Ace took a deep breath, knowing he had to trust his new friends to come up with a plan. More importantly, he had to trust Ryuichi to use his great mental skills and the data he had gathered to devise a plan to rescue Itsuka. Ace walked impatiently, feeling he was never good at waiting in the past and was more of a man of action than of thought. He turned and saw Ryuichi deep in thought, making notes.

"I believe I have this figured out," Ryuichi said. "The clues come from the reported victims and any abandoned labs in the area. There is only one lab that was abandoned but could still be used, and it's within walking distance of all three graveyards that reported tomb robberies." Ryuichi placed a pin on the map, marking the location of the Hein Chemical Plant. It was situated in a run-down part of the city, which had once been a much nicer area but had declined over the years.

"Now, for the plan of attack," Ryuichi continued, "we can't go in guns blazing. We need to be quiet and move subtly into the building without being detected. Mirio, you will be key in this. You will open the doors ahead and help clear the path. Ace, you will be with me, watching my back as we move to find Itsuka. Understood?" Ryuichi looked up at them, his tone filled with serious confidence.

Mirio nodded with his trademark grin. "Got it! I'll make sure those doors are taken care of and keep an eye out for any surprises. Leave the path clearing to me!"

Ace clenched his fists, his determination clear. "I'm ready. We'll get Itsuka back and bring these guys to justice. I trust your plan, Ryuichi, and I'll be right behind you, making sure we stay safe and focused."

Ryuichi nodded, a small smile appearing on his face. "Great. We've got a plan, and we know what we need to do. Let's get moving and make sure we rescue Itsuka and put an end to this threat."

The three of them headed out right aftersun set, wanting to get in before the factory would work or anything happened to Itsuka. The four of them wandered up, it looked like an old chemical factory with boarded up windows and chains on all the doors minus one that was in the back, the chain on that door was gone. The rest of the build around it was fine, the chains unmoved and rusting, but each enough to figure out.

Ryuichi examined the map of the old building and made notes. "I think we should avoid the door they expect us to use. Instead, going through the front door might be our best option. The building has three floors: the first floor contains the offices, the second floor is for processing chemicals, and the basement is for records. I suspect they have Itsuka locked up in the basement to keep her away from the chemical area, which they've repurposed for their own purposes."

Mirio nodded and phased through the door, quickly assessing the interior of the factory. The first level was dark and quiet, with the only noticeable sound coming from the machines running on the floors above. There was a strange green light emanating from the second level, but the first floor remained largely unremarkable.

Ace quietly opened the door, and together, they slipped into the building. The silence on the first level was palpable, broken only by the distant hum of machinery. They moved stealthily, keeping their senses alert for any signs of trouble.

"Right, then left, and forward—the stairs to the basement are there. If you can slip down unnoticed, you should be in the clear," Ryuichi whispered, giving Mirio the go-ahead.

Mirio nodded and slipped down to the basement. As he landed in the room below, he found it completely pitch black. After turning on his light, he discovered Itsuka chained up against the wall, her orange hair disheveled. The basement was cluttered with coffins, waiting to be moved to the second story via an old shaft elevator that was also present in the room.

Before Mirio could say a word, Ace and Ryuichi arrived on the floor. Ace quickly walked up and let out a sigh of relief upon seeing that Itsuka was not visibly harmed. "Itsuka, how are you holding up?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. "If you give me a moment, I think I can figure out a way to break these chains."

Itsuka looked up at Ace with a weary but relieved smile. "I'm okay, just a bit bruised and tired," she said, her voice steady despite the situation. "I'm glad you guys made it. I knew you'd come through." She glanced at the chains holding her. "Hurry, though. They've been moving bodies up to the second floor, and we need to get out before they come back."

Ace grabbed the chains by the link and used his firepower to melt the chains in his hands before he grabbed Itsuka as she fell forward. He held her for a good moment, his hands pressing against her back. "Sorry it took so long, got held up by traffic," he kid tried to add a bit of levity to the moment.

Itsuka leaned into Ace's embrace, grateful for the warmth and comfort. She let out a soft chuckle at his attempt to lighten the mood. "You're always finding a way to make things less grim, huh?" she replied, her voice filled with appreciation. "Thanks for saving me. Let's get out of here before those guys come back."

"Ryuichi, do you mind taking Itsuka back, I think Mirio and I should shut this place down," Ace said with a serious tone. "We can't let them get away with whatever they are doing."

Ryuichi nodded, his expression serious. "Got it. I'll make sure Itsuka gets out safely." He looked at Itsuka with a reassuring smile. "Let's move quickly. I'll guide you out."

As Ryuichi helped Itsuka up, Ace turned to Mirio. "Let's finish this. We need to make sure this place is shut down for good."

Mirio nodded, determination in his eyes. "I'm with you. Let's take them down and make sure no one else gets hurt."

Mirio and Ace moved quietly toward the second floor, using the shaft elevator to ascend. When they arrived, they found the area eerily empty at first—just a series of glowing tubes containing dead bodies. The sight was as creepy as it could get; the bodies were being modified and infused with a sinister black liquid that crept into them through tubes connected to their bodies.

"This really feels like something out of one of those late-night horror films," Ace mused, surveying the array of tubes. "And that black stuff looks especially nasty."

Mirio glanced around the room, his expression grim. "Yeah, it's like they're turning this place into a twisted science fiction set. We need to stay sharp and keep moving. If they're working on something this grotesque, who knows what else they've got hidden here."

Ace and Mirio continued through the factory, discovering various experimental pods where monstrous creatures were being developed. The sight was unsettling; it was clear that this was not a place anyone would want to stay.

Suddenly, a large, hunchbacked man appeared before them. His accent was thick, and his speech was broken. "Oh, you look for the master, well, you not welcome here," the man said with a twisted laugh. "You be not welcome around these here parts. I best teach you not to mess with other people's stuff."

He reached over and grabbed a tube of glowing green liquid, drinking it quickly. As he did, his body began to expand, his muscles bulging and growing until he stood a solid nine feet tall. "Now, I best get rid of the trash, that I should," he said with a distorted laugh. He charged at them, his massive size concealing the surprising speed with which he moved.

Ace blocked the man's powerful swing but was driven back into a wall. The man, clad in a tattered suit made of rat pelts, was one of the most grotesque opponents Ace had ever faced—and certainly not the mastermind behind their troubles.

"Well, I guess we're going to have to defeat you and take you in," Ace said, narrowly dodging a haymaker. The figure's fist collided with the wall, leaving a deep gouge and demonstrating his immense strength.

From his right Mirio attacked with a quick burst, phasing through the man's first strike and hitting him hard, but the monster of a man just kind of took it before he aimed another strike at Mirio who luckily just barely managed to phase through it. This guy was a tank, and strong as one too.

Seizing the opportunity created by Mirio's distraction, Ace crossed his fingers and unleashed a powerful fire cross. The intense flames surged toward the creature, striking him with full force from a distance. The blast caused the creature to turn, giving Mirio a chance to capitalize on the opening. Mirio took full advantage, launching another fierce attack aimed directly at the creature, hoping to weaken him further.

The monstrous man, still reeling from the combined force of Mirio's attack and Ace's flames, lunged at Ace with murderous intent. He grabbed Ace by the shoulder, his intention clear: to rip him apart. But as he tried to pull Ace apart, he was met with an unexpected and painful surprise. Ace's body transformed into searing flames, burning the man's hand and causing him to scream out in agony. The intense heat forced him to release Ace, his cries echoing through the room as he staggered back, trying to extinguish the fire searing his flesh.

Mirio seized the opportunity created by Ace's fiery assault. With precise timing and relentless speed, he delivered a flurry of powerful strikes. Each punch and kick, though not individually overwhelming, built upon the damage inflicted by the previous ones. The cumulative effect of Mirio's rapid attacks wore down the monstrous figure. Despite the man's immense strength, he struggled to fend off the relentless assault. Mirio's strikes forced him back, further exacerbating the damage and pushing him closer to defeat.

Ace and Mirio coordinated their final attack perfectly. With a combined strike, they hit the burning monster with precision and force, overwhelming him. As the creature fell to the ground, Ace quickly grabbed some nearby water and doused the flames, ensuring the threat was neutralized. The two of them then used heavy chains they found nearby to securely bind the unconscious monster, making sure he wouldn't pose any further threat. With the immediate danger dealt with, they prepared to secure the area and investigate further.

After gathering all the information they could from the second floor of the abandoned factory, Ace and Mirio decided to take the monstrous man and the file and deliver them to the local police station. They carefully placed the unconscious figure and the evidence in front of the station, ensuring that everything was left in the hands of the authorities.

With their mission complete and knowing that the police would be able to handle the situation from there, Ace and Mirio headed back to school. They were aware that their actions, though well-intentioned, might have crossed some boundaries. By stepping away and letting the police take over, they hoped to avoid any repercussions for their bit of vigilantism.

When the two of them stopped at the school, Ace smiled at Mirio, "Thanks for all your help, it was fun working with you," Ace said giving Mirio a warm and friendly smile, "Now, um, I hope that at least puts a slow down to whatever was happening and give the cops some idea of what they need to look into for the future."

Mirio returned Ace's smile with a grin of his own. "It was a pleasure working with you too, Ace," he said warmly. "I'm sure the police will be able to make sense of everything and hopefully shut down whatever those guys were up to. We did our part, and now it's in their hands."

He patted Ace on the shoulder, his expression reflecting both camaraderie and relief. "Let's get some rest and focus on schoolwork. We might have more surprises waiting for us in the future."

"Yeah, I think I have something called the sports festival coming up, whatever that is," Ace said with a nod of his head.

"Oh yeah the sports festival, that is a big event. You are going to show off your skills and compete with the other first years. It is a chance to get a good internship with a pro hero, well if you do well it is," Mirio commented, "But if nothing else I might be able to talk to the hero I am a sidekick for if nothing else comes up."

"Thanks for the support, this sports festival well..."Ace chuckled, "Sounds like it'll be a good time. I'll do my best to make sure I'm ready for it. Thanks again for everything, Mirio. Catch you later!"