Chapter 38 – The Strength That Cannot Be Judged

Chapter 38 – The Strength That Cannot Be Judged

The police and pro heroes finally arrived, arresting the defeated villains and beginning to restore order to the chaotic scene. Amid the aftermath, Aoi was lying down, resting with his head on Midnight's lap. She gazed down at him with a teasing smile, her fingers gently combing through his hair.

"Comfortable down there?" she asked, her voice soft, almost playful, as she stroked his hair slowly.

Aoi gave a faint, tired smile, his eyelids heavy from exhaustion.

"Couldn't be better..."

Midnight chuckled quietly, the corners of her lips curling.

"Hmm... then tell me, who's better? Me or Mirko?"

Aoi looked up at her, his expression calm, but with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"I never laid on Mirko's lap... so I don't know."

Midnight burst out laughing, clearly enjoying the moment.

"What if I ask her for you?"

Aoi perked up suddenly, energy returning to his tired body.

"Seriously? You'd really do that?"

Midnight raised an eyebrow, smirking at his eager expression. For a brief second, a strange urge to punch him crossed her mind—but deep down, she found his reaction entertaining.

Before their banter could continue, a stern voice interrupted the light-hearted mood.

"Midnight, what happened here?"

It was Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi, arriving with several other officers. His sharp gaze scanned the area, taking in the scene of destruction and scattered villains.

Midnight stood up slightly, her posture professional again, and began to explain everything: the ambush, the villains' plan, Aoi's capture, his escape, and how he managed to take down the attackers.

Tsukauchi listened silently, nodding occasionally but saying nothing as she spoke. His expression remained unreadable.

Once she finished, he turned his attention directly to Aoi, his tone serious.

"Even if you were in danger, you shouldn't have used your Quirk. That's against the law. You could've landed yourself in serious trouble."

Aoi met the detective's gaze head-on and replied with quiet confidence.

"I didn't use my Quirk."

Tsukauchi's brows furrowed, his confusion evident.

"What do you mean you didn't use it? Look at the state of those villains! How else could you have done this without using it?"

Aoi crossed his arms and spoke calmly, but firmly.

"My Quirk is a healing flame. I can only use it to heal myself and others. I used that ability to enhance my body through years of physical training. What you see here is the result of my own effort, my own strength. I defeated them all using martial arts that I created, and nothing more than the power of my body."

A brief silence followed, thick with tension.

"And as far as I know, if I didn't use my Quirk directly to attack, then I didn't break any laws. After all... if this strength doesn't come from my Quirk, I'm free to use it however I want."

Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes and activated his Quirk — the ability to detect lies. He watched Aoi intently.

And the result left him speechless.

Aoi was telling the truth.

The overwhelming strength everyone had witnessed really hadn't come from a Quirk. It was his own, born of relentless effort and discipline. The detective stood still for a long moment, trying to grasp the implications. This was the first time he had encountered anything like it.

Aoi exhaled slowly and added:

"Well... since I didn't commit any crime, I'll be heading out."

Midnight stood beside him, crossing her arms with a triumphant smile on her face. She walked off with him, proud and amused.

But Tsukauchi called out once more, his voice more genuine now, tinged with concern.

"I know that legally, you can use that strength... but even so, I ask you to be careful. Power like that, if uncontrolled, can harm innocent people."

Aoi stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing. The tone in the detective's voice made it sound like he was trying to dictate what Aoi should or shouldn't do.

He turned to snap back—but what he saw made him pause.

Tsukauchi was bowing his head slightly.

Not in submission. But in sincerity.

He was truly, humbly asking.

Aoi sighed, the tension draining from his shoulders. He thought to himself: "Why is it always the honest ones asking me for this? If it were some arrogant idiot, it'd be so much easier..."

He nodded at last.

"Alright. I'll control my strength. I won't hurt any innocents."

Tsukauchi looked up, visibly relieved.

"Thank you. That's all I ask."

Midnight, watching the scene unfold, stepped forward and pulled Aoi closer. Then, in a spontaneous and playful gesture, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Here's your reward," she said with a wink.

Aoi smiled—exhausted, but happy.

As the two of them walked away, heading home under the darkening sky, a pair of eyes watched them from atop a nearby building.

It was Dabi.

"So... my little brother isn't such a failure anymore," he muttered, a wicked grin tugging at his lips. "But he's still not the perfect creation you wanted, right, old man?"

He looked up at the sky with a sarcastic expression.

"This family that left me behind... Oh, we're going to have so much fun."

Elsewhere, deep within the shadows, All For One was listening to a report from his subordinates.

"So... the attack failed?" he asked, his tone laced with disappointment.

He let out a long, irritated sigh.

"What a shame. If I'd managed to capture that little genius... the Nomu research would've advanced tremendously. We could've created something truly... perfect."

But even in defeat, a sinister smile curled behind his mask.

"There's still time. As long as that boy lives... there's potential. He's a rare gem. And I'll prepare something grand for him... oh yes. Something unforgettable."

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