Hanafuda barely had time to react before Jacob was on him again, his attacks relentless and precise. The Fire King moved like a force of nature—his fists and feet wreathed in blue flames, each strike carrying explosive force. The heat made the air shimmer, distorting Hanafuda's vision as he struggled to predict the next move.
A flaming kick came from the left—Hanafuda barely blocked it with his armored forearm, but the impact still sent vibrations through his exoskeleton. Before he could counter, Jacob twisted mid-air and delivered another kick from the right, forcing him further on the defensive.
The kid was fast. Too fast.
Hanafuda's frustration boiled over. He needed space.
Taking a calculated risk, he timed his counter perfectly. As Jacob lunged forward with another fire-imbued punch, Hanafuda feinted a dodge—then struck.
His armored fist slammed into Jacob's torso, enhanced with Armament Haki and the raw strength of his prehistoric hybrid form. The impact sent Jacob skidding backward, his boots carving deep trenches into the forest floor as he fought to regain balance.
For a brief moment, there was silence. Hanafuda exhaled, standing tall as he prepared to press his advantage—
Then he saw it.
Jacob's chest swelled. His flames flickered unnaturally, shifting from their usual blue to something brighter.
No—!
Before Hanafuda could react, Jacob exhaled.
A massive breath of fire erupted from his mouth, but this wasn't an ordinary flame. The sheer heat was unnatural, condensing into something white-hot—plasma. The wave of destruction roared forward, devouring everything in its path.
The jungle was illuminated as if a second sun had been born. The intense light cast long shadows, and the force behind the attack created shockwaves that sent debris flying in every direction.
Hanafuda barely had time to brace himself before the plasma breath hit.
An instant later, he was airborne—launched deep into the forest, crashing through trees and vegetation like a meteor. The impact sent tremors through the island, toppling smaller trees and leaving a charred trail in his wake.
The dust settled, and Jacob exhaled slowly, his body glowing faintly from the energy he had just unleashed. He rolled his shoulders, taking a step forward.
***
Alvida's fingers trembled slightly as she crushed the herbs in the infirmary's mortar. The scent of medicinal leaves filled the room, but she barely noticed. Her mind was elsewhere—drenched in rage, tangled in the memories of him.
Hanafuda. The man who started it all. The man who ordered his men to capture her tortured her and brutally raped her for days.
Her grip tightened around the pestle. Even now, the mere thought of that scene made her skin crawl. She knew she was unstable and wasn't reasoning, but none mattered. What mattered was revenge.
The Embercloud trembled slightly as another distant impact shook the jungle below. The battle had begun.
Alvida shifted her fingers subtly, forming a small reflective portal on the polished metal of a nearby surgical tray. She peeked inside, her eyes darting through its limited view of Little Garden. The problem was obvious—the island was primitive. There are too few reflective surfaces. There is no glass, no mirrors, only still water. That meant her teleportation range was limited.
But that wouldn't stop her.
She inhaled, forcing her expression into something calm, and pretended to stretch. "I need some air, Doc," she muttered, setting the herbs aside.
Kaya, who had been meticulously sorting bandages, glanced up. "Huh? Alvida, are you okay?"
Alvida ignored her. She stepped toward the door, her movements steady and controlled. The moment she was outside tough, she moved. She ran.
While running, she activated her power, vanishing into the nearest reflective surface she could find—and then she appeared on one of the metal bolts lining the fortress's hull. The transition was instant. She felt herself pulled through and appeared, standing on the bolts; she then launched herself toward the jungle like a shooting star.
The moment she hit the ground, she ran.
Crack! Branches snapped underfoot as she sprinted through the dense foliage, her breath coming in ragged bursts. Behind her, she heard a distant, panicked voice—Kaya's.
"Alvida! Stop!"
But there was no stopping. Not now.
Alvida's rage burned too fiercely.
She wasn't thinking of the dangers. She wasn't thinking of the battle already raging between Jacob and Hanafuda.
She was thinking of revenge.
***
Conis wiped her hands on her apron as she set aside the neatly chopped seasonings. The scent of fresh herbs filled the Embercloud's kitchen, blending with the lingering warmth of the ship's interior. She wasn't the best cook, but only she, Nojiko, and Nami could make decent meals among the crew.
Jacob, Carina, and Kuina had some kitchen skills, but their food was always plain. There were no spices, no creativity—whatever would keep them from starving. That meant the real burden of feeding the crew fell on Nojiko and herself.
As she prepared the next ingredient, Nojiko stormed in, tossing an empty sack onto the counter.
"We're running low on everything," Nojiko grumbled. "We need more meat, vegetables, and fruit. If we stay here too long, we must start rationing."
Conis hummed in thought, tapping a finger against her chin. "Well, there is an island right beneath us. That place should be full of edible meat."
Nojiko sighed. "Yeah, but someone has to go and get it."
"I'll find Desire," Conis offered, untying her apron. "She should be able to handle the hunting with her fruit abilities."
Nojiko nodded, rubbing her forehead. "Good idea. Just be quick about it. We don't know how long we'll be here."
Conis gave a small smile before stepping out of the kitchen. As she made her way through the corridors of the Embercloud, she enjoyed the moment of peace—at least, until she heard a commotion outside.
The distant sound of shouting.
She recognized the voice instantly. Kaya?
Her instincts kicked in. Without hesitation, she activated her devil fruit, and six pairs of glowing wings unfurled from her back. The pure white feathers shimmered in the sunlight as she took off, soaring effortlessly through the sky.
In seconds, she landed beside Kaya in the courtyard, the wind from her wings stirring the dust around them.
"Dr. Kaya? What's wrong?" Conis asked, her brows furrowing in concern.
Kaya was out of breath, her face pale with urgency. "Alvida—she ran off! She used her Kagami powers to teleport, and I think she's going after Hanafuda!"
Conis's eyes widened.
That wasn't good.
She was in grave danger if Alvida had gone off alone, fueled by her rage. And if Hanafuda wasn't already weakened from fighting Jacob…
But she wasn't a fighter; she was more of a support.