𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑 // 𝐓.𝐋𝐀𝐖 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐂

5 : Trap

The battlefield was eerily quiet. The Scourge's towering body lay motionless on the blood-soaked ground, his glowing eyes now lifeless.

Valeria's blade dripped with his blood, the metallic scent filling the air. She stood victorious, her skeletal mask shining like a grim omen under the faint light of the moon.

Law, his usual smirk returning, leaned on his sword casually."I think that's our signal to leave," Law said coolly, nodding toward the retreating pirates.

But Valeria didn't relax. Something felt off. Her heightened senses—honed through years of battle and the cursed mask fused to her face—kept her on edge. The Scourge had fallen too easily for someone of his terrifying reputation.

No last attack, no Haki-fueled rage at his defeat—just silence.

She looked down at the pirate's body, and that's when she felt it. A faint pulse of dark energy radiated from the corpse, so subtle that even Law didn't seem to notice.

Valeria's eyes narrowed behind the mask. She reached out with her Observation Haki, trying to probe the area for any lingering threats.

And then, it hit her.

A chilling force slammed into her chest like an unseen punch, knocking her backward. Valeria staggered, her vision blurring for a split second.

The Scourge's corpse disintegrated into black dust before her eyes, and in its place, a swirling void of shadow formed, growing larger and larger until it towered over her.

"What the–?!" Law shouted, drawing his sword again, his usual calm demeanor replaced by shock. The void began to shift, a grotesque, shadowy figure forming within it.

It had no eyes, no mouth, only the jagged, shifting shape of what appeared to be the Scourge's true essence—an ethereal, cursed being far more dangerous than the physical pirate they had fought. The air around them turned heavy, and Valeria could feel it—the same dark energy she had sensed before, but this time, there was no escaping it.

"It's not over," Valeria muttered, her hands tightening on her sword. Suddenly, the figure lunged, not toward the Marines, not toward Law—but straight at Valeria.

It moved with impossible speed, and before she could react, the shadow pierced through her chest like a spear of darkness. She gasped, her mask unable to protect her from the searing pain that erupted inside her.

"Valeria!" Darwish shouted from the flank, but he was too far to help.

The shadow seemed to sink into her very being, wrapping around her soul like chains. Valeria tried to fight it, to use her Haki to break free, but the curse was too powerful. Her body froze, and she dropped to her knees, gasping for breath. The skeletal mask on her face cracked, revealing faint traces of skin beneath. She could feel the darkness coiling tighter, suffocating her.

"Valeria, get up!" Law's voice was sharp. He rushed toward her, sword glowing with the power of his Ope Ope no Mi. But as he reached out, a barrier of dark energy flared up around her, preventing him from getting close.

"Damn it!" Law cursed, his frustration palpable.Valeria's body felt like it was being torn apart from the inside. The curse was wrapping around her like a second skin, fusing with her mask and spreading through her veins.

Her Haki, her strength—everything was being drained into the void. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening. Was this part of the Scourge's power? A trap set from the very beginning?

She couldn't let it end like this. Summoning the last of her strength, Valeria tapped into the power of her mask, the curse that had once given her heightened durability now working against the new, invading darkness.

Her Armament Haki flared to life, black tendrils of energy coating her body as she fought to push the void back. But it was too late.

The shadowy figure—the essence of the Scourge—had already entwined itself with her soul. In the chaos, the Scourge's twisted voice echoed inside her mind, a low, malevolent chuckle that sent a shiver down her spine.

"You think you can defeat me, Reaper? You've only just begun to understand true power."

Valeria gritted her teeth, her hands shaking as she tried to stand. Her body felt heavy, her mind clouded with pain and confusion.

But she wasn't alone.

Suddenly, Law appeared beside her, his Room ability allowing him to bypass the dark barrier for just a moment. He grabbed her shoulder, his expression more serious than she had ever seen.

"Don't give in to it," he growled, his voice low but steady.

"If you let this curse take control, you're done for." Valeria looked at him through blurred vision, her breath ragged.

"I can't... stop it..."

"You don't need to stop it alone." Law's eyes gleamed with determination.

"You've still got me, and you've still got your crew. We'll find a way to break this."But the shadow wasn't giving up.

The cursed energy surged again, and Valeria's body convulsed, the skeletal mask cracking further as the curse tried to consume her completely.

Law's grip tightened, his Ope Ope no Mi humming with energy as he prepared to make his next move.In a split second, Law raised his sword high and swung it down.

"Shambles!"

The world around Valeria shifted, and for a moment, everything went black.When she opened her eyes again, the battlefield had changed. She was no longer surrounded by the chaos of war, but in the middle of Law's Room, the scenery rearranged by his powers. The cursed void was still present, swirling above them, but Law had managed to pull her out of its immediate grasp.

"Don't waste this chance," Law muttered, standing in front of her, his sword glowing with surgical precision.

"I can keep that thing off you for a few more minutes. You need to figure out how to break the curse."Valeria nodded, her breath still labored but her resolve firming.

She could feel the Scourge's dark presence pulsing inside her, but she also knew that her mask had a connection to it—a connection she could use. This mask had bound her to darkness once before, and now it might be the only way to sever the new curse's hold.With a deep breath, she focused inward, letting her mind sink into the cursed mask. The power of her Armament Haki spread through the cracks, intertwining with the very fabric of the mask itself. She could feel the darkness twisting inside her, but she embraced it—took control of it.

Slowly, the black energy began to recede, pulled back into the mask like water draining from a sinking ship.The void above them shrank, its form weakening as Valeria's will overpower the curse. Law watched, his sword ready, as the last remnants of the Scourge's shadow finally faded into nothingness. For a moment, there was silence.Valeria collapsed to her knees, gasping for air.

The skeletal mask had been restored, but her body felt like it had been torn apart. Law knelt beside her, his usual smirk replaced with a faint, rare look of respect.

"Not bad," he said quietly.

"I've seen a lot of things, but that... was impressive."

Valeria looked up at him, her voice hoarse.

"Thanks... for not leaving me behind."Law shrugged, standing and sheathing his sword.

"Just don't scare me like that again. I'm not in the business of babysitting Reapers."

As the dawn began to break over the horizon, the last remnants of the battle faded into the distance. The Scourge was truly gone this time, but Valeria knew that the curse inside her had changed her forever. And the war? It had only just begun.