Chapter 123: The Spectator
"Is it over!?"
Midoriya didn't even care that his body was falling, his eyes fixed on the spot where the flames had engulfed the enemy.
Ice spread from under Shoto Todoroki's feet, forming a slide that caught both Midoriya and Iida, delivering them safely behind him. Above them, Stain was now unconscious, his limbs pinned by Todoroki's ice.
"Hey, hey, no way... That great senior who was just shouting about killing me... was just taken out by a bunch of kids?" Shigaraki was in disbelief. In the blink of an eye, Stain had been knocked unconscious by their coordinated attack.
"Shigaraki. Now it's your turn," Shosei Meisei's voice called out from a distance. The still-paralyzed Native was behind him, but soon, the sound of many more hurried footsteps joined them.
"Don't tell me... the other Pro Heroes are here?" Tomura Shigaraki backed away. As confident as he was in his own abilities, he had never planned on fighting so many people by himself. "Kurogiri! Where the hell are you!? If you don't get back here, I'm done for!"
On the highest point of an alley, Kurogiri's misty form was perched on the edge of a rooftop, watching the retreating Shigaraki. He finally couldn't help but speak. "Kira-kun, Shigaraki is in a very dangerous situation. Could you please let me go? As you can see, I haven't made any unnecessary moves."
A hand, crackling with golden arcs of electricity, was pressed against his head. Yoshikage Kira peeked out, watching the growing number of Pro Heroes converging below. He lifted his hand from Kurogiri's head. "Of course. But before that, you're going to send me back."
Kurogiri thought back to what had just happened—
"Choose. Step through this gate now and go to Hosu City... or stand by and watch your friend lose his life?"
Kurogiri had given Kira the choice, certain in his heart that he would choose to go to Hosu. How could someone who aimed to be a hero not act when his friends were in danger?
However—"One of my favorite things is to say 'NO' to people who think they're always right," he had heard Yoshikage Kira say coolly. "You say 'friends'? Aren't friends just for sacrificing? I don't care what that Stain fellow wants to do or who he wants to kill. As long as it has nothing to do with me, I have no interest in finding him."
Hearing such anti-heroic words, Kurogiri had been stunned. He had seen him fight with all his might at both the USJ and the Sports Festival. He had even thought that his Master's decision might be a mistake, that there was no way Yoshikage Kira could be absorbed into the League of Villains. But now, he was saying he wasn't going to save his own classmates, his own friends!?
Just as Kurogiri was about to say something, Kira had charged him, unleashing a flurry of "ORA"s. In an instant, he had been subdued, and the "Hamon" that was constantly being injected into his body had suppressed his Warp Gate Quirk.
"Now. Open the gate for me," Kira had said flatly.
Kurogiri had felt the situation was absurd. He had offered to send him to Hosu, and he had refused. But now, he was ordering him to open the gate? Don't tell me... he was just tricking me?
But regardless of the process, Yoshikage Kira had chosen to go to Hosu, which was exactly what his Master had intended. After the restraints on his body were released, Kurogiri had decisively opened a gate for him.
Not long after Shigaraki had made his appearance, Kira and Kurogiri had arrived on the rooftop to watch the battle. They were dozens of meters up; even if someone happened to glance up, they wouldn't be able to see them without looking closely.
This made Kurogiri extremely curious. Kira was watching his classmates in danger, yet he made no move. If he had just asked, Kurogiri would have sent him down to the battlefield in an instant.
Of course, if he had helped, Kurogiri would have immediately warped away, leaving Kira behind. Even if Kira had managed to save his classmates, after the battle, he would have been unable to explain why he had suddenly appeared in Hosu, thousands of miles from his internship.
According to his Master's plan, Kira would inevitably fall under the suspicion of the Pro Heroes. Even if he could talk his way out of it for now, he would no longer be trusted. Society would question him... and when he could no longer bear it, the only place left for him to go would be the League of Villains.
That was his Master's plan.
But Kira was like a spectator, watching this battle with a calm gaze. Even when Shoto Todoroki was on the verge of death several times, he showed no intention of helping, as if their lives had nothing to do with him...
"Forgive my rudeness, but Kira-kun, you came all this way. Why are you not going down to help them?" Kurogiri stood up, his voice still calm, showing no anger at Kira's earlier actions.
"I have no reason to save them," Kira replied coolly.
Kurogiri paused for a moment, then gave him a bow. "I see. Master was not mistaken. A personality like yours is the most suitable for our League of Villains... If you are interested in us, go and find 'Giran.' I'm sure for someone like you, finding him will not be difficult."
Kurogiri opened a warp gate, silently waiting for Kira to pass through.
"They really are... dazzling," Kira said softly, his eyes narrowed as he looked at the group below. He turned and, without any hesitation, stepped through the portal.
Kira left through Kurogiri's warp gate. No one knew he had ever been there, except for Kurogiri and his Master.
"Shigaraki! You're not getting away!" Midoriya threw a powerful punch at Shigaraki, but wary of his decaying hands, he grit his teeth and twisted his body to avoid them.
In the distance, Todoroki's flames shot toward Shigaraki. At this point, Shigaraki had no other options but to dodge pathetically, but the flames still managed to singe his coat.
Iida's exhaust pipes were completely stalled; it would take several hours for them to recover. He knew now that Shosei Meisei had no stamina left and was just bluffing, so he stood by his side, supporting him.
"The enemy is here!" At that moment, something that was like pouring salt on Shigaraki's wound happened: the Pro Heroes began to arrive one after another, glaring at him. "Are you the mastermind behind the city's destruction!?"
"This is bad," Shigaraki grew frantic. If Kurogiri didn't get here soon, he was done for.
"Shigaraki. I have returned." As if hearing his call, Kurogiri appeared at the perfect moment behind him, forming a warp gate. His voice sounded a little tired. "It is time for us to retreat."
"Tch. I have no choice."
Shigaraki didn't bother to ask why Kurogiri had taken so long. He gave a deep look at the bound Stain and the once-again-standing Izuku Midoriya, and just as Todoroki's flames were about to reach him, he dove into the portal.
"Is it finally over...?"
The strength that had been supporting Midoriya instantly vanished. He was about to collapse when Shoto Todoroki caught him from behind and nodded.
"Yes. It's over."
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