I sit at the dining table, drinking from my cup of tea. Enji sits across from me with his arms crossed. We've just finished breakfast here in our suite. Shoto, Midoriya, and his classmate Ida have been admitted to Hosu General Hospital after last night's encounter with Stain. The television across the living area shows images of the creatures from last tonight.
"The three villains arrested and restrained during the Hosu City's riots are all men with unknown addresses and identities," the anchorman says. "Based on their distinctive appearance and the presence of two people NHA TV filmed by chance, there are those saying they are connected to the League of Villains that attacked U.A. High School last month."
"The Hero Killer, Stain, has killed more people on his own since the appearance of All Might than any other individual criminal," the newswoman adds. "With his arrest, everyone around Japan can rest a little easier."
Enji turns off the television with the remote.
"In the city where the hero killer appeared," I begin to say. "Guys like Nomu were running wild just last night. There's probably an unease… that there's a connection between Stain and the League of Villains."
"He'll definitely leave his mark in the history of crime in Japan—no, in the world," Enji says.
I gaze down at my cup of tea in thought.
"What is it?" Enji sees my worried face.
"With all this chaos erupting…" I reply. "It may tempt people."
"Hm?"
"It will draw out the cruelty that lies inside them at their core… The pressure we felt from Stain was probably his strong ideology...or the intimidation from his obsession."
Enji stares at me as he listens intently.
"It's the same quality as that symbol of peace All Might has," I continue. "It's charisma. As the investigation continues, Stain's ideology will be all over the media… The current age, for better or worse, is one of suppression. There's no doubt people influenced by his ideas will appear."
"It's true that there will be those influenced by him," Enji says. "But they will probably appear sporadically. When they appear one by one, heroes will take care of them like they did this time."
"That's where the League of Villains comes in. The Hosu incident suggests that Stain and the League are connected somehow. With this, the League will go from being thought of as a bunch of juvenile delinquents that attacked U.A. to being recognized as the group with Stain's ideology… In other words, there's a receptacle ready to receive them. Even if the malice of each individual is small, if all that evil gathers under one will, it will swell up to hundreds of times that… Whoever the enemy general is, they knew this would happen from the beginning."
Enji stares intently at me, understanding what I'm saying.
"Our only duty as heroes is to prevent it from getting to that point," I say.
Enji nods, closing his eyes in thought.
Two days have passed since the Hosu incident. I'm in my apartment this evening, researching at my desk. I stare intently into my computer screen. My eyes scan the different news articles about Stain. It's all everyone's been talking about. Knocking at my door interrupts my thoughts. I head over and peer through the peephole on my door. Seeing who it is, I open the door.
"It's a little late to be out, don't ya think?" I smile.
A man a couple of inches taller than me with a slim and narrow build stands at my door. He has blond hair swept messily back with some of the front tufts sticking up above his head. There's some faint stubble on his chin. His set of large bright red wings rests on his back.
"What? I can't stop by and visit my sister?" He smiles.
"We're orphan siblings, Keigo," I retort.
"The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb," he has a smug smile.
I shake my head with a scoff and smile as I let him in.
"What are you up to?" Keigo asks after I close the door.
"I'm researching more on Stain," I reply.
Keigo takes a seat on my white L-shaped sofa. I head over to my laptop on my desk and bring it over to him.
"I hear Endeavor really gave it to him," Keigo says. "But that's not what really happened, is it?"
I sit next to him and give him a side glance, knowing that he must know the truth.
"Don't worry, I know the whole story," Keigo reassures me. "The Commission filled me in on it."
"Of course they would," I snark.
"Said that it was actually a few U.A. students who busted him up. I find that rather amusing."
"It is kinda funny."
"So what are you looking at now?" Keigo peers at my laptop screen after pulling his yellow-tinted visors down to his neck.
"I'm looking at all the media being posted on Stain."
"That's nothing new. It's everywhere."
"But you have things like this," I click on a video and show him. "Videos of Stain which highlight and even praise him for his ideology. With media like this, there's no doubt people will embrace his ideas."
"Well that's not good."
"And then I'm looking at the possible connection with the League of Villains… There's no doubt they're tied together. But what exactly is their purpose?"
I pull up another window of my internet browser showing Stain's information.
"Real name: Chizome Akaguro," I say. "All Might's debut left a deep impression on him, and he set his sights on becoming a hero."
"Huh. He doesn't strike me as a once aspiring hero," Keigo pokes fun.
"He enrolled in a private hero high school but was disappointed in the fundamentally depraved view of heroes taught by the educational system. He dropped out in the summer of his first year."
"Not a surprise."
"Until the end of his teenage years, he called for a return to the old idea of heroes, making speeches on the streets until he realized resignedly that words had no power… For the next ten years, in order to fulfill his so-called duty, he studied and trained in killing techniques on his own. During this time, his parents passed away, and that affair was considered non-criminal. He emphasized a return to the old idea of heroes. Heroes should not seek compensation. The title of hero must only be granted to those who epitomize self-sacrifice. The present-day heroes are fakes who are all talk. He wanted society to realize this through his purges one after another."
"This guy's way of life is infectious."
"His ideas will emit to every criminal, from petty ones to the big time felons… And they'll all flock to one place: the League of Villains."
"You think so?"
"Where else would they go? The attack the League orchestrated on USJ was enough to market themselves."
"I sure hope you're wrong," Keigo leans back on the couch.
Keigo stares at me as I stare intently at my computer screen. I notice his stare but keep my attention on my laptop.
"What?" I ask.
"You're so good at research," Keigo replies. "It was an skill you developed while under the Commission."
I keep quiet and don't answer.
"Come back to us, Akira," Keigo softly speaks.
"I can't…" I say. "There's too many...painful memories there."
"It's about Touya."
"Yes, and it's about so much more. The Commission took us in and raised us as soldiers who they pushed such heavy duties on. I don't agree with the manner in which the Commission carries itself."
I sigh as I close my eyes for a moment.
"You and I were essentially robbed of our childhoods," I say. "I respect your choice of staying with the Commission, but I also want you to respect mine. I left the Commission in January, almost a year ago. They let me go under the condition that I work under Enji in his hero agency. I'm not allowed to go anywhere else. I know they want to keep close surveillance of me because of my quirk. You tell me what kind of freedom that is."
Keigo looks down, understanding what I'm saying.
"Still...it would be nice having you around more often," he admits.
"Like you really miss me," I scoff.
"I do. You're the only family I have."
I turn to Keigo with a soft gaze as he returns it.
"So what's the Commission making you do now?" I ask.
"It's classified information," Keigo replies. "But I'll tell you anyway. They're having me investigate the Liberation Army."
"The Liberation Army?" I'm surprised. "That's a dangerous group."
"You're telling me. Those whack jobs wanna pit all of society into a caste system. And it's not a good one, I'll tell you that."
"A caste system? In what manner?"
"They want to put quirk users in a caste system that ranks them based on power. One's rank in society will be directly tied to the strength of one's meta ability. Elevating one's ability will be the only way to really live. Beyond strength, they see life has no value.
"What a dangerous and warped way of seeing life."
"I'm curious to see what the blooming League of Villains will have to say about the Army down the road. Japan isn't big enough for them both."
"That'll be interesting indeed."
I let out a yawn.
"That's my cue to leave," Keigo stands. "It's getting late. I'll let you get some rest."
I walk with him to my balcony. He slides the glass door open and turns to me as we stand outside.
"When will I see you again?" I ask.
"You do miss me, huh?" Keigo has a smug face.
"Fine, don't come around then."
"Alright, alright. Sheesh."
"You really are an annoying brother to me."
"But you love me," he holds up a finger.
"Shut up and fly outta here," I laugh.
He spreads his wings out, raising his visors over his eyes.
"Be careful, Keigo," I plead.
"Don't worry. You'll see me around," he gives me a smile and wink.
He taps his temple with two fingers at me before taking off. I watch as he flies away into the night.