(Yuji POV)
Upon seeing her sulk, she suddenly broke into tears. "I'm sorry. I forgot today was supposed to be my first day ovulating."
I stepped toward her and pulled her into a tight hug. "The fault was mine. I got carried away by the moment. But we shouldn't be sorry for what happened today."
Her soft sobs trembled against my chest as I closed my eyes. Information surged through me as I activated my quirk, scanning her body from the inside out. A warm dot pulsed deep within her—nestled against the wall of her womb. With my ability, there was no doubt. She was pregnant. And the child growing inside her was mine.
"I'll take responsibility, alright?"
She stopped sobbing and looked up, her eyes glassy with tears. "But... how are you going to handle it?"
Seeing the concern flicker in her gaze, I held her tighter. "I promise—I'll protect you and our child, even if the world turns against us."
Mitsuki gave a short, watery giggle. "What was that? Haha, you sound so damn cheesy." She buried her face in my chest and hugged me tighter. "Okay. Please do that, honey."
The horizon stretched before us, tinged in the warm of the sun rise. I gently stroked her hair, the weight of my words sinking in. And I meant every single one of them.
---
(Third POV)
Seven months later.
Outside the Police Force HQ, the sky was heavy and dark. Rain had been pouring for hours, washing the streets in a quiet, endless rhythm.
Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa leaned back in his chair with a weary sigh, flipping through a worn case file. His office was dimly lit, cluttered with documents, coffee mugs, and an elaborate board filled with red string connecting photos, documents, and faces—an intricate web that still led nowhere.
"I found nothing," he muttered, spinning slightly in his chair. "What do you think, All Might? I wish I had a lead, but... I've got nothing."
He glanced toward the towering figure sitting on the nearby couch—All Might, a Symbol of Peace, now a mentor and occasional consultant. His trademark smile softened under the flickering light.
"I see a very confusing red thread board, Detective," All Might replied with a half-grin. "Are you sure there's nothing here?"
Naomasa rubbed the back of his neck, still leaning back. "It's all blurry nonsense. The name's just a codename—a stage name."
"A name, you say?"
"Yeah," Naomasa nodded. "Lockdown. That's what folks in the Underworld call him. Like some kind of urban legend. A ghost story. That's why I couldn't find anything real."
All Might's smile faded slightly. "And Amai Mask? What happened to him?"
Naomasa took a half-empty glass of cold coffee, took a sip, then set it down with a quiet tap. He dug through the mess on his desk, finally pulling out a thin folder. "I think this is Lockdown's work."
He opened the folder and slid a few still images across the desk. "We pulled this from a security camera just before Amai Mask disappeared. I was lucky the shop owner still had the footage—she's a huge fan of his and wanted to keep it as a personal treasure. But then, she was furious when she saw what he did."
All Might stood and leaned over the desk. His eyes narrowed. "Jesus…"
The footage showed Amai Mask in a hotel lobby, hugging a young girl with animal ears—then unmistakably groping her.
Naomasa nodded grimly. "Looks like someone wanted him gone. My guess? Higher-ups. Maybe even my boss's boss. They want this wrapped up clean, with Amai Mask's sins buried deep. They're trying to keep the Hero profession looking noble and spotless."
All Might scowled. "Public Safety Commission still doing this crap. Sons of bitches. And the girl?"
"That's the interesting part," Naomasa said. "She's a student at UA now."
"UA?" All Might raised an eyebrow.
"I did a quick background check. Turns out, she used to be a ring fighter in the Underworld. Had a rough start. But that explain why she was there with Mask."
All Might folded his arms. "Does she know anything about Lockdown?"
Naomasa shook his head. "She claims she doesn't remember anything. And the lie detector confirms it. But we did find this."
He tossed a small, black disk across the desk. "We found it hidden in his family's apartment. Military-grade encryption. Whatever's on here, it's high-level stuff."
All Might caught the disk and turned it over in his hand.
"You know someone who can crack it?" Naomasa asked, raising a brow. "Oh! Maybe that person—Taurus Silver. You're All Might after all."
All Might looked at the disk with a faint smile. "Yeah. I know him. I'll talk to him myself. Good work, Detective."
---
It was a calm night. The city beneath the 60th floor of the Public Safety HQ shimmered with a quiet beauty, bathed in the glow of neon lights and distant traffic.
A woman with long ash-blonde hair tied neatly in a bun watched the news, her expression unreadable, the soft blue hue of the floating screen reflecting in her sharp eyes. She stood like a sentinel, arms crossed, a calm observer in a storm of rising tension.
A man she recognized appeared onscreen, dressed in a tailored suit. His posture was composed, his eyes steady as they met the camera.
"I am Taurus Silver."
Camera flashes fired like sparks with every passing second as the man revealed his identity to the world.
She paused the broadcast, freezing the image in mid-frame.
"Well look at that. I see you've made a reckless move lately," she said, voice tight with restrained frustration. "What is the meaning of this?"
Yuji sat nearby, hands casually tucked into his coat pockets. He glanced at Mirai Hoshino, Director of the Public Safety Commission, who was now massaging her forehead, her usual composure starting to crack.
"My plan," Yuji answered simply, his tone nonchalant.
A month ago, Yuji had held a press conference and declared himself to be Taurus Silver—the reclusive genius behind the multi-billion dollar tech and pharmaceutical conglomerate.
Naturally, the world erupted. News outlets couldn't stop talking about him. And now, the woman charged with overseeing Japan's entire Hero system was left to clean up the mess.
Mirai leaned back in her chair, her exhale sharp and exhausted. "Enlighten me, Lockdown. Why use tactics that could blow your entire cover?"
"My cover is perfect," Yuji replied. "A quirkless, philanthropist, billionaire-orphan with a tragic past. No one would ever suspect me of being the monster who killed the Eighth Hero." His reputation had become both sword and shield.
Mirai clicked her tongue, annoyed at how flawlessly he'd played the game.
Yuji hummed thoughtfully, then continued. "AFO is like a cat. If you rush at him without anything he wants, he'll vanish. But if you dangle the right bait… he'll come. He never cared about Lockdown. But Taurus Silver? He's interested."
Mirai narrowed her eyes. She wouldn't say it aloud, but part of her admired his guts.
Yuji pressed on, voice low and steady. "I've studied AFO for years. His empire isn't built on drugs or human trafficking—it's oil and gas. I plan to shake that empire."
Alongside his identity reveal, Yuji had also unveiled a project called E.S.C.A.P.E.S.—a thermonuclear fusion reactor capable of turning seawater into something use full.
Generate cheap and sustainable electricity. Use the extreme heat to produce hydrogen gas. Desalinate seawater into clean, drinkable water. Extract both useful and harmful substances from the ocean in the process.
If this wasn't humanity's future, what was? But for a man like AFO—ancient, entrenched, and controlling the world from the shadows—this wasn't a beacon.
It was a declaration of war.
"You've declared war on AFO all by yourself," Mirai said, a dry smirk curling on her lips. "How do you plan to kill a man who calls himself a god? You'll lose… even if you make it to your retirement."
Yuji took a sip of his coffee, then set the cup down. It was then dissolved into white mist. Mirai's frown deepened. His quirk still unsettled her, even after all these years.
"Nah, I'd win."
She watched in silence as Yuji stood up and left her office, his footsteps echoing against the floor, leaving behind a storm only just beginning to brew.
---
FLT Tower stood tall with over a hundred floors, the first building of its kind in all of Japan. A marvel of modern engineering, it pierced the sky like a silver spear.
On the 99th floor, hidden away from the world, Yuji—as he always did—isolated himself in the private workspace where he operated as both Taurus Silver and the owner of his tech company.
After a conversation with the Madam, he'd decided to remain there for a while. But solitude wasn't guaranteed. An uninvited guest arrived.
"Do you have a problem with your security?"
The voice came from behind, rough and stern. Endeavor stood there, flames flickering off his suit, the embodiment of his Quirk Hellflame.
Yuji raised an eyebrow, not even looking up from his desk.
"I don't have any," Yuji replied flatly. "Why?"
Endeavor's eyes twitched slightly, betraying his annoyance. "Isn't it obvious? You've told the world who you are. That makes you an easy target for villains. A Quirkless man like you, out here claiming to be Taurus Silver."
Yuji gave a slight smile, brushing a lock of hair from his eyes. "That won't be a problem. I'm busy working on a project. Anything else?"
Endeavor let out a heavy sigh, the heat from his suit distorting the air around him. "Well... nothing urgent. But can I consult about my suit?"
Without a word, Yuji slid on his glasses, picked up his sketchbook and a pencil. Even in this modern age of holograms and digital modeling, he preferred the old-fashioned way—pencil on paper, every line holding purpose.
"So, what do you want to fix?"
Endeavor began explaining the upgrades he had in mind. Yuji listened intently, sketching as he went—adjusting the design, noting the materials, adding subtle modifications only a master would think of.
"So, I was thinking," Endeavor continued, "since everyone's doing the cape thing—"
Something smacked him in the face. A crumpled paper sketch.
"No cape," Yuji said coldly. "Capes are useless."
Endeavor grumbled, "It's the trend. Even that idiot wears one."
"That guy just copied it from American hero comics. Sure, it's popular with kids—but you don't need it." Yuji paused, glanced up. "Kids don't like you."
His words were sharp, blunt, and honest.
They hit Endeavor like an arrow to the chest.
As he roasted the second-ranked hero of Japan, Yuji got another uninvited guest.
"What are you doing here?" asked Endeavor calmly, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
"HAHAHA! I see that my best friends are here!" a loud voice echoed.
Yuji sighed, rubbing his temple. "Why do you guys keep showing up one after another?"
A man stood proudly in the doorway, his costume draped in American flags, a long red cape fluttering behind him. The reason why capes had become trendy again was right in front of them—this man was the newly crowned Number 1 Hero, All Might.
"I am here, Yuji!" he said with his trademark grin. "Sorry to drop in unannounced, but I have something urgent to discuss."
Yuji nodded. "Alright, sit down first." He watched as All Might awkwardly rolled over a chair that looked far too small for his towering frame. "So, what is it?"
All Might leaned forward, his tone shifting. He began explaining the conversation he'd had with Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa.
"Lockdown is behind all the missing heroes?" Yuji asked, his voice steady.
"That's right. Actually, I believe the Public Safety Commission is involved. I suspect too, Lady Nagant had a dual mission—not only as a hero but also as their field agent, she eliminating both low-ranking heroes and villains outside the law. Yuji... I'm afraid you won't just be targeted by villains. Lockdown knows who Taurus Silver really is now."
"Hmph," Endeavor grunted, arms still crossed. "That damn moral compass again. Always talking about righteousness. I've always hated how heroes couldn't just take out the bad guys for good."
"You can't, Endeavor. Heroes don't have the right to decide who lives or dies. Our job is to maintain peace and keep society safe."
"Safe? You came all the way from America, All Might. How many people get shot there? And that was before quirks. You think laws kept people safe back then? We keep saying it's to protect the weak—I'd rather drag these bastards straight to hell."
"We're not here to punish villains. We exist to support law enforcement, to handle threats beyond what the police couldn't manage."
Yuji coughed a few times as the two began to bicker again. "All Might has a point, Endeavor. Hero society exists to protect everyday life. Power tends to corrupt—and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The system is in place to ensure no one has unchecked power."
Even though Endeavor kept a calm face, Yuji could tell he didn't like that he was siding with All Might.
Still twirling his pencil in his right hand, Yuji continued, "But you're not wrong either, Endeavor. Heroes aren't a long-term solution. Most criminals aren't born—they're driven there by how unfair society is. That's why I'm pushing E.S.C.A.P.E.S. personally. The weight of this project could be the key to real change. I want a society where people don't have to stress over their water or power bills. And one where we don't need to wage war for energy resources."
Both All Might and Endeavor nodded deeply at Yuji's words.
"Buddy, if you ever run for Prime Minister, I'm backing you," Endeavor said with a smirk.
"He's got my vote too," All Might added. "With both of us supporting you, you won't have to worry about winning. Besides, you already have a loyal fanbase thanks to the Miracle Pill."
Yuji smiled. "No, thank you. Anyway, is that everything?" He looked at All Might, who handed him a disk.
"Don't tell anyone. This belonged to Amai Mask. The police are beginning to suspect that we heroes aren't so innocent either."
Yuji hummed thoughtfully, taking the disk and heading over to his desk. "Let's see what I can do with it." After a few keystrokes, he smirked. "Not bad... but the encryption's sloppy. I'm in."
"That pretty boy... I knew he was up to something," Endeavor growled as photo after photo loaded—disturbing images of Amai Mask with minors.
Yuji kept scrolling until something caught his eye.
"That's Tokyo's current mayor... the governor... and other top heroes. All in the same room. Who's this old guy?" All Might leaned over. "Do you know him?"
Yuji frowned. "He's Chisaki Koji, the head of the Shie Hassaikai—the biggest Yakuza clan. I met him a few years ago, back when I first created the Miracle Pill." He noticed the suspicious glances and added, "I didn't do business with him. He just begged me for the pill to cure his wife cancer. That's all."
The room settled in a brief, mutual silence of understanding.
"That reminds me, Yuji," All Might said suddenly. "How are things between you and Bakugo-san?"
Yuji didn't say a word. A subtle change in his quiet body language spoke volumes. Both men arrived at the same conclusion: the relationship was over.
"Ahem! Well then, Yuji, thanks as always. Call me if you're ever in deep shit again!" All Might laughed.
"No. My agency will handle his security," Endeavor muttered.
"HAHAHA! Don't be like that, Endeavor! Oh, and..." All Might tapped Yuji's shoulder. "Don't go to Amai Mask's funeral. It's too risky. We don't know what's going to happen there. That guy I told you about AFO—he could teleport right in front of you and snatch you in a second."
"I agree. I've already forced myself to ignore what that bastard did to those kids. For fuck's sake... I have a daughter too," Endeavor said, then turned and walked out. "See you later, Yuji."
"Bye bye..." All Might said playfully like a maiden, giving a small wave.
Yuji fell quiet when Endeavor mentioned his daughter. Yeah... he thought. He wanted to ask what it meant to be a good father—but he knew Endeavor wasn't the best example.
Will I be better than him?
He wasn't sure.
Ring! Ring!
His phone buzzed with a call from an encrypted number. But he already knew who it was.
[Honey? It's me. Can we meet this evening?]
It had been months since their last meeting. They had kept their distance for safety, as Yuji was always in danger. But he had made a promise.
"Of course," he replied softly.
He ended the call quickly for security measures, though he wished it had lasted longer.