Waves as thick as lava crash into the structure amidst the vast stretch of sea. Steam wafts from where rain breaches the surface, hissing under the hot glare of spotlights scanning the water. Dark clouds circle overhead, mirrored by the ocean as it whirls in broad destructive strokes. About five kilometers from the mainland, the massive detention facility resides in open waters. The only accessible route to the prison is a long narrow bridge, heavily guarded and secured with clearance checkpoints. Anyone that goes in doesn't ever come out.
Hawks soars overhead, feathered wings trembling under the turbulence of high velocity winds. It's even harder to fight the pressure pushing against his flight with added weight. Riding atop his back, is the one crazy enough to have come to the prison willingly. The Tokyo Ghoul, though still just a teenager, is rather heavy. Hawks half expected Aogiri's leader to lead a suicidal charge, but the boy proved himself more strategic than that. An attack from above, dropping down into the facility, it's something only the hero as a member could do.
But of course, Hawks wouldn't be entrusted to the task of breaking into Tartarus alone. Despite ranking as the new number two in the hero listings, not even he could manage to pull off such a deed. The other Aogiri members will be launching their own assaults. Geten, the one wearing a parka, adapts to his environment. Rather than an aerial strike like the hero, the villain freezes particles in the water below to create a path of ice. A bridge of his own making leads a simultaneous attack from beneath. Had Hawks not joined up with the villain group, he wonders if that would have been the only additional approach up their sleeve.
On the pre existing access route, the others create a diversion by attacking straight on. Even in the downpour of rain, Dabi produces flames that illuminates the bridge in blue long casted shadows of Aogiri's members. The fire is kept burning and increases in magnitude with the aid of Tatara manipulating it. Hawks had learned much too late that the villain's quirk is a form of pyrokinesis. Paired with Dabi, Tatara and he make a destructive duo. Drones constructed to defend the compound melt from the extreme heat and combust when their wires spark from the inside. Living guards don't fare any better, their blood curdling screams doing nothing to extinguish the flames engulfing their bodies.
"Eto", Dabi calls out to the mummified femme fatale skipping along the burning bridge, "You're up!" Hawks glides just beyond them, blanching as he watches the petite girl's transformation. The bandages wrapped around her frame begin to tear and rip like her hooded cloak as she increases her mass. Spires start protruding from the villainous' back, glowing a red hue. The rest of her bulked body is as pale as the hero.
Eto had morphed into a one eyed monstrosity, her size and scale now matching the prison's front gate. Hawks only now recognizes the beast as the infamous villain known as The Owl. Eto charges into the thick bronze barrier between her and Tartarus, quaking the material and bending the area of impact so that she leaves a huge dent. Hawks has no doubt that all it will take is a second charge for the Owl's usage as a battering ram to work. He faces forward, willing himself not to look back and witness it anymore than he already has.
Instead, the hero spots Geten's assault from the bottom of the prison. Walking the path of ice with him are Noro and Curious. Hawks blinks once, and then twice. Right up until the bitter end of their planning, he had been kept out of the loop. He hadn't been informed of Geten receiving backup when they were told they'd be splitting into pairs. Curious produces handfuls of pebbles from her coat pockets as they near the jail's wall. Geten spreads his ice from the sturdy structure that he's made to the rampart. The wall now weakened, thanks to the combined effort of teamwork, Curious is able to create a hole when she throws her rocks at the iced area.
Curious has a quirk that allows her to detonate anything she touches, the pebble projectiles functionally explosives. Once she makes a gap big enough in the wall for she and her villainous friends to breach the compound, the raid on the facility begins. More guards reside beyond the barrier, armed to the teeth. Gunfire rains down on the trio more than the actual monsoon. Geten throws up a shielding of ice for he and Curious. Noro, however, takes the bullets head on. The villain staggers back from the amount of lead filling his body, but he doesn't fall. The smile on Noro's mask taunts the guards as they keep shooting at the villain who refuses to die.
Instead of stumbling back, Noro begins swaggering forward. Slow steps stomp towards the security soldiers as they empty their rounds. Shells clatter against the ground. Not just from their chambers. Bullets begin falling out of the holes they made in the villain. Noro's quirk not only gives him an intense pain tolerance, but a zombified type of regeneration. The swaying of what should be a corpse gains velocity, moving at a brisker pace. Then, Noro rushes the guards. The sudden sprint catches them by surprise. A startled shout from one gets cut short, a blade sinking into their throat. Hawks looks away, unable to watch.
As a hero, he wants to intervene. However, if he were to try, he doesn't think he'd be able to stop them all alone. So, he instead follows through and begins his own assault. A downward swoop that uses the wind's force as an added boost gets him past the wall's turrets and into the compound. For extra measure, Hawks uses his own quirk to let loose a few of his feathers to destroy the wall's defenses. The Tokyo Ghoul unleashes his centipede-like appendages to commence their attack upon landing, crushing border bots easily. Behind them, the bronze gate falls. Hawks forces himself not to glance back, focusing on eliminating security drones.
All of Aogiri reunites now that they've breached the compound, each strike squad meeting in the center of the entrance's plaza. And just in the knick of time, the alarm sounding to indicate the interior of the prison has gone on lockdown. Blast doors are quadruple layered and electrofied as more defense drones robotically maneuver to protect the gates. Eto cackles with glee, voice malformed by her transformation. Then, she proceeds to swipe wildly at the mindless machines, destroying them. Whatever robots get past her are frozen and shattered by Geten, the rain serving as perfect ammunition for the villain's quirk. One gets close to Curious, but the villainous is prepared for it, her bracelet transforming into a blocky gauntlet capable of bashing the machine inwards. Hawks hadn't considered Detneret supplying the group with support gear, but now he's reminded of that problematic possibility.
"We go at the next opening!", the hero snaps out of his thoughts when he hears the ghoul shouting orders. Momentarily, Hawks wonders what the Aogiri leader means. However, he soon puts it together when another round of guard bots roll out. The seals that slide open to release defense drones act in intervals. Each time those flaps flip upwards, that's an opportunity to get inside the prison. The ghoul confirms the hero's deductive reasoning when he shouts, "Now!"
"Out of my way", Dabi unleashes an inferno that incinerates the collection of drones. Thanks to that clearing, everyone is able to move unrestricted to the prison's opening. Smoke obscures their location on the security cameras as well. Eto shrinks back to her regular size in order to fit through the jail's opening, spires receding from her back and singular eye splitting into two. Tatara hops up, followed by Noro and Geten.
Hawks is worried that he's falling behind, but manages to catch up right as Curious climbs in. She turns around and reaches out, lending him a hand for support. "Come on!", the villainous grabs onto the hero and pulls him inside. The access hatch slams shut behind him just as he makes it. It's thanks to the criminal's effort to aid him that he managed to tag along.
"Appreciate it", Hawks flashes her a smile to show his gratitude. Though the expression isn't visible in the lightless space until Dabi creates a flame from his palm. By then, the hero has stopped grinning and gasps at what he sees.
They've entered the processing plant for the drones. Conveyor belts carry parts around as helper arms put those pieces together. The construction site is massive, unlit and damp due to its location on the bank of the ocean. Mildew fills the air and mold climbs corners as water drips down onto the machinery. Sparks suddenly fly, helping Dabi illuminate the area; Hawks spots the location of where the bots get their shielding welded on.
But where the others are looking, is the maintenance door to get further into the compound. "We have to keep moving", Tatara urges them all to continue their raid. The ghoul nods in agreement. And they hurry to push past the construction site, breaking into a jog. Hawks pauses when he sees Curious and Eto lingering a little. A blush dusts his cheeks below his visor when he sees why. Eto's clothes were torn when she transformed, so Curious is lending her the jacket that she brought with her.
Suddenly, the sound of gunfire draws him back into the dire situation. Automated machine guns that have been mounted to the ceiling open fire on the group once they enter a corridor. Noro takes the hits with no problem, reacting to the injuries with no more than a flinch. However, Geten isn't fast enough to create an ice barrier this time, one of the bullets grazing his shoulder. The villain cries out in pain as he grasps the wound. Hawks reacts instinctively, using his wings to throw daggered feathers at the ceiling turrets.
"You alright?", the ghoul falters and shows some concern for his comrade. Geten groans, still clinging to the spot where he was grazed by a bullet. Blood seeps through his fingertips, the ice villain not applying enough pressure.
"Pussy", Dabi on the other hand mutters his disapproval at how dramatic Geten is being. He earns a glare from his ally, but he doesn't budge, returning the look with a dry stare.
Geten uses his quirk to frost the flesh wound, chilling the gunscrape. The villain hisses through his teeth as the ice does its work. Once he's stopped the bleeding, Geten gives a shaky nod towards his leader and dismisses Dabi's disapproval, "I'm fine."
The ghoul appears to be apprehensive at first, but responds with his own nod. "Let's keep going then", and helps Geten to his feet while ushering the others forward.
As they run down the hallway, a barrier begins to lower ahead of them. The security system is trying to block their path. Before it can completely shut though, the centipede protrusions belonging to the ghoul lash out and clasp onto the metallic door. The constricting forces struggle against one another momentarily, but it's the system's lock mechanism that gives out first. The centipede appendages push upwards, lifting the barrier. The gears that work the door buckle and break under the pressure.
Instead of turrets or drones, the group is met by a living security detail this time on the other side. Hawks worries for their safety, but is mildly relieved to see these guards have been provided with better body armor than the ones at the front entrance were given. When Curious smashes her cubed gauntlet against one's chest, they get knocked back, but don't fold. Dabi and Tatara's combined forces also don't seem to phase the protective gear; the material is more than fire retardant. Though there's still Eto, Noro, and the ghoul himself. Fearing the safety of the guards if those three let loose, Hawks springs to action.
The hero whips a sentryman with one of his wings, clipping their helmeted head and jogging their brain. It's better to knock them out than for them to die, he figures. Hawks swiftly slides across the room to deliver another decisive blow to the next guard's legs. It makes them topple and exposes their nape where the helmet and protective back padding disconnect. Hawks drives his elbow into the area of weakness, making them go limp. That leaves four more that have their guns drawn on him. Hawks unfurrows his feathers, the less than delicate plumage spearing the weapons and driving them out of the guard's hands.
Hawks isn't fast enough to stop Noro from attacking one. The villain is just backing him up, but he still feels guilty for not handling it alone. Especially when Hawks hears the wet squelch of a blade sinking into flesh. A guard just died because the hero wasn't capable of doing more than disarming them. Hawks curses himself as he watches the body topple over, now a lifeless corpse. The remaining few are swept aside by a larger centipede appendage belonging to the ghoul, the impact rattling their armor from how strong it is. Hawks hopes the blunt force only shattered a few bones and didn't kill them.
He glances at the security camera mounted above him, flashing it a quick pleading look for them not to send more guards. It's not just a risky move on his part should the Aogiri members notice, but it's less than likely for the people manning the security system to notice themselves. Still, he can't help but take the chance and try to risk it. It doesn't hurt to try, he tells himself. Then he's following the villains deeper into the compound, prepared to hurt more people should anyone get in their way.
Hawks is surprised that they aren't busting everyone out. They pass a lot of the cell doors, not bothering to give them a moment's glance. Since they went through all the trouble of breaking into the most heavily guarded prison ever, the hero figured the villain group would make it worth their effort. And yet, it seems Aogiri has a very specific selected few in mind. Hawks worries who out of everyone kept in Tartarus will they seek to release.
Criminals with a wide range of quirks are locked behind the jail's walls. The villains are divided up among six cell blocks, depending on the danger that their quirks represent and the severity of their cases. Considering Aogiri has gone past half of those cell blocks, Hawks can only assume the group is after the worst of the worst. The more dangerous the individual, the deeper they are kept within the prison. The deepest level of the prison is B10, located five hundred meters below sea level.
"Where are we headed?", Hawks tries his luck a little and hopes his suspicions aren't true about how deep they're going to go. Dabi finishes roasting a few security drones before reconjoining with the group as they venture into the next level.
"B10", and the Tokyo Ghoul's answer confirms the hero's dreaded theory. Aogiri is hoping to release the strongest, deadliest, most dangerous of convicts. Considering the team's lineup is already formidable, Hawks doesn't want to imagine what the additional members will be like.
But the thing is, even when the group gets to B10, they stroll past the cells there. Hawks holds his tongue, trying not to ask any questions. He can see Curious has just as much barely contained curiosity. Eventually, the team comes to a stop. It's a dead end. Or so it seems. Behind the yellow visor covering his face, the hero's eyes widen in terror. He knows exactly who Aogiri is after now. The ghoul tears the secret covering from its hinges using his armored limbs to get at the most secured villain of them all.
Hawks plucks two feathers, one from each wing, and extends their length. Manipulating their nature, the plumage is sharpened into sword-like blades. The hero moves to get in between the high security cell and Aogiri. He plants his feet and stands his ground. "I'm sorry but I can't let you do this", he's forced to blow his cover under these circumstances.
Shock flashes across Eto's face, short green hair swaying with the motion of her frantic glances towards the others. Everyone else remains silently still, containing their surprise if they're even surprised at all. The ghoul keeps one eye trained on the hero, Dabi and Tatara on either side of him with scowls on their faces. Noro and Curious watch with their heads tilted, waiting to see what happens.
"I knew it", Geten growls as he tries to fix his posture in order to stand up straight. Though the villain's wound won't let him, forcing him back down. "Fucking traitor", he hisses with anger while backing away so that the others can move forward. Not only is he injured, but his quirk is practically useless without water or ice to manipulate. The villain can do nothing but wallow in anger and sulk in his corner.
"I really wish I'd gotten that interview before it was too late", Curious stepping ahead of the others draws the hero's attention. He can see her lips have morphed into a sly smile. She's confident that she has him beat. Hawks follows her gaze to his left hand and realizes that the reason why she's so cocky isn't just because she has a team of other villains behind her.
Back when Aogiri had initially breached the prison's barrier and they needed to get into the compound, he recalls a moment when she had the opportunity to use her quirk on him. She grabbed his hand to help hoist him into the drone hatch. Anything the villainous touches turns into a landmine that she can later detonate.
Hawks acts quickly, swinging with his right to use his feathered blade as a cleaver. The smile on Curious' face drops as she exhales in disbelief. The hero sliced clean through flesh and bone. Hawks had chopped off his own left hand. The limp limb falls to the floor, where it vanishes in a miniature explosion that doesn't affect the rest of the hero's body.
"Y- You're insane", Curious exclaims. She tries running, but Hawks hits her with the hilt of his makeshift sword, rendering her unconscious. The villainous slumps to the floor, knocked out.
"Chitose!", Eto rushes to her friend's side in concern.
Hawks readies his remaining hand, fending off the villains with his feathered blade. The stump on his left drips as it bleeds. He breathes steadily, trying to slow the rate of his blood loss. "That's right. You don't wanna mess with this cuckoo bird", he hopes that they won't see through the fake bravado but knows full well that they had him beat even before the hand handicap. He's dreadfully outnumbered and his quirk doesn't bode well within such an enclosed space.
The Tokyo Ghoul raises his arms, signaling on either side of him to his allies. "Dabi", he calls to one and then the other, "Tatara" Oh. Right. Hawks had almost forgotten about the fire users. Judging by their leader's decision, the ghoul must know the hero's weakness is that his wings are prone to being extremely flammable.
"And I was just starting to warm up to you", blue flames ignite along Dabi's arms and spread towards his shoulders as he approaches the hero. Hawks wants to give a retort about how cringe worthy the villain's pun is, but he's much too concerned with the threat that Tatara poses when Dabi's flames move pyrokinetically.
Hawks darts to the side, avoiding the first burst of fire. But he doesn't get so lucky with the second barrage. Flames lick his wings and already burn the tender flesh beneath his feathers. The hero tries going from defensive to offensive, slashing at Tatara. But his makeshift sword gets blocked by Noro, a blade sliding out from the villain's sleeve to deflect the attack. Hawks backsteps and redirects his swing so that his feathered dagger aims for Noro instead. The sharp feather slashes the villain across the chest. But just as quickly as blood is shed, Noro heals.
"Leave him alone, bird brain!", Eto suddenly charges in and rams Hawks from his side. Fortunately for the hero, it was a reckless spur of the moment decision from the villainous. She doesn't have her quirk active, so her size and weight barely does anything to harm him. He shoves her off as rough as he can before pursuing Tatara.
But the pyrokinetic villain sees the attack coming this time, retaliating with a kick that nails the hero in the gut. Hawks doubles over, but not before bringing up his feathered blade as a countermeasure. His instinct saves his life, the makeshift sword blocking a strike from Noro. Hawks swings with all the strength he can muster, knocking Noro's blade away. Then he pushes forward, feathered sword stabbing the villain through the chest. Impaled, Noro staggers back a step. Hawks doesn't relent, he pulls back on his weapon so that it slides out before swinging again. This time, the hero beheads the villain.
"Noro!", Eto cries out from her place on the floor. But her panic appears to be misplaced when the headless body doesn't topple over. "E- Eh?", she's shocked to see Noro waving around as though he's searching for something. When the body bends over to pick up his decapitated head, she realizes that Noro truly was searching for something. The zombie-like villain reattaches his head, twisting it on like it just needs to be screwed in, regenerative quirk doing its work.
"That's enough", the Aogiri leader watches as his subordinate recovers but quickly returns his attention to the hero responsible for the beheading in the first place. Centipede appendages sprout from the ghoul and pursue Hawks. The hero tries cutting one of the chilopoda limbs down, but his feathered blade doesn't go through the armored plating. He barely has time to avoid a second centipede before he's caught.
Hawks is hoisted into the air, slammed into the ceiling. The impact leaves an indent. Then he's brought back down into the ground, visor lens cracking and part of the corner chipping off. One of the centipedes that coiled itself around the hero's arm bends it back at an awkward angle, breaking the bone that joins it with his elbow. Hawks hollars as he's carried across the room and rattled against a steel wall. The same treatment goes for a leg that another centipede has snared, snapping it at the knee. Then Hawks is propelled to the opposite side of the room where he slumps over in pain.
As the hero slips into unconsciousness, he thinks to himself that he was at least able to put up a fight. The villains would agree that Hawks hadn't earned his position as number two for nothing. Curious is only now waking up with the help of Eto, the hit to her head making it difficult to recover. And Noro would have been eliminated had it not been for his quirk's ability. Quite frankly, the ghoul finds it impressive that the hero had lasted as long as he did against the villain group.
But now with Hawks out of the way, the ghoul returns his attention to the reason why Aogiri had bothered to infiltrate Tartarus in the first place. Once the additional blast doors are pried off and there's only polycarbonate glass in between them and their prize, Dabi recognizes the person they're breaking out waiting for them on the other side. Chained, bound, latched, and locked to a bolted chair is none other than the devil himself. The demon lord breathes with the help of a support system, but he's still ever so powerful of a presence. The man who defeated All Might waits to be released. All For One raises his head, meeting the group's gaze despite having no eyes.
All For One grins when the Tokyo Ghoul shatters the clear barrier like it's made of natural glass. Centipedes make quick work of the ceiling turrets, as well as rip away the restraints containing the evil incarnate. Kurogiri had done exactly as ordered and all had gone according to plan. The procedure to rewire the ghoul's brain had worked, making him the new perfect vessel to replace Tomura now that All Might is dead and the usage of Shimura's grandson won't affect his arch nemesis.
But in the meantime, All For One places a hand atop the ghoul's head to pat it, happy to see his loyal pet has returned to him.