"You are the only one who will lose," Tim said, his voice cold and certain, his flames flickering dangerously in his eyes. "I know your weak spot now, and with this knowledge, there's no chance of your victory. It's over for you. You've already been defeated."
Tim crouched slightly, his legs bent in a focused stance, arms in front of him. His movements were deliberate as he stepped forward, one foot sliding after the other, his posture wide and balanced. For a fleeting moment, his hood fell back, revealing his intense, fiery gaze. Flames danced around his eyes like the very core of a furnace, consuming all doubt. The two fighters locked eyes for a moment, their stares as sharp as the blades they carried, an unspoken promise of the chaos that was about to unfold.
In a heartbeat, the battle began.
Byron, standing with his fists clenched, felt the ground beneath him tremble as the heated sand began to rise and wrap around his legs. It curled and twisted like a living thing, before crashing down to form a dense, solid base. With a quick motion, Byron's legs shot out, his body launching into the air like an unstoppable force.
The sand cracked beneath him, but his legs were already in motion, propelling him forward with terrifying speed. He barreled through the terrain, sending the sand skittering in all directions, until the ground beneath him turned to stone and the speed intensified.
With a swift motion, Byron pulled his right arm back, the muscles of his shoulder straining as he opened his palm, aiming directly at Tim's face. The air around him seemed to vibrate as he released a shockwave of power, but Tim reacted almost instinctively. He hurled his torso backward just in time, narrowly avoiding the blast, his body arching into a graceful dodge. Byron was quick to shift his stance, twisting his body mid-air, and using the momentum to slide across the desert floor. His hand brushed the ground, sending a massive wave of sand surging toward Tim, but Tim was already preparing his counterattack.
Tim's eyes flared as he planted his right hand against the earth, his body twisting as his shin ignited with blue fire, a surge of energy pouring into his leg. With a forceful kick, he propelled himself forward in a flaming arc, the air sizzling with the intensity of his power. His body was a streak of burning light, and his leg shot out like a spear aimed directly at Byron.
Byron barely had time to react as Tim's foot slammed into him with the force of a hammer, the fiery impact sending him skidding across the ground. The shockwave rippled outward, but Byron quickly regained his footing, using the palms of his hands to stabilize himself. He pushed off the ground with renewed determination, but Tim was already in pursuit.
The two clashed again, their movements almost too fast to follow. Byron tried to land a blow, but Tim dodged effortlessly, his body moving with a fluid grace. In an instant, Tim unleashed another rocket punch, his fist flying toward Byron's gut. Byron tried to block it, but the force was too much. Tim's fist sank deep into Byron's stomach, sending him soaring backward, his body twisting from the impact.
As Byron hurtled through the air, Tim gave chase, his flames igniting once again, propelling him forward at an inhuman speed. The wind howled as Tim's speed shattered the air around him, leaving a trail of flickering fire in his wake.
With a burst of energy, Tim was above Byron in seconds, his right arm swinging back, the flames around him swirling into a concentrated, blistering ball of energy. Byron, however, summoned his sand once more, his palm cracking open the earth beneath him as he tried to decay Tim's face with a surge of corrosive force. Tim dodged with ease, his flames flaring to life as he spun out of the way, but Byron's decaying touch was quick. His fingers grazed Tim's scarf, and the fabric immediately began to disintegrate, crumbling under the weight of Byron's power.
"You bastard!" Tim roared, his anger flaring as the flames in his eyes burned even brighter. "That scarf is more precious to me than you could ever understand!"
The fury in Tim's voice echoed through the desert, and the air around him seemed to crackle with the intensity of his wrath. Without a second thought, he pulled his arm back even further, the flames growing more intense, expanding beyond their normal bounds. His eyes turned a violent blue, radiating a heat that could melt stone. He gritted his teeth, his fury manifesting in the fire that built around him.
"Infernal Fist!" Tim shouted, his voice rising above the winds, carrying the full weight of his fury and determination. The flames surged around him, wrapping him in a translucent, ethereal shape—a burning phoenix soaring through the air with an almost otherworldly presence. The screech of the fiery creature echoed in the distance, a sound that rattled the very air itself.
Tim pushed forward, his fist igniting with the full force of his power, and rammed it directly into Byron's stomach. The impact was devastating. Byron's muscles tensed under the force, his entire body convulsing as the flames sank deep into his core. The agony was overwhelming, and Byron let out a blood-curdling scream, his body coughing up blood as the heat from the flames seared through his insides.
The explosion of blue flames engulfed the battlefield, obscuring the sky as it rained down fiery embers. Byron's body was launched backward with incredible force, crashing into the ground with the speed and power of a meteor. The shockwave sent sand flying into the air, creating a massive cloud of dust and debris that obscured everything for a moment.
When the dust finally settled, Byron's body was motionless in the center of a massive crater, his once proud form reduced to nothing but a shattered shell of what it had been. Tim hovered above the destruction, his body still crackling with residual energy.
As he landed on the scorched earth, his flames slowly faded, leaving him standing alone in the stillness of the aftermath. The smell of burning sand hung thick in the air, and the silence that followed was almost deafening.
Tim stood there, breathing heavily, his expression hardening as he surveyed the devastation. "This is it, Kou, Ireene... I've kept my promise," he said softly, his voice filled with both relief and sorrow. "Your kingdom can finally heal."
Below, the citizens of the Golden Wasakona's Capital City erupted in cheers, their voices rising in unison as they witnessed the end of Byron's reign of terror. Ireene, Kou, Karisa, Tomomi, King Artemis, Nina, Natan, Walmo, Tisch, Devia, Dora, and Vrook all stood together, their eyes bright with hope, relief, and joy.
"He did it!!!" they cried in unison, their voices ringing out like a victorious anthem.
As the fire's light dimmed and the ashes settled, Tim allowed himself a rare smile. His face softened, the anger from the battle slowly dissipating. With a final glance toward the people he had fought for, he closed his eyes and let out a small chuckle, the tension leaving his body.
"Hihi..." he whispered, his voice a quiet echo of victory.
To be continued...