𝔸 𝔾𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕎𝕒𝕤 𝕆𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕖 💥𝔹𝕒𝕜𝕦𝔻𝕖𝕜𝕦💥

Echo of the Past, Shadow of the Present

Thank you all so much for getting me to 4k reads. I appreciate all of you so much!

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Chapter 44

Katsuki's POV:

Katsuki's discharge from the hospital came after several days, thanks to the combined efforts of the medical staff and Recovery Girl. His recovery, however, was marred by his relentless obsession with finding Izuku. But no matter how hard he looked, Izuku had vanished without a trace. He had scoured the information he had gathered but it seemed to be leading him in circles, and every dead end felt like a personal defeat.

A week following his discharge, like a spark of hope in the darkness, an anonymous tip arrived, bearing potential information on the LOV. Katsuki's pulse quickened at the lead, and without a second thought, he rallied his sidekicks and rushed to the location. The lead led him to a decaying warehouse on the city's outskirts, Coincidentally it was in the same vicinity where the League of Villains had been spotted before, sparking hope in the blonde that they were on the right trail.

Surrounded by the buzz of fish markets and the neon glow of bars and restaurants, the warehouse seemed to be a hub of hidden activity. Among them, a flashing red neon sign reading 'Red Lotus' stood out like a beacon. As they entered the alleyway, Katsuki's gaze was drawn to the sign, his eyes narrowing assessing his surroundings for any sign of danger.

With his sidekicks by his side, Katsuki stormed into the warehouse, his steps echoing with purpose. The adrenaline surged through his veins, the thrill of the chase propelling him forward. The promise of answers, of finally uncovering Izuku's whereabouts, fueled his every move. He was ready to fight someone... anyone that stood in his way.

Reality within the warehouse slapped him hard across the face, extinguishing the flames of hope that had been building within him. Katsuki scoured the entire building but found it was only a space used for the production and distribution of illegal quirk boosters, devoid of any trace of Izuku. The weight of disappointment settled on Katsuki's shoulders, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

He had been so damn sure that this lead would be the one, the breadcrumb that would finally lead him to Izuku. But once again, the universe seemed intent on mocking him, leaving him with nothing. As he walked back to his car, shoulders hunched beneath the weight of his perceived failure, he could feel the glare of his self-imposed pressure, a heat that seared into his psyche.

How the hell does a whole damn group of villains just vanish? Being led back to this area has to mean something. I can feel it, I know it.

Kirishima's solid palm made contact with Katsuki's back, a gesture of support that pulled him back from the labyrinth of his own thoughts. "Don't beat yourself up, man. We'll find him."

Katsuki exhaled, a bitter edge tainting the breath as it left his lips. The release of air was a small outlet for the pent-up frustration that churned within him. "It's like he fucking vanished into thin air."

Kaminari's voice chimed in, a note of optimism in his tone. "We'll find him, dude. We just need to keep searching and not give up."

Time continued to pass on as Katsuki scoured every possible League of Villains hideout, picking it clean for clues as to where Izuku could have been.

But despite his efforts, he still couldn't find him.

Days bled into weeks, each passing moment adding weight to the growing void left by Izuku's disappearance. No matter how many places he checked, the result was always the same – an empty trail leading Katsuki nowhere.