The Symbol of Death: Part 3

With a primal snarl, D-78 charged forward, its massive form barreling towards Drekus like a raging bull. It readied its as it lowered his head, aiming to strike at the heart of the prototype mutant. With a thunderous crash, it collided with Drekus, its horns gouging deep furrows in blue skin.

With a roar of defiance, he retaliated with bone-crushing blows, his massive fists slamming into D-78 with enough force to shatter stone. But D-78 was a formidable adversary, its mutated physique granting it strength and resilience beyond that of a normal opponent.

With a thunderous roar, D-78 unleashed a torrent of searing heated air, engulfing Sandatsu and Drekus in a blazing inferno. The intense heat licked at their skin, searing their flesh and sending waves of agonizing pain coursing through their bodies.

As the heat subsided, D-78 wasted no time in unleashing its next devastating attack. It raised its massive fists high above its head, channeling another quirk to summon a barrage of razor-sharp blades from its fists until they turned into balls of quills. The deadly projectiles rained down upon Sandatsu and Drekus with lethal precision, slicing through flesh and bone with merciless efficiency. Blood sprayed into the air as they desperately tried to dodge the deadly onslaught, their bodies battered and broken by the relentless barrage.

But D-78 was not finished yet. It swapped quirks once more, and in a single second its muscular body tensed up. Then, with a bestial roar, it unleashed a shockwave of concussive force, sending Sandatsu and Drekus hurtling through the air like ragdolls. They crashed to the ground with bone-jarring force, their bodies bruised and broken from the impact.

Sandatsu was the first one to attack after the shockwave. He gritted his teeth as he lunged forward, his hand outstretched towards D-78's monstrous form. With a surge of power, he activated his Separate quirk, aiming to disassemble the mutant's arm and render it powerless. His fingers closed around D-78's limb, and for a fleeting moment, he felt the quirk successfully activate.

But his triumph was short-lived. Before his quirk could fully take effect, D-78's arm suddenly detached from its body. The severed appendage, as if made of putty, twisted and writhed in mid-air, tendrils of energy snaking out to ensnare Sandatsu.

The mutant's arm latched onto Sandatsu's chest, its tendrils burrowing deep into his flesh like hungry parasites. Agonizing pain shot through his body as he felt his skin crawl and his muscles spasm uncontrollably. He tried to wrench himself free, but the tendrils held him fast, their grip unyielding.

Then, without warning, the arm exploded with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. Sandatsu was engulfed in a blinding flash of light and heat, his body torn apart by the force of the explosion. Flesh and bone were reduced to ash as the blast consumed him.

Drekus roared as he shifted his arm into a dense carbon form, the material crackling and hissing as it absorbed the heat from D-78's explosion. With a swift and powerful motion, he launched himself at the mutant, his burning fist aimed straight for D-78's eye.

But even as his carbon arm being driven into his skull began to smolder and char from the intense heat, D-78 remained unfazed. With a guttural growl, the mutant retaliated, unleashing another of his grotesque powers.

A gaping maw suddenly split open in D-78's stomach. Before Drekus could react, a long, serpentine tongue lashed out from the depths of the mutant's belly, like a viper striking its prey. With lightning speed, the tongue pierced through Drekus's torso, tearing through muscle and sinew.

Blood gushed from the gaping wound in his abdomen, staining the ground crimson as he staggered backwards, his strength waning.

But he wasn't done yet. Drekus activated his propane quirk, his arms retracting into his body as he was filled with the volatile gas.

Sensing an opportunity, Sandatsu seized the moment, and unleashed a wave of fiery embers towards Drekus. The sparks ignited the propane swirling within Drekus's body, setting off a chain reaction that culminated in a deafening explosion.

The force of the blast was devastating, sending shockwaves rippling through the air and engulfing D-78 in a maelstrom of flames and debris. Drekus's mangled remains were hurled through the air, landing near Sandatsu with a sickening thud.

Sandatsu wasted no time. Drawing upon one of his stolen quirks, he focused his power on Drekus, rewinding the wounded villain's body. Slowly but surely, Drekus's broken form began to mend, his wounds closing as the healing energy surged through him.

On the other side of the battlefield, D-78 began to stir, tendrils of flesh extending from its body as it started to regenerate. With eerie precision, the mutant's tendrils reached out, retrieving the scattered chunks of its body that had been blown away by the explosion. Piece by piece, D-78 began to reassemble itself, its grotesque form slowly taking shape once more as its wounds sealed shut.

With adrenaline coursing through their veins, Sandatsu and Drekus charged forward. But before they could close the distance, D-78 unleashed a powerful blast from its monstrous maw, a deafening howl that reverberated through the air.

The blast struck with devastating force, causing the muscles, soft tissues, and organs within Drekus and Sandatsu to rupture from the sheer intensity of the sound wave. Agonized screams tore from their lips as they were sent crashing to the ground, writhing in agony.

But the horror didn't end there. As the echoes of D-78's howl faded into the air, the ground beneath them began to tremble ominously. A low rumble filled the air, growing louder and more menacing with each passing second.

The howl had triggered an avalanche. A wall of snow and ice thundered down the mountainside, hurtling towards them with unstoppable force. In a desperate bid for survival, Sandatsu tried to reach out and use one of his stolen quirks for protection, but once again, his damaged quirk factor got in the way. The avalanche crashed over them, engulfing them in a swirling torrent of ice and snow.




"You have two choices," Elyn continued, their voice low and persuasive. "You can either accept my offer and become one of my loyal servants, or you can continue to fight against the inevitable and meet your end here and now."

"Elyn," Hiram's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. He had finally arrived to Elyn's location. "I trust you understand the gravity of the situation. Bringing the "hound" along for your little escapades was a reckless move."

Elyn, undeterred by Hiram's scolding, responded with a casual shrug and a smirk playing on their lips. "Ah, come on, Hiram. Can't blame me for wanting some company on a mission, can you?" they retorted, their tone laced with sarcasm.

Hiram's gaze narrowed, a hint of disapproval flickering in his eyes. "I don't care about your petty squabbles with Amatsu," he continued, his voice firm and authoritative. "But when it comes to the experiment, that's a different story. That project was a joint venture between us, and I won't allow you to jeopardize it."

Elyn's demeanor shifted slightly, a hint of irritation creeping into their features. "Fine, have it your way," they muttered, begrudgingly acknowledging Hiram's authority over the matter.

Hiram's gaze remained fixed on Elyn as the Marshall replicas departed with D-78 in tow.

"And enough about trying to recruit the target," Hiram commanded, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "I won't entertain your reckless suggestions. Sandatsu Owari is a liability, not an asset. Don't get in Amatsu's way of killing him."

Elyn, undeterred by Hiram's admonition, simply shrugged, a smirk playing on their lips. "Come on. Don't tell me you're not at least a little curious about how our project would improve if we had him."

Hiram's jaw clenched, his patience wearing thin. "I have no interest in indulging your curiosity."

With a heavy sigh, Hiram turned away from Elyn. Despite their differences, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Elyn's words held some semblance of truth. But he refused to let his curiosity cloud his judgment

They stood in tense silence that lasted for a minute, broken when Sandatsu finally spoke.

"ᵢ'ₘ... ᴴᵤᴺᴳᴿʸ..."

Elyn's hand extended towards Sandatsu, a gesture of false benevolence masking their true intentions. With a smirk playing at the corners of their lips, they reassured him that they could indeed provide sustenance, for they took good care of their pawns. Sandatsu reached out to grasp Elyn's offered hand.

"Hey, what's going on?" Elyn muttered, their brows furrowing in confusion.

「Hijack」

Confusion flickered across Elyn's features, their smirk faltering for the briefest of moments. They attempted to summon forth their quirk, to bend Sandatsu to their will as they had done countless times before, but to no avail.

"What... what did you do?" Elyn demanded, their voice tinged with disbelief and frustration.

With a primal roar, Sandatsu lunged forward, his movements savage as he pulled Elyn's hand, fingers digging into their flesh with merciless intensity. In a flash, he pulled himself out of the snow. In his other hand, he wielded a jagged rock.

Without hesitation, Sandatsu swung the rock with brutal force.The blow landed squarely on Elyn's skull, the force of it causing their head to snap back. Blood sprayed from the wound, painting the snow crimson as Elyn staggered.

Sandatsu unleashed his pent-up rage with unrelenting fury. Each strike was more brutal than thelast. The sound of flesh meeting stone was punctuated by Elyn's anguished cry.

Sandatsu then hurled the rock with all his might, the jagged edges cutting through the air. It collided with the head of the Marshall replica that stayed to guard Elyn with a sickening crunch, shattering the visor and sending fragments of glass flying in all directions.

Hiram wasted no time in springing into action. With a swift and decisive kick, he sent Sandatsu sprawling backward, and quickly dashed towards him again, combat knife gleaming menacingly in one hand while a handgun gripped firmly in the other.

In a blur of motion, Hiram delivered three rapid stabs to Sandatsu's torso. Each thrust was met with a grunt of pain from Sandatsu as the blade sank deep into his flesh. But he wasn't finished yet. With a fluid swing, he executed a slashing motion aimed at Sandatsu's neck. He stumbled backward, clutching at his wounded throat with a guttural cry of pain.

Seizing the opportunity, Hiram raised his handgun and unleashed a barrage of gunfire, the deafening roar of the weapon reverberating through the icy air. Bullets tore through Sandatsu's body, ripping through muscle and bone. After emptying the magazine, Hiram tossed the gun aside and seized the opening to place his hand on Sandatsu's quirk.

Quirk:「Old Wounds」

Type: Emitter

Description: The user can cause any injury their target has ever suffered to reappear at once. From the smallest to the most grievous.

In an instant, every wound, every injury, every ounce of pain and suffering that Sandatsu had ever endured was resurrected with horrifying clarity. The toll of countless battles and brutal confrontations manifested upon his tortured form, each scar and trauma etched anew upon his ravaged flesh.

His body contorted and convulsed in a grotesque display of suffering.

Skin blistered and peeled away, revealing raw, charred muscle beneath. Bones snapped and splintered under the unbearable strain. Blood, thick and dark, oozed from countless lacerations and wounds, pooling beneath him.

Sandatsu's once proud form was reduced to little more than a grotesque mockery of humanity. His upper half resembled little more than a charred skeleton, the remnants of flesh and sinew clinging desperately to the blackened bones.

His limbs, once strong and powerful, now lay shattered and mangled, twisted into unnatural shapes.

Sandatsu took a step back before his legs also broke, falling backwards into a fissure in the mountain caused by the shockwave used by D-78 during their fight.

With each sickening impact against the unforgiving rocks, his already mangled form was further contorted, burnt bones snapping beneath the weight of his plummet. His skull, already fractured from the effect of Hiram's power, split open like a rotten melon upon contact with the jagged edges of the ravine. Shards of bone pierced his brain, splatters of blood painting the rock faces as he made his way down.

Hiram's eyes narrowed as he assessed Elyn's condition. He reached out to check Elyn's pulse, his touch firm.

"Damn it," Hiram muttered under his breath, a rare hint of unease tainting his usually composed demeanor. Elyn's quirk still wasn't working. That meant that Sandatsu was still alive.

He turned his attention to the remaining Marshall replica, who was still standing up again after being hit by the rock. "Find him," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument. The replica nodded.




Mio, her body wracked with tremors from the overdose of quirk-enhancing drugs, leaned heavily against Ookami, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Ookami on the other hand worked frantically to staunch the flow of blood from Mio's severely bleeding nose, her hands moving with a desperate urgency.

Mio's delirious gaze flickered with an eerie intensity as she spoke, her voice laced with a haunting calmness that sent shivers down Ookami's spine.

With a ghostly smile playing on her lips, Mio began to mimble incoherently.

During her time as his handler, she had to list her evaluations on his state of mind and behavior on quite a few reports.

"He... is utterly unhinged," Mio murmured. "A true primitive man."

"He kills because he feels dominant to the 'other'... and simply because he has the ability to do so," Mio continued, her voice taking on an almost hypnotic cadence."

"Katsuragi-sama you have to save your strength!"

Despite the haze of drugs clouding her mind and the searing pain pulsating through her veins, Mio's lips curled into a serene smile, her eyes glazed over with a distant lucidity. "Much like he steals quirks, he lives and affirms himself through negation... and collects those 'below' him to aid him in the fulfillment of his desires."

"When I asked him to give me my ideal world, and he answered yes," she murmured, her voice barely audible above the soft hum of machinery in the laboratory.

The image of Sandatsu, his form silhouetted against an infinite horizon, loomed large in her mind's eye. There was a sense of inevitability to it. As if it was a preordained destiny.




Sandatsu opened the door to his new apartment, greeted by the familiar faces of his friends: Bobby, Inigo, and Hifumi. They stepped inside, their chatter filling the air with warmth and familiarity. The apartment was modest yet cozy, with sunlight streaming in through the windows, casting a soft glow over the space.

"Wow, Sando, this place is sweet!" Bobby exclaimed, taking in the surroundings with wide-eyed enthusiasm. "I can't believe how quickly you got everything set up."

Sandatsu chuckled, a hint of pride evident in his expression as he gestured around the apartment. "Well, you know me, always been a minimalist," he quipped, his tone lighthearted. "I never did have much stuff to begin with, so there wasn't a lot to se up."

Inigo grinned as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "I can already picture it," he said, his voice filled with playful teasing. "Mio-senpai coming home after a long day of hero work, only to find her loving malewife here, ready with a delicious dinner."

The guys snorted with laughter.

"Mio swung by to check out the new place," Sandatsu said, a fond smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "She was the one who helped me find the place."

"It't a nice place, really close to the station too," Hifumi said. "Pretty hard to find apartments like this one for cheap."

"It's too bad she made you toss out your old tent, though," Bobby chimed in, his expression sympathetic. "That thing had some serious sentimental value."

Sandatsu nodded wistfully. "Yeah, I know," he replied, a hint of regret in his voice. "I wanted to keep it as a memento, you know? But Mio insisted it was taking up too much space."

"Well, at least now you have plenty of room for all your hero gear," Hifumi pointed out, gesturing toward the neatly organized shelves and cabinets around the apartment.

"Yeah, that's true," he acknowledged. "And hey, maybe I can convince Mio to go camping with me sometime. It'll give me an excuse to get a new tent."

"You're gonna need that space to store extra costumes," Inigo added. "You are always wearing the same one, and given your quirk I'm surprised you just kept mending it instead of buying more."

"This reminds me, are you guys going to upgrade your costumes?" asked Hifumi.

"Maybe? I've heard some people in our class are already on it. Maybe we should?" suggested Bobby.

As they continued to chat about their hero course experiences, Sandatsu couldn't shake the feeling of disconnect gnawing at the edges of his consciousness. His friends' voices seemed distant, as if coming from another room.

"Yeah, hero training has been intense lately," Bobby remarked, breaking Sandatsu out of his reverie. "I swear, those combat simulations are getting tougher every week."

Sandatsu nodded absentmindedly, his mind drifting as he tried to shake off the strange sensation enveloping him. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about this moment felt... off.

Sandatsu moved towards the fridge with a slight frown, hoping to distract himself from the unsettling feeling gnawing at the edges of his mind. As he swung open the fridge door, a wave of disappointment washed over him. The shelves were bare, devoid of the drinks he had hoped to find.

"Might need to restock soon," he muttered to himself, shaking his head in mild annoyance.

But when he turned around to share his observation with his friends, he froze in place. The small apartment was eerily silent, devoid of the lively chatter that had filled the air just moments before.

"Guys?" he called out tentatively, the sound of his own voice echoing hollowly in the empty space.

There was no response.

He moved towards the window, his footsteps echoing loudly in the silent apartment. Drawing back the curtains, he peered out into the darkness beyond.

He found himself staring out into an abyss of impenetrable blackness. The streets below were deserted, the buildings shrouded in shadow. It was as if the world outside had been swallowed whole by the void, leaving nothing but emptiness in its wake.

Sandatsu stumbled towards the door, his heart hammering in his chest. With trembling hands, he reached for the handle, praying for some sign of normalcy beyond the threshold.

But as he swung open the door, he was greeted not by the familiar sights and sounds of the outside world, but by an endless expanse of darkness stretching out before him.

"You good bro?"

Sandatsu blinked, the disorienting sensation of being yanked from one reality to another leaving him momentarily dazed. As Inigo's voice reached his ears, he shook his head slightly, trying to dispel the lingering remnants of the strange dream that had gripped him moments before.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Sandatsu replied, forcing a weak smile as he glanced around at his surroundings. The familiar sight of the school grounds slowly came into focus.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself as he took in the sight of his friends, each clad in their hero costumes, their faces marked with determination and fatigue. They looked older somehow, more weathered, as if they had seen their fair share of battles and emerged stronger for it.

Sandatsu's gaze lingered on each of them in turn, noting the subtle modifications to their costumes, the way their stances spoke of confidence and experience. It was clear that time had passed since their last encounter, though how much remained a mystery to him.

"Man, that was some intense training, huh?" Bobby remarked, clapping Sandatsu on the back with a grin. "But hey, we made it through in one piece, right?"

"Yeah, we did," Sandatsu replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "Just glad it's over, to be honest."

Sandatsu sat at his desk, surrounded by the lively chatter of his classmates as they eagerly discussed their plans for the future. The classroom buzzed with excitement, the air thick with dreams and aspirations as graduation loomed on the horizon.

His classmates' voices blended together in a cacophony of sound, their words washing over him like waves crashing against the shore. Some spoke of their ambitions to join prestigious agencies, eager to put their skills to the test in the field. Others talked of striking out on their own, venturing into the world of heroics as independent heroes.

Sandatsu listened to their conversations with a growing sense of detachment, his mind drifting further away from the present moment with each passing second. Despite the animated discussions unfolding around him, he felt strangely disconnected from it all, as if he were merely a spectator observing the scene from afar.

His gaze wandered around the room, taking in the familiar sights of the classroom he had spent so much time in over the years. The rows of desks, the neatly arranged chalkboards, the posters adorning the walls – all seemed to blur together in his mind.

Sandatsu blinked, jolting back to reality as his friends turned their attention to him. Bobby, Inigo, and Hifumi peered at him with curious expressions.

"So, Sando, spill the beans already," Bobby said, leaning back in his chair with a grin. "What's your plan after graduation? You've been keeping it under wraps for ages."

"I bet he's going the househusband route!" joked Inigo.

Hifumi chuckled, shaking his head in mock disapproval. "Seriously, though. You've been way secretive about it. Spill the tea, bro."

Sandatsu blinked slowly, his mind still foggy as he tried to process the question. "Well," he began, his voice rough and hoarse, "I think for starters, I'd like to eat. I'm starving."

His friends laughed at his response, their amusement echoing through the classroom. "Come on, man, that's a bit too immediate for future plans, don't you think?" Bobby quipped, nudging Sandatsu playfully.

"I'd probably start with Noah." Sandatsu replied, his voice devoid of emotion.




The jovial atmosphere in the classroom took an abrupt turn as Sandatsu's response hung in the air, his words carrying an unsettling weight. His friends' laughter faded into nervous chuckles, replaced by looks of shock and disbelief.

Bobby's grin faltered, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Uh, Sandy… did you just say you want to eat Noah?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Sandatsu nodded slowly, his expression blank as he stared ahead. "Ɏēꞩ," he replied, his voice low and raspy.

His friends fell silent, their laughter fading into uneasy murmurs as they exchanged bewildered glances.

Sandatsu stood up. He paced the length of the classroom, his movements slow and deliberate, his eyes scanning the room.

"Īᵯⱥī ⱥꞥđ Cħīħīɍꝋ," he muttered, "Ī'đ ꝑɍꝋƀⱥƀłɏ ҟīłł ⱦhem ꞥēӿt. Ī łīҟē theīɍ ꝗᵾīɍҟꞩ."

His classmates recoiled at his words. Some whispered amongst themselves, casting worried glances in Sandatsu's direction, while others simply sat still, confused.

"After ⱦħat Ī'đ łēⱥꝟē this cłaꞩꞩ," he declared, his voice echoing with menace, "ⱥꞥđ ⱦħēꞥ Ī'đ ꞡꝋ after ⱳħateꝟēɍ ꝗᵾīɍҟ Ī want. Ħēɍꝋ, ꝟīłłⱥīꞥ, ꝋɍ civīłīan – īⱦ đꝋēꞩꞥ't ᵯatⱦēɍ."

As Sandatsu's eyes scanned the classroom, he noticed the shifting darkness outside the windows, the world beyond morphing into an inky void. The figures of his friends appeared blurred and indistinct, their features obscured by the encroaching darkness.

His attention was drawn to the figure standing behind the teacher's desk: Hijack.

"I thought I'd give you some comforting delusions, Sandatsu," he said. "But it seems even in your last moments, you don't deserve peace."

Sandatsu stared at him.

"I've seen what you've done. You're wicked, Sandatsu. Wicked to the core. And you deserve every ounce of suffering that comes your way."

"Back at Fushimi ward." he continued. "Did you really think it took me that long to hijack your quirk? No, Sandatsu. In those two seconds after we made contact, before I negated your quirk, I was already setting this up. A vestige that would bring you down, even after my own demise."

"Vēꞩⱦīge?"

Hijack's voice dripped with contempt as he continued his tirade, ignoring Sandatsu's question while his eyes bore into him with unbridled fury. "And what's even more infuriating is your audacity, Sandatsu," he spat. "You shamelessly stole quirks you were never supposed to have. Quirks like Conduit, a one-of-a-kind ability that was never meant to be wielded by someone like you."

Hijack's voice rose to a crescendo of rage as he continued. "And what about the Death Empowerment quirk you stole from your own mother?" he seethed, his eyes ablaze with fury. "More bullshit, Sandatsu. You weren't supposed to have that power, and yet you took it for yourself without a second thought."

Hijack's noble bearing radiated an aura of righteous indignation, his posture tall and proud as he squared off against the wickedness embodied by Sandatsu. With each word that spilled from his lips, he condemned Sandatsu's flagrant disregard for the rules that governed their world.

"Your arrogance knows no bounds, Sandatsu," Hijack admonished "You continue to flaunt your disregard for the laws of the world. Do you seriously think that your actions don't have consequences?"

But Sandatsu remained unfazed by Hijack's righteous fury, his attention fixed on the enigmatic world around them. Ignoring Hijack's words, he pressed on with his inquiries.

"Ⱳħat īꞩ ⱦħīꞩ ꝑłacē?" Sandatsu demanded, his tone tinged with curiosity.

"For someone whose quirk interacts so closely with others, you know nothing," Hijack remarked, his tone laced with a mixture of pity and disdain. "Did you never stop to think why your quirk factor took so long to recover? Why your quirks kept backfiring on you?"

"After you stole it, Hijack—my quirk—kept attacking your own quirk factor from within."

Sandatsu's assailants materialized from the depths of his subconscious, twisted manifestations born from the darkest corners of his mind. They swirled around him like phantoms, their forms shifting and contorting with every flicker of his fractured consciousness.

The vestiges of those whose quirks he had stolen loomed over him. But it was not only the vestiges of his victims that assailed him. Warped versions of his friends and classmates emerged from the shadows.

The vestige world within Sandatsu was incomplete, and on top of that his own fractured mind was leaking over this realm, enabling this imaginary apparitions to attack him.

Bobby's fist crashed into his jaw with bone-jarring force, sending him reeling backward. Before he could regain his footing, Hifumi materialized behind him in a blur of motion, the gleam of a katana flashing in the dim light as it sliced across his back.

Sandatsu gritted his teeth against the searing pain, his muscles protesting with each movement as he struggled to stay upright. But before he could retaliate, a sudden surge of energy slammed into him like a freight train, lifting him off his feet and hurtling him through the air.

Psyking, his eyes alight with a fierce determination, stood before him, his hands outstretched as he unleashed a torrent of psychokinetic force. Sandatsu's body twisted and contorted as he was propelled backward, the impact driving the air from his lungs in a rush. This attack felt different from the previous ones.

As he tumbled through the air, the landscape around him shifted and warped.

The vigilante, Kampai, was the next one to strike. With each punch and kick, Sandatsu felt his strength waning, his vision swimming as waves of pain washed over him.

But just as he thought he couldn't endure any more punishment, another figure emerged from the swirling chaos. Christopher Cain unleashed a torrent of flames that engulfed Sandatsu in a searing inferno. The same move he had used against him on the tournament.

The fire tornado roared around him, the intense heat burning his flesh as he struggled to maintain his footing. Every breath felt like inhaling liquid fire, his lungs burning with each gasp for air.

As the flames began to die down, Sandatsu's gaze flickered to his surroundings, taking in the twisted forms of his classmates and friends.

Sandatsu's mocking words echoed through the void, his voice strained with pain yet laced with defiance. He taunted Hijack, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination despite the overwhelming odds stacked against him.

"Vīꞩīꝋꞥꞩ can'ⱦ ҟīłł mē, ꞩēꞥꞩēī," Sandatsu spat, his voice ragged with exhaustion. "Ī figᵾɍēđ tħaⱦ oᵾⱦ ałɍēⱥđɏ. Ꝋꞥłɏ ⱦħē ꝋꞥēꞩ Ī ꞩtꝋłē ħᵾɍt."

As if in response to his challenge, Hijack materialized once more, his form flickering in and out of existence like a specter.

"You're right," Hijack replied, his voice echoing with a sinister undertone. "I was just getting ready."

Before Sandatsu could react, another figure emerged from the darkness, her presence commanding and formidable.

Shihai Owari, her gaze cold and unforgiving as she advanced towards her son.

With a swift motion, Shihai struck out with inhuman strength, her blows landing with bone-crushing force against Sandatsu's already battered form.

Sandatsu fought back with everything he had, his fists flying in a desperate attempt to fend off his mother's relentless assault. But despite his best efforts, he found himself outmatched by her overwhelming power, his own strength dwindling with each passing moment.

"Everyone has an origin, Sandatsu," Hijack remarked.

As Shihai's next strike connected with Sandatsu's form, a deafening crack echoed through the void, and his figure shattered like glass. Beneath the fragmented pieces, another of Sandatsu's form was revealed, stripped of the veneer of power and confidence that he had before. He appeared smaller, frailer, his frame adorned with a red jacket and a white t-shirt, a stark contrast to the imposing figure he had presented moments before. It was him, right before he got his first quirk. Right before enrolling at Shiketsu.

"And it's only a matter of time before I unearth yours and destroy it, putting an end to your evil once and for all."




Sandatsu's form shattered once more, the fragments dissolving into a haze. There stood a young, battered version of himself, a child who had endured the harsh realities of life in the wilds.

Little Sandatsu's instinct to flee kicked in, but his path forward was obstructed by a small green dragon, its serpentine form stretching until it transformed into an impassable blockade. Panic surged through him as he desperately searched for an escape route, only to find himself confronted by another obstacle.

A towering figure loomed before him, a muscular man with dinosaur-like features. His presence exuded an aura of dominance and menace, blocking any avenue of retreat and trapping Sandatsu.

Tears streamed down little Sandatsu's cheeks, his cries echoed through the desolate landscape of his memories.

For a second, the shadows of the vestige world were gone. Sandatsu found himsel surrounded by soothing light.

Mio approached Sandatsu with a soft smile. She kneeled before him, her hand reaching out to gently pat his head in a gesture of reassurance.

"It's okay," Mio whispered "You just need to do your best, and everything will be alright."




Darkness enveloped Hijack. He felt a sudden chill creeping up his spine, a foreboding sense of dread settling over him like a heavy shroud. The vestige world, once under his control, now seemed to slip through his fingers.

In the midst of the darkness, he heard Sandatsu's raspy voice echoing in the distance, a haunting refrain that sent shivers down his spine.

"Tħe... ɍłđ īꞩ ....īꞥē,"




Sandatsu sat at the small ramen shop in Kyoto, surrounded by his friends Bobby, Hifumi, and Inigo. The air was thick with the savory scent of broth and noodles.

As they slurped their noodles and exchanged banter, Sandatsu couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia wash over him.




With eager smiles, they pushed open the door and stepped inside the quaint little comic store, greeted by the sight of rows and rows of comics and the sound of excited voices. The store was a treasure trove of geeky delights, shelves lined with comic books, action figures, and rows upon rows of trading card packs.

Without hesitation, he made a beeline for the table set up in the corner, where a group of players were engaged in a heated match.




Sandatsu found himself standing beside Mio in a secluded spot away from the bustling crowds of the summer festival. The vibrant colors of the fireworks painted the night sky.

He stole a glance at Mio beside him. Turning to her, Sandatsu felt a rush of words on the tip of his tongue. But as he opened his mouth to speak, he found himself momentarily lost for words.

Everything seemed to blur around him. All that remained clear was the figure of Mio sitting in front of him.

"Do your best,"

"The world is yours."




A young Sandatsu stood at the edge of the wilderness.

He could feel the weight of his small pack on his shoulders, the rough fabric chafing against his skin as he took a hesitant step forward. Beside him, his mother and her men stood, their faces alight with pride and encouragement.

"The world is yours!" his mother's voice rang out, strong and confident.

"The world is yours!" her men echoed.

"Do your best."




In one moment, he found himself standing in the bustling streets of Kyoto, surrounded by the vibrant energy of the city. Neon lights flickered overhead, casting a kaleidoscope of colors onto the pavement below. He could hear the chatter of passersby all around him.

Beside him, Bobby, Hifumi, and Inigo laughed and joked. They walked together, shoulder to shoulder.




Little Sandatsu trudged through the rugged terrain of the mountains, his small frame battered and worn from his time living in the wilderness. The air was crisp and clean. Above him, the sky stretched out endlessly, a vast expanse of blue punctuated by fluffy white clouds.

And then he saw it—a small bird, taking flight right in front of him, darting through the air, its wings beating frantically as it sought refuge among the trees.

With a swift motion, he reached out and snatched the bird from the air, its panicked chirping filling the silence of the mountains. Without hesitation, Sandatsu brought the bird to his mouth and bit down, the taste of blood and feathers filling his senses.




The sun beat down mercilessly on the rugged landscape, its rays casting long shadows across the parched earth. It was a sweltering summer day

In the distance, the sound of rustling leaves echoed through the trees as a boar crashed through the underbrush, its panicked squeals cutting through the stillness of the forest.

As the boar burst into a small clearing, its chest heaving with exertion, it stumbled to a halt. It was then that the hunter took the shot.




The hunter walked across the scorching parking lot at the base of the mountain, dragging the dead boar towards his car.

there, standing on top of his vehicle, was a kid. He was just a child, not older than five, but his gaze was steely and unyielding as he looked down on the hunter. In his hand, he clutched a rough-hewn rock, his knuckles white with tension.

The man paused, his brow furrowing in confusion as he took in the sight of the dirty, ragged child standing before him.

"You lost, kid?"

Sandatsu brought the rock down with all his might, the sharp sound of shattering glass echoing through the stillness of the forest. The hunter's car buckled under the force of the blow, the windshield splintering into a spiderweb of cracks as the metal frame groaned in protest.

"What the hell are you doing, you brat?!" Enraged by the damage to his property, the hunter lunged forward, his hands grappling with Sandatsu's small form as he tried to pry the boy away from the car. But Sandatsu fought back with a ferocity that belied his age, his tiny fists swinging wildly as he attempted to land another blow, this time on the man himself.

The hunter grunted in frustration as he struggled to restrain the thrashing child. After Sandatsu hit him in the face a couple of times, the hunter's patience snapped, his hand lashing out to deliver a swift blow to Sandatsu's side. The force of the blow sent the boy sprawling to the ground. But as soon as he stood, the kid came at him again.

Sandatsu's relentless assault continued unabated, his small form a whirlwind of fury as he lashed out at the hunter with every ounce of strength he possessed.

Finally reaching his breaking point, the hunter's patience snapped, his anger boiling over as he drew his hunting rifle from its holster.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" With trembling hands, he leveled the weapon at the child. It was little more than a bluff, a desperate attempt to intimidate the kid into submission. The weapon wasn't even loaded, a fact that he prayed the boy wasn't aware of.

For a fleeting moment, the kid stopped. There was a brief pause in his relentless advance as he registered the gravity of the situation.

And then, with a sudden motion, Sandatsu raised his fist high into the air. His tiny hand, balled into a tight fist, held high over his head as he took yet another step.

"Agh... Fuck this!" said the hunter, quickly tunring around and entering his car, already taking out his phone and calling the police. The vehicle roared to life and peeled away from the scene, leaving behind a cloud of dust and broken glass.

Sandatsu remained rooted to the spot, his small form silhouetted against the harsh glare of the setting sun. His fist still raised. He stood like that for a few seconds, and then he lowered his arm, the tension draining from his muscles

Sandatsu cast his gaze toward the lifeless form of the boar that the hunter had left behind.

Without hesitation he hoisted the boar onto his small shoulders, its weight pressing heavily against him as he struggled to maintain his balance. He had been tracking the creature for little over a day.

No way he was letting anyone else have it. It belonged to him. Like everything else.




He had lost track of time long ago. Had it been weeks? Months?.

He emerged from the dense forest into a small clearing, the transition from the dark confines of the trees to the open expanse of the night sky was like stepping into another world. The air felt cooler here, carrying with it the scent of fresh grass and wildflowers.

Above him, the night sky stretched out in all its glory.

Sandatsu stood still for a moment, his gaze fixed upward.




"The world is yours."




The image of her radiant smile and the soft glow of the fireworks filled his mind, juxtaposed against the vastness of the night sky.




Shihai Owari, his mother, commanded respect and fear in equal measure. Her presence was imposing, her aura one of authority and power. Sandatsu recalled how she would discuss the details of their missions with her squad of Enforcers

He remembered the feeling of clinging to his mother's side during these discussions.

He remembered the precise moment when his mother's gaze had briefly shifted to him, her eyes softening for just a moment before returning to their usual steely resolve. And then, her hand had reached out to gently brush against his head.




The Marshall replica descended into the ravine with mechanical precision, navigating the treacherous terrain with ease.

With his visor broken, Marshall had to find Sandatsu in the darkness. Not that hard considering the literal trail of blood.

After a minute, the Marshall replica stood over him, its gun trained unwaveringly on its target. Sandatsu's regeneration was agonizingly slow now, his body struggling to repair the extensive damage wrought upon it.

Only one of his arms had managed to regenerate, and even then it was incomplete. With a herculean effort, he summoned what little strength remained within him and formed a fist, his fingers curling tightly ball as he raised his arm as high as he could manage.

His gaze locked with that of the Marshall replica.

A single drop of blood, left by one of Sandatsu's impacts on his way down, fell from above, landing with a soft splatter on the replica's cracked visor, reaching the small wound underneath.

A strained voice echoed through the darkness, barely audible yet filled with an unsettling intensity.

"Tħē... ⱳꝋɍłđ... īꞩ ᵯīꞥē..."

Edit Report
Pub: 21 Feb 2024 01:15 UTC
Edit: 21 Feb 2024 17:45 UTC
Views: 720