Hours had passed since the kinky drug truth came to pass, leaving Overhaul curled up in his cell, vomiting black liquid. The intercom suddenly crackled to life, Anastasia's voice echoing through the prison.
(In his mind).
"I'm just a puppet on strings..."
(Out of his mind).
"Attention, my fellow prisoners. It is time for the tournament! Each of you will face each other one by one...in a battle to the death."
The announcement hung heavy in the air as Overhaul struggled to compose himself between bouts of retching.
Overhaul: "..."
He closed his eyes, attempting to process the sudden turn of events. As he reopened them, he noticed a TV appearing in his cell, displaying himself alongside other selected prisoners. The screen showed a live broadcast of the tournament - prisoners killing each other for public entertainment. He watched as Anastasia appeared on screen, her smile cold and calculating.
Anastasia: "Welcome to our little show."
She said sweetly, before turning her attention back to the camera.
Anastasia: "Let's begin shall we?"
The first match began without warning.
Overhaul was abruptly teleported right in front of a teenage boy who had obviously been subjected to numerous brutal experiments. His body was covered in scars, burns, and other mutilations. Overhaul's eyes widened in shock and revulsion as he stumbled back, trying to process the horrifying sight before him. The boy's eyes were wild and filled with pain and madness. He suddenly lunged forward, his movements unpredictable and savage due to his traumatic experiences. Overhaul barely dodged his first attack—a desperate and brutal swipe of a knife-like object.
Overhaul doubled over, vomiting more of the black liquid which immediately transformed into deadly spikes upon contact with the air. The sudden eruption impaled the boy instantly, killing him before he could even react. Overhaul stared in horrified shock at the mangled corpse, realizing too late that his uncontrolled vomiting had resulted in the boy's brutal demise.
Overhaul: "No...no no no...I didn't mean to..."
He fell to his knees, hands shaking as he tried to process what he had just done.
Overhaul's body was abruptly teleported away from the gruesome scene, leaving him kneeling in a new location the waiting room as Anastasia's voice echoed in his mind. "You're a villain, Overhaul. You're not supposed to care about such trivial matters."
She then teleported in Dabi, who stood tall and defiant, his gaze fixed on the next opponent - another experiment victim, equally scarred and broken.
Anastasia: "Round two."
She announced it coldly.
Anastasia: "Let's see how long this one lasts."
Dabi: "Where am I?"
He found himself in a circular arena, the walls lined with cameras and screens displaying the cheering faces of the audience. The background was a blurred cityscape, indicating that they were likely in some underground facility or hidden location.
Anastasia: "Welcome to your own personal hell, Dabi."
Her voice echoed through the speakers, her tone laced with sadistic pleasure.
"Your opponent is..."
She paused for dramatic effect.
Anastasia: "Subject B-13."
Dabi turned his gaze directly to the cameras, his eyes blazing with defiance and contempt.
Dabi: "I'm not fighting for your sick entertainment."
He growled, his voice carrying clearly through the speakers to the audience.
Dabi: "I won't play along with your twisted game."
Subject B-13 wasted no time for theatrics or posturing. With terrifying speed and precision, it lunged forward, its arm transforming into a razor-sharp blade that pierced Dabi's chest directly through the heart area.The audience gasped collectively as Dabi's eyes widened in shock and pain.
Dabi: "Damn."
He collapsed onto the cold floor, Dabi clutched at his chest,the blade still embedded deeply,and blood pooled rapidly around him. He coughs up blood.
As Dabi lay there, struggling to stay conscious, the cheers from the audience continued unabated. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks - these people were enjoying his suffering, his impending death. It was all a gruesome spectacle to them.
Dabi: "Fucking monsters..."
He whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the roaring crowd.
Dabi: "They're getting off on watching me die..."
His hand moved weakly towards the blade in his chest.
Dabi: "I won't give them the satisfaction..."
Suddenly, Dabi's face transformed - his features contorting into a terrifying mask made of white bone fragments that seemed to assemble themselves across his face.The audience fell silent momentarily stunned by this sudden change.Dabi's wound abruptly closed,and instead,the same fatal injury appeared on Subject B-13.The experiment victim stumbled backward clutching its chest,the same deadly blade protruding from its heart.Dabi rose slowly,the bone mask glowing eerie white light around him.The crowd erupted into shocked whispers,and some screamed in horror or excitement.
The Man in the Black Mask observed from his undisclosed location, his eyes narrowing behind his mask as he witnessed Dabi's transformation. A cruel smile spread beneath his mask - this was what he had been waiting for.
The Man in the Black Mask: "Random awakening... finally."
He murmured softly to himself.
The Man in the Black Mask: "The demon inside Dabi stirring... This should be interesting."
He leaned back in his chair, not taking his eyes off the screen.
The Man in the Black Mask: "Anastasia's little game just got a lot more deadly."
His voice dropped lower.
Dabi: "..."
His hands suddenly transformed, his fingers elongating into sharp bone scythes that were engulfed in blue flame.The audience collectively gasped in horror and fascination as he moved with unnatural speed towards Subject B-13.The experiment victim barely had time to react before Dabi's scythe slashed through its neck, severing it in one smooth motion.The crowd roared in bloodthirsty glee, some cheering, Dabi standing amidst the spray of blood, his bone mask and scythe dripping red.
Dabi blinked rapidly, his eyes clearing from the red haze of Random's influence. He looked around dazedly, taking in the scene of destruction - the severed head of Subject B-13 lying several feet away, its body collapsing to the ground without a neck. Blood splattered across the arena floor and Dabi's own body. The bone scythe in his hand disappeared abruptly like it was never there.
Dabi looked at his hands, then back to the corpse, trying to piece together what had happened during his moment of blackout. The bone scythe was gone, replaced by his normal hands now covered in blood.
Dabi: "Did I... Kill him?"
He whispered to himself, horrified by the realization that he might have taken a life without even being aware of it.
Anastasia: "Time for the Tournament to move on."
She says sharply, snapping her fingers to send Dabi to the waiting room.
Dabi appeared in the waiting room alongside Overhaul, who was still kneeling and shaking from his earlier encounter. Dabi placed his hand on Overhaul's shoulder, his touch surprising Overhaul out of his daze. He looked up at Dabi with wide, haunted eyes.
Overhaul: "I... I killed him."
He whispered, voice trembling.
Overhaul: "I didn't mean to... The black liquid..."
He gulped hard, seeing the blood on Dabi's hands.
Overhaul: "You... You look like you've been through hell too."
As Dabi sits next to Overhaul, smiling slightly, he mutters.
Dabi: "I think this tournament is to see what the demon in us got."
His words hang heavy in the air, reflecting his cold and calculating mindset.
Dabi: "Overhaul, what do you think? Are you ready to unleash your inner monster?"
Overhaul: "None of us has a choice but to play her game. But I know Anastasia wants the book to awaken. The book is inside of me... She chose me, but why?"
He asks Dabi, his brow furrowed in curiosity.
Dabi shrugs nonchalantly.
Dabi: "Your guess is as good as mine, Overhaul. Anastasia's motives are always shrouded in mystery. Perhaps she sees something in you that she doesn't see in others."
Overhaul nods thoughtfully.
Dabi watches the television, his eyes narrowing as he sees two prisoners engaged in a brutal fight to the death due to the tournament. He turns to Overhaul, his voice low and intense.
Dabi: "We have to get the fuck out of this prison..."
He gestures to the television screen.
Dabi: "Look at them. They're killing each other over this stupid tournament. We can't afford to get caught up in that madness."
Overhaul: "..."
He nods in agreement.
Overhaul: "How? Last time it was difficult. We only let Lady Nagant and the children escape."
He says with a hint of frustration in his tone.
Dabi leans back, running a hand through his hair frustratedly.
Dabi: "Yeah, yeah. Last time was a bitch. We barely managed to save Lady Nagant and the kids. This time... fuck, I don't know. The security is tighter now."
He glances back at the TV, where another gruesome fight is taking place.
Dabi: "And now with this fucking tournament, every guard's eyes are glued to the cells instead of the walls."
Overhaul: "..."
He sighs heavily, thinking.
Overhaul: "Why say let's escape the prison if you don't have a plan, idiot?!"
He snaps, his voice dripping with annoyance and frustration. He stands up abruptly, towering over Dabi.
Overhaul: "Do you think escaping a maximum-security prison is as simple as walking out the front door? We need a plan! A detailed one!"
Dabi rolls his eyes but stays quiet, knowing Overhaul has a point.
Overhaul: "So unless you've suddenly developed teleportation powers or grown wings to fly over the walls..."
Dabi: "..."
He throws his hands up in exasperation.
Dabi: "Well, my bad! I'm just saying!"
He stands up to face Overhaul, his annoyance evident.
Dabi: "You don't have to bite my head off. I was just thinking out loud. Geez!"
Overhaul crosses his arms, his face still contorted with annoyance.
Overhaul: "Thinking out loud won't get us out of here, Dabi."
Dabi sighs heavily and sits back down, muttering under his breath.
Dabi: "Yeah, yeah."
(In his mind).
"What am I going to do now?"
(Out of his mind).
To be continued in the next chapter