Toruri sat slouched in a booth, eyes scanning the worn-out menu of "Josh's Grill" with a mix of frustration and disbelief. Across from him, Kaiju Man sat stiffly, his enormous armored frame looking out of place in the cramped underwater diner. Beside him, the ever-buzzing fly, Hecate, hovered around, occasionally landing on the edge of the table. The restaurant was eerily quiet, so much so that even a tumbleweed somehow rolled across the empty floor, adding to the strangeness of it all. Over at the counter, the blobfish bartender—complete with a unibrow and goatee—watched them with dead eyes, his sagging face resembling a melting candle.
Kaiju Man shifted uncomfortably. "Hecate, he doesn't look happy…"
Hecate, unfazed, fluttered over to his companion. "Maybe in this timeline, people are always angry."
Toruri squinted at the menu, his annoyance brewing. Grilled seaweed, fried seaweed, BOILED SEAWEED?! I NEVER TOOK THE UNDERWATER CITY OF ATLANTIS FOR A CITY OF VEGANS!
The blobfish bartender finally waddled over to their booth, his gelatinous body jiggling with every slow step. His voice was both sluggish and overly enthusiastic as he spoke. "Hello, my name is Josh! It's such a pleasure to have you here, seriously! The son of the sky god, and the cousin of Poseidon, right here in my humble little bar. I am so honored, nobody comes here. What can I get for you, sir?"
Kaiju Man, still awkwardly stiff, muttered, "I'll take a glass of water..."
A heavy, uncomfortable silence fell over the booth.
Toruri, glancing up from the menu, sighed. "I'll have the... bacon-seasoned wrap."
Josh's watery eyes brightened, his enthusiasm seemingly unaffected by the oddity of their requests. "Excellent! I'll have your orders out in just one second." He waddled back behind the counter, leaving the group to their strange conversation.
Toruri leaned forward, his gaze sharp as he crossed his arms. "Alright, explain yourselves."
Hecate buzzed forward with excitement. "We're from the future!"
Kaiju Man raised a hand, cutting off his companion. "It doesn't work like that, Hecate. Leave the talking to me."
The fly hovered back, seemingly pouting. "Go at it."
Kaiju Man cleared his throat and began again, more composed this time. "We're from the future."
Toruri rolled his eyes. "Tell me something I don't know."
Kaiju Man, undeterred, continued. "But are you familiar with the triple timeline complex?"
Toruri's brow furrowed. "What... no? What are you talking about..."
"A long time ago," Kaiju Man explained, his voice growing more serious, "the absolute god of time chained together three separate timelines. They made it so you can't properly time travel unless you have god-like time manipulation. You have to move forward your entire timeline with yourself while you're doing it. So when anyone attempts to use time-traveling magic, they're transported to the future or past of an alternate dimension."
Toruri blinked, his face scrunched up in confusion. "Sounds... eerily complicated."
Kaiju Man nodded solemnly. "All you need to know is that people from my world can only travel to your world. People from your world can only travel to the third dimension, and people from the third dimension can only travel to my dimension."
Toruri leaned back, processing the information. "Quick and straight to the point, thank you. So, you're saying 20 years in the future, Zeus is such an evil guy that you have to travel to the past to kill an alternate version of him?"
Kaiju Man shook his head, the red glow of his single eye dimming slightly. "No! The Zeus in my timeline ended up conquering the entirety of our universe, and now he plans on doing the same to the other two timelines."
Toruri's eyes widened. "Wait, really? How did he beat all the strong people? Is he really that strong?"
Kaiju Man hesitated before answering, his voice a little softer. "I can't quite tell. Timelines don't usually share the same people, unless that person is important and crucial to the balance of the universe. Also, your timeline is stronger than ours."
Toruri narrowed his eyes. "Stronger and weaker timelines?"
Kaiju Man leaned forward, trying to explain further. "My timeline lacks a lot of fighters. It's 99% normal people, with the only strong people who know magic being in Pandora, or weird pastime mages who blend in with the norm. But we do have a few very strong individuals to make up for that. Your timeline, on the other hand, is full of fighters of many strengths. The third dimension has no fighters—it's the weakest—and it's the last universe that Zeus plans to conquer."
Toruri let out a slow breath, rubbing his temples again. "Okay, okay... I have lots of questions. This is going from eerily complicated to very complicated."
Kaiju Man leaned back slightly, crossing his massive arms in confusion. "I'm just as confused as you."
Toruri frowned. "Then how do you know all of this?"
Kaiju Man sighed, a metallic echo reverberating from his helmet. "I overheard his plans. After Zeus took over my timeline, he turned me into a high-ranking soldier. I'm here to stop him from taking over all three of the timelines."
Toruri blinked, processing this new information. "Wait, how is he going to get to the third timeline if he isn't originally from this one?"
Kaiju Man's red eye dimmed as he pondered the question. "That I don't know... Zeus is terrifying. He has the mind of a god, and power that seems to surpass even that. I managed to get a glimpse of how to perform time-traveling magic and came here as soon as possible to help stop him."
Toruri smirked, leaning back in his seat. "I think as the strongest timeline, we'll be fine."
Kaiju Man shook his head, his tone turning grim. "You might have a strong universe, but Zeus fits perfectly with the strongest. He's the most powerful being in my universe."
Toruri's confidence remained unshaken. "He's not making it past the gods!"
Kaiju Man perked up slightly, his interest piqued. "In this timeline, you have gods?"
"Yeah," Toruri replied, leaning forward. "Presumably three. My dad, who's gonna pass it down to the younger Zeus, my cousin Poseidon, and some goddess..."
Kaiju Man nodded, his posture more attentive. "In my timeline, Pandora was originally ruled by two beings called overlords. But from what I've seen, by being transported underwater... your universe has water on the ground?"
Toruri chuckled, shaking his head. "Is that not a normal thing?"
Kaiju Man's voice remained calm, though his words carried an underlying strangeness. "The ocean, in your world, is where I assume our sky is, and your sky is where our ocean is."
Toruri raised an eyebrow. "How did you end up underwater?"
Kaiju Man shifted slightly, trying to explain. "Well, since I was in the sky when I time-traveled, I ended up in your ocean."
"So the ocean's the sky, and the sky's the ocean," Toruri mused, his tone almost amused by the absurdity of it all.
Kaiju Man nodded. "Yes, and in my world, the sky was ruled by Zeus, while the ocean was ruled by Hades."
Toruri's curiosity grew. "And what happened to Hades—"
Before he could finish, Josh returned, carrying Toruri's food. The dish was surprisingly appetizing—three long, beefy strands of bacon wrapped in more bacon, seasoned with salt and pepper.
Toruri's eyes lit up. "That... actually looks appetizing."
Josh beamed. "Thank you very much!" He waddled off, leaving the three alone again.
Kaiju Man picked up where they left off. "Javarahoo was a floating island between the ocean and the sky, a land full of life. One day, Zeus decided to take it all over. He defeated Hades and claimed Pandora for himself."
Toruri chewed thoughtfully. "Sounds bad. So, when's this Zeus guy popping up?"
Kaiju Man hesitated, the red glow in his eye dimming again. "I..."
Toruri's brows furrowed. "Don't tell me you don't know!"
"I already told you," Kaiju Man defended, his tone exasperated. "I don't know most of Zeus's plans! But I can never be certain—he might have noticed my disappearance by now. It's only a matter of time before he comes here looking for chaos."
Toruri grinned, his confidence undiminished. "He'll come here looking for an ass-beating. So, is he popping up in Atlantis?"
Kaiju Man shook his head. "I believe he's going to show up somewhere in the sky... He stationed himself in the ocean after taking it over."
Toruri leaned forward, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Well, lucky for you, we'll be there. Join me, and we can make it together."
Kaiju Man looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "Knowing that you have a rather good reputation, I think that's the best approach for me to take."
From across the table, Hecate buzzed excitedly. "Kaiju Man gains a new ally!"
Toruri, fired up with enthusiasm, stood abruptly from the booth and slapped the table. "Well, it's decided! Let's head to the top!" Without hesitation, he bolted out of the building, leaving the door swinging behind him.
Kaiju Man looked bewildered for a moment, raising a hand. "Wait, I ordered a water—"
But before he could finish, Toruri's voice boomed from outside. "ONWARD!!!"
Kaiju Man sighed, glancing at Hecate, who buzzed in amusement. "Looks like we're going, Kaiju. Better catch up!"
Reluctantly, Kaiju Man rose from the booth and followed after Toruri, Hecate trailing close behind.
Meanwhile, in the vast, blue expanse of the ocean, Nilala tore through the water in hot pursuit of Baya, his movements cutting through the sea with precision. His voice echoed through the waves, full of fury. "Quit running, you coward!"
Baya, glancing back with a sly grin, called over his shoulder, "I don't want any trouble with the big god!"
"You shouldn't have come and kidnapped children, then!" Nilala growled, his eyes narrowing. He raised his sword-hand, channeling his chi into it. In an instant, he fired several sharp, piercing shots of energy, each one whizzing through the water like arrows, aimed at the fleeing Baya.
Baya deftly dodged the attacks, his body twisting with ease. "Never thought a swordfish would care so much about justice!" With a sudden sharp intake of breath, Baya unleashed a massive, venomous beam of green acid from his gaping maw, the liquid searing through the water as it sped toward Nilala.
Nilala's eyes flashed with determination. "Sword Technique: Shielding Parry!" With one swift swing of his sword-hand, he expertly redirected the beam of acid, curving it around him in a controlled arc. The water hissed and bubbled where the acid dissipated, but Nilala was unharmed.
He surged forward with even greater speed. "I got you now!" His body began to glow with a vibrant aura, his chi gathering into every muscle. "Body Technique: Body Missile!"
Baya, eyes widening in surprise, muttered under his breath, "Son of a—"
Before he could finish, Nilala crashed into him with the force of a torpedo. The impact sent both of them hurtling down, smashing into the ocean floor with a thunderous crash, kicking up clouds of sand and debris. Nilala immediately sprung to his feet, his stance ready for the next move, while Baya groaned, slowly rising to stand.
Baya grinned, shaking off the daze. "I never thought a fish would want to fight a crocodile so badly."
Nilala's gaze remained cold and unyielding. "I don't fear a predator who flees from prey." His sword-hand gleamed, ready for the next strike.
Baya coughed, blood spilling from his mouth as Nilala's sword-hand remained lodged in his chest. "You don't see these kinds of fights in nature, y'know," Baya muttered through clenched teeth, wincing in pain. But despite the blood, he grinned fiercely. With a sudden burst of strength, he swung his claws at Nilala.
Nilala swiftly, yet methodically, blocked every swipe, his movements calm and precise. Baya, growing more aggressive, leaped into the air, bringing his foot down in a powerful kick. Nilala dodged the attack, causing Baya's kick to slam into the ocean floor, sending tremors through the surrounding area. As the ground shook beneath them, Nilala took a few measured steps back.
"Fight back, swordfish! What are ya, scared?!" Baya taunted, his grin widening. He opened his mouth wide, unleashing a barrage of small, green acid balls. The toxic orbs zipped through the water, aimed directly at Nilala. In response, Nilala summoned a protective barrier of chi around himself, blocking each of the incoming acid balls effortlessly.
But Baya was relentless. Amid the barrage, he charged forward, his claws shrouded in chi. With a forceful strike, he shattered Nilala's barrier and sent him flying backward from the sheer impact of his blow.
Baya stood tall, victorious for a brief moment. "Is this all it takes to defeat the god's army? He must really be a one-man army if you're the best he's got."
Nilala recovered quickly, shaking off the force of the attack. His eyes flashed with determination as he dashed toward Baya at lightning speed. Baya attempted to dodge, but even as he moved back, a sharp, unseen force sliced through his stomach. He stumbled, jumping back farther, his hand clutching his bleeding wound.
"So, this is the elemental fist," Baya groaned, eyes narrowing at Nilala. "Used on a sword, though..."
Nilala's voice was cold. "Yes, it's power that you'll never attain."
Baya chuckled through the pain. "Maybe you're not so easy to put down after all!"
With a defiant roar, Baya charged forward, swimming up to Nilala and swinging his tail at him. Nilala blocked the first strike, then the second and third, his movements fluid and focused. Baya lunged forward, attempting to bite Nilala, but Nilala ducked under the attack. In one swift, lethal counterstrike, Nilala thrust his sword-hand into Baya's chest, impaling him clean through.
Baya coughed, blood staining the water around them. "Dammit..."
Nilala leaned in closer, his gaze unyielding as he held Baya in place. "How's that for prey?" he hissed, keeping his sword-hand embedded deep in Baya's chest.
Baya grinned, bloodied teeth bared as he bit into Nilala's shoulder with savage force.
Nilala winced, growling through the pain. "Get–!" His free hand lit up with his chi, the energy swirling with intensity. "Off of me!!!"
With a powerful punch to Baya's stomach, Nilala unleashed a burst of dark chi. The impact sent Baya flying back, slamming onto the ocean floor with a heavy thud.
Baya slowly sat up, a twisted smile forming on his face. "That was... an anti-crush." He stood, brushing himself off. "Now I know you're actually into this fight!" His eyes glowed with a fierce, predatory light as he lunged forward, launching a relentless flurry of clawed swipes.
Nilala, focused and calm, parried every strike with precision, countering each attack with a quick stab from his sword-hand. "You're a resilient one, I'll give you that—"
Before Nilala could finish, Baya kicked his sword-hand aside and slammed his elbow into Nilala's stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
"You have to be strong enough to work in my field!" Baya shouted as he slashed vertically across Nilala's chest, cutting into his skin and grazing his neck and chin.
Baya smirked wickedly. "Let's see how resilient you are, swordfish!" He thrust his claws into Nilala's stomach and pulled them out swiftly, leaving Nilala bleeding heavily on the ground.
Baya turned away, satisfied with his victory. "I'll leave you here for the sharks."
Just as Baya took his first step, he heard the unmistakable sound of Nilala standing back up behind him.
"I'm an idiot... I forgot," Baya muttered, turning to face him.
Nilala's wounds were closing rapidly, glowing with the power of chi. "You should have double-tapped."
Baya sighed. "Kokua chi... their specialty."
Nilala's eyes narrowed. "Water Magic: Piercing Stream!" He thrust his sword forward, summoning a concentrated stream of water that shot toward Baya with deadly accuracy. The water pierced straight through Baya's chest, creating a gaping wound.
Baya staggered but remained standing, blood dripping from the wound. "I can still fight... just for a little bit longer."
Nilala frowned, sword ready. "Are you trying to die, or are you just stalling?"
Baya let out a bitter chuckle, his breath shallow. "Both aren't fun." His knees buckled as he swayed on the spot, but his eyes never lost their fierce glow, determined to fight until his last breath.