Lightning Serenade

Chapter 31: League of Villains II

"Our mission wasn't a total loss," the disembodied voice blared through the television where no real picture could be discerned. "We did get a helpful new quirk added to our arsenal: Search, thanks to Ragdoll."

Even as Shigaraki continued to review the group's shortcomings, Denki's mind whirred at the new information, trying to connect the pieces that were there. They couldn't mean that this man on the other side of the television could steal quirks, right? He had never heard of such a thing before. Were they just trying to confuse him? To scare him, maybe, so that the threats they would dish out later would be more realistic?

"We did capture one student, but not the one we were hoping for most," Shigaraki reported, scratching at his neck anxiously.

"Which one?" the voice asked, pure curiosity in the tone.

Denki was surprised that the voice did not seem angered or defeated in any way after learning that all of their hard work and planning had not turned out the way they had hoped it would.

"Kaminari Denki. His quirk is electrification," Shigaraki offered, and Denki could have cried.

Even if they were just trying to scare him, it was definitely working. He didn't want the strange voice to know he was there or anything else about him, for that matter.

"He has an electric quirk, and yet, you all are still conscious, and the television is still working, so I assume he has not retaliated. Could he be a good candidate for our cause?"

"Doubtful," Shigaraki stated bluntly, shooting a glare in Denki's direction.

Denki just answered his glare with an apathetic shrug. He wasn't sorry about not being a good option to be recruited to a villain organization. Shigaraki rolled his red eyes away from Denki before refocusing on the weird, staticky image on the screen.

"But there are other strategies around that." Shigaraki continued after a pause to consider, "do you want us to prepare him to be relieved of his quirk?"

Dabi's hands tightened on Denki's shoulders, but that offered little relief to Denki. Dabi, however, was not consciously trying to comfort Denki. Dabi himself was nervous about the answer, wondering how the hell he was supposed to oppose All for One and wondering if Shigaraki would stand with him in opposition if it came down to it.

Luckily, it didn't seem like it would come to that. Denki had been on the verge of panicking at the thought of actually having to meet this scary dude in person, let alone face the strange reality that his quirk could be stolen from him, and his relief at the man's response nearly knocked him off of his feet.

"His quirk is powerful of his own right," the voice stated, crackling assuredly through the speakers. "That is, it's nothing special; it's only as powerful as it is because of Kaminari's hard work and dedication."

Denki didn't appreciate the compliment because it felt more like an animal in a zoo being admired than an up-and-coming hero-to-be being praised for his quirk training. Luckily, Denki did not have to pretend to preen under the compliment for his own self-interest because he was not called upon to speak. No one had spoken directly to the TV-man besides Shigaraki.

Denki had this uncanny feeling ever since Shigaraki had turned the television on and started conversing with the voice, calling the man on the other end "master," only to suddenly realize that the man sounded oddly like Aizawa; not the voice, but the way he spoke in an even, factual cadence. He was lecturing, teaching, Denki realized. Denki had thought that this mystery man was the leader of the whole operation, and thought it was weird that they would allow him to stay if the League of Villains wanted everyone to believe that Shigaraki was the mastermind, but with the way he was lecturing and talking Shigaraki through everything, it seemed like he was training Shigaraki to eventually take the lead himself.