My Hero Academia: The Dragon's Quirk

The mornings at the villa no longer felt like a time of rest, but like the calm before the storm. In the war room, the strong aroma of coffee mixed with a palpable tension. The holographic map of Aokigahara and its surroundings was now filled with layers of information: satellite data from Hawks, human intelligence notes from Leone, and threat analysis from Akame. This was their first war council as a complete team.

"Okay, let's begin," Hawks said, starting the session. "Thanks to Leone, we now know there are three ground supply routes and at least two 'ghost' guard posts on the outer perimeter. The question is no longer 'what's in there,' but 'how do we get in without setting off an alarm for all of Japan'."

Leone, who was relaxing in a chair with her feet on the table, grinned. "Forget going in the front or even through those supply routes. Those are the paths they'll be watching the most. I have a better, sneakier idea."

She stood up and walked to the map. "My informant says the low-level guards—those hired biker gangs—they're stupid and love to show off. They often hang out in a small town at the foot of the mountain after their shifts are over. I can infiltrate there, disguised as a tourist or a bartender. In one night, I guarantee I can get their patrol schedule, their field commander's name, and maybe his personal weaknesses, like if he likes to gamble or drink." This was her expertise: social warfare, espionage at its most basic and most effective level.

"That's good for long-term intelligence," Akame interjected, her voice calm yet sharp. "But it doesn't solve the problem of the 'ghost' guards on the perimeter. They are likely professionals with stealth Quirks, not amateurs. They are the real first line of defense."

She pointed to two areas on the map that Leone had marked as 'ghost rumor zones'. "Tatsumi and I will handle them. We'll go in by air at night, landing in a blind zone between their patrol ranges. I will move on the ground, neutralizing those guards one by one, silently. Tatsumi will provide overwatch from the air, using Incursio's thermal sensors to mark their positions and warn me of any reinforcements."

Hawks nodded, piecing the two plans together in his mind. "Perfect. A two-pronged attack. Akame and Tatsumi clear the way, while Leone digs for information from the inside. This operation will take a few days."

He began to lay out a schedule on the screen. "Day one: Leone begins her social infiltration in the town. Day two, at night: Tatsumi and Akame conduct the 'perimeter sweep' operation. Day three, based on intel from Leone and the now-secure perimeter, we will decide on the method for the main infiltration into the facility itself."

Tatsumi listened to it all, absorbing every detail. He was no longer just a weapon waiting to be aimed. He was part of this war machine, his role intertwined with the others. He was the eyes in the sky for the assassin on the ground, a deadly combination.

In his lavish office, Endeavor stared at his terminal screen with a furious expression. The encrypted video call from Hawks had just ended.

"So I'm just heavy artillery waiting to be fired, is that it?" he muttered to the empty room. He hated not being at the center of the action, hated being just a pawn in Hawks' strategic game.

However, he was no fool. He saw the satellite footage Hawks had sent—the activity of the trucks near Aokigahara. He understood the scale of this PLF operation. This awkward alliance, as much as he hated it, was the only hope of handling this threat quietly.

He stood and walked to the window, looking down at the city below. Just keep being the Number One Hero. Your normal presence is our best camouflage. Hawks' words echoed. With a frustrated growl, he accepted his role. For now. He would be the perfect public shield, while impatiently waiting for the time to unleash his flames.

At U.A.'s Ground Beta training facility, a massive explosion shook the air. Katsuki Bakugo landed nimbly, a satisfied smirk on his face. Smoke billowed from a robot mannequin that now had a gaping hole in its chest.

"How's that, damn Deku?!" he yelled at Midoriya, who was standing in the distance, jotting something down in his notebook. "That's 'AP Shot: Auto-Cannon'! Faster, more focused, and more destructive!"

"Amazing, Kacchan!" Midoriya replied sincerely, his eyes sparkling as he analyzed the new technique. "You managed to reduce the lag time between shots!"

"Of course I did!" Bakugo snapped. But as he turned away, his smirk faded slightly. He glanced around. Everyone in his class was getting stronger. Todoroki was becoming more adept with both his elements. Midoriya was getting faster and stronger. And that 'Dragon'... Tatsumi... he had disappeared completely.

A disturbing thought crossed Bakugo's mind. He hated to admit it, but that transfer student had the power of a real monster. And he had vanished as if he had gone to a different battlefield, a battlefield they couldn't even see.

I won't be left behind, Bakugo thought with an internal growl, his fists clenched. I'll never let anyone, not Deku, not Half-and-Half, or that Dragon, leave me behind again. His burning determination was no longer just about being number one, but about refusing to become irrelevant in the fight he sensed was coming.

The next day, the first phase of Operation Aokigahara began.

Tatsumi, dressed in plain civilian clothes, found himself in a small coffee shop in a quiet-looking town at the foot of the mountain, a few kilometers from the Aokigahara Forest. Across the street, a rather shabby Pachinko parlor hummed with the sound of machines and cigarette smoke.

Next to him, Leone sipped her tea. She had drastically changed her appearance. Her striking blonde hair was now tied back and hidden under a beanie, and she wore thick-framed glasses and a loose jacket. She looked like an ordinary college student on vacation.

"Okay, Dragon Boy. According to my informant, some of the low-level guards from that camp like to spend their paychecks in that gambling den when they're off duty," she said in a low voice. "I'm going in. Pretend to be a lost tourist looking for a bit of fun. I'll 'make friends' with one of them."

She looked at Tatsumi. "Your job: stay here. Be my eyes and ears. Watch who goes in and out of that place. Let me know if you see anything suspicious—someone watching me, or an unusual security patrol. Don't do anything unless I give you the signal. Got it?"

"Got it," Tatsumi replied, feeling the tension of a different kind of mission.

Leone grinned, a mischievous glint returning to her eyes. "Wish me luck, Dragon Boy."

She stood up, leaving her coffee, and casually walked across the street. She entered the Pachinko parlor, immediately swallowed by the crowd and flashing lights.

Tatsumi sat alone, a cup of coffee he wouldn't touch growing cold in front of him. He watched the entrance to the bar, every sense on high alert. Their shadow war had entered a new phase. It was no longer about physical strength or flying ability, but about patience, observation, and trust in his ally who was now hunting in the enemy's den.