Undead Revolution (⛔☁️)

S6 - 11. [Stakes]

Nezu's office was as quiet as ever, the ticking of a small clock echoing faintly through the room. Katsuki leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his mind already piecing together the idea of the mission he'd reluctantly accepted. Nezu's offer weighed heavily in his thoughts. Eri's future education in exchange for this off-the-books rescue of a hero.

But the hero in question? That was still unclear.

"Alright" Katsuki said after a few minutes, eyeing Nezu. "Who am I supposed to be getting?"

Nezu slid a thin folder across the desk, the soft rustle of paper the only sound breaking the stillness. Katsuki made no move to retrieve it.

"The hero's name is Cipher" Nezu began, his as voice calm and even as ever. "He specializes in security systems and infiltrations. Cipher was working on an investigation that led him to some... dangerous individuals. He was captured before he could send any actionable intel back to us"

Katsuki raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the file. "A security systems guy? Why'd you decide to send someone like that?"

Nezu's eyes darkened slightly. "I agree with the sediment, but I had no say in the mission's hero selection. While Cipher is highly capable in terms of quirk use for digital security, he is not as... effective in direct combat. The group that has him seems to be skilled in capture, and Cipher was outmatched"

Katsuki snorted, grabbing the folder. "Figures. So you want me to go in, drag him out, and make sure no one finds out?"

"Precisely" Nezu nodded. "Cipher's expertise is vital to our operations, but the individuals who have him are known for extreme tactics. If they break him, they could compromise several ongoing missions we have in place"

"And let me guess," Katsuki said dryly, "this Cipher guy isn't gonna be too thrilled about being rescued by someone like me."

Nezu's unsettling smile returned. "It's possible. Cipher has a strong sense of duty and operates under the assumption that heroes adhere strictly to rules and regulations. Your methods may... surprise him."

"Surprise him?" Katsuki scoffed. "He already hates me, along with the rest of you goody-two-shoe heroes"

Nezu's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Perhaps. But Cipher's trust is not necessary for you to succeed. His safe return is"

Katsuki mulled it over, already picturing the rescue. This Cipher hero, by the sounds of it, was a by-the-book type. The kind that would balk at Katsuki's willingness to get his hands dirty. And after what he'd need to do to get Cipher out of wherever he was being held, there would be no doubt about it: Cipher would hate his guts.

But that wasn't Katsuki's problem.

"Alright," He said after a moment. "I'll get him out. But don't blame me if I have to use excessive force to have some compliance"

Nezu leaned back, his smile widening. "I'll leave the details of how you accomplish the mission to you. Feel free to collect bounties, I know there's a few out on the members of the group"

Katsuki grinned. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. Get in, grab the guy, and cash in some bounties"

"And Ba- Deadpool..." Nezu's voice softened slightly, just as Katsuki reached the door. "Be careful. The group holding Cipher is not just any run-of-the-mill operation. They specialize in breaking people; both physically and mentally."

Katsuki gave an empty chuckle, his voice cold. "They'll have to try pretty hard if they wanna break me"

With that, he turned and walked out, already calculating how to pull off the rescue. Cipher was probably going to be a pain in his ass, but that didn't matter. Nezu had made the stakes clear.

This was about more than just rescuing some hero. This was about protecting the future.

All that was left to do was have Teskai double check the information given and brainstorm with him.

Word Count: 658