Chapter 131: Missing Youmei

Finally, under the watchful eyes and murmurs of countless onlookers, the burly man was shoved into a police car by the officers, the vehicle disappearing down the road as everyone looked on.

As for Kaminari, Kyoka, Midnight, and the others, they accompanied the severely injured reporter and the young girl, who had lost a lot of blood, to Saitama Municipal General Hospital via a late-arriving ambulance.

They hadn't needed to follow along, but Kaminari insisted on seeing the girl through her hospitalization. The others decided to tag along without protest.

When they reached the hospital, the doctors and nurses, who had been waiting anxiously at the emergency entrance, rushed to the ambulance as soon as the doors swung open. They quickly helped move the injured onto hospital beds.

Fortunately, the girl's condition had stabilized somewhat. Thanks to the emergency doctor's timely intervention, a blood transfusion had been administered en route.

The reporter, however, wasn't as lucky. With multiple fractures and a destroyed SLR camera, his situation could only be described as unfortunate.

"That man mentioned Room 605, right?" Kyoka tilted her head slightly, her tone curious.

"Yeah, that's what he said. It should be on the sixth floor," Kaminari replied with a nod. Just then, Midnight, walking alongside them, suddenly asked, "So, what exactly are you planning to say when you see her?"

Kaminari froze at the question, falling silent.

"Yeah… what am I supposed to say?" he muttered under his breath. "What could I possibly tell her? That I've taken away her only pillar of support?"

"Ding!"

The elevator arrived with a chime, the doors sliding open. But Kaminari didn't move.

Neither Midnight nor Kyoka urged him forward. They simply stood by silently, waiting. The elevator doors slowly slid shut again, but just before they could fully close, a slender hand stopped them.

"There's no point in overthinking it," Kaminari said suddenly, his voice firmer now. "I'll tell her the truth. All of it. And… I'll let her know that she had a good father."

Resolute now, he stepped into the elevator. Midnight and Kyoka exchanged a quick glance before following him inside with soft smiles.

"1…"

"2…"

"3…"

The elevator ascended, the chimes marking the passing floors.

"4… 5… 6."

"Ding!"

The doors opened once more. Kaminari and the others stepped out, glancing down the hallways to their left and right before heading toward the left, where Room 605 was located.

"Here goes…" Kaminari took a deep breath in front of the ward's door, his hand hesitating briefly before pushing it open.

"Whoosh!"

"...Huh?"

But the scene inside wasn't at all what Kaminari had expected. The small five-year-old girl was nowhere to be found.

Instead, the window was wide open, and the cool afternoon breeze swept freely into the empty room.

"Where is she?"

Midnight strode toward the hospital bed, scanning the business card attached to it. Her frown deepened as she took in the surroundings. "This is her room, it's got her name on it. Kyoka's right."

She quickly approached the open window. The faint marks of dirt on the windowsill immediately caught her attention, and a sinking feeling settled in her chest.

"Someone came in through here… and took her away."

"But why?" Kyoka's brow furrowed in confusion. "The big guy said she was just an ordinary orphan. Who would kidnap her?"

Suddenly, a faint ringtone broke the tense silence. The melody, a sultry English pop song, rang from Midnight's phone.

"Midnight here," she answered. Kaminari and Kyoka exchanged uneasy glances, waiting as Midnight's expression shifted to one of shock.

"Midnight! There's been an incident!" A frantic voice roared through the speaker. "The police car transporting the 'Stone Man' was attacked! All officers and the prisoner have been killed!!"

"What?!" Midnight's eyes widened in disbelief, her voice sharp with alarm. Kaminari and Kyoka froze, the color draining from their faces.

Meanwhile, chaos erupted on a highway outside Saitama City. A police car lay overturned on the side of the road, flames licking at its mangled frame. Smoke and fire blurred the scene, painting a grim picture of destruction.

Far above the carnage, on the rooftop of a nearby building, a tall figure stood watching the inferno below. His voice was low as he murmured to himself, "Don't worry… I'll take good care of your daughter."

The man's eyes glinted with satisfaction as he gazed into the distance. "I came here intending to meet that boy, but it seems I've stumbled upon an even greater treasure…"

"Boss." A shadowy figure, draped in a black robe, emerged from behind him, holding an unconscious young girl in his arms.

"Oh? You're back," the tall man said, turning to inspect the child. His gaze lingered, and his lips curved into an unsettling smile.

"Interesting," he mused. "This child… Even after everything, she still holds onto a spark. From despair to hope, only to be plunged into despair again. Such fertile ground for hatred to bloom."

He crouched slightly, brushing a strand of hair from the girl's face. "Unlike Tomura Shigaraki, who was born twisted from the start, this girl's hatred is pure. A flower born of both despair and shattered hope."

To him, Youmei—or Tomomi, as she was called was an exceptional find. He believed that under his guidance, she could grow into something extraordinary.

"But first," he muttered, "let's test her Quirk. If it's inadequate… well, I can always replace it with something more useful."

He straightened, his gaze shifting toward the direction of Saitama Municipal General Hospital.

"And as for you… Kaminari Denki. You've given me far more surprises than I ever expected."

After witnessing Kaminari's battle with Todoroki Shoto, the man had delved into the boy's background, uncovering every detail he could. From his entrance exam to his training sessions, Kaminari's actions had been thoroughly scrutinized.

Particularly, the psychological tactics Kaminari had employed against Todoroki in their first combat exercise stood out, marking him as someone with exceptional potential.

"A genius walking a razor-thin line," the man said softly. "One misstep to the left or right, and he'll plunge into the abyss. Unless…"

He smirked. "Unless he keeps moving forward, unwavering."

Today, the man had come to Saitama City intending to meet Kaminari face-to-face. Not to capture him, of course merely to give him a little… push.

He wanted to see how far Kaminari could walk on that narrow path before finally falling. And when he did, the man planned to be there, waiting to catch him.

Though, if the opportunity arose… he wouldn't mind shaking that precarious bridge himself.

"It seems our meeting will have to wait, Kaminari-kun. But don't worry…" His gaze fell back to the girl in his subordinate's arms. "As for Tomomi-chan… you'll see her again."

His smile grew darker. "I just wonder… will it be as a partner? Or as an enemy?"

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