Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.
Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.
The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.
"Speech"
Time*
Chapter 44: The Choice To Make
The next day*
I stare blankly around me, taking in the unfamiliar yet strangely calming surroundings. I'm now standing within the grounds of Kawakami Temple, nestled in the hills overlooking Kawakami City. We arrived in Japan early this morning after a long, sleepless night spent rushing through various unconventional means of travel—none of them by flight.
Kawakami Temple is an ancient and revered Buddhist sanctuary perched atop a forested hill. It exudes an air of quiet mysticism, wrapped in the gentle embrace of nature. Towering trees frame the temple's perimeter, their leaves rustling softly in the wind. The architecture is classic Japanese—large wooden torii gates mark the entrance, while stone lanterns line the worn path leading up to the main hall. The hall itself boasts sweeping tiled roofs, intricate wooden carvings, and a timeless elegance that commands respect. The temple grounds are expansive, including open courtyards and a well-maintained training area, often used for martial arts practices and ceremonial duels.
I feel somewhat lonely again. Even Aya has been taken elsewhere—Momoyo whisked her away to meet with her grandfather, leaving me behind without a guide. In her words, I'd be fine on my own, since I'm a Seer. Supposedly, that means I should be able to find my way.
Currently, I'm lingering at the training ground. It's an open-air space encircled by the natural world—trees, scattered boulders, and a landscape sculpted by quiet care. The ground beneath my feet is a mix of packed earth, smooth stone, and polished wooden flooring. Wooden dummies stand at the ready, their surfaces scarred from countless strikes. Archery targets rest against one wall, and weapon racks hold an assortment of practice tools—wooden swords, spears, and staves, each neatly arranged and waiting.
I rub my forehead as a headache pulses behind my eyes—another side effect of the visions. They've become more frequent and invasive lately, a direct result of channeling the Dual-Pathways of Sequence 9: Monster and Dreamless. The combination is already volatile on its own, but the effects have grown even more intense under the influence of the Sefirot: Key of Light.
Unlike the earlier fusion of Seer and Dreamless, which often flooded my mind with fragmented glimpses of irrelevant or distant futures, this pairing offers sharper clarity. The visions now anchor themselves to the present, revealing glimpses of futures directly tied to my surroundings. It's more useful, but also more invasive.
I shake my head, trying to brush off the noise. Random flashes fill my vision: birds fluttering in slow motion, insects swarming, the flicker of shifting shadows, all mundane yet overwhelming in their detail. I force myself to ignore them.
Then, one vision stands out—immediate, sharp, and heavy with significance.
Without hesitation, I shift my Pathways. I abandon Monster and Dreamless, replacing them with the Twilight Giant Pathway and the Chaos Primogenitor Pathway. As the change settles, a wave of familiar instincts floods my mind. The innate traits of Chaos Primogenitor bloom into focus, and their weight and structure remind me of the Eternal Edict Pathway that is appearing in my mind.
Chaos Primogenitor - Sequence 9: Villain
Physical Enhancement: They gain enhanced endurance and strength.
Intimidation: A Villain can induce a sense of "fear" or "apprehension" into a target.
Combat Proficiency: They possess excellent combat skills.
I duck instinctively as the air around me tears open with a deafening force, the shockwave causing my ears to pop painfully.
But I don't stop.
Momentum carries me forward. I twist my torso sharply, one hand brushing the ground as I transition into a low, sweeping spin. My right leg arcs upward in a wide, controlled circle—my body horizontal for a split second. The heel of my foot cuts cleanly through the air, slamming into the attacker's ribs with brutal precision and relentless swiftness.
Still grounded, I shift my weight and plant my hand, using the motion to vault upward. In one fluid motion, I launch into a cartwheel kick, my leg crashing into the attacker's face. The impact reverberates up my spine as I finish the motion with a controlled backflip, landing on my feet.
A bead of sweat trickles down my forehead, but I don't bother to wipe it away. My eyes remain fixed on the figure before me—my attacker. Or rather, my opponent.
Standing calmly across from me is none other than Tesshin Kawakami—Momoyo's grandfather. The Principal of Kawakami Academy and the Grand Master of the Kawakami Temple. The sheer weight of his presence is undeniable, even as he stands still, radiating a kind of quiet, terrifying power honed through decades of mastery.
He's an elderly man, unmistakably so. Bald on the crown but with a shock of long, white hair that spills down the back of his head. His beard stretches as long as his arm, flowing like a silver stream with each subtle movement. His eyebrows are equally formidable, long enough to drape over his eyes, partially obscuring them, but not the razor-sharp awareness that lingers just beneath.
There's no mistaking it now. The weight behind his movements, the sheer presence he radiates, places him around the peak of Sequence 9, possibly even on the early stage of Sequence 7. A combat-specialized Beyonder, through and through.
"I must say." Tesshin says, his grin sharp beneath the long white curtain of his beard. "You hide it well, but I can tell you're much stronger than you let on." His eyes narrow with an almost mischievous glint. "I don't know what your intentions are with my granddaughter, but I must insist—you either leave her alone, or take an oath to marry her one day."
I stare at him, momentarily blank.
Did I stumble into one of those routes of the future? A thread I hadn't followed deeply enough, or perhaps couldn't see clearly due to still being at the lower Sequences…? Either way, this wasn't in the immediate probabilities I'd been tracking.
Before I can speak, a voice cuts sharply through the air.
"Grandfather!"
Momoyo drops from the sky like a thunderbolt, landing hard between the two of us. Dust flares around her impact as she straightens up, visibly annoyed.
"Couldn't you have waited until I finished talking before coming here to find Chikao?!"
"Well, I wanted to meet the boy who caught your attention." Tesshin replies with a knowing grin, rubbing his long beard thoughtfully. "And don't think I didn't notice how you spoke about him earlier. The way he dodged my sneak attack sealed it. I'd be a fool to think there's any other boy worthy of matching you." He takes a step forward, his voice calm but firm. "Now, if you would be so kind—move aside so I may resume testing him."
Momoyo doesn't budge. Her shoulders stiffen as she plants herself between us like a wall.
"Why are you even bothering?" She retorts, her voice low but intense. "We both know he wouldn't last long against you. It was pure luck Chikao avoided your strike—only thanks to him being a Seer."
Tesshin doesn't argue. Instead, he raises one hand and points past her.
"You should look behind you… and see if he's truly as weak as you say."
I exhale slowly, my fingers twitching. In a breath's time, I switch to the Pathways of Error and Fool—the world shifts subtly around me, the atmosphere distorting ever so slightly as the changes take hold.
Momoyo glances over her shoulder, frowning.
Her eyes meet mine.
Then she turns back—only to find her grandfather frozen mid-thought, his expression caught between surprise and calculation.
Tesshin's eyes narrow.
"...So you're not just a Seer, are you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." I say with a shrug, offering a slight smile that only makes Tesshin narrow his eyes further. "Also." I add, gesturing vaguely. "As a Seer, I already figured you'd show up here at some point with your granddaughter… Though I didn't bother looking too far ahead. So tell me—why did you both come all the way here instead of continuing your little chat in the dining room?"
That last part was only half a lie.
"Well…" Momoyo scratches the side of her cheek, her smile sheepish, tinged with guilt. "I might have let it slip that I'm planning to keep exploring the world with you and all that…"
She pauses.
"And I might have said I don't need anyone else tagging along and just asked for a credit card to cover us financially."
My mouth opens slightly. Then drops further.
I stare at her, utterly speechless.
Tesshin lets out a long sigh, blinking a few times before slowly nodding. "So you understand why I was in such a rush to meet you. To hear my sweet granddaughter say something like that, while brushing off her responsibilities here—well, it raised a few alarms."
His gaze sharpens again, though the edge is softened with something that feels oddly like approval.
"That said, young man, you have my blessing to be with Momoyo."
Then his voice grows firm, grounded by conviction.
"But if you don't have the heart to truly prioritize her—and if your intentions lean toward chasing a harem filled with beautiful women, then I must insist you part ways with her. I won't have her caught in something where she's expected to share her lover with others. She deserves more than that."
"Am I here to ask for Momoyo's hand in marriage or something?" I ask, genuinely baffled by this entire forced development playing out in front of me. "Also, it's only been five days since we met. Isn't this a bit… too fast?"
"Because you're a man I've acknowledged." Momoyo replies without hesitation. "Besides, I can get a good fight by being with you, instead of wasting time hunting you down later. And not to mention—" She grins, clenching her right fist, her eyes flashing with battle lust. "I get to experience supernatural events just by sticking near you. That's a huge bonus." She leans in slightly, her tone gleeful. "Plus, I won't have to worry about finding worthy foes in the future as I grow stronger."
The fuck do you mean as you grow stronger?!
I stare at her, unable to formulate a proper response. Just when I thought things couldn't get any more surreal.
And yet… a sinking thought settles in the back of my mind.
If things continue at this pace, Momoyo might genuinely reach Sequence 5. Hell, Sequence 4 wouldn't even be that surprising. She could easily cross into Demigod territory at minimum, especially when I consider the history of her original counterpart. And that's not even accounting for the Momoyo of this world, where the supernatural is vastly stronger, far more chaotic, and creatures walk with godlike power.
Would I even be surprised if she reached the level of Sequence 0 and actually became a god?
No.
No, I wouldn't.
Honestly, if I wanted to rely on the Boon Recipient System properly, I could probably get the entire Twilight Giant Pathway—or something similar—just through her growth alone.
And that's… mildly terrifying.
"So, young man." Tesshin's tone suddenly deepened and became solemn. "Are you going to be together with Momoyo here… or will you leave?" His gaze sharpens, the weight of his words settling heavily in the air. "Please, do think carefully."
Momoyo stands just a few steps away, silent now. No smirk, no witty remark—just watching me with those intense eyes, waiting for my answer. Eager, maybe. Hopeful, definitely. But also… completely certain that she'll accept whatever comes next.
And me?
Damn it. I didn't come here for this.
I was supposed to be lying low. Getting a feel for this world, exploring the potential futures ahead of me, trying not to be torn apart by the Sefirot or the damn hallucinations that come with being Sequence 9 on two different Pathways at the same time.
Fuck me sideway.