions of stars twinkled, their luster shining against the velvet canvas.
Their temporary base was nothing more than a series of tents, which, while uncomfortable, would serve their purpose well enough. He and his subordinates were arrayed around a table inside of the largest tent. The tent served as their war room. Laid flat on the table was a map of Phoenix, which was marked with red marker in several sections.
“Our forces have thoroughly investigated Phoenix, and we have determined that these are the entry points for Neo Seiryuu,” said his second in command, a massive onikuma whose thick black fur denoted his black bear ancestry.
Alice Visam stared at the map with her crimson eyes. “Then we were correct in assuming that Neo Seiryuu has been separated from this dimension?”
“It appears that way,” said the onikuma, who went by the name Clawson Urs. “The barrier they’ve set up to create their own dimension is powerful. However, it relies on a sealing system instead of a technique. While this makes the barrier more stable, it’s also easier to break.”
Pressing a thick, black-furred index finger on the map, Clawson pointed out each of the circled points.
“These are where the barrier seals are located. There are four of them—one at the north, south, east, and west points of the city. My men have already placed breakers on every seal, disguised properly with an illusion that would fool even a kitsune. On your word, the barrier will fall.”
“Excellent.” Kanya felt a smile tug at his lips. “Tomorrow night, the Four Saints and all of the people living in this wretched city will be annihilated from the face of this world.”
Hebi breathed in deeply as he felt more of his power return to him.
He’d defeated the guardian and forced Kushinadahime to break the seal. The guardian of the third seal, an ape-like creature that towered over even mountains, lay on its back several yards away, its sightless eyes gazing at the sky. There was a massive hole in its chest.
Kushinadahime lay on the ground, breathing heavily, her now ashen skin slick with sweat. He’d forced her to break the seal several times, which had drained her of significant portions of her life force. He supposed that’s what happened when someone became a human. They just didn’t have the stamina that they did when they were a goddess.
“Reincarnation is a bitch, isn’t it?” he asked the girl. She said nothing, but the glare she sent his way, which could have sliced through a mountain, was fierce indeed. He chuckled.
Just one more seal to go. He grinned.
He was looking forward to having his full power again.
Seven
Christmas Surprise
Christmas day was met with a large breakfast courtesy of Kotohime: eggs, pancakes, bacon, hash browns, and French toast—a traditional western breakfast, which she didn’t make often. After eating the wonderfully prepared meal, Kevin went to where he’d hidden the presents for everyone, Kotohime’s room, and brought them out. Likewise, Lilian and the others grabbed the gifts they’d bought as well.
“Hawa! Presents! Presents!”
Camellia was probably the most joyful of the entire group. She sat on the floor, giggling childishly as she clapped her hands together.
“C-calm down, My Lady,” Kirihime said. “You’ll be able to open presents soon.”
“Muuu!” Camellia made a strange noise as she pouted. “I want to open presents now!”
Wearing the widest of grins, Kevin placed the present that he had bought for her in her lap. “Here you go, Camellia. A present.”
“Hawa! Presents!”
Camellia tore through the wrapping like a tiger tearing through its prey. She opened the box and peered inside.
“Hawa?”
Pulling out the object revealed that Kevin’s present to Camellia was a stuffed nine-tailed fox with bright red fur and a cherubic face. As she stared at it, her eyes glittered like a pair of diamonds. She turned to Kirihime and, her beaming smile brighter than the sun, presented it to her.
“Look, Kirikiri! Look at what Kevin-kyun got me!”
“I see that,” Kirihime said with incredible tenderness. She sent him a warm smile, which caused him to smile back. Camellia hugged the fox to her chest. Oddly enough, Kevin didn’t feel the least bit envious—that poor fox plushie.
“All right. Me next!” Iris declared, grabbing the nearest present and ripping it open without looking at who it was for.
“H-hey!” Lilian shouted. “That was mine!”
“Too bad. It’s mine now.”
“Then I guess that means you’re not getting the present that I got you.”
“… On second thought, you can have this back.”
There weren’t that many presents to go around. Kotohime, Kevin, and Lilian had bought something for everyone, but they were the only ones. Iris hadn’t bought anyone presents, and neither had Camellia. Kirihime hadn’t either, but she at least had the excuse of being too busy watching over her mistress to go Christmas shopping.
From Kotohime, Kevin received a new thigh holster for a knife. He thanked her even though he didn’t know what he’d do with an empty holster. Lilian had bought him every volume of UQ Holder! and a two-hour National Geographic video on Arctic wildlife. From Iris, he received…
“Iris?”
“Yes, Stud?”
“Whose panties are these?”
In Kevin’s hands were panties. They were quite risqué—nothing but a triangular patch with thin strings. Even Lilian didn’t have something this deadly in her arsenal.
“… What if I said those were mine?”
“Then I wouldn’t believe you.”
“Uhuhu, you know me too well.”
“Eep!�
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Everyone turned when a loud squeal emitted from Christine. She was staring at the panties in horror. The sheer amount of terror pulsating from her eyes like two solar flares was enough to make Kevin realize who these panties belonged to.
“Damn… I didn’t realize you wore stuff like this.”
“P-p-p-p-p-p-PERVERT!”
“Guag!”
After Christine slammed her fist into a startled Kevin’s gut, the group resumed opening presents. Kirihime seemed to like the new boots that he’d bought, which would go well with her maid outfit. She promised to keep them in perfect condition. Kotohime had ruffled his hair and thanked him for the sword cleansing oils. When Iris had opened the gift that he’d given her, a piece of lingerie that he’d seen her looking at during one of their trips to the mall a few months back, she’d given him the sloppiest kiss since… well, since the last time they’d had sex. Christine had shouted at them, but she’d been quickly silenced when Iris responded to Lilian’s gift the same way.
Lilian’s reaction had been almost the same as Iris’s when she received her Wacom tablet. Actually, if it wasn’t for Christine, Iris, and Kotohime pulling her off him, Kevin was almost certain they would’ve done it right there on the floor.
As the present unwrapping continued, Kevin noticed that Christine, aside from when Iris had stolen her panties and handed them to him, remained apart from the group. She stood off to the side, leaning against the wall. She looked out of place.
Frowning, Kevin found the present that he’d bought for her, grabbed it, walked over to her, and held out the gift. It was a nicely wrapped box with black and silver paper. He’d thought about going with Christmas colors, but he believed that she would like these ones more.
“Here. I hope you like it.”
Christine took it with shaky hands. “You… bought this for me?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t give it to you if I hadn’t.”
“T-thank you.”
Hiding her suspiciously blue cheeks, Christine unwrapped the gift. She was much more meticulous than anyone else, taking off the tape and unwrapping the paper without ripping it, as if she planned on saving it later. The gift, which she gave an uncomprehending stare, was a lace-woven gothic bracelet. The center featured a silver gem. Outlining the gem was numerous frills which took on the semblance of roses. The bracelet was attached to a ring via a small chain.
“I thought this would go well with your outfit,” Kevin said.
“Idiot…”
“W-what?”
“N-nothing.” Christine’s lips trembled. Looking up at him with large eyes and blue cheeks, she held the bracelet out to him. “C-could you put it on?”
Not seeing the harm in that, Kevin took the bracelet from her and slid it onto her slender wrist. He also slid the ring on her middle finger. Christine eyed the ring like it was something foreign, then looked at him and smiled. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her give such a breathtaking smile before.
“Thank you. This is the best present I’ve ever gotten.”
Not bothering to hide his pleased grin, Kevin said, “You’re welcome.”
Maybe it was because they had been apart for so long, but this was the first time in a long while that he had seen her smile like this. He wondered if there was a way to make her do so more often. It looked much better than her usual surly expressions.
“Hurry up and suck his face already,” Iris muttered.
“S-s-s-s-suck—SHUT UP!”
Christine’s powers over ice exploded from her body. Hoarfrost covered the ground and quickly spread across the floor, starting from her feet and working its way forward. Camellia let out a loud “HAWA!” as she slipped and fell onto her back. The others also panicked.
“Christine! Your powers! Stop using your powers!”
“Ugh… I should have known you’d respond like this, Frosty.”
“Ara? Her ice powers are awfully strong. Ufufufu.”
“Now’s not the time to laugh!”
After Christine turned the room into a winter wonderland, the group finished opening presents. They soon split up. Lilian went into their room, presumably to try out her new Wacom tablet. Iris followed her. Kevin was sure she was going to try and seduce her sister. Kirihime watched Camellia as she found a place on the floor to play with her stuffed animals, and while Christine sat on the couch and stared at the two gifts that she’d gotten—his bracelet and a necklace from Lilian—he and Kotohime picked up the wrapping paper.
“Thank you for your help, Kevin-sama.”
“You’re welcome. Thanks for the gift.”
“Ufufufu…”
Before they could finish cleaning, a knock came at their door. Kotohime answered it to see that Kiara and Heather were on the other side.
“Oh, Kiara-san, Heather-san. What a nice surprise. Would you like to come in?”
Kiara shook her head. “Can’t. We only came here to get you.”
Kotohime’s nose wrinkled. “Get me? What for?”
“Don’t know, but the Four Saints are calling for all of their elite members.”
“I see. In that case, please give me a moment to throw this trash away.”
“Kay.”
As Kotohime went into the kitchen, Kevin came up to the doorway. “Is something going on?”
Heather and Kiara looked at each other.
“We’re not sure,” Heather admitted. “Though I assume so. There’s no way the Four Saints would call on a meeting of the most powerful people in Neo Seiryuu if something wasn’t going on. Gods only knows what that is, though.”
“I see.”
“I’m ready,” Kotohime announced as she came back. Ruffling Kevin’s hair again, she said, “Please inform Lilian-sama and Iris-sama that I will be back later.”
“Will do.”
As Kotohime stepped outside, Kiara turned back around and grinned. “Before I forget, here you go, boya. This is from me and Heather.”
Kiara handed him something, then left with Kotohime and Heather, tossing a wave over her shoulder. Kevin closed the door with a frown. Then he looked down at the object in his hand.
The black knife glinted within the light.
All of Neo Seiryuu’s elite members had assembled.
Of course, calling them “elite” anything was a misnomer. The people who protected Neo Seiryuu weren’t a military, though a few did possess military training. Everyone who sat within the room was considered “elite” simply because they were either powerful, influential, or both. These were the people who, in some manner or form, protected Neo Seiryuu.
Kotohime sat at a long table. Kiara sat on her right and Heather on her left. On the other side of the table was Mack, and Dr. Henry Von Stein sat to his right.
Dr. Henry Von Stein was an oni with orange skin, curved horns protruding from his head, and more horns that sat around his cranium like a crown. He didn’t have eyebrows, but he did possess a thick brow ridge. Two tusk-like teeth jutted from his lower lip.
The other people who sat around the table—which numbered twenty-four in all—were people that she knew by name but was not necessarily familiar with. She’d worked with some of them. However, there were others that she had never worked with before.
Sitting at the head of the table were the Four Saints. Davin and Kuroneko sat on one end, and Sarah sat on the other. Orin was currently slumped over his seat, unconscious. There was a suspicious lump on his head.
“Thank you all for coming so quickly,” Davin started. “A grave problem has come up that could affect the outcome of this war.”
While no one said anything, several people glanced at each other in concern. Kotohime didn’t blame them. There was an expression on Davin’s face that all but said, “Something horrible as happened.” His entire countenance was grave.
Clearing her throat, Kuroneko began where Davin left off, “Early this morning, there was a massive surge of power coming from the south. We have reason to believe that the Yamata no
Orochi has regained most of his power.”
This time, people did begin muttering. Even Kotohime was concerned by this. The Yamata no Orochi was a powerful entity said to be on par with the legendary Kyūbi. It was a massive serpent-dragon with eight heads and eight tails, and it was said to possess an enormous body that spanned eight valleys and eight hills.
According to ancient myth, when Susano—the god of seas and storms—was exiled from the heavens, he found a couple and their daughter crying by a river. It was explained to him that every year, the Orochi came to devour one of their daughters, and that year they had to give up their eighth and final daughter, Kushinada. Deciding to save her, Susano proposed to Kushinana. She accepted and he transformed her into a comb so Orochi would not find her. He then had Kushinada’s parents brew sake, refine it eight times, and build an enclosure with eight gates, each of which included a vat of sake. When the Orochi arrived, he was lured in towards the sake and dipped each of his heads into one of the vats. The beast became drunk and disoriented, and Susano was able to slay him quite easily. That was how the legends went anyway. Kotohime did not know how much of it was true and how much of it was false, but it was a story that had been passed down in Japan for thousands of years.
“One hundred and fifty years ago, we Four Saints fought against the Yamata no Orochi,” Davin said. “During this time, we managed to split his power and seal it away. However, it appears that he has not only found a way to revive himself, but he’s also located the places where his power has been sealed. Three of the four seals have already been broken, which means there’s only one seal left.”
Orin, who’d recovered some time while Davin was talking, rubbed the bump on his head and said, “We’re going to the last seal, to wait for the Yamata no Orochi, who is sure to be searching for it even as we speak.”
“Are you sure that is wise?” Dr. Henry Von Stein asked. “I do not mean to dissuade you. I understand that the Yamata no Orochi must be stopped before he can regain all of his powers. That being said, there are more threats than just the Yamata no Orochi.”
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