On the other side, when the explosion rang out once more, the Heroes present instinctively shut their eyes.
In their view, the blast had been far too violent.
Anyone standing at its center—like that black-clad youth—had no chance of survival.
The thought filled them with pain and fury.
Pain—because they could only stand there and watch him die.
Fury—at their own helplessness.
"Finished?"
Just as guilt and anger swallowed them whole, a calm, indifferent voice drifted out from the smoke.
They froze.
Then—
Before their stunned gazes—
Shigaraki Tomura stepped slowly out of the dust cloud, casually brushing off his sleeve.
He was completely unharmed.
Not a scratch.
"Hiss—"
A collective intake of breath rippled through the crowd.
"How is that possible?"
"He's totally fine?!"
"Was it a Quirk? Or did he dodge at the last second?"
…
Shigaraki paid no attention to their shock.
He tilted his head slightly and looked at the Sludge Villain with cold eyes.
"Since you're done… I suppose it's my turn to perform."
"Damn it… you brat—go to hell!"
Seeing his attack fail, the Sludge Villain felt a flicker of unease.
But far stronger than that—
Was rage.
Rage that his strike had done nothing.
Rage at the boy's arrogant attitude—treating him as if he were already in his pocket.
So he unleashed everything.
He would make this brat regret interfering.
Regret looking down on him.
Unfortunately—
The outcome was destined to disappoint him.
Faced with the onslaught of explosions, Shigaraki's expression did not change in the slightest.
He walked forward at an unhurried pace.
One step at a time.
And slowly—
He extended his hand.
The explosions stopped.
As the smoke cleared, the Sludge Villain could see clearly—
The chain explosions he had just triggered had done absolutely nothing.
Aside from the shockwaves lifting the edge of Shigaraki's cloak—
There had been no effect whatsoever.
"Y-You… who are you?"
The Sludge Villain's pupils shrank.
One failed attack could be coincidence.
But this many in a row?
Impossible.
There was only one explanation—
The boy possessed an absolute countermeasure against him.
Realization dawned.
Panic crept in.
He had relied entirely on Bakugo's explosive Quirk to maintain control in front of so many Heroes.
Now—
A mysterious youth had appeared.
Someone who completely suppressed that Quirk.
Someone whose methods were strange.
Whose identity and motives were unknown.
His advantage—
Gone.
Without it—
How could he possibly stand against the Heroes inside and outside the perimeter?
Retreat.
The thought surfaced immediately.
But before he could act—
Shigaraki blocked his path.
There was no way Shigaraki would allow him to escape.
After all—
He had come here not only to complete the system's initial mission—
But also to recruit this slimeball as a subordinate.
"Ah—!"
The Sludge Villain tried to resist.
But his resistance was laughably weak beneath those hands that seemed capable of destroying everything.
The instant Shigaraki's fingers made contact—
The Sludge Villain's body began to disintegrate.
Inch by inch.
Cracks spreading outward.
Crumbling.
Only then did the Sludge Villain understand the source of his earlier unease.
It had been his instincts warning him.
Too bad he realized it too late.
"Aaah—AAAAAAHHH!!"
A bloodcurdling scream tore through the street.
It was a sound so agonizing, so raw, that it seeped into the bones of everyone present.
A chilling scream—
Cold enough to freeze the blood.
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