NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: FIRST IMPRESSIONS
"M... My... son, I... I have a revelation to make to you!"
.............................
"I... I want to introduce you to Yuto, my... my husband."
Hearing this, my eyes widened, and my mind raced with assumptions about the cause of this, and also about the possible consequences.
I had kind of foreseen where this would lead when she took this human's hand, but to hear it so directly?
I didn't expect it at all.
But well, I trust my mother. She's been the Yokai leader for over 150 years; if anyone knows how to judge a person's character, it's her.
But that didn't make the whole situation any less intriguing. First of all, what did she expect by revealing him like this? A reaction of disgust? Instant approval? I don't know.
But leaving those facts aside, this leads me to a second question: a human? Not that I have anything against humans – since I was one myself – but well, that's a very interesting choice for a Yokai.
Most Yokai had a certain contempt for humans, mainly for one reason: they, for the most part, are simply too weak.
For example, currently, I'm just over 7 years old. If I wanted to go to a busy place, Times Square or downtown Tokyo, and cast one of the most basic Youjutsu spells, poison mist, how many do you think I would kill?
The most accurate answer to that question would be: everyone within the spell's radius, and the reason for that answer wasn't that I was very strong or anything like that – hell, I hadn't even reached the lower level – no, the reason for that is that humans are simply too weak.
They are numbers over quality.
If it weren't for the biblical God giving them those sacred gears, they would most likely be slaves to the supernatural races today.
But well, I think I revealed a somewhat shocking detail now, didn't I? If you thought of the one from the Bible, the one who fought against Lucifer, ding! ding!, you're correct.
The first time I heard about this, I can't help but say I literally turned pale with horror, like, who wouldn't be terrified knowing that GOD literally exists and most likely doesn't like you?
I assumed he wouldn't like me because we, Yokai, are considered 'beings of darkness.'
But after I asked my mother about it, she told me I didn't need to worry about it. She asked me to keep it a secret, but he had died during the Great War.
It's quite shocking to discover that GOD is dead, but in a way, it's relieving to know that.
And well, the so-called 'sacred gears' were one of the greatest creations of the biblical GOD; it was basically a weapon with the core of an ancient beast that is passed on to humans, or half-humans, randomly.
Some are powerful enough to kill gods, others not so much.
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But well, back to the subject, one of the points that made my mother's choice interesting is that she's from a time when Yokai still fed on humans, yes, you heard that right.
About 200 years ago, it was quite common to see banquets in Yokai palaces where the main course was humans.
I didn't delve too deeply into the subject because of how disgusting and terrifying the details were, but it was quite common for them to boil them alive or slowly eat them piece by piece while they were still alive.
This started to change about 190 years ago, at least for us in Kyoto.
There are rumors that the Yokai of Kanto still have banquets of this kind from time to time.
But well, I think that makes sense, since this change matches the date my mother took power after my grandmother, the former supreme leader of Kyoto, died in battle against those 5 damn clans.
I can understand the motivations of those 5 damn clans, since, in short, they are defending the 'human race' (plus their own interests).
But I don't give a damn about that; I'm not the type of idiot who is born into a traditionally rich family and sees the inequality of the world and decides to fight against it – no way.
I understand very well that if humans had power like ours, we would be the ones being boiled and eaten.
The greatest dream of the oppressed is not equality, it's to be the oppressor.
So, knowing that, I understand that the best way to appreciate a whip is with the handle in your hand.
But well, looking back, I don't know if I've become more evil by living with Yokai every day, or if this is just my true self stripped of all the moralism and ethics of my previous society, but I understand one thing very well: I will never sacrifice my happiness or the happiness of someone I like for a stranger, and if that means being evil, then so be it.
Ahhh.... I digressed from the subject again...
But it's not like I have anything to say about this development of my mother's, since, in the first place, it's her life, she has every right to do what she wants and, above all, to be happy.
And secondly, we Yokai have very long lives; although most don't make it to old age because of the endless wars that happen around us. Like, my mother isn't even 400 years old; she should live at least, if all goes well, and I've trained and continue to train so much over these years so that all goes well, another 50,000 years.
And the fact is, having to live for so long without anyone by your side is unrealistic, and simply... very lonely.
But some questions worry me about this choice, first, whether he can handle the fact of marrying someone of my mother's magnitude.
Many men out there can't stand the fact that their girlfriends, wives, are more successful than them, and often try to sabotage their lives.
If he tries to do that to my mother, I'll rip his head off... no, that's too mild.
And second, the repercussion of this fact.
Although she is the supreme leader of the Yokai of Kyoto, her power is not absolute.
The three factors that guarantee her power would be her supreme class power, the support of the Shinto gods, and above all, her access to the Ley lines of Kyoto.
The first two are what guarantee her 'political' control, but the third... is what makes us, the Yokai, the true sovereigns of Kyoto.
My mother's big idea was to see the massive energy flows of the Ley lines of Kyoto and think: 'Can I use this energy?...'
So she created her Magnus Opus that has not been copied or unraveled to this day.
A magic that allowed her to use all the energy of the lines in her spells.
But this also comes with severe limitations, the first is that she cannot be away from Kyoto for too long.
The second is that if she dies, all the Ley lines in the region will collapse. The exact result of this collapse is unknown, but at best, it would be a mega-explosion, at least at the level of 10 Tsar Bombs.
That's right, 10 times the most powerful nuclear bomb ever tested.
The main reason for this is that the Kyoto Ley line connects to at least 90% of the other lines in Japan, so it's likely that the collapse of Kyoto would lead to a chain reaction that would annihilate all of Japan, the 2 Koreas, and part of Russia.
The thermal shock wave would probably annihilate all life forms within a radius that extends to Taiwan.
In other words, my mother's death would annihilate at least Japan.
But that's of course, counting that no supreme class or above being intervenes, if they intervene, it's quite possible to reduce the radius of certain death dozens of times.
But it's much easier said than done to kill my mother; a being with her level of mastery, with practically an unlimited stock of energy, is something much worse than a walking atomic bomb.
But then you must be wondering, if she can do that, then why doesn't she exterminate the Shinto gods and the Yokai of Kanto and unify all of Japan?
Well, the first reason is that she can't exterminate them. If 10 or more supreme class beings attack her at the same time, she most likely won't win.
And the second reason, whether we like it or not, all the Japanese powers, gods, 2 Yokai factions, and the disgusting 5 clans, counterbalance each other, and this prevents an external power from invading Japan.
It's better to fight against known enemies than the unknown ones.
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But well, I think I've thought too much, it's time to give my mother an answer.
her face is already full of anxiety waiting for my response.
I took a deep breath while carefully thinking about my next words.
If I can't support my mother in her pursuit of happiness, what kind of son would I be?
"Do you like him, and does he make you happy, Mom?"
With a voice that conveyed fragility, she answered me.
"...Yes"
"You"
I said while looking at the human named Yuto.
"You know who my mother is, right?" He nodded, clearly showing nervousness with the whole situation. Does Mom like them weak and timid?
"Are you prepared for the scrutiny, disapproval, and disgust that others will have towards you? Are you prepared to face the hatred and contempt of thousands of Yokai?"
"Kaito-san, if you allow me to call you that?" I nodded slightly, signifying that he could call me that.
"Kaito-san, I understand very well who your mother is, what a grand and desired woman she is, I know very well that I have to thank the gods every day of my life for giving me, only the chance to be near such a woman, let alone the chance to marry her, I know very well how insignificant I am in relation to her."
'At least he's self-aware,' I thought while maintaining extreme attention to the way he spoke, his body language, his breathing rate, and his heart rate in search of any sign of falsehood.
"I understand very well that you don't know me and probably don't like me." He said this with his voice becoming a little firmer, slowly losing the initial nervousness.
"After all, I also wouldn't like my mother to come home with a nobody and suddenly say she was going to marry him."
"Therefore, I won't ask you to respect me from the beginning, because I understand that true respect is not given, but rather earned through actions."
"But one thing I can affirm to you with all certainty." He said the next sentence looking attentively into my eyes, with a resolute look.
"I would rather die than make this wonderful woman, who made me the happiest man in the world, cry a single tear that wasn't of happiness."
My face remained stoic, just as my teachers taught me, kings don't show emotions, kings only show power and confidence.
But inside I was deeply surprised, there was no sign of falsehood in his body, face, or heart.
I turned at that moment to look at my mother, who had a slightly surprised and slightly blushed face.
And I spoke in an extremely calm voice.
"Mom, can you please get us some tea?"
She understood what I really meant and slowly got up and went towards the door, and left, leaving us two alone.
I waited a few moments before looking into Yuto's face, he was a young man, probably not yet 30 years old.
This time I spoke in a voice different from my usual calm one.
This one had something more, a hint of warning and... danger.
"I don't know who you are, but I'll tell you this only once: if you have any negative thoughts about us or are a spy from some other power that managed to get close to my mother, I suggest you leave now, while you still have the chance to escape with your life, otherwise..."
At that moment, while still looking into his eyes, mine underwent a transformation.
The greatest advantage of a Kyubi Kitsune is not its great talent or the gigantic energy reserves - no, not even close.
The greatest advantage is that Kyubis can 'return' to their primordial form, a fox.
I've always had a lot of difficulty doing this, probably due to the fact that I'm a hybrid, but that doesn't mean I can't.
So, while I was still looking at him, my eyes began to return to their 'primordial' form.
And one thing I guarantee you, looking into the eyes of a Kitsune in its primordial form while it's angry is a terrifying thing to do, the sensation is described as if there were several needles around your body, almost as if stepping on thin ice.
Similar to having your head in a guillotine for weaker beings.
While my eyes were in their primordial form, I looked attentively at Yuto and, fortunately for him, I only saw terror of being in front of a being like me, no fear of having been discovered.
While I confirmed this, slowly my eyes returned to normal.
Yuto in front of me was nothing more than a sweaty mess that trembled from time to time.
'It'll pass in a moment'
I thought while looking at him.
After a few minutes, he slowly calmed down and, somewhat apprehensive, looked into my eyes again and said.
"I... I wouldn't expect anything less."
Brave.
But before I could continue with my thoughts, the door opened and my mother entered with a tray with 3 cups of tea.
She gave one to me, another to Yuto, and took one.
While I drank mine, I tasted a complex taste of herbs, but in general it was... sweet?
.............................
Since that disconcerting day, Yuto moved into the palace, he had a room close to mine.
In a row where my mother's room is the first, mine would be the second, and his the third.
And well after that day, time passed quickly. When I was about 7 and a half years old, my mother began to teach me how to use our fox flame.
I don't have much to say about it.
It was much simpler than magic and Youjutsu.
I didn't need to imagine the generating energy making complex movements or anything like that.
I just had to shape where it would appear and in what format, then just use the amount of energy to control the temperature.
My mother told me that I needed to use it as much as possible for 2 reasons.
To withstand an increasingly higher temperature, before having to use energy to reinforce myself against the heat emitted by the flame, yes, if I wasn't careful, I could seriously burn myself with my own flame.
And also so that, through continuous use, my reserves would grow, just like I do with magic and Youjutsu.
And well after learning this, 6 months passed and a shocking revelation happened.
My mother was pregnant!!