The Demon Lord

The hammer cracked against Gouki’s skull with a crash which could be heard for miles. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to hit you full force with this?” Harry shouted, quickly getting another swing on Gouki’s chin in before he fell to the ground. Gouki's giant foot lashed out, kicking Harry across the street into the opposing building.

“I can’t wait to see your smug American face crushed under my foot!” Gouki snarled, his long neck arching towards the hole Harry had created.

“I don’t crush easy, dickhead! Ask the NYPD paper pushers!” Harry shouted, hammer raised, ready to go again.

“Oh, I will. When I’m done I’m taking a trip overseas. Always wanted to see New York,” Gouki said. He began to reach for Harry when a magical arrow flew through the air, striking him in the head. He roared in pain and turned.

“Forget about us, asshole?” Gaku asked as Mayumi readied another shot

“Your boy isn’t doing well,” Takeshi said, gesturing to the gashadokuro. The demon had collapsed, its bones falling apart into a pile as it tried to put itself back together.

“No! No! Gouki, you promised me power!” The gashadokuro wailed as it flailed about. Around them other demons collapsed, weakening. Even Hinata seemed to weaken, though she was doing much better than the yakuza demons.

“Huh…” Gouki muttered, his long neck moving in a complete circle to observe his forces falling. “Ha! I get it! Whatever energy I’m pulling into me is being taken from my demons!”

Gouki picked up a car parked nearby and threw it at the group of exorcists, smashing into the gashadokuro and scattering its bones everywhere.

“Who the hell cares?!” Gouki laughed. “I’m the demon lord!”

“Hey! Demon Lord! Eyes on the prize!” Harry shouted as his hammer smashed into Gouki’s lower leg. He bellowed in pain, staggering momentarily. “Reo, Hinata, help me with this sack of shit! You four get the last demons left contained and cuffed!”

Reo and Hinata charged to join Harry as the remaining exorcists split to play mop up. “Hey, who made Harry the leader?” Gaku asked as they ran.

“Let him have this. Gouki shit is personal for him,” Takeshi said.

Hinata climbed up Gouki’s back, her claws digging into him as she made her way towards his head. Reo moved like lightning, slashing at his body as Harry hammered where he could.

“Get off of me, you stupid vermin! I’ll kill you!” Gouki said, reaching for them as they darted about.

“I think we’re annoying Gouki, guys! Guess we better do what he says before he gets mad!” Hinata shouted as her hands closed over Gouki’s eyes.

“Yeah, I’d hate to see his bad side!” Harry shouted back as he dodged a swinging fist.

“I’ll give you a bad side, assholes!” Gouki roared. Lightning shot out as his oni powers activated, and his elongated neck wrapped around Hinata, crushing her. “You’re not fighting one demon! You’re fighting them all!”

“Do you have a plan? He seems to be healing faster than we hurt him,” Reo said, taking a moment to regroup with Harry as Hinata clawed her way out from his snaking neck.

“The disk. It’s somewhere on him. Think it’s in his right front pants pocket,” Harry said.

“You think separating him from it will turn him normal again?” Reo asked.

“We don’t have a choice. Gotta trust video game boss logic. It’s a glowing weak point, so we go for it,” Harry said as Hinata finally broke free from Gouki’s neck, blood spraying as she landed next to them like an oversized cat.

“Hi!” she said cheerfully.

“Are you enjoying this, Hinata?” Reo asked, tilting his helmeted head to the side.

“Kinda. So, plan?” Hinata asked.

“Wanna pants the giant demons lord and rob his ass?” Harry asked.

“Yeah,” Hinata said eagerly.

“Hell yeah,” Reo said, pulling his pistol.

Reo shot towards Gouki's waist, aiming for his belt buckle. He blocked with the bony spikes jutting out of his arms.

“What are you fleas doing?” Gouki asked, blasting more oni lightning at them. Hinata darted to the left while Harry made himself a target on the right. Gouki’s massive hands reached for them, unable to focus on one target. “Damn it, stand still!”

“Don’t think so, Gouki!” Harry taunted, cracking Gouki’s hand with his hammer. “By the way, why did your clothes get big too?”

Reo’s pistol found its mark, the belt buckle around Gouki’s enlarged waist snapping apart. For a brief and confusing moment they all waited in anticipation before his parts dropped down his massive legs.

“Are you kidding me?” Gouki asked, scarcely believing what had happened. Reo ran towards the front right pocket, but Gouki slapped his hand down in front of him, blocking his path. His sword cut through Gouki’s wrist, but he stayed firm, scrambling to pull his pants back up.

“This is the second time I’ve seen your undies recently!” Harry said, his hammer slamming the pants back down.

“Gross!” Hinata taunted as she lunged for the pocket. Gouki finally had enough, his oni eye crackling energy as lightning flew from his body in all directions, knocking Harry and Reo back and frying Hinata. He stepped out of his pants, reaching down with one hand to grab Hinata, using the other to pull out the disk. It had kept its size, now appearing tiny in Gouki’s hand.

“You all keep forgetting. I am all demons at once. I am the ultimate form of their powers. And I control all demons. Even your pretty little fox here,” Gouki said, holding Hinata in front of them. “For example, a shinigami…”

Hinata started screaming, her face contorting in pain and fear and sorrow. Goiku laughed as she writhed, deep booming laughs with no joy to them.

“She has lots of death thoughts, doesn’t she?” Gouki taunted.

“You bastard! I’ll kill you!” Reo screamed, his emotions raging.

“No you won’t. What you’ll do is power down. Otherwise I’ll pop her head from the inside out. I’m getting better control of my powers,” Gouki said. He looked between Harry and Gouki, their eyes loaded with hate. Then wordlessly his hero suit faded away. Gouki sneered in triumph, pointing at them. “Now…kneel for me.”

Harry nodded to Reo. They got down on one knee before Gouki’s towering form as he set Hinata back down on the ground. She grabbed her head, her face still wracked with pain.

“Tell me, Hinata, who is your master? Who do you serve, demon bitch?!” Gouki demanded, his three eyes shining in triumph.

She fought not to say it. The voice in her head tore into her subconscious, his words of hate and pain reminding her of each moment spent in a bed, each doctor telling her it was only a matter of time, each look of pity and disappointment her loved ones had ever given her. There was no hope in her soul, nothing but the voice promising her a new life, a better life, through him.

“I serve my demon lord, Gouki Kageyama,” Hinata said in a voice which was drained of life. Harry clenched his fist tight until his fingers dug into his palms hard enough to draw blood as Hinata stood like a puppet before him, the only sound the laughter of the demon lord.