My stepsisters are sexy demons, and I must protect them-Chapter 28: The fruit of intense training: Hakuto vs. Yuzu

«For your first training, I want you to fight Yuzu!» Shin says to Hakuto.

He, Shin, and Yuzu are standing in the huge garden behind the villa.

Hakuto had begged Shin for intense training—and Shin didn’t need to be asked twice.

Still, Hakuto is completely taken aback by the request.

«Against Yuzu...? Are you sure...?» Hakuto asks.

He looks genuinely confused.

«Don’t underestimate her, son. These past few days she’s been training non-stop with me, and she’s made huge progress.» Shin says with a grin. «She’s still not incredibly strong, but she’s definitely better than before. If you’re so confident you can beat her easily, just treat it like a warm-up.» freёwebnoѵel.com

~Yuzu is a hybrid between a vampire and a succubus—there’s no doubt she has huge potential. But I really doubt she improved that much in just a few days. This is probably just Shin’s way of checking her progress.

Whatever. I’ll go along with it~

Hakuto stretches his arm forward.

White flames swirl around his hand and form his flaming sword.

It’s not the usual diamond blade with the armor running down his arm.

This time, he’s using only the power of the Sacred Flame.

He’s sure it’s more than enough to beat her.

He doesn’t want to risk hurting her more than necessary.

Yuzu immediately gets ready for the duel.

Large black wings burst from her back, her eyes turn bright red, and a vortex of scarlet energy surrounds her body.

It’s the manifestation of her mixed powers as a succubus and vampire—her Hybrid-form.

Until now, it always took her several seconds to transform.

But this time, she did it in less than one.

The moment Shin gives the signal to start, Yuzu moves first.

In a flash, she channels energy into her hands.

A sphere of scarlet magic forms—and she hurls it straight at Hakuto.

Shin crosses his arms, smiling in satisfaction.

«Mmmh... not bad, little Yuzu,» Shin compliments her.

Yuzu’s spell is much stronger than anything she used in her first training session—right after the jacuzzi.

Hakuto bends his knees and launches forward.

He charges straight at the scarlet sphere.

Without losing speed, he raises his flaming sword and slashes downward.

The magic orb splits clean in two and vanishes instantly.

Hakuto reaches her in a blink.

He doesn’t plan to strike her with the sword—demonic bodies are weak against the Sacred Flame.

Only demons or vampires with top-tier resistance can survive such a blow.

And as far as Hakuto knows, Yuzu isn’t one of them.

He gets ready to punch her in the stomach.

Nothing too strong—just enough to bring her down.

The punch is lightning-fast, but before it lands, Yuzu releases a burst of vampiric energy.

A wave of scarlet wind blasts from her body and sends Hakuto flying back.

The blast was stronger than expected—Hakuto didn’t think Yuzu had that kind of energy.

Still, he lands on his feet without any trouble.

He’s about to launch another attack, but suddenly freezes.

Yuzu is jumping around, celebrating.

«Did you see, old Shin? Did you see? I’ve gotten super strong!»

Hakuto facepalms.

~She might’ve gotten stronger... but her personality is exactly the same.

I really need to teach her not to let her guard down~

White flames now cover Hakuto’s body, though not too intensely.

He dashes toward Yuzu, who’s still celebrating like a fool.

In a blink, he appears behind her.

He’s about to kick her in the back...

...but Yuzu tilts her head and smirks.

A mischievous grin appears on her lips.

«You fell for it, big brother!»

Yuzu gives a strong flap of her large black wings.

A purple whirlwind bursts out from the motion.

It slams right into Hakuto—he didn’t see it coming.

This time, it knocks him to the ground.

He rolls for several meters before getting back on his feet.

Shin shakes his head, clearly disappointed.

«You tried to catch your opponent off guard... but in the end, you were the one who got careless. In a real fight, that mistake could’ve been fatal.»

Hakuto grits his teeth, frustrated.

~How did I get knocked down by someone so much weaker...? That was dumb...

Alright, Dad. You’re right. I shouldn’t have underestimated Yuzu. From now on, I’ll stop holding back!~

The rage from being outplayed by a beginner—someone who hadn’t even fought until days ago—starts burning inside him.

But that’s only part of it.

He’s supposed to protect Rika and Yuzu...

It already hurts that Chantal and Itsu are stronger than him.

But what if even the girls he’s meant to protect become stronger too?

~Losing to Yuzu... I wouldn’t even be able to look her in the eyes. How could I protect them if I can’t even win against her? Yuzu, I’ll prove I’m strong enough to protect you, your sister, and your mother!~

The flaming sword in his hand dissolves.

From his shoulder, the diamond armor slides down to his hand.

There, it forms—gripped between his fingers—his peculiar weapon.

The curved blade with the golden hilt and his body both blaze now with intense, scorching white flames.

The peak of Hakuto’s power: the combination of his Crystal-form and the Sacred Flame.

Shin’s expression shows growing satisfaction—the proud look of a master watching his student reach new heights.

Yuzu has pushed Hakuto to unleash his full power.

That alone is already a victory for Shin’s new pupil, no matter how the duel ends.

He points his sword at Yuzu.

«Get ready, little sister. I’m coming at you with everything I’ve got! On guard!» Hakuto warns.

But Yuzu doesn’t just stand there.

«I’ll give it my all too, big brother!» she shouts back.

The energy swirling around her grows fiercer—more intense and destructive.

Blood begins to drip from Yuzu’s palm.

It floats around her hand, spinning slowly in the air.

Just like Itzu, she molds it into a weapon—scarlet and made of metallic blood.

A massive scythe.

Its handle is longer than Yuzu is tall, and its curved blade is thick and heavy.

They both charge at the same time—rushing straight toward each other.

Hakuto launches forward with his legs.

Yuzu glides through the air, carried by her wings.

And then...

–CLANG!

A loud metallic crash breaks the silence of the late afternoon.

Their weapons collide.

Hakuto’s diamond armor vanishes, along with his sword and the flames surrounding him.

He turns back slightly.

Behind him, Yuzu lies face down, returned to her human form.

Her scythe has turned into blood droplets, fading into red mist.

A precise knee to her stomach during the clash knocked her out—nothing more.

Hakuto sits down on the ground, catching his breath.

He picks up his cellphone—he had left it with Shin earlier.

A message pops up on the screen.

[I want to talk to you. It’s important. Call me as soon as you’re alone.]

The number isn’t saved, but he recognizes the profile picture.

Ana Garroza.