Chapter 16: The Symbol of Death

The soft hum of fluorescent lights buzzed faintly above Cloud as he moved through the aisles of a local grocery store. The mundane clatter of carts, the rustling of plastic bags, and the soft chatter of customers filled the air. Cloud moved slowly, lazily tossing a carton of eggs into his basket before inspecting the shelves for bread.

The normalcy of it all was oddly comforting.

His large frame, masked by a thick hoodie and dark jeans, blended in effortlessly with the crowd. The Buster Sword was, of course, left at home—lugging that massive weapon around would've drawn far too much attention.

Cloud paused, hearing the familiar drone of a news anchor coming from a television mounted in the corner of the store.

The screen displayed shaky footage from the USJ attack: heroes scrambling, smoke rising, and amidst the chaos, a lone figure standing with a massive sword resting on his shoulder. His wolf mask glinted ominously in the light, surrounded by the bodies of defeated villains.

The headline in bold letters read:

"THE SYMBOL OF DEATH EMERGES: HERO KILLER OR VILLAIN EXECUTIONER?"

Cloud watched quietly as the news anchor spoke, her tone tense.

"Authorities have confirmed that the mysterious individual spotted at the USJ attack has been officially designated as an A-Rank Villain. His brutality and sheer strength have earned him the title 'Symbol of Death.' Witnesses report that this masked swordsman mercilessly slaughtered dozens of villains during the attack. Citizens are urged to avoid any contact with this individual, as he is considered highly dangerous and will not hesitate to kill."

Cloud stared at the screen for a moment.

Then he chuckled.

A low, dry sound.

People around him glanced briefly at the strange man laughing at the news but quickly looked away, feeling an unsettling chill from his presence.

Symbol of Death, huh?

He grabbed a loaf of bread, tossing it into his basket casually.

If anyone in this store knew that the so-called "Symbol of Death" was standing in the snack aisle contemplating what kind of soup to buy, they'd probably run screaming.

But that wasn't his problem.

Bakugou's Call

Cloud had barely finished putting away his groceries when his phone buzzed on the kitchen counter.

Bakugou.

Cloud stared at the caller ID, raising an eyebrow.

He slid the phone up to his ear.

"What?"

Bakugou's voice was sharp, but not in its usual explosive tone.

"Get to the training ground. Now. I got questions."

Cloud leaned against the counter.

"Questions, huh? No heroes around, I assume?"

"Tch. Like I'd call any of those damn extras. Just get here!"

The line went dead.

Cloud stared at the phone for a moment before grabbing his jacket.

"Persistent kid."

The Confrontation

The familiar wind howled through the abandoned warehouse district, their unofficial training ground. Bakugou stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground. His usual scowl was there, but it seemed heavier.

Cloud approached silently, his presence like a shadow looming over Bakugou.

"Talk," Cloud muttered.

Bakugou's eyes snapped up, sharp and burning.

"You killed them."

Cloud didn't flinch.

"And?"

Bakugou gritted his teeth.

"You didn't even hesitate! You cut them down like they were nothing!"

"They were nothing." Cloud's tone was flat, like stone grinding against stone.

Bakugou's fists clenched.

"Don't give me that crap! You could've stopped them without—"

Cloud raised a hand, silencing him.

"Cool your jets, kid."

Bakugou froze.

Cloud stepped forward, his eyes hard beneath the shadow of his hood.

"Stop and think for once. Those villains didn't show up to fight fair. They didn't want to capture anyone. They were there to kill you. Your friends. Anyone who got in their way."

Bakugou's glare softened slightly, but he didn't look away.

Cloud's voice was cold but steady.

"You and your friends had quirks strong enough to fight back. But most people don't. If I hadn't been there, that Nomu would've torn through Aizawa and the rest of you. Do you think those villains would've spared anyone?"

Bakugou said nothing.

"War isn't clean. People die. It's ugly. That's reality."

Cloud let the words hang in the air.

"I was a SOLDIER. First Class. Strongest of the strong."

Bakugou blinked.

"SOLDIER?"

Cloud didn't elaborate. He let the title speak for itself.

"The government made us to fight wars. To win battles. I didn't have the luxury to hold back. Neither did the heroes at the USJ. But they still did."

Bakugou looked down, his fists slowly unclenching.

Cloud tilted his head slightly.

"Tell me something. Next time you see All Might... ask him if he's ever taken a life."

Bakugou's head snapped up, shocked.

"All Might? He's—!"

Cloud's glare cut him off.

"Every hero wants to save people. But not every villain wants to be saved. Some would rather die than lose. And sometimes, heroes don't get the luxury of mercy."

Silence stretched between them.

Bakugou's face twisted, torn between anger and understanding.

Cloud turned his back to him.

"Figure it out, Bakugou. Before it's too late."

He started to walk away.

"Wait!"

Cloud paused.

"...What would you have done if I wasn't there?"

Bakugou gritted his teeth.

"...I would've won."

Cloud chuckled darkly.

"Good answer."

Cloud looked at Bakugouu it was moments like this that he knew Bakugou really wanted to be a hero and wasn't just some of angry kid, if not Bakugou would be cheering the deaths of said Villains