Chapter 80 - 4-5

Chapter 4: Blazing Determination

An intense pressure of trepidation and anxiety is weighing down on his shoulders as he stares at the villain. His emerald eyes are burning with determination, as his resolve fuels him with the necessary bravery to face this villain. Although, in all full honesty, he's absolutely terrified of facing this man and the thought of having to fight him. He doesn't necessarily need to fight him, but knowing his luck, it might happen. Still, he doesn't let that stop him. He has to do what heroes do.

The girl in his arms tries to hide her face in the crook of his neck, her body trembling with fear. He can feel her hot tears dripping down his shoulder, but he doesn't pay any attention to them. Okay, maybe he does a little bit, but his attention is mainly focused on the villain, who is staring him down with a sick grin on his face.

He can already tell that the man is someone who enjoys death and destruction. His eyes are filled with madness and sadism as he leers at the two of them. And to make it even worse, his smile is sickening to look at. A crazed smile that belongs to those who love to destroy lives and bring misery to everyone.

A psychopathic smile.

And he loathes it.

"S-S-S-S-Sir…?" The girl calls out to him with a shaky voice.

"Don't worry, miss. I'll protect you." He whispers to her with a comforting smile, despite the grimace on his face, "I promise you."

Her lips tremble, but she manages to give him a small nod. Despite her terror, she trusts him to protect her from this man. So she snuggles deeper into the crook of his neck as she lets out a choked whimper.

Izuku tightens his hold around the girl, his emerald eyes glaring at the villain, who is staring at him with a wide grin on his face—a grin that swears nothing but sadistic glee. He shifts his footing and stance so as to prepare for anything that might happen. The situation is very terrible for him, but he's not going to back down. He'll fight this villain if he needs to.

Anything to protect this girl.

"This is a cute sight, really. A little man is trying to be a hero and save the damsel in distress." The villain taunts as he steps closer towards him, "Hah! It is like a book for tiny babies! A 'brave' hero saving the princess from the evil monster."

The greenette bites back his retort as the villain takes a step closer to him, his magmatic fists burning brightly with flares erupting from them. It's a very intimidating sight, and he can feel the girl stiffening up in his arms. His emerald eyes dart around the area, trying to find a safe route for them to escape. There's no way that he can and will fight this villain. Even IF he can call upon One For All now, he doesn't know how to do it, and he needs to bring this girl to safety. So his best option right now is to find a safe way to escape.

However, he soon realizes that he won't be fast enough to escape while carrying her in his arms. Not to mention that the villain might be faster than him. He needs to do something, anything, to distract the villain long enough for him and the girl to escape. But what?

"Dammit!" He internally curses as he continues to scan the area for any possible escape route, "I cannot run very fast when I carry her like this! Her legs may worsen when I try to make a break for it! I need to do something! Anything! Ugh, where are the other heroes!?"

To his utter frustration, somehow and someway, the villain managed to slip away from the heroes who were trying to apprehend him. This is bad. Really, really, really bad. There are no heroes here, and he's stuck with the villain, who is grinning at him like a madman. And he can hardly do anything because he has to protect this girl.

So he's trapped along with her.

And he hates it.

"But you know, little man? Such a story is too bland and cliché for me taste. So, how about, for today's storybook, we change the narrative to be more entertaining and thrilling?" The villain continues with a sadistic smile as he slowly approaches him, "The damsel in distress, trapped in a fiery hell. And her poor little 'hero', who tries his best to save her, fails and perishes alongside her. Ah, a tale of tragedy and despair! How beautiful it will be! Don't you agree, little man?"

Izuku feels his stomach drop to the floor at that, his blood running cold. That is a terrifying thought to imagine. How can someone be so… so… so twisted to think about something like that? And to find glee in that thought? That is simply horrifying.

"Well, little man? That sounds exciting, no?" The villain asks him with a deranged, amused tone, "I know that it excites me. To see the two of you burn alive? Hah! It will be a glorious sight for my two eyes!"

The girl lets out a choked whine at that, and Izuku can feel her shaking. He brings her closer to his chest, trying to offer her comfort. His eyes are hard and determined as he glares at the villain in contempt.

This man is truly repulsive.

"You are disgusting." He hisses out in anger.

The villain only laughs, "Ah, how adorable! The little man trying to act brave and all-righteous! Oh, how cute you are! A true hero, indeed!"

Izuku growls under his breath as he takes several defensive steps back. The villain is getting too close for comfort, and he can't let him get near them. Not with his Quirk being the most dangerous thing in this situation. Even though the gap between them is still relatively big, he knows that it's not going to stay like that forever.

The villain is strong, and his Quirk is powerful. From where he is standing, Izuku can still feel the heat radiating off the villain's arms. The ground beneath him is charred black from the intense heat of the villain's fireballs. He knows that if the villain is close enough, then they're going to be reduced to cinders in a matter of seconds.

So he needs to act fast.

But what can he actually do?

"Well then, little 'hero'. It is time for you to die like the little man you are, just like the rest of those pathetic small fries." The villain sneers as he crouches down and looks ready to pounce on them like a predator hunting its prey, "But do not worry, little man. You are not going to Hell alone."

Before Izuku can respond in any way, the villain suddenly springs towards him. His magmatic arms are raised as he lunges towards the greenette and the girl in his arms. A crazed look is plastered on his face, and he is cackling in pure glee and sadistic glee as he closes the distance between him and them.

"BECAUSE YOUR PUNY PRINCESS WILL COME WITH YOU!!!!" The villain screams out as he lunges towards them.

The girl fearfully cries out when the villain leaps towards them. She buries her face into the crook of the greenette's neck and tightly clings onto him. She prays that this boy can somehow save her from this madman. She wants both of them to live.

But she's not sure if that is going to happen.

Izuku watches as the villain hurtles towards them, his magmatic fist raised and ready to strike. He can feel his heart pounding within his chest as he watches the villain close the distance between them. The air is hot and heavy, and the tension is suffocatingly thick. His eyes are wide with fear and dread, but his resolve is burning bright. He has to protect this girl.

He must.

However, before the villain can reach him and the girl, the sound of someone or something cutting through the air is heard. The next thing everyone knows, a figure in yellow suddenly kicks the villain in the chest and sends him flying back into a pile of debris. Smoke and dust are thrown up from where the villain crashed, obscuring their view of him.

"Wh-What the…?" The greenette whispers in shock as he stares at the place where the villain has disappeared.

"Brat, I swear to God, once we get out of here, you will be in a world of trouble." A deep voice—an old male—grumbles out with a hint of anger and relief.

Blinking away his surprise, he turns his head towards the source of the voice. And there, standing not too far from him, is someone who lessens the dread within him.

"Gran Torino!" The greenette exclaims in relief.

The old man hovers above the ground courtesy to some small streams of air coming out of the soles of his feet before not-so-softly landing onto the ground. His expression is hard and serious, like a disappointed grandfather who is scolding his grandson for doing something stupid and dangerous. And yet, his eyes betray his true feelings.

There's a hint of concern hidden within them.

"Fucking hell, Midoriya. Why did you run off like that?" Gran Torino grumbles as he walks towards him, "I told you to go home, and what do you do? You frenziedly dash off to play the hero. Do you even know how much you scare me? Goddamn. I'm not getting any younger, you know? And-"

Whatever else the elderly man is going to say dies in his throat when he gets a good look at the greenette's situation. To be more precise, he finally notices the trembling girl in his arms. His old brown eyes widen slightly before a sigh of exasperation escapes him.

"Ugh, for fuck's sake, Toshinori. You and this kid are too much alike." He grumbles to himself with a shake of his head, "Well, on the bright side, your insanity manages to save someone. So I can't really go toohard on you. You're still in a shit-ton of trouble, though."

"U-Uh, yes, sir. I… I understand." He nods meekly, "A-And I'm sorry. I know what I did is… i-is very reckless of me. B-But I couldn't just-"

"Save your excuses later." The elderly man cuts him off with a stern look, "Right now, take the girl out of here before-"

A loud, guttural growl echoes throughout the area, and all of them turn towards the source. The smoke and dust slowly settle down, revealing the villain standing up from his place. His expression is twisted in rage as he glares at the elderly man with bloodthirsty eyes. He growls under his breath as he stands up; his magmatic arms are burning brightly, with several flares erupting from them.

"An old, tiny man dared to kick me?" He snarls out, his voice laced with unbridled fury, "You dare. To kick. ME!?!"

The villain's anger only intensifies when he sees Gran Torino standing there without a care in the world. It infuriates him to see an old man like that standing there without a hint of fear or hesitation. The way he looks at him like he's nothing but an annoyance fuels his anger even more.

Gran Torino does not respond to that. Instead, he just stands there with a stoic expression. He merely glares at the villain with his usual sternness and seriousness. If there is one thing that he has learned after all these years, it is that villains love to hear themselves talk. And most of the time, they use it as a distraction to get the upper hand. That, or just to give off self-bravado.

So he just stands there, waiting for the brute to make his next move.

However…

"Kid, take the girl and get out of here." The retired hero suddenly orders the greenette, who blinks in shock at him, "Now!"

"Wh-What!?" The greenette gasps, "But I-!"

"I will distract him, giving you a chance to run off with her. Now go!" Gran Torino tells him in a tone that leaves no room for argument as he gets into a defensive stance.

He hears the girl in the boy's arms also gasp, and he can feel her body trembling. But he does not pay any mind to that. Right now, his priority is to get both of them to safety. However…

"Are you-!? I can't just leave you here and let you face him alone!" Izuku protests with a disbelieved frown, "That's suicide! H-He has a fire or even a lava Quirk, and yours is more suited for close-quarters combat! If you get close to him, you will probably get-!"

"Kid, my safety is the least of your concern!" The old man snaps, "The girl! Are you willing to let her get hurt even more!? Or fucking even worse!?"

"I-I…! I…!" The greenette stammers, his mind overwhelmed with a multitude of thoughts.

He wants to save her, yes, but at the same time, he can't just leave Gran Torino here to face this villain alone. He doesn't undermine his second mentor's skills and capabilities, but he knows that he can't hold on for long. Not in a close-quarters fight where the villain can easily overpower him. Those magmatic arms can easily melt the old man into a puddle of liquified flesh, and that thought makes him sick to his stomach.

But, at the same time, the girl in his arms needs immediate help. She is injured, and she is in no condition to run. And he promised her that he'd get her to safety. But he also doesn't want to leave Gran Torino here to deal with this villain by himself.

"G-Gran Torino…!" He weakly protests, his expression pained.

The old man huffs in exasperation before he turns his head and glares at him with a stern look, "Listen, kid. I may be old, but my bones ain't falling on me yet. I can handle myself just fine. I am faster and smaller for him to catch. But that girl? She's not. And she's injured. I can see that. So take her and get the hell out of here. You want to be a hero like that buffoon, right? So don't fucking think of anything else and just go!"

Izuku bites his lower lip at that. He hates this. He doesn't want to leave the elderly man here. But, at the same time, he can't let the girl in his arms suffer any further. She needs medical attention, and fast. So he has to get her out of here.

Looking down at her, her heavily teary eyes meet his green ones. She's scared, and he can see it clearly. Her body is trembling with fear and anxiety. But, despite that, he can see the hope radiating within her silver orbs. They're begging him to save her.

And he will.

But…

Izuku's hands shake slightly in frustration as he looks back and forth between her and Gran Torino. He wants to help both of them, but he can't. He can only help one of them. And that thought alone frustrates him.

It's a horrible feeling.

"…Dammit…!" He curses under his breath before turning around and making haste—but not too much—towards the exit of the danger zone.

The girl is in his arms, so he has to be extra careful and slow. Her legs are still injured, and he doesn't want to worsen her condition. But he has to go faster. He has to get her away from the villain. He has to take her to safety as quickly as possible while being extra careful not to worsen her condition.

It's a difficult situation for him to be in.

His steps are hurried, but he is still mindful of her injured condition. He doesn't want to jostle her too much, but he needs to go fast. The girl in his arms is whimpering and gasping in pain as she tries to endure her agony. The makeshift splints that he made are doing a good job keeping her legs stable, but they're not helping with the pain. Well, better this than doesn't have anything.

The girl in his arms is trying to stifle her cries of pain as he carries her, but she can't help but let out small whimpers every now and then. The pain is still intense, and it's taking her a lot of effort to hold it in. His poor jacket and T-shirt sleeves are not enough to suppress her pain.

"A-Are you okay, miss? Is your pain getting worse?" He asks her with a worried frown.

She shakes her head in response, but can't hide her pain-filled expression, "I-I'm fine. I'm fine. Just… Just keep going, please."

Izuku nods at this, his lips pressed into a thin line as he continues on. He hastens a little, but not too much. He still has to be careful. He doesn't want to make her injuries worse. But he has to get her to safety quickly. Every second that she remains in this burning hell is a second wasted. She needs to be treated immediately.

He looks down at the girl in his arms and sees that she's crying silently. From fear or from her injuries—it can be both. Either way, it's not a pleasant sight for him to see. He can feel his heart aching when he sees her tears streaming down her face. Without a doubt, this entire ordeal has traumatized her.

He has to save her. He must save her.

But at the same time…

He glances back to see Gran Torino zipping through the air, leaving a yellow streak behind as he flies past. He's using a hit-and-run tactic. He strikes the villain with a quick kick to the face, then moves away before the villain can retaliate. It's a clever tactic. But whether it is effective or not remains to be seen.

The villain itself is, thankfully, having a difficult time against the hero.

While the villain's lava Quirk is powerful, Gran Torino is faster. And because of that, the villain finds it difficult to hit him. Add to the fact that the elderly man's small stature makes him a small target. Gran Torino is able to easily evade the magmatic projectiles fired at him. But at the same time, the intense heat from his Quirk means that the retired Pro Hero needs to be extremely careful not to get burned. If he does, then it's game over.

It is an intense battle.

Still, he can't help but worry. Gran Torino, despite still being capable in a fight, is still an old man. He's not as fast and strong as he used to be. And his age is making him slower and weaker. No matter how hard he tires to reassure him, his body is simply not as durable as it was before. He's not as nimble as he used to be. And he's not as agile as he used to be. He might not be able to keep up with the villain for long.

And if the villain manages to catch Gran Torino…

"Dammit…!" The greenette curses inwardly as he continues to carry the girl out of the area, "Screw it! After I take her to safety, I will help him! One For All, please help me with this later!"

"Who was th-that? The old hero?" The girl asks him, her eyes shining with tears.

"My teacher. He helped me train." He simply tells her.

"Y-Your teacher?" She asks him incredulously.

"Yeah, my teacher." He nods with a soft smile, "He's an old walnut, see? He's tough and grumpy, but he's a good man. A good person."

The girl, despite her pain and fear, manages to let out a soft chuckle. It brings him some relief. At least, he has managed to ease her worries.

"Training under him m-must be a pain in the neck." She giggles.

He chuckles softly as he continues to carry her away, "Yeah, it is. Very so, if I may add. But I'm happy. Thanks to him, my confidence and skills are getting better."

"Th-That's good. I'm happy for you, sir." She says, smiling as she looks up at him.

Izuku nods with a happy hum, "Thank you."

The pair continue on their journey to escape the burning hellscape; the danger zone is slowly but surely becoming further and further away. The sounds of explosions and magmatic fireballs are becoming fainter, which means that they are getting closer to safety. There're a few fires around, so that's a good sign. And he can hear the sounds of sirens and shouts from the police and heroes, so he knows that they are safe.

"We are almost there." Izuku tells the girl with a smile, "We'll be out of here in no time. And you will be safe."

"O-Okay." She smiles back at him.

With another humming nod, he increases his pace slightly as he walks through the man-made hell. While his arms are starting to ache due to carrying the girl for quite a while now, he doesn't complain about it. The tiring sensation is nothing compared to the agony that she's feeling right now. At least, he's not injured. So he's lucky.

And it seems that Lady Luck is on his side once again. As he looks not so far ahead, he can see several ambulances and a handful of police officers. Flashes of red from both the ambulances' and police's lights illuminate the area. He can hear the sounds of sirens and shouting voices from various sources: the uninjured civilians who, like always, are swarming the scene to take a peek at the action; the paramedics who are treating the wounded; and the police officers who are doing their best to control the chaos and keep the curious civilians at bay. But to his irritation, he cannot see any available heroes. And why is that? Shouldn't they be here by now? Surely, a backup call has been made to assist them in this situation! So why aren't there any heroes there!? This does not make any sense at all!

It is safe to say that they're in a pinch.

But at the very least, Izuku's first priority of saving the girl is complete. She's now out of danger. And that is the only thing that counts.

"Okay, miss. You're safe now. Everything will be okay." He informs her with a sigh of relief, "You'll be fine."

The girl gives him a weak smile before her face contorts in pain. Her legs are still hurting, and they are still bleeding. But despite the pain and injuries, she's glad to be out of the danger zone. She's safe now.

"Th-Thank you, sir. Thank you so much." She tells him with teary eyes as she manages to hug his neck in gratitude.

Izuku is momentarily stunned by the girl's action, as his cheeks are gaining a pink shade. His face heats up in embarrassment, and he stammers slightly.

"Y-You're welcome, miss." He stutters out with a sheepish smile as he continues to carry her towards safety, "It… I-It is all in my pleasure t-to save you."

The girl smiles with a small giggle, causing his blushes to deepen slightly.

After another several moments of speed-walking through the chaotic battleground, he finally manages to reach the edge of the zone. He sees the police officers trying to manage the situation as best they can. He can sense their stress and exhaustion from all the way over here. It is clear that they're having a rough time keeping everything under control. And he can't blame them. After all, dealing with this situation is no easy task.

In addition to the police, he also sees paramedics tending to the wounded and transporting them to ambulances for hospitalization. The wounded are a mix of heroes and civilians, and he can see that they are not in good shape, especially the heroes, who are heavily wounded from possibly their encounter with the magma villain. The civilians who were unfortunate enough to be caught up in the crossfire are being taken care of by the medics. He hopes that they will be fine.

Swallowing thickly, he continues to make haste, intending to bring her to the medical professionals for treatment.

One of the officers—a lean man with large yellow eyes and the head of a ginger tabby cat—is having a rather hard time dealing with the situation at hand. He's trying his best to keep everything under control. But with the chaos and the number of injuries, it's nearly impossible for him to maintain order.

"Still, I must persevere. I have a job to do." He inwardly tells himself, "So I shall do it."

"Hey, look!" One of the civilians in front of him points out, "A kid is carrying an injured kid!"

"Nice try, friend. But it will take more than that to get me distracted." He tells the civilian with a flat huff, somewhat offended, that he will try to use such cheap tricks to distract him.

"What!? No, I'm serious! Look!"

The officer, who holds the urge to roll his eyes in annoyance, sighs as he turns his attention towards where the civilian is pointing. He expects to see nothing but an empty space, or a person trying to get his attention, or even a random civilian trying to escape the scene. To his shock, however, the man is indeed telling the truth.

A boy is speed-walking towards them, carrying what looks to be a girl in his arms. She seems to be injured, as she has a makeshift splint wrapped around her legs, and her face is scrunched up in pain. The boy seems to be holding her as gently as he can to avoid aggravating her injuries.

"Oh my goodness…!" He gasps in shock.

His partner, who is also having a hard time dealing with the situation, notices him gasping and turns his attention to him.

"What's wrong, Tama-?" He asks before noticing the duo, "What in the name of God…!?"

The boy finally reaches the duo, and they can see his condition more clearly now. He's panting and sweating profusely, and his clothes are covered in dirt and grime. His T-shirt has its sleeves ripped off, where they are seemingly being used as improvised bandages for the girl's leg. But overall, the boy looks fine. It is the girl who's in very bad shape.

"What in the…?" The cat-headed officer blinks in shock as he stares at the duo.

"Officer. Please help her." The greenette pants out with a strained voice, "She needs medical attention. Now."

Both officers are momentarily stunned by this turn of events. They do not expect that there are some civilians—children, no less—still in the danger zone. The heroes and some of their colleagues swore that they'd evacuated everyone. So, how could there still be someone here?

" K-Kid, how did you-? What is…? H-Huh?" The second officer babbles out in shock.

"There's no time to explain. Please take her." The boy once again pleads as he gently passes her over to them, "Her legs are injured, so please be extra careful."

The feline officer finally snaps out of his stupor and gently takes the girl from the greenette's arms. The boy carefully lowers her into the officer's arms, trying his best not to aggravate her injuries. Hisses and whimpers, however, can't be stopped. But at least it isn't something to be too alarmed about.

Blinking away the remaining surprise, the cat-headed man looks down at the injured girl in his arms. Her face is scrunched up in pain, and her cheeks are stained with tears. Her breathing is labored and shallow, and her hands are tightly gripping the front of her shirt. She's in a lot of pain. And he needs to get her to safety as soon as possible.

"R-Right. Come on, miss. Let us take you to the medics." He assures the injured girl with a soft, kind tone as he begins to carry her away.

Izuku watches as the officer carries her towards an ambulance, where the medics are quickly getting to work on her. He feels a wave of relief wash over him when he sees the paramedics taking the girl from the officer's arms and carefully putting her onto a stretcher. Once she's safely lying on the stretcher, the medics immediately start working on her injuries. The greenette lets out a sigh of relief when he sees the paramedics tending to her wounds.

"And as for you, kiddo." The second officer calls out to the greenette as he turns his gaze towards him, "You did something courageous and heroic today. But it is still extremely dangerous for you to be here. You're lucky that you came out of this without a scratch."

"I-I know." He simply replies with a downed gaze.

"Hn. With that said, I urge you to please leave this area right now. It is not safe for you to be here." He tells him, his tone serious, before casting him a skeptical expression not soon after, "Actually, how did you even get here? And how come we didn't see you when we were doing the sweep?"

"…I-I was trapped inside my apartment, and I stumbled upon her by accident." He lies, not wanting to implicate himself as an insane kid who just decided to rush into a battlefield and putting himself in a severe situation with the police, "Yes. I'm… I'm very lucky to be alive right now."

"Uh-huh. I see." The officer nods skeptically, not entirely buying his words, "Well, that aside, you should leave this place. We have called for additional reinforcements, so you don't need to worry about this. For now, just please go back to your home."

"…Yes. Okay, sir." He suspiciously agrees just so easily.

"Good. Now go. It is very dangerous here." He tells him, "And do not worry about your friend. I promise you that she'll be fine."

Izuku lets out a relieved sigh as he nods at the officer. The man nods back at him before resuming his duty of making sure that the crowd is under control. Seriously, these people don't fear nor care about the danger of a rampaging villain. They just want to get their fill of the action and load their phones with footage of the ongoing battle. He's tempted to slap a few of them and tell them to leave.

But he doesn't. That won't be very professional of him.

With one more sigh, Izuku turns around and begins to walk away. But not towards his apartment. No. With light steps and blending in with the crowd, he ghosts past the officers as they are busy controlling the civilians. He makes sure that no one sees him heading towards his real destination. Thankfully, the majority of the present police force is too distracted by the chaos to notice him. So he has little difficulty sneaking past them.

As he snakes his way through the crowd, he stops when something catches his attention, but not in a good way. Several ambulances are parked on the side of the street with their backdoors wide open. Multiple medical personnel are standing there as they are either waiting for any injured person to be brought to them or are currently tending to an injured individual. Civilians and heroes alike, who have minor to moderate injuries, are only being treated on the spot. Those who have serious injuries, like the girl he just saved, are being transported to the ambulance before being driven to a hospital. And speaking of heroes, those who have arrived at the scene earlier to either assist in the evacuation or deal with the villain are either sitting in the back of the ambulance with medical personnel tending to their injuries or are too exhausted to move.

The sight of the heroes and injured civilians makes his heart sink.

However, one particular scene is what really makes his blood freeze.

Nine body bags are lined up near one of the ambulances. Two of them are being carried away by the medical personnel, while three others are being put into a black van. The remaining four are still there. Their sizes vary. Some are big, some are small, and some are in between. But that doesn't change the fact that they're all body bags.

The sight of the dead bodies—possibly the heroes who had lost their lives in their pursuit to stop the villain or even civilians—makes him feel nauseous. He can feel bile rising up his throat, and he has to take several deep breaths to calm himself down. It's so… wrong. It's so morbid. And it is not a sight he wants to see.

However, at that very moment, his brain decides to be his greatest enemy as the image of Gran Torino's lifeless body lying in a body bag flashes in his mind.

He has to suppress a shudder at that.

"Th-This… This is horrible…" He inwardly whispers in horror as he looks at the body bags.

The thought of Gran Torino being in one of the body bags, even if it's just a figment of his imagination, is something he does not wish to experience ever again. The old hero might be a cranky and grumpy man, but he is a good person. He doesn't deserve to die.

No one deserves to die.

"But you know, little man? Such a story is too bland and cliché for me taste. So, how about, for today's storybook, we change the narrative to be more entertaining and thrilling? The damsel in distress, trapped in a fiery hell. And her poor little 'hero', who tries his best to save her, fails and perishes alongside her. Ah, a tale of tragedy and despair! How beautiful it will be! Don't you agree, little man?" The villain's heartless words echo in his mind, mocking him.

And because of that, an alien feeling slowly starts to consume him.

Anger.

And not just regular anger; no, it's something far more hot and dangerous. It's like lava. Hot. Burning. Destructive. Unrelenting. A feeling that he had never felt before. His heart is burning with fury as the image of the body bags is imprinted in his mind. And the villain's cruel, inhuman words only fueled this seething rage within him. It's like someone poured molten iron into his heart, and it hurts so much. His blood is boiling, and it feels like he's going to burn alive.

"Well, little man? That sounds exciting, no? I know that it excites me. To see the two of you burn alive? Hah! It will be a glorious sight for my two eyes!" It continues, its voice filled with excitement and eagerness.

His fingers twitch several times before they curl to form tight fists.

He feels a burning flame ignite within him. It is not like One For All; it's something else. It's like the feeling he gets whenever he is frustrated or angry, only magnified by a hundred. The raging fire within him burns brightly as it consumes every fiber of his being. He can feel it growing stronger and stronger as he continues to stare at the body bags. Those poor souls didn't deserve to die.

But that… monster cruelly took their lives away. And he's willing to bet his kidneys that he was laughing and taunting them while they burned to death. He must be enjoying seeing those people in agony. He must be enjoying seeing the heroes fight him to the bitter end. He must be enjoying watching the chaos unfold before him.

It pisses him off.

His brain once again betrays him by playing a scenario in which the deceased's family and friends will find out that their loved one has perished in the villain's hands. And his heart aches at that. The word 'devastation' won't be enough to describe their feelings when they discover that they have lost someone they deeply care about. The pain and sorrow they will experience are unimaginable. Their world will fall apart. Their hearts will break. It will be a very tragic scene.

And it's all because of the villain.

And the monster will only continue to wreak havoc if he's left unchecked. More tears and blood will be spilled. More lives will be lost. More tragedies will happen. More bodies will be buried.

He can't let that happen.

With gritted teeth, he sprints towards the battleground as he is overcome with rage and determination. He doesn't know if he gets spotted by the heroes or the police, but he doesn't care. His mind is clouded by anger, and all he wants to do right now is stop the villain from causing more harm.

Nine lives are already too much. He dreads that there may be more bodies that are not yet discovered. The thought of it only makes his blood boil even more.

He won't let this villain ruin another life.

He'll make sure of that.

"Gran Torino…! I'm sorry…! But I need to do this!" He internally apologizes as he rushes towards the battleground.

In the midst of his own mind, he does not notice that green sparks are dancing around him.

Chapter 5: Awakening the Soul

Gran Torino does not want to admit it, but his damn old body is starting to wear out.

His bones creak with each movement. His muscles are aching from overexertion. And his lungs are burning from all the energy he's been using to zip around the villain. What's more, Jet has exhausted his lungs due to how much air he's been forced to exhale just to move around at such a fast pace. He's still fast, but not as fast as before. Not to mention, the villain is constantly firing magmatic projectiles at him, forcing him to be on constant alert and not let his guard down for even a second.

But, at the same time, he has managed to hold his own against the villain. Yes, his body is growing tired, but he's still managing to avoid the brute's attacks. He's fast enough to dodge the incoming projectiles. And he's agile enough to evade the villain's fists. But he knows that this advantage won't last. Sooner or later, his stamina will run out, and he'll be caught by the villain.

So he has to end this fight quickly.

"You old man! You are a nuisance like a disgusting house fly!" The villain, who has lost his skull mask sometime during their fight, roars in anger as he shoots another magmatic projectile at the elderly hero, who nimbly dodges it.

"Well, glad to hear that!" Gran Torino sarcastically quips as he zips away from the villain and lands on the ground.

He wipes the sweat off his forehead, panting heavily. Damn, his aged body is really getting the better of him. He can't even properly rest because of this damn villain. And speaking of the villain, he sees him preparing to fire another magmatic projectile at him.

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Gran Torino curses before jetting away from the spot to avoid the incoming attack.

The spot where he was standing before is immediately consumed by flames as the magmatic projectile collides with the ground. He manages to avoid the attack, but he can still feel the heat radiating from the fire. It's hot and suffocating. But he doesn't have the luxury to focus on that. He has to keep moving.

"Die, you old rat!" The villain screams as he shoots another projectile at the elderly hero.

Gran Torino curses as he dodges the incoming attack. The sounds of explosions and fire erupting from the magma projectiles are very loud and annoying. They're not doing anything good to his ears. But he's used to them, so it doesn't bother him as much as it should. However, it's still very annoying and irritating to him.

"I'll bring you closer to retirement in life, you walking expired milk!" The villain continues to taunt him, "And then I will inform and fuck your next of kin, so they can join you in Hell sooner! Hah!"

Gran Torino scoffs at that as he continues to dodge the villain's attacks. It's obvious that the villain is trying to rile him up. To make him lose his cool and start making mistakes. But he's not going to fall for that. His skin is too thick for that. Plus, the villain did a horrible job of insulting him. He's just rambling nonsense now.

"Well, he's all brawn and no brain. What did you expect?" He inwardly quips as he ducks under a magmatic projectile before dashing towards the villain to deliver a quick kick to the face.

He manages to land a solid hit to the villain's face, causing him to stumble backward. However, it doesn't seem to be enough to take the villain down. Still, it does make him stumble a bit. And that is enough for Gran Torino to deliver another hit to his torso. The villain lets out a pained grunt as he staggers back a little. However, he is far, far from being finished.

"You old fuck! I'll melt you down until there's nothing left!" He screams as he fires another magmatic projectile at the elderly hero.

Gran Torino curses under his breath as he narrowly avoids the magma projectile. While it does not directly hit him, the intense heat it generates is enough to cause some discomfort. And that is something he'd rather avoid.

With a hiss, the retired hero quickly jumps to the side to avoid another magmatic projectile. The heat from the magma is enough to sear his clothes and leave burns on his body. However, the burns are merely reddened and not extremely serious. Still, he doesn't want to risk getting any more.

Momentarily landing on a bent lamp post, the elderly man then bounces off it to deliver another kick to the villain's face. However, the villain manages to block the attack with his arm, causing Gran Torino to jump away to avoid getting burned. He then ricochets off a nearby building to deliver another kick to the villain's face. However, the villain manages to block the attack once again.

This cycle repeats itself several times, with the elderly hero continuously attacking the villain and the villain managing to block or dodge his attacks. They're engaged in a heated battle. Gran Torino is using his speed and agility to his advantage, while the villain is using his power and raw strength to overwhelm the elderly hero. The battle is fierce and intense, with neither side giving an inch.

But, unfortunately for Gran Torino, he knows that he can't keep this up for much longer. His Jet Quirk has strained his lungs from how much air he has expelled within such a short amount of time. And it is taking its toll on him. The repeated use of his Quirk is starting to wear him down, and he knows that he'll eventually reach his limit.

And when he reaches his limit, that will be the end of him.

But he won't let that happen. No, he refuses to let that happen. He still has a lot to do. He still needs to train that kid. He still needs to help him realize his true potential. And he still needs to help him become the best hero that he can be. He can't die here. Not when there are still so many things that he needs to do. And not when he has many mistakes to fix.

So he will not die here.

He will not die here!

"Grrrrrrraaahhh!!" The villain roars as he fires another magma projectile at him, "Just DIE ALREADY!!!"

"Ha! I have lived my whole life on the edge of death's door, you maggot!" Gran Torino decides to taunt him with a mocking grin as he bounces off another building, narrowly missing a magma projectile, "Stuff like this does not scare me! You ain't even a quarterof what I have faced before! So I am not afraid of you, you monkey brain worm!"

The villain growls at this as he launches another magma projectile at the elderly hero. However, the elderly hero simply bounces off another building to evade the attack. The poor structure, which has already suffered massive damage, finally gives way and collapses into a pile of rubble from the blazing fireball that struck it.

"Just stop being stubborn and die, you old shit!" The villain roars in frustration as he launches another fireball at the elderly hero.

"No! I don't think I will!" He retorts with a cheeky grin as he dodges the magma projectile by a hair's breadth.

"GRAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"

This has been going on for the past few minutes now. The villain is getting extremely frustrated and angry due to the fact that the elderly hero keeps on avoiding his attacks. Adding to the fire is that he will strike him when he least expects it. A kick here. A punch there. The usual hit-and-run tactic. It is really annoying for the villain. He swears that he will kill this man with his bare hands.

Meanwhile, Gran Torino isn't doing any better either. Slowly but surely, he can feel his strength and stamina waning away. While he can still move and fight, it's clear that he's reaching his limit. He can no longer keep up this pace for much longer. He finds it hard to breathe due to the hot air, and he can feel his lungs burning from the intense heat. The temperature is so unbearable that he can feel himself sweating profusely. And his movements are sluggish, making him slower than he already is. Oh, and his Quirk only makes things worse, as he has to keep moving constantly to avoid the magma projectiles that the villain is throwing at him.

This ongoing battle is taking a toll on his body and mind.

And he's not sure how long he can last.

After several moments of dodging and quick attacks, however, Gran Torino's body decides to betray him, causing him to make a mistake. When the villain launches a fireball at him, he moves to the side to dodge the attack. However, he miscalculates the distance between himself and the debris. His foot accidentally catches the edge of the debris, causing him to trip and fall. The villain takes this opportunity to launch another fireball at the elderly hero, which manages to catch him before he can recover.

"SHIT!!!" He curses as he raises his arms to defend himself from the incoming attack—something that he knows is a futile attempt.

However, before the blazing fireball can consume him, a flash of green suddenly zooms in and takes the elderly man out of certain death's way. The fireball ends up colliding with the ground, causing a large explosion that sends up a thick cloud of smoke.

Gran Torino lands on the ground with a thud, his eyes wide in shock as he stares at the place where he was before. The spot is now but a large, blackened crater with chunks of debris surrounding it. Had he been hit by the fireball, he'd probably have been reduced to nothing but a charred skeleton.

"W-What the…?" He gasps in shock as he looks at the burned ground in stunned disbelief.

"H-H-Holy cow…! I can't believe i-it actually works…!" A boy's voice, which he recognized too well, whispers in awe and shock.

"…Midoriya?" The old man calls out, turning his head towards the source of the voice.

Indeed, the green blur that has saved him from his impending doom is the boy. He's standing right beside him after taking him out of harm's way. He is gazing at his entire body, encased in a faint, dark teal flaming aura with green electric energy coursing through it. His eyes are wide in astonishment and marvel, and his mouth is hanging open slightly. And speaking of his eyes, they are glowing in a green hue with some sparks of electricity jumping around.

From where he is lying, he can sense great power radiating off the boy. Power that is no doubt One For All. The old man can only stare in stupefaction and amazement at the sight of the young boy finally managing to awaken the dormant power within him. He sees Izuku clench and unclench his hands repeatedly, testing the energy enveloping his body. He looks like a child who is experiencing the wonders of his Quirk for the very first time. Which is technically true in this case.

However, under better and more desirable circumstances, he would likely give him a pat on the back and/or congratulate him for finally achieving what he wants. But not in this situation.

"Wha…? What the fuck are you doing here, boy!?" Gran Torino shouts at him with a furious glare, "I thought I told you to go home!"

Izuku snaps his attention at the retired hero and is about to respond with the same heat, but a magmatic fireball hurled towards them forces him to bring himself and his second mentor to safety. Thankfully, with One For All now at his disposal, he managed to grab onto the old man and quickly jump away from the projectile.

He lands not too far from their previous location, with Gran Torino safely in his arms. The elderly man grunts in displeasure as he is set down on the ground before glaring up at the greenette with a very pissed-off look.

"God-fucking-dammit, brat! Why the bloody hell are you still here!?" The old man shouts at him, "Didn't I tell you to go home!? Or did your ears suddenly turn deaf!?"

"And what!? Leave you here to die!? I don't think so!" Izuku yells back at him with a scared but equally furious expression.

"You bratty little-! Do you know how fucking stupid and dangerous this is!?" The retired hero angrily roars, "Are you trying to get yourself killed!? And…!? What about the fucking girl!?!"

"She's fine!! Medics already took care of her!" He snaps back, "And I won't leave you here to die, dammit!! I will help you! Better yet, I will save you!"

"Fucking hell, kid! Stubborn as a bull and idiotic as a mule! What in God's name made you think that this was a good idea!? Or are you fucking stupid!? Because I'm starting to think that you are!" Gran Torino grumbles, his blood pressure rising, "You are just a kid! You're not a hero yet! And you have no business being here!"

"I don't care!!" Izuku exclaims with intense heat, tears of anger and frustration forming at the corners of his eyes, "I don't care if I'm a hero or not!! I won't let you die here! So whether you like it or not, I will save you!"

"Kid, this is fucking suicide!" The elderly man continues to argue, "You can't possibly-!"

"Awwww, this is so sweet." The villain, who was furious at the elderly man's interruption earlier, chimes in with a sickeningly sweet tone, "The little 'hero' returns to save his dearest grandpa. So cute."

Gran Torino growls at the villain before turning back to the greenette, "Brat, I don't care if you think you can take this guy on! But I'm telling you, he's not an opponent for you to fight! You're going to get yourself killed! Now just go and-!"

"And let him kill you while you just lay here helplessly, unable to do anything! I mean, look at you!" Izuku interjects with an angered tone as he points at the old man, "Your breathings are heavy! I know your Quirk has already worn you out, so don't even bother lying to me! You've exhausted most of your energy in this fight! And all of this smoke and heat are not helping you either! So just drop the act, Gran Torino, and let me help you!"

"Listen, kid-!"

A boisterous, grim laugh suddenly cuts the elderly hero off, startling both him and the greenette. The magma villain, who is still laughing, has a crazed look on his face as he stares at them with a deranged grin. It's clear that the villain is enjoying this immensely.

"This. Is. Just adorable." He giggles with a sadistic grin, "Little man and his puny grandad, arguing for something so futile. Cute, I must say. And yet so pathetic."

The greenette glares at the villain with pure disgust and contempt, feeling his fury rising.

"You…" He growls out.

"Kid, don't." Gran Torino warns him with a stern look.

"Hmmmm?" The villain raises an amused brow at the boy, "You have something to say to me, little man?"

"Nine people are dead." He seethes out as One For All starts to spark around him, "You killed them."

"…Only nine? That can't be right. I must've killed more than that today. And they're not the only ones to die." The villain says with a nonchalant tone as he scratches his chin, "But, oh well. They have not been found by the heroes yet. Either they are buried in this hell… or their bodies are turning to ashes. Well, either way, no one will ever find them. Hah! How tragic and hilarious it is."

"…There's more…? And what do you mean 'today'?" Izuku's tone is shaking with rage and horror.

The villain holds his chin in a feigned and mocking manner, "Well, you see, little man, I was bored. I wanted to have some fun. And I know that killing these small fries will give me pleasure. And it did, but only a little. Still. Watching those scrawny heroes and nameless cockroaches run for their lives? Ahhhhh, it is a delightful sight to behold."

Izuku's fingers are once again curling into tight, trembling fists. Burning fury and boiling hatred are consuming him. His body is shaking as the emotions overwhelm him. His glowing emerald eyes, which are glistening with unshed tears, are glaring at the villain with the intensity of a thousand suns.

The villain is completely unbothered by this, as he just cackles in amusement.

"And today is no different than yesterday, or the day before yesterday, or the day before that. I just want to play with every rat I can find." He laughs out with a sadistic smile, "Ahhhhh, the feeling of crushing a puppy's skull with my foot! The smell of their burned bodies! The screams of terror! Ahhh, how exhilarating it is!"

"You monster." Gran Torino sneers out in disgust.

"Yes… A proud, artistic one at that!" He gloats whole spreading his glowing magmatic arms wide.

"You… How many lives have you taken to satisfy your twisted, psychotic desire?" The greenette demands, his voice laced with burning anger.

"How many bowls of rice have you eaten in your life?" The villain counters with a mocking grin and his finger on his chin.

The greenette's eyes widen slightly at that before narrowing down once again, his face contorting into an absolute look of disgust and contempt.

"You heartless and twisted monster." He hisses out in fury.

The villain simply laughs at that, "Oh, you flatter me, little man! I do find joy and amusement in this, after all! Seeing their little feet scrambling around for safety before being burned alive! And their sweet sounds of agony and despair! Oh, it is music to my ears! Everything about this is fun! Super fun! Oh! And the look on their faces when they realize that their pathetic lives are ending in just a matter of seconds is also so wonderful to witness! Hah! It is like a grand show! A tragedy written by me, starring those worthless cockroaches, and performed to its fullest! And let me tell you, it was a masterpiece! A Shakespeare-level of art, if I say so to myself! Ahhhh, I wish I could recreate those scenes! ALL of them! Too bad all of them are dead. Oh, well! Such is life!"

Intense green electric energy begins to spark all over the boy's trembling body as he watches the villain laugh as if he were watching a comedy show. The dark teal flaming aura surrounding him intensifies, resonating with his burning rage. The air becomes hot and heavy, and the ground beneath him rumbles slightly. He's getting angrier and angrier with every second passing by as a streak of tears falls down his cheeks. His gritted teeth are beginning to hurt as his grip on One For All tightens. He's seething with uncontrollable rage, and he can feel the power surging within him. The girl's pain-filled whimper rings in his ears as she clings onto him for dear life.

This… monster.

This absolute monster!

How could someone be so… so… so heartless and cruel!? How can someone take joy in something like that!? How can someone derive entertainment from killing and torturing innocent people!?

Taking lives in general is a horrible thing, but the way the villain does it is on a whole new level! Savoring the suffering of those who fall prey to him and having absolute fun in doing it!? How despicable!

And he bets he shows no remorse towards the families and friends of those he slaughtered.

He can see the devastation of the fallen's loved ones. He imagines the pain, the anguish, and the absolute loss that they must have felt when they received the news that their family members had perished and their friend had been murdered in such a gruesome way.

They must have felt hollow. They must have felt devastated. They must have felt like their entire world had just fallen apart.

Izuku's gentle heart, even if he can't understand their pains and doesn't know them personally, aches for them.

This monster. This cruel, twisted, sadistic, and psychopathic monster has taken the lives of many people. The loved ones of those who died at this man's hands have lost all of their smiles.

And that fact alone is enough to make him absolutely furious.

His rage only intensifies when the villain cackles madly, as if he's enjoying the boy's reaction to his words. The sound of his laugh is nothing short of maniacal. It is sickening. Disgusting. Repulsive. Absolutely abhorrent. And he loathes it.

"Awwwww, why so angry, little man? Is the vision of my art that unpleasing to you?" The magmatic villain mocks with a gleeful smile as he prepares another round of blazing fireballs, "Then how about I make you a part of it? Maybe it will be more pleasant to you! A beautiful masterpiece of a hero—burned alive and melted into a puddle of goo! I am sure your mama will be proud of you, little man!"

A furious, cracked scream escapes the greenette as he lunges towards the villain, who simultaneously fires a volley of fireballs towards him with a wide, deranged grin. However, before they can hit him, Gran Torino shoots up from his spot to knock the boy out of harm's way. The magmatic fireballs explode right where they were just standing, the heat from the explosion causing both of them to wince. The spot is nothing more than a charred crater with thick smoke billowing from it.

Izuku groans on the ground as he tries to regain his bearings. He blinks several times to clear his vision. Once the world stops spinning, he pushes himself off the ground before shaking his head to shake off the dizziness. His entire body aches from the force of his mentor's kick and from the impact of landing on the hard concrete floor. But it is nothing that he can't handle.

"D-Dammit, brat… Don't let the b-bastard's words get to your head…!" Gran Torino wheezes out, his voice filled with pain as he kneels down to the ground, "S-Shit…!"

Upon hearing that pained tone, the greenette snaps his attention toward his second mentor, whose right leg is injured. His pants are slightly burnt, and blood is leaking from the wound, likely caused by the explosion. And judging by the severity of the injury, it's safe to assume it will hinder his movements for a while.

And that is very bad.

"Gran Torino, you're-!" The boy tries to call out, but stops when he hears the sound of a fireball being thrown at them.

Without looking in the direction, he acts quickly, seizing the elderly man by his arm and jumping out of the way just before the fireball lands where they were a moment ago. A loud explosion echoes through the area as the fireball explodes on impact. The heat from the explosion is intense, and he has to resist the urge to hiss when he feels the heat almost burning his back.

"F-Fuck! That was a close one…!" Gran Torino curses as he sits on the ground with a pained grunt, "Good job on your quick reflex, b-boy."

"Y-Your leg…!" The greenette frets over the old man with concern as he kneels down next to him.

The elderly man simply waves him off, "I-I'm fine. Been through worse shits than this. It ain't gonna kill me."

"But-!"

"Worry less about me and worry more about yourself." He hisses out as he gives him a stern glare, "But if you want to save me, then fine. Carry me and get me out of here."

Izuku is about to do what he was asked to do, but stops to momentarily avert his hard gaze towards the villain, who is still there, cackling with glee. His magmatic fists are glowing brighter than ever. He has a sadistic grin on his face. And his eyes are glinting with excitement.

He's a true embodiment of chaotic evil.

If not stop, more people will get hurt. And there is no doubt that Gran Torino is now unable to fight in his current state. What's worse is that the reinforcements the officer mentioned might not arrive in time. The only other option is that he takes down the villain. And that is exactly what he is going to do.

"…Kid, what's on your mind?" The retired hero asks him with an edged tone.

Izuku furiously wipes away the tears on his cheeks and eyes before turning to look at his mentor with a determined expression, "I'm sorry, sir…! But I need to stop him!"

He stands up and is about to charge at the villain, but Gran Torino grabs his right wrist in a firm grip. The greenette turns to look at him and sees that he's giving him a stern scowl.

"Have you lost your mind, boy!? You have no idea how strong this guy is!" He exclaims in disbelief, "Just take both of us out of here now!"

"I'm sorry, Gran Torino, but I can't!" The boy declares with fierce determination as he removes his mentor's grip from his wrist, "This guy needs to be stopped! It is too dangerous to let him walk free! And someone needs to put him down!"

"And I won't let you be the one who does it, boy!" The retired hero tries to reason with him, "He is WAY more dangerous than you think! You'll just get yourself killed if you try to fight him!"

"And he'll kill more people if he's let loose!!" The greenette yells back, his tone heated and fierce, "I will stop him!"

"Kid, don't-!!"

Unfortunately for the elderly man, the boy is stubborn and resolute. He's not going to take 'no' for an answer. And with a fiery determination burning inside him, he once again charges towards the villain. His dark teal flaming aura intensifies, as do his glowing emerald eyes. He's ready to face the villain with all his might.

"You stupid little brat!" Gran Torino screams after him as he tries to stand up on his injured leg, "I won't let you do this, dammit! Don't be foolish!"

But the injury, while not severe, does hinder him. He ends up falling back down onto the ground with a painful grunt. With no one around to help him, he is forced to watch in horror as his reckless and bullheaded pupil goes to fight against the magma villain.

Meanwhile, said villain simply cackles with glee as he sees the young boy charging at him.

"Oh, what is this!? A foolish little man, thinking that he can defeat me!? How amusing!!!" The villain guffaws loudly, "Little man, you are not a hero! You are a comedian! But you are more than welcome! Come! Give me a good laugh! Make me laugh so hard that I'll forget about killing you and your pathetic old man!!"

"You won't be laughing when I knock most of your teeth out!!" The greenette threatens with pure rage as he runs towards the villain.

The villain laughs maniacally as he fires another volley of magma fireballs at the boy, who, thanks to the power of One For All, manages to evade it by performing a series of rapid side steps. The magma projectiles explode on impact, sending a massive cloud of smoke and fire billowing into the air. He staggers slightly from the shockwave of each explosion, but is able to keep his balance. He can feel the heat radiating from the flames, but he doesn't care about that at the moment. And he can feel his legs ache a little due to the Quirk's pressures, but again, he doesn't care about that right now.

He can only think about stopping the villain.

And he's going to stop him!

With a scream, he jumps from another fireball before launching himself towards the villain with his right arm, which is encased in One For All's energies, pulled back. He's moving fast, and the villain can barely react in time to avoid the incoming attack. He tries to block the punch, but it turns out that the boy's strength is enough to break through his defense. The powerful punch lands right on his face, causing him to stagger back from the force of the blow.

The man grunts in pain but quickly recovers and prepares to fire another round of magma projectiles at him. However, before he can do that, the boy delivers a flying horizontal kick at his chest, causing him to stumble back again. The villain growls in anger as he tries to punch the boy, but the greenette is quick to dodge out of the way.

The villain snarls as he tries to hit the boy with another punch, but he quickly dodges the attack by jumping back. The villain continues to throw more punches at him, only for him to dodge them all at a quick pace. This goes on for several moments before Izuku delivers a powerful uppercut to the villain's jaw. The villain lets out a pained grunt as he staggers backward. Izuku doesn't give him any time to recover, as he follows it up with a kick to his face, knocking him back even further.

The villain, whose temper is already reaching a boiling point, sneers in fury as he fires another magma projectile at the boy, but Izuku quickly dodges it by jumping back. The villain fires another round of magma projectiles at him, only for him to dodge them all by moving around at high speed. He's moving so fast that the villain is unable to keep up with him. And that is enough to piss him off.

"You shrew! Hold still, dammit!" The villain roars in anger as he launches another magma projectile at the greenette.

But Izuku just keeps on dodging it with ease. The villain growls in frustration as he continues to throw more fireballs at him. But none of them managed to hit him. It's like he's an elusive shadow that is impossible to catch. It's pissing the villain off so much. And the fact that it happens for a few minutes straight is not doing any good for his mood.

"Stop moving, you brat!" He screams in fury as he launches another magma projectile at the greenette, only for him to easily dodge it, "I said stop moving!!"

Izuku does not listen to him as he continues to move around at a high speed. His body is moving without thinking, almost like on autopilot. The villain is getting increasingly frustrated and furious with each passing moment, causing him to fire more magma projectiles at the greenette. But none of them hit their target. They simply explode on the ground or hit the buildings. And that just makes the villain more furious.

"Fuck you, you fucking insect!!" The villain screams out in absolute rage as he fires another magma projectile at the boy, who nimbly dodges it, "Stop moving and let me fucking hit you, you little shit!!!"

However, the boy does not listen to him, as he continues to dodge the incoming attacks. He's moving so fast that the villain is unable to keep up with him. And that just pisses the villain off even more.

Izuku, while managing to dodge all of his attacks, is unable to get close to the villain to deliver another strike. Whenever he tries to, a fireball will be hurled at him, forcing him to jump back and dodge it. The villain is clearly trying to keep his distance from him. And it is very frustrating. Well, as long as he keeps running and jumping around to avoid the incoming projectiles, the villain won't be able to hit him. So he just needs to keep this up until he finds a window of opportunity to attack.

However, although Izuku appears to be doing well on the surface, he is actually struggling a lot. He has managed to dodge most of the magma projectiles with relative ease. However, the intense pressure that One For All is exerting on him is starting to cause him some pain, particularly in his legs. Its immense strength and his first experience actually using it are beginning to take a toll on him. Not to mention that the intense heat from the explosions is starting to get to him, as he can feel himself sweating profusely. And he knows that this isn't good for him, especially if he wants to keep his body from overheating.

He has to end this fight quickly.

A fireball explodes right in front of him, sending him flying backward and onto the ground. He lands on the ground with a pained grunt as he quickly sits up. He can feel the heat from the explosion burning his skin. But it's not too serious, as he's still able to move around. He shakes his head to clear his vision, which is slightly blurry from the impact, and looks up just in time to see the villain leap towards him with a furious expression.

The villain lunges at the boy and swings his arm at him, but the greenette quickly rolls out of the way. The moment his fist crashes into the ground, a magmatic pillar shoots up from the ground, causing him to jump back in surprise. The villain follows it up with a kick, but he manages to evade it by sidestepping away. The villain growls in anger as he continues to throw more punches and kicks at the boy, but he manages to dodge them all with ease.

The greenette takes the chance to retaliate and delivers a powerful punch to the villain's face, causing him to stagger back. However, before the villain can recover, the greenette follows it up with a kick to his chest, knocking him back even further. The villain growls in pain as he rushes towards the boy, but he quickly dodges out of the way. The villain tries to swing his arm at him, but the boy quickly jumps back. The villain is about to throw another punch at him, but he quickly ducks under it before delivering another punch to his face. This causes the villain to stumble back again, and Izuku takes this opportunity to deliver another powerful punch to his chest, knocking him back even further.

"Fucking bug-sized monkey!!" The villain yells in frustration as he fires another magma projectile at the greenette.

But the boy easily dodges the attack by jumping back. The villain growls in frustration as he continues to fire more magma projectiles at him, only for him to dodge them all with relative ease. It seems that the greenette has the upper hand in this fight, as he's able to dodge most of the attacks while landing hits of his own on the villain.

So far, Izuku is doing pretty well.

That is, until his right leg slightly cramps up.

It only lasts for a few seconds, but it is enough to hinder his movements for a moment. The villain quickly takes this opportunity to swing his right arm at the boy, who, due to his temporarily hindered movement, is unable to dodge in time. The arm collides with his torso, sending him flying back and onto the ground.

"Midoriya!!" Gran Torino, who is still on the ground, screams out in concern.

Izuku groans in pain as he sits up, clutching his injured side as blood drips from the corner of his lips. He can feel the pain spreading throughout his body. And the combination of One For All's pressure and the heat from the explosions is not helping the matter either. The muscles on his legs are starting to ache a little from the pressure of the Quirk. It feels like they are being stretched and compressed at the same time. And he's pretty sure that if he continues to use it, he'll probably end up injuring himself.

"Dammit…!" He inwardly curses, "This isn't good…!"

He doesn't have much time to contemplate his next action as the villain lunges at him once again. Swallowing down his pain and wiping off the blood with the back of his hand, the greenette quickly stands up and dodges the incoming attack. However, the villain is quick to follow up with another punch, which the boy manages to block with his right arm. He skids back from the force of the impact before tumbling onto the ground.

He winces in pain as he pushes himself off the ground and stands up. His right arm is slightly numb from blocking the punch, and the pain in his body has intensified. His legs are shaking slightly as he struggles to stay on his feet, and his calves are especially hurting a lot. He can feel his muscles screaming in pain.

But he can't let it stop him.

"I-I need to end this quickly…!" He told himself with a heavy pant.

"God-fucking-dammit, brat!! Get back here and take us away from this hell!" Gran Torino roars, "Stop fucking fighting him and just get out of here! Are you even listening to me!?"

"NO!!!" Izuku shouts back, "I won't run away from this! Not when he has the chance to hurt any more people!"

With a shaking groan, he steadies his trembling legs, which are still hurting. The pressure of One For All is becoming more and more unbearable, as if it is trying to tear him apart. He can feel his legs threatening to give out at any moment. But he can't allow that. He needs to stay strong and endure it. He needs to fight and win!

"I know… th-that heroes will come here and… and apprehend him. But until then, h-how many destructions… can he cause before th-that happens!?" He grits out, his voice strained and heavy, "You once told me… that time is precious! Well, I'm n-not… I'm not going to waste it by waiting!"

"Kid-!" Gran Torino tries to argue, but the boy cuts him off.

"Th-This villain… This monster caused enough destruction and suffering!" Izuku exclaims with a heated tone as One For All flows even more intensely around him, "He took lives! Nine people are dead because of him! Possibly even more! And I won't let him take any more innocent lives!!"

The green electrical energies around him spark even more violently. The dark teal flaming aura enveloping his body is like a beautiful but dangerous glow. His emerald eyes are shining brightly with passionate green light. The veins within his body are pulsing wildly, with glowing red lines appearing on his limbs. His breaths are deep and heavy, and his skin is sweating and glistening in the afternoon's warm sun. His hands are curling into tight and trembling fists. Every fiber of his being is tense. And his entire presence is enveloped in an intimidating yet righteous aura.

An unimaginable power is radiating off his entire form. A sacred flame in his heart is burning stronger than ever. A desire to do everything he can to save everyone has ignited. His mind, body, soul, and everything that makes up the fiber of his being are engulfed with passion to protect. And that is because, in his mind, this villain can't be allowed to continue on his twisted path. His desire and will are roaring ferociously within him, and his heart is overflowing with pure rage, disgust, and hatred for this monster of a villain.

He can't let anyone else lose their life.

He won't let more innocents be murdered.

And he won't let more smiles be erased.

He will make those smiles come back. Even if he has to risk it all to do so.

"I don't want to imagine anyone's tears of despair and sadness! I won't allow him to tear anyone else's lives apart!" He shouts out with passion as the sacred Quirk grows even more powerful, "And I can't let him run away after so much suffering he has inflicted on others!"

The Quirk resonates strongly with his passion. The pressure and heat that is pressing down on him intensifies, while the sparks that dance around him turn violent, the green energies becoming nearly blinding to behold. The air around him becomes heavy and hot, with the air crackling loudly with electricity energies. Some pebbles around him are levitating off the ground due to the sheer magnitude of energy pouring off of him. He's really getting into One For All. The stress on his body is now quite extreme, causing him to breathe in heavy pants. The pain is becoming more and more unbearable, and he can feel himself wanting to kneel down on the ground, but refuses to do so.

This is One For All at full throttle.

"I want everyone… to keep smiling!!" He exclaims; his emerald eyes are glistening with passion and intense emotions, "I want everyone, even you, to experience such a wonderful and joyous feeling!!"

"Midoriya…" Gran Torino mutters in astonishment at his passion.

"I want to protect everyone's smiles!!" He roars, his voice resonating with the power within him and the passion in his heart, "I want everyone's smiles to be forever bright! I want them to feel hopeful about the future! And I want everyone to be happy with their lives!! No one will ever suffer in this world again!!"

"HEH!! Such stupid and ridiculous ideals!!" The villain roars, having been silent for most of the conversation between the mentor and his pupil, as he heats up his right arm to the point of becoming molten, "Shakespeare will weep in his grave if he ever hears your pathetic and idiotic speech, you worthless brat! The only art this world will ever need is suffering, and suffering alone! All those 'smile, smile' bullshits are just a bunch of crap! It will never give anything but fake happiness in this world!! So stop talking as if you know everything, you naïve little boy!!"

The villain then charges towards the greenette with his smoldering, molten fist, ready to kill him once and for all. Extreme heatwaves are emitting off of him, and the ground beneath him is melting from the sheer heat that he's exerting. His magmatic fist is like a giant torch of fire. He's aiming for the boy's heart, intending to finish him off. And he's not going to miss this time.

Izuku, who has a fiery look of determination, lets out a long, low breath as he narrows his eyes at the villain. He feels the immense pressure and heat that are coming from the villain. The sheer intensity of it is nearly overwhelming. But he doesn't back down.

With One For All heeding his call, he stands his ground as he pulls his right arm back and concentrates the Quirk's energies into it. He focuses the power into his arm, causing it to glow brighter and brighter as the sacred Quirk amplifies his strength. Green electrical energies spark violently around it as the flaming aura surrounding him intensifies. The blood vessels within the arm pulsate rapidly as red, glowing lines appear all over it. It starts to shake from its sheer power, radiating a force that can break any barriers. And the fist that the boy has formed is like a piece of concentrated mass destruction, pulsing and gleaming with pure, untamed might that is powerful enough to shatter everything in its wake.

A mighty power is boiling within his hand, ready to burst forth at a moment's notice.

"Midoriya, MOVE!!!" Gran Torino frantically yells out as the villain gets closer and closer to him.

A sinister sneer is stretching on his face as he can already see his victory in his mind, "Come and meet your demise, little man!!!"

"So please take a look!" Izuku roars with the sound of the raging storm, his eyes narrowing and his expression hardening as his entire body fills up with raw might and the strength of his passion.

Once he is close enough, the villain leaps towards the boy and throws his blazing, molten fist at him. This will be the final blow! It'll definitely shatter that boy's entire upper body to bits and then burn him down to a pile of smithereens! He is sure that it will kill the boy and perhaps the old man as well! And it will be another one of his golden masterpieces! It's going to be beautiful!! It is the end for that fool, he's sure!

"This is my…" The greenette continues as One For All is but a breath away to burst.

"DIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!" The villain roars in excitement as his arm is about to hit the greenette's torso.

"MIDORIYA!!!!" Gran Torino screams out in fear and despair for his reckless pupil.

Then, like a volcano, the sacred Quirk within the boy explodes forth like the cataclysm itself.

"POWER!!!!!!" He roars as he brings forth his fist.

And like a mighty dragon who roars against the storm, he thrusts his arm forward with full strength.

The moment his fist connects with the villain's arm, a massive shockwave is produced. And it's not just any ordinary shockwave. The power that is discharged from the union of the boy's passion, will, and anger and the Quirk itself causes a thunderous tremor that rips across the entire landscape. As the tremendous force rockets from his body, an intense gust of wind erupts forth as the ground is mercilessly torn up from the sheer force. The wind is akin to the dragon's mighty bellow. And not soon after, an ear-shattering crack of thunder is heard. It is as if Lord Susanoo himself has come down from the Heavens to crush his enemies with his fury. The soundwave is so deafening that it tears up the ground and blows away the debris and rubble. The sheer force is enough to disperse the magmatic fires and leave nothing but ash and molten rock behind. It is a spectacle like no other.

While the explosion of One For All's power doesn't spread farther until it reaches about a dozen meters from its epicenter, it is so devastating that it sends the magma villain flying backwards at a breakneck speed and colliding into the still-standing but damaged building behind him, going through the wall and causing a tremendous cloud of debris and concrete dust to be shot into the sky upon the impact. The villain ends up breaking into the other room and the rooms after that, causing more structural damage to the already shaky building, until the destructive shockwave finally peters out for him and he emerges from another side of the building. He ungracefully plummets and crashes down onto the ground before his body rolls, stumbles, and slides across the charred and cracked road. He eventually comes to a halt on his left side, seemingly unconscious, burnt and injured, smoke and ash billowing off of him. And the poor building that he's crashing and tearing through, all from the unadulterated might and destructive power from the boy and its already fragile structure, collapses soon after, leaving nothing but a gigantic pile of rubble and debris as dust rises into the sky. Fortunately, the building was devoid of any life since it had already been evacuated during the villain's destructive spree.

Gran Torino has to use every ounce of his willpower to avoid being blown away by the ferocious gust of wind and shockwave. And even then, he is still thrown back slightly. With his arms shielding his entire face, he tries so hard not to get dragged by this monstrous wind pressure and thunderous soundwave as he almost gets knocked off his feet and flies away. Hell, he feels like his bones are on the verge of cracking, his eardrums are ringing, and he's almost deafened by the intense noise alone. And he's an old man who is already frail and brittle in his old age! So this isn't a pleasant experience for him!

This grand effect is not limited to Gran Torino's perspective. Those who stand in the safe zone felt the shockwave too—some managed to stay on their feet, some have fallen, some are blown back a few feet, and some are just hit by the wind pressure. Luckily, none of them were seriously harmed by this. But it definitely left them on edge, as they were shaken by this sudden blast. The police officers are all shaken to their cores, fearing that the villain might have unleashed another explosive attack that could threaten their lives. The heroes, too, are on their guards as they prepare for any potential attacks that might happen. What they don't know, however, is that the attack was caused by the boy instead.

"What was that…?" The cat-headed police officer shakily asks his partner as he's staring at the location of where the explosion happened, "What in God's name did just happen?"

His partner only silently shakes his head in reply as he tries to comprehend what just happened. Everyone present at the scene has similar thoughts, questions, and concerns. They don't know what just happened nor what is going to happen. They have no idea what just occurred right in front of them. All they know is that this is dangerous. Very dangerous.

Back in the danger zone, things have finally calmed down slightly. The violent winds and intense noise have died down. And everything, albeit heavily damaged, is more or less quiet once more. Smoke and dust are billowing in the air as the remnants of the explosion still linger in the area. The surrounding buildings are unfortunately scarred by the explosion. Luckily, the damage is not that bad, but the cost that will surely be incurred to repair it is something no one wants to think about right now.

Amidst this wasted and smoldering scenery, Gran Torino lets out a pained groan as he tries to recover from the brutal impact of the shockwave. His knees are buckling, and his back is aching from the force of the wind. But he doesn't care about that right now. As his vision clears, he looks towards where the explosion happened, where both the villain and his pupil were just moments ago.

"Kid!?" He calls out, worry evident in his voice as he sluggishly manages to get on his feet and weakly walks towards the epicenter of the explosion, "Kid, are you okay!?"

As he limps forward, he notices the destruction that was left behind in the explosion's wake. Everything around him is scarred and damaged by it. The ground is torn up and upturned. The debris is scattered everywhere. And large cracks are visible in the buildings around him. It is a truly devastating sight to behold. And it is something that can only be caused by an extreme amount of power and strength. And Gran Torino can't help but wonder what kind of power One For All will exert when it is fully mastered.

"Goddammit… This is nothing like Toshinori's first usage of One For All…" He inwardly groans as he finally reaches his destination.

And he is met with an expected but still unpleasant sight.

Izuku is on his back, laying unconscious and unmoving on the ground, and his T-shirt is completely shredded to a million pieces. And unarguably burned to ashes too. A clear, pained visage is etched onto his young, heavily sweaty face. And looking at his right arm, one can understand why.

"Fucking hell…" Gran Torino breathes out with a heavy cringe as he sees that the boy's arm is nearly destroyed, "It's ruined…"

It is true. His arm is now a bloody, mangled mess. His muscles are torn up, and the flesh on his right arm is bleeding profusely. His fingers are crooked and broken. It bends and twists in several places unnaturally, giving the impression of a wrung-out washcloth. And his entire arm is charred black in some places with pieces of melted skin, but still unnaturally intact.

The effects of One For All are all over the boy's arm; the enormous amount of power that was used on him has distorted his arm on a level beyond imagination. There's no doubt that he broke most of the bones in his arm when he threw that punch. Not to mention the scorching heat that was caused by the villain's Quirk, which has burned his skin pretty badly. It's a miracle that his entire arm hasn't been burned to a crisp. Well, either that or turning into a bloody pulp.

However, despite how gruesome it is, his arm can be fixed with some medical treatments, so it is not completely ruined. Though, he hopes that she will answer the call so the brat's arm can be quickly fixed. Both of them are… were old friends, so she'll surely heal him. She has done that for All Might once, when he got injured in a battle a few years back.

"God-fucking-dammit…" He inwardly grumbles,"Great. Another source for my heart attack…"

He can already tell that the boy is going to be his ultimate cause of death one day.

Oh, well. It's not like he's going to complain about it.

With a small sigh escaping his lips, he limps towards his pupil, wincing as his back screams in protest with every step he takes. He kneels down next to the unconscious boy and examines his arm more closely. It looks horrible, but there is no doubt that it can be healed. But he hopes that it will be she who can help with this.

"Kid… You are a fucking donkey." He says as he pats the boy's head with a sigh, "An insane one at that."

However, he can't help but smile ever so slightly as he senses the determination and passion burning within the boy's heart. He can see it in his eyes that he will become a great hero someday. And maybe he can be a far better Number 1 Hero—one who will surpass All Might in many ways and also surpass his own legacy. He'll be a hero who will change everything. That's for certain.

And Gran Torino can't wait for that to happen.

As long as he doesn't get himself killed by his own recklessness first, that is.

Well, hopefully he will not do anything that stupid again.