Chapter 46: Faint

The three agents, despite being exhausted, prepared to search of their comrade, Agent Bunny. As they moved forward, the sound of police sirens grew louder, cutting through the storm.

The basement of the mansion was a battlefield drenched in blood, sweat, and the oppressive heat of combat.

Hedgehog, panting heavily, staggered to his feet. His vision blurred, and his muscles screamed in pain.

The three red trolls surrounded him, their monstrous forms hunched in anticipation of the kill. His stamina was almost gone, and his Orve-infused body was beginning to falter.

But something else nagged at the edges of his mind... Machielo. He should have been there, but now his body was nowhere to be seen. Panic mixed with exhaustion as Hedgehog realized he was on his own.

With a monstrous roar, one of the trolls charged, its massive body barreling towards Hedgehog with terrifying speed. Hedgehog barely had time to brace himself before the troll's enormous fist connected with his torso, sending him crashing through a stack of wooden crates. The impact shattered the crates into splinters, and Hedgehog landed in a heap, coughing and gasping for air.

As he lay there, pain agonizing his body, his hand brushed against something hard. He looked down and saw a bunch of red pills in the debris.

Recognizing the material, memories flashed through his mind... The Soul Pill. This was what they had been investigating all along. Desperation clawed at him as he remembered the reports... Extraordinary strength, speed, and power, but with severe risks.

He didn’t have time to consider the consequences. With trembling hands, he grabbed one of the pills and swallowed it.

The effect was immediate. His veins ignited with a searing heat as the pill’s energy flooded his whole body. His muscles bulged, and his vision sharpened, colors becoming more vivid and details more clear.

The trolls, sensing the change in their prey, roared and lunged at him. But this time, Hedgehog was ready.

He dodge the first troll’s attack with incredible speed, feeling the air rush past him as he evaded its massive fists. In one swift motion, he leapt into the air, his Orve-infused arm twisting into a dense, whip-like straw. With a bellow, he brought his arm down in a devastating strike, the force of which cracked the ground.

Hedgehog's fist connected with the troll’s face, and the impact was catastrophic. The troll’s skull caved in, blood and bone fragments spraying across the basement. The creature crumpled to the ground, dead before it even hit the floor. Hedgehog landed, his eyes wild and teeth bared in a feral grin.

“Come, you filthy BEASTS!” Hedgehog taunt, his voice echoing bloodlust.

The remaining two trolls hesitated for a second, sensing the change in the battle’s momentum. But their hesitation was short-lived. They charged at Hedgehog simultaneously, their powerful limbs swinging with murderous intent.

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Hedgehog’s movements were a blur. He ducked beneath one troll’s sweeping arm and counters with a vicious uppercut, the force of which sent the troll flying backward, crashing into the wall.

The second troll attacked from behind, but Hedgehog twisted his body, his straw limbs elongating and wrapping around the troll’s neck. With a savage yank, he pulled the troll off its feet and slammed it into the ground, the impact shattering the stone beneath it.

The troll let out a gurgling roar, struggling to free itself from Hedgehog’s grip. But Hedgehog tightened his hold, his Orve-infused strength overwhelmed the beast. With a final, twist, he snapped the troll’s neck, its body going limp in his grasp.

Only one troll remained, and it charged with a desperate rage. But Hedgehog was relentless. He dashed forward, his straw fists blurring as he unleashed a consecutive powerful blows.

Each punch landed with bone-shattering force, blood spraying from the troll’s mouth and nose as it staggered backward. Hedgehog’s final punch, powered by every last ounce of the Soul Pill’s energy, drove through the troll’s chest, splintering its ribs and piercing its heart.

The troll fell, dead. The basement was silent, save for the ragged sound of Hedgehog’s breathing. He was drenched in blood... some of it his own, most of it not.... and surrounded by the dismembered bodies of the trolls. His body, now ravaged by the pill’s side effects, trembled violently. His muscles burned with pain, and his vision blurred once more.

“Can’t… stop… now…” he muttered, staggering towards the exit.

But as he moved, he caught a glimpse of something. Machielo, who had somehow regained consciousness, was actually watching the fight from a safe distance. A twisted grin spread across Machielo’s face as he slipped away, retreating up the stairs to the mansion above.

Hedgehog cursed under his breath, but he was too weak to pursue. He had to focus on getting out of the basement.

Upstairs, Beetle and the agents moved swiftly through the corridors of the mansion. They had finally found Agent Bunny, but Malcolm had her in his mechanical grasp, a gun pressed to her head. Beetle’s eyes narrowed, his fists clenching in rage as he saw the fear in Bunny’s eyes.

“Let her go, Fool!,” Beetle demanded, his voice full of rage.

Malcolm’s hand shook as he pressed the gun harder against Bunny’s head. “Move an inch, and I’ll blow her brains out!” he screamed, his voice tinged with panic.

Bunny, tears streaming down her face, whispered through sobs, “Beetle… he… he violated me…”

Beetle’s blood ran cold, and his vision darkened with rage and disdain. His Orve glowing with a fierce intensity as he took a step forward. “You’re going to pay for that,” he promised, his voice dripping with venom.

Pelican and Bass, standing beside Beetle, infused their fists with Orve as well, their expressions grim and resolute. Malcolm’s eyes darted between them, his fear palpable as he tried to maintain control. “Stay back! I’ll do it, I swear!”

Before anyone could react, a shadow moved behind them.

Machielo, unseen and swift, struck like a viper, his blade slicing across Pelican’s back. Pelican cried out in pain, stumbling forward as blood poured from the wound. Bass retaliated with a spinning kick, but Machielo blocked it with ease, his arm transforming into a blade to counter the attack.

Beetle unsheathed his own blades, their edges gleaming in the dim light. He lunged at Machielo, slashing at him with deadly precision, but Machielo was quicker, deflecting each strike with his bladed arm. Their fight was a whirlwind of steel and Orve, each strike sending sparks flying as their blades clashed.

Malcolm, seizing the chaos, aimed his gun at Beetle, but before he could pull the trigger, Pelican threw himself in the path of the bullets. The gunshots rang out, and Pelican collapsed to the floor, blood pooling beneath him.

“Pelican!” Bass shouted, his voice filled with anguish.

But Pelican wasn’t finished. With the last of his strength, he reached out and grabbed Machielo’s leg, holding him in place. Machielo sneered, raising his blade to finish Pelican off, but Beetle saw his chance. He dashes forward, driving his elbow into Machielo’s chest with all force. Machielo staggered back, and Beetle followed up with a powerful punch to the side of his head, knocking him unconscious once more.

Meanwhile, Bunny had managed to break free from Malcolm’s grasp, driving her elbow into his stomach and kicking him hard in the groin. Malcolm doubled over in pain, gasping for air as Bunny scrambled away.

“Bunny, get out of here, now!” Beetle shouted, his voice urgent.

Bunny nodded weakly, tears still streaming down her face as she ran, disappearing into the shadows of the mansion.

Malcolm, still reeling from the pain, tried to aim his gun at Bass, but Bass was too fast. He dodged the shot and launched himself at Malcolm, his fist connecting with Malcolm’s jaw in a devastating punch.

Malcolm’s head snapped back, blood spraying from his mouth as he crumpled to the floor. But Bass wasn’t done. He straddled Malcolm and rained down punch after punch, anger and frustration fueling each blow.

Back in the basement, Hedgehog finally managed to reach the exit. His body was wracked with pain, every step a struggle as the effects of the Soul Pill began to take its toll. His vision swam, and he felt his strength waning with every breath. But he had to keep going.

As he emerged from the basement, of the mansion. He looked up and saw Bunny running towards him, her face a mixture of relief and worry.

“Hedgehog!” she cried out, rushing to his side. “You’re hurt!”

“Bunny... ” Hedgehog whispered, trying to stay on his feet and not faint.

Then the sound of police sirens cut through the storm outside, and the heavy footsteps of the police could be heard approaching the mansion.

To be continued....