A/N: A shout out to to reviews!
phelipebr: Thanks for the comment, Bakugo will definitely be quite horrified.
CREED6: You'll just have to wait and see!
Raven Mordrake: I'm not planning to make big changes to the canon, but while the heroes are training, Shepherd will be having his own adventures.
Donovan2771: That's actually the plan, the two of them were never supposed to like each other because of their different views of killing people.
Betacode79: Thanks for that comment, I figured the usual fic is too repetitive as well, and villains are more fun to write for me.
King0fpowers: Glad to see someone who knows my reference and welcome to the story! I'm trying not to make it so M-rated in the later chapters.
Now, onwards!
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Chapter 6: Inflitration.
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=[Musutafu Outskirts, Washiki District, Gekai Private Hospital]=
Shepherd had mixed feelings about his current situation…about his current assignment.
He was relieved that Sensei had given him a task…but he just couldn't help but be annoyed by the fact Shigaraki was placed in charge of increasing the League of Villain's fighting force. Sure, he loved getting into fights and all, but he was confident in his own ability of sourcing potential villain candidates.
"…I bet that man-child is enjoying this right now…" Shepherd mentally grumbled as he walked through Kurogiri's [Warp Gate] and arrived at his destination; a deserted street and slums with a three-storey hospital at the far end of the area.
"…This is the place, right?" Shepherd questioned, adjusting his repaired canine-mask and taking in his new surroundings in the rapidly-setting sun. "A hospital?"
"Gekai Private Hospital. A medical facility which was bought and taken over by Zuruichi Gekai, one of Sensei's old friends." Kurogiri told him, a misty hand pointing towards the old signboard hanging loosely by the medical facility's entrance. "Would you be alright doing this by yourself?"
"…Yeah, so go on back and help out Shigaraki." The boy waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "…Unlike me, that man-child needs assistance for everything he's tasked to do. But I may be wrong…he was chosen by Sensei to handle recruitment after all."
"Please don't say that, Shepherd." The [Warp Gate] quirk user shook his head. "We just thought that if we want to temporary bolster the strength of our organization, having Shigaraki take charge would be less time-consuming. After all, your standards are a little…extreme, after what has happened when you tried to recruit Muscular. I'm sure Sensei has given your respective tasks with your interests in mind."
In response, the [Toxic Sludge] villain snorted. "That guy was annoying…and he pissed me off." Shepherd scowled. "The guy was a danger to both friends and foes alike. There's no need for such a psychopath to join our cause."
"Standards like that, and the League won't be getting new members." Kurogiri quipped seriously. "Not everyone has the same goal, but getting along with fellow villains is still what made up the League in the first place. We need people, we need the cooperation of others, even if means giving into their demands a little. There is very little we could do alone, given our small numbers."
"…alright I get it…let's get this mission over with…"
The job was simple. Sensei had instructed him to investigate, and possibly eliminate one of the League's long-time supporters; the director and owner of the private hospital Zuruichi Gekai. It was not only due to the mysterious silence of Gekai, but also the halting of bodies transported to the League for that crazy doctor Daruma's Noumu experiments. Furthermore, people around the hospital have been reported missing and never to be seen again. Sensei had felt suspicious, and tasked Shepherd to deal with the possible defectors before the Pro-heroes could catch wind of the Noumu supply chain, meaning to say slaughter all eye-witnesses. Shepherd would definitely take pleasure in tearing apart those who dared opposed the League.
After a while, the two of them reached the run-down hospital. To be frank, it looked rather ominous in the setting sun, but Shepherd didn't care.
"…Since you're here and all, can't you use your [Warp Gate] to check what's inside the building?" Shepherd asked. "…It would be much easier for me if I knew where the director is hiding."
Kurogiri immediately answered, "My apologies, but my quirk only works when I can envision the exact location and coordinates of where I want to go. It won't activate when I am in a location which I'm not familiar with, and it's even more difficult if there are narrow spaces. So…are you prepared Shepherd? It may be a trap."
"…Sensei gave me orders to deal with betrayers…I will follow those orders," Shepherd said without a trace of hesitation, "…if the director does have plans to betray the League, he will be slaughtered. Anyone who plans to fight will be eradicated, no questions asked."
"I see…But be sure to remain calm…and try not to let your emotions get the better of you." Kurogiri couldn't decide if he respected or pitied Shepherd's sense of loyalty. He was willing to carry out All for One's orders no matter what, to the point of being rather scary. If Shigaraki resembled a pampered child with a malevolent tendency to lash out if things don't go his way, then Shepherd was like a child who was desperate to please his parental figure with suicidal devotion. He couldn't help…but feel sad for him. There wasn't anything else that drove him to live.
Devilish jet-black brick hammers made from sludge erupted from his arms. Shepherd raised his arm and swung the black hammer, shattering the two glass doors of the hospital entrance into smithereens and the sound of breaking glass resounded across the entire building.
"Contact us once you're done Shepherd," Kurogiri stated while he began to warp away. "I'll wish you the best of luck."
"…Luck? That's funny." Shepherd sneered ferociously at that. "…Only the weak relies on something like that."
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=[Yuuei. Faculty Break room]=
Midoriya had never felt so horrible, or this relieved in his entire life. It was funny how those two opposing emotions could mix but it caused him to be in an extreme state of turmoil.
For one…his friend, the one who stood up to Kacchan, Hakazuka Kotaro, was alive. On the other hand, he was together with the League of Villains, acting like a completely different person, and having no qualms about harming him or his classmates. That…that can't possibly be him…that was what Midoriya hoped before recalling the last few moments of their encounter.
In that briefest moment, he could see in in those eyes. He had seen his face, even though he could only remember glimpses after all those months. In those eyes, weren't the madness of a murderer…it was scared…it was confusion by what was happening around him, as though he had just woken up from a nightmare. The final nail in the coffin was the way the 'villain' had said Midoriya's name.
It was as though those words were spoken out of fear…like his was on the verge of disappearing.
The mere thought of that deepened Midoriya's depression as he hobbled his way down U.A's hallways. Both of his arms were in casts, and a huge portion of his chest was bandaged up. Of course, almost everyone had horrible injuries from the USJ incident, burdened with the thoughts of their utter defeat.
He had many thoughts racing through his mind, but now he was wondering why he was called to the staff room. Was he going to get a scolding for engaging the villain so recklessly?
But his confusion and questions only increased when he saw Bakugo standing outside, glaring at the staffroom door with angry red eyes. He was in the worst of moods ever since the attack on the USJ, which everyone assumed was because he could not defeat the villain. But Midoriya had a sinking feeling that it was more than that, and the greenette's hands clenched tightly as the horrible memories started flooding in from his junior high school days.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of the door opening, All-Might's muscular face poking out and beckoned both he and Bakugo into the room.
He was smiling like always, but something about today seems forced.
"Thank you for coming here on such a short notice despite your recovering injuries, especially young Midoriya. Would you like some tea?" The number 1 hero asked jovially, but his tone was slightly strained as he gestured to the steaming flask prepared on the table.
Bakugo grunted a little, which All-Might took as a yes, while Midoriya politely accepted his offer, thinking that tea might be a way to calm his taut nerves.
"How are you two coping after the attack? Is there anything bothering you?" All-Might began, pouring his own cup of tea.
Bakugo answered first; scoffing "Yeah, completely fine."
Midoriya stared at his untouched drink, not wanting to make eye contact with his mentor. "I think I'm fine." He answered in a small voice.
"…I see." All-Might sighed, his tone was sympathetic as he responded. "Aizawa is looking to arrange a few counselling sessions with Midnight after everyone returns next week. I know its difficult, but we are trying everything we can to get you back on shape before the U.A Sports Festival-"
Midoriya's lips trembled. Should he tell him what happened…?
"You didn't call us here just for that, did you?" Bakugo interrupted, his voice turned a tad harsher as he slammed the table. "Why me and shitty nerd? If you want to ask how's everyone doing, you should have invited Round-face who completely alright in the fight. What gives?!"
"…"
"…you're right, young Bakugo. I invited you two today because there's something about the USJ which may concern just you two," All-Might sighed, taking out a stack of documents from a file Midoriya and Bakugo could clearly recognized has the Musutafu Police's crest on it, making their faces pale slightly. "…so, listen carefully."
Midoriya's fingernails bit into his palms.
"Both of you were among those who faced the white-haired boy who was with the USJ villains; the one with the dog-mask." All-Might began, and Midoriya almost flinched at the mention. He never thought All-Might would be the one starting this topic, just how much did they managed to uncover?!
"Yeah, the crazy one who went psycho days ago," Bakugo muttered, scowling deeply at that memory.
All-Might chose to ignore that part, continuing from where he had left off. "Facial recognitions and blood cross-examination from the scene showed that the villain is in fact, someone who used to live in Musutafu, a student…someone who was declared dead 6 months ago even though his body was never found. The boy's name was…Hakazuka Kotaro, a third year student from Aldera Junior High – the school both of you were enrolled in."
Midoriya's eyes were wide with shock and disbelief, his mouth agape, and his lips trembling. "…live…h-he's…alive?" his voice cracked. "So it was true…?!"
On the other hand, Bakugo's face was ghost-white as his mouth tried to repeat that name. "…Hakazuka? That quirkless guy…?" he whispered.
"I want to ask you what you saw. Back then, I was fighting the one they call Noumu with two other villains, so I didn't see everything that happened. Towards the end, the villains became disorganized because the villain they called Shepherd appeared to have some sort of mental breakdown and screamed." All-Might explained. "I have to know what happened."
Bakugo looked towards Midoriya with suspicion in his eyes; the latter was the only one left fighting Shepherd while Bakugo was making his way to help All-Might, so he was rather curious about what Izuku did to make the villain scream like that.
"He was about to kill me," Midoriya spoke softly, but his shoulders shook like he wanted to scream out those words instead. "…but he stopped for some reason, before he…he said my name…" Midoriya was dangerously close to crying, and his sentences were slurred due to the tears.
"What do you mean?" All-Might asked with a stiff tone, as though he was trying to reconfirm his worst fears. "…he knew who you were beforehand and tried to harm you?"
"He was going to finish me off with his quirk, but he stopped short…like he remembered something." Midoriya explained. "…it was soft, but he called my name…that was when I realized the villain was in fact…Hakazuka-kun."
He shuddered seeing the look in those glowering, mad eyes of Hakazuka at that time, "…I tried to call out his name, but that caused him to somehow lose control of his quirk and ended up screaming in pain."
"That…that villain we fought…it was…Hakazuku-kun…he's still alive…!" Midoriya choked out, his hands balled into fists.
Bakugo was silent and his normally blazing eyes were narrowed as he began to remember the boy from Aldera Junior High. "That…that dweeb is dead! There's no way-!"
"It was him, Kacchan!" Midoriya yelled angrily at his childhood friend, causing the ash-blonde teen and All-Might to recoil from Izuku's unexpected act of rage. "I saw him stopped at the last second! His mask was broken! I saw his face! I can recognize my own classmate for goodness sake!"
"Cut the crap!" Bakugo retorted angrily. "Hakazuka was a quirkless coward who can't even stand up to anyone. Are you trying to say that the psychopath villain we fought was him?!"
"Listen to me! I know more about him than you ever will!" Midoriya jabbed an angry finger towards Bakugo. "He's aged…but his face…his voice…he even said 'Midoriya-kun'! How do you explain that!?"
"SHUT UP YOU SHITTY NERD!" Bakugo's voice was slightly frantic as he faced Midoriya's venomous glare with an equally dangerous look of his own. "There's no way someone as harmless as Hakazuka could become that crazy! And how could he possibly have a quirk?! "
He shuddered just remembering how Shepherd acted towards them; they nearly got killed by pissing him off. Bakugo himself was staring towards the ground and shaking slightly, his expression unreadable.
All-Might's eyes softened. "…I know this may be a painful topic between the two of you," The number 1 hero massaged his temples and sighed. "But if what we feared is indeed true…we have to know everything which has happened prior to his supposed 'death'…"
"All-Might…could it be that you already knew about this before the USJ attack?" Midoriya asked in disbelief. "Just how much do you know? What did the villains do to him?!"
All-Might closed his eyes. "…I don't know. If you want my honest words as the number 1 hero, I have NO idea how to explain how he turned out this way." He said, gazing hardly into Midoriya's and Bakugo's eyes. "If you have seen what me and the others have seen him do…" If the way All-might gripped his arms showed any indication, it was clear what he had seen…had horrified him to the core. "You would be questioning if he was someone beyond saving…"
"W-what…did he do?" Midoriya asked, albeit fearfully.
All-Might fell silent.
"Well?! What did that crazy guy do!?" Bakugo demanded.
However, they would soon regret what they asked.
"…The kid known as Shepherd killed an A-rank villain, Muscular." He finally answered. "No…it's more accurate to say that he RAVAGED him."
"…" The room fell into silence. The news was that deafening for Midoriya and shocking for Bakugo. None of them were able to respond for several moments. It was only until Izuku chose to stir up the tense atmosphere with a single word. "…h-he…killed?"
"His acts of cruelty have been captured on camera." All-Might answered. "Before the USJ, he has been on the police's radar for several weeks after he killed no less than 5 Pro-Heroes and their sidekicks. A few days ago, a team of heroes were sent to trail the A-rank villain Muscular, who has fled to Kamino Ward for some reason and made some trouble. The League was rumoured to have caught wind of this and sent in their newest member, the Hellhound; a.k.a Shepherd."
Bakugo recalled the monstrous appearance of the white-haired boy he fought. "Hellhound?"
"That's right," All-Might nodded. "It was not something we could call a fight anymore; it was a slaughter fest. What few eye-witnesses reports stated it was like a scene from the depths of hell. Bodies were torn apart, blood splattering everywhere, and people screaming while their bodies were ravaged by deadly toxins…and Shepherd was in the middle of it all. He is suspected to have gone through the same procedure as that monster called a Noumu; a dangerous being with both a poisonous sludge quirk and a super-regeneration quirk, and that combination is enough to make him an extremely deadly individual."
Midoriya could not believe what he was hearing. No…it was like he refused to believe it. There was no way that shy but kind Hakazuka would become such a deranged monster took takes lives on a whim. But that thought struck down when he remembered what happened back in the USJ.
"…he's not the same person you once knew, young Midoriya…" All-Might spoke. The green-haired boy was about to say something back, but Yagi's raised hand paused him for a moment. "…but make no mistake, we will SAVE him. Principal Nezu and a few others are working on a solution to get that child out of the League's grasp."
All-Might allowed the two boys to process all of this, before continuing.
"This is a very delicate situation, and I'm going to have to talk to both of you more regarding young Hakazuka before his…disappearance. We have to know everything and anything about how he ended up in the League's hands," All-Might said finally. "He…he isn't there willingly, we sincerely hoped. In fact-" All-Might stopped speaking very abruptly, like he'd been about to let some crucial information slip.
Bakugo caught on to this as well. "What? What do you think happened to that quirkless dweeb?" He sounded angry, almost frightened, and Midoriya could have sworn he heard the sound of teeth grinding together.
All-Might paused, looking conflicted like he was considering what to tell them. Then he sighed, sounding too exhausted, too weary to go on. "I can't tell you…at least not now. There are still too many things we do not know, and it's also highly classified. If there's nothing else you wish to tell me, then you are free to go…oh young Midoriya, there's something else I have to say to you." It was a clear dismissal for Bakugo, and he silently stood up, making his way to the door.
"…so, you have nothing to say for yourself?" Izuku suddenly whispered.
"What was that, Deku?!" his head whirled around, Bakugo's face was red with frustration as Midoriya glared at him. "Try saying that one more time-"
"You're the one who made him like this…!" shouted Mdioriya, all traces of his initial fear gone and replaced by a look of anger, his eyes looking at Bakugo like he was a villain himself. "We…no, you especially…YOU WERE THE ONE WHO CAUSED HIM TO SUFFER LIKE THIS! Or have you forgotten his face because you don't bother to remember a quirkless nobody like him?!"
What the hell was the shitty nerd saying?! What was he trying to pull by saying all of this in front of All-Might himself?! Has he lost it?!
"Shut up…" said a trembling Bakugo, "SHUT UP DEKU!" he yelled and stomped towards Midoriya, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him roughly. "Since when did I ever forced him to commit suicide…since when did I forced him into a corner…HE WAS WEAK! HE WAS SHY AND QUIET! I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS BULLIED UNTIL THE DAY HE WAS GONE! HE DIDN'T SAY A GODDAMN THING!"
"YOU ARE THE REASON HAKAZUKA KILLED HIMSELF! YOU KNEW THOSE TWO WERE HARASSING HIM AND YOU DID NOT DO A SINGLE THING TO STOP THEM! AND WHY? BECAUSE YOU DID NOT CARE ABOUT ANYONE BESIDE YOURSELF KACCHAN!" Midoriya had tears rolling down his cheeks, not of sadness, but of pure anger. Why wasn't he admitting it…? Why doesn't Bakugo admit he was in the wrong after seeing what their classmate had become? The truth of their ex-classmate was being unravelled in the form of a living nightmare and he still denies it?! "You're right that you weren't involved in most of his bullying…but your words were the killing blow…YOU KILLED SOMEONE!"
"YOU DARE-?! THAT GUY WAS THE ONE WHO MADE THE CHOICE!" shouted Bakugo, with enough force to make Midoriya flinched. "WE ALWAYS HAD A CHOICE! AND THAT GUY WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO JOIN THE VILLAINS!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" All-Might shouted with intensity that caused the two boys to shut it immediately, the number 1 hero's stare making them break off the fight. "Young Bakugo…we'll continue this on another date, so please rest up…both of you, please calm down."
With that, Bakugo proceeded to leave the staff room with an angry huff.
"Rest well, young Bakugo." All-Might told one last thing to Bakugo. "Try not to let any of this affect you...I'll talk to you again at another day."
Bakugo was glaring at the ground, and he didn't look back.
With the explosive teen out of the room, All-Might heaved a sigh of relief and turned his attention to the now distraught Midoriya. "Young Midoriya…don't fret. Those who are aware of Shepherd's true identity are doing all we can to save him. The League may have done something to alter his memories…or even brainwash him to some extent, but I believe that as long we can contain him away from his captives, we can bring your friend back. So, you have to concentrate on the upcoming Sports Festival for now-"
"How could I concentrate…after what you just told me?!" The boy gritted his teeth in frustration.
"You have to get stronger young Midoriya, for both young Hakazuka and yourself," All-Might stated seriously, gazing at his protégé's injuries. "As it stands, you still can't adjust One for All. You have survived your encounter with the villains this time, but we have to be prepared for the upcoming battles, and the Sports Festival is the perfect opportunity to hone your control over One for All."
"It's the first time I actually tried using my power on villains…on him…" Midoriya said bitterly. "…and I almost got killed in the process."
"You are alive now…use that chance to get stronger," All-Might elaborated sternly. "To be honest, my time as the Symbol of Peace is running low…and the villains would have caught wind of it by now. What matter now is how you progress from here…how you overcome your failures and emerge even stronger, strong enough to take my place. And besides, you wish to save your friend, don't you?"
A determined nod was all All-Might needed.
"That's the way, my boy." All-Might grinned. "Let's get you started on your training, for it's time for you to tell the world…'I am here'."
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=[Gekai Private Hospital, Third level.]=
"We have an intruder on the premises." Jackal muttered as he scanned the security cameras, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "And a rude one at that."
"Hehehe, more prey?" The [Hyena] quirk martial artist, Scourge, licked his lips hungrily as he came over to observe the current situation. "Great timing…I was getting hungry."
"My god, your eating habits are still as sick and revolting as ever, Scourge." Mustard said, as he averted his face away from the bloodstained [Hyena] quirk user. The young boy was thankful for his gas mask, sparing him the putrid stench of his fellow companion's breath.
"You better not eat more than two this time, you damn cannibal." Jackal said, his eyes not leaving the security screens and their sole intruder for one second. "It's a wonder how I could stand you eating our merchandise like that. Just don't dirty the floor too much; I can't stand to see our dearest prisoners dying from an unhygienic environment just yet."
"Hahaha! I licked them clean and swallowed every single part of them, including their tears as they begged me!" Scourge said, as he licked his chops and displayed his bloody fangs.
"Good, at least you can clean up your messes…" Jackal said, turning to the three men in the group. "Mustard, haven't you deployed your gas? Tell us the state of the intruder."
"I already have…but-how is this possible?" Mustard muttered; his tone was rather surprised as he confirmed with the security cameras. "I can sense him moving through the gas, and he's walking through the first floor past the reception area."
"Why is that so surprising?" Scourge asked with glee, excited of the prospect of having a new snack to eat. "We'll kill him once you knocked him out with your sleeping gas whatsoever, and I'll eat him like a juicy little morsel…"
"That's the issue you dolt." Mustard snapped. "My sleeping gas is supposed to knock him out in seconds, but he's still waltzing through like he doesn't give a shit! Is it because of the mask he's wearing? Or does he have some kind of quirk which neutralized my gas?"
"In any case, the enemy is only one. We'll deal with him like the others and add him to our merchandise, or kill him if we have to." Jackal concluded and began to instruct his men. "Mustard, recall your gas; it appears your quirk's not going to work on the opponent this time. Scourge, go with Vulture and greet our little 'guest', and bring him to me."
"I don't think this guy's a hero…he's too rough to be one." Mustard deduced. "Could this guy be an agent sent from the League of Villains? The previous owner of this place did warn us that we were trespassing on their territory."
"There's nothing to worry about," Jackal reasoned calmly. "If things get hairy, I'll just have Siren stand by the basement."
"Heh, looks like you're completely useless this time huh?" Vulture; a.k.a Torishima sneered as he extended his red wings in full display and rose to the air. "Just leave this to me Jackal-sama, I'll bring down that idiot who dares intrude on our base."
"Stop blabbering and let's go." Scourge growled at the overzealous teen and made his way down to the hospital's first floor. "Let's just get this over with and eat-I meant kill this guy."
"Yeah yeah, I got it…geez." Even though he was a newbie, Torishima knew better then to cross the muscle of the group, especially when he's hungry. With that, the two of them left the room and made their way towards the intruder, leaving only the leader Jackal and [Gas] quirk user Mustard in the room.
Jackal continued to frown as he surveyed the white-haired individual through the cameras, taking note of his peculiar attire. "White hair…black clothes…dog mask…? Could this guy be-?"
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=[Gekai Private Hospital, First level]=
The interior of the old and desolate hospital was more spacious than Shepherd thought from its exterior. Dust coated the furniture and cockroaches could be seen scurrying everywhere, making it obvious that the building had not been taken care of for least a few weeks. Shepherd could also make out several bloodstains on the walls, and a cold wind was blowing into the building, scattering the many rubbish lying on the floor.
He was rather surprised when a blast of purplish gas enveloped the entire room for a moment, only to find out that he was unaffected by it. He did not know why, nor did he wish to know why, only knowing for a fact that it's probably someone's quirk.
The gas stayed for a while before it seemed to retreat back into the inner parts of the old hospital, prompting the [Toxic Sludge] to follow it into the dark corridors in the deeper parts of the first floor.
"…don't know what that gas was…but recalling it now just gives away your location…idiot…"
Shepherd stood still for a moment, and…the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard from the upper levels of the building, making Shepherd smile a little. Well…at least the targets are here.
"Making myself a threat would work…" Shepherd thought, morphing the sludge around his right arm into a dark devilish barrel, locked and loaded. "…Schwarz Hagel (Black Hail)."
The sludge bullets rained fire and blew apart the place, causing the two figures who were just about to rush into the room to yelp in surprise and ducked low. Debris and broken parts of the wall flew across the air as Shepherd stepped forward, noticing two very surprised figures in the dust cloud.
Then the dust settled and Shepherd could finally see them; a huge hulking man with features of a hyena wearing a dark-brown jacket, and a young teen with red wings protruding from his back and wore a metal mask resembling a beak of a vulture.
"Is this the guy?" the [Hyena] quirk man spoke, his bestial eyes flashing with annoyance, "That's quite the nasty quirk you have there buddy boy, who the hell are you?"
"Whatever, we'll take care of him like the rest of them!" The vulture-masked boy with wings yelled. "We'll show him the might of our group!"
"…I don't recall Sensei saying that the owner of this hospital had subordinates like you…" Shepherd observed, black sludge oozing out from his arms in copious amounts. "…I'll cut to the chase to save the hassle…where is Director Zuruichi Gekai?"
"Hmm? Were you related to that old coot who owned this place?" The large animal-hybrid man asked, as a wicked grin spread across his face. "Well…sorry to disappoint you, because I just had to eat him. With that being said…" Scourge unsheathed his claws and crackled his knuckles. "Let's see how you taste like!"
"…I see, you killed him? That's unexpected…" Shepherd muttered, slowly morphing the sludge around his arms into twin lances. "…at least I know you guys aren't part of the League of Villains…" Shepherd suddenly shot forward, slashing the space in front of him with his black armaments. "…so I'll kill you."
"Now you're talking!" Scourge yelled, as he retreated backwards and got into a fighting stance. "You definitely look more interesting than the usual prey who wander in here. You'll definitely worth eating!" Scourge reared back and prepared to slam Shepherd down with an overhead hammer punch. But Shepherd morphed his sludge into a spiked whip and prepared to slash the opponent in half with one swing before Scourge could even attack. But Scourge bent his back, and to Shepherd's astonishment, dodged the sludge weapon's swing at an impossible angle.
"Oh ho! Your reflexes aren't bad! But don't you dare underestimate the nimbleness of my body!" Scourge grinned maniacally as he lunged forward and delivered a series of clawed slashes that forced Shepherd to go on the defensive.
The white-haired boy was about to morph the sludge into another weapon, only to hear the sound of a bullet firing, and a burning sensation zipped past his cheek. He scowled as he recalled there was another annoying fly in the room, giving a side glare to the winged boy who had a pistol in his hands, the barrel aiming for his head. "Tch…missed."
"…Disgusting little rat…!"
"Oi oi oi! Don't get distracted in the middle of the fight!" Shepherd's eyes shot open when Scourge's ugly mug entered his field of vision with a clawed arm bulging with muscles poised to slash Shepherd's face.
"…tch-!" Shepherd clicked his tongue, ducking underneath the massive arm. However, Shepherd was shocked to see a knee kicking towards his head. "…this hyena bastard…!" Shifting his body backwards, Shepherd barely avoided the devastating knee kick; the sheer force of the impact slicing the skin off the [Toxic Sludge] quirk user's torso. As Shepherd continued to dodge Scourge's punches and kicks, he was also annoyed by how the partner of the latter was hovering at a safe distance, taking aim at Shepherd with the pistol in his hand. "…Annoying little fly…! I have to get rid of the hyena freak first…!" Shepherd used his sludge to continuously offset the martial artist's impactful blows, and tried to morph the sludge into a sledgehammer, aiming towards Scourge's unguarded legs. However, Scourge kicked his leg out instead, the powerful kick was strong enough to splatter the sludge creation apart and found its mark in Shepherd's abdomen, making him cough out and knocked back into a wall.
Shepherd tried to stand back up, but a few skillful shots from Vulture caused his feet to buckle and crash back to the ground. "Hehehe! I don't think so pal!"
"It's been fun kid." Scourge gave an evil smirk, lifting Shepherd up by his throat and raised his limp body high into the air with his right arm. "But it's time to put an end to your little 'intrusion'. It's snack time…huh?"
The [Hyena] quirk villain was nearby about his sink his teeth into Shepherd's neck. But Vulture ad Scourge were both surprised when they saw that the wounds and bruises inflicted onto the intruder were beginning to heal and rapidly recovered.
"Regeneration? Is that why he took those punches so easily!?" Scourge thought, grabbing Shepherd by the neck with both hands this time and strangled him. "I must say you surprised me kid, having two quirks in one person isn't something you see every day. You may heal fast, but it doesn't matter…" Scourge smirked as he watched Shepherd gasped for air. "I don't think your regeneration can save you if I gouge out your heart or rip that head off your shoulders clean right? It would be so easily to kill you now."
"Oi Scourge," Torishima asked. "Wouldn't Jackal-sama want to interrogate this guy? Don't kill him just yet."
"Shut it newbie, don't tell me what to do." Scourge snapped back to Vulture. "It's been so long ever since I found some decent prey besides those crying patients. I've been holding back so much…eating those unresistant bodies without much of a fight, it's too boring! With this guy…I can…I can finally feast-!"
"…you're quite the fun guy…but you talk too much…" Hands gripped Scourge's arms tightly and made the [Hyena] quirk villain widen his eyes in shock as Shepherd glared at him, his purple eyes dancing with a malevolent light. The muscular villain's eyes shot fully open as black sludge gushed out from Shepherd like a surging torrent, creeping onto Scourge's arms and soon his entire body. He did not have time to scream as the black liquid metal worked its way into his mouth and poured inside. "…looks like you're the one who's going to be eaten…from the inside out, that is." The voice of Shepherd stated with a bone-chilling tone that promised untold pain and misery.
"T-This is…poison?!"
"V-Vulture you bastard-! Don't just stand there and help me!" The youth just stood there and shook uncontrollably, his face blanched and his face in absolute terror as he watched what was happening to his soon-to-be dead comrade.
"P-Please…" The [Hyena] quirk villain made one last desperate whimper. "H-Have…mercy…!"
"…mercy?" Shepherd whispered. "…too late for that, I'm afraid."
Scourge let out one final gurgled scream of horror as he felt the poisonous metal oozing inside him and began to tear his body apart from the inside out; dark splotches appearing on his skin while Shepherd watched him with mad, twisted eyes. By the time Shepherd was done, Scourge's body stopped shivering and fell to the ground as a blighted corpse; black sludge oozing from every opening of his body and his face locked in terror.
"…you're next." Shepherd snapped his attention towards a horrified Torishima.
=[]=
Torishima ran for dear life.
He ran and ran and ran.
"This isn't supposed to happen!" Torishima screamed mentally as he raced past the toxified corpse of his former companion and ran away from Shepherd. "Isn't this guy supposed to be some scrub who happens to waltz in here by mistake? What the hell was that quirk?!"
He could still remember Scourge's angry plead for help as he was mercilessly taken down by the white-haired demon that hunted him like a hound for hell. That cannibal powerhouse was supposedly a monster who took down several heroes with ease before, and yet he was killed so easily!
That guy wasn't human…it wasn't a villain. It was a freaking monster!
Torishima inwardly cursed for why he had to go through all of this. Ever since he was expelled for driving that quirkless crybaby to suicide, he had lost everything; his parents…friends…his future prospects. He was treated like some criminal and faced the judgmental glares of others. He hated that…why should he be blamed when that quirkless nobody jumped off the roof by himself? Fortunately, his luck finally returned when he chanced upon the group 'Scavenge', which took him in, the leader Jackal promising him power and money. He didn't care what shady business they were in; as long as he can have a place somewhere, he was willing to be a villain for what's worth.
But now, he was extremely close to death.
"What are you doing Vulture!?" Jackal's voice demanded from Torishima's earpiece, his voice lacing with dangerous amounts of annoyance. "I saw what happened in the cameras; what the hell did that guy do to Scourge?! And why are you running away!?"
"I-I don't know Jackal-sama!" The [Pterodactyl] quirk boy answered frantically as he ran for his life. "The guy was pummelled hard by Scourge but he got some regeneration quirk that healed him! Not only that, he could control some black substance that he forced Scourge to swallow and now he's DEAD! He's now-GARGH! He's right behind me!"
"…found you…!"
Torishima's eyes widened, the voice of the masked demon uttering that spine-chilling sentence as he emerged from behind him, chasing him like how a wolf catches its prey. The [Pterodactyl] quirk user could have sworn he saw the dog-mask, which was set into a fanged snarl, curl into a grin.
"HELP ME! JACKAL-SAMA!"
"Grr…you blubbering fool!" A sound of a fist banging a hard surface could be heard from the other end of the transmission. "Listen! Just don't let that guy catch you and run to the basement where we keep the patients. I have already placed Siren there to take care of this mess so don't screw this up!"
With a hysterical scream, Torishima complied to his leader's instructions and made his way to one of the wards, pushing aside one of the beds and revealed a hidden stairway leading underground. He tried not to look back as Shepherd was hot on his heels.
"Even for a coward he's annoyingly fast…" Shepherd grumbled while he pursued the villain known as Vulture. Not planning to let off his prey anytime soon, he jumped into the hidden passage and followed Vulture into the stairway.
Before long, numerous holding cells could be seen in the dark basement. The only thing which allowed Shepherd to see were a few flickering light bulbs swaying overhead. Shepherd walked cautiously, and found tens of young patients inside who were sitting on the cold concrete; the oldest being around 20 while the youngest looked no older than 7.
"…So that's where all the patients are…no wonder it feels so deserted…"
Curious, Shepherd went over to the cage and observed the imprisoned children. However, even with the appearance of the white-haired boy, the patients showed no visible reaction and their dull, lifeless eyes stared at the empty space. Shepherd rapped his hand on the bars and made some noise, but their expressions remained unfocused and zombie-like.
"…what's wrong with them?" Shepherd wondered.
"Psycho Flute: Slumbering Performance"
Suddenly, music could be heard. A weird sensation overcame Shepherd's senses and caused his legs to buckle down, the eerie music making his mind jumble. Everything in his vision was beginning to twist like an abstract painting and he found himself on his knees from losing his sense of balance.
"What's happening…?" Shepherd thought with confusion, abruptly finding himself surrounded by dark waters.
Shepherd glanced up to see where that music was coming from as a new figure stepped out into the flickering lights; a petite girl with shoulder-long violet hair and teal-coloured eyes gazing Shepherd disinterestedly, her slender fingers playing an entrancing melody on a wooden transverse flute. The entrancing music seemed to reverberate in the entire area and the more Shepherd listened to it, the more his mind seemed to turning into mush; he can't even think straight.
"...I-Impossible! A sound attack? Is this her quirk? Shepherd thought in slight panic, his body failing him as he fell on his knees. He could only look up to see the girl's lifeless eyes gazing down at him.
"…my name is Hichikiri Shizune…villain name, Siren." The girl suddenly spoke in a monotone. "I like music and ice cream. I dislike cats because they scratch, and large crowds because they scare me. I am a villain just like you, and…I have killed 60 people."
"...Who is she…?" Shepherd was slightly thrown off by the girl's weird introduction, but his thoughts were beginning to blur by the effects of the girl's music.
"I'm sorry," she said. "But the least I can do is play a melody to ease your suffering."
The music invaded Shepherd's senses until his mind completely blacked out. The boy futilely tried to cover his ears but he felt his unconsciousness fading, as if he was slowly falling into the darkness' embrace.
"…D-Dammit…!"
.
=[Yuuei. Training Ground Zeta: Open field]=
After the incident at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, classes resumed as per usual with most of Midoriya and his classmates back in tip-top condition. The students were informed that, despite the villain invasion, the U.A Sports Festival will be proceeded as planned, and recuperating from their previous injuries were the least of the students' concerns.
Currently it was basic hero training for class 1-A, a session where the students have free reign to experiment and train their quirks for the upcoming competition, honing their abilities on one of the many training grounds of U.A.
"Vlad King, time to switch over." Aizawa greeted the homeroom teacher of Class 1-B, who were currently occupying the training grounds, the former's voice incredibly muffled by the bandages wrapping around his face. "The rest of you…don't just dawdle around. Dedicate yourself to warming up and getting your groove back; you all may have recovered, but take things slow."
Most of the class 1-A heroes quickly complied, but a couple of still-recovering individuals like Tsuyu Asui and Kirishima decided to sit this one out; the former had a bandage wrapped around her tongue while the latter looked like a mummy. Uraraka looked distracted…strained as though something was bothering her.
Tenya was escorting them to the resting bench when he saw Monoma sauntering towards them. A few other of his classmates saw this as well, and cast a wary look at the class 1-B [Copy] quirk user. Nothing good ever comes out of this guy's mouth, as far as they knew.
Monoma had his usual smug grin plastered on his face. "I hear that you guys got creamed by a single villain."
Tenya frowned at that. Monoma has never been fond of class 1-A since the very beginning, always finding ways to compare his own class against theirs in ridiculous ways. Not that his usual ramblings have affected the class in any way…it was sometimes rather comical instead. However this time, the touchy topic brought a heavy sense of foreboding to him and everyone else listening in.
"I mean…even for a first encounter with actual villains, isn't the outcome a little too disappointing?"
Monoma continued, not caring about the warning glares given to him by the students of class 1-A, especially from a certain [Explosion] quirk youth. "The students of class A have been selected based on the entrance exams for both combat and rescue abilities, so it's safe to say that you guys have better combat and practical experience, don't you agree? Against a single villain, I would have expected better from guys in class 1-A. Aren't you guys supposed to be the best? I bet if it's someone from class 1-B, then-"
Tenya cut him off, "If you're not here to give constructive feedback, please leave." His tone was polite, but the intonation of it was sharp and threatening. He just had enough with this guy; the morale of his class has drastically lowered because of him.
Monoma gave a wry smile, but didn't stop. Instead, he turned his attention to an extremely irate Bakugo. "Ah yes, you are somewhat famous yourself, Mr Victim-of-the-sludge-incident! You must tell me, how does it feel to be attacked another [Sludge] villain again this year?"
Bakugo blasted the bench beside him to bits with a loud blast of his explosive sweat, making everyone flinched as he glared at Monoma with so much hatred, Iida could feel his bloodlust. "You little smartass…I dare you to say that again."
"What?" Monoma retorted smugly. "All I'm saying is that we expect better out of someone from-"
An audible whack made the boy stumble before a girl with long orange hair tied to a side-ponytail. "Sorry about that, bet this idiot didn't know you guys faced against a S-rank villain. Anyways…you guys alright? We all know you been through a lot so don't take this idiot seriously okay?" Kendou Itsuka gave an apologetic bow before dragging the semi-conscious Monoma away.
After class 1-B left, Bakugo angrily kicked the ground and proceeded to train on his own. Iida turned to his friends, who all wore the same crestfallen expressions as he did. A couple of them weren't involved in the gruesome confrontation that day, but they had heard enough to know what a traumatic experience this was for their classmates who did.
"How dare he said something like that," Uraraka was trembling slightly from anger, and fear. "What does he know about us…how we tried to fight…just how close we were to dying…! He doesn't know how we felt-"
"I know…I know Uraraka," Iida interjected. "But letting him get into you is probably what he's aiming for. We can't let petty insults get the better of us." In truth, Iida wasn't sure if he had any right to comfort her. He was the one who escaped the facility to get help thanks to his classmates. But by the time he came back, words can't describe how horrified and livid he felt as he saw the bodies of his classmates brutally beaten to the ground.
"But what he said was true, to be honest." Sero gave a weak chuckle. "We were totally pulverised back there."
"You can't say that," Tsuyu ended up being the optimistic one, though her words were pronounced wrongly thanks to her tongue not fully recovered. "That villain was a S-rank villain who killed multiple Pro-heroes in cold blood. Facing him and being able to survive is nothing short of a miracle-ribbit."
"Asui is right," Everyone's attention focused on Midoriya. "This isn't luck…we fought off the villains to the best of our ability and we managed to survive. As long as we are alive, we can get stronger." Izuku clenched his fist as everyone nodded vigorously. "The villains may have caught us off-guard before…but next time, we'll be ready."
.
=[Gekai Private Hospital. Basement]=
Ahhh…seriously. What a blunder.
It wasn't long before Shepherd woke up, his hands and feet shackled with chains that were nailed to the wall, completely obstructing the use of his four limbs. His mask was also taken off.
"Oh, he's awake."
Shepherd's head raised up when a new voice spoke up. He quickly scanned the room and spotted three figures standing before him. The furthest was the boy with the bird-mask and wings on his back, the one called Vulture. Next to him was another individual, probably a boy from his clothes, wearing a green gas mask. The third and final person was sitting in a chair right in front of Shepherd, a tall and lanky man in a suit with slicked-back black hair, and circular glasses framing his calculating eyes.
"…You are the leader of this group I guess?" Shepherd asked, making the man's cold gaze meet his own. "…Jackal, isn't it? I could hear your beloved lackey screaming as he ran for his life."
"Boy, you're either extremely brave…or just plain stupid to come here and make demands of us." The tall man called Jackal spoke with a small smile growing on his lips. "You really gave us quite a fright, barging into our little hideout like that, not to mention killing Scourge," Jackal stated as he stood up. "But I hardly believe that someone would just happen to waltz in this old, run-down hospital and start killing the first person they see. Someone sent you here, isn't that right?"
Shepherd remained silent, trying to move his arms and legs. However, the extremely durability of the metal casings covering the entirely of his limbs prevented any hope of movement. He tried to let forth the toxic sludge being secreted within his body, but there was not enough room for it to morph into anything.
"Well, it doesn't matter." Jackal told him, coming to a stop and pressed his index finger to the restrained Shepherd's forehead. "No one hides anything from me."
"Brain Jack."
A painful sensation surged through Shepherd's brain like an electric current, making Shepherd let out an involuntary gasp of pain as he felt as though his brain was being fried by a voltage shock. He wanted to move away but the restrains were holding him still, making him completely at mercy to his captor. A few moments later, Jackal removed his finger and gazed at the panting Shepherd with astonished eyes.
"…what did you do, you bastard…?" he demanded.
Jackal chuckled at that. "Like it? That's my quirk, [Brain Eater], an aspect of it allows me to invade my target's brain and watch through your recent memories like a video recording by simply touching your forehead. It's a little tiring, but it's extremely useful for extracting information out of others; that's how I got to know about this place, which belonged to the League of Villains. Are you impressed, boy? Or should I say, Mr Shepherd – the Hellhound of the League?"
"…So, your ability is similar to mind-reading." Shepherd snapped. "…saves me the hassle of explaining why I'm here then. You have made an enemy out of Sensei, Jackal…if the previous owner has indeed died, there would be no reason to keep the rest of you alive."
"Do you not see the situation you're in?" Jackal quirked an eyebrow. "But I must say, I did not expect the League of send the famous Shepherd all the way to here; you are quite the wanted man after all. I could easily break you just like the rest of the patients here."
"…What have you done to the patients here?" Shepherd growled. "Was it that girl who played that flute and knocked me out…? Just what is her quirk?"
"Oh, you mean Siren?" Jackal asked. "I'm afraid that I can't tell you; she's our secret weapon after all. She's the reason why we are able to take over this establishment and the noisy patients without much of a hassle."
"…The people hospitalized here," Shepherd muttered, "…I just don't see what merit you could possibly get from sick and weak people."
"Human test subjects…live guinea pigs," Jackal replied, gesturing towards the many holding cells full of dazed youths imprisoned in the basement. "Patients with little or no background, coming from lowly families who can't afford treatment at a decent hospital. I don't think anyone would care if one or two were to mysteriously vanish into thin air; many of them are doomed to terminal illnesses after all. But these people can still serve a purpose…more than what you League of Villains rabble had planned for them. Just a bit of fiddling with their minds, and they had become the ideal merchandise."
Shepherd frowned at that. "…What did you do to them? A doing of that girl with the flute?"
Jackal's smile widened.
"My [Brain Eater] allows me to read the memories of those I touched, starting with the most recent recollections. But seeing too deeply will cause severe…aftereffects. Now those children are as innocent as new-born babies."
"Our initial plan was to transport groups of the patients to our clients within a few weeks," Jackal continued, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched how helpless Shepherd was. "But now that you're here, there might be a chance that the League may sense something's amiss and send more reinforcements. It looks like we may have to hasten our plans, before the cat gets out of the bag."
"…You won't get away with this, you bastards." Shepherd growled, an angry guttural voice. "…no one crosses Sensei and gets away with it…!"
"Let's see your 'Sensei' come and save you, given his weakened condition. Don't forget, I now know about the current strength of the League of Villains." Jackal spoke out, staring at Shepherd. "Once we are done with this place, I will kill you as well…or would you rather me break your mind like the others and sell you as a human guinea pig?"
"…you-!"
"You two, guard him until I get back." Jackal instructed both Mustard and Vulture as he made his way back to the staircase leading to the upper floors. "If he makes as much as an attempt to escape, kill him."
.
"As expected of Jackal-sama…" Torishima whistled as his boss exited the basement, leaving him and Mustard to guard Shepherd.
"…so noisy." Shepherd grumbled. This guy's voice was seriously pissing him off.
When Torishima heard his voice, he frowned. "Your voice sounds familiar…Have we met before?"
Shepherd took a split second to think. This noisy idiot's voice was also familiar to him. Familiar and infuriating. The more he listened to him ramble, the more he felt like massacring him. Was this guy part of the reason he can't remember anything from his past?
"…No."
Torishima examined his face. Spiky white hair, purple eyes…That defiant look of his. But the clinching factor was his voice. He knew that tone…if he didn't know any better, he swore he looked like…
…that quirkless crybaby, Hakazuka Kotaro.
A large grin broke out on his face. "Wha-seriously?! To think you became a villain…" he threw his head back laughing. "Where have you been in the last 6 months?! What's with that super edgy outfit and quirk? You're with the League of Villains now? After all the efforts people took to find your body after you disappeared, and this is where you end up?! Oh wow…I must thank Siren for this! Were it not for her, I wouldn't have this chance to pay you back for what you made me went through after my expulsion from Aldera Junior High!"
"What the…you know this guy?" Mustard asked, surprised that the newest member of their group would have connections to a dangerous S-rank villain like Shepherd.
"This guy was the quirkless nobody who jumped off the school roof!" Vulture, a.k.a Torishima answered with glee, moving towards the annoyed Shepherd and pulled his hair up to have a better look at his face. It has aged, but was certainly the same face of Torishima's favourite punching bag back in junior high. "Because of someone like him…I was punished for something I did not even do! Killing him! Just look at him – this guy got a completely makeover and some hair dye…but I can recognize that face anywhere…the crybaby who ruined my entire life!"
Shepherd glared at him as the noisy bastard continued to yank on his hair. "…what are you talking about?"
"Oh, don't remember me? You got amnesia or memory-loss?" Torishima grinned even further. "Stop trying to bluff; that kind of shit only happens in a manga! Don't you dare forget that you're nothing…appearing after all this time with a new name and appearance, I will always remember your shitty face! And that shitty nerd Deku! And that back-stabbing bastard Bakugo for selling me out!"
"Wait a minute…isn't he supposed to be quirkless? Are you sure-Oi! Jackal told us to only kill him if he tries to escape!" Mustard warned Torishima as he proceeded to beat up the restrained Shepherd with a gleeful look on his twisted face.
"…I repeat…What the hell are you talking about?" Shepherd grew irate as Torishima rained blows and low kicks on him. Who the hell was this guy talking about? Deku…Bakugo…? He could have sworn to have heard those names during the USJ attack, but he could no longer remember for some reason.
Seriously…what was with these people claiming to know him…he was feeling even more annoyed and murderous the longer he heard this guy blabber on and on.
"Hey Hakazuka, why aren't you saying anything? What happened to all that vigour and bravery you displayed before you jumped to your death? Huh?! Tell me what have you been doing all this time while I was shunned by everyone because of what you did, you suicide bastard!"
Mustard watched from a distance while Torishima continued kicking him.
"You think you're hot stuff just because you somehow managed to get a quirk? Has the quirkless coward forgotten his place?" he smirked.
"Oi! Vulture, stop that!" Mustard shouted with panic evident behind his gas mask. "Are you trying to piss him off?! Didn't you see what he did to Scourge you imbecile?!"
"Don't you dare tell me what to do Mustard! Jackal-sama said it to us just now right; his quirk's useless if his arms are bound tight. He can't do shit to us!"
Shepherd's eyes became dangerous, evident by the sclera of his eyes slowly infected black by toxic sludge within his body. His purple eyes started to shake with uncontained anger. "…I am not a quirkless coward…you noisy fly."
"Really now…it's your fault you jumped off the roof that day! You never fought back because you're WEAK! I can never understand why I must take the blame for a weakling that wanted to die on his own accord! If you wanted to die so bad…do it without bothering ME!" The black-haired [Pterodactyl] quirk user screamed in frustration.
That was the wrong choice of words. If the absolute fury present in Shepherd's eyes held any indication, Torishima had just signed his own death warrant.
"Well, that doesn't matter anymore…because I can finally pay back for all those painful months I've endured, thanks to a suicide bastard like you!" Torishima leaned in and whispered into Shepherd's ear, while brandishing the pistol he was given by Jackal. "You have regeneration right~? For starters, how about I shoot your-!"
*SQUEECH!*
He was cut off as a sharp and searing pain erupted from the side of his face. "GAR-GRAGGH-!" he fell hard on his butt to see a whole bloody ear dangling from Shepherd's teeth, crudely torn off from the base.
Torishima held a shaking hand up to the side of his head, stemming the blood streaming down it, his face twisted into one of horror and shock before the pain finally registered through his nerves.
"…My quirk [Toxic Sludge]…can be expelled from any part of my body," Shepherd rolled the detached ear in his mouth before spitting it out, ignoring the painful screams of Torishima, who was clutching his head and rolling on the floor in extreme agony. "From any part of my skin… any bit of my flesh…to the tips of my fingernails…even my saliva. Don't think you're safe just because you sealed my arms and legs."
"Y-You…you son of a bitch-!"
The right side of Torishima's head was steadily oozing blood, parts of his flesh slowly turning black as the toxins were taking effect. The [Gas] quirk user Mustard standing guard by the holding cell's door stepped back in shock, an audible gasp could be heard. Shepherd raised his head, licking away the leftover blood and pieces of flesh on his mouth while giving them a cold look, as if finding the two lackeys insignificant.
"…When you're bitten, bite back." The white-haired villain told them, almost mockingly. "…that is the way of the hellhound."
.
=[To be Continued]=
.
A/N: Leave a comment on what you think! Criticism is welcomed. I'm currently thinking up some more special moves for Shepherd, so if you have a suggestion...you can leave it in a comment!