Yesterday, I set up a slide show of photos for my nana and papa of their wedding and it was nice and cute but she kept pointing at people and being like "he's dead. She's dead. He's still alive. Dead. Dead. Living. Dead"

My nana is a very peculiar woman

Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5

The heroes all sat around the large conference table, a tense silence filling the room. It was clear that many of them were uncomfortable for some reason. And who could blame them? Dealing with the Yakuza seemed like a pretty serious situation. Ochako couldn't help but notice how nervous Izuku, Monoma, and Mirio looked.

She leaned over to them. Are you guys okay?" She asked.

Izuku fidgeted in his seat. "I just...I don't know."

Monoma scoffed. "Speak for yourself. I'm more than capable of handling whatever these villains throw at us." But somehow Ochako knew he was lying.

Mirio gave a weak smile. "Y-yeah. We're all peachy keen here." He held up a peace sign to soothe her nerves.

Suddenly, the door opened and in walked Sir Nighteye. The room fell silent as he took his place at the head of the table.

"Good afternoon, everyone. I'm sure you're all aware of why we're here today." Sir Nighteye said, his voice serious. "As many of you know, the Shie Hassaikai has been a thorn in our side for quite some time. We have reason to believe that they are planning something big, and we need to be prepared."

Shie Hassaikai…the yakuza? Ochako thought.

"As you all know, our main target is Kai Chisaki, aka Overhaul," Sir Nighteye continued, his tone even more serious now. "He is the head of the Shie Hassaikai, and we believe he's planning something big. Chisaki is not someone to be taken lightly. He has the ability to disassemble and reassemble anything he touches, which makes him an incredibly dangerous opponent."

"Like alchemy." Momo frowned.

"Worse than any sort of magic." Albedo frowned.

"He also has a group of loyal followers, many of whom have their own unique abilities. We've been gathering intel on them, but there's still much we don't know. What we do know is that they're willing to do whatever it takes to protect their boss and their organization."

They're like a more put together version of the League. Ochako thought.

"He's also known for using a drug called 'Quirk-Destroying Bullets'," Sir Nighteye continued. "They have the ability to completely erase someone's Quirk, leaving them powerless. This drug poses a serious threat to our hero society..."

As everyone took in the gravity of the situation, Ochako couldn't help but feel dread wash over her. They were dealing with no ordinary villain. They were up against someone who could destroy their abilities and render them quirkless.

Bubble Girl tapped her tablet a few times. "For the past two weeks or so, we've been conducting an independent investigation of the Shie Hassaikai. Said investigation was spurred by an incident involving a band of thieves called the Reservoir Dogs."

"Police wrote it off as an incident." Centipeder said. "But there were a multitude of inconsistencies that prompted our investigation. Under Nighteye's orders, we've been following some of the leads."

"But we're not going to sit around and wait for them to make their move." Gran Torino spoke up.

"About that..." Centipeder said, as he pulled up a few more things. "They've been making extensive contact with outsiders and underworld dealers. At first, we thought it was a simple expansion of accumulation of funds. And shortly after we began investigating...we found that they made some contacts."

"I'm guessing with the League of Villains." Ochako frowned. "They seem desperate enough since All Might knocked down their boss."

"Correct." Sir Nighteye said, pulling up an image of Twice getting into a car with Overhaul.

"Hey, that's the dude from the camp!" Tetsutetsu said. "He was the cloning guy."

"And that's Toga…" Ochako frowned, rubbing the arm where her wound was.

"His name is Jin Bubaigawara, villain name Twice." Centipeder said. "We're lucky to have this photo. They were wary of being tailed, so we couldn't pursue them- thankfully, police were monitoring the street so they caught this photo."

"Apparently, their meeting ended in bloodshed. We followed the crime scene out of town, to an abandoned factory." Nighteye said. "Two casualties on both sides. Ended in the death of an unnamed member of the Hassaikai, and of League of Villains member Nyancy Chan."

That was a shock.

"She's dead?" Helen asked, a little caught off guard.

"Good riddance, then. If she's stupid enough to run with those idiots..." Manny huffed.

Izuku couldn't help but feel a little uneasy at the nonchalant way the heroes were talking about death. He knew that was part of their job, but it still made him uncomfortable.

Sir Nighteye cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention back to him. "Regardless of the outcome of their meeting, we can't ignore the fact that the Shie Hassaikai is collaborating with the League of Villains."

"You mentioned another party...who are they?" Fatgum said.

"We'll get to it." Sir Nighteye frowned.

"What we're dealing with is a very powerful 'abnormal'," Lock Rock declared.

The students looked confused. "A what?" Ochako asked.

"Abnormals; it's a medical term that's been more apt in recent generations," Albedo explained. "They're used to describe people with powerful quirks, who also possess elevated levels of intelligence or physical prowess from a young age. They arise when an individual's Quirk exceeds its typical limits for the early user."

"We actually have some Abnormals in the room right now," Nighteye further explained. "I'm an example. Precognition is a naturally intelligent power. Other examples would be Monoma, due to having a copying quirk, Momo for her creation power, and while she's not in the room with us, Star and Stripe."

Monoma perked up. "I did always think my power was a bit odd; especially since I knew how to use most powers from the get-go."

"I guess that Medaka girl and Todoroki also count then..." Kirishima wondered aloud.

Tsu paused to think about Medaka for a second and nodded. "Makes sense."

"I... never knew such a term existed," Momo said.

"Why do you think Overhaul is one?" Ochako asked.

"The intelligence to rip a person apart in specific areas has to be learned. There were two blood splatters at the scene; a massive one, which was all that remained of Nyancy Chan. And a smaller one, which we learned was from the criminal Atsuhiro Sako, known as Mr. Compress."

"The marble guy..." Ochako said.

"This kind of expertise is far beyond what most people can achieve, even with years of study and experience. We could be up against a top-tier one," Nighteye explained. "And also gives us proof of being a Minus, presumably."

"Stop throwing these medical terms around, makes us feel more out of the loop than we already are," Tetsutetsu said bluntly.

"A Minus is an abnormal with a little more to it," Albedo explained. "They acquire their powers through the deterioration of their own mental state. The more twisted their mind is... the more powerful."

Ochako made a face. "...would... Himiko Toga be considered one?" Ochako asked. "Since her power came from drinking blood, and she can sort of turn into... aliens."

"...how'd she do that?" Rock Lock pressed.

"Animo," Ochako lied.

"That dude's still around?" Rock Lock scoffed.

Albedo nodded. "Indeed. But, for minuses... same could be said for a majority of the league. A person you know may be a minus without even knowing it due to not being properly diagnosed."

Izuku paused for a moment; that Kumagawa kid, was he...?

Had to be. He just... had to be.

"Sounds like a reason some people say some quirks are born evil," Ochako noted.

"Believe it or not, there are some heroic minuses out there," Aizawa explained. "We didn't even know Wash was a Minus until later on. You're in class with one too."

"Wait, what? Who?" Kirishima asked.

"I think he means Tokoyami," Izuku mumbled. "I know you weren't there for Dark Shadow's rampage, but... it was pretty intense." So, is Dark Shadow a physical manifestation of Tokoyami's gloomy emotions in the full dark?"

"Something like that," Aizawa nodded.

"I'm a Minus too," Kevin said quietly. "I didn't have... the best upbringing."

Rock Lock groaned. "Look, I know they're kids, but stop it with the loredumping. I didn't ask to get lectured about stuff I already sorta knew."

Nighteye nodded. "Indeed…but, we have a more...startling development."

Izuku flinched.

"Overhaul has a daughter."

The room erupted in shock and confusion. Ochako couldn't believe what she was hearing. He's a dad too? He looks pretty young…maybe a few years younger than Ben and Ruby.

"A daughter?" Gran Torino repeated, stunned. "How is that even possible?"

"Previous papers never mentioned anything about a child in any of ours," Sir Nighteye said. "We're not sure if he's been hiding her or if he just recently found out about her himself."

"Hacking the mainframe's also been a bust." Cooper frowned. "I dunno how, but they're giving ME trouble. I wanna know more about that kid…"

"I can't even imagine what kind of life that poor kid must have had." Kirishima said, his expression pained. "Life of a yakuza kid can't be easy."

"But why bring her into this?" Pierce asked. "What does she have to do with the Hassaikai's plans?"

"Before we even move on, question." Rock Lock said. "Why do we have kids involved in this case? If and WHEN we launch an attack on these guys-"

"We owe it TO my interns for the discovery of his daughter." Nighteye said.

All eyes suddenly went on Izuku, Monoma and Mirio. The trio all looked uncomfortable under the sudden attention. Ochako suddenly realized why Izuku and Monoma were acting so reserved as of late…

"Is that true?" Kevin asked.

"I'm afraid so." Mirio said, standing up. "Let me explain..."

As Mirio began to recount the story, Izuku began to remember all the details from that day himself...

Izuku and Centipeder stood in the training room, ready to start their session. Centipeder was known for his centipede quirk (duh), which granted him long, centipede-like limbs. His quirk was similar to Izuku's Blackwhip in terms of the way it was used for capturing and restraining opponents.

"Alright, Deku. Let's get started," Centipeder said as he extended his arms. Izuku nodded and summoned Blackwhip, his black tendrils emerging from his fingertips.

"Let's practice capturing a target," Centipeder said. "The key to using a long range quirk effectively is precision and control. Capture our targets without causing unnecessary harm."

Izuku concentrated, aiming his Blackwhip at a target dummy in the corner of the room. He carefully wrapped the tendrils around the dummy's arms and legs, ensuring they were tight enough to immobilize but not so tight that they would cause harm.

"Very good. Now let's try something a bit more advanced." Centipeder motioned towards a moving target, a small ball rolling on the ground.

"We need to be able to capture targets in motion, just like we would in a real fight," Centipeder explained. "The key here is to anticipate the movement and adjust our quirk accordingly."

Izuku nodded and focused, ready to put Centipeder's teachings into practice. As the ball rolled towards him, he extended his Blackwhip, expertly capturing it and bringing it to a stop.

"Excellent. Your control is improving by the minute," Centipeder praised.

"Thank you, Centipeder." Izuku said.

"You described this as an external power to your 'Full Cowling' technique, right?" Centipeder asked.

"That's right. It's...the only way I can describe it." Izuku lied.

Centipeder raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? My power allows me to extend and retract my limbs, but it's more than just that. I can also sense vibrations in the ground and the air, which helps me locate my targets and react accordingly."

"That's...really cool," Izuku said, impressed. He'd have to jot that note down later.

"Yes, but it took a lot of training and discipline to get to this level," Centipeder said. "The key is to not just rely on the Quirk itself, but to use it in tandem with your other senses and abilities. You need to be in complete control of your body and your mind."

"I understand," Izuku said, nodding.

"Good." Centipeder gestured towards a nearby wall. "I want you to use Blackwhip to scale up that wall, but I want you to do it slowly and carefully. Focus on maintaining control and balance."

Izuku nodded and took a deep breath, activating his quirk. He carefully extended a strand of Blackwhip towards the wall, feeling it attach to the rough surface. He pulled himself up slowly, keeping his body close to the wall and using his other limbs to maintain his balance.

As he climbed up, Izuku would occasionally look behind him to watch Monoma's training with Sir Nighteye. Monoma was working on improving his agility and reflexes with Sir Nighteye. The two of them were moving in a circular pattern, with Sir Nighteye throwing quick punches and kicks at Monoma, who had to dodge and counter with his own attacks. Monoma was clearly struggling, but he was determined to keep up with the veteran hero. Sir Nighteye was providing feedback and advice, helping Monoma improve his technique and reaction time. Despite the difficulty of the training, Monoma was sweating but smiling, clearly enjoying the challenge.

Woah. That might be the first genuine smile Monoma's ever had. Izuku thought.

"Focus, Midoriya!" Centipeder called out. "Pay attention to your own training, not theirs."

Izuku quickly snapped out of it and refocused his attention on the wall. He continued to climb, his movements becoming smoother and more controlled as he went. When he reached the top, he let out a breath of relief.

"Well done. Your control is getting better with every exercise," Centipeder said, nodding in approval. "But don't get complacent. Your quirk is more versatile than it looks..."

Full Cowling already took a lot of focus, and so did Blackwhip. If he could parallel process the two...then he might be unstoppable in battle.

Izuku rappelled down the wall, and reached the ground. Sir Nighteye had just finished up his training with Monoma, and was talking with Centipeder about something. Monoma took notice of Izuku's Blackwhip and scoffed. "What is THAT?" He asked.

"...uh, secondary power of my quirk?" Izuku explained, trying to keep his tone polite.

"Gross," Monoma said with a sneer. "Looks sort of...evil."

Sir Nighteye cleared his throat. "Please focus. We have important work to do." He gestured towards the door. "It's time we had our first patrol. We just need to hold a quick debriefing."

Izuku's eyes lit up. Finally, some hero work! Izuku and Monoma followed Nighteye outside, where Mirio and Bubble Girl were waiting.

"Patrolling is the first and foremost best way to scope out crime," Nighteye said. "But today, our work serves a different purpose- monitoring."

Monoma raised an eyebrow. "What are looking for, exactly?"

"Don't mention this to anyone else. It'll violate your NDAs." Nighteye said. "The Nighteye Agency is working on a secret investigation."

Monoma's eyes widened in surprise. "A secret investigation?"

"It concerns a small organized crime group called the Shie Hassaikai." Nighteye said.

"Yakuza?" Izuku said. "I thought their kind was staying quiet nowadays."

"True that they dispersed, but with the symbol of Peace gone, I suspect that the yakuza are attempting some second coming." Monoma scoffed. "Pathetic grasp for stardom."

"Their head, a young man named Chisaki, has been making strange moves recently." Nighteye said, pulling out a photo. He presented it to the boys. "The plague mask is his trademark."

Izuku made a face. "I'm afraid to ask what sort of contacts."

"Then don't." Nighteye said. "We've acquired no evidence of wrongdoing, but we can't treat these yakuza as villains. We need concrete evidence," He opened the door to entrance, where Mirio and Bubble Girl were standing. "Be careful not to attract any attention to yourselves. You'll be pairing up with Mirio."

Izuku nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Understood, Sir Nighteye. We'll be cautious."

"No need to worry." Monoma smirked.

Mirio grinned, excited to work with his friends. "Let's go! We'll make sure to gather as much information as possible!"

As they made their way out, Centipeder added a few words of caution. "Be on the lookout for anything suspicious. Keep your eyes and ears open, and report anything unusual back to us immediately."

"Got it," Izuku said, determined to do his part in the investigation.

Mirio, Izuku and Monoma walked down the street, while Nighteye and Bubble Girl walked up the way.

"I'm kinda nervous." Izuku admitted. "Never been on patrol before."

"Are you serious?" Monoma scoffed. "Didn't you go on patrol during your internship?"

"No! For some reason, I just don't have much practical experience in the field." Izuku explained.

"How strange! The big shot Class 1-A member can't seem to comprehend a basic facet of being a hero." Monoma smugged.

"Ah, don't worry." Mirio said, holding up his hands. "Sir's monitoring the stronghold. We're just walking around the block! It'll be a piece of cake."

Izuku felt a sense of relief wash over him at Mirio's words. "Right, just walking around the block," he repeated to himself, trying to calm his nerves.

As they walked, Izuku kept his eyes peeled for anything suspicious. The streets were bustling with people going about their daily lives, but he couldn't help but feel like there was something off about the area they were in. It was quiet, almost too quiet for a busy city street.

Monoma noticed Izuku's tense posture and couldn't resist teasing him further. "You know, Midoriya, you're really not cut out for this kind of work. Maybe you should stick to your books, mumbling, breaking of bones..."

"Cut it out..." Izuku huffed.

Mirio noticed the tension between the two and decided to intervene. "Hey, how about we tell each other our hero names? I think that'll help in team building."

"I'LL go first." Monoma said. "I chose the name 'Phantom Thief' for myself, because I have the ability to 'steal' any quirk I touch."

Izuku was surprised by Monoma's hero name. "Phantom Thief? That's an interesting choice. But doesn't that sound like something a villain would choose?"

"I like to think of it as being a hero who can do what needs to be done, even if it means breaking a few rules." Monoma shrugged.

Mirio nodded in understanding. "I can see why that name would suit you, Monoma. You're always so quick on your feet, and you have a lot of tricks up your sleeve."

"Thanks, Mirio," Monoma said with a smirk. "Now, how about you, Midoriya?"

"My hero name is Deku." Izuku declared.

"Like as in, 'Good for Nothing'?" Mirio asked, while Monoma stifled a laugh. "Or the Zelda species?"

"It's...a nickname." Izuku explained.

"Well, alrighty. My hero name is Lemillion!" Mirio said. "I wanted a name that represented my determination to never give up and keep pushing forward, no matter the odds. The million is the number of people I'm gonna save! Cool, right?"

"I like it." Izuku said, impressed. "I like the idea of having a hero name that represents your values and goals."

"Thanks! Not as catchy as All Might or Endeavor, but it's still pretty gr-"

As they were passing by an alley, something ran into Izuku's arm, and fell to the ground. Izuku looked over...and locked eyes with her. Izuku's heart skipped a beat as he looked down at the small figure lying on the ground. She was a young girl, no older than 7 or 8, with wild, unkempt white hair and bandages covering her arms and legs. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she was trembling uncontrollably. She had a small horn on the left side of her head.

Izuku's first instinct was to reach out to her, to try and comfort her and find out what was wrong. But he hesitated, not wanting to startle her even more. He knelt down slowly, making sure to keep his movements calm.

"I'm sorry...didn't see you there." Izuku said. "Did I hurt you?" Monoma and Mirio turned around, confused.

Eri moved back, flinching at Izuku extending his hand. Izuku was confused...

"Shame on you, causing trouble for this nice hero..." A voice from the alley muttered.

...Izuku wished he punched him in the face, the goddamn second he saw him. This thing, this creature, this...monster was...

Overhaul. The young Shie Hassaikai boss himself.

Izuku felt a chill run down his spine as he took in the man's appearance. He wore a long coat with a fur collar, a plague mask covering his face, and his hands were covered in black leather gloves. But what struck Izuku the most was the faint metallic smell emanating from the man's suit.

It was the smell of blood.

"Sorry about that," Overhaul said, his voice almost as sincere as any other bystander, "You know how kids can get. Always so excitable, always so eager to do what they want."

Izuku wanted to say something, anything, but it was like his throat just closed up in panic. This was the man that Sir had been tailing for, what was it, months now?

"Is...something wrong?" Overhaul asked.

Before Izuku could even struggle to think up a response, a sudden motion caught his attention and his hood was back down over his head.

"Forgot your hood again, partner?" Mirio asked, "Man, they must've given you the wrong size! Anyway, we should be the ones apologizing sir."

Why are you acting so calm? Izuku thought to himself, W-wait. Brave face! I can't tip him off! It could compromise the entire investigation!

"Y-yeah," Izuku said, tugging at the back of his head, "I-i'll have to get it tailored."

"Speaking of fashion, I couldn't help but notice your mask, sir!" Mirio continued, "It's so striking! Am I right in guessing you're with the Hassaikai?"

"Yeah, the mask is a dead giveaway, isn't it? Apologies if I don't take it off. This is a bit...embarrassing to say, but I'm something of a germaphobe," the yakuza head casually said, rubbing the back of his head, "Hey...you're new on the scene, aren't you? Never seen you two around before."

"Absolutely! Newbies like us have a lot of pressure on us, so we're all nerves!" Mirio chuckled.

"I see. And...what agency do you work for? I'm familiar with all of the ones in the area."

"Oh we're students! Fledglings, really! The ego we'd have to have to associate with an agency so soon! Just getting the chance to see what's what during an internship!" He's trying to figure out who we are, Mirio thought to himself, not breaking eye contact with Overhaul, I won't say anything about Sir.

"Welp," Mirio continued, "Sorry to end the talk here, but we've got the whole neighborhood to patrol before lunch! C'mon partner!"

Izuku was about to turn away and leave, but the little girl gripped onto his suit, tugging at it. Izuku paused.

"Please..." She whispered, voice small. "Please don't go..."

Izuku's heart wrenched at the desperation in her voice. He knelt down to her level and took a closer look at her bandages. "Are you hurt? Do you need help?" he asked gently.

Overhaul stared daggers at Izuku, while Monoma slowly backed away. He couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. The aura emanating from Overhaul was unmistakably evil, and it was making him extremely uncomfortable. He had never encountered anyone with such a dark presence before, and he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that was creeping up on him.

For a moment, Monoma considered stepping in to help Izuku and the little girl, but he knew that it was too risky. He didn't want to get involved with someone as dangerous as Overhaul, especially since he didn't know what he was capable of. Instead, he decided to keep his distance and watch from a safe distance, hoping that everything would turn out alright.

"Your daughter...seems scared." Izuku stammered.

Overhaul blinked. "I just got done scolding her. That's why."

Izuku frowned, feeling uneasy about the situation. "What did she do?"

"That's none of your business." Overhaul said curtly, his eyes narrowing. Monoma's eyes darted between Overhaul and Izuku, feeling a cold sweat break out on his forehead. The intense aura that Overhaul was giving off was making him feel ill at ease, and he had a feeling that this situation was about to escalate into something dangerous.

"And...these bandages," Izuku said, "they don't seem like something she'd get just from playing a little rough."

"They're a fashion statement. Believe me, I wish I understood the choice, but she said it was to match...oh god what was it? Sonic Boom or something? She loves to watch that on Netflix whenever she can," Overhaul said.

A fashion statement? Izuku mentally questioned before speaking aloud again, "Sir...I just don't think it's normal for a girl her age to be shaking this much."

"Hmm, maybe she has a fever. But you're acting a bit...presumptuous, aren't you? Acting like you know what counts as normal for others' families," Overhaul kept that same casual voice, but his eyes betrayed it all. He really didn't like that question. If looks could kill, Ochako would be investigating Izuku's violent murder right about now.

Izuku gulped, feeling a bead of sweat run down his forehead. He didn't want to anger Overhaul any further, but he couldn't just leave the little girl like this.

"I apologize if I overstepped. I just wanted to make sure she's okay." Izuku said, trying to defuse the situation.

Overhaul's eyes softened slightly, and he crouched down to the girl's level. "Are you feeling okay, Eri?" he asked, his voice gentle.

The girl looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes. "Y-yes, papa," she whispered.

"See? She's fine," Overhaul shrugged.

"But she sounds..." Izuku said.

"We were already over that. I just finished scolding her and," Overhaul sighed, looking around, "Look, I'll tell you the details but not here. I don't want to be overheard. Save us both from any more embarrassment, yeah? Mind coming with me down here?"

Izuku's heart must have stopped for just a second as he put the dots together. He wanted the heroes off the streets so that, in case anything went south, there wouldn't be any witnesses. But he had to. If he showed even the slightest bit of hesitation now, the yakuza head would know and he'd make a move.

So, with no options left, Izuku got up, carrying the small Eri in his arms. Mirio was right next to him, nodding to reassure the younger student that he had back-up here. Monoma shook himself out of his fear and, together, all three of the heroes-to-be walked down the alley after Overhaul.

Izuku couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Overhaul seemed too calm, too collected, too in control of the situation. And that faint metallic smell on his suit...Izuku swallowed hard, trying to focus on the task at hand. They had to keep Eri safe, no matter what.

Monoma was sweating bullets, his mind racing with all the worst-case scenarios. He had never felt this scared in his life, and he silently cursed himself for not being more prepared. He had to think of a way out, a plan, something. But his mind was drawing a blank.

Mirio, on the other hand, was radiating with confidence. He had dealt with dangerous situations before, and he trusted in his own abilities and those of his friends. He kept a close eye on Overhaul, ready to jump into action if anything went wrong.

And Overhaul?

He'd fucking kill all of them if they tried anything.

"So...let me be frank. I've been concerned for Eri lately," Overhaul said, breaking the awkward silence, "No matter what I say, she fights back. I tell her its bedtime, she throws a tantrum, asking for another ten minutes and then another ten after that. I give her some vegetables for dinner, she refuses to eat and demands ice cream. It's just..."

"Tough?" Izuku finished.

"Yeah, that's one word for it. What will they become? What can they become?'" Overhaul listed off, tugging on his white surgical glove, "That's always what I'm really wondering about these days."

Eri flinched. Izuku noticed Eri's reaction and his concern for her grew. "What do you mean by that?" he asked cautiously.

Overhaul sighed heavily, looking down at the ground before meeting Izuku's eyes again. "I mean that in this world, it's not easy for everyone to succeed. Especially for someone like Eri, who has a...difficult past," he said, his voice dropping low.

"What kind of past?" Izuku asked, trying to keep his voice calm and steady.

Overhaul hesitated for a moment, looking between the three heroes. "It's not something I can just tell you. You understand, right? It's a family matter," he said, almost apologetically.

"I see…" Mirio said.

"If...it's alright with you, sir," Izuku said, knowing this might have been a reach, "I'd like to see her without the bandages."

Overhaul stopped dead in his tracks when he said that.

"I'm sorry?" Overhaul asked, sending fear into the trio of would-be heroes.

Midoirya, you IDIOT! Monoma mentally screamed.

"I want to see her without the-" Izuku was about to repeat himself, before Eri pushed herself free from the grip of All Might's successor. As fast as her small legs could take her, Eri dashed back over to Overhaul.

"Oh! So, finally done with your little tantrum?" Overhaul asked, kneeling down to be eye level with his daughter. The little horned girl only nodded in response.

"Good," Overhaul nodded, patting on her the head, "then we can go home now. After one last thing."

Eri's eyes went wide upon hearing that.

Please...please no! Please, NO! The child's mind raced.

"You wanted to see her without her bandages? Alright then," the yakuza head nodded and stood back up, positioning himself so that he would be right between Eri and the heroes. He looked over his shoulder to make sure they couldn't see him and then he set to work, unraveling his daughter's bandages. The trio of would-be heroes saw the bandages begin to get longer and longer, reaching down to the alley floor.

"P-papa," Eri managed to squeak out.

"Don't worry, sweetie. Daddy'll put them back on before we go. The brave hero just needs to be sure," Overhaul reassured the girl. Unseen by any of the trio, once Overhaul had unwrapped Eri's arms, he placed his hands on them. After a brief second, he stood back up and stepped aside, holding Eri's bandages in his hands.

"I don't know what you were expecting to find underneath," Overhaul shrugged, "but take a look."

The trio were surprised when Eri held out her arms...and saw nothing. No scars, no injuries.

Izuku blinked. He...did something to her. "I see," Izuku said.

"Happy now?" Overhaul asked, his tone still icy.

"Yes, thank you, sir," Izuku said, knowing that it was time to leave before things got any more tense.

The trio turned to leave, but before they could take a single step, Overhaul called out to them.

"Again, sorry for troubling you three with our little family drama," Overhaul said, "Oh and, good luck on your internships. Come on, Eri. Time to go home."

The trio left the alley, feeling a mix of relief and unease. They had seen something they weren't supposed to see, and they didn't know what to do with that information. As they walked back to the agency, they couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right with the yakuza and their dealings with Eri.

Monoma mentally screamed at himself for not doing anything. He couldn't believe he had frozen up like that. He was supposed to be the one with the big mouth, the one who always had something to say. And yet, when it came down to it, he had just stood there, paralyzed with fear.

Izuku was holding the place Eri was tugging on. The way Overhaul treated Eri was just...inhumane. And the fact that he had done something to Eri's arms, something that had made her scars disappear, was just unsettling. What kind of power did he possess? And what was he planning to do with it?

Mirio broke both their reveries. "Hey...let's go tell Sir." He said.

At the Shie Hassaikai's base the same amount of time later, Overhaul and his second in command, Chronostasis, were walking through the drab, concrete halls of their underground home. The white-cloaked lieutenant was carrying the poor Eri in his arms like Izuku had mere moments ago.

"It sounds like things went well," Chrono said, "Well...as good as they could have."

"Yeah...but young people today...they're sicker than ever," Overhaul growled, "Chrono, get the bath ready."

As the two of them walked on, another member of the Hassaikai approached them in a panic. He wore an all black outfit, shirt, jeans, and shoes, with the only bit of color in his attire being the white bird-like plague mask he donned.

"I-i'm so sorry, Master Overhaul! I turned away for a second and the little brat-!"

With a swift move, Overhaul tore through his subordinate in a controlled fury. Unlike his move against the League's cat-lover, there was nothing left of this thug. The only sign that a murdered had even happened here was the massive splatter of crimson that now painted a part of the wall.

"Oh...and clean that mess up after you're done," Overhaul ordered, "You know how much I hate the aftermath..."

Eri's eyes went wide as she witnessed the brutal display. She buried her face in Chrono's shoulder, trembling with fear. Overhaul took a deep breath to calm himself, then continued on without any hint of emotion on his face.

Chrono followed closely behind, shooting a sympathetic look towards Eri. He knew how much the girl had been through, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for her...but still. She was needed for something...great.

"Thank you for sharing this with us." Nighteye said, after Mirio finished recounting the story.

"Of course, sir," Mirio said, bowing.

Rock Lock raised an eyebrow. "I take it back. These kids may have handed us a big puzzle piece...but I don't see how it's relevant to anything. Why bring up the kid?"

What Nighteye said next made all UA students suddenly feel very, very cold.

"...it brings us back to the Quirk Erasing bullets."

"From Fat Gum's incident report?" Ryukyu asked.

"Indeed. Fat Gum, if you would," Nighteye said.

"Right. Well, some of you might've seen the news on Red Riot's debut," Fat Gum went on to explain, "All the news articles mentioned the perp's stash of Trigger, but what they didn't catch was that, before Red Riot actually went after the guy, he shot Amajiki with a special made bullet. More like a needle really. When it hit, it just got rid of his Quirk. After the rest, we got him checked out at a hospital. His Quirk factors were damaged from whatever substance got shot into him."

"Quirk factor?" Kirishima asked.

"I'll explain. A quirk factor is a collective bunch of traits that compose a Quirk. This includes the primary Quirk power as well as all the biological mechanisms that allow said primary power to function properly." Albedo explained.

"My quirk disables that factor for a short time..." Aizawa added. "But this situation is incredibly different. The drug attacks the quirk factor entirely."

"This drug...destroys that quirk factor." Fatgum said.

The chatter in the room made Ochako's head spin. Destroys it? Is that possible? I though Quirk Factors couldn't be so easily removed like that.

"There's more," Fat Gum said, quieting the chatter in the meeting room, "See, after Amajiki got shot, the perp tried to shoot Kirishima. The bullet bounced off though, so we had a vial of the stuff to analyze."

Kirishima blinked. "Me?"

"Yeah! We got an intact one." Fatgum said.

"Way to go, Kirishima!" Ochako said.

"Very cool." Tsu said.

"Hardening was the perfect quirk for the job, it seems!" Nejire added.

Tetsutetsu teared up at the sea of comments. "Y-you're so cool, bro..."

Rock Lock blinked. I think I hate these kids.

"And thanks to Fatgum, I...did an analysis on it." Albedo stood up, and took a deep breath. "In my experiences, I have seen...some disgusting things. But this...this is on a whole new level. To think that there are people out there who would willingly create something like this...I have seen people being used as experiments, innocent lives being taken for the sake of power, and I have seen the horrors of war. But this...this Quirk Erasing bullet is one of the most sinister things I have ever come across. "

Ochako gave him a look. Albedo was trembling as he spoke...

"What...what were the results?" Pierce asked hesitantly.

"The drug the bullet carried...was composed of human cells," Albedo said.

The room fell silent at Albedo's words. The gravity of the situation seemed to hit everyone at once.

"Wait, human cells?" Kirishima spoke up, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What does that even mean?"

"It means that whoever created these bullets used human material to make them," Albedo explained, "Which raises all sorts of ethical and moral questions about their creation and use."

"Whose cells did they use?" Helen asked, looking a little queasy.

Silence.

Izuku knew.

Mirio knew.

Monoma knew.

It...it was Eri.