"Hey, Bakugo, you alright?" Eijiro asked Katsuki, waking him up from his deep thoughts.

The two were hanging out at a small café, having chosen to get some fresh air after being stuck at home for the last two days. The Sports Festival Attack suspended classes for a while, with the estimated time being at least a week before they could return.

Hero patrols and activity has also found an increase. Just in this cafe, in this small neighborhood, Katsuki saw Kamui Woods, finally released from the hospital, performing patrols in the area, accompanied by Mount Lady. It was clear that everyone was on guard and on edge, especially following the death of Hero Killer Stain.

"I'm just thinking." Katsuki replied, looking at the cafe's menu "I guess it's not late for breakfast yet."

"You sure you're alright? Do you need to change your bandages again?" Eijiro asked, referring to the bandages on Katsuki's forehead. "Is your arm itchy from the cast?"

"It's nothing."

"You say that, but you haven't strained your throat since we met," Eijiro pointed out. "If something's wrong, you gotta tell me!"

Katsuki appreciated Eijiro's concern, but it wasn't in him to admit it. He was too prideful, and there were too many thoughts going through his head. All Might is dying, and still he has no successor. He could assume that the reason he didn't choose Mirio Togata was because he wanted Tenko Shimura to be his successor, but he couldn't be sure. It was an important decision to make. He couldn't be careless.

And then there was the address left in his room. The back of a photo of him and his childhood friend, but by who? And why? Should he head to that address? By himself? And then what? What will he find?

"Goodness! Bakugo!" A familiar voice called out, and Eijiro and Katsuki looked to see Tenya, accompanied by Ochaco. "And Kirishima, as expected! How good it is to see you."

"Are your injuries okay, Bakugo?" Ochaco asked.

"They're fine. Just itchy," Katsuki replied, surprising Ochaco by how calmly he spoke and looked. "What are you two doing here?"

"Why, we're simply taking some fresh air! Hanging out, as friends do!" Tenya replied. "You two are doing the same, no?"

"You guys wanna join? We're just about to order something," Eijiro invited the two, who accepted, sitting down along these two. They chatted among each other, giving their orders to the waitress. Apparently this was a popular cafe where they accommodate meals for Mutation-type Quirks, who may have unique diets.

"You guys see Todoroki?" Katsuki asked, as the four waited for their meals to arrive.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't heard from him. We were all in contact in some way or another, but he hasn't," Ochaco replied, sounding worried. "But I'm sure he's keeping in touch with Akatani."

"Have you… seen Akatani?"

"What's with this sudden interest, man?" Eijiro interrupted. "Actually, what was that when you first saw Akatani?"

"It's nothing. Just a bad stomach." Katsuki deflected the question, scowling as he did. "I'm just curious."

"Yo, Eijiro!" The group was interrupted by the arrival of the pink heroine, Mina. "Sorry I'm late, there was a lady who needed some help with her groceries." She sat down on the table among her colleagues. "You guys order yet?"

"Yeah, but you can have some of my stuff until your order comes up!" Eijiro said, handing her a menu. "This chicken breast grill looks good."

"Ohhhh." Her eyes scanned through the menu, as the two muttered among each other.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind, Bakugo," Tenya said, catching Katsuki's attention. "If something is of the matter, you can speak to me. I am the Class Representative, and if my fellow classmates have a problem, it is my duty to help them."

"It's nothing, four eyes. I just got a lot on my mind."

"It's the villain's attack, isn't it?" Ochaco assumed "That thing's been on everyone's mind lately. It's scary to think about."

"Heh," Katsuki scoffed, his familiar traits resurfacing. "Those villains are nothin'! All they did was put a big X on their back! Those bastards are gonna be done soon enough! The Pros will take care of them, and if not, I'll kick their asses!"

"Good optimism, Bakugo!" Tenya joined in on Katsuki's attitude. "Surely, these vile villains won't last long now that they revealed themselves so carelessly!"

"Yeah, those bastards got a big head! They piss me off!" Katsuki shouted back, his old self returning rather fast once he got fired u.p "I was gonna win that fight too!"

"Ah, right, that's why you're upset," Ochaco chuckled. "But that move you used, that Ultra Shot, isn't it too dangerous?"

"Of course it is. The danger shows its effectiveness!"

"That's not good, though, Bakugo!" Tenya exclaimed. "A move with such a dangerous side effect should be used more sparingly and only in emergencies. Your arm is in a cast. Do you think you'll be able to keep it if you end up in a cast after every three uses of the same move?"

Katsuki didn't reply, not because he didn't want to admit being wrong, but because he didn't want to admit Ochaco was right. He knew Ultra Shot was a dangerous move, but it was his trump card. His desire to win overtook his common sense.

They didn't speak much after, simply eating the food they ordered and leaving the cafe, walking together in a group, though Katsuki was clearly trying to distance himself from them, walking ahead of them with his left hand in his pocket.

"Would you quit following me?! I need to cool off, and you guys are pissing me off!" Katsuki yelled at the group. "Except you, Kirishima, I need you for sparring."

"Sparring really isn't a good idea for you right now," Eijiro said. "You need to let your arm heal."

"No! I gotta get better, so I can kick half and half's ass!"

"You really have a grudge against him, huh…?" Eijiro sighed.

"Oh, Tokoyami!" Mina called out, seeing fellow student Fumikage Tokoyami on the streets, wearing his casual get up. "What's up, dude?"

"Ashido, everyone," Fumikage greeted his classmates. "I see you are getting some fresh air as well."

"Well, we woulda suffocated if we stuck home all week." Mina shrugged, sighing at how boring it was to just sit at home instead of furthering her Hero studies

"Well, it is good to keep a cool attitude about this," Tokoyami said. "Iida, Uraraka, some of our class's top students must be the most frustrated."

"It is frustrating!" Tenya exclaimed, his arms furiously shaking. "Fortunately, my brother Tensei has been giving me advice and training!"

"Oh yeah, you're brother's a famous pro right? Ingenium?"

"That's correct, Uraraka!" Tenya said, his expression notably lighting up when speaking of his older brother. "I hope to be a worthy successor of the name Ingenium someday, of the Iida family name. That's why this internship is important!"

"Oh yeah, we got our internships offers, didn't we?" Eijiro said, pulling out his phone, accessing his email to look through the offers he received. "I got around...68 offers. How many you guys got?" Eijiro asked, as everyone pulled out their phones to check as well.

"I got 20…" Ochaco said, sighing in disappointment at herself.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of, Uraraka!" Tenya said, trying to cheer her up "Even one offer means you caught the eye of a Pro! That alone is worth praise!"

"How many did you get, Iida?" Eijiro asked, as Tenya adjusted his glasses before answering.

"301," he bluntly said.

"301?! What's this about worth praise even if it's just one?!" Ochaco said, uncharacteristically angry.

"I'm sorry, Uraraka! It's the family name that garnered attention I'm sure!" Tenya explained ."It's pathetic! I must prove myself worthy, without the name of Iida!"

"What about you, Tokoyami?" Mina gestured to Fumikage.

"Hmph. 360," he replied, in a cool manner, shocking the rest, sans Katsuki.

"What?! Tokoyami that's really impressive!" Ochaco said, as Mina slapped Fumikage on the back, in a friendly gesture, nearly causing him to fall over.

"Shit, dude! Good work!" Mina said. "For someone who was an unknown, that's super impressive!"

"Thank you, Ashido." Fumikage replied, trying to maintain his cool, despite feeling the hand imprint from Mina's slap. "What about your offers, Ashido?"

"Eh, I got like 13, that's no biggie, though." Mina was her usual optimistic self, despite her low offer amount. "Just means I don't have to look through a giant list and fry my brain over it!"

"What about you, Bakugo?" Eijiro asked Katsuki, who immediately flashed an arrogant grin.

"3,556, bitches!" He arrogantly flashed a smirk, showing the insurmountable number of offers he received. "Guess they got impressed by how I beat that Dolphin bastard!"

"You mean how it beat you…?" Eijiro sarcastically asked.

"Shut up, Kirishima! That bastard was lucky All Might got in, otherwise I woulda beat his ass square and flat!" Katsuki roared. "I'll take the best top hero in these offers and show you guys what's what!"

"You sure about that, dude…?" Eijiro said. "Ojiro made a good point about not just choosing someone because they're a top ranked Hero."

"Indeed! You should think of what the Hero can teach you! Not just their standing in society!" Tenya said .

"Screw you! Who's better to teach me than the top Hero, huh?!"

"He's, right though. You should put more thought into who you go for," Eijiro said. "We're not saying this to put you down, but this is a one time thing, so you really should make the right choice."

"Hngh…!" Katsuki couldn't really argue with that, simply scoffing. "Whatever! I'll pick it up myself later! I gotta do something later anyway!"

"Anyway, you see any interesting Heroes in there, Kirishima?" Mina asked, trying to peek at his phone.

"No one really stood out, though I might go for Fourth Kind. Although, there is Mirko who's among them."

"M-...Mirko?! The Rabbit Hero Mirko?! That Mirko?!" Mina exclaimed in surprise, as did the others.

"Now that you mention it, Mirko is also on my list…" Tenya said.

"What?! Do you guys not know anything about Mirko?! Why aren't you more excited?!"

"I-...I don't really know too much, Mina," Eijiro replied, much to her frustration.

"You idiots!" Mina angrily stomped her foot. "Mirko is a solo act! She doesn't have an agency and never took on a sidekick or worked in teams! She's a serious Pro Hero when it comes to the solo scene! She does everything herself! The fact she sent you offers means you two seriously got her interest!"

"Y-...You think so…?" Eijiro was taken a bit aback. "So this ...is some rare opportunity…"

"I see… I didn't know who to intern under… but maybe a Hero who uses speed and her kicks could be good for me as well!" Tenya added. "Kirishima, we mustn't let this rare chance that presented itself to us slip from our fingers!"

"Y-...You're right, Iida! It just wouldn't be manly if I didn't take the bull by the horns! Or the rabbit by the ears, I guess…" The two boys got excited, hyping each other up upon choosing their internship agency, though Agency was a bit too loose of a term for working with Mirko.

Eventually, the friends parted ways, heading home. Katsuki in particular was the first to walk away, much to Eijiro's concern, who noticed how his friend was acting strange all day.

Katsuki walked towards his home, but stopped, just as the sun began to finally set. He pulled out the photo from his pocket, seeing the address written on the back of it. He couldn't get it out of his head, he couldn't rest, and everything that has happened wouldn't allow him to either.

"Deku…" Katsuki muttered. He turned the other way, heading towards the nearest bus stop, ready to take the long ride to Kamino. He took precaution, calling his mother and telling her that he'll be at the Kirishima household. Mitsuki wouldn't question it, being just happy that her son is among friends, especially during these hard times.

Upon arriving, Katsuki looked at the back of the photo again, holding it in his right hand, as he awkwardly typed it using his left hand, using his phone to locate the specific coordinates. It wasn't that far off, merely a 30 minute walk.

He reached the building, getting to the right floor through the elevator, and knocking on the door.

"We're closed," A mature voice answered. The voice of an adult male. Though it should have been the first sign to leave, Katsuki knocked on the door again. "I said we're closed. We are not accepting customers right now."

"Open up, ya bastard, you left this address in my room," Katsuki called out, as the person went quiet, before he heard footsteps, and then the door unlocking.

"Come in," And he did, Katsuki entered the bar, seeing a few odd characters. The bar occupied the entire floor, thus they had plenty of room, yet these people were huddled up at the bar itself.

"Who's this?" A large muscular male with an artificial left eye asked, appropriately codenamed Muscular. "A new member? We don't need more brats."

"Are you really going to blurt that out like that?" A man in a flashy orange coat said, his black and white mask failing to hide his annoyed tone. "What if he's just a lost child?"

"Who are you bastards?" Katsuki asked, entering the room and standing in front of them, before noticing the bartender, the Warper, Kurogiri. "You…!"

"We meet again, and properly this time, Katsuki Bakugo." Kurogiri casually addressed the blonde boy.

"Katsuki Bakugo?!" Twice exclaimed "Yo, you're that popular kid who fought that Nomu! You fucking suck! You did great!" The man's odd postures and mannerism freaked out Katsuki, though he didn't let it show.

"Well, what does the star of the Sports Festival attack have to do here with us?" A man with burnt flesh and skin grafts asked, his torn black coat dramatically billowing. "Shall I cremate him?"

"No, Dabi." Kurogiri said to the skinless man. "This is a special guest, invited by Sensei."

"Ohhh, he's pretty cute!" Magne said, blushing slightly. "Those fierce eyes are really a selling point!"

"Don't start hitting on him, Magne, he's underage," Muscular said. "Murder is one thing, but don't get in with that pervert crowd."

"What are you implying, Muscular?!" Magne replied, upset. "Calling someone cute doesn't mean it's purely lustful!"

"She has a point. You can call someone cute without it being sexual," The tophat-wearing masked man said, Mr. Compress was his name. "You really shouldn't be so presumptuous, Muscular. It's not a good look."

"Are you guys done chatting?!" Katsuki angrily yelled. "Why the fuck did I get this address?! Why on this picture of shitty Deku, huh?! You tryna dig something?! Tryna get me to talk?! Well whatever you want, I ain't givin' it to ya! But I want answers!"

"Nevermind, that is not cute at all," Magne took back what she said.

"Hmm~ I don't know~ It's kinda adorable!" A schoolgirl playfully said, Himiko Toga.

"Kurogiri, why is he here?" A reptilian man with a bandana not dissimilar to Stain's spoke, his name was Spinner. "Is this why we were called in today?"

"I just thought we're here to get shitfaced!" Twice shouted, downing a mug of beer through his mask. "This stuff tastes great, Kurogiri! It makes me wanna puke!" He smashed the mug on the floor. "I'll pay for that. No I won't!"

"Still can't believe we're villains and you won't let me taste any alcohol…" A schoolboy still in his uniform said, he had black hair and purple eyes.

"Mustard, alcohol is a detriment. Especially at a young age. To preserve your abilities for the future, you can only drink alcohol when you are-..."

"Shut the fuck up already!" Katsuki interrupted Kurogiri's speech. "I'm getting fucking sick of just standing here, you fucking morons!"

"Quite a mouth on that wannabe Hero," Dabi mockingly said.

"You wash that wannabe shit out!" Katsuki angrily exclaimed. "You fuckin' skinless bastard! I am gonna be a Hero! So if you guys really are villains, you better be careful!"

"What's all this noise?" A young boy's voice came from the back of the bar, entering the room, "You guys are suddenly lively. Was the alcohol that goo-...?" Tomura stopped once he met eye to eye with Katsuki, who froze up upon meeting him face to face again.

"Tomura Shigaraki," Kurogiri called out to the boy, who had a smiling expression on his face "The test has already begun the moment Katsuki Bakugo entered the room." He explained, much to everyone else's confusion. "The rest of you, stand back. You're here in case an emergency happens. Move only on my command, not before or after."

"What the fuck is this…?" Katsuki stared at Tomura, feeling himself get nauseous. "Why do you… look like him? Why did you lead me here? Why did I even come here?! What's all this about?! Tell me!" He roared, clenching the photo in his hand tighter.

But his entire tough exterior collapsed, and his expression twisted into a mixture of denial, frustration and fear, when Tomura called out to him, in the same tone and voice that he hasn't heard in ten years. He felt his entire soul be smashed with the guilt that's stockpiled for so long.

"Kacchan!" Tomura called out. "I'm so glad to see you here! Did you come to join us?!"

"Join…? No...you can't…" Katsuki gritted his teeth. "You can't be him." Tomura tilted his head in confusion. "Even if you look like him, and sound like him…You're not De-..." He stopped himself from saying any more. "You're not Izuku."

"Why did you stop?" Tomura said. "You never called me Izuku. What was it you always called me? A no-good Deku?"

"Shut up, you're just some freak impersonating him," Katsuki said. "I get it! This is all a nightmare, innit?! You fake! You think I'll fall for that so easy?!

"Kacchan, I am real."

"Then…" Katsuki's entire body began to feel heavy, overwhelmed by his emotions. "Then why are you here…?"

While Katsuki was mourning Izuku's death in his own bizarre way, the green haired boy was already amidst training by his sensei, the villain All for One, conditioning his body to make up for his Quirklessness. He never forgot who he was, or the friends he left behind, but Sensei's words convinced him to put it all behind him.

After all, what kind of friends would leave you bruised and injured, just for being born different?

What kind of Heroes would let a child nearly burn to death in the car with his mother?

Why should he go back, when there is no one waiting for him?

Not even his father, who was "working overseas", ever showed up after the news of Inko's death spread.

Izuku Midoriya was a lonely child, desperate for approval. All for One cultivated that, allowing him to indulge in his hobbies without restraint, looking at hours and hours of Hero and Villain footage, ones that were never publicly revealed, acquired by his Sensei's unique connections.

The cultivation of his mind was allowing his curiosity to grow, and with it, his intellect and analytical mind was honed further and further, alongside his body.

He never knew rest, spending every minute of his life working his body and mind.

At that point, he wasn't truly Izuku Midoriya anymore. He was given a new name, "Tomura Shigaraki", a new identity and beginning. He accepted it, and through the words of Sensei, Izuku got a new dream, alongside said new identity

"I want to be a villain, Kacchan," Tomura replied to Katsuki, who looked on in disbelief. "Sensei is teaching me. Kurogiri, too! But I'm getting better."

"Hey, hey, what's this? An old reunion between friends? Do you know him, Tomura-chan?" Magne asked Tomura, who bashfully turned back to face her, rather embarrassed

"Ah yes! I'm sorry guys, I should introduce you to him as well!" Tomura said, before turning back to Katsuki "Kacchan! These are my allies! The newest recruits!"

"Recruits…" Katsuki looked at Kurogiri, fearing where this was going. "Don't tell me… Izuku…!"

"Yeah." Tomura casually replied, "We are the League of Villains, Kacchan." He felt his stomach drop, as Katsuki's expression contorted further into despair, sweat beginning to run down his face. "I'm the leader actually! Well, acting leader. Sensei is actually the real leader!"

"No...no, no, no," Katsuki muttered, before his expression changed to its usual furious self, but it was true rage this time, towards his childhood friend. "This is wrong, Izuku! Didn't you want to be a Hero?! What the fuck are you doing with these freaks?! These...these…!" His breathing became erratic, before asking. "Stain… Did you really…?"

"Yep! He was my most valuable ally!" He lied. Tomura only saw Stain as a tool, but only Twice and Magne knew of his death, with him choosing to keep the reality of his death a secret to the recruits who saw him as an inspiration, such as Spinner and Dabi. "Though, we didn't really get along, but still...His death was unfortunate." He continued to lie.

"Izuku…! Don't you want to be a Hero?! Don't…!"

"No." Tomura shut down Katsuki immediately, his expression becoming somber and sad. "It's actually funny. I think that...up until I actually met All Might, I still had some part of that dream in me, but…"

Katsuki remembered now. So the boy named Mikumo Akatani really was Izuku.

"You saw it, right? That was actually the first time we met, but I guess you didn't really feel well," Tomura said. "But All Might was right. I'm not made for that Hero business. I was born Quirkless. The Hero world doesn't have room for me. The Villain world, the underworld, however…"

"Don't you dare…" Katsuki couldn't bear to hear it.

"Villains don't really have any prerequisites. If you're an outcast, unwanted, unloved, alone, or just want to feel like you belong in this world that doesn't even acknowledge you exist, Villains are here," Tomura explained. It was the underworld that was more accepting than the outside. If you were different, you would struggle to find your place. Being Quirkless, for example, in this world where being abnormal is the norm.

"Villains act as a consequence of the world, Kacchan," Tomura brightly smiled. "We're a force of change. The umbrella term for a villain is pretty wide, really! You just have to go against the world and the status quo. It has nothing to do with who you are. Those things that chain us, morality, law, good and evil, Hero and Villain, categories that do nothing but create an "us", that is in opposition against "them". If to change the world I have to bear the name of villain, then, Kacchan, I will become the greatest villain in the world."

Katsuki suddenly roared in anger, rushing at Tomura, who backflipped out of the way, above a bar stool, as Katsuki's left hand struck the stool, unleashing an explosion whose heat melted through the table as it turned into steel via Impact Change's effects. "Don't gimme that bullshit, Izuku! And what's with that Tomura name, huh?! Tomura Shigaraki?!"

"It's the name Sensei gave me. Didn't I already say that?" Tomura asked, genuinely confused.

"Are you giving up on that dream so easy?! Didn't we say that me and you are going to become the best?!" His left palm heated up, melting through the rest of the bar stool, angrily kicking it away. "You said you were gonna be a better Hero than me! How are you going to keep up that promise now, when you're a villain?!"

"We never made a promise, " Tomura bluntly replied, hitting Katsuki hard, remembering how their last conversation went "But! We can make a new promise instead! Something to motivate us both!"

"Huh?!"

"Kacchan, I will become a great Villain, the best," Tomura extended his hand to Katsuki "So, Kacchan, become the greatest Hero! Let's become archenemies!"

Katsuki angrily gritted his teeth, slapping Tomura's hand away and lunging forward "You're pissing me off, Izuku!" He was shut down immediately by a kick to his chin, sending him back.

"Stop calling me that." Tomura said, a quiet fury in his eyes. "I already told you. I am Tomura Shigaraki. You never even called me by my real name, and now, you suddenly know nothing else?"

Katsuki regained his footing, twisting his waist to the left, an explosion heating up in his left palm "Fine then! If you want it that bad! You're not Izuku, but you're not Tomura either! You're just that shitty loser Deku!" He snapped, his waist twisting back into position, using the swing of his arm and body to gather momentum, sending a large explosion towards Tomura, causing the building to tremor.

"Woah!" Tomura simply exclaimed, out of the way and unharmed by Katsuki's attack, as the rest of the League also dodged out of the way, while Kurogiri simply remained at his bartending position. What shocked Katsuki, however, was the minimal damages done to the wall. His explosion should have obliterated it. "You really worked on your Quirk! Seeing it face to face is different than just seeing you use it from a distance!"

"This kid is dangerous, Tomura, what the shit?!" Mustard angrily exclaimed. "He almost killed me!"

"He's gonna wreck the bar too! My alcohol! My poison!" Twice said, despairing over the destroyed mugs and bottles of alcohol.

"Ah, sorry, guys! I'll take care of it!" Tomura said.

"Stop ignoring me!" Katsuki roared, rushing at Tomura, extending his arm forth, an open palm with an explosion, yet Tomura simply dodged to the right, avoiding the attack. Katsuki grinned, as he moved his right arm, tearing off the cloth holding it up, the cast not slowing his movement at all.

It was a feint, and with Tomura already in motion, he was open for an attack "DIE!" He exclaimed, an explosion from his right hand, shattering half of his cast from his explosion, freeing his hand completely.

However, to his shock, Tomura dodged, not by moving to the left, but by bending his body backwards, completely avoiding the explosion's range. Katsuki's eyes wandered down, seeing how low Tomura went, his knees bent, his feet firmly planted on the ground, and his back almost touching the floor.

Impeccable bodily control and olympic level athleticism, those were other factors Tomura honed, not simply endurance and strength. Speed, control, balance, those too were essential elements.

Tomura's expression was almost arrogant, seeing the confusion in Katsuki's face, before he quickly got his body back up, using only his upper body strength without the need to push himself upwards, defying all known laws of physics. His head collided with Katsuki's, a powerful headbutt that sent him reeling back, causing bleeding from reopening his wounds.

Tomura did not waste time. Even with blood dripping down his forehead, he rushed at Katsuki, tackling him through the bar's window, as the two began falling from one of the top floors of the buildings towards the ground.

"Deku, you crazy fucker!" Katsuki exclaimed, quickly using two explosions at the right moment to cushion the impact. A cloud of dust forming as he did. The League watched from inside the bar, peering through the windows.

"Yooo, Tomura! You fucking suicidal nutjob! You really did that!" Twice exclaimed giddily "That shit was awesome! It was fucking stupid!"

As the dust cleared, the two boys stood up, a fair distance between them. As Katsuki got his bearings back together, he saw Tomura simply jump in place with one foot, as if getting his body ready before a big sporting event.

"Deku…" Katsuki said. "Come with me. You don't have to do this. No one died at the Sports Festival Attack! Just tell the officials you were manipulated or taken advantage of! You can get off easy! You can still be a H-...!"

"It was my plan, Kacchan," Tomura cut off Katsuki. "That attack was a message towards the Heroes you so look up to." His tone was notably less cheery than usual, getting into a low running posture, his fingers touching the ground, one leg stretched back, and another forward. "Stop having childish dreams."

Like a trained runner, Tomura rushed forward at Katsuki, the speed he displayed and his technique were nothing to scoff at, closing the distance between them frighteningly fast. By the time Katsuki reacted, Tomura was already near him, in a low position, rising up to deliver an uppercut, striking him by his chin, forcing him to meet eye to eye with the full moon, blood spitting from his mouth as well.

However, Katsuki regained himself quickly, using his explosion to quickly get around Tomura and behind him, delivering a quick blow to his abdomen, directly where his bullet wound from Ricochet was, his cast now completely destroyed by the repeated explosions. "Was saving Todoroki also a fucking lie, then?!" He angrily exclaimed, remembering how Tomura cheered for Shoto during their fight.

"Shoto…" Tomura gently said, firmly planting his feet, turning his face towards Katsuki, as if unaffected by his reopened wound. "..is a good friend" His answer caught Katsuki off-guard, causing him to lower his guard long enough, to quickly turn and kick Katsuki's right arm, causing him to yell out in pain, tumbling across the ground.

With two explosions, Katsuki regained his footing, launching himself forward. "You haven't changed at all, Deku!" Tomura waited for the distance to close, before launching a straight hook forward, only for Katsuki to use his explosion to get above him again, but this time used them to land directly down on him, delivering a vicious kick to his head. "You're a weak fucking piece of shit as always! You're letting some fucking adults kill your dream?! So what if All Might said you shouldn't be a Hero!" He angrily exclaimed, unleashing an explosion upon Tomura's lower body. "So what if this world rejects you?! That doesn't mean you have to become this!"

Tomura coughed blood, as Katsuki grabbed him by his shirt's collar, pulling him closer. "Are you really telling me that your dream that you would never shut up about, is lost forever?! You're gonna stick around all these freaks, these fuckers who would kill you without hesitation, just because no one approved of your dream?!"

"Katsuki Bakugo." Tomura said, his expression and tone completely different from before, regaining his footing and standing up, glaring at Katsuki. "You killed that dream before anyone else." Those words, the truth Katsuki never wanted to acknowledge, shook him enough for Tomura to deliver a kick to his stomach.

"All I remember when I think about that dream, is you at the center of all those people who denied me." Tomura said, punching Katsuki across the face. "You." He punched him again with his other arm "You." He directly punched Katsuki in the face, smashing him into the ground. "You, you, you, you, you." He began repeatedly striking Katsuki's head, and for every "you" he uttered, the look in his eyes became more despair-filled than before .

Tomura stopped, staring at the bruised up Katsuki, who coughed blood, staring back at him "Why won't you fight back?" Tomura asked, but he already knew why. Katsuki was too guilt-ridden to raise his hand against Tomura, the words he spoke hit too deep. He couldn't admit to himself, that he was wrong, that at the very core of everything, the reason for all of this was his own fault, for being such a selfish and cruel child.

"I know you hate me, shitty Deku…" Katsuki said, glaring at Tomura. "And still…! I'm not going to just let you drag yourself into this fucked-up business any further!"

Tomura's expression suddenly shifted, confused. "Hate?" He smiled, chuckling lightly "Kacchan, I don't hate you!" Those words were not what Katsuki wanted to hear, in fact, it was the worst answer he could receive. "You're my friend, Kacchan. I want you to be a great Hero, so I'll cheer you on. Become the best, so that we can participate in the true purpose of this superhuman world."

Katsuki was unable to find the words or any reaction to this answer. He had hoped he would at least find some solace, in Tomura admitting he hated him, to at least be able to pin the blame on him, and absolve Tomura of his crimes. Justify why this happened. It was his fault. So why? Why didn't he hate him? Why does he still act like they're friends?!

"Recipro…" However, the two were distracted by the sound of an engine. "Burst!" Without warning, Tomura quickly got up, using his arm to defend against a direct kick from Tenya, sending him away from Katsuki, as Tenya landed firmly next to the explosive boy. "Bakugo! You okay?!"

"Iida…?"

"Over here, bastard!" Eijiro exclaimed, attacking Tomura from behind, his arms hardened. Tomura dodged Eijiro's fist, delivering a kick to his body, only for Eijiro to effortlessly tank it and grab Tomura's leg. "I'm not a letting g-...!" Eijiro was cut off by Tomura jumping, twisting his body and spinning, using his other leg to deliver a direct kick to his face, releasing his right leg. Eijiro's hardened body ripped through his pants, but due to the reinforced cloth, it only resulted in light scratches on his leg.

"You're nimble, ain't ya?" Eijiro said, rushing down Tomura again, only for Tomura to effortlessly dodge his punches, taking a defensive boxing stance, delivering a jab to Eijiro's face, directly on the noose, causing his nostrils to bleed. "Hmph!" Eijiro bucked down, grappling Tomura in a sudden leap forward, surprising him and holding him down. Tomura's face faced the dirt, his arms held behind his back by Eijiro who was atop him.

"Hey, hey, isn't this dangerous, Kurogiri?" Dabi asked the bartender, who wasn't even looking at the fight. "Your kid's losin'."

"Nonsense," Kurogiri replied, mopping all the broken glass from the floor. "Tomura Shigaraki cannot lose, even if he's outnumbered."

"Outnumbered?" Dabi raised a brow, curious at how Kurogiri knew he was outnumbered despite not looking outside.

"I got him, Iida!" Just as Eijiro said that, Tomura began to force himself up, as Eijiro kept holding him down. "Hey, hey, don't try anything, you crazy bast-...!" In one bout of strength, Tomura managed to get back on his feet, shocking Eijiro, who found himself in the air. "..-ard?" Tomura forced his arms free as well, his sleeves tearing off, scratches across his skin, before moving once again, delivering a punch to Eijiro's stomach, sending him higher into the air, cocking his arm back in that instant, his knuckles bloodied from Eijiro's hardened body.

"Phew…" Tomura breathed out, grabbing Eijiro by his shirt, pulling him back down and smashing him against the solid ground, the asphalt road cracking under the impact of his hardened body colliding against it.

Tomura reacted quickly to a surprise attack from behind. Mina Ashido, with her hands coated in acid, attacked him ."Oi, what's the big idea?!" She exclaimed, trying to get a hit on Tomura as he continued dodging her attacks, easily moving to the right direction and avoid her rather predictable attack pattern, but her advance forced him away from Eijiro, giving her an opportunity. "Let's see you deal with this. Acid Splash!" She clapped her hands together, as the acid coating her hands exploded into a large wave of droplets around them.

Tomura quickly shielded himself, dodging out of the way in one large leap, yet acid still reached his shirt, forcing it to erode. "Strong acid quirk, huh. That's amazing!" He giddily said, landing on his feet, seeing Mina quickly head back towards the downed Eijiro "Hey, that's rude!"

"Dark Shadow, strike!" Fumikage exclaimed, appearing from a dark alley and under the lamp posts light, avoiding losing control over Dark Shadow as he lunged him towards Tomura, the sudden attack catching him off guard.

"Four…? A speed Quirk, a hardening Quirk, an acid Quirk, and a Familiar Quirk all at the same time?" Tomura took notes in his mind as he dodged Dark Shadow's assault, but once he stepped away from the light, Dark Shadow's size and speed increased, allowing him to land a direct hit on Tomura. "Oh…!" He belted out, feeling his bullet wound reopen further, blood drip and force his shirt to cling to skin. "You...have an interesting Quirk!" He said, as Dark Shadow's arm increased in size, clawing at Tomura, sending him flying against the building's wall, as the League watched down.

"Oi boss man, do you need help?!" Spinner called out to Tomura, who simply gestured for him to stay put.

"What the fuck are you guys doing here…?" Katsuki asked, as Eijiro and Mina arrived next to him, with Fumikage not far off.

"Kirishima noticed you were acting weird today," Tenya said, helping Katsuki back on his feet "He asked us to accompany him in following you, fearing the worst...It took a while to find you… but, who would have thought…" Tenya gritted his teeth, as Tomura walked towards them, stepping just enough for him to be in view, yet still allow space between him and the five students/ "Who would have thought it would be you, Mikumo Akatani?!"

"Iida! Your Quirk really is amazing!" Tomura said, coughing blood, yet acting nonchalant about it. "So this is the Iida Family's Engine? And you, Ashido! Your Acid managed to melt my reinforced clothes! Even bullets and swords couldn't! Same for you, Kirishima! Your Hardening easily ripped these sleeves off!" He complimented each and every one of their Quirks. "Your skills, combined with your Quirks. Seeing it used against me is totally different than sitting in the audience seat and watching."

"Akatani! Is this some sick joke?!" Eijiro angrily exclaimed. "It's not a very manly joke if that's the case! 'Cause I ain't laughing, asshole!"

"Yeah, what's the big idea?!" Mina joined in "Why are you beating on Bakugo?! I know he's an ass, but that's not a reason to just wail on him like that! You could've broken something!"

"You guys are wrong…" Katsuki said, blood dripping down his face, forcing his left eye shut once it got into his eye. "His name isn't Mikumo Akatani, ain't that right, you shitty Deku?!"

"It's true," Tomura wasn't even trying to keep up that facade for them.

"I don't understand." Fumikage said. "Who are you then, some messenger of the dark?"

"I am the leader of the League of Villains," Tomura properly introduced himself, shocking the students. "I am Tomura Shigaraki. I'm sorry for lying to you, but I needed information on U.A., and thanks to you guys and Shoto, I was able to properly plan the first step of my debut."

"Shinso was right, so this was just a first step…" Tenya said, gritting his teeth. "What's this about being the leader?! Why is a child leading such a heinous group?!"

"It's my dream, Iida," Tomura replied, scratching the back of his head like an embarrassed child. "I want to become the best Villain, you see, haha." It was sickening how casually he acted.

"You…!"

"But…" Tomura interrupted Tenya. "That's exactly why, Iida, Kirishima, Ashido and Tokoyami, and you too, Kacchan, I want you all to become great Heroes yourselves, so that my ideal world can exist with such fine people like you as my enemies."

The four stood simply dumbfounded at Tomura's words, before Eijiro began walking towards him. "What the fuck kinda shit is that, Akatani!"

"I already told you…"

"Kirishima, wait!" Katsuki called out to Eijiro.

"My name isn't Mikumo Akatani." Tomura said, as Eijiro rushed at him, one punch forward, fist hardened, grazing against Tomura's body, then quickly cocking his arm back.

"Let's go, whatever your name is!" Eijiro exclaimed, locking hands with Tomura, their finger intertwined, each one trying to push the other away. "I don't care who you are, whatever you did to Bakugo won't be forgiven!"

"That's good," Tomura said, smiling. "Those bonds matter." Tomura began to push forward, forcing Eijiro's arms down to his sides, managing to overpower him, "Teamwork is essential."

"He's...strong! Wasn't he Quirkless?!" Eijiro thought to himself, feeling his strength waver even when his skin was hardened, being able to only tear through Tomura's gloves

"Kirishima!" Mina leaped from the side, shooting her Acid from her fingertip towards Tomura, who kicked Eijiro away, using him as a springboard to jump away and dodge the acid shot. "Tokoyami, don't let him up!"

"Understood!" Fumikage rushed forth, making sure to keep himself exposed to the light emanating from the lamp posts and the building, summoning Dark Shadow. "I've been meaning to try this out!" He used Dark Shadow's arm to throw himself into the air, pushing against the ground in order to leap forth. "Abyss-Bound Crow Head!" Fumikage exclaimed, as he and Dark Shadow leaped forth like a missile towards Tomura at incredible speeds.

"Amazing!" Tomura could only bellow out, raising his arms in defense, as Fumikage's attack connected, a dust cloud formed as he returned to the earth. Soon, however, Tomura was the first to come out of the dust, his arms bloodied but still intact, grabbing Fumikage by his shirt, and throwing him away.

"This bastard took it head-on?!" Eijiro exclaimed. "What kind of body does this guy have?!"

"I definitely connected!" Fumikage said, using Dark Shadow to stopping his flight and land safely.

Quickly, however, Tenya charged towards Tomura. "Strength and endurance is one thing, but!" Tenya exclaimed, the mufflers on his calves roaring as they spewed flames "Speed! Is the one field I won't be outdone at! By the name of the Iida Family! I will outpace you!" He shot like a bullet, the air around him rippling and tearing in shockwaves, the earth underneath his feet gave in. The rest knew to keep their distance, as when Tenya moved at his fastest, one kick is enough to take you down.

"Engine." Tomura muttered "The bio-mechanical mufflers on your calves act as real mufflers with a real engine and require maintenance. From our little talks and what I've seen, I managed to figure out a few things. It's such a simple Quirk, but it's so unbelievably cool…!" Tomura's mind and muttering acted just as fast as Tenya's movement, and soon, Tenya was but a few inches away from him.

Tomura extended his arms forward, planting his feet firmly on the ground. Tenya was fast, truly the fastest opponent he's faced until today, but, while Tomura lacked that same superhuman speed in terms of physicality, he made up for it with his mind. His eyes analyzed everything, his brain processed everything, and his body reacted in accordance.

In a move not dissimilar to other grappling techniques and martial arts, Tomura used Tenya's speed and body weight against him. Typically, if an ordinary human attempted this, their body would surely be shattered from the impact, but Tomura was no such thing, and managed to collide with Tenya, taking the brunt of the impact. With a kick to his legs, timed just right, he managed to trip him, and using his hands, his elbow and grip, smashed the rest of his body into the earth, using his upper body weight and strength to push against his chest, nearly shattering his own ribs. Yet, to the shock of everyone else, he was still conscious and able to move.

The speed at which these two moved was inhuman, but what was impossible was Tomura. He reacted on time to Tenya's assault, and countered within the bounds of his human limits.

Human limit. That was something Tomura understood better than anyone else.

"H-...How…?!" Tenya exclaimed, still in shock, before Tomura headbutted him, shattering his eyewear, and knocking him out briefly. Tomura stood up, grabbing Tenya, placing the rather muscular and bulky students on his shoulders, beginning to press him against his neck, as if intending on breaking him.

He pulled strong enough to force Tenya awake just as quickly as he was knocked out.

"Iida!" Mina called out

"S-...Stay back…!" Tenya called out. "He's not normal…!" Tenya couldn't use his Engine. His Recipro Burst just now forced him into a cooldown, and his own strength was nothing compared to Tomura's.

However, Tomura's body became light, and his body floated off the earth. "Oh? This must be…" Tomura dropped Tenya on the ground, seeing Ochaco had snuck up on him while he was focused on the others, only touching him to cause him to float into the air.

"Yaomomo!" Ochaco called out to Momo, who stood atop a rooftop not far from everyone else.

"Roger!" Momo answered through an earpiece. In her hand, a crossbow that fired a net. She took aim, firing at the now immobile Tomura as he floated harmlessly mid air. However, he quickly began to fall back down like a stone, missing him entirely "What?! Uraraka did you release him?!"

"I...I did not…!" Ochaco said, shivering, as Tomura landed close to her, glaring at her, grinning as he revealed a small bird between his hands.

"Expulsion," He said, releasing the bird, as it began to float away, as if under Ochaco's Zero Gravity. "Your Quirk is amazing, Uraraka." Tomura said, his expression shifting to a friendly, child-like one, smiling warmly at her. "If I didn't have Expulsion, I would have lost the fight there, I think."

"Deku!" Katsuki bellowed, kneeing Tomura in the chest. "That's enough!" He used the opportunity to attack, extending both arms at him, unleashing two explosions at close range, which simultaneously propelled him away from Tomura as the green haired boy crashed through the building's wall.

Dabi whistled, impressed. "That sure is our boss I guess. I mean it's impressive he's holding his own against them alone, but he's still getting injuries." He said "What do you guys think?"

"Wow, wow!" Himiko fiercely blushed, sounding pleased. "Tomura-chan is so cool! He's bleeding so much!"

"That's weird, Toga-chan," Magne said. "He could be in danger. Kurogiri-chan, shouldn't we help him now?" She asked the bartender, as he was about done cleaning the floor of all the broken glass.

"No." He bluntly replied. "Tomura Shigaraki's test isn't over.".

The students stood and watched, with Momo using binoculars she created to watch over as well, and her earpiece to communicate. "Did we get him? Was that...really Akatani?" Momo asked everyone.

"Yeah…" Tenya replied, standing up. "It's unbelievable...but that really is him. His leg is already healed… And he managed to use a grappling technique on me even when using Recipro Burst. This is… frustrating."

"Bakugo, you alright dude?!" Eijiro called out to Katsuki, who gestured him to stop

"He's not… done…!" Katsuki gritted his teeth, as Tomura walked out of the building, blood dripping down his lips and head, smiling still. "I can't believe… that you're really Quirkless, Deku…! Just what… what the fuck are you, Deku?!"

Tomura chuckled, pulling against his shirt, tearing it off cleanly, using the cloth to wash the blood off his face and head. However, the students looked on in horror. Under his shirt, Tomura revealed an incredibly muscular, peak physique body, something that looks simply unnatural on someone so young. The bruises and injuries from the battle were barely visible on his person, showing an iron body.

But what truly caught them off-guard, and horrifying them, was the myriad of scars upon Tomura Shigaraki's body.

Superhuman Conditioning.

The act of repeatedly annihilating your body and letting it heal, causing destroyed muscle and bones to become stronger, and going right back to destroying your body, and then healing it again, over and over. A process that many die from, but with the help of Sensei, his connections and his many Quirks, he sped up the process of healing, and guaranteed Tomura would not die, no matter how far he pushed his body and spirit.

On his arms, frankenstein-like rows of stitches ran from his forearms to his shoulders. On his torso, what looked like replacement skin grafts were stitched onto him, exposed muscle underneath them. Scars from swords, scars from bullet wounds, scars from shattered bones, and scars from many other weapons and injuries that they simply couldn't deduce.

Tomura Shigaraki's body was a display of what the human threshold looked like.

"How...the fuck are you alive…?" Katsuki said, his tone shaking, as the other students thought the same thing.

Tomura took a deep breath, before speaking. "A Quirk that repairs torn muscle tendons," he began speaking, pointing at his arms. "A Quirk that accelerates the speed of cell recovery and regeneration." he pointed at his chest. "A Quirk that forces broken bones back together, but causes lethargy," he showed scars on his arms where bones poke out after he broke them once. "A Quirk that closes wounds and stops bleeding immediately, but leaves greater scarring," he pointed at the scar across his neck.

With every new Quirk he mentioned, the students' expression became more and more horrified, only imagining what sort of things he had to undergo on a daily basis, from a child to now.

"A Quirk that clears your system of any diseases, but causes you to be sick the next day. A Quirk that numbs pain like painkillers, but after its effect wears off, the pain returns quadruple as painful. A Quirk that stabilizes blood pressure, but subsequently causes dizziness. A Quirk that heals any cuts and burn injuries, but causes the loss of all five senses for a day."

Tomura smiled, breathing out, his muttering coming to an end, steam coming out of his mouth, billowing out like a dragon's breath, a beast wearing human skin.

"My name is Tomura Shigaraki. I am the leader of the League of Villains," He addressed the students. "You know who I am. If you continue this assault, I will fight until I or you die, and if I die, my allies will attack you soon after. I can fight you all. This body of mine will never give in. You're all reliant on your Quirks, and no physical conditioning you do will match me."

The students' guard was up, they weren't ready to give up just yet.

"If," Tomura said, emphasizing his words. "you do live through today. I have footage of you engaging in illegal Quirk activity. I have cameras, hidden around this area. We'll release the footage, and you'll all be expelled, or worse."

"What do you want…?" Katsuki calmly asked Tomura, though he still had a furious expression on his face.

"Go home," He replied "But never speak of this to anyone. Not who I am, this headquarters, anything about today. Act as if it never happened."

"Preposterous… We found the heart of the enemy, the very location of the attackers of the Sports Festival, and you think we'll choose our own career safety over preventing future attacks?!" Tenya exclaimed. "You think that will stop us?! To be a Hero is to put yourself at risk daily to save others! If we have to nip it in the bud, however, and save hundreds from your attacks, then so be it!"

"You're right," Tomura said. "But how do you know we'll still be here next time you come? How do you know someone will believe you? Sure, they'll see the footage, but without proof that the person you're fighting is the leader of the League of Villains, how will you convince anyone?" Tenya looked frustrated at Tomura's words. "These people," He said as he pointed at his allies watching from the bar, "Aren't the only members, either. These are the elites, based on their skills and Quirks. I have more allies. And they possess a myriad of skills and Quirks, allowing me to keep an eye on all of you, your homes, your routines, your families."

"Y-...You wouldn't…" Ochaco said, fear in her voice.

Tomura smiled, his cheeks pressing against his eyes. "I will, without hesitation, sentence everyone around you know and love to death. A Hero protects civilians right? Self-sacrifice for the sake of others? Will you sacrifice your families for the thousands who will only see you as delinquents who broke the law?"

The students pondered among themselves, stuck, metaphorically speaking. They knew what had to be done, exposing the League of Villains headquarters, allowing the Pro Heroes to take care of this, but...but…

"Deku." Katsuki said, clenching his hands and gritting his teeth. "You...what are you planning to do?"

"You know...Kacchan…" Tomura sighed. "That's not something I can answer so easily, haha…"

His frustration grew. "Then…" Katsuki asked once more. "Who… the fuck are you anymore?"

Tomura was surprised, but knew what Katsuki meant by his question.

"To be honest...Katsuki Bakugo…" The smile he gave wasn't one of joy or condescension, it was one that was there simply for appearance sake, no emotion behind. It may have not even been a conscious decision on his part, simply a subconscious act based on his experiences whenever he was nervous.

It was such a simple question, and yet-

"I am Tomura Shigaraki."

A lie is all he could muster.