Part 4
"Kero... understood. So it was a Costume calculated to that extent."
Just as the two finished whispering, Fumiko took one step forward.
The two took defensive stances warily. Not missing any slight movement, they focused on every one of Fumiko's actions, maintaining their concentration as the standoff continued.
As for Fumiko, she walked normally as if taking a casual stroll. Not taking any particular stance, yet keeping her gaze fixed on Tokoyami and Asui.
The eeriness of not knowing what she would do heightened their vigilance.
Tokoyami positioned himself where he could immediately hide behind a pillar, prepared to respond if she suddenly accelerated and charged, or if she threw or kicked the debris that had scattered during their previous exchange.
...But that was a mistake.
Boing!!
"What!?"
"Tokoyami-chan!?"
'What's going on!?'
Suddenly, the pillar right beside Tokoyami exploded from within... and from it emerged a net woven from massive amounts of 'Capture Tape', instantly covering Tokoyami and Dark Shadow. Because Dark Shadow struggled reflexively, the net tangled complexly, binding them together completely. While the rules stated that wrapping tape around one location counted as capture, this was essentially the same as having it applied to their entire bodies.
And from within the blown-apart 'Fake Pillar'... Yaoyorozu emerged, holding what appeared to be a mechanism gun that fired the net, breathing out a sigh.
"It worked well..."
"Ugh... it was a fake... pillar...?"
"Yes. Didn't you notice? That this floor had one more pillar than the others."
☆☆☆
The strategy was simple.
The windows on the top floor where the core was placed were all blocked with 'obvious' but 'impossible to disable' traps, and all other entrances and exits were sealed off. This ensured that access to the top floor with the core was impossible except through the staircase I was currently guarding.
After that, all I had to do was wait there, and the heroes would definitely come here. They had no choice.
Neither of them has Quirks with that much destructive power, so breaking through walls to enter isn't possible. Dark Shadow might have been able to do it, but not silently. If I heard any strange sounds, I would go investigate.
And at the edge of that floor, I had Yaoyorozu use her Quirk to create a 'Fake Pillar' and hide inside it. She held a gun that could fire a 'Capture Net' made of 'Capture Tape' that would be an instant knockout if it hit.
Then, if an opportunity arose during combat, or if it seemed impossible, I would somehow distract them to create an opening, and capture any hero within range instantly with the 'Capture Net'.
Ideally, capturing both at once would have been best, but I won't be greedy.
"Tokoyami boy, you are considered 'Captured'! It must be frustrating, but please wait there!"
"...Understood."
Showing his intention to comply with All Might's voice coming through the radio, Tokoyami stopped moving.
Now then... this leaves only Asui.
Immediately after, Yaoyorozu took out two more 'Capture Guns' from inside the pillar and went to stand blocking the front of the staircase. Facing weapons that fired 'nets' with range and wide attack areas, even Asui with her extending tongue couldn't approach carelessly.
Most importantly, if she dawdled, I would attack from behind... and even if not, from this point, since Yaoyorozu was on defense, Asui would have to fight me. She should immediately realize that's impossible for her, whose combat ability is likely inferior even to Dark Shadow's.
"Kero... I guess there's no choice."
Asui murmured.
That it didn't mean she was giving up became clear from her next action. Using her frog leg power, she charged toward a window.
Crossing her arms in front of her face, she charged through, shattering the window glass spectacularly with a crash!! and leaped outside. Somehow, that was... a really cool way to escape.
Probably, she intended to stick directly to the wall surface and head straight for the core above.
Since both of us were here, conversely, that meant no one was guarding the core. It was protected only by traps.
She probably figured that even if breaking the window would reveal her location through sound, she didn't care anymore. She thought if she could somehow force her way through them, she could secure the core.
But...
Splat!
"...Kero!?"
Asui, who had burst through the window... was caught in a tape net that had been set up inside the window. Hanging mid-air, completely entangled just like Tokoyami.
Since it wasn't a 'Capture Net' but a net made of colorless, transparent ordinary tape, it didn't count as capture even in that state... but being unable to move remained unchanged.
And while Asui was confused, unable to comprehend the situation...
"Time's up! 15 minutes have passed! Therefore, this match goes to the VILLAIN TEEEEAM!!"
The voice coming through the radio announced the end of the battle.
"You got us, Yaoyorozu-chan, Fumiko-chan. I never expected you'd prepare traps like this too."
"The traps on the top floor windows were all obvious ones you could see, so was that the blind spot? That there were properly hidden traps in invisible forms."
"Yes... and to think you went so far as to hide them in such elaborate constructions, when you shouldn't have had time... how did you do it?"
"You can ask about that during the review session later."