Hunter Amongst Villains Draft - Foreign Challenge (Patreon)

The last chapter of MHA really made me pay F to respect the loss of one popular female hero. Didn't expect the manga author to kill her off, but dang. Anyways, here is the next stuff earlier than usual. I am hoping to get the next chapter of From Beyond the World Tree out at least by New Year's Eve before moving back to Hunter's Amongst Villains. I had an idea on how to train Izuku from the ground up with martial arts and have a particular fighting style made for him. Anyways, here's my attempt on writing foreign heroes in general.

The Foreign Challenge

Rain poured down as dark grey clouds darken the skies of Hosu. Trees shook and trembled under the effects of the mighty wind and rain. The sidewalks were sparsely populated, a sign of the miserable weather. Most of the pedestrians were running or at least rushing to get out of the rain, their raincoats protecting them from the harsh downpour.

The roads were in a similar state, with only a few cars actually in the streets. Headlights illuminated the dim, grey path ahead. Traveling down the road, was a minibus, the kind you’d find at the airport. Inside the minibus, was an assortment of foreigners, all wearing eye-catching, garish costumes. An air of confidence filled the inside of the bus while each of the foreigners chatted with each other.

The driver was a little concerned about the direction these youngsters directed him to. They had pointed out precisely where they wanted to go on a map they had on hand. But being savvy with the streets and local events, the driver knew. That was where the highest concentration of Hero Hunter sightings was. They were going after the Hero Hunter.

The grim, grey weather contrasted heavily with the positive, cheery atmosphere inside the bus. From their voices, they were all eager to fight the Hero-Hunter. The bus driver merely shook his head. They all seemed reasonably young. What a shame to go and throw their careers away by facing Him.

Meanwhile, sometime later…

Standing atop of the roof of a large building, stood the Hero Hunter in his monster form. Standing next to him, however… was Mirio, Hado, and Tamaki.

“...remind me again, why I brought you all along during my daily patrols?” Garou asked the three behind him.

“Because we’d make it more fun?”
Hado cheerily added from beside Garou. She beamed at the grumbling Garou, despite him appearing so physically terrifying. The training the three had gone through allowed them to at least stand in the presence of Garou’s monstrous form without any adverse effects.

“Another reason?” Garou asked as he sighed.

Hado pouted slightly at the sighing Garou. Her eyes widened as she continued pouting. Raising one hand, Mirio broke the momentary silence.

“Well, we’d like to see exactly how you ‘patrol’ the city. Since we’ve been assigned as your ‘entourage,’ it makes sense that we should see how you go about your patrols.”
All three of them were slightly interested and excited to see exactly how Garou went about his daily ‘activities.’

“...you three can’t keep up. It involves ‘teleporting’ from place to place.” Garou said as he sighed again. The reason why he was so effective in his patrols was his speed and thoroughness in his scouts.

The three students grimaced as they considered how they could possibly keep up. There was no way that they could keep pace with a ‘teleporting’ Garou. Even with their training.
“M-maybe you could slow down a little?”
Tamaki nervously spoke up, turning to face their monstrous classmate.

“...” Garou looked at him, almost asking if he was serious.

“...O-or not…”
Tamaki tore his eyes away from Garou, looking off to one side. Without Garou slowing down, they would be left in the dust. Even using his Quirk, he’d struggle to keep up. The same went for Hado. Mirio, unfortunately, had no way of keeping up in the air.

“We could all walk together instead!”
The cheery voice of Hado drew everyone’s attention. She didn’t seem to be concerned about the speed difference.

“..........it is inefficient…” Garou responded with a more casual tone.

The way Garou said it reminded them of Hawks.

“Can you three even jump from roof to roof?” Garou asked.

Cocking her head to one side, Hado’s face bore a contemplative look. Placing one finger to her chin, she thought.

“Well, using my Quirk, I can keep up in the air. Tamaki can also use his Quirk to fly along, so long as he’s eaten a bird today. Mirio can’t fly though.”

“I can phase through objects at high speeds though,” Mirio interjected.

“Fine.” Garou shook his head.

“Next time, you will all learn parkour. Prepare your legs for unspeakable torment.” Garou warned, not satisfied with their answer.

Nodding in acknowledgment, a sense of relief came over Tamaki and Mirio. Walking alongside Garou would be far more manageable. Although he wouldn’t be able to enrobe his ‘monster form.’ Hado, on the other hand, didn’t really seem concerned.

“Follow me. If you can.” In the second sentence, Garou was already at another building across the street before the three could register it.

Tamaki was thankful that he’d chosen to have duck today of all days. Suddenly, two large, feathery wings sprouted from his back. Flexing them for a moment, he adjusted to the new sensation. Mirio strolled over casually, grabbing ahold of Tamaki’s torso. Preparing himself, Tamaki launched himself into the air, soaring towards Garou. The pulling weight from Mirio slowed him down quite a bit, but he was still capable of rather rapid flight.

Hado, however, began running towards the edge of the roof. She didn’t want to damage the roof she was on after all. Leaping from the side of the building, she began to use her Quirk, spiral-shaped blasts shooting out, as it propelled her along.

They flew to catch up to Garou on the next building, only for him to vanish again.

“Too slow.” His voice resounded to another building, five buildings over.

Tamaki sighed heavily. He didn’t want to be doing this all day. Hado was starting to feel the slow drain of her vitality with each of her blasts. Luckily, she could still keep it up for quite some time. The three airborne figures continued pursuing Garou through the air.

Despite the fact they weren’t supposed to be using their Quirks in public due to the law, the fact that they were even slightly associated with Garou meant that the rules were far more lenient towards them, lest Garou’s anger comes down on the authorities.

They continued chasing Garou, who would be waiting at the roof of a building. Only then he’d chastise them for their lack of speed, and disappear once again. It kept going like this for a while.

“I can do this all day,” Garou said. But just before he was about to vanish…

His eagle-esque vision had noticed a small group of garish foreigners traveling down one of the nearby sidewalks. Momentarily, he had flashbacks to the three Americans that had addressed him so rudely. Frowning at the memory, he glared down at the four figures. They seemed to be emitting an aura of pride and cockiness, strolling down the road with all the confidence in the world. With his exceptional vision, he could easily see them glancing around at every side alley and path. They were apparently looking for something. Or someone.

“Oh, Hero Hunterrrrr~ where are youuuu?” One of them shouted in a sing-song manner as if calling him out.

“Afraid of a few promising upstarts ruining your crime streak?”

“Don't tell me you're just chicken.”

The method of so blatantly calling him out in public brought back the earliest memories of a particular rabbit Hero. Grimacing, Garou continued staring down at the foreign Heroes, like a hawk. Suddenly, a few noises behind him alerted him to the arrival of his ‘entourage.’ Strolling up beside Garou, the three fellow students all took a look at what Garou was staring at so fiercely.

“Uh, I’m almost afraid to ask but… who are they?”
Mirio asked Garou. He’d never seen those Heroes before. They looked like they were definitely not from Japan.

“...more foreigners…” Garou said as he narrowed his black hole for eyes.

“They’re asking for a one-way ticket to the hospital.” He blandly stated the obvious.

Mirio, Tamaki, and Hado could feel a sense of pity towards the foreign Heroes. They seemed so confident that they could beat Garou. They had no idea that he was watching them so closely. Turning her head to face Garou, Hado broke the silence.

“So what are you going to do?”

Garou was no longer there as a response. He reappeared next to the one who seemed to be the leader.

“State your names and leave,” Garou demanded in English.

Turning to the voice, the assumed ‘leader’ of the foreign Heroes jumped back in shock and fear.

“Aaaaaahhhh!!”

He screamed out, sounding like someone who had seen something truly horrific. What stood before him could only be described as a monster. Dark skin, sharp horns, and terrifying eyes all combined to create a truly frightening collage.

Hearing their ‘leader’ shout out so suddenly, all four of the other foreign Heroes all turned to face him. Upon seeing the monstrous thing that stood before them, they all unconsciously took a step back, gasping in fear.


As this ‘monster’ stood there, unmoving, the five Heroes attempted to calm themselves and regain some of their dignity. Straightening himself up to his full height, the ‘leader’ faced down the monster. He could feel a sudden film of cold sweat on his forehead as a shiver passed through him.

“W-Who… What are you?”-

“Your confidence that weak, heroes? Aren't you all looking for me?” The demonic face spoke to him, his voice too frighteningly human for them. A monster shouldn't sound like a human. This human.

Shock and surprise were clearly etched on all of their faces. They had come looking for Garou, the Hero-Hunter. They hadn’t been expecting this. As they stared down the monstrous form of Garou, the five Heroes attempted to summon their former confidence and courage. A slightly nervous smile crept across the face of the leader.

“Well… we weren’t expecting you to arrive so… suddenly. Gave us a shock!”

A round of nervous laughter came from the Heroes, all still cautiously glancing at Garou.

“You have one chance to speak your mind. And leave. Or you will all suffer a thousand deaths.” Garou warned immediately, giving them one chance to leave here alive. And by ‘alive,’ he meant not broken.

The laughter quickly ceased. All five of the foreign Heroes could feel an ominous air settle in around them. However much they wanted to, they couldn’t back down from their challenge to the Hero-Hunter. They’d even told everyone back in England that they’d come back, victorious. If they retreated without anything to show for it, they’d be shamed and mocked. Tensing up, all five Heroes prepared their Quirks. All they knew is that this Garou had no Quirk. That should make it easier.

“We’re here to end your spree of violence and torment Hero-Hunter. All five of us will deliver you to the authorities in chains. Then we’ll leave.”

“...you have no idea what you're dealing with, do you?” Garou sighed.

‘Well, at least I could make this amusing.’ He would make the best of it at least. The culling of arrogant heroes was also his duty as well.

As the five stood there, facing their opponent, the Hero-Hunter charged them. They were momentarily taken aback by his speed, before coming up with a plan. Overall, there were five of them versus only Garou.

The five Heroes were all British. They had heard tales of a mysterious figure in Japan, hunting down Heroes. Given that all of them had recently become full Heroes, they figured that the best way to increase their renown was to defeat this ‘Hero-Hunter.’ The team of five consisted of Phoebe Abbott, Harry Bedsworth, Olivia Doe, Michael Faulkner and Jonathan Hackett, each with their own respective Hero name. Clockstopper, Narcissus, Calcio, H-Leak, and Mutatio respectively.

There were five of them. Three men and two women, and they each had their own distinctive outfit and style. Phoebe wore an outfit that was extremely ‘steampunk’ in design, with brass and copper gears wrapping around her waist like a belt. A waist-length blue cloak was thrown over one shoulder.

Olivia seemed to be dressed like an old Scandinavian berserker. A streak of red paint crossed her face. She wore no sleeves, and the whole costume had several gaps in the fabric, revealing the skin beneath.

Jonathan had the most striking appearance. He wore a long, grey great coat and gloves that seemed to be made of a transparent material. On the top of his head was a ‘kepi.’ His whole uniform screamed ‘order.’

Michael had a small gas mask wrapping around his jaw, covering the lower half of his face. His outfit appeared to be made out of rather thin material, clinging to his skin. However, on his back were four large ‘vents’ pointing straight behind him.

Finally, Harry. He was the most plain out of all of them. In fact, he looked like an ordinary civilian. Plain shirt, regular trousers. Everything. It was as if he had picked the most ‘generic’ outfit possible. If you saw him on the street, you’d have no idea he was even a Hero.



As the monstrous form of Garou bore down on them, they found their courage. They had come so far. They all refused to suffer defeat by some horned weirdo. As he was only a few meters away from Phoebe, aka Clockstopper, she grinned as she looked down. Winding the hour hand on her wristwatch forwards, she almost seemed to blur in place. As she raised her head, the motion seemed lightning fast in comparison to her previous speed.

Staring at Garou, Clockstopper charged towards him in response. She grinned as she approached. This guy was fast. But she was faster.

A glint from the corner of her eye immediately drew her attention. Quickly looking over towards one of the stores on the street, she could see the transparent form of Harry, aka Narcissus. Given that they’d all operated with each other for years, they all knew each other's Quirks well. Harry’s Quirk allowed him to transport himself between any reflective surface. And he was jumping from window to window, slowly coming up behind Garou.

Lashing out, Phoebe’s fists almost blurred together as she sent punch after punch at Garou. Raising his arms, he began forming an armguard against her lightning-fast assault. However, her fists started to break his guard, striking him in his side and clipping the side of his head. A slight grunt came from him as he took the blows.

As Clockstopper continued to punch her way through the steadily weakening defenses of the Hero-Hunter, she could hear her teammates beginning to position themselves. Suddenly, leaping out from the window he had shifted into, Harry started to rush towards the back of Garou, fists raised. With his arms focused on guarding Phoebe’s fierce assault, he was left wide open.

Clenching his fists, Harry began to strike at Garou from the back. Heavy thuds sounded out as his fists impacted the stern of his target. In an attempt to stop the blows coming from behind, Garou began to turn, slowly bringing both Heroes into his line of sight.

With his arms now attempting to block punches from two different sources, Garou’s guard was spread thin. His face bore the telltale signs of surprise and frustration. As he was gritting his teeth in exertion, a fist from the woman slipped past his guard, striking him right on his face. His head snapped back as he took the punch, his defenses blundering slowly.

Seeing an opening, Olivia, aka Calcio, rushed in to support her teammates. Clockstopper noticed her friend approaching. Quickly, one of her legs lashed out, a blur. It struck Garou cleanly in the side, sending him flying straight towards Olivia.

As she saw the form of Garou approaching her, Olivia activated her Quirk. Feeling the usual strange associated sensation, spikes of bone quickly emerged from her skin. On each of her knuckles, a giant spear of bone grew out of both hands. She now looked like a bony porcupine.

Garou had now shaken himself out of the momentary shock of the punch. Noticing himself mid-flight, he shifted his attention towards the spiky woman he was flying towards. Turning to face her, he snarled as he flew towards her. A flurry of fists was sent her way. In response, Olivia raised one of her arms in what looked like an armguard. However, bone seemed to flow out of her skin like a liquid. As the bone settled into shape, she now had what looked like a large shield made of bone attached to her forearm. The strikes rained down on the bone shield, causing Olivia to shake with each impact.

Waiting for a moment, the bone spike on her other fist seemed to molt and shift in shape. It flowed over her arm, creating a gauntlet of pearly white bone. She had formed the spikes out of instinct. But they didn’t want to kill this guy. At least, if they could help it.

As Garou continued to strike the shield, Olivia could see her opening. Bringing her gauntleted fist straight up in a brutal uppercut, she caught Garou off guard, impacting his chin. The Hero-Hunter’s assault quickly ceased as he staggered backward, shaken by the relentless attacks on all sides. However, the foreign Heroes didn’t let him rest for even a moment.

A sudden sound seemed to fill Garou’s ears. It sounded like water disappearing down the drain of a sink. Blinking in confusion, Garou suddenly found himself standing in an entirely different position. Glancing over at the spot he held before, he could see that one of the Heroes stood in place of him. As he connected the dots, he felt a leg strike his side.

Jonathan, aka Mutatio, could switch the positions of his targets. And he had apparently done so. He must have had one of his teammates take position before shifting Garou over in his place.

The sound of many footsteps approaching him from behind caused him to turn around. He could feel a trickle of blood travel down his forehead.

“Haaah… You… bastards.”

The five Heroes now no longer felt the apprehension and fear when Garou had suddenly appeared before them. They soon felt the confidence and assurance. They could win. This guy wasn’t so tough after all.

The scene faded to black, before each and every one of the heroes slowly woke up, seeing white and hearing constant beepings of monitors. Each hero slowly coming to, confusion settled in as they tried to process why they were in the hospital, their arms and legs wrapped in casts. Then, the pain settled in, their bodies throbbed in agony as they winced almost simultaneously.

“Aghhhh…” Pheobe was the first to suffer the worse of the pain, her chest feeling as if her ribs were on fire. Then Olivia grunted in pain next, stroking her neck and leg, joints grinding against each other like two iron bars scraped together. Harry felt an inexplicable headache pounding drums in his head, along with his throat and stomach throbbing in pain. Micheal felt as if his lungs were burning like acid. Jonathan felt as if his heart took abuse, almost as if he suffered a thousand heart attacks.

“Ah, you're all awake.” A nurse in white uniform said as she entered the room, smiling at the five heroes in consolation.

“How are you all feeling? Do you all remember why you are all here?” She asked the five in bed.  

“...We… fought the Hero-Hunter?”
Olivia grunted as she attempted to rise from her bed slightly. A sudden wave of pain struck her, causing her to sink back into her bed, lightheaded.

“Yes, you all did. You are all lucky to have survived… or still able to continue your careers.” The black-haired nurse smiled at them.

A groan of pain and confusion came from Phoebe’s lips as she turned her head slowly to look at the nurse, bewilderment etched onto her face.

“But… didn't we win?”

The other four of the Heroes began nodding along with her. They all recalled their beatdown of the Hero-Hunter.

The nurse looked at her with bewilderment.

“What? No. You were all beaten. Don't you all remember how you lost?” The nurse asked as if concerned for their mental health.

All four of the foreign Heroes stared at the nurse with disbelief. They were sure that they’d beaten Garou. It wasn’t possible for them all to have the same dream… was it?

The more that they reminisced, painful, flashing memories began to return to them. Slowly, each and every one of them started to realize what indeed happened.

Four of them gaped, trembling in fear as Garou gripped Narcissus by the throat. He caught him during his transition from one mirror to another, while he was using his Quirk. He was moving at the speed of light at the time, and Garou caught him like catching a turtle by the throat. They could only watch helplessly as Garou tightened his grip on Harry’s esophagus, how their friend was haplessly flailing around in his arm trying to free himself, pounding Garou’s demonic arm to no avail.

“Fair warning. I do not spare challengers. No matter how young or old.” Garou warned as kicked his victim’s chest, his knee to his stomach before he flew towards the four with whites coming out his eyes.

As their teammate’s body was thrown so callously towards them, they all reached out, attempting to catch him. The beaten body of Narcissus collided with the group, sending them all backward slightly. Glancing down at their friend’s broken and bloody body, all four of the Heroes were appalled as well as shocked. All Garou had done was catch Harry by the throat and then kneed his stomach. But judging from the state that Harry was in, it looked like he’d been through far worse. Large red marks lined his neck, outlines of Garou’s hand tightened his throat.

Glancing down at her teammate’s downed body, Phoebe’s face twisted into a snarl. Turning to face Garou, she wound the hour hand of her wristwatch forward. With a tremendous boost of speed, she rose from beside her group, charging directly towards Garou. She was determined to avenge her fallen friend. Seeing Phoebe rush in, Olivia quickly rose as well, running in behind to support.

The only thing Clockstopper was focusing on was the demonic form of the Hero-Hunter, glaring at his monstrous visage with the burning desire to see him broken like her friend. As she reached Garou, her fists became a blur, lashing out towards her opponent. She gritted her teeth from the shear strain.

*Bambambambambambamb*

“Eh?” Only this time, instead of the Hero Hunter, it was her sent flying away. Her ribs were marked by indentations where Garou struck. Blood flowed down her lips, eyes hazy to near unconsciousness, and her bones nearly broken from the strain. Olivia, Michael, and Jonathan watched agape as they saw their friend defeated. What just happened?

The blur around Phoebe’s body dissipated as she collapsed to the ground at Garou’s feet, a broken and bloody pile. Olivia stopped in her tracks. Seeing the second casualty, it began to sink into her. Garou was precisely who everyone had said he was. They hadn’t believed any of the rumors or stories. They hadn’t even researched him. She could feel a shiver pass through her. Despite Garou being a good few meters away, she raised both arms, bone flowing out to cover them.

“Remember. You all asked for this.” Garou coldly reminded as his hand rested on Olivia’s head. When did he slip by her guard? When did he appear at her side? Those were the only thoughts that coursed through her mind before Garou pushed. Michael and Jonathan watched even more shocked when Garou pushed their friend down so hard, half of her body sunk into the concrete. Only her waist jutted out of the floor, her arms dropping down and her body going limp. They knew he knocked her out.

Glancing around at the three unconscious bodies, the two remaining Heroes knew that they stood very little chance. Garou had effortlessly defeated their three frontline members. Clenching his fists, Michael allowed his Quirk to activate. The air around him began to shimmer and distort as the gas he emitted filled the area around him. Jonathan had to take several steps away, to not suffocate inside the vast cloud of hydrogen. Suddenly, an idea hit Jonathan, as he realized he could switch Garou and Michael, causing Garou to be stuck in a cloud of hydrogen as he suffocated.

Raising one of his hands, he pointed it squarely at Garou and the other towards Michael. Without any delay, he activated his Quirk. However, confusion quickly began to overtake him as neither of his targets moved at all. Enabling his Quirk again, nothing happened. Panic began to well up inside Jonathan.

“I am invulnerable to your Quirks. No Quirk shall defeat me.” Garou informed as he started walking towards then, bypassing the body of Olivia he downed in his stroll.

Sweat began to build on Jonathan’s forehead. Michael, on the other hand, was still standing inside the ever-growing cloud of gas. Glaring at the approaching figure of Garou, Michael raised both of his hands, pointing at Garou. The shimmer of gas began to intensify around his hands as he clutched both hands together. Collecting the gas into a concentrated area, Michael opened his hands. As the vast stream of gas discharged towards Garou, Micheal snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the plume of gas was replaced by a massive, fiery explosion. The backblast from the detonation knocked Jonathan onto his rear with wind whipping at his hair. Glancing around, he could no longer see Garou. However, a moment of panic and worry took ahold of Jonathan as he realized that his teammate could have been caught in the explosion.

“Explosive gas, huh?” Garou’s voice emerged from behind Michael. Turning around in fear, he saw Garou… with an unconscious Olivia slumped over his shoulders.

Confusion was apparently present on his face as he stared at the form of Garou carrying his teammates.

“You nearly killed her, you know?” Garou said as he dropped her back to the cold, hard ground.

“A hero does not kill their friends in desperation.”

“I… I... didn’t m-mean to…”

Garou’s statement burned Michael's confidence and cockiness away like the hydrogen gas he detonated. He was now a shaken, scared young man. He had lost control, and it had nearly cost his friends their lives.

“I hunt heroes, not kill them. My purpose is to show the weakness of heroes today. Know that I am your mirror, and see who you really are, ‘hero.’” Garou said as he stared at Michael, his pitch black eyes gleaming a crimson light deep within the sockets.

Taking a step back, the young Hero couldn’t tear his eyes away from the terrifying visage of Garou. Glancing around, he could still see Jonathan some distance away, slowly rising back to his feet. Clenching his fists, Michael couldn’t stop them from shaking.

“You are but a man desperate for recognition, for glory. You care more about fame than the lives of the innocent. Even your friends are nothing to you.” Garou lectured.

“..N-no…”

All he could do was shakily attempt to disagree. He had momentarily lost control. But he was not the only one who wanted to defeat the Hero-Hunter.

“Your stunt proved it. Your failure to understand the hell you dragged your friends into proved it. You never understood the meaning of the word, ‘hero,’ boy.” Garou continued as his aura grew more menacing with each word spoken from his lips.

The aura washed over Michael, causing his eyes to widen even further. He looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. His forehead held a thin film of sweat, his eyes were wide, rapidly darting around. From his position, Jonathan could feel the aura hit him as well. It felt as if gravity decided to increase, his weight growing heavier and heavier each second.

“Prepare to join your friends in their slumber.” Garou’s eyes glinted crimson once more before darkness came to him. The last image he saw was the sight of Jonathan sent flying as if a cannon shot him point blank in the chest.

“Have you all finally remembered?” The nurse asked, smiling assuringly at them.

None of the five foreigners responded. The atmosphere was grim as they all processed their defeat. They were so effortlessly defeated. All of the Heroes remained still, staring off into space. They had all thought, even for the briefest moment, that they had beaten Garou. Not only had they lost, but they had lost without even landing a single strike.

“It is alright. I am… aware that information of the Hero Hunter is limited outside Japan. Do you have any questions about him you would like to ask?” The nurse asked professionally, almost as if she was used to this.

Without moving, Olivia broke the silence. She still was staring off into space.

“...How? How is he… so strong?”

All of the other Heroes held the same question. Garou was supposed to have no Quirk. Then how had he been able to so easily deal with all of them?

“...I don't know.” The nurse shook her head.

“No one knows the source of his strength. It is something other than Quirks that gave him the power to defeat even All Might himself.”

The atmosphere in the room sunk even further. They didn’t even know what the secret of his strength was. Even All Might lost… Despair overcame all five of them.

“I… I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Michael quickly spoke up, mirroring the thoughts of the other four. After seeing such monstrous might, all they wanted to do was go back home.

“Hah.” The nurse shook her head at the reaction of the youths.

“Such recklessness,” She commented on their stunt. To go after the Hero Hunter without understanding the gravity of their choice. She was surprised anyone was crazy enough to even stand in his presence in the first place.

“Next time, please thoroughly research the villains you hunt, else you won't be so fortunate next time. You are lucky you chose the Hero Hunter instead of some other supervillain. Otherwise, you would've ended up in a morgue.” The nurse gently lectured with a parental tone.

Only Michael nodded in acknowledgment. The rest of them all remained silent. They had been suddenly shown that they were not ‘the big fish in a little pond.’ They were specks in an ocean. Shivers passed through all of them as they once again recalled their monstrous opponent.

“You should've been here before his debut though.” The nurse smiled at the heroes.

“Before, there would’ve been countless heroes in this hospital, recuperating from the beatings of the hero hunter. All of the beds around you used to be filled with famous heroes. Even the famous Eraserhead. Endeavour. And All Might himself.” The nurse smiled at them, trying to cheer them up.

A few of the foreign Heroes glanced around at the beds around them. Imagining them full of Heroes was quite a worrying image. So even the top Heroes had succumbed… It really seem like none could capably take him down.

“Our hospital grew famous because of the heroes being brought here. The place where fallen heroes can recover before returning to their duties. Though, if we could contact the Hero Hunter, we would’ve filed a massive complaint. He never failed to keep the staff exhausted to the bone.” The nurse continued as she smiled at them.

Michael turned to the nurse, the despairing look on his face now replaced by one of confusion.
“Garou… He said he doesn’t kill. Is that true?”

The nurse turned to him and smiled.

“It is. He is no Hero Killer. It is what sets him apart from Stain,” The nurse gently confirmed.

The five Heroes all had an expression of shock and realization. All they knew was that the Hero Hunter was Quirkless and that he was ‘hunting’ Heroes. They simply assumed that he’d already taken lives.

“Then… all those Heroes are still alive? Are they even still Heroes?”

“Yes!” The nurse nodded.

“Not one of them was permanently disabled. Well, except All Might, but he was already close to retiring. But the same can't be said for their pride…”

They knew how those Heroes felt. Their own pride was severely wounded due to the encounter with the Hero Hunter. Where once they had actively searched him out, there was nothing more than the five of them wanted than to never see the Hero Hunter again.

“...How long will our injuries take to heal?”

Phoebe spoke up, turning to the nurse. She wanted to put this behind her and move on. That was all any of them wanted.

“Around two weeks. The Hero Hunter is generous today,” The nurse assured.

Sighing heavily, all five of the foreign Heroes seemed to sink even further into their beds. Two more weeks of pain. None of them relished the idea. Regret began to build up inside all of the five. Regret for even considering fighting the Hero Hunter.

“Usually, those sent here would be stuck for a month or two…” the nurse giggled at their dismay.

“A month?”
A few voices intoned at the same time. The injuries they had received seemed pretty extensive. What kind of wounds could the other Heroes have got from their encounters?

“None of your bones were broken. Garou seemed to make sure you would all return home pristine this time. I don't know why, but he is growing more lenient.”

“This is ‘more lenient’?”
Jonathan gestured at the other four, all in equal disbelief. If that was Garou’s ‘leniency,’ then they didn’t want to see him angry.

“You should see the villains he hunts if you want to know what it is like seeing him angry.” The nurse winked at Jonathan.

“What states are the villains left in?”
Phoebe, like many, was morbidly curious.

“Well, one of them was nearly skinned alive,” the nurse said.

A shudder passed through all five of them as they imagined Garou's angry face, peeling the skin off a helpless villain. It was not a pleasant thought or image.

“He tore the muscles off a giantized criminal… and broke his bones later on. Another victim had her arms torn from the sockets. Others… just as graphic.” The nurse said as her lips turned to a frown.

Michael went pale at the mere thought. Olivia and Phoebe both had distasteful looks on their face. Garou’s actions…. They didn’t even seem legal. Such a level of brutality had to be illegal. Jonathan and Harry’s faces were both unreadable, betraying nothing of their conflicting inner thoughts.

“And he’s just allowed to do this?”

“No one can stop him in the end,” the nurse pointed out.

“I suggest you learn more about the Hero Hunter before you leave. Just so to prevent others from making the same mistake as challenging him without prior study.” The nurse said before she bowed curtly to them and headed out the exit.

As the nurse left the five foreign Heroes, the room descended into silence. The reality of what had happened had settled in. They’d set off to defeat the Hero Hunter and come back to England victorious. And they’d been soundly defeated. Scorn and mockery would undoubtedly be heaped upon them.

Mirio, Tamaki, and Hado all watched on as Garou effortlessly dismantled the foreign Heroes. Sympathy and pity were evident on their faces as attack after attack was heaped upon Garou to no effect. Even the massive explosion wouldn’t harm Garou. They knew that you’d need far more to even scratch him.

Eventually, the area fell silent, with all of the foreign Heroes heaped in a big unconscious pile, Garou tossing them atop of each other as an insult to injury.

“Ahhh, I felt refreshed,” Garou said as he appeared before them.

“You went surprisingly easy on them…”
Tamaki pointed over at the pile of Heroes. They didn’t even seem to be bleeding that much.

“No, I didn't.”

“Tamaki is right. You did seem to hold back.”


Mirio added his own observations. He could tell when Garou was putting in the slightest bit of effort, thanks to the hellish training he had undergone.

“I made them suffer.” Garou put much emphasis on the word.

“...Did you go ‘easy’ on them because they’re young?”

They did appear to be quite young Heroes. It was evident from their lack of combat experience and cocky confidence. Which hadn’t helped them much during their ‘fight’ with Garou. It was more of a one-sided beatdown.

“....no,” Garou unconvincingly said.

“That’s not fair! You didn’t go easy on any of us!”
Hado playfully pouted at Garou, pointing down at the unconscious pile of young Heroes. Garou hadn’t pulled any punches when it came to themselves.

“You want to join them?” Garou asked as he raised his arm, his fingers flexing as if itching to add more to the pile.

Her eyes merely widened, staring at Garou. A silent plea was evident in the wide eyes of Hado. Both Mirio and Tamaki watched, waiting for Garou’s reaction.

“Thought so. Anyways, distraction aside, let's go. I am hunting for a rumor about a possible monster popping up in Hosu. I want to kill it and set an example with its corpse before others get the wrong idea.” Garou said as he turned his head away into the streets below.

All joking from the three UA students quickly stopped, being replaced by an air of seriousness. If there was a monster roaming around, they had to prevent it from taking any lives. The victims at the bank had been lucky that Izuku, Mirio, and Garou had arrived on time.

“The monster is rumored to kidnap children. It started a few days ago. I am searching for it in the school areas, where children usually go. I had a hunch it will either kill children or something equally horrendous. The rumors are not pretty.” Garou continued informing.

Mirio, Hado and Tamaki’s brows all furrowed as they nodded firmly in acknowledgment. For a monster to even go after children… Such a despicable creature must be stopped before any children could go missing.

“The rumors are from a local urban myth, but after a few disappearances and investigating, I can tell. The monster has a warping Quirk of some kind. Possibly invisibility. It is described as a female ghost, long hair and pale skin.”

With the image planted firmly in their mind, Mirio, Tamaki, and Hado all made sure to remember every detail.

“Is it possible that the League is behind this monster?”

Mirio was hoping that this monster was another one of the League’s attempts. The one thing he didn’t want was for monsters to begin naturally appearing. That would be the worst possibility.

“Monsters cannot be controlled.” Garou shook his head.

“From what I've seen, monsters serve only themselves. Never for others.”

“What level do you think this ‘ghost’ might be?”

The threat level Garou used was surprisingly useful. The fact that the monster from the bank was ‘barely Demon’ gave Mirio a firm grasp of what he could handle.



“Tiger at least. If it is Demon, there would’ve been big trouble, but this one is lying low. I think this one is afraid of me… yet had the gall to invade my turf,” Garou snarled.

The three UA students all smirked slightly at that. Garou was surprisingly territorial sometimes. It was kind of funny to them, less so to the intruders of Garou’s ‘territory.’

“So when are we setting off?”

Hado seemed rather eager to hunt down this monster. It would be the first time she’d get to actually face a monster in combat. She’d seen Mirio on the news after he’d already fought one.

“Now.” Garou’s voice resounded from another building.

“I will leave you if you can't catch up.”

The little ‘diversion’ that Garou had was perfect, as it allowed both Hado and Tamaki to recover some of their energy. Grabbing ahold of Mirio, Tamaki’s back sprouted the two large wings once again. Flapping them once, he launched himself and Mirio into the air after Garou. Hado followed them, propelling herself using her Quirk.

Quite some distance away, inside of a particular Elementary School, the air was full of childish chatter. Laughter and voices filled the air, giving off the sense of an energetic classroom. Everyone was chatting to someone. Except for one silver-haired boy. Sat in his seat, Ghin was busy writing in his paper, drawing pictures, and highlighting parts of his drawings all by his lonesome. The lights behind him were a dull grey, containing his emotions while handling the others with a mind of titanium.

Out at the front of the classroom, was a teacher desperately attempting to stop the chattering. All it took was a murmur, and the class was set off, ignoring any lesson that was being taught. The topic of conversation was usually about one of the many events that had recently occurred. The ‘monster’ at the bank had been one that interested, as well as scared, many of the kids. The fact that monsters were real was a constant source of conversation.

Ghin could hear many of them chatter on the topic of the monster. How it nearly ended the lives of those within the building if it weren't for the three heroes that came in and saved the day and etc. It was nothing new to Ghin, as he was used to Garou’s achievements. As he was silently drawing in the back, the teacher started calling him out.

“Ghin, what do you think about the monster incident?” The female choice of the teacher asked the silent kid scribbling in the back.

All students turned their head to the kid, one blatantly secluded from the rest of the class.

“…” The boy looked up from his drawings, his face not bearing the smile he usually wore. Only an emotionless mask, same as the dull grey colors of the lights behind his back.

“A black mark.” Ghin said esoterically.

Silence filled the classroom, as many of Ghin’s fellow students did not understand the meaning of his words. The meaning also slipped past the teacher, leaving him confused by the youth’s words

“A ‘black mark’? What do you mean?”

“How did no one notice that the bank was attacked in the first place? Where are the heroes there before Fenrir and co?” Ghin asked as if criticizing the heroes of today.

The teacher grimaced as she shrugged. For such a young boy, Ghin had a troubling history of asking questions no one had the answer to.

“Well… from the news report, the ‘monster’ had stopped everyone before they could have called for help. I don’t know why those three arrived first.”

“I don’t care if they arrived first. I want to know why no one noticed that a bank was under attack in broad daylight. How did no one even see in the first place?” Ghin demanded.

The teacher sighed in resignation.

“I don’t know. I’m not a Hero, or a police officer.”

“…then it does not speak well for the heroes and police. They are lacking.” Ghin frowned even further.

“Ghin… they all tried their best. And don’t forget that everyone in the bank was saved by Heroes. I don’t think you’re being fair.”

The rest of the class stared at Ghin. A few, malicious glares were mixed in with the many gazes. The teacher could notice the air in the classroom getting rather unfriendly. The silver-haired youth had an… unfortunate history with the rest of the class. More than a few times the teachers had to seperate groups of students who had ganged up on the poor boy. But their dissuading didn’t not seem to have any effect. The class disliked him, and it was clear that the feeling was mutual.

“Tell that to the victims in the bank.” Ghin retorted before returning his focus to the papers in front of him, resuming his scribbling.

A few stares remained locked on to the young boy. One by one, they all disregarded him, moving back to their own conversations. The teacher released a sigh of relief. The frosty atmosphere had been replaced by the usual childish chatter and laughter. The teacher merely sat down in her nearby seat behind her desk, content to let the class talk amongst themselves for a while.

Minutes upon minutes passed, and the conversations did not die down in the slightest. Casting a glance of mild concern over towards Ghin, the teacher angled her head. He was still writing and drawing away on his paper, ignoring the world around him.

Then, the loud, grating noise of the school bell filled the classroom, drowning out the voices of the students. Standing up quickly from her seat, the teacher clapped her hands together, drawing the attention of the class.

“Alright everyone. That’s the recess bell.”

The student’s eyes all lit up with excitement. Recess was one of a student’s favourite times of day. When they could leave the classroom and finally play. But the sound of the teacher’s voice pulled them back in from their moment of joy.

“Remember when you come back that you’ve got your English test!”

The class groaned as they all began to rise out of their seats, slowly shuffling towards the door in a somewhat orderly line. Eventually, once most of the class had left, Ghin rose as well, packing away his things and heading towards the door.

He began to make his way to the door that led outside, ignoring the stares from numerous students as he passed them. Already he could hear the joyous laughter and squealing of his fellow classmates as they played outside. Reaching the door outside, he opened it, a blast of fresh air engulfing him.

Stepping outside, Ghin immediately felt eyes settle on him, as the prior noise quietened at his arrival. Ignoring them, he strolled past them, walking straight out of the front gate and down the nearby sidewalk. Three students all exchanged glances as he left, their eyes promising torment to the class pariah. Then, one by one, they began to pursue him slowly.

As he walked down the road, Ghin immediately became aware that he was being pursued by several figures. He could already guess who they were, and what they were after. Without turning around, Ghin took the nearest turning, ending up walking down a nearby sidestreet. The noise of cars began to dim as he walked further and further down the sidestreet. Eventually, he could barely hear the cars at all. But the sound of numerous footsteps were far too easy to discern.

Turning around to face his pursuers, Ghin noticed that a rather thick layer of mist had settled in over the ground, coming up to about his waist. Three figures appeared, walking ever closer. One by one, Ghin recognised them.

First, he recognised the two sisters, Reiko and Reika, walking side by side. They glared at him as they approached him. They seemed like mirror-images of each other.

However, leading them was the contemptible Shikai. Even as Shikai continued walking down the side street, Ghin suppressed a twinge of frustration at the ‘pretty boy’. All three were firmly glaring at Ghin, malicious intent behind their eyes.

Ghin returned their glare with one of hate for a brief second, the lights behind his back shining crimson red before back to silver.

“...don't you have anything better to do?” Ghin contemptibly asked.

Shikai threw one hand out, gesturing around at the quiet pathway they were on, scoffing distastefully.

“We just wanted to see exactly what you were doing in this pathetic little side street. And it turns out, not much. Just like usual for you eh?”

Both Reiko and Reika giggled at the insult.

“You know why. You always make a scene.” Ghin retorted sharply.

Narrowing his eyes, Shikai pointed one finger aggressively at Ghin. His glare was full of contempt and anger.

“That’s because you make a scene! If you didn’t say anything, then we wouldn’t have a problem.”

“Since when do you hate talking? I thought you love to hear the sound of your own voice?” Ghin chipped in with a smart reply.

Lowering his arm, Shikai ground his teeth in frustration. He continued glaring at Ghin. He didn’t even notice the mist slowly growing in intensity.

“And besides… when did you know a Hero? We all saw that guy that picks you up on the news. Fenrir is it? Why have you been hiding this from everyone? Do you think that you’re better than us because you got your Quirk finally?”

He spat out angrily. The silver-haired boy in front of his was a constant eyesore for him. Always scribbling and writing away.

“No. Because I know I am better than you because I know the true worthlessness of Quirks. I sought a power greater than Quirks, Shiki.” Ghin said using the bully’s nickname. One that Shikai hates.

“Oh yeah? It doesn't seem to have helped you get any friends. So much for ‘greater than Quirks’.”

Turning to the two sisters, the three all shared a laugh at Ghin’s expense.

“I don't want to make friends with people like you.” Garou spouted his hate for the class.

Gesturing around at himself and the two sisters, Shikai turned back to Ghin, his eyes narrowed.

“None of us want to be friends with you either. So why are you still here? Just leave and go to another school.”

“So I can annoy you even further. I seem to enjoy your reactions after you found out I have a Quirk now.” Ghin gave him a small smirk.

Raising both of his hands in a gesture of mock surrender, Shikai’s face was twisted in a derisive manner, staring at the smirking Ghin. Frustration began to build up as the silver haired boy continued to stand against them.

“Ok. I admit it. You annoy me. You annoy everyone else. It’s always ‘Hero’ this or ‘Hero’ that. It gets pretty old.”

“Oh? Aren't you just pissed that I debase all of your favorite heroes, Shiki? Especially when I enjoyed talking about Endeavour getting destroyed by Garou?” Ghin smiled at Shikai as his face twisted into rage.

“Ok then. If you ‘debase’ all of the Heroes… then why do you know Fenrir?”

Throwing out a question, Shikai crossed his arms.

“He's new. And two, you would lose your mind if you know the answer. Three, he can destroy the other heroes even if everyone gangs up on him.” Ghin said.

As Shikai opened his mouth to retort, he stopped. The mist surrounding them had grown and swelled, roiling around them. Like a tornado, the mist began to coil up towards the sky. Wind whipped the four children, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

Fear filled Reiko, Reika and Shikai. Between them and Ghin, the mist began to fold and shift in the air, taking on a shape. The air in the quiet side street dropped in temperature rapidly, chilling all present to the bone. When the swirling mist dispersed, a haunting figure stood in its place… a monster born out of nightmares and horrors of the human mind.

“...oh crap.” Ghin uttered upon seeing the abomination. A pale, sickly monster three meters tall, four arms with long, sharp gnarly claws, and two heads in place of one, both heads covered by black hair obscuring their features.

The pale flesh seemed to be knit together, as though someone had fused a man and a woman together in a horrific jumble of limbs and draping hair. Wide, manic eyes scanned their surroundings. The eyes of the male half landed on the three forms of Reiko, Reika and Shikai who were all too terrified to move. The female half’s eyes landed on Ghin, worrying intentions hidden behind the maddening eyes.

The sidestreet was quiet for a moment, the only noise being the harsh, grating noise of the two pairs of breath coming from the monster. Suddenly, from both monstrous, pale lips came laughter. It was painful, seeming to gnaw at the mind.

“They look preciouuuusss…” The male licked his lips upon gazing at the three.

A shiver ran up the spines of the three as the predatory glare of the monster remained on them. Sweat poured freely down Shikai’s forehead, as fear consumed him. The horrific sight before him was truly a nightmare vision.

The female half cocked her head as she eyed Ghin.

“Mooooore fleshhhh. And it looks so softtt.”

As they seemed to have finished with their analysis, the monster shifted, turning to face the sole figure of Ghin. The hair parted slightly, allowing Ghin to see the revolting grin, full of yellowing teeth. Step by step, it approached Ghin, knurled fingers reaching out for him. As it drew closer, the mist began to intensify around the monster, but also around Ghin, Reika, Reiko and Shikai. Panic began to well up inside the three tormentors as the mist swirled around them.

Once it was only a meter or two away from Ghin,  the solid forms of both the monster and children were replaced by a figures of mist, which slowly began to dissipate. There was nothing that even indicated that there had been anyone in this side street.

The world was strange, thrown into a realm of shifting white, feeling as if floating through the realm of zero-gravity while dragged by an unseen force.

The four children glanced around at the surreal environment they had been whisked away to. Unlike the other three, Ghin was not afraid. Nor was he panicked. But he was cautious. The surrounding mists seemed to shift and warp, taking on new, terrifying forms. But the monster was nowhere in sight. Each glance at their surroundings seemed to trick them, as the mist flowed and ebbed around them.

“Wh-wh-what...W-where are we?”

The trembling, terrified voice of Reiko broke the silence around them. Her voice sounded as if it were in a dream, distorted and warped.

“Keep quiet.” Ghin assertively requested.

“I'm trying to think.” Ghin looked around his esoteric surrounding, eyes sharp and body ready to fight.

Shadows flickered by their eyesight, causing the three victims to jump. Ghin merely tensed, preparing for combat. The mist seemed to swell in size, as the shadow began to jump around in the corner of their eyes.

The mist began to close in around them, forming intimidating walls around them. The four children remained close together, three of them almost overwhelmed by the fear and anxiety. Suddenly, the mist parted as a large, pale shape came screeching out of the cloud. Four gnarled hands were reaching out towards the group of children, attempting to snatch one of them.

The wide, yellowed grins of the monster’s two heads grew larger and more menacing as the four hands neared Shikai, prepared to whisk him away in their clutches. Large, viscous globules of saliva dripped from both mouths as they neared their prey.

“Ohhhhh, this one looks good.” The female rasped as the visage of Shikai disappeared out of the clouds. Two more hands entered through the misty veil, grasping the two sisters as they trembled stiff with fear.

“They are mine. They look so precioussss.” The male one said before the last arm came for Ghin.

As the hand neared Ghin, it was knocked aside. Still standing in the same position, Ghin had taken up his combat stance, facing down the monster that towered over him. Undeterred, the arm came once again. And again, it was rebuffed via backhand slap, the hand recoiling back out in stinging pain. The telltale signs of frustration made their way onto the faces of the monster. Glaring at the boy, the arm shot towards him at a speed incomparable to the previous speed.

Yet, despite that, it grasped only empty air. Two feet rested on the hand’s dorsal, before two hands gripped two gnarled fingers by the grotesque nails that could carve a human of their flesh. Then a loud rip resounded from as blood started dripping from the fingers, the two of the five now missing their nails.

A howl of pain came from both heads, creating a ear-piercing choir of screeching. Suddenly, the world around them seemed to dissipate within mere moments. Glancing quickly around, Ghin could see that he was not in the same place he was before. He seemed to be inside what looked like an abandoned office building. The entire area was steeped in darkness and it was hard to see.

Turning back around, the monster was nowhere to be found. Where the monster had been, lay the three unconscious bodies of Shikai, Reiko and Reika. A faint stench was all that indicated that the monster had been there at all.

Using his Quirk, much to his loathesome, he brightened the areas around him with crimson red of hostility, wary of the monster that whisked him and his undesirable classmates away.

As he illuminated the room, he immediately noticed along one wall were a large number of children all chained up. Upon each of their wrists and ankles were manacles, chaining them to the wall. They all appeared to be unconscious, but all of them seemed to be in a rather poor state, with dirty ragged clothing. The dark scene gave Ghin a good idea of what the monster was doing.

“Is this some kind of sick hobby to you, you two-headed freak?” Ghin called out within the building, refusing to lower his guard even for a moment as he scoured his surroundings, gripping the two nails he ripped from the monster as weapons. Some of the prisoners stirred, disturbed by the sound of another kid in the center of the building. Their eyes widened upon seeing the kid free and unchained, taking a stand against the monster.

“H-Hey… Please help us…”

One of the children, a young boy, whispered over to the free boy. Desperation and hope had surged at the thought of freedom.

“Can't. The monster disappeared. Don't know his… or her Quirk.” Ghin replied, his eyes shifting left and right, wary of the abomination.

“It… seems to b-bring kids in here… like some k-kind of mist m-monster.”

The chained boy’s head hung low as escape had evaded him. There was no way that this boy could possibly defeat the monster. There had been a few who tried. They all ended up on the wall, one way or the other. All he could do was give the free boy some advice.

“What's his Quirk? I can't find him. He will not leave me free, I know.” Ghin asked as the unconscious three stirred from unconsciousness.

Stirring from the wall, a chained girl stared over at the silver-haired boy. The quiet sound of metal upon metal rang out as she shifted around.

“I-I think… I think It can t-turn itself and others into mist. T-That is how I was brought here…”

As she finished speaking, the somewhat distant sound of clattering caused all the children on the wall to immediately fall silent. Their heads snapped to the direction of the noise, fear evident on their faces. None of them moved a muscle, so as to not attract the monster’s attention. Slowly, mist began to creep into the room, spreading over the ground like a carpet.

The eyes of the chained children all widened in fear as they turned to the free boy, a silent warning in their eyes. It was coming for him.

“Naughty…” The male side spoke first.

“Naughty!” The female side screeched like a banshee. Both heads dislocating their jaws as they both screamed at Ghin with an unholy, abominable shriek. The three whisked away with Ghin covered their ears along with the rest of the kids on the walls, trying to block out the scream but to no avail.

The howling monster rushed straight for Ghin, all four arms extended. It’s eyes reflected a manic, ravening glint as it grew closer towards the silver-haired boy.

“G-Ghin!” Shikai shouted. While disliking the boy, he does not want him to die. He watched as the monster closed in on his classmate…

*BOOM*

Only for the monster to be sent flying back, tumbling twice on the ground. Turning his head to Ghin, he saw him with his fist outstretched, still grasping the nail ripped from the monster’s finger, the lights behind him turning to scarlet.

“This kid knows how to kick butt. Prepare to lose your bones.” Ghin declared as he entered his stance again.

As the monster lay on the ground, it’s fingers dug into the concrete floor with ease. Both heads rose to glare at Ghin, but the moment it raised both it's heads, two sharp objects lodged themselves into their eyes, one in each head. It was the nails Ghin ripped from the monster.

An ear-splitting screech filled the room as the monster shook in pain. Blood streamed from the corners of both the destroyed eyes, dripping onto the floor. The entire body of the monster shuddered, as it rose to its feet. The two remaining eyes locked onto Ghin, fury evident in their glare.

As the monster rose to its feet, the mist had already covered the floor of the room. The cloud coiled around the still monster, enshrouding it.

“Oh no you don't!” Refusing to let it use its Quirk, orbs of scarlet light formed before firing death lasers at the monster, a swarm of illuminating rays curving and refracting in the darkness before hitting the mist, hoping to strike the monster before it fled.

However, the beams merely passed through the mist, scorching the wall behind. The mist figure of the monster began to dissipate. However, at that moment, the mist on the ground seemed to become agitated by something. Like a turbulent ocean, the mist surged up and down in waves. As one ‘wave’ peaked behind Ghin, the monster burst forth from the mist once again, its eyes screaming death.

“Knew it.” However, as if expecting this, Ghin grinned as the lights behind him shone.

Instantly, without looking, the orbs behind Ghin fired death lasers from behind, red light impacting the monster before it could swing all four of its claws at him. The rain of light impacting mostly around the center like a shotgun, while a few stray lasers of refracting light punctured the throat of the female’s neck and the jaw of the male’s.

Instantly, the screeching from the monster fell silent. Glancing behind him, Ghin could see the state that the monster was in from his attack. The jaw of the male half had been blasted clean off, leaving the tongue hanging uselessly. The neck of the female now bore a new hole drilled clean through, smoke rising from the sizzling flesh.

However, it was the torso that had taken the most damage. Countless blackened holes of cauterized flesh coated the front of the monster’s body. The monster remained still as it’s two remaining eyes glanced down at the numerous holes. Then, the female half went limp, half of the body slumping down. The male half attempted to keep the body up, before it too went slack, collapsing to the ground with a meaty thud. Slowly, the mist in the room began to clear, before dissipating completely. Finally, after confirming the monster is dead, the lights behind Ghin turned back to neutral silver.

“Y-You did it…”

The chained up boy sounded astounded. His face bore the common signs of disbelief. After seeing so many children brought in, and without the monster even having a scratch on it, he had thought it was invincible. But the boy before them had saved them.

As the children chained up on the wall all stared at their saviour, tears began to well up in each of their eyes. As the tears streamed down the face, an emotional cry seemed to come from each of the chained up children. All of the pain, all of the torment finally burst their way out as cheers and praise filled the room, through sobbing.

“We’re free!!!”

“YEEEESSS!”

“Thank you thank you thank you…..”

“H-He actually did it…”

The three forms of Shikai, Reiko and Reika approached Ghin, a relieved expression on their face. However, Shikai didn’t seem relieved. He blinked, trying to process what Ghin just did. Since when did the kid they bullied have this side to him? He was lying there, afraid to do anything, but looking at Ghin fighting the monster all by his lonesome…

He looked more ashamed than anything. Casting his eyes to the ground, he couldn’t meet Ghin’s gaze.

“I… uh…”

“Help me free the kids.” Ghin said as he walked towards the wall to the other chained kid, not giving Shikai a second glance as he looked at the manacles.

“...okay, I might regret asking, but… why did the monster abduct you all again? And why are you all still alive?” Ghin asked as he held the chain of the manacle, inspecting the metal. An alloy of steel and some other metal, maybe titanium.

In response, the cheering quickly stopped. Pained expressions were now on the face of every chained child as they recalled their torment.

“It… did things…”

The chained boy sounded as if each word hurt him to say. The horror of what had happened in this building would likely stay with every victim for the rest of their lives.

“Oh… I'll shut up.” Ghin had a good idea what he was implying.

“Where’s the key for these things?” Ghin asked as he saw a keyhole.

The chained girl merely moved one of her constrained hands, pointing in the direction of the corpse of the monster. It had already begun to stink. The sudden gleam of metal revealed a large ring, filled with keys.

“T-There. On the monster’s waist…” The girl cried out as Ghin turned to the corpse.

“Oh. Thanks. Shiki, can you get them?” Ghin asked pointing at the monster.

Nodding once, Shikai showed no outward reaction to being called by his nickname. He merely did as Ghin said, rushing over to the corpse of the monster. Grimacing, he reached one arm out cautiously, grasping for the keys. Grabbing ahold of the ring of keys, he pulled it from the monster, which was difficult… until he tore out the blackened chunk of meat along with it. Shikai felt like vomiting. But he contained the urge to release. He rushed back over to Ghin, presenting the keys.

“Uhhh… H-here.”

“Grab some and try to free the others. We would be here for a while. Someone needs to contact the police after this.” Ghin professionally requested before tearing on of the keys off the ring and started testing them.

“There's the building.” Garou pointed out, now in his hero Fenrir costume. He called the police as well, mostly to escort any potential victims. It was an abandoned factory around the edge of Hosu, ignored by the public for so long in years.

Behind him were the three figures of Mirio, Hado and Tamaki. Both Hado and Tamaki seemed to be quite drained from their travelling. Tamaki was panting slightly, a thin film of sweat on his forehead. Hado on the other hand, attempted to hide her tiredness behind her usual smile. Police surrounded them, rushing around as they tried to contain the situation. Cordons were set up, barricades were formed and all the police kept their eyes on the factory.

“So should we move in?”

Mirio leaned forwards, examining the outside of the abandoned factory.

“What do you think?” Garou asked as he pointed his thumb at the small army they brought

“Anyways…” Garou walked up, moving past the cordon and the barricades before stopping, preparing to make a speech.

“Alright, you greenhorns. Let me remind you all that this is NOT a villain. This is a monster. A possible flesh eating monster that will probably be desperate to eat you guys like a kid in a candy store, or worse. Meaning, it is no longer human. It will not hesitate to kill you all, maim your corpses, or torture you all in the worse ways imaginable. In order words, shoot to kill. No mercy. Any hesitation will lead to your fellow officers’ death. Not even the slightest is allowed. Any questions before we break in?” Garou presented as his stern gaze travelled across the small army. He originally called them here in case of survivors. The police are more skilled in consoling the victims and returning them back to their respective homes.

Hearing Fenrir’s speech, the police all remained silent. One by one, they all shook their heads in the negative. A serious air had settled in around the factory. And given that Fenrir was one of the only people present who had actually fought a monster and killed it, ever single police officer believed that when it came to monsters, there was no one with more experience.

“Good. Here's the plan. Send some SAT teams to block off any potential escape routes. Like the sewers. We can't have it escape and cause potential trouble. Mirio, lead the vanguard towards the entrance. Hado and Tamaki, you're both with me on scouting.” Garou said as he then walked towards the factory, before slowly breaking into a sprint towards the building.

As Garou began sprinting towards the building, both Hado and Tamaki followed him. They were both trailing behind Garou slightly, but they were still keeping pace. Mirio smiled, taking in this surreal situation. Garou leading a charge against a felon… this was something he never expected to see before he met him.

“Let's move!” Mirio shouted as he followed after him, along with a small squad of heavily armored SAT teams as the rest of the police force got to work.

Carving concentric rings into the buildings, Garou and co entered through the roof, scouting from above while Mirio lead the ground team below. They all dropped down on a catwalk, looking down on the darkness… wait, scratch there. The three saw a light illuminating down below. A while-silvery light on the ground. Squinting his eyes, Garou caught the sight of a familiar figure.

“...shrimp?” Garou blinked. What was he doing here? Why was he freeing the other children from… their chains?

As he saw Ghin releasing the other children from their restraints, he noticed a large mass of pale, bloody flesh. With numerous scorched and blackened holes burned into it no less. It had to have been Ghin.

“...Is that Ghin? What’s he doing here?”

Hado pointed at Ghin. Seeing the young boy here instantly put her on edge. How had he got here? Concern welled up inside her.

“...did he kill the monster?” Tamaki asked, before rubbing his eyes just to make sure it was no illusion.

“...the shrimp actually did it.” Garou was a little proud to see the disciple put the years of training into work. The time and effort Ghin placed in his training was well-spent.

Eventually, all of the chained up children were freed by Ghin. Leaping down from the catwalk, Garou, Tamaki and Hado all landed on the ground, not too far from where Ghin was. The sudden sound drew the attention of all of the children, including Ghin.

“Eh… Geh!?” Ghin squawked at the sight of Garou.

“W-What are you doing here?!” Ghin pointed at Garou and his entourage.

“Hunting a monster. What are you doing here?” Garou asked as he pointed at the corpse of the monster.

“...uhhh, it whisked me and them away?” Ghin pointed at his classmates, Shikai and the two sisters looking at Fenrir and the other heroes.

“Are you alright?”

Hado glanced down at Ghin, worry evident on her face. She hadn’t been expecting to see the silver-haired youth here of all places.

“Yep! I killed the monster! One on one!” Ghin declared with haughty pride and a wide smile, one his classmates never saw before. Shikai and his entourage blinked upon hearing his childish voice full of positive energy.

The sizzling remains of the monster was more than enough proof that Ghin had dealt with it. The young boy didn’t even seem to be injured in the slightest.

“W-What about the rest of the kids?”

Tamaki turned his gaze the the small group of sobbing children, some rubbing where the manacles had been attached.

“Ehh, they were here when I got here. No idea about them. I unshackled them, but I am lost on what to do from here. I was about to call the police and some random heroes next…” Ghin explained.

Just as Ghin was about to finish his sentence, a nearby door was thrown open from the outside. Mirio, followed by a number of SAT, quickly entered the room, ready to engage the monster with their assault LMGs at the ready.

“Move move move!” The squad captain shouted as the men formed a perimeter, covering all angles as they formed together in a turtle formation with rifles aimed at all directions.

“Relax. The thing is dead.” Garou waved off the police as he pointed at the smoking corpse of the monster.

Seeing the corpse of the monster, the SAT members lowered their weapons, glancing around, checking the area. Mirio quickly noticed Ghin, stood beside Garou. Mirio raised both eyebrows, clearly shocked to see the young boy there.

“...Ghin?”

“Heyo, cartoon face!” Ghin greeted with a smile.

Seeing the monster’s corpse, Mirio slowly approached the group. Glancing down at Ghin, he furrowed his brows.

“...Did you kill the monster?”

“Yep!” Ghin nodded with a smile.

The SAT officers had already begun to head over to the group of kidnapped children in the corner, begnining to escort them out as they comforted them. The gentle sobbing continued as the children were slowly taken out of the building. Watching them leave, Mirio turned to Ghin, a smile on his face.

“You did a great thing today Ghin. You saved all of these children.”

“...you guys would've come in and saved them anyways.” Ghin replied as he pointed at Garou.

“How'd you know the monster was here?” The boy was curious about his idol’s methods.

“Simple. Tally reports of unusual mist around a certain radius. And pinpoint the area the monster would most likely be,” Garou scoffed.

Both Hado and Tamaki recalled the exhausting amount of travelling that they had to undergo. Garou made it sound so easy. Well, it must have been for him.

“Regardless. Hey. SAT guys.” Garou called out to the police officers for their attention, forcing them to pay attention to him with his call.

“I need a forensics team here. We’re not done.” Garou ordered.

Nodding in acknowledgment, the SAT continued escorting the children out of the building in groups. However, before any of them made their way out. Each and every one of them turned their eyes towards the silver-haired boy.

“T… thank you!”

“You were so cool!”

“I hope we meet again!”

The cheers continued, slowly growing quieter as they all left. As one of the last children to be escorted, Shikai turned to face Ghin, his eyes staring at the ground.

“I’m… sorry. You saved us. Even after everything we’ve said…”

The sound of his voice doused all positive youthfulness within Ghin, as his silver lights turned into dull grey. Mirio, Tamaki, and Hado did not miss the tension between their senior and the other kid.

“...don't thank me.” Ghin said as he his smile disappeared.

“It is not out of respect. But obligation. A hero never abuses the weak or abandons others. Even if you made me suffer for years.” Ghin narrowed his eyes at him and his two entourage.

Reiko crossed her arms, glancing disapprovingly over at Ghin.

“He’s just apologising. Don’t be so rude!”

The girl stared over at Ghin. She did feel grateful towards him saving them, but he was being too rude to Shikai after he made the effort of apologising.

Ghin was not even fazed by her rebuttal as he glared at her. The girl flinched when she saw the menacing glare within Ghin’s eyes.

“The same could be said about you. There are many things you have to apologize for as well, girl.” Ghin chastised her back.

Reiko looked away, the hints of shame on her face. She couldn’t meet Ghin’s gaze. Her red hair hung over her face, covering one of her eyes. Silence filled the room.

“We’re both sorry. But we can’t say sorry if you don’t accept our apologies!”

Reika broke the sudden silence, meeting Ghin’s glare. The tension in the air rose dramatically. All the SAT members and Heroes present could only watch as the children argued amongst themselves.

“How could I? You all taught me to how to hate with your cruelty.” Ghin stated as the lights behind him turned black for one second.

Like her sister, Reika also turned away. The fact that they had been saved by Ghin, even after they’d tormented him for so long, filled them with shame. Shikai fidgeted on the spot, still not able to look the silver-haired youth in the eyes.

“...I know we’ve been pretty… cruel. But I am sorry. I know you have every right to deny us, but… please. Let us show you how much we mean it.”

“........how?” Ghin asked as if testing them.

“You three never blinked even when you heard about my parents were killed. You just laughed. Like a villain. Like a monster.” Ghin seethed.

The three children remained silent. Hado, Tamaki and Mirio all looked over sympathetically at Ghin, finally hearing the extent of the torment he had undergone. Shikai continued to squirm uncomfortably under Ghin’s furious glare.

“If there is anything we can do to show how sorry we are… please tell us.”

There was genuine sincerity in voice as he asked Ghin.

“...is that even possible?” Ghin asked.

“If you want us to just leave you alone from now on… then we’ll do that.”

There was nothing that Ghin could actually ask of them that he might want. The best way they could show their gratitude and sincerity was to simply leave Ghin alone, no longer tormenting him.

“..........there is one.” Ghin spoke, pointing his finger at the three.

“Renounce all of your heroes. And sever all your connections with them.” Ghin declared.

Hearing Ghin’s demand, all three children turned to stare at Ghin, shocked. Shikai stared at Ghin, mildly shocked and confused.

“...What do you mean ‘sever connections’?”

“Give up what you cherish most. All of you merchandise. Everything related to your idols. Cut them away, and never look back.” Ghin demanded.

Mirio, Tamaki, and Hado gasped, the last cupping her mouth in shock. Even the SAT members skipped their breaths at the shocking demand.

The three children all were clearly conflicted. Every child had their own favourite Hero. To be asked to throw all of that away… It was quite a request.

“I threw away all of my hero merchandise a year ago. I tore apart the poster of All Might. I no longer looked back the moment Garou defeated All Might. Because I learned one fundamental truth…” Ghin’s lips trembled, lips semi-parting revealing his tightly clenched teeth.

“There is no Hero for the Quirkless as long as they have Quirks. That is something you all taught me. Now, you will learn the pain of letting go.”

Reiko, Reika and Shikai all furrowed their brows, still conflicted. However, Shikai sighed loudly, nodding his head.

“.....If that’s what you want…. Fine.”

The two sisters appeared shocked that Shikai had actually agreed with Ghin’s terms. They still were debating it internally.

Meanwhile…

The Forensics team arrived per Garou’s orders, stumbling on the scene as they watched alongside their comrades in the force.

“…enough idling.” Garou murmured, catching the investigating team’s attention while not disturbing his disciple.

“We have a job to do. Follow me.” Garou quietly ordered as he walked away, heading towards an entrance leading deeper into the factory.

The forensic team quickly rose from examining the corpse of the monster. Taking a few samples of the monster corpse and placing it in test tubes, the team hurried after Garou. Seeing Garou leave, and seeing that the police had the situation under control, Mirio, Hado and Tamaki all rushed after him.

“There’s something that is now bugging me.” Garou started speaking to the group behind him.

“Their network of distributing the illegal goods. After I destroyed All Might as the Hero Hunter, I culled the villains around Hosu and destroyed every villain network and established economy there. I cleaned the streets and marked all the routes where they can smuggle the illegal goods from district to district. However, I am concerned how a monster here got into my home under my nose. I want to find out and hunt those that he contacted with and destroy them with prejudice.” Garou explained his actions as they walked through the dark, rustic corridor of metal and pipes.

Nodding along, most of the forensic team were well aware of the ‘cleaning’ up that Garou had engaged in. In fact, only a few of the most elite members of the authorities were even aware that the Hero Fenrir was Garou himself. The forensic team had spent many hours on scenes that Garou had caused, brutally beating down entire rooms of villains.

“Our job is to track the thing’s footsteps. Starting with its ‘nest’. We are looking for its room so to speak. Mirio, scout ahead. We need to know the layout of the building.” Garou ordered.

Nodding, Mirio ran off ahead, his footsteps growing steadily quieter as he continued scouting ahead. The rest of them watched as he ran ahead into the darkness. Tamaki turned to Garou, slightly nervous by the large number of people crowding into the hallway.

“S-so what are we looking for in this ‘nest’?”

“Tracks. Leads where that thing had gone to before in hopes of unveiling the deeper secrets of the villain society. Secrets I’ve yet to uncover.” Garou stated as Mirio returned, doubling over as he panted for breath.

“Haaah… There’s a locked door ahead. I phased through it..haaah. I think that is it’s ‘nest’”

Mirio continued panting, out of breath from the running. He had been running for quite a while after all.

“What’d you see in there?” Garou asked, stopping for answers.

“Hah… disturbing things… a black notebook that looked like a diary, a jar of hair atop of a desk, a laptop, and other things lying around.” Mirio gave Garou a summary of his findings.

“Alright, let's move. We have a hunt to complete. Don’t disappoint me.” Garou lightly warned as they resumed their journey down the rotted corridors of pipes and stone.

The group continued down the dark passages and winding corridors of the factory. The sound of groaning, creaking metal unnerved a few of the forensic team, even though they knew with Garou here, there was no way they could come under any form of danger.

Minutes passed, as the group continued walking down the corridors. Finally, they reached the large, rusted metal doors at the end of the hallway. A large, thick chain was wrapped around the handles, barring entry. A large, rusty lock held the chain in place.

Which was immediately torn with a simple yank by Garou, tearing the doors down along with the lock as well.

“......…none of you saw that.” Garou threatened as they stared at the broken doors.

Although the police said nothing, their eyes all clearly showed that they were not going to speak about what they just saw. The sound of shaking metal echoed down the hallway as the doors fell to the ground still tied by the chains.

“Let’s go.” Garou said as he dropped the lock he was holding as it loudly crashed down, and walked inside the room of the dreaded monster.

The room was dim, barely lit at all. The forensic team pulled out their flashlights, pointing them around the room. With much of the room suddenly illuminated by the torchlight, every person present could take in the horrific state of the room. Huge growths of mold covered many surfaces in large, revolting patches. Pieces of rotting food were scattered around the room, making the stench inside the room even worse than it already was.

“Wow… this place is literally disgusting.” Garou commented as he waved his hand in front of his nose, trying to disperse the stench.

“Anyone got any air fresheners?” He asked the Forensics Team.

Murmuring among themselves for a second, the forensic team all shook their head as they began to disperse around the room. Pulling out cameras, they all began taking various photographs of the room.

“Chimera. Do you have the vial of bloodhound I asked?” Garou asked Tamaki using his nickname. The vial was for Tamaki to gain the traits of a dog, specifically the highly developed olfactory organ of the bloodhound.

Sighing, Tamaki pulled out a vial from his belt. The thought of eating a dog was rather distasteful to him, so he simply gathered the blood of one. Grimacing, he popped the top off the glass vial, the smell of blood reaching his nose. In one quick moment, Tamaki threw his head back, pouring the vial of blood into his mouth.

“Start sniffing. Mirio, lead him around to the thing’s belongings.” Garou asked, ignoring the sight of Tamaki covering his nose while suppressing his urge to vomit. A heightened sense of smell in a putrid environment was a equation that spelled almost emptying of bowels toot sweet.

Mirio gestured for Tamaki to follow him, and so he did, covering his nose the whole way. Mirio led the way to several of the monster’s belongings. The first thing he came across was a jar full of what looked like hair from the monster itself atop of a rotten desk. As he grew closer to the jar of hair, the odour from the monster’s hair almost overpowered Tamaki’s nose.

Meanwhile, Garou was sifting through various objects littered around. He took the notice of the footprints on the floor, seeing it smaller than the indicated size of the corpse in the other room.

“...the monster can alter its size.” Garou said. The size of the thing’s mold-stained mattress was larger than normal, but the indentation on the bed hinted a different size than prior belief.

Occasional flashes of light from the cameras would illuminate the room. All around the room, the forensics team were all carefully and cautiously gathering samples. With the revolting state of the room, there were plenty of potential sources for sampling. Tamaki continued sniffing his way around the room, grimacing the whole time. He silently cursed Garou for even suggesting this idea.

Mirio then grabbed the notebook he found within the drawer of the cabinet, a black gnarled thing that seemed to be the monster’s diary as he handed it over to Garou.

“This is the monster’s book… it looked like a journal so…”

Garou walked over to Mirio as he took the object out his hand, and started sifting through the flipping pages. The speed which Garou was turning the pages almost surprised Mirio. He wouldn't be surprised if Garou was capable of reading at the speed of light as well.

Garou closed the book as he handed it to Mirio.

“The thing is more abhorrent than I thought.” Garou grimaced with a feeling of unease.

Opening the book himself, Mirio began to read the book. Each page he turned only increased the revulsion and anger he felt towards the monster. Many of the pages were filled with revolting descriptions of the monster’s ‘activities’. Closing the book quickly, Mirio had no desire to read any further. Holding the ‘diary’ out, he handed it to a nearby officer. Simply holding the book made him feel disgusted.

“The smell reminds me of rotten fish. Dog, what do you smell?” Garou asked as he caught the sight of a small object protruding under the thing’s mattress.

Still grimacing, Tamaki turned to Garou, a look of displeasure on his face.

“... I-It’s actually a mix of rotten salmon, with some beef as well. There’s a hint of… urgh… a rather unpleasant body odour.”

“So the thing feeds off fish and cow instead of human flesh…” Garou summarized. He walked over to the mattress, and pulled out the object, revealing itself to be a laptop of sorts.

“Hm…” Garou was not that much of an expert on computers. Unfolding the laptop, now face to face with the rectangular screen, the laptop blinked to life as it awoke from its sleep. The thing left it on, and did not even thought of locking it with a password.

“...” There was a collection of video icons on it in the file explorer window, with some windows minimized as indicated by the marked icons on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. Garou saw that it was emailed to somewhere else.

“Who’s the tech expert here?” Garou asked.

Raising one hand, a female officer stepped towards the laptop. Quickly snapping a picture of the laptop, she glanced down at the screen, narrowing her eyes. Moving one of her hands out, she began moving the touchpad on the laptop. As she moved the cursor, the female officer began minimizing the multiple windows that were open, suddenly stopping at one specific window.

The window showed a page of a website that the officer had never seen before. Narrowing her eyes, she began scrolling down the page. On one of the sidebars, was a large number of video and image links. Clicking one of the video links, it enlarged, filling the screen.

In the video, there was a dimly lit room. It looked quite similar to the room they were all currently in. However, in the middle of the room was a bound and gagged figure, tied to a chair. Stepping from out of shot, a figure appeared. They appeared to be dressed in bloody surgeon’s clothes as the figure approached the victim in the chair. The figure in the chair began to clearly thrash and writhe around in the chair as the footsteps grew closer.

Standing over the figure in the chair, the surgeon leant down towards the tied victim, carefully examining them. The whole camera angle made it rather hard to see the specific details, as the room was also quite dark. Garou, along with the female officer, continued watching the screen.

Suddenly, the surgeon-esque figure began walking towards the camera. As they approached, more details could be seen. The ‘surgeon’ was covered head to toe in bandages. There were only a few gaps in the bandages. One for the eyes and one for the mouth. However, coming out from the bandages were uncountable numbers of spines, piercing the white fabric of the bandages. A short mop of greasy, black hair was now visible. The strange figure seemed to bow once to the camera, acknowledging it’s presence, before turning back to the chair-bound victim.

A loud ‘snap’ could be heard as the bandaged figure seemed to have snapped off one of their spines. With a fierce downward thrust, they stabbed it into the shoulder of the bound figure. A muffled scream of pain was the only response.

Noticing the noise, a few of the officers glanced over, staring at the monitor. Several more ‘snaps’ came from the speakers as the torturer kept breaking off their own spikes and impaling the bound victim with them. The whole scene was disturbing and unnerving. Clicking on the video, the female officer paused it. No one wanted to see any more.

But as they continued exploring the ‘site’ that was open on the laptop, the officers and Garou just kept finding video after video, all with similar content. Torture, murder, rape. It was all there.

“...how is something like this on the internet?” Garou asked as he closed the laptop, and handed it over to her.

Packing the laptop away into a nearby ‘evidence’ bag, the female officer turned to Garou.

“....We’ve been aware of this kind of… thing for a while. It appears to have only increased in scale recently.”

With Garou hunting down so many villains, most of the sneaky and clever ones had retreated underground, hiding their villainous behaviour. It had spawned an entire underground ‘community’ of the worst sort.

“But when we take down one known affiliate of this kind of thing… it doesn’t seem to do anything. They just seem to be replaced. We can’t seem to get them all at once.”

“I see…” Garou nodded.

“...it would seem I would have to begin another hunt.” Garou wondered how he should hunt them all down. There should be a lynchpin holding them all together, one that Garou was willing to destroy. Something was supporting them, something powerful and up high in social hierarchy.

Hearing Garou’s words, everyone in the room froze and went silent. Garou’s ‘hunts’ were often not pretty. The trail of bloody, broken bodies he leaves behind was enough to make even the hardest Hero shudder. Mirio glanced over at Garou, a curious look on his face.

“How are you going to find them? I don’t remember you being so good with computers!”

“...true. But.” Garou smiled.

“I just need the right people to find them.”

Hado cocked her head as she raised one eyebrow.

“What people?”

That was a question that was on many lips. Who else could possibly help Garou? There weren’t many ‘tech’ Heroes.

“During my search for victims, there is a couple of internet misfits videotaping their crimes… the guy called Gentle.” Garou said as he remembered him. The heroic Villain, Gentle…

A few of the forensic team sighed upon hearing the name of Gentle. The fact that he hadn’t already been beaten by Garou was also a source of shock. But it appeared that he went after the big names first.

“I never got to hunt him since I don't see him as a threat or a danger… but I would coerce him into my fold now that I need him.” Garou smile grew even wider.

Despite the fact that Gentle was a criminal, everyone in the room couldn’t help but feel a little sympathetic towards him. Garou had set his sights on him and there was no escape from it.

“Anyways, moving on… where did the monster get the monster cell?” Garou returned their focus to the matter at hand.

“We have to assume that the League is somehow involved with the spread of these monsters.”

One nearby officer spoke up, attempting to answer Garou’s question.

“I meant channels, dealers, mode of transportation. Of course I know it’s from the League! I brought a cell to you guys personally for study!” Garou barked at the officer.

Everyone in the room recoiled slightly as Garou shouted. Pointing towards the bag that held the laptop, the female officer faced Garou.

“Perhaps we could find some clues on this laptop? It did appear to be connected to an underground network. If there was anywhere that would be able to secretly transport these ‘cells’ it would be there.”

“I demand your boss to cough up everything he knows in three days. Or else.” Garou immediately threatened.

All the officers present nodded nervously. The people in charge would no doubt be sweating upon hearing of Garou’s demands. They would be hard-pressed to come up with the results that he wanted. But they’d need to.

As they all acknowledged Garou’s demands, the officers all turned back to their activities. More flashes filled the room as the forensic team continued taking photographs. There was a lot of evidence that still needed to be recorded and collected for appraisal.

Slice of Life Starring Ghin

The next day, Ghin sighed as he entered the school. Back to the hell hole that cultivated his Demons and hate for Quirks. The lights behind his back was dull grey as he trod his feet through the front yard of the school. In his ears are earphones, linked to the cellphone in his left pants pocket, listening to music of Two Steps From Hell, Flight of the Silverbird. He hummed in tune with the orchestral/Asian song, the tune staving off his suffering as he entered the doors of his school.

As he headed to his class, he ignored everyone in the room as usual, automatically heading towards the back corner like a machine until he noticed a peculiarity after taking three steps. The class was silent. Too silent.

Ghin looked around at the class around him, seeing them staring at him with eyes of… they are a mix of awe, confusion, and mostly disbelief.

“…what?” Ghin spoke, breaking the awkward silence. Even the teacher, Ms. Mara, also stared at him.

Glancing around the class, Ghin could see the three seated figures of Reiko, Reika and Shikai, all uncomfortably looking away from the boy at the doorway. Then it clicked for Ghin. They must have told the entire class about how he had saved them from the monster.

“...hello, Ghin.”

Ms. Mara looked at Ghin, still clearly shocked.

“What? Did I fail the English test?” Ghin was sure he passed though.

Shaking her head, Ms. Mara smiled slightly. The tale that Shikai and the two sisters had told her was… something.

“No. Don’t worry. You passed.”

She turned her head to look over at Shikai, who was still looking downwards in his seat.

“...You saved them.”

“So?” Ghin blinked. It wasn’t something he considered important.

However, the teacher turned back to Ghin, one eyebrow raised. Even in this situation, Ghin was still the same.

“...What you did was truly heroic. You saved your classmates. Even though you have had some…’disagreements’ with them in the past. Not to mention all of the other children you rescued.”

When she had heard the story from Shikai, she couldn’t believe it. Firstly that Shikai could ever say something so positive about Ghin, but secondly that he had saved so many other children as well.

“We would’ve been saved anyways,” Ghin shrugged.

“It wasn’t only that you would have been saved anyway. You still protected your classmates from that ‘monster’.”

Ms. Mara smiled widely at Ghin. In her heart, she couldn’t be more proud for the young boy. Even after all he’d gone through, he still acted like it was ‘no big deal’ to save someone’s life.

“I just know how to fight, that’s all.”

Ghin waved off the praise. Hearing the praise from his own school was weird. Very weird. He preferred to hear praise from Garou more than his classmates and teacher.

“Even if you don’t admit it, you still saved your classmates’ lives selflessly.”

She began clapping her hands together, applauding Ghin for his heroic actions. One by one, the rest of the class slowly joined in, forming a chorus of applause. Shikai had even raised his head, looking directly at Ghin as he clapped as well, a thankful smile on his face.

“.....…” Ghin blinked. He did not expect this. He expected the day to go on by just as normal with his classmates being inconsiderate as always. Memories flashed in his mind, painful memories of the same people clapping picking on him for being Quirkless. Comparing them with the people now, he frowned even further. Deep down, he still saw them as monsters more than humans. The scars of his pain ran deep, ones he will never forget.

“Would you like to tell the class of your deed?” Ms. Mara asked, urging the pariah to reconnect with the class. To take the first step in being a part of them.

“…” Ghin remained silent for some time. His eyes darted, his gaze sometimes shifting between student to student, sometimes looking down conflicted.

“…what do you want to know?” Ghin just wanted to get the class over with and go home.

“What happened? When you fought the monster?”

The students weren’t the only ones who wanted to learn the details. Ms. Mara was also astounded by the fact that one of her students had taken down one of these ‘monsters.’ Only a Pro Hero had the best chance in standing against the monster.

“I blasted it with death lasers. I call it Starkiller,” Ghin bluntly summarized the end of the fight.

Amused by Ghin’s usual bluntness, Ms. Mara smiled as she shook her head.

“I did mean for more details. Would you be kind enough to narrate the full story?”

“....…” the boy paused as he gathered his thoughts, still apprehensive in narrating his story.

“…me and the three were bickering when it happened.” Ghin slowly opened up as he started the story, his skills in storytelling surprisingly astute to the ears of his listeners.

“The monster appeared out of mist, both heads staring at us like prey. It whisked us away with its strange Quirk, transporting us in a world of mist as it heads to its lair.”

The rest of the class listened in, wide-eyed. Vivid images were planted in their head of a horrific monster, whisking the four students away to it’s dark, dank lair. A few of the students shivered as they pictured it.

“Within the world of mist, it took the three away with three of four arms. The fourth arm tried to take me, but I refuse to be a victim. Not anymore.” Ghin places emphasis on the last sentence.

The air in the classroom became grim. More than a few of the students turned away in shame. They were well aware that they too had joined in on the torment heaped upon Ghin. But now, after hearing about how he’d saved one of his bullies, Shikai, all they could feel was regret mixed with shame.

“I leapt onto the thing’s arm, grabbed two of the nails and ripped them from their sockets. The thing screeched in pain, before it released me back into the physical world. I gripped on the nails, ready to fight. Ready to kill.” Ghin paused as he gathered breath to continue.

“That was when I noticed the others. The children it abducted, and so many at that. They pleaded for help, even though deep down they never believed that I could win.”

Ms. Mara continued listening, nodding along as Ghin told his story. She didn’t fail to notice the shame on the faces of the rest of the students.

“They told me about the monster’s abilities, turning things into mist. It reappeared from the mist again, charging at me with madness in its eyes, promising death and vengeance. I responded with a good punch, knocking the thing back. I think I broke a rib or two from that.” Ghin did put his all into his fist at that time.

Ms. Mara was now wondering exactly who taught Ghin how to fight. She had seen him being picked up by a older silver-haired man. Maybe an uncle? Now that she thought about it, she did recall seeing the older male on the news… She’d need to ask later.

“Still clutching the nails I tore from that thing’s fingers, I threw them at the monster, aiming for its eyes. Each nail struck the eye of each head, blinding half of both head’s vision as blood seeped down the faces, while it howled like a banshee gone made.”

The graphic description caused a few of the students to pale. The rest grimaced in imagined pain. The teacher as well was slightly unnerved by the sheer level of descriptive violence.

“At the end, it turned into mist, as the mist expanded around me from a puddle to a tidal ocean. The monster prowling unseen ready to pop back up at any time. However, it was slow. When it appeared behind me… well…” Ghin gave them a small smug grin.

“I gave it a good taste of Starkiller. I fired at point blank range like a shotgun. Shiki already told you the end, I take it?”

Raising both eyebrows, the teacher was frankly, astounded. From the way he had described it, Ghin made it sound like the monster was no challenge at all.

“Yes. He did.”

“…that’s all.” Ghin said as he prepared to leave for his seat.

“Class, you have any questions for him?” However, Ms. Mara didn’t allow him any quarter, smiling as she urged him to continue connecting with them.

One girl raised her hand, nervously glancing away from Ghin.

“...W-why did you protect them?”

That was a question on everyone else’s lips. It was obvious that Ghin and the rest of the class were not on the best terms. Especially Shikai.

“…I thought no one would come rescue us. After seeing so many trapped for so long.” Ghin replied.

The class all stared at the silver-haired boy as he continued. Ghin had taken it upon himself to protect them, when they were defenceless.

“If no one’s there to help, then who will?”

The classroom was silent. What Ghin had just said were undoubtedly the words of a Hero. Combined with his actions, and the entire class was now looking at him differently. The biting regret and shame only intensified within most of them.

“…” Placing his earphones back in, Ghin then resumed his stroll towards his desk. He quietly set down his book bag and took out his papers and pencil, and started scribbling on the paper like always. Silent and by himself, all alone.

As sat down, all eyes were on Ghin. Silence filled the classroom as everyone stared at the scribbling form of Ghin. Even the teacher watched Ghin, a smile on her face. Everyone was also interested for the first time, to see what Ghin was drawing and writing. The boy sat in front of Ghin glanced at him, smiling nervously.

“Uhhh… What are you drawing?”

Ghin did not answer. The faint sound of music from the earphones drowning out all outside noise. The boy peeked at the paper, seeing… he blinked. From his point of view, it was an upside down detailed picture representing Ghin fighting what seemed to be an eight-headed serpent monster with his bare hands, along with text on the side.

“That’s… pretty cool!”

The boy commented on Ghin’s drawing, not knowing that Ghin couldn’t hear him. The sound of his music continued to drown out any outside voices.

A girl sitting by his left peeked on the drawing, her keen vision deciphering the texts. From what she could gather, it was a lengthy series of notes, theories and application of an experimental move Ghin was working on. Something called the Wind God Slayer…

Ghin still hadn’t noticed the numerous pairs of eyes focused on him and his notes. The rest of the class was displaying genuine interest as to what the young boy was doing. Ms. Mara could only smile as she watched the class treat Gin differently, even if he didn’t seem to notice. The entire attitude of the class had changed towards him rather drastically.

“..What’s that?”

The girl pointed towards the ‘move’ he was writing down. The piece of paper Ghin was writing on was covered in little arrows leading to specific parts, with details. There seemed to be an extraordinary amount of detail put into his drawing.

However, the boy was unresponsive still, evident by his unperturbed drawing. The girl leaned in for a closer look, peeking over the arm holding down the paper.

“‘Wind Demon’s Claw…’” She read aloud the bolded text above the drawing of Ghin throwing out five blades of wind with a powerful swipe of his clawed fingers. From the other few texts she glanced, she let out an utter of awe. The move was meant to tear down anyone one with the shockwaves of air.

A few minutes passed as the class continued watching Ghin. With the lack of response, most of the class began to slowly turn to face the front of the class, seeing that he didn’t want to be disturbed. A few glances were occasionally sent Ghin’s way, to see what the young boy was doing. Ms. Mara was pleased to see the interest in the young boy’s activities from the rest of the class. As the students turned around, she continued the lesson that was in-progress.

“Alright everybody, back to the lesson.”

The class groaned as they all turned back to their books. Ghin still was engrossed in his drawing and notes, still writing away. But then he stopped and took out a book from his backpack, one on the subject of math, and opened it on page one hundred and sixty seven before Ms. Mara could indicate the page.