Chapter 13.

Chapter 13: The War Begins

The sky, once calm and sunlit, had transformed into a swirling tempest. Dark clouds gathered ominously above, churning with unnatural energy as more of the massive kaiju emerged from the ocean. Each one was a towering, mechanical behemoth, their bodies adorned with glowing red eyes and sharp, jagged fins that scraped against the air itself. The first kaiju—now clearly just one of many—roared once more, shaking the ground beneath them as its companions began to rise.

Rick gritted his teeth and adjusted his portal gun, scanning the horizon. "This is bad. We've been dealing with this one kaiju and I should've seen the signs. But now—now we've got a full-blown invasion."

Sans, still floating above the original kaiju, cocked his head. "More of these ugly mugs, huh? Great. Well, they don't look too tough. But then again, we've seen worse."

Gojo, his Domain Expansion still active, surveyed the new arrivals with narrowed eyes. His usual playful demeanor was replaced by something more intense. "You're right, Rick. This isn't just a random monster. Someone chose to unleash this mess."

Hikari, who had been casually observing the chaos, gave a long sigh. "Well, I was hoping for some downtime. But I guess we're back in the action."

Clara clenched her fists, her eyes glowing faintly. "We don't know who's behind this, but I don't think it matters anymore. We stop these things now or it'll be too late."

Rick was already pulling out his tools, his mind racing. "We're gonna need a strategy. These things are probably linked to some sort of control mechanism, like the first one. If we can disable that, maybe we can take them down. But we've got to move fast, or we're gonna end up fighting all of them at once."

Gojo, the first to act, cracked his knuckles. "Let's put that theory to the test." He snapped his fingers, and the space around him shifted, his Domain Expansion warping reality even further. "Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!"

A massive, red energy blast shot forward from his hand, colliding with the lead kaiju's chest. The explosion sent a shockwave through the sand, but the creature barely flinched. Instead, it growled, its body glowing brighter as it charged forward, swinging its gigantic claws.

Rick's eyes darted to the sky, noticing that more kaiju were converging from all directions. He quickly calculated their trajectory and formulated a plan.

"We need to hit their control centers, but I have no idea where they are. They're probably buried deep within each kaiju's body. I'll need to track the signal sources." He turned to Morty, who was nervously hovering by the backlines. "Morty, get over here. You're coming with me."

Morty swallowed, but his usual panic was tempered by the sheer scale of the situation. "O-okay, Rick! What do you need me to do?"

Rick slapped a pair of goggles onto Morty's face. "You're on signal tracking duty. Keep an eye on those kaiju's energy levels and send me a readout. If you spot something weird, let me know."

Gojo's voice cut through the chaos, his battle-ready tone sharp. "You guys figure out the tech part. We'll hold the line."

With that, the battle intensified.

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The Battle Rages On

Gojo and Sans took point, attacking the first kaiju with everything they had. Gojo, still inside his Domain Expansion, moved effortlessly around the creature, his Limitless technique slowing down time around him just enough to avoid the kaiju's attacks while landing punishing blows to its head. Sans, meanwhile, was teleporting around the kaiju's massive form, dropping his signature bone weapons on it from above.

"Heh, this big guy's not even that tough. Kinda wish I was facing something more challenging," Sans quipped as he launched a barrage of bone spikes directly at the kaiju's chest.

The creature staggered, but quickly recovered, its mechanical arm swiping at Sans, knocking him into the sand. He grinned, bouncing back to his feet in a flash. "Okay, okay. Maybe this is a bit tougher than I thought."

Hikari, still observing from the sidelines, seemed unusually calm. He flipped a coin between his fingers, the coin glinting in the fading sunlight. "I guess it's my turn."

Before anyone could question him, Hikari's eyes flashed with sudden determination. He crouched down, focusing on his cursed energy. In an instant, he activated his Domain Expansion—Idle Death Gamble.

Energy surged around him, crackling in the air as the golden coin spun rapidly in the air, emitting a powerful aura of cursed energy. With a flick of his wrist, Hikari released the coin, and a wave of energy shot toward the kaiju. This time, the kaiju's body twitched—not from the impact, but from the sudden shift in its own internal structure.

"Bet you didn't see that coming," Hikari smirked, watching as the creature's limbs started to lock up.

Clara nodded to Rick. "Looks like his gamble's working."

Rick didn't waste a second. "Alright, Morty! How's that signal look?"

Morty was hunched over, staring at a small device Rick had given him. He mumbled nervously, his voice shaking. "Uh, yeah, Rick. I think I've found it. There's a big energy spike coming from the center of each kaiju. It's definitely not biological. There's something mechanical inside them—probably some kind of reactor."

Rick didn't hesitate. "I figured. Hikari, Sans—keep these things distracted. Clara, Gojo, you're with me. Morty, stay behind and keep tracking the signals. We need to find a way to shut down that reactor. If we take out the power source, the kaiju should stop moving."

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The Final Push

The team split up. Gojo and Rick, with Clara in tow, sprinted toward the nearest kaiju, which was still engaged with Hikari and Sans. Gojo leaped into the air, his Domain Expansion still active, creating an invisible barrier around him as he zoomed toward the creature's back. Rick, however, pulled out a small device, emitting a concentrated pulse that locked onto the energy signature Morty had detected.

"There," Rick muttered under his breath. "That's where the reactor's located. We just need to break through the armor."

Clara, sensing the urgency, conjured her cursed energy into a barrier, protecting Rick as he charged up the device. Meanwhile, Gojo was engaged in another round of extreme acrobatics, using his Limitless technique to evade the kaiju's deadly attacks while landing blows that shattered the creature's outer armor.

"Come on, come on," Rick muttered, watching the device carefully. "Just a few more seconds."

And then, with a sudden flash, the device pulsed—sending a wave of energy directly into the kaiju's spine.

The massive creature screamed in pain, its glowing eyes flickering. Rick grinned. "Direct hit. That's the weak point."

At the same moment, Clara unleashed a surge of her cursed energy, creating an explosive wave that tore through the kaiju's now-ruptured armor. Gojo followed up with a devastating punch, sending the creature reeling backward, falling into the ocean with a tremendous splash.

But there was no time to rest. More kaiju were emerging from the water, their eyes locked on the team.

"We've only got a few minutes before the others come at us full force," Rick called out. "Get ready, everyone. This is far from over."

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To Be Continued...