8:10 AM.
Living Room.
Naoki sat back on the leather sofa, his fingers moving quickly across his phone screen. The first message went to Myouga Riu, his strict mentor, letting her know he'd be taking two days off for urgent matters. After that, he switched over to his chat with Tsukiyono Bell. Keeping that shy girl's feelings warm was a long-term investment he couldn't afford to neglect.
Even though the Wi-Fi in the Mato was cut off from the outside world, the network between headquarters still ran smoothly enough for coordination.
Done with his phone, he slipped it into his black sling bag.
His look today was casual but unmistakably masculine. A black slim-fit t-shirt that followed the lines of his chest, built up through weeks of hard training, paired with grey cargo pants and lightweight military boots. The outfit gave him room to move while carrying the air of someone ready for anything.
His gaze drifted to the other side of the sofa. There, Wakasa Sahara lay curled up in a deep sleep. The girl was the living embodiment of laziness; when she wasn't fighting, her hobbies began and ended with eating and sleeping.
She was the perfect picture of idleness, but from Naoki's point of view, the sight was far from unpleasant. Her short pajamas had ridden up, leaving her smooth thighs and the soft curve of her hips on full display every time she shifted in search of a more comfortable position. Her chest, barely concealed beneath the thin fabric, rose and fell with each steady breath, offering a very agreeable view of its twin peaks.
*(Now that things have gotten closer with Tenka and Yachiho, something feels off about leaving Sahara on the outside. It wouldn't be fair not to make an effort to bring her closer, so that all of us can really come together as one solid unit.)* Naoki reasoned to himself, finding a perfectly sensible justification for welcoming her into the fold.
The quiet of the living room shifted the moment two figures walked in. This morning, they had set aside their stiff military uniforms in favor of casual outfits that gave each of them a different kind of charm.
On the right, Izumo Tenka carried herself with a mature elegance. She wore a long-sleeved grey turtleneck that fit her figure just right, layered under a button-front black vest that sharpened the lines of her athletic frame. A crisp white mini skirt and dark black stockings finished the look, giving her the air of a stylish woman who meant business.
Beside her, Azuma Yachiho brought a more feminine, spirited energy. A clean white blouse with a high ruffle collar lent her a classically aristocratic quality, while her long skirt, patterned with intricate floral lace, swept beautifully with each step she took. Her blue-green hair, tied up in twin tails, swayed along with her confident stride.
Naoki stood, his eyes sweeping over both of them from head to toe, his admiration plain to see.
"You both look incredible this morning. Tenka, you look professional and, at the same time, genuinely captivating. And Yachiho, that classic style really brings out that graceful, brilliant aura of yours."
Tenka laughed softly, stepping forward to straighten the collar of his t-shirt with an affectionate little touch. "Hehe, glad you like it. I did pick this out especially for our little date, I mean, our meeting today."
Yachiho turned her face away, her cheeks flushing just slightly, though she kept her chin lifted with characteristic pride. "Hmph, of course. An Azuma elite must look impeccable even in casual wear. Don't go getting too dazzled, Naoki."
Before they left, Tenka walked over to the sofa where Sahara was still fast asleep. She gave the girl's shoulder a firm but gentle shake.
"Sahara-chin, up you get. We're heading to Unit Seven. Keep watch here, and if anything comes up that you can't handle on your own, don't hesitate to reach us on the comm."
Sahara cracked open one drowsy eye, letting out a wide yawn that showed off every one of her neat little teeth.
"Haaaah... Understood, Captain. I'll do my best..." she mumbled in a thoroughly unconvincing tone, already wriggling back into a comfortable position against the pillow.
"Good grief."
Tenka shook her head and left it at that. She stretched her hand out in front of her.
*BUZZ!*
In an instant, a dense black portal rimmed with deep violet light tore open in the air before them. Dozens of white reed birds came drifting down around it like falling petals.
Tenka stepped through first, followed by Yachiho with her chin tilted up, and then Naoki, bringing up the rear.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
The corridor of Unit Seven's headquarters was in complete chaos.
Wakura Yuuki was sprinting for his life, his face drained of all color. Hot on his heels, Azuma Himari gave chase in a furious rage, her appearance an absolute disaster. She was wearing nothing but her underwear with a towel still perched on top of her head, and her right arm had transformed into a roaring chainsaw.
"Today's finally the day I take out the trash! The Captain might not want to dirty her hands, but I'll handle it myself!" Himari screamed, her voice cutting through the shriek of the spinning blade.
Yuuki twisted and dodged, shouting desperately for anything that might save his neck. "No, wait, hold on! I put a sign on the door! Didn't you see it?!"
"Then you should have put up a sign that clearly said there was A MAN inside!" Himari shot back with a logic that made absolutely no sense whatsoever, swinging her chainsaw arm in his direction.
*BUZZ!*
Just before the blade could reach him, the air in front of them shuddered. Dozens of glowing white reed feathers scattered into existence, and a swirling portal of black and violet yawned open. From within it, three figures stepped out, their composure a striking contrast to the mayhem they had just walked into.
"Hello there. Things seem quite lively at Unit Seven this morning." Tenka greeted them in a light, unhurried tone, her calm smile perfectly unshaken.
Naoki stepped up beside her, hands tucked into the pockets of his cargo pants, eyeing the breathless Yuuki with an air of absolute certainty.
"Yo, Yuuki! Looks like you've walked straight into a classic ecchi manga scene, huh?"
"Na-Naoki!" Yuuki cried out with pure relief, momentarily forgetting that he had just been seconds away from death. It was like spotting an angel in the middle of a desert.
"..."
Himari froze. The moment her eyes landed on the blue-green haired girl standing beside Naoki, the chainsaw on her arm wound down and faded away, leaving nothing but a perfectly ordinary hand in its place. The shock, however, was quickly swallowed by a sour expression.
"Yachiho..." Himari said flatly.
Yachiho simply folded her arms and looked down at her younger sister with that trademark condescending gaze. "Absolutely disgraceful. An Azuma running around in her underwear in front of a man? You really are an embarrassment to this family, Himari."
Yuuki, finally able to breathe again, raised a hand toward Naoki.
"Naoki, your timing couldn't have been better! But... what are all of you doing here?"
From what he had gathered at the previous Unit Captains' assembly, he knew the Anti-Demon Corps had other units besides his own.
Tenka fixed her gaze on Yuuki, her eyes warm with a kind of playful interest.
"So you're the rumored slave-kun, are you?" she asked, her voice sweet, almost like a whisper that brushed right up against temptation.
Yuuki's face went scarlet on the spot. His heart hammered harder than it ever had during the chainsaw chase. Yet somewhere in a quiet corner of his chest, a strange hollow feeling stirred, as though something that should have been his had already been claimed by someone else, though he couldn't have said what. He had no way of knowing that in the original timeline, he was the one who was supposed to be at the center of Tenka's world, not Naoki.
"Hmm..." Tenka pulled her gaze away from Yuuki, her curiosity seemingly satisfied in an instant. She turned toward Himari, who was still standing stiffly with the towel on her head. "Right, let's get to the point. Could you call Kyou-chin for us?"
"Yes! Right away!" Himari responded in a flurried tone, snapping off a reflex military salute despite looking entirely unfit for any kind of formal occasion. She spun on her heel and ran back into the dormitory to contact Kyouka.
Naoki watched the whole exchange with a quiet smile. He glanced sideways at Tenka, now back at his side, then gave Yuuki a pat on the shoulder.
"Relax, Yuuki. We're here on official business. Well, that's the main reason, at least."
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