Chapter 40: Capture Akio Tatsuma
Akio Tatsuma was someone who never forgot kindness.
Anyone who helped him—he would repay. Anyone who treated him well—he would return that kindness in full.
Although Aizawa Shouta often appeared cold and blunt, whenever danger came, he always stood in front of his students and protected them.
All Might was the same.
Both of them carried justice in their hearts like a vast ocean—calm, powerful, and unwavering.
After taking a sip of the Quirk Supplement, Aizawa suddenly froze in shock.
His Quirk power returned instantly.
Even the injury in his elbow healed completely, as if he had never been hurt.
Shigaraki Tomura's pupils shrank as he stared at the small bottle in Akio's hand.
A single sip restored someone to full condition?
If that item could be taken back…
It might even help his teacher recover.
"What is that?" Aizawa asked as he handed the bottle back to Akio."Its effect is even stronger than Recovery Girl's healing."
Akio only smiled.
"A secret."
Shoto Todoroki looked at the bottle with surprise.
The supplement Akio had given him earlier seemed identical.
Did Akio possess more than one impossible item like this?
Aizawa didn't ask further.
If Akio said it was a secret, then it would remain one.
"So everyone's feeling energetic again?"
Shigaraki spoke calmly, though his eyes were cold.
As long as All Might did not appear, the situation was still under his control.
The Nomu beside him was different from the others.
The two that Akio had defeated earlier were merely incomplete experimental models.
This one was the true masterpiece.
The other Nomu had only been brought as backups.
Now that those had been destroyed by students, Shigaraki felt slightly irritated.
"Nomu," he ordered calmly.
"Kill everyone… except that one."
His finger pointed directly at Akio Tatsuma.
That boy had to be taken alive.
The mysterious red potion alone was already valuable enough.
But Akio's Quirk itself was an even greater prize.
If that power fell into the hands of All For One—
Even All Might would no longer be a threat.
Nomu suddenly launched forward.
Its target was Aizawa.
Aizawa immediately activated his Erasure, attempting to disable the creature's Quirk.
But just as Akio had predicted—
It did nothing.
Even so, Aizawa didn't hesitate.
Quirk or not, he was still a professional hero.
He charged forward to meet the monster head-on.
Meanwhile, the others faced Shigaraki Tomura.
"Well then," Shigaraki said lazily.
"Students of U.A. High School."
"Why don't you all come at me together?"
"Just what I wanted!" Bakugo roared.
His palms exploded with fire as he unleashed a massive blast toward Shigaraki.
Shoto Todoroki slammed his hand down, freezing the ground beneath Shigaraki with a rushing stream of ice.
Because of the crowded battlefield, Todoroki focused on density instead of scale.
Midoriya had no safe way to use One For All, so he remained behind, protecting Tsuyu Asui and Minoru Mineta.
Akio watched his classmates fight.
A spark ignited inside his chest.
He grinned.
"Everyone relax."
"I'll handle this!"
He leapt into the air.
Lightning spiraled wildly around his body.
"Thunder Wheel!"
Like a rotating tornado of electricity, Akio spun through the air toward Shigaraki.
The others could only see a violent cyclone of lightning.
Akio himself was completely hidden inside the storm.
Bakugo clicked his tongue.
"Why does this guy have so many techniques?"
"And they all have names!"
Todoroki glanced at him.
"When we survive this, maybe you should come up with some of your own."
Bakugo snorted.
"Half-and-half face, what's that supposed to mean?"
"What do you mean 'when we survive'?"
"Who the hell could kill me!"
Todoroki ignored him.
At that moment, the combined attacks of the three students struck.
Smoke and dust exploded across the battlefield.
No one could see what had happened.
Then—
Akio shot out of the smoke, sliding backward across the ground.
Shigaraki followed closely behind him.
A thin wound had appeared on Shigaraki's arm.
Clearly, Akio's attack had managed to injure him.
"I've already decided," Shigaraki said quietly.
"No matter what happens today…"
"I'm taking you with me."
He lunged forward again.
Akio accelerated and narrowly dodged.
"Teacher…" Akio muttered suddenly.
Shigaraki paused.
"You're talking about All For One, aren't you?"
The name alone carried enormous weight.
Akio knew exactly who that man was.
A monster close to invincible.
If that man obtained Akio's abilities—
Especially Air Manipulation—
The destruction he could cause would be unimaginable.
Cities could fall overnight.
"All For One?" Akio said calmly.
"Tell him to wait."
"Maybe I'll come find him myself."
Shigaraki's eyes widened.
"You… know my teacher?"
The way Akio spoke made it sound as if he had known about the League of Villains for a long time.
Akio raised his hand.
Lightning struck downward beside him.
"The League of Villains might be powerful," he said calmly.
"But we're not weak either."
"Just wait."
"The real show is about to start."
Shigaraki stepped back slightly and glanced toward another battlefield.
Aizawa was covered in blood.
He was still fighting the Nomu, but it was obvious he could not last much longer.
Then suddenly—
Nomu stopped fighting Aizawa.
And turned.
It rushed forward with terrifying speed.
Aizawa's face changed immediately.
"That's—!"
Nomu's target had shifted.
It was heading straight for Akio Tatsuma.
The earlier conversation between Akio and Shigaraki had been heard by no one else.
Shigaraki had already decided.
Even if All Might could not be killed today—
Taking Akio alone would be worth the entire operation.
One Akio Tatsuma was enough to change the future of the League of Villains.
Shigaraki laughed softly.
"Well then, student…"
"Come with us."
Nomu charged at full speed.
Except for All Might—
No one present could stop it.
And Akio's fate now seemed sealed.
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