The young man tumbled across the sandy terrain before finally pushing himself up. Meanwhile, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, the same one that had sent Shoun flying, separating him from Kaze.
—What the hell is wrong with you?! —The black-clad figure summoned twin sabers, one in each hand. Using Inspect, the young man confirmed he was an apprentice. But before he could speak further, the figure stepped into the light, revealing his identity—It's you?!
—I told you I didn't want it to come to this— The figure was none other than the red demon Shoun had met earlier. His expression was stern, his weapons unwavering as they remained trained on the young man. Shoun, in turn, summoned Iron Fang,though he kept the blade sheathed for now.
—I'll ask you one more time. Who are you? And why are you pointing those swords at me? —Despite being attacked first, he had no desire to escalate the fight unnecessarily. Not only might this demon hold vital clues about his friend, but Shoun also lacked real combat experience against persons outside of training.
—...Call me Jack. My demon name is irrelevant. I'm pointing my blades at you because you're friends with...that thing. My job is to keep you here until my companions finish their work. You still have time to walk away, it'd make this easier for both of us— The demon's voice carried no arrogance, only cold resolve.
—Tch...I won't let you hurt my friend. And just so we're clear, do you even know who I am? —Any chance of avoiding this fight vanished the moment Kaze's safety was threatened. Shoun began assessing how much his enemy truly knew.
—I know exactly who you are. Apprentice Shoun Foster. The Conduit.
—Then you know stopping me won't be easy. I'll give you one chance to walk away before I lose my patience. —Neither lowered their weapon, tension coiling between them like a live wire. Personal doubts lingered, but soon, they'd have to set them aside.
Shoun had been silently gathering spiritual energy to enter Balance Voltage State. Once charged, he blitzed toward Jack. Their blades collided, the demon's twin sabers creaking under Shoun's overwhelming force and icy resolve. Yet, neither yielded.
The two apprentices exchanged blows without tapping into their full abilities, testing each other's limits. Shoun's aggressive, heavy strikes clashed against the demon's methodical dual-wielding style. Despite Iron Fang's superior reach, Jack's precision forced Shoun to disengage.
—(He's better than me with a blade... But I can't drag this out. Kaze could be in worse danger right now.)—Launching back into the fray, Shoun activated Balance Voltage Impulse. Speed became his weapon, a whirlwind of slashes and thrusts overwhelming Jack. Fabric tore as the demon struggled to keep up until, finally, he conceded the obvious.
This fight demanded more than steel.
Jack took a deep breath and, locking eyes with the young man, unleashed a torrent of flames from his mouth. Caught off guard, Shoun activated Balance Voltage Impulse to dodge sideways—but the inferno still struck the ground. Dry leaves, fallen branches, anything flammable ignited instantly, transforming the battlefield into a living hell.
Not pausing his assault, the demon dismissed one of his sabers. His now-free left hand blazed with orange fire, which he hurled in rapid succession at Shoun. The young man dodged or sliced through the projectiles with Iron Fang, only for Jack to suddenly appear point-blank, slashing at his face. A hasty block left Shoun's torso exposed, and a brutal kick sent him flying meters backward.
—AAGH!— He tumbled across the dirt, barely regaining his footing as the demon lunged again. A last-second roll saved him, but rather than counterattacking, Shoun created distance and unsummoned Iron Fang.
—Surrendering?
—Ptoo...Not a chance. —He spat blood, grinning.
—Then why discard your weapon?
—Realized I'm only good with a sword against vestiges. For pigs like you, my fists are more than enough. —He raised his guard. Unfazed, Jack blurred forward, masking his approach with another volley of fireballs.
—You really shouldn't reuse tactics against an enemy like me. —Shoun's voice was eerily calm as he reactivated Balance Voltage Impulse. With a short leap and midair pivot, he executed his technique:
Balance Voltage Tornado Kick!
A massive surge of electricity erupted from the young man's foot, effortlessly piercing through the fireballs and striking the stunned demon head-on. Jack barely managed to block at the last second with his remaining saber, the impact forcing him to his knees as he skidded backward. Shoun prepared to press the attack, denying him even a moment's respite, but then, the battlefield shifted.
Blood dripped from Jack's wounds, and as it touched the ground, the flames surrounding them roared to life, growing denser, hotter, until the very air burned. Shoun gasped as oppressive heat swallowed the battlefield, forcing both combatants to reassess their strategies.
—(He's strong... expected, given his power. But how do I beat him?)—Jack considered simply stalling until his companions finished their mission, but against an opponent with near-limitless energy, that seemed futile—(My only option is to win here and now. He might outmatch me in raw power, but I'm the better fighter. And I've still got tricks left.)
—(He's skilled. Excellent fire control, though he's limited himself to fireballs and blasts so far. Probably holding back—intentionally or not, so I'd better be ready. Now his blood is fueling the flames? This heat is already unbearable... I won't last long. One thing's clear: I need to end this fast.)
The brief pause ended as they lunged at each other. Shoun fired off lightning bolts, only for them to be swallowed by Jack's flames. At close range, the demon swung for a decisive slash, but Shoun spotted it: a split-second hesitation. And he wouldn't let that slip by.
In an unexpected move, Shoun shot his left hand toward the saber, stopping it dead with his enhanced, steel-like fingers. The demon froze, stunned by the audacity, and that split-second hesitation cost him. Seizing the opening, Shoun drove his foot into Jack's unprotected stomach, sending him flying while wrenching the saber free.
—You hesitate at a time like this? Then you shouldn't have come to kill me, bastard—With those words, Shoun snapped the demon's saber in half before he could recover. The blade's durability confirmed it was merely an Apprentice-grade artifact.
—Tch. Do you ever shut up?! —For the first time, frustration cracked the demon's composure. Now empty-handed, he channeled his flames through both fists, unleashing a barrage of fireballs. Simultaneously, he stomped the ground, sending a pillar of fire roaring toward Shoun.
The young man activated Balance Voltage Impulse again, weaving through the fireballs with dancer-like precision. When the fiery pillar loomed, he spun midair to execute another Tornado Kick, but this time, Jack was ready.
Using the pillar as a conduit, the demon charged a massive fireball. Anticipating Shoun's repeat tactic, he released it just as the pillar should have struck, colliding with the kick in a blinding explosion. The resulting smoke screen hid Jack's next move: a surprise flaming punch to Shoun's face as he recovered from the kick's recoil. The blow sent him skidding backward, his left cheek seared raw.
—What was that about repeating techniques, you damn brat?!—The demon snarled, watching the young man writhe on the ground.
—I'm definitely going to tear you apart, you bastard! —Both opponents locked eyes, fury burning between them. The fight's conclusion was near, they could feel it in their bones, and neither held anything back.
The demon began to grin. With his sharp claws, he raked them across his own arms, blood spraying freely onto the flames below. The fire roared to life, its hue shifting into an eerie, blistering blue. Without hesitation, he plunged his entire arm into the inferno. The flames coiled and solidified, morphing into a massive sword of pure fire, its edges glowing a brilliant blue that radiated unbearable heat.
Seeing this, Shoun simply smiled. He touched his burned cheek, savoring the pain for a moment before doing something unexpected, he burst into laughter.
—Hahahaha!
—...What's so funny? —The demon demanded, but his question fell on deaf ears as the young man kept laughing, fueling his rage—What the hell are you laughing at, damn brat?!
—Hahahaha, sorry, sorry! It's just, I realized I'm a complete idiot! —The answer only confused Jack further, especially as Shoun continued—And turns out you didn't study me properly either, which makes you even dumber!
—Explain yourself before I slice you in half!
—Listen to the dog bark! Well bastard, turns out I have the ability to absorb all types of energy! —The gears in Jack's mind began turning. He already knew about Shoun's power, so why mention it now? After a moment's thought, he reached a horrifying realization. His dread was confirmed instantly as Shoun stepped forward, walking straight through the flames he'd once avoided. Yet, his body remained unharmed. In fact, the fire grew dimmer, its energy being drained— And guess what your damn fire is made of? That's right, thermal energy and spiritual energy!
Every flame in their battlefield began cooling. Without an energy source to sustain combustion, the fire would naturally extinguish, now no more threatening than a summer breeze to an apprentice like Shoun.
Even Jack's mighty sword, forged from his basic ability combined with his apprentice skill, began to fade, its brilliant blue glow dimming as its heat was siphoned away.
Fear flashed across Jack's face as he took a step back, but it only delayed his defeat by seconds. Shoun, now brimming with absorbed energy to the point of near-overload, activated Balance Voltage Impulse twice in rapid succession. The demon had no time to react before the young man seized his wrist.
~~ZZZT!~~
A jolt of electricity paralyzed Jack. He collapsed, his sword dissipating midair as Shoun caught him by the throat. Despite Jack's desperate kicks, the young man didn't budge an inch,their difference in strength was absolute.
—Now... what should I do with you? —Shoun muttered, staring down at the helpless demon. These people had tried to kill Kaze and attacked him, more than enough justification for lethal force. But the young man didn't have the full picture. Acting rashly could cost him vital clues about Kaze's past. And truthfully...he didn't want to become a killer—You're lucky you're more useful to me alive. Either way, I can't have you interfering while I help Kaze. Stay put.
Grabbing the demon's wrists, Shoun focused his energy senses until he found what he was looking for: Jack's core. It was nearly depleted, but still held enough to be problematic. Without hesitation, Shoun began draining every last drop of energy from it.
—AAAAH!—Jack screamed, thrashing against the unbearable pain of having his spiritual energy ripped away. To Shoun, those cries were torture in themselves, but he had no choice. The process took only seconds, though to Jack, it felt like eternity.
—There... Now don't move. I'll be back soon—The young man watched as the demon lay motionless on the ground, muttering incoherently. Uneasy with his own actions, Shoun hesitated for a heartbeat—but fear for Kaze's safety overrode his guilt. With several rapid Balance Voltage Impulses, he blasted away from the scene, racing toward where his friend had last been.