After receiving his assignment, Shina Etsuha changed into his combat suit.
Calling it a "combat suit" was a bit generous—it was essentially just durable clothing designed to withstand damage. The outfit was entirely black, but once Etsuha put it on, it gave him an unmistakable air of heroism.
The senior Hero assigned to him, as mentioned by Best Jeanist, was also a professional. His strength was considered respectable. Although he hadn't graduated from U.A., he occasionally appeared on the Hero rankings.
"You're Etsuha, right? I'm Yusuke Tensen. You can call me your senior," the man said calmly. His reaction upon seeing Etsuha was muted—just a simple nod. "Patrol duty can be boring, but you still need to stay alert. Come with me."
Etsuha followed Yusuke Tensen out of the agency, and the two began their patrol through the city.
"Generally speaking, the busier the street, the lower the chance of crime," Yusuke explained as they walked. "That's why we focus on darker areas—alleys and backstreets. You'll often find… interesting things there."
He led Etsuha toward a narrow alley.
Along the way, they happened to run into a group of people leaving Best Jeanist's agency.
These individuals were also professional Heroes—most of them specialized in combat-oriented quirks, making them particularly effective in large-scale operations. A significant portion of the agency's strength came from this group.
"Hey, have you found any leads on the disappearance case?" Yusuke Tensen called out, his tone carrying a hint of unease. If he hadn't been assigned to guide a newcomer, he would likely have been part of that team.
"What are they doing?" Etsuha asked, watching the group move out with clear purpose.
"They're investigating the disappearance case Best Jeanist mentioned earlier," Yusuke replied. "The suspect likely has a quirk and is extremely cunning. If you're not careful, you won't catch them."
He glanced at Etsuha and sighed. "This kind of case falls under Hero jurisdiction, not the police. It's our job to track down Villains. Unfortunately, since I'm assigned to patrol with you, I can only watch them handle it."
There was clear reluctance in his voice.
Yusuke Tensen had a strong quirk and a desire to prove himself in real combat. Being tasked with mentoring a newcomer instead of pursuing Villains was, to him, a frustrating compromise.
"Then… can't we follow them?" Etsuha asked, intrigued. After all, one of the reasons he had chosen this city was its higher crime rate.
Yusuke chuckled at that. "Follow them? No chance. This case is too dangerous. Even professional Heroes could lose their lives. If something happens, I wouldn't be able to protect you."
He shook his head. "We'd just get in the way. That's the last thing I want."
"Get in the way…" Etsuha repeated quietly.
His reputation hadn't spread far in this city yet, so it was natural for Yusuke to think that way. After all, Best Jeanist's agency wasn't desperate enough to rely on an intern for critical missions.
"That's not something you should be involved in," Yusuke continued. "As a newcomer, you need to take things step by step. Focus on the task in front of you. Let's go."
Etsuha fell silent.
At the moment, he was just an intern. There was no way he could change Yusuke Tensen's decision.
But that didn't mean he wasn't thinking.
After all… his legs belonged to him. Where he chose to go was his own decision.
With that thought, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Senior Tensen, how about we split up and patrol separately?"
"Split up?" Yusuke repeated, narrowing his eyes. "You're not planning to follow them, are you? Absolutely not."
"Of course not," Etsuha replied quickly. "I just think we'll cover more ground that way. And I don't even know where they're headed, so it's not like I could follow them even if I wanted to."
"…That's true," Yusuke muttered, considering it. After a moment, he nodded. "Fine. It's not particularly dangerous right now, so I'll allow it. But if you encounter a Villain, notify me immediately."
He pointed in the direction the team had taken. "I'll head this way. You go back the way we came."
Etsuha nodded. "Understood. I'll contact you if anything happens."
Yusuke let out a breath of relief. "Alright, then. Dismissed."
With that, he headed off in the direction of the investigation team.
In truth, his intentions weren't much different from Etsuha's. As a professional Hero, he naturally wanted to participate in capturing Villains. The idea of splitting up suited him perfectly—it gave him an excuse to rejoin the operation.
Etsuha had already seen through that.
And as for what would happen if they were discovered later?
That was easy to explain.
Patrolling meant moving around freely. If they happened to arrive at the scene of a Villain capture… wasn't it only natural to assist?
Unfortunately for Yusuke—
Etsuha was thinking the exact same thing.
After Yusuke left, Etsuha casually walked in the opposite direction for a short while. Once he confirmed there was nothing unusual, he quietly circled back and slipped into the alley where the team had disappeared.
But as soon as he reached the end of the alley, he froze.
There were multiple branching paths ahead—and each one showed signs of recent movement.
"…This is going to be a problem."
Etsuha sighed.
His tracking skills were, frankly, terrible.
After a brief hesitation, he picked a path that felt "right" and dashed forward.
..
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