Kuzaname's black kimono blended into the night's darkness whilst he haphazardly held his dual katana over his shoulders, menacingly sauntering over to his challengers.
Before Tim Tim could ready himself, Kuzaname sprinted towards him and slashed across Tim Tim's body. If it wasn't for Nargo changing the trajectory of the blade's path, Tim Tim would've been cleaved in half. Blood started pouring out of the deep wound at an alarming rate. Ronin retaliated, but his jaws failed to touch Kuzaname, who dodged effortlessly. Kuzaname backed up and wiped the blood off his blade and grinned.
Discarding his hesitation, Tim Tim drew Zendu. Dark energy exploded from the tip of the blade, engulfing Kuzaname. Something flashed and the attack fizzled out, Kuzaname stood unharmed as a certain darkness circled round his blades. Except, the blades weren't cursed, it was just the pure evil of the swordsman's soul encasing the swords.
"It's been a while since I felt this amount of hatred. This will be fun." Kuzaname licked his lips.
Nargo sent an entire battlefield of weapons towards Kuzaname, momentarily disrupting the other fights. Kuzaname started deflecting some of the weapons but Tim Tim capitalized on the opening. Miraculously dodging the weapons being thrown, Tim Tim pierced Kuzaname's chest. A few weapons also landed direct blows, leaving wounds covering the swordsman's body.
Kuzaname laughed, "Whoops! Looks like you missed my heart."
Tim Tim tried to move Zendu across whilst still stuck into Kuzaname's to try to do more damage, but Kuzaname kicked Tim Tim away, Zendu ripped out of the dual katana user. There was an entire armoury of weapons surrounding the fight now. Nargo was trying to gather his stamina whilst Tim Tim slowly got up, his wound dyeing his surroundings red.
"Genuichiro's soul is in that blade, isn't it? Only he had such murderous intent after what me and Captain Kozo did to him. Oh well, no point dwelling on the past." Kuzaname readied himself to attack again.
Zendu started reacting even more violently, Tim Tim dropping to his knees trying to keep it under control before it infected his mind again. Kuzaname rushed through on the opportunity but Ronin pounced and knocked him into a trap set by Nargo. Kuzaname barely avoided the trap jumping away just before it activated.
"Fuck me, he's a tough bastard! Bucket boy, can you get back up?" Nargo shouted.
"Y-yes. I can still fight. I've kept old man Zendu under my control." Tim Tim arose once more, sluggishly assuming a stance. When I stabbed him why didn't it explode again? Tim Tim thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Jimmy's group were fighting against Saruchi, the 'Little' brother who seemed adept at using a mace as big as himself.
Saruchi, with surprising speed, slammed the mace down at Jimmy, narrowly dodging the attack. Belsari started up her weapon and inserted a vial of napalm, cranking the power to maximum. Whatz D Face, however, seemed to be distant to the fight. He had asked to be left out for a few minutes as he was in excruciating pain.
Jimmy evaded and stabbed at Saruchi but the wounds inflicted didn't faze the man one bit. Instead, they seemed like hindrances to him, so he got angrier and stronger. Jimmy eventually got caught by the gigantic mace, being flung hundreds of metres into some debris. Saruchi turned to Belsari.
"Where third person?" Saruchi asked, scratching his head.
Belsari ignored the question and fired her weapon. The weapon shot the napalm with devastating velocity, clinging to Saruchi's face. Rotten smells of burning flesh invaded Belsari's senses. The man fell to his knees, screaming in agony but once the substance dissipated, only an eye was severely damaged. His endurance took Belsari off guard and was smashed upwards with mace then hit straight into the ground. The ground shattered on impact, Belsari immobilized and defenceless.
Just as he went to deal a killing blow, a harpoon flew into Saruchi's chest.
"She's not dying on my watch!" Jimmy panted.
"Long nose first. Kill evil girl next." Saruchi replied.
A large shadow towered over Saruchi. The simple man turned.
"I'm. So. Hungry." A voice growled.
"Where are you?" Saruchi asked, slightly scared.
A tall pale creature resembling Whatz D Face stepped out of Saruchi's shadow. But he looked different to his full form. His face was contorted between perpetual insanity and hunger. Shredded wings lay on his back and his bloodlust was on a completely different level to usual.
"Where you come from?" Saruchi stuttered frightened.
"Hungry."
Whatz D Face launched a punch but as soon as Saruchi went to evade, Whatz D Face substituted himself with the giant shadow. From behind Saruchi, Whatz D Face pulled out a flintlock pistol, shrouded in darkness, from out of the air and fired it several times. Each shot hit perfectly, incapacitating the limbs of Saruchi and a bullet passed straight through Saruchi's head
In his crazed state, Whatz D Face pulled out a few hand-sized bombs from the air. He chucked them simultaneously, turned his back and whispered coldly, "Hellzone Grenade."
A huge dark explosion incinerated Saruchi and almost Belsari but Jimmy dragged her out of range.
Whatz D Face collapsed, exhausted by his true transformation. Luckily for Jimmy, his harpoon was created with extremely strong material so it was as pristine and sharp as when he was first given it despite being within Saruchi when the explosion occurred. In the distance, Barbosa was speeding back to the battlefield with newly recovered Leroy and a naked individual Jimmy couldn't identify on his shoulders.
"I forget Barbosa has incredible strength as well as speed." Jimmy said to himself as he dragged his two comrades into a covered area. A loud gunshot echoed where Jenkins' fight was happening. "I hope everyone else is doing alright."
Tim Tim rushed over to Nargo with Ronin whilst Kuzaname tried breaking out of a prison of weapons.
"Mister Nargo, how much longer can you go?" Tim Tim asked.
"I'd say another minute or so, you?" Nargo replied.
"I've got two minutes until I lose control, I feel my consciousness and willpower deteriorating."
"Why don't you engage him in a sword duel? It seems like you're avoiding locking swords."
"I'm more attuned to dual sword style rather than a single blade."
"Just fucking use the swords on the battlefield. We're surrounded by them."
"They're brittle."
"Each time they break I'll put another sword in your hand."
"This is a bad plan."
"You got a better idea bucket boy?"
"No..."
"Then get to it because he's broken out of the cage."
"Have you said your prayers yet?" Kuzaname shouted.
"How would a duel of swords sound to you?" Tim Tim asked.
"But that's boring. I've never lost a duel before so it's guaranteed you'll lose."
"I want to do this." Tim Tim pressed.
"So be it."
Tim Tim picked up another blade from the floor and stood face to face with Kuzaname. His wound was only getting worse and the only thing keeping Tim Tim going was sheer willpower, which was slowly being dissolved by Zendu.
"You said you helped Kozo in shattering Genuichiro. Is that true?" Tim Tim asked.
"Yes. It was hilarious, seeing his face morph into abject terror and helplessness. It was so damn funny." Kuzaname replied.
"Then I can't lose."
Both of them charged at each other and inflicted blows on the shoulders. Kuzaname slashed down, Tim Tim deflected the blow but the spare sword shattered. Sensing the opening, Kuzaname went full force in his strikes. Nargo could barely keep up with replacing the shattered swords. Kuzaname's earlier injury to his chest, forced him to back off slightly to conserve his strength.
Tim Tim pressed forwards, using Zendu as his main attacking force. He tried stabbing but Kuzaname crossed his swords to block it. Another sword flew into Tim Tim's hand, so Tim Tim slashed at Kuzaname with it, aiming for his head. Kuzaname barely avoided it but Zendu started acting of its own accord. Not allowing a second of rest for either swordsman, Zendu continuously barraged Kuzaname. Each strike imbued with limitless hatred, pinpoint accuracy and the blade started being shrouded by darkness again.
"NO! I AM IN CONTROL!" Tim Tim backed off momentarily, Kuzaname and Tim Tim bleeding immensely. Nargo collapsed from the strain of using his powers over his limit. Ronin guarded the unconscious Nargo whilst Tim Tim prepared for a final round, forcefully willing the blade into submission.
"I will kill him of my own accord, don't use me like a puppet old man Zendu."
Both pounced on each other again, the blades clashing together, causing the ground to crack slightly under the strength of each blow. They exchanged plenty of blows, both moving at incredible speeds. Tim Tim alternated between blades, spinning and dodging strikes to grab them after each clash, whilst Kuzaname tried pressing consistently. They clashed once more, backed off and charged for a final time.
They sprinted passed each other and stopped. They both stood backs facing each other. A black explosion engulfed Kuzaname whilst a deep large crossed wound opened up on Tim Tim's chest. Kuzaname crumpled to the floor. Tim Tim stabbed Zendu into the ground to keep himself up.
"What is this painful feeling burning my chest? Is this what losing feels like? You have beaten me fairly. As per my culture's traditions, my swords must be given to the one that defeated me. They're names are..." Kuzaname was cut short as his wounds overcame his will.
Tim Tim stumbled over to the swords gripped in Kuzaname's hands. After loosening Kuzaname's grip and taking them, the dual katana were now Tim Tim's. The darkness that had infected the weapons slowly dissolved and Tim Tim was left with a final task. Sheathing Zendu.
The dual katana now hanging by his belt, Tim Tim grabbed Zendu from the ground. Shakily, he sheathed the blade. Intense searing pain engulfed his body as thousands of tiny cuts were being etched into him. Tim Tim's mind flashed back to the original owner of the sword's one of many warnings he was given.
"This weapon is incredibly sharp and powerful but every time you deal damage to someone it will build up. When sheathed, a partial amount of the damage inflicted will be cast upon the owner of the sword."
Tim Tim's vision blurred and collapsed on the ground. At this moment, the cavalry arrived at the battlefield. 'Flash' Barbosa, 'Legendary Warrior of the Seas' Leroy and the 'Medic of Madness' Vaeg, appeared in glorious fashion.
Well, except Vaeg; he was underdressed to say the least.