«Innatus... and what kind of vampire magic would that be?» Hakuto asks Chantal.
His voice is confused.
«You're Shin's son and you don't know what an Innatus is...? You're really ignorant...» Chantal sighs.
She's clearly disappointed.
«As the na suggests, it's an innate ability unique to vampires. Only a small number of us have one. Since vampires are magical beings, our DNA doesn't just control physical and ntal traits like in humans. It also shapes our magical energy.
That ans each vampire has magical characteristics different from the others.»
«I don't need a lesson on vampire biology, I already know that!» Hakuto interrupts her.
«Not enough if you don't know what Innatus are!» Chantal snaps back.
«Anyway... when a vampire's DNA takes on a particular shape, it creates an Innatus. A unique and exclusive ability for that vampire.
I explained it in the simplest way possible. Even an idiot like you should be able to get it!»
«In these last six years, you've beco even more of a bitch than I rembered. Getting into HESPARC Academy at just twelve made you completely unbearable!»
«If you had gone to the academy too, you wouldn't be this weak!» Chantal snaps.
«You know perfectly well I couldn't! Because of the rift between my father and HESPARC!» Hakuto fires back.
«Yeah, yeah...» Chantal cuts him off.
Her eyes are now fully locked on the fight between Shin and Itsu.
Even with all that heavy armor, Itsu moves way faster now. So fast that even Chantal has trouble keeping up.
«So, old Tendo, what do you think?!» shouts Itsu.
His voice is filled with confidence.
His face shows it too.
His fists co down fast and heavy.
They hit from all directions at once.
Sharp bone spikes grow out of his knuckles. They glow with that sa dense orange energy.
He uses them like brutal brass knuckles.
«Really not bad, young man. Really not bad!» Shin comnts.
Once again, he stays on the defensive.
It's like he's still analyzing Itsu's power.
He blocks the rain of punches with his white fire sword.
But this ti, it's harder.
The Sacred Fla now burns brighter around him.
It's clear that Shin is finally starting to take things seriously.
With extraordinary reaction ti, Shin catches a flaw in Itsu's movents.
He takes advantage of that thousandth of a second to slash at his torso.
But the blade hits the skeletal armor.
It chips it on the surface, but not enough to destroy it.
Itsu's punch cos straight at his face.
Shin barely has ti to cross his arms in front of it.
The white flas stop the spikes from hurting him.
But the force of the impact throws him away violently.
Still, Shin manages to land on his feet after a backward flip in mid-air.
«How is it possible that Itsu is fighting on equal terms against Shin...?» Chantal murmurs.
She is visibly shocked.
Her eyes are wide open in disbelief.
The words barely co out of her mouth.
It's not just shock. It's fear.
She realizes one thing.
If Itsu had fought her the way he's fighting Shin now...
He would have almost certainly defeated her.
Hakuto feels the sa fear. Maybe even more.
If Itsu had really wanted to kidnap Rika and Yuzu that night...
He couldn't have done a thing to stop him.
The sa thought strikes both Hakuto and Chantal at the sa ti: i absolutely have to beco stronger!
anwhile, the fight doesn't slow down for even a second.
It's still perfectly balanced.
From Itsu's palm, a rain of sharp bone projectiles flies at Shin.
Shin cuts them down with a strong slash of his sword.
But that wasn't the real attack.
In the split-second when the flaming blade passed in front of Shin's eyes, blocking his view—
Itsu made his move.
A sudden, frontal strike.
Only Shin's incredible reflexes save him.
Itsu had created a huge sharp bone spike in his fist.
It was aid straight at Shin's chest.
Shin blocks it with the flat of his blade.
But the impact still sends him flying backward.
He tries again to do a backflip and land on his feet.
But Itsu doesn't give him the chance.
He's already on him before Shin can even reach the ground.
Hakuto and Chantal grow more uneasy with every passing second.
They can't accept it.
The idea that soone stronger than Shin Tendo might exist... it terrifies them.
Rika and Yuzu, anwhile, stopped following the fight a while ago.
They can't even see the fighters anymore.
They're just too fast.
A punch to the stomach sends Shin crashing to the ground.
Once again, the white fla protects him from the spikes.
Just before hitting the ground, he touches it with one hand.
He pushes off and launches himself into the air toward Itsu.
His kick hits Itsu right in the chest.
The skeletal armor creaks, but doesn't break.
Still, Itsu is thrown far back.
They both land at the sa ti.
For the first ti since the battle started, everything goes quiet.
The two stand still, about thirty ters apart.
What was once a neat garden now looks like it barely survived an air raid.
Itsu is exhausted. His breathing is heavy and labored.
The Innatus has drained his energy fast.
Shin, instead, looks fresh.
Only a few drops of sweat slide down his forehead.
Then, in front of everyone's stunned eyes, Shin starts stretching his arms and legs.
Just like an athlete warming up before a match.
«I'd say I'm ward up enough. What do you say if we get serious now?» says Shin with a satisfied smile.
He's clearly enjoying this.
The Sacred Fla around him burns far brighter than before.
Itsu lets out a tired laugh.
«You're really incredible, old Tendo...» he says. His voice is worn out.
«I'll admit it. You're really strong too.
You're still young, and with proper training, you could surpass soday.
But you've still got a long way to go.»
Hakuto and Chantal breathe a sigh of relief.
Itsu's skeletal armor shatters. The orange energy around him vanishes.
But it's not from exhaustion or surrender.
It's Shin.
Now, he and Itsu are back-to-back.
Shin moved so fast, not even Itsu noticed.
With a single slash, he broke the armor and got behind him.
The Sacred Fla finally fades.
The fight is over.
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