The week of training under Endeavor had been nothing short of brutal. Reiji had pushed himself harder than ever, refining his Hellfire into something sharper, deadlier, more controlled.
But he knew this was just the beginning.
Because outside the walls of Endeavor's agency, something dangerous was lurking in the shadows.
And its name was Stain.
Reiji walked through the busy streets of Hosu City, the scent of burning fuel and city life filling the air. The internship patrol schedule had finally reached a phase where he would be actively engaging with real crime situations, and he welcomed the change.
The simulation battles were fun, but fighting real villains? That was what he had been waiting for.
Endeavor walked a few steps ahead, his towering frame cutting through the crowd like a flame in the darkness. They weren't alone—Todoroki had joined the patrol as well, though he mostly remained silent.
The tension between them had grown colder over the past few days.
Todoroki had never openly confronted Reiji about choosing to intern with Endeavor, but his icy stares spoke volumes.
Reiji, of course, found it amusing.
[If you've got something to say, just say it, Ice Prince.]
But Todoroki never did.
So Reiji didn't push it.
They had only been patrolling for an hour when the first incident occurred.
A nearby bank exploded as a group of masked villains stormed out, carrying stolen cash and knocking down civilians in their escape.
"Three of them," Endeavor noted, already stepping forward. "Todoroki, take the left. Kurobane, cover the right."
Reiji grinned. Finally, some action.
The villains barely had time to react before the heat in the air shifted.
"W-What the—?!"
FWOOOM!
A massive wave of ice shot forward, freezing the ground beneath their feet. Todoroki moved in, his expression unreadable as he cut off their escape route.
But before they could turn in the opposite direction—
Reiji appeared in a burst of Hellfire.
"Going somewhere?" he asked, cracking his knuckles.
The villains hesitated, looking between the two U.A. students and Endeavor, who was already preparing to incinerate any resistance.
Then one of them panicked and fired a compressed air blast straight at Reiji.
A mistake.
Reiji tilted his head. "You should've run faster."
Then—
He vanished.
Before the villain could react, a flaming fist buried itself into his gut, sending him crashing into the pavement.
The second villain turned to escape, but Todoroki froze his legs instantly.
Endeavor didn't even bother moving.
The third villain dropped his weapon immediately.
"We surrender! We surrender!"
The fight was over in seconds.
Reiji sighed. "That was disappointing."
Endeavor simply crossed his arms. "It's not about fun. It's about efficiency."
Reiji shrugged. "Doesn't mean I can't enjoy it."
Todoroki said nothing, simply stepping over the frozen criminals as the police arrived.
But as they secured the scene, a sudden explosion in the distance shook the city.
All three of them turned.
Smoke was rising from the alleyways deeper in the district.
And alongside the smoke…
Came the sound of screaming.
Endeavor's eyes narrowed. "Something's wrong."
Then, before anyone could say another word—
A bloodied pro hero stumbled into the street, collapsing in front of them.
Todoroki's eyes widened. "What—"
The hero gasped out weakly. "It's him… the Hero Killer… Stain…"
The moment Reiji heard the name, something in his instincts sharpened.
A villain who only targeted heroes—someone whose ideology was so twisted that even other criminals feared him.
[This might be fun.]
Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted toward the explosion site.
"Wait—Kurobane!" Todoroki called, but Reiji ignored him.
Endeavor grunted. "Let him go. If he's stupid enough to run into a fight unprepared, he'll learn the hard way."
But Todoroki wasn't convinced.
He wasn't worried that Reiji would lose.
He was worried about what Reiji would do if he won.
The alleyways of Hosu City were dark, drenched in shadow despite the fires that raged nearby.
And in the center of it all…
Was him.
Stain.
The Hero Killer stood over a fallen pro hero, his bloodied sword reflecting the streetlights. His mask barely concealed the madness in his eyes.
"You're a disgrace," Stain muttered, flicking blood off his blade. "You call yourself a hero, but you only care about status."
The wounded hero gasped for breath, barely able to move.
Then—
A voice cut through the alley.
"Not bad. But you talk too much."
Stain's head snapped toward the new arrival.
Reiji stepped forward, hands in his pockets, eyes gleaming with amusement.
The sight of the Hero Killer in person didn't intimidate him. If anything, he looked… interested.
"I've read about you," Reiji said. "The 'Hero Killer' who only lets real heroes live. Gotta say, you're making a mess."
Stain narrowed his eyes. "And you are?"
Reiji's smirk widened.
"Someone who wants to see if you live up to your reputation."
Then, without warning—
He attacked.
Reiji's Hellfire erupted as he shot forward, closing the gap in an instant. His fist ignited, swinging toward Stain's torso.
But—
Stain moved like a shadow.
CLANG!
His sword met Reiji's flames, barely deflecting the blow.
The impact sent sparks flying as both fighters skidded backward, locking eyes.
Stain wiped a small burn mark on his arm, his eyes narrowing.
"You fight like a villain."
Reiji chuckled. "That's the second time I've heard that."
He flexed his fingers. "Let's see if you can keep up."
FWOOOM!
His Hellfire roared to life, illuminating the alleyway in golden flames.
Stain gripped his sword tightly, his stance lowering.
Two killers, facing each other in the dark.
This wasn't a hero fight.
This was a battle between monsters.
End of Chapter 23.
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