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…
"Sure, I don't see why not."
Shigaraki was taken aback by Suzaku's carefree answer, having expected at least a little more reaction from what should have been an ordinary teenager.
His eyes squinted, searching for even the slightest sign of fear. A shiver, a dodging gaze, cold sweat… but there was nothing.
The kid in front of him was unperturbed by the fact that his life was at stake.
Shigaraki felt his teeth grit in frustration.
He didn't like it.
The kid should feel fear. He should know that no one would come to his aid. He should know that he was helpless, and if Shigaraki so desired it, his life could slip away in the blink of an eye, his skin and muscles cracking apart under Decay.
Did the kid doubt he was telling the truth about his Quirk? Or was he simply fearless?
Shigaraki stayed like that for a beat more, in silence, analyzing Suzaku deeply, until—
"Heh… Well, aren't you a brave one."
He let out a short, amused laugh, making himself comfortable on the bench while keeping his hand on Suzaku's neck, save for one finger.
"I guess you beating that bastard Stain wasn't just luck."
Suzaku's smile stretched a little at the mention of Stain. "…Ah, that's right. You and that guy partnered up recently. Is he here too?"
Shigaraki let out a snort. "Hell no. I went on a walk because I couldn't bear to be in the same room as him and his crazy followers. Who could've thought I'd have the luck to meet you along the way?"
"Luck?"
"Hm…"
Shigaraki nodded, staring lazily off into the air.
"I've been hearing quite a lot about you for a while now. Although none of what I've heard seems all that relevant, your name does come up often during Sensei's and Garaki's talks. So I guess I'm pretty lucky to have the chance to question the one they talk so much abou—"
"Garaki?" Suzaku's voice suddenly cut him off.
Shigaraki's gaze turned back to him, eyes narrowing.
"What, so you know him?"
Suzaku didn't answer. Instead, he simply stared back at Shigaraki without an ounce of nervousness.
The brazen look made Shigaraki chuckle.
"Well, if you do, then that makes me even more curious… I was going to ask this anyway, but what is it about you that has those two so interested? You're pretty good at smacking people around—even that bastard Stain lost pathetically to you—but what else is there to it?"
Suzaku snorted, flashing Shigaraki a grin.
"How about a little trade of answers? You tell me where Garaki is, and I tell you what they might find so curious about me."
There was a moment of silence, as if Suzaku's words hadn't registered.
Both stared at each other, cold gazes locked…
Then, Shigaraki's grip on Suzaku's neck tightened.
"Oi… I've been pretty patient since I find your attitude amusing, but you're the one with your life on the line here. What makes you think you can go demanding answers?"
Suzaku answered, unfazed by the tightening grip, his red eyes gleaming slightly behind his glasses.
"The same reason you're demanding answers from me."
"Hah?"
Suzaku smile stretched.
"Your life is in my hands as well."
…
A beat of silence ensued, the two staring each other down.
After a moment, Shigaraki's eyes darted to his own hand on Suzaku's neck, tilting his head in confusion.
"You say that, but all it would take for me to kill you is to put down my last finger. Then you'd start crumbling apart like dust… So, how exactly does that equal me having my life on the line too?"
Suzaku let out a sneer.
"I don't know. Why don't you try closing that finger of yours? Let's see if you can really manage to kill me, or if you drop dead before you're even able to close it."
"…"
Shigaraki fell silent again.
His eyes remained locked on Suzaku's, unblinking, trying to stare deep into his soul.
Did this brat really believe he could kill him before he closed his last finger? What was he—nuts?
How did he even plan to accomplish something like that in such a short time?
Shigaraki's gaze darted around Suzaku, searching for some sort of hero equipment that could give him that kind of confidence.
But besides a few bags full of stuff from the nearby stores, there was nothing. The redhead wasn't even wearing his hero suit…
So what exactly was giving him so much confidence?
Did he truly believe he could kill him barehanded before he simply closed his finger?
…
"Hahaha!" Shigaraki let out a laugh.
He was starting to see a bit of why All For One and Garaki were so interested.
"Fine."
With those words, he relaxed his grip slightly—though Suzaku remained unaffected either way.
"Where is Garaki, you ask?" Shigaraki glanced around as he spoke. "He lives alongside my sensei. Ever since he got his lab wrecked by heroes, he's had to stay there, only going out to some of his other facilities every now and then to check on experiments."
"Other facilities?"
"I'm not exactly planning on killing you here, so don't think I'm giving you more information than that. I'm not that dumb."
"Bummer."
His cold gaze returned to Suzaku.
"Well, answer my question now."
The redhead smiled faintly.
"You said his lab got wrecked by heroes, right? Well, I'm the one who leaked its location. The prick had the nerve to try turning me into one of your things with the brain exposed." Suzaku tapped his head with a mocking grin. "Sadly, I broke out before he could, thanks to some unexpected help. His laboratory under the hospital was discovered after I escaped, and bam, here I am, without an exposed brain and with a bright future ahead."
Shigaraki squinted. He hadn't been all that aware of All For One's and Garaki's business back then, so it was no wonder he hadn't heard about it before.
'Still, this kid was going to become a Nomu but escaped? Hah. Isn't he a lucky one?'
Shigaraki's mouth curled slightly.
"Besides that, your sensei and Garaki might just be impressed by all the shit I've been doing lately. Beating Smudge and all that."
"Smudge?"
"Stain."
Shigaraki was at a loss for a moment before chuckling, a creepy smile spreading across his face.
"That's a good one. I might just use it when I have to see his ugly face again."
"Well, I wouldn't count on that."
Shigaraki's amusement stiffened slightly as Suzaku's voice interrupted him.
He glanced at the redhead, brows furrowing in confusion, until he saw the kid's eyes.
"I saw the video where you killed those two policemen."
A shiver suddenly ran down his spine.
This time, there was something different in that gaze.
Shigaraki could feel it. In those red eyes, the intent to kill was clear.
For a moment, his finger twitched—like his body was considering just killing the redhead right then and there—but he stopped himself before it could move.
'Did this kid… scare me?'
While Shigaraki stared at his own hand in shock, Suzaku continued.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not here trying to become some sort of avenging hero. To be honest, the deaths of those policemen didn't hit me very deep, aside from the frustration that if I'd killed Stain there and then, they wouldn't have had to die so needlessly."
The redhead sneered, his face oddly calm despite his words.
"But at least, now I know not to make the same mistake twice. When I see Stain again, I'm snapping his neck like a twig. As for you… I already got the answer I wanted, which means you have outlived your usefulness... So, don't expect to leave this mall alive."
The grip on Suzaku's neck increased again—this time not from unconscious anger but as a deliberate effort to assert dominance, to get as much of a reaction from the redhead as he had gotten from Shigaraki.
"You keep running your mouth, saying you'll kill him, you'll kill me… but how will you even do it? I know about your Quirk. It's not at all impressive. And while I admit you're strong in combat, is it really enough to stop me from killing you the moment I set down my finger?"
"Like I said, wrinkle-face, why don't you try and see? Stain had a lot more guts when it came to trying to kill someone."
A vein popped on Shigaraki's forehead, his eyes flaring with murderous intent for a second. His finger twitched, on the verge of closing.
But then, he relaxed. He closed his eyes and let out a laugh.
"You're one annoying brat, I'll give you that. If it weren't for the fact that we're surrounded by people, I wouldn't hesitate to kill you right here. Doesn't matter what use Garaki sees in you."
"Sure you would, buddy."
A pause settled between the two. Unspoken tension lingered like static in the air.
Then, Shigaraki's gaze shifted to a nearby group of teenagers. They were crowding around a stall selling unofficial Stain merchandise.
His eye twitched. He scoffed mockingly.
"Stain this, Stain that... Can you believe it? The entire country's going nuts for that guy just because of some documentary telling his life story."
"... Yeah, I honestly don't see the appeal. Guy got flattened by me without much effort."
Shigaraki snorted, though his gaze lingered on the teenagers before scanning the rest of the area.
Children playing with their parents. Couples strolling. Groups of friends laughing, carefree.
"Well, of course they'd find it appealing. They live their lives believing they're safe, that laws will stop anyone from snapping and going on a rampage... tat heroes will always stop the bad guys before anything happens. They feel so comfortable in their little shell, they even feel free to idolize an idiot who kills the very people meant to protect them. Thinking they have the right to judge from their high seats while still being protected."
Once again, his grip on Suzaku's neck tightened. This time, anger seeped through his voice.
"They're acting like he's some sort of messiah... What's so different about that guy and me? We both just destroy what we don't like. All that philosophical crap he spouts is just a cover for what he truly is and does."
He turned back to Suzaku, who had stayed silent until now.
"Since we're having such a touching little moment, why don't you tell me what you think? What exactly is so different about him and me, that people feel the need to worship his sorry ass?"
After a small silence, Suzaku shrugged, his gaze drifting to the same teenagers, who had now moved on to other trinkets at the stall.
"Who knows? I only know the guy hates heroes who are into money and status—at least, he got pretty riled up when I told him that. So I guess it's, you know, the typical villain motivation to justify their shenanigans that won people over."
"Motivation?" Shigaraki paused.
Suzaku smirked mockingly. "Yeah, saying you destroy what you don't like is too lazy, don't you think? It's like hearing a hero say they became one because they 'love justice'."
Shigaraki went silent, his eyes drifting back toward the crowd.
A long pause stretched—nearly a full minute of silence amid the mall's noisy bustle.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"All Might."
Suzaku tilted his head. The response seemed to come out of nowhere.
But then Shigaraki's smile twisted. His eyes gleamed with an unsettling light, like something had just clicked.
"He's the reason all these people get to smile so carefreely, even when someone like me could be right here, ready to start a massacre."
His grin widened grotesquely, a maniacal laugh rising in his throat.
"I see… So that's my motivation."
He turned back to Suzaku like a man possessed, flashing a deranged smile.
"What I want to destroy… who I want to kill to bring everything else crashing down… is All Might!"
A deep silence followed, none of them saying anything, until—
"…Cool," Suzaku let out a simple snort.
At his response, Shigaraki stood up. His fingers finally left Suzaku's neck.
"I have to thank you. This little walk turned out more helpful than I expected." Shigaraki gave the redhead a wicked grin.
"Glad I helped you find your life's purpose," Suzaku said with a polite smile.
With that, Shigaraki turned to leave.
But the instant he gave Suzaku his back—
"What else would you have to cling to at the moment of your death otherwise?"
Suzaku's voice echoed from just behind him, a chill rippling down Shigaraki's spine.
"...?!"
He turned around in a flash, preparing to defend himself from whatever was about to come his way when—
"Suzuki-kun?"
"Tsk."
A voice called out to Suzaku, who stopped just one step away from Shigaraki.
The latter also stopped his imminent attack on Suzaku, feeling the chills he'd been having dissipate out of nowhere. Which only left him in an awkward position, halfway reaching out to Suzaku with his hand.
After a second of silence, he stared at his hand, feeling the cold sweat run down his body. Not believing what he'd been about to do.
He'd been just about to blow his cover and expose himself just because of some nonsensical words!
"..."
'But is it really nonsense?' Shigaraki mused, staring pale at the hand that was half-reaching to Suzaku.
At that moment, he felt it for sure.
Inminent death. One he wouldn't be able to stop.
For a moment, he felt like a helpless little kid, unable to do anything as a knife fell on him.
Only for that feeling to dissipate in an instant. Magically, as if it had been a mere illusion of his.
But was it really?
'It almost reminds me of...' Shigaraki's eyes squinted as he glanced at Suzaku, reminiscing about a different person who had given him that same feeling just recently.
While Shigaraki remained frozen in place, letting his thoughts run wild, Suzaku turned to face the voice that had called out to him earlier, uncaring that Shigaraki was standing right next to him.
"So it's you, broccoli-man."
Standing a few meters away was Midoriya, looking between the two with slight nervousness.
"Uhm… Is everything okay, Suzuki-kun?" He gave Shigaraki a wary glance, then looked back at Suzaku, who looked more annoyed than worried.
"Yeah, yeah, I guess it is." Suzaku sighed, turning and walking past Shigaraki—who still hadn't moved, engrossed in his own thoughts.
Seeing him like that, Suzaku paused his walk and patted Shigaraki on the shoulder, leaning closer for a whisper.
"Hey... Weren't you leaving?"
"…!"
The cold voice in his ear snapped Shigaraki out of his daze.
He stared at the redhead for a moment, as if trying to unravel something just by looking at him.
But ultimately, he shook his head, dismissing the thought, and turned around, hands in his pockets, hood pulled low over his face.
Still, just before he vanished into the crowd, he paused and gave Suzaku one final look.
"I'll admit, you're one interesting brat… But get this, the next time we see each other—and believe me, it'll be soon—there'll be no more ceasefire. So you're no longer gonna be able to run your mouth like today... Not with me making sure to kill you."
Suzaku gave him a small smile. "Sure. When we do, make sure to bring everyone else in that band of yours along. I wouldn't want to miss a single one of you."
Shigaraki gave a low grunt and disappeared into the crowd.
Once he was gone, Midoriya quickly approached, his expression full of concern.
"T-that guy… wasn't he the one who appeared on TV? The leader of the League of Villains?"
Suzaku raised an eyebrow, then remembered Mr. Protagonist and Wrinkle-face hadn't met yet, unlike the show.
He shrugged. "I guess. He has the same ugly face."
Midoriya's eyes widened in panic. "Were they here to kill you?! Stain said publicly he was targeting you—should we call the police before more of them arrive?!"
Suzaku patted his shoulder with a blank expression.
"Chill. He's already gone. Apparently, I just had the bad luck of running into him while we were both out."
"I-Is that so?" Midoriya asked, still looking shaken as he glanced at the empty spot where Shigaraki had been.
After a bit, he seemed to calm down. He turned back to Suzaku, noticing he had fallen into thoughtful silence.
"Are you okay, Suzuki-kun? Did he do something to you?"
Suzaku blinked, then let out a short laugh. He gave Midoriya a calming pat on the shoulder.
"Yeah. Don't worry, kid. You did well today."
His smile widened faintly, though despite that, he didn't sound very happy.
"You saved a life today."
...
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-To be Continued…-
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(A/N: Shigaraki managed to keep his neck intact thanks to the fated protagonist's unknowing help. Who could have guessed the turns life takes?
Now onto more meta talk, I still have plans for him, so he ain't dying just yet. That may not apply to everyone, though...
Anyway, we're finally entering the training camp arc, which, if everything goes as planned, should be one of the most important arcs in this story. You'll see why.)
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