Chapter 53 – Ida vs Hero Killer
Before Izuku's intervention but after the Nomu went into action, Stain had his "sacrifice" in his hands in an alley: the hero Native. The hero is recognisable by his feather headdress, feathered cape, and suit with the letter "N" on it. Overall, his clothing recalls stereotypical representations of Native Americans.
Stain was holding the wounded and immobilised hero in an ironclad, his katana in his right hand. The sound of destruction did not escape his hearing.
«What a racket… that idiot has sprung into action.» he said, annoyed «I'll get rid of him later, but now I have to get what I started done.»
Native was helpless. He wanted to move, act, defend himself from the killer who was holding him to the wall, but his body did not respond.
«My body… I can't move...» he began and then turned to Stain «You fucking bastard! Die in a thousand agonies!»
«If you were a hero, you should have chosen your last words wisely-»
A new presence. Stain sensed someone running up behind him. His tense muscles snapped, and his katana rotated horizontally, hitting the newcomer with enough force to knock him to the ground, but without actually injuring him. The helmet and glasses he was wearing were removed, however, showing the face of a boy with short dark blue hair.
«A brat in uniform…» Stain spoke disinterestedly «Better if you disappear. This is not a playground.»
The boy, Tenya, fell to the ground, but despite the pain, he began to get up, describing Stain's clothes and recognising him as the Hero Killer. But Stain wasn't interested in his speech or whether he was looking for him. What really attracted Stain were the young man's eyes, filled with anger, hatred and, above all, revenge. He smiled. A smile full of disgust.
«So, these are the eyes of someone seeking revenge.» he said, pointing his sword at the young man «Listen carefully: just because you're a child, that doesn't mean I won't make you my target if the situation demands it.»
Stain's disinterested tone caused a break in the last fragment of calm Tenya was clinging to. Now furious, lost in feelings of anger and desire for revenge, he stood up more quickly and stared at the Hero Killer with eyes that, if they had been weapons, would have killed Stain several times at this moment.
«Are you saying I'm not worthy of your attention? That I am inferior to you?» Tenya asked in a low, cold tone «Listen to me, criminal! I am the brother of the hero you attacked! The brother of the hero truly worthy of bearing that title! I'm here to settle the score!»
"This name… do you want to take it for me?"
The question his beloved brother, hospitalised, asked him hammered his head. Emotions such as pain, pride, and suffering mingled with the cold, dark desire for revenge in Tenya's heart.
«I will make sure you don't forget his name for the rest of your life, as his heir! I am Ingenium! The Hero who will put an end to your crimes!!» Tenya roared
Stain's eyes widened not by surprise or by the newly uttered hero's nickname, but by the determination he saw in his new opponent's eyes, a readiness to sacrifice his life if it helped him win.
For Tenya, the time for words was over. Using his formidable speed, he attacked Stain with a kick, but the Hero Killer easily dodged him by jumping over Tenya. Stain kicked Tenya in the right arm, injuring him with the spikes on the ends of his shoes. But didn't stop there; Stain hit his opponent on the head, slamming him to the ground and without hesitation, thrust the katana into Tenya's left arm.
«I had left your brother alive to add to the stir.» he stated boredly «You and your brother are weak. But what else could one expect from impostors...»
«Shut up, you scum!!!» Tenya roared again, as if he had forgotten about the pain «Because of you, my brother's lower part is completely paralysed, and he can't go back to being a hero!»
Stain said nothing and let him speak, aware or not that, over Tenya's vengeful eyes, tears of anger, frustration, and, above all, sadness were forming.
«My brother is a fantastic hero! He gave me a dream to pursue! I will kill you for what you did to him!!!»
«Your first thought should have been to save him.» Stain pointed to Native
Stain's statement, calm yet also scolding, left Tenya surprised and confused. As if someone had just slapped him to wake him up from who knows what idyllic world he was living in.
«Before being selfish, you should have thought about who really needed your help.» Stain continued, freeing the katana from Tenya's arm «Being drawn into hatred and aiming for personal satisfaction alone… will never allow you to be a hero. And for this you will die to create a better society.»
Stain licked Tenya's fresh blood, wetting his blade. Tenya felt something, a feeling of immobility, of paralysis. His body was no longer responding to him. Hatred and revenge made room for frustration and fear. But even though he was still, his lips and voice were not. Tenya roared his contempt as if it were the only thing that could allow him to turn the situation around.
«Whatever you say, you will remain a criminal who attacked my brother!»
Stain's expression was indifferent. He was about to lower his katana with the same certainty as the idealism that guides his actions. But a split second before he could lower his sword, he sensed a new presence, and a punch struck him in the left cheek, causing him to retreat.
Tenya looked up and saw a blonde-haired girl, her blue eyes protected by a visor.
«Shield-san…?!»
«I got here in time, Ida-san!»
*****
Melissa landed in front of Tenya, short of breath but focused. As she ran, Melissa knew she couldn't concentrate on finding both of them, so she decided to focus on Tenya's goal: the Hero Killer. Using what little she had been allowed to use of Conservai, her brain extracted and analysed every single piece of information she had about the Hero Killer. But even the result, namely the fact that Stain kills his victims in isolated alleys, was not very useful since Hosu has numerous alleys and there certainly wasn't time to search them all.
Starting from the square where she had seen Manual, the hero where Tenya was doing his internship, taking into account the location and the hypothetical time that had passed since the start of the Nomu assault, Melissa began searching the most likely alleys, expanding her search further and further until she reached the one where she is now. And noticing that there was another victim besides Tenya, Melissa realised that the situation was not rosy at all.
«Ida-san, can you move?! We need to warn the professionals...»
«I haven't been able to since he hurt me.» Tenya said, aching «I think it's because of his Quirk.»
Melissa had a thrill, as Tenya's statement had just confirmed her fear of the kind of Quirk the Hero Killer possesses. Without Stain realising it, Melissa grabbed her cell phone and sent a message with her location to everyone in the phonebook.
Bringing professionals here without evidence will be difficult. What's more, I have to protect two people who can't move. Melissa thought without looking away from Stain I have to take my time until the arrival of-
Melissa’s thought was interrupted. Not because she had been attacked or distracted, but because, when she was about to complete her thought, the first image to appear in her mind was Izuku's calm, composed face. Melissa shook her head and returned to focusing on the opponent in front of her.
«Shield-san… go away.» Tenya spoke in frustration «This has nothing to do with you.»
Melissa ignored him. Her training with Izuku took over.
«So you're a friend of hers? You used very good words a little while ago, I admit.» spoke Stain «But I must eliminate you, for I have categorised you as unworthy of life.»