Group One's Counterattack

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One more strike to the face left Nino's head spinning like a dreidel. How many hits had that made now? Forty? Fifty? Was he even counting at this point? He had no idea. Was there a reason he was trying to keep count? God knew. A knee strike shot the small amount of oxygen he had left in him right out with a blood filled cough. As he tried to gather more air into his lungs, his face was gripped by a night black palm, and slammed against the wall he was being beaten against.

Trying to gather liquid here was absolutely fruitless. He'd managed to pool a small glop of water in his palms, and fired it at the highest force he could muster against this pure black figure with demonic red eyes, but it had just phased right through him, like he wasn't even there. He. It. Whatever this person was. Kuragaro? Was that his name? Korogaru? Did it even matter at this point?

What the hell was he even thinking? Nino's mind was in absolute shambled right now, the only real thing he could focus on was the pain each and every strike seemed to fill him with. Sure, it beat getting writhed in flames, but this wasn't exactly fun. There wasn't much he could do, due to his own inability to generate water, or control his own blood. What use was mastery over all liquids if you couldn't even use your own liquids to fight?

One second, He'd been looking at Adrien, about to ask him why he looked like he did when they first watched Alien together, and the next, he could taste blood coming from the multitude of cuts inside his mouth. His head hurt. His stomach hurt. A creature that looked like a shadow, with blood red eyes and teeth was wailing on him without remorse.

All because Nino had made one offhanded comment. One he hadn't meant any offense by.

The truth was, he'd meant it in the opposite manner as it had come out. Kuragari - He was convinced that was his name - Did look like a Villain, there wasn't any way to get around that fact. And there was no doubt that he had been told that. Many, many times throughout his childhood. That at many points, he was accused of wrongdoings he never committed, based on the appearance he had. Nino had thoughts of him being accused of being a thief in stores, even when he hadn't touched anything.

And here he was.

Trying to become a Hero.

"You want a Villain, do ya?!" Kuragari yelled, striking Nino's jaw once more.

The world wanted to call him a Villain. But Kuragari was here to prove them wrong. He wanted to show that he could help people. That he could be a Hero, and prove everyone wrong. That had to be the reason why he was here, didn't it?

And even here, someone had made the comment of him looking like a Villain.

Nino couldn't blame the guy for losing his shit like this. The same thing had happened to Nino when people learned how limited his Trait was. How he couldn't hope to be a Hero if his power didn't let him create his own water. How he would be useless without other Heroes there to back him up. How he should be a lifeguard, and put his Trait to better use. Use that was better suited for someone who couldn't even generate the elements they wielded.

And look where he was now. A proud member of the Hero course. Why was he here? The honest reason? He had wanted to prove those people wrong. That he could become a Hero with this power of his, no matter how limited it was.

"Damn Hero!" An elbow strike to the cheek.

Not exactly as romantic of an image as people made it out to be. As it turned out, Heroism wasn't always a straight line towards victory. Often times, it really freaking hurt. But it was why he was here. To prove the people who mocked him and how power were wrong. That he could be someone people could rely on to help them, even if he was at a disadvantage.

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