"Who's there?"
Almost instantly, Shina Etsuha's eyes shifted into the Sharingan state, his hypnotic genjutsu activating at once.
Within his field of vision, about fifty meters away, a figure suddenly froze mid-step.
The man wore a jazz-style hat and a long, beak-like mask of unclear purpose. Only the frames of his glasses were visible beneath it as he cautiously approached Etsuha.
"Ah… yeah, sharp instincts," the man said, spreading his hands helplessly. "Just a quick glance, and you could already sense my gaze? That's honestly terrifying."
He had already noticed something strange about the park. It used to be lively, filled with people at all hours—but recently, it had grown eerily quiet. As if everyone had silently agreed to avoid it.
Someone like Otomoto—once a habitual swindler—would naturally pick up on such abnormalities.
Yet despite discovering Etsuha, he showed no fear. Instead, he whistled casually and stepped closer.
"So you're Shina Etsuha… the infamous S-class wanted criminal. And… it looks like I've stumbled onto something incredible."
In truth, he had only glimpsed a flash of light from Etsuha's body. But that fleeting moment had drawn his attention—and that curiosity had exposed him instantly.
The boy standing before him was clearly more than just a wanted criminal.
"Really?" Etsuha glanced at him calmly. "You recognize me?"
"Of course." Otomoto feigned surprise before quickly smiling again. "We're all rats crawling in the gutter. When society abandons us, we naturally gather together to keep warm."
Seeing Etsuha remain silent, he scratched his head as if embarrassed.
"Ah, right—forgot to introduce myself. Otomoto, from the Shie Hassaikai. Just a low-ranking member. My Quirk? 'Don't Be Fooled.' It enhances my spear techniques."
"The Shie Hassaikai… that old yakuza group?" Etsuha raised an eyebrow, clearly uninterested in the details of his Quirk.
The organization had once been infamous, something he'd heard about from Yu Takeyama. But in recent years, it had declined, overshadowed by the League of Villains and fading from public attention.
He hadn't expected to run into them here.
"So you've heard of us." Otomoto's eyes gleamed with cunning. "But isn't it rude not to introduce yourself after hearing someone else's name?"
"Oh?" Etsuha looked at him indifferently. "And what exactly are you getting at?"
Otomoto avoided direct eye contact, lowering his mask slightly. His voice took on a strange, almost hypnotic tone.
"Tell me… what exactly is your Quirk, Shina?"
The moment the words reached him, Etsuha felt a subtle mental intrusion—an urge to speak the truth.
But his mind, fortified by the Sharingan, was like an unbreakable wall. The foreign influence barely brushed against it before dissipating completely.
At the same time, his Sharingan spun—and reflected the mental attack straight back.
"…Heh. Naive," Etsuha said quietly.
Otomoto sneered, confident in his ability.
His Quirk, "Frankness of the Heart," forced people to reveal their true thoughts when triggered by his voice. It could even expose weaknesses they themselves didn't realize.
The moment he asked the question, the outcome should have been inevitable.
Shina Etsuha's secrets… should have been his.
Excitement surged through him—
"Tell me," Etsuha's voice cut in coldly, "what is the purpose of the Shie Hassaikai contacting me?"
Otomoto's eyes suddenly went blank.
"The young boss and the old leader are in conflict… The underworld is declining… If we want to rise again, we need fresh blood…"
Halfway through his confession—
"Otomoto! What the hell are you saying?!"
A sharp voice interrupted.
Another masked figure appeared beside him—clearly another member of the Shie Hassaikai.
"Eh?!"
Otomoto snapped back to his senses, covering his mouth in shock.
"What… what did I just say? My Quirk failed? No—he reflected it back at me?!"
A chill ran down his spine.
This was the first time he had ever encountered someone capable of reflecting his Quirk.
"Idiot!"
The second member barked angrily. He was far larger, his build towering, with an exaggerated beak-shaped mask that made him look like a combat-oriented Villain.
He turned toward Etsuha, deliberately avoiding eye contact.
"Shina Etsuha! We didn't come here to fight."
He paused briefly before declaring:
"We're here to invite you. Join the Shie Hassaikai!"
Etsuha glanced at him, then shook his head without hesitation.
"I refuse."