Daemon of Wrath: Oops, that wasn't my intention. No, Ashborn wasn't dead, but no one knows about it except Igris, who chooses not to correct Virgo's words.

ProjectIceman: Haha...please don't jinx it. Give Izu-Squad a break XD

UEIS HQ

Chiba, Japan

"Midoriya, what exactly happens for you to be angry like that?"

Gang Orca looks at Izuku in worry. Earlier, he had just heard that he and his friends got into a fight with one of his employees, with the witness saying that the kids were provoked.

Gang Orca has known the kids for a while now, and he had seen the kids react to any provocation, so he was worried when they suddenly acted out of character.

"...be honest, Gang Orca-san, did I do the right thing to let Agent Hail live?" Izuku mutters while rubbing both of his hands.

"Midoriya, it's been months since you beat him. Why suddenly question it? And didn't you resolve this when you finally became Shadow Monarch?" Gang Orca looks confused as Izuku sighs.

"Back then, I only said that because I knew it was an unavoidable scenario, but I'm still hesitating. I heard from some of your newly hired employees saying how I'm a dumb kid for letting such a dangerous villain live," Izuku replies. "They say, and I quote, 'That man doesn't deserve mercy, and killing him will do everyone a favor' or 'The kid's too soft and stupid, letting his enemies live.'"

"...I think they have different opinions on what mercy is..." Gang Orca sweaterops. Agent Hail's current condition is anything but mercy, with all his limbs cut off except his one leg, forced to hop through a treadmill suggested by Lady Nagant 15 hours a day, nothing about it screams mercy.

"That's not the point, Gang Orca," Izuku says with a sigh. "Please be honest, did I do the right thing?"

"...in my opinion, you shouldn't think too much about it." Gang Orca admits. "This kind of thought isn't something that a 14-year-old kid like you should think about."

"Being a normal 14-year-old kid no longer applied to me the moment Dungeons and Magic were introduced to me," Izuku says as Gang Orca grimly nods. "And let's not forget Shadow Monarch, the power where its full potential comes from killing people."

"...is that why you start to ask me about this?" Izuku nods hesitantly.

"It didn't help that I killed an HPSC agent tailing me a few days ago." Izuku lowers his head in shame. "Igris told me to use Shadow Extraction on him and I did...without hesitation, no reactions at all. I know, I sound like a hypocrite..."

"...Midoriya..." Gang Orca says in a concerned tone.

"When I discuss this with my therapist in the group therapy session, majority of your employees doesn't seem to mind and say 'you did the right thing.'" Izuku felt annoyed. "And when I disagree, they were annoyed at me!"

"So, that's where the arguments about you letting Agent Hail live start?" Izuku nods.

"I'm...just tired..." Izuku mutters. "Is it really bad to not want to kill?"

"What are the main reasons you refuse to?" Gang Orca asks.

"A lot," Izuku says. "I care about human lives, that's what I've been taught over the years. It hurts and scary how people were so apathetic towards death, especially when you had to deal with someone shouting 'die!' and 'I'll kill you!' daily. And whenever I kill, it hurts more since I shed some of my humanity in me. It scares me a lot, you know. I keep asking if any of those people who say killing people because they deserve it have ever experienced this; how can they answer yes with no hesitation?" Izuku scowls.

"Is that why you decided to drag Hail out of prison and demand all of the employees to kill?" Both of them turn around and see Kaina standing in front of the door, holding a stack of paper. "Gotta say, that's some ballsy move."

"L-lady Nagant..." Izuku mutters, not expecting the woman who once tried to kill him to be right in front of him.

"Just call me Kaina, kid," Kaina says as she places down the paper before flicking her fingers on Izuku's forehead.

"Ow! What was that for!?" Izuku asks.

"Stop asking yourself too many questions," Kaina says. "Those idiots always treat killing very lightly, and let me tell you, it is not. They simply say those because they either never kill anyone or they are a psychopath."

"That simplifies a lot of things in a wrong way..." Izuku mutters as Kaina snorts.

"If I don't, you're overcomplicating things," Kaina says in a deadpan manner. "Also, I get how uncomfortable killing is, I truly do because that's how I feel when I start my first day as HPSC's assassin. Even to this day, I still do."

"I...didn't know you feel that way..." Izuku mutters.

"Of course, killing isn't an easy task to do, like some hypocrites tend to believe. But, at the same time, I know the consequences of letting my target live," Kaina says. "Majority of the heroes I've taken down have always been the one who causes too much damage in society and the civilians. If I let him live by simply bringing him into prison, he'll be able to bail himself out with the money and lawyers he got and do more damage while also laying low, causing more and more harm than good."

"Oh..." Izuku looks away. "Is that why you're in HPSC? Then why do you do something that imprisons you?"

"People can get tired of taking more lives. I'm not completely cold-blooded." Kaina sighs. "But, if I had to do it just to prevent more harm, then I'd do it. And my current target now is HPSC."

"...is that mindset even healthy?" Izuku asks in concern.

"Nope," Kaina says. "My point is, killing is neither right nor easy, but sometimes, it's necessary. Doing it may shed your humanity, and it will never stop, but will you make such necessary sacrifices just to keep innocent people safe? If you plan to be a hero, think about it because there will be times when you will be forced to make such a choice again."

"...thanks for the insight," Izuku says before bowing at them and leaving.

"I wish you didn't say something like that." Gang Orca says.

"I had to. It's necessary for someone who has taken lives. The kid is forcing himself never to kill because he's afraid he'll lose his humanity and become the thing he hates the most." Kaina says. "I have a feeling it's from his past, but I won't pry. The point is that you can only guide him in the right direction instead of suppressing it."

"I was never good at this...thanks." Gang Orca sighs as Kaina chuckles.

"Of course, you are more of a brute fighter and an office worker, not a father," Kaina says as Gang Orca deadpans at her.

Later

"..." Izuku takes a sip of his coffee and sighs. He can't stop thinking about what Kaina had said earlier. He was glad that someone gave him advice than those hypocritical 'He DeSeRvE tO dIe, DuMbAsS!' from random people who never kill in their entire life.

"Right now, I'm more conflicted," Izuku mutters as he drinks his coffee.

"That woman is right, you know." Izuku looks at Igris emerging from his shadow. "I understand your hesitance towards taking other lives, but it's a necessary thing to do,"

"I know, Igris. I know..." Izuku answered. "Can you blame me for hesitating? Losing some part of myself isn't a choice I can take lightly."

"I know, I went through the same thing as a knight under Ashborn's lead," Igris says. "I also help the recruits to face such things. I help my recruits deal with trauma after the war, with all the kills they did. I understand it more than you think."

"...sorry," Izuku mutters. "I must look pathetic, didn't I?"

"No, in fact, I'm glad that you took it seriously. It shows your kindness." Igris says. "And you're a child, I can understand how hard the decision is."

"..." Izuku looks at his coffee as he is deep in thought. "Igris...?"

"Yes, my lord?" Igris asks.

"Can you...help me with it?" Izuku asks. "Help me deal with this...and...stop me when I gone too far?"

"...if that's what my lord desires," Igris says as Izuku nods with a smile.

"Thank you..." Izuku says before finishing his coffee and tossing the paper cup into the trash can. Both of them walked towards the training hall and saw Ochako and Eijirou rush towards Izuku.

"Izu-bro! You okay!?!" Eijirou asks in worry. "You suddenly left after forcing those idiots to try and take Agent Hail's life with their own hands! You're not affected by their words, right!?"

"I'm fine, Eijirou, I'm fine," Izuku says with a light chuckle. "I got the help I need, so I feel better now."

"Izu..." Izuku turns to see Ochako looking at him with a concerned expression.

"Like I said to Ei, I'm fine, Ocha," Izuku says before looking at them. "...guys, remember our discussion about how I'm going to kill before?"

Both of the kids stood there in silence, their eyes widening a bit from the sudden question. They're wondering why Izuku suddenly asks.

"Y-yeah, I remember..." Ochako admits.

"I say it before, Izu-bro. I'm not gonna push you away just because you kill, unless you kill innocents, of course." Eijirou says the last part nervously.

"No, Ei, I will never do that." Izuku deadpans before sighing. "I talk with Na-, I mean, Ms. Kaina. She told me killing is necessary to prevent villains from causing more damage to innocent people. I hate the fact, but she's somewhat right..."

"So... you no longer will hesitate to kill your enemy now?" Eijirou asks.

"...you can say I'm no longer hesitating. I will kill, but only if it's necessary." Izuku sighs. "Like what I did to Agent Hail, to extract information. Also, I...had to admit I didn't want him to die easily, with so many victims dying by his hands."

"Is...that why you cut his limbs off?" Ochako asks, a bit pale.

"I know I sound stupid or a bit petty, but he asks for it," Izuku admits. "I want to suffer for what he did. Taking away his ability to use his quirk, magic, and skills seems to be an appropriate punishment."

"But, don't magic can be used with legs?" Ochako asks.

"Hellfire has a...nasty side effects on living beings, and you never see it because I always made sure the effect never activates whenever we spar, or the targets always burn to death the majority of the time. It could burn away the mana inside you and destroy the storage, preventing users from ever using mana again." His friends turn pale at hearing this.

"Wait, what about Igris!?!" Ochako asks.

"I revived as a Shadow, milady. I'm now separated from my real body. So, the curses no longer work." Igris replies as both of Izuku's friends turn paler.

"You're scary Izuku." Izuku sheepishly chuckles, unable to refute the statement.

Intermission 4 Ends

A/N: It took a while, but I finally encountered people who disagreed with how Izuku felt about killing people, even to the point of calling him a dumbass. I get that you're annoyed by the fact that Izuku has ideologies or reasons not to kill as it doesn't work for someone becoming Shadow Monarch, but murder isn't something easy to talk about so casually in a comment for a 14-year-old kid like him, a fact people always forget whenever they read MHA fics. So please understand that his mentality isn't the same as yours. Just because you believe killing someone who deserves it is right doesn't mean everyone is.