Damian froze for a moment, then wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. To his own surprise, he grinned through the pain, pride shining in his smile.
He answered loudly, as though speaking to himself, to Anya behind him, and to the enemy before him:
"I'm Damian, son of the Fifth Raikage! A Kumogakure ninja can die in battle, but he'll never abandon a comrade to save himself! That's my Ninja Way!"
As the words left his mouth, warmth and lightning seemed to surge through him at once.
He thought of his father, the Raikage who was always so composed and commanding now, though he sometimes showed his weariness.
When his father was young, he must have fought countless battles more dangerous and more desperate than this one.
Hadn't he forged his will and strength in desperate moments like this before finally becoming Raikage? How could Damian, his son, shrink back in fear here?
The thought hit him like a shot of adrenaline, sweeping away the pain in his body and the trace of fear buried beneath it.
He took a deep breath. Thunder Breathing flowed through him with a smoothness he had never felt before, gathering his remaining Chakra and every ounce of his will.
His sword hand, which had been trembling from exhaustion and injury, steadied as if by a miracle.
He settled once more into Thunder Breathing's opening stance, his eyes locking onto DeathMeramon like a hawk sighting prey.
"So this is what human emotion is?"
A strange complexity colored DeathMeramon's mental voice. There seemed to be mockery in it, but also a rare hint of respect.
"How laughable. How fragile. Still, you are a warrior worthy of respect."
The flames in its eyes flickered as it prepared to