Note: I don't own MHA nor Hokuto no Ken.
Chapter Sixty-Five: The Grand Escape
Bloodgash grunted but couldn't complain too much, he was getting close to the radio tower. Looking at his party, he did not have to worry about getting ambushed. On the other hand, he couldn't guarantee that his party would accept being recruited into the League. Jean, though he did not want to admit it, would be an excellent asset.
' I wonder how Shigaraki is doing, I'll be damned if he'll come across the same problems I did. ' He mused, walking in front.
He half expected stragglers to come up and ambush him. On the other hand, none of the prisoners would be a sufficient threat to him. Small talk is something he can do…
"Doctor, do you mind spilling a bit more on your two experiments?" Bloodgash started off, breaking the ice.
"Which one are you curious about?" Webb asked the merc.
"Whichever." Bloodgash added.
"Sfagilykos, once a promising contender in MMA. He was always in his more successful brother's shadow." Webb replied, adding a tinge of sorrow. "It's sad really. To see promising talent like that go to waste."
"How did you meet him?" Bloodgash prodded more.
"I came across the guy when he was drinking his sorrows away in some back-alley bar. He was very frustrated, ranting about how he was eclipsed by his older brother, and how things just didn't go right for him." Webb explained. Bloodgash knew how the doctor roped him in. He preyed on the poor guy's desperation.
"What fighting styles does he know?" Bloodgash asked, wanting to gauge the wolfman's skills aside from his mutation Quirk.
"Hmm…" Webb mused… "Sambo primarily with bits of Boxing he learned from the streets. It was really simple: I offered him a way up and now, he is one of my successes." Pride was emphasized in the last part.
"What about the turtle guy, Deimos–"
"Deimoschelys? Ah, him. He had the skills but not the oomph to turn things to his advantage. Picked him up on the streets of Abu Dhabi. The rest, as they say, is history." The doctor added casually.
The journey up the tower was monotonous. Dabi was trying to break the monotony by talking with the others but to no avail… Bloodgash was relieved to know he reached the top once seeing the door. With a twist of the handle, he opened it, and saw an interesting sight: Jourdain. The same prison guard who helped them orchestrate the breakout. The same person who was finishing off a pack of cigarettes.
"You took your sweet time." Jourdain spoke up, weary.
"No other option than the scenic route, Jourdain." Bloodgash replied back, looking for a chair to rest on. "If you don't mind, where is the PA system?"
Jourdain pointed to the console at the center while finishing off his recent cigarette, mainly to dull the pain. However, he also noticed the rest of Bloodgash's party, especially the new additions. Before asking any questions, a loud noise was heard on the PA. He saw Bloodgash clear the mike and test if the audio was still working.
"Good, it still works." Bloodgash said to himself, clearing his throat. The rest of the party sat back and relaxed for the time being while the merc himself worked on his little proposal.
"Those who are still alive - Listen up! I'm saying this only once! " growled Bloodgash into mike, almost drowning out the sounds of violence. " The breakout? Orchestrated by I and a couple of helpers. I'm giving you the opportunity of a lifetime… think of it as tryouts for the League of Villains."
The moment the League was name-dropped, it caught the convicts' attention, and most of all, calmed the bloodshed for now. Dabi was wondering if Bloodgash wou–
"Two Things: Lifetime employment and obviously, a ticket out of this shithole. The catch? You gotta make it to this tower, even if you have to carve a swathe of bodies to get to it. Let the game begin."
Silence permeated for the first five seconds, almost to where you can hear a pin drop.
WHAM!
A crowd turned to where the fleshy hit came from: A lone convict caving in another's skull with a hammer. It took five seconds, just five seconds for everything to turn to chaos. A hellfire-using convict burnt another with the flames from his mouth. Another was pulping a rock-skinned convict with an improvised staff.
"Fuck you!" screamed a prison guard, vainly attempting to keep convicts away. It took about seven seconds for a group to tear him into pieces.
Bloodgash sighed, sitting back and letting the carnage ensue. All that work and finally, finally, despite some hiccups, fell through. As he was relaxing in the chair, others were just sitting around, now playing the waiting game. Jean and Sonnenberg were bored, sometimes kicking some papers around. However, Dabi broke the silence, sitting next to the merc.
"Yes…?" mumbled Bloodgash, not in the mood.
"Humor me. Remember what I said previously?" Dabi answered.
"Prev-oh, right. Right. You said something about your backstory?" Bloodgash questioned back.
"Well, yea. But first things first - what's your story?" Dabi asked, dropping a bombshell.
Bloodgash turned his head towards Dabi, debating if he should tell the story. With a grunt…
"I'll tell you part of it - who I worked for before freelancing. So sit back and listen, Dabi." Bloodgash started. He also noticed Jean and Sonnenberg overhearing but it did not matter.
"I met my former employers at the age of 15 in some backwater city. Went through their screening process, trust me, it was thorough. Discarded my real name too - didn't need it anymore." The merc continued.
"Are these guys Japanese?" Dabi cut in.
"To answer, no. They're not. Remember when I said backwater city? I mean that part literally. A little town called Zhouzhang in China. Hell, I was surprised by how old the outfit was." Bloodgash as he recounted. "I'm talking Three Kingdoms Era-old."
Dabi blinked twice, wondering if he misheard.
"Phew… they're that old?" Jean interjected.
"Yes, Jean. They are. Older than the whole Pro Hero industry." Bloodgash answered back. "Now we sit back and see who'll make it."
Erinyes - Female Ward
Wyla fought with a desperate intensity, each blow fueled by a primal urge. She weaved through a throng of convicts, elbows high, kicks low with sickening thuds, and punches connecting with satisfying cracks. A snarl ripped from her throat as she sank her teeth into an attacker's hand, the taste of blood fueling her. Suddenly, she felt hands grab around her waist and…
WHAM!
She was slammed directly into the concrete, a harsh reminder of her predicament, and quickly tried recovering, only to get kicked in the face. Her face meeting the ground once, the pain only enhanced by a familiar voice.
"Remember me, chienne?"
"I wish I didn't," Wyla spat, only to get another kick in the face. Before the crowd could dogpile on her, the voice switched to a guttural French, slicing through the air, commanding the crowd to stop. Wyla recognized it right away - it was Bathory. The same she-devil before..
"I'll be taking one of your eyes, chienne." Bathory spat. Wyla launched into a Muay Thai assault of elbows and knees while Bathory took an orthodox stance with the claws out. The flesh-eater struck the she-devil with a one-two combo but Bathory carved through with a counter-punch, cutting Wyla's combo off. This wasn't about vengeance; this was about reaching the tower and most importantly, a way out.
WHAM!
Wyla's face snapped around, blood spurting from a tear in her cheek. Bathory kept at it, throwing punch after punch. Wyla threw a teep - barely making some distance between them.
Bathory growled and pounced, raking the wannabe Wendigo in the temple, drawing blood. Wyla lashed out with an elbow to her face, breaking a few teeth.
Wyla growled, latching her head in a clinch to slam her knee into the stomach with brute force.
"Die - Al - Fucking - Ready!" she yelled between breaths, hitting her over and over again.
Cough! Cough!
Bathory coughed out blood over Wyla's shorts. The devil girl clutched her stomach, laying on her knees but that wasn't going to stop her.
"De-addd!?" Wyla yelped before Bathory rose up and grabbed her legs, lifting her up and slamming her into the concrete.
"I'll claw out your eyes!" Bathory screamed, taking mount. Wyla put up her guard as she raked her claws against her, bleeding her. She kept at it… until getting struck in the nose with a cross punch.
In one quick moment, Wyla rose up and bit down on Bathory's right arm.
"Get off! You-aahhh!" Bathory yelled before Wyla tore some flesh off in one bite. As she was distracted, Wyla bit down on her neck like a messy vampire and sunk her fangs in. The fangs drove deeper and with one crunch.
RIPPP!
Wyla tore out a piece of flesh from the neck and swallowed it. Bathory gripped her neck to stem the bleeding. She left herself unguarded… which led Wyla to slash across her temple with a horizontal elbow. Blood streamed down her eye, partly blinding her.
"You - bit-" Bathory growled before she was cut off by an elbow into her cheek. The she-demon's hair was gripped in a clinch and her face became a knee bag for Wyla.
Wham! Wham! Wham!
Bathory's teeth were cracking with each knee striking her face. The she-demon's head was in Wyla's grip, her face bloodied and her lower lip busted. Even near-death, Bathory sneered and said her potential final words.
"Va… te faire enculer!"
WHAM! WHAM!
Wyla responded with elbow shots into the she-demon's face.
"Had enough, bitch?" Wyla spoke. Bathory spat in her face.
Wham!
"Fuck… yo…"
Wham!
"Had enough?" Wyla asked again. Bathory murmured a fuck you or what passed for one. Wyla opened her mouth, revealing a whole set of serrated teeth.
Crunch!
Bathory screeched as Wyla's teeth sunk into her nose. With one last yank, Bathory's nose was gone. The wannabe Wendigo released her grip as Bathory fell to her knees…
Wyla took her stance and raised her leg…
Slam!
A roundhouse kick landed square in the left side of Bathory's face, destroying her jaw and even blinding her left eye.
Bathory barely reacted as her face fell to the concrete, blood pooling around her head. Wyla spat the torn out nose along with some blood. She wasn't going to take any chances… she walked over and stomped her head in.
"...Need to keep it in check." Wyla stated, walking away. She took two deep breaths to maintain her composure.
Erinyes - Male Ward D
The entire ward was a bloodbath - Italian mafiosos tearing at each other; one goon turning into a humanoid rhino and goring a hapless goon with his horn while another turned his fingers into sawblades and revving them up for a massacre. One enforcer tore apart his former boss with scythe-like arms; Another tore apart a capo, ranting he made the family weak he was promoted. Little did they know or even care, there was a central figure on the balcony: taller than average height, a makeshift mask, and a mini-hood. Most striking, there was a purple gas emitting from his palms.
Name: True Fear
Quirk: Phobia - The emission of gas from his palms inflicts anyone in the vicinity with their worst fears.
"I'm almost done here - but the rumors? I need to verify that myself." True Fear said to no one. Walking off, he closed off the emitting gas and made his way out of the ward. However, he heard a pair of running steps. It was a single man who was taller than him, hammer-wielding, and also having a determined face.
"You're a sick fuck! How the fuck were you a pro hero!" the hammer-wielder shouted. True Fear grunted, waving him off. The thug did not like that answer and his response: rushing towards him. Fear sighed before striking him dead-center, knocking the wind out of him.
"Typical Camorra capo." Fear remarked before cutting across his forehead with a horizontal elbow, causing blood to stream from the fresh cut. The capo's eyes were blinded and responded by swinging wildly - desperately trying to strike his target.
"All Muscles…" Fear sighed, striking the enforcer's wrist with a hook. "No finesse." Before unloading a series of jabs and cross punches into the enforcer, backing off to let him swing wildly.
Fear threw in two liver shots, dropping the enforcer to a knee. The enforcer muttered some Italian slander but Fear ignored it as he grabbed his head by his hair and slammed a knee into his nose.
"Crimes: Five Counts of Racketeering and Smuggling." Fear recited, clinical.
WHAM! WHAM!
"Three Counts of loan sharking and counterfeiting." He droned on.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
The enforcer grunted, muttering a curse instead, but Fear increased the speed of each knee strike, cutting off any response. Each knee was slowly cracking away at his skull until hearing a wet sound…
"The final charge: obstructing pro heroes and police."
A final knee caved in the enforcer's skull with a release, the dead enforcer flopped to the floor, a wet squelching sound accompanying the drop.
"My work is done here - now I find a way to convince the League to let me come with them, so much work to be done…" True Fear muttered to himself, walking away from the carnage.
Radio Tower
The monitors were providing front row seats to the carnage for Bloodgash and the rest of his party. One monitor showing a gang dispute between frost users and flame users; another showing a one-on-one fight between an unarmed guard and a familiar karateka. Jean recognized him quickly.
"Hundred Hand himself, he's doing quite well."
The guard made it four steps before Hundred Hand caved in his ribcage with a front kick and followed up by cleaving through his right leg with a low kick. Hundred Hand did not spare him a glance and left him to bleed out.
"Ah, I see… his Quirk is active now." Jean noted. Bloodgash remembered the little convo he had with Jean, the karateka's Quirk called 4/4. Jean also noted the glowing blue aura coating Hundred Hand's limbs which caught Bloodgash's attention too.
"I could bring him onboard," Bloodgash added before turning his attention to another monitor. He saw True Fear fighting a masked convict who wrapped chains around his fists - he asked who that was. Jourdain narrowed his eyes and grunted.
"The psycho with the burlap mask? Never got a name out of him - guards called him Décapiteur. He was part of a murderous trio in which he was the leader. He was detained in Charleroi." Jourdain explained.
"Any idea on his Quirk?" Bloodgash asked, somewhat curious.
"According to him, Phantom Veil. Enhances his stealth and induces minor hallucinations," Jourdain continued. Bloodgash grunted, thinking the masked killer would be better at assassination than an open fight.
"Let's see how True Fear fares." Jean stated.
Décapiteur was rattling his chains, trying to intimidate True Fear. Fear? He titled his head, showing off an unsettling calmness. The masked man took an amateurish Boxing stance which told True Fear all he needed to know. The moment he took a step, there was no sound, surprising Fear.
WHIFF! WHIFF!
Décapiteur threw two punches which hit the air. The bag-headed killer closed the distance again but Fear threw a lightning-fast teep, prompting the killer to guard up but he fell for a classic feint: teep diverting into switch kick.
CRUNCH!
Décapiteur did not expect the body blow. That same blow that rattled his side, making him reconsider taking on Fear. Briefly. The killer steadied his breathing to let his Quirk work but a flicker of disappointment crossed True Fear's masked features.
"Five charges of manslaughter…" True Fear stated in a distorted voice, confusing the bag-headed killer.
Bloodgash analyzed what was happening: both convicts were using their Quirks or at least True Fear was unveiling the usage of his. He gave him five minutes to kill this horror movie reject. Plenty of time, he thought. He was still interested in how Fear was gonna kill this reject at least.
The burlap killer huffed while throwing punches, growling when he was out of reach. Fear rattled him with an inside low kick, narrowly missing his groin, and following up with a hook punch into his ear. Décapiteur growled in frustration, trying to grab Fear's arm but the latter slipped away. The killer attempted again… only to get a hook into the side of his face. Fear telegraphed a punch, making it easy for Décapiteur to use a forearm block but that led to his trap.
"Your first and last mistake."
The burlap killer was confused until Fear opened his palm up and sprayed a small dose of gas into his masked face. Décapiteur swiped at the gas like a cat, wondering what he just did. Something was off, he noticed Fear having jagged edges around shape resembling a teenager with a blue shirt that had Deep Dope in full letters… the one that nearly killed him and got away.
"Five charges - but one got away and most of all, humiliated you by taking out your other helpers…" Fear recounted mockingly, still with the distorted voice. Edging closer, the burlap killer was rigid, remembering that night where it was supposed to be an easy kill! Décapiteur lunged towards the boy, knowing it was still an illusion.
Fear smirked under the mask.
WHIFF! WHIFF!
With each wild punch, Fear weaved; With each attempted grab, Fear side-stepped; It all part of True Fear's plan: tiring out the burlap killer. He definitely heard a growl as the killer attempted a downward elbow strike - Fear stepped out of the line of fire, delivering an overhand into the killer's nose!
However, Fear shifted at the last second, aiming for the right eye.
SQUELCH!
In reality, it wasn't an overhand, but a corkscrew punch. Décapiteur growled in pain, clutching the remnants of his eye, but instead of growing angered… he backed away. Fear picked up his pace - Décapiteur only saw the boy who got away. The same boy that made him feel a lowly human again.
"What's the matter? Not used to people fighting back?" Fear taunted. Backing away, he whipped his chains to surprise Fear. He wasn't moved but let the killer do his little display of intimidation. Décapiteur threw the chains to block Fear's sight and rushed towards him, getting a hit on him.
CRACK!
' What the?! ' were True Fear's thoughts at this time, surprised that the killer got one on him. That was then, this is now. Fear held up his guard instead, letting Décapiteur wail on him and he swore he heard him giggle a bit.
Décapiteur, in his mind, was feeling very relieved! The boy that got away from him, humiliated him, and most of all, destroyed his image. He kept pounding and pounding away despite his really sloppy form.
WHIFF!
True Fear cuts him off with a feint, causing the killer to flinch. Fear followed up with a long hook and closed the distance with an horizontal elbow into his bad eye. As Décapiteur was dazed, he felt crunching pains into his right leg.
Algophobia!
True Fear shocked him with a short hook and uppercut, then backed off. Décapiteur's bad eye couldn't see where he was going to hit-
WHAM! WHAM!
Two shots to the back of the head. The killer wildly swung, trying to get Fear, only to get struck in the gut. Décapiteur swung but he could not land a hit. Out of his peripherals from his good remaining eye, he saw Fear throw a straight punch, causing him to freeze up!
WHAM!
Fear threw an uppercut, breaking his bottom teeth, and shattered his front leg with a roundhouse kick. The killer could barely stand up, now hyperventilating, muttering that wasn't supposed to go this way. Fear let him continue until he grabbed his head by the mask and tore it off. He didn't see a killer, just a fearful man with a five o'clock shadow. A man begging for Fear to look the other way.
"Don't bother - you're just wasting your last breaths." Fear's voice didn't betray his tone.
"Y-" was the last word the killer uttered before Fear broke his neck, dropping him like a ragdoll.
"Huh, well. What do you know, Fear won." Bloodgash spoke up, laced with some surprise.
The burlap killer's corpse was stepped over as True Fear made his way away from the monitor's line of sight. It was a pitiful sight but Bloodgash switched over to another monitor to see the other fights. Turning around, he saw Jean and Dabi just slouching while seeing the doctor taking mental notes on other convicts on the monitors. Bloodgash noted that each convict was fighting either desperately or sadistically.
' Nothing else to do but wait... ' The merc's thoughts were interrupted by a monitor to his right: that karateka, Hundred Hand, facing a new enemy: red-skinned, heavyweight build, wide shoulders, and wearing a pair of sparring pants.
"Who's that?" Bloodgash asked Jourdain, not taking his eyes off the screen. The prison guard got up, getting a closer look at the new red-skinned convict. With a snap of his fingers, he recognized him.
"Redhammer Hansen - AWOL soldier from the Danish Army's Jutland Dragoon Regiment. The red skin pigment? A side effect of his Quirk: Exothermics."
"How does he fight?" Bloodgash asked, cutting off the Quirk summary.
"Kickboxing and Wrestling are his two bases. His Quirk really enhances his striking power but one little issue - he can't get rid of the excess heat." Jourdain explained matter-of-fact. Bloodgash grunted at the explanation, turning his attention back to the monitor, curious about how this fight would go down.
"What did he get in for?" The merc asked.
"Aside from going AWOL? Burning his base to the ground for one." Jourdain replied back. "The Redhammer part of his name has a two-fold origin: one of his finishers in close combat and the condition his fists are in after."
Bloodgash grunted, thinking this Redhammer can be another asset, nothing wrong with more raw power. However, he needed to pay attention to this fight. Redhammer beat his fists together, ready to smash heads; Hundred Hand took a Karate stance, readying himself for the fight.
Both of them gradually closed the distance, near enough to throw the first punch. Redhammer had the reach advantage while Hundred Hand had the technique advantage but this whole hallway could work to the latter's favor.
"I heard rumors of a killer karateka from the United States - and he's here in the flesh," the red-skinned Dane spoke, breaking the silence.
"I just wanted to test my skills on the street, to see if they're truly effective. Guess I went a little crazy back then," Hundred Hand replied back, not letting his guard down.
Almost like a bell ringing, both fighters closed the distance, throwing jabs and straights at each other. Hundred back-stepped to make some space, letting Redhammer think he's backing off… until stepping left to deliver a double jab to his forehead.
Redhammer tanked the blow - delivering a simple but devastating combo.
Svedet Himmel! [Scorched Sky]
He took a step forward, landing a steam-emitting jab, switching to a right, and a burning uppercut into Hundred's stomach, lifting him off the ground briefly. Redhammer was ready to reduce the karateka's head to pulp but Hundred kicked out his leg, aiming for the thigh, stunning him. Feeling a slight sting, he backed away.
"Just my Quirk on display, that's it."
Hundred Hand made the assumption it was something associated with flames and the Dane confirmed it. The karateka charged again, forcing the Dane to guard his head but that was a simple mistake: Hundred capitalized on it via double calf kick… causing Redhammer to grunt in pain, lowering his guard.
Redhammer, frustrated, threw a sloppy jab.
WHIFF!
Hundred rotated his hips with his left arm being body level, blocking the jab, and causing him to overshoot. The heat stung! Hundred gritted his teeth to deliver an upwards elbow strike into Redhammer's jaw. He continued unleashing a volley of elbows but Redhammer felt it - Hundred's striking power was doubled.
"Wonderful - my turn!" the Dane near-yelled, delivering a headbutt into Hundred's nose. Stunned, Hundred was throwing wild jabs, but felt arms around his waist. Grunting, he delivered backwards elbow shots into Redhammer's cheeks but that barely phased him.
Termisk Nedgang! [Thermal Downfall]
Redhammer turned up the heat, searing the karateka's waist, and lifted him up and slammed him onto the concrete. He wasn't done yet, he dragged him up and slammed him four times before letting him go. As Redhammer recovered, he noticed the aura around Hundred: he was glowing a bright red aura.
The Dane knew he had the advantage with his Quirk but knew Hundred Hand had the strength advantage. For now. Cautiously, Hundred closed the distance, throwing soft kicks which were telegraphed. Too telegraphed for the Dane to notice.
"Is that it?" Redhammer mocked, tapping the kicks away.
Redhammer kept tapping his left kick away, wondering if Hundred was giving up, the better for him anyway. The Dane hit Hundred with a one-two and a low left hook into Hundred's side, leaving burn marks on the karateka. Hundred growled due to the burns but he kept up his guard. The Dane stamped his right foot forward, pivoting, and delivering a blazing roundhouse kick into Hundred's side, leaving a sizable burn mark!
However, Hundred caught the leg and slammed his elbow onto the knee, stunning him. Letting go, he went for an uppercut, getting the right reaction he wanted: Redhammer trying to deflect that coming strike. Hundred pulled back and Redhammer thought he was cowering - letting himself get into his range.
The Karateka's internal grin couldn't get any wider. His fists now turned into knife-hands, stabbing an occupied Redhammer in the left pectoral muscle, stopping his charge. Before the Dane could say anything else, Hundred launched the next and the next… and the next…
Black Iron Bullets!
Redhammer couldn't back away and put his guard up - baring every strike sent his way, his skin was getting all sorts of nasty cuts on his body. However, each strike would sting with burns. Redhammer backed away further, enough to where he was confident enough to deliver a high roundhouse kick!
KER-RACK!
Redhammer howled in pain as his leg was shattered at the knee, courtesy of Hundred's powered-up jab. Hundred, his own hand smoking from the impact, stared at the scene with a daze. The smell of burnt flesh mingled with the scent of acrid sweat. The karateka ignored the burning pain in his hand - there were other ways to win this fight.
' I just need to time it right… '
The Dane edged closer, still emitting high-end heat, ready to pummel the weakened karateka. Blood oozed from his mangled knee but his eyes had murder on his mind. Hundred waved his hands, making him focus on his hands and ignoring his legs. Redhammer kept his guard up but side-stepped when Hundred threw a front kick, he was edging closer and closer…
That was all the opening Hundred needed.
WHAM!
The Dane cut off his line of thought with a simple heated jab but Hundred bared through it and delivered a front kick to his other leg, causing him to stumble. The Dane fell to his knees…
Hundred raised his leg and delivered his most potent front kick… Black Iron Spear . Redhammer's face was grinded into red mush, teeth and nose included. The colossal Dane crumpled over in seconds. Hundred Hand exhaled heavily, falling to the ground, tending to his burns.
"I'll just rest… a bit…" Hundred rasped.
The results on screen made Bloodgash whistle in surprise - he thought that the Dane would come out on top - but Hundred Hand surprised him once again. However, another monitor got his attention…
Erinyes - Male Ward B
Screams perforated the whole ward. Prisoners begging to be spared, only to get pulverized to pulp with a backhand or a roundhouse kick. Two prisoners with rock-skin Quirks tried ambushing the assailant.
One got his stomach caved in via uppercut. The second got his neck twisted 180 degrees.
"Salvation is at hand…" a grim voice stated as he punched one rogue guard's head off. "None of you will escape salvation…" the voice continued as prisoners kept running.
"Do you know anything else about this monk, Jourdain?" Bloodgash asked, needing some necessary info on this developing problem. Jourdain took a while to think, rapping his memory for what caused this monk to crack. In the span of a few minutes, he did remember what exactly he did.
"I do remember that he was a transfer from Tartarus, that one artificial prison island in Japan." The guard explained.
"And…?" Bloodgash asked, motioning for him to continue.
"Genju Myotoji - former yakuza enforcer that found faith during a small stint and turned over to becoming a monk to atone."
Bloodgash grunted, knowing there was more to the story and now seeing the monk fight and his talk of salvation - it's giving him an idea on where he went wrong. Possibly. In any case, he refocused back on the monitor.
"What the hell is this guy?!" screamed one guard who's down to his last magazine. Beside him were two other convicts who just wanted to survive. By his rear was another guard with an eagle-like face who just had a baton with him, plus a map of the whole island.
"Is there any way out of here?!" silently screamed one of the convicts, a man whose skin color changed depending on his mood. The mood was in the red.
"Calm yourself. I do know of the escape boats out by the north side." The eagle-like guard explained. The convict looked at the name-tag, Blanc, mainly for reference. The group followed Blanc's lead, avoiding the mad monk.
"What the hell's up with that monk?" asked the second convict.
"This is just a rumor but I heard he snapped when his former bosses wanted him back into the fold. He turned his life around and just like that - he broke bad." Blanc explained, though it seemed there were some pieces missing from the puzzle.
"Weird, I heard he snapped due to some dirty practices in the temple he worked at." The previously panicked convict blurted. As the group scurried away, the guard with his remaining magazine questioned if they would make it out alive by the end. He shook those thoughts away, believing his fears would kill him faster than any convict running around here.
"Alright, we should make a left here and…" Blanc stated, looking at the map.
THUMP!
He bumped into something, no, someone. Big. The bald head gave it away.
"No- no, no no-" Blanc sputtered before Genju grabbed his head and snapped his neck with both hands. The remaining guard opened fire on the monk, knowing that he's wasting ammo on this monster. The other two convicts spirited away, saying they're on their own. The guard screamed indignantly as Genju closed the distance… and his pistol clicked dry.
"Before salvation, it's only fair you get to hear a bit of the man I once was…" Genju spoke, grabbing the guard's neck, gradually closing off his airway.
"There was once a man who believed in brotherhood but that was a farce. That man saw a new light in how he could live again," Genju narrated. "The dark tried dragging him back, not once but several times."
The guard couldn't answer.
"I'm glad you're listening." Genju paused. "The dark finally pushed that man over by ransacking his sanctuary along with the people under his care. It was then that the man realized that salvation couldn't be achieved peacefully."
The monk closed his eyes, silently thanking the guard for listening, and with a simple crack, ended the guard's life.
Bloodgash clicked his tongue, slightly pacing back and forth. Jourdain could tell, Genju was gonna become more of a problem. Jean stood up, looking at him, trying to analyze what the monk did. The blonde merc hummed, placing his hand against his chin, and an idea popped into his head.
"Bloodgash - we need to kill this guy," Jean spoke.
"No fucking shit, Jean," Bloodgash spat. "The bigger question is this, will he be exhausted enough for us to take out?"
Jean nodded likely but Dabi and the rest weren't too sure. Jourdain focused back on the monitors, viewing Wyla and Hundred Hand hiding and recovering in out-of-way hallways. The guard saw that the Wendigo wannabe and the killer karateka were placing gauze wrap on their wounds, burns in the latter's case.
Wyla was glad to have met someone not trying to kill her. In fact, she can conclude that the buff man before her is in the same situation. The only issue? He didn't seem to be the talkative type.
"Wyla. Wyla's my name and you are…?" She introduced, albeit awkwardly.
Zilch on the other guy's end, mending his wounds, and also cracking his fingers too. She internally sighed, wondering if this was the socially stunted type.
"Hundred Hand. That's my name." He brusquely replied. "What did you get in for?" He continued.
"Horrible things. I'm guessing you're in the same boat?"
Hundred Hand grunted yes, finishing up wrapping the last of his wounds. As a small test, he threw a one-two combo. Though he felt aches, the gauze wraps did their job. Wyla asked if he's going to the same destination she is.
"Yes - anywhere is better than here."
"I won't argue that - hope they have a… remedy for my condition," Wyla confessed.
"Your condition?" Hundred asked, now curious.
"It's my damn Quirk - I go crazy when I don't eat…" Wyla said.
"All the more reason to get to the League," Hundred stated. "If you go crazy on me, I won't hesitate to beat you to death. Understand?"
"Crystal," Wyla mumbled.
Jourdain noticed the two working together, he himself internally sighing, that it didn't end in a bloodbath. Bloodgash grunted in agreement and paid attention to the next monitor - True Fear making his way through a hallway, carving his way through several convicts. However, he stopped with one beaten convict and unleashed his Quirk on him. In the span of a minute, the last convict scraped at his skin, screaming that it was underneath him, clawing it off. True Fear ignored it, walking out, and likely patting himself on the back.
"He seems to revel in his work, does he?" Bloodgash asked.
"True Fear was one of the more cooperative ones. To a degree," Jourdain corrected himself.
"What caused him to go mad?"
"The basics on him: attended Valor High in the past AKA one of the US's attempts to copy U.A. High; graduated from Fordham School of Law; made a career defending heroes in the New York metropolitan region." Jourdain revealed.
"I'm sensing a but in there." Bloodgash interjected.
"Some of those heroes were incompetent at their jobs," Jourdain revealed. "The breaking point was some knock off Avengers team trying to diffuse bombs around the city. The one known as Soldier One made horrible calls during that shitshow."
"Casualties abound?"
Jourdain nodded, not needing to say more. However, he heard a crack from another monitor - it was Genju cracking a convict's spine but suddenly? He was pushed back against a wall, forcing him to go on the defensive.
"The hell?" muttered Jourdain.
Genju was surprised by that unexpected blow and most of all, that meant a problem obstructing his crusade. As he lifted himself from the wall, he turned around and saw his assailant: he was of above average height, lean frame, and most of all, piercing blue eyes and tousled yet short dirty blond hair to top it all off. Genju grunted, taking a orthodox stance seen in Kickboxing, and waited for the assailant to make his move.
The assailant cracked his arms and showed off spider web-style cracks on his arms leading to his knuckles. He went into a classic boxing stance but his front hand slightly outwards.
"Out of the many on this island," Genju said. "You are in need of absolution." Genju's finger pointed at the assailant. The blond convict said nothing in return.
No words needed to be exchanged.
"Who's that guy?" Dabi spoke up, surprising Jourdain briefly. The prison guard looked at the monitor closely and snapped his fingers.
"Enfant Diabolique." Jourdain answered. "One of the infamous convicts on this island. A specific order was made to keep him in solitary confinement."
"The way you make him sound - he sounds like a reject from Hell Itself." Bloodgash interjected, not buying the reputation.
"He was quite the demon when he was found at 12 - starving, near-feral, but most importantly, he left a trail of bodies in some rural center outside of Rennes…" the guard continued.
As Jourdain recounted, Bloodgash returned his attention to the monitor…
' Let's see what you got, Devil Kid.'
Devil Kid closed the distance with a jab, gauging the monk's guard and reflexes. Genju blocked and clocked him with a long hook punch into his temple. Stumbling, the blond killer unloaded several jabs and crosses into Genju's frame.
THUD! THUD!
The Devil Kid's last one-two combo ended with a pained grunt.
"Your absolution…" Genju exclaimed, grabbing both shoulders and rearing his forehead back.
"...Begins Now."
Wham!
The entirety of the monk's fury slammed into the Devil Kid's own head - causing a stream of blood to fall from his head. However? The Devil Kid remained unphased. Genju grabbed his face and slammed his stomach with his free hand. The convict barely budged though some blood spittled from his lips.
"It seems you're more resistant than I thought…" Genju sneered.
The Devil Kid interrupted his thoughts with a front elbow into his nose, loosening his grip. Following that was knee strikes into his gut, creating some distance.
Genju also noticed this: a brief green glow each time he took hits. Cracking his knuckles, he knew this was a true test…
"What exactly did he do? You know? To get imprisoned here?" Jean asked, curious about the Devil Kid.
"A group home couldn't handle the boy's needs. He was stated to be violent but also frighteningly smart too. Rarely spoke a word. One day, he left a whole trail of bodies one Saturday. He was caught a couple of weeks later." Jourdain explained.
Jean nodded, wordlessly saying not bad . Bloodgash focused on the Devil Kid, wondering what he can do. Most of all, what's with that faint green glow?
The Devil Kid put his guard up as Genju closed the distance with a one-two combo of his own. Again, the monk noticed the green glow as his fists collided with the convict's frame. A smirk on his face made Genju kick him away and the Devil Kid didn't bother defending.
' His Quirk is either defense-oriented or absorption-oriented. '
The Devil Kid cracked his neck and knuckles, walking towards Genju, fully intent on beating the monk. Genju held his hands in the front, open palm, arms bent, and close to his body. The Devil Kid raised his hands up and threw a-
WHAM!
Genju cut him off with a straight punch into his sternum and followed up with five more…
Six Paths: Absolver!
The Devil Kid coughed as each fist made contact with his ribcage and he fell to a knee, letting Genju run towards him and rear his leg up and direct it right into-
Snatch…
The Devil Kid caught the monk's leg and twisted it around, using his momentum, and slammed the monk into the ground. The kid crawled over, getting into the mount position, and slammed his fists into the monk's face.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Genju kept his guard up and noticed a painful fact: his fists were hitting twice as hard! The monk grunted, shooting through with a strike into the Kid's jawline but that didn't stop him. He grabbed his throat, squeezing it instead. The Kid paused his strike to get the monk's hand off… but Genju's grip was securely locked.
The Devil Kid was prying at the monk's grip, only latching off one or two fingers. The kid moved his legs, trying to get up but the grip was solid despite two fingers loose. Thankfully, the thumb on his neck was loosening… a small slip was all he needed. The blond convict panted as he distanced himself. Genju stood up, taking an orthodox stance, more than willing to bring the fight to him. He sprinted towards him, launching low kicks and mid-body kicks into his left!
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Devil Kid blocked immediately but felt the impact of the monk's blows. He swore he heard something crack. However, the green glow returned, brighter than usual. A smirk was on the kid's face - it was his turn now.
FHWIP!
Devil Kid stepped out of the line of fire and delivered a hook to the side of Genju's head and followed up with an uppercut! Genju powered through - until he got struck in the face and two more in his chest. Then the blond devil backed away a bit. Genju spat blood from his mouth, knowing a little how this kid's Quirk works.
"You absorb the pain, store it, and give it right back… '' Genju realized. Devil Kid flinched for a second but regained his composure. The monk was right on the mark, the tiny flinch all but confirmed it for him.
The Devil Kid presumed his attack - throwing out punches but Genju parried each time before clocking him in the nose, breaking it. The blond killer grunted and threw one right at the monk's face… but that was a feint. He lowered and swung his fist right into his side.
SLAM!
A liver blow.
Genju felt the air knocked out of him - but that would not be enough to stumble him. He went for a grab, clutching at his chest but Devil Kid gripped his fist and twisted his arm to prevent his grip. Then he kicked the monk in the chest, getting out of his grip. Genju recovered and closed the distance to-
Devil Kid was out of his reach, zipping from side to side, taunting Genju. As the monk tried closing the distance, he failed to notice the blond convict opening the hip and chambering his leg…
WHAM!
Genju's face was struck quickly, leading the Devil Kid to swing his body around for a spinning back fist into the ear. He wasn't done yet - he continued a barrage of strikes, alternating between punches and body kicks.
' His Quirk has a limit and he needs to release it… ' Genju's thoughts were running as he kept his guard up feeling the force of each hit slowly decrease. Suddenly, he finished and Genju took that as a response to close the distance!
WHACK!
The Devil Kid read him and sweep kicked his shin with the inner edge of his foot, causing him to stumble. He followed up by raising his rear leg nice and high… then bringing it down like a French guillotine. Onto his shoulder.
Creuset de l'Agonie [Crucible of Agony]
Genju's shoulder was on fire and definitely heard a sickening crack. Worst of all, he was down to a knee. The monk grunted and grabbed his leg and did the most dirty technique of all: straight punch into the groin. Though the devil didn't speak, Genju saw him grit his teeth, and continued the attack by punching the inside of his knee. Twice.
Genju released his grip and slammed his knee into the downed Devil Kid, broken nose-first. The Devil Kid only breathed in frustration - throwing kicks, only to get leg checked by Genju and get hit in the midsection.
The Devil Kid desperately threw a straight punch, only to get clobbered in the face by a hook punch, breaking some of his teeth.
"Your absolution is near…" spoke Genju as he struck The Devil Kid in the throat with two punches, causing him to grip his throat, and the monk followed up with a low roundhouse kick to his leg and the coup de grace: the spinning hook kick from Kyokushin Karate…
Vajra: Fivefold!
The Devil Kid's teeth were shattered but he stood strong. He stumbled, attempting a jab but Genju swayed from his reach and closed the distance to deliver a hopefully final blow… Six Paths: Absolver. Devil Kid couldn't speak as he fell to his knees… Genju raised his leg up and brought it down like a guillotine…!
SQUELCH!
The Devil Kid's forehead was crushed. There was no metaphor about it - his forehead was cracked open like a fresh egg. Brain and blood matter slowly mixed as it poured from his forehead… Genju grunted in pain because of his shoulder, he was still capable of moving it but felt the strains.
"Holy…" Jourdain started.
"... shit." Jean finished.
Bloodgash grinded his teeth, this Genju was still gonna be a problem but silver lining? He was injured at the least. Therefore easier to kill. He was cycling through various possibilities on how to kill this mad monk. Dabi, noticing the distress, interrupted him by asking an important question.
"How many guys will it take?"
Bloodgash paused, stopping in place, and cycled through other thoughts. "At least three. No, four. It will take four people to kill this monk."
"Four?"
"Yes. Four." Bloodgash clarified. "Remember the old saying: A wounded animal is the most dangerous . Genju's shoulder may be wrecked but he'll be further on guard."
Dabi snorted but accepted it - he also wondered who'd be the other three he'd pick to go along on this hunting trip.
"Maybe pick one of the doc's pets ." Jean interjected. Bloodgash grunted, taking that into consideration.
' He's right… Maybe one of them could be more than enough to turn things in my favor. Might be a good way to test one to really see what they're worth. ' Bloodgash pondered, looking at the mad doctor's experiments.
"Are you actually consider-" Jean replied but was cut off by Bloodgash walking over to the mad doctor, Webb.
"I'll take the turtle, Deimoschelys." The merc demanded. Webb nodded and gave the command to the turtle mutant.
"I hope you bring him back safe and sound, Bloodgash. He's one of my prized successes." Webb said, wanting some reassurance.
"As long as he pulls his weight, that should be a non-issue," Bloodgash assured him. "Dabi, Jean, you're with me."
"Wait? Now?" Dabi blurted, surprised at that.
"Say no more…" Jean replied, getting up and following Bloodgash. Dabi was dumbfounded, even-
"The fuck are you waiting for? Chinese New Year?" Bloodgash barked. "Move it."
Dabi didn't argue with the merc, scrambling behind Jean, acting as the third wheel. The turtle mutant became the fourth wheel, following the burnt man. As the quartet exited through the doors, there was a recurring thought going through Bloodgash's head.
' After this op, I'm gonna be a step closer to finding that prick. '
"You seem to have something on your mind, ami." Jean spoke up, interrupting the merc's line of thought.
"Quite simple - how Genju will become less of a pain in my ass after he gets taken care of." Bloodgash lied. Jean knew there was something else but left it alone for another time.
"Good Luck." Jourdain muttered while staring at the monitors.
"Luck has nothing to do with it." Bloodgash snorted back.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" yelped Wyla as she ran for it. Hundred Hand following behind her. Wyla wondered what she just saw!
"That bald fuck - he's too dangerous to take on!" Hand exclaimed between breaths.
Wyla cursed in agreement - especially considering that they encountered him a few minutes ago. She just remembered how the cracking sounds the monk made when tearing off a Moth Mutant's head with some difficulty.
"Shit! Shit! Fuck - did we lose our way?" Wyla sputtered as she slowed down. Hundred Hand followed after, panting and going down to a knee.
"There needs to be another way to the radio tower, right?" Hundred grumbled.
"Yea, there has to be." Wyla stated. "Maybe we can… take the other hallway. It should lead to the radio tower, coming on our left."
Hundred Hand wasn't entirely sure but it was better than nothing at this point. As the karateka recovered, he took the lead while Wyla played the role of navigator, but there was a nagging doubt in the back of his mind.
' Will the League be my real ticket out of here? '
As the duo was following their alternate route - there was a small shadow who was eavesdropping from a small crevice. Once stepping out, the figure was True Fear, who gained some interesting information.
"An alternate route to the League… Interesting. Hope they don't mind me then." True Fear muttered as he followed suit.
Jourdain was watching the monitors and saw an interesting thing: a duo and third wheel trailing behind them.
"Wyla, Hundred Hand, and… True Fear? Odd group but it seems the League will get its recruits." The guard commented.
Ironically, the small trio did their best in avoiding any scuffles. Running was the best option for them anyway. Jourdain focused on the other monitors: fighting and killing. The same song and dance for the past few hours. He remembered some of these convicts - some were cooperative, others deserved their sentences.
A monitor to his right: he saw a prisoner with an Ogre-like appearance tearing off a stone-skinned prisoner's arms.
A monitor to his upper left: two avian prisoners; one resembling a vulture and the other a condor. They were cornering a poor prison guard.
A monitor on the lower left: a woman with chainsaw-like arms was slicing through a obese prison guard.
"Silver lining of this whole thing? Overcrowding won't be a problem." Jourdain snarked, though it was a feeble attempt at humor. He went back to focus on the small trio. To his surprise, the trio sprinted like their lives depended on it, literal in this case.
"Holy shit… they might make it." The guard muttered to himself. The trio was starting to slow down and Jourdain recognized where they were - the side door.
"Three are at the door!" Jourdain barked, near-sprinting to the staircase and down to the entrance…
The quartet were searching for Genju, sometimes fending off other prisoners but Dabi noticed there were less in this part of the prison. On the other hand, Bloodgash turned the corner and saw the reason why: bloodied, broken bodies. One with its head torn off; another with its legs bent like pretzels; others whose skulls were caved in. Jean whistled at the state of the bodies, almost sounding impressed.
"If you ask me, we're getting closer," Bloodgash commented. "Get ready to fight once we're in contact."
The trail of bodies gradually increased. One looked like a wannabe skinhead but his arm was found impaled through his mouth; a female convict whose stomach was gone; a musclebound man found with his arms flayed; Several convicts were found with their heads twisted 180 degrees.
"Great, insane and skilled," Bloodgash muttered. "Get ready, you're gonna earn your keep."
"I really hope he's not overhyped…" Jean begged.
"You'll get your wish." Bloodgash promised. Walking down, he's now hearing the sound of bones cracking and also screaming. Turning the corner, he sees the familiar figure: strong, bald, and vicious. Genju caving in a thug's skull was the first thing Dabi sees - then the mad monk turns to face the quartet. The four take their stances as Genju gradually walks from the now-dead thug. Bloodgash takes a few seconds to notice everything around him: more dead bodies; heads caved in; some dying with an expression of fright on their faces.
"Four more. Four more in need of salvation." Genju spoke, taking a back-leaning stance.
The tension was palpable - one could use a knife to cut through it.
Dabi moved a slight inch closer… provoking the monk to close the distance and slam a right hook into the burnt man's head and sucker punch him in the ribcage, splaying him all over the ground.
Like that, the fight began.
Bloodgash leapt towards him and executed an inside low kick onto the monk's front leg, Jean threw a spinning back kick into the monk's side, and the turtle mutant unloaded a one-two combo into Genju's face. He didn't budge. Not. One. Inch.
"Is that it…?" Genju spoke, grabbing the turtle mutant's hands and forcing them away from his face.
"Oh, shi-" Jean interjected before Genju slammed his head into the turtle mutant's face, breaking a couple of teeth. Bloodgash, shock wearing off, resumed striking him with tons of combos. Jean straightened his hands, slashing at Genju.
"Keep at it!" Bloodgash screeched.
Genju turned towards Jean, pummeling him with straight punches and a lethal uppercut into the jaw, sending him off the ground for a brief bit.
WHAM!
Bloodgash took the chance to strike him in the back of the head, stunning him, and forcing him to fall to his knees. The merc grabbed the back of his head and slammed his knee once more. Jean got up and joined in the beating. Genju was taking plenty of hits but there was one thing that discomforted Jean: Genju's expression rarely changed.
"We need to kill him now, Gash!" Jean exclaimed, briefly surprising Bloodgash.
"Don't shout… just do." Genju murmured, grabbing Jean's kicking leg and using the momentum to slam the Frenchman into Bloodgash, forcing him to release his grip. However, the turtle mutant, Deimochelys ran towards him, dipping low and aiming to tackle him!
WHAM!
The tackle connected but… Genju was still standing. Deimochelys couldn't make him budge! Genju grunted and slammed his elbow into the back of the turtle's head and again… and again… Bloodgash interrupted him with a flying knee into his cheek!
WHAM!
Bloodgash didn't hear much of a crack, seeing Genju's hand protecting his face and using the momentum to toss him off. Jean dashed towards Genju, aiming for his wounded shoulder, finally piercing it!
Genju growled in pain, grabbing the Frenchman's hand and returned with a strike into his cheek. The monk kneed the turtle in the gut twice, forcing him to release his grip, and unloaded on him with Six Paths: Absolver. The follow-up was a roundhouse kick center-line, kicking the turtle mutant away. The follow-up was an axe-kick, KO'ing the turtle mutant.
WHIFF!
Jean attempted a spear-hand strike into Genju but he was blocked and countered with a uppercut to the ribs. Coughing, Jean was grabbed and became the victim of a belly-to-belly suplex. Jean recovered and created some distance between them.
"The hell are you made of?!"
"Pain like this…" Genju motioned to his shoulder injury. "... can never impede my mission."
Jean cracked his fingers and thrust forward, hands like claws, but he closed them…
SLAM! SLAM!
Two horizontal elbows landed into Genju's face - but Jean kept going because he knew this monk wasn't going down! Transitioning his elbows into claws, he deliberately aimed at the monk's throat…
WHIFF!
Genju used his forearms to block Jean's incoming strikes but the Frenchman retracted and continued the attack!
WHIFF! WHIFF! WHIFF!
WHIFF!
WHIFF!
Jean's frustration was lessening - Genju was using classic Karate blocks to cut off each incoming slash. The Frenchman tried to back away…
WHAM!
The mad monk cut him off via hook punch and pulled his arm down.
WHAM! WHAM!
The Frenchman felt his throat tighten - he needed to get away but felt a crunch in his leg, courtesy of a low roundhouse kick. Genju rotated, looked at his target, and chambered his leg like a loaded gun…
Vajra: Fivefold!
SLAM!
The spinning hook kick slammed right into Jean's face, knocking him down like a puppet with his strings cut. Genju turned his back on the felled Jean, re-focusing on the scarred merc who didn't engage him. Instead, the merc was waiting for him. The monk grunted, walking towards Bloodgash, ready to engage.
The merc attacked first, aiming to flank from the side, and his hand was alit with ki. Genju shifted his footwork, missing Bloodgash's strike, and followed up with a fast knee into the merc's face.
SQUELCHHH!
Genju briefly yelped as he felt the underside of his leg punctured. Bloodgash retracted his hand, covered in his blood, and unloaded five punches into the monk's upper body. He did not stop, only shifting his position to deliver more strikes.
Centipede Blow!
Genju held his guard up, baring all that came down on him. Bloodgash kept at it, but noticed this: the monk wasn't moving. He took his eyes off for five seconds - looking at Jean who slowly got up, coughing up spit. The Frenchman said nothing as he came charging towards Genju's back.
Ten Blood Bullets!
Both hands pierced the flesh within the monk's lower back, forcing the monk to drop his guard for a few seconds. A few seconds was all that Bloodgash needed - leading to three blows. A jab. A cross. And a front hook into his left ear.
Forge Hammer!
Genju's face felt like it was hit by three shotgun blasts. Jean stabbed him several times more, causing the mad monk to cough up blood. Bloodgash hit him with another Forge Hammer and followed up with an uppercut. The monk was still standing despite losing plenty of blood. Jean's expression turned to disbelief, wondering what-
WHIFF!
Jean sidestepped that back kick from the monk and responded back with a body kick but it barely affected Genju. The monk absorbed that and responded with three blows: jab, cross, jab. Jean barely dodged that, his arms grazed by the last blow. The Frenchman sliced across his chest, leaving a nasty gash on Genju's chest. Bloodgash saw his chance, clinching Genju's head from the back and slamming his knee into the back of his head!
Bloodgash held his hands in an X-pattern… then dashed forward!
Executioner's Pulse!
Genju immediately guarded his upper half, forcing Bloodgash to lower his center and aim for his abdomen. A satisfying tear was heard but the merc knew better. Turning to face the merc, he saw that Genju was trembling a bit but he was still standing. Jean turned towards Bloodgash and nodded, knowing what they needed to do.
Genju wordlessly took a deep Karate stance, egging the both to come. The both of them dashed towards the monk, trying to flank him. Jean struck first with a combo of his own: a coup de pied bas that transitioned into piston-action kicks.
KRACK! KRACK!
Genju's lower frame tanked it but Jean definitely heard something crack. Bloodgash attempted to clinch him but he was elbowed in the gut - followed up by a back kick. Genju turned, closed the distance, and used Six Paths: Asbolver on the merc! Bloodgash gagged in pain but Genju chambered his leg and shot out a front kick, striking him hard like a bullet. Jean growled as he tried striking Genju while his back was turned.
Turning around, the monk used his forearms to divert three strikes coming his way. Jean needed to create some distance, yes, he-
"Absolution is near…" murmured Genju as his hands shot through, clinching the Frenchman's head, and proceeded to slam his knee into his face and his stomach several times! He wasn't done, Genju released the clinch and grabbed his waist… then lifted him off the ground for a belly-to-belly suplex!
Sacred Embrace!
KER-RACK!
Jean growled, getting back up, and muttered that this isn't fun anymore. Genju continued on the attack but for the first time, blocked the monk's high kick with a dutch block and was right at his side.
"Die already."
Jean unleashed a series of jabs and crosses which Genju quickly parried by slapping them offsides. The Frenchman's frustration was evident but his strikes were controlled - Genju wondered what his game was. Jean threw a jab but he was aiming for the face but Genju's hand, pulling it down and closing the distance with an elbow slash!
SLASH!
A nasty cut formed across the monk's cheek. Jean continued further with the elbow slashes and changed his strikes to open-hand slashes…
Blood Moon Madness!
Jean unleashed a combo of five slashes into the monk's upper frame, trying to nick his neck. Genju interrupted him with a liver blow, stopping him cold, and grabbed him by the hair and broke his nose with a headbutt. Twice. Jean did not falter - he threw another spear-hand which Genju promptly blocked.
"Forgot about me, asshole!" screamed Bloodgash, throwing an inside low kick to the thigh and a follow-up high kick to the side of Genju's head. Jean, taking advantage, launched a volley of stabbing attacks into the mad monk.
"Die! Die!"
SQUELCH! SQUELCH!
Bloodgash joined in, throwing a flurry of front kicks, side kicks, and roundhouse kicks into the monk. Genju was forced to be on the defensive, accumulating more cuts and bruises as the beating went on. In five seconds, he threw a low kick into the Frenchman's calf…
WHAM!
"Merde!" Jean yelped. Bloodgash was hit by an elbow into the nose, stopping his volley, but Genju wasn't done yet. Two hands gripped Bloodgash's hair and the monk slammed his knee into the merc twice. Jean tried ambushing him but the monk chambered his leg and slammed his foot into the Frenchman's stomach, stopping his charge. Jean gagged as he tried recovering but he faced a free Genju and felt three blows.
The first blow: rear hook elbow into the Frenchman's bruised cheek.
The second: he launched an uppercut into Jean's diaphragm, knocking the air out of him.
The third: Genju raised his right leg up in an arc and slammed the foot onto Jean's shoulder, making a satisfying crack.
Jean screamed as he was slammed into the ground. Bloodgash was free but he knew that the monk was becoming a bigger problem - killing him wasn't an option, it was a necessity. The monk almost had him but Bloodgash back-stepped to be away from his reach. The monk pressed forward, intending to finish the merc.
WHIFF! WHIFF!
Genju threw a front hook punch and a follow-up cross which Bloodgash slipped by and responded with a body blow, transitioning into an uppercut into the mouth. Creating some distance, he lowered his stance, almost like a swordsman ready to unsheathe his sword.
"I was gonna save this move for a rainy day… but you're too annoying to be taken down normally." Bloodgash growled.
Genju was twitchy, ready to guard up the moment he made his move. Bloodgash took a deep breath and the moment he exhaled, he burst forth, closing the distance quickly!
Thunderbolt Piercer!
WHAM! WHAM!
Genju felt he was shocked twice - all centered in his pectorals. The moment he turned around, Bloodgash was away from him. The merc turned around and executed Thunderbolt Piercer again but increased the strikes to four, but aimed one at his shoulder.
KER-RACK!
Bloodgash noticed it: the monk's dominant right arm had difficulty making a fist. Genju grunted as he continued forward, guard up. Bloodgash decided to humor him, closing in, and instead of a punch, he threw a low kick into the monk's calf. Then another into the opposite leg. The monk grunted in pain, trying to keep his composure… but that would be for naught.
Bloodgash slipped by the monk's punches again and shaped his fist into an open-hand… thrusting into the liver!
SQUELCH!
Genju gagged, letting down his guard, but that worked in the merc's favor. Bloodgash retracted his bloody hand to transition into a bloody uppercut! Bloodgash unleashed five blows on the monk. The first three: jab, cross, hook. All into the monk's face and temple.
The fourth and fifth blow: uppercut into overhand.
Rumbling Thunder Blow!
Genju fell to a knee, gagging and bleeding, but the monk stared at the merc, still not giving up. Bloodgash saw Jean struggling to get up, coughing, and checking his shoulder if it's broken. Jean nodded, following up with the next move: a roundhouse kick to the monk's skull. Bloodgash followed up with a flurry of punches into the downed monk while Jean stomped on the monk's stomach, paying him back in full.
STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
"Piece of Shit!" Jean growled.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
"Keep at it - he's nearly dead!"
Genju's eyes shot open, cutting Bloodgash's combo off with a punch to his ankle, and Jean increasing the stomp on the monk, needing to kill the annoying fuck. Bloodgash aimed at his shoulder - gritting his teeth…
Dark Hound Bite!
The merc's hand gripped into the monk's injured shoulder like how a wild dog grips onto its prey and in one go, tears through it. Genju could only scream in pain as he felt lighter on that shoulder. Jean did the same - instead aiming at his achilles tendon until he tore flesh off. Genju wildly threw a jab, missing the Frenchman. His movements were crippled due to the torn achilles tendon… leading Bloodgash to strike his temple. Near the eye.
WHAM!
"Almost - done."
Bloodgash executed a low kick into Genju's calf, cracking it, and followed up with a rear hook punch into the temple once. The monk roared defiantly, trying to grab the merc's head in a clinch… but that wouldn't come to pass. Bloodgash stepped out of his range and launched a front kick into the monk's other knee, stopping his movement.
"I.. won't…" Genju gurgled.
WHAM! WHAM!
Bloodgash cut him off with a one-two combo, then it increased to five. Bloodgash then shifted to the left, slipping by Genju's desperate punch, and struck him in the nose with a rear overhand punch. Swinging around, he stabbed the elbow into Genju's left eye.
POPP!
Genju growled as he felt a liquid burst where his former eye was. He recovered despite the lacking eye but he was frustrated because he knew that Bloodgash was-
WHAM! WHAM!
Two kicks. High roundhouse kicks to the side of his head. Genju stumbled until bumping into another familiar face - a very pissed off Frenchman with a grin that screamed payback. Jean threw an elbow strike into his ear, then unloaded a barrage of spear-hand strikes into his back, bleeding him out like a pig. Jean stepped back and chambered his leg…
Bloodletting Whirlwind!
Jean threw several side kicks and roundhouse kicks. Roundhouse kicks into the waist. Side kicks into the injured leg. Genju turned around, attempting to cut off Jean but the Frenchman stepped out of his reach and cracked his calf with a low kick.
"That's not the real coup de grace, this is!" exclaimed Jean as he swung around, delivering an overhand and the hand was in the form of a raking claw, aiming at this throat…
SQUELCH!
Genju gripped his bleeding throat, trying to form words, conflicted whether to stem the bleeding or attempt throttling the Frenchman. Unfortunately for the monk, Bloodgash leaped in the air and aimed his elbows downwards…
CRUNCH!
The clavicles in Genju's shoulders snapped in half - his arms flopped uselessly to his side. The monk tried to gurgle words but-
WAM!
Bloodgash cut him off with a low kick into his front leg, right at the kneecap. The monk groaned in pain or what passed for it. Jean followed up with stabbing into his side, gouging his liver with a spear-hand. The monk tried to hit the Frenchman, forgetting his useless arms for the moment, but Bloodgash turned him around and grabbed him by the collar.
"This whole absolution shtick you have?" The merc spat. "It's just bullshit - you just wanted an excuse to kill."
The monk glared at him, wanting to reply back. Tell him he was wrong.
"On one hand, you were a pain in the ass. On the other hand? If you weren't obsessed with absolution, you might have found a place amongst us - maybe my old employers." Bloodgash continued.
The monk's response? A wad of spit mixed with blood onto the merc's face. Bloodgash slowly wiped the wad off his face.
"Fine then - have it your way," Bloodgash growled. "Jean, you want in?" Jean smirked, cracking his knuckles. With a well-placed low kick, the monk's rear kneecap was shattered by the Frenchman, crumpling Genju to a knee. Bloodgash clamped around the monk's head, yanking it up high with a jerk. The head was held at an unnatural angle, almost like a sick parody of a training dummy.
"First come first serve." Bloodgash sneered, his voice dripping with false amusement.
"I am rusty - but hey, this is the best practice I'll get." Jean noted, his grin becoming sadistic like a child with a magnifying glass on an ant hill. He chambered his front leg with a sharp snap, the sound echoing like a gunshot.
CRACK! CRACK!
Jean's grin grew wider, his fouetté was improving with each bone-shattering impact, and most importantly? He was seeing the monk's stone-like grimace gradually come apart. Switching to piston-action kicks, he unleashed a rapid-fire barrage.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Each kick contorted the monk's grimace into impotent rage. As Jean's kicks gradually slowed, a wave of relief washed over him with each diminishing strike, and best of all, he let out a long relieved "Whew!" as he threw his last kick. Genju's face was a bloody ruin, his teeth were cracked like broken glass, and Jean had an idea… Bloodgash could tell by the grin on his face.
"I think I have it in me for one more kick." Jean said, changing his stance to that of Muay Thai. After checking his footing and his shoulders, he was ready… he pivoted and slammed the shin of his leg into the monk's face!
KER-RACKKK!
The left side of his face resembled the aftermath of a close-up grenade: the left cheek torn through, teeth falling out like rain droplets, and his dying expression was that of fury. Bloodgash released his grip, dropping him like dead weight. The merc wiped his hands, gave the corpse a final glance before muttering "prick" and stalking off. Jean followed, spitting on the dead monk in disrespect.
"Wait, don't forget the turtle! And Dabi too!" Bloodgash exclaimed, nearly forgetting. Jean nodded and said no more.
Bloodgash, burdened with Dabi, reached the radio tower's door, while Jean complained not too far behind. The merc rapped against the door, knowing that Jourdain was watching the monitors, ordered Jean to keep watch.
"I hope that prick hurries up," Jean muttered, his eyes darting around the perimeter. "Sooner or later, there's gonna be a big red target on our backs."
Bloodgash grunted in grim agreement. The tension was palpable, the silence stretching longer than it needed to, and then a faint sound pierced the stillness– footsteps. Relief washed over as the door creaked open. Jourdain directed them upstairs, even having a brief conversation with Bloodgash.
"You've been through Hell." Jourdain began, looking at the battered quartet, focusing on the KO'd Dabi and Deimochelys.
"That's one way to describe it." Bloodgash replied, grave.
Jourdain paused, this expression changing. "If it's any consolation, three new recruits made it here before you did."
Bloodgash's attention snapped to focus, wondering if he misheard. The merc asked Jourdain to repeat it. Once for clarity. Another to be sure he's not going deaf.
"Three. New. Recruits. Here. Before. You." Jourdain enunciated each word slowly, as if he was speaking to a child. The cold stare leveled at Bloodgash was the icing on top. The merc exhaled, there would be time for questions later.
"Just get Dabi and turtle settled." Bloodgash curtly replied.
' It's almost over… almost, the hard parts are over .' Jourdain internally sighed, he could really take that vacation to Madrid right about now. All he needed to do now was contact Bloodgash's boss and that's it.
The fighting outside of the radio tower escalated - surviving convicts were still fighting over old feuds, whether they were from the outside or made in Erinys. Roving gangs, once organized, devolved into a storm of knives and fists. The thought of mainland France sending a response force to quell this riot never crossed their minds.
Jourdain paced before the prison's comm system, his face etched with anticipation. A week passed by since Bloodgash and Dabi arrived in Erinys. It was the correct time frame, a week, he remembered All for One saying that to him during his last phone call. Each passing hour planted seeds of doubt in Jourdain's mind. Was All for One late? Did he decide he was collateral? He shook himself, pushing those thoughts aside. The fighting outside the radio tower wasn't helping either.
"He should have contacted us by now…" Jourdain muttered to himself, still clinging to that hope.
Bloodgash, his face calm, leveled at him, "My benefactor shouldn't be taking too long."
Just then, a faint ping sliced through the tension-filled air, barely audible. Jourdain's breath caught in his throat while Bloodgash's exhale was a low rumble, a mixture of relief and snarling. A distorted voice spewed through the comm system, a chillingly familiar voice. The Boogeyman of Japan himself, All for One.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I believe you have spent enough time there in France, it's time to return back to Japan. Kurogiri, would you be so kind?"
"Wait, did he just…?" Jourdain's question died on his lips as he saw a shift. A ripple of distortion shimmered in the air, pulsing twice before coalescing into a swirling vortex of darkness. Jourdain wasn't entirely sure if he should-
"Time is of the essence, Kurogiri can only hold that portal for so long." All for One coldly interjected.
"Get moving!" Bloodgash bellowed. The rest of the group scrambled into the swirling vortex. Jean lunged for the KO'd Deimoschelys, carrying the larger brawler by his arms. Bloodgash wasted no time hoisting the KO'd Dabi onto his back. Another flicker of doubt crossed Jourdain's face. But there was no turning back. With a steeled jaw, he sprinted into the vortex, the darkness swallowing him whole.
Five seconds. That's all it took for the vortex to close shut.
Author's Note: As of now, I'm back mainly because of work clogging up my time and getting back into the swing of things. Also I'm on A03 more and also active on Discord too. If you want to ask me where on Discord, just PM me.