45 Chapter 41: Precursor To The Adaptive Faction

Author's Note: I haven't finished revisng the earlier chapters cause I forgot how long I made some of these chapters so its gonna take a while but I've decided to just post a chapter instead of starving you guys who waited so long.

Meanwhile at Dolorales Orphanage

"Dammit, Shin! Where are you?" Inasa muttered to himself, consumed by an overwhelming sense of frustration as the disorderly state of the city seemed to reflect the tumultuous storm brewing within him.

*RUMBLE*

Inasa felt the ground tremble beneath him though the child was already used to this sort of friction as it started to disrupt his balance just as his hand reached into his pocket.

Child-like shrieks, consumed in fear, resonated all throughout the enclosed space before they slowly started to die out until the ground remained still once again.

Reaffirming his balance, Inasa lifted his gaze to find a solitary light bulb swaying above him, casting an eerie glow in the surrounding darkness.

The orphanage, much like the entirety of the city beyond the blast radius, wasn't immune to the unadulterated chaos brought forth by Shin.

At first, the orphanage was engulfed in an all-encompassing grip of terror, squeezing the hearts of every child like an unforgiving chokehold.

They stood frozen, their young minds unable to break free from the suffocating grip of fear, as a colossal mushroom cloud loomed above, tightening its hold on the atmosphere and their fragile sense of security.

The supposed guardian Mrs. Whiteworth, couldn't fathom a singular thought as she stood transfixed in place akin to a stone statue.

Even Toga, who always remained outside the frequency of the common people, couldn't help but be drawn into resonation as she worriedly started tearing up knowing that Shin hadn't returned from his usual excursion leaving her mind to run wild.

However, when all breath seemed to run thin, Inasa managed to be the first to pull himself from this familiar inducement of horror mixed with a smidge of bloodcurdling fear as he had already felt this feeling once before.

This achievement didn't go unnoticed as a domino effect slowly transpired amidst the others in result as one by one the children started to realize their surroundings until Mrs. Whitworth finally pulled herself back into reality.

With urgency in her eyes, Mrs. Whiteworth anxiously rallied the frightened children, swiftly ushering them towards a weathered bunker concealed beneath the very foundations of their once-secure refuge.

Inasa and Toga were among the last of the two to enter the bunker since while all the other orphans were accounted for, Shin was missing, causing Toga and Inasa to react with different but corresponding levels of great concern and confusion.

Toga was insistent on the idea of waiting for Shin, however Inasa was persistent in the notion that he would want them to wait and remain in a protected space.

However common sense didn't apply to Toga, forcing Inasa to use whirlwind to push her inside the safe haven before locking the door behind him.

Now after taking a deep breath, releasing all the uneasiness constantly gnawing away at his heart, Inasa pulled out a device from his pocket.

Concealing it for only his view, Inasa found a quiet corner and frantically dialed the phone he had received from Shin for situations that were for the utmost of emergencies.

Inasa's finger frantically wiggled around the keypad however his unsteady movements caused multiple failures to accumulate until he had finally entered the right numbers into the phone.

"Shin."

Inasa flinched, his skin crawling as his eyes darted to the side to see Toga sitting in a depressed state while only muttering a singular word each time, Shin.

Her eyes carried a haunting emptiness, devoid of the vitality that once defined her presence as the only semblance of life appeared in the form of Whiskers, elegantly swaying her tail from side to side, a soothing rhythm that matched the gentle purring emanating from her.

Whiskers had unexpectedly become a devoted service animal for the traumatized Toga, offering solace in the constant strokes and attention received while greatly benefiting from exchange going so far as to lean into each and every motion of Toga's soft hand.

*Click*

"What?" A familiar voice echoed through the small phone clutched between Inasa's hand as the holder flinched once more.

"SH-Shin!" Inasa had unknowingly raised his volume before immediately understanding the repercussions of shouting, causing him to forcefully quell his own shout into a whisper.

"Shin, where are you?" Inasa gently brought the phone to his mouth and whispered, his eyes still locked on Toga's unaware figure.

"Why are you whispering?" Shin avoided his question with one of his own as Inasa turned his sight to the burner phone.

"Why am I whispering? Oh I don't know, maybe it's because if your psycho vampire girlfriend finds out that I have a phone with a direct line to you and didn't tell her, then she'll cut me!" Inasa eyes became bloodshot as he tried his best to yell in the lowest tone possible while still trying to show the immense amount of urgency and annoyance in his voice.

"Hmmm, that does seem like a reasonable possibility." Shin didn't brush past his sarcasm, but in fact confirmed the reasoning within it, causing Inasa to facepalm.

"Shin, I'm serious! There was an explosions and then people just started rioting and then they-"

"Inasa, calm down and take a deep breath." Shin's calm voice resonated into Inasa's ears as his worried ramblings were drowned out under Shin's reassuring tone.

Heeding the instructions given, Inasa took a deliberate pause, allowing himself a precious moment to gather his thoughts and emotions and as his measured breaths resounded, so did his control over his racing mind, gradually restoring himself to a more composed and manageable state.

"Now explain the situation at the orphanage." Shin calmly inquired, and Inasa acquiesced.

Inasa then slowly began to recount the events as it became evident that his understanding aligned precisely with Shin's predictions.

The explosions, which had predominantly ravaged downtown Musutafu, had 'miraculously' spared the areas on the outskirts from the blast, including the slums where Dolores' orphanage resided.

However, the orphanage wasn't entirely spared from the calamity as the rioting and rampaging had greatly intensified in the areas of lower income ratios including the very one in which Dolores orphanage nestled in.

The lower class residents lead this destructive charge though not with their weapons and quirks but instead with their deep seated resentment for the society that constantly put them down and seemingly forced them into this position from birth.

This barbaric display of rioting which eerily resembled that of pillaging, prompted the majority of citizens to swifty make their way towards any local bunker in the areas specially designed to withstand catastrophic villain attacks.

Bunkers had always been prominent in Japan after the unfortunate event of being on the receiving end of two nuclear bombs.

But as of late, they have become more common due to the frequent influx of natural disasters introduced by the new destructive weapons that were quirks.

"The outside is a mess Shin, like really bad. I only saw a bit when pulling Toga from your sheets but from the window, I could see people looting the local buildings while dragging others into the streets. Some people even started looting the orphanage once we closed the doors while others have even tried to break down the bunker door-"

"They won't be able to get in unless you let them in." Shin reaffirmed while interrupting Inasa after hearing his voice start to tremble once more.

Shin had invested too much time into Toga and Inasa, and wouldn't let them get kidnapped or killed, much less endanger them by an event he himself caused.

It was why Shin specifically reinforced the bunker that protected them from the outside world with numerous quirks that made even the copper wiring within the walls capable of withstanding a constant onslaught of explosions far greater than the one on display earlier.

This assurance caused another ripple of relief to cascade all around Inasa's body before the last bits of anxiousness residing within him flowed out with the exhale of his next breath.

"Guard the door and don't let any of those snot nosed brats try to open it. And if push comes to shove, forcefully quell the ones who try otherwise" Shin promptly instructed, causing Inasa to gulp and stand up.

"All right, I'll do as you say." Inasa resolutely said, though his voice still trembled slightly.

"Good, I'll be back tomorrow at the latest so hang tight until then" Shin declared before immediately hanging up the phone without sparing a response.

Inasa wasn't focused on this rude gesture, pocketing the phone before taking a deep breath, trying to appear calm.

However, Toga, snuggling up against the contempt Whisker's, finally noticed Inasa's suspicious actions causing her to confront them upon Inasa taking his first step forward.

Inasa could't take another step before seeing Toga appear before him with a cold and emotionless stare.

"What were you doing?" Toga squinted, finding Inasa's behavior peculiar as the sentient cat in her grasp only tilted its head to the side of another human before her.

"Nothing." Inasa quickly responded, trying to remain calm while scoffing at Toga's questioning.

Though, before he could walk past her, Toga stepped in front of him seemingly not satisfied by his retort.

"You talked to Shin, didn't you?" Toga immediately attributed Inasa's sudden spurt of courage to Shin as her cold voice seemed to lower the temperature in the bunker forcing some of the kids to shiver while rubbing their forearms in an effort to warm themselves up from the chilling feeling.

"Toga, I don't know what you're talking about." Inasa pretended not to understand Toga's toneless words, furrowing his eyebrows to show slight anger while puffing out his chest to show a strong front.

However on the inside, Inasa was panicking.

'How did this blood sucker know!?!?!?!?!?!' Inasa cursed at this monster disguised in the skin of a little girl.

Toga then squinted her eyes even tighter before surprisingly stepping aside, allowing Inasa to pass.

Inasa, surprised at her action, didn't hide the shock on his face however still managed to calm himself before taking a step forward

"Is Shin okay?" Toga anxiousless asked once Inasa showed his back to her, biting her small lips while grasping Whiskers tighter into her embrace.

*Sigh*

"Toga, trust me when I say Shin is completely fine." Inasa didn't want to but in the end reassured her, since it didn't seem right to leave her hanging without a clear understanding of the situation.

Toga meekly nodded at this answer before sitting back down, wrapping the comforter she stole from Shin's room when being dragged out by Inasa around her figure and gently rubbing against it while showing a teary expression.

Inasa didn't pay any attention to this fanatic display of affection as instead he made his way towards the door before calmly sitting down next to it.

Over time, some of the orphans noticed his actions, and eventually, Mrs. Whiteworth couldn't heed her curiosity any longer prompting her to approach him.

"Inasa, what are you doing?" Mrs. Whitworth inquired, her tone hinting at her worry that he might try to leave though desperately trying to cast a veil around it in the form of a gentle tone.

"I'm guarding the door to make sure no one opens it until Shin comes back." Inasa replied plainly, looking at Mrs. Whiteworth without showing any respect in his tone or communication.

"Inasa, watch your tone." Mrs. Whiteworth said, her expression displeased by Inasa's disrespectful nature on full display.

She had always held Shin in high regard, considering him the star of the orphanage who could do no wrong.

In contrast, at least in her eyes, Inasa was the offspring of a villain, which colored her perception of him into that of disgust and resentment.

From a third-person perspective, one might question why Shin didn't simply make Mrs. Whiteworth accept Inasa for the start.

However, this wasn't accidental as Shin understood the importance of how an individual's character is shaped by their corresponding childhood.

Shin wanted loyal subordinates who would follow his every command for themselves while still keeping true to the base of their humanity; however to reach that level, Shin needed to isolate them from the world before being pushed to the brink to which Shin would come into view and become a beacon of hope that would radiate only loyalty for him.

"Inasa, I am your guardian and as such I- '' Mrs. Whiteworth started to begin her reprimand only for her words to cut off upon seeing Inasa's typical carefree eyes turn cold and unforgiving in the short span of a second.

If it was any other day then Inasa would've let this arrogant lecture proceed but today was different from the usual for the sole reason being that Inasa was on edge.

He had reached his limit for people outside his threshold of care long ago and wasn't willing to tolerate any complaints from random people, much less a mere puppet.

"Not right now." Inasa next words seemed to chill Mrs. Whiteworth to her very core as slight shivers resonated all across her spine.

The prolonged eye contact even had the side effect of actively forcing Mrs. WHitworth to completely turn away and give in to his demands while trying to take her mind off the pool of sweat starting to gather on her back.

Inasa's unwavering gaze remained fixed on Mrs. Whitworth's figure until she joined a group of distraught children before releasing it to survey the crowd.

However, his demeanor never reverted back into its former state as he knew deep down if the worst case happened, then he needed to be in the right mindset to quell it.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" A fifteen-year-old teenager named Dito exclaimed, grabbing his head in distress as he signaled himself to be at an onset stage of becoming a problem.

This outburst was largely attributed to Dito suffering from claustrophobia, and with the recent events amplifying his anxiety, the already deathly fear weighing heavily on his heart caused him to be induced in a semi-panic attack.

"Dito, calm down," Mrs. Whiteworth was the first to confront this child as she quickly hurried over to him while using this as an excuse to part from Inasa, trying to ease him back into a manageable state.

However his fearful eyes weren't focused on the caretaker but instead on the door.

*Slap*

Mrs. Whiteworth's hand flew into the air, her face lightly twitched from the stinging sensation felt from the recourse of Dito's strength.

"DITO!" Ignoring the subtle pain, Mrs. Whiteworth anxiously called out to the distraught boy, only to be left disappointed as Dito's greedy eyes gazed forward, completely ignoring her existence.

His crazed pupil's shook violently as they encompassed the singular entity that was the iron door.

In his mind, he believed that the feeling constantly trampling his heart would subside if he could just escape into the outside world.

If he could just breath in the fresh air, gaze upon the sun as he basked in its rays, and-

"Stop."

A cold bucket of water that was Inasa's tone seemingly poured over Dito's imagination as reality appeared before him in the form of a lone child standing between him and his relief.

"M-Move!" Dito screamed in distress, thinking of Inasa as nothing but a slight obstacle as the panic became more evident in his eyes upon feeling his anxiety pulsate harder at Inasa's appearance.

"Dito, I'm sorry, but you can't leave. If I let you out, people from the outside could potentially get in, and-..."

"MOVE INASA!" Inasa's explanation was interrupted by Dito's urgent plea, his sense of panic overwhelming him to the point where he no longer regarded anyone in the vicinity as he proved this notion by lunging at the door, making Inasa's lips tremble.

The slight feeling of hesitation that rose within Inasa wasn't due to his unwillingness to hurt someone but in fact unlike the other orphans, Dito had always been kind to Inasa though not directly.

However despite Dito's subtle demeanor, Inasa never encountered any difficulties while interacting with him and deeply valued him for his lack of condescension.

It was why Inasa hesitated so deeply at this conjecture as he desperately didn't want to use force against him.

'One last warning, he's just a little panicked so he'll listen if I tell him again.'

"Dito please stop-"

"MOVE, I'M GETTING OUT OF HERE WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! " Dito's desperation was evident in his words as it also showed to have fully consumed his thinking.

It made Inasa devastated knowing deep down that Dito held no regard for reasoning, coercing Inasa into understanding that he had to forcefully prevent Dito from leaving.

*WHOOOOSH*

A loud violent gust rippled through the air as Dito's body was sent flying backward by a sudden blast of wind.

The force greatly oppressed the balance of Dito before forcing him to give into the violent nature of the attack causing him to skid against the flooring three times before nestling a great distance away from the perpetrator as his actions greatly resemble that of a flat rock skipping on water.

This brief confrontation left all those who witnessed it frozen in complete and utter shock.

"Inasa, what are you doing!" Mrs. Whiteworth screeched after the realization settled amongst the crowd as she hurriedly rushed over to the dazed Dito.

The eyes of all those in the surroundings focusing their attention onto the scene transpiring before them until all orphans had their gaze firmly set on this event.

Their biased gazes focused first on Dito, a boy known for his kindness and friendships within the orphanage before their pupils shifted to the perpetrator, Inasa, the son of a villain with a brash and bashful nature.

The outcome of their favor was already evident as a massive amount of disdainful gazes all littered around Inasa as he became the clear favorite for everyone's animosity.

Dito angrily gazed forward at Inasa after the haze of the attack wore off while brandishing a new look that he never put on display, hate.

A strand of hair messily handed down from his well kept hair as his heart pounded in his chest, his anxiety finally spiraling out of his control as his eyes gave off a tinge of madness resulting in a full-blown panic attack coming into fruition.

His hyperventilation intensified, and his eyes turned bloodshot from the overwhelming stress before a stress induced vein coursed along his neck.

"Dito, calm down-" Mrs. Whiteworth seeing this clear display attempted to soothe him though Dito had given up the idea of reasoning long ago.

"LET ME LEAVE!" Dito pushed Mrs. Whiteworth away once again while screaming towards Inasa, rashly resuming his previous pace with his goal to make it past Inasa.

"Dito, stop!" Inasa yelled, blowing him back once more, but pleas wouldn't be able to quell this confrontation as Dito kept coming back.

One after another, Inasa threw gust after gust towards the distraught Dito as he knew if too much force was used, he might greatly injure Dito which is why he slightly held back when using his quirk.

"LET ME LEAVE, YOU FREAK!" Dito, driven by his panicked state, yelled outwardly while completely unaware of his own venomous words causing Inasa to flinch.

A domino effect slowly transpiring in light of the poison inducing words driven by Dito giving way to the harsh and unforgiving opinions of Inasa began circulating amongst the onlooking children.

"Looks like the villain is bullying Dito."

"Just let him leave, what's the big deal?"

"Isn't it illegal for him to use his quirk? We should call the police and put that villain's spawn in jail where he belongs."

The whispers became louder as Inasa's eyes frantically darted around, taking in the clear disdain in each and every one of their expressions as these hateful comments struck him deeply one after another like a dagger being pushed deeper and deeper into his heart.

"Serve that little sh*t right." Mrs. Whiteworth smirked from the side of this event, reveling in Inasa's crumbling facade while showing no signs of interrupting this marvelous sight.

"Dito, listen-" Inasa's tried to calm him down, his mind thinking that Dito only misspoke however his words were inevitably cut off as Dito's face turned red with anger.

"AFTER ALL MY ATTEMPTS IN USING YOU TO GET THROUGH TO SHIN!" Dito's voice rose in volume as his anger surged.

"EVEN WHEN YOU PROVED TO BE USELESS IN GETTING CLOSE TO HIM, I WAS STILL NICE TO YOU AND THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT ME!" Dito's heart pounded, his mind throbbed painfully as he clutched his chest.

Inasa hung his head slightly at the realization of these words as his lips lightly trembled.

He hadn't anticipated hearing these words in such a situation, causing the surprise of it to weigh heavily on his heart.

"IF YOU DON'T LET ME LEAVE, ALL THE NORMAL PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FREAKS WILL HATE YOU!" Dito's child-like threat resounded, putting his last ditch effort onto display causing Inasa to raise his tear-filled eyes but instead of a frown, Inasa offered a sarcastic smile.

"I should've known." Inasa laughed, his voice devoid of any joy.

"I should've known." Inasa volume greatly diminished as he whispered to himself the same sentence as before, wiping away the tears welling in his eyes while turning towards everyone.

Finally understanding the true nature of all those around him as his ignorance of his reality was no more.

This realization had been slightly halted as Shin's presence around him had temporarily silenced the hateful and disdain filled comments, but now that he was gone, and his whereabouts were unknown, they finally expressed their true thoughts.

Inasa understood his efforts in conveying his true nature was all for naught as he finally realized that these children would never change their opinions of him.

It made him feel incredibly foolish but most importantly, it left him heartbroken.

"NOW LET-"

"No." Inasa interrupted, fixing his cold gaze on Dito, who flinched and instinctively took a step back.

"Wha-"

"No one is leaving this bunker. If you want to leave you can do so when Shin returns, but until then we're all staying here." Inasa's resolve still remained unyielding in this adversity, prompting the scoffs and mockery from many.

"He's probably dead!"

"That smartass already exploded!"

"What are you, his dog?"

More hateful shouts echoed, releasing the pent up grievances towards Shin they had been harboring deep within their hearts.

While the orphans were grateful for the improved living conditions Shin's actions had provided, over time, their days of living like street rats faded into a memory along with their gratitude as it slowly waned, until a seed of dissatisfaction took root in each of their hearts.

This discontent only grew as they witnessed the preferential treatment Mrs. Whiteworth bestowed upon Shin.

Though unnerving, many saw Mrs. Whiteworth as a motherly figure and desperately desired her attention which only seemed to lay with Shin.

However, what truly crushed their spirits was Shin's disdainful indifference toward them.

Though the orphans continued to remain silent, right now their pent-up emotions could no longer be contained as their frustration boiled over until it became directed at Inasa, mercilessly hissing their grievances without any feeling a tiny semblance of guilt.

"Stop it children! STOP STAINING SHIN'S NAME!" Mrs. Whiteworth, trying to defend Shin's honor, inadvertently fueled the fire as the voices of these oppressed orphans only grew louder.

"WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT SHIN ANYWAYS!"

"YEAH, HE'S JUST A FREAK!"

"WHAT ABOUT US MRS. WHITWORTH! DON'T WE MATTER!"

The orphans fully released their deep-seated resentment from the unfair treatment Shin received always tended to get, openly displaying their dissatisfaction towards the one partially responsible for their neglect.

The bunker became littered with shouts and screams of hate as Dito only continued to gaze at the door.

Seizing this opportunity, Dito rushed toward the door once more, expecting to catch Inasa off guard.

But as Dito stepped over the invisible line that Inasa had blown him back time and time again, Inasa only clutched his fist.

With a smirk, Dito thought of this action as hesitation as the notion of escaping finally revealed itself to him meaning he would finally escape from this room that only seemed to grow smaller as time passed.

But then Inasa lunged forward.

The distance was all but closed in a second as Inasa reached his hand forward as Dito cowered backwards only to have Inasa's hand wrapped around his neck.

*THUD*

Dito tried to continue moving forward, but his upper body remained frozen in place before succumbing to gravity's pull as he crashed into the ground with a thud.

*COUGH*

Coughing raggedly, the orphans all slowly gathered their gazes at the familiar exchange that had a drastically different turn.

Now turning their gazes to the two once again, they saw a completely different outcome as Inasa had pressed his foot against Dito's neck as the latter tried desperately to free his breath only to fail over and over again.

'Why are people like this?' Inasa, downtrodden, looked down at the struggling Dito with sadness permeating across face though his eyes only showed a resolute stare.

The glares seemed to pierce his beings as Inasa couldn't understand why people hated him for something beyond his control.

'Was it wrong for me to be born?'

'Why am I responsible for the things my father did?'

'Can't people look past this and see me for who I am?'

These types of thoughts plagued his mind whenever he witnessed fearful or disdainful gazes but now they fully encompassed it as Dito used this opportunity to crawl from under his grasp.

"Monster!" Dito's scratchy voice rang out once he got to a suitable distance, his tone completely filled with fear, mirroring the emotion that resided in all the orphans' eyes.

However, internally, Dito couldn't comprehend how an eight-year-old child that was five years younger than him, possessed such strength without using his quirk.

"Dito, are you okay?" A concerned girl around thirteen years old named Kanna came over to his aide, her face reflecting only worry.

"Do I look oka-"

*Cough"

"Yes, I'm fine, Kanna," Dito forcibly pushed back the veins bulging from his neck, controlling himself to avoid redirecting his anger towards someone else once again.

Clarity seeped into his consciousness once Inasa had physically subdued him since as of right now, he knew his earlier outburst might have damaged his reputation, but with enough persuasion, he could spin it around and turn it against Inasa and save as much face as possible.

"Come on, Dito, you shouldn't get close to the son of a villain. Obviously, he inherited his father's tendencies." Another boy intervened, helping Dito up while sneering at the mention of Inasa's villainous lineage.

Inasa turned his head down, his fists trembling with a suppressed fury as two streams of tears slowly flowed down his palms though the liquid wasn't clear but filled with a red hue.

*Whoosh*

A ravaging wind suddenly surrounded him as the scarlet red liquid swirled around him, forming a spinning gust where drops of blood streaked like red ribbons.

Turning his gaze upwards, Inasa had finally given into his hate causing everyone's hearts to drop, witnessing Inasa's sudden display of power.

To the average C-class villain, this might not have been alarming, but to these defenseless children, it was a stark contrast.

Inanimate objects quivered in fear before Inasa's might as all objects in the vicinity rattled at an ear defining vibration.

"Inasa, stop! Shin will be mad!" Toga's annoyed voice rang out from the side, seeing Inasa on the verge of unleashing his rage upon the offenders that Shin still had use for.

From the beginning, Toga had completely ignored the inner turmoil suffered by Inasa as she had been lost in thought about Shin.

Even when Inasa became the target of hateful comments, Toga remained idle, uninterested in Inasa's situation since to her, Inasa's trauma and circumstances were his own problem.

Shin was the sole proprietor that occupied her mind, so Toga refused to make space for the annoying brat Inasa.

However, when she saw Inasa staring at them with a familiar murderous gaze she knew all too well, she immediately intervened, fearing that his actions might inconvenience Shin somehow.

Digesting Toga's words, Inasa's eyes cleared, and his huffing gradually calmed down.

He slowly regained control over the swirling wind around him until finally all notions of his quirk disappeared from existence.

Inasa then tucked his head down as he slowly walked to the iron door before hitting his back against it.

Although victorious in preventing anyone from leaving, Inasa couldn't help but feel defeated.

Slowly, he slid down the door, biting his lip in frustration before he gathered himself into a crouching position, arms resting on his knees.

The others however remained still, waiting for Inasa's signal to move while still frightened by his earlier display.

Several seconds passed until Inasa finally lifted his head, casting a hateful gaze at the hypocrites before him.

"No one leaves until Shin gets back." Inasa firmly declared as they all nodded in agreement, and as their eyes disappeared from Inasa's body, tears began to stream down his cheeks.

He wanted to hide this display of vulnerability, quickly wiping away the tears as the came before feeling a gaze still linger on him.

Dito still had his eyes set on him though upon seeing the confrontation, immediately adhered to the stance while turning his back to him.

'I'm such a fool.'

Meanwhile outside the Adapting Faction's base

Shin stood with a contemplative look while gazing at an identical burner phone which greatly resembled the one Inasa dialed moments before.

He debated whether to call Inasa and check in again but ultimately decided against this idea.

'He has to learn to handle things on his own.' Shin thought, pocketing his phone before gazing into the distance where a formidable structure lay before his view which stood the place to house the adaptive faction.

For a brief moment, he appreciated the stronghold's robust defense, a testament to those who built it since they will be the only ones to know of its existence come tomorrow.

"Dabi, Atushiro." Shin called out to Dabi and Atsuhiro, who immediately made their way over to him.

"Both of you will take twenty Yakuza members with you to the front gate. Ensure that the majority of the grunts are the ones who surrendered to us from the Origin faction." Shin instructed, receiving nods from both of them. Atsuhiro, understanding Shin's intention, asked,

"Do you want us to let them get injured?" Atsuhiro, understanding Shin's intention, asked out before receiving a nod as Dabi lifted an eyebrow.

"Do you want me to explain it to you, Dabi, in simpler terms since I doubt that someone like yourself who reads at a third-grade level would understand Shin's underlying intentions." Atsuhiro turned to Dabi, who immediately frowned at his remark.

"I'll pass because in full offense, old-timers like yourself have a knack for going off into tangents and stretching out a simple point into a full blow snooze fest for a solid forty minutes. And let's just say it's a talent you've mastered." Dabi dryly responded, making Atsuhiro flinch in complete shock, not expecting Dabi's comeback.

Shin was also surprised by Dabi actually firing back with an actual comeback resulting in a slight chuckle to escape his lips causing Dabi to give Atsuhiro a disdainful and taunting smirk.

"Yeah? Well you......….your uh......…dammit." Atushiro, already taken aback by Dabi straying from the usual script, couldn't muster a prompt response leaving him to turn his head to the side in defeat.

Shin's expression once again shifted to that of surprise as he witnessed first hand Atsuhiro seemingly accepting defeat in a battle of words, prompting him to shake his head in acknowledgment of Dabi's remark.

"Well, I'll be honest, Dabi. I didn't see this outcome ever happening but you have proven me wrong." Shin chuckled, patting Dabi's shoulder, causing him to smile.

"And here I thought this old timer's age wouldn't have such an impact on his conscience but I guess it seems like age isn't the only thing catching up to him." Dabi's disdain filled smile only grew wider as he observed Atsuhiro rapidly twitching in anger from the side.

Dabi then took in the sight of this clown not having a subtle jab to throw back at him until he finally gestured to Shin with a nod, indicating his desire to proceed with the plan.

"The objective is quite simple: capture the attention of the entire stronghold." Shin stated, prompting Atsuhiro to spring up immediately, confident that he was the right person for the job.

"I think-"

"Please elaborate." Dabi interjected, pushing the enthusiastic Atsuhiro aside, while calmly asking Shin for further details.

"As you know, I don't want to reveal the fact that I can resurrect people from the dead, simply because it would invite numerous nuisances to constantly knock at my door, asking or pleading for me to revive their loved ones once the information spreads." Shin spoke honestly, and both of them nodded in agreement.

"And if we were to haphazardly approach the front door for negotiation, what do you think would happen?"

"Unnecessary casualties." Atsuhiro spoke up, causing Shin to nod in agreement.

"Unlike the Origin Faction, the Adapting Faction has been planning their separation for a much longer time, amassing significant firepower in the process." Shin reiterated, and they both nodded again, having heard this information for the second time today.

"Well, I meant it quite literally, as even the quirkless members within the stronghold possess automatic weapons to compensate for their lack of powers." Shin's words finally helped the two understand why he didn't want to deploy the Yakuza all at once as what was similarly done with the Origin Faction.

"So we're not charging in because the weaker members would be mowed down if they charged straight through the front?" Dabi rubbed his forehead in frustration, thinking of these Yakuza members, the very same that had just theri mere name strike fear into the hearts of all those who heard it in Japan, as a nuisance.

"They're utterly useless, aren't they?" Dabi voiced his thoughts openly, realizing the harsh reality of having these members, causing Atsuhiro to even nod in agreement.

"For now, they are. However, I have a few plans and upgrades in mind for the future." Shin revealed with a wicked smile, which quickly subsided back into a more gentle one.

"So, does that mean we are to showcase our strength to these recently acquired members from the Origin Faction?" Atsuhiro asked, to which Shin nodded affirmatively.

"Yes, but once both of you make your presence known and showcase yourselves, you'll subdue the armed grunts while the forty members behind you guard the entrance, making them feel included causing their minds to more openly remember this operation." Shin explained, though Dabi raised his hand in inquiry.

"Included?"

"If we do all the work ourselves, the Yakuza might inadvertently become reliant on us. Even though it might be easier to handle things like that now, in the long run, it would essentially make these members dependent on our strength rather than their own." Shin clarified, but Dabi's questioning expression only persisted.

"Oh poor simple Dabi, tt means that if we do everything for these members, they might start relying on us to solve their problems instead of figuring them out themselves." Atsuhiro masked his explanation in a gentle tone but Dabi's eyebrows twitched in annoyance at the clear mockery apparent in Atsuhiro's eyes.

"What are your plans for the two individuals you mentioned earlier with useful quirks?" Dabi asked, his gaze transferring from Atsuhiro as he inquired about the pair mentioned earlier by Shin.

"The only thing I care about in this operation is focusing and condensing the majority of forces into your area. As long as you defeat the two, I don't mind what happens afterwards." Shin replied, turning his gaze towards the smoke rising from the city.

"Couldn't they be useful to you as members of the Yakuza?" Dabi scratched his chin, wanting to gauge the extent to which he should proceed.

"Their quirks are useful, but they seem too obedient to the elders based on what I've observed. They might not be of much benefit in serving me directly. However, if they surrender before you defeat them, I'll consider their worth as subordinates after probing their minds a bit." Shin expressed a disappointed look as he shifted his attention back to the stronghold.

"However from what I've seen, their personalities and qualities don't really align with what I desire in a direct subordinate." Shin added, remembering all the memories he had glimpsed from the elders.

"But I'll trust both of your instincts on this matter." Shin words conveyed trust which caused both of them to feel slightly grateful.

"And if they refuse?" Dabi coldly spoke as Shin's bored smile slowly transformed into a bloodthirsty one.

"What do you think?" Shin asked though his intentions were as clear as day for the day.

"You only need a single piece of them, correct?" Dabi asked, his maddening smile revealing his sinister intentions, causing Shin to give him a sidelong glance.

"At least a finger."

Five minutes later

Two Yakuza members silently stood at the front entrance completely exuding an aura that showed the utmost seriousness in their profession.

Suddenly, one of their phones buzzed as in reality, despite the chaotic situation outside, their expressions remained bored.

They knew the power their faction possessed, and although serious about guarding the entrance.

Highly doubted anyone in their right mind would attack them when they were on highest alert possible.

"Bro!" One of the Yakuza members exclaimed, his eyes widening as he shouted to his fellow guard while holding his phone close to his face.

"What?" The other member raised an eyebrow in confusion but instinctively held his automatic rifle tighter, ready for the next words that might convey any emergency orders.

"The 69th hero, Mistress Yarn, had her nudes leaked!" The man showed his buddy the explicit pictures of a busty hero, her exposed chest and perky nipples on full display as it fully grasped the guards attention.

"What!" The guard snatched the phone out of his companion's hands, his eyes bulging at each picture he saw.

"Can you-"

*Ding*

"I already sent them to you." The man proudly raised his chin as the notification sounded in the guards pocket, knowing full well that this hero was his buddy's favorite material.

The guard immediately reached for his back pocket and found a message with an attachment clipped next to it.

"Bro." The man expressed a heartfelt look as his buddy nodded.

"I got you." As they said this, they clasped hands and bumped fists.

"Aren't you guys supposed to be guards?"

Atsuhiro suddenly spoke, tilting his head slightly, curious about their interaction while standing before both of them.

Both guards suddenly flinched at the words, instantly pointing their rifles at Atsuhiro before getting into their combat stance.

"Hands up! You're being detained for trespassing onto Yakuza territory without permission!" One of them yelled as if reading off a script, gripping the trigger tighter, just centimeters away from pulling it.

"If you make any hostile movements, we will shoot!" The other guard shouted, following his companion's lead while also sounding as if he was reading off a preempted script.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Atsuhiro raised his hands in the air, his body visibly trembling in what could be described as fear.

"I'm just an ordinary entertainer who wants to spread a little joy in the world! Please don't kill me!" Atsuhiro purposely quivered his voice in fear while trying to show himself to be nothing more than a docile lamb amidst a pack of wolves.

"Entertainer?" Both guards repeated, their gazes fixed on Atsuhiro, displaying perplexed expressions.

"Why is an entertainer here?" The guard on the left pondered out loud before the other shrugged, also greatly confused by this man's sudden appearance.

"Dammit, I didn't even get to finish looking at all the pictures." The guard on the right suddenly exclaimed in realization, completely disregarding the threat of Atsuhiro's existence as the disappointment of him not fully indulging in the explicit content seemed to take priority.

"Dude, just look at it later." The guard on the side nudged him to his senses as the guard sighed.

*Sigh*

"Yeah you're right." The guard lightly nodded before turning to Atsuhiro with slight frustration littering his eyes.

"You're an entertainer right? Then you have seven seconds to entertain me before I use you as a shooting target." The guard stated, still dissatisfied but willing to see a good show or watch this weirdo embarrass himself to feel a tad bit better.

"Bro, that's not protocol-"

"It's fine. There's no way he's crazy enough to make an enemy of the Yakuza." The guard's friend tried to dissuade him however he firmly reassured his friend while giving him a sidelong glance.

"But-"

"Very well, good sirs," Atsuhiro bowed before raising his head, a disdainful smile hidden under his mask as his eyes formed crescent moons.

"I always aim to please."

Author's Note: Now that you read it the newest chapter, tell me your honest opinions on my wiritng quality and if it got better or worse.