Fractured Wings

The air was thick with tension as Miyu's ruby red gaze flickered between all of us. Her smirk was radiant and cruel, as if she already knew the outcome of the standoff. She leaned against the intricately carved desk at the center of her grandiose chamber, her fingers idly tracing the edge as if she had all the time in the world. 

"You want your precious rule?" she purred, her voice silk laced with barbed wire. "Fine. I'll grant your request. But only on one condition." 

Her eyes locked on to me. "You." she raised her finger, the motion as she pointed as her words. "Kobe Arakawa, Soryu. You join me. Do that and I'll release these three under my control and add your rule." 

The words hung in the air like smoke from a fire, suffocating and impossible to ignore. Kendo's gasp was sharp. Fat Gum stiffened, his fists clenching at his sides While Kodai, Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu exchanged uneasy glances. 

I had a feeling what they were thinking. Her having full access to a villain that could take on Overhaul, not even me being arrogant, but I am quite strong. I can handle most situations even one's that aren't built for me to handle. This sociopath having access to me would give her a huge boost in power and it was only the second day. 

I ignored and kept my gaze on Miyu. Her grin widened as she took in my silence. 

"Why him?" Kendo asked. She didn't want to say it, but most people would choose the experienced hero. And Fat Gum is probably stronger than Snatch. Maybe the diva has a fetish. 

Miyu tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Why not? He intrigues me and I want him. And lets be honest darling—your group doesn't exactly have the leverage to negotiate." 

Kendo stomped on the ground angrily. "We're not bargaining with lives—" 

"Stop!" my voice cut through her protest. Kendo turned to me, her eyes wide with shock. 

"What are you saying?" the quiet voice of Yui Kodai graced my ears. 

I ignored the question while weighing the options. Joining Miyu wasn't a matter of sacrifice—it was practical. If the rule was added, it would level the playing field in this damned game. Besides, I'd been trained to resist mental quirks. Not perfect, but I could probably resist at the right time and stab her in the back. 

"I'll do it." I said, the words left my mouth before I could second-guess myself. 

Kendo stared at me as if I'd slapped her. "You can't be serious. This isn't just about the rule—she's talking about controlling you." 

I met her steady gaze. "But adding this rule will help people play the game easier without worrying for their lives." 

"You're insane." Fat Gum growled, his massive frame looming beside me. 

"Maybe, but again, standing around and arguing isn't helping anyone." Of course if we all just fought then we may come to another conclusion, but that may also get people killed. 

Miyu's delighted laughter filled the room. "Oh, how noble. I knew I picked the right one." 

She straightened, her expression shifting to one of mock seriousness. "But before we finalize this delightful arrangement, let's make this clear. I'll release these three from my control first. Then, once you've all left, I'll add your precious little rule." 

I took a step forward as she was controlling the three under her control to step forward to Fat Gum and Tokoyami. Kendo stopped me mid-stride. 

"You don't have to do this." 

I grabbed her hand and removed it from my shoulder. There was no need for second guessing, even if I were to fail here, if I were to die. Sure I wouldn't want that outcome, but then, somebody else would just find a way to add that rule. Somebody else would continue to search for the three artifacts and then everybody would be free and at peace. 

And I planned on making this hard for the crazy woman. 

"Everything will be fine." I said lowly. 

"Come on little Soryu." Miyu called out to me. 

I walked closer to her and Kendo and the rest left, they didn't say a goodbye and I didn't expect one. I stood by Miyu's side as we watched them leave the front door together. As soon as they stepped out... 

I grabbed Miyu's hand and held it over her head. "Add my rule now!" She wasn't fighting back, instead just smiling at the aggression. 

She heard our conversation later so she new exactly what rule to add. 

"Bug," she called out, her Bug, a pale orange colour instead of the Red mine was or Green Kendo's was, came to life. "Add a rule for players to be able to transfer points to each other." 

"{Request Denied.}" My eyes widened at that. Why would it be denied? Even Miyu looked surprised. 

My mind was racing for an alternative. This couldn't have been for nothing. Miyu looked at me, as if waiting for either an answer or an attack. 

"What about players that have already met?" I told her. 

She waited expecting her Bug to answer but there was nothing, not until she made her request again. 

"Add a rule for players to tranfer points to players they have met." 

"{Request granted.}" 

I let out a sigh of relief, the rules that could be added could be seen as strict, from a heroes lens. But to me, I think that they are just designed to be more detrimental to players that have a lot of good will, if this is really being watched by the whole nation, or even the world, then people would have more fun watching how we get out of harder situations. 

My Bug came to life and said in the same monotonous voice that a new rule has been added. 

The weight in my chest eased slightly. But it was short lived as Miyu turned to me, her grin sharpening. "Now lets seal the deal, shall we?" 

Her hand reached out, brushing against my arm. The first touch was electric, a jolt that seemed to travel straight to my brain. My muscles tensed involuntarily. Her second touch was slower, more deliberate, her fingers tracing patterns along my shoulder. My breathing hitched as my mind went pitch black for the briefest second. 

"Relax," she whispered, her voice a velvet command. 

I bit the inside of my cheek, grounding myself with a sharp sting of pain. It felt too much like she was unravelling something inside of me, like I was just a piece of string. 

But just then, as her hand hovered for the third touch, a deafening crash shook the room. 

The wall behind us exploded inward, the debris scattering as a figure stepped through the dust and smoke. 

Overhaul. 

His presence commanding as it was menacing. He stood at the center of chaos, flanked by members of the Shie Hassaiki. 

All of them conveniently happened to be dropped in this game, and so conveniently found each other's whereabouts huh? 

"Am I disturbing something?" 

___

The room seemed to hold it's breath in the moments after Overhaul's question. He hasn't changed a bit, although his appearance did a bit, still wore a face mask and still wore gloves to cover up his hands. My old boss, 

And my soon to be new boss glared at the wreckage, her carefully cultivated annoyance shifted into a look of indifference. 'This could be my chance.' Miyu doesn't have me under her control so in the chaos I know is coming, I can escape. 

"Kobe Arakawa." Overhaul drawled, his voice still held the long hum of a drone in his base. "We have unfinished business." 

Miyu, standing poised beside me, let out a sharp breath. Her irritation was visible from the tightness of her jaw. "What an uninvited nuisance," she said, her voice laced with disdain. Her crimson eyes flicked over Overhaul and his entourage, who were less in number I noticed, but still had the people he had merged with, free and to themselves I might add. "You've interrupted my most delicate negotiation." 

Overhaul's gaze didn't shift as he barely glanced toward Miyu. "Stay out of my way," he said coldly before returning his attention to me. "I owe this one something special." 

"Do you?" I spoke evenly, my stance was ready as I gave a little smirk. "I figured breaking your legs and throwing you to Tartarus would eventually show you gratitude." 

The corner of his mouth twitched, but it wasn't amusement. Behind him Rappa cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing ominously in the tense air. "I've been waiting for this," Rappa growled, his wild grin belying the sheer force of his presence. Tengai adjusted his own gloves on his hands with precision, while Yu Hojo's molten hands sparked faintly. 

Behind us another crash. 

"Well whoopty fucking do another brute." Miyu cried out sarcastically, 

Behind us it was Fat Gum. Snatch wasn't with him but Momo Yaoyorozu was, as well as Tokoyami, Yo Shindo and Kendo. Snatch, the other pro hero wasn't here. 

I really didn't know how I felt about them all being here facing off against someone like Overhaul. 

"We heard the crash, but we didn't expect this." Fat Gum said. 

He was instantly ready as he alerted the others to get in their stance and get ready for a fight. Kendo's fists enlarged instinctively almost as if on instinct. And Yaoyorozu created a staff, I almost forgot what she explained her quirk to be, quite similar to mine. 

"No one is leaving here alive," Overhaul said, his tone devoid of emotion as his hand brushed the ground. The floor began to shift violently, warping into jagged spikes that shot upward like a living enemy. 

"Spread out!" Fat Gum bellowed, taking the lead as the room erupted in chaos. 

Rappa lunged at Fat Gum with a roar, his fists were a blur of motion as they hammered against the hero's resilient form. Each strike reverberated like thunder. Tengai moved beside him, his barriers amplifying Rappa's assault, creating a relentless barrage that even Fat Gum was struggling to absorb. 

Shindo jumped into the fray, his quirk shaking the ground beneath Rappa's feet. The brawler only laughed, his wild eyes gleaming as he relished the challenge. His fists crashed down like a brutal arc. 

Kendo darted forward, her massive fists slamming into the ground to create a shockwave that was enough to disrupt the attack. Her resolve was strong despite jumping into a situation that on paper should have been too much for her. 

Meanwhile, Tokoyami and Yaoyorozu faced off against Yu Hojo. Tokoyami's Dark shadow lashed out with ferocity, dodging Hojo's crystal strikes and countering with solid swipes of his own. Yaoyorozu created an insulated barrier to protect them both.

And through the cacophony, I seen Miyu step back, her expression serene and confident despite the situation. Her focus was on Rikiya Katsukame, who stood like a hulking statue amidst the turmoil. "You'll do nicely." she murmured like it was a promise.

As the battle's raged on around us, Overhaul's focus remained on me. His movements were deliberate, his quirk warping the environment with every step. The floor buckled and twisted, forcing me to stay in constant motion. 

"You think you've changed anything by taking Eri from me?" He yelled. "All you've done is delay the inevitable." 

I didn't respond, instead throwing constructs of paper knifes at him. They sliced through the air with lethal precision, but Overhaul dodged them and then brought up the ground to act as a shield for him. 

"You're still a senseless coward." I yelled to him. "Hiding behind others. Hiding behind your quirk." 

His eyes narrowed, his calm demeanour cracking ever so slightly. He lunged, his hand grazing the edge of the paper shield. The impact sent a ripple of force through the air, but I held my ground, countering with a strike to his ribs that made him stagger. 

"Do you even fight for anything?" Overhaul asked loud enough for me to hear. "When we interviewed you, you said you didn't even have any goals. To me that made you the perfect tool." 

Most of the time, I just fight in the moment or for an immediate need. I don't think all too much on the greater need for it. 

"Oh, so that was an interview," I said while evading a swipe of his hand. 

Every strike Overhaul made was with the intent of just ending me. He lunged again, and I twisted, letting his momentum carry him forward. My aikido training kicked in, turning his strength against him. My hands locked onto his wrist, guiding him into an unbalanced stance. His other hand lashed out, but I sidestepped. 

"You're predictable," I taunted, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. "You hide behind others because you can't handle the weight of your own failures." 

Overhaul's expression hardened, his movements growing faster, more erratic. Each attempt to corner me grew more vicious, but I danced around him, my strikes calculated to keep him off balance. 

The clash of battle echoed through the building, but a sharp, agonized scream pierced the air. My head snapped toward the sound, and my stomach twisted. 

Fat Gum's voice roared, "Shindo!" 

I didn't need to see to know what happened. I could feel it, like a weight, a shift in the atmosphere that only came following death. My chest tightened as I caught sight of Yo Shindo crumpled to the ground, a gaping wound in his chest where Rappa's strike had connected. Blood pooled beneath him. Another death in front of me. 

"You couldn't save him," Overhaul said in a clinical and somewhat mocking tone. "You couldn't save him like you did Eri right?" He was sounding sarcastic. 

It weren't my job to save him. That guy was a hero, sure he didn't ask to join this game, but I'm sure he agreed to jumping in to try and save me. I didn't ask for that. I don't need that. 

"You're a parasite," I spat out at Overhaul. "A coward that uses others to mask his weakness." Overhaul's demeanour remained calm. 

"And you're a hypocrite," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Fighting for nothing, chasing ghosts." 

I lunged, driving him with a series of strikes that he couldn't keep up with. My movements were sharper, and more aggressive. The fight spilled outside, the air a cool contrast to the heat of the battle. The streets were empty. 

Overhaul twisted the ground beneath us, jagged spikes shooting up in a desperate attempt to push me back. I was faster, I weaved through with ease and the flow of a ballerina. My paper constructs lashed out, slicing through the air like blades. 

"You're heartless," I said, my voice steady, despite the strain in my muscles. "You used Eri like a pawn, like she wasn't even human. You brutalized her. Broke her, over and over—" 

"Spare me your sanctimony," Overhaul interrupted, his tone dismissive. "Everything I did, was for a purpose. Sacrifices are necessary for progress." 

"Sacrifices?" I almost laughed, dodging another spike that shot up off the ground. "You merged with your own men, taking away the autonomy of people loyal to you. You kill people without even a second thought. You're not a visionary—you're just miserable scum." 

Overhaul's composure cracked, his anger was bubbling to the surface. "You don't understand. The world needs order. Without it people like you—" 

"People like me?" I cut him off, "The world has order, even if it's a little messy, that's every system. Sure I don't follow it, but I try not to hurt anybody that doesn't deserve it, even some that do." 

I got quiet, the noise was dimming down, maybe they were all trying to escape. 

"You know, I planned on finding you one day," I paused again. "I was going to cut your hands off and hand you over to authorities. Let you live with the consequences of your actions, powerless to hurt again." 

Overhaul's gaze darkened, his fists clenched as he lunged at me with new fury. I sidestepped, grabbing his arm and twisting it with precision. He stumbled, but I didn't let up, driving him back with a flurry of strikes that left him no room to recover. 

"But now," I said, my voice cold and unyielding. "I realized that you really don't deserve mercy, you don't deserve a thing." 

I created little kunai that pierced his palms. 

"Wait..." he splurged out desperately. 

I ignored it and gave him another solid punch to his gut. I stood over him watching his feet kick. More paper kunai pierced his hands, his fingers next. He was letting out a pathetic scream that wouldn't be heard from the building, there was blood caught in his throat. 

In my hand, I formed a long blade with countless layers of paper to reinforce it. Overhaul's eyes widened, he looked in my eyes and found no sympathy. All I seen was cowardice and a fear that made him rip his hand from their trapped spot on the ground nearly bending them out of place without even knowing. 

"Don't die pathetically too. Just accept it." 

I placed the sword right above his rapidly beating heart. 

.

.

.

And I pressed down with force, I went until I was sure that I had pieced right through. Overhaul's eyes had shock in them mixed with fear, his trousers were damp in his crotch area and the smell hit my nose in an instant. 

His body wiggled for a solid thirty seconds and then it just crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Dead. 

He was dead. 

'Well I did promise Eri that her nightmares would never reach her.' 

This just wasn't how I expected it to be. 

I felt weird. Even with all the brutality of the Eden Project, I had never taken a life before, I had seen corpses though. I had been used to death. Maybe that was why it was so easy to take a life for me. Especially one as vile as Overhaul. 

There was no need to feel bad, or like I had done the wrong thing. I'm in a place where even if I were to restrain him, then what? There was a prison in Hosu, but it was just a holding cell. There was probably no one that could hold him for long. 

Something I knew from the beginning. 

How long till more people come to that realization? Heroes, they were people that were probably trained for this. But what about the hero students, like Midoriya or Kendo. 

'Oh yeah.' 

Kendo was with the others in the building. 

I turned and immediately stopped. 

There in front of me was Itsuka Kendo staring at me in disbelief. The others had rushed in behind her with the exception of Miyu. Fat Gum was carrying Shindo's dead body. 

Tokoyami, Yaoyorozu and Kendo, they looked sick. They looked scared. They looked at me with those terrified faces. Tokoyami looked the most normal and Fat Gum didn't look too phased. Were they thinking of how they may have to do something like this too? 

We don't know how long we would be in this game for. 

A sigh came out of her lips as she raised her hands to cover her eyes. The sigh was one of understanding, but also disappointment. 

They didn't belong here. 

And I didn't belong with them. 

I was only cut out of my haze when I heard my Bug pop out and announce... "{You have gained 10 points.}" 

I flew into the sky. High above the clouds and disappeared. They would all come to the realization soon that I still made the right choice. They could take their time with it. 

For now, I'd just keep moving until it felt right to stop.