[TOKYO - SHIBUYA CROSSING - 7:07 AM]
"—Good morning, Japan. I'm Nakamura Kenji, and we begin with continuing coverage of what's being called the most impactful night in hero society since the dawn of the All Might's Career."
The massive LED screens that normally displayed advertisements had been commandeered by every news network in Japan. Commuters stopped mid-stride, their morning coffees forgotten as they stared upward.
"—unprecedented attack on Hosu City last night has left the nation in shock—"
The footage played on loop. Five different angles, all showing the same apocalyptic scene: flames painting the sky purple-orange, buildings reduced to rubble, and creatures that looked like they'd crawled out of nightmares tearing through the streets.
"So this really happened."
"Yeah. I honestly couldn't sleep easy last night."
"What exactly are those things? Mutants?"
"Monsters are more like it."
"The villains are getting more brazen with each appearance. First U.A, now this. It's unsettling come to think of it. I heard even Endeavor was in trouble."
"... You're kidding right?"
The conversation in the middle of Shibuya was mirrored across every train station and office lobby in the country. The air was thick with a collective sense of vulnerability that hadn't been felt in years.
"No, I'm serious," the man replied, pointing up at the screen. "Look at the Sector Four feed. That's Endeavor, alright. The Number Two Hero... he's flat on his back. They're saying he was paralyzed. If the guy right behind All Might can be taken down like that, what hope do the rest of us have?"
Suddenly, the news anchor's voice cut through the ambient noise of the crossing, rising in pitch as a new reel of high-definition footage began to play.
"Last night, Hosu City became a battlefield when the terrorist organization known as the League of Villains launched a coordinated attack using multiple creatures—creatures we now know are called 'Nomu.' who bear a striking resemblance to the one that attacked U.A. High School more than a month ago."
The screen split, showing six different Nomu across various districts of Hosu.
"Six of them were deployed simultaneously across the city. The immediate casualties include dozens of injured civilians with hundreds more displaced from their homes and several incapacitated Pro Heroes, including the Number 67th ranked Ingenium. The economic damage is estimated in the millions. But the death toll, miraculously stands at zero."
The screen shifted to a blurry image of Tensei Iida being carried out, his costume tattered.
"However, in a night of terror, a new light has emerged. In a stunning display of heroism that defies belief, multiple of these Mutant villains were neutralized. This is due in a large part to the efforts of professional heroes who responded to the crisis to prevent what should have been an even greater tragedy as well as several... unexpected participants."
"While authorities are still compiling official reports, we can confirm the capture of the notorious Hero Killer: Stain, responsible for the deaths of 17 Pro Heroes and the permanent incapacitation of 22 others."
Another split screen: Stain, bleeding profusely but still snarling, being dragged away by paramedics and police.
"But perhaps the most shocking development comes from the direct eyewitness accounts, and the incredible, live footage captured by Hosu City's helicopter team. The Nomu that brought down Ingenium, a creature of incredible strength was decisively defeated by two U.A High school students currently identified as—"
Kenji paused for dramatic effect, leaning into the microphone. "— Todoroki Shoto, son of the Flame Hero Endeavor, as well as Akutami Yuta, the second-place finisher at the recent Sports Festival. Both engaged the mutant villain in combat, displaying an unprecedented level of combat prowess in what should be their first debut as Hero Interns."
Everyone's gazes turned to the screen displaying a shaky but clear footage of the street during the Nomu attack. "No way. It really is a kid."
".... The efficiency is what is being discussed by experts this morning," Kenji Nakamura's voice narrated over the clip of Yuta slamming the Nomu into the crater.
"While the official hero name for these students have not been released, the online populace has already dubbed them…"
The footage slowed.
Frame by frame, analysts circled the moment of impact—the chain tightening, the sudden halt midair, the single decisive strike that followed.
".... We're joined now by quirk analyst Yamamoto Hiroshi. Yamamoto-san, you've reviewed the footage extensively. What can you tell us from your perspective."
Kenji turned to a rather aged man with a wrinkled face, bald head and a long knitted beard.
"Thank you Kenji. I would like everyone to take a very good look at this clip one more time."
The footage played again. "As we can see, this student engaged the creature after Ingenium was incapacitated, intercepting it mid-air to prevent civilian casualties before delivering the final blow."
The clip slowed.
The chain snapping taut. The Nomu dragged down. The impact.
Gasps rippled through the crowd as the crater bloomed across the screen.
"For context," he resumed once it ended, "this particular Mutant had already overpowered Ingenium, hence can be assessed as an A-rank threat with its multiple quirks. Its defeat would have required coordinated intervention from several veteran heroes under normal circumstances."
The screen changed.
Side-by-side images appeared.
On the left: Ingenium a veteran pro. Injured, carried from the battlefield. On the right: Akutami Yuta, a student, standing upright in the aftermath with no visible injuries whatsoever.
The contrast was impossible to ignore.
"So what does this mean?" Kenji asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.
"My opinion is divided." Yamamoto uttered.
"This young man .... I have followed his performance since his appearance at the U.A sports Festival. Normally, I would hail it as a miracle. However, I think it is relevant to raise serious concerns about the implications of unlicensed students displaying power on this level. This isn't mentioning his brutal fighting style ... However, .... ... It seems even more disturbing that a child was needed to step in for a situation a licensed Pro Hero couldn't handle on his own in the first place."
__
[HERO NETWORK NEWS - SPECIAL REPORT - 8:00 AM]
A split-screen showed two anchors, one in Tokyo, one in Osaka.
"—but the mystery deepens," the Tokyo anchor said. "Because this young hero wasn't the only unexpected player in last night's crisis."
New footage appeared. Sector Four. The aftermath of Endeavor's battle with the Nomu.
The Number Two Hero, Japan's second-strongest, lying motionless on the ground.
Not injured. Not unconscious.
"This footage, which has now gone viral with over fifty million views, shows Endeavor apparently unable to move. Standing over him: an unidentified vigilante."
"Sources close to the investigation suggest that Endeavor was affected by Stain's quirk—a paralysis ability activated through unclarified means. However, the Number Two Hero's office has refused to comment on this incident."
Cut to footage of Endeavor's agency. Reporters swarming. A spokesperson reading from a prepared statement.
"Endeavor-san is recovering from the night's events and will make a statement when appropriate. No further questions."
The door closed. The reporters erupted.
"ENDEAVOR-SAN! IS IT TRUE YOU WERE PARALYZED?"
"DID THE VIGILANTE SAVE YOUR LIFE?"
"WERE YOU DEFEATED BY THE HERO KILLER?"
No response.
Back to the studio. "What we do know," the Osaka anchor continued, "is that the Hero Killer Stain—wanted for the murder and injuries of thirty-nine pro heroes has been captured. But his condition raises questions."
__
[FUJI NEWS NETWORK: 8:30 AM]
"In a statement released just minutes ago, the Hosu Police Commissioner confirmed that Yuta Akutami, alongside the Underground Hero Eraserhead, neutralized a total of five high-level threats. However, the Commissioner remained silent when asked about the unidentified white-haired individual seen near Endeavor, or why the Number Two Hero was found in such a state."
__
[INTERNET FORUM: HERO-NET JP]
Thread: THE GHOST OF HOSU
User: CrimsonRiotFan: > Can we talk about the fact that a 15-year-old just did what 68th ranked Ingenium couldn't? Who is teaching this kid?
User: NightEye_Stagger:
@CrimsonRiotFan I saw this kid during the sports festival. He didn't have projectiles back then.
User: Salt_King:
Never had I ever imagined someone could do such damage with a Manhole cover of all things.
User: @MemeQuirkDaily: y'all are missing the obvious question: why does he have a MANHOLE COVER as a weapon??? 😭😭😭
Like sir, the hardware store was RIGHT THERE
User: @TacticalAnalysis: Honestly, I felt kinda bad for the mutant.
User: AllMightStan: Seriously, what are they feeding kids these days?
User: Endeavorlover: This kid doesn't look like a pro. His fighting style looks more like a vigilante.
User: AllMightStan: Yeah right. That means you haven't seen Brawlers Pro Agency. Everyone there fights like street thugs.
User: @RedEyeSpeculation: what is his Quirk though? You guys got any ideas?
User: @TacticalAnalysis: Finally, somebody noticed this. This kid showed more than one Quirk, didn't he?
User: AllMightStan: Who cares?
User: Xoxoxo: +1
User: Endeavorlover: +2
User: Ghost: +18
User: AllMightStan: I'm more interested in his hero name.
User: @MemeQuirkDaily: I know right! "Black Phantom" is a sick name. The way he just walked away after pulverizing that monster? Cold. That's the kind of hero we need.
User: @ProHeroGossip: UPDATE: Source at Hosu PD confirms NO MATCH in hero registry for this individual's description or abilities. Repeat: NOT A REGISTERED HERO.
User: @LegalQuirks: Which means this was ILLEGAL vigilante activity. Doesn't matter if he saved lives. Hero work without a license is a CRIME. Full stop.
User: @PopularOpinion: oh shut up with that legal BS. He saved 200+ people including a news crew. The letter of the law can kiss my—
User: @ModTeam: [Thread locked due to excessive rule violations]
__
Enjoying the story? Want to read ahead?
Support the novel and unlock early access to unreleased chapters by joining my Patreon!
💧 WATER TIER (5$) – Read 3 chapters ahead of public releases
🌍 EARTH TIER ($7) – Read 5 chapters ahead, with bonus lore, author notes, and behind-the-scenes content
🔥 FIRE TIER ($10) – Read 8 chapters ahead, get full access to all extras, and vote in exclusive polls for bonus content
📎 Patreon.com/Future805
Even a small pledge makes a huge difference — thank you for reading