Shinso kept his voice even. 'Nod if you can hear me.'
Shigaraki nodded.
'Good,' Shinso said. 'Then answer this—out loud. Did you hit me on purpose?'
A beat.
'…Yes,' Shigaraki said.
Like a switch flipping.
Shigaraki's body stiffened slightly—just a subtle tremor—then went still, eyes unfocused, posture slack.
Like a machine waiting for input.
Shinso let out a quiet breath.
He truly didn't like using Brainwashing.
Every time he did, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.
But sometimes—
It was the only way to get the truth.
Especially when the other person had just knocked him unconscious.
His gaze cooled.
"Tell me," Shinso said evenly. "Why did you attack me just now?"
Shigaraki answered without hesitation.
"…For some reason, while we were talking, I suddenly felt a sense of danger. So I reacted instinctively."
His tone was flat. Mechanical. Stripped of inflection.
Perfect.
Brainwashing left no room for lies.
Unless someone possessed a specific counter-ability—or the same Quirk and a deep understanding of how to resist it—
Once controlled, they couldn't hide their intent.
They couldn't withhold truth.
Shinso's brows knit slightly.
"A sense of danger?"
He couldn't help the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Because he remembered.
Right before being knocked out—
He had considered using Brainwashing.
Even if only for a moment.
Was it possible…
That this guy sensed it?
No, that was ridiculous.
Way too far-fetched.
But before he could dismiss the thought, Shigaraki continued.
"Yes. Ever since I was a child, my intuition has been unusually sharp. I can sense potential threats."
Shinso fell silent.
So… that was it?
He'd considered activating his Quirk—
And this guy's instincts triggered like some kind of alarm system?
That level of perception was absurd.
Still—
He couldn't entirely blame him.
If someone sensed danger, their first reaction would be to eliminate it.
And technically—
He had entertained the idea of using Brainwashing first.
So who was really at fault?
The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.
Did that mean this beating… was partly his own doing?
Was this one of those messy situations where no one was entirely right or wrong?
That realization didn't sit well.
His pride took a small hit.
He had been curious.
Followed someone.
Considered using his Quirk.
Got knocked out.
And now found out it might've been because of his own hesitation.
What a joke.
Fine.
If nothing else, he needed clarity.
At least he deserved to know who had knocked him out.
Otherwise, this would remain a humiliating blur.
And as for using his Quirk without permission?
Well.
There was a saying, wasn't there?
"If no one finds out, it's not a crime."
People used it all the time.
Villains.
Information brokers.
Even certain heroes when it suited them.
Besides—
He wasn't a Pro Hero yet.
So technically…
"Your name," Shinso said calmly. "What is it?"
"Shimura Tenko…"
The answer came immediately.
No resistance.
No delay.
Shinso blinked.
That name…
For some reason, it felt heavier than expected.
"I thought it would be something cooler," he muttered under his breath, scratching his cheek.
Now that he had his answer, a faint discomfort crept into his chest.
Using Brainwashing like this—
Digging into someone's identity without consent—
Wasn't exactly heroic.
When he first activated it, he had been angry.
He told himself it was retaliation.
But now?
Now that he understood the situation—
Continuing felt excessive.
He had his answer.
He knew the reason.
He knew the name.
If he pushed further—
It would no longer be "seeking truth."
It would just be exploitation.
And that—
He didn't want.
Shinso inhaled slowly, considering whether to release him—
Completely unaware—
That the entire time—
The one being "controlled" wasn't the only one following a script.
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