Shigaraki scratched his neck and used his Quirk: Decay to destroy the binoculars he was holding, "We're leaving."
Kurogiri asked, "Are you satisfied with the results, Tomura Shigaraki?"
Shigaraki answered, "Depends on tomorrow's headlines, moron." Kurogiri opened a portal and the two villains disappeared.
The next day, Izuku, Tenya, and Shoto were at the hospital being treated for their injuries. Danny was sitting nearby but in regular clothes as he had healed himself.
Shoto asked, "Did you sleep, Midoriya?"
Izuku shook his head, "No, not really."
Shoto replied, "I figured. Me neither. How about you, Fenton?"
Danny shrugged, "Somewhat. At least you guys got beds to sleep in. Izuku, you sent messages to our classmates saying you're OK? As you sent your location to everyone."
Izuku said, "Yes, I did, don't worry. I still have to call Uraraka though. But, thinking about that fight now, we did something pretty amazing."
Danny nodded, "Yeah, I agree."
Izuku continued, "After everything that happened back there, it kinda feels like a miracle we're even alive. With my leg messed up, I was an easy target. He probably could've killed me if he really wanted to."
"Yeah," Shoto agreed. "Seems to me he let us live on purpose. Especially Fenton. He seemed particularly fixated on you at the end. Even since he ingested whatever green stuff you bled out. What was that stuff?"
Danny sighed, "It's just part of my Quirk. I can still bleed." He picked up a pencil and stabbed himself in the finger, and his finger bled red blood. "See?"
Shoto wasn't fully convinced, but dropped it for now. "I'm impressed by you though, Iida. He was actually trying to murder you, but you stood tall."
Tenya sighed, "That's not true. I was…."
Suddenly the door opened and Gran Torino and Manuel walked in. Gran Torino said, "Oh, so the injured youngins are awake. Along with their watcher."
Izuku smiled, "Gran Torino!"
Tenya sighed, "And Manuel too."
Gran Torino walked over to Izuku, "Idiot. I could yell at you for hours right now."
Izuku sighed, "Yeah, I'm sorry."
Gran Torino looked over at Danny, "And I could yell at you, too, but before I do, all of you have a visitor."
A man with a dog face walked in. Gran Torino said, "This is Hosu's chief of police. Kenji Tsuragamae."
Shoto and Tenya stood up in respect, Danny did after seeing Shoto and Tenya do it. Izuku tried to stand, but Kenji said, "No, please, stay seated, woof."
Danny chuckled silently at the chief woofing, but kept his composure.
Kenji said, "So, you're the UA students who brought down the Hero Killer, huh?"
"We are," Shoto answered.
Kenji continued, "Stain has some serious injuries. Severe burns and several broken bones. Along with several of his organs being burned from what looks like some kind of acidic substance that completely dissolved before we could analyze it. Right now he's in the hospital under strict guard, woof. Here's a lesson you should have already learned. When Quirks became the norm, the police force sought to maintain the status quo. They decided we wouldn't use Quirks as weapons. That's when heroes came in. They could do what we couldn't, if they were licensed, of course, woof. It would be impossible for the police to condone the use of deadly Quirks. After all, we're here to stop such harm from being done. The only reason pros can use their powers now is because of the strict code of ethics that the early heroes chose to abide by. That's why it's against the law for uncertified people to use their Quirks to cause injury. Whether you were up against the Hero Killer or not, none of you had the authority to harm the villain. That means the four of you, and your supervisors, Endeavor, Manuel, and Gran Torino, should receive harsh punishments for this gross abuse of your powers."
Danny spoke up, "With all due respect, if Tenya hadn't stepped in, Native would've been murdered. And if not for the rest of us, Tenya would have been murdered too. The other pros were busy with those monsters that were unleashed in the city. So you think it's OK for us just to stand by and do nothing?"
"Calm down, Danny," Izuku said.
Kenji looked right at Danny, "So it's OK to break the law as long as it goes your way?"
"That's not what I'm saying," Danny answered. "It's a hero's job to save people. This was an emergency."
Kenji sighed, "This is why you're not a full-fledged pro yet. It's obvious UA hasn't been teaching you near enough."
Danny's eyes glowed green, "They've taught me enough. And I've learned enough all on my own."
Tenya tried to get Danny to back down, and Shoto just glared at Kenji as he agreed with Danny.
Gran Torino held up his hand, "Hold on, kid. You'll wanna hear him out till the end."
Kenji continued, "What I've said is the official stance of the police department. But any punishment would only be necessary if this went public. If it did, you'd probably be applauded by citizens everywhere. But there's no way you could escape from being reprimanded. On the other hand, we could say Endeavor saved the day. Stain's burns would support this story completely, and we could pretend you weren't involved, woof. Thankfully, there were very few witnesses. This could be the last you heard of any punishments. It would mean no one would know about you, though. You'd receive no acclaim at all. The choice is yours. Personally, I know where I stand. I don't wanna damage any promising young careers. Not for a mistake like this."
Manuel said, "Either way, we'll need to take responsibility for being negligent as supervisors."
Tenya got up and bowed to Manuel, "I'm sorry. I should've listened."
Manuel replied, "Yeah. You caused us a lot of trouble. Remember that, and don't do it again."
Izuku bowed his head, "And I apologize as well."
Shoto bowed as well, "Me, too. We'll leave it to you. Right, Fenton?"
Danny sighed, "Fine, I hate the publicity anyway."
Kenji sighed, "I know it's not fair. You won't enjoy any of the fame or praise you probably would've received otherwise. But at least, allow me, as the chief of police, to thank you."
He bowed to the four boys. Danny chuckled, "You know, you could've started with that." Shoto nodded in agreement.
Reports about the Hero Killer: Stain were everywhere. Shigaraki was listening to the news report on the TV in his hideout, "Now, our continuing coverage. Three villains were captured in the Hosu riots. Their identities and motives are yet unknown. Based on their distinctive appearance, however, and the presence of two people our reporters filmed nearby, many are speculating that they're connected to the League of Villains that attacked UA High last month. The Hero Killer Stain claimed many lives. In fact, he has had more victims than any other criminal since All Might burst into the scene. With his arrest, everyone in the country can rest a little easier tonight. The seriously wounded Hero Killer is currently receiving treatment at a hospital under heavy police guard. Officials are waiting for the recovery of several of his victims before further investigating the villain's motives. As our reporters have said, last night, just after 8 PM, the Hero Killer Stain was arrested by Endeavor…."
Kurogiri turned off the TV as Shigaraki said, "He's all they're talking about. What about my Nomus? Not only have they not forgotten, but we didn't even make the front page."
Over at Best Jeanist's agency, the pro hero was talking with Bakugo and his sidekicks, "Let's take a moment to talk about the incident last night in Hosu. The Hero Killer Stain was arrested. There were also incidents with villains who resembled Nomu from the UA attack. You're likely worried how this all stitches together. Well, I, too, am concerned. People tend to come apart at the seams in times like this. That's why we heroes must remain calm despite our fears. Don't let chaos tempt you into thoughtless overreaction. Remember, we're here to protect others, not seek out vengeance. It'll be business as usual today. Standard material. May your minds and bodies be as sharp as your jeans."
"Thank you, Best Jeanist!" his sidekicks shouted.
Bakugo was wearing jeans and his hair was slicked back. He felt very out of place.
Over at Fourth Kind's agency, Kirishima said to Tetsutetsu, "Uh! Midoriya wrote me back! That location he sent me in the middle of the action in Hosu. That's why he messaged us. Man am I glad I reported it."
Tetsutetsu said, "Hey! Put that down before Fourth Kind sees you. We're gonna be late."
"Wait, I wanna reply," Kirishima replied.
But then he and Tetsutetsu were hit on their heads by Fourth Kind, "What did I say about punctuality?"
"Right, sorry, sir!" Kirishima and Tetsutetsu replied.
Meanwhile, Momo and Kendo were watching a commercial they filmed with Uwabami, who said, "They sure put that together fast. This is just the first cut, so it'll be another month before it airs. It needs lots of CGI."
Kendo whispered to Momo, "So weird. We'll be on TV."
Momo felt embarrassed but said, "We're heroes. This is just what it takes to be a pro."
Uwabami then asked, "So, how about we go on patrol?" Both girls got excited.
Meanwhile, Ochaco was on the phone with Izuku, "Oh my gosh! That's so scary! Well, I'm just glad you guys are OK. I got really nervous when the only thing you sent was your location."
Izuku replied, "Yeah, sorry about that. But that's all I really had time to send."
Ochaco said, "Don't worry, sounds like you went through a lot. You get some rest. I wanna hear everything later."
"Thanks," Izuku replied.
Gunhead walked over to Ochaco, "Uravity. We're about to start."
"Oh, sorry," Ochaco told Gunhead before talking to Izuku, "I'll see you back at school. I hope I didn't bother you much. Bye!"
She hung up the phone and Gunhead asked, "Was that a boy?"
Ochaco replied, "Uh, yeah, but it's not like that."
Over at the hospital, Izuku was freaking out because he talked to a girl on the phone. Danny was standing next to him and noticed the look on his face. He chuckled, "Izuku's got a secret crush."
Izuku shushed Danny. They walked back to the room where Tenya and Shoto were. Tenya had his head down. Danny asked, "What's wrong?"
Shoto answered, "Iida just got his test results back."
Tenya said, "My left hand might have damage that's permanent. Both my arms are pretty torn up. But the injury to my left arm was especially severe. There was damage to my brachial plexus. Which just means I'll have trouble moving my fingers. And my hand might have some numbness. Apparently, there's a chance it could be healed with nerve transplant surgery. When I came across the Hero Killer, I stopped thinking rationally. The first thing I should've done was call Manuel. But I got lost in my own anger. I hate him so much, but I can't deny he spoke the truth. That's why, until I'm able to call myself a real hero, I'll leave my left hand as it is."
"Are you sure?" Shoto asked. Tenya nodded.
Izuku added, "Iida, I feel the same way. My hand is a reminder, too. Let's get stronger. Together."
Danny then said, "Tenya, I feel the same also. When my parents were killed, I fought the fruit loop who killed them right in front of me. I could have ended his life right there and then. But it was my sister who stopped me in time. I realized that revenge and vengeance isn't the answer. It will only make you like them."
Tenya looked up at Danny and smiled, "Thank you."
Shoto then said, "I feel kind of bad. Whenever I'm involved, someone's hand gets all messed up. Is something wrong with me? Am I cursed?"
Danny chuckled then said, "Dude, you need to chill. You are not cursed. It's just a weird coincidence." Izuku and Tenya started to chuckle as well.
Over at UA High, All Might got a phone call, and the ringtone was his own voice. Aizawa and Present Mic were shocked that that was the ringtone of All Might.
All Might stood up, "Ah, hi sir!"
Gran Torino was on the other end, "You could have warned me about Izuku Midoriya and Danny Fenton. I know it probably couldn't be helped, but thanks to the both of them, I'm getting a pay cut and my teaching license has been suspended for six months. Their tendency to jump into situations without thinking is just like yours, Tosinori."
All Might walked out of the teaching lounge and said, "I humbly apologize, sir. It's because of my insufficient teaching, although Fenton has always had that tendency, even before I started teaching him. I can't believe my protege caused you so much trouble. Oh, man, this is bad."
Gran Torino replied, "Well, I don't care about my teaching license anymore. You're the only reason I got it. And that was so I could keep my promise to your predecessor, Shimura."
All Might said, "And I truly appreciate all you did for me. It's only because of your wisdom and guidance that I'm the number one hero today."
Gran Torino replied, "If that's true, then why don't you ever visit me?"
All Might said, "Well, it's just that my new life as a teacher keeps me so busy."
Gran Torino then said, "I actually called to talk about the Hero Killer. I saw him only briefly in person, but in that short amount of time, he shook me to my very core. There is such hatred inside of that man."
All Might replied, "I can't believe he was able to frighten someone like you, Gran Torino. He must have already been tied up, so what scared you?"
Gran Torino answered, "It probably stemmed from his fanatic ideology. There was something very intimidating about his obsession. I'm not trying to praise him or anything, but he's got that same determination as you when it comes to your Symbol of Peace thing. There's similarities."
"What do you mean?" All Might asked.
Gran Torino answered, "To put it simply, you've both got charisma. As the investigation continues, his ideology and opinions will be all over the media. Everyone will wanna know his motives. The age we live in, for better or for worse, is one of suppression. There will be people across the globe who are influenced by these new ideas."
All Might replied, "If that's true, and he inspires copycat villains, they'll probably strike out on their own. Heroes will be able to stop them, just like they did this time."
Gran Torino said, "That's where the League of Villains comes in. The Hosu incidents suggests that Stain and the League are connected somehow. That means the League will go from being thought of as a bunch of juvenile delinquents that attacked UA to being recognized as a group with an ideology. In other words, these new converts will seek them out. Even if each individual is insignificant, if that evil gathers under one banner, it'll swell to unstoppable proportions. If the villain in charge knew this would happen from the beginning, then he is a brilliant strategist. He's steadily getting rid of any obstacles one by one, trying to create conditions that will favor his own purpose."
All Might replied, "When I heard from Tsukauchi that Nomu had multiple Quirks, I had a bad feeling. What if he's back?"
Gran Torino said, "You're concerned it could be the man who killed Shimura, my sworn friend, your master, and the previous holder of One For All. The man who opened that hole in your stomach. You're afraid the villain named All For One is on the rise again."
All Might replied, "For him to have survived such injuries, though, I don't wanna imagine it's possible."
Gran Torino said, "Tosinori. Midoriya admires you so wholly and fiercely. You should find the time to tell him everything concerning you and One For All. Be honest. He deserves to know the truth. Along with the ghost boy, as I suspect he knows more than he should. Also, I am curious about Fenton. Stain seemed particularly focused on that ghost boy. Especially since Fenton wasn't frozen in fear like the rest of us were with Stain. Fenton's Quirk seems almost too good to be true. His Quirk is a lot like One For All. And I figured out like Midoriya and you, he wasn't born with it. We need to keep an eye on him. He will either be this world's salvation along with Midoriya or something worse. I fear All For One will be very interested in him once he learns of the ghost boy's existence."
All over Japan, villains were watching the news and reports on Hero Killer Stain and becoming inspired to come out of the shadows. Many of these villains are now looking for the League of Villains to join them. The peaceful days with the Symbol of Peace are looking like they are coming to an end.
