The night sky above Musutafu was heavy with silence, broken only by the distant hum of emergency vehicles and the occasional crackle of radio chatter. On the rooftops encircling the battleground, a cluster of pro heroes stood watchful, their faces a mixture of relief and contemplation. Below them, Kael Ishiro—Equinox—stood victorious over the unconscious form of Ryken, the final opponent in a grueling battle that had tested every ounce of his skill and resolve.
"Did you see that Darkbind technique he used?" one hero murmured, eyes still fixed on Kael's calm posture. "It's unlike anything I've witnessed before."
"Yeah," another nodded. "But no sign of the other quirks we suspected he had. He did showcase a smokescreen Quirk and Quirk that could heal himself and others. I couldn't tell if he was using anything other than that."
The group fell into a brief silence until the conversation shifted toward the absence of Voidflare, a hero who had been expected to intervene at some point during the chaos.
"Where was Voidflare in all of this? I swear he got the alert before all of us." one of the younger heroes asked, frowning.
Mount Lady shook her head. "He was busy on the other side of the city, fighting off a villain assault near the high school district. But it's more than that—he was ordered not to get involved in anything related to Equinox."
Manual, ever the pragmatic, added, "The Hero Public Safety Commission explicitly instructed him to avoid any vigilantism-related incidents, especially since Equinox is officially considered a rogue. Their reasoning is to maintain official protocol and not undermine the public trust."
Edgeshot clenched his jaw. "That's a tough call. It's like telling a hero to stand down when they're most needed."
Ryukyu, standing quietly, nodded solemnly. "The Commission is trying to keep things clean, but sometimes their policies create more questions than answers."
Kamui Woods glanced down at the scene, voice low. "Still, we can't ignore what Equinox did tonight. Taking down Ryken single-handedly—he's on another level."
Best Jeanist, adjusting his scarf thoughtfully, added, "It raises the question: what do we do next? The line between hero and vigilante has never been blurrier."
They watched as Kael, bloodied but composed, slowly seep into the ground. They saw him closing his eyes and laying down just as the shadow pocket dispersed. The group's murmurs faded into a respectful silence seeing that, some even smiling.
…
Inside his small, dimly lit room, Kael laid on his bed. The sterile scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, a reminder of the wounds he had patched hours ago. His body ached deeply — muscles torn, skin bruised — but it was the weariness in his mind that pressed hardest.
"How long can I keep doing this? The danger, the solitude, the constant battles…" His voice was barely a whisper, lost in the quiet room.
Kael's fingers traced the faint scars on his arm as memories of the fight flickered through his mind—the narrow escapes, the near misses, the flashes of power he barely controlled. He thought of the civilians he'd saved, the villains he'd subdued, and the friends he'd left behind.
The weight of it all bore down on him, heavier than any physical blow. Doubt seeped in like a cold shadow. Was this vigilante path sustainable? Was it even the right choice in the first place? He pondered if he should've just waited until he got an official heroes license.
He turned onto his side, staring out the window at the sprawling cityscape. The sun was out, and you could see helicopters and flying heroes out and about.
'If I never..'
Maybe quitting the vigilante life—for now—was the smarter choice. Maybe it was time to focus on the future: training harder, mastering his quirks, preparing for U.A. High. That path promised safety, growth, and perhaps a chance to fight with the backing of the system, not against it.
Kael closed his eyes. "Maybe… maybe I should stop. For now."
But even as the thought settled in his mind, the fire inside him refused to extinguish completely. Because despite the doubts, the pain, the isolation, he knew one thing for certain: the world still needed Equinox.
And whether he was ready or not, his fight was far from over.
…
The pro heroes began to disperse, their shadows fading into the city to either help with the clean up, and or report back all that transpired.
Best Jeanist, who was helping with the clean up said aloud, "Whatever happens next, we have to decide—do we bring Equinox in? Or do we let him walk this fine line a little longer?"
Kamui Woods nodded next to him slowly. "Tonight, he was a hero. But tomorrow… who knows?"
The city breathed around them, alive with endless possibilities—and endless challenges yet to come.
…