The oppressive atmosphere of the Underworld pressed heavily on Helios and Sephiroth as they sat he edge of the Underdrome, the inky bck abyss surrounding the arena casting long, ominous shadows. Helios attempted to open a dark corridor to whisk them back to the stands so Sephiroth could at least take a seat, but nothing happened. He looked up at Hades, who lounged smugly in his seat, a sharp-toothed grin menag as he waved.

  The message was clear: the dark corridors would only work under Hades' trol. Helios grimaced but quickly turned his attention to Sephiroth, who sat oone floor, his breathing even but visibly strained.

  “You alright, champ?” Helios said, kneeling beside him and casting a Cure spell. The green and yellow energy swirled around Sephiroth, closing some of the small gashes on his body, but the healing was noticeably slower than usual. The curse of the Underworld sapped the spell’s potency, making it a battle against diminishiurns.

  Sephiroth didn’t flinch, his stoic demeanor unshakee the evident toll the arena’s curse was taking on him. “Don’t call me that,” he said ftly, his voice low but steady. After a pause, he added, “I’m fine. But this curse… it’s like an iion. The more I fight, the deeper it spreads. I doubt I’ll be able to beat whatever’s after this one.”

  Helios frowned, tinuing to cast weak healing spells, hoping to stabilize Sephiroth’s dition as much as possible. “I expected the curse to be rough,” he admitted, his tone more serious. “But I thought you could hold out for the five matches.”

  Sephiroth g him, his pierg gaze unwavering. “It’s not about holding out. The longer I push myself, the worse it gets. Even if I win the fourth match, the fifth will be impossible at this rate.”

  Helios leaned ba his heels, rubbing his temples as he calcuted their move. “Hades mentioned he could only get five tenders ready sihe Underdrome just reopehat means you just have to win three more times. If you mahat…” His voice trailed off as he sighed heavily, frustration evident. “Take as long as you in the match. Stall if you have to. I’ll figure out the other two, but I ime.”

  Sephiroth gave him a long, measuring look. “You better e up with something good. I didn’t e here to lose in such a way. I’m fih losing due to my skills but not that of a useless curse.”

  Before Helios could respond, the bck smoke that heralded Hades’ interferenveloped them both. When it cleared, Sephiroth was ba middle of the arena, and Helios found himself standing beside the smug god once again.

  “Well, well,” Hades said, leaning forward with a devilish grin. “Your boy’s still got some fight left in him, huh? Good. Because the one’s a doozy.”

  The ground trembled as Hades snapped his fingers. The Rock Titan appeared, a t monstrosity of jagged stone and fragmented limbs. It wasn’t as rge as the inal, but it was still an intimidating sight. The crowd of despo souls groaheir hollow voices a chilling backdrop to the arena.

  “Let’s see how tall, dark, and brooding hahis!” Hades decred with glee, gesturing grandly toward the arena.

  “Ladies, gentlemen, and shades of all kinds,” Hades boomed, his voice eg throughout the dismal arena, “our tender is something a little… rocky. Freshly cobbled together by yours truly, I give you: the Replica Rock Titan!”

  Sephiroth, however, was already in motion. With a speed that seemed unnatural for someone supposedly weakened by the Underworld’s curse, he unched himself at the Titan, Masamune fshing as it carved through the air. The bde ected with the Titan’s leg, a burst of sparks flying from the impact. The cut was shallow, barely scratg the surface.

  “Big guy’s got some tough skin, huh? I thought you might have a hard time getting through that one.” Hades quipped, grinning as he popped a piece of pop into his mouth.

  The Titan roared, the sound rumbling like ahquake. It swung one massive arm down, the force of the blow causing the arena to tremble. Sephiroth vanished in a blur of motion, reappearing oan’s shoulder. He sshed downward, aiming for the joints that ected its arm to its body, but the joints were even tougher, defleg his bde.

  The Titaaliated, twisting its massive torso to shake Sephiroth off. Sephiroth leapt away, nding gracefully on the ground below, but the Titan was relentless. It smmed both fists into the ptform, sending shockwaves rippling across the arena.

  Sephiroth staggered slightly, the curse of the Underworld taking its toll. His movements, though still precise, cked the fluidity he was known for. The Titan capitalized on his brief hesitation, swiping one colossal arm down. Sephiroth barely evaded, the edge of the attack grazing his shoulder.

  Every sed Sephiroth fought was another sed the curse gnawed away at his strength. The swordsman’s usual posure seemed strained, his breaths ing heavier.

  Then it happehe Titan, learning from Sephiroth’s evasive tactics, swung its arm in a wide ard caught Sephiroth mid-motion. Its massive hand mao reach the swordsman smming him into the ground with bone-shattering force.

  The crowd of dreary souls let out a collective groan, and Helios wihe impact was enough to leave a visible crater oform. Sephiroth y still for a moment as the Titan roared in triumph, raising its fists as if to crush him pletely.

  Sephiroth stood up a backward, seemingly using all his remaining strength he began slig through the Titan’s arm in a flurry of sshes. The molten streams that seemed to make up the creature’s blood flowed out burning Sephiroth as he cut. However, the Titan was now vulnerable so of course Sephiroth didn’t stop. His dark aura fred as he summoned orbs of "Shadow Fre," ung them at the he cut. The dark fmes struck true, leaving bed scorch cracks on the rocky surface.

  The Titan reeled, stumbling backward. But Sephiroth wasn’t done. He raised a hand, summoning a wall of fmes—his “Firaga Wall.” The pilrs of fire ehe Titan, their intense heat causing more and more cracks to form in its rocky body.

  In a final, devastating move, Sephiroth teleported above the Titan and unleashed a massive meteor that struck the Titan’s two heads. The Titan’s form crumbled uhe powerful assault, its body breaking apart into smaller pieces. With o roar, it colpsed into a heap of rubble.

  Sephiroth nded lightly oform, his chest rising and falling as he steadied his breathing. He staggered so he used his bde to stand by stabbing it into the ground. The arena was silent for a moment before Hades cpped slowly, his grin never faltering.

  “Well, well, well,” Hades drawled. “e impressed. Didn’t think you’d make it this far, tall, dark, and moody. But don’t go celebrating just yet. You’ve still got two more matches to go.”