Assassin Among Heroes CH 24 Preview

It's been two days since Dabi sent me that photo. Two days of digging around and eavesdropping. And I can feel the proverbial clock ticking.

'Still nothing.'

I glance at an empty plastic bottle near my feet and resist the urge to punt it down the dark street. Even though I doubt anyone would hear it thanks to the blaring music coming from behind me. I pay it one more glance, just in case someone shouts anything important. They don't. Heh, would've been nice though. And so with a sigh and a slap of Concealment, I tug at my hoodie and begin walking.

'I take it then the results of this venture were unsuccessful as well?'

Frustration seeps into my mental voice. 'I don't know, you tell me.'

'I was focused on my meditations. The noise was irritating to my ears.'

Another sharp breath escapes my lips. Does he even have…? No, not now. 'Whatever is happening, the drunks at the Nine Rings don't know shit. It's the latest talk of the town, but they all have their crazy ass theories…when they're not slobbering over the counter.'

'Every far-fetched tale bears a kernel of truth…but I agree that the kernels here will not contribute to unraveling this problem.'

I nod as I maneuver past pedestrians and idly check the time on my 'work' phone. It's not too late; just enough time to get home and settle in before Mom starts asking questions.

'It does not help thee that any investigations are done so late and in such little time.'

'I know, but I'm not skipping school,' I shoot back. 'I already got the verbal cat-o'-nine tails from Makoto-sensei during that time with the USJ attack. I'd rather not draw her attention - and possibly more of Mom's - again.'

'Then what dost thou suggest?'

By now I'd entered the train station and vaulted over the security barrier. The best thing about this time of night is that it's just before all the office workers head back home from their bar crawls/drinking rounds, so there aren't that many people on the train to potentially sit on my invisible lap. That's good because tonight is one of those nights when I simply don't have the patience to slip into a restroom.

'No fucking clue.' Currently eavesdropping on criminal hangouts and relying on Dabi are my only sources of information, and both of them haven't gotten me anywhere meaningful since that night. There’s only so much a drunkard will spill. And I haven’t seen anyone who could have a more solid link to the incident, so I don’t have anyone to threaten with a gutting…yet.

Then what should I do?

‘Wait for the next message.’ I freeze in my seat. What!?

‘I share thy revulsion, but thine enemy has played their cards well. They taunted you in a manner only thou would understand while hiding the truth from the public and the underworld. They even erased any possible clues. As it stands, there is little for thee to do but wait until another such provocation is sent, something thou had strongly suspected.’

I grit my teeth as my breath turns into a low hiss. A million different thoughts ram themselves onto the edges of my mind, but I shove them all down and take several deep breaths. No Ritsu, don’t rush into this situation. You can’t screw this up.

I eventually make my way home and to my relief, Mom hasn’t come in yet. I check the time on my phone; yeah, I’m a little early. Entering my room, I stuff the mask back into the gym bag and take off the sweater. I cringe as a whiff of its smell enters my nostrils. Yeah, this is going straight to the laundry. Good thing I have two spares.

After plugging in my phone, I take off my clothes and make my way to the bathroom. One massive dump later and I enter the stall, turn on the shower and allow the warm water to soothe my mind. But the frustration refuses to abate.

In hindsight, I should’ve seen this coming. I killed a lot of people, and in doing so I’ve painted an enormous target on my back. I mean, yeah, I knew that if given the chance, the whole of Tokyo’s underworld and the Heroes would come gunning for my head. I just didn’t expect someone to so blatantly try and bait me out.

…when I get my hands on whoever’s behind this, I’ll make sure to leave a very clear message as to what would happen the next time anyone tries a stunt like this—preferably written in blood, splattered on the walls, or carved onto their body. If my Zabaniya doesn’t incinerate them that is.

Whoa, no stabby thoughts in the shower. You’re supposed to relax.

After a few minutes and a rub of shampoo later, I turn off the nozzle and dry myself off with a towel. I exit the shower and start putting on clothes, but just as I finish putting on my pants I see a notification from my work phone on the desk. Dabi.

Swallowing the sense of dread rising in my throat, I open the message.

'Another message. Different victim.'

Attached is an image, and it's just as I feared - a severed arm, with the same message inscribed. Holding it was some masked hobo.

In one swoop, all the frustration I've washed off in the shower comes back, full force.

'How did you find it so quickly? Or did someone take that pic and share it?' I type.

'The portal thing popped up in the same place. I had a hunch that if they're sending you a message, they'd want to do it somewhere a lot of people would see. Up top is a public square, down here it's the same for crooks. Dunno where the other arm is.'

'And the guy holding it?'

'Some rando that had more balls than most. Started waving it around like a trophy. Managed to snap the pic before a bruiser came trying to take it. Tried to slam him into the floor but the arm melted before he could get it.'

I sit down cross-legged on my futon and run through the new intel. The portal appeared in the same place? That's useful.

'Did you see anything in the portal?'

'No.'

Okay, the hard way it is. 'If this keeps repeating, I'll be there next time. Assuming they stick to a schedule, then I'll have to jump in the portal when they send the next message.'

It's not ideal, but I have little else to go on. I'd be dropping into enemy territory, but with Concealment I should be able to -

'What makes you think that wherever the limbs are coming from the same place they hack them off?'

I pause, then curse under my breath. That's a good point, a really good point.

'These guys are pros, as in ‘if Villains had a Pro system’ pros. If the portal is made by the same guy who tried to attack USJ then he's not gonna make it that easy. That's what I would do.'

…fuck this shit and everything else. I resist throwing the phone on the ground and instead opt to glare at it, the PMs seemingly taunting me. That’s one avenue of investigation closed off - and so far, the only one.

‘Keep searching. Same as before. Dropped off some cash.’

Barely a second later, he sends me a thumbs-up emoji.

I shut off the phone and fall backward on the futon. I idly grip the cloth of the mattress as I stare at the familiar ceiling. Essentially, I’m back to square one - I know who they are and what they want but I don't know where. And all the doors - metaphorical and physical - I could think of and snuck into led into empty houses. No phones to backtrack, no secret apartments to bust into. To say I don’t like this situation one bit would be an understatement.

I exhale again. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Nothing will happen if I just lie here, no matter how tempting it might feel; that can come later.

I sit upright and return to the cross-legged position. Steadying my breath, I close my eyes and let the sensations of the Valley cocoon me.

For the Valley of Death is my sanctuary, and may through it may my woes be cleansed.

…

…

…

I open my eyes. My heartbeat feels calmer, and some of my tiredness rescinded. Yet a yawn still gapes my jaw.

I do a little stretch, feeling the muscles in my back move. Heh, guess I’m more tired than I thought.

‘Have thou found thy answers, contractor?’

‘No, not really.’ I reply, lifting the blanket and pulling it over me. ‘But I think I have a shot on where to start looking for clues, and I’ll do it tomorrow after school.’ Hopefully, this time I might actually find something.

I just jinxed myself, didn’t I?