New chapters are already available on Patreon.
Patreon: patreon.com/Subaru710772142
***
The rear window rolled down with a low hum, revealing a woman with light-blue skin. "Hi, Bakugo-kun, remember me?"
'Are they following me?!' Bakugo felt a vein throb on his forehead but held back the anger. "Kizuki Chitose, right?"
She smiled, tilting her head with a calculated charm. "So you remember. How about a ride home? You look exhausted."
"I can't give any interviews about what happened."
Chitose raised her hands in a conciliatory gesture, her smile unshaken. "Easy, easy, no interviews. I just want to talk. And, let's be honest, you don't look like you're in any condition to walk to the station, do you?"
'...Better play along.' Bakugo narrowed his eyes, sizing her up. "Fine," he muttered, opening the limousine door and throwing himself onto the soft leather seat, directly across from Chitose.
She waited for him to settle in before pressing a button on the door panel. "You can go," Chitose told the driver, and the car began to glide down the street.
She leaned back, crossing her legs with elegance. "So, Bakugo-kun, a lot has happened since our last meeting, hasn't it?"
"Yeah, I guess it has."
"How are you dealing with it all? I heard the injuries were pretty serious."
"Still hurts, but I'll be fine."
"I'm glad to hear that," Chitose said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're tough, Bakugo-kun. But I wonder how your head's doing after everything. It's not every day someone goes through what you did and comes out... intact. Mentally, I mean."
'What the hell kind of bullshit small talk is this?' Bakugo wondered as he shot her a suspicious glance. "What are you getting at, Kizuki-san?"
Chitose raised an eyebrow, her smile fading into a more serious expression. "Straight to the point? I like that." She leaned forward, her eyes locking onto his. "You risked everything, Bakugo-kun. Saved your classmates, your teachers, threw yourself into the line of fire. And in return, you got scars that will stay with you forever. Even so, U.A., the heroes, the entire system... they chose to sweep your story under the rug and give all the credit to All Might. How does that make you feel?"
'So that's what she's after,' Bakugo thought, closing his eyes for a moment. "How do you know that? Far as I know, no one outside was supposed to be aware."
Chitose shrugged, the corner of her mouth curling into a half-smile. "I have my ways, Bakugo-kun."
"Haa... right." He sighed and looked down at his hands, running his fingers over the scars. "I get their reasoning, but..."
"But?"
"... I guess I feel betrayed."
'Perfect,' Chitose thought, suppressing a satisfied smile. "I understand you, Bakugo-kun," she said, her voice softening, almost maternal. "More than you think."
Bakugo looked up. "What do you mean?"
Chitose crossed her arms. "Do you remember what we talked about last time? About what it means to be a hero... and about a world where people don't need heroes to protect them?" She paused, watching his reaction. "I asked if you'd ever thought about a society where everyone has the freedom to defend themselves, to use their own strength without depending on a system that decides who gets to shine. You said you'd think about it."
"What does that have to do with now?"
"Everything," Chitose replied, her voice vibrating with intensity. "You feel betrayed because the system you defend turned its back on you. They took your sacrifice and threw it into the shadows to protect All Might's image. Because that's what they did. It was never about what they told you. And you know why? Because the system doesn't care about you, Bakugo-kun. It cares about control. About keeping people dependent and weak."
Bakugo listened in silence.
"I know what that betrayal feels like," she went on. "Every day, I wake up knowing the government forbids me from using my Quirk freely. My power—my essence—is treated like a threat, something that needs to be regulated and hidden. They say it's for 'public safety,' but that's just an excuse to maintain control. To make sure people like me—like you—never reach their true potential."
Chitose leaned in closer, her eyes shining with fervor. "Have you ever stopped to think about that, Bakugo-kun? About how much the system holds you back? You're a force of nature, but they want to mold you into an obedient hero—someone who follows the rules and accepts being erased when it's convenient. How would you feel if you could use your Quirk without restrictions, without stupid laws telling you what's 'right' or 'wrong'? If you could be truly free?"
Bakugo stared at her, his face a mask of distrust and curiosity. "You're talking about throwing everything away. No laws, no heroes, just chaos. Is that what you want?"
Chitose chuckled softly. "Chaos? No, Bakugo-kun. Freedom. A world where people like you don't have to bow to a system that betrays you. Where your scars are a symbol of strength, not a reminder of how you were used."
'Is this how they manipulate people into following them? Frightening', Bakugo thought, his stomach churning at the realization. He opened his mouth to speak, but Chitose raised a hand.
"Again, I'm not asking for an answer right now. Just..." She paused, as if remembering something important. "Ah! I almost forgot." With a nearly theatrical smile, she reached for the bag at her side, unzipping it with a click. "I brought something for you." Chitose pulled a book from the bag, its red and black colors standing out under the dim light from the windows.
The title: Meta Liberation War.
'The same book Hawks gave me. Never bothered to read it,' Bakugo frowned as he studied the cover. "What is this?"
"A gift," Chitose replied, "Written by a man who understood what it means to be truly free."
'Truly free?' Bakugo took the book. "...Thanks."
"No need to thank me."
***
Minutes later, after a conversation laced with veiled intentions, the limousine came to a smooth stop in front of the Bakugo residence, the engine emitting a low, nearly imperceptible purr.
Bakugo opened the door and stepped out, the facade of calm he had maintained during the ride beginning to crack. 'I'm thirty seconds away from blowing someone up,' he thought, anger thrumming through his veins. Still, he turned to the open window of the car. "Thanks for the ride, Kizuki-san."
"It was nothing, Bakugo-kun. I really enjoyed our conversation," Chitose replied, her smile far too sweet to be sincere. "I hope you enjoy the gift."
Bakugo glanced at the book in his hand. "I'll read it in my free time."
"I hope so, Bakugo-kun. Until we meet again."
'I hope you and your little group of lunatics blow up into a thousand pieces,' he thought, but outwardly, he just raised a hand in a brief wave. "Until next time, Kizuki-san."
The limousine window slid up, and the vehicle sped off, disappearing around the corner.
'Looks like you really want me,' he clenched his jaw, eyes fixed on the spot where the limousine had vanished.
***
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.