WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for My Hero Academia Chapter 239, available now in English from Viz Media.
After exploring the tragic backstory of Tenko Shimura/Shigaraki Tomura, in which the boy inadvertently kills those he loves most before turning his ire on those who abused him, the leader of the League of Villains finally jumped to a previously unseen power level. Although his destruction-oriented Decay Quirk was always among the most devastating in the My Hero Academia universe -- allowing him to destroy whatever he touches -- the latest chapter of the manga sees just how powerful he can be. Plus, he now has a deadly army and a ton of money at his disposal, too.
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Chapter 239 focuses a lot on action, as Shigaraki uses his Decay Quirk to wipe out Deika City, where he'd been fighting Rikiya Yotsubashi/Re-Destro and the Meta Liberation Army. Shigaraki laughs as he destroys the city, delighting in his act of destruction, in which he finds freedom. Re-Destro attempts a counter attack, but fails miserably, though he manages to escape with his life.
Trumpet, one of Re-Destro's top men and the leader of the Hearts and Mind political party, tries to order a counterattack against Shigaraki, who's still in relatively rough shape following the showdown with the Meta Liberation Army. However, Re-Destro stops him, and declares himself and his forces the loser of the battle, citing a desire to prevent more "meaningless death." In a twist, Re-Destro relinquishes command of his forces to Shigaraki, saying, "The Metahuman Liberation Army is yours to command."
Following Re-Destro's declaration, Gigantomachia -- who has been testing Shigaraki to help him become All For One's true successor -- finally recognizes the young villain's power and skill. However, Shigaraki -- whose League of Villains has been somewhat defined by its poverty -- immediately realizes the amount of money the Meta Liberation Army holds (Re-Destro is, after all, the CEO of the successful Detnerat Company) means a whole new world for him and his team.
Shigaraki and the League of Villains have always been one of My Hero Academia's biggest threats. However, they've been handily defeated several times by the various heroes of the manga's world. If they were going to continue being a big part of My Hero Academia's future, they were going to have to get an upgrade, and they've gotten a major boost this time around. Not only is Shigaraki able to tap into a power capable of levelling entire cities, he also now has a massive force under his command. Plus, the Meta Liberation Army has prided itself on being something of a secret organization, so he also has sleeper agents with incredible Quirks and in major positions of power. Considering the loss of All Might, My Hero Academia's heroes are definitely going to have to step up when the League of Villains comes around for a rematch.
New chapters of My Hero Academia are available weekly in English through Viz Media.