Toshinori was furious. And how could he not be? His students were injured, some in critical condition, and his two colleagues, the teachers who were supposed to protect them, were on the brink of death. Just by looking at the state of the battlefield, the scattered debris and blood staining the ground, he knew he had arrived too late. His instinct was never wrong.
From the moment an unsettling feeling took hold of him, he rushed at full speed toward the USJ. On the way, he found Iida running at top speed. The young man, with his firm but agitated tone, informed him of the situation. The students were in danger. Villains had ambushed them.
With that news, there was no need to hold back.
Without wasting a single second, he vanished in a blink. His speed was such that, before the battle could worsen, he had already pulled the injured teachers and most of the students out of the combat area. Only when he had them safe did he return to the battlefield in seconds.
Now, he was face to face with the creature.
It was a deformed beast, grotesque, its presence radiating overwhelming danger. But Toshinori wasn't intimidated. He wasn't afraid of it.
—I don't know who you are or what you're planning to do, but... I'm going to finish you with a single blow!
His fist tensed. All his strength concentrated in his arm.
—Texas Smash!!
The impact was devastating. A precise, powerful blow, one of those that normally sent enemies flying through the air, breaking bones and pulverizing the ground in their wake. Toshinori already expected to see the creature's body tearing up the ground from the force of the impact. But... it wasn't like that.
The beast hadn't moved a single centimeter.
Toshinori's eyes widened in disbelief. It was impossible. He had used all his power in that blow. There was no way that...
And then he noticed something even more disturbing.
The creature was... crying?
Thick tears fell from its exposed eyes on its grotesque deformed bird face, sliding down its dark skin. Its chest rose and fell heavily, as if it were suffering. But what disturbed Toshinori most was its expression. It wasn't that of a monster.
It was that of someone... shattered.
—I'm... sorry... To...Toshinori...sensei... —the creature murmured with a hoarse, distorted voice, loaded with an anguish that Toshinori couldn't ignore.
An icy chill ran down the hero's spine. Something was terribly wrong.
But he had no time to process it.
A blow struck him full force.
The attack was brutal, launching him through the air like a rag doll. He felt the air leave his lungs upon receiving the impact, but he couldn't afford to lose concentration. In a supreme effort, he managed to recompose himself in the air and land forcefully on the ground, leaving a crack beneath his feet.
But before he could react, a dark black cloud enveloped him. The creature appeared behind him in an instant and he couldn't prevent the incoming attack.
Toshinori felt unbearable pressure on his abdomen. The beast's enormous claws dug into his side.
The pain was immediate, sharp, as if thousands of thick blades pierced his flesh and buried themselves inside. The creature held him with indescribable force, squeezing brutally right over his wound; if he moved too much, the pressure increased, causing blood to seep between the monstrous fingers.
His entire body screamed in agony, every cell begged for release, but his mind, still reeling, fought not to disconnect from reality.
And then, a voice boomed in the air, loaded with cruel arrogance.
—Look at that... the number one hero has been neutralized with ease. What a disappointment, don't you think, Tomura?
The mocking voice belonged to an albino, distorted by a broken white mask that exposed his right eye, full of scars and resentment. He was a villain... and perhaps the leader of all this. Beside him, another man stood, with a red cape and a grotesque hand covering his face like a living mask.
Toshinori narrowed his eyes, forcing himself to focus his vision while the Nomu's pressure didn't diminish. Every breath was torture.
—Don't get too excited —the villain with the hand responded with disdain—. Remember that the Nomu obeys my orders. Yours died before doing anything, because you're such an imbecile.
The albino clicked his tongue, visibly irritated.
—Who... are you...? —Toshinori asked, his voice tense, still struggling to free himself from the now-known Nomu's grip, without success.
—Where are my manners...? —Tomura murmured, hiding most of his face behind the hand pressed firmly against his mask, as if wanting to suppress some internal fury—. As you heard, they call me Tomura. And this bag of albino bones, ridiculously dramatic, is Shigaraki.
—Ridiculously dramatic? Says the guy who covers his face with a hand to give "fear". Is that fashion or trauma, huh, Tomura? —Shigaraki spat, with a harsh voice and a gaze full of hatred from his only visible eye.
—And you'd be nothing without the Nomu I ordered created —Tomura spat, teeth clenched behind the mask of his own arrogance—. Remember that before you open your fucking mouth, imbecile. If it weren't because your existence serves me, I would have ripped out that useless eye a while ago.
The air between them seemed charged with pure poison. Even in the midst of "victory," the hatred between them was evident. They weren't allies. They were two violent forces pointing at the same target, about to explode at each other, if it weren't for the ideal that united them. Something that amused Toshinori even with the pain hammering him ceaselessly.
—Typical of villains... they can't even stay united in their own misery.
Shigaraki quickly turned his gaze toward him with annoyance, but quickly calmed down to show a more mocking and relaxed voice.
—Misery? No... this is liberation. You already know our mission is to eliminate you. Don't you see? Your death will be the funeral song of the hypocritical order you represent. Bringing greatness to the aggrieved of this world you've ignored. You're already finished, old symbol. Your time ended years ago. Only you remain... and this small final act.
—Don't come at me... with cheap speeches... villain. The only thing... you want... is destruction and chaos... I see it in your twisted single eye. You disgust me.
Shigaraki shrugged.
—Wow... did you figure me out? How perceptive. But it doesn't matter anymore.
He slowly turned toward the creature still holding the symbol of peace.
—Nomu, destroy him... Let All Might and what he defends be... But what the hell is that?!!
Before he could make his move, a shadow rose on the horizon.
Out of nowhere, a gigantic wave emerged, sweeping away everything in its path. The torrent of water struck with overwhelming force, pushing everyone without distinction, making them lose balance and disrupting the scene in an instant.
The two villains tried to stay firm, but the force of the water forced them to retreat. Even the Nomu, still holding All Might, was shaken by the current.
It was a sudden, unexpected phenomenon... and no one knew where it had come from.
When the water finally dispersed, Toshinori felt his body sway slightly. The jolt had left him dizzy, but he couldn't stop, not now. He was grateful that the tsunami had managed to free him without problems, but his relief lasted barely a second. Just as he was about to take the offensive, a brutal impact surprised him full force.
A fast and demolishing kick crashed into his face, forcing him to retreat with a grunt of pain. His vision blurred for an instant, but his experience as a hero allowed him to react almost instantly, forcing his body to stabilize. Still, he had no time to recompose himself. What he saw next left him paralyzed.
Green electric rays danced around his arm like rabid snakes, creating a vibrant aura that cut through the air with a terrifying hum.
It was an energy he knew too well. He had seen it a thousand times in his... No... it was impossible!
—("Izuku's One for All?")—Toshinori thought, with disbelief. His heart skipped a beat—. ("It couldn't be. How was it possible? How the hell had they gotten it?!!")
Before he could understand what was happening, a figure appeared between him and the attack.
The Nomu's fist impacted full force, unleashing a shockwave so brutal that the ground cracked and a crater formed at the epicenter of the impact. Debris shot out in all directions, raising a dense cloud of dust.
Toshinori couldn't move. He froze.
When the dust cleared, he saw it clearly. His eyes opened in horror when he saw her. It was Izumi. She was there, standing between him and the Nomu. The blow had struck her full force, directly to the abdomen... and yet, she hadn't moved a single centimeter.
—Now, All Might!! —the girl shouted, with burning determination.
The call snapped him out of his trance. He couldn't waste more time. Toshinori reacted with precision, his fist tensed and his power exploded in a precise blow to the Nomu's head. However, the impact didn't manage to move the creature, though it did disconcert it enough to get Izumi away from the area so she wouldn't receive more damage.
Toshinori breathed heavily, but his concern didn't stray from the young woman in front of him.
—Miss Midoriya!, why did you do something so reckless?! —he exclaimed, quickly approaching to check if she had suffered any injury.
To his astonishment, Izumi just stood up with some regret, but with a big smile on her face and no apparent damage.
—I'm glad you're okay, All Might and... watch out!
A new charge. Another punch from the Nomu headed at full speed toward Toshinori, but Izumi reacted instantly, repelling it with force. Without losing the opportunity, she wrapped her fist in a strange bright energy, fused with her fire, and sank it directly into the creature's abdomen.
The Nomu moved slightly, but not enough.
Izumi clicked her tongue, annoyed by the enemy's resistance, and had to quickly move away to avoid the next attack.
—All Might, you have to get away from this enemy!! It's too dangerous for you, that thing is designed to kill you!!
But he didn't flinch. On the contrary, he took a step forward, covering her with his body, firm as a wall, ready to keep fighting.
—No, Miss Midoriya —Toshinori responded firmly, without taking his eyes off the Nomu—. I'll take care of this. Retreat immediately and help the students.
—But...
He knew exactly what he faced. That monster wasn't just incredibly strong, it also radiated a power he recognized too well... One that should never be in the hands of villains. It was a threat he might not be able to defeat.
And yet, he didn't hesitate.
The symbol of peace couldn't falter. Not when so many lives depended on his victory. If he fell there, if he allowed that creature to keep advancing, the students, the teachers... everyone would be lost. He couldn't allow a massacre.
He saw the fear in Izumi's eyes, the concern trembling in her posture. Then he gave her a warm, serene smile, the one that had so many times calmed an entire nation and that said:
—Don't worry... everything will be fine.
But then, a dry, raspy laugh interrupted that moment. Causing the hero to look back toward where the Nomu was with pure rage.
—Wow... I didn't know you were also a comedian. What a shame... —Shigaraki mocked, advancing slowly. He limped slightly from the previous impact, but his tone was still loaded with arrogance and madness—. She's in front of you, covering you with her body, receiving blows that would have killed you without even blinking... and you still pretend you can handle everything. You're not just an idiot. You're an obstacle that doesn't know when it's lost.
Shigaraki tilted his head, as if observing a broken piece that's no longer useful. As if he were already tired of all this.
—Well, hero, since you don't respect your own life, tell me... what is your limit as a symbol of peace?
As soon as he finished speaking, he snapped his fingers.
The Nomu, responding instantly, launched itself with terrifying speed. However, Toshinori noticed immediately: the trajectory wasn't toward him. The target was Izumi.
His body moved by instinct, with no room for doubt. He threw himself toward the young woman, pushing her brusquely aside while he himself interposed between her and the beast. He raised his forearms, hardening his posture to receive the impact head-on.
But then, something disconcerted him.
A dark vapor emerged from the ground, thick and unnatural, enveloping Izumi just as he was moving her away. Toshinori barely had time to turn his head, to search for her with his eyes... only to see her vanish inside that blackness, swallowed by a sinister fog that erased her from his sight as if she had never been there.
—No... Izumi! —he exclaimed, horror stuck in his throat.
That moment of horror was his undoing.
The Nomu arrived without stopping, and its fist stamped full force into his torso, piercing through his defense as if it didn't exist. The force of the blow was so brutal that it catapulted him several kilometers, his body hitting trunks and branches like a cannonball until crashing into the terrain with devastating violence. The ground trembled. The silence was total for an eternal second.
Toshinori coughed blood. His ribs creaked. Air was lacking. He could barely move one hand to try to get up... when a shadow rose before him.
The Nomu was already in front of him. Imposing. Silent. But with that unsettling gaze of sadness that still disconcerted him, as if a remnant of incomprehensible pain dwelt within that body of pure violence.
And it was that moment of bewilderment that allowed the dark fog to swirl behind the Nomu... and from it emerged Shigaraki. With a completely relaxed and happy posture, satisfied by Toshinori's state. He was truly wasting time.
—That was a good hit, don't you think? —he said with a harsh voice, as if mocking even while breathing—. But you can still move. How annoying. I suppose it's time to play a little. Look ahead, hero.
Toshinori, with his face hardened by rage, obeyed with suspicion and directed his gaze forward toward where he was and... he saw it. A chill ran down his spine. That contained fury he so feared began to boil inside him.
In the distance, standing on a collapsed platform, was Tomura. His figure was outlined among the flickering lights of some broken illuminations. He held Izumi with one hand, and with the other, rested four fingers on her shoulder. He had her as a hostage. Izumi was unconscious, but alive... for now.
—Wow, I'm surprised by your vision from here you can notice the danger your student is in. You truly are someone special... Wait, don't move. First observe the other two surprises I have for you.
Toshinori clenched his jaw forcefully and looked away as indicated. In that instant, desperation and fear added to his rage. What he saw froze his blood.
Tomura moved with Izumi still in his arms. He took her to a nearby wall and, with macabre calmness, gently leaned her against the concrete. Then, with his free hand, he touched the surface. In seconds, the wall began to disintegrate as if it were being erased from existence, into various dust particles. Nothing remained. Immediately after, he slowly returned his hand to the young woman's shoulder.
—It annoys me to have to depend on that useless bastard, but you have to admit that when he takes it seriously... he knows how to do his job —Shigaraki murmured with contempt, observing Tomura without emotion—. Nice, isn't it? But that's not all. The second surprise is still missing.
A new cloud of dark smoke formed a few meters away. Gradually it took humanoid form, until two yellow eyes, empty and penetrating, opened in the middle of the mist. From among the shadows emerged a female figure, gagged, with eyes flooded with desperation.
—Miss Momo! —Toshinori shouted, recognizing her immediately.
She was trapped. The Nomu approached slowly and, without hesitation, held her by the head with a single hand. It applied pressure in a calculated way, just enough to tear a muffled scream from her through the gag. Her face tensed with pain. One wrong move would be enough... and her skull would explode like a shell.
—Well, hero... let the game begin. Even if you're fast, you know you can't handle both at the same time. You already saw the speed of Tomura's disintegration... and also the Nomu's overwhelming strength. If you attack Tomura, the raven-haired one dies. If you go for the Nomu, the green-haired one won't tell the tale. You can't save both... only one. So choose, "hero".
He paused, mockingly, as if enjoying Toshinori's moment of desperation.
—Or better yet... show me a miracle or give them hope in their death, if you truly are that great symbol of peace.
Toshinori was at his limit. His heart pounded forcefully, not from physical effort... but from terror. Every possibility that occurred to him ended in tragedy. If he moved toward Tomura, Momo would die. If he tried to save Momo, Izumi would disappear before his eyes. And if he hesitated one more second, both would die. He couldn't protect both. Not with time against him.
His body was already beginning to fail him. He felt the burning in his chest, tense muscles, and that familiar sensation: his transformation was about to break. He had, with luck, five minutes. After that, there would be no symbol of peace. No salvation.
One miscalculated move and everything would end.
But... Would he leave this without more? If he had to give his life for them, he would do it without hesitation. He was a hero after all. That would be his end... and he would make sure to take those three monsters with him if it was the last thing he did.
He closed his fists. Took a step. He was ready to act, with his suicide. And then...
—Wow... desperation truly clouded your mind, Toshinori-sensei, truly that... Ugh, this skin is so annoying to remove...
Just as he was about to throw himself into the abyss of his decision, a completely out-of-place voice stopped him. A completely out-of-place comment, as if torn from a casual conversation and thrown into the middle of hell.
Everyone turned, bewildered.
A wet, almost sticky sound was heard: that of something being carefully peeled off. The Nomu's arm, the one holding Momo by the head, had a wide line where the skin was beginning to lift... and right there, the one responsible.
Was it Izuku?
He was standing next to the creature, concentrated, gently pulling the thick black skin, as if trying to peel off very adhesive tape without tearing it. His expression wasn't one of urgency, but of slight annoyance, as if the process were more tedious than dangerous.
—This is complicated... —he murmured—. That's what I get for cutting my nails this morning. And the worst part is it won't come off... though well, at least I removed a large part. Damn, it broke again.
None of those present had words. Only disbelief.
Questions piled up in the minds of Toshinori and Shigaraki like a chaotic echo. How did he get there? Why didn't anyone sense his presence? And... WHY THE HELL IS HE PEELING THE NOMU AS IF IT WERE THE MOST NORMAL THING IN THE WORLD?!!!!
Toshinori observed the growing tension in Shigaraki, how his brow from his eye furrowed more with each second. His breathing became agitated, frustration boiled in him until even his eye began to turn red. He was about to explode.
—WHO THE HELL ARE YOU, YOU DAMN BRAT...?!! —Shigaraki shouted, but was abruptly interrupted.
The strip of skin that Izuku was removing broke again with an annoying "crack!" The young man frowned with clear irritation. He couldn't take it anymore.
—You know what?! I give up! I'll use plan B! Izumi, you have my approval: make barbecue!
Without wasting time, Izuku precisely placed his hand on the part of the Nomu where he had already removed the skin, like someone activating a hidden switch. An invisible discharge ran through the monster, which released Momo instantly. Then, Izuku pulled with tremendous force, launching the Nomu through the air as if it were a rag ball.
The monster's body shot out, crashing violently into the storm zone. The explosion was immediate. Part of the dome came down with a dull roar, and then...
In the zone where Izumi was with Tomura, a giant flame emerged without precedent.
A shockwave swept the area. Toshinori had to cover himself, his eyes barely believing what he had just seen. Everything had happened in a matter of seconds.
—YOU DAMN...!! —Shigaraki shouted with his eye bulging—. HOW THE FUCK DID YOU...?!! WAIT... HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU...?!!
But before Shigaraki could finish the sentence, Izuku was no longer there.
A blink, and then... a blow. Demolishing. Dull. Unexpected.
Izuku appeared right behind him and, with a single precise punch to the abdomen, sent him flying. Shigaraki's body shot out like a projectile, crashing brutally in the center of the facility. The impact raised a dense cloud of dust and debris, momentarily hiding the scene.
Silence.
Toshinori couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. His eyes were still wide open, his body trembling slightly from accumulated tension.
—Sorry about that, Toshinori-sensei —Izuku said with a casual tone, dusting off his gloves—. Some villains are very difficult for me to eliminate. Though... I have another inconvenience left.
Without warning, Izuku raised his hand and launched a black whip directly at Momo's chest. The whip pierced through Momo's figure with precision. Toshinori barely could react.
—IZU...?!
A second later, the silhouette began to distort... to come apart. Her skin melted like false wax, revealing that it was nothing more than a gray shapeless mass, an imitation.
—Next time check your victims' design properly... —Izuku commented as the false body fell to the ground like wet clay—. Momo has more... developed parts. —He finished that sentence looking away with a slight blush on his cheeks, evidently uncomfortable with his own comment.
Toshinori could only blink. Everything that was happening was going too fast. An instant before he was deciding between risking his life or losing two of his students, and the next, Izuku had taken down Shigaraki, had put the Nomu out of commission, and on top of that had exposed that the trapped Momo was a copy. There was no way to understand how or when Izuku had arrived, nor how he had managed to move without being detected. Toshinori's body was tense, his eyes tried to keep up with everything, but his mind was already saturated. Every second was a new surprise, a new risk, and his muscles no longer responded as before. He knew what was coming. He felt it in his arms, in his chest, in his back. His time in that form was about to end.
He only had one minute left. One minute before returning to his fragile, weak form, incapable of fighting or defending anyone. The smoke villain was still there, motionless, showing no clear intentions. The Nomu wasn't completely destroyed, it had only been thrown far away. If it returned and he wasn't ready, he couldn't protect anyone. He couldn't trust that the fire explosion hadn't injured any student. He couldn't assume everything was under control. But, even if he tried, he couldn't continue. His legs couldn't take it anymore. His breathing was heavy, irregular. His chest hurt. His entire body screamed that he had already passed his limit, that continuing would only kill him without achieving anything more.
And then, the inevitable happened. His vision became blurry. His legs failed and he fell. His entire body gave in without resistance, forced by extreme exhaustion and accumulated pressure. He could no longer see well, barely distinguished colors or shapes. Everything was confusing. He felt someone talking. He wasn't sure if it was real or if he was imagining it. But the voice was clear, young, without urgency, completely out of place for what was happening.
—Don't worry... I'll take care of the rest... Ugh... this is really tiring me out...
It was the last thing he heard clearly. Then, something else, a word he didn't understand, but that stuck with him because of how unexpected it was:
—Shirakumo... I need you to...
And there he went. He lost consciousness.
֎֎֎
—BOOM!!
That was close. I needed to accumulate a large amount of energy so my pyrokinesis could release at maximum capacity and escape the hand villain's grip. Fortunately, he completely bought my act of being unconscious; otherwise, I'd probably already be dead. Taking advantage of that small window of time, I was preparing to reach where All Might was when I received a transmission in my mask. It was a message from my Oni-chan, something that made my heart explode with happiness. According to his plan, I had to buy time, resist as best I could until he arrived to rescue All Might.
It wasn't easy. We received violent blows and the pressure was immense, but I managed to complete my part of the mission. Now everything depended on how long it would take Oni-chan to arrive and end this hell once and for all.
While I was reorganizing myself, the hand villain's voice pulled me from my thoughts.
—I'm impressed, girl. That attack really left me with a big scar. I applaud you for it —he said while putting out the fire on his shoulder with clumsy slaps. For a moment I had forgotten he was still there, watching me, ready to attack—. Well, then let's begin this confrontation. I was already getting bored of... What is...? Holy shit...!!
Before he could react, the other villain accompanying him fell from the sky like a meteorite, crashing brutally against him. The impact was so violent it raised an enormous cloud of dust, concrete fragments and debris that covered the entire field of vision in seconds. The shake was so strong that even I, several meters away, had to instinctively cover my face with my arms to protect myself from the shockwave.
When the smoke cloud finally dissipated, I could clearly see the two villains. Both were hurting, coughing and on the ground, but, to my misfortune, they were still conscious. Very bad news.
—Get off me, you imbecile!! —the hand villain roared, brutally pushing his companion—. What the hell just happened? You were with the Nomu and a fake hostage. All Might couldn't have sent you flying!!
—It was that bastard... he... the... —the albino villain stammered, increasingly falling into desperation, unable to process it—. How is it possible that he...? he should be...
—Did you break again, you useless bastard? —the hand one growled, violently grabbing him by the shirt collar—. Answer, damn it!! Who the hell threw you?
Before he could continue interrogating him, another boom interrupted his shouting. This time the impact was closer to where I was, though less violent than the previous one. Instinctively I stepped back, but as soon as the dust settled, I immediately recognized who caused it. My heart skipped with pure happiness.
—Hello little sister, I managed to arrive on time —my Oni-chan said, smiling at me as always, with that calmness of his that seemed out of place amid all the chaos.
—Oni-chan!! —I shouted with overflowing joy as I ran toward him and hugged him with all my strength—. Thank you for the beautiful suit, you're my hero! —I exclaimed squeezing him even tighter, feeling him stroke my head tenderly, like when we were kids.
The moment barely lasted a few seconds, because immediately Momo and Shoto came running toward us, clearly exhausted from confronting the multiple villains.
—Izuku! Izumi! —the two shouted in unison as they joined us.
My helmet scanner didn't take long to alert me: they were okay but their quirks were already almost spent. Shoto had large areas of his left side frozen, clear sign of excessive use of his ice quirk, and Momo... she looked very worn out, pale, barely maintaining balance. She needed to replenish energy or eat something urgently if she intended to keep fighting.
I frowned, annoyed.
—What the hell are you doing here, idiots? Don't you see the condition you're in! —I scolded them, raising my voice, worried more than angry.
—We came to support you —Momo responded, with a seriousness that immediately disarmed me—. We managed to defeat all the villains and we're already containing them. Although some are exhausted, we two are the most capable to continue fighting. That's why, Izuku, we believe we can...
But before she could finish, Oni-chan interrupted her immediately, raising a hand firmly. His gaze shifted toward the two villains, who were starting to get up among the rubble, furious and covered in dust, ready to continue combat.
—I don't need your help right now —Izuku said with a calm tone, but so firm it left no room for discussion—. You did well, truly. But you're still inexperienced for a large-scale battle... —he made a brief pause, observing them both with a mix of respect and concern, then quickly looked away—. Besides, you've already exhausted yourselves too much. I only need Izumi for this fight. I also want her to help Shoto with her fire, so he can get out of here. You're in worse condition, buddy.
—But... Himura —Shoto replied, with seriousness in his voice, though clearly uncomfortable pronouncing his surname—. Those villains are going to destroy you. You're just a student like us!
Oni-chan let out a laugh, brief and dry, while his entire body changed posture, relaxing but at the same time charging with dangerous intensity.
—Oh, dear classmate... Don't you understand it yet after all this? Even though I'm your coursemate like you and attended at the same time, there's a big difference between us. And that difference is...
He couldn't finish his sentence. A savage roar froze our blood: the Nomu, which had survived the explosion and escaped from the storm zone, launched itself at Oni-chan at an absurd speed. We barely saw it move. It was a blink, and it was already on top of him, with a gigantic fist ready to crush him. My heart almost stopped from fear, but Oni-chan didn't flinch. When the blow descended with devastating force, everything shook violently. A brutal shockwave exploded from the impact point, raising tons of dust and pushing us backward. The air vibrated, my ears buzzed, and the ground beneath my feet trembled as if it were paper.
When the dust began to dissipate, the first thing I saw was his silhouette. There was Oni-chan, standing in the middle of a large crater, as if nothing had happened. The Nomu's fist, which could crush any person, was stopped in the air, trapped in his hand. Just like that. As if he were holding the arm of a rag doll instead of a beast created to kill heroes. No one could move, not even the villains. The fear on their faces was so clear it even made me feel a chill. And in the middle of that tension, Oni-chan looked up and smiled.
—As I was saying, the difference is... —he said, his voice calm as always, but with a weight that left no room for doubt—. I have work experience! HAHAHA.
Without wasting time, with his other hand he wrapped the Nomu's arm using his black whips and, in a brutal movement, lifted it off the ground as if it weighed nothing. With a fierce shout, he slammed it against the floor generating a shake that made me lose my balance. But it didn't end there. He lifted it again and slammed it again, and again, and again, until the entire facility trembled as if we were in an earthquake. Each blow left gigantic cracks, dust everywhere and the echo of something breaking in horrible ways.
After destroying it against the floor, Oni-chan made a brutal jump, taking the Nomu with him as if it were a gigantic improvised hammer. Without hesitation, he propelled it in a violent spin and slammed it against the two villains who were barely trying to get up. The impact was devastating. Both shot out like out-of-control projectiles, spinning in the air at a terrifying speed. If things had continued their course, they would have ended up crashing brutally against the huge entrance stairs, where their bodies would have been destroyed beyond repair.
But before they could crash, a dense cloud of smoke appeared out of nowhere, swallowing them just in time. It was an almost imperceptible instant, a flash of dark smoke that enveloped them and took them out of disaster's path. They disappeared from the air and reappeared farther away, on the ground, rolling and coughing, visibly damaged but alive. It was obvious that the mist villain, that damn smoke man, had intervened to save them.
—Well, at least I stopped them —Oni-chan declared as he released the Nomu's battered body without the slightest concern.
The Nomu, though staggering, recovered instantly still wanting not to give up. It stood up staggering, roaring with fury, and threw another desperate punch with its other arm. I barely managed to see the movement, but Oni-chan received it head-on, this time too. Before the blow could reach him, his black whips emerged like lightning, wrapping around his head, reinforcing his defense just at the critical moment. The Nomu's fist struck full force, and the impact resonated like thunder, but Oni-chan barely moved a few centimeters backward.
Without hesitation, he responded with a series of demolishing blows. Each punch was accompanied by whips that propelled him, further increasing the force of impact. The Nomu was dragged backward by the force of each blow, its feet scratching the ground uselessly as it received a storm of attacks it couldn't block or dodge. The vibrations in the ground were so intense it was as if the entire place was going to collapse from one second to the next.
And in the middle of all that impossible scene, in the middle of the rubble, smoke and violence, the only thing I could feel was pure pride. Because that incredible man, that unstoppable warrior who was destroying a monster created to kill professional heroes... Was Izuku, my dear and beloved Oni-chan.
—How the hell are they doing that...? —Shoto murmured, still sitting on the ground, unable to look away from the battle. His voice trembled between disbelief and fear.
Momo wasn't any better. She was pale, with her mouth half-open, as if she couldn't process the reality in front of her eyes.
I calmly approached Shoto and, with my flames, began to warm his body to remove the frozen areas that were numbing him. As I did so, I couldn't help but smile to myself. They were so surprised... and I understood it. I myself, years ago, had also felt the same the first time I saw him in action.
When I finished healing him, I stood up, looking at them both with a confident smile. They needed to know the truth, even though they still couldn't believe it.
—What a shame you still don't understand —I said, as the sound of Oni-chan's whips resonated in the background, accompanying each devastating blow against the Nomu—. But I suppose it doesn't matter to keep hiding it anymore.
I took a breath, not because I needed it, but because I wanted every word to be engraved in them.
—My Oni-chan... when he was little, had a clear lack of "ability". Something that annoyed and was despised by our parents. To the point they left him marginalized from the family —I explained without taking my eyes off the brutal fight—. And he knew it. He knew it from the beginning. That's why, for several years, he left the country on intermittent trips. Not for pleasure, not for adventure... but to find a way to become stronger. To perfect himself.
I made a small pause. I saw how Shoto clenched his fists, how Momo swallowed with difficulty.
I smiled even more, this time with a warm fire in my chest.
—What you're seeing now —I proclaimed with pride—, is the result of a promise. A promise we made when we were children: to become the strongest heroes the world has ever known. And he... —I looked at Oni-chan crushing the Nomu's face against the concrete as if it were a simple formality— ...He never stopped fighting for that promise. Something I love with all my heart.
֎֎֎
The fight between Izuku and the Nomu escalated to a brutal level. Each blow launched by the monster shook the air, while Izuku resisted without faltering, analyzing every detail between impact and impact. A mere exchange of blows was enough to understand it: the creature carried One for All, a small but dangerous spark of that legendary power.
It wasn't the complete strength, but a fragment, barely the embers that flared up with each movement. Enough to turn the Nomu into a deadly threat to any ordinary hero. Had it remained in Toshinori's hands, combining with the other implanted quirks, the result would have been fatal.
However, there was something else that disturbed Izuku. It wasn't just the power. It was the pain. The Nomu could speak... could cry.
—Izuku Midoriya! Izuku Midoriya! IZUKU MIDORIYA!! —the creature screamed between sobs, charging its fists with blind rage, increasingly raising its destructive power.
—Well... let's start by weakening you.
Izuku stepped back half a step and raised his arm. Izumi understood immediately. She materialized her fire bow with an intense orange flash and tensed it instantly. Her pyrokinetic quirk allowed her to mold fire into weapons, and the bow was her favorite creation: a living structure of heat, with arrows that followed the trace of her intention and flew like darts guided by her will.
One of them whistled through the air and crashed against the Nomu's fist, destabilizing it before it could impact Izuku. Another exploded on its side. Then another. And another. A rain of fire traced incandescent lines in the air. Each impact opened burning wounds on the creature's body. Izumi fired with surgical precision, aiming at joints, tendons and blind spots that Izuku marked for her with subtle movements.
Taking advantage of that instant, Izuku propelled himself like a discharge. He appeared before the Nomu in a blink and embedded his fist in its abdomen, then grabbed its head and lifted it off the ground. Without releasing it, he dragged it forward, tearing through trees, raising a cloud of dirt and splinters. As he pushed it, he began a barrage of devastating blows: a hook to the stomach, an elbow to the jaw, a knee to the chest, a spin with whips wrapping around the Nomu's legs to make it lose balance.
The Nomu tried to respond. It threw a swipe with both hands, seeking to grab Izuku's face, but he ducked his head by millimeters and spun on one foot, whirling around to drive a heel strike to its neck. The Nomu stumbled, but still managed to launch a kick. Izuku blocked it with both forearms reinforced by black whips and, twisting his torso, counterattacked with a headbutt square to the jaw that made the Nomu spit blood.
—You're not faster than me! —Izuku growled, hitting it again with a shock palm strike to the chest that sent the monster several meters back.
Izuku continued: he struck the throat, then the ribs, then an uppercut that elevated the Nomu half a meter. At the same time, a flaming arrow exploded on its back, pushing it back toward Izuku's fist, which was already waiting as if everything were choreographed. He sent it to the ground immediately.
The Nomu got up and tried to ram him with both arms like a rabid beast, but Izuku dodged it with an inverted jump and landed behind it. Without giving it respite, he trapped it with whips and slammed it against the ground three times in a row, as if it were an uncontrolled mass. Then he moved away and continued with the next move:
—Izumi! Right knee!
An arrow exploded right where the Nomu was going to support itself to get up. The monster shrieked in pain, and just then Izuku appeared above it again, dropping with both feet extended onto its back. The impact split the concrete. Without stopping, he rolled on the ground, spun on one hand and hit it with an uppercut that raised a cloud of dust along with the Nomu in the process.
Already standing, the Nomu tried to grab Izuku by the neck. It succeeded for a second... until the young man twisted his neck, pulled out a whip from his back and used it like a blade to sever its hand. The creature screamed with more rage than pain.
—Is that all? —Izuku spat, launching himself again.
He spun on his own axis, rolled on the ground to dodge a new descending attack from the Nomu and jumped with both legs to deliver a double spinning kick at chest height. The impact sent the monster against a column that split like cardboard.
Izumi didn't stop firing. At each regeneration attempt, an arrow exploded right where the tissue was softest. Each fire blow opened the way for Izuku to reach the creature's internal parts with his fists: organs, nerves, marrow. They didn't let it breathe.
The Nomu let out a roar and tried to crush him with a desperate charge, raising both arms like hammers... but Izuku disappeared. He slid to one side with a lateral jump, positioning himself behind the enemy, and drove a kick into the base of its spine, bending it.
At that moment, the creature launched one last desperate scream:
—IZUKU MIDORIYAAAAAA!!! —it roared, with its face deformed by tears, hatred... and pain.
A brutal right hook impacted Izuku's head, forcing him to retreat, and a subsequent kick launched him violently to the ground, opening a crater under his body. Without giving him respite, the Nomu fell on him, unleashing a barrage of punches capable of crushing solid concrete, each blow creating shockwaves that shook everything around.
For several seconds, only incessant impacts and the creature's desperate screams were heard. It seemed like an unstoppable execution.
Izuku had seen enough.
With a clean movement and no effort, he raised both arms, catching both of the Nomu's fists in the air. His body remained unalterable, his forehead intact, without signs of damage. A light network of black whips surrounded his head, tensing with force, protecting him like a second skin.
Izuku stood up calmly, gripping the Nomu's hands as if they were mere weightless tools.
The creature, between uncontainable tears, could barely stammer a plea. That mass of muscles, quirks and pain... that soul trapped in an artificial body, could finally express its last wish:
—Please... please... kill me...
Izuku's response was immediate, dry, relentless, loaded with a cold and definitive resolution:
—It will be a pleasure... Izuku Midoriya.
Without losing an instant, he threw the Nomu with superhuman brutality, lifting it like a torn doll toward the sky. As its figure flew without control, Izuku activated his communicator with surgical precision.
—Communicate! Now, Izumi, give it everything!!
From solid ground, a rain of fire arrows crossed the sky like a red storm. Each projectile impacted the Nomu's chest, wrapping it in scorching flames. The creature's skin and muscles opened red-hot, exposing charred tissues and carbonized bones.
Izuku jumped with a violence that made the ground beneath his feet crack. The concrete shattered to pieces from the brutal force he released when propelling himself. In the air, his right arm was completely covered by black whips that tensed around his extremity as if they were steel cables, reinforcing everything to channel the blow he was about to deliver. There were no doubts, no pauses. Every movement of his body was a declaration that this would end now, without giving the creature more opportunities and giving it the peace it deserved.
—Release 0.0001%. One for All 100%
The impact was devastating. Izuku's fist pierced through the Nomu's chest with violence so brutal it seemed to have exploded from inside. Flesh, bones, blood and hot vapor dispersed in all directions like a biological bomb. The force of the blow didn't stop there: it generated a shockwave so massive that the entire facility's ceiling couldn't withstand it and opened as if it had been perforated by a meteorite. The tremor was instantaneous. The entire U.S.J. vibrated, metal structures bent, the ground split into gigantic cracks and the air itself seemed to shudder under the roar of the blow.
The Nomu's body wasn't just sent flying upward, but was reduced to a smoking shell that violently pierced through the reinforced steel dome, leaving a colossal hole through which outside light fell like a column of fire. The sound of the impact traveled through every corner of the complex like a series of chain explosions. Fragments of ceiling, concrete and metal fell like deadly rain on the place, forcing students and villains alike to desperately take cover.
Izuku descended heavily, landing in the middle of the chaos. His boots cracked the ground even more, raising a second wave of dust and stones. He stood up calmly, as if nothing that had happened before had affected him, his figure imposingly silhouetted among the rubble and the mist of burning dust.
Did you like the gift?
When the screen turned off, Izuku just snorted, looking at the hole he had made, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
—Seriously... I'm in a multiverse of crazy people.
End Chapter 9