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It was another serene day; the weather was tranquil, and the birds flapped their wings as they sang through the skies, their voices echoing throughout the atmosphere. Yet, for Ren Akagami, it was also another long and unsettling day.
He awoke to sunlight cascading into his eyes through his bedroom window, and as he rolled over, he crashed onto the floor.
Ouch!
A loud groan escaped his lips as he clutched his knees. "What time is it?" He rubbed his eyes relentlessly for a moment before gazing at the world clock stationed at the top of his room.
"Almost noon, huh?"
He massaged his stomach beneath his nightwear and located his smartphone nearby. Unlocking the device, he saw countless messages and missed calls from his classmates at U.A, who were undoubtedly worried about him.
Ever since the incident, Ren had been acting somewhat oddly, though it had never occurred to him that his behavior was strange. He knew that, one way or another, his classmates or teachers would discover what was wrong—and if they did, he might face imprisonment or execution.
"I wonder how Mirko is holding up right now," he mused, sipping a glass of milk he had retrieved from the refrigerator downstairs. "I haven't seen or heard anything concerning her since the incident."
His mind flashed back, causing his grip on the glass to loosen. The glass shattered across the floor upon impact.
It was like a nightmare to Ren.
A nightmare becoming reality.
He located the nearest couch and sat down, switching on the television. He changed the channel from the news to an entertainment station to help calm his mind. He was glad his parents were not home, as it was the weekend; yes, he would have half the day to himself, alone in the house.
"I'll have to reply to them later," he muttered, tossing his phone aside. Closing his eyes, he began to reminisce about the incident that had truly occurred that day. His head felt as though it was about to explode, but he suppressed the pain, trying to uncover the truth about the event and understand why he had been hearing voices ever since.
"The strange object!" He jolted upright; his clouded mind began to clear gradually. "I remember all of it now."
Sukuna opened his eyes within the depths of Ren's consciousness, his grin never fading from his lips. 'So what are you going to do about it? Is remembering anything going to help you?'Sukuna's voice resonated in his head as he laughed.
Ren inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to steady his nerves. "Who are you?" He muttered to no one in particular.
'How bold of you to speak up, brat.' Sukuna's mouth appeared on Ren's hand once again. This time, Ren was about to wet himself as he accepted the truth and faced the reality: he had indeed been seeing and hearing strange things happening within his body, which he already knew were not caused by his quirk.
Ren gulped hard. He could hear the sound of his heartbeat pounding at the speed of light as sweat streamed down his brow. "Are you the one who hurt Mirko, the Rabbit Hero?"
'Was it that rabbit girl playing the hero? I could have killed her, but that should serve as a warning to everyone.' Sukuna's voice was calm yet carried a tremendous aura behind it, causing goosebumps to ripple across Ren's body. 'All Might, was it? The number one hero of this century?'
Ren lost his voice for a brief moment as his shirt became drenched in sweat. His heart felt as though it might burst, knowing full well he could do nothing about this situation. Even if he reported it to his parents, heroes, or the police, they would simply laugh it off.
"Why did you kill those innocent people?" Ren yelled in rage, his eyes already brimming with tears.
'Why, you ask? Because they were weak. Anyone who dares stand before me dies. The next time I take control, brat, I will have you kill your friends at school. I will have you torment and slaughter those scumbags you call parents, and I will kill every hero in this world.'
"Do you think you could defeat All Might?" Ren muttered, gritting his teeth in frustration. "He will defeat you and have you imprisoned, and you will atone for your sins in jail."
Sukuna laughed relentlessly on Ren's hand. He had never realized his host was such a senseless child, believing in people who called themselves heroes simply because they wore capes. 'How foolish you are. Do you think anyone in this century is capable of defeating me?' His voice turned solemn. 'Brat, let me make this clear: I will put an end to every hero in this world, and anyone who dares defy me dies.'
"You know what? I'm going to tell the cops and heroes right now."
Sukuna felt disappointed for a moment. 'How foolish you are. Tell me, how did you get into a hero school? You are the most foolish human I have ever encountered in my life.'
"Do you think I'm scared of you?"
'Let me tell you something, brat. What do you think will happen when the teachers, the heroes, and the cops find out that you were the demon who caused chaos earlier? Do you think they will let you live?'
Ren swallowed, realizing that every word the villain inside him spoke was beginning to make sense. "W-What do you mean?"
'Do you think they will let you live when they discover that the villain who killed and caused chaos was you? I'll be generous and tell you this, brat: they will kill you, and you will die.'
"Do you think bluffing or threatening me is going to work?"
'Do you think getting killed will also halt my existence?' Sukuna laughed. 'Even if you did surrender yourself and were killed, I would still be alive.'
"What do you mean? You know I could just kill myself right now and save the world from you."
'Go ahead and try, brat. You will only die, and I will continue to live. Tell me, don't you find it strange that your wounds and broken bones were healed?'
Ren blinked, massaging his temples as he tried to remember. "What did you do to me?"
Sukuna laughed. 'You could thank me for healing you, brat. I'll keep it simple: let's make a deal.'
"Do you really think I would believe a word from a villain who killed people?"
'Consider it special treatment, brat. Here is the deal: you will help me locate my fragments scattered across this country, and I promise not to kill your friends.'
Ren laughed melodiously. "I should make a deal with a villain? Hell no!" His confidence began to return. "Tell me what kind of fragments they are, and I might think about helping you."
'How arrogant of you, brat.' Sukuna's grin widened on Ren's hand. 'You will certainly be the first I kill next time.' His voice grew low as it faded away; the mouth on his hand slowly dissipated as Sukuna sank back into the depths of Ren's consciousness.
Ha ha?
Ren swallowed. "Is it past your bedtime? I'll fucking get you imprisoned, villain. I promise you."
Ren's vision slowly faded as he dozed off on the couch for nearly three hours.
…
"Mirko, are you alright? How are you feeling?" Hawks' voice was calm and sweet.
Mirko blinked once, then twice, unable to move her body of her own free will. "W-Where am I?"
Hawks gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. "You are in the hospital, receiving special treatment," he said. "Do you remember the villain who did this to you?"
Mirko was silent for a moment, trying to remember. "Would you call him a villain or a demon?"
Hawks raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
Mirko coughed slightly. "Ryomen Sukuna. That is his name, and that is all I can recall."
"Ryomen Sukuna?" Aizawa chimed in.
"Anyway, were you able to find a kid at the scene?" Her voice was slowly fading.
"Yes, we did. He is doing much better now." Aizawa cracked his neck. "It may take considerable time for you to heal and regain your peak strength. So try to rest, alright? We will take it from here."
Mirko flickered her fingers, attempting to raise her hand to stop her colleagues. "D-Don't. He is far more powerful and dangerous than any villain I have ever encountered in my life."
"That doesn't mean we are going to lose. We will find him and surely defeat him—Ryomen Sukuna."
The heroes left the hospital room shortly after the Rabbit Hero fell asleep again.
"Ensure the heroes on patrol are stationed and remain vigilant." Endeavor clenched his fist. To him, Mirko was a weak hero; the only one he truly admired was All Might, who stood above him.
He swallowed his pride and made a silent vow: he would find this villain named Sukuna, whoever he was, and force him to his knees with the searing intensity of his blazing flames.
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