Thirty-Seven gritted his teeth, his jaw locked tight against the pain that spread from his arm to his chest. The poison spread too quickly, like fire devouring dry paper. His breath grew heavier, each inhale felt like hot needles piercing his lungs. His thoughts began to blur, strange shadows appeared at the edge of his vision, as if darkness was slowly gnawing away at his consciousness.
Selene chuckled softly, her voice echoing through the purple mist that enveloped them. "You may be fast," she whispered, her eyes narrowed with a triumphant gaze, "but my poison is faster." Each word that came out of her mouth seemed to worsen the pain Thirty-Seven felt, as if the poison itself was listening to her commands.
Thirty-Seven tried to move, trying to force his stiff muscles to obey his commands. But his body wouldn't comply. His right leg trembled, then gave way, almost causing him to fall. His vision began to blur, the world around him spinning like a mixed liquid.
"Damn…" he muttered to himself, his voice almost inaudible. He knew his time was running out.
Suddenly…
"Violet Flash!"
"Fwoosh!"
The wind whirled wildly, shattering the purple mist that enveloped them. Blaze appeared between them, still somewhat exhausted from the previous battle. His black cloak was torn in several places. But his eyes shone purple, their light piercing the poison mist like a sword cleaving through darkness.
In a flash, he understood the situation. His gaze darted to Thirty-Seven, who was about to fall, then to Selene, who stood with a triumphant smile. Without hesitation, he raised his sword high, its blade vibrating with the powerful purple energy emanating from it.
"Void Slash!"
"Shhhrakkk!"
His slash created a spatial rift that instantly sucked in all the poison around them. The air hissed, the deadly purple mist was sucked into the black vortex that emerged from Blaze's sword. The space around them became empty, sound disappeared, as if the universe itself held its breath.
"Whoosh!"
All the energy present, including Selene's poison, was sucked into the black vortex, disappearing as if erased from existence.
However…
Thirty-Seven, who had been poisoned before, could only stare blankly at Blaze, his eyes losing the light that was usually so sharp and determined. His body was already weak, his knees buckled helplessly, and although the poison was now gone from the area, its effects were irreversible. The poison had damaged him from within, gnawing away at every cell and breaking down his last defenses.
His body began to tremble, a small tremor that grew stronger, as if every muscle and bone was rebelling against the inevitable reality. His hand, which tried to reach for Blaze, fell limp, only able to grasp empty air.
Blaze stared at him with a slight daze.
Thirty-Seven opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his voice didn't come out. Only a short, hissing breath remained, like the wind whispering among dry leaves.
Then, his body began to crack.
"Crack... Crack..."
The sound echoed softly, like glass breaking under pressure. Cracks appeared on his skin, spreading from his fingertips to his face. A faint light emanated from the cracks, as if Thirty-Seven's soul was trying to hold on, but in vain.
"Ssssshhhh!"
In an instant, he turned into dust, small, glittering particles that shimmered for a moment before disappearing. Nothing remained, only emptiness where he had stood.
Thirty-Seven… was gone.
In the midst of the battlefield still vibrating from the remnants of chaos, Blaze stared sharply at Selene. The woman stood upright in the midst of the still-waving poison cloud, her gaze cold and arrogant, as if she was belittling every effort Blaze had made to survive. However, Blaze knew, this was not the time to give up. He wouldn't let Selene continue to dominate this battle.
With a breath still hitching from his wounds and fatigue, Blaze gathered the remaining energy left within him. His eyes blinked as the purple flashes began to merge with the dark shadows that slowly enveloped his body. His hand tightly gripped his sword, and in the momentary silence, he raised his weapon high, then hardened his voice:
"Eclipse Flame!"
In an instant, dark fire erupted from Blaze's body, its heat extraordinary, as if capable of melting anything it touched. However, behind the intensity of the fire was a deeper purpose. The dark fire was not just to burn, but also served as an effective corrosive agent to neutralize the poison that Selene had spread. The deep black color mixed with the glowing purple, creating a wave of heat that flowed towards the poison, turning the toxic substance into empty vapor.
The sound of "ssssssss!" echoed as the dark fire's corrosion seeped into the air, neutralizing the poison that billowed around Selene. However, Selene didn't stand still. With a graceful movement, she moved her hand as if summoning the remaining power within her poison, trying to maintain her dominance. However, Blaze had already started his next move.
Blaze swung his sword with incredible speed, dashing forward towards Selene. Each step left a trail of burning dark fire, creating a destructive trail on the ground he passed. Selene, quickly, raised her hand, forming a thick poison shield to block Blaze's attack. However, Blaze had already predicted that move.
Blaze twisted his body, changing the direction of the attack abruptly. His sword plunged to the side, cutting through the poison shield with deadly precision. Selene was forced to take a step back, her face, which had been cold, now showing a hint of annoyance. Blaze knew, this was his chance. He wouldn't let Selene regain control of this battle.
With incredible speed, Blaze's sword created a spatial distortion, as if the air around him was split by an invisible force.
"Violet Slash!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the chaotic battlefield.
The sound of his sword whistled through the air, creating a spatial rift between the existing particles. The energy absorbed through the rift sucked up the remnants of Selene's poison, destroying the molecular bonds that maintained its existence. However, even though the attack destroyed many defenses, Selene still managed to hold on. Her body seemed to be made of shadows that could deflect attacks, withstanding the destructive pressure of Violet Slash, even though there were small cracks that began to gape around her.
Selene moved her body agilely, as if dancing among the remaining ruins of magical wonders. Her hands moved quickly, scattering the remaining poison as a shield to protect herself. However, Blaze's attack was too strong. The poison she scattered was instantly destroyed, and Selene's body was injured. Blood flowed from the open wounds, soaking her tattered clothes. Even so, she was still able to hold on, albeit with difficulty.
Blaze didn't give her time to breathe. He knew that one attack wasn't enough to subdue his opponent. Blaze combined the dark fire magic he had emitted with his sword technique. His body trembled violently, In one attack, he raised his sword high, and with a loud voice that echoed across the battlefield, he shouted:
"Dark Flame Strike!"
Instantly, the dark fire energy and the purple aura merged, creating a devastating explosion that danced in the air. The wave of heat that shot out from Blaze's sword struck Selene with irresistible force. In an instant, light and shadow collided, producing a "Boooomm!" that shook the battlefield.
The explosion wasn't just a burning; it erased all forms of magic, poison, and Selene's existence. The opponent's body, which had once seemed arrogant and full of poison, now shattered, disintegrating into particles of dust scattered by the wind. In that moment, Selene, who had tried to hold on with the remnants of her strength, was finally unable to resist the combined force of the devastating Dark Flame Strike, she was instantly burned without leaving any trace, not even ashes.
Blaze immediately sat on the ground, his sword used to support his body, his breath still gasping.
However, Blaze, who was exhausted, was no longer able to sit and then lay down, his chest rising and falling slowly, while the shadows and remnants of the dark fire slowly disappeared into the night air.