Song for this Chapter: Hypnotized by the Set It Off. 

For Stain's disillusionment.

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For Izumi's next assignment, she and Seraphina decided to head to Hosu City.

"Isn't that where the Hero Killer Stain has been targeting heroes lately?"

"Yes. I have been requested to patrol along with other heroes there. We're actually going to scan over the the area to alert where he could be."

Izumi was a little nervous. Not for possibly encountering the Hero Killer, but for Iida. His brother was targeted by Stain but he made it thanks to Nataku's interference. 

Although......

'Iida. Whatever you do, don't go after Stain....'

----------------------------

Meanwhile in a bar.....

A certain blue-gray haired male found himself on the ground with Stain pinning him down with a knife lodged in his right shoulder.

And to make it worse, Stain immobilized Kurogiri.

"Tch. I had a feeling we would not get along. Kurogiri, can you send him away?"

"I can't move. It must be his quirk." Kurogiri replied.

Shigaraki grunted. As Stain was talking about conviction, he stared. From what he could tell, Stain's quirk worked with blood. He had to taste Kurogiri's blood, so that must be how he paralyzed the warp gate user.

But as Stain was about to damage the hand on his face, Shigaraki reacted.

By disintegrating the knife.

"Sorry, I cant let you damage this hand. Plus, I was just recovering from my other wounds."

"Tch. What is there a reason to destroy if you have no conviction?" Stain asked in mockery.

Shigaraki just stared before replying. "Honestly, I originally wanted to destroy everything because it was my master's will. Right now, I'm looking for what I really wanted to be gone....What is right and what is wrong in this society we live in? It's all become warped. People these days don't realize they can be killed any moment. Yet they smile as if nothing is wrong. Like they assume everyone will obey the same morals they have, when its really not the case. they are lured into a false sense of security. I'm looking for why they think that way. Is it because of heroes or because of certain quirks? It may be both. Once I find my answer, I'll confirm my conviction." 

Kurogiri was surprised at this. Usually, his charge would go on a childish trade, but he seemed to be taking the conversation more smoothly. Could his defeat at the USJ humbled him a bit?..............................or maybe?

Stain looked a little conflicted but interested with his answer. He seemed to be a lapdog for a real mastermind, and right now he seemed to be looking for an answer to his existence, for his purpose.

"Well, we do agree on one thing. The present needs to change........your warp gate should be able to move again. Send me back to Hosu."

"..............Do as he asks, Kurogiri."

"Yes." 

After the man vanished, Shigaraki was silent for a bit before looking over to the screen.

"Doctor, are they any Nomus we can use as cannon fodder? At least those with quirks we can easily replace?" Shigaraki asked.

"At least two. What are you planning?"

"..........Something Stain said earlier about heroes. Only being a bunch of phonies..........I want to test how far they will go to rescue someone. The purpose is not to win this time. We need to see what kind of heroes they are and what we'll be facing in the near future. We need to see if they have conviction."

"I see. Do as Tomura said." Another voice from the screen said.

"Sir...!"

"What Tomura said is true. We have a few Nomu we can afford to lose. We'll test these heroes. I guess you are learning to grow as a villain." A voice said sounding pleased.

Shigaraki left with Kurogiri to Hosu as they saw Stain getting ready for another hunt.

"Stain." He said getting the Hero Killer's attention.

"If you see a green-haired girl with freckles, do you mind getting her or at least a sample? I need to confirm something. But you don't want to kill this heroine. She's different."

"Tch." Stain said, irritated that Shigaraki asked him a favor like an errand boy.

---------------------------

Seraphina and Izumi were boarding the train when they heard a dreadful sound and the train lurched to one side.

"Please remain calm. We are making an emergency stop." A voice said as people panicked.

But Seraphina took control as she was in her hero outfit. "SILENCE!" getting everyone's attention. "If you do panic, more people will get hurt! Follow proper safety protocols and get to the closest shelter!" This time people listened and headed off as Seraphina allowed Izumi to guide people with her Seige to keep them safe.

Suddenly a Nomu popped up. This one had four arms and no eyes.

"Must be a scan quirk or something. Seraphina!"

"Cosmic Cleaver!" She said halting the Nomu and taking it down.

Meanwhile close by, Izumi spotted a familiar figure. 

"Seraphina! Stain has a UA student! It's Ingenium's brother!" 

This got Seraphina's attention, and she acted quickly.

"Leo Star!" She said as a cosmic lion appeared and tackled Stain.

Stain was surprised that he was caught off guard. But then the lion disappeared and he saw Seraphina with a green-haired girl tending to the wannabe heroes.

"Izumi get them away from here and have them treated." Seraphina said as Izumi nodded.

"Interesting. I heard of you... Cosmic Star, the legendary heroine who saved over five billion lives across the world, whether from villains or natural disasters. The former Number 1 hero in the world." Stain said getting people's attention.

"Cosmic Star? Is that really her?"

"That's her costume, Its her alright!"

"Is she making a comeback?!"

"Go get Stain, Cosmic Star!"

"They say you left hero work after ten years for an unknown reason. Why return now?" Stain asked curious.

"Not that its your business, but can't a woman spend more time with her orphaned niece? Besides, I already had a working job not associated with an agency so I wasn't bothered."

Then Stain grinned. "Well, at least you had a real reason to leave the spotlight. And you didn't advertise for any agency either..........you're as much of a real hero as All Might." 

"I recall you keep saying All Might is the only real hero. Are you killing other heroes so he could be the only one?"

"Not completely. There are too many phonies walking around claiming they are heroes, when they are really in it for fame and glory. I was disillusioned when I tried to be a hero myself. I aim to create a more just society, but the rigid rules of modern heroics are preventing that."

Seraphina and Stain then dealt blows to one another as Seraphina kept damage to a minimum.

Meanwhile, Izumi tended to Iida and Manual. "Are you guys alright?" She asked as she used Vaccine and Heal.

"Yes, we should be feeling better soon. Thank you."

"But how did you get hurt?"

"We got caught off guard. Stain jumped us............I shielded Manual when Stain was about to kill him." Iida confessed.

"......While I can't condone that......you at least remembered what I said before." Izumi smiled.

"Yeah, looking for revenge is not heroic....." Iida said smiling before feeling his wound disappear.

Stain heard all that, and it took him off guard long enough for Seraphina to finish the fight.

As people were cheering for Seraphina, another Nomu with wings suddenly appeared and grabbed Izumi by the waist. 

"Hey! Let her go!" Kero yelled and he and Suppi spotted a familiar figure up on a water tower.

"The hand guy from the USJ!"

"He's here?" Suppi said getting Iida's attention.

But to everyone's surprise, Stain recovered from the hit, and took down the Nomu making it drop the girl, and stabbed it in the brain before letting the authorities take him.

---------------------

Shigaraki grunted at the loss of the Nomu, but was not really upset.

The kids of 1A were strong after all, but he began to see how strong their conviction was.

Looking at the green-haired girl, he began to think that she might be the reason why. He did find that she became the Class Rep and was leading her group efficiently. He could go so far to say that she might be a symbol for the next generation of heroes.

"Let get home Kurogiri."

"Yes sir........but did you find your answer?"

"I think I'm getting closer to it. Stain at least helped us fulfil a part of my goal. Now a seed of doubt has been planted. But........................I need to confirm it.....................Once the heat dies down a bit...............I'll have a chat with the majokko.....................in person. In the meantime, have Giran look for new recruits."

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Yeah, I did it a little differently, so Iida and Izumi won't get in trouble, and the papers will say that Cosmic Star took Stain down. I made Shigaraki mature a little too.

plz comment!