Chapter 13: When The Hero Takes the Third Option

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Beneath the discrete white sheets, Arondight's body trembled hopelessly. He couldn't contain his ragged breaths and his soft but desperate moans that pushed their way out of his dry throat.

"Haaaa...Ugh...ngnnn..."

The young hero had been trying to relieve himself for the past two hours now. He had already pushed himself to climax twice. Still, the release had been meaningless, and his strong carnal desire caused by the neutralizer's effect refused to subside.

"This... isn't good...ahhh...."

Arondight was left with no choice but to reach for his most sensitive spot with his fingers while constantly stroking his wet, stiff shaft. Still, there was no sign of a decrease in his arousal. He still felt an excessive heat radiating from every cell in his body, a core temperature so high it felt like it was burning every sensitive area and fueling his agonizing, persistent carnal need for release.

He needed more...

He needed more than this...

The desperate ache from his throbbing loins demanded something more than just a simple stroking and fingering...

"Shit, it's not enough..."

But he could do nothing except relieve the agony himself and hope that the neutralizer's effects would wear off by tomorrow. But from what he could see now from his current state, that seemed unlikely to happen. He felt as if his body would continue to suffer until the chemicals simply exhausted his system. Yet, under no circumstances could he allow himself to ask anyone for help to satisfy his needs....

Especially not from Red Hilt.

But resisting temptation wasn't really that easy. As Arondight pressed his face into the white pillow, he could smell the faint, lingering scent of Red Hilt's cologne. Suddenly, a helpless moan escaped him as he instinctively hugged that pillow and breathed deeply into it. His mind was tricking him into giving in completely. After all, this wasn't the first time he had sex with the villain, and he had nothing to lose anymore if he did it again with him for the sake of ending this suffering.

But no...

Arondight knew that if he did that, it would be like allowing himself to be defeated by Red Hilt again.

So, he must resist, regardless of whether his craving was nearly as painful as being burned alive.

"I'd rather die than hand that shameless bastard the victory of seeing me beg and crawl to him for relief!"

And that's exactly what Red Hilt wants to happen now. He wanted to see Arondight beg and crawl towards him for relief. Let's just say he's doing it to teach Arondight a lesson, especially that the hero had thoroughly ruined his mood, he was even more determined to see the young hero suffer until his pride broke, and the villain was simply waiting for that time where he could finish it all, just like a predator waiting for its trapped, exhausted prey to surrender.

Surely, the Golden Hero of Galahad City would eventually give in, and Red Hilt could hardly wait to feast on the young hero's ruined pride and dignity.

But for now, all he had to do was wait.

"If I were this hero, I would just give up and get this over with," he murmured as he watched the entire scene on the CCTV feed installed in the room, which he viewed on his phone. At that moment, Red Hilt was trying to amuse himself by drinking wine alone in the dining hall while waiting for the neutralizer to spike Arondight's body, where he would be forced to beg him for immediate relief. But two hours had passed, almost an hour past the deadline he had set, but the hero's self-control had not budged even a bit.

He could see how sweaty and flushed Arondight's soft cheeks were from the screen. He could almost hear the young hero's soft, painful moans, craving for pleasure. That sight alone was undeniably arousing, to the point that the villain couldn't help but feel lustful as he watched the hero in that state. But that quickly disappeared every time Arondight's words came back to him, that the hero would rather die than have sex with him.

Red Hilt felt profoundly insulted.

First of all, no one, be it a woman or a man, had ever rejected him, especially in bed. So the fact that this hero had delivered those insults only added more reason for him to push the hero past his breaking point.

He would torture Arondight until the hero himself surrendered to his will.

Red Hilt had a quick glance at his phone's clock: it's already 3:00 AM. If the effects of the neutralizer didn't wear off soon, it would definitely exhaust Arondight's system and may lead to a life-threatening crisis...

Something that flares up the excitement in the villain's chest.

He wanted to see which would give in first:

Was it Arondight's self-control?

Or his life...?

He can't wait to find out.

"Sebastian,"

Red Hilt set his wineglass down and called out to his assistant, who had been waiting quietly near the door for his master's orders.

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian stepped forward and made a shallow bow.

"Prepare my attire for the meeting with the investors," Red Hilt said. "I'll be leaving early."

"As you wish." Sebastian straightened himself, but then he hesitated only for a fraction before asking, "And your guest, Arondight—how would you like me to attend to him while you're away?"

"No need to concern yourself with him." Red Hilt replied as he rose to his feet. "Let him remain in the room. Simply report to me whether he's alive or dead."

Red Hilt strode past Sebastian toward the door, pausing only long enough to deliver one final reminder.

"No one is permitted to enter that room but me. See to it that it remains undisturbed. Is that understood?"

"Understood, my lord," Sebastian answered without hesitation.

Red Hilt did not even nod to him. He simply left the room as his footsteps were fading slowly down the grand corridor. Only after Red Hilt had gone did Sebastian finally release the breath he had been holding for quite some time now. The oppressive aura of his master still clung to him, making his entire body feel unsteady.

In moments like these, it was wiser to stay out of Red Hilt's path. Sebastian had seen too many times how his master's foul moods could spiral into something no one wanted to be involved in, especially when that kind of temper could literally devour everything within reach, ensuring that all who caught his attention were granted a place in the afterlife.

Yet even so, pity stirred in him for the hero Arondight, who was left behind to suffer alone in that sealed room.

"He was simply unlucky," Sebastian murmured to himself, "He's officially become our master's plaything..."

As if Arondight would ever allow that.

"Plaything? My ass...!"

Thanks to his sharp, heightened hearing, he had caught every word exchanged between Red Hilt and the assistant outside the room. Strangely enough, that knowledge gave him something he hadn't had moments ago...

FOCUS.

However, the pain still burned through his body, while the heat coiled beneath his skin as though it were trying to fry him alive. But he forced those pains aside. There was something far more essential to concentrate on: escape. Still, had no choice but to double his efforts and endure the intensifying pain while thinking of a plan to escape.

Then, an idea surfaced in his clouded mind. However, it was a solution he would never have considered if only he had been given any other safe choice.

"I didn't want to use this," Arondight muttered, "but I have no other choice..."

He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, drawing in each slow breath with deliberate control. He would need every ounce of focus in the minutes to come—especially once he unleashed the only power Mr. Harley had warned him to save for absolute emergencies.

He isn't sure if his situation qualified as one, but it certainly felt like he had no other choice.

Arondight kept his eyes closed and focused for a few seconds. Then, he opened his eyes again. This time, his eyes were pure white and glowing, and his pupils seemed to have been replaced by the image of an ancient analogue clock, with its hands spinning counterclockwise.

Then, everything began to change.

The world around him began to slow down. The curtain by the window, which had been swaying gently, gradually came to a stop. Outside, the cars slowed to a crawl. Even the people on the street—walking, talking, going about their day—seemed to freeze in place.

It was as if time itself was slowing...and about to stop completely.

Yes, everything had stopped—except for Red Hilt.

He noticed it right away, especially the way the air suddenly shifted and that heavy, unnatural growing aura coming from the building where he had left Arondight made his shadow rattle.

His eyes snapped in that direction.

"That aura..."

And the annoyance on Red Hilt's face that was hidden beneath the appearance of Ivan Ross vanished the moment he recognized the familiar aura Arondight was releasing.

"No...it can't be..."

He tried to shift back into his proper form, to become Red Hilt again—but it was already too late.

His vision glitched for a split second. The next thing he knew, he was in front of his favorite tall mirror. He was wearing a black coat as if he had been preparing to leave, but his reflection in the mirror looked stunned.

He can't be mistaken...

He had returned to the time when he was still preparing for his "hopeful" dinner date with Adrian—also known as Arondight.

That was when his assistant stepped in.

Sebastian moved cautiously with a phone in his hand. He spoke carefully and calmly, just enough not to spark his boss's temper.

"Mr. Ross, there's a call from the crew."

Ivan's face didn't go sour just like the first time he heard it. Actually, he was surprised it took him three seconds to reply.

"Mr. Ross?"

Ivan barely noticed that his assistant Sebastian called his attention again.

That's right...

If his memory was correct, this was the moment he was supposed to say, "Didn't I tell them to shut down the deal today? Why are they moving without my approval?"

But no.

The situation has changed now.

Arondight had done something he never expected.

He didn't waste time dwelling on it. Acting on instinct, he snatched the phone from his assistant's hand and switched the call to speaker.

"Did Arondight escape?!"

There was a long pause on the other end, as if the person was still trying to process the question.

"How...how did you know, boss?" the guy on the phone finally stammered. "He just appeared out of nowhere, and then he took the children and—"

Ivan didn't let his crew finish their explanation. With a swift motion, he crushed the phone in his hand, forcing his assistant Sebastian to step back instinctively. It was clear from Ivan's actions that he was restless—so restless that he had to step out onto the veranda for some fresh air.

But he wasn't angry. Well, not anymore.

But his irritation had been replaced by something else.

Excitement.

Yes, excitement that fuels his desire to pursue Arondight even further.

"You're far more impressive than I expected, Arondight. It seems like I underestimated you."

Then he finally let out that predator's smile across his face.

"Looks like I'll have to change my approach. Not a problem, though...I can take it slow."

For some reason, Ivan didn't mind letting his patience stretch a little longer, which is out of his very character, but because one thing was sure at that moment:

His obsession with Arondight burned brighter than ever.