Luke, Knuckleduster, and Pop*Step huffed and puffed as the Nomu's head rolled away, leaving behind a bloody trail.
Iwao, instead of looking at the beheaded Nomu, looked at Dr. Blessed, taking deep breaths.
He… Iwao couldn't believe it. He saved Kazuho… He could have kept running, but…
When death pressed upon one's shoulder, it forced one's true nature out, regardless of how deeply it was buried.
Iwao had learned, had experienced it, and had seen it happen right before its eyes.
As they stood up, shaking, Dr. Blessed looked at his filthy white coat and lampooned. "Wasn't planning on doing laundry today, you know. But I hate getting dirty…"
Kazuho and Iwao looked at him, stunned.
Joke? Seriously? Was he truly making a joke now?!
However, before they relish their victory, their heads snapped forward, a chill running down their spines.
The abomination's head that had been beheaded by the mutated Jaguar was rolling on its own.
In the next moment, tiny strands of muscles squirmed out, propping it up, its bloody gaze landing on them.
Then, slowly, it began crawling forward, grinning ear to ear.
As the Jaguar growled, taking a step forward, Luke, Iwao, and Kazuho stepped back involuntarily.
"Evil…" the Nomu growled, wording their thoughts. "Devil… Kekekekekekekekek!
"My Sister's good because she talks softly? Or is She the better one because she makes others feel — accepted…"
Even without the Nomu naming her, they knew it was talking about Singularity now.
The Nomu, controlled by Conformity, snapped its evil gaze at Luke, then. "You — Traitor of this World… Sinner!" it hissed, the grin vanishing. "Do you think if you meet the Devil, it will scream at you?"
The Nomu stared at Kazuho, then. "Will the Devil pluck your eyes out and turn you into a Puppet?"
The abomination stopped crawling and planted its gaze on Iwao. "Will it claim to have stolen the love of your life? Will it break you, little by little, drowning you into despair?"
The grin on the Nomu's face returned.
"Kekekekeke!" It cackled. "No… The Devil… It whispers.
"It will sing you a lullaby, smiling at you. When you have fallen asleep, it will lie next to you, giving you warmth. And, just as you wake up, it will start choking you… slowly… slowly… slowly…
"You know what's the best part is… Keke! You will not even struggle.
"Good? Bad? Pure? Evil? You cannot put a label on Us.
"WE — JUST ARE!!!"
Luke didn't have the Clown Potion activated now.
Even then, he felt it — a bloody chill running down his spine.
With an instinct that had taken root in his body, he moved, tilted his body slightly.
In the next moment, the sword came for him, landing on his face, cracking the mask, and drawing blood.
Luke rolled over, landing on his feet with a flick of his hands.
It was Hero Killer: Stain, his eyes glowing as bloody as the Nomu's.
Luke looked behind him and saw Iwao, Kazuho, and the mutated Jaguar lying on the ground, paralyzed.
In the next moment, Stain lifted his sword and licked it.
Luke fell face first, half of his black mask falling apart, showing his black hair and a black eye, a bloody scar resting on his cheek.
"Kill the Sinner first…" the Nomu growled. "Colluding with Enemy… Did you really think We won't notice?!"
Stain walked forward and lifted his sword. However, before he attacked, his hand shook, the bloody glow in his eyes wavering.
The Nomu's eyes narrowed as it ground its teeth. "It — has not ended…"
Stain walked back and picked the head up before bolting toward the Cave's exit.
Growling, the mutated Jaguar somehow got up, tearing half its muscles. With an alarming speed, it rushed, brandishing its claw at Stain.
Blood showered as the dagger-like claws scarred Stain's back.
But, in the next moment, the Jaguar exploded with a bloody squelch, going out of the 100-meter range.
After a while, Iwao, Kazuho, and Luke regained control over their bodies as Stain's Quirk ran out.
Kazuho held her bloody hand where Stain had attacked her.
Iwao's thigh donned a scar as well, but his eyes were lying dead on Dr. Blessed's half-visible face.
A kid?! He thought, shocked, noticing the youthfulness.
Dr. Blessed let out a smile and hid the visible part with his hand. "Sorry," he apologized. "Didn't know there were Post Credit Scenes, too… Haha!"
Despite the sheer ridiculousness of it, both Kazuho and Iwao ended up smiling, before breaking out in a fit of laughter.
"We are in…" Iwao suddenly said.
Dr. Blessed raised his brow. "Are you sure?" he asked. "You almost died…"
But when Luke looked at Kazuho, she nodded at him as well, smiling.
"… It doesn't matter," Iwao said, limping. "I will certainly need more info on this… Traitor… Sinner-matter. First, we need to evacuate. I don't think this Con… is someone who will let go so easily…"
"That's a good nickname," Dr. Blessed replied with a hint of amusement. "Con. Sin. Haha! Suit them the best, I guess. Anyway, let me heal you two first. I will take care of the rest."
After another few minutes, Luke sent both Iwao and Kazuho back to Tokyo using Descorrer.
Now, he was alone.
Luke took off his broken mask and looked around at the destruction.
[… You planned this, didn't you?]
Luke's lips twitched. "Not truly, Miss Justice… I did expect a reaction from the Nomu, but not like this… not on this scale…"
[When you told Iwao and Kazuho that you wanted them to see who the true enemy is, you didn't mean All For One, did you?]
Luke shook his head, walking toward the Alchemy Lab.
[… You deliberately gave Conformity time to possess the Nomu, didn't you?]
"I didn't know it would happen," Luke admitted, walking into the lab. "I just had a… feeling."
[Luke… Why didn't you put the same restraints on Stain? Why did you truly kidnap Stain and bring him here?]
That was the question, wasn't it?
Luke grinned, holding the Swindler Potion. "I wanted to see. I wanted to confirm. Just how far They could influence Quirk users? And… could it be resisted?
"You see. The rage Stain carries within him… isn't much unlike the one Bakugo was known for in my previous life."
Then, thinking of his wife, Luke drank the potion.
And, in the very next moment, the Swindler potion was digested completely.
"Momo…" Luke said, tears streaming down his face as the gray fog overwhelmed him. "Do you see this… I have —
"— I have already become someone you hated the most. Hahahaha…"
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Volume 3 - Clown, Apprentice, Swindler - Ends!
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