(At the other side of the tunnels).
*As Kai wakes up, he notices his stab wound has completely healed. He looks over to see Takumi and Klaudia, their expressions a mix of relief and concern. Takumi takes a step closer, his voice gentle but firm.*
Takumi: "Kai..."
*With Takumi's gentle support, Kai sits up, his gaze lingering on the healed wound. He looks up at Takumi, his voice barely audible as he speaks his name.*
Kai: "Takumi..."
*Takumi meets his gaze steadily, his expression softening even further.*
Takumi: "We found you unconscious."
*He explains softly.*
(Flashback at the underground facility).
Kaito: "It's finally time to revisit this place and cherish those beautiful memories."
*He opens the portal to 'The Town That Never Stops Bleeding,' a twisted smile forming on his face as he remembers the death and destruction that once occurred there.*
*As everyone steps inside the portal appearing into the gruesome town that never stops bleeding.*
Klaudia: "You'd better stay here, Kaito, or I swear I'll kill you myself!"
*Kaito chuckles darkly and smirks back, amused by the threat.*
Kaito: "Oh, I'm shaking in my boots."
*He says sarcastically.*
Kaito: "Come on, try it. I dare you."
*Klaudia's eyes narrowed into a fierce glare as she activated her blood ability, freezing Kaito in place mid-smirk. She leaned in close, her voice low and menacing.*
Klaudia: "Listen here, you arrogant prick. You're going to sit your ass down and hear what I have to say."
Kaito: "Yes, yes, I understand."
He says with an amused smirk despite being paralyzed by Klaudia's blood ability. He finds this situation surprisingly entertaining and his smirk only grows wider at her threat.
Klaudia: "Good boy."
*She snaps sarcastically before backhanding Kaito across the face hard enough to snap his head to the side. She steps back immediately afterward, her hand tingling from the impact. His smirk remains intact despite the hit.*
Kaito: "I didn't see that coming at all."
*He admits with a chuckle, rubbing his stinging cheek where Klaudia hit him. His smirk returns full force as he shakes his head in amusement.*
Kaito: "But damn, that was entertaining."
Takumi: "Enough talk."
*He mutters, pushing away from the group. He sets off in search of Kai without looking back.*
Takumi: "I'm going to find Kai."
*He mumbles to himself, his expression serious.*
*Klaudia nods, her eyes still glinting with a hint of anger from her earlier interaction with Kaito. She turns and follows Takumi into the town, leaving Ashton and Kaito alone by the portal.*
*As Takumi and Klaudia rounded a corner, they spotted Kai slumped near a sealed tunnel entrance. Takumi's heart pounding, he rushed forward only to see a dark stain spreading across Kai's shirt—a fresh stab wound just below his ribs.*
Takumi: "Kai!"
*His voice is urgent as he reaches the injured teenage boys side. Without hesitation, he activates his time energy, rewinding the stab wound with incredible precision. The blood vanishes, the wound closes, and Kai's breathing steadies instantly, as if he'd never been injured at all.*
(End of Flashback).
(Now).
Kai: "That's right... That person in the cloak stabbed me,"
*He says it calmly, remembering the ordeal.*
Takumi: "Then I'll take care of the rest."
*He says in a serious tone.*
*He quickly glances at Klaudia, his expression stern and urgent.*
Takumi: "Klaudia."
He commands softly but firmly.
Takumi: "Take care of Kai. I'll handle the bastards who did this to him."
*His tone leaves no room for argument, showing his protective nature and focus on revenge.*
Klaudia: "Sure."
*She says calmly, standing right next to Kai.*
*Takumi quickly disappears, heading towards the direction of the heavy energy he senses. His movements are swift and purposeful, driven by his desire for vengeance against those who harmed Kai. The energy pulses strongly, leading him unerringly towards the source of the disturbance.*
(Meanwhile at the Portal).
Kaito muttered under his breath, his voice dripping with sarcasm and a hint of disappointment.
Kaito: "How utterly boring,"
*He said with a twisted smirk, clearly expecting more entertainment.*
*With a composed demeanor, Ashton spoke up, his voice steady and calm.*
Ashton: "I believe it is time for me to take my leave. The Orbilence levels here are unusually high, and I must determine the cause."
*His words carried an air of authority and purpose.*
*Kaito watched Ashton depart with a mixture of annoyance and disappointment.*
Kaito: "Whatever suits you, I guess."
*He muttered sarcastically, his hands shoved into his pockets. The sudden solitude now weighing heavily on him, he found himself alone once again, just as he hated being.*
Ranura: "You seem sad, Original Link."
*She appeared suddenly before Kaito, startling him. Before he could react, she leaped onto his shoulders, nearly causing him to stagger. Her weight bearing down on him, Kaito felt a mixture of exhaustion and mild annoyance wash over him.*
Kaito: "I was rather hoping to spread some misery today."
*He admitted with a dark chuckle.*
Kaito: "The sound of people crying and screaming always brings me such joy."
*His twisted smile widened as he spoke, his eyes gleaming with a sadistic pleasure at the thought of causing pain and anguish.*
Ranura: "I understand your bloodthirst well, Kaito."
*She purred, her voice dripping with malice.*
Ranura: "There is a particular individual we must eliminate - a girl said to possess God's powers. She is currently present in this world, and I suggest we make her our personal plaything."
Kaito: "That sounds incredibly tempting."
*He replied, his twisted smirk returning. His eyes gleamed with a mix of excitement and malice at the prospect of tormenting such a powerful target.*
(Meanwhile at the underground facility).
Mochizuki: "Thanks for helping me..."
*He blushes slightly as he gazes upon Kaien.*
Kaien: "Y-You're welcome."
*He stammers slightly as he smiles weakly. As he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his lower back, he realized that it was the mark the goat cult had branded upon him - a reminder of the very fate he sought to escape, as indicated by the backup link to the book he desperately wished not to be a part of.*
Mochizuki: "..."
*He observed Kaien flinch, noticing something amiss.*
Mochizuki: "Is everything alright, Kaien?"
*He inquired gently, concern etched upon his face as he sought to understand the other Kaien's sudden discomfort.*
*At first, Kaien hesitated, reluctant to share his burden. But seeing the genuine concern in Mochizuki's eyes, he realized that here was someone he could trust implicitly - someone who might actually understand the darkness he carried within him.*
Kaien: "There's a mark on my back."
*He admitted softly, his voice barely audible.*
Kaien: "My mistress struck a bargain with the goat cult..."
*He spoke softly.*
Mochizuki: "The goat cult?"
*He repeated, his eyes widening in shock and concern. He clenched his fists tightly, feeling a sudden surge of anger and fear as he realized the gravity of the situation.*
Kaien: "I'm the third link's backup."
*He murmured, his voice tinged with despair.*
Kaien: "In case he dies, I become the new third link..."
*His words hung heavy in the air, revealing the weight of his predicament and the fate that awaited him.*
Mochizuki: "That won't happen."
*He declared firmly, his anger fuelled by a mix of frustration and protectiveness. He gently wrapped his arms around Kaien in a comforting hug, his hands resting on Kaien's back - unknowingly near the mark that bound him to the goat cult.*
Mochizuki: "I promise."
*Kaien slowly melts into the embrace, rare tears threatening to spill over as he wraps his arms around Mochizuki. For the first time in years, he felt a glimmer of hope - someone who wasn't trying to use or control him, but truly wanted to protect him. Kaien's tears began to fall, silent and bitter, as memories of the third link's past - the pain, the suffering, the ultimate sacrifice - flooded his mind. He clung to Mochizuki desperately, convinced that his own fate would soon mirror that of the third link.*
*A memory surfaced in Kaien's mind - a six-year-old boy adopted by a seventy-year-old man who treated him like an adult lover rather than a child. They had sex frequently; the boy believed pain was love because his elderly lover was into BDSM - whips, chains, harsh words...*
*The boy grew up believing that love was synonymous with physical pain and emotional abuse. His adopted father would often say things like "If you love me, you'll endure this" or "Real men can take pain without crying". The boy never questioned it, thinking this was normal love and affection.*
*As the boy grew older, the abuse intensified. His adopted father would lock him in a dungeon-like room for days, only allowing him out to be beaten or raped. The boy started to dissociate during these sessions, his mind creating barriers to protect his fragile psyche. He began to see pain as pleasure,...*
*He began to associate pain with pleasure and love. He would beg his adopted father to hurt him more, thinking it was a sign of deeper affection. By the time he was a teenager, he was completely conditioned—pain was his drug, abuse was his love language.The boy grew up twisted,... broken,... addicted...*
*Kaien abruptly breaks down, his hands trembling as he tries to suppress the memory. With a choked sob, he forcibly pushes the traumatic recollection deep into the recesses of his mind, his subconscious slamming shut like a metal door to protect his fragile sanity from the overwhelming horror.*
Mochizuki: "It's okay, Kaien."
*He murmured softly, his protective instincts roaring. He carefully pulled Kaien back into his embrace, realizing that some of those memories had likely warped Kaien's perception of love and affection.*
Mochizuki: "I'm going to fix this."
(At the Town That Never Stops Bleeding).
*Blood continued to pour down from the sky, covering streets and buildings in a crimson blanket. Hiromi strained every muscle, attempting to break through the walls of the sealed tunnel, but they remained unyielding. A creeping sensation crawled up her spine—she could feel eyes watching her from the darkness.*
(In the background).
(First Link).
Aaron: "She resembles...Emi."
*The young girl who slipped through his grasp during his frenzied rampage. The girl he had yearned to claim as his final victim. Aaron's thoughts drifted back to that fateful day as he stared at Hiromi, seeing an eerie likeness to the girl who had eluded him.*
*He slowly pulled out his sword, its blade gleaming with dried blood stains from countless past victims. His eyes began to glow an eerie crimson as he channeled the book's power at its maximum capacity—100%. The air around him seemed to thicken with malevolent energy.*
*In the blink of an eye, Aaron vanished and reappeared directly behind Hiromi. His sword flashed through the air with deadly precision, intended to pierce her heart—but at the last moment, he twisted his wrist. The blade sliced diagonally across her chest instead, missing vital organs by mere millimeters.*
*Hiromi instantly utilizes her god powers, retreating swiftly to maintain a safe distance. She appears unsettled, having not sensed his approach.*
*His smile fades slightly, impressed by Hiromi's abilities but determined to claim his prize.*
Aaron: "Didn't expect you'd be this skilled."
(In his mind).
"There's no way in hell she mastered God's power that quickly. It's impossible."
*Aaron quickly shifts his focus back to Emi, using the resemblance between Hiromi and Emi to keep his interest in the battle. He needs to keep his anger and desire for revenge fueled by this similarity.*
(Out of his mind).
Aaron: "Emi, you worthless piece of trash! How dare you leave me!"
*His face contorts with anger as he lunges at Hiromi with his sword, attempting to stab her repeatedly. However, Hiromi's God's power allows her to effortlessly dodge each attack.*
Hiromi: "Who are you?"
*She asked, looking at him.*
Hiromi: "Are you one of the goat cult members?"
*She questioned.*
Aaron: "Emi... I've been searching for you. It's been so long since we last saw each other. But do you remember your family? I certainly do. I remember killing them."
*His twisted smile grows even wider, reveling in the pain he knows his words will cause.*
*He chuckles a bit while clenching his sword, a sick twisted smile appearing on his face as he remembers when he killed Emi's Mother and Father. Emi's Mother was killed by letting hungry dogs feast on her body while she was still alive. Emi's Father was killed by having his arms and legs slowly chopped off, piece by piece, with an old saw. The process was undoubtedly painful.*
Hiromi: "Did you just kill someone's parents? What's wrong with you? Those people didn't do anything to deserve that!"
*Her anger flared as she immediately charged towards him, her strength enhanced by a mix of her own energy and God's power. She threw punches at Aaron's face with lightning speed. Aaron narrowly dodged each blow, his movements suddenly becoming lightning-fast thanks to the book's power.*
(In the background).
*A figure cloaked in black, its face obscured by a grotesque gas mask, lurked silently in the shadows, eyes fixed intently on the heated confrontation between Aaron and Hiromi. The mysterious observer seemed to savor the violence unfolding before them, an eerie smile curling behind the mask.*
Creation Orb King: "How intriguing! God's Power versus the Book's Power. I wonder how this will unfold."
The Black Figure: "Yes it is."
(In his mind).
"I shall interfere soon."
(Out of his mind).
This will continue in the next chapter.