MHA: SHADOWS IN UA

The moon hung high, bathing the city in cold, silvery light. The narrow streets were deathly quiet, save for the muffled footsteps of the officers moving into formation.

Ruki led the group with a calm, practiced stride, his eyes sharp and unwavering.

Behind him, Kenji kept pace, scanning every shadow and alleyway with a practiced eye.

Ruki signaled for the team to halt near the entrance of the old, decrepit building—a rundown warehouse that looked abandoned to anyone not paying attention.

He spoke into his radio, his tone low but firm.

"Team A, in position. Team B, hold the perimeter and keep comms open. No one moves without confirmation."

The acknowledgment came back in a series of soft clicks, and Ruki glanced over his shoulder at Kenji. "You good?"

Kenji gave a nod, adjusting his grip on his weapon. "Always."

Ruki exhaled slowly, letting the tension settle around him. "Thanks for talking to Azaria earlier," he said, keeping his voice low. "He doesn't open up much. You probably noticed."

Kenji let out a short chuckle. "Yeah. He's a quiet one, but he's sharp. Kid kinda reminds me of Yui"

Ruki gave him a brief, understanding nod as he turned his attention back to the mission.

"He could use someone like you around. You've got a way of getting through to him."

Kenji just gave a half-smile, brushing off the praise. "Oh please, your boy is just tougher than he looks. Not really much of a difference between him and when I first met you."

Ruki huffed a quiet laugh, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. He raised a hand and gave the signal for movement, and the team fell into step, approaching the warehouse with caution.

Inside, a small group of low-level thugs were gathered around a makeshift table, counting cash and dividing small plastic vials.

Ruki squinted, recognizing the distinctive red tint of Trigger.

"They're dealing," he whispered. "Let's take them down fast and quiet."

Kenji gave a nod, signaling two officers to cover the back.

With a swift hand signal, Ruki moved in, catching one thug off guard and yanking him to the ground with a precise arm lock.

Another thug whipped around, eyes wide.

"Shit! Cops!"

He lunged at Kenji with a rusty pipe, but Kenji sidestepped smoothly, landing a quick jab to the gut before sweeping the man's legs out from under him.

Two more rushed forward, one brandishing a knife. Kenji ducked under the swing and struck with a swift uppercut, sending the thug sprawling.

The other tried to escape through a side door, but one of the officers blocked his path, tackling him to the ground.

A fifth thug, clearly the ringleader, tried to pull a pistol from his waistband, but Ruki was faster, disarming him with a quick wrist twist and driving him face-first into the floor.

The sound of heavy breathing filled the room as the officers secured the suspects, cuffing them and gathering the evidence.

Kenji dusted off his jacket, giving a low whistle.

"Not too bad," he muttered. "But that can't be all of them, right?"

Ruki pulled out his radio, reporting in. "Suspects apprehended. Trigger vials secured. Requesting hero support for transport and backup."

A familiar voice crackled back.

"Roger that, Officer Ruki. I'm en route. Stay cautious, trigger cases have been getting worse lately."

Recognizing the voice of Kamui Woods, Ruki gave a quick nod. "Understood. We'll continue securing the area."

Kenji checked one of the confiscated vials, shaking his head. "Feels too easy. If these guys are dealing, where's the muscle?"

As if on cue, a loud crash sounded from deeper within the warehouse. Ruki signaled for his team to move cautiously, their footsteps light as they approached the noise.

Suddenly, two more thugs appeared, struggling to drag a heavy crate. One of them looked up, panicking at the sight of the officers. "Crap! They found us!"

One thug grabbed a nearby metal bar, swinging it with reckless force. Ruki blocked with his baton, deflecting the hit and countering with a swift jab to the ribs.

The thug staggered, winded, before Kenji finished him off with a strike to the back of the knee.

The second thug tried to run, but an officer tackled him, pinning him down.

As the area seemed secure, Ruki took a moment to breathe, but something didn't sit right.

Kenji glanced at him, noticing the tension. "What's bugging you?"

"Still too quiet," Ruki replied. "If this was one of their base, there should be more guards."

Just then, a low growl echoed through the warehouse. Two hulking figures emerged from the shadows, their veins glowing faintly red.

Shattered vials lay at their feet, the last remnants of Trigger still dripping from their hands.

Kenji muttered a curse under his breath. "Trigger junkies. They're juiced up."

One of the enhanced thugs grinned, his muscles rippling unnaturally as he clenched his fists.

The other's hands crackled with erratic bursts of energy, sparks jumping from his fingertips to the metal walls.

Without warning, the first villain charged, smashing through crates like they were paper.

Ruki barely had time to shove Kenji aside as the brute's fist shattered the concrete where they'd been standing.

"Spread out!" Ruki commanded. "Keep your distance and hit from the sides!"

Kenji pulled out his collapsible baton, ducking under another wild swing and slamming it into the back of the villain's knee.

The hit barely fazed him, but it slowed his momentum.

Meanwhile, the electric villain shot bolts of energy across the room, forcing the officers to scatter.

Ruki fired his taser, aiming for the brute's shoulder, but the drugged-up villain barely flinched, tearing out the prongs and stomping forward.

Kenji rolled to the side as a bolt struck the ground next to him, sending sparks flying.

"They're too juiced up!" one of the officers shouted.

Ruki gritted his teeth. "We have to hold out until Kamui Woods arrives. Focus on containment, don't go head-to-head!"

Kenji gave a grim nod, circling around to flank the brute, looking for an opening. The villain roared, smashing another crate to splinters as he turned to face the officers.

As the chaos intensified, Ruki kept his eyes sharp, guiding his team to keep the villains' attention split while avoiding direct confrontation.

It was a game of endurance now, holding the line until help arrived.

***

The warehouse was alive with chaos, shouts, gunfire, and the heavy thuds of battle echoed through the dim space.

Ruki ducked behind a metal crate as another blast of lightning ripped past, scorching the floor.

"Status report!" he barked into his radio, breathing hard.

"We've lost five men already," came the strained response. "Most of the remaining squad is injured or pinned down. We're running out of options!"

Ruki bit back a curse, peering around the crate to assess the battlefield.

The brute with spiked arms was swinging wildly, tearing through anything in his path, while the electric villain kept sending out arcs of energy, forcing the officers to scatter.

One of the rookies crouched beside Ruki, trembling but clutching his rifle firmly.

Ruki gave him a nod of reassurance, then turned his focus back to the advancing villains.

"Focus fire on the big guy! Aim for the joints!" he ordered.

The officers responded immediately, unloading rubber-coated armor-piercing rounds designed to penetrate tough exteriors without being lethal.

A few shots hit the brute's knee, forcing him to stagger. Ruki took the chance to move in closer, signaling to two officers to flank from the sides.

The brute roared, swinging his spike-covered arm in a wide arc. An officer didn't dodge in time. The brute's spike-ridden arm slammed into his vest, tearing fabric and flesh alike.

He was launched backward, slamming into a crate and collapsing to the ground, motionless.

"Dammit!" Ruki raised his sidearm—a modified pistol with high-voltage shock rounds.

He fired at the brute's exposed shoulder, and the electric discharge forced the villain to recoil, grunting in pain.

A warning crackle made him turn just in time to see the electric villain charging up another blast.

"Take cover!" Ruki shouted, diving behind a metal beam as a bolt of electricity tore through the air, scorching the concrete.

One of the officers on the right fired a beanbag round directly at the electric villain's chest, but the man barely flinched, grinning wickedly as arcs of energy danced around him.

In retaliation, he raised his arms, sending out tendrils of electricity that latched onto one of the officers. The man screamed, convulsing as the volts fried his nerves.

"Target his hands!" Ruki commanded, and three officers quickly aimed and fired. One shot struck true, hitting the villain's wrist and making him lose control for a moment.

The officer dropped to the ground, his body smoking and unmoving.

Kenji, who had been maneuvering through the chaos, slid to a halt beside Ruki, breathing hard. "Ruki! I think I spotted the guy from the intel—the one in the photo. He slipped out through the side exit!"

Ruki's eyes narrowed, scanning the fray to ensure no one was about to ambush them. "You sure?"

Kenji gave a firm nod. "Positive. Want me to go after him?"

Ruki hesitated, the weight of leadership pressing on him like a vice. But Kenji was faster and more agile—better suited for a pursuit. "Go. Track him down. I'll hold things here."

Kenji flashed a quick thumbs-up. "Be careful Ruki."

Ruki gave a small, tired smile. "We'll soon be done here, just catch that dude."

Kenji scoffed, but there was a hint of a grin as he disappeared through the side door, chasing after the suspect.

With Kenji gone, the tension in the warehouse grew thicker.

The electric villain was back on his feet, crackling with renewed power, while the brute roared in frustration, swiping at anything that moved.

An officer on Ruki's right aimed his rifle at the electric villain's legs and fired, but the villain responded with a swift counterattack—electric tendrils surged forward and wrapped around the officer's torso, lifting him off the ground.

"No!" Ruki reacted instantly, drawing his sidearm and firing a shock round directly at the villain's face.

The hit made the man stumble, dropping the officer, who fell to the ground gasping for air.

Another officer, one of the more seasoned veterans moved to cover his fallen comrade, dragging him behind a pile of crates.

He glanced at Ruki, his face pale and eyes grim. "They're tearing us apart. If we don't pull back–"

"No!" Ruki cut him off, forcing resolve into his voice. "We can't let them break through. We hold the line until backup arrives!"

The brute barreled forward, smashing through crates and sending splinters flying. Ruki fired three more shots, aiming for the chest, but the rounds barely slowed him.

The brute grabbed one of the metal crates and hurled it like a cannonball, forcing Ruki to dive out of the way.

Another officer fired a grenade launcher loaded with concussion rounds, and the blast rocked the brute back, dazed but not down.

Taking the opportunity, Ruki barked, "Move! Form a perimeter around him! Suppressing fire!"

The officers quickly formed a semicircle, unloading everything they had—rubber bullets, shock rounds, and beanbags.

The brute was battered from all sides, his spikes starting to crack under the relentless assault.

Suddenly, the electric villain, seeing his partner overwhelmed, unleashed a desperate surge of power that arced wildly, hitting both officers and villains alike.

Ruki's instincts took over, and he tackled the rookie beside him to the ground, shielding him from the worst of the shockwave.

When he looked up, several officers were on the ground, unmoving, and the brute was slumped against a wall, twitching as residual electricity sparked over his body.

Ruki struggled to his feet, heart pounding, as he heard something rumble from the entrance.

Before he could process it, thick, lacquered branches burst through the ground, coiling around the brute's arms and legs, yanking him backward.

The spiked villain roared in surprise, muscles straining against the wooden restraints.

Roots erupted from the ground, twisting around the electric villain's legs.

He sent a crackling surge through them, but the lacquer held firm, absorbing the shock. His frantic grin faded, replaced by wide-eyed panic.

He screamed in frustration as more roots wrapped around his torso, pinning him to the ground.

"Kamui Woods!" one of the officers shouted, relief coloring his voice.

The pro hero stepped forward, his silhouette framed by the streetlights outside. "You held out well. Leave the rest to me."

Ruki finally let out a shaky breath, exhaustion hitting him like a wave.

Backup sirens wailed in the distance, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride at his team's resilience.

———

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