Chapter 181- Interrogating Suspects

The heroes escorted the suspect and Eri to a secure interrogation room at the Hero Public Safety Commission's headquarters. The room was stark and sterile, with a large table in the center and a one-way mirror on one wall.

The air was tense with anticipation as the heroes prepared to question the man about the explosion and Eri's kidnapping.

Eri sat on a chair next to the suspect, her small frame dwarfed by the furniture. Her wide eyes scanned the room, appearing nervous and unsure. The suspect, however, sat with a peculiar calmness, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

All Might, Eraser Head, and Detective Naomasa were present for the interrogation, along with Sir Nighteye who had been monitoring the situation closely. They were determined to get to the bottom of what had happened and ensure that Eri was safe.

Naomasa began the questioning, his tone measured and professional. "You were found near the scene of the explosion, injured and with this girl. Can you tell us your name and why you were at the Shie Hassaikai hideout?"

The suspect remained silent, his eyes staring straight ahead as if he didn't hear the question. Naomasa repeated himself, but there was no response, not even a flicker of recognition.

Eraser Head, growing impatient, leaned in. "We know you were involved in the explosion. You need to tell us why you did it. What were you after?"

Again, there was no response. The suspect's silence was infuriating, and his smirk only served to deepen the heroes' frustration. All Might, always the voice of calm and reason, tried a different approach.

"You seem to be protecting something," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "We're here to help. If there's something we need to know, now is the time to tell us. We can make sure Eri is safe."

At the mention of Eri's name, the suspect's smirk widened into a full-blown grin. He turned to look at the girl, who was now smiling back at him with an unsettling expression. The heroes exchanged worried glances, sensing that something was terribly wrong.

"Do you want to know why we did it?" the suspect finally spoke, his voice low and chilling. "Why we blew that place up and left no trace behind?"

The sudden shift in the suspect's demeanor caught the heroes off guard. They leaned in, eager to hear what he had to say. Sir Nighteye, watching from behind the one-way mirror, felt a growing sense of dread.

"Yes," Naomasa said, his voice steady. "Tell us everything."

The suspect leaned back in his chair, his smile never wavering. "We did it because we had a message to deliver. A message from our master, Thanatos."

The room fell silent. The name sent a shiver down everyone's spine. Thanatos was a notorious figure, known for his ruthless tactics and mysterious motives, someone who had caused so much chaos in the past year, that by now everyone in the police and the heroes knew his name. His name alone was enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the bravest heroes.

"What does Thanatos want with Eri?" All Might demanded, his voice tinged with urgency. "Why take her and blow up the hideout?"

The suspect chuckled, a dark and eerie sound that echoed in the room. "Thanatos has plans for this world, plans that you heroes can't even begin to comprehend. Eri is a part of those plans, a very important part. He'll take good care of her. You don't need to worry about that."

Eraser Head's eyes narrowed. "You're saying Thanatos is behind all of this? What are his plans? What does he want with Eri?"

The suspect's smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of sinister amusement. "You think you can stop him? You think you can stop us? Thanatos is everywhere, in every shadow, in every whisper of the wind. You can't stop what's coming."

"You're delusional if you think we'll just let this go, plus we have Eri here with us." Eraser Head snapped. "We'll find Thanatos, and we'll stop whatever he's planning as well."

The suspect shrugged, his expression indifferent. "You can try, but it won't matter. Thanatos is already ten steps ahead of you. While you're busy chasing shadows, he's already set his plans in motion."

The tension in the room was palpable. The heroes knew they were dealing with something far more sinister than they had anticipated. Eri, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke, her voice eerily calm.

"Master Thanatos is already ahead of you, did you think someone like him who knows the true potential of Eri's quirk will leave her to be caught by you guys?" she said, her words sending a chill through the room.

Eri who's voice changed from a little girl's to that of a man in the middle pressed a switch and was back to his original state, a thirty year old muscular man

The transformation of Eri into a muscular man left the heroes in a stunned silence, their faces filled with shock and disbelief. The man, smirking and adjusting to his true form, casually leaned back in his chair. The heroes were rooted in place, the unexpected turn of events paralyzing their thoughts.

"What's the matter? Did you really think you had everything under control?" the man taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "Thanatos knows your every move. You can't hide from him, and you certainly can't find him either."

Eraser Head's usually composed face twisted in frustration. "Where is Eri?" he demanded, his voice edged with desperation. "What have you done with her?"

The man chuckled, an unsettling sound that seemed to echo through the room. "Eri is safe, safer than she ever was with Chisaki, and even more safer than she could be with you lot. And you can forget about finding her. Thanatos has eyes everywhere, and he's always a step ahead."

All Might's hands clenched into fists. "You think you can just waltz in here and spout threats? We'll find Thanatos, and we'll bring Eri back!"

The man leaned forward, his expression darkening. "You heroes are so predictable. Always thinking you're the saviors, the ones in control. But Thanatos... he controls the game, and you're just his pawns."

"Enough of your games," Naomasa interjected, his voice hard. "Tell us where Thanatos is and what he wants with Eri."

The man merely shrugged. "You wouldn't understand even if I told you. But know this—Izuku Yagi is alive and working with Thanatos. You'll never find him, just like you'll never find Eri."

The mention of Izuku sent a ripple of shock through the room. All Might's eyes widened, his heart sinking. "Izuku... alive? No, it can't be."

"Oh, but it is," the man replied with a wicked grin. "Izuku's with us now, and thanks to him, Thanatos knows everything about you. Every hero, every quirk. You're all just sitting ducks."

Before the heroes could react, the man pressed a button on his belt. In an instant, he and his accomplice vanished into thin air, leaving behind an eerie silence. The heroes stood there, their expressions reflecting a mix of horror and disbelief.

"We didn't mishear that, did we?" Naomasa's voice trembled slightly, breaking the heavy silence.

Eraser Head shook his head slowly. "No, we heard right. Izuku is alive, and he's with Thanatos."

"We need an urgent meeting," All Might said, his voice carrying a weight of urgency and guilt. "If Thanatos has Izuku, then every hero is at risk. He has information that could destroy us."

As the heroes gathered in a nearby conference room, the atmosphere was grim. Nezu, Gran Torino, and other top heroes joined the discussion. The room buzzed with anxiety and tension, everyone acutely aware of the gravity of the situation.

"Thanatos is not just a threat because he's elusive," Nezu began, his usually calm demeanor strained. "With Izuku on his side, he has unparalleled knowledge about our quirks and tactics. We're vulnerable."

Gran Torino looked sharply at All Might. "How could you let this happen? Your negligence has put us all in danger."

All Might's shoulders slumped, his face etched with remorse. "I didn't know... I never imagined... This is my fault. I should have been more vigilant, I shouldn't have discriminated against my sons, I should have acted as a father, I should have treated my son nicely."

"Blaming yourself won't solve anything now," Naomasa interjected sternly. "We need to focus on the threat at hand. Thanatos has Eri and Izuku, which means he has access to two immensely powerful powerhouses, one has enough knowledge to destroy the hero society, while the other is someone who's quirk is mystery and we know nothing about it. We can't afford any more mistakes."

Sir Nighteye, who had been silent, finally spoke. "What's all this about Izuku being alive, with Thanatos and most importantly who is Izuku? Is there something about which I wasn't informed?"

[Author's Note:

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