Latoshi Intelligence

(Frozen Summer, Chapter 4)

‘What the hell's with this kid?!’ she thought, her jaw hanging in bewilderment. ‘What is he?! It's like the more he gets beat up, the stronger he gets! What's it going to take to keep him down?!’

Latoshi chuckled quietly. “You're probably wondering again, …” he began, his breathing still labored, “how I'm not done, or even dead yet. My … power … is fueled by my emotions. … I have heart — something a freaky, fursuit wearing monster like you won't ever have.”

Her jaw trembled as she scornfully bit her lip. “Damn … you!” she shouted. “I'm not letting you beat me! You're just like all the other humans! You hate us; you look down on us and treat us like shit! You don't give a damn about us, and you know nothing about 'heart'! We're just freaks to you!!”

Celeste's entire demeanor became as wild and ferocious as before. As she leapt toward him, screaming and taking aim at him with her claws, Latoshi closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. He kept his mind and heart calm and still, sensing exactly where she was from the raging fire of animosity within her spirit. In the moment before Celeste was centimeters away from slashing his face, he suddenly vanished. Her eyes went wide in shock, her momentum bringing her to a long, sliding halt. Her long ears twitched as she stood up, detecting the faintest shuffle beside her. She turned and gasped to find Latoshi standing inches away. He had a deeply stern expression, glaring at her with eyes of vibrant green. His good arm was already pointed at her, taking aim with an open hand. Before she could even respond, he fired a powerful blast of Ki.

Celeste screeched as the attack exploded in her face, staggering her backward. She gasped and panted, hunched over, covering her eyes with trembling hands.