A.N: First, I'd like to simply apologize for the simple fact that my production was down so much in July. Truth be told, that was a rough month for me, as far as writing goes. Without a doubt, my worst slump yet as a writer. But, I'm slowly starting to get my groove back. So, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter of the Multiverse Tournament.

Chapter 24

You Will Fall

The Chaos of Block B

Immediately, chaos grew as bodies began to be tossed right off the edge of the battlefield in the sky that was the setting of Long Way Down. The hero, Bubble Girl; the Gourmet Corp. Branch Chief, Cedre; the Magic Knights, Cob Portaport and Rick Cornell; the Red Ribbon Army colonel, Colonel Silver; the Faunus, Corsac Albain; the Arrancar, D-Roy Rinker and Nakeem Grindeena; the Huntresses, Dew Gayl, Reese Chloris and May Zedong; the wealthy criminal, Duke Everlue; the wizards, Hibiki Lates and Semmes; the Rook of the Phenex Family, Isabela; the Yazuka, Joi Irinaka; the Holy Knight, Jude; the former Dark Wizard of Eisenwald, Karaka; the former Mafiosa, Lancia; the pirate, Mohji; the former marine, Captain Morgan; the former Baroque Works member, Ms. Monday; the Sitri Family Bishop, Reya Kusaka; and finally, the former slave of the Tower of Heaven, Simon.

In a matter of five minutes, 24 out of the 56 required eliminations had occurred. This was mainly due to the destructive force of several combatants known for their powerful abilities. The villain, only known as Dabi, was blasting wildly with his Quirk, grinning wildly as he did so. The Flame Hero, Endeavor was doing the same, blasting opponents off with the same powerful flames that made him famous.

Endeavor, however, was not enjoying himself. Normally, I wouldn't be so damn careless with my Quirk. He acknowledged inwardly. And honestly, I kinda hate putting out this much power. Hellflame could easily kill people if I'm not careful. And here I am getting a free pass to use my Quirk at its peak.

If it weren't for the fact that this tournament specifically forbids killing...I'd be very suspicious of the intentions of the people running this show. Endeavor rolled his eyes. Damn it, I can't focus too much on this though. Because I do have a wish that I want granted. And if it means using Hellflame to the fullest...then that's simply another cross I must bear.

Dabi, however, had no such reservations. He was happily blasting away with his fiery Quirk. Now this is what I've been waiting for! Dabi excitedly noted. No limits, no rules! Just the right to use my Quirk as I see fit! Well, I can't kill these losers, sure. But having no other limits placed on me certainly does make it worth it! Now then, which piece of trash should I burn next?

These were the two general thought processes among the participants of Block B. Plenty were more than happy to show off their abilities to the absolute limit. However, there were plenty who were also uncomfortable with fighting like this. Some had reasons similar to Endeavor's. Others were just mortified at the thought of throwing people from such a height, even if they were reassured that the victims would be just fine.

However, both groups knew they needed to remain on guard. Otherwise, they would be thrown off next, such was the inherent ruthlessness and cruelty of the game known as "Long Way Down."

"We've certainly seen things pick up quickly." Kaji noted.

"Indeed," Daisuke nodded, "to clear things up. In order for a ring-out to be counted, you need to fall 30 feet from. You can still try to climb back up in any way possible, but once you're past the 30 feet mark, you will be teleported out and eliminated from the competition, no exception."

"That at least adds some nuance to the fight." Sasuke Uchiha acknowledged. "After all, Shinobi are capable of running up walls. That means, if one is capable of such, as long as they don't fall past 50 feet."

Naruto Uzumaki gazed at one contestant in particular in the fight: one Hinata Hyuga, who was bravely standing against a single opponent before her. "Well, not that it matters." He said with a smile. "Hinata's going to do just fine in this. That girl has given her best constantly, and it's paying off constantly."

Sakura Haruno let out a small chuckle, happy at how Naruto was finally beginning to notice Hinata. Good for you, Hinata. She thought to herself.

Hinata was indeed fighting hard to remain in the game. Ben Benfunk of the Crimson Lions had his Grimoire out to battle the Hyuga girl. "Copper Magic: Red Shining Mace!" Ben yelled, creating a large polearm with a large headpiece.

Ben then let out a roar as he swung the mace like a baseball bat, attempting to bat Hinata right out of the arena. Hinata leapt backwards, avoiding the Red Shining Mace. She then held a single palm out. "Eight Trigrams Air Palm!" Hinata yelled, firing off a compressed blast of air from the palm of her hand.

Ben let out a yell of surprise as he was blasted away by Hinata's Air Palm attack. We've seen people fight without Grimoires, but actually experiencing it is something completely different. It's like fighting that Asta kid.

Meanwhile, Sun Wukong found himself forced on the defensive as Jurota Shishida of Class 1B, also known as the hero Gevaudan. Shishida had used his Quirk, Beast, to transform into a monstrous beast-man and was now attempting to maul Sun right off the platform. Sun was trying to blast Shishida away with shotgun shells from Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang, only to see Shishida shrugging off the blasts. He could see some blood dripping from Shishida's wounds, but it did not seem to be slowing him down in the least.

"Oh man," Sun managed to put some distance between the two of them, "the guy looked so unassuming at first. But now...he looks like a cross between a Faunus and a Grimm."

"I could bleed him into unconsciousness, but I'd hate to accidentally kill the guy. And the surefire way of winning is to knock him off the ring." Sun noted as Shishida charged towards him once more. "Easier said than done. Nothing ventured, nothing gained though! Let's do this!"

Elsewhere, Yang Xiao Long loaded up Ember Celica to get into a boxing match with Takaharu Fukuroda, who was wearing a replica of his old Boxing Club Goku Uniform. "I honestly can't say I like seeing those damn uniforms back." Ryuko Matoi spoke up from the stands.

"It cannot be helped." Satsuki Kiryuin shook her head.

"I mean, it can." Ryuko said with a deadpan expression on her face.

"If the people running this tournament are truly omnipotent, I'm sure they would've redesigned the Goku Uniforms without the...darker aspects of it." Satsuki pointed out to Ryuko. "We can take comfort that Ragyo's plans are done, permanently."

Satsuki then took a sip of her loyal butler's tea while she and Ryuko continued to watch the fight unfold. "Now then, let's see how Fukuroda does against this...Yang Xiao Long character."

Fukuroda was certainly ready to go. "I'm gonna haze you like a freshman, Blondie!" He taunted.

"So you say, shortie." Yang cracked her neck. "But punching things out is my specialty. You're going down."

"Heh, bring it then!" Fukuroda, however, was not going to hold back. He immediately unveiled the true form of his Goku Uniform. Yang watched as he unveiled the spiked boxing gloves made of Life Fibers. "Behold! This is what the real Honnōji Academy Boxing Club Athleticism-Augmenting Two-Star Gloves are like! I bet you're asking yourself: 'Why did he wrap them?' If I didn't, the challengers from other schools would be too scared to fight me! But when I bare them for all the world to see, I feel even stronger! It's my! Goku! Uniform!"

"Whoa, a uniform named after me?!" Goku sounded very excited, having checked this fight on a whim.

Vegeta grumbled. Bulma sighed at her husband's behavior. "Honey, you can't possibly be upset about that."

"No, of course not, why would I?" Vegeta lied through his teeth.

"What...the actual hell?" Back in the arena, Yang was muttering in disbelief. "I'm pretty sure those are illegal in actual boxing. Also, wait, did he make some weird innuendo in that weird speech of his?"

"Tek! Ken Fun! Sai!" Fukuroda yelled, rushing forward to strike down Yang with a haymaker.

"Questions for later, I guess." Yang muttered, preparing to face off against Fukuroda once more.

Killua Zoldyck, meanwhile, was treating this prelim match as one of the competitions he would hold with Gon. This time, his own personal rules were quite simple. He was not allowed to use any assassination techniques. Not that he could, anyway. Using assassination techniques would kill his opponents for sure, and that was apparently a no-no in this tournament.

Killua let out a yawn. "Aww man, I was hoping that putting a limit like 'no assassination arts' would make this a bit more enjoyable. But right now, all this is feeling like is a workout." He noted.

Killua then sensed a killing intent aimed specifically at him. "Huh?" He frowned slightly. "That's not something that someone should be giving off at a tournament like this."

Killua then looked over his shoulder. "Hey, you. If you've got a problem with me, then just say it. Don't just glare at me and leak out all that murderous intent. Especially if you plan to act on it. Remember the no-killing rule?"

Catherine, a witch and mage from the Eye of the Midnight Sun, snarled at Killua's snarky attitude. "That youthful appearance," she growled, "your youth belongs to me, little boy."

"That's...kinda creepy." Killua bluntly told her. "If you want to fight, just say it. But fair warning. I'm not going to hold back just because you're a lady."

"Actually, now that I think of it, you're no lady." Killua added. "You're way too creepy and filled with murderous intent to be a proper lady."

"And for that, I will leave you wasting away as a tiny old man." Catherine promised. "I don't think you realize who you're dealing with here, little boy. The beautiful, first-rate witch, Catherine. And I will absorb your lifeforce and allow it to prolong my youth, my beauty."

"Well, truth be told, when I win this tournament, I'll no longer have to do that." Catherine admitted. "Once I win, I'll wish for eternal youth. I will have the eternally young and beautiful body I've always desired. The body I've always deserved."

"Is living forever really all that it's cracked up to be?" Killua folded his arms. "I mean, yeah, sure, you can play games forever and ever. But then you've gotta watch as your friends all grow old and waste away around you."

"That really doesn't sound like fun." Killua admitted. "Even if it has to one day end...I'd like to keep playing and being friends with Gon for the rest of my life if possible."

"Well, that can be arranged at least." Catherine smirked. "After all, once I drain you of your lifeforce with my curse magic, you will be left a withering old man with only days left to live, such is the aftereffects of your physiology being wasted away."

Killua just chuckled. "So, I have to avoid your magic? You know what, I think this'll be a game that'll be more fun than the self-imposed limits I've put on myself."

"Okay, Ms. Catherine, let's play."

Nearby, Kurapika frowned slightly at how Killua was approaching his fight with that witch. "I guess some things never change." He muttered before suddenly avoiding several massive vines and a giant venus flytrap.

Kurapika heaved a sigh as Yeager of Quatro Cerberus made his presence known to him. "I've no business with you." He told the wizard. "I am trying to find any members of the Phantom Troupe who are participating in this block."

"Well I have business with you!" Yeager declared. "I intend to fight you! And it's going to be WILD!"

Kurapika took a deep breath, inhaling sharply through his nose to show his irritation with Yeager. Knowing that this was not the type of man to simply leave him alone, he quickly decided on his next course of action.

"Very well, I'll end this fight as quickly as possible." Kurapika vowed. "Whatever reason you've decided to fight me, I hope you will take the time to regret it all."

Kurapika said all this, but knew inwardly that this fight might not actually be so easy for him. After all, most of his Nen abilities were focused on facing off against the Phantom Troupe members, the criminals who killed his clan members for his scarlet-colored eyes. Was Kurapika's desperate quest for revenge really about to cost him in this tournament?

No matter what, I will end this fight quickly. Kurapika shook such thoughts away. Even if I cannot kill them, I will not allow any member of the Phantom Troupe to escape justice, and I certainly won't allow them to have that wish!

Meanwhile, Eijirou Kirishima found himself instinctively hardening. His instincts for danger were going off. Suddenly, he was struck in the back by a single bullet. His eyes widened in shock as the bullet bounced right off him. If I hadn't hardened...it would've crippled me! Kirishima realized, horrified.

"That's an interesting power you've got there, little man." A smooth-talking voice that sounded oddly like a cowboy from one of those western movies Kirishima would sometimes watch (being a manly man, he was quite partial to Clint Eastwood and John Wayne movies).

Kirishima looked over his shoulder and saw an actual cowboy pointing a revolver right at him. "Are you out of your mind?" Kirishima demanded. "You got my spine, pal! You could've crippled me! And you shot me from behind! That's not very manly of you at all!"

"Manly?" The cowboy frowned. "Kid, get a couple notches in your bedpost before you're allowed to talk about what's manly and what isn't."

Kirishima glared at the cowboy for that statement. It was not manly to him at all to talk like that. He instinctively raised his fists, ready to charge the cowboy. This made said cowboy laugh out loud. "Oh, look at you, ballsy enough to charge the big man with the gun." He joked before turning serious. "But, I guess when you're a freak, it totally makes sense. You look like you're made of rock, you know."

The cowboy frowned inwardly. Still, the bullets not managing to puncture his body is a bit concerning. No, I can beat this kid for sure. I've just gotta be smart. And there's no man craftier than yours truly.

"I guess if you are ballsy enough to fight me kid, I can entertain you for a bit." The cowboy told him before giving a big grin. "I'll even give you the honor of my name."

"The name's Hol Horse, the gunslinger." Hol Horse, the gunslinging assassin introduced himself properly. "This gun you see in my hand is a Stand known as the Emperor."

"Emperor?" Kirishima was confused.

Midoriya gasped from the stands. "A Stand, like Kujo's!" He exclaimed in surprise. "So Stands come in all shapes and sizes."

Hol Horse smirked. "In the Tarot deck, The Emperor card represents order and control. Combine that with the simple fact that the gun is mightier than the sword, or in this case, the fist, I think we both know who's going to win this."

Kirishima responded by charging forward. He's just a damn cowboy, he's got no protection. I'll smash him with a Red Gauntlet and end this fight!

Hol Horse responded by firing a single shot from the Emperor. I can see the trajectory of the bullet, at least. I don't have to take unnecessary hits. Hardening drains my stamina, and my hardened body weakens with every hit.

I'll play smart about this. That's what Fatgum would tell me to do anyway! But regardless...the end of my road, is the moment I slam my fist into this cowboy jackass' jaw!

Suddenly, the bullet changed trajectory, spinning unnaturally around Kirishima. "WHAT?!" Kirishima gasped in shock.

Hol Horse smirked as the bullet changed trajectory once more before flying right into the back of Kirishima's leg, making the young hero buckle and fall to his knees from the force of the impact. "What was that?" Kirishima wondered. "That was...some kind of weird power…"

"Like I told you, kiddo, the Emperor represents order and control." Hol Horse said to him. "My Stand controls and changes the trajectory of the bullets it fires. Because my bullets are part of my Stand."

"As long as you're in my range, kiddo, you're at the mercy of the Emperor." Hol Horse told him before firing another bullet that flew into Kirishima's forehead, making his head whip backwards, sending him onto his back.

Finally, Loly Aivirrne, an Arrancar from Hueco Mundo, quickly realized she would have no hope of surviving this battle without going all out from the very start. "I will win this, and I will wish for the power to stand at Lord Aizen's side as his equal forever." She obsessively muttered before holding out her Zanpakuto, a small dagger.

"Now, poison, Escolopendra!" Loly yelled before transforming into her Resurrecion.

With that, Loly took the form of a centipede-like creature. The remains of her Hollow mask grew and covered both of her cheeks. She grew armor over her legs, arms, breasts, and neck. Her arms took the form of two long centipede-like creatures. Said arms had the body of a centipede without the head.

Loly let out a yell and swung her two centipede-like arms around striking the ground and corroding it with poison, forcing everyone nearby to flee from her. "Oh? This is a shock, I didn't realize we were allowing the ground to be breakable this time." Daisuke acknowledged.

"A little environmental hazard for the fighters never hurts." Kaji replied. "It's a reminder to use every advantage you've got to win a fight."

"It's dangerous to do it as haphazardly as she is though." Daisuke pointed out. "She could accidentally destroy her own foothold and eliminate herself in the process."

Loly let out a roar. "Don't mess with me!" She yelled. "I'm going to take every last one of you right off the damn pedestals you've put yourselves on."

Loly's rampage was then immediately stopped when she was suddenly blasted by what appeared to be...emeralds. Loly grunted. Her hierro had protected her from the brunt of the blow but it had still hurt like hell.

From the stands, Jotaro Kujo, Jean Pierre Polnareff and the elderly Joseph Joestar gasped at the sight of that technique. "That move...but it can't be!" Polnareff yelled.

"But it can." Old Joseph nodded. "We saw Iggy return, so seeing him again shouldn't be impossible!"

Jotaro let a brief smile fall on his lips as he saw the one who had attacked Loly. A red haired teenager dressed in green with a green-colored humanoid next to him. "I apologize for attacking you from behind, but I felt it best to calm you down and turn your focus on me." He told Loly. "After all, you're putting everyone, including yourself at risk if you continue to corrode the entire arena."

"So devote your attention to me." He continued. "But know this, I will defeat you."

"Huh?" Loly did not calm down. In fact, she looked even more furious. "You're just a human. Who do you think you are, thinking you can order me around?!"

"There's no reason to get angry, I was only giving you advice for your benefit as well." The young man replied.

"All the same, I must ask you to be prepared. For in the name of my comrades, whom I wish to reunite with, I, Noriaki Kakyoin will show no mercy!"

Jotaro's small smile returned once more. He was back.

Noriaki Kakyoin was back.

A.N: Next time, we're devoting an entire chapter to whom I believe to be the most underrated of the Stardust Crusaders. I'll get into why I think that, however, next chapter. Hope everyone enjoyed this buildup. And again, sorry that I went through such a ruthless slump last month. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things this August.