From within the drifting smoke, Junsei walked forward calmly.
His hand covered his mouth. Blue smoke seeped between his fingers as he moved through the dust.
His hoodie had been torn away during the battle, revealing long white hair that now fell past his shoulders.
Across the ruined courtyard, Izuku Midoriya and Fat Gum watched him approach.
Junsei lowered his hand, showing a completely unharmed face.
"I underestimated you," he said quietly. "To stand up again and land such a powerful strike… you broke my jaw."
Fat Gum stared in disbelief.
"You freak," he growled. "How the hell are you still standing after taking that to the face?"
Junsei didn't speak, instead his eyes focused on Deku.
The life surrounding the boy had diminished significantly. Half of it only remained.
Junsei's theory solidified. Life was stored within quirks, and it could be reclaimed.
"You still have half left," Junsei observed.
Deku felt a chill run down his spine at the way Junsei looked at him.
Fat Gum stepped forward despite the blood pouring from his chest.
"If you want to touch him," he said firmly, "you'll have to go through my dead body!"
Deku turned toward him.
"Please… you have to…"
His words never finished.
Junsei appeared in front of Fat Gum. His hand landed on the hero's head.
An explosion erupted instantly from his hand, it was small but violent.
And almost instantly, Fat Gum's body collapsed backward.
Deku stared in horror at the body. Through the thinning smoke, he could tell the body lying before him had no head.
Deku's eyes trembled as he slowly lifted his gaze toward Junsei.
Junsei said "Human's instincts are flawed"
With a roar of rage, he jumped to his feet and threw another punch with his other arm.
100% One For All.
Junsei stepped aside casually, allowing the blow to pass him harmlessly.
Deku groaned from the recoil, but this time his arm did not break. And before he could react further, Junsei grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the ground.
"You became slower," Junsei muttered. "And weaker."
His eyes studied Deku carefully.
"Are all quirks affected like this… or only One For All?"
Deku glared up at him through pain.
"You damn villain… evil monster. You're no different from All For One."
Junsei answered. "I am better."
His grip tightened. His fingers began to crush Deku's neck.
Then a shout interrupted him.
"STOP!"
Junsei paused and looked up. Uravity was running toward them, her face pale with fear.
In her hands she held a phone. On its screen appeared the face of Yaoyorozu Momo.
She was the one who had spoken.
"Please, Junsei," Momo said desperately. "I beg you, stop this. You've already hurt too many people. This madness has to end. You can still make the right choice."
Junsei looked at the screen calmly as he replied "I am already on the right path."
"Right?" Momo said, her voice trembling. "You're killing people. You're hurting everyone around you. How could that possibly be right?"
Junsei replied without hesitation. "You know the answer. I am doing what must be done."
His voice remained steady. "I am an enemy of humanity."
Momo stared at him through the screen.
"Do you truly believe that?" she asked quietly. "Do you truly think there is nothing wrong with what you're doing?"
"Yes." Junsei's eyes did not show any doubt or remorse as he answered "Humans must die. Their end will restore the world to what it should be."
Silence passed between them. Then Momo asked quietly, "Years ago… Sykes and the others… were those deaths your doing?"
"Yes." Junsei answered.
Tears filled her eyes.
"You really are a monster," she whispered. "I can't believe how foolish I was."
Junsei watched her for a moment.
"You are a good human," he said.
Momo said through her tears "Just leave my friends alone!"
Junsei did not respond immediately.
Then he released Deku's throat.
Junsei stood.
"They can leave this time," he said calmly.
"But the next time I face humans… I will kill everyone."
Junsei turned and jumped away.
He did not know why he had listened to Momo. But it did not matter. His objective had been achieved. He had confirmed the connection between life and quirks through One For All, while Overhaul and his followers had escaped.
Uravity watched Junsei leave then looked at the communication device in her hand and said "Thank you! You saved us! I will call you later"
She stopped the call and moved to check on Deku. At the same time, police came from outside and began moving toward the fallen heroes.
On the side, Sir Nighteye lay injured but conscious, his eyes staring toward the direction Junsei had gone and deep within them was boundless fear. He muttered "A demon".
——————
Junsei did not search for Overhaul. There was no urgency for that. Instead, he took a detour through the city.
One question remained unanswered.
If life was stored within quirks and could be reclaimed… did the stolen life contribute directly to the power of those quirks?
In the case of One For All, Deku had clearly become weaker and slower after Junsei drained part of that life. Would similar effects happen with other quirks?
Junsei needed confirmation.
As he moved across Musutafu's rooftops, he observed the people below with quiet attention. Most carried little life.
Then he noticed her. A blonde woman walking casually down the street. She wore ordinary civilian clothes. Nothing distinguished her from the other pedestrians.
Yet the life around her was unusually dense.
Junsei stood atop a nearby building and watched her.
Compared to the people he saw earlier, she carried a considerable amount of life.
He scanned the area. There were no heroes, observers or any other distractions
So Junsei dropped from the building directly toward the woman. Before she could react, his hand touched her neck. Electricity surged instantly. Her body convulsed and collapsed unconscious before she even understood what had happened.
Junsei lifted her and vanished from the street.
Minutes later, he landed beneath a bridge near the outskirts of Musutafu. The bridge and its concrete supports hid them from view
Junsei crouched and shocked the woman lightly, causing her body to jerk awake. Before she could even register her surroundings, she swung her fist toward him.
Junsei caught her hand easily. His other hand moved to her throat.
"Behave," he said calmly, "or I will snap your neck."
The woman's eyes narrowed with anger.
Then recognition struck. Her expression changed instantly.
"You… you're that monster!"
Junsei nodded slightly.
"Yes. If you move without my permission, I will kill you."
Her fear deepened.
"Why did you attack me?" she asked quickly. "Where did you bring us? Are you here to finish what you started?"
Junsei paused at the word 'started' and frowned. He had no idea who she was. He studied her face carefully, searching his memory. But there was nothing. He was sure he had never seen her before.
Junsei looked her up and down again. Then realization dawned.
"Are you Mt. Lady?"
The woman stared at him in disbelief.
"You kidnapped me without even knowing who I am?"
Junsei said "No wonder you stood out. You were a hero."
A brief pause.
"So you survived my attack. I did not expect that."
Mt. Lady's fear shifted into fury.
"You bastard!" she shouted. "You nearly killed me! And after I woke up I couldn't hear anything unless I was using hearing aids!"
She brushed her hair aside, revealing two small white devices inside her ears.
"You ruined my life!" she continued angrily. "I never did anything to you! And now you kidnapped me! What the hell do you want from me?! Isn't what you've done already enough?!"
Her voice trembled with rage and grievance.
Junsei said nothing.
Originally, he had intended to force her to demonstrate the limits of her quirk before reclaiming the life attached to it.
But now he already knew her ability. He had seen it before.
Without another word, Junsei grabbed her face and immediately her eyes glowed blue as her body went still.
Seconds later, he let go of her and she dropped to her knees. Confusion filled her expression.
"What the hell did you do to me?" She asked
Junsei watched her carefully.
"Do you feel any changes in your quirk?"
"Screw you!" she replied.
Junsei punched her across the face, making her collapse to the ground.
"Answer."
Mt. Lady covered her reddened cheek, glaring up at him.
"You bastard! Hitting a lady like that, what do…"
Junsei kicked her in the stomach with enough force that her body flew several meters and smashed against the concrete support of the bridge.
She coughed blood from the impact.
"Speak, human," Junsei said calmly. "Next time I will kill you."
Mt. Lady stared at him from the ground. Terror replaced her anger. She knew she could not fight him. And he clearly did not care about her identity, her profession, or even her gender.
Finally, she answered weakly. "I… don't feel anything."
Junsei nodded slightly.
"Test your quirk. Grow larger."
"I can't."
Junsei frowned "Why? You said nothing changed."
She looked away, embarrassed despite the pain.
"I'm not wearing my hero costume. If I grow now… I'll be naked."
Junsei stared at her. "And? It is that or your life"
Mt. Lady's eyes filled with tears.
"You might as well kill me," she said miserably. "I would rather kill myself before I let people see me naked!"
Junsei blinked once. He could feel she meant it, she preferred death over letting people see her naked.
He had not expected shame to outweigh the instinct for survival. Human instincts are too flawed.