Chapter 9 - Artemis vs The Pure Flame Seargent!/ A Nov.

Sora’s shield stands alone in a quiet green field.

The blue sea glimmers as birds fly freely.

SFX (ambient): FWSSSH… (grass) / CRYAAH… CRYAAH… (birds)

Caption: “SORA.”

⸻

Meanwhile — F-Class Town Hall, Rainy Night

Town Hall erupts in a massive explosion, lighting up the rain-soaked night.

SFX: BOOOOOM!!!

Yota sprinting, trembling. Behind him, a wall of fire blows out.

Yota (panicked):

“Move… move… MOVE!”

⸻

Artemis hurling radiant star-swords from behind him with violent force and fury.

Artemis (roaring):

“ARGHH!!”

SFX: SHRRAKKK!! (blade tear)

The star-sword rockets forward through the rain.

Ahead, white-flamed Kert stands, unfazed.

Sora’s burning shield at his side.

SFX: FWOOOSH—!

⸻

He suddenly hurls Sora’s shield — vicious force towards Artemis.

Kert:

“Expand.”

SFX: WHOOOM—! / CRRRK!

The shield detonates in size mid-flight, into a four-story white-flame square shield covering half the town hall.

Artemis looks up, eyes wide.

Artemis:

“What tha—?!!”

SFX: VRAAAAMMMM!!!

Yota skids to a stop, staring at the massive shield.

Yota:

“…Hell is that?!”

The front of the enormous shield slams forward, “SORA” printed on it. As it drives toward Artemis star swords shattering each one.

SFX:

KRANNG!

SHRRRK!

BANG—BANG—BANG!

TK-TK-TK! (coil dismantling)

⸻

Kert sinks into a lower stance, air warping around him.

Kert (serious, unfazed):

“Fall.”

SFX: VMMM… (air distortion)

The giant “SORA” shield looms over Artemis… tipping forward, flames dragging it down.

SFX:

GRROOOAAN…

FWOOOM…

Artemis starts slapping himself like a mad man playing the hambone — chest, legs, arms, face — rapid, brutal, deranged.

Each hit ignites radiant star-points around him.

Artemis:

“ARR!!—”

SFX:

PAPAPAPA-PAP-PAP!!

THK-THK-THK!!

From the ground, radiant jack-stands materialize, shooting upward.

SFX: TNNNNK—!

As the shield drops like a falling building, Artemis roars.

Artemis (roar):

“—AHH!!”

Jack-stands erupt all around him, slamming into the massive shield and catching it mid-fall.

White flames burst outward.

SFX:

KA-THOOM!!!

KRASHHHH!!

VRRRNNNK!!

SKRRRSHHH!!

⸻

Under the dragged-down shield, Artemis keeps slapping.

SFX:

PAPAPAPA!!

KRNNNK—! KRNNNK—!

SKRRR-CRACK!!

Above, Kert rockets into the air.

SFX: FWOOOM!

He drops back down, air twisting around him.

Kert:

“Contract.”

SFX: VMMMM—!

The colossal shield snaps back to normal size midair retracting like a vacuum.

The massive jack-stands remain, exposed and shaking violently.

Artemis finally looks up, teeth grinding.

Artemis (confused, bitter):

“Hh..?”

The shield slowly begins descending again.

SFX: GRRROOOO…

⸻

Kert descends fast, one hand grabbing the falling shield midair.

SFX: FWOOOOSH—!

He slams into the ground, torso leaning back, right arm cocked, shield arm pulled tight.

SFX:

THOOM!

VRRNNNK!!

Kert swings.

Artemis dodges at the last second.

The shield strike obliterates a jack-stand behind him.

SFX:

KA-RRRRSHHH!!!

SHHHHRRRR—!

⸻

Kert’s looks down.

Artemis crouched with a twisted grin.

Artemis (chuckle):

“Heh.”

Kert’s left fist pistons into Artemis’s gut, cracking the jack-stand behind him.

SFX:

THUDD!!

KRSSHHH!!

As Artemis’s body jerks—

Kert instantly kills his flames, grabbing him by the shirt, yanking him back.

SFX: GRIP!!

reeling Artemis in, he draws his shield-arm back, air tightening around it.

SFX: VMMM…

Kerts hits flaming shield into Artemis’s face with vicious force.

SFX:

BA-KOOM!!!

VWAAAAM!!

Artemis rockets backward, smashing through another jack-stand.

SFX:

KRRAAAASH!!

SHHHHRR!

⸻

Artemis tumbles midair, grimacing.

Kert dashes in, unfazed, pressing a palm to Artemis’s torso and shoving him farther back.

SFX:

FWOOOSH!

THMP!

Still sliding, Kert leans back, feet skimming across melting pavement.

He grabs Artemis by the ankles.

SFX:

SKRRRRT—!

GRAB!

He swings Artemis in a brutal spin, feet leaving a molten trail.

SFX:

WHRRR—WHOOOM!!

CRRRSHHH!!

Kert grinds to a halt and shot-put-hurls Artemis toward a nearby wall.

SFX:

HNNNGH—!

SHOOOOOM!!

Artemis spirals in slow-motion, inches from impact.

Below, Yota slides backward, dodging back bending.

His eyes lock on Artemis.

Yota:

“…Presence!”

SFX:

SHHH—

SKRRRT!

Artemis slams into the wall.

SFX:

BAA-KOOOOOOM!!!

GRRRRRSHHHH!!

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!!

Yota drops flat, covering his head under the blast.

⸻

Rain pours over the shattered wall.

Smoke rolls out of the hole.

SFX: HSSSHHH…

Yota leans inside cautiously.

Yota (thinking):

“Their powers…”

“…seem different.”

Inside, Artemis’s hand moves to slap his thigh.

Yota (thinking, small):

“…Like… they’ve evolved!”

SFX: PAP—

Yota whips his back to the wall as a sun-beam detonates outward, blowing the hole wider.

SFX:

BWAAAAM!!!

KR-THOOOM!!

The beam rockets toward Kert.

He braces low, one foot dug in.

Kert (sharp):

“Expand!”

The shield swells into the ground, causing the beam to splash off its sides, torching the street.

SFX:

VRAAAASH!!

SKRRSHHH!!

⸻

Yota’s pinned flat against the wall, frozen.

From behind him, Artemis rockets out of the hole, bloodied, eyes wild.

His palms radiate violent blue star-dust.

Tiny blue Wolf-Rayet mini-stars orbit him as he charges.

Artemis (sinister roar):

“WOLF RAYET!!!”

SFX:

FWOOOM!!

SHHHHHK!!

Artemis streaks past Yota and drops over Kert.

SFX:

VRAAAAAAM!!

PULSE-PULSE-PULSE!!

He slams down, punching the engulfed shield again and again.

Kert’s feet melt into the pavement.

Around him, the mini-stars fire off like lasers, striking Kert from every angle.

SFX:

BA-BA-BA-BA-KOOM!!

SHRRRAAAASH!!

ZNNN! ZNNN! ZNNN!

SKRRRSHH!!

One laser cracks into Kert’s ribs, splitting the armor.

SFX: KRACK!!

Another slices past the back of his head, peeling armor, scorching skin.

SFX: ZNNK!!

Blood drips from his exposed cheek.

He doesn’t flinch.

SFX: DRIP…

⸻

Artemis keeps hammering, shoulders rolling in vicious rhythm, blue star-flame spiraling around him.

Artemis (roaring, grinning):

“THE STARS BURN—”

“MUCH HOTTER—”

“THAN YOUR FLAME!!”

SFX:

BA-BA-BA-BA-KOOM!!

VWHAM! VWHAM!

Shockwaves ripple over the shield.

Cracks crawl across its surface.

SFX:

CRNNNK… CRACK…

WHOOOM!!

Artemis’s shockwaves and laser-stars pound Kert from all sides.

Kert unmoving, listens.

Artemis (off, taunting):

“And IF your corporal had used—”

“that shield the way YOU do…”

“Instead of lowering it like an idiot—!!”

“Maybe he wouldn’t have died!”

SFX:

ZNNN! ZNNN!

BA-KRAAAM!!

SHRRRRAASH!!

Pressure force Kert’s feet deeper, cracking the ground into a crater.

SFX:

SKRRRRR…

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!!

⸻

Kert’s white flames spike upward, warping the air.

SFX: VMMMM—!

Body flames surge — denser, hotter, distorting his armor’s outline.

Artemis staggers back, shielding his face from the heat.

SFX:

FWOOOOM!!

SHRRR—!

Kert stands tall in the inferno.

He slowly shrinks the shield back to normal and lowers it to his side.

Kert (unfazed):

“Retract.”

SFX: FWIP—!

Black silence.

Kert (low, quiet):

“…I’m glad…”

⸻

Kert’s white-flame armor fully regenerates.

He shifts the shield onto his back — grieving, not broken.

Kert (quiet sorrow):

“…He remained the same.”

“Until the end…”

SFX: FWOOM…

In a flash, Kert vanishes, leaving a white-flame shockwave and reappears right in front of Artemis, looming.

Kert (serious):

“…Isn’t that right?!”

Artemis flinches.

SFX:

BWAAAM—!

THMP!

Kert’s tightens his body—

As he lunges in and hugs Artemis in a crushing, burning grip.

Steam hisses from Artemis’s skin.

Artemis (in pain):

“Arghh!!”

SFX:

SSSSZZZTT!!

GRRNNNK!!

Kert blasts skyward, still gripping him.

Kert (roar):

“Artemis!!”

SFX:

KA-THOOOOOM!!!

FWOOOOOOOSH!!

CRACK—CRACK—CRACK!!

⸻

High in the sky, Artemis suddenly grins.

His skin bubbles; as he slaps his own face.

SFX: PAP!!

A star detonates between their bodies, blowing both away.

SFX:

BWHOOOOM!!!

KRNNNK—!

Artemis rips free.

White flame and star-dust scatter like shrapnel between them.

As Kert descends, Artemis floats below him, shirt peeling off in the air.

Artemis (mocking grin):

“Finally remembered me!”

“Handsome looks didn’t ring a bell?!!”

SFX: SSSHHH… (cloth burning, falling)

Kert drops toward him, ignoring the taunts.

SFX:

FWOOOSH!!

VMMM—!

⸻

Artemis grins, one front tooth missing.

Artemis (bloody chuckle):

“theh..”

SFX: DRIP…

Black Screen…

Artemis (caption, cold):

“100%…!”

Instantly, they collide midair, plummeting toward the earth.

Both unleash a savage flurry of punches:

Kert’s flames burst brighter, flamed after-fists trailing every strike.

Artemis counters with radiant blows, star-swords swinging in sync behind him.

Artemis & Kert (simultaneous roar):

“AHHHH!!!!!”

SFX:

BA-BA-BA-BA-BA-BOOM!!

FWAM! FWAM! FWAM!

ZNNN! ZNNN!

One flaming after-fist crushes Artemis’s nose.

SFX:

KRRRACK!!

SHHHP!

They smash into the ground.

Artemis’s back cracks the earth on impact.

Artemis (unconscious grunt):

“Eff—!”

Kert stays on top of him, raining flame punches, drilling him deeper. Detonating shockwaves.

Kert (roaring, relentless):

“!!RRHH—RRHH—RHHHH!!!”

The ground splits, debris erupting higher than both fighters.

SFX:

KA-THOOOOOM!!

GRRRSHHH!!

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!!

One final blow slams Artemis’s head back; his eyes roll white.

SFX: THMP…

⸻

The town hall district is wrecked.

Dust rises as rain slows.

SFX:

HSSSHH…

WHOOOM…

Yota stands at the edge of a 5-foot crater, shaken.

Yota:

“…”

SFX: DRIP…

Inside the crater, Kert stands barley tall.

At his feet lies Artemis, burned and smoking.

Artemis (weak mutter):

“…how…”

“…was… your flame… hotter…?”

SFX: Sssss…

Artemis’s face is swollen and blistered.

Rain hits his wounds, sizzling.

Artemis (weak, gasping):

“I… haven’t been… defeated…”

“…still can… breathe…”

SFX: TSSSS…

Kert’s flames fully broke apart, drifting off

Showing his eye first.

Seeing a single tear sliding all along beneath the flame mask.

Artemis (caption):

“…Death of a…—”

Caption (bottom):

TO BE CONTINUED…

⸻

Portrait splash:

Artemis leans in with a twisted grin, finger to his lips in a shh gesture.

White flame flakes drift around him.

Artemis (small):

“Shh…”

SFX:

FSHH…

CRKK…