Hi there guys! Here with a brand spanking new chapter! You know the drill, I standard disclaimer, constructive criticism is welcome, read, review, moo, yodelaidleheehoo all the way!

Big thanks to Santos and Old man of the Mountain for beta'ing!

In Professional Heroism, there are many factors that influence one's success in the field. Critical thinking, quick reactions and constant training are significant ones, alongside preparation, coordination and many others. While important in their own right, despite common opinion, quirks aren't the most important ones. No, many times the thing that can make or break a Pro Hero's career is that ever-fickle mistress called luck.

And lying on his hospital bed, Tensei Iida, widely known as Ingenium, considered himself very, very lucky at the moment.

"Alright, almost done, just one more check…" said the nurse. She lightly tapped his upper leg, just below his waist, causing him to hiss. A credit to her profession, she ignored it and repeated the action a couple more times in the surrounding area before typing on her tablet. "Your body is in near perfect condition, other than your right leg. The knife your assailant used was serrated; your muscle ligaments received massive damage in that area."

Tensei frowned. Most of his daily fitness routine was running, not to mention kicks. He was well aware of the damage tearing a leg muscle could lead to, much less it being forcibly torn from the outside. "I see. What can be done?"

"Thankfully, the knife didn't reach the bone, so you won't have to put it in a cast. We'll use Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy to help the muscles mend, and the doctor has received word that Recovery Girl will come by soon to speed up the process. You won't be here for more than a week."

A smile of relief grew on his face. He wasn't out of commission yet. "Thank you."

Red flashed across the nurse's face. "N-no need, it's our pleasure. You Heroes risk your lives against lunatics like the Hero Killer every day, this is the least we can do to help you." She then shifts, sending him a bashful look. "Although…I was wondering…can I get your autograph?"

Tensei chuckled. "Of course. If you'll give me a pen I'll-" He blinked as suddenly a pen and a towel were soon before him. The nurse's face had reddened further, clashing with her brown hair. He chuckled again as he gently took both items from her and wrote on the towel.

"Keep on helping! Ingenium :)"

He returned the pen and towel to her, to which she gave him a beaming smile. She opened her mouth to say something when a knock came from behind the door.

"Yes, who is it?"

"Ingenium's brother, along with some friends. Is it a bad time?"

Both of them blinked in surprise; the nurse because she hadn't expected any visitors and Tensei because, if he recalled correctly, these were school hours. Given his little brother's…enthusiasm for following rules, the news about his encounter must have hit him hard.

The nurse shoots him a questioning look and after a moment, he nods. She walked to the door and pushed it open. "Now remember, his leg needs healing so try not to crowd -"

"Tensei!" In a flash, Tenya stood at the side of his bed, his bespectacled eyes looking him up and down with worry. "What is your condition? How did you fight the Hero Killer? Will you be able to return to Heroics?"

"Woah there, little brother, easy," Tensei said, raising his hands in a calming gesture. "I get that you're worried, but it's nothing, see? Just a little cut. I'll be back on the job in no time."

A frown grew on Tenya's face as he looked at the wound, wrapped in gauze and medical tape. He then let out a sigh and took a step back. "Yes, of course. I apologize for that outburst. It's just that the news came so suddenly that…I must confess I feared the worst." He then stood straight and went right back to his usual bombastic tone. "I should have known that a lowly evildoer would not be able to strike you down! Forgive me for my lack of faith!"

Tensei shot an exasperated smile at his younger sibling. Always so dramatic. "Heh, never change Tenya." He reached out and ruffled his hair, causing the UA student to sputter in embarrassment. To his credit, he didn't move away. "How are Mom and Dad?"

Shaking his head, Tenya pushed up his glasses. "They are fine. Apparently, they've been informed of your full condition before I was. They'll be here this evening."

"Good to know. Maybe I can ask Mom to bring some of her tempura shrimp."

"An excellent idea! I shall message her immediately!" He pulled out his phone while his other hand made those weird robot chops he always teased him about. "If necessary, I shall run to the nearest grocery store to purchase any missing ingredients!"

"Oi, Class President, don't yell in the hospital." The Iida brothers turned to see Eraserhead enter the room and approach them.

Tenya bowed stiffly and shouted. "Apologies, Aizawa-sensei!" He froze and then continued in a more reasonable volume. "I shall strive to be more aware of my surroundings!"

"Hm. See that you do." The grizzled Underground Hero grumbled. He then gave his own look at Tensei's wound. "How tough was he?"

The Pro Hero frowned and looked down at his leg as he recalled the fight. "Tougher than any Villain I've fought before. He moved like a man possessed. He knew his terrain fighting on top of it all, so I didn't have a lot of room to maneuver." His tone grew grim. "This isn't some psychopath off the streets; this is someone who's very good at what he does, and he's been doing it for a long time. You don't reach that level of fighting prowess by grabbing a knife off the shelf." He then looked into Aizawa's fatigued eyes. "Fighting him alone is asking to be killed."

Aizawa nodded. "I'll make sure to let the others know." He glanced at Tenya. "Mind waiting outside? This is gonna be a confidential matter."

For a moment it seemed as though the blue-haired student would protest, but the looks on both his teacher and brother silenced him. "Very well. I shall stand guard." He then marched out of the room, the nurse following behind him and closing the door.

Tenya tilted his head inquisitively. "Now that I think of it, how come you two are here together?"

"When news of the attack broke out, the Sports Festival was just about done. I got the message before he did and managed to calm him down, said I'd be able to arrange a visit for both of us." He sighed and rubbed his head. "Honestly, the whole class is made of problem children. At least I didn't end up with that Monoma kid."

"Heh, they sound like quite a handful. Thanks for bringing him though, I really appreciate it." He shifted a bit on the bed. "So, what did you want to ask me?"

At first, Aizawa said nothing. Instead, he grabbed a nearby chair and placed it next to the bed. Then he sat down and laced his fingers. "How did you survive? From what we know of him, the Hero Killer isn't one to show mercy."

Tensei looked down again, a flutter of different emotion flashing across his countenance. "Someone came in and stopped him before he could skewer me fully. He fought him off for a while until the police came to my location. Thank goodness the distress system in my suit was functioning."

"Fighting off the Hero Killer and making it out alive? Anyone we know?"

Ingenium let out a chuckle. "You could say that." He looks up at the ceiling. "He's the guy we've been tasked to bring down these past months. You had an encounter with him not long ago too."

For a moment, the Underground Hero looked confused. But after a few seconds, his eyes widened as the full meaning of that statement sunk in.

"...Shinigami? Shinigami saved your life?"

Tensei nodded. "He did. Don't worry, I didn't believe it at first either."

Aizawa closed his eyes as he ran a hand through his ragged hair, letting out a deep sigh. "...Explain."

Tensei cleared his throat and closed his eyes as the day flashed before him. "The Hero Killer had ambushed me. In that tight alley, it was the worst possible condition for me to fight. I didn't pay enough attention because he managed to break through my armor and give me that love bite." He pointed at his wound, then almost pinched two fingers together. "I couldn't move. It was definitely his Quirk… the terror I felt didn't help one bit…but I could barely move a muscle. He was this close to killing me when a knife came flying from behind me and forced him back. It's only when he called him out that I knew what happened."

The ragged-looking Hero leaned forward, his attention never wavering. "Then they fought?"

"Yeah, though I have to tell you, it was weird. When you can't even see one of the guys fighting, it's like um…what do they call it, uncanny valley? It makes figuring out the fight next to impossible." Upon seeing Aizawa's pointed look, he coughed. "Well anyway, they traded a few rounds and then the Hero Killer asked why he saved me."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "To be honest, at that point I was feeling woozy from the wound so I didn't get all the fine details of their dialogue, but after the Hero Killer called me a fake, Shinigami started arguing about why I - and by extension, everyone other than All Might - was a fake."

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "A philosophical conversation? Hm, Shinigami did do something similar when he offed Domino…I take it then the Hero Killer didn't like it very much?"

"No, he didn't. They then resumed fighting, again, couldn't really tell you what and how it went down. When the sirens came, the Hero Killer retreated. And…" the blue-haired Hero gulped. "Shinigami dropped his invisibility."

Aizawa drew in a sharp breath.

"Yeah, I reacted the same way. I saw him. He told me to treat my wound, then he vanished again" He let out a chortle. "And you know what's even funnier? Despite him literally appearing right in front of me…I still can barely remember what he looked like!"

"It must be whatever it was he used on the recording of Domino's execution," Aizawa muttered as he rubbed his chin. "Troublesome. This doesn't bode well at all. But you surely remember something, right?"

"Yeah, three things," Tensei raised three fingers. "One, he wore a hood. Two, he wore that skull mask. Three…those eyes." He shivered. "It might seem cliche, but I'm telling you, eyes are not supposed to glow like that."

Aizawa nodded, mentally taking notes. He then exhaled and leaned back on the chair. "Sounds like quite the day."

"No kidding." Tensei then bit his lip. "Eraserhead…both of them, the Hero Killer and Shinigami; we can't treat them like normal criminals."

"...What do you mean? I get that they're dangerous but that doesn't mean-"

"I'm not talking about that. They're not some goons we can ram into and toss into the back of a police car; these two…I haven't heard of such convictions from criminals in a very long time. The Hero Killer might be more extreme, but both of them admire Heroes - it's just their definition of 'fake' that caused them to clash."

Aizawa's eyes narrow once more. "They're still killers, both of them. We can't ignore that."

"I'm not saying we should. But let me ask you this; if he was just another killer on the streets, why did Shinigami save my life?"

The grizzled teacher opened his mouth to reply, but it remained open a few seconds before clicking closed. Inwardly, Tensei smiled. Although he knew Aizawa had far more experience in dealing with the seedier parts of society up close - and thus knew nothing was as dichromatic as people wanted to believe - he could be stubborn at times. Though one could argue it's a necessary trait for a Hero.

"...You know that this doesn't change things." Aizawa muttered and Tensei nodded in response.

"I know. Just felt like it needed to be said." Eraserhead grumbled in assertion. After a few moments of silence, he cricked his neck. "Despite my current status as a teacher, I'm still part of Shinigami's investigation team. I'll ask to convene a meeting, so do you mind if you can repeat the details of the encounter through a video call?"

"As long as the hospital allows for it," replied Tensei. Aizawa nodded in thanks and rose from the chair.

He glanced at the door. "Your brother will be staying here for now, right?"

"Yeah, knowing him, he probably managed to rally Mom into cooking a full picnic for me by now."

"Hm. Alright, hope you heal fast. We're gonna need all the help we can get if we wanna catch either of those two." Tensei gave him a thumbs-up and with that, the Underground Hero walked away.

But as he exited the room, Tensei's tale rolled around in his head, and questions started to brew.

'...the Hero Killer definitely sounds unhinged. Like Nomura from that time. But Shinigami…that night, he ran away from me with the suspect, instead of attacking me. He could've attacked me anytime, and I don't know if my Quirk works on invisibility. But he didn't. Still, he did it to save another killer, but now he goes and does this…

…what the hell is going on in your head, Shinigami?'

"Mmm, I've gotta say Mom, you knocked it outta the park today."

"Why, thank you, Kyoka. This is the least I can do."

Kyoka flashed her mother a grateful smile as she scarfed down the hot omurice. Mika Jiro gently smiled in return as she watched her daughter dig in.

"But I've gotta ask, are you sure nothing's bothering you, little rocker?" asked her father. He leaned forward, his blonde hair strands lightly covering his eyes. "I mean, this wasn't exactly a spar between classmates at the gym."

"No, Dad! I told both you and Mom-" her words died on her lips as she met Kyotoku Jiro's gaze. After a few moments of silence, she sighed.

"Okay, maybe a little. I mean, I didn't even pass the first event! And everyone saw it!"

"If you ask me, I think the crowd was too focused on the ones that did pass." He heard the sound of a throat being cleared and flinched at his wife's pointed stare. "What? It's true."

"Gee, thanks Dad," muttered the young rocker. She slumped over the plate and started picking at the food with her chopsticks. "And most of my class managed to pass. Not just those walking hurricanes like Todoroki, Bakugou and Midoriya but even that little pervert Mineta!" Her grip tightened. "How the hell he wasn't disqualified, I don't know."

Feeling the air leave her body after that little rant, she took a deep breath. "What does that say about me as a Hero?"

"Nothing." She sharply looked up at the sound of her father's firm tone. "You're not a Hero yet, you're a first-year student and students get most things wrong. You think the great rock bands had easy debuts? When Guns N' Roses started, they had to hitchhike to Seattle with nothing but the clothes on their back and their guitars after their van broke down. But they didn't let that crush their spirits; they got back up, got better, and looked where they are now."

"Aren't they all dead?"

"Wrong! They are immortal because every music fan knows their name." He reached over the table and cupped her cheek. "They'll know your name too, little rocker. Just keep moving forward and I know that no matter the Villain you'll face or the person you'll save, they'll know the name - what was it again?"

"Earphone Jack." Kyoka's eyes were moist.

"That's the one. So keep on rocking. I know you can do it." The purple-haired girl sniffed and leaned into her father's touch, all the while her mother watched the scene with a heartfelt smile.

And then the air was broken by a solitary phone ring.

Kyoka blinked as the sound reached her ears. She reluctantly pulled away from her father's touch and pulled out her phone. Seeing the 'unread message' notification, she pressed it and what she saw flash-heated her cheeks.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" asked her father. He got up from his chair and walked over to her. Once he saw the message, he froze too.

It was a photo of perhaps one of the most embarrassing moments of Kyoka's life; she and the rest of the 1-A girls lined up in cheerleading outfits and pompoms. Below the picture was a text: 'Is this some kind of secret UA tradition that I don't know about?'

Right…and he most likely saw everything live. 'I just wanna die now.'

"Kyoka? What is it?" Her mother's voice snapped her back to reality.

"Uh, nothing. Just got a reminder of that screw-up at the Sports Festival."

"Is it the cheerleader prank?"

"…yes, it's the cheerleader prank."

"Are you sure that Mineta kid wasn't expelled?" muttered Kyotoku. "This kind of thing counts as harassment, right?"

"I don't know about expelled, but I overheard the teachers screaming at him something fierce when the Festival ended. Let's hope he actually learns this time."

"Who sent the picture?" asked Mika.

"Someone I know. He's not a classmate."

The bespectacled woman raised an eyebrow. "He? Is there something we should know about, young lady?"

Kyoka's cheeks flushed red again. "Wha - no!"

"Really?" asked her father, who had suddenly appeared from behind her, causing her to jump. "That's a lot of texting. 'Ritsu-oji'? Kyoka, what is this?"

"Dad!" she yelped. "It's just a nickname!" She let out a huff of frustration and pinched her ear-jacks. "We met at the music store at Kiyashi and we've kept in contact. I call him that because he has a patch of white hair and he's older than me - by one year Mom! - and I haven't seen him in person in a while. So whatever you're thinking, both of you, it's not it."

…

…

…

"Heh, okay rocker girl, take it easy," said Kyotoku, raising his hand placatingly. "Just looking out for you."

"Honey, don't be pushy. I think it's wonderful she made a friend outside her class."

"Yes, thank you Mom!" replied the girl. "You had guy friends in high school, right?"

"Yes, your father was one of them. Though it was more a case of being his friends than mine." The older woman's smile grew impish. "Dear, remember that time when Michiru dared you to try and piss on an electric fence?"

"Ugh, don't remind me. I don't what I was thinking, but thank god I managed to aim -"

"Okay, that's enough information!" Kyoka got up and grabbed her plate. "Love the food Mom, but I've got homework so…excuse me!"

As she dashed to the sink and then up the stairs, the husband and wife pair glanced at each other and chuckled.

"Too much?"

"Maybe a little. Still, our girl needed a good laugh. Taking a loss like that is hard, especially in a competitive environment like U.A. She needed to know it was not the end of the world if she didn't pass."

"She's gonna be great Mika, I just know it. It's a big stage she's chosen, but if anyone can make it there, it's her." Kyotoku grabbed both his and his wife's plate. "Though I've gotta say…she sounded mighty passionate about this boy when defending him."

"Wouldn't you do that for one of your old female bandmates?"

"Fair point. Still, it makes you wonder…what kind of guy he must be to get ahold of our Kyoka's attention like this."

"She said she met him at the music shop in Kiyashi. If nothing else, he has good taste."

"I've gotta say, part of me doesn't really believe you."

"Oh, why's that?"

Dabi raises a scarred finger. "One: you fought the Hero Killer and survived." He raises a second. "Two: a Pro Hero saw you and didn't attack you on the spot." He raises a third. "Three: you fought the Hero Killer and survived."

I let out a sigh as I gave him a pointed look. "To counter your response. One: it shouldn't be that hard to believe; fighting an invisible foe is quite difficult for most unless they have a Quirk that would counter such an ability. Two: the Hero in question was in no condition to move, probably a result of the Hero Killer's Quirk. Three: why did you repeat yourself?"

"It's the Hero Killer. Not exactly some two-bit street bum or a yakuza member." My informant leans on the concrete wall of the alley. "Even though he hunts Heroes, I've heard a lot of rumors about when any criminal or villain gets on his bad side. And then their buddies try to gang up on him, only for them to end up the same way. In short, not someone even some big shots wanna mess with."

"I never said he wasn't strong. His reflexes are inhuman and he's been using that sword for years. I don't wish to know what the outcome would have been if I didn't have my Conc-invisibility."

If Dabi notices my slip of the tongue, he doesn't say. Instead, he smirks, the patches of burnt skin on his face making me slightly wrinkle my nose. Though I've gotta say, the Hero Killer has him beat in the ugliness department.

"Heh, nice to know that even the notorious Shinigami has someone he can't beat."

"It's a work in progress, and I don't consider myself invincible. I can't take on the top Heroes, even if I wished to. Can you?"

His eyes narrow at the mention of the top Heroes, warping the skin patches around his eyes. "A bad example, there's a difference between thinking you can tackle a wolf and thinking you can fight a bear. And as for if I can take any of them in a fight…" he raises his open palm and sparks of blue flame come to life. The flames spike from his palm and momentarily form a lotus-like shape, illuminating the alley walls. Then, just as they descend, he clenches his palm and snuffs out the fire, releasing a raspy exhale.

"...like you, it's a work in progress."

My fingers twitch. I know he won't attack me, but I can definitely not let my guard down around him. What he just said confirms it, and my gut tells me that was no empty statement.

"I see. Well, we all have our weaknesses to overcome. I'm confident that I'll close that gap soon." From my belt pouch, I pull a rubber-banded wad of yen. The payment for a quick job for an extortionist/would-be rapist. "Your salary. The information was accurate and delivered at an opportune time. Any longer and I fear that man would have left the city."

"Since when have I ever done otherwise? And don't say the time with the burned note," he asks humorously, even as he takes the bills and counts them. "I swear, it was one time."

"Then I am glad to know my reminders are ensuring it doesn't happen again." I pause and take a look around. The drop-off point for Dabi's payments is, as always, filthy and devoid of stragglers. It's tucked away in a place where civilians and criminals don't usually wander, and the cover of the night sky very much helps with that. Still, I constantly glance at the walls and keep my Quirk active. "I don't understand why you insisted I pay you in person. With the Hero Killer debacle, the entire Ward is on alert. Downplayed as my involvement was in this affair by the media, I wouldn't bet a copper that the authorities are using this as an excuse to search for me."

He pauses for a moment, then shrugs as he tucks the money into his jacket. "I don't trust the news too much and I didn't think a phone call or a chat was gonna be enough to explain this."

True about the second point, but I didn't have to agree to come. Even Mawla strongly advised against it, yet I did. Why? Did I just want to talk to someone about it that wasn't Mawla?

Regardless, I shouldn't dawdle. "Take care of yourself when you leave. I await the next drop."

He nods and I turn to leave, but as I am about to turn, he calls out. "Wait!"

I glance over my shoulder, still un-Concealed. "Yes?"

He seems hesitant, biting his burnt lip. "You said you and the Hero Killer talked a bit before fighting, right? About fake Heroes?"

I blink at the question. "We entered a disagreement about the definition of the term," I slowly reply as I approach him. "Why do you ask?"

Dabi glances to the side and crosses his arms. For a few moments, he remained silent.

"...I hate Heroes. Not just the fake ones. Every person that adheres to this…idea…makes me sick to my stomach." He grits his teeth and I hear the burnt flesh crackling. "Sometimes I can't even go past a billboard with one of their stupid faces without getting the urge to torch it down."

I remain silent as he talks. Something tells me that interrupting wouldn't be a very good idea.

"Everyone I know, everything I see, is somehow connected to Heroes and I can't fucking stand it. The whole world revolves around this concept, this idolization, and who exactly do they idolize? There are the Heroes like Domino who you offed - who only care about how they can profit from all of this and the misery of those they claim to protect. There are those like that Mt. Lady bitch who's more like a gravure idol than anything, caring only about their image."

I hear sizzling coming from under his palm. As he keeps talking, his voice becomes raspier.

"Oh sure, you have 'paragons' and 'symbols' like All Might, but they're few and far in between, and they're sometimes the worst of the bunch. Not only do the sheeple worship them but they themselves rush in assuming everything fits into their little perspective of good and bad. I remember this homeless guy, who used to hang out near one of my old sleeping holes. Creepy-looking dude, but he didn't pay anybody any mind. Just lounged around and kept to himself, probably smoking weed. One day, I come back and I see, outside the building, a Hero standing above him with his foot on the bum's back and posing for selfies. Then the cops hauled him away and I never saw him again. I learned something new about Heroes that day; even if they really wanna help people, they take one look at a guy like me and they're ready to bash in some skulls. Yeah, a lot of us ugly bastards actually commit crimes and spill blood, but it's a fucking cycle."

I bite my own lip. I've seen a couple of kids get bullied during my elementary and middle school years because of their looks and Quirk. It would make perfect sense for it to be worse on the streets. Well, Mom once told me that the playground is a microcosm of society. I guess she had a point.

By now, Dabi's left arm is lowered and his fist is clenched, the faint scent of char beginning to fill the air.

"Heh, but you wanna know who're the worst ones?" He raises his fist and stares at it, his lips curving upwards into a kind of manic grin. "The ones that only care about getting to the top and staying there. It doesn't matter how, they will do anything and everything to get to the top. Friends, teachers, family…" his voice crescendoes into a roar, "fucking STEPPING STONES!"

He turns around and punches the air, letting loose a burst of blue fire. I take a step back as the flames roar and scorch the alley. Even with my suit, I can feel the immense heat. Just how strong are those flames? I remember how I asked him to torch a shed. With these, he could probably burn down an entire building.

But seconds later, the flames die out, not leaving even embers. It looks like there was nothing left for the flames to latch onto. Dabi stands there, fist outstretched. His scratchy breaths sound very similar to the sizzles his flames made on his skin. Eventually, he sighs and lowers his arm.

"...the whole concept is a fucking sham. The world's better off without it."

I stare at him, my head in turmoil. This guy…he has a real chip on his shoulder regarding Heroes. And from the way he told that story and that last bit, it sounded personal. Then, I recall a snippet of my first conversation with him, after the hostage situation.

"I want you to help me kill someone."

"Who?"

"...let's just say that if anyone doesn't deserve the title of 'Hero', it's him."

Fuck, it is personal. I'm gonna have to tread very carefully with this one. "Then why ally with me?"

He turns around and looks at me for a moment before letting out a bark of laughter. "Hah! Good question!" He idly kicks some scorched gravel. "You don't really match any of those categories as far as I know and…there's something totally unapologetic about you and what you do. I haven't seen anything like that in a while." He shoots me a grin. "Besides, blue flames rock."

I can't help the twitching of my lips at that last bit. He keeps staring at me and I realize he's expecting a response. Time to channel my inner Mawla.

"You have personal issues regarding Heroes. I will not pry into them." 'Yet.' 'As to whether or not they are legitimate…yes, some of them abuse their power and should have never received it in the first place, some of them care little about the world outside their dichromatic viewpoint, but as to the whole profit aspect of it? That's never going to vanish, and neither Quirks nor the Hero Society have anything to do with it. There were many heroes - not Pros or Vigilantes, before that - in history who others viewed as monsters, and others who were worshiped as saviors despite caring mainly for their personal gain. Whatever the reason, the people they did save or protect considered them heroes. It's human nature, and that will never change."

We keep locking gazes for a minute before he looks down. "...then what does one do?"

"Persevere. Advance. Overcome. The world has kicked you down? Get back up and spit in its eye."

He lets out another laugh. "Heh, sounds nice." He looks back up. "Gotta say, real inspiring moment there, very revolutionary-like. Did you write down notes?"

"No. And don't get any ideas. Changing the current society is beyond me. I care not for it." The last thing I want is to start a revolution over something as abstract as this. I've read enough history to see the outcomes that can lead. Goddamn, my throat is parched.

"Gotcha." He pulls out his phone from his jacket and takes a glance. "Shit, is that the time?" He looks back up. "Gotta bounce. See ya, I'll call you when I have something new."

"Safe travels."

He gives me a one-finger salute and I nod in kind. And with that done, I Conceal myself and head back home. Thank god Mom's working late again.

'Impressive oration, contractor. I had thought that beyond thee.'

'...gee, thanks. Can you not make every compliment sound like an insult?'

'How else would thou improve?'

I grumble in protest. Yep, nothing different.

'Mawla, what did you think of Dabi back there?'

'...thou might have to monitor him more closely in the future. He has proven himself a reliable informant for now, but his desire for vengeance worries me, as it has done when thou first met. If he does not learn to temper it, it may consume him and everyone around him whole.'

'...well, nothing to do but cross that bridge when we come to it. It's not like I can constantly monitor him.'

'No, thou cannot. Indeed, sometimes one must wait for the leaf to fall in order to catch it. What are thy plans for the time being?'

I let out a yawn and my vision blurs momentarily. 'Get some sleep, for one. I feel like I'm about to drop any moment now. I don't know about the rest of the week, maybe I'll do a little scouting…

…but I want to prepare myself for the weekend. I've never had a sparring partner before, and after our bout in that garden, I definitely don't wanna take her lightly.'

Ritsu Ogawa (Assassin - Hassan-i Sabbah)

Stats:

Strength: D++

Agility: C

Endurance: C-

Mana: C++ (Only when using Power of the Valley. Otherwise, nonexistent.)

Luck: C+

Skills:

Presence Concealment C-: The ability to hide from others. A semi-decent level for any Assassin. Against ordinary criminals and some intelligent ones it works well.

Throwing (Dagger) B and Throwing (Retrieval) B: The expertise for throwing projectile weapons; in this case, daggers. His daggers have the same destructive power as firearms when thrown, typically spelling certain death for human targets. He can retrieve them to his hand with but a mere gesture

Information Erasure C++: Erases all traces of the user's identity, physical or digital, after leaving a scene of assassination. It does not hide the user's identity in any other situation, and clues can be pieced together to deduce identity. If the user's identity is discovered, then the effects of the skill weaken. Rank increased thanks to multiple exposures outside of Presence Concealment.

Power of the Valley of Death C++: A unique connection forged as a result of finding a relic of Alamut. Assassin can draw power from the Valley to perform certain skills he would otherwise be incapable of doing.

Quirk - Super-Hearing C+: A power gained as a result of evolution. Allows the user to hear precise details within a certain range. Can extend the range in exchange for loss of detail. Also alerts the user of incoming danger provided they can react to it.

Muraqubah D+: A meditative state that enhances Ritsu's connection to the Valley. If used enough times/for long enough, combat specs have a chance of increasing. In addition, it also enables ?

Noble Phantasm:

Zabaniya - Delusional Judgment Rank C+

An 'ultimate assassination technique' bearing the same name as the angels of hell, a title which all previous 'Old Men of the Mountain' used for their own techniques. Unlike them however, who were forged by extensive modification of the Hassans' bodies, this technique is a reflection of the Assassin's desire to inflict what he deems true judgment. Calling upon his unique connection to the Valley in the Shadow of Death, Assassin drags his target's soul to the Valley, where the First Hassan awaits them. Their soul is laid bare before the Great Founder and should they be found guilty of whatever sin Assassin finds them to have committed, the flames of Gehenna will burn away their soul and body until naught but ash remains.

Hi guys! What do you think? A bit of a slow chapter in terms of action, but a lot of character moments that are important for the story. Three different viewpoints, all helping the greater whole.

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