Chapter 3.

Chapter 3: War Machines and Uncomfortable Truths

The workshop buzzed with tension as the airship's hull slowly sank into the rusted ground, its massive gears screeching in protest. Clara's team had just gotten their first real look at the horror that was now Sir Rootington Carrot, his body a grotesque combination of flesh and metal, his once-proud monocle replaced with a mechanical eye that glowed ominously.

Clara took a step forward, her eyes locked on the deranged cyborg carrot. "Root... what did they do to you?" Her voice was soft, almost sympathetic, but she couldn't ignore the terrifying transformation. Was this really her once-posh, eccentric carrot friend—or was it now just a machine?

Root's new mechanical voice crackled as he responded. "What they've done to me is irrelevant, Clara. I'm the future of vegetable kind. A warrior of greatness!" His voice was unnervingly cold, robotic. He raised one metallic arm, flexing his new mechanical muscles. "And I'll take over this dimension—or any dimension—if I must."

Dr. Scorn laughed maniacally from the shadows of the airship. "You see? Root here is just the first of many. Soon, all vegetables will be upgraded and optimized for combat! It's time the world learns not to underestimate the power of the garden!"

Clara shot a look toward her eclectic crew—Gojo, Sans, Doom Slayer, and even P. Diddy—all of them readying for the inevitable showdown. The giant mechanical carrot, now powered by Dr. Scorn's twisted science, had the potential to become a planet-dominating force.

"Alright, alright, we'll handle the whole cybernetic carrot situation in a second," Rick interjected, his eyes narrowing behind his sunglasses as he flipped through a few interdimensional gadgets he had pulled out from his coat pocket. "But, before we do anything else, we need to address something much more pressing."

He turned to P. Diddy, who had been lounging casually against a workbench, seeming unbothered by the madness around him.

"Yeah, I know what you're thinking," Rick said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "There's a giant cyborg carrot that's probably going to destroy us all, but I've got a more important question for you, Diddy."

P. Diddy, adjusting his shiny gold chains, tilted his head with a relaxed smile. "Yo, Rick, you know I'm ready to drop some beats, right? What you want?"

Rick scowled. "No, I'm talking about the allegations, man. You know, the things that've been following you across dimensions. The stuff that's got universes talking. You're a rapper, a mogul, but there's also some serious questions about... you know, your past."

P. Diddy raised an eyebrow, his easygoing smile faltering for just a second. "What are you talking about, Rick? Come on, you know I'm just out here making moves."

Rick crossed his arms, his posture suddenly serious. "Nah, don't play dumb with me, Diddy. We're talking about some real legal stuff here—stuff that's been circulating across dimensions. Some very serious accusations about you. You know, like those things about you being a pedophile or whatever. Care to explain?"

A hush fell over the room. Everyone froze, including the cyborg Root, who seemed temporarily distracted by Rick's directness.

P. Diddy's face twitched, his fingers still drumming on the side of his gold microphone. For a moment, it looked like he might say something. But instead, his smile returned, more forced than before. "Look, Rick, I don't know where you're getting this from, but that stuff—those are rumors. You know how it is. People talk. They try to bring you down when you're on top. I've got a reputation to protect, man. I'm just trying to be the best, you feel me?"

Rick didn't back down. "Oh, I get it. Big shot with all the answers, right? But let me tell you something—I've seen too much across the multiverse. There's a lot of shady crap that goes down when you've got money, fame, and way too much power. You want to be on the right side of the law—especially in this group."

The tension in the room was palpable. Clara, who had been silently observing the conversation, noticed Gojo and Sans exchange uneasy glances. Even Hikari, always eager for a good time, looked like he wasn't sure what to do with the situation. P. Diddy, clearly on edge, wasn't as unbothered as he appeared.

"Alright," P. Diddy finally said, his voice low and tense. "I see what you're getting at, Rick. But here's the deal—I've been through a lot, man. People always talk. Always twist things. You don't know everything about me."

Rick gave a sharp, disbelieving snort. "Yeah, no kidding. Well, whatever, you want to keep dodging questions, that's your problem. But don't think this is going away. You're gonna have to answer sooner or later."

Before P. Diddy could respond, the ground suddenly shook again. The massive war machine blueprint Clara had been studying earlier flashed to life. The mechanical monstrosity she and her team had been forced to design now rumbled and screeched as if it were an angry beast, its gears locking into place and its massive turbines firing up.

"Time for some action, people!" Gojo grinned, and in an instant, he was standing in front of the mechanical machine, ready to show off his formidable cursed technique. "Now, let's put all that nonsense aside. We've got a carrot army to defeat!"

Just then, Dr. Scorn's voice echoed from the shadows. "You think you can stop me with that? You misunderstand. I've created an army of war-ready vegetables. Root is just the beginning. Soon, you'll all fall before my masterpiece—and the multiverse will belong to me!"

Clara gritted her teeth. "We'll see about that."

The war machine suddenly roared to life, its towering mechanical form unfolding like a giant insect, its steam-powered arms reaching down toward the group.

"Time to give this thing a spin," Hikari shouted, grinning wide as his Domain Expansion triggered once again, filling the workshop with the bright flashing lights of a roulette wheel. "Place your bets, folks! Let's see if I can win big this time!"

Rick rolled his eyes, muttering to himself as he pulled out a gadget. "Well, at least I've got a portal gun. This shouldn't take long."

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To be continued