Chapter 6: The Scorpion King's Farewell

"My iron mace... defeated? Unbelievable!" Killer roared, his face contorted in a mask of furious disbelief, veins throbbing like angry serpents beneath his blackened skin. The rage that twisted his features was a palpable thing, a storm of raw, untamed power that crackled in the air, a tempest unlike anything Drakon had ever witnessed. It was the fury of a god denied, the wrath of a soul consumed by darkness.

"Is that your true form?" Drakon asked, his voice calm, a stark contrast to the maelstrom of chaotic energy surrounding Killer. He observed the shifting form with a detached curiosity, his eyes twin embers burning with an unwavering intensity. Black smoke and distorted flesh writhed in a grotesque ballet, a horrifying chimera of human and demonic, a constantly shifting, nightmarish tapestry of corrupted flesh and shadow. It was a terrifying spectacle, a chaotic symphony of power, a testament to the depths of depravity Killer had plumbed in his pursuit of unholy strength. The very air throbbed with the malevolent energy radiating from him, a palpable sense of dread clinging to the battlefield like a shroud.

"What is the purpose of your existence Killer? Why sell your soul to the Demon King for just a little bit of power, it's not worth it!"

Drakon offered a sardonic smile. "He's nothing but a harbinger of death and destruction. Incapable of anything else," he stated, his voice laced with disdain.

Blackfang chimed in, "Then today, we end your reign of terror, Killer. Your crimes are unforgivable." As Drakon's anger intensified, the flames surrounding him blazed brighter, their crimson glow intensifying with each word.

"Killer, block a blow from my sword!" Drakon commanded, extending a hand, his voice resonating with power. "One sword, take life, attack!" Dawnbreaker, sensing its master's intent, blazed with intensified fire, the air shimmering with unbearable heat, the very ground beneath it seeming to melt.

"Brat!" Killer's voice boomed from within the swirling black aura, a sound of pure, unadulterated rage.

"Roar!" His form swelled to mountainous proportions, a grotesque parody of human strength, charging towards the descending sword with terrifying speed. In the sky, a furious maelstrom erupted—a cataclysmic clash of incandescent flames and suffocating black gas. Killer's full-force blow struck Dawnbreaker; the resulting shockwave devastated the surrounding area, leaving a trail of utter destruction in its wake, the very landscape scarred by the force of their collision.

"What?!" Killer's voice was a strangled gasp, a sound of disbelief and dawning horror. "No..."

A jet of black aura, consumed by the searing flames of Dawnbreaker, vanished, revealing Killer's hand gripping the divine sword—a desperate, futile attempt to control its power.

*Boom!* A thunderous explosion ripped through the earth, a cataclysmic event that shook the very foundations of the battlefield. A massive mushroom cloud of dust and debris erupted hundreds of feet into the air as Dawnbreaker slammed into the ground, its immense weight crushing Killer beneath its incandescent fury. His body was swallowed by the earth, leaving only his eyes visible, two malevolent embers staring up at the crater he himself had created, a grim monument to his hubris.

Blackfang's cheer echoed across the ravaged landscape, a triumphant cry cutting through the dust and smoke. "Excellent, Drakon! Let that be a lesson to the likes of Killer!"

Killer sputtered, his voice barely audible, a pathetic whisper swallowed by the crushing weight of the divine sword and the tons of earth above him. "You... you..." His words were cut short, unfinished, lost in the deafening silence that followed the explosion.

In the dissipating smoke, Killer lay broken and defeated, a horrifying tableau of carnage. His armor was shattered, cracked and broken into jagged pieces, revealing wounds that oozed a hideous black ichor, a grim testament to the brutal power of Dawnbreaker. A low moan escaped his lips, a sound of agonizing pain, "Ah... A... A..." The searing pain of the Sunfire, now wrapping around his body like a fiery shroud, was clearly unbearable, a torment that twisted his form and amplified his suffering.

"Feeling defeated, Killer? Is the pain pleasant? It's nothing compared to the suffering you inflicted on the innocent," Drakon said, his voice cold and devoid of sympathy, a glacial tone that cut through the air like a blade. His gaze was unwavering, a steady, intense stare that pierced through Killer's agony, a silent judgment upon the fallen warrior. He watched Killer writhe in torment, a grim satisfaction playing on his lips.

"You dare touch me?! You'll answer to the Bound Demon King! You'll answer to the Zephyr Abyssal! You have no idea the price you'll pay!" Killer wheezed, his arrogance clinging to him like a stubborn shadow despite his grievous wounds and the searing pain wracking his body. His words, though weak and ragged, carried the chilling weight of ancient power, a threat that echoed with the resonance of forgotten evils.

Blackfang growled, a low, guttural sound that spoke of barely contained fury. The sight of Killer, broken but still defiant, ignited a primal rage within him, a burning need for retribution that overshadowed all other thoughts. "Let me finish this," he snarled, his voice dripping with lethal intent. "The sight of him... it reminds me of all the innocent lives he stole. Even if they call me cruel, I'll accept it. Die, cold-blooded monster!"

With a blur of motion so swift it was almost invisible, Blackfang launched himself into the air, his body a coiled spring of lethal energy, gathering momentum for a final, decisive blow. "Cat's Claw... *Finish!*" His razor-sharp claws, honed to a deadly perfection, descended upon All-Slaying Invincible, each strike aimed with cold precision, seeking a swift and merciless end to the tyrant's reign of terror.

"Rist... Hissing..." A series of pained gasps escaped Killer's lips, each breath a testament to the agony tearing through his body.

"Wu... Ww..." He struggled to speak, his words choked by pain and the crushing weight of the earth above him.

"King... Keng..." A guttural sound, almost a roar, escaped him, a desperate, primal cry born of pain and defiance.

Finally, with a surge of adrenaline-fueled strength, Killer managed to shout, "Scorpio God..."

From the cracked earth, a colossal scorpion emerged, its chitinous body encased in iron armor identical to Killer's own, a horrifying mirror image of the fallen warrior. Its massive tail, tipped with a venomous stinger that dripped with lethal poison, lashed out at Blackfang with terrifying speed and power. The scorpion's armored carapace deflected Blackfang's fiery claws, a resounding clang echoing across the battlefield as the deadly attack aimed at Killer was stopped.

Drakon turned to Blackfang, his eyes narrowed in thought. "Hmm, so it's him. The leader of the Iron Serpent Clan," he realized, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place.

"Summon the Iron Mace!" Killer roared, his voice echoing across the battlefield, the command instantly answered as the massive weapon reappeared in his hand, seemingly materializing from thin air. The Scorpio God positioned itself beside him, its massive tail providing a sturdy support as Killer, with a grunt of effort, settled onto its back.

Drakon muttered from a distance, his voice laced with disgust, a low rumble that spoke volumes of his revulsion. "Disgusting."

Blackfang frowned, her lips pursed in revulsion, her gaze fixed on the horrifying scene unfolding before her. "His flesh... it's made of those scorpions?"

"Root... Rooster..." A chorus of whispers, barely audible yet strangely chilling, emanated from the Scorpio God's body. Smaller scorpions, seemingly birthed from its very being, swarmed to Killer's wounds, their bodies a writhing mass of chitin and venom, tending to the gruesome injuries with a horrifying efficiency. The sight was both grotesque and strangely mesmerizing.

The wounds rapidly healed, the iron armor knitting itself back together seamlessly. Within moments, Killer appeared completely unscathed, the horrifying regeneration complete.

The gruesome spectacle unfolded before Drakon and Blackfang, leaving them both speechless with astonishment.

"Hmph, you cannot kill me. This body is immortal. You dare touch me?" Killer growled, his voice dripping with arrogance. The Scorpio God paced restlessly, its multifaceted eyes fixed on its opponents.

"Roar!" The ground trembled, a deep resonant sound echoing from the distance.

"Haha, it's finally here," Killer laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Blackfang's spine.

"What's happening?" Blackfang murmured, pressing his ear to the ground, listening intently as the sound grew steadily louder.

"Crash..." Something was moving beneath the ground, a grinding, scraping sound echoing through the cracked earth, a sound that spoke of immense power and unstoppable force.

"Puff..." Water erupted from the fissures, a geyser of muddy water that quickly escalated into a raging torrent. More and more geysers appeared, transforming the ground into a chaotic landscape of churning water and earth, the flood surging towards Drakon and Blackfang with terrifying speed.

Blackfang gasped, his eyes wide with horror, his voice barely a whisper. "It's... it's a flash flood!"

Drakon muttered, his expression grim, his voice low and grave. "A cataclysm... a land of instant death."

In the distance, the flood surged, wave after wave, each more violent and destructive than the last. The towering waves, easily a hundred feet high, were a terrifying spectacle, a cataclysm unlike anything they had ever witnessed, a wall of water that threatened to consume everything in its path.

"Farewell, then. Try to survive this," Killer said with a sly smile, his voice carrying a hint of chilling amusement, a cruel confidence that sent a shiver down Drakon's spine. "We'll settle the score another day." His words were a promise, a threat veiled in casual nonchalance.

Drakon's voice rang with unwavering confidence, a stark contrast to the looming cataclysm. "Tell the Bound Demon King we'll be at Oracle Falls soon," he declared, his gaze fixed on the approaching flood. "If he dares to show his face, we'll be waiting." His words were a challenge, a declaration of intent.

Killer retorted, a faint smile playing on his lips, his arrogance undiminished even in the face of impending doom. "Hmph. If you live long enough."

With that, Killer, the Scorpio God, and the swarm of scorpions vanished into the encroaching darkness, disappearing as silently and swiftly as the night itself. They were gone, leaving behind only the rising flood, the ravaged landscape, and the chilling, lingering threat of their inevitable return.

The flood was no longer a flow, but a colossal, furious wall of water hurtling towards them at terrifying speed. Each wave was a towering mountain of churning water, frothing white, carrying earth, trees, and the wreckage of the battlefield, all pulverized into a chaotic maelstrom. The air vibrated with the deafening roar of the water, a sound that shook them to their very core. The smell of earth, the thick, cloying stench of blood and destruction, hung heavy and suffocating. Against a bruised, grey sky, colossal columns of water rose, like monstrous aquatic beasts baring their fangs, ready to tear everything apart. This was not gentle nature; it was a brutal, unforgiving force unleashing its fury upon all. Drakon and Blackfang faced an inescapable catastrophe, a deluge that drowned all hope. Their survival was now a tiny, fragile speck against the overwhelming destructive power of nature.