Night of the Reaper: Part 1
"That's the world I want. Will you give it to me?"
Yes
The silence was only disrupted by the faint hum of electricity. The figure passed by the lifeless forms of several workers.
Finally, he reached his destination: the heart of the power plant, the massive generator looming before him like a monolithic sentinel. The villain approached the humming machinery, his hands reaching out to grasp it with a firm grip.
Moving closer
The once bustling streets of Kyoto now lay deserted and desolate, bathed in the dim glow of emergency lights that flickered sporadically amidst the encroaching darkness. Outside, the city lay eerily silent, the normally bustling streets now empty save for the occasional patrol of heroes on high alert.
In the hastily erected command center, located in a fortified building near the heart of the city, heroes of all ranks buzzed with frantic activity. Their faces were drawn tight with worry, illuminated by the harsh glare of computer screens.
Urgent messages flew back and forth, voices raised in hurried exchanges as they scrambled to coordinate their efforts in the face of the unprecedented threat.
"We've managed to gather as many top-ranking heroes as possible on such short notice," Chief Inspector Tanaka explained, his voice grave. "We need to face the reality that trying to cover the entire city against a threat like this is futile. We need to be strategic and focus our efforts where they will make the most impact."
He paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. "We've analyzed the data from Sandatsu's attacks across Europe, and we've managed to identify his patterns of attack and narrow down his possible targets."
Saurus leaned forward in his seat, his voice booming through the room. "How the hell have we predicted a pattern on that monster's attacks?" he demanded.
Chief Inspector Tanaka paused for a moment. "We've utilized every resource available to us," he began. "We've requested the aid of individuals with precognitive or information processing quirks, both heroes and civilians alike, as consultants."
He glanced around the room, taking in the concern etched on everyone's faces. "Through their unique abilities, we've been able to gather valuable insights into Sandatsu's behavior and predict potential patterns in his attacks. It's not a perfect science, but it's the best lead we have at the moment."
Rosethorn nodded in agreement, her expression serious. "So, we're relying on the information we've gathered to narrow down the areas of attack to three possible targets," she summarized.
"The first priority is the Quirk Registration Offices," Chief Inspector Tanaka explained. "Although we're still unsure about the details of his quirk, given Sandatsu Owari's ability to steal quirks, it's crucial that we protect the registry. If he were to gain access to the information stored there, normal civilians could turn into potential targets. Unfortunately, due to the urgency of this operation, securing all the information archived there has been impossible."
Rosethorn and some of the other heroes nodded in understanding.
Chief Inspector Tanaka continued, "Next on the list is the Hero Public Safety Commission building. It's still scarred from the previous attack, and it's also the location where Sandatsu Owari was held prior to his escape from Kyoto."
Lastly, Chief Inspector Tanaka addressed the third target. "And finally, we have Shiketsu High School. While it has already been evacuated, we can't let our guard down."
Rosethorn scanned the room, her gaze lingering on each individual before she spoke. "Any questions?" she asked.
Once again, Saurus was the first to speak up. "Are we sure about having the kids participate in the mission?" he questioned
"We obviously need all the help we can get." Said Seiryu as he met Saurus's gaze with a steady stare.
Impakt stepped forward, his presence commanding the attention of the room. With a reassuring smile, he spoke up. "I have faith in these kids," he declared, his tone firm and resolute. "They might be young, but they've got the bite to back their bark up. I've seen them in action, and trust me, they're more than capable of holding their own."
Rosethorn nodded in agreement. "Remember, they'll be filling support roles," she emphasized "Their job is to assist us, not engage the villain directly."
Impakt settled back into his seat, his thoughts drifting to the upcoming confrontation with the S-Rank villain. Despite his outward confidence in the students' abilities as heroes, a nagging doubt lingered in the back of his mind. It wasn't their prowess in combat that concerned him, but rather the emotional toll of facing their former classmate and friend on the battlefield.
At the designated high-risk areas, teams of heroes worked tirelessly to fortify their defenses, erecting barriers and setting up surveillance equipment in a desperate bid to anticipate the villain's next move.
Have you ever felt watched?
Hifumi leaned against the wall, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as he watched Inigo pace back and forth with Gigan perched on his shoulder. The rhythmic tapping of Inigo's boots against the tiled floor echoed through the empty hallway.
Inigo's words tumbled out in a rapid stream, his voice tinged with a hint of desperation. "What if it's some mind control quirk?" he mused. "Or a clone?"
Hifumi's nerves were already frayed, and the constant barrage of speculation only served to exacerbate his anxiety.
"Or maybe he's being blackmailed? Or, or maybe it's more of a body snatching situation?"
"Bro, enough!" Hifumi couldn't take it anymore. His patience worn thin, he snapped at his friend. "We don't need more theories right now. We need to focus on the task at hand."
Instantly, he regretted his outburst. Inigo recoiled, his expression wounded as he took a step back, hurt evident in his eyes. Hifumi's heart sank.
"Look, I'm sorry man." he apologized. "I didn't mean to lash out like that. I'm just... I'm just so nervous, you know?"
After a second, Inigo's gaze softened, the hurt partially replaced by understanding as he offered his friend a small, reassuring smile. "Yeah, I know. We're all feeling the pressure right now."
Most hero students had been spread across the high risk target areas. Some standing guard, while others accompanied pros on patrols between the designated target points.
Outside, the streets were deserted, the once bustling thoroughfares now eerily empty in the absence of the usual throngs of people. Gigan, still perched on Inigo's shoulder, suddenly stiffened, his tiny form trembling.
Inigo reached out a hand to soothe his companion. "Hey buddy what's wrong?"
Then, darkness enveloped Kyoto.
Hifumi stood beside him, his expression tense as he scanned the darkness. "Do you feel that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Inigo nodded, a cold chill creeping down his spine as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
As if on cue, the rain began to fall, a torrential downpour that seemed to intensify with each passing moment.
The temperature rose steadily. The air was swelteringly hot. But they felt cold.
Standing outside the entrance of the Hero Public Safety Commission building, Bobby cast worried glances at the sky, his brow furrowed with concern. Beside him, Minnie clung to his arm. Despite Bobby's attempts to comfort her, Minnie's gaze remained fixed on the horizon, her expression filled with anxiety.
Imai and Chris stood vigilant outside the quirk registry office. Imai's gaze remained fixed on the building, his mind racing with questions and suspicions. Mio Katsuragi was in there, and he just knew she had something to do with all of this.
Chris, on the other hand, found himself staring absentmindedly at the darkness. His attention focused inwards. It was as if a voice deep within him was whispering a warning, urging him to be on guard against the impending threat.
But the minutes stretched into an hour, and nothing happened.
How often do you get feelings of impending doom?
For a few agonizing minutes after the blackout, Daisen Biki stood frozen in place. Cursing under her breath, she struggled to push forward, making her way through the darkened building, using the flash on her phone as flashlight.
Williams San was a man of singular brilliance. But he was also cold and ruthless, his ego towering over those around him like a monolithic shadow. Despite his flaws, Daisen knew that he was invaluable to the company, and she couldn't afford to let anything happen to him. And, being the Biki assigned as his assistant, she just knew with absolute certainty that the madman was in his lab, despite the orders from the police to evacuate and seek shelter.
As she turned the corner, her heart still racing from her earlier ordeal, she collided with someone, sending her phone clattering to the ground.
"Ow! Watch where you're going!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and frustration.
The figure before her remained silent, their tall silhouette looming ominously in the darkness. Daisen could make out the outline of messy long hair and a broad-shouldered frame, leading her to assume that it was Williams San.
"Mr. San, is that you?" she asked tentatively, reaching out a trembling hand to retrieve her phone from the floor. With shaking hands, she fumbled in the darkness until her fingers closed around the familiar device.
As she straightened up, her eyes widened in horror as she came face to face with the towering figure before her.
"Didn't I kill you before?" he asked nonchalantly.
How aware are you of everything?
Sekiei Shōji's heart hammered in his chest as he watched the horrifying scene unfold before him. He pressed himself against the wall, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he struggled to remain silent. His hand clamped tightly over the mouth of the other Biki clone, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at the grisly sight before her.
Through the crack in the door, Sekiei could see Sandatsu Owari looming the Biki who bumped into him.
Without moving, the villain caused her neck to twist into an unnatural position, the sound of bone snapping echoing through the silent corridor.
"Ah, so that was your quirk." he said, turning away from the lifeless body of Daisen Biki.
Shōji's hands trembled slightly as he carefully released his grip on the other Biki clone. With a silent gesture, he motioned her to follow him, and to remain silent.
His mind raced with the urgency of his mission. He had come to retrieve Williams San, as well as any Bikis that were careless enough to come to try and do the same thing. He knew they were clones, but he didn't like to think of them as expendable.
The door creaked open reluctantly under Sekiei Shōji's firm push, the darkness within swallowing up the feeble light from the hallway. As he stepped into the lab, his eyes strained against the darkness, trying to make out the shape of Williams San huddled in the corner.
"Williams, we have to go," Shōji urged.
But San remained unmoved, his voice a low murmur of resignation. "There's no point in running," he muttered. "We might as well just wait it out and see if we survive."
"What?"
"Do you really think trying to outrun that thing is an option?"
Shōji's patience wore thin. San's cold indifference was grating against his nerves like sandpaper on skin. But he keept his cool, maintaining a semblance of composure in the face of mounting frustration.
Before Shōji could respond, a faint sound echoed through the darkness, a distant echo of something moving on the floor below. Shōji's head snapped towards the source of the noise, his senses on high alert as adrenaline surged through his veins.
The dim glow of some sort of emergency lights turning on cast eerie shadows across the room. When he turned back to face San, he found himself alone with the Biki he had rescued. San had disappeared deeper into the lab, entering some sort of reinforced chamber. The source of the emergency lights.
"I've been waiting here since the blackout began," San stated matter-of-factly, his tone betraying no hint of remorse. "I redirected the power reserve of the lab to this chamber and waited for it to be operational."
"Please Mr. San let us in!" begged Biki.
"The chamber only marginally improves my own chances of survival," he remarked coolly. "Opening the door for you now would only lower my own chances even more."
"Do you really think hiding in there will make a difference?"
"Increasing my chances of survival from 1% to 1.1% is pretty good considering what we're up against."
"We can't stay out here, San! Please, let us in!" Biki cried out.
"For the love of God San, at least let her in." said Shōji.
"No can do. The life support in this thing can only deal with a single use-"
"Just do it. If you do it I'll try to distract the villain."
San paused for a moment.
"Will that be enough?" Shōji asked.
"Alright. That way I might reach a 2% survival chance." San smiled at the deal.
Can you see it?
The atmosphere at Central HQ shifted abruptly as the report of Sandatsu's unexpected attack on the Endless Horizons Ltd. building reached their ears.
"It might be a distraction," Chief Tanaka stated with urgency. "Our plan remains the same. We dispatch the fastest vanguard to deal with him while the patrolling heroes return to defending the high-risk areas."
Rosethorn, her brow furrowed with worry, wasted no time in rallying her team. "Alright, listen up, everyone," she called out, her voice firm and commanding. "Rapid response team, move out. Coordination team, get the slower heavy-hitters in there as fast as possible. That area was within the evacuation zones, but I still want the Rescue team to sweep it in case there are stragglers."
Saurus, his muscles tensed with anticipation, pounded a fist into his palm. "Round two. That bastard is going to wish he was extinct once I get my hands on him."
As the heroes prepared to mobilize, the Rapid response group sprang into action, racing towards the scene of Sandatsu's attack. Saurus spearheaded the group, soaring through the sky in the shape of a pterodactyl.
Among the team, there was only a single member that was keeping up with his flying speed. Kaylee.
Saurus, flying alongside her, commended her for her speed. "Impressive, kid," he grunted, his voice gruff yet filled with respect.
Kaylee nodded, her expression focused as she scanned the darkened streets below.
The heavy rain poured relentlessly, casting a somber veil over the scene below as Saurus and Kaylee descended towards the Endless Horizons Ltd. building. Through the downpour, they spotted a gaping hole on the side of the structure.
Down on the street, a reinforced panic room lay torn open, smoke billowing from its shattered remains. Sandatsu stood amidst the wreckage, his presence commanding yet eerily calm as he surveyed the destruction he had wrought.
Saurus keyed his comms, relaying the situation to the other heroes. "We've made contact!" he reported tersely, his voice crackling over the communication device.
"Got it. I'm carrying Impakt, Rosethorn and Honoken. ETA 1 minute." responded Seiryu. His dragon quirk was more suited for carrying other heroes than Saurus's array of flying reptile forms.
Turning to Kaylee, Saurus issued his orders. "Circle back and check the building for any civilians," he instructed, loudly. "If it's clear, rendezvous with me for backup!"
Kaylee nodded, her expression resolute as she took to the skies once more. As she disappeared into the darkness, Saurus focused his attention back on Sandatsu, his muscles tensing with anticipation.
Sandatsu remained unmoving, his gaze fixed on the smoldering ruins before him. The rain continued to beat down.
With a roar, Saurus propelled himself forward, his massive form hurtling through the rain-soaked air like a projectile. As he closed in on Sandatsu, his body began to transform, elongating and morphing until he resembled a fearsome mosasaur, jaws agape.
With a thunderous crash, Saurus's massive jaws clamped down around Sandatsu, the force of the impact sending shockwaves rippling through the air.
「Force Projection」+「Psychokinesis」+「Charge Up!」
With a burst of power, Sandatsu unleashed a shockwave while still within Saurus's maw. The impact shattered the hero's jaw, sending shards of bone flying through the air as blood spilled from his mouth, sending him reeling backward with a roar of pain.
But even in the face of such agony, Saurus refused to yield. With a growl, he used his quirk once more, his body shifting and contorting until he transformed into a massive brachiosaur, swinging his massive neck and slamming it against the villain, sending him flying against a building.
Not a second after being hit, Sandatsu walked out of the building he crashed into. Saurus didn't waste time, transforming into a bulky ankylosaur.
Turning swiftly, Saurus swung his tail with incredible force, the club at its tip hurtling toward the Reaper.
With a swift and powerful motion, Sandatsu lunged forward, his hand closing around the tail of the ankylosaur mid-swing. Despite the weight and force behind Saurus's attack, Sandatsu's grip held firm, his fingers digging into the tough scales of the hero's transformed form.
Saurus let out a roar of defiance, thrashing and struggling against his captor.
With a mighty heave, Sandatsu swung Saurus over his head, the hero's massive form hurtling through the air before crashing down with bone-jarring force against the unforgiving ground below. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the earth, the ground quaking beneath their feet as Saurus lay sprawled and dazed.
Kaylee, who had just finished evacuating two survivors from the building, turned back just in time to witness the brutal display of strength. Without a moment's hesitation, Kaylee propelled herself forward with a burst of ki like a comet, towards her former classmate.
The villain looked at the sky. His gaze fell upon Seiryu in his dragon form, carrying more heroes. He turned to open a portal, his mind already calculating his next move.
But a sudden impact slammed into him from the side, knocking him into the portal, along with Kaylee, the attacker.
That thing
With each leap through the swirling portals, Kaylee found herself quickly moving from one point of Kyoto to another. But she remained focused, trying to bring Sandatsu down.
Despite her relentless assault, Sandatsu didn't acknowledge her presence. In the brief intervals between coming out forma portal and entering the next one, he wasted no time in wreaking havoc upon the city below. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed torrents of blazing embers and devastating shockwaves.
Kaylee, undeterred by the destruction around her, continued her attack on Sandatsu, her fists and kicks raining down upon him with unyielding force. But Sandatsu paid her little mind, his attention focused on his mission.
After around a dozen portal leaps, they finally crashed down into a forest, outside the city.
As Sandatsu casually stood amidst the rugged terrain of the mountain landscape, he turned to face Kaylee with an air of indifference, his expression betraying none of the chaos and destruction he had wrought upon the city below.
"Oh, hey Kaylee," he remarked casually, as if they were meeting under normal circumstances. "Didn't notice it was you there."
Kaylee's jaw clenched with barely contained fury at Sandatsu's flippant attitude. Without hesitation, she surged forward again.
Closing the distance between them in a matter of moments, Kaylee unleashed a torrent of ki energy at point-blank range, her power surging forth in a brilliant display of radiant energy. The blast struck Sandatsu head-on.
Sandatsu's flayed hand reached through the swirling ki blast, defying the onslaught of energy with an eerie ease. In a flash, his fingers closed around Kaylee's face, his grip unyielding as he slammed her with brutal force against the unforgiving terrain below.
Her vision blurred momentarily as she struggled raise her head.
Her ki blast has only managed to burn through the villains skin, which he was quickly regenerating. With a nonchalant shrug, he remarked, "That's some firepower you've got there." His words were laced with amusement, as if he found the whole situation rather entertaining.
Despite the pain coursing through her body, Kaylee refused to back down. With a defiant glare, she summoned every ounce of her strength. But her body couldn't move.
As Kaylee lay paralyzed on the ground, Sandatsu's thoughts drifted back to a conversation he had with Feral. She had asked him if he ever truly enjoyed the thrill of battle, if he reveled in the raw intensity of combat.
It was a question that had lingered in his mind ever since, prompting him to reconsider his approach to fighting. And now, as he stood over Kaylee, he found himself grappling with a newfound sense of curiosity.
With a smile, Sandatsu turned to Kaylee and posed a simple question. "Hey, pick a number."
"Fuck off." Her response dripping with defiance.
Undeterred by her response, Sandatsu simply pressed on, casually stomping on her head and driving it deeper into the earth, his gaze fixed on her with an unsettling intensity. "Just pick one," he urged, his tone had air of impatience.
Kaylee hesitated for a moment, her mind racing as she weighed her options. But in the end, she relented, her voice barely a audible due to her face being buried as she reluctantly chose the number 5.
Sandatsu's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Alright then," he said. "I'll fight you using only 5 quirks."
She remained silent.
"Ah. Don't worry," he taunted. "I won't be using my mother's quirk against you. That would be overkill."
「Evolution」
「Conduit」
「Bloodthirst」
「Psychokinesis」
「Comeback」
Those were his selected quirks.
As if to compound his cruelty, Sandatsu reached out and grabbed Kaylee's head, lifting it with obvious malevolent intent.
Her quirk factor roared to life with a ferocity she had never experienced before. Kaylee's body trembled as the power surged through her, her muscles straining against the overwhelming force. It was like trying to contain a raging inferno within the confines of her own skin.
Sandatsu smiled, his expression relaxed as he released his grip on her.
"There," he said, his voice laced with false kindness. "I've helped even the odds for you."
He turned away, preparing to face her in battle. "I'm just kind like that."
But then, when he looked again at her, before he could react, a fist hurtled towards Sandatsu with blinding speed, striking him squarely in the face. For a brief moment, everything was black.
Undeniable truth
Right after Sandatsu's head regenerated, a powerful surge of ki energy sliced through the air, tearing through the dense forest. He barely had time to react, narrowly avoiding the blast.
Before he could even catch his breath, Kaylee was upon him, her fists a blur as she closed the distance in an instant.
「Conduit」+ 「Psychokinesi-
She punched clean through his chest, her attack tearing through his flesh with brutal efficiency. The psychokinetic barrier he had tried to use had been useless. Blood spurted from the wound, staining the ground beneath them as Sandatsu staggered back, caught off guard by the ferocity of her attack.
But Kaylee wasn't finished yet. She unleashed another burst of ki, channeling her energy into a devastating wave of power that surged through Sandatsu's body. The force of the blast rippled through his form, tearing through him and burning him from the inside out.
「Bloodthirst」+「Conduit」+「Evolution」
Sandatsu focused his energy, his hand crackling with the beginnings of a deadly blast. Though not as potent as his usual attacks. But before he could release the attack, Kaylee seized his outstretched hand, crushing the energy buildup within his palm. She took the chance to deliver a brutal headbutt.
The villain staggered backward, stunned by the sheer power of the impact as he struggled to maintain his footing.
But Sandatsu was used to situations like these. In fact, being close to death had been instrumental in his growth up until now. With a flash of insight, he understood that the sequence of activation could make all the difference in a battle. He had been relying on brute force, channeling his enhancements without considering the most effective order in which to use them.
「Bloodthirst」+「Evolution」+「Comeback」+「Conduit」
As Sandatsu intercepted Kaylee's punch, his hand contorted and twisted, morphing into a monstrous appendage adorned with razor-sharp claws and impenetrable black scales. With a newfound sense of clarity, he locked eyes with Kaylee.
"Jackpot." he said. His voice distorted by his mutated form.
With a swift and fluid motion, Sandatsu unleashed a devastating counterattack, his fist colliding with Kaylee's body with bone-crushing force. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air, shattering the surrounding landscape and sending Kaylee hurtling backwards like a ragdoll.
Sandatsu, now transformed into a monstrous amalgamation of animal traits, stood opposite Kaylee. His frame was larger, taller, more muscular, covered in black scales. Sharp quills protruding from his arms and back, and an elongated, thick reptilian tail lashed out behind him.
Kaylee stood her ground, her eyes burning with ferocity. The rain sizzled and evaporated upon contact with her skin, a testament to the sheer intensity of her contained power. Kaylee's mind teetered on the brink of madness, the overwhelming increase in her lust for battle threatening to consume her sanity. Yet, with sheer force of will, she channeled her rage into a singular focus: crushing that bastard.
With a primal roar, Sandatsu launched himself at Kaylee, his claws slashing through the air. Kaylee met his onslaught head-on.
Kaylee's fist collided with Sandatsu's arm. With a sickening crunch, the villain's arm was torn from his body, leaving behind a gaping wound that oozed black ichor.
Undeterred by the loss of his limb, before regenerating, Sandatsu seized the chance. With a savage snarl, he lunged forward, driving the jagged broken bone protruding from the stump of his arm towards Kaylee, piercing the side of her stomach.
Gritting her teeth against the agony, she retaliated with a swift counterattack, channeling her strength into a devastating uppercut that would have decapitated anyone other than the monstrosity she was facing.
With a powerful sweep of her arm, she sent Sandatsu hurtling through the air, crashing into a nearby mountainside.
Undeterred, Sandatsu pushed himself to his feet, his wounds healing. But Kaylee wasn't going to let him recover just like that. With a mighty roar, she unleashed a torrent of energy, the blast slamming into Sandatsu with the force of a freight train and driving him deeper into the earth.
He summoned forth his psychokinesis, using it to wrench Kaylee from her stance, disrupting the stream of ki that she had unleashed upon him. Sandatsu's regenerative abilities worked swiftly, his wounds closing in a matter of moments as he rose from the crater in the earth. With a feral grin, he surged forward.
In a flash, Sandatsu's fist shot upward, catching Kaylee off guard as it connected with a powerful strike to her stomach. The force of the blow sent her hurtling through the air, her body spinning uncontrollably as she struggled to regain her bearings.
Sandatsu soared through the sky after her, lifting his body with psychokinesis. But Kaylee was not one to be easily defeated. With a burst of ki energy, she propelled herself through the air, twisting and turning to evade Sandatsu again. She unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, and Sandatsu responded in kind, his movements becoming more aggressive.
Just before his claws could reach her, Kaylee obliterated one of Sandatsu's arms with a powerful ki burst, sending blackened chunks of flesh scattering through the air. With one limb incapacitated, Sandatsu was left vulnerable. Seizing the opportunity, Kaylee lunged forward with lightning speed, her fingers closing around Sandatsu's remaining arm. She wrenched it free from his body, leaving him defenseless against her onslaught.
With a savage gleam in her eyes, Kaylee unleashed a barrage of bone-crushing blows upon Sandatsu's unprotected face. Each punch landed with a sickening thud, the sound of bone breaking beneath her fists echoing even through the heavy rain.
Kaylee's rage consumed her. With each punch, she unleashed a primal roar.
Her fists crashed into Sandatsu's broken head with immense force. Each blow sent waves of agony coursing through his shattered body, his flesh sizzling and smoking as it was engulfed by the searing energy radiating from Kaylee's enraged form. His face was reduced to little more than a twisted mass of shattered bone and torn flesh.
Sandatsu felt a surge of exhilaration wash over him. His regeneration, instead of healing the entire head, restored just half of it in time.
A sickening sound echoed through the air as Sandatsu's razor-sharp teeth tore through flesh and muscle, ripping away a sizable chunk of Kaylee's hand in a shower of blood and gore.
Sandatsu's psychokinetic wave surged forth, a tidal wave of raw power crashing through the air, pushing Kaylee away and giving him enough time for his eyes to regenerate.
But when the smoke from his burnt flesh faded away, Sandatsu found himself alone, his eyes scanning the skies for any sign of his elusive opponent.
As he soared higher into the clouds, his senses alert for any sign of movement, Kaylee suddenly reappeared with breathtaking speed, hurtling down from above like a celestial comet. With a deafening roar, she descended upon Sandatsu like a force of nature, her body surrounded by a constant stream of ki as she unleashed a devastating kick that sent her and the villain hurtling towards the earth below.
Caught completely off guard by Kaylee's sudden attack, Sandatsu had little time to react as he plummeted towards the ground below.
You already know how it ends
She rose from the depths of the smoldering impact crater, her muscles burning, blood loss weakening her.
"You're still standing?" Sandatsu's voice echoed with a mix of surprise and amusement.
Kaylee staggered back, her body trembling with exhaustion as she gazed at the figure standing before her amidst the wreckage of their battle. Sandatsu's form was shrouded in darkness, his black tendrils writhing around him like serpents, while his extra clawed arms hung at his sides, broken.
He had used 「Branching Grasp」alongside 「Black Layer」by reflex.
"Well, you win," Sandatsu remarked, his tone casual. "I broke my promise, didn't I? Used more than five quirks. Guess I got carried away."
Kaylee remained silent, her chest heaving with exertion as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Well, it's been fun," he continued. "But I've got places to be. People to see. You know how it is."
Ignoring the protests of her weary body, she assumed a fighting stance, her fists clenched as she began to channel her ki energy, gathering it into a powerful blast.
Sandatsu watched her with a mixture of amusement and resignation, his dark gaze fixed on her as she prepared to unleash her final attack. "I'm done," he insisted, his voice tinged with exasperation. "You've won. There's no need for this."
But Kaylee refused to listen, her resolve unyielding as she poured every ounce of her remaining strength into the charge of her ki blast.
Sandatsu sighed, realizing that his words fell on deaf ears. With a resigned shake of his head, he relented, deciding to humor her one last time. "Fine," he conceded, resigned. "Hit me with your best shot. I'll do the same."
With that, Sandatsu mirrored Kaylee's actions, his own energy crackling around him as he began to charge up his own devastating attack.
「Force Projection」+「Psychokinesis」+「Embers」+「Conduit」
The ground beneath them trembled with the sheer force of their energies as they reached the peak of their respective charges.
And then, in a blinding flash of light, Kaylee unleashed her devastating ki blast, pouring forth her accumulated strength in a torrent of energy. The energy erupted outward in a massive explosion, consuming everything in its path with its devastating force.
With a deft flick of his wrist, he opened a portal directly in front of the oncoming blast, the exit appearing behind Kaylee. She barely had time to react as the full force of her own attack bore down upon her. Kaylee was enveloped in a maelstrom of energy as she collided with the ground. The force of the blast tore through the earth, leaving a gaping crater in its wake as debris rained down around her.
You are painfully aware of it
She struggled to draw in ragged breaths, pain lancing through every fiber of her being. The impact of her own ki blast had left her scorched and bloodied, her flesh seared and sundered by the sheer force of the explosion.
Through blurred vision, she watched as Sandatsu approached, his demeanor casual and nonchalant as he joked. "See? I kept my word. I hit you with your best shot."
Despite the searing pain that wracked her body, Kaylee's gaze remained fixed on Sandatsu, her eyes burning with a fierce determination that belied her injuries. With a trembling hand, she pushed herself up onto her elbows, gritting her teeth against the agonizing ache that radiated through her body. Every movement was an exercise in sheer willpower.
"I'll... kill you..." she growled.
"Do you even know why you can't move, Kaylee?" he taunted.
Kaylee gritted her teeth. She noticed then, that there was something else besides her damage and fatigue that was preventing her form moving.
But Sandatsu didn't need her answer. With a flourish, he explained the truth, reveling in his own cleverness. "Oh come on," he began, his tone had a sinister edge, "don't tell me you don't recognize our dear teacher's quirk."
Kaylee's eyes narrowed, a mix of confusion and anger swirling within them.
"The same quirk I used to boost your power? To hijack your quirk factor?" Sandatsu explained. "Being a mutant, I had the option to paralyze you from the very beginning."
She didn't answer, and Sandatsu knew she probably didn't care that much either way.
After a sigh, Sandatsu unleashed another one of his quirks, a wave of energy washing over Kaylee's battered form. At first, she braced herself for the onslaught, expecting it to be another harmful ability.
But instead, she felt something else entirely. A strange warmth spread through her body, followed by a sensation of tingling. And then, to her astonishment, she watched as her wounds began to close, the torn flesh knitting back together before her eyes.
Was he stupid? She'd only become stronger this way. Did he want to fight again?
Then she noticed. The high she had been feeling, the power she had been basking in. They were gone. He was reverting her to a point before he enhanced her power.
"You see, I'm kind" he said casually. "But not so kind that I'd let you keep this boon. If you wanna go wild again, feel free to join me though."
It can only end in one thing
Inigo rushed to Kaylee's side, his heart pounding with a mix of concern and urgency. The aftermath of the brutal battle was all around them. Kaylee lay motionless on the ground, her breathing shallow and labored.
Carefully, Inigo knelt beside her, his hands hovering over her prone form. She seemed perfectly healthy, but it was the vacant look in her eyes.
"Hey, Kaylee, it's me, Inigo," he said, his tone. "Can you hear me? You're safe now, we're here to help."
But Kaylee remained unresponsive, her gaze fixed on some distant point beyond their reach. Inigo frowned, his mind racing as he tried to assess the situation. It was clear that Kaylee was in no condition to move, and he needed to get her to safety as quickly as possible.
He turned around to inform the other heroes that he found her. But his attention was drawn to his classmate again. She was trying to speak, even through the paralysis. Inigo's heart skipped a beat when he finally understood Kaylee.
"Safety... Commission..."
You know what it is
Sandatsu stood at the gates of Shiketsu High. The heavy rain continued to pour down, drenching the earth and obscuring his figure.
Seeing his buddy Inigo looking like a fully fledged rescue hero through Kaylee's eyes had amused him quite a bit.
A wicked smile crept across his face. There were no heroes guarding the premises. The few who had been stationed there before had either been dispatched to attend to the areas he had struck prior to his confrontation with Kaylee, or had been called back to reinforce the defenses of the Hero Public Safety Commission building.
He ventured deeper into the deserted school grounds.
Death