Durwin was particrly impressed by Jaegar''s control over his arcane energy, maintaining such powerful spells for an extended period without apparent strain.


    Suddenly, before Durwin could react, Jaegar vanished. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared directly in front of the pirate captain, catching himpletely off guard.


    "What the-!" Durwin eximed, instinctively leaping backwards. With impressive agility, hended on his own ship, putting some distance between himself and this unpredictable adversary.


    Jaegar, however, was not about to let Durwin escape so easily. With a smirk, he followed, jumping across the gap between ships andnding gracefully before Durwin.


    "Hey, where are you going?" Jaegar taunted his voice light but edged with steel. "I had to know what I was getting into, so that''s why it took some time."


    Durwin''s gaze narrowed as he regarded Jaegar with newfound wariness. "Are you with them?" he asked, gesturing towards the Five ws and Ar''kn on the other ship.


    Jaegar shrugged nonchntly. "No," he replied simply, leaving Durwin even more puzzled about his motives and allegiances.


    The tension on the deck was palpable as the two powerful individuals faced each other. Durwin, despite his earlier confidence, now seemed to be reassessing his options.


    Jaegar, for his part, appeared rxed but ready, his power simmering just beneath the surface.


    -


    -


    As Jaegar and Durwin faced each other on the deck of the pirate ship, the air crackled with tension. The sea breeze died down as if nature itself were holding its breath in anticipation of the sh toe.


    Back on the ship, Cara and the men stared at the both of them with amazement in their eyes. They have truly not expected Jaegar to be this powerful.


    Durwin''s earlier amusement had vanished, reced by a steely determination. He drew his sword, a magnificent de that gleamed with an eerie light. "You may have bested my men," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "but I am Durwin Starbeeze, Grand Knight of the Seven Seas. You''ll find me a far more challenging opponent."


    Jaegar''s response was to summon his arcane energy. The air around him shimmered with heat, while droplets of water began to swirl around his feet. Small rocks and pebbles from the ship''s bast rose to orbit his body, and sparks of electricity danced between his fingers. "We''ll see about that," he replied, his voice calm but charged with power.


    For a moment, they stood motionless, sizing each other up. Then, in an instant, the battle erupted.


    Durwin moved first, his sword shing as he charged forward with inhuman speed. The de whistled through the air, aiming for Jaegar''s neck. But Jaegar was ready. He brought up a wall of thick ice, to block the strike. The sword hit the stone like wall with a resounding ng, sending vibrations through the air.


    Not missing a beat, Jaegar countered with a st of fire from his palm. Durwin leaped back, the mes singeing the edges of his coat. Hended gracefully, a grin spreading across his face.


    "Impressive," he admitted. "But it''ll take more than parlour tricks to defeat me."


    Jaegar didn''t respond verbally. Instead, he sent a barrage of water projectiles hurtling towards Durwin. The pirate captain''s sword became a blur as he deflected each watery missile, his movements so fast they were almost invisible to the naked eye.


    But Jaegar had anticipated this. As Durwin focused on the water attack, Jaegar used the distraction to send a bolt of lightning streaking towards his opponent. Durwin sensed the danger at thest second, throwing himself to the side. The lightning struck the deck where he had been standing, leaving a scorched mark on the wood.


    "Clever," Durwin growled, rolling to his feet. "But two can y at that game." He raised his free hand, and suddenly the shadows around him seemed to deepen and move with a life of their own. Theyshed out at Jaegar like tendrils of darkness.


    Jaegar''s eyes widened in surprise. He hadn''t expected Durwin''s ck mist. He quickly erected a barrier of swirling air, deflecting the shadow attacks. But one tendril managed to slip through, shing across Jaegar''s cheek and drawing blood.


    The twobatants paused, reassessing each other. Jaegar wiped the blood from his cheek, while Durwin twirled his sword, the shadows still writhing around him.


    "You''re full of surprises," Jaegar said, a note of respect in his voice.


    Durwin''s grin turned feral. "You have no idea."


    The battle resumed with renewed intensity. Durwin''s sword strikes came faster and harder, each blow empowered by dark arts. Jaegar found himself on the defensive, using his control over the elements to block and dodge. He raised transparent barriers, created walls of fire, and used gusts of wind to deflect Durwin''s relentless assault.


    But Jaegar was far from outmatched. As he defended, he was also analyzing Durwin''s fighting style, looking for weaknesses. He noticed that each time Durwin used his dark magic, there was a split-second dy before his next sword strike.


    Seizing on this, Jaegar waited for Durwin tounch another attack. As the dark tendrils shot towards him, Jaegar didn''t try to block them. Instead, he used his air control to propel himself upward, leaping over the attack. In mid-air, he brought his hands together, focusing his power.


    A massive bolt of lightning, farrger than any he had ever used before, erupted from his palms.


    It struck Durwin squarely in the chest, sending him flying backwards. The pirate captain crashed into the ship''s mast, the wood splintering from the impact.


    For a moment, Jaegar thought the battle might be over. But Durwin rose to his feet, his clothes smoking but a fierce light in his eyes. "Now that," he said, spitting blood, "was a real attack."


    The fight continued, with bothbatants pushing themselves to their limits. Jaegar''s elemental attacks became moreplex and powerful. He created a whirlwind of fire and lightning, sent waves of earth rolling across the deck, and manipted the seawater to form massive, crushing fists.


    Durwin matched him blow-for-blow. His dark magic grew stronger, creating constructs that fought alongside him. Shadow wolves snapped at Jaegar''s heels, while dark des flew through the air like a deadly flock of birds.


    The ship groaned under the strain of their battle. The deck was a patchwork of scorched wood, frozen patches, and torn-up nks. The mast swayed dangerously, weakened by their exchanges.


    The next moment, he began to draw on all four elements simultaneously, something he had never attempted before. The strain was immense, and he could feel his control slipping. But he pushed on, gathering more and more power.


    Durwin sensed the buildup of energy and knew he had to act fast. He poured everything he had, the darkness around him growing so thick that it was as if night had fallen on the ship.


    For a breathless moment, everything was still. Then, with a roar that shook the very air, both Jaegar and Durwin released their attacks.


    Jaegar''s assault was a swirling maelstrom of elemental fury. Fire, water, wind, and lightningbined into a single, devastating force that hurtled towards Durwin.


    Durwin''s counterattack was a massive wave of pure darkness, threatening to swallow everything in its path.


    The two forces met in the centre of the deck with a thunderous explosion. The shockwave shattered every window on the ship and sent bothbatants flying. Jaegar mmed into the ship''s railing, while Durwin was thrown overboard.


    As the dust settled, Jaegar struggled to his feet, his entire body aching. He stumbled to the side of the ship, looking for any sign of Durwin in the churning waters below.


    Suddenly, a hand grabbed the railing. Durwin pulled himself back onto the deck, battered and bruised, but still very much alive. He and Jaegar locked eyes, both panting heavily.


    Durwin let out a low chuckle, his eyes fixed on Jaegar. The sound was filled with frustration. "I didn''t expect this," he admitted, his voice carrying over the creaking of damaged wood and thepping of waves against the hull. "It seems like I need to retreat for now."


    Jaegar tensed, ready for another possible attack, but instead, Durwin reached into his robes and pulled out a small, golden orb. The object gleamed in the early morning light, its surface covered in intricate engravings that seemed to shift and change as Jaegar watched.


    With a swift motion, Durwin pressed a button on the orb.


    Keukkk


    Suddenly, the air around him began to distort, as if reality itself was being warped. A high-pitched shriek filled the air, causing everybody on the ships to wince and cover their ears.


    "Well, young man," Durwin called out, his voice somehow clear despite the cacophony around him, "I will remember you, and we will meet again.


    Next time, it won''t be me leaving." His lips curled into a smirk, a challenge glinting in his eyes.


    Before Jaegar could respond, the distortion intensified. The space around Durwin began to spiral inward, twisting and contorting until it seemed to copse into a single point.


    The sea below churned and roiled, as if disturbed by some unseen force.


    And then, in the blink of an eye, Durwin was gone.


    Jaegar stared at the empty space where the pirate captain had stood just moments before, his mind racing. The sudden disappearance could only mean one thing: Durwin had used some sort of advanced teleportation device.