He doesn't understand why Kurogiri's Warp Gate appears in front of his bed at two in the morning but it wakes up Midoriya immediately. He gapes at the portal before snapping out of his shock, picking random clothes and dressing up quickly. Once he's engulfed in the dark, swirling fog, he's teleported in the League of Villains' headquarters.

He stumbles out of the Warp Gate, glad he had time to digest his dinner or else it would've come out of his mouth. A little green, he looks up to Kurogiri who's bowing his head.

"Greetings, Midoriya."

"Greetings, Kurogiri," he answers, uncertain. He doesn't see Tomura anywhere which alerts him. Does the League's leader even know Midoriya's here? "Why the sudden rush?"

"It's time for you to meet your agents."

Agents. So Shimomura and Native were killed by two different people.

It's a formidable revelation but was expected. One murder was too gory while the other lacked of any blood. It's too bad Midoriya isn't as loyal as Tsukauchi towards the Police Force.

Agents. Does this mean they answer to me before the League?

Well, Kurogiri merely employed the term Midoriya himself uses when he sends his death sentence to the selected Heroes. He calls them 'agents', although he never met them in person and doesn't even know their name or their Quirk. He assumes they have a Quirk.

Across from him, Kurogiri's expression is as inscrutable as always, his yellow, unblinking eyes waiting for his reaction.

"I'm ready," Midoriya tells him.

Kurogiri nods, his Warp Gate materialising a few feet away from Midoriya. The latter curses himself for choosing random clothes, wondering what his agents would think of someone wearing an All Might hoodies and baggy grey shorts along with mismatched neon-coloured socks. He gulps, discerning two silhouettes ambling in his direction, one of the two taller than the other, taller than Midoriya now that he thinks about it.

He doesn't what to expect. The tall one is male, with spiky jet black hair and most peculiar purple marks around his neck, following his jawline to his mouth, his arms down to his wrists and also weighing down his half-lidded eyes. The other is female, with blond hair styled into messy buns, flushed cheeks and wearing an oversized cardigan covering a typical Japanese sailor uniform.

"Oh, is that him, the Judge?" She squeals, bouncing over to Midoriya who fights against the urge to step back. Up close, he notices her amber eyes are like a cat's with vertical pupils. "Isn't he just—?"

"Ordinary," her companion notes, also approaching Midoriya but slower, his steps measured and his eyes scrutinising him. "We were told you're the Judge."

"I am."

The words are out of his mouth without any hesitation. Midoriya's surprised to see how easy it is to recognise himself as responsible for two Pro Heroes' murder. He can in the man's eyes that he too is impressed by Midoriya's assurance. The girl, however, leaps on him and catches his neck around her arms, making them twirl around.

"Tell me, Judge, did you like my artwork? I painted the entire house with his blood!"

"Your work lacked of finesse," the man comments before Midoriya can answer.

"What was that? Because a charred body's much more beautiful than crimson flowers?"

"At least my kill didn't leave me covered in blood."

"That's why I don't like you. You never want to dirty your hands."

The man's orbs light up with a dangerous glint. "You little—"

"You two did an excellent job."

They freeze, turning to face him. Midoriya meets their gaze without flinching. In fact, he feels like swelling in pride for having agents. He'll have to thank Kurogiri for providing him these two. Although they seem like polar opposites, they're able to carry out Midoriya's plans and that's all it really matters in the end.

"The name's Dabi," the man breaks the silence, extending a slender hand.

His nails are crusted with a black substance, maybe ashes. Midoriya tries not to stare too much at the rudimentary stitches separating the wrinkled skin from the smooth. Before he can properly take Dabi's hand, the girl grabs Midoriya's and shakes it with zeal, her eyes sparkling.

"I'm Toga Himiko. I hope we'll able to kill someone together one day."

Her shaking is so eager that Midoriya's convinced she'll tear his entire arm off. "Y-Yeah."

"Dabi, Toga," Kurogiri's deep voice calls them, "this is—"

"They don't need to know my real name. The Judge will suffice."

He's conscious the ones who kill for him and in his stead deserve to know his name but Midoriya doesn't trust either of them. He can't trust them before he knows why they accepted to kill the selected Pro Heroes.

Trust goes both ways.

Midoriya's well aware of that. He doesn't need an inner Tsukauchi to tell him this.

"Why the Judge?"

While hiding his identity doesn't seem to bother Toga, Dabi's scrutinising him as if trying to find the breach Midoriya's barriers. He's one to talk. Midoriya's certain 'Dabi' isn't his real name but he knows better than to prod. If one hides his identity, it's rarely only for aesthetic purposes.

"Are you asking me why I'm the Judge or why I judge Pro Heroes?"

"It's the same thing, really," Dabi notes.

Midoriya allows himself to smirk. "You're right. I judge Heroes when they failed to accomplish their duty. Shimomura Kai because he failed his duty to rescue and Yamazaki Hayato because he failed his duty to act. To be worthy to call yourself a Hero, then you must act like one."

"So you say not all Heroes have to be culled?"

"That's Tomura's way. Although lots of Heroes nowadays appear to take their responsibilities lightly, some show devotion and selflessness."

"How noble of you to burden yourself with such a task."

Midoriya isn't sure what Dabi meant, or perhaps he chooses to ignore it. Dabi's testing him, taunting him with an implicit provocation: Who is he, Midoriya Izuku, to question Pro Heroes? As someone's who Quirkless yet dreams of becoming a Pro Hero, he knows more than anyone that life is ironic. Giving powers to those who aren't worthy of them while stripping people who deserve recognition from any is the greatest lesson Midoriya learned from life's cruelty.

If no ones does anything, then the cycle will never be broken.

Next to them, Toga rolls her eyes as she flops on Tomura's couch. "You guys are so serious. It's all too complicated, really. I know a way to relax—"

"It surely involves some massacre," Dabi snorts.

The two began bickering on which way was the best to kill someone but Midoriya didn't listen to their chatter. He wrote multiple books about Pro Heroes, their Quirk, their strengths and weaknesses, even some information on their costume. He was praising them in those notebooks, but this time's ended. He's the Judge now. Shouldn't he write down what defines a Pro Hero?

"Judge," Dabi calls once more. "Who's next?"

"Never mind who's next. When's next? I wanna spill some blood," Toga whines.

"If I may, I have a request."

Dabi's face is closed but his eyes are smouldering. Midoriya's glad he's on his side even if their alliance is fragile. Still, as the Judge and even more aware of his own responsibilities, he can't make exceptions for everyone.

Tomura said it himself. A judge must be impartial.

"If he failed his duty, then yes."

The villain sneered, visibly unsatisfied by his answer, "You keep on talking about this Pro Hero's duty but what is it, really? Do you even have a plan?"

Midoriya doesn't miss a beat although his heart does. "Of course."

"And what is it?"

"I'll… judge them all."

"So Tomura was right. It is pest control."

"You spoke to Tomura?"

"A few words only. He warned me about your utopian views. You have no plan, Judge, no control. Can you even perform the duty you charged yourself with if you were alone?"

Midoriya refuses to fall in such a blatant trap, retorting, "But I have you."

"No, you don't. I won't kill for someone who has no idea where he's going."

Dabi turns away, hands tucked in his pockets. Midoriya feels like his very being's slipping. He hates to admit it but Dabi's right. Without agents, he's back to being useless.

"I know exactly where I'm going," he shouts, cursing himself for his outburst that shows anything but a cool leader's behaviour. "I—"

"If you want me to work with you, you'll have to prove yourself. You judge Pro Heroes and all that, but who judges you in the end?"

Dabi doesn't look back as he leaves, everyone staring at him until the door clicks shut. Midoriya looks at Toga, praying that she wouldn't abandon him. Her smile hasn't faded, but her expression's calculating, a light dancing in his eyes. Midoriya doesn't have any trouble imagining her grinning like this in front of Shimomura Kai's body.

"Don't tell me you never had a corpse party."

"I…"

She shoots forward, her nails raking Midoriya's left cheek. It isn't a slap, much more a scratching gesture that leaves three brilliant cuts on his flesh, thin rivulets dripping from the injury. Midoriya's too shaken to move as Toga brings her bloodied fingers to her lips. Now that he watches her tongue swiping the blood, he realises he has no idea what her Quirk is.

"You taste good," she lets out after a moment, "but it's too sweet."

She trots to the exit, still licking her fingertips. Midoriya brings a hesitant hand to cup his cheek, stopping the blood from dripping on his shirt. Toga doesn't seem any different from before she tasted his blood and Midoriya doesn't feel any change either. Perhaps her Quirk acts after a certain period of time, or perhaps she didn't get enough blood for her Quirk to activate?

Whatever it is, she flashes a toothy grin, waving her hand.

"See ya later, Judge."

Then she's gone.

"So they rejected you."

Midoriya whips around, noticing Tomura's shadowed silhouette leaning against the wall. Behind the bar counter, Kurogiri's shaking his head.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to see your career as Judge coming to an end sooner than you expected."

"It's not over yet," Midoriya growls.

"Oh?" Tomura walks out of the shadow in his direction, his head tilted on the side. "So you'll kill your victims yourself?"

"They're not victims. They're the guilty."

"You're evading the question, kozo. Who's going to kill your guilty, then?"

"I'll find a way."

He has to. He can't let blundering fools call themselves Pro Heroes when it's so obvious they're disregarding civilians. He can't let them be Heroes when he himself can't. However, finding villains who agree with his perspective isn't an easy task. Midoriya needs a tribune. He needs to call them, to invite them, to pull them towards him since they won't come by themselves.

"You're running away. No one's going to respect a leader who doesn't understand their struggles."

Midoriya ignores Tomura's comment, rather focusing on Kurogiri. "Take me back home, Kurogiri."

"As you wish."

Before Midoriya can step inside the Warp Gate, Tomura's bony fingers curl around his hood.

"Kozo, you have blood on your shirt."

Before he knows it, Tomura's Quick activates. Midoriya tenses, convinced Tomura's had enough and decided to kill him, but his Decay only eats away All Might's grinning face, disintegrating the whole hoodie and leaving Midoriya's torso bare.

"It had a horrible design anyway," Tomura grumbles, shooing Midoriya away.

The billboard in Tsukauchi's team's office is already drowned under papers even if the investigation started only a few days ago. Midoriya's eyes roam over the mind map, memorising every single detail found about the two murders.

Shimomura Kai died of blood loss, although what really killed him like Tsukauchi told the medias is the repetitive blows to the head from the back resulting in a skull fracture. His back was slashed so much it was a mess of crisscrossing lines, blood seeping from the gashes to pool around his torso. His eyes were open, glassy, and his mouth agape as if in a silent scream.

As for Yamazaki Hayato, there isn't much to recognise him. With his dental records, the Police Force was able to identify him as Pro Hero Native. His entire body was charred and devoured by the flames, revealing a few bones where the fire intensely damaged the body. Pictures of Yamazaki's house were also pinned to the board, with overturn furniture, soot blackening the walls and the front door with the knob busted, spitting volutes of smoke.

Tsukauchi had added post-its above some photographs, asking questions to ponder on and things amiss with the scenes. The two 'guilty' pictures linking the murders were surrounded by post-its, the detective's scribbling almost undecipherable.

Criminal's motive?

Guilty of what?

Pro Heroes = victims?

"We're back, Midoriya-kun," Tamakawa's voice calls from afar, startling him.

Midoriya hurries back to his seat, taking a deep breath. Even if there's nothing wrong with checking the mind map, Midoriya doesn't want to face Tsukauchi who'll probably ask him what he thinks about the case and with his Quirk, one misstep and it can be all over.

Tsukauchi and the rest of the team enter, looking quite grim. Grim's become the default expression in the office.

"What happened? Did Endeavor find anything?"

"Endeavor didn't come," Tsukauchi sighs, stopping in front the mind map and glaring daggers at it. "He got another case."

"More important than ours?" Midoriya murmurs, irritation threatening to betray his reserved facade. Is the Judge case, his case, so petty that it can be shrugged aside? "But what about the fire expert's consultation?"

One of the police officers eyes Tsukauchi, answering, "We'll contact him tomorrow."

"So we wasted a day?"

"We did not."

The detective rips the two photographs from the mind map, holding each of them in his hands. Even from afar, Midoriya can see they're shaking.

"Endeavor can't come tomorrow either, Watanabe. His case might take a week or more and we can't afford to wait."

"There's his son," Tamakawa points out.

Tsukauchi stills. "His son. Why didn't I think about this before? Watanabe, contact Endeavor's son. Ask him to come now."

"Now? But chief, the day's over—"

"Yes, the day's over but not our case. Overtime never killed anyone."

Watanabe hesitates, glancing at his colleagues around him. It's evident that they're all tired and want nothing more than going home, take a shower, eat food and then head to bed to drop asleep on it. Even Tamakawa who normally seconds Tsukauchi's words remains silent.

"What Tsukauchi-san wants to say," Midoriya intervenes, "is that your participation is welcomed. He understands, however, that you have a family, a wife and perhaps children to go home to. If you want to go to them, it's alright for tonight, but you should warn them about overtime. If you're not ready to make this sacrifice, then I suggest that you remove yourself from the investigation team."

The officers look relieved as they exit one by one, wishing them good evening and luck for the investigation. Only Tamakawa stayed behind along with Midoriya, both of them avoiding Tsukauchi's irate expression.

"Tell me, Midoriya-kun, do you want this investigation to fail?"

"Sir, Midoriya-kun only wanted to help. Everyone was tired and since they know how hard it'll be, we'll be able to gather a smaller team, yes, but more devoted to the case than before. I'm not even sure Todoroki will be available at this hour."

"It can't be this late," Tsukauchi snaps.

"It's ten thirty-five, sir," Midoriya whispers.

"Call him anyway, Midoriya-kun," Tamakawa tells him. "Tsukauchi won't stop."

Said detective's pinning the photographs back on the board, grabbing a stack of post-its and tearing the first on top. He sticks with so much force that the entire map trembled. Midoriya edges away from his superior, grasping the phone as Tamakawa hands him a phone number.

"I didn't know he was so accessible."

"He isn't. That's his Hero Office's number."

The numbers are ones he doesn't recognise. He thought it'd be natural that Endeavor's son would work with his father, but Midoriya has memorised Endeavor Hero Office's number and the one on the sheet doesn't correspond. Perhaps even Endeavor's son himself can't tolerate the Pro Hero's rumoured abruptness?

Midoriya dials the number, sensing both Tamakawa and Tsukauchi staring at him. He knows he can't make a mistake, not now that he sent everyone home and that Tsukauchi's about to get him off the case because of it. Midoriya half-expects the call to redirect him to an automatic voicemail but instead a husky voice answers him.

"Yes?"

For a second, Midoriya isn't sure he got the right number. Perhaps his thumb slipped and hit a wrong button? He stares at the glowing screen and yet it seems he didn't make.

The man on the other line clears his throat and asks a very forced, "How may I help you?"

"Am I talking to Todoroki...?"

Midoriya realises he doesn't even know his first name. He glances sideways at his superiors, seeking their help, but they both shrug. How can they all call themselves police officers if they don't even know a person's full name?

"Depends," the voice rumbles. "Which one you want?"

"The son."

"Then you're talking to the good person. What can I do for you, sir?"

"Midoriya Izuku. I'm working with the Police Force concerning the Judge's case." The line stays silent so Midoriya continues, "As you may know, one of the Judge's two victims was burned alive. We're currently looking for a fire expert to examine the victim's body and to draw their conclusion on the circumstances surrounding the victim's death."

Midoriya can feel Todoroki musing on the other side, considering the opportunity.

"And my father refused such a case?"

"H-He accepted another one before…"

"I see." Tsukauchi's eyebrows are rising, inquisitive, and Midoriya shrugs. "I accept your proposition. When do you want me to come?"

"Is right now possible? If not, then you can—"

Midoriya yelps when Tsukauchi wrestles the phone out of his hands, bringing it to his ear. "If not, come anyway. Go to the crime scene directly. I'll tell you the address."

Midoriya rises from his seat, giving the detective more space. The latter doesn't waste time and settle on the vacant seat, giving directions to the Pro Hero. When Tsukauchi hangs up, he grins at them, half of his face catching the light and giving him a manic expression.

"We got ourselves a fire expert."

"Then let's go," Tamakawa declares.

Midoriya watches them gathering their pad and coat. He sinks on his seat, clenching his jaw, and swivels to face his computer so his superiors can't catch a glimpse of his wishfulness. The clock at the bottom of his screen indicates it's near eleven o'clock. Somehow, Midoriya doesn't feel any fatigue.

"Midoriya-kun," Tamakawa calls, "aren't you coming?"

He spins around instantly. They're standing on the threshold, Tsukauchi adjusting his hat as Tamakawa slips in his boots. Midoriya blinks but none of them are telling him it's a joke and chortling because he fell for it. It looks like asking him to go to the crime scene's the most natural thing to do.

"I'm allowed to?"

The police officer elbows Tsukauchi, "He can come, can't he?"

The detective doesn't even glance at Midoriya, rather leaving the room as he declares, "Make up your mind, Midoriya-kun, because we're leaving now."

Midoriya's never bolted out of his seat towards the exit this fast.

When they reach the crime scene, Todoroki is already present. He's sitting on the sidewalk in front of Yamazaki's house, hands tucked in his pockets and his hood shadowing his face. He perks up when the three of them approach him.

"Good evening Todoroki-san and thank you for your receptivity."

"No problem."

They duck under the yellow tapes surrounding the house, walking to the door that isn't a door, really, but a plank of wood to replace the gaping hole. The house's plunged in darkness and Midoriya's hands follow the wall, searching for a switch. Tsukauchi, however, takes out his phone and uses his flashlight.

"The power's off," he explains. "We found the wires completely melted."

"May I see them?"

"Of course."

Tsukauchi leads them all to the next room, as dark as the other. He holds his phone above an opened grey power panel box displaying wires of red, blue and green welded in the metal in a tight knot. Todoroki reaches for them but Tamakawa catches his hand.

"Gloves first. We don't want to contaminate possible evidence."

The Hero nods, putting the latex gloves the police officer was handing to him. As he brings his hand closer to the wires, his flames flare to life. Midoriya squints at the sudden light, watching as the fire disintegrates the latex gloves and curls around the wires.

"Todoroki-san!" Tsukauchi gasps, aghast.

But Todoroki doesn't pull away, his eyes narrowing down. He controls his flames with a surgical precision, cutting the wires without creating wild sparks that would set the other circuits and fuses afire. He tears them out, examining the smoking wires in his palm.

"Show me where he was killed." Tsukauchi has the time to take one step before Todoroki adds, "You can save your battery, Detective."

Fireballs erupt from the Hero's left palm, swirling and floating in the air. One of them hovers near Midoriya, its warmth caressing his face. He looks back at Todoroki whose face glows in his fire's light. Somehow, Midoriya's gaze always strays to his eyes, not because of the scar marring his left side but because of his heterochromia that makes one orb blue and the other, grey. The Pro Hero doesn't meet his eyes.

In fact, he doesn't meet anyone's eyes.

They move back to the hallway and this time, Midoriya notices the chalk outline symbolising Yamazaki's dead body. Todoroki crouches down, hands clasped together.

"Who found him?"

"His neighbour, a woman in her thirties. Married, one child, working as a secretary," Tsukauchi recites. "It was around nine in the morning. According to our analysis, Yamazaki died between six and seven o'clock in the morning. We questioned if she…"

Tsukauchi's voice falters as Todoroki holds his hand in the air. His eyes are sweeping the ground, halting on every corner, taking in every detail.

"What was the victim's Quirk?"

"Ecological Empathy," Midoriya answers instantly. "Yamazaki was in sync with his immediate environment. He had a psychic bond with nature physically as well as emotionally."

Todoroki hums, one of his fire orbs hovering right above the floor to give him more light. His fingers graze the ashes and tentatively, he brings them to his nose.

"Was he able to use nature to defend himself?"

"According to my data, he couldn't. He could only sense the overall wellbeing and conditions of all biomes yet couldn't ask them for help. His natural affinity was so strong that natural disasters could affect his health negatively."

Todoroki glances over his shoulder and Midoriya freezes and burns at the same time. The eye contact breaks as soon as it's started, Todoroki staring at the ground once more.

"You're the one who called, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"You know a lot about the victim."

Midoriya tenses, letting out a nervous chuckle. "It's my job."

"I see."

Todoroki spends a few more minutes exploring the house, Tsukauchi trailing after him like an overprotective mother hen while Midoriya and Tamakawa follow from a respectable distance. It's almost past midnight when Todoroki declares he's seen enough.

"I'll send you my report tomorrow, Detective."

"Please come to the office, Todoroki-san. I'd like to talk to you also about Shimomura's murder."

Todoroki remains emotionless although his tone has a hint of confusion. "I don't see how I can help you."

"I heard a lot about you. From All Might."

At the Pro Hero's mention, Todoroki straightens. Something sparks in his eyes, giving them the light they were missing earlier as he surveyed the crime scene.

"I'll stop by tomorrow then."

Tsukauchi bows, thanking him, and Midoriya and Tamakawa mirror him. While the police officers get in Tsukauchi's car, Todoroki declines their offer to lift him and walks away.

"You seem satisfied, Tsukauchi," Tamakawa notes.

"The hunt's begun, Tamakawa. It's only a matter of time."

Midoriya assumes if he should be concerned but he feels nothing but numbness. In the rearview he catches Todoroki's silhouette fading as they drive away.