Lancer was originally afraid that he wouldn't be able to find "Ingenium," but he soon found that he was completely overthinking it. As one of the hottest emerging pro heroes today, his whereabouts were too easy to find. The address of his agency or the missions he was recently on could be easily found. Lancer even saw some fanatical fans following him...
To be honest, by the end, Lancer expression had become a little subtle.
'This situation is more like an idol than a hero?'
Speaking of which, Lancer was also a bit special. The few pro heroes he had come into contact with were all "veterans." Even the younger Midnight and Shota Aizawa, one was a covert hero and the other was a lone wolf, so he wasn't very familiar with "normal pro heroes." Now that he checked, it did feel a little strange.
But strange was strange; he didn't have any other thoughts. After all, this was a "world of heroes." In this world, heroes were everything, so was it strange for heroes to be idols?
And...
Standing on a tall building and using the "quirk" he had obtained to monitor Ingenium, Lancer only watched for less than a day, but he had to admit that the other party was doing a good job. He would appear wherever he was needed. Although he was a little different from the "superheroes" in Lancer memory, he was more like a "good Samaritan"?
If you lower the other party's strength, he would probably be like those helpful young men on the street.
At least in Lancer opinion, the other party was definitely not a "bad guy." So why would the Hero Killer target him?
It was time to get to the bottom of this.
Looking at Ingenium, who had encountered the Hero Killer in a small alley, Lancer had to sigh that his luck was really good; he happened to run into him.
After putting on his "Mask of Resolve," Lancer jumped down from the tall building without hesitation!
"Bang!!"
With a huge sound, an ice spear was firmly stuck between Ingenium and the Hero Killer, and Lancer stood up with one hand on the ice spear.
"It looks like I arrived just in time."
"It's you!!"
After Lancer spoke, Ingenium, whose life had been saved, was temporarily unable to move because of the Hero Killer's quirk, but the Hero Killer instead looked at Lancer in disbelief.
"You know me?"
"Hehe~ How could I not know you! After all, I should be 'grateful' to you..."
As soon as the word "ah" came out, the Hero Killer, who was squatting on the ground, rushed toward Lancer. The dagger in his hand slashed fiercely toward Lancer right arm...
"Screech~!!"
The strange friction sound made him freeze.
Lancer naturally wouldn't explain. Although he didn't know what material the other party's weapon was made of, he didn't think the other party's weapon could cut through his right hand, which was covered by the Imperial Arms. What's more, even if he did cut through, he would probably only get some ice flowers, right?
This was also the reason why Lancer felt that this mission was very easy. The "Hero Killer's" quirk didn't pose much of a threat to him. After knowing in advance that the other party's quirk was "blood coagulation," which would paralyze the opponent by licking their blood, with his skills, he would not be hit as long as he was careful. As for the other party's fighting ability alone... if Lancer lost to the other party, he couldn't say that he had trained under the "Master" for a month.
And after fighting Lancer for a while, the cold sweat on the Hero Killer's face also became more and more. There is no doubt that he had also discovered that there was a huge gap in strength between him and Lancer, but he was different from ordinary people. He didn't run away; instead, he gritted his teeth and continued to fight Lancer.
"Cling~!!"
After a crisp sound, the dagger in his hand was directly flicked away by Lancer, and he himself did a backflip to temporarily open up the distance between him and Lancer.
"Aren't you going to run?"
To Lancer somewhat strange question, the Hero Killer, or rather, Stain, showed a sarcastic smile.
"Why should I run? If I ran away here, I wouldn't have chosen this path in the first place!"
Stain, who pulled out two more short blades from behind him, once again looked at Lancer with a serious face. At this time, he had already realized that he probably couldn't win against Lancer with his strength, but just as he said himself, the reason why he decided to become the "Hero Killer" was not for some boring attention or to take revenge on someone or this world. He just simply wanted to carry out his own ideas.
"How dazzling..."
He didn't know what he was sighing about, but then Lancer no longer held back. The probing just now had already given him a rough understanding of the other party's strength. There is no doubt that his technique alone surpassed most people, but because his quirk didn't strengthen his physical fitness, his overall strength could only be said to be average. His truly terrifying aspect was probably his "ideology," right?
Most people followed the "rules" of this world, but he disdained them. His lethal fighting style was obviously not consistent with the enemies that "pro heroes" usually encountered. After all, most people in this world fought by relying on their quirks. Only a few extremely special people were good at this kind of fighting.
Dangerous ideology coupled with a sense of action that was far beyond ordinary people made him the "Hero Killer."
Stain had no idea what Lancer was saying, but his intuition told him that the man in front of him seemed to have become a little different.
He first learned about this man from the report a few months ago. The other party's merciless killing of a "quirk criminal" made him, after his initial surprise, also speed up his way of thinking.
Was the other party wrong in what he did?
When faced with an enemy who might threaten most people, should he protect the criminal and not the innocent citizens?
This question made him begin to question the current "pro hero system." He then spent a lot of time researching information, and he found a strange thing. In recent years, because of All Might, the crime rate had dropped sharply, but the number of pro heroes had increased sharply. Many pro heroes even started taking on some commercial commissions in the name of their agencies because they didn't have any missions.
'Are they still heroes?'
So he decided to try it out. His first target was a pro hero who specialized in commercial advertisements. This man basically didn't have much in the way of achievements and was more of a figurehead. He was more of an actor than a hero, but because "heroes" were more popular, he chose to get a hero license.
The final test result was really disgusting to him. After being defeated by him, the other party actually begged for mercy?!
A hero begging an enemy for mercy?!
What a joke!!
That's right! The so-called "Hero Killer" didn't want to kill people at first. He just wanted to test people, but that guy's disgraceful actions and his hysteria because of his silence...
When he finally looked at the blood in his hands, he knew that he couldn't turn back.
If it were an ordinary person, they would probably live in fear, but he was different. He had his own "goal."
'Since I can't turn back, then let me see what kind of people these so-called "heroes" really are!'
It was for this reason that he embarked on the path of the "Hero Killer." In a short period, several pro heroes were killed. Among these people, in addition to the small, unknown people at the beginning, there were also some pro heroes who had made a name for themselves. But there is no doubt that these people had one thing in common: they had forgotten their original duty as "heroes" and instead used their status as pro heroes to earn huge profits or other things.
And at this time, looking at Lancer, who had taken a stance, he didn't know why, but the Hero Killer, who suddenly recalled his past bit by bit, couldn't help but shake his head and shake off all the complicated things in his mind. He instead focused on Lancer, because looking at Lancer at this time, he seemed to have already foreseen his defeat, but... so what?!
He was different from those people who had no faith. He had already prepared himself!
When he stepped on this path of bloodshed, he had already guessed his ending!
It was just that he didn't expect this day to come a little earlier.
Stain, who had taken a stance, only saw a flash of cold light before he felt that he had lost contact with his limbs.
"You've already lost."
As Lancer words fell, several sprays of blood splattered from Stain's body...
"Thump~"
With the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground, the other party fell to the ground completely defenseless.
At the same time, Ingenium, who still hadn't fully regained his ability to move, had his eyes widened. He couldn't imagine that the enemy who had made him completely powerless to fight back was defeated so easily?
But was it easy? This was probably what outsiders saw.
In fact, with Lancer strength, it wasn't difficult to defeat the other party. The reason why it was so clean and neat was completely because of All Might's help before. That way of finding the enemy's flaws had almost become his instinct, and he used this to take the other party down in an instant, but...
"Impossible... you... can't defeat me!"
A low moan, like a nightmare, kept coming from the man on the ground. Even though he was knocked down, he still tried to get up. The muscles in his pierced arm should not have been able to support his body, but he really struggled to stand up. In the end, he even leaned on a long sword that had fallen next to him at some point and pointed it at Lancer.
"I won't die until I fulfill my wish!!"
"Can't you see the difference between us?"
Looking at the other party's slightly trembling limbs, Lancer knew that the other party was only standing up by pure willpower. He had already lost the power to resist.
Indeed, the power of willpower is terrifying, for example, making Stain stand up, but willpower needs a strong enough body to carry it. His crippled body at this time simply couldn't allow him to do more.
"I know! I know better than anyone! Those people I killed called me a 'demon,' but I see it now: you are the real demon! But it's precisely because of this that you can't kill me! A demon can only be defeated by a hero!!"
Crazy?
The other party's illogical words were enough to prove that Stain's mental state was very unstable at this time.
Demon?
Hero?
He had seen both, but they were just a bunch of creatures with more power than ordinary people. What kind of necessary connection was there?
But the other party was saying "crazy talk" that no one understood, as if he were hysterical.
"Those damn politicians are talking about a 'Hero Age'! Besides that man, who in this world is worthy of the title of 'Hero'?! Money! Reputation! Power!! That's all those guys care about!!"
The other party's words made Lancer feel extremely uncomfortable.
Excessive desire can make people lose their way, but how can people not have desires?
Should a hero pay without a price?
Then how do they live?
This was a very realistic question.
What's more, Lancer knew who the "that man" the other party was talking about was: All Might.
He had said before that Lancer admired the other party's choice, but he would never make the same choice as the other party. After all, that thorny path was not something that ordinary people could bear, and...
Remembering the memory that he had deliberately forgotten before, he couldn't help but frown.
"You should calm down! Save your extra words for the police!"
Perhaps it was because he remembered something that caused Lancer tone to be a little harsh when he spoke, but the other party just laughed wildly and didn't seem to pay attention to Lancer at all...
But seeing the other party's "I have no regrets" expression made him feel like something was stuck in his heart, like the feeling of a "smart person" who gave up halfway seeing a "fool" who was stumbling toward the finish line...
Lancer efficiency exceeded everyone's expectations. It hadn't even been a day since All Might notified him, and he had already caught the target. When the police saw the man with the strange mask, they couldn't help but swallow.
Whether it was the previous "murder case" or this time's capture of the Hero Killer, it could be seen that the other party's strength was extraordinary. But just as they were about to take the "Hero Killer" away, the other party made a request that left them at a loss.
"I hope I can be a spectator when you interrogate this man. To be honest, I'm very curious about his situation."
Generally speaking, this was not allowed.
"Pro heroes" were responsible for capturing, and the police were responsible for handling. This was a rule that had been in place for many years, but in the end, considering Lancer "special status," the higher-ups in the police force chose to accept it.
The bandage on his face was removed, but he had more bandages on his body. Stain, with handcuffs, sat on the interrogation chair and looked calmly at the two police officers outside the isolated window and Lancer, who was standing behind the two police officers.
"What is your name?"
"Stain."
He did not hesitate in his answer to the police officer's question.
In fact, after Stain was captured, the investigation into him had already begun. Some basic information had already been confirmed. As for why they would go to the trouble of asking? It was simple; it was to confirm the other party's attitude. After all, a "confession" is not always completely trustworthy, and at this time, it depended on the experience of the person responsible for the interrogation.
"Okay, Mr. Stain, I have a simple question to ask you. Why did you attack the pro heroes?"
A simple direct question, and the police officer in charge of the interrogation stared straight into Stain's eyes. He needed to judge what the other party was going to say next from their eyes.
"Because I don't think they deserve to be 'heroes'!"
When he said this, both Lancer and the two police officers outside the isolated window could feel that the other party's emotions had started to get out of control.
"It's not your place to decide whether they deserve to be heroes or not!"
The older police officer's voice became increasingly stern.
And it was from this moment that the so-called "interrogation" entered a dead end.
Just as Lancer had guessed, according to the police's test, Stain's mental state was extremely unstable, and for a mentally unstable person, it was impossible to obtain any useful information even with torture.
"Yo~ Lancer, welcome back~"
In the office, All Might smiled and waved at Lancer, and Lancer sat down opposite him, looking a little tired.
"What's wrong? I heard from a police officer I know that your capture this time should have been very easy? Why do you look a little tired?"
As he spoke, All Might handed a cup of tea to Lancer, and Lancer took it and drank it in one gulp without caring if it was hot or cold. Then he let out a long breath.
"No, the capture was not difficult; I'm just a little mentally exhausted."
"Mentally exhausted?"
All Might was a little confused by Lancer words. After all, in his memory, even when he was chasing him before, the other party wasn't like this.
"Yeah, that guy I caught today was a little strange."
Although it seemed strange to be bothered by the words of a "madman," what really bothered Lancer was not his words but his attitude.
That "I won't turn back until I hit a wall" or rather "I won't turn back even if I hit a wall" attitude felt very familiar to Lancer.
He used to be just like the other party.
'What I'm doing is just to awaken the true heroes!'
'What I'm doing is to let more people live!'
Lancer also used to work hard for that seemingly grand but intangible wish just like the other party, but countless accidents, the betrayal of those he trusted, the fear of those he protected, the loneliness of being misunderstood...
All of this made him leave the stage in disappointment, and he didn't even have the courage to go back and take another look. So when he saw Stain, who was still fearless even when he was controlled, he actually had a feeling called "inferiority." This feeling made him feel very absurd. He actually felt absurd because of a defeated opponent?
But after he calmed down, he knew that all of that was not an illusion.
However, he couldn't say these things. It was too troublesome to explain. But All Might just sat with him in silence until he finally let out a helpless sigh.
"They don't deserve to be heroes... If possible, I really want to have a chat with him..."
If Lancer was only bothered by the other party's attitude, then All Might was touched by the other party's words.
Although it was not self-praise, it was too unfair to use him as a standard to measure others.
He embarked on this thorny path because of the things he had experienced and everything he had to bear. He never regretted his choice, but he would also not use his own standards to measure others.
Just like Izuku Midoriya, the successor he chose, he never imposed his will on the other party and even tried to get the other party not to imitate him. There is no doubt that he hoped that Izuku Midoriya could walk his own path.
All Might felt that if he could chat with the other party, he might be able to change his obsessive ideas, but it was too late. The other party had already committed the most unforgivable crime, and he would have to repent for his sins in prison for the rest of his life.
Although All Might was completely unrelated to this incident, he couldn't help but feel a little helpless when he thought of the other party's actions.
In this not-so-big room sat the current "Symbol of Peace" and a man who was given the name "Imperial Executioner" in another world, but they were both sighing at their own powerlessness...
Sometimes people are so powerless. Even if they give everything, they may not be able to change some things. Humans are just so insignificant...
Leaving All Might's office, Lancer walked on the street and looked at the "pro heroes" that appeared from time to time. He seemed to have started to get used to their existence. Then, he didn't know if it was his imagination, but he seemed to have seen Momo Yaoyorozu and Shoto Todoroki. But he quickly shook his head, because the two of them were just students now. Without their "licenses," it was impossible for them to use their quirks outside.
But then he remembered today's "Hero Killer."
Lancer didn't agree with the other party's obsessive ideas, but no one could guarantee that a second "Hero Killer" wouldn't appear. Whether it was Shoto or Yaoyorozu, they would all become "pro heroes" in the future, which meant that they would inevitably fight this kind of opponent...
"Am I a stupid parent? I'm leaving in more than half a year, and they will have to walk their own paths in the future. There's no point in me worrying about it."
But while he was complaining, he also remembered All Might's helpless face from before. There is no doubt that even someone as strong as he couldn't solve similar problems in time, so where did the root of the problem lie?
What made people feel that "heroes" should pay without a price?
Lancer, who was walking on the street, suddenly stopped. He suddenly remembered a presence that was right next to him but was deliberately ignored by him: common sense.
No, that was too general. In fact, "quirks" only appeared a few decades ago, and "pro heroes" have been around for an even shorter time. So who defined this new thing?
'It's not me who's wrong! It's this world!!'
These words, which had been shouted by countless chuunibyo teenagers, appeared in Lancer mind, but then he shook his head.
'What am I thinking? I'm already an "old man" and I'm still thinking about these things.'
But even though his rationality made him ignore this matter, this sentence kept echoing in his mind...