My brief report over the communicator was met with a tense silence. I could imagine the expressions on my friends' faces on the other side, in our dark and hidden meeting point. They must have felt a mixture of relief at having found Bakugo and sheer terror at the realization of our actual situation. We were no longer a rescue team; we were mice who had accidentally stumbled into a lion's den.
"All of the Vanguard Squad is in there," I whispered again, my eyes never leaving the small crack in the wall, providing a clearer picture. "Shigaraki, Kurogiri, Dabi, Toga, all of them. And Bakugo... he's tied to a chair in the middle of the room. He looks okay, not hurt, but very angry."
Iida's voice was the first to respond in my ear, his voice trembling with a mixture of his duty as class president and justifiable fear. "We have to retreat immediately, Tatsumi-kun! This is beyond our capabilities! Our job is to report this to the pro heroes. Our mission is complete!"
"Too late for that, Iida," Todoroki's cool, calm voice countered. "If we move now, with the guards having just gone back inside, they might notice our presence. We'll become targets. Our safest option right now is to stay put and continue observing."
Todoroki was right. We were in an incredibly dangerous position. Moving was just as dangerous as staying still. "Todoroki's right," I said, taking command. "Everyone, hold your positions. Don't move, don't make a sound. We're ghosts now. Our mission changes from rescue to pure reconnaissance. Kirishima, back away from the wall slowly. We're returning to our main observation point in the alley across the street. Move without a sound."
Together with Kirishima, I carefully climbed down from the pile of crates, returning to the total darkness of the alley across the street. We regrouped with the others. Their faces were pale in the dim city light.
"So, what's the plan now?" Kirishima asked, his voice frustrated. "We're not just gonna sit here, are we?"
"For now, yes," I replied firmly. "It's the only thing we can do."
Inside the grimy-looking bar, the atmosphere was completely different. Thin cigarette smoke hung in the air, mixed with the smell of cheap alcohol and a thick aura of hostility. Katsuki Bakugo sat tied to a chair, glaring at his captors with an unyielding look of pure hatred. He showed not a single shred of fear.
"So," said Tomura Shigaraki, scratching his neck with an agitated motion that made the skin crawl. "Feeling more comfortable, Bakugo Katsuki? We got you a drink."
"Screw your drink," Bakugo growled. "Just get to the point, you extra bastards, so I can blast all your faces off and go home."
Shigaraki let out a small, dry, hoarse laugh. "You see? That spirit! That power! That's what we like about you." He walked around him. "You see, you and I are actually the same. We both want to change this world. You want to be the unbeatable number one winner, right? But your school, U.A., they hold you back. They force you to follow their boring rules. They punish you for being strong. Your victory at the Sports Festival... they condemned it, called you a villain."
He stopped in front of Bakugo. "Here, in the League of Villains, there are no such rules. No one will hold you back. You can unleash all your power. You can destroy anything you want. You can be a true winner." He held out his hand, the one not covered by a fake hand. "Join us, Bakugo Katsuki. And together, we will destroy this hypocritical hero society."
The offer hung in the air. Each member of the Vanguard Action Squad added their own arguments. Spinner spoke of Stain's will and how a true hero should be free. Toga giggled about how fun it was to be yourself without anyone judging. Mr. Compress gave a theatrical speech about breaking free from the shackles of society.
Bakugo listened to all of it in silence. Then, he snorted. A snort filled with absolute contempt.
"Are you all done talking?" he asked in a bored tone. He looked straight at Shigaraki. "I've listened to your bullshit. And my conclusion is... you're all completely pathetic."
He continued, his voice now filled with a thundering conviction. "I do want to win. I'm gonna be the number one hero who surpasses All Might. But I want to win like him! A true victory is when you completely defeat your enemies without a shred of doubt! And I've already decided on my path as a hero!" He grinned, a wild, confident smile. "So there's nothing you can say that will change my mind. Your offer... is disgusting."
With an angry roar, he unleashed a powerful explosion from his palms, shattering the cuffs that bound him. "NOW THAT I'VE HEARD YOUR STORY, IT'S YOUR TURN TO HEAR MINE!" he yelled, taking a fighting stance in the middle of the shocked villains. "THE STORY OF HOW I'M GOING TO KICK ALL YOUR ASSES!"
Several blocks away, in a darkened building, the best pro heroes in Japan were gathered. All Might stood in the center, beside him an annoyed-looking Endeavor, an old but alert Gran Torino, Kamui Woods, Edgeshot, and Ryukyu. In front of them, Detective Tsukauchi was giving a final briefing before a large map of Kamino Ward.
"Our intelligence confirms two primary locations," Tsukauchi said. "One, the 'Hideout Bar,' where they are likely holding Bakugo Katsuki. Two, a warehouse next to it, which we believe is a Nomu production facility."
"The plan is a simultaneous raid," he continued. "The Rescue Team, led by All Might, will raid the bar and secure the hostage. The Suppression Team, led by Endeavor, will handle the chaos outside. And the Intel Team, led by Edgeshot, will infiltrate the Nomu factory."
Ryukyu stood slightly in the back, her thoughts divided. She listened to the plan, but a part of her consciousness was focused on a small dot on the map—a dark alley across from the bar, where her tracker showed Tatsumi's location. He had disobeyed her again, walking straight into the demon's den. Worry and anger warred within her. She had told Nezu about her "source," and the intelligence from that source was now the basis for this entire rescue operation. But the price of that intelligence was the safety of her own intern. She could only hope that Tatsumi was smart enough to stay hidden.
In that dark alley, we all watched Bakugo's explosion through the window. We were all silent in awe of his unbreakable spirit. He was alone, surrounded by a dozen elite villains, and he chose to fight.
"What an idiot..." Kirishima whispered, but there was a proud smile on his face.
"We have to do something!" Midoriya said, preparing to move.
"Wait!" I hissed, holding him back. "Don't be rash. Look."
Inside the bar, a fight didn't break out. Shigaraki just laughed. "Kurogiri," he said. The bar door suddenly opened. A pizza delivery guy stood there, looking extremely confused. It was a strange diversion. But it wasn't the real diversion.
Because at the same time, the wall behind Shigaraki exploded inward with incredible force. Dust and debris flew everywhere.
Through the gaping hole in the wall, in the midst of the billowing smoke, a giant shadow stood, his muscular silhouette familiar under the night light. His wide, confident smile seemed to illuminate the entire ruined room.
His booming, hopeful voice echoed throughout Kamino Ward, clearly audible even to the alley where we were hiding.
"HAVE NO FEAR, YOUNG BAKUGO!"
All Might paused for a moment, letting his overwhelming presence sink in.
"WHY? BECAUSE I AM HERE!"