All For Some

Chapter 62: Learning From a Killer

Izuku pulled Shirokuro's jacket on and picked yet new armguards. They had been his first idea to replace the Dragon Blade shield for Shirokuro, but he had opted to go with the lighter and more hidden ones under the sleeves.

That was before it barely held up against a single slash of a sword, pressing painfully on his arm until he had changed clothes. Adding an extra layer on top of that was worth the weight for what he was about to do. He'd rather not leave an arm behind, even if it would regrow.

And the weight would improve his training. Izuku could imagine Eijiro declaring that loudly right before asking if he could get something like them but heavier. Izuku huffed with a smile. Perhaps he could get arm weights for each of them. The smile lasted until he took Shirokuro's helmet. The black wall descended between him and the world.

Shirokuro looked at everything through the tint of lenses and optics. The image was at least as sharp as with bare eyes, but more distant, like he was observing things through a window. Perhaps that was easier. He stepped up to Kurogiri.

"I am ready."

"I shall send you where you requested," Kurogiri said. "Be careful young Shigaraki and..."

The Nomu was suddenly quiet. The mist around his head twisted and twirled.

"What?" Shirokuro asked.

"Do not forget who you are."

Shirokuro looked at the Nomu for a long, quiet moment.

"Maybe," Shirokuro said quietly, "once I figure it out myself."

The Nomu did not comment any more and opened the warp gate. As Shirokuro stepped through he once again found himself alone on a roof, but not the one he had met Stain on the previous night. This time he immediately dropped to a low crouch, hiding behind the edge of the roof as he peeked over it to observe the roof where he was supposed to meet the killer.

What if Izuku had sneaked out to Hosu alone, worried for Tenya, and blasted the hero killer with the advantage of surprise? That could still be an option; risky, but he only needed one hit and to change clothes quickly.

Shirokuro shook his head to clear his thoughts. That was Izuku talking and the half of Izuku he was afraid of. Shirokuro could not afford to let that distract himself from his mission. There was too much to learn to let that get in the way.

The clock was past midnight, and the nearby roof below was still empty. Was Stain even coming? Shirokuro started scanning the surrounding roofs. Perhaps the killer was being careful like him, but something felt strange. He had a strange tingling. Was he being watched?

Shirokuro stopped breathing for a few seconds, leaving nothing to disrupt his senses. The feeling got stronger. What was it? Fabric chafed against itself somewhere. Steel whistled through the air. Shirokuro snapped to the side, leaning and crouching just enough for the knife to fly past. Shirokuro's eyes widened as the image of the flying knife got seared into his eyes.

He spun around, arm up, ready to block a sword strike, but one did not come. Stain stood a few meters away, frowning.

"I liked that knife," Stain said as there was a high-pitched cling somewhere behind Shirokuro.

"Then why did you throw it?" Shirokuro responded, struggling to keep his voice calm. "Did you ask me back here just to kill- try to kill me?"

"No, I asked you to that roof," Stain pointed behind Shirokuro, "and if you were as capable as I hoped, you would have the knife now. I did not throw it that fast. You won't survive long like this even with your quirks."