The serene park had transformed into a chaotic battleground. Dozens of villains, a ragtag assortment of Quirks, rampaged through the grounds, attacking civilians and tearing apart trees. Their targets seemed random, their attacks indiscriminate. But it was all a diversion.
My enhanced senses picked up the subtle cues: the precise coordination, the calculated aggression, the way they avoided certain areas. This wasn't mindless destruction. This was a strategic assault.
"Diamond, get the civilians out of here!" I barked, already launching myself towards the nearest group of villains. These guys were fodder, distractions, but they were still dangerous.
The first one came at me with a Quirk that turned his skin into razor-sharp blades. Predictable. I sidestepped his clumsy lunge and delivered a swift, precise kick to his pressure points, taking him down with a groan. Another villain attempted to encircle me with thick, thorny vines, but I incinerated them with a burst of heat vision, the flames licking at his surprised face.
Diamond worked her magic, weaving through the chaos, creating electrical barriers to herd civilians towards safety. She unleashed controlled lightning strikes, incapacitating villains without causing lasting harm. Her powers were raw, untamed, but she was a natural, fierce protector.
But there were too many of them. They swarmed us, a relentless wave of Quirks and malice. I felt a sharp sting as a villain with poisonous claws raked across my arm. The venom burned, but my accelerated healing neutralized it quickly. Still, it was a distraction, and a villain with gravity manipulation almost pinned me to the ground.
I was forced to go all out. I punched the gravity villain into the air, and he crashed a couple yards away. I then used my super speed to quickly incapacitate the rest. But i only have so much stamina to keep running.
Diamond, meanwhile, was locked in a brutal struggle with a villain who could generate blinding flashes of light. She fought with grit and determination, but the constant bursts of light disoriented her. I knew she couldn't hold out much longer.
I intercepted the villain right when he let out another blinding flash and knocked him out by punching him. I grabbed Diamond and got her to safety.
"Thanks Anos," she gratefully said. "Now what."
After what felt like forever, the heroes finally arrived, their faces grim. The battle shifted, the tide turning against the villains. The coordinated assault began to crumble, replaced by panicked retreats. I grabbed one of the villains, a nervous-looking guy with a Quirk that let him control shadows, and dragged him into a secluded alleyway.
"Tell me what's going on," I growled, my voice low and menacing. "Who sent you?"
He stammered, his eyes wide with fear. He spilt everything. They were part of a secret mafia organization, a relic from the 90s, composed of rejects from U.A. and the Hero Commission. They craved revenge against the heroes who had scorned them.
I told Diamond to report the information to the heroes, and I went straight to Dark Red headquarters to report to Shira. She listened intently, her expression hardening as I relayed the intelligence. My instinct was right; we were facing a much bigger threat than we initially thought. The attack on the park was just a prelude.
I left that night, a storm brewing inside me. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were missing something, a crucial piece of the puzzle. Then, I remembered something the villain had said in the alleyway, a chilling detail I hadn't shared with Shira.
"They want you, Anos. They want your blood."
I didn't understand. What was so special about my blood? I'm just a normal guy who was superman in his past life. Regardless, I knew there was no time to dwell on the specifics. I needed to disappear, to protect those I cared about from becoming collateral damage in whatever twisted game they were playing.
I informed Kenji and my dad, Hizashi, of my plans, gave them vague assurances that I would be okay. Then, I cut off all contact. It was cruelest way to do it, but this was the best.
I climbed to the rooftop of the tallest building in Musutafu, my gaze sweeping over the cityscape. In the distance, I saw U.A., bathed in the soft glow of emergency lights. They were preparing for war, oblivious to the true nature of the enemy.
This was it. The beginning of a dangerous era. Nothing would ever be the same after this war.
I knew that I would be a man alone.