BNHA: Spiritual Aura

"And why, exactly, should I do it?" Upon hearing Momo's request, Endeavor couldn't help asking as he glanced at the villain over the girl's shoulder. She responded in the same elegant yet cold manner.

[Because he's the Hero Killer, someone who managed to murder 17 known heroes and permanently incapacitate another 23, including the renowned Ingenium, so it's no small feat. And although you're the hero with the most resolved cases in the country, you're still a bit lacking in 'popularity', and capturing such a well-known and dangerous threat would be a great boost.]

"You're a smart girl." Endeavor commented in a slightly intrigued tone, something that greatly displeased Momo, who merely nodded and placed the villain on the ground in front of the flame hero, then spoke in an emotionless voice.

[I hope I can count on you, Endeavor. But if you're not willing, I'm sure the Pussycats will arrive shortly and help me with this.]

"… Well, I guess I can do this favor for my son's classmate."

After a moment, Endeavor spoke in a firm tone that seemed to reveal a hint of reluctance. Momo could only roll her eyes under her helmet and nod without another word, then began to walk away. However, at that very moment, two figures landed from the sky: Gran Torino and Nejire.

"'Creati', are you okay?" Upon landing, Nejire quickly asked while examining Momo's armor, and Momo answered in a much more cheerful tone.

[I'm fine, 'Nejire-chan'. Nothing to worry about. Endeavor arrived just in time and managed to defeat the Hero Killer.]

Hearing Momo's quick explanation, Nejire looked around, quickly noticing the villain near Endeavor. But upon seeing the metal collar on his neck, she turned to look at Momo with a knowing smile, just as a small display appeared on her visor, showing a text message from Momo.

[I didn't want to get into trouble, so I'll give the credit to Endeavor.]

After reading the message, Nejire nodded with a small smile in Momo's direction, then looked at Endeavor, who, without saying a word, pulled out a pair of handcuffs from somewhere and cuffed the villain. He then grabbed the metal collar around the villain's neck, melted it slightly, and removed it. This made the beautiful blue-haired girl smile once again. At that moment, Gran Torino turned to Midoriya and spoke in an angry tone, deliberately ignoring Endeavor's actions.

"What are you doing here? I told you to wait on the bullet train!"

"I'm really sorry." Midoriya quickly bowed and apologized, but then raised his head and asked somewhat curiously.

"But why are you here, Gran Torino?"

"I was capturing a villain with that girl over there, and when we finished, she said she was going to look for her mate who had gone off to save a friend, so I followed her." Gran Torino replied while pointing at Nejire, who greeted them by gently waving her right hand.

At the same time, Iida, who was observing the entire scene—seeing the defeated villain, the gathered heroes, and his classmates who had come to save him, especially Midoriya and Yaoyorozu—felt a swirl of emotions in his chest. The words of the class representative echoed over and over in his mind.

{You ask me why I saved you? If you really need to ask that, it makes me wonder how you're even studying to be a hero, Iida-san. Of course, it's because I'm a hero.}

Along with Yaoyorozu's words, Iida recalled a scene that took place moments before Midoriya arrived—when the villain had managed to defeat him with just a few blows, leaving him on the ground bleeding, while the villain stood over him with one foot on his head and his sword lodged in his shoulder. Hate and despair filled him.

+++

"My brother was my hero; he gave me a dream. He was an excellent hero, and you crippled him forever!! I will never forgive you!! I'll kill you!!!"

Even lying on the ground, Iida shouted in a voice filled with hatred and resentment, trying with all his might to get up. After all, this Hero Killer, that despicable villain, had attacked his brother, the hero Ingenium, in the middle of one of his patrols, gravely wounding him and damaging his spinal cord. This left him paralyzed from the waist down for life, ending his hero career.

Iida truly couldn't comprehend why something like that had to happen to his brother—the one who had helped so many people, who always gave his all to be the best hero he could be, smiling as he said he had to push himself like that because he had little talent and had to make up for it. Now his brother lay in a hospital bed, tied up on all sides by machines and medications, with a sad, resigned expression.

He couldn't bear seeing his brother like that, couldn't bear that defeated look on his face. Even less could he bear that his brother wanted him to inherit his hero name. That was why he couldn't choose a hero name for himself, and simply picked his given name in class. At the same time, he chose one of the most modest agencies among all those that had sent him invitations, just because it was close to the area where that villain operated—all in order to find the trash who had ruined his brother and take revenge.

But things didn't go as he'd hoped. When he finally found the villain in an alley attacking another hero, he barely managed to introduce himself as the proud younger brother of the great hero Ingenium, who had come for vengeance. Immediately afterward, he was defeated and stabbed, left at the villain's feet.

Stain, the Hero Killer, listened to the young man's declaration in silence, looking down on him with contempt. Immediately afterward, he pointed at the wounded hero who was slumped against a nearby wall, bleeding and unable to move, then spoke in a calm, cold tone—though a trace of scorn was easy to detect:

"Save him first."

The villain's words felt like a bucket of cold water to Iida, who could barely shift his eyes to look at Stain in stunned silence. Yet, the Hero Killer was far from finished, continuing in his low, grave voice.

"Think this through and save others. Don't use your powers for yourself. Giving in to hatred just to fulfill your own desires is the farthest thing from being a hero. You're just a fraud, and that's why you will die—as an offering to a better world."

+++

{Because I'm a hero.}

{You're just a fraud.}

{Would you take my name in my stead?}

Yaoyorozu's words, Stain's words, and his brother's words all reverberated in Iida's mind at once, causing tears to well in the young man's eyes as he felt overwhelmed by everything that had happened, with nowhere to turn.

(He's right—I'm nothing but a fraud… Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, and even Todoroki are the real heroes, not someone like me… I'm not worthy of carrying your name, brother…)

Midoriya was the first to notice Iida's emotional state. He quickly approached him and asked in a worried tone, prompting Iida to raise his head and look at him with eyes brimming with tears, then speak in a choked voice.

"Midoriya, why… Why did you come to save me…?"

"Eh, well, by chance I ran into 'Normal Hero', and he said he didn't know where you were. After thinking about it for a bit, I deduced that you might have run into the Hero Killer who's been operating in this area. And since 60% of his attacks are carried out in dark alleys, I focused on them and luckily made it in time." Midoriya answered with a slightly embarrassed smile, causing Iida to ask quietly.

"But why? Why did you try so hard to save me? I… because of my anger… I couldn't see anything. I'm not a hero. Just like that villain said, I'm nothing but a fraud…"

"You know, Iida-kun, I don't think you're a 'fraud' or anything like that. In fact, I'm sure you'll become a great hero. Anyone can be swept up by their emotions—this is just a chance to learn. Besides, I'd like to apologize to you, Iida-kun. Even though we're friends, I didn't notice how cornered you felt. I'm really sorry."

Midoriya's sincere and warm tone deeply affected Iida, whose tears flowed almost uncontrollably down his cheeks. Everyone present witnessed this scene with various expressions, while Gran Torino nodded with satisfaction as he looked at the green-haired boy.

(He really is identical to Toshinori in this regard… The boy will be a great symbol of peace.)

Meanwhile, Momo watched Iida for a moment, then sighed and shook her head before walking toward the two young men. Her helmet retracted and disappeared, and she stopped right in front of Iida and spoke kindly and calmly.

"I'd also like to apologize to you, Iida-san. As class representative, I didn't notice in time the predicament you were in, and I didn't offer the help you needed. But that's going to change starting now—you can count on me for whatever you need."

"Representative…" Iida looked at Momo and spoke in a low voice, prompting the beautiful black-haired girl to nod with a smile before adding.

"This is just one episode in your life, Iida-san. And just like Midoriya, I'm also sure you'll be an excellent hero… though you do need a better hero name, Tenya doesn't feel right." Momo added with a small smile. In response, Iida nodded, then stood up straight and spoke firmly, full of determination.

"You're right, Representative. From now on, I will be known as Ingenium. I will inherit my brother's name, and I will become the best hero I can be."

While everyone focused on this moving scene, Stain—who had already regained consciousness and was merely pretending to be asleep—quickly reached for a small blade hidden beneath a sort of fabric band around his left wrist, using it to break the handcuffs that restrained him.

With incredible speed, Stain turned as he stood, slashing Endeavor's thigh while simultaneously lunging toward the wounded hero he intended to kill. He reached the hero's back and put the blade to his throat. Everyone spun around to face him with grim expressions, especially Endeavor, who immediately ignited his flames, shouting in anger.

"Hero Killer!!!"

"Not so fast, fraud."

Stain spoke calmly after licking the blade, now slightly smeared with blood, paralyzing Endeavor. The flame hero fell to the ground with a furious expression while the other heroes assumed their fighting stances, their faces dark.

"Release the hostage!"

Gran Torino exclaimed in alarm, but Stain gazed at them all with bloodshot, crazed eyes from behind his captive. Then he replied in a dark, almost deranged tone, unleashing a murderous intent so overwhelming it seemed to snuff out the light and color in everyone's sight, as if they were facing an ancient predator capable of killing them all.

"Come at me, all of you—frauds. I am the one who will fix this society!! I'll restore what it means to be a hero!! None of you can do anything to me!! The only one who can kill me is the true hero, All Might!!!!"

While the heroes all stepped back, terror evident on their faces and feeling the air itself grow heavy, Stain drove his blade into the wounded hero's neck, managing to stab him deeply into a vital spot.

Just then, a horrifying pressure filled the area, as though crushing everyone's very souls—so powerful it even cracked the concrete. And at that same moment, a calm voice that seemed to come from the very depths of hell echoed in everyone's ears, somehow making them feel their souls tremble in terror.

"Shut up, you piece of trash. Can't you see you're scaring my girls?"

***

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