Dragon took in his surroundings. He could see old machineries but not identify their previous use. Everything around him was blurry, tinted in blue. A side effect from his subordinate's quirk. The tiles on the floor were cracked, covered in a heavy load of dust. An old factory. Not the cosiest hideout.

A figure appeared across the hall. "You have no business in here," it stated.

"Hm," Dragon mused, "I wouldn't be so sure. Long time no see, Kumo. Might I have a word with your son?"

The figure didn't move. It faltered before announcing, "He's not here."

"What a pity, really. Once he returns, please tell him I know he broke off our deal. Our business ends here. He betrayed me, so should we meet again, it will be as enemies."

"What did he do?" the figure's voice was barely above a whisper. Dragon couldn't hold back a grin. Family drama. He loved it. So entertaining, so intriguing.

He admitted, "Rest assured, our disagreement does not concern you. The two of us are still on neutral terms. Concerning your son, I'm not sure what exactly he's doing right now, but I'm quite certain he has business at Seishin Academy. You might have heard of it. According to my information-"

Dust whirled around, Dragon instinctively closed his eyes, fully aware that he was only there as a projection. Nothing could touch him. As he opened his eyes again, the figure was gone.

Truly an entertaining change of matters.


"What...?" Hikari's lips trembled. Hell. She was in hell.

"My parents", Tomomo enlightened her, "did they scream as much as Neko does now, when your mother tortured and killed them?"

No. No. It couldn't be. He couldn't know.

"He was a Hero, you know, she a businesswoman," he went on, "but who am I to expect you to remember them. Tell me, how many people has she murdered? How many times did you watch?"

No, no, no. Impossible.

"Don't dare to look at me like that. I know you were with her when it happened!" His brows furrowed, anger taking over his stance. "How many times have you heard the name Endo but never even considered I might be related to them? Do you even remember them? You fucking cold bitch! You could've as well killed them yourself!" Venom dripped from his words.

Endo. Endo Haru, also known as the Flying Hero Skyland. Endo Hana, head of Endo Enterprises, the most powerful company in the city of Onderon. How could she forget? They were his parents. They were dead. They had been tortured. Murdered.

And she hadn't done anything to save them.

She deserved every second of pain he inflicted.

"What, got nothing to say? Whatever, it doesn't matter now. I'm done with you. I'll let him have some fun now."

Unable to get any other reaction from her brain or body, Hikari slowly moved her head towards Neko's muffled screaming.

She had called it hell before. This was worse. Her knees buckled under her body weight. There, just a few steps behind Tomomo stood the one person she had hoped she would never ever have to see again. A person whose memory only revived all the pain he had put her through.

Tomomo watched the exchange with amusement. He walked over to the young man holding Neko hostage, passing the tightly in black wrapped girl who desperately wiggled in her cocoon, trying to free herself.

"Have fun, partner. I'll wait downstairs."


Izuku ran as fast as he could without using his quirk. He almost ran into a few people. Almost. The adrenaline improved his agility, he stormed the temporary office, not bothering to knock. It was empty. Dainigai-sensei was gone.

Frantically he dug out his phone, calling Yaoyorozu. Somehow, he ended up joining her and Yotsune's group call again.

"He's gone! He's not in his office anymore!"

"Checking the surveillance footage for any signs of him," the answer came immediately.

"Midoriya, let's meet at the entrance," Yaoyorozu suggested, "maybe Tomomo's at the dorms."

So, Izuku ran again, rejoining his friend at the doorway. Also breathing heavily, Yaoyorozu suggested, "We have to let Succult know." The sole hero guarding the school was the only useful help they could count on.

No further words were exchanged.


Tomomo turned his back to the event. Physically as well as mentally, leaving it all behind. He was done with it. He ignored the few people coming out of their rooms, lured out by noise and screaming. They could call the authorities, once anyone got in it would be too late anyway. No heroes were allowed on school grounds except for that one guard, and god help them, the police was powerless against Neo Kumo. That much he got from the villain's subtle power demonstration.

The Seishin student strolled through the hallways as if he didn't have a single care in the world. Soon he would leave this place. Time to grab his things. Time to make the world a better place.

He exited the building. heading towards the dorms. He was halfway across the place when a voice called out, "Endo Tomomo!"

An angry teacher was the least of his problems. Tomomo speed up, acting as if he hadn't heard the man.

"E-Endo!" the teacher called after him again, voice wavering. Whatever. Tomomo went on, falling into a jog. That's when the ground started shaking. The sudden vibration almost jerked him off his feet, he stumbled a few steps before finding his balance again. Annoyed, the boy threw a glance over his shoulder, freezing in his step. A crater split the asphalt less than ten meters behind his back, a grey chiselled sphere peeking over the edge. It took only a glimpse of the outraged teacher's face for Tomomo to know he had screwed up.

It was him, Dainigai-sensei, his biology teacher. He was the one responsible for all the incidents. And apparently, Tomomo had done something to enrage the man. This could only end in a disaster. The boy gulped, then tried to assuage his teacher, "Dainigai-sensei… I-is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry," the man replied, tears streaming down his face, "I don't have a choice. I have to do this. It's the only way!"

"W-what are you talking about?"

The ground shook again. Petrified, Tomomo jumped to the side, barely avoiding becoming one with the paving under his soles. Panic began to take over his mind.

"D-Dainigai-sensei…!"

"I'm so, so sorry," the teacher sobbed, "but I have to do this. Your life for those my quirk would take in the future. I have to end this."

Tomomo didn't understand. There was no reason Dainigai could be after him. He had nothing. He had lost everything. He was no one.

"Neo Kumo!" he screamed for his new partner. He didn't come.

Someone else did. Tomomo felt something drive against him, a steel grip winding itself around his shoulders, dragging him away faster than any human should be able to. Shocked, he stared into the freckled face of Midoriya Izuku, the Hero-loving boy he couldn't stand being in a fifty-meter radius of. He blinked rapidly in disbelief as Midoriya slowly backed up. How did they get away from the place in less than a second? That was impossible. Unless… That fucking lying son of a-

"Endo-san, are you alright?" Behind Midoriya stood a girl. He didn't know her, but he recognized her. She had been hanging around Shikogane and that nerd Yotsune. They had to be colluding with each other. All of them.

"Endo-san, for reasons unknown to us, Dainigai-sensei seems to be after you. We asked Succult-san for assistance, he will deal with him. Please stay with us, so we can assure your safety!" Spoken like true Hero scum. Tomomo already hated the girl. He was about to snap, when they were rattled by an explosion.

"It's coming from that building over there," Midoriya exclaimed. The opposite direction, the one they had intended to go to.

"We don't have time for this, we have to watch over Endo-san," the girl argued before Midoriya could say a word. Still, he was set on a dispute.

"But someone could be hurt!"

"It could be a distraction!"

"Yaoyorozu," Midoriya placed his hands on the girl's shoulder, "I trust you. You can do this. I'll check it out real quick, then I'll be back with you. He's save with you."

Tomomo couldn't believe it. He wanted to gag from all the cheesiness. The girl, Yaoyorozu, stared at Midoriya for solid five seconds before giving in, "Fine. I'll get him to safety and call the authorities. Please don't take too long."


"Really? Here's where you've been hiding all this time? That's pathetic. Even by your standards."

Every bit of colour drained from Hikari's face. The world around her was spinning. She could only see his face, hear Neko's muffled screeching.

"What, are you not going to say hi to your own brother? We haven't seen each other in years! I almost missed you. Regards from mom, by the way. She didn't want to come all the way here."

He was lying. That was all he ever did.

"That's no fun. Do something!" The pitch of his voice rose. He was slowly losing his ease. Hikari still felt paralysed. Unable to breath.

"Fine," Neo Kumo shrugged, "let's see if I can get a reaction from you with this."

The black mass wrapped itself more tightly around Neko. Her screaming became more intense. Now not just from sheer panic, but also from slowly building pain.

"S… top…" The letters wouldn't roll of Hikari's numb tongue.

"What? I couldn't hear you."

Neko pressed her eyelids together. The pain visibly intensified.

"N-no… Pl-please…" Hikari stammered, tears blurring her vision.

"What?"

"Please! Let her go!" her tongue gained back strength, the words came rushed but clear. Surprised at the sudden strength rolling through her body, Hikari scrambled back to her feet. "Let her go, she has nothing to do with this!" She had to protect Neko. Her safety was all that mattered now.

Neo Kumo took a step forward. Hikari examined his appearance, so different and yet the same as she remembered. Their resemblance was uncanny. He looked like an older, more mature male version of her apart from the eyes. She had inherited her father's golden irises, while he wore the same dark purple as their mother. He took a lot more after her, just as Hikari resembled their father more.

"You see… The boy made a promise not to hurt that girl. But you know what's great about being a villain? You don't have to hold any promises. Especially if they're not yours."

"Did you tell him?" Hikari's throat felt coarse, her voice came out raspy. "Did you tell him that it was you who killed his parents?"

Neo Kumo just shrugged. "Really, now? Wake up, this is the real world! People die, you make people die, that's just how it works! It doesn't matter who did what, all that matters is what he believes happened."

Tears swelled up in her eyes. She whispered, "I hate you."

"Of course, you do. Just as much as you hate yourself."

Hikari couldn't stand it any longer. Something familiar bristled under her skin. She hadn't felt it in years. It was building up, her muscles tensed in a desperate attempt to suppress the urge to release it.

"I told you… To let her go." Her arms and legs were shaking, her knees threatened to buckle in again.

Another laugh escaped Neo Kumo's lips. Hikari saw him adjusting the black matter coming from his back. To her right, Neko's eyes widened. Another scream rattled through her body.

Hikari exploded. Quite literally. She could feel her skin burst in several places. She heard multiple screams, one must have been her own. Something broke under its grip. It rambled like thunder, wind brushed against her face, ripping on her loose hair. She let it extend further, until it had a grip on Neko. Hikari pulled back, catching her friend in her tattered arms.

The girl didn't move. Her eyes were closed and yet her expression was twisted in horror. She had lost consciousness but didn't seem to suffer from any external injuries.

Hikari sighed in relief. Everything hurt. There was blood on the floor around her. Gently, she placed Neko against the wall, making sure no one would accidentally trip over her. Then she turned to the wall on her right - or what was left of it. The hole the incident on Monday left was nothing in comparison to this. And it was all her own doing. The Seishin student left her friend, hobbling to the hole. Carefully peeking over the edge, she found Neo Kumo struggling to his feet three stories below. So, he had managed cushion the fall. Giving her friend one last guilty look, the girl sped away, ignoring the throbbing in her limbs. A group of students shrieked as they caught sight of her. Hikari only commanded them to call an ambulance and take care of Neko.

When she arrived outside, he was already waiting. Black strings were emitted from his back, reminding her of thin, spidery legs. An ugly laceration graced his front, other than that, Neo Kumo looked fine. Too bad.

"Finally decided to play, have we?" The strings behind his back moved. Hikari didn't want to give him time to come up with a plan. She stormed towards him.

One of the black spidery legs dashed in her direction, she avoided it by letting herself fall to the ground, rolling to the left. Another leg embedded itself right beside her shoulder. Too close.

Daring to call upon it, she thrust herself up, glad her feet were bare. The ground beneath them cracked.

"What a pity. You used to have such good control over it," Neo Kumo taunted, earning a frantic cry. Hikari started another attack, only to be violently punched into the middle. Every bit of air was knocked from her lungs. She didn't even realize how she hit the ground as she desperately gasped for air, chest burning in agony. Neo Kumo said something but the words slipped her mind. Something cold wrapped itself around her neck.

She knew that feeling. It was over. She was going to die.

Black dots danced across her vision. She barely managed to identify her opponent's form as he closed in on her. Jep, she was definitely going to die. What a way to go down.

Her consciousness started slipping away. As desperately as she tried to keep her eyes open, they shut. The pressure around her neck intensified.

Something cracked. It wasn't her, but she knew the sound all too well. Something connected with Neo Kumo's skull. Her neck was set free, she fell limp to the ground, desperately grasping for air.

"Shi-Shikogane-san!"


Izuku didn't believe his eyes. There was a villain, not just a teacher out of control but a literal villain standing in front of him. The young hero jumped in as soon as he realized the villain held someone hostage, embedding his foot in the other's face. He only used a very low percentage of One for All, making sure he would only knock the guy out, not hurt him. He wouldn't repeat his mistakes from Hosu.

The boy gasped as he recognized the hostage. He sprinted to her side, noticing the burst, bloody patches of skin.

"Sh-Shikogane-san!"

The girl didn't react. He grabbed her by the shoulders, yanking her up. "Shikogane-san, hold on!"

Eventually, she opened her eyes. They looked dull at first, until something sparked up. Izuku felt like looking at liquid gold when something shot from the girl's side, bursting more skin and ripping the fabric in the process. A mass, radiating a faint, golden glow soughed from the wound, building itself up above them. Izuku whirled around, following the stem to see it build a dome over them, not a second late. Black, pointy strings were thrown at them, bouncing off the golden mass shielding the two students, protecting them.

Oh. It took him a moment to realize. That golden thing, it was a quirk. If he hadn't completely lost it, it was Shikogane's quirk. There was no other explanation. That much for "a school only for quirkless people."

The girl gritted her teeth, sweat drops dripping from her face. More hits rained down on them, Izuku heard the villain scream in frustration as his attacks stayed futile.

"I… Can't hold it… Much longer," Shikogane stammered, "Midoriya… Go! He… He doesn't want anything from you!"

"What? No! We need a plan-"

"Just go!" She tried to push him away. It wasn't more than a soft touch since all her strength was directed to her quirk.

A punch may not have been enough to knock the villain out. Izuku simply didn't know enough about the other's fighting style, his quirk, his motivation. But the one thing Izuku knew for sure was that the man couldn't see them behind the shield. That was their window to get away.

"Shikogane-san, hold on to me!" He needed to get her to safety first. Then he would hold the villain off until the pros arrived. Izuku carefully heaved the girl over his shoulder, earning a yelp in return. With the help of One for All the U.A. student pushed himself off his feet, rocketing into the sky. To his surprise, he noted that the shield behind them didn't immediately disappear. He bounced of an empty balcony, jumping higher as he reached out for the balustrade on top of the building…

He didn't make it. Something wrapped itself around his ankle, yanking them both back. Shikogane almost slipped from his grip.

"Do you think you can get away so easily, stupid punk? I'm gonna fuck you both up so much, they won't know you once were human!"

In the distance, Izuku picked up sirens. Yaoyorozu did it. Help was on the way. He just needed to hold on for a little while longer.

Using his still free leg, Izuku stomped on the black string wrapped around his ankle. Even by using eight percent of One for All, the black mass didn't back up. It didn't even crack. They neared the ground at a terrifying speed.

"Push!" He almost missed the outcry of the girl on his shoulder. For the lack of a better idea, he prepared himself. Something golden shot across his vision, severing the black spider legs coming towards them from their owner. The villain screamed. All too sudden, Izuku's feet connected with the villain's torso and the boy pushed. They hit the ground at an awkward angle, rolling over the asphalt. Izuku grunted. He pushed himself up, searching for the villain. He found him lying half across the place. That last push must have at least cracked a few ribs. Assured that this time, the man wasn't moving for good anymore, the U.A. student rushed over to the girl a few meters behind him.

"Shikogane-san!"

The girl tried to push herself up, to no avail. Izuku knelt beside her, helping her into a sitting position.

"I don't have anything to secure the villain, so I'm getting you to safety until… Shikogane-san?"

The Seishin student wasn't paying any attention to him. Her eyes were wide, starring into the direction where he knew the villain to be. He couldn't be up again, could he?!

Izuku turned, only to find another person bending over the villain. He watched in horror as black matter identical to the villain's shot from the newly arrived stranger's back, wrapping itself around the man on the ground. The figure threw a glance at them, face hidden under a purple hood. Heaving the villain up, the stranger simply walked away, disappearing behind the bushes lining the path.

For the split of a second, Izuku intended to follow them, but was held back.

"Don't… There's nothing you could do against them. They're too strong."


As soon as that bastard Midoriya left, the girl grabbed Tomomo by the arm and led him away.

"My name's Yaoyorozu Momo, I'm a friend of Midoriya-kun," she introduced herself, "this is all very sudden, I know, but we have to get you as far away from Dainigai-sensei as possible."

He had nothing to say to that. As much as he hated the type of people they were, following that girl was better than being murdered by that crazy teacher. Yaoyorozu led him into a building, the gym to be exact - what a coincidence? She let go of his arm, throwing a glance around the corner.

"I need to make a call," she announced, "please stay where you are. I'll be right back." She brought some distance between them, turning her back to Tomomo. Did she really think he wouldn't hear her? He had to get away from her. Tomomo looked around. He needed something… There was a tennis racket. Better than nothing.

"Yotsune? This is Yaoyorozu. I need you to inform the school administration and the police, if possible they should send in the hero Eraserhead, he can stop Dainigai-sensei's qui-"

A loud thud could be heard as the racket clashed with her head. The phone fell from the girl's grip, tumbling to the ground. She staggered, expression twisted in confusion. He hit her again. This time, she was out cold. Good.

Tomomo jumped over her body, into the direction of the old tool shed where he knew he could escape through the hole in the fence. He would wait for Neo Kumo there.


"Dainigai-san? It is me, Succult. I'm this school's guardian hero, we've talked before. Please calm down."

He's gone. Where did he go? Where? Where?!

"Dainigai-san, can you hear me? If you stop now, everything is going to be fine!"

He had help. Someone must have helped him. Behind the bushes?

"Please, Dainigai-san!"

Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!

"It's going to be alright! Just calm down-"

Someone touched him. Dainigai roared in frustration. His elbow connected with a face, whoever it was, they stumbled back. He struck out again. Whatever the other person tried to say, it was lost as Dainigai shut him with another fist. Teeth scrapped his fist, he didn't care. The other person tripped, toppling down.

He needed to find the Tomomo boy. It was the only way.

Dainigai turned, started running. His shin struck against another leg. He dropped face first to the ground.

"That's for Ashi-sensei!"