Emanuel brushed the dust off his shirt, his eyes catching sight of the headless man lying in a pool of blood.

His voice, loud and quivering with suppressed anger, cut through the tension like a knife. "So, you killed the Golden Eagle's leader, huh?" His words hung in the air, each syllable dripping with menace.

He began clapping his hands slowly, the sound echoing ominously through the dense forest. His laughter started low and built into a maniacal crescendo, making the air around them feel heavier, more oppressive.

"Bravo! Bravo! Not only did you come to my territory uninvited, you also struck at me in my own fucking place and killed one of my men! Your boldness is something else!" His voice dripped with increasing madness, each word a dagger of disdain.

Kaya’s amber eyes blazed with fury, though her expression remained cold. The blue lightning crackling around her body intensified, each spark a testament to her barely contained rage.

Pointing her spear at Emanuel’s men, she retorted, "Men? You consider those things human? Don’t make me laugh!" Her voice was a chilling mixture of coldness and hostility, cutting through Emanuel's laughter like a blade.

She continued, her tone scathing, "All I see here are disgusting monsters hiding behind human skins." The lightning around her spear crackled with even greater intensity, the air humming with its raw power.

Turning her gaze to Emanuel, she locked eyes with him, her voice scornful and contemptuous.

"Especially you. You’re nothing more than a manchild playing at being a king. And you call yourself a leader? What a fucking horrible joke." Her words were sharp and unyielding, each one meant to cut deep.

Emanuel’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing to slits and his face reddening with anger. "Playing as a king?" he sneered, his voice a low growl. "

"No, no, no, you’re wrong. I’m not acting.. I AM a KING in this forsaken forest!!" His bellow echoed through the forest, filled with irritation and fury, each word a proclamation of his delusion.

Spreading his arms wide, he continue, "If I'm not here, who will take these bunch of trash under their wing? Huh? Answer me, you fucking moron!

"Even though I know they're useless, I keep them under my wing, because why? Because I'm the strongest here! They fear and obey me! Without me, they can't do any single fucking thing!"

Dropping his arms, he declared, "But even trash has its uses, you see..." His grin was wide and manic, his eyes gleaming with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

He began to walk menacingly toward Kaya. "Under my rule, they managed to survive and get stronger as long as they obey me. What a benevolent king, right?" His tone was mocking, as if daring Kaya to disagree.

Kaya stood her ground, her expression unchanged.

She scoffed, "Benevolent king? If you're a benevolent king, then I’m the damn empress of justice." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, each word a direct challenge to Emanuel's self proclaimed title.

Emanuel stopped in his tracks, his frown deepening.

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"Oi, you fucking bitch, are you just begging me to kill you by provoking me like this? If so, you've succeeded," he snarled, his voice filled with rage as he unleashed his pressure, a palpable force that made the air around them vibrate.

As Emanuel’s pressure reached Kaya, she released her own, the blue lightning around her body crackling wildly. Their pressures clashed in the middle, an invisible battlefield where neither side was willing to back down.

Kaya smirked, her voice taunting, "You? Kill me? I never thought you could get any more delusional, but you’ve exceeded my expectations. Truly a manchild indeed."

Emanuel gritted his teeth, his rage on the brink of explosion. But then he glanced at the three people behind Kaya, a wild smile spreading across his face. "Yeah, it’s true I can’t kill you easily, but I know how to defeat you."

Kaya frowned, her mind racing. Why did he agree so easily out of nowhere? What did he mean by defeating her? What is he— She stopped her thought abruptly, she began to followed his gaze and her eyes widened. Realization struck her like a lightning bolt He wasn’t looking at her, but at her group!

She lunged toward Emanuel, spear in hand, her movements a blur of speed and desperation.

Emanuel also charged at her, dodging her spear strike by a hair’s breadth. He swiftly turned, delivering a powerful kick to Kaya’s side, sending her flying.

SWISSH!!

She used the spear Sam had given her to stab into the ground, breaking her momentum but snapping the spear in the process. The impact left her shaken, but she quickly recovered, lightning crackling around her as she dashed toward Emanuel.

Despite her incredible speed, she wasn’t fast enough unfortunately. Emanuel reached Sam first, striking him with a powerful blow that sent him flying above the trees like a ragdoll.

He then turned to strike Gabby, but Jason appeared in front of her quickly enough and blocked the attack with his shield, the clash producing a booming shockwave.

BOOM!!!

Emanuel’s expression turned to shock and bewilderment; this was the first time someone had blocked his strike so effectively. It felt like striking an unmovable sturdy iron wall.

Before Emanuel could strike again, Kaya was behind him. She struck with her spear, sending him flying into a tree with a resounding crash.

KABOOM!!

The impact was heavy, a testament to her strength and fury.

With Emanuel momentarily incapacitated, Kaya rushed to her sister.

"Sister, are you okay?!" she asked, her voice full of worry, all traces of rage and coldness she shown before completely gone. She held Gabby by the shoulders, shaking her lightly as if to reassure herself that Gabby was truly unharmed.

Gabby smiled softly, her expression one of relief and affection. This was the Kaya she knew. "I’m alright, Kaya. Jason protected me bef—"

Kaya cut her off, hugging her tightly. "Thank God! I’m sorry I—"

Jason interrupted, his voice serious and urgent. "Guys, as much as I like seeing a heartwarming scene, that guy won’t be stuck in that tree for long you know."

They both immediately breaking the hug, their expression turned serious. Kaya approached Jason, about to apologize, but a loud voice interrupted her.

Emanuel’s furious shout echoed through the forest, his rage palpable. "Very good! Now I won’t let you die so easily!"

"Heaven's Gate! Bring me their heads! I will deal with this fucking whore myself!"

Kaya’s heart pounded, worrying about her sister, but Gabby placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, whispering,

"Don’t worry about me. Sam already has a plan."

Kaya turned, about to ask questions but decided to trust in Sam’s plan. Jason then yelled, "Guys, incoming!"

Emanuel charged at them, his fist pulled back ready to strike, closing the distance with incredible speed. Kaya activated her lightning, lunging to meet him. Their clash produced a deafening shockwave.

BOOOMM!!!

The force of their blows creating a dust cloud, both were knocked back, but quickly resumed their fierce battle.

As the dust settled, Kaya glanced back, seeing Jason and Gabby had disappeared into the forest. She smiled slightly, knowing her sister was somewhat safe now. Refocusing her gaze on Emanuel, she prepared for his next attack.

Somewhere in the forest, a man wearing a white mask lay on the ground, battered and covered in a cyan aura.

Removing his mask, he muttered, "Fucking hell! That hurt way more than I thought," before coughing up blood.

He chuckled, "Welp, no matter, at least my plan is going well. Now I can relax for a bi—"

He abruptly stopped, hearing rustling and footsteps approaching. Smiling painfully, he whispered, "Oh for fuck sake, really now?"