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CHAPTER START---
Throughout Japan, while cities and regions all have proper names, some areas are more commonly -atleast among Pro Heroes and villains-, referred to as territories of the most prominent Hero Agency in the area.
Saitama Tokyo is commonly referred to as Endeavor's region, and Minato Tokyo is quickly becoming known as Horizon's Domain.
This smaller district on the other side of Japan didn't have many large villain attacks but was a main transit hub for smuggling and other illegal acts. Not as many fights, but the perfect place for Sir Nighteye's agency.
This is how an agency with only four members has dominated this district and has made it known as Sir Nighteye's territory. Japan's leading investigation Hero Agency, currently only being challenged by Horizon.
And currently under the mid-day sun, Sir Nighteye's golden boy, Mirio Togata in full Hero Costume as Japan's 4th most popular Hero Course student, Lemillion, was on patrol.
His smile seemed infectious as he walked through the street, politely greeting everyone he walked past and turning down offers of small treats from the nearby shops.
Offers made by the same people he's been protecting for the past two years at Sir Nighteye's Hero Agency.
"Lemillion, you should come by later before heading back to the agency, I just made fresh Mochi!" one of the men yelled out from across the street. "You can take some back for everyone!"
Lemillion turns and gives a polite wave and smile, "if I finish patrol nearby I'll be sure to swing by!"
Beside him, Deku, in full Hero Costume, Sir Nighteye's 4th member, but only as a work studies student looked up to Lemillion. "Are people around here always giving you free stuff? I didn't expect everyone to be so...friendly."
"We're Heroes after all, we protect them. And in a small place like this it's good to know the people you're saving, don't you think?"
"Oh, I guess I never really thought about these slower days we'd have as Pros."
"Oh yeah, most days are like this around here, if you want more action you'd have to go work in Tokyo...well maybe not Minato or Saitama Tokyo, Endeavor and Horizon don't really let anyone else get a chance to work."
"Yeah, Gran Torino mentioned that more populated areas have more crime," Deku looks a bit sad at the memory of his dead mentor. "But Sir Nighteye is all about investigation right, so I should focus on learning some of that while I'm here."
"Exactly, just focus on one thing at a time, the Work Studies is partly about learning how to run your own agency after all. Lots of heroes can teach you how to punch villains, but...and I don't mean to sound mean, but most of them can't run an investigation up to even my level, much less to the level of Sir, if any."
"Yeah, All Might said I'm similar to him in a way, maybe that's how."
"Hmm, All Might told you that?" Lemillion gives him a strange look. "Do you guys talk a lot?"
"Uh, well, he's our Hero Class teacher after all. He's familiar with all the first-year Hero Course Students. It's not like I'm special or anything. It's just my quirk is simple like his you know, so he's helping a bit extra."
"Huh, you mutter a lot, you should drop that habit," Lemillion laughs it off. "Oh, and don't worry about all the free stuff people offer, I never really accept any of it, even when Mrs. Aki's grandkids corner me and give me whatever she sent I still feel super guilt about it."
Deku breathes a sigh of relief, "yeah that would feel too weird for me too. So is there a---"
"Hngh!" a young girl, no older that seven, bumps into Deku as she was in a full sprint leaving a dark alley.
Both students immediately stop, seeing her in an oversized white t-shirt, bandages wrapping her arms and legs, long white hair, and a single small horn on the right side of her forehead.
"Sorry," Deku says, and kneels down to make sure the girl was alright as she's sitting on the sidewalk. "Did that hurt, are you alright?"
He reaches out to help her up, and she flinches at the sight of his hand, he sees the trembling in her eyes as her breathing quickens. As fear wracks her body and causes her to freeze up.
He retracts his hand, noticing her reaction, "are you alright? What's your name?"
"Are you bothering these people?" a bored voice asks from in the alley, and the students look up to see the target their agency was investigating, Kai Chisaki -Overhaul-, leader of the Shie Hassaikai Yakuza branch, and potentially the main hub of smuggling in this area.
Lemillion looks between the girl and Overhaul as the man approaches, realizing how terrified she was of him as she holds onto Deku at the sound of his voice.
"I'm sorry about my daughter," Overhaul gestures to the girl. "She's always running around and falling down, especially when I try to change her bandages, which only makes the problem even worse...she's a bit accident-prone."
'He's trying to explain the bandages with that weak excuse,' Lemillion and Deku realize immediately.
"We're sorry for bumping into her," Lemillion says.
"Oh, no I'm sorry for failing to discipline her, I don't want to take up any of the time you spend protecting us after all," Overhaul's eyes then drop from Lemillion to Deku. "Oh, a new Hero? I don't think I've seen you before..."
As Deku is about to introduce himself Lemillion cuts in, "he's just a student on a trial run, nobody worth remembering at the moment."
"I see, well I hope he sticks around. Now, Eri, let's go so these fine heroes can get back to work."
Eri only trembles more and holds onto Deku tighter, "please," she whispers, just soft enough for Deku to hear. "No..."
Deku gets a look of determination on his face, and Lemillion gets ready to speak up. He understands that any altercation here will put Sir Nighteye's investigation in jeopardy, and he hates himself for deciding to leave Eri in this situation.
But he also doesn't know if there are dozens of more people like here that he won't be able to save if Overhaul gets spooked.
An impossible choice, but he trusts Sir Nighteye's guidance.
Hard choices now to save a million lives later.
But Overhaul only needs to pinch the bottom of his glove for Eri to get the hint, and she immediately gets away from Deku as if nothing happened and stands beside Overhaul.
"Good, now apologize to the heroes for causing trouble."
"I'm sorry," Eri gives a polite bow.
"So am I," Overhaul says as he gets ready to leave. "Have a wonderful day heroes."
As they both turn to walk into the alley, before they even get off the sidewalk.
Deku's mind races back to this exact situation. To the train he was on with Gran Torino. To his instincts screaming at him that Iida needed his help. To Gran Torino pinning him down and preventing him from leaving...to his friend dying because he chose to do nothing.
'Never again! I'll save EVERYONE!'
ONE FOR ALL: FULL COWLING- 10%!
Deku leaps forward before Lemillion could react, sweeps Overhaul's legs out from under him and snatches Eri up, then leaps a few meters away.
The girl is instantly holding onto Deku for dear life as she mutters a soft, "thank you," under her breath, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Lemillion's eyes go wide as Overhaul tries to pick himself up off the ground. People around the street all stop to look at the commotion.
Overhaul notices this and stays on the floor, raising a hand to point at Deku.
Lemillion makes most of his body permeable, ready to engage and back up his friend now that they're in this situation.
But Overhaul doesn't engage, he's a charming leader of an underground gang. He can't go around flaunting his Quirk and fighting heroes in the street. He can't risk revealing his operation or worse, his ties with Shigaraki.
He can't risk the government sending its big guns after him, living in this mostly quiet district with only one weak agency was perfect for his operation.
So as a master of understanding the law and public perception, he turns on the charm.
"HELP, HE'S TAKING MY DAUGHTER!"
And just like that, all the fight got knocked out of Deku and Lemillion, and moments later two other nearby Pro Heroes were on the scene to investigate the misconduct of these provisional license holders...
END CHAPTER---