The stench of burnt flesh and scorched earth filled the air.
Orimo and his crew stepped through the carnage — bodies still crackling, their screams long silenced.
The air shifted. The world itself seemed to hold its breath.
Orimo's expression darkened — anger boiling, veins tightening, eyes dimly glowing with fury.
Ryuki (whispering): "He's losing it…"
A faint shimmer of heat distorted the horizon — and from the haze stepped Sora Nithel.
His presence alone cut through the chaos like a blade.
Sora: "We meet again."
Orimo (growling): "In hell."
A pulse of dark energy surged from Orimo's body. The shadows beneath him began to twist and ripple. His aura turned the very air heavy.
Sora (thinking): "Huh… He's not just some ordinary pirate."
Sora's hand tightened around the hilt of Shinkourai, though he didn't unsheathe it yet.
Ryuki and Auransa both drew their blades halfway, eyes locked on Sora.
Ryuki: "Don't you dare make a move."
Orimo's shadow began to tremble violently. He raised his arm — and with a snarl, unleashed his fury.
Orimo: "Shadow Spike!"
A spear of darkness shot forward, piercing the ground with a deafening BOOM!
Sora deflected it with a single clean slash — sparks and black mist clashing midair.
Sora (smirking): "Perfect. I'll test this sword — Shinkourai."
Orimo didn't wait. His fury only grew.
Orimo: "Shadow Shot!"
A bullet of darkness burst from his palm, cutting through the wind — THUD! — blocked again by Sora's precise blade.
Sora: "You're weak."
But Orimo didn't hear him. His heartbeat roared louder than the explosions.
He pounded his chest — THUD. THUD. THUD. — eyes widening, veins pulsing black.
Auransa (fearful): "That monster… it's coming out again."
And then — Orimo laughed.
A guttural, twisted, inhuman laugh.
His smile spread wide, his teeth glinting like a demon's in the shadow of the lava's glow.
Sora (raising his sword): "What's wrong with you… Malevolent Generation Pirate?"
SWISH!
In an instant, Orimo vanished — appearing right before Sora, his fist already mid-swing, cutting through the air with monstrous force.
Sora (grinning): "You're fast… for a weakling."
He tilted his body — Orimo's punch grazed past his face, splitting the air with a sonic boom.
Sora: "But today… you die."