Snake couldn't shake the feeling of impending danger. He turned to Hiroshi with a sharp look.
Snake: "How did you know we were in trouble? How did you know the Evil Slayer gang was coming after us?"
Hiroshi's eyes narrowed, a small grin tugging at his lips.
Hiroshi: "You didn't notice the new guy?"
Snake blinked, confusion flashing across his face.
Hiroshi: "He called it in, emergency style. Told us exactly what was coming."
Joshua (nodding in agreement): "Right. Eden's the one who got the call."
Snake's eyes widened for a moment as the realization hit. He looked at Hiroshi, then back to Joshua.
Snake: "Eden? Wait a minute… that name. It sounds familiar. Who is he?"
Hiroshi gave Snake a puzzled glance.
Hiroshi: "Well, you've probably heard the name. It's Eden... kind of similar to 'Ethan,' right?"
Snake (pauses, visibly disturbed): "Ethan… I know him. But that's all I know. I'm not sure what's going on with him now."
Snake's tone was heavy with concern. He rubbed his temple, as memories of Ethan, the former ally, flooded back. Something wasn't adding up.
Rafael (noticing Snake's distress): "What's going on? What's the problem?"
Snake (gritting his teeth): "You don't get it, Rafael. Ethan—Eden—he's someone I know. But this doesn't feel right. We have to move quickly."
Rafael: "We need to go. Now. We're not safe here. Let's get out."
Without another word, everyone split up, heading in different directions to prepare for whatever came next.
---
[The Hideout: Tension Rises]
Back at the Evil Slayer gang's hideout, Mario was pacing in frustration, his fists clenching with irritation.
Mario: "Shit! I couldn't even take down those three. What's going on? Why are they so strong?"
From a dark corner of the room, a towering figure leaned forward, his muscles rippling like a hulking mountain of muscle. He looked like a weapon in human form.
Chris (the 3rd Tier Captain): "Sam wants to talk to you."
Mario's face twisted into a mix of annoyance and respect.
Mario: "Sam? Alright, I'll go. Let's see what he has to say."
---
[The hideout]
Inside a cold, dimly lit room, Sam, the Evil Slayer gang's ruthless vice president, stood tall. His hands were clenched in tight fists, his eyes glowing with fury as he watched Mario enter.
Without a word, Sam moved forward and unleashed a brutal punch directly into Mario's stomach, sending him reeling back.
Sam (voice dangerously calm): "What the hell were you thinking, Mario? You can't even handle three of them? You've got to be kidding me."
Mario (gasping for air): "I... I couldn't—"
Sam (cutting him off): "Couldn't? Pathetic. If you can't even handle small fry like that, then why the hell are we even bothering with this whole plan? If you're going to fail, at least don't drag us down with you."
Sam stepped closer, his voice low and cold.
Sam: "What kind of leader are you, Mario? You've been given everything you need to succeed. But here you are, failing miserably. If you can't take them out, then why the hell are you even here, attacking them?"
Mario's face twisted in anger as he straightened up, glaring at Sam.
Mario: "You think you can do better?"
Sam: "You bet I can."
Just as Sam was about to say more, a cool, calm voice interrupted from behind.
James (in a collected tone): "Calm down, Sam. It's just... something needs to happen. At least we can fix this."
Everyone turned to see James, a seasoned member of the Evil Slayer gang, stepping into the room. His presence, although calm, carried a weight of authority.
James: "We're not going to solve anything by tearing Mario apart. We've got bigger problems. Let's focus on fixing this mess."
Sam's frustration only deepened, but he recognized James' point. He stepped back, exhaling deeply.
Sam: "Fine. But if Mario screws up again, it's on him."
....
(Hospital)
Eden sat in the hospital waiting room, his eyes unfocused as they stared at the ground, lost in thought. His mind replayed that day over and over again—If I hadn't gotten involved, if I hadn't fought with the Evil Slayer gang members, would Layla be lying in that bed now? Would Alex be carrying the weight of guilt like this? Would everything have turned out differently?
His chest tightened as guilt washed over him. Every decision, every action, every word felt like it had led to this moment. He couldn't shake the thought that if he had just walked away that day, none of this would have happened.
Butler noticed Eden's brooding silence. He knew Eden wasn't one for idle thinking, and the weight of the situation seemed to be hitting him hard. With a sigh, Butler broke the silence. "This jerk here... I need to pay the hospital bill." He said, trying to make light of the situation, though his voice still carried a hint of frustration.
Eden didn't even flinch at Butler's comment. He remained motionless, barely acknowledging his words. His thoughts were too heavy, the guilt too consuming. What if I hadn't gotten involved? What if I'd just let things go? Could Layla have avoided this? The thoughts haunted him, and he couldn't push them away.
For a long moment, Eden stayed silent, his eyes distant, as if the weight of the world was bearing down on him. He didn't know how to fix this, didn't know how to make things right. He felt utterly helpless. His guilt was suffocating, and nothing seemed to ease the burden.
Butler, sensing the depth of Eden's inner turmoil, said nothing more. He knew Eden needed time, space to process his feelings. After a while, though, he couldn't hold back his frustration. "I don't know, man… This is a mess, and I'm not about to let it get worse because of one of us feeling guilty."
Eden's mind wandered back to the day of the fight—the chaos, the uncertainty, the decisions that led them here. His guilt was suffocating, and he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that if he had just made a different choice, things would have turned out better.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, Eden whispered to himself, "I just wish I had done something differently."
Butler glanced at him, then down at the floor, unsure how to help, but sensing that Eden had to come to terms with this on his own.