When Steel Boy started babbling about the law, Shigaraki Tomura let out a quiet click of his tongue.
The expression on his face turned faintly amused.
"Ah? So you actually know what the law is?"
He tilted his head slightly, looking genuinely surprised.
"That's unexpected."
Shigaraki's lips curved upward.
"Seeing how happily you were treating murder like a game earlier, I assumed you were just some brainless animal who didn't even understand the word 'law.'"
He paused.
Then gave a soft, exaggerated sigh.
"Looks like I misunderstood."
"Sorry… really, truly sorry."
He even put on a perfectly innocent expression as he said it, as if he were sincerely apologizing.
The performance was flawless.
Unfortunately for Steel Boy, that "innocent" look only made the veins on his forehead bulge with anger.
He was furious.
Absolutely furious.
But he didn't dare show it.
Not even a little.
After all, he was still lying on the ground like a cripple—pinned beneath Shigaraki's foot, unable to move a single limb.
Anger was useless when the other person could crush your bones whenever they felt like it.
"Oh, right."
Shigaraki suddenly spoke again, as if something had just occurred to him.
"If you understand the law…"
"Then let me tell you something interesting."
While admiring the way Steel Boy forced down his anger and swallowed his pride, Shigaraki casually slipped one hand into his pocket.
A moment later, he pulled out a small black booklet.
It looked like some kind of handbook.
He flipped through it lazily before stopping on a certain page and holding it down in front of Steel Boy's face.
Printed clearly on the page were notes on self-defense law.
Shigaraki glanced at it once more, then began reading aloud in a calm, almost scholarly tone.
"According to the law," he said slowly, "if someone is in the middle of committing violent crimes such as assault, murder, robbery, rape, kidnapping, or any act that seriously threatens another person's life—"
"—then a defensive response that causes injury or death to the attacker is not considered excessive self-defense."
His crimson eyes shifted downward to Steel Boy.
"And therefore…"
"No criminal liability."
He closed the booklet with a soft snap.
Then smiled.
"In simpler terms…"
"If I accidentally kill you while stopping your murder spree—"
He tapped the booklet lightly against his palm.
"With the right lawyer and a little argument in court…"
"I could walk away completely innocent."
Shigaraki's tone was casual.
Almost friendly.
"So if I were you…"
He crouched slightly, bringing his face closer to Steel Boy's.
"I'd start talking."
His smile widened.
"Because I can't promise I won't lose control and perform a little… 'self-defense' of my own."
The smile he showed then was dazzling.
Bright.
Warm.
Like sunlight breaking through morning clouds.
But to Steel Boy, that smile felt colder than a blade pressed against his throat.
His mouth hung open.
For several seconds, no sound came out.
Only one thought echoed wildly in his mind.
Since when did even lunatics understand the law this well?!
And not only understand it—
But know exactly how to twist it.
How were criminals supposed to survive if even crazy people had legal strategies now?!
Maybe he should actually start studying law too.
Otherwise how was he supposed to exploit loopholes in the future?
The absurd thought flickered through his mind before fear quickly shoved it aside.
Right now, survival came first.
"I… I understand," Steel Boy stammered quickly.
"S-sir… I'll tell you everything."
His voice had completely lost the arrogance from before.
"My name is Steel Boy… my Quirk is—"
And just like that, the once-rampaging murderer began confessing everything he knew.
There was no point resisting.
His life was literally under someone else's foot.
If he didn't cooperate, he might not survive the next minute.
As Steel Boy nervously spilled details about himself, his crimes, and the events that had led him here, Shigaraki listened quietly.
From time to time he hummed or nodded.
Eventually, Steel Boy finished explaining the reason he had targeted the blonde girl.
When Shigaraki heard it—
He raised an eyebrow.
"…Huh."
Then he let out a soft whistle.
"So you tried to kill her because you're jealous she's pretty?"
Steel Boy lowered his eyes in shame and resentment.
"And not just her," Shigaraki continued thoughtfully. "You want to kill everyone who looks better than you."
His lips twitched.
"Men or women. Doesn't matter."
He studied the man on the ground for a moment.
Then slowly shook his head.
"That's… impressive."
Steel Boy flinched.
But Shigaraki wasn't praising him.
The expression on his face was closer to someone discovering a strange insect.
"So you were mocked for being ugly when you were younger…"
"And that twisted into jealousy."
"And that jealousy eventually became a desire to kill everyone better-looking than you."
Shigaraki sighed.
"Yeah."
"You're broken."
He said it flatly.
Like diagnosing a machine that had stopped working.
"No fixing that."
Steel Boy's heart sank instantly.
Because Shigaraki's tone had changed.
Completely.
The playful teasing from earlier was gone.
In its place was something colder.
Something final.
"People like you…" Shigaraki murmured, "…are dangerous just by existing."
His gaze hardened.
"So I think I'll just send you on your way."
Steel Boy's pupils shrank.
Wait.
Send him… where?
But Shigaraki had already reached his conclusion.
After all—
There was no way he could leave someone like this alive.
Not out of justice.
Not out of heroism.
But purely for practical reasons.
Earlier today, Shigaraki had stopped this man mid-murder.
He had beaten him.
Humiliated him.
Tortured him.
Did anyone honestly believe Steel Boy would just forget about that?
Shigaraki certainly didn't.
If their positions were reversed—
He would never let the other person go.
And besides…
Shigaraki was, objectively speaking, much better looking than Steel Boy.
Which meant—
According to Steel Boy's twisted logic—
He was practically a prime target.
Someone like that would absolutely come after him again.
Maybe not today.
Maybe not tomorrow.
But someday.
And Shigaraki had no interest in living with a ticking time bomb like that wandering around the world.
He wasn't afraid of the man.
But unnecessary trouble was still trouble.
Especially when that trouble involved someone who constantly fantasized about removing your head from your body.
So the simplest solution was obvious.
Get rid of the problem.
Permanently.
Of course—
Even if Steel Boy hadn't confessed anything, Shigaraki probably wouldn't have spared him anyway.
The conversation had never been about mercy.
There were only two reasons he had bothered talking this long.
First—
If you were going to execute someone, the least you could do was listen to their final words.
It was a basic courtesy.
After all, they were both human beings.
No one was born inherently above the other.
Second—
Well…
It was fun.
Watching someone grow increasingly furious while being completely powerless to do anything about it…
Watching them choke down anger they didn't dare express…
That was extremely satisfying.
Not cruel.
Not malicious.
Just a little entertainment.
Definitely not a bad personality trait.
Shigaraki raised his foot slightly.
Decay was ready.
Steel Boy's life would end in the next moment.
But just as he was about to finish things—
A shout suddenly rang out from the distance.
Loud.
Urgent.
Male.
"Unknown righteous young man!"
"Please wait!"
"Spare the man under your foot!"
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