Kiyomaro
"THERE ALL DONE. Does everything feel normal?"
Lucifer closes and opens her left hand a few times. She then goes through the process of touching each finger to her thumb repeatedly – testing her motor function.
"Yeah, it feels like it should. Nice job Alice."
(𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒊𝒐)
𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆: 𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆
𝑨𝒈𝒆: 16
𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏
𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓: 𝑭𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒆
𝑯𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 1.54 𝒎
𝑾𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 46 𝒌𝒈
𝑯𝒂𝒊𝒓: 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒅, 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝑷𝒊𝒈𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒔
𝑬𝒚𝒆𝒔: 𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆
𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅: 𝑺𝒍𝒊𝒎
𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓: 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆
𝑱𝒐𝒃: 𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆
𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔: 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒓
𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔(𝒆𝒔): 𝑬𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓
𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒌: 𝑪
"Thank you."
"How are you feeling, Alice?" Belphegor asked.
"I'm fine. I never knew reattaching body parts was a lot more involved."
"Normally you'd have started learning this technique at B-rank, but that's a human way of thinking. To me if you have the drive and willingness to learn then why wait."
"I'll start working on Lucifer's right arm." Alice moves to start, but stumbles. Satan catches her.
"Here, drink this." Belphegor hands her a mana recovery potion.
"Thank you." Alice drinks the blue liquid. "I'm sorry for being such a burden."
"You are not a burden, child. You'll get better over time. Now take a few minutes to rest."
"Hey Belphegor, where's Kiyomaro? I want to fight him again."
"I believe he's still with Her Majesty." Replied Belphegor.
"Well it can't be helped. I'll just have to wait." Replied Lucifer.
"What are you waiting for?" Asked a male demon walking in. Another demon—female, floats in behind him.
"If you must know Belial, it's for my rematch with Kiyomaro."
(𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒊𝒐)
𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆: 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒍
𝑨𝒈𝒆: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒖𝒃𝒊𝒎 (𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏)
𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓: 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒆
𝑯𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 1.82 𝒎
𝑾𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 85.7 𝒌𝒈
𝑯𝒂𝒊𝒓: 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑬𝒚𝒆𝒔: 𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆
𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅: 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒏, 𝑨𝒕𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄
𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓: 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓
𝑱𝒐𝒃: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔(𝒆𝒔): 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒌: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑮𝒆𝒂𝒓: 𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝑰𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑫𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑺𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕, 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔, 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑺𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝑳𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔
𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
"It still bothers me that I lost to him."
"You…lost? How? But it's you you don't lose."
Belial can't comprehend what he's hearing – externally anyways. Internally he's ecstatic that someone beat Lucifer. However.
"If it can happen once, surely it can happen again. And this time I'll be the one to beat her."
"You're speaking your true feelings out loud again." Said the female demon.
Belial has a bad habit of speaking his true feelings out loud.
"It must've been a fluke. This Kiyomaro must have cheated." Belial pushes on, ignoring what he previously said about Lucifer.
"Kiyomaro didn't cheat. He beat me fairly."
"But."
Lucifer holds up her now functional left hand, stopping Belial. "I've become too complacent, and rested on my laurels for far too long.
Which is why I'm lifting the ban I've placed on you, Belial. With two exceptions."
"Which are?"
"You are never to attack me in the presence of the Imperial Family or when I'm on assignment for them. Otherwise you have free rein to attack me at any time.
It doesn't matter if I'm eating, sleeping, bathing, training, taking a walk, or even if I'm taking a shit. Come at me with everything you have as a warrior with the intent to kill.
Belial steps towards Lucifer with every intention of attacking her. But stops when Alice steps in front of him, blocking his path.
"You will not touch my patient until she's released from my care." She said, a stern look on her face.
"Step aside human." Demands Belial.
"Not gonna happen."
"Then I shall move you by force." Belial grabs Alice by her collar.
In a fast, smooth motion Alice puts him in a thumb lock, and applies enough pressure to drop him to his knees.
"Let me go you bitch!"
Alice applies a bit of pressure, causing him pain. "I said you will not touch my patient. Do I make myself clear?"
Belial nods his head and grunts out a yes.
Alice lets him go. Getting back to his feet, Belial shakes his hand working out the lingering pain.
Then without warning Belial goes to strike Alice, with enough force behind his attack that it would've killed her, but stops short of actually striking her.
He only stopped short not because he has an issue with hitting, let alone killing a woman—he is a demon after all. It's because of the overwhelming intent to kill directed at him from behind.
"Tell me you're not stupid enough to strike one of my friends, Belial."
Belial whirls around and kneels before Abby. "Princess, I…"
"Silence!" Shouts Abby. Belial obediently did as he was bid.
"A human dropped you to your knees with a simple joint lock and forced you to submit. Then with wounded pride you lash out at her with every intention of killing her. Not that Belphegor or Lucifer would've allowed it to happen."
Belphegor discreetly slips the watch that slows time back into her pocket.
Lucifer, who had materialized her glaive, sets it behind her.
"So Alice, since he lost to you you should decide his punishment for addressing me as princess."
"Belial, you are forbidden from trying to attack Lucifer for one month."
"Damn Alice, you didn't even hesitate. Well whatever. Do you accept your punishment, Belial?"
"...yes."
"Good. Now get the fuck out of my sight. And if you ever try hurting one of any of my friends again, I'll fuck you up so badly even Belphegor will have a hard time fixing you."
Belial departs immediately only to run into an overwhelming presence out in the hallway. One so strong it forces him to his knees.
Beads of sweat dot his forehead, his breathing becomes labored. Visions of his life flashed before him.
He tries to form words but finds it difficult to do so. He can barely lift his head to look upon the young man standing before him.
Kiyo had overheard everything. He walks past Belial not saying anything. He doesn't need to. His message comes across loud and clear.
(Hurt my family and I'll kill you.)
Not even sparing him a second glance, Kiyo heads into the infirmary.
Once Kiyo's gone, Belial greedily gasps for air.
"S-so… that's… Kiyomaro. I didn't even know he was there. What a terrifying enemy he would be."
Belial looks down at his shaking hands. Not from fear mind you, but excitement. A sinister smile forms on his lips.
"Not since I fought those twin white haired brothers have I felt this rush. This sensation of fighting a powerful foe gets my blood pumping. I really want to fight him."
The thought of fighting someone who beat Lucifer sends a shiver down his spine. Belial rises to his feet and beats a hasty retreat.
Back in the infirmary Alice has just finished reattaching Lucifer's other arm. Much faster than should be possible.
Belphegor of course takes notice of this.
Kiyo walks in and stops dead in his tracks.
"Um, Alice, what are you wearing?"
"Do you like it? Belphegor gave me this outfit."
Alice spins around, showing off her red-and-white striped pinafore. Underneath the pinafore is a white short-sleeve button-down. A matching headscarf, crisp white knee-high socks, and white nursing shoes complete the look.
"Belphegor, how do you know about candy striper uniforms?" I asked.
"I read about them in one of the books that Princess Lilith recently lent me. How do you know about them, Kiyo?"
"Back in my world people dressed up in candy striper uniforms for Halloween, role playing in the bedroom, or to satisfy whatever fetishist someone has."
"Were you one of those with a fetishist?"
"I'm sorry, who are you?"
"I am the Princess of the Prison Flames. Queen of the Inferno. I am."
"That's Astaroth." Abby blurts out. "She's Belphegor's subordinate and a mage who has full mastery of fire magic."
"You didn't have to interrupt my self introduction, you know." Pouts Astaroth.
(𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒊𝒐)
𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆: 𝑨𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉
𝑨𝒈𝒆: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆 (𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏)
𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓: 𝑭𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒆
𝑯𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 1.60 𝒎
𝑾𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 47.2 𝒌𝒈
𝑯𝒂𝒊𝒓: 𝑹𝒆𝒅, 𝑾𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒕-𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉
𝑬𝒚𝒆𝒔: 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒏
𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅: 𝑩𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒚
𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓: 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆
𝑱𝒐𝒃: 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆
𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔: 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒆
𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔(𝒆𝒔): 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒌: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑪𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑫𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑮𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒔, 𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑯𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔, 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑷𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔
𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
"Well Astaroth, to answer your question, no I don't have a fetishist for people wearing candy striper uniforms."
"That's too bad. Cause if you were I would've put a uniform on just for you."
"Why would you do that?" Alice asked.
"I'm seeking a man to defeat me in combat, and I'll kill anyone weaker than me without mercy."
It's Abby who asks, "What does that have to do with whether or not Kiyo has a fetishist for candy striper uniforms?"
"I can tell that Kiyo is strong. So if he beats me in combat I was gonna dress up as a candy striper and let him have his way with me."
Astaroth glides around Kiyo, sizing him up. "What do you say, wanna fight?"
"You'll have to get in line behind Satan. She's already chomping at the bit to fight me."
"Screw her! Fight me now!" Astaroth conjures up a flame in her hand.
𝑆𝑀𝐴𝐶𝐾!
Belphegor hits Astaroth in the head with a folded paper fan. "You know better than to fight in here."
Astaroth massages her head, "did you really have to hit me?"
"Is that a harisen?" I asked.
"Yes to the both of you. Now Alice, when was the last time you checked your status display?"
"Hmm… I don't remember. Why do you ask, Belphegor?"
"Could you check it now?"
"Status! So what am I looking for?"
"Do you see anything new?" Inquired Belphegor.
Alice studies her status display. "Oh, I do. I now have an extremely rare skill. It's called…"
"What's up?" I asked.
"I'm not familiar with this word."
"Spell it for me."
"O. S. M. O. S. I. S."
"You have osmosis."
"I have what?!"
"Osmosis refers to the gradual and unconscious absorption of knowledge, ideas, or skills through exposure and experience, without direct instruction or effort."
"Huh?" Alice tilts her head in confusion.
"Allow me," said Belphegor, "to put it simply, you're able to learn things by being around something or someone, rather than through focused study."
"So I can learn things just by being around someone or something."
"Yes, that is correct."
"That would explain how you picked up on what I was teaching you so quickly."
"Belphegor, would you teach Alice everything you know about the healing arts?"
"I would be delighted to."
"But what about training with you?"
"You can do both. Train with me in the morning and study with Belphegor in the afternoon."
"Right. I'll do my best. Oh wait a minute. Is that why you took a blood sample earlier, Belphegor?"
"That was for something else."
"Say Kiyomaro, what did Her Majesty want?" Asked Lucifer, who'd been quiet this entire time after Belial left.
"Sorry guys can't say. I've been sworn to secrecy."
****
Castle Library
"You called for me, Your Majesty."
Her Majesty motions for me to sit in the chair opposite her.
"Kiyo, thank you for coming. You're already acquainted with Headmaster Brett."
"Kiyo, can you hear me?" Parts of the Lapis Stone turned white with each word spoken.
"Yes headmaster."
"Just Brett, will do."
"I believe you met Leviathan. Who as you may recall is one of the personal guards to the Royal Demon Family."
"Yes, we've met. Most recently in fact at Your Majesty's wedding reception."
Leviathan, dressed in a well fitted black on black suit nods their head at me and I return the gesture.
"Now allow me to introduce to you Dr's. Stephanie and Ian Kaine. Better known as S.I."
"I've come across some of your books. Even paged through a few of them. Very informative. Never would've guests that S.I was a married couple.
"We take great pride in our work, so hearing that makes me happy." Replied Stephanie.
"Same here."
"So what do you need from me?" I asked, jumping right in.
It's Ian who answers, "Nothing. We were called to examine the parasites that were inside Kino's head. Whom we've recently met."
"How is my sister?"
"Last time I saw her she was aboard a ship bound for the Harmonia Empire."
Stephanie chimes in, "that's after she saved a mermaid princess and her people. Rescued a unique Fenrir pup. A thought to be extinct Snow Kitten, and befriended The Bone Pirates."
"Bone Pirates?"
"Yup. Led by Captain Edward "Blackbeard" Teach."
"Did my sister say anything about becoming Pirate King by chance?"
Stephanie tilts her head in confusion, "won't she be a Pirate Queen?"
"Never mind."
"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm the one who asked to speak with you. There is a rather urgent matter we need to discuss, Kiyo."
"Oh, and what would that be, Brett?"
Empress Cesmak asks Leviathan, Stephanie, and Ian to leave the room.
Once they've gone, Cesmak places a small yellow cube on the table. "Kiyo, would you please place your hand on it and pour some mana into it."
I do as instructed. A yellow cubed shaped dome appears all around us.
"This is an audio and visual cube, or AV Cube. It's a manipulation device that allows us to talk in private.
No one can hear us, and if anyone looks at us all they'll see is a black mass." Explained Cesmak, "only those who've registered their mana with the cube are allowed inside its barrier."
"How long does it last?"
"For as long as needed. Although one does have to re-register their mana for each use."
"This must be serious if you're taking all these precautions."
"Kiyo, you only have a twin sister, correct? No other siblings in this world?" Brett asked.
"Correct. Kino is my only sibling."
"And she doesn't use a sword when fighting, correct?"
"That's correct, Kino never showed an interest in learning swordsmanship."
"Is it possible that she learned it in secret?" Asked Her Majesty.
"It's plausible, but not likely. My big sis loves traveling and running. She's never really been one to remain cooped up in doors."
"Wait, she's older than you?!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Given the stories you've told me about her, I honestly thought you were older." Said Brett.
"Can we talk about that later. Right now I want to know why you're asking me about another sibling, and if Kino knows swordsmanship or not."
Brett lets out a sigh. "I thought as much, but I needed to verify it for myself."
"Verify what? What the hell is going on?"
It's Her Majesty that answers my question. "Four days ago at the Warriors School we had our first participant qualify for the tournament. It was you Kiyomaro."
"No offense Brett, but how could you, Mark, or any of the other staff members not realize it wasn't me?"
Brett reveals that he's currently away from his school, helping out the Tanker Schools newly appointed vice-headmaster while Reginald is away. And Mark, who sparred with Kiyo his first day attending the Warriors School is on vacation and won't return for another three days.
"As for the staff, Kiyo, a temp hire, handled your— well, for lack of a better word— your double's enrollment for the tournament. Everyone else who has met you were handling their normal duties along with preparations for the tournament.
Which is why I had to hired quite a few tempts to help ease the workload of the full timers.
"When my vice-headmaster informed me that we had our first qualifier and gave me the name, I had her track down the temp.
They gave an accurate description of you, Kiyo. From your appearance, to your gear, to your twin swords," explained Brett. "Hell, even some of the students who remembered you testified it was you."
Turning to Her Majesty, I ask, "was it not reported that Black Mirrors would be used to document everything?"
"Yes, that is correct."
Brett then speaks up saying that my double had used the Black Mirror without issue.
"How hard is it to change information within the Black Mirror? And is it even possible?"
"It is possible and not that difficult. Guild employees from all over need to change information about adventures on a daily basis, but only those associated with a guild can access it."
"Plus a guild employee cannot change someone's information without the other party being there." Said Brett.
"Can it be hacked?" Seeing confusion written all over Empress La-tif's face, Kiyo explains what hacking is.
"It shouldn't be possible, but now I'm not too sure. It's something I'll have to look into."
"What about previous employees? Would they still have access to the Black Mirror?"
"Theoretically, no, they shouldn't be able to. It seems I'll have to look into that as well."
"What happens if a Black Mirror gets stolen? Is it feasible to make a duplicate of one?"
"Again it shouldn't be possible to do either of those, and yet now I'm wondering if it is possible."
"What rank am I now?" I make air quotes around 'am I' as I speaks.
"According to the Black Mirror you're now D-ranked."
"Wouldn't my rank dropping be an indication that I failed at completing quests?"
"The Black Mirror believes you're a newly minted rookie adventurer." Explained Brett.
"Wouldn't someone registering with the same name be an issue?"
"Not at all. For example: let's say you had a son, whom you named Kiyomaro Kurosaki. The Black Mirror would simply interpret that as such."
"It's also not necessary to enter a suffix, but it is highly encouraged to avoid misidentification.
"Interesting."
Leaning back in his chair, Kiyo begins thinking about how to handle this latest development. While Kiyo was lost in thought Cesmak had deactivated the AV Cube.
"Kiyomaro, could you spare a moment of your time?"
Jumping to his feet, "of course. What can I do for you, Emperor Po?"