The island, once a sanctuary of vibrant life, now lay scarred and broken, a testament to the brutal dance of war. The humid air, thick with the acrid scent of gunpowder and the metallic tang of blood, clung to me like a shroud.
From my precarious perch, a jagged outcrop of volcanic rock, I surveyed the grim tableau below. The beach, once a pristine expanse of white sand, now echoed with the savage rhythm of combat, stained a grotesque crimson. Marines and Blackheart Pirates clashed, a chaotic dance of death, their cries echoing through the dense, once-peaceful foliage.
My gaze, however, was fixated on two crucial points: the brutal duel between Dory and Lukas, and the earth-shattering clash between Zephyr-sensei and Drac. Below, Lukas, transformed into a magnificent white tiger, moved with a predatory grace, his roars echoing through the island's interior.
"You cannot defeat me, Marine!" he snarled, his voice a guttural growl, a chilling promise of carnage. "This power is mine, and you will fall before it!"
Dory, though facing a formidable foe, moved with focused determination, his movements precise and calculated. "You're wrong," he replied, his voice steady despite the ferocity of the attack, a low, determined growl. "Your power ends here."
He's stronger than I expected, watching Dory's fluid movements, his agility a testament to Sengoku's rigorous training. He's a far cry from the timid youth Zephyr-sensei described.
But it was the duel between Zephyr-sensei and Drac that held my attention captive, a spectacle of raw power versus lethal precision, a clash of titans that shook the very foundations of the island. Drac, a master swordsman, moved with terrifying grace, his blade a shimmering arc of death against the backdrop of the churning sea.
"You're a stubborn old man, Zephyr-sensei," Drac sneered, his voice a low, menacing growl, laced with chilling arrogance. "Your era is over. This island will be your final stage."
Zephyr-sensei, his eyes burning with a cold, unwavering fury, countered, "My era ends when I choose. And today, I choose to end yours. You will answer for your crimes."
He's pushing Drac back, observing every subtle shift in their movements. Zephyr-sensei's relentless assault is wearing him down, slowly but surely.
Drac's blade flashed, a deadly arc seeking an opening, but Zephyr-sensei moved like a raging storm, his fists a relentless barrage of brutal force. Sparks flew as hardened knuckles met steel, the sound echoing across the island like a thunderclap.
"You're a fool to think you can defeat me with brute force!" Drac roared, his voice strained, laced with desperation.
"My skill surpasses your simple strength!"
"Strength is all that's needed," Zephyr-sensei retorted, his voice a low growl, a promise of brutal retribution.
"Especially against someone like you."
He's right, watching Drac's movements become increasingly defensive, his once-fluid grace now strained. Zephyr-sensei's raw power is too much for him to handle, even with his mastery of the sword.
My hand tightened around my rifle, the cold steel a comforting weight. The opportunity I had been waiting for, the chance to kill Drac, was about to present itself. But the battle was far from over.
The fight raged on, a brutal symphony of clashing steel and thunderous impacts. The island, once a paradise, was now a battleground, its beauty marred by the carnage of war. The air crackled with tension, the scent of blood mingling with the salt-laced breeze. The cries of the fallen, the roar of the cannons, and the thunderous clash of titans echoed through the island's dense foliage, a grim testament to the brutality of the conflict.
My gaze, initially fixed on the titanic struggle between Zephyr-sensei and Drac, shifted abruptly to Dory. Below, the battle between Dory and Lukas had reached its climax. Lukas, his monstrous white tiger form dissipated, lay sprawled on the sand, his human form exposed. He had surrendered, his hands raised in a gesture of defeat. Dory, also reverted back to his human form, hesitated, a flicker of something akin to mercy in his eyes.
Without hesitation, I raised my rifle. The sharp crack of the gunshot echoed across the beach, a stark counterpoint to the thunderous clash of Zephyr-sensei and Drac. Lukas's head snapped back, a crimson bloom erupting from his forehead. He crumpled to the sand, lifeless.
Ding! Host gets 125 simulation points.
Dory's eyes, wide with disbelief, snapped towards me. "Why?" he roared, his voice filled with raw, untamed fury. "He surrendered! Why did you kill him?"
Before I could answer, my attention was drawn to Zephyr-sensei. Drac lay still, his body a testament to Zephyr-sensei's brutal efficiency. Zephyr-sensei had ended the fight.
My anger flared, a sudden, white-hot rage that burned through my carefully constructed composure. I had been waiting for this moment, the chance to eliminate Drac, to complete my mission. And Zephyr-sensei, in his brutal efficiency, had stolen it from me.
"What have you done?" I snarled, my voice low and dangerous, my eyes fixed on Zephyr-sensei.
My 500 simulation points.
Zephyr-sensei, however, seemed to dismiss my anger entirely. He didn't even look at me, but focused his attention onto Dory, completely ignoring my outburst. He simply answered Dory's initial question.
"Defenseless?" Zephyr-sensei's voice was a low growl, directed solely at Dory. "They are pirates. Every one of them is a threat. Surrender is a tactic, a ploy. A moment's hesitation, a moment's mercy, and you're dead. Remember that, Marine. If you had lost, do you think they would have spared your life? Do you think they'd have honored a surrender?"
He paused, his gaze hardening. "Besides, there are already too many pirates rotting in the prisons. We don't need to add to the burden of the prison guards."
I watched as Dory's expression shifted, the raw anger slowly giving way to a grim understanding. He looked from Lukas's lifeless body to Zephyr-sensei, his eyes searching for something. After a moment of tense silence, he nodded, a slow, reluctant acknowledgement.
"I… I understand," Dory said, his voice low and heavy. "It's… it's just hard to accept."
He's starting to understand. He sees the logic, the pragmatism. But the anger still simmers beneath the surface. He won't forget.
The tension crackled in the air, thick and heavy. The battle raged on, a brutal reminder of the stakes. My hand tightened around my rifle, the cold steel a comforting weight. The opportunity I had been waiting for had been taken from me, and now, I had gained a reluctant understanding from Dory, but the anger still simmered within me.