The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows through the twisted trees as Ubuntu made his way deeper into the forest. The eerie calm that followed his last encounter had faded, and with each step, the strange, almost electric tension in the air grew thicker. Something was coming.
He could feel it.
He wasn't far from the girl he had saved—or more accurately, the girl who had been saved by his boredom. After leaving her behind, he'd had no real plan beyond finding whatever was responsible for the scream and figuring out what came next. That was usually how these things worked.
But now, with the evening light fading and the wind picking up, he could sense it: the unmistakable hum of energy on the horizon. Something big was waiting for him. Something powerful. Maybe it was fate. Maybe it was just bad luck. Either way, he wasn't the type to shy away from it.
As he stepped into a clearing, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Ahead, the forest thinned out, and there, at the center of the open space, stood a lone figure. Tall, armored in black, with glowing crimson lines etched into his armor like veins of molten lava. The figure was waiting for him—still, silent, radiating an aura of raw power.
"You've got to be kidding me," Ubuntu muttered under his breath. "How many of these guys are there?"
The figure raised its head, and for the first time, Ubuntu caught a glimpse of its face—or rather, the lack of one. Its helmet was smooth and featureless, save for a single, pulsing red eye in the center of its forehead.
"I am Klaithar, executioner of the Sovereign's will," the figure boomed, its voice low and rumbling, like the earth itself was speaking. "And you, interloper, have been marked for death."
Ubuntu stopped a few paces away, hands in his pockets. "Wow. Original name, bro. So, do you all just have a 'scary minion' handbook, or what? Let me guess, you're here to avenge the guy I just beat, right?"
Klaithar didn't move. "Your insolence will cost you dearly. I am no mere servant. I am the hand that ends you."
"Oh, the hand?" Ubuntu chuckled. "Guess that makes you the middle finger too."
The temperature in the air dropped noticeably as Klaithar's hand twitched toward his sword. "You will regret mocking me, boy."
Ubuntu raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, yeah. Heard it all before." He cracked his knuckles, feeling the familiar rush of energy building beneath his skin. "But I'll humor you. Let's do this."
In a flash, Klaithar drew his sword, a massive, jagged blade that crackled with dark energy. The clearing lit up with the glow of the weapon, and the ground beneath them rumbled as the tension snapped.
Ubuntu wasted no time. He darted forward, faster than a blink, his fist already glowing with raw power.
"First strike's on me!" he shouted, swinging his fist toward Klaithar's chest. "Shadowbreaker Punch!"
Klaithar's sword came up just in time to block the blow, but the force of the impact sent a shockwave through the clearing, shaking the trees and leaving a deep gouge in the earth beneath their feet. Klaithar staggered slightly, but he didn't fall.
"Not bad," Ubuntu muttered, backing up a step. "Looks like you're not just for show after all."
Without a word, Klaithar swung his massive blade in a wide arc, aiming for Ubuntu's midsection. Ubuntu leapt into the air, flipping over the strike with ease.
As he landed, Klaithar raised his free hand, and the air around him shimmered with dark energy. "Feel the wrath of the Sovereign's will—Obsidian Cleaver!"
A massive wave of black energy shot toward Ubuntu, cutting through the air like a tidal wave. The force of it was enough to level a forest, but Ubuntu grinned, feeling his own power build as he braced himself.
He planted his feet, and with a shout, he slammed his hands together, summoning a burst of energy that formed a protective shield around him. "Aegis Pulse!"
The wave of dark energy crashed against his shield, sending ripples of power through the air. For a moment, it seemed like the force might overwhelm him, but Ubuntu gritted his teeth and pushed back with everything he had.
The energy wave dissipated, leaving a scorch mark in its wake, but Ubuntu was unharmed.
"That all you got?" he called out, grinning. "I was expecting more from the 'hand of the Sovereign.'"
Klaithar didn't respond. Instead, he took a step forward, raising his sword high above his head. The crimson lines on his armor flared brighter, and the air around him seemed to warp, distorting under the pressure of his power.
"This ends now, worm," Klaithar growled. "I will obliterate you and leave no trace behind. Infernal Decimator!"
The sky above them darkened as Klaithar brought his sword down with all his might. A massive pillar of flame erupted from the ground, swallowing the entire clearing in an explosion of molten rock and fire.
Ubuntu barely had time to react. He dove to the side, rolling through the dirt as the blast incinerated the ground where he'd been standing just moments before. Heat washed over him, and the very air seemed to sizzle with the intensity of the attack.
As the flames died down, Ubuntu stood, brushing the ash off his sleeves. "Alright. That was pretty good. You get points for presentation."
Klaithar stalked toward him, sword still crackling with energy. "You will burn in the Sovereign's flames."
"See, that's the problem with you guys." Ubuntu sighed, rubbing his temples. "You're so obsessed with power that you forget to think things through. I mean, sure, you've got the fire and the sword, but at the end of the day..." He took a step forward, his own fists glowing with energy. "It's not about the big, flashy moves. It's about how you use them."
Without another word, Ubuntu launched himself forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. His fists blurred as he unleashed a flurry of rapid punches, each one glowing with dark energy.
"Cyclone Blitz!" he shouted, the sheer speed of his strikes creating a whirlwind of power that knocked Klaithar off balance. Each hit connected with brutal precision, and for the first time, Klaithar's armor cracked, small pieces of it falling to the ground.
Klaithar stumbled back, gasping for breath, but Ubuntu didn't let up. He spun around, driving his heel into Klaithar's side with a powerful roundhouse kick. "And now for the finisher—Nightfall Strike!"
The impact sent Klaithar flying across the clearing, his body slamming into a nearby tree with a deafening crash. The force of the blow shattered the tree, sending splinters flying in every direction.
Klaithar lay there for a moment, motionless, his sword lying at his side. The glow from his armor flickered weakly, the once-bright red lines now dim and fading.
Ubuntu dusted off his hands, walking over to the fallen warrior. "You still alive, or did I go too hard on you?"
Klaithar groaned, struggling to sit up. His armor was cracked, his strength nearly gone, but he wasn't done yet.
"I... will... not... fall," he rasped, reaching for his sword. "The Sovereign's power... will... prevail."
Ubuntu rolled his eyes. "Seriously? A monologue? We're really doing this again?" He looked around the clearing, as if speaking to an unseen audience. "What is it with these guys and monologues? I swear, every villain has to get in their 'I'll never be defeated' speech right before I punch them out of existence."
He folded his arms, shaking his head. "I'll bet you skipped this chapter just to get to the fight, didn't you? I know you did. Probably flipped right past this whole part to see how I beat this guy."
Klaithar let out a furious growl, dragging himself to his feet. "You... mock me... even now...?"
"Mock? No. I'm just pointing out how predictable this whole thing is." Ubuntu shrugged. "Now, come on. Let's finish this before it turns into one of those drawn-out boss fights. I've got places to be."