Chapter 46: The Flames Of Chaos
Madagascar's Mission
Two demon monkeys perched atop Madagascar's massive shoulders as he tore through the city streets, each bound to him like extensions of his will. They screeched and howled, their sharp eyes scanning the destruction as explosions painted the city in orange and crimson hues. Flames climbed skyward from burning buildings, and the air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke and chaos.
Madagascar's gaze shifted, his golden eyes narrowing as he scanned the area. From his vantage point, the King's Palace stood in the distance—a bastion of order amidst the chaos. The towering spires glimmered faintly in the distorted sunlight, but its splendor was threatened.
"Protect the palace," where his orders,Madagascar muttered, his voice a deep, guttural growl. His words carried a chilling weight as though spoken with absolute finality. His feet slammed into the cobblestones, leaving cracks in his wake. Each stride brought him closer to his destination as the monkeys on his shoulders chittered with anticipation.
"Whoever dares to approach… will regret it," he growled, his voice a low rumble that seemed to make the air itself shiver.
Jingwei vs. Shade and Viper
Not far away, Jingwei faced Shade and Viper in a tense standoff atop a crumbling rooftop. Smoke curled into the air around them, ash drifting lazily on the wind.
Shade grinned darkly, his twin venomous daggers glinting in the dim light. The blades dripped with a greenish liquid that sizzled ominously as droplets splattered onto the ground. Where the venom touched, the stone decayed instantly, leaving behind pits of blackened rot.
Jingwei's sharp eyes caught every detail. "Venom… potent enough to decay stone," he murmured to himself, adjusting his stance. His gaze flicked to Viper, who raised his sleek firearm and fired a single, precise shot.
The bullet landed just in front of Jingwei, exploding into a cloud of shrapnel and smoke. Jingwei leaped back instinctively, using his Flash Step to gain distance. But as he moved, Shade surged forward, his body dissolving momentarily into a faint wisp of smoke before reappearing directly in front of Jingwei.
Shade lashed out with his daggers, slashing in a rapid, unpredictable pattern. Jingwei moved to evade, each step a calculated dodge. The tips of the daggers came dangerously close, the venom hissing as it evaporated in the heat of Jingwei's movements.
Shade's strikes came faster, a whirlwind of poison and steel. Jingwei narrowly blocked one strike with the bracer on his arm, deflecting the blade's edge away from his chest. The impact sent a small burst of venom splattering against a nearby wall, which instantly began to crumble.
"Your agility's impressive," Shade sneered, his voice cold. "But how long can you dance before the poison takes hold?"
Jingwei didn't reply, instead countering with a sweeping kick aimed at Shade's midsection. Shade twisted midair, avoiding the blow and slashing downward with one of his daggers. Jingwei ducked and retaliated with an upward strike, his elbow connecting with Shade's chin, sending him reeling backward.
Shade recovered quickly, spinning with a flourish as he brought both daggers down in a crisscross slash. Jingwei sidestepped one blade and parried the other with his forearm, twisting to deliver a sharp knee to Shade's ribs. The force knocked Shade off balance, and Jingwei followed up with a palm strike to Shade's chest, sending him skidding back several feet.
Breathing heavily, Shade's grin widened. He spun his daggers in his hands, flicking more venom onto the ground around him. "You're quick, Commander," he said mockingly. "But let's see if you can handle this."
Shade lunged forward again, his movements a blur as he unleashed a relentless assault. Jingwei deflected and dodged, his All-Seeing ability illuminating each strike before it landed. Shade aimed low, forcing Jingwei to pivot; then he slashed high, pushing Jingwei to parry. The venom from the daggers hissed and spat, inches away from Jingwei's skin.
Finally, Jingwei saw an opening. Shade overextended on a downward strike, and Jingwei seized the moment. With a burst of speed, he stepped inside Shade's guard and delivered a spinning kick to his wrist, disarming one of the daggers. The weapon clattered to the ground, venom pooling around it.
Shade snarled, swinging his remaining dagger in a wide arc. Jingwei ducked, grabbed Shade's wrist, and twisted it sharply. The dagger fell from Shade's grasp, and Jingwei followed up with a powerful punch to Shade's stomach, sending him crashing to the rooftop.
Jingwei exhaled, his stance relaxing slightly. "It's over," he said firmly, stepping toward the fallen Shade. But as he reached down to secure him, Shade smirked, revealing bloodstained teeth.
In a flash, Shade twisted his body, pulling a concealed dagger from his boot. Before Jingwei could react, Shade slashed upward, the blade carving a deep gash across Jingwei's arm.
Pain flared instantly as the venom seeped into his bloodstream. Jingwei staggered back, clutching his arm as the wound pulsed with an unnatural heat. Shade laughed hoarsely, wiping blood from his mouth as he stood.
"Poisoned," Shade hissed. "Let's see how long you can hold out now."
Jingwei's vision blurred briefly, but his resolve hardened. "You'll find I'm not so easily defeated," he said through gritted teeth. Ignoring the searing pain, he raised his uninjured arm and summoned the energy to strike again.
Shade, sensing he was at a disadvantage, vanished into the void once more, leaving only a faint wisp of smoke behind.
Jingwei stood alone on the rooftop, breathing heavily, his wounded arm hanging at his side. The city's alarm bells rang out in the distance, signaling the ongoing chaos. Clenching his jaw, Jingwei turned his gaze toward the horizon, his determination unshaken despite the venom coursing through his veins.
The battle was far from over.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone