Daily Meme
Chapter 101- And a fresh start to the week! Let's play for Numba 1!
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"Put the device. You can take him, kill him. The fuck ever you want."
Toga replied immediately. A string of hearts, a dripping emoji, and something that was probably meant to be a kiss. I ignored it. Deleting the message.
Tsuragamae, Nighteye, and Ryukyu were already walking toward me.
I pocketed my phone. "What now?"
Tsuragamae looked at me like he was debating whether to put me in cuffs anyway. "Press conference."
I scoffed. "Great."
"We kept this tight-lipped. No leaks, no press vultures hovering. But that won't last," Nighteye said.
"So we are getting ahead of it," Ryukyu added.
I shrugged. "Fine."
Tsuragamae gave me a look. "You remember what you promised?"
I clicked my tongue. "Yeah, yeah. Public apology. Taking responsibility. 'I regret nothing, but I am sorry for breaking shit.'"
"You need to take this seriously," Nighteye snapped.
"I am."
"You don't sound like it."
I shot him a look. "Then maybe you shouldn't have pissed me off before making me talk to the public."
Ryukyu sighed. "Don't make this harder."
I rolled my shoulders. "Long as nobody says some dumb shit, I will be fine."
Tsuragamae muttered something under his breath but didn't argue.
We reached the cars. I climbed into the back, wedging myself between Ryukyu and Mirko. Tsuragamae sat in the front, rubbing his temple like he could already feel the headache this was gonna give him.
"Tell me you at least have coffee at this thing," I muttered.
Silence.
"Figures."
The drive was short. The conference was set up in a controlled location... no civilians, just the necessary people. By the time we arrived, the room was already packed. High-ranking officers, a few selected heroes, and the kind of government officials who only showed up when shit got complicated.
I exhaled through my nose. "This looks fun."
Tsuragamae stepped forward first. "Let's get this over with."
We entered the room. Eyes turned. Some people nodded in approval. Others looked like they were still debating whether I was a hero or a walking problem.
The microphone was already set. Tsuragamae and Nighteye flanked me. Ryukyu and Mirko stayed just behind. The camera lights clicked on.
I stepped up to the mic, adjusted it, and fought the urge to say something snarky. Like, "Hi, I am Ryuu, and I traumatize government officials in my free time." or "Hi. You are all disgusting sharks who would twist a eulogy if it meant getting another click. Youare not journalists- you are ass-licking paparazzi playing pretend, sniffing around like you are one award away from being investigative royalty."
I took a breath and started.
"Good evening. My name is Midoriya Ryuu, an intern under the hero agencies of Ryukyu and Mirko." I kept my hands on the podium, not gripping the podium too tight, like I wasn't about to break it into pieces and throw them randomly. "Two days ago, during a routine patrol, I encountered a young girl named Eri. She was in distress and approached me for help. At the time, I did not know who she was, but it was clear she was afraid and injured."
Some of the reporters leaned forward. The room stayed quiet.
"The man with her was Chisaki Kai, also known as the Yakuza, Overhaul, the leader of the Shie Hassaikai. He attempted to take her back." I let that hang for a second before continuing. "At the time, the Pro Hero Sir Nighteye and others had an ongoing investigation regarding Chisaki and his organization. The decision was made to avoid confrontation to protect the operation's secrecy. However, I made a different choice."
I glanced at Tsuragamae. He gave me nothing. Nighteye's jaw was tight, but he didn't interrupt.
"I took her."
No reaction at first. Then a couple of reporters exchanged looks, some shifting in their seats. They knew the story, but hearing it blunt like that?
"I broke protocol. Disobeyed orders. Compromised an investigation." I paused for a second. "Because a child was scared, hurt, and running from someone who had no business putting his hands on her."
A few murmurs spread through the room. I kept going.
"I acknowledge that my actions led to complications. Chisaki escaped that day. His organization was put on high alert. The timeline of the operation changed. I accept responsibility for that. I also acknowledge the collateral damage that occurred in the fight that followed. Property was destroyed. Civilians were put at risk. I apologize for that."
The murmurs got louder. Reporters scribbled faster. I waited, let them catch up, then spoke again.
"The Pro Hero community, alongside law enforcement, executed a successful raid on their base today. Chisaki and his subordinates have been arrested. Their operations have been shut down."
I stepped back from the mic slightly.
"Credit goes to the Police Chief Tsuragamae, Pro Heroes led by Sir Nighteye and officers who led the investigation. It goes to the agencies that worked together to take them down. I was an intern. I was only there because I was assigned to be."
The room shifted again. Some of the reporters didn't like that answer, but it didn't matter.
I looked at them, then nodded. "I will take questions now."
Hands shot up. Tsuragamae gestured to the first.
A woman in a dark blue blazer stood. "Yui Takeda, JNN News. Midoriya, your actions that day were highly unorthodox. Do you believe Pro Heroes should follow your example and act on personal judgment rather than official protocol?"
I didn't hesitate. "No. Heroes should operate within the law whenever possible. The system exists for a reason." I met her gaze directly. "What I did was wrong. If every wannabe hero ignored the rules, we would live in a jungle where people do whatever they want. At the time, I followed my gut and saved a little girl. I won't say I regret it, because I don't. I would have done the same thing, knowing the consequences."
The room stayed quiet. Nobody interrupted, waiting to see where I was going with this.
"I didn't become a hero for fame or money. I don't give a damn about my ranking, my image, or whether people like me. I became a hero because I hate seeing villains hurt innocent people. I hate bullies. I hate watching the weak get stepped on while everyone stands around making excuses." I exhaled through my nose. "That is why I made my choice. But it was still wrong."
Another reporter raised a hand. Older guy, gray at the temples. "You keep saying that. If you believe you were wrong, what would you have done differently?"
I almost laughed. "Nothing."
More whispers spread. The old man frowned. "Then what exactly do you mean?"
"I mean I know it was the wrong call. It was reckless. It put people at risk. It ruined an investigation. But if I had to do it all over again, I would still make the same choice." I glanced at Tsuragamae. "And I would still be standing here, dealing with the consequences."
The old man clicked his pen twice. "Then how should other heroes handle situations like this? Should they follow protocol, or their instincts?"
"They should be better than me," I said simply. "They should find a way to do both."
No one spoke.
Another voice cut in. "Takumi Endo, Kyodo News." Guy in a dark suit, tapping his fingers against the arm of his chair. "You've gained a lot of public support, but also criticism. Some people see you as reckless, a vigilante in disguise. What do you say to that?"
I shrugged. "If being reckless means stopping a kid from getting tortured, then yeah, I guess I am reckless."
More murmurs. The guy raised a brow. "That doesn't sound like an apology."
"Because it is not," I said. "I apologized for the laws I broke, for the damage I caused, for making things harder for the people cleaning up after me. But I won't apologize for saving the girl."
He tilted his head. "So you believe your actions were justified?"
I let out a short breath. "Man, I don't care if they were justified. I care that she is safe."
Someone else raised a hand. "Naoko Sato, Tokyo Broadcasting." A woman in a red blazer. "You said earlier that you don't care about ranking or image. But after this, you've become one of the most talked-about hero interns in recent history. What will you do with that attention?"
"I am going to keep doing my job."
She pushed. "You don't think your actions set a precedent? That other young heroes might take this as encouragement to ignore the law when they feel it is right?"
"They shouldn't."
She leaned forward slightly. "Then what is the lesson here?"
I glanced at Mirko and Ryukyu, then back to the reporters. "The lesson is that the law matters. Rules matter. But they should never be an excuse to look the other way when someone needs help."
Silence. Some of them nodded. Others scribbled notes.
One of the younger reporters spoke up. "There are rumors that Sir Nighteye wanted your license revoked. Can you comment on that?"
Nighteye's jaw twitched slightly, but he didn't say anything.
I shrugged. "He got every right to feel that way. I made his job harder. He wanted this handled a certain way, and I flipped the board over. If he still wants my license gone, that is up to the Commission."
"Do you think you deserve to lose it?"
I didn't hesitate. "No."
"Why not?"
"Because I am a damn good hero."
That got more whispers. Some of the reporters looked at each other like they couldn't believe I actually said it.
Mirko snorted. "Finally, something we agree on."
A few of them turned to her, clearly debating whether to get a quote from her, but she just smirked and leaned back against the wall.
Another reporter took over. "Chisaki's been arrested, but some of his men are still unaccounted for. Do you think this battle is over?"
I almost laughed again. "No chance in hell."
"Then what happens next?"
I looked at Tsuragamae. "Ask him."
The chief cleared his throat. "The police and hero agencies are handling the remainder of the case. There will be continued investigations and follow-ups to ensure no remnants of the Shie Hassaikai remain active."
The reporter turned back to me. "And you?"
I exhaled through my nose. "I am gonna sleep."
A few of them actually chuckled. Someone else tried asking another question, but Tsuragamae stepped forward. "That is enough for today."
More voices called out, trying to squeeze in last-minute questions, but the press conference was over. Tsuragamae gave a brief closing statement, and the cameras started shutting off.
Mirko stretched. "Not bad, brat."
I rolled my shoulders. "Could've been worse."
Ryukyu glanced at Nighteye, then at me. "You handled it well."
Nighteye said nothing. Just adjusted his glasses and turned away.
I didn't care.
Aizawa walked towards me, looking the same as always. "You've made a mess."
"You proud?"
"Yeah."
Bonus Image
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MISSION FAILED: YOU DIDN'T VOTE
You had one job, CJ.
Ryuu stood by the curb.
Car full of bonus content.
Engine running.
He called out-
"Get in, lurker. We are rewriting canon."
But you kept scrolling...
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