The three of us turned at once, our breath caught by the presence advancing slowly from the far end of the arena. His footsteps struck heavily against the marble floor, each echo sounding like a sentence pronounced.
I recognized him instantly, despite the obvious corruption: Cloud Strife… or what remained of him.
His eyes, once human, now glowed with an ominous gold, two unnatural beacons piercing the darkness. His face was expressionless, frozen in a soulless mask, accentuated by the black flames seeping from his body.
He wore a dark ensemble, a partial armor of blackened steel over his left shoulder, evoking a fallen soldier. From his back spread tattered, shadowy wings, like those of a demon, dragging behind them living wisps of darkness.
And in his hand, he held his massive sword—a block of metal so colossal it should have been impossible for a normal being to lift. Yet in his corrupted grip, it was nothing more than an extension of himself.
Kuina swallowed hard, her fingers tightening on the hilt of her sword."Is… is that a human? Is he even conscious?"
Zoro clenched his teeth, setting his third sword between them."Doesn't matter. He's our opponent."
I frowned, watching him advance with deliberate slowness. Those golden eyes locked onto each of us in turn, as if weighing our worth before the battle had even begun."No…" I muttered. "He's not truly human anymore. He's a warrior consumed by darkness."
Above us, Hades' voice cracked like a whip, dripping with malice."Ooooh, just look at that! Our little guest of honor is in top form! Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Cloud—the corrupted blade of darkness!"
I exhaled sharply. "I can only give you one warning… and I don't know if it still holds true. But watch out for a move called Aquilon." My voice dropped heavy, loud enough to cut through the suffocating tension of the arena. "It's like a thrust, but faster, sharper—a relentless flurry. Don't try to block it. Evade."
A faint grin tugged at my lips as I rose into the air, shifting back into human form to watch from above.
Below, Zoro gripped his three swords, a gleam of defiance in his eyes."Let me face him." His voice was steady, like a vow. "I want to see… if my path toward Mihawk begins here."
I narrowed my eyes, studying him, then nodded."As you wish. But if I sense it turning against you, I'm stepping in."
Kuina leapt lightly, landing atop the flat of my Keyblade as I held it horizontal. She balanced with feline grace, rising to her full height. Her gaze locked on Zoro with a sibling's intensity, her silent message clear: This time, I'll be here to witness how far you can go.
Around us, the stands erupted—not with living spectators, but with phantoms, shadows, and wraiths conjured by Hades. Their guttural roars rolled across the coliseum like a storm.
And then he entered.
Cloud stepped through the translucent barrier encasing the arena, the ward that prevented escape. His golden eyes gleamed like twin blades in the night. His massive sword rested on his shoulder, and with each step, the chains of darkness clinging to his wings hissed like serpents. His pace was slow, deliberate—the tread of an executioner walking to his sentence. Each beat of his spectral wings made the air thrum with crushing weight.
"Oooooooh, will you look at that!" Hades exclaimed, snapping his fingers, his blue flame-hair crackling with joy. "An old-school duel! Three swords against one giant slab of metal! Something tells me this is gonna be… bloody!"
Cloud raised his weapon without a word, his golden eyes fixed solely on Zoro, as if nothing else existed. The air around him quivered, every mote of dust frozen in the unbearable tension.
Zoro planted his feet, his breathing slow and controlled, his swords gleaming under the coliseum's torchlight."I'm ready. Come."
The two warriors faced off for a heartbeat… then the tension detonated.
A deafening clang rang out as their weapons collided head-on. The impact was so brutal that sparks crackled in the air, and the coliseum floor shook beneath their stance. Zoro, muscles taut, absorbed the blow with two blades crossed before him, the Wado Ichimonji clenched in his mouth, waiting its turn.
Cloud stepped back once… then unleashed a flurry. His colossal sword sang through the air, cleaving with terrifying ease, as if it were no heavier than a feather. Each strike pulsed with unnatural power, crushing the very air and kicking up bursts of dust with every swing.
Zoro blocked the first strikes, his arms trembling under the sheer brute force. He pivoted, absorbed the blows, deflected the swings with sharp movements, his sandals grinding against the sand. With every parried strike, a burst of sparks lit up their focused faces. He only drew on his third sword in the most critical moments, when Cloud's overwhelming power threatened to crush him.
"Incredible! INCREDIBLE!" Hades roared from his balcony, waving his arms like a crazed commentator. The flames of his hair flared higher, dancing like blue fireworks. "Now this is a real show! Zoro, the unknown challenger, daring to stand against my precious little toy of darkness—Cloud! You don't get this kind of entertainment every day, folks!"
I tightened my grip on my Keyblade, watching the deadly dance below. Kuina, still standing on my blade, stared down at her old rival with an intensity that nearly chilled me.
"He's holding on… but for how long?" I whispered, eyes locked on the arena.
Kuina clenched her fists. "Zoro's stubborn. That's his greatest strength… and his greatest weakness. He won't back down, even if Cloud outmatches him."
I glanced at her. "So you think he has a chance?"
She hesitated for a few seconds, then murmured: "If he finds an opening… just one… then yes. But if he only endures, he'll be broken."
Below, Zoro gritted his teeth, parrying a vertical strike that could have split the arena in two. He spun immediately, countering with a whirlwind of his three blades, slashing diagonally and horizontally in a furious combo. Cloud staggered slightly, blocking the flurry with sparks flying, his face still blank and impassive.
The phantom audience of the coliseum erupted in guttural howls, cheering the clash.
Hades let out a booming laugh."Hah! The kid's got guts! But let's see how long they last when Cloud decides to actually get serious. Come on, little challenger, give me some drama!"
Cloud suddenly stepped back, his figure cloaked in shadows. His massive blade dipped into a horizontal stance, vibrating with oppressive aura. His golden eyes blazed.
My Haki shivered through me."IT'S THE COMBO!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
Zoro reacted instantly. The ground burst beneath his feet as he leapt aside, narrowly dodging the first murderous thrust of Aquilon. The very air split, leaving a deep scar across the arena floor.
Cloud blurred, vanishing and reappearing in a blink. The second strike ripped into the stone inches from Zoro. Then a third slash nearly tore his shoulder open. Each blow came from everywhere at once, as if Cloud bent space itself, teleporting between strikes.
Kuina gasped, eyes wide. "He's… monstrous."
But Zoro clenched his teeth, his three swords crossing in a furious guard, his body twisting to anticipate the final strike. It came—an obsidian gust, the last thrust as fast as lightning.
The impact was unavoidable. Cloud's blade tore into Zoro's side, spraying blood. But in that same instant, a light burned in Zoro's eyes, and he unleashed his own technique.
"Santoryu… Demon Slash!"
His blades carved a blazing X through the air, striking Cloud square in the chest. A crimson cross slashed across the corrupted warrior's torso, ripping a guttural snarl from him.
Zoro staggered, one hand clutching his wound, panting. Yet he didn't lose his determined grin."You stopped walking… down the path to strength. Me, I'll climb… all the way to the top!"
Kuina immediately leapt to his side, supporting him by the arm, her eyes shining with worry."Idiot! That could have killed you!"
Before she could panic further, I raised my hand. A green light flared, enveloping Zoro's wound. Slowly, the gash sealed, leaving behind only a clean, thin scar.
"It's not over yet, Zoro," I said gravely, fixing my gaze on Cloud, who was already rising again, darkness boiling hotter around him. His black aura surged like inky flames, consuming his armor and renewing his strength.
"You defeated the swordsman… but the darkness remains."
I descended into the arena, Keyblade in hand, standing face to face with Cloud, whose golden eyes burned fiercer than ever.
From his balcony, Hades burst into manic laughter, his azure flames flaring with joy."Heheheheh! Beautiful! Oh, it's glorious! My little Cloud won't fall so easily! Give me more blood, more spectacle!"
The coliseum itself seemed to vibrate with the clash, as if even the stones were waiting for what came next.
"Against you… I'll give it everything. Be ready." My voice echoed in the arena, steeled with icy determination.
Cloud, shrouded in darkness, lunged at me. His massive sword came down in a swift arc, the same fatal opening he'd used against Zoro.
But this time, I did not move back.
I raised my Keyblade and, with a deafening metallic crash, struck with all my strength. The air quaked like an explosion. Cloud's massive blade was ripped from his hands, spinning in a blazing arc before crashing heavily into the stone stands.
Cloud himself was hurled back several meters, his shadowed body rolling across the arena sand before he rose again, golden eyes blazing, more furious than ever.
A brutal silence fell over the coliseum. Even the specters that served as the phantom audience froze, as if they couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
Zoro and Kuina widened their eyes, stunned."Impossible…" Zoro muttered, gripping his swords. "I felt the strength of his strikes… and he just brushed it off like it was nothing!"
Kuina, breath caught in her throat, added as she stared at me:"That's not human… even with the gorilla's power, I could never do that."
From his balcony, Hades—normally so loud—went still for a heartbeat. His azure flames flickered uncertainly, betraying his shock. Then, slowly, a twisted smile crawled back across his lips."Wait… wait just a second…" he leaned forward, eyes blazing with something close to disbelief. "You're not telling me… that this kid has the same raw strength as my little Hercules?!"
He burst into a nervous laugh, caught somewhere between amusement and disbelief, echoing through the arena like thunder."Hahaha… oh no… oh no no no… this is too delicious! Hercules has competition, and I didn't see that one coming!"
Cloud rose slowly, his shadowed body retracting and reforming into a living mantle, his golden eyes flaring with unrestrained rage. Heavy steps shook the sand beneath him as he wrenched his blade from the ground with a sharp yank. Black sparks sprayed from the fissure left in the stone.
Suddenly, crackling energy coursed across his body. Thin arcs of bluish lightning crawled along his shoulders and arms, like raw power tearing through his frame. His form lifted a few inches above the ground, floating within an oppressive aura.
My stomach knotted."You've gotta be kidding me… he has that form too…" I cursed inwardly, fearing for a moment he might carry the invincibility of his game counterpart.
My Haki flared—just in time. His target… wasn't me. It was Kuina.
"Shit!" I roared, propelling myself at blistering speed, slicing through the air to intercept.
Cloud vanished in a blink, reappearing right in front of her, his massive sword poised to cleave her in a single treacherous strike.
"YOU BASTARD!" I howled, letting my fury erupt. My right arm morphed instantly, swelling, scales dark and jagged, lined with monstrous crocodilian fangs.
The colossal weight of my beastly arm snapped forward, catching him square across the head.
The impact was monstrous—his face slammed into the ground with a thunderous crack, sand and dust billowing upward. I felt stone fracture beneath the force.
With a guttural growl, I hauled him up again, his body limp like a ragdoll, then twisted my massive scaled arm, pouring every ounce of strength into it.
"GET OUT!"
I slammed him down with brutal finality, the strike echoing like Whitebeard's hammer blow against Akainu. The air itself vibrated as Cloud's body shot across the arena, smashing against the translucent barrier before bouncing back to land at my feet.
The black lightning arcs sparking around him fizzled out instantly, his empowerment vanishing as he crashed into the ground, leaving a shallow crater beneath him.
A heavy silence followed. Even Hades, who had been cackling nonstop, was speechless. His flames flickered weakly in astonishment.
Kuina, still shaken from having felt Cloud's blade so close, slapped her own cheek with a sharp crack before regaining her stance, upright and focused."Thank you, Jordan…" she whispered, her eyes shining with determination.
Zoro approached as well, serious despite the blood that still stained his healed side."Yeah… thanks." Then he leaned toward Kuina's ear, murmuring with a tight half-smile:"Remind me… never to get near the vice-captain when he's pissed off."
Kuina let out a nervous little laugh, amused, but Zoro's face stayed perfectly stern. For the first time, he truly measured the line between my usual calm—and the savagery I could unleash when someone pushed me too far.
Phil, the corrupted satyr, raised his arms and spoke in a voice devoid of emotion:"Cloud is defeated… The preliminaries are over. You have claimed victory."
The arena's barriers lowered with a thunderous rumble.
"WHAT?!" roared Hades, his flames turning blood-red. Enraged, he teleported right in front of us, ready to reduce us to ashes. But before he could act, a colossal bolt of lightning struck him square in the back, slamming him headfirst into the sand with divine fury.
"You know the rules, brother. The Coliseum is sacred. You cannot break them." A booming voice rumbled from the clouds as thunder cracked again, flooding the arena in blinding light.
Hades rose slowly, teeth clenched, rubbing the ridge of his twisted nose."By the flames of the Styx… why the hell did I lose it like that?! Damn it, I just gave Zeus an excuse to fry me alive if I keep screwing around…" he muttered as a rain of lightning bolts began striking all around him.
"ENOUGH!" he bellowed, his flames roaring to their peak. "That's enough, you stupid brother!"
At his words, the clouds parted, and the storm of lightning finally ceased.
He turned back to us, arms crossed, feigning calm."Congratulations on your victory… and forgive my… explosive temper."
Zoro and Kuina stayed on guard, wary, but me… I just smiled."So you haven't fully conquered this world after all, Hades," I teased lightly.
His flames flared high, heating the air around us, but another rumble in the sky forced him to swallow his rage with a scowl.
"What do you want, kid?" he asked in a low, suspicious tone. He knew exactly when someone was trying to blackmail him.
"Release Cloud from his contract… or better yet, transfer it to me." My grin widened like a pirate sniffing out treasure.
Hades looked at me as though I was a monster."Even if he isn't the strongest, I've grown to like him…" he began, but I raised a hand to cut him off.
"I don't care. I'm a pirate. You tried to double-cross us, so now you pay." My predatory smile made even Kuina blanch, and Zoro twitch slightly. Hades gave a bitter sneer.
"Hmpf… I'd rather free him than give him to you," he growled before summoning a blazing scroll. The contract burned instantly, and Cloud, freed from Hades' chains, regained his human form. His eyes cleared, the darkness dissipating like mist chased off by the wind.
A radiant portal opened behind him, pushing Hades back as he grit his teeth. Through the passage, Aeris appeared briefly, radiant and smiling, waving at us. Cloud fell into her arms just before the portal sealed shut.
A solemn silence followed, broken only by Hades, already back to his carnivorous grin."Well. You've finished the preliminaries. You can either leave… or try the Phil Cup. But beware—if the team changes, you'll have to re-qualify every time. And trust me… I'll make sure the third match is something special."
His laughter echoed, a bad omen.
I raised a hand, my smile calm."We're leaving. We're expected at a banquet."
In an instant, light enveloped us and hurled us out of the Coliseum, returning us to the training grounds of Heartless Island.
A message resonated in my mind:
Kuina obtained the Masamune Sword (sealed)
Zoro obtained Cloud's physique (bonus: beneficial physical modification)
Jordan gained nothing… except Cloud's recognition, his expertise in swordsmanship, and the Steel Chocobo Keychain
I smiled all the same. This time, I hadn't gained an army, but knowledge… and more importantly, a bond.
(Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this little fight. I'll leave here an image I liked, even if it's not accurate in terms of the sword or design—it's just the best I could get from the AI.)