It was good to be home. Really home. The smell of Mom's miso soup clung to the air, a familiar comfort that had been absent far too long. After rescuing Akira from the potential nightmare that awaited her outside UA, the logical next step was to integrate her into my life, officially. And that meant introducing her to the Midoriya clan, mansion and all.
Mom and Dad, bless their hearts, were ecstatic. They hadn't seen me in what felt like an eternity, and the guilt gnawed at me. I'd kept in contact with Izuku, of course. My baby brother always came first. But Mom and Dad? The fiery Hizashi and the gentle Inko? I'd been a terrible son lately.
Explaining Akira was…easier than expected. I'd laid it all out: the legal adoption, the need for a stable environment, the fact that, in my eyes, she was family. Mom's eyes welled up instantly, and Dad gave me a rare, approving nod. Losing their unborn daughter had left a hole, one that Akira seemed to fill a little bit.
The evening was a blur of laughter, board games, and Akira tentatively opening up. It was a fragile, beautiful thing to witness. Even though I knew I couldn't stay long, I had some semblance of comfort.
After tucking Akira into bed, my mind swirled with worry. She was safe now, but the world was still a dangerous place, a place where even the halls of UA could prove treacherous. And I still have no clue who was behind everything.
I was just drifting off to sleep when my phone buzzed on the nightstand. 2:00 AM. The caller ID read "Shadow." Shit.
I answered with a groan, "Dark Phantom here. What's up, Shira?"
Her voice was all business. "We have multiple incidents tonight. I'm assigning you three missions."
My jaw tightened. Three? That was a heavy load, even for me. "Go on."
"First, a series of robberies in the Musutafu shopping district. The police are stretched thin. Second, a villain attack on the commuter train heading towards Hosu City. Casualties are mounting. Third, a prison break at Tartarus. High-priority villains are on the loose."
I swore silently. Tartarus? That was a nightmare scenario. "Alright. I'll gear up and be out in ten."
I downed a mug of lukewarm coffee, the bitter liquid doing little to dispel the exhaustion clinging to my bones. Pulling on my reinforced suit, the familiar weight of the Dark Phantom persona settled over me. One last glance at Akira's sleeping form, and I was out the window, a white-haired blur against the inky sky.
The robberies were…mundane. Petty thugs emboldened by the chaos, easily subdued with a few well-placed blows. Super strength and speed made quick work of them, but each takedown felt like a distraction. I could hear Shira's voice in the back of my head criticizing me.
The train was worse. The villain, a hulking brute with a quirk that allowed him to manipulate metal, had derailed several carriages. People were trapped, injured, and terrified. I worked quickly, tearing open the wreckage, using my Superman-esque strength to stabilize the train, and getting the injured to safety. It was a grim reminder of why I did this. Why I couldn't just stand by.
Then came Tartarus. The chaos was palpable, a miasma of fear and desperation clinging to the air. Guards lay unconscious, their faces contorted in terror. I moved through the labyrinthine corridors, the air thick with the tang of electricity and ozone. Then I saw him. A looming figure, eyes burning with malice. Muscular. He was one of the escaped villains. A battle erupted, a clash of raw power against raw power. It was brutal, unforgiving. Finally, with a bone-jarring blow, I brought him down, securing him with restraints before moving on to search for any other escapees. It was 5 am when I finished checking and securing the premises. Exhausted and with a few new bruises, I headed over to Shira.