Cani drags Boombox through the hallways, the bricks of the factory ripping and shattering around them, the roof collapses behind them as the ground shatters.
"We can't escape like this!" Boombox shouts over the storm.
"So, what do we do!?" Cani slides on the ground as the floor crumbles under their feet.
"Jump…!" Cani runs forward in slow motion, followed by Boombox, both quickly jumping out of the window as the castle tower crumbles behind them. The wind violently blows their hair as they land in the courtyard.
"Hurry! We need to get the ship and Ika, make sure they're okay!" Boombox agrees, suddenly getting slammed against the wall behind them, Cani sliding.
"Boombox!" Cani feels a strong presence behind her, Demon lord Achlys's top commander.
-----
Achlys exhales and takes a step forward, every step was ominously calm yet dominant despite the rampaging storm, Yuma and Moon could hear every footstep.
"Get ready Yuma… this guy can turn into storms-" in an instant Moon and Yuma are surrounded by thick dark storm clouds, circling around them. Yuma stumbles back a bit.
"Moon!?" Lightning and thunder crackle around them as Yuma jumps a bit. Instantly lifting his hands to create a barrier, blocking a bolt of lightning.
"HAAA!" Yuma slides back slightly, getting hit with the full shock of lightning. Electricity radiates through his whole body, nearly sending him to the floor, but Yuma catches himself.
"He's behind you Yuma!" Yuma quickly spins around, throwing a kick, but it goes right through him, as if Achlys was made entirely of storm clouds. Achlys reels his fist back to punch when Moon appears.
"Compulsion Frequency!" Moon punches Achlys. Achlys disappearing into the dark swirling clouds. Moon lands.
"You okay? Captain?" Yuma nods slowly, rising to his feet.
"Moon, move, and don't stop moving!" Moon nods as the wind picks up, Yuma bolting through the clouds, releasing a shockwave. Moon doing the same.
Yuma sprints full speed around the courtyard. 'We can't keep evading forever! We can't attack him either! This is a losing battle. But if it means I can get one step closer to taking down the World Government, then so be it!' Yuma jumps to the side to dodge a bolt of lightning, spinning on his feet and jumping back to dodge another.
Moon suddenly slams through several brick walls in front of Yuma.
"Moon!" debris falls as the wind blows at Yuma, massive rocks of concrete fly towards him. Yuma dodges the first, spinning around and kicking a second one. Landing on the ground and swinging his fist, cracking the air. The ground shatters as the wind momentarily stops blowing. The clouds disappear before returning and Yuma loses vision again.
"Come on!" Yuma blinks as he's suddenly sliding along grass, quickly looking up as trees uproot and fly at him, boulders quickly behind. Yuma grits his teeth.
"Reality manipulation: Re-Pulse!" Yuma punches the air in front of him, sending a shockwave of pure air. Shattering the trees and boulders. Yuma breathes heavily as a bright light forms within the storm clouds.
"Storm Mantra, Lightning Form… Kaminari!" The imposing figure of Achlys walks from the storm clouds, no physical body other than pure lightning. Yuma's eyes widen as Achlys appears in front of Yuma. Speed blitzing him into the cliff nearby, releasing several shockwaves and an explosion of smoke.
Cani locks eyes with the black haired commander. His eyes were a calming blue, but the bags under them told a different story, matching his plentiful scars. Cani steps back for some distance. Cani breathing heavily as the storm rages around them.
"What do you want with us!?" The man silently glares at them before exhaling.
"You… Flame Princess: Cani Shisha… you stand on the brink of despair… but… you don't even realize it… Little do you know, every choice you make leads you and your 'Captain' further into darkness." Cani grits her teeth.
"Don't talk bad about my friend!" Cani jumps forward, punching the commander, spinning around and kicking him. The commander stumbles before head butting Cani into the wall behind them. His head started to bleed.
"Sound Mantra: screech!" A loud screech echoes across the battlefield, stopping the rain momentarily. The commander locked eyes with Boombox from a distance.
"Are you trying to drown out the truth with noise? The louder you scream, the more you reveal your fear" The commander lifts his hand at Boombox. Boombox grits his teeth at runs at the Commander. Parrying his hand and elbowing him. Quickly spinning to kick him in the face, he stumbles back as Cani jumps forward. Punching him in the face 10 times in an instant. Boombox appears behind the Commander and kicks him as Cani punches him in the face. Cani lands and kicks out his feet as Boombox slams his fist into the Commander's face, sending him sliding back.
"You think you've won, but your sound can't drown out my suffering!" The commander smiles maniacally.
"Shockwave pulse!" Boombox releases a shockwave of sound. The Commander blocks it as Cani appears above him, Boombox behind him. In a swift movement, The Commander spins on his foot, elbowing Cani in the face and football punting Cani by kicking her in the stomach.
"Molecule Conundrum!" Cani rushes to her feet on the slippery ground and jumps at the Commander, creating 10 fists of solid air and punching the Commander. Boombox releases another shockwave, sending the Commander stumbling back. Cani slides her feet.
"Ignition!" The air around the commander sparks and explodes into a massive fireball. The storm violently pours overhead as Cani and Boombox breathe heavily, The Commander slowly rising to his feet inside the wall of flames.
"You may think you're fighting for a cause, but every victory is just a step towards your inevitable failure... Do you really believe you can change the world?" Cani's eyes blur, her focus and balance fading slightly. Boombox looks over and they lock eyes and nod. They jump forward as the Commander holds up a barrier. Cani shouting.
"Molecule conundrum: Final strike!" a massive fist appears behind Cani, becoming engulfed in flames. Boombox shouts, taking a deep breath.
"Sound wave Manipulation!" The Commander grits his teeth and holds his barrier strong and the wind picks up, thunder and lightning booms.
A massive explosion erupts as Cani and Boombox slide back, heavily exhausted. Fire engulfs the courtyard. The Commander, battered and bruised, rises to his feet.
"You think you've won…" Cani clenches her fist. The Commander standing within the wall of flames.
"But this victory is hollow... Reality is a cruel teacher, and the lessons it imparts are often steeped in despair…" The Commander slowly steps out from the flames.
"The brightest stars burn out, consumed by their own light, leaving nothing but darkness in their wake… You may celebrate today, but know this... the shadows will always return." He pauses, drawing in a shaky breath, his voice growing softer but filled with weight:
"Every dream you chase is a candle flickering in the storm. What happens when the winds rise?... When your flames are extinguished, what will remain?... A fleeting memory, a whisper in the dark…" The Commander's voice grows raspy.
"Remember, even the fiercest of warriors can fall, becoming echoes of their former selves… and they become… what they hated most…" Cani exhales as the Commander's eyes go blank, collapsing to the ground. Cani smiles as the fight is over.
"Let's grab Yuma and rush back to the boat and get out of-" Cani suddenly feels the weight of existence on her shoulders, as if a boulder was on her back. She paused and turned around. Glaring at her from above was Demon Lord Achlys. Before Cani could even do anything, she and Boombox hit the ground unconscious by an attack they couldn't see.