#kaiju no. eight

[kedsss]

Captains and a Kaiju ✨

[manias-wordcount]

Sound the Alarm (Soshiro Hoshina)

Kinktober 2024 Day Two: Interrupted

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

The second the alarm starts to blare, he freezes.

A loud, shrill sound that could be heard all over the compound. In all the rooms, corridors, offices and bedrooms. And it’s a sound that the two of you know all too well. A call to arms. A call to return to your stations and prepare your gear. A call to battle. A call that should never be ignored. But… that’s exactly what he’s doing right now. 

Ignoring it.

“Fuck…” You hear Soshiro mutter just above you. It’s hard to hear him over the alarm, but the frustration seeping into his voice only seems to add volume to his words as he clenches his jaw and frowns deeply. You’re eyeing him carefully, chest heaving up and down as you wait for him to make his next move. Whatever it was going to be. But that’s the thing. He doesn’t make his next move. He just doesn’t.

“Vice Cap-Captain Hoshina…”

Instead, he stays inside of you. Cock half-buried inside you pussy and ready to slam into you once more. Because he seems too busy thinking about fucking you to care about the Kaiju attack he’s about to be called to deal with.

“Shit…” He curses again. His arm muscles ripple and tense above you as he holds you still. His grip is tight, but not unbearably so. Still, you can see very clearly how frustrated he is. Usually, he doesn’t hold back. Usually, there’s no regard for anyone or anything. Not even things like your voice growing too loud or him taking up far too much of your time than he really should matter all that much to him. But this is the one time he really can’t make any excuses. This is the one time where he truly has to pick someone else over having his fill of you. At least, that’s how you thought he’d see things. “...I’ll be quick. I promise.”

You whimper at that. He said that to you the last time. He says that to you all the time. It just hasn’t truly mattered until this moment. Right now, you're the only nurse working the Nurse’s Station during most of the night shifts. Something Soshiro managed to make happen by pulling rank and plenty of strings. But you were okay with it. Because almost every time you found yourself working at night and alone, you could always count on him to be there for a visit. Sometimes, it was just to keep you company for an hour or two. Be someone you could talk to during the boring hours. Be a source of entertainment when there was no one around and nothing to watch. Just someone to help make time go by faster.

And sometimes, it was just to strip you down and fold you in half on one of the cots and fuck you so hard that you swear you couldn't breathe. Just like he was doing earlier. But now, he’s slowly starting back up again. Slowly pushing his cock back into your pussy and pulling back out with what starts out as a lazy pace. 

It’s more than enough to feel pleasurable. In fact, you can’t even recall a time when Soshiro’s dick has made you feel anything other good before. From this position, you can see the twitch of his thick, full cock when he drags out and then pushes back inside of your inner walls and continues to stretch you out so that he fits inside of you perfectly. You can hear his low grunts and moans as his dark-colored eyes stare down at you almost carnally- like you’re his and his alone for the taking, even though he hasn’t bothered to ask you properly yet. And you feel the ache in your lower body as he forces your knees to your ears and squeezes the meat of your thighs like you’ll disappear the second he stops fucking you.

But at the same time, he’s going slowly and steadily enough that you’re still able to form coherent sentences and think complex thoughts- including thoughts about the relatively obnoxious but incredibly important alarms that keep shouting into the room through the intercom system. He’s going slow and steadily enough that you’re still able to remind him that his duty is to his country, and not the pretty little nurse he took a liking to a couple months ago.

“The other nurses- ah! The other nurses, Soshiro!” You start to explain to him. But all too quickly, he catches on that you’re about to protest his being here. Because he’s extremely quick to speed up his strokes and angle them in a way that he knows will have you babbling and drooling and feeling a little too good in no time at all. But as much as you want him right now- as much as you want him to make you cream over his cock and give one of those orgasms he promised you after you spent the morning teasing him in front of his subordinates- you can’t get caught by the other nurses fucking the Vice Captain while you’re supposed to be on duty. And you certainly can’t get caught being the reason why he’s not rushing to put on his battle suit and running out to rally the troops and save lives. You just can’t. “They’ll be here, Soshiro! They’ll- they’ll get here soon!”

His jaw clenches once more as he weighs the outcomes, but his pace never slows down. Not even for a second. In fact, your reminder seems to have only invigorated him even further judging by the smirk now growing on his face.

“I’ll be quick.” He promises to you again as he slams his dick down inside of you with a pace that’s as sloppy as it is rough. “Fuck, you just feel so good.”

You squealed as you felt him hit a spot inside of you that really does feel too good for you to handle. And he gives a few pleased words of praise as he tells you just how badly he’s been wanting to do this ‘ever since you gave him that hard-on this morning’ and how he ‘couldn’t stand the thought of leaving your precious cunt without his cum painting your walls white.’ But luckily, you haven’t lost yourself completely in the whirlwind of pleasure that he’s giving you. Because you haven’t forgotten what that alarm means. You haven’t forgotten that there are lives at stake whenever that alarm starts to blare.

“And you have to go!” You cry out to him in between half-moans and whines. He lets out a low sound from the back of his throat. Something akin to an animalistic growl that might have scared you if you didn’t know that the man you were currently with was all bark and no bite when it came to you. But that didn’t stop the shivers going down your spine at the fiercely attractive and desperate behavior. Though even so, you had to press on. “What if they need you?” 

They always need you.

The words were left unsaid, but they still lingered in the room like a poltergeist one just couldn't ignore. And even if he tried to ignore it, other things were vying for his attention. Because in an almost fate-like moment, a voice interrupts the two of you from over the radio. You can barely hear it from your position and the alarm still going off, but Soshiro’s radio is tucked right up by his ear so he’s able to make out the words of whoever was shouting over the line almost perfectly. So much so that for a moment, his hips started to slow down and falter. Until finally, they stopped altogether. 

And you’ll never know what was said to him over the radio that day. Because the somber look that crept onto his face as he slowly pulled his dick out of you and eased you into a more comfortable position on the cot you were both on was the only indication that things were far more serious than he anticipated. 

Still, he was kind enough to help you dress yourself as he muttered orders into the receiving end of the radio. And he was sweet enough to leave you with a long, hard lingering kiss on the lips as a promise to pick things back up where they left off. Exactly where he left off. 

But still, life’s cruel. And in your opinion, he’s cruel too. 

Because in the end, he did make you wait many long, hard, brutal hours for any sign of him coming out of this battle alive. Because he did make you worry and check on just about every body that was recovered and brought into your station during and after the mission with the hopes that you wouldn’t see the same man who was just making you feel like the luckiest girl in the world end up as the coldest corpse in the room. But most of all? It’s because he made you fall in love with him.

Despite his dangerous line of work making sure that his future is never promised to him. Despite only ever being the nightshift girl he sneaks around with. Despite the fact that there are so many bad reasons to get involved with a man like him. Despite absolutely everything telling you no...

...you still decide to ignore the alarms.

[eizaamkc]

Hoshikaf yeppie

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

So many lonely people on Kaiju No. 8 had found companionship with Kafka.

He's the personification of support. A senpai, a role model, a hero, a friend, a cadet, a reliable worker, even a crush. He's someone you can trust and someone that wants to be there for you. Even the comedy relief guy or the saviour of the day!!

In the latest manga chapters he was a plushie for a little girl.

There's Reno who lost his entire family. Kafka took the role of the senpai with him: guide and teach the guy, talk with him, show him how to survive and inspire him. Reno met a genuinely good guy that was openly offering his help and friendship, so he went back to thank him and do the same. Hey, your dream is not over, Reno said. What did he get in return? Kafka sacrificing his life for him, telling him to run, giving up the most important thing in his life for Reno.

There's Mina, who is terrified of being alone. She found a personal clown in Kafka, yes, but he was also the boy who helped her keep her hope and made things easier. He would always go with her to the shelter during a kaiju attack, even if he was in another school. He told her she didn't have to kill kaijus all alone. He promised to be by her side. Mina was thrown into a world of giant burdens and expectations, where her failures could mean death and destruction. Kafka saw her not as the weapon she was, but as Mina.

Hoshina was constantly disrespected, overlooked and ignored. He gave Kafka a chance because he reminded Hoshina of himself. For his troubles, Hoshina got a guy that would work hard to reach his expectations, that would rival him, that would call him first thing and spend all that time worried and would apologize before turning into a kaiju to save their lives. Kafka became a friend of sorts to Hoshina through hard work and respect.

Kikoru was used to all types of reactions from the people around her, but not to the level of worry and pride and trust Kafka gave her. It was not for show, he was completely open and sincere in his feelings. Kikoru you're an asshole, Kikoru you're amazing, Kikoru pleaseeee take care of yourself, Kikoru I won't disappoint you, Kikoru you have my permission and gratitude if you kill me if I ever lose control, Kikoru I trust you to finish this battle.

The first thing Kafka did during the second part of the recruitment was support Aoi and Haruichi during their subjugation of a kaiju.

He saved Minase's life by partially turning and risking his life for it. He saved Iharu and Reno that day against No. 9.

Narumi told Kafka that only they knew the weight of the burden they carried for being there the day Isao Shinomiya was killed. Freaking Narumi, who wouldn't share that burden with anyone else.

Like it was noted by his boss while he was still part of the Cleaning Corps, Kafka would do his job after complaining, but he'd do it perfectly and do it again if asked to.

He's reliable. I know I said it before, but he is.

In a world where anyone can die any minute, in the Kaiju Country, Kafka is a presence you don't want to vanish. It's what Mina says: everything is easier with him around, anything is possible.

When in the first chapters Kafka tells the little girl to not be afraid because he'll go and everything will be okay— the girl thanks him. In the anime, the little girl even asks Mina to please not hurt the good kaiju. Once people have met him, they don't want him to go. They'd do anything for him not to go, not to die. When Kikoru saw him losing control and remembered her promise, she decided that she'd rather believe in him 'til the end. When Isao was about to disappear, he thought about Kafka and said he'd leave things up to him too.

Isn't that what it means to be a hero? To be able to say "leave it up to me" but also trust others to help you when you need it? Inspire people to support you because you supported them first?

The only thing scarier than the kaijus is to be left alone in the world— and Kafka fights that.

[qweaenr]

KAIJU #8 -

“Whatever demons you're fightin' through

When you need somebody to turn to

Nobody got you the way I do”

[loveanimekn8]

I love this backstory 💞

[miharuki]

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕳𝖎𝖇𝖎𝖓𝖔 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖘

Soshiro has always found you intriguing since the moment you took the test to join the Defense Force. Your combat skills were surprisingly low—lower than anyone else’s in the exam. Even so, you passed, just like he did. He tried to approach you, start a conversation, but you didn’t seem as talkative as the others. However, he noticed that with Captain Mina, you laughed, joked, and even made jokes. He wondered if you were in the Defense Force just because of your friendship with Mina. After all, you weren’t good at long-range combat, and your strength seemed weaker than most. Still, something about you was intriguing.

This mystery deepened during your first mission together. He saw, alone, you destroy a huge kaiju—a feat that normally required a platoon leader. The skill you demonstrated at that moment confused him. When he tried to talk about it, you remained closed off, keeping all your secrets to yourself. With each failed attempt at communication, Soshiro’s curiosity only grew, until he realized he had become attached to you.

When he was promoted to vice-captain, he thought this would bring him closer to you. He thought perhaps it was his position that made you not open up to him, but nothing changed. Your coldness and distance remained, until the arrival of the new soldiers, including Kafka Hibino. Suddenly, you started opening up, talking to Kafka in a way you never did with Soshiro. A strange feeling overwhelmed him. He didn’t like seeing you together. The more you grew closer to Kafka, the more he gave the new soldier tasks, trying to keep him busy. He didn’t like it at all.

Then came the revelation: Kafka was Kaiju No. 8. When he was taken, you seemed to lose your spark. Soshiro saw it, felt the sadness radiating from you, and it irritated him. Why care so much about Kafka? He was a kaiju. Even though he was human, he was a monster.

Over time, he noticed that despite the pain, you continued to train, to evolve. It was as if your combat skills, once weaker, were now on par with the soldiers. Maybe even reaching the level of a platoon leader, but the sadness from Kafka’s absence seemed to be something unchangeable. Soshiro tried to get closer, to be there for you, but you kept your distance.

When he found out the final result of Kafka’s fate, his death, Soshiro noticed the change in you. The distance and emptiness grew even more, while you stopped eating, taking care of yourself. The situation became so dire that Soshiro decided to seek answers from Captain Mina.

When Soshiro arrived at Mina’s office, she looked at him seriously and thoughtfully, as if weighing what she was about to reveal. He felt a shiver of nervousness. She began:

“Soshiro, there’s something I think you need to know.”

He furrowed his brow, a bit confused. Was she going to talk about something related to the previous mission, when he had saved you both from being swallowed by a kaiju? He hoped so.

“Lately, I’ve noticed you trying to get close to someone in particular… (Your Name),” she continued, carefully choosing her words. “And I thought I should tell you. The reason (Your Name) is so shaken is because their brother… has just been executed. That brother was Kafka Hibino. (Your Name) Hibino.”

Soshiro felt his heart race, his eyes widening in shock. “Kafka was… their brother?”

Mina nodded. “That’s right. That’s why I thought you should know. (Your Name) told me that, from the beginning, you’ve tried to get close, tried to be friendly, but maybe this is the reason for their distance.”

Soshiro took a moment to process everything, the revelation about Kafka being their sibling shedding new light on every interaction he had with you. The truth caught him by surprise, but at the same time, it intensified his desire to be there for you, now more than ever.

“Captain… if you don’t mind, where are they now?”

Mina replied firmly, but with a gentle look. “If you want to see them, they’re on the roof of the headquarters right now.”

Soshiro simply thanked her with a nod, leaving the room and heading straight to meet you. When he saw you, you were facing away, with a bowl of food beside you. He called your name:

“(Your Name)?”

You slowly turned around, your face weary, marked by tears. He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Approaching slowly, Soshiro placed a hand on your head and murmured:

“I heard what happened… I’m so sorry about your brother. I can’t even imagine the pain you’re feeling.”

You looked away, and Soshiro stepped closer. “But know that I’m here,” he said, his voice soft and full of sincerity.

Without thinking much, you hugged him, and he returned the embrace, listening to your sobs. Soshiro, with his heart aching, whispered:

“You don’t have to go through this alone. Let me be here for you.”

But what he didn’t know was that you had already devised a plan for revenge, a way to repay every drop of suffering that had been caused to your brother. What you also didn’t know was that from that moment on, Soshiro wouldn’t let you escape. He would stay by your side, no matter what it took.

[pfpanimes]

⌕ kaiju n. 8 • mina ashiro.

like or reblog if you save/use. 🤍

[kaijuno8zine]

🚨Interest Check Open🚨

We are excited to announce that our interest check is now open! From format to favorite characters, we want to hear from you, so fill out the form below and let us know!

🔗 Interest Check

And for those whose gif won't load~

[wintermadness]

〔Soshiro Hoshina ― Kaiju No. 8 ' 1.1〕

⤵︎+

[kedsss]

Yes, I'm the same person who drew that Soshiro Hoshina fanart recently // felt like shitposting for once lmao

[brynnewithane]

Kaiju No. 8 Light Novel: Closely Observed! Unit 3 [Translate]

This is an UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION of the Light Novel Kaiju No. 8. The translation and proofreading were done by me. Since my bias is Hoshina, I only plan to translate his story.

Hoshina's chapter is split into six parts. The following post includes my translation of parts 1 and 2.

***The translation that follows is not translated from the original Japanese, but rather from Vietnamese to English. Since this is my first attempt translating literature and English is not my first language, if there are any parts that seem unnatural or out-of-place please feel free to point them out. I’m open for feedback!👾 ***There are some segments that I've referenced from the translation of Kaiju No. 8: B-Side posted on the Mangaplus website. ***Word count: 2725

Chapter 3: Vice-captain Soshiro Hoshina

[PART 1/6]

“Phew, alright…”

With a soft thud, Hoshina set the stack of papers down on the table and took a deep breath. In his hand was the report on Kikoru’s match from the day before. He was evaluating it, through the lens of a vice-captain.

“Who would’ve thought it’d take this long, huh.”

Finishing off the last sip of his now-cold coffee, Hoshina made his way out of the room. Although work hours were over, he still had other plans await. As he strode down the corridor, he spotted the Metro TV crew heading towards him.

“Director! How’s the filming coming along?

The director nodded in return, “It went pretty well, everyone has been very cooperative after all. Mr. Hoshina, would you mind if we get a few words from you?”

“Me? But I’ve already been around the block though.”

“Ha ha ha. No, I just wanted to ask about the rookies. All of the officers this year are really something. The performance that Officer Shinomiya did yesterday was truly remarkable.”

“Well, that’s ‘cause the West Tokyo entry exam was way tougher this year, probably the hardest we’ve ever had. Plus, there were way more standout talents than usual this time around."

“I see. But now I’m more curious.”

“Curious ‘bout what?”

“It’s about Officer Kafka Hibino. Compared to the others, his basic physical strength seems pretty lacking. Would you mind telling us why he’s accepted to the Defense Force?”

The director couldn't help but wonder; it was no surprise at all. For days Kafka had shown no significant improvement to the crew. Whether it was marksmanship or obstacle courses, he consistently ranked last.

“Of course, we don’t just recruit folks based on combat abilities, y’know? We take a lot of other factors into account too. One of the reasons we accepted Kafka Hibino is…

“Is…?”

“Comic relief!” Hoshina smirked.

“C, comic relief, sir?” Hearing such a response, the director’s eyes widened.

“Novelty, y’know? He’s entertaining does he not? The impulsiveness and silliness and all. I’ve never seen anyone with an unleashed combat power of 0% before, and despite being physically weak, he’s bursting with energy. Not to mention he’s completely oblivious to his true potential, so he kept ended up running around like a headless chicken on the field.”

“T, That’s quite the harsh evaluation…”

“But I don’t dislike dummies like him.”

“And why is that?”

“Back in the day…” Hoshina scratched his cheek. "I met someone who was just like that. This idiot was constantly told to give up on bein’ a member of the Defense Force, yet he just kept throwin’ himself into it, no matter what.”

“So there really was a recruit like that? What’s that officer doing now?”

“Beats me. He’s likely assigned to some other unit.” Hoshina flashed a brief smile as he started to walk off. “Oh right, I’m about to hold a private training session at the dojo. The rookies will be there too, you could drop by if you’re interested.”

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

“Yaaaah!”

The soldiers’ exhort resonated throughout the wooden dojo. Apart from the outdoor training area, the Defense Force base also featured an indoor training room. Many officers would come here to train after dinner.

“My, my... It’s so crowded even during break time.” The director mumbled in admiration.

“This year’s rookies are really proactive.”

Hoshina was scanning around the dojo when he saw two individuals, both wearing armour(1), fighting intensely near the entrance. One of them caught an opening and leaped forward, swinging his bamboo sword(2) and striking his opponent. The victor removed his mask, revealing none other than Haruichi Izumo.

“Not bad Reno. Have you done kendo before?”

“I picked up a bit during middle school… But I couldn’t see that last strike of yours coming at all.” Reno, Haruichi’s opponent, also lifted off his mask and let out a sigh.

“Nah, you almost had me there too, man.” Haruichi smiled gently.

Nearby, a match took place between two individuals with distinctly different builds. One was a kendo expert senior, yet he was outmatched by his bulkier opponent who launched many heavy knocks from overhead.

“Woah that officer is really impressive. Is he a rookie too?”

“Maybe it’s hard for you to tell with a mask on like that, but it’s ‘she,’ not ‘he’, and yes she’s a rookie, her name is Hakua Igarashi.” Hoshina shook his head and replied to the director.

“Igarashi… Oh, is she the younger sister of Officer Jura from the Second Division?”

Igarashi Hakua is a promising rookie and Kikoru’s close friend.

As Hoshina looked around, a male officer approached. This young man had a muscular physique, piercing eyes, and tanned skin. He’s Aoi Kaguragi, a former member of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

“Vice-captain Hoshina, would you mind having a sparring match with me?”

“Sure thing, let’s have a match.”

Once clad in his armour, Hoshina got into a ready stance, facing Aoi. As the referee signalled to start the match, a palpable tension filled the air. Others instinctively paused, as their attention was drawn to the two of them as well.

The fight began with two swords sharply clashing. Attacking first was Aoi.

“Ha-yaaa!” Aoi shouted as he charged forward, instantly closing the gap. He moved with a speed that left amateurs struggling to keep pace.

Hoshina skillfully parried with his bamboo sword and countered back. Aoi’s attack was neutralised. The two returned to a standoff, maintaining their distance once again.

Hoshina took the initiative this time. In response, Aoi swung his sword, attempting to strike first. Seizing the opportunity, Hoshina deftly flicked Aoi's sword upward, breaching his defence. A loud “thud” rang out as Hoshina landed a perfect hit onto Aoi’s mask.

“Men strike! (3)” (Face hit)

The referee’s voice rang out. The two exchanged bows at each other as the match ended. Once their mask was removed, Aoi’s face was glistening with sweat, in stark contrast to Hoshina, who remained calm and composed.

“Thank you, sir… I will strive to improve even more.” Aoi said, earnestly bowing his head.

“Nah, you did great! You’ve got some serious talent, y’know.” Hoshina complimented. Aoi was a rising star in the Ground Self-Defense Force, with relatively good kendo skills; he could even be ranked among the top in the Third Division.

(The rookies this year sure are outstanding.)

Applause sprang out as people enjoyed the duel between two formidable figures. Meanwhile, at the dojo entrance, an entirely different kind of match was unfolding.

“Heeeyaaah!!”

A man stumbled forward, ferociously swinging his bamboo sword. His wide, sweeping motions were all over the place, making it easy for his opponent to dodge, counter, and raise his sword high before slamming it down with force.

“Gack!!??”

The hit landed with such power that the mask seemed as though it was about to shatter. The man dropped to one knee on the floor.

“Sure-kill attack: Iharu Blade! How’d you like the power of my strike, old man!?”

“W, why you! Take it easy on me, won’t ya!?” Kafka stood up, removing his mask.

“That was me going easy. Seriously, why are you so ‘green,’ old man?” Iharu tilted his head.

“Well duh, I’ve never practised kendo once in my entire life. So, everyone else has, even Ichikawa huh… I guess all the Defense Force recruits are pros at this stuff…”

“Since you have zero experience in kendo, I assume you chose judo instead, yes?” Reno approached, striking up a conversation with Kafka.

“Hm? Nope, I don’t know judo either.”

“Huh? You weren’t required to take any martial arts class?”

“What martial arts?”

“Didn’t they require you to take either judo or kendo in middle school?”

“What’re you talking about?”

As the conversation drifted off course, Hoshina tucked his mask under his arm and walked toward them.

“Martial arts were made mandatory after the curriculum reform, which is why y’see nearly all of our rookies this year have some sort of experience—except you, Kafka.

“What, is that how it is!? Grk, even this has a generation gap!” Kafka stood up abruptly, clenching his fists. “Damn it, that means I need to train way harder. Vice-captain Hoshina, could you please instruct me as well? Let’s have a match!”

“Vice-captain, could I request the same for myself?”

“Hey Reno! Tryin’ to one-up me, aren’t ya!? Count me in too, sir!”

“Iharu, that wasn’t my intention.”

Seeing the rookies got all excited, Hoshina nodded, “Alright then. I’ll take y’all on—line up!”

A sharp "Thwack!" echoed through the air.

“Gack!”

A sharp "Thwack!" echoed through the air.

“Gurk!”

A sharp "Thwack!" echoed through the air.

“Agh!”

“All righty practice over. Y’all need to work on your basic skills.”

Upon the dojo floor, three members of Kafka lay scattered, their skill levels markedly inferior to Hoshina’s. After a lengthy observation of the scene, the director made his way toward them.

“Impressive! It’s clear that no one can even come close to your skill with the blade, sir. I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone hailing from one of the most renowned kaiju-slaying families in Kansai. Speaking of which, when you first enlisted, you weren’t here, were you? You were in Kansai, right sir?”

“Yeah, I got promoted by Captain Ashiro and transferred here.”

“I see! You must have been making a name for yourself since your early days then.”

“... That’s not the case at all.” Hoshina chuckled, looking a bit flustered.

This hesitancy of his somewhat confused the director.

“Vice-captain Hoshina.”

Hoshina shifted his attention when he heard a voice ring behind him. Kikoru stood there in her armour, her stern gaze peering through the mask.

“May I spar with you next, sir?”

“... ‘course.”

Raising her sword, Kikoru formed a ready stance. Judging by her form, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that her kendo technique was exceptionally polished. One could confidently assert that her skill was on par with Aoi’s.

(She's skilled in both firearms and swordplay. Truly astounding—a complete contrast from me.)

As Hoshina gazed at the rookies before him, memories of his own early days came flooding back—days before he joined the Third Division.

❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅••❅───✧❅

*NOTE:

(1) Here, they are wearing a type of protective gear specifically used in kendo known as bōgu (防具) or kendōgu (剣道具). Since I saw most Western websites tend to use the terms “bogu” or “kendo armour,” I decided to simply use the word “armour” here for a smoother reading.

(2) Similar to that, I’ve chosen to use the “bamboo sword” here to make it easier to understand even though the proper term for it is shinai (竹刀).

(3) Men strike (面打ち) in Kendo is one of the most fundamental and commonly used attacks aimed at the opponent’s head. Other primary strikes include kote (wrist), dō (torso), and tsuki (throat thrust).

❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅••❅───✧❅

[PART 2/6]

Hoshina was usually stationed in Kansai. However, on that day, he travelled to Tokyo for a meeting about a friendly kendo match with the Third Division, which was set to occur in a month. The kendo instructor of the Third Division was someone his father greatly respected, and a figure Hoshina had known since childhood.

“Sir, I’m glad to see you’re still doing well.”

“Not at all! I’m not as sharp as I used to be nowadays. I’ve been planning on stepping down as an instructor soon. So what do you say, Soshiro? Do you want to come and carry on my work?”

“Ha ha ha, I’ll consider it, sir.” Hoshina chuckled, quickly changing the subject.

Hoshina had received countless recommendations to become an instructor. Everyone in the Defense Force recognised his exceptional swordsmanship, yet they all believed it wasn’t suitable for practical combat. His father, superiors—everyone urged him to take on the role of a kendo instructor, suggesting he withdraw from the battlefield. Despite this, he still longed to remain on the front lines.

(I’m well aware… that my desires are selfish and stubborn.)

The meeting ended, and just as Hoshina was about to leave, he received a call from the general affairs office, informing him that the captain of the Third Division wanted to see him in the office.

(The captain? Wants to meet me?)

Even though Hoshina was completely perplexed, he had no choice but to go. Anxiously, he knocked on the captain’s office door.

“Come in,” a calm female voice replied.

As he opened the door and stepped inside, Hoshina was greeted by the sight of a young woman seated at the desk. It was Mina Ashiro, who had become the captain of the Third Division at a remarkably young age. The two were not far apart in age. He had seen her before, during the joint training sessions, but this was their first opportunity to talk directly.

“I apologize for interrupting you during your busy schedule. Soshiro Hoshina, at your service, ma’am.” Hoshina straightened his back and saluted to the captain.

“Third Division Captain, Mina Ashiro. I appreciate you stopping by.”

“Happy to do it, I have time to spare after all. I was planning to take a look around Tokyo for a bit before returning to base. Now then, what was it that you need me for, Captain?”

Ashiro turned her back, her gaze drifting toward the sombre sky beyond the window. 

“I’ve seen you in joint training before. Even from a distance, I can tell that your swordsmanship is exceptional.”

“Oh, thank you captain…”

(Why is she bringing that up all of a sudden?)

Hoshina couldn’t help but feel sceptical.

“Soshiro Hoshina, I heard that you’re a sword specialist.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Hoshina could already sense what Ashiro was about to say. He let out a small sigh.

(Here it comes. She’s definitely going to tell me to give it up…)

The Third Division was in dire need of a new sword instructor during this time. It seemed that Ashiro would soon suggest that he leave the front lines and take on that role.

“I need your abilities. Will you join my force, Hoshina?” Ashiro said as she gently turned back to face him.

The gloomy sky gradually dispersed, and shafts of sunlight entered the room. Her gleaming eyes gazed directly into Hoshina’s.

“Huh…?” Caught off guard by the unexpected proposal, Hoshina felt as though his mind had gone blank.

“We cannot overlook the possibility that more powerful miniatured-size kaiju might emerge in the future. Also, unlike you, I’m awful with bladed weaponry. I wouldn’t even want to pick up a kitchen knife.”

(Okay but isn’t kitchen knives are a complete different matter…)

“When I pierce through the enemies, will you clear a path for me?”

“...”

No one had ever spoken to Hoshina like that, not even his father. He felt his heart racing intensely, unable to suppress the thought that, just by serving under her, maybe…  

(No, stop…)

Hoshina took a breath and exhaled slowly. He quickly regained his composure, and his heartbeat returned to a steady rhythm.  

(Don’t take it seriously; it’s just lip service. If I accept the offer, I’ll only become a laughingstock.) 

Since they were being courteous, one ought to return their gesture. That’s just how things should be done.

“I am truly honoured, but…”

Right after that, the shrill wail of the alarm echoed through the hallway.

“Excuse me, captain!” The door swung open as a bald officer rushed in. “We’ve received reports of a kaiju attack in Oume City. Miniature class, but there are large numbers of them, and over a dozen civilians were reported dead. About the details...”

Listening to the report, Ashiro nodded. “Understood. Ebina, rally the entire team, including those off-duty.”

“Roger!” Ebina responded promptly to the order. “Man, we’re still in the middle of restructuring the division and issues just kept cropping up.”

“We’re againsting the kaiju, they wouldn’t care less about our situation.”

Ashiro picked up the phone from the table and quickly issued orders. However, as she had just recently been promoted to captain, the chain of command was still in disarray. If they were to engage Kaiju, her unit would probably face a severe troop shortage. That was why she could stolidly make such a proposal.

“Captain Ashiro, I could head to the site as well if you will.”

“Wha!? You’re the guy who’s here for a business trip, right? You’re from a different division is it not?” Ebina frowned.

“I carried my suit and weapons. I can at least help with disposing of the yoju.”

“Yeah, but even so…”

Ashiro cut Ebina off. “Hoshina, as the captain of the Third Division, I’m asking for your aid. I’ll make sure to run it by your division as well.”

“Captain, are you sure about this!?” Ebina raised his voice. “Based on the kaiju’s estimated fortitude, this operation is going to be extremely dangerous.”

“He’s a close-combat specialist; he can definitely be able to help us a great deal. Isn’t that right, Hoshina?”

"Right." Hoshina nodded. "I'm the best there is when it comes to neutralising miniature kaiju."

────────────────────────────────────────────────

[q-sylph]

New crush spotted

[villainsandvictimsalliance]

Of all the reactions to Kafka revealing he is a kaiju, Reno's is by far the most insane.

He didn't see Kafka shift, he just drew the hospital curtain and there it was, a whole humanoid kaiju where Kafka was before. What does he do about it, you ask? Reno immediately told him to run.

It wasn't until they were far from the hospital minutes after that Reno remembered to check if it was actually Kafka.

Mina knew Kafka was not bad and it was Kafka, but she at least tried to doubt it for all their sake. Hoshina had the decency to act shocked. All the Third Division had the time to think about it.

Reno, who wanted to become an officer of the Defense Corps and swore to not give up even if he died trying, screamed at Kafka to jump from the window because a man had already alerted the authorities about him.

Reno had known Kafka for a single day... Like you can't convince me there's a bigger Kafka fan than him. After that...

[mechazushi]

Spoilers for Chapter 117

GUYS, GUYS, GUYS, Guys, guys !!!!

Hear Me Out....

KafHoshi.... is fated reincarnated soulmates / doomed yaoi.

Kafka's ancestor and Hoshina's were good friends up until a certain point. The stress of the upcoming battle was straining their relationship and it all came to a head when Hoshina's ancestor said "You're not fit for this clan."...

It would be the last thing he said to Kafka's ancestor before he died.

While Kafka's ancestor got injected with the souls of a tortured thousand, Hoshina's ended up regretting his last words so much that he prayed to be reincarnated at a point where he could meet Kafka's and be the friend he should have been until their last moments.

Now I'm just imagining Kafka not being able to look Hoshina in the eye after the fight. Not in a "you doubted me once, you'll doubt me again." Sort of way, but in a "I can't be with you because it will happen again." Sort of way.

GOD, the angst is delicious.

[loveanimekn8]