Arch 1: 「Act 2」
In a dimly lit room, Chisaki—known as Overhaul—stared intently at a small bullet case within his hand. Inside the case, is a blue-colored bullet lay, its significance clear in his golden eyes. But he clicked his tongue in frustration, his gaze shifting to Kurono, who could be seen standing nearby, arms crossed, waiting for instructions.
"All our resources aren't good enough yet," he said with a trace of annoyance in his voice. He held up the bullet for emphasis. "We're still far from being able to market all of this to hundreds or even thousands of people yet. Especially the permanent Quirk eraser. This needs to be perfect, and right now, it's just not up to the standard we need."
He slowly set the bullet case down on a nearby table, his expression on his face were one of deep contemplation and dissatisfaction. "Meaning we will need to refine the process. There can be no mistakes if we want this to be a game-changer. Otherwise then, all of our efforts would have been all for nothing."
Chisaki closed the Eraser bullet case with a sharp snap, his expression unreadable as he placed it onto the table with a controlled, deliberate motion. His eyes remained fixed on the case for a moment longer before he turned to Kurono, his tone cold and authoritative. "Prepare Eri on the chair," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for hesitation. "I'll deal with her later."
Kurono nodded his head, understanding the weight of the order. Chisaki's focus was only unyielding, his mind was already planning the next steps as Kurono moved to carry out the task. The room fell silent, the tension thick as Chisaki stood there, his thoughts locked on the disturbing future that lay ahead.
Chisaki's golden eyes darkened with a twisted sense of satisfaction as he contemplated the future. It was finally within reach—the day when all Quirks would vanish, and with them, the so-called heroes who paraded their false sense of justice. The thought only filled him with a grim anticipation.
Overhaul knew that to make this vision a reality, he'll just needed more from Eri. Just more of her DNA to perfect the Quirk-erasing bullets. Each step brought him closer to the world he envisioned—a world cleansed of the filth that dared to call themselves heroes. Now, all he had to do was stay the course.
Chisaki slowly shook his head, clearing his thoughts as he reached for his coat. With a quick, practiced motion, he slipped it on, the familiar weight was settling over his shoulders. He took one last glance at the bullet case on the table before turning and heading toward the door.
Pushing it open, he began on stepping into the dimly lit hallway. His footsteps echoed softly as he walked with purpose, his mind was focused on the task ahead. The corridor stretched out before him, a path he knew all too well.
Chisaki navigated through the winding halls with ease, his destination clear. As he approached the heavy metal door at the end, he could feel a slight shift in the air—the cold, sterile environment of the room where Eri waited. Reaching the door, he paused for a single moment, his hand on the handle, before pushing it open and stepping inside.
And there she was, small and fragile, sitting in the chair where he had ordered her to be placed. The sight of her, so helpless and so vulnerable, only solidified his resolve. Without a word, Chisaki moved on closer, his expression unreadable as he prepared for what came next.
Chisaki methodically removed the yellow glove from his right hand, the fabric was slipping off easily to reveal his bare skin. He flexed his fingers briefly, feeling the cool air against his hand, before turning his gaze toward Eri.
The young girl sat there, her small frame was trembling slightly, red eyes wide with fear as she watched the man approach. Her breaths came out in shaky, uneven gasps, a reflection of the terror that gripped her tight. Chisaki stretched his hand out toward her, his movements slow and deliberate, as if savoring the moment.
"Let's start."
「Somewhere in Shizuoka Prefecture」
A taxi screeched to a stop near a fountain, the abrupt halt drawing the attention of passersby. As the car idled for a moment, the door swung open, and a girl with blue-black hair of medium length, accented by a single red highlight on her bangs, stepped out. Her blue eyes, with their peculiar gear-like pupils, scanned the area briefly.
The young woman wore a white collared shirt with a red bow tie, layered under a black and a white varsity jacket with rolled-up sleeves that's paired with a black skirt and white sneakers. A guitar case was slung over her back. Her name is Ryuuko Matoi.
As the taxi zoomed off, she stumbled slightly from the jolt but she had managed to steady herself with a quick, practiced move. With a scowl on her face, she glared at the disappearing taxi and Ryuuko shouted, "Hey, watch where you're going, you moron! I nearly took a nosedive into the fountain!" Her voice was laced with irritation.
She clicked her tongue with annoyance as she watched the taxi vanish into the distance. She took a moment to fix her disheveled hair, smoothing out the messy stray strands and she adjusted the red highlight in her bangs. The frustration from the near mishap was evident in her quick, impatient movements.
After a few more adjustments, she clicked her tongue once more, her irritation still visible. "Ugh, stupid driver," she muttered under her breath, clearly exasperated but was already moving past the inconvenience. With a final adjustment to her appearance, Ryuuko straightened her jacket with a huff.
Ryuuko shook her head, letting out a small sigh as she glanced around the area. At least she had arrived at her destination, though the driver was still an asshole in her book. Ryuuko began rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck, causing her to sigh as she felt a satisfying pop that eased some of the tension.
"Whatever," she muttered, dismissing the irritation. Now, all that she needed was to just get to her apartment, and everything would be swell. Slinging the guitar case more securely over her shoulder, she began on setting off, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.
Ryuuko began walking down the street, the soft hum of the city around her. As she moved, she couldn't help but wonder if her apartment would be as decent as it looked in the picture. The thought nagged at her—after all, the place was cheap, and you usually got what you paid for. But at least she managed to rent the room.
She let out a quiet sigh, running a hand through her dark hair. "It better not be a damn mess," the girl muttered to herself, hoping she wasn't walking into a disaster once she was in her apartment. With any luck Ryuuko has, the apartment should be at least a halfway decent, and she could finally settle in. She'll move her stuff in tomorrow.
Ryuuko's eyes lit up as she finally spotted the apartment building in the distance, a grin was spreading across her face. It looked just like the picture, the outside, at least—promising a fresh start. But her smile faltered when she noticed a police car parked on the side of the building.
"The hell?" She muttered to herself, her grin slipping as confusion and concern replaced her earlier excitement. The girl quickened her pace, curiosity and apprehension bubbling up as she approached the building.
As Ryuuko got closer on the building, she squinted up at the building, which she spotted a few police officers on the fourth floor, deep in conversation with someone. Her heart sank slightly. "What the hell is going on here?" The girlgrumbled under her breath. She had just arrived, and already there was drama? And it had to be on the fourth floor, of all places?
"Come on," she groaned, her frustration mounting. "My apartment's on that floor." The last thing she needed was to deal with a situation like this right after arriving.
Ryuuko finally arrived at the building, her gaze settling on to the stairs that's leading up to the fourth floor. Her expression was flat, a bead of sweat was formed on her forehead as she weighed her options. She could leave now and avoid the potential drama, but her apartment was right there.
She sighed heavily, her shoulders was slumping slightly. "Great, just great," she muttered to herself. She already had her key in hand, so it made sense to just get it over with. With a resigned groan, she squared her shoulders and started up the stairs, while her steps was also a bit heavy with reluctance.
It didn't take long for Ryuuko to reach the fourth floor. As she walked down the hallway, she spotted the police officers still engaged in conversation with a small lady. The woman's hair was green, styled into a small, spiky ponytail at the back, and her big eyes were also a vivid green. She was crying, her shoulders shaking with each sob.
One of the officers spoke up, trying to offer reassurance. "Maybe he's just out with his friends. He's a teenager; it's not really unusual for them to go out without telling their parents." Though his tone were a bit cold.
The small lady began shaking her head vehemently, her face etched with worry. She curled her fist into her shirt, her knuckles whitening. "No, I'm telling you all the truth!" She insisted, her voice trembling. "He was in his room, and I was in the living room. I would've known if he left. He always tells me when he's going somewhere, but he didn't this time. It's like he just vanished from his room."
Both of the officers exchanged uneasy glances, clearly uncertain about the situation. One of them, a bit older, gave the younger officer who had just spoken a light tap on the back of the head, as if to remind him to be more sensitive. The female officer then rolled her eyes before stepping forward, her tone more gentle and reassuring.
"We'll do our best to find your son," she said, pulling out a small notepad. She quickly scribbled something down and handed the small paper to the woman. "If anything changes, or if you were to remember of something else, don't hesitate to call me directly. We're here to help."
The lady sniffled, her eyes red and puffy. She took the paper from the officer with a shaky hand and nodded gratefully. "Thank you," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. The officer gave her a reassuring nod before turning back to her colleagues.
The female officer addressed the woman one last time. "We'll be heading out now to see if we can find your son. If anything comes up, please call us."
The woman sniffled and nodded, her eyes still wet. The officers had began walking away, heading for the stairs. Ryuuko flinched at seeing them, causing her to fumble with her room key, as she'd tried on unlocking the door. But thankfully, the police officers passed by her without a second glance, heading downstairs.
The girl began letting out a relieved sigh as she watched all the officers leave. "God, I just had to be fucking nosy, didn't I?" Ryuuko muttered to herself and winced at how hurriedly she had tried to unlock her door. She groaned, resting her forehead against the door. "Why did I have to rush and look so suspicious?"
Ryuuko began to let out another groan, the sense of her luck slipping away was nagging at her. Still, the girl have found herself to be glancing at the small lady who only continued sniffling softly, clutching the paper the officer had handed her. After a few seconds of staring at her own door, Ryuuko sighed. She couldn't just ignore this. She turned and slowly began heading toward the lady.
Ryuuko cleared her throat, letting out a small cough to catch the lady's attention. The woman stopped sniffling and slowly glanced over at her, the tears still in her eyes. Ryuuko immediately noticed the small snot at the lady's nose, causing her to awkwardly brush the back of her hair.
"Uh, are you... okay?" Ryuuko asked, only to see the lady sniffle again, her eyes watery. Ryuuko groaned internally. Great, that was a dumb question.
The small lady began to wipe her nose with the back of her hand, trying to at least steady her breath. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice was trembling with distress. "I'm just so worried about my son. He was in his room, and then—my little boy just disappeared." Both of her eyes were wide with fear, and Ryuuko could see the overwhelming concern in her expression. "I don't know what to do."
Ryuuko looked at the lady, her heart aching at the sight of her tears and trembling body. She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly before speaking. "You don't need to apologize," she said softly. "That must be really tough for you."
The woman nodded weakly, her eyes still glistening with tears as she took a deep breath. "It is," the lady let out a small whisper, her voice was barely audible. "I just want my boy to come home." Her hands gripped the paper the officer had given her, crumpling it slightly as she fought to keep herself together.
As her gaze shifted to Ryuuko's hand, noticing the key she held, the woman blinked and looked back up at her. "Oh, are you perhaps the new resident?" She asked, her voice trembling but curious.
Ryuuko blinked, caught off guard by the question, before letting out a light chuckle. She nodded her head, offering the woman a small smile. "Yeah, I just got here, actually," she replied, her tone trying to sound casual, though the situation still weighed heavily on her mind.
The woman frowned, her expression filled with regret. "I'm sorry you had to see something like this, especially right when you just got here," she said softly, her voice was still trembling with the weight of her emotions. She looked down, her fingers nervously twisting the edge of the paper she held. "It's not exactly the welcome anyone would want."
Ryuuko sputtered at that, shaking her head. "No, no, it's not really your fault," she said quickly, trying to reassure the lady. "I just happened to walk into it, ya'know. I hope that they will find your son soon."
The woman nodded at her appreciatively, her expression softening a bit. "Thank you," she said quietly. "I hope so too." The woman made a small glanced at the hallway, her worry evident. Ryuuko gave her a sympathetic smile before slowly turning to head to her apartment, her own thoughts weighed down by the encounter.
The woman was hesitating for a bit before speaking, her voice gaining a hint of resolve. "Would you like to have some tea?" She asked. Seeing Ryuuko raise an eyebrow, she quickly added, "It's the least I can do for you, given the situation." Her offer was genuine, a small gesture to show her gratitude despite her own distress.
She blinked at the offer from the lady, feeling as though she should be the one offering tea instead. She didn't voice her thoughts, however, and simply replied, "I don't want to bother you, especially with everything going on." Her tone was slightly warm, trying to be considerate of the woman's current situation.
The woman shook her head gently. "It's no bother at all," she insisted, offering a weak smile. "I'd really appreciate the company, and it could even help me to calm down a bit. So please, come in." She motioned toward the open door of her apartment, clearly wanting to make the offer despite her own turmoil.
Ryuuko hesitated a bit, her eyes flicking to the woman's trembling hands. The situation wasn't something she'd expected to walk into, especially not on her first day, but seeing the woman so distraught tugged at her. So with a sigh and a soft smile, she finally nodded. "Alright," she agreed, her voice more subdued than usual. "If it'll help you, Ma'am."
As Ryuuko followed the woman into the apartment, she took a quick look around before gently shutting the door behind them. The room was cozy, though the tension in the air mirrored the woman's current state.
As they'd walked through the apartment, Ryuuko's gaze fell on a door with a nameplate reading "Izuku." Ryuuko couldn't help but let out a chuckle when she noticed the two antenna-like hairs at the top of the nameplate of the door. "Is your son a big fan of All Might?" She asked, her curiosity piqued and her tone lightening.
The woman began letting out a chuckle at the question from Ryuuko, her eyes was brightening just a bit despite her distress. "Oh, yes, my son is a huge fan of All Might," she said, her voice warming up with affection. "Though, calling it just a 'huge fan' might be an understatement." After a second, the woman offered the young girl a soft, tired smile. "I'm Inko. Inko Midoriya."
Ryuuko scratched the back of her neck again. "Oh, nice to meet you, Midoriya-san. I'm Ryuuko, Matoi Ryuuko."
Inko's smile started on growing a little, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "Well, it's nice to meet you too, Ryuuko. Please, just call me Inko. It's more comfortable that way." Inko began gesturing her right hand towards the kitchen. "I'll get some tea started. Feel free to make yourself at home while you wait."
Hearing that, she gave her a small nod and she watched as Inko headed towards the kitchen. She then turned her attention to the sofa, shrugged, and set her guitar case in the corner. With a sigh, she settled down on the sofa, slowly glancing around the cozy but tense room as she awaited the tea.
As Ryuuko settled into the sofa, she let out a deep sigh. The events of the evening had taken an unexpected turn, and she couldn't help but reflect on how her night had shifted from a routine apartment move to an impromptu encounter with a distressed stranger. Ryuuko shook her head, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Guess this is just one of those nights," the girl muttered to herself trying to shake off the day's surprises.
Ryuuko leaned back on the sofa, her gaze drifting to the ceiling as she heard the quiet clinking of cups from the kitchen. She couldn't help but think about how she'd just wanted a quiet night to settle in, but now she was sitting in the stranger's living room, waiting for tea. "This is so not how I saw tonight going," she mumbled, her fingers tapping idly on her knee.
Her curiosity gotten the better of her when she noticed a picture frame on a small table nearby. She slowly stood up, her footsteps soft against the floor as she made her way to the table. Once the girl was close enough, the girl leaned in so that she can get a better look at the photo.
The picture on the table was showing the mother with a young boy who had bright green hair, much more vibrant than his mother, with some curly locks that was framing his round face. His green eyes were wide and filled with warmth, the white pupils was standing out as he flashed a big, joyful smile.
Her gaze was easily drawn to the boy's face, where she couldn't help but to notice the freckles scattered across his cheeks. Four small, distinct freckles on each cheek formed a diamond-like pattern, adding a unique charm to his already radiant smile. She found herself staring at them for a moment. Huh, cute. She thought softly.
Ryuuko blinked in surprise at her own thought, shaking her head slowly as if to clear it all out. But her moment of reflection were interrupted by a sudden yelp as she heard a soft chuckle. She quickly turned her head to the right, a bit startled to see Inko just standing there with a small smile, holding a tray with two cups of tea.
"That's my son on the table, isn't he adorable?" Inko said with a light chuckle, her green eyes filled with warmth as she looked at the picture.
Ryuuko straightened up quickly, feeling a bit flustered at being caught off guard. She gave Inko a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of her neck as she glanced back at the photo. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," she admitted, her tone softening as she spoke, almost as if she was embarrassed by her own words.
Inko chuckled softly, the sound warm and genuine. "I'm glad you think so," she said, setting the tray down on the table. "He's always been a bright spot in my life. Thank you for the company tonight, even with everything going on."
Ryuuko nodded her head, her smile tinged with a touch of awkwardness. She shrugged slightly and said, "Well, I'm here, so I guess I might as well be a good company. If there's anything else that I can do to help, just let me know." She glanced at the tray, trying to shift the focus away from her earlier moment of awkwardness.
Ryuuko shook her head, mentally chastising herself for staring at the picture for too long. The girl grabbed a cup from the tray and heard Inko's chuckle. Looking up, she met Inko's gaze as the woman asked with a warm smile, "Would you like to hear more about my son? I'd be happy to share some of it with you."
Ryuuko took a sip of her tea, savoring the warmth, and nodded. "Yeah, sure, I'd like to hear that," she said, her curiosity piqued. She glanced back at the picture, then back at Inko, eager to learn more about the boy who seemed to bring so much joy. Inko's smile widened as she began to speak, her eyes reflecting a mix of pride and affection.
"Well, Izuku's always been a bright and enthusiastic kid," she said, her voice warming with every word. "Ever since my boy was little, he just had this unshakable optimism and a big heart. He's really passionate about heroes—All Might, especially." She chuckled softly, her gaze distant with fond memories. "And my boy also used to dress up as his favorite hero all the time."
Inko's eyes softened as she continued, "He's really into heroes. He's always dreaming about being one himself. He has a big heart, you know? He's also very caring and always tries to help others, even if it would mean getting himself into trouble." She smiled fondly at the thought of her son.
Ryuuko listened intently at that, her expression shifting from curiosity to genuine interest. She leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms and tilting her head slightly. "Sounds like he's got a strong sense of justice," she said, her tone reflecting her own values. "Not something you see every day." She gave the mother a nod of approval, clearly impressed.
Inko studied Ryuuko with a curious expression. "Are you aiming for UA?" She asked, her voice laced with interest.
The girl blinked twice, momentarily caught off guard by the question from the woman. After a short pause, she nodded her head slowly. "Yeah, that's actually the plan," Ryuuko admitted, her left hand instinctively moving to scratch the back of her neck. "Figured this place was a decent pick—rent's dirt cheap, and it's close enough to the school to make it work."
Inko offered a warm smile, her eyes reflecting a mix of hope and concern. "Well, best of luck to you. My son will also be taking the UA entrance exam," she said, glancing down at her tea. Her expression soon softened, and she added quietly, "I really hope they find him soon, whether it's the police or the heroes."
Ryuuko scratched the back of her head, her expression was thoughtful as she considered Inko's words. Leaning back a bit to the sofa and crossing her arms, she looked over at Inko with a reassuring grin. "He'll be found, don't worry," she said. "Plus, some police are on it, and from what you've told me, he sounds like a damn firecracker. He'll turn up in no time."
While she tried to sound reassuring, she couldn't shake the confusion gnawing at the back of her mind. Inko had been so sincere, so sure that her son had just vanished from his room, but the whole thing felt bizarre. How the heck did it even happen? She couldn't help but think, her brow furrowing slightly. It just didn't make any sense to her. One moment the kid was there, and the next—gone?
How? Could it be a part of his Quirk, then? Wait, hold on a second, then his mother would fucking know, right?
Ryuuko's thoughts swirled as she made a small glanced at Inko, who was quietly sipping her tea, the worry were still etched on her face. The whole situation just felt like something out of a bad mystery novel, and well, Ryuuko couldn't help but feel a strange unease settle in her gut. Could this be connected to? No, she doubt it. She let out a quiet sigh, this is her first night here? Come on now.
Damn it man, She thought.
TO BE CONTINUED