Nuzuki chuckled, a sinister gleam in his eyes. "She was the one who tipped me off about your friends' whereabouts when we visited Faye. She's been invaluable. But from now on, she'll answer only to me."

Samania stood there, her face etched with sorrow. It was as if Nuzuki's words were a physical weight on her shoulders, and she was struggling to contain her emotions.

Nuzuki's gaze sharpened, his voice a cold blade. "Aren't you Samania?"

She replied formally, "Yes, Mr. Nuzuki."

"As I suspected," he began, but Orano interrupted him, her voice a calm counterpoint to his menace. "Do you want this to stop?"

Both Samania and Nuzuki turned to her, their confusion evident. Samania's discomfort was now palpable.

Nuzuki's face contorted into a mask of rage. "How dare you interrupt me, you little bug?"

Samania took a deep breath, her voice steady. "I am under no duress. I require no assistance."

"Your words and actions contradict each other," Nuzuki retorted.

Samania's anger flared. "I don't understand what you're insinuating, but my emotions are none of your concern. I owe my current position to Mr. Nuzuki and intend to remain loyal."

Nuzuki's smile was chilling. "See? She's a loyal comrade who has stood by me for years. We've shared hardships, triumphs, and everything in between. But it was I who made her strong. I who helped her in her darkest hour. I who protected her."

His gaze lingered on Samania, his eyes piercing. "Isn't that right, Samania?"

She lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper. "As you say, Mr. Nuzuki."

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Orano bowed his head, his voice a low rumble. "I don't know what lies you're trying to cover up, but whatever you say, I know you don't need someone like this to help you. Even someone as arrogant as you must understand that lying to yourself won't make you strong; it will only make you a liar. And that's not good for anyone."

He raised his head, his gaze unwavering. "So I'm asking you again. Do you want this to stop?"

Nuzuki's anger was a palpable force, and Samania couldn't meet his gaze. His words were a poison cloud, and she was struggling to breathe. She was squeezing the fabric of her skirt, her knuckles white.

But her anger wasn't directed at Orano. It was at Nuzuki, at the years they'd spent together, at the hell he'd put her through.

Tears began to trickle down her face. "I... I want you to help me," she whispered.

Then, with a newfound strength, she looked up, her voice filled with anguish. "Yes! I want it to end! I want this nightmare to end now!"

Nuzuki was stunned. His anger flared. "Hey, Samania! What do you think you're saying?"

She bowed her head, her sobs muffled.

Nuzuki's rage boiled over. "I said how dare-"

Orano interrupted him again, launching himself forward with a swift kick that sent Nuzuki flying. His comrades bristled, but before they could attack, Orano landed on the ground, his Zon Device activated. "Miko! Bachi! It's your turn!"

Miko and Bachi charged, striking Orpheus and Neo, sending them soaring.

Orano turned to the others. "Lydia, Yuma, take the white-haired and blonde-haired ones. Caitrin, handle the young one. And when I deal with Nuzuki, Samania will stay back."

Yuma's voice trembled. "I wish you hadn't attacked so soon! We don't have a backup yet!"

"I know, but trust-" Orano began, but his words were cut short by a powerful blow from Nuzuki. Nuzuki grabbed Yuma by the face and hurled him across the ground, his body skidding to a stop.

This time, it was Orano who was interrupted. As he flew away, crashing into the barrier, Caitrin cried out in alarm, "Tatsumi!"

Miko and Bachi echoed her call, "Mr. Tatsumi!"

They tried to retreat to Orano's aid, but Achilles and Neo were quicker, striking them down. For the first time, it was they who lay on the ground.

Nuzuki approached Tatsumi, his face a mask of pure, unadulterated rage. The interruption, the blow from someone he deemed inferior, had ignited a fury within him. His eyes, cold and calculating, seemed to bore into Tatsumi's soul.

He drew closer, his voice a chilling whisper. "So you're too arrogant to recognize your own limitations, huh? If you want to suffer for your actions..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the fallen figures.

"...then so be it."