Chapter 36: Streets of Rage: Side B
- SHIBUYA, SATURDAY - SUNDOWN -
"Okay, just a few more pieces to move, Link."
"Got it. See anything out of the ordinary, CodeR?"
Izuku and Rhyme were back in Miyashita Park, the two busy dismantling the junk pile while Beat was discussing their earlier fight with Kariya and Uzuki. While Izuku worked on moving the pieces of trash that made up the tower, his mind kept drifting to Shoka.
It was odd to be the one to worry about someone he cared for pulling a stunt he would pull. But he trusted his gray-eyed girlfriend to come out of her possible encounter with the Hero Killer safe and sound.
He just hoped that she and Iida both did.
He was broken from his thoughts as Rhyme finished another cursory scan of the junk pile. "No. Nothing so far."
The verdette Hero student clicked his tongue at that. During the dismantling, he couldn't help but feel something poking at his mind. He was just thankful that Ego was managing his mental defenses. He hoped that when he talked with Melissa tomorrow she might have some insight regarding that oddity.
Izuku returned his attention to the remains of the pile. Only the base was left to deal with. As he sent his energy into Orbit, focusing on the remaining trash, Kariya made his way over to him.
"How are you holding up?" The orangette asked Izuku.
"Fine. Still the same poke, but nothing too bad," Izuku replied as he moved several pieces of junk and sorted them. Taking a moment to let his Psych recharge, the freckled student looked at the HPSC agent. "Any word on our mystery man?" He asked.
Kariya dug through his pocket and pulled out a lollipop, offering it to Izuku, who took it with a grateful nod. The verdette let out an appreciative hum as the artificial taste of oranges danced along his tongue as he continued to work and waited for the agent's response.
"Not yet, but we've narrowed it down. Despite the less than savory privacy factor, tracking people based on their Quirks from the national registry helps a lot." Kariya rolled the piece of candy he was enjoying in his mouth before continuing, "The problem is, that only helps if you know what their Quirk is. And with how all of this is playing out, we got squat." Kariya said with a shrug. Honestly, it was a shot in the dark.
"So, Uzuki and me are going through other means. Banks, licenses, passports, social media. Anything that could have the guy's face on it to give us a name." Izuku nodded along as the orangette explained further. He knew how useful the Quirk registry was. Professor Holmes made that perfectly clear. Despite it being useful, it was just as dangerous if someone were to break into the country's registry, then they would have unfiltered access to too much information.
And of course, privacy issues were always brought up by several political groups trying to limit the government's power to obtain and retain such information.
"Guys! Something's under the base!" Rhyme called out, gaining Izuku and Kariya's attention. Beat and Uzuki were quick to join Rhyme.
The group saw a string of symbols and numbers hidden under the pile. Izuku was quick to use his Psych, pushing its limits to quickly move the trash out of the way, not caring to sort it so that they could see just what they were dealing with.
It wasn't long for something to happen. As Izuku tossed aside the last of the junk, they only had a few seconds to study the sigil before the black symbols and formulae evaporated.
"Beat! Lift me up!" Beat wasted no time following his sister's instruction, providing her an elevated position on his shoulders so the younger Bito could get a better angle.
As the sigil disappeared, Izuku felt a small level of relief as the mental prodding also vanished.
Uzuki was the first to recover. "Just what the hell was that?" She asked around the group.
"I managed to get a good shot of it," Rhyme stated as she climbed down from her brother's shoulders. The blonde held out her tablet as the group gathered around her, giving them a better view of the mysterious sigil.
Izuku couldn't make heads or tails of it. The symbols were stylized, each one a small piece of art that flowed into the formula that made up the circular ring.
"Yo, this makes no fuckin' sense," Beat grumbled.
"I don't know what to make of it either," Rhyme said with a frown.
For Izuku, it was a step in the right direction. They just didn't know where to take that step. A thought crossed his mind. He was already planning on talking with Melissa tomorrow. Maybe she might help them figure things out.
- HOSU CITY, SATURDAY -
Shigaraki sat on the edge of an office building, Kurogiri joining him in his vigil, the two Villains overlooking the large square that the Pro Hero Endeavor, his sidekicks, and several Hosu Heroes were gathered in. He felt a twitch in his shoulder, causing a small amount of pain to shoot through his arm, a small reminder of his failed negotiations with Stain.
"Damn, self-righteous, mob-spawner," The shaggy-haired Villain grumbled to himself. His nerves began to flare just thinking about the Hero Killer, his agitation growing as he began to scratch at his neck frantically. It took the young man a minute to calm down, his mind going over his new plan as a wicked smile formed on his face.
"Are you certain the Heroes will fall for your scheme, Shigaraki?" Kurogiri asked his charge.
Shigaraki turned his head slightly to look over his shoulder at the Misty Villain, "We can make it work. The pieces set themselves up. Now all we have to do is give them a show." He dug through his pocket and pulled out his phone as he continued to speak, "Sensei is right that any publicity is good publicity. If the Hero Killer doesn't want to team up, then we make it seem like we did. Cause some chaos in the city he is currently being hunted in, make it a show by trying to help him, and get a boost to our cred."
Kurogiri nodded along, most of his concerns alleviated at his charge's reasoning. After the initial failure of the attack on the USJ, Shigaraki had calmed down a small amount, enough for the young Villain to slow down and think about his actions more.
As his charge began to make a call, Kurogiri turned his attention down to the Heroes, noting that several news crews had just arrived and began to film the Heroes as they planned the continuation of their search.
"Sensei, are the doctor's Nomus ready?" Shigaraki asked.
Kurogiri strained his hearing in order to listen in all the phone call when his master spoke, "Yes. Granted he was rather annoyed about loaning you more of his stock, but I convinced him your plan had merit. You are getting three of his low-tier Nomu, however, so use them accordingly."
"Of course, Sensei. This is more of a publicity stunt. Even if we lose them, any damage done is for our benefit." Kurogiri spied another wicked smile on Shigaraki's face as the young man finished his piece.
"See that it is. The cost should not outweigh the benefits. This is another chance to prove yourself, my student. I wouldn't have moved forward with your plan had I not put my trust in you. Kurogiri,"the Misty Villain stood a bit straighter as his master addressed him over the phone, "The Nomus are ready for transport."
Kurogiri complied, creating a misty portal that allowed three figures to appear. One was a thin, pale-skinned Nomu that had a pair of wings keeping it afloat, talons on its feet, and a gas mask attached to its face. The second was a black-skinned brute, similar to the Nomu that attacked the USJ, only it was missing the top half of its skull while its brain was cradled within its jaw. The final Nomu was a light blue-skinned one that was rather lanky compared to its larger counterpart, though the most notable feature was the extra pair of eyes embedded into its brain.
"I will be sure to watch the news to see how your actions pan out, Tomura. For now, there is a matter in Shibuya regarding an interest of mine that I wish to study. Have fun." The call cut out there, leaving Shigaraki and Kurogiri alone with their three new Nomus.
"Kurogiri," Shigaraki said, gaining his companion's attention, "you've been tracking the Hero Killer, right?"
Kurogiri nodded, turning and pointing behind them. "Yes. He is currently in that direction. With Endeavor here in the city, Stain has made things much more difficult to keep track of him."
"Good," Shigaraki simply stated. "I want you to warp our aerial unit to him later. Add on to our little show. Better to make sure the illusion that we are working together with him sticks."
The shaggy-haired Villain smiled once more, lifting his arms theatrically as he stared down at the mass of people in the square below.
"Well then. Act one, start."
Shoto stayed away from the mass of reporters who had flooded the area not too long ago as they all rushed to speak with his father. He had to give the man credit, he didn't want to waste time dealing with the press, choosing to ignore them and focus on establishing a new patrol route in order to find and apprehend the Hero Killer.
Endeavor proved to take his Hero work seriously, though Shoto already had a good understanding of that. It was just different to see his father outside of their home or during training.
The excessive amount of fire that was thrown around was still the same, if not more so.
Their first patrol yesterday was a good example of that. That park almost didn't survive his father's fight with a low-class Villain. It was a good thing Endeavor made it a point to hire several sidekicks that had water-based Quirks to help put out his fires. Foresight was a good thing, though Shoto was sure that was more a matter of hindsight.
The young Hero student ignored the growing crowd of reporters and tugged at his new costume, still getting used to the new design. A dark-blue jacket that provided him heat resistance for his to get used to using the fire half of his Quirk, with the sleeves rolled up past his elbows, a matching pair of pants tucked into a pair of white booths that were equipped with spikes in the soles. An added metal-plated tactical vest acted as both a heater and a radiator to offset his ice to prevent freezing himself, and lastly, a brown utility belt that had four metal capsules that contained various medical supplies attached to it.
He would have to thank that Mei girl when he got back. So far it proved to work exceptionally well.
"For the last time, all of you are getting in the way of an official Hero Operation." Shoto was broken out of his thoughts as Endeavor raised his voice at a reporter, "I will not answer any questions at this time. Now move, or I will have the police detain you until our job is done."
"Endeavor, we just want a few questions answered," the reporter said, sticking his microphone closer to the Pro Hero, "Even a quick statement will do. Is it true that you and your agency are searching for the Hero Killer?"
"Are you looking to avenge the brutal attack on Ingenium?"
"What are your thoughts on the Hero Killer's motives?"
Shoto let out a small huff at the sight. He was about to break away from the group when he saw one of his father's sidekicks make her way over to him. The bicolor-haired Hero student gave her an acknowledging nod as he addressed her, "Burnin."
Kamiji Moe, known as the Hero sidekick Burnin, is a curvaceous woman with a pair of large red-orange eyes, a sharp-toothed grin, and flaming hair that burned green due to her Quirk, with the flames dancing upward in the back with two bangs on the sides of her face, and a wider bang that hung over the center of her forehead before sweeping to the right.
She wore a light-gray double-breasted mini dress that had orange and black lining along the hem that had slits on both sides, black and orange-striped cuffs and collar, and buttons resembling flat-headed screws. Around her waist was a black belt with a temperature gauge on the front and a fire extinguisher clipped to the back. On her legs were a pair of black stocks and short black boots with neon-green soles.
The final detail of her Hero costume was a black mask that covered her whole upper face and was connected to a red headband.
"Hey, kiddo. Sorry I haven't gotten to check in on ya until now." The Blazing Hero said as she stood next to Shoto.
"It's no problem. Endeavor has been keeping us busy," Shoto replied evenly as he focused on the media circus in front of them.
Burnin frowned and rubbed the back of her head as she struggled to connect with her boss's son. She wasn't blind to the rift between the two. She understood both sides, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't excited to have Shoto come and learn from them during his internship. She hoped to show that despite his rough exterior, his dad was still a great Hero.
Yesterday doesn't count though.
And they all agreed to never speak of it.
The Blazing Hero was relieved that Shoto seemed to be doing better than when she saw him several years ago. He was a little more open than he was in the past. He even was texting friends earlier.
Not wanting to let the conversation die, Burnin spoke up, "Yeah. The boss really wants to catch the Hero Killer before he goes off the grid again. He doesn't want another Hero getting hurt like Ingenium did. At what point does the Hero Killer's mindset shift from hurting the good ones to killing them because they are no longer good enough."
Shoto let out a hum. That was a good point. From what he knew about the Hero Killer, he originally went after Villains, only to shift his focus to Heroes. If he was willing to change his priorities once already, who was to say he wouldn't change them again?
"Even still, he should have-" Shoto was cut off by a shrill shriek that rang out.
His training kicked in as he took up a defensive stance, noting that every member of the Endeavor agency did the same while some of the Hosu Heroes lagged behind them. The group of reporters and several civilians who lingered around the square panicked, their heads on a swivel as they looked for the source of the sound.
Endeavor, however, took command of the situation, his instincts going wild. "Everyone, form a perimeter. Start moving the civilians and reporters to a safe zone!" He barked out. Several of his sidekicks jumped to action, following his orders to the letter. "Shoto! Burnin! On me!"
Burnin was already on the move. Shoto followed after her, his eyes darting around the area in the hopes of locating the source of the noise. When he caught up with Endeavor and Burnin, someone pointed to the rooftop of a nearby building and called out to everyone else.
"Up there! What... What are those things?!"
Shoto followed along when his eyes widened at the sight of several figures. A feeling of dread formed in the pit of his stomach as he recognized the two Villains from the attack on the USJ. That pit grew larger when he realized there were more of those creatures.
"Nomu," Shoto stated in a low tone.
Endeavor eyed his son, his ears picking up what he said. "Are you sure, Shoto?" He asked the young man.
"Yes. The man in the middle is Shigaraki. He led the attack. The man behind him is Kurogiri, he has a Warping Quirk. The others must be more Nomu. But they don't look like the one we fought."
One of the more attentive reporters overheard the father and son, and quickly gestured for their cameraman to focus on them and then to the figures on the roof. Getting a signal from their crew that their camera was live, the reporter began to speak, knowing their words would now reach the rest of the country. "Breaking news! During Endeavor's search for the infamous Hero Killer, two individuals responsible for the attack on U.A. have appeared, with several creatures known as Nomu. We don't know why they are here but-"
"Damn it! I said get the civilians and these reporters out of here!" Endeavor yelled at his sidekicks in an attempt to control the growing situation.
Right as several of his sidekicks began to usher people away, Shigaraki's voice echoed throughout the square.
"Nomu, keep the Heroes busy! We can't let them get to our new friend."
The muscular Nomu leaped off the rooftop, his body slamming into the ground haphazardly as it rushed to engage Endeavor and the rest of the Heroes. The four-eyed lanky one followed after, choosing random targets while the winged one began harassing the crowd of Heroes whenever it could.
Despite the growing danger, the reporters went into a media frenzy.
"The rising Villain group, the League of Villains, has confirmed that they are aiding the Hero Killer!"
"The League of Villains, in order to aid the Hero Killer, have attacked Hosu! It is unknown when the Hero Killer and the League first had contact, but this new team-up is cause for concern."
"The Endeavor Agency, while searching for the Hero Killer, have begun to fight against several creatures known as Nomu that have been released by the same Villain group responsible for the attack on U.A. earlier this year."
Shoto shook his head, doing his best to ignore the press and focus on the matter at hand.
Iida sped through the streets weaving through the scattered crowds that had turned their attention to the growing orange glow in the distance. His focus was elsewhere.
He had followed Izuku's brief lesson over Villains and serial killers to the letter, taking the time to establish the pattern the Hero Killer had made, using information shared among other Heroes and speculations from online forums to narrow things down. And with Stain close to his time limit in Hosu, it was Iida's last chance to find him.
The bluenette speedster was still of two minds on what he would do when he found the Hero Killer.
But there was one thing he was sure he would do. He would make sure to save who he believed was Stain's current target. He had narrowed down his list greatly and used his patrol time to determine when and where those possible victims moved throughout the city. Iida felt guilty about using Manual the way he did, but the Hero student spent enough time trying to justify it to himself.
And he would have had more time to continue his search. Except Endeavor decided to stroll into Hosu and made it very apparent he was also hunting the Hero Killer. Iida was sure that interference would push either the Hero Killer to act or one of his targets to do something stupid.
The Hero student had managed to locate all but one. Iida lucked out, as most of them decided to work with Endeavor. The Hero, Native, had broken off at some point, obviously in order to claim the prestige of catching the infamous Villain rather than riding on a higher-ranking Hero's coattails. And while that helped Iida focus on just one target, that also had the potential of backfiring on Native.
'Eyes peeled, Tenya. Focus on the goal.' The bluenette thought to himself. As he raced through the now empty streets, Iida kept his head on a swivel, his eyes checking each and every dark corner he came across, hoping to find a sign of either the Hero Killer or Native.
When he turned the corner of an intersection, his efforts were paid off. Iida arrived in time to see a wounded Native being held at swordpoint by the Hero Killer. Reacting quickly, Iida activated his Quirk, the engines in his calves roaring to life and accelerating his run as he dashed across the street and into the alleyway.
Iida launched himself into the air, hoping to land a surprise strike on the Hero Killer. As he thrust out his knee, Stain reacted, slashing his chipped and jagged sword out at the Hero student and landing a hit, knocking Iida's helmet off his head.
The blow jostled the Hero student. He was thankful his armor held up and prevented the strike from cutting him. Iida got up from the ground and into a defensive next to several trash cans. His eyes fell upon the injured Hero in Stain's grip, trying to make an assessment of the man's condition before directing his attention on the Hero Killer himself. Iida's eyes narrowed, gaining a sharpness to them as his gaze bored into the Villain.
"This is unexpected," Stain said as he stared down the Hero student. "What would drive you to attack me." The Hero Killer studied Iida, noting the similarities in the youth's armor compared to Ingenium. While that gave him an idea of who the young man was related to, it was the look in Iida's eyes that sealed it. "You know, I don't often show mercy. But I'm willing to give you a chance to leave with your body intact. If you get in my way, I won't hesitate to strike you down, like I did to Ingenium."
"Don't you dare talk about him!" Iida bellowed in rage. His body began to shake violently as he remembered seeing his brother injured and confined to a hospital bed. "He was doing his job. Protecting others! And you attack him like an animal!"
"He was protecting the trash of this world. Trash, much like this fake here," Stain gestured to Native. He sneered as the injured Hero had a pleading look in his eyes, a far cry from just a few minutes earlier. "I gave Ingenium a chance to do the right thing. And he refused. But that now begs the question..."
The Hero Killer shifted his attention back to Iida, his red eyes narrowing as his body tensed up like a spring, ready to act. "What are you planning to do to me? You obviously have been searching for me. Do you plan to take your revenge?"
Iida's body went still at the question, his voice leaving him as his internal debate raged on. Stain simply watched, curious to hear the young man's answer. He had an inkling of what would happen, but how he would react would be determined by the bluenette's answer.
Iida was still quiet, his mind in mild turmoil as he considered what to say. His anger boiled over him, threatening to spill out at the slightest provocation. That was until he reminded himself of what kind of Hero he wanted to be. Tensei had chosen to do the right thing. To try and save and protect others, even if they were flawed.
His mind then went to the talk he had with All Might, how even the No. 1 Hero had his moments of rage. And his chance to release that built-up anger to avenge someone he had lost.
And Iida remembered that All Might said it still left him feeling empty. What helped the Hero work through it was that the one who hurt him, who killed someone he cared for needed to be stopped, not for revenge, but so that he couldn't hurt other people.
Iida wasn't sure he had the strength to live with taking a life, or if he even had the conviction to do so. But he would do what he needed to do.
"I plan to follow my brother's example," Iida said as he looked out of the corner of his eyes, a plan forming in his head, "and do the right thing."
The Hero student reached for a trash lid and activated a single engine, using it to build momentum as he spun on his heel. Thanking his years of training with his brother to build up his sight and reaction time while moving at high speed, Iida flung the lid at the arm the Hero Killer was holding Native with. The high-speed discus connected with its target, forcing Stain to release the injured Hero was pain shot through his arm.
Iida quickly followed up, leaping onto the wall and pushing off of it, lashing out with a kick at the Hero Killer, only for Stain to jump back in time to dodge it. The bluenette had to immediately whip his head out of the way of a knife flung his way, the blade crazing his cheek, and leaving a small cut that trickled blood from it.
Ignoring it and wanting to get some distance from the Hero Killer, Iida grabbed onto Native and rocketed out onto the street. He didn't turn around. He didn't worry about Stain. His focus was to get Native to safety. Iida pushed his Quirk as far as he could without overheating his engines, rushing down the empty city streets.
As he ran with the injured Hero in his arms, Iida heard a shrill shriek in the air. Glancing upward, the Hero student's eyes widened at the sight of a winged Nomu on an intercept course with him. Waiting for the right moment, Iida cut his engines, canceling most of his forward momentum as the Nomu nearly tackled him before taking to the skies again. With his path clear again, Iida activated his Quirk and took off into a sprint.
Native regained some of his senses, taking note of the high speeds he was moving at before looking at Iida. His eyes widened at the sight of the cut on the Hero student's cheek, and he began to choke on his words when his voice finally came through, "You... You got cut!"
Iida kept his eyes on the road as he responded to the injured Hero's mild panic, "That doesn't matter at the moment. What matters is getting you out-"
"He paralyzes you!" Native managed to cry out. "He cut me a few times and then all of a sudden I can't move!"
Iida was alarmed at that new information, but before he could consider it more, his Quirk deactivated as his body shut down. The bluenette tripped over his feet, Native getting flung from his arms as the two of them rolled against the hard ground.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Iida saw the Hero Killer slowly stalking up to them, his sword in his right hand, and a small knife devoid of blood in his left. Bathed in the pale light of the street lamps and moonlight, Iida swore there was an unnatural glow to Stain's red eyes as they bore into him.
"Shit! What the fuck are those?" Mirko asked openly as she and Shoka arrived on the scene of the attack on the square. The two of them watched as several Heroes were downed as they battled the duo of the muscular and the lanky Nomu.
"Nomus," Shoka replied as a small amount of fear bubbled up within her. "It's the weird-ass exposed brains that give them away.
"Like the thing that attacked the USJ?" Mirko asked for clarification.
"Yeah. They aren't that similar to the one that attacked us then, so I can't tell you if they work the same." Her masked eyes tracked the muscular Nomu as it began to engage Endeavor. "The big guy looks close enough though, so maybe some regen and strength boosts. They're not really alive though, so do what you need to."
Despite the battle going on and the growing amount of downed Heroes, Mirko couldn't help but smirk at the challenge. "That won't be a problem." The Rabbit Hero looked at the lanky Nomu, noting that moved much faster than its counterpart as it easily handled a group of Heroes. "We better get down there and pull their asses out of the fire."
"Let's do it then," Shoka replied.
Mirko bounded off of the rooftops, with Shoka following after her mentor as the two quickly joined the fray.
As the lanky Nomu was about to pounce on another Hero, Mirko landed a heavy kick on it, her foot slamming into its side, and launching it clear across the square. The Rabbit Hero took her chance to check on the Heroes around her. "What's the sit-rep?" She asked as Shoka began to help a Hero to their feet.
"The League of Villains attacked us when we were about to continue our search for Stain," the Hero managed to say through gritted teeth and a wince, his body wracked with pain.
Mirko was about to respond when the lanky Nomu returned, attempting to grapple the Rabbit Hero to the ground. The whitette simply leaned back in a show of flexibility, dodging the Nomu, and grabbing its leg. She leaped high into the air, pulling the Nomu along with her. At the apex of her jump, she released the Nomu and used its body to push her leg up, only to bring down a vicious axe kick on its back. The Nomu slammed against the ground, cracking it from the force of Mirko's kick and nearly shattering its spine.
Mirko looked back at Shoka, and barked a command to her intern, "Shokat, get these guys out of the way and to some medics. I saw a couple of ambulances parked at the edge of the square." She was interrupted by the Nomu as it pushed her off of its body. "Remember, you have my permission to go all out if you need to!" She said as he re-engaged the lanky biological weapon.
The words from her Hero mentor weren't lost on the ravenette. Shoka acted quickly, getting the first Hero out of the danger zone and to the awaiting arms of several paramedics. The cat-hooded young woman rushed back, completing several runs with various injured Heroes. As she brought the last Hero to safety, she looked over the square. Several buildings were damaged from the fight as fires began to spread all around the square.
It was a chaotic mess. While Mirko, Endeavor, and several of his sidekicks focused on the Nomus, other uninjured Heroes focused on getting civilians to safety. Shoka felt lost in it all.
Before she could dwell on her thoughts, she felt a hand tap her shoulder. Turning around to face the person trying to get her attention, her eyes widened, her mask mimicking her reaction as she saw Shoto behind her.
"Shoto. Good to see you're not hurt," she stated as she took in her coursemate's appearance.
"And I see you got here in time," Shoto stated. "Thanks for the assist."
"How bad is it?" She asked as she moved out a paramedic's way, the healer moving quickly to help another injured Hero.
Shoto watched as the paramedic got to work. "Bad. But it could be worse. We managed to get most of the square evacuated when most of my father's sidekicks were incapacitated by the Nomus."
Shoka nodded along as her eyes turned to the action between the Heroes and the two Nomu. "Are these guys anything like the one that attacked us?"
"No," Shoto quickly answered, "these three seem weaker, but still durable."
Shoka's mask displayed confusion at her friend's statement. "Three? I only saw two coming in."
Shoto's heterochromatic eyes widened slightly at that and looked upward. Shoka followed his example, scanning the dark sky in an attempt to locate the missing Nomu. Finding nothing, the two shared a concerned look as the obvious question of where the Nomu disappeared rang in their minds.
"Any ideas?" Shoka asked.
Shoto looked back at an empty rooftop at the other end of the square as he spoke, "Shigaraki was here. He made it clear that the Nomus were supposed to keep us occupied while the Hero Killer could move freely. Maybe that other Nomu is acting as a second line of defense?"
Shoka hummed as she considered that new bit of information. That made sense based on what Shoto said and what was currently happening. She just didn't expect the League to work with the Hero Killer.
There was another thing that came to her mind.
"You haven't seen Iida here, have you?" Shoka asked. She was hoping he would say yes.
"No." And just like that, her initial hope was shattered.
As the two were talking, they spotted the Hero, Manual, looking around, worry apparent on his face. They listened to him ask around, calling out for his intern, Acceleron.
And that shattered hope was now smashed by a giant hammer.
"Shit. We got our resident Rules Lawyer out and about in the middle of an attack where a known serial killer who attacked his brother was running around." Shoka said in frustration. "And we got a wild Nomu flying around somewhere!"
"That about sums up the situation," Shoto said dryly.
Shoka snorted, trying to use her amusement to keep her from going too deep into worry. Her mind drifted back to a few hours ago. She couldn't help but smile at the idea of how Izuku was the first thing that came to her.
So, she decided that she should follow his example.
"We need to find Iida," the ravenette stated.
"And how do we go about finding him?" Shoto asked.
Shoka gave him a smirk, her usual confident and snarky personality returning as she pointed to the rooftops. "We find our missing Nomu. It's a long shot, but it's our best chance if what Shigaraki said was true."
"And what if it's just flying around causing damage?" Shoka took a moment to consider that one. It was a decent point and one that was the more likely case, but they were already grasping at straws.
"Let's see if we can even spot the thing first," Shoka's Quirk activated and she made her way to one of the taller buildings far from the chaos that was still raging. As she placed a hand against the wall, her claws digging into the surface, she turned her head to look at Shoto and spoke, "We'll figure things out from there."
Shoto watched as the cat-themed Hero student leaped and bounded along the vertical surface with ease. As she crested the edge of the roof, Shoto followed after her by creating a pillar of ice right under his feet that lifted him into the air.
Shoka's eyes scanned the sky, her head on a swivel as she searched for signs of the missing Nomu or Iida. As she completed a sweep of the first direction she looked, she caught something out of the corner of her eye. The ravenette focused her attention several blocks away from the square and watched as a pale figure slowly sailed through the air.
"Shoto, over there!" Shoka said as she pointed to the figure when it stopped momentarily before moving to another spot, only to stop once more.
"It's searching for something," Shoto observed.
"Then let's get going before we lose sight of that thing!" Wasting no time, Shoka darted across the rooftop and leaping onto another as she raced towards the Nomu.
Shoto was not far behind her. Utilizing his ice, the Frost-Flame Hero student created solid bridges between buildings to maintain his pace with his coursemate. The two raced through the city, leaving behind their Hero supervisors as they focused on the lone Nomu. Each step forward felt like a mile to traverse to the pair, the tension of the situation affecting them more than they would care to admit.
They were only a few blocks away from the Nomu when they saw it dive down under the city skyline.
Shoka felt a flux of emotions, ranging from worry to frustration at the thought of losing their target and the possible location of their friend. She let out a relieved breath when the Nomu darted back into the air as it continued to maintain its spot ahead of them.
The two Hero students landed on the final building in their run. They took a moment to catch their breath, Shoto activating the heating function of his costume to battle the frost building up on his body from the constant use of his ice. The brief respite was cut short when Shoka's eyes looked down at the street below, worry flooding her body at the sight of the Hero Killer walking up to a downed Iida and another Hero just a few feet away.
She rapidly tapped Shoto's chest, grabbing the scarred youth's attention.
"What's the plan?" He asked worriedly.
Shoka placed her hands on the edge of the roof, lowering her body as she readied to pounce, "Keep away. You make an ice wall to cover Iida and the Hero down there. Figure out what's wrong." There was a small movement from the ravenette's mask, letting Shoto know she spared him a glance, "I'm going to grief the Hero Killer."
Shoka's Quirk quickly reactivated, her black segmented armor forming along her body as she leaped through the air, the force behind her movement causing small spider-web cracks to form along the edge of the rooftop where she stood. Shoto followed after her, generating a slide with his ice as he moved to Iida and Native's position.
Down on the streets, from his downed position, Iida gritted his teeth as Stain stood over him, his presence towering over the Hero student as his red eyes simply gazed down at him. The bluenette could see a mixture of respect and disappointment on the former vigilante's face, but it made him sick just thinking that the man who nearly crippled his brother was even capable of respect.
After all, this man was going to kill him for simply doing the right thing. All because it didn't fit his twisted narrative.
Stain raised his serrated and chipped katana, the light of the moon reflecting ominously off of its dull metal. "I commend you for having the drive to be a true Hero, but you should have done the right thing."
That caused Iida to snap at the Hero Killer, his voice raging against the man, "I did do the right thing! And I don't regret it you monster! For someone who wants to see true Heroes return, you have a damn flawed view of them and I pity you for it!"
Iida noticed a small twitch in the Hero Killer's eye as his words struck the Villain.
Before Stain could bring down his sword, a black blur nearly slammed into him. The Hero Killer managed to move out of the way, though he nearly lost his sword in the process. His eyes widened as he saw Shoka rushing him, her white claws extending as she slashed at him.
Not wanting to deal with another would-be Hero, Stain ducked under her arm, aiming for her torso with his blade. To his surprise, the sword barely managed to cause even a single thread to tear. The Hero Killer wasn't as lucky.
Shoka showcased her flexibility, moving her body around Stain's all the while using her claws to dig into his armor in order to get a grip on him. Her minor victory was cut short, as Stain repositioned his body enough to pull out one of his many knives, threatening to cut the ravenette's cheek. His sudden counter was met with a powerful toss, as the cat-hooded Hero student threw the Hero Killer towards a light post.
Twisting his body, the Hero Killer avoided a rather nasty hit, only grazing the post before landing. His eyes snapped upward as a wall of ice formed behind the ravenette, cutting him off from his target and the interloper.
"Eyes on me, bootleg Shredder." Shoka's taunt seemed to do the trick, as Stain focused on her as he let out a low growl in frustration.
Taking a moment to calm himself down, a flash of recognition shot through the Hero Killer's eyes. "You are one of his targets," the Villain declared.
That caused a shiver to run down Shoka's spine before she shook it off in favor of annoyance and curiosity, "Great. And whose shit list did I get on?"
"That pitiful excuse for a Villain. The one that attacked you at the USJ," Shoka stilled at Stain's words, "You, along with several others, have earned his ire."
"Though the green haired one was his main focus," Stain stated.
That caused a rush of horror through Shoka's body that chilled her to the bone.
Behind the ice wall, Shoto was checking on the injured Hero, using what little medical supplies he had to treat the various cuts across his body. Iida looked on in shock from his position on the ground, barely able to move his head an inch or two, relying only on his eyes at the moment.
He was just glad Shoto stayed within his sight range.
"Shoto! Sakurane needs to get out of there! Stain can paralyze you with his Quirk!" Iida declared worriedly.
"How so?" Shoto asked as he raised a brow before returning to treat Native's wounds.
The Pro Hero spoke up, joining the conversation, "It has something to do with cutting us. All I remember is getting nicked a few times and suddenly I couldn't move."
Shoto studied the wounds on the Hero, noting just how many there were. He glanced at Iida, his heterochromatic eyes landing on the shallow cut on the bluenette's cheek.
His moment of study was interrupted by a terrible screeching sound coming in fast above him. Shoto simply raised his left arm and shot out a torrent of fire at the Nomu as it tried to launch its surprise attack. It might have succeeded if it didn't give itself away, Shoto noted. He spared the biological weapon a quick glance, seeing his skin and wings scorched slightly before it flew to safety.
"Shokat-" the Frost-Flame Hero student began to speak, intent on relaying the information on their opponent to his friend now that he didn't have to worry about a wild Nomu.
"I heard!" Came Shoka's reply. "Good thing my hoodie and Quirk are pretty blade-resistant!"
"And yet it won't save you or your comrades," Stain stated. Shoka tensed up as the Hero Killer stopped his assault to take a measure of her as he spoke, "I will give you a chance to flee. You and the one who made the ice wall were smart, prioritizing the safety of the injured over just attacking me. Even now, you are on guard, waiting to react to my actions."
Shoka's gray eyes narrowed, an action mimicked by her mask as Stain continued to speak, "Flee, and continue your path to becoming a true Hero. I would hate to have to stain my blades with your blood simply because you are naive."
Stain waited, willing to see if the ravenette would take him up on his mercy.
Shoka, did not. "First off, fuck you. Can't be a Hero if I just up and leave someone who needs help. Second, I would disappoint some people I rather admire if I did something like that." Just thinking about what Izuku and Momo would say and feel if they heard she just turned tail and ran when someone else needed her made the ravenette feel sick to her stomach.
The cat-hooded Hero student lowered her body, one arm out in front of her, claws extended, while the other hovered close to her face. Stain mimicked her actions, taking up an aggressive stance of his own as she went on, "Besides... I'm not running anymore. I'm going to be the Hero I want to be. And that Hero is one that doesn't let others define her. So I'm sure as hell not gonna listen to an obvious psycho who's losing touch with reality tell me what a Hero is."
Something inside Stain snapped. Tonight, two students sought to call him out on his methods, his reasoning for doing what must be done. The Hero Killer tried to justify it with himself, but came to only one conclusion.
"Then my culling must go further," his blade rose, the tip pointing at Shoka as a intense glare emanated from his red eyes.
Stain sprinted forward, his long strides helping him clear the distance between him and Shoka. The ravenette rushed her opponent, relying on her boosted agility and reflexes to keep pace with the Hero Killer.
As they listened to the battle ensuing behind the wall, Shoto continued to treat the downed Hero and student while trying to figure out Stain's Quirk. "There must be something else to it," Shoto said, focusing on Iida, "Native has too many cuts, but you only have one and are in the middle of the street. I'm sure Stain would have had a difficult time trying to hit you if you was running at full speed with your Quirk, Acceleron."
"The fact he is using a lot of blades may be the biggest thing to worry about," Shoka called out as a series of thumbs could be heard from Shoto and Iida's side of the ice wall. "Seriously! Do you have like, all the knives or something?!"
Shoto took a look at Native's and Iida's wounds once more, noting that Native only had one wound near his heart that could be fatal if left untreated. There was just too much blood to have to deal with.
The scarred Hero student's eyes widened in realization. "Blood. His Quirk is about the person's blood."
Shoka's enhanced ears perked up at that information. While useful, it only further impacted the point of not getting cut from the Hero Killer by a small amount. After all, getting stabbed or cut by a blade wasn't a good thing.
But Stain was relentless. She was starting to feel fatigued by having to dodge constantly. The Hero Killer also left little room to attack, forcing her to counter when she could and try to catch him off guard with her flexibility and enhanced reflexes. As she danced around the former vigilante, her luck ran out as she vaulted over Stain in order to land an attack on his exposed back.
Only to feel his spiked boot kick her straight through the ice wall, effectively shattering Shoto's cover. As she sailed over her coursemates head, the bicolor-haired student launched a torrent of flames through the new hole and straight at the Hero Killer.
Stain ducked to the left as he narrowly avoided the jet of flames. His frustrations grew even more as Shoto picked up where Shoka was forcefully kicked out of the battle, using his fire to keep the Hero Killer from approaching Iida and Native.
"And now the spawn of Endeavor appears," Stain said with a snarl as he was forced back by a wave of fire that Shoto launched at him.
There was a sharpness in the Hero student's eyes. Stain realized me must have struck a nerve with that one and was only vilified when Shoto replied, "I may be his son, but don't think for a moment that I am him. I am Shoto. And that is all I need to be."
Despite how the night was going, Stain felt something stir within him. Three students had defied him, preventing him from completing his mission, all because they had the makings of a Hero in his eyes. He wanted them to flourish, and to be an example to others in the future. But he knew that they stood in his way.
And he couldn't have that.
He had a mission to complete. And if their blood must stain the ground, ensuring even greater Heroes emerged from their fall, then he would see it done.
He would complete his culling until his own death came for him. If these three were true Heroes, then maybe they would be the ones to do it. If not, then no real loss in his eyes. There was always All Might.
Stain's laughter broke out, causing Shoka, Shoto, Iida, and a barely conscious Native to pause. That laughter grew, as a cold shiver went down their spines.
"So be it," Stain said as he held out his sword. He slowly panned his arm, pointing at the three students, "You will only have this one chance. I will complete my mission in killing the fake. And you will try and stop me."
The Hero Killer took up another aggressive stance, his body tensing up as he readied himself to strike. "Whether or not you live to be the Heroes you have proven yourselves to be tonight depends on that. Nothing short of death will stop me."
Shoka and Shoto shared an uneasy look. For Shoka, she was just worried about running out the timer. She didn't doubt that Mirko would finish up with the Nomus soon if she hadn't already. And getting over to them shouldn't be hard for her. Not with the trail of ice Shoto left behind.
It was all about outlasting a crazed Villain intent on killing them if the mood struck him.
"Shoto, think you can give me something to work with with your ice?" The ravenette asked the newest addition to her friend group.
Shoto gave her a small nod, "What do you need?"
"Slow the Hero Killer down with some pillars I can use to move between," Shoka lowered her body, her hands on the ground as she readied to pounce.
Without another word, Shoto complied, sliding his right foot forward as a wave of ice flowed from him. A corridor erupted around the Hero Killer, forcing him to take to the air momentarily to avoid being caught by the ice. A series of thick spikes and pillars shot out from the floors and walls, nearly impaling Stain who effortlessly dodged them.
Shoto took a knee, his breathing haggard as he felt his lungs begin to chill. It took a lot out of him to form the corridor, but the problem was making it a stable structure in the middle of the street. Had they been in an alleyway, he would have used the buildings to support his ice, even at the potential cost of damages to their facades.
He would have to rely on Shoka to keep the Hero Killer busy while he recovered enough to join the fight. The heterochromatic youth already began using the fire half of his Quirk to warm him up as steam wafted from his body.
Shoka rushed in, her claws digging into the ice as she began her renewed assault on Stain. As she neared the former vigilante, she leaped into the air, dodging a wide slash from the man, and clung to one of the pillars near him. The ravenette kicked off her perch, lashing out one of her armored legs at Stain, grazing the side of his torso before pushing off the ground and towards another pillar.
It was something she was still getting used to. Mirko made it clear that constantly moving was one way to keep an edge on your opponent. But that also meant that each move you made had to be purposeful otherwise you were just wasting time and energy. It's why Mirko used her speed and her strength. Speed to confuse the enemy and strength to knock them off balance.
And Stain was now on the other end of that lesson. Where he was vicious in his strikes, his limited movements forced him to forgo his sword for his knives, lest he catch the blade in one of the pillars. Still, that did put pressure on Shoka as she bounded around the makeshift ice arena. The Hero Killer was put on the back foot as she never stayed in one spot for longer than a second, and even her patterns were unpredictable for the most part.
He felt blood dripping down his right arm as the cat-hooded ravenette managed to land a slash on it. She was aiming for disabling him, which was smart. But he wouldn't let her stop him.
Stain let his instincts guide him as the hairs on his neck stood at attention. He spun around as Shoka pounced, the ravenette leading with her claws. The Hero Killer used his momentum to grab her wrist and redirect her, using both their speeds to fling her into a pillar.
Shoka cried out as the ice dug into her back. She slid down the icy surface, wincing as she hit the floor. The ravenette was unaware of the danger she was immediately in. Stain rushed forward, one of his knives ready to stab at her. She was saved when she felt a rising heat build-up near her, a jet of flames shooting out and cutting off the Hero Killer from his target.
Shoto guarded Shoka, keeping his eyes on the Hero Killer while his coursemate got back up. He spared her a glance before returning his attention to the Hero Killer. "Do you need a moment?" He asked.
"Nah," the ravenette stepped up, ignoring the pain coming from her back, "I am going to get even though."
"I'll provide cover fire, then," Shoto replied.
Shoka bit back a chuckle at what she knew was an unintended pun from the emotionally stunted Hero student. The two were forced to act when Stain didn't allow them any more time to breathe, rushing the pair with his knives.
As the Hero students fought on, Iida began to feel helpless. He couldn't see what was happening but he heard the battle raging on. His fellow Hero students were fighting to protect him and Native. Even after he had decided to let go of his vengeance, Iida only managed to get himself into trouble.
The Hero Killer had caught him easily, disregarding the speedster with little interest other than annoyance. If it wasn't for his coursemates, he would be dead. And now, Shoka and Shoto were fighting for their lives.
And Iida couldn't stand that. He couldn't stand being useless.
The bluenette hadn't even noticed that Stain's Quirk was losing its effect on him. Iida stood on shaky legs, gritting his teeth as he focused on the skirmish behind him. Native watched, mesmerized by the sight in front of him as he clung to consciousness.
"I'm sorry, Native. I must leave you for a moment in order to help my friends." Iida didn't give time for Native to respond. He simply turned on his heel and felt his Quirk come to life.
As Iida readied himself to charge into the fray, Shoto was careful with his fire as he tried to put the Hero Killer on the back foot. It wouldn't do any good if he accidentally hit Shoka with his Quirk. However, he realized that the ravenette was much more mindful of her positioning and timing as the fight dragged on.
The only issue was that she was losing the field advantage. His fire was melting the pillars he made for her and despite making the ground wet, Stain proved to be just as careful, not letting the shift in the environment hamper his movements. There was also a small concern over the Nomu still in the area, flying right above their heads. He hadn't seen it since he burned it earlier, and with him and Shoka focused on the Hero Killer, it gave the biological weapon free reign to act.
He was broken from his thoughts when the gleam of a blade flashed in his eyes. Hastily moving his head to the side, Shoto felt his skin open as a trickle of blood poured out of a fresh cut on his cheek. He mentally cursed himself for his inattentiveness.
Stain pushed his advantage, rushing the Frost-Fire Hero student in an attempt to take him out of the fight. His red eyes narrowed on his target. Dodging both fire and claws, the Hero Killer kept moving forward.
Shoka was intent on stopping the former vigilante, only to have her progress impeded by the return of the winged Nomu. She leaped out of the way of its dive, letting it crash into the ice around her. She tried to sprint after Stain when the Nomu ignored its current predicament and lunged at the Monochrome Hero student. The ravenette let out a grunt of annoyance, spinning on her heel, and slamming her armored foot into the Nomu's back.
As the creature cried out in pain, Shoka vented out her frustrations, and tore at the wings of the Nomu, effectively grounding it. After dealing with the aerial reinforcement, she turned, only for her eyes to widen as Stain was almost on Shoto. That quick fear in her eyes turned to relief when flames erupted from Shoto's body, forcing the Hero Killer to adjust his body to avoid the growing fire.
As Stain landed, his ears picked up the sound of engines roaring as a sudden force slammed into his back. The Hero Killer felt his lungs gasping for air as he struggled to breathe, his back nearly breaking as it screamed in pain. His body skidded across the unforgiving ground past Shoka and Nomu. When he finally came to a stop, he felt his pain being replaced by boiling rage.
Shoka let out a low and impressed whistle. "Not bad, Acceleron. Got some distance with that one."
"I appreciate your words, Shokat, but we're not done yet," Iida said as the trio of Hero students watched Stain struggle to stand. Never taking his eyes off of the former vigilante, Iida continued to speak, "You told me to do the right thing, Stain." Shoka and Shoto could practically hear the venom in Iida's voice as he addressed the Hero Killer. "I decided to listen to you."
"I am Acceleron, the Justicar Hero! And I will do the right thing by bringing you to justice!" Iida's Quirk flared to life, his engines releasing an explosion of heat and energy as he broke into a high-speed sprint. Within the blink of an eye, the bluenette was on the Hero Killer.
It was only through his experience that Stain managed to lean back in time to narrowly dodge a vicious clothesline from the armored speedster by just a hair.
Only to immediately dodge a jet of fire soon after. And then a barrage of kicks from the ravenette. He had to give it to the trio, they worked smart. Endeavor's son followed up with an attack, only to have the heat and light mess with the Hero Killer enough so that the hooded young woman could use the fire to cover her as she sneaked up on him.
Oh yes, they were smart. Clever even.
And they were also tenacious.
Iida wasn't idle and neither was Shoka. The two adopted a strategy of stalking around Stain, attacking at random intervals, sometimes in unison, in order to land a hit on the more experienced Villain. Their success rate was much to be desired, but this certainly made things difficult for the Hero Killer.
And when Shoto added himself into the mix, switching between his ice and fire, even Stain could admit he was struggling.
While he was initially annoyed by the appearance of Shigaraki's Nomu, he would greatly have appreciated the aid. If only it still wasn't trying to heal the damage done to its wings and a sudden wave of ice that shot past the Hero Killer and captured the grounded Nomu.
So Stain was forced to rely on himself.
The Hero Killer quickly found a long enough lull to equip his sword. The moment he did, he noted that Shoka and Iida were more hesitant to attack him. Despite their defenses, the two knew that one lucky shot could end them.
Stain waited, his eyes kept on the trio of students before he picked his target. Right as Shoka passed him in her encircling, the masked Villain rushed Iida. The bluenette used his Quirk to dodge a strike from the man, only to realize it was a feint. Stain didn't stop moving, instead focusing on Shoto.
The bicolor-haired young man's eyes widened at the surprise attack. There was little time to generate a shield of ice in front of him. At least not one large and thick enough to block the blade aimed at him.
Instead, Shoto took inspiration from Izuku's playbook and emulated one of his Psychs. He pushed the ice-half of his Quirk as he raised his right arm in defense, frost forming along his skin. The cold bit at him, but it was too late for him or Stain to divert their attacks.
As the blade neared Shoto's arm, a heavy gauntlet of ice formed, emanating a bitter cold around it. Stain was caught off guard as his blade dug only an inch into the Frost-fire Hero student's defense. He tried desperately to remove the blade when Shoto simply twisted his arm enough to break the Hero Killer's hold of his weapon.
The sudden momentum caught Stain further off guard, as Shoto slammed his left fist into the Hero Killer's solar plexus, causing the wind to get knocked out of the Villain. Stain's eyes widened as a searing pain erupted from the hit, embers dancing around him as Shoto released a blast of fire.
Stain cried out as he was knocked away from the Hero student. His armor was scorched, his shirt burning and his body had an unpleasant searing tingle run through him as he struggled to breathe. The Hero Killer was given no time to recover as Shoka appeared before him.
The ravenette shot out her arm, slamming the bottom of her palm into Stain's face. He grunted, feeling several of his teeth rattle from the force of the hit. His body soon felt the effect of gravity when Shoka crouched and swept her leg against his, knocking him down. The Hero Killer didn't hit the ground though. The ravenette finished her attack by spinning on her heel, kicking upward, and sending the Hero Killer further down the road.
Stain felt his body ache as he hit the unforgiving ground, only for his body to slam into a cold wall of ice. It had been a long time since he had been pushed this far. And to be brought to this point by Hero students made him wonder if he should be ashamed of himself or impressed by them.
Those feelings were ignored when he struggled to stand, using the ice to stay stable. The sounds of engines roaring caught his attention. Stain slowly raised his head enough, peeking through exhausted eyes, and saw Iida take up a runner's stance. Even from the distance he was, Stain could see the intense determination to end the fight in the bluenette's eyes.
And the Hero Killer, despite his injuries, complied. He drew a knife, holding it ready as he stared down the Hero student. "Alright then. Show me your resolve!"
Iida didn't answer. His engines roared again. The ends of his exhaust pipes glowed with an orange light as he shifted gears. He had wanted to use this move during the sports festival, wanting to impress his brother with his growth. For the bluenette, this was a more appropriate moment. He would hold true to what he said he would do.
"RECIPROBURST!"
And bring the Villain to justice.
Blue flames shot out of Iida's engines, all six exhaust pipes burning with energy. Iida kicked off the ground, dust erupting from his movement as he shot forward like a rocket.
Stain moved slowly in the bluenette's eyes, his mind racing to keep up with his incredible speed. The Hero Killer tried to counter, only for Iida to react faster than he had imagined. The Justicar Hero student knocked away Stain's hand and slammed his knee into the Hero Killer's torso.
The force alone had rendered the Villain unconscious as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. His body struck the ice wall, only to break through easily, causing it to shatter in a flurry of crystal particles.
Iida landed on the road, spreading out his legs as he cut off his momentum. He watched as the Hero Killer's body bounced further along before coming to a stop of its own. Everything was quiet in that moment. Iida kept his eyes on Stain, unwilling to look away.
He tried to move, only to feel his legs lock up on him as his Quirk sputtered. It was a gamble to use that move, but in his mind, it was worth it.
A slender hand came into his view. He looked up, his blue eyes locking onto Shoka's mask. She gave him an impressed smirk that shifted to a relieved smile. Iida took the ravenette's hand, relying on his friend to help him back up.
Shoka brought his arm around her shoulders, allowing the larger young man to lean on her as he stood on shaky legs. The two turned their attention to the Hero Killer, waiting to see if he would suddenly move. Seeing nothing from him, the two made their way over to his downed form.
"We should double-check to see if he has any more weapons hidden away," Iida stated.
"Right. Would rather not end up diced up anytime soon," Shoka replied. She looked over her Hero costume, checking to see how well it held up to Stain's blades. She saw a few flayed strands and some small tearing, but nothing managed to get through the threads.
That didn't mean she was happy about it. She just hoped she could somehow get in touch with Misaki for repairs. She still didn't know how Mr. H managed to get the fashion designer to make her battle coat.
As she helped Iida down in order for him to catch his breath and recover from the backlash of his attack, the ravenette made her way over to Stain and followed Iida's idea, checking for any hidden weapons on the former vigilante.
During her search, Shoto made his way over with Native draped over his shoulder. The Hosu Hero was finally recovering from the effects of Stain's Quirk but still required serious medical attention. It didn't stop him from commenting on the trio's performance.
"Damn. What are they teaching you guys these days?" He asked through a faint laugh.
"How to be badasses," Shoka answered.
"How to conduct ourselves accordingly to show we are reliable Heroes," Iida added.
"We should deal with the Nomu now-" Shoto tried to comment, only to be interrupted by said Nomu.
The winged bio-weapon spread its extra appendages, shattering its icy prison as it launched itself at the group. Shoka was the one who reacted first, jumping into the air on an intercept course with the Nomu.
The only thing running through the ravenette's mind was how annoying the damn thing was. She was tired, and she wanted to let Izuku and Momo know that she was fine but much to her frustrations, the night just seemed to drag on. So, she decided not to hold back against the thing.
Shoka brought down a savage axe kick on the creature, bending it in half before its body slammed into the ground, shattering the road below it.
The other three just watched as her shoulders began to shake. It was obvious to them she was letting out her rage and none of them wanted to be on the other side end of it.
"Well, I gotta say, Shokat, that was a damn fine kick," came the voice of Mirko as she bounded into the area. Despite the smile on her face, everyone could see the same frustration that Shoka had on the Rabbit Hero's face.
"Let me guess... Endeavor?" Shoka asked, already having an idea of what happened.
"You'll find out when we write our reports later," Mirko growled.
Unfortunately, for the Nomu, it made a sound, gaining the attention of the pair of females. And the ire of Mirko.
"Fuck off!" She yelled as she slammed her foot down on the Nomu's head, splattering it, and sending the viscous remains all over the ground. She breathed heavily, taking a moment to calm down before speaking, "God I want this night to be over with."
Her ears perked up, turning her attention to the other end of the street. The others followed suit, watching Endeavor, several of his sidekicks, Hosu Heroes, and a mass of reporters rush onto the scene.
"You had to jinx it, didn't you, Cottontail?" Shoka grumbled
Above the street, casually watching the aftermath of his plan, Shigaraki smiled widely. He may have lost his Nomu, but the Hero Killer was defeated and captured. He grimaced at the thought that two of his targets were the ones that managed to do so, but he ignored that for now.
Now, it was time to spin things in his favor.