『ARC FIVE: NULL AND VOID』

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Tomohiro never thought he would have the chance of getting a family in the past. He was used to being alone since fate always loved ripping away those he loved. He put up a barrier between himself and others because he was frightened that they would eventually leave him. If he did not get close to anyone, he would not have to feel that pain again. He's already felt enough of that tearing sensation in his heart. He could have kept lying to himself.

Yet those around him refused to allow him to isolate himself. First it was Etoile, Kohei and Sumiko. Then it was those who had formed a team alongside him. Finally, it was the two children who gleamed so brightly in that alleyway. Although he would not admit it, he's grateful for those who wore him down little by little, sticking to him like glue and chipping away at the wall he put up.

Even if he would never say those words, that did not mean he did not cherish those memories made with all of those people. They were vivid in his mind and engraved in his soul. So whenever he recalls those memories, he cannot help but allow a smile to grace his lips. He cannot allow those memories to stay as such a thing. He does not want to lose another person when they were so close.

Some part of him knew what he was doing was illogical. The continuous harsh whispers from his friends and colleagues fell on deaf ears no matter what they said. So what if it was not right? So what if it was not the correct manner to solve things? Every other plan crumbled at his feet with no results to show for it. It does not matter to him if he strayed off the correct path just a little. No Hero was entirely flawless. Their morals are aligned with that of justice and protecting others, but by no means does that mean that one is perfect.

Tomohiro was not a perfect Hero, nor was he an entirely good person. The sphere of amethyst hanging around his neck was just one example. The second was his willingness to agree to Decadence's proposal. A Hero should not team up with a vigilante. It was unheard of and for many good reasons. You did not know when they would stab you in the back.

But that was the least of his problems. All he wanted was his family back together. Then he could face all of the repercussions.

The handle of the scythe crafted solely out of ink twisted around the dark-colored glove adorning Tomohiro's hand. His teeth slammed against each other, rattling as he tightened his grasp on the handle. Kicking off his right foot, he jumped back and swept the weapon across his body. The hardened ink blade collided with the blue wisps of ghostly energy and effortlessly sliced through it. Allowing the heavy end of the scythe to fall, the man curled around his fingers and swirled on his heels. The blunt edge jammed itself into the eerie dismembered hand that tried to grab onto his foot.

His tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth in annoyance. He has less than one hour before Luciano's Quirk would run out of power, and the time Quirk that held him hostage would return. Then, he would be rendered useless. That meant he had to move quickly or else-

"Oi, Inscribe! Watch it!"

Tomohiro's fingers twitched as he twirled around on his heel. Barely managing to catch sight of a red baton, the Hero slammed the blunt of the scythe on the floor and shifted it between hands. The end of the baton banged against the length of the weapon. An amused giggle echoed against the walls alongside bell chimes. Reina's dual-colored eyes brightened in delight before they caught the sight of something moving around in her peripheral vision.

Glittering silver claws glinted in the fluorescent lights and slid across the air. Teshigahara's eyes tightened with fury when she only nicked strands of olive hair. Another bout of laughter trickled out of Reina's lips as she maneuvered her body mid-air. As quiet as a mouse, the Villain's feet landed with ease.

"Woah! Woah, woah, woah! Talk about fast! Ya don't seem like the runt of the litter!" Threading the baton through her fingers, Reina pressed her other hand against her chest. Her body dipped down in a bow. "Very, very, very interesting! Yer very intriguing! Yes indeed!"

"Oh, shut your trap!" Teshigahara snarled. She opened her mouth to say something else but was distracted by another wispy hand trying to latch onto her ankle. As she bared her fangs at the ghostly apparition, the tiger curled her pawed hand and punched it. The blue limb dispersed in a flurry of mist. "These things are so annoying!"

"How rude of ya ta say so! Just because Ukiyo isn't here to tell ya off doesn't mean I can't! Nope, nope, nope! Besides, ya broke into this place without permission! Ya need to knock before ya come charging in!" The olive-haired woman pouted, head cocking to reveal her blue and pink eyes. "Don't ya have manners?"

"Funny that a Villain is lecturing us on knocking on a fucking door. Kidnapping people ain't amicable either, you know!" The tiger's ears swerved on her head, picking up the vibrations of another wispy nearing her waist. A swift kick to the sphere with teeth was enough to destroy it.

There are multiple of those wisps, yet they're destroyed with ease. Why? Tomohiro thought to himself as he sliced a few dismembered limbs with his weapon without trouble. A distraction? They're trying to keep us from going any further.

An ear-splitting screech echoed when silver claws continuously scratched at the surface of the baton. Nonetheless, Reina was able to parry each attack like it was nothing. Effortlessly, the olive-haired woman curled herself back into a flip before landing. "Yer very strong! Each punch carries a lot of force! A mutation Quirk! I haven't seen a Quirk like that in a while! Nope, nope, nope! None of us here have furry ears or long tails!"

The words spoken by the woman were easily ignored. Crouching beside Tomohiro's form, Teshigahara's striped tail flicked in anger. Neither of the Heroes tore their eyes away from the olive-haired woman, scrutinizing every movement she made. At the same time, they felt their senses react to the spectors floating around the room. Teshigahara brandished her claws, one sharp curve sinking into a blue eye.

"Where's my daughter?" Tomohiro inquired, voice filled with frustration as he sidestepped. He pointed the blade in Reina's direction, his gaze solidifying into an icy glare. "And enough with these games."

"Games, games, games? Are we playing a game? Hmm, how strange. I never thought about it that way! I applaud ya for yer out-of-the-box thinking!" The Villain snapped her fingers as a faux gasp slipped past her lips. She jabbed her baton in their direction. "Hmm, the shiny one, right? Well, well, well, excellent question! Yes, very much indeed! Well... why should I tell ya? Yer uninvited guests! It's my job ta escort ya out!"

The tip of the scythe slammed into the ground, thoroughly digging into the ball of teeth. Tomohiro's white eyes never left Reina's form, and a scowl etched itself across his lips. "Pitiful. It seems we're not going receive any verbal response from this woman."

"Yeah, it seems like negotiation isn't gonna get us very far, Inscribe. Especially with these stupid things-" Razor-sharp claws sliced through the cerulean spectors, tearing them into misty ribbons. A snarl was ripped free from her vocal cords. "-keep us busy while she attacks us for entertainment!"

"Oh! Ya like my performance?" The flat of Reina's foot connected with Teshigahara's transformed forearm. However, the attack did not do any damage. Miniscule grains of dust coated the Hero's white fur, and Teshigahara grimaced. "Glad I can be of service ta ya!"

Twirling the red baton in her hand, the bells encircling the woman's tophat chimed with glee. With a confident grin spread across her lips, the Villain brought the pole down. At the same time, spheres with their jaws unhinged revealed the rows of dirty teeth. They soared, eager to sink their fangs into Teshigahara's skin and fur. The tiger's brows furrowed together as her blue eyes widened. As best as the Hero could, she positioned her hind legs behind her while bringing her arm up. She hissed as the feeling of the rigid object collided with her palm.

Moments before the teeth sunk into her body, light glinted off the ink blade before it carved through the ghostly apparitions. Teshigahara curled her paw around the scarlet pole and reeled her arm back. A stunned look graced Reina's features before her head was knocked back by the tiger's knuckles slamming into the bridge of her nose. A sickening crack echoed the second the cartilage broke.

Reina stumbled back, locks of olive hair falling onto her face. Her hand instantly flew to her face, cradling her nose. Her dual eyes widened in surprise when she felt the trails of crimson seep through the crevices of her cupped fingers. Droplets of blood splattered against the ground, creating a puddle with ripples drawn across it. However, the shock was short-lived. She straightened her back and flicked her bloody hand to the side.

She blinked a few times, almost like she was trying to fix her vision. Her mismatched pupils rose to glance at the Heroes, and a grin erupted onto her face. It would have been a cheerful smile if not for the blood coating her once white teeth. "I knew it! Ya are very strong! Yes, yes, yes!"

Teshigahara drove her knee into the base of the baton, and she tossed the two halves over her shoulder. They clattered when they hit the ground. Annoyance flared in her irises. "I think that's the first person I've seen happy to get punched. But it took us ten minutes just to land a single fucking hit. At this rate, we ain't gonna make it."

"I know!" Tomohiro slammed the blunt part of his weapon into another hand before swirling around to smack a wispy eye. His teeth ground together in frustration. He was beginning to feel the sweat dribble down his jawline. "But we have to. The others are covering us with the other four Villains near the entrance. We can't let their efforts go to waste!"

Unbeknownst to either Hero, Reina tipped her hat. Holding her bloodied hand out, another baton materialized and sunk into her grasp. "No, no, no! I can't let ya get any further! I wouldn't want little miss Junri ta get mad at me! Such a drawl woman, that one is! Can't appreciate a good performance when she sees one!"

Tomohiro skittered back a few steps as the edge of the scythe's blade continuously collided with the rough edge of Reina's baton. He released a harsh grunt when he felt the female apply more pressure to her attack. Even if Reina did not look that strong, that did not mean she was not. Hopping back on her right foot, she jumped up before bringing her heel down. The ink-haired man lifted his forearm to block the attack. He tried to swing his weapon at her, but he could not do so because his body was unbalanced. Shoving his arm forward, Tomohiro managed to push Reina off of him.

We can't keep wasting time here! We have to find an opening! The ink-haired man thought in a rush as he jumped out of the way of musty chomping down. But there's too much to try and breakthrough. It's either these ghosts or Reina distracting the two of us. They just want to keep us busy. What do I do?

Tomohiro could see the sharp glints of various hues materializing out of nowhere in his peripheral vision. Simultaneously, the Hero and Villain found their lips parting in shock. Each slice of light effortlessly cut through the spectors while a carefree giggle resonated. It did not even take a second for Tomohiro to figure out who that laughter belonged to. It seemed like Teshigahara caught on even quicker.

Teshigahara's furred tail angrily flicked at the air while she squatted on all paws. "You just love to take your time to arrive, huh, Decadence?"

"How was I supposed to know you were going to take forever? I'm not a prophet even if I can read the stars. If you wanted an oracle, you should have brought one!"

The sharp edge of a silver knife gleamed with ecstasy as the blade pressed firmly against Reina's neck. Decadence's other hand settled itself underneath the Villain's chin and forced the woman to look at the vigilante. The pepper-haired person smiled sweetly with a glint of mischief in her eyes. Zie leaned in close to the woman's ear. "Don't move."

"Oh? Ya want me ta listen ta ya? Hmm, maybe I'll take ya up on that offer if ya take this sharp knife away from me! It would make things easier for me ta talk about! Yes, yes, yes!" Reina's eyes narrowed into deep slits while her irises were filled to the brim with amusement.

Decadence pressed the blade's tip into the Villain's skin, and a droplet of blood trickled out of the small cut adorning her throat. Raising zir gaze, zie shifted zir attention onto Tomohiro. "Go."

Tomohiro did not even bother to thank the vigilante before taking off. He was close. So, so very close. The amethyst burned against his collarbone in agreement.

The corridors he ran through blended together. Every single one mirrored the same appearance as if he was sprinting through a maze. Despite the pain and exhaustion tugging at his muscles, he forced himself to keep running.

"Tomohiro," a familiar feminine voice whispered his name quietly.

His footsteps came to a halt before he turned around. His fingers tightened around his weapon while his other hand brushed against his calligraphy pen. White eyes narrowed into a glare. "Junri."

The sharp glint of metal reflected off of the bo staff held in her grasp. Experimentally, the female placed it on top of the back of her hand and watched it sway side by side. "It's nice to see you again. I never thought I would see you again, but I suppose when my doll killed itself in your home, it wasn't a great reunion."

"Where is Tanami? I don't want any excuses from you."

She rolled the staff into her palm before jabbing the end of it in Tomohiro's direction. The wrinkles underneath her eyes tightened. "Your daughter? She's somewhere around here. I'm not quite too sure where though. One of my cranes informed me they managed to break free from their cell. Where she is specifically, well, not even my powers can be that detailed."

"I need you to get out of my way," Tomohiro responded as he positioned himself in an offensive stance.

A small smile graced Junri's lips while she shook her head. "Then make me move."

Twirling on her toes, Junri effortlessly dodged the ink blade of Tomohiro's scythe. Instead, the woman shifted the bo staff between her fingers before swinging it. Metal crashing against a hard substance resonated between them. Their attacks were synchronized, like they were performing a play rather than a fight.

Swift and steadfast movements were exchanged with ease. Both of them already recognized the others' attack before it happened, and their bodies adapted to whatever hit came next. Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Junri rushed forth as her right hand formed into a fist. She shoved it forward, her knuckles aiming to collide with Tomohiro's throat. However, the attack never landed as the ink-haired male brushed the attack over to the side with his palm.

Tomohiro brought his knee up and connected with the woman's abdomen in response. She skittered back, coughs ripping free from her mouth. Her free hand clenched her chest while she shook her head. White ringlets fell in front of her sight.

"You were always the better fighter between us. Even if you were injured, the moves are far too ingrained into your muscles." Junri swept a thumb across her bottom lip to remove the saliva that flew out of her mouth.

"Why aren't you using your Quirk?" Tomohiro took a few steps back, trying to place some space in between them. His teeth lightly ground together as he tried to distinguish whether or not Junri had actually used her Quirk. Euthymia's Sentience was not a Quirk that a normal human could feel anyway.

"I want a fair fight." The white-haired woman stated as she curled both hands around her weapon. "I've never beaten you in normal combat. Why not try now?"

Soft laughter trickled out of Tomohiro's mouth before his expression fell into one of seriousness. "That's not going to happen."

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"Have you made a decision? Because it's now or never."

Although the unrhythmic tapping of shoes hitting the ground in a rapid succession bounced off the hallway's walls, Chamaeleon's words still rung in Tanami's eardrums. After a month of feeling a void snuggled in the depths of her chest, Tanami could only flex her fingers to and fro as she felt the tingles of her Quirk wriggling underneath her skin once more. When her arms pumped back and forth in front of her, she could barely catch the deep line of purple latching onto her wrists when her sleeves fell back.

The urge to drag a fingertip across the mark left behind by the Quirk canceling cuffs was strong, but she thought against it. Such a thing was not exactly the most important thing to focus on at the moment. The ends of her jacket rubbed against her thighs, reminding her that the paper crane shoved in her pocket was still present. No matter how much she tried to tear her attention away from the piece of origami, her mind kept bringing up its image into her mind.

High above her head, the ceiling quaked while the entirety of the hallway shifted from a strong attack. The back of her heel nicked the front of her other foot, and her legs tangled together from the harsh movement enveloping the building. A sharp squeak tumbled from the crystal's lips as she found her body collapsing toward the ground. Jutting her hand out, Tanami's body tensed up when she felt someone grab her by the hood of her jacket.

Glancing upward while she was placed upright, she briefly caught orange eyes gazing down at her. Chamaeleon gestured to keep moving forward. "Come on now. I have to get the three of you to the meeting spot."

If Tanami listened more intently, she could hear the male's voice strain. Questionable but firm were his words because she still had not given him an answer. Shifting her eyes between Shimada and Yua, it seemed like they had not caught the difference in Chamaeleon's voice.

"I'm seriously hoping that the Heroes are winning that fight," Shimada stated as he and Yua ran in front of the other two.

"They better with all of that racket they're causing up there." Yua quickly shoved a few magenta strands that blew into her face. "They have to. Decadence is up there as well, right?"

A short hum left Chamaeleon. "Zie should be. I don't think zie would miss a fight this big. Especially when the Heroes are silenced about turning zir in- stop!"

The clattering of their footsteps came to a sudden halt at the single word that Chamaeleon shouted. Pursing his lips together, the vigilante pressed a singular finger to his lips. The other three teenagers nodded while he weaved his way to the front. His orange eyes were trained at the 'T' section of the hallway beyond them. He motioned for the three to press themselves against the wall with his right hand.

As Tanami aligned her spine with the roughness of the wall, her brows knitted together. Doesn't Chamaeleon's Quirk hide us from plain sight? Why is he being so careful? Is there something wrong?

Unable to think of a plausible solution, the crystal settled on flattening her palms against the bumps coating the wall. The material instantly sucked up all of the warmth of her palms. And at that moment, Tanami could feel the paper crane squished in her pocket getting heavier. It rested on her leg, reminding her that it was still there. Her nails dug into the bumps.

Quiet steps echoed against the corridor they resided into. Tanami picked her head and was greeted by the sight of Mari strolling down the hallway. A sharp inhale was sucked into the crystal's throat as she felt a bead of sweat trickle down her jaw. The woman's silver hair fluttered behind her, bouncing with each step she took. For a moment, she stopped, vision gazing around the area she was in. Mari's silver eyes lingered on Tanami's figure, yet the girl knew that Chamaeleon's Quirk was still in effect. She was not seeing her yet at the same time, could she sense her?

A questionable huff escaped Mari before she shook her head. She mumbled a few words, although Tanami could not hear what they were. A curse, perhaps? A minute or so passed before the woman's figure disappeared down the hallway.

Pressing the flat of her palm against her chest, the teenager could feel her heart hammering against her hand. She released the breath stuck in her throat. She had not even realized how fast her heart was beating, let alone that she felt scared when Mari had passed by. Maybe she was petrified, thinking that Chamaeleon's Quirk had somehow failed.

"I thought all of the Seraphim were battling the Heroes." Yua voiced as she ruffled the ends of her magenta hair. Her purple eyes still lingered in the direction that Mari went. "Why did you tell us to stay quiet."

"From what Decadence told me, zie said that only five are fighting the Heroes. I thought that women would be too. The only one who I was sure who wouldn't fight was Kingpin. Also, my Quirk can hide you from someone's perception, but I've never held it for so long with this many people. I don't want to strain myself too much. It wouldn't do any of you good if you were caught again." Chamaeleon stated, tugging on the end of his black glove.

Right. Even if they had their Quirks back, it did not mean that they would be effective against the Villains. In a different scenario, it would be easy to escape. But with Junri and Namiko's Quirks, it was hard to say. And given Junri's proposal, Tanami was not even sure what would happen if she declined.

"Kingpin?" Shimada repeated in a confused tone.

"The guy with the time Quirk." The magenta-haired girl squinted. She raised a hand to cup the side of her head. "What did he look like again?"

"I don't remember."

Chamaeleon motioned with his hand to move forward. "Junri must have erased your memories after you left the office. It would make sense since she doesn't want you to remember how he looks. His name was probably erased as well."

Except for mine, of course. But I'm not too sure why. Especially since Junri can only erase recent memories, Tanami thought as she trailed a bit behind Yua. Her head ducked down slightly as multiple thoughts formulated through her mind. What do I choose?

Suddenly, she felt someone wrap their hand around her wrist. She flinched, a spike of pain running up her nerves from the soreness of the cuffs she had on. Another tug was yanked at her arm, but she refused to let a whimper leave her.

"You're lagging behind! Hurry up, Tanami!" Yua pressed her thumb onto the back of the crystal's hand. Her lips were pulled back into a scowl. "You don't want to be left behind, do you?"

Tanami blinked once before shaking her head. She should not be fretting over these thoughts right now. She cannot allow herself to become a liability for everyone else. "Sorry. Sorry, I'll keep up."

It seemed like Yua did not believe her words as she kept a firm grasp on Tanami's wrist. The latter did not bother to complain as it would do neither girl any good to argue over something stupid. All Tanami did was allow the other to drag her where Chamaeleon led.

Minutes ticked by slowly as the silence that resonated around them was filled only by their shoes hitting the ground and their rapid breaths. Tanami was unsure how many hallways they had run down or how many corners they turned. The corridors felt like they were never-ending. They ran continuously without any signs of them coming to an end. The crystal felt like the flats of her feet were on fire from the amount of running they had done. She did not even want to think about the burning sensation trailing up her calves.

Then, she finally saw it. A sturdy steel door lay in front of them. It was the first one they had seen after who knows how long. The next footfall she took, the sound of metal colliding with something hard vibrated all the way to where they stood. Someone was fighting, but who?

Slowing his sprint to a halt, Chamaeleon briefly closed his eyes. His brow twitched. "One Hero and one Villain. Which ones? I have no clue."

Well, that was definitely a lie. The glint of mischief sparked in his orange irises, and Tanami was sure she was the only one who caught it. How insufferable. Another harsh bang of two items crashing together filtered into their ears.

"This is as far as I take you," his voice ended in an airy tone. "Good luck. Also, the two of you, I'll be seeing you soon. Granted, you won't even know it was me."

And just like that, Chamaeleon disappeared from their vision. One moment he was there, and then he was not. That was one convenient Quirk. One that actually worked down here.

Yua's hand slipped from Tanami's wrist as she looked between her and Shimada. She looked like she was mulling over the vigilante's last sentence but eventually disregarded it. Finally, she gestured with her head to the door. "That's our way out."

"Seems like it, huh? Can't say I'm not skeptical. How do we know we can trust him?" Shimada ran his fingers through his olive hair. Amber irises stared at Chamaeleon's position, or at least where he once was.

"But it's not like we have any choice not to trust him. Why bother freeing us from his cell and taking off our cuffs?" Tanami inquired as she crossed her arms over her chest. She tilted her head, the crystal on the side of her face banging into her cheek. She ignored the small scratch that the amethyst made.

"Something benefits him," the olive-haired teen stated.

"Well, do you have a better idea on how to get out of here?" Yua retorted while resting a hand on her hip. "Do you?"

"No."

Sighing, Tanami shoved herself past the two of them and hovered her hand above the button that opened the door. Her hand shook as she threw a look back at them. "We don't have a choice."

You have one.

"We need to go through." With that said, she slammed the tips of her fingers against the button. As the metallic doors slid open with little difficulty, a loud hiss was emitted. She ran through it, Shimada and Yua following closely.

Her periwinkle eyes opened as a gasp left her lips. The tip of the bo staff rested directly on Tomohiro's throat. His head was tilted back slightly, trying to keep the silver pole from digging itself even further into his neck. A trail of scarlet colored the side of his face while droplets of blood dripped from his jawline. He had fallen onto his knees, pain evident on his face as his irises were filled with anger. The scythe he held was thrown to the other side of the room.

"Oh? You've finally arrived?" Junri mused as she turned slightly. "That took longer than I expected."

Shifting his attention from the white-haired woman, Tomohiro's eyes landed on Tanami. His face instantly let up in recognition and relief. Like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. But that expression did not last as wrinkles were drawn across his forehead. He released a garbled noise of pain. Out of instinct, Tanami took a step forward but halted from going any further. She grit her teeth as her hands balled at her sides.

"Do you really think they can keep you safe?" Once again, the paper crane made itself known by growing heavier in her pocket.

"No, don't use your Quirks. It's forbidden right now." That simple command was written into their consciousness'. "Don't move either. I don't want to fight right now."

Just like that, the itching of Tanami's Quirk left. She did not like the way that Junri dismissed it. However, not feeling your Quirk for a month, that reaction was understandable. Did she like it? No. But you cannot fight sentience.

"Tanami Mochizuki, come forth."

As if threads had wrapped around the girl's joints, the strings easily pulled her forward. Her limbs moved without her consent and she could not help but comply with the order given. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of Junri. Her body grew still, waiting for another command to be said. She hated the way she had no control over her own body.

With an inquisitive gaze, Junri scanned her over like she was some sort of trophy. Bending down at the waist, the woman neared her mouth next to Tanami's ear. "Have you made your decision? Whether you agree or not doesn't affect me. It affects you."

If Tanami could, she would have dropped her head. However, the threads around her consciousness still remained, and thus, she could not move at all. How annoying. Even despite this, she could still see out of her peripheral vision. Shimada and Yua were still behind her but she knew they could not move. Tomohiro was behind Junri but with her Quirk in effect, he looked lifeless. This would always happen whenever Junri was around, huh? You have the will to fight yet that does nothing in the face of having no control over your own body.

They are all useless compared to the power Junri held. If only she never left, then they would not be in this situation

Junri scooped one of her fingers and muttered underneath her breath. The second she finished, Tanami could feel the strength in her muscles returning to her. Almost hesitantly, she flexed her fingers and a few pops were emitted from her joints. Once she knew that Junri had lifted her control over her, Tanami glanced downward at her jacket. A reluctant sigh trickled from her lips as she shoved her hand in her pocket.

Her fingertips skimmed over the rough edges of the paper crane, feeling the tip of its slightly crunched head. She curled her index finger around its neck as she pulled it out with little struggle. Placing it in the center of her palm, she lifted it up to the woman with a narrowed gaze. "If I agree to the words written inside this crane, you'll keep your end of the deal?"

"Naturally. I'm not entirely heartless. The one thing I will follow to the end is a promise that I have made." Junri lifted her own hand. However, Tanami saw the deep gash running across the white-haired woman's palm instead of being met with her pale hand.

As much as Tanami was curious to ask how that exactly happened, it did not take her long to realize that Junri misstepped and had to shield her body with her hand instead when fighting with Tomohiro. Although weapons made of ink do not exactly look sharp, it did not mean that it was not. Breathing in deeply, the girl nodded. With a decision solid in her mind, she began to pull apart the crane.

Tug the crane's head this way and pull its wing in this manner to undo the complicated folds. The girl kept her attention on the piece of origami because she did not want to look at anyone else in the room. After a minute or so, she presented a wrinkled yet still legible paper to Junri. Some part of Tanami wanted to pull her hand away, but she forced her arm steady. The golden-eyed woman raised her uninjured hand to grab ahold of the sheet.

Junri's hand suddenly came to a stop. Her eyes were blown wide before she immediately brought both hands up to her mouth. A fit of coughs trickled out of her lips before she settled. Breathing out heavily, she lowered her arms just enough for Tanami to witness the pool of blood she held.

A stream of aqua light swirled on top of Junri's head and crafted itself into a vintage balance scale. The scales held by the luminous chains swayed up and down like they weighed something unknown. Not even five seconds had passed when the scale on the left slammed towards the base while the right was raised high. Deep lines of purple sprouted out of the wound on Junri's hand and followed the designs of her veins.

"Judgement Upon Thee!" Another flurry of coughs was hacked out of Junri's throat. Her head turned to meet Tomohiro's fallen form. "You only- wa-wanted to... in-injury me!"

If he could, Tanami was certain that man would have smirked.

Pressing the back of her dirty hand to her lips, Junri snatched the sheet from Tanami's hand. Smearing her blood onto the paper, her golden eyes lifted to meet periwinkle ones. The woman smiled softly, although it looked pretty horrifying with the amount of blood coating her mouth. "Y-you better... up-uphold your e-end."

"I will." Those were the only words Tanami could force out.

The letters inscribed on the paper glowed a brilliant white as the area around them was engulfed in the shine of bright light. A light huff behind Tanami forced her to turn slowly on her heels. Chamaeleon's hand was outstretched toward her, beckoning for her to grab hold of his hand. The tips of his lips were lifted into a slight grin. "I see you've made your decision."

A light chuckle trickled from the girl's lips. But that did not prevent her from frowning right after. "You knew?"

"I wouldn't be a good vigilante if I couldn't see right through you." His fingers intertwined with her own. "Now, let's get going, Caeli."

Taking one final look back, Tanami ignored the feeling of pain blossoming in her chest. This was for the best. "Let's go, Chamaeleon."

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Two weeks later.

A drawled sigh trickled out of Kohei's mouth as he walked across the empty hallways of Mizu Academī. His fingers ran through his thick locks of blonde hair before he dragged his hand down his face. For a second, his fingers hid the dark bags underneath his eyes. His movements were sluggish, making his exhaustion even more prominent.

If he looked like this after the failure to take back Tanami, Tomohiro and Akihiko looked even worse. He tugged at the ends of his tie as the thing felt constricting. After a few more minutes of walking, Kohei stood before the door leading into the principal's office. He took a deep breath before wrapping his fingers around the doorknob.

Twisting his wrist, he walked inside while plastering a grin on his face. It was tiring trying even to mask the tiredness hanging on his muscles. "Nikushimi-san, you called for me?"

"Yes, Kohei," the principal, Nikushimi, smiled softly while motioning for the Hero to step inside. His golden eyes brightened at the sight of the teacher. "I need to talk about the vacant spot in your class."

"What about it? You're not thinking about replacing one of my students, are you?" Kohei's words ended with a bit of a strain. "Because if that is your reason, I won't allow it."

A bout of laughter escaped the man's lips. "Heavens no, Kohei! I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing! I'm certain your students will be brought back in due time. Just because you failed the first time doesn't mean the second time will go the same way. I'm certain you'll be able to retrieve the rest of the Seraphim as well."

"Then what are you suggesting about the vacant spot?"

"Every Hero class has ten members besides the support team. Although we are not certain when your student will return, I suggest we fill that spot with another student. When Tanami returns, we'll convert Class Alpha into an eleven person team instead." Nikushimi suggested while tucking a strand of brown hair behind his ear.

Kohei's gaze dipped in concentration. "Who do you suggest to fill that spot?"

Nikushimi's hand curled around a manilla folder before he flipped it around for Kohei to see. He opened the folder to show the first page to the teacher. "Cashire Sakurai is who I suggest to join your class."

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Author's Note:

And with this chapter, Plus Minus One has finally come to an end! It feels like a sad yet happy moment for me. This technically the second book I had ever finished on this account. The main reason being that I would lose motivation really quick and would just drop the story.

However, with this book, it did not feel that way. It was fun to plan, to write, and to just do everything involving my OCs. Although my poor children are just traumatized.

I'll be going a bit more in depth in my ending note. Besides that, thank you for reading this book and I hope you enjoyed these long fifty-one chapters!