"He's gone," Eichi said finally, his voice low and hoarse. "For now."
Hearing that, All Might relaxed slightly, though his expression remained guarded. He had seen firsthand the sensory capabilities of the kid in front of him, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of respect—and caution.
The boy was dangerous, that much was clear. But he was also injured, exhausted, and far too young to carry the weight of such a burden.
Still, All Might's kind heart wouldn't let him overlook the boy's condition. "How are you holding up?" he asked, his tone softer now, though no less urgent.
Eichi snorted, wincing as he pushed himself upright with visible effort. "Pretty good," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Nothing an Iryo-nin couldn't fix."
All Might frowned, his concern deepening. He stepped closer, instinctively reaching out to steady the boy, but Eichi flinched away, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. All Might hesitated, then withdrew his hand, his expression a mix of frustration and pity.
As they made their way to the door, Aizawa barged in, panting hard. His dark eyes swept the room, taking in the destruction, the ashes, and the unconscious staff member. His gaze lingered on the cremated corpse, his expression grim.
"He escaped, didn't he?" Aizawa said, his voice flat. It wasn't a question.
All Might nodded, his jaw tightening. "For now. But he won't get far."
Aizawa turned to Eichi, his eyes narrowing. "And you let him go?"
Hearing that, All Might frowned. "Aizawa, I don't think—"
But Eichi cut him off with a bitter laugh. "I didn'tlethim do anything," he snapped, his voice sharp with anger. "He's not some thug you can stop with brute force. Trust me, I've tried."
Aizawa stepped closer, his expression unreadable. "You were in no condition to fight. You're lucky you're still standing."
Eichi smirked, though there was no humor in it. "Luck has nothing to do with it. I've survived worse."
Aizawa's jaw tightened, his frustration bubbling to the surface. As a pro hero, he had seen his share of horrors, but the idea of children being turned into killers—of a system that would force them to fight and die—was something he couldn't stomach. It went against everything he stood for.
Before Aizawa could respond, the detective from earlier entered the room, followed by a small team of armed personnel. His sharp eyes immediately landed on Eichi, and he didn't look pleased.
"What the hell happened here?" the detective barked, his voice echoing in the small room.
Eichi sneered, his expression defiant. "Your security's a joke. That's what happened."
The detective's face turned red, but before he could retort, Aizawa stepped in. "Enough. We don't have time for this. The intruder is gone, but he's not our only problem." He turned to Eichi, his gaze piercing. "You said he's here to finish his job. What does that mean?"
Eichi hesitated. He didn't owe these people anything, but he also knew he couldn't handle the Kiri-nin and his team alone—not in his current state.
Reluctantly, he said, "Standard procedure for Shinobi Killed In Action. Their corpses hold valuable information—mission details, bloodline abilities, even memories. He came to make sure nothing was left behind."
The room fell silent as the weight of his words sank in. All Might and Aizawa exchanged a glance, their expressions grim. They were beginning to understand just how dangerous the situation was—and how far out of their depth they might be.
The detective's face paled as he processed Eichi's words. "You're telling me that guy came here to... destroy evidence? From a corpse?"
Eichi's expression darkened. "It's not just evidence. It's a shinobi's duty to protect their secrets, even in death. If that body had fallen into the wrong hands, it could've revealed everything—their techniques, their missions, even their weaknesses. The Kiri-nin wasn't taking any chances."
All Might's brow furrowed, his usual smile absent. "And you? Why are you involved in all of this? You're just a kid."
Eichi's eyes flashed with anger, but there was a flicker of pain beneath the surface. "I'm notjusta kid. I'm a shinobi. And in my line of work, age doesn't matter when some younger than me could kill one of you."
The room fell silent again, the weight of Eichi's words hanging heavily in the air.
The detective looked visibly disturbed, his face pale as he struggled to process what he was hearing.
"Shinobi?" the detective repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You mean like... ninja? Are you seriously telling me you're some kind of child soldier?"
Eichi's expression didn't change, but his tone grew colder. "I don't owe you an explanation. What matters is that the Kiri-nin is still out there, and he's not going to stop until he finishes what he started."
Aizawa stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "You keep saying that, but you're not giving us much to work with. If you want our help, you need to tell us more. Who is this Kiri-nin? What's his goal? And why are you involved?"
Eichi sighed. "The Kiri-nin is a trained killer. He's part of a team—specialists in demolition, assassination, and infiltration. They're not like the villains you're used to. They don't care about fame or power. They're here to complete their mission, no matter the cost."
All Might's expression hardened. "And what's their mission?"
Eichi's jaw tightened. "That's not important right now. What's important is stopping them before they cause more damage."
The detective stepped forward, his skepticism evident. "You expect us to just take your word for it? You show up out of nowhere, cause a scene, and now you want us to trust you?"
Eichi's eyes flashed with anger, but he kept his voice calm. "I don't care if you trust me. But if you don't stop them, you're going to regret it."
Aizawa held up a hand, silencing the detective before he could respond. "Enough. Whether we believe him or not, the fact remains that there's a dangerous groupe of individual on the loose, and they're after something—or someone. That's something we can't ignore."