He was so absorbed with his task that he didn’t even realize that the rest of his friends had caught up to them on top of the hill. All around, they were fighting too.

They kept the tengu occupied and away from him and his father.

Yet through the combatants, he saw his sensei.

* * *

Koichi stopped fighting as soon as he caught sight of Ryuichi and did a double take.

I’ll be . . .

The boy was still alive. He couldn’t believe his own eyes. Better yet, the little snot was holding his own.

I taught him that.

Well, no, he didn’t.

But he liked to pretend that he did. It made him feel better.

Striking at the demon in front of him, he wanted to get to Ryuichi’s side to help, but the tengu were too numerous. He had no clear way to get to his student.

He could only hope that the fight lasted long enough for him to finish the creature in front of him.

Then Koichi noticed something strange. Ryukage had stopped fighting.

Even as the two went endlessly back and forth, there wasn’t a single blow from Ryukage that would hurt Ryuichi. He wasn’t really fighting his son.

Stunned, Koichi dispatched his demon with a quick blow and started for them.

So intent on his task, Ryuichi appeared not to have noticed. He was too focused on the single purpose of finding a weakness in his father’s defenses.

Of surviving a battle he had yet to realize was one-sided.

The boy was fighting for honor and survival.

Two things he knew the boy wanted.

But something had changed in his father.

Cursing, Koichi rushed toward them. He had to tell the kid before he made a horrible mistake the kid wouldn’t be able to live with . . .

* * *

Ryuichi struggled to breathe. His ears rang as sweat blinded him. He could smell the sulfur from his father’s dragon fire. It permeated everything, even his father’s hot breath.

I have to end this.

For his friends, who his father threatened.

Closing his eyes, he felt his powers begin to hum. He could feel them work their way through his body.

In a bright flash, they surged, and he felt Masaru struggling to stay in place.

Yet, against both their best efforts, his body threw Masaru out.

Stunned, Ryuichi stared at the kitsune, who appeared as baffled as he felt.

Then everything went black.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ryukage froze as he saw his son crumple at his feet. His heart stopped. This was not what he wanted.

What he intended.

Furious, he knelt down and slapped the boy awake.

That settled his anger, but did nothing to alleviate his worry . . .

Which quickly turned back into fury.

Growling, he forced himself not to slap his son again for causing these unwanted emotions. “Ryuichi . . . I’m not an unreasonable . . . creature. I don’t want to kill you.”