《MHA & Monster Hunter》 Chapter 1 - Its we Deku [Note--- comment PLEASE!!!!! PHOTOS will be provided for monsters, weapons and armours from monster hunter] ----Starting------ With an unexpected and godly rage, the water poured down on the lonely beach filled with junk that drifted from afar, thunder flashing through the dense clouds. Splash! Yet in this dark, cloudy night, someone seems to be running through the junkyard. "Huff huff" His voice tired and dark green hair covering his face. "JIN JINNN!...Where is he!" his eye looking all around the once friendly junkyard, which was their paradise away from all problems, now seemed like a dark maze.. BOOM! The thunder flashed through the cloud, each flash of lightning momentarily lit up the desolate landscape, revealing one boy in the middle of a forgotten beach, surrounded by heaps of garbage lying down in a little puddle of blood. "Cough... Cough" "JIN!" the green-haired boy rushed toward him, his eyes widening seeing his friend as he fell on the ground, his hands shaking and eyes hazy. There, on the puddle of red water lays his pale body, scorched burn marks on his left eye, his clothes ripped to shreds hanging off him in tatters, exposing burns and bloodied purple skin, blood being washed away by the rain... a large gash on his stomach bleeding profoundly. "im sorry i-i''m sorry it''s all my fault if only i didn''t tell you about it if only i didn''t got you in this mess it''s all my fault it''s all my fault it''s all my fault it''s all my fault so please Jin please...tell me what to do " Beside jin, the other boy knelt his eyes covered by his messy dark green hair, rain and tears washing down his face as he saw his friend''s life washing away, his voice a trembling whisper as he muttered words barely audible in the storm. CRACK! ""Aha hahaha" The boy laughed even though his body wailed and bone screamed, yet the thunder rained, his smirk never left his face. "That will stay... them for a LONG Time¡ªCough Cough Cough! Haa... fucking bastards" he moves his hand over his stomach, clutching the burn. "Bu-but-but now the police, e-e-even the heroes," the other boy said, his voice muffled as he saw the torchlight in the distance. "You know what Deku... we always knew...from the fuckingbeginning" Deku''s hands trembled, his mind flashing him all the memories that go deeper than the wounds of a knife. His head nearly shoved in his chest, hiding his face from his friend ''Yes, we knew... we always knew people are not... born equal, even when we were young... we always knew... what society was.'' His face darkened as he remembered his favorite hero telling it to him. ''I knew it was all fantasy but even... even ALL MIGHT'' snot flowed down from his nose as he remembered the words that started all this ''I don''t want to lie, but you guys can''t... heroes are always laying their lives down even when they die...even more so... when you are just quirkless kids'' "HICK! Sniff" he choked as the words repeated in his mind, his eyes darting toward Jin as he saw his friend smirk. He remembered... he remembered all those times he and Jin were beaten, yet he always smirked. Even when the teacher failed him, his smirk never left his face; it was his beacon of hope. ''Just like All Might.'' It hurts even more knowing where they stand "Jin yo-you didn''t have to *Sniff* why did you do this!" he said his voice cracking at every sentence. "You told me we would be heroes, the GREATEST OF HEROS when everyone said it was impossible YOU SAID WE WILL S-SO WHY whyfor someone SOMEONE WORTHLESS LIKE ME WHYYY!" The lights were closing on them and so were the footsteps they might find them any minute. "HICK!" he holds his mouth with his hands dreading the outcome of what was to come. SIGH! "It was... not for you- and you are not useless... little maybe... hehe" Deku couldn''t belive his friend even... even when he was about to die he was still trying to cheer him up...like always. "I don''t where to start... I was lost and alone, then happy...that I was here...thought I would be a hero...Cough...but the quirk it just never came, I still had hope... that a miracle would come soon... I wanted All might too just..." [His smirk nowhere to be seen] "But it... well... It-It wasn''t supposed to be like this.... I just snapped... and then, a miracle it was..." [he said with a low voice] His single eye catches the faint torch lights searching through the junkyard. "Aghh!" He tries to sit while his hand still holding over his stomach, twisting the huge burned flesh. "Jin, w-we need to go," deku supported him carefully yet he didn''t listen. "Many fucking times I just wanted to kill all of those dogs." Deku shook his head as he heard the cold voice, his mind racing with all the possibilities about how to escape and get him to safety. "You remember wh-what you tol-told me when ALL MIGHT said we can''t be heroes" "that....fuck" "YOU- YOU SAID...that we will be Fine" "You said- You know what deku... it doesn''t matter how much the world hurts us... it doesn''t give us the right to harm innocent... be a hero- no be a symbol, a symbol for prosperity" "THEN WH-WHY did you... you have gone too far" his last word more like a wimper not even audible to jin. TIP! TIP! TIP! the silence remaind as the rain fall on their face. "Tsubasa wanted to become like hawk n-now he won''t able to fly... an-and TORU" His voice raised as he remembered the fate of long finered child his screams behind the school as jin cleayed his fingers with a chainsaw, as he watched from the top of school. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "A-and ka chan! his-his eye...friend a-aren''t suppose to hurt each ot-" Deku''s voice died as he saw jins eye ''WHA-WHAT''S THAT!'' His mind numb with tension as he saw a beast-like yellow reptile eye staring right at him. He rubbed his eye, and there they were, his brown bright eyes... cold, very cold for some reason. "Friends... don''t hurt each other...YA? Then they weren''t our friends to begin with." GULP "B-but what now!" his voice laced with worry as he knew what jin did was anything but acceptable and there were too many people who witnessed it. "What is a hero?.. to you deku" It was is a question out of blue, he didn''t understand what relation this question has to their situation. Yet his mind flashed with the photo of ALL MIGHT, saving hundreds of people on his debut, through rocks and fire his smile never leaving his face and his iconic dialogue. Sigh "So... when was the time they acted like heros...they act villains nothing more." CRACK! It was as if the thunder dropped on his head, his mind fuzzy with all the memories of him being hurt and trashed around by everyone, the only one who ever helped was Jin... and now he lies on the ground beyond... beyond what he ever wished. The thunder flashed, showing his twisted face as he bit his lips. He wanted to say Ka-chan would be a great hero, b-but it just didn''t feel right...not anymore. "Bu-but he has a po-powerful quirk and we... we-we just are quirkless..." Unknowingly when he said that, it was as if a burden had lifted from his shoulders. "...Hero... a word invented in the 15th century or so Cough... far away from this quirk age." "To be fair... that''s what it is... fame, vanity... power, Number 1 haha... the best they say yet worse they do." "It''s upholding justice... the good deeds, even when against the odd or even the laws [he said silently while looking up] "... it always was... it always will be... it''s just that now... it isn''t..." "So be a protector...a HERO FOR REAL" ''Because I-I will be anything but one'' he said in his mind while standing up his breathing irregularly. "Aghh!" Deku stood up too supporting his shoulder as jin struggled to stand on his feet, he opened his mouth to say something but today it seemed he could not mutter much, he just looked at his friend. "He hee hee let me tell you something" [ a sly smile] "The hardest of choices... require the strongest will" he smiled as he remembered his old memories far older than anyone would imagine for a 16 year old. "We don''t have a quirk so h-how will we ever" "No we have it..." He looked toward Jin''s eyes, the same yellow eyes, although a bit warm. He wanted to sing with his friend, he wanted to be happy for him, but there was a sadness deep in his heart that he didn''t know where it came from "Irony.... no curse it is...a curse...now you have it... but you can''t be a hero" "Ha-haha that is but... you will" HOWWWW! Deku wanted to scream, but he didn''t have any more energy, as he silently carried his friend forward through the little clearing they had made in their past time. He felt like he betrayed his friend, he, all these years had been rooting for him at every moment. If only he never got him involved¡ªNO¡ªif only he never met him, it would- "Officer, there are tattered clothes here." A voice just behind their back was heard, freaking Deku out as he tried to move his feet faster, pacing through the maze as silently as possible. Jin looked at his eyes he knew he couldn''t cure all the abuse Deku had faced. ''I should have known that things will change... but¡ªbut I just thought... I should have planned for things going wrong.'' "You know... a hero is... sometimes hidden, unknown... in the shadows... doesn''t have to be All Might... but just make things all right hehe." "You have lost too much blood, w-we need a doctor." Deku didn''t listen to his rambling too much, his only goal was to somehow save Jin. Even though he knew what Jin did was wrong, he couldn''t bring himself to abandon him. He was his hero. "Leave it, Deku¡ª" "I won''t." The footsteps grew closer and closer while Deku''s heartbeat ran like an engine. "Take me to be... sea that''s the only chance I have" he stared into Deku''s eye it was as if the world had come to a stop. "Or make me rot in prison" With his tooth grinding, he took his friend toward the edge of the beach. Slowly yet surely, they crossed the mountain of garbage, leaving the footsteps just a little behind. "Down ju-just a little." He laid him down, water touching their legs. It was midnight, and his phone had rung countless times. ''Wh-what am I supposed to tell Mom?'' "J-jin, I-I just¡ª" "... Just remember what i told you... like the ONE we always needed and the ONE i told you." The clouds were parting away the rain falling short...moonlight falling directly on Jin. He had sharp eyes, a normal nose with few facial hair and a well trimmed goatee with no sign of beard even though he was about to turn 17 His black school uniform was tattered away, a portion of his left eye burned away his long black hair dyed red with his blood, his now medium white olive skin turned pale as the large gash on his stomach bleeds slowly. "Why God just why" Deku faced the sky as if questioning the gods himself, yet he tried to copy jins smirk although very ugly he tried his best to copy him. "I-I swear I will- no matter how many tries it takes I will be the hero, i will be the first quirkless hero" "Heh... good... that''s the boy" he smiled as blood dripped from his head his face pale as a corpse. The rain had come to a stop but the real storm was about to unleash now. Deku didn''t know what to do now he didn''t, but he knew what he will strive toward. He stares at looks jins with the moon behind his back it was as if his back was carrying the whole moon. "Oh and about that, it''s we." he said while his arm reaching toward deku "Huh?" Deku questioned as he didn''t understood what it meant. PUFF! "WHA-!" Seeing the brown metallic claws dug into his chest touching his heart his, he could only look at Jin''s face his eyes questioning what he couldn''t say. "...jin" he said with the remaining breath as he had no more tears to spare. "It''s we...deku... my power I give it to you..." "This...is the only way Deku" Jin leaned forward muttering something in his ears. Deku''s eyes widened as he processed the words. At this moment, his wound didn''t stung as much as it did a second ago, his vision got blurry the only thing he remembered was seeing the beautiful full moon as his body was sent flying across the beach and fell into the water. THOF! "THERE! Something''s fell in the water follow UP!" Sigh ''All the routes are burned now just some mice to kill'' ''WHAT IN THE MEOW FUCKING MICEEE, I TOLD YOU HUMANNN IT WAS A BAD IDEA MEOWWWW!'' said a heavy male cat voice. Crack! Crack! Jin cracks his neck as he ignores the cat''s voice in his head, the wound on stomach healed at a rapid speed the purple skin being replaced by blue and yellow scales. SPLASH! THUD! SPLASH! The sounds of feet approaching through the maze kept increasing and increasing and increasing. Until they were just right in front of him His Yellow serpant eye observes every corner with ferocity as his teeth and jaw begin to change a tail growing from his back. CRACK CRACK. His ribcage cracked and deformed as the bones extend outside his chest. PUFF! PUFF! PUFF! Zzzz! Sharp Bronze like spine burst from his back humming with electricity. "...Fuck i should have graduated middle school 2 years ago" "Not like mew go to high school, nyah!" this time the voice sounded more feline. "Hahaha true" his voice sounded demonic his friendly smirk looked like devils smile as his face slowly morphed into something inhumane. "LAGIACRUSSSSS!" BOOOOM! The storm might have stopped, yet here on this forgotten beach. A THUNDER ROSE FROM THE GROUND.... marking the arrival of a new age. An Age of MONSTER HUNTERS And the first one to bear witness to this new age could only blink their eyes in horror. THUD THUD! Some fell to the ground on despair while some just remained frozen in awe of the monster. as they saw the ferocious monster bigger than a blue whale watching them silently while saliva dropping from his mouth, with its last glint of intelligence leaving its eye. KRANGGGGGGG! - - - -End How do i upload photos? ¡Ñ©n¡Ñ¡Î To hear the roar go to this link ( https://youtu.be/HCk9YM0f15c?si=v16GwhabFZuMkfpE ) Chapter 2 -1 Prevailed and 1 failed 29 May / 6:35 Am Today marked the 2nd day since the incident...now called by various names but one thing was in the centre...Deku. At this moment the protagonist of worldwide news stood behind the curtain his ears hearing the raindrops, the horns of cars and voices... far too many for him to understand any, he carefully opened a small gap in the curtain just enough to let his eye see outside. His light green eyes turned light yellow, with a single red in center of his iris. Several colourful tents outside the barricades of police were carefully placed such that another trespasser wouldn''t get in... "How''s it like to be famous, eh?" ''you would have said something like that...right?'' Deku silently gazed at the dark clouds, it hadn''t stopped raining since, It was light but gloomy... especially for him. The rain has become his symbol of failure...his weakness and a constant reminder of loss...loss of a loved one, yet it weirdly made him calm. The sun although faint, still peeking through the grey clouds even as the rain fell ever so slightly. ''At least the police are helping with our supplies'' he watched a small crowd of people standing in the rain wearing yellow and orange raincoats some with quirks others ready with their cameras, his eyes capturing even the tiniest details from their faces. He shook his head as it started pulsing with pain, returning his eyes to normal colour. ''Still not used to it'' ''it must be a pain for others too'' he thought with a sunken smile, although the neighbours were kind enough to not complain and show their sympathy in their own words * through the media * "Hehe you know what all of them said" "He was a kind boy... I wonder what led to this madness...ya..." he said with a defeated smile "And the world will always wonder...for what kind of madman would go such length... to help someone quirkle-... useless like me" His mind played all the memories of his...his brother since the time they met and their happy moments and their sad ones too, one thing was common in all ...they were together in both and now...he stood alone. Deku scratches his head while looking and holds an old photo of him and Jin in kindergarten playing hero and villain him being All Might and Jin wearing a dragon costume. "Ho-how much more will you do for me..." he looked at the golden envelope sticking out from a giant dusty brown sketchbook, with heavy bold golden words written on it Monster hunter "i don''t want anything... I just want to you...home" his voice tired as he gently wiped the dust from the glass of the frame. ''Sometimes we never appreciate how precious some things were until we don''t...and... can''t anymore.'' even then it was a rainy day with thunder roaming in the sky painting it with gloom and death. There weren''t many friends of the Asano family, his father had abandoned them knowing Jin was quirkless in his early life while his mother died...in the accident. ''Another reason for the why... the list goes on... until his smile also worn off'' He remembered seeing the sadness in Jin''s eyes his face tired from the years of smiling...all there was left was a cold slab bearing the burden society made for the less fortunate. Tip Before he knew tears slid down on the glass. ''Just like 4 years ago I didn''t understand it then...I didn''t wanted to ... and now I do.'' It feels like a limb of yours is lost" Knock! Knock! He raised his eyebrow as he looked toward the door. "Izuku" his mother called from behind, her eyes slightly red from all the crying jin was her second son, after his mother passed he mostly stayed here in their house, his was more like their video game parlour for them. She slowly wrapped her arms around him knowing full well how much hurt her son was, even though he had grown a few centimetres tall, she knew how much he cried when he came, with his dress torn and 3 scars etched on his chest to her horror he told what jin did...and why he did. As a mother she was beyond devastated when she heard what has happened... but she still couldn''t believe what Deku told her she didn''t wanted to believe it, but the golden letter was something she couldn''t argue with and only blamed herself. Knock Knock! "Hello...this is Naomasa Tsukauchi" "It''s fine Mom im ok" he said with an ugly smile trying to copy his friend. "Y-you can take your time dear there is no rush" "There is no point in delaying them... we have to answer someday" ''There will always be sun... through the night through the dark ...you just have to be brave enough to face them first. ''if not today then tomorrow i have to face reality'' ''I am not the useless Deku now...not anymore'' He was beyond tired, rather devastated he didn''t know how but he walked somehow to the front door bloodied and all his mother called the ambulance but by the time the reporter had already got the smell of the situation blocking their route, it took some time for police to come. "I''ll be there in a few minutes... let me fresh up" "....Please take your time sorry for the disturbance" The detective slowly walked away his footsteps echoing in his ears. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "I''ll go talk to them first izuku" he simply nodded his head lost in thought Hearing was the easiest for him to control for some reason, it was more natural maybe something to do with his quiet personality. He never wanted to experiment with the smell sensors again. He threw his shirt 3 distinct claw scars more like holes remained on his chest. The doctors arrived late way too late to save someone for his calibre of injury but they were shocked to find his wound healing itself, they gave him some supplements and took some samples of his blood. His body a little more toned, although still skinny but much better than before, his dark spots had also vanished, his face had a healthy glow his hair remained the same. He walked into his room checking which clothes to wear, his clothes were a little too tight for him now. At the corner of the room lay a simple black shirt and silver loose pants. ''His regular combo'' in the shower, the cold water hit his face reminding of his constant failure as how his friend had made a whole plot just to make him seem like a hero... a hero he wanted yet never deserved. "You don''t need to thank for the recommendation letter, UA will probably take their sweet time in sending one though hehe" ''What would you do in this situation Jin...what would you do'' _______________________________ A day after we met All might. Jin had made me skip school today, said he wanted to train and get some steam off, i was sad but... it was not as bad, jin still believed they would be great heroes. "Hey jin i have a question, why do you think so many heroes die and get hurt and villains just keep popping up even though there is All Might" "Haaaa" he pushed the washing machine his breath uneven, steam blowing from his mouth. "Hoff water" Deku gave him the bottle from his bag. "Thanks and that''s 2 questions" he snatched the bottle and drank the whole thing. "HEY wait don''t drink the whole thing!" "Hehe should have told earlier Kid hehe, as for your question" his eyes turned serious and deku knew what was about to come. "He who knows his enemy shall win 1000 battle and he who fuck around shall be buried in the ground" "Ahhh would you cut that out already What are you? Sun Tzu or something." ©´(£þ¥î£þ)©° "They call me wise old man for reason though" (©V_©V;) "More like Middle school Philosopher" "High school now" "... if they pass you...you think they will" Deku asked with concern "Ahaha(£þ¨Œ£þ)¨q "Well you see I got in a little fight with the teacher so who knows" (?_?) "AGAIN...and that not all, is it" (//=_ =//) "Ah ha ha w-well i-i I just bashed him a L-little, didn''t think he would faint so easily the teacher last year took it like a champ" ?(¨p?Òæ?¨p)? "FUCKINGGGGG HELLL JIN! YOU''RE GONNA FAIL FOR THE 3RD TIMEEEEE, YOU SHOULD ALREADY BE IN HIGH SCHOOL 2ND YEAR" "Nahh I got thing covered" ¦²(O_O) "NANIIII??? DID YOU BRIDE THE TEACHER OR SOMETHING" <(£þ¦á£þ)> Exactly! "WHAT THE.... how much did you give" "Hmm just some present to the teacher''s wife... it''s gonna be alright" ( : - ? - : ) "Wait if she doesn''t," Deku asked with concern as Jin has already failed 2 times always picking fights with the teacher, even without quirk he was still strong. "hehehehe Ohhh she is she surely will hahahhahah" his face twisted as he saw jin rubbing his hand. "I just wanted to hear your analysis on the matter." "Well, either way, a hero will always be at a disadvantage after all how can you win if all you do is react...not everyone is All might, as for 2nd question ... it''s more like skill issue same for villains, we will be very dangerous villains if choose to be though" He looks back at Deku this time serious for real "No matter what Deku...promise me you will never become a villain...no matter how bad the situation." "Wow wow where did that come from, i-i am just too weak to be anything... dangerous" He shakes his head in disapproval "If only you knew how dangerous you are deku, we see what others don''t, we excel where they can''t no more" ____________________ "...analysis...the way he planned the whole thing from beginning to the end... to the point is scary...even the aftermath shh" Deku sucked in a cold breath, the golden envelope was not only was will of Jin, it also had many pieces of advice and his SD card for situation analysis and some books he wrote in past. He grabbed the shirt and pants putting them on in haste. Checking himself in the mirror he looked a little bigger than earlier clothes jin''s clothes were now a total fit for him. "He stared at himself in the mirror trying to look as emotionless as possible." ''All might won''t last much longer and when the pillar falls the house comes crashing down...dark days are ahead of us, take every advantage you can to rise faster the earlier the better.'' "Law 6 and 8.....court attention and make other people come to you" "And how i do that" he began thinking a plan while roaming in the living room when a sudden bold idea emerged in his brain. "That...ya that would do both...I need to prepare some script first" he rushed toward his room found a pen and a paper on his desk and started writing something. 5 minutes later. Deku opened the window rain blowing in with the cold breeze. Standing on the balcony of the apartment, on the 5th floor of the building, highest available, they had to shift up because the reporter tried to break in couple of times. PHEW! his hands on railing his mind arcing with the mad plan. ''Haha, this is one horrible plan... I would have never tried this in past but things are different now...i-i have to take every advantage I can this is more like Jin than me, but it never hurts to act like him... excluding beating teachers...smoking and drinking too'' "Here goes nothing" He tightened his grip and looked back one last time making sure his mother didn''t see him. His finger started to morph into black scally claws, thin red membrane growing between his fingers, the back of his forearm was covered in cold black scale with wave-like patterns, while the other part was slightly yellow with thin light scales, a single sharp spike came out from his elbows. His hairs turned black with black fur growing from his neck to the back making his back look bigger and buffier, his feet also transformed like his hands, with only difference being the black fur on his calves. He bends his knee in anticipation adrenaline rushing in. "Hoff... half just half and half no more no less" He grinds his teeth hands on knee ready for the launch. "1..2..three laun-IZUKU?" "MOM!" He screamed as he dumped all the power in his muscles. BOOOM! The floor beneath cracked, the window cracked. SWOSHHHHH! he launched into the sky. "IZUKUUUUUU!" his mother screamed in horror as she saw her son flying in the sky the voice clear enough to alert the police and reporter who started to ruffle out of their tents. "NONNONON I AM GONNA DIE I AM GONNA DIE" "HUMAN... STUPID! STUPID HUMAN! WINGS... WINGS! FLAP! FLAAAAPPP!" Deku heard a low feral hissing-like sound different than the low mockery-filled growl he thought heard when jin pierced his chest. "Y-YOU CAN TALK" ©B( o¦¤o )©B "FUCKINGGGG FLAPPP HUMAN WE DIE DIE DIE WE DIEEEE" "I DON''T HAVE WINGSSSS!" (¡ã¥í¡ã) ! "MOTHER FUUKAAAAA" (??Òæ?)? As Deku screamed up in the sky, twice the distance of his apartment yet he still continued to higher, his scream was more like a roar as the reporter frantically started to clicking photos, not knowing what would happen next. Another being was more if not equally scared as him. "CHANGE HUMAN CHANGE!" "WHA- I DON''T KNOW WHAT YOU SAYING" at this time they had crossed the dark sky going even higher than the clouds, Deku tried to move his legs but he couldn''t feel them. ''This doesn''t obey the laws of physics!'' ''We are light creatures HUMANN STUPIDDD!'' ''Sun is not shiny good, switch me fast human stupid '' "HOWWW" "CALLL MEEE" "Ah...who are you?" "FUCKKKKKK YOUUUUU! GKHKJHHKHKU!" the creature started cursing Deku''s ancestor in his own language Their acceleration stopped and they started falling down piercing the clouds again. ''Black fur black scale doesn''t like sun OHH I GOT IT'' deku ran his mind fast remembering the hunter of light from jins sketchbook. NARGACUGAAAAAA! Rumble! Just like the last time a thunder rose, green in colour compared to the last one yellowish blue. It connected through the sky and ground. BOOM! They fell to the ground, covering the entire area with dust KHREEEEEHHHH! before the reporters and police could handle themselves a high screech rushed in their ears drums. Most lost balance and fell on their butt as their vision was hazy and ear ringing up, inside the dust they could see a large shadow with thunder yellow eyes and long red eyelids marking them. Most stood frozen on their spot while some police officers reached for their guns. "Well then let''s start the interview, shall we... Ohh and don''t mind the dust I was just letting some steam off" As the dust started to clear he saw the now half-monster form of Deku with the only difference being his eyes which were full yellow and some of his furs turned little silver. Oh and not to mention Nargacuga who has taken control of his body. He walks slowly while flashing his devil-like grin his sharp teeth on the display of the world. 7:10 a.m. Japan. Chapter 3 - Fight begins! As the dust started to clear he saw the now half-monster form of Deku with the only difference being his eyes which were full yellow and some patches his furs turned a little silver. The ground was burned black, some rocks turned into ashes. "Well before that would you guys mind moving away" he pointed his claw on the tents and their supplies. The people were still shocked by the escalation of the situation just a minute ago they heard something breaking and a shout before they knew thunder fell from the sky and before they stood an Izuku that was completely different from the photos they had collected from his school stood before them. One of the reporters stood up with multiple lenses on his arm he quickly walked toward Deku. "Sir what you did was endangering people''s life and it is our right to kn-" Deku brought his hand up stopping him in his tracks. "Danger? How many can say they survived when thunder fall RIGHT in front of them, nothing is troubling for the like of you. your best is asking others how they feel when someone they love dies" "Bu-but he- he was a villain who tried to murder three THREE young kids inspiring to be heroes" His yellow eyes seemed to be burning with rage as he looked over to the reporter his eye shifted to the camera lens as he winched at the report pissing himself. "Very human, jumping to conclusions without a care to question, just finding way to make hot stories 1 prevailed and 1 failed hah!" he spit right next to reporters shoe. "Let me give you something better, 1 died while 1 couldn''t die" his face wore a sadistic dark grin. "I would suggest all of you start questioning Never a better time when the pillar itself is about to collapse and young minds debate about who has better ranks." "What can I say I say I predict the future for Timepass, after all, how long do you think All Might will clean your ass, it''s time you guys start facing your own monster, a creature that have nothing to lose, but you have right HAHAHAHA" The creature laughs menacingly it teeth shone with brilliant sharpness. "If would, please leave us alone, I have talked with Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi, the police will arrange an interview in an hour or so, you can ask the boy all the questions you have, I am sure the whole world will be very interested in the DRAMA of two quirkless kid they choose to ignore before they couldn''t anymore." "So I will ask you all again kindly...please wait for a little more for your stories until then" The nargacuga (Deku) turns around walking back, missing the weird expression on the reporter''s. "Wh-who are you" *silence* "A dodged bullet, that you decided to shoot in your heads...the last 3 groups to leave will not get an entry....now fuck off " he said without even turning his head. All around the world, many people winced as they saw the news footage in front of them, some questioned what was the whole story while other just impressed by the argument they heard. A person behind a black mask laughed menacingly as he heard the pillar was about to fall "A very interesting quirk hahaha can he even predict the future" While in a dimly lit room with multiple screens, two creatures a skeleton and a half hybrid watched the show with serious expression. "Nezu...It''s all my fault...Please Send him a recommendation letter we have to test him if... no we have to guide him, or won''t be able to face my teacher" "Ohh I couldn''t say better," said the mouse while drinking his tea, lost in his own thought.
While Deku''s own body wasn''t in his control, his soul wandered in a different plane of reality. His eyes not believing the scenery in front of him. He sat on a matt black chair, in front of a large table, there lay a monitor showing the whole map of his neighbourhood, on his left another monitor showing the satellite images of the whole japan, there were other things like a keyboard and some cups, but the most mesmerizing thing was the view visible from windows in front. Tall green mountains and green trees as far as you can observe. As he observed the professional-looking room, he saw that the largest monitors on his right showed the surface of a distant planet, with other 3 screens showing some wavelength and fossils photos. "Where am I...and why i don''t i feel worried it''s so unlike me." he looked around cautiously but weirdly he didn''t show a panic "It''s like...home" "Of course, it is human stupid" A small squeak came from his shoulder there lay a small nargacuga as big as a grown parrot. "WHOAAA!" Deku flinched as he quickly jumped from the chair. "WHO ARE YOU!" "AHAHAHAH Human stupid it''s me, your master" (???!) "What''s that suppose to mean" "You take power, so I become master human stupid" "Ok sigh let''s, let''s get to common ground, is this your home?" "This is ancestral land" Deku observed as the little annoying nargacuga tried sitting on his shoulder he wanted to smack the little thing but he held himself. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Let''s go find the rest" "Is there anyone else here other than you?" he wondered as he would like to talk to some adults not that he was one either. "Press the enter button 3 times" "...." Click click click. WIIIIII SHIII- With a sudden gust of wind, Deku vanished from the room only leaving a pair of brown eyes observing the room, before they vanished too. At the same time in a dark gloomy forest, with grey leaves and pure black soil, Deku stands on guard as he observes the green thunder that remains suspended directly above a small lake, only a thread-thin part of electricity touching the lake. Deku looked behind him were dense gloomy giant trees, weirdly enough he wasn''t scared and in a vast silver lake. "This, home" said the nargacuga, "You mean ancestral land? "Grrr same thing" Deku silently observed the silver lake above it suspended green thunder, the same thunder that flashed in front of him a moment ago. ''Is this like a teleportation quirk or am I in a different dimension? Dekus''s eye widened as he closed toward the lake the part where thunder and lake''s water met he saw his reflection or rather someone pretending to be him. "Who else live here" "Mum, dad, sis, bro...ohh he is not here, he is there" the little thing pointed at the lake showing the outside world "Your mess he cleans" Deku grimed at the possibility of his body being highjacked by someone else. "You don''t need to worry about that child, he is by far the most sensible one in my offsprings" a soft voice came from behind Deku looked back as he observed a mature woman with dark long hair red eyes, cat-like ears and a dragon-like take walking toward him. Wearing a scally black maid dress that exposed most of her chest. ''GAINTTT BOOBS!" Deku''s eyes widened as he saw the massive things covered by little clothing. "Hahaha you know I can hear your thoughts" "AHH I AM SORRY SORRY SORRY" Deku bowed ninety degrees as his face became tomato red. "GRANNA!" The little prick shouted jumping in her arms, Deku peaked as the little black thing danced between her chest. "No no it''s fine honestly I was starting to wonder if I was becoming ugly the previous dude-" "Ah granna you old, it''s natural-ughhh" Gone was the woman''s demeanour deku shook in his boots as he watched the woman strangle the little prick. "Ohh it seems our little narga has something to do so he will have to leave" her mood changed instantly as he softly spoke to deku. "RIGHT!" her face akin to banshee as she glared at narga. "OHH ya ya i-i-i gota shitt, be ca-careful human" the little narga hoped from 1 tree to another as if his life depended on it. "Now then as is was saying you are much more normal than the earlier one" she spoke to Deku with a small seductive smile. ''Earlier one!'' his mind clicked. "You mean" "Yes jin" This confirmed his remaining doubts that he also manifested any doubts this was undoubtedly Jin''s quirk, just that he didn''t understand how that was possible. "Would you even believe me I met him naked and he still wasn''t shocked that little rascal was more horrified as if he saw a ghost" ¦²(¡ã¥í¡ã) "NANI!" ''Holy shit'' "I am saying the same thing" She put her hand of her chest as if *deeply* hurt. .©b©b(¡ä£Ï`) ©b©b. "Who knew what was in his head he outright attacked me calling a succubus trying to suck him off...what does that even mean" Deku''s face turned red he slapped himself into reality "w-well succubus is a demon that *s-suck* human souls s-so it''s normal to fear them" "Ohh" her eyes lit up as she watched Deku "That''s exactly what I was trying to do" "Hick!" Deku panicked as he saw her teeth growing out and her body crumbling as she changed into something far more terrifying and different than the nargacuga he saw in Jin''s book. "Well, then fledgling let''s get to the business, let''s make a contract and don''t worry about the time it works differently here." Deku could only nod his head as he realized his quirk was not working and the monster in front of him was anything he could run from normally.
Outside world. As the nargacuga entered the building In front of him stood the police detective while other two police officers stood in front of him pointing their guns at his head. "Please we hope you can cooperate with us, we would like to you answer some of our...doubts" "Hahaha you sure have an unusual way of asking your doubts" he pointed his claws at the guns. "This is for our safety and your too" The nargacuga observed the trio behind them stood Izuku''s mother. "You don''t need to worry madam, this is more of a self-defence mechanism that enables whenever we believe the host is in danger." a polite smile remained on his face different from the disdainful smirk. Hearing her son was not possessed by some devil she breathed a sign of relive. "I-is izuku safe" He chuckled "He is probably getting lectured by my mother or annoyed by my siblings." ''Hope they find him faster than grandmother'' "There are more of you?" the detective said with surprise. The nargacuga didn''t speak just silently observing the trio. ''What in the hell have I gotten myself in this is not my speciality at all! and what kind of quirk is this sending another person in the name of defence mechanism'' "Maybe we can talk if you put down those toys of your" "It''s as I said" CRACK! CRACK! Two distinct voices were heard as the nargacuga appeared in front of the 2 officers snatching their guns and crushing them to crumbles. Gulp! Their hand still remained in the position of holding the gun their back drenched in sweat "You are safe because I choose to, as for questioning that will only happen if the Host wishes for it" "Now please Miss Inko" He gestured toward the door of their apartment. "Meanwhile I discuss things out here, our future plans with these gentlemen of course peacefully" The two officers looked at the detective knowing they were cooked if the creature was lying to them. "True" he nodded his head. Deku''s transformation started to wear of only leaving his yellow eyes, and scales without claws on his hand and legs, while most of his hair remained black with some patches of white in it. "Well then detective nice to meet you, let''s discuss the interview shall we" he said while extending his hand toward the detective. "You can call me luminous" "It''s fine" The detective nods toward the officers while walking toward Deku "I am-" but before he could shake his hand deku pushed him sending him flying back. "NAOMASA!" the two officers shouted in worry as they saw their friend fly past them. "Careful officers" The iconic nargacuga wings grew in his right arm SWOOSH! With a simple moment of his arm, a gust of wind blew the officer toward their detective friend. BOOM! Before they could even understand what was happening the walls blew away throwing dust toward them, meanwhile, Deku simply cleared the area with a simple swipe of his hand. From the rubble of the building, a muscular man stood up. "Shit, I said don''t throw me this crazy bitch" he said while shaking dust off his costume. "And what pleasure do I owe you clowns for blowing the building?" ''Most of the people have left the building but there are still few families living'' "Give it up, villain! I''m Death Arms, and I''m here to stop you. Don''t make this harder than it needs to be!" "The nerve to call yourself a hero while blowing a residential building without any concern pathetic" Ugh! Hearing the fast jab Death Arm looked embarrassed as he put his hand in the boxing position. "Give it up boy! or you''ll get hurt" "HAHAHAHA" The fur regrew on his back while claws grew longer than last time his eye shining with a dangerous yellow glow. "I would like you to try clown." Chapter 4 - Only death Seeing the situation getting out of the detective got up shouting from back. "Wait Death arm he is-" BOOM! Deku suddenly vanished from his position as multiple sharp tree branches shot from the floor. "No need to worry, officer. We''ll handle this from here. Leave the villain to the professionals." "WAIT LISTEN" Before he could speak further some tree truck wrapped around his and other officers waists throwing them down the building on a safety net. "Incoming!" "So much property damage, no wonder he was fed up with these clowns" Luminous whispered slowly. "I am Kamui Woods one of the heroes ordered to detain you so please make this easy for everyone and-" But before he too could finish, a giant shadow loomed over them. "Arbor Enhancement" he shouted as branches covered him and death arm. "SHIT!" luminous morphed both his arm black scales in their full glory, his wings erupting from his arms, he rushed toward the pillar standing in front of it with his hands crossed. BOOM! A large foot broke through the entrance destroying everything in its path. The whole area was covered with dust and rubbles Cough! Cough! Blood silently dipped from luminous mouth, his right hand bent in an unnatural angle, multiple cuts on his face and most of his scales broke open silently bleeding his back was embedded in one of the pillars as small cracks formed in it. His eyes were hazy and his ears were ringing. On the other side, Deku and little nargacuga screamed as they observed the whole situation through the lake. "BROTHAAA! GRANDMA SAVE" The little narga looked at his grandma worriedly. "Miss Nargaret what will happen if he dies" Although Deku was worried about Luminous but there was also the deep worry about his own body. "Ah don''t worry he isn''t even using his powers with the contract on set he will be just fine, As for you until all of us die you you will survive until somehow your soul dies, we took regenerative properties in exchange for our contract last time so don''t worry about yourself. "
Outside world. A giant Mt Lady was seen holding the apartment as her foot destroyed the ground floor, the police were trying their best to not let any reporters in as they too didn''t understand what the heroes were doing. Yet One was beyond them as he filmed everything with multiple lenses on his hands, although they couldn''t hear the voices but it was better than others. "My dear audience it seems that the hero''s has arrived to capture the monster he has not only used his quirk publically but also harmed the reporters it seems as if the headline had changed again, 1 died while the other remains in plight" The reporter was far too busy in his commentary that he forgot to check the comments as most of the people were against the heros, the speech from last time has left a heavy impression on everyone.
"Kurogiri" The vocie behind Tv spoke "Yes master" a man with a bartender suit, kneels in front of the TV his head burning with purple smoke "Try to see if you can sneak in there, kill the boy''s mother and make sure it looks like collateral damage...don''t take any chances at all, I don''t expect any result just see if you get the perfect opportunity. "As you wish master" A purple fog covered the bar and the bartender and he simply vanished in the smoke, the man behind tv remained quite listening to the news. "I wonder what will he do if his mother died, will he join his friend or still prevail"
Meanwhile, in the dim room, All Might stood up his skeleton form gone now in his place stood the symbol of peace "Nedzu I am leaving it will be catastrophic if something happens to this boy too" "Wait... we should observe first" "AND WAIT FOR WHAT? ANOTHER MONSTER FROM MY OWN MISTAKE!" "I know you are angry and you have all right to be it...but I have to see how much control that boy-no that thing has, I am not putting all my students in danger FOR YOUR MISTAKE!" "BUT-" "No but and if, I see what that thing is, you can leave if you want but he will not study here, in fact, the government is probably trying their best to capture and study him.
"FUCK!" Kamui Woods cursed as he and Death''s arm exited from the wooden cacoon-like structure that he made in a hurry "Mt. Lady, what were you thinking out there?!" he shouted from below "What? I took down the villain, didn¡¯t I?" she bent her head she looked over the two. A lot of camera flashes were heard she looked back and waved at them. "You caused significant property damage! You can''t just go charging in without considering the consequences!" (He¡¯d gesture toward the wreckage.) "Oh, come on, it¡¯s not that bad! The crowd loved it!" "This isn''t about attention! It''s about protecting civilians and minimizing the damage. We¡¯re supposed to keep the city safe, not destroy it!" "Relax, Kamui! It¡¯s nothing a little construction crew can¡¯t fix." "That¡¯s not the point!" "Oiii Little morning wood and fat man, you better fuck before I lose my sanity" The trio looked toward Luminous as he sat on the ground with debris all around him His previous noble demeanour was gone, his face akin to an enraged beast twisted as his glowed deep blood red, his black fur replaced by striking pale silver. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. CRE-CRACK! His hand produced crackling noise as it healed back in it''s place. His dark black scale was replaced by shining purple and blue scales his wings, lost their reddish-black more like rotten purple, with the two blades in his wings stood razor sharp. He slowly stood up kicking the rubble away from him, his eyes watching Mt lady with deep malice. "No wonder he set such a trail, guess I''ll do it myself, my friend" he whispered in a low breath. "Last chance human... last fucking chance-" "Our answer is NO!, go death arm I choose you" Mt lady nudges the death arm toward him as she doesn''t take Luminous seriously. "Good and by the way" He suddenly vanished from his position shocking the three. "ON ALERT" Kamuis shouted. PUFF PUFF THUD! THUD! Two distinct voices reached their ears, their world was dyed red as two arm fell on the ground, splattering the blood on Kamui wood and MT lady''s shoes. "AHHHHH!" death''s arm fell to the ground as his mind registered the pain a few seconds later. Just like Death Arm, many people screamed as they saw the gore sight on tv some even puked outright as this was life TV and the man''s quirk have been in zoom mode from the start. ''IM-IMPOSSIBLE WASN''T THAT INVISIBILITY HOW IS HE SO FAST" "Just dead" "Hah?" Death Arm looked up his eyes dilated as he saw the monster towering above him, the previous face covered with a black mask similar to the snout of a nargacuga, while the bloody eyes stared in his soul, the whole person covered with silver fur, except the hand and feet, height reaching more than 200 cm. "No arms just death" With a backhand punch from luminous right on his face dead arm lost consciousness and was sent flying toward MT lady, who tried her best to catch him. "YOU BASTARD" MT lady shouts "LACQUERED CHAIN PRISON" "Hahaha" Luminous just showed a smirk at the sight of hundreds of branches launching toward him. "No doubts, these guys are a bunch of kids playing in costumes" he bends his right arm nearly touching the ground. ''flash'' he spoke in his mind. ZING! A sharp white slash extended from his arm as he swiped it upward. The wave of wood silently fell around him as not even a single one managed to touch him. His figure disappeared from the camera and in next second he arrived in front of Kamui, holding his wooden mask, making sure his claws didn''t dig into his eyes. "Hero? Are you sure you are even in the right kid" BOOM! And that was the last thing Kamui heard as his face lay embedded in the concrete floor. Most of the viewers were scared or pumped as they watched the fight some were cheering for heroes while Luminous won many heart, as even till the end he tried to protect the building, though they could only say it was beast''s instinct to kill as he slashed death arms-arms. While many heroes were scared as they compared their speed to his, only the top of the top or so could match him in it, they weren''t even sure if this was speed or he was being invisible. "You cowardly piece of trash! You think you¡¯re tough for taking down my friend?! I¡¯ll stomp you into the dirt! You¡¯re not getting away with this bastard!" Luminous looks up as he sees a giant shadow cast above him, as she tries to stomp him to death. He looks straight toward the reporter away on the roof of the building and flashes a toothy grin as he throws Kamui away from the impact and vanishes from his spot. "What in the hell was that" the reporter says with shock "This is more than 50 meters away" BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM Mt lady keeps stomping her foot until everything becomes flat dust "WAIT KAMUI" She shouts as she realizes her own mistake, she ducks down and tries to find her friend as she lifts the debris around the area, meanwhile, the camera shows Luminous climbing the apartment reaching the 5th floor and coming out with Miss Inko in his hand. "Hold tight madam" "WAITTT" MT lady looks up as she hears a shouts. BOOM! The wall broke as he used it like a springboard launching directly toward Mt Lady Head. "AHHHH" She screams as the impact jerks her head back but not by much. He kicks her head using her as a springboard, and launches toward the police barricade where detective and the other police officers are seeing the whole drama unfold, they tried to unbuckle their guns He gently pace Inko down "I''ll be back in a second" "Wait" he vanishes before Inko or anyone else can stop him. From the moment he was thrown outside of the building to the two heroes getting knocked out, it hadn''t even been a full minute. ''I hope all might come here soon'' says the detective.
"I am taking recovery girl with me" All might change into his form again moving outside the room. Nedzu didn''t stop him either '' Even when enraged refrained from killing, saved Kamui, rescued civilians and placed them out of harm''s way with minimal damage to the surroundings doesn''t say moves out loud...truly a pity if only he was a little more normal we would have "Sigh Mike make sure the government doesn''t interfere or do anything to the boy, tell them he is in our school...congrats for your new student Eraser Head" "A problem child" while the world plays in shadow Mt lady and Luminous restart their battle. "You probably have killed more people than villains, you should change job" "Just shut up!" she sends another stomp in his way, meanwhile luminous continues to dodge her attacks BOOM BOOM BOOM "A whore would be perfect, the world record for the highest number of dicks-" "BASTARD" BOOM! As the dust cleared luminous was nowhere to be seen. SLASH! Two deep cuts in shape of cross etches behind her neck, making a small rain of blood her eyes goes hollow as she loses her giant form and falls to the ground. Many people gasp as they saw her falling from such high face first. Meanwhile luminous glids in the air without even trying to save her. "I AM HERE!" Suddenly the all-famous and iconic voice was heard as the police and people watched all might in his iconic red and blue with a recovery girl sitting on his shoulder landing safely with Mt lady in his hand he places her down and lets the recovery girl heal her. "Bring the other Two quick, and see if his arms are still somewhere" "I placed them on 5th floor" All might and the recovery girl looks toward him, not even a hint of exhaustion on his face. All might slowly move toward him, until he was just a meter away from him, both reaching the same height. ''Lumi kid no matter what happens don''t fight him'' Luminous raises his eyebrow in surprise "Grandma?" ''Ya it''s me back down kid you aren''t his match'' ''YA that''s All might the strongest hero'' ''Strongest nah there is someone even stronger than him kid not to mention that american'' All might looks toward Deku, although the other didn''t know but this was all his fault from the beginning of Jin going mad to this very moment it was all because of him, his face was twisted as he didn''t know what to say sorry? but what would that even do, the kid was not even here it was his quirk that had taken over him. His iconic smile was nowhere to be seen, and the people on Tv were tense not knowing what would he do next will he kill him, hand him to the police or just let him go? "I ask you please come with me kid, I don''t want to make things worse" "To the interview?" "All might face darkened "That...we will do that after we are done talking" "I am afraid that we can''t do it without the permission of the host" ''WHAT! THAT IS ALL MIGHT YOU CAN''T WIN AGAINST HIM'' ''HAHAHA Lumi my dear are you sure you want to do this'' Ignoring the voices in his head luminous looks at all might without any hear in his gaze, meanwhile, all might be even more confused ''If this is a quirk mechanism then I can''t do anything about that'' "Guess I will put you in sleep for a while kid" "You sure about that with all these people around" All might smile lightly "I have quite the experience in that" In a low audible whisper only audible to all might he coldly says "You aren''t the only one with a special quirk...one for all or all for one, they are good but not better than our" All might arms muscle tightens and eyes widen as he hears a term only known to few people. ''DOES THAT MEAN IT WAS QUIRK PASSED TO JIN AND NOW HIM! IS IT SOMEONE LIKE ALL FOR ONE!'' suddenly the boy appeared more threatening in different ways. "I am the strongest of the 3rd generation...there are two whole generations above me... the first generation is the ones that can even change the landscapes of countries!" "And the strongest of all is eager to fight you to death, isn''t that right Grandpa" A dark visible aura sudden burst from Deku''s body taking the form of a huge dragon head, the clouds darkened and thunder rang as if welcoming it''s master "WITH PLEASURE CHILD" The voice was loud enough that even the news reporter 50 meters away could hear it. The dragon head was as large as 10 meter itself. All might looks back at Naomasa seeing him nod only made him more tense. ''It''s always a possibility that the quirk doesn''t work on them but if it''s real then...then it would be our end, I am not in my peak form, even if I win, I would have retire.'' "Although I would like to resolve this peacefully the host''s wish was to give the interview not an interrogation so I hope you understand my position" "....Would it be possible for a detective to ask questions?" he said while looking at the dark dragon. "As long as he isn''t the only one taking and media should be present while I retain the human rights it''s all fine" "NAOMASA GET THOSE REPORTER HERE" all might shout at the detective, many people couldn''t believe what they had seen. ALL might is backing off, did that mean this monster was stronger than him or was he doing it out of goodwill, today many people arrived late for the work and school but there were no complaints as the interview was a very pressing matter. After all, more than 20 police officers were still missing and the mysterious awakening of the quirkless boy was also a mystery to be found. Chapter 5 - Orange juice Tokyo/ 29 may / 10 am. Today in the bustling crowd of Shibuya Crossing which has always been drowned by the noises of footsteps a new change was to be seen, the once busy place where you only see endless swarm of people walking now stood still filled with whispers as they held their phones recording the billboard. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are reporting you live from the ground zero" A beautiful Japanese woman in black suit appeared on it, showcasing the grey square building cementoss built right outside the apartments. The building was bland grey with no window and a large gate enough for All Might to access. "The interview has just ended, although we were unfortunate to not get a access but it seems that the police have forbidden all channels from live broadcasting" she continued to talk to the viewers as she shows Cementoss repairing the apartment. ''It seems everything is going normally'' In this endless crowd a boy wearing blue hood watched everything unfold calmly, normal Japanese oval face, brown hair brown eyes. "It seems that the police are trying to hide something isn''t it" he said in a loud enough voice that people around him can hear him. Some old and some young looked toward him. "If there was nothing to hide wouldn''t they do the live broadcast? what about the guy with camera quirk why was he not there even though he left before anyone else" The small crowd of people started to mutter on their own. "What are you implying young man" An old man with bald head wearing a formal black suit asked him. "I am not implying anything" he raised his hands up showing a small smile. "Just sayin how wired things are three famous pro hero''s getting nuked by a middle schooler" "What about his quirk? Isn''t this a whole different soul? someone else took control of his body and that dark aura... you saw it right? it changed the whole atmosphere even Allmight was scared" "He wasn''t scared he was worried about the civilians" a redhead high school girl spoke, with hands on her hips glaring at the him ''A Fangirl I guess'' "That''s obvious how can he be stronger than All Might" Many people agreed to the girl''s argument it seemed like the situation was turning on him, yet he simply smirked. "When was the last time All Might backed off when someone threatened him like that, I don''t recall him doing that even when the slime monster that took a hostage." "That quirk is one of a kind, to defeat three pro heroes in less than a minute and make all might retreat...that quirk is probably a mystery class.... and don''t forget it''s been less than a week while rest of us have our own for a decades." ''Not me'' ''But that''s just the start of everything'' he smirked as he saw people''s reaction their confidence was shaken because even if Deku wasn''t stronger than all might they couldn''t argue that it been less than a week since he awakened his quirk, if the word of media was to be believed. "OK EVERYONE TIME TO GO HOME, THEY AIN''T RELEASING ANYTHING" Saying this he started pushing the people around trying to push as many as possible. Some people questioned him as to why that was the case. "Look people Belive me or not but today you are not seeing the interview, the police will say as something like the details of matter has yet to be confirmed so the interview will be posted after confirming if things were true or not" Many people disagreed with him, yet he just smiled and walked away. "JUST REMEMBER THE POLICE DETECTIVE HAVE A TRUTH-DETECTING QUIRK AND HE WAS THERE" ''Jin boy... are you really sure this is all that good'' a heavy male voice rang in his mind. ''Chosen one or not, it''s simply a fact that you...aren''t strong enough to hold my power and doing this...you are too weak for things like these'' ''If a situation arise... your body breaks like shrimps, you only have claws... and eyes...good enough for most but not for everyone, the nargacuga was perfect if you had just mastered their power.'' the voice stopped its complained too tired of discussing this already. ''well that''s the disadvantage of soul side'' ''....even though I am thankful you choose it, but I don''t see any sense in that'' The boy didn''t reply he just calmly walked back through the endless maze of people, his hands in his pocket. No one noticed the figure of the unremarkable boy leaving the crowd as they were too busy talking on their own and speculating about things, his face shifting like a molding clay.
20 minute later The boy suddenly took a sharp turn into a old alley, garbage littered around while a drunk man lay on the ground, his eyes turned yellow and his nails morphed into the hooked claws of lagiacrus. he kept walking and walking in this seemingly endless alley that defied common logic. ''Sometimes you gotta do what your heart says, it''s hard to explain man'' ''Sigh A recipe for dying young...but this is be the only way to survive the destiny'' The boy stood at the end of an alley in front was an old brown door it looked as if someone had drawn it on the wall. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Tap knock boom. He first slapped the door in the middle knocked at the handle and kicked the corner left of door. SLICK A small opening opened in the dirty wall beside. "Welcome" a twisted robotic voice said and soon the opening was gone The door opened up, and in front of him an old bar with cheap drink the place wasn''t that big, devoid of anyone but himself, most of the things was brown or black, with cigarette buds lying on the floor. There were six stools and a table behind displaying the half-finished wine and beverages. Taking note of the place he placed his foot in, he watched it carefully, his feet moved 2 steps ahead from there, then 1 step to the right and walked straight until he stood in front of the oldest looking stool, the 4th if counted from left, he placed it above on top of 3rd stool he moved toward the 6th stool lifting it and placing it right on the spot he first took a step. CLICK! Everything turned dark no room no bar no stool everything vanished. Click! Gone was the old bar now in front of them stood a silver and gold-themed luxurious bar, with endless expensive wine and most importantly a person, cleaning the glass. "Welcome to my humble aboard sir...not many people get invited here.... and tend to remember those who do...so who might you be" Jin closely stared at the man, who spoke without even looking toward him busy cleaning his glasses. Short grey hairs on the side, and balding have caught up to him with a clean-shaven his comic iconic black moustache and black eyebrows with a strong jawline and stern expression. A classic butler''s outfit, This includes a black tailcoat, white dress shirt, black bow tie, and waistcoat, with a dignified and calm demeanour, he stands and moves with a sense of quiet authority and grace. ''Seems like he didn''t lie kid'' Lagiacrus spoke amusingly "I thought everyone was welcomed here" "Yes...but I don''t recall you being invited here sir..." he paused looking at Jin "Grey" "Sir grey mind telling how you find... let''s forget that.... sir... I am long retired, just an old man with hollow bones" The man looked at Jin, trying to recall who this uninvited guest was, yet his face was completely different, gone was the burned eye and black hairs it was replaced by brown hair, grey eyes and handsome hairless western face. The man''s eye suddenly widened as he watched Jin''s face twist and revert to his real face, with a scar on his left eye, although his haired remained the same. "Impossible IMPOSSIBLE" The middle-aged man spoke in shock. Jin chuckled lightly "Well there are many people who have multiply power some are thieves while other well farmer? I guess" The man''s face looked shocked when he heard that, before it reverted to a calm expression as if nothing had happened, yet his eyes remained on Jin "....how long have you been pretending or should I say planning for..." he watched Jin walk toward the bar looking at his wine collection. "Whiskey or wine" he asked politely. "Whatever you prefer" The man looked confused and raised his eyebrow but didn''t say anything He takes a bottle pouring it silently in the glass he was cleaning "Fernet-Branca" he pushes the glass toward jin "It''s for you" Jin pushes the glass back to him confusing him "After all it is not pleasant to hear your enemy being alive" "I require your service you require our data for all for one...right MR Alfred, should we call you the dungeon master" His eyes widen and his hand reaches for drink gulping it in one go while jin stares at him with his yellow eyes ''I expected more from him'' "I would like orange juice" ''The problem of every smart man, he think too much and forget that he is dreaming'' ''Oh and don''t forget the by-product of those eyes, i have yet too see such a brave man''
A few moments after all might and luminous backed off. Tring! Tring! "Please tell me it was because of civilian" All might in his deflated form sat alone in the sedan the windows were tainted, so no one could see him. "Obviously" Hearing that they don''t have a monster on their doors nedzu breathes calmly. "But he knows...about... one for all and all for one" All might spoke his voice more of squeak. "PUFFFF" Nedzu jumped from his seat as he spat the tea on his table. "WHAT! YAGI! Are you sure about it" Even though nedzu knew the answer his mouth spoke on it''s own, trying to shut what his brain was speaking "I don''t know.... he just told me face front" His already sunken figure looked even more fragile, his eyes looked more hollow while Nedzu kept shouting through the phone, he just kept his eyes closed. "Nedzu" he called softly "I want to meet that kid you told me about" The voice on the other side died a little "It-it doesn''t mean that he is alive" "...I don''t think he has any relation with him... I know him well... he''s too much of a coward to give a quirk like that...until he has full control over him." "I''ll run a background check just to be sure" "Nedzu I am not sure but... I-I have feeling his quirk is just like ours..." he ate some of the words he wanted to speak. "Maybe someone passed it to that jin boy... and he passed it to this one" Hearing that all for one had nothing to do with it was a great news but after that, nedzu felt his fur had lost it''s shine the cup was thrown to the side of room as his mind worked at full speed trying to think of something, something that makes sense. "I will arrange your meeting with him today... oh and make sure that interview doesn''t go live" "...i see" he had some doubts as to why but he knew Nedzu had his reasons. "If he said something that world isn''t ready for it would be a disaster" "....The condition was for reporters to be their" "So they will, just not a live interview" Nedzu hung the phone his face grimmer than ever "Mike, Eraser talk to major news channel heads, tell them we will keep their footage for a while....say that i owe a favour" "What if they don''t agree" Aizawa asked different from his usual lazy behaviour. "do what you know" Aizawa and Mike smiled at his response and left the room. Nedzu could only hold his head in pain wondering what was going on with the world. ''I will monitor that kid myself, that''s the only way I can be sure'' his face holding a grim determination
"Kurogiri...make sure we know everything about that kid, and make get our spy is in the same class, and find me that other boy" the masked man spoke through the TV "As you wish master" The man bowed down his purple flames glowing silently. "Sensei are you sure that he isn''t dead already? and even if he is alive he doesn''t have the quirk so isn''t he just useless?" A man with hands sticking to his face and body walked through the dimly lit room, watching the small TV closely. While the masked man slowly shook his head "Shigariki.... we might have to change the nomu plan" "WHAT! I PREPARED SO MUCH FOR IT WE HAVE TO KILL ALL MIGHT." "We will child....just wait" The man shook his face as if disappointed ''He was not ready if only I could have a quirk like that... hahaha'' he looked one last time toward Shigaraki ''We won''t need you anymore.''
Before anyone could know the world began changing far more differently than what Jin had ever know, and the destined one of this world roams in this distant land "So you are saying this contract...will somehow help me" Deku looked toward Nargaret his face not hiding his suspicion. "What you don''t believe me?" she asked while raising her eyebrows. "I was just fine before" he muttered while looking down still scared from her. "Look kid it''s just like I explained your quirk or the one who gave you just work like that" "So are you saying if he choose the body route, I would simply have all your power?" deku couldn''t think why Jin didn''t choose this path if he could use his power without restraints how powerful would he be? "I...to be real I also don''t know why he chooses this option, it seems stupid to me but...I won''t complain being alive so" Deku looked her questioningly but she didn''t explain. "Either way because of the stunt you put things have gone complicated... but with the contract in place you can unlock our power bit by bit SAFELY" ''Although you have to clear task for that....but that''s for another day'' "The contract allows us to take over you when we think you are about to die, though it will reduce your progress over our power" "....how did he do it then?" "That''s the catch because, unlike Jin, whenever you enter here your body becomes dead no heartbeat so luminous had to take your space if not all of us would die." "It''s just that it''s counted as a forceful takeover, that little rat made a rule that if we do so, our soul will weaken and eventually vanish...if I hadn''t made you sign contract then boom" "I-i am sorry about that" "It''s fine....it''s just that you will be weakened a lot... I doubt you can transform more than 2 limbs now" "NO WAY!" "By the way when I first tried to ea-greet him he threw the ground at me," she said innocently keeping her hand on her face as if thinking deeply "Can you do that" "Threw the ground?" "Ya he just pushed his hand forward and the whole ground shot toward me it was really terrifying you know" "I-I will try" Deku closes his eyes focusing his mind on image of a landslide. ''Was it because this was his quirk or something else'' ''I will give it a try'' "LANDSLIDE!" his voice echoed but nothing moved completely still "...." " human...stupid" The three remained there 2 looked amused while Deku silently cried. * * * BOOKMARK THE BOOK ?? * * Chapter 6 - Before destiny These days things seems to be happening too fast, sometimes things just doesn''t even make sense even the little he was used to. Deku watched everything unfold before him through the reflection of the lake ''He is...strong'' even though he knew luminous was controlling his body, just for a little he let his mind dream, seeing himself rather than luminous doing all those things ''I wish I had courage like that'' he couldn''t help but admire the landing. he clenched his fist in hope ''I can. . . I have to be!. . .'' yet his mind again and again asked what about him. Is he alive. . .if so. . .now what. . . hasn''t he just destroyed his friend''s life, maybe it was a curse...a curse to ruin whoever came close to him, he laughed at himself... his foolishness if only I had given up long ago. He looked up, the night had arrived, a small moon with Saturn-like rings around it, a galaxy of red and blue swirls behind it, it didn''t make sense. . . not that he wanted to he just silently watched the dark sky blinking with the red and blue stars. . . Maybe it was an illusion but it didn''t matter, comets flew from time to time adding an illusive beauty to the whole place. In the middle stood the Towering green thunder crashing from the sky connecting with the silver lake. ''Beautiful. . . I wonder what you think of this place. . . maybe this is a reflection of his soul. . .or life'' The time seemed to differ in the two worlds, the things have slowed down for some reason. ''You sure you didn''t do this?'' Nargaret asked him as everything slowed down in the silver lake, she told him how Jin could slow time an hour here was 10 minutes outside. "no need to feel bad kid" Deku didn''t looked back at the voice, he just kept staring at the stars. "It was all cloudy and dark. . . until one day it wasn''t and we sensed an intruder, this place to be a lot bigger before. . . there were many monsters back then. . . but now this is a haven for us plenty of food and a beautiful night sky. . . all thanks to the intruder" She sat beside Deku as she watched the night sky a hail of comets some blue some gold covering the sky. Deku looked toward her, light falling on them through them as comets danced around the sky "Miss Nargaret do you think. . .he made the right choice" There was a brief silence as she didn''t reply deku looked back at the sky his back hunched as he nervously waited for an answer. The comets have gone "Things don''t have to make sense. . . I don''t understand that human much, luminous was his partner. . an old cat once told us that bond between human and monster says a lot" Deku was astonished by the little detail that he gained "Were there other humans besides us?" "Yep. . .a nasty bunch use to call themselves monster hunter. . . but forget about that" she looked toward him with a silly smile "You are weaker than him, you can''t control the things here like he did. . . and he wasn''t a coward. . .But he still chose you, if you can''t believe in you then believe in him" they both continued to watch the sky the little narga slept on her shoulder. ''After all he was the partner of Luminous. . . the one before destiny'' She looked toward narga and Deku, putting a soft smile on her face ''The baby king and a fledgling human doesn''t this all make sense now'' "Tell me what he was like, luminous hardly talks to anyone, crazy bastard maybe this runs in the male side of our family." Deku didn''t know where to start from they have know each other for a long time. "Our mothers were friends, i think they met during my birth, his mother use to be a nurse before. . . His father left them with a huge debt.'' "Unlike me he was different. . .he didn''t care what others said, obviously didn''t fear them, he was an anomaly having so many friends even without a quirk."
10 years ago It was just like any other day. . . The reality had yet to crush my dreams even though I didn''t have a quirk, I still believed I can be a hero save people and make villains tremble in fear. . just like All might. "That''s mean Kachan l-look you made h-him cry" Deku shook like a dry leaf as he stood in front of a brown-headed boy, trying to stop bakugo and his two goons. "I WON''T LET YOU HURT HIM ANYMORE." There was no adult present in the park, even if they were most hardly cared what the children did. "YOU PLAYING HERO DEKU!?" "YOU DON''T EVEN HAVE A QUIRK" bakugo and his two goons laughed as he ignited his quirk. Yet they failed to notice something, 2 mischievous brown eyes staring at them from the tree behind. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "FOUND YOU PISS HEAD!" "WHO SAID THAT?" bakugo turned back yet he saw no one. "Boss look!" the bald-winged boy pointed at the tree. Swish! Swish! 2 water balloon were launched at them. SPLASH! "AHH M-MY EYES IT STINGS!" one landed right on Baldy''s eyes. Seeing the balloon come toward bakugo sneered "DON''T TAKE ME LIKE THESE FOOL" BOOM! He blast the balloon blasting its content landed on him. He tried checking his shirt but to his horror he saw blood, red blood painting his clothes "WHA-WHAT IS THIS" He screamed and fell back in shock. The baldy still cried in pain holding his eyes "Hahaha it''s salt water baldy" Thud! The person jumped from the tree a boy little older than us wearing white shirt, red pants and blue shoes a yellow smiley face on his T-shirt, his hands in his pockets, and his face carrying his evergreen smirk. "As for your piss hair" he made a sad face "YOU KILLED THE BIRD IN THAT BALLOON" "Now you will never become hero" he said with a grim face at least for 4 year old it was. Bakugo stood in shock as he also saw some feathers lying on the ground, his mind numb. . . not from the fact that he killed a bird but that he won''t be a hero "Y-YOU ARE LYING!" his eyes watery as for the first time he heard someone say he can''t be a hero. "HA ONCE THEY FIND YOU KILLED A BIRD YOU ARE OVER LITTLE FUCKER" he made slit action on his throat, bakugo''s eyes red as he saw the blood over his pants and feathers over ground He glared at the boy with fury "IT''S YOUR FAULT YOU BASTARD" bakugo rushed toward him his hands ringing in explosion. "WAIT BOSS!" the long-fingered kid shouted as he inspected the blood on the ground. Jin smiled amusingly as he saw this from the corner of his eyes he looked toward me and the other kid "Found you" his smirk grew larger as he looked toward, he pulled his hand out of pocket and threw white dust blocking out the view. "GET OVER HERE!" bakugo screamed as he used his quirk blowing the white dust away. "FUCK OFF PISS HAIR!" "I WILL KILL YOU!" Bakugo continued using his quirk, not knowing what he was hitting all he knew he hit something. The playground was filled with smoke and smell of something burning. I watched everything unfold before me in horror as I thought kachan had killed the boy, now he really won''t be a hero. The smoke cleared Only for bakugo to find the half-blasted tree leaves were falling on him but the hateful brat he was looking for. "BEHIND YOU BOSS!" but it was late, bakugo looked below only to see back sole of the shoes hitting on his head, jerking his head making everything swirl around him. He rushed toward the long-fingered kid "AYE What kind of quirk is that?" he shouted as he rushed toward the boy frozen in fear "D-DON''T COME NEAR ME" "HAHAHAH YOUR DIALOG SHOULD BE COMING! FINGER FREAK!" even though hurting others was not good that day I felt great seeing them get beaten. The boy lay on the ground with a swollen cheek crying silently. " YOU BASTARD!" The bald boy lunged at Jin. "FUCK!" shocking him as he failed to dodge his headbutt hitting him straight in his chest and grabbing him trying to take him to skies. "FUCKING BOILED EGG" Jin quickly holds his neck brings his leg back THOF "AHHHHHHHHH" "Ohhh!" we all grimed as Jin''s leg hit him right between his legs. They fell down with Jin sitting on his back, making him bear all the brunt force. He walked toward me as I gulped nervously "I-i am not w-with them" "Haha I know" he smirked and brought his hand toward me I hesitantly shook his hand "Ah man your hands are sweating" "Hehehe" I smiled nervously as he wiped his hands against his tshirt. "You are deku right? from the midoriya family" he said with a smirk as he eyed me down. "Ah y-ya my surname is Midoriya although deku?" "Oh right sorry" his eyebrows jumped as if he remembered something. "Well, how about your future name being Deku?" I really didn''t understand anything about him beats up Kachan and his friends knows my surname and now giving me a hero name. . .What would he say if he knew I didn''t have a quirk? I looked toward Kachan who sat near the tree holding his head as Toru supported him, his long finger wrapped around his shoulder while he dragged Tsubasa with his other hand. To defeat all of them. . . he might even have a stronger quirk. "Oh my name is Jin, from the Asano family your mother friend" "I-i am izuku me. . . WAIT DID YOU MEAN AUNTY ASANO''S ASANO!" my eyes widened in shock. "Hm do you any other Asano" I shook my head until things kept spinning, i couldn''t believe it. "A-ar-are you quirkless too?" I asked with a very low voice as maybe Aunty was joking. "Oh ya I am pretty clean" "Th-then do you still think. . . people. . .people like us can be hero''s" my voice began to go hoarse as my panic attack started to kick in. "HECK YA! we definitely are and you surely will become the 2nd best if not the best hero after all I AM HERE hhahhah jokes aside we definitely will become hero''s" Tears started to fall from my face, tears of joy finally someone. . . someone for the first time had told me we can be hero''s. "But now look at the situation. . ." deku zoned out from his weird state. . . it was like he was reliving those moment for the first time again. He looked at his left Nargarent nowhere to be found "Ahh?" he looked around a little seeing her standing in the distance looking at the thunder with interest. Deku walked toward her, seeing if the time had returned to normal "Ahaha i-i am sorry I zoned out a little" Nargaret looked toward him with her eyes squint "Did something weird happen to you kid?" "W-what I-I don''t think so?" he replied with a confused face. "Hmm i see, so you don''t know" She nodded her head trying to appear intellectual She points her hand toward the thunder trying to imitate luminous stern face "While you were lost in whatever you were lost the thunder changed, it showed this whole movie of a smug kid beating that piss-haired kid and those two clowns. . . he was also talking to. . . small you" her changed to her usual silly look. Deku again started muttering all the possibilities of this event "HA! Another movie about to come?" she looked toward the thunder in anticipation yet nothing really showed up so she slapped Deku''s head. "AH i-i am sorry it''s an old habit of mine" "So?" she looks toward him suspiciously "What was that??" "W-well i am not sure but the highest possible outcome is that it shows my memories. . . When i go into that zone mode" "So there was something wrong with you right" "W-well you can say that ha-haha" he forced a smile as she her face came too close to him. ''I am thinking nothing I am thinking nothing'' ''GRANAA BROTHA MOVES AGAIN!'' "Hump!" she smirked and left walking toward the lake. ''Phew she can''t like a girl even though she is a grandma'' "WHAT DID YOU SAY BRAT!" "N-NOTHING I DIDN''T SAY ANYTHING" Narga looked at his grandma weirdly but didn''t say anything " HUMAN STUPID FAST!" Leaving them behind he ran up to a tree watching the lake as time seemed to have returned normally. "Oh by the way what happened after that," she asked deku as they also reached the tree she pulled him by collar and jumped on a branch sitting comfortably while deku looked scared "I-I don''t know much but it seemed that their mother complained to his mother. . .he beat them one by one after that until they stopped complaining" "AHAHAH that little brat, i can imagine him doing something like" "I''ll ask Luminous he might know something about it." On the other side, in the cement room created by Cementoss few reporters alongside Naomasa Tsukauch the detective. "Well then let''s begin the interview. . . I hope you guys have been prepared. . ." naomasa looked at the reporter as they began to shift in their seats. "Don''t worry people I have no reason to harm you, the only reason those clowns got beat up was because they put the host''s mother at risk, nothing more than that" COUGH! "Well then Mr luminous let''s start the interview. . . the world is curious to hear your side"
* Next chapter interview. Chapter 7 - After destiny Luminous oversaw the detective remembering the things he had discussed with jin. "You don''t need to lie, just tell half truth or say you are not sure because. . . I only told you half lies . . . and the ones that were real have nothing to do with the case" Sitting on the same futuristic room luminous looked at Jin''s back as he scrolled through the wired thing called a laptop, while he looked toward the window enjoying the green forest and mountains.
27/ May /2024 "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!" luminous roared at jin who has summoned him in the room. "Nope. . . and how would I know if I lost it." he didn''t turn his back toward Luminous just the sound of a keyboard and clenched teeth echoed in the room. "I supported in everything you fucking asked for and now you. . .you are just gonna walk away!" Jin turned back facing Luminous "Why in the FUCK you sound like a little girl dumped by her lover" his face wrinkled in disgust as tried to back off. "BECAUSE IT IS FUCKING NOT! THIS ISN''T WHAT YOU DISCUSSED WITH ME!" "Well their are all kinds of anomaly in that world, and even before, I didn''t tell you anything. . . I wrote it to you" he said with a fake smile, while raising his hand in half surrender. BAM! The wooded table broke under luminous fist, the screens fall on the ground his shoulder length silver hair covering his face. "Ohh ohh ohh now you getting serious Mr Prince, you ruined my work" his smirk felt his face as his eyes turned cold yellow. Luminous flashed a mocking smile toward him "Nothing too complicated for you" "Yes. . . as simple as to kill you a thousand times" jin face was grim, his yellow eyes covered with a tint of red from the daily work, dark bangs roaming under them his face pale with lips torn out, all for one might think he met shigaraki''s twin. Luminous eyes flashed with worry but he quickly hid it behind his noble demeanour "I need an explanation" SNAP! The broken table and the fallen screens that had cracks in them slowly revert to their old position . . . it was as if time was moving backwards. "There is nothing to explain" he didn''t look back he quietly worked on his computer as if nothing has happened, with a disappointed look luminous quietly walked away from the room as his figure disappeared with the opening of the room. Jin looked deeply at his bluish-yellow thunder it was shaped like a tree, a tree bigger than anything mankind could have witnessed deku''s thunder was comparable to one of the smallest branch of this tree. On top of the tree, there was a giant white sphere the branches of tree were shaped in U shape, holding it in balance. "We are enough for the job. . .no need to burden another life with it" only the words echoed in the room as his figure sat lonely in the place, overseeing the monstrous thunder tree. ''Well you will always have us meow.'' a soft feline voice spoke to him "Bah! Don''t spoil ''im, Catli! The boy needs to toughen up an'' learn on ''is own, not get coddled like some weak kitten!" ''Cut him some slack, nya! He''s doing purrfectly fine, meow! Jin just smiled lightly as he heard the father and daughter argue he looked at the thunder tree one last time. He didn''t know why but his lips moved on his own "You guys. . . if. . if I ever get lost or. . . just bring me back. . . somehow" his voice tired as if he fought a war and lost everything. . . or maybe himself. Swosh! He didn''t wait to listen their response as he disappeared from the room. The two palico didn''t say anything they just silently observed his laptop, their presence to be seen by none neither heard. Name - Grey Harpe. "Dad" catli called her father in worry, he didn''t reply for a long time his previous hastiness gone long. "You know what, Catli. . . sometimes I wish. . .bah, that I wasn''t cursed with this sight. Sometimes, I mourn... yes, mourn my destiny, Mournpelt. These visions... they''re weighed down with things beyond fate. But all we can do... is guide ''em through the storm, even when we''re caught in it ourselves. Luminous teleported as he opened the door, he looked back but there was nothing just the plain old grassland he and every other clan member tried to look for that place but they never found. His eye hung low and jaw clenched he didn''t know what he was angry. . . angry that he was lied or angry that he found someone like him, for he knew the answer in his heart. . . but the creature with heart are cursed with their mind. He continued to walk as he heard the children voice in the distance, an old stone park where he use to play with his mate until they passed away like the hundreds of many before. . . that were hunted. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. He didn''t know what to feel about his friendship with the human, he just knew he was different than his kind or maybe. . it was he who was different. His eyes lay on the little nargacuga''s his brother wore a crown made of twigs and old **Kulu-Ya-Ku**feather. Most were older than narga yet he still wrestled them over, winning with slight effort. His eyes were gloomy as he looked toward his ''the future king. . .the destined one'' his face showed a tired smirk his teeth highlighted by the royal dark suit, the cape dragging on the ground with him. ''Farewell human'' while two pairs of red eyes looked at everything unfold, holding their hands tightly. "Dear. . ." Nargaret spoke softly as her eyes looked even red with faint tears on her face. "They. . . aren''t chosen by the destiny. . .the earlier he realizes that the better it will be" the man with silver grey hair spoke to her "We are blessed to be here, mistake of past will not be repeated this time "Many battle scars were etched on his face yet even they couldn''t hide the sadness in his voice, his beard grew irregular as there were large gash on his entire face highlighting his deep scarlet eyes and a straight nose. "Never again" his eyes also looking toward the withering thunder tree, starting from the smallest of the branches until the tree became to weak to hold the giant sphere, the boulder crushed the whole thing while it disappearing in the soil, no sound no air. . .just gone.
"Mr luminous?" the detective waved in front of him trying to get his attention. The reporters sat there holding their mikes ready to shoot questions most were nervous while few looked excited. "Just some old memories. . . I haven''t sat down with so many humans. . .How would I dare to sit with such dangerous beings" he said with a little smile. The reporters laughed thinking he was trying to lighten the mood ''IT''S TRUE? THE FUCK?'' Naomasa looked scared and confused he didn''t understand what to make of it. "Cough are there humans in that, in your place sir" Luminous nodded his head "They used to, things have changed now so they aren''t" Cough Cough! "I-i see hmm" Looking at the human luminous didn''t understand why was he so nervous "Are you ok officer" he asked with a confused face."J-Just a little under the-the weather" the reporters were starting to notice the awkwardness of the situation, yet they didn''t grasp the situation. "Let me ask you something directly sir. . .was it you who killed those 20 officers on the night of 27th May." the room became silenced all the eyes were focused on luminous, while the detective looked weary as he sat the closest to him. "No I didn''t even saw any of your people and neither did my host, we didn''t even touched a single hair on them, much less kill any of them." "True" "It was at 11:22 pm that your mother called for an ambulance, but weirdly enough the reporters also arrived there, so who was the person who called them?" "How would i know? it was not me" "What about your host?" "Neither" "How can you confirm that?" "Because i can look into his memories" "And what abou-" Luminous raised his hand stopping him in his tracks. "I told you before I am not here to answer you, I am simply doing what the host wanted to do and that''s an interview" "I understand, please overlook my hastiness. . .but we also have 20 families looking for their missing family members" "I understand that too I just like them have lost loved so I understand their pain" One middle-aged man with a brown coat stood up "You said you had a family too? but aren''t you just a quirk so how is that even possible?" The other reporters were shocked looking between the reporter and Luminous, worried that this might upset him ''THIS FUCKING FOOL!'' while the heroes and detectives could only sweat in worry "It''s all real to me. . . and who knows this quirk just might be a space quirk connecting this kid with our world. . .but due to the circumstances that is also lost. . . and I hope you focus more on the main topic" large murmurs started in the reporter as this would be a ground-breaking thing while other believed that it might all be an illusion. "Are you referring to your fight with jin Asano, Miss inko said you were injured?" A short lady with pink jelly-like hair and a blue suit asked. "No and yes, it was my host that fought with him, and he was not injured he was on deaths door, we have to overuse our power to close the wounds" "SIR you said we? Does he have more mons- I mean people like you" the middle-aged man with a brown coat asked. "I don''t have to answer that next, and please only ask questions related to this situation rather than me" "You said your host fought with him? is it safe to assume you didn''t or couldn''t confront Jin Asano" "Yes, I couldn''t." "How can we know you aren''t lying you are just a quirk? does quirk even work on you " the same middle-aged man asked once again. Sigh ''I didn''t thought they would be this nosy, humans really like to discover the unknown. "Mr naomasa" he called softly "Please remove this man from the room" "What you can''t do that!" the man panicked "This is my right the freedom of press" "I didn''t ask I told, the officer you can either send this man out or we have to cancel this interview" "Y-YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHICH COMPANY I WORK WITH" ''Such a sorry sight, at least all those hunters would not hide behind threats'' with naomasa permission 2 officers escorted the man out. "I hope you can keep your curiosity to yourself, lest you suffer the same fate." "And here, my age is 12 years, what does your quirk say, officer?" "You are lying" "Here another one, I am a soul from a different world that has occupied this boys body" "It''s a lie, my quirk is working just fine." "I don''t know if this is consider meddling but, you said you guys overused your powers trying to heal his wounds, so how is that even possible when you don''t exist here" naomasa asked. Luminous didn''t say anything he silently morphed his hand in claws and cut a little opening on his thigh which started healing in seconds before there wasn''t even a mark left. "I-I understand but you don''t need to harm yourself" "It''s easier to show" "I hope all reporter can ask their questions in moderation, rather than trying to pry into the personal life of our guest." Another man with a CCTV camera head raised his hand before answering the questions. "This question is directly related to the events of passed days is it fine i ask my question" "As long as you aren''t prying about me all questions are welcomed." "On 27th jin Asano injured 3 of his friends in school 4 if we include you, but it seems that you were attacked somewhere between midnight unlike the other 3 who were attacked after school, why is that and how did he injured your host." "His voice on phone seemed very painful asking for help, so izuku medoriya rushed to help his friend like any other would, where he argued about the situation and got stabbed in heart shortly after. "YOU CAN EVEN HEAL THE HEART?" th CCTV man shouted. "WA-WAIT What i meant was why did he got stabbed through heart" "Smart. . .but he was not exactly stabbed through heart more like scratched, as for why. . . just the difference in ideology one prevailed and one failed, truly perfect" "Did he stabbed with a knife or he too awakened his quirk?" someone asked. "With his power, bronze. . . long nails" "What do you think about the school incident" naomasa asked. "Is it personal or" "No I just wanted to ask your thoughts differently than your host" "I am not a human so. . . there are some differences but I believe a cornered beast is very dangerous especially if they have nothing to lose. . . a quirkless orphan. . . I wonder what could go wrong, after all you guys really like to care for your race" he said with a simple harmless smile. ''My time is reaching i should wrap things up'' The reporter shifted in their seats uncomfortably. "Um E-exuse me would it be ok if I asked a question?" a woman with 2 white horns raised her shaky hand. "Yes this is an interview after all" "From the memories that you have access to what kind of person will you describe jin Asano to be." Luminous didn''t know what to answer he knew Jin personally and from Deku''s memories too, he was stubborn, rebellious, and always ready to fight he was a wired human, with big ambitions and crazy plans. . . he also cared for people even though he tried to hide it well. he didn''t answer for a long time he just stared at the grey ceiling. "Y-you don''t have to answer-" "Hero" he looked in her eyes. She looked puzzled by the sudden answer like the rest, while the one most worried was naomasa. ''Im glad this is not live'' "He''s the monster you guys have created." "Far stronger than my family" BAM! The detective chair fell, as he didn''t anticipated this kind of response ''Yagi said this quirk is like his own. . .or rather'' "Jin Asano is alive, and he''s coming for you. . .dear heroes" Chapter 8 - Destiny 1 There was an uproar with the last statement, many of reporters have checked Jin and deku''s backgrounds, and it wasn''t hard to know the situation of quirkless kids, the society has created its own pitfalls, while the hero being bandage to an unending problem. The most worried were none other than politicians and police officers, most of the criminals were shunned by society early in their life, quirk mutation or child abuse and bullying were the most common, they have seen the wrath of people who had less reason to go against the society. The reporters frantically stood up with no care about their attire and fellow news mates, they forgot all the rules and regulations that were told to them earlier. ''Good thing nedzu was prepared for this, as long as we have the footage everything will be alright.'' Luminous tried to answer his best but most of them were related to their early childhood that he didn''t answer and left vague and people involved with them, he did manage to calm them as all of this would only be possible if Jin survived. "With burned eye, a couple of broken muscles and severe blood loss it is hard for anyone to survive, even if he has regeneration like me, it will deplete all the vitality in his body killing him in few heartbeats." "But if he do. . . that''s someone who dreamt of being hero. . . until the hero crushed it himself." Saying that he stood up giving quick glance to a skinny yellow-haired man sitting in grey suit at the back of room. All mights eye widened in horror as he realised what he has done, small tears forming in his eyes with blood dripping from his clenched fist. ''Teacher. . .I have failed you once again'' yet no noticed him as the reporter frantically shouted while Luminous started leaving the room. While 4 officers tried to push the reporters back, only to be blinded by lights a whole crowd of news reporters stood outside all kinds of face and colours international, national or different cities all had sent their reporter or whoever they can find. All the while an old policeman with a small button-like camera filled everything, his breathing irregular as he took his phone out while sending message to his daughter. "I have done as you said please give me my daughter" he typed in a hurry as he walked to a less crowded area. His eyes were teary and hands shaking waiting in response. "What are talking saying Dad I am in college?" "What!?" the policeman thought in horror as he didn''t understand anything he frantically asked her to videocall him. ''My god. . .what have i done'' he fell on his knees in horror as he knew he was tricked. Meanwhile. Alfred watched the footage through Jin''s ipad he wasn''t as shocked much, the fact that jin could tell every major thing in his life, from his daughter''s first words to his wife''s last in 10 minutes has shocked him beyond everything, seeing him fool a normal policeman and making him record everything wasn''t that hard to fathom. "Projection quirks aren''t that rare" he said to Alfred as he watched the police officer calls his daughter trying to understand the video footage he saw earlier. "I. . .ha-ha it''s like my life is written in some. . .page. . .crafted by someone. . .you or your friend have some very dangerous quirk. . .if it is one . . . although not destructive. . . but in right hand, it can do more than crushing some simple buildings." Alfred sized up jin with his hazy eyes, as he sat with his head low in front of him although there was nothing too eye-catchy about the youngster his background made him dangerous, his innocent-looking brown eye looked as if they could see the past itself. "So you think you can get this to the public without any traces back to me?" he asked softly "There is just one thing. . ." his voice drunken his hair dishevelled, beverage fallen on the desk unlike his usual demeanour. "How can I know, you are not the successor of All for ONE, or the bogeyman itself." Jin raised his eyebrows as he slowly drink his orange juice. "This. . .face changing is more like a side effect of my power. . . but you probably would not trust me if I said i have a magical unbreakable contract that can seal the deal right?" Alfred just smiled and waved his hand "I probably would if you say you are all for one" Jin scratched his head in annoyance as he didn''t want to expose his cards to early but there was no choice either he needed Alfreds or his plans will fell short "I can, but you have to swear loyalty to me and if you ever tried to leak the secret it will be you end" Alfred sobered up as he heard the words "But if you can''t. . .i will kill both us right now after all. . .i am still the dungeon master" "Welcome then." jins nails morphed into the bronze claw of lagiacrus. "This is one of side effects" as he dug a little hole in middle of palm as purple blood started to erupt. "In your name I vow, through the sea I herby vow that I shall prove my identity and help with revenge and salvation of Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth" The purple blood started to glow with golden words flowing in the air like a chain wrapping around jin''s fist. "In return, he shall pledge loyalty toward me if I prove my identity, all his memories related to me or my path that has ever happened will happen are bound under the vow, shall we part ways and you disclose any, demise will fall you and any, in return your voice shall be heard destroying the probing in your inner world " The purple blood chains with golden runes flew toward Alfred stopping right before him. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "Do you accept the vow" Alfred was mesmerised by the magical sight his hand moved forward holding the chain firmly. "I accept" BOOM! Both of them vanished from the room, as a yellow bluish thunder erupted from the blood chain covering both of their bodies before there was no trance left. Alfred blinked his eyes in confusion "Where?" he stared at the yellowish blue wall in front of him his eyes widened in horror "M-My quirk" he tried several times to activate his quirk but to no vail ''All for one'' his face darkened as he looked below thinking he fell for a stupid such trick. ''I guess retirement has dulled my senses.'' Yet when he looked down he didn''t understand the scaly blue thing under him, his eyes darted around bronze pillars in front of him as he brought his toward one. ZING! "AGH!" he jolts back electricity through them. Splash! A wave of water hit him and while he lowered himself, he realize that the platform below is moving his eyes darted everywhere as he watched the endless dark water all around with no land in question. ''Teleportation quirk'' He looked up at the grey clouds, faint sunlight illuminating the surrounding, he walked toward the side trying to see the ocean only to watch in horror as huge reptilian limbs pushed the water ever so slowly. ''SHIT!'' he remain still not to alert whatever he was standing on, as he looks around he could only gulp in horror as shadows of monster roamed the place. ''DON''T BE SO HASTY HUMAN'' a monstrous voice "AGH!" he screamed and fell on his back, as something spoke in his mind, his eye red and ears bleeding, while he roll on the back of the monster ''My apologies. . . I am too used to talking to that child.'' the voice softened. Alfred still couldn''t get up on his feet he controlled himself as he got to the corner of the being, before puking on the ocean making sure nothing fell on the beast. ''Oh admirable, not that I would have cared. . . lay low it will take some time to reach before you could see it properly.'' Alfred just lay flat on his back not knowing what was happening, it took all his mental power to not fall asleep. ''I hope this is an illusion'' his head still pulsing in pain as he cleaned his ears with his handkerchief he didn''t know how much time it had passed if there was any in this illusion, it should be more than 5 minutes as he lost count after 240 He tried to sit but his sense of direction was still bit lost, he cracked his neck as he looked up while his mouth hung in awe. "It wasn''t a wall" The golden wall was something that appeared like a truck of a tree, if it can be called one, he looked at the endless yellowish blue branches folding in U shape, it took another minute before he was on proper distance so he could see the white sphere they were holding. Jin seated on a custom dragon-aesthetic black throne waved at him as he saw him riding Lagiacrus back. Alfred had no words for what he saw, with the vast thunder tree beyond the size of any human building or myth and on top of that lays a white sphere what astonished him was not the highly artistic black throne right in the middle of it, it appeared childish in his eye what attracted him was the silver chains coming from behind the throne. 20 chains to be exact going to the very end of the sphere, making the throne appear as the centre point while 20 lines cuts the sphere in equal proportion. Hung on these 20 chains were none other than the 20 missing officers. "This might not be enough so let me show you something more of a solid proof " jins voice rang in his mind, the yellowish thunder started to morph as he morphed Jin P.O.V Just like any other day he had skipped the school, with no motive or any guardian to watch over him he did what he liked, visited the lost beach forgotten by others as they unknowingly polluted it, something he can understand very well. *What''s even the fucking point of it the plot doesn''t require much studying and I''ll make friends with Momo, she''ll help with that stuff Muhahaha* he gigles and laughed as he thought about the glorious days ahead. "WAIT! ISN''T SHE 14!" he punched the beach as he scratched his head in annoyance. "Shit I''ll see it after a few years, it''s not like I was 40 year old before. . .but it does make me 33 if i combine my age here." Phew! Smoke left his mouth as he watched waves crash on a forgotten dirty beach. He examined the cigarette before throwing it away. ''A cigarette that doesn''t kill, science has come a long way here'' He wore simple black shirt with golden buttons while his sleeves were folded back showing his well-grown muscles and few cuts and burn marks on them, he wore simple grey jeans and black shoes, with black sunglasses even though it was just morning. Making him look shady not that the golden chain and golden watch was helping him, making him appear more like a thug, which he was in a sense. He looked at his watch showing 7:45 am. He simply waited while enjoying the rising sun ''I will clean this sort this place when i get one for all'' Although I do feel a little bad for Deku, but I will transfer some of the quirks to him so it will be fine, the only problem is how does it get him into UA, even though he is better at tactical thinking than me and more so comparable if not better when it comes to analysis he lacks experience and strategic planning. . .fucking confidence. Even though my analysis skills have evolved over the years, thanks to his mumbling I still had my fair share of deal analysing power system back home. . not as good as him but still better than most. If only he could do more than writing things about heroes, but where will he get the chance to experiment. . . he is too scared to take part in our little gangs. A panted voice came from behind as his smirk returned to his face. "You took the way i said?" Deku looked at his friend suspiciously even though he knew what he did was wrong "Are we really going to Tokyo?" he asked with excitement, the bunking school was not that uncommon for him, he has done it couple of times especially when bullying got a little to hard to handle. "Yep" Jin flashed him the keys of a car. "YOU BOUGHT A FORD!?" Deku said with excitement as he had become a car enthusiast just like Jin over the years, his car books of car were just little less than that of heroes. "Nah, rented from a friend" A sweatdrop appeared on Deku''s head "You don''t mean-" "Ahh leave it be" he said while he stood up and walked through the garbage maze. "Move we have to return by 3 pm" Just a little away stood their ride, shining in the early sun rays. "HOLY SHIT!" Deku screamed as he rushed toward the shining black car. "I-ITS A MUSTANG" Deku revolved around the silky black car at blinding speed, while Jin wondered if this was the anime world effect as Deku was just way to fast to be quirkless "1967 FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK" he screamed in joy as he examined every corner of the car. He looked toward the smooth brown interior and the yellow headlights "How did you even afford it, this going for tens of billions of yen" his face looked at him as questionable as he thought his friends was working as villains or some shady business. "WOAH you don''t even trust your friend" "NO" he replied with no hesitation as he touched the rims of the car. "Ahh long story short met some kid being bullied. . . again helped him here and there, and look and behold" "His father is car enthusiast, his grandfathers father''s father had a 1967 fastback " Deku shifted away from the car as his eyes practically fell from his sockets, he was shook jins shoulder as he shouts at him "AND YOU STOLE THEIR FAMILY HEIRLOOM" "FUCK! DO I LOOK LIKE A THIEF?" "Black shirt, gold chain, gold watch and smoker on top with cuts and bruises on hands. . you only need a dragon tattoo to pass as a yakuza." Tch! "It''s style ok, keeps trouble away and this is just a replica his dad built for him. . .he likes cars not driving them." Deku still had a suspicious face even though he could tell jin was not lying. Jin opens the car doors sitting in the driver''s seat while Deku hops on the other. "It''s modified and what about the set of clothes i gave you?" Deku take out a black tracksuit from his bag and a pair of blue shoes. While jin throws a small brown colour cube at him ''Rub this in your hair, it will change the hair colour for a few hours '' Deku holds the brown colour cube in his hands looking suspiciously at jin as as he takes out a wig and fake beard from below the driver seat brown in colour. "Tell me again but. . .are we going to rob someone in shibuya," he asked even though he was used to jins antics over the year. Jin stared at the rear mirror as he checked everything in the car thinking what to say "We never what kind of speedbumps life might have, it''s good to tight your seatbelts." "You have a license?" he asked as he touched the brown interior finishing although the interior was different than what it used to be. BROMMMMM! The engine came to life as he pressed a red button the tyre screeched as he drifted the car rising smoke around them. "WHAT DO YOU THINK THE WIG WAS FOR" WOAHHHH! deku shouted in excitement as he holds the side of his seats, his mouth forming a wide arc. Jin watches over Deku, there aren''t many times when the boy enjoys himself, even though Jin has influenced the boy over decade making him skip school and do what normal kids should, he still doesn''t know what to do about the quirk situation. On one side he wanted one for all on the other he was afraid what will happen to Deku, worse was what will happen if the sludge monster killed Deku instead ''Anything is possible I don''t know how but fucker, I will make a hero out of you'' while Alfred watched everything unfold before his eyes not knowing if it was an illusion or not, but it sure was pleasant to watch. Chapter 9 - WHY! The city buzzed with life, a life unseen in the glossy pages of manga or flashing frames of anime but real and pulsing here on the streets people of all shapes, colours, and professions weaved through the sidewalks, each a fleeting glimpse of a story. Jin and Deku slipped into the crowd, just two more faces exiting from the towering All-in-One Stop, a place known as much for its variety as its scale. The place was an entire city block, an empire of entertainment that felt like two different worlds depending on the hour. By day, it was the dreamscape for gamers, an electrified paradise of virtual battles and arcade rings. But at night, it shifted¡ªmorphing into a playground for gamblers, a haven for addicts who sought refuge in neon lights and hidden thrills. As they walked along the wide, bustling road, their eyes were naturally drawn to the two monolithic structures flanking either side. Each building was a colossal maze, floors stacking up like layers of a puzzle, alleys and passageways twisting into a labyrinth of indulgence. Neon signs flickered lazily in the daylight, their full brilliance reserved for the evening rush. Billboards advertised everything from high-end restaurants and luxury boutiques to the chaotic charm of gaming arcades, karaoke booths, and immersive VR experiences. Even in the middle of the day, the place hummed with strange electricity. Jin and Deku moved through the crowd, their disguises blending them in just enough¡ªthough, to say they were "abnormal" was a stretch. Jin wore his usual attire, adding a fake brown beard and wig that slightly altered his appearance, while Deku sported a black tracksuit, three blue claw marks slashing across the chest, blue sneakers, and oversized red sunglasses with brown dyed hair. They might have passed for regular citizens if not for the wild mix of people walking beside them. Deku, ever the shy one, cast nervous glances at a girl dressed in nothing but a few strategically placed strips of fabric and a hulking man strutting confidently in a pink skirt. Then there was the old man in a fuzzy honeybee costume, buzzing loudly about his latest conspiracy theories. The melting pot of humanity was both a spectacle and a reminder of how far the city stretched beyond its hero-villain narrative. Jin caught deku''s discomfort, his smirk widening as he gave his back a rough pat, sending the boy stumbling forward. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" he yelped, voice rising as he nearly toppled over, then quickly shrinking back into himself as people turned to look. "Relax, dude. We''re here to enjoy," Jin said, slinging his arm around Deku''s neck, ruffling his already messy hair. "Just chill out, forget about the world for a bit." But the world didn''t let Jin forget. His steps faltered as his eyes landed on two small boys sitting behind a makeshift stall. It was barely more than a blue table with cardboard boxes stacked around it, but it caught his attention like a punch to the gut. Deku noticed too. His gaze softened as he took in the sight of the kids¡ªskinny, almost skeletal, with black hair messy and clothes torn. The boy holding a sign that read "Luxurious Hats" wore a mask covering his lower jaw, sharp teeth visible beneath the fabric. The other boy, seated with a wide, brave smile, had two small antennae poking from his head, his dark, insect-like eyes betraying exhaustion. His arms were thin as twigs, but his hands¡ªred metallic¡ªheld the sign with practised enthusiasm. A cardboard box beside them had a scrawled message: "A little help, kind sir and madam." Deku glanced at Jin''s face, reading the unspoken thoughts. Over time, he''d come to understand his friend''s complex nature. Jin was far more than the loud, tough front he often showed. He was reflective, perhaps more than anyone Deku had ever met. He didn''t just see the world; he felt it, a strange empathy hidden beneath his bravado. His tough guy act? Just a shield¡ªone he wore to avoid getting involved, to avoid the pain of truly caring too much. "I''ll get them some food and clothes," Deku said quietly, his voice trailing off as he darted toward the massive building to search for shops. "Thanks," Jin murmured, a small, genuine smile tugging at his lips as he walked over to the kids. "Yoo, how''s the business going?" he asked, flashing a big, easy going grin. The boys hesitated, unsure whether to trust him, their eyes darting over his unusual getup. After a beat, the antennae boy managed a wobbly smile. "W-welcome to our luxurious hat shop, sir. W-would you like to buy something?" The boy''s shaky voice reminded Jin of himself¡ªsomeone trying too hard to act tough, even when they were crumbling inside. "No need to worry, kid. I''m Jin. What about you guys?" he asked, crouching down to meet them at eye level. His calm demeanour helped, but the boys remained suspicious¡ªhis fake beard didn''t exactly scream ''trustworthy stranger.'' Jin fished around in his pocket, pulling out two blue ramen coupons from his leather purse. "You know this place?" The boys'' eyes lit up as they recognized the familiar logo. "Isn''t that the super famous ninja ramen shop? I saw people lining up early, like at 4 in the morning! The food smells so good!" the boy with the bone jaw blurted out, his voice deep and raspy. Realizing he''d gotten carried away, he quickly covered his face, bowing as if he''d just committed a crime. Jin''s smile faltered for a split second, but he quickly waved off the boy''s apology. "It''s cool man. Me and my friend had a change of heart¡ªso, you can have these." He folded the tickets into the boy''s hands before he could refuse. "My name''s Karl," the antennae boy piped up, smiling. "And he''s Toma." "JIN!" Deku''s shout rang out behind them, drawing attention as he robotically waddled over, arms weighed down by four bulging bags. His stiff movements and bright red sunglasses earned a few giggles from the boys. Jin smirked, enjoying the moment. "Alright, kids, we don''t have much money, so how about we trade? Some food and clothes for one of those hats?" The boys exchanged glances before Karl opened a box, pulling out a sleek black cowboy hat with a purple feather. He handed it to Jin with pride. "Thanks for the help!" The boys bowed deeply, their gratitude palpable. Jin checked his surroundings¡ªa few cameras dotted the area, but no one else seemed to be paying attention. He quickly dumped the contents of the bags into their cardboard boxes. "These are special hero survival rations," Deku said, his voice warm. "There''s fifty large bars and some smaller milk ones. They''ll keep you healthy for a long time." Jin, meanwhile, silently calculated the dent this would make in his bank balance. "There''s a blanket and some winter clothes too," Deku added, shoving the remaining bags into their boxes. The boys bowed again, speechless but overwhelmed. Jin gently traced a finger along the purple feather on the hat, his eyes soft. "Good days are ahead, kids. Just don''t give up. . . things will get better soon." As he adjusted the hat on his head, he caught sight of a small piece of paper tucked inside, a shop name printed on it. A knowing smile crept across his face. "Let''s go, Deku. . . we''ve got a few more places to stop by." Deku waved at the boys as they saluted back, "Aww, look at them. How cute!" Jin didn''t turn but waved his hand in acknowledgement, a fondness in his casual gesture. "There''s this famous library restaurant that just opened. Let''s see what they''ve got." Jin moved ahead, calm and steady, while Deku smiled, falling into a more comfortable stride beside him. "I wonder if being a hero feels like this," Deku mused aloud. Jin gave him a sidelong glance. "You don''t need to be a hero to do good things." Deku fished out his pocket notebook and scribbled the words down, walking through the crowd with surprising precision. "Are you making a file on me too?" Jin teased. "You wish," Deku smirked, "It''s a collection of things that''ll help me become a great hero." Jin chuckled softly as Deku continued scribbling, the two of them blending back into the city''s chaotic rhythm, but now with a little more warmth than before. The **Library Restaurant** was exactly what its name suggested, a library and a restaurant rolled into one. Shelves lined the walls, filled with thick, leather-bound books that gave the space an air of sophistication. The smell of old paper and fresh food blended strangely in the air. The waitstaff all women dressed as librarians¡ªmoved about quietly, serving dishes with a soft, almost rehearsed grace. There were only two floors, with one unique feature: the entire upper level was made of glass. From below, Jin could see the faint outlines of customers walking overhead, their steps muted against the transparent surface. His gaze lingered briefly, noticing a woman strolling across, her skirt swaying enough to revealing that she was * commando * Jin''s eyes squinted in amusement. ''I see why they have such high reviews,'' he thought dryly, his gaze sweeping across the patrons. The place was mostly filled with school students, their uniforms blending into the muted tones of the restaurant. A few older, college-aged customers sat scattered among them, hunched over screens or books. The atmosphere was hushed, the quiet enforced by a rule clearly posted at the entrance: "Silence is golden." Conversations were kept low, almost whispered, as though the presence of books demanded a reverence usually reserved for libraries or churches. The occasional clink of silverware against plates was the loudest sound. Deku leaned over, tapping at a small screen booth at entrance, displaying the menu options. "What would you like to eat?" he asked, his eyes flicking from the list of items to Jin. "Anything normal," Jin muttered, absentmindedly cracking his neck. His eyes lazily scanned the room, catching sight of the four CCTV cameras mounted in discreet corners. A waitress drifted by, and Jin raised a hand, stopping her with a polite nod. "Excuse me. Where''s the restroom?" Her smile was polite, rehearsed, as though she''d answered the same question a dozen times today. "The regular restroom is under maintenance, but you can use the staff restroom. It''s behind the counter." Jin stood, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he followed her directions. ''The freaking toilet stays the same even in this era huh?'' he thought bitterly, entering the small restroom. a utilitarian, nothing special¡ªsix urinals, old dividers between them, and a faint scent of disinfectant clinging to the tiles. At the urinals, Jin spotted the a man in the blue hoodie. He was standing casually, seemingly absorbed in his business yet it seemed he wasn''t that busy without looking directly at him, he muttered under his breath, "Twenty meters clear." Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "How long?" Jin asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he moved to the sink, turning on the faucet with a calm, deliberate motion, cleaning his hands before styling his hair while watching them in the mirror upfront. "18 seconds," the man replied. He had decent muscular build his white hair the only thing setting him apart. Nothing about him screamed danger or intrigue¡ªjust another face in the sea of anonymity. "Status?" Jin asked again, keeping his tone low, almost drowned out by the hum of the restroom''s overhead lights. "Eight children alongside twelve adults. . . All homeless or runaways." The man''s face grimed at is own words. He turned slightly, meeting Jin''s eyes through the mirror as he washed his hands. "You think it''s them?" he asked, his expression unreadable as he dug into his pocket. "Tell me about their quirks," Jin pressed, his gaze sharp but restrained. "Nothing special or even out of place. . .beggars haven''t seen any yakuza activity either" the man responded, fishing two flip phones out of his pocket. Both were wrapped in transparent film, along with a bundle of 10,000 yen bills similarly wrapped. He handed the items over to Jin, hesitating for just a moment. His eyes narrowed slightly as if calculating something in his head. "This is everything everyone has collected over the years, with the commotion you caused for 3 months." He paused, his voice faltering for a moment before he added, "Look, I-I don''t doubt you, but..." Jin cut him off smoothly, sliding a gold card into the mans pocket. "04 13 rot, with T capital. Somewhere around 4.3 million in total." The man''s breath hitched as his eyes went wide, disbelief washing over his face at the number. "Your doubt is valid," Jin continued his voice soft but with an edge of finality. "It might look like I''m trying to start something or leave the country, but believe me, this is necessary... very necessary. . .If everything goes as planned, there won''t be any problems." The man shook his head slowly, a nervous energy creeping into his movements. "And what if it... don''t?" Jin''s face darkened slightly, his expression hardening as he pocketed the phones and the money. His gaze flicked toward the man''s reflection in the mirror. "Then... you''ll hear about it in the news." The man swallowed hard, his eyes full of concern as he met Jin''s gaze directly. "Don''t die on me fucker. . . we have to a long way" His voice was raw, almost pleading. Jin glanced at his watch, his voice steady but distant. "I won''t and I think there''s still a month or two before something happen." The man''s shoulders slumped slightly as he turned and left, his steps heavy with the weight of unspoken fears. Jin watched him go, counting the seconds before letting a small, sad smile curve his lips. ''Not like they will ever knew who it was.'' --- After finishing their meal, Jin and Deku left the Library Restaurant, stepping back into the bustling life of Shibuya Crossing. The energy of the crowd swallowed them up, the low murmur of voices and the constant shuffle of footsteps a stark contrast to the quiet they had just left behind. Their car waited further down the street, blending into the urban chaos as they made their way through the crowd. Jin stood quietly, his gaze hidden behind dark sunglasses, taking in the towering concrete giants that loomed over them. The monolithic buildings stretched endlessly upwards, their facades lit by the vibrant glow of oversized digital screens flickering with advertisements and news¡ªalmost like something out of a sci-fi film. Shafts of sunlight barely pierced the shadows that clung to the streets, casting the world below in a cold, mechanical grey. The road ahead was cordoned off by police barricades, but that didn''t stop the crowds. Dozens of people gathered behind the tape, phones raised high to record the chaotic battle unfolding before them. In the centre of it all, a villain¡ªwho looked more like a dishevelled, broken man than a threat¡ªstood against the heroes. Deku was muttering to himself beside Jin, scribbling furiously in his notebook as he observed the fight. "Gallant Fist," Deku said under his breath, eyes wide with admiration. The hero in question was a towering, muscular man dressed in an orange suit that resembled a Power Ranger, glowing white lines tracing his body and pulsing red with every movement. "It''s him" Jin muttered, more to himself than anyone else. His voice was shaken, almost a crack hands buried in his pockets. He didn''t need to take notes like Deku, he saw everything. "AIR CANNON!" Gallant Fist bellowed, throwing a punch that sent a shockwave barreling toward the villain. The sheer force of it sent the man crashing into a nearby building. Gallant smiled wide for the cameras, his pose almost comically heroic¡ªyet there was an air of carelessness in the way he moved as if he wasn''t taking the fight seriously. Deku didn''t miss a beat. "He can concentrate kinetic energy into his fists, creating shockwaves... but overuse tears his muscles. He risks fractures if he pushes it too far." His pencil moved rapidly across the page. The villain struggled to his feet, eyes bloodshot, wild black hair sticking to his face. His coat was torn, barely hanging onto his thin frame. He looked like a man who had been through a thousand battles and lost every one of them. "WHERE WERE YOU? WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU HEROES?" the villain roared, his voice ragged, raw with anger. His hands hit the pavement, and the ground cracked violently, chunks of asphalt lifting and splitting into the air, flying toward Gallant Fist. "Shit!" Gallant cursed, dodging the larger debris but not fast enough to avoid the sharp fragments that sliced past him, scattering into the crowd. Screams erupted as people ran in panic. Blood splattered onto the concrete. Jin felt Deku tense beside him, but he remained perfectly still, one hand on Deku''s shoulder, anchoring him. "Jin!" Deku shouted, his voice shaky as the crowd surged around them. "Keep calm," Jin said, voice steady. "Just stay steady." Across the way, Gallant Fist was back on his feet, glaring at the villain. "DAMN YOU, VILLAIN!" He charged forward, fists blazing with kinetic energy. Waves of pressure shot out as he swung, the villain barely evading him. "YOU CAN''T PROTECT ANYTHING!" the villain spat, his voice cracking. "YOU''RE NOTHING BUT DOGS! CLOWNS! HEROES WHO SAVE NO ONE!" He threw a punch, air trembling around his knuckles as he aimed for Gallant Fist''s head. The hero dodged¡ªjust barely¡ªbut the rage in the villain''s eyes burned hotter with every missed strike. Another swing, another near-miss, and finally, the villain landed a solid blow. His fist cracked against Gallant Fist''s arm, splitting the hero''s skin open. Blood sprayed in the air. Gallant gritted his teeth, barely suppressing a scream. "HAHAHAHA! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT THESE HANDS! WHERE WERE YOU BEFORE HEROES?!" The villain''s voice broke into hysterical laughter as he raised his bloodied hands, eyes wide, unhinged. The crowd had thinned considerably, but some onlookers remained¡ªeither too paralyzed by fear or too mesmerized by the violence to leave. Among them, Jin stood rooted in place, still watching. Just as the villain''s arm swung down for Gallant Fist''s head, a translucent barrier shimmered into existence, blocking the attack. The force of the blow cracked the shield slightly, but it reformed almost instantly. Floating above them was a woman in a sleek, tight blue suit, her blonde hair flowing behind her as she levitated on a platform of her own creation. "That''s Shield Maiden," jin said, but his voice was nearly lost in the chaos as people tried to flee. "You''re a threat to public order," Shield Maiden announced her voice firm but calm. "Surrender now, and maybe the courts will be lenient. Resistance will only make it worse for you." With a single motion, she spread her arms wide, summoning a glowing, cubical barrier that trapped both Gallant Fist and the villain inside. The walls shimmered with an eerie light, closing them off from the world outside. Deku tugged at Jin''s arm. "Things are getting bad w-we should leave." Jin didn''t move, his eyes narrowing behind his sunglasses as he watched the scene unfold. "I know that man," he said quietly, his voice low. "He''s not a villain, Deku." Deku''s gaze flicked back to the carnage¡ªthe bloodstained concrete, the injured civilians, the chaos that had erupted from the villain''s rampage. "B-but he. . . he did all of this." Jin didn''t answer immediately, his eyes fixed on the man behind the tattered coat, the one who screamed in pain more than rage. He could see it in his face¡ªthis wasn''t some madman, but someone innocent, crushed beneath the weight of a society that claimed to protect but only patched over deeper wounds while the heroes played him for fools. The silence between them stretched until Jin finally spoke, his voice steady and cold. "It is our job to prevent all of this as future heroes, Deku." Deku''s shoulders trembled as he looked at the chaos unfolding before them. "We''re just students now!" His voice cracked under the pressure, his fists clenched tight by his sides. "A-and we don''t even know what his quirk is." "Quirk shatter" Jin''s voice cut through the panic like a knife. "Shatter anything that comes into contact with his hand. He can manipulate the broken shards." Deku''s breath hitched. "that''s a great quirk!" His voice dropped to a whisper, thick with sadness, as he looked at the villain. "so why did he. . ." Jin''s gaze stayed locked on the scene below, eyes narrowing. "He can''t control it. As soon as he touches something, it falls apart. Now think¡ªwhat happens when someone awakens that quirk for the first time? That was 24 years ago. Things were far worse then..." His voice dropped lower, heavy with the weight of past horrors. "And funnily enough, his power is related to cortisol levels¡­ It''s a curse more than a blessing. Eating like an animal, terrified of your own power, society shunning you from a young age. No job, no hope. . .just alone." Deku winced, the weight of Jin''s words settling like a stone in his chest. His mind flickered to the grim reports from decades ago¡ªreports that painted the bleak reality of a society unable to handle the quirk-laden chaos. Those reports were more than just relics of the past; they echoed in the present. Deku knew that truth too well. Jin''s hand gripped Deku''s shoulder firmly, grounding him. "We''re safe for now," he said, his voice eerily calm as his eyes flicked toward the battlefield. "Shield Maiden¡ªher quirk lets her create constructs, but their strength depends on her emotional state. The more angry or determined she is, the sturdier the shields. That''s her weakness too." Deku''s gaze stayed on the scene below, absorbing every detail. Heroes clashed with the villain, the sound of shattering barriers echoing through the streets. Jin''s voice, cold snapped him back. "Watch closely¡­ This could have been prevented if people became heroes instead of just playing hero." The villain screamed, eyes wild with fury as his body lurched toward the nearest shield. "SHATTER!" Blood trickled from the corners of his eyes, his body pushed to the breaking point as he hurled himself against the glowing construct with a savage desperation. The shield cracked under the pressure, splintering like fragile glass. In a split second, the momentum threw the villain off balance. From behind, Gallant Fist emerged, his arm cocked back, the red glow of his quirk pulsing angrily. "SONIC BLAST!" "Gallant, NOOO!" Shield maiden shout was drowned out by the thunderous impact of Gallant''s punch. The villain''s body crumpled under the blow, blood spraying from his mouth as he tumbled across the ground like a ragdoll, limbs limp and useless. Deku froze, his breath catching in his throat as the villain''s trajectory hurled him straight toward them. Jin moved in front shoving Deku aside. "JINNN!" Deku''s voice cracked with panic, but Jin''s expression remained unfazed as he caught the broken man by the wrist. "Long time no see, dude" Jin whispered, his voice low, as the villain coughed, barely able to see through the blood and hair matted to his face. The villain weakly tried to pull away, his body convulsing, but Jin''s grip was unrelenting. His own hand cracked, blood dripping down his arm. "H-he took h-hostage!" Shield Maiden screamed, her voice quivering as the situation spiralled out of control. "W-WE HAVE TO SAVE HIM!" gallant screamed reading to move in action, desperation was palpable, his carefully constructed resolve crumbling as fear seeped into his voice. "SHUT IT, YOU FOOL! IT''S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Shield lost all composure, her voice raw with emotion. Gallant Fist cursed under his breath, knowing the situation had gone from bad to worse. "Hello, HQ! We need support!" A police officer''s voice crackled through the radio. "The villain has taken a hostage, send someone with a healing quirk¡ª" "HE SAYS DON''T MOVE OR THE BOY DIES!" Jin''s voice rang out, feigning terror, as he held the villain in a tight grip, while Deku''s eyes widened, confusion swirling in them. The villain blinked in disbelief, hearing Jin''s words. Jin''s grip tightened, his face unreadable, but his lips curled into a faint smile. "It''s fine¡­ I understand you. It''s not your fault." The villain stilled, confusion flickering in his bloodshot eyes. Jin''s words pierced through the haze of pain and anger. The man trembled, trying to pull his hand free. "L-let go... You''ll get hurt¡­" His voice was weak, almost pleading. Jin''s voice was soft but firm. "It''s fine. There''s always pain when you try to help people. Just like you did." "LET GOO!" The villain''s voice grew desperate, his powers flaring, as cracks spread across Jin''s arm. But Jin didn''t flinch, his voice steady, almost soothing. "Four years ago... I know it wasn''t your fault, Mr. Grieve. I saw it." The villain''s eyes widened in shock, the blood draining from his face as Jin spoke his name. "She was my mother, after all." Tears welled up in the villain''s eyes, his body trembling. "I-I''m sorry... I-I tried my best... Forgive me, please..." His voice broke, filled with years of guilt and regret. Jin''s grip softened, his voice calm. "I know. You saved me from the debris... But she was already gone. It wasn''t your fault." The villain''s legs gave way, and he collapsed, tears spilling freely down his face. "The hands of fate... are cruel¡­" His sobs echoed, raw and uncontrollable. "I know you don''t want to hurt anyone," Jin murmured, crouching beside him, his hand resting on the man''s shoulder. "I will bring them all to light. So please... don''t become what they want you to be." The villain quieted, his breathing ragged but calmer as Jin released his hand. "W-what can we even do... we''re just..." His voice was barely a whisper, broken by years of torment. Jin patted his shoulder gently. "Brave. Brave enough to face injustice... even when the whole world is against us." A faint smile tugged at the corners of the villain''s lips before he collapsed into unconsciousness, his body battered but at peace. Everything unfolded exactly as it should have. It all went according to plan. And yet, on that very rooftop where All Might had once revealed his weakened form to Deku, Jin stood silently, watching the slime villain squirm inside the plastic bottle in his hand. His sunglasses had fallen somewhere along the way, and his sharp eyes fixated on the back of the skinny, diminished All Might as he walked away, having given them his iconic speech. Jin''s lips bled as he bit down hard, barely containing the rage bubbling beneath the surface. Deku sobbed quietly behind him. ''Fine... I''ll do it my fucking self.'' Chapter 10 - When destiny breaks To say Jin''s mood was bad was an understatement. "A decade," his voice cracking as it echoed against the crumbling walls. "I spent a whole fucking decade!" His voice tore through the air like a storm. His teeth sank into his lower lip, blood spilling over, but he didn''t care¡ªhe barely noticed. His fists clenched so hard on the blue railing they began to get white. Hot tears slid down his cheeks, unbidden, burning with the rage. His forehead looked down the street as the world kept moving, a fury surged through his veins threatening to burn everything, before his eyes gained clarity. Deku stood frozen beside him, sitting on the ground silence stretching painfully between them. He wanted to speak¡ªsay something, **anything**¡ªbut the words wouldn''t come. His mind was numb, drowning in the weight of All Might''s voice still echoing relentlessly in his head. "Sorry kid, but you can be something else." The memory stabbed at him over and over, relentless and unforgiving. Tears streamed down his face, soaking into his shirt as he buried his face in his chest, shoulders shaking. Sobs wracked his body, but he stayed silent. The bitter taste of regret filled his throat. He wished¡ªGod, he wished¡ªhe had never met All Might, never asked that question, never known the crushing weight of being ordinary in a world that demanded greatness. He wished he was something more. More than quirkless "J-Jin, d-do yo-you thi-think . . . w-we can . . . be heroes?" each word cracking like glass. His throat felt raw, as if every word he forced out scraped against his insides. Jin''s arms quivered from the fury he barely contained as he clung to the metal railing, his knuckles white. he spun toward him, eyes wild, his chest heaving. "We will! WE FUCKING WILL!" he roared, the words wavered with the weight of tears. Jin never cried¡ªnot the onehe knew¡ªbut now, his face was a mess of snot and tears, streaks of saltwater cutting through his cheeks. His mouth twisted into an ugly, broken grin, as if he was trying to hold onto something, anything, to keep from crumbling completely. Deku''s heart stuttered at the sight. He didn''t know if it was hope or fear, but it made his chest ache. Jin''s horrible smile, full of pain and defiance, made him force one of his own "Th-then we . . . we''ll be the first quirkless heroes," he whispered. "YOU BET!" Jin''s hand slammed down on the railing with a dull thud, the sound cutting through the air. And then¡ªeverything shifted. Time seemed to lurch as if the world was dragging itself through thick, heavy syrup. Jin''s vision blurred, and suddenly, he wasn''t sure what was real, hair fluttered as the wind rushed past him, faster now. ''The sky . . . why was he seeing the sky?'' The thought was slow, fragmented, as his eyes trailed toward the railing¡ªno longer beneath his hand. His mind scrambled to catch up with reality, but it was already slipping through his fingers. "JINNNN!" Deku''s scream tore through the thick air, raw and desperate. His feet moved before his brain could process it, his legs shaking, propelling him toward the edge. But it was too late. He watched in horror as Jin''s hand slipped, his body tipping backwards, descending like a pebble. "No! NOOO!" The word erupted from his throat, a violent, animalistic cry. His outstretched hand reached for nothing, grasping at the empty air as Jin fell. Time bent, stretching the moments, but it did nothing to close the gap between them. An animalistic roar rang from the building as something hit the ground and the time stopped. It stopped for Deku, who gripped the cold railing¡ªthe panicked shouts of people on the sidewalks, the screeching tyres of drivers who slammed on their brakes, wide-eyed in terror at the figure that had suddenly appeared in front of them. It stopped for everyone but Jin. . . or what was left of him. "Guess there is no 2nd time" The thought whispered through the void. He tried to move, to feel, but his limbs were weightless, his form flickering like smoke caught in a faint breeze. His hand¡ªif it could still be called a hand¡ªwas ethereal, translucent, as though made of mist. "Is this my soul?" His mind spun as he glanced around, but all he saw was a vast, empty space. The darkness stretched forever, dotted with stars¡ªendless, unfeeling, some burning blue, others pulsing red. He floated, adrift, without time or meaning. Seconds stretched into what could''ve been eons. His thoughts dulled. His sense of self began to dissolve, merging with the quiet, cold expanse. And then, from the abyss, something stirred. A deep crimson hand, reached out. Stars glittered within its form, shimmering as if entire galaxies twinkled in its flesh. It stretched toward him, slow, deliberate. "Body. . . or soul" it questioned Jin''s form shuddered, instinct screaming at him to run, but there was nowhere to go. His fingers, ghostly and trembling, reached out. He grasped the hand. SWOOSH! Suddenly, he felt, he talked, moved, he listened to the being but at the same time he didn''t. . . . It was like a fever dream¡ªa disorienting, memory thrown into his mind or rather the shallow memories he tried to forget. The snow was the first thing his eyes ever met. Not the sterile white of a hospital room, but the wild, endless snow stretching beyond the horizon. He was born in a crumbling wooden house, worn by time and weather, in a town so small it might as well have been forgotten¡ªjust a few hundred souls, living in the isolation of that frozen wasteland. Even though their family was poor but they were happy until things began to change from loud arguments to fights, he never had the luxury of school for the addiction of his father was a costly one, the evil reaches far and beyond even in this desolate snowfall. Then came the day when was sold, sold away for the man had nothing to pay. The memories blurred into a haze of faces and places¡ªone town after another, across cities and seas, never staying long enough to leave an imprint. His mother''s face became a distant dream, her voice drowned in the howling winds of his endless journey. He never saw her again. The boy screamed hoping for someone to save him, someone to end his pain, the heroes of manga and comic never arrived, the pain subdued, the skin patched leaving scars in their wake, the poison mixed well in his blood, and Jin became. . .grey. The hands of fate were never kind to him¡ªhis own rough as steel. The weight of a knife, the cold metal of a gun¡ªthey fit into his hands as naturally as breathing. His world was one of blood and steel. Hands of steel, guns knives they wields, they stole they kill. . . until one day they were to abduct one like him. . . sold for his father didn''t have anything more to lose. The man behind mocked him mocked for he knew they trained their dogs well, to obey and to die, their minds bend to their wimps. The man taunted him again, but Jin didn''t hear it. Something inside him cracked, deeper than he had ever let himself feel. "It''s fine... for I am here," Jin whispered, echoing the words of a hero he''d long forgotten. His smile was gentle as he looked at the boy, the hands of steel broke. . .the cracks only to be filled by blood. And then the man behind him began to choke on his blood. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He came. . . he saw, he killed. River of blood flew under his boots, lake formed in his hands yet the cracks only healed when he lay bloodied and dead. Grey crimson - Confirmed victims - 9 thousand 9 hundred Ninety-nine. Schemes can only go for so long¡ªa fragile game against fate, unravelling with each passing moment. In the end, a human isn''t faster than a bullet, nor stronger than steel. No plan, no cunning, could escape that truth. The screen flickered, casting a pale glow across his face, displaying moments from his new life¡ªwhere speed outpaced bullets and impossibilities bent to human will. Yet, his power remained elusive, slipping further from his grasp with each passing day. Anxiety gnawed at him, though a fragile sense of comfort lingered¡ªfamily. But even that sanctuary began to crumble when his father walked away, leaving nothing but their debt behind. Desperation set in. He wrote stories, painted canvases, anything to keep the darkness of his past at bay. The scar of that old life still ached, a constant reminder of the chains he once wore. He remembered someone telling him: "What''s there to worry about the future, when you can plan for what''s to come. . .or savour it, for it has yet to come." That thought sparked something. A small plan. A gathering of like-minded souls who dreamed of a world. . . a new world, for society, whether ruled by bullets or quirks, never changed. Pain, he realized, is universal. The bias was always there, now it has taken another form, isolated shunned and beaten by society and its norms. Pillars of power always crumble, but what if he built something unshakable? That idea flickered before his eyes¡ªan ambition hidden in kindness. What began as a helping hand soon transformed. Children''s fight turned into something deeper, the helping hand more benevolent than any other, hands rose in support. Before anyone could know, a weed far more potent began to grow. A faint, imaginary smile tugged at his astral face. These weren''t just memories anymore; they were echoes of the world he had shaped, his influence stretching far and wide, sprouting where other hardly cared to look, like wings casting a shadow over all. Birds of a feather flocked to him, their silent loyalty unwavering. But it wasn''t all, a message. . from a distant world. . . a warning for what''s about to come, flashing thousands of images of different him in different worlds striving, dying thriving in different world stories and something new. "I do not have much time but know that there can only be 2 in the situation you are in, the one who wasted the highest potential and the one who claimed it, all other are variant. . .only 1 will survive, I know this doesn''t make sense but the only way to survive is to change fate and not die trying, we have already created the highest chances for you. . . you want to save children right? there are children facing far worse fate than yours. . .millions. . . so live for them, if you can''t for yourself." the voice faded away. He looked toward the giant crimson beings with millions of stars and few galaxies inside him, their difference akin to a child adult, the hand transferred him a yellow star. His grey, spectral form began to solidify, muscles and skin knitting together taking a much human form than before, the golden star flickered to life in his chest, burning brightly. he looked toward what he would assume the being''s eye. "The soul seems a fools choice so. . .how many alongside me chose it" The being''s grin widened, a sickening stretch that tore across its face. It began to laugh, a soundless, racking motion that shook its body as it clutched its stomach. "Only 17,000" "Soul it is then." The yellow star dimmed merging with him, making his figure glow a little yellowish, his body flying through a new world. The monster hunter world. All the monster that were or ever to exist flying through his mind, their smell, their hunger, their habits their. . .soul flowing right through him, melting into his own. "Good luck kid. . . for the fate will be cruel to you." his vision goes blank before his eyes shows 2 palicoes looking at him but that was the story of another time But that wasn''t what Alfred saw. to him time itself seemed to freeze, holding everything in the screen at it''s place. He watched Jin fall, but the moment fractured¡ªshattering and rewinding before his eyes. Time snapped backward. "What the hell. . . what kind of quirk is this?" His composed expression cracked, all elegance vanishing from his face. ''''HAHAHAH'' deep, mocking laughter echoed in his mind. "You don''t understand, human. this isn''t a quirk, it''s power far beyond that. . .power of chosen one." Alfred''s face hardened, unreadable, as countless theories fought for dominance in his mind. Was this real? An illusion? Something beyond Quirks? None of it fit. His voice was low, almost to himself. "For all i know this can be illusion. . .but this is different than the taste of bogeyman ''FAIR POINT, HUMAN.'' Jin''s body flung backwards, the splattered blood and brain matter reforming in his head, lifted as if by invisible hands. The city rewound around him in an eerie dance¡ªcars reversing in the streets, people moving backwards like film played in reverse. Even his own words with Deku distorted, their conversation unravelling in strange reverse tones. All Might had retreated back to the rooftop, showing his wounds as he walked backwards in time. The world kept winding further and further back, racing through their encounter with the slime monster until everything snapped to a stop. They were back on the beach, just before they were about to return the car. Jin''s breath hitched. His gaze flicked to Deku, scribbling eagerly in his notebook, oblivious to the storm jin was caught in. A small smile curled on his lips. The entity had given him a choice, limited as it was. He could rewind time. . . but only by 24 hours. A choice, but not a free one. He looked out over the waves, feeling the weight of his past pressing in. Deep down, the memory of his previous life gnawed at him. The misery, the isolation. . . A path he was destined to walk again, no matter how much he wished otherwise. A chuckle escaped him. ''But this time. . . I have allies.'' His gaze softened, watching Deku furiously jotting notes with an intensity that made his heart lighten. ''And power to go beyond'' He clenched his fist, feeling the raw energy ripple through him, the fate as said was cruel to him. Had he chosen the body, capable of becoming any monster, any form he desired, but the cost? He could easily be one of the 10s of thousands¡ªdying from the overwhelming agony, losing his sense of self. . and not to forget it''s easier to race with 17000 variant rather than 23 billion. ''I do not know what makes me different if we are the variants of same person. . .all I can do is try He shook the thought away, eyes narrowing. Not this time. ''Trying isn''t enough. . .i have to do it.'' "The soul''s a mysterious thing, kid... ''specially yours. That entity... I don''t know what it wants with ya, but. . . somethin'' ain''t right. Somethin''s _wrong_. This. . . this ain''t how the soul of a fated human''s supposed to work." "Not the way you bond with these beasts without losin'' yourself... but worse... the way you transfer... that''s what chills my bones." He leans in, his eyes narrowing. _"Far more terrifyin'' than yer imaginin''."_ "Yer path. . .it''s shatterin'' every fate I''ve ever known. . .every thread I''ve seen. . .Who _are_ you, child?" he still is doesn''t understand what the crimson being did to him or whatever the fate is but he has a feeling if he can change the destiny without getting himself killed he might find out. Yes, it was a fool''s errand, but what can you even do when destiny starts to break? "Deku, remember what I said about being heroes. . .I truly believe you will be great. . .with or without a quirk" Jin called out softly, voice weighed down by the inevitability of the moment. "Hmm?" Deku hummed in reply, not looking up, his messy green hair swaying as he scribbled furiously in his notebook, engrossed in analyzing the battle he''d just witnessed. Each note, each observation was a small attempt to control the chaos of the world around him. "Leave first. . .I have some things to do" Deku paused, lifting his head with a confused expression. His wide eyes reflected a mix of innocence and naivety, as though the plan they had shared only moments ago had shifted without his understanding. "Aren''t we supposed to go together?" Jin waved a hand, almost dismissive but not without a lingering reluctance. "Work. Food doesn''t walk to the table itself." "Which way are you taking though?" The question slipped out, hesitantly, a fragile thread crumbling faster than Jin could grasp. "The regular? You know, below the tunnel," Deku said, now changing back into his regular clothes. His hair, once slicked for disguise, sprang free, back to its unruly state. "Ah-should I leave these here?" Deku held up the clothes¡ªthe ones that belonged to Jin, an awkward yet poignant reminder of the strange partnership they shared. Jin glanced at his watch. 3:47 PM. Time felt like it was slipping faster with every passing second. "Sure, hurry up. Make sure no one sees you either, aunt Inko will kill me for sure" his gaze flicked toward Deku, lingering for a beat longer memorizing the moment as though it might be the last. "Heheh she sure will" Deku chirped lightly as he folded the clothes properly before leaving. Deku stumbled out of the car, the clumsy energy that defined him so well making Jin''s chest tighten. The kid was too pure for the dirt they waded through, too bright for the shadows that clung to their steps. Deku looked back, his smile wide and genuine, a beacon against the dull, gray afternoon. "T-THANKS JIN! LET''S DO IT AGAIN SOMETIME!" His voice carried through the quiet street, loud and hopeful, as though the world hadn''t already tried to break him. Jin forced a smile, his hand lifting in a half-hearted wave. "DON''T GET YOUR HOPES HIGH, KID!" The words echoed more like a plea than a warning. His eyes followed Deku, watching him vanish into the maze of buildings, swallowed by the city''s shadows. ''Even if the chances are small, I can''t give up. Maybe, just maybe, he will inherit it solving most of my troubles.'' But the warning that had haunted him since the beginning weighed heavy on his mind. "The fate will be cruel to you. The car felt colder, and emptier. The street, a quiet expanse of concrete, became an ocean of uncertainty as Jin rested his hands on the wheel. His breath hitched for a moment before he exhaled sharply. "It would be bad if a hero student is found with a criminal, would it not our dear fate master?" he tried to fake a smile. A familiar gruff voice rumbled in his mind. "Hmph! As if takin'' the soul route wasn''t bad enough... now ya gotta throw this madness on top of it? Bah! spare me a kid!" The old palico''s tone was as cynical as ever, a dark echo of Jin''s own fears. His daughter ever opposite of him "Meow-ster Father, give the kitten a break, nya! He''s doing the best he can, Neow!" Her sweet encouragement brought a sad smile to his face. Jin''s fingers tightened around the steering wheel, the leather creaking under the pressure. " Jin started the car, the engine growling to life, but his thoughts remained tangled in the uncertainty of what lay ahead. He drove forward, but the road stretched endlessly, as though no matter how far he went, the shadows would follow. The reply comes instantly as if waiting eagerly "WHAT! DIDN''T YOU SAID THERE WAS STILL A MONTH OR SO? WHAT ABOUT OUR PROJECT THEN!" jin could already hear the angry shouts of his friend. Before he stopped at a desolate street devoid of any activity, he pulled out the two phones wrapped in transparent film. The sunlight glinted off the plastic, casting small reflections. He glanced at the screens, the wallpapers showcasing the bright smiles of kid their phones mile apart from their actual owners. His fingers trembled slightly as he opened the messages, revealing the profile of a white-haired kid with striking teal eyes¡ªeyes that sparkled determination. There had been multiple exchanges between the phones each one a revealing the mundane teenage talks. Taking a deep breath, he began to type, acutely aware of the weight of his words. He knew exactly how the recipient would react. "Yoo the test is coming up, my peps have me grounded, so don''t expect me for a month or two tell the other folks in my stead." The reply came instantly as if the other side had been holding their breath, waiting for this very moment. "WHAT! DIDN''T YOU SAID THERE WAS STILL A MONTH OR SO? WHAT ABOUT OUR PROJECT THEN!" He could almost hear the frustrated shouts leap off the screen, vibrant and full of life, resonating in his mind as he pictured his friend smashing the library desk, hands thrown in the air. A small smile tugged at his lips despite the heaviness in his heart, a fleeting reminder of the bond they shared¡ªa bond that felt both close and painfully distant. "Until then Todoroki." Chapter 11 - IT creates new. BOOM! The explosion of sound shattered the quiet hum of conversation in the Library Restaurant. Forks froze mid-air, while pages of book unturned as if very air had been sucked from the room. Heads jerked up, eyes wide, drawn toward the scattered fragments of a round table now lying in pieces on the floor. All eyes flickered to the source¡ªa white-haired boy slumped in his chair. His posture tight, with his red hood hiding his face, but tension radiated from his hunched frame, gripping everyone in a silent unease. His teeth sank deeper into his lower lip, a thin line of blood creeping from the corner of his mouth, slowly and unnoticed, his hand raked through his hair with desperation while the other hand held his phone with a deathly grip, the phone popped with it''s screen cracking ever so slowly. The room watched in a collective breath, waiting for something to break. "The fuck are you doing bastard!" his voice suppressing the growing furry, his thumb refreshed the phone again and again but the message remained the same. ''Farewell Todoroki'' Crunch! The phone cracked under his grip, holding in his hand like made of paper, the sharp sound slicing through the heavy silence of the library. Tiny shards of glass burrowed into his palm, his hand tightening even further worsening the wound by the second. Blood, oozed between his fingers, running down his hand in slow, trembling rivers, staining the once-pristine screen alongside the wooden table. His breath came in sharp, controlled bursts holding the leash of a wild animal barely restrained. The cold fury simmered beneath the surface threatening to freeze all. His other hand pressed hard against his face, fingers digging into the skin near his temples, his thumb and middle finger pressing the pulsing veins trying to force the tension out. His eyes, hidden beneath his palm, burned with unshed tears, but they weren''t the soft kind. No, these were burning like a furnace behind his eyelids. In the stillness of the room, each shaky breath he drew echoed, the sadness with the weight of everything he refused to say. An old memory flickers in his mind, like a old fading video. "I don''t like saying goodbye, so see you soon." The words echo, tinged with the warmth from a time much worse. His childhood had been nothing short of a terrible, each day a fight broke in the house, his brother crying, mom screaming and that bastard. . . all in a home that barely deserved the name. The pain of it still lingered, buried deep. . .not forgotten, he couldn''t forget it but there was something else that rose from those dark days¡ªa glimmer of hope, hope that came in the form of a boy, quirkless two years younger but always commanding everyone around him, a quirkless boy who could command a room with just his presence, as if defying the laws that bound this world. That boy, so full of life, was ready to take on the entire world of villains¡ªfearless, untamed, daring anyone to challenge him. The memory of it brings a fleeting smirk to his lips. He could still see the unwavering resolve etched on his face. The boy had spoken with such raw intensity, the words echoing like a vow. "When I grow up, I''ll become a hero. . . someone who cares for everyone." The boy had looked at him then, his voice hard with conviction. He hadn''t just made a promise; he''d clung to it like a lifeline. His small frame seemed too fragile to hold so much hatred, yet the words came, heavy and deliberate: "Better. . . far better than anyone else, the society is about to fall. They need someone new, someone. . .someone like me." The weight of those words still hung in the air, even after all these years. Back then, he hadn''t known how to respond, still trying to escape the long shadow cast by the man who had shaped his own broken life, he''d answered the only way he knew how¡ªsarcastic, bitter and disdain. "Oh? And what''ll you do. . . you don''t even have a quirk, you are weak" The question had been more of a shield than a real inquiry. But the boy had just laughed, the sound sharp and wild, like he was mocking everyone with a sudden pat on the back, that laugh still ringing in his ears, he''d said something. . . something that stayed with him far longer than it should have. "Hahahaha, what do you think you are for No.2, my left hand aren''t you strong enough?" And in that moment, despite the madness, despite the pain, there had been a flicker of something between them¡ªa bond, born not from blood or family, but from something much simpler. "M-mr. Todoroki, c-can you um" the waitress''s voice wavered, her hand trembling as she spoke. Todoroki blinked awake, eyes heavy and clouded, fixing on the young woman standing before him. Her wide, brown eyes darted nervously between the blood and the shards of glass embedded in his skin. The rest of the caf¨¦ fell into a hush. Eyes were on him¡ªsome curious, others wary. "Fuck" he muttered under his breath, wiping his hand on the sleeve of his red hoodie, smearing blood across the fabric. yet slowly, the glass shards shifted, sliding out of his skin with a faint, almost sickening sound. They clinked against the table, each one catching faint glow briefly before they fell and bleeding stopped. "I know it was just¡ªjust. . .I am sorry." His voice cracked, softer now, as he pinched the bridge of his nose, struggling to pull himself back from the edge, thoughts colliding¡ªapologies, anger, exhaustion¡ªunsure of where to go next. The waitress''s hand faltered, her breathing quickening as she dabbed at her forehead. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple. "W-we understand, b-but we also hope that y-you can follow the rules." Rules. The word hung in the air, pointless, useless. Shoto let out a long, shallow breath. "About the table, I''ll pa¡ª" "Oh, that-there''s no need for that!" she interrupted hastily, her voice higher than before, strained. "Y-you''re Endeavor''s son, right? S-so i-it''s fine." "No! I''m not." A sharp, sudden growl ripped from his throat, before he could stop it, eyes narrowing as he pulls his hood up. His hands, glowing faint blue. "Even if I was, there should be no difference." He reached into his pocket with shaking hands, yanking out a few bills. He slammed them onto the table with more force than intended, blood-smeared fingers brushing against the money. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The caf¨¦ held its collective breath as he stood, shoulders tense, the weight of all the stares pressing down on him. No one dared to speak, not until the door creaked open and his footsteps echoed away into the street. Only then did someone murmur, voice barely above a whisper, "Scaryyy..." "Well that''s Endavours family for you" "But shouldn''t his hair be red?" "Who knows maybe the mother has white hairs" "Or maybe he isn''t his son" A fragile silence fell over the caf¨¦ once more, like broken glass, scattered across the quiet room. 30/ May / 5:40 Am Weeks has gone by since Jin last contacted anyone and as he said he did appear on tv. Today was Sunday, yet it didn''t feel like it. The usual easy-going rhythm of holiday was lost, swallowed by a city gripped in tension. It was as if the entire country had collectively forgotten the meaning of rest. Children who typically clung to their bed until noon were already awake, eyes bleary yet alert. Some of them hadn''t slept at all, their faces drawn, marked by the faint glow of phones that hadn''t left their hands. The usual laughter of senior who walked carefree early in the morning was replaced with serious discussion as they too watched their phones their eyes shone with complexity. In homes, televisions flickered in the background, casting ghostly lights on tired faces. Parents exchanged anxious glances as if daring not to voice the questions hovering in their minds. The morning news, the first voice to break the quiet of a lazy Sunday, was different today¡ªmuted. The hero commission had managed, just as Jin had predicted in Shibuya, to hold back the flood of footage. It didn''t matter. every moment of the delay only fanned the flames, birthing rumours and conspiracies that spread like wildfire. Among them, none burned hotter than the Blue Hood man, it''s origin starting from the heart of Shibuya Crossing. And the Hero Commission didn''t prove the man wrong, his words have come true as they tried their best to delay the footage, yet the footage¡ªuncut, raw¡ªcirculated like a ghost in the digital world, there had been a mole, rather moles. Many uncut version have leaked, but the first one circulated like fire, way back in China, America and other Western countries. Japan''s Hero Commission had fought hard to stifle it, but they were no match for the relentless engine of the CCP, and the Western countries whose heroes, defended the act in name of free speech, in the end, their pleas were met with silence and delay. At home, the fight was no easier. The Commission had tried, to wipe the videos clean from the web. At first, there had been hope, that maybe, just maybe, they could stay ahead of it. But like a flood breaching a dam, the truth was already spilling everywhere¡ªclips uploaded in the dead of night shared faster than they could be erased. Each deleted video was replaced by two more, until finally, the Commission abandoned the effort. It was a war they couldn''t win. And now, the people knew. Not everything, but enough. The silence had grown deafening. They weren''t just waiting for an explanation anymore¡ªthey were demanding it, eyes sharp with suspicion, waiting for the moment the Commission would finally speak. The streets felt different as if the weight of this hidden truth had seeped into the cracks between every sidewalk stone, in every wary glance exchanged between strangers. "We are actively investigating and hope you cooperate with us, the interview is now available on the official Hero Commission site." "This is official Hero Commission statement, we know many of you are confused for what led to such a severe outrage from the suspect, we are closely looking at the school and students involved in the matter and hope to uncover everyone involved, the search for 20 missing police officers is still going, with prime suspect being jin Asano. . . Thus The Hero Commission hereby declare Jin Asano as a villain" the man bows and leaves the stage as cameramen click photos with pure dedication even though it was very early in the morning, while the reporter aggressively threw their question, only to be met with professional silence. Somewhere in Tokyo In a tourist park, The same white-haired boy, with his red hoodie stained with dried blood, slumped on a rusting brown bench, the air thick with the crisp bite of early morning. His eyes, clouded and distant, fixed on the circular lake stretched out before him. The surface of the water was still, save for a few green and yellow leaves drifting aimlessly like him. Thin fog clung to the air, softening the edges of the world around him, blurring the line between the real and illusions. The morning dew seeped through his clothes, cold and uninviting, but he didn''t flinch. He welcomed the chill, it grounded him in a way the warmth never could. In the distance, a figure emerged from the fog, slowly making its way toward the bench. The figure''s silhouette, shrouded in mist, wore clothes eerily similar to those worn by Jin even his hair and beard¡ªit was as though the man had stepped out of a forgotten memory. The bench creaked under the weight of their shared silence. Neither of them moved, nor did they acknowledge the other. The man''s presence was a mirror of his own¡ªsilent, heavy. The dew clung to them both now, but neither made an effort to wipe it away. The cold was nothing compared to the storm within. "I met him when Mom was hospitalized. . ." Natsu''s voice trembled slightly, each word dragged up a memory too heavy to carry. His eyes, distant yet sharp, focused on the tranquil lake. "His mother was a nurse there. Said he''d become a hero and expose Endeavor. . . No. 2, can you imagine a little child saying that?" He let out a hollow laugh, a bitter sound that echoed off the lake. Kenta, standing close by, joined in with a chuckle of his own. His laughter was warmer, almost nostalgic, but it carried the weight of years long gone. "He''s always been dreaming big" His breath, too, mingled with the cold mist around them. "And isn''t that what brought us all here?" Natsu stood slowly, hands clasped into fist, every muscle carried the burden of battles fought and yet to be fought. His eyes scanned the still expanse before them. "When everything was going downhill. . . I found some joy," the words spilling out softly. His voice, now quieter. "Fighting like a goon, beating thugs at night, and helping the poor in the day. . . all these years, I felt alive. Alive with the hope that one day, we''d really do something." His voice cracked on the last word. his eyes toward Kenta, while his fists goes white from the pressure. "Tell me, Kenta, why. . . why after all these years, when everything was finally starting to fall in place, when we were so close to becoming something when we were staring right at our dream. . .tell me why. Why train so hard? Why plan so much if he just¡ª to fuck himself up." His voice broke, and tears rolled silently down his cheeks. The boy''s shoulders shook under the weight of emotions. Kenta watched him in silence, his eyes hidden behind the same glasses that had always masking his true thoughts. He didn''t move, his posture calm, but there was a tension in the air between them. Unspoken words, memories, and shared grief crackled in the stillness. Natsu took a step forward and tapped his foot against the ground. TAP! The sound echoed, sharp and sudden, and in an instant, the fog that had surrounded them like a shroud of uncertainty disappeared, vanishing as though it had never existed. TIP! TIP! Thin, needle-like shards of ice began falling to the ground, each tiny crystal glinting in the faint light. The entire lake lay frozen beneath them, an intricate web of runes-like structure stretching across its surface, spreading into every corner like delicate veins of frost. In the center of the lake, stands a fragile and beautiful thin glass-like rose. Its stem, held aloft by multiple glass-like hands, hovered in the air, defying gravity. Kenta''s eyes widened ever so slightly. "You¡­ did you awaken your quirk?" A smirk crept onto his face, but Natsu only shook his head, the corners of his mouth turning upward in a bitter smile. "Close, but not there." Natsu replied, voice steady now. "You know. . .from freezing myself to near death, to shooting ice from any part of my body. . . to this all of this. . . But tell me, Kenta, after all this time. . ." His voice trailed off, and his gaze grew distant again. "Nothing has really changed has it?." Kenta stood up, brushing the dew off his pants with deliberate, slow movements. He smirked as he pulled out a folded letter from his pocket. The paper rustled softly in the cold air. Natsu''s brows furrowed as he stared at the letter, unsure of its meaning. His eyes locked onto the bold, five-letter word printed across the paper. "Now I have a quirk." A smile spread across his face before he even realized it, the weight of the letter making the impossible seem real. Kenta stepped forward, his gaze lingering on the frozen lake, the strange patterns etched into the ice reflecting the complexity of their situation. With a casual step, Kenta lifted his foot and slammed it down onto the ground. CRACK! The earth split open with a violent force, a jagged snake-like line racing toward the frozen lake. "THE HECK!" Natsu exclaimed, his voice shaky. Cold sweat ran down his back, his breath coming out in startled gasps as he observed the crack. Kenta''s smirk widened. "You''re not the only one growing, Natsu," he said, voice laced with amusement. "I''ve got some prestige to hold as No. 1, you know." The crack reached the lake, and in a single, thunderous moment¡ª CRASH! The jagged line, like a tree and its branch split into thousands of lines collapsing the entire frozen lake like glass, sending shards of ice flying into the air. Cold vapour hissed up from the fractured surface, filling the air with a biting chill. Natsu stood frozen, staring at the devastation before his eyes. "I-Is this¡­ a new quirk?" "Nope." Kenta replied, flashing a toothy grin. "Just your normal awakening." Natsu let out a shaky breath, the tension easing from his shoulders as he managed a half-defeated smile. He raised his hand in surrender. "That''s UA for you. . .and they don''t even know" "HA!" Kenta snorted. "Says the man who didn''t even graduate from hero school." The two began walking, their footsteps the only sound in the silence that followed. Though their use of quirks was reckless, the world around them remained indifferent. Public quirk usage was still frowned upon, after all. "Someone has to make the connections, after all. . ." Natsu paused, his voice steady. "Victorious warriors win first and then go to war." Kenta finished the thought, his voice carrying the weight of a truth they both understood well. Natsu, with a wave of his hand, summoned mist from the air, cloaking the area once more in thick fog. The world around them disappeared in a veil of mystery. Chapter 12 - A new symbol Eraserhead stepped into the dimly lit room, his eyes darker than usual shadowed by sleepless nights and the burden of recent events. His every step was slow as if the air itself weighed him down. The low hum of machinery filled the silence, blending with the faint clinking of keyboards. Nedzu gently placed his teacup on the table, his gaze followed him, silently searching for answers in the slumped figure of his colleague. A slight shake of Eraser''s head was all he received. "As you thought. . . nothing much." eraser said muttered, nedzu''s tiny paw massaging his forehead, each movement a sign of his growing weariness. The heavy atmosphere seemed to cling to the walls as Nedzu pressed on. "What happened with the other countries?" "CCP is, as expected, not helping," Aizawa responded, his voice low and hoarse. "Those people are being celebrated as heroes in China, while West is on hold for now." Nedzu''s eyes darkened, his grip tightening slightly around the cup. "That was obvious..." he muttered. "The wound might fill up, but the scar remains." Aizawa let out a long breath. "No traces found on web either. . .a teleportation quirk or some new mystery class projection quirk might be at play." Nedzu''s eyes flickered with consideration before he raised his cup slightly, a silent offer. Aizawa, barely looking at it, shook his head. "Or." Nedzu mused, taking a small sip, "They could''ve used air couriers. Takes an hour or two, a cd or video is Nothing question-worthy to check either." The cup gently clinked as it returned to the table. "Although surprising, it''s not that shocking considering the amount of free time children have. The interview spread like wildfire among them first." Aizawa spoke. Nedzu maintained silence for a few moment his mind running at it''s horizon ". . .Some parents have already sued the Hero Commission for breaching their children''s privacy." Aizawa''s silence was deafening, his gaze fixed on the ground. Nedzu drained the last of his coffee in one swift gulp, the bitter taste mirroring the conversation. "There''s nothing solid we could use to identify the suspects." Aizawa admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. "The only lead, if we can even call it that, is the wave being more dominant in the poor regions. . . slums." "Of course it is!" Nedzu''s voice cut through the air, he rubbed his head with his tiny paws. Aizawa''s brow furrowed in thought, not used to seeing this side of the principal. "What do you think about Jin Asano?" he said clamly. Aizawa waved his hand dismissively. "I don''t think he''s behind this, Principal." But Nedzu shook his head, a weary sigh escaping him. "If this was orchestrated by a child, we might as well change sides, What I meant was, as a teacher." A pause lingered between them as if the next words had to fight to break free from the weight of reality. "If the records are true, then he was a reckless child. Not good at studies, constantly involved in school fights, even harming teachers. alcoholic and other..." Nedzu gave a tired laugh, but it was hollow, echoing the helplessness that had settled into his bones. "Honestly, he shouldn''t have even made it to high school, let alone repeating the same class for two years." Aizawa said in a flat tone. Nedzu pressed a few buttons on the control panel beside him, the screen lighting up with old, grainy photos. A young boy, Jin, stood proudly, holding All Might toys and merchandise, a piece of paper clutched in his small hands that boldly read: I''ll be a hero. Aizawa''s eyes softened, but just for a moment. "The school will hardly tell us anything true at this point, they will never take blame just like those American school." "The change started a few years ago," Nedzu continued, his voice growing quieter, more pained. "No more hero merchandise, no more smile, no more logo." "Children tend to grow up, Principal," Aizawa grumbled, scratching the back of his head. "We both know how unforgiving society is to those who differ." Nedzu whispered, his voice carrying the weight of years spent watching the world around him. "That''s exactly why . . .why I tried to minimize the damage, But we failed. . . spectacularly." Aizawa exhaled deeply, walking toward the table and slumping into the chair next to Nedzu. His eyes scanned the data on the screen, but it only deepened the lines of exhaustion on his face. "It wasn''t your fault, Principal." Nedzu''s small frame seemed to sag under the weight of the moment. "Fault doesn''t matter, Aizawa. . . consequences do . . .they always will." There was a long silence, broken only by the faint buzz of the computer. Nedzu stared at the photos, his heart heavy. "It pains me to think how a child bore all that pain alone, throughout these years," his voice barely above a whisper. "Even after everything, Aizawa. . . even after all that, he didn''t let the world break him. . .we missed a great hero. . . no, worse, we made this tragedy. . . All of us did. . . and the bigger the dream, the heavier the crash. . . now the shards of that dream dangle around our necks, cutting deeper and deeper. . . and deeper. . .until either the neck fall or they shatter." Aizawa closed his eyes briefly, the truth settling uncomfortably between them. "That''s been the case for the longest time, the number one reason people turn toward villainy " He paused. "Maybe finding out what happened to him will help. Maybe it''s the wake-up call hero society always needed." The room felt colder now as if even the walls were listening, waiting for the inevitable truth to unfold. Nedzu swallowed hard, his throat tightening. ". . .All Might happened to him." The words hung in the air, heavy and final, as if they had been waiting for years to be spoken aloud. Aizawa felt a chill crawl up his spine, Nedzu continued "The dam has been broken. Now. . . now, we wait the flood." his voice cracked slightly as he clicked a few buttons, bringing up online forums filled with support for Jin. People rallying behind him and the unknown voices beneath the surface specially among the poorer regions. Slowly, Nedzu stood up, walking toward the hidden compartment in the wall, revealing a dusty bottle of whiskey. He poured a small amount into a glass, his tiny hand shaking ever so slightly as he brought it to his lips. "A new symbol is about to be born, Aizawa," Nedzu said quietly, his eyes fixed on the glass. "Far more appealing than fear." Aizawa shot up from his chair, his eyes widening in realization. "You mean¡ª" "The Symbol of Peace couldn''t see the suffering behind a simple question. . . and now we wait to see a new symbol." Aizawa''s mouth went dry. His hand unconsciously gripped the edge of the table. "If his quirk is stronger than the problem child. . .then. . ." Nedzu nodded gravely. "Yes, the moths will find a new light. . . a new. . .ALL FOR ONE, arrange a meeting with the board." As the world outside spun in chaos, bracing for the unknown tides of change, the night was no longer a time for rest, a battlefield¡ªwhispers of hidden agendas, shadows moving in pursuit of a destination. All sides, poised to strike, danced in a web of deception, each move creating ripples, unknown variables adding to the intricate schemes already in motion. And at the centre of it all, the architect of the turmoil sat back, Perched upon his floating throne, observing his past through the thunder, his throne floating beside alfred and lagiacrus, their amusement clear, The sea below them churned, indifferent to the struggles of the world above. Alfred, standing on the scales of the sea dragon, felt the weight of his revelations. He''d seen things about Jin¡ªlearned things¡ªthings that would unsettle anyone who watched omnipotently from the shadows of another''s life. There was no escaping the truth, no denying what he saw, this can''t be the boogeyman. "I must say, it''s quite brilliant. Simply genius on so many levels¡ªdeceptively simple, yet remarkably effective." Alfred''s said his eyes narrowing as they fixed on the young Jin displayed in the hologram. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The scene flickered: Jin, a teenager, moved effortlessly through a street brawl¡ªschool bullies, reduced to mere practice dummies under his well-timed fists. Every punch, every shift of his body had precision, an intention behind it that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. Alfred''s breath caught as he leaned closer, the dim light playing on his face. What monstrous talent he thought. And those movements¡­ so refined, so calculated. He couldn''t help but feel a gnawing curiosity and a faint, disturbing admiration. How could someone so young possess such control, such mastery? "It''s rather ingenious, I must admit. Blending in as one of the common bullies, effortlessly solving the issue of funding and training, all while using it as a simple disguise to observe those in turmoil," Alfred murmured, more to himself than to Jin. His tone held a mix of astonishment and wariness like a scholar discovering something he wished he hadn''t. "Slowly moulding them into your following without ever truly revealing who you are. I daresay, the reverence they hold for you only grows when seen from a distance." He shook his head, finally breaking his gaze from the image. His voice dipped lower, laced with an unsettling truth. "I find myself both impressed. . . and, if I''m honest, rather disturbed. Mind me, but that isn''t something a child does." Jin, reclining lazily beside him on his floating throne, barely shifted at the comment. A lazy wave of his hand. "Ahh, it was nothing more than a warm-up," his voice tinged with the ghost of a smile. "School wasn''t for me. . .not that there was anyone to monitor me either, I had free time on hand so i used them as dummies to see how my analytical skills would fare in the real world. And don''t even get me started on that whole group thing, It was more of a helping hand, and then it spiralled into some children''s fantasy of ''what if?''" His smile broadened, a faint trace of nostalgia flickering in his eyes. "To be quite fair, even I was excited. I''m more surprised that no one else thought of this. . . like, really?" Alfred''s lips twisted into a half-smile, though it lacked any real amusement. He shook his head lightly, his tone measured. "On the contrary, Sir the notion does indeed have considerable potential. However, as you might have heard or seen. . . the underworld is far less forgiving than yourself. They don''t seek allies in need of nurturing, but tools with stronger quirks, without the weakness of requiring assistance." A shadow crossed Jin''s face, his amusement fading as he gave a short hum, eyes darkening slightly. He knew the truth of that statement all too well¡ªthe brutality with which "tools" were honed, sharpened, and discarded when dull. "Well, if I may say." Alfred continued, his voice dropping in deference. "Helping children, shaping them into something more without expecting instant gains. . . it''s not exactly a weekend hobby. It requires immense time, dedication, and a heavy amount of foresight. Not to mention, humanity. . . something many in this world are hesitant to spare." Jin remained quiet, his fingers absently tracing the arm of his throne. The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Alfred cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "While it''s easier to form bonds with those who share your circumstances¡ª" He hesitated, choosing his words carefully, knowing full well the fine line he walked. "I must say, sir, I don''t believe you fully grasp the gravity of your actions. Despite lacking the. . . more conventional abilities at that time¡ª" Jin''s gaze flickered toward him, sharp and knowing. "It''s fine. I am not one of those fools. always speak your mind¡ªflattery never helped the receiver." Alfred nodded, relieved but cautious. "Your age and constant willingness to aid weaker people, a reflection of their own¡ªwithout any personal gain in their sight¡ªhas garnered quite the devoted following. It''s rather impressive, though one might argue it borders on something of a... cult-like admiration." Jin leaned back, considering this with a thoughtful expression, his earlier levity gone. His voice softened, carrying the weight of reflection. "I don''t require followers. I want comrades who can think and help me grow, we have to do something about it." Alfred watched him closely, a silent understanding passing between them. The world around them was shifting, unpredictable. But here, in the quiet space of their own designs, there was clarity¡ªplans within plans, waiting to be set into motion. The night before the dam broke, the air around Jin''s house seemed to hum with tension. The last week had passed in a blur¡ªhe''d skipped school, and isolated himself from everything that didn''t serve his intricate plan. Even the teachers, who had tried to keep their distance, were now murmuring in hushed tones about his strange behaviour. But they didn''t know¡ªthey couldn''t know¡ªthat by summoning Jin to the office tomorrow, they were going to make history. Sitting at his cluttered desk, Jin''s fingers trembled slightly as they hovered over a blank sheet of paper. A bead of sweat traced a slow path down the side of his temple, though his expression remained sharp, focused. His room, dimly lit by the pale glow of a single bulb, seemed to echo the mounting pressure in his chest. The silence was thick, broken only by the steady scratching of his pen as he spoke aloud to no one in particular. "Let''s seeee, I''ve only watched till season 4, and even that was so-so," he muttered, frustration biting at the edges of his voice. "Some facts I heard in short. . . They better not be some fucking theories, or I am doomed." He drew a straight line across the paper, dots peppering the path, each one marked with a hastily scrawled note. His breath quickened as if time itself were bearing down on him, demanding results. In the corner of the room, Alfred, ever watchful, observed the strange everything with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment. While Jin and his companions, however, fidgeted nervously, eyes darting between him and the thunder. Meanwhile, the old cat, hissed incessantly, its growls rising in volume, overloading Jin''s already frayed nerves. ''Damn it i thought it would get censored like last time.'' "First, we start with bullying, then the sludge fucker, then hero saves the day," Jin''s hand moved faster, lines connecting events like a web tightening around him. "I still don''t understand how he was so careless with his power. . . that''s plot armour in its fullest." The words poured out in a torrent, but they were more than just thoughts¡ªthey were pieces of a larger puzzle only Jin could see. To the others, it was madness, to Jin, it was survival. Alfred tilted his head, eyes narrowing in confusion. Jin''s words were foreign, filled with references he didn''t understand. Yet, even in his ignorance, he sensed the weight behind them¡ªthe frantic urgency lurking just beneath Jin''s exterior. The boy''s mind was racing, but it wasn''t panic. It was calculation. "My memory is crystal clear till the festival," Jin said, his tone darker now, tinged with self-doubt. He rubbed his temples as if the pressure of his thoughts had become unbearable. "Although I might be missing a few details here and there... In the exam, he met those two, then I think there was a villain and hero team¡­ and then the villains will strike them." He stopped, pen hovering above the paper, a long pause stretching the silence before he spoke again, softer, more dangerous. "If I can kill him¡­ No, no, no... I can''t do that. Things would get way too unpredictable." His grip tightened around the pen, knuckles white. "God knows what kind of effect Natsu and Kenta already have." The room felt smaller now, suffocating. Alfred''s gaze watched Jin, noticing how his calm demeanor was nothing more than a mask, a thin veil over the storm brewing inside. In the thunder his chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, leg tapping relentlessly against the floor, the sound a relentless reminder of the ticking clock. "Then. . . the festival, right?" Jin scratched at his scalp, a grimace twisting his features. "Am I missing something? What would be the logical action... rest, heal, and train. Tsk, fuck. Either way, I hope those fuckers make it. I''ll see what I can do... least somethings really change." His laugh was brief but chilling, the kind of laugh that didn''t reach his eyes. It held no joy¡ªonly a cold certainty. "And finally. . . Hosu," he said, voice barely above a whisper, his lips curling into a devilish grin. "Yes, Hero Killer Stain. . . how could we forget him? That''s the tipping point, and it''s probably the perfect place to make a name for myself." Alfred''s attention snapped back to Jin as he scribbled notes faster now, words in a language unfamiliar to anyone in the room but him. Something about it was unsettling¡ªan organized chaos that only Jin seemed to understand. "I can''t believe Lord of the Rings is still helping me here," Jin chuckled, the sound hollow, almost delirious. Alfred''s eyes darkened with suspicion. ''Lord of the Rings. . .'' The name circled in his mind. What was he planning? Was it Jin... or someone far more dangerous pulling the strings? Jin''s thoughts wandered again. "Then... I''m pretty sure there''s a forest camp. There''s so much unknown in between..." His fingers drummed against the table, nails tapping out his restlessness as his mind raced. "Damn, I''m getting restless." The moment stretched thin, the tension in the room palpable. Jin''s leg hammered the floor like a heartbeat out of control. The thin smile on his lips was anything but reassuring. "And finally. . . All For One." Alfred froze, the air leaving his lungs in a sharp intake. His eyes widened in shock, jaw slack as he processed the words. this wasn''t just planning something reckless¡ªthis was insanity. All For One was a force beyond comprehension, and yet, Jin spoke of him as if he were a mere obstacle, something to be handled. A chill crept up Alfred''s spine. The boy he was observing. . . had somehow become something else entirely. "He has to die, no matter what," Jin declared, his voice thick with conviction. "All Might won''t kill him, but he''s far too dangerous to be left alive... and I don''t know anything about the end." Alfred''s gaze softened for a moment, eyes shimmering with something unspoken. Was it admiration? Fear? Or something more complex? Whatever it was, a decision had taken root in Alfred''s mind. He had seen Jin''s genius, but now he was sure he saw the shadow of someone behind him this isn''t something even the biggest genius of child can do. ''Lord of the rings'' "The Yakuza part will be the easiest," Jin muttered, his thoughts already moving forward, like a predator calculating its next move. "Only... what the heck am I supposed to do with her?" His expression tightened in thought before pushing that problem aside for later. "And that''s all I know... I hope these facts are true," Jin said, pen dancing over the paper as he scrawled strange numbers in the margins, like an ancient code only he could decipher. "Endeavor being an abusive father, no doubt. Hawks is a traitor. All For One''s lackey in the Hero Commission, Kurogiri. . . yeah, he''s there too. What else what else. . . I don''t know where the rabbit got attacked but she was fucked up too, hmm so much work to do." He tore the paper into tiny pieces, his fingers trembling with nervous energy. The shredded fragments fell to the table like broken pieces of a future yet to come. Without hesitation, Jin began eating them one by one, his movements deliberate, as if each piece he swallowed was sealing a pact. A cup of water sat beside him, and he gulped it down between bites, forcing the paper down faster. The act was strangely ritualistic, his face calm but his eyes betraying the storm beneath. Yet even as the paper dissolved in his mouth, turning bitter on his tongue, something in the back of his mind tugged at him¡ªa shadow he couldn''t quite place, a doubt creeping up through the cracks in his carefully laid plan. Fate... would not be so kind to him, he remembered it well. his eyes hovering to the digital clock 11:57 Pm/ 26 / May. "Till to blow things up" Chapter 13 - I gave up WOOOH! Hot water poured from the tap, cascading into the basin with a steady hiss, thick steam swirled upward, slowly veiling the round mirror above. The small bathroom was bathed in a dim, suffocating warmth. Through the mist, his hazy reflection stared back¡ªa distorted, ghostly figure. His eyes, bloodshot and tired, glowed faintly beneath the softened orange light. Drops of water clung to his silky black hair, now plastered to his forehead, framing his face in dark strands. He leaned closer, the subtle creak of the counter unnoticed, as he observed his own features with an eerie intensity. Jaw tensed gaze travelled over his reflection, searching for something. The redness in his eyes contrasted against the unhealthy pale skin. For a moment, he seemed mesmerized by his own image, locked in a quiet confrontation with the face staring back. TIP! Droplets fell from his damp bangs, landing with a soft noise, breaking him from his trance. The air around him was thick with the heat of rising steam, distorting the dim orange light. The light bounced off the cold grey wall, casting shadows across the restroom. CHK! A sharp, metallic sound cut through the heavy silence. His body trembled violently¡ªan invisible chill, creeping through his veins as if frozen with ice. The tremors wouldn''t stop, as though his body was freezing. His breath hitched, short and uneven, each inhales sharp, eyes locked on his reflection, he saw the faint shimmer of water trailing down his face. "Huhu hu, look at me" A small self-loathing laugh leaves his mouth as he watches his shaky hand, holding his once beloved gun, another gift from the otherworldy being. The gun''s surface, marred by years of use, it''s gloss green colour back to it''s former glory shining¡ªlike a twisted sort of trophy he never wanted, something he tried to forget "Things are just . . . Sign~" His eyes, once sharp with determination, glazed over, becoming hazy as he looked at the gun. Not with admiration, but with regret. His throat clenched, bile burning its way up, but he forced it back down, swallowing it with a grimace, the gun trembled slightly in his hand, His grip tightened around the weapon. There was no pride in the way he held it, no sense of power. Only the realization of what it represented. The blood of sinners was a trophy¡ªsomething he took pride in. But the pleas. . . the desperate cries. . . of thousands of innocents buried by his hands. They were carved deep into his soul. Their faces, their screams, their blood. . . he carried. Thousands of thousands. . . some lost their father, a brother or a mother. Everyone had lost something, but he . . . he had never had anything to lose. "Just when I thought I was coming along my promise. . ." The words escaped him like a broken whisper, heavy and bitter. His body slid down the cold wall, every muscle drained of its strength until he collapsed on the floor. The screams of hell¡ªscreams he had managed to bury for over a decade¡ªrose again, a cacophony of torment that echoed within his mind. The smell of blood flooded his senses, thick and suffocating, but not nausea, Not disgust. Instead, a perverse rush surged through him, a twisted drug that coursed through his veins, making his skin shiver with pleasure. HAHAHHAA! A laugh erupted from him, wild and unhinged, tearing through the early dawn, sickening, choked. . something monstrous "CRUEL! cruel indeed!". His body shook as tears mixed with sweat, dripping from his chin onto the cold floor below. He was drenched in madness, and yet his mind had never felt more clear. "Do your best!..." His voice cracked with a rawness that seemed to scrape against his soul. "I''ll make my amends... one way or another" His head, jerking up and down. "But too bad, too bad for you guys. . . for fate is cruel to you and. . . me HAHAHAHA!" His pupils dilated, turning a deep, unsettling red, reflecting back the image of a man on the brink of losing himself completely. He looked down at his now steady hands, stained by countless sins, rivers of blood seemed to flood from his hands, while he smiled with his lips that of a man trapped in a nightmare of his own, laughing as his sanity danced on the edge of oblivion. CHIK! CHK! "Welcome back partner." The morning had unfolded in a series practiced motions, hands moved as he sifted through the stack of newspapers. He scanned the headlines without interest, his focus drawn only to the subtle strips of extra paper with codes hidden in form of lines and dots¡ªarranged in different patterns, each coded message unraveling into instructions or warnings. Once the task was done, he wasted no time. Each newspaper cryptic note, was fed to the flames, in his backyard watching as the flames licked and curled around the paper, reducing every trace to ash. Nothing remained. For the cryptic note Just like always, he ate them, the bitter, remnants of ink and paper dissolving on his tongue. The taste was familiar, a strange blend of acrid and metallic, but it was the cost of ensuring no trail could ever lead back to anyone else. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Stretching, he picked up the two flip phones from the table, He scrolled through the messages, eyes flicking over mundane chatter from the friend groups, meaningless on the surface. His fingers hovered for a moment before typing "Let''s hang out at 4:30." With a quiet sigh, he flipped the phones shut, and walked to the kitchen, slipping the phones into a garbage bag with the rest of the day''s refuse. Tying the bag tightly, he carried it outside, blending it with the everyday trash. He takes a silver mask from under his bed thunder crackling around his hand as the mask disappears, while he silently smirks at his achievement, looks at his real phone checks his bank account, nearly depleted of its previous glory, a sum of 500 thousand in cash still remained. Alfred''s eyes looked traced the mask a defeated smile hung on his face "Ah, I see how you found me" Jin allowed himself a brief pause after his endeavour sinking into bed and closing his eyes, recharging for what was lost the other night. ''I certainly won''t find comfy beds anytime soon''
Tak! Tak! Thud-thud! The faint shuffle of footsteps echoed down the nearly empty corridor, each sound bouncing off the cold, lifeless white walls. The day''s bustle had long since faded, leaving behind a handful of students who drifted aimlessly, their eyes glued to their phones or lost in their own talks. None of them spared him a glance, as if he were invisible in the thinning crowd. He walked slowly, his shoes scuffing against the worn floor as he approached the teacher''s office. The overhead lights flickered, casting long shadows that trailed behind him. They had asked for him to be here, and he was¡ªjust not how they might''ve expected, The thought flickered in his mind, laced with a hint of mockery, as his hand hovers above his waist gripping the gun silently. The silence pressed in on him, His lips twisted into a smirk. They hadn''t said anything about attending classes, just that he needed to come. And here he was. In glory. He waits in front of the office before checking for any other sign, checking the time in his watch. 4:25 Pm Jin lightly slid the door open, its creak barely audible, seated at the desk, with his back turned, was a man with slightly yellowed hair, his brow furrowed in concentration. His brown suit looked a bit too tight, stretched over his shoulders as he leafed through a stack of notebooks. "Didn''t I tell you guys to knock before entering?" The man''s voice laced with frustration, but he didn''t bother to turn around. "I heard you called me. . . Mr. Yamakawa." The man''s hand froze mid-turn of a page. Slowly, he turned to face Jin, his expression sour. His lips twisted into a mocking frown, eyes dark with disdain. "Oh!" "Look who has finally decided to appear. Shall I bring you some coffee, sir?" His smile was sharp, dripping with sarcasm, yet it couldn''t hide the irritation simmering beneath his words. In a single motion, he stood up, knocking a notebook off the desk. "WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN? WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS CREATING TROUBLE FOR ME, BRAT?" His voice echoed through the small room, as his fist slammed onto the desk. Jin stepped forward, ignoring the outburst as if it were nothing more than a gust of wind. He dropped into the empty chair, unfazed. "Nothing. Just planning¡­ what to do with my life." Yamakawa''s eyes flickered with disbelief, his arms rising in exaggerated exasperation. "OH, yeah YAA! That. For god''s sake," he growled, throwing his hands into the air as if surrendering to the absurdity. "You think YOU¡ªa quirkless boy¡ªare going to be a he¡ª" "No¡­ I gave up." Yamakawa''s face froze, mouth half-open. For a moment, confusion clouded his anger, and he squinted at Jin as if trying to gauge the truth in his words. "Hah? Finally, phew." He slumped back into his chair, his posture sagging with the sudden shift. "Good grief, the gods have finally blessed your thick skull." His relief was short-lived as he scoffed, shaking his head dismissively. "Not like you can achieve much anyway." He waved a hand lazily in Jin''s direction, picking up the fallen notebook, his attention already wandering back to his work. "Do what you want, just get the hell out of my sight." He turned his gaze to the notebook, scribbling mindlessly, but the nagging feeling of Jin''s presence remained. The tension in the room hadn''t lifted. his pen paused mid-word. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he glanced over his shoulder. Jin was still there, watching his phone. "Hey? Why haven''t you left?" Yamakawa''s voice wavered, a thread of uncertainty and confusion. No answer. His jaw tightened. "HEY! The heck is wrong with you?" His brow furrowed deeper. Jin remained still, as if Yamakawa''s words were nothing more than background noise. "Asado!" Yamakawa''s voice cracked, laced with fury. "I''M TALKING TO YOU, DAMN IT¡ª" He stopped mid-shout, his breath hitching in his throat. Jin''s gaze met his¡ªpiercing, cold, and , unnatural crimson pupil. Yamakawa stumbled backwards, the chair screeching against the floor, his stomach lurching with an unfamiliar dread. "You really like yapping a lot don''t you yamakawa hmm?" "Quirkless this quirkless that? so much shit you got there. . . even when your own daughter isn''t that strong herself. . .that place you know yamakawa!" "Tsk . . .it isn''t that great, drug addicts, trafficker. . .rapists, psyco or sociopaths you know what I am saying. . .all these crazy bastards in that same place tsk! tsk! tsk! not so safe is it" He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Not so safe..." Yamakawa''s heart pounded against his ribs, his face pale as sweat beaded on his forehead. His lips trembled, but no words came out. He tried to speak, to muster some semblance of control, but all he could do was stutter. "W-w-w-what?" The alarms in his head blared louder and louder as the room seemed to close in on him. "And that little delinquent of your''s? OH~ he should have learned from his father, stay in the back! pretend NOT TO NOTICE. . . wait a second." He wore an amused expression as he pointed his finger at his teacher his eyes glinted, a wicked smile tugging at his lips. "DON''T TELL ME HAA HAHAA HAHAH!" he clutched his stomach as he wipes the imaginary tears from the corner of his eyes. Yamakawa shook his head, his whole body trembling. "B-BULLSHIT! A-ALL OF IT!" His voice was hoarse as sand, rising in panic as he stumbled backward, making a run for the door, stumbling in the process. PEW! CRUNCH! The sudden noise echoed in the room, sharp and silent. Yamakawa''s body froze, his eyes wide with terror. His gaze dropped to the table, where a small hole had appeared, smoke curling from the metal lodged inside. Slowly, shakily, he looked up. Jin stood there, smirking. That infuriating smirk, the one that had once been a source of annoyance, now sent chills racing down Yamakawa''s spine. In Jin''s hand was a sleek, green handgun, the silencer still smoking. "Poor child. Shouldn''t have happened to him..." Jin murmured, his voice disturbingly calm. Yamakawa''s legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the floor, scrambling backward. "Y-YOU T-THE FUCKING NONSENSE I-I-I WILL GET YOU E-EXPLELLED NO-NO Y-YOU DON''T WANT TO DO THIS c-calm down calm down son." "Th-this is not good for you or me wh-why ruin your life for someone li-like me y-you will lose everything y-your future y-your friends I know you are angry, I-I will forget w-what you said be-because i-i know you don''t mean it the gun YA THE GUN pu-put it down please" Jin tilted his head thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving the man cowering in front of him. "Yeah... you''re right." Yamakawa blinked, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "Y-yeah! Exactly! L-let''s calm down... it''s normal to get angry, right?" He let out a nervous laugh. "Exactly!" Jin smiled, stepping closer, kneeling down to his teachers level. His expression was serene, too calm, as he levelled his near his teachers staring right into his eyes, the gun dangling on the side" "Room 45. Fifth building." "BASTARDDD!" Yamakawa lunged, hands desperately moving toward for the gun. A smile bore on his face as he felt the cold metal grip of the gun. UGHHH! He pulled with all his strength, but the weapon didn''t budge, as if glued to Jin''s hand, immovable. "But you you forgot one thing" Yamakawa watches jin in horror as he stands up looking at him with his red eyes. "N-no n-no please I-I-I M-MY FAMILY, HELP, SOMEONE HELPPP!" "I have nothing to lose" PEW! Chapter 14 - I wont hurt you Yamakawa''s body went limp, collapsing onto the cold floor. No blood seeped from his chest, a small white dart jutted out, barely visible pulsed softly, releasing its contents into his bloodstream. His eyes, fluttered and rolled back as thick white foam bubbled from the corners of his mouth. The room seemed to hold its breath, thick with tension. ''Was that necessary?'' Luminous''s voice cut through the silence. Jin''s eyebrow twitched at the tone, as he calmly tugged black gloves on. ". . . I don''t know." Jin''s voice came slow. "Sometimes, Luminous. . .we just gotta do what we can."His footsteps echoed faintly as he made his way to the teacher''s desk. Yamakawa''s bag rested against the side, and Jin crouched, pulling out a sleek, black laptop. He cradled it in his palm for a moment before pressing the power button. The screen flickered to life, casting a cold blue glow on his face, his contrast to his red eyes. "Even if that shall destroy an innocent family?" Luminous voice wavered with judgment a tremor of sadness woven into the question, but Jin didn''t look up. His gaze lingered on a small silver pendrive, rolling it between his fingers absentmindedly. It caught the light, glinting like a promise ¡ª or a threat. "This... is temporary," he muttered, his voice cracking guilt clawing its way through. "I don''t hate him." CHI The laptop screen glitched and vibrated, the lines distorting the machine itself was protesting. Jin''s fingers twitched but he continued, his expression hardening. "The pain of those children," [whispered], his eyes distant and voice hollowed "Is far greater. . .And I told you. . .and I will say it again." a sharp and bitter edge to his voice. "I will pull the lever, even if it spreads blood on my hands. . . which has. And you know what my friend?" He paused, voice low and steady. "It''s okay." Luminous sat still on the grassy land silent, eyes distant while Jin continued his own work. The weight of his words hung carried through the 2 different world "To be a true hero," Jin murmured, as if convincing his own heart of some twisted truth. "you really have to, go to and through hell." His hands were quick, pulling out the pen drive, fingers moving with with precision as he slid a card under the table ¡ª a final gesture. Without another word, Jin walked toward the door, his back straight, the weight of his actions carried in the sharpness of his stride. He paused with his hand on the handle, the door half-open, and glanced back at Yamakawa''s still body. "It''s not a poison, Just a memory shot," Jin said, his voice soft but firm. "He''ll be out for a while... good enough to throw off the police and detectives." Luminous just closed his eyes, lying in the grassy field, the weight of unsaid things thick between them. "How can you be. . . like. . . you''re just a child of your race, hardly grown if i understand your ace correct, and yet the way you it''s¡ª" "Like someone who killed?" Jin interrupted, turning just enough for Luminous to catch the shadow of a grin pulling at his lips, wide and laced with sarcasm. ". . . Hmm," Luminous hummed in acknowledgement. Jin chuckled, a bitter, almost manic sound. "Who knows? Maybe it''s my otherworldly knowledge. Maybe, in my past life, I was the greatest man, the one who fought the world single-handedly, destroying evil, overthrowing countries killing corrupt politicians right?" His grin widened, sharp and mocking as if daring the universe to confirm it. he took one glance of his phone before moving. "Yeah, yeah, sure," Luminous scoffed, shaking his head at Jin''s twisted antics. Yet beneath the scoff, there was a flicker of unease, as though Luminous, too, wasn''t sure just how much of Jin''s words were a joke. And with that, the door slid shut behind Jin, the room falling back into the heavy silence he had left in his wake. The empty hall rang with footsteps, but there was no shadow or being to be found. The time for school had already been over, yet some students hardly cared loitering around the school and there were his targets. ''The more, the better.'' Jin''s lips curled into a thin smile as his eyes flitted from one figure to the next. He scanned the group casually, but his gaze had a predator''s focus. Where''s the piss head? His mind ticked over, searching for the missing piece, but the subject in question was nowhere to be seen. The faintest hint of annoyance tugged at the edge of his thoughts. ''Oh well, I''ll just ask them.'' With that, he crossed the yard, his footsteps measured, his hands loose at his sides, as though he were walking into just another conversation. As he neared the small cluster of delinquents, the two he had in his sights noticed him. Their expressions twisted¡ªeyebrows raised in bemusement. The skinny one, leaning against the wall, nudged his friend and muttered something under his breath as the other 5 observed him. Jin''s eyes flickered between them, assessing, calculating. ''The mother finger and red bat are here, pest teeth, cow dick, deep throat and '' His gaze lingered on one in particular¡ªa kid with hair that stood out like a cluster of toothbrush bristles, a thick mass sitting on a frame bulkier than the rest. He was bigger, sure, but something that made Jin''s lip twitch upward again, this time in quiet contempt. ''His quirk... tsk, wasted on him.'' Jin''s eyes roamed the kid''s broad frame, noting every twitch, every fidget of his muscles. The gap between them felt like nothing more than a formality. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "The fuck you looking at, HA!" Toru, the skinnier one, called out, sliding halfway behind the larger kid as if that would shield him from Jin''s steady gaze. "Puff! Look at who has come crawling back," the one Jin had mentally dubbed _toothbrush_ said with a sneer, his voice loud enough to draw the others'' attention. Jin, unfazed, tilted his head and rolled his hand lazily, as if he were about to toss away a trivial piece of garbage. He raised his other hand, palm up, a mock surrender. "I come in peace" "Didn''t they already expel a shit like you?" The air between them thickened with challenge, but Jin''s response was calm, almost dismissive. "Look, Paul, I''m not here to pick a fight." His words hung in the air, casual, but his eyes stayed locked on Paul, reading the dark undercurrent behind his tough-guy fa?ade. "Ha! Like you even can." the long-neck kid behind Paul interjected, his face pulling into a mocking grin as the brown head boys strands of hair sprouted unnervingly from his head, stretching toward Jin as if to emphasize the power gap between them. "How can a quirkless loser win against someone with a quirk?" the other boy said. ''This fucker'' Paul shot the kid a glare, his eyes darkening, a storm brewing behind them, but Jin spoke before the tension could spark into violence. "Ha~ let''s forget about all that." His voice was light, almost playful, but the glint in his eye was sharp. He stopped a few feet away from Paul, keeping the distance between them deliberate. "I am leaving the country so thought i''ll hand you guys some parting gifts." The scoffs came quickly. "Here Jin slid a hand into his pocket and pulled out a small, folded paper a flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward Paul, the paper fluttered through the air and landed on the ground paul, silently looked at the paper and jin. "Heard you were serious about this whole stuff, contact this person. They might do something for you." Paul picked the paper, his face twisting in scepticism. His eyes darted down to it, unfolding it carefully, the others leaning in over his shoulder to get a better look. For a brief moment, silence filled the space between them, the earlier jeers forgotten as Paul''s expression darkened, his eyes scanning the bold, black words. FUCK UR MUM. His hand clenched "THE FUC-" CRACK! Paul''s face turned pale white as he bent over clutching his crotch "AUUUUU!" a wide roar erupted from Paul''s mouth as something cracked between his legs. The scream was guttural, raw, torn from his throat as something between his legs snapped with a sickening sound. It wasn''t just pain¡ªit was the kind that turned his stomach and rattled anyones very core. An eerie, shared sensation rippled through them. Each of them winced, their hands reflexively moving to shield Their own jewels, as though they could feel the sharp, phantom pain slicing through their own balls. They shifted uncomfortably, eyes darting toward Jin. His smirk¡ªno, it wasn''t just a smirk. It curled unnaturally, dark and twisted, like the grin of a DEVIL savouring its victim''s torment. Jin''s fist shot forward with ruthless precision, slamming into his chin. SMACK! Paul''s body crumpled to the ground Thud! like a marionette whose strings had been severed. His limp form landed awkwardly, the unconsciousness taking over. The others stood rooted to the spot, paralyzed as a chilling wave of fear coursed through them. goosebumps rising on their skin. Paul''s eyelids revealed whites as a thin trail of blood trickled from the corner of his lips. His face was twisted in a grimace even in his unconscious state, his hand still clutching himself as if the pain hadn''t left him, even in the dark. Gulp! One by one, they swallowed hard, the sound of nervous throats tightening the only noise in the room. "Well then, you little dogs" he pointed at Tsubasa (red bat) and Toru (Mother finger) "Better tell me where your master is. . . before I cut hot bog" he said with a smirk. "DARN YOU!" The kid with shark-like teeth let out a feral snarl, his body coiling like a spring before he ran toward Jin from the left, his jaws open wide, razor-sharp teeth gleaming with savage intent. From the right, brown strands of hair shot out like whips, snapping toward him with blinding speed. ''Ha~ seriously.'' Instead, a slow smirk crept across his face as his eyes shifted, the usual red now glowing with an eerie yellow. Everything around him seemed to slow to a crawl as if the world had been reduced to a series of sluggish frames. Jin stepped to the left, just out of range before grabbing the oncoming brown hair in one fluid motion. With a swift roll, strands wrapped around his fist. "ARGH! WAIT¡ª" The boy Howled, his scream ripping through the air as Jin yanked hard. his head snapped forward, as he flowed right into the path of the charging shark-toothed kid. ''SHIT'' a split second of realization¡ªa moment of horror as the boy brought his hand toward his head. shark kid''s eyes widened, panic flashed across his face. ''NO!'' His jaws clamped down, his teeth sinking deep, puncturing the hand spelling jets of blood in his mouth. "AHH AAHHHHH!" his hair returned to normal as he rolled on the ground. "N-no I-I didn''t" A wave of nausea washed over the shark boy. ULP HURK! Blood, thick and metallic, clung to his tongue, lingering like a vile memory. CRACK! A single, precise chop landed on the back of his head buckling his knees. dust kicking up around him as his body hit the ground. Then, a shadow loomed overhead. A massive, winged silhouette swept across the school grounds, casting the ground in darkness as Jin turned sharply, his eyes narrowing. THACK! SWOOSH! The air itself seemed to ripple as a sudden gust exploded from above. Dust swirled in frantic patterns as a scale collided with scales.¡ªred-scales slamming onto the bloody blue scale The impact sent a tremor through the earth, and there, amidst the chaos, stood Tsubasa. his wings trembling with effort. ''Still not used to them'' Jin muttered, eyes flicking to the bloody blue scales that now coated his hands. ''Told you, it''s a bad plan'' came the quiet response, but it was cut short. "YOU HAVE A QUIRK!" Tsubasa''s voice trembled, disbelief warring with fear as he stared at Jin''s scales and hooked claws. Scarlet trickled from between Jin''s fingers. Tsubasa gritted his teeth, trying to pull his wings back, but they wouldn''t budge. Jin''s voice rumbled, low and guttural. "I told you... I''m not changing my decision." His lips peeled back in a snarl, revealing rows of sharp, glistening teeth Blood trickled from his gums, sliding down his jaw in rivulets. His eyes blazed with yellow glow. BANG! A devastating kick crashed into Tsubasa''s chin. His vision went white, his mind reeling back. But before he could regain his senses, Jin was there¡ªquicker than a shadow, moving behind him, hands clamped around his wings with a grip like iron. "Whas... yug doung?" his voice slurred thoughts muddled, but the pain¡ªthe pain was real, burned through the haze in his head, sharp and relentless. Jin''s voice was quiet, but the words fell like stone. "This is for your own good." "N-NO WAI¡ª" SCHLUCHHH! A sickening sound ¡ª echoed through the air the ripping of flesh from bone. the once majestic wings now hung limp and shattered in Jin''s hands. Blood spurted in wild arcs, staining Jin''s clothes, and painting the ground red in violent bursts. THUD! Tsubasa''s body crumpled, the agony too much for his mind to bear. There was no scream¡ªjust silence, as his consciousness slipped away into the black. Blood gushed in torrents, pooling beneath him, dying the earth beneath him a deep, visceral red. Jin stood over him, his chest heaving, his yellow eyes glowing like embers in the dark. His hands¡ªonce blue, now drenched in crimson¡ªtrembled. His gaze dropped to the torn wings in his hands, blood dripping from his fingertips. "This bloodlust. . ."a low metallic sound whispered to himself. "I have to get used to it." His eyes, wild and dangerous, flickered toward the 2 Toru and the long-necked boy stood frozen, caught in the aftermath of brutality. Only a few seconds had passed, but it felt like an eternity. Then, without warning, the long-haired boy snapped into motion. He ran¡ªsprinting across the school grounds with desperate speed, tears streaming down his face. His legs moved in frantic strides, but his mind stayed behind. Replaying the image of the monster he''d seen. His yellow eyes, sharp and unforgiving fixed on them. standing over a mangled, lifeless body, blood coating his hands, sharp claws glistening in the orange sunlight, and two shredded wings hanging from his grasp like trophies. His mouth, smeared with blood, revealed rows of razor-sharp teeth, a misty breath escaping through them. "TORU" He fell on his back as the beast''s eyes met his, and rows of fangs parted to deliver the devil''s voice. "Don''t run, I won''t hurt you" Chapter 15 - Destiny 2 Lightning flickered around his hand violently, casting yellowish-blue glow across the ground as a monstrous orange chainsaw materialised in Jin''s hand. VROOOOO RRRR BRZZZZZ! Its metallic growl drowning out the world around them, and in that moment, nothing seemed real¡ªexcept the terror. Toru''s body quivered uncontrollably. His knees buckled, legs refusing to hold him upright as he crumpled to the ground. Cold sweat beaded across his brow, He tried to scream, to call for help, but his throat tightened¡ªa dry, desperate rasp, no louder than a whisper, choked by despair. The words came out like sand, coarse and useless. "This is for your own good..." chainsaw now trembling in his hand as he stepped near toru his yellow reptilian pupil focused on him "Better than becoming a mindless monster." His eyes bulged as the reality of his fate clawed at his mind. "N-no... na... AHHHHHH!" veins popping under the strain. The chainsaw bit into him, and everything became pain. "NOOO... AH! AHHHH! LEAV¡ªPLEASE¡ªAHHHH! NAAA... ARGHH!" His fingers, one by one, were shredded with terrifying precision, flesh peeling away like paper. Blood spurted in crimson arcs, soaking the ground beneath him, painting the scene in horror as his body jerked violently. "Please... i-i... plea..." His words dissolved into fractured sobs, the sound of a human soul unraveling. "AHHHH ARHH ARHHHH" The madness seemed endless, spiraling deeper with every scream. Above, a few students gathered on the school''s rooftop, but they were no longer individuals. They were frozen statues, faces twisted in a grotesque mix of terror and disbelief. Some could not bear the sight¡ªone boy retched violently, collapsing to his knees, dry-heaving until his chest ached. Others stood in rigid silence, eyes wide, pupils dilated as though the shock had stolen their ability to move, to think, to even blink. Tears welled up in the corners of their eyes, from the sheer magnitude of the horror unfolding below. Their bodies quaked, not from cold, but from the visceral, gut-wrenching fear that gripped them. All they could see was a monster, bathed in blood. . . a boy beneath him, writhing in agony as his fingers were slowly. . . ripped apart while wings of another lay behind his feet, The chainsaw''s rhythm echoed in their ears like a gruesome lullaby, and they were powerless to stop it. The only certainty was that the scene before them would haunt them forever. The nightmare had taken root in their minds, and no amount of time would ever wash away the image of that boy''s desperate pleas or the inhuman cruelty of the monster who stood over him. In the dark, murky slums of tokyo, shadows clung to crumbling walls like grime that could never be scrubbed clean. But inside an abandoned garage, a strange contrast existed¡ªa surprisingly spotless enclave amidst the filth. The faint scent of stale air mixed with oil and rust permeated the room, where an unsettling quiet lingered, broken only by the soft clicking of keys. At the center of the dimly lit space, a white round table gleamed unnaturally in the surrounding gloom. Fingers danced effortlessly across a black laptop, each keystroke containing it''s own noise., black leather gloves masking them. The screen glowed with a cold, bluish hue, casting eerie reflections onto the surfaces nearby, turning this place into a hidden lair in the bowels of the city, cryptic lines of code flickered across the monitor, weaving a web of silent control. Hovering just above the laptop, a single eye¡ªintense and calculating¡ªwatched everything unfold. The pupil contracted and expanded, following the flow of information with practised vigilance. Beside the laptop, a purple flip phone sat perfectly still, its polished surface reflecting the faint light from the screen. It waited, inert but ready, a sentinel in this silent operation. The eye shifted, its gaze flicking to the phone as the green neon digits blinked into focus¡ª4:30 PM. A thumb hovered over the device for a moment before flipping it open with a snap, the click echoing lightly in the quiet room. The glow of the message group chat lit up the display, its bright tones almost foreign in this dark place. A message popped up on the screen. "GUYS! I bought this super fancy new wallet today! It''s a luxury brand only for elites. You guys wouldn''t even understand how much I waited for it! Just wait till you see it, it''s totally gonna elevate my style!" "Good for you setsuna!" A user with bunny face replies. "Ha! grow up, elevate my style~" another with a smirky Picachu riplied. "Poor girl trying to fake status just to get some friends (¤Ã ¡ã§¥ ¡ã;)¤Ã go get it queen! (broken heart emoji)" A jagged red line pulsed through the floating eye, the eye''s erratic movements betraying the fury swelling beneath the surface. It blinked slowly, the weight of bitter frustration sinking in. ''This was too real to be part of the script, these bastards!'' the anger still simmering beneath. Nearby, fingers crackled with a sharp pop, the knuckles releasing pent-up tension with each stretch. The hands¡ªtrembling slightly from a mix of nerves and agitation¡ªdarted over the keyboard, the soft clatter of keys blending into the ambient hum of the room. The keys clacked faster now, driven by a need to restore order, to take back control from whatever chaos will or was ensuring on the other side. Welcome [Cronos] Unlocking the wallet. A blue game-like screen materializes The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Wallet address (1A1sP1eP5QEgi7DMPHUGYUGgyLmhb7hujUYa) Enter your authentication code (. . . . ) An intricate line of code and number were dialled before a confirming screen appeared on the screen. Password accepted. Welcome to the Dragnor network- - - Choose currency: Monero, bitcoin. Entering recipient address XXX XXXXXX X X X XXX Address format verified. Transaction fee - ring signature enabled transaction will be obfuscated. Selecting service A Her eyes, wide and unblinking, hovered above the screen, pupils dilating in a mix of disbelief and excitement as the numbers flickered to life before her. "Never knew Cap was such a big shot!" The monitor flashed the first transfer amount¡ª2000 XMR¡ª"Damn we were so rich!" The thought sliced through her mental fog like a jagged edge, but it wasn''t enough to slow her down. Her fingers were a blur, working on autopilot. Each new account felt like a countdown, each transfer a step deeper into the abyss. Ten different accounts¡ªeach one a link in a new chain that goes in some distant land. Faster. Faster. Faster. Screen flashing on the screen with ton of confirmation. Transaction fragmentation complete ready to proceed? Amount: 20000 XMR , 40 BTC Awaiting network confirmation 0/12 The eye blinks rapidly seeing the total amount. "NEARLY 6 MILLION!?" The words entered her mind Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat louder than the last as the gravity of the number sank in. "SO MUCH MONEY!?!" Her hands trembled, slick with sweat, as she fumbled to input the final calculations. The numbers on the screen blurred as her fingers hovered uncertainly over the keys. How could anyone even manage to get such an amount? The cold sweat on her palms made the keyboard feel slippery as if the weight of the money itself was seeping through her skin, her mind working on it''s conspiracy and thoughts. Her faith started to shake, the promises appeared false a sense of betrayal pang in her heart as she thought of the darker possibilities. Stopping wasn''t an option. She couldn''t stop. Not now ''i need an explanation no matter what'' she took a photo of the screen from her phone. Continue with the transfer WARNING transactions are irreversible Confirm transfer. CONFIRM! Transaction submitted to the blockchain. Your transaction will be anonymized in approximately [1.66] minutes. TRING! The cellphone beeps as another message comes "You better delete the history once your parents found about it you will be grounded for sure" Transaction confirmed: [12/12 confirmations]. Funds were transferred successfully. Transaction obfuscated through [Mixer/service A]. Would you like to delete the transaction history from this device? Transaction history cleared. The levitating hands drifted silently toward the laptop. With a soft click, they closed it, plunging the room into it''s previous thick darkness hum of the machine ceased, leaving only the muted sounds of the outside world. From the gloves, they retrieved a small black pendrive, smooth and a skull marking on it sliding it into one of the laptop''s ports. With an unnatural grace, the hands floated toward the corner of the room. There, on the grimy floor, sat a pinkish bubble its surface shimmering. It was no bigger than a basketball. The hands opened a phone, One last message was typed in. "I know, I do my works unlike you guys!" The message hung in the air for a moment as if taunting the very silence it disturbed. Then, as the words faded from the screen, the hands entered the bubble vanishing like smoke into the air. An eye¡ªcold, disembodied, and unblinking¡ªlingered for the briefest of moments before it, too, was swallowed by the bubble''s shimmering surface. In an instant, the bubble vanished as if it was never there, leaving behind nothing but a white table. The black laptop sat there, still and lifeless, a thin wisp of smoke curling from it a final silent breath from a machine that had seen too much. The room was now empty, save for the faint smell of burnt circuitry and the lingering echo of something no longer there. In the quiet of a simple park, the leaves rustled softly as two people sat on a worn bench, the sound of birds barely masking the tension between them. Both received the same message on their phones. One smiled faintly, almost like a reflex, while the other''s brow furrowed in visible strain. Natsu sighed deeply, the breath leaving him like he was trying to expel the weight in his chest. He leaned back against the bench, his gaze lifting to the sky, watching the clouds drift lazily as if the world outside his mind was untouched by his turmoil. "This feels so wrong¡­ this is¡­ just illegal," he muttered under his breath, his voice almost lost in the wind. Kenta, sitting beside him, let out a chuckle that seemed too relaxed for the moment. His eyes flicked to a tree nearby, fingers tracing the grain of the bench as if it were a distraction. "In which part of this do you think anything is legal?" he said, the sarcasm thinly veiled. "You know I''m not talking about that." Natsu''s voice dropped into a quieter, darker space. A tense silence hung between them, the kind that carried the weight of unsaid truths. Kenta opened his mouth to speak, trying to fill the void. "It''s for the go¡ª" "I don''t want to hear that self-delusional shit," Natsu cut him off, his voice sharp and brittle like glass about to break. His eyes, once fixed on the clouds, now bore into Kenta. "You know this isn''t fucking right from any angle. We. . . we''re just using them like tools." Kenta scratched the back of his head, exasperated, as if the itch could distract him from the conversation he didn''t want to have. "When did we ever say to pretend? Do it for real." "Easy for you to say! You already had a crush on her." Kenta''s eyes narrowed, his patience fraying. "And how the fuck would you know?" "Like fuck I just know you!" Natsu spat, standing suddenly, his footsteps heavy as he walked toward the tree. His fists clenched, shaking with more than just anger. "And ''pretend''? This was all fucking pre-planned! It didn''t just fall from the sky like some lucky love at first sight. We made advances through calculated moves for the sake of using their quirks. It''s like-like a grooming cult." His voice grew louder, trembling as the disgust welled up in his throat, choking the words out. Kenta snapped, rising from the bench, his frustration boiling over. "Then what the fuck were we supposed to do?! What other choice did we have?" His voice echoed off the trees, matching the fury in Natsu''s tone. "But it still doesn''t make it right!" Natsu shouted, his breath visible now as the temperature around him plummeted, his quirk spilling out with his emotions. The wind turned cold, biting at their skin. Kenta''s face hardened, his eyes locking on Natsu. "Then why didn''t you say shit when this was first planned, huh? Why the fuck were you silent then?" He stepped closer, voice low but fierce. "And tell me, fucker, did everything you did¡ªwas it all fake? No feelings, nothing real in all these years?" The ground rumbled beneath him, trembling under the weight of his quirk, Kenta''s quirk answering Natsu''s cold with his own. Natsu''s shoulders slumped as the weight of Kenta''s words settled in. "We don''t even know if what he said was real¡­" His voice trailed off, a bitter sigh escaping him, defeat pulling his eyes down to the ground. Kenta scoffed, his jaw tightening. "This fucker¡­" he muttered, hands gripping his head, fighting his own turmoil. The ground quivered faintly beneath him, barely restrained. "You''re getting cold feet now, bitch?! After all this time, _now_ you decide to break?" Kenta''s voice rose, furious, as he stepped toward Natsu. "When we''re about to actually do something for the world?" Natsu didn''t flinch but turned, his face tight with anger, the chill deepening. "We could do it differently." Kenta laughed, a harsh, mocking sound that had no humour in it. "Oh, really? You think we can walk up to people and say, ''Oh, hey darling, we''re trying to save the world from a hidden, centuries-old villain. Would you pleaaaaase help us?'' You think that shit would work?" He stared at Natsu, who had turned his back again, refusing to meet his eyes. Natsu didn''t answer. His head hung low, fists still clenched at his sides, shoulders shaking slightly as the cold air thickened around him. "That''s not what I meant¡­" he murmured. "Then what the fuck did you mean?" Kenta pressed, his frustration breaking into something more raw. "Forget about him, or your own damn father! You really think you can do shit to even a third-class hero?" Kenta''s voice cracked slightly, but he kept pushing. "Surprise, surprise¡ªwe''re not gods, Natsu. Things won''t be perfect. We''re just trying to save as many as we can while fixing the damn problem itself." "HEY GUYS!" A cheerful voice cut through the frigid tension like a splash of warm water. Both Natsu and Kenta looked toward the source, the blue-haired girl bouncing toward them with a bright smile, her energy like sunlight piercing their stormy atmosphere. Kenta glanced back at Natsu one last time, his expression softening but still steely. "If you feel that guilty, then love her," Kenta said quietly, the words sharp but not unkind. "Love her from your fucking soul, because that''s what I will do Until she decides otherwise, she is all that ever will be" Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked toward the bubbly girl, his pace quickening as she hopped happily toward them. "Let''s go," Kenta said softly, gently taking her hand. "Ehh?" she blinked, confused, her periwinkle irises jumping between both of them. "Is Natsu not coming with us?" Kenta shook his head "He''s already tired of his project. Let''s give him some space." "Ohh¡­" She turned to Natsu with a smile, waving at him. "Do your best, Natsu!" Her voice rang with genuine encouragement, her grin warm and bright. Natsu forced a half-smile in return, lifting his hand in a loose wave, but his heart wasn''t in it. He watched as they walked away, the weight of their conversation hanging heavy in the cold air around him. fist connected with the rough bark of the tree in an instant, freezing the entire treenarea around his fist. The leaves turned sickly white, as frostbite clawed its way through the roots His fist connected with the rough bark of the tree freezing the entire thing at once The air seemed to freeze mid-breath, growing heavy with an icy chill. The leaves darkened, turning a sickly white, as frostbite clawed its way through the roots of tree. Crack! The tree crumbled away like fragile glass, scattering in the wind fragments falling to the ground, glittering like shards of broken ice beneath the dim sky. 1st ARC (prologue) While on the other side, our upcoming hidden heroes find themselves in Mids of chaos as their ideologies clash with one another, and the pending answers for them to solve. Far away from the hustle and bustle of cities, honking of cars and the neons, here in this life devoid place. The sun has set and the moons have arrived, with the shadows of night the stars have also arrived. Thwooom! Sssshhh The rhythmic crash of waves echoed against the jagged coastal rocks, sending sprays of salty mist into the cool evening air. Above, the stars twinkled like scattered diamonds, illuminating the lighthouse''s silhouette. The faint beam from its rotating light swept across the darkened sea, a beacon of hope amidst the encroaching shadows. In the forest behind, the insects chimed in, their chirping a lively chorus that filled the stillness of the night. Woosh The cold breeze travelled through the dense forest surrounding the lighthouse, what''s once was a tourist spot now an area abandoned by the government, and even those who had something to hide, for this whole forest flourishes on the bodies of those who sought to uncover or hide, a place of horror as old as the awakening of quirks, maintained by the part time coastal guard assigned to it. Who didn''t dare step in the shadow of night Yet here a man stood here on the very top of the Arial of lighthouse, his one leg dangling in the air while his dark cloak covered him in entirety, strangely it didn''t even budge as the wind rushed past him, with his back to the forest he calmly watches the ocean with his hand behind him. Yet the thing that stood out was his mask. A Japanese demon mask. Black Skull-like structure while 2 large demon horn came from the forehead, a swirling 3rd eye pattern and 2 mini behind it, it''s menacing golden teeth and nose ring stood out the most. Below in the watch tower, another person seems to be walking in worry, unlike the man this person wore a dark set of clothes and tactical gear perfect for the dweller of night, perfectly covering every inch of the person''s body. Her mask was the only thing giving her identity as a female, a black mask with 2 golden horns wit, a female feature of an Asian women, with some golden letters written on the forehead and a thin golden line on the lower lip. "Hey Boss how long!" she whispered, while looking left and right clearly worried as if something will jump from the forest itself. "Damn it." She muttered, When no answer came, she slammed her fist down on the cold, white railing yet did nothing to ease the knot of dread twisting in her stomach. She sucked in a shaky breath, forcing herself to keep quiet as if the very air in this place demanded her silence. Teeth gritted, she paced in tight, nervous circles, her fingers fumbling, twisting together in rhythm with her growing frustration.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "Of all the fucking places it had to be here!" Her mind flashed with snippets of news she''d read, stories of this forsaken place. A shiver raced up her spine, a warning prickling her skin. "Fuck!" catching sight of a bleached skeleton sprawled somewhere just beyond the tree line, half-hidden under a moss-draped rock. Her heart skittered, and she scrambled back inside. She slammed the window glass door shut and dropped onto a small, threadbare yellow couch, pulling her knees up as though that could shield her from the eerie woods. Her gaze drifted reluctantly to the ocean, a desolate expanse of dark water that seemed to stretch on forever. She swallowed, her mouth dry. More than seven hundred souls lost¡ªmissing or dead. And not just in recent history; no, this was old. "Forget about the government," she muttered, half to herself "even the dumbest of dumbo don''t come here." Her body stiffened as another dreadful realization hit her like a wave, icy and unyielding. "And that was a century-old report," she whispered, her voice quivering. She checked her phone, a last-ditch effort for connection. But, of course, no signal. She groaned. "The fuck are they thinking, government didn''t abandon this entire side of the coast for nothing" The gnawing fear within her chest quickly morphed into something angrier. She slammed her fist into her thigh, leaping from the couch. She was done with this madness. "It''s all that bastard''s fault. How dare he make¡ª" TAP. "Eiiiiiikkkk!" Her hand flew to her chest as her heart hammered wildly, nearly escaping its cage of ribs. The world spun for a moment before she caught sight of a figure leaning against the white railing outside, calmly gazing out over the vast, haunted ocean. "Something is here," the man murmured, his voice so low it barely seemed real. He remained still, seemingly unfazed, his eyes fixed on a dark shape cresting in the waves. Then¡ª Whoosh! Crash! The ocean was stirring, waves swelling higher, surging towards them. She threw the window open, stepping closer, unwilling to leave him alone but wary of the shadows creeping along the treeline. She scanned every corner of the forest, each flicker of movement tightening the knot of anxiety coiled in her gut. BOOM! Her breath caught. "There is something under the water," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but he didn''t respond, his gaze locked somewhere she couldn''t see. BOOOM! Then, with a trembling finger, she pointed to the sea, her heart racing as the dark waters began to part, revealing something massive, something impossible. "I-it''s coming, BOSS!" Her voice quivered, as she tried to wake her boss. The man''s eyes met hers¡ªempty, hollow, a piercing shade of blue that sent ice through her veins. A grin seemed to twist beneath his mask, its demon-like expression somehow alive and malevolent. "You''re lucky that I''m with you," he said quietly, his voice as steady as stone, "others would have not let it slide. . . I am your boss, but he" BOOOOOM! A shockwave blasted across the water, spraying mist that glowed under the pale moonlight. She stumbled back, her eyes wide, horrified at the sight rising from the depths. KREAANNNNGGGG! A monstrous roar shattered the silence, loud enough to make the very trees tremble. Her boss stood there with his arms open, welcoming the nightmarish creature as even even his unmoving cloak fluttered in the force of its arrival. The whole forest seemed to freeze in response, every insect and creature swallowed by silence, afraid to draw its attention. The creature loomed tall, thunder dancing along its spiny back, its scales glistening with an unearthly blue sheen, mesmerizing yet deadly. It stood atop the jagged coral stones, towering toward the lighthouse, its enormous yellow eyes fixed directly on her. "Fucking Christ," she whispered, her voice barely a breath, her body trembling. She felt the creature''s gaze press into her, its monstrous yellow eyes filling her vision. Even her boss, normally so unyielding, seemed to stiffen, a flicker of surprise breaking in. "Welcome home, Captain, thought you''d forgotten about us." The creature snarled, its voice like rolling thunder, "Playtime is over, Yaksa. . . I need names." She blinked, rooted in place, a deep, visceral refusal welling up in her. ''This can''t be real¡­'' Her boss turned toward her, an eerie smile implied beneath his mask. His eyes gleamed with a dark thrill animating his face. "Oh, did I forget to mention?" "This is our home... the Forest of Rot." ''Mother fucking helllll!'' Chapter 16 - Night before light Somewhere hidden from the common eyes, a vast boundless room glistened under the faint sickly yellow light, whereas the floor was white as light, the ceiling above an abyss, black as darkest night, the walls yet to be found in the dim lit room. The light flickered slightly, adding a pulsating rhythm to the tense silence. Ten silhouettes sat on black metallic chairs which ate the yellow ambient light Between them, a round, milky white table seemed almost luminous in its purity, a lone beacon in an this dungeon. A subtle tension crept in the room, each flicker of person only added to the tension. "If I may, why am I the only one in a white chair?" a voice, a pitch higher than normal but smooth like butter, tinged with a sly playful note, came from pure black silhouette. It''s dark fingers drumming on the armrest, only his eyes and chair indicated his presence in the room full of shadow. The room remained deathly still. The response was more palpable in the slight rustle of a chair or the exasperated sighs than any spoken words. A few figures exchanged knowing glances¡ªsome weary, others had a curve of smirk. "Is that because I am blac¡ª" "Ahh! Seriously? Change with me or Shinso if you like" a single gentle yet strict voice cut through the silence. The voice was sharp, annoyed, The woman''s bright yellow gaze was a knife, slicing through the shadow''s playful facade. "Ah, ha ha f-forgive me elder sister, I was merely trying to break the ice. . . although, dark blue doesn''t quite aid me." The words tumbled out, half-defensive, half-joking. A shift of posture. "You can get the spare ones," Shinso''s voice interjected, calm yet tired, his finger pointing behind them, half a dozen chair lined up, like soldiers in reserve. ". . . They are all white." The silhouette''s voice dropped, a hint of defeat and annoyance. Shinso''s mouth twitched¡ªa smile almost too small to notice. "If you were to open your eyes, edge lord, you might see that one is crimson." "You!" The shadow flared. Tap! Tap! A sharp, steady pat on the table brought the building energy to a halt. The room turned as one, eyes locking on the figure who had broken the brewing conflict. He stood slowly, His suit, was light grey with a milky white shirt underneath, and his silver tie glinted like a subtle weapon. His spiky brown hair cast slight shadows over his smooth face, which held a smile that could have belonged to a well-practised salesman. "I know you guys have your questions and doubts." he began, his voice travelling through the room pulling the attention of every pair of eyes. Some shifted uneasily, fingers tapping restlessly against the armrests. Others settled into stillness, their expressions masks of unreadable intent. One person massaged their temple. "Maybe a little lost too, which would be. . . weird if you weren''t," he added, the corners of his lips pulling up just a fraction more. . . the humour fell flat. A woman in the room clenched her jaw, eyes narrowing, the steel in her voice ringing out when she spoke. "Will you JUST get started?" Her tone sliced through the space like a blade. Eyes shifted to her, meeting her fierce dusky green glare, her arms folded tightly across her chest, as hereyes locked on the man in the grey suit. BAM! Her fist met the table with a force that echoed around the room. She leaned forward, eyes ablaze, every word a bullet. "I didn''t come here for chit chat, I came here for answers! Where did that shit come from? And why did you three never mention anything to us?" "H-hey, Setsu! B-be a little more polite." The small girl next to her had a big blob of brown hair which shock as she peeked nervously between Setsuna and the man who now wore a careful, composed smile. "It''s fine." Kenta''s voice was gentle, calm. "And I just don''t want to know, I want f.u.c.k.i.n.g proof, okay?" The demand left an echo that settled uncomfortably in the air. "And answers we will, as for proof, what better option than the police?" "Oh and welcome to light" "Tsk! so who was he." "He was an angel." The answer rang in a different room, it felt too small, the walls pressing in, burdened with a thousand other cases, each one a testament to the weight word can carry. the detective was harfly fighting the exhaustion that clawed at him. "Officer, officer¡­ HELLO!" The banker''s hand, fleshy and insistent, cut through the air like a pendulum, pulling Naomasa back into the moment. "Oh!" The officer''s voice cracked with forced alertness. The realization slapped him ''The interview'' His mind scrambled for composure. "Umm, sorry about that, just a little, these days." His lips twitched in a weak smile, a failed attempt to mask the toll of sleepless nights and caffeine-stained mornings. The shadow of stubble and hollows beneath his eyes betrayed him. The banker chuckled, the sound hollow, rehearsed. His skin-tone suit strained against the curve of his stomach, and the shine on his balding head glimmered under the lights. "I totally get it, officer. Pulled a lot of sleepless nights for the promotions." The laugh settled in his throat like a dying ember. ". . . .what question did I ask, if I may?" Naomasa''s voice thinned, the question hanging like a lifeline he wasn''t sure he wanted to grasp. "You asked who he was." "Ah, yes, sorry." He leaned back, eyes scanning his phone, searching for the rote words that he already knew but needed to read again to center himself. The device''s glow reflected in his weary eyes. "Let me repeat again, in case I forgot. This whole conversation is being recorded, and according to the law, it shall be used in the ongoing case, code¡ª20." He cleared his throat. "So, Mr. Suzuki, henceforth called Mr. Banker, according to our reports, you have been maintaining Jin Asano''s account and funds for nearly half a decade." "Onasa¡­ yes, I have been working on his accounts for four years, and as I said, he really is an angel." A pause. Naomasa''s expression tightened imperceptibly, his mind racing. A thousand threads of logic and suspicion wove through his thoughts, tangled in disbelief. An angel? This case, twisted and grim, was not one where such claims fit neatly. He bit back a groan. ''This is the worst case of the fucking century.'' His lips curved into a blank smile. "Is it because he''s an angel. . . that your bank didn''t bother to check on Mr. Asano, or Onasa, on his," he pecked at his phone''s screen, "207 transactions?" A heavy breath filled his chest, then left in a slow exhale. The room closed around him, the sterile air tasting bitter with the memory of sleepless nights, the case had lot more details then he let out, only hispers and secrets he couldn''t report without violating his word to Yagi, the case was bigger than both parties understood, only he knew how much of a mess this is. The banker shrugs with a soft smile. "That''s why he''s the angel" ''In the name of Jesus Christ. . . please just take me to sleep.'' He set his jaw, the line of exhaustion in his face hardening. "Mr. Banker, from what I know, the bank has a security system that warns them about these kinds of transactions and suspicious activity?" His voice was steady, probing. The banker''s eyes widened in a slow, deliberate movement, the flicker of surprise breaking through his polished demeanour. "Oh. . . did they only give you records till last month?" Naomasa''s brow furrowed, the twist of confusion deepening the lines of fatigue. He checked his phone, fingers stiff with the weight of apprehension. "Yes. . . why?" "Hahaha ha haa , Cough! Cough!" "Excuse me for that. . . But if we exclude the bigger transactions, over the past six years, Mr. Onasa has donated a total of $18 million through nearly 527,000 small transactions. We did discuss the matter, but. . . it''s just charity, you can not stop him" "When the bank deemed he was safe, we started giving routine inspection. . . and then the rest history, not that anyone can prove it was used for illegal work" The banker''s face became a little flustered, something that naomasa missed. Naomasa''s head throbbed as if it might split apart. His vision blurred, struggling to process the figures. Forty-three million and he''s only turning 17, eleven years old when this started'' It was unfathomable. His thoughts spiralled, unable to piece together the details. It felt like the ground beneath him was shifting, the case slipping from his grasp. ''Maybe I should withdraw from this¡­ Ah, but my quirk.'' In the past few days, Naomasa had cursed more than in his entire life. "And officer." the banker continued, a pause following his words "the bank monitors accounts if we suspect any suspicious activity. . . We froze his account in the first week it was created." "Nearly a million vanished in few hours, officer. We. . . my junior shat their pants." Naomasa''s breath caught a sharp intake that nearly choked him. His hands shot up in front of him, palms out as if to halt an oncoming train. "Wait wait wait¡ªnothing, I mean, it just doesn''t make sense to me." "Sign~ Tell me if I''m lying." unblinking. "What is your quirk?" "I don''t have any. He has donated 700,000 dollars to random people on the streets¡ªaddicts, homeless, lost, anyone. . . been doing it ever since, you never know what goes in his mind, The best day to meet him is when you''re at your worst." ''Well it seems those children weren''t having a bad day'' he chuckled at his own dark humour. Naomasa''s mind raced, and stumbling over the revelation, he rubbed his hands on his eyes ever so harshly, the banker carefully looked at the detective "Forget that, what did senior management tell you? Or did they just hand you stacks of records?" The banker broke a small smile "Well, yes. . . only 2 months, first time a bank has been this incorporative, so what are you implying?" "Nothing." the banker said slowly. "What could I imply? I''m also the bank, you know."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The banker''s gaze flickered subtly to the microphone resting between them¡ªa silent signal understood in an instant. Naomasa''s eyes narrowed, his eyebrow arching as he caught the unspoken exchange. Cough! The man cleared his throat. "Would it be possible to take a break, Detective? I''m just a single salaryman and haven''t had the luxury of food today. . . i am risking my health for you" Naomasa''s gaze shifted momentarily to the corner of the ceiling, where the red light of the security camera glowed with an ominous presence. It seemed more unsettling than ever, a sharp reminder of the dark realities embedded in his line of work¡ªcases so grim they left scars on any who dared to probe too deeply. "Sanasa, close the room." He met the old man''s eyes, seeing a flicker of understanding before a slow nod. "The interview is over for now." Click. The lights on the CCTVs and the recorders in the room dimmed to nothing. Tap. Tap. The banker leaned forward, gently tapping the now-dead devices to check their status. Naomasa''s sharp eyes tracked each movement, reading the language of his body. Stressed and scared? The thought crossed his mind as he noted the tremor in the man''s fingers. "Four years ago, a brand-new account with a history of 2 years under the name Onasa appeared. No photo, no full name, no address¡ªjust a paper proving Japanese citizenship and another saying it was open for 2 years. . . no records either, but it contained a million dollars." "When I asked senior management what was going on, they said it belonged to a high-ranking individual and the identity was protected." "How is that possible? Even if it''s a spy, there would be a photo or some fake documents." Naomasa said sceptically. "That''s what I thought. But I didn''t press the issue, maybe they chose me because they knew, people like me hardly get job and we would clung to what we have." Naomasa''s expression softened, a twinge of guilt making its way to the surface. He had seen too many cases of discrimination¡ªthe society was very good at alienating others. "I''m sorry." The man shook his head dismissively. "The interesting part is, a few days ago, a woman with the surname Asano died in a villain attack. Some of the juniors were talking about it. She had a small child and no known relatives." Naomasa''s eyes widened. "You mean¡ª" "No, I''m not implying a conspiracy. My memory isn''t the best, but it felt like I''d heard that name somewhere before." "She worked as a nurse in the same mental hospital where my mother was admitted. I recalled her name when the doctor informed me that she''d died in a villain attack. . . they didn''t want to tell my mother." Naomasa detected no signs of deception, but confusion clouded his thoughts. ''Were they friends or what'' "In high school, I lost both my little brother and my father in a villain attack. From then on, my mother. . . she was taken care by her, she was a little to paranoid and superstitious so we just told that the nurse moved abroad." "That story just stayed with me, and I was just promoted to a full-time private banker" "I was assigned to this Onasa figure. I still don''t know how or why they picked a newbie like me, but they did." Naomasa took a steady breath as the banker''s voice droned on. "Asano and Onasa . . . Onasa and Asano," the banker said, the syllables rolling off his tongue like a whispered confession. "I didn''t think it was some sick coincidence." A slight smile ghosted on banker''s lips. "I just couldn''t hold my curiosity, so I looked around. Nothing illegal, officer." "Huff." Naomasa returned the smile, a reflex that betrayed his own unease. The banker''s gaze sharpened, his expression flickering "The weird fact is, I didn''t find any trace of Miss Asano''s account . . . not even her son''s account. It was erased¡ªno record, no nothing. Like it never existed." The words settled like ash in the silence that followed. Naomasa''s mind churned, the gravity of it all pulling him deeper into a web he wasn''t sure he could untangle. "And that''s when things started to click for me." the banker continued, voice low, nearly conspiratorial. "If only her account was gone, that would be one thing, but the son''s too, and then this new account with no record . . . Look, I know I work great, but not great enough to be working on an account like this." Naomasa''s brows knit, the pulse at his temple thrumming a steady beat. "Maybe you got the wrong name." ". . . . . . . . . . . . . . ." "Cough! Please continue." he urged. "The time we froze his account instead of him . . . a government official paid us a visit. I don''t know what for, but it probably had to do with the donations. This happened 2-3 times more." Naomasa leaned forward, eyes narrowing as the banker''s voice dropped. "Then we finnaly met onasa, the seniors were werdly respectable of this small guy, He had the voice of an adult and always wore a white mask. Every time he came, there was a new hair color, different eyes. Unlike others, I didn''t think it was a quirk or some bizarre side effect. I knew it was a kid. It was her son." ". . . How?" The banker swallowed, his face a canvas of conflicted emotions. "Paintings. Onasa is one of the most famous painters in the chambers. He . . ." His voice faltered, the hesitation palpable. He pushed on, determined. "Miss Asano once gifted one of her child''s paintings to my mother. It was not something a kid could draw, I mean, usualy. It was a little mockingbird, rendered with such detail and intricate designs . . . just like Onasa''s work." Naomasa nodded, even though art was as foreign to him as the language of the wealthy elite. The banker noticed, a flash of impatience breaking through his composed exterior. "You do know that art can be sold for millions, if not hundreds of thousands, right? and. . . " The banker''s voice trailed of. "Either way, that''s what I believe." he finished, the tension coiling in the room like a drawn bowstring. Naomasa pressed his lips together, feeling the weight of every unanswered question. "But this doesn''t explain the secrecy around the bank." he said, his voice edged with frustration. The banker looked at him, eyes distant, then shook his head as if dismissing a thought. For a moment, Naomasa felt as though he were dangling by a thread over a chasm of uncertainty. The world spun around him, uncaring, as the case twisted into a deeper maze. "This case just keeps getting worse and worse" Naomasa murmured, almost to himself. He met the banker''s eyes, searching for any sign of hope. "So, did you ask the management about it?" The banker leaned forward, eyes narrowing as he peered beneath the table, searching for unseen spectres. "There is only one recording device" naomasa explained. "Look, kid, there are only two places where your kind face _the_ most accidents. One of them is here." Before Naomasa could even let a frown form, the banker waved a dismissive hand. "Don''t make faces at me, kid. I''ve been here for 30 years¡ªyour whole damn lifetime I''ve spent working." Naomasa held his expression still, but his mind stirred uneasily. The man''s words carried the weight of bitter experience, like weathered iron clanging against fragile glass. "And nowhere," the banker continued "have I seen more accidents than when your kind snoops around a bank''s secrets. You get me?" A weary nod was all Naomasa could muster, his head dropping slightly. The exhaustion gnawed at him¡ªwhether it stemmed from the sleepless nights, the relentless pace of the case, or the possibility that this jaded man''s words held some grim truth, he couldn''t tell. "If the bank wants to hide something, they''ll bury you with the evidence" the banker muttered, voice dropping to a growl. His eyes softened for a brief, uncharacteristic moment. "Look, kid. Go home. Meet your loved ones, start a family, have kids, and stay. with. them. No one, not a single soul except your loved ones, is going to remember you or the extra you give here." A muscle in Naomasa''s jaw twitched, and his face fell. The conversation was straying into dangerous, disheartening territory and he knew it wasn''t wrong, everything was wrong with the case. WHIRR! WHIRR! The sound of the coffee machine rumbled to life, slicing through the silence with mechanical indifference. The old, once-pristine white machine rattled as it dispensed the dark liquid into a flimsy, disposable cup, a few hesitant drops splattering onto the counter. Naomasa''s gaze settled on the trickling coffee, the glossy, black surface reflecting his thoughts¡ªthe unresolved case and the maze of dead ends. Tap! A firm touch on his shoulder jolted him from his trance. He turned to see the banker, holding a cup of coffee and offering a tired nod. "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Suzuki," Naomasa said, his voice carrying a formality that felt empty. The banker took a long sip, his eyes barely meeting Naomasa''s . "Stay safe, kid, " he whispered. As the banker''s back receded, steps heavy toward the exit, Naomasa''s thoughts were just as leaden. This case was proving more elusive than he''d imagined, spiraling into murkier depths, with even Mr. Suzuki seeming like he harbored risks of his own. Another secret to guard, another question unanswered. Naomasa bent low, offering a respectful 90-degree bow. "Once again, thank you for your help. I will keep your advice close to heart." A crooked grin appeared on Suzuki''s face, half-hidden as he glanced over his shoulder. "You''d better find yourself a young Latino, kid. They''ve got an angelic grip on this game." The other officers, clad in orange uniforms, exchanged uneasy glances and nodded to Naomasa as if keeping their distance from the old man''s brazen comment. ''Lecherous old man'' Naomasa thought, a reluctant smirk shadowing his tired face. "Well, there goes your angle." one officer with cat-like face muttered, eyes flicking toward the departing banker. Naomasa straightened, resting his arms in his pocket, an almost defiant spark igniting in his weary eyes. "More like my death angels" the bitterness of truth settling around him like a shroud.
Under the oppressive shroud of night, a figure stood, cloaked in shadows that swallowed even the moonlight filtering through the jungle''s dense canopy. His outfit mirrored that of the assassin woman on the lighthouse¡ªa shade darker blending seamlessly into the night. The rhythmic chirping of insects provided an unsettling soundtrack, the cool breeze whispered, The whites of his eyes, the only mark of his existence as he stood blending in shadows. Before him, a set of stone steps descended into the earth, their surface fractured, Moss oozed down their uneven edges, clusters of fungi and stubborn vines that coiled into the black abyss below. His gaze fell to the fresh indentations in the crumbling steps, footprints that spoke of someone else''s descent into whatever awaited below. "An angel for sure" he muttered.
UGHH! UGHH! The muffled cries echoed through the suffocating void, each sound trembling with terror. The darkness was alive, pressing down on the chamber with a sentient weight.The faint gasps and fragmented sobs of a woman drifted like a ghost''s wail, trapped and restless. Her pleas for mercy crumbled against the damp, unfeeling walls. SUHFF! FUSHH! A desperate rustling of fabric followed, a panic-driven struggle that only fueled the tightening grip of dread. Eeeer-chkk! Eeeer-chkk! The chair groaned under her weight as she thrashed, metal against wood singing in protest. Chains, coiled around her arms and legs, mocked her efforts with their hollow jingle¡ªa morbid applause echoing in the chamber of horror. Each rattle was a song of defeat. UGH! UHHH AGHH! A stifled, throaty scream forced its way out, dying beneath the gag that smothered her voice. Blood, warm and slick, trickled down from where it matted her pinkish-black hair, dripping onto her trembling, nail-less fingers. tap! Tap! TAp! Her eyes snapped widened terror shining in the pink depths as the soft, deliberate rhythm of footsteps sliced through the dark, carving the seconds into painful shards of anticipation. UUHHH! UGHHH! The footsteps grew louder and louder, tears surged, spilling hotly down her bruised cheeks. She strained against the bindings, the chains biting deeper as she quaked with panic. Tap! Tap! Tap. . . TAP! Click. CHINK! NUGH NUHHHHH! NUGHHHHHH! Metal met metal as the locks on the door released, her muffled cries spiked, a chorus of desperation. Click! A sudden flick, and light flooded the room. She blinked rapidly, pupils shrinking against the harsh glare. For a moment, confusion silenced her. The figure before her wasn''t cloaked in the demonic visage she had dreaded¡ªno monstrous mask, no shroud of death. Instead, he stood there with hair as red as fresh blood, a stark white mask concealing all but the most chilling detail eyes. Yellow, reptilian eyes, narrow and cold, tracing her bound body with meticulous interest. Yet her her gaze drifted past him, the body bags Yes! they had to be i-it can''t l Thump! Thump! Thump! Her dreams shattered as the three black bags, tied in coarse brown ropes, writhed grotesquely like worms, smearing thin trails of blood across the cold, unforgiving concrete. The muffled groans of pain that seeped from within them clawed at her mind, striking a dark chord of familiarity that sent a violent shiver racing down her spine. A sickening churn rose in her stomach, bile creeping up, acidic and sharp, as her knees threatened to give way beneath her. The figure in the room, cloaked in shadows that seemed to shift and breathe, turned his head toward her and the wriggling bags. A small, cruel chuckle slithered from his lips, filling the silence like poison. "No, i-i¡ª" Her voice faltered, cracking into a stifled sob that barely escaped her throat. The terror gripped her chest like a vice, suffocating, immobilizing. Her wide, horror-stricken eyes followed the man as he strode toward the largest bag. Each step echoed, heavy a prelude to a nightmare. Whump! His boot came down with a sickening thud, pinning what could only be the bag''s head to the ground. The grotesque bundle squirmed desperately beneath him, He reached behind him, the metallic gleam of a gun emerging into the dim light. Her breath caught as realization struck, sharp as a blade. Creakkk! Crackk! The chair beneath her screamed in protest as her body quaked uncontrollably. She sobbed, helpless and bound, watching the man''s foot press harder into the bag. "UGHHHH NUH NUHHH PLUUUUHHHH" "Should have raised them right, old man." the voice rasped. Tears poured down her face in torrents, scorching her cheeks as they fell. The agony carved its way through her, raw and tearing. This wasn''t just her torture; it was the annihilation of everything she had ever loved. The specter of death loomed close, but the death of her loved ones cut deeper than any blade. The red-haired man''s head tilted slightly as he turned his gaze back to her. A flicker of amusement curled his lip. "Oh, right." He approached her, his boots dragging crimson streaks in their wake as he lifted his foot off the motionless bag. His voice dropped to a whisper, laced with mockery. "Any last words for your father?" A hand reached down, ripping the suffocating cloth from her mouth. The sudden rush of air stung as she gasped, her chest heaving. The words spilled out in a hoarse, desperate cry. "Dad, I¡ª" THOFF! The sound was sharp, final. The bullet met its target before her voice had even faded. Time seemed to shatter around her; the shell casing fell with a metallic _clink_ that resonated in her soul, final and cruel. Her lips hung open, the unfinished word hovering like a ghost in the air. "am. . . . . . . .sorry" The silence that followed was unbearable. She met his eyes, those cold, lifeless windows devoid of anything human. He didn''t blink, didn''t flinch. He was a predator, and she was already dead inside. THOFF! THOFF! THOFF! THOFF! The gun roared again, each shot a thunderous punctuation mark that silenced any hope left in the room. Her father''s body stilled, and the room itself seemed to inhale, holding its breath. The rattle of bullet casings on the floor was a sound lost to her, the cries from the other two bags were a distant wail, muted by the thick fog of grief. Her vision blurred, tears blending with the blood that painted the scene in red. She slumped forward, silent, shattered beyond repair. She stared at the floor, the cold reflecting her numbness as the room dimmed around her. Her captor''s eyes never left her eyes. "They will kill me." "And i will kill your entire bloodline." ". . .I-i¡ª" Click. "NOOOO! I-I WILL TALK" The air shifted, shadows deepening into a living, rippling blackness. From the dark emerged a figure, head bowed, fist pressed to the ground with the bearing of a knight pledging loyalty. "Welcome back, teacher, welcome to night" Chapter 17 The air thickened, shifting ominously as shadows pooled and deepened, forming a rippling blackness that seemed almost alive. From the suffocating dark, a figure emerged¡ªa man with his head bowed, one fist pressed to the ground, his posture exuding the solemnity of a knight pledging fealty. "Welcome back, teacher," came the voice, reverent and steady. Jin stood motionless, his eyes looking at the shadow his tone laced with irritation. "How many times do I have to tell you the same thing?" Shihai raised his head, his lips parting as though to respond, but Jin silenced him with a dismissive wave. "It''s fine¡ªshe''s going to die." Shihai''s mouth closed, his expression unreadable. Bowing low, he averted his gaze, his eyes falling to the cold concrete floor beneath him. The room''s tension grew unbearable as Jin shifted his attention. "And for you¡ª" A sharp gasp escaped the woman as Jin''s hand shot out, grabbing her by the hair and lifting her from the chair with an almost casual cruelty. Her body trembled violently, her breath catching as his monstrous, reptilian eyes bore into hers. Even in her terror, she couldn''t look away. "If even a single hair of my people is harmed because of your lies or information," Jin growled, his voice low and venomous, "then I can guarantee you¡ªwhat you just saw, will be mercy." "Am I clear?!" "Y-y-es," she stammered, nodding nervously. Her legs gave way as he released her, letting her collapse back into the chair. Without sparing her another glance, Jin turned and began walking toward the lifeless body sprawled on the floor. "How is your training going?" Shihai straightened slightly, his voice steady yet cautious. "I''m diligently working through your theories¡­ and the other one, that too." Jin paused, glancing at him with a mixture of surprise and intrigue. "What did Mahito say?" Shihai''s gaze lowered in deference. "It was through the Priest''s will that I delved into the depths of da- my Quirk. . . I have passed his test¡ªin glory, Teacher." For a moment, Jin was silent, his expression unreadable behind the stark white mask. Then, faintly, a smile tugged at his lips. "Show me." His hand extended toward the woman''s father''s body as he pointed a gun in the direction of the corpse. "Take his body." "NO! PLEASE!, WAIT I-I!" The woman''s desperate cries shattered the room''s oppressive silence. Her voice dyed down as she felt a blade or something cold hanging behind her neck Jin had his eyes still focused on his student "The dead are gone. Focus on those who remain." His gaze shifted to the other two bag "Feed him to the pigs, and make sure the other two reach their place." Shihai bowed low, murmuring, "As you wish." He closed his eyes, focusing intently. The muscles in his left hand tensed as his other palm pressed firmly to the ground. A sharp exhale escaped him. His breath steadied, his heartbeat pounding in his ears as an odd warmth coursed through his heart to his hand, like water sweat over his skin. "Mirage!" His hand phased through the ground. The room transformed as pale yellow light replaced the faint white glow. The concrete floor turned blacker than tar, swallowing the faint traces of life in the room. Shadows, once scattered, flowed together, merging with the floor until they swirled like a living vortex¡ªa harbinger of chaos, as if the gates of hell had opened themselves to the mortal realm. Jin stared at his hands, the transformation a stark reminder of the boundaries he was beginning to cross. His pale skin had turned pitch black, the texture unnervingly smooth, as if he himself were becoming part of the shadows that churned around him. His bright red hair had gone stark white, devoid of its human vibrancy, like a bleached relic of something long dead. The room felt alive, as though it had become a sentient entity feeding off the despair within it. The chair, the boots, the lifeless body, and even the figures still able to move began to collapse, swallowed by the writhing shadows that consumed the space. Jin''s lips twitched upward in a rare moment of pure, unrestrained elation. His eyes gleamed, catching the faint shimmer of light still flickering in the oppressive darkness. ''It''s possible" he thought, the words almost sacred in his mind. The woman sat frozen, her breath shallow and uneven. To her, the room had transformed into a nightmare, a realm devoid of hope or humanity. The silhouettes of the figures before her. The blood pooling from her father''s lifeless form dissolved into the inky black swamp, swallowed like a meaningless offering to this abyss. The body bags, now stark white against the blackened swamp, writhed unnaturally, resembling massive worms squirming in the muck of a sewer. Every sound was muffled, every color drained. Her mind buckled under the weight of it all. Defeat seeped into her, heavier than the air around her. She closed her eyes, unable to fight anymore. Jin''s voice broke through the silence "How much can you carry?" His eyes flicked to the floor as his hand brushed the shadows pooling beneath him. It wasn''t stable; it shifted constantly under his touch. One moment, it felt like water¡ªits density fluctuating unpredictably. The next, it was like gas, a formless substance with a wild, chaotic temperature that burned and froze in equal measure. His gaze shifted to Shihai, his expression briefly betraying surprise before he masked it with a sharp exhale. Behind Shihai stood the entity¡ªa shadow that defied natural form. It wasn''t merely an extension of Shihai''s body but a separate being, monstrous and watchful, its sinister red eyes fixed on Jin. "I haven''t tested beyond twice my weight," Shihai replied, his voice steady, though his shadow seemed to ripple unnaturally. "The Priest insisted I focus on speed instead." "Now''s your chance," Jin said, his tone a mix of command and expectation. "Show me what you''ve got." The demon behind Shihai moved suddenly, its elongated arm stretching upward, clawing at the air with an unnatural grace. As it shifted, the bodies of the three targets began to sink into the abyssal swamp. The viscous blackness pulled them under as though eager to consume them. Jin felt an alien sensation, as though he himself were being dragged into quicksand, the darkness clinging to him with a will of its own. Within moments, the bodies vanished, Shihai and his shadow retreating into the void as seamlessly as they had come. The oppressive darkness just vanished, and the pale yellow glow of the room''s light timidly crept back into existence. Jin stood still, his chest rising and falling as he processed what he had just witnessed. His usual composure was rattled, a faint tremor of fear mixing with astonishment. Even in his previous life, Shihai''s Quirk had fascinated him. But now, seeing it evolve, seeing its boundless potential, stirred something deeper. ''Darkness'' the word resonating in his mind. Not to be confused with shadows¡ªShihai''s ability wasn''t a mere manipulation of light and absence not in this world, It was something far more primal, an aspect of existence different than his world. Quirks like Shoji''s Dupli-Arms or Bakugo''s Explosions were extensions of physical traits or chemical reactions¡ªapplications of fixed properties. But Shihai''s power was raw, formless. Darkness wasn''t a tool, it was a concept. An idea. . . who comes without limitations. Jin''s thoughts raced as he tried to quantify it. What qualified as darkness in this super natural world. Was it the absence of light? A metaphysical space? The crushing weight of fear? The potential was infinite, terrifying in its breadth. Even the simplest concept¡ªstrength, for example¡ªwere dangerous enough. Was strength just muscle power? Speed? The force of a punch or a kick? Or was it durability? Even the aspect of the concept (strength) when broken down, could create something devastating like quicksilvers speed or hulks strength. And here was Shihai, wielding something as vast and unknowable as darkness itself, yet he simple jumps in shadow, which could be very dangeros if used correct but then again. It''s like using gravity to bend spoons. Jin''s mind churned as he replayed the spectacle he had just witnessed. His student''s power was a cruel mockery of what it could be¡ªwhat it should be. In the original, he was nerfed, Nerfed beyond recognition. A Quirk like his¡ªdarkness itself¡ªand all they let him do is jump from one shadow to another? Shadow and darkness are completely different things! His thoughts burned as he considered the potential left untapped, the boundaries shattered if Shihai truly embraced the nature of his Quirk. Darkness wasn''t just a trick for evasion. It was vast, unknowable¡ªa primal force this realization festered alongside another thought Mahito''s mask, his nerdy dream coming to reality because of his friend. Before he could dwell further, a voice rang out, cutting through the lingering silence of the room. "Oh, and Teacher" voice spoke smoothly, almost tired. "Please don''t forget the ceremony." Jin froze, his head snapping back. There was no one there. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the dim room, his gaze piercing the shadows for signs of movement. Nothing. His expression tightened, suspicion mingling with curiosity. The woman, standing motionless and bloodied before him, didn''t react. Her face remained blank, her spirit broken. She hadn''t heard it.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ''I see'' he looked down "I''m talking through your shadow, Teacher" the voice continued, a hint of amusement laced in its tone. "I apologize if you find this rude." Jin''s lips curled into a wide feral smile. The shadows at his feet rippled faintly, the sound of the voice seeming to resonate directly in his mind. "Quite the contrary." The smile lingered as he turned toward the woman, his movements slow, deliberate. The woman trembled under his gaze, the faint flicker of light in the room casting her in a ghastly pallor. His hand moved toward her, brushing her blood-slick fingers with a detached elegance, his tone growing softer yet more menacing. "And do not forget." voice low but resonant "even in the darkest of night, there is a faint light." "But" he step back as his eyes bore into her "for hurting a child, there is only plight." "For the light." the voice intoned from shadow. "For the light" jin echoed. ''A new yonkai''
Earlier the day. A perfect world... or so it seemed. A world where heroes thrive in abundance, standing tall as beacons of hope, and villains retreat to the shadows. Yet, in the undercurrents of society, beneath the surface of this so-called utopia, ideologies clash and fester¡ªhidden within the very breath of civilization. In this perfect society the smell remains. The slums, much like one might expect, carry their own stench¡ªa potent of neglect and decay. To the untrained eye, to those with simple minds, this place reeks of trash. Of filth. Of impurity. Society tells us it is home only to those who have fallen behind, the ones it labels the lowest of the low. That is the story we''ve been fed. Just like the day, The beggar sat there, his hands broken and outstretched toward you. His gaze, hollow and pleading, sought only the faintest scrap of humanity. But your mother pulled you close, tucking you protectively under her arm as though the very sight of him could taint you. Without a word, she turned away, ignoring his existence entirely. You didn''t understand then, but somewhere in the back of your mind the weight remains, until you like many before you suppress it to annihilation. The slums¡ªthey''re not just an unfortunate reality. They persist, flourishing in the cracks of this "perfect" world. Not every city can be Musutafu, the radiant home of heroes and dreams. No. Some cities are left behind. Left to rot. A festering reminder of the price of perfection The slum stretches around a murky canal, its dark waters flowing sluggishly between towering, tightly packed buildings. The structures, worn with time and neglect, are a patchwork of cracked concrete and rusted metal pipes, with balconies jutting out unevenly. Tangled power lines crisscross above, creating a chaotic web between the buildings, some drooping low enough to seem ready to snap. Above the canal, narrow metal bridges connect the two sides, where shadowy figures walk in silence, their shapes blurred by the smoggy air. Small waterfalls spill from drainage pipes into the canal below, their gurgling sound lost in the muted hum of the slum. On one side, glowing red lanterns hang from a building, casting faint reflections in the water and adding an eerie warmth to the cold, damp surroundings. A boy stood silently, his messy black, spiky hair blending into the scene like he was another shadow among many. His tired, unwavering eyes scanned the hustle and bustle, a flicker of disgust lingering in his gaze¡ªdirected not just at the world around him, but at himself as well. ''Hero. . . a hero. . .'' His blackish-grey, worn-out hoodie made him indistinguishable from the concrete jungle. The dark circles under his eyes, once a mark of sleeplessness and isolation, now worked to camouflage him perfectly in this bleak urban sprawl. "To think I was this. . . childish" he thought bitterly, his eyes locking onto a small group of children huddled in the corner of the street. Dirty, shivering, and barely noticed by passer by, they were just another part of the scenery to the people of the slum, too consumed by their own struggles to care. ''When will hero can save them'' he thought, his feet moving almost unconsciously toward the children. The kids stiffened as he approached, their wary eyes following his every step. Their tiny bodies shifted uncomfortably, instinctively preparing to retreat from this unknown stranger. He stopped a short distance away and, without looking at them, silently sat down on the grimy pavement. From his pocket, he pulled out a slightly crumpled chocolate bar. The kids'' wide eyes flickered between him and the bar, hunger evident in their gaze, though they dared not move closer. He tore open the wrapper with a soft _chis! chis!_ sound and broke off a piece, popping it into his mouth. "Hmm, hmm... it''s good, hmm." he murmured, savouring the taste dramatically, though his eyes remained half-lidded, distant. The children watched, nearly drooling, unable to look away. Their fingers twitched, but still, they didn''t dare approach him. A soft Tring! from his pocket broke the moment. He frowned, setting the chocolate down deliberately on the ground, just a little closer to the children, who eyed it warily. Pulling out a battered flip phone from his hoodie, he flipped it open. No new messages. His frown deepened. Another Tring! This time, his expression shifted slightly. His eyebrows rose as he looked around, scanning his surroundings. Slowly, his hand reached into the breast pocket of his hoodie and withdrew a small, stitched-up purse. Opening it carefully, he revealed a sleek, black screen with a keypad hidden inside. A hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he glanced at the sender. Boss Lady: "Shinso, at the trust now!" He sighed, sliding the device back into his pocket. ''If someone can change Arakawa, then it''s us.'' He stood, brushing off his pants, and turned toward his destination. Before he could leave, a faint whisper caught his attention. "Hu-ah mi-mister..." He froze mid-step and turned slightly to see the two children. Their dog-like ears twitched nervously as they held the chocolate bar out to him. The boy with black hair hesitated before speaking again. "Y-you forgot it" he stammered, as he raised the bar toward him, his smaller companion with gray fur peeking shyly from behind him. Shinso''s gaze softened. For a moment, he looked at them¡ªnot with pity, but with quiet understanding. His lips curved into a soft fake smile, and without a word, he shrugged off his hoodie and tossed it toward them. "Keep it. . ." he started, his voice low and hoarse. His eyes dropped, almost imperceptibly. "Just don''t. . ."He paused, struggling to finish, the words caught somewhere between guilt and hope. Finally, he pushed them out. "The help is on the way. Please. . . don''t give up." Before they could respond, he turned sharply on his heel and walked away, faster than he intended, as if he couldn''t bear to linger a second longer. The children stared after him, clutching the hoodie in their tiny hands. It was worn and tattered, but warm¡ªa rare comfort in their world. They bowed their heads slightly toward his retreating figure before slipping back into the corner, away from prying eyes, holding onto the chocolate bar and the fragile hope he had left behind.
Soft murmurs drifted through the air, bouncing off the muted, gray-blue walls. The room was an eclectic blend of a grand exhibition hall and a reception area, where clusters of teenagers gathered. In the middle of room 4 leather sofa remained facing each other, Some lounged on them while Others stood, casting glances at the painting on display. The mesmerizing paintings that adorned the towering walls. Each canvas was alive with such intricate detail that one could almost weave entire stories just from a single glance. The art had a magnetic, almost otherworldly quality that held the room in a silent thrall. The largest piece was of a blue bull and a tiger fighting each other, on a what appeared to be a battlefield with crusaders remaining behind the tiger while the bull protected a group of small human. "Didn''t knew we also had an . . . art museum?" A boy with silver hair and a mask obscuring his face murmured. His limbs morphing into eyes that swiveled independently, inspecting every piece of art with an unnerving thoroughness. "And that is exactly what''s wrong!" Setsuna''s voice cut through the air, sharp and bristling. Her arm shot out, fingers pointing accusatorily at the nearest painting. "Weren''t we supposed to be helping people?! How the heck did these bastards got a museum¡ªand all that money?! I told you guys, they are¡ª" "They have their own work to do rather than babysitting you" came a low voice from behind her, a boy with moss-green hair, skin tinged a matching hue, and two sharp, blade-like teeth, sat sprawled in a black chair. "Not that they would trust a loose mouth like you." "The heck did you just say, insect bastard?!" Setsuna bolted upright from the sofa, her arms detaching from her body, each hand coiling with tension and ready to strike. The boy''s eyes narrowed, a derisive snort escaping his lips. PUFF! PUFF! PUFF! Three gleaming blades erupted from between his knuckles, catching the light in sharp, lethal flashes. "You want to go at it, lizardy?!" Electric tension crackled between them, each poised to lunge. The room seemed to hold its breath. "Relax guyssss, fighting is not gonna solve anything, we are already here so why fight now" TAP! Suddenly It felt as though the ground had liquefied beneath their feet, making them loose their footing. "WHAT!?" "DAMN IT!" The floor rose like a slime monster covering their entire body in an instant. TAP! Before they could leap away or setsuna detach her body, it hardened, trapping them in place only leaving an opening for their face. "Hehehhe I got 2 collection, you think they will they pay for this?" the boy giggled. Poke! poke! "Ohh this is really sturdy! setsu do you think you can wriggle wriggle out of it like a little mushroom?" a girl with brown hair and a rounded bob that reaches till her eyes pokes the mummified setsuna. "KINKO! don''t just stand there help me" "And how will I do that?" she tilts her head while looking confused. "JUZO! YOU BETTER UNHAND ME NOW!" Setsuna spoke as her mouth detached from her body flying toward him. TAP! "Nope! not happening hahhaha" the floor below him melted as he disappeared in the ground. "Your control has got even better" a tired voice spoke while someone walks through the door. Juzo poked his head out looking at the purple haired kid with dark bangs under his eyes "Ahh long time no see shinso" Shinso only nods in return while he focuses on setsuna "Kamikari is right about that lizard girl, we didn''t tell you everything. . . not that i am suprised seeing how you are " Setsuna didn''t say anything just raising her eyebrows. "Hmm? did you knew about the money before hand." shoji asked as he peeled one of his eyes from the paintings. Shinso gave a short nod "Yeah, and whose company do you think you and Manga were working for?" "You mean they own Copycat? the one that made iron man, superman, hokage, vegabond, and others!" he turn all his toward Shinso clearly shocked "But then shouldn''t we have more-" "Short answer yes. . . we do own the copycat but that was caps private money. . . and it was a test to see what she will do." "Tsk! dumass she clearly failed it didn''t she" kamikari sneered THOFF! With a small bang the structure around him as thousand of blades which appeared more like thick plates of shiny steel burst from his body destroying his restraints while the entire room was covered in dust. Cough! cough! "Damn you grasshopper couldn''t you warned us before hand" shinso waves his hand in front of his face as he tries to disperse the dust around him. "You should have been faster" he smirked but then looked at his clothes. ". . . do you think they have extra clothes" "But still, it''s almost unreal to think about. Not only did we land a part-time job on copycat, but our seniors own the world''s best¡ªif not the fastest-growing entertainment company." "Doesn''t that mean we''re rich now!? Ehehe mushrooms mushrooms im gonna buy all kinds of mushrooms!" "Well, money certainly isn''t one of our problems." A faint smile curving on his lips. "Even if we didn''t have much, we''d be alright. We''re future heroes guys." juzo''s fist emerged from ground showing a thumbs up. The room was cloaked in silence¡ªa heavy, suffocating quiet silence, right under their skin, prickling like a guilty itch. The air hung thick with unspoken words, the kind that lingered on the edge of lips but never leaped off, weighed down by fear and shame. "We didn''t join for this." Setsuna''s voice broke through the oppressive stillness. It was soft at first, trembling like the beginnings of a storm. Then her voice cracked, rising sharply. "WE DIDN''T JOIN TO HARM OTHERS!" Nno one responded. The only sound was Juzo silently undoing his Quirk, his usually steady hands faltering. The weight of her words seemed to linger in the air, tangible and unbearable. "We. . . we joined to do something better" she continued, her voice weaker now, as if she was struggling to hold her own resolve. A faint sheen of tears glistened at the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill but stubbornly held back. "We didn''t. . . we joined to do better. . . not¡ªnot to cripple some kids!" Her words landed heavily, but not everyone in the room was swayed. "But they were his bullies¡ª" the razor bo tried to justify, his voice shaky but defiant. "Enough" Shinso interrupted, his voice cutting sharply through the tension. He raised a hand to stop the boy from continuing. His usual calm demeanor masked beneath the surface. Everyone knew the truth, the ugly, inescapable truth. Jin''s had gone too far. It was all over the news¡ªan incident too public, too damning to ignore. The promise of a better future, of heroism, felt fragile now, like it could shatter under the weight of their collective silence. And then, Clap! Clap! A sound shattered the tension. The deliberate, slow applause drew all eyes to the entrance of the room. There, leaning casually against the doorframe, stood a woman. Her large, voluptuous chest tied by a tight black tank top that revealed toned arms and shoulders. Her thick, chestnut-brown hair cascaded around her, each strand unnaturally dense. Her scowl was sharp, a permanent etch of irritation on her face, and her eyes pierced through them . "The heck are you guys shouting for?" a rude indifference that made everyone in the room tense up. Beads of sweat began to form on foreheads as her glare swept over them. Whatever courage or outrage had filled the room moments ago seemed to shrink under the weight of her gaze. No one dared to answer her, the once-simmering argument now replaced by an uneasy quiet. Chapter 18 - Plans within plans. The woman let out a soft sigh as she moved aside, gesturing with a subtle wave. "Follow me." The others exchanged uncertain glances before Shinso took the lead, stepping forward to follow her. The group walked silently through the hallways, their footsteps muffled against polished floors. The walls were adorned with a mixture of striking paintings and abstract art, each piece bathed in the dim glow of overhead lighting, adding an air of somber elegance to the space. "I''m not in the mood for pranks, kid. You better get down before I lose my mind" the woman said, her tone calm yet carrying a sharp edge of warning as she continued forward without looking back. From one of the shadows on the ceiling, Shishai emerged with an exaggerated stretch. "Ahh, isn''t your Quirk Bubble? How does she find me?" he said playfully as he slid down toward Mushroom Girl. "Hey, Kumori." All he received in response was a quick, urgent "Shhh!" Kumori, like the others, raised a finger to her lips, signalling him to keep quiet. Shishai frowned, clearly puzzled by their hushed behavior. His gaze darted around the group before he sidled up to Shinso, whispering, "What happened to them?" "Lizard and grasshopper stirred things up" Shinso whispered back, his voice barely audible. Shishai sighed softly. "What about Sister Rei?" he asked, jerking his thumb toward the direction she had gone. Shinso only shrugged, his expression neutral. He then mouthed a single word: ''Periods.'' Shishai''s face twisted into a thoughtful grimace before he muttered under his breath, "The forces of nature can''t be defied." Finally, they stopped in front of a set of massive wooden doors. The green plaque affixed to the door read "Trustee Room" in bold, golden letters, glinting faintly under the corridor lights. "You guys ready?" Rei asked as she scanned them with a glint in her eyes. The group nodded in unison, their movements stiff and hesitant, like frightened chickens before the slaughter. "Good" a smirk curling her lips as she pulled out a sleek remote with a single, ominous red button. ZING! the floor beneath them snapped open, plunging them into a gaping abyss. Gravity seized them mercilessly, yanking them downward into the black void. "You better not die, kids! Or I''ll kill you myself!" Rei''s voice echoed her smile vivid in their minds as they disappeared into the tunnel''s darkness. "AHHH!" "Period''s is one hell of thing" "SHE WANTS TO KILL US" "Chill guys" "SHUT UP!" "Focus guys" The tunnel walls rushed past them, a claustrophobic blur of pitch-black concrete streaked with faint, worn lines where metal rods had once been secured. The air around them howled with the force of their descent. Sparks flared occasionally as loose wires scraped together, momentarily lighting up the oppressive blackness. Instincts took over. "SHIT! TAIL SPLITTER!" Setsuna''s body fragmented in a flurry of limbs and torso parts, floating mid-air as she gained control. The others activated their quirks with panicked precision. "A helping hand would do great, Setsuna!" Shoji called out, sprouting six extra arms from his extended appendages. He flailed them to slow his descent, but the effort wasn''t enough to counteract the speed of the fall. "ON IT!" Setsuna''s detached hands rocketed toward Shoji, grabbing him by the back of shirt and stabilizing his erratic descent as he flapped his makeshift skin-wings. "OUT OF MY WAY BEFORE YOU GET SLICED!" grasshopper yelled. BOOM! The screech of metal erupted as blades from his arms extended as they sliced along the walls, digging into the wall Pelling their black colour and severing wires hidden beneath. Sparks rained down like electric fireflies, lighting up his path for fleeting seconds. "I''m not paying for this!" he muttered. "Kumori!" Shishai bellowed, leaping from a shadowy corner to snatch someone falling nearby. He caught Kumori, only to realize she was perched comfortably on Setsuna''s disjointed torso, her detached feet spinning like propellers to keep her aloft. "I''m alright Shroom," she said nonchalantly, munching on one of her self-grown, non-poisonous mushrooms as if she weren''t plummeting through a deadly drop. "Are we forgetting someone?" Shoji''s voice rang out as his stretched appendages flapped like grotesque wings, his many eyes darting about in the dark. Setsuna''s disembodied hand strained to lift him higher. "YES, YOU ARE, YOU DIMWITS!" Everyone''s heads snapped downward. Shishai squinted, his sharp eyes picking out a faint silhouette far below. Shinso was falling¡ªcalmly, unsettlingly so. His expression was stoic, unreadable, as though he''d already accepted the madness of Rei''s training regimen. ''This isn''t meant to kill us. . . or will she'' Shinso thought, the thought gnawing at him as he stared into the almost tangible darkness, she knew their instructor was crazy but she wouldn''t be that crazy. . . . ''fuck'' The visibility was non-existent¡ªhe couldn''t even see his hands. Only the occasional sparks and the distant shouts of his teammates reassured him they were still alive. "Argh!" His fall came to a sudden halt as something emerged from the wall and gripped his shoulders. "Juzo?" Shinso squinted at the faint outline of pale hair. "Just on time, or you''d have hit ground zero" he replied, his tone calm, before fitting his face in the wall. "Ahh, it''s just water." SPLASH! Shinso hit the surface of what could only be described as a giant futuristic tub. because of an equally enormous drain hole, The water glowed faintly with a white hue, lighting up the area with every single movement he made in the water. "PUUUU! Are you kidding me?!" he screamed as he coughed the water out. "Is everything okay?" Shoji asked from above. He exhaled in relief as he peered down and saw Shinso paddling in the glowing water, fuming but unharmed. Even with his heightened senses and multiple eyes sprouting from his dupli-arms, Shoji could barely make out their surroundings. The tunnel they had fallen through was straight, a dark chute leading directly into this colossal pool. The "tub" stretched about 10¨C15 meters across, its true depth unknown. The faint glow emanating from the water was their only source of light, casting eerie, rippling patterns on the smooth, damp walls. The space felt cramped. The edge of the tub was less than a meter from the tunnel''s exit above, its low clearance giving the area a stifling atmosphere. Shoji shifted carefully, mindful not to bump his head against the tunnel''s lip. The others slowly descended, their voices carrying through the dim chamber as they regrouped around the tub. The oppressive darkness and cold water made the place feel more like a trap than a training ground. But, as always, Rei''s methods were anything but humane. The area around them shimmered faintly, the dim light reflecting off the surrounding fllor. ''Tiles?'' Shoji thought, his gaze flicking to the glossy surface outside the pool. "Komori we need a light source, is there something you can do about my footing?" Shinso asked, his tone practical. "Sure can! Leave it to me shroom." Komori chirped. "BITTER! MEADOW! BLOOM!" she exclaimed, stretching her hands toward the water''s surface and their surronding. POP! POP! POP! Small mushrooms with a faint, greenish glow started sprouting across the surface of the tunnel¡ªboth inside and outside¡ªilluminating the darkness with an eerie, poisonous hue. BOOP! BOOP! "Hey wait! first pick me yp I''m still h-" Shinso yelped as a row of gigantic white meadow mushrooms erupted from the depths of the water, sending massive splashes outward. The oversized fungus surged upward, scooping him up like a helpless cat. "What a wonderful day" he grumbled, flopping onto its flat top. The mushroom''s broad surface provided a sturdy platform, large enough for the even shoji to step on and even sit comfortably. "You''re amazing, Kumori," Shishai said, giving the mushroom a light tap with his foot to test its firmness. "She probably has the most versatile Quirk out there," Shoji remarked as he carefully tore one of the glowing mushrooms growing on the tunnel''s edge. "Not to mention the light source" juzo added. "We never dying with her, she''s our unlimited food source" "Yep! The biggest shroom I can make is 2 story high, Ain''t I amazing?!" Komori bounced on the mushroom happily, her grin infectious. "Why does it feel like you are more happy about our situation than troubled" shinso companied silently. "Chill man, do you know optimism has been passed through our genes, you can''t defeat biology man" juzo said in his every Sunday easy going tone "Enough of that. First, find out where we are. This might as well be a test" Kumokiri said, his voice sharp with caution. Even though his eyesight wasn''t as sharp as Shishai''s in the dark, he was more vigilant than most. "Did you forget how she literally fired a barrage of cannonballs?" A collective shiver ran through the group as memories of their last gruelling joint training session surfaced. Shoji closed his eyes momentarily, the muscles on his arms twitching as he grew multiple ears, each one swivelling with precision. With a fluid motion, he spread them out in all directions, straining to catch any sound out of place.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. A small chuckle cut through the tense silence. "60 degree" Shoji announced, his voice steady. "ON IT" Setsuna replied sharply, her tone brimming with determination. Her eyes and hands detached from her body, darting like projectiles toward the indicated direction. WOOP! Juzo leaped forward with practised ease, his body melting into the ground as he landed. The tiles rippled like water, absorbing him seamlessly as he waited for the perfect moment to strike. The air turned heavy as something sharp whizzed past them. The Grasshopper flings razor-sharp blades from his skin with deadly precision toward the sound. At the same time, Komori flicked her wrist, her spores bursting outward in a cloud of luminous green. A line of glowing Bitter Oysters sprouted along the path, their eerie light cutting through the darkness. The illuminated trail revealed a startling sight ahead: a pristine white table surrounded by ten high-backed chairs, each placed with meticulous care. Three of the seats were already occupied, their occupants exuding an air of authority. "They seem to be having PTSD" the one with white hair said, his frown deepening as he observed the group''s movements. "They''re not here to here for making policies" replied their devil instruction as she calmly sipped her black coffee. "This is to be expected if they want to become the ideal hero, I would be damned if they were anything worse." "You''re the instructor" "Either way, they''re doing great for their age." said the third, clad in a sleek silver suit. The white-haired man lifted his finger without a word, his expression unreadable. "Freeze." Unlike a typical burst or wave of ice, a deadly white mist hissed from the tip of his finger, spreading rapidly in front of them, It moved with unnatural grace, blanketing the ground and the air making a wall of mist between them. "Be careful, JUZO, IT''S THE ICICLE GUY!" Setsuna''s mouth is detached and flew toward him, the urgent message relayed midair as her hands and eyes manoeuvred away from the encroaching mist. The mist hung in place, faint and unassuming, until the first of the blades and mushrooms breached its borders. CHISS! The ice bit hard penetrating it''s entire surface with ease giving it a bluish hue, cracks emerged in the sharp edges. The glowing mushrooms dimmed, their vibrant green fading into lifeless blue. KRRRSSH! They shattered into tiny fragments, their remains swept away by the faint movement of the dense white mist. "Well, before you start destroying more of our property, let''s talk, my dear friends" the man in the silver suit spoke while looking right below his chair. The shadow had gained a pair of eyes and a mouth full of white teeth "As you wish senior." "That''s creepy as hell kid"
Back in the room where everything had started, the atmosphere was heavy. The audience sat quietly, their eyes fixed on Kenta as he explained, though the storm of unanswered questions in their minds was palpable. Yet, no one dared to interrupt, each remaining as still as statues, their faces a mixture of curiosity and unease. "I still don''t get it" Setsuna said, scratching her head as she slouched in her chair. Her tone carried a tinge of exasperation. "There are justtt way too many things that don''t make sense." She leaned forward slightly, her sharp gaze scanning the group. "If we put aside that our captain was a child prodigy, a once-in-a-lifetime artist, a multimillionaire, and a philanthropist, why the heck is the bank so secretive about his identity?" "You only have to add Playboy, and he would literally become Tony Stark of art." Shishai quipped from the side, cutting into the tension. The room collectively turned toward him, their deadpan stares piercing through his darkness. Sigh~ He really can''t read the room ". . . Sorry" he muttered, shrinking back. ''I WAS JUST TRYING TO CHEER THEM UP!'' his scream heard by none. "Is he, like son of All Might or a hidden child of some top-secret government official? Because none of this makes sense" Setsuna continued, her frustration bubbling over as she gestured animatedly around the room. Her eyes fell on the others¡ªmost with their heads down. Except for Kenta, Natsu, and Rei, the seeds of doubt were visible in everyone''s expressions, though they remained silent. "Not to me, at least," she finished, voice softening slightly. "I know he''s helped everyone here in their worst times and done so much more, but. . ." Her voice trailed off as she slumped back in her seat, weary. "I joined to become better¡ªa hero, a better person. Not just some mindless follower." Her hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "And. . . it''s not that I don''t trust you, it''s just. . ." The unspoken words hung heavy in the air, her message crystal clear. She didn''t believe the answers she''d been given. Sigh~ Kenta rubbed his temples as he slowly sank back into his chair, his troubled gaze falling to Natsu, who only shrugged with a look of resignation. "Do what you want" he said. "It''s not that we don''t want to tell you," kenta continued, side-eyeing Natsu for a brief second. "But things are just. . . personal, and a little more complex." Kenta paused, his voice dropping slightly. "Four years ago, his mother died rather got killed." ". . . by a hero, a newbie." The words hit the room like a thunderclap, the silence that followed almost suffocating. Even Setsuna, who had been ready to throw a tantrum moments ago, froze. Her posture straightened as her expression grew serious. "Although he never told us who" Kenta added "it''s not something you should dig into. But the million dollars and his quote-to-quote ''secretive account'' did point us toward that¡­ not that he had any reason to lie to us." The air remained tense until Rei''s voice broke through, calm and steady. "To be quite fair, even though I don''t want to be involved in this hot mess. . ." she began, her tone lightening just enough to ease the room. All eyes turned to her. "Keeping so much secrecy around an account will only make it more suspicious. Not to mention, that''s one million. Do you actually think the government is willing to pay that much? Maybe five hundred thousand or something near, but one million per person? Seems illogical. . . what do you think?" Shoji rubbed his chin thoughtfully before speaking. "Keeping aside the fact that the hero''s entire career might end, the first scenario is that even the credibility of the hero school¡ªand all the heroes produced by them that year and before¡ªwill come into question. Not to mention, the commission''s credibility would be on the line. That''s assuming only one person died. Basically, the hero school and even the commission are doing a joint damage control operation." "Good" Rei said with a small smile, her approval easing some of the tension in the room. "Not to mention, they could have the hero pay half or more through year-long debts," Grasshopper chimed in, arms crossed as he leaned back. "A possibility" she replied "Then shouldn''t we just look where she died?" Shishai asked from his seat, leaning forward eagerly. "We can cross-check the heroes that patrol there. And if the hero was really a newbie, they probably made a flashy debut." "You think it didn''t cross our minds?" Natsu shot back with a tired sigh, his hand brushing through his hair in frustration. "And even if we did find them, what will we do? Kill them?" His tone turned bitter, and his gaze hardened as he continued, "It took him months just to get back to normal. Kenta visited him occasionally, but that was it. He never talked about the incident." Natsu frowned as his words trailed off, his expression darkening with the weight of distant memories. "Even though he didn''t ask, we had all the students¡ªand even the street folks¡ªsnoop around every place near his house and the routes his mother used to take to the hospital." Kenta said, his voice tinged with weariness. "Not to mention, there was no news about her death. The closest we came was a single headline about an unknown woman who died from a sudden heart attack that same week." He exhaled deeply, the fatigue evident in his words. "But why did you keep the copycat a secret from us?" Shoji asked, his tone polite yet firm. Rei''s expression hardened slightly. "Manga was informed, but he signed an NDA. We didn''t deem it necessary to share the details with the rest of you." "What do you mean it wasn''t NECESSARY? AREN''T WE A FUCKING TEAM?" Setsuna erupted, nearly leaping from her seat. Her frustration filled the room, her voice raw with betrayal, but before she could escalate, Kumori reached out and pulled her back, her grip firm yet calming. "Well, you don''t have to be so harsh on them," Kenta interjected, attempting to defuse the tension. "It''s just¡­ something we didn''t know how to tell you." His gaze shifted briefly to the group, noticing the curious, expectant looks from his juniors. He sighed before continuing. "In a way, he just became a little more of himself," he explained hesitantly. The room grew quiet as the younger members leaned in, their interest piqued. Kenta could feel their silent demand for clarity, their unspoken questions pressing on him. "It wasn''t that obvious when we were kids, but¡­ there were these moments. These very few moments where it¡ªit just felt like he was¡­ like someone, not so childish," he admitted, his voice trailing off. "I don''t know. It''s hard to describe. Like an adult, but a little different. He''d just sit there, and ovbserve the world and people move by" Natsu chimed in, his voice thoughtful. "Not to mention, which six-year-old dreams of changing society instead of becoming a hero?" "Was he on the spectrum?" ". . . . . . . . ." "I don''t know him" shinso said while other remained quiet "What?" Shishai asked, shrugging nonchalantly. "My old neighbor was just like that." Natsu turned his head toward Rei with a gaping mouth who avoided his gaze entirely, her stoic demeanour cracking ever so slightly. "It was a little before you guys joined us, so you wouldn''t know," kenta began, his voice calm but weighted with memory. "It was a little before you guys joined us so you didn''t know, after aunty''s death he spent most of the time working indoor, or wasting his time in squeamish, at least that''s what it looks like to the normal eye" "To others, he looked like any orphan gone wrong¡ªdrinking, smoking, fighting" natsu continued, his tone measured but pained. "But in reality, the drill exercises we had you guys do were part of the plan, just as much as this trust is." Rei blinked in surprise. "Why wasn''t I informed?" he shrugged casually. "He didn''t deem it necessary." "So you guys used us? For beating kids and then forcing them to draw manga?" Juzo asked, his voice sharp and accusing. "No, no, no," Kenta quickly replied, his tone defensive. "No one was forced to do anything¡ªbe it delinquent or a bullied kid." "The copycat wasn''t just some ''rags to riches'' story of bullied kids" Kenta explained "The trust wasn''t solely for goodness" "And your drills weren''t just about teaching punks some manners." Kenta exchanged a glance with Natsu before sighing in defeat. "It''s literally a crazy plan" he admitted. "Every single universe¡ªor even most of our popular manga franchises¡ªare all his from the start." "Even the Marvel and DC counterparts?" Shoji asked, astonished. There were way to many character for one person to come up with them "All of them," Kenta affirmed. "Started by him and then carried on by others. Manga included." "The drill exercises were designed to build your reputation, identify bullies, and reach out to the bullied," he elaborated. "The therapy sessions and safe hangouts we set up for delinquents? They turned those kids into our informants¡ªespecially since delinquents are the ones most likely to join gangs." "But that¡ª" "It''s not moral" he interrupted. "But it''s still an important thing to do, if we want to reduce the harm" "As for the bullied kids, we simply sponsored them in what they already loved¡ªmanga, gaming, or even tech. They became our little platoons, Over time, this created a treasure trove of recruits who helped other bullied kids. Eventually, they became a full fledged army. Although most of them don''t truly know us, they still work for our cause." "When did this start?" Rei asked, her cold demeanor melting into astonishment, her expression unguarded. Kenta flashed a silly smile "At 12." ". . . Ha ha. . . Haha haa. . . At fucking 12" Rei repeated, leaning back in her chair as her hands trembled slightly. Thoughts and realizations swirled in her mind, connecting pieces of a puzzle she hadn''t even known she was solving. ''Maybe. . . it''s a heavy possibility but why?'' she thought to herself. "Then why was Captain getting drunk?" Grasshopper asked, his voice breaking the heavy silence. ". . . Who knows," Kenta replied with a hesitant pause. "Or maybe we do," Natsu implied, his tone grim. "He was paranoid, like the world would collapse on our heads. According to him, it will. That''s why you only knew him face-to-face, no connection in between, just like these other groups¡ªall of which seem unconnected but are actually working toward the same goal." "They operate on a school-to-school basis" he explained. "But every single one of them knew Jin. He was a delinquent but a delinquent with morals." "Pardon?" Shoji asked, confusion rippling through the group as others exchanged puzzled glances. "Throughout the years, Jin Asano was just another delinquent," Natsu continued, his words steady. "He failed classes, did substances abuse, and fought with other delinquents. But¡­ he helped." "These small transactions became a light of hope for the bullied, the beggars, the homeless, the broken, and especially those in the slums" Natsu added, his voice heavy with conviction. "To the bank, he was Onasa. To the suffering, he was Jin. And now that their saviour has been declared a villain," Natsu paused, his gaze sweeping the group, "what do you think the people who were abandoned by the authority do?" "Not to mention" a small smile stretched on his Kenta''s face as spoke "When the details about the onasa''s bigger donation to trust funds come to light even the public will support him, and let''s not forget our little keyboard warriors are working overtime" The room fell into a stunned silence, everyone except Kenta and Natsu rendered speechless. Their expressions shifted from confusion to a new level of astonishment, their minds racing to find something¡ªanything¡ªthat felt wrong about what they''d just heard. But no matter how much they tried to poke holes in the story, every detail slotted into place with an unnerving sense of inevitability. The truth was too perfect, too logical, to deny. "B-but what if the government tries to do something?" Setsuna stammered. The doubt that had lingered in her voice earlier was gone, replaced by pure, wide-eyed astonishment she hadn''t even realized she was capable of feeling. "Won''t matter," Rei replied, her words sharp and confident. The smile that spread across her face caught everyone off guard, a bold declaration that seemed out of place in the charged atmosphere. And then, she laughed¡ªloud and unabashed. "We are those trust''s baby!" Her laughter echoed in the room as she leaned forward, her grin taking on a feral edge. "Aren''t we Endeavour''s trust managers?" she added, her eyes alight with a mischievous glint. Natsu huffed in response, folding his arms with annoyance. "It''s my trust, not his." Kenta jumped in without missing a beat. "Oh, and we''re also opening the MCU and DCU." Shoji''s eyes widened, his usual calm demeanour breaking as excitement broke through. "Really? Both universes are getting live adaptations?" His question was echoed by the others, their hushed voices rising with disbelief and unrestrained eagerness. Rei''s smile softened as she watched them, their amazement and enthusiasm making them look like the children they truly were beneath their coordinated, disciplined exteriors. For a moment, she let herself enjoy the warmth of their joy. But the moment didn''t last. "Yes," kenta said, his smile fading into something sharper, more knowing. he gestured dramatically toward her "And it will be handled by yours truly¡ª reliable big sister Rei." ''Shit'' a bead of sweat sliding down her temple as she realized the amount of work that landed on her head. Chapter 19 The subdued tension in the room was almost tangible, a quiet energy lingering in the air. Rei couldn''t help but smile as she leaned against the creamy table, her gaze sweeping across the gathering. The once childish kids had grown¡ªnot just in strength but in their understanding of the world. Though there was still so much to be done to shape the future they envisioned, it was satisfying to see the seeds they had planted beginning to sprout. The problems of hero society loomed large in her mind, a mountain of issues piling higher by the day. It was a system overly dependent on a single figure, where the title of "hero" had become little more than a name¡ªa shallow badge of success, wealth, and fame. ''Gods know which fool thought that would attract great people to the ranks'' she thought bitterly, her lips pressing into a thin line. Her eyes flickered toward Natsu, and a familiar pang settled in her chest. She knew his past all too well. ''Not everyone is All Might'' she thought, her expression softening. She shifted her gaze across the room, taking in the scene with a quiet intensity. Groups of juniors were scattered around, some chatting excitedly about the latest movies, others discussing their recent patrols. A few were engrossed in trivial, mundane topics¡ªlittle conversations that gave them a rare moment of relaxation. Her attention landed on Shinso, standing off to the side and listening to his friends in silence. His usual tired eyes seemed a little more hollow today, shadows and wrinkles darkening beneath them. It wasn''t a lack of effort or attention that weighed him down, but rather the overload of his mental capacity. Unlike the others, his trials were unique. He didn''t need to prove himself in combat, nor did he need to demonstrate his ability to command or infiltrate the locks or minds of others. His talent was undeniable. He was perfect. And that was his flaw, only flaw. Someone perfect enough to be tested by them. ''The only one'' she thought under her breath, her thoughts lost to the quiet hum of the room. Her gaze wandered to the others, studying them one by one. She examined their pasts, their present, and the progress they''d made over the last few months. Her eyes lingered on Setsuna, and she made a mental note to focus more on training the girl. ''She has the spark'' Rei thought, her brow furrowing slightly. ''Just a little too volatile.'' Her attention was drawn to the chaos Setsuna was causing. Limbs flew wildly in all directions as she chased Juzo in an impromptu game of cat and mouse, their antics breaking the tranquil hum of the room. "What''s your favorite character, Kumori?" Shishai''s voice cut through the murmur of conversations, his tone playful. "I am Batman." attempting to mimic the iconic gravelly voice. Rei sighed inwardly. ''Sigh~ anyone but him'' she thought with a wince, not bothering to hide the slight roll of her eyes. The disruption drew a few groans and chuckles from the others, though her eyes remained focused on Shinso. Amidst the noise and camaraderie, he remained a quiet observer, detached yet present. Hitoshi Shinso, the ever-lonely and sarcastic child, had grown faster than anyone had expected. Now, here he was, a figure shaped by struggles that few could understand. His eyes remained hollow, shadowed by exhaustion, while his mind drifted aimlessly, like a ship lost at sea. Scattered thoughts haunted him, flashes of his dive into the slums pounding against his perspective. The once-sacred ideals that had steered his course now lay in tatters, fragmented and frayed. ''Revenge. . . To prove them wrong?. . . To show them all. . . but to show them what?. . . To who? . . . And why?'' His face, already weary, seemed drained of life itself, as though his very soul had been stripped away. His once-unshakable dedication, his ambition, his goal¡ªit all felt distant now, unappealing and hollow. ''Is this why you want to be a hero?'' A mocking smile tugged at his lips as the realization struck him. The years of relentless effort to prove everyone wrong¡ªthe tears cried into pillows, the bruised knuckles from punching walls, the nights spent squirming in self-loathing¡ªall of it now felt... childish, Hypocritical, even. And for what? Some hateful remark from a six-year-old? ''A fucking toddler tsk!'' he thought bitterly. ''And a few sore losers who couldn''t find better jobs, dumping their hate on kids who didn''t even understand the world.'' He sighed deeply, the weight of it all pressing harder on his chest. ''The children who have seen peace and those who have seen war have different values, a beautiful and ironic thought'' he mused. His heavy-lidded eyes lowered further, the chatter of the room fading into a dull hum, a backdrop of white noise. Voices became distant echoes, drowned by the chaotic memories clawing their way to the surface the slums'' unending ambience if one can say. Voices from distant miles fell in his ear, the ever chaotic ambience of slums, the gushing water stored in the drum, the shouts of the vendors of night . . .and the silent sobbing of children in plight Rugs and rags or naked or thrash, frail and broken in demise, some missing a limb some missing in the entirety of a mile, begging only to get kicked in there ass, lying withering like maggots in the corner trash, under the sheets of plastic bags. Hoping for A HERO TO ARRIVE, SAVE THEM FROM DEMISE, ONLY TO BE SHOVE GUTTER DOWN IN THE CHILLING NIGHTS. "SHINSOOO!" "Ah." His head jerked up as Juzo popped up from the floor beside him. The sudden appearance made him flinch, and Juzo grabbed his shoulders, shaking him lightly. "You okay, man? You don''t look good," Juzo said, his worried expression breaking through Shinso''s haze.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "Puff~" Shinso shoved his hands away with a sarcastic smile. "Like anyone would be good enduring your shitshow" he quipped, raising his brows as his gaze swept over his friends concerned faces. The silence that followed was deafening. "We. . . we''ve been calling you for minutes, you just¡ª" "Nah~ it''s fine, it''s fine, i am good" Shinso said, dismissively waving a hand. Forcing a smile, he tried to step back, but his footing faltered. TAP! "Shit! He definitely ain''t okay!" Juzo exclaimed, the floor beneath Shinso rose like a blob of slime, steadying him in place. Shinso rubbed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath as the cool, pliable support beneath him provided surprising comfort. "When was the last time you slept?" Kenta asked, stepping forward, his tone steady yet laced with concern. "It''s nothing, just a little bit of coffee¡ª" "Time!" Looking at Kenta''s serious expression, Shinso hesitated. He knew better than to brush it off. "Hmm... 38¡ªno, 36 hours, I guess?" ''Still not that bad.'' he thought bitterly as his mind drifted once more to the slums, to the endless suffering etched on the faces of the elderly and children alike. Kenta sighed heavily, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Rei, who shrugged dismissively, feigning ignorance. "Go home and rest properly," Kenta said firmly. "But I¡ª" Shinso started to protest. "No." Kenta''s sharp tone cut him off. His gaze lingered on Shinso''s dark circles, the dry patches on his skin, the messy hair that spoke of neglect, his voice softened. "No practice tomorrow. Groom yourself a little. . . If something happens to you, the world will move on, your health comes first." Shinso watched as Kenta turned and walked away, his words lingering in the air. Soft, yet heavy with truth, tired as they might be but the blaze in his eyes remained ever so firmly burning in the fleeting back of his senior. Kenta let out a long, frustrated sigh, looking back at Shinso, whose sharp, unrelenting stare seemed to pierce straight through his back. T He knew exactly what he was like, not the type to rest. Yet, as Kenta looked closer, he couldn''t ignore the exhaustion etched into Shinso''s resolute expression, the boy was pushing himself far beyond his limits. ''At the end of the day, he''s just a child,'' Kenta thought, a faint, bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. The thought carried an unexpected warmth. ''He''s just like you.'' "Kumori," he called. "Yes, sir!" she sprung from her seat to salute him, her movement precise and enthusiastic. "Put him to sleep." "WA¡ª" Thoof! Before Shinso could even finish his protest, a pale, bell-shaped mushroom sprouted from Kumori''s fingertip and shot forward with uncanny precision, striking him dead center between the eyes. A soft puff of milky-white spores billowed out. The effect was immediate¡ªShinso''s eyelids drooped heavily as he staggered before collapsing onto the slimy, uneven floor, his limbs going limp as though strings holding him upright had been cut. Kenta watched the scene unfold with a mixture of bemusement and resignation. Kumori stood triumphantly, her finger still raised like a pistol as she puckered her lips and blew away invisible smoke, a smug grin plastered across her face. He groaned inwardly, his pride taking a hit as the thought struck him. ''Of course. Why wouldn''t she have anaesthetics?'' before drifting to sleep.
THRUM! THRUM! THRUM! ''Hmm~... Why is my heart beating so fast?'' THRUM! THRUM! THRUM! ''No, this is¡ª'' The sound resonated in his chest, each beat sending faint vibrations through his body. The seat beneath him hummed softly, the sensation tickling the soles of his feet. Though the effects of the mushroom hadn''t entirely faded, they had worn off just enough for him to feel his surroundings again. He twitched his fingers experimentally, brushing them against the surface he was sitting on. It felt rough yet oddly smooth, its texture coarse against his fingertips. ''Metro?'' he thought, the familiar sensation bringing a flicker of recognition. Still, he didn''t open his eyes, keeping his face as still as possible. Judging by the stiffness in my neck, I have been here for at least ten minutes¡ªan hour at most. Ten minutes would be enough time for them to carry me to the station and board the metro, but... they weren''t making a sound. That was odd. ''They can''t be this quiet'' he mused. ''That means it''s either a single person here or just Shoji and Grasshopper.'' Subtly, he shifted his head, moving it ever so slightly, hoping to appear as if he were still unconscious. Tup. Tup Tup The sound of someone typing on a phone reached his ears. His brow furrowed slightly. Grasshopper didn''t use phones, and Shoji''s shoulders weren''t this narrow. Unless. . . they were sitting to his left and this was someone else entirely. ''Sigh~. I''m overthinking this.'' he thought, inwardly groaning. ''I really need some rest.'' But curiosity itched at him. Listening to the soft tapping, Shinso decided to crack his right eye open¡ªjust the faintest sliver¡ªto glance at the screen. His breath caught in his throat. ''THE FUCK!'' It took everything in him to suppress a gasp and stop his eyebrows from shooting to the ceiling. Quickly, he shut his eye again, willing himself to believe that he''d imagined it. But no, the words on the screen remained the same, glaring back at him as if mocking his disbelief. Gremlin: Sister!!!! Where are you!? I called you 7 times! What about dinner!?? Rei: Forgive me, I am such a useless sister! ( ¨i¦Ø¨i ) Rei: The company is opening a new subsidiary. I have to work overtime. ???(?>¦Ø¦Ø Rei: WAIT! Rei: Hello?! Rei: HEYYYYYYY! (¨s¡ãÒæ¡ã)¨sáê©ß©¥©ß A small, involuntary smile tugged at Shinso''s lips as he leaned back against his seat, closing his eyes. Rei''s frantic typing continued, her messages becoming increasingly futile as the person on the other end stopped responding. The metro continued in silence, there were hardly any passengers except them due to their destination and those who were near them were either asleep or to old to cause any noteworthy noise ". . . . . . . How much did you see" ''OH SHIT!!!'' (¡Ñ_¡Ñ)