Wahy

"It looks like you have mostly everything settled, Power Loader. I'll make sure to forward those spare part requests as soon as possible. Though I'm still unsure as to why you don't think our current stock is enough for this year; you personally went over the quota yourself several times if I recall."

The yellow-helmeted Hero nodded at his superior's statement. "I remember. But my gut is telling me that if this year's tests are anything to measure the next round of graduates, then we're gonna have to keep our stores double-stocked. Maybe even triple. You remember what that pink-haired girl built?"

"Oh, the one with the goggles? A Miss Hatsume, I believe. Yes, that glue gun was something else. And she built it in record time! I'd have thought she had built a design like this beforehand if it wasn't for the test. Though the part with the exploding nozzle did strike as…" the bipedal rodent principal of UA High paused, his black eyes slightly widening. "Ah, I see. Don't worry, the warehouses will be fully stocked to your specifications."

"Thank you, Nezu-san."

The intelligent animal in question smiled before turning to the rest of the faculty seated before him. "Now, next on the list, we have…Cementoss, the training areas have all been given their final dusting, correct? Leading off Maijima-san's comment, I too suspect that this year's batch will require a tad more…Aizawa?"

The assembled staff turned to see the Underground Hero snoring away in his sleeping bag, drool dripping from his lips. A collective blink of befuddlement ensued as they tried to process the sight. Everyone knew Aizawa liked to sleep in, but none of them recalled him ever dozing off during a staff meeting.

"Eh, Shota?" said Present Mic, poking his friend. "You there?" The only response was more snoring. He tried shaking him, only to meet with the same result.

Ignoring the snickering of some of the staff (although he had to admit, this was rather comical), Nezu gestured to the acting English teacher. "Erm, Hizashi, could you…"

A grin grew on the Sound Hero's face and despite his sunglasses, everyone could tell the mischievous stare he possessed. "No problem." He got up from his chair and took a few steps back, prompting those around him to do the same. After fiddling with the speaker on his costume's collar, he took a deep breath and…

"HEY SHOTA! GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE!"

Aizawa's eyes shot open as he jumped in his sleeping bag and fell to the ground. He took a look around him and saw everyone wincing and grinning simultaneously. He slowly turned his head and shot a glare that could've pierced through steel at Present Mic.

The Hero in question just kept grinning. "Sorry about that, but shaking you didn't do the trick."

Aizawa kept glaring and looked moments away from strangling his friend when Nezu cleared his throat. "Now, if we're all done for today's comedy sketch, we still have a few more items to cover on the memo."

Eraserhead's expression became neutral, though Hizashi could tell that there was a hint of shame. Quickly getting out of his sleeping bag, he took his seat and the rest of the staff followed suit. The rest of the meeting passed without interruption, though grins and the odd snicker could be heard. Aizawa ignored all of it though and kept his stoic yet tired expression throughout the remainder of the meeting.

"Well, it seems like we've covered everything. I look forward to starting this academic year with you all. Good day!"

"Good day, Principal Nezu!" replied the faculty. As one, they rose from their chairs and made their way to the exit. Aizawa was about to do the same when Nezu called out to him. "Aizawa, could you stay for a moment? Yagi, you as well."

The two teachers nodded and waited until the rest of the staff left the room. Soon enough, it was just the five of them there…wait, five?

"Kayama-san, Yamada-san? I said you're free to go."

From the corner of his eye, Aizawa could see that his two friends and co-workers had not left the room. "Don't mind us Principal Nezu," Nemuri Kayama a.k.a Midnight replied, a mischievous smile on her lips. "We're just concerned for our friend here."

"Yeah, I don't ever remember him sleeping during a staff meeting!" chortled Present Mic, to which Aizawa grumbled. "This has got to be a record!"

Yagi said nothing, though he did shoot his fellow teacher a look of concern.

"Yes, this is rather new. Is everything alright Aizawa-san?"

The Erasure Hero rubbed his eyes. "Sorry about that. I didn't get much sleep last night."

Nezu tilted his head. "Oh? Why not?"

For a moment, he didn't reply. Then he sighed and looked down. "I took a… last-minute patrol. It lasted longer than I thought."

The rodent principal slightly frowned. "I informed you all of the meeting today. Why did you not sleep the necessary hours?" He steepled his paws and leaned back in his chair. "This isn't your first time in this position. Although I am always glad to see the teachers' strong sense of duty and justice, we have a far bigger obligation to our students and future Heroes."

"I know, I know," replied Aizawa, looking mildly chastised. "But the situation escalated to a level I failed to properly anticipate last night."

"What happened?"

"I encountered Shinigami."

The room suddenly filled with tension at his statement. Yagi's sunken eyes widened and his two friends shot him looks of surprise. Nezu blinked and leaned forward.

"Shinigami? Are you certain?"

Aizawa nodded. "I had to look at that annoying image again, but I'm sure of it. It was him."

Nezu hummed in thought, then gestured to some empty seats. "Why don't you all sit down?"

Everyone nodded and took seats surrounding the principal. "Start from the beginning," he instructed, taking a kettle from his spot at the table. "How did this encounter even occur?"

"As you all know, I've been helping the police along with several other Heroes to investigate Shinigami and bring him to justice. To my – no, our – embarrassment, however, we haven't been able to do much. Ever since he killed the disgraced Hero Domino, it feels like we always arrive too late." Aizawa gritted his teeth as his eyes narrowed. "Hell, half the time we don't even know if we actually arrived at all!"

"Yes, I've heard from Chief Tsuraegama," Nezu commented. "Shinigami's apparent proficiency in stealth, possible Quirk, and methods of murder make him very difficult to track."

"Isn't burning someone to ash a big clue?" asked Present Mic.

"We've only encountered two other such occurrences," replied Aizawa. "Most of the time, he kills with a strong stab or slice in various vital areas, like the heart or upper spine. If it doesn't kill the victims straight away, they die of blood loss. From what forensics can infer, he using combat knives and you know how common those are." He sighed again. "And that's just from the bodies we found."

"Found? You mean there might be more bodies out there?" asked Midnight.

"I would not bet against it" chimed in Nezu, raising a paw. "If the findings are accurate about his capabilities in stealth, it would not be surprising to know there are more corpses of his making out there. Not to mention the difficulty in confirming whether or not a knife victim was killed by Shinigami, correct?"

"There has been some progress on that part. All of his confirmed victims were stabbed with an unusually high level of force, enough to dislocate or crack the surrounding bone in some cases. We've been using that as an identification point."

Midnight crossed her arms. "It doesn't sound like a very reliable point. There are tons of Quirks and support gear that can enhance strength. Even All Might here" she gestured to the emaciated man "could stab someone with that kind of force easily if he used a knife. Not that you would of course."

Yagi waved her off. "It is fine. She does make a good point Aizawa."

Eraserhead nodded grimly. "I know that and so does the Chief. But we have nothing else. No witnesses, no security tapes, no viable footprints, nothing. It's like chasing a ghost. Not to mention the kind of people he kills makes the whole thing even harder."

Everyone's gazes softened at Aizawa's frustrated tone. Knowing that a killer like that was on the loose and nothing seemed to be working must be aggravating. Even Midnight and Present Mic, who weren't involved with the case, shuddered at the thought.

"Yes, as unfortunate as that sounds, the public isn't in a rush to report deceased criminals."

Yagi frowned at his superior. "Surely people would report a dead or missing person. I've seen such notices many times."

"Of course they would, if they were a friend or family member. But the sad fact is that society cares very little for criminals that live outside their own personal worlds, especially in this age. Considering what many families do to their own who have turned to darkness and the level to which many of Shinigami's victims have sunk to…"

The Number One Hero's frown deepened as he looked down at the floor. Was this true?

"Also, sometimes it's simply a case of masquerade. Exhibit A: Domino."

Yagi's bony fingers gripped his knees. The name brought a bad taste to his mouth. "Yes, a disgrace to the title and values of a Hero. But that did not mean he deserved to die."

Solemn looks appeared on the faces of the four Heroes and the principal. Then Hizashi piped up.

"Just curious, but how many people did this bastard kill?"

"…that was the one piece of information they didn't let me see. But it's definitely in the double-digits."

The mustached teacher drew in a sharp breath and a look of shock overtook Midnight's visage. All Might let out a soft gasp. If the police didn't release the information to the Pros…

"It's that bad?" asked Nemuri softly.

Aizawa nodded and Nezu rubbed his mousey chin. "I see. No wonder the police have downplayed his killings. If the true extent of his killing spree would be revealed-"

"Chaos. Pure and total chaos." Yagi's tone was graver, memories of darker times surfacing to the forefront of his mind. "The outcry would be nothing like we've ever seen. Panic in the streets, pandemonium, the trust people have placed in Heroes would crumble. How could they, when we cannot protect them from a killer who has claimed lives right under our noses? And that's not mentioning what the bolder members of the underworld would do in the wake of such anarchy."

While Nezu's expression was unchanged, the same could not be said for the former classmates. Even Aizawa, as stoic as he was, couldn't help but shudder at the consequences.

Thankfully, the principal took it upon himself to alleviate the tension. "Ehm, yes, a rather disturbing thought. While I have some disagreements as to the way the situation was initially handled, what's done is done. There is nothing we can do but move forward. Now, getting back on track, what happened last night?"

Aizawa blinked; for a moment he had forgotten the reason why had told him to stay in the first place. Straightening his posture, he resumed speaking. "Well, recently there was another string of murders, ones where the bodies were found marked. Detective Tsukauchi and I had doubts about their relations to Shinigami, so I volunteered to investigate the area of the latest murder."

"Did you find anything?"

Aizawa shook his head. "Nothing solid, but after going over the files, I did notice that all of the murders were done at night and they were performed in the general area. So, I decided to do a late-night patrol there. It was later when I saw him. He was standing right next to a body."

"I take it you tried to chase him down?"

"Naturally, but he got away. I chased him to a local bamboo field but he managed to lose me. I called in the police and they set up a perimeter all around the neighborhood, but no one reported anything. He got away, again." He then shook his head and let out a mirthful chuckle. "And get this: I don't think he killed the latest one, or any of the other ones with that mark."

"Wait, so we have another killer on the loose!?" Hizashi exclaimed, the whites of his eyes peeking over his sunglasses.

"Possibly."

The Voice Hero leaned back in his chair and scratched his head. "Yeesh. You never do anything half-measured, do you Shota?"

Eraserhead grumbled in response. Nezu tapped two opposing fingers together and hummed.

"I see. Well, that would certainly explain your lapse today. I'll let it go, but you have to promise me you'll stop investigating this, or at least ease up."

Aizawa shot up and met his beady eyes. "Sir!?"

Nezu sighed. "Don't act like this is your first teaching position, Aizawa. I understand your concern and rest assured, I will use some of my resources to aid this case, but your current priority is looking after your future students."

The Underground Hero held the stare for one second before sighing again. "Of course, Principal Nezu. I'm sorry about today, but I won't apologize for doing what I did."

The corners of the rodent's lips twitch upwards. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He turned to the other three Heroes. "You're all dismissed. I suggest you go over the lesson plans one last time, especially you Aizawa. From what I recall from the entrance exam, you have quite the crop this year."

-x-

"Good morning class!"

"Good morning Makoto-sensei!"

Makoto-sensei hasn't changed much over the break. It looks like she let her hair grow out a little, but otherwise, she looks just like how I remember her from the last day of the grade. She takes a quick sweep of the class and nods with a smile.

"I'm so happy to see you all this year. I hope you've all had fun during your vacation, because you're now in the 11th grade, so don't expect anything to be easier!"

A few laughs are heard. Why must you crush our hopes like that sensei?

"Now sit!"

Like the trained dog – er, students we are, we all take our seats. She flips open the notepad in her hand and picks up a piece of chalk. As she writes on the board, I idly take not of the fact that she actually stayed with us this year. Come to think of it, I remember seeing a couple of last year's homeroom teachers in the new classrooms. Executive decision maybe? Eh, I don't mind.

"Things will be a little different this year; I'll be teaching literature while Sakamoto-sensei will be teaching politics. Before we start though let's do the roll call." She clears her throat and begins voicing off the names of the students.

Huh, politics and literature? Sensei is a talented woman, treading in fields where most men sell their souls or drift into eternal slumber. Odd coming from a fan of literature such as myself, but over the years I've noticed that whenever school requires you to study a book and write something about it, it feels like the soul is drained from the surroundings and makes the whole thing as palatable as…coffee ice cream. No, that's too harsh. Spoiled cheese maybe.

Or that mystery brew that came out when I tried to cook soup –

"Ogawa, Ritsu!"

"Uh, present!"

She raises an eyebrow at me and for a moment I think that I'm gonna have to stay for another one of her lectures already on the first day of the semester. But I notice the twitch of her lips and she proceeds on to the next name. Phew, crisis averted.

After she finishes the roll call, she places the notepad on her desk and picks up the eraser again. "Good, a full class! Now that we're all here, let's get this started, shall we?" And with that, she begins her lesson.

Now, I would like to say that I'm a good student most of the time and since this is the first day of school, I would have no trouble paying attention, but as I scribble down notes, I cannot help but be reminded of the…rather interesting talk Mawla had with me, the morning after my latest mission…

(FGO Camelot - Paladin; Agateram OST: Title ~ King Hassan)

"Thy mission nearly ended in disaster, contractor. What have thou to say for thyself?"

Every word stings. The sensation wasn't new, but that doesn't mean the pain felt any lesser. I looked down at the grey sands, avoiding Mawla's gaze.

"I…" The words struggle to leave my throat.

"Speak clearly and raise thy head."

I swallowed and slowly did as he says. There he was, looming over me with those baleful eyes. My fists tightened as the dryness scorched my throat. Nevertheless, I pressed on.

"I got careless. In my confusion, I let a Hero see me and I had to chase him off."

The old grandmaster nodded. "True. Why did thou not conceal thyself immediately and retreat?"

I bit my lip. "Because of that girl. I didn't want him to catch her and by the time I wanted to grab her, she ran and I followed."

"Thou art aware that once thou were concealed there was no need to run as far you have, correct?"

I nodded. "I was just…it all happened so fast I didn't have time to properly think."

"A mistake thou shalt need to rectify. Stealth and the shadows are thine allies, contractor. Revealing thyself for even a moment to adversaries can lead to misfortune, as I am sure thou art aware. Or dost thou need a reminder of the last time thy visage was revealed?"

No, I did not. "At least it wasn't on camera," I said weakly. The Old Man of the Mountain's glare however quickly made me clamp my mouth shut.

"Excuses. Now the authorities will be on higher alert for thy actions. The only saving grace from this fact is that thou shalt resume thy worldly education in mere days' time. Thy windows of opportunity will be more limited, but thy chances of capture will lessen, regardless of thy skills."

"I also found the killer," I mumbled. Shiki Ryougi.

"Ah yes, the girl," Mawla idly tapped the pommel of his massive blade. The glow in his eyes flickered and his tone turned…contemplative, like whenever I mentioned a fact about the modern world he didn't know about. "Thou spared her life."

I nodded again, this time more hesitantly. "Y-yes."

He hummed for a moment. I took this opportunity to keep talking. "It's like what you said before. It would be hypocritical of me to kill her for doing the same thing I'm doing. And from the way I heard the guy talking to her-"

"I am aware of what I said, contractor, and I acknowledge it." Oh. Well, that's good. Only one more thing left to discuss (hopefully).

"Mawla, if you don't mind me asking, can you explain to me…or explain a little more…what was that thing I felt by the river?"

The cloaked wraith grew still at my query. And it may have been just my imagination at the time, but I swear the winds in the Valley ceased. Everything seemed to grow still.

Mawla let out a low sigh. "It is just as I have stated to thee that night, what we both felt was the veil of life and death being…tampered with."

"Tampered with?"

"Yes. I am unsure how to properly explain this but imagine for a moment that mine cloak," he raised a pinch of his dark cloak up "is the veil. It acts as both a filter and a barrier between the earthly plane and the world beyond. Jannah, Jahannam, the Valley, this veil is between them all."

Between them all? I try to ask him but he cuts me off. "Do not ask of me to explain this further. It requires an understanding that thou do not possess. In any case, what we felt is akin to this cloak," he jabbed a spiked thumb through the cloth, tearing a hole "being punctured or torn. It was only for a few moments, but the echoes of this act reverberated through the Valley and through our connection, to us."

That sounded rather ominous. "What can do something like that? And why didn't you tell me about this veil before? It doesn't seem like something you would forget."

"In reverse order, I did not inform thee because it had no relevance to thee at the time. I am the only being in this world capable of interacting with the veil in such a manner. I had no reason to believe anyone or anything else currently in this age, or at least in thine land, was even aware of its existence, thus its importance to thee would be trivial at best. Apparently, I was mistaken. My apologies." He looked up at the dark sky. "As for the how…I believe thou hast some idea as to the answer."

"…you think it's that girl, Shiki?" I mean, I did encounter her after following Mawla's directions and…come to think of it, when I saw her after that night in the market for the first time…

There was something off. "Again, how?"

"…I do not wish for thy judgment to be clouded by mine statements. Even now, I am posing mere speculation, nothing close to solid fact" He looked back down at me. "Until I have more definite answers, my advice is this; should thou encounter this girl once more, tread with caution.

An unforeseen element has entered the fray. I must dwell on this further."

Even Mawla is troubled. That's more than a little concerning. But he isn't telling me to go after her…gah, it was confusing on that morning and it's confusing now.

Ugh, this couldn't just be a simple – oops, sensei is looking my way. Better look like I'm paying attention.

…I don't like that look.

After twenty minutes, the bell rings.

"Well, that's that. Today I won't be giving you any homework, but we have another lesson on Wednesday. Make sure to review the material if you feel like you've missed something and I'm always available at recess!"

Ignoring the chatter starting to build up among my classmates, I head to the hallway for a sip from the drinking fountain. But as I press the fountain button and lean down, I hear footsteps and a familiar voice approaching me. "Out for a drink, Ogawa-kun?"

Letting go of the button, I shrug. "Might as well use the five minutes." I straighten myself up and turn around. "Don't you have another class to get to Makoto-sensei?"

She smiles at me and idly brushes a lock of blue hair from her eyes. "Just checking on one of my students. For a moment there I thought you were sleeping in my class. On the first day."

Technically I was pondering but I must avoid another lecture. Time for a classic convenient excuse! "Not at all sensei! I was just trying to get into the feel of the lesson!"

…yeah, she's not buying it. I've been subject to that stare enough times already. I try and rack my mind for another excuse but she just shakes her head and sighs. Her small smile doesn't escape me though. Please don't cause me extra stress sensei, I have enough of it as is.

"So irresponsible…" she mumbles before lifting her head back up. "How was your break?"

"It was fine. I mainly stayed inside."

"I would tell you that you need to get out more." She bites her lip and slightly looks down. "But with all the recent attacks on the news…maybe it's for the best."

Ah. I of course knew that my exploits made me (in)famous, but recently the buzz died down. "Oh, those. Don't worry sensei, I didn't do anything too stupid." It's not a lie, Mawla.

She gives me a half-smile. "That much I can count on," she looks to the side. "It just feels less safe these days on the streets. My parents call me every day lately and they're scared. There was even another body found a few days ago."

She pauses and shakes her head again. "What am I saying?" Makoto-sensei stares at me again and waves in apology. "I shouldn't bother you with that."

"Uh, no it's fine. Mom was a bit worried too."

The bell rings and both sensei and I blink. "Oh, so soon?" She gathers her bag in her arms and heads off. "Bye Ogawa-kun! Try to avoid sleeping in class again!"

"See you!" Damn it, sensei, I wasn't going to drift off! Still, I can't help the chuckle as I return to class.

The next few classes pass by in a blur. Things are already looking up to be harder than last year. Just like most students, I whine internally and take down notes. When recess comes, I head outside, ignoring my classmates once again. I find a tree and lean on it, idly taking out and scarfing down the sandwich Mom made. You can never go wrong with cheese.

As the sandwich nears its short life, I pull out my phone and look at recent news. Sure enough, there it is; the remains of my recent escapade. The article is rather ambiguous though; where and how the body was found, the searches the police took, a statement or two. But what's surprising is that there's no mention of Shinigami at all.

That was peculiar. Do the police want to keep news of my involvement on the down level? If so, what about that hobo Hero? Did he not tell them? No, he couldn't have ignored that; I heard him calling the police myself.

Any further thoughts on the matter are interrupted by a vibration in my pocket. Since I'm currently holding my regular phone, then that has to be my work phone.

I had internally debated whether or not to bring it to school and considered the various pros and cons if I did. In the end, I just said 'fuck it' and brought it along, though I did set it to 'vibrate'. Looks like that decision is paying off.

I take a look at the caller ID and answer it. "Dabi?"

"You busy?" he asks, his raspy voice audible through the device.

"I've got a little time. What do you have for me?"

"Only the juiciest bit of intel you've ever heard. I thought that they were joking but it's the real deal."

"Don't keep me in suspense then. What is it?"

"Okay, get this:" I hear him take a deep breath. "There's a group of villains planning to attack the USJ."

I blink. "USJ?"

"Yeah, the USJ. You know, UA's huge private training grounds? There's going to be an attack there."

I freeze. UA? Training grounds? Attack? Villains? There?

…

…

…okay, what the fuck!?

I take a quick look around and make sure no one's nearby. Then I sit down right next to the tree trunk and lower my voice. "I think you need to start at the beginning."

"I was approached an hour ago by this shady guy in a raincoat. He said he had an offer to make me that I would be very interested in."

"The offer was…?"

"He said he's part of something called the 'League of Villains'" I can't help the snort that escapes from my nostrils. "I know, edgy-ass name, not that you're one to talk mind you, but he sounded serious about it. He said he was recruiting Villains for a surprise attack on UA. He'd heard of my skills so he asked me if I wanted to join in. Even offered a cash reward."

"By the fact that you're calling me, I'm guessing you refused?"

"Not exactly. I said I'd think about it. He then left me a card with an address on it. He said that if I wanted to join in the fun, all I had to do was go to the address on the card two days from now. Then he gave the usual 'no snitching' line and then vanished into a pool of black smoke."

Vanished into black smoke? A teleporting quirk then; that already doesn't sound good. "Are you sure he wasn't conning you? And why are they doing this?"

"I asked him both of those things. He told me that he had a source inside that could supply him with security plans for the school. Also, I'd like to think I know how to spot a faker, and this guy did not sound like one in the least. As for the why…" his tone grew excited. "He wants to kill All Might."

Okay, this has officially entered whole new levels of shit territory. "Kill All Might!?" I hiss. "Is he nuts!?"

"Probably, but he sure as hell believes that he can. He didn't tell me exactly but he mentioned something about a 'secret weapon' made to kill the Symbol of Peace."

I rub my forehead and exhale. "What exactly are they planning?"

"He didn't tell me everything, but if I had to guess, he and anyone he manages to recruit into this mess is gonna try and catch All Might off guard when he's teaching the new students. This is around the time they'd usually be starting Hero training" he spits out the last bit but quickly returns to normal. "Whatever super-weapon they might have and the fact that All Might will be too busy trying to protect the students will help their odds a fair bit."

"He's still the Number One Hero though."

"Hey, I don't think it's foolproof either, but whoever's planning this must think so."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. I did not expect something like this. I have to commend whoever's planning this for their guts or their stupidity. UA's a place swarming with some of the top Heroes in the country and if what Jiro told me is accurate then the students are also-

Wait. Jiro!

"Send me the address now. Don't you fucking dare burn it this time."

"Don't worry, that fuck up won't happen again." A few moments later and a message notification appears. "Knew this place had a good signal. What now?"

"I'll call you, but be ready. Thanks." I shut off the phone and inhale into my open palm. This is definitely big news. I need to-

'Before thy recklessness gets thee into trouble once more, cease in thy tracks and breathe."

Oh, Mawla. I want to argue but his tone makes it that if I do, I'd be in a world of pain. I can't afford that right now. I breathe in and out a few times, sitting in the shade of the tree. In, out. In, out. In, out.

'Okay, I'm calm. Now, what is it?'

'This information is troubling, I agree. But riddle me this; what will thou do if thou do decide to infiltrate this operation?'

'Isn't that obvious? I'll gut them like fish.'

'Mm-hm. From what thy informant has told thee, there will most likely be a good number of Villains there, all congregated in a single area. While thy skills have grown, thou art not ready to deal with such numbers.'

'Okay, so I'll follow them to USJ and gut them there.'

I hear Mawla's loud sigh. 'And who else will be there?'

…oh shit. "The Heroes and the new students" I whisper. And a good chance of Jiro being there too.

I let out a low groan. Double shit, I see where he's going with this. Even with Concealment, tangling with so many Heroes and potentially fucking All Might is one of the last things I want to happen.

'Now thou see the dilemma before thee.'

'Yes, but what am I supposed to do!? If what you're saying is true, if I go I'll have to contend with both Heroes and Villains. But I can't not do something about this! Should I go to the police? No, they'll ask me where I got this intel, and that's a whole new can of worms.'

I sag against the rough bark. 'Do you have any suggestions?' I ask weakly.

'Yes. Do nothing.'

I desperately hold in my inner voice's volume as I grit my teeth. 'Can you explain why?'

'Simple. Both thee and thy informant stated that it is a fool's errand to attack this institution, on account of it being defended by these powerful warriors of the modern era. I have seen through thine eyes some recorded accounts of the feats these Heroes are capable of, especially this All Might. And thou said that the students there are capable as well?'

I scratch my chin in thought. 'Well, there's this really big event called the UA Sports Festival. It replaced the Olympics of the last age. All of the first-year UA students participate and show off their skills. I've watched it a couple of times and from what I can remember, they're no slouches. And that's not talking about the ones that make it to the final battles. There were a few there who were absolute juggernauts.'

'The Olympic games were known even in my time, despite not being practiced. Doth thou see my point? This attack will surely end in failure, therefore there is no need for thee to interfere.'

I look down at the grass. 'I thought I that when I became your student, I'd be able to stop evil."

'Thou art stopping evil, or have these last months meant nothing to thee? Sometimes the best way to catch a ravenous predator is not to build a trap, but let it wander into a stronger predator's den, where it shall perish.'

'Maybe, but how can you be sure that the stronger predator will succeed?'

He goes silent for a moment. 'I have imparted unto thee my advice, contractor mine. It is up to thou to decide whether or not to heed it.'

No further response. I draw in a sharp breath as I grip a pile of grass. As always, he makes another really good point. I can just let this go and most likely this whole operation will fail. I mean, whoever's planning this has got to be high on drugs or something.

On the other hand, this whole thing is too big of a risk to leave alone. But if do go, more problems will pop up. But the fact that Jiro might be there…

We've mainly talked through texts or over the phone, those two times at the mall notwithstanding. She seems to have a good head on her shoulders, even if our more moral viewpoints are opposed. All in all, my conversations with her were…pleasant. That's enough for me to care about her not dying.

As the bell for the end of recess goes off, I keep staring at the ground. Maybe damned if do, maybe damned if don't. Likely damned if both.

What should I do?

-x-

Ritsu Ogawa (Assassin - Hassan-i Sabbah)

Stats:

Strength: D++

Agility: C

Endurance: D++

Mana: C++ (Only when using Power of the Valley. Otherwise, nonexistent.)

Luck: C+

Skills:

Presence Concealment D++: The ability to hide from others. A poor level for any Assassin, but against ordinary criminals and some intelligent ones it works well.

Throwing (Dagger) B and Throwing (Retrieval) B: The expertise for throwing projectile weapons; in this case, daggers. His daggers have the same destructive power as firearms when thrown, typically spelling certain death for human targets. He can retrieve them to his hand with but a mere gesture

Information Erasure C++: Erases all traces of the user's identity, physical or digital, after leaving a scene of assassination. It does not hide the user's identity in any other situation, and clues can be pieced together to deduce identity. If the user's identity is discovered, then the effects of the skill weaken. Rank increased thanks to multiple exposures outside of Presence Concealment.

Power of the Valley of Death C++: A unique connection forged as a result of finding a relic of Alamut. Assassin can draw power from the Valley to perform certain skills he would otherwise be incapable of doing.

Quirk - Super-Hearing C+: A power gained as a result of evolution. Allows the user to hear precise details within a certain range. Can extend the range in exchange for loss of detail. Also alerts the user of incoming danger provided they can react to it.

Muraqubah D+: A meditative state that enhances Ritsu's connection to the Valley. If used enough times/for long enough, combat specs have a chance of increasing. In addition, it also enables ?

Noble Phantasm:

Zabaniya - Delusional Judgment Rank C+

An 'ultimate assassination technique' bearing the same name as the angels of hell, a title which all previous 'Old Men of the Mountain' used for their own techniques. Unlike them however, who were forged by extensive modification of the Hassans' bodies, this technique is a reflection of the Assassin's desire to inflict what he deems true judgment. Calling upon his unique connection to the Valley in the Shadow of Death, Assassin drags his target's soul to the Valley, where the First Hassan awaits them. Their soul is laid bare before the Great Founder and should they be found guilty of whatever sin Assassin finds them to have committed, the flames of Gehenna will burn away their soul and body until naught but ash remains.

-x-

Mwahahaha! Cliffie! Now I know what other authors feel when they write it! Here's hoping you like it!

The chapter title is the Arabic word for 'revelation'.

I've been thinking about returning to my Harry Potter crossovers, namely On Black Wings. Would any of you like an update to that?

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