Timothy struggled to keep his balance on the swaying chains, but he knew he was getting closer to facing off against Onnamon. With a burst of flames behind him, he gained a speed boost, searing the heavy metal as he moved.
As he picked up speed, he had to be careful not to lose his balance. He also had to control the flames, making sure they didn't become too powerful for him to handle.
Despite the challenges, he approached Onnamon quickly, ready to leap off the chain and confront him at the highest point of the tower.
"Looks like you're getting close, huh, young pirate?" Onnamon taunted, chuckling as he watched Timothy approach. "I've heard about those special flames of yours. They're not your regular fire – they can be controlled however the user wants. It's a power many have sought after, including myself." Onnamon grinned, preparing for the impending showdown.
"But a kid like you will never be the one to end my goals," Onnamon continued, his voice echoing in Timothy's ears like some sort of psychic power. "The moment you set foot onto this land, I'll show you that not even a power like yours can match mine. But first, the gathering begins. The surging shockwaves will make me a newborn god, one to show this world the truth of what ruling is like."
Onnamon stood tall, his stance firm as he opened his palm beside his hips, unleashing something that looked like purple fire, burning fiercely enough to melt the hardest steel. "Your exploits on the Vast Expanse were heard all throughout the sea. From the Golden Wasakona all the way to the Sanctum Islands..." He pulled back his arm, observing Timothy getting ready to leap into action.
"But I can't have another person ruining the plans I've worked for so many years. You'll be the last foe you'll face, Azure Flame, pirate..."
Timothy reached a point near the top of the tower and leaped off the chain into the air. He pulled both arms beside his hips, summoning those orange flames and shaping them into a sword. With a swing over his head, he aimed to strike down at Onnamon, who defended himself with his hand braces, releasing purple flames that clashed against the orange ones.
Their eyes met – Timothy's filled with frustration, while Onnamon's showed amusement. Then, Onnamon unleashed a purple shockwave that sent Timothy flying back towards the edge, hundreds of feet in the air.
"Quite an entrance, Azure Flame," Onnamon remarked, a smirk playing on his lips. "You didn't even hold back for a flashy battle. You just went straight for it. That amuses me. But don't worry, I haven't absorbed all the power of the nexus yet. The Vitality Permit is about to be mine, but unfortunately for you, you came at just the right time."
The fire sword dissipated from Timothy's hands, and he finally responded with one of the most serious voices Onnamon had heard in a while. "You're right. It doesn't matter," Timothy said, his tone grave. "As long as I can stop you before you absorb all of its power. Knowing I came at just about the right time lightens my mood a little. Though it's not enough to clear the irritation off my face."
Onnamon maintained the same amused and cheerful expression he started with, but he showed a hint of annoyance, not the kind Timothy feared or Onnamon wanted to reveal. "Correct, but how can you be sure I won't absorb its full power?" he questioned. "I might not have the freedom to do it now, but once you drop dead, I'll have all the freedom in the world. And on the bright side of things, I'll take care of the Divine Seat, the Holy Light of this universe."
He glanced to the side at the spinning nexus and snapped his fingers, explaining the power it held. "This nexus holds the power of several gods who fought and destroyed these Uncanny Lands. Having all of the abilities from this core is enough power to take down the Holy Light. Not to mention, the power will be enough for no one to confront me and have the chance of taking it away. Right now, I may not be the strongest link in this world, but sooner than later, I will become the unstoppable sorcerer that will destroy everything that was taken from me."
He walked around the sphere as he continued his speech, with Timothy listening closely. "Remember the demons? They were extinct because of the fall of the previous Demon Lord. However, with this power, I will become the next Demon Lord and revive the blood beasts. I will bring them to the surface as I am one of the last lives in this world that possess the blood of demon cells."
Onnamon stepped in front of the sphere, facing Timothy with a serene and soft face. "Don't you have a friend who also contains the blood of demons within his body...?" Meanwhile, that same person met with the marines' chief and received some papers.
"Pay the price and your bounty will be erased..."
The person grabbed the contract and nodded, his eyes concealed by the brown curly hair.
But back at the Uncanny Lands, Timothy knew exactly who Onnamon spoke about, but he didn't let it get to him. "That 'friend' is dead to me. There's nothing he can do to make me forgive him. Whenever we meet again, know that we'll be enemies. Abandoning our group to join the World Government is something I won't overlook. Joining them is like choosing the good along with the bad. That's why, no matter what, I'll bring you down so I can face him again in the future, no matter what he has become."
Onnamon shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips as he raised his arms as if surrendering to Timothy's words. "You know nothing about me, yet I know EVERYTHING about you. You're at a disadvantage, and there's only ONE thing I have to say to you..."
He grasped the nexus, and instantly his hair began to whip around in the wind, surrounding his body in a vortex of wind and crackling shockwaves. "There WON'T be a NEXT time for you two! Because THIS is where your lives will end!" His voice thundered through the land, echoing across the Uncanny Lands, reaching the ears of his enemies, including the marines, Etuna, and Aurora.
To be continued...