Game on

Chapter 20: Inheritance Arc 4

"Well then," stated coldly Enma, inwardly shuddering "let's get started then."
"We shall come when the losers are clearly determined."
"And how will you choose the loser?" asked Tsuna warily
"You must stake your pride in your battles." answered the tall Vindice

With that, the three silhouette disappeared in black flames, and Enma's announced "This is our family sacred land, follow the path and we'll meet. Each battle will be fought with our pride at stake!"
"So be it." nodded Tsuna
The next moment, the Simon were gone – and Day Squad and Night Pack were starting their long long climb. Soon, the beach where they landed had been replaced by a luxuriant forest, and the stairs were replaced by a stone path.

¤.¤.¤

Just when they hit the third hour of their trek, Kazami's senses warned her – and a moment later, most of them were able to feel the energies infusing the vegetation around them.
Their first opponent had arrived.
Soon, the leaves started to tremble around them, and as they stumbled upon a large clearing, they were twirling around them, leading them toward the one controlling them.

"We are alone." were Kazami's firsts words
In front of them, Aoba Koyo relaxed slightly "Good." he smiled, "I wouldn't want to have to keep up appearances while fighting."
"Let's have an extreme fight!" proclaimed loudly Ryohei – and nobody tried to dissuade him
After all, it was but logical – both boys were boxing fanatics, even though the Sun Guardian had started learning other disciplines recently, and got along better.

"I will fight with my pride as boxer!" loudly proclaimed Koyo
"Then I will fight with my extreme pride as an unarmed fighter!" shouted back the other, surprising him – and seeing his friend surprise "I can't claim to be exclusively a boxer, Koyo-kun, I am an extreme fighter for the Vongola X and I wont insult you by restraining myself!"
"Good!" approved the other and with a move, the plants moved around them, thorny bushes creating an arena for the fight "We'll fight within this arena until we can't go on!"

Ryohei merely nodded as an answer, calling "Tusk! Cambio Forma!"
Instead of the cestus he'd had in the future, his whole outfit was influenced by the words, pants of heavy leather tapped into combat boots, reinforced cestus coming up to his elbows, a single tusk on a leather lace around his neck and the armband of the Day Squad proudly displayed on his left arm. His Flames were ignited with a thought, burning brightly around him.
In front of him, Koyo too had been changed when activating his ring powers, dark green Flames looking like leaves around him, and metal reinforcement appearing on his legs and arms.

On a silent signal, both unarmed fighters jumped toward each other, fist against fist.
For a few moment, they were fighting without Flames, then suddenly, the green Flames were twirling around Ryohei, blocking him from Koyo while the other could still attack through them. After dodging a few time, the Sun Guardian threw caution to the wind, and replied back, fist going through the wall of leaves...
"You shouldn't have done that!" warned Koyo "My Flames make each leaf as sharp as a razor edge!"

But Ryohei merely grinned, Sun Flames flaring around his cestus – and repairing any damage done faster than it could appear. With each ring now in tune with them, the Vongola X had truly grown tremendously.
Not expecting this, Koyo barely dodged in time.
As for Ryohei, having declared he wouldn't hold back, he pressed on through the leaves, cuts appearing on his arms and torso but soon disappearing, and a first tusk grew back on his left cestus, small and blood red – and his next punch unleashed a a shock-wave of bright yellow Flames, sending Koyo tumbling against the thorny edges of the arena.

¤.¤.¤

"Each new tusk gives him a ten percent increase in power." explained Tsuna for Kazami, as they had mainly trained in team since they upgraded the rings "And each tusk appears when he sustains damages."
"With the regeneration boost he choose as his Tiers One Perk, he can takes much more damages than anyone else." understood easily his sister "A truly frightening combination."
"And very fitting of Ryohei." commented Reborn with an amused smile