"RUN, KOTA!" I howled, my voice ripping through the air with a force that made even the trees tremble. Panic surged through me as I watched the boy hesitate, caught between fear and instinct. But I didn't have time to worry about that. The strange villain in front of me, half-mad and twitching with excitement, was already snarling and snapping his twisted teeth in anticipation.

I sprang into action, my claws striking the air with a deadly grace, the poison glinting at their tips like liquid venom under the moonlight. The villain chuckled low, his voice dripping with madness. The moment I swiped, his grotesque teeth—blades of jagged steel—shot up, blocking my strike. But they were no match for my claws. They shattered like brittle glass, splintering under the force of my attack. His body jerked backward as my talon scraped across his arm, ripping his straitjacket open and sending a spurt of dark, sticky blood flying through the air.

"You're fast, little monster," he rasped, grinning like a madman. His laugh echoed in the night, sending chills down my spine. He bounced back on his heels, eyes flickering with insane delight. "Oh, why would I kill you? Really, I could just keep you to myself, a beautiful prize... I could make you mine..."

I growled, my tail lashing dangerously behind me, but before I could close the gap and pounce, I felt something rush past me in the corner of my vision. A flash of yellow hair—two perfect twin buns—whizzed by. The little girl, barely even in her teens, tore across the ground like a beast on a hunt, her eyes wild with a manic gleam. Her school uniform flapped in the wind as she grinned, her teeth sharp and gleaming in the dim light.

"Yay, blood vessel!" she cheered, skipping toward Kota, her arms outstretched as if she were about to snatch him up like a prize.

My heart clenched in my chest, a cold fear creeping through my veins. The girl was insane, no doubt about it, and her gleam was as hungry and predatory as the villain's. I couldn't let her reach Kota. My instincts screamed at me to act, to do something before it was too late.

I gritted my teeth and spun, the heat from my core surging up into my chest. In a heartbeat, I shot a burst of fire into the ground, the blast sending a shockwave of heat through the air. The earth beneath us cracked wide open, and molten lava gushed up, bubbling and hissing like a deadly beast. The stream of lava flowed between the two villains, splitting them apart, forcing them to retreat.

For a split second, the chaos paused.

Kota seized the opportunity. His small frame darted like a shadow, racing for the cover of the forest. Tears streamed down his face, his footsteps rapid and desperate, but his mind was sharp. He knew to run. The boy had more courage than he gave himself credit for.

I grinned, a bitter satisfaction filling my chest. "Good boy," I muttered, watching him disappear into the trees.

The girl—still a wild storm of energy and excitement—flashed me a furious glare before focusing her attention back on the now-separated villain, as though the bloodlust had never ceased.

But she wouldn't be a problem anymore.

I had what I needed: time. And time was all I needed to finish this.

I lashed my tail, the powerful movement sending a shockwave through the ground beneath me. "Now it's just you two and me, not that boy. Let's fight." My voice was low, a growl laced with raw, primal energy that hung in the air like a promise of destruction.

I flared my wings wide, each feather sharp and glistening in the dim moonlight. They were vast, stretching out like a darkened sky ready to smother the world beneath it. The tips of my wings brushed against the dirt, sending dust swirling as I rose from the ground. My claws dug deep into the earth, ready to launch me into the fight.

With a single, powerful beat, I propelled myself forward, closing the distance between us in a heartbeat. The villain in the straitjacket stumbled back, his unhinged grin twisting into something darker as he fumbled with his grotesque, jagged teeth. The girl, wild-eyed and laughing, spun to face me, her manic gaze hungry for the chaos that was about to unfold.

"You think you can take us both?" the villain sneered, his body shaking as he prepared for the fight. "You're nothing but a beast, a monster."

I didn't respond. I didn't need to. The air around me crackled with energy as I dove towards him, my claws flashing through the night like blades of fate. I could feel the heat from the girl's chaotic presence behind me, but I focused on the villain first. He would be the greater threat—deranged and unpredictable, a ticking time bomb.

With a powerful swipe, I slashed at him, the force of my movement sending him stumbling backward. His straitjacket tore open further, exposing his twisted, scarred flesh, but he barely flinched. Instead, he grinned wider, his voice a low rasp. "That all you've got, pretty thing?"

He lunged forward, trying to sink his razor-sharp teeth into my scales. I twisted my body mid-air, spinning with a fluidity that caught him off guard. My tail slammed into his chest, sending him flying back, and I landed with a heavy thud. The force rattled the ground beneath me, shaking the trees around us.

But the girl... she wasn't done.

She was already in motion, darting forward like a streak of lightning. Her eyes gleamed, her laughter a high-pitched, unholy sound as she charged towards me, her small form deceptively fast. I twisted on my heels just in time to meet her with a gust of wind from my wings. The force sent her skidding backward, her feet scraping the ground as she hissed in frustration.

I knew I couldn't afford to hold back, not with the two of them still standing.

My eyes narrowed, and I bared my teeth. "You wanted a fight? You've got one," I muttered, low and dangerous. My heart thundered with adrenaline as I tensed, ready to strike again.

The battle had only just begun.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

Aizawa's heart skipped a beat as the sound of Onyx's roars echoed through the forest. The guttural, primal cries were unmistakable—filled with fury and chaos. His eyes narrowed, adrenaline flooding his veins. This is bad. Really bad. He had never heard Onyx sound like that before, never heard her in such a state of uncontrolled rage. Something was horribly wrong.

He didn't waste a second more.

With a swift motion, he dashed out of the building, his boots hitting the ground hard as he made his way toward the smoke billowing up from the forest. His mind raced as his quirk activated, erasing the powers of anyone who might be lurking nearby, but the urgent tension in the air told him this wasn't just a random villain attack. This was something personal. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach.

Behind him, he heard Kirishima, Mina, and Monoma calling out, but he didn't have time to listen. The sounds of distant explosions, followed by more of those monstrous roars, told him everything he needed to know. Onyx, he thought grimly, what's happened to you?

As Aizawa neared the edge of the forest, he could see the smoke rising, thick and suffocating. His eyes scanned the horizon, searching for any signs of the source. A sudden tremor beneath his feet made his muscles tighten. It was faint, but enough to make him pause for a split second. The forest was trembling from whatever chaos was unfolding within.

Suddenly, a shadow darted from behind the trees—a massive figure, wings unfurled and tail snapping through the air like a whip. He didn't need to see her face to know it was Onyx. The familiar gleam of her scales, the way her wings stirred up the dust, and the sheer weight of her presence were all too familiar.

But something was off. Onyx's movements were erratic, wild. She wasn't the calm, collected force she usually was. Her wings flared out violently, and her claws tore through the earth, leaving deep gouges in the soil. Her eyes—glowing with an unnatural light—spoke of a fury that Aizawa had never seen from her before.

What the hell happened to you?

Aizawa's heart pounded in his chest. He knew Onyx wasn't just a dragon; she was something more, something powerful enough to be a symbol of life itself. But if she was in this state... if she was losing control...

His mind raced through possibilities. The poison that had been used on her before, the emotional turmoil she'd been carrying—was it finally pushing her over the edge? Or was something else going on? He couldn't waste time speculating.

Aizawa took a deep breath and forced himself to focus. He didn't have the luxury of second-guessing. He needed to reach her—now.

But before he could take another step, a voice cut through the tension in the air.

"Well, well... looks like someone's a little bit too eager to get involved."

Aizawa's eyes snapped to the side, and his hand instinctively moved toward his capture gear. From behind the thick trees, a man emerged—dressed in dark, torn clothing, his face hidden behind a mask. The stranger's posture was casual, but Aizawa could feel the danger radiating off him.

The man's lips curled into a smirk as he took in the scene. "The Queen of Shadows, huh? I was wondering where she'd be. We've got business with her, and by the looks of it, you're standing in the way."

Aizawa's body tensed. The way this man spoke, the way he carried himself—it wasn't just an ordinary villain. This was someone with a plan. Someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

"I won't let you hurt her," Aizawa growled, his eyes narrowing.

The man chuckled softly. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not interested in hurting her. Not yet, anyway. But I'll have what's mine soon enough."

Aizawa's gaze hardened. "You'll have to go through me first."

The stranger's smirk only deepened. "I'm counting on it, Eraserhead."

Without another word, Aizawa lunged, his quirk activated, ready to face whatever threat this villain posed. But in the back of his mind, one thought remained at the forefront: Onyx... hold on. I'm coming for you.