Tsukauchi's point of view:

The phone felt heavier in my hand than usual, but this time it wasn't hesitation weighing me down—it was the sheer gravity of the situation. I needed someone I could trust, someone who wouldn't immediately brush this off as a waste of time or call me crazy for chasing after what seemed like a lost cause.

That left me with only one option.

I scrolled down my contacts until I found his name. Shouta Aizawa.

The line rang twice before he picked up, his voice as gruff and tired as always. 

Shouta: Tsukauchi? What's up? You know it's my day off, right?

I allowed myself a small smile. 

Me: "Yeah, I know. Sorry for bothering you, but I need a favor. An unofficial one."

There was a pause, and I could almost hear him sit up straighter. 

Shouta: "Unofficial, huh? This better not involve me dragging some drunk pro hero out of a bar again."

Me: "Not this time." 

I leaned back in my chair, glancing at the open email on my computer screen. 

Me: "It's... complicated. Do you remember that missing child case I had years ago? The one about the quirkless boy, Izuku Midoriya?"

Shouta: "Vaguely...That was one of your first cases, wasn't it? Kid went missing, no leads, and the department shelved it because, well..."

Me: Because he was quirkless,....

 I finished for him, bitterness creeping into my tone.

Aizawa didn't say anything for a moment, but I could tell he understood. He wasn't one to sugarcoat things or dance around uncomfortable truths. It was one of the reasons I trusted him.

Shouta: What about it?

Me: "He contacted me,..... Or at least, someone claiming to be him did. He's going by the name Sivax now, and he sent me an email. Detailed, too—he's been feeding us intel on villain activities, but this time, he's asking for help. And I'm pretty sure it's really him."

Another pause. I could picture Aizawa rubbing the bridge of his nose, processing what I'd just told him. 

Shouta: "So, you're telling me the quirkless kid who vanished off the face of the earth has been playing informant all this time? And now he's reaching out to you directly?"

Me: "Exactly."

Shouta: "And you're calling me because...?"

Me "Because I need someone who gets it,.... Someone who understands how screwed up the system is for quirkless people. I know you've seen it firsthand, Shouta. The way they're treated, the way they're dismissed—hell, the way this case was handled back then proves it."

Aizawa let out a low sigh. 

Shouta: "Yeah, I've seen it. And you're not wrong. So, what do you need from me?"

"I need you to help me figure out how to handle this," I admitted. 

Me: "Officially, my hands are tied. The case is too old to reopen, and my boss made it crystal clear that he doesn't want me wasting time on it. But I can't just ignore this, Shouta. Not when I've got a chance to finally help him."

Shouta: "Unofficially, then,..... You're asking me to get involved without dragging UA or the hero commission into it."

Me: "Exactly. I know it's a lot to ask, but—"

Shouta: "Tsukauchi,.....You don't have to sell me on this. You're right—the system's broken, and quirkless kids get the short end of the stick more often than not. If this was anyone else, I'd probably tell them to back off, but I know you. If you're this invested, it's for a damn good reason."

Relief washed over me, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. 

Me: "Thanks, Shouta. That means a lot."

Shouta: "Don't thank me yet. What exactly do you need me to do?"

Me: "For now, just be ready,....If I can get more information from him or set up some kind of meeting, I might need backup. Someone he can trust—or at least someone who won't scare him off."

Shouta: "Got it,. And Tsukauchi? Be careful with this. If he's been running with villains, even as an informant, there's a good chance he's in over his head. And if he's reaching out now, that means he's probably desperate."

Me: "I know. "That's what worries me the most."

Shouta: "Keep me updated,. And Tsukauchi? You're doing the right thing. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. 

Shouta: "Thanks, Shouta. I'll be in touch."

The line went dead, and I set the phone down on my desk.

Aizawa's words echoed in my mind: You're doing the right thing.

I wanted to believe that. I needed to believe that. But as I stared at the email from Sivax—no, from Izuku Midoriya—I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something far more complicated than I'd ever anticipated.