You Can't Lose Me || Shinso x Reader

Chapter 20: All Warfare Is Based On Deception

Warnings: weaponry,

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Kanata's POV

~15 minutes previous~

A flash of green speeds off into the distance. From my vantage point atop the roof, I can see the hero Deku's form disappear over a few hills in the direction of a relatively distant city. Once out of view, I press the ninth button on a small device before turning it off and putting it away. Looking down through the skylight, my eyes track the movements of operative #1, who finally enters the main room through a side door.

"All exits have been molded, sir. Shall I move on to phase two?" The voice of #1 travels through my earpiece as he stands still at the food bar.

"You may proceed to your position for phase two, but wait for my command to take any action," I respond.

His quirk, Claymation, allows him to treat any solid as if it were clay, molding it in any direction he chooses. If he has completed phase one, then the exits around the exterior of the building should be sealed off to slow the heroes' escape.

Phase two requires multiple moving parts, so this will be the trickiest of all to execute properly. #1 has a handgun tucked into his jacket pocket; he wanders casually across the room toward the collection of Hero Commission members congregated atop the stage - what a perfect space to put on a show. Standing on the sidelines of the opposite wall is the Turbo Hero: Ingenium, whom I hand-picked as a target for this mission.

Standing on the roof with me are (y/n) and operative #2. #2 is the reason no one below has spotted us peering through the glass ceiling. Her quirk, Mirror Image, refracts the light surrounding us so that it shows the image of the sky behind us, effectively making the three of us invisible to the crowd below us. As I crack open one of the windowpanes, #2 adjusts the positioning of her quirk wall to just below the ceiling, which allows me to open the window the rest of the way without any risk.

A hand brushes aside some of my hair that has fallen into my face. I turn my head to find (y/n), who is now dressed in black and green rather than white and green, gazing into me with her soft eyes. At my look, she moves her hand to my scarred shoulder, rubbing circles into it.

"You're so tense. All this stress you put on yourself is going to kill you some day," she whispers.

"And why wouldn't I be tense? We have one shot at this, and I can't allow anyone to screw up years of preparation," I say stiffly, giving her a look and brushing her hand away.

I turn around to open the large case lying behind me. Within rests my sniper rifle. (y/n) sighs and crouches on the ground silently, but apparently being quiet isn't on her agenda today.

"Why are you using the gun instead of your quirk anyways? You could always come down with me, and our attack would be so much stronger."

"No one down there knows that I exist. Everything regarding the Yomigami is based solely around you. The less they know about our numbers, our methods, our positions, the more of an advantage we'll have.

"'All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.' That's Sun Tzu's The Art of War. I thought you read it when I gave it to you." I start assembling my rifle and adding a few accessories while giving (y/n) an occasional stale glance.

"I did. Well, I read parts of it, but it was kinda boring. Do you seriously read that kind of stuff for fun?" she teases giving me a light nudge.

"Yes, I do, thank you. You love your fantasy novels while I love my treatises." I look up to find (y/n) staring blankly at me. "Do you seriously not know what a treatise is? I don't even have the energy to try to explain it to you. Maybe if you read more non-fiction, your brain wouldn't be so smooth."

I smirk at my own words while handing out three sets of noise cancelling earmuffs from the side pocket of my rifle case. (y/n) observes them with furrowed brows.

"I thought you said that thing was quiet."

"It is quiet," I say pointing to the muzzle. "The combination of this silencer and the subsonic ammunition I'm loading into it reduces its noise level by close to 40 decibels. However, even though a shot from this won't even make your ears ring, the handgun #1 has is much louder in comparison, so we're still putting on the earmuffs."

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch (y/n) rolling her eyes and frowning slightly as she rests the muffs around her neck. I decide to say something more.

"Our communication and coordination are vital to our success here, so I cannot take any chances with our hearing. And especially not with you. Your safety is my utmost priority," I admit the last sentence a bit quieter, but it seems to ease (y/n)'s conscience.

"Deku has arrived at the agency."

That is the voice of the agent surveying Deku's movements from near his agency - the signal to proceed with phase two.

The three of us atop the building put the earmuffs over our ears and earpieces. I quickly load two rounds into my magazine and ready the first with the straight-pull bolt. Peering through the scope I adjust my aim toward Ingenium. The angle from above is ideal for my calculated perfect shot: breaking through the thinnest part of the skull behind the ear and striking the medulla, the lower section of the brain stem responsible for carrying out major life sustaining functions. It's an almost instantaneous death.

"Are you in position #1?" I ask without removing my gaze from my target.

"Affirmative."

"On my mark.

"Three.

"Two.

"One."

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A/N: This has been a research heavy chapter. If I never update this story again, it's because the FBI saw my search history and thinks I am a serial killer.

Word Count: 1062