Chapter 116: The Sacrificial Lambs
Hosu City.
On top of a tall building, an oval-shaped warp gate silently opened. A gaunt figure stepped out, followed closely by the hand-faced Tomura Shigaraki.
Shigaraki peered through the gaps between the fingers on his face at the glittering, neon-lit city below. "Hosu City," he mused. "Surprisingly bustling... So, what is it you want to do?"
The Hero Killer, Stain, was crouched on the edge of the rooftop. "To correct this city," he said in a hoarse voice. "And for that... more sacrifices are needed."
"Is that the 'important thing' you were talking about? It really doesn't suit you at all."
Stain stood up, spreading his arms as if to embrace the city. "A 'hero'... that is a title that should only be bestowed upon those who have accomplished a 'great deed.' And in today's society, there are far too many gold-diggers who call themselves 'heroes'!"
Stain drew a sword from his back and, without a moment's hesitation, leaped from the several-dozen-meter-high building.
"Until this city realizes its own fallacies, I will not rest!"
"He really is a fearless one. Is he truly a criminal!?" Shigaraki watched his retreating back, then his shoulders began to shake. He clutched the hand on his face and threw his head back, laughing. "But... Mr. Supervillain... did you think you could just cut me and not face any retaliation? I'm going to destroy everything you hold dear!"
At a Hero Agency.
"That concludes this afternoon's patrol. If we keep up this intensity, I'm sure the enemy won't be able to act so recklessly anymore," a man said, taking off his fish-head-like helmet and sighing as he spoke to Iida.
He was the Pro Hero who ran this agency, the Manual Hero. He was the one who had nominated Iida for the internship. He had worked with Iida's older brother before and was deeply saddened by what had happened to Ingenium.
Tenya Iida sat in a chair, chugging a bottle of orange juice, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"I wish it were as you say, senpai," Iida replied, wiping his mouth, his expression grim.
Anyone who had done their research would know that the Hero Killer always claimed at least four Pro Hero victims in any given city. And in Hosu, so far, only Iida's brother had been attacked.
It was easy to guess that the Hero Killer was still lurking in some dark corner of this city. Perhaps... even now, he was targeting another Pro Hero.
Iida suddenly shot to his feet, standing ramrod straight. "Senpai! I've rested enough! I'm going back out on patrol!"
"But we just got back!" the Manual Hero said, stunned, watching Iida stride out of the agency. He put down his water glass, hastily grabbed his helmet, and ran after him. "Wait for me! I'll go with you!"
Iida wasn't the only one who had noticed the Hero Killer's pattern. Many Pro Heroes, their resolve steeled, had flocked to this city to hunt for the villain in the shadows, not knowing that while they were the hunters, they were also the prey.
This city had become Stain's hunting ground.
"Don't move!" A Pro Hero dressed like a Native American, holding a bow and arrow, took aim at Stain. "I've finally found you, Hero Killer!"
His hero name was Native. He specialized in tracking and reconnaissance. He knew that someone with a distinctive appearance like Stain would be exposed the moment he appeared in public, so he had deliberately searched the dark, narrow streets. And sure enough, after a long search, he had finally found the Hero Killer's trail in a small alley.
He should have called for backup, sent a message to the other heroes. But the thought of his former teacher, one of the Hero Killer's victims, made his blood boil, and he had charged out on impulse.
"Oh? You found me so quickly?" The Hero Killer slowly turned his head, revealing his gaunt, muscle-atrophied face. "It seems you're not completely useless."
Native tightened his grip on his arrow. Just meeting the Hero Killer's gaze sent a chill down his spine. He instantly sobered up, realizing he was no match for this man. But... he would not retreat.
"Hero Killer! Surrender! Although you murdered my teacher, and I hate you for it... as long as you surrender, I will not use my power to enact my own private justice!" Native's voice trembled as he suppressed his rage. "You need to be punished by the law, judged by the public, not by me... Because I am the Pro Hero, Native!"
"Hero?" Hearing that word, Stain's expression suddenly changed. He drew a sword from behind his back. "Who are you to call yourself a hero? That title... is reserved for only one man!"
Seeing that a peaceful resolution was impossible, Native didn't hesitate. His fingers plucked the bowstring, and in an instant, three arrows shot out, flying toward the Hero Killer with the force of an army.
"Three arrows? Not bad. You're not one of those useless parasites..." Stain drew another sword and, with his hands moving like a whirlwind, created an impenetrable defense, deflecting all three arrows.
"But this city needs a sacrifice. And I have chosen you."
Native reached into his quiver for another arrow. He had just looked up when he saw Stain's face—a face that was both insane and perfectly calm—filling his vision...
"The Hero Killer... I really hope I don't run into him," Shosei "Buzz" Tokoyami said, leaning against a glass window with one hand in his pocket. He tossed the communicator in his other hand up and down like a stone. "But... the reward this time is too good. It's worth a little risk."
Hosu City was flooded with Pro Heroes. Some were there to avenge their fallen comrades, some to rid society of this menace, and some for the generous reward offered by the government...
But Shosei was different. He was just here for the fame, to protect his own reputation.
Two high school girls were walking down the street, hand-in-hand. One of them happened to look over and saw Shosei leaning against the glass with a nonchalant expression. She let out an excited shriek and shook her friend's arm. "Look! It's the Pro Hero, Eye of the Dawn! I can't believe he's in our city!"
Hearing his hero name, Shosei looked up and waved at the two of them with a smile. "Hello, you two lovely ladies. It's getting late. You should probably head home soon."
The two girls nodded eagerly and ran off, discussing him excitedly. "Lord Shosei is so handsome! And he's surprisingly gentle in person! With him here, that Hero Killer is sure to be captured! He's our idol!"
Compared to the scruffy Shota Aizawa, Shosei, who had graduated in the same class, was incredibly handsome, with a head of dashing blond hair and eyes that shone like brilliant rubies. He was highly praised by both the Pro Heroes he worked with and the public.
—If it weren't for the fact that he'd never had a single major victory, he probably would have been on the Hero Billboard Chart.
Everyone had lamented this fact.
Only Shosei himself knew the real reason he wasn't on the charts. He wasn't the goody-two-shoes everyone praised him to be. He wasn't the type to sacrifice himself for others. He was just... a fraud who had accidentally found himself on stage.
He straightened up and brushed the non-existent dust from his clothes. "It'll be fine," he said, relaxed. "Even if I don't do anything, powerful heroes like Endeavor and All Might will take care of it. All I have to do is make sure I'm seen."
"I should take a break after this is all over..." Shosei thought, yawning as he walked. He happened to glance into a dark alley to his right, and his entire body went rigid.
A man in tattered clothes, with several weapons strapped to his body, was holding a sword, pinning a Pro Hero to the wall.
Seeing a shadow suddenly appear on the ground, the hero, Native, weakly turned his head. "Run!" he shouted at Shosei. "Go get help!"
Stain slowly turned his head. "Another sacrifice has appeared."
❃❃❃
⤑ Show your support with Power Stones!
⤑ Unlock a Bonus Chapter every time we hit 400 Power Stones!
❃❃❃
♕ Get early access to 30+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
🔗 https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to open the link!)
💬 Enjoying the story? Drop a review!
Your support really helps the series grow—thank you!