MHA: Corruption Isn't A Villainous Quirk

Ren groaned as he blinked his eyes open, his body aching all over. It would be surprising if that wasn't the case.

Headlights from the cars that drove by illuminated the dark room. But it only gave brief glimpses, not enough for Ren to piece together his location.

In a strange place again…

Ren tried to sit up, but a voice startled him.

"Stay put," the voice said. "You're safe here. But don't move around just yet."

Ren turned to see a hooded figure standing near the window, their face hidden behind a mask that resembled a bird's beak. The man stared out of the window, scanning the surroundings.

"Who—?"

Ren began, but the figure raised a hand to silence him. After ensuring no one had followed them, the man faced him. Slowly, he pulled off their mask, revealing a familiar face.

Ren's eyes widened.

"Chronostasis?"

"Chronostasis? What's with the formalities?" he said, his voice casual. "You can call your brother by his name, you know."

Ren froze in place. The only brother he had was Hitoshi, he was certain about it.

Just then, Ren noticed a photograph hanging on the wall when another car's headlights flashed briefly.

It was old and faded, but the faces in it were unmistakable. They were their younger versions. Ren, Hitoshi, and Hari, were all smiling in what looked like a park. Hari noticed Ren's gaze and smiled.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Hari sighed, sitting in the chair before Ren. "I didn't think we'd meet again like this. But it's better than nothing."

Suddenly, it clicked. Ren, Hitoshi, and Hari had been orphans living in the same orphanage. That was the only plausible explanation.

"I owe you an apology, Ren," Hari sighed and looked down. "I couldn't save you before… from Aizawa."

"Aizawa?" Ren repeated, confused.

Hari got up and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. What Ren heard was something out of the world. Apparently, Aizawa used to torture Ren in different ways to force a quirk awakening on him.

Once he was done, he called Recovery Girl to heal the wounds afterward so there'd be no evidence. This went on for years, till Aizawa gave up on him.

It was all news to Ren, as his journal had no such entries. He had a feeling Hari was lying. Aizawa wasn't the best parent in the world, but Ren didn't think someone like him would go to such extents.

"I received your messages till I was in the orphanage, but then I got adopted and we lost touch…" Hari took a deep breath, shaking his head. "But it's all in the past now. I'm glad you're alive."

Hari picked up a bowl of soup from a nearby table and handed it to Ren.

"Here. Eat. You'll need your strength," he said.

Ren took the bowl, lost in thoughts. All this was getting too much for him to handle, but it was also an opportunity. Hari—no, Chronostasis—was close to Overhaul.

If Ren played his cards right, he might accomplish his goal sooner than he expected.

"What were you thinking, going against a Synth?"

"Synth?" Ren asked.

Hari clicked his tongue as if he'd said too much. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"Guess there's no point hiding it. Besides, the sooner you know things, the better it'd be."

Hari continued, "The family I got adopted into isn't ordinary. Have you heard about… Shie Hassaikai?"

"Heard about? Are you really asking me that?"

"Right… we don't have the best reputation out there," Hari chuckled. "Yeah, well… I'm a member of the group. That monster you saw was an experiment that went haywire."

Like pieces of a puzzle, everything fitted in place. The Shie Hassaikai lost control of their project and asked the hero association for help. No wonder the heroes were summoned urgently.

"I wasn't supposed to interfere," Hari smiled. "But when I saw you, all that reason went straight out the window. Overhaul will be angry, but I can handle him. Your safety mattered more than some stupid order."

The words were supposed to reflect their brotherly bond, but Ren couldn't help but feel odd. The Chronostasis he knew would never go against Overhaul, no matter what.

But his words just now made Ren wonder whether Hari and he were so close. Or was he being played?

While Ren was lost in his thoughts, Hari's phone rang. He took it out and frowned. After gesturing for Ren to be quiet, he picked up the call.

"I know…" he mumbled. "He is someone important from my past. Yeah… I get it."

Ren didn't have to think twice to know who was on the other end. It was Overhaul and from the looks of it; he was angry, just like Hari said he'd be.

The conversation ended quickly, and Hari let out a deep breath. Ren expected him to say anything but what he did.

"Hey, Ren. Would you like to join Shie Hassaikai?"