With the last of the villains now captured or incapacitated, Class 1-A breathed a sigh of relief.
"D—did we… get 'em?" Kaminari stammered, his body swaying unsteadily as sparks fizzled off him.
"We sure did," Jiro said as she walked over to support him, looping his arm over her shoulder. The villain with jagged shark-like teeth lay unconscious at her feet, bound tightly in rope.
"We actually won?" Mina muttered, blinking in disbelief as she glanced from one fallen villain to the next.
"Don't get cocky," Aizawa's tired voice cut through the air, though there was a rare, subtle note of pride buried beneath his rasp. His scarf coiled tightly around two struggling opponents before he slammed them to the ground. "You should've just evacuated like I told you to."
Bakugo clicked his tongue, wiping soot from his cheek. "Whatever. I could've handled them all myself." But even his usual bite carried less fire than before, his explosions having drained most of his strength.
From the center of it all, Renji stood silently, eyes scanning the smoke-filled plaza. His weapon hung at his side, the nanobots on his arm slowly retreating into his jacket, but his grin hadn't faded.
"They'll be back," he said lightly, almost like he was amused by the thought. "And next time… it'll be even more fun."
A cold shiver ran through a few of his classmates at the way he said it.
Aizawa snapped toward Renji, steps deliberate as he walked while lowering his goggles.
"What were you thinking!" He shouted, his voice cutting like a whip. His capture cloth writhed at his sides, alive with his fury. "Charging headfirst into that monster, taking shots at the leader in plain sight—do you have a death wish?!"
Renji only tilted his head, that same infuriating grin plastered across his face. "Oh, come on, sensei. I was just having a little fun. Besides…" He tapped the side of his temple with a finger. "I saw everything. I knew exactly what I was doing."
"That's not the point!" Aizawa snarled, the rare edge of emotion in his voice silencing the class. His tired eyes narrowed, harsher than ever. "You gambled with your life—and theirs. A single mistake and half this class would've died today."
The weight of his words pressed down like a storm cloud. Even Bakugo, who had been about to scoff, closed his mouth.
Renji's grin flickered, hardening into something sharp, almost lifeless. "Guess it's a good thing I don't make mistakes, huh?"
For a long moment, their teacher said nothing, opting to just stare at Renji in deep thought. His eyes lingered on him with an unreadable intensity, as if trying to decide the best course of action. Finally, with a sigh, he turned back to the rest of the class.
"At least you're all alive," he muttered, the edge in his tone softening just enough to betray his relief.
"You're welcome." Renji blurted out from behind, causing Aizawa to give him a blank stare.
"Haha!" Kirishima laughed from afar, "Thanks, Renji!"
—
A large muscular man with pointed yellow hair burst through the doors with multiple other teachers trailing soon behind.
"I am here!" He bellowed, jumping down to the center of the USJ.
His steps slowed and his adrenaline faded as he looked around at the mess. Villains were either captured in tight rope or unconscious with battered limbs. Is that guy's head bashed in!?
"All Might!" The class exclaimed in unison, rushing to the man who was supposed to be supervising this lesson.
"It seems you've got it all under control." He noted, checking over each student to ensure no damage was done.
As he was getting the rundown from Aizawa, the doors burst open once again to reveal the rest of the teachers who were coming as backup.
Midnight, Ectoplasm, Cementoss, Present Mic, Snipe, Power Loader, and Vlad King had all rushed to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint once they heard the news that villains had infiltrated the campus.
Iida had done his job to perfection, arriving shortly after he left USJ. However, his contributions would be overlooked since every villain was already apprehended by the time backup arrived.
"Yoo!" Renji waved at the newcomers, pointing with his other hand at the villains on the ground. "You just missed the show!"
The teachers looked in disbelief. Iida had really sold the idea that Class 1-A was in danger, and while it may have held some truth when he left, it didn't really seem like they were needed there at all.
Snipe gazed down at the villains, a sigh escaping his lips as he realized they had really rushed over for nothing.
Suddenly, his sharp eyes caught a twitch—one of the villains was moving.
A throwing knife gleamed in the dim light, already breathing the fresh air as the villain's arm extended to snap forward at one of the students.
Snipe's hand blurred to his holster—
—but Renji was faster.
A deafening CRACK split the air as his coilgun roared, the magnetic shot tearing through the villain's leg. Flesh and bone burst apart in a spray of red, the knife clattering harmlessly across the floor.
"AHHH!" The villain's scream tore through the plaza, echoing against the steel walls as he writhed in a pool of his own blood.
The plaza went dead silent except for the screams of the poor villain caught under Renji's all seeing abilities.
Renji holstered his weapon, his grin unchanged, almost casual as though he'd just swatted a fly.
"Sloppy," he muttered, lowering the barrel. "Who would've thought he'd wake so soon?"
The teachers froze, caught between relief and shock. Midnight's eyes widened and Cementoss clenched his jaw.
Snipe had a shocked expression underneath his mask and cowboy hat. He's fast!
Laughing through the strange situation, Snipe simply shook his head. "I see why we weren't needed."
"You can say that again." Midnight said offhandedly, still in awe at how resolute the young boy was.
—
"YOUNG RENJI!" All Might yelled as he strode up to confront the violent boy. "What are you doing!"
Renji tilted his head, hand resting on his chin in a thoughtful expression. "I'm handling the situation."
"That is not how a Hero handles things," All Might said with a stern look, crossing his arms. "Heroes are supposed t—"
"Supposed to save people?" Renji butted in, "Where were you when we needed saving, All Might?"
The muscular man reeled back, the booming presence that usually filled every room shrinking under the bite of Renji's words.
All Might's jaw tightened, but no reply came immediately. His students' wide eyes darted between him and Renji, unsure if they had just witnessed blasphemy or truth.
Renji's grin lingered, sharp and unrepentant. "Funny, isn't it? You preach about what heroes should be… but when the villains were here, tearing this place apart, it wasn't you who stood in front of us."
Whispering at a level only All Might could hear, he leaned in with a mischievous look. "Maybe it's time, you retired."
The Symbol of Peace froze, his eyes widening in shock as if the boy had just peeled back a secret he had no right to know.
Before the silence could stretch further, Aizawa's voice cut through, sharp as a blade. "That's enough, Renji."
But All Might raised a hand, stopping him. His booming tone softened, carrying something heavier than usual bravado. "No… Aizawa, he's right." He turned back to the class, shoulders broad but expression weighed down. "I should have been here. I was irresponsible to leave your safety to chance. To all of you… I failed as your teacher today."
The confession stunned the students even more than Renji's words. The man who was known to have never faltered, was admitting fault out loud.
"Hmm…" Renji murmured, watching the Symbol Of Peace bow toward the class. Guess he's not done yet.
—
—Unknown Facility—
Shigaraki crashed on the floor of one of their hidden hideouts, blood bursting from the wound on his shoulder. Nearby, Kurogiri walked up to help him, picking him up carefully and placing him onto the surgical table nearby.
Soon enough, a short bald man walked into the room through the sliding doors nearby. Adjusting his glasses, he sighed in disappointment.
"Tomura—Tomura—Tomura…" He said, shaking his head. "Now why do I have the pleasure of seeing you bleeding out in my lab?"
Shigaraki clenched his teeth, his hand twitching against the table as blood dripped steadily onto the floor. "Shut up and fix me," he spat, voice raw with both pain and fury.
The doctor only adjusted his glasses again, unfazed by the venom in Tomura's tone. "Tch. Always so impatient. You should be grateful you even have me, boy. You can be so much more than this."
Kurogiri's mist swirled uneasily, though his tone remained level. "He requires immediate attention. The battle was more taxing than anticipated."
"Clearly," the doctor muttered, snapping his fingers. A pair of Nomu shuffled forward from the shadows, carrying trays of gleaming instruments. He smirked as he prepped them. "Very well, Tomura. Let's see if I can keep that fragile body of yours stitched together a little longer."
Shigaraki growled, glaring daggers through the haze of pain. "Just do it. Next time… I'll make sure they're the ones bleeding."
—
A crowd of officers stood outside the Unforeseen Simulation Joint. Each student from Class 1-A was being sent aside for a few questions on the matter.
Renji buzzed in and out of his Quirk, checking for any residual dangers or juicy bits of information.
From aside, Hagakure walked up to him, knowing that he would somehow sense her coming.
"Hey, Hagakure." Renji said, turning his head to look at her.
"…" She said nothing for a moment, trying to put her words together.
Noticing her hesitation, Renji simply waited, looking around at the officers handcuffing the villains that they had apprenhended.
In the distance, the dead Nomu was being hauled onto a large truck headed toward U.A.. It had been quite the argument to get that thing sent to U.A.'s lab rather than the HPSC's, but after multiple vouches from the teachers and assurance that that his findings would be an open book, the officers relented.
Naomasa Tsukauchi. The investigator was the top dog for this investigation. He didn't seem like much. He was a tall man with short, black hair and dark eyes.
Some kind of lie detector Quirk. It's not visible, unlike his younger sister…
Polygraph was a dangerous Quirk, its main downside was it's tendency to require very specific questions and physical contact. But Naomasa isn't using any kind of physical contact.
That immediately drew a few ideas in Renji's mind. Either this Tsukauchi didn't inherit the lie detector Quirk, or his isn't outwardly visible. Like mine.
The latter would be quite the troublesome Quirk to deal with. There was definitely a reason why Tsukauchi had risen to his position so quickly.
A soft voice snapped Renji out of his thoughts.
"…Are you alright?" She asked, shifting uncomfortably.
I'm getting déjà vu again…
"Do I not look okay?" Renji chuckled, gesturing at the lack of damage on his body or costume.
"That…" Hagakure hesitated before lashing out with a slap on Renji's shoulder. "You know what I mean!"
Renji raised his hands in a placating manner, "Alright, alright!"
He dodged the next few swings, "Stop hitting me!"
Within moments, Hagakure's fire was replaced by a light, airy giggle. "Hehe, you're impossible!"
Renji smirked, lowering his hands but keeping just enough distance to stay wary of another sneak attack. "Guess I'll take that as a win."
Her invisible form leaned closer, voice warm with lingering amusement. "You're so full of yourself, you know that?"
Renji just shrugged, grin never faltering. "Takes one to notice one!"
They laughed just like that, tucked away in a small corner of their own little world. The events of today seemed to fade away little by little as they laughed and talked, the tension of the situation disappearing.
Unfortunately, this bubble wouldn't last. An officer carrying a clipboard walked up to the pair, glancing up. "Are you Kanzaki Renji?"
Turning to face the man, Renji flashed him a thumbs up. "That's me."
Nodding, the officer pointed toward one of the buildings near the front of the USJ that they had repurposed to an interrogation spot. "Head on in there, it won't take long."
Renji walked down the hall and into the room almost lazily. Opening the door, he was greeted to a sort of lounge where a tall man sat waiting.
"Kanzaki Renji?" He asked, standing up to shake hands. "I'm Detective Tsukauchi, I'll be asking a few quick questions on the situation."
"Nice to meet you," Renji replied politely, shaking his hand firmly. "I've heard much about you."
That gave the other man pause. Raising his eyebrows, he gestured for Renji to sit across from him. "Where did you hear about me?"
"Oh, I have a few sources." Renji said mysteriously. "A Quirkless detective becoming the top star so quickly is bound to stir up some news."
Tsukauchi coughed into his hand, sitting down and shifting the notepad he had brought.
"Alright Kanzaki, are you ready?" He asked, shifting the focus.
"Ready as ever." Renji replied starkly, scratching the back of his head.
Tsukauchi flipped his notepad open, pen tapping once against the paper. His dark eyes fixed on Renji with an intensity that betrayed neither hostility nor warmth. "Let's start simple. Did you engage with the villains directly?"
Renji leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head, a grin tugging at his lips. "Of course I did. You've seen the mess outside, right? Hard not to get my hands dirty."
The detective's pen scratched the paper, but his gaze didn't waver. "And when you fired on the incapacitated assailant, were you aware of the outcome your attack would cause?"
Renji clicked his tongue, almost amused. "Outcome? You mean saving one of my classmates from getting a knife in the back? Yeah, I was aware."
For the first time, Tsukauchi's brow furrowed slightly. "The reports say his leg was obliterated. That was some excessive force."
"And what about the villain whose head you bashed in?" He continued, staring intently at Renji. "Did you deem his death necessary?"
Renji tilted his head, voice dropping lower. "Tell me, detective… would you prefer interrogating a student's corpse instead?"
Tsukauchi's pen hovered for the length of a breath. For a sliver of a second his measured composure faltered. He blinked, the kind of tiny break in rhythm that betrayed his stoicism, and Renji grinned like he'd won a private game.
Tsukauchi flipped a page in his notepad, his tone smoothing out. "Kanzaki, for the record, you're fifteen, correct?"
Renji's grin sharpened. He leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head. "On paper, sure. Fifteen years old, first-year student at U.A., yadda yadda."
Tsukauchi raised an eyebrow. "On paper?"
Renji tilted his head, gaze glinting with mischief. "Depends how you count. Sometimes I feel like I've lived fifty years already. Other times? Like I was just born yesterday."
The detective frowned. "That doesn't—" He stopped. His pen hovered above the page.
Renji's grin widened as he watched that subtle pause. "Weird, huh? Doesn't sound like it makes sense, but I can assure you that I'm not lying."
Tsukauchi cleared his throat, trying to cover the falter in his composure. "Let's… move on."
Renji chuckled, low and satisfied. "Thought so. Must be a pain when reality itself doesn't fit your neat little boxes."
Tsukauchi steadied his pen, forcing himself back into rhythm. "Alright then… Kanzaki, let's keep this simple. You enrolled at U.A. this year. Why?"
Renji tilted his head, feigning thoughtfulness. "Because I wanted to. Because Nezu wanted me to. Because destiny shoved me here. Pick whichever one makes you sleep better."
The detective's jaw tightened.
"…And your quirk. How exactly does it function?"
Renji chuckled. "Are you sure you're allowed to be asking these types of questions, Detective?"
Tsukauchi's eyes narrowed just a fraction, but his pen kept moving. "Consider it professional curiosity. Humor me."
Renji rested his elbows on the table, his grin cutting sharper. "It functions exactly the way it wants to. In a way, it's kind of like yours."
He leaned forward, voice low. "No one can even tell when it's on."
Tsukauchi's hand hesitated mid-stroke, the scratching of pen against paper halting. His eyes flicked up, narrowing slightly. "What do you mean by that?"
Renji smirked wider, leaning back in his chair. "Exactly what it sounds like. You look calm, collected, professional… but I know when it's humming. That little gut-tug you feel whenever someone tries to twist the truth. Your quirk. It's invisible and quiet. Just— like— mine."
The detective's throat tightened, but he forced his pen back into motion. "You're imagining things."
Renji's laugh was low, sharp, almost too amused. "Am I? Then why did you freeze back there, when I told you I've lived fifty years and a single day all at once? You felt it, didn't you? That certainty. That little pulse in your chest."
Tsukauchi didn't answer, but the silence said enough.
Renji tilted his head, his grin settling into something almost lazy. "Don't worry, Detective. Your secret's safe with me. After all…" He tapped his temple with one finger. "It takes one freak to spot another."
With that said, Renji jumped up from his seat and strolled his way to the door. Giving the Detective a little wave, he pulled on the handle.
"Oh and by the way," He stopped mid-step, glancing over his shoulder. "Here's a little puzzle for you to chew on."
Renji paused for dramatic effect, the silence stretching between the two men before he finally broke it.
"I've been in your house."
Tsukauchi's pen slipped from his hand, clattering onto the table. His heart hammered in his chest, but he forced himself to stay still.
Renji's laughter echoed down the hall as he strolled out, leaving the detective alone with the weight of a truth he couldn't deny.