Two days later at dawn, a military helicopter descended through a bank of gray clouds toward the most secure prison in Japan. Looking from above, the structure seemingly rose from the ocean like a black iron nail driven into the sea. Equipped with layer upon layer of armored walls, anti-air batteries, sensor arrays, and reinforced gates. All of this formed a monument to a single purpose.
Tartarus, even after the prison breaks, had remained what it had always been. The best containment facility in the entire country. Inside the helicopter, the President of the Hero Public Safety Commission sat with her remaining hand folded over a sealed authorization case.
There were no aides and no security entourage. After all, this visit did not officially exist.
The rhythmic chop of the rotor blades filled the cabin as she stared through the glass at the fortress below. 'Thankfully, this place still stands.' She thought solemnly. It had been two days since she returned to office. Within these two days, she had gained a thorough understanding of the depths of her mistake.
More than three thousand released inmates. Hundreds of casualty reports each day. Property damages in billions, and a massive decline in hero ratings.
The crime rate had skyrocketed from the previous nine percent to levels not seen in generations.
Entire prefectures were reporting staffing shortages. Veteran heroes were working double and triple shifts. Municipal agencies were requesting emergency support faster than the Commission could process them. That was just the issues they could currently deal with.
Recently, a surge of illegal weapons and support gear had recently flooded the markets in multiple prefectures, being traced to both internal and external sources. The National Police Agency was stretched to its limit just investigating and every morning brought another stack of reports detailing robberies, kidnappings, extortion, and coordinated activity from rising villain groups.
It was just a bit short of chaos at every turn.
The President closed her eyes. In forty-eight hours, she had slept less than six. Forget about anything else, the casualty lists alone were appalling. Out of the Forty plus heroes that joined the Kamino raid, nineteen of them died.
Twelve had their quirks taken away. The rest were hospitalized. Tens of thousands reported dead or injured across Kamino and Tokyo. More nationwide with Shigaraki's jailbreaks. And despite all this, none of it was her major concern.
Rather, the worst case scenario was a single assessment written in the margin of an internal briefing by one of the Commission's strategic analysts.
Current national deterrence capability: critically insufficient.
In plain language, Japan no longer had enough powerful heroes to guarantee rapid suppression of high-level threats. Mirko was now, by most serious estimates, the strongest consistently available front-line combat hero in the country. By all counts, the next best hero after her were second tiers like Ingenium. This had to be fixed.
The helicopter shuddered as it began its final descent.
The President opened the steel case resting on her lap.
Inside were several documents, each stamped with layers of authorization codes and security clearances.
The helicopter touched down with a heavy metallic thud. Moments later, she was escorted through blast doors, biometric checkpoints, and reinforced corridors deep within the prison's core.
Tartarus remained as oppressive as ever. The security procedures took nearly twenty minutes.
Only after the final blast door sealed behind her did the warden allow himself to speak. The middle aged man adjusted his cap and glanced at the folder in her hand.
"You are certain about this?"
The prison staff usually said very little. For her off the books visit, the warden knew only that the Commission President had requested a private audience with one inmate.
"Yes."
The warden nodded, saying nothing more. The final security door slid open.
The President stepped into a sparse interview chamber. A thick glass partition divided the room.
On the far side, seated with her hands folded in her lap, was a woman with long bicolored hair in a matted mess and the standard orange prison jumpsuit hanging off her frame. One of the most dangerous prisoners in the country and arguably the most controversial hero in modern society.
The prisoner's purple eyes lifted to the visitor.
For a moment, neither woman spoke. Then the former leaned back in her chair. "Well," she said evenly, "this is unexpected."
The President took her seat. "I imagine it is."
Nagant studied the pinned sleeve where the President's left arm should have been. A faint, unreadable expression crossed her face. "So. Did the system finally decide it needed another assassination?"
The President accepted the shot without flinching.
"No." The authorization case was set on the table between them. "I came to offer you something." She opened it. "Japan is running out of time."
Kaina's gaze flicked briefly to the documents, then back to the woman who had once represented everything she came to despise. Her lips curved slightly. "Explain."
The President set a tablet on the table and activated the screen. News footage began to play.
Kamino. All Might's final battle. The destruction in Tokyo.
Emergency broadcasts.
Public unrest. Reports of prison breaks and overwhelmed hero agencies. Nagant watched in silence. She had imagined things would be bad for the Hero commission. After all, this woman before her wouldn't go this far otherwise. And yet she had never expected things to turn this bad.
To make it even more absurd, with how many years had passed ... All of this happened in the short span of a month. When the video ended, she gave a low, humorless laugh. "So. It finally happened."
"Yes." The symbol of peace was finally gone. Naturally, society went with him. In just one night, everything the HPSC had tried to maintain nearly came crashing down. The structure was still collapsing with every passing day. "And you think that concerns me?"
"It should."
The President met her eyes. "All Might is effectively retired. All For One is dead. Thousands of inmates have escaped and foreign organizations are already moving into the country. Our strongest heroes are overextended, and the public's faith in hero society is deteriorating by the hour."
She paused.
"I need experienced operatives to get the situation under control." Nagant let out a quiet breath through her nose. "And after exhausting every other option, you came to me to do what your heroes can't."
The President did not deny it. Nagant studied her for several moments, her eyes going over the empty sleeve pinned at the shoulder of the woman's suit. It was truly poetic. Finally ... "Leave." Her reply fell into the former's ears. "I am not interested in what you have to offer."
Silence settled between them. Then the President spoke.
"I know what the Commission did to you."
"And yet you signed the order that buried me here."
"Yes." She replied. "It was a necessary evil." Kaina's face was expressionless. "Funny. He used to say the same thing."
".."
They both knew who she was referring to. "Tell me something." Lady Nagant's voice softened. "When you signed my incarceration order, did you ever think this day would come?"
"No."
"Did you believe I was wrong?" The President was silent for a moment. Then she answered. "I will not attempt to justify my actions. I believed the system was more important than any individual. Even now, I am here because I still do. People's faith in heroes must be preserved, and I am willing to go to any lengths to save it." The president slid the documents for her to see.
Kaina Tsutsumi sat motionless, one elbow resting on the metal arm of her chair, eyes fixed on the documents spread across the table.
Temporary release under emergency authority.
Operational autonomy. Direct reporting authority to the President of the Hero Public Safety Commission. Formal review of her conviction upon completion of service.
And at the very top, in bold government lettering: SPECIAL PROVISIONAL COMMISSION CONTRACT
For several seconds, she said nothing. "So that's what it's come to."
The President folded her remaining hand atop the case. "I didn't come here to offer you redemption, Kaina. We both know that's a fairy tale for the people who still watch the news. No matter how much you disagreed with what we did, I and here because you are the only person who understands the filth required to keep a nation standing."
"A full pardon," Nagant whispered, her fingers finally brushing the edge of the metal ledge. "You'd really let me walk?"
"You won't exist in the registry, nor will you have a handler. You'll simply have a secure line to me, and me alone. You assist in the suppression of high-priority threats and the apprehension of escaped inmates. Aside from a few mandatory targets that might appear, everything else is left to your discretion." The president said.
There was a long period of silence. Lady Nagant's eyes went over the president, filled with curiosity. "You remember that I killed your predecessor for what he did to me, right?"
"I do."
"Then you remember that you proceeded to imprison me here to keep your secrets, right?"
"I do."
Kaina's eyes narrowed. "So why do you think I would agree to help you after what you did to me? What makes you think I won't put a bullet into your skull the first chance I get?"
"If you try to run, I'll simply deactivate the pardon and let the National Police Agency know your location." In response to that threat, the blonde woman didn't flinch. "You are under no obligation to forgive me. You were used. Discarded. And when you broke under the weight of what we asked of you, we locked you away and called the problem solved."
Kaina said nothing. The President continued.
"I am not here to ask for your trust. I am here because there are thousands of people outside these walls who will suffer if those capable of stopping it choose not to act."
".."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then I will leave." The answer came immediately. "There will be no threats or attempts at coercion. But we both know you won't run. You have nowhere to go, and you hate these people as much as I do."
"If you refuse, more heroes will die. More civilians will be caught between organizations competing for territory. More children will lose their parents." She paused. "And I will still be forced to preserve the system with whatever resources remain. What I ask of you, is to save the people who will suffer if it collapses." For several long seconds, Kaina did not move.
Then she gave a short, bitter laugh.
"You always did know how to phrase an ultimatum."
"If your answer is no, the documents will be destroyed and this meeting will never be recorded." The president got up.
The Bicolor haired woman hemmed. "I spent years telling myself the system deserved to burn."
"Then I watched children become heroes anyway." Her reflection in the glass was distant.
"I suppose that means some part of me still cared. So I am willing to go through with this."
Kaina locked eyes. "You know, I almost respect you for coming here. That was quite the convincing speech you gave. Of course, this changes nothing between us. I still despise what your organization did. But if the country is really as close to collapse as you claim, then I suppose someone needs to start cleaning up."
Her head tilted, seemingly in thought. "There's one final condition. If I decide you're no different from the men who came before you…" She placed one finger tapping on the glass. "…I reserve the right to put a bullet through your skull."
"..." The President held her gaze. Then gave a single nod.
"Understood." For a long moment, the two women simply stared at one another. Then, to the President's mild surprise, Kaina smiled.
The arrangements were made not long after. Watching Kaina sign the papers, no longer limited to the other side of the prison cell, the President's hanging heart finally settled a little.
Kaina's smile widened by a fraction. "Good." And as the reinforced locks disengaged, Lady Nagant spoke five words that the President had desperately hoped to hear.
"Tell me where to start."
__
Enjoying the story? Want to read ahead?
Support the novel and unlock early access to unreleased chapters by joining my Patreon!
💧 WATER TIER (5$) – Read 3 chapters ahead of public releases
🌍 EARTH TIER ($7) – Read 5 chapters ahead, with bonus lore, author notes, and behind-the-scenes content
🔥 FIRE TIER ($10) – Read 8 chapters ahead, get full access to all extras, and vote in exclusive polls for bonus content
📎 Patreon.com/Future805
Even a small pledge makes a huge difference — thank you for reading