Swiping their forehead, the head cook of Styx was taking a break, being the only one in the kitchen at this moment. A click of their mandibles, Myrmex opened one of the fridges, taking a good look at what to have. "Hm," they hummed, making clicks and clacks.
"Did I catch you on your break? This might not be a good look for you if you're still supposed to be working right now."
Quickly turning around, Myrmex's large compound bug eyes would have widened if they could. "Sagimaru? Sir?" his mandibles opened in shock. "You're here?"
The old man, Sagimaru, nodded, "seeing as you're the only cook that doesn't go home here, I thought I'd bring you some more meals." waving his hand next to him at a bunch of small plastic containers filled with those meals.
Quickly putting his exoskeletal hands into the air, a nervous clack and click came out of the bug man's mouth. "You didn't have to do this, sir. You're too kind."
"Have a look," was all the elderly man said as the bug grabbed hold of some of the containers, deciding to pop 'em open to have a peek. As Myrmex looked at multiple containers, he already knew what he was expecting.
It was all meat.
The exact same type of meat. Pork. A specially prepared pork for his safe consumption. The meals themselves, despite being some type of pork, were all varied in their preparation. Some were fashioned into nuggets, others were made into hamburger patties. There were some that were just the pork itself and then there were some with a little bit more like the addition of rice, sauces and veggies.
As Myrmex closed the containers of the usual pork variant he consumed while on the job, he heard the old man cough for his attention. Sagimaru was holding a list. "The list of all the meals and which order to eat them in, some are less fresh than others, as you know."
"Of course, sir." the big eyed bug-man nodded. "I understand." he was more focused on the list he received, checking all the pork he received.
"Good, good. As long as you're eating well," the old man smiled, twisting his cane around. "How has work been?"
"It's been well," the ant-eyed bug clicked. The nervousness in his voice had melted away. "I've been eating all the meals you sent of course and I've even turned them into great recipes as you've seen firsthand. I've also been watching the matches with a couple of the other guards around here and-"
Sagimaru nodded as he listened to Myrmex talk as they walked around the cook-only kitchen. "I see, despite a few spills you've seem to be doing good..." he paused, looking over at another cook that entered the kitchen.
"Oh, did I enter at a bad time?" the other cook working under the bug man asked before bowing. "I'll go-"
"No, it's fine," an aged hand raised itself into the air. "Myrmex was just about to walk me to the warden's office. Come on, Myrmex."
"Ah! Of...of course, sir."
As the two left the kitchen, Sagimaru glanced back at the man walking beside him. "So how is everyone else? Dion, Okumo? The others? Oh, I also met that new guard out on the town one day. Hokori Arashi I believe."
As mandibles opened, Myrmex nodded. "He's green, but he's got the spirit. Everyone else is doing well. Dion's on a job to transport a body and then bring back two more convicts. Everyone's doing well! We're all making sure everything's running smoothly."
That was when a sigh escaped the old man's mouth. "I really hope so. I heard things got really...what's the word, hectic around here."
"...it sure has...not only one of the inmates going on a rampage, but also a scandal between a few guards and an inmate...it seems more and more chaos has been unfolding here. Even one of the janitors is talking about quitting and going to Tartarus as well as how Styx is failing to uphold it's image like Tartarus." a tired click from his mandiables, "it's a bit annoying, really. So much badmouthing."
"Hm, as long as the other guards and staff don't catch what he's saying. I never really understood the rivalry between the Underworld's two biggest prisons," a chuckle escaped the man in charge of Helping Hand's mouth. "Reminds me of a sibling rivalry."
"...sir..."
"I know, I know."
It wasn't long before the conversation was beginning to stagnate.
"Um," the mandible clacking Myrmex nervously shuffled in place. "Are you staying here long, sir?"
The old man shook his head. "Not as long as I'd like. After delivering this and having a talk with the wardens, I won't have much time to stay. I have an appointment with a hero today about adoption of a child, so I have to be there for that. So my time is short, but I would like to hear about how you've been doing."
"I would be glad to show you, oh and sir, have you had anything to eat yet?" Myrmex asked, walking past a couple of guards on standby. "If not, I can give you a few more egg dishes."
"Oh? I can't say no to that, can I?"
A shadow was already above Nozomi Tendo.
It was in this split second that the watching eyes that glued themselves onto the yakuza woman's back made their move!
"Duck, Nozomi!" Sora called out and it was like something had taken over the yakuza woman's body as she found her body moving quicker than she could react to the sudden attack. Yet, as Sora watched as the woman wearing the metallic eyepatch dodged the mysterious attacker, she couldn't help but grin. "Just in time."
Sora Natsumi's quirk wasn't only suited for manipulating the enemy into doing what she wanted for a few seconds.
It could also be used to help another.
But now, the attacker landed. Not just any attacker, Nozomi knew this one well enough.
"I should have expected you to have sent her, Nozori..." narrowing her glare onto this attacker, she got a good look at this...assassin!
"You got lucky, kinslayer." The voice was cold, real cold. Not to mention, full of venom. "How long has it been since you went unpunished? Fifteen or so years? You won't be so lucky this time."
She was a short woman, wearing the prisoner's jumpsuit though instead of the usual orange that many wore, she wore hers in a dark red colour. Long brown hair with multiple white streaks went down past her shoulders which from there formed a low, messy ponytail. However, the striking feature of this woman's messy, low ponytail was that the ponytail section was actually a plume of feathers the same colour as her hair!
With a pair of blue nitrile gloves, yellow eyes locked themselves onto the sharp and narrowed bright green eye that belonged to her target.
"Kara..."
While the sophisticated yakuza lady was incredibly calm. She knew this Kara...well enough. Kara was a mystery to her for a large part, but the one thing she could confidently say was that Kara was a well trusted member of the Tendo family.
Specifically, one of the most trusted individuals her father knew.
A hired assassin that dealt with problems that hands of the yakuza couldn't reach. Considered an ally of the family, she wasn't aligned with them. It was just business, hire the assassin to take out a name or two.
Normally that would be the extent of the relationship between an assassin and their employer. Normally it was just business and an assassin would not hold any attachment to their clients. When they died, they moved on. Simple.
One reason stuck out to Nozomi and the answer was in her parents.
"...so this is how you're going to get rid of me, huh Nozori?" The narrowed eye narrowed even further. "Father's most trusted and closest ally? Of course you'd spin some story to get her on your side."
She didn't have much time to think about the pile of trash that was somehow her brother as she suddenly found herself dodging a sudden, swift attack from Kara.
Nozomi could only give Sora a look for that. "Lucky that she's here with me."
Backing away now that she was free of Sora's quirk, she already knew that Kara was right on her heels. "Running away? It seems jail has broken the cold, calculating murderer."
"I didn't kill him." Nozomi cooly spat back, but Kara wasn't having it as Nozomi found herself being kicked to the curb! Or well, the ground in this case.
"Still saying that, huh?"
The usually considered elder sister (or motherly) inmate looked up as Kara reached up and plucked one of the feathers she held in a low ponytail.
Kara's glare was icy, icy enough that it could cause civilians to shiver like they were out in the arctic. "Die."
As she plucked one out, a hand grabbed hold of her wrist. "I don't know what Nozomi did, but isn't this a bit too far?"
She was immediately met with resistance. "This doesn't involve you. Leave."
The light bluish-grey haired Sora gave a look between this stranger and Nozomi, speaking of which, as soon as Nozomi stood back up...
Kara flipped Sora over here, releasing the grip that was on her wrist. Sora had no time to react. "I'll warn you now, if you side with this kinslayer, then you'll die here beside her!"
"Ow...kinslayer...?"
The scowl on Kara's face deepened as she held the feather between her fingers. "That's right...Nozomi Tendo will die, for killing her own father..."
As the striking blue eyes widened, despite the pain from the judo-like toss, she managed to give Nozomi a look. "Damn, murder? And it was your father as well? I thought it was just tax evasion, resisting arrest, assaulting an officer and multiple illegal quirk usages, among all those yakuza stuff." she added a whistle. "Did not see you as the murdering type, seems off. You know."
"...I told you. I didn't kill him. I had no reason to."
Kara gripped the feather tighter. "No reason? Nozori was the one to take over for your father, you can't say that you have no connection to this. You wanted to take control and when your father said no, you killed him in sheer blind rage!"
Standing her ground, the eyepatch wearing yakuza daughter frowned. "Nozori's an idiot, he probably ran the family into the ground. If it's still standing, then it's only thanks to more experienced yakuza acting as advisors!" she took a step forward, "you don't know the full story of what happened. I was called to the motel by Nozori."
Kara closed the gap between them, "and he was poisoned. Something you were known for back in the day."
"That was only for those who messed on our turf or were on overtime in paying back their debts!"
"You still used them, it all points back to you."
It was only after Nozomi was struck by the assassin that she realised her error.
She let her guard down.
That's when the feather that Kara had been holding for so long came down. It was like a sharp dart in a way, easily penetrating Nozomi's milky white skin.
It was akin to dropping a dart as Nozomi soon began to feel a tingling sensation on the now fallen inmate (again). As Nozomi tried to pull the feathery dart out of her, a foot pressed down on her wrist.
Nozomi was only greeted by the blank expression of the assassin.
Kara, like most assassins, went by other names. Not even Nozomi was entirely sure if Kara was her real name or not, but she did have another that she was addressed as.
Pitohui.
Whenever a person hired the assassin that went by Pitohui, they were greeted by the sight of a hooded figure.
A codename that went really well with her quirk.
As well as her usual hooded appearance besides the current outfit she was forced to wear in Styx. It was a thought that made Nozomi realise that if she wasn't a friend (to some degree) of her parents, she might not even know her face.
Struggling to reach the feather, the tingling sensation continued...it was starting to numb.
Kara, on the other hand, plucked another feather to drop.
Pitohui: Kara's skin and the feather's she grows in her hair is like the skin of the pitohui, especially the hooded pitohui. This means that her feathers and skin can cause tingling and numbness enhanced by her diet! She can also use her feathers like darts!
Sora, who had just gotten to her feet, watched the scene before her. Weighing her options.
"...Hm...if I interfere with their fight, I'd just be targeted next and probably killed. No, most likely killed along with Nozomi." she took a step closer, "if I assist Nozomi, I'd probably have an easier time here, more or less. Maybe... I can always just leave when things get really rough and intense."
"Yeah, no use in throwing my life away." approaching the assassin, she held her hands up as a really sharp end of a feather pointed her away.
"Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to ask something." Sora gave her best smile, not waiting for a reply as she leaned closer. She really hoped it worked. "Do you mind if I say my goodbyes? I really want to get her back for all the shit she put me through, it'll only take a second. One kick."
"...Sora..." grunted Nozomi as the assassin twirled the feather.
Sora on the other hand kept her smile, adding more and more sweet words. "Please work...come on!"
Seeing the assassin remove her foot, "make it quick."
As soon as the assassin gave some really small space, that's when Sora grabbed the yakuza daughter's arm, pulling her up to her feet while pulling out the feather. "Thank god it worked..."
"Wait...why the hell did I-?!" The assassin locked eyes with the bluish haired inmate. "A controlling type quirk? Is that it? I see, it all makes sense now."
Charmer's Voice.
"Thanks...Sora..." Nozomi gave her saviour a nod as she looked at just where the feather had stabbed into her. It still had that numb feeling. Not incredibly bad...yet, but if it was stuck in longer...she didn't want to think about it.
"Kara's quirk..." no time to think as the space around them started to change.
It was soon that Nozomi started thinking that a mist started to roll in from out of nowhere.
Even the assassin was looking a bit confused at first when the fog swept in, already engulfing the 'three' convicts.
"This mist is surprisingly thick, I can't even see Kara-" the thought died then and there as the yakuza woman's uncovered eye noticed the face of Kara looking straight forward, right between Sora and her! It seemed only she noticed as Sora was looking elsewhere. And instinctively on a reflex, Nozomi punched.
As her fist glided through the air into the assassin's face, the non-eyepatched eye widened as it went through, the assassin ceasing to exist at that moment as her fist collided into Sora, who went falling to the ground just as she was turning around.
"Sora!"
"What the hell was that for?!"
As striking blue eyes stared into Nozomi, the yakuza daughter simply said, "she was right there, but..." shaking her head, she grabbed hold of Sora's arm, getting her back onto her feet. "I'll explain myself later."
"You better."
"And who the hell are you?" Kara's voice echoed through the mist that lifted within mere seconds.
Revealing yet another person that seemed to join the fray.
It was another inmate, a tall woman but nowhere as tall as Sora, but a little taller than Nozomi. She had short, dark brown hair and creases under her hazel eyes that were just as sharp as Nozomi's own, if a little slanted. As this mystery woman made her appearance, they took note of her sharp features, her pale skin and her slender wrists and fingers. Compared to Kara, she was a lot more reserved.
The first one to act was Sora as she ran her hand through her short hair. "Haven't seen you around here before, but you don't seem new. Wanna leave these two to their squabble? I can get you some of the co-ed ward's good meals?" she added with a wink to go with her smile.
"Hm, would be a nice offer, but this seems way more fun," a sly smirk appeared on the new arrival's face. "I hope you don't mind if I join in on the contract."
That wasn't something Nozomi wanted to hear. Neither did Kara it seemed as the yakuza father-killer watched as she stepped forward, glaring down the new possible assassin.
"No...this woman...is an assassin!" No matter how Nozomi looked over this new convict, everything pointed to her being an assassin. Knowing the 'contract' and not caring about the implications it meant, the way she carried herself and how she appeared out of nowhere as well as the look in those intelligent eyes saw this assassination attempt by Kara as common.
"I don't care why you're here, assassin or otherwise, this is my target," Kara stepped in front of the woman that appeared from the mist.
"It might not be an open contract, but how can I say no?" the other woman gave the shorter one a sly smile as the mist started to roll in.
It wasn't long before the two turned their attention to the other two that were still a part of the mayhem and how they were trying to get away unnoticed.
Nozomi and Sora shared a look with one another as Kara called them out as the stealthy option failed. It was time to retreat.
It wasn't going to be easy as the two attacked.
Not too far away, something else was brewing in the neighbouring ward. In this ward was the criminal and convict, Juro Raisa.
What was Juro doing at this moment?
It was rather simple.
Juro was looking over their shoulder. "..." something, or someone, was watching them. Watching them like a hawk...or a vulture.
It was mainly a feeling for Juro, a hunch. Something in their gut told them someone was lurking around, waiting to strike. "Where are you...if you know I know you're there, why aren't you attacking? Trying to psyche me out?" as Juro walked away from the feeling, they shared one last look over their shoulder.
It was a good thing they did as their stalker attacked! The attack was fast, faster than what Juro could have anticipated. It was barely considered a dodge as Juro hit the floor.
As soon as Raisa hit the floor, all the yellowed eyed criminal could think about was getting to their feet. In a desperate attempt to stay alive.
So they locked onto this mysterious attacker.
When Juro's snake-like eyes locked onto the man who attacked them, they took in this stalker's form. It was a tall man with smooth, short black hair as narrowed, icy blue eyes stared his target down. This man's face was completely apathetic.
Attire wise, this man was wearing the standard orange jumpsuit with the top half hanging down behind him with the sleeves tied around the front. He lacked any sort of under shirt that inmates sometimes wore which did show off his toned body. Honed by the years of experience and battle.
Juro gulped when this attacker rolled their shoulder.
"Not good. Not good at all."
Juro always knew this day would come, it was something that they thought about for a good while.
It was to be expected for someone who worked for the yakuza as their personal loan shark...and hitman.
Juro Raisa was only five years old when their father was laid off from work thanks to company downsizing. The snake-eyed Juro watched as their father wandered the house, tearing open the cupboards and especially the fridge. "Where the hell is it..." Juro's father uttered to himself, "ah, there you are."
Pulling out a bottle, Juro watched as their father downed the entire thing while watching some horse race going on. The first time he removed the bottle from his lips, all Juro heard was, "FUCK!" sinking down into the armchair, Juro's father huffed. "Put triple on the three time champion and it suddenly loses because of fuckin' course it loses..." and back to the drink.
Juro watched their father for a good while before their yellow eyes looked over to the photos on the walls. Photos of the last couple of months. "...what a change," muttered the child ever so silently under their breath, slowly backing away.
Eyes lingered on the shared photo, specifically on the man's other half that was currently out.
"Oi..." a very cold tone gave Juro goosebumps as soon as they heard it. "What did I say about leaving your goddamn room when I'm trying to make money?"
"Sorry," Juro uttered, rushing back to their room. Juro however knew, even if they stayed, the end result was the same as the sound of a bottle shattered against the door.
"Lucky shit-eating brat!" the father wiped their mouth of the spilled booze they failed to consume.
It was a common occurrence for the five year old Juro. Listening to their father drink the day away, gambling everything away with either a swear or a brief cheer as he became a more violent man with each day.
One such day Juro was on the receiving end of one of those bad gambling and drinking days, being swatted down like a fly for no reason by their father. "Phew," the drunk huffed, "that...that was kinda good! Seems you're not just some snot nosed freeloader," grinned the unemployed freeloader.
When he heard the door open, that's when the man stared as their child watched.
Watched as the man, their father, grew a horrible smile. "Hey! Bring any cash?!" watching him stomp off, Juro had no idea what was happening aside from a couple of shouts.
When their mother finally came up the stairs with an extremely tired and somewhat angry expression, it melted away as she saw Juro. She quickly scooped up the young five year old with some warm, soothing words as Juro picked up the sound of a door slamming.
The only saving grace was when that violent man left the house to gamble elsewhere.
"It's okay, Juro," their mother whispered on the day they were finally alone as a certain someone went to gamble elsewhere. "No one is going to hurt you, anymore." The breadwinner, working late into the night to put food on the table, smiled at her child.
The same words, every so often.
The same way, the same expressions.
The same routine for the next couple of years. It was the same when the future inmate turned eight. It all started with some horrible news.
While waiting for the only thing he cared about to come home, there was a knock on the door. Juro watched as their father, currently sober but growingly impatient, stormed at the door and Juro really hoped that man cussed the person on the other side.
It was a pair of cops on the other side and that gave Juro a sight to a new man, entirely.
"What can I do for you, officer?" The once, tall standing violent man was now shriveled up, ready to kiss the ground they stood on.
"Mr Raisa?" The cop took off his hat. "I'm sorry to inform you, but your wife has... been murdered."
"...what?"
Juro's eyes widened at what they were hearing, "no..."
"She was found earlier tonight, apparently on her walk back home...she was suddenly attacked and..." the cop's eyes spied the child, "can we talk outside?"
"Sure..." the man's eyes held nothing.
It didn't take Juro long to realise...their mother was...dead...
When their father walked back in, looking out the window to make sure the cops were clearly gone, that's when he exploded. "SHE HAD THE GALL TO DIE ON ME?! THAT BITCH!"
Watching their father go on and on, the news of...of...
Juro dashed up to their room, slamming down on the bed. "It has to be a joke...it has to be..." tears rolled as some familiar words replayed.
"It's okay, Juro. No one's going to hurt you anymore."
It was a very long night.
It was months later that Juro first took to the street, fingers diving into the pockets of any passersby that looked like they were carrying something worth a buck. It was that or having to keep avoiding their father and his rampt up drunken rage at home.
"You brought back the cash, brat?"
Juro withheld a sigh as they threw the coins and notes onto the floor, and the door opened as a slob dived for the cash. Juro couldn't help but think, "...how...disgusting..."
This was the new routine. Juro was not allowed to stay at home unless they paid rent. Not even ten and Juro was already paying to use his own bed every night. But for Juro, this was the last straw.
Even when they brought back money, they were still whacked around silly for 'stress relief' or some other excuse the lazy fat slob called it. So when they were twelve, that's when Juro fled.
Taking all the money that their father put in his 'secret' little hideaway, Juro ran from home with no intention of going back.
To Juro, it was one of the best decisions they ever made.
But now, how did a runaway child become a yakuza's loan shark and hitman? Well, Juro was not alone during the years after they ran from home.
In fact, Juro had managed to join a street gang.
The street gang was small and local and it put Juro's pickpocketing skills to use, if only for a short time. Juro might not have been the best, but it was at least something useful for the gang to keep them around.
Things seemed to turn for the worst when they started doing their thing on someone else's turf. Something that caught on very quickly. All the trouble and fighting, it brought the attention...of the yakuza! The gang had managed to take down the members in small numbers.
But that only caused bigger numbers to come.
Soon, the local street gang invoked the wrath of the yakuza.
When the main forces of the yakuza arrived, it was clear to all those in the street gang that the battle was an uphill one...an uphill battle from the bottom of a crater.
A few members of the gang ran off while others stood their ground. One of them being Juro Raisa and thanks to their quirk, the gang had a chance.
But when the fighting commenced, it grew more and more obvious...
It was a fight they could not win.
In any sense, this small little street gang had no power over the yakuza. The only saving grace was thanks to Juro's Basilisk quirk and how they managed to take down a lot more than any of them thought they would.
At least they could go down knowing that they managed to land some real hits on such criminals.
At least they held onto some sort of pride.
But as it went, the ones to come out on top were the yakuza with sheer power and numbers. The street gang never had a chance.
But then, one of these members. A high ranking name in that specific family walked over to the one that seemed to do the most in the fight, if only from a supporting role.
The high ranking member of the yakuza looked down at the snake-eyed teen. "Hey, brat," the yakuza clicked their fingers, "you stopped them in your tracks with your quirk, yeah? Those were some of my loyal guys, you know."
Crouching down to give the teen a look, the yakuza guy asked, "seeing you street rats try and get in on our turf...it reminds me of when I first joined the yakuza...so, I'll only offer this once. I see untapped potential. You wanna give your life purpose?"
"Yes."
Juro themselves didn't know the reason for the response. They didn't respond the first second, but they went with it. Whether it was just to survive this already losing (now lost) battle, really wanting to make something of their life or perhaps they really had nothing else.
Whatever spurred Juro to agree, they were soon brought into a whole new world.
The world of the yakuza.
Working for the yakuza seemed to be the break Juro needed. It was the first time in a long time that they were able to sleep peacefully, able to eat a decent meal and all they had to do was act as their loan shark and should they need it, their hitman.
Raisa proved to be quite the asset for the yakuza family that took him in and now the young yakuza was taking out any name that was put in front of them. Needed to get money from that one business you extorted? Juro would get you double. Need to rub someone out? Juro quirk helped a lot in that department.
Juro on the other hand didn't care for what they did. It was better than the life they lived when they were back home, the decent living they now lived was practically luxury.
However, things turned for the worst as Juro found themself surrounded by the police.
It was supposed to be a simple job, of course. Take out an opposing yakuza family leader during a meeting for their alliance during a trade that involved illegal drugs and firearms. With an excuse to meet the leader of the opposing family in person, they had to send Juro. It was the perfect opportunity.
Yet the yolk seemed to be on Juro's face as soon as they opened the door to where their target sat, armed members of the police force swarmed the yakuza's hitman.
Someone tipped the police off and Juro could only raise their hands into the air.
The man he was supposed to assassinate.
On the way out, Juro saw their target grin in the crowd, giving a mighty middle finger as it then went over the man's neck. That was the confirmation that Juro needed as they were forcefully shoved into the police car.
Juro, a loose end, was then sent to Styx.
"So this is what this is..." Juro narrowed their eyes on the attacker. There was simply no other option here. The former yakuza loan shark and hitman couldn't help but gulp, which was odd with the stoic expression ever unchanging on their face. Normally something like this wouldn't be too unexpected.
It was the who here that alarmed the inmate.
"I didn't think I was good enough for Underbelly to send one of their assassins on a contract hit..." Juro's voice was the same as it ever was.
The shirtless man just ran a hand through his hair and the battle between two seemingly blank expressions took place. "Raisa Juro," the assassin finally said, "under normal circumstances, you'd be left to those grunt freelance assassins. Consider yourself lucky."
"Huh?"
Juro's mind raced as the assassin almost took their criminal's head clean off! "That was a close one...but, if they're not here for me...am...am I just a side objective to their main one?" as Juro managed to dodge the deadly kick, the assassin flipped themselves into the air, landing on a nearby table. "Whatever, it doesn't concern me. My life is more important."
Underbelly.
A well known group of assassins in the criminal underworld. If you really, really wanted someone completely and utterly dead, these were the guys you'd go to.
Some might point and say that the name of their organization being 'underbelly' sounded a bit silly, but that was the point. Not only were they one of the main cores of the criminal underworld, their name made most if not the majority of people outside of the criminal underworld make them think that they were a myth.
Like they didn't exist.
As assassins, this worked in their favour. No one would try to find a group that didn't exist.
Sadly for those who knew of their existence, it was an entirely different story.
Working in the yakuza before being caught in that trap, Juro knew just how terrifying the members of Underbelly could be. They had a reputation for a reason, after all. Some of the most well known assassinations in the quirked world were done by their hands.
The assassination of one of the strongest, high ranking heroes in the world? One of their assassins.
The political assassination of the heir to a throne despite the amounts of bodyguards and security that made a normal assassination pratically impossible? Again, one of their assassins.
The massacre of an entire mafia alliance of three large well known families along with the deaths of every name that could be traced to them? Underbelly.
If you wanted results, Underbelly was the group for you. Now that's not to say that they were one hundred percent perfect, but they were perfect enough compared to all the other assassins around the world..
This was just one of the many assassins of the underworld's bogeymen. Sarutobi.
The former yakuza loan shark locked eyes onto the assassin, ready to use their quirk, but...
Sarutobi raised his hand high above his head as a terrible heat began to fill the ward, it wasn't strong as the heat Tai was capable of emitting on full power, but it was powerful enough.
Not to mention growing.
Juro's eyes only widened and while they weren't sure if anyone else was around, it was a sight that would make most inmates in the ward pause in shock. "...no way..." sweat rolled down their face, from the sight or the heat, it was unsure.
The reason for the shock? Aside from the waves of heat?
Above the hand of Underbelly's Sarutobi was a bright, red ball of fire, emitting a powerful heat that caused all those around to stop in their tracks. It wasn't just any sort of ball of fire though.
It was Tai's miniature sun!
"Catch," and Sarutobi, threw the ball of fire downwards towards the snake eyed prisoner.
Monkey See, Monkey Do: Sarutobi's quirk allows him to copy the last quirk he witnessed or experienced first-hand. However, this only allows Sarutobi to use that quirk once.
The miniature sun came crashing down.
Scattered from the sudden attack, Juro and any other inmates around the assassin went diving and running. If it was anything like Tai's quirk, it was best to keep moving. It was then that Juro found themselves face-to-face with another inmate.
Reiji Maeda.
And his face said it all.
What the hell just happened?!
"Juro-" Reiji opened his mouth only for the former yakuza loan shark to silence the puppeteer with their hand.
"Silence," came the whisper. "They're still on the prowl."
After a few seconds with Juro removing their hand, the same apathetic voice sighed. "I know you're still alive." it sounded closer than what Juro thought. "At least try to hide."
Sarutobi was already on them.
"Sarutobi?" Reiji mumbled, causing a sudden stare from Juro as they both ran from the sudden stomp on the ground.
"You know him?"
"Not personally!" sputtered Reiji, "he was just, just...I've seen him a couple of times. He avoided any brawls, let the guards know of any problems."
"How long was this? Sounds like he's been here a while."
Reiji turned his head to look at the snake eyed prisoner. "About six months or so?"
"What?" Juro blinked as they suddenly pushed Reiji as Sarutobi kicked whatever it was he kicked at them. Definitely no effort was used...yet. "Six months? He's been here that long and only now taking the shot? Something's off..."
"Tha...thanks..." The young man nodded as they both turned to see Sarutobi, still in the same place. The apathetic expression and the lack of movement, it made them tense. Juro more so.
Thanks to being in the criminal underworld and how they learnt about Underbelly, Juro was just one name that knew just exactly what they were capable of doing. A certain group was quickly rising to the top of the seedy underworld. A group mainly led by a small table of pencil pushers.
People that grew overconfident in their sudden rise of power.
Originally salarymen and office workers, they didn't have the best business. In fact it was failing. So with little money they could, one of those salarymen came up with an idea.
They hired a small little team of thugs to do their dirty work. Breaking property to collect insurance, attacking clients to further get the aid of the business and making sure they stayed customers and all other types of dirty work.
In the end, it got them money. Speaking of which, they also took out large loans of money for their own use.
People that also took money from the yakuza...and had no intentions of paying it back.
With money, they kept the gang on payroll as their 'security' and pleasured themselves with drugs and booze. Slowly but surely they expanded and crept into the depths of the underworld. Stepping on many toes on the way down.
They were a growing flower that got its bud cut off before it could truly bloom. No. A seed that had yet to sprout and was crushed.
And that was Juro's job.
Collect and kill.
Sadly for Juro, their yakuza family wasn't the only one that this small power hungry group had stepped on.
When Juro went to collect, they were met with quite the sight. The building where they ran their 'businesses' looked like every other normal office building...but the inside was anything but that.
Blood.
Blood and bodies. Every single floor was covered in the corpses of the salarymen and the thugs they hired. Juro instantly recognized the true intentions of this assassination, no- massacre.
It was a warning.
Juro could still recall the scene...and the brief chat with the assassin.
"If you've come for the hit on these," a man leaning on the wall behind said, their cold blue eyes staring apathetically at the corpses. All dressed in black similar to that of a modern ninja. The high collar hid a part of their face while the hood did the rest. "If you're one of the cash collectors, all the money is in the safe and then some. My job is done."
The brief eye contact between them allowed Raisa to feel the sheer coldness that lingered within those eyes. Coldness garnered from danger.
Juro watched as the assassin left through the door and Juro was only left with a single thought. "...they're dangerous..."
"Uh, do you know him, Juro?" Reiji's question brought Juro back to reality.
"Not personally..."
When Juro looked back over to Sarutobi, the man was gone. "Wait-"
"You dropped your guard so easily? Despite knowing what I'm capable of?" Sarutobi was already behind both of them.
With a strong kick to the back, Juro went flying into the ground.
"Something's definitely off...this isn't like them..." Juro's stoic face glanced over to Reiji as they slowly got to their feet. "He got behind me so easily...I should be dead! I need to regroup...the co-ed ward should be good."
During this time, Reiji looked between the assassin and the former yakuza loan shark. "I don't know what's going on, but what do I do? Master, what would you do in this situation?"
He didn't have much time to think about what to do when Juro activated their quirk as soon as Sarutobi stepped forward.
It was like a shock went through the assassins system as they froze in place from the glare sent their way by the normally stoic Juro.
"We should get out of here, now."
Reiji could only nod at Juro, but stopped when someone slowly moved.
"Going so soon?"
Juro turned to see Sarutobi, already moving. "Shit...that's too fast-" Juro's eyes widened at what they saw. "No…it can't be!" they stared right at Sarutobi, specifically his eyes.
Sarutobi's cold blue eyes...were slitted like a snake's! Coming to a halt, Juro was suddenly hit with what felt like multiple, giant stakes all over their body.
Sweat ran down the loan shark's body as their body refused to move an inch.
"He...he used my Basilisk?!"
"A nice quirk, if only a short lived," commented the black haired assassin, raising his hand, putting it close to Juro's neck like a chop was going to cut through the neck like a hot knife through butter.
"...shit...this is the end..." Juro watched as Sarutobi went for the kill, but a figure in the background stepped forward. Something Juro noticed.
The shift in Juro's snake eyes was all that the assassin needed to turn around to face off against the other person who chose to step up.
The dark purple haired Reiji held his hands out, firing his puppet string quirk at the enemy.
And he had no idea why.
"What am I doing?" Reiji thought to himself, "why am I engaging? This isn't my style. Assisting Inyoku that one time was just that. A one time deal! So why am I going out of my way for Juro?"
Speaking of the snake eyed convict, Juro began to move once more. "Go get the guards, he won't move unless I let him," the words left Reiji's mouth automatically. "...WHAT AM I SAYING?!"
Juro ran forward, past Sarutobi and the puppeteer, but not before patting the dark purple haired inmate's shoulder. "...thank you, Reiji."
It was like he got hit by a lightning bolt.
"...it's just like back then...helping others...like Vanguard."
Reiji Maeda was like every other kid. He wanted to be a hero.
Also like every other kid...he failed to become one.
At the end of his time in middle school, Reiji applied himself for a hero school's entrance exam for its own hero course. Reiji Maeda applied himself not to any old hero school, but like Rin Yonaga, he applied for the best hero school in Japan. The number one in the east compared to the second place that the quirkless Li went to for support gear studies.
In the end, despite his best efforts, Reiji failed. His quirk wasn't one that could garner enough points in the combat test the school provided. His quirk was the absolute worst for a combat scenario like that. Only being able to control one person at a time, being unable to move while using his quirk, the fact that the test used robotos limited his usage AND the main point he heard over and over.
Even though he scored a few points for saving others with his quirk, it interfered more than it really helped. Plus with his defencelessness when helping, it didn't look great for Reiji.
He failed after all.
So, in his defeat, he went to a regular high school. A poor, bland high school. Reiji however didn't let this get to him, instead he still yearned to become a hero so every day after school, Reiji headed off into town and performed his own 'heroic acts' to prove that he could very well be a hero!
However, to everyone else...this was just veiled vigilantism. A villainous act.
Whenever a villain appeared, he used his quirk to rescue any civilians that were nearby and due to his quirk. Due to the nature of his quirk and how he puppeted them out of harm's way, it all went unnoticed. To everyone else, these people saved themselves. Not Reiji.
Something that ate away at him.
"It was me, I saved them. I helped!"
"...yeah right."
"Whatever floats your boat, kid."
"Ugh, another hero fanatic..."
Different replies to his so-called act of heroism, luckily being brushed off as just another hopeful hero wannabe (or at worst a chuunibyou), Reiji pushed himself further. If they didn't believe him, he'd show them! So he stepped up. Literally.
No longer did he help others when a villain appeared, Reiji threw himself head first into the villains, attempting to fight any he encountered. All to help...but...
"What the hell are you doing kid?!" a hero shouted at him after the successful detain of a villain with a hostage. The hostage being the brat himself.
"What you've done is put yourself in danger," another hero chided, "put OTHERS in danger."
"Go home, leave the villains to the heroes, brat."
The heroes didn't see the same. With multiple warnings and scoldings by the pros, each and every failure only made the wannabe hero reject more and more desperate to prove himself. Again and again, more villains, more encounters, more heroes scolding him for being an idiot.
On his fourth attempt to prove himself, interfering with the heroes and making things more complicated, that's when the police took him into custody. "Let me go! I'm only trying to help!" he proclaimed, but no one was willing to hear. As he then spent the night in police custody, he watched his parents come and meet with him only for them to tell him something he never wanted to hear.
He was being sent to a school for juvenile delinquents.
"You...you can't be serious, right?"
"I'm sorry, Reiji," his father sighed. "You are actively breaking the law! You should know better than this!"
His mother nodded, "it's either this or be sent to a real jail. We only want you to be safe. So please just drop this vigilante nonsense and-"
"It's not vigilantism! It's being a hero-"
"No. It's not." Both of his parents said in unison, in a much stricter tone that Reiji wanted to hear. "Being a hero and doing what YOU'RE doing are two completely different things, and-" and on and on they went, mainly scolding before it was time for them to leave.
"This is for your own good. Until you drop this nonsense."
It was safe to say that Reiji didn't take this sudden punishment well. Later that night, stuck in his own little room before the cops took him to the youth detention center or school as they called it, Reiji was not having it. "I was only doing good deeds! Why am I being punished for doing something like that?! What's wrong with trying to help people?"
Why was documentation to help people necessary? Why was a licence needed? He didn't understand. He never could.
When he finally was dropped off at the school for juvenile delinquents, it didn't work well for Reiji's heroic attitude in the slightest. Definitely not the best environment for someone who was starting to question their views of society.
In this school, Reiji learnt a lot about it. The first one was that there was a student hierarchy. A hierarchy with the meanest students on top, something Maeda equalled to darwinism. He witnesses the timid students suffering and that's when the heroic nature sprung back to life once more.
He attempted to topple the hierarchy himself.
Using his quirk to instigate fights between the bullies, it seemed to be working at first...but then things started to click together. Dots were connected and people were shoved in and out of the spotlight. It wasn't long before Reiji was uncovered.
At first he was suspended and nearly expelled for his 'violent and manipulative' behaviour, something that really irked the hero wannabe. But what he wasn't expecting was his return. The same bullies he used his quirk on...got the jump on him after the first day of school after he returned.
"Hold him down!" one of the bullies said as Reiji found himself pinned down after school, outside of the grounds. Somehow he had managed to get the bullies to group up and the one on top pulled out a pocket knife.
"Spread his hand out. Both of them." the knife wielding delinquent order and so the others did. Now, they had no idea how his quirk worked, but they did know that his fingers were related.
"Stop it..." Reiji pleaded, only to get his head slammed into the ground.
"How about...nah." snickered one who held him down despite his struggles.
"This payback you dumb fuck," the knife holder brought the blade down with the full intention of damaging those puppeteering hands and fingers beyond repair.
"AAGH!" he screamed, struggling harder and harder. It was only a miracle with what happened next. With a quick use of his quirk, he managed to throw the knife away and get the bullies to stumble on one another.
He managed to cause enough disarray to escape. Now injured and scarred for life, he grew more and more paranoid each and every day by those same kids. It didn't help that they did manage to corner him and attack, but never in the view of teachers.
"..." looking down at his hands, he quickly scrambled to the gloves just to hide the scars, the memories replaying in his head to this very day.
And that was the last he really remembered of his school life.
Reiji was no longer the same person he was when he entered. Now he was a paranoid mess that someone, anyone, could pop out of nowhere at any time to attack him...and it even scared him to even use his quirk. So scared he couldn't defend himself when he was attacked.
Attacked by a random villain on the streets.
"I SAID GIVE ME YOUR MONEY!" the villain screamed, spit flying every which way before kicking the scarred and scared young man into the wall.
Before the villain could do any more harm, the villain was slammed into the wall himself as someone else took center stage, looking down at the poor, pathetic Reiji. "...you okay?" he asked, but Reiji was just in shock. Unable to even say a word.
A sigh escaped the man's lips as he picked the victim up and away from the mess.
"You okay now?" the mysterious man asked again. "All injuries are thankfully just simple ones that will heal over time. Luckily nothing too dangerous."
"...who...who are you?"
"Ah," the man scratched their chin. "Call me...Vanguard."
"Vanguard?" slowly, Reiji's dark green eyes widened. "Are you-"
"A hero? No, not by a long shot." the man scoffed. "I'm what people call a vigilante. A criminal doing a hero's job."
It was like the gears in Maeda's head clicked and turned, like the rusty gears were finally oiled. As he asked question after question, the man called Vanguard soon came to learn more about this young fellow and it wasn't long before Reiji bowed before the man who gave him hope at his dream profession.
So, Vanguard took him under his wing. Like an apprentice.
Ever since that fateful encounter, Reiji became his sidekick of sorts, usually acting as a normal person in the background during Vanguard's endeavours. Secretly helping by controlling either the enemy or Vanguard himself to make him more responsive to attacks he didn't see coming or when civilians were present, getting them to safety. As they lived together, he was taught almost everything from Vanguard.
Basic martial arts to defend himself and how to use his quirk with it, for an example.
The years passed as Reiji continued to fight with Vanguard, his master. He even became more active in the vigilante scene, fighting more and more alongside his mentor actively! If Reiji was honest with himself, which he was, he wanted to become a hero for selfish reasons.
Fame and fortune.
But, working with Vanguard gave him...purpose.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows of course. Their fights tended to have a lot of collateral damage. They weren't trained heroes and so, they attracted police and hero attention. Marking them more known as vigilante criminals.
"Is this okay, Vanguard? It seems the police are getting more intense with our justice."
"Let them try," scoffed Vanguard, not even looking at Reiji. "Just continue supporting me and we'll save many more people than they ever could."
"Right!" he cheered, following Vanguard to the next villain.
But like with all things. It always comes to an end.
"Vanguard," a hero stood above the easily defeated man. "Multiple accounts of vigilantism, interfering with hero and police business and my, a few other charges on your name. You're under arrest."
"Leave me alone!" Vanguard scurried to his feet, running away in a pathetic display, but the hero was faster, more trained and used to these situations. As they went to catch Vanguard for good, they froze.
"Hm?" they tried to move as they watched Vanguard run away, not once looking back. "So you're that sidekick of his, huh?" the hero looked over to the glove-wearing Reiji.
"I won't let you take down, Vanguard!"
The hero stared him down and that's when Reiji realised. He was stuck. He couldn't do anything with the hero as their quirk slowly took effect. It was either getting hit with their quirk while they couldn't move or drop it and try something else. So in the end, he was forced to drop it.
Only to get slammed into the ground by the hero and thrown in the back of a police car.
As he sat in the police car, the dark green eyed vigilante apprentice looked up to the rooftops, only to run away. Almost tripping on the way.
Reiji was then sentenced and sent to Styx.
Not once did he ever see or hear from Vanguard.
It was completely quiet on that front.
"I'll wait for you, Vanguard," he smiled to himself, keeping a low profile and using that old heroic feeling to help stop inmate fights or stop a few inmates that were trying to climb the hierarchy, but more often than not he was just sat in silence, waiting for a man that supposed to come and get him out as many more reminded him of the time his hands were brutalised.
Even after staying a year in Styx, he still had hopes in that man. "I can't wait to see you again...Vanguard."
"Tch, listen to that." someone in the prison said. Reiji didn't bother to check as he kept to himself. "He thinks there's someone waiting for him out there. Even though he was completely abandoned."
"Kinda pathetic. I heard that the man ran and left him behind solely for that fact."
Reiji didn't care for that.
"Lies, I know you're working hard to get me, Vanguard. Master."
…
"Right?"
"...yes. This is the same feeling Vanguard retaught me to feel! The feeling of wanting to be a hero! I won't let you down, Vanguard." It was time to be that helpful sidekick to make Vanguard proud once more!
As Reiji went to use his quirk on the assassin that he still didn't know about, he found it incredibly hard to move all of a sudden. Almost instantly.
"What the? Why?" it was then that Reiji noticed...the addition of more blue, 'ethereal threads' that he shot out. Tracing them back after seeing how they didn't come out of his hands, his dark green eyes landed on the blue eyed man and how he too shot the same kind of threads at him.
"My...quirk...is being used against me?!" Reiji tried to manipulate the inmate before him, but he was met with difficult opposition. Rather, he was the one that moved. Moved to whatever Sarutobi's fingers desired.
Like a puppet on a string.
"This is bad...master- Vanguard, please, give me advice!" Reiji bit his bottom lip. Hoping that any of his master's teaching left any advice about this.
When two puppeteers were controlling one another, the one who ended up as the puppeteer in control was the stronger one.
And Reiji was struggling against Sarutobi's movements.
As doubt was starting to creep up faster and faster, Sarutobi was already beginning to make some dangerous movements which the vigilante's apprentice mimicked. Because he wasn't used to moving when using his quirk, the fact that two of the same quirk was puppeteering the other made it tricky. When one moved the other, the second was forced to puppet the other in turn. It didn't help that Sarutobi said nothing, already going for the most deadly action regardless of outcome.
"That's enough, inmate," a voice from behind said as a hand gripped the puppeteer's shoulder. It was so out of nowhere that Reiji didn't even realise that someone managed to come up behind him. "Cease your quirk."
When Reiji looked over his shoulder, he saw a tall, large man dressed in a guard's uniform. This man was not only muscular but as he pulled the guard cap down, it showed that this man was bald. But there was one thing that caught Reiji's attention.
This man lacked a mouth. There was absolutely no mouth in sight whatsoever.
Two burgundy coloured eyes, a nose, two ears...but no mouth.
"If you continue to use your quirk, I'm forced to send you to solitary confinement for continued quirk usage." this mouthless man was definitely the one speaking.
As Reiji released his quirk, it seemed that the copycat had released his own at the same time, if not a little bit later. Upon dropping the quirk, he didn't realise how tight the guard's grip was as they both watched Sarutobi dash right after Juro.
However, unlike Juro's dash, it was more akin to a jog slowing down into a walk the further he got away from the two of them.
Turning to ask the guard, the bald man walked forward. "Everything will be under control," and with that, Reiji watched as both disappeared.
Reiji could only watch.
When Juro entered the co-ed ward to catch a breather and to recollect their thoughts, they didn't expect to run into Nozomi Tendo and her current company Sora Natsumi.
"Nozomi..." they muttered, running into them. It was then that they noticed that they looked like they came out of scuffle. "You two look like you've been through something...rough."
"The same can be said for you," Nozomi huffed, crossing her arms in that same sophisticated business woman way of hers despite looking like she crawled out of hell. Taking a small pause to flick some hair behind her ear, her green eye gave the snake-eyed Juro another look. "Seems you've been in a small brawl yourself."
"...so you were in a brawl as well..." the stoic prisoner looked back to the ward they came from.
Sora sighed, "yeah, someone wants Nozomi here dead."
"Dead? Assassins?" Juro looked from the blue eyed inmate to the green eyed lady. "So the possible assassin Yoshitsune told me to warn Nozomi about...so they're acting now?"
Thinking back about Fumma almost made the former yakuza hitman frown. Aside from the fact that he was a member of another yakuza family and therefore an enemy, he was quite...annoying, to put it kindly. A violent man that struck out at his own underlings whenever he was pissed off, one that wanted to build up a strong group of inmates as his own private force. Wanting power, believing he was the top of the prison hierarchy. Juro didn't really know exactly what happened when he suddenly came and asked them a favour, but it didn't sound good for him either. Something must have happened to many yakuza families outside of Styx.
"At least he didn't try and offer me another position among his group..." that was another reason, but whatever. They had to stop thinking about this while the real threat was close to them.
Maybe Reiji was rubbing off on them?
...It was possible.
"The assassin I warned you about?" they asked as the older and more experienced inmate tapped her foot on the ground.
"Yes. I assume something similar is happening to you. It can't be a coincidence that we both retreated here, both looking like we came out of a brawl."
Sora on the other hand kept her hands on her hips. "Not to interrupt or anything, but what's the plan?" asked the tomboy in her usual sarcastic tone. "Are we gonna chat or what? Should I prepare some tea for our talk?"
Raising one of her crossed arms to her chin, the so-called kinslayer glanced back to the co-ed ward's inmate entrances. "Hm, we have no idea if they have co-ed ward access, so we might be on limited time."
"It seems the guards are busy with something else too." Juro noted, but there were a few that didn't move from their spots.
"Well, most of the guards." added Sora.
Not all guards rushed to a problem. Mostly to keep an eye on the other inmates. There were definitely inmates that would go for the throats if all guards left them alone, so it was a good idea for some guards to be on standby while other guards deal with the problem.
But, on rare occasions, some guards just watched for a while. Something that Nozomi and Juro had noticed, though it was definitely rare.
Coughing, Sora mumbled, "so about that limited time..."
"What about it?" The milky white woman turned to face her.
"Is that the guy that attacked you, Juro?" Sora pointed out, directing both of the other two's gazes to the male ward entrance...or exit.
Looking over their shoulder, Juro saw the assassin Sarutobi walking towards them, but that wasn't all.
"Did Reiji lose? Did Reiji let him go?" There was no real time to think about it, the thing Raisa was curious about was what the assassin was doing.
As he walked over, still a fair distance from the snake-eyed Juro, Sarutobi's hand gripped tightly around the neck of an inmate!
"I'm going to let you go, but every time I look over in your direction, you activate your quirk like you're showcasing it to the class on show and tell." those icy blue eyes smoothly glided over to the currently choking inmate. "Understand?"
"Cry...crystal..."
Dropping the inmate down on the floor, Sarutobi's pace increased.
As Juro braced themselves, Sora looked over to the older convict. "Should we help, Nozomi?"
"...we have bigger problems..."
Following Nozomi's gaze, Sora's striking blue eyes landed on two figures that entered the co-ed ward. "...ah..."
Kara ran forward, much faster than the other...as multiple versions of her and Kara ran forward.
Though, it seemed Sarutobi recognized one of them. "Kirigaku..." it came out as a whisper.
As Juro braced themselves, they watched as Sarutobi's right arm stretched out to an impressive degree. Without needing to close the gap between them any more, the long stretched out arm whipped around as Juro tried their best to avoid being hit.
But everything eventually comes to an end as the final swing slammed into the ground, hitting Juro's arm on the way down. "Shi-argh!"
It really packed a punch.
As the arm retracted like a self-retracting measuring tape, Sarutobi put his hands in his jumpsuit's pockets and looked over his shoulder.
Right at the inmate who he forced to reveal their quirk, something completely different from the one he just obtained.
Yet for Juro, their focus was wavering to the pain in their arm. "I should warn Sora and Nozomi about Sarutobi's quirk..." a brief, short-lived glance away from the assassin, Juro watched as Nozomi was under the attacks of that feathered ponytail inmate's attacks while the one Sarutobi acknowledged, mostly hanged back as mist was spreading around their battle.
He never realised that a shadow had completely covered him.
Until it was too late.
Only for a few seconds did Juro's eyes processed what had gotten behind them. The answer was a guard that lacked a mouth. A bald one too. Very muscular, large...reminded him of Vito and...how he was already going for the attack.
"I didn't notice that guard at all? Where did he come- Wait...I didn't notice?!" Juro tried their best to brace themselves as a sudden powerful punch from the tall, muscular man who was surprisingly stealthy sent the Basilisk quirk user flying.
"That's enough, inmates." the guard said, standing straight as he became the most towering figure in the ward.
When Nozomi and Sora stopped in their tracks at the arrival of the guard, it seemed that the other two that followed them had other plans as they went straight for the pair. Kara did give the woman beside her a nasty scowl as she went for Nozomi.
While Juro landed on the ground, the mouthless guard that appeared cracked their neck as Sarutobi continued his attack on the now downed Juro. A quick drive-by attack that sent Juro closer to the guard.
"I see, if you continue to resist..." and the guard grabbed hold of his jacket. His eyes were solely on Juro. "I'll have to use force."
Throwing the green jacket away, the tall muscular mouthless-guard took a breath of fresh air.
"It's good to get rid of that jacket, I need more excuses to get rid of it here..."
Juro's eyes were glued onto the guard's body. Specifically, what was where his stomach was supposed to be.
This mountain of a man, ripped as they were, has something odd about their abdomen. His stomach, his gut. Instead of more muscles like the upper half, instead this man had a large mouth!
It was closed right now, but it lacked any sort of lips, allowing everyone to see the very long and sharp teeth he possessed. It was almost demonic with how sharp and pointed these things were.
Slowly the jaws of death opened slightly, they didn't move much, even when the guard spoke.
The yakuza loan shark couldn't help but feel...like they were prey.
"I would have noticed if he was a normal guard, but he's not even looking at Sarutobi..." holding their arm as they got back to their feet, Juro prepared themselves. "He's coming straight for me!"
Prepared to use their quirk, Juro was suddenly assaulted by the guard. "...Fa...fast..." they spat out with a wheeze. They didn't have much time as the guard grabbed hold of the inmate and that's when Juro witnessed, the jaws opened.
"One bite and I'm done for!"
It was time to fight for their life as the jaws of death opened wider. Just to add a little bit of fear into the mix, it snapped quickly once, showing just how sharp they really were.
"I gotta do something...Sarutobi isn't attacking yet using his quirk to gain that other inmate's one...I need to say something to get out of this...or at least use my quirk..."
They didn't have much time to consider what to say as something emerged from the open mouth. Not only was a long, thin demonic tongue revealed, though it made no intention of moving from where it sat, Juro watched as two thin, dark purple arms emerged from either side of the demonic jaw.
Both from the inside of course. As they shot out and gripped onto the basilisk eyed prisoner, they started to pull them in much easier.
Jaw of Death: The user is granted a large mouth with super sharp teeth in their abdomen. While the large demonic mouth can consume almost anything without ill side-effects, it also sports some other unique features to help ensure a successful kill.
"I need to say something, come on...if Sarutobi is watching...then this man must be..." blinking, they finally found something to say. "It would explain how he's so stealthy."
"You're...one of Underbelly...aren't you?" Juro asked, fighting off the sharp jaws that threatened...was trying to rip them limb from limb.
"What are you on about? You're the cause of all this mess," the guard huffed. "My job is to stop troublemakers like yourself. This is the only way to get you to surrender."
The yellow-eyed inmate could feel their arms wobble. "By killing me? That's not very guard-like..." Juro paused, hoping that the sweat from struggling concealed the following thought that made them panic. "...I forgot about Tai...please don't become a Tai situation..."
"Anayama..."
The mountain turned to see Sarutobi casually strolling up while Juro still struggled with the mouth. "Sarutobi."
As soon as the attention was shifted, Juro's eyes locked with the now named Anayama's in a brief moment and Juro fell to the ground while Anayama was frozen in place.
Backing away to put distance between themselves and the assassins, even if only one was really confirmed to be Underbelly, Juro watched as Sarutobi walked straight past the guard. "Something really doesn't add up. They could have killed me easily by now..." they couldn't shake the feeling. "A double team would have easily killed me, not to mention that they could have easily taken me out before I noticed them..."
Sarutobi suddenly rushed ahead as the guard just...stretched a bit when they were finally freed of the paralysis. A low effort one at that.
"Something doesn't add up," Juro began as they caught their breath. "I know you're from Underbelly but from what Reiji told me, you were only here for a couple of months..."
"..." Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, coming to a stop.
"If you really wanted me dead, you would have killed me immediately and without me knowing. You guys are that good, but why did you only attack now after I noticed?" asked Raisa, taking a step back. "It also goes back to what you said before, about being under normal circumstances. It led me to some conclusions."
Sarutobi lowered his arms, for a brief moment. "Hmph."
"I don't believe I have any useful information on me, so I'm free to kill without needing to hear a word. The only thing I can think of is that I'm just a bonus. A side objective to your real one." as they pointed out, the relaxed assassin stepped forward. "Making this much commotion and not going for the silent easy kill...we're just cover, aren't we?"
Putting his hand to his neck, Sarutobi rolled his head around. Not once did his apathetic look change.
Nothing was either confirmed or denied.
Locking eyes with one of the terrified inmates that he threatened with death, Sarutobi went to activate his quirk as a loud voice made itself known.
"See, Chiku! I told you there was a wild party going on here!"
Different pairs and sets of eyes moved away from the scene to the gate of the female ward. There stood two figures.
The first waved her hand wildly in the air. "Seems like a lot happened in so little time!"
The second could only grin, hands in her pockets. Pockets that seemed loaded. "I hope you don't mind an extra player joining in, right?"
Fushiko Karakuri and Chikuha Ueno entered the fray.
Oh man, this chapter turned out much longer than what I thought it'd be. While I have expanded on character backstories a little, I hope you guys don't mind the added addition of OCs that personally know your own OCs like my own Kara here. Aside from that, not much else to say other than hopefully the next chapter might not take so long to get out.