(Takeru POV — Codename: Yama)
The briefing room was dim except for the blue glow from the holographic screen. Takeru sat across from Shun, wearing the matte-black armored suit the technicians had fitted for him earlier. The visor rested on the table, smooth and light, waiting to be activated.
Shun tapped the screen, bringing up the dossier of his target.
"Hero Name: Silver Gale. Civilian name: Satake Yorinobu. Age forty-two. Patrol and rescue hero. Wind-based quirk called Wind Tunnel that lets him create narrow blasts of compressed air."
The file switched to surveillance images: a casino interior, stacks of chips, Satake slumped at a bar.
Shun continued. "Severe gambling addiction. He's been taking Trigger for the past year. He used a Trigger-enhanced blast on two civilians last month and killed them. He falsified the reports and his agency covered for him. We confirmed the truth this week."
Takeru read through the reports silently. Satake looked tired, worn out, and careless. A man who couldn't stop digging the hole under his feet.
"Why not arrest him?" Takeru asked.
"His connections would make it complicated," Shun said. "Some people want him removed quietly. That's where you come in."
Takeru nodded. He didn't need more explanation.
Shun opened the equipment case. "Your suit is Kevlar with carbon fibre nanites it can withstand your strength and flight speed . The visor has night vision, thermal, and x-ray modes. It syncs to you automatically."
Takeru picked up the visor. It felt comfortable in his hands.
Shun stepped closer. "You will only be addressed by your code name Yama over the comms."
Takeru placed the visor on. It powered on with a soft hum.
Shun asked, "Do you remember the plan?"
"Yes. Intercept the vehicle on the mountain road. Neutralize the target inside the car. Stage a crash."
"Good," Shun said. "I'll be in your ear the entire time."
The mountains were quiet at night. The road was narrow, winding, and rarely used. Cold air moved between the trees, carrying the faint sound of insects and distant traffic.
Takeru crouched on an outcrop above the road, visor set to night vision. The thermal overlay highlighted the road in pale green lines. His breathing was steady and controlled.
Shun's voice came through the earpiece. "Yama, this is Control. He left the casino ten minutes ago. His driving is erratic. He is likely drunk ."
"Understood," Takeru said.
He scanned the road. Nothing yet.
Shun continued, "The car is approaching from the west. Estimated time to your intercept point is fifty seconds."
Takeru waited. Patience came naturally to him. In his old life, he had spent long stretches lying prone in sand and dirt waiting for orders. This wasn't very different.
A faint engine sound reached him from the distance.
"I hear him," Takeru said.
"Switch to thermal," Shun instructed.
Takeru tapped the side of the visor. The display shifted. A single bright signature appeared inside the approaching vehicle.
"That's him," Shun confirmed. "When you drop, make sure you land on the back half of the roof. Avoid crushing the driver too early. We still need you to make it look like a car accident."
"I know," Takeru said.
He stood, positioned himself at the edge, and waited for the sedan to enter the optimal angle.
"Twenty meters," Shun said. "Fifteen. Ten. Go."
Takeru stepped off the cliff.
Wind rushed past him. He angled his body slightly and fell cleanly toward the roof of the moving car. His boots made contact with a controlled impact that dented the roof without flipping the vehicle. Satake yelled something inside and jerked the wheel, swerving across the lane.
Takeru moved quickly. He crouched, reached down, and ripped the driver's window frame open. Satake turned toward him, eyes wide, face pale. His movements were sluggish; the alcohol had slowed his reaction time.
Takeru reached inside, grabbed Satake behind the neck, and applied a sharp, precise twist. The man's body went limp instantly. No shouting, no thrashing, Just silence and the wind howling in the mountains.
The car continued drifting forward. Takeru held it steady from the outside.
"Target neutralized," Takeru said.
"Acknowledged," Shun replied. "Proceed with staging."
Takeru stepped off the vehicle, planted his hands under the front bumper, and lifted it without effort. The metal groaned softly. He walked it a few meters off the road toward a large cedar tree. He positioned the vehicle at the right angle and shoved it forward at controlled speed.
The front end crumpled against the trunk. Glass broke. The hood bent in. From a forensic standpoint, it looked like a straightforward collision.
"Control, staging complete," Takeru said.
"Good," Shun answered. "Thermal scan the area. Any witnesses?"
Takeru swept the visor across the treeline. "No heat signatures besides animals."
"And audio?"
"Nothing," Takeru reported. "Mission area is clean."
Shun's voice softened slightly, though he still sounded composed. "Then return to base. Team Beta will handle cleanup."
Takeru launched upward into the air, pushing off hard enough to break the sound barrier shooting straight up . The cold wind wrapped around him as he gained altitude. Below, the road faded into darkness.
"Yama," Shun said through the earpiece, "for the record, that was smooth. No unnecessary contact. No damage to the surroundings. Perfect mission ."
"It was simple," Takeru said.
"Simple for you," Shun replied. "You should take that as a compliment."
Takeru didn't respond. He was doing what he needed to making the best of a bad situation and the man had more than earned his fate . This felt similar to operations he had done in his first life, except he no longer had a squad, a rifle, or the risk of being shot.
Takeru angled downward as he approached the Commission rooftop.
"you'll be compensated handsomely for this" Shun added. "once Madam president hears about this success."
Takeru landed on the rooftop without a sound. "Just double my allowance and i want to move out to an apartment outside the facility."
"I will see what i can do Takeru kun" Shun replied.
Takeru removed his visor and headed for the elevator.
The doors closed behind him.
Takeru was still pumped from the mission, He needed very little rest his smart atoms quirk gave him such a comprehensive boost to every aspect of his physiology. But he did not have x ray vision or heat vision like super man although this new visor seemed to compensate for it . The suit that was given to him could withstand his flight speed, He needed to design hero suit that he would use when he became a public hero. Takeru went to the training facility to practice , He had gained tremendous control over his abilities he was no longer scared of accidently tearing someone hand of or ripping doors when opening them. But Aerial combat was one area he needed to improve on . Generating leverage while flying was one of his most valuable abilities yet Takeru was not using them at their highest potential. His brute force and speed was more than sufficient to dispatch any foe. But Takeru knew there were always bigger fish in the sea and trained his quirk relentlessly focusing on exclusively on precision and control.