Songs in the Void

Hub World, Earth, Japan, Tokyo.

Tatsuo's training regimen lasted until about eleven in the morning. Then, after a short ten minute break, he stood across from Sumire in the octagon at the center of the training floor with Kasumi standing outside to watch the spar.

"Okay, Tatsu-Chan, you can start whenever you're ready.' Sumire said with her right arm folded behind her back and her left stretched out lazily in Tatsuo's direction.

Despite his mother's extremely casual posture, Tatsuo was under no illusion that he could defeat her. Even getting her to use the arm that was folded behind her back would be a monumental achievement. So, he threw away any distracting thoughts he might have had at the moment and took his fighting stance.

Once in his fighting stance, Tatsuo took a quick, yet deep, breath. Then, he vanished from where he stood. However, instead of using [Blink], he used [Lightning Speed], to close the distance in the blink of an eye.

Following his quick dash, Tatsuo threw a jab aimed at his mother's nose. However, with little effort, Sumire used her left hand to bat it to Tatsuo's right.

Riding the momentum of Sumire's parry, Tatsuo spun on his pivot foot and threw a spinning elbow at Sumire's temple. However, she simply ducked underneath it. Then, taking advantage of the fact that Tatsuo's footing was not stable, she gently patted his hip with her left hand.

*Rattle!*

However, that gentle pat had so much force packed into it that Tatsuo was sent flying and crashed into the cage surrounding the ring. Despite that, Tatsuo did not stop for long, as he dashed forward once again.

Then, once he was in range, he unleashed a barrage of powerful, swift blows that aimed to incapacitate his mother as quickly as possible.

Watching from the outside, Kasumi was shocked. As a speed fighter herself, she could throw punches as fast, if not faster than Tatsuo. However, there would never be so much force behind them.

"Just awakening his [Energy] made him grow so much?" Kasumi muttered to herself. "Just a week ago, he was only as strong as a normal person could possibly be. But now, even the boxer with the heaviest punch in the world would have nothing on him."

However, even with Tatsuo's improvement in speed and power, he was unable to touch Sumire at all. Gracefully, she danced between all of Tatsuo's punches, kicks, elbow strikes, knee strikes, headbutts and grappling attempts. Yet, every time she counterattacked, Tatsuo would be sent flying without sustaining too much damage.

However, this sight did not surprise Kasumi in the slightest, as Sumire could do the same to Mai, who was objectively the strongest of the three Sumire trained.

"Even if Mai-San is the strongest of us right now, I don't think she'll be the strongest for much longer." Kasumi muttered.

Eventually, Tatsuo could not help but start slowing down, as he was using everything he had with every attack for about twenty-five minutes. And Sumire took advantage of one of his punches that was far too telegraphed by stepping back, just outside of Tatsuo's range.

Then, before Tatsuo could pull his fist back, Sumire grabbed his wrist with her left hand, turned her body, and threw him over her shoulder.

*Bang!*

"Okay, that's enough." Sumire said with a smile. "You've really improved a lot, Tatsu-Chan. Give it a couple of years and you'll be able to make me use both hands if you keep improving at this rate."

"*Sigh* I guess I should be happy with that, huh?" Tatsuo muttered to himself "Well, I guess I'll take that."

Though he said that, Tatsuo thought completely differently.

'I've already started analyzing Mom's fighting style with [The End].' Tatsuo thought to himself. 'And although the progress is slow thanks to all the variations her style has, I'm definitely making progress. And according to the description, I should be able to use it at 120% of Mom's capabilities when I finally learn it.'

Despite knowing everything about Tatsuo's trip to the ICDS Universe, thanks to her connection with her main body, the Void Empress, neither she nor the Void Empress knew what reward Tatsuo received for completing the [Mission]. So, they had no idea just how quickly Tatsuo's skills and abilities would improve in a short period of time.

"Alright, it's almost noon." Sumire said as she helped Tatsuo up to his feet. "Your friends should be here at one, right? The, you should go get cleaned up. By the time you've taken a shower, I'll have lunch ready for you, okay?"

A few minutes later, Tatsuo was back upstairs in his bathroom standing under the shower. While washing off all the sweat, he was chatting with the other members of the [Dimensional Chat].

{[Dimensional Chat]

Tatsuo (Admin): My Mom is a monster

Tatsuo (Admin): I just spent the last half hour sparring with her, and I couldn't even make her use both hands

James: Oh, that sounds rather interesting. I bet my master would like to meet her.

Tatsuo (Admin): Are you trying to get my mom killed?

Tatsuo (Admin): My mom is still a human, fighting someone like Scáthach would be suicide

James: Who said I would have them fight?

James: I just said that my master would like to meet her, that's all

Lici: Oh, please.

Lici: Your Scáthach is the one from fate, right?

James: Yeah… Seems that way

Lici: Then, do you think she would just let go of a good piece of material?

James: Fair enough

James: Anyway, I wonder where Sumire is

James: She hasn't been on all day

Tatsuo (Admin): She's probably in the Dungeon

Tatsuo (Admin): That reminds me, I should make a spear and shield for her

Tatsuo (Admin): OH, I just had a great idea

Tatsuo (Admin): Hey James

James: Yeah, what's up?

Tatsuo (Admin): Is Cao Cao still alive?

Tatsuo (Admin): If he is, I could kill him and give the True Longinus to Sumire

Tatsuo (Admin): That would be a perfect spear for her

Tatsuo (Admin): And when I take it, the Devils wouldn't have to worry about it anymore

Tatsuo (Admin): Killing two birds with one stone is what they call that

James: …

James: … Um… sorry to burst your bubble, Tatsuo

James: but I killed him back when he and the Hero Faction invaded the Underworld

James: And Azazel took the True Longinus

Tatsuo (Admin): Damn…

Lici: By the way, I have a question for you, Tatsuo

Tatsuo (Admin): Yeah? What's up?

Lici: You always call Sumire, Sumire-San

Lici: But you never use the honorifics for any of us

Lici: Why?

James: Please don't

James: I had to deal with that from Rias when we were kids

James: It took forever to get her to stop, too

Tatsuo (Admin): Because saying western names with honorifics sounds weird to me

Tatsuo (Admin): It looks even stranger in text

Tatsuo (Admin): I used it for Mastiford-San, though

Tatsuo (Admin): But that was just to let her know that we weren't that close

James: Thank Satan

Lici: Are you praying to yourself?

Lici: But I think the honorifics are cool

Lici: You can use them with me, if you want

Lici: Lici-Oneechan would sound nice

Tatsuo (Admin): Nope, not a chance

Tatsuo (Admin): By the way, why isn't Alfonzo talking?

Tatsuo (Admin): Did he go on a quest, or something?

Lici: Oh no, he's driving right now

Lici: We're on our way back from Crocus

Lici: And texting while driving is dangerous

James: Is this really the same as texting, though?

Tatsuo (Admin): I see

Tatsuo (Admin): Well, I'm gonna go have lunch

Tatsuo (Admin): Then, my friends should be here shortly after that

Tatsuo (Admin): So, I'll talk to you later

James: See ya

Lici: Bye bye}

As he switched off the [Dimensional Chat], Tatsuo also turned off the shower. Then, he quickly got dressed and went to the kitchen table to have lunch. By the time lunch was over, it was about 12: 40 PM. So, to kill time, Tatsuo went back to his room and started playing the piano. However, instead of closing his bedroom door like he usually did, he left the door open, allowing the music to echo through the house.

At 1 PM on the dot, the intercom connected to the lobby rang. When Kasumi answered, it was Yakumo, along with Tenma, Mikoto, Eri, and Akira, who had arrived. So, she went down to receive them without interrupting Tatsuo.

"Good morning, Tsukamoto-San." Kasumi said with a gentle smile on her face after exiting the elevator.

"Tenshin-San, good morning." Yakumo replied politely. "How are you today?"

While Kasumi and Yakumo exchanged pleasantries, Mikoto, Eri, and Akira were surprised. Tenma, on the other hand, was smiling foolishly as she usually did.

The reason for the three girls' surprise was simple. Kasumi was quite possibly the most popular girl in the second year at their school. So, they never expected to see her when they came to Tatsuo's place to study.

"Tenshin-San... Do you know Soramoto-Kun, too?" Mikoto asked curiously.

"Huh?" Kasumi just now recognized the girls behind Yakumo. "Oh, don't you four go to Yagami High? First years, right? Well, Tatsuo-Kun is my little brother. Though, I was adopted into the Soramoto family."

"Well, I wasn't expecting that." Eri said.

"Yeah." Akira added with a nod. "Soramoto-Kun said he had an adopted sister, but for it to be the most popular girl at our school. That's a surprise."

"It's not that exaggerated, is it?" Kasumi asked while maintaining her smile. "Anyway, you all can come up. Tatsuo-Kun should be ready for you. I'll be offering my assistance with your studies, as well. If you don't mind, that is."

"Of course we don't." Mikoto said quickly.

"Thank you very much." Tenma said happily. "I might be able to get smarter with all these smart people helping."

Mikoto, Eri, and Akira chose to remain silent for the sake of Tenma's feelings. Meanwhile, Kasumi smiled wryly at her. Yakumo, on the other hand, looked at her older sister with a helpless gaze.

Shortly after that, Kasumi led the others into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. However, just as the door was closing, Kasumi stuck out her hand to stop it after hearing a shout from the lobby's entrance.

"Tenshin-San! Wait for me!" Chiho shouted as she ran from the entrance to the elevators after catching a glimpse of Kasumi through the closing doors.

"Sasaki-San, good morning." Kasumi said with a smile.

"*Pant* *Pant*Good morning." Chiho replied after entering the elevator. "*Pant* Phew! I made it."

While Chiho spoke and tried to catch her breath, her large breasts, disproportionate to her rather small stature, heaved up and down, causing Tenma, who had no feminine curves to speak of, to shift her gaze between her own flat chest and Chiho's chest with envy.

"Just what did that girl eat to make those things so big?" Tenma asked in a forlorn tone.

"She must have good genes." Mikoto said proudly as she puffed out her own impressive assets.

Tenma's line of sight was immediately drawn to Mikoto's chest. Then, her mood fell even lower.

Meanwhile, Kasumi had once again pressed the button for the top floor. And this time, when the doors closed, there was nothing to stop them. So, the group of seven quickly arrived on the top floor.

{BGM: "Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major" -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart}

As soon as the elevator doors opened, the elegant classical piano music flowed into everyone's ears. And those who could appreciate it, namely Eri and Akira, were amazed at the level of skill on display. Meanwhile, Yakumo, Chiho, Tenma, and Mikoto only thought it sounded really nice.

"Oh, he's playing classical today." Kasumi muttered. "Anyway, let's go. Tatsuo-Kun doesn't really have a good place for a lot of people to study together in his room. I'll show you to the living room."

'I don't dare to lead so many girls into Tatsuo-Kun's room while Mai-San isn't here.' Kasumi thought to herself. 'If she ever found out, she'd be willing to fight me to the death over it.'

With that, Kasumi led the girls into the living room while they enjoyed the music. Then, once they were all seated, the girls took out their study materials and began to study with Tatsuo's piano music as background music.

When there was finally a pause in the music, they all heard a happy squeal come from the direction where the music originated.

"Tatsu-Chan, you're so amazing!" Sumire's happy squeal echoed through the apartment.

Not long after that, Tatsuo and Sumire entered the living room. And when they did, Tenma, Mikoto, Eri, and Akira were surprised to see Sumire. Not that it was the first time for some of them to see her. But when they saw the disparity in height between her and her son, Tatsuo, they were dumbfounded.

"She's the same size as me..." Tenma muttered after looking Sumire, who was dressed in an elegant purple kimono with a red obi, up and down.

"Go study with your friends, Tatsu-Chan." Sumire said with a smile. "I'll go make you all some snacks and drinks."

"Okay." Tatsuo replied with a smile of his own.

Then, with his books in hand, Tatsuo approached the table where everyone was sitting and laid his books on the table.

"Alright, what are you guys working on?" Tatsuo asked in a confident tone.

"Tatsu-Chan, huh?" Mikoto asked while nudging Tatsuo with her elbow. "That's pretty cute."

"Yeah, I think I'll call you that, too, Tatsu-Chan." Eri said with a teasing smile on her face.

"If you do, I'll just tell Mai-Nee that you're calling me that.' Tatsuo said nonchalantly. "And trust me, none of us want her to get involved with this."

"Yes, please don't push him to do that." Kasumi said helplessly. "If Mai-San gets involved, then everyone loses."

After hearing Kasumi's explanation, Mikoto and Eri looked at her skeptically while Chiho nodded furiously. Meanwhile, Yakumo, Tenma, and Akira did not show much change in their expressions.

Eventually, the group decided to drop the subject and start studying. And they did so all the way until the sun had set. However, when Sumire invited the girls to stay for dinner, they all declined politely before heading home for the evening. Meanwhile, Tatsuo, Sumire, and Kasumi sat down for dinner and chatted happily.

Twenty-five minutes after Yakumo, Chiho, and the other girls left, Mai, with her battle intent on full display, came back home.

"I'm back!" Mai shouted energetically. "Now, where are those thieving cats? Let me see which one of them dared to make a move on my Tatsu-Kun."

After that, Mai stomped her way into the kitchen, where Tatsuo, Sumire, and Kasumi were sitting at the kitchen table and having dessert. However, instead of continuing to eat, they stared at Mai with blank gazes once she entered the living room.

"Huh?" Mai intoned quizzically while looking around. "Where are those thieving cats?"

While Mai looked around, Tatsuo-Sumire- and Kasumi watched her for a few moments before deciding to ignore the extremely capable, yet completely erratic, kunoichi come secretary in favoring of finishing their desserts.