The rain poured down as Toxin swung through Naruhata. The symbiote vigilante was on a search for a warehouse storing a new form of Trigger called Push, which was being distributed all over Musutafu up to and including schools. Toxin had been informed of another vigilante, Knuckleduster, who had expertise in busting Trigger operations in the past and had Naruhata as his home. Using his symbiotic senses, Toxin tracked down Knuckleduster to a certain part of the city.

It was a low, one-story building. Judging by the sign, it was an auto-mechanic or some kind of hardware store during the day. Now, it was empty from the outside with only growing puddles of rain to keep it company. Toxin clung to a wall across the way peering down at the building.

"So, you say he's here, but where?" Bren asked.

"Inside that building," The Toxin symbiote answered.

"How do you want us to get in? The vents? A basement door? Or…?"

Before he could finish, the sound of breaking glass filled the air as a man's body was tossed out to the ground. Leaping down, Toxin checked the man to confirm that he was unconscious. Once that was cleared, Toxin vaulted over the now-opened window and inside the building. It was dark, as to be expected. The only light came from the windows which reflected the beating rain. Toxin crept in the darkness, maneuvering around overturned chairs and knocked-out bodies. He followed the only sound he could hear, a rhythmic beating of a fist hitting a face. Toxin stopped a fair distance away from the source of the sound just as it ended.

In the darkness, a towering man stood. He wore a dark shirt and jeans with combat boots covered by a dark green trench coat. His head was covered by a black bandana. He had stubble all over his jawline and a scar running down the left side of his face. He wore fingerless gloves with metal-coated brass knuckles. He let go of his human punching bag who slide down unconscious. The two vigilantes stood facing each other in the dark.

"So, you're Knuckleduster, right?" Toxin asked. "I was told to find you."

"Yeah," Knuckleduster's gruff voice answered. "And why would you want to do that?"

"I need your help. There's a new form of Trigger getting into my neighborhood, and I've heard that you're an expert in that."

"Is that so? Look, kid, I appreciate you wanting to help out the community but this ain't no pretty Heroes versus Villains fight you see on TV. This is real dangerous shit. So, go home and wait till you get your license like everyone else."

"You serious? Dude, I don't know what kind of rock you've been living under, but I'm sort of a big deal right now. Ever heard of Toxin? Musutafu's newest number one vigilante? I've been chased by some of the biggest Pro Heroes, and I've taken down some pretty bad Villains. I'm not going to hide because of some guys with guns. Now, are you going to help me, or will this just be a waste of time?"

Knuckleduster grinned and nodded his head up and down.

"Ah, so that's who you are. Yeah, I've heard of ya, kid. I'll tell ya, you done some good."

A sudden ping of the symbiote sense ran through Toxin's head as the only indication to dodge a right hook from Knuckleduster. The symbiotic duo continued to evade Knuckleduster's out-of-nowhere barrage of punches.

"This is a really crappy way of showing your approval!" Toxin said as he leapt up and stuck to the ceiling.

"This isn't a show of approval. This is a fight!" Knuckleduster responded with throwing a broken piece of a table at Toxin.

The vigilante rolled to one side as the debris impacted the roof. As Toxin stopped, he saw Knuckleduster use one of the tables to vault into the air and grabbed him. He then slammed Toxin into the ground hard before pinning him under the older man's larger mass.

"Come on! I heard you were supposed to be tough!" Knuckleduster landed a one-two punch along Toxin's mask. "Don't tell me this is what the Pros are losing to!"

Toxin, fed up with Knuckleduster's actions, unleashed a barrage of tendrils from his chest. They pushed the other vigilante off him, who then rolled before being stopped by a desk. The tendrils receded as Toxin poised in a fighting stance.

"Fine, if this is what you want," the symbiote's voice growled. "This is what you get."

Toxin's hands sharpened into claws and the web cape solidified into four tendrils. He charged at Knuckleduster who had gotten back up and into a fighting stance of his own. The two went at it; Knuckleduster landed some solid blows on Toxin while the symbiotic vigilante managed to claw and tear away some of Knuckleduster's defenses. A grapple ensued as the two tried to overpower each other. As Toxin increased his strength, suddenly, Knuckleduster's foot shifted. His arms locked around Toxin's arm, and he thrusted his body forward. Toxin was thrown through the window and back out into the pouring rain. His mask lens narrowed as Knuckleduster followed him out.

"I try to be nice, and this is where it gets me," Toxin said to himself. "Fighting some nutcase that makes the Punisher look pleasant."

The tendrils on his back thrusted forward. Knuckleduster raised his arms to block, but the tendrils hit the wall behind him. Looking past his guard, he saw Toxin flying forward with a kick that sent him back against the wall. Toxin wailed on him, hitting the other vigilante's upper body in a frustrated haze. He didn't see that Knuckleduster was preparing a hard knee to Toxin's gut. Briefly stunned, Knuckleduster landed another combo of punches against the symbiote before activating a taser function on one of his brass knuckles and slugging Toxin straight in the sternum. The electricity surged through Toxin's body before the vigilante was blown back. He got up and shook off the pain before glaring at Knuckleduster.

"I don't get you. We're both looking to take down this drug trade but instead we're beating each other up like idiots. What the hell is your game plan, man?" Bren asked.

"Kid, this night was boring before you showed up. All those punks back there didn't even make me sweat. But this, this is what I live for. A good fight against someone who can make me put in the effort." Knuckleduster explained. "So, here's the deal: beat me, and I'll help. Don't, and we'll walk away disappointed. Got it?"

"You're going to regret it." Toxin answered.

"Oh, I'm sure I won't."

The two resumed their clash. Despite Toxin's superior strength, Knuckleduster's skills at fighting proved to be more than enough to keep the symbiotic vigilante on the backfoot. Brass impacted symbiote. Symbiote skin bruised human flesh. And yet, Knuckleduster continued to smile like a madman from hit taken and delivered. Toxin was getting annoyed.

Knuckleduster threw a lunging punch to which Toxin jumped over it. Using his head as a springboard, Toxin flipped over Knuckleduster before firing two web lines at the other vigilante's hands. He spun them around to create makeshift cuffs. However, Knuckleduster drew his arms back, pulling Toxin down to the ground. Toxin retaliated with his own pull, drawing the vigilante near him. Knuckleduster used this to headbutt Toxin before landing a boot on the symbiotic duo's chest. Before he could cut his way out, Knuckleduster was assaulted by a barrage of webs. Each landing on its mark to restrict the man even further. Toxin then sent out tendrils from his arms to push and drag Knuckleduster further into the ground. Receding these tendrils, Toxin leapt on top of him and began slugging him, one punch after another. After a few minutes, Toxin relented. Knuckleduster's face was bruised, and he looked nearly out of it.

Bren shook his head, hoping that he and Toxin hadn't hurt their own possible ally by this fight.

"So, are you gonna give up?" Toxin asked.

Knuckleduster breathed in and out for a bit before chuckling. "Yeah, yeah, you win."

He coughed as Toxin got off him. Knuckleduster sat up before answering the symbiote vigilante.

"Damn, that was a good fight. I needed that. Now come on, are you gunna get me out of this or not?"

Toxin shook his head in disbelief. One fight, and now they were buddy buddy? Toxin used one of his claws to cut the webbing before returning to normal.

"I hope I haven't beaten you too hard, old man. Now, a deal's a deal. Remember?" Toxin reiterated.

"Yeah, I know." Knucklduster responded. "I'll help you out. Plus, I was tracking the same operation you were. Those punks back there were operatives for Push, and I asked them politely about their operation."

Toxin's eyes widen as Knuckleduster dug into his belt for a bottle of painkillers.

"Did you find anything? Like a location or a boss or something?!" Toxin asked.

"Kid, those were small players. Barely even knew what they were selling. Plus, if anyone did know, they won't be talking for a while."

"Are they…dead?"

Knuckleduster swallowed the pills before answering. "Nah, not my style. They'll be hurtin' in the morning but that's it."

Toxin spread out his senses in the nearby area, looking for anything that was hidden from normal human senses.

"Hey, you sure those guys back there were all of the people you ran into?"

"Yeah, why?" Knuckleduster asked.

Toxin turned to a nearby dumpster located under a fire escape. The lenses on Toxin's mask furrowed before he suddenly grabbed the dumpster. Lifting it over his head, he shook it until the doors came open. Aside from a few garbage bags, what the important thing that fell out was a man. He was dressed in raggedy casual clothes. A scarf hung around his neck as he coughed from the sudden expulsion of his hidey-hole. What was most unusual about this man was that he looked like an upright cockroach. He lacked the extra set of limbs and the wings on the back, but his head was a human-proportioned roach head. The same brown colored skin, the large opaque eyes, and the two antennae on the top of his head.

"Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, wait, wait!" The man pleaded. "I won't hurt ya, okay! Just don't hurt me!"

Knuckleduster took the initiative by picking up the roach-man and pinning him to the wall. Toxin dropped the dumpster and tried to placate the situation.

"Don't wanna get hurt? Then talk." Knuckleduster demanded. "Trust me, I know when you're lying, and I know how to deliver pain."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Bren said. "He's already scared out of his mind. Let's just take a breath and let him talk."

"Actually, I want to see what Knuckleduster can do to this man." Toxin commented internally.

"Not helping." Bren responded back.

Knuckleduster relented a bit. He let the man stand up and loosening his grip, but he kept one hand on the walking roach's person.

"Now, talk." Knuckleduster commanded.

"Alright, I just wanna preface that I'm in no way a part of those guys you just beat up." The roach-man began. "I'm a courier. I just deliver packages and go."

"What were you delivering?" Toxin asked.

"I don't know. Probably nothing good. I think it got smashed when this dude," He pointed at Knuckleduster, "Barged in and started throwing hands."

"Did you know it was an illegal Quirk-enhancing drug being peddled to children?" Knuckleduster sneered.

"I told you; I don't know! I don't even touch that kind of Quirk stuff. I already know I'm an ugly roach. You think I want to make it worse?"

"You must be desperate if you're willing to do jobs for these kinds of bozos." Toxin said.

"Yeah, even guys like me need to eat and a bed to sleep in."

"Do you have any friends, family that you're close with?"

"Nah, not a lot of friends. Never really had a family either. Folks running the orphanage said they found me outside the door with nothing but some clothes and my name. Guess my folks didn't want to raise a cockroach kid."

"Man, that sucks. I actually feel bad for you. I'm sorry."

"Eh, it was long ago."

"Enough with the sob stories," Knuckleduster interjected. "Where did you get your package? Who brought it to you?"

"I met a guy at the corner of Sato's pawn shop, right next to the motel. I don't think it's a hideout. Just a transfer station." The roach guy perked up as if he remembered something. "Look, okay, I hear things from time to time. Gang members and Villains who had a bit too much to drink or high off their egos. There's an old shipyard, right under the highway. It's been long abandoned but I hear there's new activity going on in there. I think that's where you can find your guys."

"Are you sure? Like, really sure?" Toxin asked.

"I've got no reason to lie, and I'd rather not get my face caved in. So, we good?" The man attempted to smile, but it was very difficult for his roach face.

"Okay, look…um?"

"Itten Bariszu." The roach man answered.

"Bariszu, when we leave, get out of the city. Get a bus, or a train, or whatever, and just leave. Find somewhere else so you can start a new life."

"And if I find you here again, doing your same old routine," Knuckleduster threatened. "Then I won't be as nice as I am now."

Itten nodded his head furiously. "Yeah, you got it! I'm gone, man!"

"Then git."

Once Knuckleduster let him go, Itten Bariszu ran like hell out of there. The two vigilantes watched as he turned the corner and disappeared in the rain.

"So, you know where that shipyard is?" Toxin asked. "You know the neighborhood more than me."

"Yeah, I do. Let's go, we've got a job to do." Knuckleduster said.

"Uh, you sure you don't want to take a break? I did rough you up pretty bad back there?"

"Kid, I've taken licks worse than this and still did my patrols. I'll be fine. Now, come on. We ain't got much time to lose."

With that, Knuckleduster pulled out a grappling hook and flung it up to the rooftop. As he began scaling the wall, Toxin web-zipped up to the top. Once Knuckleduster got to the roof, Toxin stood there waiting impatiently.

"You know, if you ever want to get this done before the day ends, you can let me know, right?" Toxin said smarmily.

"If you're so eager then, why don't you go on without me? I'll be there just in time to bail you out." Knuckleduster retorted.

"I was being considerate of the elderly. Isn't that a big thing here?"

"I'll show you elderly!"

With that, the two raced off into the night. They leapt from rooftop to rooftop. Toxin was much more acrobatic in his parkour than Knuckleduster. However, the older vigilante knew these roofs better, finding ways that lessened his physical effort needed. As the night wore on, the rain began to calm. It was no longer pounding the streets which now began to drain the excess water. It was during the trip where Toxin and Knuckleduster really got to talk.

"So, what's your super-secret Quirk power?" Toxin asked.

"Don't have one anymore." Knuckleduster answered.

"Oh."

"Got a problem with that?"

"No, it's just a bit surprising given that everyone else here has one. I just figured you had one too."

"I did have a Quirk long ago. I even used to be a Pro Hero." Knuckleduster explained. "Then it got taken away from me. Didn't stop me from doing the right thing, even if it meant I was going against the laws I'd sworn to protect."

"I get it. Doing the right thing even when you get punished for it." Toxin said. "I know about people like you. Those who don't have any powers, and yet they put on a costume and help people because it's, well, the right thing to do, you know."

"What happened to you?" Toxin swiveled his head to Knuckleduster's question. "What made you want to a vigilante, a hero outside the law?"

Bren thought for a moment. "I was like a lot of people. I didn't have the power to really make a difference. Not like the way Pro Heroes do. Then one day, I got my powers. What lets me do everything I can do. I thought about waiting to apply to hero schools like everyone else. Then I was in a situation where I was the only one who could stop something bad happening. And so I did, and I never looked back."

"Nice speech, kid. Tell ya the truth, I have been following you." Knuckleduster elaborated. "Seeing articles condemn you for saving people, doing what you can. I think it's good your heart is in the right place. Unfortunately, I think you dug yourself a hole you're going to have trouble getting out."

Toxin almost stopped to protest Knuckleduster's assertion. Lucky for him, the older vigilante continued.

"You're making yourself too public. All those big crimes you stop that get you in the news? All those Pro Heroes you've been tangling with? That's what's going to do you in. See, guys like us, we have to stay low to survive. The only reason the Heroes haven't gone after me yet is because I mainly take care of crimes under their radar, and that vigilantism without a Quirk is less of a felony than vigilantism with one. With you, it's only a matter of time before the HPSC and the heroes get together and figure out a way to take you down."

Toxin scowled under the mask. "The hell are you trying to tell me? That I should just hide until the heat gets off my back?"

Knuckleduster let out a barking laugh. "Hell no! I'm saying that you've gotta be smarter than them. You gotta be slippery, out of their sight. If you keep doing what you're doing, then people will see the hero you really are. No matter what the high and mighty folks at the HPSC say."

Toxin smiled under the mask. "At least someone in a mask supports me. Am I sure I didn't hit your head too hard?"

"Kid, you don't live in this gig for as long as I have without having some intelligence. And the ability to read a person's character. I think you've got the markings of a real hero, even if it doesn't come with glory or a reward."

The two arrived at their destination. Under the shadow of the highway, it appeared imposing. Not helped by the fact there were armed guards patrolling the perimeter. Men with guns.

"Hey, you see those guys all around?" Toxin pointed to the men on patrol. "I'll take those out quietly then we can go in and investigate."

"What's this about just you going in there? I can go quiet." Knuckleduster said.

"Somehow, I feel you and I have very different ideas about stealth."

Toxin zipped away, using the shadows of the highway to conceal himself. Knuckleduster stuck to the ground, taking out any guards that got close. Toxin would web unsuspecting goons in cocoons and stick them to walls or hang them on lampposts. After about ten minutes, the entire front was devoid of guards who were either unconscious or webbed up. The two vigilantes reconvened at a walkway.

"Told you I could be stealthy," Knuckleduster quipped.

"Okay, you proved me wrong, old timer. Now how do we get in? I'm guessing not the front door." Toxin said.

"No, in fact they'd probably be sending more men out when they won't get responses from the ones out here. See any other entrances?"

"Well, there's a bunch of windows on the side. But I don't see any that would let you through without being…limber."

"What about up there?" Knuckleduster pointed to the roof. "Must have a skylight up there."

"Alright, lead the way."

The two climbed till they reached the roof. They found the skylight and opened it to find catwalks right below them. They dropped down on them and looked around. The warehouse itself was dark and foreboding. The two vigilantes looked down to try and find anyone below.

Toxin spoke up first. "Hey, isn't weird how this place feels –?"

"Empty? Yeah." Knuckleduster agreed.

Knuckleduster repelled from his grappling hook while Toxin descended upside down on a web line. The two looked around to see no one on the ground floor. It was devoid of anything besides boxes and furniture. In the back was a table surrounded by boxes and a large flat screen hanging on the wall. The two vigilantes cautiously approached the area. As Knuckleduster looked over the contents of the table, Toxin opened one of the crates. His lenes widen when he saw what was inside. It was cobbled together tech reshaped into firearms. What was most familiar was the design of them, the futuristic aesthetic he had seen once before.

Knuckleduster noticed Toxin's stance. "You see something?"

"Yeah, these boxes are full of weapons," Toxin answered. "Spark tech."

"You know them?"

"I ran into them once. Their leader and most of their members got away from me. But they were in Musutafu. How did they get all the way to here?"

"I thinking they entered a partnership with whoever's making this new Trigger. Take a look here."

Knuckleduster motioned Toxin to the table. On it was a map of several prefectures. Dots represent cities with Naruhata highlighted. Cities of interests were circled with lines drawn out from a single point. There were also dashed lines that expanded further across the country.

"It's a supply line map." Knuckleduster explained. "See here, that's where we are. These lines point to where the drug has already been delivered." He traced his finger over the lines to cities like Musutafu.

"And these dashed lines…" Toxin pointed out. "Are where they plan to expand."

He turns to Knuckleduster. "So, do you think this is a main shipment area?"

"Yeah. That just leaves us where they're manufacturing the drug next."

Knuckleduster revealed another map underneath the previous one. It was more focused on city blocks with buildings highlighted in different colors. Written next to some buildings were descriptors that seemed to indicate what the purpose of the building was for. One was labelled "The Gardens". Another was "The Plant". And one was called "The Arena". Each of the buildings were spread out from one another but still close enough for travel by car.

"I don't recognize any of these streets." Knuckleduster said. "Anything jumping out at you?"

Toxin squinted and tried to recall the names of the streets. "Wait a minute, I recognize these! There in Musutafu! If nearly all of their operations are there, then why have distribution here?"

"Because Naruhata lacks a lot of Pro Heroes compared to Musutafu. The city might be better now than it was five years ago, but this town isn't desirable enough for a Pro to set up their agency here. It's part of why I still patrol. No one else will."

"So now what?" Toxin asked.

"We blow this place sky high." Knuckleduster grinned.

"Oh, I'm afraid we can't let you do that."

A new voice caused Toxin and Knuckleduster to swivel behind them. There stood a man in a business suit. The strangest things about him were his maroon skin, two sets of arms, one of which ended with crustacean claws instead of hands, and a bird-like mask covering the lower section of his face.

"Are you the manager of this operation?" Knuckleduster sneered as he tapped his brass knuckles together.

"In a sense, yes. You can call me Zarigani."

"Dude, what even is your theme? You look like a walking lobster, but that plague doctor mask is throwing everything off."

Zarigani's face dipped in annoyance at Toxin. "And who are you even supposed to be? We expected someone like Knuckleduster here. Aren't you a little young to be running around in a mask at night?"

"Seriously, does no one outside of Musutafu know who I am?" Toxin said. "I'm either the most wanted man in town or a complete nobody. No in-between!"

"It won't matter anyway, since you won't live long enough for it to matter!"

Zarigani pointed a claw at the two of them.

"What are you going to do? Pinch us to death?" Toxin mocked.

"Not like this, no."

Zarigani grinned malevolently as he pulled out a syringe from the inside of his suit. The needle in his lower left hand held a strange liquid inside.

Knuckleduster's eyes went wide with recognition. "My god, that's Trigger. The original version."

"That's right. I know they say never to get high off your own product, but I want it to be all the more satisfying holding your bloody corpses in my claws." Zarigani said.

Toxin threw a web line, but it was too late as Zarigani jammed the needle into his side. Even though Toxin brought back the syringe, it was empty. Zarigani laughed as the drug took effect.

His body morphed, muscle mass erupting from inside his exoskeleton-like skin. His claw arms grew larger and larger, more than his body could support. His bulking mass shredded his coat, revealing intricate tattoos on his back which were being distorted by the growing exoskeleton. His legs gained enough strength to uphold his body as his lower arms became sharper through the bio-armor. Zarigani's face mutated heavily, becoming a disgusting abomination between a man and a crayfish. His mouth exploded into a mess of complex valves. His eyes lost all human light as antennae grew wildly from his head.

The human/crawfish atrocity, Zarigani high on Trigger, now poised to attack the two vigilantes. He charged at them—leading Knuckleduster to roll out of the way while Toxin leapt over. The symbiote landed on Zarigani's back landing some blows to no effect. After generating claws, they proved to have little effect as well. One of Zarigani's claws reached around and grabbed Toxin off his back. Trapped in the villain's grip, the symbiotic duo was slammed repeatedly onto the ground and breaking the table with the maps on it.

Knuckleduster dug around his body before pulling out a shotgun. Aiming it at the Trigger-high Zarigani, he fired a shot, pumped, and then fired another shot. The bullets didn't bounce off, but they had no real effect besides turning the monster's attention to Knuckleduster.

Toxin saw this and called out, "Wait, you had a shotgun this entire time?! How come you never used that against me?"

"Because you were never trying to kill me!" Knuckleduster responded.

"The old man was holding back with us!" The symbiote's thoughts were indignant in tone. "We could have easily beaten him with any of his toys."

"Not important right now!" Bren communicated. "How about we deal with the giant crustacean-freak that's trying to crush our lungs?!"

"Oh, fine. Give me the wheel."

Toxin's form because to shift and bulk up. He began to pull apart the claw trapping him and became more monstrous himself. Now in their Lethal Protector form, Toxin pried himself free of the claw and dove right for Zarigani. The blows now appeared to actually do some damage to the villain, as he now focused his efforts on Toxin.

Knuckleduster sheathed the shotgun as he backed away from the ensuing fight. He knew that he was out of his league physically, so he needed something to even the odds. Upon remembering Toxin's discovery in the crates, Knuckleduster searched through them to find some kind of weapon. He found one that looked like a rifle albeit looking simultaneously cobbled together and futuristic.

"Come on, you piece-of-junk gobbledygook," Knuckleduster fiddled with it. "You've got to work like a gun."

Suddenly, he got it working. Taking aim, Knuckleduster fired directly at Zarigani. He recoiled as a beam of heat hit him. This also had the effect of hitting Toxin, who retreated from the beam. The symbiote snarled as he looked at Knuckleduster.

"Watch it! Unless you're desperate for a final rematch." Toxin warned.

"Aw quit whining," Knuckleduster responded. "I think I found this seafood platter's weakness. Ever had crayfish?"

"Not particularly. Why?"

"When you're craving some crayfish, you boil them."

"Are you suggesting we literally cook this guy alive?"

Before Knuckleduster could respond, Zarigani made another jab with his claw. The two vigilantes dodged out of the way, regrouping back further to the front entrance.

"Just enough to where he gets overheated. Now, I'll distract him," Knuckleduster ordered. "You go find more of these, and we'll pour it on him."

The symbiote smiled in agreement. Toxin bounded over to the wall and crawled along it. Zarigani went to crush him but was stopped by another beam of heat. The villain turned its rage filled eyes to Knuckleduster.

"Is that all you got? I caught koi fish tougher than you." Knuckleduster taunted.

Zarigani roared and charged at him. The older vigilante kept his distance, laying beams of heat to keep the villain off his guard. Meanwhile, Toxin rummaged through the crates, trying to find other tech similar to the acquired heat gun. He would find several, grabbing one for each hand. Toxin grinned with joy. It would be fun to use a weakness of his own against someone else for a change.

Toxin rushed towards the battle. Knuckleduster had his back to the wall as Zarigani was poised to strike. Toxin raised his two heat guns at the monster.

"Hey, 'Living like Larry!'," Toxin called out. "Time to feel some real heat!"

Toxin fired his guns. The twin beams of heat hit Zarigani hard, turning his attention away from Knuckleduster and back to Toxin. He charged, wildly swinging his claws. However, Toxin's superior agility let him move around the villain. He never let up on his attack barring some very quick maneuvering. Now, Knuckleduster added his heat beam as well. The sustained tri-beams of heat began to overwhelm the villain who grew more and more sluggish. Zarigani's breathing became labored, his exoskeleton glowed nearly red-hot, and his vision started to fade. Finally, Zarigani fell unconscious. With that, Knuckleduster and Toxin held their fire as they stood over the defeated villain.

"So, do you think we let him boil for too long?" Knuckleduster asked.

Toxin expanded his senses to get a read on Zarigani. "No, he's still alive. Probably going to need several ice packs and a lot of water. How long does this Trigger thing last? Gonna be tough for cops to put him in those prison trucks like this."

"If this guy used the same one me and the other vigilantes busted all those years ago, it might be hours. Then again, who knows what kind of messed-up formula they've been experimenting with now. Idiot might have ruined his body permanently with this stunt."

"You ain't the guy to cry over scum like this, am I right?"

"Career criminals like this guy? Not a chance. People like him fully bought into the idea that getting a quick buck is more important than people's lives. I can intimidate and scare people like that roach guy straight, but we're doing people a favor by taking criminals like this guy down."

The two looked over the now trashed interior.

"Okay, so now what?" Toxin asked.

After calling in an anonymous tip, the police arrived to detain and arrest Zarigani. The building would be inspect, and the tech taken in. However, the authorities were unable to connect the dots with this base of operations and any larger conspiracy. Zarigani held his tongue, and the Naruhata police had no clue of who the Sparks gang were.

Elsewhere, Knuckleduster and Toxin debriefed on a rooftop. The rain had stopped by now, and Toxin reverted to his smaller, Friendly Neighborhood form. The two vigilantes overlooked the cordoned off shipyard building.

"You got any ideas on who shrimp-man was working for?" Toxin asked.

Knuckleduster rumbled under his breath before answering. "I can't say for sure but based on the fact that guy had Trigger on him, the old kind, plus those tattoos, I think that guy might be Yakuza."

"Really? Didn't the Yakuza get disbanded by a bunch of Pro Heroes years ago?"

"Yep, but criminals like them tend to be slippery as all hell. They're nowhere near as powerful or influential as they were back then, but small groups did exist."

"You're still using past tense. Does that mean you thought they all went out or…?"

"Honestly, I do think they're long gone. That guy could have simply been ex-Yakuza. All I know is whoever still has their hands on Trigger has some strong connections."

"What about that mask?" Toxin brought up. "I didn't think whole crime groups were into plague doctor cosplay."

"I did think the mask was strange." Knuckleduster answered. "It doesn't belong to any Yakuza group I knew. Then again, it might be a sign of a new group. Some people with big plans in store."

"Well, at least we hit them where it hurts. Good for us, right?"

"We're not close to done with them yet. We only hit one building in their operation. You saw that map; they have more places they're keeping tabs on."

"Alright, so we plan on which buildings to hit next till the whole thing falls apart, right?" Toxin said enthusiastically.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid you'll have to do most of the legwork from here on out." Knuckleduster said.

"What?!" Toxin responded. "I thought we had a nice dynamic duo thing going on here?!"

"Hah! I'll tell ya, it was nice having a partner." Knuckleduster admitted. "Truth is, most of this mystery group is concentrated in Musutafu. You know the place better than me. I'm sure you'll do fine. Plus, Naruhata's my home. Someone's gotta protect it."

"Oh," Toxin slumped. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

Knuckleduster leaned down to face the young vigilante. "Come on, you've been doing this gig solo for months. You got more real experience than any Pro Hero fresh out of the academy. I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Heh, solo." Toxin thought amusingly.

"It's not that, it's…" Toxin tried to put his emotions to words. "You're the first hero I met that actually wanted to help me. Not turn me in or try and keep me from doing what's right. It's hard when you feel like the whole world's against you."

"Kid, being a hero is never easy. Being a vigilante is even tougher. It's all the hard work of a hero without the wealth or the fame. There's going to be times where you think you want to give up. To throw in the towel and say, 'You know what, world? You were right. Why help anyone when all it brings me is pain and ridicule?' But then you gotta realize; you're not in it to feel good. You're in it because you want to do good. And doing good is the best reward of them all, because you know you're changing other people's lives for the better."

Knuckleduster paused to gesture to the entire city. "I wanna tell you a little something. All these people, they don't have Pro Heroes around like they do in some other cities. I've been patrolling in this city for years, and they initially responded to me like any vigilante. I was a threat and a menace to society. But, me and a couple other vigilantes, we did our damndest rooting out evil and protecting the innocent. Now, I'm like an unofficial hero to these people."

"So…" Toxin tried to find the point.

"So, what I'm saying is, there will always be people who see the good in what you do." Knuckleduster explained. "Even if it's against the law. As long as you're doing good, people will recognize that no matter what others might tell them."

"So, what? You're saying I need to build up a niche fan base that'll buy everything I say because I do good things?" Toxin joked. "That sounds like a cult to me."

"Ah, you smartassed kook," Knuckleduster lightly punched Toxin's shoulder in protest. "Did you hear nothing I've been talking about for the past 3 minutes?"

"I got it, I got it."

Toxin stood up and stretched. A yawn threatened to escape his throat.

"Man, it's late."

"Don't ya got school tomorrow?" Knuckleduster jabbed at the other vigilante.

"Uh, no." Toxin deflected. "I don't. It's still the weekend."

"Well, I know the train ride's going to take a while. You better get moving, kid."

"Yeah, yeah."

Toxin was ready to swing out of there, but Knuckleduster said one thing before they took off.

"Hey, kid! When you're back in Musutafu, try looking for an underground fighting tournament for any leads."

Toxin turned back. "I've never heard about them."

"Yeah, that's why they're 'underground'."

"Okay, what about them?" Toxin replied.

"Plenty of shady types hang around and attend them. There's someone bound to know something or two about this whole conspiracy."

"And what do you think I should do to find these guys?"

Knuckleduster grinned. "Isn't it obvious? Fight!"

Before Toxin could responded, the older vigilante leapt off into the night. Toxin made a mental note to try and find any of these tournaments Knuckleduster mentioned. Toxin threw a web line and swung off to the train station.

After hours of riding the right train back to Musutafu, Toxin headed back to Amos's home. Swinging through the suburban area, he finally made it to the window of his room. Opening it and climbing inside, Toxin receded back into Bren as the teen yawned out loud. He trotted over to the bed as the symbiote closed the window. Once Bren reached the bed, he flopped down on it and drifted to much needed sleep.

The creaking of the door woke Bren up, and he turned his head to see Amos at the doorway.

"I know you came in late last night, but you still have school this morning. I've got breakfast on the table. Come down when you're ready."

Amos left soon after. Bren turned his bleary eyes to his alarm clock. From the time he got in to Amos waking him up, Bren only slept for three hours. Bren dropped his face onto his pillow and groaned in misery.

And that's the chapter! Sorry it took so long. I wanted this chapter to cover this little mini-arc without making it three chapters. So, there seems to be Yakuza dealings afoot! What do they want with Trigger? Who do those strange bird masks belong to? What is their goal? Can one vigilante dispute a criminal conspiracy before a multi-dimensional monster breaks through? And when are we getting Mirko? All that will be shown next time!

Once again, thank you to everyone who interacts with this story. From follows to favorites to comments, it's been great to see. Unfortunately, I've been unable to get alerts for this story along with my other ones. I think it's been the fault of the website, but just this night, the one I'm uploading this chapter on, I seem to be getting notifications again. Let's just hope it's not a one-time deal.

Now, onto the comments:

Guest #1: Wow, that is a lot to cover. I do plan to tackle some of the criticisms you listed, but I'll give my general thoughts on some of them.

9: I think the manga implies that a Pro Hero job doesn't automatically mean wealth. Usually, Pro Heroes need things like sponsorships and merchandising to really make a buck. Likewise, there are people who have careers solely based on financial gain. That's life.

6: Yes, absolutely. Then again, some order is needed. I think this comes from being a Japanese mange, set in Japan, for a Japanese audience. Different cultural traditions and such. It's why I headcanon that the USA has more leniency on Quirk usage and a bit more tolerance on vigilantes operating. "Muh freedom!" and all that.

5: I can see where you're right and wrong. While All Might leaving didn't collapse the hero society, it was a bit too reliant on the man. I think one of All Might's biggest flaws is that he can't step down from his high position. The thought that one day he can't be a hero anymore never crosses his mind. It's why he waited so long to find a successor. He can't let go of his responsibility.

3: I think it's just because the League of Villains decided to set their plan into motion. I promise you, if class 1-A was a year older than canon, they would have never had a turbulent first year as they did in the manga.

2: Oh yeah, Stain has his points. Some heroes aren't doing it out of the kindness of their hearts. Fame, money, or using their powers are some of the reasons why. However, Stain is also an extremist who thinks the ideal hero should sacrifice everything of their lives for the people. Not really the ideal life we should be living.

1: Ah, ha, ha, ha! I've got something with Overhaul about that! To put it simply, humans always have the capacity to do evil with or without superpowers. Quirks are just Overhaul's excuse as to why he got hurt and why he can hurt others. Likewise, humans can also do good things with or without superpowers. Always remember that.

NuclearNachos: Thanks for reading! I wasn't thinking that Dark Shadow was "stand-like". I was hoping to illustrate the similarities between a symbiote and what Dark Shadow is. Both are creatures of darkness with destructive powers that can either be used for good or for ill. Hope you liked this chapter!

Guest #2: (Sorry I can't write Spanish.) Maybe I could improve the synopsis. I did want it to be quick, brief and attention grabbing. Probably won't update it because I've got more important stuff (like writing the next chapter) to do. Second, I think you find a fusion fic more appealing than one like this. I like it because you can contrast how two fictional universe work. To each their own.

Str011: I will say Toxin will get into conflict with the Shie Hassaikai, and that it won't be this soon. Just wait and see. Glad you've been enjoying this so far!

That is all for now. See ya next time!