Yoo-hoo! Guess who? IT IS I ZIM-er, DRAKE! Here with another chapter! Two months in the making, but I hope it worth it! You know the drill, read, review, moo, yodelayheehoo.

And a big thanks to my betas Old Man of the Mountain, MentalForge and skybooknight! You guys helped me so much with this!

"One night, just one calm night where I can chill out and eat…is that too much to ask for!?"

Tsukauchi shot his fellow officer a look. "You're seriously asking that question?"

The man moved to reply, but stopped himself and grumbled. "Tch. Yeah, but even a cop can dream, right?"

The detective shrugged as he sped through the traffic. "Dreams like that ended the moment you joined the force." You resigned yourself to long nights with coffee and pastries as your only salvation, the thought of spending some R&R becoming nothing more than a fantasy. With those realities in mind, you learned to throw yourself into the job or hate every tick of the clock.

A deadpan look was the reply. "Ouch. Way to kill a guy's motivation." He turned his head and stared out the car window. "How long 'till we get there?"

"It's right down this street." The car veered a sharp left. The two policemen glimpsed law enforcement's familiar red and blue lights in the growing darkness, reflected off of several nearby buildings. "And over there."

They soon pulled up in front of a group of squad cars parked in front of a large residential building. It appeared normal, but when the two looked upwards, two stories above, a massive hole had replaced the spot of what should've been an apartment window. Yellow police tape was tied around posts that encircled the area, and many cops were swarming around behind it. Tsukauchi parked and got out of the car, the other cop following him shortly.

"Tsukauchi!" The detective turned to see Tamakawa rushing toward him, stopping an inch before him.

"Deep breaths, Tamakawa. What happened?"

The cat-headed officer panted for a moment and regained his breath. "It's…no, you have to see it first." He straightened himself and turned around, gesturing to follow. With nary a word, Tsukauchi followed, the familiar sense of unease creeping on him like an old frenemy. While his friend may get skittish on occasion, it was rarely in the field; that was reserved for the confines of the station. The fact that he was acting nervous now, with his orange hair standing on end and his feline ears twitching in place like antennae, was far from a good sign.

They crossed the tape and ventured into the crime scene. Debris and rubble littered the entrance, and glass shards gleamed on the floor which each passing of flashlights. Inside the lobby and in a corner, the body of a bearded man was hunched over as a forensic officer took pictures. His neck was bent at an odd angle, as was his arm. His eyes were wide and his mouth partially open, likely from a scream that never finished.

"We got a 119 call about a commotion in this area. Two beat cops were nearby, so they moved to answer. Not even a minute later and they're asking for as much backup and forensics as we can spare." Tamakawa's whiskers twitched as he kicked a piece of rubble. "It's a total mess. The inside is completely wrecked, and there's another hole like that one on the opposite side."

"A Villain attack?"

"Seems like it. We've got one good witness, but he's rather shaken up. The rest are either unconscious, dead or drunk out of their minds."

"Where is the witness?"

Tamakawa pointed to his left, where an ambulance stood. "He's the one in the blanket. Mind going over there and asking him the usual questions? He should be better now."

Tsukauchi nodded and headed toward the emergency vehicle. Another officer saw him approaching and moved to intercept him, but one flash of the badge and he backed down. He stopped in front of the would-be-witness, bundled up in a blanket and holding a cup of coffee. A brown coat lay next to him, and his pants were tattered.

"Excuse me, sir? May I have a moment?"

The man lifted his head and met Tsukauchi's gaze. Instead of a human head, a pumpkin head was there, with carved orifices that glowed a dark green color. Tsukauchi was reminded of an American jack-o-lantern, a very sad and frightened one at that. A common reaction of shock victims, or Villain attacks.

"Y-yes? Are you a cop?" It was impossible to determine his age - even his voice sounded hollow.

"Yes, I'm Detective Tsukauchi, Tokyo PD. Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

The pumpkin-man blinked - the detective wasn't sure how - before shaking his large head. "N-no, thank you. I just need some rest. It's…been a long night."

"That's what I came here to ask you about." He gestured to the pull-out bench the man was sitting on. "May I?"

The pumpkin-head nodded and scooted over, allowing Tsukauchi to sit down and pull out a notepad and a pencil. "We're not really sure as to what happened here, so any information might be useful. What's your name?"

"Sh-Shushin Kabuchoko."

Truth.

"Profession?"

Kabuchoko looked down. "I'm…job-hunting at the moment."

Truth.

Ah. Sensitive topic, but unimportant right now. He asked him several more basic questions, then prepared himself. He needed answers, but it would do no good to scare the poor man, at least not more than he appeared at the moment. "Alright. Would you care to tell me exactly what happened to you?"

The pumpkin man fiddled with his cup before taking a deep breath. "I was coming back here after my job application got rejected. I entered the building and was about to climb up the stairs when I heard something break, a lot of things. The top floor started shaking and I thought there was an earthquake, which meant I had to find my medicine. My Quirk makes digesting a little difficult so -"

"Please," Tsukauchi cut him off. "Stay on-topic."

"Right, sorry. I rushed upstairs to see what the hell was going on when I see these two guys fighting each other like lunatics! They were breaking everything in sight and I heard people screaming. I didn't want to die, so I stayed in the stairwell while they beat the crap out of each other and the whole building."

A Villain attack…so he was right in his suspicion. The neighborhood did look shabby, he'd have to check up with local patrol teams, but it didn't seem neglected to the point where it could attract such commotion. Maybe the Villains wanted an off-the-grid target? "Could you describe them to us?"

"One was carrying a shit-ton of swords and wore a lot of red and black. His face looked like someone squashed it in. Not that tall, clammy skin. And there was a sword."

Tsukauchi's breath hitched. There was only one individual he could think of with such a unique mien; He'd studied the photographs enough times to know him by heart. The Hero Killer? Here of all places? "A squashed face? Are you certain?"

Kabuchoko nodded. "You don't forget a face like that."

Truth.

"I see. And the other?"

The man took another sip of the coffee. "He was…I don't know, he moved around fast. All covered in black, and there was this strange cloud around him; it makes my head a bit fuzzy trying to think about it. I thought I saw something flashing, but I'm not sure. But the scariest thing was that roar." He shivered as his voice lowered to a whisper. "I've never heard anything like it. I don't even think it was human." He looked back up inquisitively. "I'm surprised none of you heard it. It shattered a few windows."

Tsukauchi wrote down a note to ask neighbors about any such sound. "And they fought inside the building until one of them escaped?"

"Yeah, the black one. I didn't really see it, since I was hiding and all, but for a moment they seemed to stop before I heard another smash. I waited until I couldn't hear them anymore, then got out of here and called you guys."

The detective bit his lip as he stared at the notepad. The Hero Killer and an unknown assailant fighting one another…this sounded like shit news atop a pile of bad news. Did that have anything to do with Shibuya?

He nodded at the man. "Thank you for helping. If you need any assistance or if you remember anything that might be important, ask for me at the station. My colleagues here will take care of you in the meantime."

"Ah…it's no problem detective. Hope you catch the bastards who did this." Tsukauchi nodded, got up, and headed back to the ruined building. An attack involving a high-profile killer like Stain…he sighed. Near the broken entrance window, he saw Tamakawa talking with…wait.

"Eraser?"

The half-shaven Underground Hero turned at the sound of his name. "Detective."

"What are you doing here? This isn't really your patrol route."

"I was staying here after doing someone a favor. The brats won't be back from their internships until Monday, so I figured I might do something."

Tsukauchi raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have assignments to grade?"

"I did some and foisted the rest on Yamada. He owed me after blasting me with that foghorn."

The detective's lips twitched upward. Yep, that sounded like Present Mic alright. "Glad to have you here then. What do you know?"

"Less than you, considering you talked to the witness just now." He looked around. "This doesn't have anything to do with the Shibuya incident, does it?"

"Sort of." Aizawa gave him a waiting look. "It was Stain."

Eraserhead's baggy eyes widened fractionally before looking around again and lowering his voice. "The Hero Killer? Are you sure?"

Tsukauchi nodded. "The witness's description of his face sounded pretty spot on. Add to that the fact that he got away and…I'm sure it's him." He pulled out his notepad. "He was fighting someone who the witness described as 'cloaked in black' and couldn't exactly remember anything else, other than 'there was something glowing'."

Aizawa hissed a sharp breath. "Black…fuzzy memory…something glowing." His eyes narrowed as he uttered the name with a hint of poison. "Shinigami?"

"I highly doubt it." Tsukauchi shot him down immediately. "By the witness's accounts, none of this fits his MO or style. Too loud, too visible, and too obvious. And since when could he punch through concrete walls?"

"...right. Should've thought of that. How is the hunt going anyway? Since the school year, Nezu's been keeping me out of the loop. Any progress regarding those missing limbs?"

The detective didn't try to hide his grimace. "None. There haven't been any new ones…fortunately…for the last few days. Maybe he found who was doing it and got rid of them. But we're just as stuck as ever."

It was an endless source of frustration for him, Tamakawa, the Chief, and basically everyone involved in the Shinigami Hunters Task Force (as one officer had creatively named them). The same dilemmas and roadblocks they encountered since the beginning haven't changed one bit. His body count was still unknown, but none of them would be surprised if it was enough to fill a small cemetery. No DNA, no new photos or videos, zilch. Not to mention the confirmation of whether or not Shinigami killed a potential victim. And then came the severed limbs.

They had managed to take a photo of the message carved into the limbs and the hidden meaning was rather obvious, what with the kanji aligning in such a way. Another thing they deduced, based on cell phone footage, was that the League of Villains' portal user was responsible for warping them into public spaces. But that was it. Nothing else.

The public demanded answers, and it took everything the Chief had to keep the details minimal. Any slip-up and the true magnitude of Shinigami's killing spree could be revealed…and no one wanted to bear witness to the chaos that would spawn from that scenario. The trust in the law would evaporate and criminals would run amok; after all, if the police and Heroes can't stop a single killer, how could they stop them? It would make the backlash from Stain's escape seem like a child's tantrum.

Tsukauchi knew that eventually, the truth would break out. He only hoped that Shinigami was brought to justice before that.

Aizawa must've seen his frustration because he felt a pat on the shoulder. "We'll get him. We always do. The only way he does go free is if we stop." The Hero bent down and picked up a shard of rubble. "You say that other than a vague description, we don't know who Stain's opponent was?"

"Not a clue."

"Hmm…" Aizawa turned his gaze to the building. "Did you go inside?"

"Not yet -" With that, the underground Hero headed into the building. To his credit, Tsukauchi stared only for a second before following him.

The stairwell was more intact, with only flaking paint and dust on the stairs giving away any signs of unrest. They reached the marked floor and went through the doorway - which was missing the door. Upon turning on his flashlight and seeing the state of the hallway, Tsukauchi spoke again.

"Well, at least the witness wasn't exaggerating."

Everything was a wreck. The walls, the floor, the doors. All of it was reduced to rubble and shattered stone. A chaotic slurry of craters and trenches covered seemingly every square unit of the hall. The detective's nose twitched as trails of dust wafted by. Water trickled from broken pipes and areas where ruptured wires dangled were taped off.

This was Shibuya on a smaller scale. Naomasa thought back to the witness' words. Whoever fought Stain was strong enough to do this and run away from him. From the reports, he knew that the Hero Killer was a fast one, enough to dodge the efforts of speed-focused Heroes like Ingenium. 'Frightening' was only beginning to describe the situation.

"Still think it's Shinigami?"

Aizawa slowly shook his head. "Then who was it? Another Nomu, like in the USJ?"

"I hope so," the Hero replied.

"You hope so?"

The shiver in his spine grew at the stare Aizawa sent him. What came out of his mouth was no comfort.

"At least with those monsters, we know what we're dealing with."

'This is an insane idea, Ritsu Ogawa. You've come up with some pretty crazy plans since you've donned the mask, but this one makes all of them look like pillars of rationality. Truly, when faced with desperation, you have shed your humanity to become an animal. That author wasn't wrong.'

Shut up, brain! I'm desperate, yes, but there is a logic to this plan! Stop saying it or I'll realize how many ways this can go wrong!

I sigh and feel the grip on my upper arm tighten. Great, I'm having mental debates with myself. But that's what happens when the ghostly teacher who's been living in your head for more than half a year suddenly goes dark: talking to yourself becomes a natural thing!

The cool nightly wind blows against my body as I stare into the dark street. The shadows cast by the streetlights appear as fingers reaching out from some unknown abyss, waiting to grasp the first unfortunate soul that wanders by. The waning moon illuminates the quiet neighborhood with a faint, ghostly radiance.

An eerie setting, fitting for the events I have planned for tonight.

'Mawla, whatever it is I screwed up, I'm sorry, as in really, really sorry. If there was ever a moment where you could give me some sound advice, it would be now, before I risk my life and another's.'

But no reply comes from the depths of my mind.

A turmoil rises up in me before I quell it down and slack in acceptance. Fine. My first-ever solo mission, without Mawla's guidance. I can do this. I have to do this.

Footsteps snap me out of my musing, so light that no one but me could hear them at this distance. I turn and see a familiar figure walking out of the shadows with a cattish gait.

I remove my Concealment and step forward. "So you've decided."

"...I wouldn't be here otherwise," Shiki replies.

Unlike the bright yellow she wore on our last meeting, a darkish-blue kimono hugs her frame. Brown combat boots adorn her feet and a red leather jacket of all things covers her arms and chest.

Not that I think she's come unprepared. Before I go though, there's something I feel like I should ask.

"Out of curiosity, why did you accept? I admit I made this offer in haste."

She says nothing, her black eyes boring into me with an intent I cannot seem to describe. A whisper of wind blows past us, causing her short hair to lightly wave and strands of it to cross her face.

"I don't know why you kill," she says "but when you do…they deserve it, right?"

"...yes. They violate life, thus they are undeserving of it."

"That's it?" I raise an eyebrow at her question. Of course that's it, what other reason would I have?

But something stops me from saying those words. It holds them against my tongue, like a dam holding back water.

"Death, for me, is…something that needs to happen. A pull that I cannot sway from, even if I try." Her look turns contemplative and she raises her eyes to the sky. "The one you saw me kill that night…who would miss such a man?" She then returns her gaze to me, the wistfulness only faintly remaining. "But you…you don't kill because you have to, you kill because you want to. There is a reason behind it, more than what you just said. Maybe if I see you…I can find a reason, beyond an urge, to kill."

…

…An urge to kill? What does she mean? This can't be it, or I'm not getting the full picture. And what other reason than getting rid of scumbags do I need?

"Do you enjoy killing?"

…

…

I bite my lip. That can't…no, now is not the time to think about this. You are on a mission Ritsu. Deal with the philosophical debate after your blade is wet with Araya's blood.

"Do you have a means of hiding your face? You cannot turn invisible like me, and I do not have the means to cloak you."

She reaches over her shoulder and pulls the jacket's hood over her head. Digging through an inner pocket, she also ties a bandana around her lower face, covering everything below her eyes. From another pocket, she pulls out a pair of combat gloves, which she dons.

"...this will suffice. And your weapon?"

In a flash of movement, her knife is out and pointing at me.

"Then let's move." With those words, I turn and head down the street.

No one else is out, but I stick to the shadows and away from the halo of streetlights. I glance behind me and see Shiki doing the same thing. Good. As we approach the destination, I force myself to breathe in and out. In and out. In and out.

You've let this bastard get away once. Not again. One way or another, Souren Araya will die tonight.

We arrive.

The building looms ominously before me. Where once it was merely suspicious, now in the darkness and by the pale moonlight, it appears as what I know it to be: a death trap. One that I have full intention of entering.

"Last chance."

I hear no reply.

Very well.

I step forward…but not to enter through the front door. Immediately turning right to the building next door, I head to the entrance and jam my blade through the lock. The door opens with a slight creak and I take a look around. The entrance hall is similar to the one I saw at Araya's lair, there's even a stairwell, except for a bulletin board filled with adverts hanging on the left wall. Faint snores and whirrs reach my suped-up ears. Perfect. Scouting this place yesterday was a good idea.

"Move fast, stick to the shadows." With those words, I Conceal myself and head to the top floor. Climbing the flight of stairs, I soon arrive in front of a metal door and fling it open, whereupon I am greeted by the nocturne sky once again.

As I step forward and survey the rooftop of Araya's building, I can't help but frown. There's still a lot regarding this plan that I'm not sure about, but I can't let this go on any longer. Maybe I should've bought more than just a new knife at Shadow Gear…

…note to self: buy night-vision goggles, lockpicking tool and…police scanner maybe.

"So we're going from above?" Shiki asks me as she walks up to my side. At this point, I'm not even surprised she can see me. Instead of replying to her, I raise my gauntlet and fire the grappling hook across the short gap between the buildings. The hook pierces through the concrete just below the rooftop's edge and I feel the cable tighten. With a deep breath, I dash forward and take the leap.

The loss of solid ground feels weird for a moment, but I push that thought away as the cable reels me in and -

I slam against the wall with unexpected force, my hand quickly grasping at whatever ledges in the shoddy concrete, the alleyway between the buildings yawning precipitously below me. Fuck, I really should've spent more time practicing with the grappling hook before tonight, another screw-up I very much need to remedy along with lockpicking. I swallow heavily before heaving myself upwards and within grasping distance of the roof's ledge.

I manage to grasp the rooftop's edge and pull myself over with a grunt, paying no heed to the cold sweat emanating beneath my mask. I press the firing button again and let the wire reel back in. I stare at the opposing rooftop, where Shiki tilts her head. Now, do I get her over here -

She takes a step back…and with blinding speed, she dashes and leaps over the gap. She lands and rolls forward, getting back up almost immediately, as I stare at her.

Okay, what?

I knew she was fast and athletic - outrunning a Pro and keeping up with me is more than an indication - but at this level? Huh. Something to keep in mind next time we spar.

"Now what?"

Her question snaps me out of my stupor and I get up. "We go in through that door," I say as I point to a rooftop entrance. I'm still Concealed, but at this point, I've accepted that she can always see me. Troubling - not now! "We'll descend the floors one by one and keep our eyes and ears peeled open. If you perceive even the slightest disturbance and I'm not there, assume that it is the enemy and engage. In fact, consider this whole building as hostile ground. We cannot let our guards down for even a moment." I finger the antique dagger strapped to my belt. "Remember what I told you about his skill and abilities. If you encounter him alone or we get separated, make as much effort as you can to regroup with me. I do not wish to leave such an encounter, especially inside his base, up to chance and the skill of one person. Understood?"

She slightly inclines her head and I approach the door, only to stop when she speaks up. "Actually, I want to ask you something."

Now? "What is it?"

She looks down and stares at the concrete surface. "When you offered me to come, you mentioned that this…Araya…had some kind of sensory ability. How far does it extend?"

I give the rooftop a sideways glance. "I am not…a hundred percent certain, but I do not believe it encompasses anything outside of this building. When I retreated the last time, he did not seem to perceive me as well as he did whilst I was inside. But I do not fancy our chances of extracting him from here, so I would advise you to shelve whatever idea you had that involved -"

"Then that means," she says, cutting me off. "As long we're inside, he'll be able to know where we are, regardless of what we do?"

I slowly nod. "More yourself than I. My own ability obscures me partially, but he will know your own position." This is where I start to feel a bit scummy. Asking for help is one thing, using that help as bait is another. But if what I saw from Shiki just before means anything, I have a good feeling she'll be able to hold her ground well enough.

"Then we essentially need to blitz Araya, is that it? Not quite how I imagined an assassination would happen."

"...yes. I would normally prefer a greater deal of stealth to an operation of this importance, but his abilities and to some extent, your presence, will make such efforts moot."

She closes her eyes for a moment, seemingly ruminating before nodding. "Good." She then draws her knife and her gaze sharply reopens. "Then this should give us some cover."

"What are you-"

Three swipes. That's what I manage to count. No sound of scraping steel reaches my ears, nor do I see the blade pausing for a moment.

Then, the ground breaks.

I feel myself falling and immediately twist in midair to try and land on my feet. Unfortunately, I once again kiss hard concrete as shock runs through my chest. A grunt of frustration escapes me as I hear the faintest of taps amidst the falling rubble. Looking up from the floor, I see the strange girl poised as though she had never fallen. Talk about catlike reflexes.

"What was that!?"

She gives me a look that questions my intelligence. "I told you, I can cut through anything."

Yes, I know, I saw what happened to that knife! But a knife and a concrete roof are two different things! What's next, cutting through diamond!?

Despite the myriad of questions begging to be released, I force myself upright. The floor is caked with rubble and dust clouds fly 'round the hall. Thank goodness for my mask or I'd be coughing up a storm.

"What the hell were you thinking!?" I hiss. "You might as well have run screaming through the entrance with that stunt! He'll be here any second!"

She stares at me, unfazed by my ranting. "You said yourself that he'll see me no matter what, so there isn't much point for me to sneak around. Also, if he does come here, we'll know where he is instead of trying to find him."

"Yes, but consider the fact that we are not the only ones present! What if there were cops or even a Hero nearby!? This whole operation would've been blown to the four directions!"

She nods and I sigh, marking miscommunication as my third blunder for tonight. Mawla, I am begging you, this is one mission I cannot afford to screw up. Please, just one offering of counsel is all I'd need.

No answer, yet again. Tread on, Ritsu, tread on.

I quickly take a look around. There are apartment doors here like the floor I visited, but the racket doesn't seem like it disturbed them. Though if the horror show I saw that day applies to all the floors here, then nothing will wake them up.

Now, where do I -

Crack.

I leap back just as a black-sleeved arm rips right through the floor where I stood, creating a burst of air that seemingly shatters a piece of the roof above it. And from that spot, the robed ibn kalb rises, his shaded eyes surveying me…and Shiki.

And so our fate is cast to the winds.

"Hm…I did not realize you would be bringing guests, Shinigami," he says. "But I suppose I may absolve you from this error since this one appears to be neither police nor Hero. A new ally then?"

I remain silent as I carefully draw a knife.

"As you may observe, I have restrained myself these past few days. Whilst I would normally bemoan such delays to my research, I believe that this encounter shall elucidate my path." He then straightens himself and cups his chin, as though we're both mildly interesting animals. "Yet I must admit, I did not expect your ruthlessness to extend to innocents. What manner of offer did make for this one to join you in halting my progress?"

How can someone sound so falsely sanctimonious and condescending simultaneously? Ah right, Domino. Even more of a reason to remove this scumbag from the face of the planet.

"Although…girl, what did you just do right now? Never before have I seen my craft react in such a manner."

I glance at Shiki, who's staring at Araya with that same concentrated look she gave the roof before it came crumbling down. What is he talking about?

When no reply comes from either of us, he sighs. "Very well, if that is how you wish to proceed…" he snaps his fingers.

Suddenly, the doors around me fly wide open and out of them come stumbling what could only be described as zombies; grey-skinned, blank-eyed, drooling and moaning. Most of them are thin and emaciated, their ribs poking underneath their clammy skin, but I spot behind me two bloated ones, splattered with stains all over their head and bellies. They grasp at the doors and the walls, trying to stay upright as their dry tongues roll out their mouths.

These… are the residents. What has he done?

Araya snaps his fingers again and at that command, the abominations erect themselves and turn to us as one. Even though they cannot see me, I feel my skin crawling at their gaping, hungry stares.

"Rejects and failures of my experiments. I had originally thought of disposing of them, but I believe they deserve one last act to prove their usefulness." He raises his hand and points.

My grip on the blade tightens.

"Now…" Araya declares, the corners of his lips twisting into a predatorial grin, "show me DEATH!"

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 B: A power gained as a result of evolution. Allows the user to hear precise details within a certain range, up to an including electrical movements and shifting of earth. 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.

Yes, I'm evil, I know. But it's done.

So, Ritsu and Shiki team up. Have to say, it's been a long time coming. Our boy is getting his first non-solo mission and let's hope all goes well for him...really. Meanwhile, an ominous threat causes the detective and the Hobo-er, Hero, to keep their guards up! What will it be? Find out next time!

I want to give a shout-out to storybookknight for helping me with this chapter! He's the master writer of the Oregairu x BNHA fic "My Hero School Adventure Is All Wrong, As Expected". He's helped me rewrite and think through not just this chapter but many future aspects of this story, and I cannot thank him enough. If you have time, go read his works! After mine of course.

RIP Harry Belafonte, may sail on that Banana Boat in the sky for eternity. Your songs have turned the world (and my soul) 'round.

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Most importantly...

Read and Review! REVIEW!