Tsukauchi straightened his expression and looked at Edgeshot and Kamui Woods.
"I believe both of you understand this already."
"No matter whether you are a Pro Hero or a police officer, our core duty is the same."
"To protect civilians."
"In other words, even if we capture those two villains, the operation will still be a failure if innocent people are hurt."
"So I want both of you to use your Quirks to rescue every civilian inside the mall who may be in danger."
"Understood."
"Leave it to us, Officer Tsukauchi."
Edgeshot and Kamui Woods both nodded.
Tsukauchi fell silent for a moment.
Truthfully, using the No. 5 and No. 7 heroes purely for rescue work was somewhat wasteful.
But if it protected civilians, then it was worth it.
His expression sharpened again.
"There is one thing I need to emphasize."
"Your task is rescue."
"And only rescue."
"No matter what happens, whether it is shockwaves from the battle or some unexpected accident, saving civilians comes first."
"Nothing else matters."
"Even if a villain escapes right in front of you, your first priority must still be civilian safety."
"Not pursuit."
"Can you guarantee that?"
Edgeshot and Kamui Woods both went quiet.
For heroes of their caliber, being ordered to focus only on rescue, even if it meant letting a villain escape, was not easy to accept.
Capturing villains brought fame.
Rescue work rarely did.
But after a brief silence, their professionalism won out.
Kamui Woods answered first.
"Don't worry, Officer Tsukauchi. I'll do it."
Edgeshot's voice was quieter, but firmer.
"I swear on the name of Pro Hero Edgeshot. I will prioritize rescue above all else."
"Good."
Tsukauchi nodded.
"Then the rescue operation is in your hands."
"As for the rest, evacuation guidance and all non-combat responsibilities inside the mall will be handled by the police."
"We will evacuate civilians, watch for outside accomplices, and create a suitable battlefield for all of you."
His gaze swept across the room.
"As long as we work together, those two criminals will not escape the judgment of the law."
"This time, we will capture them."
"And we will make them pay for their crimes."
What Tsukauchi failed to notice was that, while he was rallying everyone in the room, a middle-aged officer near the back quietly pressed a hidden device inside his sleeve.
The movement was subtle.
Too subtle.
Not only did Tsukauchi miss it, even the Pro Heroes present noticed nothing.
A few seconds later, the recorded footage was sent out.
At almost the same time, inside a private room somewhere in N City Mall, the large screen on the wall flickered.
Then Tsukauchi's briefing appeared on it.
Every word.
Every face.
Every detail.
All of it had been delivered.
"Capture us?"
A blue-haired man watched the screen and slowly grinned.
"How ambitious."
His smile widened.
"But the ones getting captured will be you."
The man was Tsuki Sen'gen.
Or rather, the Sludge Villain currently wearing Tsuki Sen'gen's body.
He laughed smugly.
And honestly, he had every reason to be proud.
The officer who sent the footage was one of the agents he had planted in advance.
Even the "concerned citizen" who reported Muscular's location to the police had been arranged by him.
This entire operation had been guided into motion by his hand.
And the purpose was simple.
To help his master, Shigaraki Tomura, recruit Muscular.
Of course, he had not told Shigaraki the full plan yet.
He wanted to present it as a surprise.
"So they still haven't realized someone infiltrated them."
A voice sounded behind him.
A one-eyed man walked into the room.
A long scar cut across his blind eye, making his already vicious face look even more brutal. His remaining eye tilted upward with cruelty, and his body carried a killing intent that could not be hidden.
Muscular.
The very villain All Might and the others were preparing to capture.
He was also the "gift" the Sludge Villain planned to offer Shigaraki.
Muscular crossed his arms and sneered at the screen.
"What a bunch of idiots."
The Sludge Villain frowned slightly.
He disliked Muscular's arrogance.
Being arrogant was fine.
Being stupidly arrogant was another matter entirely.
And Muscular clearly belonged to the type of fool who had not suffered enough setbacks.
Still, they were allies for now.
They might even become coworkers in the future.
So the Sludge Villain suppressed his irritation and patiently explained.
He did not want Muscular's overconfidence ruining the operation.
"Idiots? Not exactly."
"To be precise, those people are extremely smart and extremely cautious."
"Think about it carefully."
"If we hadn't prepared in advance, and they were allowed to execute their plan exactly as intended…"
"What do you think would have happened?"
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