ONE'S JUSTICE
ARC TWO CHAPTER SEVEN
Arc 2 Chapter 7: Family Confrontation
The night air was thick with tension as three masked figures hurried down the dark alley, clutching bags overflowing with sparkling jewels. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed off the walls, but the alley remained eerily quiet, the only source of light coming from a distant streetlamp. The figures were all dressed in dark clothing, their faces obscured by masks. One of them, a tall man with long red hair, laughed triumphantly as he swung the bag of diamonds. "This was easier than I thought! The fools at the jewelry store never saw it coming."
"Yeah, don't get too cocky," a female voice replied from behind, her tone sharp and annoyed. She wore a tight black suit, her eyes glowing a faint red under her mask. "Let's just get out of here before we attract too much attention."
Just as the group turned a corner, a gust of wind whirled through the alley. A shadow materialized behind them, and they froze. A figure stood, cloaked in a dark blue jacket with a hood that obscured most of their face. Only their dark blue eyes and the faint outline of a smirk could be seen. The figure spoke, their voice calm but dripping with mockery.
"You know," the figure said, their voice cutting through the tension of the night. "I always thought robbing a jewelry store was a bit… cliché. What happened to the thrill of a real challenge?" The villains turned around, their eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Who the hell are you?" the red-haired man demanded, his hand twitching toward his weapon. The female villain took a step forward, her red eyes glowing brighter.
The figure chuckled softly, the sound almost predatory. "Come find out," he said simply, stepping forward with a confidence that seemed to hang in the air. With a swift motion, the figure lifted their arm, and blue energy crackled around their fist. The first villain, a bulky man rushed forward to attack, his muscles bulging up as he delivered a powerful punch at the figure. But with a swift, graceful movement, the figure sidestepped kneed him on the jaw, dazing the villain. Not wasting time he delivered a powerful kick to the head that sent him flying into the wall to his left, sending a wave of shock through his body.
The female villain, her quirk the ability to manipulate shadows into solid forms, lunged at the figure, sending tendrils of darkness slashing toward him. But the figure raised a hand, a flash of blue lightning sparking from their fingertips. The shadows were instantly torn apart, and the villain stumbled back in shock. Before she could blink, the man grabbed her by the face and smashed her into the ground cracking it and knocking her out.
The final villain, a man with the ability to turn invisible, tried to use his power to escape. But the figure's eyes glowed briefly, and the villain was quickly pinned to the ground by a powerful force of wind, his form flickering back into view. With a quick motion, the figure knocked him out with a single punch, his fist engulfed in crackling blue lightning.
After the last of the villains hit the ground, the figure gathered the stolen jewels from the alley floor, tying up the unconscious criminals with swift precision. The blue energy around their hands flared again as they finished, a glowing aura surrounding them. With a quick leap, the figure soared into the air, disappearing into the night with a trail of blue energy left behind.
Hours later, after midnight, the figure walked quietly into a house. The soft light of a dim living room greeted them, and they moved cautiously, trying to make it to their room without being noticed. However, just as they passed the living room, a voice called out from the couch.
"Ken," Mayuri's voice rang out, calm but knowing. "Where have you been?"
Ken sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as he turned to face her. Slowly, he pulled down his hood, revealing his familiar face—sharp features, dark hair, and piercing blue eyes. He ran a hand through his hair, clearly exhausted. "Out," he muttered, before dropping onto the couch beside her.
"Out?" Mayuri asked with a small smile, sitting up a little. "What, no details this time?"
Ken leaned back into the couch with a deep sigh, trying to shake off the intensity of the night. "It's late," he said, the exhaustion evident in his voice. "I don't have the energy for details."
Mayuri raised an eyebrow, still looking at him with that knowing gaze. "You've been gone for hours, Ken. Don't think I didn't hear the window creak open earlier."
Ken didn't answer immediately. Instead, he sat in silence, his thoughts still on the events of the night. Mayuri's presence was a rare comfort to him, even as his mind remained preoccupied. "I'm just… trying to stay busy," he said quietly, rubbing his temples.
Mayuri just stared at him before sighing. "Go to bed." She said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Ken just nodded.
The soft hum of the television filled the living room, where Lila sat cross-legged on the couch, her attention absorbed by the latest cartoon. Ken sat across from her, scrolling through the news on his phone, his brows furrowed with concentration. The reports were filled with updates on the Outcasts—where they'd struck next, who had survived, who hadn't. The images of destruction and chaos seemed endless, just like the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach. Every headline made his pulse quicken, but none of the information gave him a solid lead. His team—he couldn't find any trace of them. It felt like they'd vanished into thin air. And the Outcasts… they were still out there, wreaking havoc on a scale he couldn't comprehend.
His fingers swiped across the screen absentmindedly as his thoughts drifted. He hadn't had time to process everything since he woke up in Mayuri's house. His mind, constantly moving, never gave him any peace. His body, still recovering from the battle, was restless, and his heart… his heart was heavy with the weight of everything that had happened.
Lila's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Hey, Ken?" she called out, her voice curious. Ken glanced up from his phone, his gaze meeting the small girl's, her eyes wide with innocence as she waited for him to answer.
"Hmm?" he responded distractedly.
"Do you have any friends?" Lila asked, her question blunt but not unkind. Ken blinked, unsure of how to answer. He had friends once, back when everything wasn't so complicated. Back when he still thought he had a future, still believed in ideals like camaraderie and trust.
His eyes drifted back to the screen of his phone, the words and images swirling in front of him, but none of them held his attention. "I used to," he replied softly, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness, but he didn't elaborate.
Lila seemed to process this for a moment, then asked, her voice full of childlike wonder, "Why don't you have any now?"
Ken's grip on the phone tightened slightly, his jaw clenching as he thought of the faces of his old friends. The familiar, once-hopeful smiles of those he had fought beside—Izuki, Nejire, Uraraka. People he loved being around. And the others… they were heroes now, fighting for a cause that he no longer believed in. A part of him hated that they'd left him behind, but he wasn't sure where to place the blame. Maybe it was his fault, theirs, AFO's or maybe it was the world's fault, but the truth was, none of that mattered anymore.
He felt Lila's eyes on him, waiting for an answer. His mind was still wrapped in memories of the past—the days when he was part of something bigger than himself, when he believed that maybe, just maybe, he could make a difference. But that was gone now, washed away by the tides of time, replaced by the harsh reality that they lived in.
"They… stopped being my friends," Ken finally said, his voice low. He wasn't sure why he even told her. It wasn't like he was expecting her to understand, but the words were out before he could stop them. "Some things happened. We just… grew apart."
Lila frowned, her lips pressed together in thought. "That's sad," she said, her tone unusually serious for someone so young. "But… do you think you could be friends with them again?"
Ken's eyes flickered toward her, his breath catching for a moment. Her innocence, her unwavering belief in the possibility of fixing things, made him feel a sharp pang in his chest. Could he? Could he forgive them? Could he ever go back to the way things were before everything fell apart?
His mind raced with memories, flashes of laughter shared with his old friends, and the sharp pain of betrayal. He could still hear the words they'd said, the coldness in their eyes when they turned their backs on him. He had done his best for them, and in the end, they hadn't been there for him. But they all seemed to want to reconcile, mend the broken trust, but he just couldn't bring himself to forgive. He'd chosen his path. He had mostly gotten over it during the past years focusing more on his vengeful quest.
He didn't answer her right away. Instead, he looked down at his phone again, trying to focus on the articles, the updates, anything to distract him from the growing ache inside. Lila's question lingered in the air between them, unanswered.
After a long pause, Ken finally muttered, "Maybe." It wasn't a promise. It was just a word, empty and hollow, and yet somehow, it was all he could say.
Lila tilted her head, clearly not fully satisfied with the answer, but she didn't press him further. "Okay," she said, her voice softening, her mood shifting back to her usual cheerful energy. "If you say so."
Ken gave her a faint smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. The silence stretched between them for a few moments before Lila's attention was fully diverted back to the TV, her focus returning to the show. Ken's eyes stayed fixed on the screen of his phone, but he wasn't really seeing it. His mind was elsewhere, dwelling on the things he couldn't change, the things he couldn't fix.
The night air was cool against Ken's face as he stepped through the back door, his muscles sore from hours of chasing after the Outcasts. His body ached, but his mind raced even faster. He hadn't gotten any closer to finding them, the Outcasts. He was no closer to any answers than he had been before. And there was still Shigaraki and his league. They were still out there. The frustration gnawed at him, but there was nothing more to do tonight. It would have to wait.
Ken moved quietly through the house, his eyes scanning the dark interior. He was exhausted, but something still didn't sit right. His instincts were on edge as he made his way toward the living room, where the dim light from the TV flickered softly. Lila was still sitting on the couch, her small figure huddled beneath a blanket, engrossed in her show. Her breathing was steady—she'd likely fallen asleep in front of the screen.
Ken was about to tiptoe past the living room when a voice cut through the silence.
"Well, so this is where you've been staying. Nice place."
Ken froze in place. The raspy voice sounded familiar, and his heart skipped a beat as his eyes widened in shock. Slowly, he turned toward the source of the voice. There, sitting comfortably on the edge of the couch, was Shigaraki. The villain's pale hand rested on the back of the couch, and his smirk was just as unsettling as ever.
Ken's eyes narrowed, his body tense with immediate recognition. Adrenaline flooded his system, and his hand instinctively moved to his side, preparing to summon his quirk. He didn't even think—just reacted. His blue energy flared as he braced himself for a confrontation, the battle instinct kicking in. He was about to rush forward, to attack, when Shigaraki raised a hand, holding up four fingers of his fingers and placing them just above Lila's head.
Ken's breath caught in his throat. His eyes locked onto Shigaraki's fingers, the villain's quirk—decay—able to destroy anything it touched. If he even dared to apply pressure…
"I wouldn't do that, cous," Shigaraki drawled, his grin widening as Ken's fist clenched tighter. "Wouldn't want to kill the kid now."
Ken's heart pounded in his chest, his fury rising as he glared at Shigaraki. "What are you looking for?" he demanded, his voice low and seething with anger.
Shigaraki chuckled, as if he were utterly unfazed by the tension in the room. "Been missing for quite some time, haven't you? People thought you were dead, you know." He leaned back on the couch nonchalantly, as if he had all the time in the world.
Ken's jaw tightened, but he didn't answer. The only thing that mattered was Lila's safety. He didn't care about Shigaraki's words or his little games. If the villain so much as moved his fingers closer to Lila, Ken wouldn't hesitate.
Shigaraki, still casually smirking, tilted his head. "You know, cous, I'd like some payback after what you did to AFO. But eh, he's not much of a concern now, is he?" He waved a hand dismissively, as though it were a trivial matter.
Ken's teeth gritted at the mention of All For One. The man had been the one pulling the strings, the one responsible for so many lives lost. He'd already dealt with him once, but the idea of him being irrelevant… Ken didn't let the words distract him. He had to stay focused.
"You know I don't get why you're so obsessed with killing me?" Shigaraki said. "Master was the one that played around with your mum?"
'Played around?' Ken growled lowly at the way he said it.
"Although I was the one that ended her. It was so funny watching you trying to save her even without your quirk." The villain chuckled. Ken just held himself, he couldn't risk charging in anger and getting Lila hurt.
But then Shigaraki's words shifted again, his eyes glinting with something darker. "So, how's your team doing?" he asked, his tone mocking, almost playful.
Ken's eyes flashed with anger at the casual mention of his kidnapped team. His fists clenched tightly, the air around him crackling with barely contained energy. He stepped forward, his voice cold and sharp. "What do you know about their whereabouts? About the Outcasts?"
Shigaraki tilted his head, looking toward the hallway that led to the bedrooms. His eyes drifted toward where Mayuri slept, her presence barely a whisper in the house. He looked back at Ken, the grin never leaving his face. "She must be rather nice," he said with an eerie chuckle. "And Lila here—she's a cute little thing, isn't she?"
Ken's gaze darkened, his teeth grinding together in a mixture of rage and fear. Shigaraki was toying with him, with everyone in this house. And as much as Ken wanted to unleash everything he had on the man, he knew he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. Not when Lila was so close, not when Mayuri was within reach.
The tension In the room was thick, each word exchanged a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Ken's quirk still hummed beneath the surface, his hands trembling with the effort of holding it back.
Shigaraki's eyes locked onto Ken's, his smirk turning into something more sinister. "You know, cous," he said casually, "you really need to learn to loosen up a bit."
Ken took a sharp breath, his glare intensifying. His whole body was a coil of energy, ready to snap.
Shigaraki, with exaggerated slowness, removed his fingers from Lila's head, his eyes flickering with something almost playful. Then, without warning, a purple portal opened behind him, swirling like a storm, its colors shifting in unpredictable patterns. He stood up from the couch, stretching his arms and sighing dramatically.
"I'm not here to fight anyway. We'd attract too much attention." Shigaraki said, his grin widening. "But I know we'll cross paths again, cous. And when we do…" He let the words trail off as he looked over at Ken with a final, mocking glance.
Ken's body tensed as he watched the villain step back toward the portal. He didn't dare make a move, but every fiber of his being screamed at him to act. Still, he didn't.
Shigaraki's grin never faltered. "Next time, we'll face off," he said, his voice carrying through the room. "But not now."
Ken didn't respond, his eyes burning with a cold fury that seemed to fill the entire room. His fists clenched tighter, but he stayed still, his muscles straining with restraint.
With one final chuckle, Shigaraki stepped through the portal, vanishing into the shifting purple haze. The portal closed behind him, leaving the room as silent as it had been before.
Ken stood motionless for a moment, his eyes fixed on the spot where the villain had stood. His chest rose and fell with the force of his breathing, his quirk still simmering beneath the surface, waiting to explode. But he held it back. He couldn't lose control—not now.
His gaze snapped to Lila, who was still asleep on the couch. He stepped forward cautiously, his heart pounding as he knelt beside her. His fingers brushed gently against her cheek, ensuring she was okay, that she was unharmed. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he saw her breathing steady, her small form still undisturbed by the terrifying presence that had just been in the room.
Carefully, he lifted her from the couch, cradling her gently in his arms. As he walked toward her room, he kept his senses alert, his eyes flicking toward the hallway as though expecting another attack. But the house was silent, still, save for the soft patter of his footsteps.
Ken laid Lila down in her bed, pulling the covers around her gently. He lingered for a moment, watching her sleep, the faint rise and fall of her chest offering him a strange sense of peace.
"Damn it…"
The soft hum of the city night outside was barely audible over the quiet click-clack of Melissa Shield's fingers against the keyboard. Her apartment, though modest in size, was filled with scattered gadgets and half-finished projects. A faint smell of coffee lingered in the air, and a few tools were strewn across the table, some abandoned in favor of a computer screen that had consumed her attention.
She sat at her desk, leaning forward as her fingers flew over the keys, the faint glow of the screen illuminating her face. Her expression was focused, her brow furrowed in concentration. A few wires snaked out from her laptop, connecting to various parts of what looked like the inner workings of some kind of machine—metallic pieces scattered in a neat arrangement, still incomplete but purposeful. Her room was a lab, a place where she worked in solitude, immersed in something that had consumed her for months.
The screen on her laptop was filled with rows of complex codes, some of which she typed in quickly, while others were pasted in from a document she had been perfecting for weeks. Her eyes scanned the numbers, her mind sharp, but there was a fatigue in her gaze, something that lingered behind her determination. It wasn't just the work. It was him.
A soft sigh escaped her lips as her hands paused for a moment, and she glanced over at a small picture frame on her desk. In it, she and a younger Ken smiled at the camera, the innocence of their pre-teens evident in their expressions. The image was taken years ago—before everything changed, before they were both pulled into the chaos that consumed their lives. Melissa smiled faintly at the photo, her fingers brushing the edge of the frame, but the smile quickly faded into something more sorrowful, a deep ache she couldn't shake.
Her eyes lingered on the picture for a moment longer before she shook her head, her face hardening with resolve. "I know you're not dead," she muttered to herself, her voice steady but carrying a quiet urgency. "And I'm gonna find you."
With a deep breath, she shifted back to the screen, her hands resuming their rhythmic motion.
Well that's that for this chapter. I have decided to try to finish this story and go far in the Feared Hero story before moving on to the next 3 story ideas I have. One involving Fairy Tail, a Naruto MHA crossover, and a Miraculous one. Also school's been a pain.
Anyway till then, Read and do whatever…
See ya later