Light Within The Shadows(Aizawa x Reader Agent!AU)

Ch 19: Saving Eri - Part 6

'For a split-second I hesitate. Where do I shoot? I know how heavy the bullets are! I, unique among the flock, am the only one who does!! I can't waste the shot!! I have a single shot to hit a man who can phase through objects!! It's no use!! Ever since the capo flung the bullets, he's already caught on! What about his assistant?!! Dammit! He's out cold!! How do I make sure...He doesn't make it pass through him?!' Nemoto thought, then aimed his gun straight at Eri, thinking of the words Mirio said. 'Exploit his inner feelings!!'

Mirio pushed himself off the ground, seeing Eri grit her teeth and close her eyes. It was the expression of a girl who never cried or shouted. If she was ever faced with things that could kill her, all she could do was keep her mouth shut. This was how she dealt with the pain she had no choice but to put up with. This is how she endured, through all the despair, pain, and fear.

His hand outstretched, Mirio laid it on Eri's head gently. The bullet fired. As Eri looked up, all she could see was the caring and genuine smile Mirio had on his lips.

Mirio got in the way of the bullet. 'I'll never, ever...let you feel pain like this again!'

Mirio thought back on all his memories, what it took for him to get to where he was. How he pledged to his father to do his best. How he trained himself and his Quirk to the fullest, his time at U.A., how he met Nejire and Tamaki, how he met Nighteye, and how he slowly came to be acknowledged by his peers by being associated with his friends ad the Big Three. This is how far he's come.

Mirio felt the bullet pierce is back, and felt it change something inside him.

It was his Quirk. It was gone.

Somewhere else, Tamaki's eyes shot open, feeling something shift the balance. "...Mirio...?"

Back with Chisaki, he stood, leaning back and laughing. "People nowadays dream big because they have their Quirks. Always dreaming about what sort of person they can become. You're all sick. It's enough to make me burst out laughing! It was the power of that girl you tried to save...that's taken everything you've refined 'til now, and rendered it all meaningless!!"

Chisaki slammed his hand on the ground, but looked up to see Chronos' unconscious body fly in front of him, knocking him over. Mirio wasted no time and punched Chisaki's arm with an almost shattering force. Chisaki watched him with eyes filled with malice.

"Watch your opponent carefully and predict his next move...! You didn't negate anything...!" Mirio declared. "NOTHING I'VE DONE SO FAR HAS BEEN POINTLESS! I AM STILL LEMILLION!!!"

Mirio and Chisaki began to exchange blows, while Nemoto watched from the sidelines. 'Sakaki's Quirk should still be in effect!! And he's lost his own nigh-unbeatable Quirk! Not only that, but he should still be shouldering the handicap of keeping Eri from harm! What the hell...is this man?!!'

Fifteen minutes have elapsed since Mirio gave chase...Five of those since being hit by the Quirk-destroying bullet. He remained at an overwhelming 2-on-1 disadvantage. And so, for a full third of that time in that state, he fought.

No. He protected her.

Mirio stood in front of Eri, concrete spikes spearing his leg and torso. As Eri shed small tears, Mirio grimaced.

"Did you just want to be a 'hero', Lemillion? Or did you really want to save Eri?" Chisaki asked. "You're afflicted by the disease of the age. I'm going to use Eri's power to cure people like you."

The spikes retracted as Chisaki put his hand on the ground. Mirio could only think of his mentor, his best friend, and everyone else. "CHISAKIIII!!!"