Nezu checked the information through his tablet while Aizawa informed him of the details via the communicators and UA's private channel.
The Principal nodded with every update he received, his mind organizing and giving life to Aizawa's words, analyzing the repercussions of what happened in that city, as well as the measures his Academy would have to take in the immediate future.
Although for some the feeling of danger may have vanished, the truth of the matter is that since the attack on the PussyCats' training camp, the situation has been going from bad to worse.
Failure after failure by Professional Heroes, partial victories that bring media consequences, and a constant loss of confidence in institutions like UA, the police, and the Government in general.
Nezu foresaw a gradual cut in funding for Heroes, both for their maintenance and training, which would stretch the resources of some agencies and force others to close, with their members being absorbed by the more stable ones.
And the biggest problem was All Might.
Without the Symbol of Peace and with almost all the League of Villains at large, crime will skyrocket in the coming months, which will result in greater pressure on Professional Heroes, leading to more failures in the public eye.
And then a destructive cycle of pressure, failure, discontent, and distrust will begin. The Heroes of this generation and the one in training will face tough challenges.
Nezu knew that the battle would not only be fought on the streets but in society, status, and popularity. They were obligated to provide a symbolic figure who inspired confidence in the Hero System.
They had none. Right now, they had none of the caliber they would need.
Nezu was pulled out of his contemplations by the flashing lights of the patrol cars that seeped through his window.
The car stopped and Vlad King emerged from the passenger seat, opening the back door and taking the Principal to carry him over his shoulder.
The gaze of the Bear, or Rat, or Dog, swept over the scorched surroundings, the broken mailboxes, and the marks indicating strong explosions and collisions of liquid masses.
He quickly focused his attention on a pink-haired woman who was heatedly arguing with the poor officers, intimidating them with her intense, predatory aura while some familiar faces cowered behind her.
—Vlad, go there— Nezu urged his Teacher. He pretended not to hear the sound the Hero made as he swallowed hard and held on tightly as they moved.
The closer they got, the more they heard of the furious rant of the woman, whom Nezu recognized as the adoptive mother of Terumi Tetsumaru and Terumi Mei.
—Are you telling me that the damn social scums attack my house for a second time, looking to harm my children for a second time, involving other children this time, and you demand their Licenses to use their Quirks!? Have you gone crazy, or do you want to get beaten up, you incompetent bastard!?— she lashed out, causing the officers to step back a couple of paces with nervous expressions.
Even Vlad and Nezu felt embarrassed and confused.
—Excuse the interruption— Nezu intervened, noticing that one of the officers was about to reply more harshly than appropriate, which would surely complicate the situation.
The pink-haired woman turned in his direction with fiery eyes and a furious snarl, which made even Vlad King flinch.
From behind her, Midoriya Izuku's eyes suddenly widened. —Vlad-Sensei?— he murmured loud enough for Nezu to hear him and, by extension, the woman.
Before Nezu could say anything else to calm things down, Sakura appeared before them and delivered a swift slap that shook the cheeks of both the Principal and the Hero over whose shoulder he was sitting, leaving everyone present stunned.
—Where is my son!?— the woman asked angrily, her moist eyes drilling into the Principal who had appeared at her home and requested permission to take Tetsumaru during the rescue operation.
Nezu calmly rubbed his cheek, understanding that the woman felt overwhelmed after experiencing a high-risk situation. He understood that this was a natural reaction for Humans.
—Twice!— she continued, pouring her fear and frustration onto one of those she considered responsible. —My children were attacked twice, my home almost destroyed twice, and you did nothing! And what's next now, Principal Nezu!? Must my family continue to tolerate these aggressions and pay for the damages those bastards cause!?
—Please, Ms. Haruno, I give you my word that UA will take care of any inconvenience related to this attack. We will provide funding for the damages to your home, as well as medical expenses for our students— Nezu declared honestly.
But his words did not seem to alleviate this mother at all. Sakura blinked a couple of times, her rage fading and being replaced by disappointment. She directed a blank look at Nezu, shaking her head slightly.
—Do you think money fixes everything? What will happen when they attack again and my children can't stop them? What will you do if one of them also dies? Or my husband, or myself?
What will your money do then?— Sakura concluded in a whisper, turning her back on Nezu and the officers, heading into her husband's arms in search of comfort.
The Principal sighed, leaving the woman alone and calling his students who were watching everything in uncomfortable silence. Aside from Endeavor, it was likely that the parents of the other kids would react the same way.
*************************
Back in Yokohama, Tetsumaru did not cease his activities until well into the night.
With Aizawa's permission and Nezu's assurance that his parents and his other half were fine, the shinobi dedicated the remainder of his chakra to assisting the Heroes in their search, rescue, transport, and other less violent tasks.
While he could not send enormous waves of Sand, he could still go through debris and lift it, move the injured, and use his superior speed and mobility to reach places that would be complicated for others without support equipment.
The battle around the Bar barely caused material damage, and almost no injuries. But in the other location, the story was different.
As soon as Endeavor confronted the person Tetsumaru was sure was the evil All Might, things progressively escalated:
Shockwaves that shook the earth, flying debris that crossed hundreds of meters to fall upon some unfortunate soul, and the whirlwind of fire that was scattered over a large area in the form of a burning rain, injuring many.
Then, as Aizawa informed him, came the fight between the heavyweights.
If the exchange of blows between All Might and the USJ Nomu was devastating, Tetsumaru now realized how truly dangerous it was to fight on the streets of a city.
Things that are not shown in most stories due to target audience concerns, but which in this world happened unfiltered.
Tetsumaru saw human remains crushed under piles of rubble, overturned and burning cars with blackened silhouettes inside, limbs in the middle of the street, bloodstains decorating some walls, and bone fragments interspersed with wet hair.
—This is what they mean by tragedy...— he thought with an internal sigh. Although he didn't feel comfortable with the situation, there was a kind of block in his mind that prevented him from breaking down and throwing up.
It could have been the character he embodied, or perhaps his lack of emotions as a consequence of being Mei's half.
It might have been due to the fact that, despite the new resolve that drove him to get so involved in this, he still felt detached from these people...
—Ugh no, that's too dark— Tetsumaru denied with a grimace, deciding to put such strange thoughts aside and focus on his duties.
He would visit Ragdoll later.