Chapter 150: All For One
"You were there?" Stain scoffed. "Your presence is very unique. It's impossible that I wouldn't have noticed you."
"And what about now?" Kira released his Hamon, letting it cling tightly to his skin, suppressing all its light.
In Stain's perception, even though Kira was standing right in front of him, his aura had vanished.
Seeing Stain staring at him in silence, Kira knew his presence concealment had succeeded. He continued, "After Shigaraki joined you, you had a chance to end the fight, but you were stopped by the one they call 'Eye of the Dawn,' who is now standing right behind me. Is that enough proof for you?"
"If you were there, why didn't you appear?" Stain asked after a moment of silence.
"Because there was no need," Kira said with a smile. "Also, I'm a bit interested in your ideology. I wanted to ask you about it in person."
In class, Kira had used the comparison between Pro Heroes and American "vigilantes" to make his classmates and Aizawa believe that Stain had simply confused the two, failing to recognize the different national circumstances. He had reassured them while also motivating them to become Pro Heroes who didn't work for personal gain.
But that was a false conclusion. No, not false, but rather the most logical analysis of the Hero Killer's actions from the perspective of a Pro Hero.
Kira's argument had been a superficial, one-sided view, meant to open their minds. But he had deliberately made everyone ignore one key point: the Hero Killer had already proposed his "Return to True Heroes" idea in his student days, before he had disappeared.
"The Hero Killer, Stain. No one knows where he came from, only that since his appearance, he has mercilessly brandished his blade against Pro Heroes. His actions have provoked the unified anger of the nation's heroes, who have sworn to bring him to justice. In the end, during the Hosu incident, he was arrested by Endeavor and other heroes. His current status is unknown."
Kira recited the description of Stain from a news report. "But at the same time, in every city where he has appeared, the crime rate has dropped significantly. Some experts have said that there is a certain connection between his actions and the evolution of the heroic spirit..."
Stain grinned. "That report is reasonably impartial. When a market is flooded with inferior goods, the bad money drives out the good. 'Hero' is a title that can only be earned by accomplishing a great deed. In today's society, any cat or dog can call themselves a hero. Don't you find that laughable?"
"So you see yourself as a market regulator?" Kira asked, looking at him calmly. "Have you ever thought that while these 'inferior coins' may not have the same purchasing power, they are still useful to the general public? And that they might even become good currency?"
"Inferior is inferior. Their nature will not be so easily changed."
"You eliminate the 'inferior coins' without a second thought. How do you know they won't change? You are not the fish; how can you know the fish's intent?"
"The fish's intent... I don't care," Stain said with a mocking smile. "I've already given them a chance, but none of them have changed. People like them... how can they change? Answer me."
"So this is the difference in our values..." Kira scratched his head, looking troubled. "In my view, even if there are many inferior products mixed in, they all have a common attribute. Regardless of their efficacy, they all have some value. But you believe that any product that doesn't meet a certain standard has no reason to exist. You want the market to police itself, to only produce high-efficiency products."
"Using a metaphor... Yes. That is what I think," Stain said, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Although some products are discontinued every year, it's not enough to make the market take notice. Only by breaking this balance will the market adjust itself quickly."
"Don't you think your ideas are too extreme? As time passes, people will naturally support those who are truly worthy of the name 'hero,' just as they support All Might." Kira pointed a thumb behind him, at Shosei Meisei, who was pressed against the small window, staring intently at the Hero Killer's every move. "Like Eye of the Dawn and Midoriya, whom you spared. Don't they have the qualifications of a hero? And Ingenium, whose legs you crippled. I don't think he was an inferior product."
"Ingenium... I admit he was a hero. But since he ran into me, I couldn't hold back. Besides... I never considered him a sacrifice to awaken this society."
Kira suddenly felt a laugh bubble up. "His Quirk is unusable now. What's the difference between destroying his career and killing him?"
"How long will it take for the 'market' to regulate itself? Five years? Ten?" Stain didn't answer his question, instead saying suddenly, "There is not much time left for this society."
"Are you finally going to confess?" a smile spread across Kira's face.
"Why would someone who can talk about Pro Heroes as if they were commodities be a student of All Might?" Stain also gave a terrifying smile.
"Then why is someone who can kill Pro Heroes without a moment's hesitation a fan of All Might?" Kira retorted with a smile of his own.
After a brief silence, Stain and Kira both burst out laughing. "...Hahahaha! Because... we are the same kind of person!"
In their short conversation, Stain had already understood. Kira was not like those other aspiring heroes, filled with a hatred of evil. He had no reverence for life, no clear concept of good and evil. He could ignore the law and act on his own will, sacrificing anything for his own goals... just like himself.
This kind of person was not uncommon in society. Whether it was the Pro Hero Endeavor, the League of Villains' Tomura Shigaraki, or the Hero Killer himself, they were all this type of person. They could become a Pro Hero for a single thought, or become a criminal for a single idea. Or, like himself, become someone who wanted to cleanse society.
"Have you ever killed anyone?" the Hero Killer suddenly asked.
"...I have never killed an innocent person," Kira replied.
"...Good. Since All Might is not coming, it's not so bad to tell you this." Stain's mouth twitched. "I don't know if you're aware of the 'Dawn of Quirks' era."
"Isn't that almost a century ago?" After coming to this world, Kira had been fascinated by this part of history he hadn't experienced. He was familiar with both the official records and the wild histories. "I remember that was when Quirks had just begun to appear in the world. Society hadn't yet adapted to the change. Just like the 'mutants' in Hollywood movies, many people's appearances changed drastically, and some animals took on human forms. The very definition of 'human' suddenly collapsed. The law lost its meaning, and civilization came to a standstill..."
"Although the history books don't mention it, according to some rumors and unofficial histories on the internet, when the world was in chaos, one person stood up. It's said he had the ability to steal other people's Quirks. He stole Quirks while rapidly expanding his own power, and before long, he ruled over Japan. Although his subordinates caused trouble everywhere, he still maintained a temporary peace in society."
Kira thought for a moment and continued, "But... at some point, he disappeared without a trace. His entire organization was crushed. After that incident, the profession of 'Pro Hero'—using Quirks to legally fight—began to develop in Japan."
Stain smiled. "You're surprisingly well-informed."
Kira frowned. "Just like the complete ban on rock music, I believe this is a part of history that the government has hidden. But there's one questionable point in this story. Why would this person, who was described as nearly invincible, suddenly disappear?"
"Because he has now returned," Stain said plainly.
"...What did you say?" Kira couldn't believe his ears. "Are you saying the person behind the League of Villains is that legendary figure from a hundred years ago?"
"If he can plunder Quirks, it's not that strange for him to have a Quirk that can slow his own aging, is it?" Stain said gravely. "He has a title. They call him 'All For One'."
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