Chapter 8

Manami Aiba walked briskly down the hall, clutching a folder of documents destined for Faruzan's office. As she passed by, she spotted her close friend Jin standing near the door.

"Jin!" she called out with a bright smile.

Jin looked up and smiled back. "Oh, hey Manami. How've you been?"

"Good! Just bringing these to Madam Faruzan. What about you?" she asked cheerfully.

Jin leaned in, lowering his voice. "I just saw one of the new hires flirting with Madam Faruzan."

Manami's eyes widened in disbelief. "Seriously?" she whispered back.

Jin nodded. "Yeah, and from what I've heard, it's been going on since he started. She's losing her patience."

Just as Jin finished speaking, a loud crash echoed through the hallway. "NO SENSE OF RESPECT!" Faruzan's furious voice thundered from her office.

Manami and Jin peeked around the corner to witness the new hire cowering as a swirl of wind gusted around Faruzan.

"If you think you can waste my time flirting instead of doing your job, you're sorely mistaken!" she snapped, raising her hand. "YOU'RE FIRED!"

With a fierce gesture, the wind whipped through the office, sending the man flying into the wall with a resounding thud.

Manami shook in fear at the display of power. "Jin… I'm scared…" she whispered, only to realize Jin had disappeared without a word.

'Don't leave me!' she screamed internally.

"Manami!" Faruzan's voice called out suddenly. Manami jumped, stepping out from behind the corner, trembling slightly.

"I-I have the reports you requested!" she stammered, holding out the papers with shaky hands.

Faruzan took them with a calm smile, as though the entire scene hadn't just happened. "Thank you, Manami. Please draft a termination letter for Takeshi," she added, nodding toward the man still slumped against the wall.

"I… I will," Manami said, eyeing the poor guy before turning to leave. "I didn't know you had a wind quirk like the boss."

Faruzan laughed lightly. "Oh, that? I don't use it often, but it comes in handy when needed."

Manami gave a nervous nod and hurried off to prepare the paperwork, glancing back at the defeated new hire still embedded in the wall.

===========================

"Wanderer and Faruzan stepped out of a studio, Wanderer rubbing his temples as they walked toward a car.

"I still don't understand why you made me do that," he grumbled, looking slightly annoyed.

"They practically begged me to get you on board," Faruzan replied, shrugging. "They want you in the new Super Smash Heroes game."

"Don't they already have six of those?" Wanderer frowned, vaguely remembering the franchise from seeing it online.

"They do, but this one features newer heroes like you," Faruzan explained as they got into the car.

"…Was it really necessary for me to explain my entire moveset?" Wanderer sighed, slumping in his seat.

"Yes, because they need it to implement you properly," Faruzan said, glancing at him. "Also, you'll need to be involved when they design your trailer's soundtrack."

Wanderer stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Fine… but I want to create the music myself."

Faruzan blinked, surprised but impressed. "I… I'll talk to them. I'm sure they'll agree."

===========================

A few months later, at Aldera Middle School, excitement buzzed through the classroom as students huddled around a tablet. "They just released the newest trailer for Super Smash Heroes!" one student shouted excitedly.

With the teacher absent, a crowd formed quickly, everyone eager to catch a glimpse of the new game. Katsuki Bakugo, being a huge fan, shoved someone aside to get a better view.

"Man, the graphics look insane!" one of the students commented.

The screen darkened, and a soft blue crystal appeared in the center. Then, a familiar voice spoke: "In that case, I'll take some time to myself now."

The students erupted in cheers.

"He's in the game!" someone yelled, unable to contain their excitement.

"And the music is fire!" another boy exclaimed, bobbing his head to the rhythm of the intense soundtrack.

Bakugo grinned widely, his admiration for the Wind Hero growing with every second of the trailer. Ever since Wanderer's debut, Bakugo had looked up to him almost as much as All Might. Wanderer was strong, undefeated, and traveled all over Japan, fighting villains and keeping the peace.

"That's exactly what I'm gonna do," Bakugo muttered to himself, eyes fixed on the screen.

Meanwhile, Izuku Midoriya stood on the rooftop, watching the trailer on his phone with wide eyes. "I need to get this game," he whispered to himself, excitement could be felt in the boy's tone.

===========================

Wanderer stood atop a high-rise, the wind tugging at his clothes as it swept across his face. These moments—silent, unbroken by the noise of the world below—were rare, and he savored them.

"Ah, Wanderer!"

His peace shattered with those words.

Turning his head, he saw the one responsible for disturbing his solitude: the Symbol of Peace, All Might, beaming with his signature smile.

"What are you doing here?" Wanderer asked, his voice flat, no attempt to hide his annoyance.

"I was in the neighborhood!" All Might's grin stretched even wider, as if that explained everything.

Wanderer sighed and turned back to the skyline. "You don't need to put on an act. I know about your other form."

The smile wavered. All Might blinked in surprise, then let out a long sigh. His body deflated, shrinking down to his true, gaunt form, the larger-than-life hero now looking frail against the night sky.

"How long can you keep it up?" Wanderer asked, glancing at him from the corner of his eye.

"Five hours, give or take." All Might scratched the back of his neck, his voice softer, more human.

"Then don't push it," Wanderer said, his tone blunt, but not without a trace of concern.

"I've heard that before…" All Might muttered. He paused, then, with a curious tilt of his head, asked, "What's your real name?"

Wanderer didn't flinch. "You already know my name."

All Might frowned, confused. "That's your hero name."

"And that's all you're getting," Wanderer replied, his voice as distant as the horizon.

A quiet fell between them, the only sound the steady hum of the city below. The two heroes stood in companionable silence, surveying the sprawling streets.

"...Why did you become a hero?" All Might's voice broke the stillness, his tone curious but respectful.

Wanderer opened his mouth to answer, then stopped. The simple truth came to mind first: he became a hero to use his power without interference from the law while searching for clue to go back home. But He didn't have to save people, yet he did. Time and again, he found himself pulling strangers from the edge of despair.

Because once, a long time ago, he wished someone had done the same for him.

"...That's for me to know," Wanderer finally said, his voice quiet, almost vulnerable.

All Might nodded, sensing the weight behind those words. "Fair enough. Still, you've become quite the hero. Maybe one day you'll surpass me." He smiled, but this time it was softer, more genuine.

Wanderer didn't respond. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, as if seeing something beyond what was there.

After a moment, he stepped toward the edge of the building. "I need to go."

Without waiting for a reply, Wanderer leapt into the air, disappearing into the night, leaving All Might standing alone on the rooftop.

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A few months had passed, and Wanderer is now facing an unexpected dilemma.

There's a dispatch call that a villain infiltrated a middle school, where a student had been viciously attacked. When he arrived, he found a blonde girl, her lips stained red, sucking blood from a boy who lay limp in her arms. The crazed glint in her eyes made it clear that she was far from stable.

After a brief struggle, he managed to separate the two. Burnin, his sidekick, took the injured boy to the ambulance outside while Wanderer stayed with the girl.

"Where's the villain?" a nearby officer asked Burnin as she handed the boy over to paramedics.

"Inside with the boss," Burnin replied, walking back toward the school's entrance. "I'm going to assist him."

Inside, Wanderer stood before the girl, whose wild eyes darted between him and the pool of blood on the floor. Her manic grin revealed sharp, gleaming teeth.

"Blood… I want to taste your blood," she giggled, licking her lips.

Wanderer's eyes narrowed. "What's your name?"

The girl lunged at him with alarming speed, but Wanderer easily dodged, his movements calm and deliberate.

"I'm Himiko Toga! I want us to be closer," she purred, her smile growing wider. The insanity in her voice was palpable.

"You're not in control right now," Wanderer said, observing her. It wasn't hard to deduce—her quirk clearly had an unhealthy connection to blood, and the craving was driving her mad. "You need blood to stay sane." Unfortunately, he didn't have any.

Before he could react further, Burnin rushed in, grabbing a lock of Toga's hair.

"STOP!" Wanderer's voice boomed through the room. Burnin froze mid-throw, staring at her boss in shock.

"What—?"

"Don't," he commanded, holding Toga firmly from behind, preventing her from moving. "I need your blood."

Burnin blinked, her confusion evident. "My… blood? Boss, are you sure?"

Wanderer's eyes met hers, firm and resolute. "Trust me."

After a brief hesitation, Burnin nodded and extended her arm toward Toga. Without wasting a second, Toga latched on, sinking her teeth into Burnin's arm and drinking deeply. The crazed frenzy in her eyes slowly dulled as she drank, her frantic movements settling until she finally went limp in Wanderer's arms.

Toga pulled back, her lips trembling as tears welled up in her eyes. The manic smile was gone, replaced by a look of confusion and fear. Burnin, staring at the girl, realized she wasn't looking at a villain anymore—just a lost, scared child.

"We're taking her to the agency," Wanderer said, lifting Toga into his arms as she clung to him. "Call Manami. I want a full background check on the Toga family."

Burnin nodded, already pulling out her phone as she followed Wanderer out of the building.

As they stepped outside, they were met by the police.

"Well done, sir. We'll take her from here," an officer said, reaching for Toga.

But Wanderer didn't budge. His cold glare froze the officer in place. "This girl is suffering from malnourishment due to a quirk-related condition. The lack of proper care pushed her into a crazed state. I'm taking her to my agency for treatment. Until further notice, she remains under our care."

"THAT MONSTER NEARLY KILLED MY SON!" A woman's voice rang out from the crowd, filled with rage. The boy's mother, no doubt.

Wanderer shot a glance at Burnin. "Get the mother's information," he ordered before addressing the woman. "My agency will cover all medical expenses for your son."

Without waiting for a response, Wanderer shot into the sky with Toga, leaving the crowd and officers behind.

As they soared through the air, Toga's quiet voice broke the silence. "Why… why did you help me?"

Why...

Wanderer didn't answer right away, his eyes focused ahead. The truth was simple.

"Because you needed help."

===========================

Later, in his office, Wanderer stared out the window, his thoughts simmering with anger. Behind him, Toga slept on a couch, while Manami, Faruzan, and Burnin stood around a table, reviewing the details of Toga's past.

"…Is this true?" Wanderer asked, his voice low but charged with fury.

Manami nodded, her expression grim. "The cameras in the house confirmed it. Her family didn't try to help her manage her quirk. They suppressed it, trying to make her 'normal.'"

Faruzan's arms were crossed, her expression unreadable but tense with anger. "They let her spiral."

Wanderer's fist clenched. "File a lawsuit. I want this girl out of that family's hands."

"But where will she go?" Burnin asked. "The foster system might be even worse for her."

"I'll take her," Faruzan said suddenly, stepping forward.

Wanderer's gaze softened for a moment, then hardened again. "Good. Make sure those people are punished."

===========================

Weeks passed.

The legal case of the Wanderer Agency Vs the Toga family was all over the internet.

People were calling Toga a monster but when the neglect of the parents were brought to life, the monster title was shifted to them.

People tend to forget that quirks altered the human body, making it so that certain needs had to be met for the body to function properly.

That's what happened to Himiko.

Some people still labeled her as a monster, even the family of the boy she maimed.

Fortunately, the boy survived.

Unfortunately, the family of the boy was insisting that Himiko be arrested.

While he was out on patrol, he was asked about why he was trying so hard to protect the girl.

"Let me answer that with a question of my own." Wanderer crossed his arms. "If a man has a quirk that requires him to eat iron, not the vitamin but the actual mineral, would you give him the mineral to survive?"

The reporters murmured amongst one another.

"Himiko Toga was a similar case, she needed blood to survive, to stay sane, but her family, desperate to make her Normal." Wanderer emphasized on the word normal. "They neglected her needs and she had to resort to animal blood, small birds, small animals. But she needed more, she is a growing girl and she was deprived of a substance that she needed, now she's being labeled a villain for being neglected by her horrendous family?" His expression turned into one of disgust.

"When a tamer, starves a lion of meat and then forces the lion to behave around a whole pack of sheeps. Who do you blame when it attacks?" Wanderer asked, his eyes on the camera. "Ask yourselves that and then make your choice, if you pick the lion, I pity your education system." With that he shot into the sky.

Even All Might made his comment when he caught wind of this.

"I agree with my fellow hero, a villain isn't born, a villain is made, same as a hero! Sometimes there are trying times where it's too much to handle and you snap, you need people to help you out of that hole. Wanderer is trying to help a girl who's been neglected and the incident could've been avoided if the girl hadn't been neglected!"

===========================

Another two weeks passed and the parents were charged with child neglect.

Himiko was so happy when the motion was passed.

Faruzan then adopted Himiko.

"What will you do while you're in the office?" Wanderer asked, confused as they were in his office with Manami tending to Himiko.

"What do you mean, she's going to be with me while I work." Faruzan put her hands on her hips.

"What?!"

"Don't worry, I'll have Jin look after her!"

"My Agency is NOT a Daycare!" Wanderer exclaimed.

"I need to keep an eye on Himi!" Faruzan argued.

Himiko was sucking on a blood pack like a juice box as she watched the two argue. "Is this normal?" She asked.

"Sometimes, she really gets under his skin." Manami responded.

Just another day in the office.