“Hehehehe… Hahahahaha” The Constellation, Aries, suddenly burst out laughing.

His cackles resembled one of a person who had gone insane. The irritating sound echoed around them as he kept laughing as a result of Shamac’s words.

The shifter hybrid’s expression was stoic, calmly observing the Constellation’s crazed laughter. He waited for the man to be done with his display of madness before he made his move.

Aries’ laughter slowly receded, however, something else replaced them. 

Suddenly, the air became heavy and a deadly aura filled the atmosphere around the people present. Shamac looked around him, sensing the bloodlust that permeated the area.

The Constellation was plenty annoyed. 

“Oi, brat… You need to be taught some manners!” Aries finally spoke, his tone severely grave and filled with the drive to entirely obliterate Shamac.

~Are you sure you can win?~ Ruth’s voice suddenly interrupted Shamac’s thought process.

A wide grin formed on Shamc’s face as he narrowed his eyes to fully capture Aries’ disgusted expression.

~Of course… just watch!~

As soon as Shamac completed his thoughts, Aries made his move.

Swiftly snapping his fingers, whitish substances suddenly began manifesting in the air.

Shamac narrows his eyes to analyze the properties of the converging white smoke that gathered at an alarming rate. Before he knew it, a large fog enveloped the area, surrounding him and at the same time trapping him within the thick layer of white smoke.

“This is a barrier I’ve created. No one may interfere with our fight, and it certainly makes it easier for me to deal with you without garnering any attention.” Aries’voice echoed around the fog.

“Now then… Die!”

Instantly, multiple sharp edges appeared from the smoke, all colored white. They all flew in Shamc’s direction, aiming to impale him from head to bottom.

As Shamac saw the countless blades near him, he knew that he had to act quickly as well.

>SWOOOOSH< 

In an instant, black matter covered his body and he was shrouded in his shadow regalia, a cloak he developed specifically for offense and defense.

Now clad in his dark robe, he launched several spikes from the covering, clashing with the blades that surrounded him.

While he saw nothing but endless white smoke and the blades surrounding him, he refused to believe for a second that Aries was nowhere near him.

As soon as he let his guard down, the opponent was sure to use that opportunity to strike.

>CLANG< >CLANG< >CLANG<

Sparks danced in the air as his dark blades parried the whooshing blades that seemed to never end.

‘The fog seems to be producing them in mass. That means, no matter how many I destroy or parry, they’ll keep coming…’ Shamac thought to himself as his brain went into overdrive.

“Then all I have to do is get rid of the smoke!” He mumbled.

Retracting all the spikes he had brought from his shadow clothing, Shamac suddenly covered himself in a dark sphere.

The sphere acted like a dome and suddenly grew in size until it became a huge mass of shadow.

The large orb swiftly began to spin, causing a small twister around it as black cackles of energy formed on the surface of the shadow. The more it rotated, the greater the power the orb generated.

>ZTTTTTTTZZZZZZ<

Buzzing sounds emanated from the orb as purple-black energy surged at an alarming rate… until finally, the dark sphere exploded, sending the waves of destruction in all directions in a massive burst.

>BOOOOOMM!!!<

The dark shadows erupted, like an explosive blast, blowing away the smoke that surrounded him to a considerable length, giving him more space than earlier.

However… the bothersome clouds refused to dissipate entirely.

With the dark orb dissipated, Shamac appeared and looked around him in disappointment. The blast wasn’t enough to drive the white smoke away.

‘Tch!’ He silently clicked his tongue.

“Well, if that won’t do the trick… then how about this-” 

“That’s enough!” Aries’s voice sounded, interrupting Shamac’s deliberation.

Hearing the voice of the opponent, Shamac stiffened, darting his eyes in all directions to pinpoint the location of the Constellation.

However, before Shamac reacted, Aries appeared in front of him with a grin.

“So this is the little measure of power you have… disappointing…” 

In a flash, Aries generated a white blade from the remnant of white smoke in the area and impaled Shamac’s body with it.

“Guarkkkk!” The young hybrid yelled, spitting out blood as he looked at his opponent in shock.

The large hole the Constellation made was directly in Shamac’s heart, puncturing the internal organ as it ruptured.

Shamac’s expression darkened in pain as his face grew pale. Blood gushed from his body and fell on the ground in little splashes.

Aries found the sight amusing as he twisted his blade within Shamac, causing him even greater agony.

Unable to bear it any longer, Shamac instantly summoned dark shadows from himself to assault Aries, however…

“How vulgar!” The Constellation muttered, waving off the large spikes with a sleight of hand.

Before they could reach him, more white smoke appeared, instantly cutting the shadows off. As if that wasn’t enough, Aries caused more blades to appear.

Shaped like daggers, these white objects drove themselves into Shamac’s already injured body, making him scream out.

“Gahhh, arhhh!” He made hurting noises, trying to free himself from the initial blade that poked into his body.

“Oh, I’m not done with you…” Aries grinned sadistically, drawing his face closer to Shamac.

“I’m going to enjoy breaking you… bit by bit!”

Shamac attempted to speak, but more blood gushed out of his mouth, making him shudder.

“Is… Is that what…” His voice drowsily made its way to Aries’ ear.

“Don’t bother. Your heart has been pierced, it’s a miracle you’re still alive, and that’s because I haven’t pulled my blade out. If you really wish to die, keep talking!” Aries responded, not patient enough to decipher what the young boy was trying to say.

Looking around him, Aries smiled as he spotted Ruth standing beyond the white fog, waiting for her partner to emerge victoriously.

“Hahaha, your friend is waiting for you. Too bad…” Aries grinned, enjoying the view of Shamac’s beaten-up body.

“Once I’m done here, I’ll be sure to enjoy mutilating her. Since I only need one of the two of you, I’ll have to kill you. It’s a shame, you won’t get to see your partner suffer the same fate.”