Chapter 28: Encounter
"Hello. It seems you're all having a lot of fun. May I join you?"
The man was dressed in a black formal suit with a red cape draped over his shoulders. He wore a pale gold mask, looking like a nobleman on his way to a masquerade ball.
Midoriya was the first to react, demanding, "Amadeus Mask, what are you planning?"
"Amadeus Mask?" Minoru Mineta covered his mouth, snickering. "That's a pretty dumb name..."
"Is it? It is a name that represents death," the masked man said. He gave Uraraka a courtly bow. "My lady, would you be interested in taking a stroll with me upon the pinnacle of death?"
Midoriya stepped in front of Uraraka. "I won't let you harm my friends again!"
"Friends...? Interesting." The man paused for a second, then pulled something over from the side. "This person is your friend, is she not?"
"Tsuyu-chan!" Everyone, except for the still-incapacitated Kaminari, cried out in shock.
Tsuyu Asui stood motionless, her arms bent as if she had been hypnotized, her eyes staring blankly ahead.
Uraraka covered her mouth in disbelief. Wasn't Tsuyu-chan waiting on the outer wall for an opportunity...? Why... how did the enemy capture her!?
"Let Asui go! I already agreed to your conditions!" Midoriya said in a low voice. "According to our agreement, you're not supposed to harm anyone else!"
"Agreement?" Uraraka grabbed Midoriya, shaking him. "What agreement!? Didn't you say you were going to leave with us!?"
"I'm sorry. I can't leave," Midoriya said, lowering his head and clenching his fists.
"Let's see... aren't these your classmates?" the man had said, squeezing in next to Midoriya and stroking his chin as he studied the screens in the top-right corner. Although Midoriya had quickly looked away, the man had already noticed.
The masked man had smiled. "Not bad. They actually managed to find their way here. It seems your classmates are very concerned about you... and the electric boy next to you, right?"
"Don't you dare touch my classmates," Midoriya had said suddenly. "I'll agree to any of your demands."
The masked man had casually patted Midoriya's shoulder, his tone grave. "Whether or not I harm them... that decision is in your hands."
With that, the masked man had placed his own remote control into Midoriya's hand, making him press down on the button, before taking a step back as if to show he had no intention of snatching it away.
His expression had suddenly turned serious. "Izuku Midoriya, at this very moment, there are enough explosives buried beneath the earthquake zone to blow everyone there sky-high. The remote in your hand is the detonator. The moment you leave this ship or release this button—if either of those two conditions is broken—the bombs will activate."
"Bombs...?" Hearing this, Midoriya had gripped the remote tightly, terrified of dropping it. He couldn't afford to disbelieve him; after all, the man had already destroyed several buildings.
All I have to do is hold down this button. After the "enemy" and my classmates finish their drill, I can let go and leave. Even if the earthquake zone gets blown up then, no one's life will be in danger.
"By the way," the man had added, "there are also bombs installed on this ship. If you don't leave within ten minutes, the entire ship will be blown up as well."
What!? There are bombs on the ship, too!?
Midoriya had quickly turned his head, wanting to check on the status of the battle, but in the next instant, all the screens went black. The green lights on the instruments flickered and died.
Midoriya's eyes narrowed. He saw the masked man walk to the power box and pull down the main breaker.
"Oh, and one more thing. I have a remote, too." The man had flipped his palm, and another remote of a different color appeared in his hand. He had smiled. "This one controls the bombs on the ship. If you reveal the existence of the bombs to anyone else... boom. Starting with this control room, the bombs will begin to detonate."
Midoriya had taken a deep breath. "What do you really want?"
"I just want to see what kind of a good show the heroes of the future will put on for me."
The masked man had then looked at the slowly stirring Denki Kaminari. "To prevent anyone from leaking the news, it's necessary to take some... precautions."
The man had walked over to Kaminari, pulled him out from between the cabinets—the chair had wheels—and pushed him in front of Midoriya.
He had bent down and produced a pink ball gag from somewhere. As Kaminari's face filled with terror, he had ripped off the tape and, before he could scream, stuffed the gag into his mouth. All that was left was Kaminari's completely broken expression as tears streamed down his face.
"Remember, not a word to anyone," the man had said, walking to the door. He'd looked back one last time before thoughtfully closing it behind him.
"Kaminari... I'm sorry you had to go through this," Midoriya had whispered, standing behind him and crying silently.
Five minutes later.
"This is the only one left... Let me get it," Uraraka's voice had come from the doorway.
"Who are you!? And why do you have Tsuyu-chan!?" Jiro's earphone jacks extended, plugging into the ports on her legs as she watched the newcomer warily.
The man held up his hands. "I have no intention of fighting you, I assure you," he said, his voice aggrieved. "I just found this young lady outside. If you don't believe me, you can ask her."
Jiro approached Tsuyu, keeping a wary eye on the man as she gently shook her. "Tsuyu-chan, wake up..."
"Hmm?" Tsuyu came to, looking around in a daze. "Kyoka-chan?"
Jiro breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you okay? Why were you with this person?"
Tsuyu shook her head, moving to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Jiro. "I was sticking to the glass on the outside, and then... I don't know what happened. I just lost consciousness..."
"I knew it! This was your doing!" Jiro spread her legs in a wide stance and unleashed a directed soundwave at the masked man. "You shady, suspicious enemy!"
Kyoka Jiro amplified the sound of her own heartbeat, releasing it from the speakers on her legs to stun her opponent.
"Is that all you've got?" The man took the blast head-on without flinching. He even stretched and let out a yawn.
"Are you not going to listen to what people say? I told you, I'm not going to fight you! And if I'm not mistaken, with a flat figure and a bad temper like yours, I'm sure no one likes you anyway," the masked man said, placing a hand on his mask and sighing dramatically.
"Mmm-hmm!" Minoru Mineta nodded in vigorous agreement, ignoring the murderous glare Jiro was shooting him.
"What kind of agreement do you have with Midoriya!?" Uraraka gently pushed aside the hand Midoriya was using to block her and said with determination, "I'll take on his burden for him!"
"Uraraka!" Seeing the masked man waggle the remote at him, Midoriya grit his teeth and said no more.
"Such praiseworthy spirit. Truly..." the masked man said, clapping his hands in admiration. His face then instantly changed. "...And that is none of your business."
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