*Eiichi*

I panted as I simultaneously knocked Eita and Bora back with a wave of my spear.

Eita grunted as he fell to the floor in prone position. The muscles on the back of his legs twitched as he tried to stand back up. He was lucky he could even move for as long as he had after his basketball match against Osamu and Azami. He would be sore tomorrow for not taking a break as Tetsuya had.

Bora smirked and leaped into the air despite being on the floor on all fours like a frog.

I dodged as he propelled himself at me with a flash of electricity from his feet. He turned in midflight and shot multiple electric bullets at me from his gun.

I gasped as something or rather, someone leapt at me. Spinning my spear around to blow back the bullets, I turned toward the one on my right and formed an electric shield.

Eisuke grinned as his metal claws struck my shield, piercing through it. I'd thought that I'd finished him off at the start. The guy went down right away after I hit him in the stomach with my pole and didn't get back up. Had he faked taking serious damage all this time or did he secretly recover?

I gasped as Eita rushed at me, copying Bora's stunt from earlier. Darn it. They got me. A golden mana wave pushed all three away, sending them crashing onto the floor.

"At least we've succeeded in making making you go Second Heaven," Bora said, grinning as he got knelt on one leg. His mid-length hair spiked upward as a slightly more orange golden aura of his own enveloped him. He focused his auric mana into his gun, unleashing more powerful bursts of electricity from it.

I batted them away like baseballs and warped behind him. "It's over, Cuz!" 

Bora snickered as he shot a bullet over his shoulder.

I ducked and slammed my palm against his back, flinging him toward Eita.

"It's not over until we say so!" Eisuke said, standing up.

I scoffed and warped behind him. Eisuke jumped back, as limber as a cat. His claws jabbed my spear, trapping it with two of the blades. He smiled and thrust his free arm at me, hitting me with shadow covered claws. His smirk faded as my aura pushed back on them.

"You forget that it works like a shield, not all that different from the prana veil of mages!" I said, knee kicking him toward the other two.

Eisuke grinned as he fixed his footing before he could crash into Bora and Eita. "I see. That's helpful advice." He took a deep breath. The air around him crackled as lightning prana seeped out, cloaking his body.

"Hmph. That's just a frail imitation, Little Bro!" I yelled, dashing at him.

He ran at me, covering his claws in more shadows. "We'll see about that, Big Bro!" A trail of electricity crackled behind him as he sped up.

I leaped just before his claws could strike me and slammed my spear's pole against his back, sending him crashing to the floor.

"It's not a bad defense, but it's no match against my Second Heaven," I said.

"Prana, huh? Why didn't I think of that?" Bora asked, grinning like an idiot as he wobbled toward me.

I smiled. "Shouldn't you learn to stay down by now, Bora? Also, if you're thinking, which is a surprise in of itself, the same as I am, know that it's hard to mix both energies. Trust me. I could barely pull it off when I tried."

Bora glared at me. A magic seal appeared at the edge of his gun. "Fulgur Telum Maxima!"

I jumped away and watched as his bullet struck the barrier, sending it offline.

"Sabine!" I yelled.

My girlfriend stood up from the opposite side of the room and formed a magic barrier around the bullet, containing its power before it could wreck the stadium and the rest of the palace.

"Hey, hey! Pay attention," Bora said, smirking as he slammed me to the floor.

"I won't lose to you again!" I said, pushing him off of me.

"Come on, a hug!" Bora said, chasing after me.

"No hugs! You dummy! You'll break my back with that monstrous strength of yours!"

"Monsterous?" Sabine asked as she got closer to form a new barrier around us.

Bora raised a fist into the air. "Check this out! Fulgur Pugno!" A bust of electrified dust shot up into the air, pushing me back.

I gritted my teeth and blocked more punches from the guy. He could really give Tetsuya a run for his money. Given the display I saw earlier of Hyosetsu running away from Kohri, the same could probably have been said about the future heir of Kuroyuki no San.

'Hey, be careful! At this rate, I'll dent!' Carlos exclaimed.

"Tell me something that I don't know!" I yelled.

Bora blinked. "Well, I once ate your candy bar when we were kids but blamed it on Ei-ei."

I grumbled. "I already knew that! Did you really think I would fall for that when your lips had chocolate on them?"

He laughed. "W-why didn't you take out your anger on me then?"

"Because, I was gaining some weight, so I was fine with you taking it."

Bora snorted. "Seriously? You cared that much about your figure at that age?"

My cheeks flushed. I had to be perfect. Even a little bit of excess fat or a grade slightly below a hundred percent meant failure.

Bora smiled. "You were just fine. For a guy who likes to act chill, you sure can take things a tad too seriously."

I laughed. "Right back at you, Cuz!" I knee kicked him in the stomach, sending him rolling. Ugh. Was it over now? Neither Eisuke nor Eita could manage to budge. That only left my boneheaded cousin.

Bora laughed as his aura vanished. "Seems the gap between us won't shrink any time soon."

I gripped Carlos and slumped to the floor. "It's not nearly as wide as you think."

He grinned back at me.

Sabine clapped her hands, unleashing golden sparkles from her hands. They moved through the air like fireflies and faded once they touched us, healing our wounds. "Did that help?"

"Only a little. Sadly, my pride is still tarnished," Eisuke said, standing up.

"What pride? You're a kid who doesn't have any real feats," Eita mumbled.

Eisuke grumbled. "That's because I've barely started taking my training seriously."

Was that true? He hadn't been training in secret all of this time? Those moves he pulled looked choreographed. Or had he simulated them in his head as the battle dragged on? There were people like that. Such as Mother. Or perhaps he adjusted with the flow like Father. Or maybe a mix of the latter two like me — Able to come up with plans to crush someone but be flexible enough to improvise.

Unfortunately, I used this aspect of my mind outside of battle for misdeeds. Such as killing Conrad or trying to take advantage of Rosa. In truth, Tetsu being framed was but a backup plan. It could have failed had the guy not been so simple minded. The alternative was Hideo who had gone off to play video games away from the everyone else. Another was to frame our enemies such as Satoru or Roa. No one would've believed their innocence. Except for Rosa herself. That girl even believed in Tetsu despite the doubts I had made sure to plant with my words and deeds.

Ugh. I truly was scum. Someone like me didn't deserve happiness.

"Eiichi?" Sabine asked. "Are you okay? You look pale again."

I smiled faintly at her. "Just a little tired." Despite everything, I was still a liar. A fraud. Far from being the perfect son Mom dreamt of, much less the perfect person.

Sabine sighed as she wrapped my free arm around her neck. "How many times do I have to tell you not to push yourself too far?"

I smiled. "Maybe I'll finally get it if I get a kiss."

Sabine blushed. "Eii! I'm being serious!"

Bora laughed as he tried to push himself up. "Eii is rarely serious outside of battle."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "The same goes for you, idiot."

Bora laughed and crawled on the floor.

I rolled my eyes. "Why are you crawling away as if your life depended on it? The battle is over. You can rest."

"Because you're mad. Have to get away from the cranky."

"Was Sirocco right about him hitting his head as a baby?" Sabine asked, blinking.

"No. He just got stunted intellectually as a child. His only smarts appear in battle, and even then, most of his strategy is attack, attack, attack."

Sabine gasped into her hand. "He did? Poor guy."

Bora sighed. "Thought you were better than four-eyes, Eii. Making lies about your favorite cousin and best friend..."

I laughed. "I was kidding. Though, I do wonder if there might be some truth to it being due to hitting your head. You did like headbutting stuff as a kid."

He grumbled. "Still do!"

I chuckled nervously. "Not a good defense there, Bora."

He closed his eyes. "Should've gone with the headbutt when I could've."

"I would just have dodged it."

"Looks like training is coming along well," a voice called out. The king stood by the doorway behind me.

"Your Majesty," Eita said, standing up. "What brings you here?"

Eisuke dusted himself off and stoodby silently.

Osamu crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. "To think you would train after our match. You must've inherited your father's penchant for pain."

"Dad was a masochist?" Eisuke asked.

"Ace! Don't say such things! And I am no masochist. This kid challenged me to a fight and then Bora and Eii came along. I can't say no when challenged."

The king snickered. "I see. So it's your mother's pride speaking. On the topic, where is Eiko?"

"She went shopping with the others. They should be back soon," Eita said.

"So, they aren't back yet. Then I'll finish the last minute preperations. Oh, yeah. Follow me."

Eita followed him.

"Not you. Your older brother." He looked over his shoulder and glared at me.

I sighed and let go of Sabine.

"Wait, will you be fine?" she asked, furrowing her brow.

I nodded. "I should be able to. Help the others meanwhile."

"Okay."

I smiled and gave her a quick kiss. "Bye!"

"Eii!" she yelled, flushed.

I chuckled and tried to run off, but could only limp away as if one of my legs had broken.

"Eii..." Sabine whispered, furrowing her brow at me.

Sorry, Sabine. But I don't want you to hear what the king might tell me.

"We are going to start the last part of the Vajra project. Out of the five, I'm expecting you to have the easiest time absorbing the energy," His Majesty said as we walked down the white hallway.

"Really? Good for me," I said with a slight smile.

He scoffed as he quickened his pace. "Hopefully the others will arrive soon."

I lowered my head. He didn't want to be alone with me, did he? Not that I could blame him. It was awkward even when others were around, more so alone like this.

"Uh, is that all?"

"What else would I have to say to the likes of you? Like I said before, the only reason I will spare your life is because of your parents. If not for them, I would consider killing you personally."

I nodded. Thought so. I still had yet to pay for my crimes. But would doing so even wash away this sin of mine?

'Of course not, Eii dear," a voice echoed in my head. I turned around but no one was there.

"What's wrong?" Osamu asked, looking over his shoulder.

I gulped. "Anestarte. I heard her just now."

He gritted his teeth. "So, she is back for more! She should've learned her lesson earlier."

Anestarte laughed. 'What a stupid man. Like I would give up so easily. We demons have determination which can move mountains.'

I gripped Carlos and radiated light from it.

'Ugh, not again!'

I smiled. "Shut up demon, I am done with you and your way of life."

Osamu scoffed and turned around. As he did, he has a bit or a smile. Or perhaps it was my imagination. Did could he relate? Given what Mammon tried to make him do?

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Pardon the long wait!**