Inside a dimly lit bar, a low, distorted voice echoed through the room.
"A bus has departed from U.A., carrying three of their students."
At those words, Tomura Shigaraki snapped back to attention, excitement flashing across his face.
"This is a perfect opportunity. If Sensei makes a move and steals his Quirk directly, then no matter how much that so-called rising star struggles, he won't be able to make waves anymore."
"Hahaha… I'd like to do that," the voice replied with a dark chuckle. "But recent interference has already drawn All Might's attention to me. Shina Etsuha hasn't reached the point where he's worth taking that kind of risk."
After a brief pause, his tone turned colder.
"But if we don't act personally… we can always let someone else do it."
Kurogiri, who had previously been in contact with a certain individual, immediately understood. A flicker of realization passed through his eyes.
"You mean…"
"Yes. The Hero Killer."
All For One let out a faint, sinister laugh.
"Any 'Hero' who pursues fame and fortune is nothing more than a fraud in his eyes. Someone like Mt. Lady will undoubtedly become his target. Kurogiri, how did your negotiations go?"
—
The Hero Killer—Stain.
A name that struck fear into the hearts of many.
His real identity was shrouded in blood and violence, his record alone enough to mark him as one of the most dangerous fugitives alive. Seventeen Pro Heroes had been killed by his hand. Another twenty-three had been left permanently crippled, with no hope of recovery.
He was a fanatic—driven by an extreme ideology.
To him, there were only two kinds of people worth killing: fake heroes unworthy of the title, and criminals who abused their power. Both would fall under his blade without hesitation.
He was neither truly aligned with justice nor pure evil—
Just something far more dangerous.
—
"He has no intention of joining the League of Villains," Kurogiri reported respectfully. "In fact, his impression of us is quite poor. However, he hasn't shown outright hostility."
From what Kurogiri had observed, Stain's beliefs were… bizarre.
He lived like a rat in the shadows, yet spoke endlessly about purging corruption from society. Day after day, he pursued this mission with relentless determination.
To Kurogiri, it was absurd.
And yet…
Stain was undeniably powerful.
Even if he didn't agree with him, Kurogiri couldn't dismiss him outright.
"He refused?" All For One asked, intrigued.
"Yes." Kurogiri nodded, briefly glancing at Shigaraki before continuing. "He believes the League's actions are shallow—destruction for the sake of destruction. It doesn't align with his ideology."
No matter how many times he thought about it, Kurogiri couldn't fully understand Stain.
To him, a Hero was simply a Hero.
But Stain complicated everything.
He would spare a Hero who embodied true ideals… and kill one who didn't, without hesitation.
It was a logic Kurogiri found impossible to grasp.
—
Take All Might, for example.
To Stain, All Might was the embodiment of a true Hero—the one figure he respected above all others.
And if someone genuinely strove to reach that ideal, Stain might even choose to spare them.
To Kurogiri, it was completely incomprehensible.
—
"…Interesting," All For One murmured.
In his view, Stain possessed something Shigaraki lacked—a powerful sense of conviction.
That was precisely why he wanted to recruit him into the League.
However, the timing wasn't right.
The League of Villains was still too small, too insignificant. Without influence, there was nothing to attract someone like Stain.
"Still, I don't think he'll act according to your plan," Kurogiri added cautiously.
"No," All For One replied calmly. "On the contrary, I think he's the most suitable… ally we could have."
A faint smile crept into his voice.
"Recruiting him can wait. For now, let's offer him a gift."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"By his standards, fake heroes deserve to be eliminated, don't they? I'm sure he'd be quite happy to deal with someone like Mt. Lady."
Mt. Lady—someone who balanced hero work with idol-like popularity and commercial appearances.
In Stain's eyes…
That kind of Hero would undoubtedly be considered a fraud.
Kurogiri's eyes flickered with understanding.
Stain had been quiet for some time. If given the right opportunity, there was no doubt he would act.
And if he did—
It would serve their purposes perfectly.
A win-win situation.
"…Understood. I'll make the arrangements immediately."
Shigaraki, who had been listening, suddenly spoke up, his voice filled with impatience.
"Why aren't we moving yet?!"
"It's not time," All For One replied calmly. "This is just a minor inconvenience."
With that, his presence faded—leaving the room in silence.