Star crossed her arms, staring at her reflection in the large, black screen in front of her.
Her tongue kept slithering in her mouth, tasting blood. The bastard looked a year older than the last time she had seen him, but Alex had grown stronger as well. Anyway, why was she thinking about him at this moment?
These oldies wouldn't have called her to the Pentagon if they didn't have a matter much larger than what even Alex could handle.
And, when the USA's Military Commander walked into the dim, large hall, Star knew things were more serious than she had imagined.
Unknown to many, the true head of the USA's military might, including the Heroes, was not the Director of the Pentagon, under whom the Chiefs of International Operations and Heroes Department served.
It was this green-skinned, bald man — Timothy Agpar.
Just as the old man entered the hall, loud thuds began ringing out in the surroundings. All the employees who had been silently working on their machines also got up and left the premises.
Timothy Agpar came to stand next to Star and pointed the remote in his hand toward the screen in front of them, saying nothing.
Narrowing her eyes, Star looked away from him, and her gaze landed on the video glitching into existence as well.
It began with a blurry video of a black-masked man, wearing a white coat, running away from a tall, black-skinned humanoid, whose brain was exposed.
Then, the screen began showing the same man, carrying a monkey on his shoulder, doing the most ridiculous acts as a city burned in his background.
Next, it revealed the scene of the same man. Another, smaller figure — a girl, perhaps — dressed in the same clothing, was standing next to him, both bowing at Dr. Sam, who was lying on the ground.
The screen then showed a frozen island, the ice reaching out for miles in all directions.
Suddenly, another footage appeared on the screen. It showed a tall, humanoid cyborg carrying three people dressed in white lab coats, with black clownish masks on their faces, as it shot across the sky.
Then, the screen went black again.
Star scoffed. "Has this fish become big enough that you're directly showing it to me, Mr. Agpar?" she asked. "A false narrative of an International Criminal is not enough to involve…"
Whatever the USA's No. 1 Hero was going to say got stuck in her throat.
A new video popped up on the screen — the clearest so far — showing… All Might.
For the first time, Star uncrossed her arms, her blue eyes glowing as she looked at All Might's weak form.
Toshinori Yagi was lying on a hospital bed, his blue gaze planted on the ceiling.
"… I would be dead…" he said, shocking the living breath out of Star. "… if it wasn't for Dr. Blessed. He may not be a Hero. And I do not deny that his questionable methods have and tend to injure the innocents. However, he is not a Villain. That I can say with my reputation on the line."
Star's breathing quickened.
She had known that it was Dr. Blessed who had acted against the Villain on I-Island. But that he had directly saved All Might's life, this was her first time hearing that — from All Might himself!
Sadly, the Military Commander didn't give her a chance to ask the questions bubbling in her mind.
He pressed another button on the remote, and a new set of compiled videos began appearing on the screen one by one.
From the Nomus' first appearances to Wolfram at I-Island.
From the Hosu Incident to Dabi disappearing with the Quirk Amplification Device.
From Shigaraki and Kurogiri, the two Villains who had run away from their grasp, to Hero Killer Stain, who Captain Celebrity had caught with Alex's help, just before the multiple-Quirks holding Villain could have run away.
The screen showed it all.
"Have you ever wondered the reason behind Alex's preferential treatment, Star?" Timothy asked.
Star frowned at the sudden, unrelated question.
Because of Alex's crimes against the USA, he should have been put to death. At least, that's what the President had told her when he had sent her to exact vengeance upon him. However, when she had brought him back after a bitter fight, instead of making him suffer, the US Government made him Warden of the LA Detention Center the next year.
A fucking Warden — on the government's payroll!
Of course, the USA also used him to do some of its dirty work, but that Warden title was never taken away from him.
"… because he's a member of some Order?" Star remembered the explanation they had given her, a pathetic one.
Timothy nodded. "… We have been keeping an eye on the trend of the world, Star," he told her. "Today, we have three players among us. The first is this Order behind Alex. They are neither our friends nor enemies… so far.
"The second is behind these Nomus, the Villain, Stain, who somehow has multiple Quirks like those Nomus… And, from all the data we have gathered upon them, this Order is not only ambitious, but vile and violent.
"And the third is…"
"Dr. Blessed?" Star asked.
Timothy sighed. "Despite Dr. Blessed's recent appearance," he said, "that's the only Order we have some substantial data about."
A new video began playing on the screen as the Military Commander pressed the play button on the remote.
It showed a man, dressed as a Magician, standing on top of a Magical Performance set's roof and bowing to the audience.
"… Praise be to Mr. Fool…"
Timothy paused the video at that.
"… Mr. Fool," he repeated the name. "We couldn't find any reference to this name anywhere in the world. No mention in any book, religious, history, or otherwise. However, it is safe to assume that if Dr. Blessed is actively acting against the Nomus, then the rest of the two Orders are also led by some mysterious figure. And all three Orders are growing their numbers…"
"… What are you trying to say?" Star asked, a slight heaviness lingering on her brows.
Timothy clenched the remote in his hands tighter.
"Something big is coming, Star," he said, matching the Hero's blue gaze. "Something… transcendental. And I think it's time we prepare ourselves for its eventual coming. It's time…
"… for you to know this world's greatest secret — The Boundary!"
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