Chapter 17: Chapter 16: The Fall of Los Angeles
The night air over Los Angeles was heavy with smog and the restless hum of the city that never truly slept. Neon lights flickered over the bustling streets, and the chatter of people enjoying the nightlife filled the air. Tomura walked among them, his hood pulled low over his face, blending in like a shadow in the chaos.
But chaos was precisely what he intended to bring.
Standing at the edge of a high-rise building overlooking the sprawling city, Tomura stretched his hand out, feeling the energy of the place. The weight of countless lives going about their routines, oblivious to the destruction that was about to befall them.
"This world needs to know my name," he whispered to himself, his voice cold and steady. "Let this be the beginning."
The air over Los Angeles was thick with unease. The city, usually loud and bustling with life, had been brought to its knees in silence as destruction consumed its heart. Tomura stood in the epicentre of the chaos, the remnants of his decay spreading like dark veins through the cracked concrete and ruined buildings. Dust hung in the air, illuminated by the flickering glow of distant fires.
He adjusted his gloves with deliberate precision, his cold eyes scanning the smouldering wreckage around him. The cries of those fleeing filled the distance, but Tomura paid no mind. He wasn't here for them. This was a message, a demonstration of power that the world would not ignore.
Then, from above, a streak of movement cut through the air. Hancock landed in the street with a deafening crash, his boots leaving imprints in the fractured asphalt. He stood tall, brushing off the dust as if the devastation meant nothing to him.
"Alright, kid," Hancock said, his tone dripping with irritation. "You've made a hell of a mess. Time to pack it up before I do it for you."
Tomura smirked faintly, his head tilting as if considering the challenge. Without a word, he raised his hand, and the street beneath Hancock's feet began to wither and crumble.
The hero leapt into the air, dodging the decay with ease, but Tomura was already moving.
Tomura closed the distance between them with astonishing speed, his movements fluid and precise. His mastery of taijutsu became immediately apparent as he feinted to the left, forcing Hancock to overcommit before delivering a swift elbow strike to the ribs. Hancock stumbled back, more out of surprise than pain.
"Not bad," Hancock muttered, shaking it off. "But I'm just getting started."
Hancock launched forward, swinging a massive punch aimed at Tomura's head. Tomura ducked at the last moment, his body twisting with the grace of a dancer as he sidestepped the blow. Using shisokujuuarukijutsu, he manoeuvred around Hancock, delivering a precise kick to the back of the hero's knee. Hancock staggered but quickly regained his footing, throwing another punch.
Tomura blocked it with one arm while his free hand reached out to the ground. Decay spread instantly, forcing Hancock to leap back again to avoid the lethal touch.
"Stay still," Tomura hissed, his voice calm but laced with menace.
"Yeah, not happening," Hancock shot back, launching himself into the air.
Tomura anticipated the aerial move and countered with taihenjutsu, leaping onto a nearby ledge and launching a series of kunai-like projectiles made from broken debris he had touched moments earlier. Each projectile disintegrated into dust mid-flight, creating a deadly cloud that Hancock was forced to dodge mid-air.
Hancock retaliated by grabbing a nearby car and hurling it toward Tomura. The villain didn't flinch. Instead, he used Bikenjutsu to slice through the vehicle with a sharp-edged blade he had fashioned from decayed metal, the halves crumbling to ash before they hit the ground.
The fight grew fiercer as Tomura began to incorporate Jūtaijutsu, grappling Hancock mid-charge and twisting his arm in an attempt to throw him into a crumbling wall. Hancock, using his superior strength, broke free, lifting Tomura and slamming him into the pavement. The ground cracked beneath the force, but Tomura rolled with the impact, using ukemijutsu to minimise the damage.
Springing back to his feet, Tomura darted forward with koppojutsu, targeting Hancock's joints with calculated strikes. His attacks were relentless, a mix of precision and decay that forced Hancock to stay on the defensive.
But Hancock was no pushover. With a roar, he grabbed Tomura mid-strike, lifting him off the ground and slamming him into the side of a building. The structure buckled under the force, sending debris raining down onto the street below.
Tomura coughed but remained unfazed, his gloved hand brushing the wall beside him. Decay spread upward, disintegrating the building and forcing Hancock to release him as the entire structure collapsed.
As the fight raged on, a new presence entered the battlefield. From the shadows, a man emerged, clad in black robes with a white ghost face mask. His footsteps were silent, his movements unnervingly smooth as he approached the fray. In one hand, he held a long, curved dagger; in the other, a pistol glinted under the flickering light.
Hancock noticed him immediately, his brow furrowing. "Great. Another lunatic."
Without a word, the masked man lunged, moving with unnatural speed. His dagger slashed toward Hancock, who barely dodged in time, while the pistol fired in rapid succession. The bullets grazed Hancock, forcing him to momentarily retreat.
Tomura stepped back, observing the newcomer with interest. "And who might you be?"
The man's voice was cold and distorted behind the mask. "Call me Ghostface."
Ghostface—revealed to be Patrick Bateman—joined the fight, his strength and agility allowing him to keep pace with Hancock. The hero found himself overwhelmed, dodging Tomura's decay-infused attacks on one side and Ghostface's deadly strikes on the other.
Together, Tomura and Ghostface formed a chaotic synergy, their attacks complementing each other. Hancock managed to hold his ground, his durability and raw power keeping him alive, but he was clearly outnumbered.
The sound of sirens filled the air as police and SWAT teams converged on the scene. Chief Inspector Lee, Detective James Carter, and Hondo led the charge, their teams moving swiftly to secure the area and evacuate civilians.
In the nearby crowd of fleeing people, Tomura's eyes caught sight of two young men—Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence—amongst a group of students hurrying away. For a brief moment, their faces stood out amidst the chaos, but Tomura quickly refocused on the battle.
As the police closed in, Tomura and Ghostface exchanged a glance. They both knew the fight couldn't continue under such scrutiny.
"This isn't over," Tomura said, his voice low and menacing as he stepped back into the shadows.
Ghostface nodded silently before vanishing into the night alongside him.
Hancock stood amidst the destruction, catching his breath as the police approached. His fists were clenched, his frustration evident as he surveyed the ruined city around him.
In the distance, Tomura and Ghostface disappeared into the dark alleys of Los Angeles, their retreat a reminder that this was only the beginning of something far more dangerous.