Darkscythe Drake
patreon
Assassin Among Heroes Chapter 29
🕑 Added 2024-03-04 16:36:10 +0000 UTCGuess who? IT IS I ZIM -er, DRAKE!
Fear not, for I come bearing gifts - cookies, ice cream and a piping hot chapter, straight from the keyboard!
I do not own My Hero Academia or the Nasuverse, all disclaimers as usual. You know the drill, read, review, moo, yodelayheehoo. Constructive criticism is welcome as always.
Big shoutout to storybookknight, MentalForge and old man of the mountain for betaing!
Paradox Spiral - Finis
This mission is shaping up to be the most catastrophic one I have undertaken since donning the mask.
A lunatic priest who made an organ farm and taunted me with his ‘work’ for days on end.
When I found him, he wiped the floor with me and almost ended me then and there.
Out of desperation, I brought in a skilled outsider - who I don’t know if I can fully trust.
The priest unleashed his army of undead experiments, and only thanks to my new Zabaniya, did I get the drop on him.
We finally managed to corner the priest and I snuffed out his miserable existence.
But then - this happened.
“̛͈̑𝕬̬͗͟𝕬̛͕̋𝕬̸͖̈́𝕬̵͕̂𝕬̨̥̃𝕬̦̽͠𝕬̵̗̬̈́̿̕𝕬̣̦̔͂͢͡𝕬̨ͯ͛͏̰̻𝕬̘̬̓̐͟͟𝕬̘̠͊̑͘͡𝕬̡̡͇͈͛̒𝕬̡̜̱͑ͯ́𝕬̨̼̞̠̈́ͩͦ͞͝𝕽̴̿͆̉͏̸̗̳̙𝕽̸̱͈̱̋̋̍̀͟𝕽ͤ̿̚͜҉̧͚͚͖𝕽̡͈͇͈͋ͤ͗͘͠𝕽̶̛̙̰͔̊̔̋͜𝕽̴̨̧̛̻̠͓͉̄̈́ͮ̅𝕽͆̽͌́̕҉̶̭̹̭̜̕𝕽̴̶̢̮̦͕̯̌ͧ̌ͨ͠𝕽̸̢̹̲̻̺̄̍̏́̚͡𝕽̴̵̥̦̼̳͆̿̿̊̀͠𝕽̵̨̧̨̘͈̳͍ͭ̿̄̚𝕽̷͌̂͋ͫ̕͝҉̦̰̞͔𝕽̟̝̪̹̳͒̃̉̏͋́͟͟͞͠𝕽̖̦̺̳̫̍ͥ͗̇ͨ̕͘͡͞͠𝕽̸̢̧̛̘͖͇̰̱̉͌ͬ̒̚͝𝕲̑̉ͥ̽ͥ҉̢̡̬͈̬̞̩͘͢𝕲̶̶̧̛̳̺̦̯̱̄ͥ̋̅̐͢𝕲̸̸̨̨̨̩̟̖̝̠̋̇̀ͨͤ𝕲̸̡̛̦̱̺̗̗̓ͩ̓̍͒͡͝𝕲̷̶̼͎͎̜̻̗ͥ̈̎ͤͫ͆͡͡͡͡𝕲̴̛̪͚̬͉̥̳͌̊̋̋̿̏̕͢͠͞𝕲̨̫͙̼̭̲̦͊̀͂͆ͣ̀̚̕͡͞͝𝕲̨̓ͯ͑͌͛ͨ́͝҉͡҉̠̠̹͓͔ͅ𝕲̡̛̈ͬͧ̿͑ͫ͢҉̪͉͕̝̹͔̀͢𝕲̛͌̔ͧͦͤ̆̕͘͟͏̦̦͉̜̼͓́𝕳̷̶̶̡̛͓͖̺̪̞̖̓ͤͧ̽ͫ͌̌͞͠ͅ𝕳̌ͪ͗ͦ̽̿͒̕͟͏̡̢̹̫̘͇̲̜͈́͘𝕳̫̮̪̗̼͈̹̈̎̃̽̈̃̈́́͘͘͠͡͞͠𝕳̴̡̨̢̫̠̩̝͍͎̼̀͛͊ͪͣ͑̒̀͟͡𝕳̸̵͎̪͕͕͙̪̹̂͂ͪ̏ͮ̈͌͜͜͠͠͡𝕳̨̨̨̦̠̮̰̪̱̖ͭ̾̽ͫ̎͗̃̕͟͟͠!ͩͮͬ̈́̿́̍͟͞͏̷̵̵̶͖͕̮̞̬̝̩!̷̺̖̠̩͍̜͍̇ͩ͐ͯ̈̂͌ͯ̀͢͟͢͠͠͠ͅ!̸̸̨̭̰̬̰̦̗͇͆ͤͪͦ̃͋͑ͭ̀͘͘͜͠ͅ!̵̵̨͋̈ͪ̂̏ͤ̅̏͏͠͏̷̡̯͖͉͍͙̰͓̯!͌̾̇̀̉̾͊̚҉̡҉̸̢҉̡̘͕͔̻̮͇̝̫͘”ͪ̄ͨ̐̔ͬ̀̿̀҉͡͏̨̧̺̳͇͇̪͇͔͘͜ͅ
ͤ͒͒͂ͭ̾̐̀҉̷̛̜͓̩̹̦̞͕́̀̀͘͜ͅ
I nearly keel over from the sheer volume of that roar. The Zabaniya’s effects, while rapidly fading, are still active. My skull feels like it's about to burst and pop open like a grape. I grip the floor so hard I almost feel it crack just to hold myself together and get a better look at whatever it is that bellowed that awful roar.
The priest’s scorched remains were kicked away, by myself or the impact, I don’t know. Wires fall out and sewage begins leaking from the newly formed hole, compounding upon the already grimy odor within the circular room. The figure takes a step forward, and the clang of metal echoes throughout the broken chamber. The black mist that obscures its form slightly fades away and features begin to peek out amidst the dust. Claws and arms of metal that gleam in the moonlight. A curved chest plate and pointed boots. A glow of red, shining underneath a wolf-like - no, a round? - helmet.
Is that a suit of armor? As in, a European suit of armor, the kind that I would see in the World Collection?
It almost seems like a bad joke.
The figure turns to me and every muscle in my body seems to freeze. The pit of dread in my stomach yawns open when the horrible realization strikes me:
My Concealment is inactive.
In a blur of ungodly speed, he lunges at me and brings his arm down. I roll to the side just as the sword - yes, that is a Western sword - cuts down at my spot and strikes so hard that it leaves a scar—a scar on the concrete floor.
I glimpse the blade that was seconds away from bisecting me. As wide as my torso and just as long…shit.
“RUN!”
I snap my Concealment on and dash to the exit. The pitter-patter of Shiki’s sandals reaches my ears so I don’t look back and just keep going. There’s the exit, just gotta get to the exit-
“̨͔̔𝕬̮̽͟𝕬̈͆͏͍̰̕𝕬̨͓̩̋̂̀𝕽̶̡̡̰̬̠ͪ̍ͯ𝕽̸̡̻̼͎̿ͥͩ͞𝕲̢̨͎̜͚̰̔ͬ̂͒͘͠𝕳̷̴̗̳̙͎̬̓̾ͦ̑́̚͝͞𝕳͊̒ͧ͋͋҉̡̢̡̛̳̞̦͇͉!̴̧̡̱̮̠̼̗͙̇ͬͦ͐̇ͣ́͞͡!̴̸̖̭̜̳͙͚ͦͩ̔ͥ̿̾̀̕͢͝”̓̂̀̏ͫ͊͋͘҉̧̢̻̤̩̹̝͖̦͜͠͠ ̵̷̨͐̐̉͆ͯ̅̂͠҉͖͍̤̖͔͍͈͟͞
̸̸̡̢̢̥͕̭͓̣̱̰̣͒ͯͤͭ̒̔ͧ̈̕͟͢
With a crack of thunder from steel boots, I hear the brute dash right at us. I throw myself to the side and avoid another slash. Goddamn it, it's like gunfire!
My hand pulls out a knife without thinking and it flies in a blur until -
…what the fuck?
While not always accurate, my knife-throwing was always strong enough to pierce and shatter bone, even concrete. If what he’s wearing really is Western plate armor, then it should have gone through with no problem.
Not a scratch. The force of the attack didn’t even seem to move him. Instead, the helmeted head snaps in my direction and I duck under a gauntleted fist that shatters the concrete wall behind me, a couple of feet away from the exit. I try to bolt, but I barely take a step before I’m interrupted by a kick that sends me flying to the edge of the hallway.
The wall greets my back violently as I hack up blood through my mask. A hacking gasp escapes my throat as I clutch my chest, feeling my sides violently protesting with every breath I take. Fuck…that could’ve caved in my ribcage. Maybe it did, and the adrenaline of the fight is catching up to me. I pull my gaze upwards and see the glowing visor pierce the darkness.
The armored man…the knight…slowly steps in my direction. Each step seems to shake the very earth around me, the echoes reverberating through my very bones. As I watch him approach, something primal comes over me and my muscles lock up.
Every instinct I have is screaming at me to run. Not once has this happened, not with any of the scumbags I’ve killed.
I want to move, desperately. The pain, I can ignore, at least until I’m away. But I can’t.
My arms feel like twigs about to snap at any moment. Even a twitch of my leg sends waves of agony up my body. Like the earth is swallowing me whole, I can only sink.
Move goddamn it, move!
He drags his sword along the floor, filling the air with a horrid screeching that’s melting my ears - damn you, move!
What the fuck is happening!?
Through the inky vapor that wreaths him, I see further glimpses of faint features - a mark here, a few scratches. I swear I even see the remains of a sigil - but it’s too damaged for me to make out.
The armored boots crack the very concrete underneath them. The ragged breathing of the knight grows ever thunderous as he approaches, like a twisted mix of grinding gears and rattling chains, all masked under a flimsy aura of humanity. I instinctively latch onto the ground and feel my entire being brace itself when he finally, finally, stops.
I stare into the glowing visor as he looms over me. Not even a hint of facial features makes it past that phosphorescence. His breathing echoes throughout the ruined hall, battering my sensitive ears.
Move fucking damn it!!!!
Heh. Is this what my victims feel like? Prisoners in their own bodies while death looms over them?
Fuck this is terrifying.
A hacked wheeze escapes from his helm and his armored shoulders heave. Looking back at it, I realized he was snorting.
He raises his sword high, and I feel my wound spike in pain, perhaps in anticipation of what’s to come. No, I won’t end like this I won’t end like this IwontendlikethisIwontend-
His arm moves -
Fuckingmoveyourworthlessidiotyoulldiealone-
The air screams as the sword cleaves through it-
OvalleyOMawlaaidmet̸͇̘̺̹̞̍̈́͌h̵̥̋̕y̵̧̢̨̦͙̣͇͎̹̗̻̲̱͔͒͆̅̂ş̵̫̼̪͓̖̫͉̯̟̺͍͚͊̏̋̀͋͊͑ṕ̶̢̢̙̒̄̿̚í̴͍̻̼͓̫̲̇̍̌̇̒̊͐͘̕̕̕r̶̛̛̲͚͚̺͈̰͔̬̀̈́͑̇̍͂̈i̸̱͔̠̩̖͒̇͛̅͐͊͆͛̋̈́̆̀ť̴̡̧̼̺̖͓̲̳̹͙̯͈͜͜ͅḯ̵̠̝̠ś̴̢̳̝̩̱͙͓̘̽̌͆͋̐̍̒̇͛i̴̧̝̟̦̎͘ǹ̵͍̤̔̂t̷̤͓̯̞̝̐̓̕͜͠h̶̨͉̭̳͙̟̟̤̠͉̞͚́̓͆̆̈͊̾̕͘͜͠ẻ̸̫͈̕h̴̢͔̱̞̱͍͎̣̅̈́͑̌̐͌̌̇̃̽̂͑͝͠a̶̼̖͉̩̔̓̀͆͘n̷̡̼̩͉̞̳̥̭̱̹̭̆͜d̴̡̺̰̟̦̘͎̯̪͍̉̈̀̃̿̾͊̈́͝s̵̺̳̩͎͎̻͆͜-
The blade cleaves through stone
…and lands to my right.
A flash of red catches my eye and - of course.
Shiki.
I pay no heed to the clatter of her knife dropping to the ground. Nor to the way the knight shifted his machine-like gaze right at her, or how she didn’t even flinch.
Instead, my body finally listens - and I bolt.
It all moves in a blur. I don’t even know if my Concealment is active, I barely register picking up Shiki’s thrown knife. All I care about is getting the hell out of here and away from that monstrosity as much as possible.
The stairs creak in staccato as I dash up them and through the secret entrance. The doors to the apartment building fly open as the cool air hits my mask. But I don’t get to sigh in relief - not in front of the giant hole in the middle of the street.
Right, that’s how he got in. Good thing I didn’t run back and try and climb from there. I don’t see any stairs or rubble to be used as footholds. The knight just cracked open the street like an egg and jumped in. I can make out a lot of water and loose wires - not a good combination, even if my suit is shockproof.
Shiki runs right beside me and I snap back to focus. Okay, we’ve gotta get to the alleys and try to lose that thing because it won’t be long before -
Brick and metal shatter behind me.
…That happens.
I run around the sinkhole and head right to the nearest alley on the other side, where we had come through before. Just as I come under its shadow, with Shiki at my side, I look behind. There was the knight, holding that gargantuan sword as the building started to crumble thanks to the new hole he made in its entrance. He looks side to side, his armor creaking with every move before he finally stops and lands right on me.
Now, I still don’t know whether or not I’m Concealed. I’m pretty sure I’m bleeding internally and my ribcage is fine powder - I still don’t know how I’m standing when every breath feels like a goddamn corkscrew. Then I realize that Shiki isn’t invisible so it doesn’t matter anyway.
“̛͈̑𝕬̬͗͟𝕬̛͕̋𝕬̸͖̈́𝕬̵͕̂𝕬̨̥̃𝕬̦̽͠𝕬̵̗̬̈́̿̕𝕬̣̦̔͂͢͡𝕬̨ͯ͛͏̰̻𝕬̘̬̓̐͟͟𝕬̘̠͊̑͘͡𝕬̡̡͇͈͛̒𝕬̡̜̱͑ͯ́𝕬̨̼̞̠̈́ͩͦ͞͝𝕽̴̿͆̉͏̸̗̳̙𝕽̸̱͈̱̋̋̍̀͟𝕽ͤ̿̚͜҉̧͚͚͖𝕽̡͈͇͈͋ͤ͗͘͠𝕽̶̛̙̰͔̊̔̋͜𝕽̴̨̧̛̻̠͓͉̄̈́ͮ̅𝕽͆̽͌́̕҉̶̭̹̭̜̕𝕽̴̶̢̮̦͕̯̌ͧ̌ͨ͠𝕽̸̢̹̲̻̺̄̍̏́̚͡𝕽̴̵̥̦̼̳͆̿̿̊̀͠𝕽̵̨̧̨̘͈̳͍ͭ̿̄̚𝕽̷͌̂͋ͫ̕͝҉̦̰̞͔𝕽̟̝̪̹̳͒̃̉̏͋́͟͟͞͠𝕽̖̦̺̳̫̍ͥ͗̇ͨ̕͘͡͞͠𝕽̸̢̧̛̘͖͇̰̱̉͌ͬ̒̚͝𝕲̑̉ͥ̽ͥ҉̢̡̬͈̬̞̩͘͢𝕲̶̶̧̛̳̺̦̯̱̄ͥ̋̅̐͢𝕲̸̸̨̨̨̩̟̖̝̠̋̇̀ͨͤ𝕲̸̡̛̦̱̺̗̗̓ͩ̓̍͒͡͝𝕲̷̶̼͎͎̜̻̗ͥ̈̎ͤͫ͆͡͡͡͡𝕲̴̛̪͚̬͉̥̳͌̊̋̋̿̏̕͢͠͞𝕲̨̫͙̼̭̲̦͊̀͂͆ͣ̀̚̕͡͞͝𝕲̨̓ͯ͑͌͛ͨ́͝҉͡҉̠̠̹͓͔ͅ𝕲̡̛̈ͬͧ̿͑ͫ͢҉̪͉͕̝̹͔̀͢𝕲̛͌̔ͧͦͤ̆̕͘͟͏̦̦͉̜̼͓́𝕳̷̶̶̡̛͓͖̺̪̞̖̓ͤͧ̽ͫ͌̌͞͠ͅ𝕳̌ͪ͗ͦ̽̿͒̕͟͏̡̢̹̫̘͇̲̜͈́͘𝕳̫̮̪̗̼͈̹̈̎̃̽̈̃̈́́͘͘͠͡͞͠𝕳̴̡̨̢̫̠̩̝͍͎̼̀͛͊ͪͣ͑̒̀͟͡𝕳̸̵͎̪͕͕͙̪̹̂͂ͪ̏ͮ̈͌͜͜͠͠͡𝕳̨̨̨̦̠̮̰̪̱̖ͭ̾̽ͫ̎͗̃̕͟͟͠!ͩͮͬ̈́̿́̍͟͞͏̷̵̵̶͖͕̮̞̬̝̩!̷̺̖̠̩͍̜͍̇ͩ͐ͯ̈̂͌ͯ̀͢͟͢͠͠͠ͅ!̸̸̨̭̰̬̰̦̗͇͆ͤͪͦ̃͋͑ͭ̀͘͘͜͠ͅ!̵̵̨͋̈ͪ̂̏ͤ̅̏͏͠͏̷̡̯͖͉͍͙̰͓̯!͌̾̇̀̉̾͊̚҉̡҉̸̢҉̡̘͕͔̻̮͇̝̫͘”ͪ̄ͨ̐̔ͬ̀̿̀҉͡͏̨̧̺̳͇͇̪͇͔͘͜ͅ”
I slam my hands over my ears as the roar echoes all around me and even shatters the remaining glass windows on the building. My chest flares in pain again and I hunch over, trying my hardest not to vomit. Fuck, I cannot afford to collapse here.
I force myself to look upwards and see the knight raise his sword to the heavens. A low whistle pierces the air as a bluish aura begins coalescing around the blade, motes of light spiraling around both the weapon and its wielder. I step back and begin to run and the whistling increases in pitch like scratched glass. Fuck, this night is just careening down the fucking cliff. I don’t even bother to see if Shiki is nearby I just have to get away before -
𝕸̴̠ͤ𝖆̴̧̱̖̂͌𝖓̵̷̛̤̻͖ͩ̓̅𝖆́̆͗ͭ̅͏̵̡͓̣̭̼̪̀͠ ̵̵̛͈͕̘̲̤̞̏̋̒̅͛̆́́͢𝕱̵̴ͫ̐ͫ̇̇̉́̚҉̨̡͕̫̪̖̰͉̺͠𝖑̷̴̷̣͖̝͚͍͓̱͍͍̉̒ͪ̃ͬ̓̃͐͗́́̕͘͟͞𝖔̵̡͗ͪ̂̈ͭ͊̃́̚̚̚͜҉̸̢̧̀҉̜͉̰̬̘̼̣̥͖̞𝖜̶̴̢̧̨̧̛̦̫̝̪̳̗̘̱̤͇͍ͣ̿͌ͨͪ̒̂̇ͬ͌̀̚͘͢͝:̷̡̢̧̬͎̣͇̥̜̮͉̩̣̠͇͔͆̒ͨͧ̇͂͋̄͋̋̃̄͒̕̕̕͜͟͢͡͠͝ ̡ͬ͌̉̒̈̌͐ͮ͐̈ͦ́̀̕͜͜͡͡͝͞҉͈̦͕̥͖̖̩̯͇̞̫𝕽̴̧̢̢̨̨̡͖̩̺̹̲̞͙̹͈͔͋͊͗̂͐ͪ͋̉̍̍́̀͠𝖊̨̧̢̟͖̹͈̱̣̩͈̜̏͆ͬ̊̉̉̾ͥ̀͘͟͟͞͠͡𝖑̷̡̳͚̰̙̺̣͚ͩ̆͛̏̍̈̍́́̀́͘𝖊̷̷̷̨̠̣̫̞͇̤̍ͬ̎̊͊̇̀̕𝖆̷͚̳͔̠̱̎ͩ̈́̀ͯ́͘͠͝𝖘̻̦͎͑ͯ͆̀͠͝𝖊̵̨͉̗̒̍
For a moment, there is silence.
Then, the world breaks.
The street erupts from under my feet and I fly once more. A thousand swords stab through my spine and chest as I’m sent hurtling down the street. I even bang my head a few times, and each time I thank Mawla and whoever’s watching that the mask was so tough.
I finally stop. The asphalt grinds against my suit as I feel my bones wail in protest over even the slightest twitch. Everything’s spinning, my ears are on fire, I’m gonna hurl makeitstopmakeitstop-
No!
Focus, Ritsu!
…breathe, yes breathe. Remember the muraqabah. Center yourself.
In, out, in, out, in, out.
Ignore the pain, it’ll only hurt more if you let it take you now.
Let the valley clear thy head.
In, out. Focus.
In, out. Focus.
In, out. Focus.
I open my eyes, and what I see makes me draw in a gasp that sends more pain lancing through my body. The street was cracked open and split in two, as though some giant finger from the sky came down and flicked the ground like sand. Nearby lamp posts are broken and small fires start breaking out. From the corner of my eye, I notice light flick on in the distance and hear the confused cries of the locals. Smoke and dirt cloud the epicenter of…whatever that was even as the blue light fades away.
Yet despite all of this pandemonium, the knight’s glowing visor pierces through and right at me.
I draw in one more breath and activate my Concealment (for real this time). Without giving thought to anything else, I book it to another alleyway and head down its shadowy path. With every breath I take I hold my ribs to try and ease the pain.
He roars again, rattling my already-totaled head. I lean against a wall and feel my legs slowly give out. Curses fly out of my mouth as I hear him stomping further, undoubtedly looking for me. Or maybe Shiki, did he find her? Damn it, we got separated. Where is she?
I focus my Quirk again, disregarding how my eardrums feel like they’re bursting. I try to single out anything but - fuck, it’s too much. The fire, the boots, the yelling, my heart, I can’t make out anything. She could be behind me for all I know!
To make matters worse, that infernal breathing is drowning out almost everything else.
Why is everything blurry? The whole work is shaking and oh god I’m tasting blood.
I scoot further into the alleyway as the discord of sound threatens to overwhelm me. They blare louder and louder and - gah!
I grip my head as everything around me slowly blends into soup. The stomping and breathing increase in crescendo as I try and readjust my messed-up sight. Shadows cast by the flames grow larger. I see faint whispers of that black mist beginning to seep in. An explosion sends rubble flying down the street and I can do nothing but stare.
Are those screams? Or is it just in my head? Did I break more than I thought?
I can’t be trapped again, I won’t be prey to this behemoth. But I can do little more than drag my body down that shadowed path. Just a little more…away from the fire…the sirens…away from him.
…
…
…sirens?
I turn around, and I find that the iron steps have stilled. Even that raspy exhale seems to hold itself.
The fire’s still crackling. Might be my imagination again, but is the crackling getting louder?
And what the hell is that light over -
A sea of crimson red, dyeing the night sky.
A flash of heat so intense, as though the sun had descended.
The raging wind blows me back, and I hack. The scene before me is a soup, but then I see a shape flying, followed by a crash.
Another lands before me. Tall, masked, wreathed in flame. Even with my head spinning like a top, I can make out the determined bearing upon his burning face. Huh…is that…?
He bellows out a war cry before dashing forward, a trail of red bursting from his palms.
Of course. You’d have to be an idiot to not realize who that is.
More roars and screams. Earth shatters, and the inferno grows. And all the while, I lay there, my arms barely holding myself up, waiting to snap at even a breeze.
…heh. So that’s what it feels like.
Funny.
You hear people talk about it. Never expect it to happen to yourself.
…did those kids feel the same, when I opened the door to that ratty cell?
Did anyone feel like that? When I ended the cretin who dared prey upon them?
I’m sure they did.
…did they?
…I’m doing the right thing. No, I’m sure.
I have to.
…so what is wrong? Why does it feel wrong?
Everything shakes again.
Once more I fall, like a puppet cut from its strings. Things impact me, and despite my efforts, I feel darkness taking me.
No…not now…don’t come closer…
…don’t…
…help.
-x-
“Hey, watch it! Don’t you see the siren up there!?”
“No backseat driving!” yelled Tsukauchi as he gripped the steering wheel of the cruiser.
His partner grumbled and whipped out his phone. “Gimme a break. Driving through the city is a freakin’ headache, even this late at night. Cops skipping traffic is a myth.”
“Just be thankful it isn’t rush hour,” the detective replied. The car sped through the streets and the siren blared, drowning out further grumblings.
“True. So what’s gotten everyone in a bunch? I wasn’t near the radio.”
Tsukauchi turned another corner. “A few minutes ago we got multiple 119 calls about an unknown figure rampaging in Chiyoda. They say it’s total chaos, damaged buildings, broken roads, the works. They’ve got every cruiser within a dozen-block radius honing in, and Heroes have already been summoned to intercept and contain.”
“Which ones?”
He made one more turn before the detective gestured with his head. “Guess.”
The skyline of Chiyoda, once rather calm, was now sporting new towers of fire. They were far away from the Imperial Palace, thankfully, but as they got closer, the faintest whiffs of ash began to seep into the vehicle.
“...oh. That bad? Or was he around on patrol?” the officer asked, suddenly sober-faced.
“I think both. I don’t know his routes, but from what my friend tells me, this isn’t his usual area.”
The rest of the ride passed in somber silence as Tsukauchi’s thoughts raced a mile a minute. The APB was still missing a few details, but nothing that was described painted a pretty picture. What was going on? How bad was the situation that it managed to get him on-site so quickly? Was it related to the incident with the Hero Killer?
Again, none of the answers seemed good.
Minutes later, they finally reached a T-section, where two cruisers were blocking both ends. The fires were growing and he could see people rushing out and huddling together, staring down the road in fright. He quickly parked and stepped out, flashing a badge to the two policemen who were beginning to put up yellow tape.
“What’s the situation?”
One of them, an orange-haired man with horns peeking from under his cap, gestured behind him. “We got the APB and came here just as it ended. We’ve been herding the people out of the buildings close to the fire while the fire truck is putting them out. The rest we told to stay in their homes and away from the windows.”
He winced as he shooed away floating rubble. “Is he still there?”
“Yup. Staring down that road like he was spat in the face. Though from the way he trashed the street, it might’ve happened.”
“I see. Is he free now?”
The horned officer nodded. “Go ahead.” He then opened the cruiser door and pulled out two blue face masks. “You’ll need these. There’s ash all over the place.”
“Thank you.” Tsukauchi took off his hat and pulled the mask over his face, adjusting it well over his nose. He turned to his partner and handed him the other one, who did the same.
“You know, I think you should go there. I’ll try and handle the crowd,” he said, eyeing the mouth of the street warily.
Tsukauchi might’ve been annoyed any other time, but he felt like that for now it was the best call, considering who was waiting. “Sure thing. Just make sure none of them enter the street until all the fires have been put out.”
The two policemen then crossed the yellow tape. While his partner went over to the crowd and began talking, Tsukauchi headed to the street and turned.
He felt himself still at the sight. What was once a rather peaceful neighborhood now looked like a demolition sight. The road was split open and cratered, with sewage leaking from the asphalt. Buildings were scorched and marred with ash, its stench flowing over the whole neighborhood and invading through the mask. Lampposts lay on their sides, broken like toothpicks. Fires dotted the streets, latching onto whatever combustible material was nearby. The hazy outline of a fire truck stood among the smoke, with its red sirens and streams of high-pressure water flying through the air and dousing out the conflagrations.
Tsukauchi ventured a little further as he surveyed the wreckage. He thought the Nomu rampage in Shibuya was bad. But even they hadn’t caused this much havoc!
“You’re late.”
A shadow fell over him and he sighed. Here we go… He turned around and greeted the newcomer with a curt nod.
“Endeavor. What happened?”
The Flame Hero frowned at the detective’s tone, though Tsukauchi could tell it was more because of the situation than anything he did. If anything, he appreciated the directness. He crossed his massive arms and turned to the street, his eyes narrowing at some unknown point in the distance. “Walk with me.”
Tsukauchi nodded and followed the Hero’s massive form, one easily spotted through the smoke and haze. A piece of pavement crumbled under his feet and the man grunted.
“I was returning from a patrol when I saw an explosion from this area. My phone picked up a report of a disturbance from here by the police as well so I flew over as fast as possible. When I arrived I saw him stomping down the street and randomly smashing everything around him.”
“That’s when you engaged the Villain?” asked Tsukauchi.
Endeavor nodded and snorted flame from his nostrils. “That bastard was tough. I caught him by surprise at first but he managed to hold against me quickly. He was fast as hell too; if I didn’t keep pushing, he would’ve landed a couple of blows.”
The detective pulled out a notepad and pencil. “Can you give me a description?”
“Tall, a bit shorter than me. Definitely male, age unknown. Glowing red eyes. Carried some kind of bladed weapon, looked like a sword.” The Hero ground his teeth as the flames around his suit flared up. “That’s it, as far as anything I could see.”
Tsukauchi paused. That’s it? “What do you mean?”
“He was covered in some kind of black mist that obscured any features. I could barely make out the outline, even when I was right in his face,” Endeavor bit out. “But he was wearing some kind of armor. What it was, I don’t know, but he took on a Vanishing Fist point-blank. It pushed him, but he got up quickly and fought back.” He then gestured to a series of small craters near the broken sidewalk. “You see these? That was just him stomping around and over there,” he pointed to a broken lamppost. “Is what he did with one swing of that sword.”
“Highly durable fireproof armor,” said Tsukauchi as he wrote down the details. “And a possible strength-enhancement Quirk. Did you question him on his motives?”
Endeavor shook his head. “The moment I told him to surrender, he roared at me like a rabid animal. Negotiations were out the window.”
He kept writing, then bit the cap of the pen. “Black armor…enhanced strength…feral…glowing…” His eyes widened in realization. It had to be, there was no way it was a coincidence.
“You know of him, Detective?”
He was snapped from his musing and met Endeavor’s questioning stare head-on. “A couple of hours ago, I investigated an apartment building where a Villain matching a very similar description fought the Hero Killer. They battled to an apparent standstill before the unknown fled the scene. We’ve been looking for him all around the city, and it seems like you found him first.”
“The Hero Killer?” Endeavor frowned. “Where and when was this?”
“Sumida Ward, south of the Skytree. I got to the scene at around nine-thirty evening, and the calls there were made not long before that.” The Hero nodded and pulled out his phone.
“It takes around 15 minutes for me to fly from there to here, a bit longer by car.” He said. “We were fighting for a good few minutes, then he decided to run by jumping onto the rooftops. I tried to chase him but he was moving too fast and had disappeared into the streets. Meaning he’s just as fast as me, with all that armor.”
“Strength enhancement with enhanced speed as possible side effect…fast enough to outrun a top Pro Hero…” muttered Tsukauchi as he kept writing. The older man’s growling caught his attention and he looked up to see him staring at the ruined street. The fires were slowly starting to die down and more sirens were blaring behind him.
“Do you have to mention that?”
Tsukauchi sighed. “Sorry, every bit of detail is needed. Putting him against a scale will help us better prepare to capture this guy and throw him into Tartarus.”
The Number Two Hero’s costume flared up again, but then settled as the man nodded. “Anything else?”
“Yes…the explosion that drew my attention in the first place. It was not natural; a bright blue energy of some kind. Only a Quirk could have created that.”
The detective rubbed his chin. “Did he use it against you?”
“No, I never gave him the chance.” Endeavor then looked right into the detective’s eyes. It was only thanks to his previous experience with him that he didn’t flinch. “What do you make of this?”
The trenchcoat-wearing officer sighed and bit his lip. “Highly physically capable, the possibility of multiple Quirks…some kind of new Nomu? Eraserhead suggested the theory.”
“Eraserhead…hmm. I wouldn’t be surprised, but a few details don’t add up.” He began counting off his fingers. “One, this Villain’s appearance was far too different from the Nomu encountered in the USJ or Shibuya. Two, the fact that he came all the way here means he was looking for something or someone specific. The League of Villains uses the Nomu for more outward purposes, akin to enforcers and mayhem-makers. This incident feels too much against that MO. Three…” he hesitated for a moment and then continued, though there was a tinge of reluctance in his tone. “He fought like an expert with that weapon. He was savage, even a blind man could tell, and his movements were erratic, but he used that sword in a way I’ve seen only in masters with years of experience, like Yoroi Musha. The Nomu hadn’t even come close to that level of skill beyond matching punch-to-punch or taking everything head-on. In conclusion, we’re dealing with something completely new here. I might be wrong, but the chances of that are low.”
It took Tsukauchi a moment to respond. “That’s…helpful to know. I’ll run the findings past the chief.” Despite the man’s aggressive demeanor and (at times literal) hotheadedness, the detective had to remind himself that he was still the Number Two Hero, and with that an extremely capable investigator. It was part-and-parcel of the job, much more than most people thought, and Endeavor was one of the best. Even better than All Might, though nobody said it to his face. A gloating-fest was not something the HPSC would be happy about.
The haze was starting to clear and the fire trucks were putting out the last of the fires. Tsukauchi looked around and fiddled with his mask. “Can you do another sweep of the neighborhood? Focus on any nearby landmarks or bridges, anything that could hide a Villain that big. I’ll help get statements and set up the crime scene for the forensics team.”
The burning man grumbled but nodded. He started to walk away and then paused. “How goes the search for Shinigami?”
The air, already grim, rapidly turned thick. For a moment, it seemed as though the chatters and noises were muted. Tsukauchi looked down and closed his eyes, despising the words coming out of his mouth.
“...more bodies have appeared. But no changes in the overall state of the case. He’s still an unknown and no one has reported any meaningful sightings.”
He saw Endeavor clench his fists and the flames from his suit growing in size. “...I see.”
His voice was a grindstone and were he not in a populated area, Tsukauchi feared he might smash the nearest structure. “We’ve…expanded our range, but he’s growing more and more cautious. There’s been talk of letting more Heroes on the Task Force, but the Chief wants to keep everything as confidential as possible. More people involved will increase the chances of a leak and the news of his body count.”
A burst of scarlet escaped Endeavor’s fists. He couldn’t see his face, but he could very well imagine what was there. He had seen it once in Naruhata - one of the men said they nearly pissed themselves.
“...my agency is open to you. Should any new evidence regarding this Villain or Shinigami come to light, any resources I have are at your disposal.”
Tsukauchi blinked in surprise. For Endeavor to make a gesture like this…Shinigami and that Villain must have really gotten under his skin.
He then glanced at the detective, a blue eye glowing with rage. “Mark my words, both of them will be stopped. And I will personally throw the both of them into the blackest pits of Tartarus and melt the key until it’s nothing but slag.”
With those words, he bent his knees and flew into the air, leaving a trail of white flames as he soared past the rooftops. All the while, Tsukauchi looked on, the grip on his notepad intensifying.
Amen to that, Endeavor. Amen to that…
…
“Detective!”
“Hm?” He turned to see a fireman, his features obscured by the remaining haze. “What is it?”
“We were just putting out a flash fire in one of the buildings and…one moment” he panted. “The wall was smashed open so we checked to see if there was anyone who hadn’t evacuated yet and…well, you’re gonna wanna see this.”
Tsukauchi raised an eyebrow but still followed the fireman. They soon reached an apartment building, and sure enough, the entrance was utterly destroyed, with glass shards littering the pavement.
“It’s up here” the fireman gestured to a tall ladder propped up against the wall. Tsukauchi nodded and climbed up as the fireman supported the ladder until he reached the second-story window. He leaned inside…and felt a yawning void form in his stomach.
Why the heck were there so many corpses!?
-x-
The sands once more shift underneath my knees. The cool winds, buffeting my cheeks, now feel like scraping nails. The ever-present whispers have gone silent, and I feel the gazes of hundreds upon me.
I swallow and slowly look up. There he stands, masked face expressionless as ever, those blue eyes rigid and uncompromising. His black hood and cloak, draped upon the sands and enshrouding his whole form. His clawed finger idly rubbing the pommel of his humongous sword, as though wondering when to pick it up and end my life.
How ironic. After asking him for help time and time again, now comes the one moment where I would rather have him be silent.
“...Why? Why now?”
Hassan-i Sabbah, the Old Man of the Mountain, does not move or even twitch. Then, he speaks, his voice not betraying even a timber of emotion.
“I am thy teacher, not thy minder. It was time that thou would conduct a mission on thy own. A bird must fly from the nest when its wings grow, and thus I felt that it was thy time to formulate thy own plans. Though I must say, the utter fiasco that became of thy attempt surprised even myself. Even thy predecessors did not blunder their first mission away from Alamut as thou did this last night. Let us review the most glaring of errors, shall we?”
I nod. My form is bare save for my mask and a pair of boxers. As I remain seated on my knees, my fists begin to clench.
“Good.” He stares at the abyssal sky for a moment. “After all the lessons I have bestowed, all the teachings I have tried to instill, this is what thou have to show: thou let thine emotions cloud thee from proper judgment, leading to a reckless pursuit of a kasafat in his domain, which he has shown you that he can freely control. No further pursuit of information was taken beforehand, and no contingencies were planned.” He steps closer and I feel my already-pained chest tighten.
“And if that was not enough, thou have risked the integrity of thy mission by asking one with no experience outside of a few spars to accompany thee, while knowing little else of her capabilities. Not only did thou almost lose thy life, but hers as well.”
Each word stabs at me so hard that it feels physical. It takes all of my willpower not to wince, or curl up on the sands. He wasn’t angry; angry I could somewhat handle. Instead, it was something I had to face from my mother only once, and never again:
Sheer disappointment.
…is it too late to wish that the knight had killed me?
He stops and looks down at me. I force myself to look down at his pointed boots and the edges of his cloak.
“Tozih.”
Explain.
I take in a deep breath. Luckily I can’t vomit here, else I would’ve floated in a sea of milky green.
“I acted on what I thought was the best course of action at the time. Araya had shown that there was no way to further search the building without him knowing about it, and from the way no one had reported on our first fight, he was telling the truth about being able to hide from the Heroes and the police. I also couldn’t let him prepare for the next encounter further, so I had to seize the chance as soon as possible.”
No reply. I continue.
“Regarding Shiki…from the conversation I had with Jirou, she made it plain that this couldn’t be a one-man job. My options were nearly nonexistent, the only other one being Dabi. I deemed his power too great of a risk, considering the environment of Araya’s lair. Thus, she was the only viable option, and when she showcased her Quirk, it just added to her usefulness for the mission.”
I feel the tension unraveling from my body as I speak. “As for what happened after I killed the priest…I have no idea how or why.”
Silence reigns once more. The shame that’s chaining me feels worse than before the knight injured me.
“Lift thy head, pupil.”
Mawla’s tone is not harsh, but it doesn’t have that same tinge of softness as I’ve heard from previous moments. Even so, facing him is…I can’t describe it.
…no, I’ve let him down enough.
I manage to do as he says and meet his ancient gaze with my own. He then tilts his head at me, contemplating something.
“I have heard thy reasonings, and have weighed them.
The circumstances that forced thy hand were indeed extreme. Thou were given little room to act, and thus could only gather information from that singular encounter. In that regard, the main oversight was perhaps that thou did not consider that the false man of Allah might plan for thy next encounter. If not the exact means, then a general idea. Enemies are not straw dolls in a practice yard; despite their acts, they are people, and only the dullest will not plan around an anticipated attack.”
I nod, hanging on to his every word.
“As for thy choice of ally…” he lets out a low grumble. “As you said, thou concluded rightly that a potential hostage situation would require more than one man. But I feel that thy choice was still flawed. Thou only met the girl a handful of times, and thy measure of her capabilities was limited, even clouded by fascination. Such things are detrimental to the path of the Hashashin.” I try very hard not to respond, but he quickly moves on. “While his powers were not the most suitable for the situation, thou could have attempted to circumvent it. Araya had shown a willingness to follow thee during your first encounter; could thou not have drawn him outside to then ambush him? Or perhaps threaten to burn down his domicile - not just threaten, commit partially. In his rush to mitigate the damage, thou could catch him with his guard dropped and go in for the kill.”
I feel my face flush as the realization hits me. Why the hell did I not think of that!? Jirou did say that smoking out the criminals was a bad idea though…
“But what if the fire did go out of control? People would start calling and alerting the cops, and they could come and bust us.”
“...this is one lesson I have failed to properly teach thee,” he replies. Though something about his tone finally shifts. “There are times when thou must resort to means of collateral, despite the contradiction to thy profession. In such times, weigh the risks and rewards of the act, and then decide. The flames might have spread, but the people nearby could still leave. If thou did it right, thou could minimize the amount of attention drawn to thee until Araya was disposed of.”
He’s right. I could have planned something with Dabi, maybe bluff or do a controlled burn. Those walls certainly don’t look fireproof, and I’d like to think Araya would have struggled to move when everything was burning hot. I might’ve had to wait for him or stay away from the action, but I could’ve planned something.
“...the risks were too big, for both myself and the people nearby. In the end, Shiki pulled through in every way. This decision, I don’t regret.”
Mawla hums, then lets out a soft sigh. “Thy heart is kind, contractor. If thou stand by this decision, I shall say nothing further. I only pray that this choice does not end in thy downfall.”
The disappointment still burns me. Yet, I somewhat feel less…ashamed to talk.
“What about the knight?”
The blue lights within his mask narrow. The grip on his sword intensifies as the whispers of spirits begin acting up. “Yes…that…” He looks back up again. “Describe him to me.”
I slowly relay every bit of detail I can remember about the knight. His appearance, his strength and speed, his armor, how he wrecked a whole street and nothing I did worked as he raised that sword high to slice me in -
“Contractor, breathe. Focus on my voice, and my voice alone.”
I blink. Wait, what happened? I look down at my hands and see they are shaking, gripping the sand tightly. A shadow covers me, and I see Mawla, down on one knee, and one hand raised.
“I am here, contractor. Thou art safe in the Valley. This is thy sanctuary, where no foe can harm thee. Repeat that.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “This…the Valley is my sanctuary, where no foe can harm me. The Valley is my sanctuary, where no foe can harm me. The Valley is my sanctuary, where no foe can harm me.”
As I let the sand drop from my fists, he slowly stands up. “Mawla…I’m -”
“This is one matter thou should feel no shame in apologizing.”
I tilt my head, confused, as he hums and paces around. The spirits have resumed their whispers fully. I welcome them, oddly.
“Mawla…what was that thing? It was no Nomu. I’m not even sure that was a person. The way he moved, he fought…it was a lot like you.” And boy, that hurt me to admit. “But when he roared, he was so angry, and then he just kept destroying everything like a -”
“Berserker.”
What?
“The word thou should use, it is Berserker.”
“̨͔̔𝕬̮̽͟𝕬̈͆͏͍̰̕𝕬̨͓̩̋̂̀𝕽̶̡̡̰̬̠ͪ̍ͯ𝕽̸̡̻̼͎̿ͥͩ͞𝕲̢̨͎̜͚̰̔ͬ̂͒͘͠𝕳̷̴̗̳̙͎̬̓̾ͦ̑́̚͝͞𝕳͊̒ͧ͋͋҉̡̢̡̛̳̞̦͇͉!̴̧̡̱̮̠̼̗͙̇ͬͦ͐̇ͣ́͞͡!̴̸̖̭̜̳͙͚ͦͩ̔ͥ̿̾̀̕͢͝”̓̂̀̏ͫ͊͋͘҉̧̢̻̤̩̹̝͖̦͜͠͠ ̵̷̨͐̐̉͆ͯ̅̂͠҉͖͍̤̖͔͍͈͟͞
Berserker…a rampaging warrior, from ancient times.
…yeah, that fits. Actually, it’s perfect.
Hold up. “Do you know anything about it?”
“...’tis not possible. The conditions are not present.” He turns to me before I can ask. “I have my suspicions, but I shall not relay them to thee right now. Not out of any desire to keep thou ignorant, but this is one matter I must thoroughly examine. Any wrong conclusions will spell utter disaster for us both.”
Okay, not terrifying at all. “Is there anything you can tell me?”
“Only thou should thank Allah and his angels that thou and thine ally were able to escape in one piece.”
…oh, shit.
What kind of monster would make Mawla pause?
“Wait…escape?” Dread floods me and I jump up. “Where’s my body!? Am I still on the street!?”
“Peace, contractor!” Mawla replies. “Thy body is safe. Thou art merely resting.”
“Oh. Oh, really? That’s…that’s good.” I sigh in relief and slump down. Then I scratch my head. “Um, where exactly am I resting?”
“Thou shalt discover shortly. And that is another point for thy choice in ally.”
Right as he says that, the wind begins to blow. “It is time for thee to leave for the waking world.” My teacher says as the sands begin to dance. “Learn from thy mistakes. Consider every possibility. And take heart; thou still succeeded in thy mission. Evil is slain, and their souls rest easy as they pass on, avenged.”
…my lips twitch, and a smile starts to break out.
“Mawla?”
“Yes?”
“I missed you.”
The sands swirl faster and faster until I can no longer see him. But even against the whistling gale, I can hear the hint of that softness returning.
“Be well, my student. I pray that rest finds thee easily.”
-x-
Ughh…
Oh, my back…
The light, it’s so bright…and the road feels so soft…
Hold it…cloth?
“You’re awake.”
I groan and shift my head. The blurriness clears, forming into a blue kimono and a head of black hair.
“...Shiki?”
The girl holds a steaming cup in her hands. “Drink this.”
I force myself up at a snail’s pace, my arms creaking with every push. I almost slip, but Shiki gently pushes my back and I manage to sit upright. I take the cup from her and bring it up to my lips. It’s filled with a green, clear liquid.
Ah, tea. I slowly sip it. Huh, sweet. Not bitter at all.
I lower the cup. “What happened?”
“I found you lying in the street. That Hero started fighting the monster and I was able to drag you away. You managed to walk for a bit before you collapsed, so I carried you here.”
Did I manage to walk for a bit? I don’t remember that.
And the Hero…yeah, there was no doubt about it…
…not now.
I slowly look around. The traditional look, the paper walls, the sound of running water, the tatami mats…
“I’m…in your house?”
She raises an eyebrow. Well, unless this is some kind of temple then…
“Huh…thanks.”
She tilts her head and then looks down at my body. I follow her gaze, only to cringe at the sight of my chest, which was wrapped in bandages. They were wrapped around my waist and one around my shoulder.
“How bad?”
“Not as much as you think,” she replies, giving my body another cursory glance. “There was damage, internal bruising, and some broken bones. If it wasn’t for your suit, your chest would’ve caved in.”
I shiver at her words. “Then…how am I still moving?”
“You heal up fast. The doctor said you’ll need a few days to rest, but after that, you should be fine.”
‘Broken bones and internal bruising? No way that heals overnight.’
‘That would be another boon the Valley has blessed thee with,’ replies Mawla. For a moment I’m taken by surprise at his presence. ‘It seems that it found a way to accelerate thy healing. With proper treatment, grievous wounds that would take weeks to heal shall now take only days. Before thou ask, thy injuries were never so severe as to warrant such a response. ‘Tis no miracle cure, however - untreated wounds will still be as fatal as they will be for an ordinary person. Do not attempt to abuse it.’
I nod, trying to digest that new piece of information, then pause. “Doctor?”
“Yeah, I don’t know anything about healing.” She waves her hand. “Don’t worry, he’s my parents’ doctor; he won't tell anyone anything.”
I ignore the tidbit about how rich her family was to have a private physician and slowly reach for my face and press my finger to it. To my growing dread, I feel no hard bone, but soft flesh.
My mask is off?
…I touch my face again.
My mask is off.
…one more time, just to be sure.
…nope.
…
MY MASK IS OFF!?
HOW-WHA-WHY THE FUCK IS MY MASK OFF!?
My head creaks until I meet her brown eyes again. The ghost of a smile makes its way onto her face.
…I slump over. This…is a fucking nightmare.
“Where…?”
She gestures to my left and I follow her finger. There it was, the mask which I had worn for nearly a year, the symbol of my new life, lying on the covered floor.
Mawla?
‘While only thou can remove the mask, contractor, thy body drew in from the Valley to help heal thyself and isolate the connection to only healing. As a result, the mask was forced to detach itself. A regrettable outcome indeed, and another risk to this new process. Now let us hope that thy ally is as trustworthy as thou believe.’
…I sigh. As much as I want to crawl under the blankets and hope this was a dream, it’s not gonna happen. “Nice to meet you, I guess?”
She stares at me for a moment, then raises her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Shiki Ryougi. You?”
I look at her outstretched hand, and can’t help but let out a chuckle. “Ritsu Ogawa.”
It’s the injuries. Some kind of concussion that wasn’t healed properly. No other way to explain why I would say my name like that.
I shake her hand…soft, but a very strong grip. We let go and I pick up the mask, idly tracing its edges.
“How long was I out?”
“The whole night. You started twitching half an hour ago, so I made the tea.”
Not that long, huh? “Who else knows?”
“Just me.” I tilt my head, confused.
“But didn’t you say -”
“I took off your suit before I called my parents. Your mask also fell at the same time, so I was able to hide it from them. As far as they know, you’re someone who saved my life.”
Heh, if anything it was the other way around. Still, that was good, better than I had hoped. The nightmare scenario has been averted! It almost makes me forget that a girl had stripped me naked!
Not now.
“Are they still here?”
“They’ve gone out for a bit, but they’ll be back soon.”
Oh. There was still time before the questions. “Um…where is my suit? And my gear?”
She stands up. “I hid them somewhere safe. I’ll go get them.” With that, she slides open the door and walks away.
I exhale and keep fiddling with the mask. ‘Well, this isn’t as big of a mess as I thought it would be.’
‘It would appear so. Allah favors thee, contractor. Let us hope that thy blessings hold.’
‘Amen to that.’ I reach for the cup and sip more tea. As I let the hot beverage slide down my throat, Mawla keeps talking.
‘While thy identity is exposed, for now, it is in little danger of being revealed. The girl appears willing to hold her tongue, though I have yet to discern her motive. Thou shall have to maneuver carefully.’
‘I know that, I’m not exactly okay with this. Hell, in a perfect world, both of us would’ve completed the mission successfully and gone our separate ways. Didn’t you say always to adapt to the situation, no matter what?’ I respond. ‘But hey, maybe someone else knowing my secret might be a good thing. What’s the saying, only two can keep a secret? Or ‘the way three people can keep a secret is if one of them is dead’? You’re technically dead so…’
‘Both versions are false, but I begrudgingly understand thy reasoning.’
‘Mmm…yeah, I’m hoping this will turn out well.’
I hear the pitter-patter of feet and see Shiki with a bundle of cloth in her hand. I quickly take it from her and begin sorting my stuff. The suit’s damaged; a lot of cuts and tears. I’ll have to break out the spare and send the other to Shadow Gear for repairs. The old dagger is still here and intact, though two knives are missing. The gauntlets look fine, though I’ll have to test them.
I reach into one of the belt pouches and pull out my two phones. No damage to the work phone, and only a small crack on my regular phone - shame, but it seems in working order. I almost put them down when the regular phone flashes on mute. The moment the caller ID shows up, I feel the blood leaving my face and evaporating from my veins.
‘Mawla?’
‘...thou have only thyself to blame.’
I glance at Shiki who just gives me a blank stare. I swallow and look at the flashing screen, and for a moment I’m tempted to hang up. Just for a moment.
I steel myself before hitting the big green button and holding the phone to my ear.
“Eh…hi there, Mom!”
Scratch that, this is the nightmare scenario.
Ritsu Ogawa (Assassin - Hassan-i Sabbah)
Stats:
Strength: D++ - C
Agility: C
Endurance: C-
Mana: C++ - B(Only when using Power of the Valley. Otherwise, nonexistent.)
Luck: C+
Skills:
Presence Concealment C-: The ability to hide from others. A semi-decent level for any Assassin. Against ordinary criminals and some intelligent ones it works well.
Throwing (Dagger) B and Throwing (Retrieval) B: The expertise for throwing projectile weapons; in this case, daggers. His daggers have the same destructive power as firearms when thrown, typically spelling certain death for human targets. He can retrieve them to his hand with but a mere gesture
Information Erasure C++: Erases all traces of the user's identity, physical or digital, after leaving a scene of assassination. It does not hide the user's identity in any other situation, and clues can be pieced together to deduce identity. If the user's identity is discovered, then the effects of the skill weaken. Rank increased thanks to multiple exposures outside of Presence Concealment.
Power of the Valley of Death B: A unique connection forged as a result of finding a relic of Alamut. Assassin can draw power from the Valley to perform certain skills he would otherwise be incapable of doing.
Quirk - Super-Hearing B: A power gained as a result of evolution. Allows the user to hear precise details within a certain range, up to an including electrical movements and shifting of earth. Can extend the range in exchange for loss of detail. Also alerts the user of incoming danger provided they can react to it.
Muraqubah C-: A meditative state that enhances Ritsu's connection to the Valley. If used enough times/for long enough, combat specs have a chance of increasing. In addition, it also enables a healing trance that the user can enter if sufficiently injured, at the cost of weakening his Concealment. (SKILL UPGRADE!)
Noble Phantasm:
Zabaniya - Delusional Judgment Rank C+
An 'ultimate assassination technique' bearing the same name as the angels of hell, a title which all previous 'Old Men of the Mountain' used for their own techniques. Unlike them however, who were forged by extensive modification of the Hassans' bodies, this technique is a reflection of the Assassin's desire to inflict what he deems true judgment. Calling upon his unique connection to the Valley in the Shadow of Death, Assassin drags his target's soul to the Valley, where the First Hassan awaits them. Their soul is laid bare before the Great Founder and should they be found guilty of whatever sin Assassin finds them to have committed, the flames of Gehenna will burn away their soul and body until naught but ash remains.
Zabaniya: Delusional Echo - Rank C+, Anti-Unit (Self)
A superpower of the modern age infused with the power of the Valley of Death. For a short period, the skill Quirk: Super-Hearing's rank becomes A+, increasing its range and sensitivity. With a method similar to echolocation, a mental see-through map of the user's surroundings is formed in the mind's eye and overlaid with the user's sight, which he can navigate through at the speed of thought. Sound information is taken no matter the barriers stopping it, be it stone, metal, wood, or otherwise.
Thus, the Paradox Spiral Arc is brought to a close.
A lot happened here, both in the chapter and the arc. What do you think? Wrote two whole sections in a day, I felt like I was on fire. Thanks to storybookuser for helping me out so much! Couldn't have done this without him, go check out his Oregairu fic! You're the best! The Zalgo text works funny on FFN though. The AO3/SB versions are better.
I had my first day at a real job yesterday. Here's hoping I can keep it up along with all my other passions.
I know the healing might seem like an ass-pull, but it isn't. Ritsu's been slowly acclimating to the Valley every time he uses Concealment, kind of like passive Reinforcement. It makes him a little more durable and quick to recover, but this is not a healing factor. No Wolverine bullshit will happen, I swear.
If you're feeling helpful, go to my page at pat . reon/ user?u=47732921 and donate a bit! Patrons will also get previews of future chapters! Also, if you don't wish to subscribe monthly, feel free to leave a small tip at my new ko-fi page at: ko-fi /darkscythedrake. I also make 3D art there, hopefully one day of my fics.
I'm a member of the Shiro's Gaming Omniverse Discord (discord . gg/wd3tUYWVCd.) server and the Emerald Library (discord . gg/elibrary). If you want to hop over and chat, either about this story or anything else, feel free! I also have my own server Drake's Lair, at (discord . gg/2bD4UgyyPA).
If you enjoyed this story, check out my other ones and look at my profile for challenges! I have a new ASOIAF x Yugioh crossover involving card lore and the Dance of Dragons, and it's been recently updated!
Most importantly...
Read and Review! REVIEW!
