POV: Ojiro
The next day, we regrouped at UA, and I couldn't stop thinking about the suspect Momo and Mirio-Senpai had spotted last night. Senpai described how the robber managed to phase the cash without even touching it. It was unsettling that he managed to get away.
"We're going to catch him tonight," I said to Shinsou as we walked toward the convenience store we were assigned to cover. He gave a small nod, his expression unreadable.
"I'm ready. Let's see what he's really capable of," Shinsou replied.
It was odd working with Shinsou. He wasn't in the hero course like the rest of us, but I knew he was aiming to transfer. Aizawa-sensei seemed to believe in him, and that was enough for me. Still, we hadn't interacted much, so this was our first time working together.
"You think we'll run into the same guy tonight?" I asked, hoping to start a conversation. "Or will he change up his targets now that Senpai and Momo nearly caught him?"
Shinsou shrugged. "Depends on how cocky he is. If he's been getting away with this for a while, he might not see us as a real threat."
That made sense. Overconfidence could be his downfall, but that didn't mean we could slack off. I tightened the grip of my tail, feeling the weight of the situation. We couldn't afford to make mistakes, especially not with a quirk like his in play.
We reached the convenience store and immediately began setting up. Shinsou found a place to sit near the front, pretending to browse through his phone while keeping an eye on the entrance. I positioned myself near the aisles where I could stay hidden but react quickly if something happened.
"He'll probably phase in again," I whispered to Shinsou. "If he's able to phase through objects he's touched, he could come through the wall or even the floor."
Shinsou looked up from his phone, scanning the walls thoughtfully. "True. We need to be ready for any angle."
It was a waiting game now. The minutes passed slowly as we watched customers come and go, but there was no sign of the suspect. I started to wonder if maybe he had picked a different target this time. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something—movement near the back of the store, just like Senpai and Momo had reported.
"There," I whispered to Shinsou, pointing subtly toward the back. "He's here."
Shinsou didn't move, his eyes following the figure creeping toward the register. It was eerie how he moved, barely making a sound, his footsteps light as air. And just like before, he didn't touch anything, but the money disappeared.
"He's using his quirk," Shinsou murmured. "It must have a limited range. He can only phase objects within a certain distance."
"Let's go," I whispered, already moving toward the back.
We approached carefully, trying not to make any noise. I stayed low, using the aisles for cover while Shinsou positioned himself at the front, ready to block any potential escape route. The robber was about to leave when I lunged, my tail whipping out to catch him by the leg.
POV: Shinsou
I watched as Ojiro made his move, his tail wrapping around the robber's leg with perfect precision. The guy was quick, though—he yanked free and dashed toward the exit. That's where I came in.
"Not so fast," I muttered, stepping in front of him. "Stop."
He froze for a split second, his eyes locking onto mine. I could see the panic in his face, but I wasn't planning on letting him go. Not yet.
"Who are you working with?" I asked calmly, my quirk activating as my voice carried the question.
He wanted to reply with a no but as soon as the words came out, he hesitated, his mind clearly battling with the urge to speak. But my quirk was strong, and he couldn't help himself.
"I'm not working with anyone," he muttered, his voice low and shaky.
"Liar," Ojiro growled, stepping forward with his fists clenched.
But I wasn't done. There was more I needed to know.
"What's your quirk?" I asked next, keeping my voice steady.
He grimaced, trying to fight against the compulsion to answer, but it was no use. "I can phase objects I touch. Make them intangible for a while, but not myself."
So that was it. He could make objects intangible, but not his own body. That explained why he had been avoiding touching anything in the store—he didn't want to risk phasing himself. But how was he managing to phase the money without directly touching it?
I pressed further. "How are you phasing the money without touching it?"
He hesitated again, his mind clearly struggling. "I don't have to touch the objects directly... just something connected to them. The floor, the counter... as long as I'm in contact with something, I can phase whatever's near."
Ojiro and I exchanged a glance. That was a useful piece of information.
"Where's the money going?" I asked.
This time, he didn't answer right away. I could see the resistance in his eyes. He was trying harder to fight against my quirk, but I wasn't giving up.
"Where's the money going?" I repeated, my voice firm.
"It... it goes into a storage dimension I can access," he finally admitted, his voice barely a whisper.
So that was how he was doing it. He was using his quirk to phase the money into a separate dimension. No wonder there was no evidence left behind. This guy was good.
But now that we knew how his quirk worked, we had an advantage.
Ojiro tightened his grip on the robber's arm. "Let's bring him in."
The guy tried to struggle, but between my quirk and Ojiro's strength, he didn't stand a chance. We led him out of the store, keeping a firm hold on him as we made our way back to UA.
"We'll need to report this to Shiro-senpai," Ojiro said, his voice calm but serious. "This guy's quirk could be dangerous if used in the wrong way."
I nodded. "Agreed. We'll need to investigate further. There might be more to this than just a string of robberies."
We both knew this wasn't over yet.