Chương 87: "The Wrath of Raja: Magic Unleashed Against Arlong’s Crew"

Raja faced off against the remaining ranks of the Fishman pirates, each one more brutish and arrogant than the last. The cannon fodder snickered and jeered, convinced that a single human with "fancy tricks" was no match for their raw strength.

Raja adjusted his stance, a calm but fierce gleam in his eye as he raised his hands. "Alright, fish sticks," he called, his voice carrying a quiet confidence that made a few of the Fishmen falter, "time for a little magic show."

One of the Fishmen lunged forward with a massive club, roaring, "Magic tricks won't save you!" But before he could close the distance, Raja flicked his wrist.

"Magic-Magic: Gale Force!"

A sudden gust of wind, as sharp as blades, tore through the air, spiraling toward the Fishman. He froze, momentarily disoriented as the wind tore his club from his hands, slicing through it cleanly. Raja waved his hand, and the wind intensified, lifting the Fishman off his feet and sending him crashing into three of his comrades behind him.

"Next," Raja said, his tone taunting but cool.

Two more Fishmen charged, one brandishing a spear and the other a long, wickedly curved sword. Raja dodged the spear, sidestepping with a graceful ease. He raised his hand, and his fingers crackled with energy.

"Magic-Magic: Thunder Strike!"

From his palm shot a bolt of blue lightning that split into twin arcs, each bolt homing in on one of the attacking Fishmen. The crackling lightning struck with deadly precision, sending them both convulsing as they dropped their weapons. The smell of ozone filled the air as they fell to the ground, twitching.

One of the larger Fishmen, a towering brute with fists the size of hammers, let out a bellow and barreled toward Raja. He swung his arm down, hoping to crush Raja beneath it.

"Too slow," Raja said, leaping back effortlessly. With a twist of his hand, he shouted, "Magic-Magic: Earth Spikes!"

The ground beneath the charging Fishman rumbled and suddenly shot up jagged earthen spikes. The Fishman stumbled forward, his leg impaled by a sharp stone spike, forcing him to his knees with a roar of pain. Raja didn't give him a chance to recover. He flicked his wand, and the earth spikes shattered, sending the brute sprawling back, his legs cut and bleeding.

"Not so tough when the ground fights back, huh?" Raja taunted, dusting off his hands.

Realizing that one-on-one attacks weren't going to work, the rest of the Fishmen regrouped, forming a circle around Raja. They sneered, each one brandishing a different weapon, their eyes full of malice and determination.

Raja grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Alright, if you insist on coming all at once... I've got just the thing for you."

He raised his arms and shouted, "Magic-Magic: Firestorm!"

From his hands erupted spiraling flames, twisting and dancing as they grew into a blazing inferno. The firestorm split into multiple fiery orbs, each one targeting a different Fishman. The Fishmen panicked, their confident expressions replaced with terror as they scrambled to escape the deadly flames. But Raja was in control, each fireball following its target with unrelenting precision.

The fiery orbs exploded upon impact, engulfing each Fishman in a burst of magical flames that burned without leaving a single mark on the surrounding structures. Screams filled the air as the Fishmen tried in vain to extinguish the magic flames, stumbling around until they collapsed, defeated.

Raja smirked, satisfied. "Who's next?"

A remaining group of Fishmen, the last few standing, looked at each other, fear evident in their eyes. One of them, clutching a pair of throwing knives, took a desperate stance. "You… You're nothing! Just a human freak with flashy tricks!"

Raja chuckled. "Flashy, you say? Let's see how you handle this one, Magic-Magic: Illusion Mirage!"

The world around them seemed to distort, reality twisting and bending as clones of Raja materialized, surrounding the Fishmen from all sides. Each clone grinned, raising an arm, ready to strike.

The Fishmen, confused and terrified, swung their weapons wildly, trying to fend off the advancing illusions. But each attack hit nothing but air as the clones shifted, flickered, and multiplied, creating a dizzying maze of identical Rajas.

One Fishman yelled in frustration, "Where is he? Where's the real one?!"

Suddenly, the clones all spoke in unison, their voices echoing ominously. "I'm everywhere… and nowhere." The words hung in the air, a taunting whisper that sent shivers down their spines.

In a flash, Raja dropped the illusion, standing behind the group with his hand raised. "Magic-Magic: Gravity Well!"

A powerful force crashed down upon the Fishmen, pinning them to the ground. They gasped for breath, unable to move as the gravity spell intensified, crushing them into submission. With a final flourish, Raja snapped his fingers, releasing the spell. The Fishmen, now completely defeated, lay motionless, groaning in pain.

Raja looked around, surveying the battlefield. Every Fishman pirate lay scattered across Arlong Park, defeated by his magic. He straightened his suit, adjusting the collar with a smug smile put hand on Hat.

"Now," he said, turning to the stunned crowd of villagers and the crew, "anyone else up for a magic show?"

A murmur of amazement swept through the crowd as they stared, wide-eyed, at Raja. He simply shrugged, glancing at his friends with a grin.