Chapter 12: The Beach Battle
The tranquility of the beach didn't last as long as the team had hoped.
As the sun began its slow descent into the horizon, casting long shadows across the sandy shores, a sudden shift in the atmosphere rippled through the air. The once-calm ocean began to churn violently, waves crashing against the shore with increasing intensity. Rick, who had been lounging in his chair with his feet up, suddenly sat bolt upright.
"This isn't normal," Rick muttered, scanning the skies above. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted that dimension."
Clara, who had been absentmindedly flipping through her book, looked up and immediately stood, her senses alert. "What's happening, Rick?"
Before Rick could answer, a dark shadow appeared on the horizon—something massive rising from the ocean. It was hard to make out at first, but the outline grew clearer as the creature rose higher and higher into the sky. It was a colossal beast, with glistening black scales and eyes that glowed an eerie, blood-red color. It let out a roar that shook the very ground beneath their feet.
"A kaiju," Hikari said, eyes wide. "But that's… not just any kaiju. That thing is ancient."
Sans, who had been cooking burgers and minding his own business, dropped his spatula, his bones rattling as the force of the roar reached him. "A what now? I thought this was supposed to be a relaxing day, not one of those giant monster movies."
Rick was already scanning the creature with his portal gun, analyzing its energy signature. "I don't know what that thing is, but it's clearly not from this dimension. Whoever or whatever brought it here... they want us to fight it."
Gojo pushed his sunglasses up on his nose, his smile widening. "A kaiju? This'll be fun. A little beachside battle to spice up the day." He cracked his knuckles. "You all can sit this one out. I've got this."
Hikari raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but not convinced. "You sure you can handle something that big, Gojo?"
Gojo's grin only grew wider. "With my Limitless? No problem."
As Gojo prepared to launch himself at the creature, Rick held up a hand, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "Wait. Something's off about this whole setup. This thing... it's not just a random monster. It's been sent here. And I can almost guarantee there's someone pulling the strings behind the scenes. We need to figure out who before we go jumping in headfirst."
"Dude, you're always so cautious," Sans drawled, putting his sunglasses on and lazily strolling to the shoreline. "But if that thing's causing trouble, I'm game to help, no matter what dimension it came from. Gotta keep the beach safe."
The massive beast loomed closer, its form now visible in full. It was a towering creature, its jagged fins cutting through the ocean as it moved. Its body was covered in scales that reflected the setting sun, creating an almost hypnotic, deadly glow. The sky above began to darken, as if the clouds themselves were retreating from the chaos that was about to unfold.
Rick pulled out a small device from his coat pocket and activated it, revealing a holographic map of the area. "Alright, we can't just go charging in. We need to figure out its weak points. Sans, Morty, Hikari—stay back and keep your distance for now. Clara, you're with me. We'll help Gojo assess its vulnerabilities."
Gojo already had his hands out, ready to unleash his Limitless ability, his confident grin never fading. "Don't worry, I'll handle the big guy. Just stay out of my way."
The massive creature's roar reverberated once more, causing the ground to tremble beneath their feet. Then, with one powerful leap, it surged toward them, its immense body causing the ocean to surge forward like a tidal wave. The team quickly sprang into action.
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The Battle Begins
Gojo was the first to make his move. In a blur of motion, he flicked his wrist, and an immense wave of energy erupted from his body, crashing into the kaiju with enough force to send it reeling back. The creature shrieked, its scales momentarily glowing as the force of Gojo's attack left a trail of glowing cracks across its body.
"Nice hit," Hikari called from the sidelines, his voice tinged with amusement. "But this thing's not gonna go down that easy."
Rick, his eyes scanning the kaiju's movements through his visor, clicked his tongue. "Damn, it's got some serious durability. But I've got a hunch it's not entirely organic. There's some kind of tech hidden in its body."
Clara nodded. "That's what I was thinking too. It looks like a mix of biological and mechanical parts. Something's controlling it from the inside."
Sans grinned. "I guess it's not just a monster; it's a mech monster. Let me handle this."
In an instant, Sans activated his teleportation ability, vanishing and reappearing above the kaiju's head. His bones extended into a large spear, which he hurled down toward the creature's skull. The spear pierced through the kaiju's mechanical plating, but the creature roared in defiance and began to shake violently, attempting to throw Sans off.
Rick cursed under his breath. "We need to disable its control mechanism—whatever's running the show. Without that, it'll just keep coming."
Gojo, having now fully engaged the kaiju in close combat, launched himself toward its head. Using his Limitless ability, he created an invisible force field around his body, making him almost untouchable as he delivered blow after blow to the creature's armored head.
The kaiju retaliated by swiping its massive claws, sending Gojo flying backward. He slid across the sand, barely missing the water's edge. He stood up, dusted himself off, and grinned.
"I'm gonna need a little more power if I'm going to end this fast," he muttered, cracking his neck. "Okay, time for Domain Expansion."
Rick's eyes widened. "Wait, Gojo, don't—!"
But it was too late. Gojo's Domain Expansion activated, flooding the area with an aura of pure, unbridled energy. The space around them bent and warped as Gojo's domain twisted reality to his will. The kaiju stopped in its tracks, confused by the shift in its surroundings.
Gojo floated above the battlefield, his voice echoing in the distorted space. "Infinity Void. Everything in this domain is within my control now."
The kaiju flailed, struggling against the overwhelming force of Gojo's domain, but it was like a fly caught in amber. Gojo's eyes gleamed as he stared at the creature, preparing to end it in one final move.
However, just as Gojo was about to strike, the ground beneath them trembled once more—this time with greater intensity. Rick's eyes snapped to the sky.
"Damn it!" he shouted. "There's more than just one of them! We've got company."
The ocean erupted again, this time with multiple massive shapes rising from the deep. At least five more kaiju appeared, all mechanical, all bearing the same eerie red eyes. The first kaiju was merely a scout.
The battle was far from over.
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To Be Continued...