Villain AU: Special Chapter Part 1

(A/N) And so...

I've had this special pending for a while now...

WARNING: EMOTIONAL LOSS! BLOOD! OH, THE PAIN!

So, what if Haru embraced his more brutal shinobi self and became a 'villain' during the story? What if he went on a similar path to his parents.

What if he cut ties with all the people in his hero life?

Characters will change slightly in this chapter. Haru is a bit of an edge lord.

***

(Aldera Junior High School...)

"So, as third-year students, it's time to start thinking seriously about your futures and what you want to do with your lives," the homeroom teacher announced to a very bored class.

It was a typical day at a regular junior high school. Students attended their classes with varying degrees of interest. The spring semester had barely started, and everyone was ready for a break. It didn't help that the homeroom teacher had scarcely any more enthusiasm to teach than most of his class.

The middle-aged man stifled a yawn as he addressed the students, "I could pass out some aptitude tests, but..." he snatched up the stack of the said tests from the desk, "Why bother? I know you want to go into the Hero track!"

The majority of the students grinned as they began showing off their various Quirks.

With a laugh, the teacher tossed the papers in the air, making them flutter all over the room as the grinning students cheered.

"Yes, yes, you've got some very impressive Quirks, but no power usage allowed in school!" the teacher reminded them, "Get a hold of yourselves."

"Hey, teach," an ash blonde male with an arrogant tone interrupted, "Don't lump me in with this bunch of losers. I'm the real deal, but these guys will be lucky to end up as sidekicks to some busted D-lister. Katsuki Bakugo gave a short laugh from where he sat sprawled in his seat, his legs draped over the desk.

The room instantly erupted in a series of angry shouts.

"You think you're better than us, Katsuki?" a shout was heard from all of the other students.

Katsuki gave his classmates a feral grin, "Let's go! I'll take you all on!"

"Quiet down."

The commanding voice, followed by the ominous chill of leaked killing intent, caused everyone to go silent and turn their eyes toward the boy with flaming crimson hair and an unreadable expression on his face.

The redhead snapped his fingers, causing the scattered test papers to flutter until they landed back on the teacher's desk.

"I thought this was a school, not a circus" the dark tone in the teen's voice caused everyone to shudder as his amber-colored eyes scanned the room, "If anyone thinks they can be a hero just by having a 'suitable' Quirk, then they are going to get crushed by reality very quickly," he turned to glare at the teacher, who had broken out in a cold sweat, "As a teacher, you are responsible for helping students plan their futures including secondary paths if their original plan fails."

The teacher placed a nerveless hand on the newly stacked pile of tests, "R-right..."

The fear was evident on several faces as they looked upon the darkest presence in the room.

Haruko Bakugo, known as Haru by people close to him, means practically no one. He was Aldera's legendary dark prince. Unlike the stereotypical bad boy type that people were attracted to, Haru possessed a terrifying amount of what most people would describe as malice. The entire school had mixed feelings about him. If left alone and unprovoked, he remained docile and would even reveal the rare kindness towards his schoolmates; but if anyone stepped out of line or provoked him, they were guaranteed a merciless punishment.

During his time on the Disciplinary Committee, he'd become notorious for draconian methods while gaining popularity from the students who were usually bullied or snubbed. He was especially popular among the Quirkless students and the students with 'villainous' Quirks as he became known as their ever-present protector.

Everyone had learned quickly that whether they were popular, strong, wealthy, well-connected, or intelligent, they had no way of fighting back. A single look from Haru's eyes would send a threat home that silenced them forever. When he'd run as school president, he'd won in a landslide by both popularity and fear because no one wanted to go against him. He practically ruled the school with ironclad discipline. Even the school staff did what he said without question. As far as anyone knew, he'd never been caught crossing the line, so there were no grounds to bring anything against him.

However, it was also well-known that he had another side—a softer side he shared with his brother, Katsuki, and his best friend, Izuku. The only occasion anyone had seen him smile was when he was around those two. The three of them were the most notorious group in the school.

Katsuki Bakugo, rowdy, proud, and foul-mouthed as he was, only backed down at his younger brother's stern rebuke. It was clear how the hierarchy between the two stood. Katsuki had a powerful Quirk and was a natural-born fighter, but Haru had him outmatched in every field.

Izuku Midoriya, quiet, occasionally nervous, and full of suppressed passion, was the only Quirkless student in the school that nobody dared to touch. Haru's protection was as sacred as dogma, and the freckled teen's hand-to-hand combat skills were terrifying. The general agreement in the school was that apart from Haru and Katsuki, Izuku was unmatched in a fight.

Katsuki suddenly grinned nonchalantly, shrugging off the low-level aura of intimidation emanating from his sibling, "Come on, Haru," he glanced around the room in ill-concealed scorn, "The extras are about to piss themselves."

Izuku looked up from his notebook where he'd been recording his notes on Haru's tactics. There was no sign of his timid childhood personality in his present self, "You might be called a villain if you keep scaring them," he commented, serenely resting his cheek on his hand.

Haru's dark aura vanished, allowing everyone else to breathe freely, "Hn," he lost interest in what was being said and stared out the window for the rest of the class.

***

(Later that day...)

Haru and Izuku exited the convenience store, their arms full of groceries.

"Is that all your mom wanted, Izuku?" Haru asked, using his origami to empty his arms so he could pull out a scroll from his bag.

Izuku allowed some of his load to be lightened as he checked his phone, "We got everything on the list. Thanks for the help. We'll drop them off and then meet up with Kacchan at the arcade."

Haru wove a series of hand signs over the opened scroll, "Don't mention it," the groceries glowed as they were pulled into the sealing formula in the scroll's center, "It's the least I could do."

Izuku's parents, Hisashi and Inko Midoriya, had been close friends with the Bakugo household for years, treating them as their own family and helping them when times were tough. Since Hisashi left Japan to work overseas, Haru became a sort of older brother figure to Izuku. The two of them, along with Katsuki, had remained close-knit despite not sharing any blood. It was safe to say they'd all take a bullet for each other or even kill if necessary.

Izuku smiled in Haru's direction, "You're always so broody, Kochan!"

The sealing scroll thwacked against Izuku's face as Haru tossed it at him.

"Don't call me that."

Izuku merely grinned as he gingerly rubbed his bruising forehead, "What~ It's funny!"

"It literally means 'darling.'"

"I just took the 'ko' from Haruko and added 'chan' because we were good friends! You used to like it!

Haru deadpanned, "I don't remember that."

Izuku chuckled, tossing the scroll and catching it nonchalantly, "Well, we were three."

"All the more reason not to use the nickname. I don't call you Deku, do I?"

Izuku nodded, his amusement unaffected at the generally degrading nickname, "But it also sounds like 'you can do it.' I think that makes it cool."

Haru sighed, "Great... The next thing I know, you'll end up choosing it as your hero name..."

Izuku skipped a step, turning to walk backward as they continued their way home through a dark underpass, "Hey, that's a great idea!" he stopped, raising his fist dramatically as Haru stopped to openly judge, "The number one hero! The new Symbol of Peace, Deku!" he bellowed out a decent imitation of All Might's laugh, his voice echoing in the underpass.

Izuku looked at Haru expectantly, causing the other boy to let out an exaggerated sigh, "Ugh... Fine~" with a harsh swoosh, a pair of origami wings appeared from his back as he struck a pose similar to the pro hero Hawks, "And his partner. The paper demon of the sky, Shikigami!"

The two boys lost all seriousness and burst out laughing.

"C-can you imagine Kacchan's introduction?" Izuku asked, barely able to breathe from mirth.

An inspired glint appeared in Haru's eyes as he dispersed his wings, "I think it would be something like this..." the dark underpass lit up as flames sudden wreathed Haru's body as he did a perfect impression of his sibling, complete with killer aura and voice, "HAHAHAHAHAHA! DIE!"

The spectacle was so real that an unknown spectator shied away, its slimy body sweating foul-smelling liquid all over itself.

'DEMON!'

Haru snuffed out his flames as he sensed a sudden presence nearby, a slight frown on his face, "Hmm?"

Izuku, unfazed by the demonic vision from a second ago, looked at his friend questioningly, "Is something wrong?"

Haru tilted his head, his gaze traveling from the manhole nearby along the direction the underground sewer pipes supposedly traveled, "I'm not sure..."

***

(Later...)

The air was filled with smoke from multiple fires that flooded throughout the small street. Screaming civilians ran for safety as the heroes arrived to see an ash-blond teenager struggling to free himself from the slimy body of a villain.

A police officer filled them in on the situation, "This robber was being pursued since a while ago and ended up getting himself cornered. Now he's taken a boy hostage!"

One of the heroes, Death Arms, ran towards the villain, screaming in righteous anger, "HOW DARE YOU PREY ON A CHILD!" he leaped up into the air, using the momentum to enhance his strength-based Quirk to land a massive blow on the villain's body.

The attack didn't even seem to faze the sludge villain. The hero found his arm stuck inside the villain's body for a brief moment. The next instant, he was sent flying by a tentacle shot from the villain's viscous-like form.

A couple of other heroes stepped forward, only to be sent scrambling back by another series of attacks by a number of slimy limbs.

"Stay back, or I'll snap his neck!" the villain threatened menacingly.

Katsuki struggled to pull himself away, managing to free most of his upper body, "YOU PICKED THE WRONG GUY TO MESS WITH! I'M GONNA SENT YOU BACK TO WHATEVER SEWER YOU CRAWLED FROM!" a series of explosions shot out from his sludge-covered hands, "LET ME GO!"

A blast of air fanned the flames that now covered many of the buildings on the street, making things worse.

The villain cackled as he regained his grip on the teen, "You've got so much power! I really hit the jackpot! With a Quirk like yours under my control, I can take All Might down with one punch!"

Several cries announced the arrival of the newest debuted hero, Mount Lady, but she could not help as the space was too narrow for her gigantification Quirk.

Even after the arrival of Kamui Woods, there was nothing to be done as his wood-based Quirk couldn't handle the fire.

The rescue specialist, Backdraft, was forced to turn his attention to the spreading fires that were beginning to threaten other buildings.

None of the heroes had a Quirk suitable to combat this villain's Quirk and Katsuki's sporadic explosions.

This was the scene Haru and Izuku ran into.

Haru's eyes narrowed dangerously at the sight of his brother slowly drowning in a villain's grip. For a brief moment, he locked eyes with Katsuki, causing the panicked boy to instantly calm, new hope and determination awakening inside of him.

Haru released a wave of chakra from his body, shocking the surrounding heroes as the surrounding air reacted violently to his burst of power, "Izuku!"

"Right!"

Before anyone could react, Izuku dashed straight toward the villain, sliding his backpack off his shoulders.

The villain growled angrily at being challenged, "You're toast, kid!"

Izuku's expression held no fear, only showing determination and calm focus as the hard-trained muscles of his body carried him towards his target at rapid speed. With a sudden effort, he gripped his backpack and hurled it into the villain's face, aiming directly for the eyes.

The villain screeched in pain to the spectating heroes' shock as his grip on Katsuki loosened.

"KACCHAN!" Izuku screamed at the top of his lungs as he reached out, grabbing Katsuki by the collar, "Got you!"

Katsuki coughed as he was finally able to breathe again, "Damn, Deku! What took you so long?"

The villain began to recover himself and tried to wrap his victim in his sludge once again, "Not so fa-"

He was cut off as Haru suddenly body flickered directly in front of him, a pair of angel-like wings on full display as they hissed a rustling song of death for all to hear. Before anyone could process what had happened, the younger Bakugo had swung a wind-enhanced roundhouse kick into the villain's head, splattering the villain's entire upper body in all directions.

In the split second of shock following the brutal move, Haru created the clawed Neko te from his origami and grabbed Izuku's jacket, beating his wings to project himself backward with his cargo of two.

Izuku and Katsuki landed hard on their backs, the air fleeing their lungs from the impact.

Haru landed on his feet, sliding to a stop as he continued to glare at the desperately reforming villain.

"You dare..." venom dripped from his voice, sending chills up everyone's spines, "You dare try to harm my family?"

Before anyone could process what he was doing, Haru swung his arm wearing the Neko te, reforming it into a chakram that flew at the villain faster than the human eye could follow.

The villain screamed as the blade sliced him vertically in half, the fire chakra infused in the edge negating his absorption abilities.

Kamui Woods reached out a hand towards the enraged teenager, realizing that the rescue was rapidly turning into an execution, "STOP!"

Haru ignored him, flicking his wrist as his wings shifted into hundreds of floating blades.

"NOW, DIE!"

In a series of rapid stabbing movements with his arms, Haru shot an endless barrage of blades into the villain's body, aiming specifically for the eyes, mouth, and any spot that revealed weakness. His killing intent rolled off his body in uncontrollable waves.

Katsuki coughed, trying to rise to his feet, "Haru! Snap out of it!"

Izuku reached out to stop his friend, "Kochan!"

A sudden shockwave blasted through the street as a familiar towering figure appeared behind the vengeful Haru.

"That's enough."

Haru suddenly found his arms pinned to his sides as a muscled arm firmly wrapped itself around his torso while a battle-hardened hand covered his eyes, blocking his vision.

Izuku caught his breath at the sudden appearance of his favorite hero, "All Might?"

The Symbol of Peace held Haru in place, his dominating presence drowning out Haru's murderous aura, "Breath with me, young man. Come to your senses."

The stern voice pierced through Haru's anger clouded mind, causing him to respond to the order automatically.

All Might kept his grip on the young boy, ensuring that he couldn't move while forcing him to calm down. He ignored the whimpering remains of the villain in front of him that repeatedly begged for mercy as it tried to piece itself together.

"Everything's all right," he stated reassuringly, addressing the three boys around him and the crowd behind him, "The danger has passed."

The spectating crowd slowly released the breath that they didn't realize they had been holding and let out loud cheers, even admiring the fact that the number one hero's arrival had even snuffed out the fires caused by the attack.

The other heroes moved quickly to restrain the villain, a feat made easy as the sludge's will was utterly broken, and checked the condition of the victims.

"Are you okay?" Kamui knelt in front of the blanket-wrapped Haru, looking concernedly into the stoic boy's face.

Haru's eye shifted to stare back at him, "I'm fine."

The Arbor Hero sighed, rubbing the back of his head tiredly, "You know that was a stupid thing you did, right?"

Haru's lips twitched slightly at an attempt at humor, "Which part? The part I interfered with the pros' rescue operation or the part I publicly tore a villain to pieces?"

Much to the hero's credit, he let out a soft chuckle in response, "I guess both were pretty stupid, but you were heavily provoked seeing your brother in danger. Just don't try to kill anyone next time, okay?"

Haru bowed his head in acknowledgment, "No promises."

Kamui sighed once again, picking up that the last answer was one hundred percent serious, "Geez, kids today..." he stood up, stretching his back, "Just keep that temper in check, or you may end up in trouble."

While spoken gently, the warning was apparent. The reason the heroes decided to let the matter go was that despite Haru's actions, his attack could be attributed to the shock of seeing a family member in danger. It wasn't exactly a rare occurrence either, so a warning was as far as they'd decided to go, especially since All Might vouched for the younger Bakugo.

Haru gripped the edge of the blanket tightly, frustration welling up inside himself, angry at himself for losing his cool, but even more angry that someone dared attack his family.

***

(Approximately a year later... The USJ...)

"Hello, everyone! I've been waiting for you!" the Space Hero, Thirteen, greeted them.

Haru, wearing a full-length black cloak (no clouds), followed the rest of his classmates inside the dome-shaped building where they would be given rescue training.

"Holy crap!" Kirishima wowed, shielding his eyes from the sunlight pouring in through the glass ceiling, "It's like some kind of amusement park."

Haru expanded his sensory, enjoying the feel of the vast expanse of open land before him, "Impressive."

He was elbow bumped by Kaminari, "Come on, you know it's cool."

Haru retaliated by painfully jabbing a finger into Kaminari's cheek, "I said it's impressive."

Jiro chuckled in amusement, "You know Kaminari can't understand complicated words, right?"

Kaminari managed to shove Haru away, rubbing his cheek at the pain, "Stop teasing me, guys!"

The three of them burst out laughing.

Things had been surprisingly calm for Haru in the past few months. The Hero Public Safety Commission hadn't been snooping around the Bakugo residence for a while now... possibly because a few of their agents had been taken down by 'random accidents' in their attempted spy missions. Nothing could be traced back to the suspect believed responsible, but even the lack of fatalities clearly showed that patience was limited.

Haru was now simply enjoying his school life, making friends, training, and preparing for a future as a hero.

Everything was-

A strange feeling, or lack thereof, of electricity made Haru's sensory tingle as the lights to the USJ flickered on and off. Even the fountain standing in the center of the building was sputtering. It made his instincts scream danger.

Narrowing his eyes, Haru expanded the range of his sensory perception throughout the building, and what he found made his eyes widen in horror.

"SENSEI! INTRUDERS!"

Aizawa snapped his head to where Haru was pointing past him just in time to see a dark swirling portal appear in the middle of the central plaza. With a rush, it stretched itself expanding in size.

Haru ran to the front of the class to stand by his teacher, "They're entering through all the disaster zones!"

Thirteen's cheerful demeanor instantly dropped, "Impossible! How many are there?

Haru scanned the area, "Too many for me to count," his expression darkened as he sensed the doors to the building lock shut, "They're planning to trap us in," he spun around, flinging a series of paper tags at the main doors, "Shikigami Dance!"

A dome-shaped wall of origami formed around the students as an explosion blasted a hole in the main entrance.

Aizawa kept his eyes on the villains pouring out of the warp gate on the plaza, "Everyone, stay together and leave now!" he ordered.

The hero students suddenly realized they were in danger and began backing away to the main entrance.

Thirteen began hurrying them along, keeping her voice calm, "Even with the door's destroyed, the alarms aren't going off. One of the villains must be jamming the sensors of the building."

Haru knelt, placing a couple of fingers on the ground. Kagura Shingen: The Mind's Eye...

"If we get outside, the villains can't follow," he raised his head, turning to look at his classmates, "You all need to leave."

Kirishima began to protest, "Hang on! We can't-"

Haru unleashed the full brunt of his killing intent, his chakra distorting his features as it poured from his body, "GO!"

The entirety of the class was struck dumb at the terrifying display, taking a step back in shock and fear.

Izuku grabbed Uraraka and Tsuyu's arms, pulling them towards the exit, "Do as he says, run!"

Katsuki growled under his breath but proceeded to shove Kirishima and Sero towards the entrance, "There's no talking to him like this. Just get moving!"

Haru shifted his gaze towards Kaminari and Jiro, "You too... I'll be right behind you."

Jiro hesitated, not wanting to leave him behind.

Haru nodded at Kaminari, who grabbed her, dragging her towards the exit, "If you don't follow, we're coming back, you hear?"

Haru momentarily suppressed his bloodlust, giving the fleeing pair a reassuring smile, "Got it!" his expression sobered as he turned around, moving to stand beside Aizawa, "Sensei?"

"You too."

Haru stared intently at the villains in the plaza below, "You can't fight them alone," he narrowed his eyes at the creature standing by the light-blue-haired villain who appeared to be the leader, "That big one is extremely powerful. On a scale of a student to All Might, I'd at least place it at Endeavor..."

Aizawa frowned, "That's a problem. Why aren't they attacking yet?"

"Look up."

Aizawa turned his eyes upwards as a massive shadow loomed overhead, "What the..."

A massive oriental dragon, large enough to destroy an apartment complex, towered over their heads, glaring down threateningly at the petrified villains below.

"What the hell?" the villain leader violently scratched his neck, nearly dropping the hand he wore on his face, "Who triggered the mini-boss? Now the NPCs are getting away! Kurogiri! Nomu!"

The Nomu ran a few steps forward and jumped high into the air, letting out a guttural scream as it raised its fists to smash into the looming dragon's head.

The dragon roared and batted the creature away with a flick of its tail, smashing the abomination into the distant mountain zone.

Kurogiri moved to capture the remaining students still in the building but was immediately confronted by Thirteen.

Aizawa launched himself off the top of the steps, moving to attack the villains below while the dragon followed behind.

"Quick, kill them!"

"My Quirk won't work!"

"I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior!"

"I only watched the anime about Boruto's dad!"

Like Death's scythe, the pro hero and the origami monster swept through the plaza, leaving a path of destruction behind them.

Haru raised his hand in a seal of confrontation; his eyes fixated on one target, "You..." in the blink of an eye, he vanished from his position and appeared in front of the lead villain, "So you are the one who wanted to play, huh?"

Tomura Shigaraki's eyes widened in shock before a clawed hand grabbed his throat, squeezing the air from his windpipe before he could react, "ACK!"

Kurogiri noticed his master in danger and broke off his battle with Thirteen, "Tomura!"

Haru's eyes flicked to the side as Nomu appeared beside him and motioned his free hand in a downward movement.

The Nomu was smashed into the ground as the dragon dove from the air, the blunt force crushing it into a writhing paste.

Tomura smirked at his distracted enemy, placing all five fingers on Haru's arm, "Game over."

Haru turned his head, unperturbed as several sheets of paper fell from his robe and crumbled to dust, "Careful. My outfit is expensive."

Tomura shuddered as Haru's eyes glared into his soul, glimmering like molten gold.

Haru spread his wings, lifting off the ground until the people in the USJ looked like ants on the ground below.

"Let... me..." Tomura gasped as Haru's lifted him, revealing the obvious mistake in that demand.

"I doubt you really want me to drop you," Haru's claws pricked the villain's already raw skin threateningly, "What will you do now? If you kill me, you die. If you do nothing, you die. Your cloud guy and abomination are too busy to save you. You're all alone. What will you do?"

Tomura hissed in pain and frustration, "Don't get cocky... I'll... Kill..."

Haru pulled him closer until their faces were almost touching, amber eyes meeting crimson, and stared hard, reading deep into the man's soul, a malicious grin on his face, "Then go ahead... I'm sure your mastermind would love it if you took your own initiative for once."

Tomura's eyes widened, "How...?"

Haru's face turned to one of disappointment, "There's no way you're the real leader," his grip relaxed, causing Tomura to hang onto his enemy's arm, frantically clinging for dear life, "You're no use to anyone. Should I kill you?"

Tomura dug his fingers deeper, his knuckles turning white, "Kill me, and Master will hunt you down!"

Haru looked unimpressed, "Maybe he will, but what good does that do you? If he cared that much, maybe he'd actually teach you to become strong and not another tool like the scum you brought with you."

"LIAR! YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER HERO!"

"Wrong," Haru corrected him, "I fight for myself. End of story," he stretched out his arm, holding Tomura at arm's length, "You're not worth killing... Try again when you are stronger. If you want to be strong, don't depend on lackeys and mindless slaves..." he tilted his head, a smug look on his face, "Oh wait, you are one. My mistake."

He kneed Tomura in the stomach, causing the villain to cough out blood, and flung him away.

For a moment, Tomura saw his life flashing before his eyes as he fell to the ground.

"Shigaraki!" Kurogiri's voice suddenly engulfed him as dark mist swallowed the young villain.

What? Tomura stared at Haru, seeing the redhead smirk before scattering into a cloud of paper butterflies. He knew I'd be rescued! He planned for it!

The USJ rumbled as the arrival of more heroes forced a hasty withdrawal from Kurogiri.

"We must flee, Tomura Shigaraki."

An instant later, Tomura stumbled from his subordinate's portal and into their base's dimly lit bar.

"What the hell?" the sudden realization of the failure of his plan and comparative weakness to a single enemy came crashing down on the young villain's sanity, "DAMN IT!" he gripped the edge of the bar, causing it to crumble to dust, repeating his frustration over and over, "DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! I'M NOT A TOOL! DAMN YOU!"

Neither of them even learned the other's name...

***

(Following the Hosu Incident...)

Haru and Katsuki got off at their usual train station, exhausted from their week of heroing internships.

Katsuki was fuming over the new hairstyle he was sporting, courtesy of Best Jeanist, "Stupid hair won't go back to normal... Even when I washed the gel out, it won't budge..."

He continued to grumble like this until Haru suddenly stopped walking, a vein angrily throbbing on his face.

"Katsuki," he turned toward his sibling, his lips drawn in a straight line, "I love you to death, but please. Shut. Up."

Katsuki glared back at him, "Cut the mushy crap, you idiot! At least I didn't try to die to some wannabe hero killer and get caught up with the police!"

Haru's raised hand threateningly over Katsuki's head, electricity crackling menacingly in his palm, "Since you won't listen to reason..." he placed his hand on the blond's head, "I'll make you stop."

Haru placed his hand on Katsuki's head, causing the taller boy's hair to stand straight out like it usually did.

Katsuki clicked his tongue, muttering a reluctant thanks.

Haru's expression softened, fondly messing his brother's messy locks, "Your hair is really soft."

He was met with an explosion to the face, causing him to scatter in a paper cloud.

"SCREW YOU!"

Haru reformed his body, letting out a rare laugh as the two approached the front door to their family home. Katsuki unlocked it and kicked off his shoes as Haru did the same.

"Oi! We're home!" Katsuki called out, only to be met by silence.

The two boys suddenly realized that the house was not only wholly silent but dark, causing them to frown. No smell of dinner or the appearance of their family dog Bumi either. Just... nothing...

Haru suddenly gripped Katsuki's arm, his face petrified with horror, "Katsuki..." he suddenly choked, pointing at a dark lump in the hall, "Look..."

Katsuki narrowed his eyes and gasped in shock as he adjusted to the dim light, seeing Bumi's bloodied corpse lying in the hallway.

"What the hell...?"

Without thinking, Haru dashed towards the living room, desperately calling out for his parents, "MOM! DAD!"

Katsuki snapped out of his daze, chasing after his younger brother, "Haru! Wait!" he slid to a stop as he saw Haru standing frozen in the doorway, "Haru?"

Haru stood in shock, his body trembling with grief as he stared at the still bodies of Mitsuki and Masaru Bakugo, "No. Please..." his voice cracked as he took a hesitant step towards them, "Please be okay...."

Katsuki felt his entire world come crashing down at his parents' unmoving forms, "This can't be real," he whispered as his voice rose into a desperate scream, "Stop pretending! This isn't funny!"

Haru finally stood over bodies, barely registering his use of his sensory to see if they were still alive. He only found them cold and unresponsive.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Haru gripped both sides of his head, a despairing scream ripping from his chest as he fell to his knees.

That was all Katsuki needed to realize the horrible truth as tears welled up in his eyes, "No..."

[Take them.]

The voiced command, given through an electronic voice changer, snapped Katsuki out of his grief as several masked figures dressed in black appeared around the room.

"You bastards!" Katsuki yelled in rage, knocking one of his attackers back with an explosion, "You'll pay for this!"

Haru didn't even process the danger as he gazed at Mitsuki and Masaru's bodies, overcome with sorrow at the sudden loss.

The people who had given him a home, unconditional love, and care, had fed him, clothed him, and taught him everything he needed to know in this different world, were gone before he could properly make them proud or thank them for it.

"Haru!"

Katsuki's voice pierced through the grief-filled haze on his mind, snapping him back into reality, just in time to see one of the attackers knock the elder Bakugo out with some black smoke.

He also realized his arms were bound to his sides by some strange glowing ropes.

[Do not try to resist. You are now under the supervision of the Hero Public Safety Commission,] a voice informed him. The speaker, seemingly the covert squad's leader, motioned at their subordinates, [Make it look like a villain attack. We're taking this one to the secret facility.]

[What about the other?] one of the other agents kicked Katsuki's unconscious body roughly.

The squad leader's answer was immediate, [We were only sent to retrieve the Uzumaki subject. Dispose of the other.]

A sudden burst of killing intent flooded the room as a golden light flashed from Haru's body. Haru's bindings vanished as golden chains sliced through them and stabbed several of the agents around the room.

[Shit! Restrain him!]

Haru slowly rose to his feet, the adamantine chains vanishing into thin air.

"I hope you all have your affairs in order," Haru tilted his head to glare at the squad leader from over his shoulder, "Because every one of you is going to die."

The squad leader only had time to blink before their vision seemed to float and rotate in an odd fashion and they lost feeling in their body.

Haru reached out a hand and grabbed the decapitated head by the hair, impassively watching it die in his grip.

The death of their leader caused the surviving agents to panic.

[Kill him!]

Haru snapped his head in their direction as they attacked him with an assortment of Quirks and firearms, "Shikigami Dance, bitches."

***

The night sky was glowing from the intense fire that was burning the Bakugo home to the ground. Sirens wailed as the fire department and police fought the conflagration and kept the neighbors away.

Haru knelt on a nearby roof, watching the scene with dry eyes. At his side, a still unconscious Katsuki lay unharmed.

"I'll make them pay," Haru vowed under his breath, "I'll bring down that organization if it's the last thing I do."

He adjusted the large scroll hanging from his back that contained his family's most important items and carefully placed the more miniature scroll containing the sealed bodies of their parents in his leg pouch. Turning his eyes away from the house fire he'd set, he picked up Katsuki and vanished into thin air.

***

Inko Midoriya was having a relatively calm night. Izuku had returned from his internship that afternoon, slightly injured but happy to have finally mastered his newly awakened power. The poor boy had been Quirkless for so long that Inko had already given up on her son's dreams of being a hero. Luckily, thanks to much support and training, Izuku had finally achieved his goal of attending UA High. Even better, he was in the same class as the Bakugo brothers.

Come to think of it. It was high time their families got together again for dinner. She felt like catching up with her friends while they watched the boys argue over their favorite heroes.

With a nod to herself and a nostalgic smile, Inko moved to turn out the lights and head to bed.

It was then that she felt a strange breeze drift into the room, and she felt her hair prickle instinctively.

Someone was in the room.

Trembling slightly, Inko pulled a kitchen knife into her hand with her Quirk, glancing around her home with a guarded expression, "Who's there?"

"Aunty," Haru's head and shoulders appeared before her, causing her to jump, "Please open the window, but just for a moment."

Inko lowered her knife, nodding in understanding as she unlocked the glass door to her apartment's balcony, sliding it open for a moment as if she were taking a quick breath of fresh air.

Finished with her act, Inko turned to see Haru sitting in an exhausted slump against the wall with a sleeping Katsuki sprawled beside him.

"Haru?" Inko slid the curtain behind her and approached the shell-shocked boy, "What happened? Where are your parents?"

Haru suddenly burst into tears, burying his face in his arms, "They're gone..." he sobbed, "They're both gone!"

Inko placed her hands over her mouth, suppressing her distressed cries, "Oh, you poor babies."

Her motherly instincts taking over, Inko wrapped Haru and Katsuki in a protective hug, allowing Haru to cry into her sweater. She tried to give comfort, but her grief was just as great. She could only murmur that things would be okay and comfortingly stroke the boys' heads as she held them. They remained like that for several minutes, only the sound of gentle sobbing breaking the silence between them.

"Are you hurt?" Inko finally asked, her first concern being the well-being of her godchildren.

Haru shook his head, "I'm unhurt. Katsuki was hit by a Quirk that will keep him knocked out for a long while."

He didn't mention the many lethal wounds he'd received in his fight with the agents or the number of new bite scars on his arm for the number of times he'd healed himself.

Inko frowned, realizing that Haru and Katsuki had encountered the killers, "Who was it?"

Haru hesitated, "They-"

"Mom? What's going on?"

Izuku's drowsy voice alerted them an instant before Izuku entered the room, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

Inko suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest in realizing the sorrow her son was about to be exposed to while also remembering her own pain, "Izuku, sweetie..." she trailed off.

Izuku's eye's widened on seeing their visitor, "Kochan?" he looked down at Katsuki, "Kacchan? What happened?"

Inko placed a reassuring hand on Haru's shoulder, staring her son straight in the eyes, "Masaru and Mitsuki are dead."

Izuku turned pale at the news.

Haru gritted his teeth and decided to drop the second bomb, "They were both killed by people targeting me," he leaned against the wall, dry-eyed, "They were after me."

Inko grabbed Haru's face between her hands, pulling him down until they were face to face, "None of this is your fault, Haru," she spoke sternly, "Don't you dare blame yourself."

Haru gave her a soft smile and placed a hand over hers, "I know, Aunty. None of us could have seen this coming," his expression darkened, "Not even Best Jeanist."

Inko's eyes widened in realization, "Is he..."

Haru gritted his teeth, "I went to him first, but they'd already killed him. They're already framing me for it."

"What?"

Izuku ran to the couch, snatching up the remote and turning on the news.

"-lice have told us that Haruko Bakugo, a student at UA, is the one responsible for the murder of his family and the potential murder of the number four hero, Best Jeanist. Heroes are combing the streets of Musutafu as we speak in search of him.

Records show that while there has been no significant history of crime, the fifteen-year-old boy has shown signs of mental instability and is prone to violent tendencies that could only be described as 'villainous.' It is suspected that the trauma of the recent USJ attacks and Hosu incident has caused Bakugo to turn violent."

Inko snatched the remote and turned off the tv, trembling with restrained anger, "How. Dare. They," she whirled around at Haru, "Who did this?"

Haru placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her, "I can't tell you, or else we'd all be in danger. You both need to gather up your things tonight. They'll eventually come here to look for me."

Inko bit her lip nervously, the danger of the situation all too clear to her, "I understand. Where will we go?"

Haru answered without hesitation, "UA High."

Izuku looked confused, "UA?"

Haru nodded, "Nezu can offer you both sanctuary until things blow over. We cannot trust the authorities with any information about us."

Haru knew that even the Hero Commission wouldn't dare lay a finger on the Midoriya family if they were staying at the school. They may be bold enough to kill Best Jeanist, but All Might was another matter altogether. With Izuku secretly being the number one hero's successor (yes, Haru knew about it), nothing wrong would happen to them.

Izuku glanced between Haru and the sleeping Katsuki, "What about you and Kacchan?"

"Katsuki will go with you," Haru stated, clenching his fist tightly, "I'll go into hiding."

"No," Inko protested, "I can't let you do something so dangerous! Maybe the principal and All Might can do something!"

Haru shook his head, "They can't oppose the government. The evidence against me will be too much for them to keep defending me, but they can protect the rest of you," he took a deep breath, staring Inko and Izuku in the eye, "I'll have to become a villain."

***

(The next day...)

"WHERE THE HELL IS HE?"

Izuku struggled to contain the enraged Katsuki trying to leave the infirmary, "Kacchan! Calm down!"

"No!" the ash-blond growled dangerously, trying to free himself, "Let go of me, Deku!"

He managed to break free, stomping towards the door, when Recovery Girl barred his way out.

"Not another step, young man!" the older heroine's sharp tongue acted like a lash, verbally beating the angered Katsuki back, "Your brother left to keep you safe. If you go out to find him now, you'll only put yourself and him in danger."

Inko gently grabbed Katsuki's arm, staring at him pleadingly, "Katsuki, please..." tears well up in the poor woman's sleepless eyes as she stared pleadingly at the boy, "This is all we can do for now. We can't lose you too."

Katsuki's teeth ground together audibly as he clenched the written note in his hand, the neat writing barely legible now.

[Dear Katsuki,]

[I will find the people responsible for Mom and Dad's deaths. Don't come after me. If you want to hear the whole truth, you have to become strong enough to catch me. Become a hero quickly and become number one. Once things are settled, I'll visit home again once in a while. Eat healthily and don't stay up too late. Don't do drugs or alcohol. Actually, you can do a little alcohol. The Bible says it's suitable for dealing with grief as long as you don't overindulge. Don't use sex to deal with your problems. Just keep in mind that I fully intend to come back, so try and impress me when the time comes. Don't give your teachers a more challenging time than necessary.]

[Make lots of good friends.]

[Don't make me come back to kick your ass.]

The note was signed with a drawing meant to flip him the bird.

Katsuki clenched the paper in his hand, burning it to ash before slamming his fist against the wall in frustration, "Damn it!" he suddenly chuckled, "I'm going to kill that bastard when I find him."

Izuku's face was set in a determined frown, but he was happy that his friend was no longer in shock, "We need to get stronger..."

***

(At the end of the day... On the roof...)

"It's a lie! It's got to be!"

Monoma was angrily beside himself, pacing back and forth as he tried to process the news that one of his closest (albeit newest) friends had just been declared a wanted criminal.

The other members of the group, Jiro, Kaminari, Shiozaki, and Shinso, all silently agreed.

"But if he didn't, who would profit from taking someone with as much potential as Haru and framing him for murder?" Shiozaki wondered aloud, frowning.

Shinso narrowed his eyes at Kaminari and Jiro, noticing that they were strangely silent, "What's up with those attitudes? You know something."

Kaminari raised his hands defensively at the other boy's accusing tone, "Hey, whoa! We can't just spill secrets-!"

Jiro suddenly covered his mouth, pressing one of her jacks to the ground, "Quiet!" she listened carefully, closing her eyes in focus.

Shiozaki stood up in alarm, "What is it?"

Jiro frowned, "Someone's watching us..." her eyes snapped open in shock, "And listening in!"

In one of the lower classrooms, two 'students' realized they had been discovered.

[Damn! That girl discovered us! Abort!]

The two moved to dash out of the classroom when a third student confronted them.

"Where do you think you're going?" the student's body vanished in a cloud of smoke to reveal Japan's newest wanted villain.

Haru stepped toward the HPSC spies, releasing his chakra at them.

The 'students' disguises vanished as the agents creating them panicked, revealing himself and his fox-eared partner in their typical field gear.

Haru tilted his head slightly, "Illusions and enhanced hearing... This should merely take a moment..." he lifted his arms, a pair of kunai appearing in his hands, "You can stop listening, Kyoka. The next sounds you may hear will not be pleasant."

Jiro gasped, retracting her earphone jacks from the ground as if they had turned to lava, "Haru's here!"

The other four stiffened, all exclaiming at once, "What?"

They all jumped as the door to the roof opened, revealing a familiar figure with crimson red hair.

"Haru!"

Haru smiled tiredly at them, exhaustion evident on his face, "Hi, guys..."

He barely had a moment to think before Jiro flung her arms around his neck, practically strangling him in a hug.

Kaminari suddenly got emotional, sniffling hard as tears gathered at the corners of his eyes, "HARU~" the electric blond flung himself forward, tripped, and grabbed Haru's leg to keep himself from faceplanting.

Shiozaki let out a sigh of relief, smiling happily at the unforeseen reunion.

Shinso groaned, rubbing his neck in annoyance, "Man, you are a real pain. We were really freaking out over here."

Monoma glared at the redhead for a moment before storming forward and punching him upside the head, "You idiot!"

Haru flinched but was more concerned about his inability to breathe as he patted Kyoka's arm desperately.

"Kyoka! Unsqueeze!"

Jiro blinked and let go of him, quickly taking a step back, "Sorry!"

Kaminari continued to cling and blubber, "We thought we'd never see you again~."

Haru sighed and ruffled his friend's hair, "Stop being dramatic."

"I'm not dramatic! I'm emotional!"

Shinso pried Kaminari off Haru's leg, "What happened? How much of the news is true?"

Haru's lips pressed together in a grim line, "Everything minus the part that I'm the murderer. The only people I killed were the people who tried to silence me."

His response was met by several sharp intakes of breath, as he expected.

"Y-you killed them?" Monoma questioned, his hands trembling, "You actually killed them?"

Haru sighed, rubbing his eyes, "Look, I only have a short time to explain the details, but I need to tell you something..."

Haru told them all about his lineage and where he came from. He explained how he'd been kept a government secret, only withheld from being made a mindless soldier because of his parents and Best Jeanist. He told them what happened the night before, withholding who he knew was really responsible, and said to them that this was the final goodbye.

(Play: the one that got away (w/ rain) *will make you cry: https://youtu.be/pDjlFq6zTJg)

"Are you ****ing serious?" Monoma was enraged.

Haru didn't back down, "Dead serious."

Shiozaki was wringing her hands in agitation, "But why?"

"Is all an act to throw off the real culprits behind the murders, so they don't use us as bait," Shinso stated, picking up the intent behind the plan. He raised an eyebrow questioningly, "But will it work?"

Haru smiled a dangerous closed-eyed smile, "I will make it work."

Jiro looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, "I get why you think we have to do it, but you don't have to cut us off! We can still help!"

Kaminari frowned in agreement, "Yeah, we're all your friends, Haru. We can't just ditch you when you're in trouble. Friends are supposed to help each other!"

"This isn't just about you or me, Kami," Haru dashed Kaminari's sentiment in cold reality, "If you get involved, all of your parents, your teachers, your friends, your futures as heroes, everything will be put in danger. That is the type of people we are dealing with. Until I bring them down, nothing can be normal. We can't go back to normal."

Kaminari gritted his teeth, static buzzing across his skin, "What the hell..."

Monoma sighed, pushing himself to his feet, "I thought life wasn't fair before, but this really sucks," he bumped his fist against Haru's shoulder as he walked past him, "If you don't wrap this up by the time we graduate, we'll hunt you down and make you come back, danger or not."

Haru ducked his head, letting out a soft snort of amusement. The others could make out a confident smirk peeking through his hair.

"All of you better graduate with top results because next time, I'll meet you guys on the job."

Haru turned and walked towards the roof's edge as they all looked on in silence. It was hard, but none of them knew how to stop him. Despite all the memories and bonds they had created, there was nothing they could say to change it.

Haru stopped at the railing, gazing across the campus that once held his dreams, "Guys..." a gentle breeze drifted across the rooftop as Haru turned around, revealing a tearful smile, "Thank you for everything."

Jiro ran towards him and grabbed him in a last desperate hug as if she could keep him from permanently disappearing.

"Please..." she sobbed, hiding her face in his chest, "Don't go..."

Haru choked on his tears, embracing her with crushing force, "I have to."

Jiro only hugged him tighter, her emotions overwhelming her.

"I-I like you!" she confessed, "I like you!"

Haru gently stroked her hair, hushing her comfortingly despite his own heart breaking, "It'll be okay," his jaw tensed as he fought to restrain himself.

She shook her head against his shirt, "No, it won't!"

"You need to forget me."

"How can I do that?"

Haru pushed her away, lowering himself until he was eye level with her, "I'm sorry, Kyoka. I can't keep that promise of a lifetime," he slid a stray hair from her face, "But just this once..." he planted a soft kiss on her forehead, "I'll pretend you are mine."

Kyoka closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss as Haru pressed something into her hand.

Haru pulled back and looked at Kaminari briefly before stepping away.

"Shikigami Dance..." he whispered, turning his beginning to disperse into paper butterflies.

Jiro reached out to grab him, but Kaminari came up behind her, holding her in place so she couldn't try to follow. The electric blonde didn't even look at his friend's departure, hiding his tears as he attempted the comfort the grieving girl in his arms.

Haru gave them all one last smile before he vanished.

Jiro looked down at what she was holding, seeing a lapis lazuli friendship bracelet that matched the one she wore on her wrist. She fell to her knees, crying over the broken memories she'd made.

Kaminari kept hugging her, comforting her in the only way he could while silently suffering alongside the girl he secretly loved.

***

(Later that night... Genius Office...)

Tokyo's nightlife was alive and bustling during the late hours. No matter how many villains were around, no matter what murders were committed, or no matter what corruption blackened the hearts of those in power, people moved on about their lives—just another day for some and a very significant day for others.

Like the debut of another monster created by a corrupted society.

Genius Office, the home office of the deceased Fiber Hero, Best Jeanist, sat dark and quiet. With the head of its operations gone, the agency had temporarily been shut down until after the funeral of the former number four hero.

However, this same agency was now seeing the arrival of several unauthorized guests.

Pro heroes X-Less, Takeshita, Mr. Brave, and Kesaguri Man, had received an urgent call from a local police department saying that some students had reported the whereabouts of a recent murder suspect. This seemingly routine report changed to a confusing one as the suspect was reported to be hiding in none other than the workplace of the man who he allegedly murdered. The fact that the suspect was merely fifteen and a hero student made it all the more concerning.

The police could only add that the target was extremely dangerous and highly likely to resist.

Soundlessly, the four pros made their way into the agency, carefully searching for their target to no avail until they reached the main office.

To their surprise, the boy was not only not hiding; he was blatantly sitting on Best Jeanist's desk with his back towards them, staring out the window at the full moon outside.

"I'm not sure what the police told all of you, but it's obvious that they didn't tell you I can detect anyone trying to sneak up on me," the teenager's voice held no surprise as he slid around to face the heroes, crossing his legs in a businesslike manner as the moonlight illuminated his figure from behind. A true picture of a criminal mastermind, "Let me introduce myself. I am Haruko Uzumaki. Currently, B-Rank wanted criminal."

X-Less glared his single eyes at the nonchalant boy, "Haruko Bakugo. You are under arrest for suspected murder, arson, kidnapping, and-"

"-No to the first, yes to the second, and the third wasn't involuntary, so, no," Haru interrupted him, giving them all a disarming smile.

Takishita growled at Haru's cockiness, "Don't try to deny your crimes, villain!"

Haru tilted his head at the hero, his amber eyes glinting in the darkness, "Deny?" his tone held a note of confusion, "But I'm not denying anything. I killed the agents sent by the Hero Commission," his nonchalant admittance made a chill ran up the heroes' spines, "I even killed a few more at Best Jeanist's house. They sent gas through his vents before actually ambushing him. He still killed most of them... I only finished the job. Killed a couple more spies posing as students in UA. I thoroughly burned both houses to the ground to buy extra time."

None of the heroes were stupid.

"Are you claiming the Commission is responsible for your crimes?" Mr. Brave accused Haru angrily.

To their surprise, Haru jumped off the desk, holding his wrists out in surrender, "If you want to find the truth, take me in. I dare you."

While a blatant challenge, the taunt was made almost unthreatening by Haru's relaxed posture and compliant aura. He was willingly giving up.

At that moment, the seed of doubt was planted in the four heroes' minds. Was it possible this boy was telling the truth? Could he be innocent? It wasn't exactly a secret among heroes that the Hero Public Safety Commission had 'ways' to keep the peace. Either way, it didn't hurt to listen if it meant there was no violence.

Haru looked at them expectantly, "Aren't you going to cuff me? Put me in a chokehold? Blind me with pepper spray?"

Kesaguri Man snorted a little at that.

"That isn't legal..." Takeshita stated, not understanding the humor, "Are you trying to get us in trouble?

Haru sighed, shrugging, "Worth a shot."

X-Less stepped toward the boy, keeping his guard up as he pulled out a pair of Quirk canceling cuffs, "We'll have orders to restrain you if we bring you in. We can talk more at the station."

Haru nodded, "Whatever you say."

A moment later, Haru's wrists were bound behind his back as X-Less gently held him in place by the cuffs and the back of the head.

"Ready?"

Takeshita and Mr. Brave moved to grab Haru by the shoulders and escort him out as Kesaguri Man monitored them from a safe distance.

Haru suddenly raised his head, speaking to the surrounding air, "Okay, chemistry says we are around 60% water, and physics says we are 99.9999999% empty space... I say you are 100% stupid."

The pro heroes suddenly sensed the presence of killing intent, which did not come from the young Uzumaki.

From their shadows, four darkly dressed figures appeared behind the heroes, poised to kill.

[No witnesses!]

Haru suddenly dislocated his joints, pulling his arms from the cuffs. Like a praying mantis on the hunt, he raised his arms, popping his joints back in place as he prepared his counterattack.

With his hands humming with a deathly blue chakra, he chopped down on the necks of the assassins attacking Mr. Brave and Takeshita, internally severing their spinal cords and killing them instantly.

He immediately followed up with a full rotation roundhouse kick, stopping short of hitting X-Less as his toe slammed into the side of the other assassin's head. There was a sickening crunch as the impact caved in the man's skull, splattering blood on the office window as the body flew into the wall.

Not stopping to see the result of his attack, Haru leaned backward, his arm outstretched in Kesaguri Man's direction.

The hero, being the quickest and having realized the situation faster than the others, sidestepped the short blade fired in his direction, revealing the final assassin behind him.

The assassin grunted as the blade pierced his heart and slowly fell backward, instantly dead.

Haru twisted himself around, returning to a neutral stance.

The four heroes stood in shock at their near-deaths and the fact that their target had saved their lives.

Haru glanced towards the window, "Incoming."

The glass shattered as wooden limbs shot into the room from the outside.

"Lacquered Chain Prison!"

Haru slid backward, avoiding the initial attack, "Long time no see, Kamui! Sorry, I lost your autograph in the fire!"

The Arbor Hero narrowed his eyes as he glanced around the room, "What happened here?" he glared in Haru's direction, "Was murdering your family not enough?"

Haru took a step back and raised his hands in mock protest, "Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute. Who are you going to believe? Me or your own eyes?"

The response was all five heroes preparing to fight him.

Haru shrugged, expecting this to be the case since he'd have done the same. Even if provoked and in self-defense, he'd just killed four people.

"Oh well, nothing personal."

The heroes suddenly felt their bodies freeze as strange marks appeared on their bodies.

Mr. Brave vainly struggled to free himself, "When did he..."

"What did you do?" Takeshita gritted out.

Haru turned on his heel, casually making his way towards the door, "I placed this on you five when you first approached the building," he lifted his hand, smiling softly at the paper kikaichu beetle crawling on the back of it, "You'll be out of commission for a few minutes."

As he finished speaking, several cursed seals appeared on the heroes' bodies in the shape of the hexagram for influence.

With a final wave, he exited the office, shutting the door behind him.

Almost instantly, a red string passed through his chest.

"Thousand Sheet Pierce..."

Haru's body slumped and began to fall when a hand caught him.

Edgeshot stared down at his captive with impassive eyes as he reformed his body. He didn't even seem surprised as Haru's body scattered into a cloud of paper butterflies that folded and recombined into a series of paper shuriken that instantly began spinning towards the hero.

In a flicker of movement, Edgeshot vanished, instantly being replaced by a large log.

The shuriken thudded into the wood, leaving the hero unharmed as he reappeared at the far end of the room.

The number five (now number four) hero shifted his gaze to where the real Haru appeared.

The two stared at each other and then at the paper-studded log for a brief moment.

"Substitution..." they spoke simultaneously before looking up at each other, giving the other a thumbs up, "Nice..."

Haru formed a katana in his hand, holding it casually, "Are you here to bring me in?"

Edgeshot didn't say anything for a moment before speaking quietly, "Did you kill Hakamada?"

Haru relaxed slightly on hearing Best Jeanist's real name, "No, I didn't."

The Ninja Hero observed Haru's body language to see if he was lying, "I see... Then do you know who did?"

"Yes."

There was silence.

"Why not bring them to justice?"

"Our system and society won't punish them, even if the truth is shown."

"I see..."

Once again, there was silence.

"What is your plan?"

"I'm flipping the coin to bring those people to justice."

This answer wouldn't make sense to most people, but to anyone who knew Best Jeanist, they would understand what this meant.

"Heroes and Villains are cut from the same cloth," Edgeshot quoted the Fiber Hero.

"Two sides of the same coin," Haru finished, "There are some things heroes can't do, so that I will do it for them."

"Is this your final decision?"

Haru raised an eyebrow, "What? Do you expect an Idina Menzel song about embracing my true self and creating a delusion about being invincible as a result? Sorry, but I'm letting go or defying anything. I'm simply going my own way. The way the people in my world used to handle it."

Edgeshot nodded in understanding, folding his hand into a sharp thread, "Hakamada was a close friend of mine. He always talked about you," he mused, a sad look in his eyes, "I want to find out who really killed," he shot Haru a stern look, "You'd better not make me regret my decision."

Haru directed chakra to his feet, using the force to dodge Edgeshot's quick attack, "You won't," he wove his hands into a series of hand signs, "Wind Style: Vacuum Bullet!"

A solid sphere of air shot from his lips, slamming into the hero and smashing him into the wall.

Edgeshot slumped, seemingly dazed from the nearly invisible attack.

Only the two of them would ever know that the damage was nowhere near enough to actually beat the pro, only acting as an excuse for Haru to leave without a drawn-out fight that neither could win.

Haru vanished into the shadows, leaving no trace behind.

***

From the top of her headquarters tower, the Public Safety Commission President was experiencing the worst losses in staff she'd seen since she'd been appointed president.

Nearly forty of her top agents had been eliminated in less than two days. Twenty of those agents were from the first night alone. The disastrous failure to capture Haruko Uzumaki was a black mark on her record and a blow to her pride. She'

Her spies in UA High had gone silent. Hunters and assassins had stopped reporting in one by one. Countless pieces of technology and equipment worth millions of yen were destroyed beyond repair.

To make matters worse, many people were beginning to ask questions, primarily from UA and Heroes connected from there. Too many voices for them to silence. Too many people of influence turning their eyes on the situation.

A simple power move is put into check thanks to one person.

"So, you've dared to show your face here," she spoke aloud, glancing at the shadowy figure at the far end of the room.

"You can count five more to your death count, President," Haru replied, stepping into view, a spatter of blood on his cheek, "I'm beginning to understand why you're so desperate for strength."

The woman laughed humorlessly, turning to stare out the window, "It's not that our agents were weak; you're just that strong."

Haru raised an eyebrow, "A compliment? At this time?"

"All the more reason for you to join us," the president spoke calmly, a slight note of command in her voice, "You'll just waste your potential working as a regular hero."

Haru frowned at the woman's boldness, "So, you murder my family so you can brainwash me?"

"If you claim guilty and turn yourself in, we are willing to overlook your defiance," again the president spoke with the same confident tone, "You can become a hero as you wanted. If you prove your loyalty, we'll give you more freedom. You can still accomplish any childish dreams you've ever wanted."

"You don't know what I wanted," Haru's voice was bitter, "Because of you, I can't have it anymore."

"Uzumaki..." the president persisted, "Our society is continuously teetering between order and chaos. Our job here at the Commission is to ensure it remains on the side of order. For the greater good, sacrifices must be made."

"Things change, Director. People change. I've gotten tired of playing by your rules," Haru appeared beside the president, following her gaze out the window at the busy city below, "A man named Niccolo Machiavelli once said, 'Men ought to be indulged or utterly destroyed, for if you merely offend them they take vengeance, but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate so that the injury to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared.' It's too late to fix your mistakes or apologize. I'm through hearing excuses and hubris," he formed a paper rose in his hand, pondering its delicate form solemnly, "I don't know if I can really cause change, but who knows what can happen? I held back, afraid of losing what I've already lost," he clenched his fist, crushing the flower in his hand, "I can't afford to cling to any of that now."

"Are you going to kill me?" the president asked resignedly.

Haru placed a hand on the winder, causing it to crack under his infused chakra, "I'll let you live and watch your Commission crumble," the window shattered, letting in a harsh wind that chilled the room, "Try all you can to find me..." he unleashed his wings and floated outside, "I hope you feel confident against what you unleashed against yourselves. Watch as your Commission crumbles brick by brick until there isn't a blackened stone standing on another."

With those parting words, he flew away.

That was the night a new legend was born into the underworld.

The One of a Thousand Monikers...

The Dark Angel...

The Crimson Devil...

The God of Pain...

The Grim Reaper...

The Dancing Shikigami...

The Leader of the Akatsuki...

The Vengeful Ghost...

The Hero's Bane...

The Villain Hunter...

The Blind Judge...

The Impartial Executioner...

The Whispering Shinigami...

Haruko Uzumaki... The Villain...