Vega Base — Underground Hideout
The base was quiet except for the low hum of machinery.
On a couch near the wall, Akira slept curled up like a koala, hugging a pillow the way she always did.
Riptide glanced at her and sighed.
Riptide: "She sleeps through earthquakes, man…"
A ripple of mist filled the room.
Kurogiri bowed politely.
Kurogiri: "They've arrived."
A dark tear in space opened — and out stepped Dabi, Toga, and Edgeshot.
Toga waved excitedly.
Toga: "Helloooo~! We're home! And also… kinda in trouble!"
"Where's the boss? Ren was supposed to be back already."
Riptide stiffened. Kurogiri's form flickered slightly, as if even he was concerned.
In the corner, Stain sat on a crate, polishing his blade—not in a gory way, just mechanically, like keeping a weapon clean.
He didn't look up when he spoke.
Stain: "He was with you. Don't tell me you lost him."
Dabi clicked his tongue.
Dabi: "He got hit with something. Sedative. Overhaul took him."
Stain slowly turned his head—one eye sharp, cold, focused.
Stain: "You let a strategist fall into enemy hands?"
Edgeshot stepped forward calmly.
Edgeshot: "Overhaul had prepared traps. Ren told some of your people to retreat. He made a choice."
Riptide clenched his fists.
Riptide: "We need to go after him."
Kurogiri's mist swirled.
Kurogiri: "Not blindly. Ren's plans always have layers. If he allowed himself to be taken… it was for a reason."
Toga nodded thoughtfully.
Toga: "Yeah… he's not the type who gets caught for free."
Stain sheathed his blade with a soft click.
Stain:
"Then we find the reason.
And then we bring him back."
Akira yawned in her sleep, mumbling nonsense as she hugged her pillow tighter.
Dabi glanced at her, then looked away.
Dabi: "…We better not tell her yet."
The room fell quiet.
Because every single one of them knew—
Ren being taken was not the end.
It was the beginning of something much bigger.
Vega Base — Moments Later
Akira shifted on the couch, her fingers twitching as if she sensed something wrong even in sleep.
Riptide looked over.
Riptide: "Uh-oh… she's waking up."
Akira stretched like a sleepy cat, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.
Akira (half-asleep): "Mmm… why is everyone so loud…? Did Ren make breakfast or—"
She froze.
Dabi, Toga, Edgeshot, Kurogiri, Riptide, and Stain were all standing in the middle of the room, looking far too serious.
Akira blinked, now fully awake.
Akira: "Where's Ren?"
Silence.
Her sleepy expression tightened.
She sat up straight, hugging the pillow to her chest.
Akira: "…He is back, right?"
Toga opened her mouth but couldn't find words.
Dabi looked away.
Riptide swallowed nervously.
Riptide: "Akira… Ren didn't make it back to base yet."
Akira's grip on the pillow tightened.
Akira: "What do you mean yet?
He told me he'd be back before I woke up."
Edgeshot stepped forward calmly.
Edgeshot: "Overhaul intercepted the mission. Ren was struck with a sedative. He was taken."
Akira's eyes went wide—confusion first, then fear, then something sharper.
She stood up slowly, her voice quiet but shaking.
Akira: "No. Ren doesn't get taken.
He's always ahead. Always."
Kurogiri bowed slightly.
Kurogiri: "Even so… he is currently in Overhaul's custody."
Akira's breath hitched—not crying, not panicking—just processing.
Then she closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and when she opened them again…
Her expression had changed completely.
Akira (soft but firm):
"Then what are we waiting for?
We're going to get him back."
Dabi smirked faintly.
Dabi: "Knew she'd say that."
Stain nodded.
Stain: "The boss has loyal followers. Good."
Toga bounced excitedly.
Toga: "Operation Ren-Rescue!!"
Akira stepped forward, determination burning in her eyes.
Akira:
"Ren trusted all of us.
Now it's our turn to move."
The Vega base suddenly felt less like a hideout
and more like the start of a mission.
Vega Base — Gear Room
Akira strode down the metal hallway, her earlier sleepiness completely gone.
Riptide, Toga, Dabi, Edgeshot, Kurogiri, and Stain followed behind her.
She stopped at a reinforced door, placing her hand on the scanner.
Akira: "Ren told me to prepare these… in case something went wrong."
The door slid open with a heavy clunk.
Inside was a small workshop Ren had set up just for her — filled with tools, unfinished gadgets, blueprints, and labeled containers.
Toga tilted her head.
Toga: "Waaah~ it's like a mini Ren-lab!"
Akira didn't smile. She moved with purpose, flipping on the lights.
On the workbench were blueprints Ren had drawn earlier:
Smoke masking disksImpact-resistant glovesTracker-neutralizing patchesVoice command shieldsPortable mist generators (a collaboration between Ren and Kurogiri)
Riptide raised an eyebrow.
Riptide: "He already planned all this…?"
Akira nodded, tying her hair back.
Akira: "Ren said if I ever heard the words 'Plan Vega—Stage Two', I should activate these preparations."
Dabi frowned.
Dabi: "Did he say that recently?"
Akira's voice softened.
Akira: "Yeah. The night before he left."
She opened a drawer and pulled out a slim metal case. Inside were sleek, compact devices glowing faintly blue.
Akira: "Support Gear — Type Ren-02. He helped me design them. I just had to assemble them when the time came."
Edgeshot leaned closer, impressed.
Edgeshot: "He trusts you with high-level equipment."
Akira shook her head.
Akira:
"No… he trusts me to get him back."
She pressed a button on the workbench, and a holo-projection flickered to life — showing a map of the city and the likely location of Overhaul's base.
Stain stepped forward.
Stain: "You have a plan?"
Akira nodded, slipping on a pair of reinforced gloves Ren made for her.
Akira:
"Ren always thinks ten steps ahead.
So I'll think eleven."
Her expression was calm, focused — the look of someone who refuses to lose someone important.
Akira:
"We move in one hour.
Everyone gear up."
Dabi smirked.
Dabi: "Now that sounds like our boss's student."
Kurogiri bowed slightly.
Kurogiri: "I shall prepare the warp gates."
Toga clapped excitedly.
Toga: "Eri and Ren won't know what hit them— in a good way!"
Akira tightened the strap on her support belt.
Akira (quietly):
"Ren… hold on.
I'm coming."
Hero Commission Headquarters — Timeline Shift
Normally, the meeting to plan the operation against Overhaul would happen later…
after several weeks of investigation.
But because Ren interfered, ordered Midoriya and Mirio to retreat, and then vanished—
everything moved early.
Emergency Meeting — One Week Ahead of Canon
Nezu, Aizawa, Sir Nighteye, Midoriya, Mirio, and several Pro Heroes sat at the table.
A holo-screen displayed:
"URGENT: SHIE HASSAIKAI — STUDENT MISSING — EARLY RAID CONSIDERATION"
Nighteye adjusted his glasses, expression tense.
Nighteye:
"The timeline has shifted. Ren's disappearance forces us to accelerate our plans."
Midoriya clenched his fists.
Midoriya:
"If we didn't retreat… Ren would've been fine. It's our fault—"
Aizawa cut him off sharply.
Aizawa:
"Don't blame yourself. Ren gave that order for a reason. He's not reckless."
Mirio nodded firmly.
Mirio:
"He knew Overhaul had something dangerous prepared. I think he saw a trap before we did."
Nezu tapped a holographic map of the city.
Nezu:
"Ren's disappearance confirms Overhaul's movements. The raid must happen earlier than expected."
The Commission's representatives exchanged looks.
Official 1:
"Accelerating a raid on a major yakuza organization… because of one student?"
Aizawa:
"He's not just 'one student.' Ren has been involved in multiple field operations already. He has instincts."
Official 2:
"But he is still a minor. We cannot risk further student casualties."
Nighteye spoke with quiet intensity.
Nighteye:
"Exactly. The longer we wait, the more danger he and the girl—Eri—are in."
Ren's Influence, Unseen by Heroes
What they didn't know:
Ren had already predicted both the Commission's response
and Overhaul's next moves.
His disappearance wasn't just a kidnapping.
It was a shift in the board.
And now both sides were reacting to a move they didn't fully understand.
Nezu's Concern
Nezu folded his paws, eyes thoughtful.
Nezu:
"If Ren truly foresaw this… then we must act decisively."
Aizawa nodded, jaw tight.
Aizawa:
"He's my student. And we don't leave students behind."
Midoriya stood.
Midoriya:
"Then let's save him. And Eri."
Mirio placed a hand on his shoulder.
Mirio:
"We owe him that."
And so…
Because Ren interfered with the original chain of events:
because he made choices earlier than expected—
the entire Overhaul raid timeline moved forward.
Both Heroes and Vega
were now preparing to move toward the same place…
at the same time.
A collision course.
Overhaul's Lab — Observation Room
Overhaul stood behind a glass panel, arms crossed, watching Ren lie on a medical platform.
Ren was unconscious, calm, breathing steadily — the anesthesia still affecting him.
One of Overhaul's scientists checked a monitor.
Scientist:
"Sir… his readings are stable. Should we begin analyzing his quirk factor?"
Overhaul nodded once.
He was convinced Ren had some hidden, dangerous quirk — something that let him resist the erasure bullet.
The scientist tapped a few buttons, reading the data on their screen.
Silence.
Then—
Scientist:
"…Sir. This can't be right."
Overhaul frowned.
Overhaul: "What do you mean?"
Scientist:
"There is no quirk factor present. None at all. His body shows the structure of someone who was… born quirkless."
Overhaul stiffened.
Overhaul:
"Impossible. He resisted quirk erasure. He fought my men like it meant nothing."
The scientist swallowed.
Scientist:
"That's the strange part. He has no quirk to erase. The bullet did nothing because… there was nothing to target."
Overhaul stared through the glass at Ren's still form.
Anger?
Confusion?
Curiosity?
It was hard to tell — his mask hid his expression, but the tension in his posture made it clear.
Overhaul:
"…So he's quirkless.
And yet he defied me."
He turned away from the glass, coat swaying.
Overhaul:
"Prepare deeper analysis. Find out what makes him capable without a quirk. Humans don't become this resilient on accident."
The scientist nodded quickly.
Inside Ren's Mind — Still Unconscious
Ren's eyelids twitched slightly.
He wasn't fully awake… but he wasn't fully out either.
Somewhere within the haze, one thought echoed:
Ren (thinking):
Good. He finally knows.
Now the real plan begins.
Overhaul believed he had captured a powerful quirk-user.
Instead, he had captured someone who needed no quirk to change the whole battlefield.
And that mistake would come back to him soon.
Hero Side — Raid Briefing Room
Sir Nighteye stood at the front, tapping a map of the Shie Hassaikai compound.
Nighteye:
"The raid starts now. Earlier than planned.
Two objectives—
Rescue Ren, the missing UA student.Rescue Eri."
Midoriya tightened his gloves.
Mirio cracked his knuckles.
Midoriya:
"We won't leave him behind. Or her."
Aizawa spoke calmly but with an edge.
Aizawa:
"Stick to your roles. Don't break formation unless it's necessary. Ren is resourceful, but he's still in enemy hands."
Fat Gum nodded.
Fat Gum: "We move in teams. Keep comms open."
The heroes felt a quiet spark of confidence.
Nighteye:
"Move out!"
Vega Side — Simultaneous Movement
At the exact same time, in their underground base—
Akira cinched the last strap of her support gear.
Dabi lit a small flame in his palm.
Stain stood ready, silent but steady.
Kurogiri opened a calm-looking warp gate swirling with mist.
Akira:
"Ren's signal is confirmed.
He's inside Overhaul's main facility."
Riptide exhaled.
Riptide: "We're really doing this… before the heroes?"
Akira shook her head.
Akira:
"No. We're doing this with the heroes—
just without telling them."
Toga giggled.
Toga: "Surprise teamwork!"
Dabi clicked his tongue.
Dabi: "Let's go. We're wasting time."
Kurogiri bowed.
Kurogiri:
"Warp gate ready.
Rescue operation begins."
They stepped through.
Overhaul's Base — The Storm Begins
Guards noticed something first:
The front entrance bursting open from Hero squadsAnd the back corridors flickering with Kurogiri's mist
Panic spread.
Henchman: "Sir! We're under attack—from multiple sides!"
Overhaul looked up slowly from where Ren was held.
Overhaul:
"…So the world moves faster now."
He adjusted his gloves.
Overhaul:
"Fine. Bring them.
I'll dismantle all of them if I must."
Eri trembled in the corner.
But Ren's eyes slowly opened—
not fully awake, but aware enough to sense the chaos outside.
Ren (weakly thinking):
Good. They're here.
All sides.
Just like I planned.
The early Overhaul Raid Arc had begun—
Overhaul's Base — Ren's Condition
Ren's eyelids fluttered weakly, but he couldn't fully wake up.
The anesthesia Overhaul used wasn't normal.
It was designed to keep someone unconscious for months if the dosage was high enough.
Ren's mind drifted in and out like he was underwater.
He could hear distant noises… footsteps… alarms… voices…
But he couldn't move.
Ren (faintly thinking):
Just a little more… I need to wake up…
Vega Splits Into Two Teams
Akira stayed behind to coordinate.
The others moved according to Ren's earlier instructions.
Team A – Intercept Heroes
RiptideStainTogaEdgeshot
Their job:
Block the heroes so they don't collide directly with Overhaul yet.
Not by hurting them —
but by slowing them, misdirecting them, and preventing chaos inside the base.
Stain wiped his blade cleanly, not in a harmful way — just maintenance.
Stain:
"Our goal is simple.
Delay them.
Protect Ren's plan."
Riptide nodded.
Riptide:
"If heroes and Overhaul clash too soon, Ren and Eri get caught in the crossfire."
Edgeshot spoke calmly.
Edgeshot:
"We keep the raid controlled. We are not enemies… but we cannot let them interfere yet."
Toga grinned.
Toga: "Let's gooo~ Misleading heroes is fun!"
They moved out.
Team B – Target Overhaul Directly
Dabi
Dabi walked alone through the smoke-filled corridor, blue fire flickering lightly around his hand (no graphic harm).
Dabi:
"Overhaul… let's see how you like playing against someone who doesn't follow the script."
His target was clear:
Reach Overhaul before anyone else.
Secure Ren and Eri.
End this early.
Hero Perspective — Wrong Assumption
As soon as the heroes reached the corridors, Vega's Team A blocked their advance.
Aizawa's eyes widened.
Aizawa:
"Vega?! Here?! Are they after the quirk-erasing bullets?!"
Mirio and Midoriya took defensive stances.
Mirio:
"Why would villains show up now? Are they trying to steal the bullets too?"
Midoriya clenched his fists.
Midoriya:
"If they reach Overhaul first, Ren and Eri are in danger!"
Fat Gum looked around tensely.
Fat Gum:
"Watch yourselves! They might be after Overhaul's weapons!"
What they didn't understand:
Vega wasn't after the bullets.
They were protecting Ren and Eri.