Chapter 266:- Cleaning The Trail

His eyes stayed sharp.

They're already moving, he thought. Good. Let them try.

Izuku stood over the place where the man had died just moments ago. The body was gone, taken care off. The blood erased. But he wasn't done yet.

He bent down and picked up the man's phone from the ground. It had fallen during the struggle. The screen was still lit, mid-call. A number was dialed, but hadn't connected yet.

Who were you calling?

Izuku crushed the phone in his hand, but not before copying its contents to a small chip from his belt. Then he closed his eyes.

"Yo, Real one."

A voice echoed in his head. Not aloud—but through the link they shared.

The real Izuku—Toji—heard it clearly from where he was walking a few blocks away, hidden in the crowd, hands in his pockets.

"Someone's tracking us, don't know about the girls but the assets." the clone said. "He was watching the alley. Took pictures. Tried to report it. I silenced him."

Toji didn't stop walking. He stayed calm. Focused.

"Secure the assets. Now," Toji said coldly in his mind. "Tell them to go underground. No one surfaces until I give the signal. Tell them to burn everything, make sure nothing should be left that links us to them."

"Got it." The clone moved fast.

He tapped a button on the small device on his belt. A signal was sent.

In hidden safe houses across the city, silent phones buzzed. Messages lit up on secure screens:

"Go dark. Stay under. Await command."

A woman sitting in a parked van quickly shut off all lights and started locking down her equipment.

A man eating noodles in a crowded shop stood and walked out the back, disappearing into the alley.

A group of three girls who were laughing and walking down the street suddenly turned and entered an unmarked building, the door locking behind them.

No one said a word. Everyone knew what it meant.

They were ghosts now.

The clone checked once more that the area was clean. No sounds. No footsteps. No cameras.

Then he spoke again, telepathically.

"What about the girls? Maki. Eri. Momo. Kaina. Fuyumi?"

Toji's reply came sharp and immediate.

"Secure them. Stay close but out of sight. If anyone so much as looks at them the wrong way, eliminate them."

The clone didn't hesitate.

"What about the one pulling the strings?"

Toji's eyes narrowed as he looked out over the city skyline from a nearby rooftop. His voice in the clone's mind was cold.

"Locate them." "I want a name. A face. And if possible…" "I want their pulse stopped." "I know who's pulling the string in Japan. I want the name of the one who's pulling in here in America."

The clone gave a small grin.

"Consider it done."

Toji stepped back from the edge of the rooftop, coat fluttering in the breeze.

The Real One – Toji

Toji sat across from Rei in the quiet rooftop restaurant, the city lights glowing softly around them. Her eyes reflected the skyline—wide and thoughtful, soaking in everything.

Rei smiled gently. "You okay?"

Toji nodded. "Yeah. Just… watching the city."

She reached across the table, her fingers brushing his hand. "It's nice… being here with you."

He looked at her hand, then at her eyes. "Same here."

They ate slowly—Rei tried a bite of her pasta, nodding in approval. Toji chewed on a piece of steak, watching her more than the food.

Every now and then, Rei would comment on the view, or giggle softly at something she noticed below—a glowing billboard, a couple taking selfies, or a cab driver yelling at traffic.

Toji let himself relax. Even if just for now.

But deep inside, he hadn't lowered his guard. Not fully.

Because Izuku—his clone—was already moving.

The Clone – Izuku

The first man was dead. The spy with the camera. A pawn.

Now Izuku moved to the next piece.

He had already checked the phone's last outgoing logs. The dialed number belonged to a burner—scrambled, bounced, but not enough to stop him.

In ten minutes, he was on another rooftop.

He crouched, watching a man below smoke a cigarette on a balcony. The guy was in a suit. Late 30s. Tired eyes. Hands shaky.

Izuku dropped behind him without sound.

The man turned—too late.

Izuku grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall, lifting him off the ground.

"Who told you to track me?" Izuku asked, voice cold.

"I—I don't know his name! I just get paid to relay—"

Izuku pressed harder. The man gasped.

"Relay to who?"

"Dark coat! Red ring on his left hand! Always meets at the docks! Every Friday!"

Izuku snapped the man's neck in one motion. Quick. Silent.

Then he tossed the body over the balcony… and before it hit the ground, it was caught in a net of wires—dragged into an alley where an auto-cleaner he placed earlier activated. A minute later, no body. No trace.

Next Target – The Middleman

Izuku arrived at the docks just before midnight. Rain drizzled. Wind sharp.

He watched from above as a tall man in a long coat stood with an umbrella, red ring on his finger, phone to his ear.

"Yeah. We lost contact with Darrel. Then Gregory. Something's off."

Izuku appeared behind him like a shadow.

"Yeah. Something is."

The man turned—and the umbrella dropped.

"You—"

A blade shot through his stomach. Not a sword. Not a knife. But his hand that moved at such insane speed that it was akin to a sword.

The man gasped, blood pouring from his mouth.

Izuku leaned in.

"Who gave you the order to track us?"

"…you're already dead," the man coughed.

"I've heard that before," Izuku whispered.

The man collapsed. Gone.

Izuku burned the body where it fell, cloaked the flame in a small field to hide the light, then retrieved the red ring. Inside was a chip.

He scanned it.

Next name: Viktor Malcov.

Boss of a private militia. Operates from a high-rise downtown.

Final Target – Viktor

Two hours later, Izuku entered the top floor of a luxury tower. All the lights were off. Security disabled.

Viktor sat in a leather chair, sipping whiskey.

"I was wondering when you'd show," Viktor said calmly.

Izuku stepped out of the shadow, silent.

"I knew Gregory wouldn't make it. You've been very… efficient."

Izuku didn't reply.

"You know… we only followed you because we were told you were dangerous," Viktor said. "I see now… they were right."

"You were the one giving orders," Izuku said. "You watched Rei. You tailed the girls."

"I didn't touch them," Viktor said, raising his hands. "I only observed."

Izuku walked forward.

"You watched my family."

He didn't yell.

But the room grew colder.

Izuku's eyes narrowed. "That's enough."

He stepped in close—Viktor moved to draw a weapon—

Too slow.

Izuku's fist tore through Viktor's chest. The man gasped. Blood poured out. Izuku grabbed his collar and pulled him closer.

"You made the list. Now you're off it."

Then, like before—Izuku burned the body. Wiped every trace. No noise. No trail. No mercy.

Back at the Restaurant

Rei leaned her head against Toji's shoulder.

"It's really nice here," she whispered.

Toji glanced at the night sky.

"Yeah," he said softly.

Then in his mind… the clone's voice.

"It's done."

"All of them?"

"Every last one."

Toji's eyes stayed calm. No movement.

He simply responded.

"Good."

Then he looked down at Rei, and gently brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Let's walk a little before going back?"

She nodded with a soft smile. "Okay."

And they walked together through the glowing night, the city lights all around them.

Unbothered.

Untouched.

Safe—because every threat had already been erased.

The streets were quieter now.

Rei and Toji walked side by side, her hand gently tucked into his. They didn't talk much—just soft smiles and glances here and there. The air was cool, peaceful. A rare quiet after everything.

As they turned into a more secluded path, heading in the direction of their apartment, Toji suddenly stopped.

Rei blinked and looked up at him. "Hmm? What is it?"

Toji didn't speak right away. He looked at the road ahead, then down at her.

"We're not going home," he said quietly.

Rei tilted her head, confused. "We're not?"

"No."

"Why?" she asked softly, her voice unsure but curious.

Toji turned to face her completely. His eyes locked onto hers—calm, steady, gentle, but serious.

"Tonight," he said, "I'm going to help you let go of all those insecurities you've buried."

Rei froze. Her lips parted, eyes wide. "W-What?"

Toji stepped a little closer.

"The ones you're not saying out loud. The ones you keep hiding behind your smile."

Rei stared at him, stunned. Her voice came out low, almost a whisper. "How do you… how do you know that?"

He reached up and gently cupped her cheek.

"It's written all over your face, Rei," he said softly. "Even when you're smiling, even when you laugh… I can see it. You hold back. There's no one but us, yet you are hesitating. You try to hide it, but you forget—I've been watching you longer than you realize."

She didn't move. Her hands clutched the side of her dress without her noticing. Eyes flickering, heart pounding.

Toji continued.

"Even tonight… even here, when we're alone. You're still hesitating."

Rei looked down, ashamed.

Then Toji added, "Yesterday… in the changing room… when you pulled me inside."

Her face went red instantly.

"I could see how embarrassed you were. How unsure you were whether what you are doing is correct or not. You wanted to be close, but something inside held you back. Like you thought you didn't deserve to feel wanted. Or loved."

Rei's eyes watered a little. She looked away, her voice trembling. "I just… I didn't want to mess up… or look stupid in front of you…"

Toji gently took both her hands in his.

"You didn't mess up," he said firmly. "You never do."

Rei bit her lip, shaking slightly. "But I'm not like the others… I… I wasn't strong like them. I broke… and I'm scared I'll do it again. I don't want to be a burden.

Plus, I'm practically your mother's age, going after my daughter's boyfriend. I'm scared I would be labelled characterless."

Toji moved closer and rested his forehead against hers, his voice calm but firm.

"You are never a burden," he whispered. "And don't ever let the world make you feel ashamed for loving someone who makes you feel alive again. You have had a shitty life till now, so what if you want to feel loved now."

Rei let out a small, shaky breath. "I try to smile… I try to act normal… but inside I feel so guilty sometimes. Like I don't deserve this. Like I'm stealing something that doesn't belong to me. Like I shouldn't be this greedy and be happy with whatever I have."

Toji pulled her into a hug—tight, warm, protective.

"You're not stealing anything. You're giving yourself love," he said. "And that love is real. You're not some stranger forcing herself into my life. You are my life."

She clutched the back of his coat, tears rolling down silently. "But people will talk. They'll look at us and think I'm shameless. That I used my daughter's kindness for my own selfishness."

"To hell with what they think," he said quietly but firmly. "None of them were there when you cried alone at night. None of them stood beside you when you were barely holding on. None of them were beaten up and put in a mental hospital."

Rei pulled back slightly, looking up at him. Her eyes were red but full of something warm. "You really don't care what they say?"

"I care about you. Not the noise," he said. "And tonight… I want to help you let go of all of that guilt, all of that fear."

Rei trembled. "I want to… I just don't know how."

"Then don't force it," he said. "Just stay close, surrender yourself to me. Let me remind you of how beautiful, strong, and real you are—without shame, without doubt."

She hugged him again, tighter this time, not hiding anymore. "You always know what I'm feeling… even when I try so hard to hide it…"

"Because I love you," he said softly. "All of you. The broken pieces too."

Rei sniffled, smiling through her tears. "Okay…"

A/N: If my story brought even a hint of a smile to your face, drop a comment—I'd love to hear it! Knowing I brightened someone's day fuels my creativity! My only goal is to make people smile and find happiness in this dull world. Not to mention I want to reach Oda sensei's level of storytelling.

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