Ten minutes earlier, on a busy highway lit up like a fiery dragon, Snatch was driving a mid-range bck car, blending seamlessly into the flow of traffic. His temporary employer sat in the back seat, eyes closed, resting.
This was their daily routine, unged except for the time Snatch had been ambushed by several vilins. His job was usually simple and uful.
In the back seat, Kaminari's father also had his eyes shut, but he wasn't sleeping. His mind was busy with thoughts about his pany.
The business was growing rapidly, and profits were steadily climbing. The "Pokémon" IP had even expanded iionally.
Retly, the pany's main focus had shifted from Japan to the Iional market, which had proven to be immensely profitable.
It was a bit surprising, even puzzling how much the Iional fans loved "Pokémon." Game figures and other merdise were selling at astonishing rates.
"It looks like we o establish a department specifically for iional fans," Kaminari's father mused. "The IP, 'Yu-Gi-Oh!', should be developed simultaneously in Japan and iionally."
Suddenly, Snatch's urgent shout interrupted his thoughts.
"Boss, watch out!!"
"Boom!!"
Before Kaminari's father could react, a deafening explosion filled his ears. The car was violently flipped, and the entire world turned upside down.
---
Outside the highway, more than a dozen strange-looking individuals followed a muscur man with red, lion-like hair. They strutted boldly, ign the chaos and screams around them, wearing mog smiles.
"Hahahaha, well done, Bck on!"
The leader, Nichos Fu, looked back approvingly at his subordinate. Bck on's right hand was still smoking from his Quirk. Among all of Fu's followers, Bck on's power was the most destructive.
His Quirk allowed him to turn his hands into bck uzzles, capable of firing powerful explosive shells. Acc to him, the explosions grew stronger with his physical dition. Unfortunately, the man had no ambition and rarely traio improve himself.
Still, Fu didn't mind. If Bck on became too powerful, it might threaten his position as the leader of the Bck Tiger Gang.
"Hey, I didn't mean to hit the car that hard. I hope the 'goods' inside are still okay," Bck uttered nervously, eyeing the overturned vehicle.
He'd inteo aim three or four meters away from the car to force it to stop, but the shot had nded closer than pnned.
"Rex. Snatch is in there," Fu said with a dismissive wave. "With his Quirk, he'll keep the goods safe."
Sure enough, uhe watchful eyes of the Bck Tiger Gang, a ball of earth-yellow gravel surrouhe two octs of the car. The sand protected them as it opehe shattered door and floated them safely out.
"Who are you?!"
Snatch gred at the gang with a stern expression. His heart sank when he realized how many there were, but he kept his posure, fog on the red-haired man at the ter.
In truth, he didn't care who these people were, they were clearly vilins. However, stalling for time until the police or Pro Heroes arrived was his priority.
"Naive."
Nichos Fu sneered, dismissing Snatch's questioirely. Their mission was simple: strike fast, grab their target, and leave.
For Fu, kidnapping Kaminari's father was more valuable than obtaining the SIS alloy. With the father as leverage, he could pressure Kaminari Denki into handing over everything they wanted.
It was a win-win sario: the ransom and the bounty.
He gave orders to his subordinates: "Four of you, stay bad watch the perimeter. The rest of you, e with me!"
Turning to Bck on, Fu anded, "Hit him hard. If his sand 't hold together, he's powerless!"
With that, Fu crouched low, his legs pressing like coiled springs. His calves had transformed, a result of his Quirk.
"Boom!!"
Fu unched himself like a missile, leaving cracks in the crete where he had stood. He became a red blur, rocketing toward Snatch at incredible speed.
Behind him, the other vilins activated their Quirks or pulled out firearms, unleashing a storm of attacks at Snatch.
"Snort!"
Seeiiations had failed, Snatch turned his body into gravel. A massive sand fist rose to meet Fu's ining attack.
"Withe Bck Tiger's Heartbreaker!" Fu shouted, his voice carrying a hint arangely, he spoke in fluent ese, suggesting he might have ese heritage.
As he yelled, his arms transformed into massive springs, coiling with power.
"Boom!"
Fu's punch shattered the enormous sand fist with ease. Without even pausing to g Snatch, he charged directly toward Kaminari's father, who was standing nearby.
"Not on my watch!"
"Sand Shield!"
The gravel proteg Kaminari's father formed into a circur barrier, enveloping him entirely. The loose sand visibly deaking on a metallic sheen.
"You think a pile of sand stop a tiger charging downhill? Don't make me ugh!" Fu sneered, his fiery red hair whipping behind him like fmes.
"Bck Tiger's Heartbreaker!!"
Activating his Quirk again, Fu lu the sand shield, delivering a powerful blow.
"Boom!!!"
The impact echoed loudly, but this time, Fu's punch failed to break through. Instead, his fist was slightly ihe skin split from the force.
"What's going on? Why is this so hard?" Fu stared at the sand shield in disbelief. "Snatch's Quirk is just sand manipution, isn't it?"
His gang had doheir homework on Snatowhere in the reports was there mention of a defense like this.
---
Oher side, Snatch felt a moment of relief when he saw that Fu's attack hadn't peed the shield. It allowed him to refocus oher attackers.
Though the bullets and Quirks of the minions seemed insignifit, they still posed a threat. After all, Snatch's entire body couldn't turn into sand. A hit to an unprotected area could spell disaster.
"So, you want to outnumber me?"
"Let's see who really has the advantage!"
With that, the gravel at Snatch's feet shifted. Uhe stunned gazes of Bck on and the other vilins, twelve faceless sand figures formed around them.
"Sand es!"
The battlefield's dynamic shifted instantly. No longer was Snatch surrounded by the Bck Tiger Gang—instead, the gang now found themselves surrounded by Snatch's army of sand es.
***
Chey new ff: Heavenly Restri User of the Gojo : I Refuse to Be Cut in Half
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