Chapter 63: 'M'urder Speculation

"It took us a little while to get here. But it looks like we're finally here. The setting for your next exam. The first one that will begin the new year. And the setting for it is here." The voice of Tsukishiro on the bus's intercom let us know what we can see for ourselves due to the windows. That's right. We aren't in ANHS anymore. Though that's not to say we aren't on the island where the school had been built upon, because we are. Except were somewhere completely different at the same time. To be more specific the outskirts of the island, the forest.

'Creak.' The bus's door opened as we made out exit from it and into the grassy plain at out feet. From the looks of it the trees stretched on for miles. That's a given since it took us roughly thirty minutes to get here. And even then, I couldn't believe how massive the forest was. For a moment I felt a sense of déjà vu. Until I remembered that I've been somewhere that's not all that different from where I am now. Back in my first year at UA, me and the rest of the first-year students from my class and Class B all went to train with the Wild Wild Pussycats. It only lasted for about a week.

But even though the time I spent there was short, it became utterly unforgettable by the end of it. That's because that's where I came into contact with the League of Villains. That's not to say I haven't faced off against them before that, back in USJ I did just that, or more frankly I let All Might and my classmates handle things while I was mostly a bit player. But the attack on the forest was different. It was well more coordinated and featured several villains that I would see again and again throughout my tenure at UA.

However, that's not all. It was also where I learned just how dangerous my ideal of becoming a hero was going to be. We didn't have All Might to fall back on, and Kacchan got kidnapped by the league. A few of us got hurt, me included, and some of us were forced to stay at the hospital for a little while. Back then we were certainly over our heads, and who knows I might still be given the situation is the same as it was back then. I can't rely on All Might. I will have to be able to fight and win without his help. Even still…

… I'm not alone. And I never will be.

"Wow! Look at all these trees, Deku!" Hiyori exclaimed while holding my hand with a smile on her face. I still have her by my side. And that's exactly how it's going to be. The doctor explained to me before I left the hospital that the tumor in my head is inoperable. And with it in my brain, I'll be dead in six months. But even though I learned just how severe things have become for me after using Obliterator too many times, I'm going to fight. Not just to save everyone I can but myself too. I won't leave someone so precious to me alone. Not ever again. And not just her but everyone else too.

"Ugh. There're bugs everywhere. Good thing I packed my bug spray." Sudo said out loud while spraying himself with the bug spray in his hands. I recalled seeing him do just that before we got on the bus though. Maybe he had a bad experience with bugs back in the day?

'He does have the ability to turn his skin into steel, so I think he'll be good.' I thought internally with a smile. Right now, he does not know that my life might be cut short in the not-so-distant future. But the same thing could also be said for-

"Sudo, I don't really think you need that. You know, because of your 'Quirk.'" Hirata whispered into Sudo's ear since he was right behind him while they exited the bus together. In response the red head giant's eyes went wide. D-Did he forget he has a- But before I could finish that thought of mine, it was almost as if Sudo read my mind considering what he said next.

"Of course I know that! But do you think I want to have my body covered in steel at all times?! Well, I don't! It might look cool! Hell, it feels great! Except when I got to take a shit!" Sudo yelled out while pointing his thumb at himself. Once he was finished speaking, I heard Mii-Chan let out a loud 'EEEEEEEP!' She must have heard it given how loud Sudo was. (And always is.)

"I did not need to know that." Onodera who happened to be right behind both Sudo and Hirata said with a look of disgust on her face. Sudo heard her but made no effort to face her and continued walking forward. But not before saying-

"Well, it's your fault for listening." Sudo replied as Onodera closed the distance between them the moment he finished and got in front of him.

"EH?! You wanna die?!" Onodera shouted while giving Sudo a death stare and gripping the collar of his tracksuit. Of course, Sudo wasn't going to back down from this.

"HUH?! How about ya bring it!" Sudo snapped back while glaring daggers back at her as they were about to swing their fists into the air. But since ANHS had a strict rule that prohibited fighting amongst each other, someone had to step in to stop them both. I was about to. But was beaten to the punch, or lack thereof by-

"Such foolishness." Hasebe declared while finger flicking both Sudo and Onodera in the head with enough strength that caused them to both collapse to the ground. My eyes shot wide open upon seeing it happen. I mean of course they did! Both Sudo and Onodera were really strong! Onodera had enough power to effortlessly throw desks like they were made of cardboard! And Sudo has a Quirk that amplifies his strength tenfold! (Not that he was using said Quirk at that very moment, but I digress.)

"C-Could Hasebe have been given a Quirk?! I mean, it's not impossible considering quite a few of my classmates were given one. But Garaki died so that's probably impossible. But then again, if she was given a Quirk by Ayanokoji then perhaps it would very well be possible. However, what Quirk would that be? I've never heard of a Quirk that gives you power specifically in your fingers. Oh wait! I was able to do just that with One For All! And I could do the same thing with Obliterator! So maybe she has a power type Quirk like them? If that's the case, then…" I muttered while in deep thought over the possibility of yet another one of my classmates being gifted a Quirk right under my nose.

"Y-You're muttering again, Deku." Hiyori replied with a whisper that was drowned out by my intense muttering. A part of her didn't want me to stop since she found it to be pretty cute. Though she kept that tidbit a secret from me. But she alone didn't hear me, since the person I was muttering about overheard me too.

"I have virtually no clue what you're muttering about. But for the record, I don't got some superpower like you seem to have. But maybe one of these days you can show it to me up close, k?" Hasebe asked after lightly slapping my back to catch my attention before getting in front of me with a mischievous look on her face. Specifically, she had one eye closed, and the tip of her tongue was slightly out of her mouth. To be honest it was actually kind of cu- But before I could finish that thought my thought process was broken to pieces by the girl holding my hand.

"Maybe one day. But not today! Come on, Deku!" Hiyori spoke before running off and pulling me along with her. Wait! D-Did she feel threatened by the idea of me having interest in Hasebe?! That's super-duper cute!

"Both of you too!" Hiyori went on to say before using two of her feathers to pluck Sudo and Hirata off the ground before taking flight with all of us against our will. (Though I personally didn't mind, but I know just who did by what he said next.)

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! WHY ARE YOU DOIN THIS SHIT AGAIN SHIINA?!" Sudo shouted at the top of his lungs after letting out of shriek of absolute terror. It was sufficient to say that Sudo had a fear of heights. This was a given since he screamed back at the hospital when Hiyori did something pretty similar. (Hirata didn't seem to mind though.) But in response, my girlfriend let out a whistle as she averted her eyes from Sudo and his protests out of embarrassment. But as we gained altitude, this made a certain somebody really happy.

"YEAH! YOU BETTER RUN!" Onodera shouted at the top of her lungs while raising her fist into the sky at the red headed giant that was about to vanish from her line of sight. Of course, that pissed him off big time.

"I'M NOT EVEN RUNNING YOU IDIOT!" Sudo snapped back with just as much ferocity before we were all taken away from where the bus was parked below us. But this gave me a good look at all the other buses that happened to be parked not too far off from where Class A's bus was. That's right. Not only were all the first-year students here. But so were the second-year students and the third-year students as well. It was a gathering of all of the students of ANHS in this very forest. Of course, this led me to the idea that something nefarious was in the midst of being planned right under my nose just like last time…

… And I was right on the money.

"The preparations have been made. So, 'it' will commence tonight." Kiyotaka Ayanokoji whispered into his phone while using the disguise of Kanji Ike. Of course, Chiaki Matsushita heard him since he made sure to be right next to him so she could hear him. This was his way of letting her know, that if you even think of crossing me, you'll share Shinohara's face. Or at least that's what she was completely sure of. But this gave her another thought entirely.

'Wait. Does he not know what I did? Unless by 'preparations' does he mean my execution? I… don't even want to think about that.' Matsushita thought internally as a bit of sweat dripped down her face while exiting the bus with the monster. But at the same time, he did, Ayanokoji noticed his 'classmates' looking out into the distance. This combined with the fact that Midoriya, Shiina, Sudo, and Hirata were all no longer present made things crystal clear that Hiyori took off with them. But why on earth would she do such a thing when they just got here? … Unless-

"You didn't happen to say anything to them about me… did you?" Kiyotaka whispered into Matsushita's ear while firmly holding her by the back of her neck with a single hand. As for his other hand his fingers were snapping as he considered killing her if this was really an act of betrayal.

"I… didn't. Because if I did… then you'd be dead." Matsushita whispered right back at him while holding back an intense amount of anger for using her like she was some pawn in a game of chess and especially for robbing the life of her friend. But even more than that she was scared out of her mind because she had no intention of sharing the fate of Satsuki Shinohara. That's why she had no intention of outright saying that 'Kanji Ike' is a ruthless murderer because she would only be swiftly killed by him before she even knew it. It made her feel like a coward. But even then, she thought that at the very least that she's less of a coward than Yamauchi is. That person wasn't even present today of all days.

'Just where in the hell could he be?' Matsushita thought while bawling up her fist. Because the moment she saw him again, there wouldn't be anything in this world that would stop her from letting out all her anger onto him. But the thought of doing so quickly vanished as Ayanokoji waved a finger at her in a way that told her not to showcase any anger if she what was good for her. She had no choice but to refrain from letting her emotions take over. And as a reward he let go of her neck. But made sure to hold her hand to keep up the illusion that they were boyfriend and girlfriend to everyone.

'That's right. I must keep up the illusion just a bit longer. I can't have Izuku Midoriya and his 'friends' figure out what I have been planning. It would ruin everything. So, I must keep the element of surprise. But even still, this specimen can foil all of that if she has leaked my identity to them. Obviously, she hasn't. Or Midoriya would have certainly 'attempted' to kill me. Alas, even if she hasn't done it, there's a chance she might do it in the near future. I can't just go to the bathroom with her. So, if she tries to get away from me then she may become a liability. And I can't use Warp Gate in front of everyone. So, what should I do?' Kiyotaka thought internally with Matsushita's fate in his hands. And his question was answered by the person inside of him.

'There aren't many cameras here. If you can lure her to a secluded spot, then you will be able to kill her. Just like what happened with that pathetic boy you've assumed the identity of!' Garaki interjected as he was all for killing Matsushita when the perfect opportunity arises. And since she has no purpose living past tonight, Kiyotaka agreed with this. So, he wrapped his arm around Matsushita as her eyes went wide as if his arm was a cage and she was a bird trapped inside of it. And then…

"Hey everyone. Do any of you know where the bathroom is? Matsushita needs to go so- Kiyotaka said but before he could finish, he was cut off by Matsushita.

"Actually, I think I can hold it for a bit longer." Matsushita announced as she knew exactly what 'Kanji Ike' meant by 'needs to go.' She hadn't even let out any intention of using the bathroom. So, this was it. The moment that monster escorts her there, he'll kill her. Today might as well be her expiration date. There was no way to change that now. And even if she were to risk it all by letting everyone know just the kind of monster the person acting as her 'boyfriend' was then she would be killed right in front of them. And by doing so, her classmates will probably be killed too. There was no way of winning in this situation. Especially since her only hope just took off. She completely miscalculated! But even still-

"You sure? I know it's a bit weird doing it out here in the woods but- Maya asked with a look of concern before Matsushita said, 'I'm fine, really.' Of course, Chiaki Matsushita had no intention of dying. In fact, her life was just beginning! She hasn't even kissed a guy yet! And she sure as hell isn't about to lock lips with bastard holding her hand! She was going to finish high school, go to college, get the job of her dreams, and do all sorts of amazing things with her life! She was going to accomplish each and every one of her dreams no matter what! So-

'There's no way in hell that she's going to die just yet! So, just try and kill me you shithead!' Matsushita thought internally while hiding her real emotions under the mask of an innocent smile. And just like Izuku Midoriya who was not that far off from death's door like she was, Matsushita had no intention of backing down. This was her life! And she was going to live it to the fullest! Not just for her! But for her friend who no longer can live her own life after it was mercilessly stolen from her by this bastard! That's what Matsushita declared within the depths of her soul! However…

… How long would she be able tom hold it? Matsushita was prone to drinking water and went to the bathroom all the time. Even right now, a tiny part of her wants to let it all out. But by doing so, she would only be handing her fate to this monster for him to shatter it to pieces like glass. And since she didn't hold back with the water like usual, she wouldn't be able to hold it for much longer. Not that she minded pissing in front of her classmates. I mean of course she did. Chiaki Matsushita is a teenage girl after all! But the moment she does, it would be noticed by Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, and she would have no choice but to go to the bathroom in order to 'clean herself up.'

"Please… c-can we be done? I promise… not to say anything about- Matsushita whispered in Kiyotaka's ear but was cut off before she could finish by the latter.

"We're done… when I say we're done." Kiyotaka whispered back letting her know that there's no bargaining for her life. She knows too much about him. Even though she has no clue what even the name of the monster holding her captive really is. But that fact is not enough for him to change his mind about it. She knows that far too well now. Which means the die had been cast. And the time limit for how long she can hold it would be…

… One hour at most! That's how little time Chikai Matsushita had left! But all hope is not lost! She already gave Sakayanagi a plethora of clues! And if Izuku Midoriya figures everything out then she can be saved! Because if not…

… Then she really will be killed.

"It's just as Sakayanagi-Chan said! There's a cabin right here!" Hiyori announced as she turned around to tell all of us what we could see with our eyes. Even though I knew my girlfriend was cute…

"… She's so unfathomably cute!" I said out loud while hugging her as my girlfriend let out a squeak. Of course, Hirata and Sudo heard me say this. (Given that they accompanied us on our little joyride.)

"Yeah. We can see that. You have a girlfriend. I don't. Please don't rub it in." Sudo interjected with a serious look on his face. He was a supporter of me and Hiyori's relationship. They even became pretty good friends. (Which quite surprised me considering their clashing personalities.) Granted, he was a young man like me so of course eh wanted a girlfriend of his own. But the girl he happened to be crushing on big time was in the hospital right now. And there was nothing he could do about it.

"Don't worry, Horikita will be out of the hospital before you know it. Then you'll be able to tell her how you really feel about her." Hirata spoke with a smile on his face while putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. Sudo then looked down on him. (Not that he hated him or anything. He was just a bit taller than he was.)

"Yeah… that's IF she feels the same about me. … Wait! You know too?!" Sudo asked with a look of sheer surprise on his face given that he had no clue that Hirata knew about his crush on Suzune. But I thought that was common knowledge, so I let him know just that.

"I think the entire class knows that you have a crush on he- I said before being cut off right as I was about to finish by the red headed giant. (He was six feet tall, and I was just barely 5'5. That fourteen centimeters in terms of height makes for a huge difference!)

"WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY IT!" Sudo snapped back at the top of lungs as the sheer ferocity of his voice sent me flying into the air! I heard Hiyori shout 'Deku!' Right before I hit the door of the cabin causing the hinges to be broken off as I fell. This made all of their eyes go wide!

"A-ARE YOU OKAY DUDE?!" Sudo shouted at the top of his lungs once more as I weakly responded by extending my arm into the air with a thumbs up. The red headed giant then let out a sigh of relief. And right after that he was-

"Baka!" Hiyori and Hirata said in sync as the former stabbed Sudo with one of her feathers while the latter hit him across the head all before, he could even blink! Of course, these attacks sent Sudo hurtling towards the ground as he landed face first with the dirt…

… Again. But as I stood up, I noticed that we were not alone. There was someone else in this cabin. But it wasn't Sakayanagi. I could tell that with a single glance considering that this was no girl but a guy! And him of all people! That person being-

"Took you all long enough. I was just about to leave if you hadn't shown up within the next minute." Manabu Horikita declared while pointing at all of us as he casually sat in a wooden chair. At the same time, both of his legs were outstretched on a table made of the same material as what he was sitting on and what this cabin was made of. But by the looks of it…

'Yeah… like you really were planning of doing that anytime soon.' I thought internally with a grimace as sweat began dripping from my forehead profusely. But how was he here? As far I knew Sakayanagi didn't ask for him to come here. (And he certainly didn't reply on the group chat we made for ourselves. He wasn't even part of it.) Though I wasn't the only person who thought this way by a long shot.

"Horikita's big bro! Just what the hell are you doing here?! Huh?!" Sudo yelled out after he got back on his feet and sprinted until he was in front of me. It all happened in the span of a second. And since he was so quick, it was almost as if he used a speed related Quirk to do this. But he doesn't have that, Hirata has the Overclock Quirk after all. Steel only makes Sudo far stronger. It doesn't really do much for his speed. So, it was all pretty surprising to say the least. (Though Sudo being incredibly blunt and getting to the point about things was not.)

'Or maybe he's just trying to protect me? If so that's sweet of him.' I thought internally with a wide grin on my face. But my thought process was broken as Manabu audibly clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Can it. You're so damn loud. I have no clue why my sister would be friends with someone so utterly obnoxious." Manabu replied with a calm and collected attitude as that's where he and Sudo differed. (Though what they were all too similar about was that they were blunt about what they think and say it at any given moment. Not that they would ever admit it though.)

"YOU'RE ONE TO TALK BASTARD!" Sudo snapped back at the top of his lungs as Hiyori tried to calm him down by getting in front of him and saying 'Now, now.' With a nervous smile on her face. Though Manabu said 'See what I mean?' In response to Sudo's shout while adjusting his glasses much to the latter's annoyance. At this rate they were going to duke it out. I'd rather prevent that from happening. But if I do-

'This is all your fault, Izuku Midoriya. Don't you EVER forget that.' That's right. Manabu hates me. If I try to talk to him, he might blow a fuse. For all I know he might be holding himself back from punching me again. So, if I try to say anything to him it might have the reverse effect. Hirata knew how to read the room, so he picked up on this and intervened.

"Horikita-San. There's a reason why you're here, isn't there? And if my assumption's right then it has something to do with what Sakayanagi told us about." Hirata spoke as he deduced all of this considering that all the buses recently arrived. Sure, the third-year students arrived a bit earlier when compared to us underclassmen. But the time difference wasn't all that substantial. Meaning that he wouldn't be here in this cabin unless he had a clear purpose for coming here. And since is the exact cabin that Sakayanagi told us all to meet at and it was crystal clear he has some stake in what's going on. (Not that I or any of my friends know all that much.) In response, Manabu nodded in affirmation before continuing.

"That's exactly right. But now I want to know something. What did Sakayanagi tell all of you?" Manabu asked as he analyzed our reactions. Though we all sort of got pretty quiet considering that we weren't really given all that much a reason to come here. I averted my eyes from him since I had no intention of making him mad. Of course, Sudo knew he was being stared at and shrugged his shoulders before saying 'Nothing much.' But Manabu wasn't satisfied by this answer, and he made that known by what he said next.

"Then allow me to rephrase my question… who the hell is Kiyotaka Ayanokoji?" Manabu asked as I looked back at him as if an exclamation mark appeared over my head. H-How does he know about that?! Did Sakayanagi tell him?! If that's the case, then how much does he know? There's a chance that he was told that Ayanokoji was the reason behind what happened to his sister. And if he knows that then- but before I could finish that thought, my thought process was interrupted by Manabu's interjection.

"I asked you a question, Izuku Midoriya. I'm expecting an answer. Right now. So come on. Out with it." Manabu demanded before snapping his fingers as if he was telling me to 'hurry it up.' I mean, that's exactly what he was trying to say. But I still have no idea how much he knows about Kiyotaka. Nor do I know if withholding information is the right way to go about things. And if I tell him that Ayanokoji is currently missing then I'm sure he really will blow a fuse! Damn it! What the heck am I supposed to say about it?! Hiyori noticed me struggling to make a decision and acted upon it.

"As you already are most likely aware, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji is the son of the Chairman. He's the same person behind the monster attacks from last year. He might even have had a hand in that American 'superhero' popping up on the cruise ship. And… he's also the same person who put your sister into the hos- Hiyori explained before being cut off just as she was about to finish by Manabu standing up from his chair and knocking it to the ground with a loud 'BAM!' He did it with enough force to break it into pieces. But not before glaring daggers at us. Or more specifically me. I almost froze for a moment given the hostility behind his glare. But I immediately faced it head on by nodding in affirmation.

"So, what Sakayanagi said was right. I didn't want to believe it at first considering how absurd it sounded. The Chairman's 'secret' son being the one who did that to Suzune? Don't make me laugh. But you don't seem to be someone who's prone to lie about these things, Shiina-San, was it? Forgive me for breaking the chair. I let my emotions get a bit out of hand." Manabu replied before slightly bowing forward at Hiyori and only her. Even still seeing Manabu apologize in any capacity was extremely surprising to the point I blinked my eyes a few times in order to make I was still awake. But I suppose I was alone in this sentiment.

"Just a bit my ass. I'll beat the shit out of ya if I get a splinter over what you just did." Sudo declared but Manabu completely ignored him as if he wasn't even present much to the former's growing annoyance. Manabu then grabbed out his phone showing it to Hiyori and as a result me. (Since I was right next to her.) But my eyes shot wide open as I almost did a double take over what I saw on his phone's screen. It was a missing person's report. And not just any person, but one that I had seen somewhere before! But where? I know I saw that purple hair tied into buns somewhere… Oh yeah! She was-

'My name is Akane Tachibana. I will be acting as Manabu Horikita's assistant.' His assistant back in the trial! Oh wow! That seems like ages ago! But I'm not sure that Hiyori would know about her. (Considering we didn't meet until much later.) But to my utmost surprise her facial reaction told me that she recognized her!

"T-The secretary of the Student Council?! When did she drop out?!" Hiyori raised her voice slightly out of immense confusion. And that's when I noticed the fine print of the online article that Manabu was showing us. It said that Akane Tachibana… was a 'former' student of ANHS?! Hiyori's right! When the heck did, she leave?! But it seemed like Manabu expected this reaction considering what he said next.

"My thoughts exactly. I saw her just last week since we had a meeting to determine what the Student Council would do for the new semester. She was in perfectly fine health. I even made sure to walk with her back to her dormitory considering how one of your classmates was apparently brutally murdered. Of course, I couldn't go inside her apartment given the strict rule that prohibits anyone of the opposite sex from entering." Manabu explained as everything he said made perfect sense and even seemed a bit nice of him to say but that last part-

'OH NO! I ALREADY DID THAT TWICE!' I screamed internally with a nervous smile while my face was dripping with sweat. I couldn't help it! I didn't know about that rule! I didn't want to refuse Ichinose's request! Of course, we almost… um… but we didn't! I must have only been in there for five minutes! Probably way less! And I had to break into Karuizawa's apartment to see if she was alright! I was also sort of hoping to go see Hiyori's place soon! If I did that, would I have gotten expelled?! But while I was in deep thought as I stared at my feet out of a feeling of guiltiness, Manabu noticed this and let out a sigh of exasperation.

"Well, I'll overlook whatever secrets you have to hide. Not that I give a damn. What I'm far more concerned about is the fact that Tachibana had no reason to suddenly drop out of ANHS. Especially considering that she was close to graduating like me. Plus, even if she did have any intention of leaving, she would have surely notified me about it. We are both part of the Student Council after all. Also, she's, my girlfriend." Manabu admitted as my eyes shot wide open out of utmost surprise.

"T-T-That's your girlfriend?! You never said anything about that!" I yelled out but not before slamming my hands on the wooden table with a loud 'BAM!' Though this caused the table to break into a million pieces, which caused me to scream out intense bewilderment.

'How in the heck did I manage to cause that much damage?! I wasn't even using Obliterator! I'm too strong for my own good!' I screamed internally with a horrified look on my face. Manabu noticed this (Along with everyone else for that matter) and clicked his tongue out of annoyance.)

"You never asked. Also, you're going to pay for that. This cabin was built using the Student Council's salary." Manabu declared while glaring daggers at me. I immediately felt his intense glare as if they were daggers piercing my skin. It even caused a shiver to go down my spine.

"S-Sure. Sorry about that." I replied with an embarrassed look on my face while my forehead continued to drip with sweat profusely causing me to wipe it off with the sleeve of my tracksuit. (By the way, everyone was wearing tracksuits, and they were all the same color. Just like back on the island.) But this did very little considering I had to do this a bunch of times now. Hirata noticed this and approached me with a smile.

"I can help you out with that." Hirata replied before using his Overclock Quirk to increase the speed of his arms which created enough force to send air blowing my way like a hair dryer on steroids. (It even made the skin on my cheeks shake a bit.) And then…

"T-Thanks." I replied as somehow my hairstyle became an afro in the process. But at least all the sweat was off my face. That's a worthy trade… I guess. At the same time the door of the cabin swung open with an audible 'Bam!' It was then that Sakayanagi finally made her grand appearance! (The reason it took this long was definitely because she had to use her cane to get here.)

"Sorry I'm late everyone…" Sakayanagi said but her voice trailed off as she slowly drunk the cup of coffee in her hands while looking at me in the eyes and took a moment to process what on earth she was seeing. But it didn't take her long to spit out all of the coffee in her mouth with a loud 'SPLOO!'

"AHAHAHAHAHA!" Sakayanagi laughed loudly while pointing at me. In the process of doing so, she landed on her butt. But it didn't seem to hurt her all that much since she took out her phone and took a picture of me while continuing to laugh her ass off. This also caused Sudo to chuckle at me a bit with a wry grin on his face. But at this point I was blushing bright red while muttering 'It's not that funny, guys.' Hiyori seemed to notice my embarrassment because she said, 'I can fix that.' Before putting her fingers in my hair in an attempt to fix my hairstyle and get it back to normal. (Honestly her fingers felt really good in my hair and I'm definitely going to ask her to do this again later just because it feels nice.)

"Well look at that, your hair's back to normal, monkey man." Koenji said while showing me my reflection with his handheld mirror. I then said, 'Gee thanks!' With a smile while admiring my hair since it was back to the way it should always be-WAIT! WHAT?!

"W-W-WHEN THE HECK DID YOU GET HERE, KOENJI?!" I shouted at the top of my lungs out of sheer surprise as my eyes shot wide open. I almost fell to the ground. But before I could, Hiyori used one of her feathers to prop me back up. In response Kenji let out a haughty laugh before actually answering my question. (I also got a strange sense of déjà vu as I vividly remembered some time ago Koenji doing something like this… I think?)

"I've been here the entire time. You just never noticed." Koenji replied while tossing his hands into the air without a care in the world. And judging from everyone else's reactions it seemed like this was the ca-

"No, he wasn't. He just walked in here for some reason." Manabu interjected while adjusting his glasses as he saw the entire thing play out. (This made sense since I doubt, he was amused in any way whatsoever by my hair suddenly transforming into an afro. Even still this was pretty damn surprising. And I was not alone in this sentiment.

"K-Koenji-San… just why are you here exactly?" Hirata asked with a nervous smile as if he knew that he was going to regret hearing the answer from the muscular blonde man's mouth. But both me and him actually had no idea what he would say next.

"Isn't it obvious? This is a gathering for people who have a Quirk! And I just so happen to have been gifted one too." Koenji replied as everyone's eyes went wide in sync as if exclamation marks appeared right next to our heads in a vast array! But that shouldn't be obvious in the slightest! After all-

"Koenji… when did you receive your Quirk… and by whom exactly?" I asked as my voice grew serious along with the look on my face. But at the same time, Koenji didn't seem to take things seriously at all. But what he said next went against this thought of mine.

"It was last month. And as for the person's identity… I cannot tell you that." Koenji declared with a serious look on his face as I was caught off guard by it. I don't think I ever saw Koenji look so serious before or ever actually. But his response didn't make anyone thrilled in the least, especially my red headed friend.

"What the hell do you mean you can't say it?! Oh, you're gonna! I'll make you squeal if it's the last thing I do bastard!" Sudo declared as he swiftly got in between me and Koenji but not before firmly gripping the collar of the latter's tracksuit. But this didn't seem to make Koenji mad whatsoever. He even laughed a bit much to Sudo's annoyance as he was steadily reaching his breaking point. But before he could act upon his intense emotions, Hirata stepped in to prevent a fight from breaking loose between them. After all, even if Koenji has a Quirk, Sudo could gravely injure him if he doesn't hold back! And Hirata knew this. So, before Sudo even knew it, he was moved away from Koenji as now Hirata was standing directly in front of him.

"I don't understand. Why would you choose to withhold the information? Are you by any chance working for Kiyotaka Ayanokoji? I recommend for you to choose your next words wisely, Koenji-Kun." Hirata declared while glaring at Koenji. He was fully ready to subdue Koenji with Overclock if the need for it arose. But even after being threatened, Koenji didn't feel any pressure from it whatsoever. Even though the person standing before him could incapacitate him before he even knew what happened. Even still Koenji laughed.

"Heavens no. I don't even know who 'Kiyotaka Ayanokoji' is. But what I can tell you is that person is the 'mastermind!' The person that has been orchestrating everything right under our noses since the beginning of the school year! From those monster attacks, the kidnappings and everything else in between! Everything is the result of the 'mastermind's' plan!" Koenji declared with a serious look on his face while looking squarely at me. But why look at me specifically?! Is it because I once acted while All Might's name to protect everyone?! Or is there an ulterior purpose behind it?! I couldn't understand what Koenji was thinking! Especially what he said about-

"Kidnappings? This is the first time I heard of such a thing. Continue, Koenji as if your life depends on it." Manabu replied while focusing on Koenji and only him as he analyzed every subtle movement, he made in order to tell if he was lying or not. In response Koenji shrugged his shoulders before continuing. But not before averting his gaze from me and looking at Sakayanagi of all people. But before I could say a word about it, he beat me to the punch.

"I don't really need to. Not when this little girl knows far more about it then I do." Koenji spoke as my eyes went wide as I looked at Sakayanagi who had a serious look on her face. I didn't need to ask if this was true, as she got back on her feet and steadily approached me.

"Koenji's only half right. It's not kidnappings per se… but murders." Sakayanagi declared as my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe what I just heard. I was utterly speechless. I could only clutch my chest as I felt my heart beat rapidly while I gritted my teeth and muttered 'Kiyotaka Ayanokoji.' But Sakayanagi then caught my gaze by putting the screen of her phone in front of me. I then noticed various news articles just like the one referring to Akane Tachibana. But even though there were at least twenty of them, they all had the same link with each other. Each of the missing persons were declared as 'former' students of ANHS.

"Then… what you're trying to say is that all of these people have been murdered… by Kiyotaka Ayanokoji." I asked as I looked at Sakayanagi in her eyes. But in response she averted her gaze from mine and refused to comment for a moment while biting her lower lip. But soon after that she admitted it.

"As much as I'd hate to admit it… there doesn't seem to be any other possible answer." Sakayanagi admitted with a saddened look. But it wasn't just sad. I could tell she was feeling intense regret. She happened to meet Kiyotaka Ayanokoji when they were children, and she grew attached to him in the very short time they knew each other. Arisu probably wished that if she got to Ayanokoji sooner then she might have been able to stop him from doing all of these remorseless acts of cruelty. Even still, it doesn't change the fact that the person he is now is an irredeemable villain who must be stopped! No one should be allowed to toy with the lives of the innocent under no circumstances! But out of the corner of my eye I noticed Manabu approach us.

"Then you're telling me that the person who put my sister in the hospital and murdered my girlfriend are the same person… and that you just let him go?" Manabu asked as he closed the distance between him and Koenji. I didn't even need to see the look on his face to know that he was beyond angry. His words alone painted that picture more accurately than any look he could ever give me. Not that I could blame him. In fact, I felt bad for him. He might have been a bastard for laying his hands for a sister. No. He certainly was. But it seems like he really did love her in his own way. And he certainly cared for his girlfriend. And now that I think about it…

… I recall her crying right before Manabu was apprehended for a crime he did not commit. That explains her actions back then. I still don't like Manabu Horikita. But I don't hate him either. He doesn't deserve to be hated, that's what I believe at least. Even still, Koenji didn't show the slightest hint of fear over the overwhelming amount of ferocity coming off of Manabu as if it was a thick black aura of murderous intent.

"That's right. But did you expect anything less of me? I'm ready to admit my faults like any other man. So, there really was nothing that I could have done in that situation. I believe that if I even have thought of trying to incapacitate him for what he did… then he would certainly have killed me for sure." Koenji admitted while maintaining the grave look on his face. I had never seen him act so seriously before. That's why I knew that he was telling me and everyone else the truth. But even if he was, there were still things that he was withholding and that did not make him liked by no stretch of the imagination. Though Koenji, like always, didn't seem to care what others thought about him. Even still that didn't stop the people around me from being antagonized by his choice of words.

"That doesn't excuse the fact that you know full well what he did and had no intention of acting upon it for an entire month. It also seems like you made a 'deal' with Kiyotaka Ayanokoji. What was the purpose behind your deal? If I were to venture a guess, then… was it that you would stay quiet as long as he gives you a Quirk?" Hiyori asked while focusing calmly and composed as she possibly could. But even still her feathers sprouted from her ack indicating that she was very angry. And she had every right to be considering what Kiyotaka Ayanokoji has put us both through. But this caused Koenji to let out a bit of a chuckle as Hiyori's eyes narrowed on him.

"Hmm… it seems like we have a great detective on the scene. But I wouldn't expect anything less from 'miss detective' after she was able to overthrow the pretty girl's chokehold on our class by using facts and evidence. Really, I must applaud you for doing that." Koenji admitted while slowly clapping his hands. Was he mocking her? No. I don't think so. Koenji hasn't lied so far. I don't think he's lied at all ever since I met him. But that didn't stop Hiyori from feeling like he was trying to get a rise out of her. Though I managed to calm her down by holding her hand and gently squeezing it. Right now, it would be bad idea to subdue Koenji given that he knows more than he's letting on. We need to continue extracting the truth from him. And I was the only one calm enough to make that sentiment known.

"Everyone. We must remain calm. Koenji's willing to tell us everything now. That being said, I'm sure that there is a 'reason' why he couldn't say anything prior to this. Perhaps he's not the one being threatened by all of this, but another person." I announced as Koenji focused his gaze on me. And when I finished, to the surprise of everyone but me, he nodded in affirmation.

"Perhaps I was wrong. You're much closer to figuring out the truth than your girlfriend is. But you're still not quite there yet. That's why I want you to examine the articles on little girl's phone and tell me exactly what you think of them, Izuku Midoriya." Koenji declared as my eyes went a bit wide as I was caught off guard by him addressing me by my full name. (Prior to this he called me 'green hair' and 'monkey man.') But this only went on to prove that Koenji is very serious right now. Even still it seems as if he wants me to figure things out for myself. But for what purpose? Could there have been another condition as to why Koenji waited for this precise moment to act? I couldn't tell.

However, that didn't matter right now. What mattered was finding the truth! So, I had no choice but to figure things out for myself! But as I looked at the articles on Sakayanagi's phone one by one none of them were people that I recognized in the slightest. I may have noticed maybe one or two passing by in the hallway. But I surely didn't know any of them all that we- But my thought process was shattered to pieces like glass the instant that I noticed a news article focusing on a girl by the name 'Satsuki Shinohara.' I just couldn't believe it. After all she is one of our classmates! However-

"S-Shinohara? B-But Tsukishiro announced that she had dropped out!" I exclaimed as everyone else in my class took note of the article. And they all thought similar to me. But that was a given. Because if she was included amongst these missing people then she has surely been-

"Why would Shinohara have been killed?! That makes no sense! There's no logic behind any of these murders!" Hirata declared as if his words were undoubtably the truth. But Koenji scoffed at him causing Hirata to glare daggers at the former. But before he could say a word or do a single thing, Koenji responded.

"There is logic behind all of it." Koenji declared as Hirata closed the distance between them and was about to punch him. But before he could, I held him back with a single hand. Hirata shouted my name as he had no idea why I was still so calm and composed. After all, this was Shinohara-San was our classmate. We might not have been all that close. But we sat by her and exchanged proper greetings from time to time. For her to have been murdered it's…

… Just like what happened with Karuizawa. And even if Hirata's relationship was a lie, he must have cared about her as he did all of his fellow classmates. Of course, I feel the same way. But that being said-

"Koenji is right. There is a pattern behind all of these killings. Because Shinohara is the only one that stands out from amongst all of them! Because she was our 'classmate!' If Kiyotaka Ayanokoji chose to target just anyone then he surely wouldn't have stopped with just her from our class! Because what are the odds of each of the remaining ones being from other classes?!" I yelled out as everyone stopped looking at Koenji and focused on me. This included Koenji as he crossed his arms and nodded in affirmation. But this made Hirata click his tongue out of disdain of what I was proposing. And he made that crystal clear by what he said next.

"Hey. You aren't thinking of what I think you are, right?" Hirata asked as he knocked off the hand that I was using to hold him back with utter ease. But I couldn't back down. Not when I was so close to the truth, so I responded with 'That's right.' But this caused him to grit his teeth.

"That's absurd! Are you actually accusing one of our classmates, Midoriya?!" Hirata shouted while gripping the collar of my tracksuit as I remained calm and composed even in the face of such hostility. Because I trust him. Hirata's my friend. But even still I had no other choice but to reply with 'Yes, I am.' However, this made him lose what little will that was holding him back left!

"Why you!" Hirata shouted as he used Overclock to swing his fist at me faster than I or anyone else could react. But not before stopping less than a centimeter away from it. He could have actually hurt me right now. But he stopped himself. He was feeling an intense amount of regret. The look on his face gave it away completely. After all, if he punched me then it would have played out exactly like it did when I accused Kushida of sending those horrific texts using my phone to Karuizawa. And he knew that. So, he-

'WHOOOSH!' Ran off faster than I could even blink. He must have felt like he had no other choice but to since he couldn't keep his emotions in check any longer. However, most of the others probably felt the same way. Even knowing that, I had to pursue the truth further. I was so close. It was as if I only needed one more clue to solve this whole mystery. But even though that was the case, I hesitated for a moment to do so. Because the person who had been a traitor since the incident on the island up till now must have killed one of our classmates and took their place. That person being Kiyotaka Ayanokoji!

However, what I didn't know was who he took the place of. That was the only thing preventing me from reaching a definite answer. So, I went back to the only thing that could explain things, the email and the news articles that Sakayanagi had. Wait a minute…

"Sakayanagi. How did you acquire these articles?" I asked as I recalled that there was a strict rule prohibiting students from accessing outside information. And these articles would be the definition of that. So then how? But Sakayanagi noticed my confusion and showed me the attachment that went along with the email.

'To the one reading this, please uncover the truth. That is my only wish, M.' Is what the description read. But just who on earth could 'M' actually be? And judging my reaction, Sakayanagi felt the same way.

"I'm sorry, Izuku. But I also have no clue who 'M' could be. I racked my brain over it. I didn't even get a wink of sleep as I thought just who 'M' could be with IQ! But I couldn't figure it out! It's too vague! Obviously, it's not you! But I'm sure a few of your classmates just so happen to have the initial 'M' in either their first or last name! Because the same could be said of mine! And without any substantial evidence, I can't make a connection between them that proves who 'M' really is!" Sakayanagi admitted with a look of regret as it must have taken a lot for her to say this. She must have felt useless for not being able to figure it out. But I didn't think that way about her in the slightest. And I was going to reassure her of just that.

"Thank you, Arisu. You did very well. I think I can figure things out from here." I whispered while patting her on her head in order to calm her down. She wasn't wearing her beret. She probably still felt that she didn't deserve it anymore after what happened to her father. There was a chance that she'd never wear it again. But even still, I'll be there to support her every step of the way. After all, she's my precious friend and I love her for it. I then closed my eyes as I recalled each and every one of our classmates who had the initial 'M' in either their first or last name.

'Soshi Miyamoto, Nene Mori, Chiaki Matsushita, Akito Miyake, Mei-Yu Wang, (Or Mii-Chan for short) and Maya Sato.' These are all the suspects if 'M' really is the key behind their true identity. But even though I brought down all the possible suspects to only six of them that doesn't really answer the big question. Because there's a chance that 'M' could be any of these people. It's… just not enough! Except, there must be a link! Think, Midoriya! What could connect any of these people to the culprit?! Think about relationships! There has to be someone connected to-

"… Oh my god." I muttered as quietly as humanly possible. At the same time, I realized everything as if the possible suspects all shattered to pieces like glass except for one! The one who is connected to both the culprit and our deceased classmate! I couldn't believe that I didn't realize the truth sooner even though it was staring at me right in the face! I mean now that I think about it, it all makes perfect sense! Why would they have gotten together out of the blue?! I never saw them interact with each other at all! And both she and Shinohara are so close! So, by process of elimination the answer can only be…

… However, if I admit that then my precious friend will be deeply affected by all of this because then that would mean his friend… is dead. And has had his identity stolen by a serial killer. Worst of all, the same person who had almost killed Horikita and took the life of Shinohara. But Koenji noticed my indecision and pressed me to admit it!

"You realized the truth. It might hurt you to admit it, Midoriya. But you must. Even if it means hurting someone else in the process. It is your duty. Not as a detective. But as someone who seeks justice. You're a hero after all. And the heroes are the peacekeepers of justice." Koenji whispered into my ear while looking at Sudo as he already knew what the answer was. But unlike us, Sudo had no clue why he was being looked at and grimaced in response. I then took a deep breath before exhaling it as I prepared myself for what would happen next. And then…

"The person who sent Sakayanagi the email known as 'M' is… Chikai Matsushita. And the person that Kiyotaka Ayanokoji had been posing as is… Kanji Ike." I announced to everyone as each and every one of the people alongside me and Koenji looked at me out of sheer disbelief. Especially-

"W-W-WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Sudo shouted at the top of his lungs as he couldn't believe what I had just said in the slightest. But this was to be expected of him. Given that both him and Ike are friends. They had been since the very beginning of the year along with Yamauchi. But there was no doubt about it…

… The Kanji Ike that we had become acquainted with is a fake and is actually Kiyotaka Ayanokoji in disguise! But even though I knew that and expected what would happen next…

… I really couldn't be less prepared for the threats that I was about to face and what would entail as a result of me and everyone else learning the truth. And as for Kiyotaka Ayanokoji…

… He was all to ready to reveal his plans at last.

To Be Continued…

Next Chapter: To Me

Go Beyond!

Plus Ultra!