After laughing, the Skinless One moved toward the clown.
The clown and the Skinless One stared at each other intently.
The air grew cold in an instant.
Vivian and Madeleine trembled in horror at the Skinless One's last words. They stared at the levitating skins around them, unable to stop shivering at the fate that awaited them.
Vivian swallowed hard and tried to calm herself. She looked at the clown, who had appeared out of nowhere. Applause, laughter, balloons, confetti, and music accompanied him, but now his expression was serious, as if the joy from a few minutes ago had vanished.
—Clown… I'll kill you for interfering with me —the Skinless One growled.
An uproar of laughter echoed.
—That's what I hope, Skinless One… because I want to put on a proper show with you —the clown replied calmly.
A bull-shaped balloon appeared before everyone. The clown held a sword made of balloon.
—Come, Skinless One.
The levitating skins lunged at the clown, but the bull lowered its horns and spewed fire. The skins dodged the flames with ease.
The Skinless One was stunned. A bull-shaped balloon shooting fire? He activated his aura against the skins, but they acquired a protective layer, making them immune to the flames.
The skins, now armored, launched another attack toward the clown, who remained steady with his balloon sword. Then he pulled out a long, deflated balloon, inflated it, and shaped it into an eagle, which swooped down at the skins attacking the bull.
The clown applauded extravagantly. Laughter and whistles echoed through the air. Vivian and Madeleine watched everything, unable to make sense of what they were seeing.
The Skinless One observed the scene but said nothing, his fury fixed on the clown. The clown gave him a thumbs up, mockingly.
Furious, the Skinless One attacked with his aura. The clown countered with his own, protecting himself and smiling arrogantly, giving him a thumbs down.
The hand-to-hand combat began. The clown struck with his balloon sword, cutting the Skinless One's arm and kicking him in the face. He took a step back, and his balloon sword burst into flames.
The Skinless One dodged, roaring. The skins around him clung to his body, deforming it grotesquely.
The clown did not move. He just watched.
—Jahaha… now you want to get serious —he said in a dark, elegant voice.
A snap of his fingers. Red confetti fell like a wave over the Skinless One, turning into a wave of fire that crashed against him.
The clown drew a spear and threw it, impaling one of the skins protecting the Skinless One. Then he appeared in front of him and punched him.
The Skinless One attacked; the clown countered with his balloon sword. The Skinless One landed a devastating blow, throwing the clown to the ground. He ran toward him, pounding him with repeated strikes.
After a moment, the Skinless One rose and grabbed the clown—but something confused him: it wasn't him.
—Magnificent! —he whistled.
The clown was sitting on a chair behind Vivian and Madeleine, eating popcorn and watching as the Skinless One pummeled one of his former henchmen, already dead. He applauded exaggeratedly.
Fireworks exploded in the sky, displaying a message:
"You're the best… for a blind man."
The clown stood, set down the popcorn, and drew a gun. He fired.
But this time, it was no joke: Bang! It was real.
The skins protecting the Skinless One were blasted away. The eagle and bull balloons moved to attack them. The clown used black fire, burning the skins that were being held back. The skin impaled on the spear also burned.
The Skinless One screamed, blood gushing from his body. He shaped his flowing blood into long, sharp claws.
—Jahaha… now you've gotten serious. Good… because Act 2 must begin.