(Shigaraki POV – Unknown Alley)
'Was I just a pawn to him…?' The thought slams into mind.
My skin begins to burn, crawling with fire as itching explodes outward, almost as if something was wriggling within my flesh.
My nails dig in hard, trying to rip it out.
I rake them down my arms, across my chest, my neck… hard enough that my skin splits open as thin red lines blossom wherever they pass.
But it doesn't stop… not for a single moment.
And subconsciously, I claw deeper, the pain barely registering.
"Why… why… why—why—why?!" The words spill out of me frantically, my voice hoarse as I twist and scrape at places I can't even reach properly. Blood streaks across my fingers, drenching my hands and my body. "Why would Master… do this to me?"
My thoughts scatter.
'What about my hatred?' I think, doubt creeping in. 'What does my hate mean now?'
'Is this twisted society to blame for my hate… or is it Master?'
My vision blurs, eyes burn, as my heartbeat thunders in my skull as I search for answers.
When everything was destroyed…
When the world abandoned me…
He was the only one who reached out.
'The heroes didn't save me… while everyone else looked away…'
"I was just a kid!" I snarl, slamming my palm into the brick wall beside me, my breathing heavy as my other hand clenches my hair.
The surface crumbles under my touch, concrete flaking and crumbling into dust as my fingers sink deeper into it.
"That's why society is rotten—!" I shout. "That's why heroes are trash—! That's why they all deserve to be destroyed—!"
That's what I've always believed.
'…Right?' I question. 'Since when have I thought this way?' It takes me a few moments to realise.
"Ah… that's right." I mutter. "It was Master who told me that."
My chest tightens, burning with a mix of hatred and pain.
He promised we'd destroy this rotten society and build it anew from the ashes.
He said I was his successor, and I'd inherit his will.
He taught me how to hate… who to hate.
How to kill… and who to kill.
Kill All Might.
Kill every hero.
Kill everyone who gets in out way…
My heart pounds so hard it hurts.
"…Was it all a lie…?" My voice comes out thin, cracking as I stagger backward and collapse against the alley wall, sliding down until I hit the ground.
A hollow laugh leaks out of me.
"All this time…" I murmur, staring into the void, my hair covering my vision. "I was just… a pawn."
The words feel empty, realised too late.
"Master was just… using me…"
The alley remains silent, empty… alone.
'Then what does my hatred mean?' I wonder. 'What do I mean?'
Hating society was my entire purpose… without that…
"What am I…?"
I lower my gaze.
My hands are shaking.
Skin cracked and peeling.
Blood caked beneath my nails.
Red smears decorating every inch of my body from relentless scratching.
These hands destroyed my family.
These hands destroyed others.
These hands were shaped into weapons.
"…Is this hate even mine…?" I whisper, staring at them. My fingers curl slowly.
The world feels distant, like I'm sitting behind glass.
The hate is still there.
The urge to destroy is still there.
But now…
I don't know what to do with it.
"You know… it's not too late for you." That bastard's voice cuts through the noise in my head.
I lift my gaze from the floor, and he's now standing in front of me, hands in his pockets, posture lazy, eyes flat. It's like everything's a boring chore he's forced to endure.
"You don't have to keep being a villain." He continues. "There are many people who want to help you."
'Help me?' My lips curl into a scowl.
"What?" I hiss, pushing myself upright, glaring at him. "People like you? If so, no thanks."
"No." He says plainly. "People like All Might, and the others who knew your grandmother, Nana."
My chest tightens when I hear that name.
My chest burns, while the itch begins to resurface once more.
"What does that hag have to do with anything?" I growl. "She abandoned us, and because of her, everything fell apart. And I suffered because of her."
My voice drops, thick with venom. "I hate her."
Hate doesn't feel like a strong enough word… but it'll do.
'Not just her…' I think as childhood memories begin to resurface, and along with them… hate. 'Dad. Mom. Hana. Heroes. Civilians. Villains… I hate all of them.'
"She did it to protect all of you from AFO." He counters.
I let out a sharp, ugly laugh.
"Protect us?" I bark. "Look at me. Look at my family. Who did she managed to protect?!"
The itch digs deeper now, but I don't care.
I watch as he maintains his unfeeling tone, uncaring expression.
'He's looking down on me, and treating me like I'm inferior.' I grit my teeth, grinding then against each other.
"Regardless of the result, her intentions were good." Kata says.
My eyes widen.
"…Good?" I repeat slowly.
Something inside me cracks.
"So you don't care how much I suffered…" I whisper. "As long as it was 'well intentioned?'"
My breath comes out hot.
'Master… no. AFO was right… This world is rotten.'
"Heroes pretend to be just." I mutter. "Villains are such hypocrites. And civilians pretend they're innocent when they're just as guilty!"
I dig my fingers into the concrete floor.
"They're all the same."
And suddenly, the itch disappears completely.
Like a switch was flipped.
My breathing calms down, and my heart stops racing.
I feel… clear.
'So this is it… This is what I am.' I muse, a grin slowly creeping across my face.
"I get it now." I whisper, pressing my hand fully onto the ground.
"This time…" I flash my teeth as I smile. "I'll destroy it all!"
The alley screams as concrete fractures outward in jagged veins. Walls crack and collapse, while trash disintegrates into gray dust.
My Decay doesn't just corrode what I'm giving this time, it actively spreads to nearby objects.
It snakes up walls, onto objects, and best of all…
Up his legs.
I push myself to my feet, watching his body start to crumble.
"I have to thank you." I say, laughing softly. "If you hadn't told me the truth… I'd still be confused."
My grin stretches wider.
"Now, I have a new, and simple purpose." I declare. "To destroy everything, and erase everyone! I'll leave nothing behind… and only then will society be fixed."
"Is that how you truly feel?" He asks calmly, even as his body turns to ash.
"Yeah." I say, watching him vanish. "And no one can stop me."
I turn, ready to leave the alley when…
"Good."
My body freezes.
"That means you're beyond redemption. All my doubts are gone."
My blood runs cold.
'What…?' I try to turn, but can't as none of my muscles obey my command. 'Isn't he supposed to be dead…?'
(Kata POV – Unknown Alley)
I tighten my hold with telekinesis, freezing Shigaraki in place from all directions.
I've been watching the entire time.
'It wasn't even a clone that he killed.' I muse. 'Just a body I controlled with Telekinesis.'
I observe the panic flickering through his eyes when he realizes he can't move.
'I don't need to hesitate anymore.' I think.
'I've proved he's not worth trying to save.'
There are people who would try to save him.
Heroes would argue about the morality.
All Might and anyone with a connection to Nana might advocate for him…
'It would be easier to hand him over… if he could be fixed.'
But he can't.
And I never really believed he could.
I just needed confirmation.
I step forward and appear in front of him.
The first thing I did was disable his Decay quirk, just in case, and with his body locked in place, I'm not worried about any sudden attacks.
"Whatever ambush you're planning…" I say calmly. "Don't bother. I've already disabled your quirk."
He glares at me… then grins, without much of the fear he ought to be feeling. It's almost manic.
"I was worried for a second." Shigaraki says. "But you won't kill me." He says with certainty.
I tilt my head slightly. "And why is that?"
"Because you talked to me." He says. "You brought up All Might. My grandma. All that crap about saving me." His smile widens. "You wouldn't bother talking so much shit if you planned to kill me."
'That's a deeply flawed assumption.'
"Firstly…" I say. "I'm only a hero to people I believe deserve saving."
I pause.
"You don't qualify."
He laughs. "Ouch. After our heart-to-heart? That's cold."
"But you're right about one thing." I continue. "I'm not going to kill you."
His eyes brighten.
"I knew it. No matter where you lock me up, I'll break out eventually—"
"Because this won't be a murder." I interrupt. "It's suicide."
The alley goes deathly still.
"…What?"
His right arm begins to move.
Not by his will.
Slowly.
Trembling.
Up to his own throat.
"Hey—" He growls. "Stop that."
"I've already gotten all the information I need from you." I say matter-of-factly. "And that information would've been my only reason to keep you alive."
I reactivate his quirk as his fingers tighten around his neck.
"Stop—!"
His skin begins to crumble under his own touch.
His scream cuts off mid-cry as his vocal cords disintegrate.
Only air wheezing through ruined flesh.
His resistance to the quirk makes it worse, as he decays slower than anyone else would.
What should've been seconds of suffering stretch on.
His eyes bulge as he begins suffocating.
His jaw decays next.
Then his cheek.
Then his tongue.
He convulses.
I don't look away.
'If you're prepared to kill…' I recall. 'You must be prepared to be killed.'
Atom by atom, he turns to ash.
When nothing remains, I wave my hand and scatter the dust into the night air.
He didn't know AFO's location. He didn't even have a copy of AFO in his body.
'Seems like AFO no longer intends to possess Shigaraki.' I analyse. 'So, he's probably found a way to repair, and maybe improve his body.'
But in the end, it doesn't matter.
'I now know where to find someone with all the answers I need.' I think, before teleporting away.
The League is next.
********
A/N: Hello Everyone! How are you all? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
Hopefully this chapter lived up to the hype. I'd like to say, "I had you in the first half", given how weird it is for Kata to talk so much🤣, but it was all part of my plan. If I had to say, my only regret would've been that I wanted the death scene to last much longer, but current Shigaraki, even with his quirk awakening (yep, he awakened, although not for long), to put up a fight.
You can also read 10 chapters ahead and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
There isn't much to say so far, so I won't continue unreasonably 🫠. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and have a great rest of your day/night😁.