The vampire's blood control would never work on someone like him—not as long as his Quirk, Regrowth, kept refreshing his body every time an abnormality occurred. When the blood sword pierced his heart, his body would reconstruct itself to its best condition from the past 24 hours. Even with the sword still inside, the Quirk would keep refreshing him… though of course, that meant the pain would just keep repeating.
He could weaken the Vampire's inhuman strength by cutting his muscle tissue with his quirk Decomposition—a power that allowed him to disintegrate anything down to its molecular bonds. As long as he made contact with something he wished to destroy, even something as complex as muscle tissue was trivial.
Normally, a person never has more than one quirk. However, he was a special case.
Amai Mask was a strong hero, but his level was never near Lockdown's to begin with. Lockdown could kill him and erase him by decomposing his body into ash, but he needed information first.
"Where is he? Where is All For One?"
As Mask wondered who this man was and how he could be so strong, he realized lying was futile.
"I don't know. I swear, I haven't meet with Master for a very long time."
"Do you think I'll believe that shit?" Lockdown stepped left slightly, letting the light behind him scorch Mask's fingers.
"I swear! My master has always been cautious! He probably knew you'd hunt me down for his whereabouts. Damn it—he'll kill me for this."
"Do you think I didn't notice? I already erased the link between you and him when I made contact with your body. Now you can speak freely."
When? Mask's mind raced. Contact? When he punched me that time? He recalled Lockdown tearing his muscles during their fight—a similar method.
Mask sighed, reverting to his human form.
"If you think fleeing this light will save you, know I have countless ways to kill you. A bullet would suffice."
His vampire mode amplified power but left him vulnerable to light while it was drain him too much. Meanwhile, this handsome form granted him sunlight immunity and youth but sacrificed inhuman strength and agility, leaving only his blood control. Mask gulped. How had Lockdown deduced his quirk's works so quickly?
"Time's up."
Mask froze as Lockdown aimed his gun.
"Wait! Even if I don't know his location, I have intel on his plans!"
Lockdown lowered the weapon. "Talk."
"In our last meeting, he mentioned seeking Taurus Silver—the mind behind Miracle Pil and the designer of heroes' support gear." Mask hesitated, fearing AFO's wrath. "Go on," Lockdown pressed. Mask clenched his teeth. "We've made no progress—Taurus hides too well. But AFO's also fixated on All Might's quirk."
"Why?"
"I've known AFO for years. He's obsessed with his brother's legacy: One For All. That's all I know."
Lockdown hummed. The One For All was old news, but he was after Taurus Silver now? Still, no leads on AFO's whereabouts.
A sudden movement snapped him from his thoughts. He turned left as a kick shattered his gun and wrist. Regrowth healed the injury instantly. I gave her a high dose... He looked at the bunny girl.
"Sorry, but you can't kill him yet!" Usagiyama Rumi snarled.
"That's right, Rumi! Hold him!" Mask screamed, fleeing toward the door.
Rumi gritted her teeth as the 8th-ranked hero cowardly ran.
Bang! Bang! She gasped, staring at the bullet wounds in her shoulders and thigh.
This guy's a psychopath! Mask froze, noticing blood gushing from his chest. He staggered and collapsed, cheek pressed to the floor. He tried transforming but lacked the energy after Lockdown's light assault. His fading vision shifted to Rumi.
Impossible...
Rumi lay unconscious in Lockdown's arms, unharmed. He'd healed her instantly—just as he'd regenerated from the blood-sword strike.
He's dead.
Lockdown eyed Mask's lifeless body in a tattered robe.
Delete.
Mask dissolved into white mist.
Normally, Lockdown needed physical contact to use Regrowth or Decomposition. But he'd engineered a workaround by infusing bullets with his blood as transmitters. Now, he could erase targets remotely with weapons.
Beep. Beep. Security feeds in his helmet showed Mask's men approaching via elevator. He had to hurry.
Using both quirks, he reconstructed the room's shattered furniture, floors, and windows while erasing all traces of Mask—blood, hair, even saliva. Within seconds, the room looked untouched.
The room quickly changed within two seconds, as if no one had just been fighting there, leaving no evidence behind.
With a bunny girl in black lingerie, Lockdown walked to the side of the room. He stopped before the wall and then kicked it lightly. As long as it was part of his body, he could use it as a medium to read an object. With that, he created a perfect vertical rectangle hole that led him to the room he had used before.
The room has the typical design and size of a VVIP room like the one Amai Mask used. In the middle of it, there was a big cart that the cleaning service used to clean up the room. First, he laid Rumi down on the bed. Right next to her was a standard-issue janitor uniform he had already prepared, then he quickly changed into it.
Tightening the gray hat and white sterile gloves, the last thing he wore was a white mask before checking that everything was in place. His suit, coat, helmet, and all his gadgets had already vanished into thin air with his Decomposition. Right now, all he carried was the cleaning service equipment—and the bunny girl.
Gently picking up the sleepy bunny girl, he placed her into a big box under several smaller boxes on top, where items like a mop, spray, and lots of plastic bags could be seen as part of a normal janitor's items.
Exiting calmly, he pushed the cart down the hallway toward the service elevator.
Ding!
He kept his head down as suited guests passed, oblivious. Reaching the basement, he faced a security checkpoint.
"Show me your ID."
Beep. Green light.
"What's in the cart?"
"Leftovers from the 30th floor."
"Dump them. And don't eat any," the guard warned.
Lockdown nodded, loading the van.
As the time pass. He drove to a lot, parking behind a modified 1968 Toyota 2000GT—bulletproof and Bond-worthy.
Bump!
After changing into his suit, he slammed the van's door. A cigarette dangling from his lips, he smacked the vehicle twice. It disintegrated into smoke as he walked away, not even glancing back.
---
"I know you woke up a long time ago, kid."
Rumi opened her eyes at the deep yet artificial-sounding voice behind her. Slowly, she rotated her body and sat properly on the car seat. There, she watched the man in a dark grey suit and a metal helmet that was open halfway, revealing his mouth, sharp jaw, and thin beard. She watched as the man calmly munched on a burger.
"I bought some for you, kid. You must be hungry."
"I'm not... hungry," Rumi said in a cold tone. However, her stomach couldn't lie.
"Then drink first. It's soda."
The man offered her the can of soda with his hand, but Rumi just stared at it silently.
"Oh, right." The man opened the lid and took a sip. "You saw that. I didn't put anything suspicious."
He offered it once again, and finally, Rumi accepted it.
"So, what's your story, kid? That you took an offer from a predator like him?"
Rumi frowned. "I didn't have a choice, Mister." She looked at him. "I don't have anything to cure my mother. He came personally and promised me—"
"The Miracle Pill. You know that's hard stuff to get, even if you have the money to buy it."
Lockdown then regretted what he just said as Rumi lowered her bunny ears, seeming ready to shed tears.
"But you did a good job, kid. I'm not bullshitting—you kept it real. You know that no one can change your life except you, by standing up for yourself. Like that scene in The Matrix. You took the blue pill instead of the red. Meanwhile, a lot of adults just sit around crying instead of... grinning through life for themselves. So, cheers."
Lockdown bumped his soda can against hers, but Rumi just silently looked at the can.
"Yeah, but that means nothing to me now. Are you going to kill me?"
Lockdown stopped drinking and looked at her. "No, I'm not. Well... technically, yes. But I broke the rules."
"Why?"
"It's simple. You're not my target. My target was him—a predator in hero clothing."
"Hero..." Rumi mumbled. "Fuck them all." She then drank her soda.
Lockdown chuckled. "Alright. Now eat the burger."
Long story short, Rumi had already eaten her food.
"Here, change your clothes."
Rumi looked at the white T-shirt with All Might's face on it.
"You don't like it? Well, I picked it up randomly."
"Actually, I don't really care. But can I ask you something, Mister?"
"Sure."
"What's going to happen to me and my family now?"
Lockdown hummed. "Well, since you were working for Red Circle, they'll soon find out that he's gone while being with you. Surely, they'll start looking for you."
Lockdown regretted it once again. This is why he was never actually good with kids.
"Damn it. But first, thank you for saving me. I was conscious back then when that bastard turned into an ugly creature. I was too scared, but then I saw him terrified by the light you gave him. Back then, I was scared, too—that if he died at your hands, I'd lose both the Miracle Pill and my family's life. So I attacked you."
However, he expected her to be sad and panicked. Instead, Rumi seemed to understand the situation she was in.
"Well, you're still a kid. Kids make mistakes."
Rumi smirked cockily. "You mean like when you also shot me?"
"You're right. I shouldn't say anything when I'm the actual bad guy here."
Rumi laughed. "You look like a hero to me, though. Mister, are you a pro hero?"
Lockdown went silent. "I am not."
"But you just defeated the 8th hero like it was nothing."
"That's why I'm not a hero. Heroes have a code not to take lives. They basically take over the police's job of confronting bad guys. Yeah, they're basically police in Halloween costumes."
"That sucks. But I think you're a hero, Mister—wait, do you have a name?"
"My name is classified."
Rumi smirked. "Alright, Mister classified."
"That's not my name."
"Hahaha! Still, it's been a while since I talked to someone like this. By the way. Can you turn around for a second?"
Lockdown turned his head. He could hear something like fabric moving. However, his mind was elsewhere. He never thought he would save Rumi—the future bunny hero who always worked alone. He knew this because he was a reincarnated dude who had watched MHA.
"Alright, it's done. It's big. But how do I look?"
"It's goo—I actually gave you pants."
Rumi smiled awkwardly. "Well... about that. Can I ask you something? Since you heard about my mother and my family's condition, can I ask you to protect my family and maybe give me some money to buy the pill?"
Lockdown's expression turned emotionless. "Kid, stop that."
"Why? You already saw me half-naked. Did you see how good my body shape is? In the Red Circle, I watched many mutant-type Quirk users satisfy a lot of men with their cat- and dog-like looks. And I don't like how they look at my body because of these bunny ears and tail. But honestly... You know I'm about to turn 15, and I don't mind losing my virginity to you, Mister."
Lockdown sighed inwardly. "Well, I'm not into minors, kid. Save that for someone you like in the future."
Hearing this, Rumi raised her voice. "THAT'S THE PROBLEM! There won't be a future because I'm involved in this mess, Mister. You said I had to take the blue pill, right? Then this is the only thing I can do for the sake of my little sister and my dying mom. Please..."
"Fine," he said, then started the car. "First, open that glove box in front of you."
Rumi opened it and saw five small glass bottles filled with a clear blue fluid.
"Take one. That's the Miracle Pill."
"Okay... where's the pill?"
"That's the pill."
Rumi looked at him, dumbfounded. "Okay...? I heard it's a rare item. So how do you have five in your car compartment?"
"I am... rich. That's all."
"..."
"Well. You need to inject it into your motheer. The medicine will take 24 hours to heal your mother. By the time, take your family right away to Musutafu and meet a person named Shuzenji Chiyo." Lockdown handed her a card and a piece of paper. "There's 30 million yen there. Use the money wisely until you graduated. But don't forget to meet the nurse named Chiyo. Show her this letter. By then, you and your family will be safe at U.A. Academy."
"WHAT?! 30 million? That's too much! And U.A.? You mean..." Rumi was dumbfounded once again. "That prestigious school that trains Pro Heroes?"
"Yeah. I heard you've been beating up heroes in the Red Circle Ring. Still, I suggest you start studying before taking the entrance exam."
Rumi's face bloomed as if she couldn't hide how happy she was.
"We're here."
Rumi realized he had actually taken her home.
"What about that thing? You said you were fine with it."
"No. Consider it the price for shooting you a fourth time. Now go. Don't go back to the Red Circle again."
Rumi stayed silent. Why was he being so good without asking for anything in return? She stepped out of the car but then turned back again, "Hey, Mister. What about this? Wanna boobs? At least grab my boobs before you go."
"Get out."
She then watched the car drive off, leaving her there.
"What a cocky bastard." she said with a smile.