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|Somewhere else…|
…
In a dimly lit room, illuminated only by the glow of a screen and the hum of various medical machines scattered around, a lone man sat calmly in a chair, his body connected to the equipment through multiple cables and tubes.
His face was deformed, destroyed to a point beyond recognition. The only part that retained its once human appearance was his mouth, now twisted into an eerie smile.
He was All for One.
"To think the Hero Killer would be taken down like that. Good thing Tomura and Kurogiri managed to retrieve him before he got sent to Tartarus. How's he doing now, Garaki? Is he awake yet?"
The screen in front of him beeped, flickering to reveal the blurry image of the mad doctor—the same one who had once kidnapped Suzaku.
"He's awake. With treatment, he should be able to walk again in two or three days… Still, the damage he sustained was significant. Whoever he fought did a number on him. Who was it?"
"According to the media, it was that woman Mirko, a few police officers, and a kid from U.A…" All for One spoke aloofly, before smiling and turning his voice a bit more serious. "... but that's just the cover story. The one who really fought him and left him in that state was the U.A. kid—someone you know quite well."
"Hmm? And who might that be?" Garaki tilted his head.
All For One let out a soft laugh. "Your once-so-anticipated ultimate Nomu. The one who managed to escape before you could begin the modifications."
Garaki's brows lifted slightly. "Ah, the Suzuki kid?"
"That one." All For One pointed lazily at the screen, speaking as if it were just another casual topic.
"How intriguing," Garaki muttered, stroking his mustache while his eyes squinted dangerously behind his glasses. "Every time we learn something new about him, it's always peculiar. First, he escapes from my lab. Then, years later, he avoids our second attempt to capture him—both times thanks to some unknown individual, who we suspect also thwarted Tomura's attack on the Sports Festival a few weeks ago… And now, we find out he's the one who took down the Hero Killer?"
All For One chuckled, resting his chin against his knuckles with an amused grin. "And not only that—apparently, he was also involved in the giant monster incident that has been causing quite the stir nowadays."
"That too?" Garaki's expression shifted into one of genuine surprise.
All For One nodded, his grin full of relaxed amusement. "He did some very heroic acts there, jumping straight into a collapsing building to save the remaining people before it collapsed, truly a role model. The monster appeared while he was still missing inside the building."
He then paused a bit, enjoying seeing Garaki digest the information, before he finished his speech.
"An unidentified individual who helped him escape capture twice, and that stopped Tomura's attack on the same Festival this kid was participating in, and now this… It's almost like there's something we're missing about him."
Garaki spoke with uncertainty. "Do you… think he is the monster?"
"That'd be a fun twist." All For One snorted, then waved the idea away. "But no. According to the background I had someone investigate, he's just a normal kid. His life is thoroughly documented. Aside from a connection to an old vigilante—one that's already dead—there's nothing unusual about him."
Garaki stroked his mustache again, clearly intrigued. "How truly strange… Perhaps his identity has been altered. Someone of interest may be protecting him."
"Well," All For One said, leaning back in his chair with a dismissive tone, "Whether there's something truly abnormal about him or not, we'll find out soon enough… maybe even sooner than expected."
"Are you planning something?" Garaki's smile widened with curiosity.
"Something like that," All For One replied. "But it all depends on our new acquisition. Whether he continues on his current path… or gives in to temptation—that will determine Tomura's next move."
"I suppose we should start preparing for a big announcement?"
All for One's grin widened. "Yes. Since the previous chances turned out the way they did, it's time we properly introduce the League of Villains to the world."
…
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|Musutafu subway, at that same moment…|
…
Suzaku sighed faintly, his eyes glued to his phone while he held onto the train's handles to survive its turbulent movements.
"Is there nothing else interesting happening in the country right now?"
He was watching a clip of the crimson monster that had caused chaos yesterday—in other words, clips of him transformed.
Even though he had destroyed the phones of those recording at the scene, he'd missed a few—some had already finished recording and probably sent the videos before he acted, and others had been too far away for him to notice.
Thanks to that, and to his dismay, the videos had spread all over the internet, showing him emerging from the building, then proceeding to beat Mirko to a pulp while the rest of the heroes stood frozen in fear.
The whole thing had caused quite the uproar—not just because of the appearance of a seemingly powerful "villain," but because it revealed a side of the heroes people weren't used to seeing.
A side that reminded them that heroes, like everyone else, were human.
That they, too, could cower in terror before something way stronger than them…
That when the heroes were the ones who needed saving, there was no one left to save the common folk.
And all of that… simply because he transformed.
'But well, it's not like I had much of a choice…' Suzaku heaved an annoyed sigh, eyeing the lingering flames in the video.
He had been about to die. It was either get cooked alive, along with the people he was trying to save, or this.
And he preferred this.
'Besides, I finally got more information about what my last Impostor ability does.' He thought, a flicker of optimism in his chest as his eyes settled on his monstrous form on the screen—an appearance worthy of a sci-fi horror movie.
Unfortunately, the optimism lasted about a second.
The faint smile on his face vanished as his mind replayed the moments he'd been transformed.
His fist clenched.
He hadn't noticed it at the time, too focused on survival, on escaping, on not killing anyone… but in that state, it wasn't just a desire to destroy that had overwhelmed him.
It was also a total absence of empathy. Of care. Of emotion.
As if everything had become irrelevant.
Every bond, every principle, everything he once considered important… had ceased to matter.
He hadn't just become prone to killing—he had become something else entirely.
Something not human.
That was why the thought of killing felt so natural. Why life seemed so fragile, so disposable.
It had been as if everything and everyone were beneath him.
Even though he hadn't known Mirko long, she was far from just an insect to be crushed.
Yet, during the transformation, the only thing that stopped him from killing her right then and there had been his memories—his logic screaming that something was wrong.
Reminding him of what he used to value.
Reminding him that, once the transformation was over, he would probably regret it.
If not for that…
"..."
Suzaku squinted, his grip on the phone tightening.
If not for that, Mirko would be dead.
And in that moment, he was sure he would've enjoyed it—like everything they'd shared had never happened.
Like none of it had mattered at all.
"..."
He couldn't help but wonder—what would happen if he transformed near the people he truly cared about? The ones he saw as more than acquaintances?
There weren't many. He wasn't exactly a social guy. But they existed.
His parents. His classmates. Arata.
If he transformed around them… would they stop mattering too?
Would he see them as nothing more than insects?
Devoid of meaning—easily erased with a single motion?
Would they, like Mirko, become just another source of fleeting joy the moment he killed them?
Would all those memories, all that time together, mean nothing?
The thought made him shiver.
Up until now, he'd been questioning his humanity. Seeing how, with every kill, his fear of taking life faded—how his care for life dimmed more and more.
But that transformation… it went beyond that.
In that form, he wasn't just questioning his humanity anymore. He dared to say he wasn't even human anymore.
What was he, then? He didn't know.
Maybe something closer to God.
Maybe some kind of angel of death.
Or maybe just an alien.
It didn't matter.
What he knew was that he wasn't going to use that form again—
Or at least, not anytime soon.
Not after what it turned him into.
{"Last stop. Please, everyone, unboard the train."}
It was then that Suzaku realized he'd missed his stop.
"Ah, crap."
…
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|The next day|
…
-Bang!-
The classroom door of 1‑B slammed open, and everyone inside turned their heads at once.
"Sup."
A familiar redhead stepped in, hands stuffed in his pockets, glasses gleaming with an aura of assholery.
Vlad King shot Suzaku a deadpan. "Suzuki, you're late."
The redhead pretended to adjust his glasses—though they didn't need it. "True heroes always arrive fashionably late."
"Maybe this is too late, don't you think? It's been twenty minutes since class started."
Suzaku fell silent for a beat, then crossed his arms, almost offended. "Like I said—fashionably."
"Just go to your seat."
Suzaku snapped a military salute, "Roger roger," then marched to his desk in a stiff, exaggerated stride. Making the poor Vlad King heave a sigh.
Plopping into his seat, Suzaku noticed his classmates sneaking glances his way. So, not one to hold his curiosity, he leaned over to the next desk, asking the person sitting there.
"What are you all looking at?"
"Geh…"
His good old seat neighbor, Monoma.
The blonde squinted briefly, then broke into his usual mocking grin and whispered, "You must think you're so great, huh~? Just because you saved some people, punched a few villains, and helped capture the Hero Killer—while the rest of us barely did anything at our internships—you already think you're better than us, right?"
"Better than you, at least."
"You little—!" Monoma's smile twitched as a vein popped on his forehead.
Suzaku snorted. "Don't be embarrassed, Monoma. There's no shame in losing to the best."
"I swear I'm gonna punch you."
"If you're feeling lucky, go for it. Though I can't guarantee you'll like the comeback."
Itsuka's voice suddenly came from the seat in front, "Suzaku, stop taunting him."
"Suzaku, stop taunting him," Suzaku said, his tone dripping with mocking mimicry.
However, the instant those words left his mouth, Itsuka turned slowly and shot him a deadly glare.
Immediately, Suzaku avoided her gaze and let out a fake cough. "I mean—yeah, sure."
Fortunately, seemed to calm Itsuka down.
As she turned forward again, Suzaku let out a sigh.
Sometimes the sass was too strong. When it took over, no one was safe. Not even himself.
…
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|An hour later…|
…
As the class ended, Suzaku closed his eyes and leaned back on his chair, a groan escaping his mouth.
"I didn't understand a single thing… What subject was this?"
"Science," Itsuka said as she stood up, shooting him a wry smile.
"No wonder." The redhead nodded before glaring at her with a curious gaze. "By the way, since I got here late, I probably missed all the chatter about the internships. How did it go on your side?"
She almost tripped, as if she had remembered something she didn't like. "Well… it wasn't all that bad."
Suzaku smirked. "So it was bad."
"I said it was not ALL that bad."
"That's still bad."
Itsuka found herself unable to respond to that.
-Sigh…-
"I suppose, yeah…" She finally relented, letting out a pained sigh. "We did some hero work now and then, but most of our time was spent at photoshoots or filming ads..."
Suzaku raised an eyebrow. "So, what, you're gonna be on TV?"
Itsuka pulled out her phone and fiddled with it, then held it up for him. On the screen was a video of her and the spiky-haired girl from Class 1‑A, alongside the hero she interned under, promoting a perfume. Itsuka, in particular, stood on stage, awkwardly posing with a stiff smile.
"Hmm…" Suzaku's mouth twitched briefly, though he said nothing.
Itsuka narrowed her eyes. "You—"
Having been caught, Suzaku protested, shoving the phone toward her. "Come on! What do you want me to do? Look at your face!"
"..."
Itsuka stared at her digital reflection, freezing exactly as she had in the video.
"... Alright, maybe my acting wasn't the best."
Suzaku snorted. "Yeah, you look like a mannequin with how stiff you are."
"..."
Silence stretched, and—sensing he had made a mistake of some kind—Suzaku cleared his throat. "... But, ahem, at least they did a good job with your hair and makeup. You, uh… look good."
Itsuka blinked, caught off guard.
Then, after a brief pause, she snorted and crossed her arms, looking away.
"Thanks, I suppose."
The shift in her mood didn't go unnoticed by Suzaku, who watched her reaction in silence for a few more seconds before grinning.
"What? Is Miss Itsuka feeling shy?"
Her eyebrow twitched.
"Seriously, this mouth of mine is a weapon of mass rizztruction," Suzaku said, shaking his head with mock sorrow. "It truly seems I, Suzaku Suzuki, am a sinful man."
Just as he finished monologuing, he noticed Itsuka stepping toward him, her fist raised, and already growing in size.
Immediately, he rose from his seat and took a defensive stance, ready for combat. "Hey, chill bruh! You know how I am—I can't help it!"
"I can help it," Itsuka replied with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
As she approached, her fist made a tightening sound, prompting Suzaku to strike many overly dramatic poses—like some old-school karate master bracing for a boss battle, but being unable to decide which style would fit the battle the best.
Monkey, tiger, crane, snake, panda!
However, as Itsuka was about to reach Suzaku, the door of the class opened, and Vlad King strode inside.
"Kendo, Suzuki, behave yourselves."
Itsuka froze mid-step, visibly annoyed as she lowered her fist and sighed—already halfway through turning around when—
"Yeah, run away," came the redhead's voice from behind her.
She raised her fist again, a thick mark appearing on her forehead as she turned to glare at Suzaku.
—Whistle—
Only to find him whistling and looking elsewhere, acting the picture of innocence.
"..."
She stared for a second longer, debating whether it'd be worth it, before ultimately deciding to let it go. With a deep sigh, she returned to her seat and did her best to ignore him.
"Yet another fight won by me."
Which wasn't an easy task by any means.
While Itsuka was having the limits of her patience tested, Vlad King reached his desk and dropped a stack of papers, then looked up with a grin.
"Alright, everyone! Today, we're doing a more practical hero basic training session. Grab your hero suits or gym uniforms—whichever you're more comfortable with—and meet me at Field Gamma in ten minutes!"
With that, he turned and walked back out, leaving the class to prepare.
Suzaku and Itsuka exchanged a look, then shrugged.
Soon, everyone went to get their hero suits—except Suzaku.
He rummaged through his backpack and pulled out his gym uniform with a resigned sigh.
"I'm gonna need to request a new suit," he muttered.
The last one had been ripped apart—by himself—after nearly getting roasted alive.
"If they could make it fireproof, that'd be great."
Shaking his head with hopeful resignation, he left the classroom to head straight for Field Gamma.
Of course, "straight" was a generous word—he asked teachers for directions at least four or five times before finally finding the place and joining the others.
…
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-To be Continued…-
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(A/N: McDonalds is calling me... Telling me to drop out.
I must resist the temptation.)
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