Forgive me (33)

Aaron stalked toward his hidden base, his steps echoing a cold fury. His eyes, devoid of their usual playful glint, burned with a murderous intensity. Reaching the weapon room, he bypassed the usual arsenal and grabbed a vial of shimmering, gaseous substance.

"Let's craft him a nightmare," he muttered, his voice laced with a chilling promise. He slammed the vial into a specialized machine, its futuristic interface buzzing to life as it analyzed the mysterious substance.

With renewed purpose, Aaron tapped into the system's vast database, his fingers flying across the holographic keyboard. He delved deep into Olteca's data, searching for any weakness, any chink in the demon's armor. Hacking through layers of security, his eyes finally landed on a single, unassuming file: "Makoto Hatsushiba."

**POV Change: Rui**

Rui's eyelids fluttered open, battling the harsh light flooding the abandoned building. Dizziness washed over her, remnants of the potent Chlorophanes clinging to her system. Slowly, she attempted to sit up, but a metallic clang echoed as she reached for the wall. Panic surged through her veins as she realized she was chained, bound to a cold metal floor.

A voice, dripping with malicious glee, startled her. "Oh, you woke up, good."

She whirled around, her eyes widening in recognition. It was Olteca, the very demon responsible for her abduction. Memories of playful shopping moments with Sakura evaporated, replaced by a chilling fear.

Rui instinctively recoiled, the harsh tug of the chains a cruel reminder of her predicament.

"You're not going anywhere now," Olteca chuckled, a cruel amusement dancing in his eyes.

Silent terror choked her voice. A horrifying flashback flooded her mind - a scene of her younger self, bound and helpless, echoing the cold metal against her back.

Suddenly, another voice broke the tense silence. A figure materialized from the shadows, the crimson armor of another Deadman glinting in the dim light. "What do we do with her?" he rumbled.

Olteca's smile widened into a cruel grin. "She's very useful. With her here, Raion wouldn't dare move against us. He wouldn't risk his precious little sister becoming a Giftex, would he?" He brandished an ominous-looking stamp, its surface swirling with malicious energy.

Rui recoiled further, sensing the dark power emanating from the object. In a desperate burst of telekinetic power, she launched the stamp flying across the room, embedding it harmlessly into the wall.

Surprise flickered across Olteca's face. "Interesting," he mused, a hint of intrigue replacing his amusement. He hadn't expected the girl to possess such abilities.

"Please stop," Rui managed to choke out, her voice weak and pleading. But her words seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Olteca's smile became predatory. He didn't care about her pleas. However, a new wrinkle had appeared in his plan. This unexpected telekinetic ability could be useful.

Suddenly, Olteca's phone pierced the oppressive silence. He glanced at the screen, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "Isn't he quick?" he muttered before answering the call.

Placing the phone to his ear, he heard a voice that sent shivers down his spine. "Makoto Hatsushiba," it growled, the name dripping with icy venom.

Olteca froze. He never revealed his true identity to anyone... except that man. A bead of sweat formed on his temple as the voice continued.

"Release her," Aaron commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Olteca scoffed, attempting to regain his composure. "Or what? Or did you forget, I still have your sister?"

A chilling silence descended before Aaron's voice crackled through the phone. "Rui, if you can hear me, please forgive me in advance."

The call ended abruptly. Rui's eyes widened in horror. No... No... No! This couldn't be happening. She couldn't let Aaron sacrifice himself again, unleash another wave of destruction in her name. The weight of his words, the weight of her past, threatened to crush her.

Olteca's smug grin faltered for a fleeting moment. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his eyes, a crack in his facade. While unaware of the full extent of Aaron's hidden power, a primal instinct, honed by countless battles, warned him that something wasn't quite right. The raw emotion in Aaron's voice, the chilling finality of his words, sent shivers down Olteca's spine despite his bravado.

Here was Raion, the supposed hero, the supposed symbol of justice, threatening to unleash a storm of destruction. It didn't fit the hero narrative Olteca had constructed in his mind. Perhaps it was a bluff, a desperate ploy to buy time. Or perhaps, just perhaps, there was a truth lurking beneath the surface, a darkness Raion had kept hidden for a reason.

Olteca quickly dismissed the unsettling thought. He couldn't afford fear. "Hero or monster," he scoffed, regaining his composure, "it won't make a difference. He'll come crawling here, begging for your life."

A cruel amusement flickered in his eyes as he addressed Rui directly. "See, little one? Heroes are nothing more than hypocrites. They preach justice, but when it truly matters, they'll sacrifice anything to save those they love."

His words held a sting of truth, a truth that resonated with the horror bubbling within Rui. Was her brother truly willing to unleash chaos once more for her sake? The thought filled her with a suffocating dread.

Olteca, oblivious to the internal struggle he had ignited, continued, his voice laced with a chilling confidence. "Let the games begin."

He reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing against a familiar object – a small vial containing a concentrated dose of Chlorophanes. A cruel smile played on his lips. He had leverage, and he intended to use it to his full advantage. The fight was far from over, and Olteca, fueled by a twisted sense of control, was prepared to play a dangerous game.

A few days bled into a grueling eternity for Rui. Each tick of the clock echoed with the weight of her situation, fear gnawing at her like a relentless parasite.

Time skip

Olteca, who had been pacing like a caged animal, whipped around, a sneer twisting his features. He glanced out a broken window atop the building, a single word escaping his lips. "Finally."

Standing on the rooftop, bathed in the harsh sunlight, was Aaron. Gone was the playful facade, replaced by a steely determination that sent shivers down Olteca's spine. His eyes, devoid of their usual warmth, blazed with a cold, predatory fire.

"Took you long enough," Olteca taunted, his voice laced with a nervous tremor he desperately tried to hide.

But before he could utter another word, Aaron exploded into action. A blur of blue and silver streaked across the rooftop, his fist connecting with an invisible force with a sickening crunch. A scream tore through the air as a Deadman materialized behind Olteca, his bones shattering, his body wracked with pain.

Olteca's eyes widened in horror. The Deadman, usually resistant to physical attacks, crumpled to the ground, his form flickering as an unnatural fire danced across his flesh. It wasn't a blaze of heat, but a cold, ethereal flame, burning from the inside out.

Aaron didn't pause. Another Deadman materialized, only to be met with the same brutal fate. Their screams echoed through the desolate landscape, a chilling melody of pain and despair.

Olteca's bravado crumbled. The smug confidence he had worn just moments ago evaporated, replaced by a primal fear that clawed at his throat. He had underestimated Raion, underestimating the monstrous power that lurked beneath the hero's facade.

Aaron's gaze finally landed on Olteca, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down the demon's spine. "I will enjoy what I will do to you."

The air crackled with a terrifying energy. This wasn't the hero Olteca had expected. This was a force of nature, a harbinger of destruction.

A/N did you catch it?