Chapter Eight: The Great Escape
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Crow stood silently at the edge of the jail complex, the towering concrete walls rising before him like the cruel reminder of the system he sought to break. He was alone now, no longer distracted by Mirko's constant need for attention, nor the weight of the charming quirks that had manipulated her every move. Tonight was about power. His power. And it would be a spectacle.
The prisoners inside were merely tools, pawns to be used as stepping stones for his ascension to true dominion. His mind whirred with possibilities, his quirk storage brimming with a ridiculous number of abilities—hundreds of quirks, each one uniquely tailored to tear the walls apart, to break free from this cage. It was only a matter of time.
With a flick of his wrist, Crow summoned a storm of quirks, activating them one by one in quick succession.
"Vortex Wings," he muttered under his breath, and the air around him stirred, a powerful whirlwind forming around his back as his body lifted slightly from the ground. He soared toward the walls with the grace of a predator, his wings glowing with the ethereal power of the storm.
A simple flick of his wrist brought out "Magnetic Pull," and with a snap, he sent metal bars and chains flying. The locked gates fell away before him as though they were nothing more than paper.
Inside the complex, alarms blared, but Crow didn't even flinch. He reveled in the chaos, watching as villains, heroes, and everyone in between scrambled in fear. His plan was working perfectly—his reputation preceded him now, and everyone knew the kind of chaos he was capable of. Even the most dangerous criminals cowered before the mere mention of his name.
But his goal tonight was far more specific.
With a quiet flick of his fingers, he activated "Phantom Call." The air shimmered as his summonings responded. From the shadows emerged the Infernal Phoenix—its flames burning brighter than anything he had ever seen. It was followed by the Void Familiar, a specter of endless dark energy, and Lava Behemoth, a towering mass of molten rock that rumbled with power.
"Time to break some prisoners," Crow said with an almost lazy smirk.
He turned his attention to the prison cells where the most dangerous inmates were kept. One by one, their cages shattered, the metal twisting and tearing as the summoned beasts made their way through the complex. Screams echoed, but Crow only watched, an amused smirk playing across his face.
The first group of villains stood frozen in place, their faces a mix of disbelief and awe. But before they could even consider trying to fight back, Crow's voice cut through the air.
"Seismic Wave," he intoned, his voice cold and powerful. The ground shook violently beneath the villains' feet, sending them to their knees in agony as the earth cracked open beneath them. The shockwaves threw them into a disorienting chaos of pain and confusion.
The villains couldn't move, couldn't think. They were broken.
"Crystal Claws," he added, and from his hands, a sharp, glowing crystalline material erupted, latching onto the prisoners, keeping them in place. The villains screamed in terror and pain, but it didn't matter. They were his now.
Crow slowly walked through the rows of incapacitated villains, each of them trembling in fear at the power he wielded. He picked out the strongest—those who had the potential to serve his growing army of broken souls.
"Mind Shield," Crow murmured, activating the quirk. His aura shifted, the invisible barrier wrapping around the chosen villains. He could control them now. Their wills shattered, replaced by his own.
Within moments, the most dangerous of the lot—those who once ruled the underworld—were under his control, their eyes blank, their bodies moving at his command.
But Crow wasn't finished yet.
He turned down the hallway, feeling something... different. A presence. A powerful presence. One that stood out among the weak-minded thralls he had just created.
"Lady Nagant," he whispered to himself.
There she was, just a few feet away—locked in a reinforced cell that seemed to be made specifically to contain her dangerous abilities. The metal bars of her cage were thick, designed to withstand her sniping power, but Crow could sense that even these would fall before his might.
With a snap of his fingers, the bars bent and twisted, collapsing in on themselves, leaving a gap just large enough for him to pass through.
Standing before her, Crow looked at Lady Nagant, who sat motionless in the corner of her cell. She looked up as he approached, her sharp eyes meeting his, but there was something else—something darker in her gaze, something that made Crow pause for just a moment.
Lady Nagant stood up slowly, her form graceful and deadly, a weapon waiting to be unleashed. Despite her stoic exterior, Crow could see the small crack in her resolve. The way she regarded him—it wasn't fear. It was curiosity. Perhaps a slight bit of recognition.
"You're the one who broke the others out, aren't you?" she asked, her voice cold but calculated.
Crow nodded. "I am. And now, you're going to help me."
He knew the kind of person she was—she wasn't someone who would be easily swayed by promises. But that was what made her valuable. She was strong. She wouldn't bend easily.
"What makes you think I'll help you?" she challenged, her hand instinctively going to the holster where her gun should be.
Crow chuckled darkly. "Because you don't have a choice."
He lifted a hand and used "Mind Shield" to envelop her, pushing his power into her mind. It wasn't long before her expression shifted from defiance to something else—something softer, more obedient.
Her shoulders slumped slightly, and her eyes glazed over just enough to show that she was under his control. "What do you want me to do?" she asked, her voice now devoid of the fire it once held.
Crow smiled, satisfied with his work. "Follow me. And from now on, you'll serve me."
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End of Chapter Eight.
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