Republic of Heroes
Table of Contents
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 END ExtraChapter 34
A young woman in her late twenties with black hair wearing a sleeveless shirt along with a matching skirt, socks, and boots She is also beautiful, as her attractive, soft features accentuate her charm. Her name is Ayaka Sakagami, a graduate in the arts with both a master of fine arts and a doctorate degree in business management.
Unbeknownst to her, Sato was following this potential victim through the busy streets of this night city; his serious and focused expression was juxtaposed by his adolescent looks and immature stature, giving the impression of a child who was too eager to participate in doing something illegal.
This section of this city is a place for tourists and urbanites alike, as well as many workers who need a place to relax and spend some time after work. This place has become a hangout spot for all ages, especially during special events. So far, no one seems to care about his suspicious behavior.
Having brought his hammer, he quietly followed Ayaka, trying his best not to alert anyone. He kept a safe distance, avoiding being noticed or called out by other civilians that passed by him. His actions spoke volumes about what he was planning to do when the opportunity came.
Deep down, he doesn't enjoy doing this. He was not sadistic about the idea of inflicting pain or torture on his victims; in fact, he was reluctant to hurt them, thinking it was pointless, senseless, and disgusting that he was committing this crime. He hated this feeling, not liking the idea of hurting those who hasn't done anything to him.
But for the sake of the person he loved so dearly, there is no reason for him not to do it. Loving someone, whom he knew only as Nomi, means everything to him; without her, his life would be empty, meaningless, and utterly meaningless, leaving him as a simpleton man who no one would ever care for or even notice.
All five of his senses are affected, and he sees everything as a grotesque, hellish landscape of flesh and gore. People and animals alike weren't exceptions, as Sato also saw them as nightmarish monstrosities with human faces, making his life absolute suffering from this until he met Nomi, the only human that he loved the most in the world.
And more importantly, she is the first person he sees as an ordinary human in his world; like an angel, she has brought him great comfort and relief by making him realize that he isn't crazy and the world is not full of horrifying abominations.
Except for Randolph Carter, the billionaire man he met at the bus stop last night, he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw another person other than Nomi who wasn't a monster in his eyes. Secretly, in that moment, he felt grateful towards this person after a short conversation with another.
It's as if they were friends that somehow met for the first time, and that makes him so happy for the brief moments of their chat that he wishes he could be like him in some way. To live life as if he were a normal human being and have this accursed agony cured.
"Snap out of it," shaking his head in throwing away these distracting thoughts, "she's right here," muttering to himself, forcing his mind back on focus, "can't waste my time," focusing his gaze back on the young woman he has been stalking.
Ayaka went into the restaurant, forcing him to stop his tracks. "Dammit," the young man cursed under his breath, "just when I was so close." Thinking she is most likely having dinner, meaning the best opportunity he has to kill her now has been missed.
Gazing around the area, "Well, it doesn't matter anyway," he can wait an bit longer to take action, "its not like she can escape," speaking to himself again, "but," looking over to the nearby alley, "I can kill her discreetly with no one bothering to notice," coming up with a plan in his mind.
Heading to a nearby building not far from the restaurant she went to, he leaned his back on the wall, hands inside his pockets, as he casually watched the building she entered inside, patiently waiting for her to exit, "it shouldn't take long for her to get back out," grinning from the anticipation of it, "when she gets out, I'll just lure her back in this alley," confident of his ability to capture her.
Not only does he have to keep an eye on her, but there are potential cops moving about in this late hour; Sato hadn't bothered hiding his tracks as there is no point in doing so. There wasn't anything else to live for, and he is remorseful for doing such acts of cruel violence against random strangers who don't deserve to die.
"Yeah, there isn't any reason to do this." Thrusting his hand deeper into his pockets, he says, "If they get involved, this is going to get messy real fast," making sure to stay calm and collected as he waits for her. "I just hope I'm able to deal with whatever that will happen afterwards."
Luckily for him, he doesn't have to worry about the authorities catching up on him; "after all, Nomi will handle it," knowing that his girlfriend is going to do something to resolve the situation before it gets worse. She is capable of helping him whenever he gets caught.
He then waited and waited, observing the entrance and windows of the building, and soon, people began exiting and entering the establishment. Still, none of them matched his target's profile, and the girl he was hoping to see never emerged.
'This is getting infuriating,' his inner voice expressed annoyance; having waited for forty-five minutes, he sighed, 'even if she is still inside, I should probably hurry up and try something else.' Not wanting to be seen as suspicious, he walked across the street and entered the same door through which he intended his target.
When he entered, he was greeted by dozens of people and a smell of cooked meat. Tables, chairs, and a variety of dishes were present inside, though what really caught Sato's attention was the number of people that surrounded him. He even wondered how he could possibly pick up Ayaka through this crowd.
Luckily, the crowd wasn't that large; as a result, he easily found her alone in one of the corner tables. There, he said,' seeing the back of her head as she ate her food, 'all this waiting and she still hasn't even finished eating!' He was beginning to feel like he wanted to explode.
Fortunately, she would finish her meal shortly; with a single gulp, she placed down her glass and got up, smiling and stretching her back. For a brief moment, he could see her face. 'Hurry up and get out of here!' He hoped, 'Come on, come on already!' Mentally screaming at herself to leave, he did his best not to scream those words aloud.
Sitting in the opposite direction of Ayaka, he silently observed her as she talked to the staff at the counter before finally walking out, and, for the first time tonight, she was alone outside this restaurant. Sato had the opportunity to follow her in his sights, but he suddenly froze; his heartbeat quickened, and his whole body stiffened up.
Despite the crowdedness, she seemed to notice something that alerted her. Whatever it was, she turned and looked at him; her expression shifted to surprise and recognition as her face switched to suspicious. "Can I help you?" Ayaka asked, "Do I know you from somewhere?" With those words, her lips curled downward as she took a step closer, her hand reaching into her bag.
Is she pulling out a gun at a time like this? This isn't good; he needs to act fast now. Sato wasn't sure how to respond and stared at her with a blank expression on his face, his mind trying to figure out the best way to kill her or at least escape from this woman's clutches.
Instead of a weapon or gun, Ayaka brought out a smartphone. "You need a ride or something? Asked politely while being wary, "You look like a teenager; how old are you? What are you doing in a place like this?" Questions continued to pour out of her.
There were so many questions that he didn't want to answer. Sato knew that if he lingered here too long, Nomi would starve and there was a higher chance an officer would recognize him. "Y-yes," he stammered slightly while nodding his head, "my girlfriend was separated after we got mugged," lying to his teeth while keeping his hands in his pockets, "I didn't know where else to go or find her."
Watching Ayaka's demeanor shift from pity to disbelief as she crossed her arms in defiance, she asked, "And you expect me to believe that? She challenged him: "Seriously, you think I'm stupid? Who are you trying to fool?" As if she is questioning his credibility.
'Alright, calm down. I can still fix this.' He needed to choose his words carefully: 'Nomi wouldn't be happy with me if I mess this up.' Thinking positively, he scratched his head and said, "My girlfriend is lost, and you're accusing me of what, lying?" Trying his best to be believable, he asks, "For what?" Noticing the woman in front of him lowering her guard, he asked, "Are you seriously asking me that?" He managed to make himself appear pitiful in order to convince her, "You honestly think I'm going to cause trouble just because I'm—"
She quickly cut him off: "You wear all black, your hair is messy, and the way you look makes you stand out. It is obvious that you're hiding something." She declared accusingly, "And you may not even have a girlfriend; for all I know, you may be part of those muggers that you claimed to encounter and are looking to take advantage of someone naive enough to believe you."
Raising an eyebrow at her, she said, "Now you're saying that I'm one of the guys that attacked my girlfriend?" Feigning outrage at her, he said, "Seriously? And I just told you that we got separated and lost!" He even clenched his fists tight in anger, saying, "You just said it yourself; I may not even have a girlfriend! Does that sound reasonable to you? Do I look like someone who's trying to con you?" Shouting his words of frustration at this woman.
A growing crowd surrounds them both, and while Sato is anxious, he continues to stay calm despite the increasingly stressful situation. It is difficult to maintain composure. When the situation escalates, he cannot guarantee his safety, but it is better than surrendering.
While Ayaka glanced back at the small mob that appeared around her, "fine, let's discuss this in private," she gestured, pointing a finger at a secluded alleyway, "over there, no one is around," watching the young man stare at her skeptically before turning back to the growing audience that formed around them.
Knowing the odds were in her favor, Sato figured he had to compromise. "okay," he says before having his own arm snatched by her as they marched. "This isn't even worth causing a scene," he commented to as he was willingly allows himself to be led to a dim, deserted alley by her.
Once the two of them reached inside, a dubious young girl around Sato's age mysteriously appeared in their vision; her green hair and white dress speak of abnormality in a secluded place as if she is a ghost of the past. "Hello there," she waved her hand, smiling friendly at them.
They stopped, letting go of his hand as he stood behind the soon-to-be victim. His face darkened as he gripped his fingers tightly around the hammer he'd been carrying around in one of his pockets, prepared to do what must be done in order to satisfy his girlfriend's hunger for human flesh.
"Who are you?"
She asked the mysterious girl, frightened by the unexpected arrival, "What are you doing here?" Her tone was accusatory, not allowing the other party to answer, "Look, whatever you are planning, please leave me out of it." Her hand touched the handbag she carried around, "I don't have anything you want, so just let me go!" The other hand gripped her phone, ready to dial the police in an emergency.
"I'm Nomi; nice to meet you!" She said childishly, taking a couple of steps forward with a charming smile on her face, "Can I eat you?" Her cute mannerisms, cheerful attitude, and bright disposition completely contradicted the sinister intent behind those words that would cause Ayaka's mind to turn.
After hearing this strange question, she laughed hysterically, as if she had gone mad. "What the fuck?" Chuckling madly, she said, "Did you really just ask me that?" Stress and anxiety were visible on her face. "Am I dreaming?" Taking a step back, "because I'm pretty sure you just asked me if you could eat me..."
At those words, Sato withdrew his hand and tightened the grip around the hammer. It was just a matter of seconds; all he needed to do was wait for the perfect opportunity. Although he was aware that he couldn't drag this on for long,
However, he was hesitant like always, never liking to do this even though it was necessary. "This is it," he took a deep breath and exhaled, "time to end this," the young man said without wasting a beat of it.
"Wha—" The moment she turned around, the unexpected woman was immediately hit by the side of her head with hammer. Completely shocked by what just happened, her mind processed no new thoughts as the weight of her body made her collapse unconsciously to the ground.
With the deed done, he took a few steps back to avoid falling over and dropping his only weapon, a show of disgust spawned on his face at what he had done to innocent person. "I don't feel good doing this, Nomi," he said, turning his eyes to her, "I hope you can make her understand our intentions."
In response, Nomi approached him slowly and embraced him lovingly. "Don't worry so much," she reassured him while looking over to the lifeless body in front of them. "It'll be all over soon." Nomi rubbed her cheek against his affectionately and let go of her embrace. "It won't take long until she wakes up." Her smile completely turned sadistic.
"And when she does, that's where the fun begins."
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