"You blocked it?!" Shin blurted, not believing it.

"He can't detect Chakra?" I was a bit puzzled. "How silly of me!" I chuckled in realization. "Of course, he can't. Maybe I should refrain from converting other energies into Mana when I don't need to..."

I snapped back to reality and answered while pushing his hand. "What's wrong with that?" The teen was forced back and eyed me like he'd seen me for the first time.

"Let's see you block my next attack, then!" Shin declared and roared furiously.

"Blazing-Bronco!"

When he unleashed his power, pulsating, some image, or more accurately some avatar appeared behind him. I had seen it only one time before, and it was that day seven years ago.

Unlike me, the lucky fucker had awoken a fire spirit as an innate gift. I didn't know how the ability worked, but it was appraised as an A-minus inherent skill.

"So, this is your power?" I examined the red, elemental horse with heed.

"Are you scared now? I might let you leave with a few bruises if you beg and kowtow." Shin taunted smugly.

"I think I'll pass on the offer." I frowned and replied. Shin might have sounded a bit excessive, but our clan respected strength above everything. If he were caught doing this, he would get a light tap on his butt. As for me, I don't think my father would consider me his son anymore.

"Good thinking! But it's not going to help you with this trouble..." Shin surged and punched again.

"Take this!"

This time he was aiming for my stomach. It looked like it would hurt a bit, but I felt a bit reckless at that moment. The power rushing through my veins made me exhilarated. I was able to take a blow from my archenemy after all the bullying.

I needed to try my hands at this, fuck the pain...

"BANG!"

Once again, I parried with my hand. Except for this time, I groaned and receded. I was feeling the slight burns on my palm when Shin bellowed:

"You blocked it again?!!"

"Looks like that skill improves his attack and grants fire properties." I guessed secretly since he didn't seem to be using any clan technique. "I'm lucky the idiot isn't a training enthusiast."

He griped in resentment for a few seconds before he rushed once more. The horse's eyes glowed when he drew some power from it.

This time, still, I wasn't so keen on blocking. When his fist was about to smash on my face, I thought:

"Kawarimi no Jutsu!"

...

Several hundred meters away,

A group of people was drawing close to the gates where Hibari was denied access.

"Big sister, how is Kaori's cultivation going?"

"She reached the third level of the Liquid realm a few days ago. That girl is very diligent. She has restrained from eating pellets for such long that she broke through the minute she indulged."

A short, blue-haired woman with eyes that resembled Hibari's answered smilingly. The attire she wore lacked extravagance. It was even composed of a black hood that let a few of her bangs dance as she walked steadily. Not many women would drape this simply.

"Good." The man leading the group nodded. His expression didn't fluctuate when the question was answered. He wore a similar simplistic but red attire. As he walked with his arms crossed, the very distinguishable, fluorescent, dark flame emblem, shone in his back.

The people following him either wore white flames or black ones depending on the color of their clothes.

"Father should have left closed-door cultivation by now. Let's not waste any more time and enter."

"Isn't that Shin's Mana?" A middle-aged-looking man with a sickly looking skin and black hair reaching his shoulders looked in a direction and asked, The people were perplexed until he pointed in one direction.

In the way he specified, a fragile pillar of transparent red flames would rise up and down at intervals.

"Is Shin sparring with Grandfather?" A naive looking girl asked. "I don't remember him being such a hard worker. I want to try it as well!"

"Masaki, go and see with Shiroka what's happening in case there's an issue. We will head inside first and wait for you two."

The clothed white man nodded. He grabbed the girl's hands before they flashed from their position, nowhere in sight. The others continued to walk together, not fazed the least bit by what took place.