Chapter 1
The room where the Hellbound were being held had two chairs, a table, and a lamp with an annoyingly blinking light bulb. He was still dazed from being hit in the head by some weird disguise who had a cat tail attached to him. He looked at his hands, which were shackled with metal. The memory slowly came back to him.... the third year of the war.... the Separatists.... the droids.... order 66....
He remembered the look in the commander's eye as he aimed his blaster at him. He started shooting. Everyone started shooting. The commander ran away, so we chased him. The chase lasted all the way to the bridge, where we were just entering hyperdrive. A grenade exploded right next to the control console, causing a short circuit.... and throwing us who knows where..... The entire legion jumped into hyper....
The fight with our commander was brutal.... he knew every nook and cranny of this ship. He knew how we fought... after all, I trained him myself... order 66... that thing... had taken away his free will. Now... after that hit... it was like he was starting to think for himself again...
It dawned on him what he had done... he and his brothers. For four days they had hunted their commander like a dog... and after landing on this planet... they had chased him through the forest... The commander was hungry, wounded and tired. He was running slower and slower... we almost had him... almost... damn we almost killed him...
Hellbound would never forgive himself for that.
How could he kill the boy who looked at him with adoration? Despite his rank as commander, he was still just a 15 year old boy. A kid who had been thrown into the war because he was a Jedi...
Hellbound remembered his first meeting with the commander... a 12 year old brat... arrogant and confident... too confident. During the First Battle of Geonosis, the kid was in command of an entire company... because that's what his master wanted. Hellbound tried to keep the company in the perimeter as support, but the stubborn Jedi Master gave the order to assault... and the 336th Legion was there for that. So the kid fought... he led the entire company into the slaughter. All 144 of his brothers were killed, but Hellbound didn't blame the kid... he couldn't do that when he saw what that one battle had done to the kid. The arrogance disappeared. The Padawan quickly began to learn. Our Legion had suffered 30% casualties in the first three days of fighting. Hellbound saw the kid... the commander drag a dead clone across the ground towards the medics... they were meant for this... he wasn't...
The door opened... a man in a strange vest entered with writing unknown to Hellbound. The stranger spoke.
"I'm Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa. Now I'm going to ask you a few questions, and you're going to answer them. I'm warning you, I have a quirk that will let me tell you if you're telling the truth.... So... what's your name?"
"Captain Hellbound, CT-6640, 336th Assault Legion. Republic Military" TRUTH
Tsukauchi hesitated..... but continued.
"Who is the boy you were chasing?"
"Eron Kai.... Padawan.... Commander of the 336th Assault Legion. He is 15 years old." TRUTH
"How does a 15 year old become a Commander in the military?"
"I don't know. When the war started, Jedi Knights became Generals and their Padawans became Commanders." TRUTH
"Padawan.... is that a term for a Squire? An Apprentice?"
"A Padawan is a Jedi who is in training. He is not a knight. Jedi have their own hierarchy." TRUTH
"What is the Republic?"
"A galactic government whose goal was to maintain peace, law, and cooperation between civilizations." TRUTH
Tsukauchi looked towards the one-way mirror behind which several heroes watched and listened to the interrogation. Aizawa looked at the chained man with anger in his eyes. All Might held onto the barrier that took the shape of his hand. He used his strength in anger.
"F.....Child soldier.... How could they...."
"All Might.... calm down. We need more information."
Aizawa turned on the microphone.
"Detective. Please ask him if this Republic was at war."
Tsukauchi heard Eraserhead's request through the receiver. He headed towards the criminal.
"Is the Republic at war?"
"Yes. For three years." TRUTH
"Who is the Republic fighting and why?"
Hellbound looked at the detective with the indifference of a soldier who had long since stopped understanding politics.
"The Separatist Alliance of Independent Systems. The secessionist movement. They left the Republic. I don't know why. They had their own army. Battle droids." TRUTH
"And how long did Eron Kai fight with you?"
"From the very beginning." TRUTH
All Might was still holding on to the metal barrier he had previously unknowingly deformed. His breathing was short, rapid. As if he was trying to keep something boiling inside in check.
As an experienced detective, Tsukauchi continued his questions.
"You mean to tell me that the command has entrusted a 12-year-old child with the role of commander?"
"Yes, sir." TRUTH
"Tell me, how are we supposed to find him. Does he respond to any commands? Do you have a device to contact him? Anything that will help us find the boy?"
Hellbound looked at the table to which his hands were chained. He was ashamed. He felt terrible. He had failed his commander... he had failed Eron.....
"Unfortunately... after the arrival of order 66..... the Commander cut off all communication... he stopped trusting us..... He was..... He was right... he did the right thing.... The chance of you catching him is slim. Even if you catch up with him, you have to know that he will fight to the death. He will not surrender. He will not go into captivity.... and it's all because of us...." TRUTH
All Might let go of the barrier, fragments of which fell to the floor.
"I will look for young Eron. I will find him and save him. I will not let him see me as a threat."
Aizawa turned his gaze towards the tall blond.
"Mandalay is already doing it with her team. She is chasing the boy through the forest, but in addition to her there are also... those soldiers in white armor. They are not making their job any easier."
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Blood seeped from his wounds. Mud stuck to his body. Rain ran down his face, but Eron didn't stop for a second. He could hear the clones. His soldiers.... his adopted family.... his executioners.
A blue streak flew out from between the trees. Eron activated his lightsaber. The rain sizzled as the drops touched the blue blade. Eron deflected the projectile, sending it in the direction it had come from. A moment later, a barrage of fire flew in his direction.
The trees around him exploded from the force of the fire. Bark sprayed into the air like grenade shrapnel, and the air was cut through by the sound of another blaster rifle shot. Some of the plants caught fire, but the heavy rain quickly extinguished the few fires.
He jumped and fell behind a thick tree. Using it as an obstacle, he continued into the forest. A grenade exploded about three meters away from him. He used 'The Force' to protect himself from the rock fragments, but the force of the explosion sent him a few meters to the side. He fell into some swamp. His back hit the rock, taking his breath away.
He heard a voice in his head... a woman's voice.
"Boy! We're coming to help you! We'll save you!"
"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
For the first time in her life, Mandalay heard someone answer her mentally. What's more, she felt pain, as if someone had hit her in the back of the head. Ryukyu used her quirk to bury several villains in white armors in the ground. Only their heads were sticking out. Tiger had just sent several opponents flying with his fists. Ragdoll looked at her and screamed.
"They're surrounding the boy! There's about forty of them!"
Eron Kai tried to catch his breath. Shallow, ragged breaths. Pain radiated from his entire body, and mud seeped into every cut in his skin. He raised his lightsaber as if it were an effort worthy of a superman. He was tired, desperate, crying. He could hear approaching footsteps. He knew who was coming. He knew them too well.... although as it turned out... he didn't know them well enough....
Mime - He was sneaking, although he didn't have to. He liked doing it. The bark creaked under his military boot.
Grit - Heavy footsteps caused by his favorite weapon, the Z-6 rotary blaster cannon.
Exer - He already had a grenade ready in his hand. As always when he went on operations.
There were more of them....a lot more.....
Now Eron would have to kill them all.
Grit was the first to emerge from behind the trees. He aimed at the boy, but hesitated for a moment... as if... he was still fighting inside...
"Grit..... please.."
Eron said in a weak voice... he didn't want to spill the blood of his people, his family anymore...
"I... I'm sorry Commander... but order 66 clearly states...."
Grit pulled the trigger and the weapon mechanism began to rotate, heralding death.
"I AM HERE!"
A shout came from above, followed by a powerful blast of air that not only knocked the maple trees to the ground, but also uprooted the trees. A man stood with his back to Eron, who was built like a tank. A blue suit surrounded his muscular body. Yellow, white and red colors complemented his outfit. He stood with his hands on his hips. The man said once more.
"Everything is fine because I'm here!"
The rain stopped... the gust of wind was so strong that it drove the clouds away. The sun shone directly on All Might's back. "Surrender, villains!" Said Japan's greatest hero... the sound of blaster fire answered him.
All Might lunged forward before any of the blue bolts hit him.
His fist turned into a blur. The impact hit the ground in front of the clone troopers, creating a shockwave that sent several of them flying. Exer fell out of the mud like a rag doll, his grenade exploding safely in midair as he dropped it in surprise. Grit tried to re-command the shot, but a flash of blue light took his hands away. The second impact took his life. He landed in the mud with a slash wound across his chest.
"No, young Eron! Don't do this!"
But the boy didn't listen to the hero. He deflected another blow, sending the projectile back to its sender. The clone fell with a hole in his chest. Eron resumed his escape. He tore a belt of grenades from the dead clone. He ran as fast as he could... just to go further... just a little longer.... His legs were slowly failing him.... four days.... he had no strength left.... his vision was blurring. He grabbed his pistol - a gift from the entire legion - and fired a few shots behind him, not looking where he was aiming. His small backpack - once light, now weighed him down like a rock. He didn't have enough strength... he didn't know how long he ran... walked... crawled..... the shots finally stopped... but he felt someone approaching again... He leaned against a thick tree... he rested his hand on a protruding branch and aimed in the direction he had come from. He didn't have enough strength to grab his sword anymore. He didn't have the strength to hold the blaster without support... in his other hand he held a grenade. A belt with several grenades rested on his thigh. He waited... he almost lost consciousness and regained it. As soon as he saw movement he started shooting. Not accurately, but he shot. They wouldn't take him alive. He preferred death to torture.
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All Might cried internally over the boy's fate. He saw how he killed. Together with the Wild Wild Pussycats, he took control of the situation. All the villains in white costumes were arrested. The police were already on their way. All five were following the boy's trail. All Might saw blood on the ground. The boy was bleeding.
"We have a few dozen meters left...he...he's very weak...." - Ragdoll said, terrified.
"I can't connect with him...it's like he's blocking my quirk..." Mandalay said.
All Might emerged from behind the bushes first.
The boy was lying against a tree trunk. He was breathing, but irregularly. His hands were shaking. His finger was stuck on the trigger of the blaster, which was leaning against a protruding branch.
Shots were fired. Inaccurate.
All Might reacted instantly. He dodged the bullets, dodging to the side, but he didn't raise his hands to fight. Not now. Not against the child
.
"Young Eron! Please stop! We want to help you"
Eron didn't shoot.... his eyes filled with tears....
"No...don't come closer...."
All Might heard the boy's broken voice.
"It's okay. Because I am here."
Eron barely raised his hand with the grenade unlocked.
"No...don't come closer....don't...give up....don't...give up...."
All Might immediately froze, seeing the glint in Eron's eyes and the shaking hand holding the grenade. He had no doubts. The boy really was ready to die. He looked the boy straight in the eyes.
"Please.....don't....want.....to...kill...you....don't...want.....to...kill..."
All Might didn't move an inch. He stood still, slowly lowering his arms, as if to show that he posed no threat. Despite his heart pounding like a hammer, his face remained calm.
Mandalay joined him....she had her hands raised in the air.
"Eron, right?.... Look at yourself....you need help...."
"No....no...."
"When was the last time you ate something?..." - She asked him gently.
".....I don't know...."
"And when was the last time you slept...?"
Mandalay continued in the same calm tone. Her companions stayed behind the trees so as not to provoke the boy.
Eron's stomach growled.....
"...Four days...."
Eron himself didn't know why he was talking to them....
Mandalay took another step. Slowly. Carefully.
The boy's hand holding the grenade shook....
"No...stop...."
Mandalay froze in mid-step.
All Might slowly, very slowly knelt down on one knee.
"We won't hurt you. We are heroes. We will help you, young Eron. Please, put down your weapon"
"No.... I can't...."
Mandalay took another small step. She tried to speak as gently as she could.
"Why Eron....tell me why?"
The boy hesitated. The woman's voice....was dismantling his mental armor word by word...he wanted to trust them...he wanted to very much, but he couldn't. His fingers clung to the grenade, but his eyes...his eyes betrayed the truth. He was tired....not even scared anymore, but indifferent...this was the end....
He didn't answer.....he just nodded his head left and right....he closed his eyes to chase away tears...snot ran from his nose...he was crying....
"Eron....please...put the weapon down..."
He was shaking....his body was slowly shutting down...he didn't even feel the pain anymore....his fingers loosened their grip.
The grenade fell from his hand and sank partially into the mud, without exploding.
Silence fell. There was no more blaster fire, screams or the roar of explosions. Only the boy's sobbing, uneven breathing, heavy like someone who is choking on their own emotions. He closed his eyes..... and when he opened them, those two strange people were by his side... they were kneeling....
All Might, with a gentleness that did not fit his legend, reached out and touched the boy's shoulder.
"It's all right, young Eron.... I came to save you..... forgive me for taking so long...."
He slowly wrapped his arms around the boy. Eron shivered one last time.... and let the muscular man lift him up. More people came out of the forest.... The woman who had been talking to him had a red bag with a cross in the middle.... She began to gently clean his wounds....
All Might looked at Eron. The boy was no longer speaking. His breathing was shallow, his eyes were closing. If it weren't for the slight trembling of his eyelids, one would think he had fallen asleep.
"It's all right...because I came to save you..... young Eron...."
End of Chapter 1