"Reckless idiots! Unthinkable! Just unthinkable!" Tenko scolded his students whilst they were receiving checkups in the infirmary from Recovery Girl.
"I can't believe you would do that!" He began furiously applying his medicinal gel to his face, to deal with his allergies getting worse due to his emotional state. "Fighting villains?! Kirishima's ribs are broken, and don't even get me started on you!" Tenko pointed at Katsuki, who was bedridden with both arms heavily bandaged, his right in a cast from shattered bones and a dislocated shoulder, as well as bandages on his head from Dolphin's crushing gri. "I am astounded, I am in disbelief! I-...I…!"
"Tenko, you're going to get an aneurysm from that high blood pressure." Recovery Girl mused.
He acknowledged her warning and calmed down, rubbing his forehead.
"Shimura-sensei!" Tenya was the first to speak among his classmates "It is true we have disgraced you, betrayed your trust, but if anyone deserves to be punished, or expelled, it's me. As Class Representative, I bear the most responsibility!"
"No." Hitoshi, whose broken nose was bandaged up by Recovery Girl, interjected. "I'm the one who gave the last push and gave the tactics and order. If anyone's responsible, it's me. I assume a leadership role without consulting anyone."
"You're all responsible," Tenko shut down the student.s "All of you acted on this! Shoto is the only one here who is safe because he stayed put while the villains showed up."
"Shimura-sensei…" Momo spoke up. "I bear responsibility too. I'm the Vice Rep, so I…"
"Yaoyorozu, everyone." Tenko finished applying the medicinal gel, sighing. "I understand why you did what you did, the frustration of being unable to save anyone. You all know I broke the law myself once as well, and consequences followed. I was lucky not to get expelled, but even so...what would I have done, if any of my dear students were hurt or more? What would I tell your parents? How could I face my senpai, Shota Aizawa? Face myself?"
The students looked forlorn, their mistake weighing down on their shoulders, filled with guilt. Even so, they couldn't allow themselves to sit by and do nothing.
The room went quiet, an awkward atmosphere consuming everyone.
It was quickly cut short, however, by the sudden appearance of All Might bursting into the room without warning. "I am here!" He shouted out his catchphrase, his immaculate form and muscles utterly annihilating the door, much to Recovery Girl's frustration.
"I'll pay for that." All Might apologized to Recovery Girl, quickly realizing his mistake. "My body was simply too full of excitement!"
"All Might, what are you doing here?" Tenko asked. "Is everyone else alright?"
"Ah, Tenko! Students!" All Might's large grin fixed up the mood quickly. "Luckily, no one was seriously hurt!" He briefly eyed Eijiro and Katsuki before resuming. "Thanks to the efforts of all the Heroes present, that is. Paramedics are still watching over them, but we're just trying to keep the media reporting out of U.A.!"
"It's not working very well if I can see articles already." Mina said, showing her phone's screen, an article published by a certain media website detailing the attack on the Sports Festival.
"Shit," All Might thought, but didn't say out loud, for cursing is a sacrilege and a bad influence on his students. "Ah, regardless, my good dear students! I bring you great news!" The students' expressions perked up. "After some talks with me and Principal Nezu, we've decided to enact punishment on all of you!"
"How is that good news…?" The students thought in unison.
"Wait," Katsuki realized "By punishment, do you mean we're not getting expelled?!"
"That's correct!" The students gasped in shock "While what you did was incredibly reckless, foolish even, it was in the end, an act of heroism, something we did teach you. However, we cannot let it slide. Expulsion is too unfair, as considering everyone was in a panic and in serious trouble, anyone else would have helped. Besides, you didn't seek out a fight, and you did save those trapped civilians, had you done nothing, they would have suffocated in that tight spot. Mirio Togata also vouched for you," All Might explained.
"Then…" Momo sighed. "Our future as Heroes isn't over…"
"That's correct, once again!" All Might exclaimed. "However, once the internships end, you will receive fitting punishment. You, young Bakugo, will have a separate punishment for your recklessness! Young Todoroki, however, is not in any trouble."
"That wouldn't be fair." Shoto said. "I did nothing, I deserve some reprimand."
"Young Todoroki, what you did was not incorrect. Do not think you deserve to be punished for that. Hero business is full of tough decisions, that is an unfortunate realization we all come to eventually. It is never always correct or incorrect," All Might said, as if he had experience in such a thing.
"Now, I must unfortunately head away! I've got more business to discuss with the Principal! Oh, and school is suspended for a few days. The security breach is a serious problem. We will have some maintenance and check ups done, plus repairs to campus, primarily the stadium," he continued. "You will also be led home by a Hero, in groups. We don't know what villains could be planning. Expect there to be more Hero patrols in the weeks to come."
"Thank you, All Might." Tenko said. "For the good news. I may have been too harsh, but this will be valuable experience going forward. Glad Nezu took my request to heart."
"Wait, you never intended on expelling us?" Eijiro asked, bedridden right next to Katsuki, with bandages over his chest.
"Of course not! I let All Might and Principal Nezu know that already, but you still deserve a stern punishment for stepping out of line!" Tenko explained, instinctively going to rub his eyes before All Might gently grabbed his hand and stopped him. "We'll discuss that later. I want you all to take time to rest. Go over what you last learned. If you leave your house, remain in groups of three minimum. Be safe, everyone."
"Yes, sensei!" Nearly the entire class said, with Katsuki and Shoto being the two exceptions.
"I love you all, my dear students, and I'm glad you're all okay." Tenko said, suddenly embracing his students in a hug, the ones he could anyway, Hitoshi, Momo, Tenya and Ochaco being caught in his arms, while the others simply joined in awkwardly, before Tenko let go. "Anyhow, rest here for a few more hours. We notified all your parents, and told them we will get you home safely. We'll properly put you in groups and assign a Hero to accompany you home."
"I must go as well!" All Might said. "Shimura, join me and Nezu in his office when you're done, we've got much to discuss!" He momentarily glared at Class 1-A, giving them a hint of what they were going to discuss.
With that, All Might and Tenko left the infirmary, leaving the students amongst themselves, and with Recovery Girl to watch over them.
"Well, you kids rest up. Watch TV, if you wish. I will go make tea. Would you like some, dearies?" A few students raised their arms to Recovery Girl's offer. "Hohoho! Excellent! Tea is good for your health, especially the one I make. I will be back soon." She left the room, heading over to the kitchen.
Eijiro sighed. "I guess that could have been worse…" He lightly rubbed his chest, still feeling the pain of his broken ribs. Recovery Girl helped speed up the healing process, but it was still recommended to rest, and the same applied to Katsuki. "Yo, Bakugo, how're you doin'?"
"Ah!" Katsuki's face suddenly lit up in shock. "I forgot to ask who won that fight!"
"Are you really thinking about who won after all that…?" Kyoka sarcastically asked, knowing the answer already
"Of course I do, earlobes!" he exclaimed. "Oi, half n' half, ya bastard, I won that match! I beat that weird dolphin lipped bastard!" Shoto didn't seem very interested.
"How do you compare it to a dolphin of all things?!" Mina asked, perplexed. "That thing looked like an evil rooster!"
"It looked like a dolphin! It had a dolphin looking face!"
"Dolphins have cute round noses, that thing had a gross sharp tip!"
"That's stupid! It's still the same general shape!"
As the argument was getting more intense, Shoto's eyes suddenly widened. "Mikumo-san!" he shouted out, realizing his friend was among the audience "How could I forget?!" He quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket, walking away to the corner of the room to call Tomura.
"Man, it's weird to see Todoroki get so worried about someone, huh?" Hanta noted.
"I wouldn't blame him. Akatani seems like a good friend." Mezo replied. "You guys hung out quite a bit together, didn't you, Iida, Uraraka?"
"We have yes!" Tenya replied. "We didn't get to know him as much as Todoroki-kun, that's for certain, but we could see that he is a good friend. A Hero, no doubt, despite what he says about himself."
"Yeah!" Ochaco was rather hyper about it, matching Tenya's energy. "He talked for hours about Quirks and Heroes, he really loves that stuff! It was really adorable." She quickly blushed, realizing what she had said, and awkwardly flailed her arms. "I-...I mean, it's an adorable trait to have! Having a hobby is good!" Everyone could see it, Mina in particular abandoned her argument with Katsuki upon sensing the love in the air.
"He's okay…" Shoto said, sighing in relief.
"Ah, Akatani's alright? That's great to hear dude!" Eijiro said. "I hear he saved Shimura-sensei! That's real manly! I'd like to meet 'em again and congratulate him!"
"He said his father's coming to pick him up now…"
"Oh yeah, he must be terrified. He's a single parent, isn't he?" Momo said.
"Yeah…" Shoto was strangely talkative when he was concerned. "Mikumo Akatani"
"Hmph." Katsuki grunted, catching Shoto's attention "It's good that he's alright." It was genuine, despite his rough tone.
Hitoshi scratched his nose, the bandages being rather itchy. "Are you alright, Shinso?" Momo asked, catching his attention.
"I'm fine. Recovery Girl said it could have been worse." He replied blankly.
"That's good, but that's not what I meant." Momo said. "You seem to be deep in thought."
"Do I have some tic that makes it obvious?"
"You tend to fiddle with your face. Rubbing your eyes, scratching your nose."
Hitoshi looked at his hand, thinking back, he does, indeed, do that "...Well, you got me then."
"What's the matter then, Shinso?" Denki asked what everyone had on their mind.
"I've just been thinking it over." Hitoshi replied. "Those villains, Entropy, I think, she said she got information from her Boss on my Quirk "on time", which made me think...was their Boss already in contact with them? Through an earpiece or something?"
"Now that you mention it, they did look disorganized." Momo pondered. "Besides the initial attack, it didn't look like there were any orders afterwards, it all seemed more improvised. As if they didn't have a plan beyond Phase One. Bakugo, you said the villain only told you to fight after you challenged that monster, right?"
"I challenged that bitch!" Katsuki exclaimed. "She took the bait!"
"Bait?" Momo said, confused.
"I knew I wasn't going to win, but hurting their ego was the best way to distract them and focus on me. If their attention was on me, then even just a second would be enough for the Heroes to act and save the day." Katsuki explained. "The fact she got that idea on the spot after I challenged them proves what you thought. There was no plan beyond getting the hostages. Maybe they just wanted to toy with us like some sadists." It was ironic to hear that, come from him.
"Now that you mention it… They didn't seem in a rush…"
"Then that just brings us back to the question at hand," Hitoshi said. "What were they doing? Why did they do such a risky and frankly reckless plan? They relied on the Heroes' hesitation to attack because of the hostages. Were they planning on the fly after the first wave? Did they even have a grand end goal for this?"
"A message…" Tenya gritted his teeth, his expression darkening. "Was this all just a message to U.A.? To the world? That they can just break into this safe haven whenever they want?"
"That black bastard," Katsuki said. "Before he disappeared, he said 'Maybe our goal was to toy with this society of fakes.'"
"Society of fakes…?" Hitoshi was taken aback by hearing, but more so by the "maybe", pondering those words. "The League of Villains…"
"Villains are on the rise…" Momo shuddered.
"After years, I guess it was foolish to think we would have this peace forever…" Tenya adjusted his glasses, rather somber.
"What are you guys saying?!" Minoru shouted. "You're acting like we already lost o-...or something?!"
"Of course not, Mineta!" Eijiro exclaimed. "But this is serious. If villains are on the rise, and this is their first move, who knows what their second or third move will be…"
"E-...Even so! We're here to become heroes, right?!" One could sense the fear in Minoru Mineta's eyes. A sad little man, a pervert whose only friend was Denki, who was unpopular with the women and his classmates ."Does it mean we'll have to fight them?!"
"Not until we get our licenses," Hitoshi replied. "Their Boss… he's either an idiot with no plan, just wanting to spread chaos, or he's building up to something with this message."
"We should just hope the Pros can figure it out. Don't forget, even in this era of peace, there's still villains, dangerous villains. Kamui Woods got hospitalized not long ago, and even before that, Shota Aizawa, our original homeroom teacher, was ambushed," Tokoyami pointed out. "If anything, they'll surely defeat this League of Villains after this attack. They put a giant target on their backs with this grand debut. They're a priority."
Hitoshi's eyes suddenly widened in realization. "Debut…" He muttered "They mentioned their Boss' debut…"
The others looked at Hitoshi. "Now that you mention it…" Rikido remembered those words as well. "But what does it mean?"
"Wait...Ashido, did all the villains get arrested?" Hitoshi asked Mina, his face growing pale.
"Hm?" She took out her phone again, looking at the news. "No, some escaped."
"Could it be…?" Hitoshi covered his mouth. "Was this a test for his soldiers…? Surely, he knew it would eventually fall apart and they'd have to fight the Heroes…"
"Woah, woah, dude." Hanta tried to calm down Hitoshi. "That's a bit of a conspiracy theory ain't it? Maybe they planned to end it all in a blood bath?"
"Then why did they say they were ordered not to kill us? If we think of this too simply, we can miss something bigger, even if it's absurd," Hitoshi replied. "When you stop asking what is impossible and what is possible, you can reach a conclusion you never thought of before, which can be valid regardless of how absurd it seems."
"So wait, what do you think this means? Test? Debut?" Momo asked, before she came to a realization herself. "Wait, you don't mean… this was just some test to see which of these villains would survive an encounter with Heroes? Doesn't that mean…?"
"It means, his cultivating worthy soldiers. An encounter with a Hero is where you sink or swim in the villain business, the first encounter is where you get arrested or killed if you make any mistakes," Hitoshi concluded. "This must have been some sort of test to see who would survive the encounter with a Pro Hero, a serious encounter with civilian lives on the line. And those who survive will gain a modicum of experience, which is invaluable. Even the little we got from facing those two villains will help us in the future."
"So, he's cultivating power." Tenya said. "If we do go with that, Shinso, then this was the first step?"
"This...could be dangerous…" Hitoshi said, before shaking his head and lightly tapping his cheeks to sober himself up. "This is speculation, of course, so I could be wrong. But cultivating soldiers, having them gain experience, and sending a message to society, by attacking U.A. during the peak of the Sports Festival… this boss is either very arrogant or very confident. Maybe both."
"Even so, there's nothing we could do," Tenya sighed. "We are still students. If we tell this to the authorities, we will be exposed and our punishment will be worse. Best we can do is tell Shimura-sensei."
"You're right," Hitoshi rubbed the back of his head. "Well, no use overthinking about it. Like Shimura-sensei said, we should rest. We had the Sports Festival and a villain attack on the same day, after all."
"Exactly, Shinso-kun!" Tenya bellowed out, returning to his usual self. "We mustn't lose heart, my friends! We may not be officially licensed Heroes yet, but we should aspire to set an example, and live by our ideals!"
"Good words," Everyone's attention was focused on the wall, as they saw Mirio Togata's face creeping from the very edge of the wall, staring at them with his trademark smile, as they simply stared in awe at his sudden appearance. "I wanted to see how my precious first years are doing!" As soon as he walked out of the wall, the entirety of Class 1-A was prepared to cover their eyes, but they were relieved to see him in full Hero costume. "Is everybody alright?"
"Mirio Togata-kun!" Tenya exclaimed. "It's good to see you again so soon!"
"Thank you, Iida! You're very kind!" he said. "Shinso! Yaoyorozu! It's good to see you as well. You don't seem very dour, does this mean your teacher went easy on you?"
"We still don't know what our punishment will be, but at least it's not expulsion…" Hitoshi replied. "Why did you call us specifically?" He said, pointing out how they were singled out
"You two were quite the leaders, is why!" Mirio said, upbeat and furiously shaking his arms with his hands clenched into fists. "Shinso's strategies and prioritizing the civilians! Not to mention, Yaoyorozu's team found the civilians on time! There's alotta leadership potential between you two!"
"Well, I was originally voted class rep…" Hitoshi said, before realizing what he said and turning to Tenya. "Ah, n-...not to say you're not doing a great job, Iida!"
"It's alright, Shinso," Tenya smiled. "This just means I must strive to better myself! Failures should be motivators!"
"That's good, Iida!" Mirio excitedly said, the two having bizarrely similar wild arm movements "Actually, I came here because Sir asked me to. Yaoyorozu, Shinso! Sir Nighteye wants to offer an internship in his Agency!"
"Sir Nighteye? Why would he want us?" Momo asked.
"Ah, it was actually my recommendation!" Mirio struck a strange pose as he spoke. "I saw you two. You have potential, leadership and great minds, but it needs some cultivation. I believe Sir Nighteye can help you," he explained. "Ah! But you don't have to join, of course! I trust in Sir, he saved me from failing in a year. A week is more than enough for geniuses like you."
"We'll consider," Hitoshi said, before correcting himself. "Ah, I mean, I'll consider. I shouldn't speak for Yaoyorozu."
"No, I'll consider it too. I definitely should cover my weaknesses, and this internship is a good chance for that." Momo said.
"Oh yea, the internships!" Eijiro enormously perked up. "Do you guys think we'll get recs from some high profile Heroes?!"
"You shouldn't just focus on their rank or position." Mashirao said. "The Number Four Hero, Best Jeanist, would be ill-fitting for, say, Kirishima. They have clashing styles. Sure, Kirishima might be able to learn something valuable, but compared to, say, if he interned under someone who was more about physical strength and defense, like Fat Gum, he would be able to cultivate experience for his strength, and potentially cover his weaknesses."
"That's surprisingly profound, Ojiro!" Toru said, cheery as always, catching Mirio's attention, who couldn't help but feel that this invisible girl was somehow incredibly attractive.
"I'm always saying these things, but I'm too plain to be noticed…" Mashirao lamented.
"Hrmm…" Katsuki thought to himself, though, to everyone else, it looked like he was about to sneeze, since his thinking face was more like a sneer.
"Thinking of who to intern under, huh, Bakugo?" Mina said, catching his attention. "Why not intern under Endeavor?! He uses fire, right?! And Explosion is in the same elemental range!" That caught Shoto's attention. "Ah, right, isn't Endeavor your Dad, Todoroki?"
"Hm. You can intern under him if you want, but he'll just reject you." Shoto replied. "Father isn't favorable towards most people."
"Are you going to intern under him, Todoroki?" Mina asked, but he didn't reply, clearly not liking the topic, giving her the cold shoulder.
"I'll look who sent me offers." Katsuki said, breaking the awkward silence. Though he didn't mention it to anyone, he was confronted by Endeavor before his match against Shoto. It was a brief encounter, but Endeavor effectively warned him he would lose to Shoto's power, the power he cultivated for years.
It was very aggravating, to say the least. Katsuki simply scoffed at that prospect, more so because Shoto continued to refuse using his fire half. In the end, however, the match has no victor, so he couldn't shove it in Endeavor's face. Interning under him may be advantageous, he is the Number Two Hero after all, but he felt that there was someone more important to go for.
Meanwhile, Endeavor stood outside the U.A. Stadium, looking over the officials and paramedics taking care of the civilians, as Heroes assisted best they could. He, on the other hand, was in deep thought, going over the villain invasion that was still fresh on everyone's mind. And how utterly bizarre it was.
"Why would they get distracted by some brat's taunting instead of going through their plan?" he said to himself. Endeavor wasn't just a powerful brute, he was also an intelligent man. He solved the most crimes of any other Heroes, contributing to his current position. He lacked the power and efficiency of All Might, but he made up for it by possessing great intellect and deduction skills. "Did they have a plan beyond the hostages…?"
"U-...Uhm…" Endeavor looked down, seeing Tomura, Mikumo Akatani, shivering as he called out to him. "Mr. Endeavor…!" He was shaking severely.
"You...Mikumo Akatani, Shoto's saviour," Endeavor said, causing Tomura to become paralyzed and frightened. "I was meaning to question you, but I thought to wait for you to recover from recent events."
"Ah, n-...no it's alright! You can question me now, sir!"
"But, first, what do you want?" He asked, referring to how Tomura approached him.
"A-...Ah!" Tomura stuttered, quickly pulling out a notebook out of his pocket, trying to balance himself on his crutches as he did. "P-...Please sign my notebook! Sir! I'm a big fan!"
"Hm." Endeavor saw no harm in that, taking the young boy's notebook, and writing his signature at the very first blank page of the notebook, handing it back to Tomura before speaking. "Now, for my questions. First, is it true you leaped and took an attack for Shoto?"
"Yes, sir!" Tomura replied almost immediately. "I-...It was a bullet, by that villain Ricochet!"
"Yes, that gunman." Endeavor's expression winced, thinking about him. "That was brave, if not foolish. Do not do that again. Shoto is not so weak as to die from a villain's attack."
"B-...But, even if he has a Quirk, he's still a human!"
"He is a Todoroki, he is my son. A bullet wouldn't kill him." Endeavor's tone became quite aggressive. "While I am grateful, you shouldn't butt into the business of Heroes, or try to be one, when you are just a Quirkless boy."
"Even so…" Tomura avoided eye contact with Endeavor, trying to maintain balance with his crutches at the same time. "I-...I think it's odd, though…" He glanced at Endeavor, a hint of antagonism in his next words "Shoto refused to use his fire...he seemed kinda scared of it… Endeavor-san… are you aware of his hatred for his left side?"
Tomura already knew the answer.
Though Shoto didn't tell him everything, from choice words and body language, and the little tidbits he received from his general personality, he managed to deduce that Endeavor was not the greatest father. A reality that is unfortunately still prevalent among families, even in this age of wonder, households that hide dark secrets behind their doors.
Tomura saw through Shoto, who tried to avoid the topic every time, and hid it behind a forced smile. It was sad, really. Tomura could only make theories on how his upbringing must have been, beyond harsh training and a father who treated him as a tool, but anything more concrete and specific required Shoto's confessions.
The ins and outs of the Todorokoi household was unknown to the general public, and the media, not because Enji Todoroki forced silence upon it, but because the fear his family felt towards him made it impossible to tell anyone about it. Even when Rei was hospitalized, the media did not investigate or persist, due to Enji's reputation for his intimidating exterior causing interviewers to fear questioning him.
"Mr. Endeavor!" Until this particular blue-skinned woman with lilac hair and odd looking black sclera and green eyes approached him, a cameraman in toe and a microphone in her hand. "May I have a few words? My name is Chitose Kizuki, the Executive Director of Shoowaysha Publishing!" The woman introduced herself.
Endeavor simply glanced at the woman, crossing his arm.s "I'll spare you a few words, but keep it light. I am in the middle of work." How this woman made it through the Heroes and got here was a question for later.
"Can you answer us on what happened exactly? There are videos uploaded online that already showcased the event, but I want an insider's point of view. The villains simply appeared, it seems?" Chitose asked, going right for what matters.
"They possessed a rare warping Quirk." Endeavor answered, straight to the point. "Through that, the villains appeared and invaded the Sports Festival. They acted fast and suddenly amidst the very height of the Sports Festival's finale."
"Why did the situation devolve so fast? Many were hostages. Again, more videos were uploaded, showing frightened civilians being held hostage by villains. But there were less villains than Heroes, yet the villains gained control right away."
"The villains showcased their Quirks. They had a large range, with their numbers and Quirks. If the Heroes were reckless, they would have used their Quirks without any consideration of risk to themselves, and harm or even kill the civilians." He knew what she was trying to do, but Endeavor dealt with her types before. All he had to do was keep his cool and answer truthfully and bluntly.
"Ah, of course. The Heroes prioritized the civilians lives above their own. It was certainly a tough situation." Chitose pulled out her phone. "Then, may I ask, Endeavor, why did this child fight the villains alone?" She showcased a video of Katsuki's battle against Dolphin, including his screams and desperation, before All Might intervened.
Endeavor's eyes widened in surprise, that particular event somehow escaping his mind. How could he allow himself to forget that? How foolish! The woman had a trump card, but Endeavor couldn't fall for her trap.
"That boy acted recklessly. I assure you, the Heroes have planned on acting when an opening made it ways clear." Endeavor replied.
"Ah, but then," Chitose closed her phone and returned it to her pocket. "All Might was the only one who acted, and gave you that opening." She smirked, knowing mentioning the Number One Hero would get a rise out of the Number Two "If he hadn't, however, was the child's death going to be the opening for you, Number Two Hero?"
Endeavor glared the woman down, but quickly refrained from showing an unsightly expression.
"No comment." He responded, optmg to simply avoid anything incriminating.
"Hey, how did you get here?!" Some of the police officers quickly called out to Chitose upon noticing her.
"Oh shit! Come on, Okumura!" Chitose called out to her cameraman, as the two quickly bolted away, chased down by the police officer, freeing Endeavor from the unwelcomed interview.
"An unfortunate appearance." Endeavor said, displeased. "Regardless, Mikumo Akatani, I do not want you to be around Shoto anymore. It is clear your relationship is obstructing his progress."
"B-...But Endeavor-san! Shoto is my friend!" Tomura was upset, to say the least.
"Enough." Endeavor's intimidating aura caused the meek Tomura to metaphorically shrink. "You exist in a separate world than Shoto, a world where strength can never foster. Shoto exists in a league of his own, even among the students of U.A., that should give you an idea of the insurmountable gap that exists between you two."
Tomura froze up, he couldn't control his expression anymore, and his fear and nervousness became crystal clear on his face, something that simply confirmed Endeavor's bias further "I-..I…" He stuttered, tears beginning to run down his cheeks, as he struggled to find the right words to fight back with,
"Mikumo!" However, the white-haired Shiro called out to his "son", running onto the scene and embracing him in a tight and secured hug, completely averting the need for the conversation with Endeavor to continue "I was worried to death! Why did I let you go in alone?"
"You are the boy's father?" Endeavor asked, noticing the man's frantic and fearful behavior
"Yes, I am! And you!" He got up back on his feet, releasing his son, a furious look on his face "What were you doing?! Why did my son have to save one of you Heroes again, while you just sat there?! First he took a shot for a U.A. Student, and now this! Why does a Quirkless boy have to go through such hardships?!"
"I assure you, Mr. Akatani," Endeavor was used to the ragging of parents, either due to being a bad influence on their children, or just general dislike. "We were doing our best, given the situation at hand. Had we acted recklessly…"
"Had you acted at all, you mean!" Shiro further shouted. "So much for this society of Heroes." He grabbed his son's hands, escorting him away "We're leaving. I don't want you to see that Shoto kid anymore. Being around those with Quirks just brings misfortune for us."
"Mr. Akatani." Endeavor called out to Shiro, stopping him "How did you enter U.A.? The U.A. Barrier is closed to the general public, both by Heroes and officials."
Shiro stood for a moment, before answering. "I forced myself in. A parent would do absurd things for their child. Surely, you understand, Endeavor." With that, he left with his son, their backs turned towards Endeavor.
"Did you get that Okumura?!" Chitose said, hiding in the bushes from the lawmen with her cameraman, who nodded. "Good work! We'll really be able to spin this for some good material!" She gleefully said, blushing just thinking about the headline "Oh woah is me! It's like I'm falling in love again! Re-Destro is gonna flip!"
Later, the students were assigned groups and one Pro Hero to escort them safely home. It was the afternoon already, the sun setting. It took a while to get everything in order due to the paparazzi and reporters trying to get their scoop, as well as looking over all the civilians before allowing them to head home, needing their own Hero escorts.
All Might himself was assigned a group, and Katsuki was the last student he had to escort home in said group. The blonde boy was wearing his school uniform jacket on top of his shoulders, as while his left arm was bandaged, his right was still in a cast. They were quiet, and it was frankly rather awkward since it has been a while since they last genuinely talked with one another.
"Oi." Katsuki was the first to break the silence "Do you know what that whole thing was about?"
All Might got rather nervous all of a sudden. The entire situation was chaotic and got out of hand fast, what with the arrival of his archenemy, and how once again he was left standing, unable to do anything as Katsuki was brutalized by a villain amidst a crowd, watching helplessly to save him.
"W-... Well… I admit I never expected villains to be so daring…" He replied, trying to maintain his jovial persona. "But fear not! We're already going full force to up the security for when you kids come back to school! Not to mention, my friend Naomasa and the police force are looking into this League of Villains to nip it in the bud!"
"That's not what I meant!" Katsuki shouted, looking angry as always, "That shit ain't normal! That shadow dude kept you busy! You were almost at your limit weren't you?! You used too much power to one-shot that dolphin bastard, didn't you?!"
All Might was taken aback by Katsuki's perceptiveness, remembering that despite his harsh exterior, Katsuki Bakugo wasn't an idiot, just simple. He sighed, looking around before reverting to his true form, steam exuding from his body as he did. "Young Bakugo." His tone became serious all of a sudden "I am sorry."
"Sorry? What do you have to apologize for?" Katsuki seemed puzzled, flashing a rather amused grin. "Those other villains were nuthin'!" He exclaimed "I mean, that Dolphin bastard was tough, sure, but those other guys scurried like ants when you showed up!"
"That's the problem." Toshinori said. "I…" He struggled to find the words. Despite who he was, All Might, the Number One Hero, was still just a human with flaws. "The first time we met, was not really the first time…"
"What do you mean?" Katsuki asked, before coming to his own conclusion. "Oh! You mean like those meet and greets?! I remember that shit! It was awesome getting an autograph!"
"That's not it…" He clutched his chest. "Months ago...when you were held by that sludge bastard…" He recalled the event, so clear in his mind. Among his greatest regrets, because the person he failed and almost got killed was a student of his, whom he met face to face on an almost daily basis. He thought he could endure it, but Toshinori didn't realize how that seed of self doubt and guilt would grow. "I was there, that day. I had already reached my limit at that time. I couldn't use my power. I stood there, as the crowd gathered…" It slowly dawned on Katsuki what Toshinori was telling him. "I stood there, watching you struggle against it. If Tenko didn't appear, then…"
"Stop." Katsuki interrupted, raising his hand as a "talk to the hand" gesture. "I don't need your apologies."
"No, I was pathetic. I allowed you to dislocate your arm, potentially even hurt yourself more. And now again, today, you fought that villain, and I just sat there while he mocked me." Clenching his hands into fists, Toshinori was too ashamed to look Katsuki in the eyes. "You reminded me, with your grit and vigor, why I became a Hero, not just you… that boy, Mikumo Akatani...I must have broken that poor boy's heart. But, I hate to admit…" He took a deep breath, before speaking his next words ."I wish children like you didn't have dreams of Heroism."
"Huuuhhh?" Katsuki had quite the look of a delinquent on his face, surprising Toshinori. "What the fuck kinda shit is that, All Might? You tryna tell me I should never have dreamed of being a Hero?! Should I remind you who inspired that dream?!"
"N-...No, that's not what I mean, young Bakugo!" Toshinori awkwardly flailed his arms, trying to correct himself. "I'm merely saying! Had this been another world, without heroes! Maybe you kids wouldn't have to expose yourselves to these dangers! Just today, you fought that monster! And at any moment, I could have jumped in! But I let you fight that thing! And now...your arm…! It…! Not to mention, it nearly crushed your head! I'm simply pathetic!" Toshinori rubbed his forehead, clearly feeling the toll of his actions, weighing heavy upon his soul.
"Young Bakugo…" Toshinori looked at Katsuki, his disposition much more somber. "The only reason I am a teacher at U.A. was to find a successor." Katsuki already knew about this, but said nothing as to not get Tenko in trouble. "Sir Nighteye, a former sidekick of mine, came to me today. He said he found the perfect candidate, this Mirio Togata, you've met him today. I admit...he is indeed perfect. He embodies everything that I represent, a smile to keep everyone safe, a powerful Quirk, and perfect physical conditioning, but…"
"All Might." Katsuki interrupted him "How much time do you have left?" Katsuki didn't want to admit it to himself, but the inevitability of All Might's retirement kept coming closer and closer each day. There was no denying it. Even so…
"I don't know." Toshinori replied "Sir Nighteye… he… predicted my death, using his Quirk." Katsuki's expression changed to despair, hearing those words come out of the man himself "He estimated...A year or two, that's all I have left…" Katsuki's expression didn't show it, but its neutrality hid a sadness that was clear in his eyes.
The two stood facing each other. Toshinori knew the boy was processing all this information, remembering the near breakdown he suffered on their first proper meeting. He lived not only for his own dream, but also his friend's. Katsuki took it upon himself and made a silent promise upon Izuku Midoriya's grave to show him what being the best of the best is. He had to.
"My home is nearby. We shouldn't keep mom busy," Katsuki calmly said, shocking Toshinori, who seemed like a completely different person. "Get into your muscle form before we do, though. She might get the wrong idea."
Toshinori quickly realized the mistake he made, mistaking Katsuki's question "W-...Wait, if you mean how long I have as the Symbol of Peace, then I still have time! Ah...but of course...I suppose that's still less than the one or two years…!"
"It's alright." It was eerie how calm Katsuki was.
"Young Bakugo…" Toshinori wished to correct his mistake, but he already said too much. He transformed into a muscled form, as the two arrived at the front door of the Bakugo household.
From the door came Mitsuki, who saw the two outside, "Katsuki!" She quickly ran towards her son, hugging him as any worried parent would. "You dumb brat! What were you thinking?! You fought that bastard yourself?!"
"Hrm…" Katsuki merely grunted in annoyance, not raising his voice or anything.
"Fear not, Mrs. Bakugo!" All Might returned to his upbeat persona, giving a thumbs up towards Mitsuki. "Your son was very brave today!"
"Brave?! He was being a dumbass!" All Might was taken aback by Mitsuki's intense personality, something he anticipated from the boy's father "My son could have been crippled or lost his life! All you Pros just stood there! You're lucky I'm not about to sue your ass for that!"
"I...I understand your frustrations, Miss, but…"
"It's fine, mom," Katsuki said, catching even his mother off-guard, as he freed himself from her embrace, entering his household without much fanfare, his father greeting him at the entrance, showing concern and patting him on the shoulder.
Mitsuki turned towards All Might, her arms on her hips, in a pose very common among displeased housewives and mothers. "This better be resolved."
"It will, Mrs. Bakugo. We're already making precautions to avoid such a thing happening again." All Might said, in a more serious tone.
"That's not what I meant." Mitsuki sighed. "The other parents might not be as forgiving as I am. They might force their kids out of U.A. following this." She brought up a valid point, something that All Might didn't even consider with how chaotic today was. He didn't even get to meet Nezu to talk about the situation after deciding how to deal with Class 1-A. "This dream is very important to Katsuki. He won't admit it, but he's doing this for a friend as well. What kind of mother would I be to snuff out that dream before it can take hold?"
"You're right…" All Might leaned down, bowing his head to Mitsuki. "Forgive me for failing to save your son on time. Though he's alive, I took too long."
"He's alive, I'm just grateful for that, but…"
"If there are any issues, please, let me know. His teacher, Tenko Shimura, will also be of help. All our students are important to us." All Might said, standing back up. "I bid you farewell, Mitsuki Bakugo.".
Katsuki looked out the window, seeing All Might leave, before closing the shutters. His expression still looked harsh as always, but had a softer frame to it. That is to say, his frown and eyes looked like what a typical teenage boy would be, rather than a hellish demon of pure rage and fury.
He looked over his All Might memorabilia, including the signed figure he had on his desk, still fallen over, showing its age and poor engineering. It was getting pretty annoying, to say the least.
Katsuki scoffed, opening a drawer on his desk, pulling out an old photo from his childhood, him alongside his childhood friend, Izuku Midoriya. An annoying little shit, Katsuki thought. He was at the forefront of his mind more and more these days, and it finally reached its peak when he met that Mikumo Akatani boy, unaware of who he really was, but feeling an uneasiness consume him. He could almost hear him say it...
"Kacchan."
It was the last thing he wanted to hear coming from his mouth. Not because of any hate, but because he wouldn't be able to come face to face with him if it's really him.
"Shitty Deku." He muttered, looking on the other side of the picture, a small date of when the picture was taken. However, something new was written on the back of it in a different colored ink as well. It was an address, a location in Kamino. Katsuki quickly looked around his room, but didn't notice any signs of breaking and entering, before he remembered, that the shadow man had a warping Quirk. Did someone invade his room while he was away?
"Katsuki." His mother called from the other side of his room's door, lightly knocking on it, valuing her son's privacy. "Are you okay, sweetie?"
"I'm tired," Katsuki replied instantly, pulling the picture closer to his chest, as if to hide it.
"You're going to be off school for a few days, All Might said. So if you want me to make anything special for tomorrow, let me know."
"...Anything you make is good." Katsuki said, as Mitsuki smiled softly, leaving her son to rest, unaware what his mind was going through.
Afternoon became night, and midnight arrived soon enough. The land of darkness rose and those who scurry at these hours began to move about.
"Tomura Shigaraki." In the Kamino Ward, Kurogiri called for Tomura. He sat at the bar organizing the drinks and glass cups, getting ready to open soon, and he needed the young boy's assistance. "The operation was a success, yes?"
He received no answer, only silence.
The shadow bartender didn't seem bothered however. Kurogiri calmly walked to the changing room, where he heard the ruffling of clothes. There he opened the door, not even caring for privacy,to find Tomura in the middle changing, with the only thing he had left was his necktie that he struggled with. "A-...ah! Kurogiri! I'm almost ready! I-...I just need to figure out...the tie…!"
"What happened to the bowtie?" Kurogiri asked, approaching Tomura
"I thought I'd try and look more professional!" Tomura replied, still looking nervous and anxious. "The operation was a success, so I want to look proper and prim for sensei and the customers!"
Kurogiri would have sighed, had he had the lung capacity to do so, and gently removed Tomura's hands from his tie, undoing the troubling and incorrect knot he created in his failed attempts. "Tomura Shigaraki, to tie a tie, is to show control and refinement." He said, beginning to do the tie for him. "Not only for a bartender, but for a man, it demands authority, and gives one the image of a pro, something you must cultivate, if you are to succeed and become the true leader after Sensei."
"I know, Kurogiri," Tomura said. "The operation...was a success. I'm excited for the next stage. Giran already called! He said he found people with interesting Quirks who are really excited to join!"
"Excellent." Kurogiri finished the tie, giving one more pull to firmly establish its form, releasing it for Tomura to inspect it himself. "Now, again." As he said that, he undid his own tie, gesturing for Tomura to do the same.
"Ah." Tomura caught on, undoing his tie as well.
"Now follow my hands." Kurogiri said, beginning to tie his tie, and eyeing Tomura's hands, showing he has done it long enough to do so instinctively, without the need to even look, while Tomura tried following and copying Kurogiri's movements. "The world now knows of the League of Villains. A rather trite name, I must admit, but it is to the point as well." Kurogiri tested Tomura's ability to pay attention to both his words and movements. "Reckless, yes, but you made your point clear. The society of Heroes is so drunk on its own peace that this single incident shall begin to plant the seeds of doubt and chaos within the people's faith and the system."
"And soon, I'll be able to make my proper debut." Tomura said, excited like a child his age would be. "Not to mention...I saw a good friend today."
"Katsuki Bakugo." Kurogiri knew who Tomura meant.
"He got into U.A.! Isn't that amazing?" He exclaimed "Kacchan… I'm glad I saw him… he probably doesn't know it's me, but his expression said enough."
"He is suspicious of you." Kurogiri finished his tie, and looked at Tomura, to see he had done it as well, an almost perfect tie from merely mimicking Kurogiri's hand movements. "Is that Todoroki not your target anymore then?"
"Endeavor is making that difficult…" Though he still smiled, Tomura's eyes were sad, as if he truly lost a friend. "Your improvisation skills were correct. I should stay away from Shoto, for a while at least. He can still give valuable info on U.A., but…"
"Tomura Shigaraki." Kurogiri's tone shifted slightly, causing Tomura to almost freeze up "You are not his friend. You are stuck between this paradox. Ten years, and still you cling onto the child that died in that car crash."
Tomura did not fear Kurogiri. He feared that this was verbatim the words of his Sensei. His resolve was not allowed to wane even slightly, for to succeed All for One and send this world to disarray, required a steel will. His steel body that he had conditioned and tempered for years was not enough.
"I pray the encounter with Katsuki Bakugo did not affect you." Kurogiri snapped Tomura out of his overthinking. "Surely, throughout your infinite planning and expansive thoughts, you predicted the potential appearance of Katsuki Bakugo, and deliberated a counterplan, yes?" He egged him on, knowing the answer already.
"O-...Of course…" Tomura lied through his teeth. "I...I know what to do… There is a plan. I have a plan. I always have a plan." He said repeatedly, as if trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince Kurogiri. "Kacchan… He… he is my archenemy..."
"And you shall prove it." Kurogiri said. "Sensei has organized a test. You will be given your second Quirk, depending on your result."
"He found it?!" Tomura suddenly lightened up. "The Quirk I requested?!"
"Yes. It took pulling a few strings, but while you were dilly dallying, performing your wounded gazelle act upon Todoroki, Sensei has been hard at work, helping your dreams come to fruition." Kurogiri explained, before he placed his hands on Tomura's tie, fixing it up. "I have left the address of our location to Katsuki Bakugo, as per Sensei's orders. He will surely arrive here soon."
Tomura's expression immediately died when he heard what his Sensei requested of him. Horrible thoughts began to consume his mind. He was happy to see Katsuki again, after all these years, happy to see he made it to U.A. and on his way to becoming a Hero. Truly, he was. And yet, the thought of confronting him simply brought back memories of how their friendship ended, bruised and beaten by Katsuki and his friends for daring to walk the same road as them.
Tomura felt sick.
"How you take action when that happens…" Kurogiri continued. "Sensei will gauge you," he fixed up Tomura's necktie, giving one final push to tighten it properly. "and will decide if you pass or not."
"What happens...if I don't pass?" Tomura asked instinctively, without even thinking
"Let us hope it won't happen."
"But… isn't… revealing our location to him...reckless…?" Tomura pointed out "He could tell… someone…"
"Tell them what?" Kurogiri shot down Tomura's concern "It is a simple address. What could he know of it? He can deduce from it that it is where you are, but, Tomura Shigaraki… who are you?"
Tomura had no answer. Did he not know? Was he too afraid to answer? What was it? What was the answer? Who is he? Who is Tomura Shigaraki? That should be simple. He's Tomura Shigaraki, or is he Izuku Midoriya? Mikumo Akatani? Who? What? What is the answer?
"Kurogiri! Tomura!" Before he could answer, Giran broke into the room, yelling loudly, sweating as if he ran a marathon to get here. "Th-...The news…! Do you know...do you know where Stain is?!"
"What happened to Stain?" Kurogiri calmly asked.
"That stupid bastard went on and fought Endeavor right after your attack!" He exclaimed, pulling out his phone that had a pink rabbit ear case. "That bastard got arrested! He's being taken to a cell right now!"
"Oh?" Kurogiri turned to look at Tomura "I wonder...why would he do such a thing?"
However, to Kurogiri's surprise, Tomura was smiling.
"What is the news saying?" Tomura asked Giran, who was taken aback by Tomura's nonchalant response to this
"They're uncovering all history on him...That dumbass blurted out he's part of the League too. He must have gotten a big head after what you did." Giran explained regardless "He has burns, so he's being taken to urgent care first, but after he gets patched up, this dumb sack of shit is gonna be taken right to Tartarus!"
"That's...good." Tomura's smile widened.
"Good? What's good about this?! He was the most high profile recruit we got in ages!" Giran rubbed his forehead in frustration "And he just...goes and does that!"
"And his story spreads." Tomura said. "The attack on the Sports Festival, the attack on Endeavor, the Number Two Hero, and Stain's story. All of this is…exposure...gets our name out there more."
"You're not…" Giran realized what Tomura was saying. "You think this will help get more recruits?"
"The Sports Festival was just to cultivate the worthy villains out of the recruits we got, as well as a message for the Hero world. I didn't plan for this, but this is good. Improvisation, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes." Tomura began muttering, going over plans and potential ideas, coming up with news ones and scrapping and modifying them at frightening speed, his brain going into overdrive. "We can use this, but we can't lose Stain like this," he said, finishing his muttering "Giran, where are the new recruits?"
"Only two can be here now, if you plan on doing anything."
"Who?"
"A good bud, and a lady. Actually, the lady might not look like one, but trust me, she is." Giran explained. "Should I get them here now?"
"Yes." Tomura said "We are going to...get Stain back.".
Amidst the empty roads, at around 3 A.M., the sun was still yet to rise, and it was dark. After Stain's burns were taken care of, he was to be sent to be properly incarcerated immediately, the 28th Hero, Musashi, a samurai armor clad warrior, accompanied the officers escorting Stain, making sure he arrived safely. The man was simply too dangerous to wait any longer.
Though his fight with Endeavor ended quickly, being approximately 4 minutes and 42 seconds, Stain held his ground almost equally against the Number Two Hero. Though his blades melted from his flame's heat, he still moved forward, and it only took one attack to stop him, burning half his body in the process.
Charred scars ran across the left side of Stain's body. He could move, but his skin felt like charcoal, and to put it simply, it felt "wrong" to move even a finger, as if his flesh would fall off, as if his entire limb would turn to dust if he exerts himself even a little.
"We're almost there, Musashi. Only 20 minutes to go." The passenger of the armored van said, now going atop a bridge, across a large body of water. "Thank you for accompanying us, sir! We feel safer with you around."
Musashi, who sat in the van on the opposite side, faced the restrained Hero Killer. "Don't mention it. This villain murdered one of my sidekicks. I simply must see him get sent to a cold cell with my own two eyes."
"Ah," Stain suddenly spoke, the noseless man looking at Musashi, as if just woken up from a deep sleep. "I remember now...Kojiro…" Musashi's eyes glared at Stain as he mentioned his sidekick's name. "Do you know why I killed him, Musashi?"
"Because you are a murderer, Hero Killer," Musashi bluntly replied, his grip on his sword's hilt tightening. "An innocent man, who saved many lives, and you simply murdered him!"
"A fake, like the rest." Stain said. "That man cared more about the monetary value of lives, than the act of it." Musashi restrained himself from striking Stain. "I saw him...Walking the streets counting the money he made, contacting sponsors and bragging about how much he gets paid for working for your agency."
"And what's wrong with supporting yourself?!" Musashi snapped, but still held himself back from doing worse to the villain while he was at his weakest. "That man had a family! A wife, a son! Even an elderly father! Is it wrong for him to wish a comfortable life without having to worry about his monetary situation! I supported them, it was my fault he died! His son hates me, his wife won't look at me, it's only through their grandfather that I can support them, and you say he deserved to die, because to you that makes him a fake?!"
Stain blankly stared at Musashi. He could tell how angry he was, and that he couldn't fight back, and yet, the Hero Killer flashed a wide grin, before speaking.
"Yes."
At that moment, Musashi lost his temper, rising from his seat to strike Stain, yet before he could do anything, the car swerved, nearly causing Musashi to lose his balance. "What was that, driver?!"
"There's a kid on the road!" The driver shouted. "Ken, go see who it is!" The driver said to the passenger, Ken, who nodded and quickly exited the van with his flashlight.
"Hey, kid, you okay?! What are you doing out on the road?" Ken called out to the boy in the dark of the night, trying to find him with his flashlight. "Kid?"
Suddenly, Ken's screams were heard by the driver and Musashi, before it turned into gargling and eventually died out. "Ken?!" The driver got out of the car, before Musashi exited the van, shutting the door behind him. "Musashi?"
"Direct the car's headlights onto the road," Musashi ordered the driver, who got back in the car and did as he requested, reorienting the car to face the road, turning on the headlights to high and revealing most of the road to Musashi, who saw Ken's dead body on the asphalt, his head caved in by a blunt object. "Who's there?!" Musashi yelled the moment he saw the body.
"Oh wow!" Tomura called out, walking out of the darkness into the light. "The 28th Hero! The Ronin Hero, Musashi!" Tomura excitedly called out. "I'm a huge fan! Your Quirk is really awesome!"
"A...kid…?" Musashi was puzzled. "What are you doing here, kid? Why are you dressed like that?"
"Ah." Tomura's knuckles cracked as his hands performed odd finger movements, as if trying to get a grip on his hand, before simply clenching them into fists. "I'm here to get Stain back, Musashi-san."
"Is this a joke?" Musashi said, and yet despite his words, he was subconsciously getting into a stance already, tightly gripping his katana's hilt in preparation to attack, feeling something simply wrong with this child. "What's going on here?"
"It's alright if you don't take me seriously, Musashi-san! But please, don't get in my way." Tomura breathed out, getting into a stance, making his intentions clear..
Musashi quickly swung his blade, turning his body 180 degrees, locking blades with a large clothed rectangle club, coming face to face with Magne, who was wearing her shades despite it being 3 A.M. in the morning and having a grin on her face "You do have quite the senses, huh, samurai?" Magne mockingly said, as Musashi's blade failed to cut through her club.
From his back, Tomura charged in, cocking his arm back, his waist twisting, his expression serious and determined, launching a fist forward at Musashi. However, the samurai used his katana's sheathe to guard against his punch, but was surprised by the shock from Tomura's attack, which had more strength than he thought.
"Reinforced gloves? What is this strength?" Musashi tried to deduce the source of Tomura's strength, noticing his black gloves at the same time. "Or a strength enhancing Quirk?"
"Is that your only conclusion?" Tomura said in a mocking tone, surprising Musashi.
"Our cute leader doesn't need a Quirk to be strong," Magne said, advancing further, pushing Musashi back, as Tomura did the same, sandwiching the samurai between the two villains.
"Hmph!" Musashi grunted, holding his ground, as he activated his Quirk's effect. "Slash!" He shouted, as Tomura and Magne quickly dodged out of the way of two slashes, one from Musashi's sword, and the other from his sheath.
"Haha! That really is an impressive Quirk!" Tomura said "I always saw it, but you keep it a secret so you have an advantage in combat, right? The media can expose your weaknesses, after all."
"Are you implying you know what my Quirk is, boy?" Musashi scoffed at the prospect. He made sure no one besides his apprentices and closest associates knew of his Quirk's true power.
"Your Quirk is the ability to create a slashing motion from any object on your body." Tomura said, shocking Musashi "I had to rewatch your videos a lot, since you always used it as a quick finisher, so I didn't have a lot to go off of, but, I figured it out."
Musashi quickly got into a fighting position again, the aging samurai glaring at the two villains, waiting for their next attack.
"And judging by your reaction, I'm not far off." Tomura himself got into a stance, one fist at his abdomen's side, one foot and hand forward. "You create these slashes even if you don't do any motion yourself, but performing the actual motion boosts the slashes?"
"You… how…?"
"I love Quirks, Musashi." Tomura gave a simple answer "I love Heroes. I love Villains too! Everyone… has such interesting Quirks. When I see them in action, I can't help but analyze every bit I can about them. How could they be used? What makes them tick? It keeps me up at night, just the simple dream of what it would be like to have that Quirk myself."
Suddenly, a gunshot went off, as the driver of the van got out, holding a handgun. However, the bullet bounced off Tomura's shoulder once it hit his clothes, his reinforced outfit being bulletproof. "Hey...do you have an interesting Quirk, driver-san?"
Before the driver could answer, Musashi used this as a chance to attack. However, Magne quickly got in his way, leaping above him and smashing her club in front of him, stopping him dead in his tracks, landing next to her weapon, undoing the cloth with one arm while simultaneously swinging it with her other arm. "You're quite rude, samurai! I don't like rude men!" She exclaimed, the power behind her swing causing the air to ripple, yet Musashi dodged with ease, simply backing up, though he still felt the air pressure. He quickly reoriented himself, leaning down, and swinging his sword.
"You were almost right about my Quirk, boy!" Musashi exclaimed, as Magne jumped back, avoiding Musashi's sword. "It is about creating slashes, but that doesn't mean you know how I use it!" Just as he said that, a large slash materialized in the same motion as Musashi's own swing, but it had a longer range and deeper cut, slashing Magne across her stomach, causing her to cough blood.
"Magne!" Tomura exclaimed, as Magne quickly regained her footing, despite the sudden slash to her stomach.
"This is nothing, Tomura." Magne said, smiling/ "I didn't expect that, but it's impressive. I'll have to try something else."
"Whatever you villains try, I will make you pay for killing that man." Musashi said, eyeing Magne's club, noticing the drenched blood, most likely Ken's from when he was bludgeoned. "Especially you, murderer."
Without an exchange of words, Tomura lunged forth, using his small stature to easily slip past Musashi's defense, ready to clock him across the face with a right hook. In response, Musashi activated his Quirk, creating a slash from his helmet, which managed to cut through Tomura's glove, lightly slashing his fingers. "Oho!" Tomura was surprised that Musashi's Quirk managed to tear through his defensive cloth, something not even Stain's blades could do.
Quickly, Musashi struck Tomura in the stomach with his sword's hilt, causing the boy to cough blood from the impact. "I won't go easy on you just because you're a child!" He said, quickly rolling out of the way, as Magne's club struck the ground where he stood seconds ago, firmly planting itself into the asphalt
"Don't move, I have a gun!" The driver yelled, trying to intimidate the villains.
"So annoying," Magne said, her hands exuding magnetic energy, encasing the driver and Musashi, as her club's true magnetic ability was revealed, drawing the two men towards it "I'll take the samurai, take care of the driver, Tomura-chan."
"Right away, Magne!" Tomura said, quickly turning and clocking the fearful driver square in the face. He crashed onto the road, breaking his jaw and knocking out several teeth in the process, his body going limp and unconscious.
Musashi tried resisting the magnetic pull, but eventually gave in, using it to close the distance between him and Magne, who was cracking her knuckles in anticipation. "Samurai! What's stronger, your blade or freedom?!"
"Freedom to do what?!" Musashi was getting closer to Magne.
"To live!"
The two clashed. Musashi swung his blade, yet Magne dodged to the side, lowering her body as well, the only thing being hit was her magnet club, even his Quirk slash missing her. Taking the chance, Magne struck Musashi's body, and despite his armor, managed to dent it. However, her hand was immediately sliced off, Musashi using his Quirk to create another invisible slash through the armor on his body
"Ugh…!"
"Magne!" Tomura exclaimed, quickly rushing to her side.
"Die together then." Musashi said, quickly sheathing his sword. "Vanish from my sight, villain!" He exclaimed, swinging his katana in a large arc. He slashed Magne across the chest, managed to cut through Tomura's reinforced cloth as well. "Second Row!" Another slashed manifested, a larger arc, a stronger cut, bisecting the two villains.
However, their bodies and the club began to turn to an odd slime, melting away "What?!" Before he could react, Musashi was struck against the head from behind, sending his entire body into shock, losing his balance and falling on his knees.
Immediately after saying those words, he was kicked in the face, a powerful one that knocked out a tooth, and dented his helmet as it flew off his head. "Twice!" Tomura, the one who kicked Musashi, exclaimed, as a man clad in a black suit with white lines leaped from the shadows, his dark costume allowing him to easily stealth about.
"I got 'em boss! Don't fuck it up, dipshit!" Twice exclaimed, above Musashi, extending his arms forth, as the slimy liquid poured from his palms, forming into a perfect copy of Magne and Tomura. "Get 'em, guy and gal!"
The two copies dropped down on Musashi, the copy Magne crushing his spine with her club, denting his armor, as the copy Tomura delivered another kick to his head. Musashi unleashed multiple slashes from his armor, dicing the two copies into gibs, who dispersed into slime once again, before Twice landed on Musashi's head, his face hitting the asphalt with such intensity it knocked him out, beginning to bleed from his head.
"We did it, gang! You're fucking useless!" The bizarre in-fighting Twice had with himself didn't deter the villains.
"Good work, everyone." Tomura said. "Twice, your Double Quirk really is invaluable! It's simply awesome! Using copies to fight the Hero as sacrificial lambs."
"Ha, don't mention it, boss man! You can count on me! You can't trust me for shit, I'm useless!"
"It's still a bit disturbing to see myself get killed like that," Magne pointed out, looking at the pile of slime that was her copy not moments ago "It'll take a while to get used to."
"I'm sorry I forced you to get your body measured, I know you're not very comfortable about that!" Tomura said, clasping his hands together and profusely apologizing to Magne.
"Haha, you're cute, boss." Magne said, patting Tomura on his shoulder "Don't worry, as long as you two keep it a secret. A lady can't go revealing her measurements to just anyone!"
"You got it, Big Sis Mag!" Twice said, causing the magnetic villain to blush lightly
"My, my, you really stuck to that nickname quick, huh, Jin-chan." It was almost hard to believe these were villains, with how casually they conversed like friends.
"Right, let's get to Stain," Tomura said, getting everyone back to focus on their mission. "Our mission isn't done just yet."
"What should I do with the Hero, Tomura-chan?" Magne said, pointing at the unconscious Musashi. "The driver too."
Tomura stared at the 28th Hero. "Take him with us. His Quirk can be useful." Tomura said "Throw the driver off the bridge."
"You got it boss man!" Twice said, quickly beginning to carry the driver. "I'll dump this fucker to the fishes!" He enthusiastically trutted to the edge of the bridge, tossing the driver over to the cruel waters.
"Big Sis, come with me to get Stain." Tomura said, heading over to the van, followed by Magne.
Stain sat in the van still, having heard the commotion, almost asleep from exhaustion, before the locked door was forced open by Tomura "Stain." He said.
"Heh, kid? You came all the way for me?" Stain mockingly said. "Shoulda let me rot."
"I'm sorry, Stain, but you're too valuable at the moment to be taken," Tomura replied, pulling out a hair clip from his pocket before beginning to undo Stain's cuffs. "But to think you actually attacked Endeavor... that was really something! Your face and story is all over the news after that. Endeavor is gonna get a popularity boost thanks to that as well no doubt."
"You say it like that's such a good thing." Stain said in a snide manner.
"Oh, it is." Tomura finished undoing Stain's cuffs "With your story, we can attract more recruits. Meet these two new recruits." Tomura directed Stain's attention to Twice and Magne, who were peering from outside the van. "They joined shortly after seeing our attack on the Sports Festival. The recruits who weren't captured or killed during the attack also gained great experience. Our numbers are going to continue growing, Stain, but quantity does not make up for quality."
"Heh, I still don't like that whole League of Villains deal," Stain said, standing up "I'm still not going to just do whatever you say, kid. If your conviction wavers, then I-..."
"My conviction is strong, Stain." Tomura cut off Stain. "You should stop questioning it. It will only make me doubt yours, if you require it to be constantly reaffirmed to you." His words cut through Stain's tough exterior, the audacity of it getting to his nerves. "So, please, Stain, do as I tell you next time. Be patient. Soon, the debut will happen, and we, the League of Villains, will change this world."
"You just want endless chaos. That doesn't align with my goals." Stain said, beginning to walk out of the van, ignoring Tomura and the two recruits "You need to try harder to convince m-..." Before Stain could react, he received a strong knee strike to the back of his head, causing him to fall on his knees. "You bra-...!" He was silenced by Tomura once again with another kick to his face. "Fucking…! Brat!" A final kick to the throat was enough to quiet him down, causing the Hero Killer to vomit.
"I will make this clear, Chizome Akaguro." Stain's eyes widened as Tomura referred to him by his real name, Magne and Twice standing beside him. "I have no respect for you. All those words I gave you before were just to butter you up. To be frank, I think your ideals are absolute trash. Simple garbage." Stain couldn't speak up, only getting coughs out. "These two joined me, not because they wish for something foolish like an ideal Hero who does a thankless job, some creature of fantasy, but because they have goals of their own, their own aspirations. Freedom, companionship."
Stain got up, his throat still injured, panting but not quite there yet that he could speak words. "You are a tool, Stain. Don't try to be anything else."
Without hesitation, Stain lunged at Tomura, intending on violently grabbing the boy as Magne and Twice got in his path, only for Tomura to push them out of the way, rushing at Stain himself, striking him in the stomach with a powerful jab. "Stain, without armor or weapons, you're quite unimpressive," Tomura bluntly stated. "Just these two right here, I believe, are enough to beat you, but they are my valued new allies, and I can't lose them." He grabbed Stain's head, pulling him towards another knee strike to the jaw, sending teeth flying.
"You…"
He then pulled himself by Stain's shirt, striking with both feet, forcing him on his back, as Twice and Magne both grabbed his hands, ruining any chance of him to get back up or fight back.
"...are a pathetic man, Stain. The only thing of value with you is the influence you will garner us." He raised his fist, beginning to beat on Stain, repeatedly striking the man, without mercy or hesitation "A tool, an object, so do as one should, and forget about your free will." Blood began to appear on Tomura's knuckles. "Do you understand me, Stain?"
"Hahaha, you brat…" Stain talked, flashing an arrogant grin. "You…" He coughed "The only one...who can kill me...is…"
"Yes," Tomura interrupted. "All Might. The only true hero." He raised his fist once more "You grew quite tired from fighting Endeavor, haven't you?"
It was unfortunately true. Endeavor pushed him to his limits, his flames too hot and intense, and the burning he received impeded his movement and stamina. He was no longer at his prime anymore.
"You know, that one was not a lie," Tomura said. "I truly do believe that All Might is a true Hero, but that is why I will kill him."
"Kill…?" Stain's eyes suddenly widened. "You will kill him?! You think you can?!" He suddenly began shouting, before receiving another punch to his face, shutting him up.
Tomura smiled, his gloves and clothes sprayed with Stain's blood, his face and hair as well, dripping down his face and back onto Stain. "I promise you, Stain, before this year ends, All Might will die."
Tomura gestured to Magne and Twice, as they took their feet off Stain's hands, Tomura getting off of him. "Here." Tomura tossed Stain a small knife from within his vest "I don't particularly care for weaponry, but I keep some for emergencies."
"What...is this…?" Stain said, grabbing the knife and standing up.
"You will be our martyr, Stain." Tomura said. "But I'm going to give you one chance to fight back." He placed both hands behind his back and closed both of his eyes. "Just stab me, and I will only fight using my other senses and my legs, no sight or arms."
"You arrogant little shit…" Stain spat on the floor. "I'll fucking gut you."
Twice and Magne created space for the two, as Tomura simply stood, waiting for Stain's attack. It was almost 4 A.M., and the sun was to begin rising soon.
A new day.
When the sunlight finally washed over and ushered a new day, the attacked van was found, the Ronin Hero Musashi missing, the driver as well, and the passenger dead on the road, but the most shocking discovery, was the dead corpse of Stain, a knife clenched in his hand, his grip unflinching due to rigor mortis, and his neck broken and bent in an unnatural way.
The doctors ran autopsies, trying to find the cause of death.
The Hero Killer, not even a day after attacking Endeavor, has already been killed.
But his ideas did not. The story of Chizome Akaguro spread like wildfire even more, following this shocking death. There was no concrete evidence left behind, no fingerprints or signs to gesture on who could have possibly done it, leading to various theories and conspiracies.
What was certain, is that the Hero Killer has become a martyr, an example of the unjust society of fake Heroes and how it pushed others to vigilantism, to take things into their own hands and fix this broken system, and his further attachment to the League of Villains caused the Sports Festival attack that occurred on the same day to gain more attention.
Leading back to the League itself becoming a well-known and feared name in less than 24 hours.
The exact outcome Tomura had hoped for.
The only thing the public was not alerted of was that Stain's corpse melted into a puddle of weird slime the moment the doctors tried cutting the body open to run said autopsies.