A few weeks before Masutafu erupted into chaos, the conference room at the city precinct was filled with low murmurs and sharp glances.
Fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a sterile glow over a collection of some of Japan's most capable pro heroes. Best Jeanist stood with arms folded, his sharp eyes locked onto the display screen at the head of the table. Beside him sat Ryukyu, stern-faced and contemplative. Edgeshot leaned forward in his chair, fingers steepled. Kamui Woods and Mount Lady were flanking the room, quiet, but alert.
At the front of the room stood an older detective, the same one who had once seen the vigilante now known as Equinox—Kael Ishiro—during a daring night raid that left three villains subdued and a hostage rescued.
The officer tapped the screen, where blurry footage from a helmet cam played back Kael's silhouette in motion, black tendrils like sentient shadows dancing around him.
"This was recorded from a low-tier patrol bot near the Nakahara district last month," the officer began. "That night, I personally witnessed Equinox disabling two armed villains with surgical precision. He didn't kill them—just incapacitated. Tied them up with what I now know is his Quirk: those shadowy tendrils."
"DarkBind," Edgeshot murmured. "I've heard whispers about that one."
The officer nodded. "He operates silently, hits hard, and leaves before the police even arrives. But here's the thing—he doesn't move like an amateur. He's tactical, precise. He's trained. You see the way he protects civilians? That's pure instincts that can't be taught. Like someone who's seen what happens when heroes fail and improves off of their mistakes ten fold ."
Best Jeanist shifted slightly, his voice calm but edged. "That may be true, but the law doesn't bend for good intentions. Vigilantism—"
"Is illegal. I know." The officer held up a hand. "But I've also seen real heroes hesitate when civilians are in danger. Equinox doesn't. He puts himself between the threat and innocents without second guessing."
Ryukyu glanced across the table. "You're suggesting we… what? Let him continue?"
"I'm saying we need to be careful with how we treat him," the officer replied. "This isn't just another wannabe hero. He's calculated. And he's doing the job some of us can't always do."
Kamui Woods frowned. "He might be helping now, but what if that line blurs? If he decides his judgment is better than ours?"
"He already has," Mount Lady said quietly. "And the worst part is… he might be right. Why should a stupid license stop people from wanting to save others? If you see someone in danger, help out. Nothing wrong with that."
Edgeshot's voice cut through the room. "Enough. As of now, we observe. Gather more intel. Then we can decide what comes next."
A heavy silence followed.
And then—
…
A news feed flickered into focus—broadcast from a drone hovering high above the battle-scarred district. Civilians had long since been evacuated. The damage stretched across blocks. Craters, scorch marks, and ruptured roadways carved through Masutafu's heart like open wounds. Smoke lingered in the air.
And in the center of it all stood Kael.
Alone.
Victorious.
He was breathing heavily, shoulders heaving with exhaustion. His coat was scorched and torn, blood spattered across his chest. But he stood tall.
At his feet lay Ryken, unconscious and bound tightly by DarkBind, tendrils twisting like black vines.
The heroes perched up on the rooftops looked down at him. Some showing visible distain, other joyous that it the battle ended this smoothly while others had unreadable expressions.
He looked skyward, eyes briefly meeting theirs through his mask which was slowly chipping.
Edgeshot muttered, "He knew we were watching."
Then, without fanfare, Kael vanished in a blur of shadow. Gone.
For a long moment, no one said a word.
Mount Lady broke the silence first. "He really won. Against all three."
"The Reflector Quirk user… the energy-tendril woman… and that brute in white," Kamui said, incredulous. "And he didn't kill them."
Ryukyu leaned forward. "He neutralized high-priority threats. Protected civilians. And he did it without our help."
"But he still broke the law," Best Jeanist said, more out of duty than conviction. "We can't ignore that."
"I'm not saying we ignore him," Edgeshot replied. "But this isn't a simple arrest. He's this prefectures 'Hero' now. If we arrested him, who knows how they'd react."
The officer on the other end of the coms added, "I agreed with EdgeShot. People saw him. Not just the fight—how he moved, how he acted, how he'd sacrifice himself to protect them from a single piece of debris. He's not trying to be a symbol like All Might. But maybe something even greater. Someone who's more respected in the sense of him being able to take quirks from Villains permanently, a feat not even All Might could do even with his overwhelming power. Equinox could completely eradicate Quriks from our world. He could truly create a just world where no one has to worry about stepping outside just to get their mail."
"A just world huh," Ryukyu said quietly.
Mount Lady shook her head. "So what do we do?"
"Nothing yet," Edgeshot said. "We wait. We watch. And if the time ever comes for him to turn his back on the people he saved today…"
"We stop him," Jeanist finished.
But not any one of them thought that day would come deep down in their hearts. After what they saw today. After witnessing the resolve Equinox displayed, they knew he'd never turn. A Heros heart like his doesn't falter.
…
Outside, the city still smoldered. And somewhere in its heart, Kael Ishiro—Equinox—was already gone, vanishing into the shadows like the ghost of a better future.
…