Something Different

23: Hero Killer

Izuku was anxious. Of course, he was. As he, Todoroki and Endeavor made their way toward Hosu City, Izuku felt his stomach churn. Instead of public transport, Endeavor was using his extreme firepower to blast himself onward, Todoroki was creating a trail of ice in his wake, and Izuku was jumping from building to building with One For All.

Izuku had been so focussed on Endeavor's training that he had forgotten that they would inevitably make a trip to Hosu City... Stain's current place of activity. A hero student—Tenya Iida—had died a brutal death on that night by Stain's sword. Izuku never liked him—he attempted to kill Tomura, after all.

When they arrived at Hosu City, his two companions were surprised to see the once boisterous place aflame. Endeavor was the first to act, "Shoto, Deku, stay here. Do not engage in battle."

Without uttering another word, Endeavor leapt into the raging fires. He realised that his Quirk would only make things burn more, right? Izuku rolled his eyes.

"Let's go, Todoroki," If he was going to fight Stain, he would probably need all the help he could get. Based on his past experience, Stain was a force to reckon with...

"What?" Todoroki's eyebrows furrowed slightly, "But Father told us to..."

"People are dying down there," Izuku countered sternly, causing Todoroki to flinch. Maybe that was too much? A necessary revelation, nonetheless. "Heroes can't be trusted to always save the day. There are times when they... make the problem worse. Let's go, Todoroki."

-

Stain had considered himself many things—a murderer, a purger, righteous. Never once did he think he would become a child killer. But this was for the best, wasn't it?

He looked to the face beneath his foot, its features twisted with rage and sorrow. A face of someone who craves an eye for an eye. This boy... this child shouldn't bear a face so vengeful.

"You... crippled my brother!" Came a voice so pervaded with anger. The young Iida's teeth clenched, eyes wide and glistening. His expression told Stain that he was prepared to die if it meant he could take Stain with him. That was an expression only a villain would make.

A villain in the guise of a hero... It was disgusting. Stain abhorred people like Tenya Iida; people who pose as heroes but were merely villains wearing their skin.

"You... shall be purged from this world," Stain lifted his blade, prepared to stab it through the young man's brain and splatter its matter onto the alley's walls. That was... until there was the sound of zipping behind him...

Like frost spreading throughout the walls, and lightning sparking in the air.

Stain spun around just before a fist could connect with his face, jumping away just in time. Sparks of red littered the area that Stain had been at a moment prior, followed by the air turning stale and chilling.

"Iida, are you alright?" Stain looked up, brow creasing at the sight of the boy who had won the Sports Festival. He was crouched beside Iida, checking on his condition like the worrywart friend he was. What was his name, again?

"Wh-why are you here? Midoriya..." Iida groaned as he tried to wrestle against the numbness in his muscles. How foolish... Nobody could break through Stain's Quirk.

"Meddling..." Midoriya, was it? He cast his gaze toward Stain with a fierce look in his eyes. He gulped audibly, a visible lump going down his throat. "When unneeded... is the essence of being a hero."

Stain nearly scoffed. The statement sounded forced and unnatural. Nevertheless, the boy understood the meaning of a true hero, so if he wanted to be let go, Stain would allow it. His friends, however...