Chapter 55: Escaping From The Sadistic Cannibal? Is That Even Reality?
Rei's vision blurred as she slowly regained consciousness. The cold, metallic scent of blood filled the air, mixing with the rotten stench of decaying flesh. Her body ached all over, her strength drained from the brutal beating.
She tried to move, but her hands and legs were bound in chains, suspending her above a blood-stained stone slab. The entire room was dimly lit, revealing walls decorated with bones and weapons-a slaughterhouse.
Her breath hitched as she turned her gaze forward.
Deadbeat stood a few feet away, sharpening his massive machete. Sparks flew with every scrape of the blade. His grotesque grin widened as he glanced at her.
Deadbeat: "Oh, you're awake? Good. I like my meals to see what happens before they're served."
Rei's heart pounded. For the first time in her life, she truly felt helpless. She had survived impossible battles before, but this time... there was no way out.
She struggled against the chains, but it was useless. Her body refused to listen.
Her mind screamed for someone-anyone-to save her.
But there was no one.
No one but him.
"Tim..."
The name slipped through her thoughts as she closed her eyes. She had denied her feelings for so long, but at this moment, at the brink of death, she realized the truth.
She had developed an unexplainable longing for Tim.
She was somehow able to realize it right then.
Other times, she didn't understand why his sacrifice hurt her that much.
She, who was pretty good in controlling her feelings was often distracted and at times, had dreams about him which she never revealed to anyone.
It occasionally came to her as a painful memory. There first meeting 15 years ago always looped in her mind.
But she always tried to push them and focused more on battles, looking after Jim and protecting Soluna to distract herself from the recurring nightmares.
A tear slipped down her cheek as she now had no escape from that singular memory, no source of distraction.
She knew Tim was no more. And probably she will meet him in the afterlife.
Her thoughts swirled in that void. "I am finally going to meet you...Tim... after so long... Sorry...but...I couldn't keep...my request to protect... Soluna."
"But, still, I tried my best. I think I... am getting punished for my past sin by getting...devoured...by.."
"But-but again, I-I don't want to die like this. I-I am scared, Tim... for the first time...in my life...please.. It's...ah..."
In the Real World...
Rei was almost in a comatose state, faint tears dropping as Deadbeat was just licking his tongue trying to savour the taste of her blood. "Ummm... Earthling flesh is real tasty."
Meanwhile...
Tim burst into the planet at full speed, his armor gleaming white under the dim red sky.
His breath was ragged as he scanned the area.
But Rei was gone.
His heart stopped. The only thing left was the shattered ground and...
Blood.
Tim clenched his fists, his body trembling.
Tim (thinking): "No... I'm too late... I-"
Then, he caught a trail of blood.
It was Rei's blood.
His Solar senses sharpened, leading him straight to her. He didn't even think-he ran. Faster than he had ever run in his life.
As he sprinted, an overwhelming realization crashed into him like a storm.
He had developed some unknown feelings for Rei.
The previous memory of there first meeting flashed in his mind.
He remembered when he was 10 and Rei was 7, he found her to be his exact opposite.
How he got interested knowing her. Rei was gloomy and hated the world but he tried to tell her there are many things to like. He even shared his sandwich with her which made her surprised.
She always seemed to be prefer solitude but he tailed her trying to know her better and wanting to make her feel lively.
After that he recognized:-
He had always admired her strength, always thought about her, always felt something more-but he buried it under their rivalry.
He always felt a fated connection to her. As though,they complete each other.
But now...
If he lost her now, he wouldn't forgive himself.
He gritted his teeth. "I will save her. No matter what."
At The Slaughterhouse
Rei's breath came out in shallow gasps as Deadbeat approached, dragging the machete along the ground.
Deadbeat: "Let's start, shall we?"
With a sickening chuckle, he reached forward and ripped her armor apart, leaving her defenseless and completely exposed to his twisted gaze.
Rei (weakly): "You... monster..."
Deadbeat licked his lips, raising the machete.
He then licked her face and arms maniacally saying. "It will be interesting."
Deadbeat: "Now... let's carve you up."
Suddenly-
BOOM!
The entire slaughterhouse shook violently as something exploded through the wall. A blinding white light flooded the room.
Deadbeat barely had time to react before a furious roar filled the air.
Tim: "GET AWAY FROM HER!!!"
In a flash, Tim crashed into Deadbeat with a Solar powered punch, sending him flying across the room.
Deadbeat (coughing): "What the-"
Tim didn't wait. He sliced through Rei's chains with a single strike of his Solar Saber. She was finally free.
His heart ached seeing her like this-bruised, bleeding, completely vulnerable.
He pulled off his outer cloak and wrapped it around her, shielding her body as he stood guarded.
Tim (softly): "I'm here... You're safe now."
Rei's vision was hazy, but she could feel him. The warmth of his arms, the sound of his voice.
She smiled weakly.
Rei (whispering): "...Tim? Is that really you...did I really found you...am I in afterlife.... with you?"
Tim's grip tightened around her.
Tim (gritting his teeth): "You are still living and I am really here in flesh and blood. I somehow survived that time, didn't die and I won't let him touch you again. I swear."
Behind them, Deadbeat pulled himself up, cracking his neck.
Deadbeat: "...Hah. So the Solar Warrior is your lover?And also an earthling?"(scanning his data via his device)
Tim's eyes burned with fury.
Tim: "Shut up."
Deadbeat licked his lips, his hunger growing.
Deadbeat: "I see... Now, I want to eat you both."
_ _ _
Tim's body tensed as he stood between Deadbeat and Rei, his Solar Saber clutched tightly in his hand. His mind raced- "I have to get her out of here."
Deadbeat, dusting himself off let out a deep, sinister chuckle.
Deadbeat: "So, Tim... or should I say, Mighty Fighter?"
Tim's eyes widened.
Tim (thinking): "No way... How does he know?"
Deadbeat licked his lips, his razor-sharp teeth glinting under the dim lights of the slaughterhouse.
Deadbeat: "You thought you could fool me? Please. Your fighting style, your energy signature... even the way you walk-I knew it was you the moment I laid eyes on Mighty Fighter."
Tim clenched his fists. So Dark Void didn't tell him. Deadbeat figured it out on his own.
Deadbeat: "But don't worry. I kept your little secret... I wanted to see how long you'd play this little game of yours."
His grin widened.
Deadbeat: "But now, it's game over."
Tim knew he couldn't fight Deadbeat head-on because Rei was not even in the state to move, and Deadbeat's power was overwhelming.
So, without hesitation, Tim lifted Rei into his arms and leapt backward, crashing through a side door.
Deadbeat let out a maniacal laugh.
Deadbeat: "Running? Good! That just makes the hunt more fun!"
Tim didn't answer. He dashed into the dark maze-like corridors of the slaughterhouse, his mind calculating every possible escape route.
Rei stirred in his arms.
Rei (weakly): "...Tim..."
Tim: "Hang in there. I'll get us out."
Rei(weakly): "So..you..were...Mighty...Fighter...who battled...me?"
Tim: "Yeah."
Rei (weakly):"Glad...to... know... it...was... you..."
Tim: "This time! I won't leave you alone nor lose you. We will get through this together."
He could feel her heartbeat-weak, but still fighting. That was enough to keep him moving.
Deadbeat stalked through the corridors like a predator. He sniffed the air, his hunger growing.
Deadbeat: "You can run, but you can't hide."
Suddenly, the lights flickered.
A low, mechanical whir filled the air. The security system had activated.
Tim had found the control panel and was using it to his advantage.
Deadbeat: "...Clever boy."
Giant metal doors slammed shut behind Deadbeat, sealing him inside a room.
But Deadbeat wasn't fazed.
With a casual swipe of his claws, he ripped through the metal like paper.
Deadbeat: "Nice try."
Tim carried Rei through the winding corridors, his mind racing.
Tim (thinking): "I need to hide her somewhere safe while I fight him."
He found a small storage room filled with old equipment. Carefully, he placed Rei down and whispered:
Tim: "Stay here. No matter what happens, don't move."
Rei weakly grabbed his arm.
Rei: "Tim... don't go...I...don't...want...to...lose...you...again. I am...scared...of.. this... nightmare."
Tim hesitated, then gently squeezed her hand.
Tim: "I'll come back. I promise."
With that, he shut the door and sprinted back to the Cannibal.
Deadbeat: "Finally. I was getting bored."
Tim exhaled slowly, gripping his Solar Saber. No more running. I have to fight.
Tim stood his ground, gripping his Solar Saber tightly as he transformed.
Across from him, Deadbeat grinned-his massive frame looming in the dimly lit slaughterhouse.
Deadbeat: "No more running? Good. I was getting hungry."
Without warning, Deadbeat lunged. His clawed hand slashed through the air, aiming straight for Tim's throat.
Tim barely dodged, rolling to the side. He swung his Solar Saber in a sharp counterattack, but Deadbeat caught the blade with his bare hand.
Tim (shocked): "What?!"
Deadbeat squeezed, crushing the attack into sparks before backhanding Tim across the room.
Tim crashed into a metal rack, knocking over rusted equipment.
Deadbeat: "You're too weak, boy. You should've stayed hidden."
Tim wiped blood from his lip as he detransformed from the impact.
_ _ _
Then, he charged in again retransforming, moving at full speed, striking Deadbeat with a flurry of Solar-infused saber attacks.
But Deadbeat laughed through every hit.
Deadbeat: "You think pain matters to me?"
He grabbed Tim mid-attack and slammed him into the ground. The floor cracked under the impact.
Tim coughed, struggling to breathe.
Deadbeat loomed over him, licking his lips.
Deadbeat: "Maybe I'll start with your arms. I wonder if male earthlings taste different from females."
He raised his clawed hand to rip Tim's Solar armour apart-
-when suddenly, a spark of unknown energy erupted from Tim.
A deep pulse of power erupted, sending Deadbeat staggering back.
Tim's body glowed faintly, but this time, it wasn't just Solar energy.
It was something else.
Something Tim himself didn't understand.
Tim (confused): "...What... is this?"
Deadbeat growled, but for the first time, he hesitated.
This wasn't normal.
This was something beyond his understanding.
Before Tim could even process what happened, Deadbeat let out an annoyed grunt.
Deadbeat (muttering): "Tch... I don't like surprises."
With that, he retreated into the shadows in frustration.
Tim stood still, panting, as he detransformed. He seemed confused about that power.