Chapter 93: A Rescue, A Performance
Aoi was in his company building, putting on his all-black outfit that resembled Batman's—without the cape, with a mask covering only his mouth, and a hooded overcoat. The fabric was lightweight yet reinforced, designed to move with him like a second skin while absorbing impacts and concealing his identity completely. Aoi finished dressing, rolling his shoulders once to test the fit.
Aoi then looked at Morgana on the screen and asked:
—Morgana, is everything ready?
Morgana said:
—Yes, sir. Eri is still at the location. As long as you're quick, you can save her today.
Aoi asked:
—How many people are there? Is Chisaki on site?
Morgana said:
—No, sir. He left. The ones on site are Rikiya Katsukame, Kendo Rappa, and Hari Kurono.
Aoi adjusted his gear, checking the hidden compartments for emergency tools, and said:
—I see. Then I'll have to make it look like I'm some scumbag after Eri.
Morgana asked:
—How so, sir?
Aoi said:
—Look: I'm going to make it seem like I'm after the anti-quirk bullets. That way, if I take Eri, I'll make him think I don't know how to make them. He'll assume I'll come back for the recipe. So he'll continue with his original plans to lure me in. I know he's already on the heroes' radar. If I can carry out this mission and wait for the moment he's vulnerable, I can finish him off without consequences, getting rid of the only one who knows about Eri and keeping watch over her with just one strike.
Morgana said:
—Sir, that's a good plan. But how do you know he'll follow through?
Aoi said:
—Because neither he nor I want the government to know about Eri. So he won't tell anyone about her disappearance. It's like a corrupt politician whose illegal money got stolen—he'd never go to the police to report it because he'd be turning himself in. So I just need to make him believe I'm greedy for the anti-quirk bullets. He'll try to lure me in to kill me and get Eri back.
Morgana said:
—Understood, sir.
Aoi then said:
—I'm heading out. Morgana, keep an eye on the cameras along the way. I don't want my image seen.
Morgana said:
—Leave it to me, sir.
Aoi then climbed to the top of his building and used his strength to jump high, activating Lunar Step to run toward the location Morgana was indicating on the GPS. The city lights blurred beneath him as he moved at inhuman speed across rooftops, the wind whipping against his hood.
In an abandoned factory on the outskirts, a little girl was trembling with fear in a corner, her small body curled tight against the cold concrete. Hari Kurono glanced at her once and completely ignored it. He then looked at Rikiya Katsukame and asked:
—So, where did the young master go?
Rikiya Katsukame said angrily:
—The young master went to deal with some idiots who started getting bold, thinking they could go against what the young master decided.
Kendo Rappa said:
—I just hope the young master doesn't waste time with that trash and comes back soon. They're not worth his effort.
Hari Kurono said:
—Well, that's true. These weaklings have no awareness of their place in the world.
At that moment, something fell from the sky at high speed and smashed through the factory roof with explosive force. Debris rained down as the intruder landed in the center of the room, the impact sending shockwaves through the floor and leaving everyone dazed and disoriented. Dust swirled in thick clouds, obscuring vision for several long seconds.
They then heard a deep, gravelly voice cutting through the haze:
—Yeah, right? Pieces of trash really never know their place. Are you guys going to be different trash and know your places?
They looked toward where the voice was coming from and saw a muscular man two meters tall in a black uniform, mask covering his mouth, and black hood. The figure stood motionless for a heartbeat, letting the dust settle around him like a shroud.
Rikiya Katsukame snarled, already raising his fists.
—Ha! So you're one of those costumed hero clowns?
Before he could finish the sentence, Aoi exploded forward in a blur of motion. He closed the distance in an instant, driving a single, devastating punch straight into Rikiya's solar plexus. The impact forced air from Rikiya's lungs in a wet cough of blood as he dropped to his knees, gasping. Without pause, Aoi brought his foot down hard on the back of Rikiya's head, smashing his face into the concrete and cracking the floor beneath them in a spiderweb of fractures.
—I came here for the anti-quirk bullets. Hand over the recipe already.
Rikiya Katsukame looked up at Aoi with bloodshot eyes, defiance burning through the pain.
—I'll never betray the young master.
Aoi's masked face tilted slightly, almost amused.
—Why do I never find subordinates as cute as you? Am I that bad?
He said it casually, then snapped his leg forward in a brutal kick. The force sent Rikiya flying backward, crashing into the far wall with enough power to make the entire building shudder. Cracks raced up the concrete as Rikiya slid down, leaving a trail of dust and blood.
Aoi turned to Kendo Rappa and Hari Kurono, his voice calm but edged with mockery.
—No, I think I'm just really unlucky. After all, I'm so charismatic, aren't I?
Kendo Rappa roared and charged, muscles bulging as he swung a massive fist.
—Who the hell are you? Why are you attacking us? You know we are...
Aoi didn't let him finish. He sidestepped the punch with effortless precision, then countered with a devastating right hook that caught Kendo square on the jaw. The impact lifted Kendo off his feet and sent him rocketing upward, smashing through beams and support struts before embedding into the ceiling in a tangle of broken metal and unconscious limbs.
Aoi looked up at the dangling figure and said dryly:
—Such admirable loyalty. I'm so cool and I don't have little brothers as stubborn as that. I'm jealous, you know?
He then walked over to Hari Kurono, who had backed up against a pillar. Aoi grabbed him by the neck with one hand and lifted him effortlessly off the ground, fingers tightening just enough to make Hari gasp for air.
—So, are you going to talk?
Hari Kurono choked out:
—Never.
Aoi then pretended to notice Eri for the first time. He released Hari, letting him drop to the floor in a heap, and walked toward the trembling girl.
—Since I'm not getting what I want tonight, I'll take this little girl. You guys must be taking care of her—she must be valuable. So I'll take her, and next time I'll come back for the recipe.
Hari Kurono, hearing this, nearly shouted in protest, but stopped himself. He thought: if he shouts, he might figure out she's the formula and disappear. But if he thinks the young master still has the formula, he'll come back for it and the young master can recover Eri. So I have to let him take her and stay quiet so he doesn't suspect anything.
Aoi looked at Eri trembling in the corner. He felt a heavy weight settle in his chest. He could have tried harder. He could have focused his attention on finding her sooner, but he let time pass while every day he delayed, she suffered. One day... What the hell is wrong with me?
Aoi then opened his eyes and made a decision. He thought:
—If I'm going to Jupiter before leaving for good, I'm going to change this fucked-up world of Boku no Hero. Since I can, why not?
He then picked up Eri in his trembling arms. Aoi took a deep breath to keep the mask from falling.
At that final moment, Eri looked up at the giant holding her with fear and asked:
—Who are you?
Aoi said nothing. He looked at Chisaki's subordinates on the ground and said:
—Bunch of trash. Tell your young master I'm coming back for the bullet recipe.
He then held Eri carefully and jumped upward, rising rapidly into the sky.
Rikiya Katsukame, who had finally woken up, looked toward where the madman who beat him had disappeared and said:
—What the hell was that?
He looked around and saw everyone injured and pinned to the walls by the force of the blows. He looked around and didn't see Eri. He said:
—The young master is going to be furious.
In the sky, Aoi removed his mask and looked at Eri in his arms.
—You can open your eyes, little one.
Eri opened her eyes and saw an older brother smiling at her. Eri asked:
—Who are you?
Aoi smiled and answered:
—I'm your new big brother, princess. I saved you from Chisaki. You don't have to worry anymore. No one will ever hurt you again.
Eri was stunned looking at Aoi's smile. She didn't know what to do, so she just buried her face in his chest.
Aoi hugged her tightly and said:
—Leave it to me now, princess. I'm going to take care of you. No one will make you cry anymore. I promise. Okay?
Eri nodded.
Aoi smiled and accelerated toward his house, saying:
—I'm going to show you, Eri, your new home and your new family. They're going to love you.
Eri, hearing this, looked at the cloudy night sky with her little eyes shining.
After a few minutes, Aoi landed in the backyard of his house. Aoi then entered. He came face to face with Rei, who had come to make some tea.
Rei looked at the child in Aoi's arms and then at Aoi and asked:
—Secret granddaughter?
Aoi smiled tiredly and said:
—I really wish she was.
Rei, seeing her son's sad face, realized the matter was serious. She then looked at him and asked:
—What happened, Aoi?
Aoi looked at his mother and said:
—Mom, we need to talk. Call the girls. It's serious.
Rei then went to call the girls while Aoi sat on the sofa with Eri clinging to him and refusing to let go.
Aoi looked up at the ceiling and thought:
—It's time to start changing this shitty world before I leave.