The Battle Begins]
Khusi's body transformed, his physical appearance becoming more feral and imposing. His eyes turned a piercing blue, glowing like the endless sky. Water coiled around him, flowing along his arms and legs in a rhythmic dance of power. Each droplet shimmered as if alive, reflecting the energy coursing through him.
Khusi smirked, his voice steady and laced with mockery. "Shall we begin, lowly creature?"
Mearlion's fists crackled with dark energy, flames flickering at his fingertips. "You dare speak to me that way?" he growled, his anger spilling over.
Without warning, Khusi lunged forward, faster than ever before. The water surrounding him surged, amplifying his strength. His fist collided with Mearlion's chest, sending him skidding backward across the cruise deck.
Mearlion steadied himself, his face twisting in rage. He retaliated, summoning a wall of fire that roared toward Khusi. But the water around Khusi surged forward, extinguishing the flames effortlessly.
Their battle erupted into chaos—Mearlion's dark magic clashing violently against Khusi's water-infused strikes. The fight had escalated into a clash of raw power and unyielding determination.
Fiery fists collided with cascading waves, each blow ripping through the battlefield. Amid the chaos, Aryan moved silently, pulling helpless people to safety, his eyes calm but determined.
The Mearlion's flames flickered, its regeneration slowing. Khusi, relentless as the tide, pressed his advantage. With a powerful strike, the fire entity fell, its body crashing onto the battlefield. Khusi landed beside it, his fury unmatched, and with a wave of his hand, he shaped water into a sharp, shimmering sword.
As he prepared to strike, Khusi sensed someone moving toward him from the side. Without hesitation, he turned and caught the figure by the neck.
It was Aryan—his brother.
Time seemed to stop. Khusi's rage dissolved, replaced by a crushing wave of guilt. His grip loosened as he stared into Aryan's eyes, the silent understanding between them cutting deeper than any weapon. Khusi's heart sank. How could he have attacked his own brother without even looking?
The Mearlion, seeing its chance, unleashed a savage attack. Flames roared as they struck Khusi's abdomen, searing into his body. Pain tore through him as he stumbled, falling to his knees. Though Aryan could not speak, his hands conveyed everything: Stay with me. Don't give up.
Khusi's vision blurred, his body trembling with pain, but Aryan's silent presence anchored him. In that moment, it wasn't the clash of fire and water that mattered—it was the bond between two brothers, unspoken but unbreakable, standing together against the storm.
"You humans are shackled by your emotions," he growled. "Your love for your brother will be your undoing. Watch as I end him right before your eyes!"
Before Khusi could react, Mearlion seized Aryan by the head.
Khusi, wracked with pain and barely able to stand, felt a surge of desperation and fury. The Z symbol on his chest flared, morphing as his eyes ignited with a striking blue-red glow. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself upright, his hand trembling as he raised it high.
In an instant, the ocean obeyed his command. Towering waves rose, shimmering with the raw power of nature. With a roar, Khusi brought his hand down, his strength fueled by his love for Aryan. The ocean surged forward, a torrential force crashing onto the Mearlion. The impact tore through the cruise ship, carving a gaping hole down to its hull. The Mearlion screamed as the relentless water swallowed him, dragging him into the depths of the sea.
The battlefield fell silent. Khusi staggered toward Aryan, his glowing eyes dimming as the Z symbol faded. "Are you… okay?" he asked weakly, his voice trembling with exhaustion.
Aryan, still catching his breath, nodded and gestured to show he was unharmed. "I'm exhausted… and I messed up," he muttered, slumping against Aryan's shoulder. His voice grew fainter. "The cruise… it's going to sink."
Aryan, steadying his brother, carried him to a pillar and leaned him against it. Though he couldn't speak, his actions conveyed his resolve. He gave Khusi a reassuring glance before hurrying to search the damaged ship for any remaining emergency safety measures.
Merlion staggered back to the cruise deck, his body battered and bleeding, each step leaving a trail of crimson. His narrowed eyes locked onto Khusi, who lay motionless, unable to move a single inch.
"I know you can't sustain the Z power for more than ten minutes," Merlion sneered "You haven't even consoled the Z cell fully! Let me finish you off now."
Meanwhile, Aryan, oblivious to the chaos, scanned the sinking ship frantically. Water was surging higher and faster, swallowing the deck. He searched for safety boats, unaware of the deadly scene unfolding just behind him.
Merlion's body erupted into flames, his skin glowing like molten lava. With each step, his feet scorched the deck, leaving blackened trails. He looked more like a demon—an infernal beast closing in on its prey.
In one swift, terrifying motion, Merlion unleashed all of his fiery power. A wave of fire surged toward Khusi like a blazing storm.
Khusi squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for death.
Suddenly, the flames vanished. The air that had been thick with heat turned eerily cool. Merlion froze, his fiery aura extinguished as if snuffed out by an unseen force. Silence fell—deep and unnerving—until a booming voice echoed from the sky above.
"What are you doing on my world, Merlion?"
The sound was like rolling thunder, ancient and commanding, shaking the very foundations of the ship. Merlion's eyes widened, a flicker of hesitation crossed his face. He knew that voice.
Slowly, he looked upward into the swirling gray clouds. A smirk curled his lips, though his voice trembled with defiance.
"You took your time to show yourself," he growled, his tone dripping with disdain. "Royal... or should I call you Guardian of Jupiter?"
The clouds churned furiously, as though the heavens themselves were angry. A colossal figure began to take shape—a silhouette of power and authority. The Guardian of Jupiter had arrived.
Khusi, still motionless on the deck, dared to crack open his eyes. The sight before him was beyond comprehension: the fire-beast Merlion, once unstoppable, now subdued under the gaze of something far greater.
Royal's "So, you haven't forgotten my voice, Merlion."