NO. 46 - Sukuna vs. Overhaul

[General POV]

Pillars of jagged concrete ripped through the twisting and warping hallway in an attempt to crush both Jin and Twice-Clone Sukuna. Despite the rolling environment, the two were somehow able to run away from the incoming pillars.

"Show yourself, you damn coward! We just want to say hello!" Jin yelled.

With incredible intensity, TC Sukuna's eyes scanned the ceiling, walls, and floors. His focused expression remained as he flipped over two rising boulders that jutted out in his path. As he spun in the air, TC Sukuna noticed a small, almost unnoticeable crack in the ceiling.

'There!' TC Sukuna thought as he landed on the warping ground. Flexing his muscles, the clone used the warping environment to his advantage to quickly close the distance between himself and Irinaka Jōi.

"Shit! He found me!" Jōi yelled as TC Sukuna was now only a few centimeters away.

CRACK!

Everything around TC Sukuna, Jin, and Jōi violently shook without warning. Knocking the Bullet out of the shattering ceiling and sending TC Sukuna and Jin onto the floor. Jin tried to push himself up when he noticed an incoming wave of spikes erecting from the walls, ceiling, and floor toward them in the now motionless hallway.

Being the closest to the incoming wave of death, Jōi's body was skewered from head to toe. The man wasn't even capable of screaming out in pain as a concrete spike shot out of his mouth.

"Jin!"

Turning his head, Jin watched as TC Sukuna dashed toward him.

In an instant, the spikes reached Jin's position.

x x x

With his large body crashing and shattering the walls around him, Katsukame Rikiya continued running toward Overhaul's location.

Rikiya is a large, tall, and very muscular man. He wears a black tank top with a stand-by symbol in the middle. A pair of blue socks and orange sneakers adorned his feet as massive gauntlets and knuckledusters rested over his fists. Finally, like the rest of his fellow Bullets, a black plague mask sat over his face.

"I'm coming, Boss!" Rikiya yelled as he smashed through an entire wall.

With a tackle, the large man exploded out of two more concrete walls to arrive at a long hallway. Turning his head, Rikiya saw his boss and Sukuna down the hall.

Before he could rush toward his leader, Rikiya saw Overhaul inject himself with the Trigger drug.

"…this can't be good," Rikiya said as everything around him exploded.

"Ragh!" Roaring in pain, Rikiya was stabbed with several sharp spikes that erupted from all around him.

"Ah… Katsukame." Rikiya heard Overhaul say through the chaos and bellowing destruction. "I need your strength as well… thank you for your sacrifice."

Before he could question what he meant, Rikiya looked down as a large, flesh-like arm stabbed through his chest. From within, Rikiya felt hundreds of tendrils shoot through his body. Sending unimaginable pain through him.

As he released a silent scream, Rikiya's consciousness vanished as his body was broken down.

x x x

Throughout the battered and ruined Shie Hassaikai compound, several flesh-like tendrils with hands on the ends slithered throughout the building. It resembles an expanding bloodstream or root system below a large tree.

Quickly, the hand tendrils found the corpses of Kendo, Hekiji, Deidoro, and Jōi. Instantly, their bodies were broken down and absorbed into the tendrils.

With their jobs done, the flesh tendrils returned to their main body.

Kai's body.

x x x

"Must go faster! Must go faster!"

Himiko screamed as she looked back at the incoming wave of spikes. Reaching the top of the stairs, she finally found a window leading outside. Without pause, Himiko covered Eri's head and leaped out of the glass. Shattering the window.

Bracing herself, Himiko fell down two stories with a roll just as spikes exploded out of the hallway she was once in. Wincing in pain, she quickly looked over at Eri. Seeing that the girl was safe, Himiko ran again despite her aching ankle.

"W-wait! We can't leave him! H-he'll die!" Eri said with fear on her face as she watched the building that once trapped her explode into hundreds of pieces with giant jutting spikes rising high into the sky.

"Don't worry! Sukuna-kun is strong! He won't die here! He can't!" Himiko yelled as she ran toward the single hidden exit point on the surrounding wooden wall around the compound.

Squeezing through it, Himiko left the compound's premises and began running down the empty streets. Raising her arm, she waved it around wildly. Sending a message to their overwatch.

KABLAM!

Hearing Eri gasp loudly, Himiko turned around and saw a giant monstrosity with several arms standing on two thick legs explode out of the compound.

Jutting out of its back and arms were long, jagged bone spikes. On its thick neck was a massive bird-like head filled with razor-sharp teeth. However, inside the mouth was a shirtless, six-armed man with brown hair. His red and black skin seemed to pulse with barely restrained power.

"It's him…" Eri muttered in pure terror as Himiko stepped back in shock at the enormous 15-meter tall Kaiju standing over the compound.

"Is that… Overhaul?"

x x x

Off in her sniper's nest, Kaina blinked in bewilderment as a giant monster exploded out from the compound alongside several large spikes.

"What is... that?"

Refocusing her attention, Kaina noticed Himiko waving at her from outside the wooden perimeter. Zooming in, she saw that the blond now had their objective in her arms. Smiling, Kaina leveled her scope around Himiko as she ran off with the child. Seeing no sign of Jin, Kaina frowned and assumed the worst despite herself.

"Souta-san, Bubaigawara-san... you two better be alright," Kaina whispered as she watched over Himiko and Eri.

x x x

Shaking his head, Jin blinked blearily as he awoke from his sleep. Looking around, he noticed he was hanging from one of his measuring tapes. The tape itself was tied to one of his katanas, and the sword itself was stabbed deep into one of the spikes that was jutting out of the ceiling.

"Souta…" Jin muttered as he remembered what the TC Sukuna did to save him...

Moving quickly, TC Sukuna grabbed Jin and pulled out his katana. Before he could ask what was going on, Jin was thrown over TC Sukuna's shoulder. From there, the clone moved in and out of the way from the onslaught of spikes with precision and skill.

Despite his fast speed, they were both still sliced and stabbed by the passing spears of death, with TC Sukuna taking the brunt of it, causing his body to begin melting.

Feeling his death come close, TC Sukuna made one last ditch effort and pulled one of Jin's measuring tapes to tie to the katana's grip. With a roar, he stabbed it into one of the unmoving spikes just as he was stabbed through the chest.

Due to the suddenness of the move, Jin's head and arm were knocked against a low-hanging pillar of stone from their earlier battle with Jōi, knocking him out cold.

Back in the present, Jin ignored his injuries and released his measuring tape, causing him to fall down onto the ground in a heap. Luckily, there was a wide enough gap of space where he landed. Saving him from being skewered by the spikes lining the floor.

"D-did Overhaul do this?" Jin muttered as he tried to stand, only to stop when he felt pain burst out of his thigh and left arm.

Looking down, he saw the tip of a thin stone spike stabbing through him. Turning to his arm, Jin's eyes grew wide in horror and then unimaginable relief when he saw he had a broken arm.

"I'm real! I'm not disappearing! I'm the real one!" Jin yelled in happiness as he grasped his broken bone. Shaking his head, Jin stood to his feet and began limping through the hallway of spikes towards the loud sounds of battle in the distance.

"Hold on, Souta… I'm coming."

x x x

[Shimizu Souta POV]

With a grunt, I threw the large boulder off me and stood to my feet slowly. I was covered in cuts and blood as my black haori was ruined and tattered. Throwing it off, I looked up at the massive form of Overhaul's new monstrous body.

"…crapbaskets."

Crack!

Using CE-enhanced speed, I jumped to the side as one of Overhaul's large six arms punched the ground I once stood on. Shattering the floor and sending rubble everywhere.

Such power... one punch from that, and I'm a goner!

"What have you done, Overhaul?!" I roared, once again dodging a wild punch thrown by the Yakuza Head.

[+10 SP]

"I've done my research on you, Sukuna." Overhaul bellowed from his position in his Kaiju body's mouth. "I know that you're not an opponent to take lightly. Your work on taking out Kobashigawa's entire regime is proof of that. There's even a rumor going around that you have more than one Quirk. That's why I won't underestimate you… no, I'll use everything in my power to kill you right here! After I'm done with you, I'll find and take Eri back!"

"Over my dead body."

"That's the plan." Overhaul said as he stomped toward me.

I swung my arm up and sent several sharp roots up into Overhaul's stomach, sending blood splattering all over the floor. Not stopping there, I leaped up into the air and summoned two small volcano heads below the Kaiju's position. With a flick of my wrist, two burning beams of lava shot up and knocked back Overhaul. Burning and melting his already injured body.

[+5 SP]

Stumbling forward in ruined and mangled limbs, Overhaul roared as he further destroyed his ruined body parts with his Quirk. After a split second, he immediately fixed all the damage I'd done.

"Sukuna!" Overhaul roared as his six large arms all swung at me wildly. "I'll make you pay for everything you've done!"

"Nue!" Jumping on my Shikigami's back, I flew out of his range of attack.

In an instant, a thin flesh tendril with a clock end on its tip shot out toward me and stabbed into Nue's wing. I watched in shock as Nue's movements slowed down to the point as if it was in slow motion. With no speed or momentum, we began to fall back into the ground.

"You… can see Nue?!" I yelled as I brought Nue back into my shadows. "You can actually see my Shikigami?!"

But how?! He shouldn't be able to!

In order to slow my descent, I shot out a wave of fire at the ground. Just as I was about to land, the ground below shifted, and a massive concrete fist shot out from beneath me. I was only able to lift my arms defensively before I was bashed away.

Pain shot up my back as my body collided with one of the compound's remaining walls. With a grunt, I pushed myself up and watched my blood drip onto the ground.

"Round Dee-"

Just as I was about to summon Round Deer in order to heal myself, my surroundings shifted and moved to create two massive walls at my sides. Within a second, they rushed toward me in an attempt to crush me. Gritting my teeth, I used Projection Sorcery to evade the incoming attack.

Jumping out of their path, I heard a loud crack explode behind me as the two walls collided. Without pause, I sent a wave of fire at several arrow shaped tendrils that tried to stab into me.

He's not giving me a moment to breathe!

At the sound of a roar, I turned to see Overhaul's large body stomping over to me. Raising all six of his arms, he slammed them down onto the ground. The floor all around him cracked and shattered as a wave of destruction sped toward me.

Glaring at the incoming attack, I leaped up and summoned a long-flowing root from the ground to catch me. Using the root, I had it move me away from the exploding shards of concrete.

"W-what is this?!"

I felt my equilibrium inexplicably go out of wack, resulting in me slipping off my flowing root.

Crashing onto the floor, I felt pain and vertigo overwhelming my body and senses. Lifting my head, I saw one of Overhaul's many arms pointing at me.

"This… is Deidoro's Quirk," I muttered and pushed past the effects of Sloshed. "But how does he have that Quirk! Deidoro wasn't anywhere near us!"

If Overhaul has Deidoro's Quirk, then could he also have the other Bullets abilities as well? But when did he fuse with them?!

Overhaul grinned down at me, but his head snapped to the side as his actual lower jaw exploded by a speeding pink and indigo bullet. With his focus thrown off, I felt the effects of Sloshed disappear.

Looking over to where Kaina was, I gave the woman a massive grin.

I owe you one!

Running out of Overhaul's line of sight, I brought my hands up and held my right hand to my side. Fire burst alive all around me as the broken and shattered remains of the compound gathered together into the sky above in a beautiful, fiery sphere.

"Maximum Output!" I leaped up into the sky, causing the burning ball of flames to burst with power. Overhaul fixed his face and turned to me with rage in his crazed eyes. "Maximum Meteor!"

With a swing, I launched the meteor straight at Overhaul with a grin. Despite not having enough time to make the attack as big as I wanted, I knew it would be enough to land some considerable damage, if not kill the man.

[+25 SP]

Overhaul was surprised at the sight of the large burning meteor, but he quickly roared and raised his arms to deploy a giant barrier around him. Unfortunately for him, his barrier stood no chance and shattered once my attack struck it.

Unwilling to give up there, Overhaul held all six hands out and grabbed hold of the meteor. With a ground-shaking roar, he began to slowly push the meteor back.

"Raaagh!"

Overhaul yelled as his Kaiju body began to burn and disintegrate from the intense heat. Before I could launch my next attack, I saw several cracks appear over the meteor's surface. In a flash of fire, the meteor broke apart as Overhaul used his Quirk to shatter it to pieces.

Leaning forward, Overhaul broke down his burnt arms and quickly repaired them. From behind him, several bullets began to rain over his back from Kaina's sniper.

Turning his large head in her direction, Overhaul created several considerable golden barriers around his back to defend himself from the bullets.

Due to his new defense, the bullets ended up changing course to different parts of his vast body.

Growling in irritation, Overhaul grabbed a large chunk of concrete the size of a small house and hurled it toward Kaina's sniper nest.

"No!"

Using Disaster Flames, I launched a concentrated spear of fire that knocked the chunk of concrete slightly off course. Causing it to collide with the middle of the building Kaina was on top of. With a loud explosion, the building began to crack and break as it leaned on its side.

Squinting, I saw Kaina use Jello to slow her fall from the falling rooftop.

[+20 SP]

"You damn, Brat!" Overhaul spun to me and stomped one of his thick feet onto the ground. Using his Quirk, Overhaul sent dozens of massive spikes that tried to skewer me. "I don't have time for this!"

With CE-enhanced speed, I managed to evade the majority of the incoming spikes, but one of them managed to snag me on my side.

This isn't working! Nothing I'm doing is having any effect! If I don't stop him soon, I'll run out of CE!

"He may be able to fix any of the damage I do to him, but how about if I freeze him into a block of ice instead?! Switch!" I said as I exchanged Disaster Plants for Ice Formation. "This better work!"

Seeing as how I wasn't reduced into a bloodied mess from his attack, Overhaul growled and stomped towards me with his six large arms ready to smash me to paste.

Raising both of my palms in front of my mouth, I blew out a large gust of ice.

"Maximum Output: Ice Age Prison!"

The air around us became unbelievably cold, resulting in the floor beneath us frosting over. From all around Overhaul's large Kaiju body, enormous chunks of ice came into existence and quickly expanded all over his body.

[+30 SP]

Growling, he continued to fight his way towards me despite his growing ice prison.

Finally, the large building-sized ice formation enveloped all of Overhaul's Kaiju body, leaving him frozen in place just in time as his right hand was only a few meters away from my position.

[+50 SP]

"Finally… heh, I was worried I was going to have to summon Mahoraga for a second there."

Falling to a knee, I felt my low reserves of CE catch up with me. As low as they were, I was unable to summon Round Deer to heal myself. I looked down at my stomach, where the tip of a concrete spear was stabbing through me. Reaching over at the flowing blood from my wound, I grimaced while I debated whether to take it out or not.

"Souta!" A bloodied and injured Jin limped out from around a large chunk of rubble. He then roared out in a panicked voice. "MOVE!"

Without hesitation, I forced my body to move, but it was too late.

A muscled arm shot out from a small crack in the ice formation that encased Overhaul's kaiju arm from right in front of me. The arm bulged and swelled before it stretched out toward me. In a flash, the arm's hand grabbed onto my right wrist.

"Die." Overhaul said with a large grin from within the ice.

My eyes grew wide as I felt something very wrong begin to spread from my wrist up my arm. Gritting my teeth, I coated my left hand with CE and sliced off my arm from the bicep down. Leaping back, I watched as my bisected arm exploded from within Overhaul's hand.

[+15 SP]

Fuck! That was close!

Sliding to a stop, I looked over at my bleeding stump of an arm and winced. Using my binding vow, I switched out Disaster Flames for Blood Manipulation in order to stop the blood.

Down to two techniques…

Breaking out of his ice prison, a much smaller Overhaul landed on the ground with a crack.

Standing at a height of 396 centimeters, Overhaul's once lanky body was lined with large, powerful muscles. Much like his Kaiju form, he now had reddish-black skin with three arms on each side of his torso. Over his shoulders and his back were several large pair of eyes that stared at me with rage. Jutting out of his elbows, knees, and back were large, sharp bone spikes.

"You sacrificed your own arm for your survival." Overhaul said through his moving plague mask. As he spoke, it sounded as if several different people were speaking at once. "You're only prolonging your inevitable death."

I remained silent as I glared at him. "This is far from enough to stop me, you child-abusing piece of shit."

[+5 SP]

"What I did to Eri was all in the name of progress." Overhaul lifted his arms up with an excited expression. "Once I rid this world of the disease known as Quirks, we can all return to how things once were."

"You're a madman." I spat out, feeling lightheaded. "I'm going to kill you for everything you've done to Eri. I'll make you suffer a hundredfold."

"Please," Overhaul scoffed. "I can see that you're barely able to stand on your feet."

He noticed.

"By the way…" I could practically feel the grin on Overhaul's face as his many eyes looked over to a worried and injured Jin. The man was leaning heavily against a chunk of rock as the tip of a spike stuck out of his thigh. "I think I should return the favor from when you took out my subordinates, don't you think? Souta."

Kneeling down, Overhaul placed one of his hands on the ground. Bombarding out of the floor, several large spikes sprang toward the masked man.

Shit! Fuck! Shit!

Throwing all of my remaining CE into Projection Sorcery, I glitched towards Jin. Each new appearance of mine accelerated my speed even further.

Be faster! Save him! No matter what!

Using my remaining arm, I all but launched Jin across the ruins of the compound.

Shnk!

"…n-no," Jin muttered as he pushed himself up, tears pooled around his eyes. "NOOOO!"

Grinning, I gave my friend a weak thumbs up.

Below me, several sharp spikes penetrated throughout my body. Locations such as the side of my neck, my left shoulder, my chest, and my left knee were all stabbed with a thick concrete spike.

Against my will, I felt my eyelids force themselves close over my eyes as my body began to grow cold. From around my shoulders, Zaiko groaned and wrapped itself tightly around me as if to comfort me.

"…run, Jin... Get out of here..."

[+999 SP]

x x x

[General POV]

Tired and covered in sweat, Himiko paused in her run, the sudden feeling of dread spread over her chest. Holding Eri closer to herself, Himiko turned around and heard a faint yell behind her that sounded like Jin.

Hearing the far-off yell as well, Eri whimpered and buried her head into Himiko's neck.

"This is all my fault," Eri whispered.

"…Sukuna-kun?" Himiko uttered, her gaze focused on the disappearing veil in the distance.