Kouta had barely slept through the night. He repeatedly threw himself across the sheets, throwing his comforter on and off as his body couldn't decide whether he was too hot or too cold. He trembled, clutching his stomach, trying to force his eyes closed as he begged his body to just make it through this one night. He sighed in defeat, face shoved into his pillow. He ever so slightly shifted his head to the side, the sliver of night's ambient light peeking into his vision. He could just barely make out the calendar next to his bed. He shivered as he stared at its contents- almost the entire month was crossed out. But... the next day was different. At the end of those scribbled out, used days, was tomorrow's date.

It was circled numerous times in dark red. He knew what it meant. Tomorrow was the day. He had been looking forward to this for years.

He wasn't sure how much sleep he had gotten, not that it really mattered. He shoved a few coins into the vending machine outside, grabbing the cold can of coffee that it spat out. He nearly gagged at the revolting, bitter taste that covered his tongue... but continued drinking anyway. He needed the energy, no matter what.

The rest of the morning was a blur. As he arrived on the college campus he was quickly herded by his professor onto a charter bus with all of his classmates. He shoved himself into a seat near the back, pressing as far back into the cushion as he could. He locked his elbows against his sides, hands as deep as possible in his pockets. He closed his eyes, and soon he could feel the quiet lull of the bus's rumbling, taking him to their destination.

The ride provided him no rest, but it was still a nice break to close his eyes. He wished that he brought a hoodie, or something else that he could have covered his face with.

The trip went on for hours, accentuated by the small talk between different students as they did whatever they could to pass the time. Almost everyone was bored, since they were told that cell phones were forbidden on the trip, and that they should be left at home.

Kouta nervously pressed his feet against the metal floor, winding his legs together as he tried to think of anything to assuage the nervous jitters wracking his body. Perhaps the coffee was a bad idea...

He was quickly brought out of his thoughts as the sound of something slumping into the seat next to him jostled his eyes open. His head snapped to the side, staring at the young woman his age who he vaguely recognized from class.

"Hey! Kouta, right? You excited?"

His mouth hung open, voice caught in his throat as he stared at her... rather jovial face. Most of her features looked rather normal, aside from her hair. Long, thick strands of some springy and white material sprouted from her hair, tightly bound together and pressed tightly against her skull.

"Uh... Yeah. You're... Inoka Komori, right?"

She smiled, proudly pointing her thumb at her chest. "The one and only! Not as popular as my sis, though."

"You mean Shemage? I guess... that makes sense."

Inoka laughed, running her fingers over her fungal hair. "Yeah, she's the one that got the good powers. Though mine aren't bad, either. More fit for this job, at least. I still can't believe we're going to an actual nuclear power plant! The faculty must have pulled some strings to get them to let us in."

"A lot of plants have tours, though..."

"Yeah, but this one is the oldest plant in Japan. I was doing some research a while back, it's been in operation for over a century and they've never allowed any visitors on site before us. We're literally going to be the first!"

Kouta clenched his fists inside his pocket, doing his best to not grind his teeth in front of his unwanted acquaintance. "I heard that there's a job shortage, so they're trying to do what they can to bring new people in."

Inoka nodded. "Makes sense. So why did you get into nuclear engineering?"

He tensed up, pausing for a moment as he wracked his brain for an answer. "I... I just like it, I guess."

She pursed her lips slightly, visibly not happy with the answer. "You don't have to say, I guess. I joined since it was something that seemed really cool, and I could help a lot of people with it! Plus since my quirk lets me absorb radiation, it ended up being a given. Your quirk is gonna be useful too, right?"

"Wha- I... I guess?" He shrugged.

"Well, your ability lets you shoot water, right? That's gonna be invaluable for cooling down fuel rods. You're basically an endless supply of pure water!"

Their conversation was cut short as the bus quickly lurched to a stop, the shadows of the silos and cooling towers loomed over them. Almost immediately, the doors swung open, allowing a woman dressed in a tightly fitted blazer and slacks to climb aboard, her heels clacking as she made her way up the small staircase leading to the seats.

"Alright, everyone! Welcome to the Fugujisa Power Plant. Please exit single file to the security checkpoint. If you brought a phone or any other communications device, please leave it here. We're on a tight schedule so please refrain from any extraneous activities, okay? Let's go!"

Inoka sighed, pushing herself up into the aisle. She looked back at Kouta, smiling. "Well, looks like they're not messing around. See you around, okay? You should talk more."

The young man grumbled inaudibly, pulling the brim of his cap down over his face. He waited for her to get off the bus before he joined the line.

He shuffled down the hull of the bus, staring at his feet as he made his way to the front. Just before he could leave, the business woman's hand shot out, grabbing his shoulder and stopping him in his tracks.

"No hats allowed." She curtly told him, keeping her grip on him. "Just leave it in the front seat, you can retrieve it when you come back."

He paused, slowly reaching up to pull his cap off his head. He slowly dropped it into the seat next to him, the sound of the fabric hitting the cushion and making a soft popping noise. He looked back up, glaring at the woman who still had her hands on him.

"Make a fuss all you want, rules are rules." She coldly responded, letting go of him. "Now go, you're holding up the line."

He quickly hopped off the bus, following the others towards the checkpoint. The post itself looked like a small building that extended itself out from the main silo, large enough to house a waiting room, as well as something that looked like some sort of airlock. The woman herded them into the lobby, closing the door behind her.

"Before we begin, I'm Atsuhiko. I'm the administrator for this plant, and I'm responsible for everything that goes on inside. We'll start the tour proper once everyone passes the security check." She paused, looking at her watch. "We should have just enough time. Listen up, here's how the check is going to happen. We have a specialist with an ESP quirk. She'll be able to see what's in your head. I doubt I need to tell this to a lot of kids but if any of you have any hidden motives for coming here, she will know. Let's get going."

One of the other students, a lanky, normal looking man, raised his hand. "Uh... I was wondering about these walls, it looks like they're covered in aluminum? Is that normal?"

"Great question." Atsuhiko responded, as she guided the first handful of kids through the security door. "Our expert's quirk works a little too well. She has to wear protective gear at all times, and she requested that we add these barriers to block out any... 'external noise,' as she put it."

Kouta watched as the students were slowly called to the imposing entrance, doing his best to keep from trembling in his seat. He wasn't told about this- there wasn't any way that this was going to end well for him. He glanced back at the exit, wondering if he should just say he wasn't feeling very good- no, that would be too suspicious...

He was jostled out of his thoughts as the administrator snapped her fingers at him. "Your turn. Hurry through the door."

He gulped, slowly getting to his feet as he dragged himself to the door. The giant concrete slab in front of him swung on its hinges, beckoning for him to move forward.

He slowly stepped through, the gate closing behind him. The harsh lights stung his eyes, causing him to wince as he stared down to the floor. He wasn't sure where to go- or what he should even be doing.

His ears perked as he heard the sound of something quietly squeaking as it approached him. He slowly looked up, his confused features softening as he looked at what was in front of him.

He couldn't tell her age, but based on her height she had to at least be as old as him, possibly older. Her limbs were completely emaciated, limply resting against a wheelchair that seemed to move on its own. Her whole upper body was encased in some sort of metal shell, bolted against the seat she was permanently affixed to. The dome that covered the space where her head was supposed to be had a small hole in the center of its upper section, where her forehead should be.

From the back of his mind, a voice echoed.

'I see you.'

Kouta's heart raced, pupils dilating as a primal wave of fear washed over him like a tsunami. He shook like a leaf, desperately trying his best not to collapse.

'I see you, and I know you, Kouta Izumi.' The woman greeted once more. 'I know everything about you. I know why you are truly here. '

He fell back, scrambling back against the concrete wall. He eyed the exit, but he knew there was no way he would be able to cut into the metal and concrete fast enough to escape.

'I know you, and I accept you.'

The young man froze, eyes slowly moving back towards the woman. "You... what?"

' Worry not, Kouta. Your leader, the green one, has already won me over.' She moved closer to him, her bony arm shakily reaching out to him. ' I have permitted access to your allies, you are not alone. You are here to lift the curse on this world, correct? '

He paused, staring at the woman before him. Even with the little amount of information he had... it made sense. Of course she would help.

"I... Yes."

' Then let it be done. There are more staff here that sympathize with our goals. They will provide you with an opportunity to meet with your liaison. We have all been planning this for years. We will do whatever we can to assist, and we will not hesitate. Can the same be said of you? '

Kouta couldn't stop shaking, but still managed to find the strength to get back up.

"I can't go back now."

'Excellent. Go forth, Kouta. Your destiny awaits.' She pointed to the side, a second concrete door opening up to show the rest of the college students who had passed the mental scan.

He quickly bowed to the woman in the wheelchair, quickly moving out of the room, watching as the heavy door sealed itself behind him once more.

It wasn't long before he saw the vaguely familiar visage of Inoka moving through the crowd, stopping as she got next to him.

"Pretty weird, huh? It kinda felt like she was crawling through my brain."

He shrugged. "I dunno, didn't really feel that way for me."

"Huh... maybe it's different for everyone? Or maybe you know someone with the same quirk and just got used to it?" She put her fist up to her mouth, thinking about the possibilities. "Anyway, you excited to finally get in? This is gonna be super cool."

"Yeah..." Kouta trailed off, looking up at the ceiling. "I guess it is."

It had been a while since Izuku visited Tomura... perhaps a month or two. But despite the regular visits, he still could just barely hold back the fountain of guilt that grew within him, welling up and threatening to spill out of his throat.

Here he was again, beleaguered yet oddly calm, standing over the limp and unresponsive body of his brother. The older, comatose man was neatly tucked into his resting place, arms folded across his chest. Izuku slowly reached out, just barely brushing the skin of the other's stiff forearm with his fingertips. He sighed, pulling back as he traced the lines of eerily depleted muscle fibers under the skin. The young man knelt next to the bed, resting his elbows on the faintly cushioned mattress, leaning his chin on his hands.

He shook his head, trying to get the burning chemical scent from out of his nose. It permeated every inch of this place- not even the earthy, bitter scent of Kurogiri survived. All of it was replaced with this vile, sterile smell that shot through his skull like an ice pick. He folded his arms over his head, pressing his face into the blanket to escape the excruciating sensation and muddle his senses. It worked with limited effect.

"Just a little more... We're so close, brother." He whispered, scrunching his eyes shut. "The world you'll be happy in... it's all for you... It's always been... for..."

The handle on the door behind him rattled slightly, before clicking and opening. Izuku slowly turned around, seeing a visibly surprised Kurogiri take a step in. He was carrying a number of items in his hands, glass jars with clear liquids inside of them. The older man quickly dropped them, a portal instantaneously opening and removing all the items in his hands from sight.

"Midoriya... I wasn't aware you were here." He emotionlessly stated, placing his hands behind his back.

Izuku sat there, frozen, before he came back to his senses. He got back to his feet, mindlessly dusting imaginary debris from his jeans.

"I just... wanted to talk to him before we enter the final phase."

He watched as the former bartender struggled to respond; the only sounds escaping the bartender being shallow inhalations and almost inaudible sighs. He may have been motionless, but Izuku had known him long enough to know what was happening.

Eventually defeated by his own conflicting emotions, Kurogiri let out a quiet sigh, closing his eyes as he turned around.

"Very well." He resigned himself, stepping back out of the room. "I apologize for interrupting."

"No." The younger man choked out, the unexpected loudness of his response jolting his heart. He quickly pushed himself to his feet, striding around the bed and pulling the door back open.

The bartender was frozen in the hall, stopped mid-stride as he looked at the floor near his compatriot. He was still partially faced away from the new mastermind, his breath still frozen in his lungs as he waited for the rest of what his former student had to say.

"I..." Izuku trailed off, voice dying out as he wrenched at his wrists. "I also wanted to talk to you... I think. You're always asleep when I visit."

"Ah, so that was you." Kurogiri's eyes lowered further, his emotionless, drained voice scratching the green haired villain's ears. "Those times I woke up somewhere that I didn't fall asleep. I had just assumed exhaustion wiped the memories from my mind."

"Yeah... I tried not to wake you." He sighed. "How... how long has it been? Since we've had a conversation."

"Today is the seventeenth of July, correct? Then... I believe it has been just over nineteen months."

"...Oh."

"I'm sure you've been busy." Kurogiri blankly replied, before turning back and moving down the immaculately cleaned tile hallway. "Let me make you something to eat. Does Omurice sound appetizing to you right now?"

"No, you don't have to do that." He raised his hand, slowly waving the suggestion away. "I already ate."

"...Did you now? What did you have to eat?"

Izuku's mouth hung open, pausing for far too long. Before he could create a reasonable excuse, the bartender spoke back up.

"You look like skin and bones, Midoriya. You haven't been eating, have you?" He turned around, mist slightly puffing up. "I know fully well what someone who tries to sustain themselves on the power of their quirk alone looks like. Come with me, you're going to eat something now."

The younger villain swallowed thickly, a fresh pang of guilt ripping through his gut like a surgeon's scalpel. This man worked himself to the brink of exhaustion for years, and instead of granting him reprieve, Izuku had only neglected his own body and caused the older villain to worry about yet another person. He cleared his throat, and seeing no other option but to accede, he silently followed the bartender down the hall.

They arrived at a tiny kitchen, containing only a few pots and pans, an electric burner, a fridge, and a small table that seated two. As soon as Izuku sat himself down, Kurogiri went immediately to work, pulling out some chicken and soy beans. He pulled out some rice and a few other accoutrements, frying them all together in a skillet and dousing them with demi-glace. The smell wafted from the kitchen over to Izuku, the savory and bitter scent causing his stomach to growl as his chest grew warm. He watched as Kurogiri whisked some eggs together, pouring them expertly into another skillet. He vigorously swirled and shook the beaten eggs, rolling, folding, and flipping them into a bright yellow classic omelette. He plated the rice and chicken as a mound, rolling the omelette onto the top with some chopsticks. With his knife, he cut the egg down the middle, watching as the gooey insides unraveled and draped themselves over the rest of the dish. He finished by adding more demi-glace and parsley on top, carrying the plate over and placing it squarely in front of Izuku.

"One Omurice, with extra thick demi-glace on top."

Another small pang of nostalgic guilt tapped on Izuku's chest. It was just how he liked it. Perhaps he shouldn't be surprised that Kurogiri remembered... but still, just knowing that sparked a number of emotions that he hadn't felt in a long time.

He looked back up at the patiently waiting bartender. "Are you not going to eat?"

An almost imperceptible sound escaped the older villain... like a bemused chuckle?

"If that is what you wish, Midoriya." He opened a drawer next to the stove, producing his own fork. He grabbed a small plate, cutting off about a quarter of the meal and sliding it onto the other dish. He sat opposite of Izuku, staring expectantly at him as he waited for the younger villain to start eating.

The green haired boy slowly cut into the egg, scooping up some of the omelette and rice. He brought it up to his lips, nibbling on the small bit he took from the plate. His eyes widened as the food landed on his tongue, the flavor practically sending shivers up his spine. His small bites let loose a ravenous hunger within him, and it wasn't long before he was digging into the omurice with little abandon.

Kurogiri sighed in relief, slowly taking bites out of his own share. Despite the bartender's much smaller amount of food, Izuku still finished before him.

"Gochisousama." The younger man quietly whispered. "That was really good. Thank you."

"You're very welcome. If you'd ever like for me to cook something for you, please do not hesitate to ask."

The voice in the back of his head told him that he shouldn't overwork his former mentor more than he already had. But he knew not to turn down the hospitality. He gave the older man a small smile, nodding. "...I will."

They both sat in silence for a while, neither of them sure where exactly the conversation was supposed to go. They were both afraid of speaking what was actually on their mind, worried that the fleeting moment would return to its cold, awkward status quo.

A few more moments passed before Kurogiri stiffly shifted in his seat. He sighed, giving in and breaking down the weak facade they had both built.

"Your schemes... they are about to come to fruition, are they not?"

Izuku's grip on his fork tightened, his breathing growing slightly shallower. "...Yes. Everything is in place, it just... needs a push to get the ball rolling."

"And when will that happen?"

"Not long." He looked down, pulling out his phone and checking the time. "The fighting will break out... in about an hour, probably."

The bartender's eyes widened in shock, though almost immediately he recomposed himself and leaned forward. "I... wasn't aware that it was so soon."

"Once production ended, things really started to kick up. Giran... well, he left. We fulfilled our ends of the bargain, he told me he's going into early retirement... something about watching things unfold from a cabana." He closed his eyes, clenching his fists tighter, feeling as the cold metal of the fork bit into his palm. "I've dedicated everything I had to today. Once we're done... nothing will be the same. It'll... it'll be a brand new world."

Izuku's eyes bolted up as he heard the clattering of metal utensils as they hit the floor. Kurogiri stared at him with what looked like equal parts horror and shock, hands open as his fork slid across the floor.

"I..." The green haired villain felt like an idiot, not sure what he did to cause that reaction. "What-"

"-It's nothing." The older man cut him off, slowly shaking his head as he regained control of himself. "You simply... well... that is something I've heard Sensei say many times before, long before you arrived... I was not expecting it to come from you, that is all."

Izuku slumped in his chair, sliding down slightly as he clasped his hands together under the table. "I see."

It was back to square one: awkward, uncertain silence between the two of them. They were hypersensitive to each other, their worries of causing a negative reaction spreading and intensifying into fear.

Before any other conversation could be had, a buzzer went off, the source of the noise coming from the new mastermind's pocket. He pulled out his phone, tapping on the screen as he pulled a video feed up.

"What is it, Midoriya?"

The younger villain squinted at the small screen. "Motion sensor went off at the main warehouse."

"Heroes?"

"No..." He pulled the screen closer to his face. "No, it's... some old villains. That's a surprise..."

"Did the League find you?"

"Probably, at least what's left of them. They wouldn't be there otherwise." He got to his feet, quickly wiping some errant grains of rice off his pants. "I have to take care of them now, it would only complicate things if they were still there when everything starts to go down."

The older man paused, shaking his head slightly as he sighed. "Very well. I'm sure you will emerge victorious."

Izuku didn't respond at first. He snapped his fingers, a copy of the bartender's warp gate spawning behind him.

"Kurogiri... I enjoyed this. I really did." He paused, looking away. "Once this is over, I think I'll come back here and do what I can to help Shigaraki... I don't want you to work like this anymore."

The bartender's hand snaked around the leg of the table, gripping the metal part as tightly as he could. He felt his muscles ache from the strain. "I am more than capable of-"

"You need to rest, too." He quickly batted back. "You don't deserve to be wearing yourself down like this. We'll talk later."

As soon as the former student left, Kurogiri's shoulders slumped dramatically. He looked down at his hand, which refused to let go of the icy cold metal strut. It felt like an eternity before he wrenched his fingers off of it, watching as it trembled back at him. He closed his eyes, knowing exactly what this feeling came from.

"For your sake, Midoriya... I hope that never happens."

The Specialized Investigations and Operations Unit. That was the official designation the police had given them once their division had been established.

Outside of official reports and documentation, the police referred to them by a more colloquial name: The AFO unit. As its namesake suggested, those on this team were the ones responsible for pursuing and eventually apprehending the new owner of All for One.

The AFO unit had been around for quite some time, though never in the same form. Originally, they were a large task force, occupying their own floor and working around the clock to chase what leads they had. This didn't last long, and as the months turned to years, they had begun to lose much of what they had. They were now sequestered away into a small retrofitted conference room at the end of the ground floor, their numbers dwindled from over a hundred to just a handful of officers and heroes.

The room they were currently occupying only had a few cheap desks in it- sitting behind them equally cheap chairs. Three of them were visibly occupied. A fourth was pushed up against the wall, its contents emptied and taken long ago. The last one was wedged into a corner, covered with a giant mountain of forms, records, and other stationery. From behind this mountain emanated a faint, repetitive tapping noise.

Bakugou sighed, slamming his laptop shut as he pushed himself back from the desk. He ran his fingers through the back of his head, angrily and uselessly shifting around the spiked hair that burst out from underneath the brim of his police officer cap.

"Dammit- not this one too!" He pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Another cold trail?" Uraraka asked, leaning up over her own computer to make sure he was okay. "I'm getting the same thing, these guys just disappear after a few years."

"It's fucking garbage!" He grunted, kicking the battered leg of his desk. "These leads have been nothing but shit for the past month now!"

The blonde policeman looked over at the desk of papers, as if expecting a response. He huffed, tapping the floor impatiently as he bit into the end of his pen.

Toshinori's desk was at the front of the room, facing everyone else. He leaned over his desk, his hair mirroring the sharp edges of his head. "Bakugou, I know it's a pain... I'm going through the same ones you are. But we can't afford not to look into every one of them. We can't find the needle in the haystack without going through all the hay."

"I know, I know." He muttered, scooting his chair forward, back under his desk. He opened the laptop back up, gaze hardening as he went to the next file.

"We've had solid leads before- we'll find him again." He reassured his subordinate, before returning his gaze to the only active pro hero in the room. "Uraraka... not that I don't appreciate your help, but... isn't there anything else you'd rather do on your days off?"

She tore her eyes from the screen, moving her head slightly up so the division chief could see her smile. "If I'm being honest... I don't think there is. I'm happy to spend time with you guys... it brings back good memories."

Bakugou clicked his tongue, glowering at his screen. The pen cap in his mouth snapped in two from the force of his teeth.

The pro hero shifted in her seat, clearing her throat to displace the silence that suddenly filled the room. "So... I heard that you're getting a new team member! Isn't that exciting?"

"Nothing new about her." Bakugou bit back, eyebrow slightly twitching as he pointed to the desk overflowing with documents. "All the brass did was give her an actual position at the precinct. They were gonna have to do it anyway, with how long she's been illegally working here-"

"Officer Manami came onto the team only recently." Toshinori quickly interjected, forcing the other blonde to stop speaking. "That's the official statement on the matter."

"...Whatever."

It didn't take long for everyone to sink back into their work- not with how quickly a friendly mood gets extinguished. It didn't help that this was one of the few rooms to lack windows; the harsh lights bounced off the bland beige walls, giving no stimulation to the group whatsoever. It was impossible to tell the time of day, the only indication of time being a small clock on the wall that regrettably informed everyone that it was still an early morning for them.

Toshinori spun his chair around, staring at the chart scrawled on the white board behind him. There was a myriad of names and pictures, arrows moving in every direction between them. Had it not been for the decade's worth of evidence that they spent gathering, just a glance at this board alone would convince someone they were entering a vast conspiracy.

...Though to be fair, that's exactly what it was, wasn't it?

In the center of the board lay a single photo, surrounded by so many lines and arrows that it was nearly impossible to add any new ones.

Izuku Midoriya. Despite the passage of years, he looked barely any older than when they first met; baggy eyes adorned with a cynical gaze and a disdain for everything around him. The only thing that really showed the recency of the photo was the webbed scar that looked like it nearly tore a hole from the tip of his ear to the corner of his lips.

The former hero carefully pulled out the photo from under the magnet, staring at it intensely, as if it would give him some form of answer.

"You know..." He said to no one in particular. "He's demonstrated a limited ability to heal and morph his body... why wouldn't he get rid of something as noticeable as this scar? Is it because he can't... or won't?"

"Does it really matter?" Bakugou batted back, his voice very clearly conveying how annoyed he was.

The division chief sighed, shaking his head. "No... No, I suppose it wouldn't."

He quickly put the photo back where it belonged. Just as he turned back to focus on his work, a loud knock at the door drew his eyes to the back of the room.

"Is it the breakfast service?" Toshinori wondered aloud. "It's rare for one of them to come down here-"

His voice froze in his throat as the door opened and revealed the new visitor. No one else had turned around to see who it was. The newcomer pushed a small metal tray full of various dishes and teapots, the lower shelves obscured by a white fabric draped over the sides. It had a slight rattle as it was moved along the tile floor.

The person providing them with breakfast gripped the cart tightly, dressed in the formal business outfit that all service staff were required to wear. His hair was pulled back by a white bandana tied around his head, all of his bright red spikes bursting out and spilling down the back of his skull. He smiled wide, revealing his set of immaculately sharp teeth, clearing his throat to announce his presence to the rest of the room.

"Yo... Long time no see, everyone!"

The other two visible occupants in the room jolted in their seats, turning around with eyes wide open, disbelief etched into their features.

"...Kirishima?" Uraraka felt all the air in her lungs escape as she uttered those syllables. "...are you...?"

"Yup!" He pointed at his chest. "I'm back and raring to go!"

Toshinori finally found his voice, standing up from behind his desk. "They told us you were still in physical therapy... they didn't allow us to see you."

He laughed a little, bringing his hand up to nervously scratch the side of his face. "Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't want anyone else to see, it didn't look... very manly."

Once the initial shock wore off, everyone started to take note of his attire and the equipment he brought with him.

"Hey Kirishima... why are you wearing those?"

"Oh! Uh..." He trailed off, his smile faltering just slightly as he looked at the ground. "I was told... well, that with my physical condition I wouldn't be able to return to duty... ever. But I still wanted to see you all and help out however I could! They had an opening as a food server and they said I could do that."

Bakugou's jaw had went from hanging open to snapped shut almost immediately as he heard what his former partner had said. He quickly spun in his chair, shoving his face so close to the laptop that he was practically touching the screen with his nose.

The active pro hero was taking it slightly better. "Oh... well, we're all happy for the help!"

"No problem!" He exclaimed, pushing his cart over to her desk. "So we've got some miso soup, green tea, and some salmon filled Onigiri on the menu. Sound good?"

She did her best to smile back at him. It took all of her strength to keep the corners of her lips from wobbling. "That sounds great, actually! No tea though, the coffee's given me enough caffeine already."

Kirishima nodded, pulling back the side curtain to pull out a plate of warm Onigiri wrapped in plastic. Using both hands, he placed it on an empty spot on her desk, though a little harder than normal. He grabbed a bowl and matching saucer, placing it on top of the cart as he produced a small pot that had steam erupting from its top. He breathed in deeply, his gaze focusing hard on his hands as he clutched the side of the scalding container. He used a ladle to move the soup, but despite the size of the utensil he was only getting just a few spoonfuls of the liquid each time. What little he did get shook horribly in his grasp, threatening to spill over as he did his best to finish his job. After about a minute and a half, he grabbed the filled bowl, clutching it tightly with both hands as he slowly placed it on her desk.

She used her spoon to get some of the soup putting in her mouth to taste the barely lukewarm liquid. "Thanks! It's delicious."

He sighed in relief, shoulders slumping as he closed his eyes. "Thank goodness. I'm glad you like it!"

With Uraraka served, he moved the cart over to Bakugou's desk. The police officer kept his head slightly turned away from his former partner.

"How about you? Want the works?" The red haired man smiled, lightly rubbing his wrist.

"I don't want anything." He muttered back, still refusing to truly acknowledge the man standing next to him.

"Come on, don't be like that!" Kirishima teased, moving the cart closer to the desk. "Here, I'll make you some tea."

He grabbed a cup and a saucer, slowly bringing them to the table as they jittered and wildly clattered against one another. The noise ceased as they landed on the table with a soft clink. The server took hold of a teapot, the same clattering starting back up as the lid shook on top of the rest of the vessel. He pressed the spout against the rim of the teacup, adding to the noise as he tilted the teapot and poured the green liquid in.

The constant annoyance was enough to break Bakugou's insistence. He turned his head towards his former partner, looking down to see the tea that was being poured for him.

And that's when he saw it.

Kirishima's hands were a mess, with a myriad of scars and missing chunks of flesh visible, despite the intensive healing process. They trembled like grass in a gale, unable to stay still despite the red haired main clearly wishing them to do so. There were even some parts that were a different color and shape, as if someone had grafted tissue onto his hands in an attempt to heal them.

Bakugou closed his eyes, hand instinctively moving to brace the area between his chest and gut. He slammed his free fist on the table, pushing himself to his feet as his chair rocketed backwards and fell over.

"I said I didn't want anything, dammit!"

"Wha-" Kirishima reeled back in shock, nearly losing grasp of the scalding pot. "I'm just trying to help!"

"I didn't ask for your fucking help, moron!" He screamed, voice cracking from the raw frustration within him. "Just learn when to fucking quit it!"

The server opened his mouth to retort, but hesitated. He grimaced, looking away and just barely audibly uttering an "okay" before going completely silent.

The police officer threw his hands into the air in exasperation, walking past and roughly shoulder checking his former partner as he stomped his way to the door. The force of the blow caused Kirishima to spin partway, bracing his back against the desk to regain his balance as he watched Bakugou slow move further and further away from him.

"I need to go for a smoke." He grunted as he opened the exit. Before leaving, he jabbed his finger accusingly towards Kirishima. "And I want your ass out of here by the time I get back, got it?!"

Everyone flinched as the door slammed shut. The red haired server stood there in shock, mouth hanging open, with only empty air straining to escape him.

"I..." Uraraka trailed off. "That was uncalled for. I'm so sorry, Kirishima."

He shook his head, grabbing his cart to lean slightly onto it. "No... No, it's fine. I figured something like that would happen. He just needs some time, is all."

"At the very least," a high pitched, feminine voice rang out from behind the stack of papers, "knowing him, you're probably not the actual reason he's pissed off right now."

"...Yeah, I know. Just wish there was more I could do."

"Well, you charged in out of nowhere and immediately started imposing yourself."

"Aiba, that's enough!" The pro hero stood up, growing tired of the ordeal. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"...Sorry, I was distracted." She sheepishly admitted, though it didn't quite sound like she was actually remorseful. "I found a cluster of bank accounts that may belong to our target. It's been taking up all my attention, but hopefully we'll get something useful once I figure out what's inside."

"Well... hopefully you'll have more luck with those that what we've got now."

Aiba didn't respond, the muted sounds of rapid typing the only thing letting the others know that she was back on the job.

Kirishima quickly served Toshinori his breakfast, before bowing to everyone and backing out of the room.

"Sorry for the commotion." He told them all, combing his fingers through his hair as he pushed the cart out the door. "I'll come by whenever they put me on a shift, okay?"

He didn't wait for their response before he left. Uraraka looked back at the division chief, looking apprehensive at what the former policeman just told them.

"Is that a good idea?"

"Well... I don't think it's going to make Bakugou's mood any worse than it already is." He admitted, grimacing. "But I think Kirishima's probably on the right track. Bakugou will get used to it eventually, so this will probably help out in the long run."

"You really think so?"

"Kirishima's talent has always been bringing out the best in others. If anyone can do it, it's him."

Kouta's heart grew restless as he moved through the nuclear power plant with the rest of his class. They had just barely begun, as the administrator for the plant walked them through the different faculty rooms and managerial offices. Everything was pristine; from the nearly sparkling concrete floor to the immaculately white walls that lined the entire place.

Eventually, they were led to the facilities proper- the areas that housed the turbines and reactor cores, behind so many layers of metal and concrete designed to keep those around them safe. A few assistants came around, handing out white, baggy uniforms that were only kept on via the creative positioning of drawstrings that kept the joints tightly bound to the body.

Atsuhiko donned her own suit, though somehow she managed to retain her strong sense of authority despite the lax-looking cloth.

"Now, this was something I have been meaning to say to you all..." She began, pausing so that the others in the room would stop and pay attention to her. "This isn't something you will hear from most others in my position, but decorum will only go so far in helping you consider where your future will lead you. I want all of those who do not have a quirk to raise their hand. Don't be shy."

Kouta looked around, noticing a large number of hands slowly raise. Twelve... thirteen... almost three quarters of the class had admitted their modern disability, most with a look of shame upon their faces.

"Thank you, you may lower your hands." She nodded, watching as the deathly silent group returned to their resting positions. "The reason I ask that of you is because I know it is not a coincidence you joined us."

A wave of confused expressions and worried glances overtook the group of college students, but the administrator was quick to quell their doubts.

"The sciences have always been a bastion of progress, long before quirks arrived. With the rise of heroism, most funding and focus has been put into the advancement of heroism. For those of you who have suspected it- I am indeed quirkless." She paused, her fingers slowly clamping down harder on her clipboard. "I have experienced much of the same events that many of you have undoubtedly gone through. So when you consider where you imagine your career taking you, I would like to tell you one thing I hope you take to heart."

Kouta felt the air leaving his lungs in a shocked sigh. He wasn't scared or nervous about this woman, nor was he angry or dismissive. His eyes widened as he realized what he felt; inspiration.

"All of you who have been dealt a poor hand: you will be safe here. I have yet to uncover a single plant that lets those with talent and intelligence go to waste, and I assure you that I will not stand by if it happens on my watch." She carefully and meticulously shifted her gaze between each student, her hardened stare piercing them, yet without ill intent.

He was reminded of Izuku, what he stood for and what he wished to achieve. He briefly wondered if she was an ally of his.

"Now, let's begin the tour of the main reactor block." She waved them forward as the massive metal door slid open behind her. "We'll be accompanied by trained staff at all times who are able to sense and scrub radiation from you should something happen. Don't expect anything to happen."

Inoka leaned over, whispering into the young man's ear. "Woah... she's intense."

"Yeah." He murmured back. "I think she's kind of awesome."

"I guess?" She shrugged, her voice shifting to a more blasé tone. "I don't get why she's focused on quirkless people though."

"What?"

"Like... I had a few quirkless friends, they didn't care at all about it. We'd joke around about it a little, but it wasn't a big deal. I don't see why the adults make a big fuss about it."

Kouta opened his mouth to retort, but couldn't find the right words. They were in the middle of a once in a lifetime event and whatever he said would inevitably make a scene.

"I think this conversation is over." He backed off, walking forward briskly to separate himself from the young woman. He bit his lip, grinding his teeth back and forth as he wondered if the decision he made was the right one.

He didn't speak with Inoka for the rest of the tour, as they toured the observation chambers and control decks. They listened to a number of enthusiastic technicians describe how to operate the plant in great detail. Kouta eventually lost himself in the intricacies of the operating procedures that kept a majority of Japan's lights on. He wished he was able to bring along a notebook and pen, just to write down every aspect conveyed to him.

Once they had left those rooms, they were led down a number of stairs and into another white hallway. Atsuhiko abruptly stopped, pointing to a pair of doors next to her.

"We've arrived at the halfway point of the tour. If anyone needs to use the restroom, you have the opportunity to do so now."

The group of students didn't reply, many of them shifting around as they waited for their guide to let them continue.

She cleared her throat, speaking with a much firmer tone. "We cannot allow those who need to use the restroom to split from the group, which is why we're pausing now. As I said, if you need to use the restroom, or feel you might soon, then you need to do so now."

Kouta felt a burning sensation forming at the top of his forehead. When he looked up, he understood why. The administrator for the plant was staring directly at him, her gaze boring a hole through his skull.

Was this a signal? Or...

He shook his head, not sure what he should consider. Either way... it wouldn't hurt if this was a signal or not.

"I... I think I need to go." He quietly muttered, breaking away from the group. As he entered the bathroom, he saw some of his fellow students move to lean against the wall or sit on the floor, taking a short break while they waited for him to come back.

The bathroom was just as clean as the hallways outside; Kouta was unable to find even a single speck of dirt. He pushed open a door to the stall, standing still as he wasn't sure if he should at least try to relieve himself.

Before he was able to do anything else, he found himself plunged into pitch darkness as the light suddenly cut out. He spun around, the sound of gasps and small screams from the other side of the exit door alerting him that it wasn't just him that found themselves without a way to see. He felt his innards chill as he slowly stepped forward, hands reaching out to find something to cling onto.

That was when he heard it. Something... he wasn't quite sure what... had plopped itself onto the floor, a wet smacking sound announcing its presence. Kouta stood stone still, hoping that whatever it was had not noticed him.

Somewhere to his right, he could hear the sound of heavy breathing, though it sounded wet and clogged, as if something was fighting to take in air with half-filled lungs. The sound slowly inched closer, its source slowly moving until it was directly in front of him. Kouta held his hands over his mouth, trying to suppress the stilted breathing and strained whimpers that began to build in his throat and threatened to fly from his lips.

As soon as the sounds began to move past him, he found his opportunity to escape. Resisting the primal urge to break into a sprint, he slowly shifted to his right, taking small steps and sliding his feet across the ground when he could-

His thoughts ground to a halt as he felt himself step on something that wasn't the tile flooring he was expecting. It was wet and sticky, deforming as it welled up around his foot. His heart dropped through the floor as the entity in the room immediately reacted- it must have been a trap he fell into.

He opened his mouth to scream for help, but the slime was much faster. The monster rushed over, encasing him in a thick, viscous liquid that threatened to drown him if he made any other move. The grotesque substance suddenly shifted, yanking him off the ground and pulling him upwards, through a ceiling duct and out of the bathroom. He felt himself sucked through the vents like a capsule in a vacuum tube, rocketing to places unknown with no ability to control his destination.

Eventually he was ejected from the ductwork, thrust from a floor vent and sent sliding down a hallway he had not seen before. The slime receded from his nose, allowing him to breathe once more as the light illuminated what had taken him.

This... person, if what he witnessed could even be called that, was little more than an olive green, murky slime with human organs floating around inside its thin membrane. It was like someone blew up a diagram of an animal cell and shoved a brain and a pair of eyes into it.

Kouta felt his mouth open to scream in horror, but the liquid this being was composed of was exceptionally strong, holding his jaw shut as it began to speak itself.

"You're Kouta Izumi, right?" He asked, pulling his 'face' close enough to stare the boy directly in the eyes. Kouta slowly nodded, his breathing not slowing down.

"Look, I'll release your mouth if you promise not to scream, alright? Izuku sent me. He said you'd help me break into some places around here."

The young man felt his brain nearly short circuited after being informed about the circumstances of his kidnapping. He slowly raised his hand, giving the sludge-creature a thumbs up.

"Good. We can't stay here long, so get your bearings as soon as you can." The... thing quickly retracted the gross prison he made for Kouta, freeing him- albeit leaving him covered in a thin layer of slick liquid.

He slowly pushed himself up to his feet, looking back at the villain with a confused look on his face. "You... why didn't you say something?"

"There was a group right outside of the room, I couldn't say anything without alerting them." He paused. "Plus, I didn't know if it was you or not."

Kouta froze, fingers twitching as he nervously rubbed his pants. "You... what would you have done if it wasn't me?"

"Is that something you really want an answer to? Come on, we're running against the clock."

He watched as the slime villain began to slide away from him. Shaking his head, he did his best to regain his focus as he sprinted to get back next to the creature.

"You... you work with Izuku?"

He chuckled. "Much more than work kid. I've been with him since he was a little kid. That means I outrank you here, got it?"

"O-okay." He looked down, staring at his now shiny, wet shoes. "What was he like?"

"...Different. Back then he was more like a pet than anything else. Nothing like he is now."

"How did you meet him?"

"I- er... I tried to kill him." He admitted, his voice notably less commanding. "As it turns out, I kicked the wrong person's lap dog. But things worked out in the end."

"I... see." He muttered, not sure how to take in this new information. "So you've been working with him for a while then."

"Listen, kid." The slime villain interrupted, stopping in front of a large metal door. "I get it, I really do. But let me make this clear- I don't care about you. I'm here for Izuku, no one else. The only thing you are to me right now is a business partner, so save the questions for when we finish the job, okay?"

Kouta's gaze sharpened at the statement. This... thing in front of him set off so many alarm bells in his head that there were too many to count. He didn't have the same conviction or ideals that the other allies of the villain mastermind had, including himself. It felt as if he was just contractually obligated to be present, and he didn't give a damn whether things worked or not.

But... if Izuku really did consider him in such high regard... either way, the only thing he could do was follow the villain's lead.

"Fine. What do you want me to do?"

The slime villain's eyes floated around, shifting to point at the large metal door behind him.

"This door right here is solid metal, one hundred percent airtight too. No one has had a working key for it in the past century and a half. I need you to use your quirk to cut a hole big enough for me to slide into. A circle about... twice the size of a 500 yen coin should be big enough. Can you do it?"

"...It'll take some time, but it's doable." He replied, thinking about where exactly he should start. "Can't we cut into the wall around it?"

"Beneath it is a layer of metal twice as thick as the door. Trust me, if it were that easy we wouldn't need you." He replied immediately.

"Alright." He nodded his head, staring hard at the door. He doubted that this was his only task, but it certainly wasn't any small undertaking. "You should probably move back."

As soon as the slime villain cleared the immediate area, Kouta extended his hands outward, his glare directed solely at the slab of metal standing between him and the completion of his mission. A large jet of water burst forth, harmlessly crashing against the metal door and cascading onto the floor. After a short moment, the large gushing fountain began to shrink, and with it the sound of water began to fade away. It wasn't long before the water was condensed into a stream almost as thin as a hair, silently striking the door and causing the immediate area to grow misty from the intense rebound of the water.

It was probably about 15 minutes before any discernible progress was made. With the water splashing everywhere, it was hard to see how far the stream dug into the metal. Kouta stopped the flow of water, and once the water fell away, it revealed a pinpoint hole that nearly dug through the entirety of the door.

"How much longer is it going to be?" The slime villain inquired, clearly impatient to get inside.

"Not much longer..." He trailed off. "Once I pierce through the door, the rest is easier to open up."

He wasn't wrong. Once the water stopped splashing back into the hallway, he realized he must have broken through. From there, he just had to slightly tilt the jet of water, extending the hole into a circular line. Within minutes, he completed the circle, watching as a large cylinder of metal fell off the door and onto the ground, its loud metal clattering echoing across the empty halls.

Once the jet of pressurized water ceased, the slime villain slid his way back over to the door. He observed the hole, before quickly pushing a bit of himself through. The rest of his body slowly followed, with his eyes slightly distending to fit into the hole and slide through. The only part he left behind was a small blob, carrying a glass cylinder filled with a pink substance that he had not noticed before.

Kouta slowly walked over, looking at the green pile of sludge on the ground, reaching his hand out to see if he could grab what it carried inside. His fingers brushed the membrane of the slime, the chilly surface causing him to instinctively pull back. He paused for just a moment, steeling his resolve as he reached out once more-

The young college student jumped backwards as he heard the sound of heavy bolts retracting. The 6 inch thick metal door swiveled open, the slime villain spilling back out as he collected the bit of himself that he left behind.

"Alright, let's go. We got past our biggest hurdle."

Kouta stepped into the dark room, watching as the door closed behind him. The hole in the door acted as a sort of crude spotlight, though it was quickly plugged by the metal core that he had cut out.

"It won't be hard for someone to notice that the door was unlocked and tampered with, but there's nothing we can do about that. Hopefully plugging the hole a little will buy us some more time." He explained.

"Wha- are there people after us?!"

"Of course there are." He stated, matter-of-factly. "Not everyone here is a sympathizer. Not to mention the heroes that are going to get called here."

"The power outage...?"

"Yup. It disabled the security system in the vents, but it guarantees that we've got heroes coming in to check the place out. And they'll be looking for a kid who went missing after going to the bathroom."

Kouta felt his stomach drop as he heard that. While he truly did want to help bring Izuku's plan to fruition... it was much different knowing that he was being actively sought after. What would happen if a hero found him? Would he be able to act as a victim? Would they arrest him, or...

He shivered, almost as if trying to shake the thoughts away. Now wasn't the time to think about the worst case scenario... he was well beyond that. He looked around, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the reduced lighting of the area.

They were in a long hallway, but unlike the main plant, this one was obviously in disarray. The tiles were cracked the paint on the wall was literally peeling off... it was almost as if it was decaying in front of his eyes. He could only see a few feet in front of him; beyond that, the darkness swallowed all.

He followed the slime villain as it slid down the hall, and it wasn't before long that they reached its end. The walls seamlessly shifted from concrete to metal, their path ending with two steel doors that were held tightly together.

"Hold on, I think I can force this one open." The creature took the initiative, spreading himself over the sliding doors. "Yep, they're not sealed."

With a little bit of grunting, the doors slid into the wall, revealing a dimly lit elevator shaft that seemed to move endlessly downwards.

"This... this shouldn't be here..." Kouta breathlessly questioned, clutching the metal frame of the elevator doors. "What is this place?"

"I'll explain on the way down." The villain responded, extending a part of his body to peer over the edge. "It looks like we've got a long way to go."

Kouta felt himself get encased in the slime once more, the viscous sludge holding him firmly in place once more. He felt himself get lifted in the air, his heart pounding through his chest as he realized what was about to happen.

He heard the villain chuckle again, watching as the yellow and red eyes slid around to face him once more.

"You're not afraid of heights, are you?

"You've got to be kidding me!" A shrill voice shot across the police office, causing the handful of regular inhabitants to snap out of their work induced haze. The other three people in the room snapped their heads to the desk overflowing with data sheets and paperwork, the mountain wobbling around from the angry protestations of the person beneath it.

Uraraka stood up, slowly pacing herself over to the fourth desk, lightly placing her fingertips on the sliver of free space that lined its edges. She peered around the corner, finding it empty, save for the shoes that lay neatly beside the alcove where the chair should be. She leaned down further, finding the person she was searching for.

"...Aiba?"

The woman in question was still as small as she was when her partner in crime was arrested, all those years ago. It still seemed impossible to Uraraka that a woman in her early thirties easily looked half her age. Her skills as a hacker hadn't dulled, either; if anything they had been honed further once she was able to access to the data and tech that the police had.

The pro hero kneeled down, looking into the alcove of the hacker's desk. She sat cross legged, laptop precariously balanced between her knees as she stared balefully at the screen. She huffed, pushing the computer off of her lap and onto the ground next to her. With that done, she flopped onto her back, using her legs to push herself out of the darkness as she stretched out and stared at the ceiling.

"Something wrong?" Uraraka began, glancing sympathetically down at the other woman in the office.

Aiba groaned, rubbing her eyes with her index finger and thumb as she tried to make sense of what just happened.

"I've never seen such a secure bank record." She admitted. "I'm not sure how much longer I can keep up at it. Every time I get through a security system, there's always another one waiting for me! It feels like I'm trying to peel a thousand layer onion, one layer at a time."

"Well..." She paused, trying to find a way to console her. "...at least this one doesn't make you tear up!"

The hacker chuckled. "Oh don't worry, we're going to get there eventually."

"I think you should take a break."

"Yeah... yeah, I know. I'm trying to break the encryption key for this layer, luckily it doesn't seem like there's anything that will lock the system down after a number of failed attempts. I'll just have the computer try random codes while I take a breather."

"That sounds like a good idea." Uraraka smiled. "Can't have our MVP burn herself out before she's made her next big break!"

"I'm good, but I'm not that good." She quipped back, smirking. "If I was, we would've gotten him years ago."

"True, but most of the progress has been from the stuff you found." The pro hero countered, leaning forward to stare directly at the young-looking hacker. "This division wouldn't still be here if you didn't manage to uncover as much as you did!"

"Yes it would have. Can you imagine the public outcry if they found out that the police stopped actively looking for the country's most notorious villain? Right now they're content with spending as little resources as possible on us... especially after the new commissioner was appointed."

"That's... true." Uraraka sat back, folding her legs under her as she placed her hands on her knees. "Anyway... how's Danjuro doing? Keeping himself out of trouble?"

"He is, actually!" Aiba rolled onto her stomach, propping her head up with her hands as her eyes began to sparkle. "He's been trying hard to get a name for himself since he was released... without doing anything villainous, of course. He's settled on streaming himself live for now."

"Oh, how is it working out for him?"

"Really well! He's constantly talking about what his followers say to him, sometimes they even send him gifts!" She sighed, closing her eyes. "He said at the rate he's going, he'll get popular and maybe pay his share of the rent."

The pro hero giggled. "Glad to hear that. What are you doing after work today?"

"Uhhh... Nothing honestly-"

Her response was cut off by the sound of the laptop beeping furiously. Aiba immediately scrambled back under the desk, picking up the computer and seeing what was on it.

Her eyes widened as she leaned forward, reading the same words on the screen over and over again in disbelief. "But- I don't... WHAT?!"

"Did... did you get kicked out?"

"No! No, the computer broke through! I've got access!" She stared incredulously at the screen. "I didn't even have to break into it, the computer must have solved it with a random code!"

Uraraka leaned forward, crawling on her shoulders and knees to get into the alcove and see what was on the screen. The hacker scooted over to give her room, tilting the screen to the side so she could see it.

"That's... that's a lot of numbers." She quietly noted, the sheer number of transactions sending a shiver down her spine. "Aiba... there's trillions of yen sitting in this account... is this?"

"I think... this might be one of his main accounts." She swallowed thickly, palms trembling as she scrolled down through the list of transactions. "I copied everything... I think... this is the motherlode. I didn't realize..."

The pro hero began shifting herself out from under the desk. "We need to tell the others-"

Aiba snapped her hand out, grabbing the other woman's wrist, causing her to freeze.

"Hold on." She reprimanded, motioning for her to come back in. "It'll be quicker if I read over it and find something we can act on. The faster we move out, the better."

Uraraka nodded, leaning over to scan what was on the list. Almost immediately, one thing stuck out at her. "Sakamoto Commercial Realty... that one comes up every month. I don't see any other entries for any kind of land or buildings... not even utility bills."

"It might be packaged into the rent... let me check something..." Aiba muttered. Her fingers began flying as she rapidly typed, pulling up a number of different websites and command terminals. "We have the address... it's not on public records."

"What do you mean?"

"Somehow, that address was erased from all public listings across Japan. Even I wouldn't be able to do that. He went out of his way to make sure no one would find it." She mumbled, eyes almost glazing over as she began pulling up more tools. "Let's try this, then... the warehouse is supposed to be in Yokohama... which means it's powered by TEPCO. Let's see if they've got that address in their database... We got a match- oh."

"What? What's going on?" Uraraka asked, confused by the almost scared look the hacker had.

"They're... the warehouse is consuming a massive amount of power." She paused, pulling up another set of records. The color "It's... that building is using almost three percent of all the power in Yokohama."

"...Is that a lot?"

Aiba looked up, shifting her eyes back and forth as she did the math in her head. "That's about as much power used by forty thousand houses... give or take."

"...Oh."

"Yeah." She paused, covering her mouth with her balled fist. "Something is going on there. Something very significant, if it's using that much power."

They both scrambled out of the desk, but as it turned out, both of the other officers were fully aware of the situation. Bakugou was already digging his gun out of his desk, while Toshinori seemed to be having a very heated argument on the phone. Everyone watched as he struggled to utter a complete sentence before the person on the other end of the line would cut him off and chew him out further. Eventually, it ended with the division chief slamming the phone onto the receiver.

"Dammit." He grunted, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We're going in without backup, aren't we?" Bakugou guessed, fists rapidly clenching and unclenching.

"My goodwill with the higher-ups isn't what it used to be." He sighed, leaning back. "I was told unless there's definitive proof that he's there, they won't be providing any additional resources- that includes weapons, too."

"That's stupid!" Aiba waved her hands emphatically. "Something's happening at it now, we can't wait for more evidence-"

"I know, Manami. I know." He sighed. "But they won't listen. Not with the new commissioner trying to hinder us as much as possible. He's still sour that he had to allow La Brava onto the force."

The hacker fell silent, clasping her hands together as she looked down at the floor.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Toshinori reaffirmed. "But if we can't rely on the rest of the force, we need to gather what resources we can. Uraraka, is there anyone you know who could help us out?"

The pro hero whipped out her phone, browsing the hero network to see what resources she had available.

"There's an unusually high crime wave today... the only heroes not actively engaging with fights or rescue operations are too inexperienced for something like this." She paused. "Well, I don't think we'll have help in combat, but there's an old friend of ours who makes support equipment. I'm sure she'll help us out."

"Then let's go." Toshinori stood up, holstering his own gun. "Some support is better than none, and we need all we can for this. You all feel it too, don't you?"

Everyone stood silently, no one daring to respond. Even though they didn't say it, they all knew what he meant.

"This doesn't feel like any of our previous raids... Prepare for the worst."

Kouta did his best not to look down. Despite being somewhat safely held in the grasp of the slime villain, he couldn't help but feel his muscles give out when he saw the black void beneath him, threatening to swallow him up.

"Say, kid." The man gruffly asked him. "Izuku didn't tell you anything about what you'll be doing, did he?"

"I- uh..." He snapped out of his nervous focus, pondering what he was asked. "Actually... he didn't. He wanted me to go into nuclear engineering..."

"That's all?"

"He... he said that today was going to be the day that his plans would go into action..." He trailed off, but it only took a second before he shook his head and reconfirmed what he knew. "I've read what he wants for Project Chicxulub. I know what his endgame is, but... I don't know what I'm supposed to do here."

The villain sighed, his free floating eyes rolling. "Yeah, he does that a lot. He doesn't fill anyone in on their job until right before they're supposed to do it. My guess is that it keeps them from leaking the plans to the heroes."

"Oh..." Kouta grimaced, eyes focusing on the wall beside him. This... stranger knew more about his own job? Did Izuku really place that little trust in him?

"Don't get the wrong idea, kid." The older man quickly cut in. "That's something he does with everyone. If he let you see the project file, then it means he trusts you. That's not something he tells people unless you're in his inner circle."

"Then what does everyone else fight for?" He argued back, indignation growing in his chest. "People really just blindly fight for someone who says he'll fix their problems? People don't work like that!"

"No, they do. That's exactly how they work." The slime villain batted back. "You don't need to tell everyone how you plan to do something. Most people- they just want to know that their voices are heard. That's something he taught me. How did he win you over?"

Kouta thought back to his original meetings with Izuku; their introduction at camp, his rescue at the hands of Muscular... even their reunion in his apartment. The more he thought about them, the more he realized that this strange sludge creature what right- he wasn't told the project plans before he allied himself with the villain mastermind. Just knowing that someone knew his pain, and accepted it with no reservations... that was enough for him.

"...You're right." He admitted. "So... he showed me the plans because he trusted me?"

"Exactly. Now about your mission... do you know the history of this plant?"

Kouta shook his head.

"This place has been running for the past two centuries, but it wasn't just a plant." The slime villain paused, as if trying to find the right way to word it. "Back when quirks just started... and the riots began... this was one of the places retrofitted to become a secret nuclear missile base."

"What?!" The young man snapped back incredulously. "You don't mean..."

"Yeah. They were willing to go that far to protect themselves from quirks."

"...They still talk about the old bombings in school. How we were so ravaged by them that we decided to swear off of war in our constitution." Kouta quietly muttered.

"And yet they didn't spend long at all making the tools to do it to themselves." The slime villain rebutted. "They took the uranium out of the missiles, but they're still down there. If the records are right, they're still operational."

"Don't tell me we're-"

"We're not going to nuke anyone." The older villain reaffirmed again. "Look, here's what's going to happen..."

A nodule of slime extended itself from the main body, carrying the large canister of pink liquid that Kouta saw earlier.

"There should be a manual in the control room that describes how to operate the missiles. My job is to get into the missile chamber and put this where the uranium was supposed to go. All you gotta do is set it to go straight up and explode. Izuku said as long as it goes off seventy kilometers or more in the air, it'll do."

The younger man's eyes widened. "Is that...?"

"It's what's going to make Project Chicxulub a reality. I think you know what it does."

Kouta opened his mouth to ask more questions, but before he could the sound of metal screeching above them caused them both to fall silent. The villain leaned in close, whispering right into his ear.

"Looks like someone found us ahead of schedule." He muttered, as his body began to morph. The villain split his main body apart from the blob supporting the college student, which held him in place against the wall of the elevator shaft. "I'll go take care of it."

The main body of the villain rocketed itself back up the elevator shaft, unhindered by the body of the twenty-something year old student it was carrying.

Kouta waited there, feeling his nerves flood with ice as he wondered what was going to happen.

He didn't wait long to find ou. A shrill scream erupted above him, which was promptly cut off by the sound of gurgling and loud sloshes. The sound of someone being slammed against a metal wall wracked his brain, the noises getting progressively weaker and weaker, before ceasing altogether. After a very long moment of silence, he opened his mouth to call out, but flinched and shrieked as he felt something rush by him.

The sound of a heavy thud below him confirmed his worst fears. He felt bile rise up the back of his throat, and despite his inability to use his hands, he did his best to stem the tide. It wasn't long before the sludge villain came back into his vision, sickly yellow eyes staring right at him.

"He... you..." Kouta breathlessly eked out between dry heaves

The slime villain didn't respond, grabbing the college student and moving down the shaft at a much faster pace. They eventually reached the bottom, and once the villain let go of him, the younger man was able to see the aftermath of what transpired.

There was a hero, somewhat recognizable despite the damage incurred from the fall. His uniform was almost exactly like that of a fireman's. Most of the costume was covered in a thin sheen of blood, which splattered outwards from the body and covered the entirety of the floor he was standing on. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the hero didn't have hands; they were replaced with what looked like oversized spigots.

"I recognize him..." Kouta fell still, eyes wide as if trying to soak up every detail of the grotesque scene. "Backdraft... you killed Backdraft."

"I'm sure he'll be missed." The villain coldly responded as he slid up the wall at the bottom of the shaft, covering another pair of elevator doors to force them open.

"You... you killed him." He repeated, feeling his legs give out from under him as he fell back against the concrete wall of the shaft. He felt the bottom of his pants grow damp- it was either dripping water or blood, and he didn't want to think about which one it might be.

"And? What did you think was going to happen?" The older villain retorted. "Did you think he'd agree to let us slip by after a nice conversation? If we left him alive, he'd report what happened as soon as he recovered. And then everyone would be out for blood. That's just how things work."

Kouta didn't respond.

As soon as the villain pried the doors open, he quickly crossed the floor of the shaft to pick the college student up. He carried him out of the chamber, entering another concrete hallway that was absolutely caked in cobwebs and dust.

The villain deposited the young man back on his feet, turning around to stare at him in mild concern.

"We're on the clock here. Are you going to be able to follow me to the control room?"

It took a moment for him to respond, but he eventually nodded his head.

"Yeah." He whispered, covering his mouth with his hand.

"Good. Let's go."

With that, the slime villain began gliding down the hall at a brisk pace, with Kouta stumbling after him.

None of the officers spoke as they were carted off to Yokohama in a police van. The back seats were removed, replaced with cold metal benches that lined the sides of the sides of the vehicle. Aiba sat on one side, surrounded by a number of computers and monitors, with some handmade electronic boards roughly piled in a corner.

On the other side sat Uraraka and Bakugou, both trying to mask their sullen expressions; Uraraka with determination, Bakugou with raw anger.

The pro hero lowered her hand to her waist, thumbing the pommel of her lucky survival knife. She rarely used it, but after all the lessons she took from Gunhead... it at least made her feel better when she had it on her.

The blonde officer leaned back, exuding frustrated sighs as he stomped the floor of the van.

"You're seriously telling me that we're not gonna get any help on this?"

Uraraka pulled out her phone, checking her messages. "It looks like... almost no one responded. The only ones who did politely declined."

"You're fucking joking."

"I don't know what to say." She quietly replied, slipping her phone back into her pocket. "I know a lot of people don't take this seriously... it's been around a decade since Izuku left, and we still don't know what he's doing. Some people in my office think he's just trying to disappear, especially since he hasn't really done anything noteworthy."

"Except for killing Mirio and Iida." Bakugou turned his head, directing his intense glare at her. "You forgot those."

"Wha- Bakugou!" Her eyes widened in shock, practically jumping aside in shock. "Don't you- what's wrong with you?!"

He didn't respond, his gaze unwavering.

"You didn't- you weren't there." She reprimanded, clenching her fists as she looked away from him, towards the back of the van. "I had to- I listened to every word Iida said to me as he... as he bled out. He asked me... not to hate Izuku. He wanted me to forgive him for killing-"

Her voice caught in her throat, her body slightly trembling as the haunting voice of Iida echoed in her head.

"It's still hard for me to believe that Iida knew... and he still tried to hide it from me." She closed her eyes, hand instinctively laid across her stomach. "I don't think I'll ever understand why he didn't say anything at the time."

She felt a pit of fire burn within her. She turned back towards the policeman, a fire in her eyes that threatened to overtake his. "Iida was a much better person than you, even when he lay dying. Don't you dare- ever- say something like that to me again!"

She watched as his own glare faltered, eyes widening as he slightly shifted backwards. Even then he refused to say anything, turning in his seat to face away from the justifiably upset pro hero. She shook her head, turning towards the back of the van again as she pulled out her phone and began surfing the hero network. Aiba wisely stayed out of the conversation, using the quiet time to gather as much intelligence as she could on the secret warehouse.

Eventually, the van lurched to a stop. The thick, dimmed window that served as a divider between the driver's seat and the back slid away, revealing a fully uniformed Toshinori.

"We've arrived at the Yokohama Technical Research Institute. Uraraka, do you know where she is?"

"Yeah." She replied bitterly. "I've given her all the details, so she should be waiting for us. Third floor, workshop 307."

Toshinori's expression turned to one of concern, but even without hearing what happened in the back, he could make an educated guess based on everyone's disposition. Before he could say anything, they had all jumped out the back of the vehicle, staring at the massive metal and glass building that stood before them.

The interior of the building was just as pristine and lustrous as the exterior, but no one could really find it in them to gawk at the spotless stone and glass work that lay within. They quickly made their way past the large foyer, filing into a spacious elevator that took them to the third floor.

Despite the thick walls, it was impossible not to hear the sounds of clanking metal, power tools, and a few small explosions as they made their way down the large hall. Most of the walls and doors were covered in large craters and dents, a clear indication of the kind of work that went on here.

Eventually, they made it to a sliding metal door with the numbers '307' stamped onto it. Uraraka pushed a small silver button next to it, watching as the door slowly slid down into the ground, revealing the workshop behind it.

The room was relatively empty, but just from a glance everyone could tell it was still larger than the cramped office they had at the station. The whole room was lined with a grid of solid metal tables, atop each lay various costumes and uniforms- none of which were in good shape. Almost everything in this room looked battered and broken.

At the back of the workshop sat a single desk, quite large and made of some kind of ornate, lacquered wood. In front of it sat a similarly expensive looking chair, its occupant facing away from the new visitors

"Hey! Long time no see!" Uraraka offered, walking forward with a small smile on her face. "How have you been?"

The chair spun around, revealing its occupant; a tall, slender woman, her black hair drawn back into a ponytail. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, greeting the newcomers with a smile on her face.

"I'm doing well!" Momo greeted, getting up from her chair. "I have to say, it's been some time since I've seen you all, it brings back memories."

Toshinori looked away, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment as he struggled to find the right words to say.

"It's good to see you, too." He quietly replied. "...Listen, Yaoyorozu, I know we only just met again, but I need to apologize-"

"No, you don't." She shook her head, her kind smile shining back at him. "I was the one who asked you not to talk to me. Looking back on it, it was my mistake to do that. You did all you could after the Kamino incident, and I have nothing to hold against you. I hope we'll be able to speak on good terms from now on."

"I'm sorry-" Aiba cut in, looking back and forth between everyone with a confused look on her face. "I'm out of the loop here, can someone fill me in on what happened?"

"Ah, yes." Momo cleared her throat. "Back when I was in the Heroics Course at Yuuei, I had... well, I broke the rules. Another student tried to participate in a large raid; I went with him to keep him out of trouble... in hindsight, I probably just made things worse. We both got caught. He was expelled, and I was given the choice to either go into another course or find another school to take me. I chose to go into the Support Course and try my hand there. After graduating, I was offered a job here to examine failed equipment and test new, experimental materials and designs. Uraraka's about the only person from Yuuei I still talk to, if only because she's so persistent. It's not exactly what I wanted, but... I've done well for myself."

"Speaking of which..." Uraraka trailed off. "Have you still not heard from him?"

She shook her head. "No, Shouto is still missing. No one's heard from him since he ran away."

The hacker leaned forward, hands clasped behind her back. "Shouto? Like, the Todoroki kid? I could try to track him down, if you guys want."

"No." Momo closed her eyes, a small smile creeping on her lips. "If it's been this long, then he's probably made a life for himself somewhere else. I don't think he'd appreciate some ghosts of his past coming onto his doorstep. Besides, you're here for Izuku, aren't you?"

"There's a place not far from here that we think may serve as his base of operations." He placed his arms taught against his sides, bowing deeply and holding his body there. "Please... we need as much help as you can provide."

"Well..." she sighed, pulling up a clipboard that had been sitting on one of the metal tables. She grabbed a pen from her lab coat, scribbling down notes. "There's not a lot I can do in terms of making tailored solutions... you are going against someone with a theoretically infinite number of attacks... so how about..."

She turned around, going back to her desk. She pulled up some sort of dashboard, and within seconds she had pulled up the schematics for Uraraka's outfit.

"Uravity's space suit..." She trailed off, scanning the technical details. "Alright, here's what I can do. Toshinori, I can make you a set of reinforced body armor. We've got a new blend of carbon fiber that's shown promising results for stopping bullets and cushioning blunt impacts... actually, I can embed an exoskeleton to improve your strength, too. Just don't sue me if it fails, okay?"

The division chief reeled back in shock from the insinuation, but quickly relaxed when he realized it was a joke.

"Alright, alright." He nervously laughed. "I promise."

"Uraraka, I can reinforce your armor with a lightweight titanium alloy. It should help with your mobility, without compromising your armor's ability to withstand blows."

"Woah..." She trailed off, watching as Momo began scribbling down rough sketches of her new equipment.

"Aiba isn't going to be on the field, right? She won't need anything then. Now, for Bakugou..." She trailed off, grabbing the attention of the young man who had taken to sulking against the back wall, arms folded.

"What?" He bit back, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Still as charismatic as ever." She muttered. "I've got two options I wanted to run by you. We could fit you with the same body armor as your boss... or..."

"Spit it out already!"

"...I can reproduce your costume from Yuuei, and retrofit it with a new explosive material we've been working on. It's about as potent as your old quirk... and it's really compact, too-"

"Do it." He barked, gritting his teeth. "We need everything we can to take that fucker down."

Momo nodded, readjusting her lab coat. "I'm going to go into the back room to make everything. Once we're done, please get everything equipped and get to that warehouse as soon as possible. You can thank me later. Uraraka, are we still on for Saturday?"

"Wha- oh, uh yeah." She replied, caught off guard by the sudden question.

"Great... oh! If it's okay with the both of you, I'd like Aiba to come along as well. It's been a while since I've met a new person."

Without waiting for a response, she quickly excused herself to the back room. Within minutes she was back out, pushing a cart that had multiple pieces of equipment. She pointed to a set of curtained alcoves at one side of the room.

"You can get changed in there." She paused, before walking to her chair and draping her lab coat over it. "I need to go to a meeting now. I wish I could go with you, but..."

She looked away, closing her eyes and shaking her head as the slightest of bittersweet smiles formed. "Well, anyway. Good luck out there, okay?"

It didn't take long for the squad to get themselves into their new outfits. Uraraka and Toshinori were the first to exit the dressing alcoves, only slightly bearing differences from their original outfits.

"She even got the shades of pink perfectly." Uraraka observed, amazed as she wiggled her limbs. "It's so light, and honestly it feels like I've broken it in already."

The division chief nodded. "It feels more like a second layer of clothes."

"Hey, Bakugou?" Uraraka slowly called out. "...Are you almost ready?"

There was no sound from the third alcove, not even the sound of rustling equipment. Bakugou must have been standing dead still in there.

"...Yeah." Came the unusually weak, almost disembodied response. "I'm ready."

When the blonde policeman finally exited, the room fell eerily silent. He looked... almost exactly as he did all those years ago, with some exceptions. His oversized, grenade-shaped gloves and wrist guards were just as they were in his high school outfit. Along with them came his orange and black boots, complete with dusted grey knee guards. His original belt was gone, replaced by a utility belt that was lined with a number of small silver canisters- likely the explosive material that Momo had mentioned.

His original shirt was not the same, however. In its place was a black, long sleeved shirt that appeared to be made from a light, breathable material. His trademark mask and headpieces were also absent. Everyone was able to see his face, practically devoid of all emotion and as white as his bones.

"Let's go." He muttered, stepping out of the lab at a very brisk pace. Everyone else quickly followed suit.

They had all piled back into the van, organs churning uncomfortably as they all waited for the inevitable. Toshinori had decided to keep the soundproof divider down for this portion of the trip, but it seems that this gesture had lost its usefulness long before it was needed.

"...We're thirty minutes out." Toshinori called out to those in the back. "Manami, have you come across any more information about the building we are going into?"

"Wha-" The hacker snapped out of her uncomfortable haze, drawing her back into reality. "Oh, yeah. It's not much, but it should be enough for an infiltration plan."

"Hold on." He fell silent, pulling the van down onto the side of the street. Once it was parked, he exited the vehicle, opening the back door and going inside. He didn't sit down, standing over everyone as he checked to make sure his gun was loaded. "It's just a few kilometers down from here. I didn't realize it was just on the border of the residential district. What have you got?"

"Well..." She began. "There's no direct photos of it on public record, but I did manage to grab some photos taken nearby."

She pulled up a number of photos off of Google, many of them showing the warehouse in question somewhere in the distance.

"It appears to be a hybrid building- the bottom floor is an industrial warehouse, with the upper floors resembling more of an office building. A lot of small shipping companies like this kind of building, keeps the staff in one place." She paused. "With the amount of energy that place is consuming... whatever is happening there is likely taking place in the industrial part of the building. They need a very powerful climate control system to handle something of that size, and cramped office quarters aren't going to have the required airflow to maintain performance. You need a big, clean, open air space for that kind of operation."

"So..." Uraraka trailed off. "We should secure that area first, right?"

"Well... yes and no." Aiba placed her fist against her mouth, checking the building schematics again. "It might be guarded, but I don't think we'll be finding the person we want there. If anything, they'll want to be away from there, so if a fight breaks out, it'll minimize the damage. Actually, hold on..."

Her fingers flew across the keyboard of her laptop, and within a minute she was given a new record. "They've got an account with Nisshin Communications... and they're using a staggering amount of network data. I think they have an automated server farm down there. If anybody there is important, they're probably not going to be there."

"What then?" Toshinori asked, staring at Aiba intently.

"We'll... I'd say it's more important to secure the upper floors of the building. But we shouldn't ignore the server farm, either... so..."

"We should split up." The division chief finished for her.

"Yeah..." She sighed, leaning back. "We need to cover the building as quickly as possible, even without backup."

"Alright." He sighed, pulling the building schematics back up. "Aiba, you'll stay here and monitor the situation from the outside. We need someone to call for backup if we get into a fight. Uraraka, you'll cover the server farm. Bakugou and I will clear the upper floors."

"But I-" Uraraka protested.

"That's the best we can do right now." Toshinori cut her off. "I understand, but I don't have the ability to be as maneuverable as you, and Bakugou... well, we need to have that equipment secured, if we're going to figure out what exactly he's doing down there. Someone who will be making a lot of explosions is not going to be able to do that. You're the best option we have for that."

She grimaced, but didn't have a better plan with their paltry resources.

"Now, with that being said..." He paused, taking a moment to look at everyone around him. "If you encounter anyone who becomes hostile, your first priority is to let Manami know. We're stifled by the brass because there's 'no credible evidence of a threat.' That changes the moment a villain appears, got it?"

Everyone nodded.

Toshinori opened a supply box under the bench, producing a number of earpieces, connected to transponders with sturdy wiring. He put one on himself, handing the other two to his subordinates.

"By the way," Aiba added in, "the back entrance to the warehouse is right next to a stairwell leading to the second floor. That's probably your best point of entry for the both of you."

"Understood." Toshinori nodded. "Let's move out."

True to his word, the drive to the building was fairly short. They had parked a few streets away, sequestered in a back alley to hide their presence. The former hero jumped out and opened the back door, waiting for his two subordinates to hop out. He followed suit, with the hacker closing the door behind them. They quickly ran through the back alleys towards the warehouse, each of them with blood running like an ice slurry through their veins.

Bakugou winced as he felt something wet hit the side of his face. He put a finger to the side of his head, pulling it back to reveal nothing but water dripping onto his palm. He looked up, noticing how dark and overcast the sky was. From the looks of it, a very heavy downpour was just about to start.

They quickly made it to the industrial district, and it wasn't long before they arrived at the back side of their destination. It appeared to be abandoned, and unlike the surrounding buildings there was no clear indication of what business it was operating under. From the outside, it just looked like another forgotten building that was neither bought nor sold.

The large metal fence surrounding the edifice was a trivial obstacle. Uraraka used her quirk to effortlessly get the three of them to the other side and onto the property. From there, they raced to the building's edge, pressing their backs to the walls as they searched for some form of security system.

"I don't see any cameras or sensors." Uraraka whispered. "I don't like this."

Toshinori shook his head. "I get what you mean, but regardless this is the strongest lead we have. We need to figure out what's here."

They ran across the side of the building, ending up at the area Aiba described: a single, metal door, with a large concrete staircase next to it.

"We're here." Toshinori grimaced. "Once we secure both areas, we'll call Manami over to examine the equipment, okay?"

Uraraka nodded. She watched as the policemen quietly ascended the stairs. They tested the doorknob, watching as it opened without resistance. The division chief looked back down at her expectantly. She grabbed her own doorknob, twisting it as slowly as she could.

Just like theirs, it was unlocked.

With a flick of his wrist, Toshinori commenced the start of the raid. He quickly pulled his door open, gun drawn as he ushered Bakugou inside. The pro hero watched as they disappeared through the frame, the door softly closing behind them.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself as she opened her own door. She quietly slipped inside, drawing her forearms to her face as she moved forward. Eventually, her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and once she was able to see what exactly was inside, she balked in disbelief.

Rows upon rows of server racks- that's what Aiba called them- stretching out as far as she could see. Despite the roar of the industrial cooling system above her, waves of heat crashed against her body, as if she was trapped under a thick blanket on a summer night. She slowly pushed forward, feeling her body begin to sweat profusely as she tried to find anything suspicious between the infinite rows of whirring machines and blinking lights.

Her heart raced as she quietly moved through the computers, trying her best to keep herself calm. The back of her mind raced, trying to think of any reason why someone would need this kind of computational power at their fingertips. Was Izuku breaking into some kind of security system, or collecting some sort of data? What exactly was he going to do-?

It was then, when she was most distracted, that she felt the presence of another. She spun around, but it was too late. She felt something tugging at her waist, and in the split second she looked down, her worst fears were confirmed.

Someone had wrested her knife free from its hilt.

She quickly jumped up, activating her quirk to send her floating to the ceiling. To her surprise, she watched as the cord to her earpiece was pulled down, a quick slash of her stolen knife severing her only line of communication with Aiba. She kicked off the side one of the servers, rocketing herself to the other end of the massive room. She disabled her anti-gravity abilities, landing softly on the ground amongst an identical set of machines.

She felt her heart stop beating as a set of light footsteps quickly rushed her from behind. The pro hero spun around, the glint of her knife sparkling in the dim light as it rocketed towards her torso. Despite being unable to see the assailant, she grabbed the hilt of the weapon, using her momentum to pull the attacker forward and flipping them over her shoulder, just like Gunhead taught her.

Her moment of victory was short lived. Despite the inability to see them, she felt the horridly familiar sensation of legs wrapping around her neck, her move turned against her as the momentum she created yanked her into the air, flipping her around and causing her to land painfully on her back. She quickly wrested herself free from her attacker's grip, scrambling to her feet as she backed up to regain her breath.

"So much for a warm reunion." An eerily cheerful voice jeered, its invisible owner pulling herself upright, brandishing the hero's knife. "Is that how you treat a lady? And here I thought of all people, you would have some manners."

Uraraka's eyes widened as that familiar voice struck her ears. She took a step back, staring back in horror as all the puzzle pieces in her mind began clicking into place.

"...H-Hagakure?!"

Toshinori and Bakugou wasted no time in clearing the upper floors. They moved as quietly as possible, opening every door they could find to see if anyone lay inside. The place was practically barren, dust and cobwebs caking the entirety of the building.

Bakugou struggled to get a firm grip on his gun, mostly due to his enlarged gloves that were part of his new outfit. By the second floor, he had given up on the firearm, holstering it and checking each room with his hands ready to launch an explosion. It chilled the division chief to see his underling dressed almost exactly like he was when he was an aspiring hero. He knew it disturbed the young officer as well, but... now was not the time to attempt to console him, especially with Bakugou just as volatile as he normally was.

It wasn't long before they reached the top floor, with no sign of any hostiles. It looked just like all the others- large, open spaces of cubicles, with meeting rooms and hallways bridging them together. They eventually reached the end of the floor, both of them freezing as they saw what lay before them.

A large chunk of the floor was carved out, separated by walls... likely the office of whoever ran the company before Izuku bought the building. Its windows were covered, but did little to hide the blue glow of light that emanated from the room. Both of them quietly dropped to the ground, quietly shuffling towards the door. As they neared, they began to hear a conversation happening on the other side.

"...This won't solve anything." A smooth, baritone voice calmly replied.

The officers looked back at each other, recognizing the tone but unable to place it.

"Does that really matter?" A lighter, almost nonchalant voice asked. "I don't care if my brother made it... there's no point in going back to the League."

Bakugou and Toshinori's eyes widened, realization setting in as they both stopped breathing. They knew that voice... the cool tone that somehow radiated more accepted defeat than arrogant detachment.

Izuku Midoriya, holder of All for One, the mastermind they had sought for over a decade, was here.

The division chief quickly grabbed the shoulder of the younger officer, stopping him from preemptively entering the room. They both quietly shifted themselves on the wall next to the door, listening in on the conversation happening just a few feet from them.

"Are you really going to let your brother's creation go to waste?" The unknown man accusingly inquired.

"You were the one who wasted it." Izuku sighed. "Listen, I'm not angry... even if it was something he really cared for. But you need me more than I need you. Dabi... You seem to think I was on your side at some point. I wasn't."

"I didn't waste anything." Dabi retorted. "You and your 'brother' could pay people to find talent for you. You took that when you left. Of course it wouldn't be the same."

"That's a lie and you know it." The mastermind calmly stated. "You don't know what talent is, you never did. You don't just... find powerful allies on the street, you have to cultivate those with potential. You wanted something quick and easy, so instead you burned everyone who would have helped you to ash. In the end, you couldn't get new recruits, or keep those you had. Spinner left you to find someone who better fit his ideals. Twice was mortally wounded, but because you never spent the time to gain an ally who could heal injuries, he succumbed. Everything rests squarely on you."

"You sound like Kurogiri. It's pissing me off." The other villain grunted. "You're lucky Toga isn't conscious. What do you plan to do with us?"

Bakugou leaned forward, pressing as lightly as he could on the door. It quietly shifted along the hinge, creating a sliver of space that he could peer into.

Dabi and Toga were seated against the far wall, almost battered beyond recognition. The vampire killer was chained to a radiator, her arm pulled taut as the rest of her torso was slumped onto the floor. The horrifically scarred man was in only slightly better condition. It looked like he could barely keep his eyes open, a dark, thick liquid dripping from the part of the radiator he leaned on. Izuku had his back to the door, kneeled over the villains.

"I think you know." Izuku quietly muttered. "Please, don't get the wrong idea. This isn't revenge, or some kind of retribution."

He placed his hands on both villains' foreheads, taking a deep breath in.

"I just... don't think you two should have the quirks you were given."

Bakugou watched in horror as both of the villains began to spasm, electric shocks racing from Izuku's hands down to their feet. Within seconds, the process ended, the last two League members chained and defeated, smoke rising from their comatose bodies.

The villain mastermind walked away, disappearing from the tiny view the young policeman had.

Toshinori rose to his feet, bracing himself against the doorframe with his gun drawn. Bakugou looked back at him expectantly.

The division chief gave a curt nod, the only signal he needed to bust down the door. They both rushed in, weapons at the ready.

Izuku was sitting on the edge of a rather dusty desk, eyes wide and with a box of apple juice hanging from his lips. He slowly grabbed it, lowering it and placing it next to an unopened box of cigarettes.

"Izuku Midoriya." Toshinori barked, gun aimed squarely at him. "You're wanted for-"

"Conspiracy, Treason, Espionage, Criminal Violence, Assault and Battery, Smuggling..." Izuku sighed, staring bleakly at the men in front of him. "...And of course, the murder of two children, and the vigilante known as Knuckleduster."

Both officers were slightly taken aback at the mention of the last crime, something they previously weren't aware of.

They stared at the villain in front of them. He didn't look angry, or determined, not even sad. It was like he had given up, only here because he was compelled to do so.

"It's..." He trailed off, pushing himself off the desk and onto his feet. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

A/N: Hey everyone! Writing endings is hard.

Most of this is just setup, but I figured that rather than waiting for a thirty to forty thousand word finale, you probably would appreciate it if I split them up and gave you the setup for all the final battles.

Again, I can't express how grateful I am that I have so many people who read this fic and constantly leave me feedback and let me know how they felt. It means a lot to me, truly. With that being said, I'd like to thank you all again, and please let me know what you thought in the comments! I hope you're all excited to see what's in store.

Also, feel free to drop a line on tumblr as well! I'm actually still fairly active there, even if I'm not reblogging as much.