"You've come." A raspy voice echoed from the depths of the cell. Wilder stood outside the cage, waiting silently for a moment before abruptly sitting down cross-legged.
"So, is today the day our deal is finalized?"
"Of course." Wilder grinned, a wide, intense smile spreading across his face.
"I see…" The voice from within the cell paused, then spoke again, the rasping sound unchanged. "What are you waiting for?"
"I'm waiting for an opportunity. An opportunity to let you out."
After he spoke, both fell silent.
Time ticked by, second by second. One man confined within a cell, the other sitting patiently outside, both waiting.
Then, a muffled thud reached Wilder's ears from the distance. He smiled.
"Well then… it's about time."
He stood up. Crack! The lock on the cell door shattered, and the door slowly swung open. Wilder stood in the doorway, waiting to greet the person emerging.
"So, your plan was to simply open the door and let me out?" Torbolde slowly emerged from the darkness, his face devoid of emotion as he glanced at Wilder.
Stab! The sound came almost before the words were finished. Torbolde's pupils dilated, his eyes filling with disbelief and… resentment. He looked down at the blood steadily flowing from his abdomen, and at the five fingers stained crimson with his own blood.
"Nyehehehe… Of course. It wouldn't be easy to explain if you died in there, would it? Besides… isn't this what you wanted? You are used to betrayal, after all, Rear Admiral Torbolde…" Wilder leaned down slightly, a bloodthirsty curve forming on his lips, and whispered into Torbolde's ear.
"Hiss… hahaha… I was planning to kill you after you removed my Sea Prism Stone cuffs. What a shame you saw through it." Torbolde suddenly raised his head, laughing hoarsely, his face a mask of twisted, frenzied delight.
"Nyehehehe… I wouldn't dare remove your cuffs, Mr. Torbolde. That ability of yours, to steal others' life force? Far too dangerous."
Withdrawing his hand, Wilder watched as Torbolde collapsed. He casually wiped the blood from his fingers. "Torbolde, an inmate of the Blazing Hell, attempted to escape during the chaos. Interception failed, resulting in his necessary elimination."
"Understood, First-sama." A female voice answered from the shadows.
Shortly after, several jailers arrived. Under Wilder's cold, piercing gaze, they nervously offered a shaky salute before carrying away Torbolde's corpse.
The distant sounds of commotion grew louder. Wilder finished wiping his fingers, his eyes turning towards the source of the noise, a smile spreading across his face as he strode towards it.
…
In the northernmost reaches of the Blazing Hell, the furthest point from the concentration of prisoners and jailers, two towering figures faced each other. Their heavy, ragged breaths filled the air as they stared at each other with grave expressions.
One was Magellan, his face grim and resolute.
The other was only slightly shorter than Magellan. A cigar jutted from his thick lips, and he held a sword that gleamed with a faint, blood-red light. His sharp, inverted triangular eyes were fixed on Magellan, his expression betraying neither joy nor anger.
"Shiryu of the Rain." Magellan's voice was hoarse, his gaze locked onto Shiryu's eyes, as if searching for something he hoped to find.
But from beginning to end, Shiryu maintained a bland expression. The mouth that held the cigar showed no sign of a smile, nor of rage. He gave the impression of a man at peace, yet one filled with a profound sense of ennui.
"Yeah." His response to Magellan was a single, flat syllable.
"Poison Dragon!" Purple poison surged from Magellan's body, taking the form of a colossal dragon, and lunged towards Shiryu!
Snap. Seeing the rapidly approaching poison dragon, Shiryu lowered his stance slightly, his eyes widening! His sword flashed before him, a sudden downpour of steel!
"Swoosh!" A massive, crimson blade aura swept outwards, the terrifying shockwave warping the very air. The poison dragon and the blade aura collided in an instant!
Boom! A purple and a red force clashed, the enormous roar echoing through the surroundings.
After a fierce, sustained struggle, the poison dragon pressed down with overwhelming force. The crimson blade aura was squeezed and deflected, soaring upwards before dissipating in mid-air.
Boom! The poison dragon, still carrying a terrifying momentum, continued its dive towards Shiryu!
Shiryu clenched his teeth harder on his cigar and leaped backwards, instantly vacating the spot. The instant he landed, another crimson blade aura burst forth.
Boom! The poison dragon slammed into the ground, the red blade aura following closely behind, slashing into the dragon. Poison splattered everywhere as it exploded violently.
"Poison Road!" However, in that instant, Magellan's voice came from behind. Shiryu clicked his tongue, ducking and turning, slashing out with his sword!
The pathway of poison that had just begun to spread towards Shiryu's back was severed in a single stroke.
With a jump, Shiryu moved away, warily eyeing the severed poison pathway.
Magellan, covered in purple poison, slid out from the severed passage and stood up.
"Oh~ First-sama, you've come too." Sadi stood atop a toppled, cracked wall segment, admiring the battle unfolding in the distance. Wilder emerged from behind her, standing beside her and also turning his gaze to the fight between Magellan and Shiryu.
"Mm."
Both of them conveniently forgot about Magellan's orders, tacitly agreeing not to mention the matter.
Back at the battleground, Magellan and Shiryu clashed again, the crimson blade auras and purple poison colliding repeatedly.
Shiryu leaped and landed, swinging his sword. Boom! A torrent of blood-red energy shot forward!
Magellan leaped high into the air, his poison-coated fist smashing downwards.
"Clash!" Fist and blade aura locked in mid-air. Magellan's body seemed minuscule against the backdrop of the glowing red energy, yet that seemingly insignificant form managed to hold the terrifying blade aura at bay. The point of contact between fist and blade aura seemed to crackle with electricity, a buzzing sound filling the air.
"Tch… Strong as a monster."
Shiryu spat out the burnt-out stub of his cigar, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Magellan in mid-air.
After a brief struggle, the red blade aura was shattered and scattered. Magellan descended from the sky, his poison-covered fist hurtling towards Shiryu.
Bam! Shiryu had no intention of waiting in place. He moved, reappearing elsewhere.
They stood still, once again facing each other.
"Magellan! Your subordinates don't seem to be listening to you very well." Shiryu suddenly noticed something, a cold smile appearing on his face.
Magellan's face had already darkened like charcoal, but he didn't let Shiryu's words distract him for a moment. Staring fixedly at him, he said coldly, "The same could be said of yours, Shiryu of the Rain…"
"Heh… You're right." Shiryu's smile faded, the ash on his cigar instantly burning down a considerable length.
"Then, let me see, Magellan, how you…" Before he could finish his sentence, Shiryu moved without warning! A crimson blade aura shot towards Wilder and Sadi, and at the same time, he vanished from his spot.
"Bastard! You dare!" Magellan's expression changed drastically. A Poison Road formed instantly, and he charged forward.
____
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