Chapter 3: The Crimson Awakening

The battle raged on, but for Hazard Jinz, the world had narrowed to a single, horrifying sight—Crocon, his trusted companion, lay motionless on the shattered deck, a deep wound splitting his armored hide. His golden eyes, once filled with primal fury, had gone still.

Across from him, Histran Fa'rull stood tall, his greatsword slick with fresh blood. The pirate hunter's face was unreadable, but the weight of his actions lingered in the air. The chaotic fighting around them blurred into the background as Jinz's breath came in ragged gasps.

Something inside him snapped.

A howl tore from his throat, raw and unrestrained. His body trembled, his muscles tightening, veins bulging beneath his rain-slicked skin. Then, fire. A searing heat surged through him, his flesh warping, reshaping. His fingers curled into claws, his spine stretched, his entire form erupting in crimson fur. His eyes blazed a deep, animalistic red.

Hazard Jinz was no longer just a man—he had become the Crimson Wolf.

With a feral growl, he lunged. Faster than he had ever moved before, he closed the distance between himself and Fa'rull in a blink. His clawed hand lashed out, the force alone sending a shockwave through the ship. Fa'rull barely managed to raise his sword in time, the impact sending him skidding across the deck, his boots scraping deep grooves into the wood.

The hunter exhaled sharply, shaking his hands to dull the sting of the impact. Jinz was no longer the same opponent—his movements were wilder, his speed untraceable, his strikes unpredictable. Fa'rull had faced countless pirates in his lifetime, but never had he fought someone whose very being exuded this level of raw, untamed rage.

Jinz landed a few feet away, his breath steaming in the cold rain. His crimson fur bristled, his claws flexing in anticipation. "You killed him," he snarled, his voice distorted by the transformation. "You took away the only thing in this world that was always by my side."

Fa'rull steadied his blade. "He was an obstacle."

A deep, guttural growl rose from Jinz's throat. Then, without another word, he disappeared from sight.

Fa'rull's instincts screamed at him. He turned just in time to see Jinz materializing mid-air, descending upon him with his claws bared. The hunter barely raised his sword in time, but the force of Jinz's slash sent a massive shockwave through the ship, splintering the deck beneath their feet.

Elsewhere on the Ship

Meanwhile, another clash reached its peak.

Horn Walchek and Mortis Klegg had fought tooth and nail, their weapons breaking against each other, their bodies battered and bruised. Blood ran down their arms, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.

They had pushed each other to the very edge, each strike fueled by nothing but sheer willpower.

Walchek swung his massive war axe, but Klegg ducked at the last second, countering with a spinning kick to the side of his head. Walchek staggered, but before Klegg could follow up, he twisted his body and slammed his shoulder into him, knocking them both to the ground.

For a long moment, neither moved.

Then, as if both understood the futility of continuing, they slowly stood, their gazes locking in mutual recognition. There would be no victor between them today. Both had given everything.

With a final, silent nod, they stepped back from each other, their battle ending in a draw.

Akehara vs. Em Sardyfor

Across the ship, Akehara and Em Sardyfor's battle had reached a boiling point. Akehara, his dual blades slick with rain and blood, panted heavily, eyes locked onto his opponent. Sardyfor's face was split in a wicked grin, his own cutlass glowing faintly as it crackled with energy.

"You're getting slow, Akehara," Sardyfor taunted, flicking his blade through the air. "Or maybe you just know this fight won't end in your favor."

Akehara didn't respond. Instead, he rushed forward, vanishing for an instant before reappearing behind Sardyfor. His blades cut the air, aiming for the kill, but Sardyfor spun at the last moment, their weapons clashing in a blinding spark of steel against steel.

Sardyfor laughed. "Better. But not good enough."

With a sudden burst of strength, he kicked Akehara square in the chest, sending him tumbling backward. Before Akehara could recover, Sardyfor was upon him, slashing down with his crackling blade. Akehara barely managed to roll aside, the cutlass carving into the deck where he had just been.

Both men stood again, circling each other.

"I'm not done yet," Akehara growled, gripping his swords tighter.

Sardyfor tilted his head, his grin widening. "Good. Because neither am I."

The Crimson Wolf's Hunt

But the true spectacle remained Hazard Jinz. His transformation was unstoppable, his rage uncontainable. He struck again, his claws raking across Fa'rull's sword, each attack growing stronger, faster, more unhinged. The pirate hunter, known for his calm precision, was being forced onto the defensive for the first time in the battle.

Lightning split the sky above, illuminating the monstrous form Jinz had taken, his crimson fur rippling in the wind. Every muscle in his body screamed for vengeance, for blood. He no longer cared about honor, or reason—only retribution.

Fa'rull gritted his teeth as he blocked another devastating claw strike, his arms going numb from the force. He had fought beasts before, but never had he faced an opponent with both raw power and human intelligence. If he didn't end this soon, he wouldn't survive.

Jinz's claws slammed against Fa'rull's greatsword once more, sending sparks flying. The bounty hunter staggered, his stance weakening. He could feel the ship beneath them groaning, barely holding together after the sheer destruction this battle had caused.

Jinz let out another howl—louder, more primal. His fury shook the very air.

This was no longer a battle for survival.

This was a hunt.

And Fa'rull had become the prey.

Chapter 34: The Phantom of Time

The battlefield was a storm of chaos—blades clashing, bodies flying, blood soaking into the shattered wood of the ship. Hazard Jinz, still in his crimson wolf form, roared as he lunged at Histran Fa'rull once more, his razor-sharp claws tearing through the air with the intent to kill.

Akehara and Em Sardyfor's battle intensified, sparks flying as their swords met in rapid succession. Neither yielded, both warriors locked in a deadly dance of skill and endurance. Mortis Klegg and Horn Walchek, exhausted and wounded, stood at opposite ends of the ship, catching their breath after their inconclusive battle. The ship was barely holding together, its structure groaning under the pressure of the destruction unfolding across its deck.

And then—everything stopped.

A wave of unnatural silence swept across the battlefield. The wind ceased to howl, the rain froze in midair, droplets suspended like stars in the night sky. Every warrior felt an invisible force pressing down upon them, their movements locking in place as if the very fabric of time had unraveled.

A single, ominous figure approached from the horizon. A massive fleet followed behind him—dozens of towering battleships, their black sails carrying the insignia of the Marines. But it was not the fleet that struck fear into the hearts of those present.

It was him.

Fleet Admiral Karasu Valo.

The man known as the "Phantom of Time."

He walked calmly across the open sea as if the water itself bent to his will, his long Admiral's coat billowing behind him. His silver hair, tinged with streaks of black, shone under the frozen lightning that had been suspended in the sky. His eyes were cold and calculating, deep pools of ancient wisdom and relentless authority.

Hazard Jinz, his body still mid-leap toward Fa'rull, suddenly found himself unable to move. The rage in his transformed eyes flickered with confusion. He could feel his blood still burning, his mind still urging him forward, yet his body refused to obey.

Fa'rull, too, stood frozen, his greatsword inches away from deflecting Jinz's attack. His fingers twitched, his breath caught in his throat. It was as if reality itself had shattered, leaving everyone trapped in a moment outside of existence.

Akehara's grip on his swords remained firm, but his strikes had been interrupted mid-swing. He had fought countless enemies, but never had he felt something like this—an absolute stillness that defied the very laws of nature. Em Sardyfor, opposite him, barely blinked, his smirk faltering for the first time as he, too, realized he was powerless.

Karasu Valo exhaled softly, his presence alone sending a ripple through the suspended rain. His hands remained in his pockets as he walked toward the center of the battlefield, glancing around at the warriors before him.

"So much chaos," he mused, his voice calm yet carrying the weight of authority. "So much bloodshed… all leading to nothing."

The frozen combatants could only listen, helpless as the Fleet Admiral surveyed the scene like a god looking down upon mortals. His eyes lingered on Hazard Jinz, noting his crimson fur and beast-like transformation.

"A Zoan of rage," Valo murmured. "Fitting. But ultimately… futile."

Then, the air around him shimmered, distorted as if reality itself struggled to contain his presence. With a slow gesture, he lifted one hand and snapped his fingers.

Time resumed.

Jinz crashed to the ground, the momentum of his frozen attack sending him rolling across the shattered deck. Fa'rull stumbled back, barely regaining his footing. The suspended raindrops fell all at once, drenching everyone in an instant. The howling wind returned, and the ship creaked violently under the resumed battle's weight.

Yet no one moved.

No one dared.

Karasu Valo had arrived, and with him came the certainty of fate itself.

Everyone on that battlefield understood a single truth—

This war had just changed forever.