The Gallows and The Gun

Shin had ten months to prepare for the U.A. entrance exam, and he wasn't wasting any time. He stood outside his house, twirling the Iron Viper in his hands, eyes locked on the tin cans set up on makeshift platforms around the yard.

With a leather holster strapped to his belt, Shin slid the revolver into place, keeping his palm open as he took a deep breath. His blue eyes narrowed as he locked onto each target.

In one swift motion, he flicked the Iron Viper from its holster and opened fire. Six shots rang out, each bullet tearing through a tin can with precision. The echo of the gunfire rolled through the countryside, sending a flock of birds scattering into the sky.

"Wooh!" Shin shouted, grinning as the last can hit the ground.

He reset the targets, taking a moment to catch his breath before preparing for another round. But as he aimed, something caught his eye—the flock of birds from earlier. They weren't just flying away; they were moving in slow motion, almost frozen in the air.

His brow furrowed in confusion, but he exhaled, and as soon as the breath left his lungs, the birds sped back to their normal pace.

Curiosity piqued, Shin took another deep breath, holding it this time. Sure enough, the birds in the sky began to slow again.

Eyes narrowing with realization, he shifted his aim from the tin cans to the birds. With another six shots, he picked them out of the sky, their slow-motion movements making them easy targets. The remaining birds scattered, but before they could escape, Shin quickly reloaded. He tried to hold his breath once more, but a wave of exhaustion hit him hard. His knees buckled, and he fell to the ground, gasping for air.

Suddenly, the familiar buzz of his pocket watch snapped him out of his daze. He pulled it out and glanced at the interface.

[Dead Eye]

Low Energy

Rest Required Or Consumables

Shin's limbs felt heavy, his body sluggish. He exhaled, dragging himself up with great effort, realizing the power he'd just tapped into had its limits. He pocketed the watch, shaking his head with a weary smirk.

"Guess that takes a toll," he muttered under his breath, stumbling back toward his house, his body craving rest.

Shin lounged on the couch after a much-needed shower, kicking his feet up as he flipped the television on. The evening news flickered to life on the screen.

"All Might saves the day, and two students were rescued successfully." the anchor reported. "In other news, a new villain, going by the name Graph, remains at large after a daring bank robbery. Authorities are baffled by how the suspect managed to enter and exit the vault, but they believe it's tied to a quirk. Here's footage from inside the vault..."

Shin's attention sharpened as grainy security footage played. A hooded figure appeared on screen, calmly gathering bars of gold and stuffing duffle bags full of cash. After finishing, the man strolled to the center of the vault, pulled out a can of spray paint, and shook it with casual confidence before scrawling the word Graph across the wall in bold letters.

Then, as mysteriously as he had appeared, the man vanished from the footage without a trace.

"As you can see," the anchor continued, "the suspect seems to enter and exit the vault without tripping any alarms. Authorities are asking for anyone with information to contact them immediately... In other news, Iran and Israel have decided to—"

Shin felt a familiar buzz in his coat pocket. He didn't need to check to know what it was, but he muted the TV anyway and pulled out his pocket watch.

New Mission:

[Stop Graph]

Or

[Steal Money From A Bank]

Rewards:

[Paralysis Bullets]

[450 Shop Points]

Shin clicked the watch closed and stood up, his expression set. "Time to move."

Later that night, Shin stood on the edge of a rooftop, one foot resting on the ledge as he gazed down at the city's bustling nightlife. The neon lights reflected off the wet streets below, casting an ever-shifting glow across the urban landscape. His face was hidden behind a bandana, his identity masked in the shadows.

In his hand, the compass from his pocket watch quietly ticked, the needle pointing toward the large building next door. He'd been waiting for most of the night, watching the occasional car pass by, the distant chatter of pedestrians filling the air below.

Eventually, Shin sighed, sitting down on the edge of the roof, his patience wearing thin.

"When's this feller gonna show up?" he muttered to himself.

He leaned back, stretching out, keeping one eye on the building. Time seemed to drag, but just when he was about to lose focus, he heard a faint rattle. The distinct sound of a spray can shaking.

His eyes snapped back into focus, and sure enough, a hooded man emerged from the shadows, spray can in hand.

Shin tracked the hooded man's movements carefully from above. Graph carried a duffle bag slung over his shoulder as he approached the wall of the bank. With a swift shake of his spray can, the criminal sprayed a perfect circle onto the brick surface, then began to fill it in.

Shin raised an eyebrow, not expecting what came next. Graph placed his hand on the painted circle, and the wall shimmered, turning transparent. Without hesitation, the man stepped through the wall as if it were nothing.

Shin's eyes widened. "Well, that's somethin' new," he muttered.

Without wasting a second, Shin bolted. He leapt from railing to railing, descending the side of the building as quickly as he could. The transparent wall Graph had created began to solidify, closing in fast. Shin gritted his teeth, pushing himself harder, but it looked like he wasn't going to make it.

Then an idea sparked. He squinted, inhaling deeply, and held his breath.

The solidifying wall began to slow, the hardening process almost crawling—but to Shin's surprise, his own body didn't speed up much. It was clear now—this ability heightened his reaction time, not his physical speed. Even so, it bought him the crucial moment he needed.

He lunged forward, just barely slipping through the last transparent section of the wall as it sealed behind him. He tumbled to the floor in a roll, quickly springing back to his feet.

Across the room, Graph stood frozen, his duffle bag half-filled with gold and cash, his masked face turned toward Shin, who had just crashed his heist.

Shin smirked, brushing off the dirt. "Hope you're ready to call it a night, partner."