Just as Sailou finally reunited with the crew, the terrifying General Hinomo suddenly appeared.
"Sailou… let's finish our battle once and for all!" he growled.
His muscles were swollen, veins throbbing, drool slipping from his mouth as he stood in his beast-like form.
The crew stared in horror at Hinomo's unsightly appearance.
Sailou's first instinct was to escape.
However, one of his crew members—Juzio—had still not returned.
"We can't fight him, Captain!" Felo panicked.
"What's the plan, Sailou?!" Dendelon shouted.
Sailou's expression hardened.
"We have to leave now, Captain!" Djong shouted in fear.
"But Juzio is still out there!" Tuziku insisted.
Sailou clenched his fists.
"…I'll go and buy us some time until Juzio gets here."
"I'm coming with you!" Dendelon shouted.
"No!"
"You guys stay on the ship and prepare to leave as soon as Juzio gets here!" Sailou ordered.
"But what if he's dead?!" Djong snapped.
"Kill!!"
FWOOSH!
In that instant, the deranged General lifted a massive boulder and hurled it toward the Casoltins' ship with terrifying force.
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning struck instantly, completely incinerating the boulder mid-air.
"Everyone stay on board the ship!"
Sailou leapt off toward the shore.
"Sailou!!" Tuziku shouted.
"You've been a real pain in the ass lately, Hinomo!" Sailou's expression burned with rage.
"GAARRRGHHHHH!!"
Hinomo roared, his voice shaking the very shore itself.
He's completely lost his mind…!
I have to stop him right here and now!
Sailou raised his arms toward the heavens.
Rrrrmmmmm…!
GRRRRMMMMM…!
The clouds above turned pitch black as thunder rumbled violently.
"That… looks strong…!!" Hinomo growled, grinning.
Suddenly—
FWOOSH!
Sailou vanished.
Hinomo's eyes narrowed. "Hrmmm…?"
Then—
Sailou reappeared behind him and gently tapped his shoulder.
"FATAL…"
"…STRIKE!!!"
KRRRRRRAAAACK—BOOOOOOM!!!
FWOOOOOSH—RRRRRUMBLE!!
A colossal bolt of lightning crashed down, engulfing both Hinomo and Sailou.
The impact forced the Casoltins' ship to drift away from the shore.
The ground collapsed inward, forming a massive crater as waves surged violently.
Dark smoke swallowed the battlefield.
Aboard the ship…
"Was that the Captain's attack…?" Felo mumbled.
Mika rushed out from below deck, where she had been treating Kutcher and Priora.
"What the hell is going on out—?!"
She froze as she saw the destruction.
"We have to leave now!" she shouted.
"We're buying time for Juzio to get here!"
Felo argued.
Mika stared toward the smoke, concern written all over her face.
"Guys! We're drifting away from the shore!" Dendelon shouted.
Djong leaned over the side of the ship.
"Juzio!!!"
Back on the shore…
Sailou stood, barely able to breathe.
"Surely… that attack did something…?" he gasped.
After using something that big… I need five minutes before I can use my ability again…
As the smoke slowly cleared—
Hinomo came into view.
Still standing.
"…No way…!" Sailou whispered, his voice breaking.
What he saw next would be burned into his memory forever.
General Hinomo stood upright, his body battered and bruised—yet grinning.
"Strong… but not strong enough!!" he growled.
Sailou's composure began to crack.
How is he still standing…? Let alone conscious after that?!
Sailou dashed backward, trying to create distance—
But before he could react—
THOOOOM!!!
Hinomo appeared instantly, his massive fist slamming into Sailou and sending him flying across the shore.
"GAARRRRGHH!!"
"Captain!!" they shouted from the distance.
BAM…! THUD!
Sailou crashed into the ground.
"Aughhh!!"
My right arm…!
I can't move it at all!
In that split second, Sailou had instinctively tried to block the attack—
But the sheer force crushed his arm completely.
Juzio… where the hell are you?!
At that exact moment—
The flames finally reached the shore.
Hinomo glanced toward them.
"Hrmmm…"
Aboard the ship…
"Guys, look!" Felo pointed.
"The forest is… on fire…" Tuziku muttered.
"Then Juzio—?!" Djong shouted.
"Did he take the General down with him?" Dendelon questioned.
Just then—
A figure emerged from the flames.
Slow.
Unbothered.
Walking straight toward the shore.
"Guys… someone's coming out of the fire!" Mika shouted.
The crew stared in silence as the figure stepped out of the blazing inferno.
"Yo… Hinomo."
General Ishimi.
Completely unscathed.
"Seems like you're really enjoying yourself, aren't you?"
"Ishi… mi…" Hinomo muttered in a broken tone.
Back on the ship…
"No… it can't be…" Mika whispered.
Tuziku's thoughts froze.
Wait… if he's alive…
Then—
"Guys… does this mean… Juzio is… dead?" Djong whispered.
CHAPTER 24 END