Can We Be Heroes?

Chapter 1 • Woes of an Underground Hero.

Shouta Aizawa had long surpassed the meaning of the word exhaustion. He was basically a walking dead and that was and even that felt like an understatement. Dark circles hung under his eyes, proof of his countless sleepless nights and relentless missions. The life of an underground hero never allowed for rest, but lately, the work load he carried seemed to have grown heavier than ever.

The pro hero was slumped in his chair, staring at the stack of paperwork before him. A few forms were half-filled, but his attention drifted elsewhere. He tried to focus-god, did he try-but his mind refused to cooperate. It kept wandering back to the same troubling issue that had been eating at him for weeks.

Vigilantes.

There seemed to have been a sharp rise in vigilante activity throughout Musutafu recently, and it had become a serious problem. Especially for him who kept chasing them around like some kind of obsessed lunatic.

Now vigilantism wasn't something new-far from it. In fact, many heroes had started out as vigilantes back in the early days when quirks first appeared. It had been a chaotic time, a time when heroes operated without rules or oversight. But things had changed. Laws were passed, regulations enforced, and the role of vigilantes became outlawed.

Yet, some still clung to that rebellious, dangerous path.

Aizawa sighed, rubbing his temples as he thought about the damage they caused. While some vigilantes meant well, more often than not, they did more harm than good. Casualties, property destruction, and the reckless disregard for the law were the hallmarks of most vigilantes in the city. Each new report that crossed his desk only added to the growing frustration gnawing at him.

But even with all the chaos and destruction they caused, there were still a few who operated differently. A few who were... smarter. Cunning, even. The kind that managed to outsmart the pros, making even seasoned heroes like Aizawa feel like complete idiots.

His eyes drifted across his cluttered desk, eventually landing on the source of his latest headache. Three files sat at the edge of his desk, untouched for hours. Aizawa's hand hesitated before he grabbed them, flipping open the first one with a sigh.

Inside was a detailed report on a vigilante known only as Vixen. Young, fierce, and resourceful, he moved through the city like a hunter. His speciality was exposing corrupt heroes. No one knew how he did it but within the spun of one year Vixen had managed to expose 25 corrupt heroes. He never left a trace, and despite her effectiveness, there was something unsettling about his methods. Aizawa along with Kumia Woods had tried to track him down numerous times but always ended up with nothing.

The second file was no better. Shadow, another vigilante, operated under the cover of night. He had the ability to silence an entire room with a word or so he heard, using his quirk to manipulate others in a way that felt... dangerous. People feared him, yet some whispered that he was one of the few vigilantes who kept things from spiraling into chaos. But still, illegal was illegal.

Finally, Aizawa opened the third file, his frown deepening. Hex. A strange name for someone with an equally strange mannerism. He was beyond comprehension-erratic, unpredictable, and fast. Too fast. Reports said he could evade the strongest heroes with just a bow and arrow, and while his actions didn't seem harmful, they still left a trail of questions behind.

Together, these three had become the very bane of Aizawa's constant irritation. They weren't like the others. They weren't reckless or foolish. No, they were calculated. Every move they made seemed measured.

He closed the files and leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.

"What are you three after?" he muttered to himself, even though he knew no answer would be coming from anywhere.