With a hardening determination, Raphael clenched his hand into a formidable fist. As he gently eased his eyes closed, a frosty wind blustered through the area.
The wind was neither chaotic nor tranquil, an eerie paradox that unsettled the atmosphere.
Latario, watching Raphael with a predatory gaze, felt the wind's peculiar touch. An ominous grin stretched wider across his face, revealing a hint of delight at the transformation he saw unfolding before him.
"Hehe," Latario chortled, finding amusement in Raphael's metamorphosis. His arms remained outstretched, a challenge and a welcome to the impending onslaught.
"Come on, Raphael, give me your best!" he taunted.
Before the echo of his words had faded, Raphael lifted his hand. A minuscule, dark pearl materialized in his palm. He gazed at the pearl before wrapping his fingers around it securely.