It didn't take long for Valmont to find his way to the Temple of Labyrinthos, the Gate of Dai Gui. He found it rather refreshing that the location was of such cultural significance that he didn't need to go hunting for it, which left plenty of time to wander around and take in the locale before going to open the portal. This provided plenty of time for the paperwork to file so Section 13 could pay for Jackie's ticket to fight Dai Gui. He made sure to keep track of that particular transaction. When and if he eventually shifted back to purely mundane criminal enterprises, having a paper trail of Section 13 paying him - for whatever purpose - would be worth quite a bundle in terms of legal loopholes.
A long course had been laid out, with those who'd paid for running tickets arranged at various places along it depending on how much they wanted to run. Jackie Chan was near the start of the course in the Armor of the Immortals, plainly ready for a running battle...although the way he kept squirming suggested he was already in the midst of another sort of battle, much to Bai Tza's amusement. Behind Jackie, Viper plainly wasn't amused by the situation. Valmont found that even more amusing.
Valmont and Bai Tza stood to one side of the laid out track. On the other side, he could see the old chi wizard, a woman who looked to be the same age but better preserved, the three fillies, Hsi Wu in his human form, and the girl who had apparently tamed him. From the looks of things, they were prepared to cast the banishment spell to seal Dai Gui back in the Netherrealm...but there was no urgency in their preparations. Apparently, his speech to Jackie had greater impact than he'd anticipated. They were willing to give Dai Gui a chance to adapt to the modern world and choose to not conquer.
Somehow, I doubt that's in the cards, Valmont thought to himself as Ratso approached the Temple with the Box. It's light revealed the lock, and it flew into the keyhole as it was designed to do. Still, there's always a chance. Perhaps that's why the Pan'ku Box was designed to be able to open the portals...to give the Brotherhood a chance at parole.
The gateway opened, and Dai Gui slowly stepped out. He was a massive reddish-brown beast, built like a minotaur but with a manticore's mane. His horns grew long out of his skull, curving upward in the classic bull-horn profile. His hands were massive with curved fingers, designed for tearing through the earth. His legs ended in blunt flat surfaces, not even true hooves, as though he were growing out of the earth rather than standing on its surface.
Dai Gui turned to examine his surroundings, only to his as he saw so many of the people there bedecked with flowers. "Too many flowers..." he snarled angrily. "Dai Gui does not like pretty!"
"Does he always speak in third person?" Jade whispered to Hsi Wu.
"He was never one for brains," Hsi whispered back. "Sometimes I think he refers to himself that way to make sure he doesn't forget his name."
Bai Tza stifled her giggles as Valmont stepped forward. "Welcome to Earth, Dai Gui," he spoke up calmly. "Are you ready to adjust to the world as it has become and find a place in it?"
"Find nothing!" Dai Gui growled fiercely. "I shall claim my kingdom deep beneath the Earth by submerging this entire settlement!"
"Then you are refusing my advice and directives regarding your release?" Valmont asked carefully.
"I have no use for human aid!" Dai Gui confirmed with a glower.
Valmont sighed as he stepped back. "Then I must wash my hands of your situation," he allowed sadly. "Still, would you do me the favor of starting your tunneling along the marked path?" He gestured to where many people were getting into running stances. "These civilians paid good money to try and outrun you, and Chan paid even more to fight you."
Dai Gui slowly turned to stare at the people waiting, who turned enthusiastic grins back in his direction. He then turned to where Jackie - in the Armor of the Immortals - waited to battle him. He then turned back to Valmont. "...wat?"
"Is there something you don't grasp?" Valmont asked winsomely as Bai Tza and Hsi Wu struggled to contain laughter.
"These people...paid to be my prey?" Dai Gui clarified. "Why?"
"Thrill seekers, I imagine," Valmont allowed. "There are few alive who can say they either outran or survived being gored by an Earth Demon."
Dai Gui turned back and forth, plainly so totally caught off guard by this situation that it had completely derailed his train of thought.
Wow, Valmont thought to himself. He really isn't all that bright...
"Labyrinthos!" a strident voice suddenly called from the temple. Dai Gui - and everyone else - turned to see who had called.
Three modestly dressed minotaur women - modest for minotaurs, that is - stood at the top of the temple stairs, one in Greek attire, one in Chinese, one in Japanese. The one in a Greek gown stood slightly in front of the other two and had been the one to speak. "It is not too late, Labyrinthos!" she called out again. "If you recant and offer repentance unto Poseidon, he can still grant mercy! He might revoke his punishment to his son, if you will only accept your Father's will-"
"I have no Father!" Dai Gui roared in fury as he spun fully to face the temple. "And there is no Labyrinthos!" He pulled back one massive fist, aiming a crushing punch straight at the trio of girls. "There is only DAI GUI!" With that declaration, the fist flew forward as many of those watching desperately rushed forward to try and do something...anything...
There was the sound of flesh hitting flesh and a cloud of dust. When the cloud cleared, Dai Gui stood in front of the Temple, his form shrouding whatever had happened. Several moments passed...and then Dai Gui crumpled and fell like a puppet whose strings had been cut before falling limply to the ground.
Atop the temple steps, the three ladies cowering behind him, Tohru - his face twisted in the mask of fury he had worn so often in Valmont's service - slowly withdrew his fist. On Dai Gui's face, a dent could be seen right between his eyes in the shape of said fist.
Silence reigned. Eventually, it was broken by a single question.
"So why did I need this again?" Jackie asked Uncle, indicating the armor that was fitting to his body like a second skin.
Guess Dai Gui earned that Brawns medal quite well...
Tohru really punched it into gear to save those three.
I doubt anyone had crumbling hope for Dai Gui's parole chance.
Ok I will have to review that, because I am sure that Tohru just did a closed fist version of the air wave koho Ken...Nevermind... It was from "Bull Rush" to "His face slammed my fist"...
Holy shit on a fucking stick!
daaaaaamn. Torhu just OKO the baddie! That was GREAT! <3
Hopefully now the girls can get their "Company" >=)
And like that,valmonts plans for profit crumble...unless tohrus punch gives dai gui amnesia of the highest order...
I think this video sums up what tohru just did...
8319097
Corner.... Now...!
8319098
How so? Everyone already paid.
As long as there's a 'no refunds' clause in the case of 'unauthorized interference' or 'act of God', and someone standing in a Temple delivering a one-hit KO to a demon would easily qualify as the latter...
8319110
Fair point..if anything,tohru may owe a fine for interference...oh,and excessive force...I mean..he dented dai guis face...
Surprised Valmont didn't know tohrus mother...coulda sworn they knew one another in Canon,even though she never knew WHAT job her son actually did for him.
Glass jaw.
8319118
He knows her. He just didn't make the immediate mental connection.
8319119
Wut.
8319118
He would have been acting under the guidance of the temple as stated it's a major cultural point and he was defending It's caretakers so must governments couldn't fault him for it and it's certain the magical enforcement group that keeps an eye on the whole world would certainly back it up with how quick they were to let the Chans handle things once they found out about the CMC, I doubt Valmont has much to complain about either as any actual interference by another other then Jackie would have ruined the business model so he makes a ton of cash legally and doesn't have to worry about backlash from the brotherhood for the deal he has made that lets three of them walk completely free on his side and one on Jackie's, over all a win-win for him because he knew he wasn't going to get a new minion/partner
8319145
Good points...still nothing about use of excessive force and caving said demons skull in somewhat...I mean..Jackie in the armor would've fought him til he was resealed...but that's bruise level damage...Tohru pretty much gave him blunt force trauma.
If the those 3 weren't smitten enough with Tohru, THAT just made him their hero.
8319158
This is the guy who went toe to toe with a Cthulhu facsimile not too long ago...and that was before he learned to artificially boost his capabilities by focusing his chi in spells. Also the guy who can heft the weight of an elephant in gold without straining.
I originally was going to have him pull a 'puny demon' routine on Dai Gui, but realized that would have wrecked the Temple. I also felt this was more impressive.
8319162
Oh,I wasn't clear.sorry.
I don't have any COMPLAINTS about what he did. infact I tip my hat good sir.
What I'm saying is...how much would you bet Valmont manages to get a fine thrown in for excessive force just to make the good guys have more problems.
8319093 Jeez. Have you ever seen a Minotaur get bull-rushed before?
8319141
It's a term used to describe someone who can't take a punch.
8319188
Either that, or Tohru pulled a OPM.
Tohru has permanently cemented his reputation in minotaur culture for all time.
8319180 Not personally no, though I hear it's quite often in bed.
TOHRU SMASH then he's gonna SMASH SOME MORE
I'm calling it right now, Tohru just knocked some sense into Dai Gui. And to answer the next immediate question, here's Robin and Cyborg to explain:
I wouldn't be surprised at all if Dai Gui had a completely different personality after this. Almost as if he has a Bruce Banner/Hulk, Doctor Jekyll/Mister Hyde, or Launch split personality disorder.
Aaaaaaaaaand Tohru is now officially a god among minotaurs.
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Four
"Bad Day"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 35
"He's Not My Boyfriend!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 40
8319161
You're forgetting literally every unmarried Minotaur female in the city. So closer to 300.
Hold on.... did Tohru pay the ticket to fight Dai Gui? Does this count as penalty?
Nice punch, Tohru.
8319172
And then he'd have another piece for his paper trail when Section 13 pays the fine.
Well that ended quickly.
...you know, that's actually a good question, why did they need the armor when they have someone who could punch out Cthulhu?
8319172
8319328 Also not to mention that at least a few people actually saw Valmont summon Dai Gui.
Like as not there's going to be trouble for someone and i doubt it's going to be Tohru.
8319291
I think it counts as an "Act of divine intervention" since he OHKOed Dai Gui inside the temple.
…I so want a Girls Night Out chapter/arc featuring Viper, Bai Tza, Sofia, Lucia, Ysabelle, and Sharaka (There is no way the CMC are going to leave her trapped in that armor for all time. Bound to armor, yes. Trapped in it, no). Just picturing the Shenanigans Jackie, Tohru, the Girls, Hsi Wu, Valmont, the Enforcers, Xiao Fung, and Tso Lan could get up to while "secretly" tailing them already has me in stitches.
8319358
Ah,he had legal approval to open the portal remember?
Go Tohru.
Okay, I can't help but think that THIS would fit as a theme song for Tohru in JUST this moment. If anything, this is now what Tohru is to ALL Minotaurs.
And I have no doubts that his popularity among Minotaur females just skyrocketed after this as well.
What happened? I blinked and it was over.
8319373
This, right here, not only do I agree, but it fits TOO damned well!! Also, Jackie...you might want out of that armor...soon...
8319365 I must have missed that line. In that case, nothing of note happens except Captain Black expressing his annoyance.
So dead or going to have the worst headache? Because even though Dai was cursed into immortality, I wouldn't be surprised if a pissed off Tohru could still kill him.
To everyone considering legal repercussions, Valmont had the government's ok and Section 13 bought a ticket. They can easily have the ticket for Tohru instead of Jackie, if Tohru's justified defense of others wouldn't protect him from reprisal.
8319335 Didn’t know where he was.
8319413 True that!
8319424 Even more, TRUE THAT!
And here I had figured that Tohru would body check him, TKO is even better.
Also, if by the end of all this a few if not all of the gods are dead, all the better for the world. Karma at least is worth while having around
8319391
Oh crud forgot about that! Oh man if Jackie does NOT get out of that soon, he is going to be violated and have to deal with a ticked off Viper as well.
Valmont may have to issue some refunds to the people who wanted to run from the demon but didn't get a chance
Well, now Toru has no choice, after protecting lives of sisters he must married them, (literary) convention demands this........and there probably have some prophecies or laws that say they must marry now
Ps. I wonder how kids of human and minotaur look like (both male and female), are they more like one or other parent or are they in the middle?
8319387
Exactly my thoughts.
Damn Tohru... Whistles
Tohru has made a good agent of divine intervention.
One more thing! There is one demon left!
I expected copious One Punch Man comments in this thread, and I wasn't disappointed. Meanwhile, poor Jackie got molested for nothing
8319162
so a case of going with Hulk, or Saitama, you chose the One Punch Man route.
8319608
One more thing! Uncle doesn't know there is only one more demon left to be freed!