The constantly shifting floors became an increasingly troublesome obstacle. Sakura's impulse was to press forward, demolishing any wall in her way no matter how many there were. But the capricious ground had other plans in mind. Suddenly, the floor gave way beneath them. It wasn't a perilous drop, just enough to send them descending to another level of this underground complex. They found themselves in a dimly lit hall, the air filled with a hushed, eerie tension.
"We're getting further from the goal."
"They want to give Overhaul time to escape from here," said Shouta.
"Hey, hey, hey. Some government authorities have fallen from the sky,"
Out of the dusty gloom emerged three figures. More members of Shie Hassaikai, and worse roadblocks on their path to Overhaul. Toya Setsuno, Yu Hojo, and Soramitsu Tabe. They introduced themselves with too much pride as members of the Eight Bullets, the elite members of Hassaikai and Overhaul's main protection detail.
Fat Gum readied himself for the impending confrontation, taking the lead, but Tamaki entered, making an unexpected decision.
"Save the strength of the pro's for the goal. For the ones stalling for time, I'll be enough!"
Tamaki may have been part of the big three at UA and praised to be on par with pro heroes already, however he had one vice, and that was his timid demeanour and severe anxiety in making eye contact with people. Despite his nerves that seemed as strong as twigs, he was still able to do his job and he was going to prove that right now.
"No way! We should work together to take these guys down!" exclaimed Eijiro
One of the masked men chuckled, adjusting the katana in his hands, "Yeah work together. I'll kill all of you!"
"It's Setsuno, we can't use our guns against him!"
"Oh? So you figured it out?" When he went in for the attack, Shouta intercepted with his quirk, erasing the other's. Guns were drawn out on both sides, but before any could be released Tamaki used his quirk. Tentacles shot from the the covers of his sleeve, immobilized the enemy.
"It won't do any good for all of us to fight against them. With so many pro heroes stopped here we're playing right into their hands!"
'He's right,' Mirio was the only one heading towards their objective, but they also had to ensure that none of the members escaped.
"Fat Gum! If it's me I can completely shut down these guys!" Tamiki exclaimed.
It didn't take long for Fat Gum to direct the rest of the party to a door on the other side of the room. They rushed out but not before Shouta intercepted the three again, erasing quirks and knocking another out. Before exiting through the door with the rest of the group.
..
..
..
While the rest of the heroes were able to press forward, and focus on their main objective, Tamaki now had to focus on facing the three villains. Rock Lock and Eijiro might have harboured reservations about leaving him to fight on his own (though reasons differed). Since Rock Lock was concerned that they were leaving a student to take on a heroes job, while Eijiro who had already seen his senpai ability in action was more concerned that his own nature might make this fight hard for him. Remembering how he basically withered when he was insulted by a villain he captured.
But among these doubts, Fat Gum radiated confidence in Tamaki's abilities. "He's stronger than anyone here. But he's weak emotionally, even so, he still became one of U.A.'s big three. Remember that."
Sakura was quite surprised herself by the sudden gusto he showed, considering that the first impression she got from watching at a distance was he was reserved and withdrawn, full of self-doubt which he voiced when the tunnels started shifting.
'This was the better option,' If they were going to stop along the way constantly to fight someone, then the time would eventually collect to enough for Overhaul to make his escape and they couldn't allow that.
"The mark of a true man is the ability to completely trust someone who's got your back!" Fat Gum declared, his fist shaking with resolute.
"In that case, he is definitely okay!" Eijiro said, showing case his straightforwardness as well as simple mindedness.
With that matter resolved, they were able to continue forward. They soon found themselves on more stable ground. The shifting hallways had ceased, but that didn't mean the storm had passed. This labyrinth still had much to hide. Including enemies.
And just when they thought they had a few moments to breathe, the walls sprang to life again. Guided by hat they knew was a malevolent force. The main targets seemed to be Shouta and Nemesis, as pieces of the walls shot out out on the opposite side of the, attempting to hit with the force of a wrecking ball. Though it was actually an attempt to herd them.
With her reflexes, Sakura was able to evade the attack that threatened to engulf her, but shew as distracted from the rest of the group. Shouta was about to fall through the walls when Fatgum and Eijiro leaped forward, pushing him out of the way and vanishing into the depths of the walls.
"He got them!" exclaimed Izuku panic deep in his voice.
"They weren't the targets," said Shouta. It was clear now this villain was concerned about Shouta's quirk of course it wasn't a loss for him to chip away at more of the heroes. And he had managed to get two for one. He could only guess why Sakura was being aimed for as well. As Nemesis, she had rubbed the Yakuza group the wrong way and likely Overhaul had given them a warning about her, since she had gotten in a hit before.
"Should we break through the wall?" asked Rock Lock.
"No," said Shouta. "He wanted me there for a reason, we shouldn't fall into the trap. Let's have faith in Fat Gum and Red Riot. They can take care of themselves,"
Sakura could acknowledge that Eijiro was tenacious, more than most of his classmates. It was the reason he could run so well with Katsuki despite his own insecurities about the simplicity of his quirk. So they all decided to keep moving.
..
..
The heroes and police continued to navigate through the tunnels, where things were still quiet, other than the echoes of their own footsteps beating the ground and heavy breathing. However the corridors started to twist again, the concrete walls shifting like it was liquid. Taking everyone off balance. It was as if Mimic's malevolence dripped from the very walls. As if it was trying to digest them, closing in to start crushing.
Sakura was trying to shift her weight once again to adjust to the horrific platform when it suddenly became still again, frozen. That's when Rock Lock made it known he used his quirk to cancel out Mimic's own, having had enough of the yakuza playing with them like rats in a maze. Unfortunately he couldn't hold the entire spread of the compound under is quirk's lock because of the sheer size.
It did give a hint that they were either heading in the right direction or they were under surveillance with an enemy lurking near.
"This way! The area won't move any more!" Though it was cramped, no one had any place for complaints when they were this close to being crushed.
"I can't hold that many spots with this security max deadbolt," said Rock Lock. "This is the limit of my powers,"
Although they were moving again, on uneven ground, Mimic wasn't willing to let it end here. He wasn't going to be able to hold onto this level of power for much longer. The drug that enhanced his quirk would run out in a certain amount of time.
'I can't let them through!'
This time Mimic took a new approach, using the places that Rock Lock hadn't locked down and maneuvering them to block the pathways the heroes were on.
"SOMETHING'S COMING"
As Mimic's assault continued unabated, their path grew increasingly perilous. Twisted walls lurched toward them, hungrily closing in, seeking to crush them under the weight of stone and shadows. But Izuku wasn't willing to stand still. With his quirk, he strengthened his body with full cowling and jumped into action.
Destroying the encroaching structures with precise kicks filled with enough power to shatter stone like glass. Sakura observed that he had been honing his kicking techniques, a wise strategy to spare his arms from unnecessary strain.
'That guy has to be watching us from somewhere to pull this off,' Sakura thought, glancing around. She pressed her palms to the shifting walls, chakra coursing through her fingertips in search of er enemies presence.
Then, it happened. Her senses tingled as she detected the disturbance in the wall. Mimic was here, just beyond the concrete. Swiftly she moved, punching in the wall and watching a large chunk shatter from bottom to top, right where Mimic was revealed.
"Eraser!" She called urgency in her voice. Her call was meant for Shouta, for him to employ his quirk and nullify the villain's own. But before Shouta could turn, the walls surged, a wave of rock crashing between them.
Sakura moved to avoid getting crushed by the wall and watched as everyone else was separated by multiple partitions. It wasn't long before she heard their voices calling out to one another confirming that they were unharmed. But it posed the question, why such a flimsy attack?
And why separate them?
'Does he have something else planned to delay us further?' Sakura bit her lip. She wanted to put an end to this already.
"Nemesis!" She heard Shouta call out to her, but Sakura paused in responding.
There was a choice to make. Either she broke through the walls and rejoined her comrades so they could continue their rather slow track to finding Overhaul, while they were toyed with in a labyrinth, having obstacles thrown in their way easily since they were all together. Or she could take this chance to reach Mirio before he ended up confronting Overhaul alone.
Sakura crouched low to the ground, her fingers brushing the uneven stone. She was surrounded, her senses stretched to the limit. She felt the presence of others, beyond the labyrinth walls.
In one movement, she rose to her full height. Her voice, carrying a stern warning "Watch out, everyone! There are more villains nearby. They're planning an ambush. Keep your guard up!"
"Nemesis where are you?" Shouta called. "Do not attempt to engage the enemy on your own! Regroup with the rest of us if you can now!"
But again she didn't respond.
Coming to her own resolution.
She decided to leave the henchmen for the heroes to handle, and focus on reaching the ultimate prize. This was as far as her cooperation would go, but she decided to leave them with a parting gift. Touching the walls again she started to sense out for any signs of Mimic, trying to find him shifting in the walls.
"Come on you rat," But there was no response or presence any more, this didn't deter her. But likely realized that she was able to detect his location. "Come on now…."
But there was still nothing. Sakura pulled away, looking at the wall that opened into another path. Their purpose, to obstruct, only amplified her confidence. Why block a road unless something lay ahead?
'This will end, on my terms Overhaul.'
..
..
When Mirio took the name Lemillion, it was a reflection of his resolve to save as many people as he could. After overcoming the struggles of training his quirk to be as good as a pro, and with his mentor's tutelage he thought he had been ready to start that number count.
But he failed to realize that reality wasn't something you could prepare for through simulation alone. And he discovered that doing what was right and doing what was best, could oppose each other more strongly than he believed possible. Under Nighteye's tutelage, Mirio had learned to make calculated decisions. It had honed his strength and skill, but it also shackled him with a sense of responsibility for every outcome. It was a double-edged sword, and he couldn't help but think he had made the wrong choice regarding Eri.
Mirio fought a battle within himself, one that raged since the moment he uncovered the truth about Eri. He had sacrificed the chance to save her, believing he was making the right decision for the mission. Though she was now in safe hands, he couldn't help but wonder what might have been if he'd saved her that day. Regret was a heavy burden to bear.
And he wanted to lift it by taking down the monster that had haunted that girl for so long. He didn't know if it would be enough but it had to be a start.
Mirio finally caught up to Kai Chisaki and his men through the underground passages. However, Kai had no interest in a direct confrontation with Mirio. While his steps echoed near now, so did members of the Eight Bullets. Ready to shield him from harm. Among them stood Chronostasis, Deidoro Sasaki, and Shin Nemoto.
As Mirio closed the distance between them, an unexpected assault disrupted his pursuit. Deidoro, unleashed his peculiar quirk. That's when Mirio's world tilted and his head felt heavy. His steps faltered, momentarily leaving him vulnerable. That was Deidoro's quirk known as Sloshed, the ability to throw you off balanced as if you were inebriated.
And the onslaught kept coming, as Shin Nemoto, used his quirk Confession to get Mirio to reveal his quirk to the enemy. Confession, it was aptly named, for it compelled its victims to expose the truth of their hearts. Under its influence, Mirio was coerced to bare everything he kept hidden from the world, not just his quirk but also his own guilt and turmoil that fueled his pursuit to go after Overhaul on his own instead of taking numbers with a group. And he did it all with a sardonic grin.
Why would he fight with such fervor? Why embark on this perilous journey alone? Mirio's words tumbled, infused with raw, unadulterated emotion. He confessed his guilt and sorrow, the self-reproach that gnawed at his very being for forsaking Eri in the name of the mission.
It might have been the motivation to get Mirio moving again. What caused him to strike out with his ultimate move, knocking out two of Kai's men instantly.
And that's when another battle ensued. Mirio started to charge once again. With the same technique he'd once used to humble his classmates of 1-A, he now engaged the Eight Bullets. In the span of mere heartbeats, he delivered incapacitating blows to his adversaries. They fell like domino's, unable to keep track of his movements as he vanished through the walls and bounced in a blur. He moved through the solid spaces like a projectile locked on its targets. And soon Kai's men fell.
Mirio finally closed in on Kai but his adversary was not without defense. While Mirio's strikes connected, they lacked the lethal force needed to incapacitate their target, due to the effects of the quirk that had thrown off his equilibrium.
Chronostasis, who had witnessed the ebb and flow of the battle, became the next victim of Mirio's assault. A well-timed kick and the enforcer was sent tumbling.
"How filthy…." Kai hissed, his skin crawling after taking a direct hit himself.
Mirio locked his eyes onto Kai's blood thirsty ones.
"Get ready Overhaul!"
..
..
..
When Sakura finally caught sight of Mirio's cape, she began assessing her surroundings and the situation. The area showed signs of a battle, as her gaze swept over the fallen members of the Eight Bullets.
As she closed the gap between them, her eyes locked onto the figure that stood just ahead of Mirio and felt her anger surge.
"OVERHAUL!"
There was initial shock behind his mask as Kai took in the sight of Nemesis. It quickly turned to anger. For weeks Kai had stewed and stressed over losing Eri. He could afford delays in plans, he could handle obstacles like production and lack of equipment or funds and facing rivals but what Nemesis did was bring everything he had worked for years to an absolute halt when they stole Eri. And it had been utter humiliation for Kai, who had invited this person into his house only to have them take the most valuable possession. They might as well have burned his entire house down.
"Nemesis. It's good to see you," The greeting seemed pleasant but Kai's eyes had become like a vipers zoning in on prey.
Sakura folded her arms, returning the greeting. "I could say the same, to you Overhaul,"
"Oh? And why's that?"
"Now I can finish what I started," Sakura hissed, punching a fist into her palm.
"That's my line, now I can get some answers," Kai straightened himself. "What have you done with my daughter?"
That mere mention of the word, 'daughter' set Sakura off in a bad way. "Cut the crap, I know the truth! Eri told me. She's not your daughter and you won't be laying a hand on her ever again! The things you've done to that girl…."
"It was for a greater cause," Kai stated calmly but he felt his own veins tighten when a wave of blood lust hit him, poisoning the air itself. In all his time, since his quirk manifested, Kai had never felt vulnerability like this. Not the usual human kind, where you were lacking a basic necessity you didn't know how to acquire. No this was pure instinct that lived inside every conscious creature when they realized they were being hunted.
'I-Impossible!' Kai was so distracted, he didn't even register the disgusting feeling of the cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Sakura was recalling what Eri had confided in her, revealing the horrors she had endured at Kai's hands. Her urge to kill was like a thick fog. Suffocating everyone, including Mirio.
"I think you're forgetting something Overhaul," Sakura cracked the ground with her step. "You're not talking to a hero,"
Heroes had rules to follow, they had boundaries that couldn't be crossed in the public eye. However, Sakura wanted Kai to be aware of the position she held as Nemesis. Someone who wasn't going to play by anyone's rules outside of the arena.
"So you're not the police's lapdog?"
"Far from it,"
Now regaining some of his footing as the bloodlust thinned, Kai regarded her with a chilling indifference, "Why go through all this trouble for that girl?"
"The helpless child you were literally tearing apart for your sick experiments?"
"Helpless? That girl is cursed. She can't control the power she was born to, and it's destroyed people. But I can use it to its true potential. With Eri, I can reshape this world,"
What made Sakura's anger truly boil over, was that statement from Kai, not just due to his tone of indifference and presumption of entitlement to someone else life, but also the parallels Sakura had drawn between Eri's grim reality until now from what Kai did to her, how he used her and experimented with her. Something no different from what Orochimaru did to his subjects. That's all Eri was to Kai, a test subject, an ingredient for his ambitions to be made.
Not a human being, a child but a pawn subject to the whims of a heartless puppeteer.
"You're going to regret ever holding that point of view, I promise," Sakura stated, "Eri is not some tool for you to use!"
In a burst of power, Kai sundered the ground beneath them and reconfigured it with alarming speed. Mirio's mastery of permeation allowed him to avoid harm, and Sakura's agility took her to the ceiling, where she clung by her feet.
As the ceiling crumbled around her, Sakura was sent falling to the ground but she remained vigilant of her surroundings. There was no room for error here. However weak Kai was in comparison to her, his quirk could still be deadly.
"Stay alert Nemesis!" called Mirio.
The labyrinthine surroundings were once more manipulated by Kai, creating deadly spikes of concrete that descended like a heavy rain. She avoided the projectiles with acrobatic skills worthy of an olympian gold medal. Her movements resembling a mesmerizing dance.
"You don't have to tell me, watch yourself," Sakura told Mirio after taking safety on the walls of pikes created.
Kai still had his hand on the ground, "Let's see how you handle this,"
"ENOUGH!" Mirio's voice echoed through the chaos as he launched another attack against Kai. He permeated through the ground, emerging behind their adversary, and delivered a powerful blow that sent him skidding across the room. Although the impact was fierce, it wasn't enough to incapacitate Kai. "You won't get away with this Chisaki!"
"Don't call me that,"
Kai was proving to be unyielding. With a wave of his hand, he once again shattered the entire environment, reducing it to fragments. Sakura was taken by surprise, her aerial position disrupted as she fell.
However while she was in this state, a mere second of vulnerability of her back exposed, that's when she felt another ominous presence. That was the danger about emitting bloodlust that could overwhelm. If a predator is so focused on their prey, they lose awareness of everything else around them, and their own bloodlust could cloud over another.
It was that exact moment that Kai's subordinate, Hari Kurono, aka Chronostasis, moved amongst the debris, concealing himself to act on his master's behalf.
He watched Nemesis combat against the pikes of rock and debris that were being aimed at them, struggling to clear a path to reach Kai, like they were trying to keep from becoming engulfed in a nest of snakes. That's when Kurono took the chance to strike.
Sakura gritted her teeth as she felt something graze her torso, she attempted to dodge in the air but it was near impossible when her space had been compromised by a literal wall of snakes closing in.
Blood oozed from the wound, and Sakura's movement became sluggish, her mobility hampered by Kurono's Quirk. She realized the perilous situation she now found herself in. Kurono's unique ability to slow the movements of those he pierced with the arrow-like hairs on his head.
'CRAP!'
I've got you now," said Kai. "You won't be seeing Eri again Nemesis!"