The newsroom hummed with an urgent energy as the camera focused on the almond shade eyes of the anchor, who sat in front of a vivid backdrop of footage from a shattered compound. The bold headline below her read: "Heroic raid fails: Shie Hassaiki Escape with League of Villain's Aid?"
The anchor, her name was Reina Takano, her tone was calm but carried an unmistakeable gravity. "Good evening. In what could have been a turning point in the fight against organized villainy, last night's raid on the Shie Hassaiki compound ended in a devastating failure. Despite the combined efforts of multiple hero agencies, including those led by Sir Nighteye, Gang Orca, Ryukyu, and Mt Lady and Kamui woods. Overhaul, the yakuza boss at the center of this raid, escaped along with his subordinates through what has been confirmed to be the portal of the warp villain Kurogiri of the League."
The screen cut to footage from a helicopter. Thick clouds of dust obscured much of the compound, but flashes of battle were visible: Ryukyu in her dragon form clashing with Overhaul, Nejire's spirals, and the massive figure of Mt. Lady delivering a devastating strike. And then the swirling black portals that carried them away.
It flashed back to the anchor who was uncharacteristically playing with her chestnut coloured hair that just fell above her shoulders. Her tailored navy suit hugged her figure in a way that radiated professionalism, her chair swivelled and she spoke again in the same tone she started with.
"This raises troubling questions," the anchor continued. "about a possible alliance between the Shie Hassaiki and the League of Villains. If such a collaboration exists, it could mark the return to the chaotic villainy seen before All Might's era of peace."
The footage changed again, focusing on a new figure: Sōryū, his paper constructs were slicing through Overhaul's barriers and even worked on shielding heroes like Nejire in the fight. The movements were too blurry so there was no good quality shots of his face.
"But another figure has captured the public's attention," the anchor said. "Sōryū, a rogue individual who's motives are unclear. Footage shows him engaging Overhaul directly, fighting alongside heroes and even shielding them from harm. Yet despite this, he later on fled the scene. What is he? And what does he fight for?"
***
The live panel discussion began with a hero analyst, a government official, and two reporters seated around a sleek table.
The moderator addressed the group. "We've seen the footage. Sōryū was instrumental in the battle against Overhaul, yet fled the scene and evaded capture. Minister Tanaka, what is your take?"
Minister Tanaka's expression was stern. "Sōryū is not a hero. Let's not be fooled by actions. Fighting a villain does not absolve you of being one yourself. This individual operates outside of the law, ignoring the protocols and accountability that keeps our society safe. He is a vigilante at best."
The hero analyst adjusted his glasses, offering a measured counterpoint. "But minister, the footage clearly shows Sōryū saving lives of heroes that were on that field. His actions, while unorthodox, were undeniably effective. If he hadn't intervened, I'm sure we would have lost more."
"So we should praise it?" Minister Tanaka crossed his arms and his eyebrows creased. "What happens when his recklessness gets someone killed? Or when he decides that heroes are in his way? Vigilantism leads to anarchy, and Sōryū is already a dangerous figure that is growing in notoriety. He must be apprehended swiftly before he inspires copycats."
The footage replayed, focusing on the deadliness and swiftness of Soryu's attacks. Then it cut to his aerial battle with the villain. One reporter chimed in. "These movements are trained. He uses his quirk incredibly well also."
That did bring up a question. Was he just an abnormal talent. Or... "Was he trained before hand? And if so by who?"
***
The broadcast transitioned again, to a montage of public reactions.
A middle-aged man spoke into his microphone, his face tense. "If he's not working with the heroes, then who's he working for? Someone with power to take on Overhaul shouldn't be running around unchecked."
A younger woman countered this, "He fought Overhaul! You don't do that unless you're trying to help. I think he's being misunderstood."
Another voice, trembling with emotion, cried out. "Overhaul is still free! That's what matters. How did they let him escape? What's the point of heroes if they can't stop monsters like him?"
The anchor returned, her expression grave. "The public remains divided on Sōryū, but one thing is clear: the stakes have never been higher. The potential alliance between the Shie Hassaiki and the league of Villains is a threat that must be addressed."
***
Reina Takano rose gracefully from her desk as the broadcast ended, the hum of the newsroom fading into the background. Her heels clicked with precision against the polished floors, each sound crisp and deliberate, like a metronome keeping time in a soundless corridor.
Her measured stride exuded the same confidence she displayed on air, yet something was subtly... off. The sharpness of her gaze had dulled into an eerie vacancy, her lips twitched faintly as though she were resisting a grin. The rhythmic stepping of her heels echoed louder than it should have, each step reverberating as if the walls themselves were leaning in to listen.
The long hallway stretched endlessly ahead, empty and sterile. The buzzing of the lights added an oppressive drone to the silence. Reina's humming started feint, but grew louder with each step. It was a disjointed melody, sweet yet discordant, as though the tune was searching for itself.
Her pace slowed. She turned a corner and abruptly stopped, tilting her head, her dark hair casting jagged shadows across her face. The hum turned into soft, girlish giggles. They were high-pitched, staccato bursts, echoing unnaturally in the narrow space.
"Did I do good?" she asked, her voice lifting, almost childlike. The question hung in the air, unanswered, until the darkness itself seemed to ripple ahead of her.
A portal swirled into existence—a vortex of black mist and silent menace. It's edges shimmered with feint violet energy, distorting the air around it. The cold emanating from it was palpable, an unnatural chill that gnawed at the edges of existence.
Kurogiri's voice emerged from the void, smooth and unhurried yet laden with a weight that made the world feel smaller. "Excellently done, Himiko Toga."
The perfect mask of Reina Takano began to melt. Her skin, pristine and pale, rippled like liquid wax. It dripped away in jagged streams, exposing the chaotic, twisted grin and wide golden eyes of Himiko Toga beneath. Her laughter was guttural now, raw and unhinged, the sound of someone revelling in their own madness.
"Oh it was so fun!" she squealed, spinning in place, her hair flailing wildly. "They all believe me, hanging on every word." She threw her head back and continued giggling.
Kurogiri's tone remained steady, unmoved by her theatrics. "Compose yourself. Return now. We have much to discuss, and the plan advances."
With a mock bow, Himiko leaned into the portal, her voice turning into a singsong taunt. "I'm always ready to make a mess!" She vanished into the swirling darkness, her final giggles lingering like a haunting melody in an empty hall.
The portal snapped shut, and the corridor was silent once more. The flickering light above steadied for a moment before it, too, dimmed, leaving the space cold and still.
___
The conference room in UA's administration building was quiet. Instead a somber weight filled the space. Around the oval table sat principal Nezu, All Might, Aizawa, and Recovery Girl and Midnight. To the side, Midoriya and Bakugou were there with a bandaged Yuki Arakawa standing a few feet from them.
Nezu's small frame was deceptively relaxed in his chair. His hands were steepled before him, his black eyes sharp as ever, studying each person like an intricate puzzle. The silence hung heavy, like a string waiting to snap.
It was Bakugou who finally shattered it. His voice was rough, filled with pent-up frustration. "That bastard, Kobe or Sōryū. What is going to happen to him?" Even though he spoke with venom, he did seem interested in his fate. His hand briefly went to his neck, his scowl grew deeper.
Midoriya shifted but kept quiet. His expression was thoughtful. Nobody else spoke, the teachers were waiting for Nezu to speak up first.
Yuki, sat with her hands on her lap. She sighed. "He saved that kid, Eri. He fought Overhaul. He..." She hesitated for the briefest moment. "...he walked away because that's who he is now. He's walking his own path I guess."
Aizawa, arms crossed, spoke with his usual bluntness. "A path that's reckless and dangerous. And what for even?" No one answered, no one knew. "He's just putting himself at risk."
Midnight leaned forward after Aizawa spoke, her tone was softer but no less pointed. "There have been wildcards like him before, but they do a lot more harm than good. Sōryū, is not a hero, he's just someone with luck on his side."
Midoriya finally looked up and spoke. "He's not a hero, but he's not a villain either. And I'd like to think that he's just doing what he thinks is right, but in his own way."
Bakugou scoffed. "So what, you're defending him now, Deku? He's a damn time bomb, and I know how ironic that sounds. They should just stuff him in a barrel and send him on his way to prison."
Midoriya understood why Bakugou was mad. Kobe had really hurt Bakugou when they were younger, almost killed him even. And he left Midoriya with a few not so nice words too but Kobe never seemed like the type to be a villain in Midoriya's eyes.
He wasn't overly as excited about heroes like him or Bakugou, but he never shown any villainous traits until the time before he was kicked out of elementary school. He just seemed completely indifferent to both sides. He didn't care.
"But he still fought Overhaul and saved that girl, so I don't think he's just some heartless monster."
"He fought Overhaul cause the maniac was trying to kill him. Of course he'd fight." Bakugou retorted.
Yuki cleared her throat. She pulled out a phone from her pocket. "Before he left, Kobe slipped this to me along with some more details in a letter. It's information he pulled from Overhaul's systems, emails, financial logs. Some of it mentions a 'Doctor' and something titled 'Project Oversight.' It's some experiment that involved a middle school."
Nezu's ears perked up at the mention of a project. His paw was tapping against the table,
Yuki continued, her voice tightening. "There was also those two high schoolers Overhaul's men almost kidnapped. They were previously students of Aldera junior high. So I expect that to be the school under some type of experimentation."
Both Midoriya and Bakugou looked more concerned, their eyes widened.
"That's the school you two attended."
Midoriya stuttered out a response. "Yeah but I didn't graduate there since me and my mom moved to Tokyo. I left two years before graduation." And life had only gotten better for him.
All eyes were now on Bakugou. "I graduated, but it was just the run of the mill middle school. I heard it got shut down though."
Yuki cut in to corroborate. "Yes, a few months ago there was supposedly a villain that went crazy and attacked students from the school." It was probably on the news, and probably briefed over. "The logs don't explain the full scope of the project, but Kobe was digging into this, that should be enough proof he was always working against Overhaul."
A heavy silence settled over the room as the implications sank in.
Nezu broke it. "If Sōryū's goal was to uncover some truth about Overhaul that the media hasn't seen, then yes, his methods aren't self-serving. However his form of operations are dangerous and chaotic. That alone makes him a liability. The heroes side faced considerable loss. Sure no one was dead, but you..." he pointed to Yuki. "Were injured badly and are only able to move around properly because of Recovery Girl. Same with Mirio. That's two of my students. Who's to say that if he was never involved it would have got that bad."
All Might, who had been silent until now, leaned forward. His deep voice carried a quiet intensity. "But who's to say little Eri's suffering would have ended any sooner if he hadn't acted though." All Might had been a little more devastated after seeing the child with cuts and bruises all over her being carried in to UA to Recovery Girls office.
He thought on how she had been suffering, under the peace he has brought forth in this society.
"We cannot ignore what he has done. But we also cannot ignore what he has achieved. The line between hero and villain is a thin one. Sōryū is walking that line now, and it is not too late to pull him to our side."
Midoriya nodded at his idols words. He was right, he didn't need to fight Kobe, not yet. He wanted to talk to him and find out what it is he is facing, and why he is taking such dangerous methods to reach it.
He looked to his senior.
Yuki glanced down at her bandaged hands. Her face had gained a considerably calm look.
"Also, Arakawa."
Yuki's head shot up at the sound of Aizawa's voice.
"You should have handed that phone to the police."
___
I had to get a new phone. And clothes.
I had lost all my contacts, but that was fine, I only had three. Two I weren't even speaking to and one was just a way for me to make moves in my current position.
But it didn't matter anymore. I had already gotten a new a new phone. One of the latest models of the same brand as my last one, it barely took them two years to come out with it. Pointless.
I had walked into a store that was branded under the hero Best Jeanist. He had many stores like these all over the country and even some outside of it.
I bought a nice and plain, big black hoodie and a pair of black jeans, not too tight and not too baggy.
Thankfully, my face was never caught by the media. Of course that didn't mean I was in the clear, I was sure that an image of me was given to the heroes in their circle.
I took out a few large bills to pay for my purchase. Other than the overall flashiness my quirk gave me, this was one of the major reasons why I loved it.
I could use it to create a wad of cash anytime I wanted. This was how I got places to stay, food to eat and other things like that.
Obviously though, things were getting a lot more digitized and some places only accepted card, that was fine too. I already got a bank card made for me that I deposit money in whenever I can. And even if I didn't have my card, I could just materialize a copy with my quirk.
I love my quirk. I'm rambling.
Anyway. The shit with Overhaul right, a huge failure. And I was sure he would be prowling around trying to find and kill me.
Or find Eri first.
But she was probably with UA now, and just in time to watch the sports festival that should be happening in a few days if I remembered right.
My mind drifted to Eri. I was glad I left her, it wouldn't have been right for me to allow her to latch on to me anyway.
She would have slowed me down in every conceivable way. The trauma she's endured isn't something I can fix. In a way she reminded me of myself, she was a guinea pig for Overhaul and I was one for the Eden Project.
She's a kid, sure, but not just any kid. Eri is... complicated. She doesn't know how to interact with others. She hasn't had a normal life to develop those instincts. And her quirk? It's dangerous.
But it isn't just her quirk itself, it's the quirk factor.
The quirk factor, or force, is the energy inside every quirk user. It's what fuels their abilities, growing with them overtime. Think of it like a muscle; it strengthens and adapts as it's used, but if it grows too fast or isn't aligned with the users control, it becomes unstable.
That's where Eri comes in. Her quirk, Rewind, is beyond extraordinary, but it is also way beyond her ability to control. Her quirk factor is probably astronomically high to the point where it's out of balance with her body and mind. It's why her power could spiral, activate unpredictably.
When a quirk factor surpasses the users capacity, the quirk starts to act on it's own. It doesn't wait for commands, it just reacts to bad stimuli. Eri's force is too far ahead of her; her own quirk is like a runaway train. Mine is quite high, but it grew with me.
It's why I let her go. She would have been too much of a liability, a danger to herself, to others and to me. UA can give her what I can't: Structure, stability, and Eraserhead.
That man's quirk is good for helping her on her journey to controlling it and her eventually getting better. She'll have people who care for her, maybe make friends and even a chance to smile without fear for the first time.
That was good.
.
.
I banked to the left. Eri is safe, and I am free to carry on how I need to.