Chapter 025

The day after the USJ attack was a day off. When Len woke up, he saw an array of messages he'd missed in the group chat. Nothing overly important. Something about the news cycle delaying televised reports on the incident until today. Mina and Hagakure were excited about seeing themselves on TV, as the special report was supposed to happen tonight. Whatever. Len yawned and got out of bed.

Oh. Another private message from Mina? It had been sent at three in the morning. What in the hell was she doing up so late? I thought she was sleeping?

Mina: yo Len we've got a day off. u gonna be up to anything in particular?

Len typed out a one-word response: "chores."

His afternoon had a chance of being free depending on his parents' moods, but if it did, he wanted to use it to revisit the underground Quirk training place. Just to let everyone there know how he'd been doing. Not like he wanted to actively avoid Mina or anything, but still.

As he went downstairs, Len impulsively checked his phone to see if she'd replied. There goes that crush again. It was morning, and his feelings certainly hadn't faded. If she catches wind of this, she'll think I'm a creep! She must suspect nothing. I've got to play hard to get.

With that being said, if Mina WAS trying to invite him out somewhere, he had no idea how he'd react.

Of course she hadn't replied yet, though. Len made an educated guess that Mina was probably not a morning person, and it was only 7:30. She was passed out, more than likely.

His mother was downstairs in the kitchen. She raised an eyebrow when she spotted him. "Oh good, you're awake. Get your father's coffee ready before you leave for school, he has to go to work soon."

Before you leave for… Len's eyes widened. She doesn't know I have the day off. That means… under the guise of going to school, he could go out into town and do whatever he wanted! Got to be careful about it though. They can't suspect anything.

"Yes ma'am, right away." Len got to work on coffee and breakfast, as his mom set the table. The two of them were alone in the room for several minutes, quietly attending to chores.

Len's face twitched. This normally did not happen. His father was sleeping in a bit, apparently. Being alone with one of his parents for an extended period of time… he became acutely aware of the silence.

"So," his mom said, causing him to start. "How is that hero school coming along? What sort of things are you learning?"

Len realised he'd begun to sweat. "Uhh… you know. There's facilities on campus that recreate disaster or battle situations. We kind of practice in those."

"Hmm. Is that for the full day, or…?"

"Oh no no no. Most of the day is in normal classes and stuff. Math, history, English, that sort of thing."

"Good. At least they know what's important. I suppose it's more like university, where you might take one class just for fun but the rest are all the required work."

"I… I s-suppose it is." Sure, Mom, keep talking out of your ass why don't you. His parents were at least consistent with their horribly skewed priorities. The hero class was obviously not just for fun. His dear mother had it all backwards.

His father came in soon after, and then his sister. She gave him a strange look upon entry that he didn't understand, but he ate breakfast anyway, not paying her much attention.

His father looked at his watch. "Erm… Len? Don't you have school soon?"

"Huh?" Shit! I've got to make it look authentic! "You do have a point. Look at the time. Well, I'll be going now, family."

He made a show of grabbing his backpack and heading out the door. Halfway off the threshold, an arm grabbed him.

Panic shot through him like lightning. Oh god it's dad and he figured it out somehow he figured it out… but the grip was far too light. He turned. It was his sister.

"What is it, Rin?" he asked. "I kinda have to get to school…"

"No you don't." Her eyes were filled with worry. "There's no way you have school today." She held up her phone. On the screen was a written article… about the USJ attack.

Len gulped. I am an absolute knobhead. Mom and Dad don't have social media, but she does. Of course she found out.

"Why didn't you t-tell me?" Rin asked, clearly hurt about it. "I was really w-worried."

"Uhh… see," Len scratched his head. "For one, I didn't really know how they would react to it, and for two, well… I kinda forgot. I forgot that you even existed, in all honesty. I'm sorry, Rin. The past twenty-four hours have been sort of intense."

"I can tell." She sighed. "I guess this is what you signed up for, though. It says only teachers were hurt, but… Len, that's scary. You faced off against supervillains, for crying out loud! You can't just keep quiet about that stuff!"

"I haven't been," he said shortly. "I've been talking with my classmates about it. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

She raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to class. Where are you off to?"

"Don't tell Mom and Dad." He winked.

Rin grinned. "Fine. I guess you've earned a day off. Have fun."

***

Detective Tsukauchi stood in the center of the room. Around the edge was a rectangular table, where the pro heroes All Might, Vlad King, Snipe, and Midnight sat. As well as the principal of UA, Nezu.

"We've arrested 72 villains so far," said the detective. "They all have small back-alley backgrounds. Crooks, essentially. In today's hero-saturated society, it is no wonder they were drawn to a blatantly evil organisation such as the League."

"Their leader, Shigaraki…" All Might, in his emaciated form, stated. "… he exhibited immature behaviour, like that of a man-child."

"A powerful manchild," said Vlad King.

"The Quirks of Shigaraki and Kurogiri are not in the registry, and searching up their names has been a dead end," said Midnight. "If they were raised outside society, then this leader may not have been given the training that other children received in primary school."

"Leading to a more immature outlook on Quirks and their place in society," Nezu provided. "Yes, indeed… but I find it difficult to imagine such a man managing to recruit so many minor villains for the attack, even if the circumstances in the underworld were ripe for it. He must have had guidance of some kind. Like we teach our students, Shigaraki may be a student of evil."

"Kurogiri, perhaps?" Snipe suggested. "He protected Shigaraki from my bullets like one might protect a child or a student."

"Hmm… I doubt it," All Might muttered. "Kurogiri was obeying orders, not giving them." Nezu's prospect of Shigaraki having a master of some kind bothered him more than he could say. It couldn't be. He can't be back. It's impossible.

The detective cleared his throat. "No matter how this man managed to recruit so many underlings, he will likely attempt to do so again. We're going to be questioning our prisoners, and sweeping potential areas for small-time villains to operate, starting today. Suspected illegal training facilities, that sort of thing. Find out anything we can about how large this League's network has grown under our nose. If we're lucky, we might even get a lead toward their secret base."

"That all sounds wonderful, detective," said Nezu. "Thank you for your hard work, and for your time."

Tsukauchi nodded, and with a brief glance at All Might, took his leave of the room.

"D'you reckon he'll have to start from scratch?" Snipe asked. "After he recovers from what my bullets did, that is. I wonder if he's got more minions back at his base, or if he'll have to start recruiting again immediately."

"I doubt there are any more," said Vlad King. "The attack was of the variety that everything hinges on. He threw all of his cards into that one plan."

"In any case, he may still have a minion left," said Nezu, narrowing his eyes. "Inside this school."