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The last sliver of sunlight was swallowed by the darkness, the twilight sinking below the horizon. Silent night arrived.
On a rooftop, a young man stood tall against the cold night breeze. His black T-shirt was thin, his ruined face expressionless, his eyes staring down at the glowing city lights. Thousands of windows illuminated the night, but nothing could light the emptiness in his gaze.
Pitch black. Heavy. Like the deepest abyss.
"Shigaraki Tomura… are you really just going to let Stain walk away like that?"
A man in a sharp suit—his true body nothing more than swirling black mist—stopped a few steps behind him.
"His ideals aren't the same as ours. If we let him rampage unchecked, it'll mess up our plans."
"Yeah, but what can we do? I'm not about to pick a fight with him. The wounds he gave me still hurt like hell."
Shigaraki pressed his left hand to his right shoulder, speaking with casual disdain.
"He's just a piece on the board. Sure, he might mess things up, but all we need to do is erase those 'accidents' before they happen. 'Hero Killer,' huh? What a joke. Murder is murder. Dressing it up in pretty ideals doesn't change the fact he's no different from us—he's just another criminal."
Annoyed, he waved his hand dismissively.
"Kurogiri. Release the Nomu. A grand banquet needs fear and despair as its appetizer. The show hasn't started yet—so let's give them a little taste."
"As you wish."
Kurogiri lifted his hand. A twisting cloud of black mist formed, and five Nomu of varying size and shape emerged.
"These are inferior compared to the one designed to fight All Might. We already lost three last time. To ensure nothing fails, Sensei rushed production—but even now, only five are usable."
"The number doesn't matter. As long as they fulfill Sensei's mission, it's enough. Once her mask is stripped away, I'll have more than enough ways to deal with her."
From his pocket, Shigaraki pulled out a photograph. His voice was eerily calm, but tinged with obsession.
"This time… you won't be so lucky."
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Meanwhile…
"I hate riding buses. I hate riding trains. And I super hate long-distance trips."
Konata Izumi trudged along behind Endeavor and Todoroki, sighing in despair.
Who in their right mind thought tagging along with Endeavor on a night patrol was a good idea? He was the No. 2 Pro Hero! And on top of that, he strutted around with his whole face literally on fire. Could he be any more obvious about announcing "Hey villains, I'm here!"?
And what exactly was she supposed to do on this mission? Other than handing out towels and shouting "Go Dad Go!" she and Todoroki were basically useless extras.
"Should've brought my earphones… at least then I could listen to some songs and pass the time."
She fished out her phone from her pocket. Not her old, dying lag-machine of a phone anymore—Midnight-sensei had gifted her a brand-new, high-end model. At first, Konata had tried to refuse, but then Midnight casually dropped the line: "That phone costs less than one of my dresses."
It had crushed her soul.
"Wha—money is everything, huh?! You think you can buy me off with wealth?! Well too bad, I'd never sell my—wait, wow this thing runs games so smoothly. No lag at all. The camera's amazing too. Quality product."
And hey… being a personal hug pillow for Midnight wasn't so bad either. Who was taking advantage of who here was still up for debate.
"Heroes aren't allowed to use phones during patrol."
Before Konata even lit up the screen, Endeavor's cold voice shot back without turning his head.
"Ughhh…"
Konata shoved the phone back, pouting in defeat.
Seriously though—he came all the way to Hosu to deal with Stain, but was strutting around like he was on a father-son bonding trip. Was this really about justice, or just family drama with a side of hero work?
Konata thought about messaging Iida, telling him she'd come all the way here and demanding a free dinner. But… maybe after this mission.
So instead, she tilted her head to the starry night sky, bored out of her mind, counting stars to kill time. How did Todoroki survive this atmosphere his whole life?
And then she froze.
In the distance, something with wings was flying toward them.
"Wait, wait, is that a vampire? Or maybe… an angel? But aren't quirks banned in public spaces—what the heck—"
When the silhouette drew closer, her doubts evaporated, replaced with disbelief.
It was a winged… Nomu… flying joyfully in the night sky?!
Before she could process that absurdity—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted from another street, flames and smoke swallowing half the night sky. Sirens blared. Panic spread through the crowd.
And in that chaos, the malice lurking in the dark finally revealed itself.
Facing the monstrous creature diving toward them, Endeavor's eyes turned ice-cold.
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"League of Villains again…?"
Todoroki let out a puff of white breath. Even with Endeavor standing right in front of him, his instincts flared to full alert.
He had seen Nomu before—back during the USJ attack—and their raw combat power was unforgettable. This one descending from the sky, with its two grotesque, oversized wings, looked different from those monsters back then… but one thing was the same: its brain was horribly exposed for all to see.
Yes, this had all the signs of the League's doing. Yet strangely, Todoroki wasn't too worried. Endeavor might be a failure as a father… but as a Hero? He was still dependable.
Flames burst from Endeavor's palm, searingly hot, and roared up to meet the swooping Nomu. His fire—so much more refined and forceful than Todoroki's clumsy use of his own flames—rushed to consume the monster.
The thing had long since lost every trace of humanity. Killing it would weigh nothing on Endeavor's conscience.
But as the fire cleared—
The Nomu remained unscathed. Its body pierced through the blaze as if nothing had touched it, swooping low. With its massive claws, it snatched up a little girl who'd been separated from her family in the chaos, then shot high into the night sky with its prize.
"An ability that absorbs fire… or heat?"
Endeavor's face darkened, his sharp instincts already identifying the cause. He had fought countless battles, but enemies who refused to meet him head-on always left a bitter taste.
"Endeavor! Give me authorization to use my Quirk!"
Scarlet wings unfurled, and Konata Izumi's voice rang in his ear.
She didn't wait for an answer. Her crimson feathers blazed as she prepared to take flight—
But Todoroki's hand caught her wrist.
"Don't. That thing is clearly targeting you. Don't fall for their plan. What we should be doing now—"
He didn't even finish his sentence before Konata wrenched free, not wasting a single word in reply. In the blink of an eye, she was gone—chasing the Nomu into the night.
"She's far stronger in that form than you could ever be," Endeavor said coldly, watching the crimson silhouette disappear from view. "She doesn't need your concern. Come with me—there's a bigger fight waiting in the center."
Todoroki didn't answer. He didn't follow. Instead, he turned and sprinted in the same direction Konata had gone.
"…Idiot."
Endeavor's brows furrowed as he cast one last glance toward the roaring flames and explosions consuming the city. The fires weren't shrinking—they were spreading. Heroes were already locked in bitter battle there.
After a pause, he turned and marched straight into the heart of the chaos.
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Wind howled past Konata's ears. The city blurred beneath her as she shot forward.
Ahead of her, the Nomu's grotesque wings beat furiously. Its claws clutched the unconscious little girl tighter.
Konata's grip tightened around her blade. She knew—of course she knew—this was a trap meant to exploit her soft heart. And yet… how could she turn away?
That girl had been dragged into this only because Konata existed. Because of her.
If she had the power to save her, then there was no choice at all.
Sure, she could have stayed safe by sticking close to Endeavor, racking up "experience points" under his watchful eye. But to just stand by and let this happen? That wasn't her.
"You really thought you could exploit my weakness…? Sorry, but you picked the wrong girl."
Her eyes narrowed, voice cold as steel. The distance between her and the Nomu shrank—fifty meters… forty…
"Seal."
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Far away, atop another building—
"Our prey just keeps surprising us," Shigaraki muttered, lowering his binoculars. His ruined fingers scratched at his neck.
"Kurogiri. How long has it been since she transformed?"
"Five minutes and twenty-seven seconds," Kurogiri answered, glancing at his watch. "According to the data from the Sports Festival and our inside source, her individual transformation forms last roughly five minutes. She's already exceeded that."
"Heh… a little growth, then. Guess training under Endeavor did toughen her up." Shigaraki grinned crookedly. "But we already accounted for that variable. Keep counting. Let's see how far she can stretch it now."
His gaze turned skyward.
"No matter how limitless her Quirk may seem, a person's will has limits. Just like Sensei said… she's pure. Too pure. And purity is just another word for naivety. Pathetic."
"Kurogiri. She has two other forms, right?"
"Yes. One is the electromagnetic girl from the semi-finals of the Sports Festival. The other… most likely the rumored diva from the net."
Kurogiri's voice carried a rare note of hesitation.
"…Heh. You're telling me she can become an idol now?" Shigaraki chuckled, his cracked lips curling into a strange smile.
"Infinite fantasies, infinite futures… I think I'm starting to understand why Sensei wants her so badly. Because she really is… beautiful."
His gaze lingered on the crimson figure streaking across the night sky.
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This was supposed to be just another peaceful night.
Like all the countless quiet nights before it.
But with the appearance of the Hero Killer, Stain, in Hosu City… and Turbo Hero Ingenium's grievous injury and sudden retirement… the city had begun to shift. Dark currents stirred beneath the surface.
Not that it mattered much to ordinary people.
Stain only ever targeted Heroes. Never once had he harmed a civilian. Dozens of pro Heroes had already fallen beneath his blade, but not a single record existed of him hurting "normal" folks.
And so, when news broke that Ingenium had retired after being struck down, the public's reaction was… mild. Some worried, some sighed. But life went on. The world still turned. People are good at forgetting. In time, Turbo Hero Ingenium would fade into memory.
Some even whispered admiration for the Hero Killer. A few with darker hearts idolized him.
But when disaster truly came knocking—when blood and death pressed close to their doorstep—
everything changed.
Because in front of a Nomu, an ordinary human was no sturdier than a block of tofu.
This night… was destined to be sleepless.
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"Looks like I won't need to rush in after all."
Todoroki halted, watching the battle play out in the skies.
He had worried Konata might have fallen straight into a League of Villains trap. But judging by the situation now… every scheme, every shadowy ploy… all of it was meaningless before overwhelming strength.
At that moment, his phone buzzed.
Brows knitting slightly, Todoroki pulled it from his pocket. His eyes sharpened when he saw the location pin sent by Izuku Midoriya.
By then, Konata had already passed the unconscious girl to the arriving police officers and was walking toward him.
But before she could say a word—perhaps out of petty payback for her earlier recklessness—Todoroki cut her off, raising his phone.
"Midoriya may be in trouble. The enemy he's facing could very well be the Hero Killer. I'm going to him. We'll hold out as long as we can. In that time, you need to gather as many pro Heroes as possible and bring them to us."
"Midoriya—"
She had barely managed to say three syllables before Todoroki turned on his heel and sprinted toward the map's direction. Exactly the kind of rash, reckless move she herself had made not long ago.
Konata rolled her eyes. "Seriously?"
Pulling out her own phone, she muttered, "But I thought Midoriya wasn't even in Hosu—"
She didn't finish.
A puff of purple-black mist materialized right above her phone. A pale hand reached out of the darkness, snatching it from her grasp.
The sight of that hand froze her blood. She dropped back instantly, abandoning the phone without hesitation.
"…Long time no see, Konata Izumi."
That rasping, gloomy voice could only belong to one person.
Shigaraki Tomura stepped from the warping mist, Kurogiri's shadowy figure at his side.
Shigaraki glanced at the phone now in his hand. Feeling the faint vibration, he slid a finger across the screen.
You have one new message from: Green-Caped Crusader.
"Green-Caped… Crusader?" Shigaraki muttered, expression twisting oddly. "What kind of name is that…?"
"Give my phone back."
Konata stretched out her hand. Her voice was flat, almost bored. She wasn't particularly scared.
Kurogiri's quirk was teleportation—predictable, with its telltale fog as a warning. Easy enough to counter if she kept sharp.
And Shigaraki? Sure, his Decay quirk was terrifying—anything his five fingers touched disintegrated. But she wasn't helpless. She still had Railgun Girl's form in reserve. And after ten long days, Hatsune Miku was available again. Against these two clowns, whom she knew inside and out… fear wasn't exactly on her mind.
"Your phone?"
Shigaraki scrolled through her contacts, muttering, "No… it's mine now."
"Aircon-kun, Exploding Durian, Newton's Tears, Pika-Pikachu, Green-Caped Crusader, Engi-something Hero… what the hell are these names?"
Konata glared at him with the deadpan of a bullied class rep staring down the class clown.
"Leader of the League of Villains, huh? Where's your style? No shades? No gold chains? No cigar? You're literally stealing private property like some back-alley thug. And you don't even have the decency to pretend you're not snooping through my stuff. Honestly, do you even know the meaning of shame?"
"Oh? So there is something you don't want me to see? In the photos, maybe?"
Shigaraki ignored her complaint and casually tapped into the photo gallery.
"You bastard!" Konata hissed through gritted teeth. "Fine, scroll my albums if you dare—but if you delete even one—"
"Delete?"
Shigaraki tapped on the last folder, boldly labeled TOP SECRET.
Inside… were hundreds of poorly angled camera shots. Screens filled with game walkthroughs. Strategy guides. Cheat sheets.
Shigaraki: "…"
What… even is this phone?
Kurogiri, standing aside, fell into stunned silence. The scene unfolding in front of him was absurd. Was this really how a confrontation between enemies was supposed to go? It was supposed to be serious, grim, terrifying! Not… whatever this was. Why was his boss playing along like some middle-school bully? Why did this feel like watching the class clown steal the nerd's lunch money?!
Just as Kurogiri started to doubt reality itself, a heavy, aged voice rang in his mind.
"…Enough. Open the portal."
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How's that cliffhanger? Cruel, I know~ Poor Konata is suffering, and now you guys are too! xD Did I forget something? An extra chapter, maybe? Hmm… must've been the wind… Teehee.
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