"What—?!"
The people nearby were frozen in shock.
It wasn't that the monster itself was particularly terrifying—it was how suddenly everything had happened. Before anyone could react, Kurosawa Ren and the creature vanished together.
"What just happened?" A middle-aged man in a suit who had just gotten off work craned his neck, staring ahead in disbelief—but there was nothing left to see.
"Call the police!" another young man said anxiously. "The one who was taken away looked like a kid!"
"…Yeah."
…
"Hahahaha! What a fine body."
In a dark, narrow street, green tentacles tightened around Ren's neck, coiling and rubbing against him like living ropes.
"Kid, you're unlucky to run into me," the Sludge Monster sneered. "Maybe you'll have better luck being reborn in your next life."
As it spoke, murky tendrils stretched toward Ren's nostrils and ears.
Bound tightly, Ren narrowed his eyes slightly. His dark pupils shifted almost imperceptibly.
Just as his eyes were about to transform—
"Hey! You, monster!"
An irritated voice suddenly rang out from ahead.
Both Ren and the Sludge Monster instinctively turned toward the sound.
A boy stood there—about the same age as Ren. He had ash-blond hair and eyes filled with fierce hostility, giving off an unmistakable aura that warned others to stay away.
"Huh?" The Sludge Monster scoffed when it saw it was just a kid. "I thought it was some big shot. Turns out it's just a brat."
Its grip tightened as it sneered, clearly losing patience. "I don't have time to play around. I've still got things to do."
"Then you'll have to get past me first."
The boy raised his chin slightly, glanced at Ren who was still restrained, clenched his fists, and slammed them together.
"Wait right there," he said arrogantly. "I'll get you out in a second."
"Just you?" The Sludge Monster laughed as if it had heard a joke. "A kid who probably can't even control his Quirk properly thinks he can save someone?"
Who did he think he was?
A Pro Hero?
-----A Dangerous Stand-----
Ren recognized the boy immediately.
Bakugo Katsuki.
Short-tempered, explosive, yet unexpectedly calm and decisive when it mattered. Overall—a good kid.
Bakugo's Quirk, Explosion, allowed him to secrete nitroglycerin-like sweat from his palms and ignite it at will. He could use it both offensively and as propulsion, with the power increasing the more he sweated.
That also meant his explosiveness peaked in summer and dropped during colder seasons.
"Looking down on me?" Bakugo snarled, sparks flashing in his palms. "I'll show you what hell looks like!"
"So I'm completely ignored, huh…"
Still bound, Ren glanced at Bakugo, then at the Sludge Monster, blinking calmly.
Because the Sludge Monster's attention had shifted almost entirely to Bakugo, the pressure of the tentacles around Ren weakened significantly.
At this point, even with the strength of an ordinary person, Ren could easily break free if he wanted.
…
"What a great Quirk," the Sludge Monster muttered, eyes gleaming as the flames in Bakugo's hands grew brighter. "Even I'm tempted."
If I take his Quirk, I can get my revenge myself.
Almost unconsciously, the Sludge Monster completely forgot about Ren. The tentacles binding him loosened as the creature surged toward Bakugo.
"Perfect timing!" Bakugo grinned wildly, the fire in his palms flaring even stronger, excitement surging through him.
-----Chaos Erupts-----
"Boom!!!"
Bakugo focused all his power into his right fist and smashed it forward, colliding violently with the Sludge Monster.
Explosions echoed, flames scattering in every direction.
The commotion quickly alerted nearby patrol officers, and curious civilians rushed toward the scene.
Someone in the crowd shouted, "It's the Sludge Monster from before!"
"Wasn't he already caught by All Might?"
"Who's fighting him now?"
"I can't see clearly… is that a kid?"
"Look! There's another child over there!" a sharp-eyed girl exclaimed, covering her mouth.
She was looking at Ren, who stood calmly at the edge of the battlefield, watching the fight unfold.
"Where are the Heroes?" someone shouted. "Have they been contacted?"
"They're on the way!"
…
"Damn it—why isn't it working?!"
Bakugo kicked off a wall and leapt backward, putting distance between himself and the Sludge Monster.
He'd attacked with everything he had, yet the monster looked completely unharmed. From what Bakugo could tell, it didn't even seem to have a defensive Quirk.
"Tch… did you absorb all my attacks?" Bakugo muttered, his expression darkening.
"Hehehe… I like you more and more, kid." The Sludge Monster twisted its body as it continued advancing.
Bakugo could only dodge and counterattack, but as the fight dragged on, his stamina began to drop.
"Run!" Bakugo shouted. "Get as far away as you can!"
By now, he'd completely written Ren off as Quirkless—or at best, someone with an extremely weak Quirk.
"You've turned this place into a mess," Ren replied calmly, spreading his hands. "Where exactly am I supposed to run?"
Flames surrounded them. An ordinary person could easily be burned alive with a single misstep.
"Then hide somewhere safe!" Bakugo yelled as he charged forward again, slamming another heavy blow into the Sludge Monster.
"Boom—!"
The flames surged higher.
…
"Thanks for the concern," Ren said softly, closing his eyes. "But I don't need to hide."
When he opened them again, his pupils had turned scarlet.
Three black tomoe slowly spun within his eyes.