Kagero Okuta could recognize talent when it was presented to him, something that became evident when he reviewed the website that several of his clients had recommended. He decided to take the time to explore it thoroughly.
Clicking the link, she didn't expect much; she quickly scanned the terms and conditions before reaching the section that interested her: orders. She was struck by the organization into four areas, each requiring a payment for access. This structure indicated that whoever was behind the site had profitability in mind from the start, giving her clues about how the conversation might unfold when she contacted them. This intuition fueled her curiosity: the person on the other end spoke her language.
He then decided to go to the villains section, regardless of the initial price, which turned out to be cheaper than he expected. The private chat opened, but the response wasn't immediate. He lit a cigarette while he waited, thinking that, with a site like this, the service should be fast.
It wasn't until the first cigarette burned completely and he lit a new one that he finally received an answer:
— Excuse my delay, how can I help you?
— I see you chose the villains section. What would you like to know about them? Or which villain would you like to learn more about?
Kagero frowned as he typed his next message: — I was recommended this page for the information, but the service… leaves much to be desired.
The answer came almost immediately: — Again, I apologize for the delay. The number of orders is high and it takes me time to respond, but don't worry, we're improving.
"He works alone, doesn't he?" Kagero blurted out, searching for any weak point, any detail that would reveal the personality of the page's creator.
— I am not available to answer that.
"Are you going to want the information or not?" Kagero retorted, noticing a slight hint of irritation in the response. "Rude... seems I touched a nerve," he thought, mentally noting each reaction.
After several notes, Kagero asked what he really wanted: — I'd like to know what you have about "Giran".— Someone complex and interesting. What initial fragment would you like to know? If you reviewed the entry clauses, you'll understand that any additional details require an extra payment.
— I understand. Something general is fine for now.
Giran is the alias given to one of the underworld's most powerful intermediaries, which is why he appeared in the villains section. Even so, he is considered impartial and loyal to his clients—including vigilantes. He is known to avoid dealing with people he dislikes, and despite his eccentric tastes, he possesses exceptional intelligence and intuition.
His range of weaponry, support equipment, contacts, financing, and information was surprisingly broad, so his business dealings were well known, as long as the contractor met the right price, whether in favors or money, the latter being his primary method of payment.
After finishing that description, Izuku was already thinking about adding a section on Vigilantes, since he had come across that information several times. However, his plans were derailed when he received the following response:
— Just like yours.
— That's an interesting initial overview, Nobody's Secret. You have a future in the world of information if you continue down this path.
— Thank you for the compliment.
— Giran
The cigarette slipped from the older man's lips, surprised to see the letters of his nickname on the other end of the chat. He hadn't revealed his identity at any point, and the account he was using gave no clues as to who he was. Giran turned to his computer's camera, noticing that it was on.
I was about to reply when the camera suddenly turned off, followed by a lock message that appeared on the screen: a GIF of a ghost with rabbit ears making the shushing gesture, accompanied by the text"blocked by suspicious".
The man chuckled at the detail, acknowledging the audacity of the young man behind the page. "Interesting move," he murmured to himself as he picked up one of his several disposable phones to dial one of his contacts.
Izuku, for his part, wasted no time. He checked his secure connection, saved the intermediary's photo, and bookmarked the user before leaving the internet café.
Although he knew the intermediary was dangerous, he also understood that it could be a useful resource in the future.It wasn't the first time he'd sent messages like that, with slight variations. Ever since his website started gaining popularity, he'd received threats from those who wanted to keep his information secret. So, using a new program, he could discreetly activate computer cameras and take pictures of whoever was on the other end. With this, he'd been building an ever-growing list, which gave him a sense of control and security that he was beginning to enjoy.
That incident made him a little more paranoid, so he periodically improved the security level of his website. This fascinated Nezu, who saw each new obstacle as a challenge, while Detective Tsukauchi began to show signs of frustration.
At first, the website seemed insignificant. A few low-ranking heroes and police officers began using it, either out of curiosity or on the recommendation of someone who had stumbled across it. It helped them gather information and advance their cases.
However, upon discovering that the information was far more complex and comprehensive than they had imagined, they realized that their exposure could be riskier than they had suspected. The only option seemed to be disabling the website.
Or at least, that's what they tried to do.
After several failed attempts by their own experts, they realized that disabling the page was much more complicated than they had expected. They had no choice but to ask for help from the director of UA, who, far from being discouraged, saw it as a challenge he couldn't refuse.
"Is it still the same?" Aizawa asked, entering the investigation office with two coffees in his hand, freshly taken from the police station's machine.
"The creator of this website is extraordinary," Nezu replied without taking his eyes off the screen or stopping the tapping of his paws. "He's constantly updating his defenses, and every hacking attempt makes them even stronger. It's simply fascinating."
"Your fascination with the website makes me doubt you really want to take it down," the detective replied, gladly accepting the coffee Eraser handed him. "Thank you."
"My interest in this site and its creator doesn't mean I don't understand the risks involved," Nezu countered, glancing up from his computer for a couple of seconds before returning to his work. "Nor does it mean I can't praise good work."
As if it had summoned something, the crawl stopped upon reaching another counterfire, different from the previous ones that returned it to the beginning. This time, the first pageIt caused a freeze, then glitched and ended with a black screen. After a few seconds, a window appeared with a photo of the three of them and the caption: "stop trying."
Before they could react, a flicker of light flashed and dozens of ghost rabbits covered the entire screen, repeating the phrase from the photo in a shrill voice.
"Apparently, he has already developed the ability to create viruses," said Nedzu, clapping with total fascination and amusement, displaying a smile that bordered on the psychopathic.
"Why are you happy about that? Aren't you worried about the photo or the damage to your equipment?"
Tsukauchi complained, genuinely concerned about the situation.
"Not at all," the rodent replied calmly. "If his intention was to threaten us, he wouldn't have sent the photo. It's just a warning to leave him alone, and the virus is more of a joke than any real harm."
"What do you plan to do?" Aizawa asked, trying to remain calm, although he wasn't entirely reassured that the identity of his underground hero might be in danger.
"Just to meet him," Nedzu replied calmly. Even so, Eraser could see a dangerous glint in his eyes; something had completely captured his interest.
"Should I be worried about that?" Tsukauchi asked, imagining the implications of the rodent's words.
"I think so," Aizawa stated seriously, without taking his eyes off the screen.
Could you give me some power stones? :)
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