MHA Paragon

Chapter 46: Into The Tunnel



Sorry about the infrequent release lately got swamped these last few weeks but everything should be back on schedule. Also, I've noticed some comments about chapter length, and I've made them longer, writing about ~1400 words per chapter, give or take...but since I'm ahead on Patreon, it's going to be a while before you see that here on Webnovel. 

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A deathly rattle echoed through the air as Kenji's chain flew from his hand, becoming little more than a blur. Controlling the chain's pathing mid flight with his mind was as simple as breathing. Faster than Kenji's eyes could track, the chain wove around the ant, looping around limbs and the segments between its various body parts, trussing the monster like a Christmas turkey. 

In a matter of seconds the ant was almost completely bound, with only its head free to move and locked in place by Kenji's chain. But the beast wasn't going to give up without a fight.

With an ear-piercing screech, the dread beast opened its mandibles before chomping down on the chain wrapped around its forelimb, trying to free itself. And even through his void armor Kenji could feel the vibrations as the ant gnawed away at his chain. But with the monster's main weapon occupied it gave Kenji a perfect window of opportunity. 

Lowering himself into a crouch, Kenji braced himself as the abyss around his feet erupted into a pillar of darkness sending him flying into the air. Once he reached the apex of his flight Kenji yanked on the chain wrapped around his arm pulling him back down to the earth, or more accurately the ant. 

Landing on its diamond like caparace with a soft thud Kenji didn't waste any time as he ran towards the monster's head. The ant reared and bucked trying to throw Kenji off its back but his stride barely slowed. 

Reaching the segment between the ant's abdomen and its head Kenji flicked his wrist sending his chain looping through the air as it uncoiled and extended. Before the ant realized what was happening, Kenji's chain wrapped around its neck and with a savage yank he pulled it taught. 

Feeling the literal noose tighten around its neck the ant bucked with all its might, but Kenji fought back. Grabbing onto his chain with both hands Kenji roared as his arms burned with the effort. 

For a moment there was a standstill, as Kenji and the dread beast fought tooth and nail. Until all of a sudden Kenji felt something give. 

There was a loud snap followed by a thud as Kenji crushed the ant's neck and it collapsed in a heap of twitching legs. Kenji let out a sigh as he relaxed his grip and hopped off the still twitching corpse, as his chain snaked across the ground to wrap back around his arm, "Fucking pest."

Holding out his hand Kenji summoned a portal beneath the monster corpse and watched as a swarm of tentacles reached up and wrapped around the body before pulling it down into the abyss. A few seconds later Kenji felt a small trickle of energy flow into him as his connection to the abyss strengthened. Though compared to the Alpha Capsule it wasn't even a fraction of the overall potency. 

Letting out a tired sigh Kenji went to dismiss his armor again when another sound echoed up from the tunnel. At first it was so faint Kenji wanted to believe he imagined it, but when he focused the sound came through clearer, and with a start Kenji realized it was someone screaming. 

'Shit,' Without thinking Kenji ran to the tunnel and jumped into the mouth. Almost immediately the passages sloped down into a straight drop, sliding along the wall with a thin layer of abyss to reduce friction Kenji almost enjoyed the rush as he sped up faster. But the screams of whoever waited at the bottom dampened his spirits. 

For a brief moment Kenji was in absolute darkness, but then a light appeared at the end of the tunnel, an eerie neon glow that gave Kenji no amount of comfort. 

Reaching the end of the tunnel Kenji was dropped unceremoniously in a massive underground chamber the size of a football field. But the most eye-catching part were the giant glowing mushrooms that sprouted from the walls like trees. It was an entire underground ecosystem. 

But Kenji couldn't stop to smell the fungus as another scream pierced through the air followed by a familiar voice, "Fuck that burns!"

Running to where the sound came from Kenji burst through a cluster of massive mushrooms to see a swarm of ants surrounding a lone figure covered nearly head to toe in glowing blue acid. 

Kenji wondered how the person wasn't a pile of goop on the floor when he caught a metallic shine beneath the corrosive substance. 

Thrusting out his hand Kenji's chain shot forward snaking through a ring of ants surrounding his classmate before wrapping around his waist and pulling him through the air to safety. 

"Let me go, you bug bastards!" Tetsutetsu roared as he struggled against Kenji's chain, clearly thinking the ants had gotten a hold of him. 

"Tetsutetsu it's me Kenji, now hold on I'm going to get us out of here!" Kenji tried to calm his classmate as the army of ants turned around to face him. 

Getting back to his feet Tetsutetsu growled as he clawed the sticky acid off his face and opened his eyes, "Like hell we are! Those bastards took Tsu and Momo!" 

"What?" Kenji asked as a pit formed in his stomach. 

Tetsutetsu hands balled into fists sounding like a car in a compactor, "When we fell Tsu managed to grab me and Momo who made a parachute for us. We ducked into a tunnel to avoid being crushed by debris but then we were swarmed and…I couldn't protect them." 

Kenji glanced from the encroaching horde to see the mask of guilt and anger on Tetsutetsu's face, "Well then, let's kill these bastards and then get our classmates back!" 

Tetsutetsu glanced up and made eye contact with Kenji as a resolute determination spread across his face and a fire lit up in his eyes, "Couldn't have said it better myself!" 

Kenji nodded once as his chain unwrapped around from Tetsutetsu's waist, "Alright then let's get to work."


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