The day after the practical exams were over, Class 1-A had reconvened, and while many of them were filled with pride and relief, there were the few students who were drowning in sorrow and anguish. For the two teams who'd failed their practical exam, they knew that the fun future they'd eagerly hoped for over the summer had been taken away from them. Instead, they all had to look forward to the grim and boring life of a summer school that'd be waiting for them over the summer.

"I'm... looking forward... *sniff*... to hearing the stories... *sniff*... of how fun camp was," said Ashido through misty eyes.

Izuku attempted to comfort them and give them solace over their failure in the practical exam. "Hey, maybe they'll end up letting you go. Who knows, there might be a last-minute twist or something."

Standing behind him, Sero placed his hand on the teenager's shoulder. "Stop, Midoriya. By saying that out-loud, you're just jinxing them."

Kaminari was not comforted or pleased with Midoriya's attempts to cheer them up. "They said whoever failed the exam would have to skip training camp and live in summer school hell. We didn't pass the practical, so we're doomed. Don't you get it, Midoriya, or did All Might knock all the brains outta you!" Enraged, the electricity-wielding teenager jabbed Izuku in the eyes, causing him to yell out in pain.

"Hey ease up, Kaminari!" replied Sero, "I don't think I'll get to go, either. Our team only passed thanks to Mineta: I got knocked out." As he was talking, the short teenager cupped his hand to his ear, basking in the pride of Sero admitting Mineta's singular role in their victory. "And since we don't know how they're scoring, I might've flunked."

"At least bring us back some souvenirs!"

"Once the bell rings, you should be in your seats!" The disorder and tumultuous behavior from the students of Class 1-A was abruptly put to an end when their homeroom teacher came through the door, his unquestionable authority firmly seeded in their brains.

"Good morning. Unfortunately, there are a few of you who didn't pass your final exams. So when it comes to the training camp..." The students who failed clenched their fists, waiting for their teacher to deliver the news they'd been waiting for.

"Everyone is going!"

The bad news they'd been dreading never came, and the hope they'd extinguished had come back to life with even greater fervor than before. "It's a last-minute twist!" they all shouted in unison.

"We all get to go to camp?"

"Seriously?"

"Yea. The good news is that nobody failed the written exam. Five of you failed the practical exam: two teams, of course, and then Sero failed as well." The tape-shooting teenager slapped his hand over his face, his looming suspicions confirmed to be true, while Mineta flexed his legs out while arrogantly whistling to himself.

"Allow me to explain: for the battles, the teams made sure for the students to win. Otherwise, you never would've stood a chance. We were each observing how you reacted and approached the task at hand."

"But didn't you promise the teachers wouldn't be holding back?" questioned Ojiro.

"That was just to get you on edge." Though this may have been the case for most of the teachers, the exception to this was All Might: unlike any of them, he'd held back much less against his opponents, specifically Shigeo, and he had not actually created an opportunity for the three-man team to defeat him. They had truly managed to capture him with power and skill he hadn't anticipated, though without Shigeo's aid, this would most certainly have not been the case. "Besides, the training camp's going to focus on building your strength. Those who failed need those lessons the most: that was just a logical deception we used."

"A LOGICAL DECEPTION?!" While the five students were celebrating in the fortuitous lie they'd been told, the class representative was not pleased to know they'd been led under false pretenses and made his frustration known.

"He tricked us all... I should've expected this." The spectacled teenager shot up from his seat. "Mr. Aizawa, this is the second time you've lied to us! Aren't you afraid we'll lose faith in you?"

"Uhhh... Little blunt there, Tenya," Ochaco remarked.

"That's a good point, I'll consider it," replied Mr. Aizawa, "But I wasn't lying about everything: failure is still failure. We've prepared special lessons for the five of you, and honestly, they'll be much tougher than anything you'd experience at summer school."

The five failures felt their optimism damper: whenever their teacher said something involving punishment or anything negative, they knew it wouldn't be a picnic. Regardless of how tough the training would be or whether or not there were failures among the students of Class 1-A, all of them were nevertheless very pleased to know they'd all be going together to the training camp as a class. In fact, they were so excited for this upcoming trip and how to prepare, some of the students of Class 1-A suggested that they all go shopping together at the mall. Many of them were quite pleased by the suggestion and accepted the offer, though a few of them declined, as Shoto used any free time to visit his mother while Katsuki was outright revolted of wasting his time with something as frivolous as that. For Shigeo Kageyama, it was yet another chance for him to spend some quality-time with his classmates and build some more great memories together. With all of the goods things that had happened to him and all of the progress he'd made, Mob had high hopes for what the future held for them all.


In the outside world, the mood of the public was slowly beginning to change. The Hero Killer had managed to leave a sizable impact through his actions and his ideals, and many people had actually started to idealize the Hero Killer. Not only was this shift occurring in the public, but it was also occurring within the villain world as well. The sparks of passion left by the Hero Killer were beginning to grow as villains began to draw inspiration towards the ideology Stain had left behind. What's more, the organization that Stain was said to have been a part of was only gaining greater notoriety, and many of the villains believed it was this organization, the League of Villains, that followed Stain's ideology. In fact, there were already recruits who'd requested they serve within the ranks of the League of Villains, ready to continue the mission the Hero Killer left behind.

While this may have been good to bolster the ranks of the League of Villains, its leader wasn't exactly jumping with joy at the people who wanted to join the organization. He'd already carried a pretty deep grudge against the Hero Killer for attacking him and stealing all his glory, so when these two recruits were brought by Giran, the broker for the League of Villains, he began to dismiss them when they explained their admiration for Stain. It got to the point that Tomura nearly killed both of them on the spot, and were it not for Kurogiri interfering, it could've ended very ugly. Tomura was reluctantly convinced by Kurogiri to spare them and accept them into the organization in order to bolster their numbers, but he quickly left in a huff, still fuming about what'd happened.

The villain walked through the streets wearing a black sweater with a hood that covered most of his face. After walking a short distance, Tomura came across a shopping mall and decided to enter to see the mood of the public. As he walked through the mall alone, the words the Hero Killer had spoken to him during their first meeting began to ring in his mind.

"What meaning is there to killing if you don't have real convictions?"

"Just you wait, Hero Killer," Tomura thought to himself. The villain observed the people around him, their relaxed attitude, the way they went about their day-to-day activities. There were probably horrible things happening, people dying at that very moment, and yet they were all acting like they didn't have a care in the world.

"Hero Killer gear!" To his right, there were two teenagers at a store admiring some of the Hero Killer merchandise being sold. "Are they really selling this?"

"You'll get into so much trouble if you actually end up buying that!"

"Sure, but how does it look on me?"

"So cool!"

Tomura continued to walk alone. It wasn't just those teenagers: there were so many other people who'd been idolizing the Hero Killer. He'd already garnered sympathizers who couldn't care less about his ideals, and yet they still followed Stain. Weren't he and Tomura doing the same things? In the end, both of them destroyed things they hated, so what was the difference? Why were so many people focusing on Stain and not Tomura or the League of Villains? Perhaps there was somebody out there who could help him answer this question...

His red eyes widened when he spotted someone familiar walking among the masses by himself. A smile split across his face: that would work. That was someone he could talk to...


After having agreed upon the date, time and meeting place, Class 1-A had all joined up together at the mall to do as they'd set out to do. In the crowd of students, Izuku was doing his trademark rambling about all of the unique designs and clothing that was being sold for people of different ages and body shapes. In such a large crowd of people, the classmates imagined that they wouldn't stand out much or garner any attention, but as it happened, there were still a few avid fans walking in the shopping mall.

"Whoa, aren't those U.A. students?" From the crowd of people, a group of three teenagers spotted the U.A. students and pointed their fingers at them.

"Class 1-A!"

"I saw them on T.V.!"

All three teenagers shouted in unison. "The Sports Festival was so good!"

Some students of Class 1-A felt flattered by this popularity of theirs that continued to persist even after all the time had passed. "I can't believe they still remember that," Ochaco remarked, one of the students who felt that way.

While this was happening, some of the other students were talking amongst themselves, wondering what to do with their time here and where it'd be best to purchase what they needed. Two of those people were Kyoka and Momo.

"I wanna track down a new duffel bag to bring to summer training camp," Kyoka said.

"Is that so? Perhaps we should browse together," replied Momo.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to come along too. I'd also like to find a bigger bag to bring my stuff for the camp, maybe buy a few other things too." Overhearing their conversation, Shigeo decided to ask whether or not he could partake in their search. Not only was it a chance to buy the things he needed, but he was very fond of both the girls, especially with the way they'd bonded over their study sessions.

Many of the other students were equally eager to look around the mall. "Hey guys, why don't we split up and look around, then we'll meet up here when we're done?" the red-haired teenager suggested after hearing the excitement his classmates were feeling.

"Great idea," replied Ashido.

"Perfect! Then let's say we'll all meet up around here 3:00?"

"Sounds good!"

With that, the class each split up into their own pairs or groups of three. "So where exactly did you want to go shopping for your duffle bag?" Momo asked.

"I know about a great shop with tons of sports equipment that's on the second floor," Jirou replied, pointing to its location, "It's right up there, and it's got some pretty cool looking equipment."

"Actually, you guys go on ahead," the esper said, "I need to find a bathroom."

"We can wait for you, if you'd like," Momo suggested.

"No no, that's fine. Besides, it won't be very long. I'll catch up with you guys in a little bit."

"If you say so." The two girls made their way to the shop, leaving Shigeo alone to find a nearby restroom. While he was looking for that restroom, he noticed some of the Hero Killer merchandise being sold at shops and the children actually taking the masks, putting it on their faces. It seemed as though many people had been inspired by Stain: he wondered how much things would be different if the world knew that Stain had actually changed his ways and surrendered peacefully...

He remembered that night so vividly, the night where Stain entrusted him with the mission to change society, to make people realize what it meant to be a hero. Still, that mission brought so many questions that the esper didn't know how to answer, and he had no idea how he was going to be able to change the "false heroes" Stain had talked about. He didn't even know the line of what made someone a "false hero". Even so, Shigeo still felt like he carried that weight of responsibility on his shoulders, and he refused to falter. Even knowing of his crimes, Shigeo still felt a sense of respect and appreciation for the man for his ideals, the ways he'd impacted Shigeo and made him reflect on things he hadn't considered. Not only that, but they did actually share some other similarities, in that both of them admired All Might, even if it was for different reasons...

"Oh, it's someone from U.A., how cool." Shigeo was shaken out of his thoughts when he heard someone approaching him. He turned around and saw a man with a black sweater come up and wrap his arm around his neck in a friendly manner. "I want an autograph. You're the one who got second place at the Sports Festival, right? Man, you were crazy strong."

"R-right, that's me." Shigeo was surprised by the amount of attention U.A. got: it was almost like he and his class were celebrities.

"And aren't you one of the students who ran into the Hero Killer during the Hosu incident too? You're basically famous."

"Y-you really know a lot, huh?"

"Eh, what can I say? I guess I'm just a big fan of yours. I can't believe I'm running in to you again." The teenager's pupils dilated, and his slightly flustered expression became more serious. What was that? What did he mean by "again"? "It makes me think that it might not be coincidence."

When the man began to place his hand around the teenager's throat, Mob felt his lips begin to tremble. Now that he heard it carefully, this voice sounded familiar...

"From your point of view, we haven't met since the attack on U.A." The suspension and terror was gripping Mob, sweat dripping down his face, the veins in his eyes beginning to bulge in fear. He looked the man in the face, to see if the man was actually who he was suspecting it was. Sure enough, the leader of the League of Villains was looking at him with those sinister red eyes and a wicked smile on his face. "Why don't we spend some time catching up, Shigeo Kageyama?"

"I-i-it's you. Tomura Shigaraki." Even though the esper was tremendously powerful, and truth be told, he could very easily take him down in a fight, Shigeo was still human, and he knew exactly what kind of quirk Tomura had. With his fingers, he could disintegrate anything he touched, and his fingers were currently on his throat. His mind was racing, unsure of how he should react. Did Tomura come here to kill him, to settle unfinished business from the U.S.J.?

"So-so what do you want?" Mob asked in a soft and shaky voice.

"Just calm down, brat, and don't act so nervous. Pretend I'm just an old friend who ran in to you at the mall. I just thought we should have a friendly chat, a conversation, that's all. Oh, and if you try to run or make any funny movements, it'll be fast: once all these fingers touch your neck, your throat'll be the first thing to go, then in a matter of seconds, my quirk'll spread to the rest of your body, and you'll disintegrate."

"Wait, you really just want to talk to me?" The villain's sinister smile loosened when he saw the look of fear begin to quickly fade. Even though he'd just threatened to disintegrate his entire body, it was almost like he was acting... relieved. For Mob, just knowing that the confrontation between the two of them didn't have to end in violence, that the two could simply exchange words, even if he was currently risking having his whole body destroyed to ensure those words were exchanged, it felt as though that made things much easier. "You didn't have to threaten me if that's all you wanted to do. I'm perfectly fine with talking, and I didn't get much of a chance to talk at the U.S.J."

To have a child taken hostage be so eager, so willing to converse with the villain, it was quite an unexpected move. Why was he suddenly acting so calm? The fear and nervousness in his voice had almost completely vanished. The way he was acting, it was like he'd actually been looking for the opportunity to talk with the villain before. It took a few seconds for Tomura to recover from the shock.

"...I thought you'd put up more of a fight, but I appreciate your lack of resistance. That makes this much easier. Let's go find a seat and get comfortable."

The two decided to sit down on a nearby circular bench, though the villain still had his fingers put to his throat, not so willing to put stock into the esper's words of pacifism. "Right now, there're a ton of things in this world that piss me off, but the Hero Killer's the one who's pissing me off more than anything else."

"Wasn't he working with you?"

"Not technically, but that's what the media's making it sound like, and that's my problem. Right now, everyone's completely obsessed with the stupid Hero Killer. The attack on U.A., the Nomus I released on Hosu, they upstaged all of that. Why is that? Even though he hid behind big talk, at the end of the day, he just tried to get rid of all the things he didn't like. So my question for you is what you think the difference is between the two of us, Kageyama?"

"The reason why so many people are looking up to the Hero Killer..." Shigeo remembered all of the words Stain spoke even before his surrender, the ideals he preached and the honor he showed towards the people he saw as worthy of the title "hero", and how people could be inspired by such words. "When it comes to you and your group, I don't agree with anything you've done so far, and I can't understand why you've done it. What the Hero Killer did, I don't think that any of it was right either, but at the very least, I could see where he was coming from. He had ideals, people he looked up to for inspiration, and that's something he and I have in common. Both of us admire All Might, though it might be for different reasons, and have been inspired to be better because of him. He saw there were problems with the world, and he wanted to change it, even if he went about it the wrong way. Not only that, but he had a very strong dedication, a burning drive to fufilll his goal. You don't have any of those things, and you're just destroying things so casually, without any real reason. I think that's why people have been inspired by Stain and not you."

Finished with the explanation, Shigeo waited to see Tomura's response to his thoughts. The esper felt his entire body shudder, as if the weight of the atmosphere around the two of them began to grow heavier.

"It's like a weight off my chest. I see it now, all the dots connecting, why he makes me so angry, why you irritate me so much. Everything makes sense." Across Tomura's face was a devilish smile, his eyes glowing with a fierce passion and hatred that exuded a tremendous pressure, Mob's lips beginning to tremble in fear again. "It's him: the problem is All Might. That's gotta be the most rational explanation. I didn't see it even though it was right in front of me the whole time. What was I worrying about so much? He's the reason why these idiots smile thoughtlessly, because they feel so safe that garbage pro's smiling thoughtlessly too! Oh I'm glad we had this chat! I feel better! I can't thank you enough!"

The villain began to tighten his grip on the esper's throat, and though Mob felt his mind begin to race and panic, he forced himself to regain his composure, because there were still unanswered questions, too few things he knew about Tomura.

"But I still don't get it: why do you hate All Might? What has he done that's so bad in your eyes? He's a genuinely good person, committed to helping whoever he can. What about that do you hate?" Tomura's gleeful, maniac expression started to simmer down, the features on his face beginning to morph with irritation and hatred.

"What I hate about that?" The villain pointed at all of the civilians walking in the crowd. "Look at all these people with those happy smiles on their faces. Right now, they're all acting like they live in some sort of paradise, a utopia where they feel completely secure. They think there's nothing bad happening in the world, as if people aren't being killed or dying in the streets. In their eyes, they think that no matter what, there's always gonna be a hero to come in and rescue them. They think All Might's always gonna swoop in and save the day with that stupid smile on his face. Well, guess what? There wasn't a big, strong hero to swoop in and save me." The esper's eyes nominally widened, though the villain continued.

"There isn't much I remember from my past, but from the earliest I can remember, I wandered the streets alone, miserable and helpless. Living on the streets, not a single person ever bothered to lend a hand, not a single hero in this "perfect" society came to save me. The only one who was there for me when I needed it, was my master. He was the the only person who ever lent me a hand. He's the one whob showed me just how garbage the ideals this hero society preaches really are, and because of that, I owe everything to him."

The esper could see it now: any questions or confusion as to why Tomura had chosen to become a villain were answered, and he could now clearly see where the source of his hatred came from. "You're talking about All For One. So he found you and taught you to hate the world for what it did to you." Mob looked Tomura in the eye with a calm yet somehow intense gaze, causing the villain to inch his head back ever-so-slightly. "He's convinced you that taking revenge against the society that rejected you is the only way to live your life, and he's taught you to fuel your hatred to do it. But choosing revenge, holding that hatred in your heart, you won't find any peace. You'll only just tear yourself apart. What All For One's done to you... someone who really cared about you wouldn't want you to become a villain like this."

Tomura viciously tightened the grip on his neck, causing the esper to let out a stifled moan of pain. "Watch what you say about my master. Besides, what the hell would you know about it? What makes you think you'd know anything about what it feels to live in the world I have? Honestly, I don't even know why I bothered telling you my past: a brat with a crazy powerful quirk like yours, I bet your life's been nothing but an easy cruise full of praise and admiration, everything handed to you. With that crazy strong Quirk of yours, I'm sure you wanna be the number one hero JUST like your idol, All Might."

"You're wrong. I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. The world you've lived in, I've had to live in it too." Mob's eyes went down to his lap, staring emptily at his hands as the memories of the nightmare he lived in Mogami's mental world. "I know what it feels like to be alone in a cruel society. To have no one there for you, to be used and bullied by others as an outcast. When I lived in that world, every day was just torture, torment without end. I'd hoped that somebody would rescue me, be there to help me through my suffering, but the people there would just watch and walk away while I was being beaten and abused. I spent every day with people I hated, and that hatred slowly grew inside of me. I tried my best to fight against that world, but that hatred just kept festering. One day, I couldn't take it anymore: the hatred in my heart finally exploded, and I fought back against the people who tormented me." The esper's hands started to shake, remembering what he'd used them for that day.

"I remember so clearly the feeling of my hands wrapped around their necks, slowly choking the life out of them..." Tomura felt his eyes widen open, rapidly blinking in disbelief. He was so shocked that the hold he had on Shigeo's throat was almost completely loose. What was he saying? Was he really telling Tomura the truth? But why? Why was he telling him of a moment like this? Could Kageyama have truly gone through something so painful in his life just like Tomura?

"Kageyama, we've been waiting for you."

"Yo, what's taking you so long?"

Before Tomura could follow up with any questions, Momo and Kyoka decided to come back down after noting the excessive time he was taking to meet up with them. But for some reason, Shigeo was sitting beside a man who was holding a hand to his throat, who looked as though he strengthened his grip upon their arrival.

"Is that... a friend of yours?" said Jirou.

Yaoyorozu shook her head, her pupils starting to dilate. "No, that's not it. Something's not right here." It almost looked as though this man was restraining him, keeping him hostage. "Sir... let go of him, please!"

The calmness Mob had before was being quickly overshadowed by panic. "It's fine, you guys! Both of you, stay back!"

Tomura immediately released his hold on the esper and put both of his hands in the air while he innocently smiled at the two girls. "You were here with friends? I didn't know! Sorry about that!" Tomura lowered his head to Shigeo's level, who was coughing heavily. "If you try to follow me or do anything to attack me, I'll bring some of my new Nomu here to back me up, and they're just as strong as the one from the U.S.J.," he whispered.

This was a bluff: it would likely be very easy for Shigeo to paralyze him with his quirk or knock him out with his super strength before he could have time to react, but hopefully this threat would deter him from any serious actions. Mob's friends quickly rushed over to his side to try and help him up while Tomura made his exit.

"Kageyama..." Yaoyorozu muttered.

"Tomura, wait!"

The two girls gasped at the mention of that name. Was he really talking about the same Shigaraki that led the League of Villains? Tomura stopped and barely turned his head to look back at the esper. What did he have to say now?

"I want you to know that if you ever want to talk to me again, just find me, and I promise I'll be there to listen."

A wave of gasps spread among the other three, and Tomura fully turned his head to meet the esper in the eyes. Did he really just say that? The esper felt a sprout of compassion for Tomura grow in his garden of empathy and kindness, and because of that, he had to let him know that he understood his pain and confusion and that he'd be there to help him through those emotions.

Everyone there remained frozen in place for what felt like hours, but in reality, only seconds had passed. After this brief pause, the villain said nothing and walked back into the crowd of people. Momo and Kyoka snapped out of their shock after Tomura had left and prioritized their friend's safety.

"Kageyama, are you alright? Did he hurt you badly?"

"No, no, it's nothing serious."

"Was that really him?" asked Kyoka, "Tomura Shigaraki, the leader of the League of Villains?" The esper nodded.

"If that's true, then we oughta go after him! Come on, he couldn't have gone far."

"No, Jirou. Trying to start a fight with him in a mall would definitely lead to some casualties. Besides, he warned me he'd summon more Nomu if we tried anything. Trust me, it's better that he leaves now."

"His assessment is correct," replied Momo, "And beyond that, none of us have any authority to use our quirks against villains. It would be better to leave it to the authorities. Jirou, go find a security officer and inform them of the situation. I'll stay here with Kageyama."

"Right!" The purple-haired teenager went off at a brisk pace to find the nearest security guard. As Shigeo attempted to finish clearing his throat, Momo spoke up about what she'd just witnessed.

"Kageyama, what you said to Shigaraki, you didn't really mean that, did you? What sort of trick or plan did you attempt to pull?"

"I wasn't trying to trick him in any way. I honestly meant what I said."

Momo's eyes narrowed, and she found it difficult to try to find the right words. But when she did, her voice was elevated, and her tone was rife with confusion. "W-What are you talking about? Why would you express any desire whatsoever in actually helping such a heinous villain? Don't you remember that he attacked our school and threatened the lives of people in Hosu City with his Nomu? And he just held you captive. A fiend like that shouldn't deserve any sort of aid from anyone."

"It's not that simple, Yaoyorozu." The girl's eyebrows furrowed upward, and the esper sat back in his seat while he stared out into the place where Tomura had just left. "You're right, he's done some really bad things, and in that sense, he is the bad guy here, but he was made to be that way." Momo's eyes began to slowly widen, and she took a seat next to her friend.

"I misjudged the kind of person he was based on our first interaction. But after talking to him, after he told me some of his past, now I can understand why he's doing this. All his life, he was forced to walk alone in the streets, neglected, ignored and abandoned by everyone. When he finally met someone who was willing to help him when no one else would, that man taught him to hate society, to use his negative emotions and take revenge on the world that shunned him.

Shigeo's eyes met his friend's gaze yet again. "Yaoyorozu, you have to understand: this world, it can be a truly cruel, lonely place for so many people, one where they may suffer all their lives, always hoping for something better but never getting it. You haven't had to experience that side of this world, and I really hope you never will, but I do think it's important for you to understand that side of the world exists. Because that darkness exists in our world, it's why I think we need to always be grateful to the people in our lives who're there for us when we need them, because without them, we'd be broken. Tomura's a product of that cruel world, one that's broken him with the pain of loneliness. He has a hole in his heart, and he thinks hating that world is the only way to fill the hole. Seeing someone like that who's suffering so much, it just makes me... sad."

Expressing all of these thoughts out-loud made Shigeo feel an even deeper sense of empathy and desire to help Tomura than before. He saw Tomura as another reflection of who he could've become, a vengeful, murderous madman fueled by hatred without regard for human life. Mob truly hoped he'd get the chance to see Tomura again, be given the chance to have another talk with him, and because of that, a part of him also didn't want the police to find him in the mall. He could only wonder where Tomura was going right now, and what he was thinking...


Tomura's mind was in a state of disarray and confusion. At first, he'd thought the conversation he had with Kageyama had fixed all his problems and self-doubts he'd been having, cementing his hatred for All Might and the reason he wanted to kill him. But then, he went on and on, asking Tomura questions about himself, trying to lecture him, telling him things he'd never told anyone before.

"Wait, you really just want to talk to me? You didn't have to threaten me if that's all you wanted to do. I'm perfectly fine with talking."

"I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. The world you've lived in, I've had to live in it to. I know what it feels like to be alone in a cruel society. To have no one there for you, to be used and bullied by others as an outcast. When I lived in that world, every day was just torture, torment without end. I spent every day with people I hated, and that hatred slowly grew in my heart. I tried my best to fight against that world, but my hatred continued to grow and grow."

"I want you to know that if you ever want to talk to me again, just find me, and I promise I'll be there to listen."

With the exception of All For One, no one in his entire life had ever extended him any sort of help or emotional support before, and this was to the man who'd attacked his school and threatened to kill him. A part of Tomura was honestly doubting whether any of what he'd seen from Shigeo was actually real, whether the words he said and the feelings he displayed to the villain were genuine or some sort of intricate plot to make Tomura trust him. But deep down, Tomura knew that what the kid had said and done was nothing but the truth. He knew that it was very possible Mob could've pulled a fast one, tried to knock him out when he'd apprehended the esper, but he didn't.

His mind also pondered the statement regarding the path of vengeance against All Might and hero society. Shigeo's description of his own past life sounded nearly identical to the life of pain and hatred Tomura had lived as a child, and even after having gone through that experience, the teenager still told Tomura not to embrace hatred in his heart. So what did all this mean? It seemed crazy that he'd actually take the words of a kid so deeply, but the way he'd acted, the compassion in his gestures and words, they were all unlike anything Tomura had ever experienced before, and because of that, his mind wouldn't stop racing...

Once he returned to the hideout, he walked right past the others, not even bothering to acknowledge them. Tomura went to the bar and slowly sat down.

"You've returned, Tomura Shigaraki," Kurogiri said, "Did you manage to collect yourself while you were away?" The villain didn't respond. His hands were clasped together, resting on the table, and his gaze was transfixed on the empty space in front of him.

"What's wrong?" Dabi said, "Did my words actually manage to hurt your little feelings?"

"Put a sock in it." Normally, Tomura would've responded with a much more biting comeback and potentially even attacked in retaliation, but here, it was nothing more than a soft and bitter retort. On the other side of the bar, the television was turned on, and All For One watched his disciple's behavior.

"Tomura, what is it that troubles you?"

"Master, I wanna talk to you, alone." The century-old villain's eyebrows lifted, or they would if he still had any, and Kurogiri similarly gasped in confusion. Tomura's narrowed eyes went to the other three in the room. "The three of you, get out."

Each of their reactions was of general indifference, seeing no reason to be there to listen to whatever Tomura had to get off his chest. With only Kurogiri allowed to remain, All For One decided to inquire on his disciple's concerns.

"What would you like to get off your mind?" he asked.

"Master..." The young man's hands began to slightly shake, and he turned to the television to stare at his teacher. "That day, when you first found me, why did you choose to help me?"

It was a brief moment before All For One could give an answer, for the question that was posed was one he hadn't imagined Tomura would ever ask him. "...Isn't that obvious? I helped you because I saw you as an innocent child who fell victim to this warped hero society spearheaded by All Might, and I saw you as someone with the heart to take revenge against those who wronged you."

"You taught me to use that hatred against everything I despised. If I do, if I take revenge against all of them, will that finally fill it up... this hole in my heart?"

"Tomura, this is not like you at all. What is causing you to doubt yourself like this?"

"When I went out, I walked into the mall to clear my head. When I was there, I ran into Kageyama. I talked to him about the things on my mind..." Tomura looked out in front of him, the child's words still fresh in his mind. "He spoke to me in a way that no one else but you has ever done before. What he said, it just... made me start thinking..."

"So you're really telling me you're going to just give up on your ambitions, your goals, at the drop of a hat?" All For One's voice was now dead serious, with an elevated tone he'd never used with his disciple before. "Do not let go of the hatred in your heart. It is the power that you need to fuel your endeavor. You cannot forget everything you've gone through. Remember, this warped hero society is responsible for what they've done to you. The very name I gave you, Tomura, was meant to to mourn the parting of your old self ripped away by society, and to represent your rebirth as a harbinger of mourning. Are you really just going to allow society to continue in this bliss, watch as All Might continues to stand atop the hopes and dreams of the people who've been abandoned by that society? Can you really allow any of them to get away with such crimes?"

All For One's words were successful: the villain clenched his empty hands, and the fire in his crimson eyes returned. "You're right, master. I can't forget that All Might's to blame for all of this. I won't let that shiny icon continue to sit on his luxurious throne, free of guilt and responsibility. That bastard's gonna know what it feels like to lose everything, and society's gonna watch as their beloved symbol of peace gets dethroned by me. That's my conviction: to create a world without All Might, and I won't let that conviction go to waste. After all, dear old Stain was nice enough to rally supporters to join the League of Villains with his conviction. It'd be a waste to not use that conviction to my advantage, to topple the man he so admired."

The criminal mastermind let out a deep chuckle while a sinister smile crept up on his face. "Very good, Tomura. I hope you will not allow your will to waver again. Remember, I've created all of this for you." All For One muted the microphone, and his sinister smile quickly began to turn into a scowl. The true leader of the League of Villains was not liking this at all: what in god's name was happening?

Coming in from the back of the room, Doctor Ujiko decided to pause his work on the Nomu after having heard his friend talking extensively. What had been most curious, however, was that All For One had raised his voice, something rare for the man who was usually so calm and collected. The doctor approached the villain and quickly took note of his aggravated demeanor, his scowl and clenched fists being tell-tale signs.

"You seem oddly aggravated, master. It isn't like you to lose your composure."

"It's that boy, Shigeo Kageyama..." The doctor raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "He has become an even bigger threat than I'd ever thought possible. It was a big enough of a hindrance when we learned he has strength comparable to All Might and could give his energy to rejuvenate him, but now it turns out he has something that is far more dangerous to our plans."

"And what is that?"

"He managed to shake Tomura's will. I don't know how it's possible, but that child talked with him today, and somehow, he was able to make cracks in his resolve. I've spent countless time and effort training him to be my successor, but all that effort can't be put to good use if Tomura loses the will and hatred to inherit my mantle. Tomura has finally found his conviction, and he's managed to acquire followers that will get behind his principles. I cannot allow anyone to interrupt his progression, not at such a pivotal point in his development like this.

"We must focus our efforts on eliminating Kageyama as soon as possible. He must not be given the chance to shake his will again, or everything we've worked to achieve will be for naught. How is the progress with the High-End Nomu going?"

"...I'm haven't had any break-throughs yet. I've had moderate success making some extra Lower-tier and Mid-tier Nomu, and I've managed to work on a new Upper-tier Nomu. But to jump all the way to the High-End Nomu is quite the difficult task, even for me. I've had to halt the production of at least half of the Lower-tier and Mid-tier Nomu to make time for the construction of the High-Ends, but I'm still going to need more time to conduct research, perform experiments to perfect their creation."

"If so, then you must do whatever you can to fix my body, doctor. If I'm forced to handle that child myself, then I need to be in at least some form of fighting condition, armed with the most powerful quirks we have. Nothing less would be good enough to take on someone of Kageyama's strength."

"Naturally." The doctor straightened his posture. "Rest assured, however, I will not waver. I am prepared to do whatever it takes to assist. That's why I took the risk of you giving me a second quirk, Cognizant, which increases my brain's processing speed and allows me to continue functioning with only an hour of sleep. So do not fear, master. All will be well."

All For One managed to crack a smile, for he knew he'd need all the help he could get when he was in such a decrepit state. He would not allow a simple child to undermine everything he'd worked towards, to put into shambles the master plan he'd meticulously crafted for so long. One way or another, Shigeo Kageyama would fall.


After Jirou reported the incident to security, the mall had been temporarily closed, and the police arrived to do a thorough sweep of the mall, but they couldn't find the villain anywhere. Momo and Shigeo had been momentarily questioned by security before Shigeo had been taken to the station to question him more about his interactions with Tomura.

Once Shigeo had been taken for questioning, the rest of the students decided to return home. Though all of them were greatly concerned and traumatized by their friend having a near-death experience with the League of Villains once again, one of the students was taking a different reaction to what had happened, and that student was Momo Yaoyorozu.

The wealthy girl stood at the front gates of her home, and buzzed Uchimaru to let her inside. She stared intently at the massive structure before her, looking now at the many trees and the long path into her home that set a peaceful mood for a relaxing stroll. As the gates opened and she walked inside, Momo continued to take in the setting around her, the elegantly designed road that contrasted perfectly with the lines of trees and the lampposts that further harkened the tranquil mood.

While taking a stroll through the road, she took a sharp detour into the garden, wanting to wander through the lush scenery of colorful flowers spread all throughout the garden. Momo paced right next to the small pond, where she placed her hand into the crystal-clear water. With her other hand, she gently lifted some of the asters and put them to her nose.

Shigeo's words had left a deep impact in the heart of the young girl. When she had viewed Tomura Shigaraki as a mere criminal who deserved to be punished under the law for his threats against her classmates, Kageyama had chosen to view him as a person who'd suffered greatly from the loneliness of his past and the pain he'd endured. He viewed him as a victim of a cruel world that helped morph him into a villain. For him, he put emphasis on the unforgiving nature of this world, to the point that he almost painted it as hell itself.

Momo could not understand what he'd described, she could not truly empathize with any of the feelings he'd spoken of. As he himself said, she never had to experience the cruel side of the world. But from the way he detailed it, the emotion in his voice, he made it sound as he DID have to experience that world, know the deep, cutting pain of loneliness that tore one's very soul. But then, Kageyama emphasized that it was precisely because this world existed that people needed to be grateful for the things and the people they had, to be able to live in the light side of the world.

Yaoyorozu stared at the pond, gazing into her crisp, clear reflection. She'd never taken the time to consider this, but she really was UNBELIEVABLY lucky. In this garden were the flowers she'd planted with her mother, splashed around the small pond with her, and laughed as both of them got drenched. It was in this garden that just last week, her mother had approached her with tears in her eyes and embraced her while telling her what an amazing daughter she was. When she looked back at it, her mother had gone out of her way to assist her the week before. She'd taken the time to prepare pastries for her friends, constantly checking up on them and being sure to make her friends have the best time possible. She didn't have to do any of these things: she could've just left everything to the maids or butlers, but she'd still chosen to take it upon herself to aid her daughter, just like she'd always done.

And then there was her father: like her mother, he'd been someone who'd been a constant in her life. He'd been there to help her study and master her quirk as a child, always being sure to take the time to relax and have fun with her, taking her to play in the game room. Momo knew that she could always count on him to help her get stronger or just simply have fun. All of these minor things, all of the ways her parents had been there, she realized that they showed how much the two of them loved her.

Something as simple as being loved... it was something that she'd been taking for granted. Sure, she'd always been very kind with both of her parents, and they had wonderful times with one another, but had she really gone out of the way to thank them, on her own? She hadn't. Actually, she'd never even bothered taking the time to thank her mother for her help last week with the study session, partly because she'd been too embarrassed by the fact that she'd made terrible pastries her classmates had been forced to eat so they wouldn't hurt her mother's feelings. Though Kageyama had said to thank her mother for her cooking, she knew he was just lying to compliment her, and hearing that had managed to leave her with a small twinge of embarrassment.

Now that Momo really thought about it, her parents weren't the only things she needed to be thankful for: it was everything. Even if her childhood had occasionally been lonely, it was nevertheless one where she could have whatever she wished. She had maids who'd get her whatever she wished, a butler who'd attend to her every need, and more rooms to explore than she would ever need. She had her own personal pool, a spa room to decompress and relax, a game room where she played ping pong or pool with her father whenever she wished, closets the sizes of rooms filled to the brim with a seemingly endless selection of clothes, and a garden with enough size and variety of flowers to be classified as a small jungle. With the money her parents had, she took vacations all over the world every summer and winter, skiing in the Alps, scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, driving through the savannah in Africa, so many places in the world.

For Momo, this were just part of her lifestyle, something that she'd been born into and had become part of her normal life, but how many other people could say the same thing? How many others lived in the castle she did? One percent? A tenth of a percent? No, probably a millionth of the population had access to the things she had. People who lived in poverty, who wandered the streets alone, they'd dream to have all the things she did. But never could she truly understand that: never had she shown real gratitude the way Kageyama had described it, because everything she lived through, she'd viewed it as her regular life, nothing particularly special. This was what Shigeo had helped her see, that it was more special than she'd ever realized. Well, she wouldn't take these things for granted any longer!

She tore her eyes away from the reflection and went back into the mansion with a brisk step in her pace. Momo wandered through the house, attempting to look for her parents: she needed to talk to them right now. When she asked the maids where they were, they replied that her mother and father were both relaxing in the main living room. When she entered, however, she found the vast room empty. For some reason, the television was turned on, and the news was on. She wondered what the news was broadcasting, but she gasped when she realized they were reporting about the incident with Tomura at the mall. The story was already out that quickly?

"Momo!"

The young teenager turned to find her parents rushing over to her side with fear and worry etched into their faces. The two parents crowded around their daughter, both of them placing their hands on Momo's cheeks or shoulders.

"We were just watching the news," her father said, "Are you ok? Did you have a run-in with the villain? Were you hurt in anyway?"

"I'm not hurt, father," she replied, "There's no need to worry yourselves."

Momo's mother took a deep breath of relief. "That's wonderful news," she said, "It's frightening to know that these villains have targeted your class so much."

"It's very frightening indeed," the father said, "The news said that Kageyama was the one who was targeted by the villain, but they didn't go into much details. Is he alright, too?" After having heard from his wife what the esper had done for his daughter, his respect for Kageyama grew immensely. That boy had managed to make Momo believe in herself, helping her with problems that neither of them knew about, correctly acknowledging Momo as the amazing young girl she was. Anyone able to see what their daughter had to offer was a keeper in his book.

"Thankfully, he wasn't hurt either."

"That's a relief. Still, I'm sure this must've been a painful experience for both him and you." Momo's father softened his eyes as he cupped her cheek in his hand. "We'll have the maids put on a pot of tea for you, and we'll set up one of your favorite movies for you." His wife mimicked her husband's gestures and his affectionate gaze, and both caressed their daughter's cheeks. The two parents were quickly taken off-guard when their daughter pulled them both into a very tight hug. Both looked at each other, concerned about what evoked such a strong emotional reaction from their daughter.

"Momo, are you sure you're alright?" her mother said. Their daughter remained silent for a few seconds before giving a response, digging deep into her heart to find the right words.

"Mother, I didn't say this before, but I wanted to say thank you for everything you did to help me last week with my friends. I sincerely appreciate your sentiment, the effort you put into helping me even when you didn't have to. It's the same sentiment you've both carried for me all my life. You've always done your best to help me, to make sure I'm happy, and you've given me more than most people could ever dream of. I'm truly blessed to have you both in my life." This is what Momo felt she owed to both her parents, to show this gratitude. The two parents were deeply touched by their daughters words, and it made them happy to know that their daughter appreciated everything they'd done for her. They wrapped their arms around their daughter's waist and tightened the embrace.

"It's our pleasure, Momo. You know we'd do anything for you." The three stood there, basking in this love and adoration as a family. For a family who lived in luxury like this, it was a good reminder that having each other was more of a luxury than anything else.


While the Yaoyorozu family was having a very touching moment, Shigeo was at the police station being questioned by Detective Tsukauchi. The esper told the detective mostly everything about the conversation they had, Tomura's confusion about the popularity of the Hero Killer, his newfound conviction to destroy All Might, and some of the Tomura's past, though he'd left out the parts where he mentioned his time in Mogami's world.

"From what I'm hearing, it sounds like they're not a monolithic organization, and it doesn't sound like his desire to defeat All Might has changed a bit. Anyway, thanks for the report, Kageyama. This helps."

"Oh, sure." After having finished answering the detective's questions, the two of them went out the back exit, ironically the same place where All Might had first told Tsukauchi the truth about Kageyama.

"Tsukauchi!"

Coming from the back of the alley, the number one hero approached the two of them in his true form. "All Might," the detective said.

The esper's eyes widened. "Wait, he knows about your true form, All Might?"

"Yea; this is the friend I told you about, the one who I told about you and the one who helped create legal records for you?"

"He is?" Mob looked up at the detective, who was giving him a warm smile.

"I've gotta admit, when All Might first told me about it, I thought he was just pulling my leg, but after I couldn't find any proof you existed, I couldn't really think of a better story or why he'd bother to make some sort of crazy joke like that. But I couldn't mention any of that while I was questioning you, not when there were other officers there."

Toshinori placed his hand on the esper's head. "It's such a relief. I'm so glad you're ok. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to protect you and the others."

"That's fine; I wasn't hurt, and neither was anyone else." Standing there in the alley, Shigeo's thoughts went back to Tomura, but this time, the thoughts were centered around the comments he made regarding All Might, how he spoke of the way All Might acted like he could save everyone like some ultimate hero. Though he had a general understanding of what it meant to be a good person, being a good hero was still something relatively foreign to him. Because of this, he couldn't help but wonder All Might's feelings on this matter.

"All Might, do you ever have moments when you feel as though you're not able to save all the people you want?" All Might slightly recoiled at the esper's unexpected question, but then lowered his head.

"Yes I do, and quite often." The symbol of peace lifted his head to stare up into the dark, empty sky. "Someone could be injured and calling out for help anywhere in the world right now, and I wouldn't know about it. It's frustrating, but we're only human. There're always gonna be people beyond our reach that we can't protect, but that's all-the-more reason to stand tall and smile, so that the Symbol of Justice is always there, even when I can't be. A flicker in people's hearts, whether it be a hero or a villain."

The young esper was fascinated by the hero's words and message, but it also served as a confirmation for a sad reminder Tomura had shown him, and his eyes went to the ground. "So it's really true then: even in a world of heroes, with a Symbol of Peace watching over everyone as a protector, there's still a cruel part in society..."

Both adults felt concerned at the negative tone the esper was speaking with. "Come on, Kageyama, don't take Shigaraki's words so seriously. That was just the villain's resentment talking: All Might has never failed to save someone after arriving at an emergency. He's still the Symbol of Peace, after all.

"Think we've got everything we need, so we're done here. I've got a few things to talk to All Might about, so if you want, I can have a police car take you home."

"No, that won't be a problem. Kageyama can fly to my apartment way faster than a car could ever get there. I'll see you in a bit, Kageyama, and when I get back, we'll put on a movie to watch."

The young teenager's aura came to life, and he gave the number one hero a small nod. "Sure thing." Mob burst into the sky, creating a burst of air pressure that managed to send the two friends back a few inches.

"This time, at least, it appears to have been a coincidental meeting," the detective said, "But there's a large possibility that he or another student will be targeted in the future, even with Kageyama's remarkable power. Of course, we'll continue to be on high alert here, but the school should be prepared to take drastic measures. Still, for the good of the students, you should consider leaving U.A."

"But I've barely gotten started: it's only been three months of teaching."

The detective let out a chuckle. "I told you before that you weren't cut out for teaching."

"Hey, gimme some credit," he replied in a somewhat joking manner, "Kageyama's been living with me, and he says I've been doing a good job mentoring him?"

Tsukauchi chuckled once again, but the joking manner quickly subsided. "All For One again. This time, we NEED to capture him."

The number one hero nodded, gazing out into the horizon. "One more fight. I'll be counting on you again to finish the job, Tsukauchi." All Might knew it was his responsibility to complete the mission his predecessors had died trying to finish. He couldn't leave it up to either Midoriya or Kageyama right now, not when they were potential targets. Whatever loathsome plans the Symbol of Evil had in store, All Might had to stand tall and face them, for the good of his students and their futures.


How did we like that? A lot of you are probably thinking, "Wait, when did All Might talk to Tsukauchi? I don't remember reading that?" Well I added that section to Chapter 6, so you might wanna reread the chapter so that last section makes sense. I hope you enjoyed the way I did things with Mob and Tomura, the empathy and desire to help Tomura that managed to land deep in his heart. At the same time, I thought about the little part with Yaoyorozu as a fun bit of character development, since I don't think gratitude is an especially large theme that's tackled in many anime, or at least you don't see too many characters give sincere thanks that often, so I thought it would be nice to add it here.

Also, a lot of you've been asking this, and I will NOT be adapting Two Heroes into the story. I just find that with Mob around, things would progress WAY too easily, and it'd just be more of a chance to flex Mob without any real purpose. That's not something I'm too eager to do, especially when Wolfram is just a mediocre villain Mob could probably beat on his own. Besides that, I wanna jump right into the forest training arc, where thing will get VERY intense!

And in regards to character development for Izuku, the next chapter will have some vital moments for him, so get ready to enjoy that!