Time returned to three seconds earlier…
Edge Shot had watched Shigaraki Tomura beat Bakugo Katsuki into a bloody mess.
He had watched Shigaraki issue his final ultimatum.
He had watched Bakugo refuse to surrender again, even with a gun pressed to his forehead.
He had watched that brave, talented boy—someone clearly born with exceptional combat instincts—stand on the verge of being executed by a villain.
In the end, the man who had been hiding his presence all this time could no longer endure it.
He had been waiting.
Suppressing his anger.
Searching for the true master of this strange dimension so he could end everything at once and save everyone.
He had both the ability and the confidence to do it.
But he could not simply watch a boy die in front of him.
After all—
wasn't that what heroes did?
When someone was in danger, they stepped forward.
This was not the perfect moment to act?
It might be a trap?
None of that mattered.
When someone needed saving, a hero stepped forward without fearing death.
If he ignored a child in danger right before his eyes, then what meaning would there be in calling himself a hero?
And so—
he acted.
The No. 5 Pro Hero, Edge Shot, suddenly revealed himself from midair.
With the determination to save Bakugo Katsuki, with the decisiveness of a professional, and even with the resolve to kill if necessary, he swung the blade in his hand toward Shigaraki Tomura's neck.
He would save Bakugo.
Defeat Shigaraki.
And rescue everyone.
Bang—
In the next instant, the sound of steel sinking into flesh rang out.
Blood splattered everywhere.
But when the blood sprayed across Edge Shot's face, there was no joy in his expression.
Only regret.
Because although his blade had struck exactly as intended—
and had sunk deep into someone's body—
the person he struck was not Shigaraki Tomura.
It was someone else.
A man he knew all too well.
Muscular.
In other words, not only had he failed to save Bakugo, he had also fallen into a lethal trap.
"Well, well."
"You finally showed up."
"I've been waiting for you for quite a while."
A trap.
The moment he heard those words and saw that his blade had struck Muscular instead of Shigaraki, Edge Shot's face darkened.
He instinctively looked toward the direction of the voice.
Beside Muscular stood Shigaraki Tomura—the real target of his strike—smiling and waving at him with an unbearably irritating expression.
"So?"
"How does it feel to have your five senses deceived?"
Shigaraki's casual words made Edge Shot fully understand.
He had truly fallen for it.
From the beginning, Shigaraki had deliberately used Bakugo Katsuki to lure him out.
No—
perhaps from the start, Shigaraki's real target had been him.
Bakugo had only been the bait.
Unfortunately, Edge Shot had been unable to watch Bakugo die, so he exposed himself and attacked.
And just as expected—
his decisive strike had been stopped.
The blade that should have cut into Shigaraki's neck and ended everything had instead sunk into Muscular's thick muscle armor.
Even worse—
because Edge Shot had never expected this sudden change, he was immediately caught.
His weapon was trapped in Muscular's muscle armor.
And he himself was seized by the throat before he could retreat.
For a speed-type hero like him, being caught by a power-type opponent meant only one thing.
Disaster.
Muscular gripped Edge Shot's throat tightly with one hand.
With the other, he pulled the blade from his muscle armor and tossed it far away.
After doing that, he looked toward Shigaraki with clear anticipation.
Seeing that look, Shigaraki naturally understood what he wanted.
His goal of luring out Edge Shot had already been achieved.
There was no need to worry about more complications now.
Letting Muscular enjoy himself a little was not a problem.
Besides, Muscular had just taken a blade for him.
Even though Shigaraki could have dodged it without help, he still owed him that small favor.
Thinking this, Shigaraki nodded and said coldly:
"Do whatever you want with him."
"You can even kill him."
Those icy words sealed Edge Shot's fate.
"Don't worry, Boss."
"It's rare to find such an interesting toy."
"I'll play with him properly."
"I won't let him break too quickly."
The moment Shigaraki gave permission, Muscular's eyes lit up with excitement.
Then he turned back toward Edge Shot, his face filled with barely restrained delight.
Before Edge Shot could say anything, Muscular grabbed one of his arms.
Muscular's arm was already massive, and with his Quirk activated, it looked as thick as a pillar.
By comparison, Edge Shot's arm still looked like that of an ordinary person.
At that moment, the scene looked like a giant gripping a toothpick.
The visual impact was terrifying.
Crack.
Then, under Shigaraki's gaze, Edge Shot's arm—so thin compared to Muscular's—was crushed.
The entire limb bent into an angle no human arm should ever take.
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