My Hero Academia: The Dragon's Quirk

The cargo elevator shaft was a vertical abyss of concrete and steel, a dark throat that swallowed all light. The only illumination came from the dim glow of Tatsumi's helmet visor, highlighting the thick cables and rusty pipes that lined the walls like giant blood vessels. The rumble of the battle above felt distant here, a constant echo that made the entire structure vibrate like a wounded beast.

"Beginning ascent," Tatsumi whispered.

With Akame clinging tightly to his back, Tatsumi flapped his dragon wings. He didn't shoot upwards. This was a slow, controlled climb, requiring incredible strength and precision to keep them stable in the narrow shaft. The air was heavy and stale, filled with the smell of dust and old oil.

"Careful, team," Hawks' voice came through their earpieces. "I'm detecting a security laser grid on level 15. I'm trying to disable it, but they're on a separate circuit not connected to the main network. I need time."

Sure enough, as they ascended higher, a spiderweb of deadly red laser beams appeared above them, blocking their path. Tatsumi stopped, hovering with near-perfect stability, the tips of his wings just centimeters from one of the beams. Cold sweat began to form on his temples. One wrong move, and they would be sliced in two.

As Hawks digitally battled the security system, several hatches on the shaft walls opened. A few small security drones—similar to the ones in Aokigahara—shot out, their red lights sweeping the darkness.

"Drones!" Tatsumi reported.

Akame needed no command. While Tatsumi focused on keeping their position stable, she released one hand from his shoulder. With a swift flick of her wrist, she threw a thin steel wire. The wire shot out and wrapped around one of the drones, and with a single powerful tug, Akame slammed it against the wall, crushing it.

Tatsumi, on the other hand, used a new technique. He focused a gust of air from the tips of his wings, creating a compressed air projectile that hit two other drones, sending them spiraling out of control and crashing into each other.

"Laser grid is down! Your path is clear! Keep climbing!" Hawks exclaimed just in time.

Tatsumi wasted no time and immediately shot upwards through the previously hazardous area.

At the command post on the coral island, the atmosphere was hot and tense. The humidity of the night air seemed to add to the weight of the pressure they felt.

"Dammit!" Hawks swore as he typed at a frantic pace. "Skeptic must be in that tower personally. He's fighting back every time I try to go deeper. He's trying to isolate the sublevel systems from my control. This is a digital war."

Leone, unable to help in the cyber battle, felt a little useless. She paced back and forth while monitoring external communication channels. "The fight outside is getting crazier," she reported. "I'm hearing comms from Mirko's team. They've landed in the industrial sector but are being held back by several mid-tier Nomu. Total chaos over there. This is good for your cover, but it also means our time is running out before this whole island becomes an impenetrable warzone."

Every second was becoming more precious.

After overcoming a few more obstacles, Tatsumi and Akame finally arrived at their target level. A service hatch on the wall was labeled "Sublevel 4 - Biological Research Laboratory." Hawks managed to unlock it remotely.

They entered a maintenance corridor. The air here felt completely different. Cold, sterile, and a strange chemical smell stung the nose. The walls were no longer bare concrete, but clean white metal panels. In several places, they saw the PLF logo side-by-side with the night cherry blossom crest of the Yozakura Clan. The presence of the Yozakura was palpable here.

Following the layout from Kageyama, they moved through the silent corridors. They passed several doors with thick glass windows. Behind them, horrifying sights were visible: strange organs preserved in jars, charred remnants of Humarise equipment, and even a few empty containment cells whose walls were covered in claw marks.

Finally, they arrived at the end of a long corridor. Before them was a set of double steel doors, guarded. But the guard was no ordinary PLF soldier.

He was a man dressed in traditional Japanese attire that had been modified into a tactical combat uniform, with a mask covering half of his face. At his waist hung a slender ninjato sword. The Yozakura crest was emblazoned on his shoulder. This was one of their elite soldiers.

There was no way to get past him undetected. And as if sensing their presence, the guard slowly turned his head towards the corridor where they were hiding. His eyes narrowed. He sensed something was wrong.

Akame and Tatsumi froze behind the corner. A surprise ambush was no longer an option.

With a calm and confident movement, the Yozakura guard walked to the center of the corridor, his hand casually resting on the hilt of his sword. He stood between them and the door to the main laboratory.

He didn't shout. He didn't call for backup. He just waited.

Akame and Tatsumi looked at each other. They knew there was no other way. With a simultaneous nod, they stepped out from the shadows, standing face-to-face with the guard.

The Yozakura guard smiled faintly behind his mask. His voice was cold and filled with a quiet arrogance.

"Little rats..." he said. "You've strayed too far from your sewers."

Akame drew Murasame, its cursed blade gleaming coldly under the corridor lights. Tatsumi activated the energy claws on his hands, his wings slightly spread, ready for a fight.

Their path to Esdeath was now blocked by Akame's sworn enemy.