I blinked at him. He was about my height, and had long hair bleached blond. His eyes were fully black, and seemed almost as if they were pits; black holes.

A single earring dangled from his left ear, a thin, rectangular piece of wood with falling flower petals painted onto it.

“Silence means consent.” He reached down into my hand and plucked the flower out of it before taking off, kicking up dust.

Nasa immediately raised a fist wreathed in foxfire, but I stopped her, seething with rage.

“No. He’s my prey.”

Digging into the dirt, I kicked forward and tore through the air at the back of the boy who had stolen my flower.

He was in jeans and a white t-shirt, but most striking was the thing that was slung across his back.

A katana?

Shaking the useless thoughts out of my mind, I grit my teeth and forced myself to run faster.

The boy was fast, weaving through carts and stores with a gymnastic dexterity, and paused for just a second to grab an apple from one before picking up the pace again.

What’s with this guy? My legs were already fatigued, my muscles burning from the exertion, and my lungs felt as if they were on fire, my windpipe completely dry from the arid air in the Second World.

Slipping my hand into the pouch at my side, I yanked out a handful of ofuda, sending them flying at the back of the fleeing robber, but the spiritual energy imbued within them quickly sputtered out without me being able to sustain them, and they fluttered to the ground uselessly.

My face was hot with more than just exertion; it burned with shame.

I had just bought something, and had it plucked right out of my hand, and I was unable to even match speed with the perpetrator. The entire scenario merely served to remind me of how utterly powerless I was.

And I bought that for Akiha too.

My foot catching on a rock, I stumbled, losing all my momentum.

“Shit!” I cursed as the boy disappeared into an alley.

Is this it?

Suddenly, a bright flash of white and gold sped past me, curling into the same alley.

“Nasa-san!” I panted as I caught up. “I told you-”

“Let’s face it. You were never going to catch him. Take this.” She reverted to her human form while tossing the flower at me, which I caught and placed inside the pouch where I usually kept Akiha.

She had the robber pinned under a foot, and he looked extremely uncomfortable as he writhed on the ground.

I knelt next to the boy, my gaze drawn to the scabbard on his back. It seemed to have the same pulling effect on me as the flower had. There’s something about this sword.

“Who are you? Why did you try to take my flower?” I asked.

“What? I’m just a robber, man. Get off me.” The boy snarled.

“A mere robber?” Nasa scoffed, her arms crossed. “You’re a tsukumogami.”

“Huh? How’d you-” The boy’s eyes widened. “Ah, kyuubi. Nine-tailed foxes always think they’re better than everything else.”

“That’s because we are.” Nasa opened her mouth, baring fangs that had elongated from her canines.

“Okay, you two. Stop.” I frowned, then directed my gaze to the boy who had pulled himself into a cross-legged sit. “You’re a tsukumogami?”

“Yeah.” He crossed his own arms. “I’m a spirit object. More correctly, I’m an object that’s a hundred years old, and developed sentience and a spiritual life force. What about it?”

“So you’re that sword.” Nasa prodded the scabbard with her foot.

“Hey! Paws off,” The boy protested. “I’m legendary-”

“Clearly you’re not if you’re resorting to robbing,” I muttered, then raised my voice. “Can I look at your sword?”

“Look at me, you mean. And what’re you going to do with it, rob me?” The boy scoffed. “That’s not possible.”

“Just hand it over.” Nasa snarled.

“Why’re you acting like a henchman now? Ow, I got it, hands off, nine-tails!” The boy unslung the sword from his back and handed it to me. “Handle me properly, okay?”

I wrapped my hand around the katana’s handle. It was wrapped with a blood-red thread, and its tsuba, the guard above the grip, was bronze. The handle sat within my hand nicely.

Tightening my grip, I tugged on the weapon, and the blade slid out of its pitch black scabbard smoothly and without a sound.

Its slightly curved blade was a bright silver, but glinted blue where the light hit it.

“It’s beautiful.” I let out unintentionally.

“Darn right I am.” The boy smirked as he watched me admire the sword.

I glanced at Nasa, who frowned. “You sure?”

Of course she’s already noticed my intention. I nodded, then turned to the boy.

“What’s your name?”

“The name given by my maker? Or-”

I interjected. Names given by the person who forged the sword were often too intricate and weird. “What you like to be called.”

“Kenji.”

I handed the sword back to him. “Kenji. Become my shikigami. Become my sword.”

“What the hell?” The boy gaped at me, incredulity etched on his face.

I smiled. “I don’t believe I made myself clear.”

Jabbing a finger at his chest, I gulped down the doubt and slight shame that came with my actions. That sword… there’s something about it, I know it.

“You have two choices. Become my weapon, or…”

Nasa stood behind me, unfurling her tails.

Kenji looked unconvinced, and he waved his hand in front of his nose, bursting into laughter a moment later. “Nah. No way you guys are willing to kill me.”

“Hm?” I turned to Nasa, whose ears had drooped slightly.

She looked at me and shook her head slightly. “Dainisekai has strict regulations in place over the killing of spiritual beings. Why do you think kami can walk in the same realm as kegare without a bloodbath occurring?”

I bit the inside of my cheek, emphasizing every word that left my mouth afterwards. “You. Went. On. With. My. Scaring. Plan. Even. Though. You. Knew. That?”

Nasa shrugged.

“So am I free to go?”

“Shut up.” I drew a deep breath and looked at Kenji. “Change of plans. You’re fighting me. If you win, you’re free. If I win, you serve me.”

Kenji blinked at me before a wide grin spread on his face. “So you’re that kind of guy! I like it. I’m in.”

“Are you sure, Ren-kun?” Nasa looked uncomfortable with my decision. “Maybe it would be better to just let him go.”

No. I’m sure that sword is important, somehow. I don’t normally get this, but my intuition is practically screaming at me to get to know it more.

“I’ll be fine, Nasa-san.” I gave the kitsune what I imagined was a reassuring smile. “I may not be able to use Onmyodo, but I haven’t still been training all my life for nothing.”

“First rule of battle; never take your eyes off your opponent.” A harsh whisper came from behind, and a silver blur whipped towards me from the corner of my eye.