"Etsuha?!"
Yaoyorozu Momo had only just recovered from the shock when she realized that Etsuha had already taken off in the direction where Yu Takeyama had gone.
"Stay here and keep moving! The Ice Cavalry should be enough to protect you!"
Etsuha's voice echoed from the distance.
At the same time, every single thug in front of Yaoyorozu Momo had already been sealed in ice!
…
A few minutes earlier.
Yu Takeyama heard the timer go off and stretched lazily.
"Ten minutes already? Those little ones must have gotten pretty far by now. Time to start!"
She secured the weighted limiter chains onto her body, then began enlarging herself. As her height increased, her gaze swept across the surroundings—and several suspicious figures immediately caught her attention.
"…Found you."
Without hesitation, Yu Takeyama stepped toward them.
But at that exact moment—
A purple portal suddenly opened beneath her feet.
The figure that emerged made her expression instantly tighten.
"Hero Killer… Stain!"
"I didn't expect you to recognize me, counterfeit Hero."
A man dressed like a samurai stepped out of the portal. His head was wrapped in bandages, revealing only a pair of chilling, bloodthirsty eyes. Though his appearance was simple, the oppressive aura he radiated sent a sharp warning through Yu Takeyama's entire body.
"Of course I know you," Yu Takeyama replied cautiously, taking a subtle step back. "A notorious fugitive who's killed more than a dozen Heroes—and still hasn't been captured."
Her heart sank.
The timing was too perfect.
Right now, she was wearing a limiter. If she tried to remove it, she'd definitely expose an opening—and against someone like Stain, that would be fatal.
"You'll be next."
Stain placed a hand on his sword—and struck without warning.
Bang!
His foot slammed into the ground as he launched forward, moving with incredible agility. His speed was erratic, his movements unpredictable—making it nearly impossible for Yu Takeyama, restricted as she was, to land a hit.
"So fast!"
Her expression darkened. Rather than confronting him directly, she lifted her leg and stomped down with all her strength.
RUMBLE!
The ground trembled violently, sending shockwaves through the area. Stain halted mid-charge, instantly adapting. Using a nearby tree as leverage, he bent his body—and in the next instant, launched himself upward.
Yu Takeyama caught the movement immediately.
Seeing him leap into the treetops, she didn't hesitate. Her massive hand swung through the air, generating a powerful gust that crashed downward toward him.
But what shocked her—
Even facing such overwhelming force, Stain didn't retreat.
Instead, he used the momentum to close the distance—and slashed directly at her fingertip!
Slice!
A thin line of blood appeared.
"Got you."
Stain sneered, instantly retreating and repositioning himself near her thumb.
Bang!
Yu Takeyama's strength was immense. Even a glancing hit from her thumb sent a powerful shock through Stain's body. His knees slammed into the ground from the impact.
"This guy…"
Yu Takeyama stared in disbelief.
Even after taking that hit, he still managed to land a strike?
She didn't hesitate—she moved to follow up.
But before she could—
Stain raised his blade… and licked the blood from it.
In that instant—
Yu Takeyama's entire body froze.
"My body… won't move?!"
Her pupils shrank in horror.
No matter how much strength she tried to summon, her body refused to respond. It was as if her blood itself had solidified, locking her in place.
Under the effect of this paralysis, her giant form rapidly shrank, returning her to normal size.
Standing before her—
Stain advanced slowly, blade in hand.
"It was the blood…" Yu Takeyama realized instantly. "His Quirk activates by tasting blood!"
Only now did she understand why he had risked taking that hit.
"It's dangerous," Stain said calmly, wiping blood from his mouth. "If you weren't wearing that limiter, I wouldn't have dared take that blow."
Despite the damage he had taken, his expression barely changed. His willpower alone kept him moving forward as if nothing had happened.
Yu Takeyama's heart sank.
She couldn't even move a finger.
In this state, she was nothing more than a defenseless target.
"A false Hero… is not worthy of the title."
Stain's eyes gleamed coldly.
"Die."
SHING—
The blade thrust forward.
But—
There was no sensation of piercing flesh.
Stain's eyes narrowed sharply.
Standing before him—
A boy had appeared.
The strike had been blocked by an ice-forged blade.
"Hah… just in time," the boy exhaled softly. "So the Nomu was just bait. You're the real threat."
Shina Etsuha stood there calmly, his gaze locked onto Stain.