«Dad, we're going out. Don't wait for us for dinner.»
Hakuto gets ready to head downtown with Chantal and Rika.
It's supposed to be a calm afternoon, ending with dinner at a new South American meat chain that just opened—Cordesol Meat.
«Don't be too late, or my beloved Kagura will start to worry,» Shin warns.
«Don't worry, we won't be late,» Rika says, trying to reassure him.
Then she looks around, frowning slightly.
«…Now that I think about it… where did my sister go…?»
«Little Yuzu finally decided to train a bit. She's grown a tiny belly lately and asked me to help her get back in shape. She's been running all over the garden… but I haven't seen her in a while. Hope she didn't collapse from a heart attack,» Shin says with a grin.
He doesn't even finish the sentence before Yuzu comes around the corner.
She's wearing typical running gear—short shorts and a plain white T-shirt.
Her face is as red as a tomato, and her tongue is hanging out.
She's drenched in sweat, and her shirt clings tightly to her breast.
«Come on, Yuzu, it's only the first lap! How are you already this tired? What happened to all the fire you showed yesterday? My son is surrounded by babes—you'll never manage to sleep with him if you don't keep up with Rika and Chantal!»
Rika turns red, embarrassed.
«That idiot wouldn't even notice me if I shoved my pussy in his face…» Chantal mutters under her breath.
~And she's supposed to be the feminine one…~ Hakuto thinks.
«D-Dad… stop saying that kind of stuff…!» he blurts out.
«Son, don't crush little Yuzu's goals like that! She'll lose what little motivation she has left to train!»
«But Yuzu is already beautiful the way she is! She doesn't need to train! And seriously, where do you even see a belly on her?! She's got an amazing body!» Hakuto adds.
Yuzu stops running the moment she hears that.
«S-So…» Yuzu pants, completely out of breath.
She's bent over, hands on her knees, trying to stay upright.
«…You'll still have sex with me even if I don't run thirty kilometers a day…?»
«Yuzu, you really have no shame!» Rika snaps, clearly disturbed by the vulgar comment.
«That one REALLY is a demonic slut…» Chantal mutters.
~Better get out of here before this turns into a disaster…~
Hakuto grabs both Rika and Chantal by the wrist.
He's just about to drag them away when Itsu suddenly steps out from the path between the trees.
«I've been waiting out there for ten minutes! What the hell is taking you guys so long?!»
He huffs, clearly irritated and impatient.
Shin immediately turns his gaze toward him.
«You must be Itsu Chihane—the vampire who attacked the girls a while back—right?»
«Yeah, in the flesh! I'm surprised you know who I am!» Itsu replies with visible excitement.
Hakuto sighs and rolls his eyes.
~He talks like that's something to be proud of…~
«Hakuto told me about you… and especially about your boss—the demon Velshekar. I'm Shin Tendo, Hakuto's father. Nice to meet you.»
«Yeah, I already knew. Hakuto told me about you too, and honestly, I couldn't wait to meet you. He also said… you're pretty strong.»
«Maybe once. Now I'm just an old unemployed guy living off a billionaire woman.»
Shin shrugs, adding a healthy dose of false modesty.
~The sad part is… it's actually true~
An eager, impatient smile spreads across Itsu's face.
He points straight at Shin.
«Old man, I want to fight you! I'm dying to see how strong someone is who—according to Hakuto—is 'stronger than you could ever hope to become'!»
That's exactly how Hakuto had once described his father to him.
Hakuto's eyes go wide—he stares at Itsu like he just heard the most ridiculous thing ever.
Chantal, meanwhile, bursts into laughter so hard she bends over.
«W-What did I say that was so weird…?» Itsu murmurs.
He's clearly confused and has no idea what's so funny.
«A fight with you…» Shin repeats. «But of course, why not. It's been fourteen years since my last real fight. Sure, why not? It's been fourteen years since my last real fight. A little stretch for these old bones might actually help.»
«Itsu, you still have time to rethink this…» Hakuto says quietly.
His tone sounds more like a warning than a suggestion.
«Rethink it? And why would I? Are you scared of losing your dad? Don't worry, Hakotto—I won't hurt him! Not too much, anyway…» Itsu replies, way too confidently.
Chantal's laughter turns hysterical.
She drops to her knees, forehead to the grass, arms wrapped around her aching stomach.
But Itsu doesn't listen.
He and Shin immediately move away from the group—just far enough to avoid damaging the villa.
They face each other, standing about fifty meters apart.
Itsu's eyes are sharp and focused.
Shin, on the other hand, looks relaxed.
Like he's about to go on a picnic, not a fight.
Suddenly, a crimson whirlwind starts spinning violently around Itsu.
His irises glow with a vivid red.
Blood gushes from both his hands, rising into the air in dozens of floating droplets, merging with the swirling energy.
In his fist, a rapier takes shape—forged entirely from solid, metallic blood.
The ground trembles slightly, like a distant earthquake.
Shin, through it all, keeps smoking his cigarette as if nothing's happening.
Itsu digs his feet into the ground—it cracks beneath him.
He lowers his stance, knees bent.
«Get ready, old Tendo… I'm coming!»