After a few jobs, Astro and I rented a cozy two-room apartment. Of course, with some assistance from Oni San, Toga was able to find a decent place to stay until Astro found her a way to get her parents out of their life. Life was getting more stable, and I started thinking about something interesting I'd discovered—something about Sans. Ever wonder why he could always check a player's LV in a game, silently and with a flick of his gaze? Well, it turns out I could too. The way I found out? I locked eyes with a cold-blooded killer, and that's where the fun began.
One evening, while Astro was passed out from the exhaustion of our last job, I picked up his phone to find a new request. It was short and cryptic—find a missing person. The whole situation screamed "suspicious," but curiosity got the better of me. With a quick flick of my finger, I unlocked his phone and saw the location listed. To my surprise, it was a house we'd passed before. Guess I was in luck. Anime Protagonist Convenience was with me today.
I decided to go solo. I scribbled "The Judge ✓, The Angel X" onto our mission board before heading out.
After a brief shortcut, I knocked on the door of the house I'd been directed to. A sharp tug and I was yanked inside. For a moment, I thought I was being kidnapped. Not that it would have been a problem. A full-powered blast on a human sounded... tempting. But that was a test for another day.
A woman, long black hair cascading around her face, stood before me. Her secretary outfit gave off an air of cold professionalism. She stared at me, her voice flat.
"Are you the Judge?"
I glanced around, shrugged, and nodded.
"I take it you're here for business?" I replied, trying to mask my curiosity behind the mask I'd slipped over my face. My Bone Smile was a familiar sight—just a bit of extra cover in case things got dicey.
She walked ahead, her heels clicking against the floor with precision. The house was eerily empty, and as we moved through the rooms, I used my Soul Vision to scan for anyone nearby. Static roared in my ears as I pushed my senses to the limit. Only the woman and one other person were present.
When we reached the back of the house, she unlocked a door, gesturing for me to enter. As I walked inside, the room hit me like a punch to the gut. Clean. Too clean. The rich-kid type of clean. The stark white walls and the sleek office furniture gave it a high-end, corporate vibe. It was so polished, it almost felt... lifeless.
At the desk, a man sat in a black and gold suit, his blood-red tie a stark contrast to the room's sterile atmosphere. He was staring out the window, but when he turned to face me, my breath caught in my throat. It was him.
Overhaul.
But this was before he donned the plague mask. This was the man I knew, in his younger form, before the power and chaos had taken over.
We locked eyes in silence for what felt like an eternity. Then, he sighed and chuckled, his voice low and gravelly.
"So, you're the Judge," he mused. "Didn't take you for someone so... young."
His gaze flickered to my mask before he let out a dry laugh. He clearly wasn't expecting me to be so prepared.
"Smart kid. You already know the basics of how these meetings go, don't you?" he said, his fingers flipping through a file like it was nothing. "Too bad the Angel couldn't make it."
His eyes glinted with dark amusement as he rifled through the file. "Iruma Dreemur. The Judge. Mother passed when you were an infant—heteromorphic Goat woman, right? That's why your hair's white and your skin's got a certain pale touch. Father... KIA. Never found much on him, though. Best friend's Astro Kugisaki. Current residence: Saitoni Orphanage. Your quirk is... interesting. Not enough info yet, but I'm sure we'll figure it out."
My heart skipped a beat as he rattled off details I hadn't shared. There were so many things in there that didn't sit right with me, but I couldn't show it. I had to stay cool. Dad... KIA? Was he a hero? My mind spun with questions, but I couldn't focus on them right now. This man—this monster—was sitting right in front of me.
Overhaul scanned my expression, but I kept my face blank, showing no signs of surprise. He seemed pleased by that, chuckling again.
"Not much to say, huh?" He tossed a file toward me, and I caught it with a flick of my fingers. The title read Shie Hassaikai Traitors.
I flipped it open and scanned the names listed:
1. Jinzo "Black Serpent" Kurogane – A deadly enforcer who could extend his limbs like whips. Currently working with the Feds.
2. Toru "Dead Silence" Hoshikawa – A hitman who nullifies sound in a radius, making his kills completely silent. Often disobeys orders.
3. Kaito "Red Veil" Momochi – A strategist skilled in infiltration. Uses his quirk to disguise himself and secretly sells coke to competitors.
I read through the last-sighted locations, processing the information in my mind.
"Why do they matter to you?" I asked coldly, eyes narrowed.
Overhaul's smile grew wider, more menacing.
"They've made themselves a problem for society," he said, his tone dark. "Jinzo did something to his wife and daughter while she was pregnant. Toru... well, let's just say his tastes are... disturbing. And Kaito? The man's a serial killer."
I stared at him, expressionless. His gaze remained fixed on me, as if he were daring me to react.
I didn't flinch.
I didn't need any more reasons. The Judge had decided.
"No mercy," I murmured, slipping the file back toward him.
Overhaul raised an eyebrow at the finality in my voice. I turned to leave, but then I paused, feeling a weight in the air. I hadn't expected him to offer something more.
"Six million yen," he said, his voice sharp. "That's the bounty for them. Take care of it, and the job's yours."
I froze mid-step. Six million yen... for taking lives? The temptation to accept was almost overwhelming, but I was still processing everything he'd said.
Still, the price lingered in the air.
Overhaul leaned back in his chair with an eerie grin.
"Think about it," he said. "You could help society... or help yourself."
I flicked my mask into place, letting the bone smile widen into a grin of my own. My voice was cold, calculated.
"The Judge doesn't need your money. But I'll take your judgment... and serve it back to you."