My Hero Academia: The Dragon's Quirk

On I-Island, that day, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, began like any other. The sky was bright blue, and the sun shone fiercely, its heat and humidity typical of a Japanese summer. Tourists strolled through the plazas, scientists hurried between laboratories, and the legendary 'Hercules' defense system patrolled tirelessly, keeping the technological utopia safe. No one knew that their peace was about to end in a matter of minutes.

At 1:30 PM, a luxurious cruise ship docked at the tourist pier. Hundreds of passengers disembarked, blending in with the crowd. They looked like ordinary tourists—wearing Hawaiian shirts, carrying cameras, smiling—but beneath that facade, they were elite soldiers of the Paranormal Liberation Front. At the same time, at the cargo port on the other side of the island, a large container ship was unloading its cargo. Inside those containers, hundreds of other PLF soldiers and their combat equipment awaited the signal.

The signal came at precisely 1:40 PM.

Skeptic, operating remotely, activated a program he had created from the leaked blueprints. Across all of I-Island, for a split second, the 'Hercules' system glitched. It was enough. The PLF teams on the ground moved in unison. They seized the main control tower, disabled outbound communications, and locked down the bridge and ports. In less than fifteen minutes, without a single warning shot heard by the outside world, I-Island had fallen. The black and red flag of the PLF was raised atop the main tower, an arrogant declaration of war.

Slither stood inside the newly captured control room, watching the screens showing the panic of the now-trapped civilians. He reported through a secure channel, "Grand Commander, I-Island is ours. The stage has been set for the arrival of 'Asset E'."

In the open waters several dozen kilometers from I-Island, an unmarked speedboat cut through the waves, leaving a white foamy trail. On deck, under the scorching sun, the shadow alliance team stood in tense silence. Tatsumi stared at the horizon, trying to see the island that was their destination. Akame meditated, her breath steady, conserving her energy and sharpening her focus. Leone, leaning against the railing, cleaned her claws with a small knife, looking relaxed but her eyes ever vigilant.

Hawks had just finished an encrypted call. He approached Tatsumi, who was squinting against the sun's glare.

"Nervous, kid?" Hawks asked.

"I'm past nervous," Tatsumi replied, his voice steady. "Now there's just... this. A job that has to be done."

Hawks nodded, understanding. "Remember, once we're there, the plan can change in a second. Chaos is our friend. Let the heroes and the PLF wear each other down. We only move when there's a perfect opening. Tonight, you're not a rescuing hero. You're a surgeon performing a precision operation in the middle of a storm."

The lesson sank in. This wasn't about a glorious victory. This was about completing the mission and surviving.

At HPSC headquarters, all hell broke loose.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'VE LOST CONTACT?!" the Commission President roared, her face red with rage.

A trembling operator tried to explain. "All communications from I-Island were cut at exactly 13:41, Madam President. The Hercules defense system is unresponsive. The last satellite image shows a flag... one that isn't ours, flying from the main tower."

The reality was so horrifying it was hard to believe. Japan's most valuable technological asset and symbol of peace had been captured in the blink of an eye.

"Deploy the fleet!" the President ordered, her voice trembling with fury. "Deploy all Pro Heroes within range! Endeavor! Mirko! Edgeshot! I want everyone there! Isolate the island! No one gets in or out! Find out who is responsible and destroy them!"

Across the country, heroes received the emergency call. Endeavor, who was at his agency, received the official order. He knew this was part of Hawks' plan, but hearing the command directly made him feel the weight of his dangerous game. He now had to act as the Number One Hero leading the counterattack, while secretly being part of an unseen third faction.

The wheels of war had been set in motion, pulling everyone into its vortex.

The alliance's speedboat finally arrived at its destination: a small, uninhabited coral island, a few kilometers from I-Island. This would be their command post and launch point. They quickly unloaded their equipment: portable monitors, a compressed satellite dish, and power sources.

From the peak of the coral island, using high-powered binoculars, they got their first view of the conquered I-Island. Thin black smoke billowed from one sector, likely from an initial resistance that had been quelled.

Suddenly, a marker appeared on Hawks' radar. "They're arriving," he said in a low voice.

A massive PLF transport ship, heavily escorted by several smaller combat vessels, was approaching the I-Island port. Without a doubt, it was the ship carrying 'Asset E'.

The team watched in silence as the ship docked safely at the now enemy-controlled pier. They saw a giant cryogenic containment container being lowered with extreme care and transported towards the central tower. All the chess pieces were now on the board. The PLF inside their fortress. The heroes on their way to lay siege. And Esdeath, the time bomb, was now at the very heart of it all.

Leone lowered her binoculars and let out a low whistle.

"The party..." she said with a wide grin. "...is about to begin."