Fat Gum crouched beside, his enormous frame casting a protective shadow over the group. "Take your time," he said gently, but the edge of urgency in his voice betrayed concern. "We need to know what we're dealing with here."
Snatch inhaled deeply before he began. "It began with two kids," he said, his voice gravelly steady. "Yo Shindo and Tatami Nakagame, hero students from Ketsubutsu. They were attacking civilians—cornering them, like predators."
Kendo, standing beside me, stiffened.
"So I stepped in. Tried to calm them down, thinking that maybe they'd snapped under the pressure. You know I'm the one who got Shindo a recommendation." he paused. "And then someone arrived, a woman."
Fat Gum frowned and leaned in closer.
"Older woman. Mid-twenties maybe. Red hair, red eyes. Walked around like she owned the place." Snatch paused, a muscle in his jaw twitching. "No hesitation, no fear. She didn't just think she was in charge—she knew it. Every word, every move, screamed control. Not the kind of arrogance you get from overconfidence. It was more like she believed everything in existence is only there to serve her."
A chill swept over us. Kendo looked unsettled but not deterred.
"How did she fight?" I asked.
Snatch's brow furrowed as he replayed the memory. "Efficiently. No wasted movements. She used her hands mostly—strikes, deflections, grapples. Every hit and then she placed her hands on my head and the moment I got a clear look into her eyes... I blacked out."
So simple martial arts then, trained? most likely.
"She didn't fight like a brute, or even a typical quirk user. But she was comfortable fighting in either scenario." Snatch finished.
Kendo frowned, her fists clenched at her sides. "But how did she control you? Was it her eyes?"
That would be the most obvious answer.
"I don't think so, I got a look of her eyes before and I felt nothing." Snatch refuted as his gaze fell to the ground.
There had to be something else, the quirk exposal rule wasn't looking so threatening now. There was nothing on her, other than overriding the minds of animals. It never mentioned she could do so to humans.
That just further confirmed my theory that it's data from the quirk registry and people rarely update that. Maybe it was the amount of times he caught her gaze, or for how long.
"... none of it makes sense, and we now know that it can operate at extremely far distances too." Yaoyorozu's voice brought me back to the conversation.
"Maybe it's emotional," Tokoyami offered, his voice low and thoughtful. "Some quirks thrive of fear or doubt."
"It's all possible," I interjected, my voice sharp. "But we don't know. And guessing won't help us take her down."
Fat Gum crossed his arms, his expression grave. "Whatever it is, she's got control of two kids and even had a pro hero. That alone makes her a threat that is on a high level."
"I'm going back!" Snatch straightened and hardened his gaze. "I'm not leaving those kids like that."
"Agreed," Fat Gum said.
"Piggy," I said in the direction of Fat Gum. "You'll be taking lead right? It only makes sense since all your fat can block any incoming attacks."
The group all gave different reactions, Yaoyorozu and Kendo seemed a little stunned and Kodai and Tokoyami looked confused. I grinned while looking at the hard look Fat Gum was giving, it just looked weird on his face.
"Watch it villain, I give the orders here."
I raised my hands in defense.
"Sure thing piggy."
____
I didn't think Hosu would have a building like this. Hosu is a relatively new city in Japan's history, so I wasn't thinking of a building that stands like a relic, looking oddly gothic. Dark ornate arches framed the windows, which glowed from within.
Vines clung to the stone walls, a strange touch.
Fat Gum was the first to speak. His voice sharp as he stood tall and confident to the building that Snatch lead us all to. "This is it everyone. Stay sharp."
The door creaked open as we stepped inside, revealing a grand foyer that seemed plucked from another world. The marble floor gleamed under the light of the massive crystal chandelier. The air smelled faintly of lilies, but underneath was a metallic tang that set my teeth on edge.
"This place doesn't feel like a hideout." Kendo muttered, her eyes scanning the room.
"More like her own personal stage."
Before anyone could respond, the first sound of movement broke through—a low growl. Then another. Shadows moved in the corners of the room, and dozens of eyes glinted in the dim light. Dogs emerged first, their lips curled back in snarls, followed by cats with their backs arched and fur bristling. Birds swooped down from the rafters, their claws outstretched like talons.
The attack was immediate. The animals swarmed us with unnatural ferocity, their movements coordinated as if directed by a single mind. A hawk dove straight for me, it's beak aimed at my face. I ducked, swatting it away with a burst of paper that cut through the air and caught it, wrapping it's wings tightly before lowering it gently to he ground.
"They're just animals!" Kendo shouted, her voice strained as she fended off a lunging dog with her enlarged fists. "Don't hurt them if you can help it."
I didn't need her reminder, but it didn't make things easier. A tabby cat leapt for me, claws extended, and I sidestepped, creating a thin sheet of paper to guide it safely to the side. I hated cats—always had— but even I wasn't heartless enough to harm one that was clearly being manipulated.
I clasped my hands, folding paper into a large dome-like structure. I expanded it outwards, enveloping the swarm like a net closing on a school of fish.
But just as I secured the last one of the animals, a tremor shook the ground. I turned in time to see an accurate description of who Snatch said was Yo Shindo slam his fist into the floor, sending a shockwave that cracked the marble and disrupted my construct.
"That's one way to introduce yourself," I muttered, dodging as Shindo charged. His movements were aggressive but unfocused, his eyes glassy like Snatch's had been. "Another puppet."
Shindo's attacks came relentlessly. He lunged at me with the force of a battering ram, and I barely had time to form a shield to absorb the attack. I didn't want to go too hard against him since he is just being manipulated. No need for any long lasting damage.
Meanwhile, a girl, Tatami Nakagame had entered the fray, her body shifted weirdly, it compacted like a cannon ball as she targeted Kendo and Kodai. The two hero students worked in tandem, Kendo using her enlarged arms fists to block while Kodai manipulated the size of some stone to then form a wall in between them.
I felt a weirdly oppressive presence. I looked up to see crimson hair flowing down catching the light like it was a halo of fire. Ruby eyes gleamed with manic delight, and her lips curved into a smile that sent shivers down my spine. She surveyed the room like she was looking down on a battlefield about to give commands to her army.
"My, my," she purred, her voice smooth and mocking. "Such energy, such passion." This was obviously who we are here for. Miyu Ogawa.
She locked eyes on Snatch. "So you came right back to me my enforcer." Without hesitation she jumped in to the fray and sped off to attack. Her movements were a blur of precision and elegance, her strikes were perfectly timed, her palms targeting pressure points with surgical accuracy.
They were all targeted at Fat Gum, and even he looked like he was struggling to absorb the attacks. He was forced to stagger under the pressure of her of her attacks. Snatch joined him, his sand forming a defensive barrier, but Miyu adapted seamlessly, weaving like a dancer in a waltz.
I watched closely as I continued to fend off Shindo, dodging his wild swings and countering with paper constructs to restrain him. Her fighting style was deliberate, every movement calculated to control the flow of the battle. Her palms struck with precision, I noticed something peculiar—an unusual indention on her skin, deeper than normal, almost like a brand.
She was trying to touch them. Not just hit them—touch them. Fat Gum was much larger than her so he was probably missing those movements as he was dodging her onslaught. A pattern emerged, her movements subtly shifting to maximize contact.
"It's her palms." I shouted out. "She's trying to touch you. Don't let her."
That was most likely how she played. Her quirk needed something as simple as physical touch to place people under her control.
Miyu froze mid-strike, her eyes locking onto mine. A slow, delighted smile spread across her face, and she straightened, lowering her hands to her sides, "Clever boy," she said. "You've figured it out."
All of a sudden, both Shindo and Nakagame leapt back to her side and stopped fighting us.
The room's tension felt electric as Miyu's delighted smile widened. Her crimson hair cascaded like fire around her shoulders as she leaned slightly forward, appraising us. Her two "guards" stood beside her, flanking her like sentinels. Snatch's eyes flickered briefly with clarity, but there was tension in his posture as if his body were fighting against itself.
"Since you've figured out my little secret," Miyu began, her tone whimsical and almost playful, "why don't we make this interesting? You've come here for something, haven't you? What is it?"
"We're here for the two you have under your control." Fat Gum said firmly, stepping forward. His fat dominated the room.
Miyu tilted her head, her ruby-red eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, the heroic camaraderie. How sweet. But I don't believe in charity."
"And what do you believe in?" Kendo snapped, her fists still enlarged and ready for a fight.
Miyu chuckled, a soft melodic sound. "Control my dear. I believe if you have control of yourself first you can fully control others, your circumstances, your environment and your peace."
"That's funny," I interjected, my tone sardonic as I stepped forward. "You don't seem too peaceful."
Her gaze flickered towards me again, sharp and probing. "Ah, the clever boy speaks again. Tell me what's your proposal, hmm? Surely you have one."
I took a deep breath, ignoring the eyes that were on me. "I want you to add a rule of my choosing." Probably better not to say it outright yet.
"What?" Kendo's voice was sharp and it cut through me. "Kobe, we're here to save them not negotiate a rule."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, after those days walking around for searching, her panic attack and relief that her friends were still alive, the thoughts she wouldn't verbalise about the chance of having to take another life to save her own.
I turned to her, doing my best to keep my expression neutral, but my voice was edged with steel. "Wrong. Our original intention was to get her to add a point for us. We only added on saving those guys once we found out they were here. And we're running out of time. If we don't add that rule, then even if they survive. We'll all die."
"You can't just—" Kendo started, but I cut her off.
"We fight her again if we have to," I said flatly. "But right now, we should focusing on the points."
Fat Gum's jaw tightened, his eyes flickering between Miyu and me. The others were silent but I could feel their disappointment, but why? I'm not like them and they should know that. I'm not a hero student and I'm not a hero. Even if I never interacted with the Shie Hassaiki and acted outside of the law, I probably would have just stayed at home and been a regular high school kid.
Or not, I don't know. But I do know that they shouldn't have expected any less just because I happened to save a few people.
Miyu clapped her hands slowly, the sound echoing in the stillness. "Oh, this is delicious. The conflict, the stakes... I couldn't have scripted it better myself."
"Enough games," Snatch said suddenly, stepping forward. For a moment, it looked like he was going to attack Miyu—but then he turned sharply, walking to her side.
"Snatch!" Fat Gum's voice was a mixture of shock and fury.
Miyu's laughter was light and airy. "Oh, you probably don't know do you? Once you're under my control, you don't simply recover. Unless my influence is broken for a full day, it was only a matter of time before my little enforcer came back to me." she petted Snatch's arm like he was a loyal dog.
The revelation hit like a thunderclap. This changes things. Kendo looked at me, her expression a mixture of anger and confusion. "So what now Kobe? huh? Your plan just got a whole lot messier."
I know it did. I was feeling unusual, I chalked it up to being in a completely alien setting.