The air carried a metallic tang, sharp and biting, as if the walls themselves remembered bloodshed. Deep beneath the fractured skeleton of an abandoned industrial site, a dim subterranean chamber pulsed with quiet menace. Rusted piping creaked in the distance, steam hissing like whispered secrets between ghosts. Flickering bulbs cast trembling light, making the shadows dance across ten cloaked figures encircling a heavy, oil-stained table.
Each figure bore the scars of a past writ in violence—tattoos that pulsed with glowing ink, mechanical augmentations whirring with restrained power, or eyes gleaming with a madness honed by years of evasion and rebellion. They were not allies. They were a storm barely held in formation by shared purpose.
A screen buzzed to life in the background, cycling through surveillance stills. Images of a dark figure—Kael Ishiro, now known to the public and underground alike as Equinox, The Shadow of Justice—flashed in rapid succession. Each photo captured a different moment: a thug lying unconscious, shadow tendrils retracting into the darkness, a police scanner's aftermath of yet another "unofficial" takedown.
"He's becoming a symbol," one of the villains hissed, his voice broken like crushed glass. "The underworld's talking like he's some kind of dark savior. He takes our Quirks, our crews. We can't let this continue."
A younger villain leaned back, yawning dramatically. "Then let's just take him out already. What's stopping us? Ten of us. One of him."
"Don't be stupid," Ryken growled from his seat, arms crossed and gaze locked onto the screen. The metallic sheen in his eyes pulsed softly, a telltale sign of his internal systems analyzing everything on display. "You all saw what happened to Kazuro and Rottmaw. He didn't just beat them—he humiliated them. We go in blind, we lose more than pride."
Ryken stood, his voice now razor-sharp. "No more underestimating him. I say three of us—just three, should be enough. Enough to cause real chaos, but not enough to draw unwanted heat if it goes wrong."
The chamber went quiet, but nods soon followed.
"Fine," said a burly woman with crystalline claws for hands. "Three it is. I want first blood."
Ryken smirked. "Let's make sure he bleeds."
…
Meanwhile, beneath the familiar warmth of his aunt's bakery, Kael stood shirtless and focused, sweat clinging to his frame. The basement-turned-training facility echoed with grunts, thuds, and the occasional hum of activated Quirks. VoidFlare—Kenichi Hoshino—circled him like a predator, his eyes scanning for weaknesses.
Kael moved, faster than most eyes could track. Flashstep activated, bending light around his form in short bursts, propelling him like a mirage in motion. His momentum flowed into a punch aimed directly at Kenichi's chest.
But VoidFlare was faster.
A column of controlled cosmic fire erupted between them, forcing Kael to flip back, using a shadow tendril to anchor himself to the ceiling before rebounding.
"You're pushing it harder today," Kenichi noted, his voice calm yet edged with approval.
"I have to," Kael growled, landing behind him and attempting to bind his leg with DarkBind. "They're getting bolder. Stronger."
"You're still rushing," Kenichi replied, yanking his foot back and blasting a wave of energy that exploded across the room, Kael barely dodging.
Kael narrowed his eyes and activated both Quirks in unison. Shadow tendrils spiraled outward like a living net while bursts of Flashstep repositioned him midair, giving him unpredictable movement. In a coordinated strike, he chained shadows to erupt from below while delivering a midair kick from above.
Kenichi smirked.
With one hand, he absorbed the shadows into his own cosmic blaze—an infernal mix of gravity and starlight—and twisted, grabbing Kael mid-kick and slamming him into the floor. "Good—but still predictable if I know your rhythm."
Kael groaned. "You've been gone for three days. Thought you'd be tired."
Kenichi laughed. "I fought a dragon-like villain last week. You're easier to read than he was."
They stood, circling again, both breathing heavy. Kael blinked forward with Flashstep, shadows curling like smoke from his arms. He and Kenichi clashed in a blinding series of exchanges—shadow blade vs. solar flares, silent movement vs. radiant force.
Finally, Kael surged forward with a feint, his body flickering left—but Kenichi saw through it, predicting the real strike. A gravitational pulse hit Kael mid-dash, pinning him momentarily. That's all Kenichi needed.
With a sharp strike of light, he tapped Kael's chest and sent him sprawling.
"Again," Kael hissed, getting to his feet.
But Kenichi's communicator beeped sharply. He checked it, eyes narrowing.
"…There's a villain attack. Large-scale. Multiple Quirks reported. Close."
Kael tensed. "I'll go grab your gear—"
Kenichi held up a hand. "No. You suit up."
Kael blinked. "You're not going?"
"Only if it gets serious," he replied, his voice steady. "This is your fight, Equinox. At this time of night, causing all this damage and destruction. They want you to come out and play."
Kael's eyes flared with determination. The room dimmed slightly as his shadow tendrils tightened around his frame like a second skin.
Equinox had work to do.
…