Laisa staggered to her feet, flames erupting from her body like a volcano ready to blow. Her clothes were scorched, her eyes wild.
"Let's end this, Lord Azreal!" she shouted, voice laced with pain and fury.
Azreal narrowed his eyes—and that's when he saw it. A glowing mark shimmered on her forehead.
"...So that's how you're still standing," he muttered.
From the sidelines, Sarah chuckled darkly.
"She's finally accepted the mark," she said. "Then I don't need to keep using my magic anymore."
With a flick of her fingers, the fiery threads connecting her to Laisa snapped and vanished.
"Flame Puppet Doll: Release."
Azreal's eyes widened.
"You were controlling her... Using a puppet technique? But how? You're just a system."
Sarah smiled slyly, tilting her head to the side. A dark red mark pulsed on her neck.
"I was marked too. So what of it? The power… it's incredible."
Azreal's gaze turned cold.
"Once I'm done with Laisa, you're next. Hang tight."
Sarah's smirk widened.
"Weren't you the one who said—never take your eyes off the enemy?"
WHAM!
Laisa lunged, fist aimed at Azreal's face.
Without even looking, he caught her hand behind him.
"Too slow."
He swung her effortlessly, sending her crashing into the ground. A cloud of ash burst up and slowly settled.
Still coughing, Laisa stood up again, body trembling.
"You're so uptight, Lord Azreal," she said, smiling through the pain. "But I'm not done yet!"
She dashed forward.
"Floral Dance!"
In a flash, her body and the air around her exploded into a whirlwind of petals—millions of them.
Azreal raised a hand.
"This trick again?"
He fired a wave of flame. But the petals split and spun around the fire, forming a swirling typhoon, lifting him into the air.
Her voice echoed through the storm.
"Burn in my flames!"
Azreal sighed.
"I know now… This isn't your will. You're being used. So I won't kill you…"
He snapped his fingers.
"But I won't hold back, either."
Blue flames burst from his body, engulfing the typhoon.
Laisa screamed as the heat tore through her petals. She shot out, falling back, scorched and smoking.
"Blue flames?!" she gasped.
Azreal's eyes locked onto her.
"Found you."
She turned to run, but Azreal was already there—SLAP!
She hit the ground hard, petals scattering as he slowly descended.
As he walked toward her, her body shimmered—then vanished into petals.
"A clone?" Azreal muttered.
He looked up. One last burning petal floated down. His eyes widened.
"You let yourself get burned… to escape."
From the ashes, Laisa reformed—her body raw and burned. But before his eyes, her skin peeled and regenerated.
"She healed herself?"
Sarah laughed.
"That's the power of the mark… Though to you, it looks like healing."
Under her breath, she added,
"But she's barely holding on. One more hit like that and she's finished."
Azreal clenched his fist.
"I'll wipe that cursed mark off you myself."
Laisa smiled, panting.
"Instead of worrying about me…"
She pointed beneath him.
"You should worry about yourself."
CRACK!
The ground split beneath Azreal's feet—fiery petals glowing below.
He looked up and saw Sarah floating beside Laisa, both standing on petals.
"She baited me to land here… the clone was a distraction," he realized.
Before he could escape—BOOM!
The ground exploded, engulfing him in a massive blast.
Sarah exhaled.
"It's over."
Laisa collapsed beside her.
"Yeah… he's done."
"Who's done?"
A voice behind them.
Both froze.
Azreal stood, untouched, his hand glowing with flame.
"No... way," Laisa gasped.
FWOOOSH!
Twin blasts of flame hit them hard, sending them flying.
Burned and coughing, they hit the dirt. Azreal landed gently, walking slowly toward them.
Laisa stood—barely.
"I won't give up!"
She charged.
Azreal caught her by the throat and slammed her down. The ground cracked. She coughed blood.
He turned his glowing eyes to Sarah.
"Next."
Sarah got up, brushing ash off her body.
"You really had me for a second there, Lord Azreal," she said with a grin.
She glanced at Laisa's limp form.
"Guess she couldn't finish the job after all… So I'll do it myself."
Flames danced around her fingers.
"Flame Puppet Manipulation!"
Threads of fire shot toward Azreal. He dodged with ease.
"That won't work."
But then he heard a sound—crack… crack…
He turned. The Infernals were shaking violently.
Threads connected to them—controlled by Sarah.
"I wasn't aiming for you," she whispered.
The Infernals surged forward.
Azreal summoned a flamy blade, slicing through them. They dropped… only to stand again, threads pulling their bodies back together.
"These are my indestructible warriors," Sarah laughed.
They rushed again, this time with weapons. Azreal growled.
"Then I'll deal with the controller directly."
He vanished—FLASH—and reappeared in front of Sarah.
SHING!
With one slash, she turned to ashes.
But then her voice echoed, all around him.
"Rule one of a puppet master… never let the enemy know where the real one is."
Dozens of Infernals rose from the ground—eyes glowing, bodies twitching, threads wrapped around every limb.
Sarah's voice echoed louder now.
"Now then… Let's begin the Hell's Puppet Show."