I Can't Lose You Again

Chapter 44: His Target

Shota sighed into his scarf as he walked toward the dimly lit building. He couldn't believe he let himself be convinced to let those kids stay behind; they were his students after all aside from Monoma, but they were still looking after them. Perhaps the teens did need a little bit of a resting period since the rest of the week would either get worse or better for the teenagers seeing whether they took their quirk training seriously or if they did the repetitive exercise for the remainder of the days.

'Should pay my attention to those four students in particular then if I'm thinking about changing up their training.' Shota made a mental note to suggest to Kan as they and the Pussycats were in charge of it all, logically. They had planned out every student's training activity and approved it by Principal Nezu before they left. He opened the first door down the long hallway, into the classroom where the homeroom teacher of Class 1-B was preparing the lesson, greeting monotonously, "Evening, Vlad."

"Where's the students, Eraser?" Kan ignored his friendly effort.

"Ragdoll and Pixie-bob told me to let them participate and the four promised that they'd work harder during their training and wouldn't complain about the extra lessons if I did so. I was going to refuse but I want to see if they would stay true to their words." Shota ran a hand through his long hair, grumbling lowly when he watched a small grin rise up from the taller man's mouth.

"You mean, they convinced you to let them participate?"

"No." Shota glared at his coworker.

"Sounds like you're getting a little soft for your students, Eraser. Who would've thought." Kan let out a hearty chuckle while the blood in Shota's body began to boil.

"I have not-"

"Everyone!"

The next words in the conversation were interrupted by a message from Mandalay, both teachers growing serious at the urgency in her voice.

"Two villains have attacked us and there's a chance that there could be more! Do not engage with the enemy and make it back to the faculty building as soon as possible!"

"Vlad, I'm going out to look for the students. Stay here to look after them." Shota moved to rush out of the room as he quickly gave the other pro hero instructions. As he dashed down the hallway, the only thought running through his head was on how those four students could have been here safe and sound if he had just been stricter on himself.

Once he made it to the door, he pushed both of them open with such force it had him faintly tumbling into the dark night, catching his breath while observing the scene ahead of him. It was bad; flames rising up in one area as on the other side was a mysterious lavender smoke.

"Shit..."

"Is worry halting your judgment, Eraser?"

Someone had snuck up on him, the action shocking Shota to find himself face to face with what had to be a new villain; the palm of their hand lighting up with blue fire.

"Vla-"

His words were drowned out by the burst of heat that exploded, Shota only making it out alive by the high jump boost in his boots, using his scarf to keep himself propped up. A few flames licked at his sleeve, batting it down while activating his quirk next.

"Stay put, hero. You're not what we want." the villain spoke, the vagueness of his sentence both scaring and angering the pro hero. When the fire burned away from existence and Shota was able to see him again, the villain narrowed his eyes faintly as he huffed out, "Guess you won't be staying still, huh, Eraser?"

When he raised his hand up toward him to try his little trick again, Shota deepened his glare while scowling at him, "Nothing's coming out."

Just as fast, Shota focused his weapon down to wrap around the villain's chest while jumping off the edge as he pulled him up to place his hand onto the back of his head and slam it down onto his knee, twisting the man around to pound his face into the dirt and pin his legs down while grabbing his arm.