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"Alright. Luckily, you didn't try to use One for All again, or you might've really lost that hand. Guess that's a small blessing in the middle of all this mess."
After using her own jacket to make a splint for Midoriya Izuku's hands, Konata Izumi finally let out a small sigh of relief.
"Oh, and Shoji, you don't need to worry too much. Even though the blood looks scary, it's just a surface cut."
"Where are you going now?" Midoriya stared at the girl crouched in front of him, carefully bandaging this wounds. He stayed silent for a long time until, just as she was about to stand, he finally spoke.
"…Is that question really that important to you?" Stretching lazily, looking a little worn out, Konata glanced down at him and smirked. "You should've gotten the message from Mandalay by now, right? I'm part of the League of Villains. From the very beginning, I was the mole planted inside U.A. You didn't know? Next time we meet, we'll be enemies… though, maybe there won't even be a next time."
"I don't believe you." Midoriya lifted his head and met her eyes.
"The facts are right in front of you. Whether you believe it or not doesn't change anything." Waving her hand dismissively, Konata looked away.
"I even told you about One for All. What more do you want from me? I know All Might's badly injured. Every day, he can only stay in hero form for a few hours. What… two hours a day now, at best?"
Resting her fingers against her lips thoughtfully, Konata guessed aloud. "All Might passed his Quirk on to you. Now he's just barely holding on with the remnants of One for All. The Symbol of Peace is about to fall. Do you understand what that means?"
Midoriya stayed silent, but Konata didn't care. She continued, voice calm.
"Of course, considering how long we've been classmates, I could tell you a little about All for One. Back in that battle with All Might, sure, he got away, but he was badly injured too. He's healing. And All Might? He's only getting worse. When the two of them clash again… whose side do you think the scales will tip toward?"
"No matter what… I believe in you." His words cut her off. Midoriya's eyes were steady as he spoke. "You could never be the League's mole. Otherwise, during the training camp incident, all of us…"
"A diversion. That's all it was," Konata interrupted, her tone flat and uncaring.
"If I hadn't done that, how else would I have gained your trust? Aizawa-sensei's trust? Even All Might's? Strictly speaking, I'm not the League's mole. I was planted in U.A. by All for One himself. And if I wanted to deceive you all, I had to deceive them too. Up until recently, the League didn't even know I existed. Back then, they considered me a dangerous enemy who had to be eliminated."
She raised her hand and counted off her fingers casually. "See? That whole stunt of mine worked perfectly. After that, every single student trusted me more. Aizawa-sensei stopped doubting me. Even All Might felt guilty toward me. Without that, how could I have gained your trust and gathered so much useful intel?"
"So yeah, you guys are way too easy to fool. But whatever. After everything that's happened at U.A., of course I'll be on the wanted list. Not that it matters—I've already prepared my escape routes. Once this mission is over, I'll head overseas for a fully funded vacation. And then… we'll probably never see each other again. Which is fine. Things have already…"
"I don't believe you."
"Believe or not, you already know the truth in your heart, don't you?" Konata shrugged and turned to look down at the dark forest below, where the fires had started to die down. After receiving her intel, Dabi had already begun pulling the League's members out. It was time for her to leave, too.
"So don't bother looking for me again. Saving you this time was just… payback for all the times you saved me. Next time we meet, we'll be enemies—no, there probably won't be a next time. Because I'm heading off on that free trip. And if they don't cover my expenses, I'll smash All for One's head in myself."
"You're lying." Staggering to his feet, Midoriya's voice was soft but unwavering. "I won't let you go to such a dangerous place. You must have your reasons. Everything can be explained. They've misunderstood you. Before the others get here, I have to stop you."
"Oi, oi, oi. First off, how exactly do you plan to stop me in that half-dead state? And second, staying at U.A. was way more dangerous for me, you know. Always worrying my cover would be blown, never sleeping properly. Especially after moving in with Midnight-sensei—she's a pro hero. If she found out, I'd be dead. Those first few days, I went to school every morning looking like a panda." Looking at Midoriya, barely able to stand, Konata let out an exasperated sigh, her expression caught between frustration and helplessness.
"Seriously, I don't want to fight you. Can you just let me go? I did just save your life, you know. Ever heard of not repaying kindness with hostility?"
Pointing toward the forest, she continued, "If I don't get back soon, Kurogiri's gonna ditch me here. That guy only ever cares about Shigaraki."
Midoriya ignored her words. Green sparks of energy flared around his feet. His arms were useless now, but his legs still worked.
No matter what, he couldn't let her leave. He didn't believe a word of what she'd said.
Somewhere deep in his chest, an uneasy premonition told him that if he let her go now, he'd regret it for the rest of his life.
"Fine, fine. You win," Konata said suddenly after staring at him for a few seconds. She smiled, letting her guard down, and walked over to him. Rising on her toes, she extended her hand toward him, a mischievous grin curling her lips. "I won't leave, okay? But don't use One for All anymore, or I'm afraid your body really won't hold up. What, you don't want to hold my hand?"
Midoriya froze, staring at the girl just inches away from him. In her eyes, reflecting the vast starry sky, he could see his own reflection. For a moment, it was like standing beneath a sea of glowing stars.
Gritting his teeth, Midoriya started to raise his slightly less-injured left hand—only for Konata to take the initiative and slip her hand gently into his.
"Hurry up and sit. The others will be here any minute. You want me to keep looking up at you while we talk?"
"A-ah, sorry!" Flustered, Midoriya sat down in a rush, only to flinch as pain shot through his injuries.
"You really need to be more careful with yourself," Konata sighed as she sat down beside him.
"Konata…"
"Do you remember why you wanted to become a hero in the first place?" she interrupted quietly, her voice calm as her eyes drifted up toward the stars.
"One for All is powerful, no doubt. But haven't you noticed the trap you're falling into? You admire All Might so much that your fighting style is almost a complete copy of his. Keep going like this, and it won't be long before your arms are permanently destroyed.
If you want to become a true hero, then stop copying others. Find your own way of fighting, your own style. For example—All Might's strength is in his fists. So you could try focusing on—"
"My legs," Midoriya guessed.
"As heroes, we need to learn to see things from different angles, to think outside the box," Konata said, puffing up proudly.
"That way, the enemy will never expect it when you headbutt them out of nowhere. Catching them off guard is the pinnacle of strategy!"
Midoriya: …
"And as a hero," Konata continued, "you also need to have good judgment."
Without warning, she pulled her hand from his and raised it in front of her. "Midoriya, do you know what judgment really means?"
"…Whether you have enough money?"
Coughing lightly, Konata leaned in close, locking eyes with him, and said seriously, "Judgment means this: never, ever trust other people so easily. Especially not some blue-haired gremlin who looks like a walking scam."
"Good night."
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"Yo, if it isn't Kurogiri. Long time no see."
When Konata Izumi finally arrived at the League of Villains' rendezvous point, a few members had already gathered. Considering that the only one she was familiar with here was Kurogiri, Konata raised her hand and called out casually.
"Kurogiri. Weren't you supposed to be with that musclehead? Why didn't you bring him back?"
Dabi frowned slightly and turned his gaze toward Konata.
"If you're looking for him now, too bad. He's probably dead. And if not, he's definitely gonna be stuck in bed for the rest of his life." Forming her hand into the shape of a gun and pointing it to her temple, the girl's expression stayed as pure and innocent as ever. "I've got a really good habit, you see. I'm pretty good at finishing things off. He pissed me off in a lot of ways and even tried to kill me. So giving him a little punishment was only fair, right?"
"Suit yourself."
Dabi gave her a blank look and turned away, his voice calm and indifferent.
These League members had been hastily gathered together to begin with. There was no real camaraderie between them. Especially for Dabi — someone whose ideology didn't match theirs dying was nothing to mourn.
"Hey hey, I'm Twice! Twice as Twice! Nice to meet you. Actually, no, not really nice to meet you."
The bizarre man who had been standing next to Dabi suddenly bounded up to Konata with suspicious enthusiasm, introducing himself.
"Hi hi, I'm Konata Izumi, Lucky☆Star's Konata Izumi. Nice to meet you. And I really mean it."
She waved humbly, smiling as she replied.
"You talk kinda weird. Are you… schizophrenic or something?"
"That's right, I— No! Of course not!"
"What's eleven plus one?"
"It's two— Wait, why the hell am I—"
"Okay, next. What's twelve?"
"It's three. Dude, stop messing with me, I'm already a wreck here!"
Konata's blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint.
"Alright, that's enough. It's almost time. All Might and the others will be here soon. We need to retreat."
Kurogiri glanced at his pocket watch and cut Konata off, his tone sharp.
"If All Might arrives before we're gone, we won't get out."
"Then why don't we just leave now instead of standing around here like idiots?"
Konata, for once, ignored the muttering Twice and tilted her head at Kurogiri.
"We still have people who haven't come back, and the mission isn't complete yet," Dabi replied in Kurogiri's place. But halfway through his words, he paused and turned to look at Konata.
"Our people are on their way back. But so are your classmates. Do you want to back off first?"
Konata didn't need the warning. She could already see a few familiar figures dropping from the sky — and among them, a masked magician in a black tuxedo.
"You kids are seriously something else," the magician grumbled as he climbed out of a crater, brushing dirt off his clothes. "Chasing me all the way out here. Unbelievable."
But when his eyes moved past the students to the girl standing with the villains, his expression froze.
"Wait… what the hell is she doing here?"
A white puff of breath escaped Todoroki Shoto's lips as ice began to form along one side of his body. He stepped forward slowly, eyes cold.
"As the class rep of U.A.'s hero course, Class 1-A… this is highly inappropriate, Izumi."
"Oh, come on. Seriously? You can still recognize me like this?" Konata lowered her hands and stared at him in disbelief.
"I want an explanation," Todoroki said flatly, ignoring her.
"Konata-chan, are they forcing you?"
Asui Tsuyu, standing just behind Todoroki, spoke up, her wide eyes full of worry.
"If they're threatening you, you can tell us. We'll help you."
"To side with evil is to abandon the path of a hero," Tokoyami Fumikage said in his usual grave tone, even more serious than usual.
Konata pressed her fingers to her temple with a sigh. She'd been about to retort when something occurred to her, and her gaze flicked between them curiously.
"Wait, hold up. If Aircon-kun is here, then where's Exploding Durian? Aren't you two supposed to be a duo?"
Her suspicious eyes landed on the magician instead.
"Katsuki Bakugo is in my custody," the magician said, pulling a marble-like object from his pocket and holding it between two fingers. After a pause, he turned back to Dabi, ignoring the girl's sharp stare.
"Mission target secured. Since all objectives are complete, we should retreat. But… only this few made it back?"
"Spinner and Magne already left. They were injured. Moonfish and that gas brat got taken down by these kids. Toga sent a message saying she found someone interesting and decided to keep undercover. As for the musclehead…"
At that, Kurogiri glanced toward Konata. And then immediately looked away as the girl glared daggers at him.
"What are you staring at, huh? Never seen a loli before? You've got zero manners, you damn villain babysitter."
Kurogiri cleared his throat, ignoring her jab. "Not dead. But… let's just say he'll never stand again."
"Exactly," Konata cut in sharply. "I kept my control. Based on my calculations, there's no way he's ever getting out of that bed again. Probably needs someone to spoon-feed him now. Serves him right."
"You were with Midoriya earlier, weren't you?"
Todoroki suddenly raised his phone, his voice cutting through her words.
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The night was deep.
The air still carried the scorching scent of burned trees, and ghostly blue flames continued to burn silently. Only now, with Dabi having stopped releasing his flames, the spread had slowed down. Yet, in the darkness of night, those eerie blue flames looked even more ominous.
Tilting her head slightly as if in thought, Konata Izumi suddenly clapped her hands, realization flashing across her face.
"So, Aizawa-sensei and the others finally found Deku after I knocked him out, huh? Oh, right, Todoroki, do me a favor and remind Aizawa-sensei not to forget that giant green onion(leek) on the ground. It's good to eat this season—"
She didn't get to finish her sentence before Todoroki Shoto's sudden angry shout cut her off.
Looking straight at the girl standing not far from him, Todoroki's words burned with fury.
"Do you even realize how many people are worried about you? You think carrying everything on your own like this makes you cool? What do you take us for? Are we not your friends? Why can't you just tell us everything so we can figure it out together? Why do you have to hurt everyone's feelings like this?"
Seeing Todoroki lose his composure, Konata fell silent.
A few meters away, the magician took off his tall hat, idly playing with the marble-like object in his hand as he stood beside Kurogiri, his voice amused.
"Compared to Bakugo, it's clear this girl is far more important to them. Delivering this little trinket for my mission was laughably easy. They didn't have the slightest guard up. Unlike that unlucky musclehead, I guess my luck's pretty good today."
Hearing those words so close, Dabi's expression shifted slightly. He first glanced at the marble in the magician's hand, then at the three students standing across from them, his eyes lingering longest on Todoroki.
"Todoroki… I think you've misunderstood something. What, is it because I still call you Aircon-kun that you got the wrong idea?"
"From the very start, I've never been 'one of you.' Playing house with you all this time was starting to bore me. The fact that I didn't wipe you all out already… that's the greatest mercy you'll get from me. Whatever I want to do, what does that have to do with you? You talk like you're someone who has a claim over me."
Above, the clear night sky suddenly turned dark and oppressive. Thick black clouds surged in, swallowing up the chaotic starlight. Thunder rumbled furiously in the heavy clouds.
Blue-white lightning began crackling around Konata's body. When the electric light mixed with the ghostly flames, it created a chillingly beautiful sight.
"You and I… we've always been from two different worlds. This is just a warning. Stop trying to dig into my secrets. If nothing unexpected happens, you won't ever see me again. My quirk can keep me off the radar, and that's my final safety net."
"You—!" Todoroki gritted his teeth, instantly raising ice walls in defense. Having fought alongside her before, he knew exactly how thick his ice needed to be to withstand her storm. But when he noticed the magician already stepping into Kurogiri's warp gate, his tension eased just slightly—though worry still clouded his expression.
Bakugo's words from earlier and the reckless plan they had devised replayed in his mind.
Truth be told, they had been warned. They should never have been captured. But when they all received that message from Konata about Midoriya's location, they understood, deep down, what it meant.
Among the entire class, Asui Tsuyu probably understood Konata best. The moment she saw the message, she knew—no one could stop her now.
When the Class 1-A elites regrouped and interrogated the gas villain about the League's mission, Bakugo Katsuki hatched a wild plan.
If no one could stop Konata, then at the very least, they had to understand what she was trying to do.
With a tracker device secretly made by Yaoyorozu strapped to him, Bakugo put himself on the line.
He was the enemy's target, but he knew his life wasn't in danger—at least not right away. With the tracker active, All Might and the pros would be able to find him quickly. No matter what Konata was planning, once the League's base was destroyed, her dangerous plans would be dead in the water.
If Aizawa had been there, he would've shot the plan down immediately. But unfortunately, Aizawa had been busy retrieving Midoriya at the time. If Iida Tenya had been present, maybe he would've objected, too—but he had been left behind at the training lodge.
So, the plan—one that normally would've been impossible to approve—passed almost unanimously, fueled by the frantic desperation they all felt.
On the surface, Konata's incoming attack seemed directed solely at them. But they knew better. They had all survived this once before, and they were sure she knew that too.
And because the attack was completely indiscriminate, even the League members had to hold back, silently tolerating the storm while preparing to retreat.
After spitting out one last cold line, Konata turned her back and stepped into Kurogiri's warp gate.
One second later, the entire area was engulfed in raging lightning.
By the time All Might arrived moments later, all that was left was devastation.
Sero Hanta had severe head trauma. Shoji Mezo suffered hand injuries. Midoriya Izuku's arms were broken, his body covered in wounds. Shoji's partner Sato had head injuries. Konata Izumi had betrayed them. Bakugo Katsuki had been taken.
That was the cost on their side.
As for the League, Moonfish, the death-row inmate, had been recaptured. Muscular had lost all motor function. Kurogiri had been captured.
The chaotic night had finally come to an end.
But a greater storm… was still brewing.
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