Chapter 216: Burn a bridge.

--Saturday, May 30, 2172

“What a headache...”

After a while, Mirko's voice echoed through the silence, drawing the attention of those present. Mirko began to sit up, covering her eyes with one hand.

“How are you feeling?”

At that moment, Mirko heard a female voice beside her, causing her rabbit ears to twitch slightly. Sitting up, Mirko turned to her left, where she found Ryukyu in her human form, sitting against the wall. Curious, Mirko quickly asked as she looked around.

“What happened?”

As she listened to the story of what had happened while she was unconscious, Mirko studied the people in the strange cave. Near the center was Kai, with one hand on Edgeshot’s head—who was unconscious—and the other on All Might’s back, who was sitting close by.

All Might and Kai greeted her with a nod, to which she responded in kind. Meanwhile, Ragdoll was sitting with her sword resting against Kai, her eyes closed, gently petting the armored black panther that slept peacefully at her side.

A little further to the left were Kamui Woods, Mandalay, Pixie-Bob, and Chatora, who all seemed fully recovered and ready to fight as they spoke in hushed tones. They also greeted her with a nod. But one thing Mirko noticed was that Mandalay and Pixie-Bob kept sneaking glances—subtle but constant—at Kai. A clear sign that something had happened beyond what Ryukyu was telling her.

“I see, it’s good you had the guts to stay and fight.”

When Ryukyu finished recounting what had happened, Mirko commented with a wide grin on her face. Knowing the reckless rabbit heroine, Ryukyu gently shook her head, then spoke in a calmer voice. She had already been healed by the man in armor in such a quick and thorough way that her curiosity about the strange man couldn’t help but grow several levels.

“We're just waiting for Edgeshot to wake up. But more importantly, how are you feeling?”

“A bit dizzy, but totally ready for battle.”

Mirko replied with full confidence, flexing the muscles in her arms and legs as she tested the condition of her body. Ryukyu nodded, then turned to look at Kai. At that moment, she asked in a low voice.

“You know 'Saito', don’t you?”

“Yeah, I know him.” Mirko replied with a teasing smile. Ryukyu chose to ignore Mirko’s expression and asked again.

“Is he someone trustworthy?”

“I don’t know him well enough to answer that.” Mirko replied, then let her gaze sweep over Ryuko, Shino, and Chatora, finally settling on Tomoko, who was still sitting behind Kai. That’s when she added in a suggestive tone.

“But I guess you’ve already figured out who does know him—and they seem to trust him a lot.”

“…”

Ryukyu nodded and focused her gaze on Tomoko, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully—like a cat in its favorite sunny spot. That scene, for some reason, stirred a strange mix of longing and a hint of envy in Ryukyu. Having someone to trust that deeply was something she had never had the privilege of experiencing, leaving a void in her life that she had no idea how to fill.

“Something’s coming!”

While Ryukyu wandered in her thoughts, she suddenly heard Ragdoll’s voice. Snapping back to reality and becoming fully alert, Ryukyu focused on the mental image as she turned to look at her. Tomoko’s eyes were wide open, and she was looking to the left—just like Kai.

“Get ready for battle. It feels like something big.”

Jumping to his feet, All Might spoke as he flexed his muscles, creating small shockwaves that stirred the air. Quickly, all the heroes stood up—but at that moment, Kai’s slightly distorted voice echoed through the cave.

“It’s the strong ones.”

Upon hearing Kai, everyone turned to look at him, just as images of his battle with the monsters—and their corresponding information—appeared in their minds. Alarmed, All Might asked urgently.

“Those monsters?!”

“They’re weaker, maybe around your current level, but there are three of them—and they’re different from the ones I sensed last time.”

Kai replied in a heavy voice, as that practically confirmed that the spiders were capable of producing new ‘powerhouses.’ For his part, All Might turned to Ryuko and ordered seriously.

“Pixie-Bob, move the earth and get us out of here! We can’t fight something like that while Saito is healing Edgeshot!”

“Right away!”

Ryuko responded firmly as she placed her hands on the ground. In an instant, everyone felt a strong jolt from the sudden inertia, letting them know they were being moved at high speed. At the same time, the heroes formed a circular formation around Kai, all wearing grim expressions and clenching their fists tightly.

With a deadly serious expression, Ryuko manipulated the earth to move the dome they were in, pulling them away from the spiders, which she could see thanks to the mental image shared by Tomoko. But thanks to that same image, everyone present could tell that of the three spiders following them, two seemed to be at the same height—they were also moving underground.

“They managed to prepare a ‘countermeasure’ in just 30 minutes…?”

Kamui Woods commented in a grim, heavy voice as he repeatedly reviewed the mental image. Kai, who was using both hands to heal Edgeshot, responded in a composed tone.

“That’s actually a good thing. Last time, it took them less than five minutes.”

“…”

The other heroes turned to look at Kai in complete silence, with Ryukyu and Kamui Woods breaking a light cold sweat on their foreheads. Meanwhile, Shino asked in a thoughtful tone, one hand resting on his chin.

“Do you think they’re ‘weaker’ now?”

“That, or they’re being more cautious.” Kai replied in a calm voice, his eyes fixed on Edgeshot. “Last time, they quickly sent their strongest and overwhelmed me with numbers—but I still managed to escape. This time, they might be trying a different tactic.”

“Are they luring us into another trap?” Ryukyu asked, equally thoughtful. All Might quickly gave an order in a serious tone.

“Pixie-Bob, try going down.”

“Alright, but I’ll have to cut off the air tunnels. Get ready.”

Ryuko replied, then manipulated the earth to lower the dome. Curious, Shino looked at All Might and asked through the mental link, since everyone was regulating their breathing like before.

[Why go down?]

[I suspect their intention is to drive us back to the surface.] All Might explained with a serious expression and added.

[The markers Saito and Ragdoll placed in the mental image seem to point downward, and from what we saw, Saito’s last attack wiped out everything on the surface—but there are still plenty of spiders left.

[So, it’s likely their nest is underground, and they don’t want us getting close to it, or they wouldn’t need to block our path with webs. It would’ve been more effective to just let us pass and overwhelm us with numbers.]

[It seems you’re right.]

Kai’s voice reached everyone’s minds just as the spiders in the shared mental image rushed downward, trying to intercept from below. At that moment, Mirko stood up, slammed her fist into her palm, and sent a message through the mental link radiating excitement and a hunger for action.

[I bet there’s a queen or something down there. Let’s go get her!]

[Possible—but how do we get through the web below?]

Chatora asked in a serious tone, then turned to look at Kai. The others also looked at Kai in silence, just as he withdrew his hands from Edgeshot. Then, looking at them, he sent a message through the mental link.

[The method I have can only be used once every six hours—and it might not even work. Also, don’t forget, using it means burning a bridge.]

All Might turned to look at Kai, intending to ask something, but at that moment, the young man raised his hand to signal him to stop and looked at Tomoko. Curious, All Might glanced at Tomoko and found her looking at Kai and nodding—with what seemed like a mix of surprise and understanding on her beautiful face. The Symbol of Peace quickly asked.

[What is it?]

[There’s something strange about 300 meters below the lower web.] Kai sent through the mental link, while his fingers, glowing with small arcs of electricity, hovered near Edgeshot’s chest. Tomoko quickly added.

[Spiders are appearing out of ‘nowhere’!]

Upon hearing Tomoko, everyone quickly focused on the shared mental image, where they could “see” dozens of spiders gradually appearing, as if emerging from a hole.

But curiously, all the spiders were forming a horizontal line beneath them, as if they were emerging from the same place. Both confused and intrigued, All Might turned to look at Kai, intending to ask a question—but unexpectedly, he found the young man electrocuting the unconscious Edgeshot.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Edgeshot jolted upright, visibly alarmed and letting out a strange sound, which finally allowed the Symbol of Peace to breathe a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Kai looked at Ryuko and sent a telepathic message in a serious tone. For some reason, that seriousness made everyone’s skin crawl—something felt off, as if the temperature had suddenly dropped by several dozen degrees.

[Pixie-Bob, I need you to open a cavity that connects us to the place where those spiders are coming from. There must be something down there capable of deceiving my perception—and I need to investigate it.]

[Is something wrong, Saito?] Sensing a strange shift in Kai’s attitude, All Might asked with a hint of confusion, while glancing at the newly awakened Edgeshot with mixed feelings. Kai replied in an incredibly serious tone.

[It’s the first time I’ve encountered something like this. Even when Ragdoll’s quirk is blocked, mine has always been able to perceive the surroundings clearly. If there’s something capable of hiding from me, I have to find out what it is—no matter the cost. So, this is the last chance to back out. I’m about to burn a bridge to get through the lower web.]

Upon hearing Kai—especially the cold tone in his voice—the Pussycats looked at each other, disbelief written clearly across their faces. They understood perfectly where those emotions were coming from. In the case of Kai’s parents’ murder, there was a mystery that, even to this day, remained unanswered. If Kai’s perception was inherited from Alisa, then why hadn’t she realized they were being followed on the day of the attack?

As Ryukyu approached the confused and dizzy Edgeshot, Ryuko quickly placed her hands on the ground and opened the passage Kai had asked for, which ended up being about 50 cm in diameter. At that moment, Ryuko looked at Kai and spoke in a voice full of determination.

[There’s nothing to think about. We’re going with you.]

[You think I’d back down, boy? Don’t underestimate me! Let’s go kill some spiders!!] Mirko announced quickly, a huge grin on her face. Meanwhile, Kamui Woods and Ryukyu exchanged solemn looks.

[From the start, I came here with the intention of fighting to the end.] Ryukyu declared, looking directly at Kai. [If the escape method helps uncover the truth behind the spiders, so be it. I came here without expecting to leave, so I won’t need it.]

[I feel the same way. There’s nothing to consider.] Kamui Woods added as he clenched his fists tightly. [We go all the way!]

[Even though I still don’t fully understand what’s happened.] The still-dizzy Edgeshot said as he stood up. [we are pro-heroes. Going further is the least that’s expected of us. Let’s move forward with a Plus Ultra.]

[You heard them, Saito-shonen.] All Might said, stepping forward and sending a telepathic message while looking at Kai, then added with his iconic heroic smile.

[We go all the way.]

At that moment, two kunai formed from Salem’s fur, each engraved with the pattern of an electrical circuit and strange runes, along with what looked like a sharp handguard. Kai took the kunai while looking at the brave heroes in front of him with a calm expression, then added in a composed tone.

[I hope you won’t regret this.]

[Never!!] Mirko replied with a predatory grin, while the Pussycats stared at Kai with slightly offended expressions.

With a smooth motion, Kai pointed the kunai in his hand toward the opening, as several electric arcs sparked around his hand. After a few quick flashes, the kunai shot into the hole faster than a bullet. As the heroes looked at Kai in surprise, his steady voice echoed in their minds.

[Touch a part of my body.]

Though a bit confused, the heroes quickly followed Kai’s instructions and touched a part of his body. Meanwhile, Kai took another five kunai that emerged from Salem’s fur and threw them to the ground, forming a kind of pentagram that encircled the entire group.

At that moment, Kai formed the Flying Lotus mudra with his hands, holding the final kunai between his thumbs, and then released a surge of electricity that passed through all the heroes around him, ultimately linking the five kunai on the ground with crackling arcs of electricity.

[Total chunibyo. ] Mirko sent telepathically, grinning mockingly as her muscles twitched involuntarily from the current.

[It’s awesome, not chunibyo!] Tomoko shot back, glaring at Mirko with defiance—looking far less affected by the electricity.

Meanwhile, Shino, Ryuko, and Chatora, although internally curious—since it was the first time they’d seen Kai do something like this—chose to remain silent and endured the numbing sensation. At that moment, Kai announced loudly.

“Static Mark: Stormbound Shift!”

With Kai’s declaration, bluish electric arcs surged from his body, enveloping everyone and greatly intensifying the numbness in the heroes’ bodies. Along with the lightning, the group suddenly felt a strange sensation of vertigo that made them slightly dizzy—at which point they realized their surroundings had completely changed.

Instead of the well-lit dome they had been in, the heroes now found themselves in a circular tunnel about 15 meters in diameter. The tunnel was dimly lit by scattered crystals emitting a greenish glow, which allowed them to see dozens of spiders of various sizes moving throughout the area.

The heroes stared at the new scene with wide eyes, nearly frozen by the combination of electricity still running through their bodies and the shock of this strange new place. But at that moment, the electricity abruptly stopped, and a distinct cracking sound echoed through the tunnel—snapping them out of their daze all at once.

Looking down, the group noticed that the kunai in Kai’s hands had shattered as if made of glass—something that seemed to serve as some kind of signal. The surrounding spiders, who had appeared just as dazed as the group of heroes, suddenly let out a high-pitched screech before leaping in to attack the intruders.

“Let the party begin! HAHAHA!” Mirko shouted loudly, then burst into laughter as she launched herself toward a group of three charging spiders. At the same time, Kai called out in a deep voice.

“Salem.”

Letting out a powerful roar, Salem unleashed fierce electric arcs throughout the tunnel before rocketing forward at high speed, tearing through spiders in every direction. Meanwhile, Kai—his expression hidden in shadow beneath his helmet—accelerated his thoughts to the limit and expanded his Observation Haki and [En] to the fullest.

[There really are ways to hide from Observation Haki…]

Studying the strange tunnel, which was packed to the brim with spiders, Kai spoke in a heavy, reflective tone through the connection he shared with Sage. The beautiful fairy, flying beside her master in her [In] state, replied as a large number of holographic screens appeared and disappeared rapidly in front of her.

[We need to collect samples from this place, Master. Something here is capable of blocking Observation Haki. Though it doesn’t seem to be able to do the same against [En].]

Kai understood what Sage meant. After all, at first, when the spiders suddenly started appearing, he had believed they were teleporting. But it only took extending his [En] to realize the truth: beneath them lay a complex network of tunnels filled with spiders—completely undetectable by his Haki.

[How likely do you think it is that these spiders are connected to the attack on my parents?] Kai asked Sage with a flat, cold expression. The beautiful fairy responded in a thoughtful tone.

[Impossible to say, Master. But without a doubt, this is a lead. We’ve never encountered anything capable of blocking Observation Haki.] Sage’s expression suddenly turned resolute, and she added in a tone filled with ferocity and a thirst for vengeance.

[But I believe we finally have a thread to follow—to find the real killers!]

[Record every detail of this place, Sage.]

As his Conqueror’s Haki began to leak out, Kai gave the order in a serious tone, his gaze sweeping over the Pussycats, then to Mirko and the rest of the heroes. After a few moments of silence, he added in a calm voice to his trusted assistant.

[And once you’ve secured a retreat route for the Pussycats, find a way to get the others out—especially Mirko and All Might.]

[I already have several plans prepared, Master.] Sage replied as several information screens appeared on Kai’s helmet. Kai responded in a satisfied tone.

[You’re the best, Sage.]

***

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