That realization left All Might feeling helpless.
If Shigaraki had been one of his admirers, this would have been much easier. A few sincere words, a little guidance, maybe even a proper lecture. That might have worked.
But that boy was not an admirer.
Not even close.
After a short silence, All Might's expression grew more serious.
"And don't think about using force on him."
Tsukauchi looked up.
All Might continued, "My instincts tell me that if we try to handle him that way, things may only get worse."
"Cough. Of course I'm not suggesting that."
Tsukauchi cleared his throat awkwardly.
"You know me. I'm not that kind of person."
That was true.
No matter how much Shigaraki's actions gave him a headache, Tsukauchi had never seriously considered sending police or Pro Heroes to drag the boy in by force.
The reason was simple.
Reckless as Shigaraki was, he had not crossed the final line.
Yes, he was punishing criminals on his own.
Yes, his methods were harsh.
But he had not killed anyone in these recent incidents.
And in practice, that made a huge difference.
Pro Heroes injured criminals during arrests all the time. Dangerous offenders did not politely surrender just because someone asked nicely. Expecting heroes to stop violent criminals without hurting them was fantasy.
So the law allowed a certain amount of flexibility.
As long as no one died, things could still be handled.
The real problem was that Shigaraki was not a licensed Pro Hero.
If he had been acting under a hero license, Tsukauchi would not be nearly as troubled. Although, even then, those methods would still be considered excessive.
Right now, the boy was standing right on the edge of the line.
Provocative.
Brazen.
Infuriating.
But never quite stepping over.
And on top of that, All Might himself had taken an interest in him.
That made the situation even harder to judge.
Tsukauchi sighed.
What a headache.
As for All Might's warning that the boy was dangerous, Tsukauchi did not dismiss it completely.
But he also did not treat it as an immediate crisis.
No matter how talented a teenager was, there had to be limits.
At least, that was what he wanted to believe.
Then Tsukauchi's expression suddenly changed.
He smiled.
Warmly.
Too warmly.
"All Might," he said, "do you remember what happened about a month ago?"
All Might stiffened slightly.
"Of course I remember. Why?"
The moment he saw that smile, a bad feeling crawled up his spine.
Tsukauchi's attitude had changed too quickly.
And that incident from a month ago...
Of course All Might remembered.
That was when he first met the blue-haired boy.
The Sludge Villain incident.
The same incident that had brought Shimura Tenko into both of their sights.
All Might's expression froze.
"Tsukauchi, don't tell me you're thinking..."
"Exactly."
Tsukauchi's smile widened.
"You guessed it."
"That incident was the only time Shimura Tenko clearly crossed the line."
He pointed at All Might.
"And you are the only witness who saw everything from start to finish."
He tapped the file on the table.
"That is our leverage."
"Our only leverage."
"So... you understand, right?"
Internally, Tsukauchi let out a breath of relief.
Thank goodness he had run into All Might today.
Otherwise, who knew how long he would have to keep dealing with this headache?
At this rate, he really might go bald from stress.
And that was unacceptable.
He was still in his twenties.
Too young for that kind of tragedy.
So his old friend would have to suffer a little for the greater good.
All Might gave a helpless smile.
"Can I refuse?"
Even as he asked, he already knew the answer.
He knew Tsukauchi too well.
Sure enough, Tsukauchi rolled his eyes.
"Do you think that's possible?"
"Do you know how rare it is for me to catch you like this?"
"If I let you leave now, who knows when I'll get another chance?"
"And until then, I'll be the one cleaning up that kid's mess."
He rubbed his temple with exaggerated pain.
"My hairline is already in danger, All Might."
"Have mercy."
Then, just in case All Might tried to hold back because of the boy's connection to his former master, Tsukauchi raised his thumb with complete seriousness.
"You're the Symbol of Peace, aren't you?"
"Saving a lost youth and guiding him back to the right path should be your specialty."
He nodded firmly.
"Go on."
"I believe in you."
"Spiritually, at least."
All Might stared at him for a moment.
Then he sighed.
A long, tired sigh.
"…I understand."
In the end, he accepted.
Because even if Tsukauchi had not asked, he would have gone to see that boy again anyway.
He did not believe Shigaraki was truly evil.
But he could not feel at ease either.
That boy was too sharp.
Too calm.
Too willing to act outside the rules.
All Might still had no idea what he truly wanted, or where he would go next.
So he had to talk to him.
Properly.
And if possible, guide him toward becoming a Pro Hero.
If that boy could really become a hero...
As the thought formed, All Might found himself unexpectedly looking forward to their next meeting.
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