*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Explosive sounds rung in a section of the capital. This area was covered with red and black flames, and was filled with craters. There were hardly any buildings left standing. As for those who lived here, they either evacuated or perished a long time ago.

*Bam!*

A black and white streak clashed against each other on the ground. This was obviously Miko and Darius.

*Bam!*

Darius leaped back to avoid and wave of black flames. He then moved like a jet avoiding bolts of black lightning that were being hurled at him. He moved in a zig zag motion while gathering and compressing flames in his palm. He jumped back and pointed his palm at the source of the lightning.

*Bam!*

A giant beam ripped through the air, and scorched the already ashy ground, while heading towards Miko.

“Ah!”

Miko, whose body was covered with black electric sparks, threw a punch at the beam.

*Bam!*

He forcefully deflected it with the punch, and charged at Darius forming several dark beasts behind him.

“Black Horde!”

With him at the front, a horde of monsters charged at Darius.

“Heh.”

Darius formed two light swords and charged towards the horde. He jumped and kicked a beast away, before spinning in a full circle. The blades extended and sliced through the horde of dark beasts like a blade cutting grass.

Miko who had stooped under the blades, entered his range and hit him with a palm strike.

“Black Pulse!”

*Bam!*

A wave of static burst into Darius body and blew him back.

“Ugh?!”

Miko pounced at him, and transformed his hand into a black claw. He swung it down to rip Darius into shreds, but dozens of orbs blocked his attack. The orbs then fired powerful beams which hit Miko and forced him away from Darius.

“Tsk! His reactions are improving.”

Darius cursed when he saw that Miko had erected a dark barrier to block most of the beams.

“Then how about this?!”

He stomped the ground and caused it to illuminate.

“Detonation Step!”

*Bam!*

The ground exploded and wave of flames devoured Miko in an instant. Darius kicked away a dark spear that was thrown at him. He looked at the burning field and saw Miko breathing heavily, while covered in burns.

“Giving in already?”

He asked.

“Not a chance.”

Miko clasped his hands together and immense darkness started leaking from his body. The darkness started compressing together and formed a giant warrior carrying a glaive.

“Dark Minion: Soldier.”

The warrior started approaching Darius with small steps before breaking out into a run.

“Damn it….I’m getting really tired here!”

He ran towards the warrior and jumped into the air, aiming a flying kick at him. The warrior swung its glaive, and it clashed with the kick; resulting in powerful shockwaves spreading through the area.

He leaped back and the warrior swung its glaive at him, which he jumped over. He then ran on the glaive and kicked the warrior’s head straight off. That’s when Miko appeared behind him swinging his dark claw.

“You seriously didn’t think that I would fall for that, right?”

He spun around hit Miko with a palm strike. The palm deflected the claw, leaving Miko wide open. Darius struck him with his other palm.

*Bam!*

A laser pierced through Miko’s shoulder.

“Heh.”

But he didn’t seem to care and held onto Darius’ arm. That’s when the warrior that had its head kicked off, stood up and swung his glaive. The glaive hit the both of them and forced them away to the side.

Darius fell to the ground, while Miko landed on his feet. At his sides were a group of arms, which were all crossed to protect Miko’s side from the attack earlier.

“Cough!”

He fell to his knees and started coughing. The blow was more powerful than he had anticipated.

“I seriously need to master this form. I wouldn’t have mistakenly used too much force just now if I did.”

“Is that so?”

He saw a pair of feet at the ground, while his head was down. He looked up and saw Darius smiling at him with his body covered with the Flameheart markings.

“Sounds pretty tough!”

He kicked Miko under the chin and sent his body flying through the air. Darius leaped into the air, with his legs glowing. He swung his leg like a whip, but it missed Miko, who had quickly formed extra arms and made them pull him out of the way by grabbing onto rubble.

“Your reactions are as fast as always!”

Darius lifted his leg overhead, and it started glowing and he swung it down like a guillotine. A giant sickle of light cut through the air and ground and charged at Miko, who moved out of the way to avoid it.

Darius lifted his leg again, but this time pointed it towards Miko. He started thrusting his foot over and over again at a fast rate. As a result, lasers bullets were fired at Miko.

Miko started running to avoided them, but Darius actually turned his body while only on one foot, and continued thrusting his other foot. It was like his leg was a Gatling gun firing lasers.

“Shit! I’m running out of power here. I can’t even fly anymore.”

Miko suddenly stopped and faced the laser bullets.

“I guess this no time to care about limits!”

He thrust both hands in front of him, and a powerful wave of darkness rushed forth and absorbed the lasers while pushing everything away.

“Shit!”

Darius stood firmly on the ground and pushed his palms in front of him. He stopped the wave, but for only a second. The wave pushed him back while flattening everything it came in contact with. It was like a bulldozer. The wave eventually died out after pushing everything back.

“Hah~! Hah~! Hah~!”

Miko breathing became heavier, his vision as started to fade, and his body started trembling. However, despite this he didn’t look like he was ready to give in.

“Seriously, where do you get this strength from?”

Darius said while walking towards him. The markings on his body were glowing much brighter than before.

“Gramps was right, that ability of you Flamehearts are a real pain in the ass to deal with.”

Miko stood up straight and calmed his breathing.

“However, even it has its limit right? I mean you only have that much life energy.”

“You’re right. I don’t have any mana left to make any complicated attacks.”

Miko started walking towards him.

“What a coincidence. Me neither.”

“I guess there’s only one thing left to do.”

“We settle this the old fashion way.”

The two stood directly in front of each other.

“The first one to drop dead wins!”

*Bam!*

They punched each other in the face at same time. Their heads were forced to turn from the impact of the punches, but neither took a step back.

“Oh!”

Miko hit Darius with an uppercut, which made him take a step back. Darius slammed his leg on Miko’s side.

“Argh!”

Miko clenched his teeth, took a step forward, and hit Darius with a body blow. Darius replied with an elbow to the side of his head, he then hit him with a right hook. Miko stumbled back, and Darius chased after him with another hook. Miko ducked under it and tackled him.

“Ohh!”

He then lifted Darius off the ground and slammed him on his back.

“Guh?!”

Darius felt like the wind was hit out of him. Miko saddled him and started slamming his fists on Darius’ face.

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

The sounds of his fist hitting Darius’ flesh echoed throughout the area.

*Bam!*

Darius punched him in throat, causing him to start gasping for air.

“Ah!”

Darius then raised up and headbutt Miko and burst his nose. He then punched him on the side of the head, and forced him off him.

“Hah~! Hah~!”

Darius struggled to his feet gasping for air. He started walking clumsily towards Miko. He stood in front of him.

“!”

That’s when Miko suddenly came to life and swept him off his feet with a kick.

“Ugh?!”

Darius fell on his side and groaned in pain.

“Ah!”

*Bam!*

Miko, who got to his feet, kicked him off the ground, causing his body bounce away. Miko started chasing after him with unsteady steps and a blurry vision. His blood was flowing down his face and even got into his eyes.

“?!”

He looked ahead and saw Darius struggling to his feet.

“Grr!”

He clenched his teeth and started running towards him. He jumped and hit Darius with a flying kick to the chest. Darius was forced to the ground again, but he quickly started getting back up again.

“Drop dead already!”

Miko pounced at him with a punch.

*Bam!*

Darius suddenly sprang to his feet and slammed his fist in the center of Miko’s chest.

“Guh?!”

Miko coughed up a mouthful of blood.

“Not yet! You’re still not there!”

Darius roared and grabbed Miko’s arm and threw him to the ground. He stepped back and gave Miko sometime to get up. Miko struggled to get on all fours, and was trying to get up.

*Bam!*

That’s when Darius ran up and punt him in the head. He fell back down laid out on the ground.

“Hah~! Hah~! Hah~!”

Darius stood there breathing heavily while bleeding from his numerous wounds.

“Get up! We’re not done yet!”

He shouted. Maybe because he used too much energy, he felt dizzy after shouting.

“Ugh….”

Miko once again started struggling to get up.

“T-This is nothing….”

He slowly stood up, but immediately started stumbling. He clenched his teeth and held his ground.

“I won’t lose!”

He dashed forward and threw a punch with all of his strength. Darius smirked and threw a punch at the same time. Their fist past the other’s and slammed into their target’s face.

*Bam!*

They both stumbled back a few steps before holding their ground.

“Ahhh!”

They pounced at each other, throwing another punch.

*Bam!*

After getting hit, they both started to wildly swing at the person in front of them. Neither even attempted to defend, all that was on their minds was to defeat the one in front of them.

‘Heavy….’

Darius thought after getting his lip bust open by Miko’s fist. He roared and punched Miko in the eye. Miko replied by punching him in the jaw.

‘Heavy….Its really heavy, Miko!’

He punched Miko in the mouth and broke one of his teeth.

‘Your feelings behind these punches are heavy!’

Miko elbowed him in the nose and broke it. Blood started gushing out, but he could no longer feel the pain. He stepped forward and sunk his fist in Miko’s stomach.

‘Is this the weight you’ve decided to bear?! Are you going to do what I couldn’t?!’

Miko hit him with an uppercut which made it feel like his teeth were going to fall out.

‘But my fists are heavy too, aren’t they?’

He hit Miko with a hook across his face, with caused blood and teeth to fly out of his mouth.

‘I no longer had any reason to live! The current me can’t make anyone happy! That’s what I thought! Even Layla started wearing a fake smile in front of me!’

Miko returned a hook and burst open the side of Darius’ head. The skin on Miko’s fingers and knuckles had been torn off, but he still clenched his fists with everything he had.

‘Doesn’t that mean I’ve failed at life?!’

Darius clenched his fist and slammed his fist on Miko’s.

‘But you haven’t! Your life as yet to truly began! You haven’t reached too far down the path I’ve walked’

“You can still turn back, Miko!”

He roared and swung his other fist and slammed it in the side of Miko’s head. Miko’s body started falling to the side.

‘You can still do what I couldn’t! You can still become the person I couldn’t!’

Miko suddenly planted his feet into the ground and prevented himself from falling.

‘You’re gonna reach the top, aren’t you?!’

Miko howled like a beast and slammed his bloody fist into Darius chest, causing him to fly a few steps back. Darius landed on his feet with his face and upper body soaked in his own blood.

‘I made a lot of bad choices and couldn’t bring anyone happiness as a result, but you’re different. You still have a chance. You can still achieve the freedom and happiness you deserve.’

A smile appeared on his face. He started walking towards Miko.

‘But there will be those who will want to take that happiness from you. You’ve entered the race for the throne, that means that you’ll face unimaginable opposition. Many steps are needed to be taken for you to be winner at the end.’

He stood in front of Miko, who was covered in his own blood like he was.

‘I’m the one who understands you the most in the world, and you are the one who understands me the most.’

The two geared up for one last punch by drawing their arms back, clenching their fists.

‘So let me be that first stepping stone on your path to the top. Let me believe my life had meaning, my friend.’

Contrary to smiling Darius, Miko had a face of anguish and eyes filled with resolve.

“Surpass me Miko, and take that first step towards the top!”

Darius shouted.

“Ahhhhh!”

Miko roared and threw one final punch with all of his strength behind it. Seeing that, Darius did the same.

As the two’s fists approached each other they looked each other in the eyes. One had a look of gratitude and tranquility, while the other had one of anguish and determination.

*BAM!*

Miko’s fist hit Darius in the center of his face, while Darius’ past him by the cheek. The sound of bones breaking reached Miko’s ears. His fingers were all bent out of shape after hitting Darius.

It was as if the world was moving in slow motion. Darius started falling to the ground with blood gushing from his nose, eyes, and mouth. Even so, there was a smile on his face as he fell.

He looked at Miko’s face and saw tears and blood flowing down his cheeks.

‘Heh, you’ve finally beat me and you’re crying? How uncool. However, I think you’ll be fine now Miko. You’ve already taken the first step, so you won’t hesitate to take another. Didn’t you know? The first step is the hardest.’

*Thud!*

His body hit the ground, causing him to look up into the sky. There he saw a clear and peaceful sky.

‘The sky is so beautiful…..Why, despite being able to fly, didn’t I take to time out to truly appreciate it before?’

He saw a flock of birds flying above his head. That’s when he saw a white one flew down towards him. When it got closer, it turned into a beautiful woman with wings.

“Nami….”

He mumbled her name.

“Did you come to pick me up?”

Nami smiled at him and stretched her hand out. He slowly lifted his hand and grasp it. The moment he did, he felt his body levitating of the ground. He stood up and looking down. There, he saw his own broken body laying on the ground.

“I see. I’m dead.”

He looked and saw Miko standing while tears silently flowed down his face. His body didn’t tremble or sway, he stood firm with a proud look as he cried.

“Hm.”

Seeing that, Darius nodded his head with a satisfied look. He walked up to him and placed his hand on Miko’s shoulder.

“You’ll be fine. There will be others who will understand you in the future. You just need to give them time to understand.”

As if he could hear him, Miko silently nodded. Darius smiled and turned his back to him. He walked away from Miko and held Nami’s hand. He took one last look at Miko.

“Take care of Layla and Hina for me. I know that you’ll be able to do it.”

After that, he turned his head and smiled at Nami.

“Let’s go.”

The two flew off leaving Miko alone, standing in front of the body of the man who understood him the most in this world. Someone he called his friend.

That day, Darius Flameheart, a man who wanted to live freely but lost his way, died at the hands of a man he recognized as his friend.

This battle was Miko’s first official step towards the throne. One he wouldn’t forget even in death.