Chapter 39: Battle Of The Past

The harsh sound of hail roared out. Thrashing off roofs, indenting them, while powerful wind gusts ripped through the air. The once peaceful day. Was no more. It was night, And an incredible storm had covered a large part of Japan. In the middle of this massive storm, was a bright red warehouse, barely holding its ground against the surge of wind. 

This warehouse was surrounded by abandoned buildings, decaying from erosion and old age. It was silent, too silent, hail crashing into the ground, was the only sound, that echoed for miles. That is until a set of faint footsteps rippled out. Approaching, this warehouse, was Ricolo, his cloak tossing in the wind. 

His eyes were hyperfocused. No sign of distraction was present on his face. As he approached this warehouse, walking through a large open metal gate, the building was filled with wooden crates, stacking up several feet high. These crates obscured his vision, the building was dark. But Ricolo could tell, a group was watching him. He took three more steps on the concrete floor, before stopping and speaking. 

" It's rude to invite an old friend and hide when he arrives. " 

" Friend? Perhaps once we were. " Said Chiyo stepping out into the open, standing on top of a wooden crate. Ricolo locked eyes with her, while the other assassins emerged standing on crates, each on different levels. They wore the exact same type of cloak Ricolo wore.

Silence engulfed the warehouse, as the old allies glared at each other until Chiyo spoke cutting off the hail, beating into the roof. " Who killed Lori? " She demanded while pulling back her hood, revealing her short bright green hair and black eyes.

" I don't know. You know it wasn't me. I couldn't kill her due to her quirk. Lucky bastard though. " Responded Ricolo while stretching his arms, pulling them close to his chest. 

" You know it's shameful. To talk about our mother like that. But, what the hell were you trying to do? Trying to become a hero? Should have seen our faces, when he mentioned it to us. " Said Chiyo leaping down from the crate, softly landing on the floor. 

" I'm not entirely sure myself. I guess... I wanted to see what the positive side of the world was. Everyone feared me, and none ever looked up to me. But I know, I inspired someone, that watched my fights. A foolish and selfish reason, but. It's my reason. "

" It's foolish indeed. " Lekio said abruptly in a deep voice, Ricolo glanced up at Lekio until he grinned and spoke. " Didn't grow at all did you Lekio? You're probably the only one Lori would have recognized. But what are y'all doing back from the States? " 

" Our connection with Lori suddenly cut off. And we hurriedly returned to Japan, to check on our dear mother. Only to find her lifeless. " Akane said her bright blue eyes bearing down on Ricolo. Until he spoke. " Ohh. I get. You want the money right? " 

"No," Akane replied, gracefully hopping off the crate, her black hair flowing in the wind as she landed beside Chiyo. "We were simply concerned about her well-being."

Ricolo scoffed at this comment while grabbing onto the back of his head. The grin on his face grew wider as he spoke. " Enough chit-chat. Let's get this show on the road. And by the way, if you do manage to kill me. Lori's bank account details are all on my phone. So, go and hack it or whatever. " 

The moment Ricolo uttered those words...Lekio's body shot to the ground, his palm slamming into the wooden crate. In an instant, the crate shattered into eight different pieces. Hurtling chunks of wood toward Ricolo, who easily ducked and sidestepped the flying pieces. As Chiyo and Akane dashed towards Ricolo, reaching into their cloaks. 

But oddly, their movements were silent. This was thanks to Kiro's quirk, silencing their steps. Throughout this entire fight, not a single sound would be heard. Ricolo would have to use only his eyes and instincts to counter their attacks. These eyes sharpened, as Akane leaped into the air twirling, throwing a spinning kick.

The kick slithered through the air like a snake slamming into Ricolo's arm, making him stagger back until his palm twisted, grabbing Akane's heel, throwing her towards Chiyo, who easily slid under her airborne body while reaching into her cloak.

A handle emerged out of her cloak, which she tightly grasped before pulling out a small black sickle, slicing towards Ricolo's neck, in a single fluid motion. Ricolo eye's widened as his right arm blurred, and metal sparks spewed out. A knife intercepted the razor-sharp sickle, and a creepy smile crept across Chiyo until she suddenly ducked.

Off pure instinct, Ricolo leaned to his left, narrowly evading a silent bullet that grazed the right side of his face, causing blood to flow down his face. The bullet pierced through the metal gate, as Ricolo stumbled back. While Chiyo's mouth moved to speak, but Ricolo couldn't hear her. This was once again due to Kiro's quirk. The assassins could plan in the open without fear. 

With his eyes completely focused on Chiyo's crouched body, Akane saw an opportunity and quickly dashed towards the staggered Ricolo leaping off Chiyo's shoulder gracefully flipping into the air, throwing a twirling kick. Ricolo quickly glanced up into the air, until his eyes noticed something. A shine coming Akane's heels, instead of blocking the attack, Ricolo dashed back, being able to see, metal spikes sticking out of Akane's shoes. 

Akane softly touched down on the ground before lunging towards Ricolo throwing a heavy punch, that slipped through his guard slamming into his nose. Unlike Deku and the other U.A. students. All of the assassins present, possessed hand-to-hand skills that were comparable to Ricolo's, not a single one of them would be easy to kill.

Ricolo swiftly countered, slamming a kick into Akane's hip, which repeated several times sending her body crashing through a nearby metal container filled with an odd liquid. This liquid poured down onto the concrete floor, covering it. Making Ricolo sniff the air until his eyes dilated and he mumbled to himself. " Gasoline? " Reacting quickly, Ricolo threw his knife at the ground, hoping to cause a spark.

Just as the knife was about to slam into the ground, a quiet bullet intercepted it, shattering Ricolo's blade into pieces. These pieces rattled on the floor, as Chiyo sprinted over them, swiping her sickle at Ricolo's neck. The sickle sliced through the air, narrowly missing Ricolo who ducked under the swipe, throwing an overhand that was easily caught by Chiyo.

Chiyo tightly held onto Ricolo's fist, until it suddenly loosened, and slipped out of her grasp, letting Ricolo throw a hook towards her chin, the punch inched closer and closer, until unexpectedly, the floor underneath them, shattered splitting into several pieces, causing Ricolo to lose his footing, making his hook barely miss. 

" What- " Before Ricolo could finish his sentence, Chiyo's sickle swiped up plunging into his shoulder, letting her brutally yank the sickle out, ripping out a large chunk of Ricolo's flesh. She walked back with a sadistic grin on her face, as the sound of creaking rippled out from the shaking warehouse. Making everyone present look up, except for Ricolo who kept staring forward unaware of the collapsing warehouse due to Kiro's quirk. But without any warning for Ricolo, the warehouse caved in, collapsing in on itself. Slamming into the ground making a chaotic bang, which even drowned out, the pouring hail.

The once sturdy warehouse was no more, only a pile of rubble remained filled with rocks, wood, and metal. Slowly Chiyo and the others pushed rubble off themselves, standing up, glancing at each other, waiting for orders from Chiyo, whose quirk, was working overtime, trying to see what Ricolo's next move would be. 

" He hasn't made a move yet. But we aren't idiots, there's no way mere rubble would kill him! " She screamed out, hail slamming into her body. Until Kiro yelled out responding to her.

" Obviously! But Akane be careful, he can repeat actions against you- " Before Kiro could finish his sentence, Chiyo abruptly snapped her head towards him and shouted. " Duck! " Following her orders Kiro dropped to his knees, dodging a knife slash from Ricolo. Who shot out the pile of rubble, after missing his swing, he glared down at the kneeling Kiro. Before twisting his body, slamming a kick into Kiro's shoulder sending him scraping through the pile of rubble. 

Kiro winced in pain, as he pushed off the ground, firing a bullet towards Ricolo, who effortlessly dodged while blocking a kick from Akane. Akane relentlessly threw kicks at Ricolo attempting to stab him with the spikes sticking out of her shoes. However, each one was blocked, until a sudden force, flung Akane into the ground making her cry out, until she rolled avoiding a stomp from Ricolo. 

This stomp shot rocks into the air, before Ricolo dashed through them, sprinting towards Chiyo as she spoke, forming a silent plan with the others. It was obvious to Ricolo, that he had to kill someone fast...Or his death would be guaranteed. 

As Ricolo sprinted towards Chiyo, he spotted a fallen metal support beam, sticking out of the pile of rubble. His eyes glared at this beam, until he swiftly chucked his knife towards it, surprising everyone except Chiyo, who had used her quirk to foresee Ricolo's move. However, even though she was still using her quirk, the future she foresaw showed no signs of what was to come. Ricolo kept charging towards Chiyo, as his knife pierced into the beam.

Cautiously, Chiyo entered a stance pointing her sickle at the charging Ricolo, who reached into his cloak pulling out another knife. In unison, the two slashed, clashing weapons, making sparks once again spew out. The two danced in the hail, spinning around each other, violently slicing at one another. Until their weapons interlocked, and Chiyo pulled her sickle back yanking the knife out of Ricolo's hand. While spinning throwing a backhand, Ricolo narrowly blocked. 

With Ricolo now disarmed, Chiyo cut towards his throat, but the slash was too short, missing. Letting Ricolo pivot and throw a kick at Chiyo's head, the kick was mere inches away until it was caught by Akane who tightly held onto his leg with both hands, instantly, a wave of relaxation swept through Ricolo's body, making his muscles loosen before a small figure shot towards them, drop kicking Ricolo in the chest sending him flying back into a nearby apartment wall. 

" Lekio? What the hell? " Murmured Ricolo his back on the wall, as he dodged a lightning-fast punch from Akane, which left a deep indent in the concrete white wall behind him. Before Ricolo could recover, another small palm shot toward the wall slamming into it. As soon as this palm landed, the wall began to crack rapidly, before falling, collapsing onto Ricolo, while Lekio and Akane dashed back watching the rubble engulf Ricolo.

Dust spewed out which floated in the air only momentarily being forced down by the powerful hail, the assassins watched as Ricolo stood up from the pile of debris, his cloak was now slightly torn, and a cut had formed above his right eye, and yet. Unlike any days prior, a happy grin was on Ricolo's face. The killing intent that engulfed any person who looked at him had seemingly vanished. 

" What the hell are you so happy for? " Asked Kiro canceling his quirk to talk to Ricolo, while aiming his sniper rifle at him. Ricolo just shrugged his shoulders and spoke.

" I don't know why. Maybe because I'm fighting some old friends. Or maybe it's because I'm fighting people worth a damn. But I'm having fun. "

Kiro scoffed at this comment, and raised his sniper looking into his scope, through this scope, he stared right between Ricolo's eyes getting ready to fire a bullet, until suddenly the grin on Ricolo's face grew wider and Chiyo screamed out to him. 

" Kiro! Watch out! " Kiro could only glance at Chiyo confused, until a sharp knife slammed into the side of his neck, piercing through both sides. Blood violently spurted out of his mouth, as he collapsed onto his knees and looked to his right only to see a metal beam sticking out of the rubble with a knife-sized hole in it. Kiro grabbed onto the hilt of his knife, before the action repeated once again, and flew straight through his throat. Making him collapse face forward blood pouring down onto his cloak.

Hail poured down onto his lifeless body, as Ricolo spoke while walking towards a shocked Chiyo. " I never thought listening to the sound of hail would be so relaxing.. You know how annoying that quirk is... But there's only four of us now. " 

" Soon to be three. " Said Lekio, his eyes filled with anger, his tiny body trembling slightly. Ricolo just shook his head at him and spoke. " I'll have to agree. " A silence engulfed the battlefield until Chiyo sighed and began to backpedal grouping up with Akane. Before speaking.

 " The two of us will fight together. Lekio you stay back until you see an opening. "

Lekio nodded and stood stationary, as Akane and Chiyoi walked next to each other slowly approaching Ricolo, who waited patiently...

Five years ago

Inside a limo, sat Lori and Merio driving toward the forest, which would mark the final time Ricolo would see his fellow assassins until the present day. The two were completely silent staring up into the starry roof of the limo. Before suddenly Lori scoffed and spoke.

" You know something about these killing machines I made. They get better when they are closer to death." 

" Mhm? What do you mean? "Asked Merio glancing at Lori slightly confused. 

" When they think their lives are in danger or they are close to death. I noticed that their hearts slowed, and their movements became faster...More defined. More powerful. " Merio grew quiet, pondering to himself until he spoke.

" Kind of like a flow state? " 

" No. Flow state. You act without thinking. Only focused on the task at hand. Theirs are different, they get better. Faster. Stronger. Their quirks outputs increase. In other words, you better kill them quickly, or abruptly... If you don't. You'll be in one hell of a pickle. "...

Back in the present

Through the sound of powerful hail. The sound of buildings collapsing, roared out, as Ricolo body flew through the air, while Akane and Chiyo chased after him. Ricolo flipped in the air slamming his feet into the ground scraping to a stop in a dirty alleyway, with stained white bricks on each side of him. 

He took a deep breath before glancing up and noticing a fire escape ladder that spewed up several floors. He stared at this fire ladder until the sound of footsteps rippled out, as Lekio sprinted up the side of a wall jumping up to the ladder, slamming his hand into it, splitting it into eight pieces, these pieces fell through the air, until they divided once again, into small pieces and Lekio somersaulted kicking a sharp piece of metal at Ricolo, as the fire ladder crashed down.

Ricolo effortlessly snagged onto the piece flying towards him, then swiftly twisted his body flinging the piece back at the falling Lekio. This piece sliced through the sky before inexplicably splitting into two. The split piece zoomed past Lekio's, as he glared at Ricolo angrily. 

" He split the air? " Muttered Ricolo as Akane appeared in front of him, throwing a kick at him. But before the kick could even move through the air, Akane's body shot into the ground. Annoyed, she gritted her teeth, as Chiyo rushed over her body, throwing an overhand which Ricolo blocked. 

The impact of the punch caused Ricolo to stumble back, as Chiyo threw a kick that slammed into Ricolo's side making him slam into a nearby wall. Bouncing off it, Ricolo spun throwing a high kick at Chiyo which she smoothly ducked before rolling to the side dodging the collapsing fire ladder. 

With the death of Kiro. The assassins had lost the only way to battle Ricolo from long range. Meaning from now on. The assassins would have to battle Ricolo in his specialty close combat. But this doesn't guarantee his victory. With Chiyo's quirk, even if she is worse than him in fighting, the ability to see his future moves, is a great advantage. Even nullifying, Ricolo's ability to create fake copies of himself. 

A powerful kick slammed into Ricolo's chest, as the floor under him, split into two, creating a valley. Akane dashed towards Chiyo using her shoulder to propel herself in the air, throwing a kick. Ricolo glanced at her leg approaching his face, until he began to activate his quirk, sending Akane's body to the ground. But...Before she slammed into the ground, the sound of a loud click rippled through the air, and the spike in her right shoe, shot out, spinning through the air...Piercing right through Ricolo's left cheek. 

Before Ricolo could even process what had happened. Lekio fell from the sky, driving an elbow into Ricolo's chin, tilting his head back. Making him stagger back, slipping into the newly created valley. As Chiyo slashed her sickle down, slicing into Ricolo's chest causing blood to spew out of his cloak. 

Ricolo felt stinging pain throughout his body, as Lekio thrusted off his shoulder, flipping into the air, revealing Akane with her left heel pointing towards him. The same loud click rippled through the air, as the last remaining spike, shot out of her heel, hurtling towards Ricolo's face.

Ricolo watched as this spike flew through the sky, rapidly approaching his head. His pupils shrank, before the spike slammed into his mouth, tossing his head back. A sigh of relief blew through Akane's body until the sound of muffled chuckles rippled out. And Ricolo looked forward tightly holding the spike with his teeth, spitting the spike towards the ground. While blocking a kick from an airborne Lekio. And dashing back to avoid another slash from Chiyo.

Lekio landed on the ground, as Ricolo grinned at them, his sweat mixing with rain covering his face. They glared at each other, both sides unmoving, 12 minutes had passed since the start of the fight. And clearly this fight showed no signs of ending. With one of the assassins dead. Only three remain...