Darkness.
It wasn't the peaceful kind. It was heavy, suffocating, like being buried under tons of wet earth.
Reiji floated in the void, unable to feel his limbs. The only light came from a single, flickering window hovering in front of him.
[System Reboot... Complete.][Damage Assessment: Severe.][Penalty for Overclock: 48-Hour Stat Reduction.]
Reiji tried to speak, but he had no mouth. He could only think.
'The creature… it called me Carter. Why?'
The System didn't answer immediately. The blue window flickered, turning a deep, ominous crimson.
[Error: Data Leak Detected.][File: "Previous_Life_Records" accessed by unauthorized entity.][Recommendation: Eliminate all witnesses.]
'Eliminate…?' Reiji's thought froze. 'You want me to kill the heroes?'
[Survival is Priority.]
Before he could argue, the window shattered into a thousand pixels. The void dissolved into blinding white light.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The rhythmic sound of a heart monitor drilled into his skull.
Reiji gasped, his eyes snapping open. The stark white ceiling of a hospital room greeted him. The smell of antiseptic was overwhelming.
He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his chest, pinning him back down. It felt like his ribs had been replaced with rusty iron bars.
"I wouldn't move if I were you," a voice drawled from the corner. "Your muscle fibers are practically shredded. Recovery Girl said it looked like you tried to wrestle a bullet train."
Reiji turned his head, wincing.
Sitting in a chair by the window, peeling an apple with a small knife, was Hawks.
The Number Two Hero looked relaxed, his wings tucked neatly behind him, but his golden eyes were sharp—predatory.
Next to him, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, was Endeavor. The Number One Hero's face was grim, his usual flames dialed down to a low simmer.
"Hawks," Reiji croaked, his throat dry as sandpaper. "Endeavor."
"Glad to see you're back in the land of the living, kid," Hawks said, slicing a piece of apple and popping it into his mouth. "You've been out for two days."
Two days? Reiji's mind raced. The creature. The fight. The Overclock.
"The villain..." Reiji asked. "Did you find it?"
Endeavor shook his head. "Nothing but ash and rubble. We found traces of biological material, but it dissolved before the lab boys could get a sample. Whatever that thing was, it covered its tracks."
"Or someone covered them for it," Hawks added, his eyes locking onto Reiji.
Reiji felt a chill that had nothing to do with the air conditioning.
"What do you mean?" Reiji asked, keeping his face neutral.
Hawks stopped peeling the apple. The room went dead silent. The only sound was the beep, beep of the monitor.
"That thing," Hawks said, pointing the small fruit knife at Reiji. "It fought like you. It moved like you. It even used that violet lightning you've been showing off lately."
He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"And right before you turned it into a crater... it spoke to you."
Reiji's heart rate spiked on the monitor. Beep-beep-beep.
Hawks glanced at the monitor, then back at Reiji with a knowing smirk.
"It called you 'Carter.'"
Reiji clenched his fist under the bedsheet.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Reiji lied smoothly. "I was half-unconscious. I was hearing things."
"Is that so?" Hawks tilted his head. "Because my hearing is pretty good. And I heard it clear as day. 'Carter.' Is that a code name? A family name?"
"It's nonsense," Reiji insisted. "Maybe it was just babbling. It was a monster, Hawks. Not a philosopher."
Endeavor pushed himself off the wall, stepping closer to the bed. His massive shadow fell over Reiji.
"Whether it was nonsense or not isn't the main issue," Endeavor grunted. "The issue is the power you displayed."
Endeavor's eyes narrowed.
"That white fire. That chain. The sheer brutality..." Endeavor paused. "That wasn't a hero's technique, Kurobane. That was an execution."
Reiji met Endeavor's gaze without flinching.
"It was going to kill Midoriya. It was going to kill you," Reiji said coldly. "I did what I had to do. I neutralized the threat."
"You obliterated it," Hawks corrected. "There's a difference. The Commission is... concerned. They're wondering if U.A. is raising a student, or a weapon."
[System Alert: Social Standing at Risk.][Charisma Check: Initiated.]
Reiji took a deep breath. He needed to spin this. If they thought he was a villain in the making, he'd be locked up—or worse, monitored 24/7, which would make using the System impossible.
"I have a powerful Quirk," Reiji said, lowering his voice to sound exhausted. "It's volatile. That's why I train so hard to control it. When that creature... when it synced with me... I lost control for a second. It won't happen again."
He looked at his hands.
"I just wanted to save my friends."
It was the perfect line. Simple. Emotional.
Endeavor stared at him for a long moment, searching for any sign of deception. Finally, the Flame Hero sighed.
"You saved us," Endeavor admitted grudgingly. "I cannot deny that. Without that final strike, I might not be standing here."
Endeavor turned to leave. "Rest up. But be warned, Kurobane. Power without restraint is just violence. Don't cross that line again."
The door clicked shut behind him.
Hawks didn't leave.
He finished his apple, tossed the core into the trash, and stood up. He walked over to the bed, leaning down so his face was inches from Reiji's.
"Nice speech," Hawks whispered. "Endeavor bought it. He likes the 'passionate power type.'"
Hawks' expression hardened.
"But I did a little digging while you were asleep. I looked into 'Carter.' Did you know that name doesn't exist in any registry in Japan?"
Reiji stayed silent.
"But..." Hawks continued, his voice barely audible. "I found an old forum post. From the Pre-Quirk era. About a video game."
Reiji's blood ran cold.
"It's probably a coincidence," Hawks shrugged, straightening up and putting his hands in his pockets. "Anyway, get well soon, Reiji. I'll be watching."
Hawks winked, then strolled out of the room, leaving Reiji alone in the silence.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Reiji let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
'He knows too much.'
[Ding!]
A blue window popped up, hovering over his legs.
[Quest Update: The Eagle's Eyes.][Objective: Divert Hawks' suspicion OR gain his trust.][Time Limit: Indefinite.][Reward: Hidden Skill "Deception Master" / Penalty: Identity Revealed.]
Reiji stared at the screen.
"Great," he muttered, closing his eyes. "Just what I needed. Another boss fight."
Outside the window, far across the city, the sun was setting, casting long shadows over Musutafu.
And in the darkness of a hidden lab, a computer screen flickered to life.
[Download Complete: 100%.][Project: SCORPION... Phase 2 Beginning.]
End of Chapter 102.
_________________________________________________________________________
🔥 Hey legends! Quick updates! 🔥
💥 Can't wait for the next chapter? Good news—ALL advance chapters are available on Patreon for just $5! No more waiting, just pure binge-reading goodness! 🚀
👉 patreon.com/cyci07
✨ Power Stone Challenge! ✨
If we hit 100 power stones, I'll drop 2 bonus chapters! Let's see if you guys can make me suffer! 😂
💬 Enjoying the story? Leave a review and let me know your favorite moment so far! It helps the novel grow and reach more readers!
Thanks for all your support—you guys are awesome! ❤️