~BNHA~ Everything That I Am

Chapter 37

The room felt thick with an uneasy tension as Izuku and Shoto stepped forward; the projector flickering to life to reveal an image that made Izuku's heart tighten—the solemn, haunted eyes of Eri staring back at them. It was both foreign and yet familiar to the curious child he had come to know. It was a testament to Chieko's influence that any amount of light had returned to the poor girl's eyes.

Murmurs filled the room as heroes leaned in, their focus sharpening as the gravity of the situation settled over them.

Izuku shuffled the documents before him, his fingers brushing against the edges of papers that felt heavier with implication than their physical weight suggested. Clearing his throat to dispel the silence that had momentarily claimed the room, he began, his voice a steady beacon amidst the storm of anxious thoughts raging within.

"In our search, we located a hideout that a yakuza member had been using in the area," he said, motioning towards the documents splayed out like an open wound, revealing the depth of Eri's plight. Photographs, sighting reports, and a city map marked with X's that traced a path ominously close to where they now stood. As the heroes in the room red their own copies in their hands Izuku could see the reality of the situation settled over their faces, a tangible shift in the atmosphere as the implications of who Eri truly was and the Yakuza's possible interest in the young girl.

Shoto took the cue, his demeanor calm yet underscored with an urgency that mirrored the gravity of their findings. "These marks on the map," he pointed out, his finger tracing the trail of X's, "they seem to stop a few miles away from the school. We're not sure how old this information is, but this could be the reason the Yakuza has been moving closer to the school."

Aizawa, silent up to this point, brows furrowed in thought, finally spoke, his voice cutting through the thick air with precision. "These reports," he began, pausing to glance over the papers Izuku and Shoto had presented, "they seem to suggest her reversal quirk is not only powerful, but unstable..." His voice trailed off, eyes scanning the room, gauging the impact of his words.

Izuku nodded, stepping forward to bridge the gap his mentor had left open. "Yes, that's correct," he confirmed, his voice firmer than he felt. "The reports have pages missing, so I can't say for sure, but it's safe to assume they want her quirk. Honestly, it's a miracle she's been able to hide so long undetected."

As the information sunk in, the room transformed into a battleground of ideologies. Izuku stood still amidst the turmoil, watching as heroes—seasoned adults he had looked up to—voiced their thoughts on Eri's presence and her potent, yet dangerous, quirk. The air was thick with contention, as perspectives clashed, blurring the line between protector and warrior in their midst.

Midnight's voice emerged strong amidst the chaos, a lighthouse guiding them back to their foundational purpose. "Let's not forget, our priority is the girl's safety. We need to ensure she's safe, above all else," she asserted, her conviction piercing the gathering fog of contention.

Yet, her words found challenge by a broad-shouldered hero, who viewed Eri's quirk through the lens of tactical advantage. "But think of the leverage her quirk offers. If the Yakuza wants her, it's for a reason. That power could be our trump card against All for one," he argued.

This assertion was countered by concern from another veteran, her face a map of scars. "And if her quirk falls into the wrong hands? The destruction could be catastrophic. Moreover, harboring her here could paint a target not just on her back but on all of ours," she pointed out, her concern casting a shadow over the notion of bringing Eri into their fold.

Amidst the clashing views, two sides emerged—one rooted in the duty to protect, and the other in the pragmatism of war. Izuku's heart swayed with the argument for protection, bolstered by seeing Mirio's nod towards Midnight, his stance clearly on the side of safeguarding Eri's well-being.