Lightning swallowed the man whole, his scream cut off mid-breath as his body disintegrated into drifting ash.
"Pah. Trash."
Blackie spat without the slightest hesitation, his face twisted with open contempt as the last sparks faded from the air.
"Blackie!"
He didn't even flinch, still wearing that look of utter disdain, until a faint voice rose from below. It was weak, almost illusory, as if it didn't fully belong to this world.
Blackie froze.
He snapped his head down, eyes widening as he stared toward the ground. A familiar face was looking back up at him, lips curled into an infuriatingly calm, knowing smile.
"B-Boss!"
Shock and joy crashed into Blackie all at once. His body dissolved into a streak of lightning, and in the next instant he was already on the ground, standing right in front of Ethan.
"Boss! It's really you! It is you!" Blackie grabbed him, arms wrapping tight as his voice cracked. "Wahh… you're finally back!"
