— 3rd pov —
The stranger grins as he looks at the two boys. One writhing on the ground in pain, the other panicking beside him.
"Well, well…" he murmured with satisfaction. "Two children… both with very interesting quirks."
Kaiya froze. "Wh-What? Are you… here to help us?"
The man didn't answer Kai.
He didn't need to.
The hungry glint in his eyes said everything.
This was no hero.
He is not a concerned adult.
Not a passerby.
He was something else entirely.
The truth is, he was an agent on a break wandering out of boredom that worked for a man known only for one thing:
stealing Quirks and using them for himself.
And today, luck had delivered two perfect targets right to his feet.
—~—~—~—~—~—~—~—~—~—~
Kaiya didn't even have time to scream.
The man's hand moved faster than Kaiya could see, one sharp blow to the neck.
Thud.
Kaiya collapsed instantly, unconscious.
"K–Kaiya!" Ryo saw what happened and tried to get up, but his body gave out and he fell to his knees again. His right arm trembled violently, still transforming.
The stranger stepped toward Ryo calmly, as if choosing which fruit to pick from a tree.
"Don't worry, boy," he said casually. "You'll be joining your friend soon."
Ryo looked up at him, eyes wide with fear and fury.
But he couldn't stand.
He couldn't fight.
He could barely breathe.
The man crouched down, examining Ryo's arm.
"Oh…?" His grin stretched unnaturally wide. "Now this is interesting."
Ryo's right arm had fully transformed.
A crimson gauntlet, metallic and jagged, covered it up to the elbow.
And his hand has become clawed.
It is not smooth, not mechanical, but feels alive on its own.
It pulsed faintly like a beating heart.
The man whistled softly. "A quirk that forms a monstrous gauntlet… very rare. What kind of abilities do you hide~ hehehe..."
Ryo's anger burned through his fear. "L-Leave Kaiya… alone…"
The man chuckled. "No need to cry or be angry. After all-" He raised his hand to strike Ryo.
"You'll be joining your friend very soon."
Ryo's fury flared into something hotter, sharper-
But he was too weak.
Thwack.
Everything went dark.
—~—~—~—~—~—~—~—~—~—~
The man grabbed Ryo under the arm, lifting him easily.
"Hah! Two high-value kids in one day. My bonus is going to be—"
He stopped talking as he noticed Ryo's arm twitched.
"…Hm?"
The crimson gauntlet suddenly jerked, fingers snapping open like the growl of a cornered beast that's threatening its predator.
Then—
SWISH!
The claws slashed upward on their own, aiming for the man's throat.
"Wha—?!" He stumbled back, barely dodging. The gauntlet lunged again, wild and feral, dragging Ryo's unconscious body with it.
"Shit-" The man cursed and blocked with his forearm, sparks flying as the claw scraped against skin.
' What the hell—?! The kid's arm is moving on its own!? It's a good thing that he can't break my skin. '
The gauntlet twisted again, snarling soundlessly, as if something inside Ryo was trying to reach him.
Too dangerous.
Too chaotic.
Too loud.
The residents have started to notice the ongoing commotion that is happening.
"Tch… too much noise" he muttered, stepping back. "I'll deal with this brat another time."
He spat in frustration and grabbed Kaiya's limp body instead.
"This one will sell just fine."
He turned to leave, but not before glancing back at Ryo.
"I could've gotten a bonus with that boy… what a waste."
He started laughing as he walked away.
"Hehehe! Oh well, I'm already lucky with this kid!"
His laughter faded into the distance as he ran away.
Ryo lay unmoving on the grass.
His gauntlet slowly relaxed, claws retracting.
But deep inside it-
something was stirring.
Something that did not appreciate its prey being taken away.