Running Man Blood in Bandages 2: Survival

Chapter 17: A Fresh Start

After the events that happened in the last minigame, Salena wanders through the maze in search of the Bandaged Man. As she stumbled upon dismembered pieces of a Castillet's, and with the pilot unconscious next to a wall, guilt overcomes her emotions. She recalls the moment when he pressed her against the wall. The eyes he exposed not only contained rage but hurt as well. She could see the pain in his eyes when he shouted at her.

It was her fault anyway.

Not because she made that inappropriate trick. No. It was because she didn't believe him. Throughout her life outside of her tribe, the world showed no kindness to her. Sure she had experienced joyful times, but joy could never cover up the pain and loneliness, and betrayal that she had experienced in her past. That's why she grew not to trust anyone, not anymore. People that were kind to her, she'd tell them lies and makeup stories about her past. Like how she would defeat everyone she comes across, or how she is afraid of no one unless they beat her. That was a lie. She hid many more and never revealed them to anyone. Even Yuu and the others.

And she was okay with it, until what he said to her that moment earlier.

I told you the truth... Everything I said was real

That was it. That was her biggest regret. She never believed his story when they first met. She thought he was lying or at least covering up half of it but he did not. And he trusted her.

Her throat instantly dries and her walk slowed. She had never thought that guilt could be a powerful emotion to have. Sure she felt guilty when she left her tribe and when she abandoned her only sister, but she never had felt anything like this. Her stomach feels heavy with every step she makes, her throat keeps getting drier, her legs wobble like jelly, and her bottom lip trembles. Why is she so affected by Yuu?

Is it fear that's doing this to her?
No. It's not. She knew what real fear felt. She felt it once before and hoped to never experience it again so fear has nothing to do with it... Could it be because she has-

"That sound...!" Salena stiffens and her ears perked up like a hound's. The sound of metals bashing against metal echoes through the corner of the maze in front of her. She quickly shakes her head and runs ahead.

As she reaches the corridor and comes to a stop, she finally saw him.

Hundreds of pieces of Castillet armor are scattered across the path and many Pululu contestants are left unconscious. Their shields weren't even stolen, all were left heavily injured.

But Salena only locked her eyes on Yuu, and each booming sound of him hitting an immobilized Castillet shook her.

The opponent's armor was destroyed like the rest, with holes and dents everywhere, and its Arms and Legs were ripped apart, leaving only wires that spark with every fraction of a second.

There was a defense mechanism that all Castillet has. With their head exposed, it became their only weakness. So as a precaution, they installed a protective glass shield that covers their heads when left immobilized. The Glass was so dense and hard that it needed a force stronger than a bolt fired from a cannon.

But that didn't stop him. Ignoring the pain of his knuckles, he punches the glass shield. Using more force after every hit. His knuckles were bleeding, exposed from the soaked bandages of red blood but thanks to its healing upgrades, the injury was temporary.

He screams with every punch, cracking the ground after every solid hit. The Pululu Pilot behind the shield was crying and begging for him to stop but only darkness was shown on his face.

After another solid hit, the glass cracked and the Pilot wailed in fear but before Yuu could completely break the glass, Salena finally spoke.

"Yuu, enough!" She shouts, her voice echoing through the walls of the maze.