Courtroom – Ground Zero, Tokyo Reconstruction Zone, Day One
The day had finally arrived.
Tomura Shigaraki, the man once considered the embodiment of destruction, was no longer shackled in Tartarus or hunted through the back alleys of a crumbling society. No — he now stood before a neutral court, clad in a sleek gray suit, his signature hand no longer draped over his face. His posture was upright. Collected. But his eyes… they burned with restrained chaos.
Beside him stood Adrian Voss, immaculate in a tailored suit that shimmered faintly as it adjusted to the local laws of the dimension. He carried no briefcase. His weapon, as always, was his mind — and a compact scroll embossed with golden glyphs: the interdimensional Codex of Concord. The moment he stepped into the courtroom, the atmosphere changed.
Cameras floated silently above, broadcasting the proceedings across the nation — and the multiverse. Hero society, League remnants, international agencies, and foreign villains alike were watching.
Across the courtroom sat the prosecution: a council composed of top-ranking Pro Heroes and judicial specialists. Chief Prosecutor was none other than Naomasa Tsukauchi, the man known for his unwavering honesty and bond with All Might. Behind him were Endeavor, Best Jeanist, Hawks, and Edgeshot — observers, not participants, yet their presence was a warning: This trial matters.
The presiding judge, draped in ceremonial robes with support from impartial A.I. advisors developed jointly by the U.A. tech division and support companies, called the court to order.
"Court is now in session. The People of Japan versus Tomura Shigaraki."
Murmurs rippled.
Adrian stepped forward. "Your honor, before we begin, I would like to submit our formal plea: not guilty on all counts."
Gasps.
The list of charges was well-known — murder, terrorism, destruction of public infrastructure, unlawful use of a Quirk, and conspiracy against the state. Shigaraki had, after all, leveled entire cities. But Adrian wasn't here to plead insanity or regret. He was here to win.
The judge raised an eyebrow. "You intend to argue complete innocence?"
"No," Adrian said smoothly. "I intend to argue systemic guilt. The society that enabled hero worship and criminal neglect is as guilty as any one man. I am simply choosing the right defendant to start with."
The Opening Argument
Adrian's voice, cool and layered with gravitas, filled the chamber.
"Ladies and gentlemen, ask yourselves this: when a child cries out for help, and the system ignores him — when foster care is broken, schools are corrupt, heroes are incentivized to chase ratings rather than justice — what grows in the ruins?"
He walked before the jury — civilians, carefully selected and protected — his steps slow, intentional.
"What grows… is Tomura Shigaraki. Not a villain, but a symptom."
He turned toward the prosecution bench.
"You'll hear of the chaos he wrought. But I ask: who created that chaos? Where were the heroes when a boy slept under bridges? Where was the so-called Number One Hero when children in the back alleys mutated into monsters to survive?"
Naomasa stood slowly. "Objection. Emotional manipulation."
The judge considered. "Overruled. The defense may proceed — within limits."
Shigaraki Speaks
For the first time, Tomura spoke in public.
"I didn't wake up and decide to decay the world," he said. His voice was low, but steady. "I was told heroes would save me. Instead, they walked by."
People across the nation watched, some enraged, others frozen.
From within a hospital room, Kota Izumi — now older — watched silently. In the U.A. dormitory, students gathered, split in discomfort. Deku, arms crossed, stared at the screen as if trying to understand the boy behind the monster.
Meanwhile: The League's Transformation
With Shigaraki no longer an active fugitive, the League of Villains had undergone a startling transformation. Rebranded as the PLS — Public Liberation Society, under legal protection as "potential rehabilitative figures" — many former members had emerged publicly.
Twice's clone, now stable thanks to data recovery and quirk replication tech, worked under a new identity as a mental health ambassador for trauma survivors.
Spinner, leveraging support from meta-rights groups, began organizing peaceful protests against Quirk discrimination.
Toga, currently undergoing psychiatric rehabilitation, had an entire online fandom debating whether her actions were criminal or a result of untreated mental instability.
Adrian's influence was evident.
He hadn't just taken Shigaraki's case. He was reshaping the narrative — redefining what villainy even meant.
Prosecution's Strategy
Tsukauchi, ever calm, presented his side.
He showed holographic reconstructions of the cities Shigaraki had destroyed. The number of deaths. The families still in mourning.
"This man—" he gestured toward Shigaraki, "—didn't just act out of pain. He took lives. Innocent ones. That's not a system's failure. That's a choice."
He paused.
"We do not deny there were flaws in hero society. But flaws do not excuse genocide."
Adrian's Cross-Examination
Adrian stood. "You're correct, Detective. But tell me, if a system breaks someone… who decides what justice looks like? Should it be retributive… or corrective?"
He walked over to Endeavor.
"You, sir, have a history of domestic abuse. Shall we put you on trial next?"
Gasps.
Endeavor glared but remained silent.
Adrian turned to Hawks. "And you — recruited as a child, raised to kill. Legally sanctioned. Where was your choice?"
The judge warned Adrian, "Stay relevant to the case, Mr. Voss."
"I am, Your Honor. I'm establishing a pattern — that this society produced monsters, and then pretended surprise when they roared."
Public Response
The world outside was erupting.
On social media, the hashtag #SystemMadeShigaraki was trending.
Some called Adrian a genius. Others called him a manipulator. Protests formed outside the courthouse — both in support of the defense and in opposition.
In a private bunker, All For One, watching silently through a one-way projection, smiled.
"This lawyer… is far more dangerous than any Nomu."
Mid-Chapter Twist: International Attention
Three international agencies filed requests to extradite Adrian Voss — not for any crime, but to hire him.
Meanwhile, Magneto from Earth-303, Lex Luthor from Universe 52, and Esdeath from an alternate reality submitted official requests to retain Adrian as their legal representative.
The court paused the trial briefly to debate whether allowing interdimensional influence constituted jury tampering.
Adrian, however, made no statement.
He only smirked.
The Closing of Day One
As the gavel slammed to signal recess, Adrian looked at Shigaraki.
"We planted the seed."
Shigaraki asked, "What if they still find me guilty?"
Adrian's eyes gleamed. "Then we appeal. And if we lose… we make them answer a new question."
Shigaraki raised an eyebrow.
Adrian whispered, "If justice is blind… who taught her to wear a hero's cape?"