Over the Top

by papireaz

When I died, I expected a few manga volumes. Maybe to learn what the One Piece is. Instead, I found myself in a world that I recognised, a story I had read and what's worse was that it was a story I had no interest in wanting to involve myself in! Then and again, the offer to become a Hero is far too tempting...

80. Issue 78

All The Stars - Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA

---

"The beast lies deep inside me…

The beast of anger. I reject you,

So why do you exist?"

---

May the Ninth.

I stared as the clock went by slowly, the broken coffee table in our dorm living room still hadn't been cleared up when I entered the dorm. And everyone was still downstairs, followed by a few more faces.

Katsumi, Sai and Mei.

"...Hi," I awkwardly announced. The front door to the dorm still hadn't been fixed from when I… tore it off its hinges. Everyone's attention snapped towards me, as well as the blood all over my clothes. Some of it being Kim's, and some of it being from Suwabe. Despite that, at the very least, they were all relieved that I hadn't gone and died. "I'm… sorry. Really sorry. I-, I should fill you all in at the very least. A lot has happened, so-, Uh-, Haha."

It was funny how no one spoke up.

Thankfully, Hawks walking in behind me seemed to snap them out of their trance.

"Hawks? What are you doing here?"

"Apart from the official investigation into Sora Yamazaki and his lawbreaking tendencies, I helped to apprehend the real culprit behind the scenes and the murders, all thanks to Sora and his investigation," Hawks replied with a grin. "That's why I've come here. To debrief you all… Although, I don't recognise you two. Or the mechanic. But the more the merrier I suppose. Though, I think I recognise you. That's right, weren't you at the station earlier?"

Hawks pointed at Katsumi who stood very still.

"..."

"She's my sister, and she was at the station for me. As for the other two, they're with me too," I replied. "Just ignore them for now."

"Fair enough then."

"...Dude…" Sero whispered, his eyes firmly planted on the remains of the table that I smashed to pieces. Everyone who was there for my outburst refused to look at my eyes as I sighed. "Are you…?"

"Still angry? I don't know, honestly," I answered honestly. "That burning feeling, it's still there. Bubbling on the surface, ready to strike. I-, I lashed out at you all. And I'm sorry for that. I've always had a temper, a nasty one, but never like that… No, that's a lie. I've never had a temper like that in front of you guys before, but I've been like that before."

"...That's not true," Midoriya told me, staring right into my eyes. "I've seen like that once before. After Eri died, you lost control. Just like you did here. You may have forgotten that event because of how stressful it may have been, but I saw that temper of yours as you broke every bone in your body just to try and kill Overhaul. It nearly worked. And then he injected himself with Felix Felicis…"

I nodded at that.

"Huh. The more you know."

"Is it-, That doesn't matter anymore. What happened after you left?" Tokage asked me. "And no more lies, Sora. I don't care if you think we can't handle it, I'll spill the truth to everyone even if you'll hate me for it. Mei's here because she cracked it. Your sister and her little friend are here because they found something really interesting at the police headquarters with the mission that you gave them. Did you trust me so little that you didn't tell me about them? What happened to you not wanting to be another shitty adult that pushed young students into danger to give them the same scars we got!?"

She was right.

"I do trust you, Tokage. I trust all of you," I replied. "...It's just that-, You know, I've always had a bit of a problem with solving things. A large problem. I want to be the one to do it. Preferably alone. Because I was used to doing it alone for so long."

"Because you didn't trust in us back then! Because we weren't strong enough!" Sero pointed out. "But we are all strong enough now! Instead this time you trusted us only so far, you still went out of your way to try to solve this case by yourself even when using us for help when you felt like it! Don't you see how hypocritical that is?"

I nodded at that.

"I do."

"...We can discuss your motives another time, Sora," Midoriya cut in. "Just explain to everyone what has happened since the start of the case. What you haven't told us. Please."

"Right. Well, right after Daguchi was murdered, I found his phone," I told everyone. "I was searching for it, and when I found it, I didn't hand it in. Suwabe was being a cunt and highly suspicious, so I kept it away from him. I gave it to Mei in order to hack into it and find out whatever important information was on it."

"You-,"

I cut Yaoyorozu off with a glare.

"Yeah, I broke the law. I refused to hand in important evidence, but even if that information gets out, it doesn't matter. Suwabe is arrested. He was arrested by Hawks and the HPSC, and I took Natsuki into police custody," I announced. "For all intents and purposes, this case is closed. Everyone can finally come home tomorrow."

Midoriya and Sero grinned at that.

"Really?"

"Dude, let's go!"

"...What's the catch?" Tokage asked me, picking up on my discomfort. "What happened, Sora? Why do you look like you've lost? What happened after you left the dorm in anger?"

I paused reaching out for my cigarettes.

But I had none.

Even my lighter was cracked and refused to work.

Hawks sighed.

"You're very observant, Setsuna Tokage. I like that."

"You said you would debrief us," Tokage pointed out. "Debrief us on what exactly? Come on, 'Feather Wick', don't keep a woman waiting. You won't like it when I bare my fangs, I've been told my bites hurt. But lucky for me, I like causing pain."

Hawks looked at me in silence.

Yeah, yeah.

I sighed, sitting down on one of the couches as I numbly stared up at the ceiling, the beige colour drawing me in. The day's events just kept on replaying in my mind, and for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to speak - I was just a pawn in another person's game. Who's game?

I had no clue.

Or rather, I still couldn't make sense of it.

What was I missing?

"Sora-,"

"I went to Club Escapade," I slowly replied. "I went to see Kim Ji-Sung. After all, I thought he would likely be the next target. His club was the hotspot for Daguchi to have made connections and deals under the table regarding the redevelopment plan. And Kim didn't disappoint with his information - He knew so much that eventually he was killed by the man I should have realised was never on my side. No, I always suspected him, but that was just my intuition. I don't think I fully realised how deep he was in the conspiracy."

"...Who are you talking about?" Yaoyorozu asked me in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"...He's talking about Munakata Suwabe, aren't you?" Katsumi asked me, but it was less of a question and more of a statement. I nodded in response, and the reaction was instantaneous. Yaoyorozu's eyes widened as Sero nearly tripped over his foot. Tokage's brow raised as Midoriya hummed in response. "As I thought. That correlates with the information Yafuso-san and I were able to glean. Munakata Suwabe had private emails to Daguchi regarding the redevelopment plan. We suspected he was in on it."

I shrugged my shoulders in response.

"Sorta. Anyways, you two, nice work. But I'm going to need you to leave now-,"

"Huh? You gave us a job and said you would trust us!" Sai yelled in response. "How's this trust?! We won't tell a soul! You can-,"

Thankfully, it was Tokage who intervened.

"He's tired. Get out."

"B-but-,"

"As much as I respect you kids, really I do, this is a discussion for adults only," Hawks interjected. "It's not that they don't trust you. It's just that this is sensitive information. As the one with the most rank here, I'm asking you to leave nicely. This is officially HPSC and Government business, and if any information here leaves the room and gets to the wrong ears… Well, I'll have to deal with it by force."

Sai got up first, not before sparing us a glare as he ran out of the dorm. Katsumi was more stubborn as she stared at me in silence before she got up and slowly walked out of the dorm, sharing a weird look I couldn't understand.

Tsk.

"...Commissioner Suwabe? He was in on this conspiracy?" Yaoyorozu asked in disbelief. "B-but, he's the most decorated officer in Musutafu in the past thirty years! Everyone knows that. And you're telling me he's now arrested…?"

"It's hard to believe, but I saw it with my own eyes," I told her honestly. "Kim's role in all this was to use the Korean mafia to peddle more drugs and crime into the city. The homeless people that Daguchi and other companies kicked out were all one effort."

"What do you mean?" Midoriya asked me. "Just what happened?"

"Kim told me the truth," I replied. "Daguchi and everyone were using the redevelopment plan to wash illegal funds given to them by a mystery benefactor. Around ten billion Yen of it. Stolen from the Bank of Japan a year ago now, and their goal was simple - To make sure that Musutafu wouldn't become the economic capital of Asia as planned. So they bought up land and evicted innocent people, watching as they turned to crime and homelessness in order to survive. But Daguchi got greedy, he wanted to have his cake and eat it and tried to secretly carry out the initial plan. And for whatever reason, Natsuki killed him. To stop the corruption."

"...So that's why he died."

I nodded at that.

"Yeah. Everything from All Might's funeral leaking to the gang war two months ago was practically done under Daguchi's orders. I'm pretty sure he was the one funding Ryuji and the Osaka Yakuza's campaign of gaining control over this city, especially with his connections to Detrenat," I explained to everyone. "And the entire thing sets off a chain of events. Suwabe was a snake hiding in the grass, planting and changing evidence so he would come out on top and become the new Mayor of this city. He wanted to start the redevelopment plan for real with all of its funds from the Bank of Japan. The only issue is that he let tons of innocents get hurt in the process, that bastard."

"But… how did that ten billion Yen even get into the redevelopment plan? Who was the one giving Daguchi his power and plans? Why don't they want Musutafu to become the economic capital of Asia like it was proposed to be?" Yaoyorozu asked me. "...You don't know, do you?"

I laughed at that.

"No, I don't. But I don't think they are a group of people we haven't encountered before."

Midoriya was the first to understand my words.

"You mean our trip to Sendai, right? The people who helped fund Toyota manufacturing their illegal weapons, you think they're the ones that took the ten billion Yen too?" Midoriya asked me. "I mean, I can see where you're coming from. But isn't a bit of a stretch, I mean, how are they even linked-,"

"I don't know. I just know that they are. I can feel it."

Midoriya huffed at that.

"Wait, so if Suwabe destroyed any evidence of what he did, of what Daguchi did, then… What's the point of all this?" Sero asked me. "If Suwabe is arrested by the HPSC, he won't be tried for the crimes he did commit, right? It'll probably be the murder of Kim, but that's it. Then Natsuki is the only one who's going to be punished. That's hardly fair. Sure, he killed three people, but what about-,"

"That's not true, Sero. Suwabe didn't destroy every piece of evidence."

It was Mei who spoke up for the first time in this conversation. She had been sitting quietly next to Tokage this whole time, and I nodded at Mei as she stood up much to everyone's surprise.

"Oh, I see," Hawks replied, stroking his chin. "That's a bold move, Sora. Really bold. Right under Nezu's nose too, or does he already know?"

I rolled my eyes at Hawks.

"Of course he knows. It's Nezu, that rat has ears everywhere."

"H-Hold on, what are you talking about here?" Sero asked in confusion. "What does Mei have to do with anything? She has Daguchi's phone that you forgot to hand in. But how is that exactly evidence when it comes to what Daguchi and the other corrupt officials did?"

"Because she's right. The entire time, Suwabe was looking for the last piece of evidence that could ruin his entire plan, that could expose every lie this city has done, and we're the ones in possession of it," I revealed to everyone as Mei handed me Daguchi's phone. "...Did you manage to open the phone? Do you know what's inside?"

Mei grinned at that.

"Of course. Was there ever any doubt? We're a dream team you and I! But it's just a confirmation of everything you've said. Documents detailing their corruption and their plans," Mei explained to me. "...It covers the past two years in detail. Honestly, I'm just surprised that the truth is basically here, in the palm of my hands. But it's yours now. You found it, so you can do whatever you want with it."

I chuckled at that as Meu threw the phone at me.

"Yeah. Thank you, Mei," I stood up from the couch, pocketing Daguchi's phone. "It's crazy to me that all this stems from just a single man and his pursuit of more money. Heh. Daguchi's phone has important evidence on it. And I refuse to allow this whole thing to just blow over. The proof of his crimes is all here, everyone in this room is probably the only few people in this city to know the truth about all this - There's no way I'm sitting back and not doing a single thing. I'm going public with this."

"Huh?!"

"W-wait, that's-,"

Tokage in all her honesty grinned brightly at me.

"Yeah. I agree, I think that's the best course of action," Tokage told me. "There's no way that we can talk about the ten billion Yen, that's a can of worms in itself when we don't know anything about at the very least Daguchi's crimes as well as his cohorts that helped to 'fund' the redevelopment plan displacing people in the city need to be punished. Detrenat, the Yaoyorozu group, whoever was involved had a hand in the corruption in this city."

I nodded at her.

This was the only way to end it once and for all-,

Suddenly, I couldn't move.

A thick black rope was tied around me as Izuku Midoriya stood up, wrapping his Black Whip around me so I was restricted. I clicked my tongue in frustration as he had a frown on his face.

"If you go public with that information… It's not going to end well. The people already distrust Heroes and some are even calling for Heroes to be disbanded, but now you want people to turn against the government too?!" Midoriya yelled at me. "If that goes public, the U.N. is going to forcefully insert themselves into this country. Do you understand? We'll become obsolete. I refuse to allow that. Japan is already bad as it is, think of the backlash, Sora? This isn't Sendai, this is bigger than any of us can even imagine!"

"Yeah. That's why I'm why I'm doing it, dipshit," I replied angrily. "Because if I don't, things will just go back to how they once were. You sat there listening to the truth, and now you want to hide it?!"

"If it means protecting our current society from becoming damaged any further, then yes. I will do precisely that," Midoriya replied, refusing to budge. "Even if I become the villain in your eyes,I refuse to allow you to walk through those doors with the intent of ruining this country. Because that's what this is about, Sora. You're just lashing out against the world, are you not? Control your anger, else you'll never achieve anything."

...Tch.

I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

I just didn't expect it would end up like this.

---

Chapter

Seventy

Eight

'Right and Wrong'

---

Immediately, Tokage jumped into action as she sent her fist flying over to Midoriya, punching him in the face, as his Black Whip returned to him, I took that opportunity to run towards the door and-,

"No, you don't!"

Standing there with a big cannon, Yaoyorozu pointed it directly at me.

Tsk.

I summoned my Nimbus if I could reach the stairs, I'd be able to fly to the roof and escape from there-,

"Gah!"

I paused as Midoriya leapt forward and punched Tokage, sending her flying into our couches. Fuck. Sero and Mei stood still throughout the entire exchange, not taking a side as I thought of a plan to get rid of Yaoyorozu and Midoriya.

Why the fuck are they standing in my way?

Kill them.

"Come on," I pleaded with Midoriya. "You're really not going to fight me, are you?"

"Depends on if you stand down or not," Midoriya replied with a grin. "I know you. I know you're doing this because you think that you're right, but you have to realise that the consequences are too dangerous here. We're not talking about the operation of illegal weapons manufactured by a company! People like Daguchi and Detrenat are powerful and respected people and companies! They hold much more influence over the government than you can imagine! Isn't Rikiya Yotsubashi best friends with Deputy Prime Minister Ryuichi?"

"...So what. We're talking about corruption here. People's lives were ruined, how many people died because of Daguchi? How many innocents kicked out of their own homes forced to work for the mafia because they had no choice?! And you're protecting him because the truth has the potential to turn things upside down?! Since when has being a Hero meant hiding the truth from the public?" I asked him. "Come on, Midoriya. Face it. This is some really bad shit, innocent lives have been hurt because of Daguchi and the redevelopment plan. If we don't act now, whoever becomes the next Mayor is just going to continue this shit."

Midoriya shook his head at me.

"And your alternative is any better?! You're opening this country to chaos! How many riots do you think it'll cause?! Think of what it'll lead to! Sora, please! I don't want to fight you! Just hand over the phone… You don't have to do this," Midoriya pleaded with me. "We can control the narrative! You, me, the HPSC, the government-, We can all prevent the bleak future our country is headed in. From the shadows. We can slowly steer this country in the right direction, that ten billion Yen can be used to redevelop this city. For good. That's a lot of money, Sora - And we both have friends in high places."

"It was stolen from the Bank of Japan! Nearly five hundred million Pounds!Our economy is now in even more of a recession because of it! People don't trust the banks anymore because that amount of money was stolen, don't you fucking get it?!" I yelled at him. "Control? How's that any better, you're just replacing one prick for another. Do you really think that the HPSC won't use the money for their own benefit? Or are you so naive that you really think this is the best outcome? And do you think whoever put the money in the redevelopment plan, whoever gave Daguchi his power is just going to allow this?!"

Midoriya laughed aloud at that.

"I knew it. You care more for the truth than the real safety of the civilians - You couldn't give a shit if what you reveal causes riots and people to be killed, just so long as Sora Yamazaki gets what he wants!" Midoriya snarled at me. "You're no Hero. What makes you think that what you're doing is right?! It's wrong! You're just going to end up damning us all, Sora! You and your anger! That's what this is about, isn't it? You just want to get back at the bastards that pissed you off the most."

Tsk.

"And what makes you think that, huh? You think you know me, that you know my anger, you don't know shit, Midoriya! You're just a sad fucking loser who lost his mentor. Poor All Might, the bastard died fighting All For One… You know, you're pathetic. If All Might could see you now, I bet he'd roll over in his grave," I mocked him. "You care more about protecting your 'ideal' version of society than actually changing things for the better! This can lead to change! To those in charge being held to a higher standard! We can finally get rid of corruption and scrutinise those who misuse their power! People like Eri and Denji will never be caught up in bad situations again! We could prevent so much!"

"At what cost, Sora? At the peace that we've fought so hard to maintain? You don't get it, people already want Heroes gone after what you and Overhaul did to this city. After what All Might's funeral turned into, and even the gang war just recently," Midoriya replied. "And you know, if everyone were here they would be disappointed in you. None more so than Yukari. She sacrificed her life so that you could live, not so you could waste it and everyone's lives because you want to decide to get revenge on those who you can't punish anymore! Because they pissed you off, eh? What a joke."

"Pissed me off?! Midoirya, think! Think of what Daguchi is responsible for! All Might's funeral was trampled on because of his corruption!" I shouted at him. "And you're defending him?! You don't know that this country is going to fall into disarray if this gets out there. If the public finds out that the politicians purposefully want crime - That they used this city as a way to exert their influence and control - That they make money from it. That's not okay. How's anything going to change if we're keeping this away from them?! How can you call yourself a Hero if you're allowing people to get trampled on, refusing to save them?!"

We both glared at each other, neither of us backing down.

"Alright, alright," Hawks' voice cut in. "Let's calm down and discuss this."

"There is nothing to discuss. Sora, if you take a single step outside with the intent to reveal everything to the public, I will hunt you down no matter what," Midoriya warned me. "I'm even prepared to kill you to maintain the peace that All Might and everyone in our class worked so hard to keep. Because you don't want to understand. You gave up on trying to be a Hero and save society when Aozora died, and you know it. Don't lecture me about what's right for this country, you've never given a single shit about what happened to Yaoyorozu, you agree with me too, right? You too, Sero?"

"Midoriya. I said stand down," Hawks yelled, his hand gripping tightly one of his feathers. "I understand this is a tense situation, and I understand that you want to do the right thing, but these are your classmates you're talking about. Murdering won't solve anything, it will just complicate things."

"...Like you're one to talk, assassin," I mocked. "How many people have you killed this year for the sake of peace? You just don't want to clean up the mess, do you? As I said, Hawks, take your best fucking shot because I will reveal all this shit to the public."

Midoriya tried to come over and fight me, but Hawks stood in his way.

"You're on my side. Why are you protecting him?"

Hawks cringed at that.

"I'm on my side. Not yours, and not his," Hawks replied. "And Sora, you don't need to bring up my past. I understand that you distrust me and the HPSC, but right now this is far bigger than either of us. I also understand your point of view, just as I understand Midoriya's. Therefore, the only way any of us can get anywhere without fighting is by talking things out - So let's just do that for a change. Then we can decide together what to do, fighting each other doesn't solve anything."

I turned to Yaoyorozu who had a complicated look on her face.

"I-, I think it's best if we simmer down and discuss both sides, after all this is a group effort, right? Just like Hawks just said,I think we should all decide together on what's best," Yaoyorozu answered. "Democracy is what works most. Please, don't fight anymore. I-, I don't want to see my friends fight over this. Please."

"I don't have a horse in this race," Mei told us. "If you don't mind me, I just wanna go work on my babies. I don't care what happens either way. Just… Don't fight. I don't want to lose two of my favourite customers. But importantly, I don't think I matter in this conversation. So, uh, can I, uh, you know?"

Mei pointed at the door that I had ripped off its hinges.

Reluctantly, Midoriya allowed Mei to leave our dorm.

I sighed, lowering my sword as I sat down next to Tokage on one of the couches that weren't ruined. She was massaging her jaw, having been punched by Midoriya there as she sent him a nasty glare.

"You alright?"

"Peachy," Tokage replied. "Tsk. I can't believe this is even an argument. He's willing to lie to the public just to keep false peace. No, not just him. The entire HPSC. It's stupid. If this ever gets out, it'll blow up even more."

"Again, can we just discuss this like adults?" Yaoyorozu asked everyone. "...I understand both sides of the argument. T-truth be told, if the corruption is as severe as what it seems like, you can't hide that from the public. Too many people have been hurt. We'd be fulfilling our role as dirty Heroes, the ones that everyone hates. But at the same time, I also understand that if we go out there with this information, it could be the end of everything as we know it. At the very least, this city will descend into chaos. Then the country and the world will follow suit."

"Exactly! We are Heroes, we need to protect everyone even if we have to do things we hate! We just have to endure it, for them. So that eventually, we can change things on the inside," Midoriya added. "What you want, Sora, is a revolution. You're willing to throw everything aside for what? Do you even comprehend what you're suggesting? What you're suggesting is vengeance. You don't care if you save anyone, you just want vengeance on people like Daguchi."

"...You don't-,"

"I KNOW YOU!" Midoriya yelled at me. "I know you, Sora Yamazaki. I know that you think this is coming from a good place, but it isn't. Listen. You did the same thing in Sendai, you wanted to expose whatever was happening no matter what. But the difference between Sendai and this case is clear to us all - In Sendai, you decided to keep the weapons away from both parties. You kept the peace by doing the right thing, by not enduring."

I scoffed at him.

"What's the difference here then, Midoriya?!"

"...In this case, here in this city, you're convinced you're doing any of this outside of your own impulsive emotions. Do you think the people will want change if they hear this? They'll call out for blood. You're not stupid, Sora. If you go public with this, think about how many more people will die in the ensuing chaos! That'll be blood on your hands."

…Tsk.

"What's the alternative, Midoriya? Hide this away from everyone?" I asked him. "Using it for our own control? How's that Heroic? You distrust people too much. You think that they'll let you down, that they'll become angry."

"You're incorrect. I trust people too much, everyone is hurt by Daguchi and his policies. Those scars are still real and raw, and they may never heal," Midoriya said. "What you're doing-, What you're about to do-, You're not giving them hope. You're destroying whatever hope they have and you'll just be another Natsuki. Another Stain. Another bastard using everyone else as an excuse to do what they want. Another bastard using his anger to get back at the world, because that's exactly what you're doing."

"Midoriya, you do understand what you're doing too, right?" Hawks asked. "You won't just be controlling the information that gets out about this case, you will be changing the entire case itself. What you're doing is ensuring that justice for these people will never occur because it's the easier route. You're sacrificing the people of this city who have suffered to save the entire nation."

"Isn't that what being a Hero is about?!" Midoriya replied. "I-, I thought it was possible to save everyone. But it's not. So I have to save as many people as I can, that's what All Might would have done. That's what I have to do. We're in an impossible situation, if this gets out what do you think the U.N. will do to us! I said there would be chaos in the streets, but internationally Japan will be seen as a country who needs to be controlled. The League of Villains, the Cult of Stain, any villain will have an open field to shoot at."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe go fuck yourself," Tokage replied snidely. "You'll be lying to the entire world about what happened. You'll let those bastards get away with it all, the victims will never get an ounce of justice. Who gives a shit about the U.N., let them ban all fucking Heroes for all I care about! Right now you're acting more like a politician than a Hero who wants to make a difference!"

"I… agree with her," Sero told us. "This is too big to be kept as a secret. I mean-, I saw the homeless people that lost everything because of Daguchi. Because of the redevelopment plan. I'll never forget them. Their anger. I want to help them. They blame us Heroes for everything that went down, and you just want to let them stew with those feelings? Midoriya, if you hide this from the world then you're no better than the bastards who put us all in this mess in the first place!"

"And telling them that they were fucked over by those in power is going to help them?" Midoriya didn't mince his words as he asked Sero that question. "You're telling me that those homeless people would rather be told they were used and abused by those in charge of this city than have their lives improved by them?! We can use this information to better the world. To make sure whoever is appointed as interim-Mayor doesn't fail the people again. To overcome the barriers in front of us, isn't that what you said you wanted, Sora?"

I sighed at that.

He had a point.

Yet no matter what, the anger in my heart wouldn't fade.

"That's foolishly optimistic, Midoriya."

"So what? I'll work with the HPSC, with 'villains' in your eyes, I'll work with whoever I need to work with to ensure that we have a better tomorrow for everyone," Midoriya replied. "You're the one who thinks that if this gets out there it will cause anything but a chain of reactions that'll lead to the very idea of a Hero becoming undone. We're already facing public backlash for existing, what do you think this will lead to? Peace? You don't even know what peace is, Sora. Your heart is constantly fighting that anger you've always held. Just give up."

Snarling at that, I got up to lunge at him-,

But it was Tokage who stopped me.

"I'm all for you doing this for the right reasons. But… He sort of has a point," Tokage told me, flinching as I stared down at her. "It's not like you're doing this for the right reasons either. If you were, I'd be able to defend you no matter what. But you lied to us, kept things hidden. You wanted to prove to us that you could solve this case all on your own, but we knew you could do that. So why the temper? Sure, you've always had an inherent temper, always angry with something. Need I remind you of you at the USJ? I wasn't there for it, but I heard the accounts. Even during the Sports Festival, you were so frustrated with Todoroki that you practically tried to kill yourself to change his mind."

"..."

"And what about Hosu? I remember that night clearly, you were fighting both Stain and Iida. You were angry at the two of them for two entirely different reasons, but the truth was that you didn't care about anyone other than soothing yourself - You were willing to die just to prove your point," Midoriya told me. "And what about during summer camp? You nearly killed Aoyama because of your anger, because you let it get the better of you. Your anger towards me for not using my Quirk and feeling like I didn't deserve it led to us all getting killed as you tried to make me gain confidence in myself, I'm thankful for it but it's still the truth."

"...And your anger is what led to you getting us involved in our lives so heavily," Yaoyorozu added. "How many times was it that your anger led to you meddling in our lives? Led to you finding out about our darkest secrets, you were angry at the world for hurting your friends. It made us love you. But even you can't deny that you weren't doing it for us, you were doing it for yourself. At the end of the day, it was your anger towards yourself, this world and whoever pissed you off the most at that moment that led to you acting the way you did. And even now, you're still the same in that regard."

…

"You can't gloss over the Overhaul raid either, Sora. I-, I wasn't there, but we all know about what happened that day now because of you," Sero whispered. "Because you couldn't control your emotions, your anger got the best of you in that situation and led to Overhaul escaping custody. It led to so many more deaths. And it led to you sacrificing your powers to take him out, it led to you hating yourself and feeling like you needed to be punished. Your anger has always been a part of you… Can you say that you have everyone's best interests at heart by revealing this information to the public?"

I-,

I-,

"Yeah, sure, whatever. I-,"

But it was Tokage who sighed, gripping my arm tighter.

"It's always an 'I' with you, Sora. Always a defence. We're not attacking you, if anything, we want you to be better. We don't want you to be like this, to lash out and break another table as you storm out and do whatever you want - In that sense, you're the same as any other villain we've faced. As Overhaul. As Natsuki," Tokage told me. "...You just want everyone to feel the same way as you do. If this was really about doing the right thing, wouldn't you have told everyone about you having Daguchi's phone?"

…

"But you lied to them. You told me, because frankly, you know I'd beat you up if you had lied to me," Tokage explained. "But you lied to them. Again. Because you can't control your emotions, you may turn eighteen in a few hours, but you've never appeared to be more different than an adult then now. I can see why you're alone. Why Jiro moved on from you, and why you'll never get her love back. It's a lost cause really, even now you're just a kid with so many scars that you're never going to heal properly."

The walls around me were closing in as I sighed loudly, shrugging my shoulders at her.

"What do you want me to say? Maybe you're right, but-,"

"It's time you look inward, Sora. Ask yourself the big questions - Who are you, and what do you want?" Tokage asked me, placing her hand on top of mine. "...If you still want to go public with this, give me the phone. I'll be the one to do it, and I'll do it right. I'll do it because justice needs to be served. If not, if you know that deep down you just want to lash out and not do this for the right reasons, give me the phone. I also know what to do then."

Reaching deep into my pockets, I brought out Daguchi's phone as I stared at it.

All this fuss over a phone.

If I handed it over, it would be the end of this. Midoriya, the HPSC, everyone would get a piece of the metaphorical pie in covering this up and using it to their advantage. Maybe things would change, maybe this city could become a better place, but-,

Going public with this information either wouldn't do anything. They were right, I wasn't going to tell the world about the corruption in this city to make things better, I was just doing it because of how I felt.

"I-, I don't know what I want to do with this," I told everyone. "You're right. I'm right. I just-, Please, at the very least, can I hold onto this for the time being? I promise I won't do anything rash with it. I don't know what I want to do with it, not really. I don't even know how to really feel about all this, and there are still things I haven't figured out about this case."

It was Yaoyorozu who spoke up, however.

"Sora… The case is over. Natsuki was caught. There might be a few questions left to solve, but why are they important for you to understand? What does knowing the answers to them do?"

I continued to stare at Daguchi's phone.

"I don't know. Maybe it'll make things easier for me to understand how I feel. Maybe I'll understand what I really want to do with this," I replied. "It's selfish for me to ask you all of this. None of you trust me, and I get it. I can change how I act, I can change my perspective on life, but I can't change who I am on the inside. I've always been like this, always been an angry kid who wants to prove that he's wanted in the world, and I've never been able to understand that."

From the kid who had died…

To the kid who I was even now.

There was a constant throughline, a single emotion that remained consistently present in each milestone. It was funny, even nearly two months removed from my meeting with Shion, a woman just like me and Tokage - Her words were stuck in my mind for some reason.

"...Do you know what's the biggest sign for a child that wasn't loved unconditionally? It's poor control over what they feel. Extreme jealousy, extreme love… and extreme anger."

And those words were starting to become easier to understand.

At the very least, I was starting to understand a dark truth clouding my life.

"...You get to keep the phone for now," Hawks told me with finality. "I trust you to do the right thing, Sora. The HPSC will back you up no matter what. I can promise you that, whether that's if you want to go public or not it doesn't matter because this is bigger than any of us could have imagined. And I understand that all of you here feel like you need to do something. But you don't."

Midoriya huffed loudly at that.

"Hawks-,"

"Midoriya. I understand you have Japan's best interests in mind, but you would do well to remember that trampling over innocents to protect what we have isn't worth it," Hawks cut him off. "You may stand for protecting the current system we have. But Endeavour, myself and everyone else at the HPSC understand that staying on a sinking ship isn't helpful in protecting anyone but our own pride. Change is necessary. Likewise, Sora, a bloody revolution doesn't lead to much. Everyone will be too busy stepping over corpses to initiate proper reform of our systems to ensure people like Daguchi never get in power again."

…

"And what about companies like Detrenat? L-like the Yaoyorozu Corporation?" Yaoyorozu asked hesitantly. "Who controls them? Or do they get to run freely? Because ultimately, these corporations were part of the plan. No doubt they gained profit from either ruining this city or making it the economic hub of Asia. How do they get punished here?"

"They don't," Sero answered bitterly. "They just keep on continuing to ruin other people's lives because no one holds them accountable. Because those people at the top are so out of touch with reality that they'll never be able to understand what it's like to be used by them."

Yaoyorozu flinched at that.

"Likewise, Sero, those at the bottom getting fucked over don't have anyone to help em' out. Just show them an ounce of kindness because everyone is trying to ignore that they exist," Tokage replied, and Sero stared at the floor silently in response. "It's a two-way street. Everyone in this country only cares about themselves, and that's a culture fostered by Heroes. You see a dirty kid walking on the streets, you walk past him because some Hero will come by and help. But no one ever does. The real corruption isn't in our systems, it's in our minds."

Hawks nodded at that.

"Correct. Changing systems won't help, you'd have to change society for real growth to occur," Hawks told us. "No matter what, unless everyone does their part, that can't happen. Midoriya, you're carefree tomorrow that you promised everyone isn't something you can achieve by lying and hiding information. By working in the shadows. I understand this is a delicate situation, but you're also the same as Sora - You think that you know best."

"...I-,"

I sighed.

"What are you going to do now, Hawks?"

"Now? Now, I need to go to Tokyo and explain his mess to Endeavour. Explain it to our Prime Minister, I'll leave you guys to deal with the clean up of this incident," Hawks replied. "I leave everything in your hands, Class A and B. If you're the future generation that'll change things, you might as well start now. How you'll do that is up to you, but I trust that you can do the right thing."

…

I silently walked out of the dorm.

"Hey!" Tokage yelled, running after me in concern. I could see it in her eyes, she was worried about me. "Where are you going? Are you going to be okay? I mean, if you really don't want to be alone right now-,"

"Setsuna."

Her face softened as I called her by her first name.

"...Sora Yamazaki, running off to save the world. That's more Heroic than you give it credit for. And I still don't think you are wrong, but maybe we can go about this in a different way," She replied with a grin. "I believe in you. I really do. And I always will. Whatever it is you need to do, I'll back you up no matter what so long as you are truthful with not just me, but everyone around you too. You may have a badge, but that doesn't mean you aren't just as much of a Hero as the rest of us."

Tsk.

I stared down at my badge.

The Musutafu Police Department.

"You know… I'd rather just be a Hero than someone who works for a corrupt department. That way, I'd be called a revolutionary rather than a cog in a machine," I replied with a grin. "I just want some space to think. To train. To get some frustration out of me without breaking another table."

Tokage giggled at that.

"Sounds like you're fine. Or will be. I'm glad, Sora."

I smiled at her.

I was glad too…

…

---

"-Cristiano Penaldo's controversial handball against Nagoya has meant that Yokohama FM is currently bottom of the league. In other news, the prime suspect for the recent murder of ex-mayor Daguchi and Shinji Mikami of Detrenat Ltd is currently under police custody! We at the Musutafu general radio station wish for justice to be served. Now, on to something that'll never leave you unfulfilled - House music."

I turned the radio off as I stood in quiet contemplation in one of the training rooms at U.A.

Here, I was all alone.

Surrounded by nobody.

I wiped some sweat off my brow as I held my sword tightly, leaping forward to the dummies as I slashed at them, watching as the top half of their bodies slammed against the floor. But I couldn't gloat in my victory as the next wave of dummies arrived, this time they were mobile and held weapons in their hands as two rushed directly at me. I deftly dodged one strike aimed to my head, while the other dummy leapt in the air to try and impale me.

Rushing towards the blade, I raised my sword to block the strike - Sparks flying in the air as I bent my knees and kicked the dummy out of the air, using my momentum to spin around and chop the other dummy's head clean off his shoulders. It was frighteningly easy to kill, to take a life and let it be over and done with.

I always knew that, but while training with these dummies that I didn't have to worry about holding back with, it was much easier to see how far I had progressed.

In both my skills, but also my fear of 'death'.

"Hyah!" I yelled, stepping to the side to avoid another attack that likely would have heavily injured me, it's not as if I chose the easy difficulty in the sparring dummies.

I used my sheathe to block a swing from another attack, using my legs to sweep a dummy off the ground and drive my sword through their chest. It was so easy to imagine someone bleeding out on the ground - A side effect from the multiple deaths I had seen these past few days.

Daguchi, Yukimura, the Detrenat guy and Kim.

At a moment's notice, three more dummies entered the arena and I was immediately put on the backfoot as one of them held a gun. Even if it was a fake gun that shot rubber bullets, it would still hurt! Ducking a punch from one of the dummies, I grabbed his arm and used his weight against him, throwing the bastard on the floor as the dummy holding the gun accidentally shot at one of his fellow teammates who was standing in the line of fire.

I grinned as I threw my sword at the gun-wielding dummy, piercing his head as I turned to the final dummy I was wrestling around the floor with. There was no other option as my hands wrapped themselves around its head, and all of a sudden I was far too aware of what would happen before it did.

One small movement and-,

Crack.

My body had moved on its own as I looked down at the snapped neck of the dummy in both fascination and surprise. At how easy it was to murder. Sure, these were just dummies, but I wasn't dumb - U.A. had built these dummies to stimulate a real fight with people.

In a real fight… How many people would I have killed?

No.

How many would have been murdered by me because they stood in my path?

No.

The truth of the matter was that I wouldn't have killed anyone, not because I didn't have the potential to take a life but because I wouldn't want to be forced into that position. Because I wanted to-,

"Isn't that the illusion of control?"

I opened my eyes to see that I wasn't in U.A.'s training room anymore, no, I wasn't even in the real world. A house that was the amalgamation of three different houses. But as I approached it, I could recognise at least some parts of them. That was my living room back at home, that was the couch which Miwa and I always fought over who would sit on the corner space - And the roof was the dorm building at U.A.

"..."

"Too busy staring at this house, huh? I can't blame you. But you're a bastard if you think I'm letting you inside my home," I heard Kurai yell at me. He looked the same as always, a direct mirror of the old me. With blue hair and bright yellow eyes, he proudly paraded Aozora's old Hero costume. "What? Don't have anything to say other than your thoughts? At the very least say them aloud, it's annoying to have you stuck in your own head in this place."

"...You live here?"

"Yep. Me and that kid, Shiro."

"Hm."

"Did you think we just fucked off when you weren't around?"

I shrugged my shoulders in response, stuffing my hands into my pockets. I was back here, to the place that was supposed to resemble my heart. An amalgamation of three houses, and while the rain had stopped and this place wasn't underwater anymore, something was off.

"Why am I here?"

"That's how it always works, bastard. You bring yourself here every time you find yourself lost," Kurai replied angrily. "You just show up and taunt us, nowadays you don't even ask for power, you just take it. You're not even in a fight right now, what makes you think I'd want to see your ugly mug? Get lost before I kill you."

I shook my head at him.

"You said something to me earlier. I heard you."

"Oh, you mean when I said you don't want to kill anyone because it's an illusion of control? I'm not wrong, you have always had the capacity inside you to murder. It's the detachment that can only come from experiencing death yourself," Kurai told me with a smirk. "How many times have you come close to crossing that line? Overhaul? Miwa's father? Gyro? But easily the man who takes the cake here is Zero. Are you going to tell me that violence isn't your true nature?"

I rolled my eyes at him.

"If violence was my true nature, I wouldn't be a detective."

"You can have it both ways, brat. Do you think that you can't be a violent man who wants to do good? How many people are truly like that in your life? You can't escape the man that you are, Sora Yamazaki. You can't escape the ugly truth within you," Kurai told me with glee. "If anyone knew the truth, they'd leave you, right? That's what you think deep down in that heart of yours. You may have accepted your not a villain that needs to be punished, accepted your place in Class A, accepted your responsibility. You even accepted their love. But you can't accept your own fears, you never have and never will. You think that a 'just' version shouldn't feel the way you do, is that your way of coping? Because it's not working."

"Shut-,"

"You shut up! What do you know, Sora?!"

I stood there, stunned as Kurai yelled at me.

"What would you know about anything? You run around like you're unaware of how you feel on the inside. The truth is that you couldn't have done anything without me - The 'darkness' inside your heart," Kurai screamed at me. "You shun me, lock me away in this house, and for what?! To use me when you need me most? You don't understand yourself. You have never understood who you are and what you want, those are things you've always been at odds with ever since you first came into this world - Something spurred on by your death, something created by your death, something twisted and moulded by your death."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't play stupid. You thought of yourself as a Hero before you came to odds with what being a Hero meant in reality. You thought of yourself as a free man before you came to odds with your responsibilities that you couldn't shake away. And now, even as a detective, you have found yourselves at odds yet again with the world around you," Kurai spat out. "You've found yourself at odds with yourself, over what you want to be and who you currently are. Over what you want to do and what you have to do. And that makes you angry, that makes you lash out, it makes you seek for something that doesn't exist."

"...And what is that?"

"An answer. An answer you've been searching for since before you even came to this world. What is the purpose of my life? How can I overcome that fear for not finding a purpose?" Kurai replied. "What is the purpose by which I was brought here by All For One? Why exactly do I live? What's the point of all my suffering? At what point does it become my life rather than an obstacle I have to overcome? You haven't turned away from your responsibilities, you've opened your heart to others and begun to trust them, so what other lessons do you have to learn before it stops? Isn't that the question you ask yourself?"

My eyes widened at that..

How-,

"Because I live in that messed up heart of yours," Kurai told me with a sad smile. "Because of this house? This is the amalgamation of your heart. Of everything you've been through. I told you, if you ever grew weak I'd take control of your body. If you ever relied on me too much, I'd take control and ruin everything you hold dear. But I didn't need to do all that after all, you managed to do that with your actions and that's what pisses me the most off."

"...That you didn't ruin my life?"

"The fact that it was this weak version of you who did so," Kurai taunted. "The fact that you ruined it for yourself, only because you're ultimately still a kid who hasn't grown up one bit. Only because your scars still throb whenever something happens that you can never allow yourself to truly understand how you feel. Heh. I could explain it to you, but you're so arrogant that you wouldn't believe me."

Tsk.

Why the fuck was he talking?

What did he know?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing!

I waved my hand at him, watching as he slowly disappeared.

"That's it! Take your rage out on me, Sora Yamazaki! Isn't that right?! Isn't that what you wanted?!" I heard Kurai's voice laughing as I was slowly whisked away back into the real world. "We'll never win in life if you keep on avoiding the harsh truths about yourself! About who you are! About what you want! Or maybe you never had an intention of doing so, after all, I'm just the 'dark' side of you, am I not? I'm just the next villain you have to conquer to be 'right'? It's a shame, Sora… Perhaps in another life, we wouldn't be-,"

I woke up to the real world with a jolt.

And I hated it.

I clenched my teeth as my grip around my sword tightened, just what the hell was that supposed to mean!? My arms moved before my mind could catch up as I slashed diagonally against a dummy that had tried to sneak up on me, watching as they were cut in half by my sword.

Tsk.

All it did was put me in a worse mood as I kicked the dummy, walking over to the side where I deactivated the training. Throwing my sword on the floor, I sat there in silence as I turned on the radio-,

"Breaking news! Tonight, on the Ninth of May, we have just received news that the new interim Mayor of Musutafu will be revealed tonight at City Hall! We have been informed that members of the public can and will be allowed to be seated at City Hall which has been repaired from the most recent car crash!" The news reporter announced. "The statement we have been provided is as follows: 'We invite members of the public to ask questions about the future of this city'. I will be there to report on what will be happening-,"

I narrowed my eyes at the radio.

Tsk.

Everything was happening way too fast-,

Way too fast-,

…

Fuck.

---

The dirty visiting room in Tartarus wasn't something that I was used to.

It was dirty and grimy, far worse than any 'slum' in Musutafu. Despite the 'white' floor, I felt dirty as I sat in the darkness, watching at the window stopping me from the other side of the room that was covered by a metal sheet. Grrk. Slowly, the metal sheet rose up to reveal a familiar face dressed up in orange with restraints, a small bruise around his eye as his long blonde hair was tied up together.

Natsuki.

I flinched at the grin on his face once he recognised me, raising his hands to touch the glass separating us, his cuffs jingling as the chains fought against each other for control, his fingers rhythmically tapping against the window.

"...I told you we'd see each other in Hell," Natsuki said. "Tartarus. You know, in Greek mythology Tartarus is deep below in Hell. A dungeon of sorts. A place where the Titans, the worst of the worst, are kept. Not too dissimilar from this place, right?"

"What do you want from me?"

"Want from you? Haha, Sora, I don't want anything from you," Natsuki laughed at my comment. "My whole life, I was practically invisible. As a woman, as a doctor, as a man, as a scientist. Forced to keep my head down as corruption spread across everyone's lives like a disease. But there's no cure. I can tell you that for free, Sora. There's no healing the selfishness humans can procure."

"..."

"You have no words? That's fine. I don't mind being the one talking here, after all, I'm in custody here. Waiting for my trial. Who even knows if I'll end up here, or even executed? Why did you come here, Sora?" Natsuki asked me. "I can see it in your eyes, you know. I can see that very same thing reflected in my own eyes, even as you stay in the shadows, you're a horrible liar."

"See what?"

"The anger of course. That anger which is reflected in your eyes, how deep down you just want to let it all out, just like me," Natsuki explained. "I was there, you know. On that day. I remember how conflicted you were while fighting your friend, how his death was a result of your inaction. A pile of rubble, was it? Caused by Mount Lady accidentally getting knocked over on the floor. It's ironic, is it not?"

"..."

"I thought you were more chatty, or perhaps you wear a mask? Oh, look at your pupils, aren't they fascinating in the reflection of you in the window that divides us? My, my, you truly are a horrible liar," Natsuki added. "Of course, you wear a mask. As the Hero you once were, the boy you are deep down, the man you want to become and a detective. So this is the real you, quiet and reserved. I saw everything that day. I saw how your anger got the better of you, and well, we all know what happened."

Natsuki stared at the camera, smiling wickedly at me.

"Ao…Zora…" Natsuki whispered. "Ao…Zora…"

I gulped down some bile, my breath hitched in my throat as Natsuki leaned closer, his face practically pressed up against the window as he grinned at me, his bright blue eyes dancing wildly as he laughed yet again.

"It was Aozora who led to this whole mess. The end of an era of peace. The worst villain attack this country had seen in decades, ever since All Might had been put in place," Natsuki explained. "And of course, you now know the truth. How twisted Aozora's 'sacrifice' became, and how the redevelopment funds of this city were less about helping people. Did you come here to tell me that the job is done?"

"...What job?"

"Come on. Don't play coy now, we both know that you've been working alongside me the entire time," Natsuki replied. "I mean, come on? Daguchi's death? That was brilliant, I never would have guessed it. Sure, I called him so that he could go to his apartment, but the fact that you went and killed him? Haha."

…

"...Huh?"

"You killed him. You're the one who killed Daguchi," Natsuki repeated. "I wish I could claim credit for his death, but I can't. I wanted him dead, yeah. But you, Sora, you set this whole thing off! Why do you think I added that ball of paper to Daguchi's mouth? There was no other way of contacting you, I thought you wanted to work together with me which was why I was so confused-,"

"Hold on, why do you think I killed Daguchi?! I didn't know about his dealings until recently, why would I have killed him?!" I asked in confusion. "Right now you're not making any sense, if you didn't kill Daguchi, then who did?!"

Natsuki stared at me in surprise.

"...I thought you killed Daguchi because he was the one opposing your investigation into the missing money, the same case that Death Arms once looked into. The same case that led to his death," Natsuki answered. "Since I knew what I knew about Daguchi and his dealings, I tried to push you in the right direction for your case as we punished those responsible for the corruption. Are you telling me that you're not the one behind Daguchi's murder?"

I stepped out of the shadows, watching as Natsuki grinned at me.

"What?"

"I see now… So there was a third party involved after all. I'm surprised you didn't realise it sooner, I thought it was Suwabe pulling the strings all along, but he's arrested now, so what brings you here?" Natsuki asked me. "I thought you had come to gloat. Thank me for working alongside you. That anger in your eyes still hasn't faded, though I'm confused as to who it's directed at. What brings you here-,"

"City Hall. In around twenty minutes, the new interim mayor will be announced," I cut Natsuki off. "I thought you were behind that. That you had a plan for this. I thought that you're the one responsible for all this-,"

"You… didn't know there was a third party?" Natsuki asked, a slow smile creeping on his face. "Did you not get my USB? I left it for you at my apartment. It has everything on there, from my plans to evidence, and even what I assumed to be your actions in this. There had to be a third party involved, I thought you knew that. I mean, isn't that why Daguchi's phone was missing-,"

"You didn't take Daguchi's phone and hid it in that apartment?!"

"No, why would I? I already gathered enough evidence from working with Ryuji, Overhaul and from my own private investigations," Natsuki answered. "I thought you knew that. I told you that. Daguchi's phone was of no importance to me, yet, for a key piece of evidence it was missing from the scene of the crime. Wait… Haha. Oh, I get it now. That's priceless. And you didn't figure it out?"

…?

"You're really not as smart as I thought you were, Sora," Natsuki added. "I get it now. This whole thing was a set-up. Whoever this third party needed both of us out of the game. And look at where we are. In Tartarus. We were both pawns on someone else's board. Haha. Oh, that is a funny joke. We kept on driving each other up the wall with our investigations and now look at your city. No Mayor, no police department, all of its Heroes scattered. This entire time we were barking up the wrong tree."

Slam.

I couldn't contain it anymore as I slammed my hand against the window dividing the two of us, a small crack appearing in the glass as I leaned forward angrily and snarled at Natsuki who looked at me in surprise.

"HEY! What the hell is going on here?!"

Natsuki merely pointed at the clock behind me.

"Tik Tok, Sora. The unveiling of the interim mayor is in fifteen minutes, right? And it's open for everyone. That's prime time for a show of strength… Or one way to doom this city and country once and for all," Natsuki replied. "I mean, after all, the mysterious benefactor has gotten away. This city hasn't been destroyed yet, no? There's still a speck of hope that perhaps this city can redevelop into something better. What better way to crush it than to kill the interim mayor and the hundreds of innocents there while everyone is watching? Streamed to the entire world to see."

…!

My eyes widened at that.

But that was-,

"What will you do, Sora?"

I growled, punching the window again as I swiftly moved towards the door. But it was locked. I looked up at the camera and blinked in confusion, there were no lights even signalling that this camera was on. Fuck. The entire time, I was walking right into a trap!

Quickly, I pulled out my phone, but I didn't have any service.

No!

NO!

"Hahaha! Look at you, Detective. You thought that this was just a simple case with a simple murder," Natsuki mocked me. "You were wrong. I told you that this case wasn't so simple, but you didn't listen to me! And now look! Now you're trapped here while the city that you love is going to perish once and for all! I can't say I disapprove, after all, maybe this time the corruption will finally end. Maybe this time, children won't die needlessly. Haha."

"Why the hell are you laughing?!" I yelled angrily, summoning my Nimbus. "You're a pathetic psychopath obsessed with corruption. You're going to spend the rest of your miserable life in a cell, under the illusion that you're a Hero to the people - You are a sick and twisted murderer who tortured the men he killed out of a personal vendetta for those you dislike stemming from issues you had in another life. You could have easily gone public with this information, let the courts handle this, but you used Daguchi's murder to catapult your own agenda."

"..."

Natsuki's grin was wiped off his face as he glared at me.

"You're not just. You're just an angry man who's spiritually having that time of the month because you can't understand that Heroes exist in this world, that even with the amended laws, there are tons of avenues you could have gone down to stop corruption," I told Natsuki. "You experimented on Eri and manipulated my friend, you're not an irredeemable bastard but you are close enough where it doesn't matter when you rot to death in here. Whoever's chess board this is, I don't care - I'll smash it to pieces like I always have."

I moulded my Nimbus into a giant fist, watching as it destroyed the locked door.

Running through it, I bit the inside of my cheek as I tried to remember my way back to the entrance. Even the guards were confused by me as I ran past them, trying to find the way out.

I jumped on my Nimbus as it lifted me higher off the ground, zooming past each corridor as I made it to the exit. I bit the inside of my cheek, nothing could go right for me, now could it?!

I had ten minutes to make it to City Hall.

Fuck.

It was do or die now!

---

A shorter chapter because… there isn't much left. About two chapters now, one for everything about to go down and another to wrap everything up in a little epilogue chapter of sorts.

In a sense, everything is about to explode, and of course, everything will become clear in the end. This was such a weird but fun arc to write out and plan - Originally, the story was a lot different. The themes are still the same, but I changed what happens in this arc a lot from what was initially planned.

I wanted a murder mystery (Which admittedly is still the same) but instead of tying it with the other side plots, it was its own standalone thing. However, there is still one more twist that I think ties everything up neatly.

So bear with me for that!

Everything will come together soon!