On the 5th of November, a quiet day, a few weeks after the catastrophic events that befell Tokyo, governments around the world were on high alert. Japan's capital city lay in ruins, and the economy had plummeted to an all-time low. Many nations offered their support to Japan in its time of need.
In Kyoto General Hospital, Kyou's eyes slowly opened, his vision still hazy as he found himself in a pristine white room. A figure approached him, and with a voice full of worry, they called out his name.
"Kyou!? Kyou, you're awake!"
Confused, he asked who this person was. Their soft voice and concern filled the air. Gradually, his vision cleared, and he could see the face of the worried figure.
"Chi... Chihiro? Is that you...?"
"Yes, yes, it's me, Kyou. I was so afraid you wouldn't make it," she stuttered, tears falling upon his chest.
"Yeah? By the way, what is that?" he pointed ahead, as if there was something there.
"No, I don't see anything. It must be what that God told me about..."
"God?" he questioned.
"Right, you might not remember when he took control of your body. It would explain why..."
"What? What are you talking about?" he felt distressed by the strange things Chihiro was saying.
"I'll explain everything to you. Are you okay with that?"
"Yes, please, go ahead and explain." he replied, eager to understand.
"So this being that took control of your body is said to be a God, and he channeled his power through you to defeat Zakkorus." she began to clarify.
"Well, I guess that's fine then. I'm relieved to know he used my body for a good purpose," he said, trying to make sense of it all.
"He also mentioned that you... well, you are the incarnation of existence." she continued hesitantly.
"Wait, what!? Incarnation of existence? What does that even mean?" he exclaimed, his confusion deepening.
"From what I understand, you are essentially a cosmic being yourself, destined to grow stronger in the near future. And I am supposed to support you as your... 'maiden'." she replied, turning her head away, unable to meet his gaze.
"Cosmic being? Maiden? What... I can't process all of this at once." he expressed, feeling overwhelmed by the revelations.
"It's okay, don't push yourself right now. I'll explain everything to you, one step at a time." she reassured him, understanding his struggle to comprehend it all.
"Thank you, Chihiro..." he trailed off, his exhaustion causing him to drift off to sleep, his words barely leaving his lips.
As he fell asleep, she gently caressed him and took the chance to kiss him on the forehead, a gesture filled with warmth and affection. Instantly, she leaped around his room, her face as red as the evening sun.
"Oh my goodness! That was too lewd! Oh no, I'm having too much fun." she whispered energetically, trying to contain her excitement but failing to suppress her overwhelming emotions.
Kyou's recovery took only two days, perks of having the status as the incarnation of existence, or so it seemed.
Chihiro held his arm as they walked outside the hospital, their arms linked together like a couple.
"Chihiro, where should we go? Tokyo is still a disaster zone. And where do you stay when you're not with me at the hospital?" he asked, curious about their next steps.
"I'm actually from Kyoto. I only go to school in Tokyo. This is where my parents' house is, and it's where I go when I'm not accompanying you," she explained.
"Wait, are you planning to bring me to your parents' house? Do they know about this?" he asked, his confusion resurfacing.
"Yes, they know," she replied confidently. "In fact, they're already worried about their future son-in-law..." she added, stumbling a bit at the end.
"You... you said what now?" he looked at her with a neutral expression, trying to process the unexpected revelation.
"I told them that you were my boyfriend from Tokyo. They're concerned about you because we were both there on that day. I also mentioned that you saved me from falling debris, which served as a cover-up for how you actually protected me." she explained, her words trailing off.
EXE.KYOU HAS STOPPED.
As Kyou's system rebooted from the temporary shutdown, Chihiro chuckled before saying, "Let's get you there first."
They boarded a sleek black car that awaited Chihiro's presence.
"You have a driver? Your family must be rich, Chihiro." Kyou observed, realizing the luxurious touch.
"I wouldn't say that. We're just considered a higher middle-class family." she replied modestly, downplaying their financial status.
After a brief four-minute drive, they arrived at the Nakama estate. Kyou's mouth slightly agape, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Chihiro with a blank expression.
"You said...?" he questioned, unable to find words to express his astonishment.
Chihiro nervously grinned and interlaced her hands before answering, "Well... maybe more like lower upper-class."
His eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the extravagant sight before him.
"There's a pool...next to a helicopter...next to those four sports cars!!" he exclaimed, unable to contain his shock.
"Hehe." Chihiro chuckled, her response implying that she was used to the opulence surrounding her.
Kyou's heart raced as he approached the magnificent mansion, his palms sweating with nervous anticipation. How would her parents react to him? With each step, the rhythmic pounding in his chest grew louder, like the beat of a mallet on a drum.
"Welcome to the Nakama main mansion!!" She exclaimed, flinging the grand doors open with excitement.
"Main?" Kyou thought to himself, his eyes widening as he gazed up at the towering edifice before him. This was no ordinary family home - it was a true estate, the kind he had only ever seen in movies. Taking a deep breath, he steeled his nerves and followed his beloved through the threshold, ready to face her illustrious family.
The pristine floors, adorned with delicate artistry, captivated his gaze. The architectural beauty and exquisite design were truly world-class, leaving him in a state of awe.
"What do you think?" she asked, a hint of pride in her voice. "We have all the facilities and accommodations one could imagine. And if that's not enough, there's even a combat and training grounds located on the lower levels."
"Lower levels?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"Yes, indeed," she replied with a smile. "There are thirty-seven floors in total, each meticulously constructed to withstand even a magnitude 16 earthquake, should such an unlikely event occur."
He couldn't help but be impressed. "This place must be worth a billion, at the very least." he spoke, his voice filled with awe and admiration for the grandeur of the establishment.
Walking through the halls, they eventually stumble upon the living room, where Chihiro's parents are standing side by side, their faces filled with relief.
"Welcome back, Chihiro. I see you brought him," the mother asks.
"Yes, Mom and Dad. This is Kyou Kurushimo, the guy I have been talking about." Chihiro replies.
"I'm honored to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Nakama." Kyou speaks, bowing his head respectfully.
"A respectful man indeed. Is this one of the reasons you have your eyes on this young man?" the mother asks, glancing at her daughter, waiting for an answer.
Chihiro giggles and answers, "Yes, Mother. And there are still many more reasons. He is good-natured, intelligent, caring, and he didn't hesitate to save me from danger."
"Good, very good. What do you think, dear?" she looks at her husband, Chihiro's father, a stoic man in appearance.
Apparently, he was worried about Kyou when he was in the hospital, even paying for all of Kyou's medical bills. "Her father must be the type to be strict and serious when it comes to his daughter's relationship. A good father." Kyou thinks to himself.
"Chihiro, shall I?" Chihiro's father's voice deep and matured, his eyes darting from his daughter and back to Kyou.
"Yes, it's fine. He'll understand." she nods in agreement, leaving Kyou clueless about the situation.
Now, Kyou finds himself in the training grounds with Chihiro's father, while Chihiro and her mother sit on a bench, observing them.
"Uhm, Sir Nakama, what exactly are we going to do?" Kyou asks, filled with questions. Nervousness and fear are visible in his eyes.
"Darling, don't go too hard on the boy now." Chihiro's mother interjects.
"Don't worry, Mom. Kyou, despite his appearance and build, is unquestionably powerful." Chihiro proclaims. "At least when that God possessed him for a while..." she whispers.
"My, my. Is that so? Let us see then." her mother challenges her daughter's statement.
"I don't really know any of this. Maybe we can—" Kyou gets interrupted by Mrs. Nakama, who punches him in the guts, followed by another strike in the abdomen, sending him flying a few meters in the air before landing, albeit in pain.
Now in a kneeling position, Kyou clenches his fist and holds his stomach. Blood slowly oozes from his mouth. He's having difficulty breathing and struggling to stand up.
"I apologize for testing you just after your recovery, but I am here to test if you are worthy of my daughter," Mr. Nakama explains.
"I...I totally understand," Kyou replies.
"Still, I am quite impressed by you, Kurushimo. I am ranked Harbinger. A full-powered punch of mine could knock out awakened rankers like my daughter in one hit. And yet, you took two without fainting," he explains, his tone becoming more familiar.
"How did you know that I could take it, Sir?" Kyou questions him.
"Your aura...is tremendous and ominous. The reason I got so serious when you arrived was because of your overwhelming strength. I was actually afraid. I felt it even before you set foot on the estate. I wouldn't have hit you that hard if I didn't notice it, or else you might have been disintegrated if you weren't that powerful," he speaks.
"This is enough to prove your strength, Kurushimo. You have my respect and my daughter," Mr. Nakama states, arms crossed.
Chihiro and her mother combine their powers to heal Kyou. A green bubble envelopes him as his wounds rapidly heal. After healing, the bubble pops.
"Kyou, are you okay!? I didn't expect my dad to not hold back his punches," Chihiro hugs him tightly in a loving embrace.
"Dear, what did I say about not going too hard?" Chihiro's mother confronts her husband.
"He handled it fairly; my judgment of his capabilities is just," he declares before being strucked by his wife.
"Do not repeat this ever again," her voice filled with a commanding tone.
"Yes, M'lady..."
In the evening, when everything settled down a bit, Kyou is then introduced to his own room by Chihiro.
"What do you think? Is this enough for you?"
Kyou is faced with a spacious and highly accommodated room that has been meticulously designed to suit his preferences.
"Enough? This room is three times bigger than my apartment, and it even has a bathroom and balcony. This is more than enough."
"I did my fair share of augmentation of this room to suit your preferences," she proclaims, expecting to receive praise from her boyfriend.
"That's very thoughtful of you, Chihiro," he states with a smile.
"I'm the best girlfriend, I know," she bathes herself in lakes of pride and praise. Swimming was an option.
Kyou walks to the balcony of his room, opening the glass door and letting the evening air fill the room. Instead of enjoying the view of the setting sun, in front of him obstructs the scene of what seems to be a holographic panel of some sort.
"Hey, Chihiro, I'm seeing things again. It's the same as the one from the hospital," he tells her.
"What is it?" she asks.
"It looks like a panel of some sort, a holographic one at that. It says 'Notification' in the middle," he describes.
"Interesting, can you interact with the panel itself?"
"I haven't tried yet because I'd look like an idiot. However, I'll try it now."
He presses the panel, and a new text pops up.
—[Notification]—
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