Shadow Combo

The captain's cabin was dimly lit. Other than the crimson moonlight streaming through the bay window on the right, most of the room was shrouded in shadow.

Sifa lay prone on the floor, revolver raised, its muzzle aimed directly at the captain's cabin door.

He glanced at Doug, who was hiding behind a chair beside him. His lips curled beneath the mask, but he did not voice his displeasure.

The leader of Black Tie had followed him inside just now. If he could, Sifa would have driven him out, but there was no time.

He had not run into the captain's cabin without a plan. This place, this room, was a temporary trap for Sifa.

On the deck earlier, Sifa had confirmed with his own eyes that the tattooed man who seemed to be a Beyonder had gone mad, possessed tremendous strength, and had keen senses.

In an open area, it would be difficult to hit him with a handgun. Black Tie had already proven that. That was why Sifa had slipped into the captain's cabin. He believed the madman's lack of reason would make him smash through the door after him rather than consider breaking through the window.

The door would restrict the madman's room to dodge and increase Sifa's chances of hitting him. Even with his keen senses, the madman would find it hard to evade every attack!

Besides, there was a second "trap" in this room—a natural trap.

Doug, hiding behind the chair, whispered, "Shouldn't we light a lamp? It's too dark in here."

"If you don't want to die, shut up." Sifa did not even look at him, his attention wholly fixed on the door.

Doug's face darkened, resentment stirring in his eyes. But he still needed Sifa at the moment, so he could only obediently shut his mouth.

The instant footsteps sounded outside, the wooden door to the captain's cabin shattered into pieces. Before Sifa could even make out his opponent, he sent the bullets in his gun toward the doorway.

Almost at the same time, a harpoon shot inside, flying over Sifa's head and embedding itself in the wall behind him.

If Sifa had not been lying prone on the floor, that harpoon would probably have pierced his chest!

A scream rang out from beyond the door. Sifa saw blood droplets spray through the air and knew he had hit his target, though apparently not anywhere vital. The madman staggered back from the shots, then vanished from the doorway the moment Sifa's handgun ran empty.

Then the moonlight from the window on the right disappeared. A dark figure appeared at the window, followed by shattering glass as the madman crashed through and lunged straight at Sifa.

The moment he heard the glass break, Sifa rolled away. He casually hurled the emptied Golden Revolver, using it to delay the madman slightly, while rapidly retreating into shadows untouched by moonlight.

As he passed Doug, Sifa threw the chair aside, exposing the leader of Black Tie.

Doug froze for a moment, then was about to curse loudly when he felt a terrifying gaze. The madman by the window, having dodged the chair, turned his mindless eyes toward him. With Sifa out of sight, Doug became his next target.

With a roar, he pounced. Doug scrambled toward the doorway, crying out in panic, when someone suddenly kicked him in the backside. The doorframe rapidly filled his vision.

The leader of Black Tie slammed heavily into the doorframe. His forehead split open, and he passed out.

The madman had already stepped into the shadows and was about to twist Doug's neck when he suddenly sucked in his stomach and leaped back, avoiding a hook that swept out of the darkness.

Sifa's figure emerged from the shadows. He had used Doug to divert his opponent's attention, then taken the chance to close in and attack.

When that attack missed, Sifa showed no emotional reaction, because he had expected it.

He had not forgotten that his opponent possessed keen senses. Avoiding that punch was not difficult, especially since Sifa had thrown it with his left hand.

The real attack was delivered by his right hand.

Sifa's right hand wore the Shadow Glove!

At this moment.

He stood in a dim environment, one that allowed the glove to exert its greatest power!

He raised his right arm and threw a punch. Sifa's sleeve seemed to cling to the air, producing a series of sharp crackles as it struck the madman in the abdomen.

Bang!

The Shadow Glove did not summon a Shadow Fist, but it amplified Sifa's strength, lashing the madman off his feet and sending him flying.

Sifa's left hand shot out, grabbed the madman by the hair, and dragged him into the shadows.

His right fist moved like a machine gun, punching his opponent again and again.

With his opponent restrained, no matter how keen his senses were, he could not evade the attacks.

Finally, after the fifth punch, the symbol on the Shadow Glove that carried an aura of depravity lit up with deep, ghostly light. The surrounding shadows and darkness "boiled." Beneath the madman's feet, shadows bulged and stretched into a black arm covered in patterns, like a Devil's arm.

The arm clenched its fist and struck upward, smashing into the madman's chin.

The madman's head snapped back, stars bursting before his eyes.

Then more and more Demon Fists appeared out of thin air, intertwining and combining as they continuously bombarded the madman.

The dense, relentless barrage of punches left the madman unable to evade or even move properly. His body stiffened as he staggered backward again and again.

Sifa watched the dazzling blur of fists, watched the gorgeous attack bloom as brilliantly as fireworks, and could not help swallowing.

This was a Beyonder weapon enhanced by the Mystic Artisan!

This was Shadow Combo, evolved from Shadow Fist!

It was ridiculously flashy!

If he had not needed to maintain the Duke's rather steady persona, Sifa would have wanted to whistle.

After the final Devil arm vanished, Sifa spun forward and added a roundhouse kick, sending the madman, who had already retreated near the window, flying through it and onto the deck.

Sifa took the opportunity to pick up the Golden Revolver from the floor, swing out its cylinder, and load several bullets into it.

Just as he was about to rush out of the captain's cabin, he heard a splash outside. Sifa looked through the window, but the madman had already vanished without a trace.

Soon, thick smoke poured from the door beneath the captain's cabin that led straight into the ship's interior. The fire below had already spread upward.

By the time Sifa returned to the beach, he was soaked from head to toe. His long coat had gotten in the way, so he had thrown it away on the ship.

Looking back at the sailboat offshore, its cabin was on fire, flames spreading toward the deck. The blaze lit up the night sky. The police would probably arrive before long.

Sifa glanced at Doug, who had just come ashore. He was being supported onto the beach by the bearded bodyguard, while another four or five gang members were swimming over.

Black Tie had suffered grievous losses tonight, but what did that have to do with Sifa? None of them were good people anyway. It would be best if they all died.

But tonight, Sifa was a bounty hunter. He remembered his identity and did his best to play the role, so he walked over and looked at Doug.

"Remember to send my bounty to the tavern. If I'm not there, give it to Sanchi."

"I don't accept credit. You'd better not make me come looking for you myself. Trust me, you won't want to see me."

Doug struggled to his feet and said unwillingly, "But all my goods are gone, and I lost so many men!"

Sifa said flatly, "But at least you're still alive."