Kalyo's body fell with a thud.
There was such a silence in the pub that the only sound entering their ears was that of blood sputtering out of the mutilated head.
People's gazes lifted off the massive dead body, carrying nothing but pure shock, and landed on the Bounty Hunter.
Gehrman Sparrow was already holstering his revolver at his hip.
Other than getting bewildered by Kalyo's sudden decision to stop using his Quirk, and imagining how Gehrman Sparrow knew to take advantage of that moment, people ignored the bloody white glove on his hand.
Even if some were to focus on it, they wouldn't have found anything wrong with it.
The dark, muddy red pupil had disappeared. The pupilless eye had vanished. The tear itself had melted back into the seams of the glove.
If there was any change to notice about the glove, then it was its texture.
From the time Gehrman Sparrow had entered the pub to the time just before he had shot a bullet through Kalyo's head, the white glove had been as smooth as the black glove on his left hand.
Now, though, the white glove had gained a mix of flaky, grainy texture, looking like… a white piece of wood.
None cared about that, though.
Kalyo the Steel, one of the most notorious and powerful local gangsters, was dead — killed in cold blood by not even a Pro Hero, but a freaking Bounty Hunter!
And not just a Bounty Hunter, but someone no one had heard of before!
Gehrman Sparrow moved.
People flinched.
To their surprise, the Bounty Hunter took off his straw hat with his left hand, revealing his black hair.
As people exchanged glances, thinking about what he was going to do, Gehrman pressed his straw hat against his chest, putting his head down, and closing his eyes.
"Oi… Oi…" an old sailor hummed, his eyes going wide. "… son of a gun… are you for real?"
Others didn't have to wait for too long to know what the old man was blubbering about.
"In body, you were a criminal," Gehrman Sparrow said. "You lived a life full of sins, losing your path to God's benevolence. Now, in death, you have been absolved of those sins. May your spirit find its way to the gray fog of eternal rest. Praise be to Mr. Fool."
From young to old, from crooked to hard-working men, none could prevent their jaws from dropping at the sight.
Praying…
The bastard was praying for Kalyo after killing him…
When the shock of that realization settled in their minds, they finally recalled which God the Bounty Hunter had prayed to.
Mr. Fool!
Now that was a name everyone here had heard of, even if they hadn't heard of Gehrman Sparrow.
All Might's battle with All For One, and the subsequent appearance of Dr. Blessed in the mix, had reached even this corner of the world.
Even if the people didn't know the exact facts, what Dr. Blessed had claimed that day had reached all ears by word of mouth, becoming a myth.
Now, All Might's existence was as much a testament of Mr. Fool's benevolence as it was a testament of Dr. Blessed's mysterious powers, especially with half the world thinking that it was he who had turned the Symbol of Hope Quirkless.
And the moment the word Quirkless appeared in all minds, their heads again snapped toward Kalyo's dead body, remembering how his Steel Body Quirk had vanished mid-battle.
This time, when they looked up at Gehrman Sparrow, their breathing had quickened in pure terror.
"You… are an Apostle," the Bartender stuttered.
There were many rumors about the Apostles of Mr. Fool.
They were unhinged, deranged fanatics. They were insanely powerful. They were Mr. Fool's followers, preaching his benevolence. They helped the poor and punished the rich. They were neither Heroes' friends nor Villains' benefactors.
But… more than anything… all the Apostles were Quirkless!
Gehrman Sparrow put his straw hat back on his head as he looked at the Bartender and… nodded.
People gasped.
So, it was true.
The shock became sweat on their faces, and every single brain cell in their heads replayed the fight that had taken place in the pub.
The strange crumpling into a paper…
The walking out of flames at a different place…
The dodging of all attacks as if his body didn't have bones…
The sudden disappearance of Kalyo's Quirk, resulting in his death…
Those acts were not because of Gehrman Sparrow's Quirk, but because of his powers granted by this god… Mr. Fool!
And that made things too real for all the people in the pub.
This was a God who truly existed!
This was a God who truly listened to prayers!
This was a God who truly cared for his followers!
Mr. Fool — was real!!!
"I… need a drink…" The bartender poured himself a drink with a shaking hand and gulped it down, letting it burn his throat.
When he put the glass down, Gehrman Sparrow was standing right in front of him.
Pure terror flashed across the bartender's face. "… What?"
Gehrman Sparrow nodded toward Kalyo's body with his chin. "Collect his bounty for me," he said. "You can do that, right?"
You didn't need to be a Pro Hero to collect bounties.
In bigger cities, there was no such thing, and only Pros handled Villains.
However, in the third-tier, or worse, places of the world, the culture of Wanted Posters and Bounties still prevailed, as long as…
"…you have a license?" the bartender asked.
Gehrman Sparrow flicked his wrist, and a card appeared between his fingers, which he threw on the counter before turning around and walking away.
He stopped at the exist and looked over his shoulder.
"I will come for the money," Gehrman Sparrow said flatly, looking at the bartender. "You can have your commission."
"No… No…" the bartender screamed. "I don't need…"
"You will have your commission," the Apostle said. "Because… Mr. Fool's benevolence only reaches those who believe in fair and equal exchange."
"…"
Then, leaving the puzzled and stunned group of men behind, Gehrman Sparrow disappeared.