♊︎ 𝘔𝘺 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘢 - 𝘎𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪'𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 [𝘈𝘜] ♊︎

[Season 6] Ep. 12 - Triumphs and Sacrifices

The Hunter burst forth triumphantly from his prison of hardened foam, a newfound quirk adorning his arsenal. Seizing the moment, he unleashed a spritz from his throat spray, fixing a focused gaze on Kazuo, a challenge writ large in his eyes.

Kazuo stood dumbfounded, his mind racing. The Hunter, once believed quirkless, now wielded a power that struck a chord of familiarity. How had he acquired it? And why did it echo the abilities of Nocturn-sensei?

- "How... How is this possible? I was certain you lacked a quirk... What have you done? And why does your power resemble that of Nocturn-sensei?" Kazuo's voice quavered with a mix of astonishment and dread.

- "Ah, that?" The Hunter's smirk widened. "Consider it a parting gift from my latest allies. But fear not, young Sogui. I won't require it for long to track you down!" With a bold declaration, he lunged at Kazuo, unleashing a fusillade of crossbow bolts while in motion.

Shaking off his daze, Kazuo swiftly dodged behind a nearby tree, ready to retaliate. But just as he prepared to strike, The Hunter vanished into thin air. Like a wraith, he melted into the darkness, leaving only the whisper of leaves in his wake. Suddenly, Kazuo caught the eerie sound of whistling through the trees, reminiscent of arrows zipping past. Kazuo refused to fall prey to an ambush. Though his mini-drones lay in ruins, he still had the larger one on his back. Activating his quirk, he extended its wings and darted between the branches, hunting his elusive foe.

- "Struggling to track me without all your gadgets? Quite the letdown for the scion of a famed technocrat. I expected more from this revenge; I'm disappointed," The Hunter's mocking voice reverberated from every shadowy nook of the forest.

Kazuo couldn't pinpoint his location. Then, a loud rustling broke the silence, emanating from a tree mere meters away. Without hesitation, Kazuo surged toward the noise, whipping his gauntlet cables with ferocious intensity, shattering branches in his path. To his astonishment, his target was revealed to be nothing more than a small, startled squirrel, narrowly evading his onslaught.

With no time to process, Kazuo was struck by a crossbow bolt, piercing his left leg, causing him to cry out in agony. Before he could fully register the pain, he propelled himself towards the origin of the shot. Yet, all he encountered was a sinister automated crossbow, a trap set by The Hunter in anticipation of Kazuo's movements behind the tree.

- "Missed again! Unless I've mistaken you for a harmless squirrel. Who's to say?" The Hunter's taunting voice echoed through the forest once more.

- "Reveal yourself! Where are you hiding?" Kazuo demanded, his hands tightening around the crossbow he'd discovered.

- "Right here!" In an instant, another bolt was unleashed, this time striking Kazuo's right leg before he could react, sinking deep and evoking another cry of pain.

This time, Kazuo wasn't recklessly charging ahead but seemed to gather his bearings despite the searing pain. However, The Hunter wasn't done needling him.

- "Can't locate me? It's simple; just follow the sound of my voice," he taunted, his voice seemingly shifting to a new spot in the woods with each word.

- "You're merely cowering like a coward because you know facing me head-on, you'd crumble. You've always been a disappointment, a fact my father understood all too well," Kazuo retorted, his voice icy.

- "A coward? Me? Ha! I'm just mirroring your father's tactics. Leveraging every advantage to assert dominance. And now that I wield quirks like you, I'm entitled to play your game: deceiving others about the extent of my powers!" The Hunter's voice reverberated, growing louder and more grating, almost assaulting Kazuo's ears. "Prepare to meet your end by my hand!"