Chapter 46: - 45: Storms, Slashes, and a Queen’s Descent
The skies had darkened.
Clouds roiled in unnatural shapes, spiraling and shifting as if alive. The horizon blurred, sea and sky indistinguishable in the storm’s fury. The only constant was the howling wind—and the predator flying through it.
King.
His black wings cut through the tempest with grim precision, fire trailing in his wake. He kept his grip firm on Shinobu, who had long since stopped screaming. Now she simply clung to him, her breaths short and fast as they passed through icy wind and burning sky.
They had been flying for hours.
Chasing a ghost.
Golden Lion Shiki had disappeared high into the stratosphere, weaving into the clouds where light couldn’t reach and even the strongest haki struggled to grasp intent.
King clenched his jaw.
"You can’t hide forever, old man."
The wind howled louder in response.
Somewhere above the highest banks of cloud, Shiki cackled from his floating perch. He hovered on a loose disk of rock, blood dripping down one leg, his cloak flapping in the storm.
"Heh... persistent little bastard, aren’t you," he hissed, eyes scanning below.