47. A hunt for crows.

We stood on a roof overlooking the estate, as Mirko let out a frustrated groan.

"You said there was a fight!" She whined, for the third time this hour.

"Yes. There will be a fight. Have some bloody patience. We need to confirm if all the members are in.

Besides, the guy you're supposed to fight is on a beer run." I said, as a hulking man in a crow mask turned the corner.

"Well, looks like luck is on your side. Here he comes." I added, pointing at the man, as I stealthily signalled Aiba and Gentle to take the flank.

It was their job to raid Overhaul's office and clean his coffers right out.

"I'll sneak in. So make a big distraction. Pull them all away from their posts." I ordered.

"Yeah yeah. Don't get killed, boy." She replied, jumping down the side of the roof, begore kicking off the wall, towards Rappa.

"Hey birdbrain!" She shouted, barreling straight through to his pelvis, "Take this!"

"Hwa!" He cried, crashing through the wall, as alarms started blaring throughout the compound, and Rikiya burst through the mansion's roof, leaping over the wall in one smooth motion, as he set upon Mirko.

That's two members down, six to go.

Yup. Bringing Mirko along was definitely a good choice.

I jumped the gate, sending shelves smashing into the yakuza goons that had begun manning the walls, knocking them out.

"Fweet!" I whistled and Kuribo slithered over the gate too, before compacting into his regular fluffy form.

"Deal with the guys in the courtyard." I said, pointing to the side.

"Warf!" He replied, and disappeared, before explosions shook the side of the house shattering the glass, while I strode in through the main door.

Good. Kuribo's getting a hang of Self Detonation.

"Stop right there kid! Or I'll shoot!" Hojo warned.

"Just kill him already!" Setsuno cackled, stealing my a vase from the shoe rack, throwing it at me.

"Amitabha! We shouldn't aspire to violence!" Tengai deliberated.

"We're the yakuza, for fuck's sake!" Tabe argued, "This is no monastery, idiot!"

"Ladies, Ladies, take your turns. I have enough stamina for all of you." I mocked the bickering housewives.

"No. You're right." Tengai said, adjusting his robe, "Kill him."

"Yeah, I don't think so!" I replied, smashing a shelf into Hojo's hand, disarming him, before two more came smashing through the roof, crushing the others into pulp, except Tengai, who put up a barrier around him in the nick of time.

"Heh!" I snorted, provoking him, "Go on. Hide behind your little yellow veil. But that won't stop me from mercing your boss, monk."

I needed to see if his quirk was as malleable and versatile as I assumed. And for that, I needed him to push himself a bit further.

"So you would think." He said, raising his hands in prayer, before grasping in my direction.

A dome of yellow energy enveloped me, stopping me in my tracks.

"Not so useless now, is it?" He asked.

I smiled, holding back a chuckle.

"Thanks for that." I said, "I was wondering if your quirk was worth taking.

Evidently, it is!

As good as I assumed it would be, too."

"Wha-" he attempted to speak as a misty portal opened behind, and a shelf crashed through, into his spine with an audible crack.

"Oof. That is definitely a lifetime in a wheelchair at best. Though I doubt you'll last till the medics arrive." I joked, before knocking on his barrier.

"Mind letting me out now?"

"Never." He choke out, coughing up blood.

"You know you're just torturing yourself right?" I informed, "Give up and enjoy your last few moments in this world."

This time his only response was a pained grunt and a death glare as he maintained his grasp on his quirk, struggling to stay conscious.

I sighed.

"I don't have time to waste here but." I said, as OFA powered me up, "Toodles~"

Reeling back my hand, I focused all of my power into my fist, smashing it down into the floor, as a gaping sinkhole opened up, dragging us both down, freeing me from his barrier.

Only seconds later Kuribo followed, jumping inro my arms from above, as we made our way through the underground lab.

Passing by the various operating theatres and storerooms, until we came upon an obnoxiously pink door.

Yup this is it.

And if the aesthetic wasn't enough of a giveaway, then the man in the fur jacket and crow mask, dragging a little girl by her hair definitely was.

"Hello there!" I greeted.

"Heroes!" He snarled, dropping the girl.

"No." I said, stopping him in his tracks.

"What? Then who are you?" He asked, cautiously.

"No. I mean I am a hero, well technically a hero student, but I'll be a hero in due....

Look, what I'm saying is, when someone says 'Hello there', you're supposed to say 'General Kenobi'.

Haven't you seen Star Wars?" I explained.

"Wha- You know what, I'm just going to kill you." Overhaul said in exasperation, slipping off his gloves.

"Tsk, tsk." I intoned, "Definitely not a man of culture."

Patting Kuribo on the back, I ordered.

"Sic em, boy!"

Kuribo growled menacingly as his muscles buffed, electricity sparking across his eyes, as he bolted towards Overhaul.

Overhaul leaned to the side, as Kuribo's teeth grazed his shoulders, before gently tapping his stomach.

Then there was blood, as Kuribo's stomach burst open, and he fell to the floor, crying in pain.

Eri cowered, her dress drenxhed in Kuribo's blood, as she looked down at her hands, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

"...st..p....lea....e" she begged weakly, only to be ignored.

"How?" I asked, acting horrified.

"I enhanced my neurons to be able to catch a bullet out of the air. Such childish parlor tricks don't work on me." He explained, walking forth at a leisurely pace.

"Is that so?" I said, coolly "Well then. Get him."

Alarmed, Overhaul turned around, a second to late, as Kuribo's neck shot forth, his jaws ripping clean through Overhaul's neck.

His eyes wide in disbelief, he muttered.

"How?"

"Healing factor." I replied, crushing his head underfoot, cracking the cement floor, sending his brain matter splashing all around.

Reaching into my coat, I pulled out a towel, gently wiping the blood and bile off of Eri's face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, and she nodded, meekly.

"Good." I said, gently hugging her, careesing her hair.

"It's all going to be fine."

"...no. No!" She cried, pushing me away, as her eyes widened in horror and realization.

"This is another trap. This is a game. No. I-i love Oji-sama. I don't want to leave. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE....SO please...please don't hurt anyone.....pleasseeeee!" She cried, retreating into a corner, shaking like a leaf in the wind.

Shit. What sort of Ramsay Bolton shit did this monster put her through?

This is insane!

Carefully, I crept closer to her, parting her crossed arms and picking her up, despite her protests, and brought her to his body.

"Eri, listen to me." I comforted, "He's gone, see. He'll never hurt anyone else, I promise. Most of all, you."

She looked at his body, poking her head out mousily, before she turned away and asked in a hopeful tone.

"Really?"

"Yes. Really. You can trust me on that." I said, smiling bright, ruffling her hair, "Heroes don't lie!"

Her face lit up like a firecracker as a spark returned to her eyes, and tears welled up in them.

She began to sob, loudly, burying her face into my neck as I comforted her, sitiing down beside a slowly recovering Kuribo.

"You did good, baby." I whispered to him, petting his head.

Minutes later, Aiba and Gentle arrived, carrying two bags on their shoulders.

"That the girl?" Aiba asked.

I nodded, shushing them, so as to not wake Eri, who had cried herself to sleep.

"On your end?" I asked softly.

Gentle gave me a thumbs up, as Aiba revealed the contents of the bag.

Money, deeds and a conspicuous cigar box with ornate patterns.

"Yup, this is it. All of it. Good job, guys." I said, opening a portal to my apartment, and handing Eri to Aiba, "Leave it in there. Put her on the bed. And close the door on your way out."

They nodded, disappearing into the portal, along with Kuribo and Eri, before I closed it shut.

Getting up, I dusted my pants and walked out to face the choir, amidst blazing sirens and flashing lights.

"This is the police! Hands in the air.

And walk over to us slowly." A voice shouted over the loudspeaker.

I sighed again.

This was going to be a long day.