Chapter 22: The Hunter

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The sun was setting over the city as Kenji made his way home from U.A. High, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the sidewalk ahead. The streets were quiet, the usual hum of city life dulled as the evening rolled in. It should’ve been peaceful, but peace was the last thing Kenji felt.

The uneasy sensation he had been feeling for weeks now—the invisible eyes tracking his every move—had returned, crawling under his skin like a parasite. Every time it came, the tension in his body wound tighter, like a coiled spring ready to snap. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling. The frustration of it all was starting to boil over.

Kenji clenched his fists, his temper simmering just beneath the surface. He hated being on edge, always second-guessing his surroundings, unable to relax. He was a fighter, someone who could handle himself, but this...this was different. It was like being hunted, and he was tired of it.

Whoever you are, I’m ending this today.

The weight of the unseen gaze seemed to grow heavier the closer he got to his neighborhood. Kenji stopped, turning sharply to scan the streets behind him. His heterochromatic eyes scoured every corner, every shadow.

Nothing.

Yet, the feeling remained. His heartbeat quickened, frustration mixing with the adrenaline starting to course through his veins. He grit his teeth, starting to walk faster. Then, just as he turned a corner near his street, he caught something—someone—out of the corner of his eye.

A flash of movement, too quick for a regular person.

Kenji’s breath hitched. There.

Without thinking, he pivoted and broke into a sprint, his heart pounding in sync with his feet slamming against the pavement. His quirk crackled through his hands and feet, ready to detonate if necessary.

“Hey!” Kenji shouted, but whoever was watching him didn’t stop. They were fast, darting through the alleys like they knew the city better than Kenji did.

But Kenji wasn’t about to let them slip away this time. He had been tormented long enough. I’m ending this.

He gave chase, pushing his body to its limits. His explosive quirk enhanced his speed, giving him bursts of momentum as he leaped across rooftops and slid through narrow spaces. The figure ahead of him was quick, but Kenji could tell he was gaining ground.

Just as he thought he was close enough to catch them, something flashed through the air. It was subtle, but Kenji's battle instincts kicked in, and he dodged just in time. A sharp whistling sound sliced through the air where his head had been just seconds before. He whipped his head around and saw a shimmering object—a projectile of some kind—embedded in the wall behind him.

Kenji cursed under his breath. They’re using their quirk.

He barely had time to react as another projectile flew toward him, this one faster and more accurate. Kenji raised his hand, his own quirk ready to counter—

—But before he could move, something—or someone—crashed into him from the side, knocking him off his feet. The projectile whizzed past where he had been standing and exploded against the pavement with a crackling burst of electricity.

Kenji hit the ground hard, rolling with the impact before pushing himself up on his elbows, ready to retaliate. But when he looked up, he was met with the sight of someone standing over him—a stranger.

The guy was tall, with short brown hair, and skin that was a few shades darker than Kenji’s own, and sharp green eyes that were glowing faintly in the dimming light. He had a hand extended, and his body language was calm, almost relaxed, despite the chaos around them.

“Are you alright?” the stranger asked, his voice steady and foreign, with an accent Kenji couldn’t place.

Kenji blinked, still trying to process what had just happened. “Who the hell are you?”

The guy’s eyes flicked toward the direction of the attacker. “you should thank me for saving your ass.”

Kenji growled, scrambling to his feet. “I didn’t need saving.”

The stranger—Felix, as Kenji would later learn—gave him a cocky smile. “Sure you didn’t.”

Before Kenji could retort, another projectile was launched toward them, this one bigger and pulsing with a strange light. Kenji instinctively raised his hand, blasting it out of the air.

Felix turned to him, his expression cool but serious. “We need to move. Whoever that is, they’re not playing around.”

Kenji shook off his shock, his anger flaring back to life. “I don’t run from fights.”

Felix raised an eyebrow, impressed. “Look, I don’t care what your pride is telling you right now, but if you stay here and try to fight this guy alone, you’re going to get yourself in trouble. That last attack wasn’t a warning shot.”

Kenji’s jaw clenched. He hated feeling like this—like he wasn’t in control. But Felix was right. Whoever was hunting him wasn’t just some random stalker. They were dangerous, and Kenji wasn’t about to charge into a fight blind.

“Goddamnit,” Kenji muttered, the words bitter on his tongue. “But we’re not running.”

Felix smirked. “I didn’t say anything about running. We just need to regroup.”

Kenji glanced at him, his mind racing. He didn’t know who Felix was or what his deal was, but Kenji wasn’t going to let this mystery attacker get away again.

“Let’s go,” Kenji said, his voice low and determined.

Felix nodded, they moved cautiously through the darkening streets. Whoever the stalker was, Kenji knew they wouldn’t stop until they finished what they started.

But Kenji wasn’t the type to back down. He was going to get answers—one way or another.

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