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No one knew what Konata Izumi and All For One had talked about. Even Shigaraki Tomura didn't know, but when the call ended and Konata came back in, her expression was as sour as if she'd just swallowed a fly.
Konata herself had no idea what All For One was thinking, making up such a ridiculous identity for her. Daughter? Daughter your sister's husband, you bastard. No wonder everyone was looking at her so strangely—turns out he'd gone and slapped that identity on her. Like hell she didn't know what kind of scheme he was cooking up. If she became his "daughter," then he could openly skip out on paying her wages, right? Right, right, right?
Like hell. She would never let him use that excuse to withhold her pay.
"No helping it… looks like 'Joy of Fire' needs a new name. Guess I'll call it 'Sorrow of Sight.'"
Muttering strange words that no one else could possibly understand, Konata sat back down at the bar.
"What did Sensei talk to you about?" Shigaraki asked, glancing over once she'd settled back.
"He's planning to send me overseas for further studies." Konata let out a sigh.
"You know how it is—bad economy, bubble bursting, my cheap old man is just waiting for me to come back and inherit his business. Though honestly, I think the Nomu Manufacturing Factory is more likely to get shut down by the police, leaving me saddled with a mountain of debt."
"…If you don't want to say, forget it." Shigaraki wisely turned back to the television, where a female reporter holding a microphone stood in front of U.A. High, face full of righteous fury.
Though it was already evening, the TV showed the school gates still swarmed with media workers.
"Oi, seriously, where'd everyone else go?" Konata asked, throwing a quick glance at the TV before turning back to Shigaraki, who seemed to be enjoying it a bit too much.
If not for the scene in front of her, she might have forgotten that this guy was a twisted soul who found joy in disaster.
"Don't block the TV." Shigaraki shooed her aside like swatting a fly.
"I'm hungry. I want food."
"There's only alcohol here. Actually, no—Kurogiri locked it all up before leaving so you wouldn't wreck his stash again. If you don't mind, I've got some leftovers right here." He pushed his own glass toward her, eyes still glued to the screen.
Out of respect for his teacher, his tolerance for Sensei's so-called daughter was higher than usual.
"I want food." Konata clutched her growling stomach and glared at him, adapting to her new "identity" disturbingly fast.
"No money. Kurogiri keeps the cash."
"Shigaraki, and you say you don't love Kurogiri?"
"Interrupt me again and I'll kill you."
"Fine, you forced me."
She pulled out her battered phone and dialed a number without hesitation. Moments later, two figures sat side by side at the bar, staring at the TV as the smell of roast duck wafted in the air.
"Kurogiri, you're back!" Konata turned, beaming, and ran up to him with a bill in hand. "Here, me and Shigaraki's tab. Please pay up."
"The roast chicken's good. Order from this place again next time," Shigaraki added blandly.
Kurogiri sighed. These two were definitely teaming up to kill him.
Because of the training camp incident, all of them here were on wanted lists. Except for Toga Himiko, who had just returned, and Twice, who could blend in if he removed his mask, the rest couldn't step outside without someone calling the cops. The bar was already cramped, now completely packed.
"I visited my beloved up close today," Toga sighed dreamily at the counter, looking every bit the schoolgirl despite her words. "I wanted to touch him more, maybe draw out more of his blood… but All Might showed up, so I had to leave."
Konata's only impression: absolute yandere. Especially when Toga leaned closer, smiling crazily as she asked for a bit of her blood.
"Alright, Compress, let's bring out our guest. He's been starving nearly a full day—any longer and he'll drop dead," Kurogiri finally intervened, stopping the chaotic nonsense.
This was supposed to be a den of villains, but look at them. Shigaraki still at the bar, sipping and smirking at the TV. Twice shadowboxing with himself. Spinner crouched in imitation of Stain. Magne puffing cigarettes with sunglasses on at night. Compress dripping eyedrops like some half-blind magician. Toga chasing a blue-haired loli with a syringe. This wasn't a league of villains—it was a daycare.
At last, Compress dragged out Bakugo Katsuki, who had been imprisoned inside a marble the entire day. They chained him to a chair, shackled tight so he couldn't even use his Quirk.
Kurogiri's eyes stayed fixed on Konata. Unlike Shigaraki, he wasn't about to blindly trust this so-called daughter of Sensei. If she could leak the training camp location, she could just as easily leak their hideout. So the entire day, he'd been tense, half-expecting heroes to burst in led by All Might, with Konata suddenly shouting: "You're surrounded! Hands up!"
Bakugo, meanwhile, was starving and dehydrated, but still glaring defiantly. Raising his weary head, he spotted Konata among them, her expression complicated. And despite everything, his mouth twisted into a villainous grin.
"Finally found you."
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Inside Kurogiri's bar, because of Bakugo Katsuki's appearance, the atmosphere instantly grew heavy. Everyone there knew very well that outside, the heroes and police were turning the world upside down searching for Bakugo's whereabouts. The society that had once regained peace thanks to the Symbol of Peace, All Might, was now shrouded in a stormy, ominous mood due to the League of Villains' actions.
If the League of Villains had gained notoriety during the Hosu Incident because of Stain the Hero Killer, then with this training camp incident, the League had truly become known to the world.
After releasing Bakugo Katsuki, Shigaraki Tomura raised his hand and shut off the TV. Sitting on the chair, he turned toward Konata Izumi, who was among the crowd.
It's worth noting that before Kurogiri and the others returned, Shigaraki had already placed the severed hand back on his face, so now no one could tell what expression he wore.
"So?" Konata tilted her head, somewhat confused.
"The past is the past, now is now. I make that distinction very clear. I've already betrayed the light and chosen darkness, so there's no need to bring up what happened before me again."
"It's simple."
From under the counter, Shigaraki pulled out a fruit knife and casually tossed it in front of Konata.
"Take this knife and kill him."
The entire bar froze with tension after Shigaraki's sudden words.
"Shigaraki, Bakugo Katsuki might be—" Kurogiri tried to intervene, but Shigaraki's cold gaze silenced him.
Staring at the girl before him, Shigaraki spoke in a chilling tone.
"I hate betrayal. Even if you're the teacher's daughter, you still carry the possibility of betrayal. If you pick up this knife and kill him, I'll give you my utmost trust."
"So this is what they call a pledge of loyalty, huh." Konata picked up the knife, gazed at Bakugo Katsuki for a moment, then casually tossed it back.
"Sorry, I refuse."
Shigaraki picked the knife up again, letting it crumble into dust in his palm, his tone strange.
"Then… are you sure about your decision?"
As his words fell, everyone except Kurogiri shifted into battle readiness, subtly surrounding Konata in the center. Kurogiri, however, was busy mourning the loss of that knife.
"Nonsense. I'm not some emotionless monster. How could I do something so insane?"
Completely ignoring the tension, Konata rolled her eyes, replying irritably.
"Seriously, Shigaraki, you're a really messed-up boss. I suggest you read some of Philosophy Book' It might help. Look, the only reason I chose darkness over light was because of my cheap father. Don't overthink it. I'm still the same as I was before. You really think I was lying when I said I was caught between the two sides? It's hard to deal with, okay? So I'd rather just go abroad and study, far away from all this mess. That's all."
She had planned to come up with a good excuse, but then realized—compared to the fabricated identity of being All For One's daughter, any excuse was laughably weak.
"…Suit yourself. But until I trust you, I'll monitor you 24/7."
After a pause, Shigaraki turned away and answered indifferently.
"There are some things you can never escape. The fact that you're the teacher's daughter alone is enough."
"24/7!?" Konata's expression instantly shifted, hugging herself tightly. She looked at him as if staring at a pervert, full of wariness.
"You pervert! Does that mean even when I bathe, change clothes, or go to the toilet, you'll be watching!?"
"The one who slept in my bed last night and trashed my room has no right to say that."
Glancing at Konata, Shigaraki then turned his head and, much to Toga Himiko's shock, added, "Toga, I'm entrusting the monitoring to you."
"Monitoring her is fine… as long as she's willing to give me a little of her blood."
Looking away uncomfortably, Toga asked with hesitation.
"By the way, so you actually like this body type and personality, huh?"
"You're deliberately trying to ruin my reputation, aren't you, damn it!"
Before Shigaraki could react, Konata was already fuming. Seeing Bakugo's stunned expression only made her want to annihilate Shigaraki completely.
Sizing up the blue-haired girl fuming in front of him, Shigaraki shook his head disdainfully. He stood up, speaking flatly.
"You're awfully confident. Don't forget our agreement. I'm waiting for the day it's fulfilled."
"I'm your teacher's daughter, and you still think about killing me!?" Konata shouted in shock.
"Why not?"
Calmly passing her by, Shigaraki walked to the door and opened it.
"The rest of the time, I'll leave to you and Bakugo Katsuki. Of course, you're free to try to help him escape, or whatever else you want. After all, you are the teacher's daughter."
With those words, he left the bar. Soon after, the others also filed out. In less than a minute, only Konata Izumi and the restrained Bakugo Katsuki remained.
Dark-faced, Konata walked up to Bakugo and asked her first question.
"Hey, stinky durian, do you need to use the toilet right now?"
Bakugo Katsuki: "…"
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"Alright, hurry up. Once you get out, make sure to shout and draw everyone's attention. Those guys won't dare lay a hand on you in front of a crowd.
After swiftly undoing all the restraints on Bakugo Katsuki, Konata Izumi immediately gave him the order to leave as he sat there rubbing his wrists. She had no idea why Shigaraki Tomura and the others had suddenly disappeared all at once, but that didn't stop her from doing what she wanted. As for what Shigaraki Tomura would do after she released Bakugo Katsuki—that was not her concern.
She finally understood why so many people liked to rely on family background. It turned out the feeling of "competing with your dad" really was pretty great in every sense.
"So why were you the only one captured among so many people? Be careful next time. You won't always have luck this good. Come on, let's go together."
Bakugo Katsuki lifted his head, staring at the girl in front of him.
"Oi, oi, oi, didn't you hear me? The enemy boss is my dad, you know! You expect me to just 'righteously take down my father'?"
Konata casually waved her hand and turned around.
"Anyway, you haven't eaten or drunk anything for a day, right? Before heading out, grab some food from the bar. I think there was still some delivery left—"
But before she could finish her sentence, her face suddenly changed.
Right in front of her, more than ten portals silently opened, and one by one, Nomu began to crawl out.
Has Kurogiri gone insane? This is his own bar! That thought flashed in her mind, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. She immediately retreated toward the weakened Bakugo Katsuki, who hadn't eaten or drunk for a day.
"Looks like you've really fallen out with them now."
Facing the scene, Bakugo Katsuki actually looked excited, spreading his arms as explosive sparks gathered in his palms.
"So? Looks like you'll just have to obediently come back with me, huh?"
He turned his head toward the unsettled girl beside him with a grin, looking like nothing less than a thug about to kidnap an innocent girl.
At the same time the Nomu appeared inside the bar, screams and gunfire rang out from outside. Konata didn't even need to think to know Nomu had also been released on the streets.
For a moment, she was completely stunned, unable to accept it.
What the hell? I'm your teacher's daughter, damn it! Doing this to me—doesn't your conscience hurt? Aren't we supposed to be comrades? How can you just throw me away like this?!
While Konata was busy questioning life itself, a deafening boom shook the building. The outer wall of the bar was violently blown open, and the figure of All Might in full costume appeared inside in an instant.
Tonight's joint operation between the police and heroes was supposed to be highly secretive. Led by All Might and Inspector Tsukauchi, the plan was to strike suddenly and wipe out the League of Villains in one swift move.
But none of them expected that just as evacuation had begun, Nomu would pour out of the portals. Seeing them rampage through the streets, All Might's heart sank.
Clearly, the enemy had discovered the operation in advance and, in desperation, unleashed all their Nomu directly in public. It was only around seven or eight in the evening—the streets were still full of civilians, and in an instant, countless bystanders were injured.
If the heroes hadn't immediately abandoned secrecy and rushed to intervene, casualties would already have been far worse. But even then, with over a hundred Nomu on the streets, the heroes were stretched thin.
With the situation escalating, All Might burst through the bar's wall alone, where he saw the only two people still inside.
"Konata! Young Bakugo!"
His heart lifted at the sight. Even if the League of Villains had likely escaped, at least these two were safe—tonight's mission couldn't be called a failure. "Wait a moment, I'll take care of these Nomu—"
But before he could act, a girl's urgent voice cut through. "All Might! Forget the Nomu! Take Bakugo Katsuki and leave now! This whole thing was a trap for you—"
She didn't even finish the last word "trap" before blinding flames and deafening explosions erupted from every corner of the bar. The ceiling, the floor, the tables, the chairs—even the very seat Bakugo had sat on—every inch had been rigged with explosives that detonated simultaneously.
The suddenness left All Might no choice but to shield Bakugo Katsuki and rush him out. All Might himself might have survived with only injuries, but Bakugo would've been killed instantly if left inside. He could only watch as Konata's figure was swallowed by the explosion and flames.
The League of Villains had gone all out—the blast didn't just consume the bar but threatened to bring down the entire building.
"What's going on here?!"
On the street below, Inspector Tsukauchi ignored the rampaging Nomu and battling heroes, staring at the blazing explosion in the League's hideout. Seeing All Might emerge with Bakugo in his arms only deepened the heavy shadow in his heart.
Things weren't supposed to happen this way. They were supposed to have the upper hand, the element of surprise. But now, it seemed everything was within the enemy's calculations—as though an invisible hand was guiding events along their intended path.
"All for One…" Tsukauchi clenched his fists tightly.
Meanwhile, Midoriya Izuku, Todoroki Shoto, Yaoyorozu Momo, Asui Tsuyu, Tokoyami Fumikage, and the last-minute addition Kirishima Eijiro were all advancing toward the bar under Yaoyorozu's lead.
Suddenly, Midoriya Izuku stopped, frowning at his palm.
After a day of rest, his injuries weren't fully healed but had improved. Yet now, in the very center of his palm, he felt a faint burning sensation. For a moment, it even felt as if his hand had been scorched.
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