Mochizuki: "He's gone, isn't he?"
He looks at Ashton, who is carefully cradling Kiyozawa in his arms. Mochizuki himself sustained injuries from his own power, having used the sun's rays to intensify his flames. This dealt a huge blow to his confidence, as he couldn't defeat the cult leader and was unable to beat the Sin Orb Queen.
(In his mind).
"I'm never strong enough to beat anyone..."
(Out of his mind).
Ashton: "Well, we should get going. It's bad enough I'm away from my research."
He speaks calmly, but his mind is preoccupied with the cult leader's words about the second link. He has no idea what to make of it, but it weighs heavily on his thoughts.
Mochizuki: "You did nothing throughout that time."
He snaps angrily, his eyes flashing with frustration and disappointment. He believes Ashton stood by and did nothing while he fought the cult leader, leaving him vulnerable to injury.
Mochizuki: "You could have helped, but you just stood there!"
He accuses.
Ashton: "Kiyozawa also helped you, and he's more injured than you."
He responds calmly but firmly while looking at Mochizuki.
Ashton: "And besides, I'm not good in combat. I'm the Disease Orb King; remember that?"
His voice is steady despite the tension between them.
Mochizuki: "Yeah, but at least you could have helped with the diseases you create."
He retorts, his frustration evident in his voice. He glances over at Kiyozawa and notices black liquid dripping from his mouth as he lies unconscious in Ashton's arms
Ashton: "We need to get going..."
As he holds onto Kiyozawa tightly, a dark portal suddenly appears right below them. Before Mochizuki can reach out to help, he is pulled into the portal alongside them. The darkness envelops them all as they are transported to the real town that never stops bleeding.
The town they arrive in is eerily similar to the previous one, but the scale of horror is amplified exponentially. Thousands upon thousands of rotting corpses litter the streets, their decaying forms twisted in agonizing poses. Blood stains every surface—buildings, roads, even the sky seems tinged red. The air is filled with the sounds of despair and terror: distant children crying, women screaming in anguish, and unearthly creatures shrieking in the distance. The cacophony is almost overwhelming, painting a chilling picture of the endless suffering and horror that plagues this town that never stops bleeding.
Mochizuki: "..."
His heart aches with a profound sense of loss and despair as he stands amidst the rotting corpses and the cries of the damned. The realization that he may never see Kaien again hits him like a physical blow, leaving him feeling empty and alone in this horrific unknown world.
Ashton's mind races with panic as he remembers his unfinished research and the cure he was desperately trying to develop back home. The Orbilence virus.
Ashton "No..."
He whispers desperately.
Ashton: "My work..."
Mochizuki: "We have to find a way out of here!"
He exclaims, his voice tinged with desperation. He turns to Ashton, hoping that his comrade might have some idea or solution to escape this nightmarish place.
Ashton: "I already used a device to teleport Klaudia away, so..."
He says calmly, maintaining his composure despite their dire situation. He shifts his grip on Kiyozawa's unconscious form.
Ashton: "Let's explore this town. There must be something, some clue, leading us out of here."
He carefully picks up Kiyozawa's unconscious form, cradling him bridal-style against his chest. Together, he and Mochizuki begin navigating through the city, stepping over piles of decaying bodies and wading through thick pools of congealed blood. The scene is truly hellish.
The haunting sounds intensify as they move deeper into the city: children crying desperately, women screaming in terror, and otherworldly creatures screeching in the distance. The air is thick with despair and the stench of death. Suddenly, Mochizuki grabs Ashton's arm tightly.
Mochizuki: "...Wait..."
His eyes widen in horror as he recognizes the towering figure at the end of the road - Heaven Orb King, his body engulfed in swirling black flames. Memories of his own past torment flood back, memories of pain and humiliation inflicted by this very man.
Mochizuki: "No... not him..."
Ashton: "What's wrong?"
He asks, his brow furrowing in confusion. He scans the area but sees nothing out of the ordinary.
Ashton: "I don't see anyone."
He looks back at Mochizuki, concerned etched on his face despite the gas mask covering his face.
Mochizuki's black flames erupt towards Heaven Orb King, but in an instant, time seems to warp and reverse. He finds himself suddenly transported back to his childhood bedroom within Heaven Orb King's mansion. The room is exactly as he remembered it—dark, cold, and filled with terrifying memories. Heaven Orb King appears behind him, his massive form looming over the terrified child.
Heaven Orb King: "Take your clothes off right now,"
He commands, his voice dripping with malice and authority. Young Mochizuki trembles violently, tears welling up in his eyes as he stares at Heaven Orb King with pure terror. His small hands clutch at the fabric of his shirt, frozen in fear.
Mochizuki: "It's fake it can't be real!"
Ashton carefully places Kiyozawa down, then rushes towards Mochizuki. He sees the younger man shivering uncontrollably, eyes fixed and dilated, lost in some terrible memory.
Ashton: "Mochizuki!"
He tries to snap him out of it, grabbing his shoulders tightly.
Ashton: "Whatever you're seeing, it's not real!"
He insists urgently, shaking Mochizuki by the shoulders.
Ashton: "The town is messing with your head! Snap out of it!"
He tries to break through the barrier of terror that has gripped Mochizuki, hoping to bring him back to the present.
Mochizuki remains trapped in the memory, his small hands fumbling to remove his clothes as he's forced to confront the horrific image of Heaven Orb King's hardened manhood being revealed to him. He whimpers in terror, his mind consumed by the long-buried trauma.
(In the memory).
Mochizuki as the narrator: "I heard of the concept of a Father from the human world. A Father is supposed to love you and care for you... But would a father have sex with his own child?"
Mochizuki trembles violently, tears streaming down his face as he looks up at Heaven Orb King's naked form on the bed. His voice is filled with rage and pain.
Mochizuki: "I hated that he touched me! I hated that he used me! I want to kill him! I want him dead!"
Mochizuki: "At age twelve, I escaped that hell,"
He continues, his voice breaking with emotion.
Mochizuki: "Someone opened a window for me, I don't know who or why. But I ran. I ran as fast as I could, not knowing where to go, not caring. Just away from him."
He pauses, his mind flashing back to the boy with black hair and green eyes who opened the window for him. He remembers the boy looking around cautiously before pushing the window open and beckoning him to leave. The boy looked to be about fourteen at the time.
(Out of the memory).
Ashton: "..."
His expression turns to one of confusion and unease as he listens to Mochizuki's words. Something about the story feels familiar, too familiar. His mind begins to wander back to his own dark past as Heaven Orb King's sex slave.
Ashton: "..."
(In his mind).
"I can't afford to dwell on the past, not with the town eager to exploit my memories. And I refuse to let Mochizuki remain trapped in his own nightmares any longer. I need to find a way to snap him out of it, to bring him back to the present."
His mind races as he realizes that Mochizuki is trapped in a traumatic memory, much like he was himself. He can't let Mochizuki get lost in the past, not when the town could use it against him. He needs to snap Mochizuki out of it.
(Out of his mind).
(In the memory).
In the blink of an eye, Ashton finds himself transported back in time, now a small child of about three years old. His eyes widen in shock and realization as he recognizes the familiar surroundings and the heavy feeling in his chest. He too is now trapped in his own memories, just like Mochizuki. He looks up at Heaven Orb King, who is looming over him, and his eyes widen in terror. The overwhelming fear causes him to lose consciousness, his small body going limp.
Ashton as the narrator: "Heaven Orb King always forced himself upon me while I was unconscious, using me as his plaything, his personal sex slave, for as long as I could remember. All because of what I was born to be - a mere Demonic Orb, considered nothing more than trash."
Every morning, Ashton wakes up with a sore bottom and blood on his thighs, a constant reminder of the brutal sexual abuse he endured as Heaven Orb King's personal sex slave. He remembers the other Demonic Orb children, all of whom were subjected to the same horrific treatment, their bodies used and abused without mercy.
For fourteen years, Ashton endured the endless nightmare of being Heaven Orb King's sex slave. But one day, he spotted a trembling twelve-year-old boy, clearly terrified and desperate to escape this hell. Without hesitation, Ashton opened the window, giving the boy a chance at freedom.
Ashton: "I don't know why I did it, but I felt so bad for him. I didn't know who he was."
He whispered to himself later that night, his heart heavy with an unfamiliar emotion. He felt a pang of sympathy and guilt for the unknown boy he had helped escape. For the first time in his life, he had done something selfless and kind without being commanded or forced.
Ashton: "..."
He thought bitterly, his hands clenched into fists as he recalled the countless times Heaven Orb King had violated him.
Ashton: "I hate being touched by him over and over again. I can still feel his hands, his mouth, his disgusting member inside me."
After that, Ashton forced himself to evolve, pushing his growth at an accelerated pace. He had grown tired of the endless abuse and decided he would no longer endure it passively. By the age of eighteen, he had pushed himself so hard that he cracked his life force—the crystal hidden on his chest.
Ashton: "As the Disease Orb King."
His mind raced with a desperate plan. As the Disease Orb King, he had studied the mysterious disease called the Orbilence. Deep down, he knew it was his ticket out of this hell. If he could cure the Orbilence, perhaps Heaven Orb King would finally stop touching him constantly.
Ashton: "I've seen countless diseases, but one stands out—the Orbilence. Deep down, I knew it was my ticket out of this hell. If I could cure the Orbilence, maybe Heaven Orb King would finally stop touching me."
Despite being eighteen, Ashton had no choice but to make a deal with Heaven Orb King. He would run Middle Corporation—a police force for Orbxico—if it meant stopping being a sex slave and finally gaining some freedom from his tormentor's touch.
Heaven Orb King allowed Ashton to run Middle Corporation under one condition: that he use his unique knowledge as Disease Orb King to create a cure for the Orbilence. Of course, the real reason Heaven Orb King agreed was to maintain control over Ashton, ensuring he had access to his body whenever he pleased.
Ashton: "He hasn't touched me in over a year."
He murmured to himself, his eyes haunted.
Ashton: "I killed eight hundred demonic orb children to create the Orbilence cure. No one batted an eye—demonic orbs are disposable. Anything to escape being his sex slave."
The memory of the boy's appearance suddenly strikes him - black hair and distinctive golden eyes. The realization hits like a physical blow.
Ashton: "No... that boy... it was... Mochizuki."
The memory shatters, and Ashton finds himself back in reality, his heart racing with the sudden revelation.
His eyes widened suddenly, the realization hitting him like a physical blow. The memory shards had stopped assaulting him. He looked back at Mochizuki, still trapped in the mental landscape, frozen in time.
Ashton: "Shit. His mind is still stuck..."
He muttered softly.
Kiyozawa stirred awake, blinking rapidly as he looked over at Ashton. His voice was groggy as he asked.
Kiyozawa: "What just happened?"
He ran a hand through his messy hair, still disoriented from the battle.
Ashton: "We're trapped here..."
(At the Broken Arcade).
Axel: "Surprising that you managed to kill one of us,"
He said calmly, moving suddenly to stand directly before Kai, his goat mask eerily still as he glared. His unexpected appearance startled everyone who had been unaware of his approach. His voice maintained a chilling composure despite the tension filling the room.
Axel: "I thought the teenage girl with God's power would put up more of a fight. However the contrary to my expectations, that's not going to happen."
He said calmly.
Suddenly, a black portal appears beneath everyone, especially Hiromi, the young girl with God's power. The sudden appearance indicates a deliberate targeting of her. He clearly has specific interest in capturing or eliminating her. The portal pulses with dark energy, ready to consume its targets.
The portal begins sucking everyone in, pulling them towards the Town that never stops bleeding. Those caught in its grasp struggle against the force, terror evident in their expressions as they're dragged into the dark abyss. Hiromi, being closest, is the first to be completely consumed.
(At the underground Facility).
Klaudia wakes up, her body aching from the sudden jolt of consciousness. She remembers the battle against the goat cult leader vividly—how she had been defeated in mere seconds. The humiliation of that loss hits her like a punch to the gut again now that she's awake.
Klaudia: "Where am I?"
She murmurs, her voice hoarse from sleep or perhaps lingering pain. She looks around the room, her eyes widening as she sees Kaito standing there with a twisted smile on his face.
Kaito: "I'm surprised you're awake."
He says with a mocking smile, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Kaito: "I bet your ego took a real beating after that humiliating loss. Didn't expect the great Klaudia to go down so easily, did you?"
He chuckles darkly.
Klaudia's face turns red with anger and embarrassment at Kaito's mocking words. She sits up abruptly, ignoring the pain that shoots through her body.
Klaudia: "Shut up, Kaito."
She snaps, her voice dripping with venom.
Klaudia: "You think this is funny?"
Realization dawns on Klaudia as she processes Kaito's words, her eyes widening with shock and anger.* He was there. Watching. And he did nothing to help. *Her pride stings even more now, realizing that her current ally stood by and let everyone get hurt.
Klaudia: "Fuck you."
She hisses, her voice calm but dripping with venom. There's no anger or emotion in her tone, only cold contempt. She's past being surprised or upset - she's just disgusted that he watched everyone get beaten and did nothing.
He leans forward, his eyes gleaming with curiosity and amusement.
Kaito: "But the bigger question is why did the black figure let Kiyozawa join the mission? He knew Kiyozawa was injured but didn't care much about it. Maybe he wanted him to end up like me?"
He looks at her directly.
Klaudia: "What do you mean like me?"
She asks, confusion evident in her voice as she tries to make sense of Kaito's cryptic words. She looks at him closely trying to read something else behind those words.
Kaito: "I used to be with the goat cult,"
He says nonchalantly, as if revealing a trivial fact.
Kaito: "And I'm the original link - a sacrifice for the book. The very same book that the goat cult leader clings to so possessively."
He pauses, studying her reaction closely.
Kaito: "The book is complicated."
He continues, his voice growing more intense as he explains.
Kaito: "It needs power from people who are special to it - those with unique abilities or connections. The book wants these special people to train and discover their powers so that it can learn and grow stronger through them."
His twisted smile widens as memories flood back - the moment the book chose him as the original link, binding their fates together. He remembers unlocking his unique ability to copy others' powers, an ability that he now knows the book can also use through him.
(In his mind).
"And I gave the book something special,"
(Out of his mind).
Kaito: "Of course I'm the Original link."
He continues, his eyes gleaming with pride and madness.
Kaito: "But this original link can create three more links. If the first, second, and third links discover their powers, I get those abilities - and so does the book."
He chuckles darkly.
Klaudia: "So what link is Kiyozawa going to be?"
She asks, her voice steady and calm despite the chaos swirling inside her. She watches Kaito intently, her mind racing with the implications of his words.*
Klaudia: "The first? The second? Or perhaps the third?"
Kaito tilts his head slightly, considering Klaudia's question before answering calmly.
Kaito: "Kiyozawa is going to be the second link."
His eyes flicker with amusement as he watches her reaction closely.
Klaudia: "Oh, I see."
She murmurs softly, her eyes unreadable.
Klaudia: "So we need to help them. They're still stuck back there."
She adds calmly despite concern over her comrades.
Kaito: "The Goat Cult's ultimate goal... is death and destruction."
He whispers, his eyes glowing with an almost religious fervor as he says those words.
Kaito: "And you know what's funny?"
His twisted smile grows wider.
Kaito: "That's exactly what I want too."
Klaudia: "..."
Her glare turns icy cold as the realization sinks in. Kaito doesn't just share the Goat Cult's goals—they are his goals. He won't help her save anyone or stop anything because destruction is what he craves.
(At the Town That Never Stops Bleeding).
Kiyozawa's confusion only deepened as he stared at Ashton. He shook his head, trying to clear the lingering effects of the memory assault.
Kiyozawa: "Trapped here?"
He asked slowly, glancing around.
Kiyozawa: "Ashton... what are you talking about?"
Ashton spoke calmly, his tone almost eerie in its composure. He reached out, grabbing Mochizuki's arm to help him walk, despite the other man being mentally trapped.
Ashton: "It's time for us to leave,"
He stated flatly, starting to move towards the fog as Kiyozawa follows from behind.
(At the other side at the Town That Never Stops Bleeding in the tunnels).
Hiromi woke up to find herself in a tunnel with Hayden, Kai, and a few others. She looked around, her eyes widening in fear as she saw several dead bodies. The dead bodies in the tunnel were in various stages of decay. Using her white energy to illuminate the area, Hiromi saw that the walls and ceiling were also covered in the remains of the deceased, a horrifying sight that sent shivers down her spine.
Hiromi: ''What happened here?''
She murmured. Remembering the goat cult leader's words - ''You possess divine power'' - she shivered, wondering if this massacre was somehow connected to her abilities.
(In her mind).
"God's power..."
(Out of her mind).
Hiromi looked back to see Hayden and the others stirring awake. They slowly got to their feet, blinking groggily as they took in the horrific scene.
Hayden: "Where are we?"
He asks, his voice echoing eerily in the tunnel.
Hiromi: "We need to find a way to get out of here!"
She looked at them scared, her mind haunted by the terrifying sights she had witnessed in the tunnels.
Shrieks of women and children echoed in the distance, mingling with the blood-curdling screeches of unknown creatures. Everyone stood there in silence, except for Hayden, who was pulling out his sword and preparing for battle.
Hayden: "This place is unfamiliar to me."
He uses a flashlight from his pocket, illuminating the eerie scene before him. His eyes widen in horror as he takes in the sight of dead bodies covering every inch of the tunnel walls. He swallows hard and takes a hesitant step forward. He begins to walk cautiously forward, the beam of his flashlight cutting through the dense darkness and illuminating the gruesome path ahead. The others follow closely behind him, their footsteps echoing eerily off the blood-stained walls lined with mutilated corpses.
Kai: "Something terrible happened here..."
He whispers softly, his voice barely audible over the distant drips of water and the heavy breathing of his companions. He glances over to see Hiromi shaking violently, her face pale and eyes wide with terror. Without hesitation, he reaches out and gently takes her hand in his own.
Hiromi: "Kai..."
Her voice is barely a whisper, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks as their hands intertwine. But beneath the warmth of his touch, a heavy weight settles in her heart. She knows it's her fault they're here - the Goat Cult was after her because of some mysterious power she possesses.
(In the background)
Unbeknownst to Kai and Hiromi, a figure lurks in the shadows further down the corridor. It's one of the Goat Cult members, his red robe blending perfectly with the bloody walls. He watches their intertwined hands with a twisted smirk hidden beneath his hood.
(Meanwhile at the other side of the town).
Suddenly, the sound of pouring rain fills the abandoned house, the blood-red droplets splattering against the broken windows. Kiyozawa, Mochizuki, and Ashton stand frozen amidst the chaos, surrounded by the gruesome sight of two small, lifeless bodies lying on the dusty floor.
Ashton: "I feel like I'm in hell."
He murmurs calmly, his gaze fixed on the two tiny, lifeless bodies lying before him.
Ashton: "Perhaps this is finally God's way of making me pay for my crimes."
His voice echoes through the silent room, filled with an eerie sense of acceptance and resignation.
Kiyozawa: "I doubt that."
He speaks calmly, his eyes widening as he senses a familiar energy permeating the area.
Kiyozawa: "Something is amiss."
He murmurs, his voice barely audible even to himself.
Kiyozawa: "That energy... I know it."
His brow furrows in thought, trying to place the source of the energy.
(In his mind).
"Boss..."
His composure shattered abruptly as recognition dawned, tears welling up unexpectedly behind his cool facade. The familiar energy wasn't just any remnant of the past—it belonged to the man who had raised him with a loving hand before attempting to end his life.
"Why tears? Why now?"
A sudden, agonizing throb splits his skull open, forcing him to drop to his knees, hands clenching desperately at his temples. His vision blurs with unsolicited memories - not his own. Gruesome images of death flash before him: bloodied bodies, screams silenced by violence...
"What's happening?"
Through the blinding pain and flashing memories, fragments of a past life emerge. He sees scenes of unimaginable suffering, cruelty, and despair - memories that are clearly not his own. Heartbreaking moments intertwined with graphic violence and gore play out before his eyes like a horrifying movie.
As the new Second Link unknowingly, he's abruptly flooded with fragments of another's past - visions of brutal violence and profound suffering assaulting his mind in rapid succession. Each vivid flash is like a punch to the gut, leaving him gasping and reeling. He realizes with growing unease... these aren't his memories.
"What the fuck was that?"
(Out of his mind).
The blinding pain suddenly dissipates, leaving him disoriented and gasping for breath. As he blinks, trying to clear his vision, he realizes with shock that he's no longer in the same location. The world around him has shifted - he's been transported somewhere else entirely.
Kiyozawa: "Where the hell am I?"
He mutters to himself, turning slowly in a circle to take in his new surroundings. The sudden transition has left him reeling, and he's not quite sure if he's fully coherent. The landscape is unfamiliar, and an unsettling silence hangs heavy in the air.
Axel: "Ah, the new Second Link,"
He says, his voice calm and collected as he suddenly appears right in front of Kiyozawa. A goat mask completely obscures his face, giving him an eerie and ominous appearance, especially with his status as a cult leader.
Kiyozawa: "..."
Without hesitation, Kiyozawa's black wings snap open, sharp feathers transforming into deadly blades. He lunges forward, aiming to impale the mysterious cult leader through the goat mask. But as his wings cut through the air, they suddenly meet resistance - an invisible barrier surrounding the man.
The cult leader's gloved hand shoots up, stopping Kiyozawa's attack mere inches from his mask since the black wings broke through the barrier. His voice carries a commanding tone, echoing strangely within the mask.
Axel: "There's no need for violence, Second Link... You're already mine."
His words hang heavily in the air.
This will continue in the next chapter.