MHA: SHADOWS IN UA

My steps halted right where the villain was before I punched him, breath catching in my throat as I spotted Kenji sprawled on the ground, his torso drenched in blood.

His eyes were closed, face pale and twisted in pain. I forced myself to move, crouching down to check his pulse—still there, but weak.

"Damn it."

I pressed my hand to his chest to slow the bleeding, my fingers trembling. I could barely breathe, and my mind spun with a thousand thoughts.

How long had he been like this?

Was help coming already?

Should I just carry him and run?

A loud, ragged snarl snapped me back to reality. I whipped around just in time to see the villain stumble forward, his hands twitching with unnatural spasms.

Veins pulsed beneath his skin, and his muscles were swollen to the point of tearing. He barely resembled a human anymore, more like a twisted beast staggering through the alley.

I glanced at the broken vials of trigger. Not just one dose. Two, at least.

My jaw clenched. I couldn't afford to hesitate.

The villain's distorted face contorted in fury as his gaze locked onto me, and without warning, he charged.

I barely managed to duck to the side, the ground where I had just been standing exploding in a shower of concrete.

I grit my teeth, reinforcing my legs with shadows and sprinting backward to keep my distance.

Focus. If I stay close, I'm dead. He's not thinking—just swinging like a rabid animal. I needed to stay quick, keep moving, and wear him down.

The guy whipped around faster than I expected, lunging at me with enough force to shatter the wall behind me.

I ducked low, shadow covering my forearm as I raised it to block the follow-up strike.

The impact sent a jolt through my arm, but I stayed upright, using the momentum to slide around his side and aim a punch at his ribs.

My fist connected, but it felt like hitting a brick wall. The shadows absorbed some of the shock, but pain still shot through my knuckles.

The villain roared, his fists crackling with a violent, red glow as the concussive force rippled through the air.

I barely had time to duck, the wave skimming over my head and shattering the brick wall behind me.

Dust and debris rained down, coating my hair and shoulders. I didn't waste time brushing it off.

He charged again, his speed far beyond what I saw in the vehicle. I ducked under his wild swing, feeling the force graze my cheek like a searing wind.

I countered with a quick jab to his ribs, coating my fist in darkness just before impact. The blow landed solidly, enough to make him grunt, but not enough to slow him down.

His hand glowed red as he swung again, and I twisted away, bringing my knee up into his side. My shadows shifted to coat my leg at the last second, giving the strike more force.

The villain staggered a step but retaliated almost instantly, thrusting his palm toward me.

I jumped back, but the concussive wave clipped my shoulder, sending me tumbling into a stack of crates.

I bit down a curse, forcing myself back up. My mind raced, calculating his movements.

Every strike he threw had that same reckless power behind it. No technique, just pure, unrestrained force. He was running on adrenaline and Trigger-fueled rage.

The villain barreled forward, and I ducked low, sweeping his legs.

He stumbled but didn't fall, just spun around with a backhand that I barely avoided. I closed in, driving an elbow into his gut, coating it in darkness for extra power.

He gasped, but his glowing hand caught my side, and I felt something crack as the shockwave sent me sprawling.

Pain burned through my ribs, and I sucked in a shaky breath.

'Focus. Stay calm. You can't lose now.'

The guy laughed, the manic glint in his eyes making it clear he wasn't even thinking straight anymore. Just pure, primal aggression.

He stomped toward me, raising his hand like he was about to slam me into the pavement. I pushed through the pain and shot forward, coating my hand again, landing a solid uppercut to his jaw.

His head snapped back, and I didn't give him a chance to recover, throwing a straight punch to his sternum.

He skidded back, coughing, but the glow only intensified. With a guttural scream, he slammed both palms into the ground, sending a shockwave ripping through the concrete.

I barely managed to leap to the side, but the blast still sent me out of the building, crashing into a lamp post.

I felt warmth trickle down my forehead and wiped at it, finding blood on my fingers.

The villain stomped toward me again, dragging his feet like he was starting to feel the strain.

I wasn't much better off. My vision blurred for a moment, and I forced myself to stay upright.

It felt like I was fighting a wild animal, unpredictable and relentless. I needed a plan, but every second I wasted was another second Kenji could be bleeding out.

My heartbeat pounded in my ears, and I glanced at Kenji, still lying motionless on the ground.

I can't let him die. I just can't.

He swung at me again, and I coated my arm, blocking the blow with my forearm.

My muscles screamed at the impact, but I gritted my teeth and retaliated with a kick to his knee, making him buckle.

I followed up with a hammer fist to the back of his neck, and he dropped to one knee, gasping.

I didn't let up. Rushing in, I aimed a kick at his head, shadows coating my foot. He caught it, squeezing tight enough to make my bones creak, and I felt the shockwave pulse through my leg.

I bit back a scream and brought my other leg up, catching him under the chin and forcing him to release me.

As I landed, I staggered back, breathing hard. He wiped blood from his mouth, glaring at me with wild, unfocused eyes. Then his hand moved to his pocket—another vial.

My eyes widened as he jabbed it into his neck, and the red glow intensified, pulsating through his veins like molten lava.

He lunged forward faster than I could react, his palm slamming into my stomach. The impact sent me flying back, crashing into a car and denting the side.

My ribs screamed in agony, and I could taste blood in my mouth.

I tried to get up, but he was already there, looming over me. Before I could react, he drove his fist into my stomach again, and pain exploded through my body, leaving me gasping for air.

My vision started to darken, but I forced my mind to stay sharp, digging deep to muster any strength I had left.

When his hand glowed again, I moved on pure instinct, coating my fist and slamming it into his gut just before he could unleash the wave.

The force of my hit made him stagger back, clutching his stomach, and I used the moment to scramble to my feet, holding my side and trying to steady my breathing.

He glared at me, panting, the red glow flickering like a faulty light. I could tell his body was beginning to reach its limit from the overdose.

My heart kept pounding in my ear, drowning the sound of everything else. My eyes darted to the building, my mind racing towards Kenji.

I needed to finish this before time runs out or I collapse.

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