MHA- The Stand

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Many people gathered here—some were petty thieves, while others were gang members dealing in drugs, gambling, and the like. One after another, they flew backward like baseballs hit in a home run, slamming into the dilapidated houses lining both sides of the street.

In the middle of a street littered with oil and garbage, Itadori stood with his feet together, hands on his hips. Behind him, [The World] floated, fists clenched, its imposing figure partially visible, revealing half of its upper body.

"Is this place only crawling with lowlife hooligans?" Itadori muttered, crossing his arms impatiently as his gaze swept over the defeated thugs scattered around him.

Everyone nearby cowered under his glance, hastily retreating into abandoned buildings or narrow alleys.

"My strength has hit a bottleneck. I need tougher opponents to sharpen my skills." He mused. But dealing with idle scoundrels like this was useless. Giants like the thug he'd faced on the tram bridge this morning—those were the top-level fighters among these street criminals.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Suddenly, a burst of applause echoed from behind him.

Turning, Itadori saw a middle-aged man in his forties wearing glasses, strolling over with a cigarette dangling from his mouth and a crooked grin. His purple suit and the missing front tooth gave him an air of sleaziness.

"Impressive! I heard that someone's been wreaking havoc around these parts, roughing up half the criminals in the area. Didn't think I'd see you in action myself." The man said, grinning as he walked up and handed Itadori a business card from his suit pocket, "Oh, apologies. I haven't introduced myself. I'm Yilan. I dabble in a bit of intermediary work."

"Oh? So you walked up to me after seeing this? Most would have run for their lives." Itadori replied, eyeing Yilan with faint amusement. After glancing at the business card, he discarded it with little interest.

Yilan didn't react, still smiling as he continued, "Actually, I've been observing you for a while. I thought I'd warn you—the police and plenty of heroes already have you on their radar."

Itadori's gaze grew cold, "And what exactly do you want?"

He'd enjoyed using these low-level criminals as practice dummies, knowing they wouldn't dare report him. But, as the saying goes, if you walk along the river often, you're bound to get your feet wet. He couldn't keep this up forever without attracting attention.

One particular officer, had already been snooping around more than once.

"No need to worry; I have no intention of reporting you." Yilan said smoothly, stroking his stubbled chin with a strange smile, "I'm just interested in someone like you and thought we could do some business together." He gestured around, "It's a bit inappropriate to talk here, though. How about we go to my bar? It's my territory."

After a moment's consideration, Itadori dismissed [The World], nodded, and motioned for Yilan to lead the way.

Under the wary gazes of the other thugs, the two gradually made their way deeper into the district.

---

In the basement of an abandoned building, Yilan opened a door, revealing a bar that contrasted sharply with the desolate surroundings outside. Though not lavish, the interior was cozy and polished.

"What'll it be?" Yilan asked from behind the bar.

"The most expensive one." Itadori replied without hesitation.

Yilan chuckled as he pulled a bottle of whiskey from the top shelf and poured two glasses, "I assume you're using these street criminals to hone your skills, right?"

"Sharp observation." Itadori replied. Without a hint of hesitation, he downed most of the whiskey in one gulp, causing Yilan to blink in surprise.

"It wasn't hard to guess. But you've hit a wall, haven't you? You need a stronger opponent to push your limits."

As Yilan spoke, he gestured, "Sadly, with All Might still around, most criminals hide in the shadows. Finding worthwhile opponents is no easy task."

"Then get to the point." Itadori demanded, finishing his drink.

"Alright. I have two options for you." Yilan held up one finger, "First, I know of an intriguing organization. They're planning a large-scale attack to upend society, specifically targeting heroes—yes, even the Number One Hero, All Might himself."

He chuckled darkly, "If you're interested, I could introduce you to them."

The League of Villains? Listening to Yilan, Itadori quickly pieced together the organization's identity.

"Hiding underground, lurking in the dark like rats? That's beneath me." Itadori scoffed. Although he did seek power, he refused to live like some pitiful criminal, constantly hiding from the light.

Yilan raised a brow, "Really? Their leader doesn't take insults lightly, so that would be… risky."

Shrugging, he held up two fingers, "Option two, then. I can connect you with a talented sparring partner. And I've got files on quite a few criminals you could take on—for a small fee, of course."

"'Small'? I doubt that." Itadori sneered.

"Hey, taking on a client like you isn't exactly safe work." Yilan said, sliding another business card across the table, "That's my direct number."

"Interesting." This time, Itadori pocketed the card without tossing it aside.

"One last thing—what do you usually do with these criminals after you're done 'practicing'?" Yilan asked, a curious gleam in his eye.

"I let them go." Itadori replied, "Can't have unconscious thugs drawing attention from the police."

Itadori had been careful to hold back just enough, avoiding excessive damage that could bring unwanted attention.

"Smart approach. Pleasure doing business." Yilan said, his yellowed grin showing a missing front tooth.

Itadori allowed himself a faint smile. It seemed the days before starting at U.A. Academy wouldn't be as dull as he'd thought.

---

As Itadori and Yilan solidified their arrangement, the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the city.

On a deserted path, All Might, in his weakened form, stood solemnly before Izuku Midoriya, who was on his knees, tears streaming down his face. All Might's tone was more serious than ever as he spoke.

"You can become a hero!"

This simple declaration would become the young man's lifelong goal.

Elsewhere, Itadori was unaware that All Might had chosen Izuku Midoriya as his successor for One for All.

---

At the mansion of the Yaoyorozu family, Momo was still in the study, deeply engrossed in her books. When she finally emerged for dinner, she greeted Itadori with a gentle smile.

"Itadori, welcome back." She said, her voice carrying the refined grace of a lady from a noble family.

"Yeah, I'm back."

Over dinner, Momo excitedly shared her latest study achievements. Itadori listened quietly, his expression never showing annoyance.

After she finished, he spoke up, "Can you lend me some money?"

Momo blinked, surprised for a moment. She quickly excused herself, returning minutes later with a gold card, "This is my savings. It should be enough."

Without much ceremony, Itadori accepted the card, "I'll pay you back."

Momo shook her head with a smile, "No need. You've been helping me with training. I've wanted to repay you somehow."

"Then work on strengthening your resolve." Itadori replied, hinting that he'd take her training seriously from now on.

Momo's smile brightened, nodding eagerly.

---

The next morning, while Itadori prepared for his next training session, Midoriya arrived at Takoba Seaside Park, clutching a training schedule from All Might.

"Come on, Midoriya! This is your training plan for the next ten months!" All Might cheered.

Seeing the intense schedule, Midoriya felt excitement, not fear, "Thank you, All Might! I'll become a hero who saves others with a smile!"

All Might gave a thumbs up and his signature grin, "OK!"

Meanwhile, in an underground bar, Itadori met with Yilan once more.

"Didn't expect you'd bring the deposit so soon." Yilan chuckled, deducting his fee from Momo's gold card, "Since it's our first collaboration, I'll just take the standard rate."