the fight against blazer(3)

Blazer stood still, staring at his chest wound. Thick, molten blood dripped from the slash Dakota had inflicted on him. For a moment, the battlefield was silent. The heat, the flames, the shifting, unstable terrain—all of it seemed to pause.

Then, slowly, a grin stretched across Blazer's face.

Blazer:

"That... actually hurt."

The amusement in his voice was gone. His molten gold eyes locked onto Dakota and Henry, and in an instant, the atmosphere changed. The oppressive heat grew unbearable. The ground beneath them cracked and melted, turning into a bubbling sea of lava. Even Dakota and Henry, both fire users, could feel it—the sheer difference in power.

Then—

BOOM!

Blazer's flames exploded outward, his entire body igniting with an overwhelming red inferno. His injuries sealed shut almost instantly, the molten blood evaporating into the air. His aura flared, and suddenly—

He disappeared.

Henry:

"Shit—!"

BANG!

A devastating punch landed against Henry's stomach before he could react. The impact sent him flying backward at incredible speed, crashing through multiple molten rock formations. The sheer force caused an explosion that shook the battlefield.

Dakota turned, but—

BANG!

Blazer was already in front of him.

A fist slammed into Dakota's jaw, sending him spiraling into the air. Before he could recover—

WHOOSH!

Blazer reappeared above him.

CRACK!

A brutal kick to Dakota's ribs sent him hurtling back down, crashing into the molten ground with enough force to create a massive crater.

The battlefield had completely shifted.

Blazer was no longer toying with them.

Dakota groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground, his vision blurry. Henry stumbled back into the battlefield, his body covered in burns and bruises.

Henry:

"Damn it… He's way stronger than before!"

Blazer stood above them, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

Blazer:

"This is what happens when you think you're on my level."

Then—he moved again.

BOOM!

Blazer appeared in front of Henry and struck him with a devastating palm strike to the chest. The impact sent shockwaves across the battlefield, shattering the molten ground beneath them. Henry barely had time to gasp before—

CRACK!

Blazer grabbed him by the face and slammed him into the ground.

Dakota barely had time to react before—

BOOOOOM!

A massive wave of red flames engulfed him.

The heat was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It wasn't just fire—it was destruction itself. His body screamed in pain as the flames tried to consume him entirely. His defenses were failing.

Dakota:

"Tch…!"

He forced himself to stand, but before he could move—

BANG!

Another punch from Blazer sent him crashing through multiple molten pillars.

He could hear Henry coughing in the distance, struggling just as much.

For the next several minutes, it was the same.

Every attack Dakota and Henry threw at Blazer—blocked.

Every movement they made—countered.

Every ounce of strength they had—completely overpowered.

Dakota and Henry panted, barely able to stand. Their bodies were battered, their flames flickering weakly. Blazer stood in front of them, completely unharmed.

Blazer:

"I'm disappointed. I thought you'd last longer."

He lifted his hand.

Blazer:

"Let me put you out of your misery."

A massive inferno began forming in his palm, far stronger than anything he had unleashed before.

Henry gritted his teeth.

Henry:

"Damn it… We can't lose here…!"

Dakota exhaled. His grip tightened around his sword. He felt it—the limit they had reached. The wall standing before them.

No.

Not yet.

Not here.

FWOOSH!

A sudden surge of energy erupted from Dakota's body. The orange flames that had surrounded him began shifting—darkening—deepening.

Then—

They turned blue.

A massive shockwave burst outward, shaking the entire battlefield.

Henry's eyes widened. Then—

His own flames followed.

The golden-orange inferno surrounding him flickered, then shifted into a deep, radiant blue.

The heat around them changed. It was no longer just flames—it was something greater. A power that consumed rather than just burned.

Blazer narrowed his eyes.

Blazer:

"Oh?"

Dakota lifted his head, his blue flames surrounding him like a raging storm.

Dakota:

"Looks like we're just getting started."

BOOM!

Dakota and Henry moved at the same time. Their speed had doubled.

Blazer barely had time to react—

SLASH!

Dakota's sword cut across Blazer's chest, this time leaving real damage.

Blazer growled—

BANG!

Henry's punch landed against his ribs, sending him skidding backward for the first time.

Blazer exhaled, rolling his shoulders.

Blazer:

"Now this is interesting."

He lunged forward.

And the battlefield erupted.

Flames clashed against flames. The sky turned into a storm of blue and red fire, colliding with unrelenting force. Each impact sent shockwaves that shattered the molten landscape.

Dakota and Henry fought in perfect sync, their attacks seamless.

Dakota:

"Now!"

Henry spun mid-air, sending a torrent of blue flames toward Blazer.

Blazer countered—

BOOM!

The explosion lit up the battlefield.

But this time—

Dakota appeared behind him.

Dakota:

"Got you."

SLASH!

His blade cut deep, making Blazer stagger.

Henry followed up—

BANG!

A devastating punch to the gut.

For the first time in the entire battle—

Blazer was losing ground.

But—

FWOOOOOOSH!

Blazer suddenly took a deep breath.

Then—

His entire body ignited.

Blazer:

"Enough."

A massive wave of pure destruction exploded outward, sending Dakota and Henry flying backward.

Blazer lifted his hand.

A red sphere of flames began forming—growing—expanding—

The sheer pressure made the entire battlefield tremble.

Blazer:

"Let's see if you survive this."

The sphere of absolute destruction condensed into a single point.

Dakota's eyes widened.

That attack—

Would erase everything.

Blazer unleashed it.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Dakota screamed—

Dakota:

"MIA! SHIELD! NOW!"

Mia, who had been preparing her strongest barrier in the distance, hesitated.

Mia:

*"What?! Now?! But—"

Dakota:

"NOW!"

Mia had no time to think.

She activated it.

A massive, radiant barrier surrounded them—

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Blazer's attack collided with the shield.

The explosion engulfed everything.

For a few seconds, nothing existed but light.

Then—

Silence.

As the dust settled, Blazer stared at the intact shield, his expression confused.

Henry, catching his breath, looked at Dakota.

Henry:

"Dakota… why? Why did you make Mia use it so early?"

Mia, still shocked, turned toward him.

Mia:

"Yeah… Dakota, what's going on?"

Dakota exhaled.

Then—he gave them a grin.

Dakota:

"Don't worry. I'll explain everything."

He sheathed his sword.

Dakota:

*"But just so you know—"

He turned to Henry and mia.

Dakota:

"We just died."