Chapter 74 (Vigilantes)

Suspect (容疑者) is the seventy-fourth chapter of Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court's My Hero Academia Vigilantes.

Summary
The media is reporting the bombing carried out the other day. One of the reporters on scene is comparing the level of destruction caused with that of the Kaiju Attack three years ago. The news shows images of a girl (Kuin in Kazuho's body) a cting strange, dancing amidst the blast and laughing to herself, as if she controlled the explosions while reporting that wireless signals the were hijacked to broadcast an extreme loud music during the rampage. Then they broadcast first-hand accounts of various citizens who give their opinion of the attack: some surprised by what happened, others fearful of a new attack.

The newcaster Daikaku Miyagi reports that the police has identified Pop☆Step, a well-known idol from Naruhata, as the main person responsible for the bombings. Because of this, the authorities have register her as a villain through the villain designation registry. This sets a precedent because the designation and registry of a person is usually is reserved for repeat offenders charged with quirk-based crimes, and Pop's case is a rare exception due her age and the fact that this is her first offense.

In New York, Makoto has a heated argument with his brother Naomasa on the phone. Makoto complains Kazuho is being treated as a villain, and plastering her name all over the place is clear human rights violation. Naomasa quickly clips back that Pop is a wanted suspect for a large-scale quirk based attack, and the fact that she’s labeled as a villain means she won’t be treated as a minor. Makoto tries to find a hole in those statements when Naomasa says to her to quit arguing just for the sake of it.

Makoto breaks down in tears. Naomasa is aware of her sister's frustration and her desire to help Kazuho. He knows she feels responsible for the girl but warns her to stay where she is and do not try to return to Japan at that time to do something inappropriate, as she could be charged an accomplice. Naomasa tries to comfort his sister, her time to help Kazuho will come because the media is gonna spin this in whatever way that they want to. Makoto then asks him about Koichi's whereabouts, because if there is anyone who can help Kazuho at that time its Koichi.

All the friends and allies of Koichi and Makoto (Miu, Yu, the Hotta Brothers, etc...) are wondering where Koichi is. One of them, Soga, walks the streets while listening to the news through a Bluetooth earpiece. News reports Koichi is currently missing and investigators believe that, as a known associate of Pop☆Step, he may be linked to the incident.

Soga enters an automotive shop, where his friends Rapt Tokage and Moyuru Tochi are taking care of a bruised Koichi. Koichi had just woken up after been out for a very long time. He suddenly remembers everything that happened with Kazuho the other day, and when the boys turn on the TV for him, he becomes immediately fixated about the reports about the called Naruhata Bombings. Koichi considers that he should go to the police to tell them about him, Kazuho and everything that's going on. Soga says that’s one option, to leave the police and heros to deal with the problem if he’s cool with that.

Koichi is confused by the words of Soga, who gives him a letter to read. Koichi is surprised to realize that the letter is from his master Knuckleduster. In the letter, Knuckleduster is addressing Koichi that, if he’s reading this, it’s probably because he is involved in a trouble for which he is responsible, and Knuckleduster is sorry if his personal bussines came back to bite him. Koichi continues reading the letter, where Knuckleduster tells him that the day they met, he had promised him that he’d make him a true-blue hero, but the thing is, that was a lie.