"Are you serious?!"
"As expected, my intuition was right!"
The thunderous fist shot out, transforming into a flash of light as it hurtled toward the boy in front of him. Its extreme speed made it impossible for Felix to dodge, and he could only raise his arms to block the menacing blow. The overflowing demonic energy swirled around the two of them, yet it could not penetrate Felix's skin.
"Sister, calm down, calm down!" Felix tried to bring her back to her senses, but the more he spoke, the more irritated Minamoto no Yorimitsu became.
The girl pounced on him without hesitation. The power emanating from her aspect as the Ox-Headed Heavenly King[1] allowed her to pin him down, sit on his stomach, grab his shoulders, and fiercely question him.
"Did Father secretly give you extra training? Tell me!"
Is that thing really called "extra training"?
Felix felt like dying. Before he could explain, he heard a stern voice coming from behind Minamoto no Yorimitsu.
"Is there a peer who can bear your power, care for you, and accompany you, yet you still can't hold onto your humanity?"
At this moment, General Minamoto no Mitsunaka, who had been slaying demons and monsters, no longer looked at Minamoto no Yorimitsu with the eyes of a father toward a daughter, but rather as a truly defective product.
"Father, father..."
---
"I thought you would follow the path of becoming a strong warrior as I envisioned, but you still can't control your power and live like a monster."
Minamoto no Mitsunaka shook his head regretfully and said something that Minamoto no Yorimitsu found even more unacceptable.
"I intend to take you to a temple to chant Buddhist scriptures and receive the baptism of the Buddha."
"Wh-what?" Minamoto no Yorimitsu opened her mouth in disbelief, repelling unwillingly, "You, you can't do this! I'm your daughter, why should I leave the home that belongs to me!"
And then give all of this to Felix?
What a joke!
I am the legitimate heir, the true successor of the Minamoto clan!
If Minamoto no Mitsunaka truly didn't care about his daughter, he wouldn't have allowed Felix to accompany his daughter, who couldn't control her power and was like a monster that could go berserk at any moment.
Therefore, he wouldn't be so heartless as to send his daughter to a temple.
However... demonic power is not something that can be easily controlled.
What should we do?
Based on his life experience, Minamoto no Mitsunaka, a demon slayer, came up with an amazing solution.
"If you are saying Rin is receiving my favor, then come with me."
Turning around, Minamoto no Mitsunaka secretly conjured a pair of sturdy handcuffs out of their sight.
"What?"
Not being punished by his father for talking back, Minamoto no Yorimitsu suddenly wondered if he was dreaming.
What's even better is that her father is going to train her the same way he trained Felix?
"Hmph! I'll show you later that I'm the strongest!"
Felix, who was being pressed down by the little girl, wasn't angry; he just found it amusing.
He had never seen anyone rush to receive training from the Tyrant of the Twin Crutches.[2]
Minamoto no Yorimitsu was still too young.
"Aren't you coming over? What are you dawdling about?"
"Understood, Father!"
The girl got up excitedly, let go of Felix, and ran over, afraid she wouldn't be able to catch up with her father's back.
"There's something good to watch."
At this moment, Felix still didn't know what "equal care" was and was still smiling happily.
...
Back Mountain
"See that waterfall? Split it in two with your bare hands! No divine power allowed."
An undeniable voice came from Minamoto no Mitsunaka's mouth as he pointed to the waterfall, which was tens of meters high. The rushing water cascaded down, crashing onto the surface and creating a thunderous roar.
Felix, who had been all smiles, suddenly froze the moment he saw the waterfall.
This was one of his training programs, but it was definitely not something he could do now.
As a warrior, Minamoto no Mitsunaka had very clear logic.
They pass on their unique skills to their descendants, then use the elite education philosophy of the East Asian Monster Training Room to cultivate them with all their might, and finally surpass themselves.
This is what he believes to be true love for children.
When Minamoto no Yorimitsu asked why, the man had already come up with a solution in a short time.
"This, this is impossible! How could it be done without any divine power!"
The waterfall, as powerful as a raging flood, filled Minamoto no Yorimitsu with fear, causing her to involuntarily take a half-step back.
"Didn't you want special treatment? Here it is!"
As he spoke, Minamoto no Mitsunaka took out the handcuffs he had made and threw them at them, making Felix secretly think something was wrong.
Combining the training methods of Nanatsu no Taizai and Re:Zero, you've really got it, Minamoto no Mitsunaka!
Two crutches are no longer appropriate; let's call him the Four-Crutch Tyrant!
"If you want it so badly, then split it open for me. But if I ever find out you used divine power, never come back to see me again!"
Before the two children could react, the handcuffs had already locked them tightly, making it impossible for them to break free by brute force.
Perhaps deeply disappointed in Minamoto no Yorimitsu, Minamoto no Mitsunaka, a parent steeped in East Asian traditions, had already decided to send his daughter to a temple to recuperate. He left without even glancing at his daughter.
"Father... Father..."
Minamoto no Yorimitsu let out a weak sob, trying to call out to her father, but the resolute demon-slaying samurai remained unmoved.
To regard Minamoto no Yorimitsu as a "weapon" that needs to be honed by humans.
Not human.
"Sister, do you want to stay?" Felix shook his right hand, waking Minamoto no Yorimitsu from her grief.
"Don't talk to me like that! I hate you!"
I didn't really lose to you, so why should I be treated like this by Father!
"Oh, never mind what I think. I'm just asking you, do you want to stay and become the true heir of the Minamoto clan?"
Felix stretched out his left hand and waved it in front of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, praying she wouldn't be controlled by her cerebellum; otherwise, he would lose a playmate.
What's even more frustrating is that once Minamoto no Mitsunaka puts his focus on him...
What awaited him was only endless purgatory!
Under the influence of demonic forces, Minamoto no Yorimitsu, who should have been filled with jealousy and distrust toward Kagerin, gradually found her evil thoughts defeated by reason.
Her goal from beginning to end was to prove that she was the true heir of the Minamoto clan.
If I run away like this, won't my property fall into Felix's hands?
Even her father's love would leave her.
She doesn't want this hellish life of being worthless, constantly rejected, and seen as a weapon!
"Okay, I promise you."
"Then come on."
In retrospect, Minamoto no Yorimitsu was not beyond redemption; she was simply somewhat confused in her early years due to the demonic forces within her and her father's deliberate upbringing.
With a shared goal, Minamoto no Yorimitsu was willing to put aside their disputes and choose to cooperate.
"This is my first time trying this too. Regardless of whether it succeeds or not, I'll give it a try until I get the best result!"
Minamoto no Yorimitsu did not refuse his suggestion. Both of them were handcuffed, and if they did not find the right rhythm, they would probably have difficulty even walking.
Two small figures kept crashing into the surging waterfall, cleaving the torrential river water with their bare hands.
What seemed like a very dangerous move, which would have swept away an ordinary person in the rapids, was just a pretty splash for the two naturally strong children.
In fact, Minamoto no Mitsunaka did not leave; he continued to care for his child.
"I hope you can join forces; only then will you have a chance to defeat that evil Onmyoji who colludes with aliens—Ashiya Dōman[3]."
Being swept away time and time again, and attacked time and time again, the two gradually grasped the profound mystery of combined force. They leaped at an incredible angle, their two slender arms joined together, and a deafening sonic boom resounded. The waterfall, several meters wide, shattered, rocks exploded, and water splashed all around.
The river flowed down, covering the several-meter-long, spiderweb-like hole the two had smashed open.
"Haha, we did it! Sister, you don't have to leave anymore!"
Felix hugged the soaking wet girl tightly and spun her around excitedly. His sincere smile brought back memories for her.
No matter how much she destroyed, even things he liked to eat or play with, he would stand by with a smile and comfort her, without any complaints.
It was as radiant as the sun.
And warm.
Minamoto no Yorimitsu also laughed.
It's hard to believe that two children who were only three years old could unleash the power to shatter a waterfall.
Minamoto no Mitsunaka believes that he absolutely did not have this power when he was a child.
But they did it.
If they grow up according to his plan, Kyoto will maintain peace for a hundred years!
[Minamoto no Yorimitsu's ability to split the waterfall can be attributed to her body being strengthened by divine power.]
But you are different; you are a living, breathing human being, destined to replace the gods and rule the earth.
The chief god, dissatisfied with the inevitable demise of the Age of Gods and the withdrawal of deities from the stage of history, has turned his gaze upon you.
---
Having made it clear that you siblings will cooperate to fight evil spirits from now on, without fighting amongst yourselves, Minamoto no Mitsunaka begins to formulate a new training plan!
Splitting the waterfall is just the beginning; there are many more challenging projects waiting for you to explore.
Now, let's allow you to get together and enjoy these few precious moments of happiness.
Minamoto no Yorimitsu had no idea what the consequences would be if her demonic nature were suppressed.
She only thought that now that she had reconciled with Felix, she should learn from her father and become a warrior of high moral character.
She is by no means a petty person who enjoys jealousy.
"I'm sorry about what happened before..." the girl said, bowing her head in shame and with a hint of shyness.
"It's okay, I understand; this wasn't your intention."
As he spoke, Felix grasped Minamoto no Yorimitsu's small hand, looked at Minamoto no Mitsunaka, who had already gone far away, and said.
"Instead of all this, let's play like normal kids. We won't have the chance tomorrow."
Seeing how much he loved to play, Minamoto no Yorimitsu subconsciously thought that she should feel honored to receive training from her father!
How could a normal person get annoyed?
"Okay, but it's agreed that we can't play for too long. I... am too far behind."
Tormented by demonic influences for a long time, Minamoto no Yorimitsu was emotionally unstable and often gave up halfway through her studies.
To make up for this deficiency, she must study even harder until she can stand shoulder to shoulder with Felix, or even surpass him!
"I know."
[Minamoto no Yorimitsu, who seems to dislike playing, also radiates the innocence and cuteness that comes with her age through laughter.]
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[1] Say Hi to Google for me. :D
[2] Japanese Mythology? History?
[3] :D