Fights between criminals were more than just a common sight in Villain Maker City. They could practically be called a daily ritual.
Personal grudges, hatred, or a mere urge to kill... Any of these was reason enough to start a bloody fight.
This city, known as the gathering place of the cruelest antagonists, held the world record for the highest number of conflicts.
Every morning, the residents woke to the sight of corpses strewn across the streets.
With no law to bind them, Villain Maker City was the perfect stage for criminals to vent their violent fantasies without limit.
This lawless situation gave birth to even greater ambition: the desire to dominate the entire city.
The cycle of bloodshed continued, day after day, leaving countless corpses piled up in every corner of the city like permanent decorations.
But becoming the ruler of Villain Maker City was an almost impossible dream.
Behind the madness of this city, there were figures who maintained the balance of powerโformer Rank A Hunters, Rank S Hunters, and the most feared of all... former Rank SS Hunters.
The presence of these high-ranking Hunters made anyone think twice before claiming the throne.
With abilities far beyond ordinary criminals, they were an impenetrable wall against anyone who dreamed of conquering the city.
For that reason, Villain Maker City was divided into four main territories, each under the control of a former Rank SS Hunter.
But because of the city's vast size, there were still ownerless areas left, fought over by power-hungry ambitious men.
It was these empty territories that had now become the battlefield...
***
"W-what the..."
Several Rank B Hunters stood frozen, their faces deathly pale at the horrifying sight before them.
As the border guards of Villain Maker City, the sight of criminals' corpses in the streets was an everyday scene for them.
But what lay before their eyes now surpassed every horror they had ever witnessed.
A few minutes earlier, the watch post had received a report of a mass battle among criminals.
Fearing a rebellion by the criminals of the city, a group of Rank B Hunters had been dispatched to put out the situation.
But what made them tremble was not a fight, but a sea of corpses burning with blazing blue fire.
Charred bodies lay everywhere, still aflame with blue fire that danced like the tongues of demons.
It wasn't just the corpses. The entire area seemed to have been bathed in mystical blue flames that burned without end.
"Ah... you've finally come..."
A calm voice sounded, as if welcoming their arrival.
In the midst of the pile of burning corpses sat a black-haired young man in a tattered coat.
His body was smeared with blood, his lips cracked with thirst, and his breathing was ragged and heavy, showing that he had just exerted all his strength fighting hundreds of criminals.
There was no doubt in the Hunters' minds that this young man was the mastermind behind this horrifying chaos.
"I-identify yourself!" one of the Rank B Hunters said in a trembling voice.
Their fear was justified. This young man, who looked so weak, was a monster in human disguise who had slaughtered two hundred criminals single-handedly.
Even more terrifying, his expression remained calm, as if the massacre he had just carried out were nothing more than routine.
In the hierarchy of power, only a Rank A+ Hunter or higher could carry out a massacre like thisโor, in the worst case... a former Rank S Hunter.
The thought of possibly facing a Rank S Hunter made their bodies tremble violently.
But at the same time, confusion clouded their minds. As supervisors, they naturally knew the complete data on the dangerous criminals in Villain Maker City.
Strangely, there was no record of any criminal with blue flame abilities in their database.
"You know..." the young man said softly, "right now I'm very tired. So, I'll let you leave with your lives intact."
"D-don't joke around! Tell us your name, damn you!"
"Annoying." The young man sighed in irritation. "Fine, if that's what you want..." He aimed his palm at the Hunters.
A terrifying smirk formed on his face. "See you in hell."
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐...!!
A tornado of blue fire shot forth at astonishing speed, reducing everything in its path to charcoal in the blink of an eye, leaving a trail of blue flames still burning...
But as if protected by an invisible shield, a sturdy earthen wall suddenly rose up, blocking the attack just in time.
๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐!
"Huh?"
The young man raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
A burly old man with a pair of earthen gauntlets on both hands stood shielding the frightened Hunters.
"Y-you're... the former Rank S Hunter... Earth King..."
"Heh, don't call me by that title anymore. Right now I'm just an ordinary criminal." Earth King snorted.
"Get out of here. This place is too dangerous for people of your level."
"W-we understand!"
The Rank B Hunters immediately ran out of the dangerous area.
Earth King paid no more attention to their departure.
His eyes were fixed on the mysterious young man before him, sensing an indefinable danger from his presence.
"A new face. You're not a native criminal of Villain Maker City." Earth King stared sharply. "Who are you, really?"
"Before asking, wouldn't it be better if you introduced yourself first?" the young man replied calmly.
"..." Earth King blinked, then chuckled.
"Sorry, it's been a long time since anyone asked my name. I've even forgotten my real name. You may call me Earth King, a former Rank S Hunter who now lives as a criminal."
"Just like in your case, I've thrown my real name far away too. Dabi. That's my name now."
"I see. Then what is your purpose in causing chaos in this nameless territory of Villain Maker City?"
"The same as those small-time criminals." Dabi jerked his head toward the scattered corpses. "I want to become the ruler of this territory."
"Hahaha! Interesting!" Earth King laughed loudly.
"But do you know? Besides me, there are three other former Rank S Hunters. Are you sure you can kill them all?"
"You misunderstand." Dabi shook his head slightly. "I have no intention of killing anyone. Instead, I'll subdue every Rank S Hunter in this territory." He pointed at Earth King.
"And my first target is... you."
"..." Earth King fell silent for a moment, then unconsciously burst into roaring laughter. "HAHAHA! You truly amuse me! Very well..."
In an instant, an oppressive pressure of energy slammed into the surrounding area.
Earth King's expression, which had looked like that of a friendly old grandfather, transformed into the face of a bloodthirsty demon.
"THEN TRY AND SUBDUE ME!"
Earth King took a stance, cracking the ground beneath him, then shot forward at incredible speed!
๐๐๐๐๐!!
Dabi's eyes widened in surprise.
Quick as lightning, blue flames erupted from both of his feet.
Using the kinetic energy of his fire as thrust, he leapt high to dodge the attack.
But a pair of giant hands suddenly clamped onto his right leg, swung him like a rag doll, and slammed him into the ground with terrifying force!
๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐!!!
A massive spiderweb of cracks formed on the surface of the ground.
For a moment, sparks of blue fire could be seen, but Earth King, who had already leapt high, immediately launched his deadly punch from the air!
๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐! ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐! ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐!
"WHAT'S WRONG?! DIDN'T YOU WANT TO SUBDUE ME?! WITH POWER THIS WEAK, YOU NEVER WILL!"
Blow after blow struck Dabi's body, buried in the crater of earth.
This was the dangerous side of Earth King, a kind-hearted man who turned into a bloodthirsty monster when fighting.
His split personality had made him kill many people when he lost control.
That was why he had been declared a criminal and thrown into Villain Maker City.
Fragments of earth moved as if alive, fusing with Earth King's gauntlets and forming giant, crushing gloves.
Without hesitation, he channeled [mana] into his fist and launched a devastating punch!
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐..!!
The powerful impact produced a thick cloud of dust that blinded the view.
For a few moments, all was silent.
Seeing no resistance, Earth King sighed in disappointment. He rose from his position as his earthen gauntlets began to slowly erode away.
It seemed... the criminal he had faced wasn't as strong as he had thought...
But just then...
"Heh... hahaha... HAHAHA!!"
Maniacal laughter suddenly echoed, making Earth King flinch.
His startled expression quickly turned to madness again. His hand prepared to unleash a finishing blow!
"Fellโ"
Earth King's words were cut off when a pair of hands wreathed in blue fire suddenly gripped his face.
Dabi's face, already battered and drenched in blood, now wore a psychopathic expression.
In a mad tone, he shouted:
"<<๐๐๐ค๐ฎ ๐๐ก๐๐ค๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ง>>!!"
Blue fire of terrifying intensity erupted in an instant, enveloping the entire target in a scorching blaze!
๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐...!!!
***
'Ah, damn. This body is a complete mess.'
Feeling every bone in his body broken and several of his internal organs crushed, Lux (in Dabi's form) moved his hand with great difficulty.
It might sound strange, but Dabi's body and nervous system had been severely damaged from the start.
Because of this condition, Lux felt almost no pain at all, a blessing hidden within a curse.
If not for this nerve damage, Lux would probably have lost consciousness from Earth King's very first attack.
Although he possessed the formidable Blueflame, Dabi's body was extremely fragile, so weak it could collapse at any moment.
And the Blueflame ability itself had a fatal weakness. Continuous use would burn the user's own body.
'What an annoying Quirk.'
"Huhu... amazing. Even with a body that could shatter at any moment and your life hanging by a thread, you can still stand?"
Earth King looked on in awe. "I can't imagine what kind of life you've lived."
"..."
Lux fell silent.
He wasn't the real Dabi, and the system hadn't given him this character's life memories, so he knew nothing about the character's past.
But he made no attempt to correct Earth King's misunderstanding.
Lux himself could already imagine the bleak life the original Dabi had livedโor...
Todoroki Touya.
"Anyway, your earlier attack was indeed terrifying, but to subdue me... it's still far from enough."
Earth King's voice changed, becoming deeper and trembling.
A gust of wind slowly cleared away the haze of dust blocking the view.
That was when Earth King's figure came into sight again, but no longer in his human form.
Now he had transformed into a giant golem clad in magnificent armor made of the hardest earth.
His two hands were like a fusion of gauntlet and shield, making him the strongest defensive fortress ever.
This reality was a heavy blow to Lux (Dabi).
Super defense was the natural enemy of Blueflame, which relied on rapid combustion.
"I wonder... are you really a Rank S Hunter? Not S+?"
"Oh, you noticed? Yes, that's right..." Earth King's figure suddenly vanished.
A deep whisper sounded right in Lux's right ear. "...I am a Rank S+ Hunter candidate."
๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐!
"Pff-!"
Lux (Dabi)'s body was struck squarely in the right side of his abdomen.
Like being hit by a monster truck at full speed, his body was thrown and dragged along by a fierce current of wind!
Fresh blood flowed ceaselessly from his mouth.
Lux (Dabi) tried to activate Blueflame, but just then, Earth King appeared behind him, quick as lightning!
Earth King clasped his hands together, then smashed them into Lux (Dabi)'s body with destructive force!
'Damnโ'
๐ฝ๐ผ๐!!
"...?!!"
Lux (Dabi)'s body was too shattered even to scream.
But in the gaps between attacks, there were a few seconds before Earth King could move at high speed again, an opportunity Lux (Dabi) did not waste!
๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐...!!
A wave of blue fire flared fiercely, roaring as it burned everything it touched.
But to Earth King, with his super defense...
The fire couldn't even leave a scratch!
Earth King raised his fist again, but suddenly he noticed that Lux (Dabi)'s finger movements were highly unusual.
"<<๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ซ>>"
A threat of death instantly enveloped Earth King!
He leapt back as fast as he could, but it was too lateโone of his arms exploded and vaporized as threads of blue fire sliced through it like cutting lasers!
It wasn't just Earth King's arm that was destroyed. Every object around Lux (Dabi) instantly vanished, cut and burned by thousands of blue fire threads spreading in a spiderweb pattern!
Looking at Lux (Dabi), who was still standing even though his body was nearly destroyed, Earth King swallowed.
"...Are you sure you're human?"
"..."
Lux (Dabi) did not answer.
Not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't, as his vocal cords had been destroyed.
Earth King realized this. He stopped the bleeding in his right hand by pressing down on the remaining flesh, then sighed heavily.
"You really are strong. For that, I'll use all my power to finish you."
The aura around Earth King's body multiplied many times over. A golden lightโthe manifestation of his Talent and [mana]โenveloped his entire body.
Shards and pillars of stone began to rise from the surface of the ground, moving around him like living creatures.
Facing the tremendous pressure of a Rank S+ Hunter candidate, even the original Dabi would surely have died.
'This is going to be a very difficult fight.'
Dabi's power was indeed extraordinary, but it had too many weaknesses.
But... Lux (Dabi) had no intention of giving up.
For the Achievement Points he was after, a sacrifice of this size meant nothing.
Lux (Dabi)'s body began to be enveloped by blue fire burning more fiercely than before.
The scars on his body glowed as well, while the temperature around him rose drastically.
The heat was so extreme that the air distorted and everything nearby melted in an instant.
The ground beneath his feet blackened and gave off a pungent burning smell.
Witnessing this phenomenon, even Earth King had to admit that Lux (Dabi) might be the craziest human he had ever met.
To face him, he would put everything on the line!
His already huge golem body grew even larger, reaching a height of 10 meters.
Fragments of earth formed spiked armor of deadly design, creating a living fortress that could not be penetrated.
The pressure of energy radiating from him was enough to make a Rank C Hunter faint instantly!
But facing this deadly pressure, Lux (Dabi) did not flinch. Instead, he pushed all the fire potential in his body to its final limit.
Earth King took his stance, determined to end this fight, andโ
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!!
At a speed surpassing sound, he crossed the distance in a fraction of a second!
At that very same moment, Lux (Dabi)'s gaze turned into the eyes of a predator!
With a deafening roar, he unleashed all of the concentrated blue fire from his body!
"<<๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐>>!!"
๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐๐...!!
The collision of golden aura and blue fire created a devastating explosion that swept in every direction!
The buildings nearby vaporized instantly in a wave of extreme heat. The scattered corpses burned to ashes in an instant, leaving nothing behind.
Blue fire and golden aura danced like a symphony of destruction, creating a sight both terrifying and mesmerizing.
A giant crater formed in the shattered ground!
The plume of smoke and the shockwave from the explosion could be seen even from dozens of kilometers away!
Even the three Rank S Hunters who had been secretly watching from afar gasped at this extraordinary power...
***
"Hah... hah... hah... incredible... you won this fight... Dabi."
Lying on the scorched ground, Earth King gazed up at the sky in wonder.
His condition was critical, parts of his body were charred, and his right leg had been completely vaporized. Blood flowed ceaselessly from his gaping wounds.
From any angle, he looked like he was dying, his body badly damaged. But for Earth King, who could control earth, losing a few body parts was not a serious problem.
Feeling his surroundings destroyed and devoured by blue fire, Earth King let out a long sigh before looking at the figure before him.
What he saw was... the one who had defeated him, no longer able to move.
Lux (Dabi) had lost consciousness completely.
His condition was far more wretched. Using the Blueflame Quirk beyond its limits had burned most of his own body.
If Earth King hadn't heard the faint sound of the young man's breathing, he might have thought Lux (Dabi) was already dead.
Lux (Dabi)'s state was indeed hardly different from death. One more attack from Earth King and his life would surely be gone.
But Earth King had no intention of doing so.
He had lost the fight, and as a man of principle, he would keep his promise to submit to the winner...
Earth King drank a healing potion and rose to his brawny frame. He walked toward Lux (Dabi) until suddenlyโ
"Stop moving."
"?!!"
Earth King's eyes widened in surprise.
A pair of swords with blue light blades were pointed at his neck.
The man raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.
"I have no intention of doing anything to him, Miss. I only want to help him."
Earth King had actually noticed the presence of a mysterious observer since the start of the fight. Whether an enemy or an ally of Lux (Dabi), he wasn't sure.
But from her worried tone of voice, Earth King guessed this woman was Lux (Dabi)'s ally.
'How remarkable... to have a Rank S Hunter as a companion...'
"I will handle this. Leave."
"Understood, Miss."
Earth King sighed and began to withdraw. That was when he finally saw the woman clearly.
Although she looked like a professional secretary with blonde hair in a ponytail, the high-tech swords in her hands showed that she was no ordinary person.
He had many questions, but Earth King decided not to interfere and slowly left the scene.
Artemisia, the mysterious woman, approached Lux, who was slowly returning to his original form.
A figure with a youthful body, snow-white shimmering hair, and heterochromatic eyes.
Though his appearance had changed, the severe wounds he had suffered remained.
But the adaptation of the Divine Ice Emperor within his body began to react, speeding up the healing and letting Lux grow accustomed to his grievous injuries.
Without waiting for orders, Artemisia carefully supported the young man's body.
Lux's right eye opened for a moment, glancing at Artemisia briefly, before closing again in peace.