Second to last chapter of the year is here. Would have set out hour or two earlier but spent about an hour pushing around snow outside. One day here can have beautiful sunshine and a tiiny tiny snowstorm, well not really a storm but snow still. Better than snowing two days in a row like earlier past week.

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Comments:

Ryubar Tepes: Thank you for your comment. This chapter has a reference to a slightly different franchise other than Star Wards, can you recognize it?

Psy-Kick: offers for art are new. Some have requested to make Youtube content before. Unfortunately several have just done it without asking. Still it has been slightly depressing when several chapters have no reviews/comments only to see one and it is some copy paste buy art from me -comment.

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Chapter 79: Doubt Between Brothers part 1

If Shirokuro was held at gunpoint and forced to say something positive about Endeavour, he would have refused, especially with guns being unable to kill him, but the man was at least easy to follow at night. He kept fires of his quirk burning constantly like light show of threatening burning in agony for anyone crossing him. Even all the lights of the city street did not cover the deadly glow even from a distance.

Having high power magnifying optics built in Shirokuro's eyes also helped as he crouched on the roof knees pointing in the air taking some extra support from the roof with his arms between the legs. It was a lot like what he had seen a hero do in an old superhero comic from the time before quirks. That hero also spent a lot of time on the roofs, out of sight and constantly attacked by media quite the opposite.

Thinking about the recent positive news on Endeavour and Izuku Midoriya who was dragged through mud for his actions and accusations, Shirokuro was feeling some kinship with that old comic hero.

Even if said hero would have treated him as a villain, and not without reason.

Endeavour just caught some criminal outside a convenience store. The thief had no chance of escaping the 'hero' as he propelled himself through the air with his flames. With so many flames around his body there was no way the thief didn't get burned as the massive man crashed into him, might well have broken bones too.

That Shirokuro had experience in.

For a brief moment he imagined Endeavour charging into his favorite red-haired brick wall. Half of the time he imagined that brick wall stopping Endeavour, rest of the time he was more realistic and there were only flames.

Shirokuro did not even flinch as there was a quiet step and chaff of clothes behind him.

"Your inexperience really shows Midoriya," Stain said.

"Don't use that name," Shirokuro hissed. "What do you want?"

"Shouldn't you know that already. Wasn't that the point of putting you in my head?"

"Right now you want to mock or criticize me."

"Would you like me to do that before or after you get caught stalking number two like a novice, assuming you don't lose him first?"

"I have a quirk to still see him properly."

"Can you see through the buildings when he turns a corner?"

"I'll catch up to him when that happens."

"Until you lose him. You should get closer."

"It is safer to stay far away."

"Until you have the moon or lit building behind you. You think people won't realize to look up."

"Usually they…"

"That is wrong," Stain interrupted. "People who aren't vigilant and lack experience don't look up. Those with reason to watch out even fakes regularly do, up to a point. You aren't the only person in the shadows who can climb or fly. People will watch for threats from above but usually only up to as high as the can look comfortably and you are easier to see than you think. The real secret is to be right above them or close to. That is what they are least expecting."

"Sounds risky," Shirokuro muttered.

"If you don't know what you are doing, and you won't lose him behind the first corner, like now."

Shirokuro focused his sight again but barely had enough time to see last of Endeavour's glow disappear out of sight.

"Dammit," Shirokuro said and bounced up. He started running without another word but did not need to look to know the serial killer was following him.

But to follow Endeavour directly and keep up with him they needed to cross the street too wide to jump,

normally,

without appropriate quirk.

Just a few steps before the edge Shirokuro jumped landing with both feet on the edge. He could feel his legs compress, but there was no pain. He jumped again straight over the street without ever using his jets.

His legs compressed even more from the force of the landing, but he held back and lifted them one at a time to let them release all the kinetic energy. He glanced back, but Stain was no longer visible on the opposite roof. He was taking the longer path.

Shirokuro rushed to the other edge to look for Endeavour. At first he did not see the man down the street desperately scanning every bit of asphalt even learning further out over the edge.

A moment later Endeavour stepped out of an alley a bit down the street. He looked around, and up, towards Shirokuro. Shirokuro jolted back

Stain had gotten across the previous big street but he was now on the other side of this one.

'Can you see him?' Shirokuro called out mentally.

'I tried to warn you. Endeavour just crossed the street trying get a better look at the roof. I assume you want help.'

'Don't fight him.'

'Wasn't planning to. Listen.'

Shirokuro could hear the high-pitched scream even on the rooftop.

'You might want to switch your spot,' Stain remarked.

'What did you do?'

'Gave him something more urgent to worry about.'

'How, who was that?'

'Is this quirk working wrong? You can't even tell when I am screaming my lungs out.'

'That was you?'

'Just get on this side in case he starts looking for you again.'

'Get closer to him?'

'Would you expect that in his position?'

Shirokuro decided to trust Stain on this, for some reason, and leaped over this street too. Tracing the sensation of presence till he found Stain behind an air conditioning unit.

'Where is he,' Shirokuro asked mentally worried about noise.

"You can talk freely with this thing humming next to you. Look over the edge."

Stain pointed at the nearest edge of the rooftop. Shirokuro carefully peeked over it. Endeavour wouldn't shut his flames even in a narrow alley looking for danger, directly below Shirokuro.

Who pulled back until he could only barely distinguish the glow reflecting from walls around Endeavour.

"From this position," Stain whispered behind Shirokuro having actually succeeded at surprising him, "you will almost never get noticed by whoever you follow as long as you don't attract attention and you don't need to run across the whole neighborhood every time he turns a corner."

"I guess you are expert at this, despite how you used those skills."

"Says the one stalking number two hero. How come the sudden need to get so hand on?"

"You saw ending of the UA sports festival. All that is going to court."

"Endeavour's son, the kid with ice," Stain understood. "And, did you change your mind and decide it is easier to kill him after all."

"Not yet, but it might be. The judge is almost as bad as him. Something massive would have to happen to force him to rule against Endeavour. Didn't even matter that Sho straight up told what he did to him."

"So the judge is just as much fake. Never thought about that," Stain pondered, "He would be easier to kill."

Shirokuro sighed.

"That is your solution to everything. Even… even if it sometimes needs to happen you aren't going to change anything for the better if killing is all you do. They would just assign new judge anyway who could be just as bad and might get suspicious."

"But even if new judge is no better it would buy you time. You talk big about changing the world, but refuse to act at every turn, except when trying to kill me."

"You got yourself in that position. We can go back to that option if you'd like."

"After all you've done to make me your tool. I doubt that."

Shirokuro gritted his teeth together. Stain continued.

"I assume you want me to spend my time looking into that judge too."

"The idea is tempting, but it gets too risky if people realize you are tracking same judge Midoriya has issues with."

Stain scoffed.

"He is the judge Endeavour is working with after being exposed as especially fake and given the credit for my capture."

"Don't remind me."

"Even IF I was caught that would hardly be suspicious."

"Just try to find any evidence on him being corrupt or working with Endeavour, and tell me immediately if Endeavour tries to get to Sho… his son."

"So I am your babysitter now."

"You are helping me make sure a true fake hero doesn't get to cause more harm. Speaking of which, have you learned anything about anyone else?"

"I investigated a rumor on a hero working with a local gang, but seems he might have been killed recently."

"Glare."

"You already knew."

"Talked about his death with a detective."

"Maybe there is some use in you being a hero student."

"Don't talk about it here," Shirokuro paused. "There is something you should know about his death, one of his killers."

In the past he had worried about encountering situation where Bakugo went too far, but never thought that discussion would be with a serial killer. Only after they separated, he realized Stain had not offered to kill Bakugo, though Shirokuro had also not forbidden him from doing so.

Stain stayed to monitor Endeavour so Shirokuro could handle the more important checkpoint for the night. He dropped from a warp gate within sight of Shoto's sister's apartment. He couldn't really see inside the dark apartment through the curtains but at least it seemed quiet.

Then the curtain moved and Shirokuro zoomed closer. Eijiro stepped outside on a balcony. In Shirokuro's, meaning Izuku's, experience he did not usually have trouble sleeping. Now he seemed far from sleepy leaning over the railing and looking around. Shirokuro crouched lower on the roof he had landed on. He was too far to be noticed in darkness without quirks, but usually Izuku had been wrong when underestimating Eijiro. Shirokuro would not make that mistake.

It might have been partially due to darkness dulling things, but the redhead seemed more serious and tired than ever before. That expression would have better fit Izuku, but at least he took the situation seriously. With how smily and carefree he was there had once been doubt about his ability to take things seriously.

Still, Izuku would soon put that smile back in its place again. Shirokuro stayed for a while even after Eijiro went back inside, but with Endeavour's location known and Shoto's guardian vigilant Shirokuro dared to leave. He really needed to get at least some sleep. He had already stockpiled quite a lot of need to sleep and couldn't risk falling asleep at any critical moment. Just had to change before going home.

He stepped from warp gate into the training room. Then jumped aside to dodge a lower tier Nomu that charged right through where he had been standing. Shirokuro turned around just in time to see its arm turn grey and grumble to dust while Tomura evaded rest of it. Had his Decay gotten faster?

At least his injuries had recovered. Maybe he'd be a little less irritable now. Izuku took the helmet off.

"You seem to be feeling better," he said trying to be friendly.

"Not thanks to you," Tomura barked back killing the Nomu by decaying its head. "Have you enjoyed watching me suffer all these weeks, laughing at how long it takes me to recover while showing off your healing every time you show up here?"

Perhaps less irritable was overly optimistic. Shirokuro had to remind himself that even if Tomura's recovery had actually been very quick compared to what most people had thanks to doctor's skills and father's quirks, it had still been an ordeal. Perhaps he should have been more concerned about it after USJ. Gunshot wounds were not a small thing even if he sometimes forgot it. He could understand a little about how Tomura might feel seeing him acting like they were.

The rest however.

"I'm… I can't control whether you can have regeneration or not."

"That's what you say."

"And the doctor, and father."

"Don't talk about sensei. I worked for years to show him what I could do and then you walk in and acting like you know everything better because sensei is your daddy. I have followed him for years and he still telling me I am not ready."

"That doesn't really change what I know. Is this because I questioned your conviction, what you want to do? Maybe father is waiting your answer to that too."

"Who are you to tell me that?"

Izuku wasn't even sure if he should be worried or annoyed anymore.

"Your anger doesn't change the truth. Even Stain at least had more credible conviction than you."

"What exactly makes that guy so different? He just destroyed things he didn't like, just like I do, but everyone acts like he was something special, even sensei."

"You are both maniacs, but at least I can see where he is coming from. He is murderer, but I could have conversation on him on why he kills. I've known you for a year, but I'm still not sure what drives you if there is anything besides hate. Not sure why father thinks you could help with fixing any problems with this society."

Tomura was staring at him with a look that made Izuku feel like he was walking on a thin ice that could decay at any time, but the comment about fixing made him grin.

"Fix? You still believe you can fix something?" Tomura laughed. "You are not going to fix anything. People don't want to change. The only path is to tear it all down."

Tomura was being unusually straightforward. Izuku generally tried to not think about the murderous thirst of his adoptive brother. Surely father had some idea to calm him down and direct that intensity towards something better, right?

"That is what I want. Once I destroy everything I hate what is left might get fixed. Aren't you doing the same? You want to destroy heroes like All Might and Endeavour to have a world without them."

"I don't want to just kill them. I'm actually trying to come up with plans to get somewhere, If father thinks you aren't ready maybe you should try it and think beyond what you want to destroy because right now you are just a killer short of going on a rampage and… I can't let you do that."

Tomura had been pacing around during their conversation, but with the last comment he stopped in place and tilted his head glaring at Izuku in a way so deranged he wasn't sure if even Bakugo had ever gotten that bad.

"What did you say brat? You won't let me? Who do you think you are?"

Izuku had no response for that. He did exactly what to do as Tomura stepped closer hand half up, back away and raise his guard.

"Tomura Shigaraki," Kurogiri said in an unusually demanding tone. Izuku's adoptive brother did not care though as he stepped even closer.

"Let me make something clear, kid," Tomura said, "Sensei might have entertained himself with your mother…"

Izuku's blood pressure spiked right around there and flames appeared on his hands. Tomura decided he did not like having hands as he reached his towards Izuku

", but I am his successor. You are just an annoying escort mission that keeps getting in the way."

Izuku brought up Dragon Blade as a shield, the other arm held back ready to cut Tomura's off. A small warp gate opened between them and Tomura's hand disappeared into it.

"Kids, kids," father said stepping out of another warp gate, "do I have to watch you all the time? Tomura why are you trying to kill my Izuku."

"Your Izuku," Tomura muttered. Why would father talk like that. Everyone in the room should have understood his mistake. Tomura was already angry enough.

"Yes," father said in a more threatening voice, "and I do not appreciate when what is mine is threatened.

He could have put that in a better way, though Izuku could understand the sentiment.

"And when he got me shot it wasn't threatening."

"He did not shoot you. Hero shot you once your operation failed and you did not get out in time. I hope this recovery period has helped you consider your actions more carefully."

Tomura was too busy gritting his teeth to respond.

"As for you," father moved his attention to Izuku. "You should learn to stay on mission. I can appreciate long-term plans you are slowly building to change the whole society, didn't expect you to get so ambitious so quickly, but remember why you are at the UA. You were supposed to find if All Might still has One For All or who is the successor. What have you recently done to complete that mission?"

"All Might still only shows his face for a short time each day. If he hasn't given away the quirk already his body is at the brink of failing. I don't know about the successor though. No one at school has at least shown such power. I am not exactly the first in line to be told about that stuff."

"And that too is because you allowed your emotions cloud your judgment. While All Might would likely distance from you due to your quirk alone you never even attempted to gain his trust and confidence. Imagine if he was looking for a successor in the school and you were close trusted student in addition to your superior skill."

Father huffed and smiled under his breathing mask and raised his hands in unnecessary theatrics.

"Can you imagine it? All Might giving you his quirk out of his own choice. Wouldn't that have been something?"

His hands dropped.

"But it is not possible. He will do everything in his power to hide his state and successor from you and so far you have only built walls between you two."

"You expect me to act like his friend?"

"Well it is too late now. Maybe you should nudge one of your followers to deal with him and maybe they hear something."

"They are not…"

"If you called them asking them to do something dangerous to help you or someone you care about, would they come, even if you gave them no details or reason beyond you asking for it?"

"They… Yes," Izuku admitted, uncertain if he should frown or smile.

"They are your followers, too naive and heroic for my tastes but followers nonetheless. If any of them are more comfortable with All Might, use them."

Izuku did not respond, only wearing his emotions on his face, relying on his father's blindness.

"As long as our enemies possess One For All, all we have worked for could be destroyed by a single person. One For All is ultimate power and the one quirk that can resist our power. We must have the quirk and destroy anyone else in possession of it whether that is All Might or someone else."

"D…" Izuku opened his mouth but paused, "not until we get the quirk?"

"Preferably, if we find a way. I would prefer to see you again," father brushed where his eyes should have been, "but I have lost too much to it to not end whoever possesses the quirk if we have a chance. That is the purpose of your being in UA. Find out who has One For All and make sure they cannot stand in our way. Remember that."

"Yes," Izuku responded.

"And Tomura, if I see you attacking Izuku again you become a threat like One For All."

Tomura muttered something incomprehensible but his anger was thick in the air.

"Now behave, both of you or I'll take Kurogiri away from you for a week," father said making Izuku tense, and stepped back into a warp gate. Izuku and Tomura were once again facing each other. Izuku had once hoped he could have an actual decent relationship with his adoptive brother. At least he had cared more about him than how he was born, but it was clear he did not want to do any good for others.

"You must be really proud of being sensei's spawn. If you had not born to his mistress, you'd be nothing."

And there went the rest. Izuku turned around to leave before he lost control of his mouth completely.

"You will be nothing," Tomura muttered, just loud enough that Izuku was able to make out the words. He stopped.

"You are the one that turns everything into nothing. Dad gave you a whole group of Nomu and a single serial killer had more impact than you. All you have ever done is cause chaos and destruction."

"So, perhaps that is my conviction. All the people smiling without care while I have suffered, all because of the heroes, especially All Might. Once I destroy those smiles we will see who has true impact. No one will even remember you."

As much as Izuku supported the idea of destroying All Might he was not in the business of destroying others' smiles. But right now all he could do was to protect the smiles he already had.