Destroy the Titanaboa

Both Daisuke and Jigoku stood motionless. Staring at each other.

As the tension between Daisuke and Jigoku reached its breaking point, the air crackled with anticipation. With a swift motion, Daisuke withdrew his katana, the steel gleaming in the lantern-light.

The smile on Jigoku's face vanished in an instant as he mirrored Daisuke's action, his own blade glinting ominously.

For a moment, the two warriors stood locked in a silent standoff, each refusing to yield.

"You're wasting my time," Daisuke declared calmly, his voice cutting through the air. "I could be preparing for Raidon."

"Your ego blinds you. Only a fool would look past me," Jigoku retorted, his tone laced with venom.

"I empathise with you. I really do. Losing a loved one is not easy. I'm sorry to say... but you won't be able to bring her back," Daisuke stated, his gaze unwavering.

"And why is that?" Jigoku demanded, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Daisuke met Jigoku's gaze head-on.

"Because I'm going to send you to her now," he declared, his voice dripping with conviction.

With a roar of rage, Jigoku charged forward, his blade flashing with every step. But Daisuke remained rooted to the spot, his stance unyielding.

As Jigoku closed the distance between them, a sudden steel cage sprung up around him, enclosing him in a prison of his own making.

"What the fuck is this?!" Jigoku raged, his fists pounding against the bars in futile fury.

"Your ego blinds you," Daisuke taunted, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "I guess without your Titanaboa, you're just a fool."

Enraged, Jigoku continued to lash out at the cage with his Katana, his frustration boiling over.

"You ran straight into my trap," Daisuke continued, his voice filled with confidence. "I figured you'd have an immense Summon. So, once your Summon is taken care of, then we can have a fair fight."

"No one has been able to kill it. What makes you think you will be the first?" Jigoku spat, his eyes blazing with fury.

"I don't need to kill it. I just need to make it feel threatened," Daisuke replied calmly, his voice reverberating with coolness.

Whilst Daisuke and Jigoku had been speaking, Akira was rallying the villagers to his cause. Together, they raced around the edge of the village, pouring oil along the circumference.

"The snake too! Pour it on it's body!" Akira demanded.

"I hope Daisuke was able to trap him," Akira muttered to himself, his heart pounding with anticipation.

"You think you can get a fair fight out of Raidon?" Jigoku's asked Daisuke, attempting to cause doubt in his mind.

"The man always finds a way to win. Even when you're two steps ahead, he has already anticipated your whole plan and is four steps further."

Daisuke's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing with determination. "Who's stronger? Out of you and Raidon?" he demanded, his voice steady despite the gravity of the question.

"Brute power... me," Jigoku admitted, his tone tinged with pride. "Intellect and skill... him."

Daisuke's gaze bore into Jigoku's, his mind racing with possibilities. "If I'm able to kill you, what chance does that give me against him?" he pressed, his voice edged with urgency.

A sly grin spread across Jigoku's face as he chuckled darkly. "If you kill me..." he began, his laughter escaping through the gaps in the cage. "You have balls, Daisuke. I respect it. If you can kill me... without my Summon... it doesn't mean much against Raidon. When it comes to strict swordplay, he's superior to me. However, I'm ranked fourth in the Deadly Seven for swordfighting."

"And Raidon?" Daisuke pressed again, his voice a simmering whisper.

Jigoku's expression darkened, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "Number one," he stated, his voice filled with reverence.

"The Deadly Seven... are you the only people in this organisation?" Daisuke asked, his voice dripping with curiosity.

"No," Jigoku replied simply, his gaze unreadable.

"Who are the others?" Daisuke inquired, voicing his newly found concern.

"Mishiira Kayoshide's personal bodyguards," Jigoku revealed, his tone marinated in bitterness.

"Are they--" Daisuke began, but Jigoku cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Stronger than us? It's hard to explain," Jigoku stated, his voice trailing off.

Daisuke's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Why?" he demanded, his voice firm.

"That is something you'll have to find out for yourself, if you make it out of here alive," Jigoku replied cryptically, his gaze flickering with a hint of amusement.

"So how can you kill Mishiira if his bodyguards are there? And you can't even tell if you're stronger," Daisuke asked, frustration creeping into his voice.

"I never said I don't know if I'm stronger. I said it's hard to explain. There isn't a yes or no," Jigoku clarified, his tone tinged with annoyance.

"How many of them are there?" Daisuke asked, his voice sailing just above a whisper.

"Five," Jigoku replied abruptly, his expression inscrutable.

"Great," Daisuke muttered sarcastically to himself, his mind racing with possible images of their aesthetics.

"Jigoku... I understand your reason for joining the Deadly Seven. What is Raidon's reason?" Daisuke inquired.

"To be honest, I couldn't give a fuck about Raidon," Jigoku scoffed, a hint of disdain coloring his words. "He's up his own ass. Nothing would make me happier than to shove that annoying Eagle up his backside."

"That makes two of us, I guess," Daisuke replied, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

A deafening hiss pierced the air, followed by Jigoku's anguished cry. "No! What have you done?!" he shouted, his voice bleeding with desperation.

The oil that Akira and the villagers had spread along the outskirts of the village had ignited, sending tendrils of flames racing along the ground; latching onto the Titanaboa's body. With a collective effort, they wielded their makeshift weapons, stabbing at the Titanaboa's writhing body as it thrashed in agony.

"The Titanaboa's head is outside the cone it created. It can't tell what's happening to it. Even if you tell it, pain from the fire will cause it to dissipate and return to your sword," Daisuke explained, his voice fighting through the chaos.

"You fucking--" Jigoku's retort was cut short as the night sky exploded into a dazzling display of light, illuminating the village in a surreal glow. And in an instant, the Titanaboa's massive body crumbled to dust, leaving only smoldering ashes in its wake.

"I guess it's time to let you out," Daisuke said, a triumphant smile playing on his face as he approached the trapped Jigoku.