My Hero Academia: The Dragon's Quirk

The audacity of Tatsumi's new plan hung in the air, transforming the despair in the war room into a dangerous, focused energy. Kidnapping an enemy commander from his own territory was an insane act, a move that violated all hero protocols. But they were no longer just heroes; they were a clandestine cell in a war that had no rules.

"Alright," Hawks said, breaking the silence. He walked to the holographic table, clearing all remnants of the previous infiltration plan. "Let's dissect this beast. How are we going to do it?"

"That's my part," Leone interjected with a confident smirk. "I've already lured him once with poker. I can do it again. We'll set up another game, in a place we can control, and when he's drunk on his false victory or defeat, we jump him."

"Too risky," Akame countered. "We don't know if he'll take the same bait twice. And an ambush in a public place could draw unwanted attention."

As they began to strategize, Leone, who had already been busy with her phone, suddenly frowned. She pressed a few buttons, then called one of her contacts. The conversation was brief, and when she hung up, her confident expression had vanished, replaced by annoyance.

"There's a problem," she said, making everyone turn their heads. "Our plan is already obsolete before it even began. I just checked with a few trusted informants in town. Kageyama... he's disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Tatsumi asked.

"Yeah. No one's seen him at the camp or in town since your infiltration incident two nights ago," Leone explained. "The rumor circulating among the low-level guards is that he was 'reassigned' due to the security failure. But my underworld informants say otherwise. 'Reassigned' is PLF code for being purged. Taken out."

The team fell silent. They realized the implication. Their actions had triggered a reaction from the enemy. The PLF did not tolerate failure, and Kageyama had paid the price. Their primary target was now a ghost.

"This... complicates things," Hawks said, his mind racing. "But it could also be an opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Tatsumi asked. "Our target is gone."

"No," Leone said, her eyes gleaming again with a spark of an idea. "He's not gone. He's just in hiding. A disgraced, discarded commander, most likely without money. A guy like that won't go far. He'll be desperate. And desperate people... get sloppy."

Leone took charge again. "Give me a few hours," she said, refocusing on her phone. "I'm going to shake every tree in this region's underworld. I'll check every loan shark, every pawn shop, every illegal doctor. If he's still breathing, I'll find his trail."

While Leone began her digital hunt, at the U.A. Dorms, a quiet conversation took place between Uraraka and Tsuyu as they walked back from their afternoon training session. The news from Momo had brought them relief, but also a new understanding.

"I'm so glad Tatsumi-kun is okay," Uraraka said, looking at her own hands. "But... knowing he's out there fighting alone... it makes me feel helpless."

"I understand how you feel, Ochako-chan," Tsuyu replied in her calm tone. "But we're not entirely helpless, kero. What we can do is what we're doing now: getting stronger. Every new move we master, every upgrade to our costumes, is our way of helping him from here. We're making sure that when he needs us, we'll be ready."

Uraraka looked at her friend and smiled, her heart filled with renewed determination. Tsuyu was right. This wasn't passive waiting. This was active preparation.

A few hours later, Leone slammed her phone down on the holographic table with a triumphant expression. "Got him!" she exclaimed.

Everyone immediately gathered around. "An informant of mine at an illegal clinic on the outskirts of Hosu just told me," Leone explained quickly. "A man matching Kageyama's description came in last night with severe bruises and a few cracked ribs—clearly the result of a PLF internal 'interrogation.' He paid for his treatment with a very expensive luxury watch. He's hurt, alone, and hiding out in the seediest part of the territory."

Hawks immediately brought up a map of the district. "Excellent work, Leone. Now we have his location. We can put together a real ambush plan."

Their new plan formed quickly, tailored to the target's new situation.

"He's desperate and needs money," Leone said. "I'll use one of my contacts to spread a rumor among the local thugs. A rumor about a job. A rival gang to the PLF is looking for a 'security consultant' with military experience, with a huge cash-up-front payment. The meeting will be held in a quiet alley near that clinic."

"A perfect bait for a starving fish," Hawks praised. "Akame, you'll be the primary ambusher. Hide in the shadows of the alley."

"Tatsumi," he continued, "you are the safety net and the escape route. Take up a position on the roof of the nearest building. If Kageyama tries to run, or if his sensory Quirk gives Akame trouble, you step in. Your wings are our guarantee we get out of there fast."

"I'll monitor all police and hero communications in the area," Hawks concluded. "I'll make sure no one interrupts our little party."

That night, on the grimy outskirts of Hosu City, a light drizzle began to fall, making the asphalt streets shine under the flickering neon lights. In a narrow alley that smelled of garbage and rainwater, a trap had been set.

Akame, dressed in all black, blended into the darkness of a deep doorway. She was silence itself. Above, on the roof of an old apartment building, Tatsumi crouched like a gargoyle, his armor in camouflage mode, his eyes scanning the streets below. At the end of the street, inside a non-descript sedan, Leone watched, while Hawks' calm voice sounded in all their earpieces, providing updates.

Then, they saw him. A man limping into the mouth of the alley. It was Kageyama. He looked thinner, his face filled with paranoia, and his arm was in a sling. He kept glancing behind him, but his greed for a chance to get back on his feet had made him step into the trap.

He walked past overflowing dumpsters, deeper into the shadows. He passed the point of no return.

In Tatsumi's and Leone's ears, Akame's voice sounded, a whisper colder than the night wind.

"He's in the net."