Dark Void's chief commander Cannibal Deadbeat has now arrived after Mighty Fighter's(Tim) retreat from his battle against Rei.
Cannibal Deadbeat after hearing everything from Dark Void set his next target as Rei, the Black Lunar Warrior who defeated all of Dark Void's elite commanders.
It seemed he was stronger than Mighty Fighter for which Tim worried if Rei faces Deadbeat alone, he may eat her alive torturing her just like he did with his previous victims. So, Tim convinced Dark Void so that he can atleast stay in the enemy ranks.
Presently...
Cannibal Deadbeat stood in the depths of Dark Void's throne room, looking down at a massive, holographic map of Soluna.
His smile widened in grotesque amusement.
"It's been a while since I had a good meal."
Instead of personally fighting Rei, he had a different plan.
Entertainment.
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned five monstrous abominations-each more horrifying than the last.
These weren't just ordinary monsters.
These things were designed for absolute terror.
They didn't just destroy.
They devoured.
The skies of Soluna turned black as the five creatures spread across the planet, wreaking havoc.
_ _ _
The entire planet trembled in horror.
Solar and Lunar people ran through the streets, screaming as monstrous beings rampaged through cities, tearing apart buildings and cannibalizing innocent civilians.
Bodies vanished in grotesque, unnatural ways, leaving behind only a trail of blood.
It was the darkest moment in Soluna's history.
And it was only the beginning.
After minutes of the horror...
Rei, without hesitation, rushed into battle, followed by Heatsun, Jim, and Moonsalt.
Each one took on a different monster.
Rei vs. The Abyssal Wraith
A nightmarish, shadow-like entity with clawed tendrils that could phase through matter. It warped through reality, making it nearly impossible to hit.
Rei, despite her training, struggled to land a single attack. Every time she tried, it vanished and reappeared behind her.
It toyed with her.
Until Rei, with newfound skill, began predicting its movements-unleashing a crescent slash of Lunar energy, severing its dark heart.
Heatsun vs. The Volcanic Titan
A hulking, molten beast that could absorb attacks and release them as explosive magma bursts.
Even Heatsun's Solar bursts barely made a dent.
The Titan countered with magma fists that sent Heatsun crashing into mountains.
But Heatsun, with his sheer willpower, absorbed the Titan's heat and redirected it back with a Solar Nova Fist, finally obliterating the beast.
Jim vs. The Cyber Ghoul
A mechanical monstrosity powered by stolen Celestic Justice technology. It moved at blinding speeds, cutting Jim with high-frequency blades.
Jim struggled, barely dodging the rapid onslaught of slashes.
Using his Solun Lance, he finally managed to counterattack-piercing straight through the core, disabling the monster permanently.
Moonsalt vs. The Glacial Horror
A frozen behemoth capable of flash-freezing entire cities in an instant.
Moonsalt fought with her Lunar freeze, but it wasn't enough. The Horror was simply stronger.
She was nearly crushed alive under its weight.
But channeling her full Lunar power, she created an absolute-zero spear, shattering the monster into pieces.
Henry, Marie, and Mighty Fighter's Secret Battle
The fifth monster was the worst of them all.
A twisted, skeletal nightmare, covered in glowing red runes-a creature that fed on fear.
Henry and Marie, despite their skill, were badly overpowered.
They fought valiantly, but the monster was simply too strong.
Just when they were about to fall, a new figure entered the battle.
Mighty Fighter.
Or rather... Tim.
Still disguised, he fought with precision, analyzing every move, finally exploiting a weakness.
With one final Solar strike, he obliterated the beast.
But no one saw him.
No one knew who had saved them.
And that's how he wanted it.
_ _ _
After the battle, Tim returned to Dark Void's spaceship, thinking his secret was safe.
But the moment he entered, Cannibal Deadbeat turned to him and smirked.
"You did well, Mighty Fighter."
Tim's heart nearly stopped.
"What...?"
Deadbeat leaned in, whispering only to him.
"I know it was you."
Tim's hands clenched.
But then, Deadbeat just laughed.
"Relax. I don't care."
Tim didn't understand.
Deadbeat continued, licking his lips.
"It just makes the game more interesting."
Dark Void watched with an amused grin.
Tim, forcing himself to stay composed, gave a casual shrug.
"I just wanted to make the battle fair."
Deadbeat let out a disturbing chuckle.
"I hope so."
He turned away, his bloodthirsty aura filling the room.
"Because the real game... is just getting started."
_ _ _
Cannibal Deadbeat sat in his dark lair, reviewing holographic data of the warriors who had fought his monsters.
His grotesque grin widened when he came across Rei's profile or the one who was his main prey.
"An Earthling..." he whispered, his voice dripping with twisted hunger.
His long, inhuman tongue flicked out, licking his lips.
For years, he had heard the rumors-that Earthling flesh was the most exquisite delicacy in the universe.
And now, one was standing right before him and ironically she appeared to be the reason Dark Void sent him for.
He previously wanted to make every enemies of Dark Void his prey as only one prey was no fun.
But her being an earthling piqued his interest towards her alone and decided may as well do exactly as Dark Void said.
Deadbeat wasted no time. He secretly went to Soluna by suppressing his aura.
He lured Heatsun and Moonsalt by releasing his aura near them making them trail it.
As they followed the aura, Moonsalt muttered. " The energy seems to be coming from nearby."
Heatsun whispered. "I feel this guy is somehow even stronger than us. But we can't back down when our planet is involved."
They finally came to an isolated path where the aura split in 2 directions (Due to Deadbeat spreading his aura in different paths)
Heatsun said. "It seems we need to split. The enemy has to be in one of the paths."
Moonsalt mostly stayed silent yet serious as she took the right path saying. "You take the other path and if anything happens, let me know."
Heatsun nodded taking the left.
They were now fully isolated from each other.
Deadbeat gave a sick grin.
After that Heatsun and Moonsalt were ambushed seperately.
With his overwhelming power, he first appeared before Heatsun and easily crushed him by his palms before he could get the time to process and then finding Moonsalt alone, the same thing happened to her.
Blood was dripping from there bodies as he dragged them with a sick grin.
Deadbeat licked his lips."They would have been tasty dinner for a day but using them the right way would give me an even more delicious meal, no, the most delicious meal ever."
He then, binded them in unbreakable chains muttering as he drooled delusionally.
"Can't let my backup meal escape until I get my real meal served."
Then, he packaged them inside a massive sack putting there bloodied bodies inside. After that he transported them in his personal slaughterhouse located in an uninhabitated planet.
The planet was one of his homes and he had previously eaten everyone in the planet, so he was the only one there along with the hostages. It was almost 3 hours distance from Soluna via spaceship.
_ _ _
The next day, Rei and Jim realized something was wrong.
Their mentors(parents for Jim)were nowhere to be found.
Henry and Marie, unaware of the danger reacted casually.
Henry: "Don't worry! They are probably, you know... spending some personal time together."
Marie: "After all, they had been seperated for so many years...I guess you understand...um there longing."
Jim's face was flustered as he silently muttered to them. "Stop! It seems somehow embarrassing to hear that... even though... they are my parents."
Rei was silent and gave no reaction.
After sometime, a package arrived at the entrance of the base.
Jim went to receive it and brought it inside in a bored way. "There better be something useful or I swear..."
Rei stared at it from a distance clearly showing no interest yet a little curious.
While Henry and Marie cheered. "Whatever it is, doesn't matter. It will still add as a decoration."
Jim then opened it.
Inside was a holographic recording.
Jim: "Oh! Now what is this? A recording? Whatever? It better not be some movie clip."
But as soon as he played it, the room fell into silence.
On the screen, Deadbeat stood in the shadows, grinning with his grotesque, inhuman smile.
Behind him, Heatsun and Moonsalt were chained, bloodied, and struggling.
"Greetings, my dear warriors... or should I say, my future meals?" Deadbeat chuckled, his eyes glimmering with madness.
"Come and fight me, Rei or whatever, but alone. Or I'll eat them. Slowly."
Rei trembled slightly not able to process the scene.
Jim clenched his fists.
He had heard rumors of Deadbeat before.
A true nightmare.
One of Dark Void's strongest enforcers-a sadistic cannibal who enjoyed prolonging his victim's suffering before devouring them.
He turned to Rei, his voice filled with resolve.
"Rei... don't go alone. I'll fight with you!"
Rei, surprised by his determination, found no reason to argue this time as his parents were involved this time.
She simply nodded.
After 3 hours...
The two warriors arrived at Deadbeat's battlefield after tracking the coordinates Deadbeat had provided to them.
It was a desolate, nightmarish planet covered in bones and crimson mist.
Deadbeat stood in the center, his twisted smile never fading.
The moment he saw Rei, he licked his lips hungrily.
"Ahhh... my precious Earthling has arrived."
He then glanced at Jim and scowled.
"I told you to come alone. Now, get lost."
Jim refused.
He tightened his grip on Rei's hand, his resolve unshaken.
"I won't let you hurt her."
Deadbeat's smile twisted.
With a snap of his fingers, a projection of Heatsun and Moonsalt appeared.
Their chains tightened painfully, drawing blood as Deadbeat spoke his mouth drooling.
"Refuse, and I'll eat them piece by piece. Either way, it doesn't matter."
Jim froze.
These weren't just any hostages.
They were his parents.
His entire body shook as he struggled with the decision.
But Rei, seeing his internal battle, gently pulled her hand away.
She gave him a small smile.
"It's okay. I'll be fine."
Jim clenched his fists but nodded reluctantly.
He had no choice.
As much as it killed him inside-he had to save his parents.
Deadbeat grinned as Rei stepped forward into the Bind Circle-a dark ring engraved into the battlefield.
The moment she entered, the air shimmered, sealing her inside.
"Now..." Deadbeat purred, his muscles bulging as he cracked his knuckles putting his Meat Cleaver down.
"Let's see what an Earthling tastes like."
Jim, holding back his emotions tried to locate the slaughterhouse in the planet to rescue Heatsun and Moonsalt.
"Why did I leave her alone?"
Jim couldn't stop that guilt clawing at his heart.
But by the time he turned in his direction, the battle had already started.
"It's been a while since I had a good meal."
Instead of personally fighting Rei, he had a different plan.
Entertainment.
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned five monstrous abominations-each more horrifying than the last.
These weren't just ordinary monsters.
These things were designed for absolute terror.
They didn't just destroy.
They devoured.
The skies of Soluna turned black as the five creatures spread across the planet, wreaking havoc.
_ _ _
The entire planet trembled in horror.
Solar and Lunar people ran through the streets, screaming as monstrous beings rampaged through cities, tearing apart buildings and cannibalizing innocent civilians.
Bodies vanished in grotesque, unnatural ways, leaving behind only a trail of blood.
It was the darkest moment in Soluna's history.
And it was only the beginning.
After minutes of the horror...
Rei, without hesitation, rushed into battle, followed by Heatsun, Jim, and Moonsalt.
Each one took on a different monster.