Hearing that explanation, All Might could only feel even more tired.
So that was it.
Here he was, thinking of every possible reason Shigaraki might have for asking about Tsukauchi—good ones, bad ones, dangerous ones—
and it turned out the boy just wanted to use his old friend as a human phone line.
For a brief moment, All Might genuinely didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
Young people these days…
They really knew how to play the game.
Even someone like him was starting to feel left behind by the times.
Letting out a long breath, All Might looked at Shigaraki and said with a hint of resignation,
"…That's on me. I should've given you my contact information last time."
He reached into his pocket, took out his phone, and held it out.
"Here. I'll give it to you now."
"At least this way, if you need something, you won't have to go through all that trouble to find me."
—And more importantly, you won't drag Tsukauchi into this mess and turn him into your personal switchboard.
If that really happened, that poor man would probably go insane sooner or later.
No—
before that, he'd likely come after me first.
After all, he wouldn't pick a fight with a kid.
So naturally, all that frustration would end up landing squarely on my head.
Thinking that, All Might felt a faint chill run down his back.
Yes.
Better to cut off the problem at the source.
Shigaraki accepted the phone without ceremony, quickly saving the number.
Then, as if something had just occurred to him, he suddenly said,
"Oh, right. Since we're talking about contacting you…"
He looked up, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"I actually do have a small favor I need your help with."
He paused briefly, then added,
"Honestly, even if you hadn't come to find me today, I was planning to look for you anyway."
"…A small favor? From me?"
All Might blinked, genuinely surprised.
From what he understood of Shigaraki, this wasn't someone who relied on others easily.
If anything, the boy preferred to handle things himself.
And yet—
today, he was actively asking for help?
Not only that, but it sounded like he had been prepared to go through the police just to track him down if necessary.
Which meant—
whatever this "small favor" was…
it probably wasn't small at all.
All Might's expression slowly grew serious.
"What is it?" he asked.
On the surface, his tone remained calm.
But inwardly, he had already braced himself.
Because there was no way something that required him specifically would be simple.
If it were truly trivial, Shigaraki wouldn't have gone to such lengths.
So—
this was likely going to be trouble.
Big trouble.
Noticing the shift in his expression, Shigaraki's mouth twitched slightly.
What the hell is that look?
Distrust?
Seriously?
I said it's a small matter—so it is a small matter!
Did he really think the great "Dark Knight" Shimura Tenko would lie about something like this?
Too much.
That's just insulting.
Of course, internally, Shigaraki was already complaining nonstop.
Because from his perspective—
it really was a small matter.
He just wasn't in a position to handle it personally.
Or rather—
the people around him weren't.
And for All Might?
It would be nothing more than a few words.
If that didn't count as small, then what did?
Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Shigaraki picked up his coffee, took a slow sip, and then said calmly,
"I want ten admission slots into U.A. High's Hero Course."
…
Silence.
Complete silence.
For a brief moment, even the background noise of the café seemed to fade.
Because All Might had just completely frozen.
His mind blanked for half a second—
then stalled.
"…Wait."
"You said… ten?"
He stared at Shigaraki as if trying to confirm whether he had misheard.
"…You want ten slots into U.A.'s Hero Course?"
"You're… planning to enroll?"
"And become a Pro Hero?"
"You're not joking, are you?"
The questions came out one after another, almost without pause.
Because no matter how he looked at it—
this request was absurd.
Ridiculous.
Completely beyond expectation.
On the other side of the table, Shigaraki simply leaned back in his chair, looking entirely unconcerned.
From the very beginning, this decision had been carefully thought out.
After all—
he was no longer alone.
Getting himself into U.A. wasn't a problem.
With All For One behind the scenes pulling strings, it was only a matter of time before he secured a slot.
And even if that somehow failed—
he could always take the normal entrance exam and crush his way in.
At his current level, those examinees were nothing more than weaklings.
But—
Akutani Kaina was different.
For her, entering U.A. wouldn't be easy.
She was Quirkless.
Even after undergoing his brutal training, her foundation was still weaker than others.
Breaking through that level of competition by sheer ability alone would be difficult.
So—
he needed another way.
Pulling strings through All Might was the most efficient option.
With his status, securing a few admission slots from U.A. shouldn't be an issue.
After all—
this was the Symbol of Peace.
As for why Kaina had to enter U.A., the reasons were simple.
First—
know your enemy.
One day, she would inevitably clash with Midoriya Izuku.
Understanding his methods in advance would ensure she wouldn't be caught off guard.
Second—
becoming a hero was her dream.
And U.A.'s Hero Course was the first true step toward that dream.
Shigaraki wasn't a professional teacher.
But U.A. was.
There, she would grow faster.
Stronger.
And as her teacher—
of course he wanted that.
Naturally.
…It had nothing to do with laziness.
Absolutely not.
Across the table, All Might was still staring at him, trying to process everything he had just heard.
Because no matter how he turned it over in his mind—
one thought refused to settle.
This boy…
the one who mocked the system, who walked the line of the law, who punished criminals in his own way—
was now asking to enter U.A.
To become a hero?
"…Shimura-kun," All Might said slowly, his voice heavy with disbelief.
"…have you lost your mind?"
Shigaraki smiled faintly.
And for the first time—
there was something in his eyes that felt almost like certainty.
"Times have changed, All Might."
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