SAK Chapter 17 More Draconian Training (Patreon)

Morning, Apartment 304, Issei’s Apartment, Bedroom

Morning sunlight broke gently through the blinds, casting warm, golden rays across the disheveled futon.

Mina’s miko robes, shifted and disarrayed after hours of restless movement, hung loosely around her body, exposing a generous view of her soft stomach, the porcelain curve of her chest, and her bare legs. She was cradling Issei’s left arm close, her head resting on his shoulder while his hand remained unwittingly caught between the smooth press of her thighs.

Beside them, Lucoa lay completely nude, her massive oppai pressing tightly around Issei’s head, suffocating him in sheer softness while one of her long, slender legs was draped heavy over his waist. Meanwhile, Kanna laid curled up directly on top of Issei’s chest, shed out of her outer clothes and snoozing contently like a small, tranquil cat.

It was then that a shaft of bright sunlight hit Mina’s face, causing her eyelashes to flutter open. She blinked against the morning glow, shifting slightly. As her mind slowly cleared, her face flushed red at a startling realization: at just who she slept with and making her wonder if they were going too fast. Then she realized that what Kanna said was true despite the absurdity of the situation, she hadn’t had a night of sleep this deep and comfortable in years.

Then, she grabbed her glasses and her eyes adjusted, taking in the scene around her.

Her breath quickly hitched as Issei’s face was entirely buried within Lucoa’s monumental chest, his legs feebly twitching as his skin rapidly turned a concerning shade of blue.

‘Is he even getting any oxygen in there?!’ Mina panicked internally.

“Wh—Hey! Wake up! Release him!” Mina cried out, scrambling to pry Lucoa’s soft, immovable arms away from Issei’s head.

Her thrashing and urgent tugging jostled the entire futon, startling everyone except for Issei, who was currently hovering on the threshold of unconsciousness.

Lucoa blinked lazily, rubbing one of her heterochromatic eyes with a drowsy, innocent expression. “Hmm...? What’s with all the noise so early, Mina-chan...?”

Kanna sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes with a blank, sleepy gaze. “...What is happening?”

With Lucoa’s grip loosened, Issei’s head finally broke free. He gasped desperately, drawing in violent gulps of fresh air, his chest heaving under Kanna’s weight. As his blurry eyes slowly refocused, the first thing he saw was Mina leaning over him with a deeply flustered, worried expression, her robes still wildly disarranged.

Issei stared up at her, dazed and delirious. “Am... am I in heaven...? Is that an angel with huge oppai coming to take me...?”

SMACK!

Mina’s hand landed crisply on his cheek, her face bright red as she yanked her robe shut. “Pull yourself together, you pervert! You almost died again!”

Lucoa blinked at Issei’s gasping form, finally realizing the situation. She then let out a soft, bashful chuckle and pressed a hand to her cheek. “Ara... whoops~ Sorry about that, Issei-kun! I didn't mean to almost kill you again.”

Kanna looked down at Issei, her voice completely flat and deadpan. “That is the third time Lucoa has tried to kill you with her big watermelons.”

Issei sat up, rubbing his burning cheek while his heart hammered against his ribs, split between sheer panic and profound gratitude to be alive while at the same time regretful for not having his head between her oppai more.

—---------------------------------

Apartment 303, Kobayashi’s apartment

The morning sun broke gently over the quiet streets of Koshigaya, casting warm, golden rays through the kitchen window of Apartment 303. Inside, the tantalizing aroma of sizzling tamagoyaki, grilled fish, and freshly brewed miso soup filled the air.

Around the low dining table sat the apartment’s usual chaotic ensemble. Everyone was busy digging into the lavish breakfast spread prepared by Tohru, whose dragon tail swished rhythmically behind her in sheer satisfaction.

“Mmm! Tohru-san, this is amazing as always!” Issei said between mouthfuls, wolfing down his second bowl of seasoned rice.

Kanna nodded along as she could be seen eating with much of the same energy as her cheeks were stuffed full like a chipmunks.

“Fufu~ Thank you, Issei-kun! Kanna!” Tohru beamed, clasping her hands together. “A hearty breakfast is essential for a productive day!”

Mina, seated with her usual refined posture now dressed in her purple kimono, set down her teacup and glanced toward the hallway leading to the guest futons.

“Speaking of the day ahead… How is our guest doing?” Mina asked softly, her expression turning serious. “Has Akami shown any signs of waking?”

“I checked on her right before setting the table,” Tohru replied, her tone turning surprisingly gentle. “She seems to no longer suffer any form of pain and has settled completely after last night as she is still sleeping peacefully.”

Mina let out a small breath of relief. “Good. Once the mind clears, deep rest is usually the best medicine.” She paused, adjusting her glasses as she looked around the table. “I’ll be heading over to headquarters shortly. I need to listen to the incident reports from the Ginza battle and find out what else the elders have uncovered about those corrupted oni groups, hopefully they were able to tell that all of them were not in control of their actions and have shown leniency. But I doubt it.”

Issei nodded understandingly, swallowing his food. “Sounds like heavy work. Be careful out there, Mina-chan.”

“I will,” Mina said, offering a small, grateful smile. Then she turned her gaze back to him. “What about you, Issei? What are your plans for today?”

Before Issei could open his mouth to answer, a flat, authoritative voice cut in from the head of the table.

“He’s going to be training,” Kobayashi spoke up, taking a measured sip from her coffee mug.

Issei froze, his chopsticks hovering midway to his mouth. “…Huh?”

Kobayashi adjusted her glasses, her dark eyes locking onto her nephew with deadpan severity. “He’s going to be seriously trained by Tohru and Kanna today. So Mina, don’t bother trying to call his phone today. They won’t be anywhere close to cell service or civilization, for that matter.”

“W-Wait a minute, Obaa-chan!” Issei sputtered, nearly choking on his rice. “Training, today?! I didn’t agree to anything today!”

Kobayashi set her coffee cup down with a sharp clink on the table. “You don’t get a vote, Issei,” She said flatly, giving him a look that could cut through steel. “You threw yourself right into the middle of a supernatural war in Ginza last night. If you’re going to keep endangering yourself to help Mina, you’re going to end up in even worse situations down the line.”

Issei winced, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well… yeah, but—”

“No ‘buts’,” Kobayashi interrupted smoothly. “I can’t stop you from doing what you think is right, but the absolute least I can do as your aunt is make sure you’re actually prepared for the worst.” She then turned her head slightly toward Tohru. “Tohru. Train him well.”

Tohru’s eyes practically turned into sparkling stars. She straightened up like a soldier receiving a grand command from her general. “Understood, Kobayashi-san!” Tohru declared proudly, resting a hand over her heart. “By the time I’m finished with him, Issei-kun will be able to crawl his way out of the depths of Hell itself!”

Issei went pale, a cold drop of sweat rolling down his temple. ‘Hell?! She’s definitely going to kill me!’

Kobayashi drained the rest of her coffee and stood up, smoothing down her dress shirt. “I’m heading off to work. Make sure all of you are back in this apartment by seven o'clock tonight for dinner.”

“Yes, my beloved!” Tohru chirped, instantly trailing behind Kobayashi toward the front door like a devoted puppy. “Have a wonderful day at work! May your coding compile flawlessly and your boss remain blind to your perfection! I send you with all my eternal love!”

Kobayashi gave a nod, completely accustomed to Tohru’s theatrical farewells. “Right, right. Goodbye, everyone.”

Before stepping out into the hallway, Kobayashi paused next to Issei. Reaching out, she roughly ruffled his messy brown hair, giving him a quiet, reassuring look despite her dry expression. “Try not to break any bones,” She added softly, before turning, walking toward the door and closing it behind her with a firm click.

The moment the door shut, Issei slumped forward, his face hitting the table with a pathetic groan. “I’m going to die today…” He whimpered into the wood.

Beside him, Kanna swallowed her last piece of tamagoyaki and hopped off her seat. Her face remained deadpan, but her puffy tail twitched back and forth with unmistakable excitement. “I get to stretch my legs. Fun.”

Tohru cracked her knuckles, a cheerful yet utterly terrifying aura radiating off her. “Oh, come on, Issei-kun! A little dragon-style conditioning is just what you need to build up your stamina!”

Mina stood up from the table and walked over to Issei, offering a sympathetic pat on his trembling shoulder. “She’s not wrong, Issei,” Mina said gently, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “And besides… your aunt clearly cares a lot about you. Well, I should take my leave now.”

Tohru and Kanna waved as Mina gathered her charms and prepared to leave.

“Make sure to visit often, Mina-chan!” Tohru called out warmly.

“Bring snacks next time,” Kanna added plainly.

Mina chuckled softly, bowing slightly to the room. “I will. Take care, everyone.” With that, she stepped out, leaving the dragon household behind.

Issei slowly dragged himself up, dragging a hand over his face as he looked toward Tohru and Kanna. “Alright… I guess we should get going too.” 

He then glanced over at the couch, where Lucoa was lazily lounging, her heterochromatic eyes half-closed as she twirled a lock of her blonde hair. “You’re not coming, Lucoa-san?” Issei asked.

Lucoa let out a soft, sleepy hum, waving her hand dismissively. “Ah, no thanks Training sounds like a lot of violence, and you know how much I prefer peace and quiet” She leaned back, resting her head against the cushion. “Besides, someone needs to stay behind and keep an eye on Akami-chan. If she wakes up disoriented in a stranger’s home, she might panic and get aggressive.”

Issei breathed a sigh of relief as he didn’t think of that, offering her an appreciative smile. “Honestly, thank you, Lucoa-san. That’s really thoughtful of you.”

“Yes, thank you, Lucoa,” Tohru agreed, nodding firmly. “The last thing I want is Kobayashi-san’s apartment getting trashed while she’s at work!”

Lucoa gave a gentle wink. “Fufu Leave everything to me. You three go have fun”

With their home front secured, Tohru, Kanna, and a deeply reluctant Issei stepped out into the morning air, beginning their journey to search for a secluded, wide-open spot strong enough to survive dragon-level training.

—-------------------------------

Far above the clouds, Tohru's colossal, emerald-scaled dragon form cut across the morning sky with effortless grace. Her comically petite wings beat in rhythmic, thunderous sweeps, each downstroke generating powerful gales that scattered the sea of mist in her wake.

Riding upon her broad, armored back were Issei and Kanna. The little dragon girl sat calmly with her hands folded over her knees, enjoying the scenic breeze like a passenger on a leisurely train ride. 

Issei, on the other hand, was clinging to Tohru’s ridge-scales for dear, desperate life. The wind roared in his ears like a jet engine, and the clouds whipped past in blinding streaks of white and blue.

“How far out are we going?!” Issei screamed over the deafening rush of air, his knuckles white as bone.

Beneath them, the sprawling, grid of urban Japan melted away, replaced by sweeping green canopies. Forests quickly surrendered to open ocean, which gradually gave way to a vast, untouched wilderness of jagged, snow-dusted mountain ranges stretching endlessly toward the horizon.

After nearly an hour of continuous flight, Tohru banked sharply downward, carving through a thick blanket of clouds into an isolated sector hidden far beyond any charted maps.

The landscape below was utterly desolate. Razor-sharp peaks pierced the sky, bordered by ravines and treacherous, frozen inclines. There were no roads, no power lines, and not a single whisper of human civilization for hundreds of meters. 

With a heavy, mountain-shaking thud that triggered a small avalanche down the slope, Tohru landed gracefully upon a massive, elevated snowy stone plateau.

"...We are really far from home," Issei mumbled, stumbling off her back. His knees wobbled violently the moment his shoes touched the frozen earth. Beside him, Kanna hopped down lightly, landing without making a sound.

In a brilliant flash of blinding green magic and swirling mana, the enormous dragon vanished. Standing in her place was Tohru in her familiar maid uniform, casually brushing a few specks of frost off her apron with a cheerful grin.

Issei looked around, taking in the biting, icy winds and the empty, sunlit horizon. “Uh… why did we come all the way out here, specifically?” He asked, nervously scratching his cheek.

Tohru folded her arms, her smile proud and radiating absolute confidence. "Because this," she declared, gesturing to the expanse, "is the ultimate training ground as it's completely isolated."

She took a deep, satisfying breath of the razor-thin mountain air. "We're several thousand meters above sea level. Meaning we can unleash our full strength without worrying about collateral damage or human casualties! But more importantly, this altitude provides superior physical conditioning as the air up here is far thinner than what your body is accustomed to."

Issei blinked, testing his lungs. The air felt frigid, razor-sharp, and noticeably light, making every deep breath demand real effort. "...Meaning?"

"It means," Tohru explained brightly, "your body will be forced to function with significantly less oxygen. Every movement will exhaust you twice as fast. Your lungs will burn, and your muscles will fatigue in minutes. If you can learn to dodge and fight effectively under these conditions, surviving a battle down in Tokyo will feel like a walk in the park!"

"It’s a good place," Kanna agreed with a small nod, stepping up beside Tohru. Her deadpan face turned toward Issei as faint, sparks of static electricity danced playfully around her tiny horns.

Tohru’s grin widened, a subtle, predatory edge creeping into her expression. "Besides..." She gestured casually toward the surrounding peaks. "If we happen to accidentally destroy a mountain or two..."

She flicked a tiny pebble off her thumb.

The pebble flew across the valley at hypersonic speeds. A split second later, a massive, snow-capped peak three miles away violently erupted into a cloud of pulverized rock, completely collapsing in on itself.

"...Nobody will complain!" Tohru finished cheerfully.

Issei stared blankly at the rising pillar of dust where a mountain had stood three seconds ago.

"..."

"..."

"I miss the city," Issei whimpered, his face draining of all color.

Ignoring his plea, Tohru turned and took ten long strides back before spinning on her heel to face him. "Today's exercise is very simple: evasive maneuvers,” She announced, cracking her knuckles. “You’ll be running and dodging our attacks while we’ll be holding back considerably less than before. Think of it as a game! If you can avoid us, nothing slower than a dragon will ever touch you again!”

Her red orange eyes gleamed with terrifying enthusiasm. "And if you manage to fight back... even better."

Issei slowly raised a trembling hand. "...Question."

"Yes?"

"Please tell me you won’t be using your dragon forms?"

“Don’t worry!” Tohru reassured him with a dazzling, terrifyingly bright smile. “We won’t transform. That would be a little too destructive for a warm-up. Now… get ready, Issei-kun!”

Issei’s heart slammed into his throat. He stumbled backward, raising both hands in sheer panic. “W-Wait! Hold on a second! Time out! Call a time out! I’m not warmed up! My legs are still stiff from the ride—!”

Tohru’s slitted pupils locked onto him. Reasoning was officially off the table.

Desperate, Issei turned to the smaller dragon. “Kanna! Come on, help me out here! Tell her this is insane! You’re on my side, right?!”

Kanna tilted her head, her large blue eyes completely unblinking. She then gave a slow shake of her head. “No. I have to train you too.”

“Why?!” Issei shrieked.

“Because,” Kanna replied, her tone as flat as if reading a textbook, “training makes you a stronger mate for me.”

Before Issei’s brain could even think of the sheer absurdity of her logic, the temperature in front of him spiked by a thousand degrees.

(It’s useless, partner. Stop whining and move!) Ddraig’s booming voice echoed in his head.

“Here we go~!” Tohru cheered.

Without another word of warning, Tohru opened her mouth and unleashed a point-blank, roaring pillar of red dragon fire directly at his face.

FWOOOOSH!!

(BOOST!)

Instinct overruled thought as with a flash of red light, the Boosted Gear manifested over Issei’s left arm, pulsing with raw, surging dragon power. Driven by the sudden injection of strength, Issei threw his body sideways, diving off the rim of the plateau into a freefall down the sheer cliffside, just as Tohru’s firestorm vaporized the solid granite where he had been standing a millisecond prior.

Cascades of shattered rock and loose snow violently skittered down the mountain alongside him. Issei tumbled down the slope, desperately trying to dig his boots into the stone to regain his footing. “That was way too close—!”

CRACK!!

The sharp, metallic tang of ozone instantly filled the air. The hairs on Issei’s neck stood straight up.

Kanna materialized in mid-air right above him, having dropped from the sky like a falling star. She thrust her palm downward, unleashing a blinding, jagged lance of blue lightning directly aimed at his head!

Issei’s survival instincts screamed yet again. He dug his right heel violently into the cliff face, utilizing every ounce of his boosted strength to kick off the rock wall.

BOOM! The mountain wall exploded beneath his boot, launching him ten meters into the sky just as the lightning bolt struck, blasting a charred, molten crater into the mountain right where he had been a heartbeat ago.

"...That almost killed me!" Issei screamed into the wind.

"No," Kanna said softly, floating down through the smoke with her hands behind her back. "...Only hospitalized."

"THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER!"

He hadn't even reached the apex of his jump before a shadow fell over him. Tohru was already waiting in the sky above him.

"So slow," She purred. Her leg whipped downward like a guillotine.

(BOOST!)

With a second boost surging through his veins, Issei twisted his body violently in mid-air, causing her sweeping kick to miss his chest by millimeters.

BOOOOOOOM!!

The atmospheric pressure generated by her kick alone detonated the ridge beneath them. An entire section of the mountain collapsed into the abyss below, spewing a gargantuan wave of pulverized dust and debris hundreds of feet into the sky.

What followed next was twenty minutes of pure survival horror.

Kanna became a blur of blue electricity, blitzing across the peaks faster than the human eye could process. She forced Issei to dodge purely on pre-reflex, relying on the static buildup in his skin to feel where the next thunderbolt would strike a split-second before it shattered the earth beneath his feet.

Tohru, meanwhile, brought pure, terrifying physical force. Every punch she threw produced a hurricane-force shockwave. Every kick cleaved through solid stone. Missed strikes carved massive trenches into the terrain or sent house-sized boulders tumbling into the ravines like pebbles.

The environment itself turned hostile. Issei sprinted across collapsing cliffs, leaped across yawning chasms, rebounded off sheer canyon walls, and frantically dodged falling debris while trying not to lose his footing on the ice.

Before long, his chest felt like it was full of burning embers.

"Haa… Haa… Hhaaa…" His vision flickered around the edges. His lungs burned desperately for oxygen that simply wasn't there, his legs felt like they were filled with molten lead, and his body screamed for rest. Now he truly understood the cruelty of Tohru’s choice of venue. The thin, frigid mountain air was an enemy just as deadly as the two dragons hunting him.

Tohru hovered gracefully in the air above, a knowing smile playing on her lips as she watched him stagger over the uneven stone. "I see you're starting to understand."

Issei barely managed a weak nod, gasping raggedly as sweat froze on his brow. "...You... planned this..."

"Of course," she laughed brightly. "A true enemy won't wait for you to catch your breath!"

(BOOST!)

The emerald gem on his gauntlet flared for a fifth time, pumping a tide of heavy, fiery dragon aura directly into his exhausted circulatory system. The sudden shock of energy burned away the mental fog, forcing his muscles to move faster, sharper, and cleaner.

For a fleeting, glorious moment, as the stacked power coursed through his veins, Issei caught the rhythm of their assault.

He ducked cleanly under a sweeping low kick from Tohru, flipped backward over a crackling arc of lightning from Kanna, and planted his feet firmly into the ice, coming to a sliding halt.

“Alright…” Issei panted, wiping a bloody smear of sweat and dirt off his forehead as his red aura flared brightly around his body. “I think… I’m actually getting the hang of this!”

—--------------------------

Afternoon 

Saitama Prefecture, Koshigaya City, Apartment 303, Kobayashi’s Apartment – Guestroom

The soft, golden rays of afternoon sunlight filtered through the beige curtains, casting long, quiet shadows across the unfamiliar room.

On the futon in the center of the room, the small, red-skinned, black haired, two-horned Oni stirred.

Akami’s heavy eyelids fluttered open, her crimson eyes unfocused as she stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling. For a split second, there was only silence. Then, like a sudden strike of lightning, panic flared through her entire body.

Her breath hitched in her throat. Her heart thundered violently against her ribs. ‘Where am I?!’

With a desperate, forceful jerk, Akami threw the blankets off her body, scrambling backward until her heels caught the edge of the futon. She bolted upright, her sharp claws digging instinctively into the thin mattress as her eyes darted frantically around the pristine, quiet room. There were no blood-stained alleyways, no shattered concrete, no scent of burnt sulfur or screeching barrier wards. Just clean walls, a simple wooden dresser, and the faint, peaceful hum of an air conditioner.

Her head throbbed with a dull, ringing ache. She reached up, her clawed fingers pressing against her forehead, her twin horns gleaming under the soft afternoon light. “Where… where is everyone…?” She rasped, her throat bone-dry. “My crew… my clan…”

Before the spiral of sheer panic could fully consume her, the gentle click of the door handle echoed through the quiet room.

The door slid open smoothly.

Stepping casually through the threshold was a ridiculously tall, buxom woman with flowing, blonde hair tumbling over her shoulders like a golden waterfall. She wore a casual sleeveless top and denim shorts, exuding an air of utter, unbothered relaxation as she held a steaming teacup between her hands, taking a calm, leisurely sip.

Lucoa’s mismatched eyes, gleaming faintly through her half-lidded expression, landed on the frantic young Oni standing on the bed.

“Oh, good afternoon,” Lucoa offered with a serene, warm smile, her tone light and airy. “Look at you, up and moving already. You must have a remarkably resilient body.”

Akami’s eyes narrowed into slits. Her red skin flushed darker with sudden adrenaline. Dropping into a low, predatory stance, her muscles coiled like steel springs as she bares her sharp fangs.

“Who the hell are you?!” Akami snarled, her voice trembling with hidden fear and aggression. “Where am I?! What did you do to my crew?! Answer me, or I’ll rip you and this place apart!”

Despite the visceral threat radiating off the red-skinned Oni, Lucoa didn’t even flinch. She didn't shift her posture or show even the slightest hint of alarm. Instead, she merely tilted her head with a mild, teasing expression, raising one hand in a gentle, pacifying gesture.

“Now, now, calm down, guest-chan~,” Lucoa muttered, softly, her voice soothingly melodic. “Threatening me really won’t get you very far. Besides, I don’t actually have the answers to most of your questions anyway. You’re going to have to wait for the people who brought you here to get back before you can ask all that.”

Akami felt a sudden spike of irritation. “Don’t play games with me, lady! You think I’m just going to sit here and—” She cut herself off mid-sentence.

The words froze in her throat. The blood in her veins seemed to run cold.

Akami stared at the voluptuous, airheaded blonde standing just feet away. Lucoa hadn’t raised her voice. She hadn’t taken a combat stance. She hadn’t even released a drop of hostile aura. She was just standing there, holding a teacup with a sleepy, innocent grin on her face.

And yet, deep within the deepest, most primal core of Akami’s bestial instincts, every biological alarm bell was violently screaming at her. ‘DO NOT FIGHT. DO NOT ATTACK. DO NOT MOVE.’

It was an ancient, terrifying intuition, the instinct of a creature staring into an absolute, unfathomable abyss. Akami’s breath caught in her lungs. Her body locked up completely, paralyzed by an unexplainable, instinctual dread that warned her that striking out against this woman would mean instant, absolute annihilation.

Lucoa gently blew on her tea, pretending not to notice the young Oni’s total freeze. “Fufu~, that’s better,” Lucoa said softly, taking another small sip. “As for what I do know… you were in a pretty big fight in Ginza. A young boy fought you, a boy who seemed to recognize you from a previous encounter. He realized something was terribly wrong with you, so after he managed to beat you, he brought you back here so we could clear away whatever nasty energy was corrupting your mind and recover in peace.”

“A… a boy…?” Akami swallowed hard, her mind spinning wildly. “Corruption…?”

Fragments of fractured memories began to force their way to the surface of her mind, piercing through the thick fog that had clouded her brain.

Fragments of her clan… walking through the dimly lit, back alleys of Tokyo. They were tired, beaten down, desperately searching for a new territory. A safe haven to call home after escaping the chaos and terror that had driven them out of Saitama. They had scraped by, picking minor fights with lesser Yokai and ducking the Onmyōji patrols, trying to survive day by day…

And then came that dark night.

An alleyway shrouded in suffocating, unnatural shadows. Standing before them was a figure, a towering, monstrously bulky man with skin the color of deep cobalt blue, long, wild dark hair cascading down his back, and twin jagged horns rising from his forehead. Behind him stood a silent legion of twisted monstrous Yokai. The blue Oni had looked down at Akami and her crew with cold, heavy disappointment. “Are you truly content crawling in the dirt?” His voice had echoed like grinding stones. “Follow me if you are tired of living under the pathetic rules of human society and the fragile reign of their gods.”

Akami remembered her own pride flaring up. She remembered her clan’s firm rejection. They wanted freedom, not servitude to some megalomaniacal monster. They rejected him on the spot.

And after that… darkness.

Vague, terrible memories of black, oily miasma coiling around her limbs. The terrifying sound of her own voice screaming as a burning, agonized heat tore through her veins, twisting her mind, shattering her sanity, turning her into a mindless, violent puppet executing orders she had no control over…

A sharp gasp broke from Akami’s lips.

Tremors wracked her frame as reality crashed down upon her. Tears welled up in her red eyes and overflowed, hot streams spilling down her red cheeks. The sheer weight of the horror, the loss, and the violations her mind had endured broke through her defenses.

“What… what was that…?” She whimpered, her hands clutching her head as she trembled violently. “What did they do to me…?! Where are my friends…? What happened to them?!”

Before she could fall completely into despair, a pair of soft, warm arms wrapped gently around her shoulders.

Akami was pulled forward, her face pressed flush against Lucoa’s massive, soft chest. A gentle, comforting warmth instantly enveloped her, washing over her trembling body like a soothing tide.

Lucoa held the young Oni close, slowly running a hand through Akami’s black hair as she swayed gently from side to side.

“Shhh… it’s alright, dear,” Lucoa cooed softly, her voice carrying an ancient, motherly comfort that seemed to smooth away the sharp edges of Akami’s panic. “It’s over now. You don’t need to be afraid anymore. You’re completely safe here.”

Akami froze at first, overwhelmed by the sheer softness and warmth surrounding her, but as the soothing aura radiating from the former goddess seeped into her soul, the suffocating dread in her chest finally began to dissolve. Her shuddering breaths gradually slowed, her tense muscles uncoiling as she let herself lean weakly into the embrace.

After a few quiet moments, Lucoa gently patted Akami’s back and pulled back with a light, cheerful chuckle.

“There we go~,” Lucoa said, her bright smile returning. “Now that you’re feeling a bit better, I should probably be a proper host and get you something to eat. I’m pretty sure Tohru left some food in the fridge before she went out.”

Akami wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve, still looking dazed and deeply confused. “I… what am I supposed to do now? I don’t even know what’s going on…”

“Just relax for now,” Lucoa assured her with a gentle nod. “Issei should be coming back soon. He’s the one who saved you, so he’ll be able to answer more of your questions once he gets home. Just rest and enjoy the hospitality~”

Akami paused, biting her lip. She looked around the modest bedroom once more, the reality of her location suddenly striking her.

“…Where… where did you say this place was again?” Akami asked hesitantly, a strange pit forming in her stomach.

Lucoa hummed pleasantly as she turned toward the door. “Hmm? Oh, you’re in the apartment of the boy’s aunt. It’s located right here in Koshigaya, Saitama!”

“HUHHHH???!!” The words hit Akami like a bucket of iced water.

A icy, terrifying chill ran down the length of the Oni’s spine, freezing her in place. Her blood ran cold as her eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

Saitama. The very place she and her clan had desperately fled from in the first place, the epicenter of whatever nightmare was brewing, was the exact place she had been brought right back to.

—---------------------------

The snow-covered peak was silent save for the ragged, agonizing sound of Issei’s breathing.

He lay sprawled flat on his back against the freezing blanket of snow, staring blankly up at the pale sky. Scorch marks blackened his ruined clothes and stained his skin, accompanied by deep purple bruises blossoming across his arms, legs, and torso. Every single muscle in his body burned with a dull, throbbing torment, aching so intensely that even twitching his fingers felt like trying to lift lead weights. His lungs heaved violently, gulping down the thin, freezing mountain air, but it barely seemed enough to cool the burning fire inside his chest.

In front of him, Tohru stood tall, dusting off her maid outfit with a pristine flick of her wrists. She looked down at the battered teenager, her red orange eyes gleaming with genuine respect and approval.

"You survived, Issei-kun," Tohru said, her usual playful voice carrying a rare, sincere edge of admiration. "I must admit, you held out far better than I anticipated."

Before Issei could groan out a response, a soft weight settled heavily onto his chest.

Kanna had dropped onto her knees directly over him, unceremoniously sprawling across his torso. Despite the icy chill of the high-altitude wind, her small body radiated an incredible, cozy heat that seeped right through his burnt shirt. She snuggled closely against his neck, nuzzling her face affectionately into the side of his cheek like a clingy kitten. A faint, contented hum vibrated in her throat as her tail flicked happily behind her.

"Issei got stronger," Kanna muttered, her voice flat as always, but her dragon horns hummed with a faint, warm spark of electricity. She rubbed her cheek against his scraped jaw, claiming him with shameless affection. "A strong mate. My mate."

Issei let out a weak, wheezing groan, his vision swimming. 'I’m glad you’re happy, Kanna... but I’m literally about to freeze to death and my ribs feel like shattered glass...'

Tohru chuckled softly, folding her arms behind her back as she looked down at him. In truth, her impression of the boy had once again shifted drastically over the course of the afternoon. As she watched him lie broken in the snow, her mind flashed back to the climax of their sparring match just minutes earlier.

When Tohru and Kanna had backed him into a corner, pushing his stamina past its absolute limit, something primordial inside Issei had snapped. Driven by sheer survival instinct, the dragon blood dormant within his soul and body had surged to the surface. Red, shimmering scales had sprouted along his arms and neck, his hands had hardened into razor-sharp claws, and his eyes had shifted from brown to a wild, predatory slit of glowing emerald.

It was during this state that he hadn't just dodged but had actively fought back.

Tohru subconsciously lifted her left arm, her right fingers lightly caressing her forearm. Even now, a faint, lingering tremor buzzed through her muscles under her sleeve. In that desperate final second, Issei, who had been stacked with seven boosts, slammed a full-force punch straight into her defense. The raw, violent impact had actually shattered her magical barrier and forced the dragon maid to use her raw strength to block it, leaving her arm aching from the sheer weight of his attack.

‘To force me to genuinely brace for impact...’ Tohru smiled warmly, her eyes softening. ‘Kobayashi-san was right to trust his potential.’

Clapping her hands together sharply, Tohru broke the silence. "Alright! That’s enough for today. It’s time for us to head back home and rest. Kobayashi-san will be off work soon, and I need to prepare a proper, mouth-watering feast for my beloved!"

A tiny, hoarse rasp escaped Issei’s throat. "Y-Yay..." He choked out in pained, desperate excitement, his eyes welling with tears of relief. "This nightmare... is finally over..."

Seeing her mate still groaning in pain, Kanna tilted her head. Without a word of warning, she leaned down and gently pressed her tongue against a deep scrape along his cheek, licking the wound softly. The moment her dragon saliva made contact with his skin, a soothing, cool sensation washed over the burn, instantly dulling the agonizing sting and beginning the process of knitting his broken tissue back together.

She moved down to his neck, diligently licking at his bruises with a focused, quiet affection.

Issei closed his eyes, letting out a long, exhausted sigh as the cooling magic slowly numb his aches. He was thoroughly broken, completely exhausted, and covered in snow, but as Kanna cuddled warmly over his chest and Tohru prepared to fly them back to Tokyo, he knew he had managed to survive.

Done. Tell me what you think and what should happen next? Did I make any mistakes, please make sure to tell me?