chapter 39
The storm bent.
Not around the ship—
Around him.
---
John stood at the center of chaos, unmoving, as flames twisted unnaturally toward him. Fire no longer raged freely—it pulsed, drawn inward… toward him… toward his blade.
Then—
It changed.
Crimson.
---
His sword ignited in deep red flames—thick, violent, writhing like something alive. The heat wasn't natural. It pressed down, suffocating, warping the air itself.
John inhaled.
Slow. Sharp.
And when he exhaled—
Fire followed.
A stream of searing red breath spilled from his lips, scattering embers into the storm.
---
For a moment—
everything stilled.
---
Marco (whispering): "…What… is that…?"
Guinevere's grin widened, eyes gleaming.
Guinevere: "…There it is."
---
Across the deck—
The Princess stared.
Red flames reflected in her eyes.
---
John lifted his head.
His gaze burned.
John: "…Chris."
Chris didn't hesitate.
Chris: "…Yeah."
John: "Make an opening. We have to reach the core—otherwise we can't win."
Calm.
Certain.
John: "Hit the center."
Chris exhaled sharply.
Chris: "…Fine."
---
John: "…Guinevere."
Guinevere tilted her head, grin sharp.
Guinevere: "…Don't slow me down."
---
The Blue Fily pulsed—
And unleashed devastation.
Fire didn't fall.
It rained.
---
BOOM—!!
BOOM—!!
BOOM—!!
---
Massive fireballs tore through the storm. The ship trembled violently as flames spread across the deck like living things.
Heat surged—burning, suffocating.
Chris (roaring): "MOVE!!"
---
He lunged forward—
straight into the storm.
A fireball came fast—
He swung—
But—
BOOM—!!
The explosion hit early.
Chris was thrown back, crashing across the deck, flames tearing across his arm.
Chris: "…Tch—!"
Burns spread instantly.
---
Guinevere charged past him—
straight into another blast.
BOOM—!!
Fire wrapped around her mid-air—her spin broke—
She slammed hard onto the deck.
For a moment—
she didn't move.
Guinevere (low): "…Shit…"
Smoke curled from her shoulder.
---
Another volley came—
faster.
heavier.
Marco (shouting): "WE CAN'T GET CLOSE!"
A massive blast struck the mast—
CRACK—
It snapped, crashing down across the deck—
separating them.
---
The Princess pushed forward—
But a fireball slammed down in front of her—
BOOM—!!
The force threw her back.
Her sword slipped—
clattering away.
Her body hit hard.
Princess: "…!"
Her breath vanished.
---
Another fireball came.
Closer.
She tried to move—
Too slow—
---
Then—
A figure stepped in.
John.
---
BOOM—!!
The explosion hit him directly.
Flames swallowed them both.
For a moment—
nothing.
---
Then—
Red.
---
The flames twisted inward—
pulled—
devoured.
John stood there, back to her, shielding her.
His skin burned. Clothes scorched.
But he didn't move.
---
John (low): "…Get up."
---
The Princess forced herself up, hand trembling as she retrieved her sword.
---
Chris staggered to his feet, breathing hard.
Chris: "…Damn it…"
He looked at the monster—
then at John.
---
John: "…One more time."
---
Guinevere wiped blood from her lip—
then smiled again.
Guinevere: "…Now we're talking."
---
They moved.
Again.
---
Fire rained down—
relentless.
Chris cut through one—
but the explosion still tore into his side.
He staggered—
but forced forward.
---
Guinevere dodged one—
got hit by another—
her arm burned badly—
but she didn't stop.
She cut through the next blast mid-air—
barely.
---
The Princess pushed forward—
Step—
Burn—
Step—
Burn—
Flames lashed across her legs, slowing her—
but she didn't stop.
Princess (through gritted teeth): "…I don't stop here…"
---
The creature pulsed violently—
its glow intensifying—
then—
a massive fireball formed.
Far bigger than before.
---
Marco (shouting): "MOVE—!!"
Too late.
---
BOOOOOOOOM—!!!
---
The explosion tore across the deck—
engulfing everything—
throwing them all back.
---
Silence.
Smoke filled the air.
Fire spread.
Broken wood everywhere.
---
Chris struggled to stand.
Guinevere pushed herself up slowly.
The Princess coughed—
barely conscious.
---
They failed.
Again.
---
The creature pulsed—
preparing another attack.
Guinevere (low): "…We can't win like this…"
---
Then—
The heat shifted.
---
John stepped forward.
Again.
Burned.
Bleeding.
But steady.
---
John: "…We're not done."
---
Red flames roared higher—
more unstable—
more dangerous.
---
John: "Open it."
Chris exhaled.
Chris: "…Fine."
Guinevere grinned—
blue flames igniting along her blade.
Guinevere: "Enough is enough."
---
They moved again.
More injured—
but sharper.
More desperate.
---
Chris took the first hit—
cut through it—
even as flames burned deeper into his arm.
Guinevere followed—
cleaner this time—
faster—
She carved through two blasts—
forced through a third—
screaming—
but pushing through.
---
Guinevere: "NOW!!"
---
They struck—
a brutal crossing slash—
tearing into the creature—
forcing it open—
just enough—
---
John moved.
The deck shattered beneath him.
He vanished—
---
Then appeared mid-air—
right in front of it.
---
His arm trembled violently.
His skin cracked—
burning from within.
Too much power.
But—
He swung.
---
A single—
absolute—
slash.
---
The world split.
A crimson line tore through the creature—
revealing—
the core.
---
John (shouting): "PRINCESS—!!"
---
She moved.
Even as her body screamed.
Even as she could barely stand.
She ran—
through the flames—
letting them burn her.
---
Green energy erupted around her.
The fire resisted—
then parted—
just enough.
---
She reached the core.
Her hands trembled.
Burned.
Barely holding her blade.
But her eyes—
steady.
---
"…Disappear."
---
She struck.
---
Silence—
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM—!!!
---
Light consumed everything.
The monster exploded.
A massive eruption tore through the storm—
The shockwave shattered the ship—
Splitting the deck—
Destroying everything—
---
And then—
The world fell.
---
Cold.
Darkness.
Silence.
---
The ocean swallowed them.
---
The Princess sank.
Her body heavy.
Her strength gone.
Burns stung in the freezing water.
Her vision blurred.
Princess: "…I…"
She couldn't move.
Couldn't rise.
---
Above—
faint light.
Too far.
---
Then—
A shape.
John.
Drifting.
Reaching.
---
Their eyes met.
No words.
---
They reached out—
slowly—
weakly—
until—
their fingers touched.
---
A soft grip.
Unsteady.
But real.
---
Her eyes widened—
then softened.
Even now—
he reached for her.
---
Her fingers tightened.
He pulled her closer—
wrapped an arm around her—
trying to rise—
even now—
---
But his strength failed.
His vision blurred.
Darkness closing in.
---
Still—
he didn't let go.
Neither did she.
---
Together—
they sank.
Deeper.
Slower.
---
The light faded above.
Darkness closed in.
---
But their hands—
never separated.
…CHAPTER 39 END…