Chapter 20: USJ: Track 2 - Counterattack
- USJ ENTRANCE -
The remaining group that escaped Kurogiri's warp portals stood tense as they stared down their misty adversary across from them. The Warp Gate Villain standing in between them and the exit. Momo's mind raced, trying as she might to think of a plan to either subdue the Villain or allow one of them to escape.
The onyx-eyed ravenette tried to calm down. She treated this event as a scenario she would face in her Operations and Tactics elective, focusing her mind on a problem she could solve.
Momo looked over the people in the group. Iida was the key to escape. His speed would be pivotal in possibly outmaneuvering Kurogiri and his warp gates and sprinting to the main campus to call in aid.
Thirteen and Ayano being with them helped her calm down. While she didn't know much about Ayano's Quirk and her skills, she remembered Shoka's description of them and that would have to be enough to work with. For Thirteen, while the Space Hero was a Rescue Hero, she wasn't known for combat, and that could be a detriment. She would have to thank Izuku for his encyclopedic Hero knowledge for knowing that. It didn't mean that her Quirk wasn't useful, but they would have to be careful.
Aoyama provided them with extra range with his Quirk. That could keep Kurogiri from focusing on Iida should he be able to make his escape if his lasers could affect the misty Villain.
Sato provided much-needed strength to their group, though how effective that would be against Kurogiri was unknown. If Bakugo and Kirishima could barely damage him, it would be safe to assume Sato would face the same difficulty. So she focused his strength elsewhere.
She noticed that the door was left alone, meaning that the security measures didn't activate as Ayano had said. Meaning that getting Iida through should be simple. Sato's strength could be used there to force them open, giving Iida an opening.
Mina could help as well, either by keeping Kurogiri distracted or by aiding Sato with the doors by using her acid to weaken the metal enough to make it easier for their coursemate to force the doors open.
Ochaco was a wild card. But Momo focused on how her Quirk could be used to give Iida a boost. Since objects under the effects of her Quirk maintained their momentum even after she released her hold, that meant Iida could possibly bypass Kurogiri before he could even react.
After going through her allies, she focused on the Villain himself, doing her best to run through everything she noticed from the brief actions the Villain took. He was able to separate Izuku, Shoka, and the rest of their coursemates quickly. Based on his words, he more than likely sent them to different areas in the USJ. His body couldn't be damaged. Despite Bakugo's explosion, Kurogiri was entirely fine, nothing seemed out of place aside from his clothes disappearing into his misty body.
Momo's eyes widened as she noticed the metal bracer around Kurogiri's neck before it was hidden away by his mist. 'It's the only physical object on his body. It must be important. 'With this new bit of information in mind, a plan began to form.
She just hoped she wouldn't let the others down with this quickly cobbled-up plan.
"Everyone," Momo said. Thirteen, Ayano, and the student's attention focused solely on her, "we have to focus on escape. If they are blocking our means of communicating with the main campus, then we just have to get someone there in person." She took a breath. This is the hard part, making sure everyone understood her without giving away too much.
"One of us will have to make a run for the doors when we force them open. The runner will need a boost to get them through the doors." She saw that Iida narrowed his eyes as he looked past the warping Villain and at the doors. Sato and Ochaco perked their heads up, the auburnette almost speaking up before closing her mouth, understanding what her role was.
"That means we have to get past him." She pulled a simple trick from her elective. Giving instructions with minimal direction. Momo's head dropped as she looked to the side, trying to give Kurogiri the idea that she was unsure of her plan. Throw in the act of her rubbing her neck, and it could give the idea she was nervous. But to Ayano and Thirteen, the ravenette heiress was giving them something to target.
"Then it is time to put on a dazzling performance," Aoyama said. The blonde stood up from his crouch and stepped forward, Kurogiri's gaze falling upon him.
Mina followed up after him, doing her best to keep up the bravado. "Let's see if he can keep up with our moves!"
The muscular Sato spoke up next, "Let's show this Villain what we got!"
Kurogiri's golden eyes narrowed. "While I can admire your courage, even in the face of your demise, it is foolish. Especially to plan so openly for me to hear you." His misty body began to expand as he prepared to ensnare the group in another warp. "A shame that your final moments will mean nothing!"
Dark wisps of energy shot out from the Villain, quickly closing the distance between him and the group of Heroes. Before it could trap them, Thirteen stepped up and uncapped her glove. "Don't think that you have already won! BLACKHOLE!"
The Space Hero's Quirk began to suck in the warp Kurogiri shot out. Sato began to rush past the Hero in a sprint, making his way to the doors. Ochaco moved behind Iida, making sure the misty Villain wouldn't notice when she used her Quirk on him.
Kurogiri tried to escape from Thirteen's Quirk but failed to do so. His irritation grew as the Sugar Rush Hero student passed him by. He quickly formulated a plan to escape the Hero's grasp and formed a second portal in front of the Space Hero. Thirteen was unable to stop her Quirk when she felt a force pulling her back. The Hero students watched in horror as her Quirk began to tear her apart, her suit suffering damage.
Kurogiri taunted the Hero as her Quirk began to work against her, the pack on the back of her suit disintegrating as her suit followed after. "A shame. For such an outstanding Rescue Hero, you truly fail at understanding how effective you are as a combat- GAH!" Kurogiri cried out in pain as he felt a force strike him. He shook away his discomfort when saw a bright beam of light heading straight towards him, striking him in the neck once more and breaking his focus.
As the portal disappeared, Thirteen cut off her Quirk. She fell to her knees, breathing heavily as her body felt relief at the sudden loss of pressure. Mina made her way over to check on the injured Hero, worry evident on the pinkette's face. She saw the damage Thirteen had suffered as blood began to stain the edges of the Hero's torn suit.
Thirteen spoke up, her voice haggard and strained, doing her best to alleviate any fears the Acid user had. "I'll be fine, Ashido. Please, focus on assisting your coursemates." Mina gave the Hero a nod but not before helping the injured Hero and setting her out of the way of their struggle.
Aoyama kept up his barrage of lasers, doing his best to give Sato enough time to open the door. Kurogiri grew annoyed at the blonde's efforts and sought to remove him from the equation. He generated another warp portal, allowing the latest laser to disappear in the dark mist. He was shocked when a purple, flowery humanoid defended the knightly Hero student, blocking the laser with its large, petal-like arms.
"Perhaps, you should know when your own confidence is misplaced." Ayano's voice carried a cold tone as she spoke. She held out a hand and Iris dashed ahead of her, forcing Kurogiri on the back foot as he was forced to dodge the Sentient Quirk's graceful strikes.
As Kurogiri could only react as the tables turned on him, he heard the sound of the entrance doors being forced open, the heavy metal scraping against the threshold. He turned his head, eyes wide, as he saw Sato creating an escape route. He was surprised once more when a blue blur shot past him, heading towards said door.
"I will not fail you all!" Iida yelled as he charged at the door. His feet skidded against the tiled floor, his engines roaring as the bluenette shot past the Villain like a bullet.
"NO!" The misty Villain cried out in anger. "You will not ESCAPE!"
Iida could only watch as a portal emerged in front of him. He was unable to move out of the way, the effect of Ochaco's Quirk carrying his forward momentum all too well, preventing him from adjusting his trajectory without risking going out of control. He tightly shut his eyes in frustration, his teeth grinding together as his jaw clenched. As time seemed to slow down for the bluenette, the sound of electricity being carried through wires followed by Kurogiri's cries broke him out of his stupor. The portal disappeared immediately and Iida's determination to save his friends and coursemates returned.
"HURRY IIDA!" Momo held down the trigger of her stun gun, the hooks connecting to the metal of Kurogiri's brace. The electricity quickly drew itself to the metal, causing the Villain to cry out further as his misty body was subjected to shock after shock.
"Please hold on until I return! I will bring back reinforcements!" Iida called out, giving his coursemates and instructors one last look over his shoulder. He saw Ochaco bring her hands together, the tips of her fingers connecting as the hold of her Quirk was released. As the bluenette felt the return of gravity's hold on him, he engaged his Quirk, his engines coming to life and boosting him as he raced through the doors and down the road toward the main campus without missing a beat.
The misty Villain watched as Iida escaped the building, understanding that Shigaraki's plans were now in danger of failing because of his inability to contain the Hero students. He gave into his rage, his misty body covering his brace and forcing the stun gun's hooks to disconnect. He turned around and faced the ravenette who still held the electrical device in her hands.
"As much as I hate the blood of others within my gates, I SHALL MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR YOURS!" The misty Villain motioned to create another portal. Momo stood ready, expecting a portal to appear near her. She failed to realize that the portal would appear under her feet.
Momo's body stilled, unable to react as the realization hit her. Her body sank into the portal, the dark mist enveloping her. She could hear Kurogiri laugh at her situation as the world seemed to drown out everything else around her. The ravenette heiress' mind ran wild as it tried to make sense of her imminent demise.
Before her knees fell into the misty warp gate, Momo felt her body being pulled up. She saw a large, petal-like arm wrap around her waist, a relieved smile forming on her face as Iris yanked her free and towards Ayano as she narrowly avoided the portal closing around her.
"Thank you, Ms. Kamachi." The dark-haired woman gave her a small smile and a nod. Momo brought a hand to her chest as she tried to calm down her erratic breathing.
Kurogiri growled, his rage becoming more and more apparent. He went to form another warp gate when he felt the force of another laser striking his brace, knocking the mist away that hid it. He was given no time to react when he saw Mina skate towards him with her acid, flinging a wave of the viscous liquid at him. He heard the metal begin to sizzle as the acid ate away at the only physical part of his body. His panic gave way to rage as he focused on the defiant Hero students.
"NO! YOU IMPUTA-"
Amid his rage, he failed to see Ochaco sneak up on him. The auburnette simply touched his metal brace, avoiding the melted and burned parts as she applied her Quirk.
Kurogiri began to lift up into the air, his confusion apparent. "What is happening!?"
"Time to send you packin'!" Ochaco called out. She held her arm out and launched her new grapple hooks at the misty Villain. The hooks pierced the metal brace, causing the Villain to grunt in pain at the action. The auburnette smiled as she began to spin on her heels, being careful about her footing as she slung the Villain around in a circle.
Kurogiri began to feel sick as the speed and rotations affected his body. The disorientation caused him to be unable to focus on creating a portal to free himself. He felt relief as, for a brief moment, the spinning had stopped.
Only to fear the aftermath as he was launched away from the entrance by the auburnette. The last thing he heard was the young woman taunting him as his body shot out like a bullet from a gun. "Have a nice flight!"
"Nice one, Ochaco!" Mina excitedly cried out. Ochaco gave the pinkette a beaming smile and a thumbs-up. The two watched as the misty form of Kurogiri disappeared into the distance, clear to the other side of the USJ.
The group of Hero students, Ayano, and the injured Thirteen regrouped, redirecting their attention to the plaza below them. They watched as Aizawa continued to make short work of most of the Villains around him. Their course instructor never missed a step as he thoroughly took down anyone who challenged him.
Mina gave out an impressed whistle, "Dang. Remind me to keep up with my assignments for Aizawa. I don't want to actually get on his bad side now."
Their attention was drawn to the gathering group of Villains at the bottom of the stairs. Their worries increased as the group of Villains took note of the Hero students, and at the commanding gesture of their leader, charged up the stairs ready to attack the group of students.
The group grew nervous at the idea of now having to face multiple Villains.
Momo watched apprehensively. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as fear built up within her. No matter what her mind planned, she immediately shut it down, deeming it a futile effort before she could even muster up the courage to act.
'It's no use'
The ravenette clenched her onyx-colored eyes shut, unwilling to watch the oncoming demise close in on her and her coursemates.
'I'm sorry I failed you all!'
The Villains reached the foot of the stairs and began their ascent. Momo's heart began to beat faster as she could hear the horde rushing at them.
'What can I even do?'
As her mind felt the crushing pressure of negativity, a glimmer of hope made itself known, a simple message resonating within her heart, fighting back against her fears.
So until you believe in yourself, I will believe in you.
'Izuku...' Momo's mind started to calm down, her hands becoming stable as she repeated his words over and over in her mind. Each repetition grew louder and louder as she did. The ravenette brought a hand to her chest, placing it over her heart as a faint smile grew on her lips. She took a deep breath and said a quote in her mind, trying to muster up any courage she had to face the threat ahead of her by focusing on certain lines from the Litany.
'I must not fear.'
"Guys? What do we do now!" Mina cried out.
Momo released her held breath, continuing the litany from that old novel. 'Fear is the mind-killer.' At that line, her troubled mind found a level of ease, allowing the ravenette to think clearly.
The Villains neared the middle landing of the large stairway, Momo kept her focus on the Litany, skipping the next line in the verse and focusing on the one after. 'I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me.' She unconsciously stepped forward, garnering the attention of those around her.
"Yaoyorozu, step back!"
"Yaomomo what are you doing!?"
Momo ignored their concerned cries, moving to the final line of the Litany as she already formulated an impromptu plan. 'Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.'
The charging Villains could be heard, claiming victory before the fight began. Momo didn't let their words get to her. The bright and prismatic glow of her creation emerged from the sides of her thighs as she finished the Litany. 'Only I will remain.'
Momo grabbed her two creations, pulled the pins as she did so, and tossed them at the encroaching Villains. "Everyone, close your eyes and cover your ears!" She commanded.
The group did so, not really wanting to argue with the heiress. The Villains weren't as lucky. As soon as the grenades bounced off the stairs and in front of them, they were blinded by a bright flash, the following bang causing a loud ringing in their ears for those too close to the blast.
Momo didn't hesitate as she created another set of grenades and released them not too far from their position. The grenades went off, with smoke erupting from the canisters and hiding the group in a small fog of war. The onyx-eyed ravenette turned to the group and issued orders, "Mina! Start using your Quirk on the gaps between the tiles while Sato removes them from their place. Once you two are done, create a trench along here," Mina and Sato followed along as Momo gestured to the area in between the gate's posts, "and place the tiles in the trench."
As Mina and Sato began to follow their orders, she started to create something else, calling out to the auburnette in their group, "Ochaco, take these and apply some first aid to Thirteen. Clean her wounds and bandage them up." Ochaco took the first aid supplies with a nod and made her way over to the injured Hero.
It was pandemonium among the Villains. As soon as they could recover, they were met by more flashbangs causing them to be disoriented further. With their senses in disarray, they never saw the barrage of lasers being blind-fired at their position. Some were unlucky enough to stumble into their comrades while others suffered from the beams striking them when they didn't expect it.
They felt relieved when there was a sudden lull in their predicament. Some released sighs of relief while others rubbed their eyes in a vain attempt to recover their sight.
"That fucking bitch! I'm still seeing spots!" One cried out in anger.
"She's the first to die when we get up there!" Another yelled.
The group of Villains recovered, their eyes and ears no longer giving them issues, only to be met by a wall of smoke inhibiting them from seeing their targets.
"The fuck is going on?"
"When did that smoke get there?"
"It doesn't matter, we're going to get up the rest of these stairs and kill those wannabe Heroes!" At those words, the smoke dissipated. The bravado the Villains had gave way to confusion followed immediately by concern as the Villain that just spoke was knocked down by a bean bag. The group of Villains returned their attention to the top of the stairs.
Standing in the middle of makeshift crenelations was Momo, an emptied launcher in her hands. Aoyama stood behind the small wall, peeking out from the corner as he readied himself for the assault. Sato was holding a softball-sized piece of rubble, while Ochaco was next to a pile of ammunition for the tall brunette in yellow. Ayano crossed her arms as Iris floated behind her, the dark-haired woman's eyes narrowing as she stared coldly at the Villains, sending shivers down their spines.
"By all means." Momo loaded another shell into her launcher as she never took her eyes off of the attacking Villains, standing tall and without fear. "Do your worst."
- MOUNTAIN ZONE -
"That misty asshole fucked us over!"
Izuku rushed past the Villain, using Blink to bypass him entirely to focus on the Villains behind him. Several Villains fell to a green blade of energy as he fought them with ease. Those who thought they could surprise the Hero student soon found themselves under fire as the verdette they surrounded was suddenly in the air with another application of Blink and releasing a barrage of energy blasts.
"These guys are monsters!"
Explosions rang throughout the artificial mountain area. Bakugo smirked as the Villains near him began to reconsider trying to attack him. He didn't give them time to do so. Anyone unlucky enough to be near the ash-blonde bomber fell victim to his onslaught. Blast after blast could be heard as the heat and shockwaves of Bakugo's explosions bombarded the unprepared Villains.
It had been only minutes and numerous bodies of unconscious Villains littered the rocky terrain, sporting either a series of soot and burns, or torn and shredded clothes barely covering heavily bruised bodies.
"It's just two college brats! Grow a pair and kill them, you idiots!" Yelled out a Villain with a Mutation Quirk that turned his body into a golem as he rushed at the pair of Hero students. He pulled back an arm and slammed it into the ground at a surprising speed, forcing Izuku and Bakugo to jump out of the way. He kept on Izuku's tail, forcing the verdette to dodge his heavy-handed strikes that shattered the ground.
Izuku saw Bakugo blast his way to him and the Villain, intent on getting in a hit of his own. Izuku waited for the Villain to follow through with his next punch. When the Villain reeled back, Izuku lunged his arm out, holding his pointer and middle finger to the Villain's chest, energy building up at his fingertips.
"Force Bullet!" With a yell, Izuku shot an energy blast, the attack piercing the Villain's body and launching out through his back, leaving only cracks on his rocky skin. The Villain felt the force of the shot throughout its path, knocking the wind out of him as if a cannonball tore through him. He felt a hand on his back where the bullet left his body, an aggravated voice catching his attention.
"Eat shit, asshole!" While the Villain couldn't feel the heat of the explosion, the force applied to it knocked him off his feet, the shockwave making his internal organs shake as he flew past a ducking Izuku and onto the ground. He could only groan out in pain, succumbing to his injuries and passing out on the spot.
The remaining Villains watched as one of their last heavy hitters was taken out with little effort. They hesitated as Izuku and Bakugo readied themselves to continue the fight. A fight the Villains no longer felt they could win.
Taking a moment to gather themselves, Izuku spoke up to Bakugo. "Just a few left."
He heard Bakugo scoff. "Like they even stood a chance." The ash-blonde said it loud enough, causing the remaining Villains to bite at the insult.
"What was that!?"
"You haven't won yet, punk!"
"Bum rush those shits!"
Izuku let out an annoyed huff knowing that Bakugo was smirking at the fact the Villains took the bait so easily.
The remaining horde Villains rushed the two Hero students in a blind rage. They divided themselves evenly, sending three Villains each to face off against the two. Izuku dodged a Villain that used their Quirk to turn their arms into blades, with only a small section of his coat suffering damage. As another charged at him from behind, he used Blink to teleport behind the Villain in a surprise maneuver. The verdette used Buster Shot, thrusting out his palm, and lashed out with a forceful hit.
Izuku let out a howl, "Spread Shot!" With only mere inches between him and the Villain, the resulting energy blast knocked the Villain off his feet, launching him into the Blade Villain. Before Izuku had a chance to breathe, the last Villain in his group attacked the verdette, using his Quirk to pelt Izuku with a series of thick quills that punctured the ground.
Izuku reacted quickly, using Resolute to protect himself while the Villain kept up the pressure of his assault. The verdette grimaced, taking a quick glance at his HUD and tracking the use of Resolute. Before the Psych could be fully drained, Izuku used Blink and vanished from the Villain's line of sight.
"Not gonna get me with that, asshole!" The Villain remarked. He forced the quills on his body to stick out in order to provide some protection. He smirked as he turned around, expecting to see the verdette behind him, only to see the sight of Bakugo dealing with the last few Villains. He scanned the area in confusion. "The fuck did he go?"
The Villain never considered the idea that Izuku would come from above. His last conscious thought was over the sudden pain he felt across his body as if a blade had cut him in half from head to toe. He crumpled, falling to his knees, and saw Izuku behind him, one knee on the ground with dust kicking up from his landing as an energy blade dissipated from his hands.
Izuku sighed in relief as the sounds of explosions died down next to him. He raised his head and saw Bakugo standing over his group of Villains. He couldn't see the ash-blonde's face, but he knew he was either scowling or smirking depending on how the fight was.
"This was a waste of fucking time," Bakugo growled out in frustration.
'Scowling it is then.' Izuku glumly thought. That meant he would have to deal with the bomber's attitude. The verdette stood up, scanning the area in case there were Villains the pair of students had missed. He was about to do a double-check with Orbit when Bakugo strode over to him.
"Oi! Deku!" Izuku stopped him before the ash-blonde could speak. He felt Orbit tug at a body burrowed in the ground making its way over to the pair. He was about to warn Bakugo when the angry bomber voiced his displeasure at being ignored.
"DEKU! Stop fucking ignoring me damnit!" He stomped over to Izuku, anger apparent on his face. Izuku merely had an eyebrow twitch at the sudden turn.
"Bakugo! We don't have time for our usual back and forth. We need to focus on getting back to our coursemates." Izuku stated, trying to calm both him and the ash-blonde down.
Bakugo clicked his tongue. "What? You don't have faith in those extras of yours?"
Izuku took a long, deep breath at those words. "I have faith in my friends. I know they'll be fine but I'm still worried. They took the effort to split us up but there's still something else going on." Izuku gestured to the ground behind Bakugo, doing his best to hint that a Villain was still waiting to ambush them. "And we need to find out what that is."
Bakugo got the hint and gave the verdette a begrudging nod. The ash-blonde stood there, remembering All Might's words from last week, trying to heed them as best as he could, even if he didn't want to. "Fine. Guess we need to save those extras then."
The two started to make their way out of the zone, doing their best to make a show of it in order to bait the Villain out of his spot. The Villain took the bait and emerged from the ground, cackling as he did.
His laughter died down when Bakugo spun around quickly, holding the Villain's head In a vice-like grip, and stared at him with his rage-filled red eyes. The Villain attempted to free himself, only to feel the heat build-up where the ash-blonde constrained him. The villain folded quickly as he lost the fight before it even began.
"So, you thought you could sneak up on me, dumbass?" Bakugo questioned the Villain with a sneer. He held up his free hand, popping off several small explosions and causing the Villain to tremble in place.
Izuku walked up to the two. "Look, you know you're in a bad spot. You must have come here with a plan. We want you to tell us what that is." Izuku spoke in a calm tone, doing his best to convince the Villain to tell them something about this attack. "Just remember, you're not in the hands of the good cop here."
The Villain didn't need any more convincing when Bakugo gave him a fear-inducing grin.
- FLOODED ZONE -
"Did you happen to see how many are in there?"
"Kero Can't say for sure. I think more than twenty, at least."
"I'm gonna die..."
Sero, Tsuyu, and Kaminari were stranded in the middle of the man-made lake in the Flooded Zone. Surrounded by a multitude of water-based Villains, the three Hero students hid away on the boat that floated idly in the waters.
Sero clicked his tongue in frustration, "This really sucks, ya know?" He didn't take his eyes off the water. His worries only grew as more and more Villains joined the group in the water. "Guess it's ironic. We come here for rescue training, only to need rescue ourselves..."
Tsuyu croaked glumly at his words. She wanted to find fault in them, but it was an apt description of their current situation. "If it were just me it would be fine kero. This is pretty much my element kero kero." The frog girl tensed as she saw the Shark Villain she managed to kick when saving Kaminari. He gave her a predatory grin, showcasing the rows and rows of teeth within his mouth.
Kaminari seemed to be stuck in thought while Sero and Tsuyu continued to discuss their situation. "I don't doubt you Tsu, but even with this being a water area, I don't think you could pull off a win here."
Tsuyu noticed that the Villains were starting to get restless. They began to pace back and forth in the water as their impatience grew. She frowned, "Kero I don't think we can just wait here though." She looked up, focusing on the plaza just out of reach. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a black and purple blur being launched from the entrance.
'Kero Focus on that later kero kero.' She gave the plaza one more look and spoke up. "I can probably make the jump and swim for the plaza kero. If I carried Kaminari it would be harder but still doable."
Sero nodded. "But you can't make a return trip." His words were heavy as he spoke. It wasn't a pleasant thought, to be left behind in this mess. He just couldn't see a better outcome.
"GUYS!" Sero and Tsuyu turned to face Kaminari, confusion apparent on their faces. "WE'RE GONNA LIVE!"
Sero was still confused. He looked to Tsuyu to see if she understood the blonde, only to see her come to a realization.
"They sent you here kero!" Tsuyu said, hope swelling in her chest.
Sero looked back and forth between the two when he finally understood what they did. "Oh shit! We're gonna live!"
"Kero Do you think you can pull it off?" Tsuyu asked the blonde.
Kaminari gave her an unsure look. "Maybe... Here's hoping that my temporary breaker holds up." He gave the pair a shaky chuckle. "You know, Midoriya did say that stress testing things on the spot was the worst... Now I know what he meant."
Sero gave him a pat on the shoulder, breaking the blonde from any unwanted thoughts. "Hey, you got this. We got your back, just in case." Tsuyu nodded at Sero's words, helping reassure Kaminari who gave them a renewed and appreciative smile.
"Kero kero Then we better plan. I can take Sero up in the air with a jump to keep us safe, but there's the problem of leaving you down there with no way back up in case something happens kero." Tsuyu explained part of their newly formed plan.
Sero snapped his fingers. "My tape should do it. I just need to make enough length of some super strong strips. It will leave me pretty drained but it's better than nothing."
Kaminari decided to help break the remaining tension with a joke, "Well... Ready to go fishing?"
Down in the water, the aquatic Villains were beginning to get impatient. Some were chomping at the bits, more than ready to take a bite out of the Hero students sent their way. Some started to get vocal about it.
"Come on in brats! Trust us, the water's great!"
"You can't stay up there forever!"
The Shark Villain that Tsuyu had kicked swam closer to the boat, straining his voice to make sure everyone heard him. "Just give up! Maybe, just maybe, we'll make it quick." He ran his tongue over his sharp teeth. "Besides, I always wanted to know why those French bastards liked to eat frog legs, and I ain't gonna miss this chance."
The trio of Hero students still didn't show themselves. The Villains grew even more irritated at being ignored.
"Fine!" One of them said, "If they think they're safe up there, then we just need to bring them down to us." The Villain turned to address the group. "Come on! Let's sink this boat!"
The Villains cheered at his words and made their way to the boat. They stopped when they saw a head of blonde hair appear just over the side railings.
"Hey! Quick question. Are you guys absolutely sure you want me down there with you?" Kaminari asked cheekily.
"Just give it up shithead! You and your friends are surrounded so you might as well make it easy for us."
Kaminari climbed up over the railing, still intent on teasing the Villains even more. "Are you really, really sure you want this?"
"For fuck sake, just rock the boat and tip the cocky bastard over!"
"Okay! Just remember, you asked for it!" Kaminari called out. He stood up as best he could, making sure not to slip off. He heard Tsuyu jump into the air with Sero as he went in the opposite direction.
The Villains were confused. And that confusion was instantly replaced by fear when they saw electricity dance around his body as it traveled to his hands. They panicked, climbing over each other as they recognized the danger they were in.
"LIKE FISH IN A BARREL!"
Kaminari didn't need to emit a large voltage of electricity as his body hit the water. The Villains were close enough that he didn't have to worry about short-circuiting his brain. He was still worried, but not as much now. As he hit the water, electricity flowed around him as it expanded through the crystal-blue water, the man-made lake conducting his Quirk.
The water-based Villains couldn't hope to get away. Each body was just another link in the electric chain as they were zapped and shocked, their unconscious forms floating up to the water's surface as Kaminari had taken them all down. The blonde was groggy, the temporary breaker did its job for the most part but failed to stop the Quirk recoil. While he was immune to large amounts of electricity, being surrounded by water and shocking everything around him seemed to be a bit too much for him to handle.
The blonde reached for the tape wrapped around his ankle, thankful that Sero's tape still held on to him during his fall and splash down. He pulled himself to the boat and rested up from his stunt until he felt a tug. He was pulled from the water, Sero and Tsuyu reeling him in and back up to the boat's deck.
Kaminari unceremoniously fell to the deck as Sero and Tsuyu checked the Villains. Sero couldn't help but whistle at Kaminari's work. "Man. Got quite a haul with this one."
Tsuyu nodded dumbly, though seeing the Shark Villain twitch a little made her hold back a fit of croaking laughter.
Kaminiari finally pulled himself up and joined the other two in their observation. He turned to face them and spoke, "So what now?"
Tsuyu brought a finger to her chin as she returned her attention to the plaza shoreline. The long-haired verdette gave him an answer, "We need to leave kero." She looked to the entrance and saw the ensuing battle happening on the stairway, though she couldn't see if it was in the favor of her coursemates or the Villains.
'One step at a time kero kero.'
- LANDSLIDE ZONE -
Shinso was hiding in the treeline, spotting the last group of Villains he was searching for. The indigoette winced, the mental strain of his control taking its toll on him. He had controlled several Villains, still controlling most of them to keep the plan running smoothly. He took a deep breath to calm down, looking back at the Villains to try and pick out the one he could get control of the easiest.
So far, his and Kyoka's plan was working. At least the first half. He had been darting around the area, controlling one or two Villains in a group and directing them and their allies to where the next half would be. Kyoka was waiting for him to finish, and he needed to end things quickly.
'Now or never.' Shinso thought to himself.
He took out a decent-sized rock he would use as a distraction. The indigoette poked his head out from behind the tree and lined up his shot. He tossed the rock up onto the hill, making sure to knock it against the largest object so it would make enough noise to draw the attention of the Villains.
The rock clattered against an overturned building, drawing the attention of the Villains.
"You hear that?"
"Sounded like it was from up there."
"Well? Go check it out?"
Two Villains moved up the hill, leaving the supposed leader behind. Shinso smirked. 'So far. So good.'
The tired Hero student moved up stealthily, being extra careful to mind his steps so he wouldn't alert the Villain. Shinso sneaked up behind the Villain, waiting for the other two Villains to be far away enough before he played his part.
"Hey, WOrD fRom the BoSS."
The Villain grumbled. "Oh, so that shaggy-haired bastard actually wants to give us more instruction other than, 'trash some mobs'. Fucking assh-" The Villain's eyes dulled as Shinso took control.
The indigoette winced again, the strain hitting him harder than last time. He slightly panicked, worried that he might have lost his control. Shinso sighed in relief when the Villain continued to stand still, waiting for his command.
Shinso spoke in a clear and authoritative tone, "Get your guys and meet back up with the others up the hill near the tower."
The Villain didn't respond, simply moving to his comrades and giving them their new orders. While he moved and spoke rather robotically, the other two didn't pay it any mind and followed him. Shinso watched from his spot, making sure they didn't double back.
When he was alone, Shinso followed after them, ready for the final step in the plan. He just hoped Kyoka could pull it off.
Further up the hill, Kyoka was lying low to the side of a knocked-over building, doing her best to keep hidden as the last few Villains arrived. She watched as most of them were confused, wondering why they were there but they didn't question it further, much to her relief. She counted around ten of them all together.
That made things more manageable.
The punkette peaked over the edge of the building, scanning the area for any signs of Shinso. She spotted a mop of indigo hair on top of a building on the other side of the Villains. She gave him a thumbs up and slid down the building. As Kyoka hit the ground, she moved to the tower and dug her feet into the loose earth.
"Okay, Kyoka. You can do this. Just needs to be a loud enough sound blast." Despite trying to hype herself up, she was a mess on the inside. "Come on! You got this!"
She slowly extended her jacks into her boots as every second seemed to slow down as she did so. She tightly shut her eyes and forced her jacks into her boots. She let her anxiety work for her, speeding up her heart as the beats vibrated the loose ground.
It wasn't enough though. Kyoka sped up her breathing, thinking about anything that would increase her heart rate. She could feel her heart reverberate throughout her body, the volume getting to her as it shook her bones. The speakers of her boots began to boom, shaking the very earth below her.
The Villains looked around them at the growing noise. Some noticed the ground shake underneath their feet. That shaking soon transformed into a deep rumbling.
"Hey, hey! What's going on!?"
The ground began to move out from under them, causing several to slip and fall. The ones that were controlled by Shinso felt the haze over their minds lift just in time to see a wave of earth bearing down on them.
"Shit! Get outta here!"
"What the hell caused this!?"
The Villains tried to escape but were too late to do so as the earth washed over them all, trapping them in the fallen ground. It was over in an instant. Some were knocked out, others were unlucky to be aware enough to deal with the constant pain across their bodies.
Kyoka stumbled past them, making her way to Shinso. The indigoette caught her in his arms and held her up, moving an arm around his shoulders, letting the punkette catch her breath and calm down her beating heart. After a few shaky breaths, Kyoka managed to speak, albeit with several gasps in between most of her words, "I can't believe that worked."
"Same," Shinso replied. He honestly couldn't believe it either, but he wasn't going to say anything against it. A working plan is a working plan after all. "We need to keep moving though. I don't want to be here when they dig themselves out."
"Same." Kyoka mimicked the indigoette. The two slowly made their way down the hill, avoiding any loose earth they came across during their trek.
Kyoka raised her head and looked over to the Mountain Zone. Shinso shot her a questioning look, waiting for the punkette to speak up.
"I don't hear any more explosions from the Mountain Zone. Guess Sparky finished up."
- FIRE ZONE -
The sounds of battle were muted by the roaring fires of the burning cityscape. The Villains kept up their assault in the sweltering heat despite the uncomfortability of the environment around them. For the dueling duo of Kirishima and Shoji, such discomforts had to be ignored at the moment. The two worked in tandem, dealing damage to the bloodthirsty Villains who were hell-bent on taking their lives.
It was no matter just a passing fancy for them. It was a matter of pride.
A Villainess with a minor flame generation Quirk appeared behind Shoji, raising her arms as fire pooled at her fingertips.
"Take this Hero!" She launched the flames at the six-armed Hero student. Shoji was too busy facing another Villain to notice the oncoming attack. The Villainess had a smirk on her face, expecting to see the charred corpse of Shoji in the next few seconds.
Her hopes were dashed when the rocky redhead jumped to his coursemate's aid, crossing his arms as he stood in front of the fiery blast. He ignored the building heat as it engulfed his body, keeping his mind on maintaining his Quirk in order to protect Shoji.
"Like I would let you hurt my friend!" Kirishima openly challenged the Villain.
Kirishima had failed to notice his skin hardening further in the heat of the moment. The fire dissipated, revealing his undamaged, hardened skin. The only signs the manly redhead had tanked a blast of fire were some soot and charred edges on his clothes.
He gave the Villainess a toothy grin. Kirishima took up a boxing stance, bouncing on his heels and toes as he focused on the now trembling Villainess. She was about to turn tail before he was knocked out by an unseen sucker punch.
Kirishima's smile widened, giving the spot behind the downed Villainess a thumbs up before focusing on the next villain to fight.
Toru chuckled at his antics, taking a second to catch her breath. She was doing her best not to heave as the heat was getting to her. The invisible girl had to focus. Kirishima and Shoji were fighting their hardest in order to survive, and she would do all she could to help them.
Toru looked at Shoji as he dealt with a rather large Villain who was charging the six-armed young man. Shoji grunted as he caught a heavy-handed punch sent to his head. The masked Hero Student pushed back against the Villain, surprising the attacker who had to dig his heels into the ground to stop himself.
The Villain threw another punch, only to be caught again by Shoji. The Villain grit his teeth in anger, doing everything he can to free himself from the masked young man's hold. He blinked in surprise when Shoji suddenly pushed him back, causing him to almost lose his footing.
He felt three fists connect with his chin before finding himself being lifted off the ground. Shoji had slammed a triple punch into the Villain, sending him flying by the sudden force behind the silver-haired trainee's attack.
Shoji had to clench and unclench his fists several times to try and get feeling back into them. He heard the sound of a Villain who began to charge at him.
"Take this you fucker!"
Before the Villain even got within a meter of Shoji, he was tripped, face-planting into the ground and sliding the rest of the way. The Villain groaned in pain before feeling a foot kick into the side of his face, knocking him out.
Shoji looked over to the side of the Villain that got kicked and spoke up, "My thanks, Hagakure."
"No problem Shoji!"
The three Heroes in training continued their efforts. As the fighting continued, the Villains were beginning to believe that someone among them must have angered a spirit of some kind as many continued to drop despite not going near the two Hero students in the middle of the Fire Zone.
- WINDSTORM ZONE -
Koda looked at the scene before him, amazed at the power Todoroki had possessed. Within seconds of the Villains' arrival, the bicolor-haired young man had entombed them in a wall of ice. No one, save the timid Hero student and his current partner, were spared.
Though Koda was trembling at both the power of Todoroki, and the chill that was enhanced by the rain, wind, and ice in the zone.
Todoroki ignored the Anivoice user. The shy trainee was fine, and that's all he cared about. For now, he had to focus on the Villains in front of him. He neared the closest one, the one who mocked the two when they first warped here. He saw the shock and fear apparent on the villain's face and moved to capitalize on it.
"I'm sure you noticed how much colder it is now. Add the fact that you and your comrades have been waiting for us, meant that all of you were rather soaked. Now add my ice to that equation, and you will be suffering the effects of hypothermia much quicker than if we were elsewhere." The Villain's eyes widened at the realization of Todoroki's words. The Ice user ignored him and continued to speak, "I can free you and make sure if anything, you lose a toe or two at most. But you will have to tell me what you and your allies thought they could accomplish by attacking us."
Todoroki narrowed his eyes and the Villain swore that the area dropped another thirty degrees. "I would prefer you talk. I came to this school to be a Hero, and I would rather not add a body count to my name. I don't want to be like my father."
The Villain didn't waste a second. "Alrightalrightalright! I'll talk! Just don't let me freeze to death!"
- RUINED ZONE -
Shoka looked at the large man in front of her and Tokoyami. He was rather nonchalant about being surrounded by the unconscious forms of the Villains littering the ruined cityscape. She swallowed the lump in her throat, finding the courage to finally speak up.
"What are you doing here Susukichi?" Her body tensed as Susukichi stood up and strode over to the pair of trainees.
"Wanted to check up on an old friend! Why?" He gave the slender ravenette a friendly smile. "Not happy to see me?"
Shoka narrowed her eyes. "Big Su, if this were any other time, I would honestly say yes to that." She shook her head as she continued, "But now isn't the best time, as you obviously know."
Tokoyami added himself into the conversation. The raven-headed young man gestured to the Villains on the ground as he spoke, "Not only that, what madness have you wrought? These are your comrades, no?"
"Yeah! The heck is goin' on?" Dark Shadow added.
Susukichi squinted, confusion evident on his face as he tried to make sense of the raven-headed trainee's words. He brought a hand up, extended his pinky out, and dug it into his ear, making a mock gesture of cleaning it. "Uhhhh, what?"
Shoka huffed. "He means, what happened to your group?"
Susukichi opened his mouth in understanding, "Ooooooooh, these disks? They would have gotten in the way. I ain't really on their side of the board if you get me, Shoka."
"Then why are you here Su?" Shoka reiterated.
"Whoa, whoa. Hold back on the claws, Black Cat. I came here to keep you safe." Susukichi explained.
Shoka, Tokoyami, and Dark Shadow shared a look with each other. They refocused on the large, muscular man when Shoka spoke up, "Okay then. Let us through. You did what you said you would." She was about to walk past Susukichi before he held an arm out.
"Nah. You're staying here." He said, with no room for argument.
Shoka didn't take too kindly to that. "Big Su, my friends are out there, no doubt fighting to stay alive. Ayano's out there! My boyfriend and girlfriend are out there, and knowing Izuku, he's going to put himself into the worst part of it to make sure everyone else is safe." She narrowed her eyes at her old crewmate, not noticing Dark Shadow nodding its head at her statement. "I'm not going to let him face it alone!"
"Shoka, you have no idea what you're up against. I said I came here to keep you safe, and I mean to do that. Call it one last favor from the crew." Susukichi explained in frustration.
"Pray tell, what is out there that warrants this extreme action?" Tokoyami asked.
Susukichi looked at the raven-headed student. "Something that breaks the board." He answered.
While Tokoyami and Dark Shadow were confused by that statement, Shoka was taken aback. "W-What? Big Su, what do you mean?"
"That handjob bastard, the guy in charge. He brought something with him." Suskichi shook his head as he remembered the demonstration that Shigaraki gave the group of Villains he rounded up. "It isn't something you can make a move against. It's outta your league Shoka. The disk's strategy is to flip the damn board and use it beat the other player into submission."
Shoka listened intently to his words. She knew he wouldn't lie to her, despite her disappearance a year ago, but she couldn't ignore the implication that this attack now has a complication.
"Susukichi, I get you're looking out for me. But if things are really that bad, I can't just stay back here and expect things to go our way." She gave the large man a pleading look. "Please, I need to go and help them."
"Sorry Shoka. I came here to do one thing." The big man began to roll his shoulders releasing the stiffness he had been feeling since after he knocked out the Villains around him. He popped his neck as he narrowed his eyes at the gray-eyed ravenette. "And if that means you're gonna hate me for it, then get ready for some tough love"
He hunched over slightly, causing Shoka and Tokoyami to prepare themselves for an impending fight. "Besides. If you haven't noticed," He opened his arms wide, turning his body as he looked around at the unconscious bodies around them, giving the trio a sharp grin, "I'm on a winning streak."
Shoka's eyes widened, her irises shrinking at what he said. She shook her head, dispelling any negative thoughts he had at that moment. Shoka began to transform, her Quirk activated as the color drained from her skin, the dark armor forming itself around her appendages. She brought up a clawed hand and flexed it, showcasing each of her sharp, white claws. "Doesn't matter. I play to win, Big Su."
"Don't believe that I will just sit out while you battle this darkness. We will face him together, and then go and help our friends." Tokoyami stated.
"Three on one. How do you like those odds, Susy K?" Dark Shadow mocked the larger man.
Susukichi gave the three a predatory grin. "Doesn't matter. Go ahead and start the board with a handicap. You disks will need it."
Susukichi charged the trio with a surprising burst of speed, nearly barreling through them had they not dodged in time. His body crashed through a pile of rubble, sending large bits flying into the air as he skidded to a stop.
"Tokoyami, his Quirk gives him a boost in his physical capabilities based on how many wins he has in a row. Doesn't matter the game, whatever works, works." Shoka quickly explained.
Tokoyami's eyes widened in surprise at that new information. "So, his words earlier about his win streak?"
"Means he is at his max." She elaborated in frustration.
"Well... Shit." Dark Shadow simply stated.
The trio broke away as Susukichi leaped into the air at them, his fists slamming into the ground and creating a shockwave that blasted away small chunks of rubble and ground that was around him. The capped man pulled his hands free of the concrete, forming larger spider cracks as he stood up.
Shoka didn't let him have a moment of rest, taking her chance to rush at her old friend. She swiped a claw at him, barely grazing his skin and tearing his black shirt as he dodged. He grunted in annoyance when he felt a chunk of rubble slam into his back, courtesy of Dark Shadow and Tokoyami.
Susukichi shook his body, the dust falling from his body as he charged at the pair. "Gonna need to do more than that to get me to flip!" He yelled out. He lashed out at Dark Shadow, the force of his punch knocking the Sentient Quirk back as it squawked in pain. He threw out another punch, the shadowy bird dodging in the nick of time.
Tokoyami moved, making sure he and Dark Shadow were close enough to help each other and not give Susukichi an easy target. The raven-headed Hero student was pushed to his limits as Susukichi's speed and strength were amplified greatly. He was soon pushed into a corner, his back against one of the buildings as Susukichi charged him once more.
"Take this, birdbrain!" Tokoyami watched as his body was rooted to the ground. He was saved at the last moment by Shoka, who slammed a fist into Susukichi's side, causing the giant to grunt in pain at the surprise attack on his kidney. Susukichi simply grabbed the slender ravenette and tossed her aside, being careful as he did so.
"Hey, Susy K! Take this, meathead!" Susukichi spun around in time to see Dark Shadow slam a larger piece of concrete into his body. He was given no time to recover when Tokoyami jumped into the air to slam a smaller piece into the side of his head. Susukichi grunted in anger at the attack and blindly swung his arms.
Tokoyami had the wind knocked out of him, his body folding around the muscular arm that slammed into his gut. He was sent flying back, his body rolling across the ground, pulling Dark Shadow with him.
"FUMI!" The Sentient Quirk cried out in concern.
Susukichi rubbed the side of his head. He smiled at the tenacity of the raven-headed college student. The big man felt that. He took a second to refocus on the matter at hand. He heard something behind him, turning around quickly in time to see Shoka running at him. Susukichi held his arms open, waiting for the ravenette to close the distance. As soon as she was in range, he lunged at her, attempting to catch her in a hold.
Shoka dodged the lunge, sliding in between his legs, and used the rubble behind Susukichi as a springboard. Susukichi turned around and saw the gray-eyed ravenette in the air, her slender leg lifted up high before she slammed it down on his head with an axe kick. Susukichi felt his brain rattle at the hit as he gritted his teeth.
He threw a haymaker, one that Shoka easily dodged as Susukichi's body flew past her. Tokoyami had recovered and rejoined her side with Dark Shadow trailing in behind him, the Sentient Quirk kept its eyes on their opponent.
"Sakurane, I feel as though this is a futile effort." Tokoyami stated grimly.
Shoka couldn't help but agree. She had never fought Susukichi before, but even she knew never to cross him. "I know. But I don't know what else to do." She clenched her fists as her mind was filled with frustrating and negative thoughts. She released a heavy sigh and spoke up. "Tokoyami. I'll give you a chance to get out of here. He's going to focus on me. Might as well make sure he doesn't have another target."
"I feel as though you are ignoring my words from earlier." Tokoyami gave her a determined look. "I said that you are not alone. That means we will figure out a plan to battle this madness, and then go forth to aid our friends."
"Well, that's nice and all, but you two aren't leavin'," Susukishi said as he stepped forward. He popped his neck again and smiled. "As good as it is to see you made some friends Shoka, you're still my friend. And as your friend, I'm tryna to make sure you don't do something stupid!"
Susukichi charged them once more. As the trio dodged his mad dash once more, Tokoyami and Dark Shadow were surprised when he suddenly changed his course and followed them. He lashed out a hand and grabbed Tokoyami's leg. Dark Shadow extended from its anchor and assaulted the large man, its clawed hands tearing Susukichi's shirt into further shreds. The blonde giant swung Tokoyami around, flinging the raven-headed trainee's body into Shoka's.
The pair groaned in pain at the collision, struggling to keep their wits about them as Susukichi stalked over to them. He stopped as he looked at his torn shirt, clicking his tongue in annoyance as he simply ripped it off his body. His large, muscular frame was now laid bare for the trio to see. On his torso and left shoulder were more tribal tattoos, seemingly in the shape of a deer's skull that seemed to have a faint glow to it.
"Do you get it now, Shoka? No matter what strategy you got, I'm moves ahead of you. I control the board, you're simply playing into my hand." Susukichi stated.
Shoka winced as she looked away. Susukichi's expression softened as he looked at her, not happy with how things were going at the moment. Before he could talk again, Shoka cut him off. "Big Su... Please. I can't let them do this alone. I know you're looking out for me, but this is my decision."
Shoka's gray eyes locked on to his pale brown ones. "PLEASE! I need to help them."
Susukichi paused at that. He looked down at the slender ravenette, unsure of what to do. He placed a hand on his hip as the other rubbed the back of his head, nudging the brim of his white cap as he did so. "You really are dead set on this Hero biz, huh?"
She didn't give him a verbal answer, her eyes telling him what he needed to know.
Susukichi grumbled in frustration. "Damn it, Shoka. Of all times to play the Hero card, you waited until you were outta Shibuya to do it." He huffed, not happy with what he was about to say. "Fine. You wanna go and get yourself nixed, then go ahead."
Shoka was about to thank her old friend when she was stopped from doing so. Susukichi just held up a hand and made his way over to the grounded Heroes in training, picking the two of them up as he continued, "Buuuuut, if you're gonna flip the board on Mr. Hands, who better than to have me on your side, right?"
Shoka gave the giant man a warm smile, "Thanks, Big Su."
He simply shrugged. "Don't thank me yet. Shaggy hair still has some moves left. Don't count us as the victors before we even set up our winning strat. If we even have one."
"Still, thanks, Big Su. I mean it." The ravenette said.
Susukichi snorted in amusement and gave her a grin. He walked over to the main road, turned around, and addressed the trio, "Well? Let's go and flip that disk. See if we can't get him seeing white."