The Villainess's Journey To Heroism

Chapter 16: A Twisted Reunion

The world blurred into a frantic mess of green and brown. Branches whipped past my face as I sprinted through the forest, my lungs burning, my heart hammering against my ribs. I didn't know why, didn't know how, but the League of Villains had attacked. Panic clawed at my throat, choking my thoughts, as I desperately tried to make sense of the chaos.

Then, a voice, clear and urgent, pierced through the pandemonium. It was Mandalay, her telepathic quirk reaching out to us, her words echoing in my mind: "Their target... Bakugou."

My breath hitched. Bakugou? Why? Why would they want him? My mind raced, trying to find a reason, a connection, any explanation. It was like a puzzle with missing pieces, each piece representing a terrifying possibility.

My thoughts were interrupted by a wave of fresh panic. Izuku, his face pale and bruised, was being carried by Shoji, his arms wrapped tightly around Izuku's body. The other students trailed behind, their faces etched with worry and exhaustion.

"Where's Bakugou?" I gasped, my voice hoarse from the frantic run. "Where is he?"

The students exchanged worried glances. "We thought he was right behind us," Ochaco stammered, her voice trembling. "We lost track of him somewhere... in the chaos."

A cold dread settled in my stomach. Bakugou was gone. Taken.

Suddenly, a figure materialized from the shadows, his voice a smooth, chilling whisper. "Ah, how delightful. A little game of cat and mouse, wouldn't you say?"

Mr. Compress. His quirk, "Compress," allowed him to shrink and compress anything, even himself, making him practically invisible to the naked eye. He was a master of deception, a phantom in the shadows.

He leaped from branch to branch, his movements fluid and graceful, a mockery of the frantic scramble of the students.

Then, two more figures appeared, identical to the first Mr. Compress, their smirks mirroring his own. The students, confused and disoriented, couldn't tell who was the real Mr. Compress.

But I could. I could smell him. My senses, honed by my Dragon Slayer magic, were acutely aware of the faintest scent, the subtlest change in the air. I knew his scent, the faint aroma of lavender and something else, something metallic and sharp.

He was the one who had taken Bakugou, the one who held the key to his safety.

I followed him, my heart pounding in my chest, my mind focused solely on that scent, that single thread leading me through the labyrinthine forest.

Nobody's POV

Hina's breath came in ragged gasps, her lungs burning as she scrambled through the undergrowth, her eyes fixed on the fleeting figure of Mr. Compress. He moved with an almost unnatural grace, leaping from branch to branch, his form a blur of purple and black against the green backdrop.

The scent of lavender, sharp and metallic, clung to the air, a beacon guiding her through the tangled forest. It was a scent that now filled her with a mixture of fear and desperate hope.

He was the one who had taken Bakugou, the one who held the key to his safety. She had to follow him, no matter the cost.

Suddenly, Mr. Compress paused, his back turned to her. His voice, a low murmur, barely audible above the rustling leaves, sent a shiver down her spine.

"It's you, isn't it?"

He turned, his eyes meeting hers, a knowing glint in their depths. His smirk was predatory, a cruel promise etched on his lips.

Hina felt a surge of panic. What did he want with her? What was his game?

Before she could even begin to formulate a response, Mr. Compress flicked his wrist, activating his quirk. Her form began to shrink, his body compressing into a swirling vortex of purple energy.