The air still trembled with the echo of the storm.
Lacolone stood where the Maze had fallen silent, scarlet ripples pulsing faintly around him. The calm storm was no longer only gold and crimson — hints of darker red glowed beneath his skin, the whisper of something ancient threading through his veins.
He closed his eyes and felt it.
> "A fraction of the King's power…" he murmured.
"Now mine."
When his hands opened, two blades materialized — one a sleek black-and-red katana that shimmered like liquid shadow, the other a jagged demonic sword bleeding faint scarlet light.
Kyra hovered beside him, arms crossed, smirking.
"New toys?" she teased. "Careful. You might break something… or someone."
Lacolone's grin was a quiet storm in itself. "Depends who volunteers."
---
Arrival of the Monster
The earth convulsed. A tremor rippled through what remained of the Maze's foundations, and in the distance, a titanic shadow rose against the fractured skyline.
From beneath the ruins of a shattered castle, a white monstrosity burst forth — a shark-like demon, its scales glimmering with silver malice. It opened its maw, a castle's worth of jagged teeth snapping at the air.
Lacolone sidestepped lazily as the ground split open beneath him.
> "Big teeth," he muttered, smirking. "Small manners."
Kyra rolled her eyes. "You always joke right before something explodes."
The shark roared, proving her right.
---
Gun Chooses the Hero
From the void beside him, another weapon shimmered into being — a gun, slick and obsidian, humming with the same scarlet resonance that pulsed through his aura.
Its voice was not spoken but felt, vibrating through his bones.
> "Chosen. Only you can wield me now."
Lacolone chuckled, spinning it once. "Well, you have exquisite taste."
Kyra floated closer, unimpressed. "You really pick the dramatic accessories, don't you?"
"Style," he replied, leveling the weapon at the beast, "is part of survival."
---
First Strike
Ten bullets erupted from the barrel in a streak of scarlet light.
They struck the shark's head — a perfect volley — but instead of piercing, they ricocheted off a pulsing soul-shield, each impact sparking futile fire.
The beast bellowed, unhurt.
Lacolone exhaled through his nose, frowning slightly.
> "Scarlet energy doesn't yield easily," he thought. "Even to me."
The shark lunged again.
---
Precision Over Power
He steadied his breath. One heartbeat. Two.
Three bullets fired — aligned perfectly.
The first two were decoys; the third slipped through the smallest ripple in the shield, piercing the shark's eye. A soundless explosion of pain and light followed.
The creature screamed, black blood raining down as its mind faltered.
Kyra's smile was pure mischief. "Well, look who's mastering subtlety."
He shrugged. "Precision tastes better than brute force."
---
Sword Dance
Without warning, Lacolone leapt — an elegant blur against the red horizon.
Both blades flashed. One dark, one scarlet.
The shark split cleanly in two, halves suspended midair as energy mist drifted like blood turned to silk.
He landed softly, the calm of a storm after destruction, wiping the blade against the earth.
> "Shark meat," he said with a grin. "Never tried it."
Kyra burst out laughing. "You're going to."
---
Soul-Controlled Cooking
Scarlet energy spiraled from his fingertips, wrapping around the massive halves of the beast. Fire and wind intertwined with impossible precision. Water condensed from the air, cooling the heat into a controlled simmer.
A faint aroma rose — demonic and divine.
Kyra floated closer, intrigued. "Mind if I join the meal?"
He offered her a plate conjured from flame and shadow.
"You more than welcome," he said quietly. "You saved me from myself, remember?"
She smiled — a light warmer than his storm.
---
Humor Sparks
Kyra took a cautious bite. Her eyes narrowed.
"Hmm… tastes like chaos and regret?"
Lacolone laughed, cutting another slice. "Perfect seasoning. Soul of the Scarlet King, pinch of apocalypse."
Kyra poked him with her fork. "You always take the dramatic route with dinner."
He winked. "And you love it."
---
Playful Banter
Kyra threw a small cooked piece at him.
Lacolone caught it midair, spun it once with his sword, and bit down without breaking eye contact.
"Careful, Kyra," he said. "This flavor bites back."
She laughed so hard she nearly dropped her plate.
"You're impossible."
> "Even in chaos," the narration whispered, "laughter binds the storm."
---
Scarlet Power Bonds
He leaned back, scarlet energy flickering like playful embers around him.
Kyra mirrored him, their auras dancing in rhythm — crimson and gold blending into a luminous heartbeat.
Their hands met mid-air.
> "We fight together," Lacolone said softly.
"We feast together. We survive together."
Kyra nodded. "Always."
---
Unexpected Aftertaste
Kyra tilted her head. "You realize you just chopped a castle-eating shark in half… and ate it?"
Lacolone grinned, licking his lip. "Tastes like victory. And maybe a little soul-control essence."
Kyra's laughter rang out, bright and unrestrained.
He chuckled. "Don't knock it till you try it."
---
Relaxed Tension
The battlefield lay still — ruins glowing gently, air heavy with cooked chaos.
Lacolone rested against a broken column, blades resting on his shoulders.
Kyra sat beside him, voice playful.
"Still planning world domination, or is cooking your new calling?"
He smirked. "Why not both?"
---
Scarlet Energy Play
Small motes of scarlet light orbited him — bits of the shark's energy sculpted into floating spheres.
He flicked his wrist; they spun in complex patterns.
Kyra grinned. "You're turning massacre into performance art."
He bowed slightly. "The calm storm enjoys theatrics."
> "Even in power," came the thought, "there is joy. Even in laughter, strategy."
---
Teasing Challenge
Kyra plucked one glowing shard from the air, holding it up.
"Bet you can't catch this."
He smirked, dashed forward — blade flashing. The shard split cleanly in two.
"Slow down, storm!" she shouted, laughing. "I'm supposed to taste it first!"
He smiled, breathing lightly. "Everything tastes better after a challenge."
---
Dramatic Pause
The ruins glowed with warm scarlet light, their laughter echoing softly between stones.
Lacolone leaned on his sword, weary but content.
Kyra sipped tea brewed from what he could only assume was distilled soul-light.
"You're insane," she said softly. "But I like it."
"And I like," he murmured, "that you survive my insanity."
---
Bond Moment
She rested her head on his shoulder.
Their hands found each other — no flame, no spark, just quiet warmth.
> "Through chaos," he whispered, "I find calm. Through you… I find home."
She smiled. "And I through you, storm and all."
---
Foreshadowing the New Threat
Far across the crimson sky, a faint ripple appeared — the laughter of the Scarlet King, distant yet growing closer.
Lacolone stood, calm, swords gleaming with restrained power.
Kyra rose beside him. "Trouble's always on schedule."
He smirked, eyes glinting with serenity and mischief.
"Then let's make the storm unforgettable."
---
Epilogue — Storm and Laughter
The ruins no longer reeked of death, but shimmered with strange harmony.
Scarlet and gold orbs drifted lazily around them — some shaped like little sharks, spinning in mock orbit.
Kyra laughed. "Next time, you cook."
Lacolone winked. "Deal."
> "Even amid Scarlet chaos," the narrator whispered,
"laughter, bonds, and storms endure."