Ren lifted one hand slightly, stopping Midoriya before he could step forward.
His voice was calm but carried a weight that made even Lemillion hesitate.
Ren: "Deku… leave this place.Or better—evacuate. Now."
Midoriya blinked.Midoriya: "W-Wait—what? But Eri—"
Ren didn't look back at him. His eyes stayed locked on Overhaul, whose gloves were already twitching with murderous intent.
Ren: "I'm handling this. If you stay, you'll only get caught in the crossfire.Take the long route, regroup with Sir Nighteye. Move."
Deku clenched his fists, confusion and frustration mixing in his chest.Lemillion stepped closer, sensing something in Ren's tone—an authority, a seriousness that didn't leave room for argument.
Lemillion: "Midoriya… he's not kidding. Something's coming."
Overhaul glared.Overhaul: "You think you can order heroes around, kid?"
Ren ignored him.
He crouched slightly, positioning himself like a shield in front of Eri.
Ren: "Deku.This isn't a suggestion."
A faint pulse radiated from Ren's suit—Akira's tech shifting into battle mode.Street lights flickered. Even Dabi felt the pressure from his hiding spot.
Deku swallowed hard.He hated it.He hated running away.
But something inside him whispered:If I stay, people will die.
Midoriya grabbed Lemillion's arm.Midoriya: "Mirio… let's go. We'll get backup. Keep Eri safe until we return!"
They dashed back down the street.
Overhaul watched them retreat with annoyance and took a step forward.Overhaul: "Fools. That girl isn't leaving with—"
Ren interrupted without raising his voice.
Ren: "Overhaul…Your fight is with me."
He glanced down at Eri, gently placing her behind him.
"You're not touching her again."
Overhaul stepped forward, irritation flaring in his eyes.Ren didn't move—just tilted his head slightly and spoke in a calm, almost gentle tone.
Ren: "Overhaul…shall we go somewhere else?Somewhere no one will be in danger."
Eri flinched behind him, clutching Ren's sleeve like he was the only safe thing in this world.
Overhaul's eyebrow twitched.He hated being told what to do—but he also hated collateral damage more.
Overhaul: "You think I'm afraid of hurting a few people?"
Ren shook his head slowly.
Ren: "No.I think you're afraid of losing control if I fight you here."
The air went cold.
Dabi, watching from his rooftop hiding spot, whispered to himself:"…damn, he's provoking him on purpose."
Overhaul's glove scraped against the pavement as he crushed a loose stone—dust rising around him.
Overhaul: "Fine.If you want to die somewhere quiet… lead the way."
Ren gently pried Eri off him and knelt to her level.
Ren: "Stay with Dabi. He won't let any harm come to you."
Dabi dropped down silently, landing beside them.His flames flickered softly in reassurance.
Dabi: "C'mon, kid. You're safe."
Eri hesitated, then nodded.
Ren stood up, turning his back to Overhaul.
Ren: "Follow me."
He started walking toward the abandoned construction zone down the road—wide, empty, perfect.
Overhaul followed behind, grinning under his mask.
Overhaul: "You're confident for someone who's about to be erased."
Ren didn't look back.
Ren: "No…I'm confident because this time, you won't be escaping."
The wind blew dust across the cracked ground as the two of them stepped into the open field—the battlefield of monsters.
Ren exhaled slowly.
His pupils thinned.The air pressure shifted.
Ren:"Mastermind…activate — 25%."
WHOOOM—
A black-silver aura burst from his body, cracking the concrete beneath his feet.His brain shifted into overdrive — processing angles, movement, threats, and outcomes faster than Overhaul could blink.
Metal wire uncoiled like a living organism.Every nail around him floated up with perfect synchronized motion.
Dabi felt the shockwave from far behind and cursed.
Dabi: "Bro… that's only twenty-five percent?"
Eri clutched his sleeve tighter, trembling.
Ren's voice dropped, cold and calculated:
Ren:"In this state…I see everything."
Overhaul took one step back — instinctively.His danger sense screamed.
Ren vanished.
CRACK—!!
He reappeared behind Overhaul, wire slicing the air around his neck in a precise orbit.
Another nail hovered near Overhaul's ribs, aimed for a pressure point.
Ren (whisper):"You lose the moment you move."
Overhaul grit his teeth.
Overhaul:"Don't underestimate me—!"
He slammed his hand to the ground.
But Ren was already on the next twelve outcomes.
He pulled the wire—
SHING—
A pillar collapsed between them, blocking Overhaul's reconstruction wave at the last millisecond.
Mastermind (25%) let Ren read the attack before it even started.
Ren kicked off the debris, eyes glowing.
Ren:"Round two, Overhaul—try to keep up."
Light streaks. Shockwaves. Buildings trembling.
The moment Ren said "25%", the world blurred.
BOOM—!!
Two streaks — one black-silver, one yellow-green — smashed into each other, sending a rippling shockwave across the alley. Dust exploded upward like a mini-bomb.
Overhaul darted forward, his coat whipping behind him.
Overhaul:"Don't test me, boy!"
His hand grazed a wall —
CRRRRSHHH—!!
The entire wall erupted into jagged spikes rushing at Ren like a tsunami.
Ren slid under them, sparks flying as his boots carved the ground.
Ren (cold, calculating):"Too slow."
He flicked his wrist.
WHIP—!!The wire cracked like lightning, wrapping the spikes and snapping them apart mid-air, exploding into dust.
Overhaul lunged.
Ren vanished.
ZSHHH—!!! A flash of black.
Overhaul turned—A nail grazed his cheek, slicing it open without him noticing.
Overhaul:(…When did he move?!)
Ren appeared above him, rotating mid-air, metal shining like stars.
Ren:"Mastermind 25%.Prediction rate: 87%.You can't touch me."
He hurled a rain of nails.
Overhaul slammed both hands to the ground.
BOOOOOOOM—!!!
The entire road exploded upward, twisting like a beast's jaws.
Ren slid upside-down along a floating chunk of concrete, spinning wire around himself in a cyclone.
Dabi (watching from the shadows):"Tch… he's fighting like a damn main character today."
The two streaks clashed again — CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! — punches, kicks, wires, stone spikes, everything blurring.
Each time Overhaul tried to break the ground, Ren was already somewhere else.
Each time Ren struck, Overhaul barely reconstructed his body in time.
Eri watched, eyes wide and trembling.
Ren landed beside her between clashes, still staring at Overhaul.
Ren:"Stay behind me."
Overhaul snarled.
Overhaul:"That girl belongs to me!"
Ren's aura intensified—black and silver lightning crawling across his arms.
Ren:"She's not an experiment.Not a tool.Not yours."
He cracked his neck, eyes glowing brighter.
Ren:"Let's end this."
Scene: The Alley — Ren vs Overhaul
Ren was in mid-step, aura crackling—
PCHHK—!!
Something sharp tore through the air.
A small click.
Then—
THUNK.
A bullet slammed into the side of Ren's neck.
A quirk-erasing bullet.
Ren's eyes widened for a split second.
Ren:"Wait— don't tell me…No… no…
You cheater bas—"
His words slurred.
His legs buckled.
And Ren collapsed.
THUD.
Dust rose around his body.
Eri gasped, tiny hands shaking.Overhaul's eyes widened in triumph.
DABI — Hidden in Shadows
Dabi froze.
His breath hitched.
Then Ren's voice echoed in his head…
"If anything happens… run."
Dabi clenched his teeth.
Dabi:"…Damn it."
He stepped back into deeper shadow, flames trembling around his hands.He wanted to jump in.He wanted to burn Overhaul alive.He wanted to grab Ren and run.
But Ren's order was absolute.
So Dabi did the smartest thing he ever did—
He ran.
TOGA & EDGESHOT — Watching From Rooftops
The two spies had been hiding, focused on Yakuza movement.
They weren't supposed to interfere.
But when Ren fell—
Their eyes went wide.
Toga (shocked):
"Eh—?? Wait— that was a quirk-erasing bullet, wasn't it!?"Her pupils shrank."That's so not fair— using something like that on Ren!"
She grabbed the railing, teeth clenched.
Edgeshot (cold, analyzing):
"…This is bad. Very bad."He narrowed his eyes."That bullet… only the Shie Hassaikai should have it. Which means Ren's prediction about their research was correct."
Toga looked panicked.
Toga:
"Edgeshot… he's falling! If Overhaul touches him—!"
Edgeshot:
"Our mission is reconnaissance. Not combat."But even his voice wavered.
They watched as Overhaul stepped toward Ren's fallen body…
Eri trembling between them…
And the whole situation spiraled exactly like the "bad ending" Ren tried to prevent.
Toga (whispering, trembling):
"…Ren… please get up…"
Edgeshot (thinking):
Vega has lost their smartest piece on the board.If he survives this… the world won't be the same.