Hatsume Mei hummed happily as she tightened the bolts on her machine. This morning couldn't start better! Now if only I-island girl were here… Melissa. Right, she meant to say Melissa. If only Melissa were here. The blonde left to see the headmaster, leaving Mei in the workshop alone. The Support Department had more "free" time than the other courses, but they were encouraged to use that time to work on their projects.
"Hatsume," Power Loader suddenly brought her out of her daydream. She turned to him curiously, expecting him to ask her about her contraption.
"Loader-sensei! Need help?" The pinkette asked as if the teacher with years of experience would actually need her help. Instead of answering, her sensei threw a thick stack of paper on her desk. "What's that?"
"Forms," Power Loader replied, to which Mei blinked in confusion, still not understanding. "You've been here for a week, and you already started three fires with your inventions. And I have a feeling there would have been more if Melissa weren't there to help. I've had enough, so I talked to the principal. From now on, whenever you start a personal project, I want you to fill out these forms, and I will make sure it's up to regulations before allowing you to work on it," He explained.
"What? But I can't waste time filling out all of that!" Mei whined, grabbing the thick stack of papers and dropping it back on the desk. "You've gotta be kidding, Loader-sensei! You're limiting my genius!" She pumped her fists. Despite her protests, Power Loader didn't seem to care about her pleas at all.
"What is that?" He simply gestured to the project she was working on.
"Oh, this?!" Mei immediately exclaimed excitedly. "It's a prototype for a launcher! It's gonna shoot light-based bombs! I was inspired by the flying jets that fly with the Girl-Might and shoot lasers! I wanted to try the same thing with bombs!" She explained proudly.
"Did you fill out the form for it?" Power Loader questioned, making Mei arch an eyebrow.
"Well… No. You just gave them to me," She pointed out incredulously.
"I see," Her sensei nodded, then casually picked her launcher up. "I'll be taking this then until you fill out the form and it's accepted," He said before walking away with it.
"Huh?! No! Sensei! Wait! Please, not my baby!" Mei begged loudly, tripping on her own feet and falling to her knees. She managed to crawl after him and grab his leg while comically huge tears streamed down her face. "You can't do this! This is child abuse! You're abusing a child!" She cried.
"Gah! Don't say it like that! And don't scream so loud! You'll give people the wrong idea!" Power Loader scolded her, his jaw dropping. He couldn't believe that kid! She was really insane! Don't get him wrong, he liked her. Really, he did. She had SO MUCH potential! Raw and unfiltered! But she was uncontrollable! And that was a problem! If she couldn't be careful, then she would cause irreparable damage one day! And no matter how much potential she had, if she were too reckless, then she would have no future in UA. Here he was helping her improve, and she was throwing a tantrum! "J-Just let go of my leg, Hatsume!"
"Pleeeeeease, Sensei!" Mei continued to cry. This was a disaster! A total disaster! How could she possibly showcase her genius to the world like this?! Oh, she hoped Melissa was having an easier time than her with whatever she was doing… Right! Maybe Melissa could make Power Loader change his mind! Surely!
***
"I see…" Nezu whispered, looking at his cup of tea. Of all things, he didn't expect something like this to happen at UA. Still, he should have known. UA was still a school, even if it was one made to develop pro heroes. "Bullying is a serious issue," He nodded.
"I tried to keep quiet and ignore it… I really did. I don't want trouble or drama, but I just can't take it anymore… They have been relentless the whole week, and it started again the moment they saw me in class this morning," Melissa explained weakly, looking down at the floor. All Might, who was standing nearby in his slim form, clenched his fists.
Nezu nodded in understanding. Melissa appeared vulnerable at the moment. Closed off. It wasn't surprising. She may have been three years older than her classmates; she was in a whole new school in a whole new country, away from home and her father. She didn't even have the time to get used to all of that before three students started bullying her. He couldn't blame her for being so shaken up, even after only a week. Unfortunately, bullying was fairly common in Japan, and so… he needed to tread carefully.
Takahashi Yuna, Tanabe Miki, Nishikawa Yuu. Those three were the bullies. The first name in particular would make things even more complicated. Thankfully, Nezu kept a good poker face, but he was internally fuming. Sometimes, he regretted leading a school, especially when the government was on his ass.
"This is unacceptable! These children need to face the consequences for their actions! Bullying is a serious offense!" Toshinori exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Melissa to comfort her. "They must be expelled! At least, for a few days!" He demanded.
"Now, calm down, Toshinori. Don't act too rashly," Nezu raised a paw. All Might opened his mouth, already about to protest. "Please, let me speak. I will talk to these students myself. Alone,"
"And?" All Might voiced, waiting to hear the punishment Nezu had planned for them.
"And I will tell them to stop," The principal added, making both Yagi and Melissa pause in confusion. "I can't punish them. I'm sorry," He apologized, bowing his head.
"You better have a–" All Might turned into his buff form angrily.
"Toshinori!" Nezu slammed his paw on the desk, making All Might flinch. "You must understand my position. Believe me, I take bullying very seriously. But there is simply no evidence. And I also need other students to come forward with a testimony," He explained, then quickly cut the blonde off before he could protest. "I fully believe Shield-san when she says that she is bullied. I know she is a bright and honest girl. But I cannot rely solely on that. I cannot show favoritism in such a way,"
"I… I understand, Nezu-san…" Melissa mumbled in understanding. All Might looked down at her as he reverted to his slim form. Damn it, he spent the whole morning stopping criminals, and now he couldn't even handle this form for more than a few seconds!
"You know I can't accept an answer like this, Nezu! This isn't about favoritism, and we shouldn't care about our image when we fight for someone who needs help!" He clenched his fist.
"All Might… I know how you feel. But you, most of all, know how important appearances are. You are the symbol of peace, and you aren't allowed to falter if you wish to preserve that image. As UA's principal, I also represent a symbol I need to represent," Nezu explained softly. "I need to be impartial. If there is no evidence, and if no student corroborates Shield-san's story, then there is nothing I can do in terms of disciplinary action. I will talk to them and try to resolve this situation peacefully. Please, don't interfere," Nezu pleaded lightly.
All Might stood there in silence, mulling over the principal's words. He understood what Nezu was saying. He understood perfectly why he couldn't act, but… how could All Might just stay put while someone needed help? His niece in all but blood at that, too!
"I…" He began to say.
"It's alright, Uncle Might," Melissa suddenly interjected, her voice quiet. "Nezu-san is right. And as I said, I don't want to cause too much drama. I'm sure they'll stop when he talks to them," She whispered timidly. "Besides… T-They aren't as bad as I made them out to be. I'm just not used to… all of it," She assured.
"Melissa, are you certain…?" All Might held out his hand to reach out to her. The blonde girl raised her head, revealing a bright smile and a face devoid of tears.
"Don't worry, Uncle Might! I'll be fine! I'm just glad it's taken care of!" She affirmed with determination. The blonde hero stared into her eyes for several seconds, then sighed. He responded with a faint smile.
"Very well," He nodded. With that, Melissa bowed, thanking both of them for their time before walking out of the room. Once the door was closed and a few seconds passed, All Might turned to Nezu again… unaware that a certain blonde was still leaning against the door in earshot. "Was there truly no other reason for this decision, Nezu?" He inquired dubiously.
Melissa listened curiously as Nezu sighed.
"Takahashi Yuna… Unfortunately, she isn't just any girl," The rat revealed, opening his desk drawer and pulling out her student file. "She had excellent marks in middle school, and I do not doubt that she would have passed the support course exam as well… if she had taken it in the first place. Her father used his authority to enroll her, and this is precisely why I must tread carefully," He explained, much to All Might's confusion. "Her father is a member of the HPSC. Quite high-ranking, too,"
If Yuna had bad grades or a bad reputation from her previous school, then Nezu would have had a reason to refuse her father's involvement and prevent her from enrolling. However, her record was flawless, and he had no reason to believe she would fail her exam anyway.
"And you were worried about favoritism for taking Melissa's side? Then, what is this?" All Might pointed out, baffled.
"The HPSC has tried to get a hold of UA for quite some time now, including sending people to watch what we are doing under the guise of coming to teach a new generation of heroes. Of course, I am not accusing this girl of being a spy for them. However, that remains a great opportunity for them. Any wrong move on our part could give them more authority over us than they already have as part of the government. I must tread carefully, Toshinori," Nezu explained reluctantly. Melissa silently listened, her heart beating faster. She shouldn't be eavesdropping on this conversation, but she couldn't help it… "For now, all I can do is wait,"
"And if there is no evidence? If no student comes to defend her?" All Might questioned quietly. Nezu didn't answer immediately, letting a pregnant pause.
"Then my paws will be tied. I'm sorry, but Melissa will have to find her own solution," He responded reluctantly, making both blondes widen their eyes. All Might glared. How could the principal say this?! "You have to understand that this is a delicate situation. The more power the HPSC has over UA, the more vulnerable our students are to their influence. I want to help Melissa as much as you do, but… Do you honestly want the other students to be at their mercy? To have multiple repeats of Lady Nagant?" The rat argued. This gave All Might pause.
"I…" His hands relaxed. He didn't have all the information about Nagant, but he knew enough. No, he didn't want them to become the commission's tools. He needed to trust that Nezu would talk these three students out of the bullying… and he would trust that Melissa would overcome that challenge, too. She was a strong girl, he knew that. "I understand. I'll let you do what you believe is best,"
Melissa gasped, her hand shooting to her mouth to keep any noise from escaping. For a moment, she believed her glasses had fallen off because her vision blurred until she realized that her tears were to blame. She didn't stay here any longer and quickly ran away before they could catch her eavesdropping. She could barely breathe. Couldn't believe what she heard… or how disappointed she felt. She needed to get her mind off of it all. She needed to work on something and do everything to think about something else, or she just might go insane.
"Thank you, All Might. Trust me that I will do everything I can to solve this issue," Nezu said back in the office.
"Now, if that's all… I have a rescue class to catch," The blonde hero said, ready to step out, only for Nezu to click his tongue.
"Now, now, All Might. Did you already forget I told you not to go? If you wanted to teach a class, then you shouldn't have used up your three hours before classes even started," The principal reminded him, making the pro hero sigh. And here he thought the situation with Melissa was enough distraction to slip out… "Stay here and rest. Aizawa and Kurose are plenty enough to handle it," He reassured him, then perked up as if he remembered something. "Actually, why don't you use this opportunity to meet Mirio now? The school grounds are ideal, and Sasaki-san won't be here to interfere," Nezu suggested.
"I don't know if Mirai will be happy if he isn't here to introduce the boy himself, but…" All Might paused, uncertain. He remembered how he and Nighteye split off, how their team ended… "Maybe it's better this way, actually…"
"Wonderful! Let's use the teachers' resting room! I'll call him right away!" Nezu hopped off his chair eagerly.
All Might followed the principal in silence. He saw Mirio's file and even saw the young man from afar, but had never met him before. He had to admit that Mirio seemed bright and had so much potential. Moreover, if Mirai truly believed that he was fit to succeed All Might, then Toshinori was tempted to believe it, too.
***
This morning had been a great start to a great day. Just as Izuku had agreed with Ochaco on their date, the girl had been doing small favors in exchange for payment. There were insignificant tasks, like carrying his bag or bringing him snacks she bought at a bakery. He gave her the money back for the pastries, of course. The whole deal was still a little embarrassing for her, and she made sure that other students wouldn't notice their arrangements and ask why she was acting like his assistant. Naturally, she was much more accepting of that role after receiving her "salary."
They were the same age, so he wouldn't be considered as her Sugar Daddy, but… He could see that she had a greedy heart deep inside, even if she tried to hide it well. If he learned anything when he grew up, it was that people weren't just good. There was rot in everyone.
Perhaps today's class would be his opportunity to see it in his other classmates. It looked like it would be a special class because Aizawa-sensei took them outside and made them climb on a bus driving who knew where. Thankfully, the seats were big enough for Izuku, mostly because it seemed to be a bus specifically designed to welcome large students. It made him wonder how many different buses UA had and how varied their sizes were.
So he sat in the middle of the bus, between Asui and Kirishima, his classmates scattered all around the bus. They were all wearing their hero costumes. Was it going to be a battle training?
"Say, Midoriya…" Someone suddenly interrupted his thoughts. He looked down to see that it was the frog girl, Asui Tsuyu. "What exactly is your quirk? You're big, have horns, and can breathe fire," She inquired, making Mineta snicker behind his hand.
"That's what she said!" He sniggered to Kaminari, who couldn't help laughing along with him.
"You didn't know, Asui? He's a dragon!" Kirishima interjected, leaning forward to look at the frog girl.
"Call me Tsuyu-chan. You too, Midoriya. Kero," She replied, then looked up at him again. "So, is it like the pro hero, Ryukyuu? Her quirk isn't a mutant type, though,"
"She's a western dragon. I'm an eastern dragon. I guess that's the main difference. I should also mention that my quirk is both a mutant type and a transformation type since my body is different even when I'm not in my dragon form," Izuku explained calmly.
"But man… a dragon quirk sounds amazing. You'll be so popular, Midoriya! Compared to my quirk, yours is really flashy!" Kirishima raised his hands, hardening them to show off his quirk.
"Flashiness doesn't matter much. What's important is power. Winners are remembered because they win, not because they're flashy," Izuku retorted, making Kirishima blink. Nearby, Katsuki clicked his tongue. The blonde was mad because he had the same opinion!
"So manly… You're right, Midoriya! I gotta be unbreakable!" Kirishima exclaimed.
"I'm just glad I've got a horn buddy!" Mina perked up cheerfully from where she was sitting, which was right across from the massive boy.
Izuku lowered his gaze, noting that Tsuyu was still staring at him. If he remembered correctly… She was a frog girl, right? Not fully a sea animal, but close enough. An amphibian. The young woman didn't let any emotion show on her face. Admittedly, she had a good poker face, so the dragon boy currently had a hard time reading her. Nevertheless, there was something he would need to check again about quirks, and make sure that he didn't get it wrong. For now, he would tread carefully.
"I mean, even if you take power into account, you're absurdly strong, Midoriya. Like an OP protagonist," Kaminari pointed out from his seat. "But I'd say, excluding you, Bakugou and Todoroki have powerful and flashy quirks, too," He added. Both of the mentioned students tried to ignore the discussion.
"Todoroki's a 10/10 hottie! She's definitely gonna be popular, and be on a ton of magazine covers!" Mineta perked up with a pervy smile. Oh, he was hoping she would be on covers or modelling. She had the body for it! Her and Yaoyorozu! The girls deadpanned, unimpressed, while most of the boys tried not to look like they were agreeing with him to avoid the girls' ire. As for Shouko, she simply tuned the noise out. "Bakugou's a dumbass asshole, though, so he probably won't even be in the top 10," Mineta added casually while picking his nose.
"THE FUCK DID YOU SAY, MIDGET?!" Bakugou instantly screamed, visibly fuming as he jumped on his seat. To Mineta's credit, the purple boy didn't even react. At this point, most of them knew that Bakugou was all bark and no bite. Izuku wished that the losers at his middle school had realized that, maybe then Katsuki wouldn't have believed that he was a top dog.
"Yeah, he has the personality of a turd drying on the sidewalk," Kaminari chuckled, which only served to make Bakugou scream even louder.
"Please! Let us be civil!" Iida tried to ease the tension. Unsurprisingly, he was completely ignored.
On Yaoyorozu and Jirou's side of the bus, the shorter girl rolled her eyes with a faint grimace.
"With a class like that, I feel like not a lot of us are gonna be pros…" She mumbled, slightly disappointed. Though a side of her was happy to know that she put too much pressure on herself when she believed all of her classmates would be such serious big shots.
"I would like to think I would graduate, personally," Momo remarked, having heard Kyoka's whisper.
"W-Well, I wasn't including you! Obviously, you'll be a great pro hero!" Jirou quickly retorted. Momo seemed surprised by the vote of confidence. After all, they didn't know each other for long, so they weren't close friends or anything.
"Really? You mean that?" The taller girl asked.
"Yeah… Why not? Your quirk's really useful, and you sound like the smartest person in class. Besides…" Jirou responded, twirling one of her earphone jacks around her finger. "I'm sure you'll have a big fan base for various… reasons…" She added, her eyes dropping to Momo's ample chest. Thankfully, the other girl missed where Kyoka was looking and nodded gratefully instead.
"Thank you for believing in me. I don't doubt that you'll be a great pro, too," Momo smiled, making Jirou hum and quickly look away.
"You're welcome, and… thanks," She muttered timidly with rosy cheeks. She wasn't used to receiving compliments. Not at all.
After a few minutes, they arrived at their destination. The bus stopped, allowing them to leave it. They were faced with a facility shaped like a dome.
"This place looks huge!" Satou commented as he stepped out of the bus.
"That's not for battle training, is it?" Sero questioned as Aizawa led them forward.
"This is the USJ; the Unforeseen Simulation Joint. It's a training facility. I will explain the exercise when we get in," Aizawa replied from the front of the class.
When they got in, most of them were shocked to see that it looked even bigger from the inside. There were various zones throughout the whole facility, each with a seemingly different environment. Aizawa stepped forward to meet a person wearing a spacesuit. It took him a second, but Izuku recognized that pro hero, and he wasn't the only one.
"It's 13! She's my idol!" Ochaco exclaimed just loudly enough for Izuku to hear with his enhanced hearing. Some of the others slowly started realizing who she was, too. Still, as a heroine, she wasn't that popular.
Izuku sniffed the air. All his senses were more sensitive because of his draconic blood and constitution, so while an odor could be completely imperceptible to normal people, it wasn't to him. And at this moment, his sense of smell did sniff out an odor. It was sweat. From 13 herself. She was probably hot in that suit. He would really love to help her out of it, but this was most likely not a good idea…
"Where is All Might? I thought he would have been here ahead of time," Aizawa asked the fellow hero as Izuku focused on their conversation.
"He won't be able to make it," 13 replied, lifting three fingers. Izuku arched an eyebrow. What did that mean? "I think he might be in the break room right about now, senpai,"
"Ugh… That oaf is irresponsible. Seriously, he has no rational thinking," Aizawa complained, holding the bridge of his nose, before turning to the class. "Listen up. Today is all about rescue training. So I'll let 13 explain everything," He said, looking like he was ready to go back to sleep.
"Rescue training? Look at this place! That's a bit overwhelming…" Satou remarked, intimidated.
"The landslide zone, the flood zone, and a few others… I built this facility to perfectly simulate any natural disaster and incident you can imagine. As Aizawa-senpai has said, you are here for rescue training. As heroes, your duties do not stop at fighting villains. Most importantly, your role is to save lives. Rescuing people during disasters is a part of that, and this exercise is here to help you improve in that department," 13 explained before raising her hand. "But before we start, I'd like to go over a few points. As some of you likely know, my quirk, Black Hole, can suck in and tear apart anything,"
"That sounds strong…" Mineta mumbled, which seemed loud enough for 13 to hear.
"Indeed. My quirk can easily kill if I'm not careful. And I'm sure some of you have similar abilities," The older woman stated carefully.
This was enough to send a wave of cold through the class. They realized how dangerous quirks were and how easy it was to take a life. It… Scared a lot of them.
Izuku didn't really care. He never had this issue. Whenever he killed someone, it was because he wanted them killed. It never happened by accident.
"In our society, laws limit the usage of quirks and the potential of an uncontrollable quirk taking lives. However, as heroes, we have fewer restrictions than civilians. The system may not be perfect, but at least it's stable. All of you know your potential, and you know how to use your quirks in a battle situation thanks to your teachers. Now, you will use them to save lives instead. That is the main purpose of your quirks: helping people. I can only hope that all of you will learn this lesson with me here today. Thank you for listening," 13 bowed gratefully as most of the class applauded her.
"Yes! Bravo! As expected of UA's heroes!" Iida cheered the most enthusiastically.
"See? See, Midoriya?! Isn't she great?!" Ochaco pulled on his wrist excitedly. It seemed that when it involved 13, she forgot about her inhibitions. Ever since their date, she had been faintly more timid than usual around him. It was almost cute. Yeah, she'd make a nice pet now that he thought about it.
"Now that's over with. Let's start…" Aizawa paused, taking his hands out of his pockets as a swirling shadow suddenly materialized in the central plaza. The students looked at it curiously, while Izuku narrowed his eyes. Now, this smell was foul. Smell of poor hygiene, though he enjoyed the hint of blood.
13 seemed to be on guard as well, clenching her fists nervously.
A hand came out of the shadow. It was a portal. Then a strange man walked out, wearing multiple hands all over his body. Soon, several other people followed, stepping out one after the other. Their identities were clear.
"13! Protect the kids and stay grouped!" Aizawa loudly ordered. 13 nodded, spreading her arms to huddle the class together.
"Huh? What's happening?" Hanta asked in confusion.
"Don't tell me we're fighting robots again!" Mineta whined, only for Aizawa to raise an arm.
"All of you, stay back! Those… are real villains!" He declared, putting on his goggles.
Oh? Was Izuku going to see Eraserhead in action directly?
"I see 13 and Eraserhead… But no All Might…" The living fog that brought those villains spoke. "The staff schedule I received the other day said he would be here," He sounded disappointed. "I'm sorry, but it seems this already isn't going to plan, Shigaraki Tomura,"
That sentence alone made Izuku narrow his eyes. Staff schedule? How did those guys get their hands on that? Something definitely wasn't right here… After all, UA's security was top-notch, so if any villain trespassed to get something from inside, they would have been caught.
"Ugh… We're literally on our first mission, damn it. And our final boss is in another castle?" Shigaraki grunted in annoyance. "Fine, Kurogiri… Maybe killing these kids will bring him out," He grinned maniacally. Eh, he'd have to do better than that if he wanted to intimidate Haō. Much better than that. Thankfully, the villain was too far for Izuku's classmates to hear his words, so it didn't spread any panic… yet.
At this point, the students looked worried… Well, some of them. And at varying degrees. A few were still quite calm. One of them was Todoroki Shouko, who looked down at the advancing mob.
"Villains? Here? Why would they be dumb enough to attack UA?" Shouko inquired coldly.
"Aren't UA facilities supposed to have sensors?" Momo questioned worriedly, her breath quickening. Their bodies were catching up, slowly leading them to a fight or flight reaction.
"They are, but they must have been disabled," 13 responded. Like Aizawa, she retained her composure. Her worry was mostly directed at her students.
"And we're far from the school, too… Maybe they aren't as stupid as I thought…" Shouko mused, seeming far too calm despite the situation.
"No, I think they're pretty stupid, actually. Attacking where I am," Izuku thought to himself.
"13! Start the evacuation now! And try to call the school for reinforcements! I'll handle them while you do that!" Aizawa commanded before jumping down the stairs and into the fray. Now, Izuku was interested in seeing how he would fight such a group of villains. He couldn't cancel all their quirks, could he?
"You got it!" 13 nodded, then turned to the class. "Let's go, kids! Hurry!" She ordered. Thankfully, they all followed her commands.
Izuku wished he could stay and have some of the action, but he couldn't afford to disobey the teachers now. Most importantly… These guys were all small fries, much to his disappointment. Indeed, Eraserhead was handling them without a hitch. He took down three of them in a single move, then skillfully danced around another villain to avoid his blows and counter with his own hits. He was good in close quarters. No point in staying, then.
However, as soon as they all got close to the door, Kurogiri appeared in front of them, smoke emanating everywhere and blocking the doors.
"Not so fast. I will not allow you to leave. It would be unbecoming of the League of Villains. You will have to forgive us for the inconvenience, but… we have only come here to end All Might's life," Kurogiri codly and casually revealed, making most of them freeze. "However, it seems…" Kurogiri suddenly paused as he stared at Izuku in silence. The silence stretched for a couple of seconds, then… "Are you one of us?" He inquired.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, you motherfucker?!" Izuku snapped, ticked off. Alright, now that did it! These bastards pissed him off! Despite that, he wasn't the first one to attack.
"Try getting rid of me first!" Bakugou screamed as he released an explosion in the mist's face, just as Kirishima punched forward along with the blonde's move.
"That's right! We aren't lettin' you hurt All Might!" The redhead declared.
"Hey! This was my moment, weird hair!" Bakugou immediately turned to him angrily.
"Now that was a close one…" Kurogiri sighed, reforming as if nothing happened.
"Get away, you two!" 13 ordered loudly. She had been ready to use her quirk, but stopped herself when the two young men intervened.
"Too late," Kurogiri spoke, his mist spreading all around them. The students covered their faces, while some of the others attempted to jump out of the way. "We will scatter you… and make you writhe in despair," The mist man declared. Izuku… wasn't fazed. He stood there nonchalantly and without moving.
That Kurogiri was likely about to teleport them somewhere, and with any luck, it would be crawling with villains. Great! That was exactly what Izuku wanted! Finally, something thrilling!
***
SPLASH
Tsuyu blinked as she suddenly found herself in a body of water. She remembered falling through the air a second ago… Was she teleported? It looked like this was the fog man's quirk. Thankfully, water wasn't a problem for her. She could hold her breath for up to seven hours thanks to her quirk.
Her senses were instantly piqued when a sudden bloodlust was directed at her. Reacting quickly, she swam out of the way at incredible speed right before a villain could grab her. There were villains everywhere! Most were too far apart, so they almost seemed like dots to her, but they were quickly approaching!
Fortunately, she could see the shadow of a boat nearby. Maybe it would be safe! Right as she swam toward it, she noticed Mineta nearby, slowly sinking. With a burst of speed, she shot herself toward him and caught him in her grasp.
The villains were too slow to catch up to her, so it meant that she would make it to the ship safely. Yet, even in his delirious state from the lack of oxygen, the purple midget in her arms still managed to reach forward and grab her chest.
After groping her, it was no surprise that Tsuyu threw Mineta on the ship hard, making him bounce off the wall.
"Gah!" He yelped, flopping on the floor. "Ugh… At least, I groped frog boobs before dying…" He grunted, breathing heavily.
"You're not dying," Tsuyu stated bluntly as she climbed on the ship. "We're surrounded by villains, and I don't know where the rest of the class is," She pointed out as Mineta jumped to his feet, panicking.
"What?! What the hell are we gonna do?! Didn't that mist guy say they want to kill All Might?!" He questioned, literally shaking in his boots.
Before Tsuyu could answer, an explosion suddenly occurred in the water as a torpedo was shot out of it. No… It wasn't a torpedo, but a villain! The man flew through the air, disappearing in another zone entirely with a fist-shaped dent in his face. A second later, Midoriya Izuku jumped out of the water and landed on the ship.
"Midoriya!" Tsuyu exclaimed. A part of her was ashamed that she didn't notice him in the lake and didn't help him, but another was relieved that he seemed well. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. They're small fries. Besides, I can breathe underwater," Izuku explained casually.
"How?" Mineta blinked in confusion. Seriously, how? Could that giant do everything?
"Eastern dragons are sea creatures," The tall boy simply answered. Mineta stared at him silently, as if processing the information he was just given.
"Bullshit," He replied without elaborating. Izuku ignored him.
"Anyway, they may have had some sort of a plan, but they're not all that bright. They evidently don't know about our quirks. Otherwise, they wouldn't have teleported Tsuyu-chan and me here," Izuku pointed out. "I know what your quirk does from battle training, but is there anything you haven't shown?" He asked them.
This situation was perfect. Not only because he got to fight and relieve some of his bloodlust, but also because he could connect with classmates he hadn't befriended yet. Tsuyu seemed to have befriended Ochaco, but that friendship didn't automatically extend to him just because they bonded with the same person. Now, this could change. As for Mineta, the midget was greedy and perverted, so this was just easy mode. He wouldn't be a threat.
"Not really. My balls are just super sticky. They grow back quickly, and I guess I can also bounce on them since they don't affect me," Mineta shrugged.
"I can do everything a frog can," Tsuyu began to explain when Mineta finished. "I can also secrete a paralyzing mucus, but it's weak, so it doesn't do much, and I can store things in my stomach. Oh, and I guess I can spit out my stomach to clean it, Kero," She shrugged.
"T-Those last two are kinda hot!" Mineta voiced without restraint. Tsuyu rolled her eyes, but didn't comment on it.
"These guys can't possibly stand up to us," Izuku said, though he honestly mostly meant that they couldn't stand up to him. "So I guess we might as well take them out ourselves. If they're sitting in the water instead of attacking, then they probably aren't sure of their chances either," He pointed at the villains with his thumb.
"Are you sure, Midoriya?" Tsuyu questioned. "If they came here to kill All Might, they must have a secret weapon of some kind," She theorized. Izuku didn't ponder her inquiry for long.
"Oh, I'm sure. You can call me Izuku-kun, by the way," He replied, quickly adding the last sentence before continuing. Since she insisted on being called Tsuyu-chan, he would speak her language. She was likely a naturally friendly person, so he'd use that to get close to her. "They probably found someone with a one-hit-kill quirk and thought it would be enough to kill All Might. I doubt that it is,"
"Maybe. But it's weird that they would take a risk like this because of one quirk," Tsuyu commented, then turned to Mineta, who was oddly calm. "I'm surprised you're so composed, Mineta. You look like the type of guy who would be screaming for help by now," She pointed out.
"Eh?! Why?! I don't look like that!" Mineta whined in offense. "Anyway, I have a hard time being afraid of these guys when we have Midoriya with us. Honestly, he's scarier than the villains," He shrugged, pointing at Izuku with his thumb. "If anything, I feel safer here than anywhere in USJ right now," He added.
"Fair enough," Tsuyu spoke after a second. "So, what's our plan, Izuku-kun?" She asked. Suddenly, the horned boy grabbed her by the waist and pushed her out of the way just as a huge vertical wave of water slashed into the boat, cutting it in half. More importantly, it hit Izuku head-on!
"Enough waiting around! Let's finish this!" One of the villains, Dozaemon, said after losing patience.
"He split the ship in half!" Mineta exclaimed, holding onto the railing to keep himself standing. As the smoke cleared a little, Izuku was visible again, standing in the same spot… and without suffering a scratch.
"I think something scratched me," He remarked casually, brushing off the attack entirely.
"Yeah, see? That's why I'm not worried," Mineta told Tsuyu, pointing at the tall boy with a trembling finger.
"K-Kero…" The frog girl croaked, her body faintly shaking as she looked up at her green-haired classmate. He turned to them.
"Alright, I'll take care of them. Since this boat's gonna sink any second, you two can climb on this," He instructed before a purple cloud materialized in front of them, big enough for both Tsuyu and Mineta.
"What is this, Izuku-kun?" Tsuyu asked curiously, placing a finger on her chin.
"It's a Flame Cloud. It's what I use in my dragon form to fly. I can make plenty of them, and you can jump on it fine. Unless I'm knocked out or will them to, they won't vanish," He explained.
"IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN'T DO?!" Mineta screeched, though he happily jumped on the cloud, holding onto it as if his life depended on it… Which it kinda did. Tsuyu calmly climbed on top of it, testing its texture. It was soft and comfortable.
"It feels nice…" She whispered. Without warning, Midoriya jumped off the boat, landing in the water with a big splash. "Izuku-kun!" The frog girl shouted worriedly. He was strong, sure, but she still would rather not see him throw himself in a school of villains!
"What a dumbass! He jumped right in!" A villain laughed as most of them dived into the water, ready to tear the younger man to shreds. However, in less than a second later, one of them quickly swam out, crying in pain. "Huh?"
"M-My teeth!" He revealed his sharp teeth to be broken. Before the villains that remained on the surface could react, the water began to spin, trapping them in a powerful current.
"A whirlpool! What the hell's happening?!" Dozaemon questioned until they were pulled in the center.
Suddenly, a massive emerald pillar of scales shot out of the lake. It moved like a serpent, flying into the air to reveal gigantic claws, but most importantly, a body big enough to cover every villain here in its shadow. It was a dragon! And it glared down at them! Instead of speaking, he turned his head to his left and spat something out: a bloodied and screaming villain, who flew through the sky until he hit a mountain in the mountain zone.
"You worms are a thousand years too early to take me on," Izuku declared. Without wasting any time, he swiped at them with his tails and claws, wiping them out before they could do anything. Before they could even dive in the water because of the whirlpool he created.
Mineta and Tsuyu stood nearby, floating with the Flame Cloud he materialized earlier. Both were understandably in awe. It wasn't just about the power since they had already seen that Midoriya was one of the classes' powerhouses. But the sheer size of him. They had never seen a person be so big before, since he even dwarfed people with giantification quirks.
"Well… damn…" Mineta muttered in a shaky voice. "And to think a guy like that is a kindred spirit… Perverts stay on top…"
Tsuyu would have asked him about the nonsense he was spouting, but she honestly could barely speak. It was truly… overwhelming in a way that she couldn't describe. Her body shuddered. Well… At least, she was glad to know that he was on their side.
With a dragon of that size… It was no wonder that he was visible to nearly everyone in the facility, except for those in interiors.
In the landslide zone, Shouko released a breath, casually sitting on a rock as she was surrounded by frozen villains. She looked up, her face showing a hint of sourness as she gazed upon the gigantic dragon flying above the lake.
"Midoriya… So, that's your real form?" She asked herself. This didn't change anything. She was going to prove that her ice would beat his flames, no matter their power.
"Damn, that kid… She froze the moment she warped here…" One of the frozen villains shivered while stuck in a charging position.
"I don't want to waste my time with all of you, so… You're going to tell me everything you know about your plans," Shouko said as she released a slow and cold breath, walking up to the frozen villain.
In the mountain zone
"What the hell? There's a huge ass monster over there!" One villain stopped, pointing at the flying dragon.
Villains surrounded Momo, Kyoka, and Denki, trying to overwhelm them with numbers, but the students were much stronger than expected. They were capable of defeating adults! Still, they could hardly fight without pointing out the dragon in the room. Even Izuku's classmates looked impressed since the three of them had never seen this form before.
"This must be Midoriya," Momo remarked softly, unsure of how she should react. The quirk looked powerful, but…
"Wow… He's massive…" Jirou commented, blinking. She liked his style before, but the fact that his dragon form had huge spiked bracelets added to the vibes even more. Still… "Looks a bit impractical, though," She added. There was no way he could fight in tight spaces with that, could he?
"Damn, I think I understand Kirishima a little more now. This is so cool! What guy wouldn't want to turn into a dragon?!" Denki exclaimed, pumping his fists. It was enough to bring the villains' attention back on them.
"Looks like these kids know him! Probably one of the students! We better get rid of them before he comes here!" One of them said, motioning for the others to attack.
"Oh, man…" Denki muttered worriedly as the two girls held their staffs tighter.
"Not to worry. I have exactly what we need! Kaminari! Get ready!" Momo declared, the back of her costume suddenly bulging as if something was about to burst out of it.
Meanwhile, in the plaza and on the stairs…
Most people paused what they were doing, even those in the middle of fighting. A massive, coiling dragon would give anyone pause.
"Huh? Who is that? Is he one of ours?" Shigaraki questioned in confusion. He didn't bother learning the underlings' quirks; this was Kurogiri's job, but he would have been told if one of them could do THAT! "He looks like a final boss…"
"That's Midoriya…" Aizawa recognized the form from the entrance exam. "Seeing it on a screen is completely different from facing it for real. He's probably the only person whose quirk I could erase from such a distance… But I won't count his size as a con for this situation…" He mumbled. At least, Midoriya distracted the group even if it was only for a few seconds, and it was enough for him to take a breather.
"What is this? One of the students?" Kurogiri questioned, stepping away as 13 cancelled her power by closing her glove. His question simply forced her to take just a moment to check behind her and see if everything was alright, afraid that a student had been hurt. She was shocked to see something else.
"A dragon…? Wait, does that mean…?" Shoji inquired curiously.
"Oh, those horns!" Mina shouted.
"I recognize this form! It's Midoriya! That means he's alright!" Iida exclaimed, visibly reassured. Whoever he ended up with out there was probably fine, too, if Iida had to guess.
"I wish we didn't rely on the students since this should be our responsibility, but… Midoriya is undeniably a great asset. And he isn't the only one!" 13 thought before turning to Iida. "Iida! You're the fastest! You have to leave and go to the school to call for reinforcements!" She instructed.
"Y-Yes, Sensei!" Iida nodded, running for the door, only for Kurogiri to warp in front of it.
"As if I would let you do that," The mist man scoffed.
"You're fighting me, villain!" 13 declared, opening the cap on her finger again to activate her quirk. Kurogiri grunted in annoyance as he was pulled toward her. Despite that, he managed to stay in place, blocking Iida's path. 13 clicked her tongue but didn't let up.
Back in the mountain zone…
"Did Kaminari take care of them all?" Momo inquired as she lifted the sheet protecting her and Jirou to check out the damage their classmate dealt. All the villains were knocked out and scattered all over the ground.
"I think so…" Jirou mumbled, a little disoriented from suddenly being covered by the thick sheet Momo created. Still, the girl could only blink when she noted that Yaoyorozu's chest was completely bare. It took her a second to process it, then her eyes nearly bulged out of her head, gaze focused on that pair. "She's fucking stacked!" She shouted in her mind. "Y-Your suit, Yaoyorozu!" She pointed out with a heavy blush.
"Oh, don't worry about that! I can make another one!" Momo replied casually.
"That's not the point!" Kyoka retorted, her earphone jacks fidgeting in the air as she quickly jumped in front of her classmate. "D-Don't look over there, Kaminari!" She ordered, waving her arms to stop any potential of him taking a glimpse at Momo.
However, it seemed the blonde… seemed out of it. He had a blank look on his face and was babbling incoherently.
"I'm telling you it's fine," Momo reassured calmly as her chest began to shine, from which a brand-new costume began to materialize.
None of them noticed a hand digging out of the ground until a villain burrowed his way out of it. Tesla grinned to himself, watching as the blonde boy that shocked all of his comrades seemed out for the count. Good, he was going to use this opportunity to take him hostage… and kill the other two. Just as he was about to reach for the boy, a shadow loomed over all of them.
"Oi, you three… You lowered your guard!" Izuku said in a rocky voice, flying right above them. Tesla squealed, stepping back. How was he supposed to deal with something like that?! Before he could even counter him, Tesla was crushed by one of Izuku's gigantic claws, raising a dust cloud around the point of impact.
"Damn…" Kyoka muttered, watching as her classmate removed his four-fingered 'hand' to reveal the unconscious villain.
"Thank you for the save, Midoriya," Momo thanked him, having just finished adjusting her newly created costume.
"You already took care of them all, huh? A shame. I wanted to have some fun," Izuku voiced in disappointment. It seemed that the dragon's presence alone was enough to wake Kaminari out of his brain-fried state.
"Oh! Midoriya!" Kaminari exclaimed in awe.
"Finally awake, jamming-jay?" Kyoka remarked dryly. Well, she didn't complain much since his condition prevented him from seeing Momo's boobs.
"Hurry up and come with me. The real fun's in the plaza," Izuku said. Before they could ask how they were supposed to follow him, Tsuyu and Mineta arrived on top of the cloud he made earlier.
"Asui? Mineta? What is this?" Momo blinked in surprise.
"Izuku-kun made it, Kero. It can carry people and fly," Tsuyu explained.
"I-Izuku-kun?" Kaminari repeated incredulously, then looked at the massive dragon. "You lucky bastard, Midoriya!" He was promptly ignored.
"Is there anything he can't do?" Kyoka muttered as the cloud Tsuyu and Mineta were sitting on expanded to allow for more room. Still, she'd be stupid to deny that it was impressive and reliable. The two girls climbed on.
"That quirk is more versatile than you'd believe," Momo complimented, testing the cloud's softness with her hand.
One of the students still remained on the ground, however.
"Yo, Midoriya! Can I ride on your back?!" Kaminari asked with a shout.
"Of course not. Only bottoms are allowed on my back," Izuku replied, snorting with air visibly coming out of his snout.
"Awww…" Kaminari lowered his head dejectedly. "Wait, bottoms?" He questioned but was pulled up on the cloud by Kyoka before he could receive an answer.
"Just hurry up!" The young woman hissed.
Once they were all on the Flame Cloud, Izuku flew toward the plaza, intending to finish this up. If whatever weapon or guy they had to kill All Might was here, then he was probably at the plaza, fighting the pro heroes.
In the plaza and on the stairs…
"Ugh… Curses…" Kurogiri whispered with vitriol, watching as Iida escaped the USJ through the door. 13 and the other students managed to keep Kurogiri away just enough for Iia to go past him. If the sight of the flying dragon hadn't distracted him earlier, he might have already defeated 13! They took advantage of that short distraction, but… no more. Kurogiri narrowed his eyes as he began opening a portal behind 13 while she was trying to suck him in with her quirk.
"Thirteen-sensei! Behind you!" Ochaco screamed the moment she noticed the black mist forming behind her hero. The heroine turned her head just as the portal finally formed.
"Too late. You…" Kurogiri began to speak only for a gigantic, draconic mouth to close around him, cutting him off.
"Eh?" Ochaco blinked incredulously.
"Eh?!" Most of the other remaining students repeated, looking up to see that Kurogiri had just been eaten by their classmate, Izuku.
"Ah…" 13 breathed out, canceling her quirk. She had noticed what Kurogiri tried to do, but she noticed it too late. If the dragon boy hadn't intervened, her own quirk could have injured her or worse…
"M-Midoriya… Did you just eat that guy?" Hanta questioned worriedly.
"He can teleport, so he's probably fine," Izuku replied. Again, his voice was gruff and loud, almost making them forget that he was their classmate. "He seemed important, so I assume he must be the leader's right-hand man. I will take care of the ones down here and help sensei. If any one of you wants to join in the fun, then feel free to come," He declared nonchalantly.
Unsurprisingly, the other students didn't seem too eager to do that. The ones who were likelier to accept had been warped elsewhere, after all. They were still ready to help if needed, of course, but they doubted they would need to. They had two pro heroes here and a whole dragon.
13 was tempted to step in and tell him to leave it to her. It was her responsibility as their teacher and as a pro hero. However, she had read the students' files, and she was aware of how strong he was. He was much more battle-oriented than she was, and he would be more helpful to Aizawa than she would have been.
"Huh? Are you flying?" Shoji asked curiously as Tsuyu, Mineta, Jirou, Momo and Denki arrived on top of a purple cloud.
"Midoriya did it," Jirou simply replied, jumping off the cloud to join them.
"Is there anything he can't do?" Sero raised an eyebrow.
"Aizawa-sensei!" Mina suddenly shouted, prompting them to look down at the plaza. While the small fries had been staring at Izuku in shock and weren't moving, Aizawa was pinned to the ground by a hulking creature with a bird-like face. His brain was exposed, too.
"I will take care of this," Izuku stated, his head over the villains. Ah, if only he wasn't surrounded by future heroes. He could have interrogated all of these villains here since this was his first time hearing about the League of Villains. Unfortunately, he would have to settle on beating them.
"A-Are we supposed to fight that thing? How can I even hurt it?!" A villainess, Needle Hair, exclaimed as she stepped back. She wasn't the only one to consider fleeing. Many of the villains trembled at the sight.
"Don't be scared, morons! We're here to kill All Might! We're not gonna let a kid threaten us, no matter how big he is!" Another villain yelled, somehow keeping his composure.
"The NPCs might be in trouble, but he shouldn't be a threat for us…" Shigaraki muttered, looking at the villain who had Aizawa pinned. "Nomu, take that dragon down," He ordered.
Nomu released Aizawa, then turned into a blur as he moved in a sudden burst of speed. Izuku narrowed his eyes, watching Nomu disappear and reappear in the air with a single leap. He didn't even try to dodge, opting to test the other villain's strength first.
He was greatly surprised when Nomu slammed the top of his skull with a double hammer fist. The collision alone was as loud as a blast, and Izuku seemed to remain in place for a couple of seconds, as if resisting the blow. However, he was quickly thrown to the ground in a large boom, raising a massive dust cloud as the rest of his serpentine body followed suit, some of it even falling into the water.
The Nomu landed near Shigaraki, awaiting his next orders while their underlings gulped in awe and covered their faces to shield their eyes from the dust. They understood why Nomu seemed to be their secret weapon if he could do that!
"Midoriya!" Ochaco and some of his classmates shouted worriedly.
With the dust still covering the area, the dragon's body shifted until it vanished and Izuku turned back into his normal form.
"That hit might actually be enough to give me a headache…" He grumbled while holding his head. He quickly scanned the surroundings, observing how many villains were here. With a breath, he bent his legs and moved in the blink of an eye. The villains couldn't follow him with their eyes, didn't even see him launch out of the smoke, before they were taken down one by one. He knocked some of them out with a blow to their heads, others by swiping at them with his arms. He grabbed one by the ankle and threw him so hard into another guy that they were both taken out. Before they realized it, Izuku had defeated the whole group, except for Shigaraki, Nomu and Kurogiri. "Now that this is done… Your turn," He told them, casually walking up to them.
"What the hell? Are you sure this is a student? What kind of bullshit plot armor does Eraserhead have?" Shigaraki scratched his neck obsessively, watching as a Flame Cloud lifted Aizawa's body in the air and transported him toward the stairs.
The students hadn't evacuated, and 13 was still there, but something told her that they should stay. Only three villains remained, so if she and all the students teamed up, they would win, but… That Nomu was dangerous. She couldn't even follow his movement when he jumped at Midoriya!
"Shigaraki Tomura, it might be best for us to retreat. One of the students managed to escape and call for reinforcements. Multiple pro heroes will be upon us soon," Kurogiri explained, leaning toward his leader.
"What? Wasn't it your job to prevent that?" Shigaraki almost growled, scratching his neck even harder. "You idiot… You're lucky I need you or you'd be dead already," He threatened, then glared at Izuku, who was still standing there without worrying. Tomura had to admit that the boy was fast. Very fast. And a little intimidating, but this wasn't enough to deter him. "We should destroy the Symbol of Peace's pride, at least. Nomu, kill this stupid kid, then do the same to the others," He ordered. However, Nomu didn't move… almost as if the order didn't compute. Shigaraki looked back at Izuku and quickly understood his mistake with his wording. "I'm talking about him!" He pointed at the tall boy.
Instantly, Nomu dashed forward and cocked his fist back. Izuku remained composed but was internally impressed by the speed. This was the fastest opponent he had fought until now. Nevertheless, the horned boy still managed to get the first hit in. He slammed his fist into the creature's chest so hard that the ground beneath them cracked. While his fist faintly sank into Nomu's body, it didn't seem it did much damage.
"Huh?" Izuku uttered in surprise. No one ever withstood a hit from him like this. Even Zhong Liu had been flung back. His head was suddenly thrown back when Nomu punched him in the face, then followed with another punch in his gut. Nomu sent multiple more of these before he was sent flying back and slammed into a wall, raising a dust cloud.
"Hmph. That was easy," Shigaraki mused as Nomu stood there, his fist still raised. "Now for the rest…"
"Watch out, Shigaraki!" Kurogiri suddenly warned, making a warp gate right behind Tomura just in time to protect him from Kirishima's fist. The redhead was teleported beside Katsuki, who was running up to them, and punched him instead.
"Damn it, Shitty Hair! You ruined my surprise attack!" Bakugou barked, rubbing his cheek now reddened from the hit.
"S-Sorry, Bakubro!" Kirishima apologized awkwardly.
"Don't call me that!" The blonde retorted when a sudden crackle pulled their attention back to the enemies. Nomu's legs had just been frozen. Following the ice trail, they noted that it came from Todoroki.
"I came right on time, it seems. They're the leaders?" Shouko questioned. Despite Nomu's visible incapacity, Shigaraki looked calm.
"Tch. Brats are coming from everywhere. 13 is alright, and you didn't scatter all the kids. Kurogiri, you and everyone else are good-for-nothing morons. You can't even kill a bunch of brats," He growled. It only served the three students surrounding them to look at the villains with taunting gazes. These villains weren't scaring them at all. "Good thing we have Nomu,"
Nomu screeched, falling to the ground with his legs shattered into pieces. The young men widened their eyes in horror, seeing someone mutilate themselves to get out of a bind.
"Is he insane?" Shouko whispered, only to back away when the creature's limbs began to regrow.
"Nomu has Shock Absorption and Super Regeneration. He was bio engineered to kill All Might. Brats like you don't stand a chance, and he already killed one of your friends…" Shigaraki explained mockingly. To his surprise, he was cut off by a laugh.
"Who said I died? Your monster couldn't even bring me down," Izuku cracked his neck, chuckling as he walked out of where he had been thrown. The young man hadn't even been brought down to his knees. "But he still packs quite a punch… Finally, maybe I'll have a fight that will get my blood pumping," He gave them a bloodthirsty grin.
"Tch! Of course, the bastard's alive," Katsuki spat in annoyance.
"Hell yeah, Midobro!" Kirishima pumped his fist.
"What? Did you use a cheat code?! How are you alive?! Bullshit! This is bullshit and unfair! Nomu! Tear him to shreds!" Shigaraki commanded, losing his patience.
Izuku swiftly began to shift. Green scales spread across his body, which faintly increased in size. His horns grew and a couple more sprouted out of his head as a draconic tail shot out from his lower back. His hands and feet gained claws to give him additional firepower. He entered his hybrid form.
Naturally, except for Bakugou, this was the first time everyone else saw him in this state. They didn't even know he could do that, and those who were told that he had a hybrid form didn't actually know what it entailed. He, who already had a peak physique before, now exceeded even that in this shape.
Nomu and Izuku rushed toward each other before anyone could blink and exchanged blow after blow. For once in his life, Izuku actually fought someone who could tank his hits! The two villains and his classmates were flung back for a few meters as the two monsters' punches created strong shockwaves and wind currents preventing them from approaching.
"This is stupid… How is that kid so ridiculously strong?! But still… Nomu has shock absorption! Hit him all you want, dumb brat!" Shigaraki yelled in disbelief. To his shock, Izuku actually smirked, despite the thin stream of blood running down his chin from his lips.
"Yes! Even better! That makes him the perfect punching bag! I can let loose!" Izuku growled excitedly.
Shigaraki blinked in confusion. Was that kid crazy?
Nomu's punches were fast, ruthless… and powerful. He could feel their impacts reaching his insides. Oh, it was definitely stronger than Zhong Liu, much stronger. This excited Izuku even more. It pushed him to attack harder and faster.
Pain! He loved it! And he loved dealing it even more! Oh… He was starting to grow… bloodthirsty. His bloodlust was always present, as faint as it was. He always sought to fight. To battle over life and death. Carnal pleasures could help satiate that lust, but fights were what his draconic blood mainly sought!
This aura quickly spread all over USJ, barely perceptible to most humans. But those with animal-based quirks or enhanced senses felt that aura of strength and dominance.
"Taki Noboru Ken!" Izuku swiped up vertically with his hand across Nomu's body, tearing his flesh right off his body. Nomu screeched, throwing a punch toward the dragon boy's face. "Kinniku o Hikisaku Ken!" He countered with another technique. His hands moved fast and in a circle with a twisting motion around Nomu's arm.
The creature's arm followed that motion, twisting on itself against its will until skin and flesh were torn apart and bones stuck out of it. Even if Nomu had shock absorption, Izuku could overwhelm it with his inhuman brute force. And even without his strength, his techniques bypassed shock absorption altogether! The techniques he learned from Zhong Liu were valuable, just as were any others he got his hands on. He even got the hang of Himiko's stealth technique and could use it as well as she did.
When you were built for battle like he was and had no way of letting the steam out, you would be frustrated, too. That was why he would enjoy his fight with Nomu to the fullest.
The creature used his other arm to punch Izuku in the guts and throw him back while his twisted arm began regenerating. However, the horned boy used this opportunity to wrap his tail around Nomu's leg and fling him backwards before landing on his feet. While Nomu's punch hurt, it wasn't enough to get him down, especially since it was thrown out of desperation.
"Blast Breath!" Izuku opened his mouth wide before spitting out a powerful stream of fire. It was like a thick laser beam, and Nomu had been too disoriented to dodge it. A deflagration covered the creature's body and the area surrounding it, forcing the people nearby to shield their eyes from the heat and intense flames. Only Todoroki didn't need to, but she still remained standing where she was carefully.
"K-Kurogiri… Go and help Nomu!" Shigaraki ordered worriedly as the other man grunted.
"I don't think I can approach them, Shigaraki Tomura…" He responded breathlessly.
Izuku grinned widely, watching the dancing flames with glee. Nomu was still in there and he was still alive, regenerating. The dragon boy got on all fours, his claws digging into the ground.
"Ryuu Kamisori!" He turned into a green trail as he rushed the bioengineered monster on all fours, bouncing on the air and ground until he reached Nomu. Izuku cocked his right fist back and punched with all his might. Nomu's fist shot out of the smoke to meet the boy's. The two collided in a powerful impact that created a shockwave around them. Izuku's arm was pushed back, only for him to scoff. "I think NOT!" He pushed harder until Nomu's arm was crushed like a tin can and exploded from his back in a gory mess.
However, the monster wasn't burdened by the fear of death. He barely flinched, recovering his balance instantly and punching Izuku in the chest with his other fist. The hybrid young man clenched his teeth, feeling his inner organs ripple.
"Again!" He shouted without moving from his spot. Nomu punched him in the abs this time. "Again! Again!" Izuku demanded as Nomu's other arm regenerated, allowing him to send a flurry of punches on the green-haired man's massive body. Despite that, Izuku didn't counter or defend.
"This is insane…" Mina muttered with trembling lips, clenching a fist on her chest as she watched the fight with the others.
"These two are monsters…" Satou remarked fearfully. In any other circumstances, Shoji might have been offended on Izuku's behalf since such a comment sounded like something you'd only tell a heteromorph… But even he couldn't deny that statement this time.
"In terms of raw power, some of the students are already as strong as pros, but… Even this is overwhelming…" 13 told herself while applying first aid to Aizawa thanks to the items Momo created. "I understand why Nezu-san told me about Midoriya in particular now…" She furrowed her brows behind her helmet.
Izuku tanked hit after hit, each blow making him step back before he finally growled.
"That's not good enough! Nijuu Ryuu no Hineriken!" He snapped angrily as he thrust his hands forward, right at Nomu's arms. Both of them were suddenly twisted beyond recognition in a bloody mess. "You're getting sloppy! Slowing down!" Izuku accused before thrusting his right hand toward the monster's chest. In other words, Nomu's body couldn't keep up. "Shinzo Jokyo Ken!" Izuku's hand pierced his enemy's chest until he reached the heart and pulled it right out in his clawed hand. Nomu fell to his knees but still breathed. "Dragon Scythe!" The dragon boy slammed his forearm into the monster's neck, flinging him back.
"This…" Shigaraki uttered in disbelief. The shockwaves stopped, so he was free to either fight the dragon kid or attack the other students, but a this point, he couldn't care less! He couldn't even move because of the state of shock he was in! And the same went for the other students. Even the underlings who weren't knocked out and were still standing were frozen. Why was Nomu thrown around like a ragdoll?! It actually looked like an even match at the start (even though it shouldn't have been considering it was bioengineered to kill All Might), but Nomu started slowing down! "This doesn't make any sense! It's bullshit! He's cheating! Either that or I was scammed! Nomu's a trash NPC!" He yelled desperately.
For once, Bakugou felt like agreeing with a villain. As Nomu struggled to stand up, his regeneration faltering, Izuku suddenly turned into his full dragon form again, towering over all. Shigaraki blinked, then turned to Kurogiri.
"Just… get us the fuck out of here…"
"Dragon Rush!" He headbutted Nomu in his dragon form, throwing him up before closing his jaws around him. Izuku kept the monster in his mouth while rising in the air, then spat him out above him. "Time to finish it. Blast Breath!" He breathed a powerful torrent of fire that easily engulfed Nomu's entire body and blasted him through the dome ceiling until he was a dot in the sky. "That should have done it. Now… Your turn…" He lowered his gaze, only to notice that Shigaraki and Kurogiri were nowhere in sight. "Huh? Where did they go?"
Kirishima looked around, but they were nowhere to be seen. Shouko didn't even bother. She figured they had already escaped. As for Bakugou, he was too busy shaking with his fists clenched. He couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe this just happened… He had never seen Izuku fight like this before! The… The dragon boy had never fought so ferociously in the past! Katsuki had never been anywhere close to bringing Izuku's full power out! He could barely breathe… This wasn't possible! He felt like all of his years of training and torturing himself to reach his rival's level were for nothing!
The entrance doors were suddenly blasted open.
"Have no fear 'cause we're here!" Present Mic shouted in English, accompanied by most of the teachers by his side. The only ones missing were Nezu and All Might. Present Mic was surprised to note that the students weren't as enthusiastic as he would have thought. "So… Where are the villains?" He inquired as Hanta pointed at the villains down the stairs, some of whom were still conscious. They looked at one another, then at the massive dragon behind them, and raised their hands.
"We surrender," They declared together, their tones devoid of any will to fight.
"Did we miss something…?" Snipe turned to Midnight, who sighed disappointedly.
"And here I was looking forward to punishing some naughty boys…" She shook her head.
After that, the teachers spread across the USJ to beat any villain still at large and rescue the rest of the students. Soon enough, the police came, too. They not only arrested the villains present at the facility but also searched for Nomu, who had been sent flying far away. Of course, they also checked if anyone needed medical attention and asked some questions about the villains that attacked them. Shigaraki's and Kurogiri's names were communicated to them.
Thankfully, the only one with severe injuries was Aizawa and he wasn't in critical condition. Izuku was covered in bruises, but those quickly vanished with Recovery Girl's kiss. Unsurprisingly, the dragon boy was swarmed by those who watched the fight. They buried him with questions and praises, and he would be a fool to say that he disliked it. This made him even more popular with the class. Even 13 formally thanked him for saving her when Kurogiri almost turned her own quirk against her.
Not everyone shared their sentiment, of course. Shouko ignored him, and Katsuki looked like he was close to snapping.
Still, the two leaders were still at large, and this League of Villains could become a thorn in his side. He needed to do something about it. He would figure something out. For now, he needed to take care of something else…
When he had the opportunity, he got away from the crowd and found a secluded spot to make a call. The phone rang a couple of times before it was picked up.
"Haō-sama?" Vortex spoke from the other end of the line.
"Something happened in UA. Long story short, villains attacked and I managed to claw your symbol on some of them. They're being driven away to prison right now. Can you open portals and get them quickly?" Izuku asked. He had moved too fast for anyone to see back then, but when he took those villains down, he quickly carved Vortex's symbols into their backs. The man could open a portal to any of these symbols with a maximum distance of three meters from the symbol. He could materialize them himself, but he could connect to those who were drawn by other people, too.
"Hmm… Yes, I can feel them. They're faint, so I'm not sure how stable the portals will be," Vortex replied after a short pause. It was no wonder. After all, the blood must have dripped down and deformed the symbols.
"Just get me some of them. They're weaklings, but they make good fodder. Some of them were women, so they can have some use even if they're weak," Izuku instructed, leaving no room for discussion.
"It will be done," Vortex said. Izuku hung up and pocketed his phone before returning to his classmates.
"This whole day has been unexpected… But I had my fun, at least. It was one hell of a fight," He mumbled, cracking his neck. Now if only the rest of the year could be like this…
***
In an unknown location…
Tomura walked out of the portal, scratching his neck and growling. Kurogiri didn't speak, stepping toward the bar counter to give the young master some space.
"I assume things didn't go well?" A voice spoke from a nearby monitor. Sensei. Tomura didn't even look at the camera.
"How is Nomu?" Another voice asked. Doctor.
"Unfortunately, he is lost. He was defeated and sent flying. Without the exact coordinates, I can't reach him," Kurogiri replied, audibly frustrated.
"How regrettable. It seems All Might wasn't as weakened as I believed," Sensei mused casually, seemingly unaffected by the news. Truthfully, he was disappointed but not surprised.
"No! It wasn't All Might! All Might wasn't even there! It was one of those stupid brats! He was ridiculously OP for no reason and he beat Nomu!" Tomura snapped, grabbing a nearby glass and slamming it to pieces on the floor. "What a load of bullshit!"
"A child?! This is nonsense! Nomu was bioengineered to counter All Might!" The doctor remarked in disbelief.
"Well, he must have been even stronger than All Might, then!" Tomura retorted.
"Stronger?" Sensei hummed, mulling over his protégé's words. "Interesting… Did he perhaps fight like All Might? Throwing smashes? Super strength, speed…"
"He could turn into a giant dragon!" Tomura shouted. Admittedly, he found dragons cool, but only as long as they stayed in RPGs, not in real life where they could fuck up his plans!
"... What?" Sensei uttered, bewildered.
"How big exactly?" The doctor asked curiously.
"Hell if I know! At least ten dragon Ryukyus!" Shigaraki threw his arms in the air.
"Hmm… That is big…" The doctor whispered, trying not to sound intimidated. "Bigger than Gigantomachia, too…" He added. Sensei quickly cleared his throat.
"In any case, do not let this deter you. Use it to grow stronger and better. One day, you will become a symbol of fear, Shigaraki Tomura," He declared.
***
Izuku released a sigh. After school was over, he had come back to the hideout. It ran as smoothly as usual, and some of the villains he marked had indeed been brought here. From what Vortex told him, they were grateful for the save. However… They were still not completely free. Izuku still needed to instil loyalty in them, or at least make them understand what their place was. He was too lazy to do it today, so he simply had his underlings hold them somewhere until tomorrow. After all, it had been a long day.
Still, he understood that villainy could never rest, especially if he wanted his plans to succeed. That was why Leech stood beside his bed despite Izuku lying in it naked and with Himiko resting on top of him. He still had some bloodlust from the fight with Nomu, so he relieved himself by fucking her roughly the way she loved it.
Considering they were in a strip club and a brothel, Leech wasn't really taken aback by the current display, especially since he was used to seeing every inch of a stranger's body because of his quirk.
Nevertheless, something else made him pause.
"You… I'm sorry, Haō-sama, but you want me to… what again?" Leech blinked in disbelief.
"I want you to abandon this body and come to UA tomorrow. I will have Vortex's mark with me, so once I'm inside and in a secure location, he'll open a portal to it," Izuku explained casually.
"I-I am sure this plan will be perfectly safe for me, Haō-sama…" Leech chuckled nervously. "But… When you say abandon… Do you mean permanently? I lobotomized the previous owner, so if no one takes care of it, this body will die… A-And I really like its quirk! It's a perfect match with Tangleweaver's and Powerplant's quirks!" He argued. The quirk allowed him to instantly grow flowers that released poison gas.
"If you'd like, I can also tear this body apart limb from limb, then you'll have no choice but to comply," Izuku suggested, nearly making Leech yelp, the mushroom on the body's head twitching fearfully. "I need you to whisper a few things in someone's head until their loyalty is earned, that's all. Turn them into a loyal dog if you need to. If you can accomplish your mission, then I'll find you a new body. A better and stronger one. Or any body you ask, actually, with a few exceptions," The tall boy promised.
Now that intrigued Leech greatly. He pondered his leader's offer, almost salivating at the prospect.
"Any body?" Leech wanted to confirm.
"Yes. Again, with a few exceptions, of course," Izuku replied. The exceptions were him and Himiko, naturally. Maybe Zhong Liu, too.
"Very well, Haō-sama. I will wait for your signal tomorrow," Leech bowed, then left, the mushroom on the body's head bobbing eagerly.
Himiko suddenly released a purr-like sound as she ran her finger across his chest. She had been awake, it seemed.
"What are you planning now, Izu-kun? Who's the unlucky guy or girl who's gonna have the little weirdo hijacking their brain?" The blonde asked.
"No one you know," Izuku replied. No point in telling her anyway. "You'll have your own job, too. We have new enemies, and only I know your quirk, so… this sounds like the perfect opportunity for you to sneak in,"
"Gladly, Izu-kun! But just like Leech, I want something in exchange!" She raised a finger, then continued before he could ask her to specify what. "Lots of sex and blood!"
"You would have gotten that even if you hadn't asked anyway," Izuku shrugged. "Anyway, how has your day been?"
"Without you? Boring! I had a little fun with Same-chan," Himiko showed various bite marks all over her body. "And played some pinball with Zhong Liu, but that's it. Oh! Wait, I actually bought what you asked for, too!" She reached for the nightstand's drawer with her foot and opened it, then grabbed a bracelet between her toes before throwing it to him.
Izuku caught it in his hand, inspecting it. It was rose gold with several round pink morganite stones and tiny white diamonds in the middle.
"You know more about girls than me, so I'll trust you on this," He said, putting the bracelet on the nightstand.
"Well, that's why you asked me to pick it! Don't worry, Ochaco-chan's gonna love it!" The blonde licked her lips. Indeed, that expensive bracelet was a gift. If Izuku remained too subtle with his wealth, then the plan wouldn't work. When Ochaco was ready to sell her soul for money because of greed, then that would mean he won.
Now that the day was coming to an end, he could leave tomorrow's plans for tomorrow, finally. Maybe he could have some more fun with the blonde on top of him for a couple more hours before going to sleep, though…
His phone suddenly buzzed, making him roll his eyes. What was it now? Toga hummed, grabbing it for him and unlocking it so he could see that he received a text from a number that wasn't in his contacts list.
Unknown number: "Just saw the news about what happened today. How about we both let off some steam with our rematch this weekend?"
Izuku grinned. Already? Of course, he was in.