I'd always considered myself a perceptive guy. Prided myself on it, actually. Reading people was my thing—a survival skill honed through years of schmoozing rich marks and dodging debt collectors in my past life.
But watching Momo Yaoyorozu transform before my eyes? That caught me off guard.
One moment she was the flustered rich girl, all wide eyes and hesitation. The next, something shifted. Her back straightened. Her eyes hardened. The trembling hands steadied.
"Your plan was good," she said, voice cool and measured as she finished bandaging my arm, "but it was reactive. We need to be proactive."
I raised an eyebrow. "Change the rules how?"
"We separate them." She moved to the barricaded door, pressing her ear against it to listen for Yuzuriha. "Our cat friend is a hunter, driven by the thrill of the chase. And Manga is a performer who needs a stage."
"So what's the play, Princess?" I leaned against a desk, wincing as my fresh scratches pulled. Getting tossed around by a cat girl wasn't on my U.A. bucket list, but here we were.
She turned to me, and I almost didn't recognize her. The nervous heiress was gone. In her place stood someone... commanding.
"You will be the bait," she said, her dark eyes locking with mine. No stuttering, no blushing. Just pure tactical focus. "Lead Yuzuriha away from the objective. You don't have to beat her. You just have to survive and keep her occupied."
"And what are you going to do?" I asked, genuinely intrigued.
A small, determined smile curved her lips. "I am going to deal with the artist."
Well, damn. Who knew Princess had claws?
"I'll create a series of flashbangs to disorient Yuzuriha if she corners you," she continued, already pulling materials from her body. "And these are sonic dampeners." Small earplugs materialized in her palm. "They'll protect against Manga's sound-based attacks."
I took the offered earplugs, slipping them into my pocket. "How will I know when you've got the weapon?"
"You won't," she said simply. "But I'll know when you've successfully distracted Yuzuriha." She handed me three small, metal spheres. "Use these only if absolutely necessary. They're high-intensity light grenades. They'll temporarily blind her enhanced vision."
I rolled the spheres between my fingers, impressed by their compact design. "Anything else I should know about this plan of yours?"
"Yes." She met my gaze with unwavering confidence. "Don't lose."
I couldn't help it. I laughed. "Yes, ma'am."
Yaoyorozu moved to the window, creating a small mirror to check outside. "I'll take the outside route to the fourth floor. They won't expect that."
"While I kick in the front door and make myself impossible to ignore," I finished, already palming a playing card. "Classic diversion."
She nodded. "Three minutes. That's how long I need you to keep Yuzuriha occupied."
"Consider it done." I rolled my shoulders, feeling the sting of fresh cuts. "Though I have to warn you, Princess, this might get messy."
"It already is," she replied, glancing at my bandaged arm.
With surprising dexterity, she climbed onto the windowsill and created a grappling hook in her palm. I watched as she secured it to the window frame above.
"Yukio," she said, pausing before she swung out. My name, not "Murano-san." Progress. "Be careful."
And then she was gone, swinging out into the open air toward the building's exterior.
I turned to the barricaded door, feeling the weight of the playing card between my fingers. Time to put on a show.
"Ladies and gentlemen," I murmured to myself, charging the card with violet energy, "the game begins."
I kicked aside the barricade and flung the door open, stepping into the hallway with deliberate nonchalance. No sign of our feline friend yet. I flicked the charged card down the empty corridor. It spun through the air, a violet blur, before striking the far wall.
CRACK!
The explosion echoed through the building, violet light flashing against the walls. Not subtle, but subtlety wasn't the point. I wanted attention.
"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty…" I called, voice echoing down the hallway.
I didn't have to wait long.
She melted from the shadows at the end of the corridor, her movements fluid and predatory. Yuzuriha's violet eyes gleamed in the dim light, her tail swishing lazily behind her.
"Decided to come out and play?" Her voice was a sultry purr that somehow managed to sound both seductive and threatening.
"Thought you might be getting bored," I replied, backing up slowly. "Chasing is more fun than waiting, right?"
Her smile widened, revealing those too-sharp canines. "You have no idea."
And then she lunged.
I was ready for it this time. I ducked low and sprinted in the opposite direction, not bothering to look back.
The second floor of the building was a maze of hallways and office spaces. Perfect for what I needed. I slid around a corner, charged a handful of beads, and scattered them in my wake. Each one detonated seconds later, forcing Yuzuriha to dodge and weave.
"Running already?" she called, her voice closer than I expected. "And here I thought we were getting along!"
I vaulted over a desk, landing in a larger workspace filled with cubicles. "Who said anything about running?" I tossed back, charging another card and sending it ricocheting off three different surfaces before it exploded near her position.
She dodged it effortlessly, her body twisting in mid-air. "Cute trick," she purred, landing on all fours. "Got any others?"
I grinned, pulling two more cards from my sleeve. "Plenty."
The next minute was pure chaos. I'd charged through this room on our first sweep, memorizing the layout. Now I used it to my advantage, ducking between cubicles, sliding under desks, and using every object I could grab as a potential weapon. Staplers, paperweights, pens—all charged and thrown with precision.
Yuzuriha was relentless. Where I was calculated, she was instinctual. Where I planned, she simply reacted. She flowed over obstacles that slowed me down, her movements a blend of ballet and brutality.
I burst through a door onto the stairwell, taking the steps three at a time to reach the third floor. Behind me, I heard Yuzuriha laugh—a sound that sent chills down my spine.
"You're making this too easy," she called.
I spun at the top of the stairs, charging and throwing three balls in rapid succession. The first two she dodged. The third caught her shoulder, exploding with enough force to knock her back a step.
Her smile vanished, replaced by something hungrier. "That hurt."
I led her through another series of hallways, burning through nearly all my small projectiles. My hands were empty now except for two playing cards and the light grenades Yaoyorozu had given me. Time to change tactics.
I pushed through a set of double doors into what looked like an executive conference room—a large, open space with minimal cover. A massive table dominated the center, surrounded by plush chairs. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined one wall, offering a view of the training ground below.
Perfect.
I turned to face Yuzuriha as she sauntered into the room, her tail flicking behind her with obvious anticipation.
"Nowhere left to run," she purred, closing the distance between us. "What will you do now?"
I backed up until I felt the cool surface of a support column against my spine and gave her a smile.
Her eyes narrowed, suspicious of my sudden change in demeanor. She slowed her approach, scanning the room for traps.
Smart cat. Too bad it wouldn't help her.
Throughout our chase, I'd been leaving charged objects around the room—small things she wouldn't notice in the heat of pursuit. A paperweight on the windowsill. A stapler by the door. A metal pen on the floor.
And the piece de resistance? The conference table itself.
"You know," I said conversationally, "my sister always wanted a cat. I told her they were too unpredictable."
Yuzuriha's smile was all teeth. "Smart boy."
She lunged, closing the distance between us in the blink of an eye. But instead of dodging, I stood my ground, catching her wrists as her claws slashed toward my chest. The impact drove me back against the column, her strength impressive despite her size.
"You're trying so hard," she whispered, her face inches from mine. "It's cute. Why don't you just give in? I promise I'll be gentle."
I grinned, tightening my grip on her wrists. "Tempting, kitty-cat. But I'm not that easy."
With a mental command, I triggered the first wave of charges scattered throughout the room. They detonated in sequence—pop, pop, pop!—each explosion forcing Yuzuriha to react, to adjust her position.
She hissed in frustration, releasing me to dodge a particularly close blast. I used the opening to slip away from the column, circling toward the center of the room.
"What's wrong?" I taunted. "I thought cats were supposed to have good reflexes."
Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "I'm going to enjoy this," she growled, crouching low.
She sprang at me again, but this time I was ready. I triggered the next wave of charges, creating a pattern of explosions that forced her to change direction mid-leap. She landed on the conference table—exactly where I wanted her.
"Game over," I said, and triggered the final charge.
The table erupted with violet energy, the blast directed upward to catch Yuzuriha in its full force. The explosion wasn't deadly, but it was powerful—a concussive wave that sent her sailing toward the ceiling with a yowl of surprise.
She twisted in mid-air, trying to right herself, but the blast had done its job. She landed hard on the floor, momentarily dazed, her sensitive ears ringing from the close-range explosion.
I moved in, capture tape ready. One clean wrap around her wrists, and I'd have her secured.
Then the building shook.
A tremendous "KABOOM!" rattled the windows and made the lights flicker. The sound was so massive, so physical, it was like being hit with a wall of force. Manga's Quirk, without a doubt. But the scale of it... that had to be Yaoyorozu's doing.
The sound was the final straw for Yuzuriha's overloaded senses. Her cat ears flattened against her head, and she cried out, clapping her hands over them in pain.
I paused, capture tape still in hand. The signal was clear: Yaoyorozu had reached the weapon. My job was done.
I knelt beside Yuzuriha, her senses still overwhelmed by the assault. My hands moved with practiced efficiency, winding the capture tape around her wrists.
"Not quite how I imagined tying you up," I murmured, my voice low.
Her ears twitched at my words, and despite her disorientation, a small smirk played at the corner of her mouth.
"Careful," she purred, her voice slightly strained but still maintaining that dangerous edge. "A girl might get the wrong idea."
I pulled the tape tighter, securing her hands behind her back. She arched slightly at the motion, her body tensing against the restraint.
"Or maybe the right one," I countered, my thumb accidentally brushing against her wrist.
She shivered – a tiny movement I might have missed if I hadn't been so close.
"You're an interesting one, Murano," she whispered, tilting her head to meet my gaze. Her violet eyes were slightly glazed but focused intently on mine. "Most prey doesn't enjoy being caught."
I finished securing the tape and stood up, offering her a lazy grin.
"Thanks for the dance."