Impenetrable Prison, Tartarus

Looking through the lenses of the black limousine's windows, Tengen found himself gazing at a monolithic stygian structure in the middle of the sea. 

It was the fabled high-security prison of Japan, Tartarus.

"So this is the prison where notorious and powerful villains are imprisoned." 

Tengen remarked with astonishment in his gaze. He never thought he would be visiting such a magnificent-looking prison in his lifetime. 

It looked impenetrable and inescapable in his eyes, which wasn't wrong. Only bastards who planned to break it from inside and out could only think of escaping. 

"Does it look amazing, Tengen-kun?"

As she tilted her head, Makima softly questioned her dog. 

Even though the high-security prison looked awe-inspiring. There were more bewildering structures constructed throughout the world of My Hero Academia. 

"Instead of amazing, it seems menacing in my eyes."

Tengen discerned, to which Makima responded while chuckling. 

"That is brutalism architecture for you. Horrifying yet pleasing in the eyes." 

After a while, the black limousine entered Tartarus as it passed through the wide-opened metallic gates.

Dozens of jailors soon walked out of the prison's hall to receive the incoming visitor sent by the Japanese Government. 

The black convoy halted near the hall's entrance, and the security personnel of the Conglomerate stepped out of their vehicles. 

If ordinary civilians could see their performance, one would expect the prime minister to be inside the black limousine. 

"Who are we receiving?"

One of the jailors asked with curiosity in their tone. It was rare for others to visit Tartarus since it was merely the abyss where monsters were kept.

What would a politician be doing in such a place?

"I think it's the people from Tengen Conglomerate."

"I don't know what they are doing here, but it seems they had a deal with the government."

A veteran jailor answered the question with a stern and cold voice. 

"What do you mean by they had a deal with the government?" 

The questioning jailor didn't get the words of the veteran, making the veteran jailor promptly shut him up.

"There's no need to think much. It's just politics."

"Simply shut up if you don't want to disappear."

With the warning of the veteran jailor, the curious one decided to not utter a single word. He knew not to mess with higher-ups.

Even though they were in the world of heroes, it was still run by bureaucracy. 

Tengen stepped out of the black limousine and opened its doors. What emerged from the confines of the vehicle was a gorgeous lady.

She had distinctive features with her crimson hair, which glistened under the sun's brilliance, and a pair of golden irises that seemed hypnotic when gazed upon. 

The chief of Tartarus, also known as the head of jailors, walked out of the hall. He was the Warden, a powerful individual who managed the most dangerous prisoners in Japan. 

As he arrived before the beautiful lady, he lightly bowed towards her and respectfully greeted himself. 

"We are honored to meet a founder of the Tengen Conglomerate. It was a surprise to hear someone of your stature visiting a prison in the middle of the sea." 

Makima looked at the Warden with her mesmerizing and soothing gaze. 

"There's no need to be astonished about our arrival, Warden-kun."

"Besides, the Government should have informed you about why we are here, correct?"

The Warden's eyes squinted while staring sternly at the alluring lady. He felt his instincts screaming at him that she was a dangerous individual.

He needed to tread carefully in their conversation if he didn't want something problematic or horrifying to happen.

"Correct, they are planning to create a new law-enforcement agency."

"The Counter Division."

"I don't know the specifics of the organization, but the higher-ups want me to free some prisoners to work in it, right?" 

His words were easygoing and respectful. The expression on his face also became calmer compared to the former stern gaze. 

"But I am only allowing criminals who haven't done too much." 

However, the Warden wasn't willing to back down and let any prisoners escape the grasp of Tartarus. In this prison, some individuals didn't deserve a second chance. 

"I'm glad for us to be on the same page." 

Makima wasn't bothered with the insistence of the Warden. She knew she couldn't pick problematic prisoners, especially those who managed to receive notorious reputations. 

With Makima's agreement to his words, the Warden looked at her for a second before glancing at the prison.

"Follow me, honored guests."

The Warden headed back to the hall while Makima and Tengen followed him from behind. The security and the jailors were left behind, staring at one another in a standoff.

Makima observed her surroundings with interest since it was hard to not become distracted by the prison's clear gothic architecture. 

It made her desire a structure for herself, though she quickly threw this at the back of her mind. 

This wasn't the time for such things.

The group arrived at the prison's central apparatus. It was where the elevators leading downward resided. 

An elevator's metallic doors slid open. The Warden stepped inside with Tengen and Makima behind him. Its metallic doors closed, giving silence a chance to permeate inside. 

Makima calmly stood on the right side, showing no emotions. On the other hand, Tengen and the Warden felt nervous deep in their minds. 

While they maintained an excellent act of being distant, thousands of thoughts echoed inside their heads. The situation they found themselves in didn't do them any good.

'We will be entering an underground prison with no security protecting us.'

'Lady Makima and I will be all alone. I need to prepare myself for any danger.'

Tengen feared for his and his master's safety since they were deep in unknown territory without any guards. 

Meanwhile, the Warden was the same. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he felt chills from being near the beautiful lady. 

If the two decided to act against him, the Warden wouldn't stand a chance. 

'No, no! Calm yourself!'

'Remember! You're the Warden of Tartarus.'

After reminding himself that he was the boss of his own turf, the Warden regained some of his confidence. He sighed with relief and calmed himself down.

As several seconds passed by, the elevator door slid open again. What emerged before them was a long ivory hallway that seemed to have no end.

Beside it were dozens of metallic doors spanning across with numbers etched in their center. 

The Warden walked out of the elevator and took a pair of files from his coat. Recorded inside it were prisoners that could be pardoned by the state.

"These are the ones who could join the Counter Division. They have incredible potential with their quirks and could be reformed with great effort."

He gave the file to Makima, who accepted it with grace. 

"Thank you, Warden-kun."

Without hesitation, Makima read the file with her soothing gaze and discovered her priority in Tartarus. The discovery made the edges of her lips unintentionally rise. 

"From what I read in this file, I already have a good candidate for the Counter Division."

"Prisoner #656698."

The Warden raised an eyebrow when he heard the words of Makima. The prisoner she had spoken about was an interesting one. 

It was a Former Hero.

"Tsutsumi Kaina, huh? Good pick."

"Even though she was convicted of murder, her former job can be more or less useful with the duties entrusted to the Counter Division." 

"So one can consider her convenient in this line of duty."

"Of course, that is if you manage to reform her."

When he finished his remarks, the Warden led Makima and Tengen to the metallic door of the room where the fallen hero resided.

It took quite a long while. The group passed through dozens of doors where infamous villains of the past and present might dwell. 

Though, Makima wasn't interested in any of them.

As they reached the metallic door separating them and the imprisoned one, the Warden opened the detaining room after several biometric checks. 

The metallic door slid open, and the Warden entered first with a stern expression. This was the usual expression he had when talking or meeting with prisoners.

"#656698!"

"This is your lucky day." 

On the other side of the Warden was a bed on which a gorgeous indigo-haired lady sat. Her eyes gazed at the Warden with deep scrutiny before responding to him.

"What do you need from me?"

The Warden shook his head in refusal, as he never needed something from prisoners. To assume such a thing was dishonorable to his character. 

"Don't misunderstand. It's not that I need something from you."

"You're fortunate to have been chosen by this lady over here."

Tsutsumi was confused when she heard the Warden's words. But upon discerning the Warden's fingers pointing in a particular direction. She followed it and saw a gorgeous lady standing beside him. 

The beautiful crimson-haired lady had a pleasant smile plastered on her face and appeared to be easygoing. However, Tsutsumi's trusted senses were screaming a different thing.

The one in front of her was a monster pretending to be a human. Its appearance was lies to deceive others. 

Although, it was hard to believe how such a saint-looking lady could be a monster.

It wasn't impossible.

As a hero and a fallen one, she had seen many villains who looked like a good person. They could deceive with ease and fool others with their acts.

So Tsutsumi was confident in her instincts. It wasn't telling her lies.

"I'm glad to see you, Tsutsumi-chan." 

Makima's words were sweet and sincere. It seemed genuine and shrouded in humility.

But to Tsutsumi, the words were merely a poison of the Devil.